Desicritics Author: Blokesablogin

Arkansaw/Arkansas

Blokesablogin — Tue, 6 Jan 2009 04:56:24 EST

"Arkansaw? I never knew anyone who went to Arkansaw!", was the most common response I got when I decided to visit my sister and family over the Christmas break. Equipped with a AAA travel book that included 30 pages of information on ALL cities and towns of any point of interest in this tiny state, right in the heart of America, I was quite excited about visiting the state of the Clintons, the only reference to Arkansas before my sister moved there.

While I did not bump into the Clintons as we did not go anywhere near Little Rock, we did get to explore parts of the Ozarks and Oachita "mountains". The state is called the "Natural State" as there is really nothing there but rocks and hills and some vegetation.

For a small state, it has many neighbors and we were able to cover 8 states and their capitals for the academic benefit of my 3rd grader. We flew into Tulsa, Oklahoma and were surprised to find a huge Indian population there that included Indian grocery stores and a decent Hindu temple (where we conducted ceremonies for my one year old nephew).

Parts of Arkansas and Oklahoma make up tracts of the Trail of Tears. Compulsory evictions of Native Americans in the mid 1800s from the East to the region West of the Mississippi led to mass migration of native people thrown out by a bunch of land grabbing whites- of course, the white ensured that it was all legal and "documented" as sales or as fair winnings. Otherwise, there would still be a border dispute like we have in so many parts of the world that were ex colonies of white colonists. We passed by Cherokee nation on our drive to Tulsa, Oklahoma, the land of the natives.

The freeways were "free" of traffic and I promised my 13 year old that I will send him to his aunt's house to learn driving! There was a laid back attitude in the air and for us super-charged (euphemism for super stressed) Californians, it was bizzare not to speed with no one around. American cars outnumbered their Japanese counterpart in these parts. There were mechanic sheds in the countryside that actually advertised that they repaired American and FOREIGN made cars! That sounded so much like a hoarding in some remote township in India!

People were content and not crazy about making MORE money. I met an artist who made stuff out of crystals (spatik) that are easily mined in the southwestern region of Arkansas. We even visited an open pit diamond mine- the only one of its kind in the world where you can get knee deep into fine clay with bits of gravel that just might turn up an odd diamond here and there- and take it home with you. I got a fine piece of Barite with a few chunks of crystal and 2 beautiful pieces of Jasper. If you enjoy getting slushy in fine clay and do not mind the occasional slide and fall into a quagmire, this is a must-see.

My sister who has taken up quilting since moving there, introduced me to the world of quilting. I spent many hours chopping up good material into small squares and rectangles and triangles. She sewed on her machine. Yet another American industry introduction.

Northern Arkansas has a network of underground caverns and aquifers that take you to an entirely different world, paataal. The cenotes of the Yucatan are very similar to these underground lakes. The artistry of nature that takes million years to grow a few feet of stalactites and stalagmites makes you feel so irrelevant on this planet. Of course, human mining of onyx from these mountains has destroyed many delicate formations and aquifers.

The spas in Hot Springs, relics from the past- closely related to the hot spring experiences of European spa traditions was a relaxing experience in a tub of hot mineral water. Thank you sis, for a warm treat.

Apart from Walmart, the largest employer in the area, there are not too many big businesses to keep everyone happily employed. However, there are crystal mines and whetstone mines that keep Arkansas economy honed.

Churches outnumbered residences, I think! I realized that I had officially entered a southern state, Virginia not withstanding. Small villages with less than 1000 people were the norm. The rural back roads hid many a junk pile in the thickets. Many a shack looked like their simple counterparts in India, but they all had a car parked in front!

For a big city girl, the rural experience was wonderful and relaxing. Of course spending time with my sister and her family could use a blog all of its own. But for public consumption, the city mouse visiting her country sister was an enlightening experience.

Swiss Bank Accounts

Blokesablogin — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 09:57:02 EST

This small article in the Washington Post brings yet another angle to the economic crisis that the US is facing. Hopefully, part of the money salvaged from these accounts can reduce the bailout money put up by taxpayers.

According to Transparency International, an anti-corruption agency, the estimated value of Indian individuals' worth of "funds" stashed away in Swiss Banks are to the tune of over $ Trillion. It is not surprising that the poor and rich divide has increased in the past few decades.

