August Kranti

Only a life lived for others is worth living - Albert Einstein.

Anna Hazare. You can like him, hate him but cannot ignore him. Will Anna Hazare be the person who brings down Dr.Manmohan Singh? Honestly, I am waiting for Dr.MMS to drop his facade and say: "Enough is Enough. I am sick of being a person who can make no decision". What else can you expect from our ageing Prime Minister? I felt angered when Loh Pursuh LK Advani called Dr.MMS a weak PM. The whole nation was aghast when this tirade went on. But now, the entire nation says in unsion that our PM is not the person we expected him to be.

In the past 48 hours, the Central Government has come across as being powerful, authoritarian, confused, afraid, and stupid in front of world's second most populous nation. The Government has tried every trick in its bag to prevent Anna Hazare's movement, with little success. Had it ignored Anna Hazare and let him begin his fast, this movement might have fizzled out. No, they never learn from past mistakes. They made Baba Ramdev a hero by scooping down on his protest and now they have made Anna Hazare a Goliath, with the heart of David!

But unlike Baba Ramdev, Anna's protest is seeing unprecedented support from public, on its own. It is heart warming and totally shocking to see that the "Aam Admi" (this word being the only success of UPA) support swell for Anna and his team. All of us are feeling the effect of a corrupt system. We never raised our voice as we had our lives to lead.

No change is possible unless there are sacrifices. We need not look beyond our own struggle for freedom. We all know that Corruption is rampant and we have come to accept it as a way of our lives. The powers that be have also ensured that we live in a country where action against a corrupt minister takes years to come where as Police action against an activist can happen in 3 minutes. Irony is that both are lodged in the same prison. So, basically we are 1) Afraid to dirty our hands 2) Lack that conviction to see things to its logical end and 3) Lack that guidance for fighting against the system.

Now that Anna Hazare has emerged as that leader, the Government is in a fix. This government appears to be the most corrupt one since Independence and that must be rankling high on their minds. With the leader, starts a movement and with the movement starts a following. In the new age, Twitter trending shows the popularity of a person or an incident and certainly Anna Hazare seems to be red hot, so hot that the Government cannot handle. The Delhi Police must be at its wits end having to act as errand boys for the power corridors.

Maybe the Jasmine Revolution has reached Indian shores. This is not what our country needs. Dr.MMS should take moral responsibility for what is happening. I cannot believe this is the same person who gave economic freedom to India is now stifling the right to lead a corruption-free existence. Well, if things have come to this level, then Dr.MMS is surely responsible for this fiasco. Cutting up of the Indian Melon aka the License Raj has enabled corruption to take strong roots in India. Being the architect of our economic freedom, Dr.MMS is also responsible for its side effect: Rampant Corruption. I am sure after this term gets over (hopefully soon), Dr.MMS will come out with an autobiography or an authorized biography stating how helpless and singled out he was in all his decisions and that given a chance might like to redo or undo certain decisions.

Its things like these make me believe in proverbs like No use crying over spilt milk etc. Like Russel Peters says: "Some body gonna get real hurt today. Be a Man" Its time that our ruling powers wake up and face the nation like Men. If you are so sure of your decisions, dissolve the government, take moral responsibility for huge corruption in the country, cleanse your party and face fresh elections with relatively cleaner candidates. If you come out honest, we will support you too.

Quid pro quo. Game?

Till then, its high five to Team Anna. I think he is now following Gandhiji's words: Be the Change you want to see.

PS: This protest has not caused any problems in the stock market, Infact, Sensex has gone up by 110 points today. So our India Story is unshakable just that the side effects are starting to kick in big time!

The Relativity of Wrong

Two and two makes four. Have we ever contradicted that? Or questioned that? What if two and two makes some thing else, a car? Odd? Rightly so. These are something which we have been told and we follow it with out questioning it in any way,as there is some logic associated with it. Issac Asimov in his book, The Relativity of Wrong questions this logic of ours. Introduced to his writing by my cousin, who researches on renewal energy in the US, I took to his works immediately. A self confessed Physics afficianado, the book was nothing short of a revelation. Physics is some thing which I can very easily relate to. This comes from my belief that everything in life is centered around physics and marketing/sales. Another loose end? Well, let me tie them together.Physics and its principles are present in every single activity we do. Right from brushing our teeth to walking, from lying down to eating, every single action is governed by laws of physics. Now why do we do all this? Brush, groom ourselves etc?? We need to sell ourselves every single day. The planning is what I call marketing. You may argue, biology, chemistry and maths all play their part in our lives. But still, the blood that flows is in a liquid state. The mitochondria in our cells, have a defnitive shape. The number of chapatis we eat is still a shape. The our very soul is encased in an entity called our body, which is again a shape. All these things are fundamentals of physics. So in essence physics rules the world.. or the science behind physics runs the world.

