Spectrum

A Strategic Partner Above Moral Grounds by Simi Sunny

2010-11-23T12:33:00.000-08:00

After two long decades of a repressive military regime, Myanmar took the road to democracy with the November 7^th elections. The validity of the election results are already considered dubious with the junta-backed USDP declared the winners garnering 76.5% of the votes. Many were skeptical of the election process from the beginning itself because of the ban on many of the important parties like NLD (National league for Democracy) headed by Aung San Suu Kyi and parties representing ethnic minorities but still the formation of parliament after 22 years is being looked up by most of the world as a move towards reform. Even the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, who was under house arrest for more than fifteen years, on November 13^th was welcomed by the world especially the West. This isolated nation has been an interesting facet of south East Asian politics. Myanmar has had one of the most repressive and abusive regimes in the world and constantly faced scrutiny for gross human right violations since years. Despite so it has got a varied response in the international policy from the world nations.

The U.S has been one of the biggest critiques of the policies of the nation since the military coup of 1962. It has till recently followed a policy of complete non engagement and imposed sanctions on the country time and again. It was under the pressure of U.S and United Kingdom that the Myanmar issue was first taken up in the Security Council of the United Nations for the first time in 1995. Myanmar’s nuclear programme with the support of Russia has also been one the contentious issues between the two nations. Concerns were also raised about high prevalence of drug trafficking in the country. Thus U.S and Europe has had a history of strained relation with Myanmar and always urged a move towards Democracy and release of the political prisoners.

But the failure in this regard has been the full commercial engagement of two of the biggest nations in Asia- China and India. China has been an ally of the junta regime since 1988 due to its strategic significance. Myanmar not only provided China the much needed trading outlet to the Indian Ocean but also was large resource of oil and natural gas. It was of vital military importance safeguarding the trade routes and could also act as a check on India’s growing influence in the region. Around 1993 India in its effort to counter the growing alliance between the two countries revaluated its pro-democracy stance to enter into several bilateral trade agreements and state visits by heads of the state. Since then India has built major roads, highways, ports and pipelines in the region to increase its influence in Indo-China peninsula.

There have been many critics of the policies of both China and India for ignoring its moral responsibility for its trade profits, the most recent one being President Obama who condemned India for remaining silent in face of violent suppression of the democratic movements in Myanmar.

China

has come under immense pressure from both the ASEAN and the UN to encourage a democratic government in the country. But both the countries have continued to ignore them. Myanmar has been ravaged by mass killings and brutal economic policies of the junta recording the worst GDP rate. Sanctions have failed to make an impact and India and China’s crude economic and political cooperation makes it even more difficult for the people of Myanmar to see the light of a peaceful regime.

Saare Jahaan Se Achcha by Ramya Patnaik

2010-11-23T12:22:00.000-08:00

A Manipur Protest

What is it about men who see fit to poke a barrel into young chests without apparent emotion, and with this single act, alienating them from the democratic process, inflicting anguish and injustice? More importantly, what keeps those who claim to understand the situation fully well from diluting the quagmire with real solutions and not blinkered laws? An India that never falters to raise allegations of cross-border terrorism and undemocratic functioning at a neighbouring country becomes the proverbial ostrich, ducking its head into voluntary ignorance, hoping its own grave domestic problem will just go away.

The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act has become a dirty word in media speak. No longer is its futility shrouded by the official line on perceived perpetual security threats in the North East and Jammu and Kashmir. Yet, the process of ironing out the security concerns in order to do away with the Act and put into place a semblance of normal life has few takers in the government or public discourse. The issue has largely been relegated to some episodes of archival or documentary material on the evening news or boxed items on an obscure page of the ‘National’ section. Thus, it isn’t rocket science to guess that an average Joe wouldn’t be able to make sense of the bulk of antecedents to the issue.

The story of AFSPA takes on a double trajectory in two regions of the country synonymous with civil conflict and governance anomalies. Introduced in September 1958 to the “disturbed areas” of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura, it was later extended to Jammu and Kashmir in July 1990. In its alacrity to quell insurgent voices, the Indian government has blurred its ability to discern between what can be termed as a ‘national threat’ and what simply an exercise of basic free speech is. One does not seek to dissect the ideological stand of various separatist groups in both parts of the country with as much gusto as making an appeal in the name of those caught in the crossfire. Granted, the crushing squalor of a few thousand mothers or the existentialist angst of young blood may seem paltry pitted against the billions worth of trade and infrastructure development; but as children, we are taught the vitality of dealing with problems head on, instead of sitting on them to exacerbate them irreparably.

Irom Sharmila

The watermark of Gandhi is the most circulated image in the country. But are his values hollow and uninteresting to a nation that never knew him beyond school exams? Was textbook Satyagraha never the pivot of our freedom movement? Irom Sharmila Chanu was 28 when she realized what never hits many of us in an entire lifetime- that resolution to act doesn’t have a doctrine or an ideology discrete from righteousness. Her unparalleled 10 year-long fast would put Mr. Gandhi to shame but it doesn’t seem to move Delhi at all. It all boils down to this one simple fact- how would one feel if ones colony or city or state was under constant surveillance? Wouldn’t it pinch to be stopped and checked at every turning? Wouldn’t the occurrence of all this on an everyday basis frustrate one to the point of madness? Why is it then, so difficult for those in power to realise that the prolonged imposition of this Act or at least certain sections of it breeds further unrest? The unbridled rage and anguish of the 30 women who protested in front of the Assam Rifles Headquarters with banners of “Indian Army rape us too” after Manorama Devi’s raped and tortured body was found in a ditch is nowhere near being appeased. If security concerns are to be met, those in power need to separate it from civil life in a permanent and non-interfering manner. The people have cried themselves hoarse for long enough. If another security ‘concern’ takes shape in the near future, the answer to whose fault it is wouldn’t be difficult to answer.

The Naxalite Movement In India by Angira Chaudhury

2010-11-23T12:12:00.000-08:00

[Reuters/UNI photo]

The recent violent killings of hundreds of people including large number of security forces by Naxal troops in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Maharashtra etc. have drawn the attention of the Indian media which has highlighted these events as acts of ‘terrorism’. However, a section of intellectuals and human right workers, most notably, Arundhati Roy has differed from such opinion. In my opinion, terrorism may have individual following but it has no mass base. Naxalism is quite different from terrorism as it has ideological mass base in many areas of the country. The genesis of ‘Naxalism’ is very interesting. It is a product of long ranging ideological differences within the Indian communist movement.

The Communist International (Comintern) was set up by Lenin in 1919, just after the October Revolution of 1917. The main aim of Comintern was determined to expand communist ideology and help establish communist parties wherever they did not exist. In this way Comintern also talked of International revolution. Lenin, aware of possible violent ideological thinking in the International communist movement wrote the famous book titled ‘Left Wing Communism: An Infantile Disorder’, cautioning communist leaders who believed in armed revolution.

However, there were always two currents in the Indian Communist Movement. The success of China’s communist revolution in 1949 after the Second World War had a deep impact on Indian Communist leaders. A section of the Movement started believing that an Indian revolution would be successful through armed struggle, as seen in China. Due to ideological differences of left and right, The Communist Party of India split in 1964 leading to the formation of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI (M).

When left front formed the coalition government in West Bengal in 1967, the ideological differences became very sharp within CPI (M). Incidentally, around the same time a tribal youth named Bimal was attacked by his landlord and his hoodlums as he tried to till his land after getting a judicial order for the same in Naxalbari, West Bengal. The local leaders of CPI (M) like Charu Majumdar, Kanu Sanyal and Khokan Majumdar etc., took out a procession in protest of the landlord’s actions on 25^th May 1967. The gathering of mostly tribal people was attacked by the police, initially killing 7 woman and two children. The event marked the beginning of the Naxalite movement.

The aforementioned local leaders of Siligudi came out with slogans of capturing state power through armed struggle. For this purpose, Charu Majumdar and Kanu Sanyal pledged to follow techniques of Guerilla warfare. Such was the popularity of the slogans that the Chinese media highlighted them too. This is how the ideology of armed struggle found a new base in West Bengal.

The movement spread towards Debra- Gopiballabhpur area of Midnapore district of Bengal and Mushari area of Bihar. Considering growing ideological base Charu Majumdar with the help of other local leaders of CPI (M) formed an organization known as All India Coordination Committee of Communist Revolutionaries.

Soon this movement found its base in the Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh. As a result Charu Majumdar and his followers decided to form a political party to lead armed revolution in India. In 1969, the anniversary of Lenin’s birthday, a new party was formed named Communist Party of India Marxist/ Leninist in Kolkata. After the formation of CPI (ML) Charu Majumdar provided a slogan to boycott elections in 1969. He also called for a cultural revolution calling students to boycott the capitalist education system and burning libraries and laboratories; also dismantling the statues of national leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhash Chandra Bose etc.

In the matters of foreign policy Naxalite leaders emulated Chinese foreign policy in declaring the Soviet Union as a social imperialist nation. They also came out with a slogan ‘China’s chairman is our chairman’. Charu Majumdar also provided a slogan of individual annihilation of the class enemy. Individual killings would later become a rampant feature of the Naxalite Movement.

It is interesting to note that the movement has seen numerous splits throughout its history. In spite of all these weaknesses Naxalite groups have succeeded in spreading their mass base in different tribal areas of the country like Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Telangana and Orissa. At present, most of their activities are concentrated on killing central police and other security personnel. They have also adopted a policy of holding people for ransom. In this way their leadership has been converted into different groups of bandits.

Ashim Chatterjee, one of the leading figures of the bloody Naxalite revolt of the late 1960s, spoke to prokeralanews.com in April 2010 criticizing the present lot of Maoists, for only relying on arms and operating from the jungles by ignoring people and the doctrine of class struggle.

"Firstly, the conditions which set the stage for a revolutionary movement are absent in India. Secondly, these Maoists have not cared to build up class struggle. And when you fight against the state without caring to build up class struggle, it amounts to social terrorism. The blood that is being shed is meaningless," he said.

Their original ideologies have been lost in the wilderness; this is why voices from many corners are being raised to treat Naxalism as on par with terrorism. However, there is another opinion that the Naxalites have spread their mass base in areas where particularly tribal people suffer from lack of land reform, education and employment. Therefore, in dealing with the issue, the various individual causes and contextual details of the Naxalite revolution must be taken into consideration.

BJP’s Pendulum Policy: Moderate Government; Extremist Opposition by Angira Chaudhury

2010-11-23T11:58:00.000-08:00

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) draws elements of its political philosophy from the erstwhile Bharatiya Jana Sangh. RSS (Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh), a cultural organization with common roots, has undeniably acquired a reputation for indulging communalism in mainstream Indian politics, for the realization of their ultimate ideology- cultural nationalism. The position of the BJP on such behavior has never really been critical. In practice, the party hasn’t held back from doing the same and has been criticized on occasions for its communal vote-bank politics.

Initially, the BJP was a party that followed a broader ideological path than the Jana Sangh. It is unique to note that in the 1984 Lok Sabha elections BJP could win only 2 seats in the Parliament with its ideology of Gandhian socialism. However, the Shah Bano Case of 1985 and the Faizabad district court order regarding the unlocking of Babri Masjid premises of 1986 marked a shift in ideology for the BJP. The issue of ‘Ram Janmabhoomi’ was raised on a mass scale. L.K.Advani, the leader of BJP, launched many so-called ‘Rath Yatras’ from Somnath and travelled throughout north India, communalizing the atmosphere on religious line. As a result, ‘kar sevaks’ identified as members of RSS and BJP along with its satellite organizations like Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal demolished the Babri Masjid on 6^th December 1992 leading to widespread communal disharmony across parts of the country.

The demolition of the Babri Mosque polarized people on religious line. India had never seen such a division among the people after independence since Partition. BJP began to instigate people in the name of Hindutva to get political support in the elections. As a result, in due course of time BJP captured power in many states of north India like U.P., Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra etc. Its growing strength forced many regional parties to join its front which brought BJP to power at the centre in 1998.

When Atal Behari Vajpayee became Prime Minister of India, BJP adopted a dual policy. Since a combination of about two dozen parties had brought BJP in power, it became a moderate party leaving all controversial issues aside like building of Ram Temple in Ayodhya and abolition of Article 370 which provided special status to Jammu and Kashmir etc. However, in which ever state BJP had captured power on its own it began to follow a hard-line Hindutva policy based on intimidating minorities like Muslims and Christians. Its most dangerous example can be found in Gujarat where Narendra Modi became a symbol of hard-line Hindutva after the 2002 Godhra Riots. It was typical of BJP to project Vajpayee as a true secularist and liberal politician with the political capability of integrating ideologically heterogeneous political forces while encouraging Narendra Modi as a lion of Hindutva forces at the same time. Thus Modi became the true ideologue of RSS.

