Farouk Gulsara's Blog, page 4

The Iron Man of India

Sardar (1993) Director: Ketan Mehta
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0240879/Sardar Vallabhai Patel is said to be the best Prime Minister India never had. Dubbed the Iron Man of India, a title given to him by Mountbatten, some believe he might have led India along a different path if he had been chosen as the first Prime Minister instead of Nehru.
It was 1946. World War II had just ended, leaving England to tend its wounds. It faced a huge bill to pay and had lost its dominance on the world stage. The sun had finally set on the British Empire. The Anglo-Saxon cousins across the Atlantic, the Americans, had come out on top, as shown by the Conference in Yalta. Managing the colonies had become an expensive undertaking. England had to cut its losses and relinquish control over the colonies. 
With that background, India had just formed its interim government. The Congress Party had recently won the elections. They were preparing to select the first Prime Minister of independent India. 
Maulana Azad, at that time, was the President of the Congress Party. He had been its leader since 1940. No elections were held since 1940 after the Party announced the 'Quit India' movement, and as a result, most, if not all, of its senior leaders were behind bars. Gandhi, as the senior member who commands profound respect from his members, expressed his displeasure with a leader seeking reelection. Azad withdrew his nomination for reelection as the President. 
Fifteen regional and state Congress committees were tasked with nominating their candidates. Twelve of these nominated Patel. Nehru got none, and the remaining three committees chose not to nominate anyone. 
Surprisingly, Gandhi vetoed their decision. He requested that Patel withdraw his candidacy and suggested the Cambridge-educated, modern-looking Nehru to become the Party President and Patel to be his Deputy. Being a 'respectful lieutenant' and showing his respect for Gandhi, Patel obliged. 
Gandhi believed the modern, forward-thinking Nehru would be a better choice than the traditional-thinking Patel. However, insiders suggest that it was probably Gandhi's fear that Nehru might cause trouble if he was not selected. The Congress might split, and the British could use that as an excuse to delay self-rule. 

Being the compassionate man Gandhi was towards the Muslim plight, he thought Patel, as the Prime Minister of India, would be harsh against Muslims. 

 

Nehru became the Prime Minister with Patel as his Deputy and Home Minister during the tumultuous times of newly independent India. With Pakistan being the albatross around India's neck and Patel and Nehru disagreeing on everything about the handling of Kashmir, it is a surprise how the Indian machinery remained intact. 

King Hari Singh initially aimed to remain independent, like Nepal and Bhutan. When Pakistani agents infiltrated Kashmir, Hari Singh abdicated to Jammu. He consented to accession to India. Nehru, contrary to Patel's suggestion, called in the United Nations and advocated for a plebiscite. Patel had wanted the Indian Army to march in. The result of this approach led to repeated unrest, two subsequent wars, and the latest confrontation. 
Junagadh, a princely state with a Hindu majority and no shared border with Pakistan, had a Muslim ruler determined to join Pakistan. His subjects revolted against him, and he abdicated in favour of Pakistan. With India's support, Junagadh was integrated into the State of Gujarat. 
Another state, quite distant from Pakistan, that wished to join the dominion was the landlocked state of Hyderabad. It was surrounded by regions under India's control. The Nizam, once the wealthiest man in the world, also ruled over a Hindu majority. Using his immense wealth, he managed to procure arms from Europe through British arms dealers, pre-Partition. The Nizam had deployed a paramilitary group, the Razakars, led by Qasim Razvi, to terrorise Hindu peasants into submission. Meanwhile, the Communists were also attempting to benefit from the situation. Patel, citing Nehru's departure as an excuse, used the nation's machinery to launch police action to forcibly annexe Hyderabad into the union.

Nehru and Patel's differences were challenged by a series of resignation letters, but they were softened by Gandhi's persuasion. Gandhi's assassination compelled these two leaders to collaborate until Patel's death.

 

In recognition of his contributions to India's political integration, the Statue of Unity, the tallest statue in the world, was erected in Gujarat.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

The filth of the city?

