Thursday, March 14, 2013
Friday, February 22, 2013
Watching Sachin maybe for the last time!
It is Feb 23, it is 1st Test-2nd day's Tea, between India vs Aus in Chintambaram stadium. It is Indian batting after Aus made 380sh. Importatnly the guys in the middle are Purjara and the great Sachin. They are 84/2 with both the batsmen in their 30s.
For Indian cricket fan there is certainly no better series than India vs Aus, especially when they are playing in India. Aus pitches still are a big hard for Indians. Not as bad as SA, but still not in the comfortable bracket. But for me as for many other cricket fan of my generation, it is all about Sachin. Sachin is 39, few months away from his 40th he is only a year away from the oldest player for India, Vinoo Mankat who played till 41 years. But unlike none to what I know he has over 23 years of international play. From Nov, 1989, when he was 16 years. So in a sense with 23 years in cricket makes him favorite amondg every generation of criket fans. To comprehend how long Tendulkar has played can be asertained that his batting partner Pujara, though 25 year was only a year old when Tendulakar played his first game. More interestingly in the current squad except Dhoni, Sehwag and Harbajan all others where less than 5 years old/and one Bhuvanesh was not even born. But that long tenure has its donwside. Sachin has reitred from both T20(2010) and ODI(Dec 2012) but none of his contemprary have long retired. His 3 year junior Saurav/Dravid have reited over a year back. And it is jsut matter of time that he is going to retire.
What makes Sachin-sachin is so many years of great criket he has givne to Indians and all the cricket lovers. He with the three other Titans (Dravid/Saurav/Laxman) made Indians a powershouse for over two decades. Mind wanders back to the great inning tbat Sachin played. The super 140s in Sharjah, or the magial 80s in the boucy New Zealand grounds. The fact remains for many of us who started watching cricket along with him, Indian cricket always had Sachin as an impotatnt ingedient in the team. With him gone, which will happen very soon it would be a big lss.
For me with Sachin the same age as me, and with the other three it gave me so many hours of entertainment. And amny of them besides ODI innings it were the test matches. And the India vs Australia in India would certainly be the best among his innings. The best certainly would be the 1997 tour. Wiht likes of Warne and McDermott Sachin Devasted the Australian attack especially Warne, ending up with an avaerage of over 110 runs. Sachin was at his prime, actually scored max 100s during the period. And with some great innings including the 2nd innings where he with Azharuddin made 418 runs in 104 balls.
So with the evening setting in Chennai, and last few overs remaining of the day, and with Sachiin in his 60s, there is an aprehsension f wherhter he could get among his last centuries. Who knows how lng will he play. But as of tonight, I had time, and was able to enjoy his Innings, maybe my last.
For Indian cricket fan there is certainly no better series than India vs Aus, especially when they are playing in India. Aus pitches still are a big hard for Indians. Not as bad as SA, but still not in the comfortable bracket. But for me as for many other cricket fan of my generation, it is all about Sachin. Sachin is 39, few months away from his 40th he is only a year away from the oldest player for India, Vinoo Mankat who played till 41 years. But unlike none to what I know he has over 23 years of international play. From Nov, 1989, when he was 16 years. So in a sense with 23 years in cricket makes him favorite amondg every generation of criket fans. To comprehend how long Tendulkar has played can be asertained that his batting partner Pujara, though 25 year was only a year old when Tendulakar played his first game. More interestingly in the current squad except Dhoni, Sehwag and Harbajan all others where less than 5 years old/and one Bhuvanesh was not even born. But that long tenure has its donwside. Sachin has reitred from both T20(2010) and ODI(Dec 2012) but none of his contemprary have long retired. His 3 year junior Saurav/Dravid have reited over a year back. And it is jsut matter of time that he is going to retire.
What makes Sachin-sachin is so many years of great criket he has givne to Indians and all the cricket lovers. He with the three other Titans (Dravid/Saurav/Laxman) made Indians a powershouse for over two decades. Mind wanders back to the great inning tbat Sachin played. The super 140s in Sharjah, or the magial 80s in the boucy New Zealand grounds. The fact remains for many of us who started watching cricket along with him, Indian cricket always had Sachin as an impotatnt ingedient in the team. With him gone, which will happen very soon it would be a big lss.
For me with Sachin the same age as me, and with the other three it gave me so many hours of entertainment. And amny of them besides ODI innings it were the test matches. And the India vs Australia in India would certainly be the best among his innings. The best certainly would be the 1997 tour. Wiht likes of Warne and McDermott Sachin Devasted the Australian attack especially Warne, ending up with an avaerage of over 110 runs. Sachin was at his prime, actually scored max 100s during the period. And with some great innings including the 2nd innings where he with Azharuddin made 418 runs in 104 balls.
So with the evening setting in Chennai, and last few overs remaining of the day, and with Sachiin in his 60s, there is an aprehsension f wherhter he could get among his last centuries. Who knows how lng will he play. But as of tonight, I had time, and was able to enjoy his Innings, maybe my last.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Is Indian Food Muglai? How Wrong could that be
Though had thought about it many a times but when I was talking about it with an old friend, it just refreshed it.
Everyone knows lot of people like Indian food. And as Healthy diet is becoming cooler so is the vegetranian or lean meat diet of Indian food places are pooping up everywhere. Back in hte old days, to what I saw and more importatnly what I heard from other immigratns who came before me ( SU Librarbian who came in 1960s), Indian food if you wanted it. It meant you make it. Or just make a trip to the Indian ghettos to NY city. There was no Little India in LA and nor the Silicon Valley's so called MG Road (aka El Comino Real). And certainly not the Huston and Dallas Indian grocery stores and resturants and dance halls which are like regular american Superstore. The Indo -Pak less than a mile away can be easily be mistaken as a small Supernarket Chain Grocery Store.
But still one thing that has not changed is the Indian food. Back then as today when you talk Indian food it is usually Muglai food. And that is where a serious anamoly comes in.
Muglai food is a delicacy. An extreemly spoisticated cooking that demands a lot of knwoelge of Indian spices which was perfected in the 18th centruy Landlords of Lucknow, the Nawabs. See Story of India- discussion of it. (Episode 6 - The Freedom - see from 18 minutes). Also see the PBS resource. A ulmination of Spice capital of world and the Persian artsy culture. No other guess Taj Mahal is certainly the most famous of this mixing of oceans -Majma-ul-Bahrayn (The mingling of Two Oceans)), as Dara Shikoh talked about the culture and religion that came out of it also.
But Muglai food needs a lot of effort. Haven seen been done in my relatives who were once Landlords from the Licknow-Awad land.
So who then eats this food. Before the coming India and US market got hold of powdered easy to make Indian foods, I would say really few. Atleast I did not know anyone. You needed to be a true Bawarchi to make a Biryani. And for reagualr Mortals, to eat all that. If in Lucknow we had to go to Hazratgunj and if in Calcutta go to Lahore or places like that. Funnily hte reason why Calcutta came to know of how to make Biryani, it was because Nawab of Oudh aftre 1857 debacle was moved to Calcutta as was the last remining family of Tipu Sultan.
Indian food is more differnt and much more vibrant. It could be the true Punjabi rustic village food of "Roti and Sarsoon ka Saag" or Hindi Belts "Saabzi-rd spicees fresh watmusting a Persian word meaning a stoow). Be it Begali's Mustated oil Fresh water Hilsa to Goan fishy NMacarel amde with cocunit- portuguese breading and gaon kokum. From Vegetrarian Gujrati food using wheat and barley to South Indian all rice based food. And I certainly can not include the Kasmmire food or Bamboo shoot delicaies of NE or Tibetian food if you still feel it has some connection with India.
Yet when you go to
Everyone knows lot of people like Indian food. And as Healthy diet is becoming cooler so is the vegetranian or lean meat diet of Indian food places are pooping up everywhere. Back in hte old days, to what I saw and more importatnly what I heard from other immigratns who came before me ( SU Librarbian who came in 1960s), Indian food if you wanted it. It meant you make it. Or just make a trip to the Indian ghettos to NY city. There was no Little India in LA and nor the Silicon Valley's so called MG Road (aka El Comino Real). And certainly not the Huston and Dallas Indian grocery stores and resturants and dance halls which are like regular american Superstore. The Indo -Pak less than a mile away can be easily be mistaken as a small Supernarket Chain Grocery Store.
But still one thing that has not changed is the Indian food. Back then as today when you talk Indian food it is usually Muglai food. And that is where a serious anamoly comes in.
Muglai food is a delicacy. An extreemly spoisticated cooking that demands a lot of knwoelge of Indian spices which was perfected in the 18th centruy Landlords of Lucknow, the Nawabs. See Story of India- discussion of it. (Episode 6 - The Freedom - see from 18 minutes). Also see the PBS resource. A ulmination of Spice capital of world and the Persian artsy culture. No other guess Taj Mahal is certainly the most famous of this mixing of oceans -Majma-ul-Bahrayn (The mingling of Two Oceans)), as Dara Shikoh talked about the culture and religion that came out of it also.
But Muglai food needs a lot of effort. Haven seen been done in my relatives who were once Landlords from the Licknow-Awad land.
So who then eats this food. Before the coming India and US market got hold of powdered easy to make Indian foods, I would say really few. Atleast I did not know anyone. You needed to be a true Bawarchi to make a Biryani. And for reagualr Mortals, to eat all that. If in Lucknow we had to go to Hazratgunj and if in Calcutta go to Lahore or places like that. Funnily hte reason why Calcutta came to know of how to make Biryani, it was because Nawab of Oudh aftre 1857 debacle was moved to Calcutta as was the last remining family of Tipu Sultan.
Indian food is more differnt and much more vibrant. It could be the true Punjabi rustic village food of "Roti and Sarsoon ka Saag" or Hindi Belts "Saabzi-rd spicees fresh watmusting a Persian word meaning a stoow). Be it Begali's Mustated oil Fresh water Hilsa to Goan fishy NMacarel amde with cocunit- portuguese breading and gaon kokum. From Vegetrarian Gujrati food using wheat and barley to South Indian all rice based food. And I certainly can not include the Kasmmire food or Bamboo shoot delicaies of NE or Tibetian food if you still feel it has some connection with India.
Yet when you go to
Read about and saw a small exceprts of it.. I really think a true point.... To be frank so few makes or even can make Biryani or other epscial Muglai or Hyderabadi dishes at home.....
