Adios, Prince!

" To have started with a flourish
and ended with a nought
- A prince in his own parish
None tell him what he ought......... "


But in the end it all fits well into the fascinating collage that was the script of Sourav Ganguly's cricketing career.


Twelve eventful years at the highest level of the sport and to bid adieu in the security of the knowledge that you won't be forgotten, ever, speaks of the man's feats for itself. Die-hard fans and detractors alike would have found it an honour to stand up in ovation as he climbed the stairs after his last stint on the crease. And every bit of applause that he got on this day was as deserved as the fate that met with the balls that pitched outside his off-stump. Not as murderous as the Jayasuriyas of his time, nor as wristy as the Anwars in full flow, he would cajole and caress the ball with his gift of supreme timing, all the while donning an expression of lordly dismissiveness. The man whose middle name could be 'Arrogance' when on a cricket field, he undeniably ushered in the new generation of "give it your all" cricketers whose success so determines the team's fortunes today. Be it the fierce stroke play of Yuvraj, the mercurial maverick of Harbhajan or the searching seam-play of Zaheer - the fact that Dada blooded these stars of today and backed them in times of crisis explains why he enjoys the respect he gets in the dressing-room. And amidst all that 'backing' and 'pushing' of new talent there was never a whiff of regionalism or 'lobbying' that the Azhar-Dungarpur era had so firmly established.


As a batsman, Sourav Ganguly figures in the list of One-Day Greats with ease any given day, the Tests not an apt reflection of his class though. At a time when Sachin was down in the dumps and Dravid was still to improve before he could mould himself to suit the shorter version of the game Sourav became the main-stay of the Indian batting order. Who can forget that innings he played in the win against Pakistan in the final of the Bangladesh Independence Cup in Dhaka. The entire nation was out on the roads celebrating the victory. And it was just the start.


As a Captain he is still to be matched, not only by the sheer number of trophies that he has claimed for the country but also because he stood out as a motivational leader of men who transformed a pack of 'mere hopefuls' into ruthless gladiators who would fight till the end. He infused the "killer instinct" into a team that Ravi Shashtri, during his commentaries, would often say it lacked. India now looked certain of a win when in the driver's seat and the millions of supporters knew in their hearts that the man wearing the shades, manning the slips, would not leave it to fate alone when it came to the grind. Instead he would make it work. He would switch bowlers, bring in fielders, bark out orders till something gave, till something 'happened'. In short, eight years before the world even knew of Obama, Sourav made us, Indians, believe that "We Can!" As a result we ended up beating most teams before being beaten by the best team in the world in the finals of the 2003 World Cup - a campaign which seemed doomed from the beginning itself but epic in its own right because of 'the turn-around' mid-tournament. During Sourav's tenure India started scripting victories rather than merely winning matches just because one of the two teams had to win. With a string of victories, both at home and abroad, that too at close intervals the team had firmly established its position of being 'Challengers' to Aussie dominance. Over were the days when a fan had to look back to the times of the Wadekars and the Vishwanaths to find a solitary victory on foreign soil. This was a new outfit. A squad which huddled and ganged, bullied and battered the opposition. Finally, we had a team which made a nation proud by exuding controlled aggression backed with adequate skill. The prayers seemed at last answered.

It is good that Dhoni seems to have inherited that same vein of aggressive leadership from Sourav. Though much more reserved on-field, he seems heartwarmingly effective with his decisions. It seems the reins are in good hands from here in time.


But all was not this rosy throughout. The purple patches soon turned into expanses of run-drought and the touch was all gone for Sourav. Balls outside his off-stump which would spear their way through the outfield following a swift command off the willow would now take innocuous nicks and nestle into the waiting hands of jubilant slip-fielders. Innings after innings would be reduced to joking speculations on 'which stump's turn it was today to be rattled' and the familiar arrogance was soon out-of-place. The Chappels were vocal, vile and to a degree villainous.
- " There are 10 players and Sourav Ganguly in the Indian team", the elder one said and the Prince of Kolkata was grounded, courtesy- the younger one. Fans in Boycott and Gower could offer little explanation for his prolonged "poor run". His time had come, all agreed.
He was dropped from the squad amid erratic cries of 'injustice', that a hero was being forced to make such an inglorious exit.


But taking what is dished out to him with servile submissiveness was so not agreeable to Sourav's princely demeanor.

He gave a fitting reply to his critics in the domestic circuit, eased into the test-team and scored runs in a fashion reminiscent of his prime. For a man who was time and again criticised for complacency he proved that he had what it takes to climb up from the ruins. His scores cried, "Its far from over". Instead, he showed how its only him who reserved the right to decide when to bow out, and on which terms.


Today when he walks into the sunset of his career he will deserve every accolade, every applause and every decoration that is due to him.

Like a true Hero that he is, I believe he will just savour the moment and hold that wry smile that grace faces which know the taste of a triumph from a victory.


Adios, Prince.





photo: googleimages

The Man Who Will Be King

............ and lift US from the dumps.

Barack Hussein Obama is now to take on the mantle of 'The Most Difficult Job' in the world and deliver the goods for the millions who see him as their talismanic messiah, their knight in shining armour. He faces the herculean task of resurrecting the global image of the United States which reached new lows during the war-mongering Bush regime. But before that he needs to put his house in order. That means a bail-out plan for the economy that is unprecedented in history, going by its sheer bulk and consequence.

But if he is half as effective as his oratory suggests he is our man for the job.

And he is already a legend.

"Hurray!" to that "Change".






photo: googleimages

Of Heidi Klum and Hedious Garbs

Heidi Klum decides to dress up as Kali for Halloween. [link here]

[images showing Klum in Kali's disguise to the right and her utter contempt for all 'black beings' below.( Not by any co-incidence, she is married to a Nigerian-born British soul singer, Seal. Reaffirms my 'contempt' point.)]

And we still are to hear from our Togadias and Thackeray's on this.

What a howling shame!

