What is one thing that separates us today? Well, nothing divides us more than religion— an idea that was started to usher in positivity and peace, but ended up creating a mindful of hatred in the hearts of its followers.
We have the Hindus who claim that they are or in fact we are the most peaceful religion in the whole of white, black, yellow and brown worlds. It is ironical because none of our mythical figures has been depicted as peaceful. Yeah, I know killing demons is not categorized as being belligerent. Ok think about this...in the MYTHOlogy Ramayana, Hanuman almost burnt Lanka down. Thats downright arson!! All of them were true warriors who fought for peace a la United State of America which destroys an entire nation and claims she bought peace to it. In a way she did bring peace, peace echoing out of the silence brought on by the massacre (pun intended). Ok back to religion. Many philosophers and right wing supporters might argue that I am one of those religion haters and that all the warrior gods have some philosophical significance. The sad part is 90 % of the followers embrace the warrior part and forget the god (read love) part or so it seems.
Then we have the Jews who never claim that they are peaceful..well they arent!!
And they do think they are the originals; rest are just heathens and pagans. They are originals because Jesus is a Jew, Islam came out of Judaism and Hindus have a lot of gods and therefore logically wrong. When you assume others are on the wrong side, you end up on their wrong side—history is the witness!
Then we have Christianity, the religion with the largest number of followers and the largest number of followers turned skeptics. In a way, every religion needs a bunch of skeptics who keep the religion in its ‘original self with paradoxes and originalities’. But the case with Christainity is different. We all know Bible has been manipulated many a times, nobody knows the contents of the original Bible that was actually handed over because different regions gave birth to different versions, according to the main wiki article on Bible.
Islam—this religion is definitely in my bad books! I am not a fanatic, but somehow I have started to hate this religion and all the things associated with it—the sharia yas, the claim that it is the most peaceful religion on the earth when every other gangster in Mumbai is a Muslim, every terrorist organization is Islamic, almost all human right violations have its origins in the twisted rules of Islamic rulebook that they supposedly follow.
Then we have Buddhism. Well, most of the backward classes in India embraced Buddhism following the footsteps of Dr. Ambedkar—their leader—in mid 20th century. Buddhism is the perfect example of why a certain religion is not rogue, and that it is considered to be rogue because of the people who follow it. Don’t get me wrong! I don’t mean to say that all of backward class is bad, but certain factions are definitely bad in fact even notorious, but then I believe Brahmins (the upper echelons) have done more harm to India than any other caste.
Then there are a couple of baby religions (in terms of followers) that have sprouted over a period. I am sure religions are born or started to achieve and spread positivity. Unfortunately, religion has become the face of fascism and fanaticism. The addiction to religion would continue until we have a replacement! A replacement that will stoke the fire in the dying embers of humanity.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
MY FAV MACHO MOVIES (INDIAN)
Every country has men and they have a peculiar taste in entertainment. Blame it on the hormones or evolution!! In the past, it was fight until death e.g Ankam in southern India or the gladiatorial combat of ancient Greece. We have moved on (read become more civilized) but even today the more sadist amongst us have mixed martial arts and other full contact fight championships for their entertainment. Less sadists go for gory horror/action movies.
Unfortunately, the film industry, in India, does not have any regard for male audience and therefore produces more chick flicks than action flicks. Personally, I dont think we have ever had a pure action flick with gore in it - movies like High tension or even a Saving Private Ryan.
After perusing through all these sixty years of Indian cinema, I could hardly find a pure action flick. These are my top ten macho movies. Its my list and therefore has regional flicks too.
10 . Don (old)
9. Agneepath
8. Parinda
7. Thalapathi
6. Sholay
5. Nayagan
4. Vaastav
3. Ab Tak Chappan
2. Satya
Unfortunately I dont have an Indian movie which can take the number 1 slot. I dont think there is any movie which deserves the hallowed spot .....waiting for that number one flick...:) . I really wish to see a movie on Shivaji Maharaj or Prithvi Raj Chauhan that does justice to their valor...a la 300 !!!
