Vivek-uvaach

Retirement as a Tool of Reform!

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek Patwardhan) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 18:10:00 +0000

“Aare? How is it that you are working? Haven’t you gone on strike?” Lulu, my parrot, asked as he descended fluttering his wings and settled on my table.

“The employed protest by stopping work, but the retired protest by working hard!” I said. “So, you must have had the bird’s eye view of the strike. Tell me about it.”

“Hahaha! I wish if India had not had any ‘demographic dividend’ and had more retired men; the country would have prospered, because somebody is always on strike in this country. We would have found all retired men working.” Lulu observed.

“The bird’s eye view please.” I brought him back to my question.

“There is nothing much to say.....no impact in Mumbai all went about their business as usual. Kerala promptly stopped everything. But surprisingly, mixed reaction in Kolkata.”

“If that is the case then strike must be losing its relevance as a weapon.” I said.

“I would agree. Nobody wants strike. Nobody wants their life to be disturbed at all. Joining street protests is no longer okay with many young people.” Lulu observed. “When the young people take to streets it is only for running marathons – half or full marathon – it all depends on whether they prefer full or half a bottle of beer in the evening! In that order!!”

“The so called leaders are seen leading the rally when it comes to protests, but they do not run a marathon with ‘aam janata.’ What could be the reason?” I asked.

“Because it means hard work, silly!” Lulu said in a condescending tone.

“Don’t you think the leaders have lost touch with the masses?”

“It seems so!” said Lulu.

“Don’t you think we have also lost touch with the masses? Are we not becoming increasingly indifferent?”

“Certainly so.” Lulu.

“Don’t you think the Government has become insensitive to a common man’s plight?”

“No doubt.” commented Lulu.

“So what should be done?” I asked.

“Perhaps a long march like the one Sunil Dutt undertook. He walked through Punjab during the height of militancy. And Chandrashekhar walked from Kanyakumari to Delhi. Hopefully it will heighten sensitivity of leaders to the common man’s problems.”

“Good thought. Make it a qualification for giving a party ticket for election.”

“Ha ha.... And many would retire from politics instead of walking long distance of 4000 Kms from Kanyakumari to Delhi! And that would be welcome!!” Lulu said as he jumped and settled on the table lamp.

Vivek

Anniversary and Compatibility

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek Patwardhan) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:55:00 +0000

“Happy Wedding Anniversary!” Lulu, my parrot, said.

“Thanks Lulu. It is the thirty-fifth wedding anniversary.” I replied. “What is the appropriate present for the thirty-fifth anniversary?”

“Coral and Jade” Lulu replied, “depending on whether you follow the traditional or modern gifting way. Well, what is your plan?”

“Neither. I am a retired person and I cannot afford expensive gifts. I think a lunch in Shiva Prasad Udipi Cafe would be a good idea, or if she decides to splurge, a lunch in the Food Court of a mall nearby.”

“Hmmm.....it looks to me that you are heading for some serious trouble.” Lulu said.

“Naah....After thirty-five years of marriage she knows what to expect.” I replied.

“Interesting! Looks like you two must be fighting often.”

“Which couple does not? Hey, but see what this website talks of a marriage between a Gemini man and Aquarius woman.” I said.

“Don’t believe a word....ok, ok tell me.” Lulu shouted.

“Here it is “A Gemini man and an Aquarius woman are trine in relationship to one another which means they are in harmony. This is because they both have a detached outlook on the world and a cerebral viewpoint. In other words they don’t get involved — even with each other! Other people may not understand the ties that bind a Gemini man and an Aquarius woman, but these two can be as happy being friends as a fish in the ocean”.”

“Ha ha ha ha! The web-site-wala seems to be making an autobiographical statement.”

“Not really......my wife says she has not understood me at all.” I complained.

“Oh, come on....that is what every wife says to her husband. It is a kind of ‘pQ4.’

“pQ4? What’s that?”

“The first move in the game of chess.” Lulu explained.

“I see your point. They make you feel guilty by such a statement and then make you talk more and more......oh, yes, I can see that game being played often!” I exclaimed.

“Tell me names of the famous Gemini-Aquarius couples.”

“Jean Paul Sartre and Simone De Beauvoir was one.”

“Ha ha ha ha....That was indeed a great couple. Wikipedia says they were not monogamous.” Lulu laughed.

“I think you are pulling my leg.....there is this another couple,,,,, Johnny Depp and Kate Moss” I gave more information.

“And later Johnny Depp got involved with Vanessa Paradis! She is an Aquarius woman. So he has the dubious distinction of getting involved with two Aquarius women!” Lulu laughed. “All this happens because people think that compatibility is determined by stars and planets.”

“I thought it was. They say marriages are made in heaven.”

“Well, they can say that......there is no evidence for it because nobody has reported how it is made in the heaven!”

“Then what are you saying?”

“I am saying that compatibility like happiness is created, it does not happen. It is not something which exists so people marry. People marry and create it. And this is what the same web site says..... “A Gemini Man and Aquarius Woman share a great physical chemistry. They both will not only be good partners but also good friends.” I think it is wrong to give credit or blame the planets and stars for compatibility or happiness in marriages.” Lulu observed.

“Well, how is match making done by parrots? I asked.

“Well, that is another story” Lulu said as he laughed.

Vivek

The Cure-all Effect of Strawberries

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek Patwardhan) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 18:57:00 +0000

“Never expected to find you in Mahabaleshwar, Lulu” I said to Lulu, my parrot who hopped from nowhere on my shoulder.

“Ha, ha. You must expect the unexpected from me. What are you doing here in Mahabaleshwar? Second honeymoon, eh?” Lulu asked.

“That is a cruel joke on a sixty year old, Lulu. You should not say such things. Besides, a good romantic will never keep count of the number of honeymoons!” I replied.

“I like that.....well, Are you enjoying here?”

“Yes, of course, Lulu. I am here with my darling wife. A friend and his wife too have joined us. We just finished a Strawberry with Cream. And but for my devilish doctor who has prescribed many restrictions, I would have polished two more!” I said.

“When did you start respecting Doctor’s advice? I saw you enjoying sugarcane juice in a village near Wai.”

“Absolutely irresistible it was! Sugarcane juice with a dash of lemon and ginger. Nothing beats it in this world. Not even a glass of whisky.”

“Yeah, you must be right. You seemed to have tried a quick swig of whisky too.” Lulu said.

“I really don’t know how you come to know of such things.....but to answer your point, yes, a small one is all that I allowed myself.”

“Ha, ha! You have really thrown caution to the wind. A diabetic should not indulge like this, it is injurious to health. You are enjoying as if there is no tomorrow!” Lulu laughed.

“There is a name for such people of my age.”

“What’s that?”

“Late bloomers! They do not do these things when they were young. So they freak out and try to make up following retirement.”

“Ha, ha. I had heard of ‘Baby boomers’ but not ‘Late bloomers.’ But follow the health guidelines. What else did you do?”