RSS and BJP claim that they believe in cultural nationalism. In this context it is interesting to note that analyzing post Godhra riots situation in Gujarat, Ashok Singhal the International President of the VHP openly spoke to the effect that people who described it as a riot were mistaken, and the actions of the kar sevaks were spontaneous expressions of cultural nationalism in the true sense.

When BJP lost power at the centre in the Lok Sabha elections 2004 its real dual character emerged. BJP disrupted parliament sessions on many a minor occasion. It tried to combine religious issue with political demand. Another example is the party’s agitation over the Amarnath Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir. It also launched violent protests over the Rameswaram Shipping Project in Tamil Nadu, based on the mythical belief that Lord Rama had built a bridge over the sea, linking India to Sri Lanka on the same spot. The focus of these protests was the matter of people’s ‘astha’ (faith), which cannot be destroyed. In the name of ‘astha’ BJP has tried to foil the basic concept of Indian constitution on numerous occasions.

It will be interesting to watch BJP in the coming days, leading up to the Ayodhya verdict by the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court. RSS/ VHP supporting outfits have already started recruiting cadres for the so-called ‘Ram Sena’ in parts of the country. All these activities indicate that whatever may be its response, the BJP is definitely expected to be in the eye of the storm.

Structure of Success by Tarini Bakshi

2010-11-23T06:52:00.000-08:00

The now iconic Hands installation

During the British era, Indian competency and inventiveness was in a deplorable state as it was looked upon with suspicion and was highly despised. After they relinquished their command, India was left to tumble in the slough of despond characterised by lack of dynamism and self esteem. However today we claim India to be ‘dynamic’ and ‘self confident’. But if we look closely we see India veering blindly without any constraint towards total globalisation and westernisation.

In today s era of open economic borders, there is a sense of ‘dependency’ that we seem to possess. The Indian mentality somehow remains convinced and complacent about the fact that we are incapable of producing anything of real value without foreign dilution. The swanky new terminal 3 at the Indira Gandhi International Airport cited as the 8^th largest in the world, comes loaded with enthralling characteristics. However behind its entire mind –boggling details lies an important fact that Terminal 3 is not wholly an Indian brainchild. The terminal 3 though built in Delhi was designed by American architects and managed by MGF, a Dubai based consortium. It uses tempered glass, a steel frame and aluminium cladding-all shipped from abroad. The Terminal 3 is definitely world class as it is built and conceived by literally the whole world.

The whole country is in awe of the various spectacular venues of the Commonwealth games. However they reveal a similar story. The enrapturing indoor stadium for badminton and squash has been designed by a renowned Australian architecture firm-Peddlethorp. The designs for Thyagraj stadium, the rugby sevens venue at Delhi University and the Yamuna sports complex are conceptualised by Peddlethorp as well. The JNU stadium has been given a facelift by a German engineering firm –Schlaich Bergermann and Partners. India proudly boasts of metro connectivity in its capital city, however, each coach of the metro has been imported from South Korea.

All new projects that aim to adorn Indian image and set new international standards are a manifestation of the aforementioned point of dependency. The Commonwealth games stadiums, the metro, Terminal 3- do depict India’s best architectural foot and are stunning examples of contemporary architectural vocabulary, however they remain diluted as they are results of foreign implants. The only question that remains unanswered is –where is the home-grown talent, Indian wisdom and pride?

The Second Judiciary?? by Simi Sunny

2010-11-23T06:45:00.000-08:00

Last summer when the Aarushi Talwar twin murders took place, the whole nation was glued to the news channels. As the drama unfolded, the media and the police transcended even the possible scope of imagination to guess the culprit and introduced their own conspiracy theories. They reported everything from the family’s life style, Aarushi’s habits, to her relationship with her friends. The channels went berserk with the coverage of the case. TRPs sky-rocketed, for it provided all the masala of a saas-bahu soap. The most interesting part was the conspiracy theories of each channel. The state of the marriages of Talwars and Durranis became ‘breaking news’. The media did not even spare the victim and spun stories of a relationship between Aarushi and the servant, Hemraj. The case became disturbing example of to what extent a sensation hungry media can go to cater to the people’s thirst for voyeurism and curiosity. The recent Ruchika Girhotra molestation case was another example of media’s growing obsession with revealing the truth. SP Rathore’s images flashed across channels portraying him as the dangerous devil.

The media has for years gloated over its role in the Jessica Lall and the Priyadarshini Mattoo case. Media activism was indeed the reason for the justice being delivered in these cases. It was the support of the media which turned the tide especially when the suspects belonged to influential families like the son of a former cabinet member and a police officer respectively. The media exposed the lapses in the prosecution and influenced the public to rise up against the court’s decision.

The trial by media has begun a tug of war between two conflicting principles –free press and the free trial. The phenomenon has created a gulf between the two leading public institutions-the media and the judiciary. According to the 17^th Law Commission there are certain restrictions placed on the Freedom of Press granted by Article 19(1)a. It states that material which has a prejudicial impact on the suspects, accused, witnesses and even judges and in general the administration of justice should not be allowed to be published. Such a report can tend to influence or pressurize the judge in delivering prejudiced judgment. It also tends to hurt the position of both the defense and the prosecution.

Implications of a media trial were most obvious in the Noida twin murder case. As Dr.Talwar walked out of the Dasna Jail media realized it had indeed gone overboard with allegations and ended up apologizing for character assassination and defamation. Media which hails judicial activism seeks exemption when it comes to them. It takes up the role of the prosecutor and passes the verdict with such a propaganda-like zeal that the confused nation which listens to every twist and turn accepts it as the ultimate truth. We don’t even try to question the position taken by the media just to be part of the righteous public. Television coverage today raises doubts about the right of an accused to dodge the stigma of conviction even before the trial. It serves what interests the public and not what is public interest.

The media has a responsibility towards the society and it needs to ensure that punishment is delivered to the culprits and the innocents acquitted. But in the rush for business profits and high TRPs, it has failed to rein in its frenzied and irresponsible reporting. It’s time the media accept accountability in its reporting and abide by the ethics of journalism.

The Social Network by Akanksha Narain

2010-11-23T06:42:00.000-08:00

Gone are the good old days of letters and pen pals, thanks to the numerous social networking sites cropping up. Status updates, photo comments, wall posts and tags- that’s how the Gen Y does it. The internet has created a new rage of networking and connecting with the world around us.

Every passing day seems to back Marshall McLuhan’s claim that the media would make the world a ‘Global Village’, sites like Facebook being primary examples. Children as young as 5 years old are well versed with the activities that social networking entail- from liking posts to uploading photographs.

Social networking inevitably has returned to the spotlight as an issue of contention with the recent release of “The Social Network” – a film that explores the life and success of shrewd and prodigious Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg, played by Jesse Eisenberg. The question inevitably raised in a discussion of this sort is that with the advent of sites like Facebook are we venturing into deep waters? On such sites we unknowingly drop our guard, putting up rather personal information and photographs for the world to see. We put up photographs of ourselves holidaying in Goa while burglars happily see this and rob our houses. How difficult is it to plan a robbery when we ourselves inform the world when it is that we will be returning home?

With the explosion of the phenomenon of the internet, parents began to express extreme worries about their children accessing questionable chat sites and giving out information to strangers who might take advantage of it. We all have heard of numerous cases of kidnappings and children running away with strangers they met on such sites. Social networking sites have definitely aggravated this situation. The recent rape case in Delhi, where the victim met the culprit on Facebook is a fine example.

On such sites we not only expose too much information that could be misused by unsocial elements but also information that could cost us our jobs and marriages. Thanks to Facebook bosses now know that whether you were really unwell or were actually partying with your friends, all thanks to your status updates! Moreover, thanks to social networking sites all your claims of being a teetotaller are quashed. Before marrying anyone parents and the to-be groom/bride go through your profile and pictures to know what sort of a person you really are.

So the next time you go on Facebook set up your security setting and make sure that you do not put information that could be misused by people.

Empowerment of Women- Is It A Mere Slogan? by Akanksha Narain

2010-11-23T06:37:00.000-08:00

Pick up any Newspaper, switch on any Television Channel and what do we find? Incidents of Female foeticide, bride burning, dowry deaths and even Sati still being practiced. We need to hang our heads in shame as women who constitute nearly half the population in our country are not treated as equal. Though the Indian Constitution confers equal rights and opportunities for all, irrespective of gender, in reality it is not so. To provide dignity to its women folk, a mere legislature is not required. What is required is to educate women and thus empower them.

Our vision of India emerging as a Global Superpower can only be realized when its women who constitute nearly 50 % of its population are involved in issues of growth and development. Equality and respect to women is deep rooted in our ancient culture. In Indian mythology whereas the male Trinity - Vishnu, Brahma and Shiva are credited with the genesis of ancient civilization, the female energy- Durga is worshipped as the destroyer of evil, Laxmi as the goddess of wealth and Saraswati as the giver of knowledge and all creative forms.This should not be so in the cosmic frame, but also within each of us. As women, each one of us needs to recognize our own intense creative energy. Somewhere over the centuries, the status and glory attributed to women has become hazy.

So wake up! We ought to treat women at par with men. Only then can we say with pride that India is a democracy. Then only will our vision to be a superpower be fulfilled.

Should Religion Govern Us? by Akanksha Narain

2010-11-23T06:30:00.000-08:00

The Times of India on July 16 had a very interesting story about a gay penguin couple, Harry and Pepper. The story described how the two had broken up after a five-year long relationship! The two loving creatures would take abandoned penguin chicks under their care. While surfing through blogs, I found numerous posts sympathizing with the penguin couple. It left me wondering why we can sympathize with gay penguins but mock homosexual humans?

Despite homosexuality being prevalent amongst penguins they do not show any anti- social behaviour. Though penguins do not follow any religion, they are social and caring like human beings. In contrast, in the Hindu religion, snakes have a revered position and

are worshipped but they eat their young ones. Clearly, anti social. Hence the premise that everything related to religion is good does not always hold.

Then why is it that we allow religion to dictate us? Why is it that we silently nod our heads when religious leaders protest against recognition of Gay Rights? Even in the 21^st century our laws are over shadowed by religion. Sanctity of human behaviour by religion does not hold good anymore. So, how can we allow the government and law to function on the dictates of religion? The government initially refused to recognise homosexuality stating that it is against the laws of nature and religion prohibits unnatural sex. With the scrapping of Section 377, consensual sex between adults of the same sex has been legally recognised despite initial hiccups.

Though religion should act as a binding force, it is ironic to see how religion is diving mankind today. Think about it and you will realize that religion is indeed dividing us. It is dictating us what to do and what not to do (not on the basis of right or wrong, but just on their interpretation of what is written in holy books).

We do not just have faith in religion; we have blind faith. When mixed with politics and law, religion usually results in catastrophe. I am not writing to vocalize my feelings for gay rights (which I do support) but to vocalize my feelings about how religion is being used to abuse us. I am not against religion, but strongly feel that religion and law cannot and should not be mixed. The result is always disastrous.

Despite Uncertainty, Blogs Positively Gain Momentum by Malvika Tripathi

2010-11-23T06:26:00.000-08:00

In about 20 years, Internet has grown from its infancy stage of surfing for information to a highly complex interdependent grid comprising of social media interacting with advertising and marketing models, along with superfluous information emanating from independent sites, bloggers or news websites. In essence, Internet has emerged multifaceted and the sheer multiplicity in content is what characterizes it today. The demographics comprise of Facebook and Twitter (social websites) and blogs which aggregates into one central feature-spontaneity. Earlier considered a means of data, it is now a platform for testing new technologies, business models and as experimental grounds for advertisers.

Web Logs, or blogs, are the most successful and contemporary form of expression on the web in recent times. Coming from a grey area in journalism, every blog has a theme and unique point. Bloggers do not always write with a time frame in mind they’re entirely on the discretion of the blogger whether it is serious like Huffington Post or an excuse to vent like a personal diary. A blog is intangible property with respect to its writer. They are fully responsible if anything controversial is put up. Plus its effect is instantaneous and high on interactivity with sometimes torrential comments within minutes. “Freedom of press is guaranteed only to those who own one”. Although, this would not hold true for conventional media giants but blogging sites have redefined press in a broader sense. It acts as an autonomous network for collective conversation in the modern day public sphere. But now multinationals, newspapers, magazines and even celebrities keep blogs either as a public relations necessity or gaining an upper hand in the blogosphere.

