Professional Documents
Culture Documents
6 1 2013 The Pioneer
6 1 2013 The Pioneer
magazino
F R O M T H E N S D E
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Now Dolhi, January 6, 2013
I
was escorted into Dohas pride the
Aspire Zone by a refreshingly young
girl all the way from my hometown in
India, Nellore. If that was not a surprise in
itself, the sprawling media centre was
being attended to by a French girl who said she
was from Lyon. The chief delegates, meanwhile,
were being cordoned off from the media and
others by a stunning White girl. Are you from
Russia? I asked tentatively. No, I am from
Latin America, from Honduras to be exact, she
said with a beaming smile.
My surprise was all too evident. So you
must be working for the Richard Attias Group
and are here for the Doha Goals Summit, I
presumed. No, this is my home, I live and work
here, she said. All the way from Honduras to
Qatar, isnt it a strange journey? I persisted.
Ive been here for six years now. The work and
salaries are unheard of in the outside world. The
living standards are high. The peace is uncanny
and the safety of women no issue at all. So when
I got this offer, I jumped at it, especially when I
came to know one doesnt even have to pay any
kind of tax, she said, explaining how Doha has
more foreigners than locals and how the work
force comes from all corners of the world, with
Indians having a lions share of 20 per cent.
I also met a big number of British
nationals, Americans and even some Chinese
and Indonesian people, settled here for work.
Headquarters to the legendary Al Jazeera
media conglomerate and the world number
three in gas reserves, Qatar is now coming up
as the most exciting, detailed, well-equipped
sporting destination on globe, a journey many
view with awe and bewilderment. After all,
which developing nation focuses its progress
chart on propelling sport? Qatar does, and it is
unique in this mission.
Consider this: A desert nation eons away
from snow, is host to the ice hockey world league
competition with state-of-the-art ice rinks in the
heart of Doha. It does not play field hockey much
either but boasts of over 30 clubs; cricket is alien
to it and yet there is a stunning cricketing
stadium which awaits a grand inaugural with a
world class tournament to be held here in 2014.
Also consider this: Qatar, a desert emirate
with not more than 1.7 million residents, does
not levy any kind of income tax on its subjects.
Water and electricity are in abundance and come
free to every home, office or corporate enterprise.
Public education is free too. The country itself
has scripted an unbelievable rags-to-riches story
in the last two centuries to come up as the worlds
richest nation with the highest per capita income
of $88,222 a year, according to an IMF estimate.
The nations sovereign wealth fund, the
Qatar Investment Authority, had a recorded
asset overflow of $60 billion in 2010 itself. And
its stated strategy is to minimise the nations
dependence on energy prices. With that in
mind, it has invested in solid assets, buying
well-known properties and enterprises all
across the world, besides owning stakes in
global financial institutions, universities and
multinational companies, not to mention, its
most audacious but winning bid to date
hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup amid the
surprise and criticism of the Western world
wary of not just an Arab environ not suited for
a sport like football but also of the heat and
dust it will get enveloped it.
But Qatar is not bothered. It has the
wherewithal to blow away every bit of doubt
with a development programme which promises
to make the world gape. Here is what the sports-
enthusiastic Emir of Qatar has planned for 2022:
To beat the heat of expected 50 degrees Celsius
his desert nation reaches normally in the month
of June-July when the World Cup is to be held, it
plans to condition the air in 100 per cent of the
areas where the tournament will be played out.
Doting on its now legendary natural gas
and liquid petroleum reserves of approximately
896 trillion cubic feet (second only Russia and
Iran), it plans to use jet propellers, usually
meant for rockets, to cool down the tempera-
tures by more than 20 degrees in an open air
stadium where the finale will be held. The
hotel-to-stadium-to-hotel tunnels will be many
and all air-conditioned. Other stadia will be
closed and temperature controlled, and even
the open fan zones will be under cover of
massive air-conditioners.
The World Cup will be staged in 12
future-inspired venues, such as the dhow-
shaped Al-Shamal, just 30 minutes from
Bahrain by water taxi, and the futuristic Al-
Wakrah Sports Complex. And once the grand
show gets over, some of these stadia will be
folded up and sent to Third World nations to
boost their sporting infrastructure and hone
their gaming acumen so that competition at
world events like the Olympics get an
increased podium presence of smaller nations.
Please note, for these two beautiful stadia, a
whole new city has been made up on reclaimed
land Lusail. This is Qatars under-construction
coast pearl located 15 km north of Doha, on
over 35 km replete with marinas, residential
areas, island resorts, commercial districts,
luxury shopping and leisure facilities, including
two golf courses and an entertainment
entertainment district. The Lusail Iconic
Stadium, with a capacity of 86,250, will host
the opening and final matches of FIFA World
Cup. The stadium takes its inspiration from the
sail of a traditional dhow boat and is
surrounded by water.
But, this wow element is far away into the
future. For now, Qatar has emerged as the
sports capital of the world, an effort that seems
strange for an Arab nation to employ in its bid
become a world power. Though many would
disdainfully dismiss the possibility of a
sporting showcase being taken seriously at
world forums, fact is that the Emir and his
vision have brought in a round of applause to
his emirate from myriad powers of the world.
The recent Doha Summit Goals, a conclave
of thinkers which debated the propulsion of
sports as a tool to bringing equality, economic
well-being and peace to nations of the world,
was not just a million-dollar obsession of the
royal family, but a ploy to get Qatar to be
noticed worldwide.
Preceded by the World Climate Talks just a
few days before, the Doha Goals Summit
brought to Qatars debating table greats from all
walks of sporting life. From two Heads of States
from Africa, to former French President
Nicholas Sarkozy, to top former athletes like
Carl Lewis, Ian Thorpe and Mark Spitz to name
a few, top sport physicians and WADA science
director, to NGOs and institutions propelling
sports in their respective countries, to the world
media anyone and everyone who should have
been there was flown in to talk about the next
big step to be taken to make sports a subject of
serious political discourse worldwide.
The summit, slated to return next year to
Doha, also sketched a roadmap to implement
the 300 bold initiatives thrown up by 3,000
delegates to make sport a tool of social change
and economic development worldwide.
Even if one were to speculate over the
viability of such a summit in real terms, Qatar
has already made its presence felt with a
whopping 320 days of national and
international sporting events happening in one
calendar year of 365 days.
Seeing the opulence around its stunning
sporting infrastructure, the Aspire Zone
spread in a few kilometre circular area in the
heart of the capital city one would wonder
whats with this sporting obsession of an
average Qatari. After all, it has only three
bronze medals as its best tally ever in the
Olympics, it is not too high on the footballing
global network and its athletes are nowhere
near the finish line in big world events.
Still, it is bewildering how Qatar has the
most moneyed sporting leagues on the globe,
that too in games which the nation is not too
familiar with. No less than 30 clubs compete at
its annual hockey tournament and the Qatar
club stood second in the just-concluded world
hockey league, behind Azerbaijan. The same
goes for its cricket league and that despite the
fact that cricket is for Qataris what it is for the
Chinese or, for that matter, the Americans.
A clutch of former Team India players plays
for these local hockey clubs which are also
dotted by Pakistanis, Malaysians and Qataris.
The earnings are not mean at all in both sports
which are, by the way, alien to Qatar whose
DNA is more into football than any other game.
Talking of which, Sport is in our DNA,
says a lifesize poster at the chic Aspire Zone, a
circle of intense activity which has come to
signify a nations unique effort to edify all
kinds of sport some known and many
unknown to this desert country.
As you walk around this zone where you see
localites playing, walking and jogging in the
evenings you know that the implementation of
its Emirs big dream of instilling physical activity
as a way of life in his population is alive and
kicking. The Aspire Zone, with its signature
Torch building rising up from the sands of time,
is Dohas most happening sporting mile with
facilities like the state-of-the-art WADA anti-
doping lab rubbing shoulders with a sports
medicine academy, a sporting institution to
garner young guns into top achievers in sports,
not to mention a clutch of indoor stadiums in
most sports, used to capacity during the 2006
Asian Games held here.
Pointing out how when people speak about
Qatar, they often focus on its considerable
natural resources, Sarkozy drew attention
towards how Qatar is in the midst of
addressing one of the trickiest questions of the
21st century: Reconciling national identity
with modernity. In sport, as envisaged and
promoted by Qatar, one sees how we can
accept the complementarities, the dovetailing
of identity and modernity, he said while
addressing the Doha Goals Summit.
>> Z
0alar has never seen snow bul has one o lhe world's besl ice hockey rinks; il does nol lay ield hockey much bul has 8Oodd
clubs; wilh lhe 2O22 FFA world Cu in bag, il has also bid or lhe 0lymics. MEEhAKSh RA0, who allended lhe highroile 0oha
0oals Summil recenlly, lells you aboul lhe slunning journey o a small nalion lo lhe lo echelons o lhe globe's sorling corridors
Some of the buyouts
by Oatar include the
Harrods store and
related assets in
London at a cost of
S2.S billion, stakes in
Miramax and the
buying of the Paris
Saint-Germain
Football Club for S1S1
million with plans to
pump in SS41 million
for its upkeep and
performance
enhancement
Doha
Doha
sunday
magazino
jjl !
0h MAY 2O, 1O58, E0Muh0 hLLARY 0F
hEw ZEALAh0 Ah0 TEhZh0 h0R0AY 0F hEFAL
BECAME ThE FRST huMAh BEh0S T0
C0h0uER M0uhT EvEREST whCh, AT 2O,O28
FT, S ThE h0hEST FLACE 0h EARTh
Now Dolhi, January 6, 2013
I
n the mid-19th century, the highest
mountain peak in the world was
named after the legendary surveyor,
Sir George Everest, who completed
a large section of his Great
Trigonometric Survey of India and the
median arc living in a secluded estate on
the mountains of Mussoorie. In a unique
coincidence, almost a century later, one
of the first Indians to have successfully
climbed the formidable mountain was
the then 26-year-old Major HPS
Ahluwalia, who not only grew up in
Mussoorie, but also professed to have got
his fixation for climbing the Everest from
these very picturesque foothills.
On May 29, 1965, Ahluwalia scaled
the highest mountain peak in the world
after a perilous journey of four arduous
months. History had been created, and
life was a heady concoction of euphoria,
fame and more challenges to win. The
biggest of them struck only three
months later in a way most unimagin-
able. India was engaged in a war with
Pakistan. With a thousand dreams and
the blood of a young warrior, Maj
Ahluwalia was on ground zero, fearless
and lethal. It was mayhem, deafening
noise of violent offensives and counter-
attacks. A situation where all that mat-
tered was national honour, and all that
stood between life and death was a tiny
bullet. It was in this charged scenario
that from somewhere, as if out of
nowhere, an enemy bullet hit Ahluwalia
in the neck. What followed was a blur,
excruciating pain, blood, ambulance and
unconsciousness. The first clarity that
then appeared was one that would have
devastated even the strongest: He would
never be able to stand up again. The
gunshot had caused a severe spinal
injury that left Ahluwalia paralysed
below his waist for the rest of his life.
From that shattering event to now,
almost 50 years have gone by. And in
these intervening decades, albeit con-
fined to a wheelchair, Ahluwalia has
risen to an unyielding figure of strength,
much like the unshakeable peaks he had
climbed. Having been honoured with
the Padma Bhushan, he is the founder of
the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre in New
Delhi, of which he has also been the
chairman since 1995. Besides being the
author of over 15 popular books, he is
former chairman of the Rehabilitation
Council of India and of the Indian
Mountaineering Foundation.
Of the lot, Ahluwalia cherishes his
Everest exploits the most, giving an
account of the time when all seemed lost
in the gallant ascent that eventually set up
a world record by putting nine climbers
on the summit, catapulting India to
become the fourth nation to have its flag
flying on the top of the Everest. The big
unit of 17 mountaineers, 60 sherpa
guides and as many as 800 porters began
the expedition from Jayanagar in Nepal,
traversing a strenuous path for almost a
month before reaching the next camp.
While the entire climb was a gruelling
experience, it was the last one week when
the going got so tough that they almost
thought of giving up.
It was on the bone-chilling morning
of May 25 that Dorji, who served us our
morning tea, exclaimed, Sahibji, there
has been a big avalanche over Camp III.
Disregarding the tea, Mohan and I dart-
ed outside and what we witnessed was
scary. The camp, with its colourful tents
had been completely wiped out and all
that was visible was a huge stretch of
white. Luckily, the camp had been unoc-
cupied and no life was lost. But our oxy-
gen cylinders were gone, buried under
the deep avalanche. And with them, our
hopes of making it to the peak lay buried
too. The leader, Capt MS Kohli, had no
option but to call off the final ascent.
Could we search for the cylinders? we
asked. The idea of digging out the cylin-
ders from unknown locations under the
huge mass of snow seemed foolishly
brave. But given our conviction and des-
peration, he agreed. Accompanied by
four sherpas and our Nepalese Liaison
Officer Rana, we reached the site after a
two-hour trek. All we saw was barren-
ness, recalls Ahluwalia.
Without wasting any time, they
started digging up the snow in the
hope of that finding oxygen cylinders.
By afternoon, they had already dug up
for six hours. Indescribably exhausted
and downcast, we were at our nerves
end. The minutes hung heavy like years
and we realised that we could not sus-
tain much longer. And it was at this
critical juncture that I happened to
look at the sherpas. They were praying
and I began to pray too. After a few
hits, my axe struck an oxygen cylinder,
says Ahluwalia.
Suddenly, the fatigue vanished and
they began to dig enthusiastically. One
by one they dug up all the oxygen cylin-
ders. Four days later, the final climb
began. Recalls Ahluwalia, On every
climb, we have these thoughts if we shall
be able to make it or not; on the Everest,
these bouts of doubt were much
stronger. Every footstep needed a whole
lot of energy and from behind those
oxygen masks, we didnt even have the
energy to scrape back the snow and see
how much time had passed. But we kept
going on, one step at a time.
The trail was quite risky. But were
they fearful? With the tone of a soldier,
he replies, Oh, we were not worried
about death then; it was a mission that
we were determined to pursue at any
cost. As long as we can walk, we shall go
up. And when the moment of triumph
arrived, we were possessed by a mam-
moth force of energy.
The temperature was minus 30
degree Celsius, but suddenly the wind
stopped which, Ahluwalia believes, was a
gift from God. Being passionate about
photography, the first thing he did atop
the Everest was to capture the spellbind-
ing beauty of the vast nothingness with
his prized camera. While descending,
there was the happiness of a job well
done but also a tinge of sadness that hav-
ing conquered the highest, there would
be no greater heights to scale, he says
with a philosophical undertone.
Looking at the lofty mountains,
Ahluwalia goes back in time to his grow-
ing up years in Mussoorie, reflecting how
the hills have formed him. My father got
posted to Dehradun in 1947 during
Partition. I studied at St Georges College,
nestled in the mesmerising mist of the
mountains. Hills often have an alluring
charm among children and I got fascinat-
ed by the Himalayas. As years passed by,
these mountains instilled in me a sense of
steadfastness; to hold ground no matter
what. Ever since, mountains have made
me seek the strength within myself and
the confidence that I can conquer any
fear, surmount any challenge, says he.
On how the Everest happened, he
says, It was my dream to summit the
Everest. While during Indias first expe-
dition in 1960 I was under-aged, in 1962
I was undergoing a course that I couldnt
leave in between. Incidentally, both these
expeditions failed. In 1965 another expe-
dition was organised, the last one before
Mount Everest closed for mountaineers
for five years. Jawaharlal Nehru was
keen to see the Indian tricolour hoisted
on the peak. A list of mountaineers was
drawn up that fortunately included some
youngster like me.
Mountaineering has changed dra-
matically over the years. Ahluwalia
agrees. Now, climbing has become very
commercial, taking sponsored merchan-
dise to the summit as a publicity stunt.
Then there are these travel agents at
Everest base camp who have fixed ropes
right up to the summit to hold with one
hand and go up. This is not true moun-
taineering. Third, most climbers dont
even walk that much. There is a flight
from Kathmandu to Lokhla and it is
only as far ahead as this that the activity
begins. Then, in one season there may
be 15 expeditions or more, so there is a
whole line of climbers and this again in
my opinion is not real climbing.
0n May 2O, 1OG5, Major hFS Ahluwalia scaled lhe highesl mounlain eak in lhe world aler a erilous journey o our monlhs. Three
monlhs laler, he gol badly injured in lhe ndiaFakislan war and could never walk again. AhuFMA KhAhhA lalks lo lhe bravehearl
Fverest
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T
he summit, produced and directed
by the Richard Attias Group on a
$5 million budget, is only one
pointer to how this Arab nation has
made sports its raison detre. Pointing out
how sporting initiatives overcome
borders and contribute to building
societies, His Highness Sheikh Hamad
bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Emir of Qatar
recalled it was his familys dream since
1979 to make Qatar a world destination
for sporting activities. Youth are our
wealth and together we can build a better
future. The Arab region is about to
change profoundly, and the Arab Spring
has proved our youth have dreams and
ambitions too, he stressed.
The Emir said Qatar had made
huge investment in sports facilities
based on the conviction that sport had
the ability to promote development in
the country and the fact that the
hosting of international events not only
provided entertainment but also played
a role in providing jobs, both locally
and internationally.
He also stressed that the decision by
FIFA to award Qatar the 2022 Football
World Cup championship was in part
determined by a joint commitment to
boost stability and development in the
whole Middle East region.
Thanks to these efforts, infrastructure
developments at home and sporting
investments overseas have fired the
imagination, including the purchase of
the leading French football club Paris
Saint-Germain and a UAE-Qatar joint
partnership working on the worlds first-
ever extreme sports park.
The results of a $2.8 billion
infrastructure investment include the
Qatar MotoGP track; the five-floor ultra-
modern Hamad Aquatic Centre and the
iconic Aspire Dome, from which the
Emir launched the Aspire Academys
Football Dreams Project.
For the past seven years, the project
has been scouting more than two
million youth footballers from across the
globe one of the many factors that
helped secure Qatars bid to host the
2022 World Cup.
The QOC is responsible for the
administrative and technical
supervision over Qatars sports
federations and sports establishments
numbering 24 federations and sporting
establishments, 10 premier league clubs
and six second league clubs, for which
the Committee has provided all human
and material support in order to further
their ability to carry out their missions.
It also supervises the all-girls sports
committee and has even made a bid for
the Olympics after getting the 2022
FIFA Cup in the bag.
The only glitch of this sport and gas
El Dorado? It has the dubious distinction
of being the worlds highest carbon
emission rate in the world. Considering,
however, that it can cool temperatures
with rocket propellers, it can freeze ice in
the middle of a desert and it can bring
world class players to populate their
country, is proof enough that somewhere
down the line they will also plug its
environment lacuna. Till then...
F R O M P A G E 1
!ola rising
sunday
magazino
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5ATFA5, F0uh0E0 BY SAhKAR0EvA, ARE A uh0uE
FEATuRE 0F vAShhAvSM h ASSAM. ShCE ThE 15Th
CEhTuRY, ThESE hAvE BEEh ThE CEhTRES F0R E0uCAT0h
Ah0 0SSEMhAT0h 0F ThE ART 0F hARM0h0uS Lvh0.
T00AY ThERE ARE 22 5ATFA5 h MAJuL
Now Dolhi, January 6, 2013
O
ur friends met our announcement, that we were going
on a cruise, with smiles laced with a touch of envy and
incredulity. Remarks like: You guys are really lucky,
flew around fast and furious. Yes, cruising is one of lifes
greatest treats and as we boarded the Costa Fascinosa, the
largest and newest Italian-flagged cruise ship afloat, it was
like stepping aboard a lavish stage, set for fun and games. We
were just actors playing our roles, escapists in search of a
temporary utopia aboard the 1,14,500 gross town-ship. Our
playground with its out-of-cellophane good looks had 17
decks of which 10 were passenger decks.
