Oz racism and the ugly Indian student
RAKESH AHUJA
Canberra: Mobility of education services is one of the most positive by-products of globalization. There is no better example of this than Australia, which with just 21mn people has transformed itself into a mass exporter of education.
Australia opened its doors to foreign students roughly 15 years ago. More than 94,000 Indians study here, amidst an overwhelmingly Anglo-Saxon population with different values . The cultural fault-lines are now beginning to show.
The recent spate of attacks on Indian students cannot be explained by any one factor outright racism, socio-economic competition or criminal opportunism. But one fact is uncontestable . Seduced by claimed commonalities such as cricket and the English language, Australia was unprepared for what it has wrought with the very best of (commercial) intentions in the Indian market.
The authorities initial response to the attacks on Indian students reflected that confusion. Racial motives were rejected outright. Instead, Indian students were blamed for inviting violence by displaying their wealth . But if race was not a contributing factor, why should Caucasian natives not be advised against displaying their technological paraphernalia in public places
Racism does exist in Australia but it does not mean that society as a whole is racist. The Rudd government readily acknowledged the racist element in some of the violence. It quickly established a Task Force to examine the issues involved. That is no fig leaf. It is well-worn Australian practice to implement timebound recommendations.
In contrast, Indian TVs shrill coverage of attacks under the rubric of Oz Racism has been patently unbalanced . Above all, it has ignored one crucial issue: the lack of sensitivity towards local cultural norms by Indians studying in Australia.
Indian students here represent as good a microcosm of the nouveau riche Indian abroad as in any other country. Visible traits imported from home include a sullen unsmiling visage ; disdain towards serving staff (viewed as servants); lewdly ogling women; playing raucous Indian music on public transport; cooking pungent food without regard for neighours sensitivities; littering; spitting and let us not even mention the unhygienic practices in (male) toilets.
The Indian government is conscious of the consequences of such appalling behaviour . In the wake of the attacks, it enjoined students in Australia to practice the right kind of behaviour and, curiously , to keep your homes clean .
Indian ghetto mentality actually reinforces these traits. It is not uncommon for 15 students to share accommodation rented for four. The impulse to be with ones own is replicated in day-to-day activities . The outsider is excluded while the insider learns little about the Australian way of life. There is no catalyst for behavioural change.
On campuses, Indian students can be observed huddled together both inside and outside lecture halls. It is rare to see an Indian student with fellow native Australians , Chinese or Vietnamese.
Their motives for coming to Australia Casual conversations with Indian students who dominate the taxi driving industry, offer fascinating glimpses into their goals. Education is definitely not one of them; permanent residency is. Another is the disturbing focus on race-orientated libidinous aspirations. There is no awareness of current developments in Australia, its history, culture or of multiculturalism. As for Aborigines , black passengers are best avoided!
The recent violence can be partly explained by ghetto-induced separateness and latent racism, but there are deeper reasons for the discordance between the Indian student and the Australian city. At its root is Australias education export drive. For more than a decade, government funding for tertiary institutions has declined, forcing them to rely increasingly on foreign markets. In the process, they have compromised on educational standards to attract more students , including Indians with barely passable English.
The decline of Australian education standards has meant that its increasingly drawing customers from Tier-II Indian towns Ludhiana, Jalandhar , Bhopal, etc. They are often products of the so-called deemed institutions whose teaching infrastructure is highly suspect. This cohort is singularly ill-equipped to deal with Australias vastly different cultural environment. In contrast to their cosmopolitan cousins in the US or the UK, the semi-urban Indian student carries only a provincial mindset and cultural baggage to Australia.
Moreover, coming from small towns and humble backgrounds, their focus is on vocational pursuits. More than 50% are enrolled in vocational courses. They have one objective: permanent residency at any cost. This eminently suits the stakeholders in the vocational education industry: the development of a pool of skills to meet current and future Australian labour shortages; foreign labour fodder at little or no cost to employers for 900 hours of work under the guise of vocational training; and a flood of business for education agents.
The Australian government is dealing with Indian student complaints. But it is not a one-way street. Indian students need to reassess their behaviour. They are subverting the opportunity for an education in their quest for permanent residency. They have no commitment to the country. Yet, they expect to be protected . Can the police be everywhere Their best bet is to modify personal conduct, understand local culture and develop networks beyond the ghetto.
In a knee-jerk reaction, education providers now propose pre-departure programmes to educate prospective students about how things really work in Australia . That is not enough. It is not merely a question of what students should expect, but also, what is expected of them
Monday, August 3, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
REINCARNATION
Jacksons many lives
Who was the King of Pop really As theories about his previous births abound, Atul Sethi examines the mystery of reincarnation
Michael Jacksons death has opened up a regular Pandoras Box, from which surprising information about the late popstar keeps popping up. The most recent is claims about Jacksons previous incarnations. Who was the King of Pop in an earlier life Walter Semkiw, an occupational therapist practicing in San Francisco and recently in India, says that Jackson was the incarnation of Charles dAssoucy , a 16th century French singer. At the peak of his career, dAssoucy was known as the Emperor of entertainers . He performed regularly at the court of Charles I of England and Louis XIII of France and was hailed as "one of the most famous masters of the musical art."
Sceptics may scoff at the possibility that a French musician, who lived more than 400 years ago, was reborn in the 20th century as the African-American Jackson. But, claims about reincarnation continue to abound and popular culture both Bollywood and Hollywood has often taken up the theme. There are many Hindi films on the subject, including Madhumati, Karz, Milan and Om Shanti Om. Several Hollywood movies deal with it too, such as Goodbye Charlie, Switch and The Reincarnation of Peter Proud.
Should we be surprised For centuries , Hindu and Buddhist philosophy has accepted reincarnation as a matter of fact and complementary to the doctrine of karma or the theory of cause and effect. This stems from the belief that the circumstances of ones life are shaped by numerous other lifetimes and that the circle of life and death will continue till one is free of karma. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna tells Arjuna, Many are the lives I have passed through and you too. The Buddhist text Samannaphala Sutta describes the Buddha remembering his past lives as Bodhisattva.
The notion of reincarnation in order for a person to develop his strengths in each lifetime is mentioned in early Christian writings. In the third century, St Gregory, the Bishop of Nyssa, which now lies in modern-day Turkey, wrote that every soul comes into this world strengthened by the victories or weakened by the defeats of its previous life.
Critics remain doubtful, insisting on scientific proof of reincarnation. They ask, does it follow any particular pattern and is it possible to co-relate facial features and personality traits from one lifetime to another to arrive at a firm conclusion about the state of ones karmic progress
Semkiw says further research will be needed in order to answer these questions. There is a definite pattern in the way reincarnation works. Our status in life seems to be determined by the karma we have created in past lifetimes as well as by the lessons our souls have set for themselves to learn, he says. He insists that personality traits persist across lifetimes.
Facial architecture and body language appear to follow a pattern as well. But Semkiws book Born Again says reincarnated people can alternate between being perceived as beautiful or ugly. Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie is offered as an example. In a previous life, during the reign of Louis XIV, she is described as being unattractive, with a forehead too high for her face, crooked teeth and coarse complexion. Semkiw attributes this to the rationale that ones appearance can switch from attractive and ordinary, based on the lessons that are to be learnt in that particular incarnation. Going by that rationale, Jolie would seem to have learnt her lessons well.
