The searing heat of Nagercoil coupled with the food i had adjacent to bus terminal led to tummy upheaval of no small scale. Though i succeeded in arresting the battles raging within tummy by taking the tablets prescribed by the nurse as no doctor could be traced in Madurai during the time the tummy was refusing to be in order.
The public transport i took from Kanniyakumari with the hope that i won't be touching Nagercoil for the pain and suffering i had been subjected to last time i visited and vowed to never return again, the buswallah was in his elements when he declared with alarming frankness that he would indeed go to N'coil and touch its vital points of existence and assimilation. This was the place where his lost and discovery travails led him to establish conjugal rights with three women of his choice . As for the present visit he wasn't going to seek restoration of his fundamental rights with the fourth women he had been wooing for some time but to press to his masters on the need to shift him to Tirunelveli - the epicentre of women coming in strength to destress and divulge their hidden desires. I abandoned the bus before the designated stop. Out in the searing heat and the intake of the liquid and food that had elements preserved for generations, the tummy had to respond in not that responsible way. The rush to the loo and medicalwallahs brougth the sensitive nature of tummy - and word of caution from wellwishers as far as meals and mates went. As i have ben exercising caution i am of the view that this spell of instability has also been brougth by my long spell of conversation with not so near and dear ones.
As i expect long innings of stability as far as the tummy goes at the place of my stay, the announcements and departures of trains can be heard with increasing regularity. And here i can visualise the hardship and pain the man on the platform would be subjected to as he is not able to decide on the train to board and destination to reach. Here there is a clear and present danger he faces given the long duration he has spent on the platform and the food and liquid that has gone into his body and that may well give him long spells of instability. For stability to secure, he needs to depart soon and to a place where the men, women, environment and eatables are stable enough to stabilise himself. The search for that location has begun and results are expected this very year.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
From Change of Guard to Change of Capital by Puneet Rajhans
Public scrutiny and change of capital
As dates of US Prez's arrival and departure are out in the public domain, the security personnel have a job on hand to keep him from public scrutiny and provide him a layer of security that keeps the public trust in him intact. The security personnel have a tough job on hand given the visit beginning from Mumbai which never happenned before for any US Prez and the public spaces that would be on his itinerary. The Prez could drop for a function here and there and the probable territories are being monitored with the state of public toilets being the first benchmark for checking the state of preparedness. As the unnamed number of security men deported from Afghanistan and Iraq and deployed for Prez security, with India being their first assignment, the first thing they are supposed to do is to ease and release the tension they built up during their unwarranted stay in zones that never required their year on year presence.
As Presidential duty would see them stretch beyond natural call of duty , they would be the first to attend to any nature's call - given the enduring wait for Prez's arrival - which they stopped doing it as long as they were stationed in Afghanistan and Iraq. Though the security personnel resisted till the last hour that his itinerary should come out at the eleventh hour, as it is now in the public domain they would see to it that the Prez's convoy go past the public areas of announcements and agitations at a speed that Thackerays and Truckers haven't done before. In the line of duty they would be asked to ensure the serpentine queue from Mumbai Airport to hotel is long enough (even if Prez takes chopper for some distance)to advertise the wave of support the Prez has in this part of the world ever since he declared his intent to declare India as a natural ally. Perhaps it would be a response of sorts, given the slow response of the Chinese to build up the crowd on the way to the hotel when he was there in November last year.
Probably the case of first US Prez landing other than Delhi, it would be befitting for the Prez to inspect the proposed site to the Navi Mumbai Airport and all other sites that have won the battle against agitations in the streets for long. As he retires for the day in his hotel room it would be a perfect opportunity to check on some Tamil and Hindi flicks as his fondness for Kalaignar and Suriya has grown ever since he spoke to them in Tamil. Once out of Mumbai and on a flight to Delhi post innumerable rounds of buffet with politically preserved and prospered business entities, he would be carrying sheets of papers inarguably the content for his New Delhi address.
The first address by him to the joint House of Commoners (The LS has largely members from humble beginnings) and House of Coordinators (The RS has largely benches occupied by those having meddlesome/middlemen nature). And here he would reveal the feedback he got from Mumbai from street vendors to business magnets turned media honchos on how agitated they are at the summoning of their leaders to New Delhi following the time now time then scoop which never got to the heart of the story and just trained guns on the small fish. The Prez would declare: "My dear residents of India the sense that i have got from Mumbai is that it is time that the national capital is shifted to Mumbai to realise the full potential. The business comes to a standstill, the people refuse to take calls and bets and the whole city is on the edge whenever the leader from the state irrespective of the party s/he belongs to is summoned to Delhi. And consider the windfall losses that accrue following the summons as Mumbai circle itself contributes over 70 per cent of tax collection. So my friends and foes across aisle i strongly suggest that efforts should be made to give the recognition to Mumbai it deserves.
As Prez would wound up his speech there would be charges and counter charges over forces responsible for his speech. As Prez would again retire to the hotel room secured with the belief that he had set the stage for his visit to Pak and dates could be conveniently announced once his aircraft is out of Indian airspace.
The handouts the legislators were handed out post Prez departure noted the essentiality of the Mumbai campaign. The Mumbai's grand assimilation of ideas by bringing under its fold men, women and babies from the Hindi Heartland to South of Vindhyas. One has lost count of the employment it generates for them and the personnel it exports to the Middle East. The scam and scamsters it has booked from streets of Navi Mumbai to Dalal street shows the system up and running.
As for New Delhi, it could be transformed into cultural nervecentre given its no sensitivity to hold seminars and symposium. Once this decision of a cultural capital is made, the politics would cease to exist and business would cease to bleed given the corruption tales that tail it now and then courtesy time now time then scoops. The suggestion has been made seeing after all the mayhem and massacre of material and manpower in the run up to CWG Games - and it was only the man from Maharashtra who could deliver against such insurmountable odds. So my natural allies the men in Maharashtra are quite agitated at the insurmountable summons that are coming from New Delhi and to keep the fires from spreading take the next big step.
As dates of US Prez's arrival and departure are out in the public domain, the security personnel have a job on hand to keep him from public scrutiny and provide him a layer of security that keeps the public trust in him intact. The security personnel have a tough job on hand given the visit beginning from Mumbai which never happenned before for any US Prez and the public spaces that would be on his itinerary. The Prez could drop for a function here and there and the probable territories are being monitored with the state of public toilets being the first benchmark for checking the state of preparedness. As the unnamed number of security men deported from Afghanistan and Iraq and deployed for Prez security, with India being their first assignment, the first thing they are supposed to do is to ease and release the tension they built up during their unwarranted stay in zones that never required their year on year presence.
As Presidential duty would see them stretch beyond natural call of duty , they would be the first to attend to any nature's call - given the enduring wait for Prez's arrival - which they stopped doing it as long as they were stationed in Afghanistan and Iraq. Though the security personnel resisted till the last hour that his itinerary should come out at the eleventh hour, as it is now in the public domain they would see to it that the Prez's convoy go past the public areas of announcements and agitations at a speed that Thackerays and Truckers haven't done before. In the line of duty they would be asked to ensure the serpentine queue from Mumbai Airport to hotel is long enough (even if Prez takes chopper for some distance)to advertise the wave of support the Prez has in this part of the world ever since he declared his intent to declare India as a natural ally. Perhaps it would be a response of sorts, given the slow response of the Chinese to build up the crowd on the way to the hotel when he was there in November last year.
Probably the case of first US Prez landing other than Delhi, it would be befitting for the Prez to inspect the proposed site to the Navi Mumbai Airport and all other sites that have won the battle against agitations in the streets for long. As he retires for the day in his hotel room it would be a perfect opportunity to check on some Tamil and Hindi flicks as his fondness for Kalaignar and Suriya has grown ever since he spoke to them in Tamil. Once out of Mumbai and on a flight to Delhi post innumerable rounds of buffet with politically preserved and prospered business entities, he would be carrying sheets of papers inarguably the content for his New Delhi address.
The first address by him to the joint House of Commoners (The LS has largely members from humble beginnings) and House of Coordinators (The RS has largely benches occupied by those having meddlesome/middlemen nature). And here he would reveal the feedback he got from Mumbai from street vendors to business magnets turned media honchos on how agitated they are at the summoning of their leaders to New Delhi following the time now time then scoop which never got to the heart of the story and just trained guns on the small fish. The Prez would declare: "My dear residents of India the sense that i have got from Mumbai is that it is time that the national capital is shifted to Mumbai to realise the full potential. The business comes to a standstill, the people refuse to take calls and bets and the whole city is on the edge whenever the leader from the state irrespective of the party s/he belongs to is summoned to Delhi. And consider the windfall losses that accrue following the summons as Mumbai circle itself contributes over 70 per cent of tax collection. So my friends and foes across aisle i strongly suggest that efforts should be made to give the recognition to Mumbai it deserves.
As Prez would wound up his speech there would be charges and counter charges over forces responsible for his speech. As Prez would again retire to the hotel room secured with the belief that he had set the stage for his visit to Pak and dates could be conveniently announced once his aircraft is out of Indian airspace.
The handouts the legislators were handed out post Prez departure noted the essentiality of the Mumbai campaign. The Mumbai's grand assimilation of ideas by bringing under its fold men, women and babies from the Hindi Heartland to South of Vindhyas. One has lost count of the employment it generates for them and the personnel it exports to the Middle East. The scam and scamsters it has booked from streets of Navi Mumbai to Dalal street shows the system up and running.
As for New Delhi, it could be transformed into cultural nervecentre given its no sensitivity to hold seminars and symposium. Once this decision of a cultural capital is made, the politics would cease to exist and business would cease to bleed given the corruption tales that tail it now and then courtesy time now time then scoops. The suggestion has been made seeing after all the mayhem and massacre of material and manpower in the run up to CWG Games - and it was only the man from Maharashtra who could deliver against such insurmountable odds. So my natural allies the men in Maharashtra are quite agitated at the insurmountable summons that are coming from New Delhi and to keep the fires from spreading take the next big step.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Manmohan to Wen Jiabo: "Jiyo aur Jeene Do"
Manmohan to Wen Jiabo: "Jiyo aur Jeene Do"
When Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spoke to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabo, he was bold enough to tell him that these stapled visas would have to be a thing of the past if encirclement of China was to be avoided.
MS to WJ: "Of all the places on earth, you could see Kashmir as the best frontier to try your stapled visa experiment. There are other places on earth where dislocation and dismemberment of residents has been far more painful than this part of the world."
WJ to MS: "Look Mr Singh, the Look East policy of India has been giving us sleepless nights and we want to ensure that you do nothing of a scale which further brings disruption to our nation state's existence as one. Since you have clarified that Look East is not meant to strip us of our outlook to the world at large, we accept you at face value, with the argument that stapled visas are actually meant for a nation state that has been trying to encircle us."
At this point MS was curious enough to know who could it be given the spate of skirmishes that the Middle Kingdom has had in the past two months. To clear the air, WJ told MS: " THere are 50 states in the US. Of them some have been proving difficult for us given the recurrent demands they make from time to time on the standards we need to follow on export consignments we send and the labour policies we pursue. That has not only resulted in a situation where we could witness a slump in our trade with the US to be followed with other European nations. This stringent demands of these states of the US has made us wary of the agenda they want to pursue. So the experiment of spate of stapled visas for Kashmiris would be carried forward and issued for residents of these states in the US. Once this objective is set in motion, the Kashmir experiment would come to its logical end.
MS was furious as the time it would take the Chinese establishment to start issuing stapled visas for US residents would be long enough. Seeing the palpable tension building up during the meet, WJ attempted to clear the air for the umpteenth time: "The issuing of stapled visas to select residents of select states would begin soon after Prez Obama rounds up his tour to Asia."
MS was still not convinced with the arguments forwarded by WJ and insisted to know more. And WJ was more than willing to oblige. In line with India's concern on China's interest in PoK, WJ told MS that it a strategic decision taken at a strategic hour with strategic interests.
Chinese Premier to Manmohan Singh: " Our reports suggest that there are vast mineral deposits in the PoK including the oil that it stores could well put some of the Kingdoms in the Middle East to shame. We don't intend to share these reports with Pak. Once we have made sizeable investments in PoK which ultimately would lead to a strong wave of support for us in the area, where each and every resident of PoK would be willing to go with us for any decision we took. Once the comfort level on the level of support we have engineered is reached we would see to it that PoK is freed of Pak control and is declared a breakaway republic. In pursuit of this agenda we also have plans to issue stapled visas for PoK residents. And this would come about once we start shrinking our operations on India Administered Kashmir." Hearing this Manmohan Singh looked somewhat relaxed and hoped things would settle down for good. At this point WJ wanted some concessions from Manmohan.
WJ wanted an easy way out before he could stop the Kashmiri stapled visa experiment. He wanted a list of probable new states that were supposed to come up in India. Once he gets a list, he would draw up plans to start issuing stapled visas for them, necessitated by the fact that to tame the heat that would tail him following the stapled visas to US and PoK he needed to do something drastic in India as well. THE PM was willing to share the list beginning with Gorkhaland and Purvanchal. The PM gave this list with the belief that these two states would never come up during his lifetime and India would be spared from the visa attacks that China launched from time to time.
As the two leaders parted ways and Manmohan moved to the adjacent room, the thought that crossed his mind was how many breakaway republics China desired to have and how many oil wells it has set its sights on.
Post Wen Jiabo meet there were other issues going through his mind including on the need to repair ties with Nitish Kumar who had just blasted him the previous day. Some moments later a call came from India where Go Hopping Gowda wanted the PM to use his good offices to prevail on Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to hear the petition of Disqualified BJP MLAs and restore their sanctity. THe PM told Go Hopping Gowda that his party had suffered a lot at the hands of Gowdas and GREAT GOWDAS for their temerity to not let any regime continue for their failure to give a free hand to the goons unleashed from gowdastable. And he would see to it that the petition takes its own sweet time to let semblance of governance in Karnataka. THe PM gave his piece of mind to a Gowda who had refused to take his sight away from the Chair (he occupied by default in 96-97) the PM was holding on to precisely for the reason that his Karnataka misadventures had made the father and son the miserable lot.
As for the PM going bombastic this time, the rationale could well be the affable Nitish Kumar's frontal attack on him where he alleged that Manmohan during his more- than- visible visits to Bihar had come to misguide people.
Nitish Kumar maintained that in the past five years he had asked the PM to come to Bihar to grant special status for the state that was about to turn to history had the fodder scamster and brutal politico continued any longer. So when Manmohan came he came with the agenda that was thrust on him from the high command.