Numbers may argue that the blogging scene has diminished in its present status, the advent of networking sites have ousted blogging more into ‘irrelevance’ than ever before. So given that the world hasn’t figured what exactly blogs are, let us assume that they are provisional (since mostly they require great deal of maintenance and instant analysis) and offbeat in style of expression. Blogs have still maintained an upward course, in gathering netizens at about 175,000 – 225,000 every day. Blogging is quite young as about 120 million blogs exist. Interestingly, a whopping 50 percent of internet traffic visits these 120 million blogs. The potential of this dynamic medium is often grossly miscalculated if not ignored. It can possibly hold be the most effective advertising online. As blogs cater to niche viewers, understanding consumption pattern and target groups is viable intercepting the portion of readers. 47 percent of online consumers now read blogs for advice. The blog networks that have survived the economic downturn in advertising and the explosion of competing content on the web credit coverage of narrow topics, along with business models that reach beyond advertising. Meanwhile (according to NY times), advertising revenue for magazines dropped 21 percent, and the number of ad pages sold dropped 28 percent. Blogs have also started to get recognised by Media Firms such as Washington Post (for the last 6 years) and recently Associated Press as a credible news source. Mainstream media has rebroadcasted and reported on factual information from blogs especially in time of conflict like during the Iran election protests or Myanmar military repression.

Another unprecedented phenomenon is complete liberty to bloggers over the advertisements that get placed, like in Google ads. Especially, where ownership is concerned, they are responsible for what goes up on their site and how well it will resonate with the readers. In terms of traditional media, it is path breaking because advertisers cannot directly influence content this way round. Such advertising models are light years ahead of print media. Newspapers have realised the prospective of blogs and blog advertising and are making the most of it.

Blogs are foreseen as a substantial part of the web. Innovators searching for inspiration for the next big thing will find it understanding how software programming and optimization of content can do.

Putting A Comic Spin on Things- An Interview with Sudhir Tailang by Deepa Rajan

2010-11-23T06:21:00.000-08:00

Sudhir Tailang

A picture may be worth a thousand words but this would be a major understatement as far as the political cartoon is concerned. Through its many layers of art, symbols and metaphors, political cartoons offer sharp commentary and critique on the issues of the day. Political cartoonists, while aiming for the funny bone, entertain their readers with a raw representation of the truth, mocking the absurdities of political leaders, laws and social norms.

Accomplished cartoonists such as Sudhir Tailang have a way of viewing normal, mundane incidents in a completely different light. Tailang’s book ‘No, Prime Minister’ is a compilation of 150 cartoons on Dr Manmohan Singh, which takes you down the last five years of Indian politics like a synoptic history lesson that for a change is completely arresting as opposed to boring. Tailang, who has been a cartoonist for close to 30 years first made a mark with his daily "Here and Now" cartoons in the Hindustan Times in the 1980s. He began his career with the Illustrated Weekly of India and now draws a daily caricature for the edit page of the Asian Age - under the "Here and Now" label.

1. Being a cartoonist is a tremendously offbeat career path, especially in our country where medicine and engineering are given such importance. What was your inspiration in the early days?

Like any other child, I was very interested in drawing and comics. I believe that every child is born to do something. If everybody else is born to be a doctor, an engineer or nowadays an MBA student, then I feel one in a million is also born to be a cartoonist. I was one of them. Continuously in my student life, my cartoons were published in newspapers and magazines of repute, which while being a good source of pocket money, boosted my confidence as well. No one particular person was as such my inspiration- I would rather say that Phantom, Mandrake and Flash Gordon made me aspire to be a cartoonist.

2. In order to present your thoughts on political matters through the means of your cartoon strips, are you required to follow the news aggressively to identify the issues of relevance?

Yes, absolutely. A political cartoonist, unlike a reporter or a correspondent, doesn’t have a beat. A cartoonist has to comment on issues as diverse as a man landing on the moon, Pakistan-India relations, American elections- basically covering areas like sports, entertainment, politics because anything of interest to the readers is of interest to a cartoonist. I watch television throughout the day and read about 10 newspapers daily in order to stay abreast of all that is happening in the world. It’s quite difficult and taxing, but I believe that if you enjoy something, then the hard work that goes into it is just a form of riyaaz.

3. To what extent do the people that you lampoon appreciate your efforts and talent?

I find that most politicians like their cartoons. I remember this one incident- the HRD minister at the time was Dr Murli Manhoar Joshi, and his secretary called me one day and said “The minister is very angry with you; you must call him at once.” Later when I called Dr Joshi and asked him the reason he said to me “I am very upset with you- you haven’t made any cartoon on me for the last two months!” There are many others who call me up, and tell me that they like that morning’s cartoon on them- Advani, Madhavrao Scindia, Rajesh Pilot have all appreciated my efforts. Many of them even ask for copies to frame as keepsakes, like MS Gill and Mr Vajpayee. Mr Vajpayee in fact even invited me to meet him at his home when he was PM, and I made a feature on him based on my observations during that visit.

4. What is the process involved in making your cartoons? Are you given a daily brief on the subject matter or is it your personal choice? Moreover, do you have to conform to the paper’s editorial stances?

I keep tabs on all the news throughout the day, and formulate and complete the strip by about 7pm. One cartoon takes about 10 hours every day. The subject and content is of my choice, as it is a one man’s view of the world, so nobody can tell me what to draw. I try not to conform to any editorial stance, and I have to fight very hard for that. Sometimes I have even lost jobs over this issue. The first 20 years of my career I had a completely free hand and nobody told me what to draw and what not to draw. It is the last 10 years where there have been pressures, both direct and indirect. Death of opinion is the news of the last few years. But no matter what, you just continue to fight.

5. What are the essentials that must be kept in mind to excel at the art of making political cartoons?

A political cartoonist is essentially a political commentator- like an editorial writer; cartoonists have a point of view. And the real challenge is to present his/her commentary in a humorous way. Another important thing is that it is necessary that the cartoonist have a stand and a sound opinion. A cartoonist also needs to be good at drawing- he/she need not be a Leonardo Da Vinci but a cartoonist should have a particular style of his/her own that differentiates them. This can only be developed over years of practice. Most importantly a cartoon is 70 percent ideas and just 30 per cent art work. Drawing, thinking, and reading- they’re very important. It’s a combination of many talents.

6. With a steady lack of youth in your field, do you feel that it might be a dying art- so much so that one day newspapers will cease to carry any cartoons?

I am sure that day will come very soon, but not because people don’t want to be cartoonists. Newspapers these past 15 years don’t want cartoonists. Scope for political cartoonists has decreased and opinionated political cartoons are now being replaced by graphic design. With the coming of TV, newspapers have been trivialized. Secondly there has been a complete commercialization of newspapers wherein newspapers have become a consumer product instead of a living creature. Newspapers in the last decade have been co-opted by the establishment. The prime focus is on making money and not to annoy anyone, and so they do not question any of the politicians- they prefer to eulogize and praise, particularly the more powerful politicians. From the surface it may look like democracy, but the freedom of expression today you see is a controlled freedom.

7. Can you tell us any unusual incidents that have been particularly memorable over the course of your career?

As a cartoonist I have come across many interesting people. I’ve had death threats, and have even been forced to have body guards for a short while. Amongst many incidents, I remember one that was very touching. A Mr. Batra used to call me every day from Haryana, and tell me that that day’s cartoon was wonderful and so on. After a few years, I discovered that he was in fact blind, and his son used to read out my cartoon to him upon which he would then call me up.

8. As a cartoonist, you pay a great deal of attention to detail, faces and mannerisms. Can you tell us some of the most identifiable features that you focus on while drawing different politicians?

In Manmohan Singh and Advani’s case i exaggerate their foreheads, making them much longer. I also focus on Mr Advani’s shy eyes, bushy eyebrows and toothbrush moustache. Mr Vajpayee’s most discerning features are his nose, the front lock of his hair and his toothless smile. They say, behind every man’s success there lies a woman, but I can say there are many women behind the success of a cartoonist like me such as Mayawati, Jayalalithaa, Mamata Banerjee, Sonia Gandhi etc. Ms Mayawati, I prefer to draw as a statue, with her hand bag as her biggest feature. Laloo Prasad Yadav is difficult to draw because you see, one cannot caricature a caricature. But my favourite politician to draw was PV Narasimha Rao, because of his pout, his nostrils and his stoic manner.

Subterranean Saga by Deepa Rajan

2010-11-23T06:16:00.000-08:00

The running narrative about 33 miners who were trapped in a copper mine in northern Chile since August 5 finally reached its crescendo 69 days later- with the world watching on October 13, 2010, all 33 miners were successfully rescued in what is being cited as the most dramatic and miraculous rescue operation ever. This belief probably holds true, what with the likes of US President Barack Obama and Pope Benedict the XVI sending out messages of respect and hope to the miners and the Chilean government.

Miner Franklin Lobo embraces his daughter Carolina after he was rescued on Oct. 13

The commentary from all sources is common: it's an unparalleled story of heroism and human will to survive. A large amount of resources and expertise was invested in keeping the miners in Chile comfortable (special clothing, custom-designed beds and lights, even vaccinations to avert risky diseases.) Not taking away from the steely determination of the Chilean miners, there have been many such previous human experiences where people have been trapped or deprived their bodies of sunlight much longer than these men. These very people and their stories offered the understanding of how the negative effects of an upset body clock in these miners could be prevented. Much information on humans' ability to survive in the darkness comes from the ‘underground science’ experiments of French scientist Michel Siffre, who part of a NASA study, spent long periods in dark isolation to study the effect on his body.

More importantly, October marks the 68 year anniversary of the particularly inspiring tale of a group of Ukrainian Jews that fled to a cave to hide from invading Nazis seeking to make Ukraine ‘Judenfrei’- free of Jews. On the night of October 12 1942, as Jewish families were vanishing all over Nazi-occupied eastern Europe, the extended Stermer family found that while there was little refuge to be found anywhere on the Earth—but underneath the surface, lay sanctuary. The accidental cavers endured the horrors of World War II inside the massive underground sanctuary known as Priest's Grotto in Korolówka, Ukraine. They lived solely on wheat, leeks, and other food they could sneak through a nondescript entrance at the bottom of a sloping sinkhole for 344 straight days, before receiving a note from the surface that their town had been liberated.

Priest's Grotto

On the surface, Priest’s Grotto is little more than a hole in the ground amid the endless wheat fields undulating across western Ukraine, but at 77 miles, it currently ranks as the tenth longest cave in the world. While the cave proved a superior refuge, with clean water sources, separate chambers for cooking and smoke ventilation, little or no flooding and a concealed and difficult entry, living in state of light deprivation for such an extended time takes an unprecedented effort. Researchers and geologists are issued standard gear of special boots to prevent ankle sprains, wicking underwear to avert hypothermia, a special suit, special gloves for gripping things and three independent light sources—and this is all for a day trip into a cave.

The combination of stress and sensory deprivation the Jewish survivors endured was almost without parallel. Today, the Stermers’ experience continues to shape virtually everything about their lives. Pepkale Stermer, who was five years old on her descent into the cave, travels with small stashes of food to safeguard against the possibility of going hungry. The survivors remain devoutly religious, both in spite of and because of their time underground.

Very often, the first light seen by such famously trapped individuals is the shine of the media spotlight that fades quickly after their stories are told. The survivors in Chile are receiving the hero’s treatment, but according to the Associated Press in many countries like China, thirteen miners are killed on average every day. So in the midst of all the fanfare and red carpet treatment of ‘The 33’, the question that needs to be asked is that will this latest subterranean saga ensure that the Chilean miners are taken care of, and will it help increase safety in the future?

The Man Who Left Behind A Legacy by Deepa Rajan

2010-11-23T06:02:00.000-08:00

Stieg Larsson

At the risk of over simplification, Stieg Larsson is identifiably the Van Gogh of crime fiction.

Just like the tempestuous painter, Larsson died an untimely death- much before he could bear witness to the phenomenal success of his trilogy. More importantly, in one of his letters, Van Gogh is known to have admitted that as he did not have any children, he viewed his paintings as his progeny. Larsson too, has no heirs to call his own, apart from the girl with the dragon tattoo, the one that kicked the hornet’s nest, and the one that played with fire.

Since they were posthumously published in 2005, Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy has catapulted Nordic Noir into the global literary space. Already hugely popular in Europe, so far, over 27 million copies of the Millennium novels have been printed, and the books have been made into three wildly successful Swedish films.

What really seems to make these books work is their setting. A completely Scandinavian crime thrillers crafted around journalist Mikael Blomkvist and his firebrand, tattooed, pierced, prodigious, bisexual computer hacker partner Lisbeth Salander- a duo that takes on corrupt businessmen, sex traffickers, violent bikers, junkies and crooked politicians. The main attraction of the books is the Sweden portrayed through the eyes of Larsson. There is meticulous attention to detail in Larsson’s work and as you read, every page paints a striking picture. The author, who clearly loved this place, and made it a point in his books to use real addresses and locations. At the same time, the Sweden he gives us is real- freeing readers from the constraints of imagining it as a streamlined Ikea-esque paradise. It has its share of demons too, very much like our own countries.

And then there are the characters. Blomkvist proves to be a complete antithesis to standard crime fiction detectives doomed to a perpetual state of brooding unhappiness. Identified as Larsson’s alter ego of sorts, Blomkvist is remarkably upbeat and socially well adjusted- exactly how Larsson is remembered by his friends.

