Confusing politics

After Singur its Nandigram. It is so confusing... especially sitting far away and almost disconnected from daily news (I don't have a TV and stopped taking Newspaper). My sister is appearing for her XIIth, probably the most important public examination that determines the student's future. Day after tomorrow is her first exam. She called me this evening and said,
"I have a surprise news for you. Can you guess?"
I thought of the wildmost news and answered very matter-of-factly,
"Your exam has been postponned."
She was stunned!
"How did you come to know? Are you watching TV?"
This was my time to get puzzled.
"No I just told you the most unprobable thing. Is your exam really postponned?"
"Yes, We have a All-Bengal Strike day after tomorrow..."

Bandh, Hartaal, Strike ... These were slightly off-the-track for last couple of years. Thanks to unputdownable Mamata Banerjee and industrialization of West Bengal, they have come back with a bang! Tomorrow and day after tomorrow are consecutive bandhs called by various poilitical parties. So the students can wait, let the issue be politicalized first.
In Singur the Tatas wanted to build an automobile industry. They took hundreds of acres of field for that. Protesters came, as most these lands were moderately fertile and few part was very fertile. So the farmers will lose their business. Well, the industry will certainly create employment for more people than all those who will lose their land, but still...
So entered Ms Mamata Banerjee and Trinamul. They put up heavy protests, which were followed by riots, bandhs and hunger strike. Everything in vain! Tatas are on their way to build up the industry. It was not a very successful campaign for Mamata. So at Nandigram they had to play more cautiously.
At Nandigram Govt. is planning for a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) for Chemical Industry to rip the benefit of proximity of Haldia port and petrochemical industry. Eventually most of Nandigram is barren salty land. But protest is more vigorous here. Opponents have allegedly brought cadres from outside of Bengal to protect their stronghold. They have even cut-off the roads to prevent incoming traffic in the whole area. This situation lasted for almost a month and today the police were there to evict the outsiders and clear the land. I heard ten people has been killed by police. This has added more spice to the tasty dish of political turmoil. So there is Bandh. Tomorrow called by SITU and day after by Trinamul and Congress.
Whatever news I get are mostly from my parents when I call them. They are commoners. Singur or Nandigram shouldn't bother them. But still they are bothered like all other Bengalis. What I don't understand is that when everybody is talking of unemployment, poverty, crime rate, etc, an industry like automobile or a SEZ may light up the scenario for sure. There is certainly a price ot pay, the land, in these cases. But if you think economically the industry will generate more employment and revenue than hundred acres of land. Ofcourse it wold have been a real concern if we were running short of farming land. But at least at present we are not. Some say, they could have chosen a barren land for automobile industry. Sure, they could but the infrastructure is poor and moreover you should give some positive points to the man who is going to invest. Again Nandigram is a barren land. But still there is no dearth of protesters!
I think its not the immediate effect of losing land and homes. What we should think about is the social impact of having such big industries. Economically an automobile industry will bring forth a huge amount of small scale industries in its vicinity. (I'm not clear about of Chemical Industry, but anyway they are on barren land!) This means a lots of employment. This will lead to decrease in antisocial activities as the youths will be engaged and employed. Yes the nearby villages will become more and urban losing its virginity and culture. That is a trade off. But we are already going towards that, only industrialization will make it happen faster! Similarly if more and more industries come up, then we may land up in shortage of farming land. But at present, I presume, we don't have that musc fear. What we need more is to strike a balance between industry and farming. And now we are really lacking in industry.

By the way, bandhs are normally called on Fridays and Mondays (especially the ones called by Trinamul) so that one can enjoy a long weekend! Otherwise they could have combined their protests by calling a bandh on same day as SITU, i.e., on Thursday.

