continuation of last blog...

This blogger is proud to be a citizen of a country that believes in the ideals of secularism and has enshrined the right to practice and propagate religion to all (this individual right is curtailed in many countries) in the constitution. The protection of minorities is an indication of evolved society and stable state. But when individuals start to blabber about secularism is when you can be sure they are looking for power and have divisive agenda. Take for instance last week a cricketer turned politician (from BJP) made an amazing statement that “Pakistan players in IPL will help India’s secular credential”. This ridiculous statement is just another example of how they try work their position, clearly the fellow seem to be keen on moving away from BJP to ‘secular party’ this is his try. It is a different matter that Pakistan is an Islamic country that is shifting quite rapidly to cruder form of religion. Associating friendliness with Pakistan to gain confidence of Indian Muslims is one of the ploy of crude and dangerous form of secularism that some power monger practice quite blatantly, it is not only an insult to common people of this country (in particular Muslims) but compromises national security. It also put severe pressure on common Muslims on the street, they have to keep proving their patriotic credential all the time, obviously these attempts at secularism alienates and divide people. This affliction to Pakistan is a strange behavior of north part of the country (in particular the Punjabi types). I recall when Gen. Mushraff visited India the ‘secular parties’ were found shamelessly vying for his audience. That the fellow is a military dictator who usurped power and pushed that unfortunate country further into chaos is nobody’s business (this fellow was also the architect of kargil that was responsible for many deaths). That India to a large extend despite poverty and related problems remains a vibrant democracy and Indian people don’t need these crude forms of symbolism of secularism too is nobody’s business. Secularism seems to be emboldening fundamentalism and some really nasty people, seriously threatening the life of common people. It has become source of power play by socio-political elite.

I recall when I was in Delhi I used to spend time with painters (they though preferred to call themselves artists), mostly mediocre and amazingly selfish but high on attitude. There was this north Indian painter fellow with whom I was once, with us was also a malayalee muslim acquaintance of mine. Now this north Indian fellow (who also considered himself as some kind of sophisticate-I guess that is one way of being liberal) found rather puzzling that this muslim doesn’t know Urdu. He told him he should know Urdu and that it is his language. It is only now that I understand the significance of this thinking. It is a step towards creating muslim symbolism, it though doesn’t matter that it leads to ghettoisation. The impetus is on assertion of misplaced rights and be divisive, if you support these you are automatically elevated as secularist. The pertinent question here is how is Urdu a language of particular community?. There are vested sections that actively pursue this and many common muslims tend to believe that Urdu is what they should learn (I met a muslim auto driver in Gujarat he mentioned that he spoke Gujarati but was being asked to speak Urdu. Take also the example of kashmiri being replaced by Urdu). This is how alienation happens (the western initiates would like to mistake it for freedom and liberty), these blatant attempts to undermine local culture and tradition creates discordant relation with larger community. I don’t really blame that north Indian painter he was only following the existing narration of secularism to further his career, in places like Delhi clinging to these can easily classify you as an activist- which can be a substitute to mediocrity, and related perks.

When I was kid used to visit my home town (in the interior of Kollam in Kerala) and spend lots of time listening to talks and occasional story telling, it was relatively big house with verandah for people to sit (now demolished as people slip into poverty). The neighbors (who happened to be Muslims) were frequent visitors to these evening talks and mostly were like extended family. Few years back when I visited this place I was told that the muslim neighbors have adopted a new lifestyle and started to wear dark dress and women rarely interact, they keep to themselves (this is also the place where muslim fundamentalism is on the rise). This is how society gets fractured. In cities and in particular in so called developed countries like Britain these are how they define freedom but in poorer societies social bonding and interaction is what keeps the society alive, these are important checks to prevent disruption, they stop prejudices and alienations to take root.

Every religion has its cruder form but they are mostly kept in check or people would try not to identify with them, they would like to evolve from these primitive world, I guess that is what happens with having education. But the virulent form of Islam seems to be having a free run (and in a strange irony sought to be portrayed as beacon of identity), the Sunni wahhabi leads this pack. This extremely intolerant and crude interpretation of religion that seeks to create an insular and intolerant world have threatened and eliminated many subtler forms of Islam that is rooted in socio cultural context of the land around the world. They have created societies with alienated individuals who are easily indoctrinated to be extreme and violent, petrodollar has helped easy inroad to poorer societies (hapless poor illiterate people are easy target, I am reminded of some brilliant Samira Makmalbaf movies on these subject). Overnight we are seeing aliens sprouting in the neighborhood. Modesty is important understanding and subtle in its practice unfortunately neither religious fundamentalists nor market have any use of these.

Of course it helps the power hungry secularist to see obnoxious burqa (the whole body cover) as religious expression, it is a symbol of male chauvinism and patriarchy is clear. First it makes women disappear from public space (apart from alienation within the society at the micro level as was pointed earlier), few centuries back most women’s movement were restricted within house premise and there was strict socio-sexual control by men. Burqa is that regressive symbol. Further one has to understand that families where these are followed rarely have other female member given a choice of not wearing these particularly in poor societies (need to add here that in the same manner a woman may not have the choice to choose outside sari in many families, but the degree patriarchy is at limited scale compared to the appalling world of burqa) it further adds to exploitation of women, clearly these are not coincidence they are part of crude world. You just have to look at the societies from which they originate, they still live in dark ages and have absolutely no idea of democracy or individual freedom (take for instance Saudis). They also don’t give any right to other religion, it is an insular world. It is the same world they carry to other countries. They are now called the Islamists. They singularly lack mindset that is needed to live in multicultural community.

