Travelogue: Vivekananda Netralaya (Eye Hospital), Muzaffarpur, Bihar

 

Travelogue: Some Pictures from Muzaffarpur, Bihar

 

Clockwise from Top Left: RTO Office Muzaffarpur, Bharat Mata Idol at Bharat Mata Naman Sthal, Sub-Divisional Office (Anumandal Karyalay) Muzaffarpur, Dr. Rajendra Prasad's statue, Rajendra Park Muzaffarpur

Travelogue: Manufacturing Industries in Muzaffarpur, Bihar

 

Travelogue: Pictures from Rural Areas Near Muzaffarpur, Bihar

 

(Top) A water cenal under construction near Muzaffarpur, Bihar. 

(Below) A low lying area outside Muzaffarpur, Bihar 

How Customer Can Gain Instead of the Bank While Using Credit Card

This is a common question among financially savvy consumers. The goal of making profits instead of allowing the bank to do so while using its credit card, in a legal and ethical way, is essentially the strategy of maximizing your value extraction from the card's rewards and benefits while ensuring the bank collects zero revenue from interest or fees on your account.

Banks primarily make money on credit cards through below major sources, and your goal is to eliminate these:

1.  Interest Charges: (Biggest revenue source)

2.  Fees: (Annual fees, late fees, over-limit fees, cash advance fees)

3.  Interchange Fees: (A small percentage fee paid by the merchant on every transaction, which the bank shares a portion of with you as rewards).

Here is the strategic approach for maximizing your benefits (Interchange Fee rebates) while costing the bank revenue from interest and fees:

1. Eliminate ALL Interest Revenue

This is the single most important step to minimize the bank's profit from your account.

Rule: Pay your full statement balance on or before the due date, every single month.

Why it costs the bank: The bank makes the most money from cardholders who carry a balance and pay high APR interest (often 20% or more). By paying in full, you make use of the card's interest-free grace period, and the bank earns zero from this primary revenue stream.

2. Eliminate ALL Fee Revenue

Avoid all unnecessary fees, which are pure profit for the bank.

Rule: Avoid all late payment fees, over-limit fees, cash advance fees, and foreign transaction fees (by using a card that waives them).

Strategic Annual Fee Management:

Choose a No-Annual-Fee Card: The most direct way to eliminate an annual fee is to simply use a card that doesn't charge one.

Offset the Fee: If you use a premium card with a high annual fee (e.g., \$500), ensure the value you get from the perks (e.g., complimentary travel credits, free night certificates, lounge access, statement credits) is significantly greater than the fee. If the card costs you \$500 but gives you \$1,000 in benefits you would have bought anyway, you are extracting value.

3. Maximize Interchange-Funded Rewards

Your rewards (points, miles, cashback) are mostly funded by the interchange fee (a fee the merchant pays to the bank). Your goal is to get a greater share of this fee back as a reward than the bank is typically willing to pay out.

Use Category-Matched Cards: Use the right card for the right purchase. If a card offers 5% back on groceries and 1% on everything else, use it only for groceries. The bank earns a standard interchange fee (usually 1.5% to 3.5%), but they are paying you 5%, making that transaction less profitable for them.

Example: Use Card A for 5% dining, Card B for 3% gas, and Card C for 2% flat-rate everywhere else.

Chase High Sign-Up Bonuses (Safely): Banks offer massive welcome/sign-up bonuses (SUBs) that are often worth hundreds of dollars in value, requiring you to spend a certain amount in the first few months. This is a deliberate loss-leader for the bank.

The Strategy: Time the opening of a new card to coincide with large, pre-planned expenses (taxes, insurance, home repairs) that you can easily pay off immediately, thereby securing the large bonus without overspending or carrying a balance.

4. Redeem Points for Maximum Value

The bank assigns a fixed "cash" value to your points, but often allows you to redeem them for a higher "travel" or "transfer partner" value, creating a higher liability for them.

The Strategy: Look for opportunities to transfer points to airline or hotel loyalty programs (e.g., converting 100,000 credit card points to 150,000 airline miles), where you can redeem them for a premium flight or hotel room that would cost you much more cash.

Example: 50,000 points redeemed for a \$500 statement credit (1 cent/point) is less valuable to you than redeeming them for a First Class flight that sells for \$1,500 (3 cents/point). You are extracting 3x the intended value from the bank's rewards pool.

