Farouk Gulsara's Blog, page 93
May 22, 2020
Still relevant today
Pakistan or Partition of India (1940, Revised 1945)
B.R. Ambedkar
Dr Ambedkar is often voted as the single most important icon of India, surpassing Gandhi and the members of the Nehru clan. He has been described as one of the most erudite people from the subcontinent. He is credited with the drafting of the Indian Constitution. One of his many books that seem to be ahead of its times and is especially relevant in these trying times of identity politics is this one.
It was written at the tumultuous times when India was fighting a war for the British while at the same time, in the local front struggling for self-rule. Like two siblings fighting for the coveted candy from their parents, it was a time when Muslims were fighting for a separate nation. The Hindus wanted to keep it that way as it had been since time immemorial.
As early as 630AD, through the writings of the travelling Buddhist monk, Hsuan Tang (Xuanzang), the Indian subcontinent had been described to spread from Afghanistan. The 8th-century Indian philosopher, via his travels to the four corners of the country, had demarcated the extent of India. So, to carve out part of the country, for sentimental reasons, is considered sacrilege.
Char Dham (4 Abodes) - Holy pilgrim sitesas described by Adi Shankaracharya fromKerala who united the nation of India throughhis travels and philosophical debates to allfour corners of the country.From the 8th century onwards, waves upon waves of Muslim invaders infiltrated from the North changing the landscape of the country altogether. It is said the destruction of various gems of knowledge were burnt to the ground. Temples were desecrated and looted. Then on it was a series of the path of destruction with kingdoms rising and falling, each new warrior claiming to protect their way of life. Finally, the British East India Company put the final death knell to the once glorious land.
By the time the British were ruling India, the dichotomy between the Hindus and Muslims were quite pronounced. The wealthy Muslims who prospered when the Mogul Emperor was ruling had all lost their influence. At about that time, the Ottoman Empire, the sick man of Europe, was no worthy representative of the past glory of the religion. There was a dire need amongst the elite group to reignite this.
The last time, the Hindus and Muslims join forces to combat a common enemy was during the Sepoy Mutiny in 1857. The Colonial Master must have noticed this and using their time-tested 'divide-and-rule' tactic, they managed to create distrust between the two sides. So, when Independence was fought for, the Muslims were fervent on distrusting the Hindus. They claimed that they would get fair treatment in a country dominated by a Hindu majority. Hence, the call for a Muslim nation called Pakistan began as early as the 1930s. The calls for Islamic union started with Khalifat movement in 1919. They were sympathisers of the Ottoman Empire but were disappointed when Turkey became a republic instead of re-establishing an Islamic Empire.
Babasaheb Ambedkar was in a unique position to be the best person to critically evaluate all the merits and demerits of creating a Muslimraj nation. He, having the brunt of the discriminations hurled upon for being a Dalit and a Hindu, knows too well about the downside of the ugly treatment of the backward castes in a Hindu community. Being one who delved in different religions (before his mass conversion later), he is also well versed in the Islamic scriptures. Armed with this knowledge, he went on to discuss whether Partition should happen and what are the dangers should Pakistan were not created, from a Hindu and Muslim perspective.
Ambedkar had a lot of criticisms about Gandhi's way of going about getting Swaraj from the British. His cooperation with the Khalifat Movement and his back-bending means of appeasing to their whims and fancies were frowned upon. His inactions after the Mopla Rebellion in Kerala and the use of his secret weapon, fasting, for political gain and Indian unity were admonished.
The Hindus, at least the ones in the upper crust (caste) of the society were mostly against Partition. Many wanted to maintain the status quo by clinging on to the civil service. Creation of a new nation would mean loss of their status. They were happy with Muslims living in India within pockets of Muslim majorities. They felt they would be fair.
The French-speaking and the English-speaking Canadian can live together. So can the English and the Boers in South Africa. And Switzerland has a harmonious mix of French, Italians and Germans in their populace. During the writing of the book, Czechoslovakia was living proof that two ethnicities, Czechs and Slovaks can come together as a country.
But, at the same time, in the case of Czechoslovakia, trouble can start from within. Like the Sudeten German who engaged Hitler to march into their country.
Ambedkar accused the Muslim of unable to show nationalism or nationalistic spirit. For them, there is the only allegiance to religion. The religious tie of Islam is the strongest in humanity. There was no assurance that Pakistan would be fair to their non-Muslim minorities and vice versa.
The author was also worried that what was left of India could even disintegrate. Unlike proposed Pakistan with a universal language of Urdu (and religion), India was a potpourri of cultures and languages.
