Recent news events have spurred some Maverick Thoughts regarding this nation & where it’s headed. There are 2 specific topics that I will talk about here. Despite my parents’ constant disapproval of me watching television, I continue to do so. And some years back I was watching a show where a US pop(?) artist was followed across her international tour, she made an interesting observation that stuck in my head ever since, more so because I think I agree with it. She said that countries like China & India have a culture & that’s what binds them. If I were to take her statement a little further (wrt India), IMO this very culture is what keeps families together. This very culture is behind children still having respect (which is different from love) for their parents. This very culture is possibly the reason why India still manages to have a rather low divorce rate.

What is this culture? For me it’s a set of values that we grow with. Which brings me back to television. There’s an India edition of a US show – The Moment of Truth that’s being aired these days. I haven’t seen a single episode as yet but have seen The Moment of Truth (this episode in particular) and am aware of the kind of questions that are asked & the situations that arise. People seem to like the show, peeping into another man’s closet interests a lot of us. There is a debate in the political circles with regards to the show & the television channel airing this show has been sent a notice. Now the ‘literate’ class is up in arms claiming that these politicians are up to no good & will rake up issues, but on this one, I’m with the politicians. Shows like these are highly damaging & detrimental to our society. We aren’t perfect, no one is. But that doesn’t mean we bring out our closet-skeletons in the open for everyone to see. I wonder are the contestants so down trodden that for they’ll sell their souls for money? I can only imagine the utter disgrace brought upon friends & families of these contestants. Not to mention the effect that openly talking about certain issues will have on the younger generation that’s growing on watching these shows (with their parents). India is unaware but in the name of liberalism & democracy their treading a road that will lead us to become a nation that we’re better than at certain levels. The politicians represent a vast majority of India that still believes in values, the people who live in cities are slowly going out of tune with these values looking at their Western counterparts & are unfortunately being influenced to a level where it’s blinding their rational judgment.

As far as I’m concerned this show should be banned. We’re better than this people.

Which brings me to another issue that’s making headlines these days. Former President Kalam being frisked by a US airline, Continental Airways en route to the land of Mr. O. What’s the big deal? For one, it’s against Indian law to frisk a President (former as well). Now obviously this enraged the political class of India (and me too). But here again, this self-proclaimed ‘literate’ class has taken it upon themselves to champion the politicians-aren’t-above-law cause. CNN-IBN (which IMO is now turning into an English Aaj Tak) had a debate where some douche bag who heads some shitty consumer voice thingy claiming that no one is above the law yada yada blah blah. Now I agree no is above the law & certainly not the ones who make the laws and ensure that it’s followed. At the same time I have a certain respect for the office of the President of India. There is a certain amount of respect that the people who hold this esteemed office deserve, irrespective who they are.

Though the official reasoning is that there are certain gray areas in the rules by their US office & Indian law, if you’re operating in India, YOU OPERATE BY OUR RULES.

This event has led to a debate about people having a VIP status & having certain immunities that the common man doesn’t enjoy. Well certainly the common man doesn’t enjoy them, out of a fucking billion people only a handful (21 I guess since 1947) have been the President! But this so-called douche bag filled ‘literate’ class feels that President or no President he should be frisked, why because this is a democracy & everyone is equal. Unfortunately, I pity this ‘literate’ class who doesn’t even respect their President, a person who represents them & it compels me to draw comparisons with the US again where President Bush wasn’t respected either. No matter what the outcome of the  decisions he took was, he had the balls to take them.

Again, as far as I’m concerned Continental should be heavily penalized for disrespecting the Indian laws & constitution.

The US & ‘literate’ class popping up in both cases doesn’t amaze me & strengthens my belief that India is heading in a direction that makes us like a country that we’re better than in certain aspects. Instead of the ‘literate’ class striving to uphold it, it is them who are steering it in the other direction.

