We are jolted into remembering that we too have been victims of the same white privilege and it may not be long before one of our own may be the next George Floyd, writes Minoo Shah
On May 25, George Floyd was murdered in broad daylight by Derek Chauvin. Officer Derek was abetted by three other officers of the Minneapolis Police. The world has now seen the aftermath. Riots rampant, buildings burnt, businesses looted. There have been protest marches the world over in solidarity with the Black Community and USA mourns… for the time being!
As is usual in such cases, a rhetoric starts on both sides. So to put in perspective, let’s analyse a few significant details.
Derek Chauvin and George Floyd worked at the same Latino nightclub. Per Santamaria, the owner, Derek has a short fuse and zero tolerance. This nightclub was primarily patronised by Black people. Did Derek’s aversion to the Black race progress slowly to hatred during his 17 years at the club? Did he exercise his white privilege with derision towards African Americans?
The one glaring fact is that Derek’s wife has filed for divorce and requested to change her last name. When she speaks up, we will have a further insight into Derek’s character.
George Floyd had a criminal background for petty theft, armed robbery, larceny and served time. He worked in the porn business after having to leave his hometown of Houston, Texas. He was about as shady as they come. On Memorial Day – May 31, 2020, George tried to pass a counterfeit $20 bill to buy cigarettes at a convenience store named Cup Foods. He resisted arrest and was eventually subdued and killed.
His brother who worked at the same nightclub said he was looked upon by the patrons as a gentle giant. Santamaria corroborated this story. The Arabic owner of Cup Foods who is paying for George Floyd’s funeral regrets making that call to the police.
If it weren’t for the fact that hate crimes are on the rise in USA or that lynching is not a thing of the too distant past, we could rationalise the above facts and determine that the police were doing their job albeit a bit too seriously. But the sad truth in the America we live in today is that there have been far too many Black people killed by the police. Black people have tried to seek justice lawfully, non-violently, peacefully but to no avail because the injustices continue. They are the targeted few and they see no hope so they try to be heard. Theirs is the lot of damned if you do and damned if you don’t.
Unfortunately, they are subjected to this guilty-until-proved-innocent attitude by many other migrant communities too. Migrant Indians being no exception. I have been privy to this underveiled hatred amongst our community too. Gujaratis, Punjabis, Bengalis, South Indians, etc. are all guilty of discriminating against the Black community. May be because racism/ caste system is ingrained within us. All our lives, this type of thinking has been justified and we have passed it on to the coming generations sometimes deliberately, sometimes with our actions and otherwise subliminally. This holds true for Latinos, Pacific Islanders and South East Asians.
However, George Floyd’s murder has somehow shaken the ground beneath all of us. We are jolted into remembering that we too have been victims of the same white privilege and it may not be long before one of our own may be the next George Floyd.
Is it time to pull our heads out of the sand? Is it time to stand in solidarity with those persecuted? No one has a crystal ball so the time is now to lose that laissez-faire attitude. The time is now to speak up. Err on the side of right and say to take a human life is wrong! The undeniable fact is that bystanders witnessed a white police officer kill a black man in cold blood. Let the echo of the dying man’s shrieks calling out to his dead mother while we did nothing be a testament of what we are as a society today.
Do we still want this conversation to be about the aftermath that followed the coldblooded killing?
George Floyd will be buried in Houston, Texas on Friday June 5, 2020 and heads bowed in shame, we will observe silence for 8 minutes and 46 seconds.
On showman Raj Kapoor’s 32nd death anniversary today (June 2), Narendra Kusnur chooses 10 iconic songs filmed on him. Enjoy!
When playback singer Mukesh passed away in August 1976, Raj Kapoor famously said he had lost his voice. The two of them had combined on most hit songs picturised on the legendary actor.
On Kapoor’s 32nd death anniversary today (June 2, 2020), we choose 10 iconic songs filmed on him. Interestingly, Mukesh sang eight of them, with Manna Dey contributing the others.
Musically, Kapoor was known for these memorable combinations. Thus, music directors Shankar-Jaikishen create tunes for nine of these songs. Likewise, Shailendra penned six, though in his films, Kapoor also had some great songs written by Hasrat Jaipuri.
The thing about these songs was that the masses easily related to them. Whatever their theme – personal, patriotic, religious or romantic – they created an impact with their simplicity and melody.
1. Awara Hoon – Awara (1951)
One of the early hits filmed on Kapoor, the song made waves even in China and the Soviet Union. Composed by Shankar-Jaikishen, sung by Mukesh and written by Shailendra, it is considered the quintessential RK song even today, as he portrayed himself as a Chaplinesque tramp.
Similar to ‘Awara Hoon’ in its screen appearance, the song made waves because of Shailendra’s patriotic lines which say that even if one wears foreign clothes, one should be Indian at heart. Shankar-Jaikishen and Mukesh combined again. A small snippet was even sung by Phaldut Sharma in the 2013 Hollywood film Gravity.
3. Aaja Sanam – Chori Chori (1956)
One of the most popular love songs of the 1950s, this was sung by Lata Mangeshkar and Manna Dey. Shankar-Jaikishen used their trademark style again, and Hasrat Jaipuri penned the words. The song was picturised on Kapoor and Nargis.
Another beauty from Mukesh, composed by Shankar-Jaikishen and written by Shailendra. Picturised on Kapoor and Nutan, the song conveyed the feelings of a man who despite having learnt almost everything, lacked in street-smartness and cleverness.
5. Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai – Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai (1960)
Kapoor was seen in a group setting in this patriotic song composed by Shankar-Jaikishen, written by Shailendra and sung by Mukesh. The lines “Mehmaan jo hamara hota hai, woh jaan se pyaara hota hai” struck a chord.
Composed by the relatively new Kalyanji-Anandji and penned by Qamar Jalalabadi, this song was about treating all religions equally, as Mukesh sang, “Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Isaai, sabko mera salaam”.
The archetypal piano-driven sad song in a love triangle, the song was filmed on Kapoor, Rajendra Kumar and Vyjayanthimala. The combination of Shankar-Jaikishen, Shailendra and Mukesh worked wonders again.
An iconic song propagating the importance of honesty, this was composed by Shankar-Jaikishen, written by Shailendra and sung by Mukesh. The film also had the outstanding number ‘Sajanwa bairi ho gaye hamaar’.
9. Ae Bhai Zara Dekh Ke Chalo – Mera Naam Joker (1970)
Here we chose this classic rendered by the brilliant Manna Dey, though the film also had some great songs sung by Mukesh. Music was by Shankar-Jaikishen again, and lyrics were by the genius Neeraj, who drew parallels between the world and a circus.
The song was a huge radio favourite in the mid 1970s and was composed by R.D. Burman when he was at his peak. Lyrics were by Majrooh Sultanpuri, who wrote “Jag mein reh jayenge pyaare tere bol”, with Mukesh singing it in his inimitable style.
Chattrapati Shahu Maharaj of Kolhapur proposes the idea of a Shivaji Memorial Hall in Pune
Chattrapati Shahu Maharaj of Kolhapur Painting at Shivaji Memorial Hall. (source – AISSMS)
After the Peshwas lost to the British at the Battle of Koregaon (just outside of Pune) in January 1818, signalling the end of the Mahratta Empire, the British signed treaties with the Maharajas of Kolhapur (Shahu), Baroda (Gaekwar), Indore (Holkar), and Gwalior (Scindia). In 1917, as no memorial existed for Shivaji at that time, Chattrapati Shahu Maharaja of Kolhapur mooted an idea to develop a memorial for Shivaji Maharaj that included an equestrian statute and a memorial hall honoring the Great Mahratta king. All the Mahratta chiefs contributed financially to the effort, including the smaller states of Dewas and Dhar (Pawar/Puar).
Prince of Wales lays the Foundation Stone
As Chattrapati Shahu Maharaj also wanted support from the British, he prevailed upon the Governor General of India to invite the Prince of Wales to lay the foundation stone for the ambitious project. The British colonial rulers had come to accept Indian nationalism by supporting activities that potrayed them as progressive rulers who supported education of “natives”.On November 19, 1921, Prince of Wales arrived in Poona (now Pune) by train and was escorted by a parade of Gwalior and Kolhpur Lancers, along with elephants, camels and horses to the the site in Bhamburda (now Shivajinagar) to lay the foundation stone. In an effort to appease Indian nationalism, he spoke of Shivaji as “one of the great Indian soldiers and statesman and founder of the Mahratta greatness who not only founded an Empire, but built a nation.”
The committee led by the Shahu Maharaj commenced the project by hiring two sculptors – Ganpatrao Mhatre for the statue and Nanasaheb Karmarkar for the panels. Shahu Maharaj died in May 1922 before his dream of the memorial was realized. Maharaja of Gwalior, Alija Bahadur Madho Rao Scindiacontinued to lead the effort till he died in June 1925. Rajaram Maharaj of Kolhapur, son of Shahu Maharaj took over with an ambitious goal of finishing the statue by 16 June 1928 (in three years) to coincide with the three hundred years birth anniversary of Shivaji.
The Sculptors and their approach
Raosaheb Ganaptrao Mhatre was a well-known established sculptor who had completed many projects all over India. His clients included the Maharajas of Mysore, Baroda, Kolhapur and several rich Parsee businessmen. His sculpture of the Persian poet Firdawsi commisioned by the Parsees of Bombay adorns the entrance of Tehran University. In 1896, while at the Sir J J School of Arts hewas awarded the Victoria Medal for Sculpture and Mayo Medal for excellence in painting. As a young student, he sculpted a life size figure of a young Maharashtrian girl draped in a traditional nine yard sari on her way to worship, in Plaster of Paris, titled“Mandir path gamini (To the Temple)”. This masterpiece adorns the entrance of the Sir J J School of Arts.
Nanasaheb Karmarkar was discovered by Otto Rothfeld a colonial British civil servant who had seen young Karmarkar’s worksmanship in his hometown Sasavane(near Alibag). He got Karmarkar admitted into the Sir J J School of Arts in Bombay. Karmarkar was a student of Ganpatrao Mhatre who was a visiting faculty at Sir J J School of Arts.Karmarkar graduated with the top rank and found work in Mumbai and Calcutta sculpting statues of famous personalities and Indian dieties. He was orginally commissioned by the Shivaji Memorial Hall Committee to do the panels for the statute.Mhatre’s approach was to make the statue with piece meal sand casting technique whichtook more time but allowed for a better finish. Karmarkar’s approach was to do a one piece cast that was more risky but took less time. His art is on display at his home (converted into a Museum) at Sasavane near Alibag.
A competition and race to finish
Rajaram Maharaj of Kolhapur had used Karmarkar for other projects and was impressed with the panels that he had produced for Shivaji Memorial projectthree months before the deadline given to him. Mhatre’s work had not progressed much. Frustrated by slow progress made by Mhatre, he authorised Karmarkar to make another statute for the project. Now both sculptors had a hard deadline to meet.
Mazagon Docks Bombay from Building Ships to Statues
As there was no studio or foundry in India that could build a 13.5 feet statute which would translate into a 15-20 tonne statue, Karmarkar approached Mazagon Docks that had the capacity to cast such an undertaking in their foundry. The English foreman Rasmussen hedged by saying that he had never done such a project, but would give it his best effort. With that assurance, Karmakar built the sand cast that would be used by Mazagon Docks. The statue was finally cast on the night of June 1, 1928 by a team of mostly Chinese workers pouring molten bronze to create a single piece casting.
Poona Statue By Nanasaheb Karmarkar (Source – AISSMS)
Poona Statue By Nanasaheb Karmarkar. Shivaji Memorial Hall in the background. (Source – AISSMS)
The Side Panels sculpted by Nanasaheb Karmarkar
Side Panels sculpted by Nanasaheb Karmarkar (Source – AISSMS)
Side Panels – from Left to Right and Top to Bottom
Top
Battle of Wani-Dindori – between Daud Khan of the Mughals and Shivaji maharaj at Wani-Dindori (near Nashik).
Coronation Ceremony of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj performed by Gaga Bhatt, of Varanasi .
Bottom
“Kalyan Khajina” at the rear of the pedestal, depicting the story of the raid on Mulla Ahmed (the Mughal Subedar of Kalyan), whose daughter-in-law is captured along with treasures. Instead of keeping her as spoils of war, Shivaji Maharaj offers her safe passage to her home in Bijapur.
Goddess Bhavani in marble atthe front of the pedestal, depicting Shivaji seeking blessings of Bhavani Mata.
The Journey from Wadala to Bhamburda (now Shivajinagar)
As a part of his contract, Karmarkar was also tasked with bringing the statue from Mazagon Docks to the site at Bhamburda (now Shivajinagar). Various options were explored including sending it by sea via Ratnagiri and then by road to Pune via Kolhapur to avoid the winding ghats. While the sea route was feasible it would not have made the hard deadline that was in place. With packing materials, the longest dimensions had reached 15 ft. Technical help of GIP (Great Indian Peninsula) railway engineers was sought to find a solution. The smallest tunnel had a maximum clearance of 9.5 feet. The GIP engineers decided to load the statue without packing at an angle so that it would clear the smallest tunnel.
Ceremonial Unveiling of the Shivaji Statute June 1928
The statue was unveiled by the then Governor of Bombay, Sir Leslie Wilson on June 16, 1928. The event can be seen on the following British Pathe Youtube video, with all the royal splendor and parade of elephants, camels and horses.
Epilogue
Baroda Statue by Raobahadur Ganpatrao Mhatre and son Sham rao (source – Dr. Hemant Sant)
While Nanasaheb Karmakar won the competition, it put Raobahadur Ganpatrao Mhatre into serious financial trouble. Luckily, Maharaja Sayaji Rao III of Baroda came to the rescue and bought the other statue and had it installed in the city center in Baroda. The construction of the Shivaji Memorial Hall was completed in 1933 and inaugurated by H.E Sir Fredrick Sykes, the Governor of Bombay on Sept 20, 1933. It serves as the main building of the Shri Shivaji Preparatory Military School. During World War II, many graduating students were offered direct commission in the Royal Indian Army, to aid the British war efforts.
Arun Mantri is an alumnus of Shri Shivaji Military Preparatory School and a descendent of NaroramShenvi-Rege alias Naroram Mantri of Bagni/Islampur, who was a Sardar Mantri (minister) in the cabinet of ChattrapatiShahu Maharaj of Kolhapur. Naroram Mantri also built the famous ShantaDurga Temple in Kavlem, Goa. The story is compiled from various sources.
Things are likely to change over time as COVID-19 lockdown restrictions are gradually easing. Reduced social exposure may flare up social anxiety – for some people, returning to ‘new normal’ may be daunting. However, social anxiety can be navigated with some techniques.
As the lockdown restrictions are gradually being lifted, reconnecting with the outside world may seem daunting. Some people may feel particularly anxious about reconnecting. Some with social anxiety might experience heightened anxiety about the prospect of socializing again. Some who fear germs, such as some people with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), might worry about re-entering public spaces. Even people who don’t normally have these tendencies might share similar worries.
It is sad that there is no definitive answer to when life will go back to how it was. However, its about time we prepare ourselves mentally so that we can get on with our lives safely.
Here are eight ways to manage anxiety as you step out.
Acceptance – A pandemic took place and got the world to a standstill. Social distancing became a part of life. We got a taste of living isolated. It is essential to have acceptance for what has happened and how it has brought the change. Accept the change, it may feel uncomfortable but you will get used to it with time.
Take one step at a time –Begin with stepping out of your house every few days so that you get adapted to the situation outside as well as get used to wearing a masks and gloves. As you get comfortable you may try stepping out of the gate, if you don’t feel secure stick to being in your vicinity, with time you will feel confident to get pass the gate. So, take it slow.
