I have always felt the need to know my scriptures, the epics, the stories and fables that make our lives so much more colourful. It makes us richer in our sensibilities and makes us understand the origin of our culture and heritage. To aid my discovery, I decided to read the Ramayana written by Ramesh Menon. It has been deemed to be the highest selling English version of the classical epic on the website amazon.com.
The book details the story of Ram and recites in great detail the entire epic, the foundation of the story and the very end of it. Along with the story the writer has also presented the fable of Valmiki and other characters of importance in the book. The book took ten years to culminate and while reading it you can feel the hard work which has gone into its making. The writer has taken great pains in elucidating every tiny detail which appears in the book.
Each story has been hand crafted with delicate precision, profound care and a conviction of a master. The thread of every single anecdote has been strung in such a manner that one would not loose the connection of the entire story with the sudden appearance or disappearance of characters. As there are hundreds of characters, each with his or her unique story to tell, and having an individual importance, it is a mammoth task to bring them on a common platform through the book. The writer here has done a magnificent job.
The research that has gone into making the book is enormous. Every facet has been adhered to diligently. To my astonishment, every tiny story, something which could have been masterfully omitted, has been included. In his dedication, the writer devotes his work to Rama, and it shows. The writing is very simple and soothing. The writing can be felt and absorbed. In his exhaustive depiction of every scene and character, one can visualise the events and surroundings with certain vividness.
I recommend one and all to read the book. Not just read but understand the deep meaning of life through the book and the characters. It is a beautiful feeling of peace that one comes across when the book is finished. I have already started reading it a second time. It gives me an assured healing sentiment which is priceless. I hope you all can have the pleasure of knowing your epic and understanding its value once you read the book.
Hey Ram!
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Monday, September 15, 2008
LET EDUCATION BE INCLUSIVE OF MUSLIMS
Has anyone ever asked why movements like SIMI (Student of Islam Movement of India) have to begin in the first place? Why are the bright futures of the country, let us disregard the religion here, have to style themselves in such self destructing methods and ideologies? What is the need for them to join terrorist organisations and spread mass chaos in the country?
The answers of these questions lie in education. I am aware of the fact that the members of SIMI are an educated lot, but what has driven them to such extreme measures is the disillusionment of the very exclusive education which is provided to us all in India. The diversity of the student population India is bleak in terms of religion. Across my schooling career which has seen quite the measure of India, and now in my college instruction, I can count on my finger tips the number of Muslim students on the roll.
Education is important for the social development. Sociologists have listed with assurance that after our immediate family it is school or any educational institution which becomes the mode of social maturity. With such an important dimension being overlooked by the government, it becomes important that we become inclusive in our educational provisions. It is beneficial for students of every religion to live and get the enlightenment of education which will help grow secularism in our country, which is something we are desperately wishing for.
What do I mean by inclusive education? I mean, with all good will, that Muslim students in the youth should be made to join the public or private school system where they can interact with students of every religion and get education of the highest standards. Education in India if not completely but is quite often is secular in its views. I can vouch for it that I have learnt in equal gauge the dark period of Hindu religion as well as the tyranny of the reign of Aurangzeb, no exceptions allowed! The books provided to us showed each religion in the best light possible without deleting their low points in history. With such quality of education, why are Muslim students made to look for other sources of education?
I completely stand by the Madrassa system of education. It is ancient and it becomes very necessary for the young Muslim to have a complete understanding of his religion. One is incomplete without being aware of his or her religion. What I advocate is the compulsory education of Muslim students in the mainstream education system so as to give them the profit of having the best of both worlds. With the complete grasp of Science, Social Science, English and Mathematics they should have the knowledge of their religion. This will create complete individuals.
In a country bereft of secular individuals, this move will promote towards having educated youth taking lead in our country irrespective of their religion. This education model will only help us breed out the communalistic manifesto of our politicians. It will also help the Muslim youth, who might just be lost in the social milieu of the country, integrate themselves to the structure of our country. We know that we need every individual in the country to pull the system to another level of growth.
It is education that we see light and with this light can we find ourselves and our higher purpose. Let this be made available to every individual, irrespective of religion, who seeks enlightenment.
The answers of these questions lie in education. I am aware of the fact that the members of SIMI are an educated lot, but what has driven them to such extreme measures is the disillusionment of the very exclusive education which is provided to us all in India. The diversity of the student population India is bleak in terms of religion. Across my schooling career which has seen quite the measure of India, and now in my college instruction, I can count on my finger tips the number of Muslim students on the roll.
Education is important for the social development. Sociologists have listed with assurance that after our immediate family it is school or any educational institution which becomes the mode of social maturity. With such an important dimension being overlooked by the government, it becomes important that we become inclusive in our educational provisions. It is beneficial for students of every religion to live and get the enlightenment of education which will help grow secularism in our country, which is something we are desperately wishing for.
What do I mean by inclusive education? I mean, with all good will, that Muslim students in the youth should be made to join the public or private school system where they can interact with students of every religion and get education of the highest standards. Education in India if not completely but is quite often is secular in its views. I can vouch for it that I have learnt in equal gauge the dark period of Hindu religion as well as the tyranny of the reign of Aurangzeb, no exceptions allowed! The books provided to us showed each religion in the best light possible without deleting their low points in history. With such quality of education, why are Muslim students made to look for other sources of education?
I completely stand by the Madrassa system of education. It is ancient and it becomes very necessary for the young Muslim to have a complete understanding of his religion. One is incomplete without being aware of his or her religion. What I advocate is the compulsory education of Muslim students in the mainstream education system so as to give them the profit of having the best of both worlds. With the complete grasp of Science, Social Science, English and Mathematics they should have the knowledge of their religion. This will create complete individuals.
In a country bereft of secular individuals, this move will promote towards having educated youth taking lead in our country irrespective of their religion. This education model will only help us breed out the communalistic manifesto of our politicians. It will also help the Muslim youth, who might just be lost in the social milieu of the country, integrate themselves to the structure of our country. We know that we need every individual in the country to pull the system to another level of growth.
