This word Springtime would definitely invoke a sense of Nostalgia to my friends of REC Rourkela... it was the name of our cultural festival that happened in Spring. But I am not writing about those good old college days here.
The idea to write about Bangalore and its bloom in spring is irresistible, now that I see trees all around in fresh light green leaves, dressed to kill. It is so beautiful to see trees in "mood" - and that kinda elevates our otherwise dull spirits, particularly so if you are a software engineer like me. Profession induced depression (also called competitiveness, commitment to company and other such jokes, euphemistically) is a disease that has spread across my tribe like cancer - and it has stood between us and life in general.
I was cycling through Sanki tank area in Bangalore, near the Indian INstitute of Science and I just could not withhold my temptation to write about this beautiful season of seasons. Bangalore is generally claimed to be the green city by ignoramuses who have not visited my home state of Kerala (there for a change, the entire state is so lush green). Though I will not make the sin of comparing Kerala with Bangalore, Bangalore is still beautiful. Not sure if it would remain that way in future, but I prefer to be optimistic.
I could see trees with all yellow flowers.. and loads of them. I dont know the name of those trees because I make it a point not to. Because once you know the name, you dont see the tree - your knowledge comes in between. What additional thing do you gain by knowing a tree is Gulmohar or Sequoia? There are those trees that have red flowers on them - they look as if they all just had a great bloodshed. Some trees even have violet flowers. All these psychedelic colors should obviously have an immense effect on lovers, who are on the sprawl in the garden city.
I have to admit the variety of trees here is much more than in God's Own Country, where if you happen to see any other tree than coconut, you are lucky. But when it comes to just being green, kerala wins hands down any day. But you know these Bangalore folks, they just hype up everything... it seems the city is garden city! I should be calling my state the garden state then.
Apart from politico-natural comparisons, I guess bangalore has an appeal of its own. Especially so in spring. The streets are air conditioned, trees in bloom... what else will someone have in heaven? This biological carnival will extend into april after which summer begins. I guess thats when girls decide to show what they are made off. Its hot, so how can one dress much? :) Hot girls of bangalore have their bunch of reasons.
Then there is the air show where humanity displays how stupid they have been showing all kinds of machines made to kill humans (read fighter planes). But these things catch a huge audience...
All said and done, I am chilling out here in Bangalore and its Springtime!
So here I am, writing down these words from heaven. Those of you who are unlucky to be in this city, come over soon!
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
Musings on Tsunami!
I thought I would write down a few words about Tsunamis. This Japanese word has become a tad too trite these days due to mass usage. There is something about the sacredness of a word that gets eroded when it is used by everyone. That’s one of the reasons why I think Sanskrit is a cool language – it was never spoken by the masses. But there are Sanskrit scholars who stupidly try to prove it was a spoken language in early days. Buddha himself gave his sermons in Pali becos Sanskrit was too elite a stuff.
But then, I came in to write about Tsunamis. I was at my friend’s place in Libertyville, a northern suburb of Chicago, when he told me of this news. I thought of it as a routine natural disaster that most of us are used to. But the media attention this event mustered did surprise me. When entire towns vanished in earthquake in Armenia and Mexico city, there was not this much hype and concern from the world press. This is unprecedented.
Probably due to the fact that this disaster happened close to Christmas time, compassion was pouring down from around the world. Countries were competing in showing their compassion for the “unfortunate”. I can never stop wondering at the callousness of these “kind” people.
From my own point of view, which is within India, I don’t see a cause for major concern due to tsunami. Its force was significantly reduced by the time it touched Indian shores. Of course, things have been bad in Indonesia et al, I am not denying that. But in India if everyone shouts Tsunami! then something is seriously wrong - seems to be a case of mass propaganda from our holy press. Govt and private companies collected one day’s salary from everyone. This alone will amount to a very huge sum that should set right any damage caused by the great wave. Besides huge donations were given by other people with tones of blackmoney – in an apparent bid to reserve a place in heaven.
My point is that media hype has aggravated the calamity. I think the media to be a bigger calamity than the tsunami, seeing the way they glorified the entire episode. I hope many of you have heard of the story of the king who could turn anything he touches into gold. Our media is similar – but whatever they touch turns into crap. When I say our media, I am being truly international – no national or class distinctions.
People from the civilized world rushed to the aid of the third world brothers. There were instances when people in the affected areas refused the vegetarian food that was offered to them by aid workers. I am not sure if it is entirely true, but will not be surprised even if it is. If these people can be so choosy about food, then you can imagine if there has been any real disaster at all. Can you think of people (whoever was left) in Hiroshima and Nagasaki showing preference for food after the attack?
The word tsunami has come to indicate trouble. One of my friends said she calls her son tsunami – he makes too much trouble!
Tsunami or not, life will continue. Not just here in India, but everywhere in the world.
But then, I came in to write about Tsunamis. I was at my friend’s place in Libertyville, a northern suburb of Chicago, when he told me of this news. I thought of it as a routine natural disaster that most of us are used to. But the media attention this event mustered did surprise me. When entire towns vanished in earthquake in Armenia and Mexico city, there was not this much hype and concern from the world press. This is unprecedented.
Probably due to the fact that this disaster happened close to Christmas time, compassion was pouring down from around the world. Countries were competing in showing their compassion for the “unfortunate”. I can never stop wondering at the callousness of these “kind” people.
