This summer has been one which I have thoroughly enjoyed insipid of having to go to office and lingering disappointment which now has stopped surfacing hull's someone brings up the issue. My parents had gone out for most of the time and my brother was at home and we had a whale of a time. My cousin who finished his twelfth had joined us too in the party that we had. While describing all the experiences is beyond my limited abilities and I don't have many pictures to post, there are a few things I would like to mention and a few people I would like to thank.
The reason being the football that we could play. We had this whole gang of around 10 to 12 and Saturday mornings were great. As were Sunday evenings! There could be no greater feeling of freedom and exhilaration than that of playing football in the rain. Absolutely great!!! And to follow that up with servings of mirchi and masala vada, with music accompaniment if one wished for it! I guess I would give more description as I keeping mentioning names.
First up would be Sandeep, my brother who got everyone together and organized and planned everything. From the idea of playing to the trips, most of the things were his ideas. And the best part was the entertainment with football, he was on the opposite team most of the time but I enjoyed being on his team. He almost always scored when he wanted to. I am privileged to have such a brother(I guess there are times when we all have a go at younger siblings but I keep thinking at times I know him even before he was born!)
Then there is Johnson 'the wall'(in footballing terms, so that means that whoever went in against him inevitably had to take the fall, ofcourse there were honorable exceptions which needn't be mentioned here!). He is someone who is always ready to help(and that is the one of the grossest understatements of my life)
Benny, awesome player, can dribble real well and always ready to play. He was willing to come at 12 in the noon just because I had to fulfill my whim of playing football that day as I had some other things lined up for later that evening. Great fun to be with and to quote him as he describes himself, "in one word 'cool'"
Then next on the list would be Vamshi, my brothers school mate and his brother Vimal, who not just added numbers but gave variety to the skill on display.
Sudeep, my cousin, enjoyed his time with us too. The best description I can give is one that an uncle of mine uttered ,"nee voolu antha etkaram"(when translated it means something on the lines of 'your whole body is filled with sarcasm'. He did help with the cooking and stuff around the house. And provided laughter on football field with regular mistakes.Talking of mistakes leads me to Rohit, whose being on the team seemed to boost the opposition but Sandeep did say that he could do a job if given clear instructions. However he is pretty enthusiastic and lends some of the variety needed to make the fun complete.
There was Arpan who joined us 2 times, he got so excited about playing football, he went off to buy a ball without even asking us(that he didn't seem to find it is another matter).
Paul, who played goalkeeper and whose size allowed him to perform a good job, managed to ignore the jibes and provided more entertainment of the comical error variety(ofcourse Rohit and Sudeep would rank way above him but still)
Sam, who was I guess the youngest but never let it show. He joined us on our night together in the house when we had a riot. And he liked to play defence but I think he would useful on the wing too.
Then there is Leena, she has to be seen to believed. Full of energy and towards the end picked up the nuances of football too pretty well. She was usually the last to feel tired and nothing seemed to faze her. Balls hitting her with force, clashing of heads for balls in the air and tackling did seem pretty routine for her. Atta girl! Way to go!!!
Beryl and Chrysolite did join us for the jaunt at Eat Street and the boat ride was fun too.
I seem to have left someone out. Hmm.. He played Defensive Midfield, tried to pass the ball(and was successful once in a while) and in general used to tire easily. However he enjoyed it to the hilt and is grateful for the time he had and would like to thank all involved in making this summer almost as good as the summers in Kotagiri!
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Why the protests against reservations aren't working and a bit more
The protests against reservations have brought cheer to my heart as they are an indication that all is not lost. There are people around who seem to have the ability to take things head on. I have been seeing the way things have been going and I feel that this is the ideal way to go about things. Protesting in a peaceful manner.
However, the time for peaceful protests is long past. We have become a people who won't listen to words and our politicians are even worse. We fear those who are violent(radical should be the right word but not it is not radical enough to convey my meaning) and in this case fear is what should be generated in the politicians. For example, how to do movies get banned? Fear of violence!The time when voices of dissuading were heard was really short(if at all it was ever heard). It is the mob which rules.