And PM knew that Nitish's attack was primarily meant at the high command. He knew fairly well on how much the fodderman had misguided him and drained the state of its precious resources.
As these thoughts and counter thoughts crossed his mind, Manmohan was of the view that we need to align with those who have been honest in their conduct and administration. If that meant he keeps his silence and go slow on the likes of Nitish Kumar so be it. "This time Wen Jiabo was too honest in his admission on the necessity to carry on with stapled visas for a while, " he told his aides as he tried to retire for the day with the observation that for Gowdas and foddermakers, he would like to keep a safe distance from them with visa or no visa coming from the Chinese establishment. Probably these past their prime street vendors-turned-leaders out to become history may visit him some day with the request that he needs to expedite their cases of visa application as China and a host of nations have refused to issue them for the simple fact that they are most despised entities who brought shame to their states.
And the PM finally retired for the day with the desire that he would be frequently interacting with the Chinese and Karnataka leadership to see semblance of peace is ensured.
The December rendezvous with Wen JiyoJiabo would again be another opportunity for the two to raise a toast to the principle of "Jiyo Aur Jeene Do"
When Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spoke to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabo, he was bold enough to tell him that these stapled visas would have to be a thing of the past if encirclement of China was to be avoided.
MS to WJ: "Of all the places on earth, you could see Kashmir as the best frontier to try your stapled visa experiment. There are other places on earth where dislocation and dismemberment of residents has been far more painful than this part of the world."
WJ to MS: "Look Mr Singh, the Look East policy of India has been giving us sleepless nights and we want to ensure that you do nothing of a scale which further brings disruption to our nation state's existence as one. Since you have clarified that Look East is not meant to strip us of our outlook to the world at large, we accept you at face value, with the argument that stapled visas are actually meant for a nation state that has been trying to encircle us."
At this point MS was curious enough to know who could it be given the spate of skirmishes that the Middle Kingdom has had in the past two months. To clear the air, WJ told MS: " THere are 50 states in the US. Of them some have been proving difficult for us given the recurrent demands they make from time to time on the standards we need to follow on export consignments we send and the labour policies we pursue. That has not only resulted in a situation where we could witness a slump in our trade with the US to be followed with other European nations. This stringent demands of these states of the US has made us wary of the agenda they want to pursue. So the experiment of spate of stapled visas for Kashmiris would be carried forward and issued for residents of these states in the US. Once this objective is set in motion, the Kashmir experiment would come to its logical end.
MS was furious as the time it would take the Chinese establishment to start issuing stapled visas for US residents would be long enough. Seeing the palpable tension building up during the meet, WJ attempted to clear the air for the umpteenth time: "The issuing of stapled visas to select residents of select states would begin soon after Prez Obama rounds up his tour to Asia."
MS was still not convinced with the arguments forwarded by WJ and insisted to know more. And WJ was more than willing to oblige. In line with India's concern on China's interest in PoK, WJ told MS that it a strategic decision taken at a strategic hour with strategic interests.
Chinese Premier to Manmohan Singh: " Our reports suggest that there are vast mineral deposits in the PoK including the oil that it stores could well put some of the Kingdoms in the Middle East to shame. We don't intend to share these reports with Pak. Once we have made sizeable investments in PoK which ultimately would lead to a strong wave of support for us in the area, where each and every resident of PoK would be willing to go with us for any decision we took. Once the comfort level on the level of support we have engineered is reached we would see to it that PoK is freed of Pak control and is declared a breakaway republic. In pursuit of this agenda we also have plans to issue stapled visas for PoK residents. And this would come about once we start shrinking our operations on India Administered Kashmir." Hearing this Manmohan Singh looked somewhat relaxed and hoped things would settle down for good. At this point WJ wanted some concessions from Manmohan.
WJ wanted an easy way out before he could stop the Kashmiri stapled visa experiment. He wanted a list of probable new states that were supposed to come up in India. Once he gets a list, he would draw up plans to start issuing stapled visas for them, necessitated by the fact that to tame the heat that would tail him following the stapled visas to US and PoK he needed to do something drastic in India as well. THE PM was willing to share the list beginning with Gorkhaland and Purvanchal. The PM gave this list with the belief that these two states would never come up during his lifetime and India would be spared from the visa attacks that China launched from time to time.
As the two leaders parted ways and Manmohan moved to the adjacent room, the thought that crossed his mind was how many breakaway republics China desired to have and how many oil wells it has set its sights on.
Post Wen Jiabo meet there were other issues going through his mind including on the need to repair ties with Nitish Kumar who had just blasted him the previous day. Some moments later a call came from India where Go Hopping Gowda wanted the PM to use his good offices to prevail on Chief Justice of the Supreme Court to hear the petition of Disqualified BJP MLAs and restore their sanctity. THe PM told Go Hopping Gowda that his party had suffered a lot at the hands of Gowdas and GREAT GOWDAS for their temerity to not let any regime continue for their failure to give a free hand to the goons unleashed from gowdastable. And he would see to it that the petition takes its own sweet time to let semblance of governance in Karnataka. THe PM gave his piece of mind to a Gowda who had refused to take his sight away from the Chair (he occupied by default in 96-97) the PM was holding on to precisely for the reason that his Karnataka misadventures had made the father and son the miserable lot.
As for the PM going bombastic this time, the rationale could well be the affable Nitish Kumar's frontal attack on him where he alleged that Manmohan during his more- than- visible visits to Bihar had come to misguide people.
Nitish Kumar maintained that in the past five years he had asked the PM to come to Bihar to grant special status for the state that was about to turn to history had the fodder scamster and brutal politico continued any longer. So when Manmohan came he came with the agenda that was thrust on him from the high command.
And PM knew that Nitish's attack was primarily meant at the high command. He knew fairly well on how much the fodderman had misguided him and drained the state of its precious resources.
As these thoughts and counter thoughts crossed his mind, Manmohan was of the view that we need to align with those who have been honest in their conduct and administration. If that meant he keeps his silence and go slow on the likes of Nitish Kumar so be it. "This time Wen Jiabo was too honest in his admission on the necessity to carry on with stapled visas for a while, " he told his aides as he tried to retire for the day with the observation that for Gowdas and foddermakers, he would like to keep a safe distance from them with visa or no visa coming from the Chinese establishment. Probably these past their prime street vendors-turned-leaders out to become history may visit him some day with the request that he needs to expedite their cases of visa application as China and a host of nations have refused to issue them for the simple fact that they are most despised entities who brought shame to their states.
And the PM finally retired for the day with the desire that he would be frequently interacting with the Chinese and Karnataka leadership to see semblance of peace is ensured.
The December rendezvous with Wen JiyoJiabo would again be another opportunity for the two to raise a toast to the principle of "Jiyo Aur Jeene Do"
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Of strategy and banana orders
Of strategy and banana orders by Puneet Rajhans
About six days ago Hillary Clinton posted on her bog that Pakistan has been the strongest ally of the US in the never ending and never decreasing war on terrorism. She was all praise for the sacrifices that Pak residents made in the wake of drone attacks that intentionally targeted Taliban but ended up in the homes of Pak sheltered Talibanese given the strong ideological roots the two preserved and strong pashtun features they shared.
She posted these thoughts in the blog prior to the press briefing that she was supposed to address with Pak Foreign Minister. Where both were supposed to share and speak in one voice on the inadequate aid Pak had got to date given the challenges it has on its hands. With the posting in the blog the dwindling presence in the press meets of theirs was a thing of the past and a full house was ensured something elusive so far for the leaders who had been touching base now and then.
The strategic sessions the two sides have been having since time immemorial has been strategically built to strategically preserve the idea of a nation state that Pak time and again tries to trample with. The strategy during these sessions held in close doors with few having the legitimate pass to infiltrate except the Foreign Ministers of the two nation states and those suitably armed with Urdu and English language. Precisely because when Pak Foreign Minister speaks with long yawning gaps more than half of the content is spoken in Urdu as he continuously fails to keep close to the gist of the speech. The handwritten speech conduct is no better given the periodic fits he gets ever since he shared a joint press meet with his Indian counterpart Krishna. In that meet, the long silence of Krishna made him lose his share of silence and he threw caution to the wind and was all fire and brimstone as he tore India's stand on all issues that never concerned Pak. He also launched a personal scathing attack on Indian leadership to have old worn out figures at the helm who could barely speak and spew venom.
The US identified Pak as a strategic partner when the new millennium hadn't set in and there were reasons for that. THe US continues to believe that the turnaround in the Pak economy is round the corner. If it does not happen in the immediate future it would happen sometime later (15 to 20 years is the probable time limit) given the nature of investments China is going to make and the active interest of the Islamic World to see Pak remains afloat. Once the Pak turnaround happens, whose economy won't be any less than Saudi Arabia, the US would see Islamabad place a huge defence order worth billions with Washington to be carried out for a probable 10 to 15 years. Once that happens Pak would not only have kept its promise of being a stable strategic partner of the US but also give the much-needed life support to its economy.
As for New Delhi it can't be a strong ally of the US given its unfailing nature to repair men and machines at home than send them to the US. Against this the Pak military and political traffic that keeps shuttling between Islamabad and Washington is an attempt to rekindle the lives of these personalities who seem to get diluted if they don't keep the line of communication with the US open.
As for other countries (big banana and apna apple republics included) which could be strong allies of the US in the foreseeable future, the US has set its sight on those economies where a turnaround is possible and have the stamina to place a defence order to the US which not only safeguards them from unidentified foes but also secures the sovereignty of the US. Some of the 50 states in the US have expressed the desire to break away if the economy doesn't shows signs of improving. So for all the strategic and stable allies that the US would be having the benchmark has been set in motion by Saudi Arabia which has placed a defence order worth $ 60 to 80 billion for a period still to be spelt out.
As for Pak, it easily fits the bill as the turnaround is expected soon. As for India, it could well be the strongest and safest strategic partner of China given the desire of the Indian establishment to place apple, banana and soap orders to China which would any day be better than the Saudi figure. Once the lot that arrives from China over a period of time is found to be good enough to last the entire season, the defence acquisitions would follow with the rider that equipments give enough handle to Indian forces to make the Pak acquisition from China redundant. The period for which acquisitions would be made and replenishments sought would depend on China's active disinterest from Arunachal to Apna Kashmir.
About six days ago Hillary Clinton posted on her bog that Pakistan has been the strongest ally of the US in the never ending and never decreasing war on terrorism. She was all praise for the sacrifices that Pak residents made in the wake of drone attacks that intentionally targeted Taliban but ended up in the homes of Pak sheltered Talibanese given the strong ideological roots the two preserved and strong pashtun features they shared.
She posted these thoughts in the blog prior to the press briefing that she was supposed to address with Pak Foreign Minister. Where both were supposed to share and speak in one voice on the inadequate aid Pak had got to date given the challenges it has on its hands. With the posting in the blog the dwindling presence in the press meets of theirs was a thing of the past and a full house was ensured something elusive so far for the leaders who had been touching base now and then.
The strategic sessions the two sides have been having since time immemorial has been strategically built to strategically preserve the idea of a nation state that Pak time and again tries to trample with. The strategy during these sessions held in close doors with few having the legitimate pass to infiltrate except the Foreign Ministers of the two nation states and those suitably armed with Urdu and English language. Precisely because when Pak Foreign Minister speaks with long yawning gaps more than half of the content is spoken in Urdu as he continuously fails to keep close to the gist of the speech. The handwritten speech conduct is no better given the periodic fits he gets ever since he shared a joint press meet with his Indian counterpart Krishna. In that meet, the long silence of Krishna made him lose his share of silence and he threw caution to the wind and was all fire and brimstone as he tore India's stand on all issues that never concerned Pak. He also launched a personal scathing attack on Indian leadership to have old worn out figures at the helm who could barely speak and spew venom.
The US identified Pak as a strategic partner when the new millennium hadn't set in and there were reasons for that. THe US continues to believe that the turnaround in the Pak economy is round the corner. If it does not happen in the immediate future it would happen sometime later (15 to 20 years is the probable time limit) given the nature of investments China is going to make and the active interest of the Islamic World to see Pak remains afloat. Once the Pak turnaround happens, whose economy won't be any less than Saudi Arabia, the US would see Islamabad place a huge defence order worth billions with Washington to be carried out for a probable 10 to 15 years. Once that happens Pak would not only have kept its promise of being a stable strategic partner of the US but also give the much-needed life support to its economy.
As for New Delhi it can't be a strong ally of the US given its unfailing nature to repair men and machines at home than send them to the US. Against this the Pak military and political traffic that keeps shuttling between Islamabad and Washington is an attempt to rekindle the lives of these personalities who seem to get diluted if they don't keep the line of communication with the US open.
As for other countries (big banana and apna apple republics included) which could be strong allies of the US in the foreseeable future, the US has set its sight on those economies where a turnaround is possible and have the stamina to place a defence order to the US which not only safeguards them from unidentified foes but also secures the sovereignty of the US. Some of the 50 states in the US have expressed the desire to break away if the economy doesn't shows signs of improving. So for all the strategic and stable allies that the US would be having the benchmark has been set in motion by Saudi Arabia which has placed a defence order worth $ 60 to 80 billion for a period still to be spelt out.
As for Pak, it easily fits the bill as the turnaround is expected soon. As for India, it could well be the strongest and safest strategic partner of China given the desire of the Indian establishment to place apple, banana and soap orders to China which would any day be better than the Saudi figure. Once the lot that arrives from China over a period of time is found to be good enough to last the entire season, the defence acquisitions would follow with the rider that equipments give enough handle to Indian forces to make the Pak acquisition from China redundant. The period for which acquisitions would be made and replenishments sought would depend on China's active disinterest from Arunachal to Apna Kashmir.
Left's drubbing and 420 turnaround
Left's drubbing and 420 turnaround
The Left's drubbing in Kerala, coming some time after West Bengal civic poll rout, suggests that the Left is sincere in its approach to become a less than a civic player in the times to come. That would be the argument furnished by its opponents. As for the Left leaders, they are sincere and serious with an honest admission that though they are losing base but not strong enough to shake their citadel given the shape of activities they are pursuing with a clear frame of mind. Foremost among them has been Karat's foray to Japan and Europe where he has enthralled the audience with his extempore speech on how the Left would never be history come what may.