On top of all of the above, India had to deal with the bad foreign press. He quoted a 1927 novel 'Mother India' which was written by a Miss Mayo who was quick to paint a horrible picture of traditional Hindu way of life - child brides, widowhood etc. It created great dissatisfaction in India. The story was rewritten later and made into a blockbuster movie in 1957 to instil nationalism.
To conclude, in the epilogue, the author took the stand that it was inevitable that Partition should happen. Even though India had survived a cultural basket for generations, the creation of two nations was not pre-destined but a deliberate attempt to emphasise the difference when it was more beneficial to find commonalities.
Communal antagonism is present everywhere. We should learn to embrace each other's differences.
https://etouch-jayanthinathan.blogspot.com/2017/05/pakistan-or-partition-of-india-by-dr-br.html
https://medium.com/@PranavSJ/book-review-pakistan-or-the-partition-of-india-by-dr-babasaheb-ambedkar-80f75dc5d368
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
http://asok22.wix.com/real-lesson
http://.facebook.com/farouk.gulsara
www.riflerangeboy.com
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
B.R. Ambedkar
Dr Ambedkar is often voted as the single most important icon of India, surpassing Gandhi and the members of the Nehru clan. He has been described as one of the most erudite people from the subcontinent. He is credited with the drafting of the Indian Constitution. One of his many books that seem to be ahead of its times and is especially relevant in these trying times of identity politics is this one. It was written at the tumultuous times when India was fighting a war for the British while at the same time, in the local front struggling for self-rule. Like two siblings fighting for the coveted candy from their parents, it was a time when Muslims were fighting for a separate nation. The Hindus wanted to keep it that way as it had been since time immemorial.
As early as 630AD, through the writings of the travelling Buddhist monk, Hsuan Tang (Xuanzang), the Indian subcontinent had been described to spread from Afghanistan. The 8th-century Indian philosopher, via his travels to the four corners of the country, had demarcated the extent of India. So, to carve out part of the country, for sentimental reasons, is considered sacrilege.
Char Dham (4 Abodes) - Holy pilgrim sitesas described by Adi Shankaracharya fromKerala who united the nation of India throughhis travels and philosophical debates to allfour corners of the country.From the 8th century onwards, waves upon waves of Muslim invaders infiltrated from the North changing the landscape of the country altogether. It is said the destruction of various gems of knowledge were burnt to the ground. Temples were desecrated and looted. Then on it was a series of the path of destruction with kingdoms rising and falling, each new warrior claiming to protect their way of life. Finally, the British East India Company put the final death knell to the once glorious land.By the time the British were ruling India, the dichotomy between the Hindus and Muslims were quite pronounced. The wealthy Muslims who prospered when the Mogul Emperor was ruling had all lost their influence. At about that time, the Ottoman Empire, the sick man of Europe, was no worthy representative of the past glory of the religion. There was a dire need amongst the elite group to reignite this.
The last time, the Hindus and Muslims join forces to combat a common enemy was during the Sepoy Mutiny in 1857. The Colonial Master must have noticed this and using their time-tested 'divide-and-rule' tactic, they managed to create distrust between the two sides. So, when Independence was fought for, the Muslims were fervent on distrusting the Hindus. They claimed that they would get fair treatment in a country dominated by a Hindu majority. Hence, the call for a Muslim nation called Pakistan began as early as the 1930s. The calls for Islamic union started with Khalifat movement in 1919. They were sympathisers of the Ottoman Empire but were disappointed when Turkey became a republic instead of re-establishing an Islamic Empire.
Babasaheb Ambedkar was in a unique position to be the best person to critically evaluate all the merits and demerits of creating a Muslimraj nation. He, having the brunt of the discriminations hurled upon for being a Dalit and a Hindu, knows too well about the downside of the ugly treatment of the backward castes in a Hindu community. Being one who delved in different religions (before his mass conversion later), he is also well versed in the Islamic scriptures. Armed with this knowledge, he went on to discuss whether Partition should happen and what are the dangers should Pakistan were not created, from a Hindu and Muslim perspective.
Ambedkar had a lot of criticisms about Gandhi's way of going about getting Swaraj from the British. His cooperation with the Khalifat Movement and his back-bending means of appeasing to their whims and fancies were frowned upon. His inactions after the Mopla Rebellion in Kerala and the use of his secret weapon, fasting, for political gain and Indian unity were admonished.
The Hindus, at least the ones in the upper crust (caste) of the society were mostly against Partition. Many wanted to maintain the status quo by clinging on to the civil service. Creation of a new nation would mean loss of their status. They were happy with Muslims living in India within pockets of Muslim majorities. They felt they would be fair.
