What am I?

I somehow have this notion that religion in particular and a lot of philosophy in general is trying to find out what is death and what happens to us when it happens. There is this whole new arena opening up as a result of medical researches and as already been seen a lot of it is challenging our beliefs in life, soul and so on. Newsweek has this interesting article on reviving the dead. The article argues how death is not an event but a process (itself a rather interesting notion) and its a complex biochemical process.
We have talked of some of these earlier in a couple of posts, so here i talk about some deeper issues and in keeping with the random sanity theme a couple of more frivolous but immediate ideas.
Religion is a mess and theologians will have a lot more thinking to do. I did read an interesting comment on Slashdot that talked of an ego-less state mentioned in some Hindu and Buddhist philosophies. The ideas of mind and body living but the "I" having died. Interesting indeed. But its not something I have heard before (and I cannot by any stretch claim to be an informed source on these philosophies) so if its there it indeed is an interesting idea.
So maybe the next great career is going to be in philosophy. Poor flock distressed at the whole unravellings of thousands of years of life-death- back to God rigmarole suddenly trying to fathom the implications of dead not being an event. So are the last rites really a way to ensure that the "dead" are not able to come back to life? Imagine that, its rare enough not to make it practical for most to wait days on end before the hope is gone but happens so that there is this thought that the loved one may not be dead even tho it looks like it? lets not even get into the resurrection theme.
So philosophy will again be in demand with a whole new era opening with its fresh fodder for thought. On a more deeper level what really happens to the whole idea of "I". Where am I while I am frozen - dead but not dead waiting to come alive. Now we are arguing that the person is not dead because death is not an event. But then what if its a process (maybe reversible) and I am 30% dead. What am I then? If I came back to life and maybe 100% life not just 70% am I the same "I". If not who am I? Or what am I? Its a shift in cultural notions of the Quantum types. Like in physics - Newtonian which is easy to understand and now quantum and relativistic which baffles almost all of us. Well its only a matter of time before the same happens to other branches.
Then there are the whole host of associated issues. What is consciousness? If all life is essentially a result of coding of genes, and so is our information, can we really put it all in some computer and have the consciousness live forever? Will such a consciousness be as "real" as in a person? When I talk of "I" do I mean this consciousness? Most fundamentally what is "I"? Is there life after death? When does it begin? The near death experiences documented have sometimes people saying they saw light or something? But were they alive at a cellular level (which they should right) then is life not really cellular? If it is not, then how come I can revive before or during cellular death? Can I force soul back in the same body? Can a soul be forced? If yes is it really that important?

In other news scientists have cured fear it seems. I thought death was the greatest fear. It couldn't have come any later :).

Thats it, the last straw?

We often said fondly to our friends abroad should talks come to terror attacks how India while being one of the biggest sufferers does not contribute to the poor of people carrying out this shame across the globe.
Last week truth or change hit home. Among the perpetrators of failed attempts in UK, a few Indians were at forefront it seems. While lets not presume the guilt till the courts hold them to after due diligence, the impact already hits.
I remember when I was in US a few years ago, well after 9/11 the "random" airlines extra scrutiny will unfailingly select almost all Indian (actually all Asians). The randomness looks a bit uncanny once u realize that almost 90% of the sample chosen looked like I did at-least in terms of skin colors or alien names. To be fair, I did see Caucasians also being selected and an occasional Indian not selected, nearly everyone selected was young. And maybe it was a case of all young men (sometimes women too) traveling alone was the biggest factor. Also the security was usually very polite and at least once I had this gentlemen actually helping me pack back my stuff carefully while we discussed my collection of camera lenses.
A big grouse was why all "browns" seem to be selected? Aren't we all highly educated, traveling frequently abroad, working for good firms? That is what worries me. The ones accused this time fit the bill. All highly educated in some of the toughest fields in academic terms, lived abroad and were by all accounts doing good in professional life. I wonder if now Indians (other Asians too probably but I know more about Indians so will use this as a specific example) will not spend in-ordinate time in security checks? Visa could also be an issue. A large chunk of forex is earned by Indians doing small jobs in Gulf sending money back home. Money which sustains the rest of the family, see kids go to school, pick more valuable skills. In short money that uplifted a whole family out of poverty. There is a talk of nursing services being the next boom and this time to Europe already suffering from bad demographic ratios. What if suddenly this avenue dries up?
I wonder what if this was a target as much as the airport in question? What better way to destroy lives than making all suspected in the eyes of the rest of the world. While I'll wager that this probably is a long shot but the fact is that it could have a tangible economic impact on especially poor strata trying to move to higher wage areas. People poor enough or not in that high wage category where they or the employer can afford to pay for greater security scrutiny?
And this is where our apathy towards such criminals is such shocking. I have this grouse against most of Muslim leadership in India. They almost never condemn any attack linked to Islamic terrorists without trying to Justify it on some level. Yup this is a barbaric act but they were provoked! Whats the need for but? Gandhi has shown that violence is not the only way. Even when our own freedom fighter fought with arms the targets were invariably military/police almost never the families. And remember that once during Quit India movement there were civilian casualties Gandhi did stop the movement as a protest against our violence.
Its time we woke up to the fact that terrorism is against innocent civilians and must be unequivocally fought against. True powers often act against innocent victims but then two wrong acts do not make a right.

Why don't we lose sleep?

Tavleen Singh In Indian Express makes an interesting point Why didn't PM lose sleep over 7/11?
The fact of the matter is that we Indian simply cannot overcome our lust for petty gains over longer term good. Its a story repeated time after time. Any outrageous act (not just terrorism, it can be local rivalry, political point scoring, regionalism in cricket team selection of all things, and its the same story.
The PM otherwise an honest man from what i gather hastily gives a clean chit to a minister who is forced to resign after a couple of days on the same issue and is blamed by the ruling party as guilty! Why was the PM not sacked for giving a "clean chit" without checking on facts? He is after all the Prime Minister. Or are we saying that the PM of India actually make statements he expected to be taken seriously without checking on facts? If not so then obviously he makes statements while knowing that he is being at best economical with truth?
The ruling coalition's Presidential nominee is accused of political and moral crimes and the spokesman says all political folks have these kinds of charges including the opposition candidate. How does the unsuitability of opposite candidate makes the choice of someone with serious credential issues right? Let both be declared unsuitable. Reminds me of that argument in movies where a criminal caught for an act says first catch all those who get away before catching me. What makes this so sad is that audience will happily clap if this criminal in the movie is a favorite star. We condone turpitude if it comes from our favorite people.
Somewhere I think we are ourselves to be blamed because we within our democracy refuse to punish leaders for their sins. Until that starts happening expecting those wielding power to be holy in thoughts is naiveté of tallest order.

Lost in time

The other day while having lunch in cafeteria conversation turned to traditional food dishes.
There was a time when this girl had sipped fresh froth of vats cooking jaggery sometime mixing it with fresh 'imli". The gentleman on left was lamenting those barley concoctions that villages once used to cement social ties.
I remember there used to be those bonfires at my place where we kids would strategically bury sweet-potatoes under ground putting loose soil over it. The fire was kindled over this slowly roasting them and voila a yummy breakfast.
The mango parties in gardens where mangoes by the bucket (immersed in cold water) were ravished by foodies. Mango had so many things being made out of it. Aam pana, kalonji, various chutneys used to make the torrid summers fun. Then there were other coolers like the 'faalse' sherbet, I don't even see the berries around any more. Mint sherbets, the 'kala khatta' sherbet and ice crush all seem an almost lost delight.
There were pakoris wrapped in colocasia leaves (called patri also in west of India) which were made fresh typically in rainy seasons. In fact that whole tradition of food and tea under some porch while rain washes the trees around you is such a lamentable loss.
With the loss those long leisure days of summers and grannies not really living with grandkids any more with the whammy of flat living has ensured that those delicately prepared delights are getting lost. There is hardly any time and energy left to spend time in doing all this. Besides lifestyles are such that most find it advisable to stay away from anything that might have hint of oil/sweet in it.
I believe there is a market for food resorts which recreate these old cuisine practices. Current generation will come to relive nostalgia and future for the novelty. Any capitalist looking for investments?

Just cricket?

Just happened to tune into CNN-IBM the other day. The caption for the program said "India's war on terror". What was being discussed was Indian team's performance in cricket against South Africa.
Finally we admit that these fast bowlers have been terrorizing us on pitch for long enough. Indian minister (as in all other fields, the cricket board is headed by a politician explains the state of our game nah? ) probably declared a war on other teams or some such thing. It must have been because we won the game. Ye Ye

Gandhigiri?

We are choosing a new Il Presidente! Congress pulled out some obscure entity to become one. As it turns out the candidate has some financial irregularity charges leveled against her. Opposition is planning to make that an issue.
My suggestion - since when politicians bothered about mere frivolities like corruption being a disqualification? Dudes in opposition, nothing will come of it. if you want to fight, throws sins of public life like - morally upright, independent thinker, idealist. Now THAT will scare the politicos. No one wants someone who is independent, incorruptible, upright in any position of power. That might seal her fate.