“Picked Strawberry in the fields. That was a great experience. I was observing plants closely several years after my botany classes. The smell of soil, of strawberry leaves and white flowers was very intoxicating...... more than a glass of whisky.”

“A glass of whisky seems to be your measure of pleasure; I don’t like that. Tell me what did you do with the strawberries collected from the farm?”

“I collected about a one-half a kilo. And promptly presented those to my wife who is celebrating her birthday today. There is no birthday present better than the Farm-fresh strawberries - I mean, personally picked by one's husband as a birthday present!”

“That was a smart one! Now I understand why your indiscretions are tolerated!” Lulu said laughing and dancing on my shoulder.

Vivek

Some Thoughts and Some Feelings Jan 11

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek Patwardhan) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 02:53:00 +0000

Some thoughts and some feelings, all my own:

Like they say that rats leave the sinking ship, so I can understand why thirty-six air hostesses have left KingFisher Airlines. What baffles me is why they have joined Air India which is another sinking ship.

Like Air India pilots have not been paid their salaries for a few months. And what a fall it is from being labelled as the highest paid employees – they were envied by many till recently.

Like it must be a tragic experience to the employees of Air India and KingFisher to move from subject of envy to subject of pity. And this is solely due to gross mismanagement. Unfortunately both Praful Patel and Vijay Mallya who should and must own their responsibility in creating this state of affairs will remain unaffected.

Like the law of averages is working feverishly. Air India pilots get paid very high salaries but now no salaries; Indian cricket team wins the world cup and loses six matches in a row; Anna Hazare rises to the crest of popularity and now falls! Anything that goes up will surely come down!!

Like there was so much noise about the pregnancy and delivery of Aishwarya. Does anyone know what the name of Aishwarya’s baby is?

Like Anuj Bidve’s death was tragic, and what stands out in the tragedy was the dignified manner in which the family handled the difficult time of their lives. And also the way British Police handled the communication with the family.

Like the mercury in Mumbai is dipping which is [also!] a great encouragement to tipplers!

And finally, the only healthy trend I see is that there is a growing craze to run marathons. And there is an underlying unsaid statement that if you are not running you are not young!!

Vivek

My 2011 and Lokpal

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek Patwardhan) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 04:37:00 +0000

"What are you writing?" Lulu, my parrot, asked.

"Everybody is writing about the year that went by, so I am writing too." I replied.

"There is a difference. Their stories are read! Ha ha ha." Lulu laughed sarcastically.

"You must not start our conversation today by your sarcastic remarks. I do not like it."

"Oh, Sorry, sorry. Tell me, what strikes you as the most important event in 2011?"

"Oh, that is easy to answer. I struck a deal." I said.

"With whom?" asked Lulu.

"With my darling wife. She was protesting very strongly for not taking her out. We decided that we will have one long and three short holidays each year."

"And the result?"

"The result is four long holidays. We went to Lavasa in April, then to Shimla, Kulu and Manali in June. This was followed by Visit to Coorg. And now one more is planned, we are going to Mahabaleshwar in January." I said with a complaining tone.

"That’s great. You can now stake your claim for being an ideal husband. Congratulations." Lulu said laughing.

"There is a heavy price one has to pay for that distinction! Four long holidays put you to a considerable loss. With travel comes shopping. And with a credit card in use, you do not even realise how much you have spent." I said.

"Enjoy your retired life, why are you grumbling?"

"Because income is so limited and meagre. We have not yet learned to manage within our means. I think there must be an Ombudsman or Lokpal for addressing complaints of husbands like me."

"Then be prepared to fast. Like Anna Hazare."

"That is asking for too much!" I said.

Vivek

From Annus Horribilis to 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek Patwardhan) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 09:12:00 +0000

“Hi Lulu” I called out.

“Hi there! How are you doing?” Lulu, my parrot, responded.

“The year is coming to end. Yet another annus horribilis!” I said thinking about the year that was coming to end.

“You say that every year end. Quite obviously you want only good things to happen all the time.” Lulu remarked.

“Ha ha. Yes, that is the wish.”

“And now don’t talk of New Year resolutions please.” Lulu pre-empted me, flipping his wings.

“Oh no. I have resolved not to make any New Year resolutions long back.”

“So what is happening?”

“Reading a book.” I replied. “‘The Biology of Belief.’ Somewhat difficult reading, but yet a good book.”

“What’s the theme?”

“Our perceptions shape our biology.” I answered.

“Why don’t you speak simple language? Could not follow anything.” Lulu said with a tone of annoyance.

“OK, ok. To put it differently, our beliefs shape our perceptions and thus our health; it is what Mahatma Gandhi said....

“Your beliefs become your thoughts.

Your thoughts become your words

Your words become your actions,

Your actions become your habits

Your habits become your values

And your values become your destiny” I explained.

“That’s better. Good beliefs will create good health as well as good life in general. We parrots are guided by instincts; human beings have free will, so it is more important for you” said Lulu.

“I agree.”

“So corrupt beliefs will create corrupt people and corrupt nation.” Lulu took the line further.

“You put it so well.”

“So focus on the thoughts and foster good beliefs.”

“That is a lifetime’s work.”

“Not much of a choice. That is perhaps the only way to avoid having every year as annus horribilis.” Lulu tapped on my head and looked at me expectantly.

Vivek

Some Thoughts and Some Feelings Dec 15

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek Patwardhan) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 01:14:00 +0000

Some thoughts and some feelings, all my own:

Like Higgs boson, the God particle, is elusive but there are ‘tantalising hints.’ Anything associated with the God is no different!

Like there is no winter in Mumbai. But this season, with higher temperatures, the so called winter in Mumbai is actually another version of summer.

Like winning cricket series against West Indies is no evidence of India being on the top. That every game actually was a close contest is an evidence of not-so-good-performance because the West Indies team is rather weak.

Like while the world is keen to know the name of the B-Beti, Amir Khan and Kiran Rao have announced birth of their son as well as his name. And their boldness and openness in announcing that he was born of a surrogate mother only increases my respect for the couple.

Like Dev Anand who died recently was my hero and I feel sad that he is no more. And Dev with Waheeda Rehman was a pair that people of my generation will not forget. They looked as if they were made for each other.

Like the hospital tragedy at Kolkata brings to the fore many issues. Safety is one of them. In many housing societies in Mumbai a maternity hospital or a children’s hospital is allowed to run, which endangers not just patients for inadequate facilities but it brings the residents too in close contact with patients every day.

Like I became an Anna fan and now I am no longer so. In a way Anna is as underprepared as any political leader, the difference is that he has good intentions.

Like I feel like shouting ‘Will a good leader rise to take this country to its glory?’ And I know there are a thousand who feel alike, and it will in vain.

And finally, this year will end in 15 days and a new year will begin. And with that will come a review of the year gone by and resolutions for the New Year. The year 2012 is the Year of Dragon, followed by 2013 as the Year of Snake. That’s frightening!