West is doing a big mistake to classify it as Islamophobia. You cannot categorize a religion like that and indeed most muslims don’t identify with these primitive and extreme form of Islam as much as I will cringe being classified in the same group of hindu fundamentalist or the practitioner of primitive chauvinist form of Hinduism. West in the process is legitimizing these crude people by victimizing the whole community. Understand this crude cannot produce or practice enlightened thoughts it is highly unlikely; the next generation therefore will be further alienated thus victimized. Britain has provided all kinds of freedom for extreme forms of people (I guess it is typical British snobbish superiority complex, probably trying to teach something to the world) it has only worsened and emboldened fundamentalists and extremists. It’s difficult to tolerate fundamentalists and their way of life and so there they are now victims of intolerance!!. Is it a coincidence that most terrorists seem to have link in Britain (and not France) even the latest caught trying to bomb American plane. They seem to have ambiguous worldview until they reach Britain where it seems they get emboldened (even the Indians who were involved in suicide attack in London few years back, they wouldn’t have thought of these extreme worldview if they were in India), am I surprised?. Britain is facing problems of its own making and other countries could learn from it (and not take extreme actions like the Swiss, it victimizes the whole community because of some crude people. I do feel French have been bit too extreme). To be asked to tolerate what is extreme- that lacks propriety, that seeks to create insular world view, that justifies male chauvinism- puts severe pressure on entire population. It creates situation for extreme reactions and violence.

There is a market driven world view that religious community should try to rectify itself and outsiders shouldn’t comment (you are free to do your crap and I mine). That is humbug and worst form of irresponsible behavior. First there is nothing like single community and that within any community nobody can take any decision for all, in a democratic set up they don’t really have authority to. It gets controlled by powerful interest group within the community at the expense of silent and suffering majority, they are used as pawns in power play. Secondly they are seriously affecting my world, my life, of course I will have to take action, react. In fact I am quite angry last few years my freedom has been curtailed because of security reasons, everywhere walls are coming up, people are suspicious of each other. Everywhere I travel I am put through question I don’t like. All this because of these jihadi macaques and their exaggerated victimhood, in fact I would argue that these breed lack any tolerance to live with people who have different god or worldview, so when they have to accommodate they end up fighting. Thirdly wherein the contribution of Christians has been stupendous in terms of providing quality education (this blogger is a direct beneficiary), medical facilities as also women who actively take part in social space. In contrast I haven’t really seen much from cruder form of islam, they end up building mosques and madrasas- that teaches (mostly for their own community) matter that doesn’t give anyone employability or confidence to tackle modern world nor to live in multicultural world (some Hindu groups can be accused of the same but they haven’t created as much havoc, nor are they beacon of freedom). They haven’t really created the kind of institutions that was expected from the kind of access to fund they had. Muslim community in the northern part of the country is one of the poorest (as also the case in Africa). What have they done?

What they are doing is spreading poison around the world. They are trying to destroy subtler world I know. I cannot even imagine in this increasingly crude world we live any muslim family would name their child Geeta (the name of my muslim neighbor in trivandrum, I got along with her younger sis quite well so much so I used to spend most of my free time at their home!). This is the world I would fiercely defend and would not allow secularist and fundamentalists to work out their share. It need to be added here that elite muslims have had a freak out time at the expense of common muslims. They have positioned themselves as symbolism for common muslim, so any matter wherein anyone has to work their secular credentials they just have to feed these pretentious people. It is therefore in their interest that fundamentalism grows since it hugely benefits them. This the reason why polygamy, burqa and all forms of crap are dumped onto common people as part of freedom, in a world where words like freedom is increasingly making no much sense. People then get caught in wrong place of no fault of theirs and become what they call hate victims.

Everybody loves a good communal riot and secularists: A cynic’s perspective

Communal riots are culmination of mistrust and prejudices that are created within communities, this could be religious or caste based or ethnicity. Understandably not many are much bothered about what leads to these situations this is something that is left for common people to negotiate or deal. Rich sections are rarely affected by communal riots or any form of social disruption (sometimes they do get inconvenienced though, and they create biggest hooplas over smallest of discomfort). A communal riot itself present lots of possibilities depending on which community is involved and how many get killed. People get killed for no reason of theirs all the time and in all the place but that is nobody's business…death need to have possibilities of exploitations among living and yes we don’t know the religion of people who die in the street do we?.

So undoubtedly the best possible situation for elite section in this country is when Muslims are victims there are peace marches, seminars, movies, songs and so on, it has also has international possibilities. They are the first ones to set shops around these tragedies. Some have made successful career out of these miseries. These people don’t have much impact on common people, and they will never face the situations which the common people find themselves in, some do make valiant attempts to understand but vicarious is always vicarious. Importantly why are we really bothered about these people to come and understand us?. They are no saviors; they only try work out their little life. Their life is least threatened and yes they are not going to miss their lunch for anyone. For us these are jokes that get repeated every time, and every time there are new gainers over the dead bodies and miseries of common people. Indeed the clever breed is least bothered about victims apart from what they can accrue, their aim being to showcase themselves to the bigger world, where appreciations are shared over nice talks (I scratch you scratch me world). A world that most of us don’t really much understand although quite ironically it is supposed to be about us.

