Am actually tired of seeing dozen's of such wannabe's seeking their 30-secs of fame by raking up some controversy or the other. But off late, worldover, the easiest route to fame seems to be to attack India and Indians. Seems like we are an easy target. Look at this one -
India's Healthcare is Cheaper than America's! - Fox News Investigation - Glenn Beck Reports
Glen Beck seems surprised that India could have better healthcare infrastructure and sniggers & pokes fun.
Should we take offense? Should we demand an apology?
I dont know. I think he hardly merits any importance for his shoddy reporting based on half baked 'research'. But it is really sad that Fox News could allow some irresponsible reporting like this get aired.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
The Week That Was..
The last few days have been quite eventful. Lots of discussion, pondering over questions, and seeking an answer everywhere, but no decisions were made. It's funny how we strategize, agonize, and think we are making things happen while none of it is in our control. And what is even more strange is how perspectives alter in a matter of minutes. Actually, we are no different from little children, despite our pretenses of having all grown up and matured.
Am sure none of this is making sense, and it might seem like I have lost it. It's actually like this - over the last few months we have been on a rigorous house hunting spree, and despite walking through several of them, we took a liking to none of them. Then one fine day we saw this beautiful duplex, spacious, airy, never before occupied, and with a private terrace to boot. The apartment complex is also wonderfully serene, with little children dotting the play area and making a pretty pretty scene. We had zeroed in on our dream home!
Of course, life never goes smoothly, so the price played villain and I was in deep despair. However, a couple of negotiation sessions later, we had arrived at something both we & the builder could smile about. And just when we thought all was well at our paradise, we got to know of another apartment quite similar in most of the specifications, with better amenities and seriously being offered at a much, much lower price. There! We have lost our sleep, our peace, and that's our dilemma.
Am sure none of this is making sense, and it might seem like I have lost it. It's actually like this - over the last few months we have been on a rigorous house hunting spree, and despite walking through several of them, we took a liking to none of them. Then one fine day we saw this beautiful duplex, spacious, airy, never before occupied, and with a private terrace to boot. The apartment complex is also wonderfully serene, with little children dotting the play area and making a pretty pretty scene. We had zeroed in on our dream home!
Of course, life never goes smoothly, so the price played villain and I was in deep despair. However, a couple of negotiation sessions later, we had arrived at something both we & the builder could smile about. And just when we thought all was well at our paradise, we got to know of another apartment quite similar in most of the specifications, with better amenities and seriously being offered at a much, much lower price. There! We have lost our sleep, our peace, and that's our dilemma.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Dreadful Indian Television
Indian television seems to be going from bad to worse. Reality shows centering around dance & music was one thing but then the progressive decline into finding the perfect (sic) bride is completely another matter. Do the majority of Indian audience really enjoy these kind of shows? Why isn't there a single Quiz show or a science program like Turning Point in any of the popular channels? Even a Travel Show taking the audience through lesser known places would do wonders than the steady junk serials they are being fed.
Star Plus one of the most popular TV channels seems to have mastered the game and comes up with one mind-numbing story after another. Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai tells the story of a marwari family who arranges the marriage of their daughter with the scion of another marwari family. The serial shows the girl sacrificing her dreams of furthering her education, giving up any ideas of a career for the role of a subserviant wife. In the name of tradition it portrays the girl playing a submissive coy daugher-in-law who needs to take permission for everything from visiting her parents to taking a tour along with her husband. Incidentally all her such requests are squished down.
And there is ofcourse another fantastic serial - Sajan Ghar Jaana Hai where a girl who gets married to a rich landlord is shunned when it is learnt that one of her forefathers had married out-of-caste (or whatever) and she is reduced to being a maid servant while her husband is forced to remarry another girl of unquestionable lineage. The list of such mindless serials is unending.
Now are they trying to kid themselves that they are altering mindsets by showing such serials? Do they feel justified in earning their TRP's through such mindless shows in the name of entertainment? To top it all they have an annual award function where they get together and distribute awards which go something like - "Best Bahu" and "Most Loved Devar".
The funniest response evinced was when my father-in-law saw an episode of "Yeh Rishta.." where the lead protagonist gets ticked off by her mother-in-law for wanting to go for a movie with her husband. Gravely my father-in-law said, "The period of 1920's & 30's was very tough on the Indian middle-class woman." I didnt feel like breaking his wrong assumption that the serial was trying to very much portray 21st century women.
On second thoughts, considering the unbelievable money involved and the sea of aimless, gullible public ready to devour anything showcased under the garb of tradition & moral values, I realize that these serials are here to stay and possibly will be coming in 1000's of different avtaars.
Maybe all we can do is tune into other channels. Maybe one can acquire a taste if forced into watching them. Maybe these serials are the reason for every household acquiring their second & third television sets. These serials might after all be good for our economy.
Star Plus one of the most popular TV channels seems to have mastered the game and comes up with one mind-numbing story after another. Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai tells the story of a marwari family who arranges the marriage of their daughter with the scion of another marwari family. The serial shows the girl sacrificing her dreams of furthering her education, giving up any ideas of a career for the role of a subserviant wife. In the name of tradition it portrays the girl playing a submissive coy daugher-in-law who needs to take permission for everything from visiting her parents to taking a tour along with her husband. Incidentally all her such requests are squished down.
And there is ofcourse another fantastic serial - Sajan Ghar Jaana Hai where a girl who gets married to a rich landlord is shunned when it is learnt that one of her forefathers had married out-of-caste (or whatever) and she is reduced to being a maid servant while her husband is forced to remarry another girl of unquestionable lineage. The list of such mindless serials is unending.
Now are they trying to kid themselves that they are altering mindsets by showing such serials? Do they feel justified in earning their TRP's through such mindless shows in the name of entertainment? To top it all they have an annual award function where they get together and distribute awards which go something like - "Best Bahu" and "Most Loved Devar".
The funniest response evinced was when my father-in-law saw an episode of "Yeh Rishta.." where the lead protagonist gets ticked off by her mother-in-law for wanting to go for a movie with her husband. Gravely my father-in-law said, "The period of 1920's & 30's was very tough on the Indian middle-class woman." I didnt feel like breaking his wrong assumption that the serial was trying to very much portray 21st century women.
On second thoughts, considering the unbelievable money involved and the sea of aimless, gullible public ready to devour anything showcased under the garb of tradition & moral values, I realize that these serials are here to stay and possibly will be coming in 1000's of different avtaars.
Maybe all we can do is tune into other channels. Maybe one can acquire a taste if forced into watching them. Maybe these serials are the reason for every household acquiring their second & third television sets. These serials might after all be good for our economy.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
[Book Review] The Lost Symbol - Dan Brown
Its few hours since I have completed reading the book and am still reeling under the after-effects of it. Its not about being overwhelmed by the book but every book I read usually lingers in the mind for some time, like how the taste of coffee (good or bad) remains. So I will try and be as objective as possible about it.
With Dan Brown for an author, the book is more or less expected to be a racy, entertaining best seller. 'The Lost Symbol' is definitely a nail-biting thriller and am sure is already topping the best-seller charts yet somehow it fails to impress the way the Da Vinci Code (DVC) did. One reason could be that Dan Brown seems to try too hard to meet up to it.
The novel seems to follow the same plotline as DVC: Robert Langdon travels within the first few pages to a prominent location, faces a grotesque situation, is forced to run , gets lectured and lectures a lot on symbology & solve clues to save lives of many involved. While DVC was all about the Priory of Sions and Knights of Templar, this one is all about Freemasons and the Ancient Mysteries. But the similarities seem to end here. While Da Vinci Code broke new ground with its startling revealations and theories, The Lost Symbol thrives more on numerous twists in the plot.
Mr Brown weaves an interesting tale of science & religion. But this is nothing new for us Hindus who have long seen science in our faith. While he condescendingly talks about Kubera Kolam, the Upanishads & Vedas he hurries to add that the Bible talks more about science than that meets the eye.
If his Da Vinci Code had the churches fuming in anger, The Lost Symbol seems to be his feeble attempt in building bridges. Consider this : Our brains, if used correctly, can call forth powers that are quite literally superhuman. The Bible, like many ancient texts, is a detailed exposition of the most sophisticated machine ever created . . . the human mind
"The mind sits like a golden capstone atop the physical body. The Philosopher’s Stone. Through the staircase of the spine, energy ascends and descends, circulating, connecting the heavenly mind to the physical body"
This we Hindus have known since long as the Yogic Kundalini awakening. Our scriptures even detail the different kundalini chakras, the signs & symptoms accompanied with the rise of each chakra.
There is also mention of Noetic Science and the supposedly made advances in this field but nothing worthwhile is described. The experiment that proves that soul has mass and hence can be weighed has long been circulated in the internet. Brown might probably impress his western audiences with his lecture on the positive effects of meditation, mass prayers and Focussed Thought etc but offers nothing we didn't already know. But yes, we are not talking of "Autobiography of A Yogi"
A well-known trait of Brown's books has been to showcase latest technology. This he does amply in The Lost Symbol and does a fantastic job of it. He talks from EMP guns that can effectively fry the electronics of any device it targets - used to stop car chases from a safe distance to Silly Strings (a nonlethal "incapacitant" that when shot sends a thread of gooey polyurethane that turns rock hard on contact, creating a rigid web of plastic across the back of the fugitive’s knees). Heat Signatures: Thermal-imaging equipment which are so sensitive to heat differentials that it can detect not only a person’s location but also their previous locations. But what takes the cake is his description of the extreme experience labs and specifically the "Total Liquid Ventilation tanks or Meditation machines".
