“Isn’t history continuous? Incidents don’t happen in a vacuum, but cause ripples spreading out, interacting with other ripples, changing their courses and, in turn, themselves being changed, and changing the course of anything coming in their contact. Nothing can escape their impact.”
This is a thought that I had written almost 15 years ago, when I was in my final year at college. Today, I reflect upon the same.
The context, when this was originally written, was to write to a girl whom I wished to befriend. The idea behind the thought was to tell her that when two souls come in close contact with each other, it is a foregone conclusion that they will interact (negatively or positively is immaterial), and be influenced by each other. And even if they choose to go separate ways, history tends to bring people together once again. The continuum of history is such that things don’t just happen by design or choice, but empirically, we know that many incidents happen unknowingly and unwittingly. You must be wondering, what am I trying to insinuate? Let me elaborate.
When I made a decision to move to Mumbai (from Delhi) in January last year, neither my best friend, Varun, nor I had an idea that he would make a similar move within the same calendar. But then this happened; though this could not be sheer chance, a lot of it was by design on Varun’s part – he actively began looking at offers from Mumbai (which he may have been rejecting till my move), and finally we both are again together. But that is not the point of my writing this.
A very surprising circumstance happened this month, which makes me write this essay. A school-time friend, Reena Puri (nee Singla), moved to Mumbai. In the last 18 years, we would not have met or talked on more than 3-4 occasions (not much by any stretch of imagination). And for the last 6 years, she was based in Dubai. It would be pretty safe to say that we had lost touch forever, with no hope or effort of meeting again.
Never in our wildest dreams would we have imagined that we would all (Reena, Varun & I) be living in the same city (which is different from our original abode) 18 years from last we were colleagues. What’s more, she looked at various homes at Lokhandwala, Kalina, Santa Cruz, and finalized deals at each of these places that didn’t go through at the very last moment, finally to take up residence barely 3 kms. from my place. And that’s not the end of it all – her kids have got admission to the same school (Podar CBSE) as my son, and take the same school bus everyday! Now, doesn’t that sound like a rerun of our own lives?
All this made me suddenly remember the almost-forgotten lines that I had written long ago. And the thought came blinding back to me – isn’t history continuous?
Friday, June 23, 2006
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Kings or Gangsters
A random thought just drifted into my mind… something that I’ve been toying for almost two decades, and have debated till kingdom come with many people… never losing the debate, by the way. I write on that today – “Kings or Gangsters”.
“Blue blood in their veins… that’s what royalty is made of.”
Really? Then, in my opinion, the colour of blood running inside the biggest gangsters in the world must also be myriad shades of blue!
Surprised? Let me take you down history lane to explain this rather bizarre thought.
What made Kings? Where did they come from originally? And when I say originally, I mean how did the very first king come about thousands of years ago? What would make people follow them blindly, and be ready to kill for them and to be killed for them? What wins such loyalty?
There are only two things in this world that bring such devotion. One, is the love of family and the very dearest of friends, who will do anything for someone they love so much. Two, is the position of power that binds people together – they may love each other or loathe each other, but the power of being in control and of gaining hugely by such an alliance – is what earns such allegiance.
It is my hunch that the first kings came about the same time civilization was coming into existence. The very necessity of the people to fulfill their basic needs – food, shelter, protection from wild animals – made them form groups. These groups needed a leader – like all groups – who could envision the dangers they faced, come up with solutions for the same, and guide them in times of need. This task would have invariably been entrusted to the wisest (or the most cunning) and the bravest (or the toughest) person in the group. The cleverest person became the holy man (who could talk to God and foresee everything), and the cruelest man became the king (the most powerful protector & provider). Together, they formed rules for the group to follow and bade them to obey them by fear of the Almighty or by power of the muscle.
Soon, these groups had a need to go farther than where they were born, to seek out new places for food and shelter. In doing so, they came into contact with other groups, who were pretty obviously hostile to theirs. Conflict of territory arose (much like it arises in wild beasts), and they had to fight and kill each other. If the leader was killed in the battle, the next most powerful living man would take the mantle. If the leader survived, he would be eulogized by the surviving few. These leaders were the rulers of the entire land now. And as they grew their territories and their population, they became bigger and slowly formed their kingdoms and became kings. To keep the large flock together, these kings needed a common belief (or fear), and an instant solution came in the form of spreading the word of God. I am not an atheist, this merely is an attempt to understand how man first learnt about his Creator and how he came to fear His wrath so much. One can clearly see why so much affinity existed between the King and the High Priest of yester-years. I think this is the only plausible explanation, and you can correct me if you have a different thought on the same.
So, the first kings were nothing but largely feared gangsters. Their sons automatically inherited their legacy, and may or may not have been as cruel. But they were also driven to expand (or protect) their territories, and so they stepped out of their comfort zones. You may call them bravehearts; I prefer to call them ganglords. What, for example, made millions of people leave their homes in Macedonia and trek all the way to India to win lands for Alexander the Great? And why did Alexander need to win over the world by killing so many people – I am sure the right religious teachings would not have permitted him to do so; and he was not threatened by anybody & fighting in defence. It was the lust of demonstrating himself as the most powerful man in the world (propelled by wrong religious backing) that drove him and his troops so far.
Isn’t this the very thing that we see around us today? How different are the kings from present day gangsters or terrorists, who follow the same route to riches? And how different are they from the heads of various nations (the present day kings) that wish to subjugate other states by sheer demonstration of their wild, merciless power?
“Blue blood in their veins… that’s what royalty is made of.”
Really? Then, in my opinion, the colour of blood running inside the biggest gangsters in the world must also be myriad shades of blue!
Surprised? Let me take you down history lane to explain this rather bizarre thought.
What made Kings? Where did they come from originally? And when I say originally, I mean how did the very first king come about thousands of years ago? What would make people follow them blindly, and be ready to kill for them and to be killed for them? What wins such loyalty?
There are only two things in this world that bring such devotion. One, is the love of family and the very dearest of friends, who will do anything for someone they love so much. Two, is the position of power that binds people together – they may love each other or loathe each other, but the power of being in control and of gaining hugely by such an alliance – is what earns such allegiance.
It is my hunch that the first kings came about the same time civilization was coming into existence. The very necessity of the people to fulfill their basic needs – food, shelter, protection from wild animals – made them form groups. These groups needed a leader – like all groups – who could envision the dangers they faced, come up with solutions for the same, and guide them in times of need. This task would have invariably been entrusted to the wisest (or the most cunning) and the bravest (or the toughest) person in the group. The cleverest person became the holy man (who could talk to God and foresee everything), and the cruelest man became the king (the most powerful protector & provider). Together, they formed rules for the group to follow and bade them to obey them by fear of the Almighty or by power of the muscle.
Soon, these groups had a need to go farther than where they were born, to seek out new places for food and shelter. In doing so, they came into contact with other groups, who were pretty obviously hostile to theirs. Conflict of territory arose (much like it arises in wild beasts), and they had to fight and kill each other. If the leader was killed in the battle, the next most powerful living man would take the mantle. If the leader survived, he would be eulogized by the surviving few. These leaders were the rulers of the entire land now. And as they grew their territories and their population, they became bigger and slowly formed their kingdoms and became kings. To keep the large flock together, these kings needed a common belief (or fear), and an instant solution came in the form of spreading the word of God. I am not an atheist, this merely is an attempt to understand how man first learnt about his Creator and how he came to fear His wrath so much. One can clearly see why so much affinity existed between the King and the High Priest of yester-years. I think this is the only plausible explanation, and you can correct me if you have a different thought on the same.
So, the first kings were nothing but largely feared gangsters. Their sons automatically inherited their legacy, and may or may not have been as cruel. But they were also driven to expand (or protect) their territories, and so they stepped out of their comfort zones. You may call them bravehearts; I prefer to call them ganglords. What, for example, made millions of people leave their homes in Macedonia and trek all the way to India to win lands for Alexander the Great? And why did Alexander need to win over the world by killing so many people – I am sure the right religious teachings would not have permitted him to do so; and he was not threatened by anybody & fighting in defence. It was the lust of demonstrating himself as the most powerful man in the world (propelled by wrong religious backing) that drove him and his troops so far.
