Newsing around!

Going by the news in circulation, I wonder as to why such things keep happening. In fact, they keep on repeating. And no one seems to mind - 'sab kuch chaltha hai'! Without intending to bore, here is my take on a few of them:-

 (a) 'Instruments' of the political parties.

  The mobile camera grab on the brutal assault of two guys, whose car was stopped on the middle of the
  road by a few mobike riding goons, had gone viral today. The incident had taken place in broad daylight,
  in front of a sizeable crowd on one of the busy roads of Tirur of Malappuram district. It's believed that the
  spark was ignited by a long standing vendetta between the CPM and the Muslim League.

  One doesn't require a gaze into the crystal ball to predict retaliatory strikes and in the process, even loss
  of lives. Why don't these youngsters understand that they're being used by the political parties for their
  ends? I've often wondered as to what sustains the 'goonda gangs'? Anyone of the following, if not all, may
  perhaps be the factors:-

      (i) Most of them are school dropouts and the literate among them are unemployed. They're on the
          lookout for 'easy' jobs because they detest doing anything that require hard work on their part.
     (ii) Political patronage gives them 'power' and perhaps, an indulgent attitude by the police if they're
          to land up in trouble while executing their patron's diktats.
    (iii) Their day-to-day existence is looked after by the crumbs thrown at them by their godfathers.

  (b) The new governor of Jammu & Kashmir.

  Sivashankar Menon is tipped to be the next governor of J&K after his term as the National Security
  Advisor expires. Another example of a lacklustre bureaucrat being kicked upstairs just because of his
  political leanings. His performance as the country's foreign secretary was more reactive than proactive
  and it was during his tenure, both as the foreign secretary and the NSA, that China had made quite a
  few unacceptable incursions on our borders.

  And we're told at the time of his taking over as the foreign secretary, that he'd be able to give a dynamic
  thrust to the relationship with our immediate neighbours with his vast(?) knowledge. Plain empty words
  and what a laugh?

  (c) The sad end.

  The death of Nido Tania, a student from Arunachal Pradesh, in the nation's capital is another sad
  testimony that human lives have ceased to have any value. How can a bunch of people take law into
  their own hands and get away with murder? It's my fond hope that justice is provided without delay.

  Dear Nido, we've collectively let you down. My apologies and prayers. May your near and dear ones
  have the strength to deal with their tremendous loss!

  (d) The political trapeze.

  Can't help but laugh at the manner in which Sharad Pawar and his party are making moves to back
  Narendra Modi's BJP. He's already got himself elected into the Rajya Sabha and will look for propping
  up his daughter into the new dispensation. I really marvel in the manner guys like him stick on to power
  despite changing political dispensations.

  Some survival this! His supporters say that it's his eagerness to serve his countrymen that's making him
  take on power. What a joke?


Tailpiece.

Apologies for being a cynic. But my blood boils when I see the hangers on, the sycophants, the fixers
and the frauds get into positions of power only to loot this country time and again.

       

Li'l Sanath's discomfiture and other mini stories.

This morning we're off to Aluva to attend the wedding of a cousin of Lekha. Her younger sister and son, Sanath - all of four years and very sharp - had come in their car to take us along.

 (a) Li'l Sanath's discomfiture.

 We've displayed two collages of photographs selected after great thought - so we'd presumed - from the
 treasure trove of the albums that we've accumulated over a period. Much to my dismay, I've seen a few
 of my friends and even a relative turn away disappointed after perusing them, simply because they did not
 figure in any of them. How can I ever convince them that their not figuring in the selection did not in any way
 diminish our feelings for them?

 Sanath happens to be yet another who doesn't figure in them and he's pretty peeved about it. This afternoon
 - I'd heard him plead to his mom that they should enter Lekha aunty's house for just six minutes. I'd like to
 believe that he's endowed with the ability to appreciate the duration of six minutes - therefore, on their return  leg they'd a quick snack and it was then that I heard him tell Vinu, their 'saarthi', that he didn't figure in any
 of the photographs while the former was viewing them!

 (b) The pain of using a credit card.

 While those of you staying abroad would find this strange, the extensive use of the plastic money is yet to
 gain popularity in this country. Today, I'd a rather long wait for my card to get processed at the department
 store - each time the cashier shakes his head at a failed attempt, the others waiting in the queue look at you
 as a villain and even, perhaps as a fraudster using faulty credit cards! One's in the limelight for no rhyme or
 reason and for all the wrong reasons!! - and finally, when it was successful after the nth time, I'd lost count
 by then and was sort of getting desperate to get through with it, the cashier says apologetically, "Sorry sir,
 the line has been too busy".

