Of blogging and The Mahabharata

It’s a shame I haven’t been able to update my blog for almost 10 days now.

I don’t even have any excuse for the same : o

Guess I’ve been thinking about a lot of issues over the past few weeks and been doing a hell lot of stuff too.

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One of the basic and preliminary problems I face before blogging about anything is to decide what to blog about. The ‘what’ factor dominates my head for a long period of time. It battles with my small-sized brain challenging its limited potential until I (or rather the brain) see Nirvana at the end of the proverbial tunnel. And once I see the light, I cannot rest in peace until everything is put in words. Until my fingers ache of too much typing. Until my brain complains of over-exposure. Until my eyes crib about too much monitor viewing. But it doesn’t stop. I’ve tried my best to stop it, trust me. But it doesn’t. And, I’m probably glad about it.

Now, let’s come to the other secondary (but no less important) problems faced while blogging.

After deciding the ‘what’ factor comes the ‘how’ factor. Now that I’ve FINALLY decided what I’m going to blog about, how do I put it in coherent, simple, understandable words? That’s quite a task, to say the least. To tell something in simple words is a rare art. I may not possess the same (as you might have even noticed at some point in the middle of my rants) but I am working towards developing it. That is precisely why books written in simple language interest me the most. This is not to say that I dislike the canon or the plethora of writers who insist on using flowery language or bombastic words. It’s good, in a way, because it forces me to grab that dictionary and gobble up the meaning of the new word I just read. It increases your vocabulary which is good as it’s most likely to help you in the long run.

But, I would probably prefer Tagore over any one else for the sheer simplicity of his writing. What makes some authors stand out, for me, is the way they express extremely complicated issues and themes in the most simplistic manner. Khaled Hosseini is another author that comes to my mind when I talk about simplicity of expression and language usage. There are probably many more…half of whom I’ve never read and the other half I cannot recall.

Hmmmmm….

So, after having figured the ‘what’ and the ‘how’, is the job over?

Nope. There is still the ‘why’ factor. But, I think, that may be temporarily ignored as long as your what and how are strong. Sometimes you don’t need a reason to blog about something and sometimes you do. Since blogging, by its very nature, is very individualistic, it is also very subjective (like most other things in life which is what makes life so interesting *winks)

Ok.

We’ve had enough of blogging/ (creative) writing lessons for the day. I certainly do not wish to sound like one of those teachers trying to instill the (eluding) skills in the ever-curious pupil.

Since I’ve ranted so much about reading and writing, I think I’ll end this post with what is currently on my reading-list.

My uncle recently gifted The Palace of Illusions (2008) by Chitra Banerjee Devakaruni

I have just begun reading it and I am already getting a feeling that this one’s going to be a good read. Usually, if I get such a feeling so early on, the author has done his/her job of holding the interest of the reader (in this case: me)

"Relevant to today’s war-torn world, The Palace of Illusions takes us back to the time of the Indian epic The Mahabharat—a time that is half-history, half-myth, and wholly magical. Through her narrator Panchaali, the wife of the legendary five Pandavas brothers, Divakaruni gives us a rare feminist interpretation of an epic story.

The novel traces Panchaali’s life, beginning with her magical birth in fire as the daughter of a king before following her spirited balancing act as a woman with five husbands who have been cheated out of their father’s kingdom. Panchaali is swept into their quest to reclaim their birthright, remaining at the brothers’ sides through years of exile and a terrible civil war. Meanwhile, we never lose sight of her stratagems to take over control of her household from her mother-in-law, her complicated friendship with the enigmatic Krishna, or her secret attraction to the mysterious man who is her husband’s most dangerous enemy. Panchaali is a fiery female voice in a world of warriors, gods, and ever-manipulating hands of fate."

Source: Here

They say that the two Indian epics, The Ramayana and The Mahabharata are supposed to be the most intriguing stories ever written and composed. Though mythology is an area that doesn’t interest me per se, having read parts of The Mahabharata in my college years and listened to all those mythological tales from my mother and grandmother in my growing years, the epic still manages to hold its charm. The epic’s real ‘hero’ is still a debatable concept which is great as it encourages you to think, question and ponder over the very concept of who a ‘hero’ or a ‘villain’ is.

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Banerjee’s earlier work The Vine of Desire (2002) is a novel I vaguely remember. But I do recall that it was about relationships and marriage—a topic that has interested me for a long while now. And I do remember having recommended it too to a few of my friends

Yes. By now, I think, you might have figured that I love flaunting whatever limited knowledge I possess!!

After all, shouldn't knowledge be shared? * ;-)

Pictures courtesy Google Images

The day I was the editor…and survived it

They made me the editor today of The Weekly Observer



No. Don’t kill yourself if you haven’t heard of this paper. It’s an in-house publication that is circulated within the four walls of IIJNM in a small village called Kumbalgudu.
Never heard of Kumbalgudu? That’s roughly 20km from Bangalore city.
Never heard of Bangalore? DIE.

So far, about 8 people have asked me the same thing: “How was it? How did it feel do be an editor?”
I only have answer: It’s over. PERIOD.
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LESSONS LEARNT TODAY:

• Never think that an editor’s job is to simply boss around. It’s not.
• Never think that an editor has a ‘fixed’ job. It’s never EVER fixed.
• Never think that once something’s edited, it’s over. It’s never over.
• Never assume anything. Anything.
• Always carry Moov. It will come in handy.
• Sleep well the day before. Or be prepared to have at least 3 cups of tea/coffee(depending on the individual’s preference/situation)
• Recharge your cell well in advance.
• Adjust. Be flexible and open to all ideas. Listen. Breathe in and out. Listen some more. Be open. After having done all of these, YELL. Things are usually fine after that.
• Remember the golden words: “This too shall pass”
• Learn stress management techniques. Do Yoga. Listen to Rehman instrumental. If nothing works, follow Step 6 (almost always works)

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Simple, isn’t it?
Wait till you be one…

Citizen Matters, Bangalore

Check out Citizen Matters, Bangalore: Protest against global tobacco meet to be held in Bengaluru
Cheers!

