"Hamara Bajaj"

Try asking an average Indian about the origins of a Scooter. Though the correct answer would be Western Europe most Indians would reply Saying "Bajaj". That is how synonymous "Bajaj" become with the term motor Scooters. For generations, people referred to scooters as Bajaj. At its peak they were the symbol of ultimate acquisition. People would wait 6 months to an year for a Bajaj scooter, sometimes paying twice the market price to jump the queue. More often than not, prospective In-laws would ask the bride's family for a "Bajaj" in dowry. Many a girls would have fallen to the charms of the Oh-so-handsome guy who rode the Bajaj. They provided the perfect means of transportation for an average family, 2 adults and 3 minors. Men cared more about their Bajaj scooters than they care about their shiny cars. Learning how to ride them granted boys passage into manhood, and of course the title of the random errand guy around the house.


Some of the credit for Bajaj becoming such a symbol should certainly go to Lintas (Lowe - Lintas) now. A sort of a Benchmark campaign it symbolized the new face of India. "Hamara Bajaj" - the term encompassed a huge target audience . Whether the consumer or not it did lead to a very strong association with India. "Hamara Bharat" for once took a back seat for the whole country was overwhelmed by "Hamara Bajaj". Hamara Bajaj was a symbol of an India that was emerging of people that were traditional and yet modern, of a social idea called India that which was un parallel. If John Abraham is the poster boy for bikes, Amol Palekar on his way to the ration shop was the abiding scooter role model.


Bajaj with help of its landmark product helped capture the complex reality of the existence of India. If we try making the Indian Middle class into a product chances are it would be as the Bajaj Scooter. t had space to squeeze in a full family, a place to carry vegetables, a dickey to store sundry needs of the family- in short, it seemed safe because it catered to the all those stable, worldly things that made a man a "responsible" person. In days Hero Honda was coming out with "Fill it and Shut it Bikes" the scooter with its all covered up blandness , smaller wheel size and zero masculine ambitions carried around an so called "Air of Safety" . It had to be kicked incessantly, aggressive at first gradually pleadingly, it had to be tilted in the middle of the road for allowing the fuel to start flowing, the spark plug needed more cleaning than a Lee En field Rifle. But then for the middle class, living such frugal lives that even buying a fridge occasioned family summits , buying a scooter was the realization of a fantasy and "Bajaj" allowed "Middle India" to live this fantasy. Though being Restrained, repressed it meant mobility. It made shopping, getting to work, dropping children off at school and visiting relatives possible. Moreover, its price was, with some tightening of belts, just about within their reach.


With the advent of India's economic boom in the mid-1990s, the lifestyle of the middle class changed beyond recognition. With money to spend for the first time in decades, the old austerity went, replaced by a culture of consumerism and instant gratification. Scooters began to look like relics of a bygone era of deprivation. Bajaj was one of the casualties of the new prosperity though not for long as the success of the Pulsar has been good if not comparable to the heights of the Chetak. But then for most of the Indian middle class who did use the scooter celebrated the functionality of motorized mobility. At a time when we coped with scarcity with heartbreaking dignity, the Bajaj scooter was our imperfect solution. With the Bajaj scooter gone, we have lost a vital part of our connection with our sense of our own middle class-ness. It is not just Hamara Bajaj that is gone, but a reference point to our idealized way of life that is no more.

Sehwag - Version 2.0

Over the years since Sehwag has been playing cricket and the onces I have spent lapping it up the best way to enjoy Sehwag's brilliance is not to expect anything from him at all. But then that is the beauty of Sehwag's brilliance that we expect him to score of every opportunity. We expect him to be that “Rampaging Marauder” every time he walks out to bat. According to Dhoni Sehwag has got the “license to thrill”. Leave behind the 20/20 or the ODI formats, Sehwags strike rate in tests is above 70, he averages 53 in all tests played till date and right now he is by far the most “prolific BIG match player” in cricket right now (his scores are a proof to that). What is far more outstanding is none of his big hundreds are against any minnows. Australia, New Zealand, South Africa his appetite for runs comes mostly against the big teams.

