Recalling Darwin on his 200th birth anniversary

PS. Please also visit http://www.indiatogether.org/2009/feb/psa-crisis.htm to read an amazing article on "economic crisis".

When the Gods come dancing !!

Theyyam is a ritual dance that has origin in north Malabar region (kannur to be specific), traced to indigenous people that could be thousands of years old, subsequently influenced by Brahaminical Hinduism (one need add though that Theyyam has nothing to do with brahminical traditions except few influences in narrations. It remains more Dravidian than Aryan unlike Kathakali- that is dance form story telling). There are many traditions in this region that has elements from Neolithic period, Theyyam has such traits. There are mentions of Theyyam even in ancient Tamil Sangam literature. Theyyam though cannot be seen only as a ritual dance it is a direct link to god for people. That an ordinary man after certain physical and spiritual rituals (that takes few hours) can don the costume of a deity can be transformed into the same is nothing short of spectacular. The reason why the costumes and demeanor are fierce, to create awe, fear. The make-up is fiery red with amazing designs that has symbolic significance, while the costumes are meant to create a bigger and larger presence. The attire is meticulously crafted and change with different Gods. Sometimes even local heroes are elevated to godly status in collective memory through Theyyam.

The human becomes a god. In this state he attains supernatural and divine power. Speaking and moving like god with accompanying drums (chenda) heightening the movements subsequently frenzy taking over as he circulates temple ground. In the meantime it goes gruesome with hens being sacrificed and blood spilling around burning lamps. It is visually overwhelming. Thousands of years back even humans were known to be sacrificed. The fearsome God is here!!. After an hour or so the ‘god’ settles down to bless (even heal). People crowd around to get blessings of god, who is also generous with advice. This ritual could stretch to few more hours. It was an amazing experience for this blogger (more snaps in photo blog).

Congrats NDTV

The other day I was flipping through TV channels and found myself watching effort of a Channel on Environment awareness. It was quite a brave considering the compulsion under which they work. NDTV (Pronnoy is a great guy) with TERI and Toyota has done a remarkable job. I also happen to catch up BBC on Environment. I came to know that Reva- the battery driven Indian car (manufactured in Bangalore), sells more in Europe than in India!!. This is because of policies by the European governments favoring environment friendly technology. Countries like China even have green building section within the policy making; impetus is on environment friendly buildings. Wonder when will Indian policy makers wake up to the catastrophe unfolding in the name of development?.

At Mangalore Pub

This pub at Mangalore (Mangalapuram) has been in the news recently. When this blogger visited this place the other day there were not many people around nor was anyone found beating up people. That brings into question why is that when Media visit a place events happen?. Or is that events are planned with market media’s connivance?. Or most likely I could be unlucky that events don’t happen in the places I go with my camera. The only event is some peaceful people that is no event. What baffles me though is how fringe group’s acts happen in front of camera like the one in Mangalore or beating of taxi drivers in Mumbai. Got to do with premonition I guess.

More photos at Photo blog…also about Che chettan (big bro Che)!!

Clash of uncultured

In wildlife reporting there is an ethical code that is followed that is one would not interfere. Antelope will be killed and eaten by pack of lions is law of nature. But are the events happening in human societies also part of law of nature. If helpless people are attacked by thugs and lumpen common people get scared and try to save themselves but there will be some among these common people who will have go with their conscience and try save people. That is what society is all about and that is culture. That brings into sharp focus on people who hold camera (and mike, dude we also want sound byte) referred to as Media. What is their responsibility?.

Can common people be as irresponsible and cunning as market media?. So next time you see atrocity being committed no never think about the victim they are only pawns in bigger plans we have (infact planning has already started!!). If possible coax the perpetrators to be more violent and try for some spectacular angle (exclusive the better). Indeed lumpens are only too happy, they too have plans. Even thugs also like to exaggerate in front of camera. In the end it is win-win situation for both sides. It is an event now that is celebrated in studios with Delhi based experts (and so called feminists) trying to work out their share. It is clash of uncultured unfolding for coach potatoes. Incredibly both claiming a pie of culture!!. This is the symptom of mediocre market driven media that lack rigor. Clearly they resort to manipulations to cover up lack of depth or competence to cover the reality of billion people nation. Most people don’t have much trust on media, it lack credibility (some rare exceptions are there). How much liquor lobby could be behind this is also anybody’s guess. This blogger strongly feels that there should be blanket ban on liquor ads, even surrogate ads through soda and water. To consume liquor or not is a choice but promoting it is unacceptable. There is aggressive marketing of liquor and cigarette products in poorer societies. Talking about tradition (I seriously don’t understand culture and don’t mind being cultureless) even in Vedas drinking is mentioned. There are temples that have liquor as offering. Liquor has nothing to do with culture or no culture. But yes drinking at public space does put one at risk of exploitation and abuse.