In conclusion, The Lost Symbol is an extremely entertaining 'Bisibele bath' containing a mix of spiritual new-age mantra's, cliffhanger twists and references to the most famous of secret societies - the Freemasons. Enjoy Maadi
With Dan Brown for an author, the book is more or less expected to be a racy, entertaining best seller. 'The Lost Symbol' is definitely a nail-biting thriller and am sure is already topping the best-seller charts yet somehow it fails to impress the way the Da Vinci Code (DVC) did. One reason could be that Dan Brown seems to try too hard to meet up to it.
The novel seems to follow the same plotline as DVC: Robert Langdon travels within the first few pages to a prominent location, faces a grotesque situation, is forced to run , gets lectured and lectures a lot on symbology & solve clues to save lives of many involved. While DVC was all about the Priory of Sions and Knights of Templar, this one is all about Freemasons and the Ancient Mysteries. But the similarities seem to end here. While Da Vinci Code broke new ground with its startling revealations and theories, The Lost Symbol thrives more on numerous twists in the plot.
Mr Brown weaves an interesting tale of science & religion. But this is nothing new for us Hindus who have long seen science in our faith. While he condescendingly talks about Kubera Kolam, the Upanishads & Vedas he hurries to add that the Bible talks more about science than that meets the eye.
If his Da Vinci Code had the churches fuming in anger, The Lost Symbol seems to be his feeble attempt in building bridges. Consider this : Our brains, if used correctly, can call forth powers that are quite literally superhuman. The Bible, like many ancient texts, is a detailed exposition of the most sophisticated machine ever created . . . the human mind
"The mind sits like a golden capstone atop the physical body. The Philosopher’s Stone. Through the staircase of the spine, energy ascends and descends, circulating, connecting the heavenly mind to the physical body"
This we Hindus have known since long as the Yogic Kundalini awakening. Our scriptures even detail the different kundalini chakras, the signs & symptoms accompanied with the rise of each chakra.
There is also mention of Noetic Science and the supposedly made advances in this field but nothing worthwhile is described. The experiment that proves that soul has mass and hence can be weighed has long been circulated in the internet. Brown might probably impress his western audiences with his lecture on the positive effects of meditation, mass prayers and Focussed Thought etc but offers nothing we didn't already know. But yes, we are not talking of "Autobiography of A Yogi"
A well-known trait of Brown's books has been to showcase latest technology. This he does amply in The Lost Symbol and does a fantastic job of it. He talks from EMP guns that can effectively fry the electronics of any device it targets - used to stop car chases from a safe distance to Silly Strings (a nonlethal "incapacitant" that when shot sends a thread of gooey polyurethane that turns rock hard on contact, creating a rigid web of plastic across the back of the fugitive’s knees). Heat Signatures: Thermal-imaging equipment which are so sensitive to heat differentials that it can detect not only a person’s location but also their previous locations. But what takes the cake is his description of the extreme experience labs and specifically the "Total Liquid Ventilation tanks or Meditation machines".
In conclusion, The Lost Symbol is an extremely entertaining 'Bisibele bath' containing a mix of spiritual new-age mantra's, cliffhanger twists and references to the most famous of secret societies - the Freemasons. Enjoy Maadi
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Time for Just 140 Words...
I still remember the first time I got a letter from my school friend whom I had left behind when we moved cities. I fondly recollect the adrenaline rush of seeing the blue envelope; I couldn't contain myself till I read through the contents and simply wanted to reply back query-to-query asap. Slowly, the joy of writing letters waned to sending seasonal greeting cards.
Emails brought their own share of excitement, and I can even now recollect the time we huddled around to register our first (Hotmail) IDs. The fun we had coming up with the whackiest mail IDs, and then the rush to exchange IDs. Then there used to be this constant urge to log in and check for new mails. Letters, greeting cards had long given way to emails and e-greetings. Blue Mountain, Flash greetings, Archies and Hallmark went laughing to their banks probably because of us. Soon, when chat was discovered, emails were used to just communicate the times to catch one another online and to forward jokes.
Yes, emails are still in use officially today, but just think back: when was the last time you actually wrote an email to someone? Why write, indeed, when you know your friend is probably at the beauty salon right now or is away on vacation for the week and at this very minute is actually enjoying a boat ride?
Social networking and microblogging sites have brought us closer in many ways and yet have pushed the joy of personal communication as far away as possible. One tweet, one post, one status update, one message for all.
Took a vacation? Go click-click-click and update the pics for the world aglore. Attended a family get-together, put up pics and invite comments. Cooked a new dish at home?..before you let your family taste it, you want to get it dressed and click a snap for the blog. Life seems like an open book for all out there to see. And now with microblogging, 'followers' can know what is happening in one's life by the minute. Well almost.
Despite all these overwhelming means of communication, people hardly have the time for each other. Am not complaining or getting preachy here, for I am very much guilty of the same. When my sister went to London for her higher studies, I studiously emailed her for close to a month. Long emails telling what we did during weekends slowly gave way to video chats and then trickled down to a few messages a day, and now within a couple of months I am quite happy enough seeing her status updates on FB or a photo comment.
Is this what happens when there are way too many means to communicate? Is this signalling some kind of overbearing, omnipresence of technology? Where does all this go from here? Will future generations feel overwhelmed by this all-pervading tech and go completely off the grid? Only time can tell.
Emails brought their own share of excitement, and I can even now recollect the time we huddled around to register our first (Hotmail) IDs. The fun we had coming up with the whackiest mail IDs, and then the rush to exchange IDs. Then there used to be this constant urge to log in and check for new mails. Letters, greeting cards had long given way to emails and e-greetings. Blue Mountain, Flash greetings, Archies and Hallmark went laughing to their banks probably because of us. Soon, when chat was discovered, emails were used to just communicate the times to catch one another online and to forward jokes.
Yes, emails are still in use officially today, but just think back: when was the last time you actually wrote an email to someone? Why write, indeed, when you know your friend is probably at the beauty salon right now or is away on vacation for the week and at this very minute is actually enjoying a boat ride?
Social networking and microblogging sites have brought us closer in many ways and yet have pushed the joy of personal communication as far away as possible. One tweet, one post, one status update, one message for all.
Took a vacation? Go click-click-click and update the pics for the world aglore. Attended a family get-together, put up pics and invite comments. Cooked a new dish at home?..before you let your family taste it, you want to get it dressed and click a snap for the blog. Life seems like an open book for all out there to see. And now with microblogging, 'followers' can know what is happening in one's life by the minute. Well almost.
Despite all these overwhelming means of communication, people hardly have the time for each other. Am not complaining or getting preachy here, for I am very much guilty of the same. When my sister went to London for her higher studies, I studiously emailed her for close to a month. Long emails telling what we did during weekends slowly gave way to video chats and then trickled down to a few messages a day, and now within a couple of months I am quite happy enough seeing her status updates on FB or a photo comment.
Is this what happens when there are way too many means to communicate? Is this signalling some kind of overbearing, omnipresence of technology? Where does all this go from here? Will future generations feel overwhelmed by this all-pervading tech and go completely off the grid? Only time can tell.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Hindi Movie Songs: Best of 2009
Its just October yet here is Top 5 list of my favourite songs from Bollywood movies. It has not been a very tough list to come up with considering the crop of movies released this year.
#1 Tum Mile - Emraan Hashmi invariably ends up with a great song to his name. A very lucky guy indeed. This melodious number sung by Neeraj Sridhar has me completely mesmerised. Not a song that can boast of great lyrics but it will sure run all through the day in your mind.
#2 Mere Sang - Maybe I have an ear for only mellifluous songs but I wonder if there will be a single list this year without this song in it. Absolutely wonderful. Am sure Sunidhi Chauhan will be nominated for this one in all the upcoming award functions.
#3 Masakali - An exception to soft numbers I love this song for its lyrics and sheer fun it emits. Sung by Mohit Chauhan, this one peps up the mood like no other.
#4 Tu Muskura - from Yuvvraj and sung by Alka Yagnik is spellbinding. Really wonderful use of cello and percussion. A Rahman classic and with old favourite Alka Yagnik singing it gets to be hypnotising. She will sweep the Filmfares and IFFA's for sure.
Now technically speaking there is supposed to be only 5 songs in this list, but I like both these songs and so they tie-up at position 5.
#5 Ek Tara - Wow! talk about soulful lyrics and perfect rendition...Ik tara from Wake Up Sid will not be forgotten easily. Sung by Kavita Seth and Amitabh Bhattacharya the song takes time to get etched in one's memory but once you take a liking to the unusual voice of Kavitha aptly supported by Bhattacharya, there it will remain. Sounds very original and is eminently likeable.
#5 Pehli Baar Mohabbat - Now I am not sure why I like this song over the immensely popular "Dhan Te Nan" from the same film "Kaminey" yet this song stands out for me in the whole album. Yes, its a painfully slow number the picturization is no great shakes either but I love the way the lyrics have fused to the music. Its simply a must-hear on a rainy afternoon.
There thats my list for now.
#1 Tum Mile - Emraan Hashmi invariably ends up with a great song to his name. A very lucky guy indeed. This melodious number sung by Neeraj Sridhar has me completely mesmerised. Not a song that can boast of great lyrics but it will sure run all through the day in your mind.
#2 Mere Sang - Maybe I have an ear for only mellifluous songs but I wonder if there will be a single list this year without this song in it. Absolutely wonderful. Am sure Sunidhi Chauhan will be nominated for this one in all the upcoming award functions.
#3 Masakali - An exception to soft numbers I love this song for its lyrics and sheer fun it emits. Sung by Mohit Chauhan, this one peps up the mood like no other.