5. Utilize Free "Coupon Book" Perks

Many premium cards offer statement credits for specific services (e.g., travel, streaming, dining, cabs).

The Strategy: Only use cards whose free perks are for services you already use or were planning to purchase. If you would have paid \$15 for a streaming service anyway, the card giving you a \$15 credit is 100% extracted value from the bank. If you use the perk to buy something you didn't need, you are still losing money.

By paying in full, avoiding fees, strategically using the highest-return cards, and redeeming points for outsized value, you become a "transactor" who is highly profitable for yourself but unprofitable for the bank's traditional business model (which relies on interest and fees).

Note: This article is generated by a free to use AI model.

Travelogue: Patna Airport

 

History: Deaths of Julius Caesar, Cleopatra and Mark Antony

 

Why was Julius Caesar assassinated?

Julius Caesar was assassinated because many Roman senators feared he was becoming too powerful and intended to make himself king, threatening the Republic’s survival.

- By 44 BCE, Julius Caesar had been declared dictator perpetuo (dictator for life), a title that alarmed many in the Senate.

- His accumulation of power—military victories, control over legislation, and bypassing traditional checks—made him appear monarchical, which was deeply offensive to Roman Republican ideals.

- Rome had long rejected kingship since the expulsion of its last king in 509 BCE. Caesar’s actions, including wearing royal robes and accepting honors, triggered fears of tyranny.

- The assassins, including Brutus, Cassius, Decimus, and over 60 senators, believed they were preserving the Republic.

- Many had personal grievances, political ambitions, or ideological commitments to Roman traditions.

- Brutus, in particular, was torn between his loyalty to Caesar and his belief in Republican values. His ancestor had helped overthrow Rome’s last king, making the symbolism even more potent.

- On March 15, 44 BCE (the Ides of March), Caesar was lured to a Senate meeting at the Curia of Pompey. He was stabbed 23 times by the conspirators, including some he considered close allies.

- According to legend, Caesar’s last words were “Et tu, Brute?”—though this is dramatized by Shakespeare and not confirmed historically.

- The conspirators expected to be hailed as heroes, but the Roman public was shocked and outraged.

- Caesar’s death led to civil war, the rise of Octavian (later Augustus), and the end of the Roman Republic.

- Ironically, the assassination intended to save the Republic accelerated its collapse.

- Caesar’s assassination remains one of history’s most famous political murders. It’s a cautionary tale about power, loyalty, and unintended consequences.

Why Mark Antony could not save Julius Ceaser?

Mark Antony could not save Julius Caesar because he was deliberately kept away from the Senate chamber during the assassination, and the conspirators acted swiftly and strategically to prevent any interference.

- On the Ides of March (March 15), 44 BCE, Julius Caesar was lured to the Theatre of Pompey, where the Senate was temporarily meeting. The conspirators—led by Brutus, Cassius, and over 60 senators—had carefully planned the attack.

- Mark Antony, Caesar’s closest ally and co-consul, was deliberately delayed by one of the conspirators, Gaius Trebonius, who engaged him in conversation outside the Senate. This was a tactical move to isolate Caesar and prevent Antony from intervening.

- The conspirators knew Antony was fiercely loyal and physically capable of defending Caesar. By keeping him outside, they neutralized the only immediate threat to their plan.

- The assassination was carried out quickly and brutally, with Caesar stabbed 23 times by multiple senators.

- When Antony learned of Caesar’s death, he fled for his safety, fearing he might be next. However, he quickly regrouped and used his political acumen to turn public opinion against the assassins.

- His funeral oration, famously dramatized by Shakespeare (“Friends, Romans, countrymen…”), was a masterstroke that incited the Roman populace and led to civil unrest.

- Though Antony couldn’t save Caesar in the moment, he avenged his death by forming the Second Triumvirate with Octavian and Lepidus. Together, they defeated the conspirators at the Battle of Philippi in 42 BCE.

What happened to the assassins of Julius Caesar? Were they punished?

Yes, Julius Caesar’s assassins were punished. Most were hunted down and killed during the civil wars that followed his assassination.

- In response to Caesar’s death, his allies—Mark Antony, Octavian (Caesar’s adopted heir), and Lepidus—formed the Second Triumvirate in 43 BCE. They launched a campaign to hunt down Caesar’s killers, using both military force and political purges: Proscriptions were issued—legal death lists targeting enemies of the Triumvirate; many conspirators were declared enemies of the state, stripped of property, and executed.

