The Indian World

Products of Illusion

2013-04-27T22:26:00.000+05:30

Re-sharing an article by Rishi Gangoly of The Zeitgeist Movement:

We use the word ‘product’ to describe tangible commodities we can own. But let’s be clear that a product is really a service in disguise, and neither can have owners.

See, products are never owned. Never were, never will be, by anyone – all the way from the creator to the consumer.

Look at some examples of what we call products: computers, phones, watches, cars, ovens, houses, clothing, food, water, oxygen – okay, oxygen isn’t a product, but neither was water till a few decades ago, so you know where this is going. Now, let’s break down the illusion of owning a computer. When you buy a computer, you think you’ve purchased a product, so you feel like the owner of it. But a deeper look reveals that all the components inside that computer come from the earth. They’re mined, refined, filtered, altered, shaped, and moved from one part of the planet to another, piece by piece, till they form a computer. This computer is then shipped from a factory to a warehouse, then to a reseller, and then finally to your doorstep.

You pay for this computer from start to finish, but what are you really buying: metal, plastic, silicon, glass, cardboard or software? None of them, because these are all resources of the earth. They don’t belong to you or anyone else. (No one owns ‘plastic’ as a material, for instance.) If anything, it’s the other way round – you belong to the earth, since the flesh, blood and bones you’re made of come from the earth.

In effect, you pay for the hands that build the hardware, and the brains that design the software. You pay for people performing certain functions, albeit technically, you can’t own people either.

Here lies the illusion. For every ‘product’ we think we’re buying, we’re really paying for a ‘convenience’ or ‘service’ – provided by people we don’t own, created with materials we don’t own. What do we own then? Nothing.

This deconstruction is true for any product (tangible) or service (intangible) under the sun.

Take land. When you sign an agreement saying you’ve bought a house, you have the illusion that you own the piece of land. But the land belongs to the earth, like it has since the beginning of time. An agreement holds no real value. It is perceived as an agreement as long as certain laws agree with it. When the laws change, the agreement becomes a worthless piece of paper, even though the true worth of the land doesn’t change in the least.

Take healthcare. The drugs are made from materials born of the earth. The treatment is prescribed by doctors born of the earth. Neither can be owned by any individual.

Take your breakfast cereal. Take your internet connection. Take the tiniest cog inside the car you drive. Break down anything you can think of, and you’ll arrive at the same common denominators.

We live in a world so shrouded in illusion that we believe we own things, or worse, people, when in truth we own nothing. In fact, most of what we pay for a product is used to fund its advertising – to create the very illusion that drives us to buy the illusions in the first place! Now if that isn’t a distorted society, what is?

Article Source

Questioning the Indian Premier League!

2013-04-10T16:18:00.001+05:30

Update: The blog now features a simple, beautiful Archives page which provides links to all previous posts till date!

Re-publishing a previous post I had written about the Indian Premier League a year ago:

Players, like objects, are bought and sold in an auction. Just like slaves in a marketplace.

A need is created that never existed before. That of watching the Indian Premier League.

Advertisements tell me, "Others are watching it, so you watch it too!":

Money flows in millions for television rights and sponsorships. Exempted from entertainment tax.

Cricket hijacked with an unending greed for money. A legitimate scam.

The Indian Paisa League compels people to stay glued to their TVs. Through manipulated advertising all over the place.

The rich find shrewd ways to get richer while 77% of India's population lives on less than Rs. 20 a day (Source).

You tell me: Is entertainment meant to trump over basic necessities of life?

Make our 'kings' answerable to people!

2013-03-31T22:42:00.000+05:30

Elections are coming up. Politicians will start wooing us with sugar coated promises.

This 2011 article by Chetan Bhagat has never been so relevant:

"Once upon a time, there was a king..." Haven't we all grown up listening to such stories? I don't think any of us read stories that went – "Once upon a time, there was a democracy, with elected representatives who were answerable to the people through the electoral process, the courts and the Lokpal."

We know the first line well. We don't know how it works in the second line at all. Therein lies the problem in pushing through the Lokpal Bill.

We Indians know something is wrong with our system. Yet, we find change unsettling. People came together in the Anna Hazare-led anti-corruption movement and led it to victory. However, when we sat down to draft the Lokpal Bill, apprehensions set in, caused by the personal attacks on the drafting committee members, the projected worst-case scenarios on what could go wrong and how the Lokpal himself could become corrupt. Some intellectuals called the movement an attack on democracy.

Enjoying the citizens' insecurities and confusion, the government decided to do what it does best—hoodwink us. The latest salvo from it is that MPs and the PM should be kept out of the bill's purview, which in turn renders the bill impotent and pointless even before it is enacted.

Let's step back to the basics. Neither the movement, nor the bill is an attack on democracy. In fact, the movement was a catalyst and the bill gives Indian democracy its proper form. Right now, we are not truly a democracy, irrespective of what your civics teacher taught you in school. We are closer to an elected monarchy, or kingocracy. We elect our leaders, and give them all the powers in the world. If they do any wrong, the only people who can investigate them are among the ones who report to them. In other words, they are not political leaders; they are little kings (complete with shoe-polishing sycophants and traffic-blocking privileges).

There is a reason why we have such a system. For thousands of years, India had only kings. Then the British came, ruled us for 250 years, and left behind democracy-like parliaments, courts and governance systems. However, ultimately, India was a colony run by British leaders with absolute power. In this system, having a people's representative ombudsman, or Lokpal, was out of question.

The British left, and our own elected leaders replaced them. The election was a good thing. However, the chairs they sat on had absolute power. Everyone reported to them, and they didn't need to answer to anyone. Thus began a legacy of corrupt leaders, who in turn created one of the most corrupt nations on earth. The corruption seeped down to lower levels of power. From traffic cops to oppressive husbands — abusing power in India became normal.

The absolute power given to our politicians often attracted the least ethical and most dishonest people to the profession. The Indian politician became a shady villain in our movies and popular culture. We accepted there was no way out. Rulers had to be kings, and kings could do whatever they wanted.

Corruption rose to astronomical levels, while the country remained poor. Indians lacked basic infrastructure, education and food, and faced massive inflation even as politicians swindled thousands of crores. Yet, nobody could lodge an FIR against them, or independently investigate them. People finally became sick of it and took to the streets. Before it turned ugly, the government buckled and agreed to a Lokpal Bill.

But then came the skeptics. They asked 'how dare we question the king'? Who is this commoner Anna or Arvind Kejriwal to draft a law? What are they seeking? Are they trying to be king?

The government loved this skepticism. They proposed the bill shouldn't apply to MPs. And since we Indians love kings so much, we actually have a section of people sympathizing with the government.

The government agreed to Anna's terms to make him end his fast (and the movement). Now it's trying to scuttle the process. For what is the point of a Lokpal if the politicians are not included in the bill's purview? What's more, some media members are actually giving credence to the government's point of view. They ask 'what if the Lokpal harasses an MP'? I wish to ask 'should the MP's conduct be exempt from being questioned in the media too'? Should a TV channel not report wrongdoings of a politician? If you hold a public post, why can't a public body question you? By the same logic, should you be unanswerable to the courts as well? Does the fact that a few hundred thousand people voted for you give you the right to steal'?

