The Unravelling of Babu Gogineni

I have been following Babu Gogineni’s Facebook profile for the past couple of years or so.  He has been trying to position himself as a reformer, opinion-maker, human rights activist, conscience-keeper, and a crusader against irrational religious customs and practices.  However, in spite of all his efforts to project himself as the reformer that the Telugu-speaking states have long been waiting for, he comes across as a very petty-minded, egotistic, and vulgar person.  This in spite of his erudition, wide exposure, and impressive writing and debating abilities!

 

One can’t argue the fact that he was impressive in his televised debates.  He is evidently very well read. On live television, he effortlessly exposed a few individuals who were exploiting the fears and beliefs of gullible people.  So far so good!  He was then invited to the Big Boss show.  It was then that his carefully crafted public image began to unravel.

 

Quite evidently, he could not handle not being chosen the winner of the show.  He went into the show claiming that he was entering it as he felt it was an interesting experiment in the study of human behavior.  I did not watch any part of the show, but based on his outbursts against the winner and other members of the house, it was quite clear that he deemed himself far superior.  His indignation extended to the makers and the host of the show.  How could they not choose him who is the most knowledgeable, intelligent, and evolved being in the 1000-mile radius, leave alone the Big Boss house!

 

Yes, it is true that Kaushal, the winner, does not possess the intellectual abilities that Babu Gogineni does.  But who said the Big Boss show is the most accurate judge of human virtues?  Why did Babu invest so much emotion and pride in a show (like many Telugu movies and shows) that panders to the lowest common denominator?  It seems he thought it would be an easy win and would launch him into the coveted space of public acceptance and celebrity.

 

He refused to accept the verdict and started slandering and targeting the winner and challenged him to a debate.  His schadenfreude is quite evident whenever something bad comes into light about any of the contestants that he did not like in the house.  Months and years after conclusion of the show, he continues to indulge in vulgar insults and slander on social media platforms.  All this reveals a sick, petty, and vulgar person in the garb of a righteous crusader.

 

True reformers focus their energies not on individual perpetrators but the all-pervading systemic evil itself.  Gandhi did not fight individual British bureaucrats, policemen, or military men.  Jaya Prakash Narayan, founder of Lok Satta Party, was instrumental in bringing about many legislative reforms that curb political corruption.  However, he did not get into street fights against any corrupt MLA or MP.  No mature politician or reformer fights individuals and wastes his/her precious energies.  They look at the larger picture and focus their efforts in bringing about systemic and societal reforms.  However, taking Babu Gogineni’s name in the same breath as Jayaprakash Narayan or Gandhi would be an insult to the latter two.

 

Babu talks about Art of War and strategizing.  He extends his righteous indignation to popular people like RGV, Raja Mouli, and Tanikella Bharani.  While his thoughts on RGV and Aryn Rand appear well-intentioned, reasonable, and accurate, his efforts to pick up cudgels against popular figures betray his sinister designs.  By punching above his weight, he is trying to place himself on the same popularity pedestal that the celebrities occupy.  It is another matter that the celebrities refuse to stoop down to his level and muddy themselves by fighting the pig in its sty.

 

His constant gloating of his insignificant victories over inconsequential people and constant self-glorification on social media platforms have belittled him so much that media has stopped giving him the coverage or importance that they once gave him.  People now deem him as one more nuisance to bear in the realm of public discourse.

 

He and his cronies indulge in frequent and vulgar celebration of his victories.  He frequently shares memes of his opponents that glorify him and insult the individuals.  All this simply betrays his refusal to take defeat, refusal to move on, egotism, and pettiness.  He picks up petty fights against random people on social media platforms.  The language he uses to express his righteous indignation and belittle his numerous opponents is vulgar to say the least.

 

His hypocrisy is laid bare when he condemns Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev as a Tantric practitioner.  He does not believe in unscientific customs and practices but is ready to use the notoriety of Tantra to slander someone.  He is a human rights activist and proponent of free speech until some non-descript person argues with him on social media.  He is a humanist but threatens to approach his opponents’ employers and get them fired for petty issues.

How would any sensible person respond when someone becomes ill?  Even if it's an opponent, one would express their concern and wish them a speedy recovery.  But it seems humanists respond in a very different way.  When it came into light that Pavan Kalyan contracted covid-19, Babu Gogineni started mocking Pavan Kalyan over a cartoon shared by a non-descript fan of his!  I am not a fan of Pavan Kalyan's political career, but there is a way to respond when it comes to public discourse.  No one with the slightest empathy or common sense would mock someone fighting a potentially life-threatening illness.  And Babu calls himself a humanist!

 

All this behavior of Babu Gogineni betrays an immature, sick, petty, and publicity-hungry individual.  The electronic media has already recognized this.  All that the general public have to do to get rid of this menace is realize the pettiness and ignore this idiot’s shenanigans.

 

సో, చెప్పొచ్చేదేమిటంటే, ఈ దగుల్బాజీకి మానవవాదం, హేతువాదం అనేవి తన మనోవికారాలను కప్పి పుచ్చే ఉత్త ముసుగులు మాత్రమే!

గప్పాల్ గొడ్దడు గాడ్ధె కొడుకు!  యాక్ థూ!!