Isn’t this the very thing that we see around us today? How different are the kings from present day gangsters or terrorists, who follow the same route to riches? And how different are they from the heads of various nations (the present day kings) that wish to subjugate other states by sheer demonstration of their wild, merciless power?
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
This seat is reserved... and not for you
Reservations in education & jobs. Haven’t we all heard of this a decade and a half ago, and protested against the same vehemently? And isn’t this the very same issue that cost Rajiv Gandhi & the Congress the election in 1989? So, why is the Congress going ahead with this now? To understand this, one has to dwell into the past.
If memory serves me right, when Rajiv Gandhi was presented with the option of implementing the Mandal Commission report while still in office, his stance was that this would lead to dividing the country on the lines of caste, and he was totally opposed to the idea. He felt that after 40+ years of independence, India needed to look ahead and start becoming a power to contend with in the world. And this would not happen if we allowed undeserving candidates protection in securing education & jobs at the cost of bright youngsters who were more worthy of leading India into the 21st century. Truly, he did not understand the politics of the land (being a service class person himself till 1984, when he was suddenly forced to enter the political arena), and paid dearly by leading Congress to a historical poll rout. While the politics of Mandal & Kamandal led to the mass erosion of the Congress base of working classes and the underprivileged, Rajiv still refused to agree to reservations and did not use them in the polls of 1991 too. Sadly, the one man in politics who refused to play the communal card was assassinated, and since then the small regional parties (SP, BSP, JDU, et al), have continued to rule the roost by pandering to the emotions of the teeming masses who want a government job, but don’t want to work for the nation’s progress.
Coming back to the question, why is the Congress playing the same card that Rajiv opposed? And specially so given the fact that his wife, Sonia, is the supreme leader of not just the party, but the government itself, albeit without carrying any portfolio. My guess is as good as yours, and I feel that the Congress has realized that while in Rome (no pun intended with it being Italy’s capital), do as the Romans do.
I have been a supporter of most of Congress’ policies since BJP distanced itself from me post their mute-spectatorial support of Mandal, and moreso their stance on Swadeshi in ‘90s (though they are the ones who truly opened the economy after coming to power), but today I feel betrayed. Ignoring Rajiv’s vision, the Congress today is trying to implement the reservations not for the downtrodden but for its own good, demoralizing the bright youth of today, who are competing with global corporations and creating a name for India. Irony is, that it is only the doctors (and those too who already are admitted into their courses with a secure future), who are taking on the might of the government, with very little support from the engineering & the management students.
So, again, why does the Congress feel the need to do so? With it slowly but surely losing its mass base in UP, Bihar, MP, Rajasthan & Gujarat, which constitute almost half (if not more) of the Parliamentary seats, and with regional parties & BJP playing having with caste & religion, it does seem to have no option. It still calls itself a secular party and so cannot say things like we are committed to the development of the oppressed poor classes ala SP or BSP or JDU. That would make sure that the educated urbane would move away from them. Howsoever small in numbers they may be in the electoral battle, they constitute the enlightened few in this country, who are opinion makers. And every party that calls itself a national party needs them. The RJD or CPI/CPM in my mind are still regional players who find fervour in select states only, and hence they continue to play the game of masses versus classes. And they would love to distance themselves from the Congress the day they could cobble up a majority minus the BJP. Jayalalitha and Mamta Bannerjee, amongst many others, are known to change quickly like the ocean’s tides, and they would happily ally with anyone who would bring them to power. Which is why the Congress is forced to build a strong base for itself in the masses who vote. I, for one, am dead against it, and can only hope and pray that good sense prevails on everyone and it is the country’s progress which is considered ahead of every other consideration. For, a fast-growing nation creates opportunities, jobs, wealth and recognition for many, many more than a nation that likes to appease everyone and fail to please anyone.
If memory serves me right, when Rajiv Gandhi was presented with the option of implementing the Mandal Commission report while still in office, his stance was that this would lead to dividing the country on the lines of caste, and he was totally opposed to the idea. He felt that after 40+ years of independence, India needed to look ahead and start becoming a power to contend with in the world. And this would not happen if we allowed undeserving candidates protection in securing education & jobs at the cost of bright youngsters who were more worthy of leading India into the 21st century. Truly, he did not understand the politics of the land (being a service class person himself till 1984, when he was suddenly forced to enter the political arena), and paid dearly by leading Congress to a historical poll rout. While the politics of Mandal & Kamandal led to the mass erosion of the Congress base of working classes and the underprivileged, Rajiv still refused to agree to reservations and did not use them in the polls of 1991 too. Sadly, the one man in politics who refused to play the communal card was assassinated, and since then the small regional parties (SP, BSP, JDU, et al), have continued to rule the roost by pandering to the emotions of the teeming masses who want a government job, but don’t want to work for the nation’s progress.
Coming back to the question, why is the Congress playing the same card that Rajiv opposed? And specially so given the fact that his wife, Sonia, is the supreme leader of not just the party, but the government itself, albeit without carrying any portfolio. My guess is as good as yours, and I feel that the Congress has realized that while in Rome (no pun intended with it being Italy’s capital), do as the Romans do.
I have been a supporter of most of Congress’ policies since BJP distanced itself from me post their mute-spectatorial support of Mandal, and moreso their stance on Swadeshi in ‘90s (though they are the ones who truly opened the economy after coming to power), but today I feel betrayed. Ignoring Rajiv’s vision, the Congress today is trying to implement the reservations not for the downtrodden but for its own good, demoralizing the bright youth of today, who are competing with global corporations and creating a name for India. Irony is, that it is only the doctors (and those too who already are admitted into their courses with a secure future), who are taking on the might of the government, with very little support from the engineering & the management students.
So, again, why does the Congress feel the need to do so? With it slowly but surely losing its mass base in UP, Bihar, MP, Rajasthan & Gujarat, which constitute almost half (if not more) of the Parliamentary seats, and with regional parties & BJP playing having with caste & religion, it does seem to have no option. It still calls itself a secular party and so cannot say things like we are committed to the development of the oppressed poor classes ala SP or BSP or JDU. That would make sure that the educated urbane would move away from them. Howsoever small in numbers they may be in the electoral battle, they constitute the enlightened few in this country, who are opinion makers. And every party that calls itself a national party needs them. The RJD or CPI/CPM in my mind are still regional players who find fervour in select states only, and hence they continue to play the game of masses versus classes. And they would love to distance themselves from the Congress the day they could cobble up a majority minus the BJP. Jayalalitha and Mamta Bannerjee, amongst many others, are known to change quickly like the ocean’s tides, and they would happily ally with anyone who would bring them to power. Which is why the Congress is forced to build a strong base for itself in the masses who vote. I, for one, am dead against it, and can only hope and pray that good sense prevails on everyone and it is the country’s progress which is considered ahead of every other consideration. For, a fast-growing nation creates opportunities, jobs, wealth and recognition for many, many more than a nation that likes to appease everyone and fail to please anyone.
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
India - 16 going on 17... but unable to reach 18
Okay! Records are meant to be broken. And also, a record is a milestone that has a certain limit at that point of time – though this limit can be extended to whatever limits by the record breaker. However, the limit does exist and it is never infinite.
Who would have thought a decade and a half ago that the 100-meter dash can be run in under 10 seconds? Carl Lewis certainly did not, but he did it nonetheless. And today, we have sprinters who are clocking 9.77 seconds (almost 2.5% under the so-thought limit). Or, who would have thought that 434 runs could be scored in 50-overs in cricket? Australia did it notwithstanding it being a superlative effort. Only to realize a mere 4 hours later, that South Africa were also more than up to the task.