Writing Obituaries

OBITUARY

obituary [əˈbɪtjʊərɪ]

n pl -aries

a published announcement of a death, often accompanied by a short biography of the dead person

[from Medieval Latin obituārius, from Latin obīre to fall, from ob- down + īre to go]

obituarist n

Source: Here
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Obituary is the word of the day...or maybe the talk of the town.

We’re learning to write Obituaries for (dead) people.

RF said that his father preferred to write his own obituary. That is, ideally, one of the wisest thing to do. Well, maybe it will not be ‘objective’ enough but I think to write one’s own obituary would be a fun exercise. We’ve been asked to write obituaries of people we know and people we don’t know as part of our assignments. That set my thinking mode in action (as if it’s ever off). I thought of writing my own obituary. Well, to be very frank, I wouldn’t want/like anyone else to write mine. Blame it on my narcissism or plain arrogance and indifference towards anybody else attempting to get an insight into my life and penning it down into 500 words flat. But, the opportunity of writing your own obituary and listing what you have achieved and accomplished so far in your life is just too tempting to be shared with anyone else!

So, this post is going to be a fun exercise of writing my obituary.

P.S. The obituary below has no lead (I don’t want to speculate on how I died…I’ll leave that to your wild imagination)

Disclaimer: The contents of this obituary are purely fictional and any resemblance to any person, living or dead is co-incidental.

Let’s assume that Deepa died at the age 22 just after completing her Masters at IIJNM.
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Deepa Ranganathan was a journalism student at IIJNM when she breathed her last. Though she preferred to be identified more as a student of literature, she enjoyed her limited stay in the professional world of journalism. Born in New Delhi, Deepa spent her growing years and completed her schooling at her hometown Jamshedpur, a small city located in the state of Jharkhand. She graduated in BA (Hons) English from Miranda House, New Delhi where she spent 3 significant years of her life.

“Though she stayed in Jamshedpur for 18 years, she always felt a sense of belonging with Delhi as that was(is) her birth place,” said her mother.

Her parents insist that her three years of studying literature contributed a lot in not only shaping her personality but her ideology, perspective and the way she perceived things around her. Deepa chose to shift from Science to Humanities while pursuing her Honours degree in Literature.

“She was never satisfied with studying Physics, Chemistry or Math, though Biology interested her up to a point until she flunked the subject in her eleventh grade and consequently decided to quit Science,” her mother said.

Though it was a huge risk, her stubborn and adamant behavior (that she carried till she died) was something that her parents never disturbed.

After completion of her graduation, Deepa did her PG Diploma from the Indian Institute of Journalism & New Media, Bangalore, specializing in Print medium.

Her parents inform that apart from them, her extended family was largely not happy with her decision to pursue journalism, citing safety and security reasons for their disapproval. But, once Deepa had made her decision, there was nothing stopping her from pursuing her dream.

“We knew she wouldn’t listen to anybody. The best we could do was to support her. And that is exactly what we did, “her father said.

Deepa was also a published author. Her published books include The Theory of Atheism (2008), Relevance and irrelevance of Marriage in India (2009) and a novella entitled Fly Away (2009). Her novella was a bestseller, particularly among teen-aged students.

However, her writing took a backseat when Deepa started devoting her time entirely to reporting and writing, while pursuing journalism.

During her 1 year stay in Bangalore, Deepa did as many as 185 local stories, 159 of which got published on Citizen Matters, a Bangalore focused, citizen-oriented newsmagazine, covering city public affairs, community and culture.

“Her relentless pursuit for better and newer story ideas is responsible for those astronomical figures. We’ve never had a reporter reporting on such a wide variety of topics before. Her death is a huge loss for true, professional journalism in India,” Vaishnavi Vittal, staff journalist at Citizen Matters, said.

Before her stint with Citizen Matters, Deepa also interned with The Hindu as a Sub-editor for three months, where she learnt her basics of reporting, writing and editing.

"She was a journalist till her last breath", concluded a former colleague at The Hindu, on condition of anonymity.
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(Personal) long rant aka Necessity

It was one of ‘those’ days yesterday.

I cannot breathe in ease until I pen it all out.

I do not believe in editing (yes…despite the fact that I am being taught that day in and day out)

Or maybe…I do not believe in editing when so much has to be said. So bear with the length or find something else to do!

I’ll try and be as objective as possible here but no apologies if the exact opposite happens on the way!

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Students of IIJNM were cordially invited to attend the discussion on “Paid News” Who will watch the watchdog?—a seminar that was held in Bangalore International Center on September 2, 2010, chaired by many prominent people from the Press. The discussion was moderated by Mr. Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, member of the Press Council of India.

*goes blank in the middle*

Ok. I have to write an ‘objective’ report on the event anyways. So, I’ll cut the crap and get to the point.

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As mentioned earlier, we, as students of IIJNM, got the opportunity of attending this discussion (unaware of what was in store for us). Those interested were asked to give their names to the concerned faculty. I wanted to attend this one because I found the topic interesting as I had done a fair bit of reading owing to regular reading of Mr. P. Sainath’s articles on the same topic in The Hindu.

And so I gave my name, indicating my interest. Many students (about 15-20 of us) submitted our names to the faculty. A day later we got a mail saying that the BIC (Bangalore International Centre) does not have enough space to accommodate so many students, because of which the faculty had to cut down the list to mere 5. Thankfully (and surprisingly), I was one of them. It was surprising because it was hard to believe that I had been short-listed. More so, because I wasn’t sure on what grounds had the selection been done. Possibly and in all probability, it was random but I do not wish to go into the details right now while I am thanking my stars for the experience yesterday.