The Asphalt Jungle (1955) Director: John Huston
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/
Category:The_Asphalt_Jungle_(film)This is one of those movies where viewers do not get attached to any of the actors but rather enjoy the storyline, dialogue, and the nitty-gritty of how a crime is organised. This is way, way back before we had 'The Italian Job' and the like. 
Every character is vital in the film, yet none should overshadow the others. The main plot revolves around a heist, masterminded by Doc, a recently released model prisoner who devised a major diamond theft while working as a librarian during his incarceration. 
He approaches a small-time bookie, Cobby, with his plan. Doc needs money to pay the right men for the job. A seemingly wealthy lawyer, Emmerich, then arrives, promising to finance the operation and handle the loot. In reality, Emmerich is broke and plans to cheat the robbers out of the jewels to keep them for himself. 
The real reason people tuned in to watch this movie is Marilyn Monroe. She appears as Emmerich's ditsy mistress and may be the cause of Emmerich's poverty, as she is costly to keep. Monroe leaves a lasting impression on viewers and establishes herself as a true legendary performer here. Her sultry, naive 'damsel in distress' persona stands out in scenes where she has to lie for her master. 
A locksmith is hired, and a local thug named Dix is brought in. Dix is a disillusioned man who wears a perpetual frown. He is fed up with city living and yearns to return to the peaceful country life that he left behind for a better life in the city. Now, he sees the city as an indelible dirt that permanently stains the skin. In his bitterness, he fails to appreciate the love that his girlfriend, Doll, shows him.
The robbery proceeds as planned without a hitch, but the TNT used to break the safe detonates nearby alarms, alerting the police. The thieves escape with the merchandise, but not before a confrontation with a guard. One of the robbers is shot, but all three manage to flee in the pre-arranged getaway car. From that moment, it becomes a downward spiral as each one falls apart due to internal squabbles and police apprehension.
It is a very intense film. One can almost feel the heat and the filth that the city exudes. To the characters in the movie, breaking the law is normalised. The police are not friends, but people you need to be wary of. They have seen enough corrupt policemen. The film also features many memorable and classic lines.

Experience has taught me never to trust a policeman. Just when you think one's all right, he turns legit.

One way or another, we all work for our vice.

Home is where the money is.

Worth the while. 8/10. It went on to win many accolades and was selected for preservation in the US National Registry as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Control your senses!

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (German; 1985)
Author: Patrick Süskind https://www.amazon.com/Perfume-Story-
Murderer-Patrick-Suskind/dp/0375725849
Thank you to MC for introducing this excellent book. It is an engaging read that baffles me how one can write a whole book just based on all descriptions about our olfactory sense and fragrances. It is one book that I think he managed to use all the words in the English language to describe smells.
The olfactory sense is said to be one of humans' most primitive sensations. It is said that even unicellular organisms had this in their most rudimentary form. Unlike other sensory organs, smell is not carried by nerves, but has a direct connection to the brain. 

Perhaps because of its ancient origin in the evolutionary ladder and its close proximity to the brain, it has a profound effect on the human brain. It is not surprising that fragrances can arouse the reptilian part of our suppressed brain, to unleash the beast within. 

Entering many Hindu homes, one would encounter a painting or a metal tooling sculpture of a golden chariot. The chariot would be manned by five horses. The reins would be held firmly by the charioteer against the five prancing horses. It could be a representation of a scene from the Bhagavad Gita.

It could very well be a reference to Plato's Chariot Allegory, where the charioteer (man) needs to balance the power between the two horses (a noble and an unruly one) to lead the charioteer (body) to the path of the Truth. Freud, in his writings, could have referenced it to the eternal struggle between the id (instincts), the ego (reason) and the superego (guiding force).

In the Gita version, the five horses denote our five senses. The rein, with the wisdom (Buddhi) of the charioteer (mind), controls the senses (horses), so that the chariot (body) is not led astray. 

The book, set in pre-Bastille France, follows the tragic life of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille. Left to grow up in an orphanage after his mother was guillotined for killing Grenouille's three other siblings, he is unloved. Grenouille somehow escaped his mother's murder attempt, as he likes to think that he is invincible. This thought is reinforced when he recovers from the pox.

After the orphanage, he is sent to work as a tanner. Grenouille has an inborn ability to distinguish a vast range of scents. Paradoxically, he does not have his own individual smell. A diligent and hardy worker, he yearns to be a perfumer.

After capturing the scent of a virginal pubescent girl, he becomes somewhat fixated on the smell. Wanting to keep all the scent to himself, he strangles her and kills her. 

The author further narrates about his self-exile, the discovery, his experimentation with perfumes, his fixation with the extraction of pubescent girls and his obsessive interest in one particular lass, Laure, the fairest of them all. 

A nice book which brings vivid descriptions of various smells and piques into the business of perfumery as it was carried out before.

'The Perfume' is often stated as Kurt Cobain's favourite book. It is even believed to have significantly influenced his song "Scentless Apprentice" from Nirvana's album In Utero. The cautionary lesson from Cobain's life experience is that one should not be tempted away from one's duties by the allure of sensory pleasure. The final outcome is usually undesirable. The only silver lining may be that Cobain departed in a state of bliss.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

This is something that happens!

