Yippee Noodles!

I used to wonder if some Indian Brand can give challenge to Maggi (from Swiss Nestle). Now I find Yippee very good. It tastes amazing and unique; noodles do not break at all and everything appears like a winning brand! I think another success from the house of ITC!

Thoughts: Financial Vs Emotional Cheating

A person cheats another one in relationship and yet people don’t judge him or brand him cheater or dishonest. On the other hand if someone cheats another one financially, the person is readily branded cheater or dishonest by society. Is it that society has become so much materialistic? Is it materialism at display in such different treatment of emotional cheating Vs financial cheating?

I think people have not become so much materialistic but they have become skeptic  Even people who are very honest and ethical in personal life, when asked to talk or share opinion about honesty and ethics, may speak negatively or may avoid talking about it, or think of other aspects (e.g. financial as you said), because of skepticism…

So I am in a bus and an old lady is fighting with the conductor, telling that she does not have money to reach the destination but please allow since she has no other means to go. I see the scene but decide not to help the lady with a 20 or 50 rupee note. One person watching this can say that this is materialism’s victory over emotions (since I did not pay and old lady) but actual reason can be different (I doubting whether she was genuinely poor or faking it). Since no one can be sure about others emotions (people fake it most of the time), we ignore giving emotional responses. As a spectator, we can never know who actually cheated in any relationship; it may be that only one side of the coin was visible to us. So we tend to ignore and not judge people by their responses to emotions. On financial matters, it is easy to judge and hence we can call people dishonest easily…

For cheating in general, from personal experiences I see seldom a person cheats another twice financially. One can take legal recourse or break the friendship with that person forever. Now on emotional cheating or personal cheating etc, we never know why the person cheated in the first place. Was it a revenge for some other cheating received? Even if the person cheated, the other person may decide neither to take legal action nor to break off the relationship forever, because of various reasons like dependency or need. So as a society or community or observing individuals, we can seldom be sure what cooked up, what led to what, and even if we are sure that A cheated B, there is high probability that A may not cheat C or D (or us) since each relationship by their nature are unique . Since it is very difficult to judge relationships, in general we don’t call people honest/dishonest by how a particular relationship turns or ends… If one cheated another financially, one, it is easy to prove and be sure about, and second since financial transactions are not really unique like each relationship, we may decide to label a person as a fraud or cheater with confidence…

E.g. a person has piled up credits in his grocery bills. If I am a medical shop owner, I would know that the person is very much likely to default on medical bills also and hence I won’t sell anything to him on credit. But a friend fighting with another friend and being insensitive towards him, does not lead me to also breaking off with him fearing the same to happen with me. I can be cautionary but since his ability to hurt me is also decided by my ability to react, or his actions are guided by other person’s actions, I may not feel threatened. Financial transactions are give OR take. Relationships are give AND take. So both are very different…

Movies and Moments

‘Queen’

The movie ‘Queen’ is a great entertainer, though we went to watch it thinking it to be a ‘family movie’ while it had so many ‘dirty’ segments that we felt let down many times. We had observed that so many people in the theatre had taken their kids and entire families to watch the movies, perhaps under the same impression seeing promos and many of them would have felt embarrassed. Nevertheless it had many touching moments; if I recall some of those:

- Rani (Kangana’s character) was depressed but when she found company of three other guys who had more unfortunate life events behind them, due to relativity she thought her life was not that miserable. It gave her strength to cope up.

- At the very beginning of the movie, its touchiest part came when Vijay told Rani that he could not marry her. Rani’s reaction to this news was a big test for Kangana Ranaut and she came out very impressive in her acting. In fact this movie should be remembered as a great show of acting skills and charisma of Kangana Ranaut. She was very good at it and this may be one of the very few Bollywood mass movies where lead actor is a female.

- Rani left for Paris and Amsterdam all alone and managed it well. But she was fortunate to have come across good people otherwise her adventure could have gone horrid. In that sense, the movie was not leaving a very good message. Though the transformation of Rani from one who obeys always to everyone (her honest statement sums it well: “tell me one person whoever in this world to whom I have not agreed and obeyed always”) to the one who is able to take her own decisions was truly liberating. In this sense, the movie was putting up a very valid case and example.

- Rani’s ultimate rejection of her fiancé and boyfriend Vijay after he tried to come back in her life was on the surface disappointing but I think Vijay deserved it. It was interesting how he was thinking Rani of not being his equal status, while in two weeks Rani had outgrown him. Near the end of the story, Rani was more forward thinking and liberated person than Vijay who was appearing as a boring damp shrub. Another interesting phenomenon was when Vijay got a high paying job how he changed colours yet at his core he had kept his previous philosophies. Rani on the other hand had truly grown up with experiences…

Return to Paradise

I watched this 1998 movie only recently on TV and was immensely touched by it. I read that this is a remake of a French film ‘Force majeure’ released in 1989. Nevertheless I think this movie; its story and all the performances remain one on the best I have ever seen.