Vivek

Destroying Environment, Sabotaging values

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek Patwardhan) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 09:55:00 +0000

Here is a news item which one must read along with the Vision and Mission Statement of GEPIL. One can then appreciate the difference between preaching and practising. An excerpt from the news item in Economic Times is reproduced below:

SURAT: After the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) exposed two illegal pipelines from an Integrated Common Hazardous Waste Management Facility(ICHWMF), the Industries body at Sachin industrial estate are contemplating snapping ties with the unit.

Last week GPCB had unearthed two illegal pipelines originating an ICHWMF, operated by Gujarat Enviro Protective and Infrastructure Ltd (GEPIL) dumping untreated industrial waste into rivulet.

Following this revelation, many industries have stopped sending chemical waste in to GEPIL for disposal and diverting it to other effluent treatment plant at Bhrauch.

And now read the Vision and Mission Statement of GEPIL as seen on their website. What do you make of it?

At GEPIL, our clear vision helps us keep moving forward against all odds. We believe in making innovations for a better life. We believe in being an integral part of the environment management and waste disposal system of every state where we are present.

Our core values are clear in whatever we do and how we operate our business on a day-to-day basis. "Environment comes first" — is the value we hold close to our hearts. As a "life environment creation company," we assume social responsibility and endeavor to secure quality in every aspect, including safety, durability, and environmental consciousness.

At GEPIL we think green.

We are a global, broad-based enviro-infrastructure company devoted to discovering new methods, new technologies and new ways to aid waste recovery, recycling and help build a sustainable environment.

Throughout our history, we have been driven by a constant goal: to advance environmental science to augment our surroundings and help people live healthier lives. It's a part of who we are and it categorically drives our work. Our employees across the GEPIL group believe in "caring for the environment"-a shared commitment that helps us stay focused and convene on what we feel is of utmost importance- to conserve, nurture and sustain the environment in a manner that is both exceptional and unprecedented.

We believe that good corporate governance is key to our operations and our reputation.

Our corporate governance is designed to enhance our ability to pursue the long-term objectives that are critical to our business and to ensure accountability and transparency.

Our board of directors play a vital role in charting, implementing and monitoring our corporate governance. We maintain extensive and timely education and training programs to make sure our governance culture is shared across regions where our business has presence. We believe in reaching out to our many constituencies and sharing our technologies with the industry to ensure that we remain dynamic and robust enough to keep pace with the ever-changing world in which we operate.

We believe in the 3R policy-Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

Reduce - We encourage minimization of wastes produced by any of our processes especially those which produce harmfull byproducts. We believe this to be first step in being environment friendly.

Reuse – Reusing available resources is another mean of being an environment conscious corporate.

Recycle – Being able to recycle forms a big part of being capable of environmental assurance, save energy and conserve the environment.

We are guided in our work by a commitment to building an environment that significantly improves life and living conditions of millions around us. In order to be able to deliver on this commitment we make every effort to stay true to our core values. We share a deep passion for our work and strive to set very high standards and achieve results for those around us and our clients. We are here to stay to address needs pertaining to the environment where they are the greatest.

My this Kolaveri, Kolaveri, Kolaveri Di!

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek Patwardhan) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 03:06:00 +0000

“Did you hear ‘Kolaveri?'" I asked.

“Oh yes of course! Hmmm....Lulu burst out singing....

Distance'la Moon'nu Moon'nu Moon'nu

Color'ru White'tu White'tu

Background Night'tu Night'tu

Night'tu Color'ru Black'ku

.....What a craze! Everybody is singing this song.” Lulu said.

“Why so you think it is so popular?” I asked.

“Hmmm...Letmme think’ku think’ku think’ku, Ille says’su brain’nu!” Lulu

“Ha ha! Search answers, my dear Lulu. Search. There must be some answer hidden in the psyche of people. People are experiencing Kolaveri, the murderous rage. Hmmm....Has it become popular because people felt Kolaveri when Sachin missed his century?”

“Oh No! No way!!” Lulu shot back.

“Is it because Sharad Pawar was given a slap?” I gave a possible explanation.

“Ha! No, certainly not. Not even Pune felt the Kolaveri when he was hit!”

“Is it because rising prices?” I asked.

“Hmmm....”

“Is it because it is Nov 26 today and we are reminded of the Terrorist attack?”

“Old story.”

“Oh, come on, what is it then? Is it because you have not seen a good movie in the last three months?”

“Forget it.” Lulu dismissed my suggestion.

“Then what is it, Lulu?” I asked visibly annoyed. “There are newspaper articles analysing this popularity. Tell me why, what makes it so popular. It must have something to do with the murderous rage, or Kolaveri, people are feeling.”

“Just sing the song, it’s fun, you idiot! Don’t intellectualise everything. Why this Kolaveri, kolaveri, kolaveri di...”.

Vivek

Harvinder, Slap These Persons Too!

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek Patwardhan) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Now that slapping ministers and others in the limelight is becoming fashionable and it goes unpunished, I feel emboldened to declare a list of persons whom I would like to slap.

A slap with a thud to Jitendra Awhad and others for setting many wrong precedents in public life and for causing public nuisance.

A hard slap to Rahul Gandhi for making indiscreet remarks not once but twice!

And a gentle tap to Kiran Bedi on her cheeks [one must show some consideration to ladies] for defending the indefensible. And to Mayawati for .....you know what!

A slap to Harvinder Singh, the man who slapped Sukhram and Sharad Pawar for not slapping Laloo Prasad. He seems to prefer persons whose names begin with ‘S.’ Did you get me?

And slaps to Paes and Bhupati for constantly quarrelling instead of playing good tennis.

And two hard ones to Vinod Kambli for keeping quiet so long......

And I am not sure whether I should slap Ratan Tata for making a farce of the successor selection process, there is some honesty and some timidity.

A pappi also to Anna Hazare for asking ‘Only one slap?’ after hearing the news of the assault on Pawar; and a hard slap for condemning the attack thereafter, and for being more political and not authentic!

And finally one hard one to myself for not slapping these people.

Vivek

Some Thoughts And Some Feelings Nov 20

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek Patwardhan) — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 06:13:00 +0000

Some thoughts and some feelings, all my own:

Like pressure has started building up for the little B baby – Aishwarya + Abhishek’s daughter. Her eyes are light like her beautiful mother. My sympathies for the children of the celebrities.

Like another such celebrity son is coming in the limelight –Arjun, Sachin Tendulkar’s son. He has taken to cricket, won a few matches for his school, starting the inevitable discussion on comparison with his illustrious father. And I feel happy that my father was a great man but not a celebrity!

Like the celebrity children stories reminds me of Kumar Gandharva’s son, Mukul, a gifted singer who was found begging at Bhopal temple two years ago. And that is an extreme point in this story. The other extreme point is Amitabh himself who grew in stature much higher than his father, a well known poet.

Like Sukhram may have lost the criminal case and is convicted of accepting bribes, but he ultimately seems to have won. The case took eighteen years to conclude and convict him, and Sukhram enjoyed his ill gotten wealth. If he dies in Tihar, the family will sue the Government for negligence and claim compensation.