Salander, is an infinitely more complicated conundrum- described as elfin, barely 90 pounds and as having dyed black hair “short as a fuse”, she possesses a sordid past to match her Goth appearance. Abused and wrongfully institutionalized as a child, Salander exhibits a world of scepticism about the potential of human goodness. Not really your average hero. What’s important though is that she represents the mistrust and cynicism that exist in the bowels of every human mind- doubting figures of authority, the people we love and even ourselves. Pippi Longstocking, the strong-willed character of Astrid Lindgren’s children’s books is cited as Larsson’s inspiration for Salander. Salander is a testament to all those who survive torturous childhood experiences and somehow grow into adults with notable skills and an intact distinction between right and wrong. But there are also perhaps elements of Larsson himself in her- they shared a diet consisting almost entirely of coffee, cigarettes and fast food- one of the reasons cited for Larsson’s heart attack- a fanatical disposition towards research and a resolute sense of justice and fairness.

Lisbeth itself is the namesake of a rape victim that Larsson in his childhood is said to have been unable to help. It is perhaps for this reason that through the Millennium trilogy there is a feminist undercurrent, and Larsson brings to prominent focus his abhorrence of violence against women. Despite numerous suggestions Larsson refused to change the rather grim Swedish title of the first volume, “Man Som Hatar Kvinnor,” or “Men Who Hate Women.”

Larsson died without leaving a will. This has resulted in an intense struggle between his partner Eva Gabrielsson and Larsson’s father and younger brother. Although legally Gabrielsson has no claim, she possesses a crucial piece of the Larsson legacy: a laptop computer containing roughly three-quarters of a fourth novel. According to Gabrielsson, in 2005 the Larsson’s offered to give her Stieg’s half of their apartment in return for the laptop. She refused, calling the offer extortion, and they eventually relented, very likely under the weight of public opinion, and let her have the whole apartment for nothing. Last November, the Larsson’s told a journalist that they were willing to settle the dispute for 20 million kronor (roughly $2.6 million). Gabrielsson didn’t respond.

In 1995 Larsson co-founded Expo, an anti-racist Swedish publication on which Millennium is loosely based. Despite its humble beginning the magazine nevertheless succeeded in upsetting the people Larsson was writing, about exposing him to multiple death-threats as an “enemy of the white race.” Such right-wing extremism was a legacy from World War II, when some Swedes secretly supported the Nazis, particularly rampant in the 90s. This convoluted history has invariably fuelled speculation regarding Larsson, embroiling him in a variety of conspiracy theories that persist on calling his death an assassination. Life doesn’t necessarily imitate art but in this case, Larsson himself has now become one the opinionated, upright Swedish characters in his own books- entwined in a tale of envy, vested interests and mysterious manuscripts.

A History of Prejudice by Deepa Rajan

2010-11-23T04:55:00.000-08:00

Park51 is a rather innocuous name for an issue that is in fact creating a furore in the United States. The brainchild of Imam Feisal Rauf and his wife Daisy Khan, Park51 is the project which lays down plans to build a Muslim cultural centre and mosque, situated two blocks from Ground Zero in New York City. Although approved by city authorities, as well as Mayor Michael Bloomberg, it’s safe to say that these plans will probably never see the light of day with the continuous avalanche of uproar that it faces. With the debate gaining momentum, it has become a test for a slew of issues, from public opinion, political posturing to religious tolerance.

While some opponents are genuinely concerned about the issue that an Islamic cultural centre near the hallowed Ground Zero might be offensive to the families of victims, there are many opponents whose arguments are fuelled by a worrisome Islamophobia. Since August, the site has seen demonstrators in hordes carrying signs like “All I Need to Know About Islam, I Learned on 9/11.” The Park 51 protests is a result of brewing intolerance against Muslims in America since 9/11 that have crystallized and strengthened over the past few years. Where ordinary citizens are concerned, there is evidence that hostilities are growing. “Islamophobia has become the accepted form of racism in America,” comments Muslim-American writer Arsalan Iftikhar. A TIME-Abt SRBI poll has shown findings which indicate that 46% Americans believe that Islam is more likely to encourage violence than other religions, with a simultaneous 61% opposing the Park51 project.

The arguments presented by the detractors of Islam are common. Islam must necessarily be a violent creed, since those who conducted the 9/11 attacks were Muslims. Passages from the Koran are taken out of context and recited as examples to prove that Islam is a savage, backward creed- a death cult to which constitutional freedoms don’t apply.

A further problematic observation is that intolerance, in the history of America, is in no way isolated to Islam. Mormons, Jews and other religious, cultural and ethnic groups are still victims of hate speech in a nation founded on ideals that profess religious freedom and tolerance. Not just isolated to prominent pastors from Gainesville, Florida announcing intentions of burning Korans on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, this form of discrimination dates as far back as to the founding of colonies. In early colonial life, Quakers, Lutherans, Catholics and Jews were vigorously expelled from the Puritan colonies in New England. Peter Stuyvesant, the last Dutch Director-General of the colony of New Netherland (currently New York) is known for his refusal to allow Jews from Northern Brazil to settle permanently in New Amsterdam in 1654.

Peter Stuyvesant

In a letter to the Dutch West India Company, Stuyvesant fervently argued that “the deceitful race—such hateful enemies and blasphemers of the name of Christ—be not

allowed to further infect and trouble this new colony.” By the 1800s, forced expulsion was a fairly common practice in America, marked by the Indian Removal Act signed into law by President Andrew Jackson.

Artistic rendering of the The Cherokee Trail of Tears(1836-1839)

The murder of Joseph Smith(1844)

In the aftermath of its passing, Cherokee Indians were removed from their lands, with the Department of the Interior subsequently outlawing a list of “offensive” Native American rituals. 1844 saw a mass migration of Mormons to Utah; as a result of the violent lynching and murder of Mormon founder Joseph Smith in an Illinois prison. The Ku Klux Klan proceeded to taint American history by putting into place their malicious brand of intolerance, amassing over 4 million members in a crusade of anti-Semitism and anti-Catholicism. To make matters worse, the trying period of the Second World War was marred by a new dimension of religious hatred that Roman-Catholic priest Father Charles Coughlin put forward in American culture, with decidedly anti-Semitic radio addresses. Defending Nazism and Fascism, Coughlin blamed the Depression on an "international conspiracy of Jewish bankers” in a viral CBS radio broadcast.

A Ku Klux Klan recruitment poster circa 1920

Reverend Charles Coughlin

Today, nearly a quarter of the American population still erroneously thinks Obama is Muslim, probably because of his numerous endeavors to improve America’s tainted image in the Islamic world. His outreach to the American-Muslim though has been much quieter, and so, when Muslims like Imam Rauf and his wife set out to build formal mosques, they are rendered exposed, and vulnerable.

Intolerance, though metamorphosing over periods of time, seems to continue to remain firmly woven in the fabric of American society. Perceptions of Islam have worsened significantly in the past two years. Until a distinction is made between religion and fanaticism, and an understanding reached, that American-Muslims represent a diaspora of every race and sect of Islam, Park51- even if it comes through by way of some miracle- will remain a soulless, empty gesture at most.

Coincidence? I think not! by Gurmat Randhawa

2010-11-23T04:28:00.000-08:00

According to Wikipedia, a conspiracy theory attempts to attribute the ultimate cause of an event (usually major political, social, historical, or cultural events), chain of events, or the concealment of causes from public knowledge, to a secret and often deceptive plan by a group of people or organizations.

Basically, it means that conspiracy theorists try to find hidden meanings and/or hidden motives to explain certain major events. Popular conspiracy theories include John F. Kennedy’s assassination, Area 51, Man on the Moon and many more. Here is a list of conspiracy theories that may change the way you look at the world.

Paul is Dead.

So apparently Paul McCartney died in 1966. And the Beatles covered it up by hiring a look-alike who looked, sang AND behaved like him. But, they eventually felt guilty about deceiving the fans and started hiding clues in their music and album covers. So the Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album was allegedly full of references to Paul’s alleged death. For example, the song “A Day in the Life” when played backwards sounds like “Paul is dead, miss him, miss him”. Also, the cover of the Abbey Road album apparently shows John, George and Ringo crossing the street as a funeral procession. John wearing white symbolising a clergyman; Ringo wearing black symbolising a mourner; and George wearing jeans symbolising a gravedigger. Paul was not wearing any shoes, and walked out of step with the others, symbolising him being dead. However, John Lennon has denied the existence of any hidden messages in either album covers or in their music.

Paul? Fake Paul?

NASA faked the moon landings.

The story goes that in a bid to defeat the Russians in the space race, NASA faked the landings on the moon. It was supposedly filmed on a film set located either in the Hollywood hills or in Area 51. The origin of this theory is the part of the film which shows Aldrin planting a waving American flag on the moon. This should not be possible as the moon has no atmosphere, just vacuum. Also any and all visual material related to the landings is only provided through NASA, so there can be no independent verification whatsoever. The best part? That Stanley Kubrick apparently helped them fake it because he had experience from making 2001: A Space Odyssey. So all the moon rocks the astronauts brought back? You decide.

You can see the strings people!!-Phoebe from Friends

Lizard People Rule the World

Ever heard of a guy named David Icke? This former BBC sports presenter believes that our world is actually controlled by shape-shifting extra terrestrials or ‘lizard people’. He claims that these people are part of a network of interbreeding bloodlines with extra terrestrial origins. Important bloodlines include the British House of Windsor, the Rothschilds, the Rockefellers and most of European royalty. According to him this ‘Global Elite’ controls the IMF, United Nations, the media, military, science, religion and even the Internet. So, the British royal family, other royal families and most of the US government are apparently lizard people. So the next time you see George Bush, look closely. He might be one of THEM.

All hail our Lizard King!

Secret societies control the world.

This one is in the same vein as the last one. Most of us have read Dan Brown right? Angels & Demons and the Da Vinci Code. In those books he talks about the Illuminati and the Freemasons. So this theory says that they control the world. It’s similar to Icke’s theory in that according to this theory members of these groups hold offices of power across the globe. The Illuminati are supposedly responsible for the pyramid-and-eye symbol on the dollar bill, as we all know from reading Angels & Demons. The Freemasons call themselves the oldest worldwide fraternity and list George Washington as one of its well known members. Did you know that there is a Masonic lodge on Janpath?

There is no such thing as Global Warming.

This theory says that the global climate scientist community has gotten together and created a vast body of data and literature to convince the world of a global change in climate because of unhealthy environmental practices because they want funds or indirectly political power. And the fact that the scientists of the world are divided on the whole global warming phenomenon doesn’t help. Well, atleast Al Gore got a Nobel out of it. An inconvenient truth, anyone?

And an Oscar.

The JFK Assassination

John F. Kennedy, the 35^th President of the United States, was assassinated on the 22^nd of November, 1963 in Dallas when riding in an open car. He was shot twice, in the head and in the neck. A commission under Chief Justice Earl Warren was constituted. The Warren Commission declared that the man arrested on suspicion, a Lee Harvey Oswald, was the culprit, and that he had acted alone.

However, the trajectory’s of the bullets that struck Kennedy and Dallas Governor John Connally (who was sitting in the front of him) when analysed indicated that Oswald could not have made all those shots from where he was stationed, and there must have been another shooter. It is believed that the other shooter was stationed on the grassy knoll of Dealey Plaza. The Warren Commission and other US government agencies deny the existence of another assassin. So conspiracy theorists believe that JFK was killed as a result of a conspiracy against him. Alleged conspirators include the CIA, then Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, Fidel Castro, the FBI, the Mafia and many, many more.

Screen Savour: The Art of Cinema by Deepa Rajan

2010-11-23T03:07:00.000-08:00

Ever since I was old enough to go to the movies, I have always faithfully performed a necessary ritual. Reaching a bit before the film, I walk up and down the theatre halls, soaking up all the posters of movies- yet to be released, currently playing and of course, the classics.

For a cynic, movie posters are merely yet another kind of advertisement- a commercialized art form, with the essential purpose being to “sell” the movie. This is all completely accurate, with posters prominently displayed on billboards, in the lobby of your local movie theatre, in magazines, on the Internet, and even on the sides of buses- all to make sure that the largest possible number of people are rendered extremely curious, and thus end up watching the film itself. Sexy images of the movie's most attractive actors and inclusion in bold of the “big” movie star names, designs, colours, and fonts reflecting the mood and tone of the film, and intriguing one liners- this is the essence of movie marketing, the tactics employed to persuade your average movie-goer.

Often forgotten is the fact that movie posters in themselves are pieces of art. They are the products of loving labour, and a great deal of thought and creative genius. If you look at some iconic movie posters, the effort made by the artist to lure the viewer in, to make them question and make them wonder is almost palpable. If movies are like a waking dream-world, movie posters are your invitation to that dream-world. And don’t they always say you should chase your dreams?