 

Written by

Amarendra Reddy Sagila

Government to be run by National Moodometer (NaMo)

Satire

Having seen the chest-thumping reaction of the nation to surgical strikes, it is reliably learnt that the BJP government has decided to let national mood dictate all actions of the government.  As a result, a device, called National Moodometer (NaMo), is soon going to take control of the reins of the government.  The device gauzes the mood of the nation and recommends an appropriate action that would score the most brownie points from the majority of voters.

Unbeknownst to all Indians, NaMo (not to be confused with Narendra Modi) has been running the government for quite some time.  Contrary to popular opinion, it was not Modi or Manohar Parrikar who was the brains behind the strikes.  The action was recommended by NaMo.  It was the moodometer’s suggestion to tacitly allow the browbeating of filmmakers who made films with Pakistani actors.

The device takes advantage of Big Data and other latest technologies to tap into the public mood.  State of the art analytics software will then pore through the gazillion bytes of data, mostly from social media.  Not even the silliest comment, on the remotest website, by a Bhakt, AAPtard or sickular can escape the attention of NaMo.  Though the device was being tested for some time by the BJP government, it is the surgical strike recommendation and the subsequent favorable reaction all over the country that convinced the party fully about its worth.

The Prime Minister and senior party leaders are so confident now that they have decided to leave all the decision-making to the device.  The device has an auto-pilot mode, which when activated, will take control of the Executive.  To put it simply, NaMo will rule the country.  The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) initially wanted the device to ease the burden on the PM and rid him the daily nuisance of taking silly domestic policy decisions.  The PMO and the PM wanted to concentrate all their energies on Modi’s foreign visits.

“Desperate circumstances warrant desperate measures.  The spectre of China is looming large over India and we have to act.  Modi has to travel to as many countries as possible and become BFFs with as many heads of state as possible.  India has to get into NSG first and then the UN Security Council.  The PM can’t be burdened with silly domestic issues!” responded one PMO official on strict condition of anonymity.

However, senior BJP functionaries seem to have gotten greedy.  Having seen what NaMo can do, they want to exploit it to win the 2019 General Elections.  “Not even the minutest action of the party or the PM goes unnoticed.  Sickular media is always waiting to jump on us.  An innocuous suit cost us the Delhi elections!!  What more can I say?  It feels like walking on eggshells.  We became very afraid of taking any decision or making any statement.  We don't want to repeat 2004 when we lost after the Shining India campaign. We want to get rid of the scope for human error this time.  That’s where NaMo will help us.  The party needs NaMo badly if it wants to win the 2019 elections!” said a senior party functionary.

For many, it came as a revelation that even the BJP government could not escape the fear of taking decisions.  If not for NaMo, it would have gone the same way as UPA 2 which was marred by policy paralysis.  However, BJP seems to be convinced that a machine has better judgement than anyone in the party.  Political parties across nations and centuries always tried to pander to popular opinion.  However, the moodometer simplifies it and seems to be more accurate and effective.

“NaMo is the zenith of democracy.  It took hundreds of years for modern democracy and parliamentary system to evolve, from the days of Magna Carta.  NaMo heralds the beginning of a truly democratic era.  NaMo takes decisions according to popular opinion on social media, which makes India democratic in the truest sense.  Now, Indians can celebrate Diwali every day.” said a senior BJP leader.

However, skeptics wonder whether nonsense from jobless and crazy pseudo-intellectuals on social media can be cumulatively considered as public opinion.  Even if it indeed is, does the government have to pander to it?  “This is crazy.  The country will go to dogs.  We will prove Churchill right” said a critic.

JuD Chief to Literally Lay Eggs for Pakistan

My Satirical Article, Published on Faking News.

http://my.fakingnews.firstpost.com/world/jud-chief-literally-lay-eggs-pakistan-30155

Hafiz Saeed, the chief of Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), has announced that he and his followers will literally lay eggs for Pakistan.  He said that this decision was not borne out of frustration or fear, but out of love and gratitude towards his country.

It is well known that a Pakistani lawmaker had called for action against terror groups in Pakistan.  Amidst a growing chorus, the lawmaker questioned the Pakistani government’s failure to act against Saeed.  There is an increasing concern in Pakistan that harboring non-state actors like Saeed and Masood Azhar is only pushing the country towards diplomatic isolation.

Hafeez already is a UN-designated terrorist and has a $ 10 million US bounty on his head.  The growing demand to disown him has reportedly put a lot of pressure on him.  He reportedly meditated a lot on the lawmaker’s statement about “not laying any egg for Pakistan”.  After a lot of deliberation with his aides, he came up with this plan of literally laying eggs for Pakistan.  He is very hopeful that Pakistani government and civil society will find his egg-laying plan very useful.

He is supposed to have told his followers that until now he capitalized on the animosity and hatred of Pakistanis towards India.  In their hatred, the Pakistanis overlooked the damage religious extremism has been inflicting on their own country.  However, in the wake of the surgical strike by India and the subsequent cancellation of the SAARC summit and further diplomatic isolation, the Pakistani civil society seemed to be slowly coming to its senses.

Very reliable sources informed Faking News, on the condition of anonymity, that Saeed became very worried and restless after the backlash from the press, political parties and the government.  He was not sure how long the military will be able to protect him.  He discussed with his aides about all the possibilities and probabilities of him laying eggs.  He had set up a committee, comprising of experts in medicine, and entrusted them with the responsibility of finding a solution to his predicament.

