The God of small things

Everybody has their own story as to why and how they ended up reading Arundhati Roy's novel. I read it because we have this informal book club for all incoming freshman at UT. There is a big list of professors and the books they read and want to discuss. Much like this one and we meet on the Sunday before school starts to get a glimpse of what it is to be in a university, to find out how approachable(or not) professors are. You know, ice breaker. I think its a great idea.

So every year I believe they make sure there's at least one Indian/South-Asian author on that list. I have been following the lists the past three years. I picked Roy my freshman year because I hadn't read even a single Indian Author book until then (now I cant keep my hands off one) and I wanted to see how much these people here knew about India, hehe. So that was my The-God-of-Small-Things story.

This year as you see they have Jhumpa Lahiri's Interpreter of Maladies and The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai.

I remember how my read of The god of small things was. There is an eerie feeling attached to it. It was weird reading about a boy being molested, guys in mundus, and all other things Indian. If there is one book I would want to read again it would be this book (and thats saying a whole lot in my world since I have never read a book twice).

Can't believe it's senior year. The thing with UT is, I feel like I belong there. Very few things (like a person's hug or a city) can give you that homecoming feeling.

aaaand I am picking up a Jhumpa Lahiri after I get back (which is in 2 days!).

:)

New found admiration..

..for the India Uncut blog. The blog reeks of the guy's strong opinions on everything, and I do agree on a lot of them. After spending hours on the site I can tell you he has his own favouritisms - he denounced Nehru's Fabian socialogical ideas, and he really hates this one quote about Nehru saying 'profit is bad'. He cares a lotttt about his tax money and every body else's. So, he can get repetitive, but thats how all of us are, we stick to our ideas. You don't want stark idealogical novelty in every post now, do you?!

I don't want to push my fascinations onto you but I guess I could draw attention to somethings like

this. absolutely loved the collection, i love photo essays. and to know its the same guy who took this picture, that I am so familiar with was umm...familiarity.

and his recent post on "patriotism in China"

and his sarcasm. i love it. Its the smart kind, you see!

ok, last one. I couldn't agree more with him on the India's Olympic story.

and aint this sweet!

I wish I was four again!

We have this tiny walk around in the apartment complex, I walked with mom for a while and saw this cute little kid sitting on this wrought iron bench near the volleyball court, so I went and sat with him instead. He was waiting for his dad to get done with his play-time.

I love kids who can talk, I think they are the smartest kind. So all kids ages 2-6 are total darlings.

This Indian kiddo was no disappointment. I conversed with him.

May I sit with you?
no. -with the cutest smile-
(now How would I take that no?! it was the best rejection of my life i tell you!)

We talked about his name, his parents' names and his sister's name etc.

so how old are you, Ryan?
four

so how old is your sister?
six. she was five, she turned six in july.

[now his fledgling male ego kicks in :P he immediately goes, "I turned four in april", how can he be three when his turned six from five? right!]

really??!
when did you turn four?
when i was three! -with a cute duh face and a broad grin too, mind you!-

now i had to come up with a smarter question right.
so i wentwhat's your birth date?
april 24th.

oh wow!! mine is 5 days after yours! -smiles-

i was flattered that he smiled alright.

we talked a little more

what are you gonna do when you go home?
i will play with my earthworm, and feed it food.
eww isnt that stickly and slimy?
nooooo -smiles again and grins-

and then dad tells me, the kiddo catches all sorts of insects and he feeds them food, whether they want it or not. he addes grass, "sugar", what not! Look like Ryan loves sugar and figured he should share his treats, hehe.

So now they have to go.

ok then bye Ryan i will see you tomorrow?
NO (with a smile again)

He made my day :D I dont think I was this happy to be dedicating a blog post after a conversation fullll of rejections.

Because this deserves all the sentiment...

6 years ago, on this day I would come into the balcony, right after brushing my teeth with my glass of milk (which I abhorred). We had a good panoramic view of a near-by chourastha (cross roads). All chourasthas in our neighbourhood would have temporary islands (roundabouts) with a long rectangular picture divided into three parts with the potraits of Gandhi, Nehru and Bose. And there would be a big rose garland around the potraits. All propped up on a metal chair with a wooden pole that ended in grey coloured rented loud speakers (the same ones that blare music at shaadis) which played songs like these. I would soon finish my milk, wear my uniform, do my ponies with ribbons and all, then have breakfast and I wouldn’t have to pack my lunch bag because I would be in school for the flag hoisting only (which meant I'd get 20 Rs to spend on samosas, curry puffs and all the works!) – all this while mom and I would sing away to glory with the blaring speakers.