Positive affirmations – While we are flooded with so much Covid-19 news it becomes hard to stay positive. Positive affirmations – phrases that we repeat to ourselves, this evokes self-positivity. Phrases that you repeat to yourself may not be true at first but with constant repetition your subconscious mind will believe in it, bringing a change to your thinking process as well as your life.
Refrain overloading Covid news – Yes, the situation is bad, it is going out of control but that does not mean you binge on Covid news. The more you pay attention to it, the more damage it will cause you. Watching the news once in a day to catch up with the headlines will be a good idea. Don’t let news channels stress you out instead keep yourself busy with things that bring you joy.
Keep the distance – As you begin to step out make sure you limit touching any surfaces. You may be wearing gloves but still it would be wise to be conscious of keeping distance.
Exercise – Sweat, get your heart pumping and strengthen your body. If you want to step out you need to be strong. If your body is in good health it will be able to fight anything. Exercise not only helps your body but also your brain. You will be alert about your surroundings, you will think clearly and feel confident about stepping out.
Take precautions – Take them seriously if you want to be able to move around. It all comes down to how much precautions you take. If by any chance you are careless about it then chance of you getting infected rises. So, no matter how tedious it may feel take precautions and take care of yourself.
Seek help – It is ok, to not feel ok about stepping out. There are chance you may need help from someone to get you get going. You may try cognitive behavioral therapy or speak to a friend. Whatever makes you comfortable start there and gradually step up.
Your mental health matters, what goes in your mind will have an effect on your actions and reactions. You may feel scared to step out right now, however, with a little change each day soon you will be mentally prepared to step out. It may be scarier but this would be the first step to getting back to ‘normal’.
Former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s idealistic visions and strategic bankruptcy led to the 1962 war against China into one of the most disastrous milestones in the annals of modern India. Why is the Narendra Modi-led NDA scared of declassifying ‘General Henderson Brooks Report of 1962 India’s China War’ after 68 years, asks Brig GB Reddy (Retd)
Why is the Narendra Modi-led NDA scared of declassifying ‘General Henderson Brooks Report of 1962 India’s China War’ after 68 years? Surely, history must be recorded in true form for the present and future generations to learn from its lesson!
Ipso facto, November 11-18, 1962 was the most disastrous milestone in the annals of modern India due to cumulative blunders by the then Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. It is due to Nehru’s idealistic visions and strategic bankruptcy.
Never in my life can I forget the bombastic announcement made on his way to Colombo heard on my Japanese-made transistor’ (only means to know about Delhi’s policies): “Throw the Chinese out”. Shocked and surprised I was at Nehru’s total ignorance of ‘military affairs’ and knowledge of how battles are waged at the ground level. Throw the Chinese out with what? With vintage 1889 .303 Rifles against Chinese PLA shock-wave mass assaults?
The fact of Chinese unilateral declaration of ceasefire and withdrawing forces from the foothills of North East Frontier Agency (present-day Arunachal Pradesh) to the other side of the LAC on the McMahon Line in Tibet cannot be refuted even by the most ardent Nehru sycophants. It was certainly a direct slap on the face of Nehru’s pretensions of Third World leadership in the 1962 War.
In retrospect, it was a national shame and disgrace of the most humiliating order for a nation claiming to be a 5000-yea-old civilization nurturing regional/great power status in posterity.
Having served as a company commander in Mechukaof 2nd Battalion the Madras Regiment in Siang Frontier Division (mentioned in the declassified Part 1 of General Henderson Brookes Report), and survivor as “Rear Guard Commander” to cover the withdrawal of 2/8 GR Battalion, I strongly believe that the new millennial must be told the truth of developments and events of the 1962 humiliating debacle.
The declassification of the Henderson Brookes will provide a balanced perspective of politico-bureaucratic strategic bankruptcy and phenomenal military strategic and tactical bungling at all levels.
Map of the 1962 operations in the Namkha chu area (Source – Map by Brig John Dalvi, Commander of 7 Brigade – https://www.claudearpi.net/maps )
Troops were poorly clad and equipped – 1889 Boer War vintage .303 bolt action rifles, heavyweight Wireless Sets 62 with 12 volt batteries with no recharging facility during withdrawal, no lightweight winter clothing or snow boots, blankets, canvas backpacks etc. Most quixotic it was to conduct artillery fire support based on “blank non-surveyed quarter inch maps” until after mid-1965s. All I could watch on my induction in July 1961 was a quarter-inch map with blank top half towards McMohan Linemarked with a thick line representing almost one mile in space.
Consequently, troops died unable to negotiate snow-clad high altitude mountain like Colonel Eric Taylor of 2/8 G R, his Adjutant and others in Mechuka whilst those who withstood the rigors suffered due to frost bites.
Be that as it may, the Jawaharlal Nehru-V K Krishna Menon duo is directly responsible and accountable for the most ignominious Himalayan Blunder or Humiliation. From failures of the past, one can learn many critical lessons for posterity. Neville Maxwell has placed ‘Henderson Brookes Report’ on his website long ago. It provides a deep insight into the failures of political and military leadership at all levels to shape current and future policies and strategies.
Let me highlight important features of the Henderson Brooks Report. At the political level, it clearly exposes Nehru’s despotic-cum-autocratic leadership style. The global strategic environment was hawkish given the Cold War era. The US and its allies were involved in the US implementation of Marshall Plan. Containment on the doorsteps of the Eastern Bloc – communism – was their avowed policy. Three Western Military alliances were formed: NATO, Middle East or CENTO and SEATO. Pakistan joined the CENTO and SEATO. The Chinese Civil War, the Korean War (1950–53), the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 brutally crushed by the Soviets, the Suez Crisis (1956), the Berlin Crisis of 1961, and the Cuban missile crisis of 1962 were major happenings.
Viewed in such a environment, Nehru’s strategic vision and foreign policy initiative – Panchsheel– five principles of peaceful co-existence – based on his idealistic or divine instincts or intuitive capabilities was based on non-violence: wars and violence have no place in conflict resolution. Perhaps Nehru wanted to be a la modern Ashoka – apostle of peace in the hope of Nobel Peace Prize.
On the foreign policy front, India sacrificed Tibet on 29 April, 1954 when the “Panchsheel” agreement with China at Peking and “Agreement (with exchange of notes) on trade and intercourse between Tibet Region of China and India” was signed. Nehru trusted China to honor the Panchsheel.
Nehru disbelieved Chinese intrusions in Barahoti in 1954 followed by Chinese violations of territorial integrity in Damzan (November 1955), Nilang (May 1956), Shipki La (September 1956), Khurnak Fort in Ladakh (July 1958), Lohit Frontier Division – NEFA (Sept-Oct 1958) and so on.
Also, Nehru’s defense policy after gaining independence in 1947 was also ill conceived. His stated defense policy “Rubbish, total rubbish, we don’t need a defense plan. Our policy is non-violence. We foresee no military threats. Scrap the Army. The police are good enough to meet our security needs”. No clear cut political end objective of border confrontation with China. “No loss of inch of territory and throw the Chinese out” was the higher strategic direction or obsession. By conception, the political end objectives were grandiose considering the ill-equipped, trained and commanded Army.
Worst followed during and after Chou En Lai’s visit to India in 1959 what with the “Hindi-China Bhai-Bhai” politico-media hype. More intellectually bizarre was Nehru’s championing the cause of Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in Belgrade in 1961, on the basis of “Panchsheel”.
Less publicised is General Thimmaya’s resignation in protest to Prime Minister Nehru due to Defence Minister Krishna Menon’s refusal to consider his plans for preparing the Army for the forthcoming Sino-Indian conflict of 1962. The full story of the episode is still shrouded in mystery.
Under such ego centric Nehruvian political leadership, the quality of Generalship that emerged was poor lacking in moral courage. Phenomenal “Crisis in Higher Command” prevailed. Generalship lacked moral courage. The COAS and the Eastern Army Commander were mere figure heads. Battlefield confusion was real with issue of orders to withdraw to be retracted later. Generals from Delhi were commanding platoon sized posts and issuing orders countermanding intervening headquarters.
Importantly, Nehru was ignorant of military affairs; lacked depth of military knowledge and experience to wage wars; and had no time for the Generals. Nehru held Generals in total disdain. Any information that did not fit with his (often wildly inaccurate) preconceptions were summarily dismissed outright. Had no clue of either higher directions of war or military strategy and tactics. No overall national aim and end objectives of war. Never balanced ends and means; no forethought, no planning to modernise the armed forces, winter clothing, ammunition and fuel and therefore they faced a whole host of logistical problems.
In sum, by the criteria of seizing opportunities as the hallmark of great statesman, Nehru failed dismally. Had Nehru accepted the quid pro quo basis for resolving the border dispute – recognise their claims to Aksai Chin in return of recognition of Manmohan Line in 1960, the entire scenario would have been different today. Even the 45 crore people of India, mostly illiterate and blind followers of Nehru would have accepted such a resolution what with hardly any opposition to blame Nehru for surrender. Certainly,it would have possibly pre-empted China-Pakistan strategic alliance today.
Undeniably, Prime Minister Modi and the NDA would not have been caught in a politico-diplomatic-military impasse today. Modi canill-afford resolution of the border dispute based on quid pro quo basis for the rival opposition political leadership vociferously supported by partisan media would spin, stir and spiral emotions and sentiments of 135 crore of highly articulate society to rise and throw out Modi-led BJP out of power.
Most critical to accept and admit that the Henderson Brooke’s Report clearly apportions the blame on intelligence failure. Until the induction of forces into Ladakh and NEFA in the aftermath of Longju incident in late 1960, B N Mullick, Director of Intelligence Bureau, was the repository of intelligence for all others. Nehru’s view that China will not be provoked for a showdown was reinforced by Mullick’s assessment that China would not militarily respond to Forward Posture Policy, which was accepted as the gospel truth by Nehru.
Even the military intelligence assessment during 1959-60 gave the Chinese capability of one regiment (Brigade) plus with some tanks opposite Ladakh which was later reassessed as one division plus by October 1960. Similarly, the initial intelligence assessment in late 1959 was one division against Sikkim and three regiments against NEFA. In 1960, it was revised to three Chinese divisions with bulk against Tawang.
The three-tiered military strategy, doomed for disaster by original conception, consisted of deployment in piecemeal in isolated platoon-sized border posts on the watershed to control entry into NEFA across McMahon line backed up strongly by bases in depth on the second tier followed by the Defence Line: Towing–Bomdila-Ziro-Daporizo-Along-Roing-Tezu-Lohitpur-Hayulang.
Before the issue of “Forward Policy”, 50 Assam Rifles platoons were deployed on 36 outposts to demonstrate flag-bearing role. In June/July 1962, Operation Leghorn was launched and 42 platoon-sized posts were deployed of McMohan Line. And they were tasked to defend the shoulders of passes until the “last man last round”. No artillery or air support. Logistical sustenance was a nightmare. My company in Tuting carried rations for the company deployed in Gelling-Kepang La on the McMohan Line during the buildup.
No troops were available to occupy defensive positions around bases; and no positions were prepared on the third-tier of the Defence Line to wage the battle of Defense Boxes based on the classical style of Battles of Imphal or Kohima. Woeful military operational unde-preparedness!
Furthermore, troops were not physically conditioned to sustain 20 miles (32) per day for seven days continuously totally self-reliant ala General Wingate’s ‘Chindits’ of the Burma War. Troops who moved from the plains had no time to acclimatise and were unprepared to fight battles in high altitudes.
Next, the Henderson Brookes Report reportedly provides a scathing indictment on General B M Kaul, a Nehru crony, an Army Supply Corps officer, woefully ill-equipped either tactically or strategically to wage wars first as Chief of General Staff at Army HQs and later as the ill-fated IV Corps commander.
General Kaul wanted to prove that he had the mettle to implement the political directive of “throw the Chinese out”. So, he moved with skeletal staff and raised the ill-fated Corps HQs overnight. Then, Kaul took piggyback ride on a Khampa porter to the battle scene in Dhola pass and fled from the scene feigning sickness to Delhi and conducted battle from sick bed. Height of cowardice!
Let me recount eight historical defining events or landmarks to provide a historical perspective of the border dispute to include: throughout 19th century, China exercised sovereignty over Tibet through a local governor; British invaded Tibet in 1903 and the Dalai Lama fled to Mongolia and then to China; an unequal treaty signed converted Tibet into a British protectorate in 1904; and after the fall of the Qing Dynasty in 1911, Tibet became de facto independent under a British protectorate.
Followed a tripartite conference in March 1914 in Shimla with British and Tibetans agreeing on a common border – the famous McMahon Line demarcated on a quarter inch map sans surveyed relief features on top half portion which the Chinese initialed the main document, but did not ratify it.
In reality, the PRC always maintained that Tibet was a part of China. The idea of a Greater China was to unite Mongoloid race under one nation. China remained emphatic to redraw the borders calling them “accidents of history” imposed by external powers when China was weak. The PRC also proclaimed to “liberate” the Tibetans from a theocratic feudal system and made it a top priority to incorporate Tibet, peacefully or by force. Mao in December 1949 ordered that preparations be made to march into Tibet at Chamdo to induce the Tibetan Government to negotiate.
Yet another historic highlight is the meeting of the Tibetan delegation with the PRC’s ambassador General Yuan Zhongxian in Delhi on September 16, 1950. Yuan communicated a three-point proposal that Tibet be regarded as part of China, that China be responsible for Tibet’s defense, trade and foreign relations.
When in October 1950, Mao’s troops marched into Tibet, Lhasa appealed to the United Nations. India, though recognising Tibet’s autonomy (“verging on independence” as per Nehru’s words), began to vacillate and was unable to stand up in favour of their peaceful neighbour against Red China. The Tibetan delegation signed the 17-Point Agreement “under duress” on May 23, 1951 in Peking authorizing the PLA presence and Central People’s Government rule in Political Tibet. The Dalai Lama formally accepted the 17-Point Agreement in October 1951. Less known is El Salvador sponsoring a complaint by the Tibetan government at the UN, but India and the United Kingdom prevented it from being debated.
Finally in 1956, Tibetan militias in the ethnically Tibetan region of eastern Khams started fighting against the government. When the fighting spread to Lhasa in 1959, the Dalai Lama fled Tibet. Both he and the PRC government in Tibet subsequently repudiated the 17-Point Agreement and the PRC government in Tibet dissolved the Tibetan Local Government.
In retrospect, Nehru’s foreign and defense policies were rubbish. Not to lose an inch of territory remains India’s higher direction/grand strategy even till date. It reflects rank politico-strategic bankruptcy. How can army hierarchy evolve any worthwhile military strategy based on No loss of an inch of territory? Political decision-makers need to review the direction of “No loss of inch Territory” to allow operational flexibility and freedom; and specify a clear “Grand Strategy with end objectives defined”. No place in history for Nehru’s legacy.
Next, military strategy needs to exploit terrain features. Finally, training for fighting in high altitudes and logistic support must be maintained at efficient levels. Armed forces must be prepared to wage high intensity war based on enhanced threat scenarios on various well defined ingress avenues.
Why was the Indian Air Force not employed in countering the Chinese offensive in NEFA in particular? The political establishment must answer.
In sum, Nehru committed Himalayan Blunders due to his flawed understanding of the hawkish nature of geopolitics, ill-conceived historic-geographical strategic views and assumptions, lack of strategic foresight and far-sight and total lack of understanding of wars.
Viewed holistically today, the India-China confrontation may be viewed as ‘Clash of civilizations – Aryan-Dravidian v/s Mongoloid’, or Clash between two ideologies – Communism v/s Democracy” for gaining Asia-Pacific hegemony in pursuit of national interests before embarking in pursuit of global hegemony as the middle kingdom. Prepare to face such an eventuality; or perish at least in the short and midterm contexts.