- Brutus and Cassius fled to the Eastern provinces and raised armies. In 42 BCE, they were defeated by Antony and Octavian at the Battle of Philippi.

- Cassius committed suicide after believing the battle was lost.

- Brutus committed suicide shortly after, ending the leadership of the conspirators.

- Other assassins like Decimus Brutus were captured and executed during the Triumvirate’s campaigns.

What happened to Cleopatra after Julius Caesar’s death?

After Julius Caesar’s assassination in 44 BCE, Cleopatra returned to Egypt, consolidated her power, and later formed a political and romantic alliance with Mark Antony, and ultimately met with her downfall and suicide in 30 BCE.

- Cleopatra had been living in Rome with her son Caesarion, who was Julius Caesar’s child.

- After Caesar’s assassination, Mark Antony ensured Cleopatra’s safety, but fearing political instability and Octavian’s rise (Caesar’s adopted heir), she returned to Egypt.

- She stopped in Cyprus to assert her authority over her siblings, then resumed her rule in Egypt.

- Cleopatra likely poisoned her younger brother Ptolemy XIV, removing him as co-ruler.

- She then declared Caesarion as her co-regent, strengthening her dynastic claim and aligning Egypt with Caesar’s legacy.

- In 41 BCE, Cleopatra met Mark Antony, then a member of the Second Triumvirate. Their relationship became both romantic and political. Cleopatra bore Antony three children and supported his campaigns.

- Together, they ruled much of the Eastern Roman territories and presented themselves as living gods, which alarmed Rome.

- Octavian (later Augustus Caesar) viewed Antony’s alliance with Cleopatra as a threat.

- In 31 BCE, the combined forces of Mark Antony and Cleopatra were defeated at the Battle of Actium. Antony and Cleopatra fled to Egypt, where their power rapidly declined.

- In 30 BCE, after military defeat, Mark Antony’ committed suicide, and then Cleopatra took her own life too, traditionally believed to be by asp bite, though some sources suggest poison.

- Her death marked the end of the Ptolemaic dynasty and the beginning of Roman rule in Egypt.

Sources: 

- [Wikipedia – Assassination of Julius Caesar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Julius_Caesar) 

- [History Skills – Why was Julius Caesar killed?](https://www.historyskills.com/classroom/ancient-history/anc-caesar-s-dictatorship-reading/) 

- [World History Encyclopedia – The Assassination of Julius Caesar](https://www.worldhistory.org/article/803/the-assassination-of-julius-caesar/)

- [Mark Antony - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Antony) 

- [LitCharts: Mark Antony Character Analysis](https://www.litcharts.com/lit/julius-caesar/characters/mark-antony)

- [Wikipedia – Assassination of Julius Caesar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Julius_Caesar) 

- [History Skills – What happened to Caesar’s assassins](https://www.historyskills.com/classroom/ancient-history/julius-caesar-assassin/)

- [Ancient Egypt Online – Cleopatra after Caesar](https://ancientegyptonline.co.uk/cleopatra-aftermath/) 

- [Wikipedia – Death of Cleopatra](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Cleopatra) 

- [Britannica – Cleopatra VII](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Cleopatra-queen-of-Egypt)

Do Banks Earn Money from Net Banking Platform?

 

Have you ever wondered how banks earn, if they do, from your financial transactions on their net banking platform? For example, when we use their net-banking portal to pay bills or transfer money to other bank accounts using NEFT (which is known to be free), do banks earn any money?

I searched the internet sources and while one source gave a simple answer saying net banking is a feature and not a profit center for the banks, further searches told that there is more to the story. 

When you transfer money from Bank #1 (your savings account) to Bank #2 (another of your savings accounts) using NEFT via Bank #1’s NetBanking, Bank #1 does not earn money from your NEFT transaction. NEFT charges (if any) are regulated by the RBI, and banks have made NEFT free for savings account holders, especially after RBI waived processing charges for NEFT/RTGS in 2019. Even Bank #2 (Receiver) does not earn money. The receiving bank is obligated to credit the beneficiary account without charging any fee. The RBI mandates that beneficiaries should not be charged for receiving NEFT/RTGS payments.

So, who might earn (if anyone), from your free NEFT transactions? NPCI or RBI: These institutions operate the NEFT infrastructure and may charge nominal fees to banks, but not to customers.

Why do banks offer free NEFT and online transfers? Even though you don’t pay a fee, banks still have strategic incentives to offer and maintain these services:

1. Customer Retention & Engagement

- Offering free and seamless transfers keeps customers loyal.