#4 Tu Muskura - from Yuvvraj and sung by Alka Yagnik is spellbinding. Really wonderful use of cello and percussion. A Rahman classic and with old favourite Alka Yagnik singing it gets to be hypnotising. She will sweep the Filmfares and IFFA's for sure.
Now technically speaking there is supposed to be only 5 songs in this list, but I like both these songs and so they tie-up at position 5.
#5 Ek Tara - Wow! talk about soulful lyrics and perfect rendition...Ik tara from Wake Up Sid will not be forgotten easily. Sung by Kavita Seth and Amitabh Bhattacharya the song takes time to get etched in one's memory but once you take a liking to the unusual voice of Kavitha aptly supported by Bhattacharya, there it will remain. Sounds very original and is eminently likeable.
#5 Pehli Baar Mohabbat - Now I am not sure why I like this song over the immensely popular "Dhan Te Nan" from the same film "Kaminey" yet this song stands out for me in the whole album. Yes, its a painfully slow number the picturization is no great shakes either but I love the way the lyrics have fused to the music. Its simply a must-hear on a rainy afternoon.
There thats my list for now.
Friday, October 02, 2009
Ere..Haven't I Seen U Somewhere?
Hindu mythology & folklore says there are 7 people around the world who lookalike. Some say its a myth and many others beleive in it. While this is a very tough thing to prove we all surely might have come across someone who looks very similar though.
Last week I was watching 'Maid in Manhattan' and I felt I had seen the character of Jerry Seigal somewhere. Few days later I was seeing the movie Fashion and there I had the answer! A few searches and I came to know that Jerry Seigal was played by Stanley Tucci and he seemed to have an uncanny resemblance to Ashwin Mushran who played the part of an agent called Rohit in the movie.
Strikingly similar isn't it?
Later I caught the song - Jiya Dhadak, Dhadak from the movie Kalyug playing in one of the channels and it struck me that Kunal Khemu resembles the young Heath Ledger from '10 Things I Hate About You' soo much.
Don't believe me? Check this out -
The funny thing is Kunal Khemu sports the same ponytail look that Heath Ledger had in that movie. BTW, if you haven't watched the movie - 10 Things...do see it. Love the crazed out character of Ledger in it.
Seems like too much of a coincidence for a single week or maybe I am watching too many movies out here. Let me know if you have come across something similar.
Last week I was watching 'Maid in Manhattan' and I felt I had seen the character of Jerry Seigal somewhere. Few days later I was seeing the movie Fashion and there I had the answer! A few searches and I came to know that Jerry Seigal was played by Stanley Tucci and he seemed to have an uncanny resemblance to Ashwin Mushran who played the part of an agent called Rohit in the movie.
Strikingly similar isn't it?
Later I caught the song - Jiya Dhadak, Dhadak from the movie Kalyug playing in one of the channels and it struck me that Kunal Khemu resembles the young Heath Ledger from '10 Things I Hate About You' soo much.
Don't believe me? Check this out -
The funny thing is Kunal Khemu sports the same ponytail look that Heath Ledger had in that movie. BTW, if you haven't watched the movie - 10 Things...do see it. Love the crazed out character of Ledger in it.
Seems like too much of a coincidence for a single week or maybe I am watching too many movies out here. Let me know if you have come across something similar.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Nestle Baby Food Is Not Safe! - says Greenpeace
I saw this mail mentioning 'baby food,' and instantly my alertness quotient skyrocketed. This was the message it contained:
Nestle food products (including baby food) are fairly popular in India, but I just found out something about their policy for the products they sell in India, and it's shocking. Nestle has actually admitted it would use genetically-contaminated products in the food it sells in this country.
But what's more shocking is that this is the same Nestle that dares not sell genetically-tainted food in the EU, Russia, or Brazil.
Are Indian people less human? Are we guinea pigs and lab rats? Are we less deserving of safe food than citizens of other countries?
This has got to change, and it has to change now! That's just why I've told Nestle Chairman Antonio Waszyk to come clean on the products his company sells in my country.
Just click here to join me in demanding safe, GM- Free food from Nestle. And thanks for your support!
Thanks again,
****************************************
A few quick Google searches I found several articles corroborating this fact. It stuns me that a company & a brand as trusted as Nestle could do this. I sure don't want to feed my baby stuff that is an experiment for someone else.
Hope Nestle's paying heed. We don't want GM stuff.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Are swear words necessary to appear cool?
I am not sure, but it seems like our threshold of tolerance, especially for swear words, keeps rising with each passing generation. Earlier, when in school, words like bloody, bitch, rascal (oh yeah!), etc. were unmentionable. And kids who used to utter them within the pristine convent environment were shunned as the bad lot. Sounds hilarious now, but true.
Later, once we entered our teens, it became cool to drop in a 'bitch' or a 'bloody', once in a while just to emphasize strong feelings, yet it was once again the unruly, living-on-the-edge types who swore using the F & C words, which was completely unladylike. But that was the early 90's.
Now I hear my neighbour's son, who is all of 8 or 10, swear an 'F%*k' when he fell off his cycle, and no shocked looks passed among the parent lot. His friend offers his hand in disdain and says calmly - "Dude, here, give me your bloody hand"!
Two hoots says the bloody cool [V] gen? Not impressed is all I can say in dismay.
Later, once we entered our teens, it became cool to drop in a 'bitch' or a 'bloody', once in a while just to emphasize strong feelings, yet it was once again the unruly, living-on-the-edge types who swore using the F & C words, which was completely unladylike. But that was the early 90's.
Now I hear my neighbour's son, who is all of 8 or 10, swear an 'F%*k' when he fell off his cycle, and no shocked looks passed among the parent lot. His friend offers his hand in disdain and says calmly - "Dude, here, give me your bloody hand"!
Two hoots says the bloody cool [V] gen? Not impressed is all I can say in dismay.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Bringing Home Ganesha
One more Ganesh Chathurthi has come and gone. My earliest recollections of Ganesh puja was when I was about 8-10 years. Awoken by 5:30 a.m we used to accompany dad to mwm market to bring home our very own Ganesha idol. It used to be a ritual by itself with me & my sister enjoying every minute of it.
Since Malleswaram market used to be a stone's throw away my Appa used to make us take a brisk walk and we used to prance behind him in our pattu pavadai's holding the brass thattu (plate) in which will bring home our coveted idol. I recollect vividly how the colorful marketplace with glittering idols, the paper crowns swishing in the cool morning breeze and the smell of fresh roses & jasmine in the air would usher in the festive mood.
My sister & I would always have this major grouse as Appa used to always insist on purchasing a clay idol of Ganesha against the colourful Plaster of Paris (PoP) ones in different sizes and poses. We used to secretly think Appa was stingy and used to try a number of tricks to veer him towards the stalls stacked with the painted idols only to be nonchallantly sidelined by him. Once with all earnestness that a 11 year old could muster, I asked him "Appa, can't we afford a color Ganesha for once?"
My sister & I would always have this major grouse as Appa used to always insist on purchasing a clay idol of Ganesha against the colourful Plaster of Paris (PoP) ones in different sizes and poses. We used to secretly think Appa was stingy and used to try a number of tricks to veer him towards the stalls stacked with the painted idols only to be nonchallantly sidelined by him. Once with all earnestness that a 11 year old could muster, I asked him "Appa, can't we afford a color Ganesha for once?"
My dad laughed out aloud and said that it was our tradition to buy only clay Ganesh as the coloured models are burnt in a kiln before getting painted and that is unacceptable as a murti while the clay models are deemed to resonate the divine. Possibly it was his simplified explaination of eco-friendliness to us nagging children. Of course, we didn't buy his theory and still longed for the colored ones. The only consolation was that we got to chose the paper crowns and we usually made the seller mad by the time we chose one. Ah, those were the days!
Those were the days when we used to wait impatiently for appa to complete his puja. The aarti used to signal the end of the puja and we used to be in a hurry to place flowers at the Lord's feet and rush to tuck in the goodies on the dining table. Mom in her kancheevaram used to sprightly go about serving us large helpings of payasam & modakams and we used to fight to see who had the maximum share.
This year I drove my kiddo to the market and I was delighted to see the same sparkle in his eyes seeing the buzzing market. He looked with awe at the colorful idols and clapped his little hands on seeing the different hues of strung flowers adorning the stalls.
We bought the traditional clay Ganesha while his little fingers tried to reach out at a painted idol kept nearby.
Those were the days when we used to wait impatiently for appa to complete his puja. The aarti used to signal the end of the puja and we used to be in a hurry to place flowers at the Lord's feet and rush to tuck in the goodies on the dining table. Mom in her kancheevaram used to sprightly go about serving us large helpings of payasam & modakams and we used to fight to see who had the maximum share.
This year I drove my kiddo to the market and I was delighted to see the same sparkle in his eyes seeing the buzzing market. He looked with awe at the colorful idols and clapped his little hands on seeing the different hues of strung flowers adorning the stalls.
We bought the traditional clay Ganesha while his little fingers tried to reach out at a painted idol kept nearby.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
What's in an ID?
We as a country don't think too much of identity proofs and information security, as is known for a fact, but I did not think these things were treated with so much alacrity out here. Someone I know who is quite a well-educated professional discarded her passport just because she never used it and it had expired!
Another lady who is a teacher in a reputed school in Bangalore tore away her SSLC marks sheet as it had gotten worn out, and yet another acquaintance claims to have two Electoral cards - one was issued in his popular nickname by how he was addressed by his friends, and then he got another issued in his official legal name. These are real people who are well-educated and are holding respected positions in society. Wonder how much worse things could get if we go further into towns and villages.