It’s never too late to declassify the ‘Henderson Brooke’s Report’ on India’s China War 1962 so that the past shortcomings (fiascos) are not repeated today and in posterity at ‘Grand Strategy or Higher Political Directions’ and ‘Military Strategy, Operational Art Doctrines and Tactical Concepts’ of battles. Also, it should lay the strategic roadmap ahead to resolve the border disputes with China on quid pro quo basis.
Proper nutrition will lead to a clear head with a sense of purpose and poor nutrition will lead to a foggy head with a sense of desperation. Healthy eating also slows the rate of aging-related cognitive decline and reduces the risk of developing dementia.
Brain health is an essential part of living a healthy long life. Our body is controlled by our brain, so what is we eat has an effect on how we react in our day to day life. Proper nutrition will not only prevent cognitive decline but also enhance the quality of thinking.
There are foods that are unhealthy for your brain. Too much of indulgence in such foods will make you experience confusion, low mood, and slowed reaction times. In a vicious cycle, a depressed brain has poor ability to make the right decisions in order to improve.
If you have been eating more of unhealthy foods then it is time to start scaling back. However, dietary overhaul all at once will only make things worse, and even though you know it’s the right choice, you will struggle to maintain it. Instead, take out one food that a time from your diet, making a gradual shift will protect the health of your brain without confusing it.
Here are the seven food to avoid for brain’s health
1. Trans fats –
The good news is that not all fats are bad for you. However, a particular kind of fat called trans fats does have a detrimental effect on the brain. Trans fats are found naturally in animal products including meat and dairy, but even these are not as problematic as the industrially produced trans fats that get pumped into all sorts of packaged foods.
Otherwise known as hydrogenated oil, people who eat a lot of trans fat in the form of margarine, store-bought baked goods, chips and crackers, frozen and canned meals, and creamy beverages are at a greater risk for Alzheimer’s and dementia. Studies have shown that high consumption of trans fats also leads to earlier cognitive decline, lower brain volume, and poorer memory.
2. Sugary Drinks –
Sugary drinks like soda, sports drinks, energy drinks, and even fruit juice have little to no nutritional value. Regular consumption of sugary drinks can lead to a whole host of physical impairments, including type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.
A high intake of fructose, a mega-concentrated sweetener that is found in many sugary drinks, has been shown to reduce learning ability, memory, overall brain function, and the formation of new neurons in the brain. It may also lead to increased inflammation in the brain, which negatively affects all types of brain function.
3. Refined Carbs –
Refined carbohydrates are products made with processed grains. They may not necessarily taste sweet, but they break down into sugar in your body very quickly. That’s because the refining process strips all of the fibre and nutrition out of the original grain. A meal rich in refined carbs represents a high glycaemic load that spikes your blood sugar.
That causes memory impairment, inflammation, and a higher risk of developing dementia. Studies have shown that seniors who take in more than 58% of their daily calories in refined carbs have twice the risk of mental impairment and dementia than those who eat more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
4. Processed and Packaged Foods –
Processed and packaged foods remove important nutrition from whole food and replace it with sugar, fat, and salt., Eating habits which relies more on convenience and fast foods over slow-cooked homemade meals.
However, it is important to cook with whole nutritious foods as often as you can swing it. High consumption of processed and packaged foods, in turn, is associated with damage to the brain tissue and a reduction in the brain’s volume. It may also cause disruptions to the blood-brain barrier, the membrane that is responsible for protecting the brain from harmful substances.
5. Alcohol –
Alcohol can harm the brain, considering how much you consume and how often. Getting tipsy every once in a while, probably won’t cause permanent damage, but alcoholism and bouts of binge drinking will cause a permanent damage.
Chronic consumption of alcohol tends to shrink the brain and disrupt the neurotransmitters that your brain uses to communicate. Alcoholics also often experience a vitamin B1 deficiency, which can lead to the development of Korsakoff’s syndrome. The syndrome is responsible for severe brain damage that causes memory loss, confusion, unsteadiness, and intermittent loss of eyesight.
6. Fish High in Mercury –
Fish in general is a healthy addition to your diet. It is low in saturated fat yet contains healthy omega-3 fatty acids as well as vitamin B12, zinc, iron, and magnesium. However, some fish is especially high in mercury, which is a heavy metal contaminant and neurological poison. Mercury stays stored in animal tissue (including human) for a long time.
Fish that are longer lived and predatory tend to have the highest concentration of mercury in their flesh. That’s because as long as they live, they are consuming other fish that contain lower levels of mercury. Over a lifetime, these fish can accumulate higher mercury levels in the water they swim in. It is best to avoid or seriously limit your consumption of tuna, swordfish, orange roughy, king mackerel, shark, and tile fish to prevent disruption of your brain’s neurotransmitters.
While producers of this sugar substitute swear that it is safe, several studies have linked aspartame to behavioural and cognitive problems. As a chemical stressor, it can cause deleterious effects on the ability to learn and regulate emotions.
In one study, just 8 days of a high-aspartame diet cause participants to score lower on mental tests and feel more irritable and depressed to boot. Another study revealed that people who drink a lot of diet soft drinks, which replace the sugar with artificial sweetener, have an increased risk of dementiaor stroke. For now, the FDA says aspartame is safe, but also mandates warning labels on products that contain it.
Reduce salt to improve heart health, advises Dr Suresh Agrawal. The tiny granules can make your food taste so good, and too much can raise your blood pressure too high. If you reduce your salt intake for longer, you are likely to see a larger fall in your blood pressure.
We know that Life on Earth began in the Sea, that means organisms were surrounded by sea water – rich in salt or Sodium Chloride. Since then salt has lived outside of cells in all organisms forming extra cellular fluids. The complex mechanisms in cells prevents entry of Sodium beyond requirements.
The habitual use of salt is intimately connected with the advance from primitive, nomadic lifestyles, agriculture-based life – a step in civilization which influenced the rituals and cults of almost all ancient nations.
Table salt or Sodium Chloride is a naturally occurring mineral essential for animal life. Saltiness is one of the five basic human tastes, in addition to sweetness, sourness, bitterness and savoury. It plays a crucial role in maintaining human health, it provides Sodium and Chloride in the human diet.
We need about 5 gm of dietary salt in our food every day, that’s about 1 teaspoon of salt. On an average, Indians consume about 10 to 12 gm of salt per day, consumption of salt differs in our society depending on food habits.
The majority of the salt we eat is hidden in spicy foods, pickles, papad, processed and packaged foods and most people aren’t aware that the amount they are consuming is raising their blood pressure.
Blood pressure in human body is determined by cardiac output — blood pumped out by heart during each its cycle and resistance offered by arteries.Those who have diseased kidneys in them BP will rise much earlier as kidneys is unable to remove extra salt.
Whenever a person consumes more salt than the requirement, the kidneys try to flush out extra salt by increasing its filtration rate. This is achieved by increasing pressure in blood vessels inside each kidney and by decreasing sodium re-absorption.
The kidney will flush extra salt from the body so as to maintain homeostasis – smooth function of muscles and nerves but at a high price that is raised blood pressure – Systemic Hypertension.
Human body cannot live without sodium. It is needed to transmit nerve impulses across all nerve fibers – contraction and relaxation of muscle fibers in human body including those in heart and blood vessels and maintain a proper fluid balance. Hence it becomes essential to reduce salt intake for our wellbeing. It may take while to reset your taste buds to get used to that lower-salt diet, but you can really make up for any flavour deficits by using more spices or more herbs.
Let us spread the motto ‘Ek Chammach Namak Kum’ or ‘One Less Spoon of Salt’ from our daily food.
It’s been 22 years since Laxmikant Kudalkar passed away. Narendra Kusnur picks 20 songs of the music director duo of Laxmi-Pyare. Enjoy!
It’s been 22 years since music director Laxmikant Kudalkar passed away (he died on May 25, 1998 at age 60). One half of the Laxmikant-Pyarelal duo, he was known for his immaculate sense of melody and his understanding of the pulse of the masses.
As a duo, Laxmikant-Pyarelal had numerous hit songs in the 1960s and 1970s, and though they arrived slightly later, their career ran almost in parallel with R D Burman and Kalyanji-Anandji. Interestingly, a large chunk of their major hits was written by Anand Bakshi, with Lata Mangeshkar singing most female songs.
Shortlisting 20 Laxmikant-Pyarelal (or L-P or Laxmi-Pyare, as they were popular called) songs isn’t an easy task. But we chose some iconic and popular ones, without repeating a film. Quite a few favourites didn’t make it (including songs from Do Raaste, Sargam and Khalnayak), but that’s the enormity of their work.
1 Woh Jab Yaad Aaye – Parasmani (1963):
In Laxmikant-Pyarelal’s first film together, Mohammed Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar sing this nostalgic duet penned by Asad Bhopali.
A huge hit in its time, this was aired on Doordarshan for years. Mukesh and Mangeshkar sing Bakshi’s words, filmed on Sunil Dutt and Nutan. The song opening is legendary.
Domestic travel is set to resume on May 25, albeit with many hiccups. So what does it mean for the health and safety of passengers? We asked Dr Noor Gill for her medical view and we also replay the key guidelines issued by the Indian civil aviation ministry.
By A Staff Writer
Maharashtra has said naahi. A clear nyet. Tamil Nadu and West Bengal have also said that the time is not right. So while we don’t know whether air travel will actually resume on May 25, the scheduled date announced by the Government of India, there are some guidelines – Do’s and Don’ts – that people need to look at.
Let’s first look at the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, and then consider a medical view, from our expert, Dr Noor Gill.
Here are the guidelines that must be followed if you are travelling by air.
General Instructions
The process of air travel will be handled in a calibrated manner. Limited operations would be permitted in the initial stage.
Very elderly, pregnant ladies and passengers with health conditions are advised to avoid air travel.
Passengers with confirmed web check-in will be allowed at the airport, along with baggage identification number – boldly written on a piece of thick paper and affixed to the bag with a strong string. No facility of physical check-in.
Airlines to adhere to the lower and upper limits of fares prescribed by the Ministry during the period of Covid-19 pandemic.
Passengers with “Red” status in Aarogya Setu App would not be permitted to travel.It is mandatory to wear a face mask throughout the journey and only one check-in luggage will be allowed.
No meals/newspapers will be provided.
Arrive at the airport two hours before the departure time.
Guidelines from the origin to the destination.
Passengers to travel only authorized taxi/personal vehicle.
During the transit, passengers should take all precautions to prevent infection.
If a passenger is not permitted to fly travels, he/she will be liable to penal action.
Passengers are to get their temperature checked at the thermal screening facility near the entry gate.
Social distancing to be strictly followed. Throughout the airport there are markings – circle, square or barriers, to be used.
Cooperate with security staff by following instructions for your own safety and security.
In the waiting area, maintain social distance and sanitisation protocols. Chairs marked ‘Not For Use’ should not be occupied.
Disposable of bio hazardous materials – masks, gloves, tissues, to be disposed in a yellow coloured bin placed at strategic locations inside the airport.
Passengers to collect safety kit (three layered surgical masks and sanitiser) from airlines near the boarding gate. Self sanitisation to be done before proceeding to the boarding gate for scanning.
Check-in of the boarding pass would be done by passenger themselves and are required to show their ID at the boarding gate.
Through the transit hygiene should be maintained by the passenger. Face to face interaction to be minimised.
Passengers are advised to minimise use of lavatory.
Eatable are not permitted for consumption inside the aircraft.
If any passenger feels uncomfortable, fatigued or have cough, should be brought to the crew’s attention.
On arrival passengers are to use authorised taxi services that maintain the prescribed hygiene protocols.
Guidelines for International arrivals
All passengers shall give an undertaking that they would undergo mandatory quarantine for 14 days – 7 days paid institutional at their own cost, followed by 7 days isolation at home self-monitoring.
Only asymptomatic passengers will be allowed to travel and if on arrival, any passenger shows mild symptoms, he/she will be immediately isolated and taken to the medical facility.
Medical Tips to Ensure your Domestic Air Travel is Safe & Secure
By Dr Noor Gill
Maintain hand hygiene – Keep your hands clean. Wash them with soap and water or with an alcohol-based hand sanitiser every time you touch your face or nose. Cough and sneeze into your elbow and cover your mouth when doing so. Stay clear of people with a cough or cold.
Clearance from GP – The elderly, the chronically sick and those with a serious underlying health condition should avoid travelling or delay their travel plan until deemed fit and cleared for travel by their general physician (GP).
Breathe easy – All modern aircrafts have High Efficiency Particle Arrester (HEPA) which filters dust particles and airborne contaminants with high efficiency. So, you can breathe easy.
Usage of luggage cover – Your luggage is transferred to a low-pressure chamber and thus runs a very low risk to get contaminated during transportation. But if it helps you travel easy and makes you feel better, you can cover your bags with a luggage cover.
Avoid surfaces – Even though the airports will be following strict sterilization protocols and techniques. Not all surfaces and areas will get the same amount of attention. The evidence on whether the virus can survive on a surface and then be transferred is not solid so avoid keeping your luggage on a surface.
14-day quarantine – If you are returning from an affected area or country, follow the 14-day quarantine protocol.
Awareness – Stay up-to-date on your vaccines. Although there is no vaccine available for the coronavirus yet, it is better to stay safe and keep your immunisation chart complete and update so as to avoid compromising your immunity.
Addressing loneliness and social isolation may have an important role in the prevention of two of the leading causes of heart disease/stroke. The study backs public health concerns about the importance of social contacts for health and wellbeing
With such rapid changes in the way people are interacting socially, research is needed to address several important questions. Does interacting socially via technology reduce or replace face to face social interaction and/or alter social skills?
Loneliness and social isolation are linked to 30 percent increased risk of having a stroke or developing coronary artery disease, published online in Heart – an official journal of the British Cardiovascular Society. The two leading causes of illness and death globally – risk of having a stroke or developing coronary artery disease. The study indicates, the size of the effect is comparable to that of other recognised risk factors, such as anxiety and a stressful job.
Loneliness has already been linked to a compromised immune system, high blood pressure, and ultimately, premature death, but it’s not clear what impact it might have on heart disease and stroke risk.
The researchers checked out 16 research databases for relevant studies, published up to May 2015, and found 23 that were eligible.
These studies, which involved more than 181,000 adults, included 4628 coronary heart disease ‘events’ (heart attacks, angina attacks, death) and 3002 strokes recorded during monitoring periods ranging from three to 21 years.
Analysis of the pooled data showed that loneliness/social isolation was associated with a 29% increased risk of a heart or angina attack and a 32% heightened risk of having a stroke.
The effect size was comparable to that of other recognised psychosocial risk factors, such as anxiety and job strain.
This is an observational study, so no firm conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect, added to which the researchers point out that it wasn’t possible to exclude the potential impact of other unmeasured factors or reverse causation – whereby those with undiagnosed disease were less sociable, so inflating the findings.
In a linked editorial, Drs Julianne Holt-Lunstad and Timothy Smith of Brigham Young University, Utah, USA, agree, pointing out that social factors should be included in medical education, individual risk assessment, and in guidelines and policies applied to populations and the delivery of health services.
But one of the greatest challenges will be how to design effective interventions to boost social connections, taking account of technology – researchers.
“Similar to how cardiologists and other healthcare professionals have taken strong public stances regarding other factors such as – smoking, and diets high in saturated fats, further attention to social connections is needed in research and public health surveillance, prevention and intervention efforts,” they conclude.
4 Man Tadapat (Baiju Bawra, 1952) – Baiju Bawra had numerous hit songs but ‘Man Tadapat’ was remembered for Rafi’s soulful singing and the use of raag Malkauns.
5 Insaaf Ka Mandir Hai (Amar, 1954) – Another beauty by Rafi, the Naushad- Badayuni magic is seen on the lines “Insaaf ka mandir hai yeh, bhagwan ka ghar hai”.
