Arguments, exchange of opinion; is it worth fighting for?

The prime time shows in electronic media are full of debates, arguments in which the anchor and his guests squabble about a particular issue. While I completely subscribe to the view that there is a need to exchange ideas, opinions, thoughts etc but we should not eulogize our own view to great heights but instead should remain flexible. Also what purpose does it serve? It saps all your energy, gets you exhausted and still we have this fascination for stamping our views on anyone and everyone. I mean why waste time, breath and mental peace if the outcome is not really worth it.  

A few years ago I witnessed the modus operandi of thieves at a busy street. The people were pushing each other to move ahead from both the sides and as an elderly lady was looking at them with disgust written all over her face a person came up and escaped with the bag of that lady. The idea was to irritate and distract a person with a minor matter while the bigger theft took place rather easily. A lesson from that incident can be to train our self to ignore the minor irritants and stay on toes for the bigger problems.

It makes sense to save our efforts for the bigger efforts in life rather than to toil for the seemingly insignificant stuff. That prolonged bargaining with a vegetable vendor does not yield anything especially if you end up exhausted and that too with just a paltry saving. When an exchange of views, opinions get into the territory of ‘ego’ and becomes a war it’s best to walk away. Even in life it is better to bow rather than fight and risk a friendship or a bonding going sour. In the long run, who cares who won that argument or fight? There is a point at which you simply cannot convince the world and beyond that why waste time and energy?

There are people around us who are control freaks and try to or rather dictate terms to us. It does not matter if you just stop arguing against the controlling ploy and let those people believe that you are doing as they desire, while clearly following your own way. At some point or the other the message is bound to reach. But if you are clear about what you want and what you are fighting really for then that’s time to go all out for. The straight forward and into-your-face talks remain productive only if there is clarity of thoughts.

Delving deeper into this topic it is very interesting to note that we have (I mean a section of people), over the years have lost the art of listening and with that sort of a characteristic the sparks are sure to fly in a debate or in a public discourse. The nature and behavior of the public at large has become increasingly outspoken, assertive and many times aggressive as well especially in urban India. This would lead to varied and perhaps thoughtful views but will also reduce the impact of the camaraderie, respect and reverence which was prevalent in the pre internet age.    

Does cinema commodify women?

A song from a recent movie goes like this ‘Mere photo ko seene se yaar chipkale saiyan fevicol se.’ It further adds lines like ‘pata le saiyan miss call se’. The song has become a rage from nightclubs to marriages. The lyrics are creative you have to agree but it has portrayed women as objects. The item numbers still cater to the liking of males with a song-dance sequence showing a woman being stalked and wooed by a bunch of men in a playful manner. For long, women have been described as objects or equivalent to it in various films particularly those falling in the category of popular entertainment. It implies a very orthodox, rigid and traditional understanding of women as wild, devious as needing to be controlled. Men make voices for uplift of women but once in a movie theatre they start whistling at Kareena Kapoor dressed in skimpy clothes singing ‘Main to tanduri murgi hoon yaar gatkale saiyan alcohol se.’

There is very little doubt that Bollywood has shown women in poor light. Be it with raunchy item numbers or double meaning dialogues or semi nude posters outside theatres. There have been some women centric movies displaying the atrocities faced by women but that sort of movies have made rare appearances. Even during 70’s and 80’s bollywood was deeply infected with cultural stereotypes with men being prime producers and consumers, the objectification of women predominated the cinema. But the situation today is a labyrinth to me with the two recent popular item numbers, Munni Badnam Hui and Sheila Ki Jawani were both choreographed by a woman. Honey Singh has left no stone unturned to display women as objects of sexual desire. His songs are utterly noxious.

The films and media are a mirror of the society and if children grow up dancing to the songs like fevicol se then society is to be blamed for allowing such vulgarity to creep in. Films are a commercial activity and in a bid to generate more revenues the movies tend to be low on moral grounds. Young parents are taking their little girls to coach and learn item numbers from Bollywood films. They are then made to perform at family wedding ‘sangeet’ functions. Another reason for such commoditization of women is the deeply ingrained theory of a submissive female to a dominating male borrowed from ‘Ramayana’. Voyeuristic camera angles and extreme show of sensuality have not helped the matters either. Also, society as a whole has failed to distinguish between what is acceptable and what is not.

