Chadditva on the web...

The fundamental philosophy of any political party is exhibited by what can be termed as its lowest common denominator -- the hardcore fanatics of that party.

Most Indian political chatboards on the internet are swarming with such characters. A glimpse into what the chat board warrior ultimately resorts to as the ultimate argument to win a debate IS THE CORE belief of that party.

Chip away at the chadditva warrior's points logically and systematically, and what you arrive at are a few core points:

a) India is the world's greatest country.
b) Hindus are god's gift to humanity.
c) Non-Hindus, especially Muslims, are "outsiders"
d) Outsiders must be just where they belong -- "outside India"
e) If they remain in India, they must acknowledge Hindu supremacy.

All these are wrapped up in the more palatable and marketable rhetoric of:

a) Hindus are mistreated.
b) Development
c) We wanna be a superpower
d) Gomatha and Gomooth Cola
e) Ram

1971: A Global History of the Creation of Bangladesh -- by Shrinath Raghavan

The title and cover photo can be misleading. This is a book on the war all right. But not really. It is more about war diplomacy.

Raghavan traces the official stands of various nations involved during the build up to the war -- Pakistan, US, UK, Russia, China and others. Of course besides the subaltern workings in India and Bangladesh itself.

It busts many myths of the era -- involving Indira Gandhi, Manekshaw and others. It also draws  outlines of personalities, although inadvertantly.

And guess who're the jokers of the pack. The wily Henry Kissinger and his boss Richard Nixon.

Great book.

Farewell, Chitra miss...

If wealth is lost, nothing is lost.
If health is lost, something is lost.
If character is lost, everything is lost.

-- Something my class teacher of Class VII used to tell us unruly kids at least once a week. Not a few times have I tormented her.

Yet, when I met her one day long after school days, she was all warmth and smiles. The one thing she told me jokingly was: "I will never forget you Harish. Nobody has made me run around as much you have." That moment, I touched her feet, seeking blessings and forgiveness for the tough times I gave her as an adolescent.

Chitra miss. Whatever little character I have, you have had an immeasurable role in moulding it during and after my days as your student.

Bless you, wherever you are...

Kamba Ramayana: Translated from Tamizh by P S Sundaram

"How many things conspired to crown and reward Indra's penance! The beauty of that gem among women; her chastity; my husband's consuming lust; Surpanakha's severed nose; and most of all Dasaratha's promise to his queen that drove those princes to the forest."

-- Mandodari's lament at the fall of her valiant husband Ravana.

"Her breasts, always a burden to her slender waist, swelled. Drunk with joy, she thought one thing but babbled another. Joy surged in her heart and her shoulders suddenly felt her jewels too tight. Her breasts grew damp with dewy drops of sweat and garment loosened and slid low. That stainless model of what a wedded wife should be, gazed at Hanuman, long and dumb, not knowing what to say."

--The sensuous description of Sita when Hanuman, the archetypal Brahmachari, arrives with the news of Ravana's death.

Kamba Ramayana is not too very different from its original acknowledged source: Valmiki Ramayana. But such ornamentation and tongue firmly in cheek-singles put it in a league of its own.

Honestly, it is no match to the austere beauty and tone of Valmiki. While he wrote as Rama's contemporary, firmly keeping the mythical prince human, Kamban, already a bhakta, is half-way into the process of Rama's deification (I guess the process was completed by Tulsidas's time).

Although based on Valmiki, Kamban brings in his own mild twists and turns in the tale. However, what makes his version firmly distinct is the overdose of athishayokti.

Yet, the underlying point is that as a work of fiction, Ramayana is unparalleled, deeply moving and overwhelming. Problem arises when it is sought to be read as history, or worse, god's history.

I get a feeling that the real reason for the enduring charm of Rama and the overarching devotion to him is the sense of vicarious guilt or deep sympathy the tale evokes in its readers. The story of the travails that an essentially good-at-heart prince goes through at a young age due to no fault of his, so evocatively told has soaked the collective psyche (I dare not say "conscience"!) of generations in guilt -- so what if none else but his family was at fault. 

The guilt theme perhaps is also the same in the Jesus narrative. Perhaps Chitrabhanu or Sevanand can hold forth on this better. Malayalees will recognize this enduring but helpless "Oh, what can I do to reduce your suffering?" feeling vis-a-vis Ramapuram Sethumadhavan.

PS: Snap to the climax of  Malayalam movie "Bharatam". Protagonist "Gopi", accused by others of getting his brother killed, breaks into tears  after being consoled by his just-widowed sister-in-law herself. The scene is based on the Bharata-Kaushalya exchanges in Kamba Ramayana following Rama's departure during Bharata's absence

Swamiye Dufferappa...