He has dismantled Ntini, Pollock and Kallis on Debut, slammed a certain Ajanta Mendis to submission (currently dropped due to lack of form), a few years back he belted 2 hundred in the “Grassy Banks” in New Zealand where our esteemed BIG FOUR could not even manage 4 altogether. His form went away in the mid of 2007 and thus subsequently dropped but then he came back against the Australians in Australia He grappled at first looking more like a “Delhi Halwai” but the runs came. He missed, got beat, hit but still managed some good scores. And then suddenly like having a enhanced “Quad Core” processor out came Sehwag Version 2.0. The appetite for runs were as big as ever but along with it came a calm head. Its hard for him to shed his “Marauding Pirate” image but this new one wasn't like the image of a “Mocambo Khush Hua” types, this image was more of the slick, uber cool “Jonney Depp” ones.

Purists will argue about the fact of his greatness. He smiles when he misses a ball, laughs when he mis hits and is completely unconcerned whether he gets out on 0 or 293. Where is the anguish of a missed opportunity slipped by ? Rather once out he seems to eager to get back to the dressing room as if there are “Jalebis” beckoning. Where is that “Thrall or even Whiff” of so called “Greatness” ?

But then Sehwag doesn't walk out the the pitch in chase of greatness. His idea of playing cricket is plain and simple. The “Game Dekho, Balla Ghoomao” strategy might be mind boggling to others but then Sehwag choose to succeed in his own terms rather follow any coaching manual. He chooses to to be a dominator and tries to induce a fear factor in the mind of the bowlers. Only he can make Shoiab Akhtar reduced to bowling gentle medium pace, last week Murali came down from world class to club class in no time. Another fact about Sehwag is that he is a game changer. England learn t harsh lessons last year and Sri Lanka in the recently concluded series. Sehwag could have easily scored a decent hundred and remained not out but then this is not what you expect from a man who hits his first 3 deliveries of a new tour for sixes. Of course there would be failures and his way of domination might result in throwing his wicket away, but then that is Sehwag and there is no better reason or rationale behind it. Responsibility and Sehwag seldom go hand in hand but then with such a game changer amidst the team why burden him with “Responsibility”.

Any of Sehwag's innings are always characterized by the words “destructive”, “explosive” etc. but then what we miss to see and express is that Sehwag is a true genius. The Nawab of Najafgarh is probably the best batsman in the world today. Sorry Grame Smith you may disagree with a certain AB to showcase but then AB does not even come close to Sehwag in mind of the the audacious shot making concerned and leave alone the fact of being a game changer. The only player right now who could get near to Sehwag on comparison is Kevin Pieterson but then he needs to keep his mind on cricket rather than concentrating dancing with his model wife. Yes there has been shades of Flintoffs brilliance in the summer of 2005 sadly his knee gave away (Briton needs to shed its chubby image), Ponting has been brilliant all summer, winter even spring but still I place Sehwag above all for the sheer audacity of his stroke play. He might not be a languid Sachin or a flowing Laxman, he might not be as consistent as Ponting nor would he have the grit or determination of Dravid. But then the above names are virtual gods in the field, their technique immaculate their back lift perfect concentration not wavering even once. Sehwag on the other hand would walk down to the pitch as if taking a stroll in Najafgarh, he would play his shots as if swatting flies. Sehwag makes batting look SIMPLE. He dismantles bowling attacks with the ease of ordering pizza. 30 minutes is all it takes, for the pizza to arrive or for Sehwag to finish off a match. More over the millions of fans who cry out his name can symbolize themselves to being more Sehwag than Sachin or Ponting. Ridiculous it might seem but Sehwags way of playing cricket is much like the “Gully Cricket” played in the sub continent. There is no need of footwork a decent hand eye co ordination would do, with 5 overs to play for hit is all one can do and bowlers who are they, they are there so that we can belt the ball. What Sehwag has in abundance is the gift of perfect hand eye co ordination not to mention a very still head too. But what is even more surprising is the power he generates. Creaming the ball is not meant for Sehwag he bludgeons it. The message is clear, Balls are meant to be put in the STANDS.