Like Air India and Kingfisher Airlines both have lost literally billions of rupees should be allowed to die, and I agree with Rahul Bajaj. The trouble is that it will benefit Jet Airways whose investors are reportedly not men of clean image.

Like Vinod Kambli speaks what his heart says, and he is alleging match fixing. We cannot dismiss his version lightly if we remember the collapse of Indian batting after Sachin’s dismissal in that innings. Cricketers and the Manager who have dismissed Kambli’s allegations perhaps wish to avoid another round of investigations and bad press.

Like the walls around IIT-Powai are painted again by a political party. This sinister practice which was stopped by the former Election Commissioner is raising its head again, dirtying already ugly city. And I am sure that the authorities will not act!

And lastly, here is a gem! Like while studying how and why Nagasaki and Hiroshima were chosen as the targets for Atom Bomb, I stumbled upon this interesting information: “Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson struck Kyoto from the list [of targets] because of its cultural significance, over the objections of General Leslie Groves, head of the Manhattan Project. According to Professor Edwin O. Reischauer, Stimson "had known and admired Kyoto ever since his honeymoon there several decades earlier." So we may say that Kyoto people were saved of death and destruction by Stimson. I am dumb struck knowing the factors which played a role in deciding fate of Kyoto people! Life is like that!!

Vivek

Some Thoughts and Some Feelings Nov 14

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek Patwardhan) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 04:15:00 +0000

Some thoughts and some feelings, all my own:

Like I cannot understand why anyone would be interested in reading details of Aishwarya’s pregnancy, hospitalisation and delivery. And this intrusion on privacy of the actress is deplorable.

Like Kalam remains so dignified in very insulting situations. And US authorities have made it a habit to insult dignitaries and then apologise.

Like I feel that Sachin has missed his timing. He should have retired on the day India won the World Cup. I would say this irrespective of whether or not he hits a century against West Indies.

Like I always wondered how an airline can be named Kingfisher, a bird known for diving in waters to pick up fish and not known to fly high. And we see that Kingfisher is living up to its name by fishing in troubled waters.

Like whether we agree with Rahul Bajaj or not when he says that “I don't see any logic of bailing out any private sector company either for sake of employees or customers...” we must appreciate his ability to speak his mind.

Like the way Maruti Suzuki handled the strike they have given a new meaning to the term ‘The Japanese Style of Management.’

Like about his Big Boss experience Swami Agnivesh said, “I completely enjoyed my stay in the house. It was a rich experience. To be honest, it has increased by confidence level in the youth.” I wonder what the residents of the Big Boss would say about him!

Vivek

Ye Public Hai, Ye Sab Jaanti Hai

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek Patwardhan) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 06:44:00 +0000

Lulu was whistling the tune ‘Ye public hai, ye sab jaanti hai, ye jo public hai!’ as he landed on my table.

‘That old Bollywood song!’ I said.

“The lyricist has been exceptionally insightful.”

“Sorry, I could not follow you. What are you referring to?”

“You are reading and writing so much about Maruti workers’ strike. Did you notice that in similar strikes the public opinion in some cases favoured management, while in some other cases it favoured workers?”

“Now that you say it, I realise that the public had its opinion on such issues.”

“In Maruti strike they have held Management of Maruti Suzuki guilty.” Lulu said.

“Yes, they have. It is not as if workers were blameless, but in the final judgement public has held the Management responsible.”

“Do you remember the Telco Strike in late eighties? In that case the public held the Union led by Rajan Nair guilty.”

“You are right. Ratan Tata had just taken over the reins. People thought that he wanted to make a mark and this was his test by fire.”

“Right. Tatas did not have an image of being very ‘controlling’ in their relationship. Actually, when it came to labour relations, they were seen, during the Telco strike, as a ‘weak’ management.” Lulu observed.

“Not without justification. But the real problem is that the strong gets arrogant. Rajan Nair fell because of his arrogance. His failure emanates from it.”

“Sharad Pawar openly supported Tatas. Yet the public sympathy remained with Ratan Tata.”

“Hmm...interesting. In Maruti case, the Government openly supported Maruti.”I said.

“In both the cases ‘Recognition’ was an issue. Maruti refused to deal with the union chosen by workers.” Lulu pointed out similarities.

“Yes, Tatas refused to deal with their erstwhile dismissed worker Rajan Nair. And both the managements did not budge an inch from their stand.” I agreed.

“Since auto industry supports a large number of ancillary units. Many others were affected in both the cases.” Lulu said.

“Tell me, why then the public opinion was with Tatas in 1989 and why is it against Maruti Suzuki today?” I asked Lulu.

“Hmmm....I feel that the people know that conflicts are inevitable. If you work together, there will be differences; there will be different individual aspirations and mindsets of the parties. The issue is how the parties have handled conflicts; the public does not appreciate the parties crossing the invisible boundaries it draws for resolving conflicts.” Lulu said.

“I see your point. They did not like Rajan Nair’s ways of violence and they did not like Maruti Suzuki dictating choice of union.”

“You are right! The people make their judgement, and they are good judges.”

“True. And they are not influenced by the outcome of win and lose.”

“You said it. That is why I say that the lyricist Anand Bakshi wrote an insightful song....‘

aji andar kya hai, baahar kya hai,

ye sab kuch pahachaanati hai

ye jo public hai, yeh sab jaanti hai, public hai!’

Vivek

Discovering Meaning

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek Patwardhan) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 09:20:00 +0000

“It is two and a half years since you retired.” Lulu, my parrot, observed.

“So? What are you trying to say?” I asked.

“Oh, how time flies!” Lulu said eating guava.

“Yes indeed. Time flies. Perhaps faster than light. I had thought that the pace of my life will slow down after retirement, but not a bit.”

“Life does not slow down, people do.” Lulu handed down a gem of wisdom.

“You are right.”

“So how did the last 30 months go?” Lulu asked.

“Well, there are some good lessons learned.”

“Like?”

“Like doors start opening when you engage in a good activity. When we started, rather rejuvenated, the Thane HR Group I did not know that I will have so many new friends. They are not the people who make friends for any business reason; they are really good friends.” I said as I reflected on the recent past.

“That is true. You are seen often at Costa Coffee with some of them.”

“Oh yes.”

“And any more lessons?” Lulu asked.

“Like the real energy comes from having your own ‘always wanted to do - but could not do it so far - so now I am going to do it’ agenda.” I responded as I looked back.

“Ha ha. That is interesting. What’s your agenda?”

“I am learning painting!”

“I know I have heard you tell that to so many people.”Lulu said hopping on my shoulder.

“Painting directly with a brush is one of the crazy things I have experienced.”

“Really? What do you mean? What’s crazy about it?”

“When you begin you only know that you are going to draw some flowers. But you have very broad idea, and sometimes no idea, of how the final picture will look like. For people who have spent more than half of their life in the corporate world, it is a crazy thing. Creative experiences are strange experiences to us.” I said.

