It seems like Murthy (the Murthy) has had enough of politicians and their (petty) politics. In today's article on rediff.com, it seems Murthy has "blasted" the policitians and the corruption prevalent. I am surprised he even went on to make comments about the "reservation".
Maybe it was the letting up of steam bottled up inside.
I have always felt that Murthy was doing things to Bangaloru which others could not do to Mumbai. At least from the newspaper reports, it seemed to me that Murthy was using his "industrial clout" to persuade ("threaten" would be a more appropriate word, but a bit harsh on the good intentioned man) the government and other agencies to get some good things developed at Bangaloru. The recent example was of the international airport.
I used to wonder why inspite of Mumbai having so many industrial heavy-weights ("youNameThemTheyLiveHere" types), these were not putting their foot down and getting things done for themselves and the city. I mean - at least they should do something for themselves. Just imagine being an Ambani and getting stuck in the city traffic along side BEST route no. 384 Ltd. (or whatever). Imagine the Benz being driven at 5 kmph...the beast would end up like a kitten. Okay, I hear you shout - Ambani-types don't travel by road, they only do so by air. A bit far-fetched, but not entirely ruled out. I had heard that some of those Tata people lived in Lonavla and flew in everyday to Mumbai. It takes only 0.5 hours by air to Bombay House from Lonavla compared to the 2 hours from Altamount to Fort. Okay, just a joke...but you get the idea.
Even if these guys do commute by air, they may still have to travel sometimes by road (and get stuck).
Back to Murthy - probably he got fed up of something - or maybe a series of negative events left some sort of impression on him. Maybe some of his interactions with various politicians left him wondering why those guys are so "dumb".
Time to float a new party Murthy - time to take them on - go right ahead. We are with you.
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
The most dreaded/awaited time of the year
Depending on who you are and what you think, the fast-approaching(?) year end / new year is either the most awaited time of the year or the most dreaded one. The lighting is all around us and so is the "spirit" and the "spirits". Most restaurants and wine shops are "stocking" it up. I mean, you don't want to run out of it half-way into the new year celebration. I am told that even regular "Udipi" bars charge more on that day...I think they have a separate menu for the new year eve.
Many events are lined up everywhere...you could choose to spend the eve and the midnight (and the morning) in some top-class restaurant or in some shady joint or still better in the open. A few years ago, I had heard that several foreigners chose to ring in the new year in the heart of the Rajasthan desert.
Some bigger restaurants / "clubs" organize events where they invite various celebrities to do some acts. And the charges would no doubt be exhorbitant.
Some naive people think that the performing events are "the" place to be at. These (mostly newly wed or to be wed) make bookings and grand plans to go these places. Then, they realize that its not the same as they expected it to be. Most such places are "overbooked" and the people just dance and do whatever else they can in a crowded place. Maybe some of these types expected a "seated" show with the audience behaving like at a classical music performance. What they get is usually standing and the crowd behaving as if at a FIFA game or at a heavy metal rock show concert.
Some others prefer to be out in the "open". This could be any public place with the starry sky over one's head (okay, stars won't be visible in the Chembur area...instead one has nice illusionary effects courtesy of the refineries and other industries out there). The popular open spaces are the beaches (Juhu, Girgaon), the Gateway of India, the roads. I am also told that it is a tradition for people travelling in cars / other vehicles to blow their vehicle horns at the midnight hour. Drunken driving during the new year is a common occurence, but reports in the newspaper always mention that there would be strict vigils by the police.
The "other" people (probably the sensible lot), know that "outside" is a dangerous place to be on the eve of the new year. As a result, most of such people, leave their workplace at the regular time and head to their residence (buying whatever it is that they feel like keeping company with at midnight).
For these "other" people, this time of the year is the most dreaded one...the one to be at home and away from the crowd that goes berserk on the eve. Some of these "home" types tend to switch on the television and watch "an exciting array" of programmes broadcast. Among those programme types, one can be sure to see a programme with a title such as "Events of 2005" or whatever - where various important events that occurred in 2005 would be shown. Other programmes include mimicry shows and/or dance programmes and programmes that telecast live the on-goings in some "club" where the "celeberatory" types have gone.
For the people who celebrate it, they do so as if they might not live to see the next day.
Some of us are unfortunate to be working on the new year day (that is, 1st Jan). These people have to get up in the morning and go back to the grind as if there was nothing special the previous night. That's when one can see all the people who celebrated the eve going home...staggering instead of walking and needing a much desired and required rest/sleep. Happy New Year to them. Good morning to the others who stayed at home.
Many events are lined up everywhere...you could choose to spend the eve and the midnight (and the morning) in some top-class restaurant or in some shady joint or still better in the open. A few years ago, I had heard that several foreigners chose to ring in the new year in the heart of the Rajasthan desert.