La Dolce Vita (1960), Federico Fellini

The film follows a gossip columnist as he makes his way through a seedy underworld of sex, booze and superficiality. In this poster by Georgio Olivetti, Anita Ekberg’s iconic blonde, curvaceous figure represents vanity and vitality and her pose of abandon strikes a chord with the lives of the characters in the film- careening out of control. A smoking Marcello Mastroianni is highlighted in dark hues of blue bringing out the disillusionment of his character, his expression solemn and pondering, fitting for a man who can no longer be surprised by the people around him.

Gone With the Wind (1939), Victor Fleming

The artwork in this poster is a veritable anthology of all the events in the film- the pre-civil war grandeur of Scarlett O’Hara’s plantation home Tara, the Yankee-Confederate struggle and Scarlett’s daring escape during the siege of Atlanta. Central to the poster however is Clark Gable’s smoldering intensity paralleled by Vivian Leigh’s swooning abandon. It provides a showcase of the unfortunate crackling chemistry between Scarlett and Rhett Butler, emphasized by the fiery background painted in rough brush strokes.

Mother India (1957), Mehboob Khan

In this remarkable masterpiece, several key elements of Indian society are succinctly depicted. Nargis, as Radha, is shown as the epitome of the Indian woman that holds largely true even today- illiterate yet worldly, determined and strong. The plough on her back signifies the immense responsibilities she shoulders as both parent and sole bread-winner. It is also symbolic of the travails of the impoverished farmer- her expression denoting extreme physical effort and pain, despite which battles on.

Metropolis (1921), Fritz Lang

Metropolis, the first full-length science fiction (silent) film, is set in a futuristic city where a ruling class live in opulence while a literal underclass toil in a vast subterranean workshop. Heinz Schulz-Neudamm’s extremely influential brainchild, this poster is famed for its cityscape dominated by monumental skyscrapers and futuristic structures. The architectural influences are a studied mixture of German Expressionism, Modernism and Art Deco- all significantly ahead for that time. The machine-human is a forerunner of the Streamline Moderne style, which when applied to science fiction, came to be called Raygun Gothic.

Vertigo (1958), Alfred Hitchcock

Nothing could have screamed “psychological thriller” louder than acclaimed graphic arts designer Saul Bass’s artwork. The poster is of a man and a woman spiralling into the eye of a vortex. The spiral is white and the man is solid black. The woman however is outlined, invoking images involving chalk outlines of bodies made by the police at a homicide site. The font in itself is a nervous one; the asymmetry giving the impression of instability. Switching from bold, heavy strokes to lighter ones, the font is conflicted, just like the characters in the film. In essence, a study in mystery.

Grindhouse (2007), Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez

Grindhouse is a combination of two films, inspired completely by the B grade film genres like horror, gore and spaghetti westerns of the 1970s. Just like the movie, the poster too is all-out. Planet Terror depicts a strong, fearless femme-fatale with a machine gun as a prosthetic leg. Death Proof features a black 1971 Chevy Nova, marked with an eerie skull- a portent of doom. The style of the artwork borrows distinctly from early comic book art, with emphasis on black, white and red, and the use of attention grabbing fonts, banners and exclamatory punctuation.

The Bride of Frankenstein (1935), James Whale

High-level artistry is evident in this poster- the faces are right out of a German Expressionist handbook, with structural close-ups, and irregular use shadows and colour. Probably the most recognizable motif of the film is the titular characters' noteworthy hair design (lightning bolt highlights), which in this case morphs into a wild flame, wrapping itself around her intended ‘groom’. This influential masterpiece of Gothic horror was a black and white film, so the artwork was crucial in establishing to the audience that Boris Karloff’s hapless ‘Monster’ was in fact green, setting the precedent for all later depictions of Frankenstein.

Germany: EU's Reluctant Pilot? by Malvika Tripathi

2010-11-22T12:45:00.000-08:00

Europe faces testing times since the creation of European Union back in 1950s, amidst protests against austerity measures primarily in Southern Europe. As Germany’s Vice Chancellor Angela Merkel declared, “Europe is at crossroads again. If the Euro fails, Europe fails." Economists believe financial stability and more crises are inevitable, courtesy -irresponsible economic policies, a shrinking and rapidly aging population. The Greek crisis exemplifies this volatility since several other economies mainly Portugal, Spain and Ireland deal with the worst unemployment rates and poor banking. A bailout package did help out Greece and Germany (out of responsibility as Europe’s largest economy growing annualized rate close at 9 percent, as per eurostat, since reunification two decades ago) was the largest contributor at an unprecedented 22.2 billion Euros out of the 900 billion Euros aid scheme.

The Euro currency has had its fault in rigidity because of the central problem that EU didn't create the right institutional machinery when it created a unified currency. Once states give up their own currencies, they cannot deal with financial or fiscal crises by devaluation by debt ridden countries dreading years of deflation and stagnancy ahead. As Greece's credit worsened, Merkel nonetheless fueled the perception that she would rather kick indebted countries out of the currency zone than offer hard-earned German money to spendthrift southern Europeans.

For their part, the Germans have made it clear that they are tired of supporting their dubious partners. Even though, demand for exports would rise as euro weakens, France and Germany are torn between protectionism and idealism-whether to protect their own industries and workers or save Europe as a whole. Euroskeptics believe that the effort to salvage Greece was more for justifying Germany’s vision of a collective Union than its actual willingness.

At having to bail out the rest of the EU combined with frustration at being the single biggest contributor to the EU project while at the same time having the smallest amount of influence (in proportion to both economic might) stoked resentment from German taxpayers. Germany has invested more in the EU than any other member state, yet has had comparatively little say in how the project has evolved.

Germany most trusted to lead the European Union out of its turmoil even as economic nationalism has appealed more to the general public. The Greeks, on the other hand, have not gone down well with the help received, so much so comparing the crisis to the Nazi invasion of Greece. It is hard to see how the EU could make progress on market liberalization or deal with a financial crisis with a reluctant and inward-looking Germany leading way.

A Day In The Life by Deepa Rajan

2010-11-22T12:27:00.000-08:00

Gulmarg, Jammu & Kashmir, June 2010

With the advent of summer, Sami and her siblings, part of a group of nomadic Bakarwal tribesmen have travelled well over two months from Jammu to reach the cooler climes of Gulmarg. Mainly goatherds and shepherds, Bakarwals lead lonely, tough lives in the lush high-altitude meadows of the Himalayas and the Pir-Panjal. This group is stopping at en-route market towns like Gulmarg and Pahalgam to barter livestock for supplies. Bakarwals have a strong sense of community- the boy on the extreme right is the girl's brother, but the one in the middle is an orphan, and hence the tribes-people's collective responsibility.

A Day In The Life by Tarini Bakshi

2010-11-22T12:22:00.000-08:00

Before you start an indignant tirade against child labour, know this- this little man is not employed by a cunning tea stall owner who needs ‘chotus’ for cheap labour. The stall belongs to his father and ‘Makhan’ here is very fond of making tea from time to time, claiming that his tea is ‘sabse zabardast’. The only thing he dislikes even more than his friends calling him ‘Makkhi’ is books and academics. Ironically Makhan, nine years old and studying in a local school in Jodhpur aspires to be a doctor. He also wants to own a ‘lambi waali laal gadi ' (a long red car) one day. This happy smile is an intrinsic part of Makhan, who loves making new friends. So after the short conversation with him, I couldn’t resist but ask for a cup of his tea. And, it was definitely ‘sabse zabardast’.

A Day In The Life by Ria Arora

2010-11-22T12:15:00.000-08:00

Four year old Abdul’s mother makes her living by selling cheap trinkets outside Xavier’s Institute of Communication, Mumbai. For her, every morning brings with it a new challenge, but for Abdul, the day is all about scampering around , playing with his prized blocks and basking in the limelight- he loves the camera and the camera loves him. He is too small for school and the possibility of it even happening is bleak. As the sun goes down, the little boy sleeps, blissfully unaware of the dismal reality of his life. He rises again with the sun, a twinkle in his eyes, a smile on his lips, eager to embrace the thrills and joys of yet another day.

A Day In The Life by Kanika Sharma

2010-11-22T12:13:00.000-08:00

Current Attitudes In The Indian Independent Music Scene by Ramya Patnaik

2010-11-22T11:45:00.000-08:00

Photo courtesy Rahul Lal

Thus spake a beautiful man with a beautiful beard: “Indian metal has hit puberty, now it only needs to get laid”... To those who call us a product of “western ideals”, to those who claim we don’t exist, we raise a familiar finger in response to their ill-informed, half-baked assumptions. But the independent music scene in India has come a long way from a time that recognized it as just a rebellious wing of mainstream culture. Or has it? Long years ago we made an aural tryst with Guns N' Roses, Nirvana and Metallica. Today, Iron Maiden have openly professed their love for their Indian fans; Joe Satriani, Opeth, Freak Kitchen, Guthrie Govan and Infected Mushroom have come and gone and come winter, fans will have a lot to cheer about courtesy Meshuggah, Enslaved, George Howe and The Prodigy. More importantly, Indian rock band The Circus are currently Down Under, Hardcore/Metal band Scribe are back from their gig at THE INFERNO METAL FESTIVAL, Norway and Black/Death/Power Metal act Demonic Resurrection from BRUTAL ASSAULT, the Czech Republic. While these examples may sketch a rough sense of familiarity for those not actively involved with The Scene, there is a great need to gauge the actual temperature of what’s really happening in the community.

An initiation into the scene via a gig may yield two responses: either blind love, or utter disdain. The real or perceived problem however is, that most of us are comfortable with retaining the first impression we have of Indian musicians in the independent scene. Those who make an effort to understand the processes that go behind ideas and events and the people-bands, officials, audience, critics etc, will point out the screeching naivety of such thinking. The nuances of its history, the nature of its present and the scope of music in the future all merit documentation akin to any other socio-cultural process that engages great thinkers and analysts with its fascinating working. The fact that it is the Indian context that we are talking about would intimidate one because of the need to be extremely accurate in basic definitions. Also, there are too many things involving too many people that to ignore an aspect would be by no means an insignificant risk.

Motherjane live at BITS.Photo courtesy Rahul Lal

Taking a timeframe of the past 10 years is a good idea to start with because most established bands of today started out back then and also because development in the last decade has been more visibly momentous than ever. In its nascent stage, basic rock and metal music was greeted with much enthusiasm albeit as an alien trend lacking the ability to touch the average college-going enthusiast in any real way. Photographer Rahul Lal who has played bass with the band Prestorika talks about the mindset prevalent amongst his peers when the band first started out. “Initially we weren’t aware of any Indian bands other than Parikrama. We were totally influenced by western bands. We started playing for the fun of it. As things moved ahead and we began to be paid for gigs, it became an obligation to play well. Practice sessions became more serious. Not everyone had the same attitude towards playing, though...stricter practice meant less ‘daaru’ and fooling around with chicks. So some got more serious, others drifted away.” Adds Workshop and Albatross bassist Riju Dasgupta, “Back then, it was the cool thing to do and the only legal way to grow your hair long. I thought WWE wrestlers looked really cool with long hair and this gave me an excuse along with my favourite bands back then, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, AC/DC, Mercyful Fate etc.

The essence of the scene as a collective of people draws from the fans. It’s safe to say that most people in the audience are acquainted with the bands and their music by the time they get to college. I asked Siddharth Chakravarti, an avid fan of metal, about the general level of knowledge among people today and if they react differently to gigs from say, 5-6 years ago. “Well...you still see plenty of poseurs in the Delhi scene unfortunately. (But) the scene has improved vastly from bands’ set lists to resources to general acceptance. People know their metalcore; I'll give you that...at least in Delhi.” When asked to comment on the ability of audience members to discern between bands’ sounds, Riju Dasgupta believes that “...onstage, the actual music is 25% of the act; the crowd comes to have a good time and in my opinion anything which makes them have a good time is good. Bands today have to nail that 25% plus offer something else. So unless your music bit is down and tight, the more intelligent crowd of today gives you no quarter.” Amateur musician and a regular at the circuit Piyush Verma was asked if he thought the people who come for gigs have an ear for and good knowledge of music. He points out the phenomenon of “quick judgement on the part of listeners who lack the patience to sit through the music of a musician before forming an informed opinion.” Concurs Akshaya Patwal, another fan and frequenter of the Delhi Metal circuit that even though the enthusiasm is definitely there, many people lack actual knowledge and prefer to live with assumptions than to learn- it is assumed that “if the vocalist can growl loudly, he is good...It’s basically cool to be a long-haired guy and live with the label of a ‘metalhead’”

The relationship between fans and musicians varies from band to band. While almost every new or well-established band has a Facebook page, is there any real interaction with fans? Sahil Makhija of Demonic Resurrection (DR) and Workshop insists that new or old, DR connects with all their fans. “We meet and talk to them at gigs all the time. If someone comes up to us we always make it a point to talk to them and we don't act like dicks!We are also connected online... I would reply to every Orkut scrap and now I answer almost every message, wall post, email etc from a fan.”