Common people don’t really understand secularism or these big talks on tolerance. There are some serious issues that they have to face daily and every moment. Disruption means monetary loss, loss means further misery. So why would anyone indulge in anything that will lead to misery?. Isn’t that simplest thing to understand?. So why does riots happen?. There have been tons of articles and books written on these matters. Whatever the argument this blogger is very clear that poorer people will never instigate these, it just doesn’t make any sense to them. Riots kill common people, it gives them untold misery. So clearly it is engineered by people who stand to gain. And as I see it there are two distinct groups who feed from these miseries. One is the city based elitist secularists, also referred to as liberals (a word I came across only recently and haven’t really understood, but I gather it is a common reference point in West) and another is fundamentalist of all variety, also referred to as conservatives. Both of them always stand to gain and they come from same strata, they have their own theories (experience though is meant for common people) to justify themselves. These two groups feed on each other at the expense of common people. They exchange vicious attacks on each other. Some even lack basic decency, all crudeness justified from their own perspective- some for secular reason others for fundamentalist agenda. For a common man they don’t look much different nor do they affect him much atleast till its killing time. Many in media has made the situation precarious with competitive exaggerations (positive side is that active media does bring out the culprit, but that is after the riots, after people have been killed, property looted. Frankly like any other common people I am not really bothered about what happens after riots, indeed we want to forget and get on with our life with whatever is left without getting into anymore trouble. People with money and time can do the postmortem, write essays and score secular or non secular points. It doesn’t really affect common people).

With media and its simplistic version to life (of course there are exception but rare) world gets divided into two easy compartments the good and bad, or this view versus that view. I understand this strict world view also originates in western subconscious of God and Satan that is fed to them for centuries this has found its way through globalized market into our homes. The black and white world, either you are with us or with them (note communism, another of western import, plays on the same parameter). This is the world that is easy to understand, it also is the world the seculars and fundamentalist have positioned themselves quite nicely, so whatever happens it gets divided between them. Market media is therefore left with the simple task of providing a platform for apportioning the dividends, and also help constantly deepening the divisions in the name of discussion, in the name of assertion of freedom. So a secular party will remain secular whatever crap it does within that framework and fundamentalist will have to be pushed further and further even if they would like to be secular or mend their ways- that will make secular defunct, and so Madani will be condemned forever and BJP will be chastised for whatever it does. It is a self sustaining situation, it is a different matter though that these put common people in perilous situation. There is nothing like good people bad people there are situations some people exploit and there are people who are exploited, sometimes killed. Its about opportunities.

Post Script: this blog was written after an incident few weeks back. Here I was on my two-wheeler and this lady slips and fall in the traffic (nothing much happened to her), she happened to wear a burqa (meaning the fully covered one worn by very few muslim women in this part of the world), and instead of feeling sympathy for her situation I found myself cringing, a feeling of revulsion towards her came over for me, now this feeling is something I have increasingly observed among people towards this attire and the world view it represent. Suddenly I found myself appalled by my thoughts, looking at a suffering human not as human but as representation, as an object. This is exactly where prejudices get born, dehumanization begins.

(This blog is not over and will be continued further, will take some time to work out. I will like to explore how symbolism reduces common people to caricatures and help the powerful, as also what instigates divisive mindset…well something on that line. It should help me understand myself and the society better!!)

Passing away of an era...

Jyoti Basu belonged to that era of leaders who were tempered by Gandhian values that defined most leaders post independence. The crudeness in politics all around the country (in particular the new breed of communist leaders in Kerala and Bengal pose serious threat, it is no wonder CPI-M is no longer a national party). This death represent passing of an era that had great leaders who carried the values and ideals of freedom struggle, whom the society has started to miss quite terribly.

Post script: Communists will do well to understand that private need to be kept away from public, private matters of people include their understanding on religio-spiritual matters they seek to negotiate life. Questions can be only be asked if it impacts or influences policy decisions. Also the limitations of copying what is essentially alien system need to be understood and put in perspective of Indian society. Being religious is not essentially being communal nor it means being anti proletariat (if society can really be classified that way!). This narrow interpretations and rigid posturing need be reevaluated to the contemporary reality. Otherwise this will open doors to opportunist politicians who have no qualms in accepting crassness of market, we have seen enough in Bengal. A new breed of nasty 'leaders' (basically therivu chatambis) are readying in Kerala.

When moon start munching sun...

More pictures at photo blog

Recalling Gandhiji

Few months back I was reading Guy De Maupassant, a consummate French writer. He is such a natural writer that sentences just streamed out, it seems with not much effort. He brings brilliance out of ordinary, some places he reminds you of Edgar Alan Poe. I was reading this story Beside a Dead Man, it was about a man sitting vigil for philosopher Schopenhauer and an incident, now this story was stuck in my head and I ended up writing Gandhi was not killed few days back. Need to add here the incident of being invited to hotel is based on a true happening. When I was in first year of college we four or five guys used to go to kovalam beach quite regularly, once we were sitting around an elderly foreigner invited us to his room for beer!.

This story is of course dedicated to sacred memory of Mahatma Gandhi. He was a great man. But if I were alive in 1920s and 30s I would have definitely preferred shanti niketan over sevagram (and yes only for few months…I gather I have a problem sticking around a place for too long!!), Tagore was an amazing man and I found the contradictions between him and Gandhi in his favor. But Gandhiji had immense hold over people and he understood human nature, society and value of non violence- at its practical and spiritual level. It is a mistake to compare people, it is an ugly venture. Comfort of retrospect makes it worst.
Care is also taken in this story not to put words on Gandhi that is not his.