Magnolia (1999) Written & Directed: Paul Thomas Anderson
https://letterboxd.com/film/magnolia/
This is another bizarre and busy movie with multiple storylines unfolding simultaneously. One becomes breathless just keeping up with the flow. So many characters are embroiled in so many life issues and are caught in wrong life decisions that make one wonder how all the loose threads will be tied up. True enough, everything makes sense at the end. Like the instance that is mentioned in the opening scene, bizarre things sometimes happen.
In the opening scene, a man jumps down from the top of a 20-storey apartment building. During his fall, he passes by the apartment that he occupies with his parents. His parents are forever fighting. The mother often threatens the father with an unloaded gun. On that fateful day, however, the gun was loaded and it went off, missing the father by inches but hitting the son who happened by the apartment at that very instant when the weapon was discharged. It killed the son instantaneously, who would have saved him, as there were hoardings on the sixth floor which would have broken his fall. The parents were charged and convicted of murder. The son had earlier loaded the gun as he was fed up with the parents' frequent combative showdowns. Yes, these things sometimes can happen in the greater scheme of things.
The Complicated Plot
By Vagary at the English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...On a random day in California, a policeman investigates an apartment for disturbing public peace to find a body. He goes to another apartment when neighbours complain about the noise.
A child prodigy takes part in a quiz (What Kids Do Know) show with an overbearing father breathing down his neck. The host of the show is a very sick man. He is having cancer, and his estranged daughter wants to have nothing to do with him as he may have abused her sexually. 
One of the early winners of the show, an ex-boy genius, is running around like a headless chicken, as he does not know what to do with his life.
The producer of the show is another dying man who is longing to patch up with his son, a fast-talking motivational guru. The producer's nurse tries to contact the estranged son to reunite them. 

The event that essentially concludes all conflict is when it rained frogs. Yes, it not only rains cats and dogs, but sometimes it rains frogs too. It is a known phenomenon when small aquatic creatures like fish and frogs are swept up in storms, travel miles, and fall from the sky through rain clouds. Many places in Britain, Hungary, Serbia, Japan and Uruguay have experienced this. This phenomenon may have Biblical significance, as mentioned in the Old Testament. God's wrath upon the Egyptians for enslaving the Israelites caused Him to infest the Nile with immeasurable numbers that they stank till the high heavens.
An interesting movie about growing pains, disappointments, family disputes, headaches, wandering of the mind, reconciliation and restitution.

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

The story behind the assassination!

The Hunt (2025)
The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case (Miniseries)S1; E1-E7
Director: Nagesh Kukunoor
https://www.sonyliv.com/shows/the-hun...-
assassination-case-1790006628/episodesThis police procedural drama reconstructs events following the assassination of India's former Prime Minister in 1991, when he was campaigning for his next election. In what is likely the first recorded case of a suicide bomber in human history, a bomber strapped with RDX explosives detonated herself while garlanding her intended victim, the Congress party's candidate for Prime Minister. Aside from kamikaze bombers, this may have been the first time the world encountered the concept of suicide bombing.
Prince Vijaya, expelled from the Vanga Kingdom in present-day Bengal, is believed to be the ancestor of the Sinhalese people. He occupied Lanka to establish the Sinhala kingdom in 543 BCE. The original inhabitants before his arrival were hunter-gatherers, Yakkas, and Nagas. The Tamils began to appear around the 2nd century BCE. South Indian kingdoms such as the Cholas and Pandyas invaded parts of the northern and eastern regions of the island. The British brought a second wave of Tamils to cultivate tea and coffee. Alongside the British, missionaries arrived. The Americans started building churches in the northern Tamil regions, while the British occupied the southern Sinhalese areas. They aimed to introduce 'culture' to the locals through education, but their focus differed. The Americans valued science and technology, whereas the British emphasised arts-related subjects. When it came to establishing their place in the modern world, the Tamils proved to be more marketable and prospered. This disparity in educational and economic status became evident when Sri Lanka gained independence. The newly formed government, dominated by the majority, repeatedly attempted to change the status quo. New affirmative actions were introduced to reduce Tamil dominance. The Sinhala language was emphasised, and a quota system was implemented for university entrance. The Tamils retaliated, eventually leading to a civil war with groups like the LTTE taking up arms to demand their homeland, Tamil Eelam.
Rajiv GandhiThe ruling government responded with reciprocal actions that led to a mass migration of the Tamil population and employed genocidal tactics that lured fleeing individuals into a supposed safe haven before systematically destroying them. Bodies of tortured dissidents are still being uncovered today and identified to provide closure for families, even as we speak.
By 1991, the Tamil separatist movement, led by Velupillai Prabakaran, was particularly angry with India for deploying a peacekeeping force (the Indian Peacekeeping Force, IPKF) to manage the situation in Sri Lanka. It is claimed that between 1987 and 1990, the IPKF colluded with various groups and was involved in human rights abuses, working closely with the Sri Lankan Army (vis-à-vis the Sinhalese people) to commit atrocities against the Tamil population. As a result, the LTTE developed grievances against the Central Indian Government. Their kin across the Palk Straits, who share ethnic roots, generally supported the LTTE's struggle. They offered a safe haven and even supplied expertise, funding, and moral backing to their cause. The politicians of Tamil Nadu promoted the idea that the conflict in Sri Lanka was akin to a clash between Northern and Southern India, since the ancestors of the Sinhalese were from Bengal (North). This kind of division suited their Dravidian political stance. 
The two years before this were turbulent for Indian politics. After the collapse of previous elected governments, the Congress Party, led by Rajiv Gandhi, believed the next election in 1991 was theirs to win. Filled with hope, he made a last-minute campaign visit to Sriperumbudur to support a local candidate. However, the LTTE network, with its local sympathisers, seized the opportunity to eliminate Rajiv Gandhi.
Tamil Nadu intelligence advised Rajiv Gandhi against coming to Madras (Chennai), as their sources sensed a threat and warned him of potential danger to his life. As if the universe was warning him, his helicopter in Visakhapatnam experienced radio troubles and nearly could not be cleared to fly. Gandhi arrived at the campaign late into the night, past 10 pm, to an excited crowd waiting to welcome him. 
A vigilant policewoman noticed a young lady approaching the VIPs too closely, carrying a garland, and tried to shoo her away. As fate would have it, Gandhi signalled the policewoman and uttered his last words, "Don't worry. Relax." The lady placed the garland over his neck, bowed to touch his feet, and pressed the lever to activate the RDX bomb. 
The core of this police procedural series centres on how a quickly assembled multi-agency Special Investigative Team uncovers the mystery behind the bombing. With no leads except for a camera holding a roll of film, the team embarks on a chaotic chase across the countryside against a non-cooperative local population to find the former Prime Minister's killers. Within 90 days, they succeed in identifying the mastermind behind the attack, but not before leaving a trail of cyanide-swallowing suicidal members of the LTTE.
I believe the miniseries provides a fair and accurate depiction of the facts. It moves at a brisk pace. The conversations alternate between Tamil, Hindi, and English. There are no melodramatic elements. The facts are presented as they are, without any biased undertones. 
P.S. Seven of those involved were ultimately imprisoned for the killing. Two of the masterminds were initially sentenced to death but later had their sentences commuted to life imprisonment. In 2022, after three decades behind bars, the seven were released on good behaviour, though the decision was still controversial. Rajiv's children, Rahul, the Opposition leader, and sister Priyanka, engaged in a one-to-one discussion with Nalini, one of those originally sentenced to death. They said they had forgiven their father's killers. The Tamil Nadu Government also campaigned for their release.