There are so many who hardly feel the need to apply & get a PAN card or even understand the importance of these legal identity proofs. And to prove my point, this was taken from one of the suburbs in Bangalore
Looks like Nandan Nilekani's Unique ID project is getting to be a herculean task for a country of our proportions!
Sunday, August 09, 2009
Feeding Tales: A Harried Mother's Rant
Every time someone talks about babies and the tough parenting involved, they are quick to talk about changing umpteen nappies and sleepless nights. But what is actually more excruciatingly tough and which nobody seems to talk about is feeding them.
Almost right from the time they are born, be it breastfeeding or formula, and then progressing to the next stage of baby food and then slowly graduating them to adult food is no small matter at all. Believe me. Each stage comes with its own set of problems that one would hardly have ever foreseen.
You thought babies would cry when they are hungry? Yes, they will, apart from wailing for a host of other things. You'll be forgiven if you thought they would open their cute little mouths and ask to be fed? A big no!
Babies love to test your patience. Stock it well. As they grow, their feeding habits get to be even more adventurous.
Most parenting books say - strap them on to their high chairs and give them finger food to play around and slowly spoonfeed them. This is what happens in an ideal situation, but seldom in reality. Most of the time, toddlers want to run around, or try to get out of the chair or throw food around, and firmly refuse to open their mouth. Then you've got to have different tricks up your sleeve, like making funny faces or showing colorful toys. Brace yourself for another bitter truth - children's attention span is as much as probably the gap between teeth, and they don't like to play with the same toys. At least not my son. This ritual happens three to four times in a day.
Now, if you thought this was it, then the bigger ordeal is planning their daily diet. He would love bread and cheese today and throw up the same thing tomorrow. One day he likes mixed vegetable puree and the same thing with a little extra carrot bits will make him shun it. If they don't want it, they will gag even on semi-solids!
Despite facing all these odds in your stride, just when you think that a routine is getting set, lo! there comes a viral or cold/cough and throws everything to the wind. They sleep for about four hours late in the evening and wake up fresh for dinner time, just when you want to rest those tired limbs. When your precious is in a mood to play with mega blocks & choo-choo train at 10:00 p.m its time to bid adieu to sleep. Yawn!
IMHO, mothers need to be tax-exempt all their lives.
Almost right from the time they are born, be it breastfeeding or formula, and then progressing to the next stage of baby food and then slowly graduating them to adult food is no small matter at all. Believe me. Each stage comes with its own set of problems that one would hardly have ever foreseen.
You thought babies would cry when they are hungry? Yes, they will, apart from wailing for a host of other things. You'll be forgiven if you thought they would open their cute little mouths and ask to be fed? A big no!
Babies love to test your patience. Stock it well. As they grow, their feeding habits get to be even more adventurous.
Most parenting books say - strap them on to their high chairs and give them finger food to play around and slowly spoonfeed them. This is what happens in an ideal situation, but seldom in reality. Most of the time, toddlers want to run around, or try to get out of the chair or throw food around, and firmly refuse to open their mouth. Then you've got to have different tricks up your sleeve, like making funny faces or showing colorful toys. Brace yourself for another bitter truth - children's attention span is as much as probably the gap between teeth, and they don't like to play with the same toys. At least not my son. This ritual happens three to four times in a day.
Now, if you thought this was it, then the bigger ordeal is planning their daily diet. He would love bread and cheese today and throw up the same thing tomorrow. One day he likes mixed vegetable puree and the same thing with a little extra carrot bits will make him shun it. If they don't want it, they will gag even on semi-solids!
Despite facing all these odds in your stride, just when you think that a routine is getting set, lo! there comes a viral or cold/cough and throws everything to the wind. They sleep for about four hours late in the evening and wake up fresh for dinner time, just when you want to rest those tired limbs. When your precious is in a mood to play with mega blocks & choo-choo train at 10:00 p.m its time to bid adieu to sleep. Yawn!
IMHO, mothers need to be tax-exempt all their lives.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Quirky Me!
The other day I was pondering over the vagaries of life, as my lil son snuggled next to me for his morning nap. My trail of thoughts (its usually a long trail) took me on a self-discovery trip and I realized that I am quite quirky by nature. Now, now every man has his own share of quirks & twists, its just that the sudden realization of them made me quite unnerved. Is it like am afflicted with something or are there more like me out there?
Well here am adventourously compiling a few -
#1 I Count - I mean, when I am in a room I sub-consciously count. It could be the number of rings on the curtain rod or the number of door panels or the squares in the carpet design. I don't know why I do it but I simply like to keep a count.
#2 Creaseless Bedspread - I necessarily require the bedspread stretched and lengthend to its limit. Always. I hate to see a crumpled bedsheet or a bunch of dirty clothes on them. Hubby dearest by now knows the twitching of my eyebrow and would never leave a stray towel on our bed :D
#3 I doodle - I don't need a pen, pencil or paper....i find some pattern interesting & my finger tries tracing it out even on a desk that's in front of me.
#4 Newspapers - By now you would have got the hang of it. Yes I hate to see newspaper's strewn carelessly nor the centre page lying apart. Before I can stop myself the newspapers are all turned to the right page and neatly folded like it was just delivered :))
#5 Useless Abbreviations - It irks me no end to see people (esp senior ones) using unwanted abbreviations in sms or in mails. I completely abhor when people send messages like: "Cn U Cum 2day?" Well, its not that I never use short forms but for goodness sake if you can type "cum" so can you type "come" too.
Well I did discover a lot more things about me but I dont want to make myself appear like I am some looney-out-on-the-loose (if I haven't already managed to give that impression). Ta-ta!
Well here am adventourously compiling a few -
#1 I Count - I mean, when I am in a room I sub-consciously count. It could be the number of rings on the curtain rod or the number of door panels or the squares in the carpet design. I don't know why I do it but I simply like to keep a count.
#2 Creaseless Bedspread - I necessarily require the bedspread stretched and lengthend to its limit. Always. I hate to see a crumpled bedsheet or a bunch of dirty clothes on them. Hubby dearest by now knows the twitching of my eyebrow and would never leave a stray towel on our bed :D
#3 I doodle - I don't need a pen, pencil or paper....i find some pattern interesting & my finger tries tracing it out even on a desk that's in front of me.
#4 Newspapers - By now you would have got the hang of it. Yes I hate to see newspaper's strewn carelessly nor the centre page lying apart. Before I can stop myself the newspapers are all turned to the right page and neatly folded like it was just delivered :))
#5 Useless Abbreviations - It irks me no end to see people (esp senior ones) using unwanted abbreviations in sms or in mails. I completely abhor when people send messages like: "Cn U Cum 2day?" Well, its not that I never use short forms but for goodness sake if you can type "cum" so can you type "come" too.
Well I did discover a lot more things about me but I dont want to make myself appear like I am some looney-out-on-the-loose (if I haven't already managed to give that impression). Ta-ta!
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Monsoon Recipe: Crispy Bread Rolls
Am not a well-versed cook as I have hardly spent any time in the kitchen. Yet here is a snack that I am quite adept at making and would like to share it with all out there. Crispy Bread Rolls is the ideal snack for a raining evening as its quite easy to make and most of the ingredients are usually available at home.
Crispy Bread Rolls
Ingredients -
Sandwich Bread - 6 slices
Baked Potato - 2
Chopped Onion - 1
Green chilli's - 2
Oil & Seasonings
Method of Preparation -
Add a teaspoon of oil into a frying pan and then slowly add the chopped onions. When it turns golden, mash the baked potato's and add them along with the finely cut green chilli's. Add seasonings like finely chopped curry leaves, appropriate quantity of salt, turmeric and mix it well for a medium flame. The filling that goes into the bread pakoda is ready.
Cut the sides of the bread slice. Slightly damp the bread with a little water but ensure it does not turn soggy or too moist. Place 2 or more spoons of the above masala filling in the central portion of the bread and slowly roll into a ball. Fry these in a pan of oil till they turn golden brown and drain them well.
Serve hot with sauce or chutney.
Cheat code -
The bread roll can be made more easily when the filling is substituted with any dry bhaji or poori masala made earlier in the day
Rediff GetAhead publishes my recipe
Crispy Bread Rolls
Ingredients -
Sandwich Bread - 6 slices
Baked Potato - 2
Chopped Onion - 1
Green chilli's - 2
Oil & Seasonings
Method of Preparation -
Add a teaspoon of oil into a frying pan and then slowly add the chopped onions. When it turns golden, mash the baked potato's and add them along with the finely cut green chilli's. Add seasonings like finely chopped curry leaves, appropriate quantity of salt, turmeric and mix it well for a medium flame. The filling that goes into the bread pakoda is ready.
Cut the sides of the bread slice. Slightly damp the bread with a little water but ensure it does not turn soggy or too moist. Place 2 or more spoons of the above masala filling in the central portion of the bread and slowly roll into a ball. Fry these in a pan of oil till they turn golden brown and drain them well.
Serve hot with sauce or chutney.
Cheat code -
The bread roll can be made more easily when the filling is substituted with any dry bhaji or poori masala made earlier in the day
Rediff GetAhead publishes my recipe
Monday, July 13, 2009
Did You Know? Suppandi Has A Son
Recently, I saw a couple of Tinkle comics on a coffee table that caught my attention and brought back lots of happy childhood memories. Shikari Shambu, Suppandi and the rest used to be our favourite characters. I still remember how mom used to hold up the comics with a condition to finish our evening tiffin and homework. She could have blackmailed us to jump off the roof, and we would have easily done that too.