The French-speaking and the English-speaking Canadian can live together. So can the English and the Boers in South Africa. And Switzerland has a harmonious mix of French, Italians and Germans in their populace. During the writing of the book, Czechoslovakia was living proof that two ethnicities, Czechs and Slovaks can come together as a country.But, at the same time, in the case of Czechoslovakia, trouble can start from within. Like the Sudeten German who engaged Hitler to march into their country.
Ambedkar accused the Muslim of unable to show nationalism or nationalistic spirit. For them, there is the only allegiance to religion. The religious tie of Islam is the strongest in humanity. There was no assurance that Pakistan would be fair to their non-Muslim minorities and vice versa.
The author was also worried that what was left of India could even disintegrate. Unlike proposed Pakistan with a universal language of Urdu (and religion), India was a potpourri of cultures and languages.
On top of all of the above, India had to deal with the bad foreign press. He quoted a 1927 novel 'Mother India' which was written by a Miss Mayo who was quick to paint a horrible picture of traditional Hindu way of life - child brides, widowhood etc. It created great dissatisfaction in India. The story was rewritten later and made into a blockbuster movie in 1957 to instil nationalism.
To conclude, in the epilogue, the author took the stand that it was inevitable that Partition should happen. Even though India had survived a cultural basket for generations, the creation of two nations was not pre-destined but a deliberate attempt to emphasise the difference when it was more beneficial to find commonalities.
Communal antagonism is present everywhere. We should learn to embrace each other's differences.
https://etouch-jayanthinathan.blogspot.com/2017/05/pakistan-or-partition-of-india-by-dr-br.html
https://medium.com/@PranavSJ/book-review-pakistan-or-the-partition-of-india-by-dr-babasaheb-ambedkar-80f75dc5d368
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. http://asok22.wix.com/real-lesson
http://.facebook.com/farouk.gulsara
www.riflerangeboy.com
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
May 20, 2020
“Where We Go One We Go All”
White Squall (1996)
In my teen years, I remember helping an older teenager to organise a religious outing for a group of children. We were to arrange for a bus to get the kids to the other side of town for Sivarathri prayers. As it involved overnight event, somebody thought that verbal consent was not sufficient. Each participant was asked to get their parents to sign a release form. We got the replies promptly from all except one. It seemed his father, an Army man, refused to sign the consent form and wanted to see the organisers. That was the first time I was exposed to an unreasonable person who thought that the whole world out there was just out to kidnap his child. His coveted son did not make it to the prayers as we could not convince his father. Later in life, the calculating father must have miscalculated his drinking habits and succumbed to the effects of the bottle. The obedient son was also devastated much later, in an unrelated event, when he woke up one fine morning to discover that his wife of ten years had absconded with her lover and he was left to care for their three young children.
The motto of Albatross
'where we go one, we go all.'
(inscribed on the bell on JFK's boat)There must surely be three ways to raise children - the hippie style, the helicopter type and the one in between. The helicopter type of parents would be the ones who put their children in a bubble, trying to protect them for adversities in life, but the offspring end up as a mimosa pudica. The hippie one would want their kids to be in sync with Nature. All the falls and bruises, in their minds, would make them anti-fragile.
This movie depicts the story of 15-year-old boys who went on a character-building expedition aboard an ill-fated sailing vessel, Albatross. This is based on a true story in 1961. Imagine 14 students of different background in 1960 allowed by their parent to make a man of themselves by sailing all the way from the Bahamas through the Caribbean. They were under the tutelage of four experienced crewmen. Unfortunately, the Albatross capsised after encountering a white squall (a sudden and violent windstorm at sea), killing two crew members and four teenagers.
Later investigations suggested that the Albatross probably lost its balance due to the additional fittings that had been affixed on her. Albatross actually is an old vessel. She started her service back in 1920 in the Netherlands as a pilot boat in the North Sea. During the WW2, she served as a radio-station ship for submarines. After the war, she was a trainer for Dutch sea-merchants. In 1954, she was brought to the U.S. and was featured in a few Hollywood blockbusters. Her final stint was preparing college students in sail training. The refitting, over the years by her owners, must have made her' top heavy' which jeopardised her stability when encountering the storm.
This movie is mentioned as one of President Trump's favourite film, even though he was quoted to have said to have enjoyed 'Citizen Kane' and 'Gone with the Wind'. (Definitely, not 'Parasite'). I think the conspiracy theorists would like to believe so. Many of the lines in this movie have been used by Q-Anon as Q-drops for his followers to pick up and draw conclusions. The bell on board had inscriptions which read 'where we go one, we go all'.
Interestingly, this is the recurrent motif that appears in social media post as hashtag #WWG1WGA. Q-Anon and followers promise that Trump, the chosen leader and his team, will expose the evil plan of the Cabal and offset the agenda of the New World Order. A skipper is as good as his crew.