Falling in work is hard on the keys

I'm bored. There is ample work to do. Chores arnd house, stuff at work, friends to be remembered, trips to be made. But there is no enthusiasm. Is this midlife crises? Its been ages since i did anything interesting apart from mixing normal coffee to decaf in the machine (No I'm a firm believer in death before decaf, but once a while one like to bring excitement in colleagues lives too). The long and short of this is that there is nothing exciting to do at the moment.
The rains have started so outdoor parties are off. People do go on treks but walking in slush with water pouring down ur back is hardly my idea of fun. Who likes to sit in wet underwear for heaven's sake? If you want to have fun in rains, do a rain dance, sip some vodka, play volleyball and then get back into house and change into cosy clothes and sip some martini more?
So here am I, evaluating my options. How about hopping over to Delhi on weekend, go to Chandni chowk and have some chat? Then onto Nai Sarak and buy some books. Go over to Cannaught Place and have icecreams.
Or a hop to Lucknow, Malai pan at Ram Asrey, shopping in Chowk for Chikan and Dussehri Mangoes ripened on the tree while still attached to em? Ever had that?
Or run upto those lovely Himalayas? Bathe at Sahastradhara, icecream at Ghantaghar, evening aarti at Har ki paidi?
All this thinking makes me tired. Lemme get some sleep now

Good Idea, wrong context

Pune recently introduced a Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) system. Apparently a technical committee of IIT professors and similar ilk recommended this over train/tram systems. On the face of it, its a good idea. dedicated tracks for high speed buses.
I think the solution suffers from 2 major shortcomings. One the existing roads are narrow and reserving two lanes for buses reduced the width of the rest of the road a lot. Then the BRT lanes at times criss cross with normal lanes leading to weird sorts of stops. Second is something more Pune and India specific.
What this technical solution completely misses is the human element. BRT buses can only be rapid if the drivers can safely speed. In India in general and Pune in particular, chances are that someone will come in the way unexpectedly. Look at some of my other posts on this. This is a city where while the traffic is moving in response to a valid green light, vehicles from red light facing lanes cut into it expecting the vehicles with valid signal to yield instead. Then there are the bus passengers.
On the way to work, the stretch in Hadapsar (locality) BRT got introduced today leading to all sorts of Jams (its supposed to solve jams by the way). 3 lanes suddenly have to collapse in 2. It did collapse because traffic cops were enforcing it. I am sure the day cops are not there, the BRT lanes will have all sorts of vehicles on it.
Then we had bus passengers coming out of bus. Now they want to come to the normal lanes and go shopping or whatever they want to do. So every 5 seconds someone happily crosses over in front of the oncoming traffic. Some of them realize that they lost a loved one back in BRT stop so immediately go back again cutting across traffic, retrieve the dude or the dudette and cut back again leading to utter chaos. Lets face it, we Indians simply do not have traffic sense and in their defence, there is no safe way to come to the other side of the road from the BRT stop that is in the middle of the road because their is no subway not a bridge to do so.
There is a lesson here. Mere technical suitability is not enough. You have to match the solution to the people too.

Improving Infrastructure

The monsoon season is here again. Mumbai has had painful experiences of infrastructure crumbling at the first sign of rains. There were lots of promises, lots of money spent but as people have come to expect, nothing has improved.
My own take is that while we do not have enough money to spend on infrastructure, what we do spend is also wasted by misplaced priorities, vested interests, apathy, incompetence and corruption. The real sufferers are the citizens. So I've been thinking. Why do we pay taxes? So that government can spend money on common good right? Now making infrastructure upto mark is a common good.
Here is my take, instead of paying taxes that still do not serve the purpose, why not create a special purpose vehicle (SPV) that reports to a high body (not necessarily made up of politicians, lets face it, no one trusts them to do the right thing). The body can float bonds that companies and individuals can subscribe to. The amount you subscribe is deducted from the taxes that you have to pay through some formula so that the whole amount is deducted over say 10 years.
This SPV will be a listed company like any other with full oversight by regulators and all. The SPV can now create storm drains, improve roads etc. Being a listed company, it cannot get away with corruption, shoddy job and all. The infrastructure created is operated on Build Operate Transfer (BOT) basis for say whichever is the number of years your tax bonds work for.
By taking the power of spending money as per whim, this will ensure that a designated part of the tax actually works for what its supposed to work for. Since owners (companies+individuals) are those who loose money / life because of lack of infrastructure they will do a good job of it. Win Win

Elitist Education

Business World has a good piece on the role of elitist education institutes in advancing the cause of higher education. Indeed I find the whole debate of making elite educational institutes as some sort of a discrimination against lesser mortals misguided. What is needed is equal opportunity to all to study in such institutes not an equal right to.
What this implies? Give scholarships even 100% + living expense to those who can make it into such institutes. This is especially easy for post graduate courses. But let the competition be brutal to gain an entry into this club. In case of pure sciences and some arts discipline like psychology etc, it will dramatically improve the standard of research. Let the aim of such institutes be primarily research though there is some value in preparing technicians of a particular trade too. After all, its the applied aspects that are often more relevant to life in short term.
10000 such top end graduates coming out every year over a 10 year period will provide the thought leadership that will raise the bar across the nation.

Hamburg, Cologne and a city called Frankfurt

A view of MaineHattan - Thats manhattan on river Maine Frankfurt. Lovely city, its what New York should have been!

Hotel opposite Hamburg railway station. My Mobcam was not upto capturing the glories of this party town but its a great place to have fun.
I got out the railway station at Cologne to see a construction site and wondering why people so love the place. Then hunting for the tourist information bureau got back in and came out the other side of the station when this beauty hit me. Whoa!

What impressed me the most about Germany were the people. Very friendly contrary to my believe. Luckily English was not as scarce as I feared, knowing no German. But collegues made the trip great fun.

कोई मुझे ये तो बताये!

ये कम्बक्थी मारे सारे दोस्त आज कल मुझे फ़ोन करके "चीनी कम, चीनी कम" क्यों कहते रहते हैं?

Fruits of Technology

I have often heard leading lights protest about technology being anti poor and so on. Recently on Discovery channel was this pretty anti-globalisation activist in Bangalore criticizing globalisation as anti human for the rich. Now once a while there is a loose-loose for poor because of "progress" i think over all the benefits outweigh the risks.
There is a story how Mr Sukhram- a ex telecom minister who had wads of cash discovered in his house by a police agency still won his elections. His singular contribution - he put up PCOs in every nook and corner of Himachal Pradesh. Apple farmers could call up buyers and fix prices and sell produce. While he may have been corrupt (or not, don't know if court has decided the matter one way or another) what mattered to the farmers is that their incomes increased.
The Economist has this story about fishermen in Kerala who use mobile phones to figure out where are the buyers and directly go there. Fish is a perishable commodity so in case of a good catch by many prices fall and hence a lot of stock had to be dumped. Not any more, fisherman can locate a buyer upfront and directly deliver there, problem solved.
Similarly ITC has put echoupal (choupal refers to Village meeting ground) where farmers can log in and check crop prices across market and directly deliver. Without this, they just have to hit across a market and hope they'll get good prices. Transport costs ensure that you have to get it right the first time. The only people who benefited earlier were the agents who would buy cheap because the producer could not take away the produce to another market after getting it to one for costs reasons. They could store and later sell higher.
Interestingly its the much maligned private sector that has lead these initiatives.
There are many such cases. Broadband can get masses access to world very cheap. Farmers eg can read about weather forecasts in their area as well as competing regions and decide on what to sow. Small producers can look up consumers. Artists can showcase their catalog, resturants can advertise food festivals, the list is endless. Technology empowers the masses. Often the proponents of politics of poverty get anti technology. This harms the poor (and helps the proponent), Whats the point of preserving excess manpower in say a textile firm when the competitor in China has half the workforce and twice the machines. We will simply stop getting orders, govt will subsidize a while and finally the whole nation will get broke and collapse. We almost had that situation in early 90s. Sometimes I wonder if actually the left has a hidden agenda to ensure India cannot compete with China?
Its not just the left though. The opposition to technology is widespread. Some out of ignorance, some out of malice. Ruling classes don't want the great unwashed to be empowered because than they expect results. Capitalists sometimes don't want to invest in costly upgrades, especially if there is a government willing to subsidize. Have a look at our fertilizer subsidies and many PSUs for examples.
But I have hope. TV is now so universally available, and it makes an impact. Not just the news items and such shows but even the soap operas impact the masses in many ways. It creates an aspirational culture and it introduces a world view in masses. Internet is getting ubiquitous and that brings unprecedented amount of unfettered information. Sooner or later masses will get on the bandwagon and discover the opportunities.
I just hope it comes within my lifetime.