But when you call Indian food the first thing that comes is the extremely eloborate.. which I think is impossible without the powedered package to make all the espcial dishes
Muglai food is the eiptomthe of the 16th 17th century luzuries of the elite of the richest county in world... The Muglai India world
I am sure when in 200 years ppl look to some food of NY or western life style they might think the same
but a real good movie...
in case if you know if they might show it around TX tell me would love to see it
FYI a nice article on it
By the way my best regional inidan food is the Konkani food.... thought originally from the famous Muglai Lucknow... I can never handle the over spiced Muglai food
LOL
TTYL
TTYL
Wednesday, December 05, 2012
My Student Life@USA
It all started with a chat with Vinu. And as has many times though the objectives of the work was very different you derive something very different from it. I was contacting Vinu and was thinking of catching up. But what I got out of the 20-30 min chat was re-visting my student life. Especailly looking into some facets like Financial which at that time was so un-nerving that I never looked into it. But overall it was re-living a stage of my life which at that time was tough and hard, phyiscally but more importantly mentally. But it was the same hard going that changed and also improved me in so many ways.
US and India are so different now. Globalization has changed both of them in so many ways in the last 10 years I have know and have started appreciating them so much more. But my migration from my country to this certainly was when these changes had started. The Globalization force that will change the two Democracies that were so different make them seem a bit similar now. India is now a proud county, with greener future. And US by the same forces is now once the country whoes once green pasture so many wanted to come to, including me, are now encountering the Fall Season.
[12:31:06 PM] Shantanu Shukla: Hi Vinu seems you had contacted me earlier
[12:31:16 PM] Shantanu Shukla: on Skype.. was not online so missed you
[12:31:48 PM] vinu: hey
[12:31:49 PM] vinu: yeah
[12:32:08 PM] vinu: tell me....how much did u have to spend from your side for ur MS
[12:33:42 PM] Shantanu Shukla: Not sure about hte exact amount.. but I thnk Ihad some 6000$ from credit cards here and I had taken a loan of 8 Lakhs.....
[12:33:55 PM] Shantanu Shukla: plus some 2 Lakh my savings
[12:34:13 PM] Shantanu Shukla: and some 1.5 lakh tha my Dad gave from his pocket
[12:34:53 PM] Shantanu Shukla: but most important.... "THE COST of fees then were less than now"
[12:35:31 PM] Shantanu Shukla: all school's fee have increaded by atleast 40 -50 % from my time fees
[12:36:23 PM] vinu: u never got scholarship for any semester?
[12:36:34 PM] vinu: i mean did u have to pay fees for all the 4 semesters
[12:37:08 PM] Shantanu Shukla: yes that is correct... no scholarship
[12:37:21 PM] Shantanu Shukla: FYI the fees now at syracuse is $1,249 per credit hour
[12:37:38 PM] Shantanu Shukla: at my time it was around $800..
[12:38:08 PM] Shantanu Shukla: so around 60% more now if I had to do the same course
[12:38:45 PM] vinu: what about living expenses
[12:38:51 PM] vinu: how did u manage that?
[12:39:04 PM] Shantanu Shukla: we worked at food court to cover that portion
[12:39:27 PM] Shantanu Shukla: and working 80 hours to 100 hours a week during summer covered one semester fees
[12:40:03 PM] Shantanu Shukla: ie the 3 months of break we got between 1-2 year, ie between 2 and 3 semester
[12:40:43 PM] vinu: u basically have to pay for tuition and living expenses...right
[12:40:51 PM] vinu: there is no other cost involved....right
[12:42:24 PM] Shantanu Shukla: why not.. coming to US, I think it costed me Rs 50,000 or something like that for one way flight
[12:42:45 PM] Shantanu Shukla: besides applying fees to US... GRE fees etc etc..
[12:43:05 PM] Shantanu Shukla: But most important is time...
[12:43:19 PM] Shantanu Shukla: remember when I was incurring debts.. msot ppl were earning money
[12:43:58 PM] Shantanu Shukla: FYI - I did find the cost per credit at that time was less than 4*00 per credit
[12:44:08 PM] Shantanu Shukla: sorry $800 per credit
[12:44:14 PM] Shantanu Shukla: saw this link http://www.syracuse.com/visit/poststandard/index.ssf?/visit/colleges.html
[12:44:14 PM] vinu: yeah but not much money....when u were studying..ppl were earning Rs.25000-40000 per month max
[12:44:30 PM] vinu: in india
[12:44:41 PM] vinu: u could make that working in macdonalds in usa
[12:44:44 PM] Shantanu Shukla: But what about expereince
[12:44:50 PM] Shantanu Shukla: and oppurtunity cost
[12:45:09 PM] vinu: ur getting to study from usa....getting more experience than the crap work doen in india
[12:45:13 PM] Shantanu Shukla: Dude if I had worked there and came to US in 2004...my startning salary would be much higher
[12:45:24 PM] vinu: FYI....i have really learnt something after coming to USA
[12:45:32 PM] vinu: the quality of work in India was crap
[12:45:54 PM] Shantanu Shukla: remember if you cannot get through campus.... like most of us had to all our degree comes to nothing
[12:46:16 PM] Shantanu Shukla: Well Vinu we have talked about what is better.... earlier also...
[12:46:36 PM] vinu: i mean i had to sturggle to come to USA
[12:46:47 PM] Shantanu Shukla: The study in US kwas never easy and will never be easy.. if you are coming as fresh student from India...
[12:47:05 PM] Shantanu Shukla: But I had to struggle like ass when we came as student...
[12:47:07 PM] vinu: and i know people who came thought infosys, tcs etc....who worked for 60k-70k for years
[12:47:17 PM] Shantanu Shukla: and after the MS it was not even easy to stay back
[12:47:26 PM] Shantanu Shukla: immigration poicy in US is crappy even then
[12:47:41 PM] Shantanu Shukla: what do you mean by 60K...
[12:47:55 PM] Shantanu Shukla: my this years income is less than 60K
[12:47:57 PM] Shantanu Shukla: even now
[12:48:15 PM] Shantanu Shukla: and my first 3 years income after my MS was less than 50K
[12:48:56 PM] Shantanu Shukla: anyway vinu as I said... the MS only helped me broadening my understanding... and that is what in the ,ong run that will help me...
[12:49:18 PM] Shantanu Shukla: and I am ok to go thorugh the suffering and pain to get it..
[12:49:46 PM] Shantanu Shukla: MS in US is tough... it was for me and so it was for Rose...
[12:51:19 PM] Shantanu Shukla: But what you get from it is not the degree but the mind... and the expereince... As we said if you can get through MS and survive you are ready for the real life out there..
[12:51:51 PM] Shantanu Shukla: A really good thing of US system... I really feel because of almost free educaton in India, you never realise it..
[12:51:55 PM] Shantanu Shukla: That is my take on it
[12:52:40 PM] Shantanu Shukla: Anyway one good thing of being unemployed... can look into other things which are also important...
[12:53:28 PM] Shantanu Shukla: anyway I know you are work... But just FYI - a lot of this writing was for me to write out my thinking .. I might actaully write a Blog on it...
[12:53:39 PM] Shantanu Shukla: and that was Blog
[12:54:47 PM] Shantanu Shukla: so u can jsut neglect a lot of my writing or ramblings of mind if you could say so
[12:55:42 PM] vinu: i know of a lot of people...who came to study in university of southern california...good universities
[12:55:52 PM] vinu: and directly got into cisco, google etc
[12:56:31 PM] Shantanu Shukla: not us...
[12:56:43 PM] Shantanu Shukla: as i said it all depends which year you graduated
[12:56:54 PM] vinu: i mean there are 2 ways to come to usa through companies
[12:57:08 PM] vinu: either come through a consultant....or come through tcs, wipro etc
[12:57:23 PM] vinu: consultant is not a good idea...because they cheat a lot
[12:57:47 PM] vinu: and wipro, tcs, your skills are not too good....because god knows what they make you do
[12:58:10 PM] vinu: unless ur in jave, SAP etc...in which case....u can still manage a good salary
[12:58:39 PM] Shantanu Shukla: that is true about TCS etc
[12:59:14 PM] Shantanu Shukla: but that is the main reason we take risk of coming to US to study... it is not the MS we come for.. we come for oppurtunity...
[12:59:30 PM] Shantanu Shukla: and as you certianly know.. this is a land of oppurtunities
[12:59:57 PM] vinu: yeah...but not on a H1B....there are too many restrictions
[1:00:23 PM] Shantanu Shukla: Well you have to wait till you get the GC... it is worth the wait if you ask me...
[1:00:34 PM] vinu: btw...is canada...a land of oppurtunities lijke USA....i mean what can i not do in Canada...that i can do in usa
[1:00:51 PM] Shantanu Shukla: so why are you in US
[1:00:58 PM] Shantanu Shukla: Dude I know what Canada is...
[1:01:07 PM] Shantanu Shukla: cold as hell
[1:01:14 PM] Shantanu Shukla: and little oppurtunituy
[1:01:29 PM] Shantanu Shukla: Have you seen the cold of canada
[1:02:09 PM] vinu: i have seen cold of Germany....its not good...but u can survive
[1:02:16 PM] vinu: i have relatives in Germany
[1:02:28 PM] vinu: so i guess Canada is as cold as Germany...right
[1:02:43 PM] vinu: what u mean...little oppurtunity...have u been to canada
[1:04:14 PM] Shantanu Shukla: Germany is like Dallas
[1:04:20 PM] Shantanu Shukla: Canda is another stuff
[1:04:33 PM] Shantanu Shukla: I have stayed in Upstate NY
[1:04:56 PM] Shantanu Shukla: It is cold man
[1:05:02 PM] Shantanu Shukla: Cold as hell
[1:05:30 PM] Shantanu Shukla: well I think I should say the Hell would freeze if it was there in Upstate NY or Canda
[1:05:56 PM] Shantanu Shukla: DO you know US army trains people to fight the siberian cold by taking them to Upstate NY
[1:06:52 PM] Shantanu Shukla: I hope you know the diff between Germany and Siberia.. !!!
[1:06:58 PM] Shantanu Shukla: ie in coldness
[1:07:02 PM] Shantanu Shukla: they are not the same
[1:07:12 PM] vinu: ur saying its that cold
[1:07:33 PM] Shantanu Shukla: I have seen -25 Fhreheit
[1:07:42 PM] Shantanu Shukla: at night
[1:07:49 PM] vinu: i have a friend in montreal....and he says....its not that cold
[1:07:51 PM] Shantanu Shukla: and -5 F at 2 in the afternoon
[1:08:05 PM] Shantanu Shukla: all this minus the wind chill
[1:08:16 PM] vinu: he moved from miami to montreal....and i havent seen him complaining
[1:08:59 PM] Shantanu Shukla: how many winters he has stayed there
[1:09:03 PM] vinu: he told me....its just the wrong impression that canada is very cold....