6 Duniya Mein Agar Aaye Ho (Mother India, 1957) – A song with an important and timeless message, this was sung by the Mangeshkar sisters Lata, Meena and Usha.
7 Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya (Mughal-a-Azam, 1960) – One of the greatest love songs ever, this was sung by Lata Mangeshkar and picturised on the gorgeous Madhubala.
8 Madhuban Mein Radhika (Kohinoor, 1960) – Best known its use of raag Hameer, this was sung by Rafi and picturised on Dilip Kumar. The sitar was played by Ustad Abdul Halim Jagger Khan.
9 Mere Mehboob Tujhe (Mere Mehboob, 1963) – Picturised on Rajendra Kumar and Sadhana, this Rafi song was a huge hit and was played regularly on the radio.
Hard on the heels of the Covid-19 pandemic, the plight of countless migrant workers walking across the country to reach home is India’s biggest tragedy since Partition, writes Vickram Sethi
If the Holocaust was the biggest tragedy for the Jews, then the Partition was India’s biggest tragedy. Now we are watching lakhs and lakhs of migrants walking all the way home, wherever their home is. To me this is India’s biggest tragedy after the Partition. It is the mother of all road shows; now the whole world knows the face of the real India and also Indians themselves.
The young and the helpless – is this India’s future
For about over a month we have seen images and stories of lakhs and lakhs of migrant workers trudging thousands of miles across the length and breadth of this country. Watching a sea of humanity walk from one place to the other; young able-bodied men and women begging for food, standing in long queues from 6 in the morning hoping that at 12 noon when their turn comes, they would be able to get some food. During this trudge, many may have died, parents could have abandoned their little kids because they no longer could feed them. The migrants have one compulsive emotion and that is the need to get back to their family – parents, wife and kids. This is extreme cruelty. Human suffering at its worst. Why did this happen? Who subjected these people to such extreme cruelty?
Why didn’t someone take over the dhabas on the way and give these people free food, simple dal-khichdi that could provide warmth in the stomach, water to drink and a place to rest before moving on or even a pair of shoes to walk home. What you see in this mass of humanity is an explosion of cooperation, where the poor have walked through this cruel journey together with their friends, brothers, families and children. Each one has cared for the other. This kind of empathy is a quality of the poor.
No one’s people
The tragedy of 16 people crushed to death on the tracks near Aurangabad should hurt us and prick our collective conscience. Where are the netas who promise the world when they come to seek votes? May be a few of them should do the 500-mile trek across the country to understand what real hardship is. Can India see its own poverty? Does it make you feel sad? For a moment, get out of yourself and look at your face in the face of the poor to understand what poverty is. Do their lives have any meaning? What do words like social distancing, self-esteem, dignity mean to this mass of invisible labourers who are no one’s people. What would happen once they get home? Are they carrying the virus back with them amongst all their burdens? What kind of a life will they go back to?
It is cruel to see and hear statisticians, political analysts, economists, social activists and a whole bunch of people who appear on television mouthing platitudes on the poverty line, the GDP per capita, all the schemes that the government is implementing to make life better… soon a lot of armchair spokespersons whose job is to speak will make PowerPoint presentations on how they are working to improve the life of these migrants. I doubt if any of them have even seen the reality of their poverty or even looked at them in their face. What is bad, is that they will pass all kinds of judgments on inane issues but will never get to the core of the problems faced by the migrants.
Out of jobs and evicted from rented accommodation, out of- state workers have no option but to pick up their lives and leave
Where is the love and compassion for the poor? Even after so many days they are still dithering on providing transportation through rails, roads and such. Is this the superpower we call ourselves? Again, on television we will see yet another statistic on so many millions that have been added to the poverty numbers. The line of poverty if u can see, it exists in our eyes and that’s where we need to find it. What is the meaning of democracy for the poor? Actually nothing! People who are below the poverty line are probably out of the democratic process.
The binding factor
Lock, stock and shattered dreams, families leave for the only place they can now call home
Poverty is also a great binding factor, in recent times there has been a surge of anti-Muslim rhetoric amidst this Covid-19 crisis. You see rich people coming out of their kothis and asking the sabjiwallah his name, wanting to see his Aadhar Card (thank god, the person stopped there) to find out whether he is a Hindu or a Muslim. While they were at it I wish someone could have asked, what is the religion of gaajar, matar, gobi, palak, methi…? Do we know the religion of water? Unfortunately, this anti-Muslim rhetoric has moved up even to the top and the middle class, where Hindus and Muslims have problems with each other but not so the poor. Go to the slums in Mumbai – Kherwadi, Geeta Nagar, Dharavi, Worli, Govandi… the Muslim neighbour carpenter will often volunteer to create the neighbour’s Ganapati pandal and his wife would probably lend a helping hand in rolling out the modaks. Poverty is lack of cash and not lack of character.
India’s international image has taken a huge downgrade with the visuals of the migrants walking home. The anti-Muslim rhetoric has hurt the Hindus who are a minority in the rest of the world. When the government of UAE has to send a representative on the inter-faith council to the USA they send a Sikh, Surinder Singh Kandhari, to represent them. There is a lesson here for us.
Hopeless future
What happens when people lose hope? After such a long and horrible journey home, is life fair to them? What kind of life will they have once they have reached home? Would there be any employment opportunities? They lived on the fringe in the city and tried to create a life for themselves. The calamity of walking back, the darkness that will embrace them shattering a million dreams. They came to the city in the first place to create a new life for themselves; wanting to send their children to angrezi medium schools, clothes from Fashion Street, the big occasion of their child’s birthday celebration at McDonald’s. Now will they ever have enough money to save for a future that doesn’t exist?
Workers desperate to reach their homes are taking every available means of transport
At this point, they look into a hopeless future. The question is, what kind of a life will they have once they have gone home? How will they stop feeling sorry for themselves? All kinds of problems will come up in the most challenging circumstances. It’s like living in a beautiful house and suddenly there’s an earthquake and everything falls to the ground, everything is ruined, all hopes, aspiration and dreams have been turned into dust.
What hope do they have of rebuilding their life? Could they ever recover from this trauma? What happens when youth lose hope? Will we have people looting/robbing on the streets? This long walk is the worst thing that could have happened to a large population and yet no one is feeling sad about it. Give a twist to Eva Peróns famous line, “Don’t cry for me dear India, the truth is I never loved you.”
At an unemployment rate of 26% at the GDP of -2% (source: Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy), India today is a 72-year-old patient inching towards systematic organ failure. Welcome to the biggest roadshow of the world, India 2020.
Artist Lalitha Lajmi reminisces on growing up with her brother Guru Dutt, a story of struggle, passion, love, and fate… the fate of traumatic depression that took over his craft of filmmaking
The story goes back to the city of joy where Shivashankar Rao Padukone and Vasanthi Padukone were struggling to make ends meet. Shivashankar was a poet who worked as a clerk at Burmah Shell, and Vasanthi was a self-taught linguist who worked as a Hindi schoolteacher. While Shivashankar did overtime, Vasanthi took tuitions, and both gave their best to raise four sons and a daughter – Atma, Guru, Devi, Vijay and Lalitha. When the couple worked Vasanthi’s mother took care of the children.
An introvert, Guru Dutt kept his sadness to himself
Later on, the family moved into a bigger house. The centre of the house was the kitchen where the children’s grandmother cooked vegetarian Saraswat meals. Everybody would gather together, sit on the floor and grandmother would serve the meal. There was a separate pooja room for her where she would do her prayers, lighting diyas in the mornings and evenings. Guru enjoyed playing with the shadows the diyas created. There was a little outhouse in the backyard – there was ‘houda’ (a tank full of water) where the children played paper boats during holidays, a tin shed where Guru made kites. He was fond of flying kites. In the same shed during Diwali he would make firecrackers. He had a parrot as a pet, and he would teach it a new word every day and make the parrot repeat it the next morning.
“I remember Atma fought with me often, he would pull my long plaits and Guru would intervene and take my side.”
To keep the children entertained, every weekend their grandmother would take them on a tram to their uncle BB Benegal’s home. The children eagerly waited for the weekend as all the siblings (the Padukones and the Benegals) would spend the entire weekend watching films. Visit to uncle Benegal’s was a place of inspiration. Uncle Benegal was a film publicist and his house had all sorts of paintings, posters, art – the atmosphere was a stimulus for the young creative minds.
Shouldering responsibility
At the age of 15, Guru passed his matriculation and had the desire to study more – go to college. Unfortunately, paying fees for his further studies were not possible as he had to shoulder the responsibility of the house being the eldest son. He took up a job as a telephone operator for Rs 30 a month. With his first salary he got presents for everybody – a sari for his mother, a coat for his father, a shirt for Atma, a frock for Lalitha and a copy of the Bhagwat Gita for his teacher.
Guru Dutt had an everlasting thirst for perfection, and his work reflected that
The Saraswat community held intimate cultural gatherings – more so a picnic every month. There would be performances, food and a lot of fun. Once Guru decided to put up a performance, too. He put on some makeup, wore a dhoti and a velvet jacket and did a surprise performance of a snake charmer. Everybody enjoyed it while uncle Benegal shot it on his 8mm camera.
On his sixteenth birthday uncle Benegal gifted him a box camera. It was then he discovered his passion for photography. He would click pictures of the community gatherings and family, and sister Lalitha would be his model. He would make her strike different poses, try different angles. He also took pictures of the shadows created by the diyas in his grandmother’s pooja room.
The performance bug bites
One day Guru went to watch dance maestro Uday Shankar. After the performance, he was so moved that he decided he wanted to become a performer too. He told his mother about how desperately he wanted to train under the maestro at the Academy in Almora, North India. After much thought uncle Benegal decided to help with the Almora fees and his mother with personal expenses. It used to be bitterly cold during the winters in Almora and Guru didn’t even have a proper jacket to keep him warm. However, he was the youngest there and everybody was fond of him, so he was taken care of. By this time Padukones had moved to Bombay and were living in a small flat in Matunga. Their hardship continued – his father did a clerical job, his mother taught in a school, his grandmother looked after the children and young Lalitha ran errands.
Guru Dutt’s life was wreathed in tragedy as much as creativity and joy
One day Guru told the family that Uday Shankar was coming with his troupe to Bombay for a performance at the Royal Opera House. His mother and Lalitha were looking forward to seeing Guru after a long time. They saw the famous Tandav Nritya performed by the maestro and a beautiful solo performance by Guru titled ‘The Swan’. After the performance mother went backstage along with Lalitha to meet Uday Shankar and Guru. The maestro said to his mother – your son has great talent and you should support him and his creativity.
Later on, however, the Almora Academy had to shut down and most of the young dancers came to Bombay looking for a job. Even though it was difficult, Guru helped four of his friends by letting them stay in his house in Matunga. Mother telegraphed uncle Benegal requesting him to come down to Bombay as he knew directors and producers. Uncle Benegal came to Bombay and helped Guru join Prabhat Studios as an assistant choreographer.
Guru also did small roles here and there to make extra income. Here he became friends with Dev Anand and Rehman. The trio would spend a lot of time together working on sets and later they would hang out and talk about how they were going to make it big. The friendship was such that they had promised each other that whenever either one gets success, he shall help the other two.
The director’s debut
Guru was rejected by producers several times, but he didn’t stop writing. He would ask his mother and Lalitha for their opinions on the script. At that time, he had written Kashmakash, which was later titled Pyaasa. He was very sensitive, curious, observant of the smallest details, and that kept him ahead of his times. By then Dev Anand’s career had taken off and as promised he invited Guru to direct a film in his new production company, Navketan Films. Guru made his directorial debut with Baazi… and thus began the life of the genius filmmaker.
Lalitha narrates, “Our whole family was invited for the recording of the song ‘Tadbeer se bigdi hui’ to be sung by Geeta Roy. At the mahurat, a Bengali beauty walked in, wearing a white silk sari with a golden border. She was so simple and humble for a successful singer. As the recording proceeded, we fell in love with Geeta and I suppose my brother too must have felt the same. My mother knew Bengali fluently so she conversed with her in Bengali and invited her over for lunch one afternoon.
Tadbeer se bigdi… was the song that introduced Geeta Roy to Guru Dutt
“She came with her father on her first visit to our home in Matunga. She was at the top of her career and my brother was just starting his first film ‘Baazi’. She used to visit us often; I remember her in simple cotton saris, arriving in a huge limousine. She was soft-spoken and called my mother ‘Mashima’ (aunt). My mother was very fond of her and was always happy when she was around. However, Geeta’s parents and her brother resented her visits to our home. So she would make the excuse of coming to see me. I was their messenger; I would help them exchange love letters. At that time Raj Khosla was her assistant; Raj and I would team up and help the lovebirds spend time together. Sometimes we would go to Powai lake; Guru and Geeta would stroll together, we would keep a good distance and walk behind them keeping a watch. Sometimes they fought and Geeta would disappear for days and I would go looking for her at her friend’s place, convince her to let go of the anger and come home with me. Sometimes Geeta would come home and stay back till the evening. On such occasions I would walk with her till her house in Dadar – she lived close by.
Love and marriage
“After almost three years of rendezvous, when Guru got some success he asked for her hand in marriage. They bought a house in Pali Hill and were so much in love. A happy couple, working together, hosting dinner parties, they had two beautiful sons. Their first-born child Tarun, was born on the same day as Guru, 9th July and later Arun, the second-born on the 10th, so Geeta always celebrated the birthday of all the three together. Those were the happy days.
“As time passed, Guru became more and more engrossed in his work. He would stay back at the studio working late. Geeta on the other hand would wait for him and this became a usual thing. The distance between the couple began to grow, he kept busy at the sets and she just kept herself busy with friends. The days Geeta didn’t have a recording she would catch up with her friends over cocktails. Guru began spending more time on the sets with his heroines, and rumours got out. The house that was once filled with laughter began getting populated by insecurities. Night after night of verbal arguments and loud fights – Geeta would often fight and pack up with the children to her mother’s house. Helpless and lonely, Guru would ring me up crying asking us (my mother and me) to come right away. My husband would drive us to Guru’s bungalow in Pali Hill. We would spend the night there and would leave the next morning when things looked better.
“Guru was very close to our mother but, like me, he was an introvert. He never expressed his emotions. He was always quiet, always living in his mind, he never said there were problems, he never said he was sad, he never said anything.
Life walks out
As time passed the environment of their house became distressful – the fights grew. Geeta took to alcohol and Guru got into depression, and this cut the already frail thread between them. At the end they got separated.
Reconciling art and the material world was a major theme for Guru Dutt
Guru began living in an apartment in Peddar Road and kept himself busy with work. On one of those days he had come to my house in Colaba to borrow some crockery; he said he was hosting a small get-together and left asking me to come home for lunch. Those days he was working on Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi.
The screenwriter of the film Abrar Alvi later on told me – Guru had asked him, “What will happen if one mixes sleeping pills with alcohol?” Alvi casually replied, “It could lead to death.” It was supposed to be a casual conversation as Guru was always curious about things and would never stop questioning. Everything seemed fine – at least on the outside, things had actually begun to look better. Little did anyone know, however, that there was a tornado inside Guru’s head that eventually pushed him off the ledge.
He couldn’t complete his last film; his will to die prevailed over his capability as a brilliant filmmaker.
I found him resting on his bed. He looked at peace. I believe he didn’t take his life; rather, life walked out on him and there was nothing anybody could do but accept it as it is.
Guru Dutt’s films have been a montage of his real life. From Pyaasa to Baharein Phir Bhi Aayengi, Guru Dutt has opened his heart to cinema and gives us some truly evergreen songs to remember him by.