Unfortunately, the film industry, in India, does not have any regard for male audience and therefore produces more chick flicks than action flicks. Personally, I dont think we have ever had a pure action flick with gore in it - movies like High tension or even a Saving Private Ryan.
After perusing through all these sixty years of Indian cinema, I could hardly find a pure action flick. These are my top ten macho movies. Its my list and therefore has regional flicks too.
10 . Don (old)
9. Agneepath
8. Parinda
7. Thalapathi
6. Sholay
5. Nayagan
4. Vaastav
3. Ab Tak Chappan
2. Satya
Unfortunately I dont have an Indian movie which can take the number 1 slot. I dont think there is any movie which deserves the hallowed spot .....waiting for that number one flick...:) . I really wish to see a movie on Shivaji Maharaj or Prithvi Raj Chauhan that does justice to their valor...a la 300 !!!
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Monday, February 8, 2010
The Renedezvous ....
The last time, I had been to India, was the time when I started believing in paranormal activity. I am a pretty....pretty bold person but every bold person has an instance in his life when he questions his temerity. Some things give you cold feet ..u know what I am alluding to; yes..one of those nights. and this place (my mom’s house) is one heck of a house ...the one that you hear about, in stories. There is a meandering route which starts at the doorstep and ends on the main road which has usual traffic on it. But this tortuous beauty is really long, something like a kilometer.And that kilometer is a dirt road one that coughs dust everytime a motorcade vrooms on it.
Ok..coming back to the incident; it was a winter night and I had been to Kerala for 15 days. Everytime I am in Kerala, I visit my relatives...each one of them with the fidelity and zeal of a child. This time was no different.It was a Friday night and it was around 9.30 pm. My aunt (mausi) lives an hour from my mom’s ancestral place. After the dinner my mausi and cousin asked me to stay back as it was late and they thought it was anti-haute-bourgeoisie to send your guest back at night but I insisted to the hilt and they agreed.
According to my calculations, I should have reached my nana’s place around 11.30 pm but thanks to the wretched bus service, my plans went kaput. I had to wait at the bus stop for an hour due to some local election campaigning.I reached ‘that’ road around 1.30 am after a long trek from the bus stop. On this street, there is a light every 50 meters so the road isn’t that well illuminated. As soon as I took a turn onto this road, a puff of air kissed me as if someone had caressed me. That puff of air went on to touch the earth and it gave birth to a puff of dust and that puff of dust continued its sojourn with the gust.
After I had walked some 10 meters, I saw a person walking almost 30 feet ahead of me. (In Kerala, southern part of India, people generally wear white loincloth and white shirt and we address strangers ...yes even strangers as chetan (big brother)).This person had dressed likewise and I thought …..why not have a company instead of moseying on alone in the dark.I called out to him.He stopped and turned around. I couldnt see his face but then it was dark and he was dark too. I hurried towards him. Suddenly I tripped and fell flat. I got up and tidied myself, looking ahead. He kept walking. I felt like an idiot. Here I was trying to give him some good company and he was..he was just ignoring my yell! I didn’t call out again. I just walked into the part of the road that was pitch black. One step...two step...three step...four step… Darker and darker it got; next street light was 15 feet away. This gentleman showed no signs of stopping, it seemed like he was gliding in the air. Even when it was so dark around, he didn’t seem to be fumbling for right spots because, of what I recall, those bylanes werent a rose bed. This confirmed that he knew the place well enough to linger around blind folded. I was still in the dark and the man was entering the zone of next street light and lo behold he disappeared ….like..poof..he disappeared ...I am sure that would be the sound effect if one has to give any!