That brings me to my current context. Would you have ever imagined that India would equal the world record of 16 back-to-back successful run chases (yes, chases!!!)? That too against teams like Sri Lanka, Pakistan and England? And then break the record with a 17th consecutive win against West Indies, to create the new world record.
Indians traditionally were always poor chasers, and this new-found confidence in chasing is because of the fresh enthusiasm seen all around the team in the form of newcomers who carry no past baggage of losses while chasing a total. They are the go-getters and they are ready for the kill. Not to forget the captain, who more than lives up to his nickname “The Wall”, who is ever-willing to take on a challenge and come out victorious. This is the same guy who cricketing pundits said had no place in one-dayers because of his traditional and woefully slow batting. Who would have thought that the same genius would today be just 500-odd runs away from the magical 10K runs figure in one day cricket? And who would have thought he would be leading the team (let alone be just a part of it) with most successful chases in history? After all, he started playing in the era where India almost always lost while chasing? And he was blamed manyatime for the same due to his slow batting. But here we are, with a new world record. And this man is leading from the front like no one else before. And the team is rising to new heights with every fresh outing.
This brings me to the second point that I want to discuss today. Why did India lose their 18th chase? And that too when the target was extremely achievable – 199 to get in 50 overs is not stiff by any standards – South Africa got more than double of that, and that too against the world’s no. 1 team. So, why did India’s record run come to an end? Well, there are no simple answers here. I saw the match, and have only one thing to say – Brian Lara marshalled his limited bowling resources extremely well. The wicket did not have much for the bowlers, and against Indian line-up, the bowlers wouldn’t have been much worth. But Lara ensured that he was giving the ball to the right bowlers at the right time, who created sufficient pressure by good line & length and forced the Indians to throw their wickets. That is precisely what happened in my view.
One man – Yuvraj – played a brilliant knock in my view, till the very last ball that he got out on. Having taken the team to that level (India needed 11 off the last over, mind you, with only 1 wicket to spare) where they needed just 2 runs off the last 3 deliveries, he should have got it. Bravo, who was bowling the last over, was having one of the worst days of his life till that very last ball. But the excruciating circumstances took their toll on Yuvraj, and just one reckless fling of the bat threw it all away.
Well, that’s history now, and West India has derailed the Indian bandwagon. But there should be no remorse. Like I said, there is no record that is limitless. And Indians have genuinely created a huge record that is going to be difficult to surpass. However, no record can survive eternity – so it is bound to broken. In my view, currently there are 3 teams that are up to it – Australia, South Africa and India itself. So, let’s see if it can be bettered; and let’s see who gets it!
Who would have thought a decade and a half ago that the 100-meter dash can be run in under 10 seconds? Carl Lewis certainly did not, but he did it nonetheless. And today, we have sprinters who are clocking 9.77 seconds (almost 2.5% under the so-thought limit). Or, who would have thought that 434 runs could be scored in 50-overs in cricket? Australia did it notwithstanding it being a superlative effort. Only to realize a mere 4 hours later, that South Africa were also more than up to the task.
That brings me to my current context. Would you have ever imagined that India would equal the world record of 16 back-to-back successful run chases (yes, chases!!!)? That too against teams like Sri Lanka, Pakistan and England? And then break the record with a 17th consecutive win against West Indies, to create the new world record.
Indians traditionally were always poor chasers, and this new-found confidence in chasing is because of the fresh enthusiasm seen all around the team in the form of newcomers who carry no past baggage of losses while chasing a total. They are the go-getters and they are ready for the kill. Not to forget the captain, who more than lives up to his nickname “The Wall”, who is ever-willing to take on a challenge and come out victorious. This is the same guy who cricketing pundits said had no place in one-dayers because of his traditional and woefully slow batting. Who would have thought that the same genius would today be just 500-odd runs away from the magical 10K runs figure in one day cricket? And who would have thought he would be leading the team (let alone be just a part of it) with most successful chases in history? After all, he started playing in the era where India almost always lost while chasing? And he was blamed manyatime for the same due to his slow batting. But here we are, with a new world record. And this man is leading from the front like no one else before. And the team is rising to new heights with every fresh outing.
This brings me to the second point that I want to discuss today. Why did India lose their 18th chase? And that too when the target was extremely achievable – 199 to get in 50 overs is not stiff by any standards – South Africa got more than double of that, and that too against the world’s no. 1 team. So, why did India’s record run come to an end? Well, there are no simple answers here. I saw the match, and have only one thing to say – Brian Lara marshalled his limited bowling resources extremely well. The wicket did not have much for the bowlers, and against Indian line-up, the bowlers wouldn’t have been much worth. But Lara ensured that he was giving the ball to the right bowlers at the right time, who created sufficient pressure by good line & length and forced the Indians to throw their wickets. That is precisely what happened in my view.
One man – Yuvraj – played a brilliant knock in my view, till the very last ball that he got out on. Having taken the team to that level (India needed 11 off the last over, mind you, with only 1 wicket to spare) where they needed just 2 runs off the last 3 deliveries, he should have got it. Bravo, who was bowling the last over, was having one of the worst days of his life till that very last ball. But the excruciating circumstances took their toll on Yuvraj, and just one reckless fling of the bat threw it all away.
Well, that’s history now, and West India has derailed the Indian bandwagon. But there should be no remorse. Like I said, there is no record that is limitless. And Indians have genuinely created a huge record that is going to be difficult to surpass. However, no record can survive eternity – so it is bound to broken. In my view, currently there are 3 teams that are up to it – Australia, South Africa and India itself. So, let’s see if it can be bettered; and let’s see who gets it!
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Is a deer's life dearer than a human's?
Many Indians want to go hunting someday, like the erstwhile Maharajahs & the English rulers of Hindustan. Killing big game, after all, has long been deemed as one of the most macho things to do. So, Salman was not being very different when he gallantly went out to the jungle. And the villagers who caught him in the act, I am quite certain, would have many boastful “shikaar” stories to tell about their ancestors and themselves; and probably a trophy or two hidden away, if not displayed in a pride of position place in their homes. So, was Salman wrong, or was he simply in the wrong place at the wrong time?
My take on this is simple. One, he had no business hunting & killing a protected wild animal. Two, he was foolish enough to actually be caught in the act. And three, he was naiive & arrogant enough to assume that this issue will die a natural death, without bothering him. The wildlife lobby is fairly strong the world over, and no human (unless you are Veerappan or a heavy-weight politician) can get away once caught. So, Salman is paying for his sin of arrogance, more than anything else.
That also brings up two points in the issue. Point no. 1: Why do snake-charmers, bear handlers, etc. go scot-free after giving so much pain to these protected animals and eventually killing every single animal they handle with absolute cruelty? What is the SPCA or the WWF or the Judiciary doing to them? Have you ever heard of an arrest (forget conviction) in such a case? Point no. 2: Once the crime is proven, is the punishment being meted out justifiable? I mean when a snake kills a human, do we find & kill the snake? Of even when a stray dog bites a kid on the street (who contacts rabies & eventually dies), is the dog brought to justice? So the questions facing us are, is human crime greater than animal crime? And is animal life more precious than human life? Maneka Gandhi, I am sure, would have us believe so. But for some reason, I fail to see the logic every single time.
Also, in a country when a person murders a human being in full view of a hundred renowned, well respected people (Jessica Lal case), he goes without punishment. And when a man kills a deer which is seen (or is it assumed to be seen) by less than a dozen illiterate, unknown villagers, he is given 5 years!!!
I have no love for Salman – I’m not his fan. But I have love for all my human brethren, and can’t see such gross injustice being done in the name of law. Salman is being punished because the courts are assuming that he is a proclaimed offender (beating co-stars, running over people sleeping on pavements in his vehicle, et al don’t go down too well with the judges). And if any of you remembers the “17 oranges” story that we read in class 10th, an example has to be made to the masses that this will not be tolerated. And who better than a celebrity to be sacrificed at the alter – giving out a clear message that nobody is above the law. Sadly, the same is not true when it comes to Manu Sharma, who is given the benefit of doubt, because eye witnesses have back-tracked due to threats to their lives, which the court is well aware of. Perhaps, Salman should not have been arrogant in assuming that because he is a star nobody would touch him; he should have demonstrated his star power & money-muscle to the villagers to ensure that they claim that no deer was ever killed in the first place, forget Salman killing one.