In Flow or not Sehwag does not allow one to expect it. He just plays audacious shots, very often ludicrous ones too, but at the heart of them you will find a unique quality: felicity and there lies his greatness. Sachin wont miss a delivery and then try reverse sweeping the next one beside the keeper, Sehwag just might. And then suddenly against the run of play he might just get out meekly at a half volley or a full toss. A few days back at the verge of history he popped a catch back to Murali and just walked away. A lesser person would have played it safe but then that was Sehwag, “Aaj Nahin to Phir Kabhi”.

If Sehwag Version 1.0 was brilliant, Sehwag Version 2 has been simply mesmeric. But then this is only possible as his team supports him in his way of going about with his style of batting. Asking Sehwag to cut down on taking risks and be more responsible is like having James Bond drink Haywards 5000 instead of Dom Perigion 53 and making him drive a Fiat Padmini rather an Aston Martin.

So for the sake of the millions who flock the grounds and cram in front of 14 inch TV sets to get a glimpse of one more audacious shot let Sehwag play the way he knows the best, his team knows and understands this let us give him the space too. Let him wander off unconcerned if he gets out at 0 or misses an opportunity to book his name in history, he is best paying this way and deserves all the right to do so.

The Doctrine of Virtuous Murder

The Central India People have often been described as being Original Indians. These “Originals” predated the “Dravidians”, “Aryans”, “Persians” who ever came and then settled in this country and later called it home. But then in this cooking pot of people the spread of “Naxalism” is an indication of the desperation and alienation that now sweeps over these “Original Indians”. India shall always amaze one with its vastness of population. CalcuttaDelhi or Bombay now, there is no escaping the size of the Indian population. But then sometimes as you travel the sudden thought comes to mind of small clusters of settlement where even our “mail” trains refuse to stop, roads if there are made by people daily trotting down on them and then once you fly across to destination the thought sinks in that a vast portion if India is difficult if not impossible to reach. The roads and railways in the country act as the view in a cricket ground. There pose as the view available right behind the umpires head, most people cram for that, the story of developed India is much like that. back in the early 1900’s and

The “States” have been formed but then most of the “Babus” don’t loose sleep over what goes on in the interior. Even they believe in creation of a “State” what they want to see. One CM might join towns but railways, the other opens up a State Highway right next to it. Development done, but both bypass the so called “interior & inferior” regions”. This is one of the main reasons why the “Naxal” problem is what it is today. No one is bothered for that part of the forsaken state. The same idea would later affect the regions of the north east, especially Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur. Is the centre really bothered on what goes on in these regions? 62 years numerous governments have done nothing thus giving China the guts to say the mentioned places weren’t India’s after all.

But then the states always have not shunned these places away from development. The “Naxals” have always accused the government for not letting the poor rise from their misery and poverty. They have claimed the “Politicians” to be corrupt and in most cases these were true which led them to launch their movement in 1967 thus justifying violence. But since then they have got a much acquired “taste” to eat. The point being made there was no attempt to lay down arms. The “Gun Totting” way of getting things done have gone bit too far. Try building a road and the engineer is kidnapped and then killed. Join the local police and your parents will be brutally tortured. Try setting up a small scale industry and you will have to shell out lakhs as 'protection money' to them.

Most of the so called “Naxalite Infected” areas are actually rich in minerals. But since years there have been no development. After all, bridges, schools, gram panchayat offices, electricity towers have all been blown up to show who is really in control. Thus while the “Naxalites” blame the corrupt officials, the state blames the “Naxalites” for damaging tactics. Terror seems to be the order of the day, else why would one go around “Beheading Cops” and killing “Security Guards” at PSU establishments. Thus the question remains what about the people for whose cause the “Naxals” are fighting for. They have not been of any great help, the state has been shunned from helping, and helping themselves (acquiring arms) have been of utmost priority. One would ask when would this end. The centre is clearly going to get impatient.