We left for BIC only to see that we were one of the youngest members of an ‘elite’ audience. By elite, I do not mean the social or economic status, but elite in terms of the amount of experience these veterans had. A lot of well known journalists were in the audience, I was told. The problem with journalists and reporters (Print not electronic), I feel, is that you often remember their works, their reports, their articles and if you have a very good memory (I don’t have one), their names too. But, more often than not, you do not remember the faces of these hard-working people. So when I entered the hall, every face seemed vague and every voice seemed “somewhere heard before”.

Lost in the crowd of these experienced souls, curiosity got the better of me when I caught a guy in red Kurta sitting right in the front row. Somehow, the face and the voice looked familiar. I knew I had seen this guy before. But where? How? I had no clue. T

P.S. This has happened to me a zillion times before. Often, I forget to remember/recall my own relatives’ faces and my relation to them. So, it wasn’t the mistake of the Kurta guy.

My friend pointed out that it was Girish Karnad.

My first reaction was that of disbelief, disapproval and skepticism as I thought the possibility to be next to impossible. Firstly, what the hell was a theater personality of his stature doing in a discussion on “paid news”? Secondly, what was he doing in Bangalore? Didn’t he have a play to perform in NSD? And thirdly, how can I possibly be so fortunate?

I had to get these answers. When my faculty assured me that it was Karnad, I was too numb to even react. It’s a shame that I haven’t read any of his plays (I probably would have had I continued with my MA but that’s not an excuse). It’s also a shame that my only remembrance of him is through Malgudi Days (he played Swami’s father) and of late, the movie Pukar.

P.P.S. I am going to make it a point to read his plays this week.

Anyways,

Ammu Joseph, the first woman journalist from Kerala, was also present in the audience.

And so were many other prominent personalities, most of which I had never known/seen before *let’s be honest here

In the picture above: Paranjoy Guha, member of the Press Council of India, addressing the audience. Front row, in red Kurta: Girish Karnad. Lady sitting next to him: Ammu Joseph

In the picture above: Me and Prabhu taking notes diligently (like 'true' reporters. lol)

Back row: Our faculty members: Ms. Kanchan Kaur and Ms. Surekha Deepak

And then ‘it’ happened.

Someone entered the hall. This time I did not make any mistake of recognizing him (I am surprised at my memory actually). Mr. Nandan Nilekani, ex-head of Infosys, entered along with his wife.

I was too speechless to formulate my own thoughts. I decided to let my mind not be distracted anymore and concentrated on the discussion hereafter.

The talk was great. One of the most informative ones I have attended personally. Paranjoy and the other speakers made it very engaging. With his wit and humour, it never felt boring or abstract. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience

*more on this coming up soon. This is a personal rant. Don’t expect too much*

After the talk got over, all 6 of us went up to Mr. Nilekani to have a small chat with him. By small chat I mean roughly 3 minutes which I consider to be more than any one of us could have asked for. Since the discussion was on “paid news”, the talk had ended on a rather cynical and pessimistic note with respect to the future of Indian media that had literally sold itself to corporate houses. Nilekani asked us if we had been depressed after the talk as we had voluntarily chosen to get into a profession whose image is increasingly on the decline. When no one managed to open their mouth, I broke the ice saying that the talk had actually achieved the contrary; that it had simply fuelled our passion to work harder and excel in this profession. I had a hell lot of more things to say but I was tongue-tied at that time for no apparent reason whatsoever. So I decided it was better to shut up. And, trust me, that is, by far, the BEST decision one can possibly make in situations like these.

Nodding and agreeing in approval of my over-ambitious statement, Prajwala (my fellow classmate) suggested that we take a picture with him

Damn! I had lost my basic common sense at that time *not that I boast of possessing it too much

In the picture above: With Mr. Nandan Nilekani, ex-head of Infosys, at BIC
From left: Prajwala, Prabhu, me, Nilekani, Shreya, Shoumit. Tendar in the front
Photographer: Mrs. Nilekani

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It was a tiring day.

To call it memorable would be an understatement.

But I would like to say that I felt the enormous responsibility of my profession for the first time yesterday. And, to be very frank, it feels great.

:-)

More Pix on FB :)))

Of men and patriarchy

This is a MUST read for all men.
It is an interview of Mr. Harish Sadni, founder of Men Against Violence and Abuse (MAVA), one of the first men's organization in India, based in Mumbai, directly intervening against gender-based violence on women.
Source of the article is here

Men also need to be liberated from patriarchy

Efforts to tackle gender-based violence against women in India have concentrated on empowering women to assert themselves and prevent violence. Men have been insulated from the process of transformation, says Harish Sadani of Men Against Violence and Abuse. Until men are seen as part of the solution, the status of women will not change significantly.
In the male-female equation, women are clearly the victims and the problem is clearly men. Yet more attempts have been made to change women than to change men. Empowering women, discouraging discrimination and violence against them, setting up women’s organizations, legislating to protect women’s rights and ensure their protection have been some of the steps taken in this direction. But surely the biggest change of all must come from the perpetrator rather than the victim?

“Changing the male mindset is a key aspect to women’s liberation. Men also need to be ‘liberated’ from the shackles of patriarchy,” acknowledges Harish Sadani. To do this, he founded Men Against Violence and Abuse (MAVA) in 1993, one of only a handful of organizations in India that are trying to change men’s patriarchal,chauvinistic and often violent attitudes.

What motivated you to try and change men’s thinking?

I was born and brought up in community housing, and was exposed to gender-based violence, even in my own family. Being a reticent boy, I was often teased about being bailya (girlish) which I thought was less of a comment about me, more about the status of women vis-à-vis men. But it was clear to me in my growing-up years that being different and socially and economically vulnerable was difficult. So, people who questioned cultural stereotypes inspired me. I realized that it is these people who present an alternative to closed value systems. They are the people who keep the dialogue alive.