One of the worst earthquake in Haiti

Nothing idiotic !!

This blogger happen to see Hindi movie 3 Idiots in the theatre while I was traveling few days back. It’s been ages since I have been to theaters. Last time I went to a theatre was to watch Guru while I was in Madurai. Unfortunately the theater had bedbugs, few minutes into movie I was all scratching. Mani Ratnam’s creative world was battling ferocious bugs, and I was vacillating between vicious attacks on my sensitive self and vista of Aishwarya dancing in rain on Rehman’s incredible song. It again was the age old mind over matter situation, won decisively by the latter this time when I was startled by a rat scrambling through my legs. I did catch up with the rest of movie on TV, the only hitch being saw the first half in Tamil rest in Hindi!!. Need to add watching movie on TV is quite a bad experience, with so many dumb obnoxious ads spoiling fun. It gets really crude when you switch on for cricket match, there is lack of basic decency. I guess when you are salivating for money these small issues don’t matter. Incidentally the richest “sporting body” couldn’t even get few feet of ground ready for match that too in the capital of the country. Any other set of people would have said “we will show what it means to be the richest, we will create the best sporting facility that the world could offer. A state of art stadium the world has not seen”. But not these small timers they will clutch on to the suck and back bite, when it comes to Delhi these behavior are an art itself, it is envied. It is a matter of shame, even to watch the match in the stadium can be such a bad experience. BCCI has become a syndicate to make money by few.

Enough of crap, so I was saying I saw 3 idiots (I didn’t realize it was last day of the year, crackers later signaled it’s a new year!!. Why it has to be noisy I never could understand, and yes I always find myself on the noisy side of the world). I liked the movie the story has things we all identify with, stupendous success of the movie is a testament to it. Not denying that there are some ‘filmy’ situations…but that only makes it endearing. Rajkumar Hirani is a good director I loved the Munnabhai series. Wonder what the controversy was for, Chetan Bhagat is immensely popular writer among youngsters. Aamir Khan is an amazing actor (all other actors did well in the movie, I thought the actor who played the principal -Boman Irani, was excellent). I recall seeing 'QSQT' when it was released!. Over the years he has given some wonderful movies, I prefer his funny movies that were hugely popular like Andaz apna apna, Ishq as also others like Dil hai ki manta nahi, Rangela, Jo jeeta wohi sikander, lagaan and so on. I also caught up with Gajini few months back on TV (done well but found it bit too violent). And yes Tare Zameen Par was a great movie with some amazing songs, one of the best. I also find innovative ways he market his movies interesting.

Denying the dead

We deny the dead their existence
in the absences, we deny them
in our hopes too.
Negating them into vague memories
or thoughts that suit us.

Couldn’t be that
they wait for us in the corner
just as we saw them
in moments of joy, in their best dress
thinking what we are thinking
dreaming our own dreams…

(dedicated to Sugathakumari teacher for more on this visit my birds blog)

Welcoming a new year celebrating biodiversity

More pictures in photo blog

This blogger has decided to stop drinking Tea

Maybe stopping is an extreme step but I would request the readers to reduce tea intake (as also coffee). It so happened I was at Valparai (4hours from Coimbatore) sometime back, it is located right in the middle of verdant Western Ghats. Now I am an early riser and prefer going for long morning walks (stories associated with morning walk are many would like to post one of these days!) except in cities. Mountains and mountains of what was supposed to be thick jungle is reduced to tea estate (later that day I went to sholayar dam sight, the route took an hour of bumpy ride and all along it was acres of tea estate), it depressed me a lot. This is biodiversity grave yard. In biodiversity terms this is a massacre unprecedented. The loss if calculated in money is billions and billions. All for a cup of tea!. Another passion of colonial morons that has been passed on, it is a shame. Infact the foreign exchange earning of India from tea is the highest. And who are the people who are drinking this tea?. India accounts for one-third of global tea production and most of these are imported by European countries, most Indians use the cheaper variety.

So next time you have that cup of tea think of the environmental cost. Maybe you will not feel like drinking. And yes maybe it is also the time to reclaim the land from the estate and start giving back to the forest. All through out my travel I didn’t really see much wildlife, they have been pushed out. Need to add I did spot a pied kingfisher (my first) and scimitar babbler, and some wild mongoose. It was a very saddening experience.

I do take herbal/ organic tea sometimes, but I am trying to find out the location of the origin. Is it difficult to ask these products to mention where they are grown and what is the environmental cost?. I as a consumer would like to know these.

PS. same is the case of rubber plantations but then rubber has some necessity, cannot be avoided. The picture below taken few kms away from plantations shows what should have been.

Polluters celebrate at Copenhagen

With so much expectation and optimism Copenhagen turned out to be a serious failure, they have with their irresponsible and criminal inaction has put the planet in peril. The attitude of some countries is unpardonable. This includes USA and BASIC countries, the industrialized countries of Europe are not without blame. They made suckers of world and must say with impunity. This blogger strongly feels that majority of the country (that includes G-77) should come together and impose embargo on products from these countries, the irresponsible behavior at Copenhagen should be punished. Concerned and affected countries of the world should come together to discuss this and take action at the earliest. The polluters should pay: Now and Here. They shouldn’t be allowed to get away with their economic clout. Just imagine if say African continent (which is least polluter) decides to ban all trade links with major polluters how remarkable things would be. In the meantime citizens of countries like USA, China, India …so on take decision not to buy products from polluting nations and companies, then there could be meaningful transition. The clout of moneybags who have nothing but profit in their mind is quite significant that is the tragedy of the market economy, there is no premium on nature, it is an entity to be exploited.