May the deer’s soul rest in peace. I am sure Jessica’s won’t after this kind of injustice.
My take on this is simple. One, he had no business hunting & killing a protected wild animal. Two, he was foolish enough to actually be caught in the act. And three, he was naiive & arrogant enough to assume that this issue will die a natural death, without bothering him. The wildlife lobby is fairly strong the world over, and no human (unless you are Veerappan or a heavy-weight politician) can get away once caught. So, Salman is paying for his sin of arrogance, more than anything else.
That also brings up two points in the issue. Point no. 1: Why do snake-charmers, bear handlers, etc. go scot-free after giving so much pain to these protected animals and eventually killing every single animal they handle with absolute cruelty? What is the SPCA or the WWF or the Judiciary doing to them? Have you ever heard of an arrest (forget conviction) in such a case? Point no. 2: Once the crime is proven, is the punishment being meted out justifiable? I mean when a snake kills a human, do we find & kill the snake? Of even when a stray dog bites a kid on the street (who contacts rabies & eventually dies), is the dog brought to justice? So the questions facing us are, is human crime greater than animal crime? And is animal life more precious than human life? Maneka Gandhi, I am sure, would have us believe so. But for some reason, I fail to see the logic every single time.
Also, in a country when a person murders a human being in full view of a hundred renowned, well respected people (Jessica Lal case), he goes without punishment. And when a man kills a deer which is seen (or is it assumed to be seen) by less than a dozen illiterate, unknown villagers, he is given 5 years!!!
I have no love for Salman – I’m not his fan. But I have love for all my human brethren, and can’t see such gross injustice being done in the name of law. Salman is being punished because the courts are assuming that he is a proclaimed offender (beating co-stars, running over people sleeping on pavements in his vehicle, et al don’t go down too well with the judges). And if any of you remembers the “17 oranges” story that we read in class 10th, an example has to be made to the masses that this will not be tolerated. And who better than a celebrity to be sacrificed at the alter – giving out a clear message that nobody is above the law. Sadly, the same is not true when it comes to Manu Sharma, who is given the benefit of doubt, because eye witnesses have back-tracked due to threats to their lives, which the court is well aware of. Perhaps, Salman should not have been arrogant in assuming that because he is a star nobody would touch him; he should have demonstrated his star power & money-muscle to the villagers to ensure that they claim that no deer was ever killed in the first place, forget Salman killing one.
May the deer’s soul rest in peace. I am sure Jessica’s won’t after this kind of injustice.
Aussies feel Bangla heat
Bangladesh, yes Bangladesh, have taken a 158-run lead against Australia in the ensuing test match. And had Gilchrist not played the innings of his lifetime to score 144 runs in a team total of 269 in reply to Bangladesh’s 427, Australia would have been forced to follow-on (though if I were Bangladesh captain, I would play my second inning without enforcing follow-on, and make Australia play the fourth inning on a deteriorating pitch).
And to top that, Bangladesh scored 355 runs on the first day itself in 88 overs at an average of over 4, against a bowling attacking comprising Lee, Gillespie and none other than Shane Warne! And then Australia really struggled to come close to that total at a batting average of under 3. Five batsmen failed to reach double figures against a pretty-mediocre bowling attack. Not a pretty situation for Australia after having recently lost an ODI to the minnows. Where is the world’s greatest cricket team going? And where is the world’s worst cricket team going???
That also brings me to Shane Warne, the world’s most successful bowler ever, and still going strong. Time & again one has been reading articles from various Australians and Shane himself of how most of Murali’s wickets have come against weak teams including many of them against Bangladesh, and how Shane’s tally is not increasing at the same rate because of Australia not playing against such teams. Shane bowled 20 overs going wicketless against the same Bangladeshi’s in the first inning. Not to say that the wicket had nothing for the spinners. His other spinner team-mate Stuart MacGill took 8 of the 10 to fall in the first. Even in the second inning, thus far, Shane has not been able to scalp a single stump, from the 5 fallen so far, and he has again bowled 20% of the overs (8 out of 40 bowled so far) like the first inning. I don’t know whether it is Shane’s bad luck or MacGill’s good luck!!! The only non-suprising element here has been that Warne has never been successful against the Asian cricketers, and Bangladesh seem to be no different from India, Pakistan or Sri Lanka for him. Now at least, somebody should tell him to shut up about Murali. Not that I am a big supporter of the Sri Lankan, but then I’m not a great supporter of Shane either.
At stumps today, Bangladesh lead with 288 runs with 5 wickets to spare. Unless they score another 100-odd to reach close to 400, I don’t think Australia should find it really, really difficult to beat them. But considering the first inning, even 288 should give the Bangladeshi’s an easy win. But where the match seems headed, one will come to know only tomorrow – on the way Bangladesh bat and on the way Australia bat thereafter.
Should be an interesting match to witness. More from the academic perspective than from the cricketing perspective. And more interesting would be seeing how Australia salvage their image hereafter.
And to top that, Bangladesh scored 355 runs on the first day itself in 88 overs at an average of over 4, against a bowling attacking comprising Lee, Gillespie and none other than Shane Warne! And then Australia really struggled to come close to that total at a batting average of under 3. Five batsmen failed to reach double figures against a pretty-mediocre bowling attack. Not a pretty situation for Australia after having recently lost an ODI to the minnows. Where is the world’s greatest cricket team going? And where is the world’s worst cricket team going???
That also brings me to Shane Warne, the world’s most successful bowler ever, and still going strong. Time & again one has been reading articles from various Australians and Shane himself of how most of Murali’s wickets have come against weak teams including many of them against Bangladesh, and how Shane’s tally is not increasing at the same rate because of Australia not playing against such teams. Shane bowled 20 overs going wicketless against the same Bangladeshi’s in the first inning. Not to say that the wicket had nothing for the spinners. His other spinner team-mate Stuart MacGill took 8 of the 10 to fall in the first. Even in the second inning, thus far, Shane has not been able to scalp a single stump, from the 5 fallen so far, and he has again bowled 20% of the overs (8 out of 40 bowled so far) like the first inning. I don’t know whether it is Shane’s bad luck or MacGill’s good luck!!! The only non-suprising element here has been that Warne has never been successful against the Asian cricketers, and Bangladesh seem to be no different from India, Pakistan or Sri Lanka for him. Now at least, somebody should tell him to shut up about Murali. Not that I am a big supporter of the Sri Lankan, but then I’m not a great supporter of Shane either.
At stumps today, Bangladesh lead with 288 runs with 5 wickets to spare. Unless they score another 100-odd to reach close to 400, I don’t think Australia should find it really, really difficult to beat them. But considering the first inning, even 288 should give the Bangladeshi’s an easy win. But where the match seems headed, one will come to know only tomorrow – on the way Bangladesh bat and on the way Australia bat thereafter.
Should be an interesting match to witness. More from the academic perspective than from the cricketing perspective. And more interesting would be seeing how Australia salvage their image hereafter.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
A God is disgraced...
It is extremely sad to see a God being disgraced. That is what happened at Wankhede this Sunday. And while I outrightly condemn the incident, in more ways than one, Sachin had it coming to him sooner than later. The fact that this happened in his hometown is in fact much better than it happening elsewhere in the country, specially Kolkata – had it happened there, then the entire Maharashtra would have risen in a whiplash effect to fight for their son, who has given so much to this country to cheer about. Also, it is indeed gratifying that it happened in India rather than elsewhere, or the shame & the fury of the nation to protect the prodigy would have been immense. Yet, it is a poor sight to see an idol being immersed.