“Or you are a stranger to creative experiences! Ray Bradbury said “Don't think. Thinking is the enemy of creativity. It's self-conscious, and anything self-conscious is lousy. You can't try to do things. You simply must do things.” Lulu handed down one more gem.

“You are a well informed parrot! Ray Bradbury was a science fiction writer who was touched on the nose by an entertainer with an electrified sword, which made his hair stand on end, and the entertainer shouted, "Live forever!" It was from then that Bradbury wanted to live forever and decided on his career as an author in order to do what he was told: live forever.” I mentioned the little I knew of Ray Bradbury.

“Very interesting.....very interesting, indeed! This experience of creativity seems to have touched you. And so has the Ray Bradbury story of ‘Live forever.’”

“You are right, Lulu, it has.”

“We wonder why there seems to be no meaning in life. Meaning does not exist a priori. It needs to be created.”Lulu said.

“I see your point.”

“So only if you create it, you will discover it, right?” Lulu jumped on my head, rubbed his against mine, and flew away.

Vivek

Mr. P. Chidambaram and The Jailor

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek Patwardhan) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 10:27:00 +0000

“Lulu, did you read what they are about to do?” I asked.

“Tell me, what is it?” Lulu, my parrot, responded while nibbling at chillies.

“Jayalalitha wants clemency for Rajiv Gandhi killers and now the J&K Assembly wants clemency for Afzal Guru!”

“Who? The man who attacked parliament?” Lulu asked

“Yes!”

“But he was sentenced to death in 2004. Why did they not hang him so far?”

“Timidity, what else? Besides that some legal pundits say that the trial was not fair.” I flaunted my general knowledge!

“Well, I have heard that argument before when I was flying in Iran. They were about to hang Saddam Hussein then.” Lulu said in the tone of a ‘foreign-returned’ man.

“That was a different case.” I said.

“You are speaking like a lawyer now! Ha, ha. I have also heard the ‘unfair trial argument’ in another case.” Lulu laughed fluttering his wings.

“Which one?”

“The famous Eichmann trial...Eichmann who reportedly killed a million Jews. There are people who believe that he got raw deal.”

“I see your point. I think if Hitler was an Indian and not German, he too would have been let off the hook.” I said.

“Can’t say. Indians are unpredictable. The Bengali Babu Dhananjay Chatterjee was hanged after 14 years in prison. His mercy petition was rejected by the then President of India in 1994. He was hanged in 2004.” Lulu said.

“Hmmm....well...”

“And advising the President to reject the mercy petition filed by Chatterjee’s wife, the Home Ministry had said that the law is not for the condemned but for the victim.” Lulu pointed out.

“So law also takes sides!” I said

“Not law. The Home Ministry. There is more to it.”

“Now, what’s that?”

“The Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party president and MP, Mehbooba Mufti said that the Centre should pardon Afzal if Pakistan accepted the clemency appeal for Sarabjit Singh. Sarabjit is facing death sentence in Pakistan.” Lulu said.

“You mean our political leaders want to do a ‘Quid pro quo.’ The barter will get them more votes, they think. Will they ask for ‘one on one’ free?” I asked.

“Ha, ha!” Lulu said. “All this points out to a Government which is exactly in the same position like that jailor....I told you that story once.”

“Tell me again, I don’t remember.”

“A jailor put the convict in electric chair and asked what his last wish was and added that he would do everything to fulfil it.”

“So?” I asked.

“The convict said that he was very scared of dying so he requested jailor that while he was getting electrocuted the jailor should just hold his hand!”

And Lulu resumed nibbling at chillies

Vivek

An apology of an apology!

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek Patwardhan) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 02:43:00 +0000

Vijay Tendulkar, the renowned playwright and author, described a true story in his article for a Diwali number of a reputed Marathi magazine. He was stunned when he discovered that a teacher, critically ill, called his student, a girl several years younger than him, and sought her pardon. The teacher’s offense? He had secretly desired her which was in breach of his role as her teacher. She was not at all aware of it, but teacher was very repentant and said that unless she pardoned him he would not die peacefully.

Tendulkar, in his inimitable style, explored the world of temptations and penitence.

I remembered the story as I read the so-called apology of ex-Chief Justice PN Bhagwati. There should be no doubt in anybody’s mind that Mr. Prafullachandra Natwarlal Bhagwati was one of the most outstanding and brilliant judges of the Supreme Court. He concurred with M/s Beg, Chandrachud and Ray in ADM Jabalpur case to declare that The Government could suspend all fundamental rights during Emergency.

Here is an excerpt from Fali Nariman’s book ‘Before Memory Fades’ which tells what it meant :

During the hearing of ADM Jabalpur in the Supreme Court, the then attorney General of India was specifically asked by Justice HR Khanna – one of the judges on the bench – whether there would be any remedy if a police officer, because of personal enmity and for reasons which had nothing to do with the state, too into detention a law-abiding citizen and even put an end to his life. The answer of the attorney general was unequivocal....”It may shock you conscience, it shocks mine, but consistently with my submissions no proceedings can be taken in a Court of Law on that score during Emergency.” [Justice HR Khanna was the only judge who delivered a dissenting judgement, and was punished by Indira Gandhi when he was superseded by a junior judge. His portrait hangs in Supreme Court’s Court room 2.]

Ex Chief Justice Mr PN Bhagwati [now approaching 90] has recently said, “I was wrong. The majority judgment was not the correct judgment. If it was open to me to come to a fresh decision in that case, I would agree with what Justice Khanna did. I am sorry. I don’t know why I yielded to my colleagues. Initially, I was not in favour of the majority view. But ultimately, I don’t know why, I was persuaded to agree with them. I was a novice at that time, a young judge…I was handling this type of litigation for the first time. But it was an act of weakness on my part.”

Chandrachud too had declared that it was a wrong judgement, but several years later. Popular view is that the judges were lured by the possibility of becoming Chief Justices of Supreme Court.

There is a vital difference between the old teacher in Tendulkar’s story who confesses and redefines ‘offence,’ and PN Bhagwati. The teacher was uncomfortable with having wrong emotions and desires about his lady student. He had a remorse filled heart. And we have Bhagwati who not only fell prey to temptations, but going by his own admission, to influence of his brother judges, and he defends it by saying ‘I was a novice at that time, a young judge.’

No remorse here, no penitent heart!

This is a case of dishonest apology! It is a case of corrupt mind!! A brilliant mind, but corrupt one. Bhagwati, who is considered as the ‘Father of Public Interest Litigation’ a concept which has delivered justice to several Indians, and whose judgements in many cases were trend setters, unfortunately showed petty weaknesses.

Not just then but even today in his apology too.

Vivek

Remembering Teachers

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek Patwardhan) — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 16:00:00 +0000

The story of teachers in my life is like a ‘Masala’ Bollywood film. It was ‘hate at first sight’ that gradually transformed to deep respect and affection. Today I would acknowledge without any exaggeration that the teachers have made me whatever I am today. But the journey has been like a roller coaster ride.