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India, A Lost Country

Delhi 6 is shown as an area where the two communities – Hindus & Muslims live in harmony with each. They are good friends, sit & eat with each other, pretty much like a family. One day AB jr.’s grandma falls sick & needs to be rushed to the hospital, en route a Muslim is shown running towards grandma & tie on her arm the spiritual symbolic Hindu red cloth. A very unique moment in the film which one shouldn’t miss. The fact that a Muslim rushes to a Hindu to tie a symbol of Hinduism is an example of the harmony amongst the people.

A parallel track in the movie is of a black monkey creating panic in Delhi. Attacking people, killing their goats, stealing their food blah blah; creates fear in the minds of the people.

The lead-female protagonist is also shown battling the Indian tradition of a father wanting to marry of his daughter not bothering about her dreams yada yada. At the same time Soman Kapoor’s father has a cold war with his younger brother, they have the clichéd wall dividing their house.

Once AB jr. runs into the local cop chief & has a slap-gate with him, resulting in him being jailed & AB’s uncle bribes the cop to secure his relief. His uncle being a close friend of AB’s father & apparently the one who was in love with AB’s mother but never confessed & AB’s father seems to have fought his family, friends for the inter-caste marriage, proposed her & married her. AB’s grandma says that she was also against the marriage but once she got to know her daughter-in-law she realized she was a good human being. Another point Mehra was trying to make. Know the people before you pass judgments based on their religion.

Though people might feel that the concept of an untouchabe is no more in India, Mehra shows quite the opposite & with quite an interesting irony. A female rag-picker is shown as being someone the society feels as untouchable. Touch her & you have to bathe with weird stuff to cleanse yourself. The cop that was bribed treated her the same way but apparently did fulfill his darker desires.

The monkey, well apparently the monkey causes havoc in the area where AB & his grandma live. The residents call a tantrik who blurts out a statement saying that there was a mandir at a particular location where there currently stands a masjid. Demolish the masjid & it shall bring peace to the Gods to rid you fo the monkey.

This sparks a huge row between the communities. It takes an ugly political turn yada yada. Accidentally AB is caught wearing a monkey costume trying to woo the girl. How, why & other details are beyond the scope of this article. The people catch him & one person shoots him.

And here is the punch line where a character states that AB had to become the monkey to bring the 2 communities to stop killing each other & fight the true enemy (in this case the monkey).

Quite funny how a monkey gives way to a tantrik who brings religion to it & then the politicians take over in the whole process we forget it was the monkey we were trying to catch. Country down the drain. Haven’t we witnessed this several times. People fight themselves rather than the real enemy.

After Rang De which dealt with friendship & how 1 can draw parallels to the British rule period. Then it was the Britishers who played us around now it’s our politicians. Wasn’t really sure what to expect of Delhi 6 & to be honest the script surprised me in a very good way.

The thing is that this movie doesn’t show something that may happen in 1 city of India but can/has happened across India.

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Delhi 6. India 1-9.

Here is the thing, over the years the way people interact each other has gradually changed. It was personally meeting initially (if geographically possible); phone calls then; SMS comes along, calls aren’t made, instead a SMS is sent. Now, we have “social networking sites” wherein people simply leave a wall post or a “scrap” wishing you your birthday, new  year, anniversary etc. No more SMS sent, calls stopped long back. And an excuse of not having number being made.

I thought “social networking” was all about bringing people together. Instead, I see good friends drifting apart. Don’t get me wrong but I feel that a call has more value than a SMS and let’s cut some slack, SMS is more personal than a scrap. Certainly, it depends on how deep your relationship with the person is; nevertheless, you get my point.

Come to think of it, it boils down to ease of access, convenience & cost cutting. Some might cry foul here, but let’s face it; sending an international message & posting a scrap when you have internet access pretty much all the time, take your pick.

Kinda sad to see the trend. Makes me wonder what next, some might just say, “I remembered your birthday and wished you via telepathy, didn’t you get my message?”