- It encourages users to keep their primary banking relationship with that bank, which opens doors for cross-selling: - Credit cards, Loans, Investment products, Insurance, etc.

2. Cost Savings Over Branch Visits

- Digital transactions are far cheaper for banks than handling cash or in-person transactions.

- Encouraging online transfers reduces the load on physical branches and call centers, saving operational costs.

3. Data Monetization & Insights

- Banks gain valuable insights into your spending patterns, preferred merchants, and financial behavior.

- This data helps them: Offer personalized products, Improve risk profiling and target you with relevant offers

4. Float Income (Short-Term Interest)

- Even though NEFT is fast, there can be short settlement windows (especially on weekends or holidays). During this time, banks may earn interest on the funds before they’re credited to the recipient.

5. Regulatory Compliance & Brand Image

- The RBI mandates that NEFT and RTGS be made available 24x7 and encourages zero charges for savings accounts. Offering these services enhances a bank’s reputation and aligns with financial inclusion goals.

6. Indirect Revenue via Partnerships

- Some banks partner with payment gateways or aggregators (like BillDesk, Razorpay) and may earn small commissions on certain types of transactions (e.g., bill payments, recharges).

Bottom Line:

Even if banks don’t earn directly from your NEFT transaction, they benefit indirectly. And they also earn a sum in the form of float income (the interest banks earn on funds that are temporarily in their possession before being credited to the recipient).

- Rahul

Note: This article includes inputs from AI model.

 

Why Airtel DTH is Better Than Tata Play

 

Last year, I was forced to switch to Airtel DTH and give up my Tata Play connection. I was quite happy with my Tata Play (earlier, Tata Sky) connection and used to consider myself their loyal customer. I kept delaying switching to Airtel for more than a year and when I switched to it, I did not hope for any better service. But I was shocked to find Airtel much better than Tata Play!

The very first thing I noticed with Airtel DTH’s set up box was that if I switched off my TV/DTH, or if power cut happens, and DTH is back after a while, the TV started from the channel I was watching last! It was a great convenience and I liked it. It was only the beginning.

I noticed that the picture quality was much better on Airtel as compared to Tata DTH, although I discounted this by thinking perhaps because its machine was new for my TV.

The next great, or perhaps the greatest advantage I found with Airtel DTH was that it did not charge “extra” fee for HD channels. Tata Play/Sky used to charge a fixed monthly fee (perhaps Rs 150) just to watch any HD channel, even if only one. HD channels are costlier than SD channels anyway, and I did not understand why they needed to charge fixed monthly fee merely to enable HD quality. Airtel does not charge anything extra, and I am free to choose any number of HD channels along with other SD channels. The price difference between SD and HD channels is also very low, mostly Rs 5, for each channel. And this has enabled me to subscribe to many HD channels in my ala-carte list, and it greatly enhanced my TV viewing experience.

To summarize, I like Airtel DTH much more than my previous Tata Play DTH and I recommend Airtel DTH highly to everyone.

- Rahul

The Subversive User: How to Leverage a Social Media Platform While Actively Devaluing Its Influence

 

People often experience a dilemma regarding social media engagement. While they may harbour an aversion to social media platforms and acknowledge the documented negative impact on mental well-being, they remain reliant on them to access essential or unique content. Simultaneously, a strong desire exists to disrupt or fundamentally change the pervasive influence of social media. This article explores strategies to navigate this conflicted landscape, examining methods for utilizing platforms selectively while actively working to undermine their detrimental effects. We will present actionable insights to guide this approach.

Based on the information about how social media platforms generate revenue, you can choose to take actions that are within the bounds of a normal user's rights and the platform's standard functionality that would naturally reduce the value you bring to the platform's business model.

The social media platform's primary sources of revenue and value are:

1.  Advertising: Which depends on user engagement, viewable content, and ad clicks.

2.  Data Licensing: Which depends on the volume and quality of user-generated content (posts, likes, etc.).

3.  Subscriptions (Premium level/Badges): Which depends on paying users.

If your goal is to reduce your contribution to its resources or value, you could consider the following steps, which are simply ways to disengage or reduce your activity:

1. Reduce Ad Revenue Impact

a) Log out or use the platform less frequently: This directly reduces the number of ads you are exposed to and the ad impressions the social media platform can report.

b) Avoid clicking on any advertisements: Ad revenue is generated primarily when users engage with the ads.

c) Do not use the platform to follow links to other websites: The platform tracks which links drive traffic from their platform, which is a valuable metric for advertisers.

d) Use an ad-blocker (if your browser allows): This prevents ads from loading, reducing the platform's ability to show you advertisements.