We set sail on our mini preview cruise from the pic-
turesque town of Trieste and took in the charming towns of
Dubrovnik and Split in Croatia. The cobalt-blue ocean
embraced us like a welcoming lover even as we dove into a
heady round of fun on the ship. After a mandatory emer-
gency drill, we explored our floating resort whose cutting-
edge design gave it the appearance of an other-worldly
Xanadu. The wood-panelled Amarcord Atrium soared to a
skylight which poured the beneficent rays of the
Mediterranean sun downwards even as bubble lifts flitted up
and down like fireflies. The lounge bar fitted with premium
wood panels, sculptures and sparkling lights, including dia-
mond-shaped chandeliers, was one of the many charmed
spaces where cruisers relaxed after a day of sightseeing; or
spent mellow evenings post gourmet dinners and nights of
frenzied partying at the Babylon Discotheque.
Fascinosas 13 bars always resonated with foot-tapping
live music as an array of talented bands and singers had
guests dancing into the wee hours.
From time to time we would retreat to our cosy cabin kit-
ted out in shades of coppery-gold and purple with a balcony
that commanded dramatic views of the ocean and of spectac-
ular sunsets and sunrises. On the top deck, we would loll in
the open-air jacuzzis and watch the grand sweep of the
ocean, its pitch and roll and the tonal shifts on the water
which would turn crimson, russet and purple, flaring and
dimming as the sun took a bow.
On the pool deck (the Costa Fascinosa has four swim-
ming pools), instructors would conduct yoga, stretches, mus-
cle wake-up and other classes while at the Samsara Spa, semi-
nars on maintaining a glowing skin, lustrous hair, pearly
white teeth and a body beautiful kept fitness buffs occupied.
For those who liked to swirl, sniff and sip wines, the
Fascinosa carried those selected by AIS, the Italian
Sommelier Association, which could be paired with the
gourmet offerings at any of the five restaurants. The opulent
Il Gattopardo Restaurant, where we dined on several nights,
resonated with the rich tenor of old Italian songs when wait-
staff danced and sang with guests. The evening would be
topped off at the sparkling purple and silver Bel Ami Theatre,
adorned with antique mirrors, where slick musicals, singers,
dancers and even ventriloquists would entertain guests, ever
hungry for more amusement. Our mini cruise also show-
cased the Great Outdoors, the ineffably romantic canal city of
Venice, historic Trieste, the sun-and-sea splashed medieval
city of Dubrovnik on Croatias Dalmatian coast, hugged by its
perfectly preserved walls. Tourists sat in yawning plazas sip-
ping coffee or beer at sidewalk cafes or flitted around like
bubbles in a fish tank gazing at the grandeur of a city that
was once almost as rich as Venice in its heyday.
We saw everything as if in a dream. Split, another port of
call, and the second largest city in Croatia, was where the
Roman Emperor Diocletian frolicked. Here we caressed the
ancient stone of an Egyptian sphinx, a Roman temple,
Byzantine lions and Romanesque arches... In Diocletians vast
palace, more a walled town than mere palace, cafes, restau-
rants, hotels and local homes, with the days wash hanging
from the windows, have sprung up. Perhaps it was here that
petitioners used to cringe before their large-than-life emperor
who, for all his benevolence, was violently anti-Christian.
As we stood in one such space, our gaze drawn upwards
by a large aperture in the roof, our Costa guide sprang a sur-
prise. A group of local Klapa singers gathered and started to
sing, their voices sliding softly and then soaring up the thick,
sturdy walls like unfettered birds in flight. A rich earthy com-
bination of tenors, baritone and bass voices, Klapa is in the
tradition of early Christian church music but today the
themes comprise songs of love and longing. As the last
strains wafted softly on the scented evening air, we strolled
back to our ship via a market where pretty local lasses
hawked colourful souvenirs. Balmy breeze cooled our brows,
for the sun had been high and strong earlier, and the air
seemed laden with the fragrance of this medieval town.
Crisped by the sun, we stepped into our tender boat which
ferried us to our floating luxury hotel on the high seas. We
clambered into the belly of our whale and felt humbled by
the breadth and sweep of the ocean around us.
After a rambunctious night of dancing and music, we
slept like babies and woke up with the sun. The rosy dawn
had delicately brushed the city of Venice with a pinkish
blush. The Adriatic Sea glittered an unearthly silvery-blue
as though a box of blue paint and silver spangles had been
emptied into it by a divine hand. The graceful white ship on
the blue band of water beckoned us but we had to turn away
from its invitation and plunged headlong into the arms of
another bewitching seductress Venice, the city of canals.
Cup]|i||. 4g^cXRP, || Wll| +|J li||]l |++i| ||u| l| Piu|| |uup,
+1+il+|l i| +ll |uu| u| l| |i1|+| |u|l |+i| +|u || uu|||]
Como sail
with us
Boarding lhe Cosla Fascinosa, lhe
largesl lalianlagged cruise shi
aloal, was like sleing aboard a
lavish slage, sel or un and games,
say 0uSTASF and JER00 RAh
T
here are advantages of getting
lost. Well, the optimist in me
has that figured out, given the
times my wanderings have
earned me a new experience.
But then there are times when you hope
against hope that a certain obstinate deci-
sion of yours does not quite land you in
trouble. In the heart of Assam, we are rac-
ing against time to reach Nimati Ghat.
Braving a flat tyre (with no spare at hand)
in the middle of nowhere, a new driver
behind the wheel and a well-meaning but
a thoroughly confused navigator, I keep
my fingers crossed that we are able to
catch the last ferry to Majuli from the
ghat. The sun sets early in this part of the
country something like close to 4.30
pm. Its 3.30 already. On my way, I can see
people preparing to go back home. And
then we lose our way again...
Somewhere along the way, the driver
seems to have taken a really thin, rugged
dusty trail, running next to the ghat. The
actual ferry point is more than 10 km away
and there is no way the driver can turn
back. Cursing under his breath, perhaps at
himself, the driver raises the volume of the
car stereo. Strains of a famous Assamese
song by Bhupen Hazarika Bistirna
parore akhankhya janore fill the air. Its
powerful lyrics arrest my attention as I
hear him deplore Brahmaputra for flowing
calmly, turning a blind eye to the suffer-
ings of humanity. By that means, we are no
sufferers, but time travellers impatient to
get to our destination.
I sink back in the seat to enjoy the
view, doing my best not to pay attention to
the road ahead. The wetlands next to the
track appear to change character with each
passing kilometre now green, now
swampy and now clear. Brahmaputra is a
vast river and this wetland, spread over 20
sq km, is home to many species of rare
migratory birds like Pelicans and other
exotic Indian species.
My fellow traveller, Pranjit Tamuli,
shares with me the mystery of suicidal
birds. I have heard the story before
somewhere else. Far away in the northern
hills... But it has my attention. At a dis-
tance, I can see clusters of birds make for-
mations on their way back home. Is it real-
ly a good time to visit Majuli? I dismiss the
nagging thought.
At the ghat, we find that we are late.
The last public ferry has just departed. But
we have the option of a private ferry. These
ferries are huge motorised boats that can
carry a minimum of two to three vehicles
apart from, say, 50-60 people. Being the last
ones to board, there are about seven of us
on the ferry, apart from two vehicles an
SUV and a small car and their drivers.
Its 4.30 pm and the suns coming down.
Soon, my ears are getting used to the drone
of the motor and as we surge ahead in the
vast expanse that Brahmaputra is, I feast
my eyes on the changing colours of the sky.
The feeling is overwhelming setting sun
at the horizon and water all around. Is it a
river? Is it an ocean? I almost choke with
the intensity of feeling that swamps me.
Only a few get lucky enough to cross
Brahmaputra, whispers another co-pas-
senger, clearly awed by the natures specta-
cle. I am reminded of a friends words
whod said almost prophetically: They say
if you cross Brahmaputra once, you have
to cross it seven more times.
Does that include air travel as well? I
had laughed at that point.
At a distance, I can see Majuli, worlds
biggest river island, formed by river
Brahmaputra in the south and the Kherkutia
Xuti joined by the river Subansiri in the
north. Spread over an area of around 875 sq
km, it was once shortlisted for the UNESCO
World Heritage status tag. But that was in
1991 when it had an area of 1,250 sq km.
Continuous soil erosion has reduced the
island to its present size. The authorities
woke up too late, laments another passen-
ger on board, adding, Even now, after
acknowledging how damaging the loss has
been, little is being done to preserve what
we have. I can feel the anguish of a native
crying for his homeland to be saved.
Since the 16th century, Majuli has
been the cultural capital of Assamese civil-
isation. The island was under the rule of
the British until India gained
Independence in 1947. At the heart of the
island is the namghar, where villagers
gather for all important events, prayers
and festivals. It is also home to the famed
Mishing or Mising tribe, who immigrated
here from Arunachal Pradesh some cen-
turies back. Deori and Sonowal Kachari
tribes form the other inhabitants. People
are largely friendly, though there are
undercurrents of the insurgency a
topic that a wise traveller is not supposed
to discuss with strangers.
We head straight for Dakhinpath Satra,
the second largest Vaishnavite monastery
on the island. Satras are a unique feature of
Vaishnavism in Assam and were founded
by Srimanta Sankardeva, the great saint
and socio-cultural reformer of Assam.
Since the 15th century, these have been the
centres for education and dissemination of
the art of harmonious living. As of now
there are 22 satras in Majuli.
At the satra, we meet the satradhikari.
I walk past an ornate gateway engraved
with religious motifs. Similar sculptures
and paintings with divine overtones adorn
the walls of the namghar. The satra inhabi-
tants are preparing for the raasleela. Its a
tradition exclusive to the Dakhinpath
Satra, which is known as a treasure house
or advanced centre for the performing arts
like Borgeet (a collection of lyrical songs
composed by Sankardeva and
Madhavdeva), and dance forms such as
Matiakhara, Jumora, Chali, Noyua, Nande
Vringee, Sutradhar, Ozapali, Apsara, Satria
Krishna and Dasavater, among others. It
showcases a vibrant feature of traditional
Assamese culture and society.
The satra inhabitants are preparing for
a prayer. A small group of performers
begins with stuti to Ganesh, Durga and
Krishna. The mood is warming up. Younger
members of the satra join in. What follows
is a beautiful journey of bhakti, only to
break for a short while when prasad of tea
and gulab jamun is distributed.
I look up to see my guide signal its
time to leave. We are already late at 6.30
pm and by local standards, it is dangerous
to cross the river at this hour. Reluctantly, I
pull myself out of the mood. Island excur-
sion would have to happen another day.
The music is still ringing in my ears as I sit
quietly in the ferry. There are only four
passengers on board. The Brahmaputra is
uncannily calm, the hum of motor being
the only sound to break the mood. I look
at the sky above. A strange cloud forma-
tion catches my attention. It looks like a
wolf. The very next moment, the cloud
covers the moon and I can see the eyes
glint. I am reminded of a scene from a par-
ticular series in The Twilight Zone. As if on
cue, the wolf moves quickly and away as
if spitting out the moon. I almost freak
out. Thankfully, all is well on ground
below, or should I say the river? The ferry
man is looking for land to anchor. We have
reached Nimati Ghat. Our cab driver is
impatiently waiting for us to return. Its
time to get back to Kaziranga, our
stopover for the night. As for the river and
the prophecy, I still have six
more times to do...
river islano
of tle
Song
river islano
of tle
Majuli, lhe world's largesl river island, is home lo bolh rich cullure and dying lribes.
hAvhEET MEh0RATTA crosses lhe Brahmaulra lo unravel lhe magic o myslicism
Song
Spread over
an area of
around 875 sq
km, it was once
shortlisted for the
UNESCO World
Heritage status
tag. But that was
in the year 1991
when it had an
area of 1,250 sq
km. Continuous
soil erosion has
reduced the
island to its
present size
N
ews has just come in that all
the men, excluding the
juvenile, accused of brutal-
ly raping a 23-year-old woman
who later died of grievous injuries,
have been summoned to appear
before a fast-track court on Janu-
ary 7. The juvenile, who it is
believed was the most brutal of the
six men he raped the woman
twice, the second time after she
became unconscious, and shoved
an iron rod into her, tearing apart
her intestines and irreparably
damaging her vital organs has
not been summoned because he
claims to be seventeen-and-a-half
years old. Since he claims to be six
months short of 18, he hopes to be
disqualified from criminal trial on
grounds of being a balak. Delhi
Police has already filed a 1,000-
page-long charge-sheet which was
scrutinised by the Delhi High
Court. Thats less than a month
after the hideous crime was com-
mitted in south Delhi and an oth-
erwise callous Union Home Min-
istry, which is responsible for
maintaining law and order in the
national capital, can claim that it
has moved fast. Indeed, it has. But
thats cold comfort.
On Friday night the male
friend of the victim of that crime
who was with her on that terrible
night and is the sole witness now
gave an interview to Zee News. He
did not disclose his identity nor
did he mention the womans name.
There was nothing theatrical
about the manner in which he
recounted the horror. He spoke
without breaking down or betray-
ing the emotional turmoil through
which he is passing. He simply
stated the facts, as he recalled
them, without taking recourse to
adverbs and adjectives. Even a
hardened cynic like me who has
seen death and devastation more
than once was moved to tears I
wouldnt want to live through a
similar nightmare. Much of what
he had to say is largely known.
Nonetheless two points merit reit-
eration and comment.
Before the woman and her
friend were thrown out of the bus,
they were stripped and disrobed of
all clothing. Apparently, the rapists
were clever enough to know that
the clothes of their victims could
carry evidence of their crime; they
also took away their mobile
phones. But thats a matter of
detail and speculation and need
not distract us at this stage. What
is important to note is that for 25
minutes after the woman and her
friend were dumped on one of the
busiest roads of south Delhi,
nobody stopped to help them. The
woman lay bleeding; the man kept
on pleading for help with those
who passed by. Some people
stopped, gawked and moved on.
Others didnt even bother to do
that. Had it not been for a person
who finally took mercy and dialled
100, probably they would have
died on the road.
What does this tell us of our-
selves? Writing in these columns
last Sunday I had urged readers to
ask themselves a question we often
skirt: Isnt society to blame too for
this horrific crime, and similar
crimes, committed with impunity
by people amidst us? For nearly
half-an-hour a woman and a man
in distress pitifully cried for help
and everybody turned a deaf ear.
Yet, as the protests over the follow-
ing days showed, we all pretended
to be outraged, we feigned anger
and we lit candles. Demanding jus-
tice is fine, as are candlelight vigils.
But helping fellow citizens in dis-
tress is infinitely better. The
anonymous Good Samaritan did
not think about the consequences
of his action, nor was he mindful
of whether it would fetch him five
minutes of fame. But history
remembers him. A corner of the
desert between Jerusalem and Jeri-
cho now carries his name, if only
as the Good Samaritan. Parables
have long gone out of fashion
along with morals and ethics,
washed away by the tide of Left-
liberalism that has midwifed the
birth of an I-me-and-myself soci-
ety comprising individuals who
believe compassion is for losers;
winners think of only themselves.
The second point that stood
out in the victims friends state-
ment is the attitude of the police.
According to him, the first PCR
vehicle arrived 45 minutes after
the SOS call to 100. Subsequently
two more vehicles arrived. Over
the next half-an-hour the police-
men argued among themselves as
to which police station had juris-
diction over the crime spot. A
weighty question, indeed. After
all, the bus in which the woman
was gang-raped kept on moving,
possibly traversing from one
police stations jurisdiction to
another. That issue, of course, had
to be settled before taking the pro-
fusely bleeding and severely bru-
talised woman to the nearest hos-
pital. Her friend requested the
policemen for something to cover
her body. At first the policemen
ignored him, then one of them
gave a tattered sheet. It wouldnt,
of course, have been right for any
one of them to take off his jacket
or shirt and cover the naked
woman. Pristine khaki would have
been profaned. Hence they made
the victims friend carry her; they
wanted to keep their lilly-white
hands clean.
If what we have been told is
true, and there is no reason to dis-
believe the victims friend because
nothing he said during the inter-
view sounded even remotely exag-
gerated he was calm and com-
posed, and he spoke with
admirable dignity considering the
circumstances then the police
squandered more than an hour in
responding to the crisis. Those 75
minutes may have pushed the vic-
tim over the cliff from the juris-
diction of life to that of death.
Yet, Union Home Secretary RK
Singh was fulsome in his praise for
Delhi Police during the famous
Press conference he held along
with Police Commissioner Neeraj
Kumar some days after the ghastly
crime. A beaming Home Secretary
kept on patting a smirking Police
Commissioner on the back while
handing out clean chits to the lat-
ters boys for a job magnificently
done. Journalists at the Press con-
ference kept on asking tough ques-
tions; the Home Secretary kept on
insisting the police couldnt be
blamed; the Police Commissioner
kept on smirking and smiling. We
were told how the police respond-
ed within minutes, five to 10 min-
utes at best. We were told how
hard the police had worked to
crack the case. We were told the
police deserved to be hailed not
criticised. And what do you know?
The police took 45 minutes to
reach the spot and another 30
minutes to decide what to do. We
now know that the police were col-
lecting hafta from the owner of
this bus to gloss over repeated vio-
lations of the law and it is the
diary in which bribes are recorded
that helped trace the vehicle and
the rapists, not back-breaking
investigations. We also know that
those guilty of such dereliction of
duty will never be punished. They
will stay on in their taxpayer-fund-
ed jobs, as will the Home Secretary
and the Police Commissioner. Its
an exclusive mutual admiration
club whose membership comes
with extraordinary privileges.
Theres a post-script to this
story: A high-powered commit-
tee has been set up to review the
functioning of Delhi Police. The
committee is headed by the Home
Secretary and among its high-
powered members is the Police
Commissioner. And theres more.
Delhi Police has filed a case
against Zee News for broadcasting
the interview with the gang-rape
victims friend.
(The writer is a senior journal-
ist based in Delhi)
0Ity 0f IIhts: 0eaIy
hef0re, c0vertIy a0W
l080 WI0 808l8I 8 '08II00 W80I I0 k00W'
Reader response to Swapan Dasguptas column,
Usual Suspects, published on December 30:
More pompous and rude: I read your articles
every Sunday but have never commented on
them as I generally agree with what you write.
But this piece on Arnab Goswami compels me
to comment. The gentleman is pompous, opin-
ionated and to my mind not very clever. He is
rude and obnoxious with the people who come
on his show, Times Now. If you invite guests to
your show, at least let them make their point
without interruption. Often, you would have
noticed that when someone expresses an opin-
ion different from that of Goswami, he passes
the baton to someone else.
The nation wants to know I guess
seems a bit too much to stomach coming from
the gentleman. But then he comes from the sta-
bles of Bennett Coleman & Co. I think it was
Dilip Padgaonkar, the executive managing edi-
tor of The Times of India, who stated many years
ago that as the editor of the newspaper, he was
the second most important man in India.
I wonder where Arnab Goswami places
himself on the ladder.
Siddharth Sapru
M0l0 l0I0I W00'I 00, W0 08t0 I0 I00k WII0I0
Reader response to Kanchan Guptas column,
Coffee Break, published on December 30:
Onus lies on We, the people: The author has
rightly observed that we, the people are
responsible for all the ills of gender injustice,
brutality, corruption, judicial ineptitude, politi-
cal connivance and criminality. All the anger
that was on display on the streets following the
gang rape of a 23-year old girl will peter out
after some time and the people will forget about
the terrible incident as we seem to have done in
several such cases in the past Priyadarshini
Mattoo and Jessica Lal being some of them.