[1:09:11 PM] vinu: he has been there for 3-4 years
[1:09:35 PM] Shantanu Shukla: Well Vinu I and all of Rose's family are from NE
[1:09:42 PM] Shantanu Shukla: if someone says NE is not cold
[1:10:07 PM] Shantanu Shukla: I think he must be coming from Siberia... :)
[1:10:18 PM] vinu: ok
[1:10:30 PM] vinu: i am just stuck on my H1B man
[1:10:42 PM] vinu: and i dont know how long it will take to get GC
[1:10:54 PM] vinu: so i was thinlking about moving to canada
[1:11:24 PM] Shantanu Shukla: have you applied for GC
[1:11:32 PM] Shantanu Shukla: and at what level
[1:11:36 PM] vinu: yes...its in process...EB2
[1:11:49 PM] Shantanu Shukla: so you are good
[1:11:53 PM] Shantanu Shukla: should get it soon
[1:12:07 PM] Shantanu Shukla: most of my freinds who had applied with me hav got theirs
[1:12:14 PM] vinu: my lawyer said...4-5 years
[1:12:16 PM] Shantanu Shukla: if it is EB2 you are good
[1:12:22 PM] Shantanu Shukla: when had you applied
[1:12:30 PM] Shantanu Shukla: ie ur prioirty date
[1:12:32 PM] vinu: i applied just recently
[1:12:40 PM] vinu: i havent got the priority date yet
[1:12:48 PM] Shantanu Shukla: man u are in US for last 4-5 years... should have applied earlier
[1:13:00 PM] Shantanu Shukla: I have been telling you from day one
[1:13:29 PM] vinu: yeah....i was not sure of my plans....if i wanted to stick with my compnay or not
[1:13:43 PM] vinu: so just got delayed
[1:14:33 PM] Shantanu Shukla: Well that is the part of the pain.. I was in GC process for 4 years myself...
[1:14:57 PM] Shantanu Shukla: luckily these dayit is only3-4 year.. when I had applied it was almost 4-5 years
[1:15:22 PM] vinu: yeah we will see
[1:15:46 PM] Shantanu Shukla: The time will fly by soon....
[1:15:49 PM] vinu: has everyone from our mca batch in usa....got their GC
[1:15:56 PM] Shantanu Shukla: but what is your exact application date
[1:16:16 PM] Shantanu Shukla: and hope you are following Muthy.com and toehr immigration sites
[1:16:46 PM] Shantanu Shukla: also as for Montreal when ur freind said it is not that cold there
[1:16:55 PM] Shantanu Shukla: the avegare temperature in Dec is AVERAGES
Hi 20°F
Lo 3°F
[1:17:02 PM] Shantanu Shukla: and it is not Jan
[1:17:10 PM] Shantanu Shukla: and if he says that is not that cold
[1:17:17 PM] Shantanu Shukla: I think he really comes from Siberia
[1:17:26 PM] Shantanu Shukla: http://www.weather.com/weather/monthly/CAXX0301
[1:17:47 PM] Shantanu Shukla: and remeber it is not Quebec and other places which are away from coast
[1:18:24 PM] vinu: anywyays...we will see
[1:19:11 PM] Shantanu Shukla: anyway enjoy your day
[1:19:16 PM] Shantanu Shukla: will need to run
[1:19:17 PM] Shantanu Shukla: Byee
[1:19:21 PM] vinu: ok...bye
[1:19:24 PM] Shantanu Shukla: lets catch up soon
[1:19:27 PM] vinu: sure
[1:19:39 PM] Shantanu Shukla: you have a nice day
Saturday, September 08, 2012
Back Home to my Second Birth Place
It has been exactly a decade, when I born in this country. As many immigrants before me who come to the shores of this country at different ages, though they have a degree of maturity, coming to US is like being BORN AGAIN. You get a new SSN, which you apply rather than you parents, and you discover the new culture, American Culture. The only difference of new birth of a kid and a new immigrant, the development is much quicker, in a month getting Bank Accounts. In few more months the American Dream Fulfilment via Credit Card (to estabish history just like a new kid) and in few more months the driving license. And soon in few years, which startled many of us Adult immigrant as too much time to get over the cultural shock, the Indian/Chinese or Irish/German before us, become American. But how much American from heart one is able to obliterate the older nationality is debatable but for sure his lifestyle becomes American.
And has had happened with many others, coming to the shores of US, my journey of the above started. I still remember landing at the Syracuse Airport of the late August to the lush green flora all around. And just like then when in a day or two I moved with other friends to the House, I also in a day or two also moved to the Victorian style house. Only this time the room and house is much furnished. The E Gennesse House has electricity (a decade back as I had no other place to stay I moved with no electricity at the place) and is furnished. I Still remeber the outside room that I stayed at, the best taken by folks who had better connections, had nothing except a dresser. And with it being sunny summer it was easy to live at the place without the electricity. But everything about the place seemed strange. It was very dream like. With no friends and not knowing did I do the right decision of coming to US, it was sort of survival.
And this time jsut like last time, and especially when I think about the first week, with stay manily in the two hotels, just like old stay at senior friends place at Gennesse, the first week was rough. No work and lonliness. So well captured in the Google Photo, of two Indian students with early summer crossing E Gennesse street.
And this late at night at Rochester where the night is alive with all the chirpings of the night life of curtianed summer, it certainly makes me retro back to the days a decade ago.
But one thing for sure, things are different. I certainly have much more association with the place, especailly with Rose and her Long Island, NY connection. I though still not sure if coming to Rochester for job will work out but unlike earlier though I am few years older but I would say I am bit more richer both mentally as well as materialistically.
And as has happened with so many jobs and moving the new place will brings some hurdles but a new discovery. Hopefully this time a new way to discover myself. Of how to handle change and as Narendra Sir used to stay, after you made a decision go with it. Do not brood over it. Enjoy it before the fun of newness will metamorphose to the daily humdrum. When the reality of decison made can not be brooded but lived.
And as Amitabh Bachann said in Kaun Banega Crorepatti Season 5 starting about life's poetry. See the writing here of the poem. It tells of how the Haakka Bakka person starts flowing with the flow. And soon in few more days life and job and Indian trip will take the waking moments. And suddenly some other time at some other place, the Syracuse and Rochester days will exhume from the depts of mind.
And has had happened with many others, coming to the shores of US, my journey of the above started. I still remember landing at the Syracuse Airport of the late August to the lush green flora all around. And just like then when in a day or two I moved with other friends to the House, I also in a day or two also moved to the Victorian style house. Only this time the room and house is much furnished. The E Gennesse House has electricity (a decade back as I had no other place to stay I moved with no electricity at the place) and is furnished. I Still remeber the outside room that I stayed at, the best taken by folks who had better connections, had nothing except a dresser. And with it being sunny summer it was easy to live at the place without the electricity. But everything about the place seemed strange. It was very dream like. With no friends and not knowing did I do the right decision of coming to US, it was sort of survival.
And this late at night at Rochester where the night is alive with all the chirpings of the night life of curtianed summer, it certainly makes me retro back to the days a decade ago.
But one thing for sure, things are different. I certainly have much more association with the place, especailly with Rose and her Long Island, NY connection. I though still not sure if coming to Rochester for job will work out but unlike earlier though I am few years older but I would say I am bit more richer both mentally as well as materialistically.
And as has happened with so many jobs and moving the new place will brings some hurdles but a new discovery. Hopefully this time a new way to discover myself. Of how to handle change and as Narendra Sir used to stay, after you made a decision go with it. Do not brood over it. Enjoy it before the fun of newness will metamorphose to the daily humdrum. When the reality of decison made can not be brooded but lived.
And as Amitabh Bachann said in Kaun Banega Crorepatti Season 5 starting about life's poetry. See the writing here of the poem. It tells of how the Haakka Bakka person starts flowing with the flow. And soon in few more days life and job and Indian trip will take the waking moments. And suddenly some other time at some other place, the Syracuse and Rochester days will exhume from the depts of mind.
Why American Pie hits the chords of heart
There was something to the song that is extremely touchy. As one of the interpretations did mention. At the surface it is easy to song with slight melancholic twist. And that is what caught me attention when I first heard during my early days in my early membership to this country.
But as all classic(it is num#7 in List of top 100 songs of the century), it gets even better as you know it better. And as I came more about the song, I not only came to know it even better but also identified with it more. Specially the historical change in Music as interpreted by Don Lean. ( a good interpretation here)
But I suppose the identification with oneself and a person's life is what makes a song cling to you. It could be melancholic as Don remembers his growing year's music ("And the music died") or symbolically going through similar life experiences.
This song in its core is a repentance of sort. Repentance of a bygone era. The loss of an innocent era. The early era which were simple and clean. And as always with everyone somehow they are always connected with events of the childhood. Though on a side note, for me being a GenX, I certainly would say my early childhood was not that bad at all, surely better than the present. Paradoxically this is the generation to which Don refers to "when the music died".
But this melancholic remembering the past events especially the early childhood and how when compared to the present adulthood world around us, makes those events look so much better.
And this to me is the chord that makes this song rhyme with so many generation, even if they are paradoxical like me. Melancholic yearning the old good old days. When things were simple and life easier. In reality though it might have happened or not might be irrelevant. Don's golden age of 50s was not clean anyway. The American public and I would say the whole world was very optimistic about the future, especially after defeating the Satanic Nazis (UN is an embodiment of it certainly). But then seeds of poising of the future had already began. Be it in the music or Politics. Though Bob Dylan started the revolutionary transition from feel good music to societal challenges, it was a matter of time when the followers of it took to other level, the drugged Rock and Roll of 70s and 80s. And this good intentions going bad also followed in Politics. Trying to advance the "Better" western or more succinctly democratic Political ways, lead to mayhem of the later 70s era. Be it the Korean war or even UN's poverty elevation or the WWII Keynesian economics.
For GenX we also cling to the 70s as our Golden era. When the time was good. It was more simpler compared to today's connected another euphemism of complicated world. Today we are living on the other side of the barrel of things that went wrong in Afghanistan or Kissinger's way of making a "better" world. A boomeranged that got us so much pain such a big pain. Or more at person level where boundaries and changes are happening at such high speed. So though we lacked so many things that we have today, the comfort of simplicity is what many of us miss.