I have read about people likening the situation to the revolutions in Eastern Europe but although they seemed to be spontaneous, they were very well planned. So we can go one up on them at this moment of time without actually resorting to violence(as in killing). One of the major ingredients for success is subversion from within. Unfortunately the best solution without violence is paralysis of work in the country. The movement needs even the bureaucrats, soldiers in the army to come together. The ultimate strike would be of those providing security to the vibes. That would certainly set the cat among the pigeons. I know this is wishful thinking but it sure would be effective. So let us consider a lesser alternative which is vandalizing the HARD ministry office. It would certainly set them thinking. I am surprised that I am suggesting something on these lines but that appears to be the only feasible solution. Bringing the country to a grinding halt. It would people up if in a city like Hyderabad the protest are not held on Sundays but rather on weekdays. The protests seem to be just a token expression and not that serious since no one is actually being affected(I am talking about the phenomenon in Hyderabad). By protesting on a weekday we would actually be sacrificing a lot more and at the same time make the point in a more emphatic manner. A thousand people on a weekday morning for 2 hours near secretariat would be more effective than five thousand on a Sunday. I still think that protesting in that way is unbecoming but that is the only resort left if anything meaningful is to come out of the protests. The protests are not registering where they should. The age of reason seems to have passed us by, and what is left is a mentality for which 'majority is right' leading to the culture of the mob.
We have got the weapon of productivity and the country's economy can be heavily damaged through a little bit of strategic planning. However it would affect us too. So we need to make a few sacrifices, so that the future generations won't be sacrificed. Looking at it logically, it is in the prosperity of the affluent that the not so affluent can prosper. A simple example here would be that of the maid servant, who is dependent on work from someone who is richer it is basically those who have the power who are ignorant of it and the ways in which to unleash it. Being a socialist at heart I still don't understand how the middle-class has failed to assert itself as a major influence which counts. (What does being a socialist have to do with it? You might ask. It is just that I see that there are more ways possible) It is only when there is a major crisis that we raise our head an moan , protest and go back to sleep. This is also a result of a lack of major sacrifices being made. For example, very few of our best students go on to become teachers, especially for someone in the age group of 14 to 22 it could be crucial unwillingness to come to terms with reality is affecting us. The dream to earn big bucks makes engineers and MBAs of us all but then there are few who actually want to build something more meaningful
Protesting as I have said before is all very good, but it is time for us to inarguable the direction that we are taking!!!
PS: this post was in draft mode for a long time and much more water has passed under the bridge.
PPS: I will be writing more probably on the issue but I may take up a diametrically opposite stance the next time around!!!
However, the time for peaceful protests is long past. We have become a people who won't listen to words and our politicians are even worse. We fear those who are violent(radical should be the right word but not it is not radical enough to convey my meaning) and in this case fear is what should be generated in the politicians. For example, how to do movies get banned? Fear of violence!The time when voices of dissuading were heard was really short(if at all it was ever heard). It is the mob which rules.
I have read about people likening the situation to the revolutions in Eastern Europe but although they seemed to be spontaneous, they were very well planned. So we can go one up on them at this moment of time without actually resorting to violence(as in killing). One of the major ingredients for success is subversion from within. Unfortunately the best solution without violence is paralysis of work in the country. The movement needs even the bureaucrats, soldiers in the army to come together. The ultimate strike would be of those providing security to the vibes. That would certainly set the cat among the pigeons. I know this is wishful thinking but it sure would be effective. So let us consider a lesser alternative which is vandalizing the HARD ministry office. It would certainly set them thinking. I am surprised that I am suggesting something on these lines but that appears to be the only feasible solution. Bringing the country to a grinding halt. It would people up if in a city like Hyderabad the protest are not held on Sundays but rather on weekdays. The protests seem to be just a token expression and not that serious since no one is actually being affected(I am talking about the phenomenon in Hyderabad). By protesting on a weekday we would actually be sacrificing a lot more and at the same time make the point in a more emphatic manner. A thousand people on a weekday morning for 2 hours near secretariat would be more effective than five thousand on a Sunday. I still think that protesting in that way is unbecoming but that is the only resort left if anything meaningful is to come out of the protests. The protests are not registering where they should. The age of reason seems to have passed us by, and what is left is a mentality for which 'majority is right' leading to the culture of the mob.