Some bigger restaurants / "clubs" organize events where they invite various celebrities to do some acts. And the charges would no doubt be exhorbitant.
Some naive people think that the performing events are "the" place to be at. These (mostly newly wed or to be wed) make bookings and grand plans to go these places. Then, they realize that its not the same as they expected it to be. Most such places are "overbooked" and the people just dance and do whatever else they can in a crowded place. Maybe some of these types expected a "seated" show with the audience behaving like at a classical music performance. What they get is usually standing and the crowd behaving as if at a FIFA game or at a heavy metal rock show concert.
Some others prefer to be out in the "open". This could be any public place with the starry sky over one's head (okay, stars won't be visible in the Chembur area...instead one has nice illusionary effects courtesy of the refineries and other industries out there). The popular open spaces are the beaches (Juhu, Girgaon), the Gateway of India, the roads. I am also told that it is a tradition for people travelling in cars / other vehicles to blow their vehicle horns at the midnight hour. Drunken driving during the new year is a common occurence, but reports in the newspaper always mention that there would be strict vigils by the police.
The "other" people (probably the sensible lot), know that "outside" is a dangerous place to be on the eve of the new year. As a result, most of such people, leave their workplace at the regular time and head to their residence (buying whatever it is that they feel like keeping company with at midnight).
For these "other" people, this time of the year is the most dreaded one...the one to be at home and away from the crowd that goes berserk on the eve. Some of these "home" types tend to switch on the television and watch "an exciting array" of programmes broadcast. Among those programme types, one can be sure to see a programme with a title such as "Events of 2005" or whatever - where various important events that occurred in 2005 would be shown. Other programmes include mimicry shows and/or dance programmes and programmes that telecast live the on-goings in some "club" where the "celeberatory" types have gone.
For the people who celebrate it, they do so as if they might not live to see the next day.
Some of us are unfortunate to be working on the new year day (that is, 1st Jan). These people have to get up in the morning and go back to the grind as if there was nothing special the previous night. That's when one can see all the people who celebrated the eve going home...staggering instead of walking and needing a much desired and required rest/sleep. Happy New Year to them. Good morning to the others who stayed at home.
Monday, December 26, 2005
A ride on the new CR coaches
I had the opportunity to ride on the new CR (Central Railway) coaches this weekend. The shining steel insides and the polyurethane handles seemed quite nice. I was most pleasant surprised by the same smooth start and pickup as some of the WR (Western Railway) rakes. When this new rake starts up, one does not get a sound and a big jerk; the only way to tell the rake has started is to see outside the window or to hear the sound of the sleepers (the familiar sound of the wooden sleepers that goes tak-tak, tak-tak...you know what I mean). Extraordinary!
I had noticed this start-up mechanism in some of the WR locals. One can see an additional "box" near the pantograph and this usually makes a lot of noise (very audible when the rake is stationary at a platform). This same technology is probably in use in the CR new rakes.
Also, observed that the "stickers" displaying various notices such as "Alarm Chain", etc. were printed in neat "computerised" fonts as compared to the old hand-paint notices. These look so much better (probably at the cost of unemployment for the painters :( ).
I also observed the same disadvantages about the new rakes as pointed out by some readers in a newspaper recently: One guy had mentioned that the "wooden partition" that separated the entrance from the seats was no longer there and that would mean that the rain water would come in from the open doors onto the seats. (Probably, the designers thought that the commuters would keep the doors closed in the rains - ha! that's what happens if you do not have practical experience). Commuters standing at the door in the rains keep the doors closed, but have to open it up well before the rake arrives on the station platform. In the case of very crowded trains like the Virar fast, there is no option for the commuters but to get wet. (A true Mumbaikar is always one who would protect his umbrella from getting wet so that he wouldn't have to dry it later - even if that means that he has to get wet! And you thought the umbrellas were meant to keep the people from getting wet - silly you - Welcome to Mumbai).
The "jaali" or the "cage" that protected the windshields of the loco are now gone. The new single windshield is indeed very good looking, but one wonders if the fear of people pelting stones at the pilot's windows has gone away.
All in all - a definite welcome change.
I had noticed this start-up mechanism in some of the WR locals. One can see an additional "box" near the pantograph and this usually makes a lot of noise (very audible when the rake is stationary at a platform). This same technology is probably in use in the CR new rakes.
Also, observed that the "stickers" displaying various notices such as "Alarm Chain", etc. were printed in neat "computerised" fonts as compared to the old hand-paint notices. These look so much better (probably at the cost of unemployment for the painters :( ).