It is education that we see light and with this light can we find ourselves and our higher purpose. Let this be made available to every individual, irrespective of religion, who seeks enlightenment.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
LET US SCRAP THE STATE BOARD EDUCATION SYSTEM
Uniformity in administration brings about an effectiveness of policy execution in any country or even in an organisation or an institute. It is this effectiveness which translates into a successful enterprise of governance and leads to stability. If there are double standards it becomes very difficult for purposeful administration to take shape leading to utter commotion. This is an event which we must steer clear of yet we, in India, thrive in chaos, find success in anarchy and cleanse ourselves in a complete mess.
Education is an important pillar of any society. It is of utmost importance that we give it all the privileges it requires to flourish. If education blossoms, it showers us with a lot of effective instruments to progress in this competitive world. For a country like India education takes prime position. Ours is a knowledge based economy and if we dilute the effectiveness of our educational system by introducing dubious administrative policies, Dr. Kalam’s dream of seeing India as an educational superpower will be drowned in the words of his book.
Our country has seen very many policies which seem to have a heading towards some success but then again for every good policy there are multiple policies which seem to mar the prospect of a sound educational system. The ‘Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan’ was a good step towards universal education and was pregnant with good causes and expectant with a hopeful execution. Then again, in its wake came the very unsavoury Reservation Bill and this completely manhandled the purpose of education.
The establishment of few more IIT’s is an amazing step yet the fact remains that they have begun operating in make shift campuses or in the classrooms of the older IIT’s. IIM Ahmedabad won’t be allowed an additional campus in Mumbai till there is an excess, unwanted and unnecessary reservation for students of Maharashtra. What can we say about such administrative policies? Is there much to even discuss as to how clueless the babus are when they decide on educational matters?
One facet of the Indian educational system which I believe is hampering our growth is the allowance given to states to formulate their own educational systems in addition to one existing in the centre, which is the CBSE or ICSE/ISC. With two or maybe three active educational boards existing in every state, there is a very thin line between a possibility of a chaotic environment, as a direct result of the dual board system, and a harmonious existence.
A single unified system is better because it helps us focus on what is important. It also helps the people to completely identify with the system of education prevalent in the country rather than be confused as to its implications. I have traveled a good measure of the country and have studied around. I cannot even begin to describe the discomfort of fitting into the various systems of education which are seen around in every state. Fitting into the different basics of each state syllabus can take a toll and is not a pleasant experience.
One might argue the presence of Central Schools across the parameter of the country, but how many families constantly on the move would make a choice of this system. Private schools offer much more appealing options. Accommodation of students in this environment becomes troublesome with the addition of the state language in the curriculum. It adds to the difficulty. With personal experience I had to learn two state languages with enormous difficulty while I resided in Gujarat and Orissa.
An unified system of examination and education will also help facilitate college admission, especially in the places where prestigious colleges are placed. I have come across instances where good student and more importantly deserving students have failed to apply to the Delhi University admission process because the state board results have failed to come up in the time complying with the admission dates.
Then there is the dilemma of how the colleges and universities evaluate students of different educational background and give them admission into the courses offered. The biggest obstacle is to judge both the capabilities with judicious judgment so as not to discriminate one against the other. Still there are problems in this situation. There are no set guidelines as to how to separately evaluate every students presenting himself/herself from a different educational board. The government has not presented us or has not thought it to be prudent enough to draw up such procedures. It does not also help us when we understand that our admission procedure is all about marks and does not look at the over all student as a person.
With such kind of educational losses, which take place on both sides, it is necessary that the government lead by the HRD Ministry, needs to consolidate the entire process of education in the country thus bringing the entire faculty under one umbrella. It will help us unify the very disarrayed system of education. The problems discussed above will mitigate and help us to create an even more effective knowledge economy in the country.
Education is an important pillar of any society. It is of utmost importance that we give it all the privileges it requires to flourish. If education blossoms, it showers us with a lot of effective instruments to progress in this competitive world. For a country like India education takes prime position. Ours is a knowledge based economy and if we dilute the effectiveness of our educational system by introducing dubious administrative policies, Dr. Kalam’s dream of seeing India as an educational superpower will be drowned in the words of his book.
Our country has seen very many policies which seem to have a heading towards some success but then again for every good policy there are multiple policies which seem to mar the prospect of a sound educational system. The ‘Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan’ was a good step towards universal education and was pregnant with good causes and expectant with a hopeful execution. Then again, in its wake came the very unsavoury Reservation Bill and this completely manhandled the purpose of education.
The establishment of few more IIT’s is an amazing step yet the fact remains that they have begun operating in make shift campuses or in the classrooms of the older IIT’s. IIM Ahmedabad won’t be allowed an additional campus in Mumbai till there is an excess, unwanted and unnecessary reservation for students of Maharashtra. What can we say about such administrative policies? Is there much to even discuss as to how clueless the babus are when they decide on educational matters?
One facet of the Indian educational system which I believe is hampering our growth is the allowance given to states to formulate their own educational systems in addition to one existing in the centre, which is the CBSE or ICSE/ISC. With two or maybe three active educational boards existing in every state, there is a very thin line between a possibility of a chaotic environment, as a direct result of the dual board system, and a harmonious existence.
A single unified system is better because it helps us focus on what is important. It also helps the people to completely identify with the system of education prevalent in the country rather than be confused as to its implications. I have traveled a good measure of the country and have studied around. I cannot even begin to describe the discomfort of fitting into the various systems of education which are seen around in every state. Fitting into the different basics of each state syllabus can take a toll and is not a pleasant experience.
One might argue the presence of Central Schools across the parameter of the country, but how many families constantly on the move would make a choice of this system. Private schools offer much more appealing options. Accommodation of students in this environment becomes troublesome with the addition of the state language in the curriculum. It adds to the difficulty. With personal experience I had to learn two state languages with enormous difficulty while I resided in Gujarat and Orissa.
An unified system of examination and education will also help facilitate college admission, especially in the places where prestigious colleges are placed. I have come across instances where good student and more importantly deserving students have failed to apply to the Delhi University admission process because the state board results have failed to come up in the time complying with the admission dates.