First thing first if thugs call up media isn’t it the responsibility of media to inform police first (as any common people would do). The top cop of Karnataka was right to call it a small incident. The reason being there are millions of cases of inhuman acts committed on people (in particular women), just because this was caught in camera for the viewer (about people like us) doesn’t make it big or less big. Further cops don’t work for TRP they have much pressing issues (the incident in Mangalore being just one of them).

Clearly the events happening around us only show the hold of patriarchy, and this blogger believe it is going to get worst. Mangalore is one of the great place to be in, I love that place. I have spent lots of time in here (roamed around a lot in my cycle). It is quite common to have women in public spaces (cycle to kasargod and down, women particularly younger ones start missing before you reach kannur. Clearly the hold of organized religions-patriarchy). Infact I was regular to a decent joint in Udupi on Saturdays that used to serve liquor there were lots of women mostly from Manipal, nobody had any problems. Enter market media and also enter patriarchy torch bearers. You have recipe for an event.

It is funny that culture has much to do with how woman behave or do?. It is no secret that India is primitive in most parts. Gender and caste disparities are quite common. It is audacious that young men had the audacity to hit woman and have got away with it. What right these scoundrels have talk of culture?. Case of misguided youth (elders will have to take the blame. Also one need to focus on portrayal of woman in movies and ads. I believe human beings at the basic level are nice and caring it is surrounding that can create problems). Unfortunately these elements are going to get belligerent; with polarizing political–religion climate and rising unemployment (some is seriously going wrong in Mangalore region). There should be zero tolerance for these elements. Is India a soft state?.

One need add that representation of woman in panchayats has been nothing short of revolutionary. Change can go only take shape at grass root level. Frankly people mostly want to have peaceful and happy life. It is only when power seeking system and greed starts working when things start to wither. Power mongers come in the form of divisive politicians as also city based scoundrels playing victims and usurping position for common people sake (they even want to have woman’s reservation in parliament!!). Both equally dangerous. Of course one is not suggesting that ingrained gender insensitivity should be tolerated in peaceful and happy family, the focus should be children and education as also empowering women from weaker sections. Grameen bank and micro credit at the grass root level was a stupendous success for these very reasons. When Mohd Yunus was awarded Nobel Prize there were marketers who cringed and questioned the "unproductive steps". Scene now is Marketers are out with begging bowls. They don’t want micro credit but big and bigger credit- also referred to as bail out package !!.

PS. Please visit photo blog on "woman at work"

Shocking case of class bias in sports

There is definite class bias in Indian sports, very evidently there is socio-cultural as also compulsions of Market. But for the government to toe the line is shocking. This blogger believes that elected governments are dangerously being influenced by market which in most case accentuates class bias. Indian sport is a case in study.

Games like golf, lawn tennis etc get undue importance since it is inaccessible to millions of Indians. Golf is a case in study-arguably one of the dumbest game, it is one the costliest game with equipments and facilities costing lakhs of rupees (with a mission to put the ball in the hole!!). I am not against people who play the game but the importance these games get. The class bias is evident. In Indian context since very few people have access to these kinds of games they rarely do well in international forums. It is quite clear babalogs best is mostly appallingly mediocre in the international arena. This statement can be extended to most other field and a study on India’s contribution in the world. Whatever example we have like Paes, Nehwal, Bindra, Anand and many more is because of rare individual talent and persistence against heavy odds (very much in danger of co-opted by market greed. Guess what happened to Mirza). Even the recent better performances in over rated game (read cricket) have more to do with democratization of selection process. So we have more competent players rather than babbling sycophants from elite section who go on the knees when encounter white skins (read gentlemen). What defined them was mediocrity packed in well accented English (since then many have migrated to Market media and have taken up the cause of freedom. No knowledge no nothing just got to talk). Unfortunately these variety are still in majority/influential at the policy making level the reason why class bias still exists in sports. Consider the condition of games like Hockey, Kabaddi, wrestling, athletics and so on and analyze the people involved in these games. They are from lower strata of society for them sports is a mean to survival the reason why they tend to be competitive despite lack of basic facilities and bias (nothing explains Milkha Singhs and PT Ushas over the decades).