I had just begun to read "Hindutva and National Renaissance" by the joker Subramanian Swamy, to understand what his problem in life is.

Major blunders (or examples of ignorance or stupidity) and at least one instance of ego-mania in the first 43 of the 300-odd page book put paid to my effort.

He begins selling himself and his organization straight away in the preface. Then, entire paragraphs that he used for self-propagation -- about his sacrifices and single-minded pursuit of his goals -- from the preface are copy pasted into the introduction.

I forgave him for that and continued.

Then, as any Hindutva ruffian worth his salt is wont to do nowadays, he appropriates Gandhi. But how? In one instance he claims that Gandhi's biggest contribution to freedom struggle was that he attracted professionals into it, particularly the legal eagles. Pray someone remind this jerk Gandhi actually opened up the freedom struggle from the clutches of a few urban professionals to the Indian masses in the village and moffusils.

Anyway, I let it go.

He then starts comparing Hindutva (not Hinduism, note the term) to other religions. But of course?! And to prove its superiority, he cites the example of a catholic priest who went in search of the "Ultimate Truth" and ended up at the gates of ... Hold your breath... Satya Sai Baba...

I shrank in embarrassment.

And just when I thought I'll push myself a little more, he dropped a bomb by translating my all-time favorite shloka: Asato ma, sat gamaya.

On page 42, he give his translation. It was likely a typo. But that had me. "...move from untruth to truth, from darkness to light, from MORALITY TO IMMORALITY."

(Dummmmm.... Faints!!!)

Either this A-hole was drunk when he wrote this book, or he has just lost his head, or he is one of the biggest frauds using my religion to meet his ends.

Where's the bloody fireplace? 700 bucks for this decaying lump of Hindutva faeces?

Magnificent Delusions: by Husain Haqqani

An epic tale of lies, unbelievably stupid strategic investments and, of course, deceptions.

Pakistan and the US have been waltzing since 1947, despite lack of harmony or rhythm, based on completely false assumptions and understanding. This is pretty much known. The former Pak ambassador to the US, who was branded traitor by the ISI recently, documents this tale chronologically. And like most subcontinental strategic affairs writers, he just about manages to make the book interesting. Purely because of the subject itself, and definitely not because of his own insights or inputs.

Good read for those into the Indo-US-Pak triangle.

PS: Strangely, the US-Pak dialogue of over six decades came across as more like the Arnab-Rahul interview. The same set of concerns, the same set of evasive answers, the same ludicrous conclusions, and no forward movement.

Sahir, The Romantic Rebel

Sahir Ludhianvi: The People's Poet

-- by Akshay Manwani

"Hindi songs lost their virility after Sahir left." This is what composer Ravi of "Chaudahvin Ka Chand" and "Ae Meri Zohrajabein" fame (Bombay Ravi for Malayalees) told me long back. He was bang on. And, as the author of the book says, there will never be another Sahir Ludhianvi.

Manwani's biography of the poet-lyricist amply backs that stand. It traces his childhood trauma and agonies of the youth, which moulded the egoist and self-made man who would then take on the high & mighty -- in his poetry as well as in real life.

Imagine his gall to lock horns with the sublime S D Burman, when the composer had hit his peak with "Pyaasa". Or breaking ties with Lata. Or

the equally egoistic O P Nayyar. And yet emerging unscathed as the greatest lyricist of all time.

Manwani's research is impressive. And most of the times his grasp of film songs too. For instance, the chapter on Sahir's songs that were diametrically opposite in tone, texture and mood even when they belonged to the same year, really opens up one's eyes. For example, in1957, he wrote the 'anti-patriotic' "Jinhe Naaz Hai Hind Par" for the cynical "Pyasa" and also the vivacious "Ye Desh Hai Veer Jawanon Ka" for "Naya Daur".

Even though a lot of what he has written about Sahir is well known, Manwani embellishes it with some clean writing and an insight or two. At least, he's better than that ridiculous pun-machine Raju Bharathan.

Yet, sometimes Manwani shocks you with his statements and observations.

He says Roshan was a B-grade composer. Utter utter rubbish. Period.

He thinks S D Burman's contribution was minimal in "Pyaasa". Highly debatable. And, for Manwani, lose-able.

He virtually rates "Chalo Ek Baar Phir Se" above "Aap Aaye To Khayal-e-Dil-Nashad Aaya". Disappointing.

Nevertheless, these don't take much away from his effort. And for a vintage Hindi film song enthusiast and Sahir fanatic like me, the book is thoroughly enjoyable.