2. Reduce Data and Content Value 

a) Stop posting new content: Posts, images, and videos are the "data" that social media platform licenses to researchers and businesses for trend analysis and AI training. Stopping your posts ends this contribution.

b) Delete your old posts/content: A social media platform’s content moderation and data licensing efforts may involve processing this older content. Deleting it removes that data.

c) Disable data sharing for AI: Go into your account settings and look for options related to sharing your data, especially for AI or machine learning purposes. Disabling this setting removes your content from use in training the social media platform's AI models.

d) Stop engaging with others' content: Liking, reposting, and replying are all "signals" that feed the platform's algorithm and provide valuable data on user interests and network connections. Stop using these features.

3. Consider Account Deactivation

The most definitive way to eliminate your drain on resources (i.e., server costs for your data/account) and your value to the company is to deactivate your account.

a) This removes your past and future content from the active data pool (though it usually takes about 30 days for full deactivation).

b) It eliminates you from their active user metrics, which are a critical measure of the platform's health for advertisers and investors.

Ultimately, a company's overall profitability is driven by its large user base, advertisers, and data consumers. An individual user's actions will only affect the profitability of the company in a negligible way, but consistently choosing non-engagement methods is the only way for you to ensure that your own presence on the platform does not contribute to its success.

- 

Disclosure: This article was developed with the assistance of an AI model.

 

The Not-So-Secret Sadness of Times of India

 

I happened to catch up with Times of India print newspaper on Diwali day. I thought to give its edit page a full read, since I was at leisure. I was shocked to see a disturbing pattern on its edit page. I shall describe why I say this.

The first piece of editorial on the left was titled “For A Happier Diwali”, giving away hint as if Diwali was not already happy enough. Its subtitle said, “Tinkering with IT and GST rates is paying off, but won’t push GDP into higher orbit without deeper reforms”. Fair enough. But why call the income tax and GST “reforms” as mere “tinkering”? And what an occasion to worry about GDP growth: Diwali? It is a known fact that the festive season gives big boost to the nation’s GDP! The following paragraphs did not point at any direction but just filled up the lines, and it ended with, “…needs doing to make next Diwali even brighter and happier.” Once again, the piece gave the feeling as if “this Diwali” is not bright and happy enough.

The second edit was titled, “Burning Question” (again a negative one) and talked about the incident in a pub in Bangalore where a woman suffered burn injury from a drink set on fire by a staff for amusement. The edit piece said that “hospitals in India are equipped to handle burn cases because of high incidents of bride burning”; how sick and twisted is the editor of Times of India!

The last piece, which is supposed to be a funny one, was written by a man with last name “Abraham” who made fun of Diwali sweets, calling India a diabetes capital of the world and discouraging people from eating sweets on Diwali and other festivals around this time of the year! What a “funny” occasion to bring such a piece on print: Diwali day.

The top most article by a guest, which is supposed to be most intellectual and best feature on the page, was titled, “Mumbai and Secret Sadness of Diwali”. Sadness of Diwali? The article basically said that Diwali in a big city like Mumbai has become defunct. This was clearly part of the “pattern”.

Second article in the middle basically asserted that Malayalam Film Industry was much better than Hindi Film Industry Bollywood. Again a “negative theme”, but at least it did not take direct potshots at Diwali.

Below that, the page brought “Calvin and Hobbes” cartoon, showing a “car accident”. Ok.

The bottom piece was under section “The Speaking Tree” and I had high hopes that at least this piece on spiritualism would speak something positive about Diwali. But the article started with a quote from “Jalaluddin Rumi”, a Muslim mystic, and second para spoke about “Shakeel Badayuni”. Third paragraph started with “Urdu poet Niyaz Sherwani”. Fourth paragraph spoke about “There is a beautiful word for Deepawali in Persian”. The fourth paragraph started with line saying, “No festival is Hindu, Christian or Muslim.”. What? Next line said, “The festive spirit and ethos can never be confined to the narrow walls of religion”. I could not tolerate this nonsense any longer.