Speaking of teachers, my early memories of my teachers are not very pleasant. My mother taught me at home and I was directly admitted to the 3^rd standard. The teacher agreed in his discussion that I could even be admitted to 4^th standard directly, but advised my parents against it. I was listening and thought it was a great injustice.

I clearly thought that I knew everything in this world [my wife says that such a feeling is deep rooted in my personality and it is obvious to all!], and my fights with my teachers started immediately on my joining the school! Within a few months I told my teacher [I was in the 3^rd standard then] that he was an ignoramus and knew nothing!!

The teacher was patient in every sense of the word. He did not say anything to me but reported it to my father, a doctor, of whom he was a patient. The consequence of his action, a ‘tuning up’ at the hands of my father who belonged to the generation which never tolerated a word of disrespect to teachers, further alienated me from teachers’ community. Our family soon moved to Mumbai and I had a new school to attend.

The new Marathi school was a not a good experience at all, as far as teachers were concerned, with my getting beaten up very badly by a teacher. [I remember that I promised myself that day that I will also beat him up when I ‘grow up.’ I later found this very feeling captured by PG Wodehouse in “Laughing Gas”; in that story the child hero keeps a list of people to be thrashed when he grows up!].

And I returned the favour to the teacher when I wrote an essay on what I would like to be in future. While I wrote that I wanted to be a doctor like my father, I ended the essay by stating that ‘in any case I will never be a school teacher like Mr. X’, mentioning the teacher who had used the stick on me. That perhaps did it; my father changed my school again. The new school had teachers who tolerated me or perhaps I had learnt to be more careful with them after repeated encounters.

But an incident changed my attitude towards the teachers.

My elder brother was appearing for his matriculation examination; he was very good at studies and was expected to do very well in the examination. On the day of examination, Mr Joglekar, my brother’s teacher perhaps in his late fifties, came home to meet him. Mr. Joglekar did not say much except that he expected my brother to do well in his exams and conveyed his blessings. I had not known that teachers can be so nice.

I never felt bad about leaving the school when I passed my matriculation examination. Moving to a college was a great experience. There was a sense of freedom. And a lot of excitement. And a feeling of inadequacy! I had studied in the vernacular medium school, but the medium of instruction in college was English. I knew that I could not speak two sentences in that foreign language, and I had classmates who came from convent schools or English medium schools. They spoke fluent English.

The college had arranged tutorials for us. A Parsee lady, the tutor, used to encourage us to write English essays. She always encouraged me and said often that I write well. There was some praise now coming from a teacher when it was most needed. I have forgotten her name but not her. I must have supplied her hilarious material given our ‘proficiency’ in the language, but she never ridiculed, never laughed, and never scolded anybody. She encouraged us, appreciated when we showed progress. She unknowingly understood the golden rule ‘Catch them doing something right.’

When I took up a job, my boss was a ‘Guru’ more than a teacher. I mean he helped me reflect – he actually instilled a habit of reflection. That actually was the result and not his intention to do it. My guru often left me with questions I could not answer and that used to disturb me a lot. Some questions were very insulting; they kind of shook you up. Very often I could find the answer only upon some reflection. It was a strange way to develop a junior.

Later I realised that he too searched answers to some questions and putting questions to me was often a monologue, he was perhaps speaking to himself. But we were also with him in his journey. And in a peculiar way we were also going forward in our journey, learning something about ourselves and our little world.

On my table I kept a small photograph of Lord Dattatreya who had twenty-one gurus. One has to learn from everybody, I realised. I also realised that it required an open mind and a willingness to hold one’s belief in suspension. This is not easy, I can practice it better than I did in the past but there is a long, long way to go. It is a mystery as to how I have travelled this distance; but I suppose it is the guru who made the difference. I realised that ‘growth’ is a very slow and unobtrusive process; you do not know yourself how you are changing.

I began by mentioning how I fought with my teacher. Let me end this narration by telling you a story when a teacher hit his student.

There was a Zen master who asked his disciple, ‘Have you seen the God?’ The disciple was puzzled. He stood there speechless with his head down, lost in contemplating on the question. The master was happy; he called his disciple and praised him. On the next day the master called him and asked him, ‘Have you seen the God?’ The disciple stood there with his head down and did not speak a word. The master picked up his stick and hit him hard. ‘Why are you hitting me, master?’ the disciple asked. The Zen master replied ‘You were truthful yesterday, now you are manipulating me, you know which answer works. We have to find a new answer every day to the same question!’

Yes indeed!! And that is a long journey. The difference is that now anybody can teach me – rather I am willing to learn from anybody.

And that includes my grand-daughter too!

Vivek

Declaring Genuine Wealth? Or Wealth Genuinely?

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek Patwardhan) — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 16:22:00 +0000

“Hello, Are you not declaring your wealth? Dr. Manmohan Singh and his ministers have declared their wealth.” Lulu, my parrot asked me.

“Oh, you must be going crazy, Lulu. I do not have enough money....nothing that can be called wealth.....moreover who is interested in knowing how much I own? Not even Anna Hazare! ” I said.

“Do you own a car?”

“Yes, I do, an old one, but it is not for sale.”

“Do you own an apartment?” Lulu asked rubbing his beak on my shoulder.

“Yes, I do, a twenty-five year old apartment, but it is not for sale. Where will I go if I sell it?”

“Do you have some fixed deposits with banks?”

“Yes, I do, but those are just enough to see this old man through a ‘rainy day’.”

“Do you own a parcel of land or a resort?”

“No. I don’t. You must be joking, Lulu. A salaried man does not own land or resort unless he gets it from his father. Or father in law. Why exclude him?” I said.

“I really wonder what you have achieved in life, given that you were born in India, the land of opportunities for all those who wanted to be rich.”

“You have put your finger on the most sensitive issue, Lulu. But I have earned whatever I have, honestly.”

“Sounds like ‘mere paas maa hai.’ What do you understand by ‘wealth’?” Lulu asked fluttering his wings.

“Hmmmm.....Difficult to define. You are getting very ‘professorial’, Lulu.”

“Do you know that the word wealth comes from the Old English words “weal” (well-being) and “th” (condition) which taken together means “the condition of well-being”?”

“No...I am learning something new. Go on ...”

“And the internet informs me... Did you know that the father of accounting Lucca Paciolli, a 16^th century Franciscan monk and mathematician, never defined the word “wealth” nor did he provide a definition of “profit”? To this day accountants have no clear definition of either word.”

“Tell me Lulu, have you met the political leaders recently? They seem to be capitalising on this ambiguity!” I laughed.

“Well....Robert Kennedy said that ‘wealth means things that make life worthwhile’.”

“That too sounds like ‘mere paas maa hai.’ What Kennedy said is a very sweeping statement yet very true, very accurately saying what wealth is.”

“So did your political leaders tell you what they value most, what makes their life worthwhile?”

“Nope!”

“Did they declare what personal and professional values they preach and practice, for we can understand what makes their life worthwhile if they tell us about it?” Lulu asked. It made me wonder if he had been seeing some TV anchor of late.

“Nah, they can’t! People will rip them apart if they did.”

“Can you declare?”