Easy Way again

I have this grouse that our authorities always take the easiest way out of any work. Some pub had a brawl late at night, police reacts by closing down all pubs/discs by midnight. Most eating joints are closed by 11, because apparently late at night there is a security threat. Instead of doing its duty of policing for crime, the police exists to ensure that denial of basic citizen rights can be enforced.
The same goes for other streams. Someone wrote a book, objective or not is debatable, on some figure or event that is critical of certain beliefs and we ban the book. Some student had a party and create rukus and so our housing societies ban students. We never 'solve' problems we simply wish them away. Rationality has taken a backseat.
Now comes this clincher. Karnataka government has in effect banned women from night shifts, though they have apparently done it in a way that employers are forced to do it( read the news in Indian Express. What they have done is that employers can be punished for keeping women in night shifts. Suddenly we have our own Taliban, women cannot work, cannot study (just wait, some molestation in a school and they'll ban schools for women too someday. its a logical extension of the same chain of thought). Here we are with our bloated Indian ego, of being cultured and liberals (rem, all Hindus are liberal) and this is why.
And this is really a societal problem not just of 'authorities'. All of us behave that way in real life. Its a pity that while we are feudal in outlook, we are too lazy to actually act like a King who rules. We just enjoy the power

More About education

Economist makes an interesting case for a voucher based education subsidy. Given our own state of absymal education system (see my cribs on the poverty pushing jhoolawallah, that blight on our nation, I think this should come as an eye opener to those who decry any private initiative while simply burying their heads in sand about the shocking failures of policy past 60 years.
I wonder if we would keep going to same doctor prescribing same treatment for a malady that keeps getting worse when other treatment exists (some as shown here, even work). Somehow its so ingrained in our psyche that we must take it as gospel truth what our rulers spew.
Maybe system needs to answer
1. What has been the investment in education till now?
2. What is the annual expenditure on education today?
3. If this expense was instead directly given to students free to choose a public or private school in fees subsidy, how many kids could it have financed?
4. What is the quality of education been given in our public schools, measured in terms of success in objective exams by independent agencies over a period of time?

Enough of misleading people!

The great CPM ideologue Mr Sitaram Yechuri had an interesting piece in Hindustan Times. Interesting because he raises important issues and completely obfuscates them. The gist of his argument is that Public Private Partnership (PPP) in infrastructure projects is a scam that "may end up promoting private profit-making with public money".
Read the full article in Hindustan Times..
Let me quote another important observation of his from the same article- "The government, we are told, needs to move out of areas like hotels, etc (even while making profits) and concentrate on education and health. Then, we are told, since adequate resources are not available, both education and health need to be privatised. The government must concentrate on sanitation and water supply. And, now, we are told, that in this area as well, PPPs with user charges must be brought in."
The leader notices important symptoms but gets the diagnosis all wrong. I agree, government needn't move out just to give profit to select corporates. The nub of the argument is that we accept that the government has a right to favor select corporates? Why should that be? What makes a random babu in some ministry an arbiter of what I or another guy is capable of? Should not an enterprise be left to the entrepreneurs and government do the task of government. If I look at what MUST be a state concern - the police, the law and order, the emergency response systems, public health and sanitation, town planning- all are in shambles. An organization that so throughly messes up its primary responsibilities, then claims that they are the only ones competent to run Hotels? (HOTELS run by government? Why on earth?).
What our esteemed leader very conveniently leaves out is the performance of the government. Let us for a moment believe that the private parties are only there to mint money at the expense of the poor. What is the alternatives? I do not have this data but I am sure that if we take the amount spent my government on social schemes over a decent time period, just distribute the same amount directly to poor, have the profiteers do that work instead and charge a usage fee. I have a hunch that the money directly given to poor in place of government scheme will have some left over after the poor have used the money to pay the bills.
He makes an excellant point about education. The problem is not so much as of money as it is of accountability. The government schools are so useless that poor folks who want to educate their kids actually suffer deprivation and send their kids to private schools and THAT is what should have been discussed by Mr Yechuri but he will not because that is his votebank, not the poor kid in govt school with no future due to lack of proper education.
And why do we always raise this bogey of poor not being able to afford something? Do the poor get water now? or sanitation? or health services. The leaders who have rooms reserved for them in top hospitals, who fly to US for each of their treatment even know the kind of hospitals available to commoners. A recent report in Indian Express showed stray dogs roaming around in the city hospital in Pune (Sassoon Hospital). And mind you this is the district hospital of Pune - very big, rich and educated city. Now think of what will be the condition in small towns in hinterland India. So by preventing top private hospitals to come in, the poor don't get treated any better.
I do agree that government needn't subsidize the rich. No need to give land to Apollo for 1 rupee an acre. Let them buy land from market. Incidentally its the CPM governemt in West Bengal state which is in dock for forcibly buying land at cheap prices and giving it to a private firm. And India's political classes' favorite whipping party the BJP government in Gujrat (who incidentally I think did commit state sponsored atrocities) who have let the industry directly negotiate with farmers. The CM of WB is right, the only way to get living standard of villages up is by going for industrialization. We have too many people dependent on too little land for agriculture but no one tries to point that out.
Please read the excellent analysis by Swaminath Ankeleshwar Iyer in Economictimes.indiatimes.com on why the revised policy on SEZ after the messup in Nandigram chucks all the good out and retains all the bad in.
To those who still don't get it that growth is the best way to get people out of poverty should read the same columnist in Laloo Yadav beats Nehru hollow.

Resuscitation or Resurrection?

Medicine sure keeps doing interesting turnabouts. Which is always a good reminder to the best of us that what we may know for a fact today may be thoroughly debunked tomorrow. I always hear that if someone is deprived of oxygen for a short while, the lack of oxygen will kill within a few minutes. Now the latest research shows that in fact its not the lack of oxygen that kills. It is the re-introduction of oxygen which is more lethal!
So what does this mean? If someone is just fished out of the pool, should I not try and revive? Is it better to put a bag on head? No No I won't say all that. What I make out from the article is that maybe the technique for CPR will now change a bit.
Advancements in medicine are terrific. Imagine someone being clinically and brain dead and still be revived. brain dead does not mean all the cells are dead. So the whole notion of life and dead is getting changed. These also raises moral questions about the whole when do we consider someone dead.
Another interesting fallout of this whole treating the dead could be in spiritual terms. I personally believe that the concept of God (true or just a concept is not what I am implying) must have started when humans must have tried to understand death and failed. Its comforting to know that there is a God and a loved one doesn't really cease to exists at death. Thats my belief.
Now if medicine end up reviving someone dead and dead is a very comprehensive way but maybe not at cellular level where does that lead us? Does medicine and its practitioners become the new objects of Godhood? Or does science becomes so? How will religions try and reconcile to the whole idea?
Its an interesting chain of thought. Spirituality, the long source for explanations when in doubt, may end up searching for newer answers.

Food experience in Pune

Pune is pretty much the land of food joints. Anywhere you go, there is always an eatery nearby. On weekends any place that serves anything that may be conceptually called food is filled to the brim, waiting time often extending tortuously long. Now before you go gaga over the whole food scene let me let out a secret. Please notice the very subtle use of the avoidance of anything remotely resembling 'good in taste' kind of phrase. Lets face it, most food tastes the same most places and unfortunately it tastes of flavors I'd rather have it didn't.
Still the law of averages does catch up. While the majority of joints sorely disappoint the food sensualist in me, there are some notable exception. And again let me at the outset warn you, I am fond of Koregaon joints. Eating out for me is not merely about the food. Its also about the ambiance, the service, the taste, in short the entire experience. But yes Food taste is usually the factor upper most in my mind.
I studiously avoid having North Indian food at any joint in Pune. The only exception was a place called Shelley's in Kothrud Pune who usually had sumptuous Rajasthani food. It was a vegetarian only joint and what endeared it to me was that they actually had vegetables being served. If you look at most veg places, 90% of the dishes are either Paneer or mushroom. rest is Peas, potatoes, spinach, okra. This place would serve you varieties of Gourds, different pulses, Parvals and what not. The only thing to take care was to ask them if their usual cook was not on leave. When that gentleman was off, the food used to be bad.
There is another joint called Sanskruti which I have heard serves good Rajasthani food but I've never visited it so can't comment. I do have good memories of sampling local cuisine at Singharh fort. There is a good restaurant near SNDT on Karve road where you get good Maharashtrian fare at rock bottom prices. Otherwise you can get good local food in the Peth areas.
I used to like Ambrosia for the walks it offered. Last few trips the sign of place going down were visible. Cracked crockery, bad food and you can start making out. Then on weekends they started the DJ thing in lawns and that stopped the fun of a post dinner stroll. So i have stopped going there.
Aundh has a surprise in Polka dots which serves kind of 'original' mexican/italian/greek/mixed cuisine. They have managed to come up with great tasting dishes though. But 'Kobe' is a disappointment. For its prices, the food atleast need to taste good if not outstanding.
JM road has the highest number of eateries. I once had amazingly good Gujrati food in one of the joints but never rediscovered the place after a long stint out of Pune. But by and large its the typical udipi kind of experience at JM, an experience I aint too fond of. If you do land up there, take time out to sample the kachchi Dabeli at the begining of the road from Deccan side. Its a road side vendor who serves awesome Dabelis. THen there is this Sherbet guy near the Honda Showroom though I guess he puts up shop only during summers. There also used to be a small roadside joint opposite Barista. It was run by an old lady who used to made very good food. Haven't been there in ages so she may have vanished now, otherwise you can have a full lunch for a few rupees there.
Recently went to ZK's in Lulla Nagar. There restaurant is Ok, I tried some Italian there. Not the best but decent fare. Very recently I decided to get adventurous and check their lounge. Verdict? Don't. For the price of a Ferrari, they'll give you an Ambassador. The seating is all bad. A lounge has no business laying out seats like some office lunch place. The lighting doesnt help. The barmen confuse a cocktail with Sherbets. and the prices frankly are absurd.
Lets move to Koregaon now. Thats the place I generally go out to eat. Prices here may be on the higher side but the food usually is good.
My late favorite used to be Indyaki. I found their service to be 3rd rate for any joint forget something aiming to be upper crust still their cook esp for continental food made the place worth it. However the place seem to have vanished of late and no one seems to know why. Pity because when I used to frequent it couple of years ago it seemed to be doing well.
Then there is Arthur's Theme. I recently figured out their menu. Arthur is king Arthur and the theme seems to be royalty. So the dishes are all named after kings and queens. The food here is usually good. They for some reason do not have a wine menu, but do stock a few drinks. Alas no cocktails n all but you can get a basic red/white wine or beer or alcohol. Service is decent and prices reasonable. Overall probably the best bet in good dining out in Pune now.
ABC farms is another good place. What used to be Jazz Garden is now Soul. Jazz Garden had good food thought too much attitude in its servers. Soul has just enhanced the prices, the food I found disappointing. Swiss Garden was my earlier favorite in good food but my last trip somehow changed it. The oil tasted stale - maybe they fried the mushrooms in the same oil which they used for frying some fish earlier or whatever- the food was below par, the cocktails disappointing.
OVer all I noticed a certain downhill path for most places. Maybe with Pune growing the way it is and given the general eating out, the places do not bother to retain diners by taste.