Where are all these people when we need them the most ? The saffron and the orthodox, the right-wing and the fanatics. When irreverent firangs go about plastering their philistine disregard for the most cherished of our deities the tilak adorned task-force decides to hold up their trishuls, protesting the advent of the 'enemy within' or busy themselves beating up fellow countrymen appearing for public exams. Petty!


Worse, if they are to be found in this hour of great religious crisis distributing sweets to celebrate Obama's victory - The man who had nothing on his agenda regarding 'The Desecration of Hindu Gods & Godesses' and how to counter such an atheist outbreak. How so very short-sighted!


A few months ago there was very little noise over Lord Ganesha adorning the covers on toilet-seats and before that Lord Shiva spray-painted on sandals in the Wayward West.


If this is not reason enough to spring into action, what are they waiting for ?

- The launch of brands 'Saraswati's Secrets' and 'Janki', perhaps.










images: ndtv.com, modelstalker.com

Time is Running Out.................

Without even bringing one's self to deconstruct Mamata Banerjee's career graph in politics one will surely acknowledge that the basic traits that have defined her over the years have been her vehement anti-CPI(M) stance, populist appeal, sympathy for the suffering on one hand, with political vacillation, lack of vision and complete absence of policy gracing the other.


She has had her share of followers and political space, having the Union Railway Ministry to initiate the reform mantra being the high-point of it, but, today she needs to introspect deeply to salvage pride for herself and spare West Bengal the ignominy of being branded a
- 'Investor's Grave'.


Singur is a lose-lose situation for her now. Only she has to realise it.

Even if the Tatas pack their bags, lick their wounds, count their losses and go off to Karnataka in search of a favorable climate what have the unwilling farmers, the champion of whose rights Didi has modelled herself into, stand to gain ?

I reckon, "Nothing!"

The Land Acquisition Act forbids re-allocation of acquired land to its former owners. The State Govt. surely isn't going to amend an act so as to accommodate the political/moral victory of its opponents. To let the unwilling farmers have what they lost to the Nano will need Didi to come to power in the next Assembly Elections ( which I don't need to say seems ' improbable' to stay on the safer side). How realistic does that sound ?

Also having refused the compensation-cheques for their land the first time around and Didi thwarting their opportunity of grabbing onto the renegotiated compensation (which was a much better deal than the previous offer) the unwilling lot will soon find difficulty in making their ends meet. No wonder chinks have started appearing in their ranks.

Now is a good time to grab the maximum offered amount and have the Nano meet its deadline, rolling out of Singur. Serious ramifications, both politico-economic and otherwise can then be averted. Both for the Left Front and the Trinamool.

The Front will mobilise its publicity machinery and bludgeon Didi's fiery rhetoric to a whimper. She will cry herself hoarse on injustice being meted out and yet nothing will reach the people. The Left is too good at that. It will quietly count its losses, brain-storm, strategise and hand her a electoral debacle she will find hard to balance with both her hands.


Didi might not sense it right now but, the stigma of having driven a monumental opportunity for the state will haunt her in the future like nothing else. She will effectively alienate the 'upwardly mobile' middle class and garner few votes from the farmer-front torn between old and new loyalties. If the Singur plant is closed down it might well send the Agnikanya ( fire-woman) to 'cool it a little' in the unforgiving anonymity of political wilderness come the next elections.
It is now that she must decide if pride may well take its place before the eventual fall comes snapping at its heels.



photos: gettyimages.com

'Sweeney Todd' - Stylish Barber-ism for a Musical

With a strong cast of the finest actors available, one of them arguably the most versatile of all times,
'Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street' engages, enthralls and intimidates its viewers all at the same time. Tim Burton achieves what Tarantino killed in the womb in 'Kill Bill'. Who could have thought that a blood-fest, a sheer torment to the sensibilities of the weak-hearted, an instrument to inspire dread in the sane and the meek could be moulded into a musical. Men have done it first on stage and Burton's done rightful justice to it on screen. Sounds frivolous but I assure you that none of the deadly vigor of revenge, none of the monstrous facets of gore and flesh has been trivialized or euphemised with the song and dance ritual typical of musicals.

Where the story revolves around the life of a wronged barber and his lust for revenge can murder be far behind ? Johny Depp delves into the skin of the title character with usual aplomb and gives a performance worthy of a standing ovation. Playing a man tortured for no crime he committed, he plays both a grieving husband and a longing father with no family to show his love to. So, he channelizes all his emotions into a frightful rage and in his own way justifies the murder of ones who never did him any harm. He becomes both the judge and the executioner, ironically driven to the task by a judge himself ( Alan Rickman).

Helena Bonham Carter ( as Mrs Lovett ), the accomplished actress that she is, seems to have found her footing with a substantial role after a long while. Mrs Lovett is a guilty accomplice to the crimes and also a aspiring woman, longing for love and family. She plays the complicated female to perfection, both vicious and vile, while on the other hand she is all caring and affectionate. She scintillates as a complex mixture, a woman torn between emotional extremes, marked by warm benevolence and selfless love to Toby, the boy rescued from a London workhouse, whereas she is an epitome of witch-like manipulation of the barber's mind in order to gain his attentions.

I saw 'Donnie Brasco' and 'Sweeney Todd' in something of a back-to-back Johny Depp double-whammy at home today and I found that this one had Depp in full flow. Hence, this review. If you have seen him in 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape' you won't recognize him here. If you have lately seen 'Edward Scissorhands' chances are you will. With a white streak of hair, more stylish than eerie he wields his wares with razor sharp dexterity and comes out with the goods.

The film has its 'moments of truth', as every film worth its salt should, and for me it was when Todd, the barber decides to murder all and sundry and justifies it by saying,

"It's man devouring man, my dear

And who are we to deny it in here ? "

True. Bloody true.



posters: google

'Nowhere in Africa' - A film to Remember

I believe in watching films with a clear mind, without preconceived expectations or a care for their past laurels. I believe in judging a film for its message, the perfection it attains in being the vehicle of a certain sensation that lasts with its audience beyond its run-time, like a taste which is sometimes bitter and sometimes sweet, like an impression from memory which one often loves to narrate but cannot relive. A good film could be that magical a thing.