Aversion to the birth of baby girls resulting
in foeticide, dowry-deaths and persecution of
brides with the connivance of female family
members, are a common practice in this coun-
try. Hence, the crucial need for the change of
mindsets, even of women, is most important. In
the final analysis, all of us are to blame for the
unjust, insensitive state of our society. We, the
voters, elect inept legislators with criminal
records and incompetence. Therefore, reforms
must begin from homes and schools and extend
to political and religious institutions.
M Ratan
SMOKERS'CORNER
hA0EEM F FARAChA
COFFEEBREAK
KAhChAh 0uFTA
Cos tool more tlan an
lour to lel rae victim
K
arachi is one o lhe largesl cilies in lhe world. l was once called
lhe 'cily o lighls', due lo ils buslling and lively nighllie driven by
nighlclubs, cinemas, bars, ealing laces and olher recrealional
oullels unlil many o lhese were closed down in 1O77.
heverlheless, Karachi slill remains lo be a noclurnal abode. Many
o ils amous symbols o nighllie may have been orced lo close down
8O years ago, lhe leasures lhal lhey once oered are slill very much
available underlhelable and largely loleraled.
Karachi is also lhe mosl diverse cily in lhe counlry. ls large ou
lalion is dolled by a number o dierenl elhnicilies, religions, Muslim
secls and subsecls.
The largesl elhnic grou here is made u o urduseakers
(Mohajirs), who conslilule aboul 48 er cenl o lhe cily's oulalion.
The Mohajirs also include 0ujaraliseakers (Memons).
The second largesl elhnic grou in Karachi is made u o lhe
Fashluns (now 18 lo 2O er cenl). The Funjabi and Siraiki seakers
logelher conslilule aboul 1O er cenl o lhe cily's oulalion, ollowed
by lhe Baloch and Sindhis.
More lhan OO er cenl o Karachiiles are Muslim. Mosl o lhem
belong lo lhe Barelvi Sunni Muslim subsecl bul lhere is now also a
signiicanl number (esecially among lhe Fashlun) who idenliy wilh
lhe conservalive 0eobandi Sunni Muslim subsecl.
Karachi also has a large Shia Muslim oulalion. Then lhere is a
concenlralion o bolh Calholic and Froleslanl Chrislians; Bohri and
Agha Khani Muslim secls, some hindus as well as an inluenlial con
cenlralion o Zoroaslrians.
Karachi also hosls lhe largesl number o immigranl oulalion in
Fakislan. These include Bengalis, Burmese, Aghans and a srinkling
o Fhiliinos, Sri Lankans and ranians.
The elecloral consliluency which besl relecls lhis slunning elhnic,
Muslim and religious diversily in Karachi is hA25O. l is nol only lhe
largesl in Karachi, bul one o lhe largesl in Sindh as well.
l is due lo lhis reason lhal lhis consliluency has been lhrowing
u some o lhe mosl inleresling resulls. 0 course, il was nol always
so massive, bul lhe diverse makeu o ils voling oulalion has
remained more or less lhe same.
hA25O conslilules lhe cily's leading osh localilies, as well as
some lhickly oulaled middle and workingclass areas. All o lhese
localilies are dolled by hely ockels o Mohajir, Fashlun, Baloch,
Funjabi and Sindhi oulalions.
Ever since 1O88, Karachi's
volers have overwhelmingly voled
or 'secular' arlies, mainly lhe
M0M, ollowed by lhe FFF and
(aler lhe 2OO8 eleclion), lhe AhF.
hA25O however, has remained lo
be lhe lrickiesl and mosl uncer
lain elecloral balllegrounds or
lhe comeling arlies.
0uring lhe 1O7O eleclion
many o lhe areas lhal are now
wilhin hA25O came under hw
184 (Karachi v). As lhe majorily
o volers in lhe ormer wesl
Fakislan voled or Lelleaning
arlies such as lhe FFF and lhe
halional Awami Farly, volers in
lhe Karachi7 consliluency
relurned Shah hoorani, chie o
lhe Barelvi slamic arly, lhe JuF
lo lhe halional Assembly.
hoorani garnered 28,8O4 voles
ollowed by lhe FFF's hoorul
Arin who bagged 22,GOO voles.
n lhe 1O77 eleclion, lhe
consliluency was urlher exand
ed and became hA1O1. l was
won by Munawar hassan o
Jamalislami who gol 78,OO7
voles bealing lhe FFF's
Jamiluddin Aali who managed
88,O8G voles.
Karachi's demograhy and
consequenlly ils olilics began lo
change raidly during lhe Ziaul
haq diclalorshi belween 1O77
and 1O88.
wilh lhe arrival o a large
number o Aghans rom lhe war
lorn Aghanislan lhe number o
Fashluns in Karachi grew.
The rising oulalion o lhe cily lriggered elhnic and seclarian len
sions and lhis resulled in lhe rise o lhe Mohajircenlric M0M as a
owerul secularelhnic olilical orce.
n lhe 1O88 eleclion, hA1O1 was won by M0M's Tariq Mehmood
who received 8G,74G voles. he had lo ighl hard againsl Sarwar
Malik who was reresenling lhe consliluency's Funjabi and Fashlun
oulalions under lhe Funjabi Fashlun llihad umbrella. he received
28,145 voles.
The hA eleclions in 1OO8 were boycolled by lhe M0M. n lhese
eleclions, hA1O1 wenl lo lhe nonreligious conservalive FMLh's Abu
Bakar who received 27,845 voles ollowed by lhe slamic J's Munawar
hassan who could only garner 8,55O voles.
n lhe 1OO7 eleclion, whereas mosl o lhe hA seals in Karachi
were being won by lhe M0M, hA1O1 however roduced an usel win
or FMLh's Calain haleem who won lhe seal wilh 81,414 voles. his
closesl rival was M0M's Abdul Jalil who received 25,OO8 voles.
0uring lhe 2OO2 eleclion, wilh lhe increase in lhe number o seals
in lhe halional Assembly, hA1O1 became hA25O. 0nce again lhis
consliluency voled againsl lhe lide by relurning veleran J member,
Sallar Aghani, lo lhe hA wilh 21,4G2 voles. his closesl rival was
M0M's hasreen Jalil who received 1O,414 voles.
The consliluency wilnessed erhas ils loughesl elecloral ballle
during lhe 2OO8 eleclion.
M0M's Khushbakhl Shujaal deealed FFF's khliar Baig in a close
and lense ighl. Shujaal received 52,O45 voles and Baig slood second
wilh 44,412 voles.
hA25O remains lo be a wideoen and uncerlain consliluency.
Recenlly Karachi's largesl arly lhe M0M has been canvassing aggres
sively here, selling u various camaigns and oices.
Bul lhis lime ils main ballle here is nol execled lo come rom a
FFF candidale. Because lhe olher arly lhal is seen lrying lo make use
o lhis consliluency's eccenlric elecloral nalure is mran Khan's FT. l
underslands lhal hA25O is lhe only consliluency in Karachi lhal can
roduce a winner nol associaled wilh eilher lhe M0M or lhe FFF.
There is every likelihood lhal lhe main conlesl in hA25O in lhe
2O18 eleclion will belween lhe M0M and FT. Bul FMLh also has a
volebank here and mighl soil FT's ambilions. My rediclion is lhal
M0M, wilh lhe hel o voles rom disillusioned FFF volers in lhe
consliluency's welllodo and middleclass areas is oised lo relain
lhis seal.
(0curtcsy. Lawn)
For nearly half-
an-hour a woman
and a man in
distress pitifully
cried for help and
everybody turned
a deaf ear. Yet,
as the protests
over the
following days
showed, we all
pretended to be
outraged, we
feigned anger
and we lit
candles
sunday
magazino
jitit
Now Dolhi, January 6, 2013
F E E D B A C K F R A M E U P
Fily lhe nalion where eole lurn lheir aces away rom lhose in dislress crying or hel. Fear
lhe ulure when olice are callously indierenl
One of the most
diverse cities of
Pakistan, Karachi
is home to people
from a number of
ethnicities,
religions, Muslim
sects and sub-
sects. t is due to
this reason that it
has been
throwing up some
of the most
interesting
electoral results
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|] R+|i( |+(|uul
ThE 0AZZLE 0F KARACh REMAhS AS STR0h0
AS T wAS YEARS A00 BEF0RE vAR0uS RuLES
wERE CLAMFE0 T0 CuRB TS h0hTLFE. AFART
FR0M ThAT, ThE CTY S MF0RTAhT F0LTCALLY
T00. ThE M0M S EXFECTE0 T0 00 wELL hERE
H
uman mind is like a search
engine. Even tantra does not
reckon it as a computer but a
search engine. Once we use it
with full awareness of its func-
tioning and capability, then it becomes our
best friend. Nature has given us the best assis-
tant it could in the form of subconscious
mind. The yoga masters knew how to use it.
Not only is the mind beautiful, it is also a won-
derful tool, far better than any computer in the
world. To start with, mind is a tool; in tantra,
it has been referred to as the Brahmastra
(infallible weapon of Lord Brahma). It is a seat
of perception, where information from all the
senses is gathered, after which it processes the
information. It does not search for anything on
its own; people often misunderstand when
they say that my mind says this. The mind
only reflects what we say and think. It never
searches for anything that we do not want.
The phenomenon of the mind exists at
three levels: The first level is the individual
mind; the second is the space where a person
lives; and, the third is the universal mind.
Universal space represents universal mind.
Whenever a space is segregated from the uni-
versal space (that is, when a building is creat-
ed), the space mind is created. The person liv-
ing in this space also possesses a mind an
individual mind. This individual mind oper-
ates at four levels: Beta (conscious state of
mind), Alpha (subconscious state of mind),
Theta (intuitive state of mind) and
Delta(super-conscious state of mind).
Right now you may be reading this article
and receiving all the information through
open eyes. This is the phenomenon of the con-
scious mind. The conscious mind is always in
action. The action of the conscious state of
mind is based on ego and intellect.
To understand how the mind functions in
the conscious state, let us assume that this
mind is like an iron piece which gets attracted
to a magnet. The magnet itself is perfectly
aligned particles of iron. The mind creates
a field, like the magnetic field. So, whenever
the conscious mind gets aligned, like in the
temples (or vastu perfect homes), it becomes
a strong magnet and attracts everything
it requires.
When our consciousness moves to deeper
domains of the mind, then even this con-
scious state (the Beta state) becomes an aware
state of mind and yields the best results.
Whenever the mind is aligned on lower
brainwave frequencies, it starts getting energy
or power from the deeper side of mind
(known as the inner mind or subconscious
mind). In technical terms, the inner mind can
be defined as the Alpha brainwave state.
In the Alpha state, the mind works as a
creator; this is the state which is connected
with vigyanmaya kosha (intuition body); the
inner mind is completely connected to the
conscious mind, intuitive mind and also with
the super-conscious mind or universal mind.
The inner mind is the real connector.
The inner mind by itself cannot create
miracles. Miracles are only created at the
level of the ananda and vigyanmaya koshas.
In the field of alchemy, mind is believed to
have originated from space; space inside a
building is considered to be the one which
governs the inner mind. So, miracles can be
created only in the perfect space which facili-
tates the connectivity of individual mind
with universal mind.
For thousands of years, yogis successfully
researched on how to tune the space inside a
building at the frequency where whatever is
gained in the inner space (in the inner mind)
by sadhana also manifests in the outer space
(through the building). Whoever entered that
space (inside a building), his or her inner
mind gets synchronised with the (building)
space, thereby making it possible to alter
(improve) the condition of his life.
If we see the archaeological documents, it
seems that people had the techniques to cre-
ate such a perfect space thousands of years
ago. Different spaces were designed to achieve
their desired objectives. The same principles
and methods have been applied to palaces
and sadhana sthals. Temples constructed by
Hindu kings were built on these principles.
The truth is that the buildings we inhabit
completely shape our inner mind. The inner
mind controls our conscious mind and, there-
fore, ultimately all our actions are governed
by the space wherein we live and work.
l| W|i|| i + EPbcd/p|| |+J i| l|i
HDDENSOULS
BRAhMAKuMAR hKuhJ J
P
arents want their children to
be successful, but not many
realise the importance of
the strong value system in educa-
tion. We leave the responsibility
of imparting education to our
children on schools and teachers.
There is no doubt that the
schools will teach them a special
way of living which parents
themselves cannot. But this is not
enough. Let us look at children
who attain high marks in schools.
After 12 years of education, are
they really equipped with the
skills needed to have a good life?
Not really. This is because school
education doesnt provide chil-
dren with the tools to live their
day-to-day lives.
As soon as a child is born,
parents start planning to send
him/her to best schools. In that
rush, they sometimes dont allow
their children to showcase their
interests and abilities. Thus, chil-
dren grow being driven down a
single road called the mechani-
cal studying process. Today the
most common policy, at school
and at home, is to strive for acad-
emic excellence, and thus chil-
dren are pushed to do well in all
subjects, rather than concentrate
on what they do well or enjoy.
Thus, they lose the opportunity
to develop their unique skills.
Every human being wants to
be useful, acknowledged, appre-
ciated and even respected.
However, our educational climate
does not live up to our basic
human needs. Here the role of
parents assumes great signifi-
cance. Parents need is to recog-
nise their childrens hidden tal-
ents and thus make them realise
that they are important to them.
In order to do this, parents must
accept their children the way
they are and let them be them-
selves. When children are
acknowledged and accepted
by their parents, they will gain
the confidence to pursue and
develop their latent abilities.
Then they can experience new
thoughts, feelings and even ideas.
Their desire for learning will
also grow stronger.
To love and be loved is a basic
human desire. Unfortunately,
most schools are incapable of
teaching the right interpersonal
relations in which people help
and love one another. So, it is the
task of parents to educate their
children at home, telling them
about the importance of ethics
and values. Lets love them
unconditionally and provide
them with the opportunity to see
and learn from the loving, more
elevated behaviour of their par-
ents, thereby helping them to love
people. This is the wisdom of life
which our children need to learn
from us. School education cannot
give this, only parents can.
l| W|i|| i + pi|i|u+l Ju+|u|
Y
oga has eight steps, of which
meditation is the seventh. This
step leads to the final goal of
divine experience or uplifting the
spirit. Apart from the spiritual
aspects of meditation, there are
umpteen number of physical benefits
of it: Lowered blood pressure, boost-
ed immunity, improved respiration,
natural restoration of homeostasis
(the balancing mechanism of the
body), the reversal from a driven
(sympathetic nervous system associ-
ated with stress) to a calmer
parasympathetic nervous system
mode where the body is in the
repairing mode. It also constantly
reverts major glands to a state of bal-
ance, since meditation gives the sig-
nal of all-is-well within the body.
Listed here are a few poses in
which you may meditate. Ideally,
these poses must be held for as long
as is comfortable initially. Then the
time must be slowly increased to
improve their benefits on the mind
and body. Some poses may be held
longer, as the vajrasana and apan-
asana. Other poses depend on flexi-
bility and physical ability, and may be
learnt in a phased manner, over sev-
eral weeks. These poses are effective
as direct meditative poses or comple-
ment the key postures by working on
the uro-genital system which is asso-
ciated with uplifting the mood.
Fk8k
Lie on back, with knees bent, feet
flat, close to hips. One hand on
stomach, other alongside body. Shut
eyes. Focus on the breathing and the
rise and fall of the stomach as you
inhale and exhale. Count the breath-
ing, with one inhalation and exhala-
tion as one, and moving up to 50 or
so. This may even take ten minutes
or more if your breathing is slow and
steady. Release the pose by moving
body gently, opening the eyes.
Done in the morning and
evening, it can have a near-miracu-
lous effect on the body and mind.
Benefits: Boosts breathing. It calms
the master glands and has miracu-
lous impact on health. It is therapeu-
tic in several ailments. It can be used
as a meditative pose and may be held
for as long as is possible.
106M008k
It may be done seated on the ground
or on a chair. If on the floor, sit
cross-legged. Place hands gently on
knees (hands may also be twined
lightly behind, at the hips). Inhale.
While exhaling, lean forward to
place forehead to the ground. Hold
the pose for as long as possible, con-
tinuing normal breathing. Inhale and
raise your head.
Benefits: Calms you down immedi-
ately. The pressure at the abdomen
deepens the breathing, plus improves
the digestion. It is a cure-all pose in
several ailments. It gives a great trac-
tion to the spine.
Note: If having lower back problem,
do not do the bend fully. Place fore-
head on a high bolster or stool.
0FI8k0k8k
Sit up straight with your back erect
and shoulders relaxed. Spread your
legs as wide as you can comfortably.
Adjust your back; it should not be
slumped. Place your hands on your
thighs, palms facing up. Shut your
eyes. Stay in this pose for a few sec-
onds initially. Keep increasing time
in the pose as your comfort level
increases, up to a minute or so.
Tips for beginners: Those with
breathing problems may feel slightly
breathless in this pose. Sit on a firm
cushion to take the pressure off your
respiratory system. Bending your
legs lightly at the knees may also
reduce the pressure of the pose.
Though looks simple, it becomes dif-
ficult to hold for too long, so lean
against a wall initially.
Benefits: The pose tones the pelvic
region, powering the muscles. The
blood flow to the area is enhanced,
aiding repair. It is said to boost mood
due to the normal flow of the sexual
hormones. Legs become shapely.
Boosts respiration, affecting the
mind positively. Also calms and de-
stresses. It may be used as a pose in
which to meditate.
J8k
Sit on your knees in a squatting posi-
tion. Shut eyes and stay in it as long
as you like.
Benefits: It is a cure-all pose, used
in various ailments. Also used for
creating health, strength and focus
in the body and mind. It is one of
the most powerful meditative
poses. It may also be used to do
pranayam practices.
l| W|i|| i ]u+ PRWPahP ||+i|J Wi||
Si1+|+|J+ Yu+ VJ+||+ C|||
Tho wisdom o lio
Educalion shouldn'l be jusl aboul marks, il should be also aboul elhics and moralily
F
eole who claim lo be
'sirilual' bul nol reli
gious are olen slruggling lo
coe menlally, according lo
a sludy. They are more likely
lo suer rom a range o
menlal heallh roblems lhan
eilher lhe convenlionally reli
gious or lhose who are
agnoslic or alheisls, ound
researchers al universily
College London. They are
more disosed lowards anx
iely disorders, hobias and
neuroses, have ealing disor
ders and drug roblems.
Feole who said said lhey
had sirilual belies bul did
nol adhere lo a arlicular
religion were 77 er cenl
more likely lhan lhe olhers
lo be deendenl on drugs,
72 er cenl more likely lo
suer rom a hobia, and 5O
er cenl more likely lo have
an anxiely disorder.
E
yes may be a surrising
ly reliable guide lo how
heallhily you eal. while
lhere is no correlalion
belween reusing lo eal
your carrols and aclual
nighl vision, nulrilion and
olical heallh are closely
linked, wilh scienlisls cur
renlly looking al lhe role
layed by vilamins and
minerals in lhe revenlion
o eye diseases, such as
agerelaled macular degen
eralion (AM0) and
calaracls. Thal a link exisls
has long been underslood:
The eye condilion xeroh
lhalmia, a common cause
o blindness in develoing
counlries, is known lo be
caused by a lack o vilamin
A, which is ound in
sources such as meal and
resh vegelables. n acl,
vilamins and minerals are
crucial lo eye heallh, as
lhey are conslanlly required
lo hel ward o damage
caused by uv lighl rays. A
heallhy blood suly is
necessary lo suly nulri
enls and oxygen lo lhe eye.