However it cannot be dismissed that a level of high-headedness does exist amongst certain people who hold positions of greater authority in the circuit, and amongst some of those who have been around for many years and are involved with management. This general opinion may never be accepted by the people in question but is like a victimless crime that can never be easily proven beyond personal anecdotes.

‘Poseur behaviour’ is an element that worries many serious musicians and enthusiasts. The popular magazine RSJ is criticised (albeit rarely openly) for being too exclusivist in its approach to incorporate real opinions and trends of the average crowd. However, it is often criticised in the same breath for selling the ‘rocker’ or ‘metal’ lifestyle through mainstream strategy and forgetting to look at music along with its nuances. While nobody disputes the pioneer role it has played in the marketing of Rock music as a viable commodity in India, it is hard to come across a non-RSJ employee in the scene who harbours a completely favourable image of the group.

Bhayanak Maut live at BITS. Photo courtesy Rahul Lal

The beginning of the journey for most kids may bear a strong resemblance to the story of Nishtha Kanal, an avid Mumbai gig-regular. “I was volunteering for my college fest gig which was being headlined by Devoid and Bhayanak Maut as I was interested in the organization part. Then two years ago I went for ‘Independence Rock’ (one of India’s oldest rock festivals) and that happened to be Zero's last gig. They were so amazing that I went home and downloaded their tracks. Before that I had had the feeling that Indian bands would never match up to the standards of big bands from abroad, which is why I had never bothered to listen to them.” Today she believes that bands like Zero are one of the best acts in India and deliver a better gig than some international bands. Lal believes that the audience isn’t “stupid anymore” and has plenty of options to choose from which means that few people can get away with playing just about anything on stage.

With sociological changes, parents are a little more easy-going when bringing up their children today. We see more school-going children at music events than ever before, both in and in front of the audience. And this has been a process spread over years. So is today’s audience getting younger, a trend to stay? According to Nishtha, parents play a much reduced restrictive role these days, allowing their children to attend concerts. “But this hasn't happened overnight. It took a long time, and if the mentality has to further improve, it’ll take longer.”

When asked whether the new generation focuses on refining their skills or get carried away by the coolness of it all, Siddharth opines, “The moment a kid gets passionate about his music...the first thing he wants to do is pick up an instrument and get on stage... especially in a genre like Metal, the power which a Metal gig projects... (pushes) kids to learn the guitar, the drums, even start singing/growling. People who are really into music are usually very devoted to their instruments once they start. On the other hand, you do see people picking up instruments for the cool quotient as well, but they usually learn 3 chords and call it a day.” What about the responsibility of the bands who inspire youngsters, in helping the audience mature? “The bands do play a huge part; every kid has his/her musical idols- someone who you'd want to be like, at least when you start playing instruments...as you get better with time and practice, you find your own space... but the bands do play a huge part in pushing kids to pick up instruments in the first place.”

Is music as an art form missing out on its chance to endear itself to a crowd that is concerned with being like one’s idol but not the spiritual growth of one’s skills? Shantanu Chakravorty is a musician from Bangalore who is currently tabbing lessons for the guitar genius Rob Marcello on www.torrins.com. He believes that the root of all evil is in the way people practise. “It is surprising that people playing for as long as 25 years end up with bad playing habits and technique. If you don’t beat yourself mercilessly when you practise...it becomes the sole cause of what we’re talking about. People need to learn to criticise themselves, not others.”

Motherjane live at BITS. Photo courtesy Rahul Lal

Says Siddharth, “polyrhythmic/Mathcore is the 'in' thing these days. Many bands use odd time signatures for the heck of it...it will come and go, just like black metal did with DR. While I don't blame bands for milking whatever success they get, this is where the poseurs/casual fans come in. For a lot of these fans, especially in Delhi, Undying Inc. is just music to swing your arms like an ape to. These 'fans' would react the same way to most forms of metal... see here's the thing, people who are into polyrhythmic metal bands like Meshuggah, Ion Dissonance, Periphery, Xerath etc will appreciate Undying for what it is- a band that has worked hard to get to where it is today, having endured plenty of brickbats in their early days. Delhi kids...don't need intellectual stimulation. They need a catchy chorus, a hook, a melodic bridge section or a heavy breakdown in which they'll punch each other’s faces... because that’s what true metal fans do apparently.”

Lal is of the opinion that “we're yet to mature enough as a music community to create an experience and not just a gig”. However, Riju believes that the difference in today’s kids is that they are “much better musicians than kids of my generation”. Many Indian households encourage young ones to join post-school music classes, especially if parents are musically-inclined too. Their children do extraordinarily well in their chosen vocation, even pursuing advanced education in music. What drive them are the respect for their art and the basic love for their instrument. When the monocles of definition, attire and frills are rejected, it becomes clearer to a musician that pure bliss and music for the sake of music are the ideals worth inculcating.

To gain a more refined perspective on the mindset of youngsters taking music classes, I spoke to Lambu Ata (name obviously changed; those who didn’t get the ‘Gunda’ reference immediately, lead extremely unfulfilled and sad lives), an accomplished musician playing with a well known band and running his own music school in south Delhi. He thinks that impressionable enthusiasts observe what happens in the scene and want to gain female attention with some shred action. But some honest students are very much steeped in the mastery of their skill. He rues, “Dishonest students take tuition classes and school-work seriously but watching a movie or chilling at home is an easy alternative to music classes for them.”

Textures live at IITD.Photo courtesy Maanas Singh

It’s easy to lose focus and join the doomsayers in condemning the future of our scene to permanent obscurity. It took a long time for the veterans to taste success in their endeavour, which is why wherever one looks, they seem to dominate. In the course of a casual conversation with a friend I realized that the bands young people support don’t even belong to their generation. An entire section of some very radical music is being ignored. While the poseurs will never cease to exist, it is extremely important to note that today’s generation of musicians like Guillotine, Devoid, October etc. are taking bigger risks, learning how to play more demanding styles and listening to much better music than their seniors. The underground/ independent scene is dominated by Metal, unlike scenes abroad where it is mostly a niche genre. Siddharth believes that “a turnout for a Metal gig may be more than say, a Blues gig, but the Blues crowd know their stuff, which isn’t always true for the Metal crowd”.

We forget that when the din dies out, the baton-bearers of the independent music scene will be the very musicians who for reasons voluntary as well as circumstantial, make up the REAL underground. While some choose to take stage early, others work on their technique for years before committing themselves to a band. The majority of musicians in the scene are everyday kids jamming in their bedrooms.

Bhayanak Maut at BITS. Photo courtesy Rahul Lal

It’s hard to make your voice count, harder still to make a full-fledged musical career in a system that is managed entirely by a coterie of people who seem to have been appointed by nobody in particular to manage something many of them don’t even understand the depth of- MUSIC. According to Lambu Ata, the scene is a lot more open to new sound these days, which has simultaneously opened the floodgates to more youngsters. But music is still not a viable career option in Delhi because there aren’t many studios nor schools for music that provide a degree course in music, although plenty offer certificate courses. Down south, schools like A R Rahman’s K.M. Music Conservatory, Prasanna’s Swarnabhoomi Academy of Music provide better infrastructure for musicians to follow their passion with diligence. Here, a combination of knowledge, fame and money are essential but elusive too, to make it big. Lambu Ata does however, credit television reality shows like Channel V’s ‘Launch Pad’, MTV’s ‘Rock on with MTV’ and Sony’s ‘Fame Gurukul’ in giving a boost to new talent. RSJ remains the unrivalled monopoly when it comes to organising a gig in most cities. Says Lambu, “Few other companies plan events at a local level. They are also the ones bringing international acts to India; so they behave selfishly and kind of molest a small band- they provide a platform to perform, but don’t pay them. This continues till the band members put their foot down and refuse to play without money. The harassment of talented bands is a malaise that comes with a single monitoring agency for gigs in Delhi.” Sahil Makhija has been widely criticized about publicising his band with an overzealous energy. But he makes a vital point about the need for bands to take on responsibility for themselves. He explains, “There was no one to do anything for me so I did it myself. Everything I do is born from the need to be successful. Sadly people are delusional about music and bands and the business part of it. Just because they don't see Metallica members selling their music or CDs etc doesn't mean they aren't being sold. Every band including Metallica has stood at merchandise stalls after gigs and sold their CDs and t-shirts. People don't realize that, they think there is something wrong with it. But in short I did everything because it was required and because I love doing it.”

Motherjane at BITS. Photo courtesy Rahul Lal

By the time I had finished researching for this article, I was mildly glum. But the last person I spoke to was a junior of mine from school. He currently drums for a band that is among the new crop of Metal acts in the capital called Scythus. The appeal of their music aside, his attitude renewed my hope. “We’ve all heard that the Indian/Delhi music scene isn’t going anywhere...but for me life and soul being music, I frankly don’t care what people say. Everyone has a dream, and my dream, my band’s plan is to be a stage/studio artist...”

If you haven't seen this... - Must Watch Films by Deepa Rajan

2010-11-22T11:38:00.000-08:00

DO BIGHA ZAMIN (1953)

Director: Bimal Roy

Producer: Bimal Roy; Screenplay: Hrishikesh Mukerjee; Photography: Kamal Bose; Editor: Hrishikesh Mukerjee; Music: Salil Chaudhury.

Cast: Balraj Sahni (Sambhu); Nirupa Roy (Paro); Rattan Kumar.

Awards: Prix Internationale at the 1954 Cannes film festival, Prize for Social Progress at the Karlovy Vary film festival.

In a cinema that is largely associated with merry-making, impassioned love stories and adventure, Bimal Roy’s Do Bigha Zamin is a path-breaking dedication to realism. This 1953 film is a decidedly socialist narrative of an agrarian society slowly been taken over by industrialization and commercialization and the vices that accompany it.

On the surface, the film is a simple portrayal of the woes of the Indian farmer. Peasant farmer Sambhu’s meager ‘do bigha’, comes in the way of the landlord's scheme to sell a large parcel of the farm land to speculators. The landlord fabricates evidence of an unpaid debt, forcing the farmer to abandon his family and leave for the city to repay the mountain of debt. Roy's use of the familiar musical and melodramatic style enabled audiences to comprehend his film; but his endeavor was markedly different in that it was strongly influenced by the Italian neo-realist Cinema of Rossellini and De Sica. Roy uncompromisingly injected naturalistic elements that prepared the ground for the more unflinching, innovative political cinema of the 1970s. Every character in the film is a stark representation of a social class - Balraj Sahni as the poor farmer who considers his land to be his mother, Nirupa Roy as the illiterate, strong yet helpless wife and mother, Rattan Kumar as the child witness to the trials his father goes through in the city, the avaricious landlord, and the dying father whose only wish is to see his son save his land. Drawing from De Sica’s masterpiece Bicycle Thieves (1949), the city is depicted as a labyrinthine maze that literally consumes Sambhu’s idealistic aspirations. The chiaroscuro lighting of rickshaw-pullers quarters in Calcutta sends forth a silent yet powerful message of dilapidation and destruction of those who cannot keep pace with the consuming life in an urban jungle.

The narrative of impoverished farmers and avaricious landlords and moneylenders has been told time and time again in Hindi cinema. What makes Do Bigha Zamin such a powerful film is the pessimistic ending where Sambhu and his family look on despairingly at the image of a factory being built on the land stolen from them. The denial of any kind of satisfying resolution to Sambhu’s poverty is a moving confirmation that social oppression is something monolithic, inevitable and hegemonic. Five decades later, Indian agriculture is still struggling against indebtedness, land-grabbing and crop failure.

As the citizens of a country where agriculture continues to be an unreliable mainstay for millions, and where the farmer’s burden is one which he has been carrying for well over a century, Do Bigha Zamin is simply, a must-watch.

DR STRANGELOVE OR HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB (1964)

Director: Stanley Kubrick

Producer: Stanley Kubrick, Peter George and Terry Southern; Story: Peter George (Novel)

Cast: Peter Sellers, George C. Scott. Sterling Hayden, Keenan Wynn, Slim Pickens

Awards: 4 BAFTA awards, best written American comedy award from the Writers Guild of America.
Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove is based on a single fail-safe principle of good comedy: people who are trying to be humorous are never even as remotely funny as people trying to be serious and failing. In arguably one of the best political satires till date, Kubrick maximizes on rudimentary props, a small cast and a modest special effects to deliver a hilarious adaptation of Peter George's Cold War thriller novel Red Alert. The story involves an unbalanced United States Air Force general Jack D. Ripper (Sterling Hayden)who orders a first strike nuclear attack on the Soviet Union. Chaos ensues and the narrative continues to the ‘war room’ at The Pentagon where the President of the United States , his advisors, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a Royal Air Force (RAF) officer try to recall the crew of the B-52 bomber aircraft to prevent a nuclear apocalypse. When the Soviet Premier reveals that that their country has deployed a doomsday device, the President proceeds to call upon the sinister Dr. Strangelove, a former Nazi and weapons expert.