I never looked up 'Nirgendwo in Afrika' (Nowhere in Africa) on imdb before I watched it this afternoon and now as I sit to write a review, hurriedly, almost afraid that I may lose that lingering taste in my mouth soon, I find that it won the Oscar in the Best Foreign Film category in 2002.


The film is set in the 1935 period of Nazi upsurge of influence and follows the life of a German Jewish family fractured as a result of severe Anti-Semitism. Walter Redlich(Merab Ninidze), a Jewish lawyer fervently wishes to see his wife and daughter flee Nazi Germany and join him in Kenya. Being perspicacious he is able to ascertain the imminent Jewish persecution that is to soon engulf all of Europe. Though his wife, Jettel (Juliane Kohler) and daughter, Regina (Lea Kurka) find a way to Africa he fails to convince his father and sister who still consider Deutschland as their own. The story moves on with the family trying to find its footing in an alien land amidst all its attendant inconveniences. Walter's Kenyan cook, Owuor (Sidede Onyulo) finds a friend in young Regina and life settles down to a routine at the cattle-farm for the family. The film pictures every character and their personal little battles with 'change' and 'compromise', yet it portrays a blesmishless collage which is much more than being a mere sum of the individuals. The difficulties of Jettel in settling down to a life in the wilderness amongst 'negroes' and her constant worries around Regina's education and upbringing bring out one facet of resettlement, that of angst and uncertainty in the thinking adults whereas on the other hand, the way in which Regina holds onto her new life with fumbling little fingers drips with hope and inspiration characteristic of the unsullied infant mind. Her bonding with Owuor goes beyond ties of blood and is resplendent in all its innocent glory.



Walter, driven and determined, yet a practical and pragmatic character is portrayed with elan by Ninidze. In his little battles with himself he stands as both the victor and the vanquished. He is a strong provider, a caring husband and a loving father on one hand and on the other he has his own insecurities to tend to. The family is shattered as news from Germany leaks in, that of brutality and death. The helplessness in knowing that your loved ones are dying and you cannot do a thing grips them with guilt and grief at the same time. The film is more like a fascinating journey where one is almost moved to tears of joy, as in the scene where little Regina narrates how her 'Jewish' father has asked her not to waste "their little money" and "study really hard" to the stern and visibly prejudiced British Principal and it brings a smile to his face, to the delight of the audience. Certain scenes are sheer irony in motion, one of them being Owuor telling Jettel how "white women are weak. Black women can take care of themselves."


With Kohler playing the role of a conundrum of a character to perfection and the African setting providing the ideal backdrop for the drama the film attains great cinematic heights. Heights which are quite different from the ones attained by ' 'Schindler's List' or 'The Pianist' which stay within Nazi Germany and Poland respectively to tell tales of persecution and despair as 'Nowhere in Africa' carries the viewer far from the hotbed of war and hatred and show effectively, with all its cinematic poesy the plight of people touched by war, even thousands of miles away from it. A film which accomplishes the basic objectives of inspiring human empathy and thought, I believe, it should figure in every film-lover's favourite list.


The defining moment of the film for me was when Jettel says to Regina on the topic of Jews and how different they are from others, " What I've learnt here is how valuable differences are. Differences are good."


I would say no more.

Watch the film for yourselves to know.


poster: google.com

Singing The Singur Sopra'NANO'

As the 'Battle for Singur' rages a different kind of war is being fought out in all its raucous fierceness, far removed from the front lines - that inside the decorated drawing-rooms in Kolkata. The well heeled saheri babus are frothing at their mouths at the outrageous way in which Mamata Banerjee is pushing the entire state back by decades. Some suggest we may end up in the 'Ice Age of Industrialisation' if the Tatas say 'ta ta' to our offered land. Some even speculate the circumstances precipitating a tragic eventuality of another blood-bath in the image of Nandigram. In one word people are really getting worked up now. But then, every one has their reasons for the same.


A moment of thought for the farmer whose land was forcibly taken away from him- The land which he worships, the land which has nourished generations and still hold promise to provide for his children. The land that means much more than the amount stated in the compensation cheques being handed out. To those farmers the opinion of the urban elite is as alien in nature and as repulsive in content as the Octopus Meze served in some upmarket Vegas restaurant. And there can be no two ways about that.

Now for some other pointers.


Ratan Tata, the seasoned businessman that he is, will weigh his options in the light of feasibility under the circumstances. Two thousand crore rupees just cannot be allowed to flow down the drain. Add to it the tremendous promise and publicity that the 1-lac Nano has already generated and you are looking at a very ignominious exit for the first family of Indian industry from Bengal. I reckon his threat is not final. But it is also far from being hollow. The fact that his press-release was timed to perfection helps build pressure on the Trinamool to climbdown from their '400 acres' demand. And till the last reports came in the ice was thawing at places.
For the Tatas, Nano is a prestige issue. Singur isn't. They will do everything to meet their date of the first rollout of the car. A lot depends on it for them, their credibility, bankability and brand status. So, other car-plants (the one in Pantnagar is in the fray) might chip in to 'make the Nano' for them whereas the Singur land gets mired in inextricable political and legal battles in the wake of a complete pullout.

A very important point to note here is that the entire stretch of land that has been acquired( i.e 997 acres to be exact) cannot be doled back to the former holders, unwilling or otherwise according to the recent Land Acquisition Act. So a pullout will only end up being a Pyrrhic victory for the Trinamool Congress that may or may not translate into votes in the coming elections. The political edge will also get reasonably blunted in the urban fronts. Anxious parents in Kolkata have already started propounding conspiracy theories behind their wards' joining dates for TCS getting inordinately delayed. They fear the 'Singur fiasco' behind it all. Ridiculous but true.



