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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.