To win a medal in Olympics that too in highly competitive games like Wrestling or boxing is a tremendous achievement. This need to be understood and put in context. Sports like wrestling and boxing are played around the world unlike many games in Olympics that most people haven’t even heard of (one of the many reason why West end up wining so many medals). To compete with the best of the world (the world incidentally consists of 180 odd countries) in highly competitive sport and to come third is a tremendous achievement. Also consider that India has not won any individual medal in these sports in 60 odd years. Also consider the odds the players concerned had to go through. It is a kind of sport that has not much economic security in this society. What carried them through was pure passion for the game. Talented they were is proved by the medal they won. By not honoring these sports persons the government of India has erred quite badly. It also is a pointer to insensitive people at the helm. It is shocking state of affair.

Celebrating being a Republic…

Every citizen is equal is what a republic country stands for. Republic day parade is a celebration of that ideal. It is a spectacular event along the Rajpath, this blogger had the good fortune to witness as a kid. I was probably 7 or 8 when we went for republic day parade. It was tremendously exciting occasion. Getting up morning very early on a foggy day, despite the cold mandatory bath, and then bundled into huge army vehicles, clinging to whatever one can hold (since they never had any sitting), still maintaining some dignity was a challenge. Reaching Rajpath as early as 6am, that was only half the journey. Then the challenge was to find a place to sit, once we had to stand all through the parade, next time though we sat on the ground next to India gate (incidentally we came in national TV too when they pan the audience as the aircraft dropped flowers). I also recall having to write an essay on experience of attending Republic Day parade in school.

This blogger does follow Republic day parade, now though the enthusiasm has waned. I though feel that although sacrifice of Defence force and other gallantry acts should be honored at the highest level, military “might” could be underplayed and celebration could be more inclusive. Republic day celebration is extremely important part of a nation state (ideally there shouldn’t be any country or borders but we don’t live in an ideal world). It is also a time to introspect on progress of society as also security issues.

What we learn from the Defence Force is the meaning of sacrifice for higher goal (in a market driven world of manipulations and blatant selfishness this looks an anachronism), and the importance of being a responsible citizen. Another is need of being disciplined and physically fit. These have impacted me a lot, although I don’t have much regard for discipline in my life (sometimes furiously negate it) but when dealing with others have always given importance to discipline. This blogger is into teaching and has taken thousands of classes over the years very rarely have I been not on time, this is something instinctive. When you are given a time, reach on time. Period. If you don’t agree to it refuse but when commit see that you follow it. Also tried to be physically fit, morning walk/jogging being important part of it. At one point I also thought that if you don’t go for morning walk you are missing something big. There is so much beauty in the morning sun. Unfortunately though mornings now give me wheezing, and I don’t live in best of places for walk (may end up seeing people defecating!!). Also having spent so much time in Delhi (probably the most lawless metropolitan city in the world) and other cities despite these seeing others break rules still make me angry.

When extremes meet!!

More photos at Photo blog

“New Birth of freedom” a historical event at Washington

Obama’s inauguration as President of USA was probably one of the very few events concerning an individual that was watched and followed by billions of people around the world. This blogger though very tired from a hectic day followed it till the last sentence, I guess the excitement of people around the world got into me too (but yes within few minutes later I was fast asleep!!). It was amazing to watch history being made. The snap taken from BBC.