Reading these articles makes me wonder what anyone can DO with these "ill gotten" wealth? We all have an expiration date invisibly stamped on us. So, we cannot carry any material wealth along with us. The Reliance story is one of many that shows how money, left behind, creates schisms amongst the most cordial of relations.

Why, then, the insecurity of wanting to stash funds away for whatever purpose? Like the story of Tolstoy reminds us, at the end of the day, all we need is 6 feet of land (not even that if you are cremated!).

I sincerely hope that people who have these mysterious accounts put that money in circulation. If auction houses like Christie's existence are to be validated, many of these account holders use grand sums to buy art and such that have very little value in the "real" world and are "dead" investments. A vacation, on the other hand, would help support the tourism business including travel, stay, food and other activities.

Sometimes, when I see the pro-rich agendas of law and policies, I wonder if it is not a bad idea to ensure the demise of the poor by starving them or working them to death and the few remaining rich can have the earth to themselves- It sounds like a good plan. A perfect epilogue to the small-scale genocides we are reading about world-wide. And someone like me will not be there to write such a blog either!

Home Economics

Blokesablogin — Wed, 1 Oct 2008 09:34:54 EDT

When I grew up in the tight, socialistic 70's in India, I understood the value of a Rupee. Rs.1 got my cycle tyre puncture fixed. One masala dosa was Rs.1. One sheet of fool's cap paper for my mid term test was 5 paisa. A milk ice-cream was 15 paisa. One Kg of rice was Rs.2 in the ration shop. A handloom cotton sari was Rs.15. Gold was Rs.150 a sovereign. Father's salary was worth one sovereign of gold.

We got new clothes once a year for Diwali. If grandma or an aunt gifted us with a length of cloth, we got new clothes for Pongal or our Birthday. Hand me downs was a common and honored thing to do within the family. We went to aunt's house to watch TV, once a week. Aavin flavored milk was a salary day treat to us kids. The softy ice cream was a whole rupee! The vegetable vendor gave free coriander, curry leaves and green chillies when we bought Rs. 5 worth of vegetables!

Then came Asiad '82 and the craze of the color TV. No one wanted to play hopscotch or jump rope anymore. Everyone was glued to the TV and the colorful pictures within. Then came Eureka vacuum cleaner with its salesman. I doubt anyone who bought that stuff ever used it! I remember my mother buying it and had to pay it off over 10 months but never used it even once, except on the day the maid chose to take the day off or was ill to work. My brother and I found the actual sweeping with a broom and mopping with a mop a lot easier and faster. And neither depended on electricity! LOL! Life was never the same anymore.

Refrigerators, Sumeet Mixies, idli grinders became the staple consumer goods in every South Indian middle class household. Soon, our home became cluttered with stuff- cots for us kids (we used to sleep on the floor on mats), a sofa set, a dining set! Until then, we had small "modas" and ate sitting on the floor.

Coming to America in the early nineties was not all that much of a cultural shock as India had already set her course in consumer spending with liberating the economy. Initial credit card holders had no clue how to pay it off! They thought they were given free money! When they realized that they had to pay heavy interest, they "disappeared"! Those early days of credit were quite funny.

My frugal heart kept spending to a minimum in an otherwise consumer-spending America. Even then, I faithfully kept a "pocket account book" detailing every cent I spent, just as my grandfather who was an accountant had taught us over a hot summer break. My husband laughed when I asked him how much money we had in the bank. He said, there is more than enough and not to worry about it. But I had to ensure that I never overspent. After about 6 months of keeping accounts, I realized that he was right. My household expenses were a tiny fraction of his salary. Most of his salary went directly to pay the rent, the car insurance, phone bill, feed his 401 K and the rest into savings.

We could put 20% down on our home. Even kids did not really affect our budget. Again, hand-me-down clothes and cribs made life easy. Garage sales were great places to buy good furniture for a fraction of their cost. Public schools ensured free education.

When Mr. Bush sent us hefty checks in the mail last May, I asked my husband why they sent checks when they had a huge debt as it made no sense to me. Of course, we put it toward paying off some mortgage while several others went shopping (as it was intended for). That ill-thought out effort cost the government $100 billion not too many months ago. Today, Congress refused to "give" $700 billion to the effort of saving banks.

We have a saying in Tamizh that says that you cannot measure a cubit with nothing in your hand. That is precisely what these "great" investors have been happily doing: investing in "nothing"- the ultimate play in Maya theory!