We have got the weapon of productivity and the country's economy can be heavily damaged through a little bit of strategic planning. However it would affect us too. So we need to make a few sacrifices, so that the future generations won't be sacrificed. Looking at it logically, it is in the prosperity of the affluent that the not so affluent can prosper. A simple example here would be that of the maid servant, who is dependent on work from someone who is richer it is basically those who have the power who are ignorant of it and the ways in which to unleash it. Being a socialist at heart I still don't understand how the middle-class has failed to assert itself as a major influence which counts. (What does being a socialist have to do with it? You might ask. It is just that I see that there are more ways possible) It is only when there is a major crisis that we raise our head an moan , protest and go back to sleep. This is also a result of a lack of major sacrifices being made. For example, very few of our best students go on to become teachers, especially for someone in the age group of 14 to 22 it could be crucial unwillingness to come to terms with reality is affecting us. The dream to earn big bucks makes engineers and MBAs of us all but then there are few who actually want to build something more meaningful
Protesting as I have said before is all very good, but it is time for us to inarguable the direction that we are taking!!!
PS: this post was in draft mode for a long time and much more water has passed under the bridge.
PPS: I will be writing more probably on the issue but I may take up a diametrically opposite stance the next time around!!!
on being balanced
A balanced look at any issue would be the optimal way to solve problems arising from it. An objective view allows for an answer which gives satisfaction to everyone involved in the process. Being unbiased gives one much more room to maneovre and look at pros and cons of both sides of the coin.
Even in today's society, a balanced person is more appreciated and held in higher esteem than one who is prone to bais. I guess the advantages involved are bit obvious. When pure reason is held higher than emotions and reasons of the heart, we would have a world which is much easier to understand.
However there are a few issues which are not so clear. For example, how balanced should one be so as to be balancedly balanced. Can someone put so much of emphasis on being balanced so as to become imbalanced with regard to balance.While one could possibly be perfectly perfect, being balancedly balanced seems an impossibilty because of the very nature of being balanced.The dilemma is perhaps about the balance to be struck between being reasonable and irreasonably reasonable because of human nature being more than just 'reason'. There is also the question of just how much emotion to show. There are times when we just let instincts take control. However that is also a crucial factor in being balanced since the suppression of emotions for too long a period could lead to disturbing the equilibrium of the person as a whole.
As I ponder there are lot of things which come to the mind which are prescriptive and I don't particularly think that I of all people should be prescribing something as a thing to be practiced. As I keep typing the very nature of the matter baffles me since it is ambigous and will be contradictory the moment I put it down. So I would finish off this peice much shorter than I originally thought. Probably the secret to being balanced is allowing oneself to be imbalanced once in a while(in a balanced manner???)
Even in today's society, a balanced person is more appreciated and held in higher esteem than one who is prone to bais. I guess the advantages involved are bit obvious. When pure reason is held higher than emotions and reasons of the heart, we would have a world which is much easier to understand.
However there are a few issues which are not so clear. For example, how balanced should one be so as to be balancedly balanced. Can someone put so much of emphasis on being balanced so as to become imbalanced with regard to balance.While one could possibly be perfectly perfect, being balancedly balanced seems an impossibilty because of the very nature of being balanced.The dilemma is perhaps about the balance to be struck between being reasonable and irreasonably reasonable because of human nature being more than just 'reason'. There is also the question of just how much emotion to show. There are times when we just let instincts take control. However that is also a crucial factor in being balanced since the suppression of emotions for too long a period could lead to disturbing the equilibrium of the person as a whole.
As I ponder there are lot of things which come to the mind which are prescriptive and I don't particularly think that I of all people should be prescribing something as a thing to be practiced. As I keep typing the very nature of the matter baffles me since it is ambigous and will be contradictory the moment I put it down. So I would finish off this peice much shorter than I originally thought. Probably the secret to being balanced is allowing oneself to be imbalanced once in a while(in a balanced manner???)
Friday, May 19, 2006
controversi around the da vinci
As issues go there have been plenty to write about this week. However I would like to concentrate on the controversy which surrounds the release of the ‘Da Vinci Code’ movie. As a believing Christian and an ardent believer in free speech I think that this is going to be a challenging piece of writing personally.
As I start off I want to state what I want to achieve through this piece. I would like to portray an even-handed picture of the scenario. Argue the case for screening the movie and also try to throw light on the mentality which is trying to get the screening of the movie banned. However the writing would not be complete without stating my personal convictions and giving you an idea of what I think of the book.