Sachin, the man, the maestro, the messiah of cricket, is finally reduced to being a normal human being. Why, I ask, is he not able to perform to normal levels (forget supernatural)? And why, I ask, is he treated any differently from our erstwhile captain and still is kept in the team? Just because he is worshipped like God? Yes, I am sure you will say – after all, he “IS” God. But this God is not answering the prayers of his worshippers, and is slowly but surely turning them into atheists. Why does nobody have the courage to say that Sachin is not in his prime now, and needs to go gracefully – more at a time when people ask, “Why Sachin”, than “Why not Sachin”? A dangerous territory to tread into, but I guess somebody needs to speak fearlessly. And so, I ask this question.
Why does Greg not say the same thing that he said for Ganguly – being a part of the team is important for Sachin’s image & his finances? Is it true – as an advertising & marketing professional, let me say, it is indeed true. With his current form, he is unlikely to get any new endorsements, and once he goes away, the only ones hankering for him are likely to be the insurance/retirement fund companies. Yes, the magic of Sachin is fading and the advertising industry is quick to realize this – as I am sure Sachin has also starting figuring out. Though, he has, by all means, already made his mega-millions and may not have any need for more moolah. But who does not want to be idol-worshipped? And that’s where the human nature starts showing in Sachin.
When any player gets selected to play for his country, his first thought is to make a huge impact and win matches for his nation. All his energies go towards that. Records are just milestones that happen in course of play, and should not influence performance or selection beyond a level. However, the day performance starts dipping, the player realizes he has to improve or exit. Why should Sachin (who even I hold in the highest esteem) continue to play for the team, if he is genuinely not able to deliver? Shouldn’t he step aside and make way to others who are willing and able to play for the best interests of the team? Having played more tests for India than any other player, having scored more centuries than any other man in the world, I think Sachin has already a lot of records at his feet, and it is time for him to say goodbye. Two records will elude him in doing this – the maximum runs scored in tests (that is currently with Lara) and the maximum tests played for any country (which Steve Waugh holds). But in trying to reach for them, will he be doing his Godly-image any good?
Sachin, the man, the maestro, the messiah of cricket, is finally reduced to being a normal human being. Why, I ask, is he not able to perform to normal levels (forget supernatural)? And why, I ask, is he treated any differently from our erstwhile captain and still is kept in the team? Just because he is worshipped like God? Yes, I am sure you will say – after all, he “IS” God. But this God is not answering the prayers of his worshippers, and is slowly but surely turning them into atheists. Why does nobody have the courage to say that Sachin is not in his prime now, and needs to go gracefully – more at a time when people ask, “Why Sachin”, than “Why not Sachin”? A dangerous territory to tread into, but I guess somebody needs to speak fearlessly. And so, I ask this question.
Why does Greg not say the same thing that he said for Ganguly – being a part of the team is important for Sachin’s image & his finances? Is it true – as an advertising & marketing professional, let me say, it is indeed true. With his current form, he is unlikely to get any new endorsements, and once he goes away, the only ones hankering for him are likely to be the insurance/retirement fund companies. Yes, the magic of Sachin is fading and the advertising industry is quick to realize this – as I am sure Sachin has also starting figuring out. Though, he has, by all means, already made his mega-millions and may not have any need for more moolah. But who does not want to be idol-worshipped? And that’s where the human nature starts showing in Sachin.
When any player gets selected to play for his country, his first thought is to make a huge impact and win matches for his nation. All his energies go towards that. Records are just milestones that happen in course of play, and should not influence performance or selection beyond a level. However, the day performance starts dipping, the player realizes he has to improve or exit. Why should Sachin (who even I hold in the highest esteem) continue to play for the team, if he is genuinely not able to deliver? Shouldn’t he step aside and make way to others who are willing and able to play for the best interests of the team? Having played more tests for India than any other player, having scored more centuries than any other man in the world, I think Sachin has already a lot of records at his feet, and it is time for him to say goodbye. Two records will elude him in doing this – the maximum runs scored in tests (that is currently with Lara) and the maximum tests played for any country (which Steve Waugh holds). But in trying to reach for them, will he be doing his Godly-image any good?
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
The Lions get the Kangaroos in an unbelievable chase
The word impossible, as Napoleon Bonaparte said, is found in the dictionary of fools. And South Africa more than proved this Sunday that if anybody considered them fools, the thinker was living in fool’s paradise.
Wow! What a match? Though I missed all the live action as I did not remember that this match was on. It was only my best friend Varun’s ecstatic phone call after the match got over, that informed me that I had missed the mother of all battles in one-day cricket. If only the call had come after the first inning got over!
What can be said about such a contest? Unbelievable… in my opinion, only that word is apt. The final frontier has been breached (I can’t even imagine that this would be repeated at least in our lifetime) and history has been truly written this Sunday… and in very bold letters.
And that too when the world and his mother believed that Australia were on the way to win the series; South Africa did not have it in them to win any final contests.
Chokers! South Africans? Yes, yes.
Lion-hearted winners! Australians? Yes, yes.
No sir, I tell you not. The True Lions are the ones who reside in Africa, and despite the greatest leap they had taken barely four hours ago, finally the Aussies were reduced to being just kangaroos who must be hopping around in pain.
When India were chasing around 160 runs in 20 overs in the last ODI in Pakistan, nearly everybody believed that it was a mammoth task, and an average of 8 could not be sustained for so long. India did it nonetheless. But who would have thought that South Africa would chase almost 9 runs for 50 overs straight? And that too against Australia! I’m sure that you didn’t. I’m even more certain that none of the gamblers did, and everybody would have put his money on the Aussies after they notched up 434. And the bookies must now be laughing all the way to the bank.
C’mon Aussie, c’mon. What happened? Left speechless? Let me tell you what to say – my favourite phrase of Indian commentators – cricket is a game of glorious uncertainties! Though the one certainty that shall always be there is about the uncertain nature of cricket itself. I eat my words of last week, and happily so.
The one big winner of this match was South Africa. But mark my words – Australia lost the match, but they can definitely not be labeled losers. Not after you create a world record, howsoever short-lived. And as far as I am concerned, the biggest winner of this contest was the game of cricket.
Varun, I am sure, will recall the tales of this match to his grandchildren very, very fondly. I can almost hear him speak non-stop & as excitedly as ever.
Reminds me of a song that I heard a decade ago… I love this Game! I really love this Game!
Wow! What a match? Though I missed all the live action as I did not remember that this match was on. It was only my best friend Varun’s ecstatic phone call after the match got over, that informed me that I had missed the mother of all battles in one-day cricket. If only the call had come after the first inning got over!
What can be said about such a contest? Unbelievable… in my opinion, only that word is apt. The final frontier has been breached (I can’t even imagine that this would be repeated at least in our lifetime) and history has been truly written this Sunday… and in very bold letters.
And that too when the world and his mother believed that Australia were on the way to win the series; South Africa did not have it in them to win any final contests.
Chokers! South Africans? Yes, yes.
Lion-hearted winners! Australians? Yes, yes.
No sir, I tell you not. The True Lions are the ones who reside in Africa, and despite the greatest leap they had taken barely four hours ago, finally the Aussies were reduced to being just kangaroos who must be hopping around in pain.
When India were chasing around 160 runs in 20 overs in the last ODI in Pakistan, nearly everybody believed that it was a mammoth task, and an average of 8 could not be sustained for so long. India did it nonetheless. But who would have thought that South Africa would chase almost 9 runs for 50 overs straight? And that too against Australia! I’m sure that you didn’t. I’m even more certain that none of the gamblers did, and everybody would have put his money on the Aussies after they notched up 434. And the bookies must now be laughing all the way to the bank.
C’mon Aussie, c’mon. What happened? Left speechless? Let me tell you what to say – my favourite phrase of Indian commentators – cricket is a game of glorious uncertainties! Though the one certainty that shall always be there is about the uncertain nature of cricket itself. I eat my words of last week, and happily so.
The one big winner of this match was South Africa. But mark my words – Australia lost the match, but they can definitely not be labeled losers. Not after you create a world record, howsoever short-lived. And as far as I am concerned, the biggest winner of this contest was the game of cricket.