This is even more pertinent for us Indians. As for the India of the 70s was certainly in may ways the USs 50s. Be it how the society was at that time. See my Mona Lisa Smile and Walmart Blog. For us with the new connected world we certainly have come to a world with more growth avenues and prosperity but is it a better world of the simple 70s or 80s Indian past is debatable. Though we had one channel and the world used to stop becos Mahabharat was being shown. And unlike today's DVR and YouTubed Internet where we can watch it at our convenience, there still is something to the one TV-ed family and one channel TV network. And though for many of us have gone to places and done things which were just not possible for our parent's generation. But for this development we certainly have paid with breaking of the old extended family structure. So beautifully captured in the article "". And though the resistance to change is inherent to humans, we still feel the old days were simpler and better. Even though for the earlier generation the same time period was the complicated one. Case in point, when Erie Canal was built in the late 1800s old timers lamented of the "Slow" old days when things were moved by horse only. "What Erie Canal days were complicated?" would certainly aghast us.
This remembering the old Golden age that is now past. Which now only lives only in our memory is so well captured by this interpretative songs.
It is where this song hits the chords of the heart. The chords of a person's yearning for the old gone days. Were they correct would always be our interpretation of reality. I suppose that is what Don's meant when he was asked about the meaning of his lyrics in "but long ago I realized that songwriters should make their statements and move on".
Links
A societal and historical interpretation of the song
Interpretation of the song Interpretation 1
But as all classic(it is num#7 in List of top 100 songs of the century), it gets even better as you know it better. And as I came more about the song, I not only came to know it even better but also identified with it more. Specially the historical change in Music as interpreted by Don Lean. ( a good interpretation here)
But I suppose the identification with oneself and a person's life is what makes a song cling to you. It could be melancholic as Don remembers his growing year's music ("And the music died") or symbolically going through similar life experiences.
This song in its core is a repentance of sort. Repentance of a bygone era. The loss of an innocent era. The early era which were simple and clean. And as always with everyone somehow they are always connected with events of the childhood. Though on a side note, for me being a GenX, I certainly would say my early childhood was not that bad at all, surely better than the present. Paradoxically this is the generation to which Don refers to "when the music died".
But this melancholic remembering the past events especially the early childhood and how when compared to the present adulthood world around us, makes those events look so much better.
And this to me is the chord that makes this song rhyme with so many generation, even if they are paradoxical like me. Melancholic yearning the old good old days. When things were simple and life easier. In reality though it might have happened or not might be irrelevant. Don's golden age of 50s was not clean anyway. The American public and I would say the whole world was very optimistic about the future, especially after defeating the Satanic Nazis (UN is an embodiment of it certainly). But then seeds of poising of the future had already began. Be it in the music or Politics. Though Bob Dylan started the revolutionary transition from feel good music to societal challenges, it was a matter of time when the followers of it took to other level, the drugged Rock and Roll of 70s and 80s. And this good intentions going bad also followed in Politics. Trying to advance the "Better" western or more succinctly democratic Political ways, lead to mayhem of the later 70s era. Be it the Korean war or even UN's poverty elevation or the WWII Keynesian economics.
For GenX we also cling to the 70s as our Golden era. When the time was good. It was more simpler compared to today's connected another euphemism of complicated world. Today we are living on the other side of the barrel of things that went wrong in Afghanistan or Kissinger's way of making a "better" world. A boomeranged that got us so much pain such a big pain. Or more at person level where boundaries and changes are happening at such high speed. So though we lacked so many things that we have today, the comfort of simplicity is what many of us miss.
This is even more pertinent for us Indians. As for the India of the 70s was certainly in may ways the USs 50s. Be it how the society was at that time. See my Mona Lisa Smile and Walmart Blog. For us with the new connected world we certainly have come to a world with more growth avenues and prosperity but is it a better world of the simple 70s or 80s Indian past is debatable. Though we had one channel and the world used to stop becos Mahabharat was being shown. And unlike today's DVR and YouTubed Internet where we can watch it at our convenience, there still is something to the one TV-ed family and one channel TV network. And though for many of us have gone to places and done things which were just not possible for our parent's generation. But for this development we certainly have paid with breaking of the old extended family structure. So beautifully captured in the article "". And though the resistance to change is inherent to humans, we still feel the old days were simpler and better. Even though for the earlier generation the same time period was the complicated one. Case in point, when Erie Canal was built in the late 1800s old timers lamented of the "Slow" old days when things were moved by horse only. "What Erie Canal days were complicated?" would certainly aghast us.
This remembering the old Golden age that is now past. Which now only lives only in our memory is so well captured by this interpretative songs.
It is where this song hits the chords of the heart. The chords of a person's yearning for the old gone days. Were they correct would always be our interpretation of reality. I suppose that is what Don's meant when he was asked about the meaning of his lyrics in "but long ago I realized that songwriters should make their statements and move on".
Links
A societal and historical interpretation of the song
Interpretation of the song Interpretation 1
Friday, September 07, 2012
Radio Sound drifting from Past
It is a warm cloudy day in Dallas. Off course warm from Dallas late Feb winter standards. As usual when I opened my Radio, and with a bit of search I ended up listening and was drifted sounds from past. The pastness, letreally was only 12 hours. But when I started listening it took me and my mind certainly too to a window that was looking much behind.
Growing up in lower income calcutta and at a busy intersection on top of Haridevpur post office. From the time I got up, when the sound of traffic was low, to noon and afternoon when again the traffic died down, you could listen to the lower pan shop echoing the osunds of All India Radio. Most often though Vividh Baharati. The anathemic sound, which hs universality all over the nation. It captured and played popular music picked by letters ( the 15 paisa mail postcards).
But what Vividh Bharati was capturing the songs as demanded by majority of Indians, i.e. Rural and mostly Norht and Maharastrain folks.
But what Vividh Bharati was capturing the songs as demanded by majority of Indians, i.e. Rural and mostly Norht and Maharastrain folks.
Kolkatta once capital of India in population
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-10-20/delhi/30302491_1_cities-population-kolkata
2001
http://geography.about.com/od/indiamaps/a/india-largest-cities.htm
Kolkatta
1981 9,194,???
1991 4,399,819 11,021,918
2001 4,572,876 13,205,697
2011 4,486,679 14,112,536
Mumbai http://www.citypopulation.de/India-Maharashtra.html
1991 9,925,891 12,596,243
2001 11,978,450 16,434,386
2011 12,478,447 18,414,288
Delhi The fastest growth in history of world
1991 7,206,704 ?????
2001 9,879,172 12,877,470
2011 11,007,835 16,314,838
A really good introducution to Growth of Kolkata
A intereting aspect Kolkata population
Hyper-Densities: Nonetheless, Kolkata continues to have some of the highest densities in the world. In 2001, one third of the central city population (1.49 million) live in slums and shantytowns (photo). They are crammed into just 2 square miles (5 square miles). This would be like all the population of the San Fernando Valley living within a radius 0.6 miles (1 kilometer) of Los Angeles City Hall or all the population of the city of Dallas in the space covered by the passenger terminals at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. This is more than 725,000 people per square mile (280,000 per square kilometer), and would nearly equal the "efficient density" definition that the Sierra Club wisely discarded. It can only be hoped that when the 2011 Census slum data is available, it will show that all of the city of Kolkata's population loss will have been from the slums.
Interresting Aspect of Delhi
Delhi has experienced some of the quickest and most substantial urban growth in the history of the world. Since the 1951 census, Delhi has grown from under 1.5 million people to a population of 22.6 million in 2011 (Figure 1). Delhi has been one of the fastest growing urban areas in history and (along with Jakarta, Seoul and Manila) has added approximately 20 million people over the past 60 years. Only Tokyo has added more new residents than these four urban areas, (25 million population).
tcpomud.gov.in/Divisions/...%20Kolkata/chapter%20II%20Kol.doc
Table 2.2: Total Population and Growth of Mega Cities in India
No Cities Population (lakh) Annual Exponential Growth Rate
1981 1991 2001 1981-91 1991-01
1. Greater Mumbai 82.43 125.96 163.68 4.22 2.62
2. Kolkata 91.94 110.22 132.17 1.72 1.82
3. Delhi 57.29 84.19 127.91 3.80 4.18
4. Chennai 42.89 54.21 64.25 2.23 1.70
5. Bangalore 29.22 41.30 56.86 3.36 3.20
6. Hyderabad 25.46 43.44 55.33 5.20 2.42
7. Ahmedabad 25.48 33.12 45.19 2.58 3.11
Table 2.1: Population of India & West Bengal (Urban) & Kolkata UA: 1961-2001
(Million)
No Years Urban Kolkata (UA)
India West Bengal
1 1961 78.16 8.54 (10.93) 5.98 (70.02)
2 1971 107.82 10.97(10.17) 7.42 (67.64)
3 1981 159.46 14.45(9.06) 9.19 (63.60)
4 1991 217.61 18.71(8.60) 11.03(58.95)
5 2001 285.36 22.43(7.86) 13.21(58.89)
Population of Mumbai http://cidcoindia.com/cidco/Population.aspx
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Why American Pie hits the chords of heart
There was something to the song that is extremely touchy. As one of the interpretations did mention. At the surface it is easy to song with slight melancholic twist. And that is what caught me attention when I first heard during my early days in my early membership to this country.
But as all classic(it is num#7 in List of top 100 songs of the century), it gets even better as you know it better. And as I came more about the song, I not only came to know it even better but also identified with it more. Specially the historical change in Music as interpreted by Don Lean. ( a good interpretation here)
But I suppose the identification with oneself and a person's life is what makes a song cling to you. It could be melancholic as Don remembers his growing year's music ("And the music died") or symbolically going through similar life experiences.
This song in its core is a repentance of sort. Repentance of a bygone era. The loss of an innocent era. The early era which were simple and clean. And as always with everyone somehow they are always connected with events of the childhood. Though on a side note, for me being a GenX, I certainly would say my early childhood was not that bad at all, surely better than the present. Paradoxically this is the generation to which Don refers to "when the music died".
But this melancholic remembering the past events especially the early childhood and how when compared to the present adulthood world around us, makes those events look so much better.
