Mystery of the missing mom

Kahan hai mummy?

A combination of factors has triggered this post. I am thinking about my mum. Then, the mommy blogging controversy. And when articles about Mumbai are recommended as excellent reads, I was thinking about the issue of slum dwellers and issues -which in turn is always linked to how we want them as maids and servants and how they contribute to 'local economy'. And last but not the least as it often does, ads often seem to bring out the blogger in me.

There is a new ad airing here which is for either a new dish washing detergent- or wait, I think it is scotchbrite scourer. It shows a family of husband/father and two kids wailing, 'Kahan hai Mummy'- where is Mum? They are shown playing board games, posing for family pics, watching television, doing a host of activities- all without Mom in the picture. With a gap where she should be. Then Lo! She opts to buy the new scourer pad and dishes are done in a jiffy leaving here free for more time with her family. Happiness all around. I just can not stop laughing.

Seriously please tell me, when was the last time anyone saw a 'Mummy' in Mumbai - any well-to-do mother with a kid aged 0-12- do the dishes? That too sari clad, pallu tucked at hip, wiping brow and sweat, labouring over heaps of them at the sink. Even with creative license for little exaggeration, it is just so funny. Three servants ka zamana hai. One for cooking, one for cleaning and one more as 'back-up' if any other bunks. Or for minding the baby, chopping the veggies, dusting, pick the child from school - everything and just about anything.

Whether working moms or stay-at-home moms, no one I know does the dishes as a daily chore- unless maybe by exception. And it has little to do with time available. If the dishes are piled up for the maid has not come; it is an occasion to order take-away and creative people I know also keep a stash of picnic plates as a practical alternative to doing dishes for days when maids are not available. As I mentioned, by exception, when unexpected guests arrive or expensive china scenarios. Dish washing machines are now available in Mumbai, but the take off is low and not so deep.

For the milieu and setting shown in the ad which appears to be what is normally termed 'upper middle class' one, the ad is hilarious. Every time the three of them chorus, 'Mummy, Mummy - kahan hai Mummy.' I can not help myself but chime, tongue-in-cheek, "Mummy gayi blogging karne'. Nahin aane wali. Mommy has gone blogging, get on with life. I am rolling on the floor with laughter.

Confidence Academy

Every time I watch the Bournvita 'Confidence Academy' ad, it strikes me how much I like it.

It is about two boys, one a city bred yuppie who is a rap dancer and the other a village bred youngster who is a folk singer who challenge each other. The result is a short foot-tapping number where the folk singer modifies his tune to match the foot work of the other boy. At the end of it, the folk singer boy endorses confidence and the last shot is of the rap singer boy at the tabla with both of them in a smiling cameo of camaraderie. Lovely concept, flawless execution and such an unusual idea. No direct co-relation to the product at all and yet relates to it at various levels.

It also appeals to me in many personal ways too. The two youngsters could easily be from within my circle of family, friends or students. The lilting Rajasthani folk tune is so beautiful and I love folk music ( add to that some little training in Indian classical music too- music as far as I am concerned is all pervading in my list of likes and life). For a fleeting moment it also reminds me of the scene from the classic south Indian movie Shankarabharanam, when the group of college youngsters challenge the music teacher, but only very fleeting- as in the movie, the scene is about arrogance, humility, disco v/s classical etc- the ad has none of it. It is about a challenge that leads to confluence, not confrontation. The true mark of confidence.

The execution displays rhythm, energy and bonhomie and much more. Now only if we could extend this kind of inspired work to our television serials.

Magar uske liye chahiye 'confidence'!

Just another -Republic- day

I was asked why I did not do a republic day post. The reason was quite simple- because I was weeping.

Now see, I am just an average female living in this city. Harried by the traffic, water and maid servant and pre-occupied with mundane issues of loans, credit cards and bill payments and safety on roads. With a bad hair day and some shopping joys thrown in. Grateful that I do not have any significant concerns on other fronts.

So I did not cry because there are still so many people below poverty line, or because so many people in the country do not have access to drinking water and primary health care. Or because the money meant for development goes to fund ministers land purchases, foreign junkets and their children’s ostentious weddings.

I also did not cry because the film stars who spout so much Swades and Mera Bharat Mahaan stuff in their films do not find even a single Indian car worth driving. Though all of them quote typically a Maruti 800 as their first car, the hummers, and BMWs are certainly not their last.

And far from crying, I should have been exultant. After all it was the first time since independence that a Woman President took the parade salute. Wonder why then I felt so hollow.