Vegetable Story

I was in the vegetable market after office. Bright white radish, shining cauliflowers, green peas, cabbages were abundant. The winter isn't over yet. But now at least at Pune you can't guess the season from the vegetable available at the market.
I remember in our childhood winter was usually marked by arrival of cauliflower and coriander leaves. We used to devour the cauliflower curry spiced up with green coriander leaves and peas. Cauliflower used to be one of my favourite vegetables. So was beet. But now I eat cauliflower throughout the week. Not only cauliflower, almost all the vegetables are available throughout the week. They doesn't seem so tasty now. Now-a-days when I go to market, I try to avoid cauliflower, cabbages, beet, gourd, tomato, spinach as they are very common. But then what is left? Sometimes I get tired of having the same set of vegetables in the market. The evergreen presence of the seasonal vegetables have stripped the taste and charm out of them. They are now as ordinary as potato.
Although, I dare not say potato is a ordinary vegetable. It is one of the prime vegetable in our dishes. Its a filler in every dishes. Just like a piano or accordion playing behind a songs fils the void, potato completes the curry. It used to be one of the cheapest vegetables. Now prices are rising. But still it is one of those few vegetable which the poormost category of vegetable buyer (considering the fact that poormost part of the society can't buy a single thing on a regular basis except country liquor or bidi) buy on a regular basis. I think after the food grains like rice or wheat, potato is the most popular vegetable in our country. But as it is too common, its presence is never felt unless the price soars high all of a sudden. Similar things are happening for other vegetables also. They are becoming season independent.
On a hot summer day cauliflower doesn't delight me now, nor do patol in winter night.
I miss old vegetables.

Oh! What a beautiful morning!

11:45 AM.
Just now I finished sweeping and mopping my room after three months!
What a beautiful Sunday Morning!

Good Morning Starshine

Saturday morning. Its unusual to wake up so early at 7:30 AM! With cup of black tea I came to my veranda. Mild sun rays flowing over the fruit-bearing Palash tree is caressing the floor of the balcony. I remembered one song. I played the song on my desktop.
"Good Morning Starshine!"
With the song came the artist's credit. It is Oliver (I don't know the authenticity of this information but I know this is from a musical called 'Hair'). That reminded me of the movie 'Oliver!' I watched on TV couple of months ago during one of week long holidays at home. I liked the movie for wonderfully spirited choreography. That TV channel (Sony PIX) was running a series on orphan movies, and 'Oliver!' was followed by another charmer, 'Annie'. I had planned to write a review on them, But eventually forgot.
After a long time, almost three months, I am at my room on a Saturday and have not planned yet to go out on tour. Yesterday I was just thinking to go out on Saturday to the city of Pune and have some nice montages on my new camera. I postponed the plan for one more day and started to write on 'Oliver!' and 'Annie'.

Here they are.

The Orphan Story Part - I
The Orphan Story Part - II

21 she February

Today is 21st February. The Language Martyr Day. It is the day when the common people of Bangladesh came to streets with demand of making Bengali, their native language the national language instead of Urdu. Few Bengalis still get emotional, few more get proud of their Bengali origin on this day. The reason is very simple, this kind of martyrdom for a mere language was unprecedented, and we did it! YO! And that is a one-day pride. From next day onwards we again feel sorry for our mother tongue. What a pity!
In today's world English is the most dominating language. Though Bengali is believed to be one of the sweetest languages, it is ultimately confined as a regional language only. And the Bengali speaking population is decreasing day by day. The future of Bengali is bleak.

Back again

Finally I'm back on my seat! It had been long and winding tour for almost a month. My room is filled with cobwebs, my computer is covered with dust. The air inside is stuffy. The bed sheet covering my bed has a visible layer of dust on it. My veranda also filled with dust and flying Palash (Flame of the forest) seeds. The Palash trees in front of my veranda are now full of fruits. A bunch of parrots are loitering on them. The seeds ejected from fruits have covered my veranda.
Its all dirty and dusty. Still its good to be back.

Mandu Pics ...

I bought a camera. A beginner's SLR. It was a very old dream, and now I own an SLR. Yo! This is my camera Vivitar V3800N (Photo Courtsey - Amazon.com)
Today I'm moving out again for couple of weeks. This time I'll have a trip to home also. Ahh.

