Balkan Blues

I am a fan of Balkan Movies. I have been seeing films from Balkan region (mainly from the small nations belonged to former Yugoslavia) during all the film festivals. This year too during IFFK (International film festival of Kerala) I watched many Balkan films (I have a very good reason to participate in Kerala Festival. Because I havn't seen such an enthusiastic audience who are so passionate about good films anywhere in India).

Balkan films have something unique about that. Many films portray the war traumas and individual sufferings, but underneath there is a quest for life, love and happiness. After 12 years of war, Balkan nations are recovering from the wounds and going through a period of transition. As films are the effective medium of cultural expression, Balkan films too poetically take us to the Balkan lives.
This time I have seen as many films from Balkan region as I can. I liked most was 'Mirage' and 'Kukumi'.



'Mirage' was the quest of a child for the love and warmth of a home. 'Kukumi' was the quest for self realisation of 3 people from the lunatic asylum. But what they witness in the 'real world' only embarass them and returns to the asylum.

Kukumi (the title character) asks 'why are this people running after me?' The magical flute of Kukumi silences even the soldiers. This film is a surreal portrayal of the contemporary Balkan lives, but it has got a universal appeal. It has beautifully woven the melancholy and absurdity of normalcy in the society.The music is simply superb. Kudos to the young film makers emerging from this countries.

Balkan films make me think of myself, society, the traumas of war...Ultimately human feelings and sufferings don't have any boundaries. It reminds me again and again that let never a war happen, let never innocent people suffer of somebody's quest for power and money.

Politics in the Time of Terror

It is really unfortunate that India is a victim of Terrorism. It seems there is a bomb blast on every other day in India. But sadly it is the time for politicians to ‘celebrate’ asif they are waiting for that! Every time after a terrorist attack, they would indulge in blame game to take political advantage of the incident. That appears to be a clownish act to serve some ‘fun’ to the grief sriken mass, to say the least.
We are keen to imitate everything American or West (especially bad things) and our politicians tour abroad on and off using public money. But I wish they could emulate the good aspects of American Politics and stand united against Terrorism as US does after 9/11, leaving all political enmity aside. Yes I feel Indian Policians must learn a lesson or two from their US counterparts.

India at 60

India celebrated her 60th year of Independence on august 15th. But when I read about cholera epidemic, death of flood affected people and starvation deaths in many places, I doubt whether we live in free India.
It is a shame to India that her children still dwell in penury and ignorance after 60 years of Independence. Many of the Indian villages are a synonym for poverty and illiteracy. India has progressed in the area of science and technology, has got big cities, malls, big buildings, big dams and big fly overs. But failed to take care of her hapless children. What does freedom means to these children of a lesser God?

Politicians are concerned about people only at the time of election and prefer to leave them in ignorance. They happened to be the weapons in the hands of politicians and are being exploited for years. Even Medias are not really interested in the real issues of rural mass; they are lost in the glamour and glitter of city. Our GDP growth or sensex index also is of any help to the down trodeen mass.
Many Indians found place among the word’s richest people and Indian media celebrate their success with prominent coverage. Is that a deciding factor of the development of a country? In what way it is going to help a nation unless and until the rich Indians are ready to share the surplus money among the unfortunate children of India? It is against humanity to accumulate wealth more than needed when more than half of the world starves.
But who will bell the cat? India needs sincere politicians, strong and transparent leadership to take bold initiative to include those dwell on the edges of society, into her growing economy.