We have people who chose to buy homes they could ill afford. We had banks who were more than willing to "loan" these folks money to buy these overpriced homes even if their monthly payment was not affordable to them, because we, in the US have what is called "interest only" loans: you pay only the interest each month, never mind the principle! In other words, you are building no equity in the house. And if your introductory interest rate went up, you could not pay the interest even. Ha!

Then, to make matters worse, these chaps who had these mortgage papers, bundled them up and "sold" them to another entity, an investment group, who had MBAs and their ilk, who "played" with other people's money (maybe the home owner himself/ herself!) and ensured they got paid astranomical sums for doing such a "risky" thing like taking the responsibility of other people's money! They did not really check to see if the mortgage papers that were in their hands were indeed worth the paper they were printed on. Ha!

Suddenly, one day, everyone wakes up and sees that the child on the street cried out that the emperor was naked! Ha!

There is doom and gloom everywhere and no one seems to know how it is going to affect everyone. One thing is for certain: Our days of eating out are done for, for now. Forget the occasional flick. Anyways, we don't do Starbucks. So nothing to "cut" there.

People are crying that there will be greater unemployment. People cannot afford to buy homes. And we start over.

If Americans quit buying a lot of junk that they do not need and stop overcharging their credit cards, there is hope still. Knowing the underlying puritanical streak, still evident in the genetic makeup of this land, if it finds expression in the coming months, much of this dizzy, lingering effects of the Reagan era, can be brought back to ground reality.

In my non scientific estimation, middle class Americans waste about 30% of their income (imagined and real) on unwanted things. They over eat, over buy, over stock, over spend, over indulge that results in much ailment which leads to huge medical insurance payments. If they just cut that out, they will be able to "afford" more. Learning to live within their means is a lesson everyone can learn, starting with the Americans who have the world's largest consumer debt.

I hope the young in India who have a huge disposable income on their hands as their education, food and stay have been taken care of by their parents, learn the value of saving and not frittering away their income on superfluous things.

Devi Comes Home

Blokesablogin — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:03:17 EDT

It began with a trip to the local hardware store and we found several Tamilians looking for the same item: deck steps. What is that for?, you may ask. Well, it is time for Kolu.

While the Bengalis begin their Pujo, many of us in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, set up "steps" and have a dolls exhibition, many of them themed after stories from the Ramayana, Mahabharata and Shrimad Bhagavatham. The exploits of Krishna, Dashavatharam, Rama Pattabhishekham, Shiva-Parvathi, Durga-Lakshmi-Saraswathi, Ganesha, Santa Clause, Buddha, Sai Baba, every one exists in harmony, rubbing shoulders with each other, adorning the "steps". There are always odd number of steps- three, five, seven, or in some elaborate ones, nine and so on!

My Gujarati friends are gearing up for nine nights of Raas Garbha and there are several Non Profits hosting Raas Garbas as fundraisers which are jam packed. You will never feel that you are in America, given the next few days: Everyone is decked up in their Indian finery, going to temples, attending Paats, Jagarans, Raas nights and Kolus.

The weather has turned cooler reminding us that autumn is here. The tree tops are slowly turning color, getting tinged with yellow, orange and red. My Jewish friends celebrate their "New year" (Rosh Hashana) on Mahalaya Amavasya and on Vijaya Dashami, Yom Kippur.

The Kalash, symbolic of the universe, represents the Devi, during these nine days. Chanting and recitations from special texts, especially Durga Saptashati (called Chandi Paat, in the North) are part of the festivities.

The Devi is here, ready to be propitiated for the next nine days. Let us reflect upon the mysteries of the Divine Feminine. Just as we reside in our mother's womb for 9 months, these nine nights take us deeper within the spiritual realm of ourselves. This is a great time to meditate and engage in other spiritual practices such as fasting and Kirtan. Happy Navarathri!

John McCain and Barack Obama Face Off

Blokesablogin — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 00:21:36 EDT

Alright, we have a middle schooler who is involved in speech and debate and what better way to get "good" material than the presidential debates as two maverick candidates from their respective parties faced off in front of Jim Lehrer, last night?