I also observed the same disadvantages about the new rakes as pointed out by some readers in a newspaper recently: One guy had mentioned that the "wooden partition" that separated the entrance from the seats was no longer there and that would mean that the rain water would come in from the open doors onto the seats. (Probably, the designers thought that the commuters would keep the doors closed in the rains - ha! that's what happens if you do not have practical experience). Commuters standing at the door in the rains keep the doors closed, but have to open it up well before the rake arrives on the station platform. In the case of very crowded trains like the Virar fast, there is no option for the commuters but to get wet. (A true Mumbaikar is always one who would protect his umbrella from getting wet so that he wouldn't have to dry it later - even if that means that he has to get wet! And you thought the umbrellas were meant to keep the people from getting wet - silly you - Welcome to Mumbai).
The "jaali" or the "cage" that protected the windshields of the loco are now gone. The new single windshield is indeed very good looking, but one wonders if the fear of people pelting stones at the pilot's windows has gone away.
All in all - a definite welcome change.
Sunday, December 25, 2005
"Purana Nikantu" - a Malayalam treatise on the Puranas
Very recently, I have managed to procure "Purana Nikantu" from God's own country, Kerala. This is supposed to be a wonderful treatise in Malayalam about the Puranas. The translation of the title ("Purana Nikantu") is "Encyclopedia of the Puranas".
Although I do not know Malayalam, I am looking out for translators to English (my father may be one, if he agrees - which is rare). I am made to understand that there is no English translation available (yet!).
I hope to update my knowledge with this book in the coming years...looking at its size, it does seem it will take a considerable time (years, not months).
Although I do not know Malayalam, I am looking out for translators to English (my father may be one, if he agrees - which is rare). I am made to understand that there is no English translation available (yet!).
I hope to update my knowledge with this book in the coming years...looking at its size, it does seem it will take a considerable time (years, not months).
Friday, December 23, 2005
The jigsaw puzzle metaphor
When we solve a complex jigsaw puzzle, most people try to fix some parts on the edge and then assuming that the piece is in its correct place, proceed to fix others relative to it. It may happen that the assumption was wrong and then one needs to backtrack and fix the error and proceed again. After all the pieces have fit in correctly, one can feel happy that the puzzle has been solved.
Actually, there are 2 ways to end the puzzle: The first way is one in which we have/know what the final solved puzzle should look like. In that case, we can simply compare the pieces and fit them in the appropriate places. Also, when all the pieces are fit in, one can cross check to see if the finished puzzle looks like what we wanted it to be. That would signal the solution of the puzzle.
There is a second way: In this, we do not know what the final finished puzzle should look like. So, we can only find out if we have solved the puzzle by cross-checking if all the pieces have fit in. Even in this, one has to assume that a certain piece belongs to a particular place. If that assumption turns out to be wrong because some other pieces do not fit in, then one has to backtrack and rectify the error.
The study of Vedic/Hindu religion is a bit like the jigsaw puzzle: one does not what is the final picture. Also, one has to assume certain parts are correct. If one makes these assumptions, then one can clearly see all the pieces fall in place one after the other. When the study is done, one could see the overall picture and see if there was any misfit pieces or not.
Just a metaphor...the way I see it.
Actually, there are 2 ways to end the puzzle: The first way is one in which we have/know what the final solved puzzle should look like. In that case, we can simply compare the pieces and fit them in the appropriate places. Also, when all the pieces are fit in, one can cross check to see if the finished puzzle looks like what we wanted it to be. That would signal the solution of the puzzle.
There is a second way: In this, we do not know what the final finished puzzle should look like. So, we can only find out if we have solved the puzzle by cross-checking if all the pieces have fit in. Even in this, one has to assume that a certain piece belongs to a particular place. If that assumption turns out to be wrong because some other pieces do not fit in, then one has to backtrack and rectify the error.
The study of Vedic/Hindu religion is a bit like the jigsaw puzzle: one does not what is the final picture. Also, one has to assume certain parts are correct. If one makes these assumptions, then one can clearly see all the pieces fall in place one after the other. When the study is done, one could see the overall picture and see if there was any misfit pieces or not.
Just a metaphor...the way I see it.
Thursday, December 22, 2005
ISKCON, the myth and the reality
My recent post (and the comments in that post) was against the "myths" created by people against those "good intentioned" godmen. As stated in the comments, I wish to put on record how my views about ISKCON changed, once I started to investigate the myths surrounding it. Here are the details...as briefly as I can state them.
We start with the myths first. BTW, this was also my original perception about ISKCON. The source of the myth probably lies in the famous old movie "Hare Rama Hare Krishna" where it was portrayed that foreigners came to India and took to drug abuse in the guise of spiritual learning. My elders had warned me about such things and somehow I came to suspect that these activities might be going on in the ISKCON temple at Juhu. During this period, I'd visited the temple a few times and though I did not see any such activity going on, I assumed there might be some "rooms" or "inner chambers" where this might be taking place.
Some time later, I was told that these people actually encourage people to become a "devotee" and once you get "trapped into this", one cannot "come out of it". Sounds familiar. This is the famous FUD thing (as mentioned in the original post about godmen).