And this to me is the chord that makes this song rhyme with so many generation, even if they are paradoxical like me. Melancholic yearning the old good old days. When things were simple and life easier. In reality though it might have happened or not might be irrelevant. Don's golden age of 50s was not clean anyway. The American public and I would say the whole world was very optimistic about the future, especially after defeating the Satanic Nazis (UN is an embodiment of it certainly). But then seeds of poising of the future had already began. Be it in the music or Politics. Though Bob Dylan started the revolutionary transition from feel good music to societal challenges, it was a matter of time when the followers of it took to other level, the drugged Rock and Roll of 70s and 80s. And this good intentions going bad also followed in Politics. Trying to advance the "Better" western or more succinctly democratic Political ways, lead to mayhem of the later 70s era. Be it the Korean war or even UN's poverty elevation or the WWII Keynesian economics.
For GenX we also cling to the 70s as our Golden era. When the time was good. It was more simpler compared to today's connected another euphemism of complicated world. Today we are living on the other side of the barrel of things that went wrong in Afghanistan or Kissinger's way of making a "better" world. A boomeranged that got us so much pain such a big pain. Or more at person level where boundaries and changes are happening at such high speed. So though we lacked so many things that we have today, the comfort of simplicity is what many of us miss.
This is even more pertinent for us Indians. As for the India of the 70s was certainly in may ways the USs 50s. Be it how the society was at that time. See my Mona Lisa Smile and Walmart Blog. For us with the new connected world we certainly have come to a world with more growth avenues and prosperity but is it a better world of the simple 70s or 80s Indian past is debatable. Though we had one channel and the world used to stop becos Mahabharat was being shown. And unlike today's DVR and YouTubed Internet where we can watch it at our convenience, there still is something to the one TV-ed family and one channel TV network. And though for many of us have gone to places and done things which were just not possible for our parent's generation. But for this development we certainly have paid with breaking of the old extended family structure. So beautifully captured in the article "". And though the resistance to change is inherent to humans, we still feel the old days were simpler and better. Even though for the earlier generation the same time period was the complicated one. Case in point, when Erie Canal was built in the late 1800s old timers lamented of the "Slow" old days when things were moved by horse only. "What Erie Canal days were complicated?" would certainly aghast us.
This remembering the old Golden age that is now past. Which now only lives only in our memory is so well captured by this interpretative songs.
It is where this song hits the chords of the heart. The chords of a person's yearning for the old gone days. Were they correct would always be our interpretation of reality. I suppose that is what Don's meant when he was asked about the meaning of his lyrics in "but long ago I realized that songwriters should make their statements and move on".
Links
A societal and historical interpretation of the song
Interpretation of the song Interpretation 1
But as all classic(it is num#7 in List of top 100 songs of the century), it gets even better as you know it better. And as I came more about the song, I not only came to know it even better but also identified with it more. Specially the historical change in Music as interpreted by Don Lean. ( a good interpretation here)
But I suppose the identification with oneself and a person's life is what makes a song cling to you. It could be melancholic as Don remembers his growing year's music ("And the music died") or symbolically going through similar life experiences.
This song in its core is a repentance of sort. Repentance of a bygone era. The loss of an innocent era. The early era which were simple and clean. And as always with everyone somehow they are always connected with events of the childhood. Though on a side note, for me being a GenX, I certainly would say my early childhood was not that bad at all, surely better than the present. Paradoxically this is the generation to which Don refers to "when the music died".
But this melancholic remembering the past events especially the early childhood and how when compared to the present adulthood world around us, makes those events look so much better.
And this to me is the chord that makes this song rhyme with so many generation, even if they are paradoxical like me. Melancholic yearning the old good old days. When things were simple and life easier. In reality though it might have happened or not might be irrelevant. Don's golden age of 50s was not clean anyway. The American public and I would say the whole world was very optimistic about the future, especially after defeating the Satanic Nazis (UN is an embodiment of it certainly). But then seeds of poising of the future had already began. Be it in the music or Politics. Though Bob Dylan started the revolutionary transition from feel good music to societal challenges, it was a matter of time when the followers of it took to other level, the drugged Rock and Roll of 70s and 80s. And this good intentions going bad also followed in Politics. Trying to advance the "Better" western or more succinctly democratic Political ways, lead to mayhem of the later 70s era. Be it the Korean war or even UN's poverty elevation or the WWII Keynesian economics.
For GenX we also cling to the 70s as our Golden era. When the time was good. It was more simpler compared to today's connected another euphemism of complicated world. Today we are living on the other side of the barrel of things that went wrong in Afghanistan or Kissinger's way of making a "better" world. A boomeranged that got us so much pain such a big pain. Or more at person level where boundaries and changes are happening at such high speed. So though we lacked so many things that we have today, the comfort of simplicity is what many of us miss.
This is even more pertinent for us Indians. As for the India of the 70s was certainly in may ways the USs 50s. Be it how the society was at that time. See my Mona Lisa Smile and Walmart Blog. For us with the new connected world we certainly have come to a world with more growth avenues and prosperity but is it a better world of the simple 70s or 80s Indian past is debatable. Though we had one channel and the world used to stop becos Mahabharat was being shown. And unlike today's DVR and YouTubed Internet where we can watch it at our convenience, there still is something to the one TV-ed family and one channel TV network. And though for many of us have gone to places and done things which were just not possible for our parent's generation. But for this development we certainly have paid with breaking of the old extended family structure. So beautifully captured in the article "". And though the resistance to change is inherent to humans, we still feel the old days were simpler and better. Even though for the earlier generation the same time period was the complicated one. Case in point, when Erie Canal was built in the late 1800s old timers lamented of the "Slow" old days when things were moved by horse only. "What Erie Canal days were complicated?" would certainly aghast us.
This remembering the old Golden age that is now past. Which now only lives only in our memory is so well captured by this interpretative songs.
It is where this song hits the chords of the heart. The chords of a person's yearning for the old gone days. Were they correct would always be our interpretation of reality. I suppose that is what Don's meant when he was asked about the meaning of his lyrics in "but long ago I realized that songwriters should make their statements and move on".
Links
A societal and historical interpretation of the song
Interpretation of the song Interpretation 1
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Growing up in the juxtaposed nations, one the future the other shackle of the world
Growing up in India now considered future of the world with one of the fastest growing economy, one of the largest youth population (50% of population is below the age of 25) and the biggest advantage a vibrant democracy/free press/education system. All these but especially the last one gave India the advantage for the knowledge revolution outsourcing that has happened but also tge potential of a better future than any other BRIC nations.
One of the biggest happiness for the current generation of Indians is the strong association we have seen of what I would call a 180 degree change of perception by the world and Indians also, of the country's potential. Our fathers grew up in a corrupted country and as my father said once "failed hopes after Independence" (The 1970's emergency/Indira and 80s). We remeber our childhood with a sort of shame we had of our country. A country with "highest number of graduates in the world", yet among the poorest. I still remember a great inquisition by one of tourist who asked me "How come you have a satellite and have your own nuclear technology but still have such expansive poverty."
Luckily we had the novice Prime Minister and more importantly his advisor the poor lad from Orissa, a great enterpreneur in US who wanted to give back to his roots. And so I grew up and have been living my active life as people who have brought up the change in this perception. The knowledge workers. Certainly one of the most prized commodity India has produced and certainly envy of developed countries working population. Not only it is haeartneing to be the part of this change but it certainly is accentualted when I see it after spending a portion of it in US. As certainly in this country because it only attracts the creme-de-la-creme of the better educated Indians, this perceived threath/change is sometimes blown out of perception. Locals see the samrtest Indians have produced ( high majority of IITians and other knoweldge workers who have migrated to US) and make conclusion about the country, that also has more bums as US has (because India has 7 times higer probablity becos of 7 times the population!!).
Yet one of the most dramatic "juxtaposing" of this development of India is the stark degradation of our neigbour, certainly the shackle of the world today. And how interesting is having two neigbours that took such certain divergent paths for my current memery.
I certainly had certain inkling and knowledge of it but I was shcoked of the degree of it after seeing the documentary on Benazir (PBS - From Pampered Princess to Polarizing Politician). Not we Indians are not aware of corruption of the political mass, a decease which is keeping all devlping nations to the state of "developing", but even more potent in the South Asia. But luckily for us the entrepreneur craved a India that is blossimg even though the political establishment still remains the same. Though Pakistan in people like Zaftiyar Bhutto and Benazir certainly had the same intentions as our novice PM Rajiv somehow one of us seems to have been making good of " tryst with destiny". In reality Benazir and Rajiv became PMs and certainly hope of both countries failed progress till that moment. Thus though in early 80s Pakistan certainly had a higer percapital income than India because of its inherent geographical/agricultural blessings, the future in a more service oriented world certainly looks more rosy for India.
This devergence of how one neigbour seems to get out of the shackle of emprovisement where the other seems to growing deeper into one is really captured in this documentery. So well capturing the failed state is this beautiful time line of political malice in Pakistan.
The documentary shows how the hand in hand growth of the Talibalization/islamization of the country and the military junta. Certainly sort of neglected and earlier encouraged by now hit bad by its own creation of the Islamic Frankestian. The growth of this evil nexus certainly lies in Henry Kissinger's encouragement of Zia-ul-Haq's illegitimate coming to power (see this link). The parochial aim of removal of Russians from Afghanistan by the back door help by Islamization of Pakistan's ISI and thus helping the Taliban did bring the effects. But certainly not completing the task in the entirety and leaving two troubled nations has had serious recuperation for not only US but even more to India. But long before the dangers of this Frankenstein were known, many in Pakistan forebode of the coming dangers. The path Beznazir followed (in footsteps of her Father who was unsuccessful in stopping the first wave of Islamisation of Pakistan in the 1970s) have been so well captured in this documentary. Benazir's constant struggle opposing the growth of fundamentalism in Pakistan and serious personal sacfise she took during her political life and ultimately with her death is moving and certainly food for thought.
What I certainly took away from the documentary was the struggle of Pakistanis in trying to avoid what Pakistan has now become. This is certainly a sort of revelation for us. Growing up in the late 80s we had developed a repulsion of Pakistanian politics. We got the first shock of the unfinished task of removing Russian from Afganistan, where we saw how these now "unemployed freedom figthers" saw Kashmir as their next jihad after Russians of Afghanistan. And this certainly created a strong hate of Pakistan Politics and sort of painting everyone politician in black. Though certainly ISI/Pakistan military junta used Osama's and other Taliban facilities in Afganistan, not everyone in Pakistan were accomplice. And the struggle made by Benazir even though the military junta wanted her democratic establishment out was not what I was aware of. The two times desposition of her government's, even though both the times she won with a majority and putting the military puppet,Nawiz Sharif, (First Disposition and Second Disposition) was starkling even to me who have seen some pretty bad politics in India. How these dispositions were carried out certainly shows the lackadaisical nature of democracy in Pakistan. And these were certainly some new information for me.