There is lots of talk on development and progress. You just have to look at the position of India and China at the HDI index to get the full story. There is lack of equitable progress and yes environment has deteriorated meaning lack of sustainable development meaning benefits accrued by certain section. Indeed they have refused to take these seriously. The reason why there was so much celebration on non binding agreement. These vested interests constitue an insignificant section of world community and therefore not very difficult to rein in if there is a will.

Human beings are at cross roads and if we (frankly I am ashamed to be part of this specie) don’t get it right things are going to get worse and poorest are going to suffer. The reason why they should take action at the earliest: Ban the polluters. Come together and take decision on who the polluters are and take immediate action. Most people in the world will definitely support such moves. Give us that option

Small fish talks

Copenhagen is already a success

This blogger has landed back from a trip (it feels great to be away from crowded noisy polluted cities) and was not really aware of what is happening in Copenhagen. Although it seems to be information revolution era but getting authentic information is an arduous task so had to spend some time at the net. Scene at Copenhagen doesn’t look very encouraging but this blogger thinks that Copenhagen is already a tremendous success. I found people in my train compartment I was travelling discussing global warming, there has been extensive coverage in media. I was watching Tamil channel at a tea shop (TV has become omnipresent these days and in Tamil Nadu you just cannot escape it) and the news did cover the summit as well as the impact. So in a way Copenhagen is a success.

Though the Danish environment minister says her resignation is procedural there really seems to be quite a chaos at summit. It is quite saddening. I really don’t understand this developed country and developing country division (this diversion was anticipated). There are people who make substantial carbon footprint and there are people with less. Bit of study will point to the fact that richer people have higher carbon footprint and so are the main reason for disastrous consequences which most of us will have to face or are facing. Rather than blaming the rich it is the technology that is made accessible is a crucial factor (lifestyle demands and opulence is a different matter). As people get more materially comfortable this trend will increase and that precisely is what is happening, with people getting access to vehicles and other appliances. Therefore it is very necessary that a binding agreement be made at the international level that seeks to reduce the environmental impact of development. It couldn’t be simpler than this. And if world leaders meeting at Copenhagen are not able to reach a consensus on this then they are being highly irresponsible.

This blogger did his bit in trying to pressurize his government through this blog, like people from different countries are doing and are expected to do. Clearly the money bags have an upper hand in policy decisions at national and international level and most nations are succumbing to these pressures by vested interests. With financial crisis taking its toll issues of environment are not very “attractive”. However communities are known to take mitigative actions when faced with crisis (Ostrom) and sub national movement (California Governor…I have started to like that man, quite inspiring must say. Much better without muscles!) are possible choices. A binding international agreement though is the need of the hour to have a real impact.

There are two days left and lets see how they work it out. And yes people would like to know what really happened and who are the deal breakers. USA despite Clinton’s efforts in Kyoto did not ratify the treaty. We need to have a system that points to carbon print of the product and company stated so that consumers can decide. And yes American MNCs or Chinese goods or any other country could be boycotted at the international level if they blatantly disregard world community or are seen as deal breakers (negative role played by Germany need be noted) . I think as consumers and world citizens we can take that action. This time we need to fix the culprits, nationally and internationally.

Post script: Indian English TV channel is quite a joke these days and their coverage of the Copenhagen summit lacks much depth (the Delhi based bunker NGO has landed and the woman quite clearly is barking for the Indian government. The channel even had a small time actor sneaking in with his sacred opinion, had to immediately change the channel!!. Hazards of Incredible India I guess). Thankfully Net is where you can access authentic indepth information, and no nauseating manipulations (BBC also is a good source).

Wonder how Kurosawa would have responded?

This blogger cannot help but wonder how Kurosawa would have responded to issues of climate change?. Akira Kurosawa was an amazing movie Director and this blogger had the fortune to watch almost all his movies and do have a collection of his CDs. Kurosawa was very much affected by the threat of Nuclear Bombs (signature movie being Rhapsody in August).

The other day I was watching “Dreams” again, it is a must watch. Brilliant in its execution and so much compassion, the colors, the music…each frame exudes with love and care. Again Kurosawa attempts to see a world after nuclear holocaust, a hopeless world where humans prefers suicide, wherein humans become demons and cannibalism to survive. In barren sooty land, oversized mutated flowers (a kind of diabolical beauty) humans writhe in pain. It is a compelling watch. There is also a dream of a boy who cries when trees are cut…done as it were poetry. The best was about Von Gogh, the painting comes alive, replies Gogh about his missing ear ‘I was painting my self portrait couldn’t get the ear right so cut it off’. Only Kurosawa could have conceived these beautiful lines, only he could rightfully understand Von Gogh.

There is another touching ‘dream’ of dead soldier emerging from tunnel and insisting that he is not dead, ‘even my parents think I am alive’ ‘I remember eating cake my mother made’ to his platoon commander. Followed by a battalion of dead soldiers reporting to duty, victorious they think. Whether it is happening in the officer's mind is matter of conjecturing but he insists the soldiers to not to come back, ‘you all were annihilated’. He says exasperated ‘returning to the world like this proves nothing’. I have watched this piece many times; I am struck by the beauty of it, the sadness of it. It has moved me every time.