A few years ago I was getting fed up of the routine life and felt there was something lacking - perhaps I had missed something important earlier. I also thought it might be worthwhile to investigate the myth by personally trying to probe a bit deeper.
Since ISKCON has a lot of books, I started reading some books. Most books are available in English - so a first-level understanding is not a problem. The problem was finding time to read the books and to find the correct books to read.
In about 2001, a co-worker (who was a "devotee" - in ISKCON terminology, a "devotee" has to follow 4 basic rules...will skip them here) brought a few copies of the "The Bhagvad Gita - As It Is" for selling. I bought one. That was the beginning. As if by pre-decided fate, a few months later, I found myself talking to this co-worker while commuting back from the workplace to home. The half-an-hour or so spent with him left me completely astonished. There were too many things to learn (maybe "unlearn" and "re-learn"). He made some valid points and I thought that I must try to understand (not read) the subject a bit more deeply.
Thus started the long journey to read a lot of books, to understand the philosophy, to understand what they preach - the destruction of the myth. There was no truth to the myth. Ignorance is equivalent to darkness. From the darkness to the light - that is what knowledge can do. The myth was total darkness.
I am still not a "devotee". There are some basic things required of a "devotee". But, there is nothing wrong or misleading in their philosophy either. These days I try to tell about this philosophy to other interested people - these are the people on the "fence". So what if I do not follow the teachings myself? I do not feel guilty about it. Some day I will get there.
Moral of the story: Those people who comment without knowing the details should shut up, understand first and then point out mistakes or opinions, if any. Commenting without understanding or experiencing the problem is a "dangerous thing" for the planet. Many people comment about Hinduism/Vedic religion. These people should understand (at least) the Bhagvad Gita first and then say what they want to say.
We start with the myths first. BTW, this was also my original perception about ISKCON. The source of the myth probably lies in the famous old movie "Hare Rama Hare Krishna" where it was portrayed that foreigners came to India and took to drug abuse in the guise of spiritual learning. My elders had warned me about such things and somehow I came to suspect that these activities might be going on in the ISKCON temple at Juhu. During this period, I'd visited the temple a few times and though I did not see any such activity going on, I assumed there might be some "rooms" or "inner chambers" where this might be taking place.
Some time later, I was told that these people actually encourage people to become a "devotee" and once you get "trapped into this", one cannot "come out of it". Sounds familiar. This is the famous FUD thing (as mentioned in the original post about godmen).
A few years ago I was getting fed up of the routine life and felt there was something lacking - perhaps I had missed something important earlier. I also thought it might be worthwhile to investigate the myth by personally trying to probe a bit deeper.
Since ISKCON has a lot of books, I started reading some books. Most books are available in English - so a first-level understanding is not a problem. The problem was finding time to read the books and to find the correct books to read.
In about 2001, a co-worker (who was a "devotee" - in ISKCON terminology, a "devotee" has to follow 4 basic rules...will skip them here) brought a few copies of the "The Bhagvad Gita - As It Is" for selling. I bought one. That was the beginning. As if by pre-decided fate, a few months later, I found myself talking to this co-worker while commuting back from the workplace to home. The half-an-hour or so spent with him left me completely astonished. There were too many things to learn (maybe "unlearn" and "re-learn"). He made some valid points and I thought that I must try to understand (not read) the subject a bit more deeply.
Thus started the long journey to read a lot of books, to understand the philosophy, to understand what they preach - the destruction of the myth. There was no truth to the myth. Ignorance is equivalent to darkness. From the darkness to the light - that is what knowledge can do. The myth was total darkness.
I am still not a "devotee". There are some basic things required of a "devotee". But, there is nothing wrong or misleading in their philosophy either. These days I try to tell about this philosophy to other interested people - these are the people on the "fence". So what if I do not follow the teachings myself? I do not feel guilty about it. Some day I will get there.
Moral of the story: Those people who comment without knowing the details should shut up, understand first and then point out mistakes or opinions, if any. Commenting without understanding or experiencing the problem is a "dangerous thing" for the planet. Many people comment about Hinduism/Vedic religion. These people should understand (at least) the Bhagvad Gita first and then say what they want to say.
Monday, December 19, 2005
KYN WCAG in KC
What the hell was a KYN (Kalyan) WCAG doing in KC (King's Circle)?
Spotted, the other day, at King's Circle station, a KYN WCAG coming in from MM (Mahim Junction) into KC and proceeding towards VDLR (Wadala Road). MM, being a WR territory, it was surprising to find a CR-based KYN coming in to KC from the MM side.