How did MAVA come about? What methods do you use?

While doing my Masters in Social Work at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, my volunteering experience with a leading women’s organization in Mumbai made me uncomfortable with the male ostracisation approach that they adopted. So when a Mumbai newspaper appealed to men to come together to prevent violence against women, I responded, and that eventually led to MAVA. The focus of the organisation has been to enable men to examine the underlying causes of violence against women and, in the process, challenge gender stereotypes. The methods used to engage men have been varied, innovative and youth-friendly. There is no set format. In
some places, wall newspapers and focused group discussions are an effective medium, in other places, like Satara, street theatre has been used to communicate messages. In Mumbai, a telephone helpline providing counseling and guidance to distressed youths is being promoted among collegians. The young men are from different socio-economic backgrounds, largely from the middle and lower middle classes. Yuva Maitri was our first long-term focused initiative that used a range of tools to engage young men and promote a healthy dialogue on gender, sexuality, masculinity and related issues. We began with 33 male students in the 16-17 age-group, from six rural and semi-rural colleges in Pune district, who had some leadership skills and creative potential. We trained them as ‘communicators’ for a year, using interactive workshops, awareness songs, posters, film screenings, street theatre etc.
In the second year of the initiative, 17 trained student communicators began communicating with their peers on gender, healthy relationships, masculinity, etc. Wall newspapers were displayed on varied themes like healthy male-female friendships, ban on sex education in schools by legislators, farmer suicides, performance anxiety among men, sex-selective abortions leading to declining sex ratio etc. From time to time, trained communicators also took specific stands on incidents of gender-based violence against women in their area. The initiative gradually spread to four other districts in Maharashtra.

What did you learn about male attitudes?

In India, traditional efforts to tackle gender-based violence against women have concentrated on empowering women to assert themselves and prevent violence. This approach totally isolates and insulates men from the process of transformation, and keeps them embedded in the patriarchal mould. Patriarchy, apart from disadvantaging women, brings with it a set of behavioural norms and responsibilities that hinders men from expressing their fears, problems and vulnerabilities.
Men often become violent, aggressive and uncaring due to patriarchal modes of socialisation. Images of masculinity are linked with being strong and violent and to notions that men with ‘power’ are ‘real men’. We need to address how men analyse perceptions of masculinity and create appropriate alternatives. There is a woeful dearth of safe platforms to talk about problems that give rise to violent behaviour, including those relating to issues of gender and sexuality. There is also a need for positive male role models who are gender sensitive and can engage young men in the discourse. While the importance of changing norms and attitudes related to masculinity is widely accepted, there have been few sustained efforts at doing so. We must challenge perceptions of dominant forms of masculinity in men at a young age.
Our trained communicators provide safe, non-threatening platforms (physical and psychological) to young men to comfortably unwind, open up, communicate, share their fears, thoughts, dilemmas and concerns, become exposed to newer ideas on men and masculinity. And in the process of collectively addressing gender issues, they have been evolving and promoting alternative, positive models of masculinity that are gender equitable. The project taught us some interesting things. Masculinity is intrinsically linked to men’s ‘performance’ at various stages in life. One aspect of performance is the shouldering of responsibility to earn and sustain the family. In rural areas of India, the constant pressure to perform this role at an early age, even before completing their studies (compared to urban areas), and an inability to express these pressures, was evident among many students at the project. ‘Opening up’ in men is much more difficult and complex than with women. Men often do not have any experience, confidence, or even vocabulary to describe their innermost feelings related to sexuality and other related issues. By involving a pool of experienced men who were willing to share personal insights with the
young men through the initiative, we facilitated this process of ‘opening up’, featuring in an annual magazine the firsthand experiences of men opening up and communicating their dilemmas, anxieties, vulnerabilities and other issues related to masculinity. Overall, the motivation behind the men’s movement is comparatively weak. It takes guts to renounce obvious patriarchal privileges and step down from a dominant position in order to win moral self-respect.

Would you say that most of the men you have encountered, or who come to your sessions, are chauvinists? Do you discern any pattern in their thinking as regards violence against women? For example, that it’s okay to slap/beat up women, or that women invite such violence, or that they are inferior in some way…

Not all, but some men we have encountered have been chauvinists. There is a tacit acceptance of violence, including against women, in all spheres of society. While there may be men who say they are not violent with the women in their lives, they would still like to control and dominate them. Two years ago, the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) highlighted the finding that 55% of women didn’t consider it wrong if the men in their homes resorted to beating them; 51% of men felt that they had a right to beat the women. These findings are symptomatic of the tacit acceptance of violence to resolve conflict, rather than dialogue and peaceful means.
During our interactive sessions with youth, an oft-repeated argument by boys is that girls who wear transparent clothes invite violence by men. Our youth communicators take pains to refute this argument by posing counter questions and sharing their insight about how girls as young as five and older women too have been raped while wearing traditional Indian dress, underlining the fact that clothes are just a pretext; the real issue is men’s inability to control their sexuality.

Would you recommend gender education (sensitization) as part of a value-teaching curriculum in schools, in the same way as environment education is now compulsory?

It should definitely be included. In many schools it has been introduced as a value that needs to be instilled. However, there is lack of effective teacher training on the subject and a dearth of child-friendly methods. A key aspect of any effective gender sensitization programme is sexuality education, which teaches girls how to assert themselves and say ‘no’ to unwelcome sexual advances, and teaches boys to gracefully accept the ‘no’. But we have seen how, over the years, our politicians have been stalling efforts to provide meaningful integrated sexuality education (even now, it’s officially called ‘adolescent life skills education’), even objecting
to visuals used in proposed manuals suggested by the National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT). There has been no serious effort to evolve a curriculum that takes into account all the key aspects mentioned above.
Men are seen as part of the problem, but unless they are seen as part of the solution and the process of transformation no significant change in the status of women will occur. Changing the male mindset is key to women’s liberation. Men too need to be ‘liberated’ from the shackles of patriarchy. It calls for a paradigm shift in viewing the ‘women’s issue’ as a ‘gender issue’ (equally, a ‘men’s issue’) by all concerned.