Saeed is supposed to have expressed his willingness to undergo any kind of treatment or surgery to be able to lay eggs for the Pakistani people who had given him so much love and support so far.  And to his delight, his team has come up with a solution to the crisis.  He is reliably learnt to have undergone many painful surgeries and hormonal treatments to be able to lay eggs.

He has announced that he will demonstrate his newfound ability, of laying eggs, outside his fortified home in Lahore.  Along with the national and global press, he has also invited the PML-N lawmaker who had mocked his then inability so publicly.  He is confident that his eggs will put to rest, for ever, all the unnecessary talk about his being of no value to Pakistan.

However, critics argue that nothing worthwhile will come out of Saeed’s eggs.  They say that even if something does come out, it might turn out to be very dangerous and will further push Pakistan to the brink.

Meanwhile, there is heavy speculation going on in Pakistan and Dubai about the outcome of Saeed’s eggs, after the customary incubation of 40 days.  Heavy betting is going on in the notorious streets of Karachi and illegal betting sites online.  However, odds are heavily in favour of an armed-to-the-teeth terrorist. Highly-enriched uranium is a close second.

Udaipur, the City of Lakes

My travelogue on Udaipur city, published in the web edition of Hans India. Here is the link:

http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Travel/2016-03-02/Udaipur-What-to-do-where-to-go/210872

The word Rajasthan conjures up a montage of images in my mind. I associate the state with royal families, forts, the Thar desert, camels, colorful pagdis, enterprising businessmen, and a history that was replete with instances of valor as well as suffering of Rajput warriors and their womenfolk.

As a tourist destination, Rajasthan is more popular with foreigners than it is with Indians. We, Indians, are more after temples and hill stations. The colorful folk, royal palaces, forts, camels and the desert together might be luring the foreigners, with the promise of quenching their thirst for the exotic. It seems, the cities Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Udaipur, and Pushkar are popular among foreign tourists. On their radar, these tourist hotspots of Rajasthan are as important as Agra, Delhi, Varanasi, Goa, Hampi, Khajuraho and Ajanta. The Indian experience is not complete without the customary trip through the land of Maharajas!

This interest in Rajasthan is not lost on the tourism and hospitality industries. Rajasthan boasts of some of the best hotels in India.  For the rich, Rajasthan is a traveler’s delight in terms of luxury and style. The itinerary of the Maharaja Express, the luxury train operated by IRCTC and patronized mainly by foreign tourists, is mainly centered on Rajasthan. However, many backpackers flock in too, travelling sleeper class in trains and staying in cheap hotels and hostels.

I had long wanted to travel through Rajasthan. I found that the nearest place of significance from Mumbai is Udaipur.  It is 16 hours away by train, which just means a night journey and then some more. I finally take up the gauntlet and on a fine late January morning, land in the city of lakes and palaces.

With the image of the desert in my mind, I was expecting the weather to be hot and so did not bring any winter gear.  To my surprise, the days were cool and the nights were cooler!  It was not that the Sun does not shine bright. It does, but still, when you are in shade, it is cold. The day temperature hovered between 17 and 230 C while the nights saw 11-140 C temperature. I observed that people, who were required to be out in the open because of their professions, lighted fires to fight the night chill. However, I was told that summers are unbearably hot.  The best time to visit Udaipur is between September and March.

Desert is nowhere near Udaipur. For that, you better go visit Jaisalmer or Bikaner. The outskirts of Udaipur have a rustic feel, with crops grown and cattle reared. It feels like any other tier-two Indian city, except for the distinct paintings on walls of most houses.

The heritage of kings and warriors dominates the cultural landscape of the city. Popular local handicrafts such as paintings, marble art, silver art, and terracotta are dominated by the motif of the royals and their lifestyle. On the walls of every house, one can see the paintings of horse and elephant mounted men, ushering visitors. This is not surprising, as Udaipur city was the seat of the kingdom of Mewar. Until the princely state of Udaipur joined the Indian Union in 1949, it had been ruled by the Chattari Rajputs of Mori Guhilot Parihar and Sisodia dynasties for over 1,400 years.

One can clearly see that even after nearly 450 years of his heroic resistance, Maharana Pratap remains the city’s favorite son. The Sisodia warrior king refused to bow down to the imperial might of the Mughal empire that was at its peak with none other than Akbar at the helm. I feel Pratap is to the Mewar region what Shivaji is to Maharashtra, a symbol of resistance to Mughal might and upholder of the local religion and culture. The places, events, and people related to the life and struggle of the brave warrior king are revered and remembered. The majestic and beautiful Maharana Pratap Smarak is a loving and respectful tribute to his memory. One can see that the royal heritage has an unmistakable imprint on the spirit of the city and Pratap, along with his loyal horse Chetak, occupies a special corner in the hearts of the people!

Lakes together with the backdrop of the Aravali hills dominate the landscape of the city. Lake Pichola, Fateh Sagar Lake, Udai Sagar Lake, Rajsamand Lake and Jaisamand Lake are the five prominent lakes of the Mewar region. While the first two lie inside the city, the later three are spread across a radius of 66 km from the city. All of these lakes are artificial lakes, developed over the last few centuries by the rulers of the times to serve the water needs of the people.  Of these, Lake Pichola is the most picturesque and lies at the heart of the city. Because of its beautiful lakes, the city is called Venice of the east and acclaimed as romantic.