Silence and Violence

Violence is beyond my understanding. I never understand why people are fighting or why they are killing each other? Sometimes I would try to figure out their mental state, I don’t know may be they are just blind and live in the darkness. I don’t understand what drive one to take arm against the other? We are mortals and will leave the earth one day, what is the need to kill?
I really feel pity for the perpetures when I hear of a bomb blast or a riot. What force somebody to kill innocent people? What they achieve through this soulless act? I feel violence is an act of a mean mind, an act of a thoughtless head that has no respect for the self or others.
We have immense of examples in history of violence and bloodshed. We have traveled a long way forward in the area of development. We landed on Moon, explored space and make possible things that are considered impossible few years back. But our minds are not grown at par with our development. We are still the same (even worse) human beings who commit savage acts.
Violence is there in every society. Sophisticated west can hide that under the carpet unlike other societies where life is a constant struggle. We are forced to see violence in our drawing room in the form of riots, ethnic wars and explosions around the world.

Can’t we get away from violence? I have seen many times police beating up defenseless people; I don’t know what their crime is. I witnessed even the public handling the petty criminals in the same way. But I hardly have seen anybody raising voice against this inhuman act. This silence about violence is a dangerous trend than violence itself.

President of the hearts

Now Abdul Kalam is not president of India. And I am unhappy that the man I hold in high esteem was denied a second chance discarding the opinion of millions of Indians. I was wondering with my naiveness, why he was denied a second chance! I don’t know the crooked ways of politics and I don’t really understand whose interest politician serve. I find it a blow to the values and intergrity he represents. But as usual, he was the right man in the wrong place.

I am not interested in politicians though I am ineterested in politics. Kalam is not a politician, but still has got all the ingredients of a good politician. He is a good orator, writer, visionary and above all a man of magnetic personality. He is a man of high ideals and simple living. He wasn’t carried away by the power and comforts he enjoyed during his tenure. He made it a point not to misuse his position for any personal advantage. I feel our politicians should learn certain basic things from this man of flawless personality who inspired immense of tender hearts in this country.

When Pratibha Patil’s name figured from nowhere, many were trumpeting about the chance of first woman President in India. Politicians were segregated between the narrow considerations of Maharashtrian and non Maharashtrian blood. But what does it matter to a country, which was ruled by a woman Prime minister as early as 60’s? And Indira Gandhi did nothing extra ordinary to emancipate women.

His stepping down pained me for sure. I don’t know him personaly, I havn’t ever seen him in person, but I look up to him as a father or as a Guru (teacher). I feel not only Indians but all humanity should draw inspiration from his life and should imbibe from his noble ideals. APJ Abdul Kalam is a great son of India and was a great President. He will dwell in millions of hearts as the President of the people.

Sublime and Silly

When I thought of writing, many things that bug me cropped up in my mind. There are range of issues from dirtiness to poverty, from silliness to cheating. Later when I showed some of my writings to my friend in Kolkatta, whom, I turn to have an opinion sometime,suggested, ‘not to write too many bad things about India, what a foreigner would think if he/she reads this’. He is right, I thought, we are the ambassadors of our country,so we should keep certain restraint from criticizing our country. Yet I can’t overlook the complaints I hear from my friends abroad about the poor infrastructure in my country, I can’t shy away from the ‘reality’ I am encountering in my day to day life in India. There may be poverty in every country, pollution and corruption... no country is an exception of this fact. But what has taken me aback many times, is the cheating attitude ingrained in Indian psyche irrespective of the social respectability or financial status.

Many times I was cheated by fruit vendors(they are very cleaver at handing over the rotten fruits by keeping aside the good ones you select) and was forced to argue with shop owners who take extra money for keeping the milk in freezer. Again this is the same with auto walahs and taxi walahs who try to over charge.While travelling in trains I witnessed many times the open bribery of TTEs for allotting berths to those who are in RAC list. I feel honesty is completely disappeared from our society with very few exceptions.