Test of Vote

Bundelkhand region, a place rich in history and tradition, has suffered a lot from apathy of political classes. The place had terrible education in most of it, hardly any industries tho some parts of it boasts of impressive agricultural production (Jalaun famous for it's mustard production also has the highest tractor density in India) but large parts of it are very poor . The reasons may be many and it also does not help to be parts of two different states (UP and MP) which ensured weak political representation in state capitals. So most of the region just about chugged on, mired in lack of education and industrial opportunity and bad politicians.
However in a delicious irony, the same supposedly illiterate masses have put up a test for vote seeking election candidates. Candidates need to take a written test that asks them about their awareness of local issues. The unkindest cut of them all being the candidates are expected to not merely rattle off facts but have to give their own analysis of the issues too. Heck our universities often do not expect analysis :). Boy that gotta hurt.
This is the kind of change that we want to see across India. People finally realizing the impact of their votes on their own lives and putting a value to the same. There are winds of change blowing across India. And contrary to what these retrogressive leftists and arm chair intellectuals may hold, the wind is not just rustling the top 0.2% of population, it is blowing through the long neglected hinterlands of India.
We still have hope.

Innocent Villager and Monk: In conversation

Innocent Villager: O saintly one, tell me my future.
Monk: Why the sudden urge brother?
IV: I was taking a nap in the fields yesterday after lunch. I dreamt that I was digging and I found a pot full of gold buried in ground. It must be God telling me to go and find that treasure. Day dreams are always true. So tell me the future O S 1.
Monk: Get up brother. Future says tomorrow the Sun may rise again
IV: O S 1, tell me will I strike a buried pot when I did my fields tomorrow? Better still tell me where I dig to strike gold?
M: Brother dig the entire field, gold will be everywhere?
IV:How O S 1?
M: Just call me brother, brother? Do as I tell u and you'll get gold.
IV: Yes brother * eyes lit up like a child's on sight of a saucer of ice cream *
M: Take your best plow?
IV: Plow brother? not a spade?
M: Brother a spade does hit deep but you can dig only so much at a time?
IV: * wildly nodding * yes brother let me dig a lot
M: Hitch the plow to your sturdiest bull.
IV: Yup bro, I see light I can overturn the entire field
M: Yes brother, see that you get the tip in the ground at least 6 odd inches. Keep a watch on the thing, if there is an obstruction, immediately take your spade and have a look for a pot.
IV: Thanx bro
M: Wait, God has a wickedly funny sense of humor, many times you'll find stones, dig them out and since you've done that, use it to cement the water lines.
IV: Yup bro
M: Plant roots go deep into soil, grabs the pots and so when u pull them out, u can make out from the root if it was in soil or if it was clutching a pot.
IV: where is the plant if I've dug the field
M:patience brother, whats a few minutes of wait to a lifetime of misery?
IV: Tell me brother how to find this pot
M: Yes so after you have dug up the field, drop a few grains of mustard in the field?
IV: MUSTARD bro!
M: Yup mustard.
IV: * a bit disappointed * as u say bro
M: Then put some water in the field so that the seeds go deep, that ways the roots will be deeper. Then when the plants are a bit big, have a look, weeds are strong indicator of wealth. pull them out completely and check their roots. If no sign of pot wait till the mustard ripes, then harvest and see the seeds. Ever look at a mustard field in bloom? Its like gold strewn over.
IV: :O! Bro, thats months of hard labor. My dream didn't have months of wait in it.
M: Brother, u will get the gold, just after you sell the mustard, buy gold and bury it in the field and dig it up a few minutes later.
IV: Bro u jest!
M: Brother if u take naps during sowing time, the only place god can catch u is in your dreams. What God meant was that the gold in your life will come from tilling the soil. There alas are no shortcuts in life.
IV: Bro so many people have found buried gold so I heard. You just don't want to tell me where to dig.
M: Bro if I knew where all God is buried, why wld I be sitting here?

Abbot and Monk: In conversation III

Monk: Master the way of the world is tough
Abbot: What makes you feel so son?
M: Master there is so much sadness/cruelty/deprivation around. It is tough to be happy outside
A: And son if its sad outside should you be happy in the monastery?
M: Master now that you open my eyes yes its as tough here
A: So son you realize that the search for truth cannot come as an escape from the world. You have to live the world outside while still being in search for truth.
M: So master how do I reconcile my happiness in search of God to the sadness at misery around?
A: Is it immoral to be happy while being surrounded by misery?
M: I do not know. It sure looks selfish to be happy when around you are not.
A: So a poor child dancing with a puppy is essentially immoral?
M: Master it should not be so, its just a child
A: But a child is also human?
M: But it is innocent of the world. Its natural state is to be frolicsome
A: While innocence of the world may be a logical point, the misery for it is real. What is important is a natural state. Happiness is a state of mind, not of affairs. If you prefer being happy, be happy
M: Master, indeed I contemplate God and am filled with happiness.
A: Those moments you blank out the fog and get introduced to yourself. The way to happiness is to look inward.
M: will not people take it as a license to be selfish?
A: There is no harm in being selfish. But that is not the point that I make. Inward means that happiness need arise out of a 'cause'? Its the joy of life. Its about being one with yourself.
M: So I can be, climbing out of a chasm I fell into and feel wondrous joy at being able to come out. What if I am not able to come out and know it?
A: It can still be joy at being able to try climbing.
M: And if I am not able to try?
A: If there is no hope there is no happiness. He that has lost hope has lost it all.
M: Master I see light and it is joy.

Prescience or Pattern recognition?

Recently finished reading the God Emperor of Dune. An interesting idea of a God emperor. Why a God? Leto II has collective memories of his ancestors. Also a startling measure of prescience. Will a startling degree of prescience project an image akin to God on rest?
Somewhere I read (It might be Sherlock Holmes stories or one of the countless other books I keep getting into) that future is essentially a combination of events already happened. In the sense that our collective memories should throw enough patterns that most of future events can be said to have been following one or the other pattern.
So then will someone who has immense collective memory, processing large enough to see patterns and draw projections based on similar patterns in past, achieve a degree of prescience also? Now I ain't saying that its the plot of the book. Just another thought that should such a trait occur, will we be considering the entity as someone in God mode.
Its unlikely that a human brain will achieve that kind of recall and processing, but some quantumesque computer sometime in future may. While maybe not creating events in physical world, such an entity may be able to very accurately forecast a lot of future events. All it will need is some acts and derive the patterns. Will it be a passive God to some or many?

Pune traffic Axioms

1. Vehicles in left most lanes will turn right 80% of times
2. Vehicles in right most lanes will turn left 80% of times
3. 70% of times you will find a vehicle coming onto you when lights are green for you.
4. Traffic cops are mostly bystanders
5. You will get challan'd by a cop only if you stop for him.
6. Concrete road dividers if more than 6 inches high will have people standing on it to come across your vehicle
7. Concrete road dividers less than 6 inches high will have both bikes and people standing on it to come across ur vehicle
8. Any one way bridge will have at least 1 vehicle coming from the wrong direction.
Corollary: Every one way road has traffic in both directions.
Corollary 2: If a 1 way road has only a single vehicle plying, its coming the wrong way.
9. A railway crossing will have vehicles facing the crossing on both the incoming and oncoming lanes on both sides of the crossing
10. Bikes overtaking you will cross over straight in front and will then immediately brake (30% probability).
11. Any road more than a lane wide at a crossing will have only 1 lane available after the crossing. Vehicles from the other roads will occupy the rest of the lanes while waiting the signal to go green. Corollary: at least 10% of vehicles waiting in other roads will get in the cross way while its our turn to cross.
12. People who refuse to be late by 3 seconds by being behind the vehicle standing at a red light (or a railway crossing) will happily spend 15 minutes in a jam created by their being stuck in the oncoming traffic.
13. Bus stops are merely location indicator. You have to stand in the front 2 lanes to actually wait for the bus.

