Wednesday, August 06, 2014

Thank you Pranji...

I am quite saddened to hear about Pranji’s demise. The character he created defined much of our childhood. Chacha Chaudhary, Sabu, Pinki, Billoo so on became quite a rage and I recall reading these keeping between the textbooks in schools or while doing homework…the nostalgia of time gone by…Lotpot, Champak, Nandan, later Twinkle…the list is long. Unfortunately for me one of the family friend convinced that these should be read in English as it will improve English skills, and henceforth they shifted these to English. I lost the interest, as it didn’t carry the fun that came from reading it in Hindi, furthermore it didn’t have any exchange value (that is bartering for other comics with kids around), as nobody wanted English comics.  
What was amazing about the man was that he created these characters when he faced stiff competition from syndicated well established international brands like Phantom, Mandrake, Superman so on and marketed it himself. Truly a great man. I was checking how the nation has honoured him, and find that he was ignored. He deserved atleast a Padma award, but I realize the manipulative political leaders and their cronies have consistently degraded these awards as also other institutions. Pranji’s biggest award is his readers whose childhood he cared for. 

Tuesday, August 05, 2014

English based apartheid must be stopped



It is matter of horror that Indians are being subjected to these kinds of atrocities. For centuries it was Sanskrit language that determined everything and anything indeed the existence of not only this life but hereafter. And as is the tradition, the temple squatter’s club rules saw to it that most people are denied even this, and therefore usurped the warped understanding of competence. The mediocre society has moved with the framework intact (with Gandhian charm, I must add) and has now firmly hinged on English. This language is now end and all. Knowing this language is therefore defining moment of competence, nuances herein is how brilliance gets defined.  Colonial Britain cultivated the elite from the natives in their mold (sometimes referred to as Macaulay’s bastards), this was done quite judiciously throughout its colonies, they therefore became torchbearer of commonwealth. They emulated rulers and helped them well, one of the conditions while the power was being transferred (sold locally as independence/freedom) was that these structures and interest will be safeguarded. The idea of freedom was therefore quite limited to begin with. Congress leaders, mostly traditional elites, with Gandhian convenience set out to develop the society as they quite stridently adhered to squatter’s framework and maintaining status quo on colonial laws. Macaulay with necessary Marxian angst was how Nehruvian worldview took its root. We still have these anachronisms flirting around us displaying their pedigree with such relish that words like feudal, even racism, falls short. Congress leaders blanketed their ethical vacuum by exalting Gandhi and usurping his supposedly charming attributes while they carried out from what was left by britishers. Even a cursory glance will point out to serious lacunas in the policy framework (that includes law&order, judiciary so on) that sometimes needed only minimal changes. It isn’t surprising that after so many decades of so-called independence things are as if in some time warp, meanwhile painful half hearted incremental input depending on manipulation and exigencies of electoral politics.  It is as if they don’t think people exist and if ever for their convenience or an arrogant self justifying action. Haughtiness of Natwars to Kurshids to Iyers to Digvijays (as also their counterparts in media/judiciary/bureaucrats/liberals/intellectuals) makes words like secularism an abuse, democracy a con act and sensibility a lost cause. These elites with their characteristic flourish systematically degraded the society and remarkably suited it to egalitarian values. So now we have the poignant sight of estranged squatters sizing each as the hindutva forces want to rewrite the texts. People like Batra have ideas of world that are ridiculous to say the least (though i would agree on not extinguishing light during birthday celebration, it makes sense) but pitting these Mahagyans against Marxian and Macaulay doesn’t diminish anything at all. It is the law of nature that ridiculous doesn’t remove ridiculous, indeed it gets consolidated. For last many decades they have carried lots of absolute nonsense as study material as also ideas of competence, despite studies and commissions on the contrary, the education sector has been misused and neglected. The congress culture of chaltha hai status quo, till it boils over, then manipulate some incremental changes. Never face reality always manipulate for short term gains.        