Of colours, religion and terrorism

Been a long while since I ranted...my fingers have been itching for the pats few weeks. So, here I am ;-)
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Our Honourable Home Minister Mr. P. Chidambaram always manages to hog the limelight, thanks to his regrettable statements made without giving it a second thought.

The latest, of course, has been his usage of the word 'saffron terrorism'.

Let's not even go into the problem areas in uttering those words publicly. Let's just look at the two words used here-'saffron' and 'terrorism'.

Firstly, as most editorials of prominent newspapers have pointed out, terrorism has no religion, colour, caste, creed, race, et al. It is driven by hatred and hatred alone. The editorial published on August 28, 2010 in The New Indian Express asserts that PC was trying to avoid using the term 'Hindu terrorism' which would have been even more objectionable. What makes PC think that he can get away by simply replacing a religious word (Hindu) with a seemingly neutral and 'colourful' word (saffron)?

Going by the trend of bomb blasts and terrorist attacks in our country over the past couple of years, most were either conducted by Islamic fundamentalists to target the Hindu community or Hindutva fanatics to target the Muslim community. Or simply fanatics and fundamentalists whose religion has no connection with their terrorist activities. Movies like My Name is Khan (which I am yet to watch) apparently deal with a similar theme-that a religion has no connection whatsoever with terrorism.

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I stayed in New Delhi, the capital city of our diverse nation, for three years before coming to Bengaluru for my Masters. Given that it was the national capital and a politically active place, Delhi was always on high alert even if a bomb was suspected to be seen at some remote corner of the country. We were so used to brisking and checking at hotels, restaurants, shopping complexes, malls and metro stations that we suspected that something was fishy when we weren't subjected to brisk checking.

I remember an incident quite vividly. This happened after the Malegaon blasts in Maharashtra in 2008. All major metropolitan cities in the country were on high alert, which, in most cases, is just a fancy term for extra checking and inconvenience caused to fellow citizens for their own safety . Sadly, civilians, in their hurry to reach their respective destinations forget to acknowledge the same.

But anyways...

I was travelling to Connought Place from the University (boy, do I miss that place?) in the metro when this high-alert drama was on in Delhi.

As usual, all passengers were subjected to fairly rigorous checking that day. What surprised me (or maybe I shouldn't have been surprised given its all-too frequent occurence) was when I saw two young Muslim men being subjected to extra frisking, checking, questioning and grilling. That they were Muslims was clear from their attire and Muslim caps that the people of this religious community wear. The security policemen who were conducting the security check suddenly seemed wide awake and alert deciding to frisk these young men in and out, making it very clear that these Muslims were the obvious target of their suspicion.

I would have probably dismissed this casually until I boarded the train.

As soon as these two young men entered the compartment, all the passengers clutched to their belongings with greater firmness. The message was very clear: You are Muslims. The nation is bleeding with bombs planted by people from your community. You will rob me too. I'd better be on the safe side.

The men were subjected to such intense stares that i wouldn't be wrong in stating that they were almost raped to death by those disapproving eyes. One should have seen the faces of these two men. That they were feeling extremely uncomfortable in a compartment full of Muslim-haters must have been a living torture for them.

Muslim alienation isn't anything new and has a whole history that goes behind it dating as long as Partition in 1947. Sadly, it has only grown over the years.

PHOTO GALLERY

Source of the above image

Started initially as a private garden by Hyder Ali, one of the most famous rulers of old Mysore in 1760, the Lalbagh Botanical Garden is currently under the Directorate of Horticulture, Government of Karnataka. It was given the status of a Government Botanical Garden in 1856. Since then, it has been an internationally renowned center for scientific study of plants and botanical artwork. Today, the garden is a lush green paradise located in the heart of the city.

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Lalbagh is one of the major tourist attractions in Bangalore. Located in the heart of the city, about 4 km from Vidhana Soudha, the greenery of the place attracts many tourists to visit the garden, which is open to the public everyday from 6 am to 7 pm.
In the picture above: The usual crowd in Lalbagh on a Sunday evening

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Lalbagh also has a large, clean lake with its fair share of resident ducks and/or geese. Fishing is banned in the lake though cases of illegal fishing have been reported before. One end of the lake is covered with multiple wild and pink Lotuses - Nelumbo Nucifera. If you are patient, you are sure to see kingfishers and other pretty and colourful birds at this spot.

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The Glass House, a small replica of the crystal palace of London, was built under the guidance of Prince of Wales. Every year, during the Independence Day, a flower show is held at Glass house, attracting nature lovers, with its range of local and international floral presentations.
In the picture above: A replica of New Delhi’s India Gate, which was made entirely with flowers for this year’s flower show during Independence Day celebrations

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Foreign tourists from all around the globe make it a point to visit this place when visiting Bangalore City. Though the city rickshaw drivers are notorious for harassing them, the tourists insist that their experience in the city has been pleasant and problem-free.
In the picture above: Two tourists enjoying a walk in the park

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However, harassment from auto drivers, who deliberately charge tourists extra, is a common problem faced by foreigners. “Language is not a problem…they [auto drivers] understand English. But their price simply rips us off. I once ended up paying Rs.250/- for a distance of less than 6 km,” said Cedar, a tourist from Nigeria.
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“Lalbagh Botanical Garden is considered to be one of the most diverse botanical garden in South Asia,” says its official website. With its varied and diverse collection of exotic plants, trees and flowers, the Garden still manages to attract tourists from all around the world in large numbers holding its charm on nature and peace lovers.