If the cinema portrays women as strong natured and fearless then this would gradually kick start the process of changing the image of the fairer sex in the society. The actresses, producers, choreographers, directors and everyone has a role to play.  

But it can also be argued that whatever is displayed on screen present only a partial picture and many times the movies have also been talking about peace and communal harmony but still the problem remains. Filmmaker, Sudhir Mishra is of the view that the nation does not follow whatever is preached by Bollywood. Some of the actions which are acceptable in movies are considered as obscene in real life so it could be like cinema is not taken that seriously. And for the people who are campaigning for a Bollywood without any misogyny then what about the violence and regressive remarks which make their way through newspapers and websites? 
In the end, it’s the mindset and the intent that matters in a country where truth is stranger than fiction.

Warning: Railway Food Ahead.

If you happen to travel in railways and have their food you might as well be in need of some assistance later. Indian rail pantry catering which has been dishing out mediocre food for God knows how many years is a pain for the passengers particularly for those travelling on long distance journeys. While the passengers have to trust the pantry (sometimes with no other option) for food, the contractors and the concerned authorities stick to their old inefficient ways. All this happens under the so called watchful eyes of government. The food has always remained a problem with railways and little has been done to improve the taste.

There is no doubt that food in railways (even in trains like Shatabdi) tests your ability to digest. The food charges do not commensurate with the quality that is put on board. Soup looks like a watery stuff; obnoxious rolls are called chapattis and smelly daal are some of the items on the menu in Trains. Most of the time the Tea and coffee remain the sole attraction in the entire trip. There have been frequent instances of presence of cockroaches, flies and other insects in the food. The pantry is as unclean as the garbage truck. If the food is judged purely on the basis of taste and leaving out the hygiene and other such criteria then also it is far from being appreciated. There was a scene in the movie ‘Aparichit’ which aptly showed the kitchen used for making food for passengers.

The problem which has plagued the railways’ catering department is the same as faced by our country and that is corruption. The rampant corrupt practices and the endless administrative inefficiencies have made life worse for passengers. The contractors who are awarded contracts do not fulfill the conditions of the contract which has been observed many times in the past. They assert their monopoly and try to squeeze in some more money by using stale veggies bought at prices lesser than actually shown in registers. Lack of accountability is another reason for which the concerned authorities haven’t been able to crack down on carelessness. Every material used is of sub standard quality and coupled with inefficiency it manufactures one of worst kind of food. Actually calling it as food is already an insult to other consumables. 

Few things need to be done to get it corrected. One of them is throwing away the pantry cars. Government very recently has decided this and will set up 250 kitchens across the country to prepare about six lakh meals and snacks per day. Pantry cars will be used to store meals. Proper cleanliness needs to be ensured. More wash basins in pantry cars will only help. Sanitation of cooks and workers remains a concern which also needs to be looked after. More surprise checks from the government’s side will help to keep the catering department on its toes. Sometimes there is also dearth of people with good man management skills so to address that recruitment should be done keeping the requirements in mind.

Above all this, if cleanliness along with efficiency and honesty is maintained then there is no reason why railways can’t produce sumptuous food.

Where do dreams and aspirations stand in a country obsessed with marks and grades?

Beta, what do you want to do in the future’? Every student has faced this question and most of them find it uncomfortable. Some of the celebrated career choices for the stereotype parents and uncles still remain Chartered Accountancy, Engineering, and Medical studies or may be MBA in recent times. A kid at a very tender age is forced to go for the choices selected by his/her parents or any elder in the family. Very rarely it happens that he/she is asked about their choices or allowed to pursue the career of their interest. Dreams and aspirations are still looked upon as overly ambitious.

We, Indians have this fascination for creating security for ourselves, family and to make that happen dreams are traded with other things. The era of cut throat competition in education for marks and grades has not helped the matters. Even if a student harbours a dream, the competition and the external environment brings the intensity of pursuing the dream down. Traditional career choices still attract popularity because of the security of the job which it brings with it, while following dreams and aspirations look risky to many.