This reminded me how my parents had inculcated the habit of reading in us. I clearly remember the newspaperwala supplying us with a regular dose of Tamil magazines, comics & other general magazines along with the newspaper. My dad used to always encourage us to spend at least 10 minutes sifting through the morning paper, and that has become such a habit that my morning cuppa coffee is not completely enjoyed without the newspaper. As we grew, the comics gave way to CSR (Competition Success Reviews) and then slowly to Readers Digest, which I still enjoy immensely.
Am not sure how many are aware of this Russian children's monthly called "Misha". My dad had taken a three-year subscription of Misha, and I still have all 36 books. Each copy of Misha would be delivered in the name of 'Svetlana', which used to thrill me no end. Just as Misha, there used to be a science mag called "Sputnik".
Suddenly I realised the conversation around the coffee table had paused, and all were looking at me puzzled. Comics and children's magazines teach values in a way that nobody else can, and every child should get a fair chance of enjoying them.
Though there are online editions for most of these comics, I am not sure how the pleasure of turning page after page, carrying them stealthily to school or hiding the magazine from your little sister, can ever be replicated. Now before I break into another reverie, thank you Amar Chitra Katha, Tinkle, Champak, Chandamama, Gokulam and a host of other books that made my childhood so so very pleasant and happy.
Oh BTW, while Tantri the Mantri is still plotting ways to kill the king and Kalia, the crow & Doob Doob the crocodile are still at loggerheads, Suppandi seems to have given way to Little Suppandi.
This reminded me how my parents had inculcated the habit of reading in us. I clearly remember the newspaperwala supplying us with a regular dose of Tamil magazines, comics & other general magazines along with the newspaper. My dad used to always encourage us to spend at least 10 minutes sifting through the morning paper, and that has become such a habit that my morning cuppa coffee is not completely enjoyed without the newspaper. As we grew, the comics gave way to CSR (Competition Success Reviews) and then slowly to Readers Digest, which I still enjoy immensely.
Am not sure how many are aware of this Russian children's monthly called "Misha". My dad had taken a three-year subscription of Misha, and I still have all 36 books. Each copy of Misha would be delivered in the name of 'Svetlana', which used to thrill me no end. Just as Misha, there used to be a science mag called "Sputnik".
Suddenly I realised the conversation around the coffee table had paused, and all were looking at me puzzled. Comics and children's magazines teach values in a way that nobody else can, and every child should get a fair chance of enjoying them.
Though there are online editions for most of these comics, I am not sure how the pleasure of turning page after page, carrying them stealthily to school or hiding the magazine from your little sister, can ever be replicated. Now before I break into another reverie, thank you Amar Chitra Katha, Tinkle, Champak, Chandamama, Gokulam and a host of other books that made my childhood so so very pleasant and happy.
Oh BTW, while Tantri the Mantri is still plotting ways to kill the king and Kalia, the crow & Doob Doob the crocodile are still at loggerheads, Suppandi seems to have given way to Little Suppandi.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Thinking of You, Dad
I see flashes of you smiling benevolently at me when I made a mistake, smiling indulgently at my office banter, shaking in good mirth when I lost to you at a game, and smiling sheepishly when you were wrong & I was right.
I remember those rainy afternoons when the four of us played "Rummy" and when we sisters used to gesture to each other on the sly & cheat you. And yet you somehow always won.
I remember the times when you cooked masala dosa or poori-masal for breakfast and left mom fuming over a terribly messy kitchen.
I remember the umpteen arguments we have had and the number of silly fights we have fought.
I remember you waiting for me at the gate for my return, with an expectant look like that of a child.
I remember the customary once-a-month family dinner outings, the same restaurant and the same-old orders, and how we used to argue about how much to tip.
I remember those old anecdotes & stories of your childhood that you would narrate so hilariously.
I remember you telling the history behind those antique silverware or the story behind the winding alarm clock.
I remember you taunting our poor knowledge of English grammar and questioning us incessantly on Gerunds, participles & infinitives.
I want to hear all of it once again. I yearn to get some more of your worldly-wise advice in your loud, booming voice. I wish I could wind the clock back....Ah! I wish
The world is celebrating Father's Day, and I am thinking of you.
It's Father's Day, and I am missing you, Dad. Wish you were here.
I remember those rainy afternoons when the four of us played "Rummy" and when we sisters used to gesture to each other on the sly & cheat you. And yet you somehow always won.
I remember the times when you cooked masala dosa or poori-masal for breakfast and left mom fuming over a terribly messy kitchen.
I remember the umpteen arguments we have had and the number of silly fights we have fought.
I remember you waiting for me at the gate for my return, with an expectant look like that of a child.
I remember the customary once-a-month family dinner outings, the same restaurant and the same-old orders, and how we used to argue about how much to tip.
I remember those old anecdotes & stories of your childhood that you would narrate so hilariously.
I remember you telling the history behind those antique silverware or the story behind the winding alarm clock.
I remember you taunting our poor knowledge of English grammar and questioning us incessantly on Gerunds, participles & infinitives.
I want to hear all of it once again. I yearn to get some more of your worldly-wise advice in your loud, booming voice. I wish I could wind the clock back....Ah! I wish
The world is celebrating Father's Day, and I am thinking of you.
It's Father's Day, and I am missing you, Dad. Wish you were here.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
I And My Story - Personalization Gone a Step Ahead!
Here's a business idea which makes me feel shucks-why-didn't-I-think-of-that! So this company offers comics or illustrated books wherein the storyline characters are all personalized by you. So you can have a storybook for your child which goes something like - "Niya goes on a treasure hunt..."
Wonderful way to lure children back to the world of books and create a healthy habit of reading in them. Brilliant guys.
IandMYStory.com - Imagine a book where your child becomes the star of the story, making reading enjoyable. The story comes to life with the child's name, age, hometown, family, friends, and uncles & aunts all being part of the adventure.
Not entirely original but fantastic adoption of concept. Hoochymail uses a similar concept to create personalized erotic fiction (eyeroll). Just wondering how feasible it's going to be to customize & print each & every book. But then my knowledge of the printing & publishing industry is minimal.
Wonderful way to lure children back to the world of books and create a healthy habit of reading in them. Brilliant guys.
IandMYStory.com - Imagine a book where your child becomes the star of the story, making reading enjoyable. The story comes to life with the child's name, age, hometown, family, friends, and uncles & aunts all being part of the adventure.
Not entirely original but fantastic adoption of concept. Hoochymail uses a similar concept to create personalized erotic fiction (eyeroll). Just wondering how feasible it's going to be to customize & print each & every book. But then my knowledge of the printing & publishing industry is minimal.
Am so interested to see if this concept of personalization is going to open up new industries.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Top Five Diaper Brands
Having a baby inadverently means changing diapers umpteen times a day. It's also among the most important things one shops for & for quite some time to come. Having tried almost all the available brands in Bangalore for my son, here is a list mothers-to-be might appreciate.
#1. Pigeon Diapers - The best that I have seen till date. Soft, cloth-like-feel and a little more pricey than the rest, but totally worth it. Available at Apple-of-my-i, The Junction, Urbanite and other select outlets only. Japanese make.
#2 Nice Baby - The first diaper that my son used. Amazing fit, very comfy and never gave any kind of rash to my baby. We used to travel all the way to Mallya hospital to get our monthly stock since it used to be available at Mallya Hospital's Pharmacy alone. However it has been discontinued for some time now since they took up Pampers distribution. Made in Canada & imported here, I don't think its available anywhere else.
#3 Bella Baby Happy - Not a bad choice considering the rest of the brands available.
#4 Huggies Active Baby Ultra - The only huggies type that suit my baby's need among the rest of their products.
#5 Wipro Babysoft - Good design and sizing but very strongly perfumed, these diapers are fine to be used just for potty time.
Pampers is the worst of all diapers and will never recommend them for anybody. The edge of the re-adjustable tapes are very hard and cut into the baby's thighs. Very badly designed and gets soggy within 2-3 wettings.
#1. Pigeon Diapers - The best that I have seen till date. Soft, cloth-like-feel and a little more pricey than the rest, but totally worth it. Available at Apple-of-my-i, The Junction, Urbanite and other select outlets only. Japanese make.
#2 Nice Baby - The first diaper that my son used. Amazing fit, very comfy and never gave any kind of rash to my baby. We used to travel all the way to Mallya hospital to get our monthly stock since it used to be available at Mallya Hospital's Pharmacy alone. However it has been discontinued for some time now since they took up Pampers distribution. Made in Canada & imported here, I don't think its available anywhere else.
#3 Bella Baby Happy - Not a bad choice considering the rest of the brands available.
#4 Huggies Active Baby Ultra - The only huggies type that suit my baby's need among the rest of their products.
#5 Wipro Babysoft - Good design and sizing but very strongly perfumed, these diapers are fine to be used just for potty time.
Pampers is the worst of all diapers and will never recommend them for anybody. The edge of the re-adjustable tapes are very hard and cut into the baby's thighs. Very badly designed and gets soggy within 2-3 wettings.
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Bijapur: A Quaint Old City
Last weekend we took a road trip to Bijapur, an ancient city that still seems to hold on fast to its historic relics and yet where modernisation is fast catching up. One might wonder why Bijapur, when the sun especially scorches down in all its fury, while better counterparts such as Ooty, Thekkady and Munnar are available. Well, let me hope that it suffices to say that we had our reasons.
We took the sleeper A/C coach from VRL, which seemed a little claustrophobic at the beginning but turned out to be quite comfortable once we got used to it.
Here are a few places we got to visit.