It would not take much time for the state to move out the vulnerable police out of the equation and send in the army and in a battle where “India” would fight “India” it is not difficult to imagine who would turn out victorious. 15000 is the number which has been put to the “Maoists” killing all of them certainly cant be the “Final Solution”, but then these 15000 must understand the limits to which a government can be pushed. Their so called “Doctrine of Virtuous Murder” cannot be dealt with a loose hand any more. India has made difficult decisions in the past, the “Bhindrawale Saga” still hurts us in a wrong way, but then such decisions have been made.

The government and the “Naxals” both need to get the “Wider Picture” right. While the government needs to understand that no long term development of India is possible without taking a Pan India view, the “Naxals” should understand that challenging a government who has virtually no decent opposition to take its position away is nothing else other than “Elimination”.

PC’s call to “Abjure Violence” is well made and both sides needs to adhere by that and TALK.

"Chinese Chakkars"

Limited financial capabilities have prevented me from continuing (not permanently) updating my food blog. I don’t see a lot of “Treats” coming my way so till I do manage to fill up my now replenished financial capabilities my stomach and the blog relating to it would have to go empty.

So it back to world affairs.

We celebrated (I slept) Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday a few days back and though the media, for the day and a couple before it went into a frenzy with “Gandhigiri” the term has quite lost its relevance. Wondering why, well then the reasons are quite a few.

· China showing its military might, enough nukes to flatten India 10 times over.

· A worried Indian Air Chief declaring the immediate need of 50 Sukhois (Russian Made) to counter the emerging Chinese Threat.

· The Indian Army not to be left behind trying to launch a tender to purchase “Light tanks” to curb the Chinese threat in “Sikkim” and “Ladakh”.

· The commander to the US 7^th fleet openly admitting the US’s miscalculation of predicting the naval growth of China.

The Chinese suddenly have taken the whole world by surprise showcasing their military might. Since the last National Day celebrations China certainly showed impressive growth military strength. Hu Jintao had called for a “for even stronger armed forces” and that the PLA did confirm by kicking off a dazzling celebration in Beijing by showing off a range of home-grown weaponry. China now has a very effective arsenal of Nuclear Arms (counting 120 to India’s 50). The current celebrations showed that the “Nukes” were mobile too. The Chinese, over the years have taken great strain in seeing that their armed forces are no longer “Heavy” but rather “Light, Fast and Agile”. The showcasing of the newer Chengdu FC-1/JF-17 and J-10 fighters were also a step in the direction of being “Light and Effective”. The JF-17 will be able to carry a variety of conventional and precision-guided bombs, and air-to-air and air-to-sea missiles from short- to beyond-visual-range. Coming as a direct threat to the Sukhois fielded by the Indian Air Force, it has already attracted the Pakistani Air Force to order a few of them.

But behind all this what one cannot miss is the fact that most of the weapon systems showcased has been developed by China itself. In a bid to become a superpower China realized the fact that it would have to indigenously develop its military capabilities to progress in the pace it decided to. India has for ever lagged in this regard with most of its defense equipment suppliers. The fact still grapples us; the “Gorshkov” deal as well as the MMRCA competition is prime example. The huge array of home grown weapon systems showed China was making clear progress in moving away from its long-term reliance on Russian arms purchases. And the mix of ground, naval and air force components showed the PLA - which encompasses all those branches - was growing more diverse. “Confidence” in China seems to be over the brim, the Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie boasted last month that much of his nation's weaponry now rivals that included in Western arsenals.

Despite the rapid strides in weapons development China still has a lot of catching up to do in order to claim itself as becoming a superpower. Most of its neighbors have more advanced and better-trained air forces and navies (this includes India too). Japan, South Korea and India have had long presence in the Asian waters. The navies of Japan and India are battle hardened too. China is still yet to have a Aircraft Carrier and its presence in the Asian waters too is very limit

China will soon be able to deploy its first aircraft carrier and according to sources it is more advanced than anything India has or plans to acquire. Sources from the Indian navy say that the Chinese plan to operationalize the Varyag - purchased as junk from Ukraine for 20 million US dollars in 1998. In 2005, the dead ship was docked at the Chinese naval base in Dalian. Since then it has been undergoing sophisticated upgrades.