The Lokpal is only an investigative and prosecution authority. It doesn't pass judgments, proclaim people guilty, or punish them. Yes, it should have the right to investigate anyone, just as the police have over common citizens. At the same time, there are rights in place for citizens that the police don't abuse. Similar provisions can be in place for politicians. For instance, a certain amount of evidence may be required to do a full-blown inquiry.

If we let the government hoodwink us, we will lose a golden chance to make our country a proper people's democracy. The 'absolute power' model doesn't work. It has kept India poor since Independence, while other nations have progressed.

We must not fear change. In fact, we must fight to change this faulty system, and take to the streets again if required. After all, the British didn't leave us after one Jantar Mantar demonstration. Either the government agrees to a proper Lokpal Bill (which, in all sanity, they should), ensure no one is above the law, or we wait for Anna's signal to hit the streets again. Jai Hind.

The Privatization of Water

2013-03-30T14:51:00.000+05:30

Our water is bought and sold to an entertainment show as farmers in 11,801 villages in Maharashtra are reeling under one of the worst droughts in 40 years. The funny part is that Maharashtra has the maximum number of dams in the country.

A forwarded picture:

Time to question the obvious.

Why blame the Government?

2013-03-25T13:14:00.001+05:30

Why blame the Government?
Why blame the inauthentic Parliament?
Why blame corrupt Ministers and politicians?
Why blame the rigged Judiciary?
Why blame the shrewd Bureaucracy?
Why blame failed policies?
Why blame the rising inflation?
Why blame uncomfortable roads?
Why blame the lust for greed?

You think, we should blame ourselves?

Why blame ourselves?
Why blame your neighbour?
Why blame yourself?

Why blame anyone at all?
Has blaming ever made a difference to the quality of your, mine or anyone's life?

You wonder, how will we progress if we don't blame or criticize?

We have always progressed by taking on responsibility, and not by blame.

You like it or not, you agree or not, you believe it or not:
You are responsible.

Responsible for yourself.
Responsible for your neighbour.
Responsible for us.
Responsible for the lust for greed.
Responsible for uncomfortable roads.
Responsible for the rising inflation.
Responsible for failed policies.
Responsible for the shrewd Bureaucracy.
Responsible for the rigged Judiciary.
Responsible for corrupt Ministers and politicians.
Responsible for the inauthentic Parliament.
Responsible for the Government.

You are responsible. I am responsible. We are responsible.
Each and every one of us are responsible!

You wonder, how can you be responsible for the GOVERNMENT?
For failed policies? And for the Judiciary?

You and me are responsible because we allowed it to become that way. Believe it or not, we have caused the political system the way it is today.

This is not a motivational or an inspirational article, but it's just for you to wake up from your slumber!

Next year, India will go to vote for its political masters. We will be responsible for its results.

Let's shape the country the way we want it to.

A couple of actions you can take to participate:

Interact with and hold your local authority accountable for its actions and promised results. You will be surprised to see velocity in their performance!
Send letters, emails to governing bodies regarding pressing issues and follow it up. I'm sure the authorities will take notice and act when they receive hundreds and thousands of letters.
Demand constructive action for your locality from your local political party. They are anyway out to woo voters.
Raise your voice against unjust laws. Arvind Kejriwal went to the extent of disobeying them.

In short, make your presence felt as a citizen of the sovereign, democratic, republic of India!

Youth detained for query on Mamata

2013-03-19T21:21:00.001+05:30

The Hindu
Kolkata, March 18, 2013

Whether it is a question about West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee or one directed at her, it could mean trouble for the person asking it, if not received well.

A youth was detained by the police at Maheshtala on the city’s southern outskirts on Sunday and bundled into a vehicle for asking a Minister why Ms. Banerjee had not visited the site of Saturday’s devastating fire.

“All I said was should not have ‘Didi’ [Ms. Banerjee] come once …” Pratap Naskar told journalists, but was cut short by policemen when suggesting that it was the only conceivable reason why he was being held. This came only moments after he had posed the question to Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim.

The incident was reminiscent of the arrest of Shiladitya Chowdhury, a farmer who was whisked away by security personnel after being dubbed a “Maoist” by Ms. Banerjee in the course of her speech at a rally in Belpahari in Paschim Medinipur district on August 8, 2012. His arrest, because of asking Ms. Banerjee about the rise in prices of fertilizers, had evoked strong criticism from civil rights groups, activists and various political circles.

Mr. Naskar may have said after being released later in the afternoon that he is a Trinamool Congress worker, but his detention was condemned by leaders of different political parties who described it as another instance of Ms. Banerjee’s “autocratic” rule and the “authoritarian ways” of her government.

While Biman Bose, chairman of the Left Front committee and State Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), said arresting one for asking a question went against the essence of democracy, Union Minister of State for Urban Development and senior Congress leader from West Bengal, Deepa Dasmunsi, wondered “what sort of legislation” decreed that such action be taken by the police.

State BJP chief Rahul Sinha said, “It reflects a political culture that does not tolerate dissent.”

Article Source

Who says India is a democracy? Welcome to totalitarian North Korea-style repression!

Can we be human beings?

2013-03-17T12:06:00.000+05:30

Why Lokpal Bill?

Why Women's Reservation Bill?

Why Sexual Harassment ordinance?

Why do we have bills at all?

Why do we have laws?

Why have rules and regulations?

Why do we need law and order systems?

Why lawyers? Why courts?

Why police?

Why Army? Why Navy? Why Air Force?

Why force, pressure and torture?

Why oppression? Why repression?

Why revenge?

Why violence? Why wars? Why blood?

Why injustice? Why insecurity? Why insanity?

Can we not regulate ourselves?

Can we not be ethical?

Can we not be authentic?

Can we not be peaceful?

Can we not see peace in others?

Can we not be loving?

Can we not see love in others?

Can we not give up our righteousness?

Can we not forgive?

Do we love being animals in a concrete world?

Can we not be human beings in paradise?

The British Raj of today

2013-03-13T12:17:00.000+05:30

The British used to drain our country's wealth for their personal prosperity.
... And it still continues till date.

The main function of the Government was to collect taxes.
... And it still continues till date.

During the British regime, the cities flourished at the expense of villages.
... And it still continues till date.

Judicial courts were mere instruments to sustain the British rule.
... And it still continues till date.

Indian soldiers were used to fight international wars.
... And it still continues till date.

The British divided people on the basis of religion to strengthen their domination.
... And it still continues till date.

Protests by tribals and villagers were either ignored or quelled.
... And it still continues till date.

Indigenous industries were crushed.
... And it still continues till date.

Dissenting voices were subjected to torture.
... And it still continues till date.

Who said India got independence in 1947?
Only the ruler has changed.

The Myth of Revenge

2013-03-11T15:01:00.000+05:30

Image Source

When the State hangs Ajmal Kasab and Afzal Guru to death:

We believe we have put an end to terrorism.
We believe we have sent a strong message to deter terror groups.
We believe it is the victory of our democracy.
We believe we are good people putting an end to bad people.

We believe that the pain of those who lost their loved ones is going to reduce by killing somebody else's loved ones.