Meantime I just uploaded my pics of the trip to Mandu, MP.

Unsolicited calls

I was in the office. I got a call on my mobile from an unknown number. A young lady was on the opposite side of the phone.

- Sir, may I talk to Mr. Roy?
- Ya, talking.
- Sir I am calling from ... Bank, do you use any credit card, sir?
- Where from did you get my number?
- Sir, I have a database with me.
- Where from did you get the database?
- Sorry sir, what?
- Where from did you get the database with my number?
- I got it from the office, sir. My boss gave it. Do you use any credit card, sir?
- Well, eventually, I do. But tell me some thing. What is your name?
- ...
- Ok, which bank are you representing?
- Sir, ... Bank.
- And what is the name of your boss?
- Sir, but sir, why are you asking these?
- I am just inquisitive about the database with my personal mobile number!
- Sir, I got the database from my boss.

I hear her voice cracking. There was a break. She talks to somebody, another lady's voice replies, 'Cut the phone yaar'. Some more noises come through the earpiece. I talk to mouthpiece, 'Hello!'

- Yes sir?
- Can you tell me the name of your boss, from whom you got the database?
- Sir I got it from my manager.
- Yes, tell me the name of the manager.
- But sir, why are you enquiring all these?
- Because you called me in my personal number. I don't want any unsolicited calls at this number. This supposedly a personal number and that is why I want to know how did you get my number!
- But sir, we have database sir!
- Yes, I know that. That is why I want to know the name of your boss, who gave you the database. Do you know, yesterday the High Court has imposed a fine of Rs. 50 Lakhs for these kind of unsolicited calls from a certain Bank?

I can feel the moisture in her voice. She is about to cry. She, I presume got worried about her job.

- OK, Miss ..., you personally have nothing to do with the fine. But certainly your boss might have to! OK?
- OK sir.
- Please convey this message to your boss. OK?
- OK Sir.

She seems sobbing. I cut the phone.

That lady is a poor call center lady. She has, as a matter of fact, nothing to do with all these unsolicited calls. Only thing is that she is ordered to gather all potential customers. This policy of direct marketing is the culprit. Its irritating. And the judgement from the High Court is very very just. In the judgment a fine of Rs. 50 Lakhs has been imposed on the bank and the cellular service provider. It is a great decision.

But eventually the call I got was from a bank whose credit card I have already applied for and got sanctioned. But due to my absense at station the courier couldn't deliver it. It got returned to the head office of the bank. But I have started recieving my bills! May be the call was regarding any information on that issue! Was I too impulsive? But then why should she ask whether I use any credit card or not?

Running on empty ...

For last couple of months, I'm running and running. Nashik - Bangalore - Goa - Bangalore - Indore - Bangalore ... Allmost alwyas travelling by bus seating for 15 - 16 hours at a stretch. I've been in Pune for hardly seven days in last two months.
After coming back from Bangalore yesterday, I was feeling dead tired. My room is dirty and dusty. I've not cleaned it for two months, Clothes are schattered, the kitchen is full of spiderwebs as it was hardly used for last couple of months. After coming back from a trip I didn't get any enthusiasm to cook, or rather to buy vegetables to cook or to even clean the room as I knew I'll have to move again on the next day! My vegetable stock is now some chilli, onions and potatoes all dried up. Potatoes have started germination. Stock of ready-to-eat dishes are empty.
I may have to move again in a day or two. I am very fatigued now. Only thing I can do now is sleeping. I had a rest today as today was holiday. Makar-Sankranti. As per the traditional rituals, today we are supposed to clean our house dispose off old utensils and start using everything new. But I am not in a state of cleaning now.

A well planned vacation

We have got three days off this weekend! I was planning to have a hike off like last year's Chikhaldara trip. Planning in the sense, I had just chosen few places of overnight distance. Yesterday evening one friend came along and was eager to join me. OK - no problem. He said, lets plan properly, where to go, how to go ...
So we sat down in front of the internet. Searched up and down and shortlisted the same few places I had shortlisted earlier!