While the aam junta is awaiting a congressional decision regarding the bailout of Wall Street crooks (The begger, Mr. Paulson is estimated to have assets worth $700 million; maybe he should donate all of it and ask 999 other friends of his to do the same- he just needs to ask Mr. Bush for the list of his cronies including Cheyney and others who have made indecent amounts of money in Iraq), the two presidential candidates got their boxing gloves on to "debate" in public. While the tone was primarily cordial, it was clear to see the vision of either men. Both were happily playing "Taffy Man", stretching and contorting comments made by each other to suit their purposes.

In my opinion, McCain is clinging too much to a 20th century model of "American imperialism" while Obama is willing to embrace an "integrative", networking model of the US in the 21st century. I guess that pretty much sums up the basic difference in treatment of most issues.

Coincidentally, I was in an 8th grade class discussing patriotism yesterday in the context of the American Revolution. It was interesting to see the views of American 8th graders match with much of what McCain spoke of on honor and duty to one's country. When I shared the idea of dual citizenship, they could not comprehend that such an idea could exist!

Obama, having lived in a poorer Indonesia, has a very different world view. This basic difference cannot be changed. Being a Prisoner of War in Vietnam is a very different life experience of being in a "foreign" land accepting their local cultures and foods as your own.

The American public's vote will decide just how mature they are with regards to democracy. If the majority thinks in imperialistic terms (which is very highly possible), then McCain wins. If they have just a tad bit of humility and know that they are just one country in some 190+ nations on this third rock from the sun, then just maybe, Obama might win.

Knowing my neighbors and the overall "patriotic" rhetoric of the aam junta, much of the imperialistic arrogance lingers on in the age groups over 30. Sarah Palin is a prime example of that "hockey mom syndrome". If Obama succeeds in recruiting more of the 18 plus age group, then, with his "liberal" supporters from the older age group, he may just swing the vote in his favor.

We certainly live in interesting times when an entire nation's ability to make decisions, hopefully intelligent ones at that, gets to be played out as a Reality Show on television. That must have been the only reason for McCain's acquiescence to do the debate after refusing the previous day, "owing to the economy"!

The Fall of Capitalism

Blokesablogin — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 06:21:04 EDT

When the USSR fell, all the headlines screamed the Fall of Communism. Today, after a week into the mess that is Wall Street, the high priest of Western-style capitalism aka globalization, there is not a single headline that says so: Fall of Capitalism. Interesting observation, don't you agree?

Last month, a friend of mine emailed me a talk given by a Chartered Accountant (CPA, US style) and I promptly emailed him wishing that he wrote a book on the subject. He promptly emailed me a copy of his book published more than a year ago titled Global Imbalances and the Impending Dollar Crisis, published August 2007.

His premise was simple enough. He shows the ridiculous consumption of the US (consumer debt) factored with huge trade deficits. He explains the "Savings Glut" as described by Ben Bernanke and how Asian savings have fueled capital markets in the US as many Asians believed that they would get better returns from a "solid" bet like the US than their own countries. This prevented improved infrastructure in their own countries, rather supported US to improve Uncle Sam's. Uncle Sam built more homes than actually improve his bridges and roads.

My friend temporal from Desicritics referred us to a blog by Spengler; using the imagery of America being a huge casino. As much as that is quite valid, he errs in believing that the "locals" fund the casino. The Asians and others have funded it thus far. However, these very Asians saw the wastefulness of Wall Street and slowly removed their money from there. This has led to a severe crunch in available credit for the MBAs to play with and we are now seeing this "Crash".

The Japanese were happily buying homes, especially here in California, Southern California to be more specific and for the past few years, even they have stopped "investing" in the US housing markets.

Let us face it, capitalism promises a "higher quality" of lifestyle that is the greatest myth perpetrated in the world. Yes, it is true that more people are "enjoying" consumer benefits like Televisions and Computers today than ever before in human history.

However, when we see this "material prosperity" against the background of ecological stress and global warming, we need to revisit the "idea" of "higher quality" of life. Yes, the Ambanis of the world can afford to build multilevel fortresses and import their water supply from the Alpine region, but they still have to deal with the filth and squalor lining the streets of Mumbai when they go to their parties.

As for the outright swindling that was legitimized as salaries and bonuses in Wall Street for decades, much of it will be found safe in a Swiss account, no questions asked. Do check out the website www.transparency.org for greater details on how much of national wealth have been stashed away in tax havens around the globe.