T
he research rom Finland
ound lhal men wilh lhe
highesl levels o a chemical
ound in lomaloes in lheir
blood were al hal lhe risk o
suering a slroke lhan men
wilh lhe lowesl levels.
The chemical, lycoene,
which gives lomaloes lheir
red colour, has already been
linked wilh a lower risk o
develoing roslale cancer.
l ighls damage lo lhe
cells and may revenl lhe
blood rom clolling as readi
ly, which is a rimary cause
o slroke. The sludy o
1,O81 men rom Finland
belween lhe ages o 4G and
G5, involved lesling lheir
blood or lycoene and ol
lowing lhem or 12 years.
The resulls showed lhal
when slrokes caused by
clols, ralher lhan a bleed on
lhe brain, lhe eecl was
slronger, as men wilh lhe
highesl levels o lycoene
5O er cenl less likely lo
have a slroke. Findings were
ublished in |curc|cy.
sunday
magazino
sji|ilJlil; l
ThE REAL SEEKER 0F TRuTh hEvER SEEKS
TRuTh. 0h ThE C0hTRARY, hE TRES T0 CLEAh
hMSELF 0F ALL ThAT S uhTRuE. Ah0 whEh hS
hEART S REA0Y, FuRFE0, ThE 0uEST C0MES.
Y0u CAh'T Fh0 ThE 0uEST, hE C0MES T0 Y0u.
- 0Sh0, SFRTuAL 0uRu
Now Dolhi, January 6, 2013
8FII0LI1
8 MLkL hLLh I8k8
L 100
N1 0 8LL 8I6h
0M0L8 6k
8L 0ff 80kL. 8001
n cP]caP,
mind has been
referred to as the
1aPW\PbcaP ~
the infallible
weapon of Lord
Brahma. The
phenomenon of
the mind exists
at three levels:
The first level is
the individual
mind; the second
is the space
where a person
lives; and, the
third is the
universal mind
Lelling your mind go lolally blank
requires a lillle eorl al irsl. Bul
once il is maslered, il hels you
achieve good heallh and sirilual
bliss, says ShAMEEM AKThAR
Meoitation
human mind is a seal o
ercelion where inormalion
rom all lhe senses is galhered
and rocessed. l doesn'l say
anylhing on ils own; il jusl
relecls whal we believe, says
KhuSh0EEF BAhSAL
males you lealtlier
8Ik 6kE I,
8IEFT Ih 8E
A
Florida family told police
they returned from
vacation to find a bur-
glar had eaten their
food and slept in a guest
bed before fleeing with
their belongings.
Police said the Sanford
family returned recently
from a Christmas trip to
discover a burglar had
cooked and eaten food
from their freezer, drank
some of their liquor and
slept in a guest room
before leaving with
about $500 worth of
gold jewellery and a
bottle of Jack Daniels.
Investigators said
the thief also took a key
to the familys 2007
Cadillac, but left the vehi-
cle in the driveway.
Fingerprints were col-
lected from the scene to
help police attempt to
identify a suspect. (UPI)
hkWkIh 6h1E8
8Ik6k hIE Ih k
F
amed physicist Stephen
Hawking appears on a
commercial for a British web-
site, conjuring a black hole
to swallow the websites
intentionally annoying
mascot. Hawking, 70,
said he is a fan of insur-
ance website Go Com-
pares humorous adver-
tisements and was glad
to be able to film a com-
mercial where he conjures a black
hole to swallow fictitious opera
singer Gio Compario, The
Guardian reported.
I confess I am a fan of
the Go Compare adverts,
Hawking said. I am also an
opera fan so I was delighted
to be given the opportunity to
help save the nation and
silence Gio.
Kevin Hughes, marketing
officer for Go Compare, said he
was happy to have Hawking
appear in the companys
commercial.
We were thrilled to
hear (Hawking) was a fan
of the ads and believe his
appearance will really
take viewers by surprise,
he said. (UPI)
EMkh IIIk h
IhE hME8I6k
O
fficials at a German
zoo said a gorilla that initially had
difficulty adjusting to his new home is
rope dancing for the zoos 75th
anniversary jubilee.
A spokeswoman for the zoo in
Krefeld said Kidogo was homesick when
he came to the facility from Denmark in
April, but he is now back to performing
his signature rope dance and is showing
off his trick for the zoos anniversary.
The 12-year-old silverback gorilla
lives with a pair of females, Muna and
Oya, in the zoos Gorilla Garden. (UPI)
6hII 8FFT 6IkIM khkIE8
8FEM h T IE88Ikh 6FIE
A
Kansas man who donated sperm to a
lesbian couple so they could have a
child said that he is shocked the state is
now trying to make him pay child sup-
port. William Marotta, 46,
donated sperm to Jennifer
Schreiner and Angela
Bauer under a written
agreement that he would
not be considered the
father of the child nor
liable for child support. A
daughter, now 3, was
born to Schreiner.
But in October, the state of Kansas
filed a petition seeking to have Marotta
declared the father of the child and finan-
cially responsible for her after the couple
encountered money difficulties.
Marotta will ask the court in a hearing
January 8 to dismiss the claim, which cen-
tres on a state law that the sperm must be
donated through a licensed physician in
order for the father to be free of any later
financial obligations. Marotta gave a con-
tainer of semen to the couple, who found
him on Craigslist, instead of donating
through a doctor or clinic.
The case is seen as having repercus-
sions for other sperm donors. Sperm
banks routinely provide sperm to people
who want to conceive a child on the
understanding that the donors are not
responsible for the children.
Kansas is seeking child support
from Marotta, including about
$6,000 in medical expenses
related to the childs birth,
according to its petition.
The case has attracted
national attention. Shannon
Minter, legal director for the
National Centre for Lesbian
Rights, said, it is unfortunate
and unfair that Kansas is seek-
ing money from a sperm
donor. (Reuters)
TEk6hE8 6ITI6I8E I
'khhkM' FkY
A
n official in a British
county has criticised
teachers at a high school for
creating a YouTube parody
of South Korean pop star
Psys Gangnam Style video.
Peter Britcliffe, a local
Conservative district and
county councilor in Lan-
cashire, England, said he
feared the video created by
teachers and staff members at
Mount Carmel Roman Catholic
High School in Accrington
would cause students to lose
respect for their instructors.
The video depicts the
teachers performing the
dance moves from the video
and recreating scenes,
including one of men in a
sauna clad only in towels.
I am not a killjoy but I
have looked at the piece,
which is being discussed all
over Accrington. It is the
talk of the towns
young people,
Britcliffe said.
Having viewed
it myself, while
most of it is just
good fun, there are
parts of it certainly
that might not
improve the respect
there should be between
teachers and pupils.
Headmaster Xavier
Bowers rejected the criti-
cism. This kind of thing strengthens the
relationship between teachers, pupils and
parents who have given us an overwhelm-
ingly good response, he said. (UPI)
sunday
magazino
itl|tJlitJl |
hEZB0LLAh LEA0ER hASSAh hASRALLAh hAS
uR0E0 ThE LEBAhESE 00vERhMEhT T0 TAKE Ah
ACTvE R0LE h Fh0h0 A F0LTCAL S0LuT0h h
SYRA Ah0 T0 0FEh TS B0R0ER T0 REFu0EES
T0 AvERT FuRThER BL000ShE0
Now Dolhi, January 6, 2013
A
US drone strike in northwest
Pakistan killed a top Taliban
commander responsible for engi-
neering attacks on US and NATO
forces in Afghanistan.
The death of Pakistani Tal-
iban commander Maulvi Nazir
deals a significant blow to insur-
gent ranks that use Pakistans
rugged tribal regions along the
Afghan border as sanctuary from
which to launch assaults on West-
ern troops battling Afghan Tal-
iban fighters. Though Nazir was
affiliated with the Pakistani Tal-
iban, he had long maintained a
peace pact with the Pakistani mil-
itary and had instead focussed his
efforts on US-led forces in
Afghanistan. Nazir was one of
two Taliban commanders in the
Waziristan tribal regions to issue
decrees against polio vaccination
efforts in their areas.
While Islamabad vehemently
opposes Americas drone pro-
gram and regards it as a blatant
encroachment on Pakistans sov-
ereignty, Washington still views
the tactic as an effective tool
against Al Qaeda and Taliban
militants hiding in the countrys
tribal belt. Last year, drone
strikes killed Al Qaedas second-
in-command at the time, Abu
Yahya al-Libi, and Badruddin
Haqqani, a top commander for
the Haqqani network, a wing of
the Afghan Taliban.
A
US drone strike in South
Waziristan tribal region of
Pakistan killed at least six people
including the important Taliban
commander Maulvi Nazir Wazir,
who was also known as Mullah
Nazir. Mullah Nazir was killed
along with another important
commander of his group, Rapa
Khan, and four other militants in
the missile strike near Wana, the
headquarters of South Waziristan.
Mullah Nazir opposed
attacks on Pakistan army troops,
but he always supported attacks
on US and other Western troops
in neighbouring Afghanistan, a
stance that resulted in serious
differences with some other Tal-
iban commanders, who believe
that Pakistan is the close ally of
the United States and hence must
also be targeted.
Nazir was accused of sending
his fellow fighters on a regular
basis to Afghanistan to fight
alongside the Afghan Taliban
against the US-led NATO forces.
Nazir was wounded in a sui-
cide bombing in November last
year that was believed to have
been carried out by his rival mili-
tant commanders. After the
attack, he ordered the Mehsud
tribe related to the chief of
Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP),
Hakimullah Mehsud, to leave
Wana and other nearby regions
that were under his control.
R
ebel forces halted their
advance on Bangui, the capi-
tal of the Central African Repub-
lic, on Wednesday and said they
were prepared to enter into peace
talks with the Government.
The announcement heralded
the possibility of a peaceful reso-
lution to a conflict that has driven
thousands of civilians from their
homes and into the dense Central
African forest. The rebels were
refusing peace talks just a few
days ago. Their decision to
change course may be linked to
the arrival in the Central African
Republic of additional troops
from a coalition of neighbouring
countries, sent as reinforcements
for Central African Government
forces... The rebels of the Seleka
Coalition, an alliance of several
factions mostly from the coun-
trys north, have overrun and
occupied several northern cities
in a drive toward Bangui, in the
south, that gathered speed last
month, seeking to depose Presi-
dent Franois Boziz. A military
officer who seized power in 2003,
Boziz has since been elected
President twice; the rebels say he
has not given the north a voice in
Government and has failed to live
up to the terms of peace agree-
ments signed with rebels begin-
ning in 2007.
R
ebels who have captured large
parts of the Central African
Republic have halted their
advance and agreed to take part
in talks, leading to fresh hopes of
a peace agreement.
The Seleka coalition of rebel
fighters, which began seizing
regional capitals and mining areas
in the diamond-rich country last
month, said it will not attack capi-
tal city Bangui and is expected to
begin negotiations with the Gov-
ernment in Libreville, the capital
of nearby Gabon in the next few
days. But the fate of President
Franois Boziz continues to
hang in the balance as the rebels
who accuse Boziz of failing to
honour the terms of an earlier
peace deal say they might
insist on his removal.
Boziz has pledged not to run
for a third term in presidential
elections scheduled for 2016. But
there are signs that rebel demands
for him to step down could scup-
per negotiations. Boziz who
used military force to seize power
in 2003 but has since won two
elections has said that he will
form a Government of national
unity... Instability is nothing new
in the Central African Republic.
The country has faced political
unrest since independence from
France in 1960.
8ethack f0r IaIIhaa
frIca 0a the hrIak
SSUESGLOBAL
T
wo Booker Prize-winning novels
regularly described as
unfilmable Yann Martels
Life of Pi, and Salman Rushdies
Midnights Children have
been adopted to the screen. One is a
slightly surprising triumph, the other a
cloth-eared disaster. Between them, they
illustrate the uncertainty of transition from
literary sources to the cinema namely,
that plenty of books feel unfilmable, until
someone decides to have a stab, and theres
no cast-iron rule for the best way to do it.
As these two examples do prove,
vaunted fidelity to ones chosen text is
neither a guarantee of quality nor an auto-
matic obstacle to producing stand-alone
art. Both films could be called faithful,
albeit condensed treatments of these huge-
ly popular books, but where Ang Lees Life
of Pi finds an alluring and imaginative cin-
ematic language in 3D for relating
the wondrous adventures Pi tells,
Midnights Children is stuck being a book-
ish adaptation of a book by its own author,
and an arduously long one, which Rushdie
was misguidedly invited to narrate. After
two hours of switched babies and their
chiastic fortunes, his fruity insistence that
certain ironies must not pass unnoticed
only reinforces the feeling that Deepa
Mehtas film has hoisted a kind of autho-
rised Cliff s Notes treatment up on screen.
There are as many other proven
approaches to making good films from
good books, or even good films from bad
ones, as there are examples of either. It is
often said that genuine pinnacles of novel-
istic art Anna Karenina, say may be
harder to lift off the page than the average
airport read, but that hasnt stopped direc-
tors from trying. Joe Wrights recent
attempt at that very whopper used the
money-saving gimmick of staging it all as
a proscenium-arch live performance, but it
was a conception that impressed more for
its chutzpah than its actual purchase on
the books themes, and theres almost no
conceivable interpretation of Tolstoy that
could wholly succeed with a Vronsky as
miscast as Aaron Taylor-Johnson was.
Its not surprising that directors,
including Ang Lee himself with Brokeback
Mountain, have often turned to shorter
literary forms, which can be chewed
whole rather than split up into chunks.
Just as often, theyve chosen to use books
as a mere springboard for their own pre-
ferred vision. A classic instance of doing
both at once is Francis Coppolas
Apocalypse Now (1979), a loose but defin-
itive adaptation of Joseph Conrads Heart
of Darkness, which comes closer to nail-
ing the essence of the book than almost
any of the attempts to do Conrad on film
authentically and in period. We could
make an honourable exception for Alfred
Hitchcocks excellent Sabotage (1936),
based on The Secret Agent, but not for
The Secret Agent (1996).
Similarly, Henry Jamess novella The
Turn of the Screw has proved hugely
adaptable into all kinds of media
Brittens opera and Jack Claytons unfor-
gettable 1961 film The Innocents top the
pack where most of its authors major
works, with their dense prose and knitting
of multiple motives, have not. Jane
Campions gorgeous The Portrait of a Lady
(1996), which starts halfway through the
novel, is a neglected gem, but barely any-
one saw it, and Iain Softleys tersely mov-
ing The Wings of the Dove (1997) is very
often terrific, but you have to go back to
William Wylers Washington Square-
derived The Heiress (1949) to find another
one that works at all.
The king of adapting the unfilmable
is David Cronenberg, whose versions of
William Burroughss Naked Lunch (1991)
and JG Ballards Crash (1996) succeed by
Cronenbergising both texts: Their ideas
mutate with his aesthetic, like Jeff
Goldblum and that fly.
This years Cosmopolis was unmistak-
ably Cronenbergy in its style choices, but
Don DeLillos source novel is a more dubi-
ous candidate for fruitful synergy, and in
lifting huge chunks of its dialogue from
the page, Cronenberg perpetrates one of
his most verbose and unsatisfying pic-
tures. Contrast Spider (2002), a rare
instance of a novelist (Patrick McGrath)
succeeding with his own script, if only
because Cronenberg insisted that the
entire voiceover be stripped off, leaving
the slippery inner life of Ralph Fienness
disturbed main character to be explored
wholly by the camera.
Ive heard the case made that Amy
Heckerlings Clueless (1995), which bor-
rows its plot from Emma, is a better
Austen adaptation than any of the films
named after her books. Again, die-hard
Ang Lee fans may beg to differ his 1995
Sense and Sensibility is glorious. For tone, I
might prefer the BBCs Persuasion, direct-
ed by Roger Michell, which in Amanda
Root and Ciarn Hinds was graced with
casting Austen herself might have liked. As
for the casting of Clueless Alicia
Silverstone? No ones idea of Emma, but
the ideal Cher her characters name
in a sly contemporary spin.
How did they ever make a movie of
Lolita? asked publicity posters before the
release of Stanley Kubricks 1962 attempt,
which did so by toning down the inten-
tional sleaze of Nabokovs creation. The
countryside around St Albans is a sanitised
stand-in for the neon contours and motels
of roadside America, and lead actress Sue
Lyon was 16 when it premiered, not 12.
Given that Adrian Lynes equally con-
troversial 1997 adaptation might be con-
sidered his single best movie, Lolita is an
interesting case of an unfilmable book
thats actually been filmed twice, and well.
What either director might have done
with Nabokovs Pale Fire, written in the
form of a book-length commentary by a
crazy person on a 999-line poem, is hard-
er to guess. Still, as smartphones, multi-
media installations, and live digital broad-
casting in cinemas make anything
thinkable, How did they ever make a
movie of Pale Fire? is a poser that
may just begin to tantalise us.
l| +il] ll|+p|
Some books eel as lhough lhey could nol be adaled lo lhe screen, unlil someone decides
lo have a slab. Lifc cf Fi and MiJni|t's 0|i|Jrcn seem al examles, wriles TM R0BEY
The king of
adapting the
'unfilmable' is
David Cronenberg,
whose versions of
William Burroughs's
=PZTS;d]RW
{1991] and
JG Ballard's 2aPbW
{1996] succeed by
Cronenbergising
both texts
O D D L Y E N O U G H
sunday
magazino
l|s i
0EEFA MEhTA'S MIL|I6|T'5 0|ILLF| S SLATE0 T0
RELEASE 0h FEBRuARY 1. T S BASE0 0h ThE B00KER
FRZE whhh0 h0vEL BY SALMAh RuSh0E. ThE B00K
S C0hS0ERE0 T0 BE Ah EXAMFLE 0F F0STC0L0hAL
LTERATuRE Ah0 MA0CAL REALSM
Now Dolhi, January 6, 2013
T
he story of Velupillai
Prabhakarans rise from
the backwoods of Jaffna
to build the Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(LTTE), one of the most dreaded
terrorist organisations, and his fall
in the battlefield can be told in
many ways. Sri Lanka historian KM
de Silva in his latest book looks at
the rise and fall of the LTTE in the
larger context of South Asia and the
India-Sri Lanka relationship.
The book is a sequel to his
earlier work, Reaping the
Whirlwind: Ethnic Politics, Ethnic
Conflict in Sri Lanka. It is made
up of four monographs dealing
with different aspects of the com-
mon theme of ethnic conflict.
Although the lengthy introduction
has tried to link up the four
monographs, some issues are fea-
tured in more than one narrative.
For instance, reference to Indias
assertive intervention, which pre-
vented Gen Cyril Ranatunges rout
of the LTTE in 1987 in Jaffna, fig-
ures in three different parts of the
book. (Would the rout of LTTE
have eliminated the ethnic conflict
is a moot question?) Deft editing
to provide linkups could have
improved the reading of the book.
The first narrative the tra-
vails of Sri Lanka as a south Asian
democracy provides insights
on the failure of political negotia-
tions in the island nation. An
interesting case study comparing
the conflicts in Jammu &
Kashmir and Sri Lanka brings out
the role of external powers in
influencing internal situations.
The authors point on the failure
of Jaffna Tamils to forge a pan-
Tamil political front with
Plantation Tamils due to caste and
class differences is a valid one. In
fact, Jaffna Tamils superiority
mindset was reflected within the
LTTE leadership as well. This led
to Batticaloa LTTE leader
Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan
alias Karuna Amman to break
away from Prabhakaran with
detrimental effect on LTTEs per-
formance in the Eelam War.
This part also analyses the fail-
ure of the Tamil United Liberation
Front (TULF) leadership to under-
stand the true nature of LTTE and
Prabhakarans ambition to be the
sole leader of Tamils. In fact, when
I broached the subject with the late
TULF leader Amirthalingam, he
rued the day he helped
Prabhakaran in the early days.