Food for thought. Happy New Year, call the people who are close to you.

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Social Networking – Bringing You Closer Or Taking You Apart?

Bless you My child. I see you like My Diwali gift to you, the Sony T500 that is. I’m aware of your feelings towards the iPhone, yet I wanted you to own one. Life should to be difficult at times, My child.

Before I go ahead I also have to address this issue raised by My son Milind. Milind, the fact that I prefer to use a better service which also happens to be free, does not mean that there is no higher intelligence as you put it. How Hotmail is better than MobileMe(ss) is something that I leave upon Manan & others to address, that is not the purpose of My mail.

Another festive season is upon my beloved India, the beautiful lights look amazing from up here; like the stars in My universe. I know everyone enjoys that except you, Manan. If you thought I don’t follow your Tweets you are wrong. I love this season because of the back-to-back festivals that happen. However, I have a serious issue with this particular festival – Diwali. According to the legend, Diwali is celebrated to welcome My avatar- Ram from his long exile and it is in this tradition that every year My children burst crackers.

My problem is simple and I shall put it in the simplest of ways: Please don’t attribute this method of increasing pollution, both air & noise, to Me. If I want to destroy My own creation – Earth; I have better ways to do it. Increasing pollution; leading to what you call Global Warming, which off course being Manan, you question is not my way.

You need to understand that these crackers were let off at 1 place on 1 day to welcome Me and not all across the world 5 days before and 5 days after the auspicious day!

Stop this madness, if not for your sake, at least for Mine. Keep believing in Me spread good will, that’s all I ask.

Bless you My child.

This is something I agree with. It has been around 3 Diwalis that I have not burst crackers, yes I do burst a few for the occasion and not for my fun. C’mon guys, it’s our world; our responsibility. Say No to crackers.

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Mail From GOD #2

Yes.

Those familiar with Bombay must be knowing that rickshaws are not allowed beyond Bandra (a surburb). How-so-ever incvonvinient this makes plying to and from city to the suburbs it makes sure that pollution and traffic is not as much as it would be if these were allowed. Now why not apply this to the suburbs too? No one knows, the rickshaw union won’t let this happen.

Considering that the metro rail is under-construction and BEST buses have amazing network, I thought that rickshaws and cabs should be banned completely. This would irk the MNS and Raj Thackeray because it sounds like handing pink slips to all the drivers. But, here me out completely before scrolling down to the comment form and cursing me.

IMO all the thereby affected rickshaw & cab drivers should be absorbed by BEST & Western Railway, increase the number of A.C. buses and frequency of trains. This does 3 things:

1. Makes public transport more efficient.
2. Increases the number of people using it.
3. Drastically reduces pollution and traffic.

Sounds good, doesn’t it?

However, I was talking to a friend of mine – Gautam Salhotra (IIT guy, intelligent and all); he said that private mode of public transport cannot be done away with, no matter how far buses reach, they won’t go into the by lanes where rickshaws go and what about luggage when family is going out?

Let’s answer part 2 of the question first. What about luggage when family is going out?

Well, take cue from Bangalore Airport’s shuttle volvo service, absorbed rick & cab drivers can help run this. Indian Rail & Airports both can start their services or let BEST handle these services for them with dedicated buses to & from at quick intervals.

Now for part 1 of the question, what about by-lanes?

This is where I thought that we can re-phrase my ‘Yes’ to a ‘Partially yes’. So what do I mean by a partial ban?

Like rickshaws are not allowed beyond Bandra they can be further restricted area wise and only allowed within certain limits and not allowed on the main roads (Link Rd. & SV Rd.); the number of rickshaws should be limited depending on the density of the area. This again should be under BEST or the govt. and not be a private service governed by the rickshaw union.

I have a feeling that this will never happen, but IMO if this were implemented in some form or other would definitely reduce traffic & pollution levels.

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Ban Rickshaws & Cabs Throughout Bombay?