N.B. "Where We Go One We Go All" was inscribed on the bell on JFK's boat. It is a rallying cry for unity, and now headlines an extraordinary set of events.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
http://asok22.wix.com/real-lesson
http://.facebook.com/farouk.gulsara
www.riflerangeboy.com
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
In my teen years, I remember helping an older teenager to organise a religious outing for a group of children. We were to arrange for a bus to get the kids to the other side of town for Sivarathri prayers. As it involved overnight event, somebody thought that verbal consent was not sufficient. Each participant was asked to get their parents to sign a release form. We got the replies promptly from all except one. It seemed his father, an Army man, refused to sign the consent form and wanted to see the organisers. That was the first time I was exposed to an unreasonable person who thought that the whole world out there was just out to kidnap his child. His coveted son did not make it to the prayers as we could not convince his father. Later in life, the calculating father must have miscalculated his drinking habits and succumbed to the effects of the bottle. The obedient son was also devastated much later, in an unrelated event, when he woke up one fine morning to discover that his wife of ten years had absconded with her lover and he was left to care for their three young children.
The motto of Albatross'where we go one, we go all.'
(inscribed on the bell on JFK's boat)There must surely be three ways to raise children - the hippie style, the helicopter type and the one in between. The helicopter type of parents would be the ones who put their children in a bubble, trying to protect them for adversities in life, but the offspring end up as a mimosa pudica. The hippie one would want their kids to be in sync with Nature. All the falls and bruises, in their minds, would make them anti-fragile.
This movie depicts the story of 15-year-old boys who went on a character-building expedition aboard an ill-fated sailing vessel, Albatross. This is based on a true story in 1961. Imagine 14 students of different background in 1960 allowed by their parent to make a man of themselves by sailing all the way from the Bahamas through the Caribbean. They were under the tutelage of four experienced crewmen. Unfortunately, the Albatross capsised after encountering a white squall (a sudden and violent windstorm at sea), killing two crew members and four teenagers.
Later investigations suggested that the Albatross probably lost its balance due to the additional fittings that had been affixed on her. Albatross actually is an old vessel. She started her service back in 1920 in the Netherlands as a pilot boat in the North Sea. During the WW2, she served as a radio-station ship for submarines. After the war, she was a trainer for Dutch sea-merchants. In 1954, she was brought to the U.S. and was featured in a few Hollywood blockbusters. Her final stint was preparing college students in sail training. The refitting, over the years by her owners, must have made her' top heavy' which jeopardised her stability when encountering the storm.
This movie is mentioned as one of President Trump's favourite film, even though he was quoted to have said to have enjoyed 'Citizen Kane' and 'Gone with the Wind'. (Definitely, not 'Parasite'). I think the conspiracy theorists would like to believe so. Many of the lines in this movie have been used by Q-Anon as Q-drops for his followers to pick up and draw conclusions. The bell on board had inscriptions which read 'where we go one, we go all'.Interestingly, this is the recurrent motif that appears in social media post as hashtag #WWG1WGA. Q-Anon and followers promise that Trump, the chosen leader and his team, will expose the evil plan of the Cabal and offset the agenda of the New World Order. A skipper is as good as his crew.
N.B. "Where We Go One We Go All" was inscribed on the bell on JFK's boat. It is a rallying cry for unity, and now headlines an extraordinary set of events.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. http://asok22.wix.com/real-lesson
http://.facebook.com/farouk.gulsara
www.riflerangeboy.com
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
May 18, 2020
Start a revolution from my bed?
Hunt for Red October (1990)
Many keyboard warriors are so convinced by what they see online. They fail to understand why others are so dumb (in their eyes, of course). To them, truth our there is as clear as day. And everyone else just ought to follow, no questions asked. What these modern warriors or influencers, as they are referred to these days, need to know is that sometimes we become too blinded with our beliefs that we fail to practice mindfulness. They should wear another hat and maybe a different colour lens, other than rose, to get a different perspective on things. A revolution cannot be started by an army of one. It begins with the revolution of the collective minds and hearts of the people. This change is difficult, more so in modern times, as we are so divided by ideologies, cultures, faiths and identity.
This film is based on Tom Clancy's 1984 novel which in turn was loosely based on Soviet Union's 1975 attempted mutiny aboard a warship. In the 1975 revolt, a brand-new Russian frigate, Storozhevoy, is hijacked by its Third Rank Captain, Valery Sablin. He was convinced that Leonid Brezhnev's Soviet Union had lost its original Leninist's visions. The system was plagued with corruption and lies. Sablin wanted to use the hijack as a political statement to stir the Russian to engage in its Second Revolution. His plan fell flat, and he and his fellow men were incarcerated.