Seeing all this an optimist like me would feel very low and would say to myself , ‘Yes nothing will change in India’.
I do wonder why we cheat ? What prompt us to cheat others ? I don’t think it is financial troubles that force one to cheat. But this attitude is there generally in Indian blood. Evenif they are rich these cheaters would keep on cheating. So I want everybody to do a soul-searching before blaming the politicians or bureaucrats, because this very same society compose of them too. It is very sad we are from the land of a great man who devoted his whole life to truth- a man who preached high thinking and simple living. Yes he has been vanished from the heart of Indians, may be long back. He is the man whom Indians failed to understand, he is beyond an ordinary Indian can think of. I would like to quote the words of Tolstoy who was inspired by this great soul called Gandhiji, ‘A scoundrel doesn’t realise greatness’.

Love at first sight

Some people and places attract you at first glance. It was my love at first sight! Love by instinct. The very first day when I landed in Macleod ganj, the hill station near Dharamsala, my heart was leaping with an unknown joy. I felt a sense of belonging even before seeing the place. The sight of little monks jumping out of the big van caught my eyes. They were happy and smiling, their innocence coupled with seriousness in the glittering eyes conveyed to my heart. I felt an innate attraction towards the place as to Tibetan Budhisam. I looked around with a child’s curiosity, the mountains seem hiding a beautiful mystery behind the dancing fogs, nature was as fresh as a new born child.

Macleod ganj looked like an International centre in India and it was the charm that place carries. I felt happy to be away from the staring and intruding people from the rest of India!

The place seemed like a ‘mini Tibet’, with all the Tibetans there. The land looked like blessed by divine grace. In that small place Tibetan refugees try to retain their culture, their art, handicrafts etc. It was great a souvenir roaming around Macleod ganj, the Tibetan Temple, where Dalai Lama resides, and the surrounding area look so majestic with the presence of monks in maroon robes. I relished on Tibetan dishes like veg shabri, momo, and variety of soups and salads on everyday till my departure.

For Tibetans, spirituality is part of existence, a way of life, they do believe and adore their spiritual leaders as they do believe in Budhism. With the monks all around, one gets an air of divinity around you. During my stay there, I never have seen a Tibetan shouting to anybody or staring at others. They smile from their heart, they are untouched by pretensions and hypocrisy. I was really moved by the warmth and affection of this people.

‘Tibetans escape to India every year in search of freedom, their life in Tibet is stooped to the level of second class citizenship. They are not even allowed to speak to foreigners'; one Tibetan Masseur says. He narrated how he was caught by the Chinese police for the ‘crime’ of giving cherries to foreign tourists! In Tibet, Tibetan’s are always been spied. I felt deeply grateful to India particularly to Nehru for giving asylum to this people.

Tibetans who are born in India have never gone to their mother land, because they fear of getting caught by Chinese authority. As one Tibetan guide jokingly put it, ‘ incoming is free, but out going is impossible’! But this simple peace loving people still live here in the hope of getting back to their mother country one day. They don’t resort to any kind of violence, they don’t shout for their freedom, but just wait with patience. But will Chinese authorities wake up to the reality?

Recently China claimed Arunachal Pradesh as the next incarnation of Lama is born there and try to control the Tibetans elsewhere. Again it is sad to remember what mighty does to the fragile. What harm a nations greed can does to another nation. As America’s Iraq invasion, Tibet invasion also is all about money. Fortunately(or unfortunately ?) Tibet is a blessed land with abundant natural resources and minerals. But again, as always, world watch in silence when a culture is being crushed, when her peace loving people are haunted away from their mother land.

I really felt sad seeing this people who are being fated to live as refugees in another country with none of their fault. I asked myself why this simple people are suffering?

' Thum Alla ka Bacha Hain'

My first visit to Kashmir in last June changed my perception about that place. When I landed, Srinagar airport resembled of an ‘army barricade’ ,with all men in uniform around. I couldn’t find any traces of people in the airport. I was vainly searching for the person who was supposed to receive me at airport in the midst of staring glances of army men. I made a call to that I could hear only my host’s voice saying ‘I am here come out’.
Then I realised unlike in other airports visitors are not allowed anywhere near the premise of airport. I was under the impression that Kashmiri’s are living under terror.