The CPI(M) will go all out to project Mamata as 'anti-industry' and 'anti-development' and they will surely have some followers on that issue. Buddhadeb Bhattacharya's 'perestroika' though strongly contended as a policy measure in Alimuddin Street and Delhi will then gather sympathisers as does all reformist lost causes. He will be summarily sidelined and his backers will find it increasingly difficult to pursue his vision for West Bengal. As a whole we will revert back to being a regressive agri-intensive economy and feature at the end of the 'List of Highest Revenue Earning States' and pretend that its only because of the darned alphabetical order thing.


And to end what I started with. All these doesn't at all bother the average farmer. If it does, the state needs to awaken them to the fruits of industrialization first and impress upon them its advantages and gains. If there is a vision it is apparent that it is not shared and hence, this monumental fracas. We cannot afford to forget that we are still a nation of the poor majority. And the poor hardly have vision beyond their arm's stretch. We haven't yet progressed that far so that we could forget that reality.



photos: googleimages

Good Bye or Good Riddance ?

One wonders at the ongoing drama i.e Pakistani politics with the same unalloyed glee that marks a toddler's first visit to the zoo, sometimes peppered with disappointments like watching the wart-riddled monitor die and sometimes marveling at the inspired antics of the resident ape, exhausting its repertoire to draw a few more laughs from the gathered mob. The resignation of President Pervez Musharraf figures somewhere in between.


While it is being hailed in Pakistan as a great victory of her people and a reconfirmation of the masses' recurring belief in civil governance and lasting order its a shock to see journalists in India toe that line blindly. There are headlines in every major newspaper touting this as the epoch-making event that is to shape the future of our neighboring nation in some unprecedented manner. They are speculating the rise of democratic traditions, faith in judiciary and marginalization of the Army's involvement in its public life. I believe the assertions couldn't have been further from truth. A country that has been most miserably swaying between corrupt politicians and military dictators since its inception is liable to break into joyous revelries once in a while when a dictator steps down to make way for another. The fun part this time around is that we don't still know who it will be. And perhaps thats what adds that little zing of anticipation to these celebrations.


The USA has marooned its 'trusted ally' and seems more than ready to 'walk forward' with his arch enemies in the Pakistan Senate. Saudi Arabia, expectedly will again take on the responsibility of being the caretaker of the political dumping ground that it is fast turning into. First Nawaz Sharif, now Musharraf. No wonder the General hopes to come back and rule, soon.
The PPP-PML coalition, having rid themselves of the Greater Evil will now have nothing to do but fight each other. Zardari will play the 'Bilawal-card' sooner or later as will Sharif try to consolidate his gains. The Army will be busy firing from across the LOC, keeping their minds off the civilian hotchpotch for a while and wait for the next able officer in their ranks who can Kargil his way into limelight. The ISI will keep the cauldron simmering in Kashmir and the likes of Al-Qaida, Lashkar-e-Tayyeba and Jaish-e-Mohammad will find the Afghan-Baloch border too hot (courtesy some joint military operations) and hence migrate to the east.

And to think that all this has been precipitated by Benazir Bhutto's assassination. That is common knowledge. Now it waits to be seen if the ramifications become as far reaching as impressing a lasting change in the political landscape of South-east Asia. Or is it asking for too much ?

Once again the world has seen how One Death can change things.
Ask Ashok Todi.

Strata-game!

With the official withdrawal of support by the Left to the UPA Govt. at the Center the over all political topography of our national politics seems to have altered for the time being. I say 'time being' because of the "No Rupture is permanent" comment by the CPI's A.B Bardhan within a day of the Left pulling the plug on the Govt. To the average onlooker it might seem to be a daft remark betraying political opportunism for the future but to the seasoned follower of the The Great Indian Circus which goes by the name of 'national politics' in these parts this comment is a gem of a political profundity.


Not only does the comment hint at future alliances with the 'secular' Congress to thwart the coronation of 'communal' powers ( a stated Left policy) but it also is a sort of mischievous wink to the Congress High Command, hinting at the possibilities that might pose themselves post the 2009 General Elections. Moreover, my take (albeit at the risk of being dubbed a 'conspiracy theorist' of the vilest order) on the matter is that its another Left stratagem.


Let me explain first by enumerating the predicaments facing the Left before they decided to pull-out from the Govt.

1. Surging inflation, an impending oil crisis and increasing interest rates makes for a bad report-card after 4 years even if you are not in charge of the Govt. The Govt. runs on your borrowed support, dammit! Do something to show the people you are their 'Messiah in Reds'. Oppose every move. Stonewall every decision by the Govt. which poses short-term difficulties for the people but has long-term benefits. Public memory is short, remember ? In India its shortest.


2. Nuke Deal ? Yes, that sounds like the ideal issue for pulling the rug from beneath the Congress. Moreover, our GS doesn't like the Yankees much. Why couldn't they have penned something with the Chinese and called it the '一 - 二 - 三 Deal' rather than the 1-2-3 rubbish. It would have been much easier on our rigid ideological stance, you see.


3. Hello! Ain't we supposed to fight the Congress tooth and nail in every state where we have a foothold in the coming General Elections. 4 Years of sharing the bed is enough. Now is the time to abort the unwanted child. Its bad for business, you see, this getting seen honey-mooning for too long with your stated rivals. Its parting-time now!


4. But this won't be so simple. Pulling down the Govt would mean elections within 6 months and the party isn't even ready. The cadres aren't ready. Had a heavy drubbing in the last Panchayats in Bengal and now this. If this is any sign of things we will not fare too well in the next Lok Sabha. 59 might well come down to 30. Forget about the fanciful 'Third Alternative' we won't even be asked for outside-support. Gosh! No issue-based oppositions! No arm-twisting! No Co-ordination Committees! Nightmare! Nightmare!



Then there was LIGHT!