Then there is the dilemma of how the colleges and universities evaluate students of different educational background and give them admission into the courses offered. The biggest obstacle is to judge both the capabilities with judicious judgment so as not to discriminate one against the other. Still there are problems in this situation. There are no set guidelines as to how to separately evaluate every students presenting himself/herself from a different educational board. The government has not presented us or has not thought it to be prudent enough to draw up such procedures. It does not also help us when we understand that our admission procedure is all about marks and does not look at the over all student as a person.
With such kind of educational losses, which take place on both sides, it is necessary that the government lead by the HRD Ministry, needs to consolidate the entire process of education in the country thus bringing the entire faculty under one umbrella. It will help us unify the very disarrayed system of education. The problems discussed above will mitigate and help us to create an even more effective knowledge economy in the country.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
THE U.S. OPEN 2008- A REVIEW
The Grand Slam calendar of Tennis comes to a very spectacular and glamorous close at the city of New York, my favourite though never visited, which hosts the annual U.S. Open. This year, too, the show went on with an added spectacle making the fortieth year of the open era, the era when professional tennis was duly accepted.
This year’s pageantry began with a parade of former U.S. Open champions in a ceremony which marked the fortieth anniversary of the professional age of the sport. This era has seen the sport climb up the entertainment and mass appeal ladder and has begun to be viewed no longer as a ‘rich mans sport’. The Arthur Ashe Kids Day was also celebrated with equal fervour.
This tournament marked the first time since 2004 that a Grand Slam has seen a different men’s seed number one. There was a certain surprise in seeing Rafael Nadal heading the draw sheet in place of the usual Roger Federer. Then again, one climbs up while the other slides down. This is an eternal principle of life and sport. The women’s draw was led by the effervescent Serb Anna Ivanovic though Maria Sharapova was sorely missed. Indian representation was limited to the men’s doubles and mixed doubles, represented by Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupati.
The men’s draw saw the best come through to the second week. The matches became spectacular as the first week passed. Novak Djokovic, the affable third seeded Serb, countered the eight seeded American Andy Roddick in the quarter finals. The match was undoubtedly the highlight of that stage. The Serb triumphed in three sets and was followed into the semi final stage by the top seed Nadal, second seeded Federer and the sixth seed, Briton Andy Murray.
The biggest upset in the men’s draw was by far the defeat of Rafael Nadal by the Brit. In a two day contest spanning four sets, Andy Murray bet Nadal 6-2 7-5 4-6 6-4. He thus advanced to his first Grand Slam final. Roger Federer beat demons and Novak Djokovic, in a delightfully error prone semi final in four sets. That set the tone for the unlikely final contest. People hoped for a Rafa-Federer show down Part III, but were slightly disappointed with the top seed not advancing to the final. Nevertheless, this was the Spaniards best showing at Flushing Meadows till date.
The final between Federer and Murray was a one sided class room session for the Brit. Federer coming from difficult losses at the semi final of the Australian Open and final losses at the French Open and Wimbledon had to salvage his year by winning this match. Earlier he had lost his number one status along with the previous match to Andy Murray at Dubai in three sets. With his sublime touch back, his forehand menacing as always and his foot speed back to being bright, the Swiss won his fifth consecutive U.S. Open. His feat earned him to be the only player to win two different Grand Slams five times in a row, and also the second man after Bill Tilden in the 1920’s to win five consecutive U.S. Open Crowns.
With women’s seeds tumbling by the way sides like a weak deck of cards, the field grew open with each passing day. Already mourning the absence of the charismatic and sensational Maria Sharapova, the top seed and third seeded Serb Ana Ivanovic and Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova could not survive the first week. Five women were awarded the opportunity to gain the summit of the WTA Rankings if they won the U.S. Open. They were Serb Jelena Jankovic, seeded second, the William’s sisters- Serena and Venus, Russian and newly crowned Olympic Champion Elena Dememtieva and in red hot form Russian Dinara Safina.
The match of the tournament was the quarter final clash between the two Williams sisters who shared the spotlight with equal ease but brutally flashed winners to seize the match. Ultimately the younger sibling, Serena prevailed in two tight tie breakers but Venus had many opportunities lost. The other semi finalists included, Jelena Jankovic, Dinara Safina and Elena Demetieva.
The Serb Jankovic reached her first Grand Slam final in the U.S. Open and was to meet the former champion Serena Williams. The number one spot in the rankings was guaranteed to the winner of the match. There head to head meetings stood at three matches a piece and a prediction could not be made. Riding on the confidence of her red dress and her form, Serena beat the Serb 6-3 7-5 to win her third U.S. Open Championship and her first in six years. With the win she surpassed Martina Navratilova in career earnings and stood a little distance from the leader, Steffi Graf. As for the Jelena, more such opportunities will come and surely she is the next great champion on the horizon for the WTA which celebrated its thirty fifth year in existence.
Leander Paes provided a stable of joy for the Indian Tri Colour at the U.S. Open. With a great doubles season in the Grand Slam circuit which saw him finish at the Quarter finals at the French Open and the semi finals of the Wimbledon with a new partner, Czech Peter Dlouhy, the year got even better when he reached the doubles final in great fashion. Unfortunately, a pair of tight tie breakers blew his dreams of another crown when they lost to the Bryan Brother, Mike and Bob, in the finals.
He was not to return disappointed, as he won the mixed doubles crown in the company of one of the world’s best women’s doubles player, Cara Black. They beat Liezel Huber, Cara’s regular women’s doubes partner, and Jamie Murray, Andy Murray’s brother in two sets to win the crown. He came very close to repeating the double feat he had achieved at Wimbledon in 1999. He had won the doubles with Mahesh Bhupati and the mixed doubles with Lisa Raymond. Cara Black and Liezel Huber won the women’s doubles event, thus attesting their number one position in the doubles ranking.
All in all, the U.S. Open ended with many dreams achieved, many new created and many visions of ones to be achieved. Next stop- The Australian Open in 2009, where we look forward to new matches, new fashion styles and fresher athletes.