His foray to a host of countries is in line with the depleting audience at home where his speeches are just lapped by diminishing veterans of his party and TV channels that have been threatened to play his side of the story lest they lose their citadel. Though conglomeration of parties under this much dreaded block may be losing base in dwindling states of West Bengal and Kerala but the leaders are touching base with their counterparts in a host of expanding countries. THe Japan and Europe assignments involved convincing the leadership to the best to convince the US to prolong its stay in Afghanistan - and look for new territories to occupy and annihilate. The Left wants the US to fanatically search for territories that could be brought under the annihilation agenda - and North Korea and Iran would be the least it could settle for at this point of time.
Once concrete steps are taken to realise this goal the Left won't be bereft of the agenda it pursues as far as boycotting of the West leaders are concerned. Precisely bereft of the agenda, the Left was made to bite the dust in West Bengal and Kerala as it had not systematically given a clarion call to boycott the upcoming US Prez address to both Houses of Parliament. Just consider semantics of the debate that played out prior to the US Prez George Bush's visit to New Delhi where he had been threatened to be torn apart had he made a sincere attempt to address Indian Parliament. Precisely because the action leading to the occupation of territories (Iraq and its surrounding oil wells, Afghanistan and the vast minerals in its backyard and Pakistan and its claim on areas which are safe haven for Taliban and Taliban propelled poppy cultivation) was unwarranted and uncalled for as it prevented the Left from making inroads into them.
So as the US has begun to dismantle its operations in some of these sacred territories, sanctuaries for terror and torture, the Left has been left with the unenviable task of basing itself in this part of the world where its cadre fear to step in for the insecure life it guarantees and inadequate food it delivers. So for the moment it has no alibi to arm itself for its inability to step in as the territories are being dumped by the West with undeclared urgency.
As a complete wipeout looks a tangible possibility for the Left in West Bengal and Kerala, it has set its sights on North Korea and Iran and the untamed pressure it is bringing on the West to swallow them sooner than later. Probably a string of good outings in a host of countries (where the Left leaders would speak and speak despite the shrinking audience) far away from India - some of the Left elements find sleep as elusive as their goals to dismantle the opponents here - could do the trick. Further these adventures could well see the Left tryst in places like J-K and Arunachal reach a new peak where China has an established agenda in place. The Left's reasoning with the Chinese establishment is that they should start issuing stapled visas for those hailing from Arunachal; the J-K experiment has been the most successful to date.
Following the Arunachal avalanche, the stapled visas would be issued for those hailing from West Bengal and Kerala. Once this is in place the long desired dislocation of Indian state would be set in motion; something the Left won't take offence to given its dismemberment and dislocation from different parts of India.
The other demand the Left is going to put before the Chinese shakers and movers is the need to introduce in collaboration with Indian Railways - the inability of Indian Railways to handle it could well make the China trainwallahs pursue on its own - the concept of a bullet train between West Bengal and Kerala given the success of high speed rail network between Shanghai and Hangzhou that can cover 200 kms in 45 minutes. The bullet train has a capacity to hit 420km an hour - and this could well be tried in the two leftist states given its inability to do a 420 turnaround to its art of governance.
After all its more-than-desired honesty and dwindling cash reserves has been instrumental in its decline.
As for the bullet train, once it happens between the two Indian states, it would help the Left leaders to touch base frequently and pole vault their way to the top to annihilate their opponents which the US unsuccessfully tried to do to its foes as it never had 420 turnaround arsenal at its disposal.
The Left's drubbing in Kerala, coming some time after West Bengal civic poll rout, suggests that the Left is sincere in its approach to become a less than a civic player in the times to come. That would be the argument furnished by its opponents. As for the Left leaders, they are sincere and serious with an honest admission that though they are losing base but not strong enough to shake their citadel given the shape of activities they are pursuing with a clear frame of mind. Foremost among them has been Karat's foray to Japan and Europe where he has enthralled the audience with his extempore speech on how the Left would never be history come what may.
His foray to a host of countries is in line with the depleting audience at home where his speeches are just lapped by diminishing veterans of his party and TV channels that have been threatened to play his side of the story lest they lose their citadel. Though conglomeration of parties under this much dreaded block may be losing base in dwindling states of West Bengal and Kerala but the leaders are touching base with their counterparts in a host of expanding countries. THe Japan and Europe assignments involved convincing the leadership to the best to convince the US to prolong its stay in Afghanistan - and look for new territories to occupy and annihilate. The Left wants the US to fanatically search for territories that could be brought under the annihilation agenda - and North Korea and Iran would be the least it could settle for at this point of time.
Once concrete steps are taken to realise this goal the Left won't be bereft of the agenda it pursues as far as boycotting of the West leaders are concerned. Precisely bereft of the agenda, the Left was made to bite the dust in West Bengal and Kerala as it had not systematically given a clarion call to boycott the upcoming US Prez address to both Houses of Parliament. Just consider semantics of the debate that played out prior to the US Prez George Bush's visit to New Delhi where he had been threatened to be torn apart had he made a sincere attempt to address Indian Parliament. Precisely because the action leading to the occupation of territories (Iraq and its surrounding oil wells, Afghanistan and the vast minerals in its backyard and Pakistan and its claim on areas which are safe haven for Taliban and Taliban propelled poppy cultivation) was unwarranted and uncalled for as it prevented the Left from making inroads into them.
So as the US has begun to dismantle its operations in some of these sacred territories, sanctuaries for terror and torture, the Left has been left with the unenviable task of basing itself in this part of the world where its cadre fear to step in for the insecure life it guarantees and inadequate food it delivers. So for the moment it has no alibi to arm itself for its inability to step in as the territories are being dumped by the West with undeclared urgency.
As a complete wipeout looks a tangible possibility for the Left in West Bengal and Kerala, it has set its sights on North Korea and Iran and the untamed pressure it is bringing on the West to swallow them sooner than later. Probably a string of good outings in a host of countries (where the Left leaders would speak and speak despite the shrinking audience) far away from India - some of the Left elements find sleep as elusive as their goals to dismantle the opponents here - could do the trick. Further these adventures could well see the Left tryst in places like J-K and Arunachal reach a new peak where China has an established agenda in place. The Left's reasoning with the Chinese establishment is that they should start issuing stapled visas for those hailing from Arunachal; the J-K experiment has been the most successful to date.
Following the Arunachal avalanche, the stapled visas would be issued for those hailing from West Bengal and Kerala. Once this is in place the long desired dislocation of Indian state would be set in motion; something the Left won't take offence to given its dismemberment and dislocation from different parts of India.
The other demand the Left is going to put before the Chinese shakers and movers is the need to introduce in collaboration with Indian Railways - the inability of Indian Railways to handle it could well make the China trainwallahs pursue on its own - the concept of a bullet train between West Bengal and Kerala given the success of high speed rail network between Shanghai and Hangzhou that can cover 200 kms in 45 minutes. The bullet train has a capacity to hit 420km an hour - and this could well be tried in the two leftist states given its inability to do a 420 turnaround to its art of governance.
After all its more-than-desired honesty and dwindling cash reserves has been instrumental in its decline.
As for the bullet train, once it happens between the two Indian states, it would help the Left leaders to touch base frequently and pole vault their way to the top to annihilate their opponents which the US unsuccessfully tried to do to its foes as it never had 420 turnaround arsenal at its disposal.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Overwriting and overwhelming schedule by Puneet Rajhans
Courts have given clear and specific instructions on persuading the public from overwriting cheques. The attempt is to clear the way for honest and sustaining transactions that normally fail to keep its normalcy when cheques are issued by a pseudo gentleman for a fictitious product/service that few can recall.
This overwriting instructions from the court hasn't dissuaded others from going in a frenzy mode as far as overwriting schedule is concerned. It is not the conman but the staff of the tea joint who are overwriting Rs 7 on all tea/coffeee slips earlier dispensed for Rs 5 and 6.
From morning to evening some members of the staff can be seen dedicated to the overwhelming nature of the mandate that essentially dwells on that no single slip would be handed over without Rs 7 inscribed on it lest the aam janata begins to have tea/coffee at a price preferred and to be preserved for a period known to them. So as tea is served to an overwhelming number of customers round the clock - the numbers never dwindle given the overwhelming number of middlemen and phased out middlemen in active pursuit of their clients in shoppping centres, railway/bus terminals in the vicinity - the uninterrupted schedule for overwriting makes the rotating staff apply their heart and soul to this
exercise as monthly disbursements are overwhelming linked to this range of occupation than the overwhelming customers they cater to.
For customers who have on occasions to settle for a long wait for tea to be served as some members of the staff haven't been relieved of their overwhelming overwriting mandate, the protestation to the manager is of no consequence as the latter brings out a sheet of paper spelling out the Government Order (GO)that tea/coffee joints in the vicinity of rly/bus terminals would be allowed to serve them at a price to be revised by them at their convenience. Protestation to this GO leads to heavy presence of cops near the joint to keep law and government order in place.
As one frequents the other tea stall, some good distance away from the railway/bus terminals, the tea and coffee serving begins and ends at Rs 5. THey don't want to overshoot the target they have set about to achieve every month and thus the old order of Rs 5 continues and floats.
As for other shopkeepers and vendors working in the vicinity of the railway/bus terminals their overwhelming mandate is to override the concern of the aam janata by overcharging. THe Government Order in these parts appear to be legitimate as all those working close to railway/bus terminal are sane-turned-terminally ill patients given the nature of customers they have to cater to round the year from different parts of the country with very few cutomers having legitimate concern on the hardships and challenges that a joint in the vicinity of railway/bus terminals face. Further the illegitimate nature of demands that customers make to them - conversation to be carried in the language of their choice coupled with getting them mates who are conversant beyond telugu and kannad - has led to their frequent reporting to government hospitals for their terminal state of affairs.
As for those working far and away from bus/railway junctions who are bent on overwriting the tea/coffee slips and the tariff card to overshoot their set target every month, the piece of advice would be to go back to the previous menu as no Government Order would come to their rescue.
As for the umpteenth overwriting that one discovers at the waiting halls of a vessel and train, these essentially are creations of those who are in awe of others. For having risen and fallen for different persons at different locales, overwriting is a must. As for those overwriting their thoughts (the contact numbers and email ids are a must)on waiting halls about the degrees they have under their belt and the ones they wish to pursue , this is solely done in cases where their new-found interest disappeared even before they could knew and these effective degrees are effective instruments to bring a new interest to their life. After all who doesn't want to bat for someone who has the potential to earn and eat - free meals don't appeal to some - for a period not defined.
The Courts haven't stepped in cases involving overwriting ventures in waiting halls of vessels and trains precisely driven by the fact that a large number of men and women precisely visit the waiting halls to read the present messages and how different they are from the previous ones. Once they have a feel of these overwriting messages, they can overwhelmingly support their campaign to seek new frontiers when the old has disappeared for good.
This overwriting instructions from the court hasn't dissuaded others from going in a frenzy mode as far as overwriting schedule is concerned. It is not the conman but the staff of the tea joint who are overwriting Rs 7 on all tea/coffeee slips earlier dispensed for Rs 5 and 6.
From morning to evening some members of the staff can be seen dedicated to the overwhelming nature of the mandate that essentially dwells on that no single slip would be handed over without Rs 7 inscribed on it lest the aam janata begins to have tea/coffee at a price preferred and to be preserved for a period known to them. So as tea is served to an overwhelming number of customers round the clock - the numbers never dwindle given the overwhelming number of middlemen and phased out middlemen in active pursuit of their clients in shoppping centres, railway/bus terminals in the vicinity - the uninterrupted schedule for overwriting makes the rotating staff apply their heart and soul to this
exercise as monthly disbursements are overwhelming linked to this range of occupation than the overwhelming customers they cater to.
For customers who have on occasions to settle for a long wait for tea to be served as some members of the staff haven't been relieved of their overwhelming overwriting mandate, the protestation to the manager is of no consequence as the latter brings out a sheet of paper spelling out the Government Order (GO)that tea/coffee joints in the vicinity of rly/bus terminals would be allowed to serve them at a price to be revised by them at their convenience. Protestation to this GO leads to heavy presence of cops near the joint to keep law and government order in place.
As one frequents the other tea stall, some good distance away from the railway/bus terminals, the tea and coffee serving begins and ends at Rs 5. THey don't want to overshoot the target they have set about to achieve every month and thus the old order of Rs 5 continues and floats.
As for other shopkeepers and vendors working in the vicinity of the railway/bus terminals their overwhelming mandate is to override the concern of the aam janata by overcharging. THe Government Order in these parts appear to be legitimate as all those working close to railway/bus terminal are sane-turned-terminally ill patients given the nature of customers they have to cater to round the year from different parts of the country with very few cutomers having legitimate concern on the hardships and challenges that a joint in the vicinity of railway/bus terminals face. Further the illegitimate nature of demands that customers make to them - conversation to be carried in the language of their choice coupled with getting them mates who are conversant beyond telugu and kannad - has led to their frequent reporting to government hospitals for their terminal state of affairs.
As for those working far and away from bus/railway junctions who are bent on overwriting the tea/coffee slips and the tariff card to overshoot their set target every month, the piece of advice would be to go back to the previous menu as no Government Order would come to their rescue.
As for the umpteenth overwriting that one discovers at the waiting halls of a vessel and train, these essentially are creations of those who are in awe of others. For having risen and fallen for different persons at different locales, overwriting is a must. As for those overwriting their thoughts (the contact numbers and email ids are a must)on waiting halls about the degrees they have under their belt and the ones they wish to pursue , this is solely done in cases where their new-found interest disappeared even before they could knew and these effective degrees are effective instruments to bring a new interest to their life. After all who doesn't want to bat for someone who has the potential to earn and eat - free meals don't appeal to some - for a period not defined.
The Courts haven't stepped in cases involving overwriting ventures in waiting halls of vessels and trains precisely driven by the fact that a large number of men and women precisely visit the waiting halls to read the present messages and how different they are from the previous ones. Once they have a feel of these overwriting messages, they can overwhelmingly support their campaign to seek new frontiers when the old has disappeared for good.
The heritage structure and loans on table
The heritage structure and loans on table by Puneet Rajhans
As i take a seat in the reception area reluctant with the thought that i may be summarily asked to vacate the chair i occupied if my duration of stay went beyond the agreed tolerable hours between the hotel staff and me, i can't dissuade myself from discovering that a large chunk has been returning to the hotel rooms quite late in the evening. The process doesn't look to be winding up as one family after another herds back to the room they were offered on first come first seize basis.
Probably the heritage corners of the city coupled with the less -visited-highly-prized locales of the city has made them spend long winding hours away from the hotel room. Soon a couple which entered barely five minutes before has the man rushing to the reception and hauling the staff at the counter. Probably hailing from a place in the vicinity of the North East he demanded why the phone call was not being answered. "What's the use of paying such a hefty amount when even the room service on phone can't be provided?"