10 Preetam Aan Milo – Sung by Geeta Dutt and picturised on Madhubala, who is seen yearning to meet her husband Preetam – Guru Dutt. The classic number from Mr and Mrs 55 which was actually taken from an album by C H Atma.
9 Koi Door Se Awaaz De Chale Aao – A song from Sahib Biwi aur Gulam portraying the angst of a lonely woman in the middle of the night, sung by Geeta Dutt. The song is picturised on Guru Dutt listening to it.
8. Aaj Sajan Mohe Aang Laga Lo – A song from the film Pyaasa sung by Geeta Dutt and picturised on Waheeda Rehman. Again, Guru Dutt brings out the angst of a woman with unfulfilled desires beautifully. The remains a hit even today.
7. Kabhi Aar Kabhi Paar – The Aar Paar hit song that has been remixed in so many versions and heard even today. In this song Guru Dutt being playful with Shakeela evokes the playfulness in the viewer.
6. Babuji Dheere Chalna – Another hit song from the film Aar Paar sung by Geeta Dutt. Geeta Dutt’s singing adds naughtiness to the sequence, and again it defies era and age.
5. Waqt Ne Kiya Kya Haseen – An intense song from Kaagaz ke Phool, picturised on Waheeda Rehman and Guru Dutt, sung by Geeta Dutt. Waheeda’s acting bring out the pain while Geeta’s singing makes the listener feel it.
4. Sar Jo Tera Chakraye – The evergreen champi song from the film Pyaasa, picturised on the irrepressible Johnny Walker. Even after so many years it continues to remain a popular song.
3. Na Jao Saiyaan – The classic from Sahib Bibi aur Ghulam sung by Geeta Dutt for Meena Kumari, who is supposed to have said that the character of Chhoti Bahu resembled her real life.
2. Jane Woh Kaise Log – From the film Pyaasa, picturised on Guru Dutt. The film shows glimpses from his childhood and the struggles his family faced, also what happened when he did succeed.
1. Chaudhvin ka Chand – The romantic super hit from Chaudhvin ka Chand has remained popular even today. While the song is a great hit, it is Waheeda Rehman’s beauty that makes the song what it is.
What do wildebeest, zebras, gazelles and the lockdown have in common? Text and Pictures by Urvi Piramal
Wildebeest, zebras and gazelles wander in a loop through the plains of the Serengeti and the Masai Mara, following the seasonal rains in search of green pastures even though that involves passing through dangerous territory.
Like them and unlike them, in times of this lockdown, when the body cannot move out, my mind wanders.
I find mine going, more often than not, to Africa: not to the majestic lion,(photo 1) nor the elusive leopard; not even to the fierce and sometimes fearsome elephants, rhinos and wild buffaloes(photo 4) but to one of the less famous and perhaps even less inspiring animals – the delicate and dainty fawn-coloured gazelle, and the wildebeest. On one of my numerous trips to Tanzania in March, I was witness to one of nature’s most beautiful spectacles: the birth of a wild animal, a little gazelle in the Serengeti. This is where the wildebeest, zebras and gazelles give birth as they wander in search of green grass.
Unlike antelopes, which prefer to give birth in private, gazelles are comfortable bringing their babies into this world in front of their entire herd. I watched in wonder as the mama rolled over in the grass and a gray, gassy, balloon-like shadow substance slithered out of her. She didn’t seem particularly uncomfortable though she grunted a little.
It took a little while for this slimy mass to completely emerge from her, and within seconds, a darker-hued baby was distinguishable from the opaque substance. The baby, very unsteady on his feet,(photo 5) lolled around with the umbilical cord still dangling loosely from him. Just at that moment, from the corner of my eye, I noticed two jackals: no doubt hungry, no doubt ready, no doubt eager to pounce at what was for them an undoubtedly required meal.
But the mother had seen them before I did and she stood up from where she had been lying in the grass and urgently nuzzled her baby – prompting him, pleading with him, firing him – to stay down. Down! It was a matter of life or death. The baby understood and stayed low, hiding in the long blades of grass. Once assured that her baby had understood the urgency, the mama butted his body reassuringly before turning with all her wrath on the two jackals.
They say hell hath no fury like a woman scorned but I beg to differ.
Hell hath no fury like a mama gazelle, one of the gentlest of animals, who knows her baby could be lunch to two hungry jackals: with a fury completely unexpected from her until now docile demeanour, she turned wildly upon the jackals – sending them helter-skelter. She actually chased them round our jeep a few times before packing them off – her baby left unharmed.
During yet another trip – this time to the Masai Mara in August, I was witness to the great annual migration. A multitude of more than two million animals strong – wildebeest, zebras and gazelles (photo 14) – move as one across the northern Serengeti plains to cross the Mara River in search (literally) for greener pastures. Wildebeest, the large, brown, scraggy and rather ugly animals that live in herds, eat grass, and belong to the cattle family, comprised the bulk of this army.
Keenly, we watched from the jeep, as the wildebeest thronged eagerly on the banks of that great river. (photo 15) The urgency was unmistakable – on the other side of the river lay fresh green grass, a better life, the promised future.
And yet, not one wildebeest took a step into that gushing river.
I didn’t blame them – the water was teeming with crocodiles – smooth and cunning under the waves, waiting with their nefarious crooked teeth to kill, to slaughter, to eat any hapless animals who lost their footing, were too young, showed any weakness. Such is life.
Finally, as the urgency grew and the wildebeest could handle it no longer, the leader stepped forth. I have never thought of the wildebeest as a beautiful animal until that time. Tall, dark and handsome he stood, aware of the dangers that lay below him but mindful of his duty to take his herd to a brighter future.
Even the young were silent as he carefully trod into the river.(photo 16) With measured steps, he slowly edged into the water, going deeper and further each second. I watched with bated breath as he made his way mid-way and then further, stronger, until he reached the other end.
And that was the signal the herd was waiting for. Upon the success of their leader, they gained strength and like a team, like a huge black army , they began their course across the mighty river. Many failed, many lost lives.(photo 18) But their strength and conviction has stayed with me these many years.
The crossing of the river symbolises to me where we are now in our lives: in the face of the might of the fearful Covid-19, we are cowering on one side of the bank. At 60+ we have had to adapt to a complete and utter lockdown, many of us away from our families and loved ones. We have had to adapt to a life of Zoom calls and Netflix. May we ease into this new life with grace, as easily as the baby gazelle understood what she needs to do in order to survive. And may we, during this difficult time, have the strength of a sturdy wildebeest, to be able to take each day a step at a time, always going forward, with hope and courage, to a better future.
Artificial Intelligence is almost everywhere in our lives, and is set to amplify the digital world, writes Sandeep Suri
Digitisation is challenging the way we live, and Artificial intelligence (AI) in particular will soon change how we conduct our daily lives. These changes create conveniences, and ways of problem-solving that were never possible before. Artificial Intelligence is one of the most researched topics currently and adopted by corporates to gain an edge over the competition. So much so that sometimes I feel the term is being ‘overused’. Let’s begin deciphering the concept of AI…
AI, for lack of a better term, is a modern-day ’genie’. It is about ‘building’ machines that could ‘think’. It (AI) is being used almost everywhere today, from your smartphones to your cars to your home to your banking establishments; it seems to have endless opportunities! From Siri to autonomous vehicles, AI is progressing rapidly. Science fictions often portray AI as human-like characters; the fact is that AI can help you, from Google search algorithms to more sophisticated autonomous weapons. It is arguably the next digital frontier.
Behaving like a human
To simplify and understand AI little more closely – it’s the ability of machines to behave like a human in terms of thinking, acting and decision-making! It is about studying how the human brain acts, and learning its pattern while trying to solve a challenge, and then using the outcomes of this study as a basis of developing intelligent software and systems. Humans can do almost everything, but computers can do the same at an exceptional speed and with greater accuracy. Computers are not only good at calculating, storing and sorting through data but also mining relevant information among a lot of data marts is a task these machines can conduct without much difficulty. Computers have become ubiquitous and have transformed our world.
With concepts like the smart city and the internet of things, AI is already impacting life in many ways
However, there are quite a few things that computers can’t handle—a lot of issues that need decisions, complex thinking, or intelligence that computers struggle. You do not have to instruct AI about an action. Instead, you have to give a lot of examples of right and wrong, and the technology is capable of learning from it, just like humans.
Better accuracy
Once AI learns how to solve a problem, it can solve it much faster, again and again with better accuracy levels. Say, for example, it can recognize the voice, find what is in a picture, diagnose a disease, detect fraud and so on. Virtual assistants like Alexa, Google Home, Smartphones, Speech recognition are some examples of how we are engaging with AI every day. Around the globe, companies are beginning to leverage AI to meet customer demands and expectations better.
AI achieves these tasks much faster and cheaper than humans. It is the ability of AI that tasks these machines to perform a cognitive function like human minds say reasoning, learning and so on. These ‘narrow’ AIs can easily perform a range of tasks- the direction in GPS, Amazon recommendations, autonomous cars, and non-intrusive surgeries are just a few examples.
It is the data processing/computing power that is making AI so popular. With increasing computing power, data proliferation is what is propelling AI from hype to reality. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming more profound in our day to day living. As companies seek to augment the productivity of their labor force with AI technologies and automate some tasks, productivity is bound to gain multi-folds in the short and long term.
Voice-driven search is already taken for granted by many smartphone users
Exploiting the potential
The rapid increase in the usage of Artificial Intelligence techniques is one of the defining moments for business leaders today. Along with it, closely associated is the challenge of creating an organisation that can rise to the occasion and exploit the potential of AI at scale. Artificial Intelligence is poised to revolutionise all facets of our lives- unparalleled customer service enhanced productivity and scaled up operations are some clear benefits of AI. It is an excellent substitute for the tasks that are repetitive and mundane in nature; this allows the employees to shift their focus to more strategic and value-added activities.
As of now, AI technology is benign, but it has started to explode and has huge potential to grow. It requires distilling intelligence into an algorithmic construct that will be comparable to the human brain, and make this technology more profound. Once we walk through this door, there is a reasonably good chance we won’t be able to come back. By the looks of it, AI is gradually going to amplify our world in the years to come.
Nutritionist Manisha Mehta recommends how to eat right without worrying about the heat
Summer is all about vibrant colours, airy clothing, wearing cool shades, keeping it light and most essentially keeping yourself hydrated. The scorching heat and the blinding sun can make you feel drained out if you are not hydrated enough.
Here are the top 10 summer foods to keep yourself well hydrated the cool way.
Watermelon – The exceptionally refreshing, sweet, vibrant-looking and nutrient-packed fruit for the summer. It is low in calories and fibre but high in nutrients and water content. Its health benefits include hydration, lowers blood pressure, improves insulin sensitivity and aids muscle soreness. Watermelons are super fun and versatile – eat them fresh or make a slushy.
Coconut water – The trendy cool summer agent with replenishing and electrolyte effect. The sweet water from the green coconut is a good source of fibre, antioxidants, Vitamin C and several other nutrients. Health benefits include: improved blood sugar, preventing kidney stones, lowering cholesterol and keeping blood pressure in check. You can swap coconut water for plain water and enjoy some coconut lemonade on a sunny afternoon.
Aam panna – The tangy sweet Indian summer cold drink. A perfect summer cooler made with raw mangoes. Its rich in fibre, carbohydrates, Vitamins – A, B1, B2, C, minerals – calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium and sodium and essential nutrients. Among its health benefits, it hydrates, improves digestion, helps fight depression, prevents dry eyes and can prevent cancer. Although keep in mind excessive aam panna may raise your sugar levels and blood pressure. So, savour just a glass of aam panna.
Tomato – Juicy sweet ripe tomatoes not only make your dish delicious but are also extremely nutritious. A great source of Vitamin C, potassium and antioxidant. Cooked tomatoes contain higher antioxidants than fresh. Health benefits of tomatoes include reduced risk of heart conditions, lower cancer risk, keeping blood pressure in control, improving blood sugar and insulin levels, eye health and skin. How about some gazpacho?
Spinach – The nutritious greens protect your skin from sun damage. Consuming raw leaves in summer will provide you with the most nutrients. Spinach is low in carbs and high in fibre that provides better digestion. However, if you have kidney stones it is best to avoid spinach as it may have adverse effects. Toss a bowl of spinach salad as a healthy refreshing snack.
Zucchini – The refreshing summer veggie to keep you light. It is packed with variety of vitamins and antioxidants. Cooked zucchini is high in Vitamin A as opposed to uncooked. It aids heart health, reduces blood sugar levels and strengthens vision. Zucchini benefits bones, thyroid and prostate health. A versatile veggie to add to your salad, pasta or sandwiches or you may toss it in some olive oil.
Orange – All you need is a glass of OJ (orange juice) in the morning to keep you hydrated during the sweatiest summer days. A great source of Vitamin C and has a lot of alkaline minerals. It is good for immunity, prevents skin damage, lowers cholesterol, regulates blood sugar and is good for your gut. Orange segments dipped in dark chocolate make an amazing summer dessert.
Yogurt – A probiotic dose to keep your gut happy. Yogurt is cooling, protein-packed and contains every nutrient needed by your body. It is high in calcium, vitamins and minerals. It helps reduce bloating and constipation, reduces risk of osteoporosis and promotes good cholesterol. Some cucumber mint raita for lunch would be a good idea.
Cucumber – The cool and crunchy cucumber is a refreshing relief from hot weather. Cucumbers are low in calories and high in nutrients. Eating cucumber with the peel provides the most amount of nutrients. It aids digestion and promotes hydration. Cucumber-infused water will add freshness to your day.
Basil – Add some flavour to summer with this fresh herb. Fresh basil in summer is robust in flavour due to the hot temperature. It is a very good source of potassium, copper, Vitamin A and C. It also contains calcium, iron, magnesium and omega-3 fatty acids. Basil can combat depression, reduce blood pressure and increase mental alertness. This summer cooler is a great herb to detox your mind and body. Let’s make some pesto!
Are you ready for life after the lockdown? Can you order in food, how do you deal with the help at home, cab aggregators, etc? Our health specialist Dr Noor Gill addresses some frequently asked questions
We are all glued to our television sets, waiting on news, an update, any new information about the lockdown to be lifted. But will we ever be able to go back to the lives that we had before? We were all shunned to our homes to not step out until it was safe and clean (ironically enough, the environment and the air has never been cleaner before) but it is also riddled with a contagious virus. We are all suddenly very aware of how we, at any given moment of time, carry along with us at least a hundred thousand different kinds of microorganism, some good some bad. But in the corona age, it is the need of the hour, it is after all a matter of our health. And we don’t compromise when it comes to our health, and we shouldn’t put it at risk either.
After a lot of thinking, putting pen to paper and research, here are a few answers I could find.
But before we dive right into it, I want you to know that I, much like yourself, have absolutely no idea what we’ll be doing a month from now, but that is okay because no one does.
Make these a part of your regular routine when you step out of the house
Be prepared
It is always better to be prepared with a few answers than to show up for a test completely unprepared. Taking into consideration the current times, it is less about hoping for the best and more about preparing for the worst.
Everything that we discuss in the section below will come under an umbrella cover / general disclaimer: it is a risk. Everything is a risk. Staying at home and getting your groceries delivered by someone from outside also poses the same threat as going out and getting your groceries yourself. It is a choice that you make. But it is still a risk, either way.
Maids, Cooks, House help:
So can they get back to work as soon as the lockdown is eased? As far as them coming back to work is concerned, you can ask them if they or any member of their family have been ill lately. You can even check their temperature, but they will be going and coming everyday and you don’t know who they’ve been in contact with, so a logical solution to this problem is: if the maid agrees to it, a locality or society can pitch in to keep the maid in an accommodation within the premise of the society. That way, they can help you with your work and you would know that they haven’t been out.