Three boys had great fun holidaying in Malaysia and unknowingly did a small mistake of losing a rented bicycle and are caught for keeping drugs (though this part they did not do unknowingly). Two of them return to the US while one remains in the beautiful iland country which appeared like paradise to them and is to be executed for the crime in Islam dominated country. The other two went on with their lives but in a dramatic manner are told about their friend’s situation and given option to share the blame and tolerate tough prison for at least two years in order to save the life of their third colleague. Their reactions, psychology, thought processes and working of the mind is very well captured. It is irony that one of the two who agreed first to take the blame and go to prison backs out first and one who never wanted to, keeps his promise due to his own reasons.

It was also very interesting how the guy they were going to save tells them that he won’t have returned to save his friends, if he was in their place! His faith in God and his disbelief in God’s presence due to painful prison life were also very touching. It was also an irony that the guy hanged for the crime was the ‘best’ person and a good human being and responsible citizen amongst the three.

This is such an excellent movie which touches our soul and no viewer would remain unmoved watching it… 

Happy Holi to everyone!

Happy Holi to everyone!

New Delhi World Book Fair 2014

If you visit Delhi World Book Fair 2014, remember this stall for some interesting titles. My poems are included in two of their books of Hindi poetry, named "Kasturi" and "Pagdandiyan" published in last 2 years.

Movies and moments - Feb’14

Gunday


Watching the promos the movie sounded cool. After watching it I felt happy to have gone to the theatre. Gunday shows passions of friendship between Ranveer and Arjun very well. Action scenes and stunts are also mind blowing. I liked the way Ranveer loved his friend Arjun – even if Arjun would try to hurt him, he kept his cool and looked at opportunity to explain the situation to Arjun and to make things right again. I think he should have somehow made Arjun talk to Priyanka as soon as he came back from Dhanbad, or even a telephone call would have been good. Or as soon as Priyanka made her decision, they should have immediately gone to Dhanbad if feasible. But the whole confusion happened because of communication gap. (misunderstandings due to communication gaps or failure is the single theme running in all the movies for all these years – this has been repeated so much that I wonder why characters from the world of movies don’t learn any lessons!) Anyways…. I can say that after watching Gunday I realized that so far there is no Ranveen Singh movie which I have not liked!

One by Two

We thought this movie would be ‘different’ and it indeed turned out to be. I enjoyed it and the movie was fun. I loved each character in the movie. Abhay Deol’s uncle who was an IPS officer and yet wrote and read out poems in functions is my favourite character. Next comes Abhay’s father who was leading a miserable yet funny life. Then his mother who was all protective and loving, yet not understanding what her son wanted. The concept where two people were missing some common things in life and all that they lacked was connecting of dots, was very interesting.

Chennai Express

Tired of watching typical ‘masala’ Bollywood movies, we had given it a miss when it released in the theatres. I watched it on TV now. For most part of the movie, it was just for ‘time-pass’ but when it came to the end when the story got emotional, it was really good. After spending time together and having done so much adventure, the characters played by SRK and Deepika realize that they were better to remain together. At the least it was common attachment. If I have to travel, I don’t feel like leaving the house. If I travel by train and reach my destination, I don’t feel like leaving the train too! When it happens so with trains and places, definitely it is stronger with people. Though I don’t think SRK and Deepika’s characters were showing much similarities or compatibilities in the movie; they were more like opposite ends of everything; but in that way they were indeed enjoying life better. And having gone through the turmoil together, it is understandable that they did not find courage to go separate ways. As it is said that they couple which goes through tough times together, gets their mutual bond strongest. What is a partnership which has seen only good time and never a bad time? Being untested, it is unreliable… Anyways, coming back to the movie, I also loved SRK near the end of the movie. These days he is not making many movies and hence I had lost touch with him. But even in this movie like many of his others, we find so many qualities and character traits that we can’t remain without liking him. He never meant harm to anyone in the world; he only wanted to go about his ways silently; but the world won’t allow him. Everyone created troubles for him and even though he tried to be nice to others. It was heart warming to see SRK’s role. There was a scene when SRK and Deepika were together feeling helpless and the whole village is against them and snatch them away from each other, it was very a touching scene. Also loved SRK’s dialogues when he speaks for Deepika in front of her father, asking him why he wants to force his opinion and how come he cared nothing for her own personal opinion. Surely, a lot of injustice is done to children by their parents in the name of parental guidance… Overall, full marks to this movie for emotional content. For comedy, I found those overdone, and for action and fight scenes, those were nonsense and ‘bakwas’.