Torvi Narasimha Swamy Temple: It was here that Kumara Valmiki is said to have composed the famous Toravi Ramayana in Kannada. The deity idol is placed way down below in a cave and though the pathway has been tiled and modified, it yet gives one a queer feeling.
We were fortunate as it was supposed to be the week of Narasimha Mahotsav. Since our visit was on a Saturday, we offered coconut, sugar cubes and oil as was customary at the temple and also partook the mahaprasad.
Gopal Krishna Park: Located near the Alamatti Dam, this is a rock garden (not like the Chandigarh one) with life like models depicting Lord Krishna's leelas.
Alamatti Dam: There is also a model of the village that was in existence there before the dam construction began. The village replica with all those mud paths, water tank and the old run down school makes it look almost real. A scenic park near the dam provides a welcome break from the heat. With the Krishna flowing quietly by and the lawns neatly maintained, it is hard to imagine that this very place once housed an entire settlement. We spent quite some time simply walking around and taking in the view.
Gol Gumbaz: No visit to Bijapur would be complete without seeing the mighty Gol Gumbaz. The sheer size of the dome is impressive enough, but what fascinated me most was the famous Whispering Gallery. Even the faintest whisper seems to travel effortlessly from one end to the other. Watching visitors experiment with echoes, much like excited children, was perhaps as entertaining as the monument itself. The climb to the top is through a narrow spiral staircase and can be a little tiring, but the panoramic view of Bijapur from above makes it worthwhile.
Yelagur Anjaneya Temple: Nestled amidst quiet surroundings, the Yelagur Anjaneya Temple offered a welcome sense of peace after the bustle of the city. The temple itself is simple and unassuming, with none of the grandeur of the monuments that Bijapur is known for. Yet there was something deeply calming about the place. We sat there for a while, enjoying the breeze and the silence before beginning our journey back, carrying with us memories of a weekend that was quite different from the usual hill station holiday.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Financial Crisis: Is there more to it than that meets the eye??
The present global recession that began around the third quarter of 2008 has been termed unusually severe, with the recovery very slow and sluggish. The reason being, this time the recession is synchronized with a deep financial crisis previously unprecedented. According to a journal recently published, the bubble of derivatives, leveraging, hedging, and other interlocking Ponzi schemes that began the crisis to begin are still out there, unpopped.
Top Banks in the US that received federal funding (they refuse to use the terminology of "Nationalisation") have been asked to undergo the "stress test" but to remain quiet, meaning not to publish about their performance.
So much for accountability and so much for transparency and disclosure. Here are the results as published by a network which look very scary.
Here's the report published on Turner Radio Network's blog, - an Online organization, which advertises itself as “Free speech; no matter who doesn’t like it"
********************************************************************
Turner Radio Network Leaks Info on Bank Stress Tests
The Turner Radio Network has obtained "stress test" results for the top 19
Banks in the USA. (Corrections/ clarifications below in orange)
The stress tests were conducted to determine how well, if at all, the top
19 banks in the USA could withstand further or future economic hardship.
When the tests were completed, regulators within the Treasury and inside
the Federal Reserve began bickering with each other as to whether or not
the test results should be made public. That bickering continues to this
very day as evidenced by this "mainstream media" report.
The Turner Radio Network has obtained the stress test results. They are
very bad. The most salient points from the stress tests appear below.
1) Of the top nineteen (19) banks in the nation, sixteen (16) are already
technically insolvent. (Based upon the "alternative more adverse" scenario
which had a 3.3 percent contraction of the U.S. Economy in 2009,
accompanied by 8.9 percent unemployment, followed by 0.5 percent growth of
the U.S. Economy but a 10.3 percent jobless in 2010.)
2) Of the 16 banks that are already technically insolvent, not even one can
withstand any disruption of cash flow at all or any further deterioration
in non-paying loans. (Without further government injections of cash)
3) If any two of the 16 insolvent banks go under, they will totally wipe
out all remaining FDIC insurance funding.
4) Of the top 19 banks in the nation, the top five (5) largest banks are
undercapitalized so dangerously, there is serious doubt about their
ability to continue as ongoing businesses.
5) Five large U.S. banks have credit exposure related to their derivatives
trading that exceeds their capital, with four in particular - JPMorgan
Chase, Goldman Sachs, HSBC Bank America and Citibank - taking especially
large risks.
6) Bank of America`s total credit exposure to derivatives was 179 percent
of its risk-based capital; Citibank`s was 278 percent; JPMorgan Chase`s,
382 percent; and HSBC America`s, 550 percent. It gets even worse: Goldman
Sachs began reporting as a commercial bank, revealing an alarming total
credit exposure of 1,056 percent, or more than ten times its capital! (HSBC
is NOT in the top 19 banks undergoing a stress test, but is mentioned in
the report as an aside because of its risk capital exposure to derivatives)
7) Not only are there serious questions about whether or not JPMorgan
Chase, Goldman Sachs,Citibank, Wells Fargo, Sun Trust Bank, HSBC Bank USA,
can continue in business, more than 1,800 regional and smaller institutions
are at risk of failure despite government bailouts!
The debt crisis is much greater than the government has reported. The
FDIC`s "Problem List" of troubled banks includes 252 institutions with
assets of $159 billion. 1,816 banks and thrifts are at risk of failure,
with total assets of $4.67 trillion, compared to 1,568 institutions, with
$2.32 trillion in total assets in prior quarter.
********************************************************************
To put it bluntly, the entire US Banking System is in complete and total collapse. Wonder where all that money went??!!
So much for accountability and so much for transparency and disclosure. Here are the results as published by a network which look very scary.
Here's the report published on Turner Radio Network's blog, - an Online organization, which advertises itself as “Free speech; no matter who doesn’t like it"
********************************************************************
Turner Radio Network Leaks Info on Bank Stress Tests
The Turner Radio Network has obtained "stress test" results for the top 19
Banks in the USA. (Corrections/ clarifications below in orange)
The stress tests were conducted to determine how well, if at all, the top
19 banks in the USA could withstand further or future economic hardship.
When the tests were completed, regulators within the Treasury and inside
the Federal Reserve began bickering with each other as to whether or not
the test results should be made public. That bickering continues to this
very day as evidenced by this "mainstream media" report.
The Turner Radio Network has obtained the stress test results. They are
very bad. The most salient points from the stress tests appear below.
1) Of the top nineteen (19) banks in the nation, sixteen (16) are already
technically insolvent. (Based upon the "alternative more adverse" scenario
which had a 3.3 percent contraction of the U.S. Economy in 2009,
accompanied by 8.9 percent unemployment, followed by 0.5 percent growth of
the U.S. Economy but a 10.3 percent jobless in 2010.)
2) Of the 16 banks that are already technically insolvent, not even one can
withstand any disruption of cash flow at all or any further deterioration
in non-paying loans. (Without further government injections of cash)
3) If any two of the 16 insolvent banks go under, they will totally wipe
out all remaining FDIC insurance funding.
4) Of the top 19 banks in the nation, the top five (5) largest banks are
undercapitalized so dangerously, there is serious doubt about their
ability to continue as ongoing businesses.
5) Five large U.S. banks have credit exposure related to their derivatives
trading that exceeds their capital, with four in particular - JPMorgan
Chase, Goldman Sachs, HSBC Bank America and Citibank - taking especially
large risks.
6) Bank of America`s total credit exposure to derivatives was 179 percent
of its risk-based capital; Citibank`s was 278 percent; JPMorgan Chase`s,
382 percent; and HSBC America`s, 550 percent. It gets even worse: Goldman
Sachs began reporting as a commercial bank, revealing an alarming total
credit exposure of 1,056 percent, or more than ten times its capital! (HSBC
is NOT in the top 19 banks undergoing a stress test, but is mentioned in
the report as an aside because of its risk capital exposure to derivatives)
7) Not only are there serious questions about whether or not JPMorgan
Chase, Goldman Sachs,Citibank, Wells Fargo, Sun Trust Bank, HSBC Bank USA,
can continue in business, more than 1,800 regional and smaller institutions
are at risk of failure despite government bailouts!
The debt crisis is much greater than the government has reported. The
FDIC`s "Problem List" of troubled banks includes 252 institutions with
assets of $159 billion. 1,816 banks and thrifts are at risk of failure,
with total assets of $4.67 trillion, compared to 1,568 institutions, with
$2.32 trillion in total assets in prior quarter.
********************************************************************
To put it bluntly, the entire US Banking System is in complete and total collapse. Wonder where all that money went??!!
Monday, March 23, 2009
Sixth Sense: A Glimpse at Tomorrow's Technology
Here is a presentation on a new technology called Sixth Sense developed by Pranav Mistry & Pattie Maes. Awesome view of what the future holds for us. Check it out.
Sixth Sense by Pranav Mistry & Pattie Maes
This demo -- from Pattie Maes' lab at MIT, spearheaded by Pranav Mistry -- was the buzz of TED. It's a wearable device with a projector that paves the way for profound interaction with our environment. Pranav Mistry is the genius behind Sixth Sense, a wearable device that enables new interactions between the real world and the world of data.
Sixth Sense by Pranav Mistry & Pattie Maes
This demo -- from Pattie Maes' lab at MIT, spearheaded by Pranav Mistry -- was the buzz of TED. It's a wearable device with a projector that paves the way for profound interaction with our environment. Pranav Mistry is the genius behind Sixth Sense, a wearable device that enables new interactions between the real world and the world of data.