StorozhevoyIn the book and the film version, the warship was changed to a spanking new state-of-art nuclear-powered radar-escaping submarine. A rogue Russian Captain uses the invincibility of the sub to defect to the USA. The problem is the US Navy does not know of his intention and are wary of the intrusion of a Russian submarine in international waters. At the same time, the Russian authorities realise the rogue Captain's plan. The Russians are at wit's end to stop the Americans from laying their hands on Russia's highly advanced submarine.
The highly suspenseful drama describes how the US Navy manages to save the day. They help the Russian crew to defect, rescue the submarine and embarrass the Russian at their own game.
It is naive to believe that truth will always prevail in the end. Things in real life are much more convoluted than that. The power brokers, financiers, the leaders, big pharma companies and the media moguls have the final say of how history ought to be written. Poetic justice and honesty are left to pacify the romantics. It is the rule of the majority. Annoyance from the minority can be easily boomeranged back to the senders by the powers that be (spoiler alert).
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
http://asok22.wix.com/real-lesson
http://.facebook.com/farouk.gulsara
www.riflerangeboy.com
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Many keyboard warriors are so convinced by what they see online. They fail to understand why others are so dumb (in their eyes, of course). To them, truth our there is as clear as day. And everyone else just ought to follow, no questions asked. What these modern warriors or influencers, as they are referred to these days, need to know is that sometimes we become too blinded with our beliefs that we fail to practice mindfulness. They should wear another hat and maybe a different colour lens, other than rose, to get a different perspective on things. A revolution cannot be started by an army of one. It begins with the revolution of the collective minds and hearts of the people. This change is difficult, more so in modern times, as we are so divided by ideologies, cultures, faiths and identity.This film is based on Tom Clancy's 1984 novel which in turn was loosely based on Soviet Union's 1975 attempted mutiny aboard a warship. In the 1975 revolt, a brand-new Russian frigate, Storozhevoy, is hijacked by its Third Rank Captain, Valery Sablin. He was convinced that Leonid Brezhnev's Soviet Union had lost its original Leninist's visions. The system was plagued with corruption and lies. Sablin wanted to use the hijack as a political statement to stir the Russian to engage in its Second Revolution. His plan fell flat, and he and his fellow men were incarcerated.
StorozhevoyIn the book and the film version, the warship was changed to a spanking new state-of-art nuclear-powered radar-escaping submarine. A rogue Russian Captain uses the invincibility of the sub to defect to the USA. The problem is the US Navy does not know of his intention and are wary of the intrusion of a Russian submarine in international waters. At the same time, the Russian authorities realise the rogue Captain's plan. The Russians are at wit's end to stop the Americans from laying their hands on Russia's highly advanced submarine. The highly suspenseful drama describes how the US Navy manages to save the day. They help the Russian crew to defect, rescue the submarine and embarrass the Russian at their own game.
It is naive to believe that truth will always prevail in the end. Things in real life are much more convoluted than that. The power brokers, financiers, the leaders, big pharma companies and the media moguls have the final say of how history ought to be written. Poetic justice and honesty are left to pacify the romantics. It is the rule of the majority. Annoyance from the minority can be easily boomeranged back to the senders by the powers that be (spoiler alert).
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.http://asok22.wix.com/real-lesson
http://.facebook.com/farouk.gulsara
www.riflerangeboy.com
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
May 16, 2020
A journey of conquest of a different kind
Xuanzang (大唐玄奘, Mandarin, Hindi; 2016)
Hsuan Tsang or Xuanzang is mentioned in early historical scriptures as of one the first person who journeyed from China via the Silk Road through Central Asia to reach India (or Sindhu as it was referred to then). He documented his travels meticulously and penned down all his escapades as he traversed the treacherous terrains, hills, deserts, monsoon and scorching heat. A child prodigy, Xuanzang entered the Buddhist monastery and was ordained a monk in Mahayana Buddhism at the age of 20. He then mastered Sanskrit and started studying ancient texts. Discovering discrepancies in the available scriptures, at the age of 25, in the year 627AD, he started a solo journey on foot from Chang 'An to India. This was the transition time from the Sui to the relatively peaceful Tang dynasty. His final destination was Nalanda University, in Meghada kingdom.
After three long years, travelling through modern-day Kazhakstan, Kyzhegistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Lahore and Delhi, he reached his destination. He is the first person to have described the Hindu kingdom to be extending as far as Afghanistan.