I would get to school, go directly to the teacher who was in-charge to get those tiny Indian paper flags that you pin to the pinafore, put one on myself and distribute the rest. Then I would go back stage to get ready for some play or some song-drama, or just singing with the choir. One year I remember I was the kisaan (farmer) in some song. I apparently was the best fit with my complexion and short hair. So I came to school with a moochi, dhoti and a khadi white shirt and turban on my head. Dad dropped me off on his bajaj scooter and I remember I was super conscious all the way to the school.
I remember wanting to be the bhaarat-maata every year, the prettiest girl with the longest of tresses would be the bhaarat-maata. The crown, the white sari, all the attention, all the people around her and she would get to be on stage for the whole duration! Whereas the kisaan was there only when the song talked about farming :|

That was school and Independence Day for me. The years after graduation I was just happy to be getting a holiday, it was just another holiday. I missed the pedas that were passed around. I missed the plays and the songs.

Tomorrow; well it’s not different from today, out here. But it did give me a reason to “rewind” and “play”. (not like I need a reason :P)

Here’s to our 61st. *glasses clinking*

Black. White. where is the grey?

Being part of an organization that's been called 'socialist' for its blunt ways and forceful protests, I have sensed the psyche and pulse of the people who invest all of their weekend-time into it. You can see the pride with which they take up these issues and work at them. I admire people who can devote time and soul into a task (rather than religion, but then that’s me. If it’s a social cause - even better). So I know it when people say “How can you build dams at the cost of displacement of thousands of people?”, or “How can big companies like Coca Cola (which promise employment in a crooked manner and use up a town’s ground water at an appalling rate) and Dow (with the Bhopal campaign which never seems to end) be allowed to come to India and not hold any corporate responsibility for their actions and destroy lives and flee?”. I understand the plea they make. The question is, always, “why the poor, why inflict those who can’t voice their opinions, why oppression!”

If that’s one side of the coin, the other side are (great) people like C.K. Prahlad, who believe in impressive ideologies about Bottom of the Pyramid and the profit scope that it offers. Reading his interview, it’s hard to take a side between being completely socialistic and socially-aware-capitalism (if there is such a thing).

My cynicism kicks in, and rages a war with my borderline-idealistic optimism. Is it really hard to avoid harming a whole sect of people, do we have to find the weak and oppress them at the cost of development. Why can’t we all make some bit of sacrifice? Can we not make a business model that makes us all lose a little bit instead of shoving the brunt of it onto the weakest sector?

On the other hand, I think democracy is awesome because there are people who always take all the sides of anything postulated, and (I hope) that is what forces us to take the right decision.

Bindra-ing

Do a google search on our gold medal winner and you will get about 7000 blog posts. Just blog posts. news paper articles beyond count. The guy has a blog himself and he seems to be more surprised by the attention he is getting. His recent post sums it all up.
Since our politicians were too busy alleviating poverty until yesterday, they can only spare some monetary attention now (and a free railway pass in Laloo's case), after he won the medal. I can clearly only appreciate Tata ji at the moment. Its raining money I tell you. "Finally", they must be saying.

You should follow news about our other athletes.

Patriotism aside, here's more to fuel my school pride.




Twenty-seven Longhorns represent six countries in 2008 Olympic Games.


Hook 'em.
\m/

The one where we talk about random pathetic things

Where do you draw a line with following societal norms?
How far do you go to build, make and preserve your individuality?
How far do you go only to become the odd-man-out?
How far do you go to try so hard to be accepted by a society that isn't there when you need a shoulder, isn't there when you are neck deep in debt - but is (apparently) persistently watching every move when you travel half the world to meet a friend, get into a relationship with a boy from another race, wear mini skirts, down vodka shots and give lap dances for fun?

Such bullshit I tell you, this world is made up of.
Persistently hypocritical, that's what it is.

Vicarious pleasures

If there is one person I am totally completely shamelessly jealous of, its got to be Michael Palin. The guy has traveled ... (look at that map!!!)



and to have a trip sponsored by BBC; can anything top such a luxury?! *sigh*

my most favourite is the 'Himalaya', I would so totally do that whole stretch if I ever had the opportunity. *double sigh*

few lines from his writings

Occasionally, a passing family group will quite unapologetically insert themselves alongside us and get a friend to take a photo, as if we too are part of the tourist attractions. Helpful explanations of what's going on are given, whether solicited or not.

India is much concerned these days with behavioural improvement. Yesterday I noticed the road safety campaign (though I seemed to be the only one who did) and this morning I see that the government is tackling the vexed subject of 'night soil', or open-air defecation, which is such a feature of life here. A series of adverts in the morning papers appeals to people to stop 'easing themselves' in public places. 'Easing oneself' is a new euphemism to me, but I rather like it and will use it whenever possible.

Chandigarh seems to consist entirely of roundabouts. Beautiful, well-kept, florally abundant roundabouts, sending the traffic spinning from one to another like some endless Scottish reel.

Mountbatten, the man charged with giving India its independence, met the leaders of the Princely States here, reminding himself of who the most important ones were by using the mnemonic 'Hot kippers make good breakfast'. Hyderabad, Kashmir, Mysore, Gwalior and Baroda.