What we are doing when historical events are unfolding is something that gets etched in our mind for a long time. The same is the case of national tragedies. During conversations I recall story of grandmother dropping tumbler of water and shouting Aiyo on hearing that Nehru has died. In kerala particularly, events of common people do get meshed with bigger events (two malayalam movie brought it out quite nicely; one was my all-time favorite Danny another is Naiythukaran. The English movie Forest Gump was also interesting). Like when EMS died I was at Chandni Chowk having lime soda, happen to glance the hanging newspaper!!. When Indira Gandhi was assassinated I was standing in the last row of the class with raised hand as punishment !!. The reason was we were celebrating the event since we were sure of getting holidays (appalling behavior one would admit), the teacher though not sure of the event thought it necessary to punish us. I also recall when Bhopal gas tragedy unfolded I was studying Chemistry and thought of trying the chemical structure of Methyl Isocyanate!!. Dude was not thinking about people dying but chemical structure that is very strange (but yes last few years I have visited Bhopal twice to get to know the gravity of the tragedy)!!. I guess all of us has some story to tell.

Obama’s inauguration has lot to celebrate but at personal level there is bit of creeping vagueness. I know lots of people who are finding difficulty in getting job, those who have lost jobs. Their insecurities seem to be getting into me, considering that my employability too is very fragile.

look into oneself!!

I took this snap few days back in Bengaluru.

The kid who identified Golden Oriole

Golden Oriole is a spectacular looking bird, bright yellow with a jet black wing and tail, and a blood red beak. Add to it a flute like musical note. Makes it a must watch bird. It is a migratory bird found mostly in Europe and west Asia migrating to Indian subcontinent during winter. To spot this bird is a rare occasion; also consider that it is a shy and secretive in its habit keeping itself quite busy in high canopies, making it very difficult to locate. It was for this very reason that I was pleasantly surprised when a 7 year old kid was not only able to spot but identify this bird for the group of birdwatchers-some of them quite seasoned veterans. It was an amazing experience.

It happened last month when this blogger was with group of birdwatchers at Lal bagh, they meet once a month in here. I had spent some time with this group last year too around this time. It is a motley collection of forty odd people ranging from tremendously excited kids (some even toddlers) to elderly. They gather at about 7:30am at the glass house and venture around for six to seven hours, in the meantime new people join, some form subgroups and so on. It is when someone spot a rare bird that the group recongregate with flurry of action pointing their binoculars and camera, while others try to guide still confused to the exact location “no no not there..you see that branch…no no the one on the left ten o clock angle..see that. Can you?” and so on. Some end up really frustrated not able to locate, in the meantime the bird has flown to another branch!!. It is at this particular juncture a veteran would elucidate his knowledge about the bird to anyone ready to listen with anecdotes (most avid birdwatchers I have found to be compulsive conversationists when meeting their kind). There was a commotion when this kid started running around yelling “oriole, golden oriole”. People rushed around trying locate the elusive bird. Having spent sometime with the bird (some even calling it ‘watch of the year’) their attention turn to the boy, he became cynosure few try to pull his cheeks which he dealt quite deftly. I found myself talking to his father who claimed to be completely ignorant about birds and comes to these walks only because of his son and then he said “offcourse his grandfather is interested in birds and has many books”. Aha so that explains it. In the meantime the kid had vanished and the harassed father spend next precious minutes trying to locate him.

At that kid’s age my intentions towards birds were diabolical to say the least. We kids had gulel (catapult) to bring down birds or beehives. I took up bird watching more than a decade back when I had escaped to Bharatpur bird sanctuary from Diwali noise and pollution of Delhi. Here I met some foreigners and found myself listening about birds and more birds, they invited me to their hotel and over drinks discussed more about birds. They were Europeans who traveled around the world cataloguing birds. They had some sophisticated cameras too. It was spectacular world for me, and henceforth I too got hooked to birds, next 6-7 years I was regular at bird sanctuaries. Woodcock’s Birds of India is best way to start. Now off course there is so much in the Net. Bird watching needs lots of patience. And yes groups are big no to bird sanctuary, respect the birds be silent, you are only a guest. No plastics. No littering.

Post script: oriole name comes from Latin aureolus meaning golden. In Hindi it is referred to as peelak (from peela-yellow). I have posted the photo I took, it has not come all that well, I need a long distance lens…will take sometime to buy and start a new blog on birds. In the meantime I have taken the photo from the net.