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Unless otherwise mentioned, all pictures are mine.
Source of information
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And they say this is not a 'story'!
: o

Grapes are sour.

That was the lesson I learnt yesterday after surviving one hell of a day.

And, it all started at IIJNM...
....

Still determined to get a byte of Ms. Revathi (the hijra I was referring to in my previous rant aka post), my friend and I decided (on an impulse) that we’ll leave as early as possible to reach Sangama office, about 2 hours from the “countryside” (as Prof Mark puts it) where we reside in. Excited that finally it was about to happen, we prepared ourselves for what was to follow, brushing up our Tamil skills (Revathi knew only Tamil) and constantly thinking of some intelligent questions to ask. Cell phones and cameras all charged, umbrella and water bottle in hand and with enough extra cash, we set off to our supposed destination after a few minutes of unnecessary delay about which I do not wish to elaborate.

And so we left. Waiting for more than 15 minutes at the bus stop, we finally boarded the bus for the Market, from where we had to take another bus and reach Mekhri, form where we had to take an auto and reach Sangama office.
*yeah, you can call us over-ambitious!!

Knowing that we will have to travel all day long, my friend suggested that we buy bus passes for the day. The pass did come in handy (if not anything else). Unaccustomed to traveling for such long hours, I geared up myself for a long journey to be undertaken. All for a purpose, I told myself. It’s all going to be worth it. Or so I thought.

Lost in my day dreaming world and half-asleep inside the bus, the noise and smell of rain woke me up. Looking out of the window, I witnessed, for the first time, how Namma Bengaluru looks when covered with rain, mud, potholes and people (whose number increases regardless of the amount of rainfall the city receives). The streets were all flooded and muddy water was stagnant here and there. Umbrellas getting broken, people using their bags to shield themselves and kids splashing water at each other—it was a sight to remember.

But, what about our story???
We were getting terribly late.Stuck in the horrible traffic jam, we had no other option but to cancel our plan because there was no way we could reach the destination on time, unless we had a private chopper to our rescue. [And, life is not so easy!]
Cribbing and complaining about the unproductive turn of events so far, as we were chatting over lunch at a shady restaurant, we decided we would watch Peepli [Live], an Aamir Khan production, that was apparently based on farmer suicides and media bashing, in accordance with what I had been told. I was determined to do something fruitful on a day when almost nothing was working out...

I called up one of my local friends who stays in the city to inquire about the show timings. If he wouldn’t have replied in the affirmative, I probably would have killed myself. Or him (would have probably done the latter ;P)
Once he informed me about the timings, we did not waste a second. After our lunch, we boarded a bus back to the place where we started from, hoping that the movie would compensate for the disappointment that we had faced so far. And, for once, we weren’t disappointed :-)

I wouldn’t like to bore my readers with a detailed review of the movie (my usual habit whenever I watch a movie or read a book). But, I would definitely recommend it. The story line is great. The concept isn’t anything ‘new’—farmer suicides has been a very topical issue in our country since years and nothing constructive has been done about it—neither by the government nor by the media. And, this is what Peepli [Live] picks up on. Using laughter and humour as a powerful tool, the movie uses comedy in a constructive manner so as to make the viewer laugh and simultaneously ponder over the reason for the laughter generated. But, it was rather disappointing to see the audience reaction. Firstly, there was hardly an audience for a low-budget movie like this. And, secondly, people were just laughing and giggling about the ridiculousness of the circumstance(s) that was shown. For most of them, it was just a way to kill time, laugh out loud, forget about it and plan the next movie accordingly. If this was the case, I believe the purpose of the director was has not been achieved, sadly.

The movie shows how sensationalizing every other story has become a habit of the media that is portrayed as a voyeuristic vulture ready to attack the next victim who commits the mistake of trusting the media. Making a story out of someone’s death (which is yet to occur)and even someone’s shit (and quite literally so)—this is an art our media seems to have excelled in. It’s a sad reality but it is real and one cannot deny that. Being someone who wishes to excel in this profession, to watch the reality of Indian media was definitely disheartening. But, I hope to bring in some tangible change and am determined not to give up my hopes and faith in the so-called fourth pillar of our democracy.

Raghubir Yadav, as usual, has acted brilliantly. And so have almost all the other characters, the name of whom I fail to remember. The rural atmosphere has been captured well and I was particularly impressed by the folk music that was cleverly incorporated in the movie, wherever required.

Well, I promised I won’t rant about my review. And, that is exactly what I have done! Can’t stop my fingers from typing, it seems...

Of alternative sexualities

A week ago, when I was struggling with story ideas and their relentless stay in my nightmares, I read a book review of The Truth About Me: A Hijra Life Story by A. Revathi that was published in the Zeitgeist edition of The New Indian Express. That set my contemplative mode in action.

I thought of interviewing Ms. Revathi and perhaps get a story idea. Discussing this with a friend, I got her contact number from the journalist who wrote the book review. I called Ms. Revathi asking for a time slot, so that we could have a chat. However, my hopes were quashed when my faculty members dismissed the story as a feature story rather than a hard news one.

*this seems to be something I realize only after having spent more than enough time on a particular (feature) story idea*

Disappointment is an essential part of this profession (actually...any profession, for that matter. So, let’s not generalize)

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Transgenders and hijras are increasingly in the news, for good reason(s) thankfully. While my enthusiasm was high to do the interview for the first hijra of our country who has penned her autobiography, I did a fair bit of reading about the history of transsexuals, transgenders and the hijra community in India, in general and in Karnataka, in particular.