Besharam

In Ranbeer Kapoor’s Besharam, there is a scene where Inspector Chulbul Chautala takes side of Ranbeer and points gun at his wife. His wife asks him if that is what she gets after so many years. Definitely Chulbul Chautala loved his wife Bulbul Chautala; but he was fed up of her ways of inviting corruption and bribery and hence loses his cool and picks up his courage for the first time and points gun at her. From her perspective, it was a very touching moment. May be corruption, money making etc were just her ways to make life some more interesting than it was for them. Also in a later episode when she also dresses up to go with her husband to the gangster’s den, putting it lightly while actual reason touched the foundations of her love for her husband, appeared very touching.

Saw Monorail in Mumbai

We saw Monorail in Mumbai today and felt good about it. In Pune we are waiting for Metro Project to come up, which has been approved. Before that Metro rail in Delhi and Sea Link in Mumbai have been very good big projects. Even in our locality in Pune, two new beautiful Flyovers have been inaugurated now for which construction had started about 1.5 year back. Certainly some good work is being done by govt which is appreciable...

Out in the cold

While we enjoy winter and its chill; there are people who struggle to survive through its every moment. The same divine flame illuminates their souls too; and they were also born with same blood, flesh and bones. It's moments like these when you realize how heaven and hell both are in front of us - some of us have privilege by birth, some by karma, yet there are some others who fight every night in the cold to keep their flame of hope burning...

I read this article and could not stop tears from coming out of my eyes:

http://indianexpress.com/?post_type=article&p=1958916

Shaniwar Wada in Pune

Shaniwar Wada is often the face of promotions for Pune Tourism. It was constructed by Peshwa Baji Rao I of Maratha empire in 1732. 'Shaniwar Wada' literally means 'Saturday Home'. 

In the below picture we can see 'Dilli Darwaja' meaning 'Delhi Gate' since it faces Delhi (North) - as a challenge to the Mughal empire. The steel spikes made in the gates were to discourage elephants from attacking it. 

There were around a thousand people living inside the fort. Teak wood from nearby Junnar forests of Pune was used extensively to make the buildings inside the fort which were exquisitely carved. The highest building inside the fort was seven storied high! 

In 1818 the British won over the fort from Peshwa Bajirao II and in 1828 there was a massive fire in the fort which destroyed all its buildings. People say that the British had set the fort to fire since it stood for Maratha Pride. Today only the foundation of the palace remains inside the fort which has been converted into a garden. We have visited it several times. In the ground adjoining it, Shaniwarwada Kala Mahotsav and lots of cultural festivals are conducted regularly.

Picture (below): Zooming in more to get glimpses of beautiful wall paintings:

(You can click on these pictures to see in bigger sizes)

Picture (below): Another Gate of Shaniwar Wada on the East side:

Picture (below): Glimpse of fountain and garden inside the fort palace:

Picture (below): Family Tree of the great Peshwas displayed inside the fort:

All pictures ©: Rahul

Tendency to collect

Some months back I realized how many things we were storing in our house which we did not need. Anything for which we don’t find immediate utility, we have tendency to keep it somewhere. So I started throwing out all such things. When wife protested, I reminded her that during our childhoods our mothers would store and preserve things because of many valid reasons. They were running large families and hence requirements were varied; they also had multiple kids of different ages with different demands; and were too busy to visit the market so easily to buy small things and even shops those days did not have everything. But these days we have small families and our requirements are fixed, so we need not follow the old pattern. So I threw out lots of things that we did not need; and gave away some things of utility to the baai (maid). Around the same time I watched a show on National Geographic channel on TV telling how American families have often this habit of collecting or hoarding things. It showed families which stored and kept everything in their homes, then bought cupboards to accommodate all those stuffs; and then went on to keep bigger houses to accommodate all those cupboards. Effectively American homes were much bigger than average houses as compared to some other developed nations and impacting their economy severely. The programme anchor made the respondents review their stuff and classify what items were indeed needed and which were never to be needed. They were astonished to find how much garbage they were storing in their house!

This reminds me of a Sanskrit word around which a philosophy in Hinduism and Jainism is built - Aparigraha. I have read about it many times in books and when I read about lives of Rishis and Sanyasis from Ramakrishna order, I can see that all those followed it. Swami Vivekananda also followed it and though it is not named as a concept, it has been integral part of lives of all the great persons in India. When I remember my sage like grandfather I think he was following it all along in his life…

Once again I have realized that a lot of space in our cupboards is occupied by clothes I do not wear and do not plan to wear. So I am starting to give away those items to our baai or poor people around us. It would be great to keep only those things in our house which we truly need. Whether we see it from economic point of view or cultural or psychological, from all angles this concept of aparigraha is worth practicing by us. I think if we inculcate it in our way of life, we shall be much happier and clear-headed than we are without it. Last time when I was cleaning our house of unnecessary stuffs, I discovered several important stuffs which were ‘lost’ amidst the clutter. I had taken it as a great symbolism also – if we discard all that is not needed, we can discover what we truly need. Since life is all about self discovery and realization, how could we think of achieving these if we make all important things lose and hide amongst all unimportant stuffs? 