The Left decides to withdraw support and seek immediate trust-vote to prove the majority of the Govt on the floor of the House. I reckon this is why:

1. Withdrawing support makes us look like the only party left with any ideology. We will call ourselves 'pro-poor, pro-people, pro-farmer, pro-worker' again, the BPO segment notwithstanding of course. They are the 'New Bourgeoisie'. Gives us the moral upper-hand in a country where UP politicians are soon to rule the roost. Everyone knows what that means. The Congress will soon ( again) know what being SP-ied mean! They will come scurrying back to us in a post-election scenario. Even they know the expediency of choosing the 'Lesser Evil' out of two. Sounds fascinating!


2. Karat seems a tad too staunch for hard bargaining. Surjeet was more of a man-for-all-seasons. Doesn't understand the compulsions of electoral politics. No wonder Vir Sanghvi calls him 'the man who never won a Municipal Election'. Still, we will have to do with him. He's better than that Biman Bose.


3. Safe distance from the Congress now that we have withdrawn support. We can easily campaign against their 'anti-people' policies now. We were never a part of the decision-making apparatus. Were we ? However with the amount of time left for the present US Congress before the Presidential Elections ,the Nuke Deal will meet a dead-end soon. The UPA-Left Co-ordination Committee has served its purpose. What a great move was that! Was it Yechury's or Pranab's idea? This Committee? God! We should leave Jangipur to him again. He's a great man.


4. This is our common favourite. The Stratagem! Even Bimal Gurung's Gorkhaland number plates idea can't beat it. We are after all talking 'national' here. Here goes:

We ask for an immediate trust-vote motion. We vote against the Govt, against the 1-2-3 deal, but remember, not with the BJP. They just happen to be on our side, incidentally. We don't try too hard to rally too many parties, independents or splinter-groups in voting against the Govt. They remain blissfully absent or abstain on the day of the vote. The UPA Govt. proves its majority, continues at the Centre for the coming 6 months. No 'No-Confidence Motion' can be sought within that time-frame. So, we get time to dissociate from the Congress, protest in Delhi, stage dharnas and hartaals all in the interest of the common people while the Govt. continues. What's the use of crying 'anti-incumbency' when they are not at the helm. We will catch them in power these last 6 months. Sounds great!

Moreover, these 6 months our cadres can use to pile up whatever is necessary to win seats in the coming elections. Congress or no Congress, clout in the House is numbers at the end of the day. The rise and fall of Deve Gowda, I.K Gujral and the Third Front taught us that lesson all right.

Now, say all of you, isn't it a real good move ? This bringing down...errrr.........pretending to bring down the house....? eh ?


cartoon: courtesy: boloji.com

Not the End of an Era

The Fed-Express has finally come to a halt in the Centre Court of London.

In what was arguably the best and clearly the longest battle between the two masters of the game we were all feted to a sparkling display of the most glorious tennis.


Rafael Nadal is the latest name to be etched on that golden Wimbledon Trophy and isn't he a deserving winner! Not that Roger Federer didn't fight back after two sets down. He came within a width of a whisker to winning it for the sixth straight time. But the nerveless perseverance of Rafael 'The Gladiator' Nadal stretched over close to 5 hours ultimately yielded fruit. Even the staunchest of fans from both sides would agree that both should have shared the trophy at the podium. So flawless was the script, so breathtaking every single moment of play, so terrific the duel, so awesome the effect of it all.


Many would speculate this to mark 'The End of an Era'. I believe Roger has more to give. Much more to give. Yes, there was an air of hurt and disappointment at the presentation speech. But it also came with an air of unexpressed grit and determination. If the man says, " I will be back next year" I reckon he really means 'it'. I will be mighty surprised if he doesn't finish his career a few notches above Pete Sampras's tally of 14 Grand Slams.


But then, let's not forget to celebrate the raw class, the seamless play, the lightness of foot of another great. That of Rafael Nadal. It takes a lot to get the majority to root for you in the Centre Court. Three back to back Wimbledon finals and one crowning victory. Nadal has now cemented his place in the pantheon of all time greats of the game. That the entire tennis following fraternity will from now on wait for a 'Clash of the Titans' between him and Federer on the grass-court ( or hard-court) speaks volumes of the powers of the Spaniard. It is born out of the assumption that the French Open is his for the taking for the foreseeable future. And that's exactly how Nadal is claiming Roger's territory. Fast and Relentless.

Let we be teated to more such duel. And let the better of the 'Two Bests' win. Amen.

A Haunting Mistake

The Arushi murder case has not ceased rolling out one surprise after another but somehow it now seems to have been a classic case of misinformation and a terrible example of administrative goof-up. The narco-analysis makes for shocking revelations. [link here]

The fallouts are notable.

Henceforth, the Noida Police will find it very hard not to trigger raised eyebrows whenever it comes out with a sensational theory behind a crime. It had single handedly misguided the public opinion and generated rhetoric and slanderous gossip that would put even Page-3 journalists to shame. To have cast aspersions on the character of a 14 year old who had fallen victim to a horrible murder was outright shameful and that to have come from someone of the post of an Inspector General of Police. Not surprisingly social commentators and ordinary people alike were guilty of expressing disgust and reproach as part of the knee-jerk reaction at the aftermath of such a visibly gruesome tragedy. Many, including me as can be found from the contents of a previous post, were part guilty of being too gullible in believing the 'illicit affair' angle to the murder. My sincerest apologies to the departed. Thanks to the electronic media, preposterous as it might have seemed a few years back but the marriage of crime and media generated sensationalism today necessitates training in media management of public servants. A similar blunder, that of jumping the gun cost the Kolkata Commissioner of Police his job in the Rizwanur Rahman case. The Govt. must take note of the amount of weight that the words of a senior official carry and if any modicum of respect and dignity is to be still salvaged in favour of these hallowed institutions it will be through inculcation of 'responsible public conduct' in these officials.

The lure of the flashbulbs should not blind one to the rigors of his duty.

Witness to a Death

By now people must have read it in the newspapers. I doubt if it figured in the bold significance of the headlines or just occupied a nondescript corner of the 'news snippets' or did it just miss everyone's eye.

The death of a poor bus-driver.