• Toranmal
• Lonar
• Matheran
• Murud-Janjira
• Aurangabad-Ajanta-Ellora
• Mandu
• Daman

Matheran was striked out at the first instance as it is very near and you can go on any weekend! Then a second friend came in. Daman was next to be out. It is too far! Next was Toranmal, Mandu and Lonar as they are slightly off beat! Places like Toranmal and Lonar are not typical crowdpulling. But from my past experience of Chikhaldara, I knew they offer real virgin beauty of nature and great chance of exploration new bounderies. I like these kind of spots. But when you are going as a team, you must consider others' points also. And to be more selfishly precise, I wouldn't like go to these places with someone who doesn't appreciates sight-seeing rather than the spirit of travelling. So let them be my own pleasures.
With all these calculations we finally came down to Murud-Janjira and Aurangabad. This time two more friends came into picture. But one of them had already visited MJ and the other had visited Aurangabad! The first one was soon out of the campaign as he had some other appointments this weekend. So we three again got together started discussing all over. I didn't really prefer Murud-Janjira as I was actually planning for hill or jungle not a beach! So when all the places were again discussed, among three of us, Toranmal suddenly emerged as black horse as the third friend is fond of trekking. Now the battle narrowed down on Toranmal and Aurangabad. I liked all the places, and I don't mind to go to any of them either. So I tried to keep a nutral position!
After a long meeting of almost five hour, when we went to bed, it was still undecided where to go. TOday we were supposed to meet again in the office to finalize. But we couldn't make it and when we got together after office, it was too late for today to start on a trip! I realized they won't be able to make it at all and went back to my original plan of goign alone. May be they'll go for a hike in the nearby Sinhagad or Shivneri and I might go to Mandu or somewhere else through Nasik. It all depends how do I feel tomorrow morning! My vacation is already half spoilt and over planned.
Moral of the story: we plan only when we are afraid of the unknown!

Happy New Year

Everyday is a new year's day and every night is new years eve! Why do we celebrate so vigorously on this particular 31st December night? Last night was a restless night. Fireworks and crackers made the night sleepless. I was, I don't know why, in a depressed mood. I tried to sleep off early and the firecrackers kept me awake till one o'-clock in the early morning.
Lying on my bed I was thinking why the hell we celebrate this new year so ecstatically? What is the reason behind 31st December being the last day of the year? I mean to say the year could have been started at any other day - say 1st February!
There must be a reason behind the calenders we follow - a real astronomical or socio-economic reason. Say if the new year starts after the last day of harvest it is well justified. Over a century of evolution that particular last-day-of-harvest could be fixed to be a particular day in a particular calender. Reasonable, isn't it? But to be more authentic, the calender should follow astronomical events, not simple earthly events, which are not so perfectly regular. For example if a calender is based on the Equinoxes and Solstices, it will be a perfectly reasonable calender.
I think every calender is based on astronimcal events. But I was wondering which astronomical events form the basis of the Julian calender that starts on 1st January, 11 days after the Winter Solstice.

You and I ...

A pug and a kid. Momnets together captured in slightly soft focus, in slightly dark tone. The pug follows the kid like his shadow, and the soft song in the background ... the loved Hutch advertisement.
Whenever the advertisement is played on TV - in its full or abridged version, the tune of the jingle is sure to catch your ear. I don't have a TV. So I've seen the ad in some friends house and never watched the full version, at leat as far as I remember. The tune of the song playing in the background if the ad for a couple of seconds recently caught my attention and it sounded very familiar. It seemed I've heard the song somewhere else, and it must copied from some famous song. But I couldn't figure out which song! Then finally I asked few friends, they came up immediately that the song is 'You and I, in this beautiful world'. One of them sang the first two lines. It again seemed very familiar, I just couldn't place the lyrics. But nobody could say the name of the original artist. One friend said he has heard this tune playing onboard whenever he traveled by a particular airlines. Anyway I was wondering for a long time where to get the actual info on the original song. Finally I Googled and found the mysterious tune!
Now I am watching it on the link above.
Great jingle!