His blast to the hotel staff made me base my opinion that the room service on phone may be non existent for ages given the ancient structure of the hotel. Outside the hotel the first signboard clearly conveys that it is one of the rare heritage structures in the city. A heritage structure supposed to be endowed with minimum line of communication - and all communication to be done on one to one basis with the machines(phone instruments) that were supposed to get lines up and functioning to be shrinked to the lowest possible denominator. And exchange of hand written notes to be carried out in times of urgency.
As this level of comfort and discomfort i get apprised with, in one of the hotels in Chennai Egmore i have spotted a hotel message pasted at the back of the front door that clearly states that in view of the government's order to preserve power, the hotel has decided to do away with geysers and heaters. That message appeared to be appropriate and not unfounded. Had the hotel in the temple city come out with an express order pasted on the back side of the front door that room service on phone would be provided subject to the availability of the staff and their willingness to work the man wouldn't have to rush to the reception and drop threats if he decided to go full throttle.
A good one hour after these intimidatory threats come another family checking into the hotel for the first time. Satisfied with the room tariff and check out time, the man before signing the register seeks to clear the air: "Any shocker?" The hotel staff" Well, none whatsoever if expectations are kept close to the ground and services linked to the will of the man on duty. " Well one member of his staff accompanying him reveal the untold story behind his shifting base to the hotel when he stays in the same town. "Well, he has checked into ac room with the belief that the cool surroundings would make her wife throw less tantrums and have less periodic fits which periodically visited her given the large number of power cuts at her place of residence."
The hotel staff assures the man: " THe room is at the top floor and a power cut won't be long enough to see her wife go wild and seek a safe passage (in the event of an unscheduled power cut) from a window as doing that would leave her with no bones intact."
As these possibilities and feasibilities are being observed, the travel desk becomes beehive of activity with four well built persons approaching to discuss their travel plans. Finding one seat less, the travel desk man gives a long stare at me perhaps indicating that i should shift to the adjacent sofa. I don't budge as the mode of transport i am supposed to take is a good four hours later. If i start vacating chair and ceding territory like this i won't be left with any chair to occupy probably spending the sleeping time in the open air which i can't afford to do so given the open threats i have been receiving ever since i broke my silence on likes and dislikes as far as food and flames go.
The travel desk has come to a standstill as the four find the package less lucrative and post their departure the desk guy got the sleeping mat next to it in the hope that some lost and found entity would visit the desk during the night to not only make queries about travel plans but also finalise given the post dated cheques they accept in abundance.
Not finding success in luring any customer, the desk guy turns his gaze towards me, seeking to know my areas of interest and how much i had the potential to throw if i wasn't willing to get actively employed for ages.
"How much you made last month. Was it over a figure i can't imagine?"
I told him point blank: "It was beyond your imagination." Failing to make out the earning potential, he insisted to know the figures. And here i had to terminate the deliberations by emphasising the presence of banks in every nook and corner of the country and the loans they disbursed with. Learning at my potential to take loans he wanted some for his travel desk which i refused to oblige as loans are primarily meant for those who continuously refuse to dig deeper into the earning potential of others.
As i left the place of stay with the hope that there won't be another soul to torn your peace which you have secured with all round efforts, i give a thought to the city grind and how unhealthy and unshapely it looks given the amount of greed that floats around. For the moment my peace is intact and prayers locked for those who have been good to me.
As i take a seat in the reception area reluctant with the thought that i may be summarily asked to vacate the chair i occupied if my duration of stay went beyond the agreed tolerable hours between the hotel staff and me, i can't dissuade myself from discovering that a large chunk has been returning to the hotel rooms quite late in the evening. The process doesn't look to be winding up as one family after another herds back to the room they were offered on first come first seize basis.
Probably the heritage corners of the city coupled with the less -visited-highly-prized locales of the city has made them spend long winding hours away from the hotel room. Soon a couple which entered barely five minutes before has the man rushing to the reception and hauling the staff at the counter. Probably hailing from a place in the vicinity of the North East he demanded why the phone call was not being answered. "What's the use of paying such a hefty amount when even the room service on phone can't be provided?"
His blast to the hotel staff made me base my opinion that the room service on phone may be non existent for ages given the ancient structure of the hotel. Outside the hotel the first signboard clearly conveys that it is one of the rare heritage structures in the city. A heritage structure supposed to be endowed with minimum line of communication - and all communication to be done on one to one basis with the machines(phone instruments) that were supposed to get lines up and functioning to be shrinked to the lowest possible denominator. And exchange of hand written notes to be carried out in times of urgency.
As this level of comfort and discomfort i get apprised with, in one of the hotels in Chennai Egmore i have spotted a hotel message pasted at the back of the front door that clearly states that in view of the government's order to preserve power, the hotel has decided to do away with geysers and heaters. That message appeared to be appropriate and not unfounded. Had the hotel in the temple city come out with an express order pasted on the back side of the front door that room service on phone would be provided subject to the availability of the staff and their willingness to work the man wouldn't have to rush to the reception and drop threats if he decided to go full throttle.
A good one hour after these intimidatory threats come another family checking into the hotel for the first time. Satisfied with the room tariff and check out time, the man before signing the register seeks to clear the air: "Any shocker?" The hotel staff" Well, none whatsoever if expectations are kept close to the ground and services linked to the will of the man on duty. " Well one member of his staff accompanying him reveal the untold story behind his shifting base to the hotel when he stays in the same town. "Well, he has checked into ac room with the belief that the cool surroundings would make her wife throw less tantrums and have less periodic fits which periodically visited her given the large number of power cuts at her place of residence."
The hotel staff assures the man: " THe room is at the top floor and a power cut won't be long enough to see her wife go wild and seek a safe passage (in the event of an unscheduled power cut) from a window as doing that would leave her with no bones intact."
As these possibilities and feasibilities are being observed, the travel desk becomes beehive of activity with four well built persons approaching to discuss their travel plans. Finding one seat less, the travel desk man gives a long stare at me perhaps indicating that i should shift to the adjacent sofa. I don't budge as the mode of transport i am supposed to take is a good four hours later. If i start vacating chair and ceding territory like this i won't be left with any chair to occupy probably spending the sleeping time in the open air which i can't afford to do so given the open threats i have been receiving ever since i broke my silence on likes and dislikes as far as food and flames go.
The travel desk has come to a standstill as the four find the package less lucrative and post their departure the desk guy got the sleeping mat next to it in the hope that some lost and found entity would visit the desk during the night to not only make queries about travel plans but also finalise given the post dated cheques they accept in abundance.
Not finding success in luring any customer, the desk guy turns his gaze towards me, seeking to know my areas of interest and how much i had the potential to throw if i wasn't willing to get actively employed for ages.
"How much you made last month. Was it over a figure i can't imagine?"
I told him point blank: "It was beyond your imagination." Failing to make out the earning potential, he insisted to know the figures. And here i had to terminate the deliberations by emphasising the presence of banks in every nook and corner of the country and the loans they disbursed with. Learning at my potential to take loans he wanted some for his travel desk which i refused to oblige as loans are primarily meant for those who continuously refuse to dig deeper into the earning potential of others.
As i left the place of stay with the hope that there won't be another soul to torn your peace which you have secured with all round efforts, i give a thought to the city grind and how unhealthy and unshapely it looks given the amount of greed that floats around. For the moment my peace is intact and prayers locked for those who have been good to me.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Food joints and awareness campaign
Food joints and awareness campaign
THe food joints have been enticing customers for ages given their inability to get a full crowd in peak hours. To keep realising their target, which they keep revising hour after hour, they keep some members of the staff at the entrance who not only keep a vigil on those who visit their joints but also entice the pedestrian traffic to try their joints. So that is one way of allurement. As for others it goes like this.
There is another hoarding atop a bus stop which reads: "Join the fight against heart disease. Just adjacent to this hoarding are the pictures of political leaders of a party at the helm. Probably the ad suggests that the number of ailments in the state is directly proportionate to the existence of the leaders of this political party who have not only shaken their peace but given enough doses of misery to their daily acts of existence and commuting. So to fight the ailments that come from their existence we need to keep a united fight and see to it that they cease to exist post polls.
Another one here. The tour booking office has a signboard. "Don't trust brokers." Another reads: "One to two day package tour to Kodaikanal, Ooty, Bangalore and Chennai." Probably the number of customers who take the tour package and after reaching the final destination quite late in the night take a vow to never try them for the pain and suffering they have been subjected to for the amount they had to shell out and the less than desirable time they had on hand in search of prospective mates in each centres of surprise and slaves. As for brokers, the distrust by tour operators is due to their ability to provide the necessary backup for the services the travellers seek.
Amidst the trauma and tantrums of tour operators and food joints i discover a man in a book store adjacent to the town hall road scouting for space to pack himself for afternoon nap. Given the insurmountable number of books he was surrounded with it wasn't an insurmountable challenge for him to disappear in the book crowd as the food joints and tour operators had given him enough sleepless nights. As i terminate this process of writing in detail the miseries the aam janata face, the man adjacent to me is yelling at someone for the payments he failed to secure for the services he offered last year. This long time lag in seeking the payments he explains is on account of his large number of visits to the food joints and tour operators and the services he took and struggled with. In the midst of the mayhem that visited him he had failed to get his share of payments for the services he offered last year.
As for those seeking a united campaign against heart disease through ad hoardings the piece of advice would be to place them at vantage points of city so that the rising and not disappearing awareness against politicos, tour operators and food jointwallahs reach a peak not seen before. As for those suffering from ailments not linked to these tribe, the best course would be to skip the city grind and disappear to a place where no one can keep a tab on. But that looks highly unlikely as each act of appearance and disappearance is being recorded by unvisible forces which you discover only after you have left the place.
THe food joints have been enticing customers for ages given their inability to get a full crowd in peak hours. To keep realising their target, which they keep revising hour after hour, they keep some members of the staff at the entrance who not only keep a vigil on those who visit their joints but also entice the pedestrian traffic to try their joints. So that is one way of allurement. As for others it goes like this.
There is another hoarding atop a bus stop which reads: "Join the fight against heart disease. Just adjacent to this hoarding are the pictures of political leaders of a party at the helm. Probably the ad suggests that the number of ailments in the state is directly proportionate to the existence of the leaders of this political party who have not only shaken their peace but given enough doses of misery to their daily acts of existence and commuting. So to fight the ailments that come from their existence we need to keep a united fight and see to it that they cease to exist post polls.
Another one here. The tour booking office has a signboard. "Don't trust brokers." Another reads: "One to two day package tour to Kodaikanal, Ooty, Bangalore and Chennai." Probably the number of customers who take the tour package and after reaching the final destination quite late in the night take a vow to never try them for the pain and suffering they have been subjected to for the amount they had to shell out and the less than desirable time they had on hand in search of prospective mates in each centres of surprise and slaves. As for brokers, the distrust by tour operators is due to their ability to provide the necessary backup for the services the travellers seek.
Amidst the trauma and tantrums of tour operators and food joints i discover a man in a book store adjacent to the town hall road scouting for space to pack himself for afternoon nap. Given the insurmountable number of books he was surrounded with it wasn't an insurmountable challenge for him to disappear in the book crowd as the food joints and tour operators had given him enough sleepless nights. As i terminate this process of writing in detail the miseries the aam janata face, the man adjacent to me is yelling at someone for the payments he failed to secure for the services he offered last year. This long time lag in seeking the payments he explains is on account of his large number of visits to the food joints and tour operators and the services he took and struggled with. In the midst of the mayhem that visited him he had failed to get his share of payments for the services he offered last year.
As for those seeking a united campaign against heart disease through ad hoardings the piece of advice would be to place them at vantage points of city so that the rising and not disappearing awareness against politicos, tour operators and food jointwallahs reach a peak not seen before. As for those suffering from ailments not linked to these tribe, the best course would be to skip the city grind and disappear to a place where no one can keep a tab on. But that looks highly unlikely as each act of appearance and disappearance is being recorded by unvisible forces which you discover only after you have left the place.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Of active runways and cell usage by Puneet Rajhans
Of active runways and cell usage by Puneet Rajhans
Reports suggest that the Civil Aviation Regulatory body has cleared the use of cell when the aircraft has landed and cleared the active runway. It wants to relieve the passengers of the stress they are subjected to when they are deprived of the cell usage depending on the amount of hours the flight takes to reach the destination . The new order spells out that once the active runway is cleared you can use the cell. Probably the time taken after having cleared the active runway and reaching the stationary position is four to seven minutes - and this is a much-needed breather considering the sensitivity of countrymen to stay rooted to their loved ones in office, home, parks and parking lot (the identity of the latter two never gets revealed to the outside world).
What are the shape of activities that the cell usage would have led to for the duration it has been banned. Probably the airborne duration which effectively means is the period lost in transition which most of the countrymen believe their compatriots/bosses could have taken care of. The activities lost out on are as follows.
- the need to keep a tab on the loved ones and the areas they have infiltrated that they were prohibited from.
- the need to keep bosses informed that wheels of company file are moving fast as much more than anticipated crowd in the govt departments have been obliged with.
- the need to tell the grown up kids torn between love and lust that love blossoms when college happens. The school stuff should be confined to exchange of cards and greetings.
- the need to send reminders to sons and daughters (including step and half ones) that distress sale of the property won't happen in his/her lifetime even though they are past 50s.
And finally for the political party hopping neta the need to tell the party workers and aam janata that he along with other party colleagues are bringing pressure on the telecomwallahs to provide one cell talktime free of cost for the next two years if one has cell connection from the same operator.
THe regulatory body lifted the ban following the govt pressure which believed that any more continuance of the blanket ban on cell would have led the public to back out on issues close to the govt heart. Which are these issues could be better understood once govt starts lifting the blanket ban on areas and activities (prohibited so far)in the near future. Any wild guess would do given the govt's desire to give more freedom and space to a crowd that is looking for private space for a string of activities that are strictly private.
The govt's logic on going slow on the ban is due to various factors. First, for recovering tax dues that run into millions and millions and restoring public order through erection of toll plazas on all designated highways the effort would have gone kaput had the public said a BIG NO. When the govt declares with certainty that it would have a record tax collection in a financial year it is done with the understanding that all big and small companies in big and small sectors, aam janata and all those who have continuously reposed faith in tax havens would partially comply with the tax policies of the govt. A unison stand by this lot could well erase the chances of the govt to see its agenda through and turn the regime to history.