I along with three of my friends were busy fending off the rain from under the shade of a tea-shop yesterday when I saw this huge Krishnachura tree fall over the roof of a passing bus. It fell with a great thud and to my horror I saw the bus ripped into two from the middle.
The impact was so great that the bus stopped within 10 yards of the spot of the accident. We ran towards it. It was a horrible sight to see an otherwise menacing bus in shambles. The front half of the bus had not much left of it. The few people that were inside the bus were making their way out through the back door. I asked one of them if more people were trapped inside. He seemed to be in a daze and replied he didn't notice. There could be many more inside the wreckage. The sight of the mangled remains told us if the ladies' seat at the left and behind the driver's seat were occupied there was slim chance of them having survived. I was surprised to notice a middle-aged woman come down from the wreck and board the next passing bus with unnerving nonchalance. As if nothing had happened.


The rain was pelting down with more ferocity and before long we were headed back to our shelter in the vague assurance that not much harm had been done. The bus was not carrying too many people. Then a person came running along and said the driver had died on the spot. His lifeless limbs were hanging from his seat. That news was jarring. We all were left in a state of shock at having witnessed a death. A death of a fellow human being who knew nothing about his grim fate till a few moments back. How much of a compensation will his family get? Will the Unions look after their needs? Will the bus-owner be generous? No one knows.

Life is just so fragile. And one was snuffed out just yesterday in front of my very own eyes.

Chalo, Let's Go!

A refreshing film by Anjan Dutta ( pic to the right).

Four friends on a joint tourism business venture face the challenges of the job and on the way discover different facets of their clients/tourists.

Acting is good.

Narration tight.

Plot could have been explored further to make it a 'film for keeps', which unfortunately it is not.

Certain sequences are applause inducing as I found out at Nandan last evening.

A good watch.


Today: Sarkar Raaj

Oil Turmoil Hits India

With oil prices set to rise by 5 Rupees per litre from today we are in for another round of passionate hand-wringing and cries of exasperation from the general public. The signs are already there. The fireworks will promptly ensue. Political parties from across every perceivable political divide will join their hands in protesting this grotesque injustice. "How will the poorer sections survive? How will the middle-class fare? " will be their moot-points. The Left will stage street protests in Delhi lead by the likes of Mr & Mrs Karat in tow with the Boses and Bhattacharjees from Bengal. A single LPG cylinder costing 20 Rupees more will make them froth at their mouths with righteous anger and hurt at having had to support such a worthless government at the Centre for so long. But then, what could they have done otherwise. Support the 'communal forces' to form a Govt. ? Never!


The moderates will dub it as the proverbial 'unfortunate' and 'anti-poor' policy. The Congress will be quaking at their knees. With 12 consecutive defeats in State elections the nation over it is in a political coma, in serious need of a quick resuscitation it hopes it will find in Rajasthan( Gujjar uprising) and Madhya Pradesh ( anti-incumbency) in the coming elections. A vehement opposition at this crucial juncture, less than a year away from the General Elections, which might decisively turn the tide against them is singularly terrifying a proposition. And that has considerably cushioned the rod for the aam aadmi this time around. Otherwise a 10 Rupee hike per litre of petrol and a 50 rupees more for a LPG cylinder would have been the biting reality tomorrow morning. With the nationalized Oil Corporations running into huge losses by accommodating for heavy subsidies this hike had become inevitable for some time.


Crisis, be it food or oil, has become a global phenomena. Nothing can insulate the Indian masses from its effects and its better if we realize this reality fast and brace ourselves for some tough times ahead.The remedy to this global malaise is in planning ahead. The much touted vision of 'Energy Security' seems to have taken a permanent backseat with the Left having effectively steamrolled the Indo-US Nuclear Deal for the sake of hanging onto its logic defying 'Anti-America' stand. The Iran-Pakistan-India Oil pipeline also seems mired in diplomatic tangles with the pendulous nature of Indo-Pak relations. If our political visionaries ( now don't you start counting, you may not even end up with one) do not show resolve in tackling the situation and make a strategy for the future India's juggernaut might come to a most inglorious halt. And all in want of oil.

Sample this. China has already secured oil-mining rights throughout Africa, leaving hardly any profitable pocket for India to nudge, push or fit in. The race for oil is but over in Africa and its all China written across that continent. That leaves India to explore its possibilities in the Sakhalin belt and other Central Asian countries, which given its snailish pace of proceedings might never be substantiated. By all means, the energy situation for India seems grim in the future as oil-starvation will effectively peg back its growth rate to the pre-1990 4% figure, rendering the manufacturing industry vulnerable and infirm. So, assessing the situation in the light of the impending global crisis this hike is but a mild tremor. The real shocks might follow soon.

Until then, all hail Subhash Chakrabarty and hope that our bus fares don't go through the roof.

Adios.

Royally Touched

The Rajasthan Royals have clinched it and Kolkata is witnessing stray fireworks in its skies as I write this. I am sure the same would have been the case if the Chennai Super Kings would have won. Strange strange city, this.


Tomorrow will be a day of jubilation, adulation and accolades for the Champions. They have played excellent cricket throughout the championship and gelled well into a team. Starting off as the clear-cut underdogs they have proved their mettle and how.


The day after will see ( if my ability at estimates haven't marooned me of late) articles applauding the mega success of the Indian Premier League and the people behind it ( read Lalit Modi and Co.).


The following days will revolve around speculations from various quarters as to how the game of cricket is being commercialized in the most revolting manner in its 20 over installment which reeks of publicity-hunger and easy cash.


I too will join in as I have hardly written anything on ( and believe it or not, seen) IPL.




* related snippet:

Overheard at the Rash Behari Bus Stop :

boy 1 : I am supporting CSK. If Punjab would have made it I would have supported them. Any
team but the Royals!

boy 2 :( visibly confused) Why ? The Royals deserve it. They were the underdogs. Right ?
And look at Warne. How he has captained the side. Great! Just Great!

boy 1 : ( flushed with signs of an impending emotional outpour)
No foreign captain should walk away with our trophy. Its called the Indian Premier League, dammit! Why can't these *expletive* Aussies stay put with their World Cups. Greedy Bastards!