“Must you ask me such a question? I am not a political leader who is under public gaze for his honesty or corruption. I am a retired person who has made his little chunk of money honestly. That is the problem with these declarations. The ‘Genuine’ wealth, being what Robert Kennedy meant it to be, is never declared.”

“You are right! But remember what you practice is in public arena and your personal and professional values are known to people, even if you attempt covering them up. And tell that to your political leaders!” Lulu said as he resumed his flight towards Delhi.

Vivek

PS: The Prime Minister and other ministers have declared their wealth today. [Link]

Some Thoughts and Some Feelings: Sept 2

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek Patwardhan) — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 12:14:00 +0000

Some thoughts and some feelings, all my work:

Like if TV coverage was available for the Mahatma, we would have made the British leave India earlier than 1947. The tremendous power of media was realised during the Anna Hazare event.

Like time inverts many things; with Government of India’s exceptional delay in hanging the Rajiv Gandhi killers there is now a sympathy wave for them. At least in Chennai. I too think keeping a person waiting for 20 years in death cell is more cruel punishment than capital punishment.

Like this Indian team has received the greatest accolades for winning the World Cup and it has also received the most brickbats for their dismal show in England. And I think Indian team’s play is more a game of chance; it has got nothing to do with cricket being [or not being] a game of chance.

Like ex-England Captain Nasser Hussain called Indian fielders ‘donkeys.’ Perhaps he thinks that by settling down in England after being born in India does not make him a donkey.

Like Justice Soumitra Sen has finally resigned! But that is not the big news; Rajya Sabha has passed an impeachment resolution – that is the big news!!

Like the most high profile impeachment process was that of Supreme Court Judge V Ramaswami was lost due to political wrangling, with Kapil Sibal defending V Ramaswami! And it is quite a poetic justice that Kapil Sibal had to face public wrath for being a road block to Anti-Corruption movement.

And finally, I took pity on Dr Manmohan Singh when I saw a cartoon in Marathi magazine which shows Baby Manmohan is born in a maternity hospital and is spanked on his bottom by the doctor who exclaims ‘This baby is not making any sound at all in spite of my hitting him so hard!’ Poor PM, he has received so much flak that I pity him.

PS: Ms Shobha De spoke for many of us when she wrote... [Amir Khan’s] presence at the [Anna Hazare’s] rally sent out a strong signal. It was about Aamir the individual, Aamir the citizen, taking a stand, not just against corruption, but indirectly against the Manmohan Singh-led UPA government. In an age where the culture of camps continues to prevail, this was seen as a defiantly independent move, more so, because the other Khans had maintained a safe distance from a burning issue that had India up in arms for close to a fortnight.

Vivek

In Praise Of Prashant

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek Patwardhan) — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 19:22:00 +0000

Prashant Likhite has announced that his book on Bollywood actresses will be published soon. Seema, the leading lady of Marathi movies of yesteryears will be writing the foreword. I feel it is time to write about Prashant, there are some unique qualities in this young man whom I like [and envy!].

When I met him almost twenty five years ago, Prashant was a young man [he continues to be so at heart now], full of vivacity and action. Fortunately these two remain hallmarks of his personality even today. His zest for life, an indomitable will [if you are in HR they call it ‘passion’] to pursue dreams relentlessly differentiates Prashant from others. These are rare qualities indeed.

But what makes him different from others is that he is not chained and shackled by the desire to reach perfection. Please do not take this as a back handed compliment; it is not meant to be so. Many persons, [needless to say me in particular] often do not move and take steps because we feel we have not yet perfected our action. We actually sacrifice ‘good’ waiting for perfection; the perfect being the enemy of the good, and wait endlessly to make the first move. Prashant has never been restrained by such thoughts. He understood early in life, or perhaps it comes to him naturally, that perfection is attained by practice and moved on when he felt confident. This is another point why I envy him. The need to attain perfection has been so drilled deep in my mind by parents, teachers et al. that I have always found it difficult to take first step. I have [and I may say many others too] find it difficult to accept praise for the same reason.

There are several occasions when we have discussed subjects for writing articles; sometimes he went ahead and wrote in a flourish. There is a ‘flow’ that one often notices in his writing, lucidity and simplicity mark his style. He actually writes as he speaks. And on a rare occasion he comes out with some hard hitting stances – in one of his articles he directed his ire against an indecisive manager calling him as slippery as a tomato seed! But those are rare instances.

His appreciative mind takes over quickly and he sees a lot to aspire for and admire. Music comes to him naturally, I believe he is not trained in classical music, but he understands enough to appreciate it. [He does not think it necessary to learn classical music in order to enjoy it, and yet again, I agree]. Essentially his is a mind that wants to enjoy life to the fullest; he is a man who appreciates that his glass is half full and would also like to work on the half empty part to his advantage.

His latest book covers the life stories of beautiful actresses of Bollywood. He has written about vicissitudes of their life. I have had a chance to discuss with him some of his write ups. It was my pleasure to discuss how events in one’s life shape a person’s future, how luck plays a role and how destiny intervenes at the crucial junctures in life to give it twists and turns. Biographies bring this out so well. May be someday we will read Prashant’s autobiography! After all, an autobiography is the story of how a man thinks he lived.

On this occasion of publication of his first book I can only say: Kudos to Prashant. Kudos to your spirit of adventure. Kudos to your zeal for life. And as I always said to him ‘I am proud of you!’

Vivek

Flying Planes, Flying Kites

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek Patwardhan) — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 15:56:00 +0000

‘Hello......’ Lulu, my parrot, called out.

‘O Hello, Hello, Lulu. You seem to be so tired. Where had you been?’ I asked.

‘I was in Tihar Jail.’ Lulu said.

‘What were you doing there Lulu? Are some parrots also involved in 2G and 3G scam cases?’

‘Oh, no, no, no.’ Lulu clarified, ‘We parrots are not involved in any scams.’

‘Ok...’ I laughed.

‘Those involved are the bosses of those who ‘parrot’ ‘Haan Jee.’' Lulu said.

‘Haan jee....I mean ....I understand. But what were you doing in Tihar jail?’

‘I met Suresh Kalmadi.’

‘Really? That’s interesting. What did you do there?’

‘Had a chat with him, it was about his future.’

‘What did he say....this is getting curious.’

‘Which political leader is worried about his future at the age of 66? He asked me!’ said Lulu.

‘He is right I think, but the prospect of spending days and nights in Tihar jail would raise questions about future even in an old man’s mind, I guess.’

‘He said he had very high regards for Indian judiciary which proudly stated ‘Bail, not Jail’ in dozens of their judgements.’

‘That’s Justice Mr. Krishna Iyer who said it. And it has caught on. Well read man he must be and sounds intelligent.’ I observed.

‘Oh yes, indeed so. After all you don’t get into National Defence Academy and become a pilot flying war planes unless you have a wonderful grey matter up there.’ Lulu said.

‘Pilot? Flying planes? Amazing. But what did he say about his role in the Commonwealth Games scam?’

‘Nothing.’ Lulu said.