Semkiw says that Michael Jacksons case was slightly different. His subconscious desire to look as he did in a prior incarnation as a Caucasian prompted him to undergo plastic surgery several times. And in a remarkable example of art imitating life after death, Semkiw adds, that the morphing of faces that occurs at the end of Jacksons music video Black or White is how reincarnation truly works in different lifetimes, one can incarnate into different races, religions and nationalities and can even change gender.
Some of this is borne out by other research, not least that conducted by Ian Stevenson, a psychiatry professor at the University of Virginia. A 1997 eponymous study Reincarnation and Biology of 210 children indicated that physical characteristics, such as birthmarks and birth defects, could point to a previous life. The children Stevenson studied were born with birthmarks and defects, which were believed to be somehow linked to the trauma they suffered in previous lives.
So too Jackson, says Semkiw, who traces his traumatic and often controversial association with young children to an incarnation that occurred around 1200 AD. In this lifetime , Jackson, as a boy, was enlisted in what was called the Childrens Crusades. It was a war that Christians from Europe waged with Muslim soldiers in order to take back Jerusalem from them. Jackson lost his life in one of the battles, he says. This experience imprinted itself on his soul as emotional trauma and led to his behaviour as a man-child .
Critics remain skeptical, but reincarnation researchers insist it is one of the main reasons for some children to be born as prodigies. As was Michael Jackson. Semkiw explains his talent as being carried forward from his previous incarnations . There is a pattern that powerful souls come back as powerful souls, great artists come back as great artists. We build upon our efforts from lifetime to lifetime, he adds.
If one were to accept this hypothesis , life would seem a process of constant evolution because each lifetime would offer the opportunity to add on skills to those learned in previous lifetimes. But not everyone is convinced. Many dismiss reincarnation as mumbo-jumbo .
Howver, there is a school of thought that insists evidence of reincarnation brings far greater realization and acceptance of diversity because religious affiliations are recognized as a temporary belief system . Semkiw says that people need to see that we can change religion, nationality and ethnic affiliation from one incarnation to another that we can be Palestinian in one lifetime and Israeli in another, Muslim in one incarnation and Christian in another, then racial prejudices will also dissolve. Indeed, in the bigger picture, it doesnt really matter if were Black or White.
Who was the King of Pop really As theories about his previous births abound, Atul Sethi examines the mystery of reincarnation
Michael Jacksons death has opened up a regular Pandoras Box, from which surprising information about the late popstar keeps popping up. The most recent is claims about Jacksons previous incarnations. Who was the King of Pop in an earlier life Walter Semkiw, an occupational therapist practicing in San Francisco and recently in India, says that Jackson was the incarnation of Charles dAssoucy , a 16th century French singer. At the peak of his career, dAssoucy was known as the Emperor of entertainers . He performed regularly at the court of Charles I of England and Louis XIII of France and was hailed as "one of the most famous masters of the musical art."
Sceptics may scoff at the possibility that a French musician, who lived more than 400 years ago, was reborn in the 20th century as the African-American Jackson. But, claims about reincarnation continue to abound and popular culture both Bollywood and Hollywood has often taken up the theme. There are many Hindi films on the subject, including Madhumati, Karz, Milan and Om Shanti Om. Several Hollywood movies deal with it too, such as Goodbye Charlie, Switch and The Reincarnation of Peter Proud.
Should we be surprised For centuries , Hindu and Buddhist philosophy has accepted reincarnation as a matter of fact and complementary to the doctrine of karma or the theory of cause and effect. This stems from the belief that the circumstances of ones life are shaped by numerous other lifetimes and that the circle of life and death will continue till one is free of karma. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna tells Arjuna, Many are the lives I have passed through and you too. The Buddhist text Samannaphala Sutta describes the Buddha remembering his past lives as Bodhisattva.
The notion of reincarnation in order for a person to develop his strengths in each lifetime is mentioned in early Christian writings. In the third century, St Gregory, the Bishop of Nyssa, which now lies in modern-day Turkey, wrote that every soul comes into this world strengthened by the victories or weakened by the defeats of its previous life.
Critics remain doubtful, insisting on scientific proof of reincarnation. They ask, does it follow any particular pattern and is it possible to co-relate facial features and personality traits from one lifetime to another to arrive at a firm conclusion about the state of ones karmic progress
Semkiw says further research will be needed in order to answer these questions. There is a definite pattern in the way reincarnation works. Our status in life seems to be determined by the karma we have created in past lifetimes as well as by the lessons our souls have set for themselves to learn, he says. He insists that personality traits persist across lifetimes.
Facial architecture and body language appear to follow a pattern as well. But Semkiws book Born Again says reincarnated people can alternate between being perceived as beautiful or ugly. Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie is offered as an example. In a previous life, during the reign of Louis XIV, she is described as being unattractive, with a forehead too high for her face, crooked teeth and coarse complexion. Semkiw attributes this to the rationale that ones appearance can switch from attractive and ordinary, based on the lessons that are to be learnt in that particular incarnation. Going by that rationale, Jolie would seem to have learnt her lessons well.
Semkiw says that Michael Jacksons case was slightly different. His subconscious desire to look as he did in a prior incarnation as a Caucasian prompted him to undergo plastic surgery several times. And in a remarkable example of art imitating life after death, Semkiw adds, that the morphing of faces that occurs at the end of Jacksons music video Black or White is how reincarnation truly works in different lifetimes, one can incarnate into different races, religions and nationalities and can even change gender.
Some of this is borne out by other research, not least that conducted by Ian Stevenson, a psychiatry professor at the University of Virginia. A 1997 eponymous study Reincarnation and Biology of 210 children indicated that physical characteristics, such as birthmarks and birth defects, could point to a previous life. The children Stevenson studied were born with birthmarks and defects, which were believed to be somehow linked to the trauma they suffered in previous lives.
So too Jackson, says Semkiw, who traces his traumatic and often controversial association with young children to an incarnation that occurred around 1200 AD. In this lifetime , Jackson, as a boy, was enlisted in what was called the Childrens Crusades. It was a war that Christians from Europe waged with Muslim soldiers in order to take back Jerusalem from them. Jackson lost his life in one of the battles, he says. This experience imprinted itself on his soul as emotional trauma and led to his behaviour as a man-child .
Critics remain skeptical, but reincarnation researchers insist it is one of the main reasons for some children to be born as prodigies. As was Michael Jackson. Semkiw explains his talent as being carried forward from his previous incarnations . There is a pattern that powerful souls come back as powerful souls, great artists come back as great artists. We build upon our efforts from lifetime to lifetime, he adds.
If one were to accept this hypothesis , life would seem a process of constant evolution because each lifetime would offer the opportunity to add on skills to those learned in previous lifetimes. But not everyone is convinced. Many dismiss reincarnation as mumbo-jumbo .