For last many decades one of the most mediocre conceptions has been exalted as ‘steel frame of society’ for this we have to be thankful to colonial power is the revered refrain (ironically they couldn’t even translate ‘steel plant’ into hindi, if you think that is the irony then it not. The irony is that the Chairperson of UPSC still gets to keep his job, despite these shoddy mischievous works) is the bureaucracy. That they have failed quite miserably (with few exceptions) is clear from the big gap in the intent, reality and application of policies, and India’s tragic social indices. Clearly the bureaucrats turned out to be the extension of feudal norms that gained and consolidated from colonial power. Therefore they carried on the Macaulay’s understanding of competence which stood for emasculation and exploitation. In the earlier few decades they were hand in glove with the political boss (who weren’t much different from the colonial boss) as they got along quite well with colonial club rules and impeccable mannerism, in the meanwhile dropping some crumbs here and there as part of social justice.

It is in this context that English gained status as brilliance in action, it filled in the halo in absence of colonial masters (as they left after transfer of power). The interlocutors therefore attributed this to nothing but genius of the language and the spectacular worlds it created, invoking English in itself was an act of excellence. The bureaucrats naturally assumed themselves to be excellent having cleared these excellent criteria. The problem being these excellent people were not quite able to connect to common people and their problems, indeed they never wanted to. In Gandhian conception of things this was seen as problem of the people –they needed to be more understanding in the meanwhile suitably self flagellating sadist, while the exploitative elitizens meddle with the club rules and create hilarious situation for their own conception. Gandhi quite effectively filled up the moral vacuum, so the excellent people apart from English skills also carried sufficient sympathy as trustees. These elitizens coming from squatter’s framework didn’t have much problem dealing with this new deity, few centuries back they were lavishing in the pristine nature of Sanskrit and delving in puerile ‘philosophies’ limited only by their own limitations, shift to English was natural. Not much has changed for common people they moved from one burden to another, as their skills and talents never quite matched up. The society slips into abyss of mediocrity and people suffered wherein the elitizens created new club rules suiting their fancy and hard selling it as competence.

A student must be evaluated in the language he or she is comfortable in as also sensitive to the cultural context and the needs of the society that is the basic requirement for testing any competence. English doesn’t fulfill any of these, on the contrary it creates barriers as also undermines the basic intelligence of the candidate. It seeks to create an alternative elitist world as aspirational therefore by some absurd logic competence. Exams should be conducted in as many languages as possible, a way has to be found to tap in the competence of people otherwise these kind of travesty in the name of selection should be stopped. Indeed do we really need this self perpetuating ‘steel frame’ that is becoming a burden. Also selection process should be conducted by competent people. Incompetence and tardy effort will have to be severely dealt (Recently a Staff Selection Commission exam had a question on height of hindi movie actress?!! The person who created such question should be arrested for dereliction of duty and the system that sustains these should be dismantled). If English is ever used it should be value neutral and the linguistic skill in this language should not be criteria at all. The government should evict itself from English promotion and focus on impacting common people and effectiveness towards society at large. English promotes superficialities and negates innate talent of people and creative needs of society, it imprison their aspirations and cloisters their lives. Government that seeks welfare of the people has no business in promoting or evaluating English skills. It is a travesty. Market may need people who have to fulfill these needs of English driven mediocre world, and they may be please carry on. The government has the duty to create a system that seeks to disincentive English. The common people should have the confidence to deal with the world in their own terms and talent that is how societies develop. The parents as well as teachers shouldn’t feel the need for English. It will save lots of efforts in the wrong direction and focus on the needs of individuals and society. This is where talent happens and innovation becomes norms, and therefore society develops.         

Society has suffered because of these English driven self preserving nonsensical notions and has slipped further into incompetence and mediocrity. Congress to a large extent was immune to these disparities and miseries that it created, as they themselves were part of this exploitative system and negotiating competing sycophancy. English and charming world it created (that also includes cricket) was the reason in itself for their excellence, they surely don’t have to do anything further. And yes they didn’t do anything much. The lopsided development and immense misery created is testament to it.  Indeed rightist elements will see Sanskrit as savior language, as much as liberal elements see English as end all. As mentioned it is fratricidal war of squatters. Their attitude and nuances are same.  Modi as PM is morally duty bound to find a solution that syncs with his life and experiences, of a person who comes from humble background. He shouldn’t be allowed to be co-opted by these clever manipulators who have entrenched themselves in the system and are gnawing from inside.  He is elected to dismantle these interest groups.   