With a kind of anguish and anxiety I left the airport with my host, but on the way I could find lush greenery and misty mountains all around Srinagar. I haven’t seen such amount of greenery in any cities of India. The gigantic and elegant ‘chinar trees’ stand everywhere as a representative of Kashmiri pride. The people seemed bothered about nothing other than their daily cores, life seemed flowing as usual.

The lovely place and her smiling beatiful people captured my heart. I was clean bowled by the hospitality of the people of Kashmir. Wherever I have been to, they made me feel at home. They serve ‘ Kashmiri kawah’ (a delicious drink made of cinnamon, saffron, cardamom and green leaves) as if treating someone very close to you. I never felt like this anywhere in India, except may be in Dharamsala among Tibetans.

I could see hope in people’s eyes during my stay there. They are just like any others struggle to make a living, ordinary people having ordinary dreams, hopes. And every Kashmiri complained me of how media portray their land in a bad light. ‘They don’t write anything good about Kashmir, but keen to write bad things’. One Kashmiri Business man told me. I even wondered are we too much interested in negative things? Bad things get good publicity.

It was a refreshing experience to watch the dal lake from the house boat in the early morning when the foggy mountains were pampered by the mild sun rays. The cool breeze around me lend fresh air and I would like to be in that feeling again with a hot cup of Kashmiri Kawah. The sight of boats moving through the lake in the morning itself was so enchanting to my soul. Dal lake is like a town in itself. Everything from vegetables to dresses and jewels to handicraft items are available inside the lake.

I left Kashmir with a hope to visit again, with so much wordless emotions stored in my heart. The kind words of an old village man at my host’s bunglow rebounded towards me, ‘Thum Alla ka Bacha Hain’,(You are child of God). I couldn’t hold back my tears when he murmured that to me while putting his hands on my head.

Withering Leaves

Well known journalist Pritish Nandy writes that ˜Mumbai is taken over by builders’(Times of India). It is extremely pathetic to see the city is being bowed down to builders and speculators. Mumbai is the city where we feel a sense of belonging even though you don't belong to it.

But sadly this sky scrappers don't serve the purpose of our basic need, a shelter to cover over us.
A recent survey showed that 50% of Mumbaikers are homeless and 60% of its population live in slums. Not a single place is left without being bulldozed away by the builders.But who owns this buildings ? Despite all this buildings why people find it extremely difficult to get a place to stay ?

The beneficiaries of this soulless constructions are politicians,building mafia and speculators.
They say Mumbai is second to London in terms of house rent ! But whats the average income and living standard of a Mumbaikar when compared to a Londoner ? What contribution it can give to the development of a city ?

I wonder why we don't take this issue seriously ? Why we cant check this mindless construction where lurks the slow destruction of our environment.

Riches and Rags

Indian cities are a perfect example of how luxury and poverty dwell on face to face. On its one side there is an abundant display of huge buildings and big cars and the other side it is crowd, filth and penury.

The poor sewage system, beggars, mushrooming slums make make city life horrible. I feel Indians learned to live among the dirt,bettal spits and smell of urinals. And as if this is not enough, people are being punished with, roaring vehicles, jammed buildings and loud speakers.

As usual the authorities are least bothered about all this ‘public issues’.
I often do a lot of traveling in India,but its always difficult to find a hygienic restaurant and clean toilet at a reasonable price here. I dont know why generally public is not much concerned about cleanliness. I feel as our politicians, we ourselves lack sincerity.

Its of course a Himalayan task to keep cities clean when it is crowded with people. But many times public seem to be really an undisciplined mass and behave as if roads and public places are to spit and to use as urinal.
So I feel public should be educated before encouraging tourism, before beautifying certain parts of city, before building fly overs and airports. No tourist wants to visit a dirty place. I do remember how my friends abroad used to complain about dirtiness in India.

Why not we begin it now? Why not we begin to teach about environment and to keep our surrounding clean, at school level?