The recent horrific attacks in Mumbai has 'awakened' the Indian public, government, as well as caused some fear and negative sentiment among Pakistan's public and media. Accusations have been made that the terrorists were 'home-grown', i.e. Indian based, whereas India finds evidence and backing by the US to say that they were in fact Pakistan based.
However, terrorism is a long term problem, and even if these attacks were not by home grown terrorists, there is a no doubt that there are Muslim communities in India, particularly so in Kashmir, which are hostile towards India. (This is NOT to say that all Muslims in India are like this). Why so?
In theory Muslims across India can command equal treatment like any other Indian, and Kashmiris especially have some privileges since its inception. But that theory has not been put into practice effectively. The real success of these would be achieved when every Muslim in India feels proud to be an Indian. This would be an enormous blow to all the terrorists who try to expand in India.
Sure it may be too idealistic, but so are all real goals. So people of India - yes we shall condemn terror, yes we shall make our government be more responsible, but lets make sure that responsibility spans across internal affairs as well as external ones.
Sunday 7 December 2008
Friday 30 May 2008
Waging War With Water
Just saw Deepa Mehta's Water. First, a view of the film. Although her previous films from 'elements trilogy' could be classified as one of those films that use controversy as a tool to generate hype and hence more revenues, this one is more pure. Everything about the film - the casting, cinematography, soundtrack, screenplay, acting and direction - oozes a brilliance that puts a halo on the film's original plot, which highlights an issue in way which keeps you from saying "yet another social issue".
The issue at hand is the plight of Hindu widows. Naturally in India, anything remotely condemning anything religious faces steep opposition from the extremists groups 'representing' the particular religion. Burning of effigies and vandalism in cinemas has become a norm. But when a movie causes violent demonstations even while being filmed, and when an entire cinema is burnt to ashes, loud alarm bells should be ringing among Indians that something that they value the most is in jeopardy - their freedom of speech.
The extent of the troubles that Deepa Mehta and her crew went through, and which led her to lose 80% of the film's budget and drove her filming activities out of the India completely, is a prime example of the lunacy of Hindu extremists and the sad state of affairs that are the Indian state governments and police forces.
And in the wider view, this is another reason why its people leave the land to enrich themselves and the lands abroad, and why India puts off business and investment. No wonder the film is recognised as a Canadian one (Deepa Mehta is a resident of Canada), and why most of the successful Indians gained their success abroad. Hats off to Deepa Mehta for a valuable contribution to an otherwise silent war that is social change in India.
The issue at hand is the plight of Hindu widows. Naturally in India, anything remotely condemning anything religious faces steep opposition from the extremists groups 'representing' the particular religion. Burning of effigies and vandalism in cinemas has become a norm. But when a movie causes violent demonstations even while being filmed, and when an entire cinema is burnt to ashes, loud alarm bells should be ringing among Indians that something that they value the most is in jeopardy - their freedom of speech.
The extent of the troubles that Deepa Mehta and her crew went through, and which led her to lose 80% of the film's budget and drove her filming activities out of the India completely, is a prime example of the lunacy of Hindu extremists and the sad state of affairs that are the Indian state governments and police forces.
And in the wider view, this is another reason why its people leave the land to enrich themselves and the lands abroad, and why India puts off business and investment. No wonder the film is recognised as a Canadian one (Deepa Mehta is a resident of Canada), and why most of the successful Indians gained their success abroad. Hats off to Deepa Mehta for a valuable contribution to an otherwise silent war that is social change in India.
Friday 23 May 2008
Friday 9 May 2008
Lingo kid and latent India
India never stops surprising me. Recently came across 'lingo kid', a child on the streets of Mumbai, who doesn't go to school and sells peacock feathers outside Hanging Gardens in more than 6 international languages. Watch him here:
Incidentally the same kid has now grown up, but is still doing the same thing day in day out (see below), and he still doesn't go to school. Although he is an incredible spectacle, is it really worth admiring his skills or the 'wonder of India' if he, and millions other like him, perpetually do the same business for the same rates for years? It's a fact visible in hundreds of teeming towns across India which never seem to have changed every time I visit them. I fear that the continuing disparaties between the progressing India and those left behind may have disastrous consequences.