Then what. Well, I could not help it. I wept for this woman who lay on the suburban train tracks for hours, her body cut in three pieces and finally had to be carted off in a hand cart, because the railway authorities did not call an ambulance. Neither they have one nor do they allow good work to be done. Harvard School case study notwithstanding.

I cried when I read that T. Chandrasekhar, an IAS officer finally decided it was time to move on to private sector. Just imagine, he did not even ask for the job. We brought him to Mumbai, and then refused to let a good man do his work. The person who turned around Surat (not Surat- that was S R Rao) , but Nagpur and Thane, could not turn a page of file here in Mumbai without ‘permission’ or, as Abhishek Bachhan in the movie ‘Guru’ asks of the enquiry tribunal members, 'May I stand up? Or do I need a license for this too? '

I cried because the old and senior citizens on S V Road, take an auto-rickshaw and pay the minimum fare just to get to the other side because crossing the road is impossible.

I cried because it really hurt that my hard earned salary from which 33% (and more) is deducted as tax, pays for the Governors personal trips and for the Municipal Commissioner of the city to be in Davos. The place also known as the ski resort.

So I get neither the road, the pavement nor the drain that the tax should have paid for. I neither get the diamond ring or holiday that avoiding the tax would have paid for, but the elected representatives get their designer clothes and free holidays.

I wish my parents had not insisted we get good grades and an education. After all, how important is education to be a minister or a religious/spiritual leader - both such lucrative career options in this country.

Hence you see I cried only at a few headlines as reported in the paper-not because any trees in my complex were cut . Or on account of any glorified idealist stuff, like why the license and quota raj for almost 50 years killed entrepreneurship in this country and crony capitalism damaged the rest. Or that expensive funded advanced education led to only brain drain with the best of scientists and engineers and doctors leaving the country. And for a development story that has been so flawed.

By the time I finished weeping, I had a headache with the crying. splashed some cold water on my eyes and face and had a cuppa tea, the dial up wasn't working. So I could not blog my 'Vande Mataram' post. (maybe I will save it for Aug 15th). How much worse can a day get. My eyes and nose were red and puffy.

As I think back now, I wonder why I cried so much. After all it was just another day. Like any other. And all I got was, " Buying the paper is useless- why read the nonsense they print.' Ah yes indeed.

Hope you all had a Happy Republic Day. With white and saffron and green outfits and matching bangles and fab-in kurtas (no one buys kvic anymore, didn't you know?) ; the swaying singing on television to 'cottage emporium' patriotism. And the lunch-dinner get-togethers and housie games in your buildings.

I had planned my outfit and accessories too, but that was before I read the morning newspaper. Then I cried. I guess this is where I came in.

Brave Harp

It is like Burnol on a scalded hand. Soothing.

Brave Harp. A a very loved piece of music. And also about how nice it is to have the choice to tune in to BBCentertainment.

I am hooked to three serials, one about an sci-fi space character living on earth with his (earth) wife and two kids and their life- called My Hero. Then a lovely heart-warming story of a Scottish laird in 'Monarch of the Glen'; and the third 'When you are gone'- humour- about a man and his two teenage children he raises with the help of his mother-in-law.

Speak of Scotland, and among other things, it is now more than ten years ago that I first heard Brave Harp-Mist of Thyme, a music collection of Scottish songs, ballads and the Celtic harp, truly evocative and hauntingly beautiful music from a land that is so too. Watching the characters and story unfold in Glenbogle is the music of Brave Harp come alive. Even after all these years, I never tire of listening to it.

As the story unfolds on the beautiful landscape, its people, their traditions and the travails of the characters in the story, I feel part of it and there is this feeling in my heart that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. Actually I watch the other two simply because they are back to back with the tales of glenbogle and by the time I am done, sometimes my head aches with so much of TV watching..but...I would not miss it.

As Mogambo would have said it- Mogambo Khush hua.

Jab We Met

Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field.
I'll meet you there.

(From: The poems of Rumi.)

What does the hit bollywood movie of 2007 have to do with poetry of Rumi. Nothing. (Maybe)

And Jab we (did not) met, would be more appropriate title for this post (never mind- the wrong use of language). Oh it does not matter. Ignore me. And this post.

But for those who may have landed here while googling for the movie title, there are some excellent posts on the movie here from idlidosa; from passion for cinema; and from dearcinema.com.

As for the rest of the poem of Rumi,

When the soul lies down in that grass, the world is too full to talk about. Ideas, language, even the phrase each other doesn't make any sense.'