Varun, I am sure, will recall the tales of this match to his grandchildren very, very fondly. I can almost hear him speak non-stop & as excitedly as ever.
Reminds me of a song that I heard a decade ago… I love this Game! I really love this Game!
Saturday, March 04, 2006
Indian Curry delights England
What a beginning to the England tour of India! They lose their very astute captain Vaughan, and their vice captain Trescothick – both leading batsmen, well respected the world over for their devastating skill with the willow – even before the first ball is bowled in this series. And let’s not forget Simon Jones, England’s sultan of swing. So, what are we left with – a hastily cobbled up team including 3 debutantes, who have absolutely no wind of how the breeze blows in India. The only saving grace is that Flintoff – the man who loves his cricket as much as his country – is still well and is handed over the baton in the absence of Vaughan. And he still has a few good, though injured, warriors in the form of Pieterson & Collingwood. But can England beat India in India? Even if they had a full bench? And now, with a completely depleted team? What a hypothetical question, I tell you! Can the Sun rise from the West? Can the Earth stop to spin? I guess you got the answer.
So, when the two teams began the series to battle it out for the 2nd rating in the test teams rating, it was pretty much a foregone conclusion that the Indians would cream the English, and then even juice out the pulp. Any tea-stall runner would have told you this. I am sure the betting sites were doing zero business – who would bet on England? But that would have been till yesterday. Cricket, as they say, is a game of glorious uncertainties. I believe that’s a phrase that Indian commentators use mostly to cover up for their team’s goof-ups. But then, I could be wrong; and you too have a right to difference of opinion. However, facts speak for themselves.
Any spinner born the west side of the Nile can never even dream to make a dream debut against the Asians, and more specially the Indians. I am sure that a particular Sikh gentleman by the name of Monty Panesar only hoped to make a touristy visit to the land of his ancestors, when he was picked for this tour of India. To be given the ball in the very first match against a full-strength Indian side in their full stride would only mean that England was hoping to quickly make sure that this Indian-origin person would quickly go back to playing county cricket only. Right? Wrong!
If I ever played cricked for another country as a bowler, my biggest dream would be to bowl to Sachin Tendulkar and get his wicket. And to get that as my first International wicket – well, Guru Nanak Devji had to be really prasann with his putra to give him the divinity to do so. Sri Vahe Guruji da Khalsa; Sri Vahe Guruji di Fateh. Well, Monty bowled Full, and that’s exactly what happened – the Full Monty of Indian cricket is there to see for all. Should I say, Raj Karega Khalsa?
Who would have thought that this spinner would trouble the Indians the most, and take 2 prized wickets! I am not taking anything away from Hoggard here. To bowl on a dustbowl and get 6 wickets – that’s a feat that any pacer would be immensely proud of. And England have India on the mat thoroughly with a lead of 70 runs in the first inning. My God! Wasn’t it supposed to be the other way round? Where did we go wrong? Or is it more appropriate to ask, where did England go right?
All I can think of is that probably we got too complacent after Pakistan, and over-confident by the fact that England seemed like babes in the woods. But this Indian team has learnt its lessons fast and done course corrections faster. Hope that they would live up to the reputation & faith they’ve built over these past few months. Otherwise, Mr. Chappell will have to do some more work on this team, rather than lazily write columns in foreign newspapers about the worthiness of certain players, who he believes are bad news for this emerging Indian side. Or alternatively, he may just add a few more names to that column. Did I hear someone say Endulkar?
So, when the two teams began the series to battle it out for the 2nd rating in the test teams rating, it was pretty much a foregone conclusion that the Indians would cream the English, and then even juice out the pulp. Any tea-stall runner would have told you this. I am sure the betting sites were doing zero business – who would bet on England? But that would have been till yesterday. Cricket, as they say, is a game of glorious uncertainties. I believe that’s a phrase that Indian commentators use mostly to cover up for their team’s goof-ups. But then, I could be wrong; and you too have a right to difference of opinion. However, facts speak for themselves.
Any spinner born the west side of the Nile can never even dream to make a dream debut against the Asians, and more specially the Indians. I am sure that a particular Sikh gentleman by the name of Monty Panesar only hoped to make a touristy visit to the land of his ancestors, when he was picked for this tour of India. To be given the ball in the very first match against a full-strength Indian side in their full stride would only mean that England was hoping to quickly make sure that this Indian-origin person would quickly go back to playing county cricket only. Right? Wrong!
If I ever played cricked for another country as a bowler, my biggest dream would be to bowl to Sachin Tendulkar and get his wicket. And to get that as my first International wicket – well, Guru Nanak Devji had to be really prasann with his putra to give him the divinity to do so. Sri Vahe Guruji da Khalsa; Sri Vahe Guruji di Fateh. Well, Monty bowled Full, and that’s exactly what happened – the Full Monty of Indian cricket is there to see for all. Should I say, Raj Karega Khalsa?
Who would have thought that this spinner would trouble the Indians the most, and take 2 prized wickets! I am not taking anything away from Hoggard here. To bowl on a dustbowl and get 6 wickets – that’s a feat that any pacer would be immensely proud of. And England have India on the mat thoroughly with a lead of 70 runs in the first inning. My God! Wasn’t it supposed to be the other way round? Where did we go wrong? Or is it more appropriate to ask, where did England go right?
All I can think of is that probably we got too complacent after Pakistan, and over-confident by the fact that England seemed like babes in the woods. But this Indian team has learnt its lessons fast and done course corrections faster. Hope that they would live up to the reputation & faith they’ve built over these past few months. Otherwise, Mr. Chappell will have to do some more work on this team, rather than lazily write columns in foreign newspapers about the worthiness of certain players, who he believes are bad news for this emerging Indian side. Or alternatively, he may just add a few more names to that column. Did I hear someone say Endulkar?
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
A journey worth taking...
As a person stranded in the Mumbai floods, I experienced human spirit that was taking on the Gods. Here is a chronicle of the same.
__________________________________________________________________
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread. I guess that should sum up my experience of Tuesday, 26th July, 2005. But nonetheless, I am happy that the journey I made did not go waste.
I was below my office at Vile Parle, East at 3:00pm trying to catch a taxi to go and meet a client at Fort. Almost one hour of trying and still no vacant taxi was visible. What were visible though, were heavily falling rain, the slowly flooding streets, and a steadily increasing traffic jam on the Western Express Highway. Still, being new to Mumbai, I was unbothered – this is normal in rains in Mumbai, and would ease off.
Around 4:00 pm, my administration manager phoned me to inform me that he had just heard that the trains had been stopped. Time to act: I being the Mumbai branch head of my organization had the responsibility of all my employees, most importantly of the 30-odd female members of the staff. I returned to the office and told him to check with the railways whether what he had heard was true. And, I asked all the ladies to proceed home immediately – the strong rain was enough to tell me that this was no place for girls. Just then, there was a power blackout.
At 5:30 pm, having cleared out almost everybody, I decided to leave for home. By that time the phones had stopped functioning, and I had no news of how things were at home. I got my car out and drove for around 200 meters – when suddenly I hit almost 2 feet deep water. The car started to misbehave, and I somehow managed to reverse and come back to office. Just then my phone rang.
“Where are you?” Anshu, my wife, on the phone, asked in a near-panicked voice.
“I’m at the office trying to come home. But there is a lot of water-logging here; will take some time.”
“Don’t. The road outside our complex is flooded. And Shaurya’s (my 5-year old son’s) school phones are not responding. And the 2 o’clock bus hasn’t reached here yet. We’re very worried. Sujata’s (Anshu’s friend) 4-year old younger daughter, Ayushi, hasn’t reached yet. And Shaurya’s bus starts at 6:00. But since the first bus hasn’t even reached here, it won’t be able to go back and fetch the other children. And Shaurya & Anushri (Sujata’s elder daughter, and my son’s classmate) must still be at school.”
“Oh God! Really? Keep trying the school number. I’ll also try.”