The argument that Chinese and Koreans are learning English is not at all surprisingly, another of the absurdity that emanates from fertile minds of inbred English fed elites. Chinese and Koreans have very strong foundation of their language in the society, their elites come from this framework, therefore are respected as intellectuals. These societies have strong intellectual base and egalitarian foundation –the reason significance given to primary education and health, as also pride in their language and humanistic culture. In such societies English will always remain a subsidiary language that too for the requirement of jobs especially service industry or dealing with English speaking countries. They will use English and not admire and make it a beacon of competence. It can never gain primacy. India on the contrary has an inegalitarian foundation that works on manipulation and entitlement, for the same reason it doesn’t really have the culture of nurturing talent nor tradition of strong intellectual foundation that emanates from and is valued by society. Indeed the word culture is sinister in Indian context. English therefore gains primacy, mediocrity and manipulation becomes norms as people become subsidiary to language. The society becomes market, marketers becomes social reformers. All the while people are readied as consumers, the moneyed will create framework of aspiration achieving this will be excellence. English was meant for Indians to be second fiddle to colonial power now it is to American market, and the pointer it creates becomes aspiration, very judiciously converted into consumers of whatever Americans produce and lifestyle demands. I am not sure whether that is the achievement of paid cronies of the manipulative Indian elite or is it brute power of US, as moron Kurshid says in impeccable English (that has won this mediocre fellow secularism brownie points) ‘some intelligence outside public domain will have to be shared’. Is this dumb fellow for real?    

English cannot be judging criteria at all, and all that deals with it will have to be dismantled. It is shocking that engineering and medical texts are not translated and taught in the language that students are comfortable in. I have written this earlier too, and recall Kapil Sibal (one must be careful of the man who writes atrocious poems, old jungle saying!) even promised. Ramdev in the meanwhile is living an exaggerated life trying quite hard moving from baba to swamiji, his exalted being demands this. He has start to think that he is part of miracle, and landed into entitled role that was waiting for him for the reason of other worldly justice and miraculous providence that only he could achieve, therefore he has ensconced himself in temple squatter’s framework and now delves in intricacies of Sanskrit. Our man is trying to create excellence through Sanskrit in the meanwhile producing zombie like youngsters like the one they create in madrasas –crazily pendulating over holy books and rendering their intellect useless and life meaningless (the onus is now on us to find these zombies jobs, otherwise its discrimination).

The protest against English is eminently needed, and I sincerely hope it spreads to selection process for other exams like IIT, Medical, NDA so on. It should open up a debate that leads to proper understanding of competence and selection processes. Government cannot be dictated by market. Modi government should realize that this section (the vast mass of rural semi urban people, even the urban who are against English elitism) has put faith on him (and not likes of clever manipulators, the lutyen delhi creations without any mass base), they are not looking for any charity but someone who empathize and put in place unbiased selection process that values their talents and cherish their competence. There are some who are speaking on the behalf of BJP making amazingly stupid and elitist statements that makes mockery of student’s agitation. If BJP fails then it is Mr. Modi who fails these spokespersons will vanish in thin air therefore they should be kept in tight check.

There is a need for complete overhauling of the system as also the attitude and ideas on competence. Take for instance the amazingly mediocre fellow who passes out from IIT studying market cherished subject of engineering and then ‘smart’ enough to study at IIM another of market cherished subject which ironical has nothing to do with engineering which he initially started with. Then in a carefully planned absurdity this fellow ends up in some Finance related company making money advising others on money matters, meaning how to save, meaning avoiding tax. Such a colossal waste this moron but this fellow is celebrated as beacon of success by this mediocre society. As you observe his choices were not guided by any desire to learn and explore but acutely tuned to manipulate to earn more, and it isn’t a deal they are able to but nothing much can be expected of them. They are waste, indeed IIT-IIM who are seen as some kind of role models are arguably the dumbest lot I have come across, though I must add they do have interesting anecdotes to share. Sickening. Not surprisingly nor IITs neither IIMs figure anywhere in international scale. If this is what Indian education system is creating then the education itself has to be questioned. They churn money sniffers who constantly seek to make more money, like pigs sniffing for muck, they are no centres of excellence and nothing much is expected. They will not even bother for contexts, forget understanding (therefore innovation) they float from one money pot to another with consummate ease, and celebrated by market and its media. They will never be of any use except amassing pointers of wealth and power. Real education is something else that needs different caliber and outlook that this manipulative society will need much time to understand and cherish. People will have to drop out from the stampede, and they have. You come across these amazing people while travelling, if only Indian education system could produce them, if only india’s selection process could nurture them…then this society has a chance otherwise its back to prime time crap and american sitcoms that glimpses into amazingly irresponsible lives as entertainment. It had to be man Vs food, never thought supine Indian elites couldn't even match this that we have to watch american travesty in place of indian!