Now, if I had a beautiful picture to add to this poem, it'd be perfect. Let me go see if I can find one.

Micro-finance- the other side

With the increasing in interest in the topic especially after the award of the Nobel Prize to the Grameen bank founder, it is interesting to note the other side too.

The Business Week in its report called, The Ugly Side of Microlending-How big Mexican banks profit as many poor borrowers get trapped in a maze of debt, says;

'For three decades, micro-lending was seen as a tool of nonprofit economic development. Now poor people are turning into one of the world's least likely sources of untapped profit, primarily because they will pay interest rates most Americans would consider outrageous, if not usurious.

With no legal limits on interest levels and little government oversight, for-profit banks in Mexico impose annual interest rates on poor borrowers that typically range from 50% to 120%. That compares with a worldwide average of 31% among nonprofit micro-lending institutions, and the 22% to 29% that Americans with bad credit histories incur on credit-card debt.

Azteca's business model succeeds not only because it can charge credit-starved clients almost whatever it wants. Equally important is that low-income Mexicans anxious about maintaining their reputation tend to pay back what they owe, regardless of the hardship. Those who slip behind receive frequent visits from motorcycle-riding collection agents. '

Quite significant for India too I would think. Full story and reader comments here.

Swami Vivekananda

It has been a slight blog break. Just a little bit of this and a little bit of that, but as you can see, my blog is updated today.

This is an old article I had written once, with the title ' The original role model'. Last week I thought I must post it here too. After all, I did start the 'personalities' label on my blog with the thought of highlighting people who matter.

On January 12, it was the birth anniversary of an Indian, Swami Vivekananda of whom Romain Rolland, (French winner of the Nobel prize in literature, 1915) said,"His words are great music. Phrases in the style of Beethoven's, stirring rhythms like the march of Handel's choruses. I cannot touch these sayings of his, scattered as they are through the pages of books, at thirty years distance, without receiving a thrill through my body like an electric shock. And what shocks, what transports must have been produced in burning words when they issues from the lips of the hero!"

On the topic of faith, Swami Vivekananda said: "First of all, our young men must be strong. You will be nearer to heaven through football than through the study of the Gita. You will understand the Gita better with your biceps, your muscles a little stronger. You will understand the mighty genius and the mighty strength of Krishna better with a little strong blood in you. You will understand the glory of the Upanishads and the glory of the Atman, when your body stands firm upon your feet, and you feel yourselves to be men."

On unselfishness, he urged,"First bread, then religion...I do not believe in a religion which cannot wipe the widows tears or bring a piece of bread to the orphans mouth."

About India, he said,"I consider it that the great national sin is the neglect of the masses, and that is one of the causes of our downfall. No amount of politics would be of any avail until the masses in India once more are well educated, well fed and well cared for."

Gandhiji said of him, "After having gone through his works, the love I had for my country became a thousand fold."

A highlight of the life of Swami Vivekananda's 39 years (1863-1902) is of course, his historic Chicago address of 1893, when he represented Hinduism at the Parliament of Religions. His complete works comprise 9 volumes. And when I visit the modern, colourful and trendy book stores I do wonder why I find hardly any book by or on this giant personality.

The times they are a changing

Indeed, with the prospect of a non- white or non-male President in the offing the powers in charge decided it was time to move with the times.

So Peter Parker and MJ (of Spiderman fame) have parted ways after two decades and divorce it is. Comics get contemporary.

Sometime earlier, barbie and ken parted ways but they were not married. So while barbie and ken made news- this makes history.

Power on, India on

I am sure that the percussion based jingle on all channels (which to me sounds like Shankar Ehsaan Loy signature -who can forget the cricket world cup chant last year?) has majorly contributed to the Reliance, -oooops .... don't just say 'Reliance' - repeat it with me, 'Reliance Power. An Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group' - or ADAG - that's better- IPO being fully subscribed within 60 seconds of its opening.

A little known fact is that Dr. Kurien had once proposed the co-operative model in power generation and distribution too.

After success in the milk (Amul) and oil-seeds (Dhara) sector it had seemed like a very viable option. I do not know what happened and why it did not see the light of the day.

Balle Balle- the baarat has arrived

The Punjab government has ruled against ostentatious weddings.

Quote from the media news article:

"This comes in response to a query from the High Court that was hearing a PIL filed by an advocate, seeking stricter implementation of the Dowry Prohibition Act.Section 4 A of the Act says:
-There should be no display of presents made at the time of marriage in the form of cash, ornaments, clothes or other articles.
-There should not be more than 25 members in a marriage party.
-Any form of shagun, money or gift exceeding the value of 11 rupees in not permitted.