We believe that the State has the supreme authority to take away human life.
We believe that fulfilling the public opinion is more important than protecting the very basic rights of human beings.

We believe revenge is the only way to solve problems.
We believe it is a cool thing to conduct hangings in utmost secrecy.

We believe revenge killings by the State can influence people to vote for a particular political party.
We believe that the family members of those put to death, are also terrorists and that, they must be kept in the haze.
We believe that India has finally used political will to demonstrate zero tolerance to terrorism.
We believe that our beliefs are the ultimate truth.

Probably, we forgot the repercussions of this statement:

An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.

~ Mahatma Gandhi

Politics and the art of branding

2013-03-06T21:03:00.001+05:30

A recent column from THE HINDU Business Line:

Political parties are brands, and they have to adapt to a new age of marketing.

When we think of brands, we normally think of products as diverse as toothpaste, cars, airlines or banks. However, with national elections looming large next year, there is yet another category of brands that will soon occupy centre-stage. These are political parties, of which we have several in India today. They will woo their target consumers, the voters of India, with huge marketing spends. They will create reams of advertising and wall paintings. Their leaders will travel from town to town in what will perhaps be the largest direct marketing campaigns ever mounted in the country.

Yet the name of this game is changing very fast. Much like brands in the FMCG or consumer durables categories, political brands also have to adapt to a new age, where so much has transformed dramatically over the past few years. Only a decade ago, the telecom revolution was not yet upon us. Today, virtually every voter possesses a mobile phone. Up until a few years ago, Facebook and Twitter had minuscule reach. Today, they drive public opinion and uprising. Look back two decades, and national political brands used to dominate most states in the country. Today, regional political brands with strong local affiliations have sprung up everywhere, which is quite similar to what has happened in many FMCG categories.

So what are the new-age themes that political brands must bear in mind, if they have to win votes? Here is an exploration, from a marketer’s perspective.

Brand proposition: Every brand needs to be built on a strong, differentiated consumer proposition. Through their propositions, brands have to reflect points of parity for the category (for instance, every pack of noodles has to have the ingredients that will make a tasty dish), and also need to have compelling points of difference (Maggi differentiates itself as noodles which can be prepared within a couple of minutes). If we take this concept forward to political brands, we find that in today’s context, the point of parity for every political brand is what the party can offer for economic development, attracting new investments, creating new jobs, redressing poverty. These are no longer points of difference, simply because they are a universal need of most voters, and a political brand that does not offer them, therefore, does not stand a chance. Hence, the point of difference has to arise from an entirely different dimension – which could be commitment to secularism, or championing the needs of a particular region or group, or a track record of excellent performance and administration.

Brand ambassador: Political brands need big and powerful brand ambassadors who can reach out to the masses. These ambassadors have to be smart, telegenic, gifted with the skills of oratory and repartee. This is even more important in today’s age of instant television, where the reach of brand ambassadors is multiplied thousand-fold, and sound bytes rule the hour. Indeed, as points of differentiation between political parties narrow, many more people are likely to decide on their brand selection based on their perceptions of the brand ambassador. That is why no political brand can afford to be without a strong ambassador today. There was an earlier age when political parties could perhaps go into elections without a clear Prime Ministerial candidate, but in the new age this would be suicidal, because people have increasingly come to believe that a CEO is critical to driving the fortunes of the company he or she heads. No wonder there is such a clamour within the BJP and the Congress parties for Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi to be anointed, well before the elections are called.

Leveraging technology: Political brands that do not learn to powerfully leverage new-age technology can consider themselves dead, particularly in urban India. During the recent US Presidential poll, Barack Obama’s victory owed a lot to the very competent internal technology team that he put in place. This team leveraged an array of applications, including social media such as Facebook and Twitter to reach voters, Chartbeat and Google Analytics to collect and analyse voter data and thereby target specific voter groups. Consider this impressive statistic: a single Obama post on the social media Web site Reddit garnered 3.8 million page views!

Indian political brands have much to learn in this space. They not only need to build their base of social media fans, they also have to explore innovative methods of using the mobile telephone as a medium, given how ubiquitous the cell-phone is in our country. And they should begin fast, well before the run-up to the elections begins.

Youthful brand offering: A brand which retains its youth appeals to modern consumers for whom remaining youthful is an aspirational state. On the other hand, brands which age often fall by the wayside. Brands remain young by investing in innovative new products, contemporary design, attractive packaging and peppy communication. A good example of this is one of the world’s finest brands, Coca-Cola, which has remained perennially youthful for several decades now. This is a lesson that most of our political brands are yet to fully internalise. To remain young in the eyes of voters, they will need young and energetic leaders, fresh new ideas for the nation in at least one or two relevant areas, and communication that speaks in a youthful voice. A tall order, but one worth pursuing, given the potential impact it can have.

Brand slogan: Nike says “Just do it”, Tata Tea exhorts consumers to “Jaago Re”, and McDonald’s tempts children by declaring “I’m loving it”. These are winning brand slogans which are etched in consumers’ minds, and which have helped the respective brands to garner both mindshare and marketshare. Political brands also need equally evocative taglines or slogans, which can become rallying cries for their marketing campaigns and their supporters. Unfortunately, none of our national political parties appear to have such powerful brand taglines today. Several years ago, powerful slogans such as “Garibi Hatao” or “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan” reverberated across the country. Where have they gone, and will our political brands rediscover this art in the forthcoming elections? We must once again make reference here to President Obama’s campaign byline in 2008. His slogan of “Yes we can” carried the day, because it was so powerful, yet so simple and memorable.

Authenticity of brands: There is a growing body of research which shows that modern consumers are increasingly drawn to brands with an authentic story, with a sincere commitment to deliver what they promise. Such authenticity helps build enormous trust in an environment where markets are crowded, and where hyperbole is the order of the day. Consumers, therefore, feel safe when they purchase brands which have a clear ring of authenticity. Similarly, political brands will have to deliver an authentic story, built on their beliefs, their track records and clear, unambiguous statements of promise. In today’s world, consumers are often willing to tolerate imperfection or errors committed by the brands they buy, if they are offered total authenticity. Political brands would do well to remember this new-age truth.

By Harish Bhat

Kala Ghoda 2013 - Celebrating Obsolescence

2013-03-03T13:09:00.000+05:30

Image Source

I've been visiting the Kala Ghoda Festival (in Mumbai) for a few years now...

This year, it was the same with art installations underlining a social message and NGO stalls in the background.

Since 15 years, the Kala Ghoda Festival continues to make an attempt to provoke visitors with social causes through a multicultural awareness. However, I think it has turned into a mere exercise in futility. No longer do visitors get sensitized, and more than anything else, art installations are now treated like photogenic objects.

We now have more people interested in photographing the event than in absorbing, appreciating and taking inspiration from the annual themes. Anyway, over the times, the festival has become an art facade which attracts consumers to its almost-invisible marketplace bought by wealthy NGOs.

Our mere consumption of social messages & insights, and some handicraft bags is probably making no difference to the bigger picture. Only, the event organizers continue to streamline funds towards preserving heritage structures. However, we've been disillusioned to believe that contribution and empowerment of society can be brought about only by consumerism.

Let's start questioning all that we take for granted...

Back in Action!