This year’s pageantry began with a parade of former U.S. Open champions in a ceremony which marked the fortieth anniversary of the professional age of the sport. This era has seen the sport climb up the entertainment and mass appeal ladder and has begun to be viewed no longer as a ‘rich mans sport’. The Arthur Ashe Kids Day was also celebrated with equal fervour.
This tournament marked the first time since 2004 that a Grand Slam has seen a different men’s seed number one. There was a certain surprise in seeing Rafael Nadal heading the draw sheet in place of the usual Roger Federer. Then again, one climbs up while the other slides down. This is an eternal principle of life and sport. The women’s draw was led by the effervescent Serb Anna Ivanovic though Maria Sharapova was sorely missed. Indian representation was limited to the men’s doubles and mixed doubles, represented by Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupati.
The men’s draw saw the best come through to the second week. The matches became spectacular as the first week passed. Novak Djokovic, the affable third seeded Serb, countered the eight seeded American Andy Roddick in the quarter finals. The match was undoubtedly the highlight of that stage. The Serb triumphed in three sets and was followed into the semi final stage by the top seed Nadal, second seeded Federer and the sixth seed, Briton Andy Murray.
The biggest upset in the men’s draw was by far the defeat of Rafael Nadal by the Brit. In a two day contest spanning four sets, Andy Murray bet Nadal 6-2 7-5 4-6 6-4. He thus advanced to his first Grand Slam final. Roger Federer beat demons and Novak Djokovic, in a delightfully error prone semi final in four sets. That set the tone for the unlikely final contest. People hoped for a Rafa-Federer show down Part III, but were slightly disappointed with the top seed not advancing to the final. Nevertheless, this was the Spaniards best showing at Flushing Meadows till date.
The final between Federer and Murray was a one sided class room session for the Brit. Federer coming from difficult losses at the semi final of the Australian Open and final losses at the French Open and Wimbledon had to salvage his year by winning this match. Earlier he had lost his number one status along with the previous match to Andy Murray at Dubai in three sets. With his sublime touch back, his forehand menacing as always and his foot speed back to being bright, the Swiss won his fifth consecutive U.S. Open. His feat earned him to be the only player to win two different Grand Slams five times in a row, and also the second man after Bill Tilden in the 1920’s to win five consecutive U.S. Open Crowns.
With women’s seeds tumbling by the way sides like a weak deck of cards, the field grew open with each passing day. Already mourning the absence of the charismatic and sensational Maria Sharapova, the top seed and third seeded Serb Ana Ivanovic and Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova could not survive the first week. Five women were awarded the opportunity to gain the summit of the WTA Rankings if they won the U.S. Open. They were Serb Jelena Jankovic, seeded second, the William’s sisters- Serena and Venus, Russian and newly crowned Olympic Champion Elena Dememtieva and in red hot form Russian Dinara Safina.
The match of the tournament was the quarter final clash between the two Williams sisters who shared the spotlight with equal ease but brutally flashed winners to seize the match. Ultimately the younger sibling, Serena prevailed in two tight tie breakers but Venus had many opportunities lost. The other semi finalists included, Jelena Jankovic, Dinara Safina and Elena Demetieva.
The Serb Jankovic reached her first Grand Slam final in the U.S. Open and was to meet the former champion Serena Williams. The number one spot in the rankings was guaranteed to the winner of the match. There head to head meetings stood at three matches a piece and a prediction could not be made. Riding on the confidence of her red dress and her form, Serena beat the Serb 6-3 7-5 to win her third U.S. Open Championship and her first in six years. With the win she surpassed Martina Navratilova in career earnings and stood a little distance from the leader, Steffi Graf. As for the Jelena, more such opportunities will come and surely she is the next great champion on the horizon for the WTA which celebrated its thirty fifth year in existence.
Leander Paes provided a stable of joy for the Indian Tri Colour at the U.S. Open. With a great doubles season in the Grand Slam circuit which saw him finish at the Quarter finals at the French Open and the semi finals of the Wimbledon with a new partner, Czech Peter Dlouhy, the year got even better when he reached the doubles final in great fashion. Unfortunately, a pair of tight tie breakers blew his dreams of another crown when they lost to the Bryan Brother, Mike and Bob, in the finals.
He was not to return disappointed, as he won the mixed doubles crown in the company of one of the world’s best women’s doubles player, Cara Black. They beat Liezel Huber, Cara’s regular women’s doubes partner, and Jamie Murray, Andy Murray’s brother in two sets to win the crown. He came very close to repeating the double feat he had achieved at Wimbledon in 1999. He had won the doubles with Mahesh Bhupati and the mixed doubles with Lisa Raymond. Cara Black and Liezel Huber won the women’s doubles event, thus attesting their number one position in the doubles ranking.
All in all, the U.S. Open ended with many dreams achieved, many new created and many visions of ones to be achieved. Next stop- The Australian Open in 2009, where we look forward to new matches, new fashion styles and fresher athletes.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
ARTICLE 370- WHAT IT PROMISES AND WHAT IT DELIVERS
What happens to a child governed by special rules as opposed to the ones who are abiding by the common rule for meant for all? The child in question becomes pampered, spoilt and his demands become unreasonable to even bother to fulfill them. That is what has happened to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. This spoilt child of the Indian Constitution and India itself needs to behave, and by the above statement I mean the politicians who are holding the political reigns of the state.
Jammu and Kashmir has been given special exception for over sixty years and this has created somewhat of an unique position for the state, both physically in India and mentally among the people of the state. Till today I hear from my father, who works sporadically in the state, that the people of the valley address themselves as ‘Kashmiris’ while they refer to the rest of India as ‘Hindustan’. These sentiments are opposed in Jammu where they consider themselves as ‘Indians’. Isn’t it a shocking feeling? Being part of India the blessed people from the valley think of us as some body who is not part of their geography. Can a Maharashtrian feel the same about a Bengali? Will a person speaking Kannada disown a person speaking Punjabi as not being from the same country due to language barriers and geographical distances? I believe with complete conviction that it is not possible.