Defaulters may be jailed for 6 months and even fined up to 5000 rupees.

The police say they will act promptly only if there's a complaint."

End of quote.

Other than providing succour to many girls and their parents who sometimes spend a whole lifetimes savings and even incur debt to fund a wedding function, the aam aadmi ki zindagi will also hopefully improve if all of us can get back to our normal lives that has been like a takeover by aliens who had taken over the entire nation after the movie 'Hum apke hain kaun'.

Weddings at least in Mumbai have not been the same since. South Indians, known for their sober habits and where three instead of two sweets served at breakfast would denote a 'grand' wedding were all programmed by the shaadi fever that this one movie generated - and every one since- as it spawned numerous clones.

Sangeets, mandatory dance items to 'shava shava', Mehendi rasms -the couples went the whole nine yards- with svarovski crystal studded designer chaniya cholis replacing the traditional silks.

Unless the Hindi film industry too trims down this ostentation, the law will stay on paper- pretty much like the ban on dowry one.

Ode to a lil car

ना ना करते Na No हम कर बेटे
करना था इंकार मगर इकरार
उसी से कर बैते
ना ना करते न नो हम कर बैते

Pappu Pichkari

One of the interesting trends I am observing in the reactions - that range from banal to bizzare - to the Mumbai molestation incidents has been to 'mock' the traditional Indian tradition and culture.

A wide-ranging word but largely taken to include the religious texts, epics, specifically limited to stories of Sita's sorrow and Draupadi's vastraharan, No one seems to have touched upon Manu so far- actually who is credited with many 'women unfriendly' statements- the fair sex shall always be accompanied by the unfair one and such-But, I digress.

Since not many of us have any control or way to cross check and confirm what happened many eons ago (and "proof' will also be required. 'My grandma said this, who heard it from her grandma' will not suffice) it is simpler to merely take a look at contemporary culture. Culture as some students of the topic will know has less to do with ancient history and is a word that denotes many things such as artefacts, mores, people, behaviour, food, language etc.

Normally I enjoy an occasional raunchy song or inane dialogue of a hindi movie as much as the next movie-goer. You know, the 'Tu meri maina, Main tera kabutar' is a song about ornithology and, 'Beedi jalaile' is surrogate advertising for the tobacco industry. 'Teri ankhon ke maikhane se main pi lu' is classic, Drink to me with thine eyes. Sheer poetry. Hence, feminists and all other ists- no need to hyperventilate. Chalta hain, jaane do, take a chill pill, vagera vagaira. Not viagra silly, vagaira. It means etc. etc.

It is quid pro quo when the gals sing, 'Kya karu hai, budda mil gaya', or about 'zulmi' jiske sang aaankh ladi' and 'bedardi baalama'. We enjoy our nok-jhoks. No need to make an issue of our movies ok. After God, Mother, and country, we worship cricket and cinema in India. It is highly unikely that a hollywood actor would agree to lyrics that call him budda.

So you have it give it to our men. They can take what they dish out too, at least in the hindi movies ( & hence, popular culture)- a thapad, a chappal, gaalis and more. (English movies & TV serials may be dubbed in Hindi but do they fall in the genre of popular culture? That will be a debate that will be taken up when the next round of molestations happen.)

So when I see 'Play the Pappu Pichkari game' colourful banner next to a headline on a very prominent newspaper site that says, "Women should raise their voice" - I know it is time to post this to my blog. In a tribute to 'Indian' art (the co-joined twin of 'culture') , Pappu Pichkari has graphic representation of a very teeny weeny (is there any other type?) bikini zoom to a very curvy partially naked bottom of a gosh... "woman".

Some of its tagline reads: aiming is fair game, and, squirt to flirt .

Pammi bikini pahenti hain?- how cool. I thought she'd be in a 'behenji type' salwar kameez that I would not be seen dead in, especially when I go shopping for sexy lingerie. What is the connection? Well don't be silly, What I wear on the outside should loudly and clearly shout what I am wearing on the inside. Remember Salaam namaste & Saif- genuine Jockey or was it Calvin Klein? But again, I digress. Focus. The fact the the elastic on the chaddi's declare how progressive one is, has been permanently established by now. The word for underwear is now accepted in Queens English, but I apologise if use of the term offends any reader.