This blogger has watched many great movies over the time (I also love popular movies, though restricted my outings in last few years. I just cannot miss a Rajnikant or Govinda movie!) and almost all masters Japanese, English, French, Iranian, Spanish, Indian…you name it. Indeed at one point used to travel across the country to catch up with film festivals (need to add here that there are lots of pretentious people amazingly mediocre who sneak in, occupational hazard of an audience I guess!!). But if you ask me which is my favorite movie it has to be “Dreams”, my favorite director is also Akira Kurosawa. As an audience I terribly miss him. I am sure Kurosawa would have compassionately addressed predicaments of human society- like climate change, he would have created something brilliant by now.

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There is enough optimism…hope they work it out

Remembering Bhopal

The worst industrial tragedy and no justice for 25 years, what more can one say. Some lives are cheap. Shouldn’t the international community take this up?. Why no criminal charges filed at international criminal court. The other day I was watching BBC and they did some testing of drinking water, it is still highly toxic. There is a criminal negligence here. There has been tons of material written about this but still no action.

The joke here is Union Carbide is back as Dow chemical in India with some unscrupulous leaders extending the red carpet (et al Budhadeb Bhattacharya the incompetent CM of Bengal). Few weeks back I was in Pallakad (in Kerala), went to a small restaurant nearby for breakfast (the idlis of Pallakad is something to die for!!) . The owner was reading The Hindu newspaper (it’s a small time newspaper with big intention, doesn’t sell much but made inroads through Tam Bram threaded types who had fiefdom in bureaucracy after independence -thus acquiring gravitas. Now it survives on cut and paste job), this blogger buys only the largest selling newspaper -though not regular- wherever I go it tends to give the pulse of people, dear Ram will have to earn his 3Rs. Anyway newspapers are not to be taken seriously (except maybe the cartoons the main reason why I buy, some of these guys are brilliant. RK Laxman still is my favorite. Few months back I went for exhibition of Mario Miranda, he is amazing. I also loved the names he gave his characters).

So I was saying… the newspaper had an apology by dear Ram. It was about retraction on using Dow chemicals to sponsor some children event, indignant readers protested. Dear Ram writes “the reaction of readers was not anticipated”. Dear Ram thought he can earn some easy money there. Kya mamu public ko ch**thiya samaj liya kya?. What dear Ram with all his pretentious sophistication is trying to say is me tho nanna sa chota sa pyala sa muje kya malum. Scoundrels like him will not be into any corruption since they already have property worth millions just by squatting on prime property. The clever fellow works on the fringes of unethical, trying to extend a wee bit daily (it is a cottage industry in market media). He also comes in TV channels once in a while espousing higher ideals (which incidentally if you analyze will be helping him and his clan. This blogger thinks there should be stricter laws on privacy). This blogger strongly request readers not to buy such newspapers that promote killers of Bhopal. The presence of Dow Chemicals itself is a reflection on corrupt system that facilitated these.

PS. I came to know the other day that Kalpana Sharma has left dear Ram and has syndicated her columns. Cheers to that. When will PSainath or Praveen Swami do these will be interesting, their market rate is quite high. It is amazing that these talented people are ready to work under some small time unethical scoundrel running dwindling business.

In the meantime this blogger wouldn’t mind sponsoring a tela for dear Ram to sell peanuts at marina. Don’t know whether he can even do that?. There is no harm in trying though!!.

A request to Mrs. Gandhi

This blogger appeals to UPA Chairperson and Congress head to take the responsibility and rein in the rogue elements in Indian establishment who are trying to scuttle international commitment on climate change that is to take place in Copenhagen. The fact that climate changes are anthropogenic is well established by scientific studies and there has been lots of attempts being made in recent times to subjectify these by influential interest groups (not the least by Bush administration). The Climate Change meet schedule to happen at Copenhagen is important for the world, and yes it needs to succeed. There has to be a binding agreement to reduce green houses gases. There is a need to see the world beyond the narrow views of economist and diplomats. History is quite ruthless when it judges and future generation is not going forgive. Is Mrs Gandhi listening?. This blogger wants to know what constitutes ‘national interest’? Who are the people who defined these?.

In the meantime this blogger is extremely excited by the commitments made by EU, as also the enthusiasm of USA under its new leadership. I am particularly gladdened by the leadership role taken by China on these matters (it definitely befits its status as responsible world power. I am a big admirer of Chinese civilization, having read much. Recently I have been reading some brilliant Chinese poems. A positive China is asset to the world). We need also to note the commitment made by Brazil. If India plays foul then it should be isolated, the world need to point firmly who the deal breakers are. It is a disgrace. History will judge and will judge harshly, but then do we really have time for these small timers?!!

Small Fish Talks

Ye insecurity feeling kya hotha hai bhaiyya

Last few days TV studios of English/ Hindi channels are invaded by people with “insecurity feeling” or “sense of insecurity”. It is an affliction that the richer section finds difficulty in handling. Recently commemorating anniversary of terrorist attack on Mumbai this feeling has become all pervasive. Tragedy of the event withstanding this blogger finds tribulation of these fragile people quite amusing. That they need psychiatric help is quite evident, that they find themselves incapable of handling realities of life is not unexpected. Of course there are remarkable people with amazing resilience but this blog is not about them.

In the opulence of now or never world, pushing out the realities with big curtains, the sequestered life try evading mortality. A feeling of omnipotence and misplaced vigor defines their action. It is when realities barges in that “sense of insecurity” envelopes their little life. They feel cheated and harassed. There is unison “we don’t deserve this” lament. On the sidelines there is also fierce competition among “could have been victims” celebrities trying to capitalize the rush. It is the eyeball chase. Not denying that rare few did raise some relevant questions.