City Palace, lying on the banks of Lake Pichola, is the most visited tourist attraction in the city. The downtown area of the city developed around the various entrances of the palace complex. Most of the tourist attractions like within a radius of 4 km from the City Palace. Hathi Pol, Bada Bazaar, Chetak Circle, and Palace Road are some of the popular shopping arcades.

Udaipur cuisine is mainly vegetarian because of the influence of Vaishnavism and Jainism. Udaipur is famous for its Dal-Baati-Churma, Gatte-Ki-Sabzi, Kachori and Mirchi Bada. Many restaurants serve unlimited Rajasthani thali. Rajasthani cuisine is spicy as opposed to the neighboring Gujarat where everything is supposed to be sweet.  Natraj is perhaps the most famous thali restaurant and rightly so. Your trip is not complete until you have tasted Dal-baati-churma and the thali!

List below are the important tourist attractions in and around Udaipur:  

•    City Palace and Lake Pichola

•    Monsoon palace and Sajjangarh sanctuary 

•    Maharana Pratap Smarak

•    Bagore ki Haveli and the Dharohar show

•    Fateh Sagar lake

•    Jagadish ji temple

•    Sukhadia circle

•    Chetak circle

Get out:

•    Srinathji temple – 48 km

•    Eklingji temple and Sas-Bahu temple – 22 km

•    Kumbhalgarh fort – 100 km

•    Chittorgarh fort – 130 km

•    Ranakpur – 88 km

•    Mount Abu – 158 km

Some more..

•    Monsoon Palace is situated atop a hill inside Sajjangarh sanctuary.  The views, of the Aravali range and the lakes, from the palace balconies are simply breathtaking.

•    The darshan timings of Srinath ji at Nathdwara change every day and updated on the temple website.

•    Sas-bahu is not dedicated to the sas-bahu relationship! It is a corrupted form of Sahasra Bahu.  Strangely, you won’t find any idol in this temple now. Though known for its intricate carvings, it is not a place of worship now, but maintained well by ASI for preservation purposes.

•    Ranakpur jain temple is known for its magnificent architecture.

•    Sukhadia circle is famous for its street food served by a never-ending line of stalls.  

A Visit to Daman

My travelogue of Daman, one of the districts that make up the Union Territory, Daman & Diu.  It was published in the web edition of Hans India.  The link is here:


http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/2015-12-28/A-Visit-to-Daman-196013

We all know about Daman and Diu mainly because of our school books.  We knew it as one of the union territories (UT) of India and remembered that piece of information to cough up in exams and quiz competitions.  Very few of us know much else about the Union Territory (UT). 

Daman is one of the two districts that make up the union territory, Daman and Diu.  Though they together make up the UT, Diu lies 635 km apart, up the Gujarat coast line.

Vapi, which is just 7 km from Daman, is well-connected by rail and makes travel to Daman easy.  Vapi is 150 km away from Mumbai and 122 km from Surat, thus serving as a getaway for people of both the cities.

Since the union territories are under the purview of the central government, alcohol costs significantly less.  In addition, Daman is surrounded by Gujarat where alcohol is prohibited.  To top it all, there are no restrictions on consuming alcohol here.  One can sit on the beach and drink liquor anytime, without the fear of police.  All this makes Daman a haven for the parched throats of the nearby areas.

To cater to the demand of the floating population, liquor shops mushroomed across the nook and corner of Daman.  Apart from liquor, Daman is famous for its beaches, forts, Portuguese colonial architecture and churches.

Daman lies at the mouth of the Daman Ganga river.  It comprises of the twin towns of Nani-Daman and Moti-Daman, which lie opposite each other across the Daman Ganga river.  Ironically, Nani-Daman is the bigger of the two towns.

There are mainly two beaches here, Devka and Jampore.  Devka, in Nani-Daman, is a rocky beach during low tide.  Alcohol and snacks are sold in the beach-side shacks.  Sea withdraws 2-3 km inside after noon and people sit on the rocks across the stretch and consume liquor and spend time with friends and family.  Jampore beach is in Moti-Daman and has black sand.  In addition to the shanties selling liquor and offering shade, it has options like parasailing, horse, camel, and quad bike rides.

One can see a number of vehicles parked and most of them are from Surat. Surat too boasts of a beach but it is dirty and muddy.  One can see that the disappointing Surat beach, liquor prohibition and the allure of cheap liquor drive people from Surat to Daman.

Both Nani-Daman and Moti-Daman have forts, built by the Portuguese, to protect against any sea-side attack.   St. Jerome fort, built by the Portugese in Nani Daman, is known as Nani Damn Fort among the locals.  What remains of the fort is its imposing gate and the walls.

This fort has a gateway facing the Daman Ganga river with a statue of St. Jerome. Within the premises of the fort are the church of Our Lady Of The Sea and a small graveyard.  From the ramparts, one can see the Daman Ganga river, the jetty, and the light house.

Moti Daman has the old Daman fort area.  The fort, the churches, and the buildings here showcase the Portuguese architecture.  Many of the administrative buildings are situated in the fort area. Cathedral of Bom Jesus is the chief tourist attraction here.  To my disappointment, it was closed when I visited, on account of renovation work.

Somnath temple is another important tourist destination.  This Shiv temple located in Nani Daman is supposed to be identical to the temple at Somnath. It has beautiful and colorful glass interiors. 