So with the ban having been relaxed the govt wants the public to speak more on issues of their personal comfort and discomfort to their loved ones as most of the conversations on flight are on the probability of the govt being thrown and replaced by a friendly one. So for giving the best platform for people to air their personal grievances concerning their personal lives it has been discovered that cell is the best form of exchange. For professional grievances, the cell usage is allowed for a limited duration - given the nature of colleagues and unidentified elements to keep a tab on you - as the govt intends to set up a separate ministry that would address the grievances and its bloating nature in the right earnest.
As for airborne passengers it has been decided to apprise them with the policies of the govts, state and centre, with the literature to be distributed to them on board. The literature would be on states from where the flight would pass through. This would be free of cost and adjusted in the air tariff.
Reports suggest that the Civil Aviation Regulatory body has cleared the use of cell when the aircraft has landed and cleared the active runway. It wants to relieve the passengers of the stress they are subjected to when they are deprived of the cell usage depending on the amount of hours the flight takes to reach the destination . The new order spells out that once the active runway is cleared you can use the cell. Probably the time taken after having cleared the active runway and reaching the stationary position is four to seven minutes - and this is a much-needed breather considering the sensitivity of countrymen to stay rooted to their loved ones in office, home, parks and parking lot (the identity of the latter two never gets revealed to the outside world).
What are the shape of activities that the cell usage would have led to for the duration it has been banned. Probably the airborne duration which effectively means is the period lost in transition which most of the countrymen believe their compatriots/bosses could have taken care of. The activities lost out on are as follows.
- the need to keep a tab on the loved ones and the areas they have infiltrated that they were prohibited from.
- the need to keep bosses informed that wheels of company file are moving fast as much more than anticipated crowd in the govt departments have been obliged with.
- the need to tell the grown up kids torn between love and lust that love blossoms when college happens. The school stuff should be confined to exchange of cards and greetings.
- the need to send reminders to sons and daughters (including step and half ones) that distress sale of the property won't happen in his/her lifetime even though they are past 50s.
And finally for the political party hopping neta the need to tell the party workers and aam janata that he along with other party colleagues are bringing pressure on the telecomwallahs to provide one cell talktime free of cost for the next two years if one has cell connection from the same operator.
THe regulatory body lifted the ban following the govt pressure which believed that any more continuance of the blanket ban on cell would have led the public to back out on issues close to the govt heart. Which are these issues could be better understood once govt starts lifting the blanket ban on areas and activities (prohibited so far)in the near future. Any wild guess would do given the govt's desire to give more freedom and space to a crowd that is looking for private space for a string of activities that are strictly private.
The govt's logic on going slow on the ban is due to various factors. First, for recovering tax dues that run into millions and millions and restoring public order through erection of toll plazas on all designated highways the effort would have gone kaput had the public said a BIG NO. When the govt declares with certainty that it would have a record tax collection in a financial year it is done with the understanding that all big and small companies in big and small sectors, aam janata and all those who have continuously reposed faith in tax havens would partially comply with the tax policies of the govt. A unison stand by this lot could well erase the chances of the govt to see its agenda through and turn the regime to history.
So with the ban having been relaxed the govt wants the public to speak more on issues of their personal comfort and discomfort to their loved ones as most of the conversations on flight are on the probability of the govt being thrown and replaced by a friendly one. So for giving the best platform for people to air their personal grievances concerning their personal lives it has been discovered that cell is the best form of exchange. For professional grievances, the cell usage is allowed for a limited duration - given the nature of colleagues and unidentified elements to keep a tab on you - as the govt intends to set up a separate ministry that would address the grievances and its bloating nature in the right earnest.
As for airborne passengers it has been decided to apprise them with the policies of the govts, state and centre, with the literature to be distributed to them on board. The literature would be on states from where the flight would pass through. This would be free of cost and adjusted in the air tariff.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Punishing schedule and freedom by Puneet Rajhans
As i board the bus from RMM bus stand, the first gaze shifts towards the boy sitting across the aisle. Even before he boarded the bus at the bus depot he was on the cell and half an hour later when the public transport was on the highway he was hooked to the cell.
There is another person too on the cell but his conversation points are brief and to the point. Probably he is telling the punters the number of passengers that the bus would be left with once it reaches Madurai. Probably this is one of the rare state expressway buses which has the temerity to turn to a local ferrying transport as it halts at every spot it spots a prospective passenger. His conversation with the punter off and on doesn't have much prospect and i turn to the one who is touching base with Appa, Amma and Anna at regular intervals for the past one hour.
The bus has gone past Mandampam, Pamban Bridge and Ramnad and his conversation with the three haven't shrinked a bit. It was the call from Appa, Amma and Anna to his office that made them give a call to him and ascertain his whereabouts. The cell conversation seems to be a prized possession for him as he is explaining in detail his employment status. The office guys told his parents that he has ceased to exist for them and his whereabouts can be ascertained by seeking a cell talk. When they inform him that he has ceased to exist for his office, he exults and elaborates his future schedule given the punishing schedule he was subjected to when he was on their rolls. Though he left the office before afternoon had set in with a veil warning that his conduct has been giving them sleepless nights but the officewallahs never cared to share with him the good news that he is history for them. The concerned members wanted to hear his side of the story. This was the umpteenth occasion when he had been dislocated from his job and not the last one.
The punishing schedule that he went through led to his travelling to far away destinations every other week to make presentations and projections about his company to the clients. Once at the new centre he rarely moved out of the hotel room asking the clients to come over to his place for presentation. Most of the clients acceded to his request given the swift presentations he made. As for the company which was about to secure a big order worth millions and by purview of which it could sustain itself for the next five years, he had been strictly told that this business was important for them. On the agreed day and just before the meeting was to begin he again expressed his inability to move out of the hotel room and suggested the clients to visit him. Unable to decide, they finally agreed to his request only to realise later that the road they were supposed to take had closed for some political agitation. The search for other roads that led to his hotel wasn't successful as he hadn't based himself in the heart of the city but a good 40kms away. The protestation from them to his bosses in Hyderabad and their turning the guns on him didn't make him alter his plans and as a result the company failed to secure a business that would been a windfall given the recessionary trends in the industry.
Later his visit to the office and secure reimbursements for conveyance and daily allowance was met with strict resistance given his inability to fudge bills following the booze he drowned with. Though he hadn't stepped outside for three days he stayed there, he was seeking reimbursements for the conveyance and daily allowance that he was entitled for. Precisely with the entitled conveyance and daily allowance he wanted to settle the liquor claims the hotel had posted on him. Though he didn't fudge the bills but he wanted a clean and clear settlement of his liquor bills lest he would have to procure a loan from someone with whom he had shared few drinks some day. The search in the office had come to a naught and probably the places on the national highway would get him the desired company. And he told Appa, Amma and Anna that his inordinate delay in completely fudging the bills led to his exit - and now he was seeking a new highway where he could settle with the bottle of his choice. In between the conversations, he made queries about a new tipsy adda that would have come on the way to his destination. None to spot he decided to terminate his cell conversation - this is a routine staff where he is uprooted from the company for his clear conscience to not fudge bills and not step out of the hotel room as intimidatory threats keep him close to the bottle of his choice - as the concerned members at home seeking elaborate explanation from him was the least he wanted to entertain given the new freedom he had won for himself.
Secured with the belief that Ramanathapuram would surely have the place to rewind and search for companies that send their staff for outstation assignments, his cell was the most prized possession as he could tell the prospective employers that his voice isn't clear (when he is down with a peg or two) as there is some network problem - and given the landline instruments ability to provide voice clarity round the clock he shudders to come in proximity to them. As for the drinking schedule, liquor consumption is the bare minimum in the first fortnight of his joining the work place and once his outstation travelling plans are put in place he attempts to lessen the burden by going full throttle. As for the other gentleman off and on the cell with the punters he has shifted to a new mode. Quite alive to the proceedings of the man who lost job and gained freedom, he too goes full throttle when Madurai approached. And the figures he bet on were way off the mark as the number of passengers boarding for the halt in Madurai had bloated beyond imagination as the rally of a political party had launched a Final Madurai Assault. Precisely all buses had been told to load as many people as they could for a rally that could mar the chances of punters as well as political opponents.
As for the remaining passengers who proceeded towards Chennai, the sight of others hooked to a cell was not hard to locate; the only difference being they had shelved their plans to take up any office assignment in future given the freebies that are distributed at a political party rally and the inducements that are on table to mark your presence for such golden moments. As the bus progressed towards Chennai most of them had taken a vow on cell to dump their jobs and align with the political class to feel the pulse of the nation. As for landline instrumentwallahs, they were checking with the railway men on strike and stir agenda on how many special trains have been planned in the state of West Bengal in the season of assembly polls. Probably that would clear the way for those scouting for food and freebies - and for the likes of Appa,Amma and Anna favourite to have as much bottle as they desire with none to haul them for the booze they took and the babes they befriended and dumped.
There is another person too on the cell but his conversation points are brief and to the point. Probably he is telling the punters the number of passengers that the bus would be left with once it reaches Madurai. Probably this is one of the rare state expressway buses which has the temerity to turn to a local ferrying transport as it halts at every spot it spots a prospective passenger. His conversation with the punter off and on doesn't have much prospect and i turn to the one who is touching base with Appa, Amma and Anna at regular intervals for the past one hour.
The bus has gone past Mandampam, Pamban Bridge and Ramnad and his conversation with the three haven't shrinked a bit. It was the call from Appa, Amma and Anna to his office that made them give a call to him and ascertain his whereabouts. The cell conversation seems to be a prized possession for him as he is explaining in detail his employment status. The office guys told his parents that he has ceased to exist for them and his whereabouts can be ascertained by seeking a cell talk. When they inform him that he has ceased to exist for his office, he exults and elaborates his future schedule given the punishing schedule he was subjected to when he was on their rolls. Though he left the office before afternoon had set in with a veil warning that his conduct has been giving them sleepless nights but the officewallahs never cared to share with him the good news that he is history for them. The concerned members wanted to hear his side of the story. This was the umpteenth occasion when he had been dislocated from his job and not the last one.
The punishing schedule that he went through led to his travelling to far away destinations every other week to make presentations and projections about his company to the clients. Once at the new centre he rarely moved out of the hotel room asking the clients to come over to his place for presentation. Most of the clients acceded to his request given the swift presentations he made. As for the company which was about to secure a big order worth millions and by purview of which it could sustain itself for the next five years, he had been strictly told that this business was important for them. On the agreed day and just before the meeting was to begin he again expressed his inability to move out of the hotel room and suggested the clients to visit him. Unable to decide, they finally agreed to his request only to realise later that the road they were supposed to take had closed for some political agitation. The search for other roads that led to his hotel wasn't successful as he hadn't based himself in the heart of the city but a good 40kms away. The protestation from them to his bosses in Hyderabad and their turning the guns on him didn't make him alter his plans and as a result the company failed to secure a business that would been a windfall given the recessionary trends in the industry.
Later his visit to the office and secure reimbursements for conveyance and daily allowance was met with strict resistance given his inability to fudge bills following the booze he drowned with. Though he hadn't stepped outside for three days he stayed there, he was seeking reimbursements for the conveyance and daily allowance that he was entitled for. Precisely with the entitled conveyance and daily allowance he wanted to settle the liquor claims the hotel had posted on him. Though he didn't fudge the bills but he wanted a clean and clear settlement of his liquor bills lest he would have to procure a loan from someone with whom he had shared few drinks some day. The search in the office had come to a naught and probably the places on the national highway would get him the desired company. And he told Appa, Amma and Anna that his inordinate delay in completely fudging the bills led to his exit - and now he was seeking a new highway where he could settle with the bottle of his choice. In between the conversations, he made queries about a new tipsy adda that would have come on the way to his destination. None to spot he decided to terminate his cell conversation - this is a routine staff where he is uprooted from the company for his clear conscience to not fudge bills and not step out of the hotel room as intimidatory threats keep him close to the bottle of his choice - as the concerned members at home seeking elaborate explanation from him was the least he wanted to entertain given the new freedom he had won for himself.
Secured with the belief that Ramanathapuram would surely have the place to rewind and search for companies that send their staff for outstation assignments, his cell was the most prized possession as he could tell the prospective employers that his voice isn't clear (when he is down with a peg or two) as there is some network problem - and given the landline instruments ability to provide voice clarity round the clock he shudders to come in proximity to them. As for the drinking schedule, liquor consumption is the bare minimum in the first fortnight of his joining the work place and once his outstation travelling plans are put in place he attempts to lessen the burden by going full throttle. As for the other gentleman off and on the cell with the punters he has shifted to a new mode. Quite alive to the proceedings of the man who lost job and gained freedom, he too goes full throttle when Madurai approached. And the figures he bet on were way off the mark as the number of passengers boarding for the halt in Madurai had bloated beyond imagination as the rally of a political party had launched a Final Madurai Assault. Precisely all buses had been told to load as many people as they could for a rally that could mar the chances of punters as well as political opponents.
As for the remaining passengers who proceeded towards Chennai, the sight of others hooked to a cell was not hard to locate; the only difference being they had shelved their plans to take up any office assignment in future given the freebies that are distributed at a political party rally and the inducements that are on table to mark your presence for such golden moments. As the bus progressed towards Chennai most of them had taken a vow on cell to dump their jobs and align with the political class to feel the pulse of the nation. As for landline instrumentwallahs, they were checking with the railway men on strike and stir agenda on how many special trains have been planned in the state of West Bengal in the season of assembly polls. Probably that would clear the way for those scouting for food and freebies - and for the likes of Appa,Amma and Anna favourite to have as much bottle as they desire with none to haul them for the booze they took and the babes they befriended and dumped.
Of Raja and Queen
At the Ethancaud junction in the vicinity of Kanniyakumari the people are told to make way for the CM's convoy that would be hitting the roads at an opportune moment. At breakneck speed the vehicles prior to his convoy move. Since the waiting time is too long, there is a guy on a cell giving up-to-date information on the reasons for being stranded and when he would gain freedom. The information that he is dispensing with also includes on the shapes and sizes of vehicles that have been set aside and who all have been allowed to proceed. He is also trying to inform his bosses on his probable time to reach office is probably linked with the probability of CM's convoy to pass at a probable time.
Cops on walkie takie and cell at alternate hours can't figure out when the CM would make a grand appearance. When his convoy finally makes an appearance it is a good one-and-a-half hour after the first vehicle was flagged to stop and stray to a side. After the rally got over the CM was quite pleased with the outcome and outpouring of affection of the masses and perhaps brooding over the next opportunity when he could have a grand rally giving one platform to his extended family to share.