2013-03-03T12:47:00.002+05:30

Hello Friends!

The Indian World is finally back in action after a long hiatus!

First of all, good news: The Indian World completed 4 years of existence on 25 February 2013!

It's been such a wonderful and exciting journey...
I have developed as a person in this duration: I participated in several programs of Landmark Education and I now lead Introductions to the Landmark Forum. I am currently pursuing academic courses in Political Science, Sociology and Anthropology in college and my view about the world has completely shifted!

Thank you, dear reader for always being there to provide your feedback and comments. Thank you for your patience and thank you for allowing me to speak out my heart here. I really appreciate your constant support!

By the way, if you're reading this post via email or a RSS reader, just wanted to let you know that we've completely re-designed the blog. It's much simpler to read content now. You can view the blog here.

However, I've disabled the comments feature on the blog as it was becoming too difficult to manage and respond to every comment. Anyway, I am still open to receiving your valuable feedback and comments by email: parthjdave9[at]gmail[dot]com. I will read all your inputs, but I may respond only to those comments, which require one.

On a final note, I shall be updating the blog on a weekly basis and I look forward to hearing from you!

I don't belong here!

2012-07-05T16:26:00.000+05:30

Note: This is an article I wrote for Frankaffe:

May, 2012

6pm

Mumbai

I rub my eyes off water. I feel water pushing me around. I see people screaming. They raise their hands and make strange signs. Loud, remixed music is blaring. The track is ‘Chikni Chameli’.

I am supposedly in Asia’s Largest Theme Water Park...

[Continue Reading]

A visit to Mani Bhavan

2012-04-12T21:30:00.000+05:30

Right from Lage Raho Munnabhai, I have been wanting to visit this place...

Finally, I visited it a few days ago and it was a wonderful experience!

Mani Bhavan is an underrated marvel. One that foreigners respect more than we do.

I look forward to visiting this awesome place more often, thanks to its huge library.

Moreover, I chanced upon this on my way back home:

The voice of a common man

If you are in Mumbai, Mani Bhavan is a must-must-visit place.

The Indian Paisa League

2012-04-05T13:16:00.001+05:30

Players, like objects, are bought and sold in an auction. Just like slaves in a marketplace.

A need is created that never existed before. That of watching the Indian Premier League.

Advertisements tell me, "Others are watching it, so you watch it too!":

Money flows in millions for television rights and sponsorships. Exempted from entertainment tax.

Cricket hijacked with an unending greed for money. A legitimate scam.

The Indian Paisa League compels people to stay glued to their TVs. Through manipulated advertising all over the place.

The rich find shrewd ways to get richer while 77% of India's population lives on less than Rs. 20 a day (Source).

You tell me: Is entertainment meant to trump over basic necessities of life?

A Call for Reform

2012-02-26T18:16:00.000+05:30

First of all, let me share something really awesome with you:

The Indian World blog completed 3 years of its existence yesterday (25th Feb)!!! It has been a wonderful journey with your support, feedback and interaction! I look forward to the same!

This time, presenting a guest post by Aniruddha Badbade:

Note: This article was written in May 2010, but still holds relevance to the state of the affairs.

One cannot help but have all his patriotic feelings invoked when Manoj Kumar starts singing “Mere desh ki dharti sona ugle, ugle hire moti… Mere desh ki dharti…” And why shouldn’t it be this way? Every Indian wants the country to prosper and reach the greatest pinnacles.

Those were our pre-independence dreams. Our India, the land of peace, harmony, goodwill, brotherhood. A land which would be well endowed with riches, financial as well as cultural. A country, which would have a strong say in the diplomatic and political decisions of the world. A country, which other countries would look up to in awe and admiration, and people would set the Indians as an example for themselves.

Unfortunately and sadly, the adjective “bitter” would be more of an understatement for the truth that we have to face in today’s times. Yes India is very rich financially. But the money is used for garlands and statues of politicians who have done nothing much other than pulling down positive attempts by others. There is peace, but no guarantee about when some forces would gatecrash the party. There surely exists a lot of brotherhood, but only within a specific region or a state. And the Kasab case definitely provides enough evidence that India takes the teaching “Atithi Devo Bhava” very seriously.

India – a land where any financial transaction, be it one of the government, or the private sector, is incomplete without the murky hand of corruption, lies, deceit, bribery and scandals…

The post independence life for India has surely been one on a giant roller coaster. She has experienced highs as high as the Himalayas themselves and lows as deep as the deepest trenches which would be found on the Planet. We dream of making our India as a super power. But the fact of the matter is that it totally not possible if the elements namely politicians, bureaucrats, diplomats, entrepreneurs and all others who have placed their interests above that of the nation are not flushed out of the system. The recent case of Madhuri Gupta turning into a spy just for “revenge” for posting her in India seems very humorous to say the least. But cases like these or the one where former policemen and CRPF officials selling arms to the Maoists and getting their own men brutally massacred are exactly what stalls the full fledged progress of India. It will surely not come as a shock if the roadside hawker from whom we take our daily dose of ‘vada pav’ says turn my stall into a mall before inking a peace agreement with Pakistan.

One of the most important aspects of going forward is keeping your rear intact. And sadly, but truly, India has failed to do so. We have accepted the cultures and ways of the West but forgot about our own roots. We accepted the modern ideologies and thoughts which would help us progress, but forgot the Gandhian school of though which, even though I do not personally endorse, had helped us attain freedom from the British who totally sucked on the wealth and prosperity of our country in a way that would put a leech to shame. However, kudos to the likes of Usha Uthup and Asha Bhosle in this regard for they have held together the integrity of Indian culture with their refusal to give up the sari or the ‘gajra’ even while performing in the West or with the West.

There is a vast difference in the way of life of Indians and the Westerners. If an Indian from a rural area, who has spent his a major portion of his life in a dhoti, gets a chance to visit a foreign country, there is more than 90% chance that he will come back with heavily accented English and that too in a suit and boots. But even if a Westerner did go about traveling India in Indian traditional dresses, he won’t go back to his country and spit in every nook and corner he sees as it is in India.

Currently, things have gone totally haywire from the point of view of administration. If there is a job that involves visiting a government office, a person does not hesitate even for a second to think that it is going to be one of the toughest tasks of his entire life. ‘Babu’-dom, bribery, and corruption has taken over the mantle of administrative affairs everywhere. And even though there have been repeated attempts to flush it out, the officials responsible for doing so have given the adage “If you can’t beat them, join them” a totally new meaning. This corruption needs to be uprooted if true progress has to be made. People need to be made more aware of their duties of reporting bribery rather than encouraging these babus at first and then throwing curses at them like a quintessential angry Indian woman who would throw utensils at her husband if he forgot to take her to the village fair.

We are leaders in the world in numerous fields, be it cricket, cinema or entrepreneurship. But why is the focus mainly on the glitz and glamour and giving a chance to the rich to become richer but at the same time letting the poor drown in their poverty. Why, that is exactly what the British had done for more than 200 years! It is high time the government focuses on the dirt and murk of poverty, unemployment, illiteracy lying in the dark underbellies of every city, town and village. These issues need to be tackled at the grassroots instead of passing bills in the Parliament House.