Is physics God then?

Relate to my first question. We have not questioned His presence. And people who do so are shunned from society. I dont say there is no God. To a beLIEver, religion/God is the faith he has in a particular set of rules that guides his path to enlightment. My belief is my strong relation to Physics. Doesn't this branch of science help us in understanding the arrangement of the planets in our solar system? The same Ragu and kethu etc that we follow, is explained by physics in a different name. Temples are supposed to be the residence of the God Almighty. It is believed that the altar is the concentration of the ominous powers. I dont contradict that either. Infact, the design of the tall towers and spires of temples have been constructed in such a way that the energy concentrates through it and is maximized in the sanctum sanctorum. If you take the hymns and mantras that are revered, you can immediately see that even these mantras hold the five forces viz, Water, land, sky, fire and wind to be the most important thing in world. Rudram, Namakam, Chamakam, Sree Suktham and Purusuktham are one of our most important hymns which I was introduced at a very very young age. When I set about finding the meaning of these hymns, I learnt that even these hymns sang praise of these five forces.

Sandhyavandanam is one of the customary rituals that has to be performed by every brahmin who has undergone Upanayanam. This is a ritual that is meant to wash away our daily sins. I love doing the Sandhyavanadanam as they have a logical flow to it. Starting from the Achamanam, where we take 3 sips of water to the way we finish it, there seems to be a reason for doing it. We utter mantras throughout the 20-25 minute ritual while being seated, doing breathing exercise and also standing up. Even the achamanams have been so placed that after a prolonged spell of chanting mantras, these drops of water really help in

quenching the parched throat. Also, the 10 Pranayamas in the ritual help in breathing. The "namaskarams" we do at last also help in stretching our body. Finally, all the mantra that we utter help in exercising our facial muscle and gives a chiseled look to person who religiously practices Sandyavandanam. Its another fact that I have stopped doing it because of sheer laziness.

Now, my family is orthrodox in every sense. And so its no surprise that my family is aghast when I say that I am not a complete believer. They consider that being blasphemous. And when I said that I am stopping my visit to the temples, they almost gave up on me. I tried explaining that I cannot view God in the form that we worship, an idol etc, they strongly believe that I am a gone case. If God is omnipresent, then what is the need of visiting temples? Moreover, I am a strong believer in the five natural forces, which I am able to relate to. I don't see what is wrong in this. If there can be a reason that I am able to relate to, then I will be more than happy to visit temples. Another major factor is the way temples are fucntioning these days. Its more of a commercial center than a place of worship.

If my questioning the age old traditional practices, visiting the temples have rankled seniors and the learned, is it not their duty to explain things to me and set me on the right path? I prefer a logical explanation to each of our practices, which I can follow without an iota of doubt. But unfortunately, people find it wrong and stop short of even having a discussion with me on the topic. All I asked was this: Why should we go to temple to worship? Why should we idolize? What is the meaning or logic behind each of our rituals?

I'd be more than happy to understand this and follow my religion in full earnest. Until such time, I prefer staying agnostic.

The Nano Dream

People at Tata House must be desperate I believe. What else can you call if the Tata Motors tries to push its Nano at discounted prices to one of its largest companies in the group? Last week, all of us at our company received an email from our CEO asking us to be a part of the Great Nano revolution by availing Nanos at 25k lesser than the market price. The clincher? Limited Edition versions of Nanos with Mr.Ratan Tata's autograph on it.

This comes at a time when the market is abuzz with talk about the colossal failure of India's automotive marvel. All the leading magazines and news channels have aired special programs and cover page articles on what went wrong with Tata Nano. With a sunk cost of close to Rs.3500 Crs, and the sales yet to really take off, its seems a bad move from the top corporate house to see sales through its affiliate companies.