Again Little boxes ...

I was standing in the security chek-in queue in Pune airport. There was a TV just beside the queue. I was watching carelessly and then again the same advertisement came up - 'Little boxes on the hillside ...'.
After security chek I proceeded to the departure queue, boarded the aeroplane and then the gas turbine engine started roaring.
This was my first flight! The plane moved to one end of the runway, then took a turn, rested awhile just like a sprinter concentrating and gathering breath to start a fiery run, and then zoooooooo....it started lifting its nose towards the sky. Soon we were leaning backward as it kept on climbing. I looked through the glass. The ground below was retreating fast. The aircrafts standing on the runway looked small. The houses surrounding, the grounds, trees, everything's looked smaller and smaller. Then the western ghats came in the sight. Pune is surrounded by it. The hills from the top looked just like a geographical map! There's a contour line that passes throgh the hilltops making a vein-like picture! In between there are small houses on the valley. They look as small as matchbox. They look identical. Its like a scatterd collection of boxes. Little boxes. I wonder, was Malvina Reynolds on a aircraft when she first rhymed it?

Little boxes on the hill side, little boxes made of ticky tacky.
Little boxes, little boxes, little boxes all the same.
There's a green one and a pink one and a blue one and a yellow one,
And they're all made out of ticky tacky, and they all look just the same.

And the people in the houses all went to the university
Where they were put in boxes, little boxes, all the same.
And there's doctors and there's lawyers, and there's business executives
And they're all made out of ticky tacky and they all look just the same.

And they all play on the golf course and drink their martini dry
And they all have pretty children and the children go to school
And the children go to summer camp and then to the university
Where they all get put in boxes and they all come out the same.

And the boys go into business and marry and raise a family
In boxes, little boxes, little boxes all the same.
There's a green one and a pink one and a blue one and a yellow one
And they're all made out of ticky tacky and they all look just the same.

Little Boxes

Evening. I was watching TV at one of my friend's house. It was a tea break in a cricket match. I don't watch cricket, but I watch the advertisement. Then I found suddenly the famous Seeger song 'Little boxes' strted playing on TV with a visualization where people clad in boxes literaly following the lyrics. The full song was sung and then behind the boringly box clad men appeared a sparkling red car. It said its for the people who are outside the boxes.
I was awestruck by the idea.

Wintery Afternoons

The winter has arrived with all its essences. I love this time, this weather - not chilly but a lazy cold sensation throughout the day, lazy mornings and quick evenings. Unfortunately Pune is not so gentle in winter. The lazyness and mild sunshine of the morning is soon broken as the day advances; and at ten o'clock it is difficult to stay in Sun. Sun is always too hot on Pune. Evenings are nice. But the niceties of winter afternoons is absent here. I remember the wintery holidays in my home - after lunch, sitting in the terrace under the mild sun with a novel... I don't have that leisure now.
Still when the morning sun peeks throgh the window to my room in the morning, I fall in love of the day!

Sleeping saga

I feel guilty of it, but I can't avoid it. I am talking about sleeping in lecture classes. I am taking a week-long course on CFD. It is really important. But whenever I try hard to be awake and attentive, I feel sleepy. Its not that lectures are very boring, or I am not interested, or I am sleeping less in the night ... I just can't keep my eyes open.

First hours, lecture on Numerical Methods.
Student: Madam, how will we decide which equation to use?
Madam: Depends on the situation and physics of the problem. Am I right?
Student: Is there no guidelines that for this kind of flow, we shall use this kind of equation...
Madam: It depends. OK I'll bring my notes tomorrow and discuss this issue. Am I right?

Post Tea Sessions, lectures on Fluid Mechanics.
Student: But sir, if we take case of ... then can we apply the same formula?
Sir: Oh, yes. Since this is a general...but in the case you are referring the viscosity...or no the same formula...so yes...but in that case you don't have this value...then the boundary condition...on the other hand if you take earlier formula it may become easier...