Apart from that the PLAN is also constructing a major underground nuclear submarine base near Sanva, and the first Type 094 submarine was recently moved there. It is reported that tunnels were being built into hillsides which could be capable of hiding up to 20 nuclear submarines from spy satellites. The aim is clearly to build up sea power in the Pacific Ocean region long time playground of the USA.

China also is believed to possess too few of some systems, such as major missiles, for them to be significant in strategic terms in the near term. Also most of the show of the weapons systems was not aimed to throw the US off balance; it would take more than couple of “Junk Varyags” to challenge their huge nuclear capable naval strength. China has very carefully plotted out its priorities and in the very near future India is PRIORITY ONE. But then for India China does what we call “mind games too”.

One call easily recall how an article in a Chinese website called for “Balkanisation” of India. A very well aimed dart one might say as we are only “Indians” on 2 days of the calendar read 15^th of August and 26^th of January and occasionally when the cricket team manages to reach a final. Other than that we are Bengalis, Malyalees, Tamilians but not Indians. The Chinese were “Chinese” from the very beginning. The Chinese are so obsessed with gaining control over the Tibetan Plateau that they now are staking claims over Jammu as well as Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. This again is a well placed move as for years numerous Indian Governments have been totally disinterested in the welfare of the North East. The Chinese Propaganda of India and China collaborating to play a greater role in world economy too is all but CRAP. China never wanted to ally with India and is very clear in trying to take all means to see it stays ahead of India both in Economic and military strength.

What New Delhi needs to do is stop trying to admit that it knows all about Beijing. We clearly do not know nothing about the Chinese and need to come to terms with that. Its been long since we regarded China as a cheap goods manufacturer. China has risen from a cheap goods manufacturer to a military superpower within no time and New Delhi was yet to take notice of the fact. But then this does not mean a race to pile up arms and show of strength against the Chinese as they are waiting for such a move. The grand show put up was a mailed fist aimed at India.

All is not well with China too. The grand show was also done to put aside recent memories of the riots in the western Chinese province of Uighur and the growing world pressure on China to move away from Tibet. China needs to show all is well and thus the show. Indians were taken aback by stories of rapid economic development in China and the impressive physical superstructure built there. But this is a development without accountability.

“Chinese Chakkars” have never been so confusing.

"War on Terrorism" Losing its Steam ??

"I am a terrorist, not a killer." Russian Marxist Vera Zasulich shot and wounded a Russian police commander who was known to torture suspects. She threw down her weapon without killing him. The phrase "War on Terrorism" was first widely used by the Western press to refer to the attempts by European governments, and eventually the US government, to stop attacks by anarchists against leaders and officials. But then over the years it has been redefined by the west in accordance to their meeting with the term but the most modern would be the one coined after the September 11^th incidents.

In a worldwide address the then president had stated - "Our war on terror begins with al Qaeda, but it does not end there. It will not end until every terrorist group of global reach has been found, stopped and defeated."

Since then Afghanistan was taken and Iraq quashed, but terror of the “Terrorists” still looms large. Iraq may have hogged the limelight but it was Afghanistan where the “Real War on Terror” was supposed to be fought. Iraq was just a state on the US radar to occupy before its self destructive nature led Iraq to destroy its most valuable resource “OIL”. What initially was the only was to vent out the frustration of suddenly becoming helpless US went to war to nail down the “Al Qeada”. The mission was not to wage a battle against terrorism. Bin Laden and his group was just the face of the worldwide terrorism network and Afghanistan was not the only place they existed. But still NATO and coalition forces did go there and now they are finding it increasingly difficult to accept the fact of losing any more lives there.

The US went to the war with its allies and found strong support over the time spent there, but as time moves on most of the coalition forces has agreed to the fact that it no longer had the political or moral resolve to do what it takes to win over Afghanistan. . Britain can barely stomach the death of 200 soldiers; a reinvented Germany can't get over the collective trauma of having ordered the bombing in Kunduz. The west now tired of trying to fight a war which has led them to miles across they own country into one whose ideologies and people it can barely understand. The commitment that led the forces to try and avenge 9/11 has been slowly vanishing. Helping “Ourselves” has become the first priority and willingness to fight the “Just” war has died down. The country too is difficult to understand and the best example comes in with the top man himself. Hamid Karzai was like a breath of fresh air once the Taliban were ousted. A few years later he is being called a “Ballot Thief”, rigging polls with money coming from drug barons.