Some of these mysteries will always remain, I guess. As soon as the loco (travelling "light") came along platform 2 of KC, I looked at the starter. It was ON (meaning, the signal was "red". Red is "on" and Green is "off"). But, the loco showed no signs of stopping. Was it going to jump the signal? My question was answered as it braked quickly just close to the starter. A moment later - as if it was being expected by the pilot - the starter turned OFF. And, the loco was off on its way to VDLR. During its brief stay at KC, some school-going kids decided to touch the loco (to see if it was "real"?) and some even clambered onto the rails of the rear cabin.
In case you are wondering about the differences between a WDM, a WAM, a WAP, a WCAM, a WCAG...and the likes, rest assured that its easy to know, once you know.
The first letter (in the modern naming convention) denotes the gauge. The "W" is "broad gauge". The last letter denotes the type of trains the loco is meant to haul. ("S" is shunter, "G" is goods, "P" is passenger, "M" is mixed.)
The middle letter(s) denote the power. ("D" is diesel, "A" is A/C, "C" is D/C and "CA" is dual A/C-D/C). So, a WDM is a broad gauge diesel for mixed trains. A WCAG is a broad gauge A/C-D/C goods loco.
And, while we are on the subject of KC, here is a recent photgraph of what must've been the original ticket counter at KC station. The year mentioned below the station name is 1940.
Spotted, the other day, at King's Circle station, a KYN WCAG coming in from MM (Mahim Junction) into KC and proceeding towards VDLR (Wadala Road). MM, being a WR territory, it was surprising to find a CR-based KYN coming in to KC from the MM side.
Some of these mysteries will always remain, I guess. As soon as the loco (travelling "light") came along platform 2 of KC, I looked at the starter. It was ON (meaning, the signal was "red". Red is "on" and Green is "off"). But, the loco showed no signs of stopping. Was it going to jump the signal? My question was answered as it braked quickly just close to the starter. A moment later - as if it was being expected by the pilot - the starter turned OFF. And, the loco was off on its way to VDLR. During its brief stay at KC, some school-going kids decided to touch the loco (to see if it was "real"?) and some even clambered onto the rails of the rear cabin.
In case you are wondering about the differences between a WDM, a WAM, a WAP, a WCAM, a WCAG...and the likes, rest assured that its easy to know, once you know.
The first letter (in the modern naming convention) denotes the gauge. The "W" is "broad gauge". The last letter denotes the type of trains the loco is meant to haul. ("S" is shunter, "G" is goods, "P" is passenger, "M" is mixed.)
The middle letter(s) denote the power. ("D" is diesel, "A" is A/C, "C" is D/C and "CA" is dual A/C-D/C). So, a WDM is a broad gauge diesel for mixed trains. A WCAG is a broad gauge A/C-D/C goods loco.
And, while we are on the subject of KC, here is a recent photgraph of what must've been the original ticket counter at KC station. The year mentioned below the station name is 1940.
Sunday, December 18, 2005
Godmen and the FUD against them
Today's (18th Dec 2005) Mumbai Mirror has an article that throws the spotlight back on the "godmen". More specifically, it states how a "devotee" of a locally famous "godman" (Anirudhha Bapu) has filed a defamation case against Bollywood actor (and self-styled "crusader") Nana Patekar.
That's not the first time Nana has gone against "such" people. Neither is it the first time he has got into such trouble. There was the recent case where he had threatened a car driver on the road for driving "rashly". It was alleged that he had even pulled out a revolver (a licensed one). On the other hand, the recent case where another godman Narendra Maharaj was not allowed to take his "holy staff" aboard a plane may have prompted Nana to speak against them again.
Now, the very first point of argument against Nana's statement is that he seems to be against "fake godmen". Does this mean that he is alright with the "real godmen"? If so, what is it that differentiates "fake godmen" from "real godmen"? And how does he know that Asharam Bapu, Anirudhha Bapu and Narendra Maharaj are "fake"? Has he met them ever? That is something that should be thought over.
But, coming back to the case filed against Nana, the "devotee" (one Mr. Ulhas Kulkarni) gives very nice arguments and (as you shall make out by the end of this posting), I fully support these godmen ("fake" or "real"). Mr. Ulhas goes to the extent of criticising Bollywood and how they are not doing any good either by projecting and promoting "prevesity and obscenity". Right on dot, Mr. Ulhas and congratulations for taking a courageous step. It takes guts to fight anyone from Bollywood. These days even script writers of useless soaps and serials are pretending to be great. (These days if you are not connected in any way with Bollywood or her sister "Telewood", then you are an "insignificant person".)
Time and again one has heard of countless arguments against these "godmen". Send these people to me...nirvana guaranteed. These arguments are often referred to as "FUD" (Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt) in the Open Source world. For example, private software companies try to create a FUD in the minds of CEOs/CIOs/other vulnerable people regarding how open source software can destroy the industry, etc. But, we will not get into that. The FUD here, is against the godmen. Lets take a look at some of the arguments that one hears:
Let one who has not sinned cast the first stone
Argument over. Go home! Not convinced. Let's try to answer the above points one by one.