In other news Indian army is planning to introduce an upgraded anti-insurgency course. To train its commandos in the art of always being alert and on lookout, batches of them will be given bikes and let loose on Pune roads. They have to clock minimum 100km of ride everyday. The program is believed to impart that crucial edge of operating in civilian situations with minimum collateral damage while being fully ready for avoiding enemies out to kill you.

ENews

I must say TV has gotten really entertaining of late. No I don't mean the soap operas. Let me clarify, I don't refer to the drama serials. Its the news that takes the cake.
Come Cricket World cup and we had this leading channel helpfully instructing us - this you see is the Indian restaurant where some of the Indian crickets came previous night to have dinner. Yuvi/Zaheer/x/y/z the names were rattled. They had Indian food, and the 'newsman' then rattled off each dish each of our cricket had. Yuvi order butter chicken with tandoori roti , 2 in nos. 37.21 gms of it was left. He had water in a tall glass which he held in his left hand at 11:21 pm and took 2 sips exactly 3 seconds apiece. While some of this is mere creative license, the fact that a leading 'news' channel has to rattle off what each player ate the night before in a restaurant speaks volumes for the kind of stuff we pass for news.
Similarly the recently celebrated "AbhiAsh' wedding. The media was not invited but decided to camp anyways. Well one can't fault them on dedication and page 3 is a money maker. Whether the entire paper should only be page 3 is an interesting question. I'm sure page 1 and 2 will have something to say and so might page 4, interesting though it be to have a paper with only 3 sides speaking in a mathematical sense.
So there is this 'reporter' who dutifully records the interesting fact that while the media is not invited, Mr Bacchan did send some water bottle and food for the campaigning throng. But the real interesting nugget came from the News anchor in the studio. He said it is good to see common decency in place. As if not giving food and water to uninvited trespasser is the new indecency!
I wonder if there is really a demand for such over saturated people worship? But then we are a nation of 840000000 Gods. Whats another 11 or 3 Gods more?

Musings

Ever wonder we teach our kids in school - Napolean's campaigns in Europe, Mayan civilization, Calculas, Newtonian mechanics, predicting reactions of H2SO4, calyx and corolla, Tuglaq...
What we do not teach kids in school - how to drive safely in school, how to change an electric fuse, how to test for adulteration in milk, how to get rid of pesticide in vegetables by washing, how to prevent abuse, how to identify genuine currency...



Kids end up learning all of whats taught in school and lot more data in coaching/tuitions.
Kids never end up learning the surviving skills not by teaching/not by self analysis.
Mayday?

Updated 16Nov2007. Apparently the officialdom has finally realized that school education can serve some purpose in making life better. They are planning to teach good road habits in school now.

Psyche Unraveled

I've often wondered why is India the way it is? Why are authorities often so venal, systems so unfriendly?
I don't know where, but something trigger a thought. It might have been a program on TV or more likely some fragment of a book. The idea expressed was something like that in a democracy people choose the people that they wld have liked to be be. Interesting. That triggers a chain of thought.
So why do we end up choosing mobsters/corrupt guys with such an unfailing regularity? So much so that if any big boss is ever arrested/extradited to India, u can rest assured that he'll be in the fray next election and if not win will probably get decent number of votes.
It strikes me that thousands of years of slavery/despotic kings have so made our psyche that we cannot come to terms with the facts that now we are all equal, all rulers and all subjects as it should be in a democracy. Look at our elections. UP - the state with something like 1/4 of total country's electoral power. and what are the issues. Party ruling in center has a "leader" whose sole aim in life seem to be preaching how his "family" is the only one which can "rule" in India. and mind u his "family" is ruling india. the Current Chief minister has his brother as no 2 in cabinet, son as the future CM. Main center opposition is lead by someone who is in fray and well as his son and daughter in law. A dynastic rule. from Kashmir to Tamil Nadu its the same. and people do vote for the families so it is not an aberration, it is even a demand from a large number of people.
This ingrained thought of still that ruler/serf mentality is what probably comes across as babudom. Look at a normal guy. Dress him in Khaki and he will begin to behave like a ruler. Look at a traffic cop or a normal constable. The guy will behave with normal public like a king. Even with people who should they have chosen too, become IAS/IPS etc, his bosses boss bosses types. He is not a Sarkari Naukar, he is "The Sarkar". The government himself - the sovereign.
Same is for anybody else in power. Heck a few years back a teller in state bank of India used to behave like your master, talking to colleagues, being rude to customers, keeping em in line while he'll do whatever he want to do. and this with people whose money pay his salary. Rules and tax paying serfs. they probably still do just that I stopped going to SBI.
But why do we vote for people who are to be voted. Because inherently we are still rulers and serf. the poor have accepted it as their karma, they are bonded serfs. those who are educated, want to be rulers someday and hence will never challenge
Its all in psyche.

Seattle Sojurn

This past year has been the year of travel. Managed to travel from Delhi to Lucknow via Uttaranchal all by bus. Then a trip to Bangalore, 2 trips to Hong Kong, 3 trips to Lucknow, Trip to US, Charlotte, New York capped by a visit to Seattle. Its a miserably long flight from Charlotte to Seattle. When planes take 6 hours to get you from coast to coast its then that one realizes the sheer size of USA. So there I am, mere 4 days after freezing in New York, in balmy Seattle. First the cabin crew announces some security breach and tells us that subway aint running, then tells us we can't disembark! after arnd 20 min of drama on the craft, sitting on asphalt we are finally let off.
Ah coffee. Now that Seattle is the town for coffee is something I learnt a bit later (tho why??? I mean why shd coffee and Seattle be connected. Columbia - Ok, Indonesia ok, why Seattle???). While waiting for sis dear to come and pick me up I manage to grab a coffee and loose my credit card. Arggghhhh!!!!
Anyways, a little while later I was introduced to this quaint little place called the Fishermen's market. I've noticed this thing about US. They do manage to take quaint places and make it quainter. This market is essentially a trinkets/food market with insane crowd. There is a lot to eat! There is also the first Starbucks that opened here. It was too crowded for me to venture inside so I had to forgo my usual capucino. Ah a bulb blinks inside my head. So thats why Seattle is called the coffee place!
Out of the teeming places and we hit to the space needle. Funny name but the building is quite striking. Did I mention this was an extended weekend? Nah I didnt, so well what do u expect on an extended weekend but crowds? We hence plonked into this museum nearby and that of all the places turns out closed! Museums anyway are a long drawn affair. After generally lolling about the place, we finally hit home.
Next day I managed to get to another place which had a Now I've seen a lot of waterfalls, many quite high and once in Langkawi, even swum a bit in the pool below - try fresh water swimming if you haven't, its quite fun; it was the first time that I had a water spray hitting me while being above the fall itself. Awesome!
Like most places American, the fine folks had made nice pathways to generally mess around and we duly did that. Localites, please note, make me run a few kilometers everyday, I can do with more stamina. I do miss those chaiwallahs that you get at every corner in India. Here we are on a wet day, sitting next to a fall and no tea in sight. Gaah. "Kabhi kissi to mukkamal jahan nahin milta...". I think it'll work wonders if we can send like 20% of our population to US. They get the critical mass for these and we get some breathing space.
Anyways so we generally roamed around, spending quality family time. Seattle is the kind of city that you need to live in to appreciate. No I don't mean coming to terms with the rains. Rather the charm here is really in the museums, the marina on lake Washington, the city spaces and so, things you can't really do in a rushed holiday and enjoy. So if you really want to enjoy Seattle, spend a few days here, pick up a job with good stock ops, laze on the Marina and life will be good. Amen

Straight talking politician

Chanced to tune into some Sahara Bombay TV channel and found Sanjay Nirupam being interviewed. Apparently Raj Thakre recently mentioned that if Bihari don't respect Marathis beat them up or something to that effect.
What I found refreshing in the interview was the candor with which the MP spoke on issues. Yes it is wrong to target people based on any identity. Yes all have a right to live.
This gentleman I found, and a first in a politician, did not skirt questions and was forthright. What I really liked was when he said to effect that when one Shilpa Shetty was told something that was deemed improper in a TV show the entire world media went up in arms against those who made those racist comments including in India while we in India are probably the most racist people of them all.
I totally agree.
There is so much identity based hate and violence in India, it is numbing. As Mr Nirupam said for how long will we keep considering ourselves only as a part of a small group while the race to advance the country to a glory place in world has to be fought. I have found this so obvious even in a highly educated place like Pune. Go to a peth (old market) area and you can make out that if you are from North India the attitude of people towards you is of contempt! And this for region that gave most freedom fighters, great musicians and poets and many in academia.
Heck in my own housing society "foreigners" are not allowed to be tenets. And this when half the owners themselves or a close family member live abroad half the time. By Mr Thakre's logic, should US sack all Maharastrians because Maharastrians believe that their own land should not have any outsider living?
This attitude is not just here, I use it because I live here and see it firsthand. I am sure it the same in most other provinces in India. MH which in many ways is a very progressive state still suffers such bigotry I shudder to think what happens in more conservative societies in India.
This kind of discrimination is so common in India that we do not even bother to take notice anymore. I have traveled abroad a few times but the amount of hostility that I have seen within India for people from different "stock" is way ahead of any country outside. Its sad to see the original melting pot so degenerated. I had hopes that once people start traveling abroad often they will imbibe some of the good values. But when I asked a young guy in my housing society why such rules - he was shocked by my questioning it. They are so immoral was the answer I got! Wonder why then Indians so pride on family members settled abroad. How can you be happy about someone who leaves glorious India and goes on to live in an "immoral" society?