Tired and beaten up from the long waging war and sick of the “Fouling” tactics of the home team the coalition forces main aim seems to be safeguarding itself. They have realized (quite the hard way) that the Taliban or the Al Queda won’t just die down by sheer force. They are not a military force and will not wage open war with a well trained and equipped enemy. Thus now if the Taliban and Al Qaeda would to give assurance of not mounting attacks on the west it would again earn on itself the right to rule the country as it wanted.

As the looks of it right now the west seems very inclined to move away and if f it did it would mean another triumph for the “Jihadi’s”. Much like their cold war opponents the US would be the next “Superpower” who would be beaten away. But then if the coalition forces do leave it would also mean Pakistan breathing a sigh of relief. It has been much criticized by the other nations for being a US puppet and now with the US leaving it would hope to enjoy the similar kind of leverage it had with Afghanistan before the coalition forces came down. What it would also mean is a resurgent Iran who along with Pakistan would be the second nuclear capable state to have close ties with the Taliban and Al Qaeda.

The biggest “Loser” in this would turn out to be India. A rebellious Pakistan and its allies on the west and a emerging dragon on the north east, we seem to be cornered from all corners. We can proudly state that we are probably the only country in South Asia where sanity does exist and the US does agree to the fact. India may not be as important as Iraq in the US’s quest for oil but we do help protect the multi billion dollar trade route in the Indian Ocean. The recent allowance by the US to allow the Indian navy to acquire the P 81 reconnaissance planes and the advanced Hawk Eye platform has been taken to see the important trade route is well protected.

But then the forces have still not moved away and it is time the US showed enough reasons for people to call it a superpower. The status does not come merely with having the best fighting force it comes with having the moral strength to bear down even the most resistant of the enemies.

Iran, Pakistan, China, North Korea these days does ring a bell. Its time the US rather than doing away with the coalition tried forming new ones.

"Dabba" To The Rescue

Was in Mysore a few days back and as always in the midst of trying to get out of Bangalore before the morning traffic trapped us in I managed to skip breakfast. 5 hours later after finishing 3 meetings and very visibly hungry I happened to spot a Subway outlet and what struck me a deal I got a foot long sub (Non Veg) @ 150. Very happy I carried the parcel to the site office where I sat down with a rather roundish looking person. He had his “BIG” lunch dabba out and pulled out a vast array of food ranging from Rotis to Rasam. I watched him as he managed to slurp his rasam, tucking into the canary-yellow lemon-rice, setting aside the sautéed green curry leaves that had done their flavoring job, pour ghee on his rotis and once you though he was done he signaled for a tumbler and made fresh butter milk from the supply of curd he had. Meanwhile I munched away my sub and wondered who on earth would on this day travel with a huge dabba. Suddenly, as if he had the question all along, the man threw me a question – How Much? What do you mean how much I though. 150 in all I said pretty proud I got a whole sub for that price. But my thoughts were soon broken rather shattered by his reply. You like to buy eat drink and be merry don’t you. I nodded. As if not even bothering to wait for my reply he went on. Youngsters all you want now days is junk food, (what was wrong with that I wanted to ask but he went on), you by and large buy everything including food, pizzas, burgers, steaks and things, all swiped through credit cards with no concern about mounting debt.

Mounting What ?? I began to wonder if the guy was mad. I finished off my last bit of Pepsi to reply to that but he was ready for his parting shot rather Salvo. Carrying around a lunch box may not be cool but you for certain are a bigger fool to have paid 150 bucks for a bun mostly filled with veggies. Saying so he scurried away and the last portion of my sub turned into a lump which just did not go down my throat.