The documentary brings forth the reason of why situations in Pakistan are so bad but more importantly how efforts of Benazir who could have avoided were squashed. And thus the documentary brings to light of people who certainly did not wish of creation of these two juxtaposed nations on two divergent paths.
One of the biggest happiness for the current generation of Indians is the strong association we have seen of what I would call a 180 degree change of perception by the world and Indians also, of the country's potential. Our fathers grew up in a corrupted country and as my father said once "failed hopes after Independence" (The 1970's emergency/Indira and 80s). We remeber our childhood with a sort of shame we had of our country. A country with "highest number of graduates in the world", yet among the poorest. I still remember a great inquisition by one of tourist who asked me "How come you have a satellite and have your own nuclear technology but still have such expansive poverty."
Luckily we had the novice Prime Minister and more importantly his advisor the poor lad from Orissa, a great enterpreneur in US who wanted to give back to his roots. And so I grew up and have been living my active life as people who have brought up the change in this perception. The knowledge workers. Certainly one of the most prized commodity India has produced and certainly envy of developed countries working population. Not only it is haeartneing to be the part of this change but it certainly is accentualted when I see it after spending a portion of it in US. As certainly in this country because it only attracts the creme-de-la-creme of the better educated Indians, this perceived threath/change is sometimes blown out of perception. Locals see the samrtest Indians have produced ( high majority of IITians and other knoweldge workers who have migrated to US) and make conclusion about the country, that also has more bums as US has (because India has 7 times higer probablity becos of 7 times the population!!).
Yet one of the most dramatic "juxtaposing" of this development of India is the stark degradation of our neigbour, certainly the shackle of the world today. And how interesting is having two neigbours that took such certain divergent paths for my current memery.
I certainly had certain inkling and knowledge of it but I was shcoked of the degree of it after seeing the documentary on Benazir (PBS - From Pampered Princess to Polarizing Politician). Not we Indians are not aware of corruption of the political mass, a decease which is keeping all devlping nations to the state of "developing", but even more potent in the South Asia. But luckily for us the entrepreneur craved a India that is blossimg even though the political establishment still remains the same. Though Pakistan in people like Zaftiyar Bhutto and Benazir certainly had the same intentions as our novice PM Rajiv somehow one of us seems to have been making good of " tryst with destiny". In reality Benazir and Rajiv became PMs and certainly hope of both countries failed progress till that moment. Thus though in early 80s Pakistan certainly had a higer percapital income than India because of its inherent geographical/agricultural blessings, the future in a more service oriented world certainly looks more rosy for India.
This devergence of how one neigbour seems to get out of the shackle of emprovisement where the other seems to growing deeper into one is really captured in this documentery. So well capturing the failed state is this beautiful time line of political malice in Pakistan.
The documentary shows how the hand in hand growth of the Talibalization/islamization of the country and the military junta. Certainly sort of neglected and earlier encouraged by now hit bad by its own creation of the Islamic Frankestian. The growth of this evil nexus certainly lies in Henry Kissinger's encouragement of Zia-ul-Haq's illegitimate coming to power (see this link). The parochial aim of removal of Russians from Afghanistan by the back door help by Islamization of Pakistan's ISI and thus helping the Taliban did bring the effects. But certainly not completing the task in the entirety and leaving two troubled nations has had serious recuperation for not only US but even more to India. But long before the dangers of this Frankenstein were known, many in Pakistan forebode of the coming dangers. The path Beznazir followed (in footsteps of her Father who was unsuccessful in stopping the first wave of Islamisation of Pakistan in the 1970s) have been so well captured in this documentary. Benazir's constant struggle opposing the growth of fundamentalism in Pakistan and serious personal sacfise she took during her political life and ultimately with her death is moving and certainly food for thought.
What I certainly took away from the documentary was the struggle of Pakistanis in trying to avoid what Pakistan has now become. This is certainly a sort of revelation for us. Growing up in the late 80s we had developed a repulsion of Pakistanian politics. We got the first shock of the unfinished task of removing Russian from Afganistan, where we saw how these now "unemployed freedom figthers" saw Kashmir as their next jihad after Russians of Afghanistan. And this certainly created a strong hate of Pakistan Politics and sort of painting everyone politician in black. Though certainly ISI/Pakistan military junta used Osama's and other Taliban facilities in Afganistan, not everyone in Pakistan were accomplice. And the struggle made by Benazir even though the military junta wanted her democratic establishment out was not what I was aware of. The two times desposition of her government's, even though both the times she won with a majority and putting the military puppet,Nawiz Sharif, (First Disposition and Second Disposition) was starkling even to me who have seen some pretty bad politics in India. How these dispositions were carried out certainly shows the lackadaisical nature of democracy in Pakistan. And these were certainly some new information for me.
The documentary brings forth the reason of why situations in Pakistan are so bad but more importantly how efforts of Benazir who could have avoided were squashed. And thus the documentary brings to light of people who certainly did not wish of creation of these two juxtaposed nations on two divergent paths.
Sunday, September 05, 2010
Memories for this trip to Dallas - Sep 2010
I have done many trips to see my fiancé. But his time os diff. As I coming to home. The first teal longterm home after Calcutta. Last time I had to buy house this time I have the house.
And as I was takin pictures of Dallas and
N around for the first I was thinking it is now not the inquisitive mind but a neccesoty to know my neighborhood and its geographical areas.
And when I thought about it it brought me q sense o calm. A clam of maybe the constant vagabond is finally getting home...
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Ramblings of the Indian man in the Westen World
As usual it was one of the days I chanced to start hearing Ram Dass. Funnilly I had no deasire to listening it either. I was actaully testing the voice control in iPhone 3GS.
And as it has been so many times these few minutes of his talk has so profund effect on me, so many times it even astonishes me. It brings an inner calm but more importantnly gets me think on levels which by Barlows Philopsoly is Self Actualization.
On this self actualization that it came to me was the Eternal talks of Brahminism of Gita vs the Materialistic/Sceintific talk which the western philoosphy talks about.
It becomes even more pertinent for a person like me who was really western/scientific growing up with non-materialistic belief/Gita. THough even being an atheist Gita and its rationalization always echoed some deeper thoughs.
But when one comes back to the real world it is sceintific/western thoughts that make more sense. A though proces in which the person is the creator of his destiny. The more cause analysis. And though I would not say the western lifestyle is completly scientific but it certainly adherse to semi-sceinctific of Economics. Where production of more goods even though it might pollute the enviroment makes better economcal sense. Where a mother puts her Kid to care home and goes to work leads to bigger econmics. Or even at very extent a smoker actaully is better economically.
On the other side was the eastern philosophy. A belief in Maya. The transientness of materialism. Where Physical -> Mental -> Spiritualism in that order is given more significant.
And these two philosphies one over two thousand years old and the other new but nascent lived together. And coming from one in which growing up we always were inticed to the other. As it has the materialistic galmour. A more tangible success than a more mental happniess.
And htese two philosophies always torn me.
But as we have seen the biggest challenge is how can this
But as I see the fault in sustanibility of the western model of lifestyle. One comes to understand of the gems of the eastern philosophy. Philosophy and lifestyle that have given a model and fairly economical lifestyle for thousand of years. But as has been told
So many of thoughs that I grew up but as it did not have the rational tag I was not attracted to now is being trued by sceintific thoughts. Yoga (when the first British saw Yogis they laughed at semi-naked malnurished human) and vegetrian lifestyle and its health benefit.
But more importantly in limitation of good consuming lifestyle which the western though process has produced. Best captured by philosopher Wade Davis “You are either a person or property” 11th hour, captures the materialistic way of how western economic model has worked so far. Again might of Biblical think that on the last day God created Man. So humans can control nature. And manifest destiny, . As we live in human created enviroment, and somehow as we were smarter than others we could exploit them. Where we create nature as a commadity,. And after the more eveil side of this came in 18th century where nature was made to look as endless expansion. As earlier we had to depend on enery which came from recent sunlight stored in agriculture. But in Industrial revolution we tapped in "Old Sun stored in Coal and Oil". See the main thoughts from 12 minute of 11th hour.
The only depressing aspect of it all is as the western thought process adopt so many of the Indian lifestyle, Indian are happy to jump to the bandwagon which the westerns after living for 50 odd years are ready to give up and adopt thought process which were know as fact in eastern philosophy.
And as it has been so many times these few minutes of his talk has so profund effect on me, so many times it even astonishes me. It brings an inner calm but more importantnly gets me think on levels which by Barlows Philopsoly is Self Actualization.
On this self actualization that it came to me was the Eternal talks of Brahminism of Gita vs the Materialistic/Sceintific talk which the western philoosphy talks about.
It becomes even more pertinent for a person like me who was really western/scientific growing up with non-materialistic belief/Gita. THough even being an atheist Gita and its rationalization always echoed some deeper thoughs.
But when one comes back to the real world it is sceintific/western thoughts that make more sense. A though proces in which the person is the creator of his destiny. The more cause analysis. And though I would not say the western lifestyle is completly scientific but it certainly adherse to semi-sceinctific of Economics. Where production of more goods even though it might pollute the enviroment makes better economcal sense. Where a mother puts her Kid to care home and goes to work leads to bigger econmics. Or even at very extent a smoker actaully is better economically.
On the other side was the eastern philosophy. A belief in Maya. The transientness of materialism. Where Physical -> Mental -> Spiritualism in that order is given more significant.
And these two philosphies one over two thousand years old and the other new but nascent lived together. And coming from one in which growing up we always were inticed to the other. As it has the materialistic galmour. A more tangible success than a more mental happniess.
And htese two philosophies always torn me.
But as we have seen the biggest challenge is how can this
But as I see the fault in sustanibility of the western model of lifestyle. One comes to understand of the gems of the eastern philosophy. Philosophy and lifestyle that have given a model and fairly economical lifestyle for thousand of years. But as has been told
So many of thoughs that I grew up but as it did not have the rational tag I was not attracted to now is being trued by sceintific thoughts. Yoga (when the first British saw Yogis they laughed at semi-naked malnurished human) and vegetrian lifestyle and its health benefit.