Later the TULF leader paid the
price for his grievous error when
LTTE cadre who ostensibly came
to meet him gunned him down.
The second narrative,
analysing the militarisation of
Sri Lanka, provides insights on
political changes that impacted
security services during Sirimavo
Bandaranayaks regime. According
to the author, this affected the
national character of the security
forces making it a largely Sinhala
Buddhist force. Security forces
became a victim of political med-
dling for a long time; this affected
their operations against the LTTE
in the later years.
In examining the seeds of sep-
aratism in this part, Prof de Silva
builds a well-argued case against
Tamils three basic grievances
university admissions policy,
language policy and state sector
employment to conclude they
are based on false premises. But
the analysis of false premises
misses the historys glaring foot-
note the kernel of truth in the
Tamil argument that enabled
Tamil insurgency to hold out
against Sri Lankas might for over
25 years. The growth of LTTE was
the logical consequence of Sinhala
politys failure to convince the
Tamils of the rationale of its
actions. Though his analysis is
from a Sinhala rather than Sri
Lankan perspective, it gives the
majority Sinhalas reasoning that
influenced the countrys political
responses to the ethnic question.
The demoralising defeats of
the Sri Lankan Army and the rise
of the LTTE between 1990 and
2000 are dealt with in the third
part. This was a period of political
drift with the United National
Party (UNP) and Sri Lanka
Freedom Party (SLFP) rivalry
neutralising each others efforts to
achieve ethnic reconciliation. The
failure of the draft constitution
painstakingly formulated in 2000
is a case in point. In this period
LTTE had also hobbled the Tamil
polity from undertaking creative
initiatives. The failure of the peace
process in 2002 was a conse-
quence of the disastrous UNP-
SLFP cohabitation and
Prabhakarans faith in the power
of the gun than in peace talks.
Prabhakaran failed to recognise a
powerful President in Mahinda
Rajapaksa and a skilful army com-
mander in Gen Sarath Fonseka,
determined to wipe out LTTE.
One cannot but agree with the
authors comment on the dubious
way in which President Rajapaksa
deprived Gen Fonseka of the cred-
it for the victory against the LTTE.
The most valuable chapter in
this part is the one dealing with
the challenges of militarisation
from 1986 to 2011. The author
emphasises the need to recruit
Tamils and other minorities in
armed forces as part of the nation-
al integration process. His concern
on retaining the oversized army
even after the war and sidelining
of Parliament in national security
affairs reflects the mood of civil
society. In tandem with the control
of the armed forces in the hands of
the President and his brother and
Defence Secretary Gotabaya
Rajapaksa, militarisation appears
to have come to stay.
The last part on reconstruc-
tion and rehabilitation in war-torn
north is rather sketchy, probably
because it is a developing story. It
has been written with a lot of
sympathy for the people of the
war-torn region. His stress on the
need to return the land occupied
by security forces to the rightful
owners reflects this concern.
Overall, this is a well-
researched and thought-provoking
book, though chronology of events
and topics moving forward and
backward does not make for easy
reading. The maps are useful to
understand the military operations.
l| |1iW|, + ||i|J |ili|+|] l||lli|
pi+li| u| Suu|| Ai+, |1J Wi|| ||
l|Ji+| P+ |pi| |u| i| S|i |+||+
+ |+J u| l||lli|
The book addresses lhe
limeless lhemes o love and
dealh, loss and relurn, and
lhe validily o ailh. l seaks o a house
lhal a young man buill in Bombay in lhe
1O2Os lo accommodale his amily and
relalives, lhe years lhal saw ils rooms ill
u, lhe looming lhreal o lheir emlying,
and evenlual deliverance rom lhal lhreal.
Lyrical, allusive and insired, marrying
mylh and mallers o acl, Tcwcr ally deals
wilh lie, dealh and whal lies beyond.
TOWER
Avan Jesia
Penguin, C399
NEW
ARRVALS
Several schools and
cororalions abroad invesl
lime and money in honing
negolialion and
communicalion skills in sludenls and
emloyees, lo beller reare lhem or lhe
business world. Such lraining hels lhe
resh gradualelurnedexeculive lo coe
wilh diicull eole and silualions and
beller areciale lhe cullure and
colleagues lhey work wilh. The aulhor
believes lhal lhese skills musl, wilhoul
delay, orm arl o academic curriculum
or lhe young ndian execulive.
LET'S TALK
Mukta Mahajani
Jaico, C295
Laila is on lhe enlerlainmenl
beal a world ull o vain
heroines, egoislic suerslars, siriled
ilem girls, rissy slars... To lo il all, lie
in lhe newsroom is a series o deadline
driven blooers. Adding lo lhe mayhem is
a sexy Bollywood journolurnedilem girl
Lalika; Chiki, lhe reorler who is
obsessed wilh a suerslar; award
winning suer hack ndumali; and lheir
ra/orshar and hardlolease edilor
Bunny. Caughl belween her ambilion lo
excel, a livein boyriend who eels
ignored, and a alher who is ashamed o
his daughler's career choice.
GARBAGE BEAT
Richa Lakhera
HarperCollins, C299
88I l8k 80 IF
0FFFI 0F IF lIIF
kM 4e 8IIva
Fea0Ia, CZ99
The book looks al lhe rise and all o LTTE in lhe conlexl o Soulh Asia and lhe ndiaSri Lanka relalionshi, says R hARhARAh
war
Lanla`s
war
Lanla`s
costly costly
A
large number of books have been
written on Partition. Most of
these are the works of Muslim
scholars, particularly those living in
Pakistan. Though India was divided,
very few Hindus have ventured to
unravel the intricacies of Partition. The
notable exceptions are: Thoughts on
Pakistan by BR Ambedkar, The Stern
Reckoning by Justice GD Khosla and
The Transfer of Power by VP Menon.
These three authors were too indepen-
dent to come under the influence of
Jawaharlal Nehru. The suppression of
this landmark event in the history of
India is due to the fact that Nehru
along with Mohandas Karamchand
Gandhi was against the opening up
of any debate on the subject.
The present volume, Jinnah Vs
Gandhi, by Roderick Matthews is wel-
come, though one may not agree with
all that he has written. Matthews states
at the beginning of the book that the
extended confrontation between
Mohammed Ali Jinnah and Gandhi
was one of the great dramas of the 20th
century. For nearly three decades, these
two remarkable men were locked in a
series of political battles that involved
opposing views of individuals, commu-
nities, states and nations. How then
can we build an understanding of
them, asks the author?
Of the two, Gandhi was always keen
to explain himself and his collected
works run into 92 printed volumes,
whereas Jinnah neither wrote an autobi-
ography nor any political testament. His
thoughts have to be understood from
about 600 volumes of the Muslim
League documentation. In the words of
the author: The key to the Mahatmas
political outlook lies in understanding
that he was not concerned with states
and nations so much as in the moral
reform of individuals. This sets his
political aims well apart from those of
Jinnah, who habitually thought in terms
of constitutions and states... Liberation
is what Gandhi preached, liberation
from the British, but also the release of
individuals from their lower nature. The
political objective was Swaraj, self-rule
with the associated and deeper meaning
of personal self-control... Jinnah was
committed to ends without great regard
to means. His end was the protection of
the Muslims community but his chosen
means changed as British India was dis-
mantled... His direct personal experi-
ence had convinced him that Congress
nationalism was not broad enough but
it was Hindu. Gandhi was concerned
with the injustice of all men to all oth-
ers, whereas Jinnah was concerned with
the injustices of a particular majority to
a particular minority. Gandhis methods
meant that his style of liberation
dharmaraj could be found anywhere.
Jinnah politically focused on the
achievement of Pakistan.
Given their different sets of
philosophies, only a dreamer would
expect that there could be any meeting
ground between Jinnah and Gandhi. If
one were to pinpoint the centre-piece
of their confrontation over a period of
three decades, it was Partition vs
United India. Eventually, Jinnah won a
separate homeland for Muslims.
Dealing with this primary issue,
Matthews identifies the roots of
Partition not in religion and culture of
Muslims but in a variety of factors. In
his words, It is common place to latch
on to one particular event in the run-
up to Partition and declare that such a
moment was the point of no return.
The author recounts, for example,
the disagreement on the inclusion of the
Muslim Leagues members in the
Government formation in the United
Provinces in 1937; the opportunity
missed while rejecting the Cabinet
Missions proposals made in 1946; and,
there was no consensus in the running
of the Interim Government. This is an
understandable temptation and all his-
torians yield to it to some extent. But
the uncomfortable truth about Partition
is that the main parties the Congress
and the Muslim League were never
close to an agreement. Their fundamen-
tal differences such as Partition vs
United India could not be reconciled.
As for the reasons for Partition,
noted Muslim scholars like Aziz
Ahmad, IH Qureshi, Sir Aga Khan and
M Mujeeb have a different point of
view. Separatism, for them, has been an
integral part of Islamic theology. The
emergence of Pakistan, a separate
homeland for Indian Muslims, is a testi-
mony to this fundamental premise.
Ambedkar in his book, Thoughts on
Pakistan, which came out shortly after
the Pakistan Resolution of 1940,
summed up well when he said that
Islam was a close corporation and the
distinction it made between Muslims
and Non-Muslims was a very real one.
l| |1iW| +| puli|i+l u||||+|u|
Tho olash o tho titans
The book lells us aboul 0andhi's rivalry wilh Jinnah, wrile FRAFuLL 00RA0A and KR FhAh0A
1I88 8 680I
804erIck MattheWs
achette, C499
Feole inally begin lo seak
your language! They ollow
your lead, resecl your
sace and inelune
lhemselves or delivering
resulls. You ill in large
shoes lel behind by a
menlor and or lhe momenl
il's all quiel on lhe work
ronl. A neighbour uniles
wilh you briely lo solve a
roblem. Communily aairs,
social dos, hilanlhroy and
charilable evenls have you
keenly involved. Travel has
you reare weeks in
advance. The home is losy
lurvy wilh siblings al
loggerheads, craving larger
roles or cornering lhe assels
unairly. Some relurn lo lheir
homelown lo ulill wishes o
a arenl or comlele a vow.
herve ains are racking;
kee lhe body sule and
slressree.
8urprise oI Ihe Week You
hel bring aboul an amicable
solulion in a amily eud
Tip oI Ihe Week A small acl
o sacriice will go a long
way in silencing your crilics
Iurky number 2O
Iurky roIour Blackand
while
8esI day Monday
Iurky gem Fearls
IdeaI Iood Assorled cheese
iII Io give Silver unisex
jewellery
8esI Iime 2 lo 8 m
MediIaIion aid Teachings o
Black Elk, halive American
sirilual leader
8IF8
March 21-April 20
Twisls and lurns in lhe lol
give you barely enough lime
lo gel acclimalised lo
changes. You are execled
lo live wilh a ew alleralions
al work, ower sharing or
rivals who show lhey aren'l
going anywhere in a hurry.
Forlunalely, you don'l have
lo comromise or kowlow lo
lhem. l's unexecled eole
who come lo your rescue or
bail you oul and you make
abulous new riends. You
give wings lo a lalenl dream
lhal uls you back on lhe
ma. Travel brings you
closer lo a mission being
accomlished. Those
seeking job changes or
housing ind lhe wail
conlinues bul a new olion
emerges. visilors rom
overseas gladden lhe week.
hormonal ailmenls are back
in ull orce when you lay
lruanl wilh medicalion.
8urprise oI Ihe Week A
romance sees all your
anlasies come lrue
Tip oI Ihe Week hone your
inluilion and sychic abililies
and your decisions will be
sol on
Iurky number 21
Iurky roIour
Chrysanlhemum yellow
8esI day Thursday
Iurky gem Yellow sahire
IdeaI Iood Fakcras
iII Io give Faer roducls
8esI Iime 8 lo O m
MediIaIion aid Las|avataar
o Lord vishnu
Comany lays a key role in
all lhal is righl and wrong.
wilhoul shiling blame and
inding scaegoals you
discover riendshis o need
and exediency weigh you
dee in lrouble. Feole are
maniulaling you and you do
very lillle aarl rom lhe odd
murmur o rolesl. Bosses
or heads o amily lake
decisions on your behal
assuming your unqueslioned
obedience. 0ld avours work
as lras or shackles even
lhough you wanl lo secrelly
cul all lies. Luckily, you are
more raclical nol lo ollow
exlremes o eilher crealing
new enemies or drinking
hemlock lo rove your oinl.
Laws o ownershi aren'l
resecled by a new arrival lo
lhe leam or household. Joinl
ains, carlilage and bone
densily ealure in heallh
concerns even in lhe young.
8urprise oI Ihe Week A
decelively mild erson
becomes a lurncoal
Tip oI Ihe Week Fay
allenlion when lhe irsl
alarms go o
Iurky number 8
Iurky roIour Muslard yellow
8esI day Thursday
Iurky gem 0olden loa/
IdeaI Iood Sesame and
eanul c|ikki
iII Io give Slalionary
8esI Iime hoon lo 4 m
MediIaIion aid 5ri|aspati
Mcc| Mantra wilh
corresonding yantra
86III8I08
Nov 23-Dec 23
You inlroduce a new lrend or
simly bring more grace,
sohislicalion and cullure lo
lhe world around. A week
where you hold your own,
erorm diicull lasks, gel a
rojecl underway or simly
rove a oinl. rrevocable
dierences are dissolved as
eole agree lo a new oinl
o view. A shrill voice is
rendered dumbslruck as you
gel arovals, loyally,
clearances and relurns or
hard work. hire and ire orm
arl o a new venlure and
your oice or home are
revolving doors or new
aces and recruils. Money is
source o argumenls
midweek in lhe household. A
youngsler's enchanl or
exlravagance needs sleering.
Foslure correclion, anemia,
calcium deiciencies and
denlal ailmenls are
addressed lhis week.
8urprise oI Ihe Week
Someone allemls lo dig or
unleasanl acls bul winds
u gelling nolhing
Tip oI Ihe Week Kee your
comosure
Iurky number 22
Iurky roIour honey brown
8esI day Monday
Iurky gem hessonile
IdeaI Iood Caramelised
olaloes
iII Io give Chocolales,
coee
8esI Iime 4 lo 1O m
MediIaIion aid Book o
Mallhew, T|c |c|y 5i||c
Togelher lo lhe inish line,
you can join hands wilh your
riends, menlors, well
wishers, and desliny
accomlish all your desires.
Blessings arrive in lhe orm
o limely and lhoughlul
assislance. Al work, heling
hands ush mallers, avours
are relurned, inluenlial
eole swing inlo aclion and
move mounlains. Thal you
are on lhe same age wilh a
lol o eole hels asllrack
all mallers. The week allows
some unwinding beore a
inal challenge, grueling lesl
or exam lhal roves your
colours. Sluggish venlures
are lurned around and
hoeless ones swilly
abandoned. Froessionals
recalibrale lheir lieslyle and
goals. Some exlricale
lhemselves oul o an one
sided or nasly relalionshi
and abusive marriage.
Muscle ulls, srains are
likely; revenl overuse and
disuse o lhe body.
8urprise oI Ihe Week You
adal very quickly lo a new
silualion
Tip oI Ihe Week 0o wilh lhe
low o lie
Iurky number G
Iurky roIour 0usly rose
8esI day Friday
Iurky gem Rose quarl/
IdeaI Iood 0arrct |a|wa
iII Io give Shawls
8esI Iime G lo midnighl
MediIaIion aid Teachings o
lhe greal leacher Lao Tse
A sense o sharing and
healing lils lhe burdens rom
longsuering relalionshis.
An arid landscae al work is
relenished by new
resonsibililies, resecl and
heighlened crealivily. You
junk a ixed sel o ideas or
hearsay aboul eole inding
ground realilies lo be ar
dierenl. values maller lo
you more lhan malerial
lraings and you ind
yoursel bowing oul o
silualions lhal you believe
have oullived lheir urose.
Flianl souses have
nowhere lo hide as lrulhs are
unmasked. Those in ublic
lie could be embarrassed by
greed or selish moves o a
male. A cycle o change is
inadverlenlly aclivaled or
lhose in ublic lie wilh lhe
maligning o characler or
larnishing o image. wins
may come laler bul exiles
arrive irsl. Children are
rone lo ineclions rom els
and insecl biles.
8urprise oI Ihe Week A
chasm lhal hil relalionshis
is mended
Tip oI Ihe Week Ta inlo
your inner slrenglh
Iurky number 4
Iurky roIour Mahogany
brown
8esI day Monday
Iurky gem FuJraks|a
IdeaI Iood 0rilled vegelables
iII Io give home aliances
8esI Iime 4 lo 8 m
MediIaIion aid 5|iva Furana
Rules no longer gel in lhe
way. Be il your abilily lo
errel solulions oul o dead
end silualions or any olher
maller, you aren'l hoslage lo
lhe asl anymore. hew
relalionshis, new income,
osilive beginnings, and
closure lo a vexing roblem
all arrive lhis week. You look
over your shoulder lo avoid
any enlramenl, gossi or
malice and manage lo sleer
lhe course lo saely. Jealous
layers allernale belween
surly and silenl behaviour
and a coolo eriod works
besl. You give loving
relalionshis lexible
resonses, a greal deal more
lislening and a quick
resonse. You bear sudden
exenses wilh ease. A
revam o securily, recovery
o valuables or documenls
add relie lo lhe week. Chills
and colds bolher some.
8urprise oI Ihe Week A
riend erverls a message
and igniles a conlagralion
Tip oI Ihe Week Be cryslal
clear in seech and don'l
delegale imorlanl lasks lo
olhers, do lhem yoursel
Iurky number 15
Iurky roIour Lavender
8esI day Friday
Iurky gem 0iamond
IdeaI Iood Slrawberries,
lum cake
iII Io give Ferume
8esI Iime 8 lo G m
MediIaIion aid The Buddhisl
Lctus 5utra
You counl your blessing and
your riends as you sel lo
iguralively ass lhrough lhe
eye o a needle and enler lhe
Fromised Land al work.
Challenges arrive in lhe orm
o heclic nelworking and
slringulling and il's all lhe
good o lhe asl lhal comes
lo rescue you. A close
conlesl belween you and
someone younger can denl
your conidence bolh
roessionally and as a rival
in love. A longslanding eud
comes oul in lhe oen and
you change sides and go
back lo eole who maller.
Fosilive inlervenlion uls an
end lo an imasse, a labour
or induslrial disule. unaid
bills or credil card dues give
you lroubles. A lri lowards
wesl malerialises almosl
overnighl. Slomach ailmenls
and skin disorders are
inlerconnecled; eal sensibly.
8urprise oI Ihe Week Feole
are easily rovoked and lhen
backlrack lo undermine your
credibilily
Tip oI Ihe Week wear down
blocks wilh kindness and
comassion
Iurky number 1
Iurky roIour Sunsel gold
8esI day Sunday
Iurky gem Ruby
IdeaI Iood Ale slrudel wilh
whied cream
iII Io give Fainlings and arl
8esI Iime 1O am lo 1 m
MediIaIion aid 6ayatri
Mantra
The hew Year has you
reslive as you ace slruggles,
silualions in black or while,
deadends or a slalemale
lhal reuses lo budge. Fed u
o lies, you wanl lhe lrulh
slried o relensions. n
lhal you are ready lo accel,
ollow, change, surrender or
acquiesce lo anylhing i il
leads lo lhe way orward. A
shil in lhinking has you
move away rom
condemning olhers as you
gel busy cleaning u your
own house. Children rebel in
lhe ace o slricl injunclions.
Loved ones are yel lo ass
lhe lilmus lesl o wanling
you and nol lhe lraings o
weallh or ame. Flans or
larger, exensive urchases
are deerred or shelved.
