Amu the Film

Finished watching Amu - The Film last night. Its a very slow movie, but conveys strongly what it sets out to convey. I could not sleep for most part of last night.

I was 7 years old in 1984. I am a Sikh. It was 13 years(in 1997) before I would recount, even to myself, what happened in that year.(I am yet to speak to anyone else)

The memory was followed by hatred, and hatred by that inevitable question - Why?

So why is this, the most personal fact about me, on this public blog? Because now, another 11 years later, I think there is an answer to that "Why?" That answer is relevant to all children of riots, and to chidren who are just getting to know about 1984, Godhra or Orissa.

1984 was not about Sikhism. Godhra was not about Islam, and Orissa is not about Christianity. It is about power. 1984 happened because Indira Gandhi could not tolerate the growing power of the Akalis in Punjab, and created a parallel force called Bhindrawale. What she had not anticipated or planned for, was the evolution of Bhindrawale into a strong force. Bhindrawale became her Frankenstein. Operation Blue Star was necessary - both to consolidate her power, and to end the internal security nightmare that she had created in Punjab.
With that operation, many believe(incl. me) , she signed her death warrant, and the death warrant of all the Sikhs in her country.
It was not about Sikhism. It was about the Akali Dal and the Congress.

It is about power. Religion is only used because it is the master key to the passions of the millions. Everyone responds strongly to religion. It is our fault. The fault of the stupid common man.

It was an organised pogrom. A very organised pogrom. How quickly things could get organised often leave me wondering whether the Congress set up was preparing for this carnage anyway, and the Indira Gandhi murder was just a convenient excuse.

It has taken a long time to sift out the emotional from the historical and to arrive at a theory.
Take it or leave it, That is my theory of Indian Riots. What's yours?

Thoughts on Yesterday/ हिन्दी दिवस मुबारक

On the Delhi Blasts: The blasts were "Low intensity" but the media frenzy and the panic created by the media was not।

दिल्ली बम विस्फोट - बम कम क्षमता के थे, पर हमारे खबरी टी वी वालों का जवाब नही। सारे देश से फ़ोन करवा दिए हमे।

On "A Wednesday" : It is not fair to put all accolades in one basket - that of Naseer. He is a fine performer, but not the only one who deserves praise. The performer who stood out, from the first scene, was Anupam Kher too. My Cheers to Anupam Kher!! And while we are at it, more Pest Cleaners please.

फ़िल्म "A Wednesday" : नसीर साहब बहुत उम्दा कलाकार हैं, पर अनुपम खेर साहब का ज़िक्र कोई क्यूँ नही करता? इस चिट्ठे की प्रशंसा, अनुपम खेर के नाम! और हाँ, कुछ सफाई वाले और मंगवा दीजिये कहीं से, नसीर साहब जैसे।

On Hindi Day: The only way i got to know that today is Hindi Day, is through the Hindi newpaper that we have. The Times of India does not think of Hindi Day as being relevant to our times. ;-p
आज हिन्दी दिवस है, ये बात सिर्फ़ हिन्दी अखबार से ही पता चल सकी। Times of India को नही लगता की ये हमारे वक्त में ऐसी बात है, जिसे ३० अखबार के पन्नो में १ लाइन दी जा सके।
हिन्दी दिवस मुबारक।

On the BMW Hit and Run cases in Delhi: (There have been 2 hit and run cases involving BMW vehicles in the last week)
1. Did anyone find out if the motor cycle riders were riding as per the rules?
2. Why is it that of all the hit and run cases, only BMW is mentioned as the brand name ?

BMW केसों पर (दिल्ली में पिछले १ हफ्ते में २ BMW गाड़ियों को ले कर हादसे हो चुके हैं। ) :
१ किसी ने ये पूछा की ये नौनिहाल जो मोटर साइकिल पर थे, वे नियम के विरुद्ध चला रहे थे या नही?
२। सारे मामलों में , सिर्फ़ एक ही गाडी का ब्रांड नेम क्यूँ बताया जाता है?


Enuf Said।
बस इतना ही।

one MBA post.

As I see it, commuting is going to be, after sickness, perhaps the second biggest cause of loss of employee productivity. One does not have the figures, so it might also be the single biggest contributor.

How does one handle this situation? There are 2 plausible options:
1. Create small, self contained townships. ( a la Tatanagar, Modinagar, WIMCO nagar..)
2. Allow telecommuting as a standard practice.

As things stand, No. 1 is too expensive for companies who will spend a lot on their top executives, but pinch the others on pens and notepads and free lunches.

No. 2 requires a lot of trust, and that is missing too.

I sometimes wonder, what made it possible for the Tatas and Modis to build Tatanagar and Modinagar for their employees, and today’s organisations, with much higher net worth, find it difficult to replicate the model? (Just wondering…)

Does telecommuting make business and financial sense? You bet it does. Will it be implemented anytime soon? Ha ha ha. Unlikely, at best.

As an organisation/ employee, what would you prefer , or is there a third option?

"I Love you." is not a phrase. It is a sentence.

Way too often, I love you is made a phrase. I love you because... I'd love you if...I love you but....

2 Awards!! How much better can it get?!

When this blog started, it was my personal place on the wide Tundra called the internet. The url was difficult, so only the most determined readers could come back here (obviously, i never thought anyone would favorite this place or try to remember it)

A few years later, this is my friends' place - like a daily cocktail party with conversation that one likes.. a sounding board and a suport group, all rolled into one.

And now, there are also awards - 2 of them so close to each other! Does that make my day? You bet it makes the whole of my motherhood year and more!

Soulbrush's I love your blog award

and Mampi's Brilliante Blog Award

Thank you! And Thank you! And Thank you!