Or if you live in an independent house or bungalow, and have a back exit, your maid can enter and leave from the same. You can keep a pair of gloves, a hand sanitizer and a face mask out for her/him to use before entering and discarding on the way out and what if you aren’t able to ensure that your help stays in your housing complex/house?
If the help refuses to stay back or if due to your personal reason, then the best choice you have is, you divide the chores amongst the family members and do them yourselves. My family has been doing it for the past month-and-a-half and we can keep at it until we come up with a suitable solution to the problem.
Drivers, Car cleaners and Shared rides :
if you have a personal driver, if they are consenting and willing to stay back, they can stay with you in an accommodation, if you can provide for one, thus reducing the risk of contact from outside. If not, you could finally take the car for which you worked so hard and long, for a drive yourself.
To get your car cleaned, try taking it to an automatic car wash to avoid any human contact. Since it is hard to come across car washing belts in India, get down and dirty every Sunday and clean your vehicle yourself. If you can’t rely on others to do things for you out of fear of contracting the virus, you’ve got to take matters into your own hands, quite literally.
As far as cab rides for transportation are concerned, avoid sharing a cab. If you have no other choice but to share one, make sure it has no more than two passengers, you included. When you enter the vehicle, ensure that the driver and your co-passenger are wearing a mask and gloves. Avoid paying with cash and make an online transaction instead. Once you reach your destination, wash your hands and face. Sanitise your bag, phone or any other belonging that you were carrying in your hands.
At present, public means of local transportation such as metros and local trains are not in use, until the potential threat of the virus is not following us everywhere into crowded places.
Once these modes of commuting are back in use, let’s try maintaining social distance, which might be hard, considering the working population of the country. Keep your face and hands covered at all times, wear a protective layer over your clothes and dispose it as soon as you reach your destination while also sanitizing your belongings. Or you could wear a raincoat over your work clothes and carry with you a clean poly bag that you keep separately, remove the coat once you reach your harbour and place it in the bag. Wear it again on your back home. Once home, put it in detergent water and let it dry in the sunlight. Ready to be used again.
Goods delivery persons, Food delivery services:
If you have someone deliver goods at your place, ask them to double-pack them and leave the items at your doorstep/society gate. Discard the outer packaging either outside the house into a covered bin or immediately in your house before you put the bag on a surface. Take the items out of the bag, if they are packaged goods, keep them in sunlight for 2-3 hours. In the case of fruits and vegetables, rinse and clean them in soap water followed by clean water rinsing. Only after you have cleaned the food items, place them in the refrigerator. Wash them once before consuming the fruit or vegetable as well.
Avoid ordering food from outside. The restaurants and eateries will have to take certain measures to ensure clean sanitised food stations and deliveries, but until minimum standards of sanitation are not set for these places, it would not be sensible to get food delivered. If you do order, make sure that they have clean cooking stations and their staff is tested regularly, all of this information is not easy to come by. Refrain from ordering cold foods or salads. Order food you can reheat easily. Again, if you do order, get your food double-packed and ask the delivery person to leave it at your doorstep/gate and make an online transaction.
Sanitising your hands before and after work, as well as during if necessary, should be a routine
Workplace:
Work from home was fun in the beginning, now we haven’t come out of our jammies in a very long time. We’ll soon have to get out of our comfy home attire and change into our formal shirts and suits. But what measures should you take once you’re at work?
Have sanitizers at every workstation or carry your own. Make sure that there is at least 2m distance between two work desks. If someone is unwell, politely ask her/him to leave, even if it seems to be ‘just a cold’. Wear your masks and gloves at all times. Refrain from shaking hands, stick to the traditional namaste to greet one another. Only have the lift operator press your floor button for you. If you do not have a lift operator, carry a box of toothpicks or wooden sticks that you can use to press the button and dispose of the stick immediately into a covered bin. That is one alternative, another option that you have is: take the stairs. While taking the stairs, do not touch the railing or lean onto the wall for support.
The only economically feasible and reliable test that you can perform is temperature testing. All workplaces should have infrared thermometers. A reading of more than 100.4°F (38°C) should be an indicator for the employee to isolate themselves for 14 days before coming back to work.
Chaiwallah, cigarette vendor next to your office/ Roadside bhel or chaatwallah:
Wearing a mask when in a public place has been made compulsory by the government. When going out for some street food, ensure that your vendor is wearing a glove and mask while handling goods. Stand in a line, maintaining appropriate distance from other customers. Make sure that they use mineral/bottled water and packaged goods only. Ask them to keep all other food items covered when not in use. Kindly request them to put your order on the counter instead of handing it to you.
It’s probably safest to stay away from non-essential activities like movies, which take you to crowded spaces
Movie halls, Malls, Clubs, Restaurants:
It would not be sensible to avail of non-essential services at the moment. Avoid going to crowded public spaces and eating too much from outside right away.
The elderly are more vulnerable and need to be more cautious of their surroundings. Keep your homes clean and tidy. Eat better. Exercise regularly and avoid physical contact with people who do not live with you, regardless of how well you know them. Amidst this pandemic, let’s not disregard our other medical needs. Stay in touch with your general physician and get your prescriptions refilled a little before you might run out of them.
The lockdown has triggered and aggravated anxiety in increasing numbers of people. Neuropsychiatrist Dr Payal Sharma Kamath suggests ways to deal with it
The largest national lockdown due to Covid-19 is being gradually eased across the country for most segments of the population. However, for people above 60 years, considered to be the most vulnerable group, the stay-at-home restrictions continue.
Already cooped up at home for more than a month, with their whole schedule gone awry, even if was just going down to the garden, or meeting with counsellor or friends, there is a lot of restlessness, worry and depression among senior citizens, accompanied by loss of interest, changes in appetite, impaired cognition, sleep disruptions and feelings of guilt or worthlessness.
At such times, exercise is a natural and effective anti-anxiety treatment. It relieves tension and stress, boosts physical and mental energy, and enhances well-being through the release of endorphins.
Simple physical exercises
Older adults need to focus on gentle, low-impact exercises that have low risks of injury.
Basic yoga poses and stretching exercises will help relax muscles
Take short walks at a slow pace for ten minutes in your room, three or four times a day.
Basic yoga poses and stretching exercises will help relax muscles.
This is important if you want to get the most benefit out of your exercise programme. Focus on arm and chest muscles by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms at your sides, then bring both arms behind your back and grasp hands. With your shoulders pulled back, hold the move for about 30 seconds, release, and repeat.
Chair Pose. A good balance exercise for older adults is the chair stand: Start in a seated position in an armless chair. Keeping your back and shoulders straight, extend your arms parallel to the ground and slowly stand up, without using your hands. Sit down and repeat the move 10 to 15 times. Rest, and then complete another set of 10 to 15 rounds.
The Head Turn. This exercise involves a movement you do whenever you shake your head to say “no”. Stand or sit with your back straight and your shoulders relaxed. Turn your head slowly to the right until you feel a light stretch. Hold that position and then turn slowly to the left.
Easy mental workouts –
Read the newspaper every day; if not in print then online
Read the newspaper every day and share the news with family and friends – it will keep you informed and entertained as well sharpen your memory.
Puzzles and Sudoku – try and complete one game of Sudoku every day. This type of cognitive activity provides entertainment and also keeps the mind active and sharp.
Card Games -Simple card games such as Poker, Solitaire, and Memory Match can help to improve cognitive function in seniors. Play with your loved ones, it will stimulate parts of the brain responsible for logical problem-solving and memory retention, along with other functions.
Chess & Strategy Games – Strategy games such as chequers and chess stimulate multiple parts of the brain and are widely used for educational purposes.
Bingo – Bingo is a fun and easy activity that can be played in large or small groups. Playing bingo is not only fun and stimulating, but it also has a number of health benefits for seniors. For example, it can help to stimulate three key senses: hearing (when the numbers are called), touch (using the pen to dab and holding the card), and sight. Bingo is also a great social activity that can help to reduce loneliness and increase a sense of well-being.
Go down memory lane – take your old photo albums, try remembering the names of everyone in the photo and story behind the photo. It is a good exercise for long term memory.
The pathetic condition of the poor and marginalised in India, brought into the limelight by the Covid-19 crisis, was documented in stark realism by Bimal Roy, well over 60 years ago, writes Deepa Gahlot
Do Bigha Zamin (1953)
The tragedy of migrant workers has been highlighted during the Covid-19 crisis—those people from rural areas who are forced to go to the cities to earn a living because there are no employment opportunities in villages. They live in the city in squalid conditions, several packed in a room, and send money home, doing menial low-paid jobs. However, as their troubles during the pandemic showed, nobody cares for them and they belong nowhere.
In 1953, inspired by the Vittorio De Sica classic Bicycle Thieves (1948), Bimal Roy made Do Bigha Zamin, which is considered one of the first neo realistic films in India. The title came from a Tagore poem, the idea from a Salil Chowdhury story. (In return for parting with the rights, he wanted to compose music for the film).
Shambhu and his family return, to find their land auctioned off
The film opens on a note of hope when a famine-hit village finally gets rains. Shambhu Mahato’s (Balraj Sahni) joy is cut short when he learns that the zamindar, Thakur Harnam Singh (Murad) wants to sell his land for the construction of a factory, and only Shambhu’s meagre two bighas (less than an acre) stands in the way. When the poor farmer refuses to sell, Harnam Singh brings out his old debts, which by some fudging by the accountant, have bloated from Rs 65 to Rs 235, which he is unable to repay. He loses the case in court and is ordered to settle the loan within three months, or forfeit the land.
For want of a better option, Shambu leaves his pregnant wife Parvati (Nirupa Roy) and elderly father (Nana Palshikar) in the village and goes to Calcutta (now Kolkata) to earn some money. His son Kanhaiya (Rattan Kumar) sneaks into the train to be with his father.
In the city, they are just another set of clueless, unwelcome strangers and lose even their few belongings to a thief. After much difficulty, they find a room in a slum, and with the support of an old rickshaw puller (Nazir Hussain), Shambhu starts towing a rickshaw too, and Kanhaiya works as a shoeshine boy, with some help from Lalu Ustad (a very young Jagdeep).
The task of saving money seems impossible—Shambhu works relentlessly, but it is never enough. Then, in the film’s most heart-rending scene, a man drives Shambhu to run faster to catch up with his teasing girlfriend, and the rickshaw meets with an accident.
In desperation, Kanhaiya joins a pickpocket, but even in the state of such extreme poverty, Shambhu cannot tolerate his son turning into a thief and gives him a thrashing.
An empathetic performance by Balraj Sahni (left) gave the film its power
In the village, Parvati works on a construction site, and is in dire straits. She gets worried about her husband and son, and goes to the city to look for them. In trying to escape a man trying to molest her, she is hit by a car.
The money that Shambhu had saved up is spent on Parvati’s treatment, and a contrite Kanhaiya tears up the money he has stolen, believing that his sin was the cause of his mother’s suffering.
When the three return to the village, the land has been auctioned and they are faced with a gate barring them; Shambhu is unable to even pick up a handful of soil from his lost land. The film ends with them walking away dejectedly, their future bleak.
Even though Bimal Roy piles on every misfortune onto the Mahato family, the plight of the rural poor could not have been portrayed with more sensitivity by the director and screenplay writer, Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Kamal Bose shot it brilliantly on actual locations. It was Balraj Sahni’s empathetic performance that gave Do Bigha Zamin such power—he actually pulled rickshaws on the streets on Kolkata to understand the physical rigour the character had to undego, and must have starved to that that gaunt appearance.
The film won awards in India and abroad, and is considered a masterpiece, getting the acclaim it deserved.
The real tragedy is that so many years after the film was made, the condition of the country’s poor is not much better. They still fall into insurmountable debt traps, farmers commit suicide, young men and some women migrate to the cities, where they are swallowed up by a different kind of apathy.
Composer par excellence, Naushad was also a captivating poet. Narendra Kusnur looks back over the maestro’s immense contribution to Hindi film music
Following the lockdown, many singers have been doing online performances from their homes. One of the versions heard frequently is Lata Mangeshkar’s ‘Mohe Panghat Pe’ from the 1960 epic Mughal-e-Azam. Composed by Naushad and written by Shakeel Badayuni, it is one of the prime examples of the use of raag Gara. It is also one of the numerous examples of the command the famed music director had over Hindustani classical music.
In the 1952 film Baiju Bawra, for instance, Naushad had famously used raag Malkauns in Mohammed Rafi’s ‘Man Tadapat Hari Darshan Ko Aaj’. Eight years later, he and Rafi teamed up on the raag Hameer tune ‘Madhuban Mein Radhika’, from the Dilip Kumar film Kohinoor. Both these songs were written by Badayuni.
Naushad’s contribution to Hindi film music has been immense. Chronologically, after Kundan Lal Saigal, he was the second Indian musical superstar. From the mid-1940s to the early 1960s, he produced a string of hits for the top banners. His films included Rattan, Anmol Ghadi, Deedaar, Baiju Bawra, Amar, Uran Khatola, Mother India, Mughal-e-Azam, Kohinoor, Ram Aur Shyam, Leader, Mere Mehboob and Ganga Jamna. Songs like ‘Jab Dil Hi Toot Gaya’ (Shahjehan), ‘Suhani Raat’ (Dulari) and ‘Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya’ (Mughal-e-Azam’) have become iconic.
Despite his phenomenal success, Naushad’s birth centenary on December 25 last year went largely unnoticed. In Mumbai, the only major show held was ‘Mauseeqaar-e-Azam Naushad’ curated by Ajay Madan at the Nehru Centre the following day.
May 5 marked 14 years since Naushad passed away. Even today, his songs are played by old-time listeners and sung in television talent hunt shows. Besides his use of classical raags and folk melodies, his style of orchestration inspired many later music directors. Apart from Indian music, he was adept at the western style of creating and arranging music too.
Meeting the maestro
Though I met Naushad casually at various concerts and TV channel parties, I had done an in-depth interview only once. This was for Mumbai’s Mid-Day newspaper in 1997. We had a column where one known personality would talk at length of one major achievement, and for Naushad, we chose Baiju Bawra.
“Is there anything new I can tell you, something which has not been written about?” he asked over the telephone when I requested an appointment. When I told him the theme, he agreed, and a few days later, I went to his Ashiana Bungalow on Carter Road, Bandra.
We sat in one of the front rooms, and he talked about how Badayuni and he would sit hours over a song in that same room. “We would just think of the song’s situation in the film and go on working till both of were in agreement,” he recalled.
Directed by Vijay Bhatt, Baiju Bawra is about a young musician in Emperor Akbar’s court who challenges Miyan Tansen to a musical duel. Naushad said that since the story was about musicians, it needed a strong classical base. Ustad Amir Khan sang prominently and Pandit D.V. Paluskar appeared in some songs. “Even for Rafi and Lata, I decided to do classical songs,” he added.
Besides the famous Malkauns bhajan, the soundtrack used raag Bhairavi (‘Tu Ganga Ki Mauj’), Maand (‘Bachpan Ki Mohabbat’), Darbari (‘O Duniya Ke Rakhwale’), Pilu (‘Jhoole Mein Pawan’) and a mix of Bhairav and Kalingda (‘Mohe Bhool Gaye Saawariya’). “It was a risk to take established classical singers but it worked, and Amir Khan and Paluskar were very cooperative. Lata was already a star then, but this film proved to be a big boost for Rafi, who had two hits in ‘Man Tadapat’ and ‘O Duniya Ke Rakhwale’,” Naushad said.
Mohammed Rafi (centre), who delivered some of his best songs to Naushad’s music, at a live performance with Naushad (left) and another musical great, Kersi Lord (right)
Before Baiju Bawra, Naushad and Badayuni had worked together in films like Mela, Deedaar and Aan. According to Naushad, they understood each other’s style and gave each other space. “With the success of Baiju Bawra, filmmakers began looking at us as a team, and many insisted Rafi do the male songs too,” the music director said.