Fast forward to a couple of hours later I was travelling back to Bangalore I happened to ponder over the events occurred during lunch. To my alarming surprise everything the man did say fell into place. Yeah we were going the so called western way of buy eat drink. There are hundreds of such places now. Every mall these days has a food court and most of them are full. Places serving “Fast Food” are on an increase even school kids do not carry “Tiffin Boxes” these days. Much like our Western Friends who would spend seven full dollars daily at the Taco Bell, Deli or Subway round the corner we too are going towards the same mindset. Spend today man for tomorrow we can either Die or Diet.

But seriously whatever happened to the option of cooking your own meals and carrying them around. 30 minutes or else free, the mantra guarantees that food may arrive here quicker than the ambulance. I still remember the days my mom packed up stuff for me to eat on my journeys. Apart from the fact that the food would keep me from eating junk outside what it did mostly was save money. As a student who has spent quite some time studying outside I know the benefit of saving even 50 bucks. Why can’t we have our Gandhi-capped Mumbai dabbawalas for networking glitch-free cylindrical lunch box deliveries across the country? Better still if one is in Bangalore walk into a Darshini for complete hassles free Meal. At a range of 20 to 30 bucks it’s a deal.

What we would not want is to turn into what America is today, overripe on credit. Thought the sub prime has been the main reason, years of swiping of credit cards to buy lunches too have some effect.

Bloody Indians"

For “Indians” the detention of SRK could not have come at a better time. Most of us would have probably slept through the day enjoyed a lazy lunch and just switched on the TV to find news channels covering the issue. Though late in the day the “Patriot” within us awoke and probably slammed the US custom officials with the choicest of words. Bollywood has come out in force with each “Khan” capturing moments of them being detained in the past.

Well the support is good and so are the viewpoints, but then the questions that remains is all the support was aimed at what. Was it for the millions of “Khans” like SRK who probably get detained for hours exceeding 2 as the foreign embassy wont vouch for them, was it for the select people who have been detained for carrying a beard or wearing other “religious symbols”. I guess it was not for we were just plain annoyed that one of our “Superstars” got detained. The case is similar with SRK. He is very well aware of the fact that his name ends with a title which would arise attention in western countries, but then he got pissed because it was “him” who got detained.

The problem of “Terrorism” has prevailed in India since long. The Indian Army has been dealing with it since 15 days of the formation of “Independent India” and still are paying a heavy price for it. Anyone in Kashmir wearing the odd raincoat or a shawl can be pulled up for interrogation. The man/woman maybe innocent but then that is the way over there. After all these years I still do not see a Sikh entry into the SPG (Special Protection Group) guarding the Prime Minister. Mind you the Punjab and Sikh battalions of the Indian Army comprise of the countries premier strike forces.

But post 9/11 Muslims across the world have been subject to prejudice. The west seems to recognize “Terrorism” by tagging it with “Names” and other “Religious Symbols”. But then millions of such people regularly go through such harassment as they are a “nobody” moreover they are out of their country. But then to be fair to the US they take the killing of their own people in a way of seriousness that is required. Post 9/11 there has not been a single “terror” related issue in the US and it is largely due all these efforts, which by the way I do agree is very shameful and degrading. But then it is the duty of a country to protect its civilians from threat no matter what the cost. Look at the countries affected by “Terrorism” in Asia. Look at our own record for that. One just “Sailed In” and took the whole security system for a six. The US and UK both have invested heavily to screen every person that lands on their shores, so high is their efficiency that they did not even let their Celebs off the hook. Metallica front man James Hetfield was reported to have been detained in Luton Airport in UK for his “Goatee” which arose suspicion that he may be a “Terrorist”.

Rather than say he dosnt need a apology what SRK should have done is take steps to see that the whole “Branding” of “Terrorism” done by the west is broken. People need to realize a man having a particular surname of sporting a particular beard has got nothing to do with spreading terror. Religion, be it any where helps rise and keep faith. SRK is a global sign and a few clarifications from him would do well for the millions of other “Nobodies” who get stopped everyday.