To begin, Article 370 (An article which gives a special position to the state of Jammu and Kashmir with Constitutional authority) has a heading which clearly states that it is a temporary provision. What is the span of the word ‘temporary’? The successive governments of India, with very skeptical political standards, have blotched this part of the governance with their dubious definition of the word temporary. What was supposed to be a fleeting provision has become somewhat of a permanent rider in the Constitution. Isn’t it the same with the proviso of reservation? Started as a provisional method of upliftment of the backward through education, it has made a comfortably permanent place in our scheme of things. It seems the politicians in their heydays please everyone, with momentary success, and later it seems that it backfires, like in these two cases.
Article 370 gives legislative authority to the state government of Jammu Kashmir in terms of the State List. The Union Government cannot make any laws regarding the state from the Union and Concurrent List without the consultation of the State Government, and which are declared by the President of India, as specified in the Instrument of Accession. Other matters which are not specified in the Lists can only be legislated if the President so orders. With such authority given for over sixty years, will not a state claim for ‘azadi’ from the country it has acceded to?
It is not the people who have been empowered by this article. It is the politicians who are getting themselves richer with power and authority with each passing day. It becomes wholly problematic because the common people, hapless as they are by the constant violence and chaos, do not really understand the political motivations which are presently running as the undercurrents of this Article.
I agree that Kashmir is a delicate matter when we speak in the presence of Pakistan, but then again for over fifty years we have battled for it and against a formidable opposition. This gives us moral authority to demand the allegiance of the people of Kashmir. Do they really want a future in Pakistan where governmental lapses and pro-Taliban or pro militant activities are as natural as the process of breathing, eating and sleeping? Even if independence is granted, do you think the state of Pakistan is going to respect the sovereignty of a small state sandwiched between two nuclear powers. Don’t the politicians understand that it might lead to our fourth full scale war with Pakistan, because even if New Delhi remains focused to not get involved, these very politicians at that moment of helplessness will call on the Indian Army to help them.
Where did the call for independence go when the state was rocked by a devastating earthquake? Didn’t the politicians and then people accept the central fundings then, or the donation which came in millions from across the country? It is hypocrisy which is ruling the state. At times of need, the state is India’s beneficiary but when there is a moment of sudden issues, trifling as they may be, the politicians raise the agenda of independence with equal authority.
I ask where these politicians get the gumption from to address a rally in broad day light and speak with spirited conviction to the people asking them to rally around the movement of independence. Isn’t this a mark of sedition against the country? Why can’t our politicians in the New Delhi raise their ire against such deliberate and communalist speeches? Is it not right for the police to arrest such politicians? How can these politicians go scot free after blatant violation of our Fundamental Rights?
Article 370 provided a sense of security to the state of Jammu and Kashmir when they acceded to the country. It was needed to make them feel inclusive to the fabric of the country, giving them precious time to brand themselves in the democratic colours of India. Yet it seems that the provisions of this article have been taken quite seriously in term of its longevity. The article wanted to provide security before complete assimilation of the state into India, but what it has delivered out of political compulsion is the alienation of the people and had helped the politicians of the state to sprout wings of illegitimate flights towards chaos and unlawful governance.
Jammu and Kashmir has been given special exception for over sixty years and this has created somewhat of an unique position for the state, both physically in India and mentally among the people of the state. Till today I hear from my father, who works sporadically in the state, that the people of the valley address themselves as ‘Kashmiris’ while they refer to the rest of India as ‘Hindustan’. These sentiments are opposed in Jammu where they consider themselves as ‘Indians’. Isn’t it a shocking feeling? Being part of India the blessed people from the valley think of us as some body who is not part of their geography. Can a Maharashtrian feel the same about a Bengali? Will a person speaking Kannada disown a person speaking Punjabi as not being from the same country due to language barriers and geographical distances? I believe with complete conviction that it is not possible.
To begin, Article 370 (An article which gives a special position to the state of Jammu and Kashmir with Constitutional authority) has a heading which clearly states that it is a temporary provision. What is the span of the word ‘temporary’? The successive governments of India, with very skeptical political standards, have blotched this part of the governance with their dubious definition of the word temporary. What was supposed to be a fleeting provision has become somewhat of a permanent rider in the Constitution. Isn’t it the same with the proviso of reservation? Started as a provisional method of upliftment of the backward through education, it has made a comfortably permanent place in our scheme of things. It seems the politicians in their heydays please everyone, with momentary success, and later it seems that it backfires, like in these two cases.
Article 370 gives legislative authority to the state government of Jammu Kashmir in terms of the State List. The Union Government cannot make any laws regarding the state from the Union and Concurrent List without the consultation of the State Government, and which are declared by the President of India, as specified in the Instrument of Accession. Other matters which are not specified in the Lists can only be legislated if the President so orders. With such authority given for over sixty years, will not a state claim for ‘azadi’ from the country it has acceded to?
It is not the people who have been empowered by this article. It is the politicians who are getting themselves richer with power and authority with each passing day. It becomes wholly problematic because the common people, hapless as they are by the constant violence and chaos, do not really understand the political motivations which are presently running as the undercurrents of this Article.
I agree that Kashmir is a delicate matter when we speak in the presence of Pakistan, but then again for over fifty years we have battled for it and against a formidable opposition. This gives us moral authority to demand the allegiance of the people of Kashmir. Do they really want a future in Pakistan where governmental lapses and pro-Taliban or pro militant activities are as natural as the process of breathing, eating and sleeping? Even if independence is granted, do you think the state of Pakistan is going to respect the sovereignty of a small state sandwiched between two nuclear powers. Don’t the politicians understand that it might lead to our fourth full scale war with Pakistan, because even if New Delhi remains focused to not get involved, these very politicians at that moment of helplessness will call on the Indian Army to help them.
Where did the call for independence go when the state was rocked by a devastating earthquake? Didn’t the politicians and then people accept the central fundings then, or the donation which came in millions from across the country? It is hypocrisy which is ruling the state. At times of need, the state is India’s beneficiary but when there is a moment of sudden issues, trifling as they may be, the politicians raise the agenda of independence with equal authority.