 (c) Vinu's driving tactics.

 Our 'saarthi' of the day who's quiet by nature but has the bad habit of literally 'sitting on the horn' - he,
 honks aggressively and the prolonged ones did irritate me - to drive off the guy ahead from out of his way.
 And god forbid the errant ones. He overtakes them and deliberately slows down soon after to break their
 momentum, simply to 'teach them a lesson'!

 I'd admonished him at the end of it and tried to tell him the importance of being nice to the other motorists.
 Wonder whether it would make him change but I was reminded about many such boors that I've come  across during my driving outings.

 I did try to analyse his behaviour. From his family background I reckon that he's a spoilt brat, having being
 given everything that he's wanted and asked for.


Tailpiece.

Another one of those hectic days but at the end of the day, 'it's mission accomplished'!
  

Getting to be accepted.....slowly.

It's been exactly a couple of months that I've been here. My regular walks, both in the morning and in the evening, have made me visible to a lot of people that I come across. As I'd said earlier, a knowing look, a smile with a nod of the head or a faint hint of a smile and finally, the unfurling of the half masted dhoti/lungi accompanied with folded hands have been the different types of responses that I've been privileged to receive thus far. I must admit that I get a heady feeling whenever I'm acknowledged!

This evening, Ashwin, a young boy studying in class IX, dismounted from his bicycle and had invited me to his home to meet up with his parents. Much as I hate interruptions of any sort while I'm on my walks, I didn't have the heart to pour water on the youngster's enthusiasm and it was from his parents that I came to know that the boy has been talking about my interaction with his group of friends and him during my last public outing. And it was then that the lad had confessed to having cycled up to my gate twice but had got funked at the last moment and pedalled away. I've invited the family to my house this Sunday.

    *                                         *                                       *

I'd driven into the closest petrol bunk for filling up my Chevy but was told very sweetly(?) by the female attendant that credit cards were unacceptable. Since I had an appointment soon after, I'd decided to let it go at that but come back at a later stage to sort out the matter once for all. As I was winding up my walk, I'd walked up to the bunk's manager to find out as to why plastic money was not entertained despite the fact that it's a common happening elsewhere.

He was profusely apologetic on behalf of the attendant saying that she was ignorant of the fact that I stayed in the vicinity - the proprietor is my neighbour and a good friend, who's a successful businessman but a humble man. Since the bunk is on the state highway, it has a lot of customers on transit from faraway places and they've had problems, in the past, created by the use of credit cards by quite a few of the passing motorists. Therefore, there was an understanding among the team of attendants to discourage the use of the credit cards except for 'known' customers.

He's offered to have my car filled up, first thing tomorrow morning before I kick off on a long trip.


Tailpiece.

I suppose everything has a time of its bidding! There's no point in worrying about things not happening the way one wants!!

   

We shall overcome.

Pete Seeger, singer, folk-song collector and songwriter who'd spearheaded an American folk revival and spent a long career giving impetus to folk music as an important heritage and a catalyst for social change, passed into the mist of time today at the New York - Presbyterian hospital. He was all of 94 yrs and had died of natural causes.

He'd sung for the labour movement in the '40s and the '50s, for civil rights marches and anti-Vietnam war rallies in the '60s and for environmental and antiwar causes during the '70s and beyond.

"We shall overcome..." which he'd adopted from the old spirituals went on to become a civil rights anthem. We, Indians, are familiar with its desi version, "Hum honge kaamyaab....."

I've been mesmerised with the lyrics and not to forget the peppy energy that I've - always and without fail - derived from hearing this number. As of now, while I punch in these thoughts of mine, the number's playing in the background!

RIP, Pete Seeger. My prayers. You shall continue to live through your music for the years to come.


Tailpiece.

It's an unusually hectic day but I was satisfied that everything, that was planned, could be achieved in the end though at one time I'd almost given up on one serial as the wait was inordinate and any further delay would have upset the subsequent schedules. Well!

Cash strapped!

I was on my evening walk and had not taken the torch despite mom's insistence simply because I'd planned my return in such a manner so that I could pick up some items from the department store, the laundry and the chemist. I'd decided to hire an auto rickshaw from the department store for my return trip.