The other tourist attractions here are Dominican monastery, Mirasol lake garden and Panikota fort.  Udvada, renowned for its Zoroastrian Atash Behram, is just 15 km away from Daman.  The Udvada Atash Behram is the most sacred of the Zoroastrian fire temples in India and the oldest continuously burning fire-temple fire in the world.  On account of the fire temple, Udvada as a pilgrimage center for Zoroastrians the world over. 

Many Parsis own a house here, but most of them stay in Mumbai.  Except during festival time when it town comes to life, Udvada is said to look like a ghost town.  

To sum it up, though the beaches of Daman disappoint, the interesting history, the Portuguese-built forts, churches, and buildings and the views of the jetty, the river and the sea make a visit well worth it. 

A Visit to Aurangabad

My travelogue on Aurangabad, published in the web edition of Hans India. Here is the link:


http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/2015-10-26/A-Visit-to-Aurangabad-182530

I like maxims that don't encourage behavior modification.

-      Calvin

I like tourist destinations that don't test one's fitness levels.

-        Me

Most of the tourist attractions near Aurangabad seriously test the fitness levels of the visitors. The Ajanta caves were carved in a horseshoe-shaped mountain. One has to climb hundreds of steps and walk hundreds of metres to view all the caves. Ellora caves are spread over a wider stretch!

The nearby Daulatabad fort was not thought impregnable for nothing. It is hard enough to climb it while taking rest and refreshments in between. Imagine trying to go up and inside with a fort full of hostile army, pounding you with cannons and waiting to drown you in hot oil if you reach anywhere near!

However, all that effort invested to visit the places is very well worth it. Most of the paintings have faded and most of the sculpture is broken, but the places are too important historically and provide too good a view to think twice about the physical effort involved or the current state of the art on display.

Some of the caves in Ajanta pre-date Christ! Ellora caves track the changing fortunes of Buddhism, Jainism, and Hinduism over the medieval period. It was because of his shifting of capital city from Delhi to Daulatabad that Tughlak became such a laughing stock!

Aurangzeb, one of the most powerful men on earth during his time, lies buried in a humble grave, in a nearby village called Khuldabad. On the other hand, Bibi ka Maqabra, the monument that houses the tomb of Aurangzeb’s wife and built by their son Azam Shah, was intended to be another Taj Mahal.  However, it could only be a poor replica because of budgetary constraints! It provides proof of some practical thinking on the part of the emperor who ordered it to be built, and maybe also the emptying coffers and declining architectural skills.

The city has many gates and aptly called the city of gates. However, out of the 52 gates, only four main and nine subordinate gates have survived.  Bhadkal gate and Delhi gate are amongst the more important gates. The city has something not only for history buffs, but also for Hindu pilgrims.  Grishneshwar, the last jyotirlinga on earth, lies on the outskirts of the city.

The local culture is supposed to be close to that of Hyderabad. Many areas of Aurangabad reminded me of the old city. Dakhni, the Hyderabadi Urdu dialect, is dominant here too.  Akin to the river Musi of Hyderabad, river Kham flows through the city.  What’s more, it looked equally thin and dirty! On the whole, the city looked like a poor cousin of Hyderabad. It appears to lag behind Hyderabad by at least a decade-and-a-half.  There is very less of the hitec part. Public transportation is rickety. The city starts shutting down by 10 pm. Street lighting is poor in many areas.  The lakes are not well maintained.

The local cafes remind you of Hyderabadi Irani cafes. In restaurants, Mughlai and Puneri cuisines co-exist peacefully here.  Naan Qalia is a dish that is associated with Aurangabad. It is a concoction of mutton and a variety of spices. Naan is the bread made in tandoor (hot furnace) while Qalia is a mixture of mutton and various spices.  Tahri is similar to pulao–biryani and is very popular here. Tahri is prepared by adding the meat to the rice, as opposed to traditional Biryani where the rice is added to the meat.  This reminded me of the dispute between the kingdoms of Lilliput and Blefescu, in Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels.  The dispute was over which side of the egg should be broken, the smaller end or the bigger.  Thankfully, there is no such quarrel between Hyderabadis and Aurangabadis!

I tried the most famous thali restaurant in the city, Bhoj. It seems to be locally very popular. Their Rajasthani food is good and the ambiance is great. I saw people waiting for their turn, like for our Bawarchi. But my favorite thali restaurant still remains Gopi's of Ahmedabad, for their hospitality is as good as their food.  Bhoj reminded me more of Pratikashram of Gandhinagar.

Prozone mall, in Aurangabad, is one of India's biggest malls. Its miniature model, situated in one of the corners of the actual mall, is a treat to the eyes.  Kareem's, famous for Kathi rolls, have an outlet in the mall. I had their chicken Kathi roll. Now I know why they are famous!  To my disappointment, even the mall started shutting down around 10pm!

I went to the famous Tara Paan Center, with the help of Google maps. On asking, the guy told me about the three varieties on offer. I went for their special. It was yummy. But then how can I leave out the usual, so I had that one too. And then I took a few steps, content having tasted what I wanted to. To my shock, on the other side of the road I saw another Tara Paan Center. Now, I was not sure which one between them was the real deal. I looked back at the old shop and it had a small post fix "old" on its board. Still not convinced, I set out to try a paan at the second outlet. There was far more variety there. I chose an attractively-named variety, munched it and went on my way, happy.