Dr Strangelove is marked by excellent comic performances, which is just as well because there is so little in the film apart from faces, gestures and words. George C. Scott’s facial gymnastics make him surprisingly convincing as the over-the-top and patriotic General Buck Turgidson. Peter Sellers effortlessly portrays three distinct characters in the film, that of RAF Group Captain Lionel Mandrake, ineffective President Merkin Muffley as well as the titular role. And it is Dr. Strangelove that truly stays behind with the audience, with his weird accent and gloved hand that seems to be a deadly weapon on its own, often springing into Nazi salutes and trying to strangle Strangelove to death.

It is not, however, just the comic elements of the film that make it a must-watch. The film takes potshots at numerous Cold War attitudes- especially that of mutual assured destructionDr. Strangelove humorously but effectively pulled the rug out from under the Cold War by arguing that if a “nuclear deterrent'' destroys all life on Earth, it is hard to say exactly what was being deterred.

Battle Royale: Celluloid vs. Print by Gurmat Randhawa

2010-11-22T10:44:00.000-08:00

A majority of the movies made nowadays are based on books, some famous examples include the Harry Potter series and *ahem* the Twilight Saga. Whenever such a movie comes out, the first question most viewers and reviewers ask/discuss is “Which is better – the book or the movie?”

The pro-book stance is usually the result of readers building up/visualising the book in their minds. We all do it. When we read a book, we create a mental picture to accompany it, and more often than not the movie adaptation doesn’t live up to what is the consequence of our vivid imaginations.

The pro-movie point of view is usually adopted by people who haven’t read the book or even heard of it before the movie. After seeing it up on big screen in about 2 hours, it just seems like an ordeal to sit and spend a considerable amount of time reading a book of which you already know the end.

The following are some well known book to movie adaptations and what I think of them.

vs.

The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling:

(Movie series by Warner Bros.- Various Directors)

The books were definitely better. The movies so far have been dissatisfactory, often eliminating or changing parts of the story. However, this might change because the trailers of the seventh movie-parts 1&2 are looking very, very good. This might have something to do with the fact that J.K. Rowling is producing both. Fingers crossed.

[Edited to add: Deathly Hallows Part 1 is a lot better than all the other movies. There are scenes directly from the book! Awesomeness.]

vs.

Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen:

(Various movie versions)

There’s no contest about this one. The movies could never quite get the essence of Austen right although the BBC miniseries adaptation came quite close. And Keira Knightley as Elizabeth didn’t feel right at all.

vs.

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkein:

(Film adaptation by Peter Jackson)

These movies were made brilliantly. Although there were some changes and deviations from the plot, as a whole these movies brought the books to life, while retaining a separate yet complementary identity for itself. With an excellent cast and Peter Jackson at the helm, these movies are bound to become classics.

vs.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (1960):

(Film by Robert Mulligan- 1962)

A great book and a great movie. The book won the Pulitzer and the movie won three Oscars, including a Best Actor for Gregory Peck.

vs.

Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh (1993):

(Film adaptation by Danny Boyle- 1996)

Have you tried reading the book? At the very least, it’s difficult to read and keep at without losing your patience. The film however, is an excellent adaptation, retaining the feel of the book at all times with a standout performance by Ewan McGregor and brilliant direction by Danny Boyle.

vs.

The Shining by Stephen King (1977):

(Film adaptation by Stanley Kubrick- 1980)

“HERE’S JOHNNY!” Jack Nicholson’s creepy brilliant acting along with Kubrick’s direction made the film a legend in pop culture references.

vs.

The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri (2003):

(Film adaptation by Mira Nair- 2006)

This film had a lot of expectations to live up to. And in my opinion, it did. With brilliant acting and direction, this film brings the novel to life, in a good way.

vs.

The Twilight Saga:

Neither. ‘Nuff said.

Fashionable Folks: Five Decades of Hair by Ria Arora

2010-11-22T10:12:00.000-08:00

It’s really not an exaggeration to say that hair is man’s crowning glory- just ask all the unfortunate folks that settle for bald spots, hair weaving, toupees or worse- no hair at all. The evolution of hair is the product of decades’ worth of experimentation, with some of the more radical hairstyles singularly changing the history of popular culture. The past five decades have not only supplied startling variations in the way people see themselves in the mirror, but have also provided variety yet to be rivaled, hairstyles on pop culture icons manifesting themselves into cult crazes that return to life even today.

Where the 1950s were characterized by Betty Boop-esque short, sleek hair and pinned back curls best channeled by Marilyn Monroe, the swinging sixties brought with it the bubble or “bouffant”. Backcomb, backcomb and backcomb some more. The bouffant was quick to become a cult craze, because accompanied by the signature black liner; it oozed an unmistakable, unparalleled feline femininity. Sharmila Tagore’s signature “bird nest” in ‘An Evening In Paris’ (1968) and Mumtaz’s and Asha Parekh’s voluminous beehives went on to be emulated with much panache.

Sharmila Tagore and her 'bird's nest'

Asha Parekh's beehive

The bigger, the higher, the better. It is undeniable, however that the sexiest style of the time was “The Sadhana Cut”. Actress Sadhana, in a big to camouflage her often criticized broad forehead, began to sport a side swept fringe. Modeled on the lines of Audrey Hepburn’s flip cut in ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ (1961), inevitably within weeks, there was not an Indian woman worth her salt who hadn’t already rushed to the salon in a bid to get her very own fringe. And of course, the accompanying curls were all the rage. Big deep ones, small high ones and even split curls.

Sadhana

Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's

Gamine supermodel Twiggy had a profound influence on short hairstyles. Named the “face of 1966”, Twiggy sported an ultra-short hairdo that gave stimulus to a whole new chapter of androgynous hair styling.

Twiggy

Dev Anand’s signature puff, an adaptation of dashing Gregory Peck’s even more dashing hairdo was seen in films ranging from Hum Dono (1961) to Guide (1965), inspiring the men, for a change, to try something new.

Gregory Peck

Dev Anand

The 70’s fashion statement was much like the time itself- casual, relaxed and chic. Woodstock setting much of the tone, hair was largely defined by the hippie movements and by stars like Bob Marley.

Bob Marley

Long straight hair, parted in the middle, was a unisex norm. With the landmark retro look that shocked Indian movie audiences out of a trend stupor in ‘Hare Rama Hare Krishna’ (1971), Zeenat Aman became Bollywood’s new inspiration.

Zeenie Baby

Charlie’s Angel actress Farrah Fawcett’s contribution to the world of hair is unforgettable- famous feathered hair becoming a labour of love in the quest for style.

Farrah rocking the Farrah.

Hair became a medium for the youth to express their anger and disillusionment during the political unrest, student activism and protests in the wake of anti-Vietnam war sentiment in the mid 1970s. Asymmetrical spikes, adult-disapproved Mohawks, vast ranges of dyed colors and total head shaving became synonymous with the voice of rebellion.

(photo)

Best described as the period of excesses, the eighties were the decade of bangs, bleaches, highlights and, brace yourself- poodle perms. Hairspray became the new order of the day if you wanted to look anywhere even close to Madonna, Cher and the characters of TV show “Dynasty”.

Madonna

The 90s, or the age of the boy band, were no better for men. It appeared that numerous male teen idols were significantly more dependent on ‘gel’ (eek) than actual talent to keep them in the limelight. If there’s one hair styling revival that should be formally, internationally banned, it’s the ‘boy-band-gel-teased-fringe’, no doubts there. It was eventually ‘The Rachel’ sported by Jennifer Aniston in popular sitcom ‘Friends’ that brought back the 90s from the edge of hair styling doom.

Admit it. You know the lyrics to ALL their songs.

Jennifer Aniston- The 'Rachel'

Five decades of hair have brought with them five decades of hits and misses, and dos and don’ts. For those who don’t believe that hair has a role in shaping culture and society, the hair-evolution of English band ‘The Beatles’ is proof. Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Starr invented and reinvented their look with the times, and were emulated by the masses every single such instance, without fail. Proliferation and change in hairstyles continues even today, because hair is so much more powerful than a physical adornment- it can be styled to be a reflection of the times, an expression of your preferences, the voice of your personality or even the voice of change.

Ringo: Why'd I have to get stuck with the stupid haircut?

Lotus Temple by Akanksha Narain

2010-11-22T00:47:00.000-08:00

Popular belief is that Delhi is a very noisy city but after spending a day at the Baha’i Temple your belief is bound to change. Situated near Kalkaji, the Baha’i Temple commonly known as the Lotus Temple, is a marvel of modern architecture. Even before you reach the temple complex you can see the beautiful structure from far away.

As one enters the complex, one finds oneself amidst sprawling lawns- the temple is spread across almost 27 acres. Though the summer heat renders the lawns a little dry, along the path are various varieties of flowers in full bloom –from Easter Lilies to Morning Glories. While walking towards the temple one is awestruck by the simplicity of the structure.

Dedicated to the oneness of God, humanity and religion, the Baha’i House of Worship is in the form of 27 lotus petals made of white marble and is surrounded by nine pools.

The lotus flower represents purity. Although often found in murky water, it symbolizes that every human is born pure, and like the lotus, one can rise above the dirt. The House of Worship is nine- sided. As a volunteer explains, nine is the holy number for Baha’is, it is the highest digit and symbolizes comprehensiveness, oneness and unity.

On the way to the prayer hall there are numerous volunteers who will greet you warmly with folded hands saying namaste. They will explain to you the principles of the Baha’i religion and the importance of prayer and meditation. Once you enter the prayer hall you will be surrounded by the sound of silence. People of all religions are welcome here to pray and meditate. The silence is once in a while disturbed by the beautiful sound of birds, who have somehow managed to come in. The echoing makes their songs even more melodious. As you look around you will notice that the inside of the temple is devoid of any carvings. Just like the entire structure, the seats too are made up of marble. You can sit here for quiet self-introspection. If you look up at the lotus shaped skylight you will see two stars representing the twin manifestations of God- Baha’u’llah and the Bab, and a Baha’i symbol known as the ‘Greatest Name’, in the dome.

Afterwards one can sit on the steps besides the water pools. Some people make use of the water to cool themselves, while children enjoy making paper boats out of the literature handed over. Soon calmness takes over and you are at peace with yourself. Take a deep breath and you will find all the answers you have been frantically searching for.

Palika Bazaar by Tarini Bakshi

2010-11-22T00:38:00.000-08:00

While shopping in Connaught Place in the scorching heat of the sun, Palika bazaar is an alluring escape, serving the purpose of shopping as well as averting the sweat that drips down your back. A subterranean market located under the grassy inner circle of Connaught Place and the only air conditioned-underground market in Delhi, Palika bazaar is a labyrinth of shops. It is reputed for the wide range of black-market or illegal products sold since 1970s.

In Palika you will find little of what you want and a whole lot of what you need. Notorious as the centre of pirated entertainment, this market hosts about 400 shops selling a diverse range of items –pornography, fake designer clothes, pirated CDs, movies, stolen artefacts etc. Palika bazaar witnesses tourists of all age groups, however the youth is particularly enticed as it is a sea of valuable junk like Rock ‘n Roll t-shirts, funky lighters, hip flasks, discounted electronic equipment and a whole lot of other stuff, which probably has never seen the light of the day. It is an amazing experience to wander through the filthy narrow lanes of Palika inundated with hundreds of people of different nationalities.

Shady much?

The essence of Palika bazaar’s electric environment and shock-value atmosphere is encapsulated in one very vivid memory that left an indelible imprint on my mind- once when I was meandering in the maze like corridors of Palika, I unwittingly descended into an area which had shops with hundreds of CDs lined on their racks. Intrigued by the sight, I moved to have a closer look. As I approached a stack of CDs, a shopkeeper gestured towards the shelves, looked at me unblinkingly and then muttered ‘Double X chahiye ya Triple X?’

Dilli Haat by Ria Arora

2010-11-22T00:30:00.000-08:00

Dilli Haat at Night

In the hub of South Delhi lies Dilli Haat – a beautiful Indian food and crafts bazaar that truly captures the soul of India. Dilli Haat never fails to transport one to the magical and mystical world of India’s vibrant heritage and culture through an intriguing amalgam of cuisine, crafts and cultural activities. Spread over a spacious area of six acres, beautiful landscaping, innovative planning and traditional village architectural style together create the perfect ambience of a village “hatta”. The complex, paved with stone and brickwork and skillfully interspersed with shrubs, towering trees, small thatched roof cottages and kiosks is not only artistic, but also recreational in nature.