Howver, there is a school of thought that insists evidence of reincarnation brings far greater realization and acceptance of diversity because religious affiliations are recognized as a temporary belief system . Semkiw says that people need to see that we can change religion, nationality and ethnic affiliation from one incarnation to another that we can be Palestinian in one lifetime and Israeli in another, Muslim in one incarnation and Christian in another, then racial prejudices will also dissolve. Indeed, in the bigger picture, it doesnt really matter if were Black or White.
Eyes wide shut
Eyes wide shut
Why would a spouse turn a blind eye to an extra-marital affair Gayatri looks at marriages that go beyond irreconcilable differences
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
SEAN PENN and wife Robin filed for divorce in December, for the third time, but requested the court to dismiss their petition again in April this year to save a marriage that has withstood affairs with Kate Moss and pop singer Jewel. Bollywood star Hrithik Roshan has allegedly taken to the bottle over his affair with co-star Barbara Mori, even as his wife Suzanne clings to him in a public bid to declare their togetherness.
Infidelity has always been the largest stakeholder in a marriage. Director Karan Johar confessed in an interview to Times Life, Around the time of making Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna, I lost my faith in marriage because of the affairs I saw around me. Sheena Sippy, who refused to comment, issued marching orders to Kunal Kapoor after valiantly struggling to come to terms with her partners infidelity for many years. Saif Ali Khans ex-wife Amrita Singh still bangs down the phone, if you call to ask about Rosa. Why would any self-respecting woman tolerate an affair
Yet, marriage as an institution continues to hold its ground long after pundits predicted its day was done. Does Anupam Ahuja know something we dont when she says, We have walked together for 15 years and will continue to. These are just bumps in the road
What makes a woman see a future in a man who has strayed Director Sanjay Gupta, who has been linked to actors Sameera Reddy and Dia Mirza, and assistant director Jasmeet Dodhi, confesses to having always stayed in love with exwife Anu, whom he remarried early last month. Gupta explains , The institution of marriage is sacred and spiritual. Its about finding your soulmate and then building and living your life together based on the foundation of love, trust, faith and hope.
Do all marriages that reach a golden period then involve looking the other way Neetu Singh Kapoor spells it out, Yes, you have to look the other way sometimes. Or you get an elder to sit down and mediate, you talk things over. A longlasting marriage means resolving things. Not allowing walking away to be an option . Is there a cost Everyone from Zarina Wahab , Hillary Clinton and Victoria Beckham overlook dalliances to keep their rings. And as Krishna Raj took Nargis in her stride, Jaya Bachchan takes Rekha in hers. An industrywallah says of Shyam and Neera Benegal, considered a golden couple , All that glitters is not gold, you know! They went through a difficult patch too. You want to know why they are a golden couple They rode it out. The golden period , says the observer, only comes after the darkest one. A woman makes the tough decision to stay when the marriage has enough moments of happiness to outweigh the unhappy ones. Says a spouse defending her decision to stay with her cheating husband on an online forum, Why would I throw away 16 years over a one-night stand After so many years, happiness becomes so much more than just sex. Another warns, The number one lie women tell themselves is it meant nothing . Lee Ann, 32, an NRI in Sydney says, There are two kinds of affairs physical, which I can forgive, and an emotional one. If your spouse is going to someone else every time he is happy or sad, then its over. Sex I can deal with. Some claim a cuckold is always in denial. Others cite reasons ranging from for the children to his affair giving you the licence to cheat too, to even believing other women wanting her man makes him hotter . Bimal Roys daughter Rinki Bhattacharya , a womens awareness worker, though says for the children is actually the number one reason a woman walks out of a marriage. When a marriage falls apart and a mother sees the impact upon the children , she sheds the denial shes been living in for years and walks, she explains. On the flip side, the only reason to stay can be for the self in the balance sheet of life, the marriages credits have to counter its debits .
Divorce lawyer and womens activist Flavia Agnes asks; Why did Jaya stay with Amitabh despite Rekha Why is Dharmendras wife still married to him despite Hema Every marriage is a calculation. The decision to stay is a calculation. When a woman has a choice that is better for her than the one the marriage offers whether thats money , social status, property, she goes. When she has something to gain from the marriage , she stays. Same for men. Love, romance has nothing to do with it.
In The New York Times, Betsey Stevenson, assistant professor at University of Pennsylvania , who studies marriage and divorce trends says, I wonder if faithfulness really is a litmus test in marriages, or if it just becomes a litmus test in the media because thats the one betrayal we hear of in celebrity relationships.
Shekhar Kapurs Masoom became one of the earliest films to take marriage beyond fidelity . Life is not about beginnings and ends. It continually evolves and breathes. A healthy relationship that understands that, stays the course, avers twice-married Shekhar Kapur. Priya Vader, a US-based NRI about to celebrate her 10th anniversary, isnt standing for it, I certainly dont think there's anything masoom (innocent) about affairs. Naseeruddin Shahs character knew exactly what he was doing and didnt confess till the love child showed up! Infidelity is unforgivable. Many echo her traditional viewpoint, but few move beyond it. Says H yd e rab a d - b a s e d Aparna Ganti, Yes, a marriage should, and does, outlast any momentary outburstbe it a fight, a brief affair, etc. A strong bond forms the foundation which makes two people inseparable and everything else insignificant.
Gupta believes till death do us part encompasses all. The only true achievement one can have is the family you create through marriage and all that you do to nurture it. Yes, things do tend to go wrong as well, but if you truly want and believe then you can survive it. We did. The difference from a live-in relationship is that marriage is sacred. The vows you take are the rules you live by and make your life worthwhile.
As Bangalore-based Vidya Vaidyanathan puts it, Not that soaps truly mirror life... but doesnt Ross say we were on a break to the woman he really truly loves What do most F.R.I.E.N.D.S fans want to happen out there Says something about fidelity as a be-all , end-all thing.
Why would a spouse turn a blind eye to an extra-marital affair Gayatri looks at marriages that go beyond irreconcilable differences
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
SEAN PENN and wife Robin filed for divorce in December, for the third time, but requested the court to dismiss their petition again in April this year to save a marriage that has withstood affairs with Kate Moss and pop singer Jewel. Bollywood star Hrithik Roshan has allegedly taken to the bottle over his affair with co-star Barbara Mori, even as his wife Suzanne clings to him in a public bid to declare their togetherness.
Infidelity has always been the largest stakeholder in a marriage. Director Karan Johar confessed in an interview to Times Life, Around the time of making Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna, I lost my faith in marriage because of the affairs I saw around me. Sheena Sippy, who refused to comment, issued marching orders to Kunal Kapoor after valiantly struggling to come to terms with her partners infidelity for many years. Saif Ali Khans ex-wife Amrita Singh still bangs down the phone, if you call to ask about Rosa. Why would any self-respecting woman tolerate an affair
Yet, marriage as an institution continues to hold its ground long after pundits predicted its day was done. Does Anupam Ahuja know something we dont when she says, We have walked together for 15 years and will continue to. These are just bumps in the road
What makes a woman see a future in a man who has strayed Director Sanjay Gupta, who has been linked to actors Sameera Reddy and Dia Mirza, and assistant director Jasmeet Dodhi, confesses to having always stayed in love with exwife Anu, whom he remarried early last month. Gupta explains , The institution of marriage is sacred and spiritual. Its about finding your soulmate and then building and living your life together based on the foundation of love, trust, faith and hope.