Movie Recommendation: The Family Man

Discovered recently a beautiful movie, titled The Family Man. Loved it!!

Nicholas Cage and Tea Leoni play the lead roles. To my disappointment, I found that the movie is underrated and under appreciated. The movie is about what we lose out on in life in our relentless pursuit of success and a better material life.

My thinking is running totally in opposite direction right now, at this stage of life. But I liked the movie nevertheless. The plot, screenplay and performances were terrific.

Always liked Cage.... and been thankful to him for encouraging Johnny Depp to pursue an acting career. If not for Cage we would have lost out on Depp, who was trying his hand at various things until that time...... like selling pens over phone..... to stay afloat while dreaming of a musical career.

Cage rocked in this movie. And Tea Leoni was superb as usual. I just loved her in another underrated movie "Fun with Dick and Jane" in which she co-starred with Jim Carrey. Tea effortlessly plays again a wife other men would give their left nut for!!

And this movie helped me discover two awesome actors - Don Cheadle and Jeremy Piven. Don hogs your attention like a magnet! Want to discover more of his movies apart from the Ironman series. Jeremy is now playing the famous Ari Gold.

Book Recommendation: Of Human Bondage

Finished reading Maugham's "Of Human Bondage" yesterday. I had long wanted to read it. Finally found time over the last weekend to start reading.

I identify with many of the emotions, experiences, insights, disillusionments, and realizations of the protagonist. It is an autobiographical novel that draws much from the author's life.

I doubt if reading such a book would prevent anyone from taking a course of action or following a path that would eventually turn out to be a waste. I guess things can only be analyzed logically in hindsight. Therefore, even if teens read it, they may not benefit from it. They would nevertheless go on and make their own mistakes.

You only explain the decisions, mistakes, and thought processes of your first youth only after you have passed it by. I guess this is a book meant for people who passed their first youth.

As the protagonist shows, introspection helps you discern patterns in life and learn from your experiences. I feel there are no failures in life; there are only experiences. And how you use them to become a better person and make the most of the situations in life is all that matters.

Review of the movie, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

My review of the movie, Dawn of the Planet of Apes was published in the web edition of Hans India. Here is the link:


http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/2014-07-14/Dawn-of-the-Planet-of-the-Apes-Dawn-of-Some-Sense-Finally-101837

Finally, the studio executives, writers, and the director get it right with an apes sequel.  Most of the apes sequels had nonsensical names, and were terrible with utter lack of creativity. They were dished out only to milk the fan base of the original.  Even Tim Burton could not get it right in 2001. It was a good decision to reboot it in 2011 instead of trying to explain the ape statue at the Lincoln Memorial!

Most fans of the apes movies loved only the 1968 original. The fact that most people rented the original and ignored the sequels bears testimony to its popularity. The original had a great premise and it had Charlton Heston! The climactic shot of a buried Statue of Liberty shocks as well as informs the audience that the ape evolution happened not on some distant planet but on earth itself.  However, one wondered about the lousiness of the space mission that was actually aimed at some distant planet. The astronauts traveled light years, probably in circles, to land back on earth a few thousand years into future! The space vehicle was actually a time machine! How stupid is that?

When one learns that popular actors of the time played the apes in all the five original movies, it does not make much sense. Anyone could have played the roles and it would not have made any difference to the audience. It looked like the actors were wearing masks though it was actually heavy ape make up.

Beneath the Planet of the Apes was perhaps the most dim-witted apes sequel. It had psychic humans who survived a nuclear apocalypse and lived in a forbidden zone while apes grew dominant everywhere around them. When conflict ensues between the dominant apes and the humans, the humans detonate the Alpha-Omega bomb that destroys the earth for good! No wonder Charlton Heston was not even a wee bit interested and wanted his character to be killed off for good so that the franchise would not need him in further sequels.

This latest apes sequel does not have such illogical stuff as some obscure gas that inexplicably increase the intelligence of apes overnight, electromagnetic storms that push you thousands of years into future, or a space vehicle that travels light years only to land in the same place. It is a great story about the difficulty of leadership in turbulent times, how a handful of bigoted individuals can scuttle peace between two warring communities, about how fear and hatred fan distrust, and about discovering that members of your community are equally capable of betrayal and are not above your enemies in moral stature.  The director Matt Reeves says that the premise of this movie is what happened when there was a chance for peace between humans and apes.

Ceaser is the leader of the apes who revolted against humans in Rise of the Planet of the Apes, the launch film of the rebooted series. The apes take refuge in a California forest and thrive. It has been ten years since the human race infected itself with the fatal simian virus. The virus decimates the human race.

The apes have not spotted a human in years and almost presume that the human race is extinct. A small band of human survivors then arrive to locate and repair a dam that may provide power to their dilapidated San Francisco camp.  Humans and apes reach a fragile peace. However, fear and hatred fan distrust on both sides and conflict ensues.

There is no question on who wins the war between humans and apes. After all, it is supposed to be the planet of the apes and not of humans ultimately. “Dawn” documents the moment when humans struggle for survival and the apes take their first step towards dominance.