Crony capitalism: The big underbelly of Indian corporate

Satyam Inc. was waiting to happen what was shocking was extend of money involved whooping 7000crore!! (incidentally one crore is 100 lakh, and one lakh is 100000Rs. Consider also that one Kg of rice cost 20Rs!!!). So much for greed fuelled capitalism.

The blogger has been a supporter of government regulations as part of corporate governance. Government’s role has become significant in recent times. Few decades back government was interventionist in a corrupting way and had tendency to be authoritative. Times have changed. This blogger believes that with technological development as also the awareness among people the chance of authoritarianism in democratic government is quite negligible atleast in Indian context. If ever it happens it will not be able to sustain.

The danger is from unbridled market. With market controlling media what we are seeing is a nexus between Politicians, Corporate and Media. This is what is referred to as crony capitalism and India is very much susceptible to this. It is about loving the family and friends, also referred to as “inside trading”!!. In the garb of capitalism there is a swindle happening at a colossal proportion. One must be a fool to think Satyam is an exception. 7000crores over so many years cannot be an exception, the checks are only in paper. It means that something is really wrong in the way the capitalism functions (also consider that Madoff made of with billions of dollars). Clearly Corporates shouldn’t self regulate, they epitomizes nothing. They are trying to run business, and government should be facilitator keeping contexts of societies in mind. Satyam’s tag line is “What Business Demands” (really demands??. Some really get complacent even in arrogance, that they don’t realize it has become obvious). Corporates in recent times have not only been a failure but also have swindled the hard earned money of common people, jeopardized lives of millions of people. Further they have put societies and environment at risk over the decades. GDP is no indicator about anything nor is sensitivities of sensex.

The dangers of Market authoritarianism is not fully understood in this part of the world. Since policy makers are influenced by gainers of this system and needs some shockers like Satyam (even now there would be some Indian marketer who would be arguing that Ramlinga Raju was foolish to have confessed he could have blamed someone else. I guess it is TINA factor otherwise these people would have easily slipped away. That is something unique in this part of the world). Market controlling the media has complicated the issue further. Media seems to be nothing more than PR of Corporates. In poor societies irresponsible media can be devastating, it makes the mockery of democracy.

Market is also about projecting or exaggerating, it is about creating perceptions. They call it brand building. This blogger finds it amusing that although economists consider themselves quite logical but defining terms of market are mostly far from logic. It seems market has mutated into an animal nobody understands, few have some perceptions. The edifice seems to be build on these perceptions (for some it is quantified through Sensex). In most case these perceptions have nothing remotely connected to the reality. Entire ad industry is based on this unreality. Satyam only tried to maximize-put up, so did the Bush-Blair (here the term used was “sexed up”). It is about selling to the people. Never mind what the reality is. These lies balloon up and as expected bursts. Precisely what they refer as financial crisis (East Asia had it a decade back they referred to it as financial melt down. never mind that it was another example of crony capitalism. Anyone recall the Korean term Chaebol? The same could be true for india too). It is in this competitive corruption that media gains significance, since it is a linchpin. It holds the cards for creating the perception among common people. Study the role of media in two significant events that affected the world. One was attack on Iraq and how the American media played with the US government. Second, is the nil focus on corruption among Corporates. It seems that financial crisis was unpredictable (really). Since media is another face of Corporate it becomes important for the Government to create sufficient checks and stringent punishments. Democracy is the answer against crony capitalism. How many political parties have internal party democracy?. How many Corporate function with transparency?. Is there transparency in the Judiciary?. Why resistance to obundsman or Lok pal including Judiciary?. How does media choose what is important?. Isn't it decided by market compulsion?

Thankfully a significant number of elected representatives are not decided/influenced by Market. The reason why this blogger is hopeful. But then Indian society seems to be living on borrowed time. Very soon market will encroach every aspect of our life. I shudder to think about that eventuality. Education was a hope but even that is influenced by profit mongers. Am I getting pessimistic?

Disclaimer: Not denying that are really admirable people in Corporate and Media. But then media thrives on confrontation (the also call it competition), and whatever helps TRP. Can we deny that?. There are reasons to be pessimistic. The more you think the more hopeless these systems looks. The best of people end up doing the worst of things in the name of profit and TRP.