I ask where these politicians get the gumption from to address a rally in broad day light and speak with spirited conviction to the people asking them to rally around the movement of independence. Isn’t this a mark of sedition against the country? Why can’t our politicians in the New Delhi raise their ire against such deliberate and communalist speeches? Is it not right for the police to arrest such politicians? How can these politicians go scot free after blatant violation of our Fundamental Rights?
Article 370 provided a sense of security to the state of Jammu and Kashmir when they acceded to the country. It was needed to make them feel inclusive to the fabric of the country, giving them precious time to brand themselves in the democratic colours of India. Yet it seems that the provisions of this article have been taken quite seriously in term of its longevity. The article wanted to provide security before complete assimilation of the state into India, but what it has delivered out of political compulsion is the alienation of the people and had helped the politicians of the state to sprout wings of illegitimate flights towards chaos and unlawful governance.
THE MISS UNIVERSE PAGEANT 2008
The 57th annual Miss Universe Pageant was held midst much fanfare in Vietnam on the 14th of July. Miss Venezuela, Dayana Mendoza won the crown what many believe to be the most prestigious beauty pageant in the world, with amazing ease and consistency marking the country fifth Miss Universe title equaling Puerto Rico’s record. Miss Colombia finished second, marking the fourth time the South American nation finished in second place which included three consecutive first runner-up finishes (1992-94) one of which was to Sushmita Sen in 1994. Dominican Republic, Russia and Mexico rounded off the final five contestants.
Unlike other years the contest started with no firm favourites and crafted a very open field. With each week passing Venezuela’s Mendoza affirmed her pole position among the eighty delegates with a confident display in the preliminary competition which included a super splendid display in the evening gown competition. Colombia, Mexico, India and USA proved to be the firm favourites behind Venezuela.
The most high profile contestant was Ingrid Reviera from the pageant loving nation of Puerto Rico. She was a second runner up at the Miss World pageant in 2005. She came to the pageant armed with a very public news of a failed sabotage at her bid to become Miss Puerto Rico Universe 2008 as most of the national contestants felt that she was too experienced to be part of the pageant. Nevertheless, she gave a mediocre performance at the preliminary competition and could not gain a berth in the final 15. Adding to the injuries was a faulty make over and terrible surgeries to enhance her looks.
India’s Simran Kaur Mundi, was perhaps one of the country better delegates in the recent years but failed to make the cut this year. Her exclusion was hotly debated and completely astonishing as she had proved to be a firm favourite among the local press and the various pageant websites; prime among those were Missosology.org and GlobalBeauties.com which rated her among the top fifteen and top ten delegates consistently.
Yet the politics of her exclusion will torment the Femina Miss India organisers for a long time. Her performances at the preliminary competition were superior especially at the evening gown segment and she was the only contestant in the competition to finish as runner up in every preliminary contest (Swim Suits, Ao Dai/Traditional Vietnamese Costume Competition and National Costume). Perhaps the inclusion of the very undeserving yet stunningly beautiful Puja Gupta, Miss India Universe 2007, at the previous edition of Miss Universe in Mexico led to Simran’s exclusion this year. India’s placement at Miss Universe 2007 drew heavy flak for the Miss Universe Organisation. Yet Simran did represent India with complete conviction and deserves credit for the same.
This years pageant was hosted by former Spice Girl Melanie B aka Scary Spice and Jerry Springer the host of ‘Americas got talent’. The judges included famed designer Roberto Cavalli, Miss Universe 2004 Jennifer Hawkins and India’s own Esha Koppikhar amongst others. Vietnam had pulled up all stops to host the pageant even building a state of the art convention centre to host the pageant. The country’s delegate made it to the top 15. Thailand won the online National Costume contest which replaced the traditional online Miss Photogenic contest while El Salvador won the Miss Congeniality title, a contest where the delegates themselves vote for a contestant who left a lasting impression of friendship on them. The newly born nation of Kosovo scored a top 10 finish though many argue the fact if the delegate deserved the same. Similarly the inclusion of Hungary and Japan shocked analysts.
Miss USA Crystal Stewart, who has a colourful history of perseverance behind her (she competed five times for her state title of Miss Texas which included two consecutive first runner-up finishes before she won the title), slipped on her heavily beaded train of her evening gown in the segments competition. This is the second consecutive year that a Miss USA slipped in the evening gown segment. Last year at the Miss Universe Pageant in Mexico, Rachel Smith, the then Miss USA slipped on the hem of her jeweled gown and instantly became a star on the video sharing website YouTube.com. Both these contestants recovered with much poise except Rachel Smith made it to the top five while Crystal Stewart failed, the fall costing her the very deserving top five finish.
In the end the sparkling and effervescent Miss Venezuela confirmed her country’s superiority in beauty pageants by razing the field and dismissing close favoutites in Mexico, Colombia and USA (who scripted her doom by slipping). Her answer to the difference between the lives of men and women was crafted with delicious diplomacy while it was profoundly intense. She remarked that men go straight to the problems core and try and fix it while women go round the curves, fixing every nook and corner before taking the problem head on. In addition to her final answer she topped the evening gown segment and finished second in the swim suit contest.
The show glamourous as ever celebrated beauty, poise and intelligence of women the world over. The winner can look forward to a year of opportunities and appearances for charitable organisations working towards eradication of AIDS and promoting its awareness. The only hitch, I hoped it would be India in place of Venezuela.
Sayan S. Das
Unlike other years the contest started with no firm favourites and crafted a very open field. With each week passing Venezuela’s Mendoza affirmed her pole position among the eighty delegates with a confident display in the preliminary competition which included a super splendid display in the evening gown competition. Colombia, Mexico, India and USA proved to be the firm favourites behind Venezuela.
The most high profile contestant was Ingrid Reviera from the pageant loving nation of Puerto Rico. She was a second runner up at the Miss World pageant in 2005. She came to the pageant armed with a very public news of a failed sabotage at her bid to become Miss Puerto Rico Universe 2008 as most of the national contestants felt that she was too experienced to be part of the pageant. Nevertheless, she gave a mediocre performance at the preliminary competition and could not gain a berth in the final 15. Adding to the injuries was a faulty make over and terrible surgeries to enhance her looks.