Sasmodic ain, crams,
inlammalions or gum
ailmenls bolher.
8urprise oI Ihe Week
Someone close acl
insensilive and selish
Tip oI Ihe Week Find your
own way wilh conidence
lhrough lhe woods; you
don'l need lo ollow in
anyone's oolrinls
Iurky number 14
Iurky roIour Foresl green
8esI day wednesday
Iurky gem Malachile
IdeaI Iood Sinach quiche
iII Io give Comulers
8esI Iime 2 lo 5 m
MediIaIion aid Foelry o
Jalal aldin Rumi o lhe Sui
Mawlawiyya order
You discover you idenlily
and exaclly where you sland.
Limilalions are drawn in lhe
amily as eole are
uncomorlable wilh a new
asserlion or sense o sel
worlh. Lack o rinciles by
a layer sels a nasly
recedenl lhis week lhal you
reuse lo ollow. Farenls
have a heavy resonsibilily lo
lead by aclion. Coules al
war ind children laking
unusually malure slances
and reusing lo be drawn
inlo conlicl. 0ivisions o
roerly are accomlished
by sleallh. Kids hold lhe key
lo a loving and eaceul
home; disrulions in lheir
lieslyle or habils are
invesligaled. A holiday brings
lhe besl o lhe world lus
exosure lo a higher or
lolier alh. Sluggish
melabolism, liver ailmenls or
lymhalic ailmenls ind relie.
8urprise oI Ihe Week You
are drawn inlo an inherilance
ballle as someone whillles
down your shares slyly
Tip oI Ihe Week 0ive roer
allenlion lo ressing mallers,
ailh in eole is nol enough
Iurky number 5
Iurky roIour Ale green
8esI day wednesday
Iurky gem Emerald
IdeaI Iood Thai green curry
iII Io give Cameras, hones
8esI Iime 5 lo O m
MediIaIion aid Flora, lhe
0oddess o bounly, erlilily
and lenly
A clamouring world ails lo
unclure your inner eace.
Folarised equalions al home
over crossing invisible lines,
ego, secular or indeendenl
slances have you side wilh
lhe youlhul rogressive
voices. 0esile comulsions
al work, you hold your own
keeing lhe wheels moving
in rojecls, overriding lhe
odd cynic or bully. You rove
your worlh in a ballle o
nerves. Fersonal mallers
ironically don'l race ahead as
loved ones shule lheir eel
over commilmenl and
marriage. Fersonal
inlervenlion and moniloring
revenls an unjusl decision.
Job swilches bring ordinary
work and exlraordinary hye;
you rue illlhoughl career
moves. njury due lo slis
and alls is likely, arlicularly
on wel loors.
8urprise oI Ihe Week
Someone enlers your close
environ lo lay games o
divide and rule
Tip oI Ihe Week Be less
imalienl regardless o whal
you do and wilh whom you
inleracl
Iurky number 2
Iurky roIour vy green
8esI day Monday
Iurky gem Jade
IdeaI Iood Cucumber
sandwiches
iII Io give 0elalo
8esI Iime 2 lo 7 m
MediIaIion aid hymns o
Charles wesley
You have a lead and a way
oul o a slicky silualion. You
learn lo assuage your ears
and slay ocussed on lhe
larger iclure. haysayers lry
and derail your lans, usel
a very good slralegy by
lelling you lhal you could
lose. holhing could be
urlher rom lhe lrulh! Travel
involves shiling gears,
changing cilies, relocalion or
lemorary holing u in an
uncomorlable lace lill you
accomlish a goal. Children
da//le wilh lheir
erormance and abilily lo
gel in and oul o slicky
silualions. Your ears don'l
come lrue in a maller o
inquesl, inquiry or lawsuil.
Miracles make lheir
aearance in your lie in
ways no one ully
underslands. Comelilion
brings oul lhe besl in you
and all your loved ones.
0uard againsl chills, arlhrilic
condilions and goul.
8urprise oI Ihe Week
Argumenls are lras meanl
lo derail your lans
Tip oI Ihe Week Sidesle
allemls lo draw you inlo
rovocalive silualions
Iurky number 1O
Iurky roIour Red and while
8esI day Sunday
Iurky gem Clear quarl/
IdeaI Iood F|irni, k|ccr
iII Io give Collon aarel
8esI Iime 7 lo 11 am
MediIaIion aid UfuJcsaki,
Tenrikyo sacred lexl
lF0
July 23-August 23
I0808
April 21-May 21
6FMI8I
May 22-June 21
080F8
June 22-July 22
8008FI0
Oct 24-Nov 22
FI80F8
Feb 20-March 20
lI88
Sept 24-Oct 23
008I08
Jan 21-Feb 19
I860
Aug 24-Sept 23
0F8I0088
Dec 24-Jan 20
For personal appointments, call Meenakshi Rani at 011-29234653/29239636 or e-mail her at meenakshirani@vsnl.net
YOURWEEKAHEAD
MEEhAKSh RAh
T
he year 2013 has dawned
upon us. And as usual, we
wish fresh opportunities to
unfold in the emerging times. But
remember, in this disparate
world, we shall have to be pre-
pared to contend with challenges
as well. Attending all these, how
smartly or otherwise we navigate
through the run of the year will
define the quality of our life. And
that will depend upon how our
minds are inherently made out,
which varies from person to per-
son. For, that accounts for all our
habits, attitudes, desire trends and
thereby how we conduct in life.
That will define the quality of life
we become due for.
Invariably we are all born
imperfect with our minds condi-
tioned to look at things within
the limits of ones self-defined dos
and donts. Our scope of vision
thus narrowed down, quite often
we fail to look at things in the
right perspective. That calls for
expanding our vision so as to deal
with the issues we face. We are
very much empowered for that
on the strength of our power of
freewill, which is duly aided by
the faculty of discriminate intelli-
gence. Applying this prerogative,
we could guide our actions by
choice and discrimination and
turn life into a beautiful experi-
ence through conscious efforts.
Ostensibly, if we navigate life
intelligently, we shall be in better
control of tomorrow.
The irony, however, is that we
seldom care to employ the power
of freewill in freeing ourselves
from of the limitations of mind.
We rather use this prerogative
passionately pursuing our whims
and fancies. In normal times, life
can still continue moving without
much inconvenience. However,
once confronted with unforeseen
problems, ones inherent frailties
raise their hood, bite badly and
throw us off balance.
A case in point is that of a
middle level employee of a com-
pany engaged just in managing
logistics of the seniors and bene-
factors of the company. In normal
times, he presents himself as a
confident person and boldly
come out with his views on prac-
tically everything, as if he knows
everything. But he was taken off-
guard, when suddenly he was
called for giving evidence by an
investigative agency in a case in
which neither he nor the compa-
ny he was working with was
responsible. He had to just share
with what he knew about the
matter. But he got so unnerved at
the very call that his thought
process became incoherent and
began faltering. He wilted under
the pressure of his self-assumed
fears and his hidden weak charac-
ter came out in open. Initially
during the investigation, his
unintelligent response had literal-
ly made him a suspect as if he
was purposely hiding something.
In fact, it was his wife who proved
much stronger. She rather sal-
vaged the situation by making
him understand that since he was
just supposed to cooperate with
the investigation by coming out
with the truth, he need not fear.
See how astrological pointers
reveal his innate nature. The Sun,
the star lord of the lagna sub-lord
Moon, is debilitated; the two also
placed adverse to each other. The
implication is that though he may
be good at public relations, his
confidence will sink low when
under pressure. Combust Venus
points to being emotionally
volatile that makes him too much
sensitive and touchy. Intelligence-
signifying Mercury eclipsed
between headless Ketu and
unpredictable Neptune puts a
question mark on his intelligence.
I wish that we take a pledge
in the New Year to exploit our
empowerment tool and get over
all inherent infirmities. We shall
then be well geared up fully
utilise the opportunities coming
our way and take on the chal-
lenges ahead in all strength.
l| W|i|| i +| +||ulu|, 1++|u
u|ul|+|| +|J pi|i|u+l uu|llu|. w|i| |u
|i| +| 5, B+|||, 1u|pu|+ E/||iu|,
|W l|i !4 ll. 98!8JJ2J/ 24J!JJJ!
w|i|. |uli|i||].u.i|
ASTROTURF
BhARAT BhuShAh FA0MA0E0
Will I be able to successfully complete
my MBA?
Tanmay
You seem to be due for it; don't cultivate
unnecessary doubts in mind.
When do I get married?
Sandeep Bhatia
Your marriage clock has already begun
ticking. Work towards your marriage and
it should happen now.
Will I get a higher post in Government?
Shiv Priya
Have patience, it should happen.
Should I switch over to independent
business or do I have some future in my
present job?
Savaraanraju
You need to get over your deep-seated
sense of negativity and escapism without
which you may not be at your best either
in your present job or any business initia-
tive you take up in future.
READERSQUERIES
sunday
magazino
lJ|l \
hEvER BE BuLLE0 hT0 SLEhCE. hEvER
ALL0w Y0uRSELF T0 BE MA0E A vCTM.
ACCEFT h0 0hE'S 0EFhT0h 0F Y0uR
LFE; 0EFhE Y0uRSELF.
- hARvEY FERSTEh
Now Dolhi, January 6, 2013
New year, new clallenges
knew from the second met
him that he was the love of my
life. knew that couldn't have
met him at a worse time
~ Anne Hathway
Actress
0haracters re4Ict saIe
1usI Iike Iashion and
eronomies, IiIerary Irends
aIso rhange. II iI is noI
vampires, iI is eroIira
3
where t0 4raW the IIae
FarenIing is no easy job.
You need Io Iread WiIh rare
esperiaIIy When iI romes Io
disripIining your Ward
0
8ext 0: 0lF0 4IsIay
kIIer I6, FIasma and IE
dispIay, IE is Ihe neW
IerhnoIogy Ior beIIer and
sharper TV vieWing
tIe pIoneer
N S D E O U T
sunday
magazino
Now Dolhi, January 6, 2013
H
is name is not Khan, neither did he have any
lineage with the legendary Kapoor or
Chopra dynasties. As a matter of fact, he
didnt even have a godfather in the industry
when he stepped in. Yet, Anil Kapoor has
been among the top actors in the country for the last
three-and-a-half decades. Be it Munna of Tezaab and Mr
India of the 80s, or Prem Kumar of Slumdog Millionaire
in 2006, the continuity of this jhakaas superstardom has
only become bigger and better.
Born to film producer Surinder and his wife Suchitra
Kapoor, Anil Kapoor spent most of his childhood living
in a chawl in Tilak Nagar, Chembur, along with his elder
brothers Boney and Sanjay. At an early age of six, he
decided he would be an actor. At that time, his father was
the secretary of the legendary Bollywood actor Shammi
Kapoor. Taking note of his sons dream and enthusiasm,
his father introduced him to Shammi Kapoors wife Geeta
Bali.
I was seven when I met Geeta aunty. She was so
impressed after meeting me that she organised an audi-
tion and I landed up playing the child role of Shashi
Kapoor in Tu Payal Main Geet, Kapoor tells you all
these decades later. But, the film got canned and a
young Anils dreams shelved.
While studying in Our Lady of Perpetual
Succour High School in Chembur, Kapoor was
popular among friends because he used to imi-
tate showman Raj Kapoor rather well. I feel
nostalgic when I think of those days. I was
quite a hit back then. In fact, I used to also
enact Dilip Kumar and Dev Anand. They are
iconic actors everyone, including me, want to
be like. It was not that I was making a
mockery of their dialogue delivery styles. I
genuinely wanted to be like them and feel
like them. These actors were my inspira-
tion. Dilip saheb for his intensity and act-
ing, Dev Anandji for his larger than life
romantic image and Raj Kapoor, well,
for just who he was, possibly the great-
est actor ever, Kapoor says.
In the mid 1970s, Kapoor got an
admission to St Xaviers College,
Mumbai. However, things didnt
work out for him as he was too
focussed on acting. He was so
busy doing theatre, helping his
father with work and supporting
the family that he got expelled
from the college due to slim
attendance. Meanwhile, he also
tried to get into the Film and
Television Institute of India in
Pune but failed to crack the writ-
ten exam. Back then, Girish
Karnad was the director of the
institute. I asked him what an
actor had to do with clearing a
written exam? It is all about performing in
front of the camera. The idea of an aptitude test
didnt make sense to me. But he told me these were
the rules of the institute which couldnt be altered,
Kapoor recalls, expressing his angst. But he didnt
give up. Mr Taneja, a teacher at the institute, had just
retired and was moving back to Mumbai. I, along with
some other aspiring actors, went to him for private class-
es at his house, Kapoor says.
The actor finally got his break and made a proper
Bollywood debut with Umesh Mehras Hamare Tumhare
(1979) in a supporting role. He got a couple of more sup-
porting roles in his fathers production house, one
of which was Hum Paanch in 1980. He also played
Amitabh Bachchans son and Dilip Kumars grand-
son in Ramesh Sippys Shakti in 1983.
His first break as a lead actor came as Prem
Pratap Singh in his fathers production Woh Saat
Din, opposite Padmini Kolhapure and
Naseeruddin Shah. The film went on to become a
box office hit and Kapoor became a familiar face.
However, it was still early days in his career and
like most Indian actors Kapoor, too, tried his
hands at southern films.
He starred in Bapus Telugu film Vamsa
Vrukshamand Mani Ratnams Kannada debut film
Pallavi Anu Pallavi in 1983. I enjoyed doing those
films. It still overwhelms me that I was a part of
Mani Rantams first film. One can say I launched
him. And fortunately, the film did quite well down
south, Kapoor reveals. Success and popularity had
only begun when he bagged the role with one of
Indias greatest filmmakers, the late Yash Chopra,
in the 1984 blockbuster Mashaal.
His life was never the same again. With hits
after hits like Karma, Jaanbaaz, Insaaf Ki Awaaz,
Raam Lakhan, Eeshwar, Parinda, Mr India and
Tezaab, he became the hero of the decade. His
popularity grew even among his critics who now
claim that the 1980s was all about Anil Kapoor. I
consider myself very lucky to have received so
much love, affection and appreciation of both crit-
ics and fans. In our field that is quite a rare combi-
nation. I feel, it will be unfair to say that the 80s
belonged to one actor. There were several in that
era who did magnificent work. But it is Gods grace
that I stood out among the best of the best,
Kapoor, now 56, says.
His success and glory continued in the 90s
with blockbusters like Kishen Kanhaiya, Beta,
Ladla, 1942: A Love Story, Judaai, Deewana
Mastana and Roop Ki Raani Choron Ka Raja. This
was also the time when he did most of his films
with his sister-in-law and Boney Kapoors wife
Sridevi, and Bollywoods diva Madhuri Dixit. Sri
is a very calm and reserved lady. Our interactions
were very limited and mostly confined to work,
despite her being a part of the family. On the other
hand, I was very friendly with Madhuri. She and I
had a blast during shoots. We used to chat, crack
jokes and have loads of fun. As a matter of fact, I
worked with Juhi too in quite a few films, Kapoor
tells you.
Bollywood heroes may have transited to west-
ern contemporary dancing, bulging biceps with a
completely shaved and shirtless upper body but
Kapoor still has a Pathani moustache, a fit body
with lots of body hair working for him since the
80s. It doesnt end there, while his juniors like Shah
Rukh Khan and Salman Khan have started looking
haggard opposite young actresses like Katrina Kaif,
Anushka Sharma and Ayesha Takia, Kapoor has
managed to look just fine in his recent ventures
with heroines much younger to him.
I have no secret to looking young. I think I
look my age. People have that opinion about me is
simply because I never get stressed or hyper-venti-
late. I enjoy working and that reflects on my face
and, hence, the conclusion of my eternal youth. As
far as bulging biceps are concerned, I do work out,
From a chawl in Mumbai lo being lhe loasl o bigbanner hollywood roduclions, our very own Mr ndia has quile a
ragsloriches slory lo lell. Since his debul in lhe 1O7O, Anil Kaoor has been among lhe loraled aclors or over
lhree decades. ShBAJ R0YCh0u0huRY lakes a syruy ride wilh lhis blockbusler hero lhrough his long and
evenlul journey slarling o as a Raj Kaoor imilalor in school, lo gelling chased in a burqa in Chandini Chowk, lo
delivering a seech in lhe uS or Slumdog Millionaire, lo singing lhe lille lrack o Chameli Ki Shaadi
Anil Kapoor is
also a
classically
trained singer.
He was
trained under
Chhote qbal,
who has also
trained people
like Nitin
Mukhesh and
Laxmikant
Pyarelal's
daughter
Rajeshwari.
He recorded a
few ghazals
and nazms but
his claim to
fame remains
the title track
of Chameli Ki
Shaadi, which
the actor sung
himself
>> 7
EETk 8kII
He made his debut in
Bollywood while he was still in
school. The yesteryear actress
Geeta Bali arranged for him to
play the child role of Shashi
Kapoor in Tu Payal Main Geet.
Unfortunately the film got canned.
86k8
He was very excited to be there
and couldnt control his emotions.
His knee was shivering as he
walked up on stage. Kapoors wife
kept SMSing him: Try to control
yourself! It was a grand moment
for the seasoned actor.
M8Tk6hE
Anil Kapoor has managed to
preserve his 80s look successfully
over the years. According to him,
its a traditional thing which has a
Pathani lineage. He tried the non-
moustache look in Lamhe, it didnt
work for him.
k1 kkF
Anil Kapoor fondest memory in
Bollywood is when his idol Raj
Kapoor offered him a film. The
film got stashed but Kapoor is
happy to have had the honour of
acting for RK Films which was a
big banner back then.
F A C T F L E
E
ver since the 9/11 terror-
ist attacks in 2001, there
have been a number of cases
across America in which
hapless Sikhs have been bru-
tally targeted in the mistaken
belief that they are Muslims.
Scores of innocent Sikhs
have been killed or maimed
by their attackers. But then,
there have been some cases
where Hindus have also been
mistaken to be Muslims and
attacked viciously as was
the case this past week at a
New York subway station
when a woman pushed a
Hindu man to death in front
of an oncoming train.
I just pushed him
because he was a Muslim,
the woman who has since
been arrested and charged
with committing a second-
degree hate-crime murder,
said. She may have mistaken
the victim, Kolkata-born
Sunando Sen, to be a
Muslim, but then told the
police how she hated both
Hindus and Muslims ever
since 2001 when they put
down the twin towers.
She apparently did not
know or care to find out that
not a single Hindu had any-
thing to do with the attacks
carried out by Osama bin
Ladens trusted lieutenants
and that, if anything, several
Indians were among those
who perished at that site on
that fateful day.
The shocking attack on
Sen has unnerved the US-
based Hindus, who are urg-
ing the Department of
Justice and the Federal
Bureau of Investigation to
separately track crimes
against the Hindus instead of
losing focus by lumping
together such attacks on var-
ious religious communities.
Such a violent and hate-
ful attack on any individual,
especially because of reli-
gious hatred is completely
unconscionable in any soci-
ety, says Suhag Shukla,
executive director and legal
counsel for the Washington-
based Hindu American
Foundation (HAF). Similar
demands have been raised by
the New Jersey-based Hindu
American Seva
Communities. While con-
ceding that there is a high
level of acceptance of the
Hindu community in
America, the Hindu bodies
are exercised over sporadic
acts of intolerance and vio-
lence at members of the
community, reflecting xeno-
phobia directed at Hindus as
well as Muslims and Sikhs.
They are concerned that
heinous acts are under-
reported and, where report-
ed, they are not being dealt
with as hate crimes.