Do all marriages that reach a golden period then involve looking the other way Neetu Singh Kapoor spells it out, Yes, you have to look the other way sometimes. Or you get an elder to sit down and mediate, you talk things over. A longlasting marriage means resolving things. Not allowing walking away to be an option . Is there a cost Everyone from Zarina Wahab , Hillary Clinton and Victoria Beckham overlook dalliances to keep their rings. And as Krishna Raj took Nargis in her stride, Jaya Bachchan takes Rekha in hers. An industrywallah says of Shyam and Neera Benegal, considered a golden couple , All that glitters is not gold, you know! They went through a difficult patch too. You want to know why they are a golden couple They rode it out. The golden period , says the observer, only comes after the darkest one. A woman makes the tough decision to stay when the marriage has enough moments of happiness to outweigh the unhappy ones. Says a spouse defending her decision to stay with her cheating husband on an online forum, Why would I throw away 16 years over a one-night stand After so many years, happiness becomes so much more than just sex. Another warns, The number one lie women tell themselves is it meant nothing . Lee Ann, 32, an NRI in Sydney says, There are two kinds of affairs physical, which I can forgive, and an emotional one. If your spouse is going to someone else every time he is happy or sad, then its over. Sex I can deal with. Some claim a cuckold is always in denial. Others cite reasons ranging from for the children to his affair giving you the licence to cheat too, to even believing other women wanting her man makes him hotter . Bimal Roys daughter Rinki Bhattacharya , a womens awareness worker, though says for the children is actually the number one reason a woman walks out of a marriage. When a marriage falls apart and a mother sees the impact upon the children , she sheds the denial shes been living in for years and walks, she explains. On the flip side, the only reason to stay can be for the self in the balance sheet of life, the marriages credits have to counter its debits .
Divorce lawyer and womens activist Flavia Agnes asks; Why did Jaya stay with Amitabh despite Rekha Why is Dharmendras wife still married to him despite Hema Every marriage is a calculation. The decision to stay is a calculation. When a woman has a choice that is better for her than the one the marriage offers whether thats money , social status, property, she goes. When she has something to gain from the marriage , she stays. Same for men. Love, romance has nothing to do with it.
In The New York Times, Betsey Stevenson, assistant professor at University of Pennsylvania , who studies marriage and divorce trends says, I wonder if faithfulness really is a litmus test in marriages, or if it just becomes a litmus test in the media because thats the one betrayal we hear of in celebrity relationships.
Shekhar Kapurs Masoom became one of the earliest films to take marriage beyond fidelity . Life is not about beginnings and ends. It continually evolves and breathes. A healthy relationship that understands that, stays the course, avers twice-married Shekhar Kapur. Priya Vader, a US-based NRI about to celebrate her 10th anniversary, isnt standing for it, I certainly dont think there's anything masoom (innocent) about affairs. Naseeruddin Shahs character knew exactly what he was doing and didnt confess till the love child showed up! Infidelity is unforgivable. Many echo her traditional viewpoint, but few move beyond it. Says H yd e rab a d - b a s e d Aparna Ganti, Yes, a marriage should, and does, outlast any momentary outburstbe it a fight, a brief affair, etc. A strong bond forms the foundation which makes two people inseparable and everything else insignificant.
Gupta believes till death do us part encompasses all. The only true achievement one can have is the family you create through marriage and all that you do to nurture it. Yes, things do tend to go wrong as well, but if you truly want and believe then you can survive it. We did. The difference from a live-in relationship is that marriage is sacred. The vows you take are the rules you live by and make your life worthwhile.
As Bangalore-based Vidya Vaidyanathan puts it, Not that soaps truly mirror life... but doesnt Ross say we were on a break to the woman he really truly loves What do most F.R.I.E.N.D.S fans want to happen out there Says something about fidelity as a be-all , end-all thing.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Yes, I see spirits...
Yes, I see spirits...
As some report celeb ghost sightings, we explore the world of people who claim to see ghosts. Anuradha Varma peeps into the next dimension
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
FANS of Michael Jackson were stunned as they watched a shadowy figure resembling the King of Pop rush across Neverland in CNN video footage. A spectre Well probably never know, but the notion is not as outlandish as it sounds.
Actor Johnny Depp, playing bank robber John Dillinger in Public Enemies, also felt the criminals presence on the sets. He stated, I did feel him, not to be spooky or anything, but there were moments when I felt his presence. There were moments when I felt a certain level of approval from the guy...
Most of us have tried a spot of planchett or dabbled with an ouija board. So did Sanya (name changed) when she was 21. Her immediate goal then, over 15 years ago, was marriage, but she was told categorically that it wasnt on the cards, sending her into depression. She remembers Zeno, the spirit, who was summoned using a scented bottle cap. He was impatient, in a tearing hurry to answer questions and go off. Everything he predicted came to pass, she says. While she moved on, there are others who keep their contacts with the spirit world alive on a regular basis.
Veenu Sandal, tarot reader, was introduced to this world by her father, who was often summoned by people after they suddenly sighted a deceased family member in their midst. Veenu casually mentions one such lady she takes care of, on her late father's behalf. A not so pleasant lady, her family was glad to see the end of her But, Ammaji wasnt done yet. She often overturned their beds or chopped someones hair for an act of indiscipline with scissors that appeared out of thin air.
There are times when visitors ask me if I have a grandmother staying with me, and I can tell that theyve caught a glimpse of Ammaji and her white malmal dupatta, says Veenu. A much tamer version of Ammaji often travels with Veenu and is content for now. She once even transported Veenu and two others to a level that exists beyond . Veenu recalls, Its a world I cant describe. The fruits are so colourful. There are people and
you can communicate on a different level. They were back as suddenly as they were gone.
While Veenu has seen spirits in various forms a divine goddess who appeared in a blaze of light and danced in a temple courtyard or a young diabetic woman who emerged in her home for a taste of sugary barfi spiritual healer Rudrabhayananda sees them everywhere. He describes them as glowing lights, less than two inches high. Its like having a rainbow in your room, he explains. He adds, The spirit world follows a set of rules. You dont disturb them and they dont disturb you. We are spirits too, only our bodies are visible due to the refraction of light. The communication happens on an intuitive level. There are various kinds of spirits. Some are still attached to the people and the world they left behind and are suffering . On the other hand, there are neutral spirits, who pass on messages to help people, says Rudrabhayananda.
Whats popularly referred to as the inner voice may well be a communication from beyond. Since we often tend to not heed the call, a network of spirits may help to pass on the message to the person concerned . Nan Umrigar, who communicated through automatic writing with her dead son Karl, who died as a young jockey, wrote in her book Sounds of Silence about him being summoned with other spirits to serve the needy in another continent, by their guru and mentor Meher Baba.
Veenu remembers not being able to contact her spirit guide right after the tsunami. I thought I wasnt getting the steps right. However, I was later told that they were busy helping the tsunami victims people who suddenly found themselves dead. Michael Jackson, too, his funeral done, will need nurturing in a spirit hospital ; so that his soul can be strong once more.