The occasional disappearances

Its been an uncharacteristically long break from blogging for me. As promised earlier I get back now to update on some of the recent happenings in my own life.
Last month, I chucked my job of nearly 7 years and switched to another org, no not quite chasing the dreams yet but its a beginning. A change after such a long time is unsettling and that explains some of the delay in updating this blog. Alas my days of unemployment (the break in between) were only about a couple of days so the energy levels are still not recharged. Then there is the whole thought of getting the hut up to speed in offering all creature comforts to a harried commuter at the end of the day.
Meanwhile there are a couple of travelogues to pen down, including that trip to Seattle being asked about in this blog. They'll all come.
The big question is what can one do to recharge energy quickly? I am quite sick of traveling, the last year or so having turned out so hectic, still I will not rule out some pleasure trip. I have also picked up reading science fiction as bedtime reading, but that seems to generate more thoughts than rest - a bad choice. Food binges - ah yes thats more in my line, Pune as such offer an insane choice of eateries, but very few that serve good food. Maybe I should restart dancing. Hmmm. So the quest continues.
Cricket world cup has started and I had the misfortune of reading the fixtures list today. So that was what the commentators were discussing. What a lame collection of teams. The first decent matches start like in April mid. What the heck. This is supposed to be the WORLD CUP and half the teams in it as those that I till today morn didn't know, had heard of cricket! Way of increasing the game's popularity - what crap? Have a qualifying world cup and let em slug it out and whittle down to maybe 2 teams who get into the "real world" cup. The good thing about all this is that but the time the serious matched start, I might have accumulated a few leaves to actually be able to watch the decent matches.
Or I might save on those and wait till the UP elections happen. Now that has real potential for some entertainment more so since I don't live in UP any more. And while it may come as a shocker, I think I'd prefer Bahenji aka Mayawati to win. With the choice being Mulayam (all criminals+caste+minority appeasement) or Kalyan (temple - who cares- the hungry masses or the just robbed lady?), she at least seem to be doing decent politics. And politicians who don't do politics are well unprofessional.

of Hope

Finally i managed to visit New York. As someone who loves cities, I found NY to be as much as I wanted it to be. Vibrant, glitzy and fun.
All the great collection of people that converge there, relishing the delights of a megapolis make it a truly remarkable city. You hear all sorts of languages while walking down the streets, bump into people across the world. This post tho, will touch only a small part of the experience. I had only arnd a day in the city, too short a time by any stretch of imagination for a city of this size. I do believe that the best way to really see a city is by living in it, hopefully someday I shall manage to live in the Big Apple too.
As mentioned I had only a few hrs, so we (Nali and I) decided staten island ferry might be a good way to see the skyline and have a dekkho at the statue of Liberty. The ferry itself turned out to be a disappointment, with all windows being closed. Guess they couldnt help it, it being freezing outside, still watching the towering Manhatten skyline from a closed ferry deck is no fun. So here we are, both thinking what a waste. Still I'm in New York and there is plenty to look at.
Suddenly looms the Statue. I was a bit disappointed at its size and all. Then Nali mentions, imagine this being hundred years ago, U a poor immigrant braving a very hazardous journey for many days, sailing to the hope called America. Its been closed cramped stormy sees and suddenly you see her.Hope now standing there welcoming you in the form of a towering statue in a distance draining away all the tiredness.
Yes indeed it struck me. Today there might be the imposing Manhattan skyline, but the Lady is special because she symbolizes hope. The idea that is America.

Kabir

Browsing through a literature community, I got into a mood to read a bit of Kabir. Google- the wise sage of eworld threw up a Sikh religion site that has a nice writeup on him.
First time I realized that Kabir's verse are found in Guru Granth Sahib. That he preached his own flavor of religion (probably a wrong term here I guess it must be more of a spiritual tradition). This is something common to most early Indian philosophers, and most poetry then was lets face it, devotional and philosophical.
This should not have come as a surprize to me. Afterall the "dohas" that I had read in school were in spiritual tradition. Still its a matter of shame that our schools do not really teach the ecosystem that gives rise to such rich poetry. I read some couplets, had a teacher explain some of the meaning behind the words. Meaning behind the words, not the idea. It can be debated that should a school teach ideas or let the pupils think on their own.
Before you say of course - think. Consider the debate in some of the US about school boards trying to foist some 'creationist agenda' on schools. So maybe its not a bad to avoid what might be a spiritual idea being taught in school. So I think. Hmmm, maybe it IS a bad idea to teach this in school as a science. But history, literature often are an understanding of human lives. How can they be taught with honest unless you also discuss the motives behind the lives?
India with its glorious spiritual traditions, of masters who questioned the existing order and preached alternatives does not expose its kids to their past. Maybe that explains the bigotry that is creeping in. Most kids may not even know that we had thousands of years of great minds questioning the present and past and laying out a different future! That is the tragedy. Most Indians have an arrogant pride in their past little realizing that we are making sure its stays a past.

Weather blues

Finally the winter hits home. I've been here in North Carolina enjoying the sunny winters. While i did have to scrap the ice off the ole 4 wheeler once, the weather by and large has been benign. Nice sun, temperature typically around 10C.
Here am I on a bright Sunday talking to a friend in sunny California, the guy grumpy about the cold there and me happily inviting him to enjoy the salubrious winter here. Did I hear someone say God is nice chum to us monkish souls? Lemme tell you God sure does have this mean streak of being jealous.
So I wake up next morning to a very sunny but cold day temperature arnd -6C. From someone who has spent quite a few summers near Equator and in deserts, this is a very ouch situation. The one time I was happy abt this sudden chill was when there was a winter storm warning and work place indicating that it may be closed in case the storm hits, the dude up there decides to stay easy! Gaaah!
They say that tomorrow there may be sleet, icerains or maybe snow with a high of 0C. I doubt if the office will close - if there were possibilities I'll happily trudge to the old church there and light candles- so I'll keep a lookout for weathermen's word. It its aye to the storm, time to get the sun tan out, else I'll hunt up the muffins and jumpers.
To all the folks up north in Canada - enjoy the sun, those in Cali - stock up on wood, the unbelievers - tuck up with nice reading material

Update Feb 1: There is something to what I felt earlier. Its snowing outside - okie only freezing rain at the moment, snow stopped a while ago- and I'm home. Wooo Hooo!. Thank You Thank You. I do not have candles so I guess I'll use the gas burner instead. Sacrifices to the tea God may be in order.

View from the front door
view from window.
Well it doesnt snow much here. Still my first time so Wooo Hooo!

Midnight Musings revisited

Been streaming music from the old crummy laptop onto the new phone where the fairly decent headphones are doing a good job. Discovered a few songs by Abhijit Pohankar (check out this dude, especially Piya Bawari if you haven't yet listened to it) which brought back memories of those classical music fests of SPIC MACAY and Pune days.
Recent years has seen some revival with many masters coming up with catchy modern numbers sung classical style. I remember all songs of Sardari Begum ( Aarti Ankalikar- another amazing singer) which became quite popular. Then there have been other musicians and singers who have been coming up with hit creations.
While I can't say I've enjoyed most classical concerts as much as I'd have preferred to. For one, for someone not trained in classical music, its not easy to always follow the skills. Then the masters themselves are not always endearing. There are exceptions. Count yourself lucky if you find yourself listening to some combination of Us. Zakir Hussain, Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, Pt. Shiv Kumar Sharma. Folks who enjoy playing their art as much as audience loves to hear it. I've had the pleasure of compeering on of Pt. Chaurasia's concert. Apart from that I've heard him many times in live concerts. He believes if the audience is appreciative, he doesn't mind playing all night, its as much fun for him as for him. Its on occasions like these when the night is 'just right' that I've found some of the greatest music being played. I remember an evening of a few years ago in Pune when Us. Zakir Hussain, Us. Sultan Khan and Shiv Mani playing next to Shaniwar Wada. Another awesome evening and I was especially enthralled by the tabla Maestro. Never thought that a tabla can be played like that!
I've found Shubha Mudgal again another enjoyable practitioner. Someone who chooses the songs as per the audience, mixing easy to listen with hard to render and explaining the progression.
Among dancers again I had the pleasure of sitting with Sonal Mansingh for a hour or so. This was many many years ago in Allahabad on the banks of the Ganges. I sauntered in her camp while she was getting ready for a performance and I was delighted by a hot cup of tea and talk to her for almost an hour. Somehow its hard to come across star performers like that now, who would not shoo away a young boy but will rather happily chat about tough and good times of life. And that is part of the charm of a live show.
Talking of shows, been planning to visit the Jaisalmer desert festival for many years now. Alas this year too will be wasted since the place will be half a world away in Feb, but will definitely try next year.