‘Nothing? What do you mean? Didn’t you ask him?’

‘Yes I did.’

‘So what did he say?’

‘He said that he was suffering dementia, and he does not remember his past.’

‘And he remembered that he was suffering from dementia! Don’t tell me you were fooled by that crap, Lulu.’ I said angrily.

‘Nah! Nah!! I told him you were flying planes as a young man; and now you are flying kites!!’

Vivek

Platform Number Zero

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek Patwardhan) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 04:35:00 +0000

I first met them at Kalyan railway station.

Our family moved to Kalyan about forty years ago when the communal riots were at its peak and several families were displaced. Out of fear, several families were fleeing and taking safer shelter at the railway station. Their children would play in the railway tracks and sometimes sell some items in the suburban trains.

The children were always seen at the station. There were a few smart ones too; among them was one who would carry a shoe-shine kit. He was a clever kid, about six or seven years old who would then charge Re 1 for shoe-shine. He noticed that some commuters were ‘regulars’ for the train which I used to take to Mumbai. He used to ask for Rs 5 and would promise that he would polish their shoes six days from Monday to Saturday; I was amused at this discount, or perhaps impressed by the young boy’s clever ways to make a living and agreed to pay. Many others did.

That was the closest I came to knowing the boys who always were seen and living on railway platform.

I read more about their life in ‘Platform Number Zero,’ Amita Naidu’s book [Marathi] on children making a living by cleaning railway compartments, collecting and selling scrap, occasionally stealing passengers’ belongings, and begging.

Amita Naidu is a social activist and met the ‘platform children’ while working for an NGO. She mentions that there was no need for people to ‘work’ for them because the children see a very different world and get courage to face it, they adapt to it. The real need was to understand them. While love and affection was the real need, the children had also developed their own way of judging and testing people before they moved closer to a person. The hostile circumstances had taught them many ways to protect themselves.

Amita tells stories of Anthony, Billu, Zaheer, Kekya, Munna, Kishor, Jaggu and others. These were children who ran away from home. Anthony stole a thousand rupees from his aunt for his mother’s treatment and then ran away. He joined the platform ‘club’ and saved enough money to return home and repay his aunt. He returned to find that his heart broken mother had died and the home was devastated. Anthony returned to his living on platform. Among unfortunate boys like him, there is Kekya who is disabled but a ‘bread winner’ for his family as he earns a good amount in begging. He runs away and uses novel methods to survive. And Munna turns to ‘poetry’ to express himself. Like:

"सायकल की चेन उतर गयी, चढाऊं कैसे?

बगलमें खडी है लडकी, पटाऊं कैसे?"

The author brings out clearly the urge to live and relate skilfully to a hostile world. She also brings out clearly the dilemmas in their lives, the constant threat of police and their use of these boys, the pains of growing up and ways of meeting the urges of adolescents. The best part is that their stories are not told to produce a feeling of melancholy, but they help us understand their lives.

For many like me who travelled daily by suburban trains these lives went unnoticed. The book unfolds their world and serves to heighten our sensitivities to this section of society which is largely neglected and misunderstood often as ‘criminals in making.’

‘Platform Number Zero’ is titled so because it is the invisible platform at which the train of their lives is permanently standing. Never moves out.

This is undoubtedly the best book I have read so far this year. Thanks Ms Amita Naidu.

Vivek

The Spirit of Mumbai

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek Patwardhan) — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 05:35:00 +0000

“I say this Congress Government is corrupt” I declared.

“I understand” said Lulu, my parrot who was munching fruits.

“And it is very inefficient; there was perhaps no previous Government which was so inefficient.” I said emphatically.

“I see your point” said Lulu, who was now looking at the huge billboards in front of a Mall.

“It is impossible to live in Mumbai. It is the dirtiest city in the country, huge slums everywhere and filth on the road.”

“That’s unfortunately true.” Lulu.

“Just take a look at the suburban trains; they call them ‘Local train.’ There is no place to get in, forget about standing all the way to destination.”

“Hmmm...I’d never been inside, but you must be right, those trains are so crowded.”

“When you get down from the train the hawkers make it impossible to walk on the street all the way to your office.” I said angrily.

“Even Malls are crowded on weekends. No place to park your car there.”

“Yes, yes. Parking is a huge problem in Mumbai. And they tow away your car!”

“Right.” I said. “The traffic moves in absolutely undisciplined manner. Sometimes they move through one way street in banned direction. And breaking signals is becoming so common that they better not operate them.”

“Very unsafe. I see your point. It is an unsafe city even for parrots.” Lulu agreed.

“If you want to eat in a good restaurant you have to wait for at least half an hour before you get inside.”

“Now don’t talk to me about unhygienic conditions of their kitchen. I have seen it all.” Lulu said.

“Road side ‘thelas’ are also very unhygienic. But poor people - they eat their food there. What will they do?”

“Poor souls.” said Lulu.

“People will die by dozens in Bomb blasts, but Mumbai will move on even if no action is taken. Actually no action was taken as we know. And no action about so many problems of this city!”

“tut tut tut tut” Lulu sympathised. “But why does Mumbai get into situation like this?”

“Because they have perfected the art of ignoring everything that goes on around them.”

“You mean that’s the spirit?" Lulu asked, nibbling chillies.

“Yes, that’s the spirit!” I answered.

Vivek

Sign Boards

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek Patwardhan) — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 05:03:00 +0000

The Real Bbuddah

noreply@blogger.com (Vivek Patwardhan) — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 09:49:00 +0000

“Hi Lulu....” I called out Lulu, my parrot who was sitting on the window lost in his thoughts.

"????.........???"

“Hi Lulu! So engrossed in thoughts? What’s the matter? What are you doing?”

“Purane papon ka prayaschitta kar raha hun [Atoning past sins]” Lulu replied.

“Don’t use Amitabh’s lines from Bbuddah hoga tera baap, Lulu.” I laughed.

“I am remembering him very badly.”

“Why?”

“In that movie, an old Amitabh Bachchan understands people’s feelings, tames baddies, threatens underworld and kills some of them, moves with tremendous energy and confidence.” Lulu said.

“Yes, he has acted really well.”

“You almost believe that old men can do miracles.”

“Yes, I agree. So? What’s the point you are making?” I asked.

“They should ban the film.”

“Why so, Lulu?”

“The reality is so different. It pains. The other Bbuddah [old man] who matters to Indians is so weak and powerless.” Lulu commented.

“Are you referring to Dr Manmohan Singh?”

“Yes. He cannot execute Afzal Guru and Kasab while their associates are playing havoc in the country.”

“But we are a law abiding country. We must follow the due process of law.”

“I don’t know what you are talking. I only know that in the final analysis Kasab and Afzal Guru will die their natural death in the prison. And hundreds of citizens will get killed by their associates who face no deterrence from the Bbuddhah who matters.” Lulu looked at me angrily and flew away.

He was right, we are perhaps atoning our past sins, I said to myself.

Vivek

[picture courtesy lundamunda.blogspot.com]