He describes all the places that he visited within India. He told about how people live, the social norms and their dietary peculiarities. After learning at Nalanda University, he makes his teachers proud by winning an interfaith debate organised by King Varsha during Kumbh Mela in the holy city of Prayag (modern-day Allahabad). After 19 long years, traversing through 110 countries and walking 25,000 km, Xuanzang returned to Chang 'An with a wealth of knowledge and scriptures.
Ajanta CavesThe film is recommendable for its infotainment value. It brings to light of mesmerising natural landscapes and buildings that most of us will not have a chance to witness in our lifetimes. Many of the magnificent shrines and temples that existed at the time of his visit are still standing today. One such majestic structure is Ajanta Caves.
In the early 5th century AD, another Buddhist scholar from China named Faxian made a similar trip to India. He visited India during the reign of a Hindu dynasty, Chandragupta II, and reached Gautama Buddha's birthplace of Lumbini to obtain Buddhist scripts. He also visited Pataliputra, a Buddhist stronghold (Maurya's kingdom). Faxian, however, continued his journey to Ceylon. He described the island as a land of demons. He returned to China via sea. His boat went off course to Java and again swept off to Shandong on a second trip back to China.
Sand dunes in the Gobi Desert
Xuanzang's route to India.
Faxian's land route to India and back by sea.With so much ease of acquiring knowledge through the plethora of portals available to us, we still have the inertia to go the extra mile. These two extraordinary figures risked their time and life to acquire and disseminate the wealth of knowledge to generations after them. Holding on to compasses in their hands, faiths in their heart as well as the stars above their heads as markers, they ventured into unknown territories. Come what may!
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.http://asok22.wix.com/real-lesson
http://.facebook.com/farouk.gulsara
www.riflerangeboy.com
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
May 14, 2020
Just passing through...
Death: An Inside Story (2020)
Sadhguru
Death gives us purpose in life. With the fear of mortality, Man probably would not be doing most of the things that we see around us. He knows that his life on Earth is finite. Hence, there is a need for him to work hard as he wants to experience all the pleasures found here before his light burns out. Knowing that he has an expiry date, there is a need to produce progeny and care for his offspring, hoping that he will be cared for in old age.
Because of the fear of death and ignorance of what lays before and after this life as we know it, Man has created stories. These stories give purpose to his Existence here. The anxiety of what may in store after our sojourn on Earth, if it actually just a lifetime makes us believe many theories of life and death. If time is a continuum with no ends, Man has to spend a mighty long time after this life. On the other hand, if time is cyclical, Man will be returning. The next time around, things made not be good. So he better behave, here and now.
One of the ways to smack Man off his high horse and jolt him to the realisation of his vulnerability is for him to spend a day in a cemetery or crematorium. A corpse all dressed to the nines to his last journey never return but instead goes back to Mother Nature as food to other creatures or back as ash to bound to Earth again. It would be a humbling experience, understanding the fragility of life. The burning question would be, "when would the bus come for me?"
But then, he would also ponder into the age-old unanswered query - where were we before, what is our purpose, and where do we from here? From the Greeks who told rebirth and 'whitewashing' the mind before birth to unknown ethereal space for us to answer and pay for our actions during our sojourn on Earth, Man has tried to find the secret of our Existence. Unfortunately, no one has gone to the other side to return to tell of their experience on the other side. Nevertheless, people still talk about their past lives and even near-death experiences. Modern science has yet to prove conclusively on the acceptability of these facts.
Herein lies the conundrum. To delve into something of which modern science, it is a matter of belief. Many of the things discussed by mystics cannot be accepted by modernity, but holy men insist that their findings are based on very ancient and occult science that has got forgotten in our history.
When does life start and when does it end? Does it begin at implantation at Day 14 of ovulation, at the completion of implantation or at the point when primitive streak starts (formation of the trilaminar layers, hence individuation)? That is where medical sciences put a limit to embryo research. Surely the gametes are not inanimate products.
Does life as we know it end when we lose consciousness, when our heart stops or when our brain stem reflexes stop responding? There is a dire need to determine an early diagnosis of brain death as modern ventilation keeps people alive, and retrieval for transplantation may be necessary.
We perceive our life as collections of knowledge and experiences. These are stored in our 'cloud' of consciousness. If all these can be downloaded in an alternative storage space or platform, we technically can achieve immortality. Death is just a minor hiccup as to how the mortal body catches a flu bug and recovers.
In the meantime, we have to contend with explanations given by spiritual men who have apparently discovered things beyond the realm of our understanding. Life works at different energy (Prana and Upa-aprana) levels. Death signifies the departure of five pranas (Samana Vayu, Prana Vayu, Udana Vayu, Apana Vayu and Vyana Vayu) from the body and they exit at different times, ranging from twenty minutes all through to eighteen hours. Vyana Vayu is said to be the preservative of prana, and it may take up to fourteen days to leave, hence, the need for rituals for smooth passage of this energy to another realm.