Veenu remembers being contacted by the late Pakistani premier Benazir Bhuttos spirit after she was killed. She was prepared , yet not prepared. She was most worried about her country. She communicated with former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein too, after he was executed and found the leader unrepentant. But he wasnt a negative spirit, she maintains.
Communicating with spirits or even sensing their presence can often change the course of ones life. As happened with filmmaker Mahiema Anand. Searching for that missing something in her work, she felt one day that a door had opened, exposing her to experiences that ensured life was never the same again. She once sat hours through the night at the Benaras ghats for a shoot, watching bodies being brought for cremation.
She recalls, I lost all fear of death. I could sense a strong energy in the air. For me, spirits are just people without bodies. Their presence also makes her feel touched by divinity and protected .
And neither she, nor the others who can peep into the beyond, would have it any other way!
As some report celeb ghost sightings, we explore the world of people who claim to see ghosts. Anuradha Varma peeps into the next dimension
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
FANS of Michael Jackson were stunned as they watched a shadowy figure resembling the King of Pop rush across Neverland in CNN video footage. A spectre Well probably never know, but the notion is not as outlandish as it sounds.
Actor Johnny Depp, playing bank robber John Dillinger in Public Enemies, also felt the criminals presence on the sets. He stated, I did feel him, not to be spooky or anything, but there were moments when I felt his presence. There were moments when I felt a certain level of approval from the guy...
Most of us have tried a spot of planchett or dabbled with an ouija board. So did Sanya (name changed) when she was 21. Her immediate goal then, over 15 years ago, was marriage, but she was told categorically that it wasnt on the cards, sending her into depression. She remembers Zeno, the spirit, who was summoned using a scented bottle cap. He was impatient, in a tearing hurry to answer questions and go off. Everything he predicted came to pass, she says. While she moved on, there are others who keep their contacts with the spirit world alive on a regular basis.
Veenu Sandal, tarot reader, was introduced to this world by her father, who was often summoned by people after they suddenly sighted a deceased family member in their midst. Veenu casually mentions one such lady she takes care of, on her late father's behalf. A not so pleasant lady, her family was glad to see the end of her But, Ammaji wasnt done yet. She often overturned their beds or chopped someones hair for an act of indiscipline with scissors that appeared out of thin air.
There are times when visitors ask me if I have a grandmother staying with me, and I can tell that theyve caught a glimpse of Ammaji and her white malmal dupatta, says Veenu. A much tamer version of Ammaji often travels with Veenu and is content for now. She once even transported Veenu and two others to a level that exists beyond . Veenu recalls, Its a world I cant describe. The fruits are so colourful. There are people and
you can communicate on a different level. They were back as suddenly as they were gone.
While Veenu has seen spirits in various forms a divine goddess who appeared in a blaze of light and danced in a temple courtyard or a young diabetic woman who emerged in her home for a taste of sugary barfi spiritual healer Rudrabhayananda sees them everywhere. He describes them as glowing lights, less than two inches high. Its like having a rainbow in your room, he explains. He adds, The spirit world follows a set of rules. You dont disturb them and they dont disturb you. We are spirits too, only our bodies are visible due to the refraction of light. The communication happens on an intuitive level. There are various kinds of spirits. Some are still attached to the people and the world they left behind and are suffering . On the other hand, there are neutral spirits, who pass on messages to help people, says Rudrabhayananda.
Whats popularly referred to as the inner voice may well be a communication from beyond. Since we often tend to not heed the call, a network of spirits may help to pass on the message to the person concerned . Nan Umrigar, who communicated through automatic writing with her dead son Karl, who died as a young jockey, wrote in her book Sounds of Silence about him being summoned with other spirits to serve the needy in another continent, by their guru and mentor Meher Baba.
Veenu remembers not being able to contact her spirit guide right after the tsunami. I thought I wasnt getting the steps right. However, I was later told that they were busy helping the tsunami victims people who suddenly found themselves dead. Michael Jackson, too, his funeral done, will need nurturing in a spirit hospital ; so that his soul can be strong once more.
Veenu remembers being contacted by the late Pakistani premier Benazir Bhuttos spirit after she was killed. She was prepared , yet not prepared. She was most worried about her country. She communicated with former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein too, after he was executed and found the leader unrepentant. But he wasnt a negative spirit, she maintains.
Communicating with spirits or even sensing their presence can often change the course of ones life. As happened with filmmaker Mahiema Anand. Searching for that missing something in her work, she felt one day that a door had opened, exposing her to experiences that ensured life was never the same again. She once sat hours through the night at the Benaras ghats for a shoot, watching bodies being brought for cremation.
She recalls, I lost all fear of death. I could sense a strong energy in the air. For me, spirits are just people without bodies. Their presence also makes her feel touched by divinity and protected .
And neither she, nor the others who can peep into the beyond, would have it any other way!
Saturday, July 18, 2009
ECLIPSE OF THE CENTURY
TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE | 22 JULY, 2009 Starts 5.28am. Totality around 6.30. Ends: 7.40am
ECLIPSE OF THE CENTURY
Havent yet planned a trip to watch this event in person Youre missing something very special. Amit Bhattacharya explains why
What exactly is a total solar eclipse
Its when the new Moon gets between Earth and Sun, and covers the solar disc completely
Is it a big deal
A total solar eclipse is easily the most spectacular celestial event you can view from Earth. An eerie darkness descends during totality, birds fall silent and stars peer out in daytime. Read the watch out for column for more
OK, but isnt a solar eclipse happening somewhere in the world every 2 years or so What's so cool about this one
This ones truly special. It's the longest total eclipse this century and the longest seen in India since Aug 18, 1868. The next big total eclipse in the country takes place on June 3, 2114. Between then and now, there's only 1 total eclipse, on March 20, 2034, and it would just be visible in J&K . The line of totality traverses a distance of over 3,000km. So, more Indians will be in the path of totality than ever in history!
Great, but where should I go to get the best view
Look at the map. As you move east, duration of totality increases. Theoretically, a spot in Arunachal should be the best in India. West Bengal, Bihar and east UP in that order would be better places to catch the event than Gujarat or MP. Globally, Shanghai offers the longest totality on land 5m30s
Heres a spoiler: The monsoon is here, so chances of clouds blotting out the spectacle are high. The danger gets compounded by the fact its an early morning eclipse. So, the Sun will be low in the horizon and chances of clouds even higher. Keep those fingers crossed!