Karnataka Votes for Vengeance

The Bharatiya Janata Party has once again emerged as the single largest party in the Karnataka State Assembly. Only this time it seems set to rule than just sitting on the sidelines. Hopefully it will garner support of the three independents that it requires to claim simple majority and hence form a government before long. Though personally devoid of any political inclinations whatsoever in this Great Indian Circus of electoral politics I found it hard to hold back my ire at the shameless breach of contract by the Janata Dal-Secular a few months back. Setting an ignominious precedent that is sure to breed suspicion henceforth amongst coalition partners throughout the nation the JD(S) had refused to make way for a Chief Minister from the BJP after the completion of its term in office. Wounded and helpless the BJP had promised vengeance that now seems complete in the wake of this thumping victory. With the JD(S) effectively trounced and grounded the only substantial opposition that the BJP can face in the coming Parliamentary elections is the re-emergent Congress. The latter is already hailing the 'RahulGandhi magic touch', claiming strong voter turn-outs in their support wherever he had held a rally. Personal charisma notwithstanding, the BJP will have to deliver the goods to the people of the state and fast to ensure that its maiden stint in power in a South-Indian state turns out to be productive in the long run and not just a electoral fluke that will be promptly redressed in the coming polls.

Here's wishing B.S Yediyurappa a happy last laugh.

Arushi Talwar - Prelude to a Problem

Arushi Talwar was killed in cold blood by none other than her own father. No matter what the arguments are on the motive behind the crime the act of murder itself remains as irredeemable as ever. When seen in the light of the love, affection and bonding that characterizes a father-daughter relationship and the manner in which all these tenets of parenting was brutally abused it seems that bit more gruesome, heinous and repulsive. While one half of the shocked viewership demands for ‘exemplary punitive action’ the other half delves into deciphering the hints that this incident provides to ‘the bigger picture’.

The Police say that Rajesh Talwar killed his 14 year old daughter and their domestic help in a fit of rage on seeing them in ‘an objectionable position’. No father could have gone back to business after such an incident, of course, but is that reason enough to prompt an otherwise loving father to slit his daughter’s throat in cold blood. I believe not. The very fact that a 14 year old sought solace in the company of a friendly household help tells us a story- A story which is not uncommon in many of the ‘upwardly mobile’ middle class homes of Indian metros. A story of mindless ambition, aspirations, neglect and stress. A story of disintegrating families, values and morals. While soul searching in times of oppressive stress is a heck of a stiff ask but a doctor who is supposed to hold his own even at the sight of blood and flesh could have done better than murder for sure, that too in the name of ‘Honor Killing’. If ever there was a feebler excuse for murder, more obnoxious in appearance and more odious in nature I would be surprised. Why didn’t the doctor feel sorry in the first place that he was not able to inculcate in his own daughter the values of chastity, modesty and reserve that he seemingly cherishes so much? Why didn’t the fact drown him in shame that it was due to his own neglect and complete disregard for his daughter’s needs of love and affection that she had to turn to someone he would disapprove of ? Why didn’t Rajesh Talwar have the decency of committing suicide to relieve him of his failures? The very fact that he showed scant regard for such probing questions before acting in such brutal a manner shows craven escapism and irresponsibility on his part.

With further unraveling of facts Arushis’s story becomes increasingly an alarming study into the Great Indian Middle Class, its fast shifting paradigms and its associate evils. As debate rages over the more disconcerting pointers that her murder provides to our lifestyles one wonders if we need a dead Arushi every week to shake us up from our slumbers of false contentment and introspect. May be Rajesh Talwar will feign derangement or use his influence to go scot free, may be he will be nailed and punished. Whichever way the verdict turns out the collective whole of us need to think which way we are heading. And fast.

The Case of a Curious Couple

While it was raining heavily and I was struggling to hold onto the plastic that covers the side of the auto rickshaw a newly wed couple came and boarded the same. Both of them looking every bit the ideal cast for the Bangoma-Bangomi couple that fairy tales have so vividly etched into our minds from our childhood days, they were panting with the exertion that the sudden downpour had inflicted upon them. The wife took the side seat at the rear and the husband the seat besides the driver in the front. What ensued was a fascinating conversation between them that I couldn't help laughing out to. Here is the transcript, albeit in Bengali, and intentionally kept untranslated to keep the essence unaltered :


Wife : (reasonably drenched) Acchha tomar pishi amake tar bou-er theke niye ekta notun saree porte debe to ?


Husband : (emphatically) Ekdom na!


Wife : tomar ki confidence!


Husband : boroncho boltey paare, ei durjoger diney naa aslei to hoto.


Wife : tomaari to pishi. bolbei to! (mischievous smile on her lips)


(after a deliberative pause) tomaake ei punjabitaay puro bangla cinema-r dushtu jomidaar-er moto laagchhey.


Husband: (to the auto-driver without paying heed to the aforesaid pseudo-compliment) achha amaderke nemey kotota haat-tey hobe ?


Autowallah: ei dhorun 4-5 minute.


Wife : ami kintu oto haat-tey paarbo na. ekta rickshaw koro. ( she was right considering the sheer workload that she would have to undertake on a walking expedition)


Autowallah: (with a sigh of understandable relief as the couple unboarded) koto dhoroner lok hoy sottyi.

Sab Moh-o-Mayaa Hain !