What fascinated me most wasn't the technology itself but the possibilities it opens up. Imagine walking into a bookstore, picking up a book and instantly seeing "If you like this, then check out these..." projected on its cover. Or pointing at a newspaper article and watching a related video spring to life. Even something as simple as dialing a number on your palm instead of fishing for a mobile phone seems straight out of science fiction.
Of course, like any new technology, there are practical questions. How compact can the hardware become? Will people really be comfortable wearing projectors and cameras all day? And perhaps the biggest question of all, will technology become more invisible instead of demanding more of our attention?
Whether Sixth Sense reaches our homes in its current form or not, one thing is certain. It offers a fascinating glimpse into a future where computers no longer sit on our desks but quietly become a part of our surroundings.
Jai Ho!
Saturday, February 14, 2009
[Short Story] Cupid Unusual
She woke up with a sudden start and turned to see that he still had his eyes tightly shut and was simpering in his sleep.
“Maybe a nightmare”, she thought as she checked the bedside clock - 3:45 a.m., it glowed. She got up and walked softly out of the room and turned the latch as quietly as possible.
“Click,” it sounded like someone had rubbed steel over an iron grate.
“God, no!” she muttered to herself as instantaneously her little toddler started his wailing.
“Akash! Akash... wake up. Sumer is crying. Hold him close & rock him please while I get the milk warmed. Aakaaash”
“Whaat..? Oh ok, ok,” he stuttered and tried to clumsily hold the crying baby.
“For heaven's sake! Don’t switch on the light, Akash. He will lose his sleep,” she fiercely whispered on her way out to the kitchen.
She heard some murmurs, but there was no time to retort. By the time the baby was fed & put to bed again, it was close to 5:00 a.m. Akash had long turned his back, and his snoring was back in rhythm. Swathi yawned and looked longingly at the bed, but then she knew she couldn’t afford to go back to bed.
By 7:00 the house was sparkling clean with the mix-vegetable paneer curry simmering on the stove, the dough ready to be made into round rotis, and the water-heater had warmed the water for Akash.
Rrriing, riing riing.
Swathi ran to the door just to see the milkman giving her his usual wide smile.
“Namastey bhabhi ji”
“Namaste, namastey, bhaiyya. How many times have I told you not to ring the bell?” she repeated her daily dialogue, knowing very well that her anger was futile since he had already cycled away.
“Namaste, namastey, bhaiyya. How many times have I told you not to ring the bell?” she repeated her daily dialogue, knowing very well that her anger was futile since he had already cycled away.
Sumer had woken up like clockwork and was crying out aloud to announce that he needed immediate attention. Akash was trying to hold him while he was insisting on crawling and jumping out of the four-poster.
The next hour was complete mayhem at the No. 17 household with the vegetables getting a tad burnt, while Swathi tried to contain the milk from overflowing onto the stove and pack the lunch for Akash.
The next hour was complete mayhem at the No. 17 household with the vegetables getting a tad burnt, while Swathi tried to contain the milk from overflowing onto the stove and pack the lunch for Akash.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Sumer crawling swiftly towards the open door.
“Aakaash, Aakaash…can’t you hold the baby for a minute?” screamed an exasperated Swathi, lifting a visibly disappointed 10-month-old who was ever fascinated with the outside world.
Something sounding indecipherable came from the bathroom. “Akaash?”
Akash popped his head out of the bathroom, “Good Lord, Swathi, can’t a man have his peace even in the bathroom?”
“It’s fantastic to hear a man crib even when he gets his solid 8 hours of sleep,” she responded angrily. “Am never doing enough for you.” tears were stinging her eyes.
“FYI, I came from work at 11 last night. Oh! Please don’t let those tears come rolling down again,” he snapped.
Meanwhile, his mobile rang incessantly, Sumer soiled his pants and needed a diaper change, and the cablewala was at the door with the monthly bill.
“Aakaash, Aakaash…can’t you hold the baby for a minute?” screamed an exasperated Swathi, lifting a visibly disappointed 10-month-old who was ever fascinated with the outside world.
Something sounding indecipherable came from the bathroom. “Akaash?”
Akash popped his head out of the bathroom, “Good Lord, Swathi, can’t a man have his peace even in the bathroom?”
“It’s fantastic to hear a man crib even when he gets his solid 8 hours of sleep,” she responded angrily. “Am never doing enough for you.” tears were stinging her eyes.
“FYI, I came from work at 11 last night. Oh! Please don’t let those tears come rolling down again,” he snapped.
Meanwhile, his mobile rang incessantly, Sumer soiled his pants and needed a diaper change, and the cablewala was at the door with the monthly bill.
Everything seemed to happen almost at the same time.
It had started out to be a tiring day, almost as tiring as the past week had been. The initial two years of marriage had been bliss with the framed snapshots, from their several vacations as evidence, adorning their living room. The arrival of their darling son had just heightened their marital bliss, but soon the responsibilities of parenthood started sinking in, or rather bogging them down.
Swathi managed to put breakfast on the table and get the baby’s cereal ready too. Akash carried a struggling Sumer over to the balcony and started to show him the morning birds flying while Swathi slowly tried to feed a spoonful of cereal into his tiny mouth. After all sorts of cajoling, cooing, sputtering & planting telltale signs of cereal all over Akash’s black shirt, Sumer finished his breakfast with a burp. Heaving a sigh of relief, both of them set him down in his toy rink.
“Couldn’t you have put on a T-shirt while holding Sumer, Akash? Now, I got one more shirt added to the huge pile of washing to do”
“Do you need to even tell me what I got to wear and what not to?”
“Well, in that case, you must do your own washing here on”
The air, thick with their growing animosity, forced them to go different directions. Akash changed into a different shirt and started gulping down his breakfast. Swathi started sorting the whites from the pile of clothing to put them into the washing machine.
Suddenly there was a huge commotion of sloganeering and shouts. Swathi carried little Sumer and walked to the balcony to find what the din was all about.
The road below had disappeared in a flood of activists of some kind - angry people sporting colored bandanas, shouting slogans, waving flags.
It had started out to be a tiring day, almost as tiring as the past week had been. The initial two years of marriage had been bliss with the framed snapshots, from their several vacations as evidence, adorning their living room. The arrival of their darling son had just heightened their marital bliss, but soon the responsibilities of parenthood started sinking in, or rather bogging them down.
Swathi managed to put breakfast on the table and get the baby’s cereal ready too. Akash carried a struggling Sumer over to the balcony and started to show him the morning birds flying while Swathi slowly tried to feed a spoonful of cereal into his tiny mouth. After all sorts of cajoling, cooing, sputtering & planting telltale signs of cereal all over Akash’s black shirt, Sumer finished his breakfast with a burp. Heaving a sigh of relief, both of them set him down in his toy rink.
“Couldn’t you have put on a T-shirt while holding Sumer, Akash? Now, I got one more shirt added to the huge pile of washing to do”
“Do you need to even tell me what I got to wear and what not to?”
“Well, in that case, you must do your own washing here on”
The air, thick with their growing animosity, forced them to go different directions. Akash changed into a different shirt and started gulping down his breakfast. Swathi started sorting the whites from the pile of clothing to put them into the washing machine.
Suddenly there was a huge commotion of sloganeering and shouts. Swathi carried little Sumer and walked to the balcony to find what the din was all about.
The road below had disappeared in a flood of activists of some kind - angry people sporting colored bandanas, shouting slogans, waving flags.
Akash walked up from behind, “They are protesting against celebrating Valentine’s Day.”
“Oh! hmm”
“Their warped sense of instilling culture by moral policing the youngsters, patrolling the streets against dating couples is simply disgusting,” said Akash vehemently.
“It's really sad to see culture being taken into the stronghold of a few,” added Swathi.
They watched in silence some more of the slogan-shouting mob making their way into the main street.
Most of the neighborhood had come out to their doors & balconies.
“When is Valentine's Day, by the way?” she turned to ask Akaash
“It’s today, silly” he tapped lightly on her head. She turned to catch him grinning. Soon a smile crept into her face too.
“When is Valentine's Day, by the way?” she turned to ask Akaash
“It’s today, silly” he tapped lightly on her head. She turned to catch him grinning. Soon a smile crept into her face too.
It was one of those special moments when the existence of a unique bond that binds every couple in love shines through.
He took her free hand and gave it a warm squeeze, making her cheeks go as red as the bandanna of an activist below.
They turned to make their way into their apartment, reminiscing about the last Valentine’s they had celebrated.
“So do we go out for dinner today?”
“Not if you won’t get my black shirt washed!” he said teasingly, breaking into a run.
“So do we go out for dinner today?”
“Not if you won’t get my black shirt washed!” he said teasingly, breaking into a run.
“Now, wait till me & my son pound you into a lump,” she laughed, running after him.
Saturday, February 07, 2009
[Book Review] It was supposed to be one, but it turned out like this...
I don't know how I seem to manage it, but this is the 3rd consecutive book that I have read in the last month. Now this is no mean feat if you have a 10-month-old toddler to take care of too.
Bah! you say? Sample this - My typical day goes something like this: My little bub is an early riser; by that I mean somewhere around 4:30-5:00 a.m and by rising early, he doesn't simply wake up and smile about. He wails. Now I have to rush down, get some warm milk (at the exact temp, else there go some precious minutes in trying to cool it), and then sleepy feed him. Care has to be taken so he remains calm yet doesn't get too entertained that he loses his sleep, and I don't want to get into telling about a grumpy baby!