Pursuing his dreams
The interview was conducted after Naushad himself served tea in fine crockery, displaying the typical hospitality of Lucknow, from where he had run away to pursue a career in music. After staying with an acquaintance in Colaba he moved to Dadar, where he slept on the footpath.
Keen on pursuing his dreams, Naushad assisted Ustad Jhande Khan and later the well-known music director Khemchand Prakash. As a music director, he made his debut with Prem Nagar in 1940, and one of his early achievements was composing Suraiya’s debut ‘Boot Main Karoon Polish Babu’ in the 1942 film Nai Duniya. His first hit was the 1944 film Rattan, which had songs sung by Amirbai Karnataki, Zohrabai Ambalewali and Karan Dewan. Ever since, there was no looking back.
A few months after this interview, I had a chance to meet Naushad again, but this was along with a few other media persons at his residence. The occasion was the launch of the album Aathvan Sur, containing poetry written by him.
Set in a ghazal and nazm format, the Navras Records album featured singers Hariharan and Preeti Uttam. “I was into Urdu poetry since my early days in Lucknow. But with music direction taking up all my time, I couldn’t pursue it beyond a point. Now that I’m free, I did manage to take some time off,” he had said.
Poetry first
In his biography Naushadnama: The Life and Music Of Naushad, writer Raju Bharatan talked about the importance Naushad gave to poetry. He wrote, “For Naushad, the poetry always came first, the music after. The magic of his music lay in the fact that you never knew where the poetry merged with the music, where the music merged with the poetry. Shakeel’s poetry and Naushad’s music just intertwined.”
Bharatan’s book, released by Hay House Publishers, offered many interesting facets about Naushad’s life. His rivalry with music director C. Ramchandra occupied much space, and there was mention of how he helped Mangeshkar with her diction.
On reports that he didn’t work with Talat Mahmood after being upset the singer once smoked in front of him, Naushad had another story, saying working with Mahmood and Mukesh would limit him. “Rafi offered a wider spread,” he would say. One section also talked of how he gave lesser importance to singer Shamshad Begum and more to Mangeshkar at the insistence of his wife Ahliya.
In each encounter, Naushad came across as a stylish, knowledgeable personality, greeting gatherings with his trademark line “Khawateen-o-hazraat”. He represented an old-world charm, and the vast richness and variety of his musical repertoire gave him a unique place.
Essential Naushad
Though he had numerous hits, these 10 songs could well define Naushad’s genius and versatility
1. Awaaz De Kahan Hai (Anmol Ghadi, 1946) – Sung by Noor Jehan and Surendra, and written by Tanveer Naqvi, this was one of Naushad’s earliest hits.
4 Man Tadapat (Baiju Bawra, 1952) – Baiju Bawra had numerous hit songs but ‘Man Tadapat’ was remembered for Rafi’s soulful singing and the use of raag Malkauns.
5 Insaaf Ka Mandir Hai (Amar, 1954) – Another beauty by Rafi, the Naushad- Badayuni magic is seen on the lines “Insaaf ka mandir hai yeh, bhagwan ka ghar hai”.
6 Duniya Mein Agar Aaye Ho (Mother India, 1957) – A song with an important and timeless message, this was sung by the Mangeshkar sisters Lata, Meena and Usha.
7 Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya (Mughal-a-Azam, 1960) – One of the greatest love songs ever, this was sung by Lata Mangeshkar and picturised on the gorgeous Madhubala.
8 Madhuban Mein Radhika (Kohinoor, 1960) – Best known its use of raag Hameer, this was sung by Rafi and picturised on Dilip Kumar. The sitar was played by Ustad Abdul Halim Jagger Khan.
9 Mere Mehboob Tujhe (Mere Mehboob, 1963) – Picturised on Rajendra Kumar and Sadhana, this Rafi song was a huge hit and was played regularly on the radio.
Prabhakar Mundkur tackles a perennial – and sticky – dilemma
History repeats itself. Cleopatra may not have been the only wife to yield power behind the King’s throne. It seems a common practice for some Indian ‘promoters’ as they are called in our unique Indian management parlance to let their wives loose on their companies. So the Chairman’s wife has become an archetype that you may be forced to deal with at some point of time in your career.
This management practice of unleashing a relative novice into the organisation has created its own folklore for the last many decades. Advertising agencies have normally borne the brunt of it, since the wives are normally put in charge of the advertising first. Having pretensions to being some kind of dilettantes (repeat, not connoisseurs) in fashion and the fine arts. which have supposedly honed their creative faculties, they are expected to be advertising experts as well. I have decided to brave it and tell you my part of the story.
You can either cope or get challenged and give up.
Tale of woe
Take a more recent example. I helped place one of my friends into one of India’s most premier companies. The fellow got a great job, a good salary package and everything sounded good and smooth until the poor man called me up after about 2 years in the company, to sound me out that he was looking around for another job, if there was one. I couldn’t help feeling surprised. After all everything seemed hunky dory from the outside. Nice Mumbai flat. Good salary. Good title. Good job. Well-known company. Just married. Just had a baby. What could be wrong?
But when I heard his tale of woe, I understood. Believe the poor fellow actually hardly had any role. Most decisions that he would have liked to have taken on the brand were being taken by the Chairman’s wife. Of course, in conjunction with the family astrologer and the family numerologist.
As some of you perhaps know already, branding, design, marketing & advertising are left to the Chairman’s wife because they are subjective areas that are difficult to question and debate. Also her newly acquired public grace, seemingly coupled with a ‘sense of fashion’ and ‘philanthropy’ gives her the enormous understanding to supervise all these disciplines.
The numbers game
I know a creative director friend of mine who works in an ad agency. Give him any brand name and he can give you the magic number that the brand’s alphabets add up to. I asked him once how he had got so quick at calculating the ‘key’ numerological number for brand names. He says that he actually studied a bit of numerology so that he could make recommendations that would be bought by the promoter companies he was handling.
Many years ago, when I was a young account executive I had the misfortune of having to show most of our creative work to a Chairman’s wife. Young as I was, I had already mastered my craft, and so when I got inane comments from the Chairman’s wife I used to come back crestfallen. Finally, I could take it no longer and had to resign. The enormous sunglasses perched on her forehead or another unmentionable part of the anatomy, the hat that seems more appropriate for Ascot if at all, the colored hair all seemed sacrilege in the boardroom and got to me in the end. To make matters worse the agency head was one of those who had perhaps missed her classes on a crucial part of the human anatomy called the spine in her biology class.
And lastly my illustrious uncle who like the good sailor that he was, told me how he fired one of the blue-chip accounts in his agency because of the Chairman’s wife. The Managing Director of the company is supposed to have called him at one of the two leading 5-star hotels in the city those days, to weaken him with a few Bloody Marys before popping the question, “Why do you want to resign such a good blue-chip account?” Stubborn, crusty old sailor that he was, he is supposed to told the company MD, “You really are a wonderful account to have but unfortunately I can’t deal with the Chairman’s wife.” (I have suitably modified the sentence to make it polite and sterile. He used a sailor’s colourful language replete with all its expletives and accompanying metaphors!)
Conclusions
So is this only an Indian ‘promoter’ phenomenon? To be fair, no. I have read in the news recently about the big international media mogul who is supposed to have also given enormous powers to his wife. I believe the media mogul was tech-challenged and this then became her forte to start with. So she ruled the roost in the vast Empire that he had created.
What conclusions have I drawn from all these experiences? In most cases the Chairman’s wife had lower class beginnings than the Chairman himself. She was also much less qualified than the Chairman or his senior managers. So the sudden elevation to power was the wife’s undoing. Remember the immortal words of Uncle Ben in Spiderman – ‘with great power comes great responsibility’. The Chairman’s wife typically is unlikely to be a great fan either of Spiderman or of Uncle Ben.
So, do I have any advice for all of you who may have to deal with the Chairman’s wife? Yes.
Use the Chairman’s wife as a reflection of what the Chairman is thinking. After all she spends more hours with the Chairman than you do, and so she is a key to understanding how his mind works.
Becoming the favourite of the Chairman’s wife is normally a good route to get recognised by the Chairman himself although it does not guarantee you getting close to the Chairman.
Be cautious though. Becoming the favourite of the Chairman’s wife will draw the jealousy and ire of all your colleagues. You don’t want that to happen.
Treat this as part of the career karma that you have to play out. You are not going to be in this job forever. And every experience can only make you richer.
Join a multi-national. There is no place here for the Chairman’s wife.
I am a bit of a veteran at difficult situations like these, but frankly I have only emerged stronger than I ever was. So I am sure you will too. And let’s hope that the new buzz words of the business today, i.e. Big Data, Digital and Media, may be her undoing in the future.
Turmeric contains curcumin, the active ingredient with medicinal properties.However, curcumin is poorly absorbed into the bloodstream hence consuming it with black pepper will naturally enhance the absorption of curcumin.
The medicinal spice is found in every Indian kitchen and is commonly used in food preparation. From ancient times turmeric has been a healing herb and has various medicinal properties. Turmeric contain a chemical known as curcumin.
Curcumin gives the yellow colour to this spice and is the key ingredient with medicinal properties. Unfortunately, curcumin is poorly absorbed into the bloodstream. To get the most out of a dash of turmeric in your food, consume it with black pepper. Black pepper contains piperine, which naturally enhances the absorption of curcumin into the bloodstream.
However, the curcumin content of turmeric is typically only around three percent by weight, which means one needs to consume at least one gm per day. Curcumin is also fat-soluble, so adding it to a fatty meal will be beneficial.
Here are eight benefits of consuming turmeric regularly
Antioxidant properties – The main reason antioxidants are so beneficial is that they protect your body from free radicals. Curcumin has powerful antioxidant effects. It neutralizes free radicals on its own but also dramatically increases antioxidant capacity of the body.
Improved brain functions – Many common brain disorders have been linked to decreased levels of this hormone, including depression and Alzheimer’s disease. Curcumin boosts levels of the brain hormone BDNF(Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor), this increases the growth of new neurons and fights various degenerative processes in your brain.
Lowers risk of heart diseases – The main benefit of curcumin when it comes to heart disease is improving the function of the endothelium– the lining of your blood vessels. It regulates blood pressure, prevents blood clotting and various other factors. Curcumin reduces inflammation and oxidation, which play a role in heart disease.
Prevent (as well as help treat) Cancer – Cancer is characterized by uncontrolled cell growth. Curcumin has been studied as a beneficial herb in cancer treatment and been found to affect cancer growth, development and spread at the molecular level. As curcumin leads to several changes on the molecular level, this may help prevent and perhaps even treat cancer.
Relieve from Arthritis – Arthritis is common among seniors. There are several different types, most of which involve inflammation in the joints. Curcumin is a potent anti-inflammatory compound that relieves from joint pain and discomfort.
Prevent Diabetes – Curcumin may help prevent diabetes through its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, and improve many of the factors that contribute to diabetes, including insulin resistance, high blood sugar, and hyperlipidemia(a medical term to describe elevated levels of fat in the blood – high level of (LDL) bad cholesterol).
Ease Depression – Curcumin can aid depression management and recovery. It boosts levels of BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor) and works as an effective antidepressant. A study in 60 people with depression showed that curcumin was as effective as Prozac (antidepressant) in alleviating symptoms of the condition.
Improves skin health – Turmeric may improve skin health. Its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties make turmeric and effective treatment for skin conditions – acne, eczema, photoagingand psoriasis.
Turmeric is an incredible spice with so many positive health benefits that may aid longevity and delay signs of ageing. Turmeric or curcumin supplements are in popular demand in the market, however, do consult with your doctor before taking any supplements to ensure they are safe for you to use.
As Covid-19 cases is nearing to 70,000, panic may sneak in. The pandemic is certainly not good news but being optimistic and taking precautions will definitely help.
The 1918 flu pandemic caused more than 25 million deaths in less than 25 weeks. Could something similar happen now? Probably not; we have never been better prepared to fight a pandemic.
What we certainly have is a pandemic of fear. It is a matter of deep concern as the repercussions move from the global health sphere into business and politics.
Pandemic does not refer to the lethality of a virus but to its ability of being transmissible across the globe. Certainly Covid-19 is not good news and as the number increases, fear of Covid-19 may cause you to panic. However, there are causes for optimism; reasons to think there may be ways to contain and defeat the virus. And lessons to learn for the future.
Here are the 10 reasons why you must not panic about Covid-19
1. We know about the virus – The first cases of AIDS were described in June 1981 and it took more than two years to identify the virus (HIV) causing the disease. With COVID-19, the first cases of severe pneumonia were reported in China on December 31, 2019 and by January 7 the virus had already been identified. The genome was available on day 10.
We already know that it is a new coronavirus of the same family as SARS. The disease is called Covid-19 as it was detected in 2019. It is thought to be related to coronavirus from bats. Genetic analyses have confirmed it has a recent natural origin (between the end of November and the beginning of December) and that, although viruses live by mutating, and its mutation rate may not be very high.
2. Covid-19 tests are available – Since January 13 a test to detect Covid-19 became available. We have different ways to get tested for Covid-19. That is good news indeed.
3. The situation is improving – The lockdown and isolation measures imposedare paying off. Zones has been marked according to the contamination rate; this allows us to have control over transmission of Covid-19.
4. 80% of cases are mild – The disease causes no symptoms or is mild in 81% of cases. Of course, in 14% it can cause severe pneumonia and in 5% it can become critical or even fatal. It is still unclear what the death rate may be. But it could be lower than some estimates so far.
5. People recover – Much of the reported data relates to the increase in the number of confirmed cases and the number of deaths, but more and more infected people are being cured. The number of people recovering is higher than the death rate.
6. Symptoms appear mild in children – Only 3% of cases occur in people under 20. Symptoms are so mild in children it can go unnoticed and that is good news.
7. The virus can be wiped clean – The virus can be effectively inactivated from surfaces with a solution of ethanol(62-71% alcohol), hydrogen peroxide (0.5% hydrogen peroxide) or sodium hypochlorite (0.1% bleach), in just a minute. Frequent hand washing with soap and water is the most effective way to avoid contagion.
8. Science is on it, globally – It is the age of international science cooperation. Research on vaccines, treatments, epidemiology, genetics and phylogeny, diagnosis, clinical aspects, etc has been non-stop. In just a month about more than 700 authors across the globe distributed their research.In 2003, with the SARS epidemic, it took more than a year to reach less than half that number of articles.
9. There are already vaccine prototypes – Our ability to design new vaccines is spectacular. There are already more than eight projects underway seeking a vaccine against the new coronavirus. There are groups that work on vaccination projects against similar viruses.Prototypes may soon be tested on humans.
10. Antiviral trials are underway – Vaccines are preventive. Right now, the treatment of people who are already sick is important. There are already more than 80 clinical trials analyzing coronavirus treatments. These are antivirals that have been used for other infections, which are already approved and that we know are safe.
One of those that has already been tested in humans is remdesivir, a broad-spectrum antiviral still under study, which has been tested against Ebola and SARS/MERS.
Another candidate is chloroquine, an antimalarial that has also been seen to have potent antiviral activity. It is known that chloroquine blocks viral infection by increasing the pH of the endosome, which is needed for the fusion of the virus with the cell, thus inhibiting its entry. It has been demonstrated that this compound blocks the new coronavirus in vitro and it is already being used in patients with coronavirus pneumonia.
High metabolism burns fat faster without working out. As we age, we tend to gain more fat and lose muscles especially seniors. Hence it becomes essential to be aware of the lifestyle mistakes that slow the metabolism.