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

A love song for a serial killer?

Moodu Pani (Tamil, மூடு பனி; 1980)
Screenplay & Direction: Balu Mahendra
The only time this movie is remembered is when the superhit song from its original soundtrack is played. And, mind you, this song is played at many functions. That super-duper hit song I am referring to is 'En Iniya Pon Nillave' (என் இனிய பொன் நிலாவே). It does not take much to recognise that song. A few seconds into its opening guitar sequence, it clicks. The song was composed by Illayaraja, also known as 'The Maestro' these days, as more music connoisseurs are realising that his compositions are complex and deserving of orchestral performances.
Like many of his compositions, this song can be regarded as another masterpiece. Although it might seem, at first glance, to be a Western piece featuring prominent guitar sounds and rhythm, it actually blends elements of Carnatic and Hindustani ragas. Naturally, flutes are a universal instrument. Indian musical experts state that this particular song is performed in Natabhairavi, a Carnatic raga. Apparently, two talas were employed in this song, one after the other, to express the discordant emotions conveyed in the scene. 
In the scene, the protagonist, a mentally disturbed man who grew up witnessing his mother repeatedly being abused by his father while keeping a mistress, develops an intense aversion to women, especially sex workers. A psychiatrist suggests that he should get married. When a girl he proposes to declines his advances, he turns into a kidnapper. He confines the woman in a bungalow to coerce her into submission. Realising that resistance is futile, she tries to put up a front in front of him. She pretends to show genuine interest in him while the kidnapper pours out his heart. Reflecting these emotions, the tune is designed to oscillate between creating an uneasy feeling and an outpouring of emotions; between anxiety and love.
The song is played in the minor chord (Aeolian scale) of melancholy, often associated with sadness and break-ups. There is inherent loneliness and despair in both parties. The girl had her intentions to escape her captor, and the man had his tumultuous emotions and bottled-up rage. This is not a happy love song. There is no jubilation. It is a glimpse into the mind of a madman. The melody and lyrics are not mere fillers to complement the film score but serve to reinforce the story and reveal what is not explicitly stated in the lines.
This is Illayaraja's 100th film, in which he composed the songs. It belongs to one of the rare genres of Tamil cinema—a psychological thriller written in the vein of Alfred Hitchcock's 'Psycho'. Like Norman Bates, the protagonist kills women and keeps the remains of his dead mother under the sheet. 
Here's a little trivia. The initial tune he submitted for this scene was 'Iniya Nila Pozhikirathu' (இனிய நிலா பொழிகிறது). However, it was rejected by the director because it sounded too cheerful and optimistic. This song was later utilised in another film, Payanangal Mudivatharvillai, which also became a hit song. Gangai Amaran, Illayaraja's brother, composed the lyrics, and KJ Yesudas lent his melodic voice to the final version.
Reference: Youtube: Oru Naal Pothuma Ep 186
Sad love song!
Hopeful love song!