I am not a regular reader of ‘Times of India’ newspaper, and I wonder what sickness its editor is suffering from! On the day of Diwali, the biggest Hindu festival of a year, why is TOI edit page full of negative, sarcastic, defamatory and dehumanising content?

What do you think?

- Rahul

The hills that we climb (and do not realise)

When I was working at Infosys, there was a mountain (hill, to be precise) right beside the office campus. In fact, this whole area is hilly, and approx. half of the campus was clearly right up the hill. While catching office buses from the bus bay (during initial days I used to take bus for many months), we could be standing right at the bottom of the hill. The hill changed colour across the seasons. It turned green in rainy season, brown in the summer, and at one time, perhaps in autumn they used to burn down all the grass in a controlled manner and I could see the whole mountain burning right in front of my eyes. All these things I never imagined in my childhood that I would see, since I was born and brought up in the Himalayan plains where mountains were not always visible (except some rainy mornings, when we could see the Himalayas due to perfect air quality).

In my current job at another IT company, we have a cafeteria which has sitting arrangement in the open on the second floor, with a clear view of a big mountain. I guess the mountain is at only 3-4 kilometres from our office. While having coffee this morning in the cafeteria, I could see lot of birds in the sky, but those were coming from the direction of the mountain towards our office building or general population. There are lot of trees in the area, perhaps those birds had gone towards the mountain for gathering food during the day, and in the evening, they were all returning to the trees near the human habitat.

While having breakfast in the open cafeteria, sparrows and crows regularly visit and eat poha and other food items leftover either on the tables or from the discarded plates kept near the bin. I remember, even at Infosys, we used to have sparrows frequently running in the foot courts, having easy food. No need to go to the fields to collect grains or worms; just have cooked delicious (and cholesterol filled) food right from humans’ plates.

I also noticed that most of the birds which were returning from the mountains, were couples. We all know how birds live together as a couple all the time. It must be in their genes.

Finally, this evening, I realized that I have been living near the hills and the mountains for so many years now. If I go just half an hour from home, I can see big mountains, along with springs and rivers. In childhood we used to make drawings of mountains, rivers and springs. Especially those who live on the plains, we do not see mountains that often.

One interesting thing about life is that we forget what we got while we keep chasing what we want. Life is a mirage, and I remind myself very often not to chase it and not be part of the rat race.

It is much better to be content inside than flashy outside.

I wonder how the birds feel while they are flying in the sky or having food from humans’ plates in the food court, or while returning from the mountains along with their spouse, or while sitting idle on a tree. Is it a mix of happiness, thrill, fear, insecurity, boredom, like humans do, or is it something which humans have no idea about.

That, perhaps, I shall never come to know. But I shall try.

- Rahul

  

Depiction of Mob Violence in Media

 

Lack of sensitiveness in media is going from bad to worse. With CCTV cameras installed everywhere these days, there has been an explosion in availability of crime and accident videos. Such videos started filling social media first, then digital news, and finally TV news. These media houses do not even blur the images most of the time and do not even post a trigger warning – they just show the accident or crime video as if they are helping the humanity by their insensitive act.

Yesterday, a politician was attacked in Bengal and TV media kept showing his videos with huge amount of blood dripping from his face. Another poor man was lynched by a mob in UP and the internet and TV media showed his face at the crime scene. As I saw his face in picture, I became affected by it, with heart filled with pain and grief. Should I blame myself or the insensitive media for it?

The closest I have witnessed a mob action is when I saw a huge gathering near our village chowk where people were beating up a man. I asked what that was about and got to know that the man was caught red-handed stealing a “bicycle” and hence people were beating him up. I saw the man and he clearly looked drunk. People were hitting his head with their hands, boys were laughing and taking turns hitting him with fists, their faces beaming with pride, as if they were earning some kind of punya. Is that how it feels: beat up a weak unarmed man and feel you are the saviour of humanity? The scene was sickening. I remember the drunk man was neither crying nor shouting for help, but just moved in slow motion, as if in a hangover. Next day, there was no such news in any newspaper, which meant the man had survived the assault.

On one hand, our society is filled with blood thirsty parasitic mobs and on the other hand we have this media which has become their ‘cheerleader’ by showing their action in pictures and videos. No one cares anything about being sensible and caring about how some people can get affected by their content.

At its best, the society is becoming more like a fool’s paradise. In a fool’s world, perhaps we need to be a fool too, to thrive. Or may be a little drunk, like the guy who allegedly stole a bicycle from the roadside.

- Rahul