Point #1. : What do you mean by "mislead"? Show me one actor, politician, businessman, builder who does not mislead? What about people who show off their status and money to seek sexual favors from women and then dump them? Are they not in the same category?
Point #2: Treating people like god is nothing new. Some people come all the way from Allahabad to Mumbai to see their "gods" (like Amitabh). Pity they don't even have time to visit their local temple. But, who are the gods? And what good have these guys done to merit such status anyway? They have "acted" well in a blockbuster. (Isn't "acting" related to "falsely portraying one's true self"? Isn't it the same as "misleading"?)
Point #3: Ah! the whiff of "blind faith". We'll have dozen people (including the so-called "human rights activists") crawling all over soon. What exactly is "blind faith"? I say if one has reposed complete faith so as not to question his "god", then that is his/her personal judgement. Why do you have to interfere?
In a much broader perspective, so what if the "godmen" do "bad" things? Gosh if they had got it all right and were perfect, they would be right up there, with "God". Surely, they are not worse than the corrupt lot of actors and politicians. Look at their positive side: as long as they preach people to do good things, so be it. And if people go to "bad godmen", then no one has asked them to go there. They are not bound by any bond to be going to that guy. And if they do so, they are doing it because they get some inner peace.
Ah! I know. These actors...they are probably getting jealous. How dare people worship other gods when they are still around? Well, this is the age of competition. So, grow up and fight back (in the same competitive spirit). Not by asking people to beat the devotees and put "chappals" around the godmens' necks. And, not by creating FUD in the people's minds against these.
Oh maybe its because Nana had to face a lot of incovenience because of thousands of devotees gathered for some satsang. Maybe that's why he is so upset. But, wait. Weren't there some real innocent people incovenienced because of Amitabh's stay in the hospital? And what about those useless film shootings that are held on public roads? No one dare say anything against them, then.
Truly this is the age of Kali. Where to even preach good is considered bad. Where heroes now are those who can only "act" well.
Thanks, Mr. Patekar. You have opened our eyes. We still have a lot of work to do.
That's not the first time Nana has gone against "such" people. Neither is it the first time he has got into such trouble. There was the recent case where he had threatened a car driver on the road for driving "rashly". It was alleged that he had even pulled out a revolver (a licensed one). On the other hand, the recent case where another godman Narendra Maharaj was not allowed to take his "holy staff" aboard a plane may have prompted Nana to speak against them again.
Now, the very first point of argument against Nana's statement is that he seems to be against "fake godmen". Does this mean that he is alright with the "real godmen"? If so, what is it that differentiates "fake godmen" from "real godmen"? And how does he know that Asharam Bapu, Anirudhha Bapu and Narendra Maharaj are "fake"? Has he met them ever? That is something that should be thought over.
But, coming back to the case filed against Nana, the "devotee" (one Mr. Ulhas Kulkarni) gives very nice arguments and (as you shall make out by the end of this posting), I fully support these godmen ("fake" or "real"). Mr. Ulhas goes to the extent of criticising Bollywood and how they are not doing any good either by projecting and promoting "prevesity and obscenity". Right on dot, Mr. Ulhas and congratulations for taking a courageous step. It takes guts to fight anyone from Bollywood. These days even script writers of useless soaps and serials are pretending to be great. (These days if you are not connected in any way with Bollywood or her sister "Telewood", then you are an "insignificant person".)
Time and again one has heard of countless arguments against these "godmen". Send these people to me...nirvana guaranteed. These arguments are often referred to as "FUD" (Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt) in the Open Source world. For example, private software companies try to create a FUD in the minds of CEOs/CIOs/other vulnerable people regarding how open source software can destroy the industry, etc. But, we will not get into that. The FUD here, is against the godmen. Lets take a look at some of the arguments that one hears:
- These "godmen" mislead people and take favours from them (money, other worldly desires, etc.)
- These "godmen" show people some magic tricks and get people to treat them like god.
- These "godmen" encourage people to have "blind faith" and believe in superstitions.
There are many more, I am sure. But, for every argument raised here, I can assure you that I'll have an equally unanswerable counter-argument. One single point is easy to demolish all this:
Let one who has not sinned cast the first stone
Argument over. Go home! Not convinced. Let's try to answer the above points one by one.
Point #1. : What do you mean by "mislead"? Show me one actor, politician, businessman, builder who does not mislead? What about people who show off their status and money to seek sexual favors from women and then dump them? Are they not in the same category?
Point #2: Treating people like god is nothing new. Some people come all the way from Allahabad to Mumbai to see their "gods" (like Amitabh). Pity they don't even have time to visit their local temple. But, who are the gods? And what good have these guys done to merit such status anyway? They have "acted" well in a blockbuster. (Isn't "acting" related to "falsely portraying one's true self"? Isn't it the same as "misleading"?)