(Never mind the fact that my 86 year grandmother is more liberal than my 26 year old co-worker when it comes to women's issues. Aaji does not blog you see.)

So, maybe Pappu is playing with Pamela and not Pammi? Pammi jo ghar pe hain, beach pe nahin. Ghungat ke aad me singing the dilbar song. And is it likely that the beach is Miami and not Juhu.

I observe with great disappointment (the modern cool gal me) and great pleasure (the, ladkiya aise nahin karte- 'tradional' part of me), that there is only game for Pappu- not Pammi? Tsk. Tsk. Woh kya hain na, the smart, hip, educated, software grads who work in hip hap happenning IT companies who design these banners and games do not know - that the goose aur gander are not Bharatiya birds. That culture is what they say and do on a daily basis. Seen any game advertisement that has a theme- sock the groper and aim for left jaw - that gets you a high score?

Pappu Pichkari is just an online game, a mole- hill. So why does the real event not qualify as one?

Who designs, who hosts, and who plays to enjoy the Pappu Pichkari game? Insiders and outsiders? Migrants and domiciles? Men & women? Conservatives & Liberals? Contemporary & traditonals? Bandra and Bhayander residents? The culture czars and culture critics?

But I am running scared. Of posting anything, a post or comment. Who knows what I may be accused of next. Regressive fundamentalist. Moral Policing. Rigging the US elections. Closet designer of the Nano car hence environment enemy? Something or the other.

Aaja Pappu, pichkari khelte hain. Life eej hard.

Two Headlines

To those who question the Nano (and Tata's social responsibility)

- Go take a drive

I root for nano. And yes, I have read all the articles on its alleged drawbacks. (On days like this I love the use of traditional journalistic language- like 'alleged')

Then Why? Simply because it started as a dream. Then was treated as a joke. And now is a reality. It does not happen everyday.

Then there was this headline on the increasing rate of divorce in Pune.

Wonder what they'd respond to this financial services advertisement that advises them to stay invested through ups and downs- just like in a marriage.

And as an aside: Hrithik & Ash look stunning in Jodha Akbar. Individually and as a couple. That guy is amazing. Every movie, every role- he just slips into the skin.

I hope JA does not disappoint. I love epics. Two of my favorite movies are Ben-Hur and Gandhi. I don't expect JH to be anything close. If it is reasonably good, I'd be happy.

Outsider- at home

The best write-up I have read since.

(Since when? The molestation at juhu of course.. you did not think I had moved on did you?)

Take a look at Jahnavi Samant's Mumbai on the inside article in Mid-Day of 9th Jan.

I prefer this because I am bored of reading people (men & women) spouting womens causes as they see it. You know, the ones who would not pick up a cup or change a light bulb and would need a woman/man to do it for them. Who don't even live in the city of Mumbai but write from some 38th floor of an apartment or a condo in a far away land that has 'security' and 'freedom' - not in the either/or situation we face here. Not to forget the freedom being discussed is that to get drunk and wear revealing/fashionable clothes (else- be perceived as dork!)- the fashion and follies freedom-which again we have no shortage of at least in Mumbai. And not dowry, not rape, not infanticide, choosing contraception, career choices, dress in comfortable clothes instead of traditional in presence of in-laws, property rights and such topics that face the large number of the women here.

By men who'd never in their lives gone to a police station in Mumbai on behalf of a strange(r) woman they are not related to by blood or by law. Even then, unless there has been a burglary at home or the car has been stolen. Definitely not for any other 'minor' (a.k.a molehill) matter.

Those who would treat a single woman relative in the family as an unpaid nanny and (with concurrence of other women in the family) cheat her out of her property rights.

By others who'd enjoy your company and seek you out but would not part with their home number or address or encourage a stay over because who knows? The female may just get 'needy" or emotional.

I prefer this article- because it is a view point of an average ' woman' who lives in 'Mumbai'. An every day view seen in the life of a citizen. Not any pledge, not any poetry. Plain prose. Or as I call it, Direct Dil Se.

Now can we have some people joining 'our' cause? That of a safer city. Where the women as Jahnavi, after making an excellent note of insider-outsider perspectives, concludes;

" ....prefer leaving a moving train instead of getting into a gents compartment in a hurry. [..] hold folders and purses across our breasts while walking in a station or getting into a bus [..] don't walk on the streets when there is a Ganpati procession or political rally about [..]our slinky dresses are reserved for the times when we are picked by a friend's car.....