“I will. But you go to the school. Else, the children will be very scared. Sujata’s husband is here trying to locate the younger one. You must go to school now, because you are mid-way, and only you can reach there.”
“Mid-way yes, but I’m still a good 6-7 kms. away from school (Podar’s CBSE at Santa Cruz, West). And there’s no cab on the road, and the roads are flooded. How do I go there?”
“Walk.”
“Walk? 6-7 kms.? In this rain and flood?”
“Yes, walk. I guess that’s the only way. You have to walk, Shailesh. There’s no other way – we’re scared; the kids will be even more scared. You have to reach the school somehow; anyhow.”
The one second of self-doubt changed into fierce determination in half-a-second. Walk, I must, and walk I will.
Just then one of my colleagues suggested that I go with him on his bike. I sat behind him. But fate had something else in mind – we’d just got out of my office complex, when the bike developed a flat tyre. I got off and started walking.
In Vile Parle, the water was just up to the knee, at the highest point reaching my thighs. The vehicles were still moving but there was no taxi or auto-rickshaw in sight. Those that were, were stalled.
Walking at a fairly brisk pace despite the water, I crossed the Hanuman Mandir Road, and moved across the railway track from over-bridge to the western side. Water suddenly started rising and reached my waist by the time I reached S.V. Road. I phoned home to tell that, having reached towards the western side, I had conquered half the battle. How wrong I was. From there on began an ordeal that I shall not forget to my dying day.
I joined thousands of people trudging through waist high water towards Santa Cruz. More people were coming from the other side, and they did not look very happy. Everybody kept checking with the people coming from the opposite direction about how high the water was on the other side. And nobody got an encouraging reply.
By the time I reached the Juhu flying club, the water was almost chest high. Now, I must admit that at 5 feet 3 inches, I am not a tall guy. But even those who were taller were beginning to look worried – the water had been consistently rising all this walk, and with the skies pouring down, there was no hope that the situation would improve.
Someplace, between the Juhu flying club and Podar School, the water touched my chin. “Why”, I thought, “was I taking such a huge risk? Another 2 inches and I could drown. It was so foolish going against nature in its extremely ferocious state. Would I survive? Would I reach to see my son? Or…”
I tried the phone; I had to call my wife and let her know that I may not be able to reach after all. The battery was dead. Not that it would have helped; others – whose phones were alive – were just unable to connect to anyone. So, I decided to put my panic to rest and continued to walk. Thankfully, the water level started reducing from there on, and after a short while was again at waist level – nothing to be worried about, after what one had just been through.
The sun was beginning to set, and my energy was also totally sapped. As it became completely dark (there was no electricity, and thousands of vehicles marooned on the roads also had no lights on), it was sheer willpower that kept me going on. Slowly, but surely, I was nearing my destination – my kid’s school.
Wading through almost chest-high water, I entered the school at 8:15pm. Right place, but the wrong school – I had reached the Podar ICSE wing. There must have been close to 2,000 students in the various Podar schools – so I was informed by the guard, who directed me to the CBSE school in pitch dark.
I reached the right school, and God knows what gave me so much energy suddenly – I raced to the 4th floor, where the 1st standard kids were being kept. Both my son and his friend were fine. Tears would have surely flown down my cheeks on seeing them, were it not for the presence of the class teacher bravely holding fort there. I could not thank her enough, when she asked me, “Are there any other kids from your complex who you can take with you; we’ve around a thousand kids here and most of them are very scared – their parents are unable to reach us.”
Before I could think, my son said, “Ritika. She’s in class 2. Let’s take her too.” Ritika is another one of my wife’s friends’ daughter and lives in the same complex as us.
“And what about Ayushi? Which class is your sister in?” I asked Anushri.
“Sr. K.G.”
I turned to the teacher with an inquisitive look.
“The Sr. K.G. students left at two o’clock.”
“But they hadn’t reached till seven, when I was able to last speak with my home.”
“I don’t know; the buses haven’t come back. But don’t worry; the drivers will definitely drop the kids home.”
Then she called a senior student (must be a 9th or 10th class student), and asked him to go and fetch Ritika.
He returned after a short while. “Uncle, Ritika was taken away around 6:00 pm by her mother’s friend.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, you can check with the teacher – she told me that.”
Not wanting to not be sure, I walked to her class. “Sir, Ritika left at 6:00”, informed her classteacher.
“Thanks.”
I tried to switch on my phone. There is a God after all; the phone sprung to life, and the call home also got connected.
I told my wife that the kids were safe. She heaved a sigh of relief and told me that Ayushi had also just landed up. “Are you bringing them home?”
“I don’t think so. I’ve waded through 4 feet high water, and I just can’t risk it with the kids.”
“I agree; stay at the school tonight.”
“Yes, but do send Anushri’s dad in the morning. I can’t fetch two children in such conditions – it is still raining heavily and I suspect things will only get worse.”
“Yes, he will…”. And the phone died. But I was alive, and the kids were safe, and my wife and her friends were relieved. That’s what mattered.
Then, what I saw is an example of discipline and dedication that as a parent will always be imbibed in my heart. The school, though extremely badly affected itself, refused to let its spirit die. All the teachers looked as fresh as ever – they were busy controlling the kids, most of who thought it was some kind of a picnic or slumber party to be staying with their friends in total darkness barring a lone candle in each classroom. The children were as energetic as ever, and despite being very tired themselves, the teachers looked cheerful and exemplarily active. The senior students were also pitching in taking care of children almost 10 years younger to them. And all of them were extremely fresh, courteous, and loving towards the young ones. That’s when I thought I could relax – my kid was in the right hands.
I spent the night with other parents in the physics laboratory. At 10:30 pm, out of nowhere, food packets (fresh hot veg. fried rice) arrived for all the kids and the parents! Imagine – it must have been over a thousand food packets delivered in a flood. Some people refuse to bow down to even the greatest of difficulties.
“How did the school manage this miracle?” I wondered. “And how very thoughtful and caring?” All the parents were very uneasy at this hospitality shown by the school in such circumstances – one just does not expect it – and refused to eat. But the senior kids would have none of it, and almost pampered us into eating our dinner. Surely, the school was giving the right values to these kids. As a parent, it gave me great joy and pride.
In the morning, Anushri’s dad arrived after having walked 12 long kilometers. And then we began our journey back home – on foot – with our 5-year old kids, who walked more than half the distance themselves knowing that their fathers were extremely tired. Surely, I had no idea that my kid had that kind of character and strength. My wife and I must have done some good in bringing him up. And his school would have made an equal contribution.
Finally, after hours, we reached home, much to the joy of everyone. It was a journey worth taking, after all; and the human spirit had conquered the nature’s fury. On a day when it rained almost 100 cms. in barely 3 hours (more than ever anywhere in India in a single day – even surpassing Cherrapunji, the wettest place, by a good 10 cms.), not just me; many, many others like me had defied the forces of nature to emerge victorious.
Angels beware; the fools are ready to take you on!
__________________________________________________________________
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread. I guess that should sum up my experience of Tuesday, 26th July, 2005. But nonetheless, I am happy that the journey I made did not go waste.
I was below my office at Vile Parle, East at 3:00pm trying to catch a taxi to go and meet a client at Fort. Almost one hour of trying and still no vacant taxi was visible. What were visible though, were heavily falling rain, the slowly flooding streets, and a steadily increasing traffic jam on the Western Express Highway. Still, being new to Mumbai, I was unbothered – this is normal in rains in Mumbai, and would ease off.
Around 4:00 pm, my administration manager phoned me to inform me that he had just heard that the trains had been stopped. Time to act: I being the Mumbai branch head of my organization had the responsibility of all my employees, most importantly of the 30-odd female members of the staff. I returned to the office and told him to check with the railways whether what he had heard was true. And, I asked all the ladies to proceed home immediately – the strong rain was enough to tell me that this was no place for girls. Just then, there was a power blackout.