I found out that Ms. Revathi is a part of Sangama, "a sexuality minority’s human rights organization for individuals oppressed due to their sexual preference," as mentioned in the website. The link to the same is as follows: http://sangama.org

While researching on this sensitive topic called ‘alternative sexualities’, one of the first elementary problem and confusion I faced, was that of the vocabulary. Most of us, I presume, do not know the basic difference between, say, a trans-gender and a transsexual. In fact, most of us might be under the impression that both probably mean the same. The reality is, that while it may sound and seem similar, it is technically not so. So, let’s look into the definition first, in brief:

Transgender (TG): It is a broad term for all people who do not identify with or choose not to conform to the gender roles assigned to them by society based on their biological sex. (A male-to-female transgendered person is referred to as 'transgender woman' and a female-to-male transgendered person is referred to as 'transgender man').

Transsexual (TS) (n, adj): Transsexuals strongly dis-identify with the sex assigned to them at birth and wishes to utilize hormones and/or sex reassignment surgery as a way to align their physical body (hormones, genitals, and other sex characteristics) with their internal gender identity. Transsexuals may or may not have had yet Sex Reassignment Surgery and thus could be ‘pre-operative’ transsexual or ‘post-operative’ transsexual. Others choose not to undergo SRS or cannot for medical or financial reasons, thus being ‘non-operative’ transsexual.

Source: Here

The above link is useful for getting complete information on the queer lingo which includes terms such as gay, homosexuality, hijra, lesbian, kothi, bisexual, et al

EDIT:

Due to confusion and problems that still exist over the above two definitions, I think I need to make the difference between the two words more clear. The information below has been edited and taken from here

1. Transgender is a state which the apparent gender (determined at birth) of a person do not match the subjective gender.
2. A person is identified as a transsexual if that person was born with congenital neurological inter-sex condition.
3. Transsexuals believe that if one has to be a true transsexual then one should have to go for surgery and change sex. Transgender persons do not think it to be necessary.
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As I said, transgenders have been in the news in the past few weeks. Revathi made news when she laid bare her life as a hijra in India, while penning her experience in the form of an autobiography--the first of its kind, in this genre, in our country. The book is already being hailed as a path breaking one that talks about the history and social stigma associated with the hijra community in India. Personally, I haven’t been able to get hold of the book and hence will not be able to provide my review.

Recently, the Chief Minister of Karnataka, Mr. B. S. Yeddyurappa has agreed to provide honorarium to transgenders in the State and has also promised to look into other demands which include issuance of BPL cards, job opportunities, pension schemes etc.

Bangalore University has become one of the first universities to have introduced a separate category of 'Transgender' in its admission forms, increasing the option of Sex into three: Male (M)/Female (F)/Tansgender (T)

Tamil Nadu is already being appreciated by liberals for being the first State in India for having issued Ration Cards (or Identity Cards?...I need to check on that) to transgenders in the State.

Oppression and discrimination on the basis of sexuality gradually seems to be changing....

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Talks on alternative sexualities always bring back memories of a very interesting and informative seminar that I attended two years ago in my college Miranda House, New Delhi. I do not exactly remember the topic but the talk was focused on homosexuality pertaining to Section 377 of the Indian penal Code (IPC). It was chaired by Mr. Ashley Tellis, one of the premier gay voices in our country for homosexual rights. He was also a temporary professor in the English Department of our college at that time. He taught us Dickens and Mill, to our disappointment. And he was horribly boring, in my opinion. However, he is a great orator when it comes to issues of gender and sexuality, something I realized that day.

Before beginning the talk, he asked the audience how many of them were heterosexuals? Almost everybody raised their hands (not surprisingly). He then handed out a questionnaire for all these “self-proclaimed heterosexuals”, as he put it, which had some of the most mind boggling questions that could shake the very foundation of one’s staunch belief in one’s sexuality and/or sexual orientation.
The idea behind the whole exercise was to make one think. And think hard enough about societal conventions. Why is there such a clear demarcation between the two? Why is there a social stigma associated only with homosexuals and not heterosexuals? What is the history, fear, insecurity behind it?

It was quite an informatory session, to put it mildly.
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I would like to end this post by a reference to one of the questions I still remember distinctly. I possibly cannot forget it, for reasons you will come to know in a short while.
The question was directed at heterosexuals. So if you are not one, this one is not for you.

The question was as follows:

“If you have not slept with someone of the same sex, how can you be so sure that you will not like it?”

Can you answer this?

EDIT: For those interested, here is a link to the questionnaire that was circulated:

'Independence' and 'Struggle'

First things first.
Before I rant about the above two highly significant and simultaneously vague words, it would make sense to first attribute people who made me think enough in order to come up with this rant/writing/thought/post (however you may look at it...let's be truly democratic for a change)

One is Mr. Prashanth whose post in Kannada, which sadly I could not decipher, had a picture of Mr. Gandhi posted on his blog that began my critical thinking on this issue. You can follow his blog here: http://pacchiee.blogspot.com

Second is my friend Kaustav, a self-proclaimed insane 'Indian' (troubled with the multiple vernacular literature of our country), who updated his Facebook status, on August 15, 2010, as thus:
"Remembers how zealous we were as kids regarding the INDEPENDENCE day...it's saddening how we lose the enthusiasm AND patriotic fervor with age(blame it on the discoveries we make with respect to our beloved nation). But what's even more heartbreaking is, how utterly unappreciative the forthcoming generations are when it comes to the efforts that went into the 'struggle'.

Happy Independence Day to one and all.."

And, thirdly, Ms. Gauri Lankesh, an eminent journalist and editor who came to our college today as a Guest Lecturer to talk about "Democracy and Dissent in India". You can read more about her here:
http://www.tehelka.com/story_main17.asp?filename=Cr040106For_the.asp

Simple things lead to deep thinking, which may or may not be conclusive but are most definitely critical (at least in my case)
Few days before August 15, 2010, the newspapers (not surprisingly) were filled with articles that pondered over cynical and pragmatic questions.
"How free are we, as a nation?"
"Is India truly a successful democracy after completion of 63 years since independence?"