But more importantly in limitation of good consuming lifestyle which the western though process has produced. Best captured by philosopher Wade Davis “You are either a person or property” 11th hour, captures the materialistic way of how western economic model has worked so far. Again might of Biblical think that on the last day God created Man. So humans can control nature. And manifest destiny, . As we live in human created enviroment, and somehow as we were smarter than others we could exploit them. Where we create nature as a commadity,. And after the more eveil side of this came in 18th century where nature was made to look as endless expansion. As earlier we had to depend on enery which came from recent sunlight stored in agriculture. But in Industrial revolution we tapped in "Old Sun stored in Coal and Oil". See the main thoughts from 12 minute of 11th hour.
The only depressing aspect of it all is as the western thought process adopt so many of the Indian lifestyle, Indian are happy to jump to the bandwagon which the westerns after living for 50 odd years are ready to give up and adopt thought process which were know as fact in eastern philosophy.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
American Conflict and the reason for it Transcendentalism
Coming to US, to acountry which is so succesufl and embolimnet of sceintific advancement I could never understand many social contradiction.
Transcedentalism certainly brings the nature conservationism to its hight. John Muir ceratinl is the epitome of that era and completely captures that ideal. His inspiration of nature and in nature he saw God. Yosemite's Moluntain as Cathedrals. But in a sense it also leads to experince having a focus rather than pure rationalility. The central idea of Transcedentalism.
So though in the same way that same Puritian idealogy gave rise to it, the same Transcedentalism also gives rise to religious dogmas of Creationism and anti-abortion. John Muir's fasination for nature was against extreme religious push, but still hsi belif in theism was refelcted in nature. So the imporatnce of spirit over rationality is brought up in this philosophy.
- Creationism - maybe the only developed country which has it
- Absetinism and Religious Dogmatism which seems to be here
- Yet the brithplace of greatest radical and rational thoughs. Ideas like Lesbiansim, Feminism, Great Sceintific discoveries, anti-classist yet it might be the only country where Sceince is not taught to that high degree with high degree of anti-darwansim.
- Birhtplace of Nature conservationism in 18th century. One of the most original ideal that America has put forth.Correctly said by Ken Burn's as America's Best Idea. THough in 20th Century it might seem it completely rational but in 18th century in the midst of industrial revoultion it was completely ir-rational. Why do you stop the felling of wooods when you and your country needs to become an even powerful country. Remember it was the days when London had the most horrible smogs and yet London was considered the best palce to be.
- ( place which has among the harsest punishment for drugs - yet has the biggest user per capital, usage of drugs)
Transcedentalism certainly brings the nature conservationism to its hight. John Muir ceratinl is the epitome of that era and completely captures that ideal. His inspiration of nature and in nature he saw God. Yosemite's Moluntain as Cathedrals. But in a sense it also leads to experince having a focus rather than pure rationalility. The central idea of Transcedentalism.
So though in the same way that same Puritian idealogy gave rise to it, the same Transcedentalism also gives rise to religious dogmas of Creationism and anti-abortion. John Muir's fasination for nature was against extreme religious push, but still hsi belif in theism was refelcted in nature. So the imporatnce of spirit over rationality is brought up in this philosophy.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Gita
As Ascent of Man said "when you are younger science and the rational appeals to you more".
And so for me it was the appeal of science that appeals when I was younger. Emotions and spiratuality was a thing that did not resonate to me. Scientifically it was the absence of adult looking young man who still had to develop his forntal cortex, the seat of higher executive decision making.
And as you age your appreciation of Arts and spirutuality becames more appreciated. And so happened with me. It is not about ROI on how you utilize time, (maybe of the competetive enviroment in the movie "Three Idiots") but how much time if left before you that you want to do with it. When I first heard it when I turned 30 and I was lamenting about of few years I sort of had lost in this rat race and I was behind, I was reminded of how many years more I had in front of me.
And thus became appreciation of spirituality in me. Understanding the closest of spirituality thought process was Naturalism.
But the most I ever did connect to was Gita. What I like about it, though it has the faint backgound of God, but still in the core it has a very sceintific way of looking at things. The concept of Karma and detachement. A very good intoroduction to Gita.
And as I told to Rose, Gita is a product of time. Not incidentally it was written at height of Hinduism. At one of most properous epoch of India.
During the centuries in which Buddhism was establishing itself in the east of India, the older Brahmanism in the west was undergoing the changes which resulted in the Hinduism which is now the prevailing religion of India
And so for me it was the appeal of science that appeals when I was younger. Emotions and spiratuality was a thing that did not resonate to me. Scientifically it was the absence of adult looking young man who still had to develop his forntal cortex, the seat of higher executive decision making.
And as you age your appreciation of Arts and spirutuality becames more appreciated. And so happened with me. It is not about ROI on how you utilize time, (maybe of the competetive enviroment in the movie "Three Idiots") but how much time if left before you that you want to do with it. When I first heard it when I turned 30 and I was lamenting about of few years I sort of had lost in this rat race and I was behind, I was reminded of how many years more I had in front of me.
And thus became appreciation of spirituality in me. Understanding the closest of spirituality thought process was Naturalism.
But the most I ever did connect to was Gita. What I like about it, though it has the faint backgound of God, but still in the core it has a very sceintific way of looking at things. The concept of Karma and detachement. A very good intoroduction to Gita.
And as I told to Rose, Gita is a product of time. Not incidentally it was written at height of Hinduism. At one of most properous epoch of India.
During the centuries in which Buddhism was establishing itself in the east of India, the older Brahmanism in the west was undergoing the changes which resulted in the Hinduism which is now the prevailing religion of India
Thursday, February 11, 2010
My snowy home Syracuse
http://goldensnowball.com/golden-snowball-03-04-season.htm
See statistics from Golden Snowball Award Cities at wikipedia
Season Albany Binghamton Buffalo Rochester Syracuse City With Most Snow
2000-01 77.1 112.6 158.7 133.0 191.9 Syracuse
2001-02 47.4 63.5 132.4 58.1 59.4 Buffalo
2002-03 105.4 117.6 111.3 135.2 153.2 Syracuse
2003-04 65.1 106.4 100.9 125.6 181.3 Syracuse
Though there were two more months at that time we were already at 170+ inches
3/18 - Syracuse continues to inch it's way closer to the all time record of 199 inches that Buffalo holds the title to. They have a real good shot at breaking their own record of 192.1 inches that fell in the 92 and 93 season and the 200 inch mark is still a real possibility. A little bit of snow is still in the forecast for the rest of the week. Spring is in the air and just around the corner. I don't quite know where Spring is in the air but I'm sure it is someplace. Maybe Florida??? Rochester is getting closer to last years totals and Binghamton is just about ready to lap last years snowfall. Second place might get more interesting in the next couple of days because it looks like whatever snow we get will be more to the south than the north.
Today is the big day for the defending NCAA champions, Syracuse. GO ORANGEMEN!!! It should be a good game against BYU and hopefully the defense will shut em down. If not we could be in for some big trouble. DA CUSE is in the house Baby!!! Good Luck S.U.
See statistics from Golden Snowball Award Cities at wikipedia
Season Albany Binghamton Buffalo Rochester Syracuse City With Most Snow
2000-01 77.1 112.6 158.7 133.0 191.9 Syracuse
2001-02 47.4 63.5 132.4 58.1 59.4 Buffalo
2002-03 105.4 117.6 111.3 135.2 153.2 Syracuse
2003-04 65.1 106.4 100.9 125.6 181.3 Syracuse
Though there were two more months at that time we were already at 170+ inches
3/18 - Syracuse continues to inch it's way closer to the all time record of 199 inches that Buffalo holds the title to. They have a real good shot at breaking their own record of 192.1 inches that fell in the 92 and 93 season and the 200 inch mark is still a real possibility. A little bit of snow is still in the forecast for the rest of the week. Spring is in the air and just around the corner. I don't quite know where Spring is in the air but I'm sure it is someplace. Maybe Florida??? Rochester is getting closer to last years totals and Binghamton is just about ready to lap last years snowfall. Second place might get more interesting in the next couple of days because it looks like whatever snow we get will be more to the south than the north.
Today is the big day for the defending NCAA champions, Syracuse. GO ORANGEMEN!!! It should be a good game against BYU and hopefully the defense will shut em down. If not we could be in for some big trouble. DA CUSE is in the house Baby!!! Good Luck S.U.
Thursday, February 04, 2010
Some great sayings
All these great lines are from my friends
About meetings Sadeq DirecTV
Meeting is a gathering of important people who singly can not do anything, but collectively decide that nothing can be done.
About Corporate LifestyleJeff DirecTV
Its a dog eats dog world with us having Milkbone underwear
About Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcycle Accidents accidents are brutal they are more like being hamburger..ed.
About Marriages
Two marriages - Sadeq
I had bad luck in both my Marraiges
First one died
2nd one still alive
खाने मैं जहेर - शादीख
शोहर ने कहा "मैं देर से आऊंगा"...
बीवी बोली "खाने मैं जहेर मिलेगा, जैसे देर से आऔगे"
शोहर बोला "तब मैं और भी और देर से आऊंगा. तुम खान खा लेना"
About Dating Sadeq
I advertised for my girl... Got 100 reolies.. "TAKE MINE"
Finding Friends on Orkut
About Finding a friend who got married
Hmm see your status has changed.... Seems you have moved to the DARK SIDE OF THE MOON.. ie got married
About me getting hooked
Taken .. Should it be :-D or :-/ TIME WILL TELL
Contacting Sugreev who is now in Australia
Sirji... Aapka Purana roommate from the other side of the Globe
And Girl Next door
Hi this is the obnoxious guy next door. If you still have not got fed-up ADD ME
About meetings Sadeq DirecTV
Meeting is a gathering of important people who singly can not do anything, but collectively decide that nothing can be done.
About Corporate LifestyleJeff DirecTV
Its a dog eats dog world with us having Milkbone underwear
About Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcycle Accidents accidents are brutal they are more like being hamburger..ed.
About Marriages
Two marriages - Sadeq
I had bad luck in both my Marraiges
First one died
2nd one still alive
खाने मैं जहेर - शादीख
शोहर ने कहा "मैं देर से आऊंगा"...