Saturday, August 02, 2014

This is something serious



Ebola, the most lethal virus yet, is steadily spreading and is now declared an epidemic. The situation is quite grim. Looks like Homo sapiens are in for it; in the meanwhile they kill in Gaza and bring down hapless people travelling in Malaysian airlines. With such vicious humans around Ebola looks a benign presence.   

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Watch out for Chinese talent



Yu Hua is an amazing find and I strongly recommend. This Chinese writer is someone to watch out for. I stumbled upon him in some online article very soon was reading one of his short stories. Two paragraphs into it and was ordering his book “Stories of the Hidden China”, he is that riveting. He doesn’t take away the gaze as drivels into the horror with consummate talent and insight. Amazing writer, despite translation the writing is of high caliber. The readers of this blog must pick up Yu Hua, it is not a coincidence that china has become such a prominent nation, they have the history of valuing talents. Their contribution continues to be significant. Very soon you will see them in FIFA cup too.   

Thankfully they don’t have the pain of English writing, the one that inflicts Indians. With rare exception English attempts by Indians are so mediocre (including this blogger, I am acutely aware of it. That is why my creative indulgence is limited; I seem to lack the necessary tool. Writing is more like a cowboy act of herding words into meaningful sentence, English makes the effort hilarious). Attempts in English is mostly product of emasculated society, the elitism makes it poignant. The works in English borders ridiculous, whether writing, movies, plays so on but they get more coverage and money, it is as if English in itself is sign of competence. While some excellent works in other languages (NOT vernacular, careful chulbuli Pande) are ignored and find no good translation into English. Why can’t we have such good translation like the above Chinese book, or even the movies? I realize in this society writing too is a luxury, and the odds against are quite heavy.


In the meanwhile an international survey found that India is the second most racist country in the world (defeated by Jordan in a close fight. Bravo to that). Of course that doesn’t mean colonial-gained-comfortable Europeans are better (or for that matter primitive-hiding-behind-cloak-of-islam Arabs) as they are generally politically correct. So that makes Indians much brutal people, non violently so –definitely a unique attribute, as they don’t give a damn about even political correctness, nothing surprising among god ordained people. Indian elites have created such an amazingly primitive oppressive framework that social climbers display themselves much cruder in all relish they can muster. Look at the Member of Parliament, a ‘leader’, who stuffs food onto the waiter because doesn’t like the food, in a blatant act in front of camera. He relished the moment of attention not ever realizing anything amiss in his conduct. This is what makes Indians so very special, the moral vacuum. And the pseudo seculars are up in arms questioning how could he do this to a fasting Muslim, as if any other human is alright!. And the scoundrel’s counter is that he didn’t know the religion of the man. Thus the incident cleverly manipulated into communal matters with usual suspects baying for blood, and savior squatters stampeding and positioning with alacrity, trying to squeeze in with brownie points. And yes TRP conscious slaves fueling it further and make every attempt to worsen it. Importantly why isn’t the MP arrested for molesting an employee. Why is the law not followed? You can shout and scream, take all the grand positioning and ensuing get together for spoils but common people’s concerns will be: why are the laws not followed. That is the quantifiable reality on which common people’s lives hinge on, the rule of law that defines democracy. That is my concern too. What action has been taken on the MP?

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Introducing Pol Pot of Purasawalkam




 ZK Bazz asks "Dearz arrogantz gentilez of Kasturiz topclazz familyz, doez thiz faze remindz youz of someonez??!!" Ormayundo ee mukham?!! 
Quiz question by ZK: you knowz who iz Mozartz of Madraz tellz me who iz Polz Potz of  Purasawalkamz? 
Crude Woman says "Pol Pot? Never smoked that one"