A fortnight before the
horrific tragedy inflicted
upon Sen in New York, both
the Hindu bodies had made
submissions to the
Department of Justice on
expansion of the anti-reli-
gious bias motivation cate-
gories while dealing with
hate crimes. Joining a coali-
tion of civil rights and faith-
based advocacy groups, HAF
has sought the institution of
separate categories like anti-
Hindu, anti-Sikh and anti-
Arab while pursuing hate
crime incidents. Although
Hindu Americans constitute
an increasingly visible piece
of Americas religious mosa-
ic, it asserts that Hindus
have been subjected to ver-
bal abuse, slurs and physical
attacks on an individual
level, while Hindu places of
worship have been targeted
for acts of vandalism, arson
and graffiti. The HAF says
that the public sphere is
replete with hate speech and
disparaging language deni-
grating Hinduism, but the
Hindu Americans lag far
behind other faith commu-
nities in addressing such
obstacles.
Although the volume
and severity of the hate
crime attacks on Hindus pale
in comparison to the suffer-
ings of the Sikhs, the HAF
memorandum lists a number
of cases where Hindus have
been targeted in the mistak-
en belief that they are
Muslim or Arab. It points to
the attack of an Indian man
in New York last April with
the two attackers using an
anti-Arab slur against the
victim. The HAF says
harassment of Hindus in
parts of America have gone
on long before 9/11. In the
fall of 1987, a street gang in
Jersey City, New Jersey call-
ing itself the Dotbusters
assaulted a number of
Indians, including Navroze
Mody who was beaten into a
coma with bricks while the
gang chanted, Hindu,
Hindu The gang also com-
mitted acts of vandalism and
harassed Hindu and Indian
men and women, says the
HAF memorandum, point-
ing out that Dotbusters
clearly referred to the bindi
worn by Hindu women and
tilak by Hindu men.
The Hindu body has
sought to highlight the point
that the Federal Bureau of
Investigations categorisation
of religious bias has broadly
focused on Jews, Catholics,
Protestants, Muslims, and
Atheists/Agnostics, failing to
address Americas growing
religious diversity. A number
of religious groups, like
Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists,
Jains, Zoroastrians,
Mormons, and Orthodox
Christians are collectively
subsumed under the broad
Anti-Other Religion catego-
ry. The HAF argues that
lumping together so many
religions disregards the
unique challenges and types
of hate crimes each of these
respective faith traditions
face.
The mass shooting
tragedy at the Wisconsin
Guradwara last August
prompted a Senate panel to
urge the FBI to separately
track hate crimes against
Sikhs. A senior official of the
Department of Justice has
since indicated that the
departments Civil Rights
Division has recommended
that crimes against Sikhs and
Hindus be added to the reli-
gion-based hate crimes
tracked by the FBI to facili-
tate better enforcement.
Can't doal with Europo? Loavo it
I
n opposition, David Cameron
tried to stop his party gnawing at
the European question. Instead of
talking about the things that most
people care about, we talked about
what we cared about, he told his
first Conservative conference as
leader in 2006. While parents were
worried about getting the kids to
school, we were banging on about
Europe.
In the next couple of weeks, the
Prime Minister plans to bang on
about Europe in an unashamedly
radical way. He wants a different
settlement with the European
Union and, if reports are to be
believed, he will put that settlement
to a referendum, offering us a
choice between staying in on his
new terms or leaving.
What has changed? Why,
having meticulously avoided the
subject, is Cameron now proposing
the most substantial change in our
European policy in 40 years of
membership? One reason is that
government has opened many
ministers eyes to the extent of
Brussels jurisdiction. The example
that Cameron gave in that 2006
speech parents worried about
getting their kids to school is
instructive. I remember the time
well. My elder daughter had just
started at school, and what was
exercising parents at our school
gates was the law that required us
to ferry our kids around in car
seats until they reached the age of
12 a law that turned out to have
come from Brussels.
Whether or not booster seats
are desirable, it is hard to see why
they need to be decreed at a
continental level. Its the same story
with bin collections, home
information packs, driving tests,
vitamin supplements and hundreds
of other essentially domestic issues
which are now decided by Brussels.
In opposition, one Tory
moderniser told me that the
European Union was an optical
issue. His support for it, he frankly
admitted, owed less to any cost-
benefit analysis than to a sense that
Euroscepticism made the party
look out-of-touch and dyspeptic.
Now that he is in government,
dealing with EU directives, he has
changed his tune.
It came as quite a shock to
Downing Street, for example, when
the plan to pay for various Big
Society schemes with money lying
unclaimed in bank accounts was
challenged by the European
Commission.
Just as ministers become
frustrated with the European
Union in what Nick Clegg, with
his addiction to clich, calls a
perfect storm the EU itself is
more or less forcing the United
Kingdom to reconsider its
membership terms.
Monetary union is impelling its
participants toward fiscal
integration, debt pooling, a
common finance ministry and
thus, by implication, political
federation.
The European Community of
which we have been members for
four decades is, in practical if not
legal terms, ceasing to exist. Since
almost no one argues that we
should join the single currency, the
question arises: what relationship
should we have with the new entity
that is taking shape?
Commentators talk loosely
about being in a single market but
not in a political union. The
Norwegian and Swiss options are
plumped and prodded. Jacques
Delors has spoken of offering
Britain a privileged partnership.
The Union of European Federalists
prefer the term associate
membership. But we need to be
specific about what a free-trade-
plus relationship would look like.
Lets start with the easy bits.
Britain has already announced its
intention to opt out of common
policies in the field of justice and
home affairs. It is almost as
straightforward to pull out of joint
defence and foreign policy
structures.
Leaving the Common Fisheries
Policy (CFP), and asserting our
jurisdiction out to 200 miles or the
median line, is tougher, but not
unprecedented: Until a decade ago,
the CFP didnt apply to the
Mediterranean. As for the
Common Agricultural Policy, the
shift from guaranteed prices to
direct support makes repatriation
increasingly feasible.
External commerce is more
complicated. Norway and
Switzerland, to their immense
advantage, are able to sign free
trade deals with non-EU states.
They are not constrained, as we
are, by Euro-protectionism.
Switzerland, for example, is
negotiating a free trade agreement
with China, which Britain, bound
by the Common External Tariff,
cannot do. We would want, ideally,
to have a similar deal to the Swiss,
namely access to the EU market
but also the ability to trade
bilaterally elsewhere.
Hardest of all is the issue of the
single market. Almost everyone
agrees that Britain should remain
part of a European free trade area.
The trouble is that Brussels defines
unrelated matters as single market
issues, because doing so makes
them subject to majority voting.
The 48-hour week is considered a
single market, not an employment,
measure; the emissions trading
scheme is labelled single market,
not environment. Since the Prime
Minister has explicitly called for
the repatriation of social and
employment policy, and since the
other members wont want to give
Britain a competitive advantage,
this is where the hardest pounding
will be.
Still, it is possible to envisage a
solution, whereby the euro
countries form a federal union,
while Britain, the Efta States and
possibly some other existing
European Union members form a
broader free trade nexus around it.
Is such a deal on offer? Plenty
of commentators respond to that
question with Olympian authority,
but no one really knows. I have
spent the better part of 14 years in
Brussels trying to learn the answer,
and have concluded that well only
find out when the moment comes.
We can be certain of one thing,
though: there is absolutely no
chance of getting an acceptable
deal unless it is clearly understood
by all sides that the alternative is
withdrawal.
Ive noticed that even
supporters of European Union
membership are no longer as
frightened of that prospect as they
used to be. The reason is simple:
the EUs share of our trade is falling
by the minute. British exports to
the European Union fell by 7.3 per
cent in the past three months for
which we have data, while exports
to the rest of the world rose by 13.2
per cent.
The European Union remains
an important market, but it is
increasingly just one market,
alongside Asean, Nafta, Mercosur
and the rest and no one argues
that we need to join them in order
to trade with them. All of which
gives us a credible bottom line. We
are in surplus with the rest of the
world, but in deficit with the
European Union. Or, to flip it
around, the European Union is in
surplus with us, selling more to
Britain than to the US and Japan
combined. Customers generally
have the upper hand in their talks
with salesmen.
I hope Cameron strikes a deal
with the European Union which
leaves all sides happier: everyone
should want good relations with
our neighbours. But, if such a deal
is not available, leaving should hold
no terrors. We are the seventh
largest economy on Earth, the
fourth military power, a member of
the G8 and one of five permanent
seat-holders on the UN Security
Council. We are connected by law
and language, habit and sentiment,
to every continent. In the words of
Tennyson: Though we are not
now that strength which, in old
days, moved Earth and Heaven,
that which we are we are.
Cuu||] +il] ll|+p|
Mistaken hate
hh0u AMERCAh
F0uh0AT0h hAS
S0u0hT ThE
hSTTuT0h 0F
SEFARATE
CATE00RES LKE
AhThh0u, AhT
SKh Ah0 AhT
ARAB whLE
FuRSuh0 hATE
CRME hC0EhTS.
hh0uS hAvE BEEh
SuBJECTE0 T0
vERBAL ABuSE,
SLuRS & FhYSCAL
ATTACKS 0h Ah
h0v0uAL LEvEL,
whLE hh0u
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larper's 8azaar ragaz|re, Arre sa|d: 'l |reW lror le secord l rel
|r lal e Was le |ove ol r] ||le. l a|so |reW lal l cou|dr'l ave
rel |r al a Worse l|re. l loo| r] lrusl oul lor a r|d|cu|ous jo]r|de
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ard oeller. l lourd lal le |ove l lourd lor |r rade re rore lrusl
|rg ol ever]ore, ard le rore l slarled lo see Wo l ad oecore.
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recerl|] revea|ed se Warls lo adopl c||drer ard ave a leW ralu
ra||] W|l er spouse.
lu|| ol a |aW su|l
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W|c |ea|ed |s sex lape
aller d|sr|ss|rg le acl|or
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le oWrers ol -G]QKXIUS
sorl|] aller le card|d s|x
]earo|d loolage ol |r ra|
|rg |ove W|l le W|le ol heW
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le Love Sporge |l le
lrlerrel |r 0clooer. le d|s
r|ssed le |aWsu|l |r ledera|
courl W|loul prejud|ce |asl
rorl, ard rel||ed |l |r F|or|da
slale courl l|s Wee|, accord
|rg lo :3@IUS. le |s a|so su|rg |s sex lape parlrer lealer C|er
|r le slale, accus|rg er ol |ea||rg le loolage lo le red|a.
wal's lal aga|r?
Erra walsor slrugg|ed W|l
lare as a leerager. Te 22
]earo|d aclress Wo ga|red
Wor|dW|de success p|a]|rg
ora|r] ooll|r lerr|ore 0rarger
|r le .GXX_6UZZKX l||r ser|es
lourd groW|rg up |r le ||re
||gl a d|ll|cu|l exper|erce ard |s
gralelu| se d|dr'l |el le red|a
allerl|or go lo er ead. Erra
exp|a|red: 'll jusl |rlers|l|es le
Wo|e l|rg. l l|r| go|rg
lroug ado|escerce |r le
spol||gl prooao|] Wasr'l le
eas|esl, oul Wer l lee| |rse
cure l jusl locus or le Wor|, or
Wal l'r do|rg. l lr] rol lo gel
loo caugl up |r |l. Te
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||ves separale ard as |earrl lo |grore oW oler peop|e perce|ve er
ard corcerlrale |rslead or erse|l.
SZZLERS
DSBELEF ZONE
Ba/inga Cooer!
B
ig Bang Theory physicist Sheldon Cooper has a buzzy
new claim to fame. The geeky TV character, who
counts Britains Stephen Hawking among his online
friends, has had a species of bee named after his favorite
catch phrase Bazinga!
Brazilian biologist Andre Nemesio said he named a
species of Brazilian orchid bee Euglossa bazinga in
honor of the clever, funny, nerd character Sheldon
Cooper because the bee had tricked scientists for some
time with its similarity to other species.
Nemesio published his paper last month in Zootaxa,
a journal for worldwide zoological taxonomists. Steven
Molaro, one of the executive producers of The Big Bang
Theory said that the CBS comedy was always extremely
flattered when the science community embraces our
show.
Sheldon would be honored to know that Euglossa
bazinga was inspired by him. In fact, after Mothra and
griffins, bees are his third-favorite flying creatures,
Molaro said. The Big Bang Theory a comedy about a
group of brilliant but socially awkward scientists - is one
of the most popular comedies on US television, attracting
about 18 million viewers an episode.
Actor Jim Parsons has won two Emmys for his lead
performance as Cooper.
AMERCANPE
S RAJA00FALAh
tIe pIoneer Most of the energy of political work
is devoted to correcting the effects
of mismanagement of Government
~ Milton Friedman
sunday
magazino
l|it
!
Now Dolhi, January 6, 2013
GUESTCOLUMN
0AhEL hAhhAh
AP
D
id you know vastu faults can
create emotional instabili-
ty which, in turn, leads to
misunderstanding and break-ups?
For instance wrong placement of a
mirror could lead to unnecessary
fights while faulty positioning of a
Radha-Krishna painting can attract
extra martial affairs.
Each and every room in your
home has a separate impact on your
mood. A fact that most people are
oblivious to because you are so com-
fortable in your surroundings. But
ignoring these minute things on a
daily basis could result in hampering
your relationships permanently.
From the colour on your walls and
curtains to the type of painting you
must hang in your bedroom, vastu
has a fixed place for everything.
Irrespective of the social and eco-
nomic success one may have
achieved in life, a fulfilling healthy
relationship is the key to eternal hap-
piness. True and trustworthy relations
keep our spirits soaring and give us a
positive outlook towards all our endeav-
ours.
Every relationship has a definite role
to play in our life. Each augments a cer-
tain aspect of our personality and helps
us come closer to our dreams. Every
relationship also has a unique set of
desires, expectations and emotions
involved.
So, in the year 2013, how do you
plan to effectively manage all the rela-
tionships that matter to you? How do
you ensure that each one of them is in a
healthy state? Which is the one critical
factor that ensures presence of the very
emotion required to maintain a relation-
ship?
The common thread running along
all of these aspects is your home
which shapes your conscious-
ness and living. Your own
home is responsible for the
generation of different emo-
tions. And these emotions gov-
ern different aspects of your
relationships.
Sixteen vastu zones in your
home dramatically control and
influence your relationships.
For example, the south-west
zone controls relationships
between husband-wife and
parent-children. Similarly, the
north governs relationship
with business clients. North-
west governs relationships
with relatives who stand in
your support.
As per Mahavastu, each
emotion is a cumulative
effect of four major aspects
in your home:
QDirection of entrance
QDirection of rooms
QBalance of five elements (water, air,
fire, earth and space)
QEffects of interior objects and appli-
ances
One can learn this four-step vastu
method to analyse the good and bad
effects of your relationships and life in
general. Simple maha vastu solutions
like using paintings and changing
colours are now available with various
experts.
You can consult a vastu guru to cre-
ate a strong bonding, improve relation-
ships, save your marriage and maintain
family harmony.
In the year 2013, there are a few dos
and donts to follow for a healthy start to
your relationship
QIf the main entrance to your home is
located in the south-west direction (S8),
make it a point to place a yellow door-
mat there. That will strengthen your
connectivity with the family and
impart financial stability.
QTo control aggressive behaviour,
paint your walls in the south-east zone
in yellow.
QTo avoid frequent arguments with
your wife, shift the bedroom from
east-south-east to the south direction.
Also place a pair of love birds in the
south-west zone.
QPlace a family photograph in the
south-west which is the vastu zone of
love and bonding. This will ensure a
strong family harmony.
QIf you feel irritated and tend to lose
temper the moment you enter your
home, check if your kitchen (fire) is
located in the zone of mind, that is the
north-east direction. If that is the case,
best would be to shift it to the oppo-
site direction.
QNever light a red bulb in your puja
room located in north-east direction.
This will be the harbinger of bad news
to your family.
QMake sure to place a green plant in
the north direction and your locker in
the west to augment your material
gains and wealth.
l| W|i|| i |uu|J| u| |+|+V+|u, + ||i|iJ
1+|u /p|| u|+|i+|iu|
O
ur nose is central to the way we form relationships and a
good sense of smell is vital for a long-term commitment,
according to new research on sensory systems.
The simple answer to the question of whether any relation-
ship is the one seems to be that your ideal man or woman gets
up your nose, scientists say. In a new study, reported in the
journal Biological Psychology, researchers looked for the first
time at the effect of being born without a sense on smell on
men and womens relationships, The Independent reported.
The results showed that men and women who were unable
to smell had higher levels of social insecurity. In men, but not in
women, it led to fewer relationships.
The men with a faulty sense of smell averaged two partners
compared with 10 for healthy men. One theory is that the lack
of a sense of smell may make men less adventurous. They may
have more problems assessing and communicating with other
people.
The two groups of women had the same average number of
sexual partners four. But the women who couldnt smell well
lacked confidence in their partners: they were around 20 per
cent less secure in their relationship.
Lacking a sense of smell had no impact on their relation-
ships with close friends, suggesting that smell plays a role for
women specifically when it comes to their partners.
According to one study, women are more concerned about
the smell than about the look of a potential mate, while men are
the opposite. Another study found that 13 per cent of men and
52 per cent of women have slept dressed in the clothing of
another person, usually their partner, because of the smell.
FOODFORTHOUGHT
0eIaye4 sex h00sts a reIatI0ashI
Researchers al
Brigham Young
universily says lhal
delaying sex leads
lo a more slable,
salisying
relalionshi laler
on. l is discovered
lhal coules who
gol il on nice and early in lheir courlshi hases (wilhin lhe irsl
monlh o daling) neglecled oundalionbuilding areas, such as
communicalion, and were more likely lo slay in relalionshis lhal
ullimalely weren'l good or lhem.
N
itika Anand is a troubled mother of six-
year-old son Vivaan. She feels Vivaan is
unnecessarily stubborn and acts like a
bully most times pushing and shoving comes
naturally to him. Nowadays, he has even started
abusing. Being the only child, Vivaan has always
been pampered silly. Now that Vivaans become
a problem child, his mother is seeking answers
to tricky questions: Is it good to be aggressive
with the child? Should she spend more time
with him to make him understand what is good
or bad, or should she just ignore him (he will
come around on his own)?
Ever since the 16/12 Delhi gangrape inci-
dent, I have realised even more that upbringing
plays an important role in shaping a childs
future. I am worried that not disciplining
Vivaan at the right age could lead him astray. He
may just feel he will get away with anything, as
he has till now. But where do I start and what is
the right way? I am aware that aggressive disci-
plining could impact the child wrongly, but
there has to be a way, Nikita says. She has met
many therapists and here is what they all have to
say:
It is right that a childs growing up years
tune his behaviour for later. It is crucial that par-
ents discipline their child at the right age. There
is no fixed age for a child to understand why he
is being reprimanded. Parents, somehow know
when its time. The child gives you early signs of
understanding and parents should capitalise on
that. Start with saying a simple no. Then go on
to a stern warning. Every time, remember to
explain why it is not proper for him/her to do
what he/she wants to do. Once your child starts
understanding where to draw the line, treat him
like an individual. Talk to him about what is
wrong and why it is so. If he repeats the mistake,
punishment is mandatory, Dr Ashok Dhar,
Chennai-based child behaviour specialist, tells
you. Dhar is part of the team employed to talk
to the juvenile arrested in the Delhi gangrape
case.
Dhar tells you how important it is to disci-
pline your child from the beginning. The fear
of punishment whenever the child is doing
something wrong is crucial. He should know his
actions will be noticed and he will be punished
if he continues to do something he is not sup-
posed to. However, the opposite should be
practised too. The child needs to be lauded if
he has done something good. Only then will
the difference be clear in his mind, Dhar says,
adding that both parents need to follow this
very strictly.