Staying home and adapting a new lifestyle will have an effect on your body. What you do in a day can have a significant effect on your metabolism that may result in weight gain. So, if you are trying to stay in shape, having a high metabolism is essential. As we age, we tend to gain more fat and lose muscle that is due to slowed down metabolism. Our lifestyle adds on further lowering our metabolism. Hence it is essential to be aware of these lifestyle mistakes.
Here are the five common lifestyle mistakes that we should refrain from for a better metabolism.
Not eating enough – It is very important to eat well. Decrease in calorie intake can lower your metabolism. Not eating enough in a day tells your body that there is a shortage of available food. To preserve its reserves, your body will slow the rate at which it metabolites foods. Hence eat well so that your body’s metabolism functions better.
Not eating enough protein – Protein makes you feel full and increases the rate at which your body burns calories, making it a key element for a better metabolism. A high protein intake will help maintain its shape and keep your metabolism in track.
Skipping exercise – Exercising increases your metabolism as well as muscle mass. Having higher muscle mass increases the number of calories your body will burn. If you don’t burn your fat you will gradually lose muscle mass and this will result in slowed down metabolism. Practicing strength training for just 11 minutes a day, three days a week, will increase your metabolic rates.
Sugary drinks – Excessive consumption of sugary drinks increase fat storage around your belly and liver. This results in lowering your metabolic rate. It is also linked to diabetes, obesity and insulin resistance. Refrain from drinking sugary drink instead opt for something healthy and refreshing.
Quality of sleep – Sleeping fewer than four hours a night for five consecutive nights can cause a 2.6 per cent decrease in resting metabolic rates on average, according to one study. Another study showed that disrupting the circadian rhythm, combined with prolonged sleepless nights caused participants metabolic rate to decrease immensely. Not only is poor quality sleep linked to Alzheimer’sand heart attacks but also increases the risk of diabetes, depression and increase in fat storage.
It is important that you eat well and healthy, get enough sleep and do some workout to maintain a better metabolic rate. Don’t let your new lifestyle lower your metabolism. Keep in mind a healthy body will have better immunityto fight any infections that may be around.
Yes, it can cause hypoxia, writes Dr Noor Gill, but gives reasons why such adverse effects are not usually seen.
A few days back, my attention was drawn to the following post on social media.
So, can wearing a mask for very long hours affect your health?
Surgical masks are made of a woven fabric, polypropylene. Which has a better bacterial filtration and good air permeability. Surgical masks provide a barrier protection against the droplets. Hypoxaemiais low level of oxygen in the blood.
Hypoxia, in the other hand is the absence of oxygen in the tissues to sustain the normal bodily functions. Hypoxaemia can be present without any hypoxia. And the opposite is also possible, in cases where there is enough oxygen in the blood and tissue but the cells are unable to utilize it. As in case of cyanide poisoning.
The haemoglobincarries oxygen to the tissues. Carbon dioxide however, does not compete with oxygen for binding. So effect does it have? Carbon dioxide reacts with water and forms carbonic acid. Thus, and increase in the CO2 concentration results in a decrease in the pH of the blood (making it more acidic)- this results in the haemoglobin proteins releasing their load of oxygen. This is known as the Bohr’s Effect.
Coming back to the question of whether wearing a mask for very long hours can cause hypoxia. Yes, it can but such adverse effects are not usually seen because:
The size of the pores in the mask does let the oxygen and carbon dioxide cross ventilate. A surgical mask has better air dispersion than N95. It also allows space for side leakage.
Hypoxia as I’ve stated above, is low levels of oxygen in the tissues. The simple act of putting on a mask does not lead to such serious implications.
Having said that, you can get sweaty, dizzy, have difficulty in concentrating and breathing. Wearing the mask on for long duration has been associated with low oxygen saturation levels and a high pulse rate and you should take a breather every now and then, because having a mask on for long hours takes some getting used to.
Is too much ‘together time’ upsetting you? We have all learnt the art of social distancing. Perhaps as time goes on, and we continue day after day to share space, often a small space, with another or others, we need to talk about relationship distancing.
Life as a senior couple in India is more about family and less about each other. As it has always revolved around socialising with extended family or children. It lacks intimate relationship in most cases. Because men always went to work and women took care of the house, the situation of being home alone with each for months never took place until the pandemic. So, we don’t know how to be around our partners because life was never like this before. However, it is essential to bring the changes as it is the need of the hour.
Self-isolation may be causing more than the obvious psychological challenges. We could be suffering from togetherness anxiety or it could just be a result of the pandemic staying-home.
While relationships are more than just intimate partners. In addition to partner distancing, husband distancing, wife distancing, some of us might need parent distancing, children distancing, flat mate distancing.
How do we create a space that includes space for you, space for me and space for us? Usually the demands of daily life do this for us.
There is no one answer to relationship management and distancing, as there is no one type of relationship. But here are some ideas that might have truth and use within most relationships. Perhaps the first of these is to make no assumptions.
How easy it is to assume that we know what someone else is experiencing when we are experiencing the same situation. This sometimes happens in a situation of loss grief.
As adults, you and your siblings might be grieving the loss of a parent. You might expect that you will all be on the same journey, but you are likely to find that there will be considerable differences in how you grieve, what you are grieving, the timing of the grief and what you need in that period. This is an example but also note that, for each and every person, there is significant loss and, therefore, some grief attached to this pandemic.
Try not to assume that you know what the others in your house are going through or need. How much time do you want to yourself and how much time does your other/s want? Does one of you handle anxietyby being with a loved one who is seen as a support and does one of you need more space when experiencing stress or anxiety? How do you navigate this?
Communicate – Communication seems like an overused word, but it is often an underused action. It is the answer – if you want to avoid making assumptions. Do talk about your needs and ask your other about his or hers. Brainstorm the solutions.
Find a common ground – No-one is right and no-one is wrong. There are ways that will work better for you, ways that will work better for your mate and ways that will mean you can meet in the middle.
Take notice – Address the little irritations quickly. They have a way of building into big ones. Now that we are all home all the time, things may be getting out of hands – you or your partner may be leaving the cup behind, belongings lying around in the house, and such. Before the pandemic, such things may have been okay but now it may turn into irritable behavior. It is time for to talk and compromise.
Negotiate individual spaces – Negotiating a space to have and a space to share is important, but perhaps more important is negotiating time to have and time to share.It might be a good idea, if you have adequate space, to identify a your space and a my Your space can look and be any way you want – no questions asked. But the shared space should be respected and maintained. Again, communication will resolve how you both want that shared space to look.
Routine shared time – A routine will be a valuable tool in these days where external structures have largely been removed. We might be left floundering and procrastinating without the usual guardrails that guide us. Just like making decisions about space, the process involves communicating. Decide your own routines first then share them, and together see if you can work out a my time, a your time and a shared In this way, you are likely to find more enjoyment in the shared time.
Share chores – The same process goes for managing roles. These may change a little or a lot while you are at home. Aim to have my list of chores, your list and a shared.
For those who are home alone – This increased isolation may or may not be an added challenge. Even if you are secretly loving the time to yourself without outside demands, do make the effort to keep in touch with others.Connection with others is an important means of maintaining good mental health.
Covid-19 is bringing positives as well as negatives into our lives. But perhaps, to access those positives, we need to be thinking differently and actively managing our lives to ensure that we continue to enjoy each and every day!
Remember Covid-19 is curable & can be prevented. Please do not step out of home and do not believe rumors. For authentic updates & info, visit – bit.ly/2Qr2yZ0
Managing Diabetes Mellitus well will likely reduce the chances of developing serious complications once a diabetic patient catches the virus, writes Dr Noor Gill
Diabetes mellitus, just plain ‘diabetes’ or ‘sugar’ as we Indians like to call it, is a chronic illness associated with abnormally high levels of glucose in the blood. Now this rise in the blood glucose levels can be because of one of the two reasons below:
There is insufficient production of insulin. Insulin, as we know, is a hormone produced by the pancreas which promotes the absorption of glucose from the blood into the liver, fat and skeletal muscle cells for it to be converted and utilised for producing energy.
Or this can be because of inadequate sensitivity of cells to the action of insulin
Based of what is causing the problem and the mechanism of it, diabetes is broadly divided into two types.
Diabetes Mellitus Type 1 : This is when there is no, or not enough production of insulin.
Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 : This is the case when there is enough insulin, but the cells upon which it normally acts are not sensitive to its action.
With the Covid-19, a lot of questions regarding the effects that the virus can have on a diabetic patient have given rise to a lot of curiosity. Here are some of those questions answered.
Can the virus trigger the onset of diabetes?
Currently, no evidence of the coronavirus acting as a trigger for diabetes has been found. There is not enough data to show whether people with diabetes are more likely to get Covid-19, as compared to the general population. However, if you have diabetes, you are at a higher risk for serious complications, if contacted with the virus. Which means that being a patient of diabetes mellitus increases your risk for complications from the virus and not the risk of catching it.
A study published in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology noted that the risk of COVID-19 was upto 50% higher in people with diabetes, particularly, elderly Type 2 diabetes mellitus.
It was also noted that the risk of COVID 19 in young people with Type 1 diabetes appears to be much less, provided they have access to satisfactory medical care and assistance and maintain a good control of their blood glucose levels.
However, some Italian colleagues and co-authors for the same study observed that the virus can cause potential pancreatic beta cell damage, leading to insulin deficiency- exacerbating the disease and causing severe complications.
“The problem people with diabetes face is primarily a problem of worse outcomes, not greater chance of contracting the virus,” says the American Diabetes Association.
What patients require specific attention?
Diabetic patients that require specific attention. But some need more careful monitoring than others. Some of them are:
Patients with poor blood sugar control and pre-existing complications as a result of long standing and uncontrolled diabetes.
Obese patients with diabetes
Diabetic patients with other illnesses, such as hypertension and other cardiovascular complaints.
Patients with a prior chronic illness or transplantation and patients on renal dialysis.
Patients who have undergone a surgical procedure in the recent times.
What are the complications that we are talking about?
The complications that a patient of diabetes who has come in contact with the corona virus includes- severe pneumonia, Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), multiple organ failure, including the lungs, heart and kidney.
When sick with a viral infection, people with DM do face an increased risk of Diabetic Ketoacidosis, also known as DKA.
DKA is a serious condition that can lead to diabetic coma or even death. When infected with a viral illness, your cells don’t get the glucose they need to convert it into energy for uptake. The body, to compensate for the loss, begins to burn fats for the same. Which in turn produces ketone bodies as a by product.
When the ketone bodies keep accumulating in the blood, they make it more acidic, hence the term “Keto-acidosis”.
DKA is a warning sign trying to inform you that your blood glucose levels are higher than they should be.
What can one do to reduce the chances of developing serious complications due to the corona virus?
Managing DM (Diabetes Mellitus) well will likely reduce the chances of developing serious complications once a diabetic patient catches the virus.
Monitor your blood sugar levels regularly.
Eat well and healthy.
Make sure you have enough food, especially healthy carbohydrates- vegetables, whole fruits, whole grains, nuts like almonds, walnuts, peanuts. Chia and pumpkin seeds.
Stock up on simple carbs like sugar and candies- in case your blood sugar falls.
Refill your insulin and other medications. Avoid insulin rationing which is basically altering the dose or taking lower than the prescribed dose of insulin, due to a multitude of reasons- which might be due to the unavailability of the prescribed medication, inability to go outside to get a refill for the same or because of the budget cuts at home- for long duration can cause hyperglycemiawhich can lead to serious consequences and complications.
Take your insulin or other oral hypoglycemic as ordered to reduce the risk of dealing with severe symptoms and life threatening complications.
We are following the “prevention is better than cure” as our mantra here. For which, if you’re diabetic you’ll have to be extra cautious of the virus because there lies potential risk, if you do contract it.
So try to keep your blood glucose levels within the normal range (according to the American Diabetic Association):
fasting: between 80-130 mg/dal
post prandial/ 1-2 hours after a meal: less than 180 mg/dL
Keep a list of emergency contact numbers in handy, which should include contact details for your general physician, nearest hospital, ambulance and your immediate family (in case they don’t stay with you).
When you eat ginger every day, a lot of good things happen to your body, advises dietician Manisha Mehta
For centuries ginger has been used as a medicine to cure ailments. Eating ginger regularly helps to keep your body healthy. It is a spice with a very strong taste and is not only very tasty, but also has a lot of health benefits. It contains a whole range of vitamins and minerals.
Ginger contains gingerol, a bio-active substance that helps to reduce symptoms such as nausea and vomiting. This substance also helps to reduce swollen joints. Ginger also contains shogaol, a substance with an analgesic effect that also helps against cancer and heart disease. Zingiberenein ginger is particularly good for digestion. But not only this: ginger also has an anti-diabetic effect and improves brain function and the immune system.
Here are the health benefits of eating ginger every day.
Reduces inflammation – Ginger has antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compound. This reduces inflammation in the body faster.
Prevents heart conditions – The anti-inflammatory compounds in ginger can also reduce the risk of chronic disease.
Aids muscle pain – Eating ginger gradually eases muscle pain. It effectively reduces day-to-day progression of muscle pain and also helps aid exercise induced muscle soreness.
Promotes bowel movements – Ginger promotes better bowel movement. It speeds up emptying of the stomach aiding indigestion and stomach discomfort.
Reduces osteoarthritis symptoms – Studies have shown effective results at reducing symptoms of osteoarthritis. A health condition common among seniors.
Lowers cholesterol – The foods you eat have a strong influence on cholesterol and ginger effectively helps lower bad cholesterol LDL in the body.
Boosts the immune system – The anti-inflammatory properties in ginger strengthens the immune system.
Reduces risk of diabetes – It lowers blood sugar levels. The active compounds in ginger with improves insulin and metabolism.
Prevents nausea – Ginger helps prevent various types of nausea. Sea sickness, chemotherapy-related nausea. Nausea after surgery and morning sickness.
Protects brain function – Studies suggest ginger can protect against age-related damage to the brain. It improves brain function in elderly.
You do not have to nibble on a piece of ginger every day for its benefits. You can mix it with your smoothie, tea or simply sip on warm ginger lemon water. Ginger can be effective whether raw or cooked, fresh or dried. Any way you take it, ginger is a great daily habit to have.
make ends meet. Shivashankar was a poet who worked as a clerk at Burmah Shell, and Vasanthi was a self-taught linguist who worked as a Hindi schoolteacher. While Shivashankar did overtime, Vasanthi took tuitions, and both gave their best to raise four sons and a daughter – Atma, Guru, Devi, Vijay and Lalitha. When the couple worked Vasanthi’s mother took care of the children.
The screenwriter of the film Abrar Alvi later on told me – Guru had asked him, “What will happen if one mixes sleeping pills with alcohol?” Alvi casually replied, “It could lead to death.” It was supposed to be a casual conversation as Guru was always curious about things and would never stop questioning. Everything seemed fine – at least on the outside, things had actually begun to look better. Little did anyone know, however, that there was a tornado inside Guru’s head that eventually pushed him off the ledge.
But the mother had seen them before I did and she stood up from where she had been lying in the grass and urgently nuzzled her baby – prompting him, pleading with him, firing him – to stay down. Down! It was a matter of life or death. The baby understood and stayed low, hiding in the long blades of grass. Once assured that her baby had understood the urgency, the mama butted his body reassuringly before turning with all her wrath on the two jackals.
Hell hath no fury like a mama gazelle, one of the gentlest of animals, who knows her baby could be lunch to two hungry jackals: with a fury completely unexpected from her until now docile demeanour, she turned wildly upon the jackals – sending them helter-skelter. She actually chased them round our jeep a few times before packing them off – her baby left unharmed.
forth. I have never thought of the wildebeest as a beautiful animal until that time. Tall, dark and handsome he stood, aware of the dangers that lay below him but mindful of his duty to take his herd to a brighter future.
The numbers game