We are also made memories of the elements of Nature, our present, past lives and many more. Reading through the book, one can understand the rationale of all the rituals in life and death that Indians have been performing. There is a hidden meaning behind all of it. Over the years, its significance has been lost, and it just appears like an unnecessary waste of time. The final destination for all souls is Moksa, nirvana or maha samadhi (ultimate equanimity state of intellect).
His final message is to embrace life and explore our full potentials. Death is not a tragedy, living without experiencing life is.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
http://asok22.wix.com/real-lesson
http://.facebook.com/farouk.gulsara
www.riflerangeboy.com
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Death gives us purpose in life. With the fear of mortality, Man probably would not be doing most of the things that we see around us. He knows that his life on Earth is finite. Hence, there is a need for him to work hard as he wants to experience all the pleasures found here before his light burns out. Knowing that he has an expiry date, there is a need to produce progeny and care for his offspring, hoping that he will be cared for in old age.
Because of the fear of death and ignorance of what lays before and after this life as we know it, Man has created stories. These stories give purpose to his Existence here. The anxiety of what may in store after our sojourn on Earth, if it actually just a lifetime makes us believe many theories of life and death. If time is a continuum with no ends, Man has to spend a mighty long time after this life. On the other hand, if time is cyclical, Man will be returning. The next time around, things made not be good. So he better behave, here and now.One of the ways to smack Man off his high horse and jolt him to the realisation of his vulnerability is for him to spend a day in a cemetery or crematorium. A corpse all dressed to the nines to his last journey never return but instead goes back to Mother Nature as food to other creatures or back as ash to bound to Earth again. It would be a humbling experience, understanding the fragility of life. The burning question would be, "when would the bus come for me?"
But then, he would also ponder into the age-old unanswered query - where were we before, what is our purpose, and where do we from here? From the Greeks who told rebirth and 'whitewashing' the mind before birth to unknown ethereal space for us to answer and pay for our actions during our sojourn on Earth, Man has tried to find the secret of our Existence. Unfortunately, no one has gone to the other side to return to tell of their experience on the other side. Nevertheless, people still talk about their past lives and even near-death experiences. Modern science has yet to prove conclusively on the acceptability of these facts.
Herein lies the conundrum. To delve into something of which modern science, it is a matter of belief. Many of the things discussed by mystics cannot be accepted by modernity, but holy men insist that their findings are based on very ancient and occult science that has got forgotten in our history.
When does life start and when does it end? Does it begin at implantation at Day 14 of ovulation, at the completion of implantation or at the point when primitive streak starts (formation of the trilaminar layers, hence individuation)? That is where medical sciences put a limit to embryo research. Surely the gametes are not inanimate products.
Does life as we know it end when we lose consciousness, when our heart stops or when our brain stem reflexes stop responding? There is a dire need to determine an early diagnosis of brain death as modern ventilation keeps people alive, and retrieval for transplantation may be necessary.
We perceive our life as collections of knowledge and experiences. These are stored in our 'cloud' of consciousness. If all these can be downloaded in an alternative storage space or platform, we technically can achieve immortality. Death is just a minor hiccup as to how the mortal body catches a flu bug and recovers.
In the meantime, we have to contend with explanations given by spiritual men who have apparently discovered things beyond the realm of our understanding. Life works at different energy (Prana and Upa-aprana) levels. Death signifies the departure of five pranas (Samana Vayu, Prana Vayu, Udana Vayu, Apana Vayu and Vyana Vayu) from the body and they exit at different times, ranging from twenty minutes all through to eighteen hours. Vyana Vayu is said to be the preservative of prana, and it may take up to fourteen days to leave, hence, the need for rituals for smooth passage of this energy to another realm.
We are also made memories of the elements of Nature, our present, past lives and many more. Reading through the book, one can understand the rationale of all the rituals in life and death that Indians have been performing. There is a hidden meaning behind all of it. Over the years, its significance has been lost, and it just appears like an unnecessary waste of time. The final destination for all souls is Moksa, nirvana or maha samadhi (ultimate equanimity state of intellect).
His final message is to embrace life and explore our full potentials. Death is not a tragedy, living without experiencing life is.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
http://asok22.wix.com/real-lesson
http://.facebook.com/farouk.gulsara
www.riflerangeboy.com
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
May 12, 2020
The go-to fiction of yesteryear
Brothers Karamazov (1958)
Fyodor Dostoyevsky's writings during the Russian Golden Age of Literature have been referred to as a go-to place by many great icons of the world. At times of uncertainties, Einstien used to read Dostoyevsky for clarity. Nietzsche defined him as the only psychologist that he needed. Dostoyevsky inspired many writers like Hemmingway and Kafka. Akira Kurosawa made movies based on one of his stories (The Idiot). Osho (aka Bhagwan Sri Rajneesh) described the profound moral and philosophical messages in Dostoyevsky's 'Brother Karamozov' comparable to the Bible.