....But there are no reporters to report it (and even if there are, they are quite capable of just sitting out a rape out of fear or indecision). There are no cameras to catch our humiliation. And there is no one to listen to our pleas...

Mumbai is safe, but only the 'insiders' know how safe.'

Thank you.

Shall we blame the government?

One day - Two separate media coverages on one topic.

One was a TV news item- I do not have any link to that- about how India is facing a shortage of 14,000 officers for the military. I may have got this number wrong- was it one lakh, 40 thousand? Perhaps.

The reason cited was poor pay and perks/conditions. I was really puzzled. This is a country where jobs and employment generation is a problem, reservations a hot issue and normally all service (government) jobs are considered plum and there is an overwhelming flood of applications for restricted number of seats. So something seems askew here. Unless of course , silly me, the youth who are meant to enlist are comparing it to 'call center job's' - Who would want 4 a.m runs carrying a rifle when one can have voice training to imitate any accent, shifts and hence freedom, a fat wad of pocket money to buy bikes and drinks and generally get the girls/impress the opposite sex! The really bad eggs may also dream of some quick-rich schemes. Hard work- Dude.. are you a fossil? or as they'd say here, Pagal ho kya? Mad or wot. To work hard, learn discipline and serve & die for the country. 'Anyway, yeh government to sab ko kargil bhejta hain marne ke liye' types.

Cut to a Reuters news item that I just happened to click throughand my heart jumped into my mouth. I just wanted to pluck the child out and hug them. The caption for the slide show says;

'Primary and middle school students participate in a winter military camp for civilians at the Cheongryong Self-denial Training Camp run by retired marines in Ansan, about 25 miles southwest of Seoul, January 7, 2008. Forty-one students are taking part in the six-day camp to strengthen their spirit and body.

And it is not even youth we are talking about here. They are primary school children. Don't miss the fact that it comprises girls too.

Now tell me about how bad India has become as a place to live. And what country are we leaving for our children.

Is the blame at the doors of lazy youth or lazy parenting? Or like so much else, shall we tell the President..I mean. . blame the Government?

Maybe we want them to get out of business and economic pursuits so they can run our families and communities for us? Then we can again loudly and vigourously protest (most of the time with each other as no one who matters is really listening or cares) about how the personal freedom is violated.

Or we could always opt for humour (the new opium of the masses). Joke about it in the media & on TV. For instance, ' why should our kids carry rifles? They carry even heavier school bags.' Till we tune in for the next episode. All in all, the Great Indian Tamasha can continue.

Till someone clues in and for the next 400 years we are in slavery.

Round and round. Like the old nursery rhyme in Mumbai school little kids would sing holding hands going around in a circle and at last line, fall to the the ground. It went, 'Here we go around the mulberry bush, mulberry bush, mulberry bush" Hasha.. busha.. ALL FALL DOWN!

Correction update: The rhyme is, I am told, Ringa ringa roses, pocket full of posies etc. The mulberry bush is to do with brushing your teeth & polishing shoes. But the 'All fall down' is right.

Week one of 2008

Unfortunately I don't get (around) to read Mint, so I was quite happy to catch the post, 'Some Saxy Resolutions' on New Year Resolutions by Amit Verma who posted on his blog, India Uncut.

I wish it was longer. I could do with a few more laughs.

Mumbai molestations (should I use a singular or plural here?) and Mumbai politicians seem to have made this city and this week a very sad one.

E-C-I-D-U-J-E-R-P

E-C-I-D-U-J-E-R-P is PREJUDICE spelt backwards.

Either way it does not make sense.

(Read this somewhere a long time ago. Remembered it today)

Foldable, Flexible, Roll-able Librofonino

While you are at it, on NDTV Gadget Guru, I also recommend the video on Librofonino , a Telecom Italia product, touted as the gadget of the future!

The site describes some of its features as;
• Wide rollable 5" QVGA 16 grey scale display (sunshine readability)
• HSDPA and DVB-H dacasting connection
• Device pocket size
• Essential input keys
• OMA content protection
• Low weight (<150gr.)
• SD card memory slot
• Solid cover and device robustness
• USB port
• High battery lifetime (weeks)

But the video is so much more explicit- the foldable, flexible, rollable feature with 'Mysteries of Sherlock Holmes' book displayed. Cool!

Best of Just Books

It was the logo that caught my attention when it was launched and the first episode was aired.