The dumb taxpayer, is left with getting double whammed- once for "investing" and once again for "bailout". It does not matter where he or she is from. All these "international" investors have ensured that there is no "caste system" where money is concerned.

I am beginning to believe in a people's economy, aka black money.

Book Review: Sold by Patricia McCormick

Blokesablogin — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 04:27:21 EDT

Kim's recent post on Human traffic induced me to write this review.

Call me a Rapunzel, inhabiting my own ivory tower, but my "interaction" with "prostitutes" or the modern, politically correct term, "sex workers" has been nebulous at best, via mass media: a book, a news article, a documentary or a film (the first one that showed it best was Salaam Bombay).

Earlier still, before I knew the "gritty" details of prostitution and worse, human trafficking, my understanding of this "shadow" lives of people were these gaudy mujrahs performed in sequined dresses from Pakeezha to Umrao Jaan. I wondered what the fuss was all about as I loved those songs, be it Thade rahiyo or Inhi logo ne, In ankhon ki masti or Chalte chalte etc. I loved the Kundan Jewelery too as I did the gorgeous Lucknowi kurtis. The more recent Devdas with the gorgeous Madhuri made me simply swoon with the sheer poetry of prostitution- it certainly seemed like some fine artform!

Kamalahasan's violent portrayal of Krishnaswamy in Mahanadi (1993) where his innocent daughter is thrown into the brothels of Sonagachi find much resonance with this book. While in this film, the father searches for his daughter, the book is about a step father "selling" his step-daughter for a measly sum to pay for his gambling.

Little does 13 year old Lakshmi, our protagonist, know about prostitution or human trafficking. She sincerely sets out to be a "good" servant in the "big" city and help her family have a tin roof. Her pleasure in being given candy by the "kind" uncle-husband is soon shattered by the horrors of the brothel madam.

Strangely enough, the overly dramatic Mahanadhi with all the sound effects did not touch me as deeply as this book did, with its spare, free verses and deep silence. The author, Patricia McCormick has done an amazing job of giving "voice" to a shadowed "silence" of the modern world: Human trafficking.

Lakshmi learns very soon that there is no point in speaking. crying or shouting. She learns to swallow her tears and her thoughts and just become a "limp rag" and lie still as men come and go between her thighs. She loses track of time and has no idea of her even turning 14! The highly exploitative business model of the brothel ensures complete dependence on the "madam" until you die of disease or get beaten up for running away. She even gets enthusiastic in attracting customers to "pay off" her debts sooner and get the "hell" out of there. She errs in her accounting. she is taught a new kind of math where for all eternity, she will be busy paying off her interest on a "loan" she never borrowed.

This book set me thinking on the "other side" of the deal- the customers for this inhuman trade. Who are these "shadow" clients who support such a trade? Do I know one? Did I meet such a person yesterday or today? What will I do if I did meet such a person? Why would anyone want to tear apart a virgin 12 year old in the name of curing some disease? Why haven't education institutions taught these people that these are fallacies and not scientifically true? What can I, as a woman, as a mother, do to ensure such a travesty is not committed on any innocent female body that is far from ripe for sexual intercourse?

It was heartening to know that there are women's watch groups and help groups that are educating naive girls in Nepal and India about the dangers of human trafficking. Still, much needs to be done. However, what can we do to stop the "demand" for such "services"? It has been over 2 week since I read the book, but my mind is still whirling with ideas as to how to "identify" people who do visit such places and instigate such inhuman actions.

I am not sure whether I even want children to read this book (it is recommended for young adults). Do I want to "inform" the children or am I taking away their innocence? Do I have the "right" to thrust such horrendous reality into their young minds or should I just "leave the book" around for them to pick up and read?

Pathanjali's Yogasutras

Blokesablogin — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 09:24:18 EDT

I am currently reading the twelfth volume of Encyclopedia of Indian Philosophies on Yoga edited by Gerald Larson and Ram Shankar Bhattacharya and published by Motilal Banarsidass Publishers. Given the encyclopedic proportion of the book, I cannot in all truth review this without reading it cover to cover. However, given the two-sound byte lifestyle we live in, it will take me a few months at the very least to read and then review. As to whether I will ever be able to do justice to the treasury of texts carefully catalogued herewith and assimilate it enough to "give my opinion" is unreasonable. I feel honored and blessed that this book came my way.