Midnight Musings

Fine food/ wine and cheese
Smiling company / Music and friends
I have it all and still
Here I am / Missing Life!

Another Toy

Got home to find a gorgeous new Nokia N80ie waiting for me at the porch! After a gloriously isolated month, Be prepared to be ignored by a always connected me.

A Chindia story

The economy bug bit me during weekend. I spent a lot of time reading about India and China's economic resurgence, their respective comparisons and threats and dangers to it. My exposure to China is limited to Hong Kong and Macau, not really mainland China, so no way for me to actually co-relate my experiences from what I hear. Hong Kong is impressive, Macau too though not in the same league as Hong Kong. But HK is a recent addition to China and it already had impressive economy and to their credit Chinese have kept it improving. Very impressive.
India is a story I understand better. The advances are impressive and the dangers real. Currently on a trip to US of A I often find myself in discussing the India story with ex-Indians and Americans. How things have improved though there is a very long way to go. My own feeling are of high, investments earning handsome returns, earnings increasing and life good and getting better(I hope). But behind all the shine, there are significant dark shadows.
Take a look - use Google, I'm too lazy at the moment to get the links here, the number of people living below $1 a day. Look at the number of illiterates ( and those who are in school may not be too well (see here). The education system is crumbling. The infrastructure growth is being hampered by the powers that be in government itself. Attitudes at work places are bad. Employment growth is pathetic and that is the biggest stumbling block in my view. Apart from social tensions ( look at the mess some of these SEZ/ highway projects/ dams and all are facing in getting land and all) it means 1/2 the population is out of the consuming cycle, perceives no benefit in 'growth' but has a vote share as much as those who do see the benefit.
What is stopping from politicians from coming out with an agenda of politics of poverty with all its dangers. If this happens it is not really the fault of the electors. If you have nothing to loose, you can try desperate measures which is what an unequal system often forces the lower rungs to do. That happening will take us back to the dark ages.

The territorial Animal

BBC recently had this news item on how a herd of goats managed to master a cattle grid laid to prevent them from coming into human settlement eating plants and flowers laid in a cemetery. Goes on to prove how Man is the biggest territorial animal of them all.
We have carved out large portions of Earth, destroyed animals and trees we could and built our own forests of concrete. We got in a few cosmetic animals just to remind of our ancient past, popular choice being pack animals that look up to the masters as the pack leader. And we have built our own structures to draw boundaries of personal space.
t.
Makes me wonder if man has the right to decide to 'cull' animals just because they come and eat flowers we put on our dear one's graves, people already no more living? Here probably the goats are no threat to life and liberty, just a cosmetic nuisance. I can understand the urge to kill for food but does nuisance deserves death?(In case of mosquitoes, yes I think it does, see my earlier post on this but we digress).
The thing is that nearly all other territorial animals defend their territories typically either during feeding or mating times. Most often these territories are those that give great food advantage and where having a crowd with compromise food security. But with humans its often a case of power/wealth projection. I wonder how sustainable would this be over years. What happens when the human population reaches like 8 billion?

Going to USA

I'll be leaving for US on 30th Dec. So all those guys nearby Charlotte NC, mail me the contact numbers and we can meet up soon.

Ways to live

This is the time of the year when we think of life and times ahead. The kind of time when even timid like me start thinking of changing the ways we live. Accordingly I have been thinking of some exciting careers. Some of the fun/adventurous/ no-work work lines I can suggest are:
1. Professional Protester
2. Photographer with National Geographic
3. Active Volcano hiker
4. Storm Chaser (with free plane and rides)
5. Scuba diver
6. Sky Diver
7. School Teacher
8. Wine / beer taster
9. Day Watchman in a night club
10. Food Critic
11. Stock Market commentator
12. Free fall train operator? (does (s)he get to ride the train too? )

You can add your ideas

Season's Greetings

Its the time of the year when Xmas and Hanukkah are celebrated. The impending new year brings cheer to people. Its also the time of get together and parties and holidays taken.
All those who are vacationing or otherwise having fun- Season's Greetings and Happy holidays.
To those who are not- what are you waiting for? Go out, go and have fun.

Plenty of Action, no nothing to report

The week proved to be quite exciting for newspapers. Indians managed a comprehensive win in South Africa, Jessica Lall case finally ended with Justice done, Asian games ended, Lalu got acquitted in disproportionate assets case, Discovery had another launch and so on.
On personal front, or rather my professional front, new developments taking place which I'll update on once things clear up. Suffice to say that a city change is strongly in making for me and that should be exciting.
All in all an eventful few days. Still I hardly had anything insightful to say so kept quiet. After all whats the fun in a news blog posting? As it is we have a surfeit of news in our lives even if its mere salacious fact/opinion reading that mostly goes for news on our news channels. But then why not? Why should I decide what should be reported and what not? If the majority find it boring, they won't watch/read it and the media house go out of business.
Even blogging has this crisis of confidence. Many people pass sarcastic comments as to how Blogosphere is now mostly a teen diary capturing details of teeth brushing in morning and brand of chocolate eaten in the night. I wonder why should it not be so. So long as no one is forcing me to read any particular blog, why not take it as a rather harmless channelization of excess energy? It harms no one and at least the writer sleeps well in the night after the post.
The question is really fundamental. Should 'taste' or 'goodness' be defined by someone or a group or even the majority for everybody. Especially in something like print on web were you only pick up what you choose to see. Yes there is noise that comes across which one can filter. Why not let individual freedom range unhindered at least here?

Hiatus unhitched

Life of late has been hectic, interesting and depressing at the same time. Lots of things happening on my end and still hardly much happens. Ah lets chuck the life stories and talk of something interesting.
I have been blogging a while now. Most of it is mere recap of mundane or erratic wanderings of the mind, along with an occasional interesting idea. Today I just recount something that is supposed to be serious but came across as funny to us comic techies.
The company did a fire drill today, yippy. Last time this happened I remember I was good enough to grab a mug of tea before strolling out to the assembly area and watches the water games over glass buildings with interest while sipping tea and enjoying the winter sun.
This time however the timing caught me. Just before 12, a time when one starts thinking of lunch is not the best time to grab tea. So I had to venture out with no prop in sight. One thing I never did understand is that why with a wide road 30 ft from my building do I have to not take it and in fact traverse a 100m or so, going on the sides of potentially blazing buildings and go to a "high" area. Ne ways, whats to be done is to be done and there we were all out in a cramped lawn under a hot December sun (sun IS hot this December). Then the fun started.
The guy with the mike - yup there was one, i believe some security firm guy wielding it with the enthusiasm of a new poll fray entrant. The guy told us how God almighty is on our sides because we take precautions and how well trained the volunteers and he will now burn *sound drop* after sprinkling petrol and have it doused. Yeah we all wait to see him attempt some fire jumping stunt.
Did I tell earlier that the place was crowded. Yup checked, I did. So all i can see from my safe distance is a huge flame, sorry no one it it, maybe except few newspapers (i tell you TOI should improve its article quality). And then a huge column of fire retardant being sent up in space. Now why should the fire retardant be sent up when the flame is on the ground beats me, but then I am a mere software guy no security expert. Ah as it turns out nothing much there but then the mike comes alive.
There is a lot of commotion but a very emotional voice exhorting the crowd in the name of God almighty thanking God and invoking oaths in HIS name to fight oppression, tyranny and fire all over the world or something like it. Why God should come into it is again a bit thick to atheists like me but I did see some very enthusiastic crowd cheering God and clapping for the speaker. Then came the hose guys. I merely mean the fire hose wielding guys. Last time they washed my building clean but this time it was just a very confused 'why rains in the sun' tree. More clapping, disappointment at no one attempting a rain dance and more invocations to the God.
I have a hunch that it must be a going to poll in a God fearing town, VP of a firm, egged on my hoping for a raise subordinations who was wielding the mike. It was almost fun but for the sound drop outs. Imagine some serious guy hearing "put your finger in the socket, get electrocuted" where the beginning "don't" and the somewhere in the middle "and you might" were inaudible, taking this to be God's prophet's command went ahead and did it?. On the bright side I can do with Thursday off.
Anyways, it was getting too hot outside so at this point I troop back to the old seat.
I do think that 3:00 pm is the ideal time for such drills. Just the time of the day when one looks for excitement in life. Wonder what if there is an actual fire. Will people still troop so casually. Should we test our stampede preparedness by throwing in a few smoke cans next time we drill. That should come across as real fun.