From my own point of view, which is within India, I don’t see a cause for major concern due to tsunami. Its force was significantly reduced by the time it touched Indian shores. Of course, things have been bad in Indonesia et al, I am not denying that. But in India if everyone shouts Tsunami! then something is seriously wrong - seems to be a case of mass propaganda from our holy press. Govt and private companies collected one day’s salary from everyone. This alone will amount to a very huge sum that should set right any damage caused by the great wave. Besides huge donations were given by other people with tones of blackmoney – in an apparent bid to reserve a place in heaven.
My point is that media hype has aggravated the calamity. I think the media to be a bigger calamity than the tsunami, seeing the way they glorified the entire episode. I hope many of you have heard of the story of the king who could turn anything he touches into gold. Our media is similar – but whatever they touch turns into crap. When I say our media, I am being truly international – no national or class distinctions.
People from the civilized world rushed to the aid of the third world brothers. There were instances when people in the affected areas refused the vegetarian food that was offered to them by aid workers. I am not sure if it is entirely true, but will not be surprised even if it is. If these people can be so choosy about food, then you can imagine if there has been any real disaster at all. Can you think of people (whoever was left) in Hiroshima and Nagasaki showing preference for food after the attack?
The word tsunami has come to indicate trouble. One of my friends said she calls her son tsunami – he makes too much trouble!
Tsunami or not, life will continue. Not just here in India, but everywhere in the world.
Monday, January 03, 2005
Welcome to 2005
This is not much of a posting really... but then I cannot just sit here idle without welcoming 2005. I found many fools doing that, as if by not welcoming 2005 it would not come in. For once I decided to play along with popular mediocracy and decide to write a welcome note to 2005. And now, having done that, I am feeling tall and proud that I have done my part in welcoming another important year in this century.
Among other things, Meera had taken my blogs a bit too seriously (please refer to her comments for my previous blog). I am sorry not to have included a disclaimer earlier on saying no one should take my blogs to the heart. Meera asked me what I meant in my previous see off article for 2004 where I wrote we had "Tsunamis and all for entertainment". Sombre question - but I dont answer such questions. I cannot feel sorry for a thing unless I experience it first hand. Journalists and the media are not enough to convince me of the disastrous impact of any situation. I found a lot of photographs here in the US saying US aid finally reached Sri Lanka and the picture shows destitute people begging for water. If this is what Tsunamis mean for the rest of the world, thanks for CNN and BBC, I would very much like to disassociate from having to do anything at all with it.
So Meera, dont feel bad about such words. If possible, you could contribute directly to the relief. Probably you are doiing that already. And if you are, there is no real need for a big concern for my words. I have done my part of the contribution too - which is mostly with money; I cannot give my time for these causes.
As I write these, the democratic media is showing the pathetic state of affairs in Sri Lanka and what the US is doing to "take the lead" in helping Asia out of the hell! God, give me a break. One thing I have seen about this country's media is even if they have nothing to say, they can move the people to display pseudo feelings and talk eloquently about the concern for the world, when majority of the people here think US is the world.
So another year in the making for us - let us see what we make of it. I dont see any difference from my personal standpoint - it is going to be another year, one third of which is spent sleeping. Perhaps most of us dont realise that one third of a day is spent sleeping. Then of course, there is work, work place and the associated crap. And friends, and family and pets and cattle on the streets. This year does not augur entirely well for me since I would be required to be back in the US for work related reasons for 4-5 months. I am game, but not with the usual gusto and enthu though. Thanks for my warning in the earlier article, Libra does seem to be good for 2005. For a while I am not thinking of changing my sign.
Among other things, Meera had taken my blogs a bit too seriously (please refer to her comments for my previous blog). I am sorry not to have included a disclaimer earlier on saying no one should take my blogs to the heart. Meera asked me what I meant in my previous see off article for 2004 where I wrote we had "Tsunamis and all for entertainment". Sombre question - but I dont answer such questions. I cannot feel sorry for a thing unless I experience it first hand. Journalists and the media are not enough to convince me of the disastrous impact of any situation. I found a lot of photographs here in the US saying US aid finally reached Sri Lanka and the picture shows destitute people begging for water. If this is what Tsunamis mean for the rest of the world, thanks for CNN and BBC, I would very much like to disassociate from having to do anything at all with it.
So Meera, dont feel bad about such words. If possible, you could contribute directly to the relief. Probably you are doiing that already. And if you are, there is no real need for a big concern for my words. I have done my part of the contribution too - which is mostly with money; I cannot give my time for these causes.
As I write these, the democratic media is showing the pathetic state of affairs in Sri Lanka and what the US is doing to "take the lead" in helping Asia out of the hell! God, give me a break. One thing I have seen about this country's media is even if they have nothing to say, they can move the people to display pseudo feelings and talk eloquently about the concern for the world, when majority of the people here think US is the world.
So another year in the making for us - let us see what we make of it. I dont see any difference from my personal standpoint - it is going to be another year, one third of which is spent sleeping. Perhaps most of us dont realise that one third of a day is spent sleeping. Then of course, there is work, work place and the associated crap. And friends, and family and pets and cattle on the streets. This year does not augur entirely well for me since I would be required to be back in the US for work related reasons for 4-5 months. I am game, but not with the usual gusto and enthu though. Thanks for my warning in the earlier article, Libra does seem to be good for 2005. For a while I am not thinking of changing my sign.
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