India and the ECLIPSE
Three solar eclipses are described in Mahabharata. Theres also reference to Krishna blocking the Sun with his sudarshan chakrato help Arjun in the battle Abul Fazl writes in Akbarnama about Akbar visiting Kurukshetra during an eclipse in 1567 Jehangirnama accurately talks of an annular eclipse later traced to March 19, 1615
On Oct 17, 1762, a Diwali day, a fierce battle between the Sikhs and Afghan invader Ahmad Shah Abdali was abandoned when it became so dark during the day that stars came out
Helium was discovered by Jules Janssen while observing solar spectrum during a total eclipse in India on Aug 18, 1868
Urban Legend
Galileo went blind watching an eclipse. False. He became blind at 72 from cataract and glaucoma. But watching a partial eclipse with naked eye is dangerous
Total eclipse will last about 3 min, 30 sec. Partial eclipse visible throughout India
A total eclipse depicted in a Ragamala painting from Bundi dated around 1850s Source: Nehru Planetarium, New Delhi
WATCH OUT FOR
Partial Phase |
Shadows of tree leaves etc get a strange conical shape as the eclipse increases
Diamond Ring |
Just before or after totality, Suns rays stream out, giving stunning effect of a diamond ring
Bailey's Beads |
Tiny specks of light, like a string of beads, appear from lunar valleys and craters
Corona |
During totality, a breathtaking aura surrounds the invisible Sun. This is the solar atmosphere
ECLIPSE OF THE CENTURY
Havent yet planned a trip to watch this event in person Youre missing something very special. Amit Bhattacharya explains why
What exactly is a total solar eclipse
Its when the new Moon gets between Earth and Sun, and covers the solar disc completely
Is it a big deal
A total solar eclipse is easily the most spectacular celestial event you can view from Earth. An eerie darkness descends during totality, birds fall silent and stars peer out in daytime. Read the watch out for column for more
OK, but isnt a solar eclipse happening somewhere in the world every 2 years or so What's so cool about this one
This ones truly special. It's the longest total eclipse this century and the longest seen in India since Aug 18, 1868. The next big total eclipse in the country takes place on June 3, 2114. Between then and now, there's only 1 total eclipse, on March 20, 2034, and it would just be visible in J&K . The line of totality traverses a distance of over 3,000km. So, more Indians will be in the path of totality than ever in history!
Great, but where should I go to get the best view
Look at the map. As you move east, duration of totality increases. Theoretically, a spot in Arunachal should be the best in India. West Bengal, Bihar and east UP in that order would be better places to catch the event than Gujarat or MP. Globally, Shanghai offers the longest totality on land 5m30s
Heres a spoiler: The monsoon is here, so chances of clouds blotting out the spectacle are high. The danger gets compounded by the fact its an early morning eclipse. So, the Sun will be low in the horizon and chances of clouds even higher. Keep those fingers crossed!
India and the ECLIPSE
Three solar eclipses are described in Mahabharata. Theres also reference to Krishna blocking the Sun with his sudarshan chakrato help Arjun in the battle Abul Fazl writes in Akbarnama about Akbar visiting Kurukshetra during an eclipse in 1567 Jehangirnama accurately talks of an annular eclipse later traced to March 19, 1615
On Oct 17, 1762, a Diwali day, a fierce battle between the Sikhs and Afghan invader Ahmad Shah Abdali was abandoned when it became so dark during the day that stars came out
Helium was discovered by Jules Janssen while observing solar spectrum during a total eclipse in India on Aug 18, 1868
Urban Legend
Galileo went blind watching an eclipse. False. He became blind at 72 from cataract and glaucoma. But watching a partial eclipse with naked eye is dangerous
Total eclipse will last about 3 min, 30 sec. Partial eclipse visible throughout India
A total eclipse depicted in a Ragamala painting from Bundi dated around 1850s Source: Nehru Planetarium, New Delhi
WATCH OUT FOR
Partial Phase |
Shadows of tree leaves etc get a strange conical shape as the eclipse increases
Diamond Ring |
Just before or after totality, Suns rays stream out, giving stunning effect of a diamond ring
Bailey's Beads |
Tiny specks of light, like a string of beads, appear from lunar valleys and craters
Corona |
During totality, a breathtaking aura surrounds the invisible Sun. This is the solar atmosphere
Friday, July 17, 2009
Re-Discovery of India
Re-Discovery of India
From somnolent and sluggish to resurgent and self-confident , powerful new images of India have emerged, and everyone, from CEOs to bureaucrats and foreign correspondents, is turning author to tell the story of a country in the midst of sweeping transformation. By Arati Menon Carroll
Thirty five years ago, British Broadcasting Corporation appointed Mark Tully as its India correspondent. This was to be the prodigal return to his birthplace, having being born in Calcutta in 1936. Eager to re-acquaint himself, Tully sought out written material on the country; almost everybody recommended VS Naipauls India : An Area of Darkness, a book known for its harshly critical view of India in the early 60s. Im glad I didnt use that as my guide, recalls Tully, because if that was the kind of baggage I brought with me as a BBC reporter, what a dismal view Id have had.
Many years on, Tully is widely acknowledged as one of the most trusted, authoritative voices on India and his books, from India in Slow Motion to The Heart of India, and most recently India's Unending Journey, speak of his deep affection for his adopted country. Tully has been signed on by Penguin India to write Changing India, a work-inprogress that examines what economic liberalisation has and hasnt done for modern India.
Udayan Mitra, Publishing Director, Allen Lane, the nonfiction imprint of Penguin India, is delighted that Tully has returned to Penguin. His books are perennial bestsellers, he says. This hasnt been the only bit of good news recently for Penguin India. Imagining India: Ideas for the New Century, written by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani in which he presents his manifesto of ideas that have held India back and those that could change Indias place in modernity forever, has sold 50,000 copies. The book has become a great visual for a developing India, says Mitra. So powerful was the impact of his book that the government invited Nilekani to develop one of those ideas that of a unique identification system for all Indians. He accepted and did the unimaginable quit Infosys.
IF FRIEDMAN CAN, SO CAN I
Many will credit economist Thomas Friedman for Nilekanis foray into writing. A comment he made to Friedman Tom, the playing field is being levelled inspired the title and thesis of Friedmans The World is Flat, a mega best-seller about offshoring and globalisation. With a focus on India and China, what Friedman (and Nilekanis comment) essentially did for millions of readers, was establish Indias place firmly on the 21st century world stage. India as a subject of non-fiction writing isnt a new fascination. There have been seminal books on India, broad and richly detailed , like Jawaharlal Nehrus Discovery of India and works by Naipaul and Ved Mehta. More recently, historian Ramachandra Guha and former P&G boss Gurcharan Das have found enormous success with their writings on India, as has Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen through his collection of essays in The Argumentative Indian. Today however, everyone from CEOs to bureaucrats and foreign correspondents seem to want to articulate a view on Indias economic and social transformation. The desire to write about India seems to have gained momentum, confirms Lipika Bhushan, manager marketing, HarperCollins India. 'At a time when the rest of the world is growing grey, Nilekani writes in his book, 'India has one of the youngest populations in the world with a median age of 23 and 'the second-largest reservoir of skilled labour in the world . From the Indian-built mini Nano, an expression of the burgeoning aspirations of the Indian masses, to the growing confidence of Indian entrepreneurs and sustained economic growth even in the face of a financial crisis, the world is sitting up to take notice of India.
Even Indian-born management gurus who never really capitalised on their India connection are now focussing their case studies on India, whether it is Harvard Business Schools Tarun Khannas Billions of Entrepreneurs: How China and India Are Reshaping Their Futures and Yours, London Business School Professor of Marketing Nirmalya Kumars Indias Global Powerhouses: How They Are Taking On The World or Stanford scholar Rafiq Dossanis India Arriving. Earlier there wasn't much to write about. It's only in the last few years that Indian businesses have transformed from leading domestic players to global giants, and their unique approach to globalisation is also a very recent evolution , says Kumar.
