My Salute

In the movie A Few Good Men, I loved this line when Galloway(Demi Moore) defending 2 marine soilders is asked

Lt. Weinberg: Why do you like them so much?
Galloway: Because they stand upon a wall and say, "Nothing's going to hurt you tonight, not on my watch."

To that love and sense of duty, I bow my head. Words fall short to thank the men that put their lives on the line to save fellow human beings.

To all the cowards of this country that go around pelting stones and fire at people because they belong to a particular religion or state, at institutions that harm you in no way, destroying public property that is our own money, being the devils advocate, you dare not condemn these acts and flash your hipocricy because these terrorists are people just like you, recruited and deployed for a cause they deem larger than humanity.

Mumbai - 26th November

Inspite of sitting in Pune, I felt feverish watching the the various channels that telecasted live how the country was under attack. I wore "jutis" over my formals to office on Thursday and realized it only when I reached office. I could not get myself off the TV.

Now that the cruel drama is over, a few thoughts

While links have been traced back to well-known terrorist out-fits and the security system is being questioned, none of this would have been possible without support from within. These people who staged the dance of death and fear are probably not Indian citizens. They came in from some country, fed with fanatic ideologies, dodged a loose system and dared the people of this country by just driving around the city and shooting indiscriminately at people and ofcourse feeling some amount of pride in what they are doing. I am wondering if any citizens of this country helped stage this terror in their very own city and country. Do we have a Traitor among us? Whatever strata of the system one is, even if you are a fisherman or a minister, even if your income is Rs 10 a day or 10L a day, at no cost can you betray your country. Neither poverty nor joblessness, neither religious ideologies nor fanaticism can justify this betrayal. We might have a hundred problems within, we might not be the best example of a secular country but we will unite & stand together against any attack from outside.

Finally what do you expect people to do after an attack. People will get back to normalcy, that is life. One can not remain holed up in fear. Every life has a date when the curtains will fall and there is a fate and whatever you do, where ever you
go you meet it. With that attitude we go about our day today.

The other important thing a gentleman(name I can not recollect) on TimesNow brought up was,

While we are questioning the politicians and the security of this country, we as the people of this nation also play a very important part by just keeping our eyes and ears open to anything unusual. After 9/11, a colleague of mine in US, who had visited the twin towers just a week before the disaster, sent his new york trip pictures to be developed to a studio. He requested an enlarged picture of the twin tower snap he had taken. The studio guys reported it immediately. In a matter of hours he had cops standing at his door asking him details about why and where. Also I had read in the local newspapers of how an American couple sitting right behind a south Indian actress on a flight to new york alerted the crew of their suspicious behaviour. The Indian actress was having an animated discussion with her parents in her native language. On landing the actress and the crew were escorted by the cops for interrogation. We laughed about it when we read about it but today that level of involvement of normal citizens is what we lack. We, the normal citizens are so consumed by ourselves, we just don't care what goes on around us. Anything that involves the cops is better kept at bay. It is about time we stop speculating and take on our jobs of a alert citizen more seriously.

In a country of a billion people, if even one quarter of it are alert, eyes and ears open, ready to dare and challenge, there is no way a handful of bas&*%$# could even dare plot this terror here.

A Dream for India

I had planned to write an independence day post with the famous "I have a Dream" speech by Martin Luther King Jr. Ofcourse I never got to it and to the other 10 posts I had planned in the last few months. The context is different today but the crux of the matter is still the same. Inspiring speeches are different high all togather and the one's made in difficult times is even so ever more. In August, Obama was still campaigning for the highest office in USA and that in itself was the realization of Martin Luther King's Dream. Today when he has won the 2008 elections, its complete in all sense. The below excerpt from the speech describes the horrible days that the blacks have seen and the reason for the tears streaming down so many African-americans as they hear Barack Obama give his Presidential victory speech.

We cannot walk alone. And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall march ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" we can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.

