What an exhilarating race!!

It is since 1949 that twenty horses participated in Indian Derby (at Mumbai). And what a race it was, arguably one of the most exhilarating races that I happen to witness and the crowd was electrifying. After debacle in the past I don’t fancy fillies for Indian derby, the filly with late stupendous acceleration ‘Myrtelwood’ was quite rightly hoisted as firm favourite but that didn’t change my mind. Deccan Derby winner ‘Desert Gold’ was my favourite, willy Padmanabhan knows his job and is known for pleasant surprises. Fourth in the ring, this pretty colt didn’t attract much attention as he settled in the mid pack. David Allan's home run was astute and in the nerve racking rush of horses he held his cool despite being squeezed, that though did it for ‘Phoenix Tiger’, in the end won by a half a length. Gestapo was a surprise third. It was a memorable Indian Derby (photo courtesy rwitc.com). 

       

Relative as measure of competence

Mysuru is being hailed as the cleanest city in India. Clearly compared to other cities there is some cleanliness, surely the air is much cleaner and is a pleasure to cycle around. And yes it is a much quieter place. My grouse here is that there must be clear parameters on which these factors are measured to be awarded the cleanest city in the country. If parameters are strictly followed then I doubt if there can be any city in India that can be even on the top ten list.  Relative cleanliness is no standard of cleanliness, considering how obnoxiously uncouth Indians are, spitting around, spreading muck all the time. This kind of irresponsible behaviour is very much supported by entitled ways as also extricating mucous from the system is a sacred act of cleanliness and purity herein that hare-brained squatters have meticulously prescribed. The rigour in which people in India spit in public places without any regard or decency is what makes it an ancient culture. The disgust of paan eating and spitting is even romanticized in Hindi movies with song dedicated on this degradation, only goes on to show the calibre of song writers and aesthetic sense of movie makers.  Think about malmal ke kurthe meh cheet lal lal (red spit on white satin dress is the object of praise here!!). It is sad but many a times I end up sharing my table with total strangers, all across the country all the times more than million times probably, something I hate but I guess there is no choice in these matters. The way people eat makes me throw up, the kind of waste and crap people create is indescribable, there must be some basic standard that must be adhered to in public places. Some wash on the plate after eating, while some sprinkle water around before eating exhibiting some higher end connection with forces above, some belch, some talk loudly over the phone while eating displaying content in the mouth, some shout at the waiter and eat like they haven’t eaten for days …all these in amazing self-assuredness, least bothered about people in the vicinity. This self-assuredness in the midst of disgusting is what makes Indians remarkably unique, incorrigible ways that no amount of literacy can dent, education is bigger matter that Indians will always struggle with.

A city that doesn’t have basic standard procedure to dispose biomass and indulge in open burning in almost all street corners cannot be classified as cleanest city. The scene here in the picture I encounter on daily basis. Indeed no city in India can be put in top ten list, this should be kept vacant. Less muckier than the rest cannot be cleanest. This must be adhered to in all kinds of grading. If you don’t fulfil the criteria then best of the rest cannot be elevated as best. Many toppers in exams have amazingly low score but they are still celebrated as toppers. Not that topping matters nor that education is about these nonsenses but when you create some standards then you better adhere to it, and yes must be scrutinised for loopholes. Ideally these ranks should be kept vacant, there is no excuse for mediocrity.

Amassing quantity, as records, while showing least concern for quality, is another of popular trait in this part of the world. This therefore is overwhelming consideration for competence in this mediocre driven society. So we have sportsperson to entertainers to scientists in this rigmarole of achievements that would embarrass anyone anywhere remotely connected or has a hint on competence. Even number of years spent is seen as an achievement, hence criteria for further promotions. This is the framework that is being followed that thrives on status quo and sincerity to higher forces without any application of mind. Sycophantic leaders perpetuated these as they themselves thrived on these as camaraderie smoothened the matter. This framework can be seen to exist wherever people suffered and misery becomes constant source of growth. While I was at Indian science congress, a speaker –an indian scientist, was introduced with number of papers published (which ofcourse was enviable) and so on. The person next to me whispered all garbage, not a single paper contributed anything substantial. I smiled, wasn’t it one paper by Einstein that changed everything? By Indian standard this would amount to nothing, he would end up nowhere in competence scale!! Meanwhile one ex-VC refused to share dais with a Nobel laureate as he was only a professor which the ex-VC found below his dignity. It is a typical attitude, the snobbery and arrogance with minimal of competence, most likely these attitudes are means to compensate the lack of worth, and you can easily trace these to squatter’s frame, in effect amazingly crude nature of society. And then at godforsaken Sahitya Akademi one writer was introduced as author of hundreds of books and short stories, later I managed to get hold of one of his books and was quite appalled by the quality as well as the content of story, it was a travesty. But then the standards are so low in here that ideas like excellence remain only ideas. One short story by Gogol changed it, so did Kafka. That is excellence. Fifth symphony does it for me.

      It is in this context I express my condolence on the death of Nida Fazli, such amazing lines, two or three songs that is enough, what incredible words, simple but evolved expressions and rare artistic sensibilities. Though it is an overwhelmingly mediocre society but you can find excellence in some rare songs and lyrics, this true to most Indian languages. Songs and colours are two things that really touch the soul and this society does bring out some astoundingly nuanced expressions of it. Clearly there is folk connection to it as also subtle ways of life. Good songs are now almost obsolete (with cheapskate first rate plagiarist and third rate lyricist stampeding into RS and degrading it further) but you do come across these superb expressions sometimes. Nida Fazli’s lyrics had an immortal quality to it. What charming lines… and the enveloping quietness of it.

Post Script: Tomorrow exciting news on Gravitation waves?