Here is how the whole affair unfolds. Another sensational novel which seemingly reveals stunning facts about Da Vinci’s works, the Holy Grail, the Catholic Church and the life of Jesus. The book becomes a blockbuster best-seller and has been on top of the charts and thereabouts since the time it ahs been published. As has been the case with Hollywood, the book is made into a movie. At this stage a few members of the Church around the world wake up and decide to protest. In India, we have the leaders of some union of Churches deciding to ask for a ban on the movie. A further twist in the tale occurs when in a show of minority solidarity even the Muslim leaders decide to join in the protests since Jesus is one of the prophets. In addition to all of this we have the media playing its typical role of the tail wagging the dog. That in short is the tale.
Some of the sensational claims made by the book are that Jesus married Mary Magdalene and that they had a child. The line of Jesus is supposed to be the Holy Grail. There are lot of other strings in the plot which are controversial.
However, this is not the first time these sorts of claims have been made. There have been other books too which have created more than a flutter by claiming things on a similar line. The Da Vinci Code is the latest in the line. In the book form it did not receive much attention from the authorities at a higher lever in the church. However the movie is a different thing.
The impact that a movie through its visual images makes is much more. It draws a larger audience. An observation which I would like to make at this point in time is that people watching a movie are less reflective than those who read a book. The reasons being the time factor and external images. So there might actually be some justification for letting the book be and protesting against the movie.
However, even among movies it is not the first which makes this kind of claims. There have been which would be considered even more blasphemous but they were screened. So the protests in India are more in keeping with our times, when sentiment is respected and reason is used as a hand-maiden to emotional drama.
The media in India which likes to portray itself as treading the middle path but fails. The case in point being the refusal to see that those who are against the screening the movie also have the right to protest in the name of freedom of expression. It is the incitement to violence which has to be frowned at.
Why should we be bothered about freedom of expression? Actually the removal of the freedom would seem ideal since there would be no chance for resistance and dissent. Anyone making a statement would be careful and would not hurt sentiments. Well, this would work out alright if there was a rigid definition of what is right and wrong. In short if would be perfect if we were robots. I know this is an argument which makes its case by example rather than pure sequential reason but the argument has its merits (the major one being it is easy for me to put forward and takes less space).
As a Christian the bounty offered for Dan Brown by a business man in Bombay is ridiculous. Watching him on TV however gave substance to this piece. The man was ignorant of most of the tenets of Catholicism and only seemed to know the names from Bible and attached sentimental importance to them. And he is a typical example of the fuel on which the ideologues on both on the left-wing and especially the right-wing thrive. People who are fundamentalists not when it comes to their beliefs but others’ view of their beliefs. However, I do not say that the movie should be screened because of those opposing it but rather because it has its own value. It is useful as a starting point on a journey of dialogue on faith. A sincere examination by a seeker who makes a through study as result of the movie would lead to startling discoveries.
Now for my views on the book and the claims it made. The book is a fast-moving thriller but is very shoddily researched. There are many errors of fact like the one about Priory of Sion. There are many clumsily made interpretations which are shown as new and there has been a great deal of twisting of history to paint the Church black. For instance, Mary Magdalene is never portrayed as a prostitute in the Bible or the early church as claimed by the book. It was only from the sixth century that the particular version came into existence. There are many such claims which can shake the faith of the weak. That is where the whole problem arises. There is no easy solution. The issue here is a bit deeper than the cartoon controversy since the whole movie portrays quite a few things wrong and the media is used here is much more graphic. So the move to screen the movie with a disclaimer even at the beginning is what I would approve and am glad that is the way things seem to be moving.
As I now know the movie is going to be screened which is a victory for everyone, both for those who want to watch it, for freedom of expression and even for those who are worried, the last because hasn’t turned out so great.
I would recommend that if you are watching the movie: watch it the same way you would watch any other. The ‘Da Vinci Code’ is after all just another movie made to rake in the moolah.
This was written to be read at a oratory club that I go to Fridays. I am going to read it later today.
As I start off I want to state what I want to achieve through this piece. I would like to portray an even-handed picture of the scenario. Argue the case for screening the movie and also try to throw light on the mentality which is trying to get the screening of the movie banned. However the writing would not be complete without stating my personal convictions and giving you an idea of what I think of the book.