Point #3: Ah! the whiff of "blind faith". We'll have dozen people (including the so-called "human rights activists") crawling all over soon. What exactly is "blind faith"? I say if one has reposed complete faith so as not to question his "god", then that is his/her personal judgement. Why do you have to interfere?
In a much broader perspective, so what if the "godmen" do "bad" things? Gosh if they had got it all right and were perfect, they would be right up there, with "God". Surely, they are not worse than the corrupt lot of actors and politicians. Look at their positive side: as long as they preach people to do good things, so be it. And if people go to "bad godmen", then no one has asked them to go there. They are not bound by any bond to be going to that guy. And if they do so, they are doing it because they get some inner peace.
Ah! I know. These actors...they are probably getting jealous. How dare people worship other gods when they are still around? Well, this is the age of competition. So, grow up and fight back (in the same competitive spirit). Not by asking people to beat the devotees and put "chappals" around the godmens' necks. And, not by creating FUD in the people's minds against these.
Oh maybe its because Nana had to face a lot of incovenience because of thousands of devotees gathered for some satsang. Maybe that's why he is so upset. But, wait. Weren't there some real innocent people incovenienced because of Amitabh's stay in the hospital? And what about those useless film shootings that are held on public roads? No one dare say anything against them, then.
Truly this is the age of Kali. Where to even preach good is considered bad. Where heroes now are those who can only "act" well.
Thanks, Mr. Patekar. You have opened our eyes. We still have a lot of work to do.
Monday, December 12, 2005
Of "Tiger faces", "Barbie Dolls", "Baldies" and "Jumbos"
These are not some fictional characters in some movie, but "nick names" given to certain class of Indian Railway locomotive because of their appearance or color. Certain loco sheds prefer to paint their locos in specific color combinations (maybe also based on a specific class of locomotives).
| A "Tiger face" can be seen adjacent. This one is a WAG-7 from Ajni shed. Its face has some stripes and so is called a "Tiger Face". |  |
| A "Jumbo" is here. This unusually sized WDM-2 from Guntakal shed is called so because of its larger than usual structure. Most of the "Jumbos" may have undergone structural changes because of accidents or damage. |  |
| A "Baldie" looks like this WDM-3A from Gooty shed. The hood of a "Baldie" sets it out from the other normal WDMs and hence the name. Again, this modification would have been necessary because of some accident or damage. |  |
| And, a "Barbie Doll" is named so because of its "lipstick" color combination. This one is a Tatanagar WAM-4. |  |
Monday, December 05, 2005
Four weddings and a temple visit
This weekend, spilt over to Monday, included hectic trips to record my presence at four weddings. In addition, the weekend began with a visit to the Lord Ganesha temple at Titwala.
Saturday morning began normally and I had decided to visit the temple at Titwala. I took WR local to DDR and changed over to DR (Dadar, Central Railway). Then, there was some waiting time until the next local. So, I decided to take some tea from a nearby restaurant. I came back in time for a Badlapur fast local. I made sure I got a sitting place and then started the long journey to Kalyan (KYN). KYN was crowded as usual. I had to disembark at KYN and wait for the next local that was going to Kasara (KAS). A short time later I was at Titwala. A 5-minute "share-a-rickshaw" ride brought us to the temple. The rickshaw drivers have their pre-determined vendors where one can buy flowers and other offerings for the Lord. In addition, one can keep their footwear with them.
A 3-minute walk from the Ganesha temple is another temple - that of Shri Vitthal Rakhumai.
The wedding receptions were held at various places in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. The first two were on Saturday. The real challenge was in attending both. Both were in the evening (the usual 7:30 p.m. onwards) - one was in Byculla and the other in Bandra. But, I was up for the challenge...after all, it was quite possible with some careful thinking. I knew that if I had to do it, the local trains would be the best commuting option. I was at ADH at about 19:20. A fast train to CCG at about 19:30 ensured that I reached BCT at 19:40. A taxi from BCT to Byculla and I was at the reception at 19:45 before the bride and groom could arrive. Before I could sneak out to the other wedding, I met some people from the same apartment complex as mine. Then, I had to tag along with them. One of them had a car and my hopes of catching the other wedding reception soon disappeared when it seemed possible that I might accompany them in the car. Had I taken the train even at 21:00, I could've reached Bandra station by 21:15 and the venue by 21:30.
The car journey took a long time even inspite of a light traffic. Then, we had to find a "suitable" parking space. Since it was new car (about 15 days old), we also had to worry about other vehicles "scratching" against the gleaming paint of the car. I complimented myself on making a good decision not to own a car (yet!). We finally reached at about 22:15 and most of the guests had left. We just had some token dinner and left (again by car => more woes).