This award is for blogs whose content and design are brilliant as well as creative. The purpose of the prize is to promote as many blogs as possible in the blogosphere.

1. When you receive the prize you must write a post showing it, together with the name of who has given it to you, and link them back.

2. Choose a minimum of 7 blogs (or even more) that you find brilliant in their content or design.

3. Show their names and links and leave them a comment informing they were prized with ‘Brilliante Weblog.’

4. Show a picture of those who awarded you and those you give the prize (optional).

5. And then we pass it on!

Here is passing on the Brilliante awards:

1. Adi - His imagery with words defies description and is among the best that i have ever come across. What is more, he has been producing this kind of poetry consistently!! Brilliant is just the word for what he writes.

2. Law and other things - One of the more sorely needed blogs in India.

3. All the mommy bloggers that i have met here in the blog world. Before i went to these blogs, my idea of a mommy blog was a place where children are discussed. Correction: Children are discussed, being a woman is discussed, not in hushed tones, but in open asserted pride. Intelligence and the ability to articulate make a wonderful reading combo.

4. Nabeel - He has not posted in a long time, but every single post they make is wonderful. Nice. Informative. I am partial to this blog.

5. Soulbrush: The Giggles series is truly, genuinely brilliant!! The other series on this blog - One Word, is pretty awesome too. That's a sharp mind behind a soft veneer - a very, very sharp mind.

6. Solitaire: Quick and easy and entertaining does it. Her other blogs are nice too, but this one totally takes the cake!

7. Twisted DNA: This one goes out with a groan. Because no matter how much i try, this blog cannot be avoided if we are talking about brilliance. Not all posts are politically correct, but almost all of them are side splitting funny. This blog has also been consistently awarded every time one had the opportunity (yes, thats boring), but consistency does it - again!

And now for the I Love Your Blog Awards:

These are the rules:
1. The winner can put the logo on their blog
2. Link the person you received your award from
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4. Put links of those blogs on yours.
5. Leave a message on the blogs you’ve nominated.

This one is personal, and can be, to some extent, biased. However, if u have got the brilliance award above, consider this one automatically awarded. These are the blogs in addition to the 7 above.

Mampi: Yes, i like both - her wordpress blog and the blogger blog. I love them both.

Z: I like her, have liked her warmth, her quiet, Brit sense of humour, and the impeccable language on the blog. I love this blog - always have.

Aurora Sky: Yes, she writes well. But its more than that. its the way she forces you to see your own ghosts in a mirror that she draws in front of your eyes. She is almost.. unreal, and yet, so real.

Cyberkitty: I just like this blog. period.

Human Being: I love the blog, and i love the person behind the blog. This is a marriage of rare interlligence with even more rare empathy and genuine human warmth.

And last but not the least, i really like my Esha blog. it helps me talk, however rarely, and i love the fact that there is a place where i can write what i feel about esha, though one does not really update that place so much any more..

Belated... Happy Independence Day!

Couldnt find anything appropriate.. till this one came along..
http://sidhusaaheb.blogspot.com/


कभी माँगता है मन भी
थोड़ी सी दवा
नींद से जागने की...
और जाग कर,
फिर वही सवाल...
तुम क्या कर लोगे अकेले?

सोये रहो.... सोये रहो....
नींद में मनाओ खुशियाँ
आंखों पर लगाओ सुंदर से चश्मे
सोये रहो सोये रहो॥

All tyrants are hated by those who are tyrannised. This is as true of Idi Amin as of the Man of the House.
Be careful, even tyrants must some day be old, or infirm, or unwell.

Aside:
Most men retire to find that while they were away being loyal to their work, their families have created a life without them. And the office is merrily chirping away- the hole they thought they created was made in water.
Why am I writing this? After seeing many men in close circle who have retired and live a rather lonely life. In the house and all that, but lonely.
Not altogether their fault, because in their generation, no one taught them any other way. But men(and women) of our generation? What's their excuse for wishing the same loneliness upon themselves?

Well, forget it. This is just a rambles and ruminations post..

Don't be in a hurry to erase people from your life, to junk things you no longer need, to avoid events that you are invited to be a part of..

One day, you will grow old and wish you had a souvenir of that day, wish you could pick up the phone and talk to someone you stopped talking to, wish that you had enjoyed things more instead of being petty at the time..

Love people..one day you will be old, you will crave to be with people, and people will not be there..

On an aside, here is something that brightens up my day and makes it lovely to be alive:
http://www.blindekuh.ch/e/basel/restaurant/restaurant.html

http://www.blindekuh.ch/e/basel/story/story.html

Does anyone want to replicate the business idea in India? I think they accept franchises outside Europe.. anyone who has eaten here? What was it like?

Tag- Favorite Literary Characters

किताबों से कभी गुज़रो , तो यूँ किरदार मिलते है ,
गए वक्तों की ड्योढी पर बिछडे कुछ यार मिलते हैं

This tag is about your favorite literary characters. Comes to me from ~nm.

The problem with the tag is, my memory with names and faces. So the list will be very small, but not necessarily the complete list of friends made in the pages of books.

Here is my list:
1. Dominique Francon and Peter Keating from The Fountainhead. (not Roark)
2. Alka from Nagmani and the lead lady in Arial - Amrita Pritam.
3. Most women characters in Amrita Pritam's books.
4. Its Always possible - Kiran Bedi. (you never said fictitious literary characters)
5. All child characters in Ruskin Bond's works. But there was this tribal girl in one of his short stories - Madhu, i think.
6. All child characters in Premchand's stories.

Who do i tag? Anyone who likes this tag, but i'll be very happy if Aurora Sky, Adi and Thought Safari take this up.