The spectacle frame forming the double 'o' in the word books was simply unusual. I did find the programme engaging but somewhere along the way lost interest as it seemed sometimes really good- sometimes average and I could never know what to expect. But it filled a gap and still is, I think, one of its kind. I do not think there is any other book oriented show on any other channel. So, channel surfing, when I caught the 2007 round-up of Just Books on NDTV , I think it was almost over. But I paused as it was showing celebrities discussing their book collections and favorite books.

They were women celebrities, so I was even more interested and it was simply too good to have first of all Lola Kutty discuss how the Malayalam Manorama is her favorite book. I simbly love Lola Kutty you see. If there is a DVD of her programme, I will buy the entire set, as she is one who has greatly entertained and educated me. In this clip, after educating us on her choice of Malayalam Manorama, she went on to say why she does not read John Grisham, 'Why does that man write a novel when anyway it will be made into a fillim? He should write screen play directly no?'. Yes indeed. Whatever you say ma'am.

From Lola kutty to Vandana Shiva, the environment activist. Dr. Shiva pulled the three books that she wanted to highlight including World is Flat, and 'Fortune at the bottom of the pyramid' which got her acerbic comment about how the farmers suicides happen because they borrowed beyond their means to purchase costly seeds and fertilizers. I had not heard this perspective before so it was a 'wrinkled brow' moment for me.

Kiran Bedi displayed her collection of books and audio books/tapes/CDs on topics of philosophy. After all, Kiran Bedi did introduce the Vipasanna meditation in Prisons as part of the prison reform programme.

Just as I was settling down to enjoy some more, horror - it went on to politicians and though my better judgement wanted to change channels, it was only a few minutes so I sat through Montek Singh A, Jairam Ramesh and Renuka Chowdhury. I was not happy with myself. I broke my self set rule when it comes to politicians. Ignore them. Or pay attention to them at your own peril.

It then had a round up of eminent authors, one of whom was Paulo Coelho. When the anchor gushed, nine out of ten people have read The Alchemist, I grimaced. The odd one out/minority label pinched. The author spoke about how he is very keen to visit India. 'Not for just one week though , as my publisher would like me to do. I wish to stay for a month at least and get to know India deeper', he said. Yes, I thought to myself. The world famous author of topics to do with mysticism so enamoured like many others about our spiritual heritage- we should really show him the 'real' India. Maybe he should stay at the JW Marriot in Mumbai. We could put up a sign and make it an 'Incredible India" tourist spot. Molestation Point. (Like Echo Point, Sunset Point and such?)

Changing channels got me-Best of Big Fight- another NDTV prog, of which I caught - one, are we a racist country? which kept discussing fair and lovely cream ( ! ) and another on women empowerment and a debate/discussion on item numbers with Rakhi Sawant, Shaina Chudasama, Diya mirza et al. I remembered I had seen it earlier so I decided it was time to call it a day.

I wish I see more of Lola Kutty on TV this year. But please, not Upen Patel as her guest.

P.S. Just as I am about to click the 'publish' button here, my cell phone beeps. I almost fall off my chair- it is a SMS from the Muncipal Commissioner of Mumbai with a message, Clean up Mumbai. But I didn't fall of my chair cos a new mass sms campaign seems to be flavour of the season. Last week, I received one from Aamir Khan inviting me (?) for TZP special pass/contest or such. I wonder, what sms next? Do go for the late night party. Mumbai is safe for women. From Citizens Group Forum/Police Commissioner? As 'Under Honey's hat' from HT would say, Life is such Dearies.

Lalaj laph laph

From, Winnie- the- Pooh, Chapter 10

Piglet : When you wake up in the morning, Pooh, what's the first thing you say to yourself?

Pooh : What's for breakfast? What do you say, Piglet?

Piglet :I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting to-day ?

Pooh :[nodding thoughtfully] It's the same thing.

A tale of two cities-III

The J W Marriot incident and thereafter.

This is definitely not a first or an isolated incident. Even as back as just about ten years ago, as youngsters, we'd take a BEST bus or a train to college or to work. In the last 5-10 years, it is practically impossible to travel in a BEST bus especially on the routes in newer suburbs. I am not speaking of 84 ltd. The sanitised Andheri Stn-Churchgate route. I am speaking of routes that travel Borivali, Jogeshwari, Powai , Mulund etc. Throw in a Wadala, Saki Naka, Kurla, Kalina. I still am within city limits. Say a girl who lives in Borivali and travels to a college in Mulund. Or lives in Vashi and travels to Seepz. On an average at least one-two cases of eve teasing and molestation per day (irrespective of rich, poor, dress code, event etc) is reported in Mumbai at least in the media.