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Not illegal, just skirting the truth.

Illegal (1955)
Director: Lewis Allen

https://www.blu-ray.com/Illegal/331947/I ended up watching this film after seeing Mariska Hargitay's documentary about her mother, Jayne Mansfield. This must be one of Jayne Mansfield's earlier films, in which she played a minor role.

It is observed that Mansfield's character reflects that of Marilyn Monroe in 'Asphalt Jungle', another noir film. From the beginning, viewers are given an impression of how the law can be so flexible that it can be bent to suit the perspectives of the articulate speaker and a clever lawyer. An innocent man is sentenced to death, only for the actual perpetrator to make a dying declaration. His confession arrived too late, as it could not prevent the execution. Even though everything was done legally, the reality was that an innocent person was dead.

Then, the said lawyer, who had won the case as the prosecuting officer, after going on a drinking binge, defends another man in court illegally when someone boasts that he is a professional boxer and cannot be defeated. The lawyer punches him with rolled-up coins under his clenched hand to make his point.

Lawyers often manipulate the law to serve their own interests. When the mentioned lawyer transitions into private practice, an accountant arrives at his office with a stash of money. He had misappropriated funds from his firm. Here, we see how the clever lawyer shields his client from prosecution while protecting the accountant's employers from the embarrassment of losing the client's money. He does all this not to uphold justice but to prioritise his personal gains. Above all, he ensures he receives his professional fees first. Therefore, a lawyer works for his own benefit, bending the law and the truth to suit himself and his client, but certainly not in pursuit of universal justice.

The story shows him becoming involved with the local mob. Ironically, he ends up working for, unwittingly, the same person he once despised as a prosecutor. The film highlights his theatrical antics in a different trial. His client is accused of poisoning someone and causing their death. To demonstrate that the supposed poison was harmless, the lawyer drinks the contents of the bottle displayed during the trial as Exhibit A. This casts doubt on the chemist's report to the court, allowing his client to evade conviction. What no one else knew was that the lawyer left during an expected recess, due to the uproar caused by his antics, to undergo stomach lavage and evacuate the poison from his system. 

So, when lawyers say that having adequate legal redress is a human right, what they really mean is that we should find a way to get you out. Nothing more, nothing less! Jayne Mansfield portrays a dumb blonde musician and mistress who gets tossed around like a ragdoll but rises to the occasion when her conscience pricks. 

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Talk they do!