At the dinner table some days later, the family members join in to suggest him what all he could have achieved and accomplished at the rally had he stayed to the script agreed upon. Stalin first to step in: "Pa, you could have announced my ascension to the throne. Kanimozhi later: "Pa, you could have announced my induction into the Manmohan Singh Cabinet as Civil Aviation Minister. I have a strong desire to open up a series of airports in the state to be named after you and other members of my extended family."
Raja the last to be heard and counted: "Sir, all the revenue models in the Telecom Ministry have been exhausted. I need to move to Finance given the networking it engages.
CM to Raja: " The Rural Development Ministry is set to get a sizeable allocation in the next budget. You should set your sights on this sizeable opportunity that would come your way.
To Stalin: "Your ascension to the throne is linked to the support you can engineer from the Cong, given the fact that they would perform handsomely in the next assembly polls which by all indications suggest we would have less seats to occupy in the House. Once they agree i would have no issues. Later when Raja had left, Karuna told Kanimozhi that her induction in the Central Cabinet is unlikely as long as Raja is at the helm.
Moments later Karuna received a call from Alagiri based in Madurai. Though Alagiri didn't attend the rally at Nagercoil but he made his representative read the content of his address. "Once Pa steps down the unilateral and unequivocal decision would be that i would take over where Karuna left. I would be spearheading the agitation and assimilation of thoughts towards the occupation of Chair."
Having made his stand crystal clear, Alagiri wanted Pa to do the honours as far as opening of a departmental store in Madurai is concerned.
Quite agitated at Alagiri's direction the father fumed: "What is this i am supposed to do ? To inaugurate a departmental store? Few minutes later Karuna received a call from Manmohan Singh. The PM sidesteps the celebration issue and tells him point blank that he has dropped A Raja from his Cabinet as he has been found prima facie guilty of tapping the phone conversation between him and Obama. Quite devastated, Karuna takes this blow in his stride. Some moments later there is another call for Karuna. This time round it is Obama from Washington. Karuna declines to take the call citing his inability to take the second blow given the vast time difference between the two places.
With Raja gone it is time for Queen to step in. He tells Kanimozhi that she would be inducted into the Manmohan Singh Cabinet. "What about the portfolio?" To this Karuna said that it would be decided after he has spoken to Obama and retires for the day. Probably the DMK patriarch has to keep Obama in good humour given the Raja's straying agenda that has spoilt the family ties between the first political family of Tamil Nadu and the first political family of United States.
Cops on walkie takie and cell at alternate hours can't figure out when the CM would make a grand appearance. When his convoy finally makes an appearance it is a good one-and-a-half hour after the first vehicle was flagged to stop and stray to a side. After the rally got over the CM was quite pleased with the outcome and outpouring of affection of the masses and perhaps brooding over the next opportunity when he could have a grand rally giving one platform to his extended family to share.
At the dinner table some days later, the family members join in to suggest him what all he could have achieved and accomplished at the rally had he stayed to the script agreed upon. Stalin first to step in: "Pa, you could have announced my ascension to the throne. Kanimozhi later: "Pa, you could have announced my induction into the Manmohan Singh Cabinet as Civil Aviation Minister. I have a strong desire to open up a series of airports in the state to be named after you and other members of my extended family."
Raja the last to be heard and counted: "Sir, all the revenue models in the Telecom Ministry have been exhausted. I need to move to Finance given the networking it engages.
CM to Raja: " The Rural Development Ministry is set to get a sizeable allocation in the next budget. You should set your sights on this sizeable opportunity that would come your way.
To Stalin: "Your ascension to the throne is linked to the support you can engineer from the Cong, given the fact that they would perform handsomely in the next assembly polls which by all indications suggest we would have less seats to occupy in the House. Once they agree i would have no issues. Later when Raja had left, Karuna told Kanimozhi that her induction in the Central Cabinet is unlikely as long as Raja is at the helm.
Moments later Karuna received a call from Alagiri based in Madurai. Though Alagiri didn't attend the rally at Nagercoil but he made his representative read the content of his address. "Once Pa steps down the unilateral and unequivocal decision would be that i would take over where Karuna left. I would be spearheading the agitation and assimilation of thoughts towards the occupation of Chair."
Having made his stand crystal clear, Alagiri wanted Pa to do the honours as far as opening of a departmental store in Madurai is concerned.
Quite agitated at Alagiri's direction the father fumed: "What is this i am supposed to do ? To inaugurate a departmental store? Few minutes later Karuna received a call from Manmohan Singh. The PM sidesteps the celebration issue and tells him point blank that he has dropped A Raja from his Cabinet as he has been found prima facie guilty of tapping the phone conversation between him and Obama. Quite devastated, Karuna takes this blow in his stride. Some moments later there is another call for Karuna. This time round it is Obama from Washington. Karuna declines to take the call citing his inability to take the second blow given the vast time difference between the two places.
With Raja gone it is time for Queen to step in. He tells Kanimozhi that she would be inducted into the Manmohan Singh Cabinet. "What about the portfolio?" To this Karuna said that it would be decided after he has spoken to Obama and retires for the day. Probably the DMK patriarch has to keep Obama in good humour given the Raja's straying agenda that has spoilt the family ties between the first political family of Tamil Nadu and the first political family of United States.
Foul mood and scratching surface
Foul mood and scratching surface
The stare of the bus driver in Kanchipuram was enough for me to shift to another mode of transport. Though i was supposed to travel 120-odd kms where i had to change to another mode which would take me to the Seven Hills, the man at the wheels wanted a full realisation of the machine he was to ply for the next three-and-a-half hours. Barred from taking passengers on roof of the bus - the government order has been revised recently - he wanted three passengers to be comfortable enough in the two seats they occupied; the bonnet and the aisle was meant for them and the luggage if by chance had taken the aisle space the men and women could trample on with ease. Perhaps his discomfort with my luggage and the space it would occupy made me revise my schedule and opinion on my departure from Kanchipuram.
What plays on the mind of tailors in another temple town was no different. Having paced up and down the streets of the temple town and the undeniable physical movements leading to a situation where pants had to be stitched come what may, none of the tailors were willing to do the stitching part. THe morning hours were meant for taking big orders and when long nights had set in the alteration could be tried when most of the staff and the master were back to the boozing schedule. Though the dilemma i was battling with was finally resolved with a street settled tailor willing to do it for a meagre amount, the xerox beginning at 30 paise and revising upwards and browsing beginning at Rs 5 for 10 minutes brought the necessity to have change at all times. Browsing is a big necessity here as every street and lane has quite a handful of them. What they browse and for what end is not known but what has been discovered is that post browsing session a majority of them disappear to undisclosed locations only to step out after a while.
As one comes across a huge line outside the SBI ATM in Kanchipuram there are four other ATMs in one row. As Rajni's flick has opened in a theatre adjacent to these ATMs the flick's refusal to disappear after having run for over three weeks shows the agenda behind the positioning of these ATMs. They not only want a large chunk to try the every movie the theatre runs but also go for saloon-cum-net sessions which are all in the vicinity. For one with long temple schedule these ATMs too come handy. If handsome returns was what the bus driver was looking for which made me abandon the bus in Kanchipuram, the new one i took had no surprise element for the first one hour. Though packed to capacity i had managed to secure a seat and space for my luggage.
Given the capacity it was carrying i knew time had come for the unexpected. A tipsy man hooked to a cell took the bus. He was blasting someone left right and centre. He blasted the conductor for not offering him the seat knowing pretty well that liquor was the only liquid he had taken in the past 24 hours. The driver offered him to sit on the bonnet. Once seated the mayhem began. The ladies took offence to the wild movement of his body and the standing passengers rebuked him for not bringing stability to his sitting posture. In between the reprimand from the driver too failed to control his wild movements. For the driver when it became an insurmountable challenge to drive, he literally dived into the bonnet from a vantage spot and landed untamed blows on him and threw him out. Post departure of the tipsy man, the bus began to move only to be witnessed to the handy movements of a guy sitting in the bus.
The guy sitting next to me was doing all he could to the territory that privately belonged to him. No soon he finished the snacks, his fingers went into undies and do some scratching movements only to discover later that he had more food to take with the same fingers. The undue haste shown in getting the hands inside the undies time and again perhaps reflected the bath he hadn't taken for days and the food he took every time his hands were relieved from undeclared assault on his private territory showed his side of the multitasking he was born with. Perhaps his digging in his nose was the last of the forgotten multitasking acts which he completed swiftly following the final nod from the conductor. What was the nod for i could not make out. But later standing at the bus stand, he was told on the cell that he had more than half territory to cover. Perhaps a fair quantum of multitasking operations he was supposed to undertake in his onward journey with the cell filling the vacant spot.
As hazards of modern day travelling brings you face to face with those who scratch the territory that privately belongs to them, it also showcases the ulterior motives of those who can't stand the sight of a luggage that eats into their prospects of getting more on board as the revised govt order on banning travelling on roofs has made them (driver, conductor and their sponsors) skip meals and liquor for free at political rallies that come on the way.
The stare of the bus driver in Kanchipuram was enough for me to shift to another mode of transport. Though i was supposed to travel 120-odd kms where i had to change to another mode which would take me to the Seven Hills, the man at the wheels wanted a full realisation of the machine he was to ply for the next three-and-a-half hours. Barred from taking passengers on roof of the bus - the government order has been revised recently - he wanted three passengers to be comfortable enough in the two seats they occupied; the bonnet and the aisle was meant for them and the luggage if by chance had taken the aisle space the men and women could trample on with ease. Perhaps his discomfort with my luggage and the space it would occupy made me revise my schedule and opinion on my departure from Kanchipuram.
What plays on the mind of tailors in another temple town was no different. Having paced up and down the streets of the temple town and the undeniable physical movements leading to a situation where pants had to be stitched come what may, none of the tailors were willing to do the stitching part. THe morning hours were meant for taking big orders and when long nights had set in the alteration could be tried when most of the staff and the master were back to the boozing schedule. Though the dilemma i was battling with was finally resolved with a street settled tailor willing to do it for a meagre amount, the xerox beginning at 30 paise and revising upwards and browsing beginning at Rs 5 for 10 minutes brought the necessity to have change at all times. Browsing is a big necessity here as every street and lane has quite a handful of them. What they browse and for what end is not known but what has been discovered is that post browsing session a majority of them disappear to undisclosed locations only to step out after a while.
As one comes across a huge line outside the SBI ATM in Kanchipuram there are four other ATMs in one row. As Rajni's flick has opened in a theatre adjacent to these ATMs the flick's refusal to disappear after having run for over three weeks shows the agenda behind the positioning of these ATMs. They not only want a large chunk to try the every movie the theatre runs but also go for saloon-cum-net sessions which are all in the vicinity. For one with long temple schedule these ATMs too come handy. If handsome returns was what the bus driver was looking for which made me abandon the bus in Kanchipuram, the new one i took had no surprise element for the first one hour. Though packed to capacity i had managed to secure a seat and space for my luggage.
Given the capacity it was carrying i knew time had come for the unexpected. A tipsy man hooked to a cell took the bus. He was blasting someone left right and centre. He blasted the conductor for not offering him the seat knowing pretty well that liquor was the only liquid he had taken in the past 24 hours. The driver offered him to sit on the bonnet. Once seated the mayhem began. The ladies took offence to the wild movement of his body and the standing passengers rebuked him for not bringing stability to his sitting posture. In between the reprimand from the driver too failed to control his wild movements. For the driver when it became an insurmountable challenge to drive, he literally dived into the bonnet from a vantage spot and landed untamed blows on him and threw him out. Post departure of the tipsy man, the bus began to move only to be witnessed to the handy movements of a guy sitting in the bus.
The guy sitting next to me was doing all he could to the territory that privately belonged to him. No soon he finished the snacks, his fingers went into undies and do some scratching movements only to discover later that he had more food to take with the same fingers. The undue haste shown in getting the hands inside the undies time and again perhaps reflected the bath he hadn't taken for days and the food he took every time his hands were relieved from undeclared assault on his private territory showed his side of the multitasking he was born with. Perhaps his digging in his nose was the last of the forgotten multitasking acts which he completed swiftly following the final nod from the conductor. What was the nod for i could not make out. But later standing at the bus stand, he was told on the cell that he had more than half territory to cover. Perhaps a fair quantum of multitasking operations he was supposed to undertake in his onward journey with the cell filling the vacant spot.
As hazards of modern day travelling brings you face to face with those who scratch the territory that privately belongs to them, it also showcases the ulterior motives of those who can't stand the sight of a luggage that eats into their prospects of getting more on board as the revised govt order on banning travelling on roofs has made them (driver, conductor and their sponsors) skip meals and liquor for free at political rallies that come on the way.
Of disorientation and attendance at a political rally by Puneet Rajhans
Of disorientation and attendance at a political rally
It has been discovered with alarming regularity that post political rally most of the crowd looks to be somewhat disoriented and it takes time for them to get into the groove.Though they are prodded to reach the venue well before the appointed hour it is the political party supremo who takes his/her sweet time to reach the podium. As a result when the rally gets over, some are exhausted/excited enough to spend the next two to three days in the vicinity of the rally ground. Post three day outing they return to their homes with the belief that they would be called soon to mark their presence for another proportionate rally where food, lodging and transportation would be taken care of. And the probability increases as the poll season catches on.
What about the trainwallahs and how disfigured and dislocated they look. The reading of the train janata suggests that when they are about to deboard they look to be disheartened,dismembered and dislocated. As long as they are assured that the train would take two nights and three days to reach its destination, few bother to break their side of the story of the travails they went through when they were reporting for work or simply dozing off at their residence.
The long time spent inside the train makes them feel like Kings and Queens where they could hold anyone to ransom for the inadequate food they got and inadequate water they preserved for their post train battle at home and office. Brandishing the weapon of mass destruction (seeking restoration of consumer rights through complaint book)they blast everyone on the train for the services on offer. Once they are assured that their destination is about to come they turn to meek entities perhaps resigned to the fate where they would be blasted for incompetent reports they would share with their overpaid bosses and inhospitable welcome they would be showered with while reaching their place of stay. These 40 hrs of train journey probably keeps them miles away from the inhospitable climate they would be greeted once they reach their place of stay. The agony gets multiplied if the place they report for work and get paid has bosses and compatriots who are not only physically starved but comptetent enough to launch physical assault. In the shape of things that have been unfolding it has been discovered that a large number of politically inclined men and women whose tryst with politics has been next to nil have been spending long nights and days at these venues of political rally with the sole belief that things may change better for them. They look at these political party gathering as a prospective chance where the party stalwart could chance upon them and take them under their fold with the belief that sh/he is a prospective material for his party's prospects. So if you chance upon a large number of men and women leaving their place of residence/work and marking their attendance to different political rallies it is done with the firm belief that change is round the corner. After all who doesn't like to have free lodging and food in the times of distress we live in.