बीवी बोली "खाने मैं जहेर मिलेगा, जैसे देर से आऔगे"
शोहर बोला "तब मैं और भी और देर से आऊंगा. तुम खान खा लेना"
About Dating Sadeq
I advertised for my girl... Got 100 reolies.. "TAKE MINE"
Finding Friends on Orkut
About Finding a friend who got married
Hmm see your status has changed.... Seems you have moved to the DARK SIDE OF THE MOON.. ie got married
About me getting hooked
Taken .. Should it be :-D or :-/ TIME WILL TELL
Contacting Sugreev who is now in Australia
Sirji... Aapka Purana roommate from the other side of the Globe
And Girl Next door
Hi this is the obnoxious guy next door. If you still have not got fed-up ADD ME
Monday, January 18, 2010
Thoughts on seeing the end of Era, End of Era of Eternal Red in Bengal
My earliest memory of politics was in the Midst of height of Communist rule in Bengal. The golden age of the rule of the longest running Chief Minster from his riegn in middle of 1977-2000. A rule which then it seemed eternal rule of the Red Communist.
The Memories are of the long Bands called in by either forces. The huge rally that used to block our travel back from school. But undoutablly the most vibrant memories are of the evening hour of political gathering downstairs at my house. Though the actual talk were for only 30 odd minutes, catching the officer goer's walk back to home from office, the pivotal point of their walk back to their home from bus stop. But my memories are of the long Patriotic communist songs sung over the loudspeakers. Be the songs of Ruma Guha Thakurta or Bhupen Harika it idolized the party and its idology. The medium made me appreciate many of the great songs and made me aware of the songs and literature of the era and people behind them.
The song and literature was a products of an era of a group who though bought a lot to change the grass root of Indian populace but will be, albeit unfortunately for what they could not have achieved. The dream and idealism of 80's Calcutta.
There are many of great products of people who made that era. We will always remember and idolize Satyajit Ray and Amartya Sen but surely among them would be Jyoti Basu.
My recollection of him and the political atmosphere in which I was got my intellectual borth was of love and hate. The "Positive Liberty" (read about in Wikipedia) of the marxist government and the grassroots real impact it had in Bengal was always a stuff that enamoured me towards them. The true social upliftment and some great individual who I saw in real life and saw in the political atmoshere like Jyoti Basu or Somnath Banerjee were so much idfferent from the crop of politicians which other states were producing. In a sense which made me respect the politicial atmoshere to which I was born. But at the same side I could never completely fathom why with such great minds and good atmosphere was Bengal languishing in the economic demise which were so much stark. Be it my visits to Budge Budge's closed Jute Mills and huge unemployment it brought about in the small town or visit to the never start-up Electronic City of Salt Lake. There remained an enigma which perplexed me for so long. An enigma of why the social and grassroot movements can not also bring industrial revolution. The answer will certainly will come in demise of the great Soviet Nation and recently why California is bankrupt while Texas with laisse se faire grows. The answer was that movement and thought process was a bit too early. Today Laisse Faire economics lays in shambles but its heiht was in in 80s and 90s. The East Asian Giants like Singapore and Thialand. An age when the great Communist forces in Europe were decimating and China rightly moved away from Mao's Philosophy to Deng Xiaoping's economics. And in that milieu was this lone state in a country that was trying to latch on to the Economic movement which seemed it had alluded it. A state ruled by a political system that was proven unsuccessful wan was dying world over. And it was reigned by a sort of maverick called Jyoti Basu. As said by Pranoy Roy on his death "India's greatest dies today, man who many are not made anymore". He somehow captured the huge dilemma of the state and the times he rules over it. A time in which I came to know myself.
The Memories are of the long Bands called in by either forces. The huge rally that used to block our travel back from school. But undoutablly the most vibrant memories are of the evening hour of political gathering downstairs at my house. Though the actual talk were for only 30 odd minutes, catching the officer goer's walk back to home from office, the pivotal point of their walk back to their home from bus stop. But my memories are of the long Patriotic communist songs sung over the loudspeakers. Be the songs of Ruma Guha Thakurta or Bhupen Harika it idolized the party and its idology. The medium made me appreciate many of the great songs and made me aware of the songs and literature of the era and people behind them.
The song and literature was a products of an era of a group who though bought a lot to change the grass root of Indian populace but will be, albeit unfortunately for what they could not have achieved. The dream and idealism of 80's Calcutta.
There are many of great products of people who made that era. We will always remember and idolize Satyajit Ray and Amartya Sen but surely among them would be Jyoti Basu.
My recollection of him and the political atmosphere in which I was got my intellectual borth was of love and hate. The "Positive Liberty" (read about in Wikipedia) of the marxist government and the grassroots real impact it had in Bengal was always a stuff that enamoured me towards them. The true social upliftment and some great individual who I saw in real life and saw in the political atmoshere like Jyoti Basu or Somnath Banerjee were so much idfferent from the crop of politicians which other states were producing. In a sense which made me respect the politicial atmoshere to which I was born. But at the same side I could never completely fathom why with such great minds and good atmosphere was Bengal languishing in the economic demise which were so much stark. Be it my visits to Budge Budge's closed Jute Mills and huge unemployment it brought about in the small town or visit to the never start-up Electronic City of Salt Lake. There remained an enigma which perplexed me for so long. An enigma of why the social and grassroot movements can not also bring industrial revolution. The answer will certainly will come in demise of the great Soviet Nation and recently why California is bankrupt while Texas with laisse se faire grows. The answer was that movement and thought process was a bit too early. Today Laisse Faire economics lays in shambles but its heiht was in in 80s and 90s. The East Asian Giants like Singapore and Thialand. An age when the great Communist forces in Europe were decimating and China rightly moved away from Mao's Philosophy to Deng Xiaoping's economics. And in that milieu was this lone state in a country that was trying to latch on to the Economic movement which seemed it had alluded it. A state ruled by a political system that was proven unsuccessful wan was dying world over. And it was reigned by a sort of maverick called Jyoti Basu. As said by Pranoy Roy on his death "India's greatest dies today, man who many are not made anymore". He somehow captured the huge dilemma of the state and the times he rules over it. A time in which I came to know myself.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Trip to Dubai and Oman
Trip to Dubai
Best and economical place to stay is at Sharjah the business headquarters for UAE.
We got a suite for only $80 which included a great breakfast and free parking. Note we got it so cheap as it was during Ramzan. See the hotel Al Maha hotel, King Faisal Street, P.O. Box 27776, Sharjah U.A.E. Live Life like Dubai Sultan another look at Al Maha Regency ( Just behind King Faisal Road and monument).
We booked the hotel via Kayak and car booking via car booking website in US, search car booking via Kayak. Got car for one day at $25.
It is only 12 miles from there to Dubai, but please rent a GPS, or load Dubai's GPS in one own GPS. Road in Dubai are hopelessly confusing. And the worst is asking a local for direction. There are too many construction and not really helpful direction. We started from our hotel at 5 pm and reached Dubai's Dubai Mall at 8 PM, took around 2 to 2.5 hours to reach back. :-)
Do see
Al Burj
Dubai Mall
In THe mall see the Jumerriah Beach and Burj Al Arab
Trip to Oman
If you really want to have areal arabian expereince visit Oman the land of enchantment and described in as a land of great natural beauty on the southeast corner of the Arabian Peninsula. See for more info
VISA information
FOr US Citizen get Oman visa for only 16$ for 30 days, See the US State Dept of Travel website here
For Indian Citizens again the same cost of 30 days. See here
Best and economical place to stay is at Sharjah the business headquarters for UAE.
We got a suite for only $80 which included a great breakfast and free parking. Note we got it so cheap as it was during Ramzan. See the hotel Al Maha hotel, King Faisal Street, P.O. Box 27776, Sharjah U.A.E. Live Life like Dubai Sultan another look at Al Maha Regency ( Just behind King Faisal Road and monument).
We booked the hotel via Kayak and car booking via car booking website in US, search car booking via Kayak. Got car for one day at $25.
It is only 12 miles from there to Dubai, but please rent a GPS, or load Dubai's GPS in one own GPS. Road in Dubai are hopelessly confusing. And the worst is asking a local for direction. There are too many construction and not really helpful direction. We started from our hotel at 5 pm and reached Dubai's Dubai Mall at 8 PM, took around 2 to 2.5 hours to reach back. :-)
Do see
Al Burj
Dubai Mall
In THe mall see the Jumerriah Beach and Burj Al Arab
Trip to Oman
If you really want to have areal arabian expereince visit Oman the land of enchantment and described in as a land of great natural beauty on the southeast corner of the Arabian Peninsula. See for more info
VISA information
FOr US Citizen get Oman visa for only 16$ for 30 days, See the US State Dept of Travel website here
For Indian Citizens again the same cost of 30 days. See here
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Altruism Indian IT and hidden architect Sam Pitroda
One person who made it and certainly all of IT and people like us who are deriving benefits from it, shoiuld know this guy with the naive but most helpful PM Rajiv Gandhi(with his grandfather Nehru) - Sam Pitorda
His biggest stuff (remember he came to impress Indira Gandhi maybe her death lead to Rajiv's coming)
1. Deregulation of IT Laws also C-Dot
2. Creation of first outsourcing to Infosys when he got GE a contract to India. See article
3. Cellular Regulation creation of the world's largest people connected.
Videos on Him
A nice documentary from SkochConsultancy Sam Pitorda a Dreamer
A small interview with him See here Innovation 100
Voice of America video on him
His thoughts and his life in a Harvard article
His biggest stuff (remember he came to impress Indira Gandhi maybe her death lead to Rajiv's coming)
1. Deregulation of IT Laws also C-Dot
2. Creation of first outsourcing to Infosys when he got GE a contract to India. See article
3. Cellular Regulation creation of the world's largest people connected.
Videos on Him
A nice documentary from SkochConsultancy Sam Pitorda a Dreamer
A small interview with him See here Innovation 100
Voice of America video on him
His thoughts and his life in a Harvard article
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
How Political Landspace transforms Historical Events
What is in a name even if it is a Historical event, many times depends upon from which side you are looking but more importantly who wins the battle. One of the example of groing in recently got independent poorer India or 70s is the word Indian Rebellion of 1857 or Sepoy mutiny (depending whether you are a British or Indian. A freedom fighter is someone's terrorist, example of Azad and Indian Kashmir).Interestingly the terms Indian Rebellion and Sepoy Mutiny and changing of the term in the last 30 odd years is another example of how history is dictated by Politics rather than reality. Sepoy Mutiny was still common when we were younger or reading 1950s or 60s Indain hsitory But after Britain's failing importance in World and India' re-emergence, Sepoy Mutiny is now just an addendum to historical British Britanica and the word does not even come in the democratic Wikipedia.
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