The Argumentative Indian
(Writings on Indian History, Culture and Identity)
Author: Amartya Sen (2005)
https://www.amazon.in/
Argumentative-Indian-
Writings-History-Identity
/dp/0141012110The teachings of my history teacher, LKK, in Form 3 still ring as clear as a bell to this day. Comparing India's fight for independence to the Opium War in China, he pointed out that the primary difference between China and India was the written language. No doubt, each part of China had their unique dialects, and a person from one end of the country may not be able to communicate with another person at the other end; they could thank Emperor Shih Huang Ti for giving a unified script. 
India's predicament was that it was not only divided by language but also by writing. Each region had its own spoken language and its own scripts as well. The British found it very convenient to employ their 'divide-and-rule' tactic. What LKK failed to mention was that Indians were argumentative, even among themselves. 
They have been arguing about everything for a long time. With scant understanding of the events happening around them, they try to make sense of what they see. Unlike a multiple-choice question, its answers are not fixed; the interpretation of weather, space, and beyond is anyone's guess. For ages, Indians have been dedicated to defending their POV, making it a national pastime. 
Adi Shankara, a sage in the 8th century CE, is said to have travelled to the four corners of India, thereby marking the boundaries of the subcontinent. He engaged in numerous debates with renowned scholars from various philosophical schools to explore unanswered questions about Nature, space, life, and the virtues of daily living. Shankara, from the South, of the Advaita Vedanta tradition, believed that our consciousness is an extension of the concept of God. In other words, our Atma is part of the Great Consciousness, Paramathma. He used to participate in month-long, intense discourses across Bharat. His famous debate was with Vardana Misra. Misra was from the Mimamsa school, which studies the Veda and attempts to interpret the Vedic texts and our actions (karma).
The famous debate between Shankara and Misra was presided over by Misra's wife, Ubhay Bharati. She was also a renowned scholar. When Madana Misra was finally cornered, she took her husband's place to continue the discussion. It is said that both the husband and wife later joined Adi Shankara's school. 
Pattimandram
https://www.flickr.com/photos/5095607...This tradition of debating simple topics related to daily life can often be seen on Tamil cable networks. One of the popular shows here is 'Pattimandram', hosted by scholars fluent in Tamil and various local speakers. Some speakers actually earn a living by speaking at different events in various towns throughout the year. Their mastery of the language is impeccable, and their stage presence is electric. The show leaves everyone in stitches and offers mental nourishment. 
Another example of the argumentative Indian is aptly illustrated by India's Republic TV and, more recently, by most Indian YouTube news channels. It is common to see multiple small screens, each with people shouting loudly to prove their points. It often results in the anchor having the final say, while other viewpoints are simply lost in the noise. 
A debate between a charioteer and a warrior who developed cold feet on the eve of the war, which would pit cousins and uncles against each other, evolved into a lengthy holy scripture on virtue and worldly obligations. It is the Bhagavad Gita. Imagine a single counselling session extending to 700 verses, divided into 18 chapters. Not only that. The Bhagavad Gita is actually part of a larger epic, the Mahabharata, which is seven times longer than the Iliad and the Odyssey put together. It is filled with dialogues, dilemmas, and alternative perspectives. The incessant arguments and counter-arguments spread over volumes of debates and disputes make readers convinced that truth is not a singular concept, but is a spectrum. Arjuna's hesitation about going to war may actually carry some weight, as the post-Kurukshetra era reveals carnage and tragedy that will be remembered by generations to come. The Pandavas and Kauravas were never the same. Even Krishna's descendants became decadent and wayward. There is a case against just 'just doing it' and 'hesitating'.
The humiliation of Draupadi
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi...
Vastraharan,_Raja_Ravi_Varma.jpgWhen the world discusses India, the favourite bashing is on its perceived injustice based on gender, caste and treatment of its minorities.
When it comes to gender equality, at a time when women in other parts of the world were seen but not heard, Indian women played pivotal roles in their societies. An essential character in the Mahabharata, Draupadi, is not just a pretty figure but a wife to five husbands. The Upanishads tell the story of a sharp, intellectual female interrogator named Gargi. Jhansi Rani and many female warriors fought valiantly against the tyranny of the invaders. In 1925 and 1933, the Indian National Congress Party appointed a female President. For the record, the British had their first woman leader of a major British political party in 1975 with Margaret Thatcher.
India had its own complicated system of labour distribution. It ensured the proper functioning of society. The changes in the world economy and the intrusion of foreign powers, who attempted to simplify the system using their own yardstick, created a cruel caste system. It started a hierarchical system based on one's birth. 
India's internal societal reforms had started addressing the issue. Various offshoots of Hinduism, like Buddhism and Jainism, were reactionary movements against Brahminical orthodoxy. The Hindu Bhakti movement and Sufis tried to break social barriers. Many philosophers, poets, and thinkers were from non-Brahmanical groups. Vyasa was a fisherwoman's son. Vyasa was a reformed thief.
Prolixity is not something alien to Indians, it seems. They love to talk. In one interview, Sadhguru, the new-age guru, was complaining. He was saying that all the chaiwallas (tea sellers) knew about everything. I suppose that applies to all professions too, such as barbers, taxi drivers, and milk sellers. Sadhguru went on to say that they are well-versed in politics, governance, scandals, cricket, Bollywood gossip, and inside information about the world's best-kept secrets. The only thing he did not know too well was how to make good tea!
VK KrishnaMenon
https://images.app.goo.gl/joZkADWkx3d...Another glaring example is how VK Krishna Menon of India delivered the longest speech ever given before the UN Security Council. In 1957, over the course of two days, he delivered two speeches, totalling approximately eight hours, on India's position regarding Kashmir. Even he could not stand his own talk. He soon collapsed after the speech.
Free speech and the freedom to express oneself are not exclusive to the West. It had been part and parcel of Indian and Eastern tradition. The richness of the tradition of argument makes a significant difference to subcontinental lives today. Persistent arguments form an essential part of the people here. Democracy is closely tied to public discussion and interactive reasoning.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

A hidden family secret!