As for the Tatkal scheme of railways, it has precisely been drawn up with the belief that political rallies keep happenning round the year in different corners of the country and there is a big tribe disoriented by the happennings at their place who seek comfort and peace in these rallies. Tatkal ensures a speedy and safe passage to these destinations as well as meeting of minds where more than two and not less than hundred share their side of the story on the trials and tribulations of everyday living.
It has been discovered with alarming regularity that post political rally most of the crowd looks to be somewhat disoriented and it takes time for them to get into the groove.Though they are prodded to reach the venue well before the appointed hour it is the political party supremo who takes his/her sweet time to reach the podium. As a result when the rally gets over, some are exhausted/excited enough to spend the next two to three days in the vicinity of the rally ground. Post three day outing they return to their homes with the belief that they would be called soon to mark their presence for another proportionate rally where food, lodging and transportation would be taken care of. And the probability increases as the poll season catches on.
What about the trainwallahs and how disfigured and dislocated they look. The reading of the train janata suggests that when they are about to deboard they look to be disheartened,dismembered and dislocated. As long as they are assured that the train would take two nights and three days to reach its destination, few bother to break their side of the story of the travails they went through when they were reporting for work or simply dozing off at their residence.
The long time spent inside the train makes them feel like Kings and Queens where they could hold anyone to ransom for the inadequate food they got and inadequate water they preserved for their post train battle at home and office. Brandishing the weapon of mass destruction (seeking restoration of consumer rights through complaint book)they blast everyone on the train for the services on offer. Once they are assured that their destination is about to come they turn to meek entities perhaps resigned to the fate where they would be blasted for incompetent reports they would share with their overpaid bosses and inhospitable welcome they would be showered with while reaching their place of stay. These 40 hrs of train journey probably keeps them miles away from the inhospitable climate they would be greeted once they reach their place of stay. The agony gets multiplied if the place they report for work and get paid has bosses and compatriots who are not only physically starved but comptetent enough to launch physical assault. In the shape of things that have been unfolding it has been discovered that a large number of politically inclined men and women whose tryst with politics has been next to nil have been spending long nights and days at these venues of political rally with the sole belief that things may change better for them. They look at these political party gathering as a prospective chance where the party stalwart could chance upon them and take them under their fold with the belief that sh/he is a prospective material for his party's prospects. So if you chance upon a large number of men and women leaving their place of residence/work and marking their attendance to different political rallies it is done with the firm belief that change is round the corner. After all who doesn't like to have free lodging and food in the times of distress we live in.
As for the Tatkal scheme of railways, it has precisely been drawn up with the belief that political rallies keep happenning round the year in different corners of the country and there is a big tribe disoriented by the happennings at their place who seek comfort and peace in these rallies. Tatkal ensures a speedy and safe passage to these destinations as well as meeting of minds where more than two and not less than hundred share their side of the story on the trials and tribulations of everyday living.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Of Airborne and frank assessments
The one manning the ATM centre has dozed off when the unrelenting Sun won't do a disappearing act for a long time. My protest at his temerity to doze off when the goons could well blast their way to the money swindled machine (MSM)leads to a strong verbal protest from him. "This is sleeping time, " and with nothing more to protest i move on. That was a day after the goons who were incapacitated enough to even fiddle here and there following the flags they had to foist and the salaam they had to throw at the uncounted number of Must Visit Personalities of Nagercoil.
They threw a lot of protest here and there when the streets had not been cleared enough for them to move with their unaccounted cash. Some cash they deposited at the ATM and some they flung at the public that was desperate enough to halt their unaccounted cash movement.Today, the ATM centre had another man. Probably the security guard the pprevious day would have been lifted by the MVPs realising that he had got wind of their operations. The cash stashed in the ATMs in and around ran into millions and those who dared to fill the coffers had their vists that ran into three digits. He would have been airborne by the time the news trickled in that the man at the machine had vanished to a unnamed location. This location we would never get to know for a long time but we are sure of the location where the BIG GAMES are destined to happen.
A bridge that was supposed to provide the seamless connectivity to JLN centre has given in to the pressure tactics and procastination schedules of the powers-that-be. The firm having been blacklisted with their personnel facing prospects of being beaten black and blue, the Michael Fennel letter to the Government leaves much to be desired. He is seeking answers at a time when the written tests are well and over and the time is ripe enough to hold practicals. He is at fault. He should have been shooting letters precisely from Oct 3, 2009, when the Games were truly 365 days away.
Just 10 days left and he seeks written explanation on the bridges to be completed, the meals to be served, the centres from where coupons for free meals could be procured and other such nuggets. The exacting standards he and his colleagues are seeking is leaving the overworked and underpaid government departments (overtime has not been paid for the past six months)in excruciating pain. The sanitation standards that they want to be established is a debate that could well continue post Games. The open spaces to relieve is a revelation of sorts for them. Perhaps they want the shame to be swept aside by erecting tents at every 50 metres to the venue where any guy of any shape size and colour could relieve himself to have realised the decade-old dream of being in the vicinity of the Games though he could not make it to the venue as passes were few and the gaining a foothold inside he hardly knew.
As for Hooper and Fennel they need to cut down on hype and saddle with enough phenyl to bring a clarity in sanitation procedures. To cut the intensity of the looming loo crisis, they have started issuing passes to all and sundry whereby they could visit the loos earmarked for these CWG officials and provide an honest assessment of the entire loo and its surroundings. As for other frank assessments, the guys and babes from New Zealand, Canada and Australia have descended on the Capital with the will to try Hooper-cum-Fennel loos and bring out the hidden facts before the aam janata. As for those who first threatened to call off the Games and then disappered into these not counted loos, they probably don't realise the unaccounted amount that has been dispensed to procure the lathis (wooden sticks). These lathis could well dispatch the threat-wielding officials to a loo where none have dared to visit before. And it was precisely this threat that made Fennel to develop a fetish for the media with the brief that post Games India stood a solid (solid waste) chance of hosting another Games that no one had seen or heard before. Probably the WAR GAMES that India would be preoccupied with the man from Australia who thundered that in the first place the Games shouldn't have gone to India. It should have gone to Pakistan.
They threw a lot of protest here and there when the streets had not been cleared enough for them to move with their unaccounted cash. Some cash they deposited at the ATM and some they flung at the public that was desperate enough to halt their unaccounted cash movement.Today, the ATM centre had another man. Probably the security guard the pprevious day would have been lifted by the MVPs realising that he had got wind of their operations. The cash stashed in the ATMs in and around ran into millions and those who dared to fill the coffers had their vists that ran into three digits. He would have been airborne by the time the news trickled in that the man at the machine had vanished to a unnamed location. This location we would never get to know for a long time but we are sure of the location where the BIG GAMES are destined to happen.
A bridge that was supposed to provide the seamless connectivity to JLN centre has given in to the pressure tactics and procastination schedules of the powers-that-be. The firm having been blacklisted with their personnel facing prospects of being beaten black and blue, the Michael Fennel letter to the Government leaves much to be desired. He is seeking answers at a time when the written tests are well and over and the time is ripe enough to hold practicals. He is at fault. He should have been shooting letters precisely from Oct 3, 2009, when the Games were truly 365 days away.
Just 10 days left and he seeks written explanation on the bridges to be completed, the meals to be served, the centres from where coupons for free meals could be procured and other such nuggets. The exacting standards he and his colleagues are seeking is leaving the overworked and underpaid government departments (overtime has not been paid for the past six months)in excruciating pain. The sanitation standards that they want to be established is a debate that could well continue post Games. The open spaces to relieve is a revelation of sorts for them. Perhaps they want the shame to be swept aside by erecting tents at every 50 metres to the venue where any guy of any shape size and colour could relieve himself to have realised the decade-old dream of being in the vicinity of the Games though he could not make it to the venue as passes were few and the gaining a foothold inside he hardly knew.
As for Hooper and Fennel they need to cut down on hype and saddle with enough phenyl to bring a clarity in sanitation procedures. To cut the intensity of the looming loo crisis, they have started issuing passes to all and sundry whereby they could visit the loos earmarked for these CWG officials and provide an honest assessment of the entire loo and its surroundings. As for other frank assessments, the guys and babes from New Zealand, Canada and Australia have descended on the Capital with the will to try Hooper-cum-Fennel loos and bring out the hidden facts before the aam janata. As for those who first threatened to call off the Games and then disappered into these not counted loos, they probably don't realise the unaccounted amount that has been dispensed to procure the lathis (wooden sticks). These lathis could well dispatch the threat-wielding officials to a loo where none have dared to visit before. And it was precisely this threat that made Fennel to develop a fetish for the media with the brief that post Games India stood a solid (solid waste) chance of hosting another Games that no one had seen or heard before. Probably the WAR GAMES that India would be preoccupied with the man from Australia who thundered that in the first place the Games shouldn't have gone to India. It should have gone to Pakistan.
Blessed to be in RMM
Blessed to be in Rameswaram
The approach to famed Rameswaram is not cluttered. THough roads not wide given the choc-a-bloc stores of all shapes sizes and status on either side but enough to ensure movement with seamless ease. THe traffic movement is minimal the entire day; the pedestrian movement even less. Most movements are of school/college students and those hitting the Madurai trail for replenishing the inventory. Sudh Shakahari Bhojanalaya (food paradise) are dotting the nook and corner of temple town followed by hotels, small and medium make. If that doesn't complete the picture, there are innumerable dharamshalas and others owing allegiance to different mutts, essentially broadening the accommodation availability.
The temple town has a face of its own not necessarily mirroring the sentiments of big centres. Cash would do but with limits. The best reflection when you face an old man or a young lady and the opportunity and the urge to keep clarity in thoughts and mind. No amount of greed would suffice you as no amount of pain and toil would go unnoticed. Most of the day to day accessories can be accessed from stores in vicinity of your house.
With strong historical imprints tracing to the Ramayana period, the temple's template speaks essentially of the spiritual growth that one would be endowed with. The comforting thought being that Lord Shiva's (Ramanatha Swamy)disciples have ample time to stay in the complex , say a prayer or two to the Lord and besiege themselves with thoughts of the all-pervasive power in one of the large identified corners of its precincts. The wide swathes of the temple complex seems to bestow you with a new hymn in the praise of the Lord and how this unshackled link is up and running despite the onslaugths we face in our day to day life. Not being the peak season, the seasonal rush of the masses is missing and providing on a platter the urgency to visit the sanctum sanctorum more than once in a day. You are conferred with the belief that the sighting of the Jyotirlingam was more than what you desired for flanked by the confidence that seeps into your shape of thinking.
When the arduous journey of 16 hrs and counting looked to be one imponderable from which you couldn't free yourself easily, you just had to acknowledge the vehicle driver's efforts in making it to the destination. Well, there weren't many toll centres the Chennai-Madurai route had but the 170 km-long haul was something to bring discrepancy to your thought process. Having reached the designated spot, the worry index seems to shed a point or two with the focus reverting to the age-old issue of accommodation. Some thwart your chances by indulging in doublespeak. But hope was in sight as one mutt was kind enough to accommodate you and your baggage.
The RMM has a charm of its own and the charmed circles have a direct/indirect association with the reigning Lord, most of them being disciples. THe bus fare begins at Rs 2 and the most of the commute can be completed in that range. The tea-enriched moments can be secured for Rs 5 (plastic cups) and the Sun's outing isn't intimidating enough to get your umbrellas out or to quench your thirst you need to settle for umpteenth bottles of water and soft drinks. The thirst is there; it is the thirst to seek oneness with the reigning Lord; to seek compatibility and commitment to the Lord by being good and considerate to others.
With no expectations tailing,you are settled with a life that has been good and gifted one. It's an opportune moment as this spiritual bred centre gives your life a new coating; one to count your blessings and aspire for few and less. But to aspire for none would be placing yourself on a pedestal equivalent to the Lord. Nigh impossible given the undeclared undercurrents we flow with now and then. Hadn't cared to flock to other marvels of the temple town as the temple trajectory/pursuit itself was strong enough to leave you spellbound for long.
The approach to famed Rameswaram is not cluttered. THough roads not wide given the choc-a-bloc stores of all shapes sizes and status on either side but enough to ensure movement with seamless ease. THe traffic movement is minimal the entire day; the pedestrian movement even less. Most movements are of school/college students and those hitting the Madurai trail for replenishing the inventory. Sudh Shakahari Bhojanalaya (food paradise) are dotting the nook and corner of temple town followed by hotels, small and medium make. If that doesn't complete the picture, there are innumerable dharamshalas and others owing allegiance to different mutts, essentially broadening the accommodation availability.
The temple town has a face of its own not necessarily mirroring the sentiments of big centres. Cash would do but with limits. The best reflection when you face an old man or a young lady and the opportunity and the urge to keep clarity in thoughts and mind. No amount of greed would suffice you as no amount of pain and toil would go unnoticed. Most of the day to day accessories can be accessed from stores in vicinity of your house.
With strong historical imprints tracing to the Ramayana period, the temple's template speaks essentially of the spiritual growth that one would be endowed with. The comforting thought being that Lord Shiva's (Ramanatha Swamy)disciples have ample time to stay in the complex , say a prayer or two to the Lord and besiege themselves with thoughts of the all-pervasive power in one of the large identified corners of its precincts. The wide swathes of the temple complex seems to bestow you with a new hymn in the praise of the Lord and how this unshackled link is up and running despite the onslaugths we face in our day to day life. Not being the peak season, the seasonal rush of the masses is missing and providing on a platter the urgency to visit the sanctum sanctorum more than once in a day. You are conferred with the belief that the sighting of the Jyotirlingam was more than what you desired for flanked by the confidence that seeps into your shape of thinking.
When the arduous journey of 16 hrs and counting looked to be one imponderable from which you couldn't free yourself easily, you just had to acknowledge the vehicle driver's efforts in making it to the destination. Well, there weren't many toll centres the Chennai-Madurai route had but the 170 km-long haul was something to bring discrepancy to your thought process. Having reached the designated spot, the worry index seems to shed a point or two with the focus reverting to the age-old issue of accommodation. Some thwart your chances by indulging in doublespeak. But hope was in sight as one mutt was kind enough to accommodate you and your baggage.