While the newspapers and publications I read were inviting more and more readers to join in and give their viewpoint as to what they think is the meaning of the word 'freedom', I was surprised by the preparations that were going on in my own hostel. As part of the program, my fellow hostel mates were planning to organize a flag hoisting ceremony to celebrate ‘Independence’ Day

*Please note that the word Independence throughout this post is in quotes because I find the very idea questionable with respect to the context in which it is being used"*

To revert back to what I was talking about, each student got an e-mail regarding details of the program. While all this seemed appreciable and noteworthy to me, I stumbled upon the section of the mail that read: The dress code for the program is WHITE.

Now, white may symbolize a hell lot of things *pardon my frustrated tone here please*
Whatever it may mean, the idea of adhering to a dress code robs the very essence of the term 'independence' for me. We are here to participate in a dull fact: that India completed yet another year of ‘independence’ with a show of lethargy, complacency and probably a bit of development here and there at the cost of some tangible or intangible loss. So we all get together, be witnesses of this fact and be done with it. Why a dress code? If I wear red, does that mean I am not party to this fact? Or was white chosen because it is a "neutral" colour unlike, say black or red which conventionally denotes mourning or rebellion/revolution respectively.
Whatever be the case, I have no idea how the program went and I have myself to blame for it because I was on a night out at my friends' place because of which I had to give the program a miss.
To the readers (who, I presume, are all representatives of Indian democracy), I should make it clear that I have nothing against celebration of 'Independence' Day. When we have gone to the extent of celebrating Chocolates' Day and Teddy Bear Days, there is simply no harm in acknowledging a day that holds extreme historical importance, if not anything else. But, the real question is: What are we celebrating here? Why are we even celebrating it, in the first place?

They talk of 'independence' and 'struggle'--both very subjective terms.
My history books say that we struggled for our ‘independence’ and finally achieved it in the midnight of August 15, 1947.
Are we not struggling still?
To cope with inequality. Caste-ism. Fanaticism. Fighting corruption, exploitation and patriarchy.
The truth is, we are struggling with the hypocrisy of our society which is choosing to live in denial by 'celebrations' of these kinds. If, on one hand, we revel in the pride of being Indian, we hide our faces or probably choose to conveniently ignore various other forms of discrimination going on in every part of the country either in the name of class, caste, race, gender or simply humanity.

Ms. Lankesh today called Indian democracy as an example of “a functioning anarchy." In my personal opinion, this was probably the best way to put it.
When democracy fails, dissent grows. And when dissent grows, agitation begins. This agitation leads to frustration to such an extent that one is forced to take the law and order in one's own hands. If people are pelting stones at the authorities in the Kashmir Valley, it is because of silently suffering under years of an incompetent, impotent and complacent government that has no interest whatsoever in its social welfare responsibilities.
It's like a dormant volcano. It may be silent for a long while. But, when it explodes, it destroys everything. It is this silence which is seen as a weakness. But to see silence, of any kind and any form as weakness, is simply naive and foolish. If one has been silent for a while, there has to be a reason behind it. Strong enough to defend the need to be silent for such a long time. And, when authorities concerned do not understand the meaning and significance of this silence, you get stones thrown at your face or have an encounter with a group of armed revolutionaries.

In fact, to be very frank, the state of 'independence' and freedom in our country is such that on the basis of whatever I have ranted above, I can easily be categorized as a supporter of violence and hence anti-government, ant-people, anti-democracy, anti-India.... the list just goes on.
But, I do not believe in hypocrisy.
I refuse to 'celebrate' a historic day that has lost significance in today's context.
Maybe I am being cynical and overtly critical of the government. As a citizen or a civilian, that is the easiest stand one can take, my critics may argue.
But as a citizen, I want assurance. Assurance of my safety. Assurance of freedom. To think. To talk. To write. On anything...as long as it doesn't hurt the sentiments of my fellow citizens.
And if I have been denied that in any way, I do not think I can call myself 'independent'. I still have a long way to go. I still need to struggle to achieve that alluring word called ‘in-dependence’

Fever

So everyone's blogging these days, huh?

Everyone in my class has the blog fever on. Partly because of professional reasons but partly also because, they want to express. Talk about stuff that has been interesting them in the past few weeks. About stuff that has disturbed them maybe. Or about things that has made them think. And think really hard.
What I found common in all of them (not that I am a literary critic or something....ignore me if I sound like that) was that they all had something about IIJNM to blog about. I don't know if that's good or bad (I would refrain from doing that sort of generalization) but it is clearly evidence of the fact that if something's been occupying their mind, it has been IIJNM. In some way or the other.
Others are blogging about burning issues---from Maoism to Reddy brothers to Nuclear deals and what not!
All this has put me in a fix. What do I blog about? Something that has been disturbing me? Something that has been bothering me? Something that I have been thinking about over the past few weeks (that's really not a very good idea coz that would result in a never-ending rant!)

The other day, in KK's class, we were discussing about blogging as a....

*pause*

No.
Wait a minute.

I thought I already had enough of IIJNM rants, didn't I?
So, why doesn't it go out of my head?? (not that there is any problem if it continues to stay in my half-sized brain)
Why do somethings occupy our thought process for longer than usual? There has to be a reason for it, right?
May be that's what you've been thinking about....maybe that's what you've been breathing, living, eating, dreaming. And, that's exactly what has been happening here.
The day begins with the hostel as its primary location. Then college. Hostel. Media Lab. Hostel. Media Lab. Mess. Media Lab. Hostel. Sleep. College. Media Lab. Hostel...... *no points for guessing the pattern*



We are living, breathing and sleeping here.
We're being groomed as professionals.
We're expected to grow up.
How tough can that be?
Ever wondered???