'Inclusive growth' is the buzzword of the time. Many mega-schemes of the government aimed at this - most recent one being the Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme - are a failure. It is fundamentally incorrect to forcefully create jobs where there is no work, rather the rural economy should be stimulated to grow organically which would create jobs by itself. Examples of success in that regard are microfinance schemes. Capitalism wins again.
Incidentally the same kid has now grown up, but is still doing the same thing day in day out (see below), and he still doesn't go to school. Although he is an incredible spectacle, is it really worth admiring his skills or the 'wonder of India' if he, and millions other like him, perpetually do the same business for the same rates for years? It's a fact visible in hundreds of teeming towns across India which never seem to have changed every time I visit them. I fear that the continuing disparaties between the progressing India and those left behind may have disastrous consequences.
'Inclusive growth' is the buzzword of the time. Many mega-schemes of the government aimed at this - most recent one being the Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme - are a failure. It is fundamentally incorrect to forcefully create jobs where there is no work, rather the rural economy should be stimulated to grow organically which would create jobs by itself. Examples of success in that regard are microfinance schemes. Capitalism wins again.
Friday 18 April 2008
Of Streets and Soul
Continuing from the last post, it must be mentioned how riding a moped or any other two-wheeled vehicle, even riding in a auto-rickshaw for that matter, is almost a 'near death experience' in Indian traffic, making it even more thrilling. To those unacquainted with the streets of India, here is how traffic would flow at a typical junction, and if you're on your feet, here's how to keep them while crossing the road (forget zebra crossings for they are seldom seen outside the capital city.)
The funny part is not how order exists among chaos or how Indian drivers manage to turn three lanes into six, but the fact that the very culprits who drive recklessly (trucks and auto-rickshaws) try to educate other drivers into 'driving with care'.
Almost every single truck / lorry in India has the slogan 'Horn OK Please' painted decoratively at the rear of the lorry as part of the entire truck's decoration. It is so ubiquitous that it is now used in popart reflecting the soul of India, rightly so. The origins of the slogan are unknown, but my guess is that phrase is 'Horn Please, OK!' (since the OK is always in another font), instructing the driver behind to sound the horn as he / she overtakes the lorry, with an encouraging 'OK'. This way the lorry driver knows to give way. On a 2-lane road I have usually seen them riding with the lane divider right in the middle of the vehicle, though this may finally be changing slowly.
The slogan may also accompanied by another one in smaller size and italics, 'Use dipper at night'. Yet everyone uses their headlamps on straight beams at night, and the flashing of lights during daytime usually means 'get out of my way' rather than the 'thanks' or 'you go ahead' it communicates in the UK. To top it off, they may also have one of many classic Hindi phrases, the most common of them being: बुरी नज़र वाले , तेरा मुंह काला (translation would't do it justice, but roughly it is: 'You of the evil eye, may your face be blackened!').
Auto-rickshaws may have similar rears, but not so commonly. An instruction to downright 'STOP' is more likely to be seen at the corner, as opposed to the central aligned messages on trucks.
Generally these vehicles combine to make traffic from hell, especially in Delhi. Drivers in Mumbai seems to have a better traffic sense. To finish off this post, I urge you to watch a short animation jointly created by Irish and Indian animators, accurately depicting many aspects of the life of a Mumbai taxi driver.
The funny part is not how order exists among chaos or how Indian drivers manage to turn three lanes into six, but the fact that the very culprits who drive recklessly (trucks and auto-rickshaws) try to educate other drivers into 'driving with care'.