The RMM has a charm of its own and the charmed circles have a direct/indirect association with the reigning Lord, most of them being disciples. THe bus fare begins at Rs 2 and the most of the commute can be completed in that range. The tea-enriched moments can be secured for Rs 5 (plastic cups) and the Sun's outing isn't intimidating enough to get your umbrellas out or to quench your thirst you need to settle for umpteenth bottles of water and soft drinks. The thirst is there; it is the thirst to seek oneness with the reigning Lord; to seek compatibility and commitment to the Lord by being good and considerate to others.
With no expectations tailing,you are settled with a life that has been good and gifted one. It's an opportune moment as this spiritual bred centre gives your life a new coating; one to count your blessings and aspire for few and less. But to aspire for none would be placing yourself on a pedestal equivalent to the Lord. Nigh impossible given the undeclared undercurrents we flow with now and then. Hadn't cared to flock to other marvels of the temple town as the temple trajectory/pursuit itself was strong enough to leave you spellbound for long.
Of ticking and sea-saw battlebookwallahs
Of ticking and sea-saw battlebookwallahs
The conductor ticking me off for the seat i occupied was meant for the ladies (the tamil code in buses have no subtitles in Hindi), i probably failed to sense the larger picture. Probably he wanted to befriend the lady who would later board the bus as the nine hour travelling time would have been hard to kill given dispensing ticket and looking at the odd man getting in and out is an exercise that lasts few minutes. THere was an interesting mix of people on board with the young couple from Oriya looking to be dismembered and the oldish one from Tuticorin very much alive to the proceedings. The Tamil guy wrapped in lungi and shirt (most visible faces are in this outfit and they look blessed)next to me spoke in Tamil but gestured wide enough for the places where i could have the meals.
Having taken another seat, i gave the conductor a note big enough (as that what the bank could manage at the odd hour)where he could hand me changes of veritable proportion. Holding the note in his hand, for the next two minutes his stares were divided between me and the note. Probably he wanted to ensure the veracity of the note and the verification of the guy whom he planned to grill and grate for the entire commute. Sadly for him the seats for the ladies were taken by a couple and he could hardly go the extra mile given the odd man(hubby) in picture. The man he could barely throttle him with his lung power and dispense with as his heavy built posture was enough to keep the likes of conductor and the bus miles apart.
Verification over, he moved to other passengers blasting some here and there for their temerity to take a bus that would consume nine hrs of their hard won existence on earth. Well for me, the verification had to do with the zombies who were claiming to have millions of followers by tweeting every hour/writing scripts every week on papers and paper-folded tvs on issues close to the heart of the lobbies they worked for. Their shows on tv flaunting the fabric they wore and hideouts they visited, the followers in all probability would be from the elites of Venice to Venezuela who have no other preoccupation than blow the vuvuzela .
It was better to align with a better train of thought than be detained by these happenings. Probaly like some enhancing their reading skills for a specific period in this period of seasonal flu and viruses. WEre these seasonal glasses or no glasses meant to babble before the camera for endless acquisitions and hopeless propositions?
Quite taken aback their mentors at place of work would have sought an answer and the lady in question would have purred: "Sirji, the heat and dust from the debris of Never-Before-Seen- Games-In-Delhi has blurred my vision of the people who report for duty. Though i have followers from Kashmir to Kanniyakumari (the sea-saw battlebook has put the figure close to 170; adding and dropping each passing hour), the followers at place of weekly-dispensed salary have dwindled and my search is for the followers who could keep my system up and running beyond midnight hrs."
As the bus shakes and moves with Nagercoil body unit inscribed on its body, i come across different packs on the way to my destination. First the daily pack from DOCOMO that spelt 600 seconds of STD/local talk for Rs 5. The next the face pack; essentially the multani mitti that is employed to get the sheen back on face. Finally the glass pack wherein the glasses are worn for reasons and period best known to the customer.
A character with untamed duration on cell along with the need for sheen and shape to return on the face would settle for the three packs. As i try to figure out one such character on bus, there the conductor blasts another guy who is standing next to the bus stop. First he tries to board the bus, stops and herds in a different direction, noting that he hasn't had his meals only to be stopped on his tracks by the conductor.
"You made us stop this bus with 50 other hungry souls who haven't had meals since last night and you want your meals when afternoon has just set in. I won't let you give this bus a miss as well as have the meals at the appointed hour. Faced with no choice, he boarded with the conductor yet to complete his debating skills with him.
The man sitting next to me is a desolate character who goes to sleep now and then, at times making a point to look at the writing notes being made-and-thrown by me to the lapping janata. Since all along he has spoken to me in Tamil and i responded by stressing that my life is an open book with no pages to pore over. Probably you need to look at the sea-saw battlebook inheritors who have surprises saddled with them given their urge to add new followers. Finally both of us agree that 170-odd followers won't even foreclose the possibility of security being forfeited in a municipal election if ever they wished to contest.
Quite predictably the couple sitting behind the conductor are past their smooth conduct of operations and the next one hour they are engaged in a hostility bid where each wants to smother the other to history. They settle for a period of peace only when they are threatened of 50-odd food denied entities joining the mayhem to pack both of them to history.
The conductor ticking me off for the seat i occupied was meant for the ladies (the tamil code in buses have no subtitles in Hindi), i probably failed to sense the larger picture. Probably he wanted to befriend the lady who would later board the bus as the nine hour travelling time would have been hard to kill given dispensing ticket and looking at the odd man getting in and out is an exercise that lasts few minutes. THere was an interesting mix of people on board with the young couple from Oriya looking to be dismembered and the oldish one from Tuticorin very much alive to the proceedings. The Tamil guy wrapped in lungi and shirt (most visible faces are in this outfit and they look blessed)next to me spoke in Tamil but gestured wide enough for the places where i could have the meals.
Having taken another seat, i gave the conductor a note big enough (as that what the bank could manage at the odd hour)where he could hand me changes of veritable proportion. Holding the note in his hand, for the next two minutes his stares were divided between me and the note. Probably he wanted to ensure the veracity of the note and the verification of the guy whom he planned to grill and grate for the entire commute. Sadly for him the seats for the ladies were taken by a couple and he could hardly go the extra mile given the odd man(hubby) in picture. The man he could barely throttle him with his lung power and dispense with as his heavy built posture was enough to keep the likes of conductor and the bus miles apart.
Verification over, he moved to other passengers blasting some here and there for their temerity to take a bus that would consume nine hrs of their hard won existence on earth. Well for me, the verification had to do with the zombies who were claiming to have millions of followers by tweeting every hour/writing scripts every week on papers and paper-folded tvs on issues close to the heart of the lobbies they worked for. Their shows on tv flaunting the fabric they wore and hideouts they visited, the followers in all probability would be from the elites of Venice to Venezuela who have no other preoccupation than blow the vuvuzela .
It was better to align with a better train of thought than be detained by these happenings. Probaly like some enhancing their reading skills for a specific period in this period of seasonal flu and viruses. WEre these seasonal glasses or no glasses meant to babble before the camera for endless acquisitions and hopeless propositions?
Quite taken aback their mentors at place of work would have sought an answer and the lady in question would have purred: "Sirji, the heat and dust from the debris of Never-Before-Seen- Games-In-Delhi has blurred my vision of the people who report for duty. Though i have followers from Kashmir to Kanniyakumari (the sea-saw battlebook has put the figure close to 170; adding and dropping each passing hour), the followers at place of weekly-dispensed salary have dwindled and my search is for the followers who could keep my system up and running beyond midnight hrs."
As the bus shakes and moves with Nagercoil body unit inscribed on its body, i come across different packs on the way to my destination. First the daily pack from DOCOMO that spelt 600 seconds of STD/local talk for Rs 5. The next the face pack; essentially the multani mitti that is employed to get the sheen back on face. Finally the glass pack wherein the glasses are worn for reasons and period best known to the customer.
A character with untamed duration on cell along with the need for sheen and shape to return on the face would settle for the three packs. As i try to figure out one such character on bus, there the conductor blasts another guy who is standing next to the bus stop. First he tries to board the bus, stops and herds in a different direction, noting that he hasn't had his meals only to be stopped on his tracks by the conductor.
"You made us stop this bus with 50 other hungry souls who haven't had meals since last night and you want your meals when afternoon has just set in. I won't let you give this bus a miss as well as have the meals at the appointed hour. Faced with no choice, he boarded with the conductor yet to complete his debating skills with him.
The man sitting next to me is a desolate character who goes to sleep now and then, at times making a point to look at the writing notes being made-and-thrown by me to the lapping janata. Since all along he has spoken to me in Tamil and i responded by stressing that my life is an open book with no pages to pore over. Probably you need to look at the sea-saw battlebook inheritors who have surprises saddled with them given their urge to add new followers. Finally both of us agree that 170-odd followers won't even foreclose the possibility of security being forfeited in a municipal election if ever they wished to contest.
Quite predictably the couple sitting behind the conductor are past their smooth conduct of operations and the next one hour they are engaged in a hostility bid where each wants to smother the other to history. They settle for a period of peace only when they are threatened of 50-odd food denied entities joining the mayhem to pack both of them to history.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
The Winding Magic of Hasaan Kings by Puneet Rajhans
The Winding Magic of Hassan Kings
THe man at the terminal was more interested in knowing the destinations others wished to make inquiries about. As i made unlimited number of inquiries on destinations i sought to overlook, not-so-keen to give a try and try some at some point of time later, he was in a fix. Circling in thoughts, his gaze fixed at me and the destinations i had probed about, his dilemma was cut short. I asked: "Which destination, Sir?" He mumbled and retracted. THe same exercise he continued for sometime and i convinced at his strong conviction to unravel my travel plans come what may. I made an enquiry through a stand-in passenger on a destination that would require three different buses from three different places and he was cringing in pain at his failed conviction to get the exact details.
Minutes later i left with the responsible view that there are umpteenth numbers of personnel on board who are strongly convinced to secure the convincing details on travel plans that others shudder to share with. As this responsibility of theirs is strong enough to ensure sleepless nights and days, the responsible B'lore residents began to move in strength to stations and bus terminals once the responsibility of the state government had been fixed courtesy majority vote. The aam janata of the state was responsible enough to not budge an inch for the past seven days ever since the crisis erupted in the BJP State Government. THis eruption was no less than the volcanic eruption that some were subjected to given their insurmountable challenge in passing the wind and gale as the tummy was playing a spoilsport.
Enough of rasam and sambhar, they had in the company of Governor and designated Governor General, the hooters of Hassan had enough conviction to convince the Maha Mahim that time was ripe to rip the BJP government apart. The Maha Mahim was too of the favoured view that nothing less than ripping apart the Reddy Brothers patronised government would be palatable to him given the undeniable stint he was deprived of had there been a central rule. At some stage, the Central Rule looking feasible, he was willing to play gulli danda with lungi clad and lung power driven Hassan Kings as their temerity to send the tummy of others for a toss was an established fact. But as the vote in the House established the govt in place, it was the turn of these Hassan hooters to hit on the trail of fixing their own tummy. THe govt firmly in saddle, it was time for politicos to take a backseat and let the aam janata tied to their couch for the past seven days to step outside.
As the celebrations in festive places like Mysore and Mangalore had taken a beating following the undeclared revolt of Hassan Kings which had led to a steep fall in eyeballs to these places, it was time for residents in different cities of the state to hit the stations and bus terminals for marking their presence to grand celebrations which had recorded a mere strength of 1000 for a ground that could hold 50,000 odd crowd.
So for all the responsible state residents out to make the 400th Mysore Dasara celebrations a grand occasion and all the responsible warts out to unravel the travelling schedule of others it was time to put the pedal on the accelerator as Hassan hysteria had failed to live up to its wind and winding magic.
As for those intent on covering hassan goons, the piece of advice would be you are doing no good by covering past their prime entities who have led us to a situation where our stomach refuses to remain stable and our body remains witness to a series of revolts whenever the mention of this grouping with a gutter mandate is made to us.
THe man at the terminal was more interested in knowing the destinations others wished to make inquiries about. As i made unlimited number of inquiries on destinations i sought to overlook, not-so-keen to give a try and try some at some point of time later, he was in a fix. Circling in thoughts, his gaze fixed at me and the destinations i had probed about, his dilemma was cut short. I asked: "Which destination, Sir?" He mumbled and retracted. THe same exercise he continued for sometime and i convinced at his strong conviction to unravel my travel plans come what may. I made an enquiry through a stand-in passenger on a destination that would require three different buses from three different places and he was cringing in pain at his failed conviction to get the exact details.
Minutes later i left with the responsible view that there are umpteenth numbers of personnel on board who are strongly convinced to secure the convincing details on travel plans that others shudder to share with. As this responsibility of theirs is strong enough to ensure sleepless nights and days, the responsible B'lore residents began to move in strength to stations and bus terminals once the responsibility of the state government had been fixed courtesy majority vote. The aam janata of the state was responsible enough to not budge an inch for the past seven days ever since the crisis erupted in the BJP State Government. THis eruption was no less than the volcanic eruption that some were subjected to given their insurmountable challenge in passing the wind and gale as the tummy was playing a spoilsport.
Enough of rasam and sambhar, they had in the company of Governor and designated Governor General, the hooters of Hassan had enough conviction to convince the Maha Mahim that time was ripe to rip the BJP government apart. The Maha Mahim was too of the favoured view that nothing less than ripping apart the Reddy Brothers patronised government would be palatable to him given the undeniable stint he was deprived of had there been a central rule. At some stage, the Central Rule looking feasible, he was willing to play gulli danda with lungi clad and lung power driven Hassan Kings as their temerity to send the tummy of others for a toss was an established fact. But as the vote in the House established the govt in place, it was the turn of these Hassan hooters to hit on the trail of fixing their own tummy. THe govt firmly in saddle, it was time for politicos to take a backseat and let the aam janata tied to their couch for the past seven days to step outside.
As the celebrations in festive places like Mysore and Mangalore had taken a beating following the undeclared revolt of Hassan Kings which had led to a steep fall in eyeballs to these places, it was time for residents in different cities of the state to hit the stations and bus terminals for marking their presence to grand celebrations which had recorded a mere strength of 1000 for a ground that could hold 50,000 odd crowd.
So for all the responsible state residents out to make the 400th Mysore Dasara celebrations a grand occasion and all the responsible warts out to unravel the travelling schedule of others it was time to put the pedal on the accelerator as Hassan hysteria had failed to live up to its wind and winding magic.
As for those intent on covering hassan goons, the piece of advice would be you are doing no good by covering past their prime entities who have led us to a situation where our stomach refuses to remain stable and our body remains witness to a series of revolts whenever the mention of this grouping with a gutter mandate is made to us.
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