Beautiful City

Extending the architecture theme, I recently made a quick trip to Lucknow. First thing that struck me was the Roads. From airport to Indira Nagar, almost criss crossing across the town, the road was universally good. 4 lane roads being expanded to 6 lanes, 6 lanes at places to 8. The dividers are nicely painted, crossing proper and painted in visible stripes.
While governments may have did no governance, competition with predecessors has ensured lavish parks built in the names of inspirational political father figures dot the city. At least people can ruminate questions of law and order and employment sitting in sylvan surroundings. While I do resent the waste of money, still there is a comforting thought that at least the money did leave some relic that can actually be used. Which city will resent parks and open spaces?
The other thing about Lucknow is the architecture. Of course the old city is typically nice on the eyes but even the new buildings, governmental included, in the Gomti Nagar area are nice. Most have distinctive architectural features be is innovative pillars or domes or some such thing. To put it in a way most building have a 'character' and they cater to the beholder's sense of aesthetics. Quite unlike most other modern structures I have seen across India.
The earliest example was the Mandi Parishad building in Gomti Nagar with a very interesting dome with an even more interesting lightening. It was good to grab the cup of tea, get onto the roof and stare at it in distance. Similarly the new bridge near the Taj hotel with the distinctive Nawabi gates at the entrance. I hope the 2 new bridges being built with not mar the landscape. And to think that they are building 2 more bridges to the existing 2 so that congestion in future can be avoided. I thought town planning was extinct.
Now if only the powers take care of law and order too, the city can once more become the abode of life it was once famous as.

Exporting India

There is some talk happening about opening a Buddhist university in Nalanda near the erstwhile World University. An admirable idea if implemented.
I have long believed that India must start exporting spirituality. Mind and soul, one stop shop - India. We do currently send a steady crop of Godmen abroad but frankly they do not impress me. What I want to see is Global citizens coming to India to learn philosophy, contemplate the very questions of God and morality.
From the little that I know of Indian philosophy its not really judgmental, its more of many competing schools of thought debating questions and laying out alternates (INDIAN PHILOSOPHY) . Compare that with most of the non Indian religions (spiritual philosophies) which are nearly all judgmental, which in my opinion has caused so much of a clash of civilizations.
The way I see it is that Indian tradition has questioned all thoughts and reasoned out. Not like this is the word of God and you cannot question it. It has even questioned if God is itself a creation? I remember the words from the oldest of philosophy texts, the Rig Veda - the earliest of the Vedas and it starts with the very basic questions about creation and maybe God is a human construct?. From what I know Buddhism is an non theist religion, so it does not even have a concept of God.
The point of of this is that unlike most other philosophies especially spiritual ones, Indian philosophies offer thousands of years of thoughts catering to entire spectrum of spiritual tendencies. And that makes us unique.
India already has a mind share as a land of mystics and its time we aim to get that into useful assets. Once globe starts looking to India for spiritual guidance, we shall be the real world leaders. Top of mind recall shall be ours.
Combine that with our recall in knowledge industries it will transform India's image everywhere.

Chronical of a weekend

There is never a dull moment in life when a bull is let loose! As it happens my Thunderbird is back with me and to celebrate the occasion LeChat and I decided to hit the roads. My knowledge of places around Pune is sketchy at best so the intrepid hiker LeChat is the navigator. Soon we find ourselves some small hamlet near Nilkantheshwar.
There is this nice little river murmuring by with rocks and all strategically placed for sitting with feet in water and hot day needed no better breaks.
after half an hour of nice talks and generally hunting for fishes in water we come back and the fun started. Apparently some kids (just a guess) thought that its fun to deflate both tires of a bullet in a God forsaken place with no hint of civilization nearby and promptly acted on the thought.
I know those Industrial age barons had the right idea in corralling those blighters in schools. It beats me why are they let out during day at all? So here we are no road on one side, a hill to climb on other and both tires flat.
Well I did hear a bike coming and the gentleman tells us, nope no repair shop nearby, best you can do is to get to Panshet which is the wrong side of the hill. LeChat true to form is clapping her hands in childlike glee - "Yippyy! We have an adventure ahead. Drag this beast on the hill my boy and we shall have the walk of our life!" I tell you sometimes I wish I had listened to what mom used to say about riding in woods with adventurous hikers for company!
So here we are, a shiny big bike next to us, walking up a hill for a couple of km and dragging the beast along. But we made it, only to realize that the shop which never closes is in fact closed today. Luckily someplace downhill has another shop. Wise to truant seeking shop keepers we decide to walk down first leaving the beast behind and check out on the repair shop's status. Ah luck has not completely deserted us, it is in fact open. Walk back, drag the bike along and finally we are there.
With all the dragging on dirt roads, the front tube valve body broke, the rear tyre did escape injury. I did tell you the kids couldn't really take all the air out there was just a hint of it left, otherwise dragging the bike would have been impossible. Well there is just one shop and too many pesky kids around, clearing the queue takes long. Sometime around 6, the gentleman does start working on the tyre. Took 1/2 hour to mend, shifting the valve and then adventure part duex starts. The gentleman has never worked on tyres with disc brakes before and reassembling ain't that straight forward. somewhere around 7:30 the tyre gets back, break is working and tyre seems to be doing its job. The intrepid explorers are back on track this time taking the road more explored back to Pune.
its a good hard drive for a long time and its nearly 8 when we hit Warje bang in the middle of a traffic jam and the gears start acting funny. But its a short drive and finally huffing and puffing we reach LeChat's abode. after the usual tootsie and cheerios with the family, the two of us decide to wrap up with some dinner nearby to celebrate our return on same day, hop back on bike. kick, start and the clutch wire breaks! So here we are, nearly at 10, all shops closed and no clutch. Well an old bike was commandeered and I am dropped off the nearest auto, packing food for self on the way. So an auto from Warje to Aundh.
Reach home uneventfully, just that the food could have done a lead role in Asian paints ad for sheer exuberance of colors. after picking up whatever looked edible I hit the sack.
Next morning I have to reach Hadapser to meet someone. So an auto ride from Aundh to Hadapsar. Okie met the gentleman and took an auto back to Warje from Hadapsar. Reached the bike and called the mechanic.
The overalls clad takes his sweet time and gets in around 7pm and starts dissembling the parts to replace the wire. A screw starts slipping. Okie dude now if you want my bike in your workshop - You drag it there. The dude does that and I hop into Lechat's limo and drive there. another 1/2 hr and now the dude tells me he needs to weld the screw and then take it out, no driver shall accomplish it on its own. The hitch? Guess? the welder has gone home! No option so I leave the bike and take an auto.
So an auto ride from Warje to Aundh. I get near Bremen Circle and the phone buzzes. LeChat giggling wildly! hello, I know I've been having an interesting weekend still some words would help. Ah it turns out once the shop closes, the mechanic decides to try again and the screw comes out clean! Still I am happy at least its gonna make morning commute better. So I return to Warje on the same auto, take the bike and finally home at 11 Pm.
So in total the weekend gist
1. 2Km drag of Bull mostly uphill
2. Auto from Warje to Aundh
3. Auto from Aundh to Hadapsar
4. Auto from Hadapsar to Warje
5. Auto from Warje to Aundh
6. Auto from Aundh to Warje.

And they all complaint that I do nothing on weekends!

ahem

Bombay Musings

Bombay aka Mumbai is an interesting city by all accounts. Had a visa interview yesterday and so spent most my time there. The first thing that strikes me about Bombay apart from the sheer number of people is the architecture. Short of the hill stations Bombay is probably home to some of our finest urban architecture. What is remarkable about it is what we have done to it.
Yesterday saw this immense circular building that must have been lovingly made many years ago. The windows had iron girders to hang clothes, someone extended the window by enclosing it all in dark glass and cheap aluminum. The shops in front put up high banners. In short, it epitomizes our singular lack of appreciation of a thing of beauty.
I remember this friend of mine once remarking, earlier in British times the municipal corporations were for town planning. Now the only function they do it to collect garbage and sweep streets both of which they do with a singular deficit of attention. How true. Look at all modern townships that have come up. Not one will boast of a unique architecture. Museums and town halls and art galleries and auditoriums are concepts not found in Indian town planners. This all reflects in attitudes. People take pride in defacing work of art because they simply have forgotten that there are things in life beyond roti and kapada. Saw this fort in Jaipur, there was a small nook in a corner with a view that I entered. From outside it apparently had some interesting murals on the wall. On coming closer I realized that its all graffiti with guys describing their love life all over the walls and pan stains and all. 300 years of heritage, scarred and marred on the alter of love!
But I digress. Good thing about Bombay is that most of the architecture is relatively new (last 200 years of so, mostly less) so at least much of it stands. Places like VT/Flora fountain are still a treat to the eyes so much of the residential areas marred. Someday I plan to hitch my camera to the bike and travel around the city and generally loll around soaking in the masterpieces. Only hitch is that the crowd makes it tough doing so during day. So I might take up a job there and do all this early mornings :).

Rains

Raindrops crawl across the shed, frogs sing
in the dark a solitary figure hunts for inspiration

PS: part busy, part bored
totally away
posts may have to wait