Almost every single truck / lorry in India has the slogan 'Horn OK Please' painted decoratively at the rear of the lorry as part of the entire truck's decoration. It is so ubiquitous that it is now used in popart reflecting the soul of India, rightly so. The origins of the slogan are unknown, but my guess is that phrase is 'Horn Please, OK!' (since the OK is always in another font), instructing the driver behind to sound the horn as he / she overtakes the lorry, with an encouraging 'OK'. This way the lorry driver knows to give way. On a 2-lane road I have usually seen them riding with the lane divider right in the middle of the vehicle, though this may finally be changing slowly.
The slogan may also accompanied by another one in smaller size and italics, 'Use dipper at night'. Yet everyone uses their headlamps on straight beams at night, and the flashing of lights during daytime usually means 'get out of my way' rather than the 'thanks' or 'you go ahead' it communicates in the UK. To top it off, they may also have one of many classic Hindi phrases, the most common of them being: बुरी नज़र वाले , तेरा मुंह काला (translation would't do it justice, but roughly it is: 'You of the evil eye, may your face be blackened!').
Auto-rickshaws may have similar rears, but not so commonly. An instruction to downright 'STOP' is more likely to be seen at the corner, as opposed to the central aligned messages on trucks.
Generally these vehicles combine to make traffic from hell, especially in Delhi. Drivers in Mumbai seems to have a better traffic sense. To finish off this post, I urge you to watch a short animation jointly created by Irish and Indian animators, accurately depicting many aspects of the life of a Mumbai taxi driver.
Saturday 5 April 2008
Things I miss about India # 2
Riding mopeds! Note: a scooter / scooterette is cannot be called a moped. The word moped comes from the combination of the words 'motor' and 'pedal', hence you can use them like a bicycle too, in case you run out of petrol. The mother of all mopeds is of course, the Luna.
The whole process of starting the vehicle makes a kick start look boring, never mind push button starts. The greatness of the vehicle can only be imagined by thinking of the endless numbers of people it has liberated in the context of transport - especially working women, people in lower and middle income groups in both rural and urban areas.
Heck it was even exported to the US under the name Kinetic TFR!
Monday 24 March 2008
More English
Lets clarify yet more confusion caused by the great English language! This can also happen to non-Indians.
Indian English. UK English. Notes.
Indian English. UK English. Notes.
- Cellotape. Sellotape (brand). Adhesive tape derived from cellulose.
- Duct tape. Duck tape (brand). Apparently duck came first due to its waterproof nature, and then came duct as it was beginning to be used in ducts around the house.
- Vacuum cleaner. Hoover (brand).
- Pen. Biro (brand).
- Brinjal. Aubergine. Or eggplant in North America.
- Lady's finger. Okra.
- Rubber band. Elastic band.
- Scale. Ruler.
- Rubber. Eraser.
- Copy. Notebook.
- Purse. Wallet. Yes, I'm talking about males here.
- Gum. Glue.
- Orange. Satsuma / Clementine.
- Private school. Public School. Meaning a school independent of the government.
Tuesday 11 March 2008
Be at ease - outsource your life!
Before the word Bangalore comes into your head (it probably has by this point, anyway..) I'd like to mention Esquire magazine, which features another comical article I've become fond of. If you really want to know the extent of outsourcing, save yourself from reading through a few hundred pages of Tom Friedman's The World is Flat, and read this article instead. You won't be dissappointed.
Thursday 6 March 2008
Indian English
This is the funniest wikipedia article (starting from around the middle of it) I've ever read. Its funny because its true, and because I've innocently made many of the grammatical, phonological and idiomatic 'errors' mentioned in the article myself. Call it an obsession with perfectionist language; I don't care. Here are my favourites:
- Not differentiating between sounds of 'v' and 'w'. I got made fun of in high school because of this. When that happens, you really don't want it to happen again. So here I was a few days ago, trying tirelessly to explain to my friend the difference in pronunciation between 'vet', 'wet', and 'whet'....urgh! what a huge waste of everyone's time!
- Lack of 'dental fricatives', e.g. the sound of 'th' in 'thin'. High school again - back then it was being asked to say 'thirty three and a third'. Fun.