I couldnt act for a while for I went numb ..I froze ...How would you feel if you saw something, that you assumed was a person, disappear into thin air and also realize at the same time that you have to walk past that zone of the street and another half a kilometer to get to your home? Strange thoughts crept into me...what if I walk past the zone and it follows me home? Should I sprint; what if I trip again ? Was that a paranormal activity? I realized that your mind could actually take you around the universe without you inching even a bit. I realized these incidents could scare the living daylights out of you. I realized that I never bought the bus ticket to Trichur. I realized that I havent completed my PhD yet. I realized that I haven't started my life yet. I realized that I was realizing a lot of things tonight. I realized that I was still standing there.I could not turn back, where would I go ? That is when I felt something touch my thighs, I didnt have the courage to look down..my hands slowly proceeded to touch ‘that’ thing caressing my thighs...phew it was my cell phone, on a vibrating mode. My mama (maternal uncle ) was on the phone. Somehow I picked up the phone, I told him everything. He, literally, had to come and pick me up from the spot.
I would never know what that was but I am sure that wasnt normal…..
Ok..coming back to the incident; it was a winter night and I had been to Kerala for 15 days. Everytime I am in Kerala, I visit my relatives...each one of them with the fidelity and zeal of a child. This time was no different.It was a Friday night and it was around 9.30 pm. My aunt (mausi) lives an hour from my mom’s ancestral place. After the dinner my mausi and cousin asked me to stay back as it was late and they thought it was anti-haute-bourgeoisie to send your guest back at night but I insisted to the hilt and they agreed.
According to my calculations, I should have reached my nana’s place around 11.30 pm but thanks to the wretched bus service, my plans went kaput. I had to wait at the bus stop for an hour due to some local election campaigning.I reached ‘that’ road around 1.30 am after a long trek from the bus stop. On this street, there is a light every 50 meters so the road isn’t that well illuminated. As soon as I took a turn onto this road, a puff of air kissed me as if someone had caressed me. That puff of air went on to touch the earth and it gave birth to a puff of dust and that puff of dust continued its sojourn with the gust.
After I had walked some 10 meters, I saw a person walking almost 30 feet ahead of me. (In Kerala, southern part of India, people generally wear white loincloth and white shirt and we address strangers ...yes even strangers as chetan (big brother)).This person had dressed likewise and I thought …..why not have a company instead of moseying on alone in the dark.I called out to him.He stopped and turned around. I couldnt see his face but then it was dark and he was dark too. I hurried towards him. Suddenly I tripped and fell flat. I got up and tidied myself, looking ahead. He kept walking. I felt like an idiot. Here I was trying to give him some good company and he was..he was just ignoring my yell! I didn’t call out again. I just walked into the part of the road that was pitch black. One step...two step...three step...four step… Darker and darker it got; next street light was 15 feet away. This gentleman showed no signs of stopping, it seemed like he was gliding in the air. Even when it was so dark around, he didn’t seem to be fumbling for right spots because, of what I recall, those bylanes werent a rose bed. This confirmed that he knew the place well enough to linger around blind folded. I was still in the dark and the man was entering the zone of next street light and lo behold he disappeared ….like..poof..he disappeared ...I am sure that would be the sound effect if one has to give any!
I couldnt act for a while for I went numb ..I froze ...How would you feel if you saw something, that you assumed was a person, disappear into thin air and also realize at the same time that you have to walk past that zone of the street and another half a kilometer to get to your home? Strange thoughts crept into me...what if I walk past the zone and it follows me home? Should I sprint; what if I trip again ? Was that a paranormal activity? I realized that your mind could actually take you around the universe without you inching even a bit. I realized these incidents could scare the living daylights out of you. I realized that I never bought the bus ticket to Trichur. I realized that I havent completed my PhD yet. I realized that I haven't started my life yet. I realized that I was realizing a lot of things tonight. I realized that I was still standing there.I could not turn back, where would I go ? That is when I felt something touch my thighs, I didnt have the courage to look down..my hands slowly proceeded to touch ‘that’ thing caressing my thighs...phew it was my cell phone, on a vibrating mode. My mama (maternal uncle ) was on the phone. Somehow I picked up the phone, I told him everything. He, literally, had to come and pick me up from the spot.