So far as I am able to judge, nothing has been left undone, either by man or nature, to make India the most extraordinary country that the sun visits on his rounds
Mark Twain
American-born Anand Giridharadas moved to India six years ago as a consultant with McKinsey but defected to become the South Asia Correspondent for the International Herald Tribune. His column Letter from India that appeared twice a month in The New York Times and IHT has chronicled, as he writes in his concluding column in NYT dated July 4 2009, the self-inventing swagger of a rising generation of Indians . Giridharadas is now writing a non-fiction book about modern India.
So is the former Canadian envoy to India David Malone, whose forthcoming book on Indias foreign policy is titled Does The Elephant Dance Edward Luce, similarly, came to India in a professional capacity, as the South Asia bureau chief of the Financial Times and ended up writing In Spite of the Gods: The Strange Rise of Modern India, an evaluation of contemporary India, lauded by some as the best book written on the New India .
From somnolent and sluggish to resurgent and self-confident , powerful new images of India have emerged, and everyone, from CEOs to bureaucrats and foreign correspondents, is turning author to tell the story of a country in the midst of sweeping transformation. By Arati Menon Carroll
Thirty five years ago, British Broadcasting Corporation appointed Mark Tully as its India correspondent. This was to be the prodigal return to his birthplace, having being born in Calcutta in 1936. Eager to re-acquaint himself, Tully sought out written material on the country; almost everybody recommended VS Naipauls India : An Area of Darkness, a book known for its harshly critical view of India in the early 60s. Im glad I didnt use that as my guide, recalls Tully, because if that was the kind of baggage I brought with me as a BBC reporter, what a dismal view Id have had.
Many years on, Tully is widely acknowledged as one of the most trusted, authoritative voices on India and his books, from India in Slow Motion to The Heart of India, and most recently India's Unending Journey, speak of his deep affection for his adopted country. Tully has been signed on by Penguin India to write Changing India, a work-inprogress that examines what economic liberalisation has and hasnt done for modern India.
Udayan Mitra, Publishing Director, Allen Lane, the nonfiction imprint of Penguin India, is delighted that Tully has returned to Penguin. His books are perennial bestsellers, he says. This hasnt been the only bit of good news recently for Penguin India. Imagining India: Ideas for the New Century, written by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani in which he presents his manifesto of ideas that have held India back and those that could change Indias place in modernity forever, has sold 50,000 copies. The book has become a great visual for a developing India, says Mitra. So powerful was the impact of his book that the government invited Nilekani to develop one of those ideas that of a unique identification system for all Indians. He accepted and did the unimaginable quit Infosys.
IF FRIEDMAN CAN, SO CAN I
Many will credit economist Thomas Friedman for Nilekanis foray into writing. A comment he made to Friedman Tom, the playing field is being levelled inspired the title and thesis of Friedmans The World is Flat, a mega best-seller about offshoring and globalisation. With a focus on India and China, what Friedman (and Nilekanis comment) essentially did for millions of readers, was establish Indias place firmly on the 21st century world stage. India as a subject of non-fiction writing isnt a new fascination. There have been seminal books on India, broad and richly detailed , like Jawaharlal Nehrus Discovery of India and works by Naipaul and Ved Mehta. More recently, historian Ramachandra Guha and former P&G boss Gurcharan Das have found enormous success with their writings on India, as has Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen through his collection of essays in The Argumentative Indian. Today however, everyone from CEOs to bureaucrats and foreign correspondents seem to want to articulate a view on Indias economic and social transformation. The desire to write about India seems to have gained momentum, confirms Lipika Bhushan, manager marketing, HarperCollins India. 'At a time when the rest of the world is growing grey, Nilekani writes in his book, 'India has one of the youngest populations in the world with a median age of 23 and 'the second-largest reservoir of skilled labour in the world . From the Indian-built mini Nano, an expression of the burgeoning aspirations of the Indian masses, to the growing confidence of Indian entrepreneurs and sustained economic growth even in the face of a financial crisis, the world is sitting up to take notice of India.
Even Indian-born management gurus who never really capitalised on their India connection are now focussing their case studies on India, whether it is Harvard Business Schools Tarun Khannas Billions of Entrepreneurs: How China and India Are Reshaping Their Futures and Yours, London Business School Professor of Marketing Nirmalya Kumars Indias Global Powerhouses: How They Are Taking On The World or Stanford scholar Rafiq Dossanis India Arriving. Earlier there wasn't much to write about. It's only in the last few years that Indian businesses have transformed from leading domestic players to global giants, and their unique approach to globalisation is also a very recent evolution , says Kumar.
So far as I am able to judge, nothing has been left undone, either by man or nature, to make India the most extraordinary country that the sun visits on his rounds
Mark Twain
American-born Anand Giridharadas moved to India six years ago as a consultant with McKinsey but defected to become the South Asia Correspondent for the International Herald Tribune. His column Letter from India that appeared twice a month in The New York Times and IHT has chronicled, as he writes in his concluding column in NYT dated July 4 2009, the self-inventing swagger of a rising generation of Indians . Giridharadas is now writing a non-fiction book about modern India.
So is the former Canadian envoy to India David Malone, whose forthcoming book on Indias foreign policy is titled Does The Elephant Dance Edward Luce, similarly, came to India in a professional capacity, as the South Asia bureau chief of the Financial Times and ended up writing In Spite of the Gods: The Strange Rise of Modern India, an evaluation of contemporary India, lauded by some as the best book written on the New India .
INDIA THROUGH THE EYES OF A WESTERNER
Gone are the days, it seems, when books written on India by Western writers were either excessive odes to Indias exoticism or filled with doomsday judgements about a country collapsing under the weight of its social contradictions. Todays writers, like Luce prefer to chronicle rather than judge, and their writings are imbued with affection but also informed by exhaustive research.
India has laboured too long under the burden of spiritual greatness that Westerners have for centuries thrust upon it and which Indians had themselves got into the habit of picking up and sending back
Edward Luce
Even the voices from within are growing more assured and the perspective is that of an increasingly liberal, outwardlooking country that is eager to use the opportunities now within its grasp. It is only now that Indian minds are getting de-colonised , says Das, a consummate story teller, whose second book, Difficulty of Being Good: On the Subtle Art of Dharma is to be released next month. One of Dass favourite stories is that of Raju, a tea stall boy who, inspired by a television show on Bill Gates, nurses dreams of studying computer science and starting his own firm in his village.
As Giridharadas writes in the earlier mentioned column, India has changed dramatically, viscerally, improbably in these 2,000 days: farms giving way to factories; ultra-cheap cars being built; companies buying out rivals abroad. But the greatest change I have witnessed is elsewhere. It is in the mind. That self-confidence is now reflected in our writings. A great example is A Better India, A Better world by Infosys chairman NR Narayana Murthy, a collection of lectures through which he makes a compelling argument for why an increase in India's power in the coming decades will be in the world's larger interests. Pavan K Varma, prolific writer and Indian Ambassador to Bhutan, believes our non-fiction writing is finally getting out of self-perpetuated myths. In the flush after independence you begin to write books in categories that you believe will reinforce the image that you think others have of you. Sixty years down the line, you hopefully develop the self-confidence in terms of who you really are, not what others think you should be. Then you write more honestly, candidly and there is a market for that, adds Varma, who is writing Becoming Indian, from his home in Thimpu, on the issue of culture and identity.