The last was the lawyer girl from Vashi who had a man flashing porn on his mobile phone while sitting next to her on a bus. So, the real number may be higher. Rape is not even covered in the scope of this post. Just the normal routine life. Dealing with the dhobi, autorickshaw, commuter and the shopper in the mall. (Does anyone know there is a category of offenders who frequent malls either singly or in groups only to brush against females? ) I am at a loss to write more simply because I said almost all that is there to say almost two years back in my post, Mumbai, wake up and smell the coffee, and in almost every post after that on the changing landscape of Mumbai and its denizens.

More on the Marriot molestation incident over at Nita's blog where she has updated her earlier post on the topic and (update) at Sakshi's blog too. Blog aggregators like DesiPundit and Blogbharti also have collated other responses.

Innovation 2008

Get ready for anything- the only constant will be change.

We've always said that didn't we..the kay-emm people- but affirmation is always good. The annual Innovation Report in Business Week provides some fascinating glimpses into predictions for 2008 and the slides give examples among others of Flying WI-FI, mobile applications, the Kindle book reader, identity replacing experience in marketing, and urban development. In , Our Urban Planet, it says the 192021 project—a study of 19 cities with 20 million people in the 21st century— gains massive corporate support. Quote: For the first time, in 2007, more than half the planet's people live in cities. 192021 plans to generate uniform data on the rise of these supercities and the role their consumers and creators play in business and civic life. End of quote.

Some concepts are old and at least I don't see them as light bulb moments -such as customer is king; and web -based tool kits for business and I'm not very clear about the one laptop per child-OLPC is a failed experiment.

I find this report interesting not just for the new things that it predicts and those that emerge but how for instance, in 'Unfriend ME'- (the new brahminism- online or offline) it is an indicator of how the more things change the more they remain the same!

About 'Unfriend Me', it says, 'Who you're friends with becomes more important than how many friends you have. Exclusivity and privacy replace open community in social media. People move to gated networks from and MySpace, fleeing the commercialization of their personal information and relationships.'

And in 'Hang on to the good stuff', it seems like just what dadima would have ordered - 'Don't waste and re-cycle' ke nuske.

An interesting set of slides and stories. Take a look.

Ring out the old, ring in the new

My 2007 round-up.

Well, on the personal front, there was no vacation :( ....or much travel in 2007- both of which I could have corrected, but I am not complaining - because 2007 also meant new friends and re-connecting with old ones and re-visiting many priorities.

On the work front, it involved separation from the project & full time job that took up much of my waking time. More details in this case study that was the cover story in the June 2006 issue of Inside Knowledge. I owe many thanks to Graeme Burton without whom it would never have seen the light of the day and I will also get around and post the image of the simply super art work of the cover done by Emma.

Though I was seriously considering the step earlier, it just took longer to actually say the good-byes. Many asked me why- as it was as good as leaving at a time when all the hard work was over and time to reap rewards. For me it was the joy of the creative process and I get restless unless projects move to the next level of maturity, and then again simply a desire to pay attention to projects and person that I had always put on the back-burner (me). Any creative process is a reward in itself and 2007 did see some long desired creative endeavors including this blog!

Then, the good folk at SE-ictd invited me to join the resource group & meeting which took me by complete surprise since I thought all I was doing was contributing my 'two cents' worth, after which they went on to nominate me for an award in spite of my protests. When I demurred, I got- 'Your name had been nominated by members, they feel that your responses are fresh and you present “ frank and honest perspectives” they also feel that you are one of the respondents they nominated cause you do not “push any agenda but actually present experiences and ideas”. It was the best compliment anyone could have given me - direct dil se! and even as I gave in to their wish it was a great relief to me to know the award finally went to someone else. It was most fulfilling to meet up with this group in Delhi which was a lot of fun & learning though to my regret I could not make it to South India for the visioning workshop and rest of fun and action.

2007 was a year marked by blessings of health, food, friendships and fun- quiet, tranquil and yet full -the 'God is in his heaven and all is right with the world' moments. What more can one ask for? More blogging, perhaps? Nice! A world without blogs? Nah.. But both interesting possibilities.

The broken road

Broken hearts, broken promises, broken roads. Never know what they mean or where they lead.

Bless them all. Is this nice or what? 'God blessed the broken road' from Rascal Flatts.

Happy 2008. Love, laugh, learn. My new year resolution. Old year resolution too. Really, every year resolution.

Update: I am not dedicating the song to anyone- it is just a nice song.