India’s War on Trees

for more visit photo blog. It is very saddening hundreds of trees are being cut with impunity. Hopefully economic slowdown will also slow down these environment catastrophes, also hoping for more people not dead serious about dead lines and dead trees.

a poem...

There are times when I avoid the Television,
not even a cursory glance
at the latest in the Net.
Close the windows
and door, put on the blinders.
It reeks of blood in here, I say
the war
the killings
the wails.

Inject morphine
cocaine, hashish
a large dose
suck it in
rub it up the nose.
Ecstasy.
Ha,
if only they knew
the agony of destruction.
The gnawing reality of
waiting for the child
in the morgue.

Disproportionate retaliations

I don’t know how many readers of this blog are aware that something is seriously going wrong in Middle East. The Israeli air strikes on Palestine wherein scores of civilians’ died has the potential to spin out of control. This blogger is not an admirer of Huntington hypothesis (incidentally he died few days back, condolences) but yes when societies are continuously stressed on one aspect of identity then gradually that becomes the defining factor. Religion therefore becomes the fracture line in Middle East while in Sri Lanka language and so on. The society therefore acquires single defining perspective this then gets exaggerated with historical and other contexts. In the melee the reality of the people and other defining dimensions gets lost.

This blogger has been keenly following the events in Middle East, in JNU attended some discussion groups and listened to some prominent people. I also am a keen follower of Tim Sebastian’s debates on Middle east (it was a genuine and valiant effort, I admire that man). However the division is so acute on the lines of religion, very much exploited by fundamentalists and opportunists on both the sides, that this blogger is exasperated (like I was more than a decade back, we even had jokes on Middle East!!). One feels there really is no political solution to this problem despite the best efforts of many in international community. Only steps of containment can help, the first step could be to extricate the societies from one dimensional identity. Understanding societies in its holistic sense, in their uniqueness, consisting of individuals with dimensions that are being lost in these stressful situations is an important step. It is a step towards creating sensitive and empathetic societies, this blogger feels that way.

Back in India the far right scoundrels who are advocating Israeli like retaliations on Pakistan should learn from these blunders. Some porcine experts even suggested “hot pursuit” from TV studios…yah babe I like it hot!!. I guess I should end with something funny in these difficult times for people. Sometime back I saw a TV anchor in one of the TV channel reporting from a thick bush (?!!) that Pakistan was preparing for war!!!. Innovative dude!!. Don’t know what has war got to do with being in the bush also considering that border is mostly desert!!. Anyway it was entertaining. Maybe if he had ended the “reporting” by leaping onto the camera that would been spectacular and definitely increased the profit!!.

God in small things !!

Also visit "My Photo" in the link for more....

Titli udi, udke chali !!

Butterfly (or titli in hindi, Chitrashalabam in Malayalam) is an amazing creature. There was a time when it was very common to find them around now they have vanished completely atleast in the cities. The best part of growing up in cantonments is that it generally has lots of open space gardens and trees, and therefore varieties of insects…butterfly, dragonflies so on. Even now if this blogger comes across any butterfly while traveling I do spend time to look at it and attempt to identify (there are always little yellows, sootywings, and occasional monarchs and admirals). The other day I froze these in my camera, they came out amazing.

Going with the beauty of this creature different societies have some equally suitable and amusing names. Here are some Papillion (in French), Farfalla (in Italian), Kupu kupu (in Indonesia), Fluture (in Romania), Parvani (Farsi), Farasha (in Arabic), Buraburay (in Ethiopia), Babochka (in Russia…I like that one), Kelebek (in Turkey)…..and of course Chou Chou (in Japan) and Buom Buom (in Vietnam). Appropriately there is lots of playfulness in many of these names. That is impression you when you watch them. Incidentally the ancient Greeks called butterflies psyche!!. Psyche means mind. Meaning mind is like a butterfly. Greeks knew it centuries back. Incredible people.

All the photos in this blog are taken by me, and can be used by anyone. Don’t bother about copyright shopyright !!. Please also visit My photo link for more pictures of flowers, sample this beauty!!.