- Words borrowed from French being pronounced using English rules. My French is decent enough to have proper boo-kets (bouquets) but it would be fun to have a ren-dez-wus (rendezvous) sometime.
- Progressive tense in stative verbs: "I am knowing it" or "She is knowing the answer". This one caused a massive misunderstanding and subsequent outrage in our student union; luckily I don't have the ability for such usage.
- Word order: "My all friends are waiting". My Hindi is decent but perhaps not strong enough to influence my English to such an extent!
- Agreeting to form of question rather than content. "You didn't go?" Yes, I didn't. I was going to prove the whole world wrong with this one middle school.
- Another classic: use of 'only' as an intensifier. "It was she only who cooked the rice." Though I cannot remember, I must have done this a few times.
- Yet another classic: "Open your shirt" for "take off your shirt", "off the light" for "turn off the light."
- Pronouncing 'h' as 'ech' instead of 'eych'. My grade 5 colleagues couldn't stand this.
- Use of the Latin word 'cum' to mean 'with'. Nothing wrong with that!
- Skipping verbs: "What I did?" instead of "What did I do?". I have some class, thank you.
- Invented words: While 'postpaid' does not seem sensible, (how can it be paid if one is still to pay for it?), 'prepone' should be given an award for completing the English language. I'll happily enforce it on my non-Indian colleagues. Not only does it make sense, it shows how hard working we Indians can be, doing things ahead of schedule! UPDATE (18 May 2008): A new word I saw in the Indian press today: 'degrowth'. I assume it means 'decline in growth'.
Saturday 1 March 2008
Indian Achievement
Being a typical die hard Indian, I shall in this post, start a series of posts on Indian achievement, at risk of contributing to the bombardment of such material you may already face. If its any consolation, I shall aim to expose the lesser known aspects.
My starting point is an Indian conductor of Western classical music. Born in Mumbai, he has been the longest holder of the post of Music Director of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. I am talking of course about Zubin Mehta. He had originally started studying medicine (surprise surprise) but dropped after two semesters to move to the Academy of Music in Vienna (unofficial capital of classical music). Apart from conducting in Europe and North America, formidable achievements of his include peace-making and improving diplomatic between the likes of the US and the Soviet Union; India and Israel.
Some more trivia: his first wife divorced him and married his brother Zarin Mehta, who has held the post of Executive Director of the New York Philharmonic. Yep, you guessed it, their father Mehli Mehta was also a keen conductor, founder of the Bombay Symphony Orchestra in 1935.
My starting point is an Indian conductor of Western classical music. Born in Mumbai, he has been the longest holder of the post of Music Director of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. I am talking of course about Zubin Mehta. He had originally started studying medicine (surprise surprise) but dropped after two semesters to move to the Academy of Music in Vienna (unofficial capital of classical music). Apart from conducting in Europe and North America, formidable achievements of his include peace-making and improving diplomatic between the likes of the US and the Soviet Union; India and Israel.
Some more trivia: his first wife divorced him and married his brother Zarin Mehta, who has held the post of Executive Director of the New York Philharmonic. Yep, you guessed it, their father Mehli Mehta was also a keen conductor, founder of the Bombay Symphony Orchestra in 1935.
Saturday 23 February 2008
Healthcare in India
If you follow the Indian media closely, you've heard of the advances made by Indian pharmaceuticals companies globally and and rise of India as a major 'medical tourism' destination, offering world-class medical facilities at a fraction of the price one would pay in the west. Great. But what about the common man?
It is well known that the situation is rural India is bad enough with absent doctors and poor infrastructure. The situation in urban India can only be called slightly better.
The average person living in India comes across fake doctors, fake medicines, genuine doctors giving un-necessary treatment, or 'their own' tablets (given in small paper bags) which are accepted because the common man knows of all of this, and chooses the safety that comes with getting it straight from the doc, be it without any indication of what it is. Then you have centres offering hundreds of alternative therapies, some of which are not therapies at all but more bizarre displays. Of course, all of this is when the person has access to 'healthcare'.