From then on it's baby breakfast time (cereal first, appropriate fruit and then a little warm water), baby bath time (get his little pool ready, baby oil, clothes, shampoo), baby medicine time (gripe water, iron/vitamin drops), and then he is ready for a short nap before his lunch. Now babies don't open their mouth, ask to be fed, and burp easily. They cry and fuss around even when they are hungry. And once they are fed, burped, and happy, they want to crawl, climb, pull, push, tap, and poke things which are NOT their toys. Surround them with all the colorful toys in the world and yet their eyes will search for the TV remote, glass flower vases, mobiles, heavy keys, pens. Not to mention the number of diapers one got to change in between. Whew! So there's my point. It's exhausting and a 24/7 job.
Despite all this, the fun of being with your baby is incomparable. When he starts to understand little things you say - like when you say FAN, and he looks up, or when you say No-No, and he shakes his head too, and when you hide, and he seeks you out with a gummy grin it simply warms every damn cockle of your heart.
Bah! you say? Sample this - My typical day goes something like this: My little bub is an early riser; by that I mean somewhere around 4:30-5:00 a.m and by rising early, he doesn't simply wake up and smile about. He wails. Now I have to rush down, get some warm milk (at the exact temp, else there go some precious minutes in trying to cool it), and then sleepy feed him. Care has to be taken so he remains calm yet doesn't get too entertained that he loses his sleep, and I don't want to get into telling about a grumpy baby!
From then on it's baby breakfast time (cereal first, appropriate fruit and then a little warm water), baby bath time (get his little pool ready, baby oil, clothes, shampoo), baby medicine time (gripe water, iron/vitamin drops), and then he is ready for a short nap before his lunch. Now babies don't open their mouth, ask to be fed, and burp easily. They cry and fuss around even when they are hungry. And once they are fed, burped, and happy, they want to crawl, climb, pull, push, tap, and poke things which are NOT their toys. Surround them with all the colorful toys in the world and yet their eyes will search for the TV remote, glass flower vases, mobiles, heavy keys, pens. Not to mention the number of diapers one got to change in between. Whew! So there's my point. It's exhausting and a 24/7 job.
Despite all this, the fun of being with your baby is incomparable. When he starts to understand little things you say - like when you say FAN, and he looks up, or when you say No-No, and he shakes his head too, and when you hide, and he seeks you out with a gummy grin it simply warms every damn cockle of your heart.
This has turned out to be the opposite of a book review from what I actually had in mind.
Anyways, after Wicked Women of the Raj, The Memory Keeper's Daughter and a Collected SPOOK Stories by E.F Benson, I have read this book called - Getting Rid of Matthew by Jane Fallon. A very enjoyable, unputdownable, delightful summer read.
Here's a short description - Helen, the main protagonist, has been having an affair with her boss Matthew for the past four years. After one exasperating day, he leaves his wife and children to move in with Helen. This seems like what Helen had always wanted - to have her own man, but soon she realizes that she doesn't want Matthew anymore. She sees things that she never saw before: his nose hairs, his old man sweaters, and his intolerable & resentful pre-teen daughters. Helen starts trying all methods to drive Matthew out.
Anyway, I won't tell anymore... It's unarguably funny, some places very insightful into human nature, and if u can get your hands on it, read it.
Anyways, after Wicked Women of the Raj, The Memory Keeper's Daughter and a Collected SPOOK Stories by E.F Benson, I have read this book called - Getting Rid of Matthew by Jane Fallon. A very enjoyable, unputdownable, delightful summer read.
Here's a short description - Helen, the main protagonist, has been having an affair with her boss Matthew for the past four years. After one exasperating day, he leaves his wife and children to move in with Helen. This seems like what Helen had always wanted - to have her own man, but soon she realizes that she doesn't want Matthew anymore. She sees things that she never saw before: his nose hairs, his old man sweaters, and his intolerable & resentful pre-teen daughters. Helen starts trying all methods to drive Matthew out.
Anyway, I won't tell anymore... It's unarguably funny, some places very insightful into human nature, and if u can get your hands on it, read it.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Laptop, Kangaroo & Chocolate Walk into a Theatre...
What in the name of the good lord do you think these are? - Laptop, Novel, Kangaroo, Flash, Rock'n Roll, Chocolate... No, it's not some guessing game devised for my toddler but some actual film titles from the Malayalam movie industry!
This is all about the curious case of recent movie titles.
"What's in a name? A Rose Is a Rose is a Rose is a Rose," said the famous bard, and our filmmakers decided to take it utmost seriously, I suppose. For where else would you find such ridiculous names for movies?
Now sample these Kannada film titles - 35 out of 100, Jolly Days, Bombaat, 10th class A sec, PUC, Satya in Love.
I'm not asking for deeply symbolic titles, and I can instantly recount quite a few. Just names that leave you with some idea of what the film is about or intriguing, such as the "Quantum of Solace," but even it can be something as simple yet meaningful as "Kill Bill," please.
Now I don't think Tamil & Hindi movies fare any better. It's just that I am unable to get myself to even come up with a list of the ones in other languages.
So do we call this lack of creativity or taking creativity to its extreme? I dunno, but I wish a little more thought is put into selecting the titles of films; after all, these are going to go down the film archives.
"What's in a name? A Rose Is a Rose is a Rose is a Rose," said the famous bard, and our filmmakers decided to take it utmost seriously, I suppose. For where else would you find such ridiculous names for movies?
Now sample these Kannada film titles - 35 out of 100, Jolly Days, Bombaat, 10th class A sec, PUC, Satya in Love.
I'm not asking for deeply symbolic titles, and I can instantly recount quite a few. Just names that leave you with some idea of what the film is about or intriguing, such as the "Quantum of Solace," but even it can be something as simple yet meaningful as "Kill Bill," please.
Now I don't think Tamil & Hindi movies fare any better. It's just that I am unable to get myself to even come up with a list of the ones in other languages.
So do we call this lack of creativity or taking creativity to its extreme? I dunno, but I wish a little more thought is put into selecting the titles of films; after all, these are going to go down the film archives.
And the rate at which names of movies are being selected, I am 100% sure I'll write a random post that'll be made up of only movie names. I'll go on a limb and even say they'll all belong only to the Malayalam industry. Lol
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Days of the Raj
Books, it has been said, enlighten lives like no other. They often conjure up a differnt world of vivid color & images that not even movies can surpass. A world where one can see through the eyes of the protogonist and live through a thousand situations which one would not even have dreamed of. Atleast books have this magical effect on me.
The last book I read was Wicked Women of the Raj by Coralie Younger. Here is an apt summary from Indiaclub: An unputdownable factual account of the zenana world of the rajas and sultans of India, concentrating on the firangi bahus and begums of this veiled world of myths and folklores. This book gives us the stories of twenty different European women who broke society’s rules to marry the heathen Indian princes.
Who were these women? Were they gold-diggers, or hopeless romantics hoping to enact their own Cinderella fairy-tale? Did they live happily ever after? Set against the backdrop of India’s independence struggle, the book has a delicious and potent mix of flavours – the end of the British Raj and the downfall of the pompous and extravagant Indian aristocracy.
*******************************
While the entire book is really fascinating what left an undelible imprint on my mind was a passage from this book. Am reproducing the same here with the hope it recreates the same effect for you that it had on me. :)
Wow.
Here's my New Year prayer that India regain its lost glory (atleast some of it)and get back to being this prosperous once again.
The last book I read was Wicked Women of the Raj by Coralie Younger. Here is an apt summary from Indiaclub: An unputdownable factual account of the zenana world of the rajas and sultans of India, concentrating on the firangi bahus and begums of this veiled world of myths and folklores. This book gives us the stories of twenty different European women who broke society’s rules to marry the heathen Indian princes.
Who were these women? Were they gold-diggers, or hopeless romantics hoping to enact their own Cinderella fairy-tale? Did they live happily ever after? Set against the backdrop of India’s independence struggle, the book has a delicious and potent mix of flavours – the end of the British Raj and the downfall of the pompous and extravagant Indian aristocracy.
*******************************
While the entire book is really fascinating what left an undelible imprint on my mind was a passage from this book. Am reproducing the same here with the hope it recreates the same effect for you that it had on me. :)
The raja's and maharaja's lifestyles were the stuff of make-believe:Aladdin's Cave & King Solomin's MInes rolled into one. Peter Pan's magic could never have conjured up such a world; a world that today even the princes look back upon in wonder. The maharajah of Indore could sink his arms up to the elbows in his treasure chest of diamonds; he was the possessor of peerless diamond earrings of 46 and 44 carats each. The maharajah of Baroda owned a seven-string pearl necklace estimated in 1903 to be worth seven million dollors. the nizam of Hyderbad own the 227-carat Nizam diamond and the Jacob diamond of 174 carats, plus a gold coin called the Jahangir Nazarana that weighed even kilograms. The legendary Baroda Royal Pearl carpet offered for sale in Geneva in 1989 was conservatively valued at thirty one million dollars.
The princes kept Rolls Royce in business. It custom-designed the car in every conceivable shape, material and colour. There were gold-and silver-plated models upholstered in the finest silk brocades and woven with pure gold and silver zari.
When the Maharaja Jagatjit Singh invited his French girlfriend Germain Pelligreno out to India for the cold season, he chartered an entire P&O liner for her comfort. On her arrival in Bombay she found an entire train fitted out with luxurious interiors to take her, its sole passenger, up to the maharajah's wedding-cake like palace in Kapurthala that was fashioned after the palace at Versailles.
Princely India was the vision splendid. From the prince's royal ateliers came the finest flowering of indian paintings, sculpture, textile, dance, architecture and music. Without royal patrons, he artistic heritage of India would never had flourished so extensively.
Wow.
Here's my New Year prayer that India regain its lost glory (atleast some of it)and get back to being this prosperous once again.
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