I am not big on American politics and have very limited gyaan. Based on the little I know, from the Indian stand point the republicans were our favourites. But President Barack Obama has undeniable charisma and his winning the elections, more than the policies he plans to bring in and the change, is more about beating the racist race that America fought for over 2 centuries.

I am sure you have all heard the Victory speech. I thought it was brilliant. And so was John McCain's concession speech. I specially loved the line "Today, I was a candidate for the highest office in the country I love so much. And tonight, I remain her servant.". Both the speeches seemed so much from the heart. They both make references to leaving behind a better country for their children and grand children to inherit. And they both sign-off with a "God Bless America". It shows such deep rooted emotions for the land they call their country.

Why do we have no such speeches in India? While I was reading Rashmi's post, it seemed like Ghosh, when did I pen those down. Its not the normal gareebi hatao bhashan that I am so keen to hear but something that tells me the leader on the top is genuinely interested in taking the country ahead and not just filling his pockets. We need a Obama who can rock the nation and win the youth of this country over. Today, young India is least interested in casting their votes, because we see the atrocities of ideas like regionalism allowed to flare under one government while the other took extreme measures to invoke religious sentiments for the votebank, all in a democratic & secular country. Making the right or wrong decisions is one matter but genuine intent is a different matter all togather and its the genuine intent that keeps getting questioned every time in apna India.

This win gives us reason to hope, we shall overcome the religious and region based fanaticism one day and become a truly democratic & secular country. We will be able to overcome our prejudices of people from different caste, creed and colour and be truly independent. I really hope we will one day leave behind a land our kids and grand kids will be proud to inherit.

Indians Need an Attitude Change

Found this article where Amit Varma writes

"......... Indians, in general, have never shown much passion for individual rights, looking for ways to bypass the laws that curtailed their freedom instead of questioning the laws themselves. In fact, it has been a default assumption that giving offense is a crime, and every week some group or the other protests something that offends its sensibilities. Protests have sprung up in the last few months against: an art exhibition in Bombay that portrayed sex; the screening of The Da Vinci Code; an actress who said that pre-marital sex was acceptable; and Valentine's Day. As India opens itself up to the world, there is a backlash from traditionalists of different kinds in denial about the changing world, as well as politicians looking to use identity politics to make themselves relevant."


Read the full article here

Being inDifferent is not being Different

Hitler's Cross, now thatz the name of the new restaurant opened in mumbai. In a country where there are so many minorities that the government doesnot have the time to handle any issues for the majority at large but just resolve issues related to offending the minorities, be it the national song or a movie or a slogan and if those were not enough there are a few more controversies like the stupid ISP blockings or the autobiographies provide fodder for good laughs as well.

Recently, Times reports

A new restaurant at Kharghar has been named Hitler's Cross. A huge poster of the Nazi dictator, Adolf Hitler, adorned the inauguration function of the eating house, much to the surprise of the invitees. The signage at the entrance also showed the Swastika encircled by the letter O in Cross. "We are not promoting Hitler. But we want to tell people we are different in the way he was different." But India’s remaining Jews say they are outraged by the gimmick.

"This signifies a severe lack of awareness of the agony of millions of Jews caused by one man," said Jonathan Solomon, chairman of the Indian Jewish Federation, the community’s umbrella organisation.

"We are going to stop this deification of Hitler," he said without elaborating.

I also hear
Israeli consulate officials also indicated that they might take legal action against the restaurant.

How welcoming is that?? Make it more interesting and put up Osama bin Laden too besides it and send him an invitation to come welcome the guests personally, he surely would be delighted, what say??

Now the jewish community in India has been a very silent one, almost to the point that this issue reminds me of their existence. Now was there a need to probe them as well. And I wonder now what would be the Menu at Hitler's Cross be like "Bloody Tomato Soup", "Jewishly roasted Chicken". I am sure they have sent an invitation to Mr Adolf Hitler in his grave. The Red swastik, The word "CROSS" I can see a huge wave of issues following. I guess this is calling to be wipped by the Hitler to get a taste of Hitlers Cross (for being so insensitive and indifferent).