What the Congress has failed to realize while lobbying for the Women’s Bill, over which there was a huge furor in the Parliament recently that the bill is not going to empower women in the true sense. A simple piece of paper is not going to change the mindset of lakhs of rural men who turn a woman into a slave but just give them a tag of “wife”. Creating 33% reservations for women in legislative bodies is not going to reduce the number of miles that a woman has to walk to get water to just sustain her family. Education bills providing free primary education to the children is not going to unsettle the orthodox minds who chain their children in the house with a view that “A girl’s place is in the kitchen” or “A boy has to just continue what the father is doing and no education is essential for that purpose”.

What we truly need in today’s times are ‘freedom fighters’ but with a whole new definition of that tag. These should be people willing to raise their head above the dirt and try to break free from the shackles of corruption that we have got ourselves into over the past 60 years, people who would not hesitate in calling a stick a stick instead of beating around the bush.

One such freedom fighter had been born in the form of Shashi Tharoor. But sadly, he was martyred even before he could enter his teenage years.

Major upheavals need to be accomplished before India finally attains the title of ‘super power’. Challenges need to be completed and cleansing the rust that has accumulated on the cogs of the administrative machinery is surely the most daunting of them all. But the job has been started on a firm footing, even though at a snail’s pace. Now it has to be ensured that a rotten apple does not enter the basket of thoughts which would take the country forward. And surely, it is only a matter of time before India starts rapid progress and comes on par with developed nations and starts jostling for the position that the USA has competently held for so many years, that of world domination...

Aniruddha is an Engineering student and Army aspirant based in Mumbai.

The Revival

2012-02-20T23:03:00.002+05:30

Hello Friends!

Finally, I'm back on the blogging scene!

There was a reason I vanished from the blogosphere:-
I found myself wasting time expressing my thoughts here than actually taking action on the same. Until now, I thought that action speaks louder than words and that I should focus on taking actions than simply blogging.

However, I now realize the power of blogging!

Even though I was inactive all this while - to my utmost surprise - more than 5,000 people visited The Indian World blog every month with over 20,000 monthly page views and still continue to do so! Some people still sign up for email subscriptions hoping to receive something meaningful from my side. This blog receives comments every week, the articles here seem to be helping students with their homework, assignments and speeches.

Some of my regular readers and friends from the blogging community have been persistent in convincing me to resume blogging, but I was really rigid in my belief that ONLY action would count.

Now I know, that I can make a difference through this blog! I can inspire readers to take action and contribute to the betterment of the nation! I can be the media! I know my writing indeed has the power to change India one step at a time!

So from now onwards, I shall be regularly blogging about the things that matter the most. These updates will also include guest posts, links to brilliant pieces of writing and inspiring blog posts to provoke the citizen in you.

If I falter in my promise to blog regularly (at least 1 update per fortnight), you have the full freedom to hold me accountable and express your dissatisfaction at parthjdave9 at gmail dot com.

Here is something breathtaking for you:

Marine Drive, Bombay

I'm really glad to be back here! Looking forward to your interactions and feedback, as always!

Share the World!

2011-04-10T19:58:00.000+05:30

I'm sure many of my readers and friends might want to read something on the recent cricket World Cup or the Anti-Corruption drive in the country in this blog post. Sorry, I'm doing nothing of that sort.

Here is a different topic that struck me like lightning:

We humans are amazing creatures. We are the only ones to be called intelligent due to our thinking capacities. However, if we realize, we are actually doing more harm than good to Planet Earth. We mine and dig deep for our greed. We kill its beautiful natural resources for our own good. We murder our waters with garbage and pollution. All this for the betterment of our OWN benefit. Why should we then wonder if animal and plant life tags us as selfish?

Let us realize as intelligent beings, that we are here for collective growth and development. We are kings and rulers of our own world. Each one of us is powerful and capable to provide for welfare for others. In fact, I believe the very purpose of our existence is to spread and share all that we have.

It seems contradictory that on one hand, we say the world is a large family and on the other, hesitate to give of ourselves. We cannot live if we do not give. In fact, each one of us has the power to provide for all that the world is in need of.

There is really nothing that we can call our own. We usually run after material things and then let them rule over us. Money and goods are often hoarded to act as a form of security. This causes stagnation, my friends. We ought to give what we take. Or else, how would the world function and sustain itself? For instance, let us share our knowledge, experience and wisdom with our fellow mates to enrich their lives. Why hold on to money also? Money is just a means of exchange and meant for survival.

Living itself is a flow. And the opposite of flow is apathy. We as Indians appear to be extremely apathetic to all that is going around us. We must realize that our laid-back attitude is actually preventing us from living the way we want to. Our lives have become so mechanical that we are not prone to anything that happens in the world. We might raise our voices only if events or incidents concern us in specific.

Let us stay in this flow by giving of ourselves. I must admit here that it is always the Giver's Gain! All that we possess now or later in our life will not be ours after our death. So why remain attached to all that is fleeting and temporary?

For instance, in my case, I am in the process of donating my already-read books so that I can give light to those who have never seen it. I have old clothes in my place that I shall be giving to the needy, not because I don't need them but because they need them more than I currently do. Same with money, I am saving small amounts that I shall direct towards a worthy cause.

Even more than material things, we can always give priceless gifts of love, compassion and attention. We really lose nothing in this flow. Life is not meant to be hoarded, for then it will stink. Let us give of all that we have. Let us share our world with the world!

I request all those are inspired to give and share to be a part of this beautiful website - The Freecycle Network. You can also join your local group to change the world one gift at a time.

What are your thoughts and ideas on sharing and giving? Don't you think it is a divine process?

[Image Source]

5 Reasons to Avoid Holi

2011-03-18T21:40:00.000+05:30

My 12th board exams are finally over and I'm back to what I loving doing best - blogging!! I'm sorry for being inactive, though not anymore..

This time, a blog post on Avoiding Holi..

Why You Should Avoid Holi 2011:

Image via Wikipedia

1. It is a criminal waste of water. We are already reeling under a severe water shortage and efforts are being made to save water. Celebrating Holi will only nullify those efforts and cause wastage of millions and millions of litres of a life-saving precious resource.

2. Holi colours are toxic and dangerous. In fact, most of the Holi colours are meant for industrial uses and are specifically not meant to be applied on humans.

3. Plastic water balloons hurt the environment. First of all, they are non-bio-degradable and the mess they create after the celebrations is terrible and difficult to dispose.

4. There is nothing like a 'Safe Holi'. In spite of all the precautions you might take, you will still be a victim of accidental injuries and exposed to all kinds of toxic colours.

5. It is an unproductive experience. Holi has lost its true meaning and celebrations have only turned superficial, leaving behind an empty feeling. Instead of transporting us into a state of bliss, Holi has only turned into 'hooliganism'.

Dear friends, please avoid celebrating Holi. The environment and its natural resources will be more than grateful to you!

Please spread this message to your family and friends, and enjoy Holi doing something intelligent and productive indoors.

I look forward to your comments and thoughts!

An Account of an Everyday Event

2010-07-31T20:20:00.008+05:30

This post has been published by me as a team member of The Wordsworth Legions for the GRAND FINALE of Bloggers Premier League (BPL) – The first ever unique, elite team blogging event of blog world. To catch the BPL action and also be part of future editions and other contests, visit and register at Cafe GingerChai

Alarms are the worst invention in the world!