Imagine yourself on a luxury cruise, savoring every bit of the sun and the sea (the other two ‘S’-es rendered forbidden by circumstance and sheer bad management), sipping coconut water in place of pina coladas and flirting with gay abandon pretty young things in curious saffron shorts when suddenly a booming voice from the public broadcast system instructs everyone to assemble at the peeth sthal for the evening sankirtan and satsang. Unimaginable? Not any more. When Baba Ramdev, that indefatigable crusader of Yog Shakti decides to take you on a spiritual joyride on a luxury cruise liner, all the way reminding you of the sheer futility of material pursuits and wealth you can bask in that pleasant contradiction but not question its feasibility. Though the planned cruise spanning seven full days of aatmic souch (soul cleansing) and yog sadhana may set you back by a small fortune the efficacy of such a voyage can hardly be undermined in context to the times that we are living in. Hence, Star Virgo, one of Asia’s biggest cruise liners is pressed into action and off we go on a trip to our inner beings, realizing in tranquil isolation the simple truths hitherto ignored when on polluted hinterlands. [for details click here ]

The trip which is to start with a visit to the Disneyland in Hong Kong (probably Baba’s way of establishing irony by starting the trip with comic symbolism, its very essence in every way i.e) also promises to make suitable stop-overs at the major shopping joints on the way in China and Vietnam. One conjectures this to be an act of gradual re-introduction of the affluent bhakt into the reality of the material world and its mindless pursuits after a week of enforced disengagement and renunciation. It evinces the minute detailing and meticulous planning that has gone into the making of the trip itinerary. Further probing into the matter reveals greater depths of management and foresight as one comes to terms with the awesome human engineering that promises to change the spiritual landscape of India very soon. The compelling genius of marrying the concept of a luxury cruise with the pressing necessity of the urban rich to de-stress and unwind deserves all accolades and reward, fiscal or otherwise.

Ramdev clarifies,

“Those who will be traveling on the cruise belong to upper or upper middle class families. Most of them suffer from stress and I will address this problem at my yoga sessions.”

The ones who are on the threshold of confusing Baba with a new-age avatar of Robin Hood surely belong to the blasphemous lot who had previously mistaken his cultured emaciation for protracted starvation in the Kalahandi region. Ramdev is not your regular saint who insists on insipid meditation and form twisting ashanas. He is the person to have revolutionized the art of popular yoga, making kapalbhati the new craze after ‘ek pal ka jeena.... stop the traffic, show your hands’ routine and taken the TRP of Astha channel to dizzy heights by sheer force of his oratory. The lull which had set into the persona-based Indian Spiritual Industry with the relegation of Chandraswami and Jayendra Saraswati has been favorably filled by someone of the stature of Ramdev. While he transforms traditional notions of spirituality with the same deftness and acumen as Lalit Modi is transforming cricket for the average enthusiast the involved observer will be waiting in all eagerness to see how the Saviour in Saffron fares in feeding the magic potion of faith, kriya and pranayam to the masses who would rather prefer the redeemable sin of little material pursuits which goes by the name of roti, kapda aur makaan..

A Reply to Remember

As the presentation ceremony metamorphosed from the effects of a somber farewell to fevered celebrations three remarks by three different men clung to the back of my mind to be later analyzed in this very post.

"Magic ride", "Outplayed" and "My team".


The first was the way Adam Gilchrist, arguably the finest wicket-keeper batsman of all times, decided to describe his cricketing career. There were no visible signs of emotion fluttering across his face as he bid the final goodbye to his millions of fans and followers around the world unlike the previous time when a choked voice betrayed his softer shades. Though composed and speaking in a matter-of-fact voice there was every bit the sincerity that had marked every minute of his stay on the field all these years. The very words, "magic ride", he chose for the occasion showed the innate humility ingrained in this great sportsman even though he leaves a Himalayan task for his successors to match up to. One of the better examples of a great sports person acknowledging that 'the Game is always bigger than the gamesman'.
The second was how Ricky Ponting decided to put the Indian victory in the tri-series finals. Looking every bit the disappointed leader of a team robbed off its tag of Invincibility his statement was precise at the least and honest at the most. In his words there was a sense of acceptance of the Great Australian Juggernaut feeling the pangs of mortality all of a sudden. That he acknowledged how his team was thoroughly ''outplayed'' in the finals was an attestation to that realization. The very fact that the victory elicited such a comment of resignation from the Australian Captain was also a fitting rejoinder to the viral outbreak of allegations that were made against the Indian players Down Under. Harbhajan could have all the Bhangra he needed to give vent to his sense of hurt and vindication. This was indeed his time.
The knowledge that his scalps included both Symonds and Hayden in such momentous and memorable a victory could only raise the tempo of the revelries, a reminder of divine justice being handed out. The justice seemed to have been furthered with reports that Symonds might be penalized for assaulting a streaker on-field. But, though the score looks settled the Australians would come back strong at Team-India the next time, desperate to salvage soiled pride and reinstate lost honor. Heres wishing them an unhappy comeback and a unsafe recovery.
The third remark was the one that stuck with me for a while and prodded my otherwise inactive brain to put its analysis-lobes into an ill-timed over-drive. The words used by the Indian Captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni. "My Team". Some might say it was a way of expressing the essence of 'the sense of belonging' running through the team at the moment which on the podium found the services of the young captain's lips to manifest itself. To me, it gave off a naked arrogance which could mean one of the two things. One, this pompousness born as an immediate consequence of The Great Victory was here to stay in Indian cricket as an antidote to ages of abject surrenders to the brow-beating of superior teams on and off the field. Two, the apparently innocuous statement had in its garb the peremptory import of an imminent siege. The seige of the Youth-Brigade. Dhoni has proved himself as an able leader with a cucumber composure under pressure situations over the last couple of series. The T-20 World-Cup win and now the Tri-series victory would affirm to his credentials as a resourceful captain in full command of his charges. His insistence on dropping senior players for this series has been vindicated by this imperious victory. But, let's not forget it was none other than SachinTendulkar, the old war-horse of numerous battles, that indefatigable genius of the craft of batting on whose consummate skills the finals were tilted in our favour. Dhoni can very well have his 'say' in getting the team he wants. The young turks hold dazzling promise but one cannot deny the necessity of mentors in shaping them for the future. Its heartening to see Indian aggressiveness getting the better of strong oppositions but I hope the recoil of such shoot-outs are not felt back home.



photos: rediff.com