Cut throat competition and the rat race have meant more pressure to perform and deliver than ever. But there can be many reasons for this system of not going for dreams. One of the significant reasons can be financial security. For a kid with a weak or moderate economic background simple education and a job after that assumes a lot of importance than say following interests. In this scenario, a life free from economic constraints after facing a lot of those in earlier stages of life is a huge achievement itself. Another reason can be social status and image in the society. Parents force their wards to go for career which would enhance their prestige. Upbringing of kids also has an effect on the mindset of students. If the parents themselves subscribe to the theory of following dreams and aspirations then it’s relatively easy for those kids to go for the career of their choices.

But, times have changed these days with more and more students going for their own thing rather than following a stereotype life. The trends and the mindsets have changed and this is always a positive sign. There won’t be any regret in life if one goes for the choice he/she aspires to go for. Also, following your dreams brings out passion and enthusiasm which is simply unparalleled. And with that there is also the sense of satisfaction which brings a lot of joy and pleasure to both; for the individual and his family. In this situation, there is no burden to perform whatsoever which in the process brings out the best in any individual. It’s just about expressing oneself and many times brings out the uninhibited nature of the person. Going for your dreams also fosters innovation with new thoughts and belief systems.

But over and above this the parents and Teachers have a very significant role in nurturing the dreams of young kids. Many times it has been seen in the past that parents force their kids to submit to their choice. This should not happen. Being open and candid with kids about their career will not only ease the pressure of students but will help to improve the bonding between parents and children. Teachers at any level need to explain their students the necessity for developing and nurturing those dreams with sincerity. They also need to motivate the students and show them the way. A more positive and an approach which promotes art and extra-curricular activities from teachers and the school will help. And if Teacher-student relationship is open then it can work wonders for the student.

 
At the end of the day it's the student call to go for dreams or not. It is very difficult to go for dreams especially if you and your family are not on the same page regarding career choices. But the happiness of achieving what you dream of is unmatched. The path is full of hardships but the result will bring smiles and much more.

'Happy Birthday' Rahul Dravid

So, Rahul Sharad Dravid turns 40 today. And even after his retirement the admiration, respect and love refuses to die down. It is difficult or rather impossible for us - the fans to move on to life after Rahul Dravid.

There are persons whom you fall in love with instantly and certainly Rahul Dravid was one of them. March 9, 2012 was that dreadful date on which he announced retirement to which I felt a bit hollow from inside as if a part of me was going with him. The announcement was so typical of the man himself: no farewell tour, no grand celebrations. It was a day I would like to forget for the obvious reasons. 

He has been my sole reason for watching cricket way back in late 90s and early 2000s to 2012. I was never concerned whether Sachin Tendulkar broke any record or not but even a Rahul Dravid half century made my day. There was some sort of connectedness beyond the cricket stadium which made our hearts beat whenever he came on the ground for any reason. 

One of the reasons that made people to love him was his simplicity, willingness to accept anything for the cause of team and what not. I loved Rahul Dravid for what he did and still love him for whatever he his doing right now. I was a little kid  when I first saw a glimpse of him. It was in 1999 World Cup in England. He amassed runs at will which was contrary to the wrong perception which people had that he was not 'suited' for limited overs cricket. His double hundred at Adelaide was special so where his rest 35 test hundreds. He was my equivalent or parallel to cricket and got me glued to the game. Very quickly he became my reason to enjoy and love the game of cricket. 

The perfection with which Dravid played cricket reminded me of the musician plucking each note carefully, an artist working hard to raise levels constantly. He epitomizes a hard working India full of humility, dignity, perfection, dedication and did his job without ever creating any fuss. Always a charming man with one of the best smiles, he never said no to anything; kept wickets, opened batting and I remember he has fielded at challenging positions like silly point, short leg.

Even his speeches were a delight to listen. The Bradman oration speech was as eloquent as one can get with words. He has always been very polite but that speech gave him the tag of a well articulated man. He was one of the rare gentlemen left in the gentleman's game. He was not "The Wall" to me because Walls only defend you in the times of crisis and Dravid was much more than that he was and is India's best No.3 with a beautiful cover drive, gorgeous flick and a glorious pull shot that could inspire poetry.

The greatness of Rahul Dravid is still etched in the memories of millions of fans and he richly deserves everything and even more than that. Thank you so much for giving us all those beautiful memories along with unbound joy and pleasure. 

Happy Birthday - Rahul Dravid.