It seems that the sole responsibility of the government is to provide sense of security to this section while majority people in this country don’t even understand what secure life means. What arrogance. It is clear that the Indian government failed miserably to prevent these attacks and the response too was tardy, there has been lots of allegation and counter allegation since (not the least by senior police officers). But the question is how can these attacks be prevented?. Terrorists are mindless people and they care for none. It is quite difficult to anticipate, but yes response could be worked.

Pertinent question here would be when was life secure?. How can life ever be secure?. Don’t people face these realities everyday? I guess we all know that things could change quite drastically any moment. Common people negotiate these everyday, every moment. Indeed living is a risky proposition in the circumstance which most people find themselves in. With all kinds of diseases, violence, misshapes lurking in corners, things are stacked heavily against them, life is stressful. Many give up, many die undeservedly, most survive and stare death back. No not because they are brave, it is just that it is the last option, and yes after few instances it get routine, so habituated. Try figuring out how many people die every day and for what reason, of course behind every death there are many near deaths too. People keep dying for no reason of theirs. Where is then sense of security?.

Negotiating insecurities: this blogger recall feeling terribly insecure sometimes in early part of his life, later as I started my career in Chennai there were lots of rich guys who ran family business, for them job was fun which it really was but somewhere a thought always lurked in me of being one step away from abyss. There were no fall back options. So unless I do something substantial I felt very insecure, in the earlier part it nearly consumed me (even trying exploring what exactly is ‘substantial’). Also the impression given was that these are ‘crucial period of getting experience for furthering career so don’t waste time’, that added to the stress.

Later while I traveled around the country, I got the experience of fragility of life and many times just about managed to scrape through. Don’t know whether it was exuberance of youth or general excitement of traveling to new places I mostly felt insecurity in retrospect “man that could have gone wrong” kind of thing, and incorrigibly forget to take precaution next time!. It was probably during that time I started to carry this note on the first page of diary that I carried (plz click to enlarge). Recently though I carry paper sheet as diaries add to extra weight. One of my weird hobbies is to locate the road map of the accident I see in news. The recent bus accident near Nagrota (HP) is well known to me. Spate of minor train accidents in recent times has left me vaguely uncomfortable.

Information asymmetry and not very invisible hand of Thierry Henry

Well I have been reading Stiglitz last few days, I had read some of his columns here and there (trying to figure out what this financial crisis all about, as also searching about World Bank) but now thought of sitting down and read through his basics (encapsulated in his very long Nobel Prize speech). While I was reading these I was also watching TV!!. It was about the controversy that surrounded France win over Ireland in pre world cup. It is very clear that Thierry Henry handled the ball. The players knew it the world saw it. It was an obvious foul and should have been disallowed. But it was allowed, it didn’t violate the rule, it fitted in well into the system. So even though we all know it was wrong but the system doesn’t perceive nor could it rectify or correct the wrong. It seems it depends on the individuals to confess. It is therefore matter of individual choices thus subjective. In the meantime there is stress on transparency. But things are as transparent as it could ever be!!. This precisely is the problem.

We all want to do something to prevent climate related catastrophe, we all want to protect environment but the system seems incapable of perceiving these. It is also about the kind of things that keep happening around us, we are all very concerned about insidious nature of market and how it is seriously undermining socio-cultural context. Trivialization, macabre exaggeration and amazingly crude is what is sought to be seen as normal change. There is something seriously wrong but the system instead of rectifying has chosen to propagate this. Isn’t it funny that the economic system is hinged on people spending, the more you consume the healthier the system. Conventional wisdom though contradicts, indeed it is absurd. But this it seems is the path to prosperity, development.

Stiglitz mentions “When I began the study of economics some forty one years ago, I was struck by the incongruity between the models that I was taught and the world that I had seen growing up, in Gary Indiana, a city whose rise and fall paralleled the rise and fall of the industrial economy. Founded in 1906 by U.S. Steel, and named after its Chairman of the Board, by the end of the century it had declined to but a shadow of its former self. But even in its heyday, it was marred by poverty, periodic unemployment, and massive racial discrimination. Yet the theories that we were taught paid little attention to poverty, said that all markets cleared – including the labor market, so unemployment must be nothing more than a phantasm, and that the profit motive ensured that there could not be economic discrimination. If the central theorems that argued that the economy was Pareto efficient – that, in some sense, we were living in the best of all possible worlds – were true, it seemed to me that we should be striving to create a different world”. So there the contradiction.

One of the key aspect of Stiglitz’s assertion is information “what happens when people lack the key information that bears on the decisions they have to make, or when markets for important kinds of transactions are inadequate or don't exist, or when other institutions that standard economic thinking takes for granted are absent or flawed”. The referee in the Ireland-France match (or any other match) lacked the key information, which quite absurdly was accessible to even an audience across the globe within few seconds, and the system saw to it that he couldn’t access these. Fairness was compromised for institution. Doesn’t that sound familiar?. It seems we are controlled by an inexplicable superior force, an invisible hand.

Is it surprising that Adam smith (the founder of modern economics) also mentions “by an invisible hand”, the free market led efficient outcomes?. The “invisible hand”, one can safely say now, was a euphemism for lack of information but necessarily meant to keep the government out. Stiglitz has argued “Interestingly, there has been no intellectual challenge to the refutation of Adam Smith’s invisible hand….individuals and firms, in the pursuit of their self-interest, are not necessarily, or in general, led as if by an invisible hand, to economic efficiency". He adds "have shown that whenever information is imperfect and markets incomplete, which is to say always, and especially in developing countries, then the invisible hand works most imperfectly." He concludes “governments can improve the outcome by well-chosen interventions”.