It is a place where one can unwind in the evening and relish the delectable flavors of a wide variety of cuisine. As many as 25 stalls offer savoury dishes from across the country at not-so-exorbitant-rates. My personal favorites? The tantalizing aroma of the momos from Sikkim house, the scrumptious bamboo hot chicken from Nagaland, the kahwa and kebabs from Jammu and Kashmir and the keshar jalebi from Maharashtra numbs ones senses to seduction. The taste is ethereal.

Also a paradise for shoppers, this complex boasts of nearly 200 craft stalls selling native, utilitarian and ethnic products that truly typify India. A wide variety of skillfully crafted handicrafts, intrinsic to each part of the country are available at exquisitely decorated kiosks in this market. Sophisticated fabric and drapery, embellished camel print footwear, kolhapuri chappals, beautiful mirror work beads and trinkets, intricate rosewood and sandalwood carvings, metalwork, Tanjore paintings, gems, beautiful ethnic lampshades and hangings ….the range is limitless and unparalleled. Every product is unique and a fine example of India’s craftsmanship. Where on the one hand it gives exposure to the artisans of the country, on the other it preserves the heritage and culture that defines Indianness.

Open stage for cultural programs, frequent food festivals and cultural events provide tourists, foreign and Indian alike with an opportunity to experience the charm of exotic India and provide an insight into the rich heritage that has blossomed over the centuries and continues to be an integral part of our society.

Providing a kaleidoscopic view of India’s diversity, Dilli Haat is indeed a window to the world of cultural vibrancy. It brings distant ends of the traditional threads closer.

Begampur by Malvika Tripathi

2010-11-22T00:20:00.000-08:00

The ruins of Begampur are little known to Delhi-wallahs. The degree of indifference displayed by officials in preserving the 700 year old complex makes it easy to forget that it was the foothold for Mohammed bin Tughlak to rule an empire. Spread across some 90,000 square feet, Vijay Mandal, Begampur and Hazar Ustan (thousand-pillared palaces) are one of the earliest specimens of Islamic architecture in India. The style is distinctive from the conventional Islamic style with colossal, domed halls supported by megalith arches and courtyards and passages with minimal decoration. With a plain mousse-shade and sparse ornaments on walls, one would be overwhelmed by its simplicity. Further down, the Begampuri mosque of 64 domes tarred with time and Vijay Mandal’s tower with sloping walls is perhaps better known among historians as it was the social centre of the capital.

I have hardly ever tried to familiarize myself with the surrounding localities of my colony, always feeling it was deign to tread in the cluster of Kalu Sarai, Begampur and Khirki village. One day on my way back from college the auto rickshaw broke down at Siri Fort crossing. Frustrated, I walked till Sarvapriya Vihar and trudged down a meandering lane in Begampur that I was confident would get me home. With only sufficient direction sense to get me slightly close to my destination, I wandered for about 20 minutes. Turning a corner, I was amazed by the abruptness of a view that emerged. Lying on a raised plain, the jutting ruins of mammoth proportion looked out of place in the village setting of an urban city. At about 150 meters from the ground, the octagonal structure of Vijay Mandal is impressive to say the least. The vegetation around the Begampur ruins adds to the old world charm. I did not enter the complex but they say that amongst the modern sprawl one can see the silhouette of Qutub Minar, walls of Siri Fort and the distant buildings of Nehru Place. I walked further down and could recognize the walls of the fort rather, the thousand pillared palace. Climbing several steps I first noticed the massive arches around which children played, their screams reverberating inside what was once a courtyard of the ruling king of India. Goats grazed on the grass growing from between paving stones. Despite the decay, the pavilion still retained a profound and venerable expansiveness.

That day I felt the neglect those set of buildings have faced from people (including me) sometime in the flurry of our day-to-day lives. Hardly ever has there been an effort to preserve the complex .They define a whole era of Islamic rule in our country. A substantial part of Delhi’s legacy has been forgotten, along with this monument.

They Are Like This Only by Gurmat Randhawa

2010-11-22T00:12:00.000-08:00

It is a truth universally acknowledged that Delhi wouldn’t be Delhi without its autos. Autos - though just one among the various public transport options available in the city – are a class unto themselves. These yellow and green creatures crawl through the city at all times of the day and night. They have been to places in Delhi most of us haven’t even heard of, let alone been to. This brings us to the hallowed auto drivers. These men control these machines and have at their mercy most of the general public. “Bhaiya, chalo na...” is one of the oft-repeated phrases on the street in addition to, “Kitna?”, “Nahi bhaiya, hum toh [lesser amount] mein aaye the!” and the evergreen, “Meter se chalo, bhaiya!”

That brings us to the various kinds of auto drivers. Although each auto driver is a unique piece of work, we can classify them into a few general categories.

Perpetually Angry:

These guys are, well, perpetually angry. They will yell at you if you try to bargain. They will grumble if you ask them to drop you off just a little ahead or before. They can’t handle change. The tiniest change in plans will result in them grumbling and complaining the entire journey. They usually drive rashly to vent their anger, although they are already taking it out on you. Don’t reply unless you’re up for a yelling match, because that will happen.

Perpetually Happy:

These guys are ideal and so, rare. They are always smiling, will bargain with an amused look on their face and in a gentle tone, might make a joke or comment on the current political/social scenario or the mehengayi during your ride and will thank you when you pay them. When you’re feeling talkative, strike up a conversation, they’re sometimes the best talkers, but know when to stop talking if you don’t respond. These guys are so good that you feel like paying them a little extra just for the pleasant ride.

These guys are what redeem the whole auto system in the city. People remember the good drivers, and it helps restore their faith after a molestation incident or the like which involves an auto driver. These little bright spots in the otherwise murky transport system are what make Delhi, Delhi.

Silent:

These guys, needless to say, don’t talk much. They’re the brooding, silent types romance novels thrive on. They usually don’t bargain. They just state their price; If you agree get in, if not, they don’t really care. They’re good drivers but will only grunt in reply if you ask them a question. They will only voluntarily talk to ask you directions and sometimes not even then. They’re pretty laid back and are ready to adapt to a change in plan without much fuss.

Talkative:

These guys will not shut up. The slightest provocation to conversation will ring a bell that you can’t, no matter how hard you try, un-ring. They have opinions about everything and will not hesitate to tell you them. And when I mean everything, I mean everything. From the recently concluded Commonwealth Games to the sarkar to corruption to the weather to the police to bad drivers to the boys-and-girls of today (kuch sharam hi nahi hai!), they will talk the entire ride. Some of them keep talking and you can get away with just a polite ‘hmm..’ but there are some which expect you to participate in the conversation which can be very annoying when you’re trying to study for an assignment you have that day.

Intrusive/obscene/rude/cheats:

These guys are the dhabba on the Delhi transport system. They’re the ones you read about in newspapers, usually for molestation, rape and the like. Sharing auto horror stories is a popular pastime, not by choice but by necessity. Warning other people about the stuff that can and has happened in an auto and sharing conspiracy theories about what could have happened, these stories mostly range from the auto wallas overcharging them, to dropping them in the wrong place and insisting it’s the right one, to them masturbating while driving. Everyone has their stories, each more gruesome than the last.

There are many different kinds of auto drivers out there, a lot of them beyond the scope of this article. But whatever they are, they are essential to the city and it’s functioning. Case in point, all hell breaks loose when the autowallas strike. Buses and metro cars are jammed full; taxis exponentially increase their rates etc. The day before the strike, people make frantic phone calls to friends and colleagues for a ride to school/college/work. By the end of the day, most daily commuters are wishing and praying that there’s never an auto strike ever again. These days make us realise the true worth of these guys and their autos, which we usually take for granted.

Jaise bhi hain, achche hain.

Paharganj by Deepa Rajan

2010-11-21T23:57:00.000-08:00

The busy Main Bazaar

Paharganj is one of two places in the capital city instantly recognized by most Delhi-ites as Delhi's seedy underbelly, second in ‘shadiness’ only to Palika Bazar. Possessing an exotic, colourful past, Paharganj has been shaped by tumultuous changes in the historical evolution of New Delhi. Originally a suburb of the erstwhile Mughal walled city, the face lift given to this area by a certain Sir Edwin Landseer Lutyen, is the reason why one can stand before and marvel at the positively archaic Imperial Theatre today.

The partition of India proved to be another period of metamorphosis. A tremendous influx of refugees from Pakistan were allotted shops in Paharganj, who faced with the dire need of making a fresh start, took up the business of eateries. Some of the famous names established since 1947-48 are doing excellent business even into the third generation of ownership. I was told to visit eateries that thrive till today, such as 'Pehalwan da Hotel' and 'Sitaram Diwan Chand'. I stopped in at the latter, also popularly known as Sitaram Bhaturewala. And really, chole bhature never tasted better.

Paharganj was most lastingly impacted by the 'Hippie Movement.' It is home to cheap hotels, originally meant to suit hippie backpackers, which are now ideal for travellers on a shoe-string budget. 'Hotel Cottage Yes Please' and 'Hotel Relaxxx' promise to fulfil all your ‘Shantaram-esque’ needs at a bargain price while giving you something to laugh about for free.

In the main market it is plain to see that till date, Paharganj preserves its quaint air of the '70s, and for the young and the offbeat, it is a mecca of ceaseless delights. Numerous new-age book shops are filled with all kinds of attractive titles including yoga, tantra and karmic philosophy- strange trance music leading you through their doors. I saw bright patchwork pyjamas, hookahs, glass lamps, painted doorknobs, antique gramophones, silver jewellery, ancient tomes and gold coins- the list is endless.

Paharganj is a utopian food paradise, dotted with eclectic eateries. Visiting ‘Sam's Cafe’, with its elegant rooftop setting, ‘Korean Cafe’ with its rather questionable menu and the popular 'German Bakery’ would be simply scratching the surface. After a while, you suddenly realize why foreign tourists are so at home in Paharganj- to my great amusement, the waiters communicated effortlessly with tourists in spurts of stylishly accented English, and even in bits and pieces of French and German learned by them over years of serving tourists.

If I try to encapsulate the lure and charm of the narrow, dirty streets of Paharganj in a few words, all I can say is that it is a world within a world, and a time within a time. It is an intense kaleidoscope of the eccentricities and oddities of India and the world alike. And, like some of the wines served in its modest restaurants, it is best enjoyed exactly as it is.

The Yamuna by Kanika Sharma

2010-11-21T23:16:00.000-08:00

Religous waste on the banks of the Yamuna

Yamuna- daughter of Shri Surya Dev and sister of Yama ; revered and worshiped by millions; this favourite haunt of Shri Krishna, that nourishes Braj Bhoomi and carries countless sacred stories in its fold, is choking up.

Having heard of its glorious past and nightmarish present, I decided to visit Kudsia Ghat, a bank of the Yamuna near Kashmiri Gate. No amount of sensitization or orientation on the plight of the river and the level of pollution in it, can prepare someone for the actual stench and repugnant sight of one of India’s most sacred and holiest rivers.

In a moment, I was wrenched out of my “comfort zone” and brought face to face with the black waters of the Yamuna- mirroring the indifference, arrogance and selfishness of our civilization.

One could smell the river before seeing it. Even a hundred meters away, the wind brings the stench of the water into the bus. The colour inky black,blackness impenetrable. This is the place where the water from the largest of Delhi’s twenty two drains joins the river.

However bad the river looks from its shoreline, the only proper way to experience the stinking state of affairs in which it finds itself, is to take a boat ride. “ No one swims here anymore”, the boatman said, “ only those who want to commit suicide”.

The river gives the look of an affluent or perhaps an effluent drain. In the middle of the river, water looked as black as pitch. Methane bubbled up from the depths and plastic bags and other rubbish floated on the surface. Now and then, boat would pass on some piece of rotting organic matter being feasted on by a swarm of mosquitoes. It was difficult to breathe without feeling nauseous. The river gave off a stagnant smell that only got worse as we went further. No wonder the old boatman had serious respiratory problems.

The 13 miles stretch of Yamuna that runs through the capital is the dirtiest of any river in

India

, unable to sustain aquatic life and unfit even for animals to bathe in.

What is happening to Yamuna is reflective of what is happening in almost every river in country. The blighting of Yamuna is a symbol of

India

’s unchecked urban growth and poor oversight.

The government has spent nearly $500 million to clean up the river, most of it going to water-treatment stations, yet the pollution levels have more than doubled from 1993 to2005 and they continue to rise.

The relationship between the Yamuna and Delhi is a complex one. It surely is the lifeline of the capital, nourishing more than 60 million people, quenching 70% of Delhi’s thirst and yet it leaves Delhi as a sewer, laden with city’s biological and chemical waste. It reflects the true character of the capital- its flawed planning, unsustainable lifestyle and corruption. It is the dirty underbelly of Delhi.

Yet most of the people in Delhi are oblivious to the river’s condition. It is something they do not have to content with everyday. It is barricaded away from the majority of city by the traffic and VIP memorials. They do not even see it.

Many believe that the river is dead. It just hasn’t been officially cremated yet.

Coming soon.

2010-11-06T07:27:00.000-07:00

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