Old India, New India
Does that necessarily mean we can finally talk of India in the present without getting into the inevitable backdrop of the past Some people are obsessed with the colonial past, in the attitude of a victim. Thats very defeatist, says Das, whose latest book is an interesting way of interpreting the present through the lens of the past. It turns to the Mahabharata and discovers that its world of moral haziness bears closer resemblance to modern day dilemmas of right versus wrong than we imagined. Amitabh Kant, principal secretary and special commissioner of the government of Kerala, and author of Branding India, a fascinating story about the Incredible India campaign , says the temptation for everyone is to show the vibrant, confident, young India, but the challenge will be not to lose oneself in modernity. The era of the brochure book on India is over, says Varma, although like Das he believes that one must come to terms with ones past. Not in terms of glorifying it or decrying it but understanding it, he says. There are a whole host of young writers for whom the past isnt as critical as the present. Writers like Palash Mehrotra who was a journalist and parttime Practical Ethics teacher at Doon school before deciding it was time someone wrote about changing India, from within. His upcoming title The Butterfly Generation is aimed at the young urban Indian grappling with issues like promiscuity, drugs, money and personal liberty. They have issues other than caste to worry about, he says.
Anything one might say about India, the opposite can also be shown to be true" Amartya Sen
The other factor driving supply is, of course, a growing global readership that believes India and its future are worth understanding . And that readership, says Mehrotra, eggs foreign publishers on to back writing that brings a fresh perspective to this old onion of a nation . Kumar is witnessing first-hand the hunger that the West has for knowledge on India and Indian businesses. Having just released Indias Global Powerhouses he is already in India to research his second book on the subject of innovation in India. Finding a publisher today is the easiest part of the exercise, he says with a laugh. Tully warns, though, against getting caught up in the superpower euphoria. I would actually hope India is the one country that doesnt care for the label of a superpower, he says, admitting he feels both affection and exasperation when he writes about India, Im exasperated about things like ineffective governance. As Nilekani writes in his book: The opportunity of the global economy has highlighted our internal differences between the educated and the illiterate, the public and private sectors, between the well and the poorly governed , and between those who have access and those who have not. Still, bad and good, the world is watching India. We are something like an onion, one complex layer after one another thats worth examining, says Varma. The opportunities for non-fiction writing on India have really opened up, says Himanshu Chakrawarti, COO, Landmark. Its a gold mine for publishers, echoes Mitra. What then might master statesman Winston Churchill have to say about all this attention showered on a country he once infamously described as a beastly country with a beastly religion, no more a country than the equator Save his well-chewed Havana, he might have had to go this one alone. arati.menon@timesgroup .com
India has laboured too long under the burden of spiritual greatness that Westerners have for centuries thrust upon it and which Indians had themselves got into the habit of picking up and sending back
Edward Luce
Even the voices from within are growing more assured and the perspective is that of an increasingly liberal, outwardlooking country that is eager to use the opportunities now within its grasp. It is only now that Indian minds are getting de-colonised , says Das, a consummate story teller, whose second book, Difficulty of Being Good: On the Subtle Art of Dharma is to be released next month. One of Dass favourite stories is that of Raju, a tea stall boy who, inspired by a television show on Bill Gates, nurses dreams of studying computer science and starting his own firm in his village.
As Giridharadas writes in the earlier mentioned column, India has changed dramatically, viscerally, improbably in these 2,000 days: farms giving way to factories; ultra-cheap cars being built; companies buying out rivals abroad. But the greatest change I have witnessed is elsewhere. It is in the mind. That self-confidence is now reflected in our writings. A great example is A Better India, A Better world by Infosys chairman NR Narayana Murthy, a collection of lectures through which he makes a compelling argument for why an increase in India's power in the coming decades will be in the world's larger interests. Pavan K Varma, prolific writer and Indian Ambassador to Bhutan, believes our non-fiction writing is finally getting out of self-perpetuated myths. In the flush after independence you begin to write books in categories that you believe will reinforce the image that you think others have of you. Sixty years down the line, you hopefully develop the self-confidence in terms of who you really are, not what others think you should be. Then you write more honestly, candidly and there is a market for that, adds Varma, who is writing Becoming Indian, from his home in Thimpu, on the issue of culture and identity.
Old India, New India
Does that necessarily mean we can finally talk of India in the present without getting into the inevitable backdrop of the past Some people are obsessed with the colonial past, in the attitude of a victim. Thats very defeatist, says Das, whose latest book is an interesting way of interpreting the present through the lens of the past. It turns to the Mahabharata and discovers that its world of moral haziness bears closer resemblance to modern day dilemmas of right versus wrong than we imagined. Amitabh Kant, principal secretary and special commissioner of the government of Kerala, and author of Branding India, a fascinating story about the Incredible India campaign , says the temptation for everyone is to show the vibrant, confident, young India, but the challenge will be not to lose oneself in modernity. The era of the brochure book on India is over, says Varma, although like Das he believes that one must come to terms with ones past. Not in terms of glorifying it or decrying it but understanding it, he says. There are a whole host of young writers for whom the past isnt as critical as the present. Writers like Palash Mehrotra who was a journalist and parttime Practical Ethics teacher at Doon school before deciding it was time someone wrote about changing India, from within. His upcoming title The Butterfly Generation is aimed at the young urban Indian grappling with issues like promiscuity, drugs, money and personal liberty. They have issues other than caste to worry about, he says.
Anything one might say about India, the opposite can also be shown to be true" Amartya Sen
The other factor driving supply is, of course, a growing global readership that believes India and its future are worth understanding . And that readership, says Mehrotra, eggs foreign publishers on to back writing that brings a fresh perspective to this old onion of a nation . Kumar is witnessing first-hand the hunger that the West has for knowledge on India and Indian businesses. Having just released Indias Global Powerhouses he is already in India to research his second book on the subject of innovation in India. Finding a publisher today is the easiest part of the exercise, he says with a laugh. Tully warns, though, against getting caught up in the superpower euphoria. I would actually hope India is the one country that doesnt care for the label of a superpower, he says, admitting he feels both affection and exasperation when he writes about India, Im exasperated about things like ineffective governance. As Nilekani writes in his book: The opportunity of the global economy has highlighted our internal differences between the educated and the illiterate, the public and private sectors, between the well and the poorly governed , and between those who have access and those who have not. Still, bad and good, the world is watching India. We are something like an onion, one complex layer after one another thats worth examining, says Varma. The opportunities for non-fiction writing on India have really opened up, says Himanshu Chakrawarti, COO, Landmark. Its a gold mine for publishers, echoes Mitra. What then might master statesman Winston Churchill have to say about all this attention showered on a country he once infamously described as a beastly country with a beastly religion, no more a country than the equator Save his well-chewed Havana, he might have had to go this one alone. arati.menon@timesgroup .com
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