It's 6 am - exercise time. Morning walks, gym trips or extra doses of sleep. Who says sleep is not a form of exercise?

The sun displays its sparkling feathers and the leaves gently whistle to the tune of the breeze. For people like me, this is the perfect time for sleep but there are obvious hurdles...

Like Mom switching off that fan. Splashing water on my face. Loud alarm snoozes...and what not?

I am forced to finally give in and get ready for college. As soon as I retain my sane consciousness, am busy in checking my GMail messages on my phone. It is a good feeling.

Come 8.30 am and am off in a private society bus to the railway station. Since my place is pretty far from the trains’, my stint of about 20-25 minutes in the bus is an interesting one. For company, I either have my music or a book to immerse in. Or else, I just stare in the blank space of the highway like a kid. The breeze hitting me reminds me of my past memories and again, shuts my eyes to feel the feeling!

On my way, there are a couple of things that really really annoy me. First being, the beautifully-designed political billboards. When it comes to developmental schemes, these guys have no money in their pockets and now, for their publicity, it seems they probably loot banks. These billboards are plastered all over the city with birthday wishes to party leaders and season’s greetings to people who stop and read. Another thing that irks me is the incredible quality of the monsoon roads. One heavy downpour and there are more potholes than the path itself. Why does this happen only in India? We have perennial rains in US and Europe, but the roads are hardly affected. Why? Just because we’ve got used to bumpy rides, no one wants to use high quality materials for construction.

So, by 9 o’clock, am climbing up and down to the railway platform. There are hundreds of others migrating here and there, powered with the potential of a mini-stampede. Dirt and litter make really creative borders and fences here. Railway tracks work as 24/7 dustbins. Same with train compartments. Used, abused and misused.

9.16 am is an important event in my life. This is when my local fast train arrives and the scene is a pretty common one, especially in Mumbai. No sooner does the train slow down, than people start rushing into it. ‘World War III’ is what I call it in my world. Hundreds of commuters rush in through the entry points like a blitzkrieg attack. Had there been automatic doors, they would have been crushed the very first day. Once I struggle my way in, I have prized seats waiting to be filled. I quickly grab one like a reward after such chaos.

Inside too, the music of the rush, the thrill and not to forget, the hawker sets in. I plan to utilize this time in a little academic affair. I start out with reading a textbook or some subject’s notes. Consistency prevails for another 10 minutes… and then, bang! Am nicely in deep sleep with the notebook as my hard pillow. With my vast experience in being a student, I can easily declare that academic books are the best sleep inducers. Once you get in the pleasant realm of sleep, external cacophony is hardly disturbing.

I wake up like a soldier when they announce, “Next station – C.S.T!” My 40 minute journey has been that of sleep, compensating for the morning hurdles as mentioned earlier. I am fresh and raring to go. An amazing 5 minute walk separates C.S.T and my college. Through this walk, I enjoy views of the Subway (which should be renamed as Godown for obvious reasons), the C.S.T architecture, the buzz of the main city and a notice board reading ‘Pin Code – 400001’. On the way, you find unemployed lawyers roaming aimlessly, several police jeeps, Cama Hospital and the destination!

St. Xavier’s College is a beautiful city, and I’m glad to be a part of it. Vibrancy and enthusiasm greets you at its gates and accompanies you throughout. There is never a typical, dull day here. I enjoy attending most of my lectures, which usually commence from 10.30 am right upto 3.30 pm with an hour lunch break in between. I have a rocking and crazy time with my fellows here, blended with humour and delight. There’s so much to say about my college… In fact, I could write a long essay on it and still not get done away with.

Evening strikes and I generally, leave for home, a place 45 kms away. Again the train ride, but with a less crowd this time. As it reaches Thane station, I waste no time to whoosh away in a share rickshaw.

By 5.30 pm, I am home, snacking on something quick. Just after this, I switch on my workstation mode and dedicate a few hours for my venture revolving around handwriting analysis. Once am done, we have a nice and peaceful family dinner around 8.30 pm.

Later in the night, either I read an interesting book, or surf the Internet or I probably just happen to study a little, by mistake.

After that, sleeps calls me and I quickly pick up the phone…

This may come across as a pretty mundane schedule, but it isn’t. I learn something new every single day and always have a check on my goals and dreams. By the way, did I tell you my daily routine is coated with layers of cheerful and excited vibes?

To read posts by other members of the Wordsworth Legion in the final Round, see here: Shilpa, Pujitha, Tavish, Hitesh, Kshitij, Vinita and Rahul

An imaginary trip into Hitler's psyche

2010-07-12T17:08:00.016+05:30

This post has been published by me as a team member of The Wordsworth Legions for the SUPER 3 round of Bloggers Premier League (BPL) – The first ever unique, elite team blogging event of blog world. To catch the BPL action and also be part of future editions and other contests, visit and register at Cafe GingerChai

30 April 2045

“Good morning students! It is a special day today...”, the black huge screen started as we all settled in our seats in the AMR room of our college.

We were a nation of happy and cheerful people. Our exceptional leaders had carved out a superpower country from India. Being No.1 in the world, we had the best education system in place. Schools and colleges boasted of digital presence, with incredible technology guiding our way throughout. Our nation came to be known as one of ‘dreamers and achievers’!

St. Xavier’s College in Mumbai, the country's financial capital, was always the first one to try out these state-of-the-art digital facilities. The best feature of these amazing systems in place was that, they could recreate the minds of eminent personalities in their specially designed rooms. These rooms were fitted with advanced motion sensors & brilliant sounds and lights. The Advanced Multi-Media Room (AMR) was one of the best places for digital and mind-blowing presentations.

Students loved this way, and professors found yet another innovative way to teach. Among recreating personalities, Mahatma Gandhi was the favourite. And now, for the first time ever, Adolf Hitler was being revisited here...

The screen gently lit up and the narration continued.

Adolf Hitler - the name has itself become synonymous with cruelty and brutality. We tend to label strict and hard people as ‘Hitler’ as a mere generalisation, ignoring the other facets of Hitler’s personality. To get into his psyche, we actually have Hitler’s brain with us here. After his death, it was cryogenically preserved and his brain mapping was done after careful research using advanced equipments. Here are the reviewed inferences...

They say, the greatest minds are capable of the greatest vices as well as of the greatest virtues. Hitler has rightly proven that, by being the former.

Let us start from his childhood. Hitler was born in the year 1889 and just when he was 11, he faced his first shock. His younger brother, whom he was very attached to, died of measles, and he lost all his confidence and strength, which made him totally dull and numb.

The scintillating lights in the room created a rare and morose picture of Hitler....

It is a well-known fact that experiences of any kind adversely affect a person for life. Young Hitler was a disturbed person. His father, being very strict and dominating, used to constantly thrash him. Conflicts arose, and Hitler became more and more rebellious. His school experience was again bitter, with Hitler having unpleasant encounters with his teachers. He was finally thrown out of high school due to misconduct and indiscipline. His father, an Austrian customs official, wanted Hitler to follow in his footsteps but he was least interested. He was never encouraged to do what he really wanted to. That is, being a painter. (Just imagine an Adolf Hitler engaging his entire life in painting!)