But then as it was pointed out the support was not for the other “Nobodies”, it was for the “Baadshah” himself. One can now easily plot the next blog coming up labeled “Tit for Tat”. Stop the “Firangs” and degrade them too. But then we would not even eyeball one and rather lay the “Red Carpet” down for them. Even after 62 years the “Colonial Hangover aint Over”. But then for us “Bloody Indians” that aint the problem.

The answer is “PLAIN BLOODY LETHARGY”. But then we would not mind standing in a mile long line to get hold of “Black” tickets for the “Baadshah’s” latest flick.

“Bloody Indians” someone did paint a very apt picture.

Encountering the Dragon - Hukou

Anyone aware of what “Hukou” is.

So for the benefit of all the UNAWARE it is basically a resident permit issued by the Chinese government, allowing one to stay in China even if you were born there. It is issued on family basis. Every family have a Hukou booklet that records information about the family members, including name, birth date, relationship with each other, marriage status (and with whom if married), address and your employer...

Everyone in China has a Hukou.

Now this booklet is very important. One is expected is stay where they were born and stay there until there demise. One cannot move around. One can travel but then there is no access to jobs, public utility services or food. It is just like visiting other places with a B-1 (business) type of visa - you can visit, but cannot work there (it is illegal), cannot go to school (not accepted), cannot go to hospital (without a hukou, you are not treated). For food, in those old days, you cannot buy food no matter how much money you have. You need to use Liangpiao (The currency for food) with money together to get food. Liangpiao is only issued by the government of the place your Hukou is registered.

The worse is when it comes to travelling, If you travel without a hukou, you don’t exist, you’re a non-person. If you go to Shanghai, or anywhere else, you’re treated as an illegal. No place to stay, no licence to work, no assured pay, even if it’s a few grains of rice a day.

China very rigidly manages the flow of people from one place to another and one cant just travel upto Shanghai or Beijing. He or she would have to have a Hukou.

That then has to be stamped by the local Party commissar in your city and also stamped by someone higher up in the Party in the city you want to go to. Then and only then do you get to move.

All the trouble to move around we Indian’s would have gladly stayed at home, but then China being China passenger rail transport is one of the principal means of transport, with 1.456 billion railway trips taken in 2008.

But we don’t need to have a Hukou to move around in India. The trains keep on moving rather chugging and the bogies are always full. The “mango people” like to travel and we do so with aplomb. Along the journey we ensure that we crib and curse on and at the system which runs the railways. Are we justified to do so, well there does not seem to be a reason for that much of it comes to us as a BIRTHRIGHT.

But lets be kind to the “Mango People” and paint a picture of the so called “Ordeal” of travelling on the Indian Railways. This would include getting into a general compartment, stow your meager luggage, and then hope for the best that you’re not kicked around at three in the morning when you’re trying to sleep sitting on a hard wooden berth shared by four other uninvited co-passengers. And on the upper berth, callused feet, dangling, kicking you around the face.

All this time though people inside would try and wage a futile war to keep the door shut against the tide of people trying to rush in and as always - since the will of the person trying to catch a train than the one inside being more strong – the numbers inside the coach would increase.

The bathrooms in all the bogies always malfunction which seems very strange. Either there is no water or there is a leak in the flush which eventually drains the tanks out into the bogies much to the distaste of the passengers. The aromatic sewage from the loo spilling out and lovingly wetted the pants of the unfortunates crowded there and the curses flowed.

But we would be on the same train the very next time we needed to be. Why so?? Well the answer is simple. This was the cheapest ride back home for the “Mango People”. One did not need a ticket a mere bribe and the stamina to endure the above mentioned would be enough to get you to your destination. AND we did not need to have a HUKOU.

The general compartments’ are filled with our so called “Mango People”, people who would be responsible to take the country forward. The best diamond cutters in Gujarat come from Bengal. Going home, we experienced really free migration first hand: the poorest of the poor, our co-passengers, would do anything to migrate for work to a better place, paying just 10 rupees to the TTE.

To get a Hukou in China is tough mostly so to control the flow of migrating workers. But then the rigidity would not help the Dragon in times of a downturn.

But then “The Mango People” will travel and business will prosper.