India’s Simran Kaur Mundi, was perhaps one of the country better delegates in the recent years but failed to make the cut this year. Her exclusion was hotly debated and completely astonishing as she had proved to be a firm favourite among the local press and the various pageant websites; prime among those were Missosology.org and GlobalBeauties.com which rated her among the top fifteen and top ten delegates consistently.
Yet the politics of her exclusion will torment the Femina Miss India organisers for a long time. Her performances at the preliminary competition were superior especially at the evening gown segment and she was the only contestant in the competition to finish as runner up in every preliminary contest (Swim Suits, Ao Dai/Traditional Vietnamese Costume Competition and National Costume). Perhaps the inclusion of the very undeserving yet stunningly beautiful Puja Gupta, Miss India Universe 2007, at the previous edition of Miss Universe in Mexico led to Simran’s exclusion this year. India’s placement at Miss Universe 2007 drew heavy flak for the Miss Universe Organisation. Yet Simran did represent India with complete conviction and deserves credit for the same.
This years pageant was hosted by former Spice Girl Melanie B aka Scary Spice and Jerry Springer the host of ‘Americas got talent’. The judges included famed designer Roberto Cavalli, Miss Universe 2004 Jennifer Hawkins and India’s own Esha Koppikhar amongst others. Vietnam had pulled up all stops to host the pageant even building a state of the art convention centre to host the pageant. The country’s delegate made it to the top 15. Thailand won the online National Costume contest which replaced the traditional online Miss Photogenic contest while El Salvador won the Miss Congeniality title, a contest where the delegates themselves vote for a contestant who left a lasting impression of friendship on them. The newly born nation of Kosovo scored a top 10 finish though many argue the fact if the delegate deserved the same. Similarly the inclusion of Hungary and Japan shocked analysts.
Miss USA Crystal Stewart, who has a colourful history of perseverance behind her (she competed five times for her state title of Miss Texas which included two consecutive first runner-up finishes before she won the title), slipped on her heavily beaded train of her evening gown in the segments competition. This is the second consecutive year that a Miss USA slipped in the evening gown segment. Last year at the Miss Universe Pageant in Mexico, Rachel Smith, the then Miss USA slipped on the hem of her jeweled gown and instantly became a star on the video sharing website YouTube.com. Both these contestants recovered with much poise except Rachel Smith made it to the top five while Crystal Stewart failed, the fall costing her the very deserving top five finish.
In the end the sparkling and effervescent Miss Venezuela confirmed her country’s superiority in beauty pageants by razing the field and dismissing close favoutites in Mexico, Colombia and USA (who scripted her doom by slipping). Her answer to the difference between the lives of men and women was crafted with delicious diplomacy while it was profoundly intense. She remarked that men go straight to the problems core and try and fix it while women go round the curves, fixing every nook and corner before taking the problem head on. In addition to her final answer she topped the evening gown segment and finished second in the swim suit contest.
The show glamourous as ever celebrated beauty, poise and intelligence of women the world over. The winner can look forward to a year of opportunities and appearances for charitable organisations working towards eradication of AIDS and promoting its awareness. The only hitch, I hoped it would be India in place of Venezuela.
Sayan S. Das
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
‘ROCK ON!’: ENSEMBLE BRILLIANCE
‘ROCK ON!’: ENSEMBLE BRILLIANCE
‘Rock On!’ is a movie with wings of the youth but values of antiquity. It is a movie with the flavour of the much loved rock genre of music and the much headed values of everlasting love, loyalty and friendship. It seems Indian movies are coming of age, maturing with ageless grace and telling stories of mellowed brilliance. The time has come to launch our stories to a whole new level, and an instrument of this change, amongst many of its contemporaries, is the movie ‘Rock On!’.
The movie introduces us to newness at every level. It is directed and written by a first time director, Abhishekh Kapoor. It is the debut of the talented director Farhan Akhtar who made the ground breaking ‘Dil Chahata Hai’, the very successful ‘Don’ and the matured ‘Lakshya’. Along with Farhan, Preeti Desai, the household ‘Bani’ (‘Kasam Se’) and Shahana Goswami make their big screen debut. Arjun Rampal, is the brought out with a novel look and drama, so is the very adorable Purab Kohli and Luke Kenny. Apart from the very fresh cast, is the wonderful approach towards Hindi Rock Music which enthralls the audiences. The movie has once and for all proved that rock music is not something which has challenges of language, which is English. Like any form of music it transcends barriers made my man and can be moulded with finesse into Hindi lyrics.
I will not be sharing the story of the movie in this article as it won’t do justice to the audiences. They need to find out what the movie is all about by themselves. It does arouse different emotions in each person. A friend valued the rock theme more, while I loved the underlying significance of the friendship shown in the movie while another friend loved the humour which was showcased without slapstick-ness.
The actual winner in the film is the script, though at times it moves at a snails pace and becomes a little predictable, on the whole it has been written magnificently. It holds the attention of the audience and narration accompanied with flash-backs embraces the interest level with ease. Movies like ‘Rock On!’ go on to truly prove that it is the script which is the king, and the other appliances, like star cast, flashy locations and costumes, are all secondary. If the script holds on, and in this case it does, the movie sails safely and pleasantly to the harbour and to our hearts.
The director, Abhishekh Kapoor, has done a splendid job to hold such a new cast together. Considering he had Arjun Rampal, an experienced actor, and Farhan Akhtar, a skilled director yet new to acting in front of the camera, along with a very juvenile group of actors on the ropes, he brings out the best in all of them. The sign of a good director is when he can get a brilliant act by the entire ensemble, and here he does it with poise. He deserves some recognition when the awards season kicks in early next year.
In the acting category, Farhan Akhtar sizzles in every avtar. Be it the rock mode early on or as the very suave investment banker, he commands absolute notice. He emotes with ease, thanks to his education as a director, and delivers on every count. Here is an unconventional actor who will make his difference a convention in the years to come. Arjun Rampal seems to be getting better and better with each passing movie. He clearly has realised his aura is not to be found in the lover boy image but in avant-garde roles where the youth can relate to him. As the brooding rocker, Arjun comes clearly on his own. With few dialogues and greater inquiry into his intensity which comes through his eyes, he shines and shines like never before. Both his looks do complete justice to the character and to his personality. It seems our new age hero is here, and here to stay.