The main and supporting cast all did a great job. Andy Serkis, who is known for his motion-capture roles, returns for the role of Ceaser. Jason Clarke does a good job as the benevolent human leader.  Keri Russell plays his wife. Toby Kebbell plays the motion-captured role of Koba, an ape who had been a lab rat and develops hatred for humans as a result.  Gary Oldman plays Koba’s human counterpart, a leader who lost his dear ones to simian flu and has only hatred for apes.

“Dawn” is perhaps the best movie of the franchise so far and with the same director returning to action, fans can’t wait for the next sequel.

The Dilemma on United Andhra

The position of YSRCP and TDP vis-à-vis the Telangana issue is amusing.

No one should have any doubts that YSRCP would be the biggest gainer in case of separation. Their lack of strength in Telangana is common knowledge and the recent Panchayat polls have only exposed this weakness.  However, in the Seemandhra region, they have only TDP to contend with. Because without a charismatic leader at the state level, the Congress has already been decimated. Do not let the Panchayat poll results fool you.  Though Congress-backed candidates won the biggest number of Panchayats, it is mainly because Congress is the ruling party.

With its weakest region taken out, YSRCP has a great chance to form government in a separate Seemandhra state.  Even if they did not gain power this time, they will be the biggest opposition party with a formidable presence in the Assembly.  With a good number of MP seats, they will have a huge bargaining power with the next government at the centre.  Getting Jagan out would be child’s play!

TDP, on the other hand, might be the biggest loser if the state is separated.  At the grassroots level, it is the TDP that is the strongest party in AP.  NTR gave a political platform to energetic youth of the 1980s.  Now, most of them are in their 50s and early 60s, powerful socially and financially.  While in power, Chandrababu Naidu had carefully cultivated the grassroots leaders with contracts and other benefits.  As a party that ruled for the majority of the last 30 years, TDP is strong throughout the length and breadth of AP.  Naturally, TDP would not want to alienate people of either region. Or rather TDP would try to remain strong in all the regions and consolidate further.

It is a pity that until a few weeks ago, the TDP cadres believed that they were coasting towards a comfortable win in the 2014 elections.  They were expecting to cross the magic number comfortably in the Assembly elections.  At the centre, they believed they will win a handsome number of parliament seats - enough to become a kingmaker in a third front government.  Their hopes were rooted in very sound logic. Without a strong state-level leader, the Congress was going to be a non-entity in the next elections.  Though Kiran Kumar Reddy proved to be an efficient and clean CM, he never had enough power to take tough decisions and prove himself.  Jagan’s long incarceration was weakening YSRCP as it was fast losing the momentum it gained after the by-elections that saw them win 15 of 18 Assembly seats at stake.  TDP was riding high on the back of Chandrababu’s Vastunna Meekosam Padayatra.  But alas! With the advantage and arrogance of being the ruling party, the Congress turned the tables with its decision on Telangana.

Now that push came to shove, to remain politically relevant in Telangana, TDP has no other option but to say yes to separation.  After dousing the fire in Telangana, TDP can always mollify coastal Andhra with ease.  After all, it is their own backyard.  What matters now is living another day in Telangana.  However, TDP has T Congress and TRS to contend with in Telangana. A merger will surely turn the revitalized Congress into a juggernaut that will mow down everything on its way in 2014.  TDP can only wait another five years and hope for a strong anti-incumbency factor in the next elections.  However, BJP may gain presence in Telangana because of the Modi factor and communal tensions that arise because of an increased minority percentage population.  If the TRS did not merge in Congress, TDP will have the Congress, TRS, and the BJP to contend with in the new Telangana state.  TDP is most likely to lose relevance in Telangana in a few years of a separate state formation.

In the backdrop of a strong reaction and continued agitations in Seemandhra after the announcement of a Separate state by the Congress, the actions and reactions of both YSRCP and TDP are worth watching.  YSRCP reluctantly argues about the need for consensus, taking people of both sides into confidence, and solving the contentious issues.  TDP, on the other hand, reacts cautiously.

YSRCP knows that its best interests lie in a separate Seemandhra state.  However, by talking about the interests of the Seemandhra people, it is trying to ride the high tide of Seemandhra sentiments.  While secretly wishing for a separate Seemandhra state, YSRCP hopes to hijack the public support that is on offer for whichever party/organization that fights for the cause of a united AP.

TDP hopes to ride the wave in Seemandhra too, but while also making sure that it lives to fight another day in Telangana.  For political parties of AP, suddenly, the united Andhra dilemma replaces the Telangana dilemma.

Due to the reluctant reaction of YSRCP and cautious non-action of TDP, it is not surprising that the Samaikyandhra agitations in Seemandhra do not have any party at the helm, and are largely unorganized. Not surprisingly, the party that supports the united state cause in Seemandhra most vocally is the Seemandhra Congress which stares at a wipe out in the coming elections.

BJP's Interests in a Separate Telangana

Why the Congress would not let a separate Telangana State materialize? And why would BJP strive to make a separate State a reality?

In a separate Telangana state or even in the hypothetical Rayala Telangana, polarization of people among religious lines is easy. That is the reason BJP wants a separate State. BJP and MIM can easily gain ground in these regions by whipping up passions.

There is never any problem when a minority is insignificant. The numerical majority never feels threatened. That is how people of different religions live together peacefully in villages of AP. Members of the majority religion even celebrate, support, and fecilitate festivals of minorities. But when the minority has a certain critical mass, a conflict of interests ensues. The conflict could be both economic and social.