At 5:30 pm, having cleared out almost everybody, I decided to leave for home. By that time the phones had stopped functioning, and I had no news of how things were at home. I got my car out and drove for around 200 meters – when suddenly I hit almost 2 feet deep water. The car started to misbehave, and I somehow managed to reverse and come back to office. Just then my phone rang.
“Where are you?” Anshu, my wife, on the phone, asked in a near-panicked voice.
“I’m at the office trying to come home. But there is a lot of water-logging here; will take some time.”
“Don’t. The road outside our complex is flooded. And Shaurya’s (my 5-year old son’s) school phones are not responding. And the 2 o’clock bus hasn’t reached here yet. We’re very worried. Sujata’s (Anshu’s friend) 4-year old younger daughter, Ayushi, hasn’t reached yet. And Shaurya’s bus starts at 6:00. But since the first bus hasn’t even reached here, it won’t be able to go back and fetch the other children. And Shaurya & Anushri (Sujata’s elder daughter, and my son’s classmate) must still be at school.”
“Oh God! Really? Keep trying the school number. I’ll also try.”
“I will. But you go to the school. Else, the children will be very scared. Sujata’s husband is here trying to locate the younger one. You must go to school now, because you are mid-way, and only you can reach there.”
“Mid-way yes, but I’m still a good 6-7 kms. away from school (Podar’s CBSE at Santa Cruz, West). And there’s no cab on the road, and the roads are flooded. How do I go there?”
“Walk.”
“Walk? 6-7 kms.? In this rain and flood?”
“Yes, walk. I guess that’s the only way. You have to walk, Shailesh. There’s no other way – we’re scared; the kids will be even more scared. You have to reach the school somehow; anyhow.”
The one second of self-doubt changed into fierce determination in half-a-second. Walk, I must, and walk I will.
Just then one of my colleagues suggested that I go with him on his bike. I sat behind him. But fate had something else in mind – we’d just got out of my office complex, when the bike developed a flat tyre. I got off and started walking.
In Vile Parle, the water was just up to the knee, at the highest point reaching my thighs. The vehicles were still moving but there was no taxi or auto-rickshaw in sight. Those that were, were stalled.
Walking at a fairly brisk pace despite the water, I crossed the Hanuman Mandir Road, and moved across the railway track from over-bridge to the western side. Water suddenly started rising and reached my waist by the time I reached S.V. Road. I phoned home to tell that, having reached towards the western side, I had conquered half the battle. How wrong I was. From there on began an ordeal that I shall not forget to my dying day.
I joined thousands of people trudging through waist high water towards Santa Cruz. More people were coming from the other side, and they did not look very happy. Everybody kept checking with the people coming from the opposite direction about how high the water was on the other side. And nobody got an encouraging reply.
By the time I reached the Juhu flying club, the water was almost chest high. Now, I must admit that at 5 feet 3 inches, I am not a tall guy. But even those who were taller were beginning to look worried – the water had been consistently rising all this walk, and with the skies pouring down, there was no hope that the situation would improve.
Someplace, between the Juhu flying club and Podar School, the water touched my chin. “Why”, I thought, “was I taking such a huge risk? Another 2 inches and I could drown. It was so foolish going against nature in its extremely ferocious state. Would I survive? Would I reach to see my son? Or…”
I tried the phone; I had to call my wife and let her know that I may not be able to reach after all. The battery was dead. Not that it would have helped; others – whose phones were alive – were just unable to connect to anyone. So, I decided to put my panic to rest and continued to walk. Thankfully, the water level started reducing from there on, and after a short while was again at waist level – nothing to be worried about, after what one had just been through.
The sun was beginning to set, and my energy was also totally sapped. As it became completely dark (there was no electricity, and thousands of vehicles marooned on the roads also had no lights on), it was sheer willpower that kept me going on. Slowly, but surely, I was nearing my destination – my kid’s school.
Wading through almost chest-high water, I entered the school at 8:15pm. Right place, but the wrong school – I had reached the Podar ICSE wing. There must have been close to 2,000 students in the various Podar schools – so I was informed by the guard, who directed me to the CBSE school in pitch dark.
I reached the right school, and God knows what gave me so much energy suddenly – I raced to the 4th floor, where the 1st standard kids were being kept. Both my son and his friend were fine. Tears would have surely flown down my cheeks on seeing them, were it not for the presence of the class teacher bravely holding fort there. I could not thank her enough, when she asked me, “Are there any other kids from your complex who you can take with you; we’ve around a thousand kids here and most of them are very scared – their parents are unable to reach us.”
Before I could think, my son said, “Ritika. She’s in class 2. Let’s take her too.” Ritika is another one of my wife’s friends’ daughter and lives in the same complex as us.
“And what about Ayushi? Which class is your sister in?” I asked Anushri.
“Sr. K.G.”
I turned to the teacher with an inquisitive look.
“The Sr. K.G. students left at two o’clock.”
“But they hadn’t reached till seven, when I was able to last speak with my home.”
“I don’t know; the buses haven’t come back. But don’t worry; the drivers will definitely drop the kids home.”
Then she called a senior student (must be a 9th or 10th class student), and asked him to go and fetch Ritika.
He returned after a short while. “Uncle, Ritika was taken away around 6:00 pm by her mother’s friend.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, you can check with the teacher – she told me that.”
Not wanting to not be sure, I walked to her class. “Sir, Ritika left at 6:00”, informed her classteacher.
“Thanks.”
I tried to switch on my phone. There is a God after all; the phone sprung to life, and the call home also got connected.
I told my wife that the kids were safe. She heaved a sigh of relief and told me that Ayushi had also just landed up. “Are you bringing them home?”
“I don’t think so. I’ve waded through 4 feet high water, and I just can’t risk it with the kids.”
“I agree; stay at the school tonight.”
“Yes, but do send Anushri’s dad in the morning. I can’t fetch two children in such conditions – it is still raining heavily and I suspect things will only get worse.”
“Yes, he will…”. And the phone died. But I was alive, and the kids were safe, and my wife and her friends were relieved. That’s what mattered.
Then, what I saw is an example of discipline and dedication that as a parent will always be imbibed in my heart. The school, though extremely badly affected itself, refused to let its spirit die. All the teachers looked as fresh as ever – they were busy controlling the kids, most of who thought it was some kind of a picnic or slumber party to be staying with their friends in total darkness barring a lone candle in each classroom. The children were as energetic as ever, and despite being very tired themselves, the teachers looked cheerful and exemplarily active. The senior students were also pitching in taking care of children almost 10 years younger to them. And all of them were extremely fresh, courteous, and loving towards the young ones. That’s when I thought I could relax – my kid was in the right hands.
I spent the night with other parents in the physics laboratory. At 10:30 pm, out of nowhere, food packets (fresh hot veg. fried rice) arrived for all the kids and the parents! Imagine – it must have been over a thousand food packets delivered in a flood. Some people refuse to bow down to even the greatest of difficulties.
“How did the school manage this miracle?” I wondered. “And how very thoughtful and caring?” All the parents were very uneasy at this hospitality shown by the school in such circumstances – one just does not expect it – and refused to eat. But the senior kids would have none of it, and almost pampered us into eating our dinner. Surely, the school was giving the right values to these kids. As a parent, it gave me great joy and pride.
In the morning, Anushri’s dad arrived after having walked 12 long kilometers. And then we began our journey back home – on foot – with our 5-year old kids, who walked more than half the distance themselves knowing that their fathers were extremely tired. Surely, I had no idea that my kid had that kind of character and strength. My wife and I must have done some good in bringing him up. And his school would have made an equal contribution.
Finally, after hours, we reached home, much to the joy of everyone. It was a journey worth taking, after all; and the human spirit had conquered the nature’s fury. On a day when it rained almost 100 cms. in barely 3 hours (more than ever anywhere in India in a single day – even surpassing Cherrapunji, the wettest place, by a good 10 cms.), not just me; many, many others like me had defied the forces of nature to emerge victorious.
Angels beware; the fools are ready to take you on!
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