The 3rd reception was on Sunday. Again, I met quite a lot of our "neighbors". Some of them were amazed that I had reduced so much. Others (who had lost weight earlier) tried to advise me on how I should have tackled the weight problem. Some others were of the opinion that this life was meant for eating and drinking in the first half...yes, I thought to myself...and the rest half of the lifetime (and money) could be spent in being bed-ridden. Thanks, nevertheless, for showing so much concern.
The 4th reception was on Monday. That was not really a reception. It was a "re-reception". The actual wedding and reception was held in the North of India and this one was held in Navi Mumbai for those people who could not make it to the northern part. The very interesting part of this 4th reception was the food...it was what people might like to call "authentic Punjabi food". Since I am not from Punjab or the north (heh - until some years ago, the northern most part of India that I had visited was Vasai Road), I could not vouch for the authenticity. Nevertheless, it was quite tasty.
Thus ended a solid weekend of receptions and a temple visit. Was I exhausted? Not so much attending those as I was in writing this. Phew!
Saturday morning began normally and I had decided to visit the temple at Titwala. I took WR local to DDR and changed over to DR (Dadar, Central Railway). Then, there was some waiting time until the next local. So, I decided to take some tea from a nearby restaurant. I came back in time for a Badlapur fast local. I made sure I got a sitting place and then started the long journey to Kalyan (KYN). KYN was crowded as usual. I had to disembark at KYN and wait for the next local that was going to Kasara (KAS). A short time later I was at Titwala. A 5-minute "share-a-rickshaw" ride brought us to the temple. The rickshaw drivers have their pre-determined vendors where one can buy flowers and other offerings for the Lord. In addition, one can keep their footwear with them.
A 3-minute walk from the Ganesha temple is another temple - that of Shri Vitthal Rakhumai.
The wedding receptions were held at various places in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. The first two were on Saturday. The real challenge was in attending both. Both were in the evening (the usual 7:30 p.m. onwards) - one was in Byculla and the other in Bandra. But, I was up for the challenge...after all, it was quite possible with some careful thinking. I knew that if I had to do it, the local trains would be the best commuting option. I was at ADH at about 19:20. A fast train to CCG at about 19:30 ensured that I reached BCT at 19:40. A taxi from BCT to Byculla and I was at the reception at 19:45 before the bride and groom could arrive. Before I could sneak out to the other wedding, I met some people from the same apartment complex as mine. Then, I had to tag along with them. One of them had a car and my hopes of catching the other wedding reception soon disappeared when it seemed possible that I might accompany them in the car. Had I taken the train even at 21:00, I could've reached Bandra station by 21:15 and the venue by 21:30.
The car journey took a long time even inspite of a light traffic. Then, we had to find a "suitable" parking space. Since it was new car (about 15 days old), we also had to worry about other vehicles "scratching" against the gleaming paint of the car. I complimented myself on making a good decision not to own a car (yet!). We finally reached at about 22:15 and most of the guests had left. We just had some token dinner and left (again by car => more woes).
The 3rd reception was on Sunday. Again, I met quite a lot of our "neighbors". Some of them were amazed that I had reduced so much. Others (who had lost weight earlier) tried to advise me on how I should have tackled the weight problem. Some others were of the opinion that this life was meant for eating and drinking in the first half...yes, I thought to myself...and the rest half of the lifetime (and money) could be spent in being bed-ridden. Thanks, nevertheless, for showing so much concern.
The 4th reception was on Monday. That was not really a reception. It was a "re-reception". The actual wedding and reception was held in the North of India and this one was held in Navi Mumbai for those people who could not make it to the northern part. The very interesting part of this 4th reception was the food...it was what people might like to call "authentic Punjabi food". Since I am not from Punjab or the north (heh - until some years ago, the northern most part of India that I had visited was Vasai Road), I could not vouch for the authenticity. Nevertheless, it was quite tasty.
Thus ended a solid weekend of receptions and a temple visit. Was I exhausted? Not so much attending those as I was in writing this. Phew!
"Dombivili Fast"
Saw some posters (inside CR locals) about a new movie titled "Dombivili Fast". Its a Marathi movie and it seems to be based on a commuter's life. Finally, Dombivili (station code "DI") is in the news for the right reasons. Earlier, it was infamous for its house crashes and rickety buildings.
Hopefully, the movie is shot in a "real-life" train and the madness inside is captured. That might bring a sense of urgency to the state administrators to improve the commuter's life. Instead of wasting the money on developing Metros which may never be used (as outlined in this post by WGFA-CS), the administration might do well to reward the people of Mumbai for their hard-working habits.
Hopefully, the movie is shot in a "real-life" train and the madness inside is captured. That might bring a sense of urgency to the state administrators to improve the commuter's life. Instead of wasting the money on developing Metros which may never be used (as outlined in this post by WGFA-CS), the administration might do well to reward the people of Mumbai for their hard-working habits.
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