Nano was undoubtedly the most expected automotive product in a long time. But when it did debut, the excitment fizzled out seeing a product that at best can be called a "4-wheel drive". The sporadic "thermal incidents" (as the company refers to the incidents of Nano catching fire) have created a huge doubt in the minds of potential buyers. This product might have clicked in a big way had been introduced in 1998 or there about. Now, with a growing income and better options to choose from, it does look like a misplaced product.

It is indeed commendable that Mr.Tata had a great vision to give India its cheapest car. I am still amazed by the way Tata motors captured the small load vehicle market by introducing Tata Ace, a well researched, relevant product. But somehow, Tata Nano still doesnt have that connect that Ace had. Ace served its purpose and opened up a whole new market. It had all that an Piaggio diesel load-auto didnt have. But with Nano, it wanted to people to migrate from two wheelers to 4 wheelers, which in any means is a huge shift. It was a mouthwatering deal to own a car within the 1lakh rupees bracket.

Neither did it stick to the promise of Rs.1 lakh nor did it fulfill the fantasy of people who wanted a real car. It looks like a richer cousin of a 4 stroke autorickshaw. The rear-engine's sputter just about underlines that fact.

May be the intentions were very right, just that the project parameters were too unrealistic?? I am happy that Mr.Tata could realize his vision.It will indeed be interesting to see how many of us in Tata Group grab this chance of buying ourselves a Nano. With a sizeable population of the country being employed by the Tata Group, may be the reaction to this special campaign will decide the future of Tata Nano.

Lets wait and see.

 

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this post is entirely mine. Any conclusion arrived at based on this article is entirely at the reader's discretion.

Thank God, Its not Sashi Tharoor!

Oslo has been targetted by "home-grown" terrorist. Why is it that none of the nations are able to foil such dasterdly acts? I happened to see the photo gallery of the blast and shoot out victims on The Hindu a moment ago, and call it coincidence, I was listening to the "Bombay Theme" by AR Rahman. Unknown to me, I felt anger, helplessness, frustration and pity looking into the pictures. The grim reality was only hightened by the haunting tunes. What bloodshed!

Amidts all the reports, there was one customary note from the Chief of UN, Mr.Ban Ki Moon, deeply condemning the cowardly act. What bullshit! Buck up Mr.BanK-i-Moon.. your organization has become the most unbankable one. What is the point in having an organization that talks so much, has conferences all round the year with zero results?

It really brings us back to the funadmental question : Is the UN really relevent in current times? All they do is make a hue and cry when any disaster, be it Man made or natural, strikes and then go back into their air conditioned offices and conduct meeting. In a way, its like one of our IT companies, albeit a non functional one. Our IT Companies talk about being Proactive rather than reactive. Its another irony that there is no word called proactive. Its either act or react, isn't it? 

Crime in any form is deplorable. But when a global watch dog becomes a mute spectator and just reacts to all these acts, its just unacceptable. And thats why I said, thank God its not Sashi Tharoor at its helm. At least we are saved from knowing the UN's reaction through his tweets!!That would have been a total disaster!!

Last week Mumbai, this week Oslo and Kabul keeps erupting everyday. So,all you conspiracy theorists, out with your claim of Armageddon. For once, you could be true and it would be a pity as it looks like none would survive to record your achievement.

Mumbai attacked - AGAIN!

Can you believe it??? Mumbai is under attack again! This is the nightmare I used to carry every single day I used to travel on the Western line from Andheri to Churchgate. And now, 3 bomb blasts in South Mumbai today.. at peak hours again. The details are not clear yet but already reports suggest that the blast has claimed 9 lives.


Though I do not travel by the local trains now, it still is shuddering to think of travelling in Mumbai. Already the security checks at major places and offices are too much.. with this it will only make life more difficult for Mumbaikars.

7/11, 26/11 and now this: 3 IED devices went off at Dadar West, Opera House and Zaveri Bazar today between 6:50 and 7:00PM claiming 9 lives and injuring over a 100 as of now.

Our prayers are with the family of the unfortunate few who lost their lives today and with the injured who are admitted in various hospitals.