My Mom Jayne (2025) Produced and Directed: Marishka Hargitay
https://www.hbo.com/movies/my-mom-jay...I thought it would be one of those soap operas about a daughter losing her mother too soon and how she had an incomplete life growing up without her mother. True, it covers all of that, but it also encompasses much more.
To begin, this documentary was presented by Mariska Hargitay, who is closely associated with the long-running TV police procedural drama 'Law & Order: SVU'. (For Mike Myers fans, she is also remembered in 'The Love Guru' as Myers' obsession).
Mariska Hargitay is the daughter of Jayne Mansfield, the sultry star of 1960s Hollywood, and her second husband, Mickey Hargitay, a Hungarian-born bodybuilder. Jayne was married three times and had a few affairs in between. In 1967, she was killed in a car accident when the vehicle she was travelling in collided with the back of a truck. She was accompanied by three of her children and her solicitor, with whom she was dating. The crash was severe, with the car sliced at the top as it went under the truck, leading to rumours that Mansfield was decapitated. She was not. The children, including Mariska, who were travelling with her, survived. The three adults lost their lives. It is believed that after their tragic accident, Americans made it compulsory for tractor-trailers to be fitted with 'Mansfield Bars', underride guards designed to prevent cars from sliding underneath in collisions.
https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/...-
infamous-sophia-loren-jayne-mansfield-photoBy that time, Jayne was already divorced from her second husband, Mickey Hargitay, as well as her third husband. Mickey and his new wife took in all the children as their own. Mariska was especially close to her father, Mickey. Mariska, the fourth child, was three when her mother died and naturally has no recollection of the times spent with her mother. Because of the press's constant gossip, rumours, and vilification of Jayne Mansfield's life and accident, Mickey forbade the children from reading anything about their mother. Any information Mariska received about their mother was through her elder sister (#1), who was fourteen years her senior. Mariska revealed a secret she had kept close to her heart for 30 years in this documentary. That is indeed what draws the crowd to the show. When she was 25, she was invited by a Jayne Mansfield fan to view his collection of pictures. It was here that she was aware of the circulating rumour that Mariska could be Nelson Sardelli's daughter. During the tail-end of Mansfield's marriage to Mickey, she was having an open affair with a stage entertainer. Their affair ended soon after she became pregnant, and she returned to Mickey.  https://koolfmabilene.com/the-story-b...-
bars-on-semi-trucks-ties-into-a-famous-actress/
Hariska met Sardelli, and finally, the cat was out of the bag. Sardelli was indeed the father, and Mickey filled in the gap. The rest of the documentary is about an outpouring of emotions upon meeting a lost father, appreciating the magnanimity of Hargitay, and trying to understand the mind of her mother, who has gone through a lot, juggling motherhood with succeeding as a successful, yet somewhat stereotypical, blonde on screen. For the record, Mansfield was no dumb blonde. She is said to have an IQ of between 149 and 163. She could also play the violin and the piano at a high performance level.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

To the Land of Smiles!

Epic Ride 2025 - Cross Border

Now that cyclists in Malaysia (and Singapore) are labelled 'bad boys', as shown by the many disparaging comments from netizens, the only sensible option is to take our cycling elsewhere. Just as everything in life, this too shall pass. It all started when a group of cyclists riding side by side on a highway was honked at by a bus driver. Taking it personally, the cyclists stopped the bus afterwards and gave the driver a piece of their mind. The confrontation was recorded by someone and quickly went viral on social media. To be fair, it is cycling 101 to ride in a single file.

The real reason why netizens are up in arms against the cyclist is class envy. From its humble beginnings as an affordable means of transportation for the economically disadvantaged, the bicycle has evolved into a symbol of luxury and style. Nowadays, one of these niche machines may cost more than an average motorcycle. At a time when everyone needs to tighten their belts, the sight of these bourgeoisie flaunting their babies during the weekend, when the Joe Plumber has to work extra time to bring home the bacon, may appear like the most cruel thing possible.

To rub salt into the wound during the pandemic, when human contact was outlawed, cycling was the only recreational sport allowed; no running, hiking, swimming, or even travelling in the same car with one's own spouse. Cyclists could continue.

Starting point

Perlis, the northernmost state on the Peninsula, welcomes everyone this year. It is their 'visit Perlis year', hoping to generate income for the state, squeezed between two giants, Kedah, with its Langkawi, and Thailand. Langkawi has its duty-free status, while Thailand has, well, everything else in between. So Perlis ushered in everybody with open arms.

The 'Epic Ride- Cross Border' was celebrating its 10th anniversary. It included many repeat offenders in its entourage this time around. Many returned for this excellent organisation and its 'happy-go-lucky' attitude towards problems, as well as its approach with a pleasant smile.

The participants congregated on Friday evening, July 18, at Tok Mek Restaurant, Beseri, in Perlis, for a briefing and fellowship over traditional Northern Malay dishes, including ulam, belacan, tom yam, and rice. After mapping out the instructions, everyone was good to go the next morning. All in all, 52 cyclists took to their saddles, including four German riders, many Singaporeans and a couple of Indonesians.

Although the rest of the country viewed cyclists as a nuisance, here they were treated with respect. The State even had the Deputy Chief Minister flag off the cyclist quite early the following morning. That too, just because the Chief Minister was away in the capital. If not, he would have done it himself. 