Purab Kohli is completely adorable and the stand out performer in the cast. His cheeky smile and comic timing is the surprise factor of the movie. He shows truth in his portrayal as the always-chirpy drummer who turns into a jeweler. He drums with amazing conviction, and fits into both the looks- that of a stylish rocker and a perfectly dressed Gujju, with ease. Here is an actor who is truly underrated. His act deserves recognition from every award there is in India. Luke Kenny comes across as the weak link amongst the male actors. He is consistently overshadowed amongst the giants that surround him. Yet he does a good job in bringing a sense of amity about his portrayal.
Preeti Desai excels on the big screen as the very calm yet loving, devoted and expectant housewife. She brings a charming refinement and loveliness to her craft. Her composed representation is very delightful, though she is adept at making her own space amongst the ensemble. She seems to have successfully made a transition from the mundane soaps to brilliant cinema. Shahana Goswami, seems to be a veteran, even though she is new to this medium of entertainment. She is mature, natural, surprisingly sure of her self and very confidently marches through out the movie, and at times stealing focus from her co stars effortlessly. Koel Purie and Nicollete Bird pitch in good performances.
‘Rock On!’ excels in the music department, thanks to the fantastic trio of Shakar-Ehsaan-Loy and is beautifully shot, with a complete harmony between coarseness and sophistication. It is a must watch and if you don’t, then you are missing a piece of Indian cinema which is capable of changing our cinematic landscape for sure.
Rock On!
‘Rock On!’ is a movie with wings of the youth but values of antiquity. It is a movie with the flavour of the much loved rock genre of music and the much headed values of everlasting love, loyalty and friendship. It seems Indian movies are coming of age, maturing with ageless grace and telling stories of mellowed brilliance. The time has come to launch our stories to a whole new level, and an instrument of this change, amongst many of its contemporaries, is the movie ‘Rock On!’.
The movie introduces us to newness at every level. It is directed and written by a first time director, Abhishekh Kapoor. It is the debut of the talented director Farhan Akhtar who made the ground breaking ‘Dil Chahata Hai’, the very successful ‘Don’ and the matured ‘Lakshya’. Along with Farhan, Preeti Desai, the household ‘Bani’ (‘Kasam Se’) and Shahana Goswami make their big screen debut. Arjun Rampal, is the brought out with a novel look and drama, so is the very adorable Purab Kohli and Luke Kenny. Apart from the very fresh cast, is the wonderful approach towards Hindi Rock Music which enthralls the audiences. The movie has once and for all proved that rock music is not something which has challenges of language, which is English. Like any form of music it transcends barriers made my man and can be moulded with finesse into Hindi lyrics.
I will not be sharing the story of the movie in this article as it won’t do justice to the audiences. They need to find out what the movie is all about by themselves. It does arouse different emotions in each person. A friend valued the rock theme more, while I loved the underlying significance of the friendship shown in the movie while another friend loved the humour which was showcased without slapstick-ness.
The actual winner in the film is the script, though at times it moves at a snails pace and becomes a little predictable, on the whole it has been written magnificently. It holds the attention of the audience and narration accompanied with flash-backs embraces the interest level with ease. Movies like ‘Rock On!’ go on to truly prove that it is the script which is the king, and the other appliances, like star cast, flashy locations and costumes, are all secondary. If the script holds on, and in this case it does, the movie sails safely and pleasantly to the harbour and to our hearts.
The director, Abhishekh Kapoor, has done a splendid job to hold such a new cast together. Considering he had Arjun Rampal, an experienced actor, and Farhan Akhtar, a skilled director yet new to acting in front of the camera, along with a very juvenile group of actors on the ropes, he brings out the best in all of them. The sign of a good director is when he can get a brilliant act by the entire ensemble, and here he does it with poise. He deserves some recognition when the awards season kicks in early next year.
In the acting category, Farhan Akhtar sizzles in every avtar. Be it the rock mode early on or as the very suave investment banker, he commands absolute notice. He emotes with ease, thanks to his education as a director, and delivers on every count. Here is an unconventional actor who will make his difference a convention in the years to come. Arjun Rampal seems to be getting better and better with each passing movie. He clearly has realised his aura is not to be found in the lover boy image but in avant-garde roles where the youth can relate to him. As the brooding rocker, Arjun comes clearly on his own. With few dialogues and greater inquiry into his intensity which comes through his eyes, he shines and shines like never before. Both his looks do complete justice to the character and to his personality. It seems our new age hero is here, and here to stay.
Purab Kohli is completely adorable and the stand out performer in the cast. His cheeky smile and comic timing is the surprise factor of the movie. He shows truth in his portrayal as the always-chirpy drummer who turns into a jeweler. He drums with amazing conviction, and fits into both the looks- that of a stylish rocker and a perfectly dressed Gujju, with ease. Here is an actor who is truly underrated. His act deserves recognition from every award there is in India. Luke Kenny comes across as the weak link amongst the male actors. He is consistently overshadowed amongst the giants that surround him. Yet he does a good job in bringing a sense of amity about his portrayal.
Preeti Desai excels on the big screen as the very calm yet loving, devoted and expectant housewife. She brings a charming refinement and loveliness to her craft. Her composed representation is very delightful, though she is adept at making her own space amongst the ensemble. She seems to have successfully made a transition from the mundane soaps to brilliant cinema. Shahana Goswami, seems to be a veteran, even though she is new to this medium of entertainment. She is mature, natural, surprisingly sure of her self and very confidently marches through out the movie, and at times stealing focus from her co stars effortlessly. Koel Purie and Nicollete Bird pitch in good performances.
‘Rock On!’ excels in the music department, thanks to the fantastic trio of Shakar-Ehsaan-Loy and is beautifully shot, with a complete harmony between coarseness and sophistication. It is a must watch and if you don’t, then you are missing a piece of Indian cinema which is capable of changing our cinematic landscape for sure.
Rock On!
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