The Enigma called as “India” and “Indians”

Ever since I started traveling abroad, I have become a lot conscious of our Country “India” which seems like an alien land to all the people I meet abroad.

After the initial enthusiasm of representing my country and trying to correct people’s perception about India, I realized it’s a futile job. The discovery channels are running tons & tons of programs, covering a whole larger audience than I can imagine of, at timings when I wont even accept my existence and to people who I cant even dream of. I wish I could meet up with one of these discovery guys and give them a piece of my mind.
OK, now let me tell you why I hate the over-rated discovery channels & its kinds.

An American Colleague, with a lot of curiosity and a twinkle in his eyes once asked me, hey so do you have a elephant at your place?? Ofcourse I said “No”, he was surprised and his next question surprised me “then how do you commute”, wanted to tell him, yes boss, have a flying elephant and thatz how I flew to the US, and he went on to explain how he saw in discovery, people ridding elephants through the roads. What can I say to that??

There was this British guy who wanted to know if snake was a favourite pet in India. It seems discovery screened a program on Nagpanchmi and they saw people offering milk to the snakes. I didn’t want to hear anything after that. I knew never in a hundred words could I make him see an Indians perspective of it.

Arranged Marriages, This is a topic the west loves to ridicule about. Its so much beyond their imagination. I am so tired discussing the Indian marriages with westners on lunch & dinner tables. The westners are generally shocked for words after we describe the procedure ………. He/She might just swear at you with “Holy Crap” & its equivalents. If you are experiencing this for the first time, you might try harder to convince them why it works and it isn’t so bad after all but after listening to their questions for a while you might start wondering about it yourself.

The Korean I once met wanted to know why do Indian women wear a big dot on their forehead. Why do they cover their head always? Are they very shy?? How do you ever explain the red and the black bindis and their significance or the covering of heads? Even if I try, I am sure the Indian accompanying me is going to have a completely different perspective of it. I didn’t want to get into a situation where we 2 Indians are debating the significance of it in the 22 states that we have and have the poor Korean go on his knees for asking.

The most interesting observation was from a colleague in our Japan office was I can understand, people can be Vegetarians and Non-Vegetarians, but Indians can be vegetarians on Monday and non vegetarians on Tuesday and have egg & fish but not meat on Thursday
The guy who accompanied me tried explaining somwar, mangalwar but our Japanese friend remained as puzzled as ever.

After all these, I usually try to avoid discussions on any program screened in India by Discovery or similar channels. What makes it all the more difficult is, what they are describing are facts but not the whole truth. People in India, living in different states will have their own opinions and views about anything ever shown by discovery. You will find most Indians explaining, “In our part of the country ….” Or “In north India ….” Or “the Brahmins in south India …..” and so on.

On a recent visit abroad, one of my colleague’s spouse had an emergency while we were at work. When the ambulance arrived, almost all the Indians who lived in that colony gathered. There were 4-5 families. Until full recovery, these families visited them regularly, got them flowers, cooked and got them food for all 3 times. It was really touching. A French in our office commented, that is really nice, I cant imagine, in the US if I had an another French family staying nearby to get a similar treatment & attention. This happens only with Indians. The Diversity in our land and the willingness to open to different people without loosing our own culture and heritage has made it more charismatic & enigmatic (and more confusing to explain sometimes to people even within India).
India is a subcontinent in its own. When the whole world is listening to English music, watching Hollywood movies, eating burgers and pizzas, India offers the world a set of different variety of music, different set of movies which any Indian will try to watch wherever he is and of course a variety of cuisines. Wish discovery could cover this aspect of the people & country here and leave poverty, elephants & the snakes alone.

India, ofcourse is an Enigma and the people in it are even more so. What you see is not what it is and what it is, u might never see but can experience it.