Here is how the whole affair unfolds. Another sensational novel which seemingly reveals stunning facts about Da Vinci’s works, the Holy Grail, the Catholic Church and the life of Jesus. The book becomes a blockbuster best-seller and has been on top of the charts and thereabouts since the time it ahs been published. As has been the case with Hollywood, the book is made into a movie. At this stage a few members of the Church around the world wake up and decide to protest. In India, we have the leaders of some union of Churches deciding to ask for a ban on the movie. A further twist in the tale occurs when in a show of minority solidarity even the Muslim leaders decide to join in the protests since Jesus is one of the prophets. In addition to all of this we have the media playing its typical role of the tail wagging the dog. That in short is the tale.
Some of the sensational claims made by the book are that Jesus married Mary Magdalene and that they had a child. The line of Jesus is supposed to be the Holy Grail. There are lot of other strings in the plot which are controversial.
However, this is not the first time these sorts of claims have been made. There have been other books too which have created more than a flutter by claiming things on a similar line. The Da Vinci Code is the latest in the line. In the book form it did not receive much attention from the authorities at a higher lever in the church. However the movie is a different thing.
The impact that a movie through its visual images makes is much more. It draws a larger audience. An observation which I would like to make at this point in time is that people watching a movie are less reflective than those who read a book. The reasons being the time factor and external images. So there might actually be some justification for letting the book be and protesting against the movie.
However, even among movies it is not the first which makes this kind of claims. There have been which would be considered even more blasphemous but they were screened. So the protests in India are more in keeping with our times, when sentiment is respected and reason is used as a hand-maiden to emotional drama.
The media in India which likes to portray itself as treading the middle path but fails. The case in point being the refusal to see that those who are against the screening the movie also have the right to protest in the name of freedom of expression. It is the incitement to violence which has to be frowned at.
Why should we be bothered about freedom of expression? Actually the removal of the freedom would seem ideal since there would be no chance for resistance and dissent. Anyone making a statement would be careful and would not hurt sentiments. Well, this would work out alright if there was a rigid definition of what is right and wrong. In short if would be perfect if we were robots. I know this is an argument which makes its case by example rather than pure sequential reason but the argument has its merits (the major one being it is easy for me to put forward and takes less space).
As a Christian the bounty offered for Dan Brown by a business man in Bombay is ridiculous. Watching him on TV however gave substance to this piece. The man was ignorant of most of the tenets of Catholicism and only seemed to know the names from Bible and attached sentimental importance to them. And he is a typical example of the fuel on which the ideologues on both on the left-wing and especially the right-wing thrive. People who are fundamentalists not when it comes to their beliefs but others’ view of their beliefs. However, I do not say that the movie should be screened because of those opposing it but rather because it has its own value. It is useful as a starting point on a journey of dialogue on faith. A sincere examination by a seeker who makes a through study as result of the movie would lead to startling discoveries.
Now for my views on the book and the claims it made. The book is a fast-moving thriller but is very shoddily researched. There are many errors of fact like the one about Priory of Sion. There are many clumsily made interpretations which are shown as new and there has been a great deal of twisting of history to paint the Church black. For instance, Mary Magdalene is never portrayed as a prostitute in the Bible or the early church as claimed by the book. It was only from the sixth century that the particular version came into existence. There are many such claims which can shake the faith of the weak. That is where the whole problem arises. There is no easy solution. The issue here is a bit deeper than the cartoon controversy since the whole movie portrays quite a few things wrong and the media is used here is much more graphic. So the move to screen the movie with a disclaimer even at the beginning is what I would approve and am glad that is the way things seem to be moving.
As I now know the movie is going to be screened which is a victory for everyone, both for those who want to watch it, for freedom of expression and even for those who are worried, the last because hasn’t turned out so great.
I would recommend that if you are watching the movie: watch it the same way you would watch any other. The ‘Da Vinci Code’ is after all just another movie made to rake in the moolah.
This was written to be read at a oratory club that I go to Fridays. I am going to read it later today.
Friday, May 05, 2006
Will this be my shortest post so far?
I had a great holiday in Vizag thought of a lot of things to blog and write about but now don't remember a thing(or can't be bothered).
Vizag however is a great place. Almost totally empty roads and the place is pretty scenic .
And I love water!(Not that I can swim but water has me real excited)
So there, my shortest post!
Vizag however is a great place. Almost totally empty roads and the place is pretty scenic .
And I love water!(Not that I can swim but water has me real excited)
So there, my shortest post!
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