A recent article by the Economist quotes a senior Delhi Medical Council official claiming that fake doctors outnumber genuine doctors in India. They cater mostly to lower income groups (which form a large part of India's population). But with telecom operators, retailers, insurers, builders aiming precisely for such high volume markets, can a business model be worked out to provide them with decent healthcare too in a similar fashion? To me this seems to be the only way out of the vicious circle which is formed between population growth and declining health care availability. [More research needed].
It is well known that the situation is rural India is bad enough with absent doctors and poor infrastructure. The situation in urban India can only be called slightly better.
The average person living in India comes across fake doctors, fake medicines, genuine doctors giving un-necessary treatment, or 'their own' tablets (given in small paper bags) which are accepted because the common man knows of all of this, and chooses the safety that comes with getting it straight from the doc, be it without any indication of what it is. Then you have centres offering hundreds of alternative therapies, some of which are not therapies at all but more bizarre displays. Of course, all of this is when the person has access to 'healthcare'.
A recent article by the Economist quotes a senior Delhi Medical Council official claiming that fake doctors outnumber genuine doctors in India. They cater mostly to lower income groups (which form a large part of India's population). But with telecom operators, retailers, insurers, builders aiming precisely for such high volume markets, can a business model be worked out to provide them with decent healthcare too in a similar fashion? To me this seems to be the only way out of the vicious circle which is formed between population growth and declining health care availability. [More research needed].
Sunday 17 February 2008
Cultural journeys
So I'm in another seven hour coach journey through English countryside happy to have bypassed hefty British train fares and gain a few hours of the only sort of time when I'm able to read a novel. I find a window seat too whose real comfort lies in what's below the window: the heating vent. Along comes my neighbour who is hesitantly settling down on his seat. His girlfriend is sitting just behind him. Being polite in a quintessentially British sense, they will never ask me to move, not even in a polite way. So I give up my seat and settle down on the aisle seat behind me, where the girl was. The girl says thanks many times and so does the guy.
Soon after I settle down on my new seat, I realise I haven't actually settled down. I can't. A mass of round flesh is occupying the crucial space required by my right shoulder and arm. The flesh is young and being pumped with louder-than-headphones-can-handle music, cola and Nintendo DS visuals before a mobile phone rings. "At 11". Damn, he'll be there until the end. "Can you bring some cigarettes? ... No, they ran out... Are you listening to what I'm saying? No, you're not! They last a week! A week has seven days! This is the eighth day!... Love you, ma."
I forget about the discomfort I'm feeling and ponder - Amen to Indian family values and practical politeness! Family values - everyone knows of. Practical politeness can be best described using an example. Readers' Digest found Mumbai to be the rudest city on earth because people don't hold doors open for people behind them and don't help someone who's dropped papers on the floor. What RD fail to realise is that its a city where the rat race results in endlessly overflowing trains in which people hunt to find the infinitesimal space, yet the same people offer their hands to help up the guy running alongside the platform, because they know his boss will fire him if he doesn't get on that train. In the words of Suketu Mehta, "That's opening doors."
Soon after I settle down on my new seat, I realise I haven't actually settled down. I can't. A mass of round flesh is occupying the crucial space required by my right shoulder and arm. The flesh is young and being pumped with louder-than-headphones-can-handle music, cola and Nintendo DS visuals before a mobile phone rings. "At 11". Damn, he'll be there until the end. "Can you bring some cigarettes? ... No, they ran out... Are you listening to what I'm saying? No, you're not! They last a week! A week has seven days! This is the eighth day!... Love you, ma."
I forget about the discomfort I'm feeling and ponder - Amen to Indian family values and practical politeness! Family values - everyone knows of. Practical politeness can be best described using an example. Readers' Digest found Mumbai to be the rudest city on earth because people don't hold doors open for people behind them and don't help someone who's dropped papers on the floor. What RD fail to realise is that its a city where the rat race results in endlessly overflowing trains in which people hunt to find the infinitesimal space, yet the same people offer their hands to help up the guy running alongside the platform, because they know his boss will fire him if he doesn't get on that train. In the words of Suketu Mehta, "That's opening doors."