A struggling and tumultuous youth further affected his state of mind. He shifted his priorities to become an architect, without any success. Till the age of 24, only one word could describe his life - MISERABLE! In spite of all these personal obstacles, he was a very strong-willed person. He had high regard for his country and his patriotic sense was one of its kind.

Soft Indian national music chimed in and echoed through the entire room, uplifting everyone...

Soon, the commencement of World War I in 1914 changed him forever. He realized how other European nations were treating his German land with disgrace and disgust. This is what ignited him. Also, after the war, Germany was asked to sign a very humiliating Treaty of Versailles and was indirectly insulted by other nations. Adolf Hitler extremely loathed those Jewish leaders who had approved of this treaty, and who had also failed to defend Germany in times of crisis.

Over the times, Hitler’s rebellious nature converted into aggression and fierce action. WWI woke him up to the grim realities faced by his nation, he was deeply saddened, frustrated and revengeful. His anger guided him to enter into the political setup of Germany, as that was the only way in and out. Hitler was a very expressive person. His outstanding oratory skills connected with the local people and their emotions, and thus, he won majority seats for his party. Well, as he came to power....

A thunderous sound of gunfire gripped the room with the motion seats moving helter skelter. Panic. Terror. Never before were the students subjected to such brilliant artificiality.

Deep inside his mind, Hitler wanted to manifest his plans formed years ago. That of vengeance, hostility, force, power, domination and superiority. Hitler developed an uncanny and abnormal degree of pride and ego, calling himself the ‘best of the best’!

Once he was made Chancellor of Germany, he started rolling out a series of actions exclusively for the Jews. This included extreme torture, bondage and captivity in concentration camps. Again, Hitler acted this way just because of his personal vendetta and anger against those Jewish leaders from the times of WWI. He wanted to be a superior man and he actually implemented Charles Darwin's theory of 'Survival of the Fittest'. Race discrimination set in, and inequalities began to rise. Thus started one of the worst phases in the history of mankind - The Holocaust. More than 11 million people were killed in this business, and Hitler could finally seek revenge, though in an extreme manner.

Against all this background, Hitler was a true nationalist without any doubt. His love, respect and attachment to his Germany is exemplary. His development schemes improved Germany in 2 years, and such a radical change could not be brought about in even 20 years after his death!

Truly, Narendra Modi is Hitler for the massive development in his region, and Raj Thackeray is Hitler for his evoking and provoking speeches...

World War II was Adolf Hitler's favourite game. He loved seeking vengeance against other European countries for their humiliation and disgust earlier. He enjoyed battles and wars, and believed that only force can conquer the world! Let us realize that, such behaviour of Hitler was directly and indirectly related to his strict and authoritarian father who used to always beat him up...

Being the most influential person in Europe and practically the entire world in that time, leaders of other nations feared him. Mahatma Gandhi, the torch of non-violence had sent some of his pleasant and kind flames to Hitler, for only to be ignored. In fact, Hitler was the one who had even conspired to kill Gandhiji just because non-violence was his strong competitor.

Now, to capture Hitler's inner personality, let us analyze his character through his handwritten notes and letters...

The screen created a superb display of German ink:

An overview handwriting analysis of Mr. Hitler would go something like this....

Adolf Hitler was a very intelligent man with a brilliant and sharp mind. He held his emotions in high regard and his life revolved around it. This vulnerability to emotional incidents made him initiate the Holocaust and other irreversible destruction. A charming and dominating leader, he was also a true nationalist. He had fixed beliefs and perceptions in his mind, which he refused to change, adding to his rigid behaviour. He was very ambitious and was gifted with excellent will power. Had he used all his brilliant traits for the good, he would have definitely come out as an exceptional visionary in the history of the world...

This concluded our insightful presentation, modifying Hitler's perceptions in the minds of many present.

...And this how Adolf Hitler's 100th death anniversary was celebrated.

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To read posts by other members of the Wordsworth Legion in the Super 5 Round, see here:
Tavish, Shilpa, Pujitha, Vinita, Hitesh, Kshitij and Smitha!

Image Credit: Hitler's Brain - Hitesh Rawat

[Image Source]

Print Media v/s Electronic Media: End of Prints?

2010-06-28T19:32:00.000+05:30

This post has been published by me as a team member of The Wordsworth Legions for the SUPER 4 round of Bloggers Premier League (BPL) – The first ever unique, elite team blogging event of blog world. To catch the BPL action and also be part of future editions and other contests, visit and register at Cafe GingerChai

View. Counter View. Print media v/s electronic media: is it end of prints?

Media, right from the days of its inception, has been a powerful medium of communication. When it was a toddler, it existed in the form of manuscripts and then came, books and newspapers. With time, the media blended with technology to create interactive channels like the Internet, television and the mobile.

Comparing print media with its electronic counterpart is like debating between chocolates and ice-creams. Let’s see how…

Simply put, print media consists of everything printed. We have newspapers and magazines and booklets and so much more. Right from that retired teacher to the sales executive, and right from that typical housewife to the MBA aspirant, newspapers have been an all-time favourite. We find magazine subscribers in every nook and corner of train compartments, airport lounges and waiting rooms.

New and new newspaper editions are coming up. Editorials come packaged with incredible topics that actually click and connect. City headlines provide food for thought for every gossiping housewife. Sports sections attract and inspire budding young enthusiasts… And the entire edition gives out the perfect infotainment to every reader!

Now, let’s talk about the modern and the state-of-the-art electronic media…

According to a 2008 World Bank report, there are more than 51 million Internet users in India. Almost every household, urban or rural, boasts of a television set. Mobile Internet is on a crazy rise as technology witnesses developments almost every other day….

Now that social networking has become viral, news reporters are flocking to sites like Twitter and Facebook for the daily dose of gossip and updates. Internet penetration, especially in India has brought with it, an immense dependence on technology and the like. The Internet, as a whole, has become a treasure chest for every information-seeker on the Planet.

Electronic and digital stuff has revolutionized the mainstream media with its incredible super-fast information delivery systems and real-time updates of happenings in and around. So, does this really mean the end of prints…?

Not really.

Books are a man’s best friends. Same is with print media. You can live a day without the Internet, but being devoid of newspapers and magazines is simply unimaginable. The utter simplicity of staying updated with prints is incomparable and one of its kind. Although mobile Internet has brought the world at our fingertips, our fingers actually crave for that crispy paper designed with ink on it. Unlike those ‘Breaking News’ phenomenon in news channels, our publications tend to be simpler and smarter with to-the-point headlines and updates.

However, with computers at every household and workplace, we are too lazy to search for specific reports in newspapers. We would rather google it up and get our job done fast! It is a known fact that technology has made our lives easier and more comfortable, though caution needs to be exercised. The more we tend to rely on technology, the more we are prone to being at loss. Be it for any matter, too much dependence is obviously a no-no.

Whatever developments go through electronic media, print media is here to stay and rule, as it has done for centuries together. Newspaper publications won’t shut even if that street pauper starts owning a Twitter account…

Now, coming back to chocolates and ice-creams, you know, deep inside, we really can’t live forever without either…!