It so happens that I am watching the commentary on Pathanjali's Yogasutras as given by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on DVD. Quite serendipitous, I must say. The book came for review after I had committed to showing the DVDs. This past week has been an amazing exploration of the epistemology of Pathanjali.

The first sutra begins: Atha yogaanushaasanam. Herein begins an inquiry into disciplined meditation based upon past tradition (translation provided by Larson). Sri Sri begins his commentary defining shaasanam versus anushaasanam. Shaasanam is a set of rules enforced on an individual by society or a body of law. Anushaasanam is a set of self-imposed discipline in this case, it being in the field of Yoga that Sri Sri defines as living with skill.

The choice of words and the brevity of Pathanjali is simply brilliant. It is interesting that so many people have given their commentary on Pathanjali for centuries, interpreting his simple aphorisms with their temporal realities and the text holds well.

Verses 2 through 16 deal with chitta or "Ordinary Awareness". The definition of observation and cognition of this world through perception, inference and testimony is juxtaposed with the experience of sleep and memory to define chitta only for the later verses to teach how you can move beyond it through cultivating dispassion as a cognitive realization.

The next set of verses from 17-51 deals with Samadhi, translated by Larson as Concentration while some commentators define it as a state of consciousness that is achieved where identities are dropped. I do not agree with some of Larson's choice of English words like the word depression for daurmanas. I would have preferred "embittered mind" or "darkened or misfortunate mind".

As a student of literature trained to analyze texts, I am constantly amazed by the sharpness and clarity of Pathanjali. I thank my Indian education system that forced me to learn Samskritam that I am able to read the original text and cross refer it with the translation. Who knew that I would acquire a taste for reading Pathanjali some day when I wanted to read racy novels in English as a child?

I find the study of Yoga and Pathanjali very useful in today's world of consumerism. Knowing the nature of my mind, its attributes, its afflictions and strengths gives me the "inside track" on how to live a life devoid of feverishness and suffused with enthusiasm. A focussed mind makes me more centered and unperturbed by sudden changes in my immediate surroundings while it gives me creative skills to deal with such.

I once thought that I had to go to the Adyar Library and sit in its cool, musty interiors to access some of these texts. This encyclopedia in a sizable 14 point font makes for easy reading and the structure of the articles followed by the actual texts make it easy to navigate. One drawback: I wish the text was printed in Devanagri followed by an English transliteration and translation. It felt unnatural to read the English transliteration without the Devanagri script.

There are several texts, the names of which I have never heard, that are catalogued here. The paandithyam (intellectual brilliance) displayed here by way of articles by several contributors makes me realize even more just how much I don't know. As a child, I loved the quote of Avvai that said "Katradhu kai mann alavu, kallaadadu ulagalavu"- What I have learned is but a fistful of sand, what I haven't, is the rest of the world. That is certainly the case with this Encyclopedia. Certainly a great value for research and general reading. A must for all university and college libraries.

This encyclopedic volume has left me salivating for more. I did some research to discover that the fifth volume in this series deals with the Philosophy of the Grammarians. It includes Panini, Brthhari and others who have fascinated me since I did my classes in Linguistic theory as part of my Masters. My next trip to India will include this volume on my shopping list. It is tragic just how modern books on linguistics, psychology and education have no mention of these all-time greats.

In a Land of a Billion

Blokesablogin — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 01:05:54 EDT

My husband decided to celebrate my birthday in a most "un-Indian" fashion. The usual visit to the temple followed by an Indian restaurant high-calorie dinner was substituted by a crazy trip down the American River in a yellow raft! We went white water rafting for the first time! Response from family and friends ranged from incredulity to happiness. A few wanted to know what it was like.

This foray into an adventurous life broke new grounds (waters?) in our family traditions. I could well imagine the experience of Lewis and Clark as they went on an expedition to chart a way to reach the Pacific across the continental US.

I wondered what made the average Indian who comes to the US, adventurous as a student but who morphs into this staid, serious, married professional preferring to reduce the risk factors in life. This train of thought led me to the current status of few competitive Indians at the Olympics.

Sports, by definition, demands taking risks. Until the very end, we can never be too sure who will win. Of course, if the film Jannat is to be believed, cricket matches are mostly fixed and the underworld money speaks in above-the-board activities of the sport. Hence the huge financial support for that game in our country. Given the connection between Bollywood, cricket and moolah, it can well be believed.