Post Lunch sessions, supposedly a problem solving session on CFD. This is the most vulnerable session. But the teacher is more interactive, as he sopmetime asks questions! We start off with a typical movement of solid in a melting fluid.
Teacher: I want make you independent, what? independent. and hence I'll not solve the problem. I'll only tell you where in this problem CFD can be used. what? where CFD can be used.
...
Teacher: So you see, composite is always better. What is better? composite.
And our problem solving session, where we learned that CFD can be used to model the melting fluid and composites are better in absorbing shocks thus ends.

Amen.

Cryin' in the rain ...

I've been very busy in very worldly matter for last couple of weeks. My veranda was, as if, blocked. Today I came from office early to bid farewell to Subhradyuti's parents who were vacationating at Pune staying at my quarter. Then I had planned to go to Nasik to Ashwini to escape from the boring world. Uncle and aunty left at four-O'Clock. I rang up Ashwini to confirm his availability during this weekend. He fumbled, mumbled, and then told he has an appointment to keep at Mumbai ...
Tired, I relaxed on the bed. When I came to my senses it was twilight. But Pune doesn't get dark at five-thirty. I came to verandah. It was not twilight, but clouds. It was so blank. I was feeling vacant. I made a cup of liquor tea.
Sometime when you are suddenly out of your things-to-do-list, you feel empty. It seemed that I have nothing to do. I was just spending this week with the aim of going to Nashik in the weekend. Now what should I do? There are two days totally free of any pre-planned work. It felt relieving and vacant at the same!
The red Palash (flame of the forest) flowers were looking gloomy. A cat climbed through the parapate and cornice to get into the balcony of the first floor of the house opposing me. It meowed. A boy from inside opened the balcony door slightly and it went inside. And rain came. The lady in the first floor of my building started watering plants in their balcony. I came back in my room, put the following playlist in Winamp and went back. It was dark by then. It was raining steadily, and my mind was blank.

1. Rent - Seasons Of Love (2:51)
2. Annie - Maybe (2:47)
3. Annie - Tomorrow (2:07)
4. Annie - You're Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile (3:06)
5. Hair - Easy to be hard (3:26)
6. Oliver! - I'd Do Anything (3:46)
7. Oliver! - Who Will Buy (4:29)
8. John Denver - Take Me Home Country Roads (3:12)
9. John Denver - Annie's Song (3:00)
10. John Denver - Farewell Andromeda (4:04)
11. John Denver - Fly Like An Eagle (4:00)
12. John Denver - No One (6:22)
13. John Denver - Rocky Mountain High (4:42)
14. Don Williams - Crying In The Rain (3:04)
15. Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison Blues (2:45)
16. Don Mclean - Empty Chairs (3:27)
17. Don Mclean - Streets Of London (4:08)
18. Petula Clark - Downtown (3:11)

The Seasonal Cycle

The weather now-a-days have become very unpredicatble. It rains in winter, paddy fields run dry in monsoon, deserts get flooded and what not. For last couple of yeras the monsoon is very stretched in Western India and Eastern India is getting drier and drier everyday. This year Rajasthan got flooded for a week! And back in West Bengal the average rainfall is less than 50% of the usual quantity. Average temperature is rising. Winters are also not so cool.
Say for today in Pune, it was really cold in the dawn; at 11 A.M. it was too hot to get out of the house; and finally in the evening lashes of rain!

Whose fault is it anyway?

The rain in Pune drops mainly year-around!

Evening.

I was stuck in a shop and the shopkeeper told looking outside, "Its June again!" Someone else replied, "Now its always June in Pune..."

You got it, it was again raining in Pune!

Tired...

I've just comeback from my long sought vacation of two weeks and I'm dead tired! Vacationating has never been so tiresome, so many work had to be done back in my home and so less time!
Tomorrow again I'm off to Bangalore.
Feeling sleepy.