Wednesday 6 February 2008
Integrated India
The stark contrasts and diversity found in India are tough to parallel. For example, take this news article about matrilineal tribal custom in the state of Meghalaya. Its at odds with the rest of India and the world in general, but in principle there's nothing wrong with it.
Being one of the few such tribal societies in the world today, it can be argued that had a Uniform Civil Code been implemented in the Constitution of India, these customs would surely have disappeared. India being a land proud of maintaining its customs for thousands of years, might not let that happen, and well - does not need to let that happen.
Yet other elements of Indian society urgently demand such a code to be put in place to avoid social breakdown. The challenge posed is clear: India must not let its diversity be at odds with its integration, even if it requires, in the words of Gurcharan Das, the 'million negotiations of democracy'.
Being one of the few such tribal societies in the world today, it can be argued that had a Uniform Civil Code been implemented in the Constitution of India, these customs would surely have disappeared. India being a land proud of maintaining its customs for thousands of years, might not let that happen, and well - does not need to let that happen.
Yet other elements of Indian society urgently demand such a code to be put in place to avoid social breakdown. The challenge posed is clear: India must not let its diversity be at odds with its integration, even if it requires, in the words of Gurcharan Das, the 'million negotiations of democracy'.
Tuesday 5 February 2008
England
A picture can say a thousand words.
This is how I might describe England.
(Photo is original not edited; captured by me)
Friday 25 January 2008
Mothertongue Outlet
वाह अब मैं हिन्दी में लिख सकता हूँ ! (Wow I can now write in Hindi!)
तुमको देखा तो यह ख़याल आया
ज़िंदगी धुप, तुम घना साँया ...
तुमको देखा तो यह ख़याल आया
ज़िंदगी धुप, तुम घना साँया ...
Thursday 24 January 2008
Short films
Just watched 'Little Terrorist' - a short film by Ashwin Kumar, nominated for an Oscar. Haven't seen something so sweet and simple in a long time. A must watch!
If you find it boring, then a contrast is 'Fallen Art' by the incredibly talented Polish animator Tomek Baginski.
If you find it boring, then a contrast is 'Fallen Art' by the incredibly talented Polish animator Tomek Baginski.
Monday 14 January 2008
(Random) Things I miss about India # 1
Missing the motherland quite a lot lately. But exactly what is it do I miss, or is it just nostalgic feelings? So here I start off a series of posts where each post will contain one random thing I miss about India, i.e. in no particular order. Posts will be labelled TIMAI.
#1 : clear cool starry nights, clear cool chirping-birds-full mornings. Comes to mind straightaway in comparison to the mostly dull, rainy, and windy weather prevalent in England.
#1 : clear cool starry nights, clear cool chirping-birds-full mornings. Comes to mind straightaway in comparison to the mostly dull, rainy, and windy weather prevalent in England.
Wednesday 9 January 2008
Returning home
Had an interview today. My interviewer was telling me how he had studied in Germany, then the US, came to work in London, and then went back to Frankfurt, purely because of a desire to be home. This shows that Indians aren't the only people in the world who want to go back home if they could. The same could be said for my Polish friends.
Yet the interviewer came back from Frankfurt to London. Indians remain here. So do Poles. Why? Quality of life? No. Something which never gets mentioned or is often bundled with quality of life, is a kind of 'peacefulness factor'. One stays where s/he feels at peace with her/his inner self. Most 'feel-at-peace-with-yourself' place in the world? There is none; there are as many as there are people in the world.
Yet the interviewer came back from Frankfurt to London. Indians remain here. So do Poles. Why? Quality of life? No. Something which never gets mentioned or is often bundled with quality of life, is a kind of 'peacefulness factor'. One stays where s/he feels at peace with her/his inner self. Most 'feel-at-peace-with-yourself' place in the world? There is none; there are as many as there are people in the world.
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