P.S. This news bulletin brought to you by the Wordsworth Legions team whose team members can be found below:

Shilpa, Smitha, Lazy Pineapple, Kshitij, Tavish and Hitesh

[Image Source]

Blogger Almighty and the 12 Commandments!

2010-06-14T21:26:00.000+05:30

This post has been published by me as a team member of The Wordsworth Legions for the SUPER 5 round of Bloggers Premier League (BPL) – The first ever unique, elite team blogging event of blog world. To catch the BPL action and also be part of future editions and other contests, visit and register at Cafe GingerChai

If you are “Blogger Almighty”, what would be your 12 commandments to change the world – elaborate.

Changing the world is a challenging dream, for all dreams are meant to be fulfilled.

Starting from scratch, change is simply an action. An action that is more dreamt than fulfilled. The world needs change, not only for improving social conditions, but also for mere survival. Anyone can hope for a better tomorrow, though only men of steel can make it a reality.

Being The Almighty, I see things like fear, dark and frown here which I never created. They are bugs of my World, preventing an improved living.
Many on Earth talk of change, though it is a broad and abstract concept. It has to be understood that no world change can be initiated without YOUR involvement.

Some wise soul inscribed this text at Westminster Abbey in 1100 A.D. :

When I was young and free and my imagination had no limits, I dreamed of changing the world. As I grew older and wiser, I discovered the world would not change, so I shortened my sights somewhat and decided to change only my country.

But it, too, seemed immovable.

As I grew into my twilight years, in one last desperate attempt, I settled for changing only my family, those closest to me, but alas, they would have none of it.

And now, as I lie on my deathbed, I suddenly realize: If I had only changed myself first, then by example I would have changed my family.

From their inspiration and encouragement, I would then have been able to better my country, and who knows, I may have even changed the world.

To prevent any such regretful events, for the 21st and the coming centuries, I have laid down The 12 Commandments to change the world....

As Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Be the change you want to see in the world". We can't change others; we can only change ourselves. As a result, when we change, it changes everything...

Changing the world is no child's play. A bumpy ride may have its challenges and distractions, but you have to drive through with full faith and resolute.

This prohibits the defensive attitude of being shut and rigid. Be open and flexible to ideas. Be alert and aware, for awareness is the beginning of change. And change is the beginning of more change...

Start something new, something better and something helpful. Initiatives are the one of the most powerful tools to encourage change in the society and the world, at large.

Before starting on this mission of changing the world, you first need to accept change in you and your life. This is the most important commandment!

In simple terms, no level of pretence can help you act and change. All you need to do, is to be natural. Start to live the way you want to see the world, or society changed, and do not compromise your ideals or your ethics.

Whatever you do, however you act, whatever you speak and however you see - Everything Counts! There are no small things in this world, because in the long run, those are the things that make ALL the difference!

Once you've changed yourself, you will find a new, changed world. Start with changing your circle of influence...

Our perception of looking at things control our ideas and beliefs. Hence, a positive attitude can keep us motivated and charged up to get up and do things. Negative thinking is a superb source for draining your energy and life. So, beware!

If you always keep on wondering what people will think about you, you will never be able to do anything. What people think should not be your concern, what you think about yourself should be.

Do something new and different. Always keep your mind occupied, for an idle mind is a devil's workshop, and an occupied mind is a brainstormer's workshop!

Remember - Actions speak louder than words...

Follow these commandments. Change the world.

The European Chronicles - Italy

2010-05-29T14:22:00.001+05:30

So, here we go with Italy...

How does it feel when you travel the entire day in a bus just to finally find a crooked building with nothing great in it?

This is how we started our travel experience at Italy, with our first stop at Pisa. And the 'crooked building' mentioned is none other than The Leaning Tower Of Pisa!

This tower at Pisa is seriously not worth the hype and hoopla!

Our next stop was at Rome, the capital city and an historical one too!

Rome is seriously a beautiful city with ancient artefacts, monuments, pillars and other structures dating to a thousand years back. In fact, you get a feeling of being in a city with ancient stuff scattered here and there! Re-visiting Rome would only be a wish of an art lover, a historian or an architect.

Shown below is the Colosseum, an amphitheatre mainly used for gladiator fights:

After Rome, we set out for Florence, the richest and the largest city in Europe in the 12th century.

Florence has been the chosen home for eminent figures like Leonardo Da Vinci, Galileo Galilei, Michelangelo, Dante, Machiavelli, Salvatore Ferragamo, Amerigo Vespucci etc. It is widely known for its extensive art and architecture, specially in the Renaissance period. Florence is regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in the world, thanks to it's artistic and cultural heritage. It boasts of more than a hundred museums and many palaces around the place.

Here is an aerial view of Florence city:

We next moved to Venice, a very beautiful and romantic city. It stretches across 117 small islands, accessed by boats and gondolas. It attracts a lot of tourists due to its pleasant climate, picture-perfect looks, luxury shops and boutiques, gondola rides and canals. According to Wikipedia, Venice is one of the most important tourist destinations in the world, due to the city being one of the world's greatest and most beautiful cities of art.

View from a Gondola!

Though endowed with so many buildings and monuments, Italy is a rather boring country which can anytime be skipped in any tour. It's people are outright manipulative, shrewd and perfect liars. There have been many cases of tourists being cheated here in Italy. In fact, once, a few years ago, even my Dad was robbed of his money. Italians are not at all trustworthy. And the worst part is, coffee shops charge their customers even for the music being played in the background. Air Italia, their national airlines, is also disgusting with unco-operative crew members.

The reason Italy attracts so many tourists, is only because they aggressively market their tourist sights and attractions. There are clothes, souvenirs and other items with monuments and structures printed on them. There are also a lot of 'I love Italy', 'I love Rome', etc. T-shirts that are the best way of marketing their cities. This feature is the only thing we need to develop in our India... Let's preserve our heritage sites and let's publicize them well!

That's all for Italy. Our next destination is Austria.. So, do stay updated!

P.S. I shall be again away for a week, since am travelling to my native Ahmedabad. So, the next update shall possibly come around 4th or 5th June.

The European Chronicles - Monaco

2010-05-27T23:47:00.002+05:30

Reminds us of the biscuit name, but in reality, Monaco is just like a tiny biscuit...

Monaco is the 2nd smallest country in the world with an enormous area of 1.95 square kilometres. It is basically a principality surrounded by France from three sides. It's small size doesn't stop Monaco from constructing skyscrapers every now and then.

Monaco is simply famous for 2 things - the Formula One Grand Prix races and the grand casino at Monte Carlo. It is a tax haven country, and people here are ridiculously rich and usually possess high-end sports cars.

Even though this is a pretty tiny place, it serves as a beautiful tourist destination with awesome hotels overlooking the gorgeous Mediterranean Sea!

The below image is of the very famous casino at Monte Carlo..

Monaco is a very well maintained monarchy with the head being Prince Albert II. It features a smooth administration, excellent city planning, crystal clean Mediterranean waters and no crime rate at all!

That's all for Monaco, a small post for a small ~~biscuit~~ nation. Coming up next is Italy, the home ground of the pizzza and the UPA Prezzzident... So, stay tuned!