Day 1 - Beseri to Hat Yai via Wang Kelian

A light breakfast of nasi lemak, the favourite Malaysian breakfast meal, and everyone was good to go. The stuporous post-prandial intoxication disappeared suddenly just about an hour after heading towards the Wang Kelian immigration checkpoint. A continuous, steep 2.3 km climb with an ascent of about 12% in some portions awaited us. This stretch saw hardcore cyclists being sifted away from the novices. Many got down from their machines to push their way up. That was the only challenging climb throughout the two-day ride. The others were mere rolling hills.

Grind, grind, grind...

The descent after the first climb was equally challenging, with steep, sharp declines and perilously sharp bends, adding considerable strain to brakes, tyres, and the rider's tenacity. Soon afterwards, we reached the immigration checkpoint. Crossing the border was a breeze with minimal fanfare - just show your passport, look into the camera without your glasses and helmet, and you are off Scot-free. No inspection of vehicles or no digital traveller card was requested.

We were already about 30km into the journey by then. The rest of the journey was more mental than anything else. The Sun was already slowly rearing its ugly head, and the roads were quite bare, with no shady scenic trees lining the roads. Cyclist had to keep a careful eye on their fluid balance and their caloric intake. The first proper water station only appeared at the 55 km mark at Ban Thung Nui. The coconut water that the 'Thailand Tourism Authority' sponsored lived up to its divine status conferred in many tropical countries. It was truly God sent. Hey, even the Tourism Board of Thailand was excited to see us and have us as their guests. Not our own netizens, how sad.

One aspect that warrants special mention is the state of Thailand's roads. The quality of Thai roads is definitely better planned and constructed from better materials, or at least a proper proportion, leaving nothing to be desired in terms of cutting corners. The WhatsApp University taught me that to make good roads, contractors have to ensure the base of the roads is completely flattened by a street roller, leaving no holes or stones, as these would be niduses for future cracks on the road and later potholes. Another thing is that the makers must use an adequate amount of tar that glues all the components of the road in place. Sadly, Malaysia, which once boasted of having the best roads in the world, can now just cry, living in the memory of the legacy that the British had left, as they have royally screwed it up in the name of race politics.

Pit StopIn some stretches, there was hardly any activity on the road. At the back of their minds, cyclists wondered if they had taken a wrong turning somewhere. Luckily, the occasional yellow-red arrow sign that the organisers put up popped up regularly to give some assurance that they were on course. 

The second water station was located at the 80 km mark, near Ban Na Luek. Again, it was a mind game. Pedalling like an automaton, under the heat of the scorching Sun along pencil-straight linear roads, was a matter of mind controlling the somatic functions.

Finally, after 5 hours and 53 minutes, the first cyclist reached the finishing point at Sakura Budget Hotel, Hat Yai, where the cyclists would spend the night to unwind and rejuvenate their weary limbs, gathering enough energy for their return trip the following day. We had cycled a total of approximately 130 km and 660m of elevation.

Day 2 - Hat Yai to Beseri via Padang Besar

Rise and Shine. The Thais, as gracious hosts, had tables full of breakfast options, from fried rice to bread and Thai cakes. The only thing stopping the cyclists from overindulging was the thought of cycling back to base, with memories of the previous day still fresh in everyone's minds. At about 8:30 a.m., even the Deputy Mayor of Hat Yai was excited to see us and bid us farewell. Wait, was he happy to see us leave? 

The return leg was gentler. The terrain was flatter, with an elevation of 423m, covering over 88 km. The cyclists were invited to grace their presence at two pit stops. At the 20km mark, the water station at Tha Pho of Sadao was the place to savour some Thai mangosteens and local traditional delicacies. All of this was enjoyed while taking in the lake view from Sanan Lan Thong Grand Resort under the auspices of the Thailand Tourism Board once again. After a short break, we were flagged off again, and following a photo session, we were escorted by police to the main road, continuing our journey to a small town called Prik.

At Prik, Southern Thailand

The Chairman of the Prik town council was very excited to see us. The small town has an 80% Muslim population and lives peacefully alongside others, within the framework of the Thai constitution. The Chairman wanted us to act as ambassadors for better relations between the two countries, as I gathered from his Thai-Malay-accented speech, and was proud to show us the grand town administrative office, affectionately called 'The White House' because of its regal appearance and resemblance to the real one. After another photo shoot with the Chairman and his jing bang, we were ready to leave. 

The weather had been mild throughout the day, almost until we approached the check post at Padang Besar. As if Thailand were sad to see us go, the Thai skies wept buckets of rain. Again, immigration was a breeze. The final stretch within Perlis, sadly, was not. Like a bridge too far, the finish line was nowhere to be seen. Everyone constantly compares any small country to the size of Perlis. Even that minuscule piece of land is not so small, we soon realised. Almost 20 kilometres after crossing the border, we arrived at Tok Mek Restaurant, where everything had begun a day earlier. That marked the end of a fruitful expedition to the Land of Smiles, where cyclists were warmly welcomed. 

White House in Thailand?

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.