That is why Hyderabad or parts of Nizamabad and Adilabad do not have the same tolerance levels as villages of coastal Andhra. Demagogues can easily whip up passions against the other community. Each community views the other as a threat. They become polarized on religious lines as a result. They start voting en-bloc to political parties that offer them safety and support. This is what is happening in the Old City area of Hyderabad. Both the BJP and MIM are strong there. In a separate state, both can gain in certain pockets. BJP now has only a sporadic presence in Andhra Pradesh. In a separate state, BJP sees a great opportunity to increase their presence and numbers.

BJP could gain enough strength to form a government in Karnataka for the same reason. The presence and numbers of the minority is more significant in Karnataka compared to the other Southern states. Many regions of the state has a history of Muslim rule.

Parts of Kerala around the Malabar region have a significant minority. The area is the only stronghold of the Muslim League. However, it is not possible for the BJP to gain ground as easily in Kerala. The average Keralaite is more educated than the average Indian and leans towards the Left. The Left parties consider religion as opium of the masses and strongly disapprove of the concept of religion. As a result, the Keralaite does not have a strong religious identity. It is difficult for the BJP to polarize the majority community on religious lines.

The Congress would not give in to the demands of a separate Telangana for the same reason that BJP would!

Who is the UPA Prime Ministerial Candidate for the 2014 General Elections?

Why is there so much debate on who would be the Prime Ministerial candidate of UPA for the 2014 General Elections? I guess among the top echelons of the Congress, the decision has already been taken. It is very much written on the wall. The media has been rather slow.

The choice of Manmohan as PM in 2004 was a mind-blowing coup of sorts. Not many people anticipated it, barring very intelligent newspapers like Eenadu. In one stroke, the Congress almost made up for the whole Operation Blue Star fiasco. The congress never overtly expressed it, but it is a huge move to gain back the confidence and faith of the Sikh community towards not only the Congress, but also the Indian Republic.

Through history, the allegiance of the Sikh community has been rather wavering. One of the major causes for the failure of the 1857 revolt was the strong support to the British from Punjab. The community realized this and wanted to make up for it. The need to make amends to the historical mistake was stressed by the community leaders while drumming up support for the Indian National Movement.

The community realized the mistake and made amends and how? The majority of Indians imprisoned by the British and sent to gallows were from Punjab. Punjab suffered like no other region in India, during the Independence Struggle, as well as the aftermath, during the partition. Sikhs are known for their bravery and are an important element in Indian military. It is very easy to stoke emotions with such history and geography.

The strong arm tactics of PV Narasimha Rao successfully decimated the Punjab separatist movement. However, in the backdrop of Operation Blue Star and the riots of 1984, there was a need to make the community feel integrated and their confidence in India regained. And that is the reason the choice of Manmohan Singh was such a coup.

He was the perfect choice. In the eyes of the media and people, he was the architect of economic reforms and liberalization. He is clean. He is loyal and humble. He does not talk much, not assertive, does not hanker for any benefits, political, financial, or any other.

Now again, there is another region in India where it is not difficult to raise the banner of separatism.  The region is in great contrast to Punjab and much of the rest of India - Tamilnadu, the land of the Dravidians. There is more difference between Delhi and Chennai than between London and Istanbul. The language is similar to none of the Indian languages. Tamil did not originate from Sanskrit. Culturally, the Tamilian is very different from any state North of the Vindhyas. Ethnically, they are almost a different race from the North Indian population. Sanskritisation during the middle ages, integration of their Gods into Hinduism, and a shared history of British rule are the only threads that bind them to the rest of India.

Similar to Punjab and the North-Eastern states, Tamilnadu has been witness to demands of separatism. The 1970's was a period of tumult that saw the Dravidians assert their cultural identity. Though the confrontation never degenerated into an armed uprising, their unique cultural identity is a key political scoring point and an easy instrument to whip up passions and frenzy, even today.

In this backdrop, the neighboring Tamilian issue in Sri Lanka adds fuel to the dormant fire. A prime minister of India was killed in the Tamil heartland in India by a separatist organization in Sri Lanka (read LTTE) as he gave military support to Sri Lankan army. Over the first term (2004-2009), the congress government witnessed the terrorist group erased in Sri Lanka. Nobody knows to what extent Indian involvement or support had been. The handling of this issue by itself was a great victory for the Congress. There was never much hue and cry over the issue except until recently.  With the LTTE wiped out and the goal accomplished, the congress government does not want to ruffle the feathers of the Tamilians any further. Soon after the LTTE was wiped out, India began distancing itself from Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka started feeling alianated from India and began moving closer to China.

In such context, there is again a pressing need for the Indian government to make a vastly different group of people and piece of geography assimilated and integrated. And how about a Tamilian prime minister to address that concern? A dhoti-clad Tamilian who is Harvard educated and supports further economic liberalization. A towering intellectual (some say an intellectual snob) who is known for his honesty and clean image. Yes, the current union finance minister, P. Chidambaram.

There is every reason to applaud such a move. Such measures only address the need for reconciliation and sense of integration in this culturally and geographically diverse nation. Not only the two Indian states mentioned above, but more so the North-Eastern states need more conspicuous representation among the top echelons of the Indian government and media, and public life in general. That is the reason not electing PA Sangma for President was such a lost opportunity!