Like the financial crisis recently there clearly was no “invisible hand” in Ireland-French match. The world saw Thierry Henry handling the ball, the Irish though can include these in their enviable collection of fables.

PS. Last heard: they are thinking of banning Thierry Henry!!. Frankly what exactly is his fault?!!. Theater of absurd, the script should make Samuel Beckett proud!!

It is time for Tobin Tax

Tobin tax was suggested by James Tobin way back 1970s. The idea was to implement a tax on each foreign currency transaction thereby penalizing short-term speculation. This is what Tobin said “This dissuades speculators as many investors invest their money in foreign exchange on a very short-term basis. If this money is suddenly withdrawn, countries have to drastically increase interest rates for their currency to still be attractive. But high interest is often disastrous for a national economy, as the nineties’ crises in Mexico, South East Asia and Russia have proven. My tax would return some margin of maneuver to issuing banks in small countries and would be a measure of opposition to the dictate of the financial markets”.

His suggestion has been in the cold storage for a longtime (except maybe a nightmare for students preparing for exams, like this blogger many years back!!. I came to know about Tobin tax in mid 1990s, I found it attractive even then. Later East Asian currency crisis confirmed it). Recently British PM Gordon Brown brought it out, he said “I think we should discuss whether we need a better social contract to reflect the global responsibilities of financial institutions to our society. There have been proposals for an insurance fee, or a resolution fund or a contingent capital arrangements or a global financial transaction levy.”.
Tobin tax will help counter the volatility of financial markets and avert financial crisis. It will also discourage speculative currency trading and reduce exchange rate volatility. There is a popular support for these suggestions not only at the policy making level but even in the streets. There have been much discussions and it is high time to implement these proposals.

Need to add here that Tobin saw it as step to cushion exchange rate fluctuations only and nothing else but I guess world has grown much after him or quite likely he had tunnel view of world and yes role of economist in socio-political context is only advisory. Tobin tax will create as Brown puts it “contingent capital arrangement”. The suggestion to put it under UN is quite brilliant, this would give UN much needed fund to put the priorities of world community in place. Unlike Tobin this blogger would like to see UN strengthened, World Bank and IMF can wait. UN represents multilateralism and there is an urgent need to foster these. As UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon said recently "We share one planet, one small blue speck in space. As people, as nations, as a species: we sink or swim together,"

Shocking (some clarifications included)

This blogger stumbled upon in the net the other day that the former US president George Bush had visited India recently. I am shocked. What was the basis of granting him visa to visit this country? He stands accused of war crimes, causing untold misery to many. The dangerous situation in Iraq that has spilled into the region, now threatening Pakistan is directly the result of actions of Bush administration. Even now hundreds are dying, the vicious cycle of killing and counter killing that started with the attack on Baghdad. This blogger strongly feels that criminal case need be taken up against Bush&Co in International Criminal Court. If perpetrators of mass killings in Bosnia, Rwanda or Sudan could be tried then what prevents Mr.Bush from facing the justice. In the meantime Bush &Co should be treated with disdain, the law need to catch up with them at the earliest. If Milosevic and Al Bashir can be tried what prevents the trial of Mr. Bush. Or is it that USA is a powerful country therefore it can break international laws and convention with impunity?. And yes what about Mister Tony Blair?.

I am ashamed of Indian government for giving permission for his visit, and yes I shudder to think how Al Qaeda reacts to this. I am really concerned about innocent people whose lives are put at serious risk by these foolish actions. One wonders what kind of people would like to listen to a former President, who was a nuisance. Really what weight does his views now carry? When it mattered he bungled up big time, it killed thousands of innocents people, then he says Intelligence agency "misguided" him on WMD!!. It is not only a travesty but reflection of servile nature of socio-political elite holed up in delhi, who invite him. The argument is that he was friend of India. Really! understand this US under Bush did only what it suits them, and yes if India was Uganda he wouldn't be looking this way. Indeed international diplomacy is about national interest. The lack of statesmen and people with vision for humanity is reason why this blogger was excited about Obama. Mr.Bush a friend of India is an enemy of the world and humanity!!. That is the India I hate to be in. Why should any country for that matter even allow Mr.Bush to enter?. He need be declared as persona non grata.

Post Script: The International Criminal Court (referred to as the ICC or ICCt) is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression. Article 5 of the Rome Statute grants the court jurisdiction over four groups of crimes, which it refers to as the “most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole”: the crime of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression. This blogger wants to know why suo moto case not be taken against Mr Bush?

India is not a signatory but wanted to have the use of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction included as war crimes but this move was defeated. India has expressed concern that “the Statute of the ICC lays down, by clear implication, that the use of weapons of mass destruction is not a war crime". Well said.

When the baby elephant got killed

When the baby elephant got killed

The baby elephant trailing its mother
suckle her in leisure
ran about the forest in abandon
its tiny trunk explores anything and everything.
It was the very instance
the Superfast train smashed into it,
limp body thrown meters into the air.

Inside the train
people hurrying to reach
people traveling for fun
not aware of the fate of baby elephant
that lay mangled to be photographed, commented
and condemned for being a nuisance.

(written few months back forgot to post!!)