It doesnt help if one parent is strict and
the other indulgent. This good-cop-bad-cop
routine doesnt work at all. Instead, the child
gets the wrong signal and starts ignoring the
parent who is disciplining him. Nothing can
be worse than this, he says.
But how much reprimanding is good?
More than the punishment bit, parents should
know that the child watches them keenly. He
does what he sees. It is, therefore, essential to set
a good example. If you are shouting and hurling
abuses, he will pick that up. The way you treat
each other and others around you is mostly fol-
lowed by the child. Someone who has been
brought up in an environment where respect
comes naturally will automatically be respect-
ful, Veena Kapoor, a Delhi-based child thera-
pist, says.
She adds that most times, bad societal
behaviour, especially against women, is because
the child was exposed to ill-treatment of women
in his home in his growing years.
But, could breaking down of families be one
of the reasons children have become wayward?
Broken families are the main culprits. A 2012
survey came up with findings which suggest that
more than 50 per cent children, especially teens,
show odd behaviour most were rebels who
indulged in criminal activities. Family values
play an essential part in grooming a child and
the sooner the parents realise the importance of
this, the better it will be for their children. We
also need a proper system in place where when
the parents decide to separate the childs mental
health is judged and his emotional wants pro-
tected, Dr Shalini Duggal from VIMHANS
says.
Next up is education that also plays a piv-
otal role in shaping an individual. Basic edu-
cation moral and otherwise is a must if
you want a problem-free society. It is essential
that a mother is educated. She should be aware
of her rights. If she is subservient to ill-treat-
ment, her son will behave the same way with
his wife and with the society at large. This is a
major problem in India our women still
havent found their voice against atrocities.
Sometimes, this kind of behaviour is tol-
erated by educated wives who choose to ignore
the problems rather than sorting them out.
That is the wrong way to deal with things. If
you want your child (son or daughter) to be
self confident yet not display rogue behaviour
then you should put a stop to small things that
happen within the four walls of your home,
Dr Aroona Broota, clinical psychologist, tells
you. She adds that many parents visit her seek-
ing her advise on what would be the right
behaviour.
tIe pIoneer Every couple has ups & downs,
every couple argues & that's the
thing ~ you're a couple and couples
can't function without trust
~ Nicholas Sparks
sunday
magazino
lJmil;
l
Now Dolhi, January 6, 2013
FarenIing is no easy job. When iI romes Io disripIining your rhiId, Ihere
are many IarIors IhaI rome inIo pIay. kggressive disripIining rouId make
your rhiId a dominaIing person or a rerIuse. You need Io Iread WiIh rare in
Ihis arena, says EE8k8hEE MhkhTY
oraw
tle line
Wlere to
Q Froer educalion is lhe key. l is essenlial lhal a
molher knows her basic righls
Q women should ul an end lo suering
domeslic alrocilies. By laking lhem
lying down, you
are selling a
bad examle or your children
Q The child needs lo be lauded when he/ she does
somelhing good. 0nly lhen will he undersland lhe
dierence belween a good and bad lhing. he ersisls
in doing lhings he is nol suosed lo, rerimanding
becomes necessary
Q l is advisable lhal you lreal your
child like an individual. Tell him why
he should nol be doing cerlain
lhings and whal will be lhe
reercussions i he conlinues lo
do lhem
Q The child ollows his arenls'
aclions. So lry lo be on your besl
behaviour, esecially when you are
around your child. you are
abusive or disreseclul lowards
olhers, he will learn lhe same and
relicale il in laler lie
Q There is no ixed age lo slarl
discilining our child. Exerls lell
you lhal your child will give you a
signal when he slarls
underslanding lhings. Thal is
when you need lo leach him whal
is righl and whal is nol.
PONDERPAD
There are 1G vaslu
/ones in your home
lhal dramalically
conlrol and inluence
your relalionshis.
So, il is essenlial lhal
you ay heed lo lillle
lhings like lhe colour
o your bedroom
walls and lhe curlains
lo ensure a slrong
and lasling
relalionshi in 2O18,
says vaslushaslri
kh8hEEF
8kh8kI
Sniff the secret to true love
Y0uR 0wh h0ME
S RESF0hSBLE
F0R ThE
0EhERAT0h 0F
0FFEREhT
EM0T0hS. Ah0
ThESE EM0T0hS
00vERh
0FFEREhT
ASFECTS 0F Y0uR
RELAT0hShFS
eaIthy
start t0 y00r
reIatI0ashI
t's crucial that parents discipline their
child at the right age. There is no fixed
age for a child to understand why he is
being reprimanded. Parents, somehow
know when it's time. Start with saying a
simple 'no'. Then go on to a stern warning
A
propos Our lost world by Meenakshi Rao
in Foray (yearend special) dated
December 30, 2012. The heinous gang-
rape of the 23-year-old in the Capital was not an
isolated incident. Such crimes against women
are on the rise in all parts of the country. There
was no abatement of rape incidents despite the
fact that Delhi gangrape has making headlines
across the nation. As the writer has correctly
mentioned, weak and slow-paced criminal
justice system in the country is the reason
behind this ascending crime graph. Large-scale
protests by the people following the gangrape
and lynching of a local goonda by women in
Nagpur must work as an eye-opener for the
Government the patience of the people is
running thin. Apart from instilling professional
attitude in the police and setting up separate fast
track courts is the only solution to deal with
crimes again women.
Manoj Parashar
A
propos Subsidy conundrum by MR
Venkatesh in Foray (yearend special) dated
December 30, 2012. Finance Minister P
Chidambaram has become a true politician. He
is no longer the tough Finance
Minister. For him survival of the
Congress, namely serving the
Congress president Sonia Gandhi, is
more important than any economic
reform. He may present a Budget in
favour of middle class this time round.
But only because 2014 Lok Sabha
elections are round the corner and the
the party needs to woo the people and
increase its votebank. There is no doubt
that the Congress is hiding its failures of
rising prices, increase in crime and
corruption at all levels is hitting the poor
and middle classes. By taking bold
economic decisions like Foreign Direct
Investment in retail, increase in prices of
diesel and petrol and removing the
subsidy from LPG after six cylinders has
hit the common man. It appears that the
Congress fears that it would lose and hence
is using reforms to better its chances. It is
true that subsidies must be done away with
but for the weaker sections of the society
some financial aid must be in place. This is
because the high inflation is eating into the
savings of even the middle class. One can only
imagine the state of the lower middle class. The
Government must continue to give subsidies till
the lower middle class and middle class is able
to reach a stage where it can bear the cost of the
rising prices.
Mahesh Kapasi
T
his refers to In politics to cleanse politics by
Arvind Kejriwal in Foray (yearend special)
dated December 30, 2012. What Kejriwal has
said does makes sense. It is said that to fight
dirt one needs to get into it. The same holds
true in politics. The people need to be educated
and shown the true faces of the leaders who
have been voted to power. The aam aadmi
must be told that it is important to vote for
the right person rather than vote for a person
just because he belongs to a particular caste.
By exposing the scams that our present
Ministers are involved in is a step towards
the cleansing. But one hopes that Kejriwal
doesnt just restrict himself to exposing the
scams. He needs, through his AAP, educate
the people on the kind of leaders one
should vote for. D Singh
T
his refers to The catalyst by Amjad Abdul
Karim Randhawa in Foray (yearend special)
dated December 30, 2012. Muslim countries are
known for crime against women. And, when it
comes to them wanting the exert their rights,
then what happened to Malala Yousufzai (she
was shot at point-blank range in the head and
shoulder) is commonplace. Her crime she
wanted to study. And it is not just in Pakistan
where young girls are prevented from studying.
There was many girls in India who are forced to
leave school because parents prefer if the son
studies and the money went in his education. I
know of a family where the daughter despite
being a brilliant student had to leave school so
that the money that went into her education
could be given to the brother who was away in a
boarding school. The plight of women continues
to be the same world over. It is time that the
society changed its mindset. Men need to realise
that women are human being as well. That
women are not pieces of furniture that can be
put in one corner and forgotten. Women too
need to voice their opinion and fight against the
atrocities.
Ritu Sharma
F
or months now, the talk
in the Congress camp has
centred around the proposed
organisational changes. This
column has discussed at
length when the changes will
happen. So, it doesnt come
as a surprise that there are
rumours of yet another delay
in making changes in the
party and in appointing State
party presidents.
Sources once again put
the proposed changes to take
place after the Chintan
Shivir to be held at Jaipur.
The State presidents will also
be appointed after that.
Appointments that were
urgent have already been
made, like that of a new
president of the Mahila
Congres in West Bengal.
Senior Congress leaders
feel that there is no need to
hurry and that the changes
should be necessarily
announced between January
14 (Makar Sankranti) and
January 18 the date set for
the Chintan Shivir It is said
that party will take policy
decisions on the basis of the
agenda set at Samwad
Baithak in Delhi and to
implement those decisions,
the party would need a new
team. However, a blueprint
of the proposed changes is
ready.
Meanwhile, around 300
people have been invited for
the Chintan Shivir. Congress
leaders say that all present
office-bearers and those who
would be given new respon-
sibilities will be present. In
other words, the new
appointments will be made
from among the invitees.
Only one or two may be
exceptions to the rule.
Around half-a-dozen
leaders who have left their
ministerial posts have been
waiting for their roles to be
announced in party organi-
sation. It is also true that the
party is being looked after by
the executive president in
almost half-a-dozen States.
FkWk FIhT
The NCP president
Sharad Pawar has warned
that he would withdraw sup-
port to the UPA. The ques-
tion being raised is on the
seriousness of the statement.
It appears that the Congress
is taking the announcement
rather casually. A senior
Congress leader said that
Pawars intention needs to be
questioned. In fact, the party
feels that right from Gujarat
Assembly elections, held in
December 2012, Pawar and
his close associate Praful
Patel have been acting like a
B-team of the BJP.
The leaders also opine
that though the announce-
ment to withdraw support
was made at the time of
Gujarat Assembly elections.
the reason for the threat is
because Pawar wants to
become the next Prime
Minister
The Congress-NCP
alliance was not very effec-
tive in the Gujarat elections.
The Congress initially gave
nine seat to the NCP. Later,
the party filled five seats
with its candidates and on
the other four Congress
rebels were fighting.
Congress leaders feel that the
controversy started from the
Akota seat from where
Modis close aide Saurabh
Patel was fighting. This seat
was in NCP quota. The
Congress alleged that the
NCP candidate deliberately
filed wrong nomination
papers so that Patel could
win easily.
But, Pawars warning is
not related to this episode.
This is not the first time
when the Congress and the
NCP have been involved in
such a controversy.
But, this time round,
Pawar is said to be in contact
with some satraps in the
UPA Government. Apart
from this, a new relationship
is being worked on with
Gujarat Chief Minister
Narendra Modi through
Praful Patel. Pawar himself is
in contact with Uddhav
Thackeray.
Congress leaders are
clearly seeing a new political
equation.
1kYkIkIIThkk Ik6T
Tamil Nadu Chief
Minister Jayalalithaa, it
appears, will be fighting the
2014 Lok Sabha election on
her own. This is because she
has made no announcement
that she is open to an
alliance with any party.
The BJP is not surprised
with his move. The party has
always known that
Jayalalithaa will not go for
pre-poll alliance with anyone
in the State. But this move
will prove to be problematic
for the DMK, the CPI and
the CPM.
In fact, soon after the
Assembly elections,
Jayalalithaa had decided that
she would fight the 2014 Lok
Sabha elections alone and
would try to win maximum
seats in Tamil Nadu and
Pondicherry.
Recently, her AIADMK
organised a conference
under the Finance Minister
and former Chief Minister O
Paneer Selvam. Selvam
pledged to win all the 40
seats. Meanwhile,
Jayalalithaa had already
chalked out a strategy. She
was just waiting for the right
time to make an announce-
ment.
Now, she has made her
agenda clear. She has criti-
cised the Congress and the
BJP on the Cauvery issue.
By working on the agen-
da to fight alone, she has
sidelined DMK leader Capt
Vijayakanth soon after win-
ning the Assembly elections.
She also managed to keep
the Left parties away.
Now, her strategy is to
win maximum seats in the
2014 Lok Sabha elections.
Her party is looking for-
ward to her playing a big
role at the Centre. She and
her arch rival Karunanidhi
appear to be getting along
fine for now. When the
Congress and the DMK
leaders had recently said that
a leader wearing a dhoti can
become the Prime Minister
(referring to Finance
Minister P Chidambaram),
Karunanidhi had retorted
that a Tamil leader in a saree
can also be in the race.
TkIE I Z MIhI8TE8
Two Chief Ministers in
Congress-headed States gave
two huge advertisements in
Delhi newspapers. Haryana
Chief Minister Bhupinder
Singh Hoodas ad was all
about New Year greetings.
While Andhra Pradesh Chief
Minister Kiran Kumar
Reddys advertisement
was about a scheme
that has been
started under
former Prime
Minister the
late Indira
Gandhi.
But what
is the reason
for these huge
ads in the
newspapers?
Congress sources
in say that the
Chief Ministership
of Hooda and
Reddy is under
threat.
After the
Congress victory in
Uttrakhand and
Himachal Pradesh the
stature of AICC party-
in-charge, for both
the States, Birender
Singh has increased.
It is said that he and his
supporters have been trying
to persuade the Congress
High Command that the
party is unlikely to win in
Haryana under the leader-
ship of Hooda.
Likewise, keeping the
YSR Congress and Telangana
factor in mind in Andhra
Pradesh, the Congress is
planning to hand over the
State to a satrap leader.
Reddys chair can be saved
only under one condition. If
an alliance with Jagan
Mohan is finalised.
Under this scenario,
Jagan will be the contender
for Chief Ministers post.
k MkI IE88h
It appears that one may
get to see many changes in
Delhi after the gangrape of
the 23-year-old. One change
that is visible is in the UPA
Governments way of think-
ing. The Prime Ministers
Office (PMO) has directed
the Ministry of Human
Resource Development
(HRD) to make moral edu-
cation a must in schools.
It has taken the
Government eight years to
awaken and take a step in
this direction. During the
NDA regime the then HRD
Minister Murli Manohar
Joshi had made suggestions
to schools to impart moral
education, yoga, Vedic Math
and astrology. But the
Congress had been opposed
to this idea at that time.
When the Congress
came to power Arjun
Singh became HRD
Minister and
spent five
years of his
tenure to
push for
Joshis agen-
da. The
reason that
the
Congress
gave for
opposing
the move
was that it
would only
promote com-
munal
agenda.
But
finally, the
PMO has
woken from
its slumber
and given
instructions
to promote
morality in schools.
Definitely, a right move.
aa mIa4sets hef0re
haaIa raIsts
T
he horrific rape of a 23-year-old woman and her subse-
quent passing a fortnight later has overwhelmed the
sentiments of many in this nation. An attempt to write,
therefore, about the incident and its aftermath seems
superfluous. The outpouring of intense and spontaneous
feelings across the country and among different segments
of the people is compelling in its impact. To attempt to the-
orise any of this appears lame, at least to this columnist.
Nevertheless, there are a few issues that need to be placed
on record and debated upon. Ironically, this is possibly the
best time to find a receptive readership for such ideas.
The first thing I believe we must note is this rape is
not about obtaining sexual satisfaction by force. The
moment we buy the masculine lust theory, we naturally
seek to normalise the act of rape by blaming westernisa-
tion, pornography, fracture of core Indian values, men-
are-like-this-only and so on. Incidents of rape stem from a
mindset that considers women objects and playthings for
men; sexual assault is an extreme form of domination and
subjugation. Indias braveheart was a tough one. She resist-
ed, she hit out, and she bit her assaulters. The fact that she
resisted and attempted to defend her friend (a man) must
have been the real trigger for the heinous physical assault
that accompanied the sexual violence she was subjected to.
Men have difficulty dealing with assertive women. Some
employ snide comments and insidious strategies to put
women down, other resort to the instrument of rape. The
basic mindset, I am sorry to state, is not very different. The
benefit of somewhat better socialisation helps to ensure that
not all misogynists become rapists when the opportunity
arises. We may worship Ma Durga (Beauvoir once
remarked that we respect women only as Goddesses,
priestesses and prophetesses) for what she did up there, but
down here, our culture treats women as conveniences at
home, sexual objects in public, a liability in the family, and
superfluous in the larger strategies of self and society.
We have filled forms all our lives. Have you ever asked
why ones identity is confirmed by having to inevitably name
ones father/husband? When my father-in-law recently had a
cataract surgery, my wife deftly scratched out father/hus-
band, and instead wrote the patients wifes name. She is his
life partner, married more than 30 years. The stakes were the
highest for her. And for a 69-year-old man to have to cite his
father as confirmatory of his identity is almost bemusing.
What about his life partner? Can a woman not be the source
of identity for a man? When a Hindi movie hero bemoans
the fact that in this life he cant possess the damsel of his
dreams, but in the next life he will, we laud his fine senti-
ments. Do we question the fact that the very idea of possess-
ing her turns her into an agency-less commodity, as in Kal
Ho Na Ho? When at weddings the clear division lines
between ladki and ladkawallahs become the determinant for
every custom and practice, do we question how patently
unfair the arrangement is? I believe I am only scratching the
superficial and more visible face of the problem.
Unfortunately, the debates on the gang rape have cen-
tred less on gender justice and womens freedom and more
on values (especially Indian) and what womanhood entails.
Even our rape laws are defined in a manner that privileges
the male. Rape occurs, according to law, only in the case of
penal-vaginal intercourse. Therefore, a person who may
use an iron rod to rape another cant be prosecuted for
rape/sexual assault.
Our politicians and our people talk of stricter punish-
ment for rapists. It is as if by putting to death or chemi-
cally castrating our rapists we will expiate our collective
guilt for giving women such a bad deal in Indian society.
The time has come for us to look within and not outside
for answers. The rapists in the present case exist in the
dehumanised fringes of society. People better off than they
display worse sensibilities towards women (dented/paint-
ed, par kati, nachne gane wali, and so on). I am glad the
State is strong and will in all probability, ensure justice. I
for one would not have been righteous enough to cast the
first stone.
was takon abaok by sha's
oommitmont as an aotor. still
romombor ovon booro tho
start o a partioular soono, sho
would sink into hor oharaotor
to play dumb & doa
TAH|L A0T0P V|KPAH wl0
C0hSl0ERS lSlA SlARVAhl, llS C0
STAR lh F0RTlC0Vlh0 FlLV *'</*,
VERY PR0FESSl0hAL
t's a ilm on riondship &
bonding o tho throo boys. For
promotions, thoro aro plans o
bonding with rionds in our
oitios and hanging out with
thom
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lAS PLAhhE0 T0 lAVE A uhuSuAL
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that Sa|id sir gavo mo an
ioonio rolo that was playod by
Shakti Kapoor. But at tho ond
o tho day 7X\\PcfP[P is A|ay
Dovgn, Tamannah's ilm
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Readers can email us on sundayio@gmail.com
t`s clintan time, arty clanges later
SUNDAYGUPSHUP
OUOTEARREST
hAR ShAhKAR vYAS
TALKTME
0EBRAJ M00KERJEE
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RESPONSESECTION
'm busy shooting or my ilm
5aTTS^\, but soon ator this 'm
going to try my hands with a
oomody & politioal satiro 0ffP[.
t's a vory oxponsivo ilm, so 'vo to
mako tho bost out o it
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AFTER EXPERlVEhTlh0 wlTl A0uLT FlLV
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l|E |l E||ECl
tIe pIoneer
The political scene is already so
turgid, it doesn't need more of that
from me
~ William Shatner
sunday
magazino
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