The Vice-Regal Lodge has been reborn as an Institute for South-East Asian Affairs. Ballroom is now a library. Functional shelf stacks fill a floor that in its heyday had hundreds of dancers swirling across it, themed perhaps in Chinese or Regency fancy dress. Modesty and earnestness has replaced display and grandeur. Entertainment has given way to enlightenment. This bastion of British certainty has become a place of enquiry, curiosity and debate. Three very Indian preoccupations.

'That is very bad,' he says, in genuine distress. 'That was a snake on the road.'
Basil is unsympathetic.
'You swerved to avoid a snake?'
'It is Monday. Shiva's day. It is very bad luck.'
'No, it's not, it's Tuesday.'
A great weight seems to fall from Red's shoulder.
'Ah, yes, that's good. That is Hanuman's day. He is the monkey god.'
'So you've got to watch out for monkeys.'
'Oh yes.'
Basil, proud owner of a lovely wheaten terrier called Ed, asks which day he should avoid dogs.
'Dogs?' Red laughs dismissively. 'No. Always killing dogs.'


Writings on vehicles or as driving education from billboards
'Peep Peep, Don't Sleep',
'Drive Like Hell – You'll Be There'
'Be Mr Late Rather Than the Late Mr'

... so I have been rather happy at work lately, reading his travel diaries.

In Real TIME

Like most other days when I pick a website to perform my usual daily vivisection at work, I picked TIME one day. Realisation #1, TIME is part of CNN. Realisation #2, the website is like a cave, you keep digging and digging and you wont be surprised by the stories you find, its literally a detailed TIMEline, they do a great job of making a soft copy of every issue that comes out. Ok, so I ended up on the TIME website by chance and I started going through their hoards and hoards of pictures of the week. Then I ended up on the page that shows all the cover pages that ever came out, they have this drop-down where I could select "india", the idea was to see what about India caught the world's attention over the years - the answer is a lot of politics, the whole rise and fall of the nehru lineage and in the recent times, the outsourcing saga.

I read a bunch of the interesting cover stories from the early 21st century and late 20th, and I should say the articles are totally food-for-thought. Things I remember on the top of my head,

* how women are choosing careers over babies
- how they do it (go till 40 and become very satisfied and successful and miss the idea of a family in the meantime)
- why they do it (call it a resurgence from the women oppression days, each have their own reasons, but mostly because the world is a cruel place and coming back after a 3-5 year break to work to start where you stopped just doesnt happen)
- when they regret it (when you reach 40 and realise that you are mostly either infertile or all the eggs you produce have too many defects)
- what they resort to (thanks to technology(?), in vitro fertilisation of course, artificial insemination, not only is the reproductive bio-clock ticking, but there is just no time to search for a man and fall in love with him, so we end up spending time with profiles of pictures looking for the right hair colour, profession, eye colour etc)

* how teen girls these days reach sexual maturity faster
- in america ofcourse all genetic transitions are first blamed on obesity. which is silly because i know this is happening not just in america but in india too.
- there is the 'how much harm environment can do'. This ofcourse no one can ever prove.
- then there is pesticides or non-organic non-natural food/crop

* how women got picker as far marrying a guy is concerned
- with power and independence comes the excuse to not compromise
- men in their 20s are just not ready, so if you do end up lingering around one, then you get him
- successful men in their 30s are already taken, because someone lingered for that long or the news about his awesomeness didn't get to 'me'
- the being-single-is-miserable taboo is fading fast. single mothers can have a great social life with a superb support system in the form of friends, relatives, colleagues, and family
- then there is the possibility of being a 'single mother' without a father-face at all (remember, in vitro)

* the power of yoga
- How yoga in the world of exercise today is the BSB/N-sync of the 90's, everybody loved it without knowing why. I love yoga too, because it keeps my body flexible, because I can not bend my knees and lay my palms flat on the ground by bending. Heck, I could possibly put my feet behind my head (reminds me of FRIENDS)

about India

*glorifying and doting on Gandhi, there is absolutely no dearth for that in any country's media. I have a love/hate relationship with anything Gandhian.
*Indira's blue star and the details of how she was killed. How Rajiv came into power and how he dealt with all the looming speculations about the start of a war from our beloved neighbour, Pakistan and US helping them with arms.

and other stories

*Congo's deaths out of malnutrition
*Brazil's newly found fuel sources (and lots of national confidence), Casas Bahia and other private organisations whose business plans are internationally acclaimed, brazil's economic uprise.
*America's high drop-out problem. America's bio-terrorism with anthrax. America's that and America's this.

I could really go on...

Ski village in Himachal!

Imagine a ski resort in Himachal Pradesh, somewhere in the vicinity of the picture you see. Now the moment I read that I was thrilled, finally India can become one of those places people all over the world would want to go to. So when I read the subject line that people are opposing it, my instant reaction was "crazy, there is a limit to opposing globalization. why cant they just take best of the two sides". Then I read the petition here. It came as a big 'ok now tell me what you think' in my face. I realized how uninformed my rationalization was. People make petitions for a reason. You should always know both sides of the argument to take a side.

I just changed my side.