For the most part, life in India is a matter of survival for many. Necessity forces skills onto her populace. These skills are not for excelling. They are meant for survival. Be it at the work place or school or leisure, skills are mainly honed more for what purpose they would serve for our survival rather than being "moved by passion" to excel in a certain field. Skills with innate talent is only half the way towards achievement.

Hand in hand with skills go strategy. Here is where we miss out on taking a shot at international contests such as the Olympics. As a nation and as an individual we fair very poorly in this. Be it working towards clearing the 10th grade exam to getting into a 'good" job, very few use strategy. Most slog it out. Strategy is where America leads the way. It is systemic and highly developed into an art form.

If you look at the way the athletes are trained in America, it is in strategy as much as in skill. The Chinese excel for the same reason. Strategy ensures that it is reproducible. We had a P T Usha who "almost" missed the bronze in the '84 Olympics. But we never systematically trained people to achieve and improve upon her performance. Of course the highly bureaucratic process of gaining government sponsorship makes up for all the "strategizing" on the athlete's part, leaving very little for the sport.

At a more subtle level, there is much we need to work with our self image. We are very good critics. We are poor "newsmakers". Some of the best opinion pieces and editorials are written in the Indian press. Very little original work comes out of it. In the US, the publishing industry thrives on original work. People care two hoots for "others' opinions". This deep rooted sense of self worth manifests in the sports arena.

The ultimate "winner" is one who knows his skill is matched with strategy. Gone are the days of the "innocent" Olympians who were amateurs. Professionals have entered the arena enforcing higher standards of strategic excellence. It is time to create a strategic plan to get our talent "showcased". The greatest edge India can have over the rest would be the dispassion as demonstrated by Abhinav Bhindra. That attitude coupled with the rest will ensure a gold mine of medals.

Movie Review: Kuselan

Blokesablogin — Sun, 3 Aug 2008 06:26:08 EDT

My two sons are great fans of Rajnikanth, the Tamil Superstar. To tell you the truth, I have a weak spot for his "style" myself! When Shivaji was released some months back, we went around for a week aping his "style"! With equal enthusiasm, we made it a huge family affair with cousins and all to watch Kuselan, the latest offering with Rajni in it.

Thirty minutes into the film is when we realized that he was a "special appearance" and not the actual lead role. What a let down! The first 30 minutes had not even a photo of Rajni! So friends, if you are a die hard Rajni fan, please do not go to the movies trusting him to make his appearance any time soon. Then you can anticipate his "arrival".

The movie tells the touching story of Sudama and Krishna from the Srimad Bhagavatham (Kuchelopakyaanam) in a modern context. It is also a semi-biography that traces the origins of Rajnikanth's humble beginnings before he made it big in the film industry.

Our protagonist is a humble barber who wants a loan without giving a bribe. Obviously, in 21st century India that is as common as India winning an Olympic gold! He lives a simple and contented life with his wife and three children who in return ask nothing much of him.

The rustic village atmosphere is shattered by the arrival of a huge film crew including the super star. People in the village who know that the barber was childhood friends with the super star urge him to meet him and get them favors. Balu (Balakrishnan - do not miss out on the name!), the barber, refuses. Then they believe him to have spun tales out of thin air.

At this juncture I thought the film would be about micro credit financing as this barber could have greatly benefited from such a scheme. I hope those micro credit fellows will not turn corrupt like the rest of the lot. I digress.

The shooting is done and the local school invites the superstar to address them. There, our protagonist stand behind to see his friend speak. The friend narrates the incidents of his life that included the barber and wished that he were there to share in his success.

The barber leaves the crowd silently only to find the super star at his doorstep! The last scene was most touching and I was reminded of the Krishna-Sudama episode. The friends share a piece of peanut brittle (chikki) and the super star positions himself as the guardian for all his friend's children.

Apart from a very peppy number by Daler Mehndi, the rest are hard to even remember. The costumes for the songs were amazing but the songs were totally unnecessary and unwarranted in the film. Nayantara as Rajni's co-star was far from any kind of acting except for showing off her bod.

The story of Sudama (Kuchela) was one of many favorites as a child. To see it brought to the silver screen was a delightful experience. Some of our cousins, aunt, and uncle who were visiting us couldn't believe the fan following in America!