Importance of father’s role

I think since we are with our mother from early childhood and since we have soul-connect with her, progressively our mutual bonding gets stronger; or at least remains the same. A father on the other hand spends less time with kids largely due to his other responsibilities in the world and also tries to inculcate discipline in the kids in order to make them fit into this world and hence often fathers are not so similarly popular. I know that individually people may find some variations from above theory but I think in general this is the trend. But in the few years after my marriage and responsibilities, I can see a silver lining. If mother is like foundation, father is like walls and roof. Both are equally important.

I think our history; art and literature have been a bit unfair towards fathers and not given them their proper due. For example if a novelist has to show good character traits of some person, one would try to show one’s bonding with mother. In general mothers are shown as doing the right thing or keeping the right opinion while fathers are in a way if not demonised at least shown in bad light more often. Situation is similar in movies and other art forms. In world famous epic of Ramayana, though mother Kaikeyi is shown in very bad light, the story also tells about two other mothers in the same house who were very virtuous and pious. On the other hand, father Dashrath is shown as a weak person who directly or indirectly played into the hands of a woman with ulterior motive and caused much pain to his sons. Here also the mathematical proportion is in favour of mothers and against fathers. Similarly in Mahabharata, blind father Dhritirashtra is shown as a weak king who went on to tolerate atrocities to the virtuous young Pandavas; on the other hand her queen is blameless into whatever was being done by their sons.

I see one reason for such discriminatory treatment is since fathers or males in general don’t show much of emotions while literature and script writers want to demonstrate or elaborate emotions in all relationships and hence they don’t count fathers in as much high regard. Or else the reason may be that since males would be making proportionately more of the readership base, by the law of opposites a writer describing mothers as virtuous would be more successful than the one showing fathers as virtuous. For quite some time in their life, sons have this problem of getting compared with their father’s achievements and hence their relationship towards them is often one of competition for many years; mothers on the other hand are non-competing by virtue of nature and hence are more likely to become an embodiment of all that is good. Whatever be the reason, this historical and literary distortion against fathers needs some balancing act.

Do the poor have self respect?

I had settled inside the shared auto-rickshaw which accommodated 10 people when I noticed an old lady speaking something to a man sitting on the opposite row of seats. The lady had a child in her lap, perhaps her grandchild, and appeared stranger to the man. She asked in a local language which I understood approximately – she was saying that she did not have money to reach her destination and could he offer to pay her fare which would be 5 rupees? The man appeared to ponder for a moment and then nodded in consent. I noticed that other passengers were well dressed and better-offs except the old lady who appeared poor and the man who appeared rugged and not in great shape.

Then the auto-rickshaw started and after a while I noticed that the woman was getting down. Curiously I tried to look if the man was indeed paying her fare. I saw that the man had also gotten down. It appeared that he gave her fare also to the rickshaw driver, but was told that the fare had to be Rs 10 and not Rs 5 each and hence he had to extract another currency note from his pocket. As the lady and the man tended to turn back, I saw something which was difficult to believe. The man kissed the old lady on her cheek while the lady tried to put him away by smiling shyly and saying “na na na” asking him to go away. But the man achieved what he wanted to and by that time I lost them since auto-rickshaw had already moved ahead. Seeing what had happened, I was outraged and felt horrible and also found it pitiful that I was not in a position to do something.

When I recollected the incident, it appeared that the man was drunk. It appears that when the drunken man realized that he had to pay extra and perhaps a substantial amount to help a completely stranger (since he had already committed to pay) he tried to extract some benefit out of the deal by subjecting her to that ordeal. The lady knew that she did not have a choice and tried to run it down. Or else, it might have happened that the man was a habitual offender. As what kind of a man would take a moral high ground of keeping his word (to pay her fare) but still do something outrageous to appear like a thug? May be he would still have subjected that ordeal on the lady no matter if he had to pay Rs 10 extra or not. It is also a possibility that the two knew each other from before and hence the lady did not raise an alarm. Whatever be the reason it is evident that the lady had to suffer since she was poor. That brings me to a difficult question: do the poor have self-respect? The lady in this incident appeared not to be affording some. I had read an author once who argued that the poor people can’t survive maintaining self-respect and hence keep none… What do you think?