It was a blistering pace as usual and had finally fetched up at the department store and thankfully, all the items that I'd wanted were available on the shelves. There wasn't much of a crowd and one of the boys, in attendance, helped me pick up the items of grocery. I'd also got my favourite flavour of ice cream in a family pack - that of the strawberry!

At the counter I'd offered my credit card for payment when the billing clerk reported that the machine had gone awry ever since the afternoon as the telephone lines had got erratic. Since I didn't have enough cash in my pocket, I'd then expressed my inability to pick up the items and apologised to the billing clerk for inconveniencing him. I'd walked out of the store after yet another 'unplanned mishap' that happens in plenty during one's life but had the satisfaction that none of the items that I'd picked up was urgently required.

I was aware that I'd a one grand rupee note to get a few essential medicines for mom and Lekha from the chemist and had begun the long trudge back home. Hiring a rick was unnecessary and I'd already put off collection of the clothes from the laundry for tomorrow.

The medicines collected, I could reach home about 20' later than usual. All well laid plans can go awry or if anything has to go wrong, it will! It's just a part of the game!!


Tailpiece.

No sooner had I reached home did Lekha emphasise the need for a loaf of bread and so, I'd gone to the bakery nearby only to be told that the last piece was sold about 10 minutes earlier and the girl at the counter felt genuinely sorry for having to let me go empty handed.

Doesn't it look all too conspiratorial?    

The 65th Republic day.

The poignant moment that shall ever remain etched in my memory of the 65th Republic day celebrations was the tears rolling down the cheeks of the mother of the late Sub Inspector K Prasad Babu, as his dad received the Ashok Chakra from the President of India.

Sub Inspector K Prasad Babu was a member of the Andhra Pradesh counter - naxalite force called the 'Greyhounds', who'd laid down his life while fighting the Maoists valiantly in the Andhra Pradesh - Chhattisgarh border region of Sukma on 16 Apr '13. Thirty three year old Babu played a key role in eliminating nine top cadre Maoists and held many others at bay in two successive encounters until he was overpowered by the brute majority of the attackers.

RIP, Prasad Babu. You've done the country proud and I salute a true braveheart. Your life's story shall be the inspiration for the generations to come, I'm sure.

The march past down the Rajpath was impressive, colourful and elegant as always. The way the marching columns kicked their foot that extra bit, while saluting the dais, with their faces full of hope and confidence reassured the viewers that India was in safe hands and that they'd never let our enemies get away with their evil designs, ever!

In the evening I was rooted in front of my television set to see the programme, 'Rediscovered : National Defence Academy' on the Discovery channel. Actually, the alert had been given to me by friends and course mates, well in advance, to keep the Sunday free for uninterrupted viewing, through telephone calls and by e-mail. So, two potential visitors were politely told to reschedule their visits. Wicked of me you might say but this is the reaction that can be expected of me, anytime anywhere - such is the pull of the Alma mater, even to this day.


Tailpiece.

1.The one hour programme was a nostalgic trip down memory lane. I was transported in time and went through my first to sixth terms recalling quite a few of the incidents during my stay at the Academy. Truly, time well spent!

2. I was also reminded of the shooting of 'A Cradle for Leadership' by Khurshid Ahmed - the second documentary to be made on the Academy - during my first and second terms in '73. 

The Guruvayur darshan.

Years back, soon after joining the NDA, I remember all of us, first termers, being taken around the sprawling campus on an organised visit. The idea was to familiarise each one of us with the important landmarks that would require frequent visits by a cadet - as part of the training - during his stay. I would be kidding that everything had fallen smartly into memory but a rough idea of the general directions along with the approximate distances was quite clearly etched, deep within.

The exercise was termed as the 'Academy darshan' and it was the front runner to the numerous visits on one's cycle issued by the quartermaster to make the cadets' movements crisp, without any time lag between classroom sessions. Many a time, the roles were reversed with the bicycle lifted over one's head simply because the 'cadet appointment' that one'd crossed enroute felt that one's discipline was - to quote him - piss poor! And imagine a sweaty cadet trying to imbibe the nuances of 'Integral Mathematics' soon after!!

This evening, as if to remind me about such an exercise, my neighbour and schoolmate took me around in his car to familiarise me with the landmarks of Guruvayur for getting my work done and to achieve immediate objectives. It was a taut, one hour trip resulting in getting a few things done by the two of us.

And then, it was time to exchange notes and usher in the weekend while charting out our future course of action as much needs to be done.


Tailpiece.

One of the arterial roads has been dug up for relaying water pipes. The already crazy traffic has gone crazier!