I would never know what that was but I am sure that wasnt normal…..
Sunday, February 7, 2010
The awakening of a nation...
Have you seen the trend in movies off late? The mainstream commercial Indian cinema, I mean. Look at the movies that go on to become a hit! Not that love stories don’t succeed, but look at the percentage of love stories that succeed. Most of the movies that deal with social cause earn as good as gold. Can an inference be drawn that all those movies that are pertaining to our problems or, in other words, common man’s botheration are accepted with a bear hug and others are literally flung away like a bag of dirt? Examples...hmm..so many..3 idiots , Munnabhai series, Swades, Iqbal, Wednesday, Chakk De etc etc..on the flip side well the list is endless.
Another example..hmm..Phir mile sur I havent met a single person who liked the video. The most common complaint - deifying of Bollywood celebrities! The picturization completely lacked the presence of bourgeois who is inevitable when mentioning the ‘surs’ of India.
Another example was Rann the new Amitabh movie, ruthlessly ripped by the media for the obvious reason that the movie mercilessly mauled at media’s reputation, was accepted gracefully by the audience.People have started observing the facts and have started literally sorting them out for their well being.
All these examples lead to one point. We are waking up in the wake of these things which wouldn’t have discomposed us a decade back. A society is waking up or should I say a civilization is rousing to action.You can guesstimate the psyche of the nation from these things. We, as a nation, have become very self centered (... has a positive connotation you see :)). A revelation that .. ‘Only I can save myself’ . We are listening to nobody and that is the best part and also the worst part. Sometimes I feel that we are moving into a psyche of completely embracing objectivism. In a way, that is good! Though objectivism has an invisible sheet of self centeredness wrapped around it and has been impugned by many a philosophers for the same; for a country like India it is imperative.This philosophy (objectivism) is evident from all the activities that spawn or sprout around us. No, I don’t mean the infrastructural explosion that is so visible in the country but I am alluding to a paradigm shift that is responsible for this explosion. I don’t think the paradigm shift was the effect of the gradual grind that this civilization endured over an eon nor is it the effect of a brisk eastern neighbour. God alone knows what startled the slumbering elephant and transformed it into a objectivistic ‘human being’!
Another example..hmm..Phir mile sur I havent met a single person who liked the video. The most common complaint - deifying of Bollywood celebrities! The picturization completely lacked the presence of bourgeois who is inevitable when mentioning the ‘surs’ of India.
Another example was Rann the new Amitabh movie, ruthlessly ripped by the media for the obvious reason that the movie mercilessly mauled at media’s reputation, was accepted gracefully by the audience.People have started observing the facts and have started literally sorting them out for their well being.
All these examples lead to one point. We are waking up in the wake of these things which wouldn’t have discomposed us a decade back. A society is waking up or should I say a civilization is rousing to action.You can guesstimate the psyche of the nation from these things. We, as a nation, have become very self centered (... has a positive connotation you see :)). A revelation that .. ‘Only I can save myself’ . We are listening to nobody and that is the best part and also the worst part. Sometimes I feel that we are moving into a psyche of completely embracing objectivism. In a way, that is good! Though objectivism has an invisible sheet of self centeredness wrapped around it and has been impugned by many a philosophers for the same; for a country like India it is imperative.This philosophy (objectivism) is evident from all the activities that spawn or sprout around us. No, I don’t mean the infrastructural explosion that is so visible in the country but I am alluding to a paradigm shift that is responsible for this explosion. I don’t think the paradigm shift was the effect of the gradual grind that this civilization endured over an eon nor is it the effect of a brisk eastern neighbour. God alone knows what startled the slumbering elephant and transformed it into a objectivistic ‘human being’!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)