This story tells the story of Fyodor Karamazov, a high spirited widowed father who enjoys the more beautiful things in life - wine, music and women, especially a lady, Grushenka, who runs a tavern. Fyodor has four adult sons, each with their own personality traits. He is very tight-fisted with his money. Dimitri, the eldest, an ex-army, has a penchant for money and also an eye on Grushenka. But Dimitri has a suitor, Katya, a rich heiress who is rooting for him but he is not interested. The second son, Ivan, is an intellectual, a newspaperman and an atheist. He has the soft spots for Katya but sadly unrequited. The third son, Alexi, is a priest who is the peacemaker of the family who sees the good in everybody. The last one is actually Fyodor's illegitimate and epileptic son, Smerdyakov. He functions as the butler and yearns for his father unconditional love but sadly what he gets in return are hurls of insult.
Smerdyakov plans to murder his father, executes it but circumstances caused Dimitri to be accused of it. Ivan, who knew of Smerdyakov's intention but did not do anything to stop it is made to feel guilty. Meanwhile, Alexi is holding the whole family on a tightrope. Grushenka and Katya show their ugly side to win their love.
It is said that the film failed to capture the intellectual, philosophical, and spiritual essence of the book. This is expected as it is not possible to show all the emotions and the soliloquy that occurs within oneself in this two-hour presentation.
Many of these topics are dealt with superficially to maintain its entertainment value.
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May 10, 2020
See a red door, paint it black!
Hotel Mumbai (English/Hindi; 2018)
Indian-Australian co-production.
You say Islam is a peaceful religion, and these terrorist activities do not represent the true essence of the faith. But, why is it that the cry of an enraged suicidal jihadi bomber and the prayer of desperation and helplessness of his intended victim who is at the cusp of death is one and the same? And it is too numerous to a dhimmi's comfort. There is a huge problem, and the believers have to do a lot to resurrect the right image of the religion. Pussyfooting around it is wrong for PR.
This is what goes through a kafir's mind when he sees a scene from the movie where a terrorist is about to execute his hostage point-blank on her head. He is confused as she recites the Islamic prayer usually gets a mention at the time of death.
'Hotel Mumbai' is an Indo-Australian production which tries to re-enact of one India's worst nightmare when coordinated shootings happened around Mumbai. It was the 26th of November 2008 when ten young Pakistani men landed assumingly alighted a dinghy at a secluded fishermen's wharf. With them, they had automatic rifles and explosives. In a coordinated fashion, as if they had planned this all their lives and with constant communication with their Pakistani contact, these Lashkar-e-Taiba members proceeded on their shoot at six over avenues, Hotel Taj, being one.
Ajmal Kasab, the only capturedperpetrator of the attack.The city was unprepared to such coordinated attacks, and their police force was ill-prepared for this. They had to wait for the Special Forces from New Delhi for assistance. So, the guests and staff of the hotel had to fend for themselves, dodging the bullets of four gunmen on a shooting spree. Only ten hours after the first shot, did the rapid-action personnel slide down the roof from a helicopter to put an end to the mayhem.
The screenwriters fictionalised three or four characters based on real people who were caught in the hotel. It revolved around a waiter, Arjun Singh (Dev Patel), the chief chef, Hemant Oberoi, a haughty Russian businessman guest and a husband-wife couple with a newborn baby and nanny. It is an extraordinary gritty tale of how ordinary people rose to the occasion to become heroes. It was done in a down to earth manner minus the melodrama of Bollywood and the display of heroic rescue often associated with international pictures. Even though the viewers knew how the siege would end, the element of suspense was held until the very end.
More than ten years after the disaster, many old wounds remain unattended. The ease in which these Pakistani men slipped into the Mumbai fishing wharf is a puzzle. The local fishermen, who by nature are protective of their turf, did confront them of their intentions but were told to 'mind their own business'. A police report made about them by the fishermen remained unresolved.
The attackers were in contact via their mobile lines with their puppet masters in Pakistan all through the siege. The young gunmen were given a minute to minute instructions and even given moral support to stay true to their divine missions. Despite their evil, destructive planning and execution, their ringleader in Pakistan remains at large. Pakistan who admitted playing a role in the attack seems apathetic towards amending their caustic relationship with their neighbour and continue exporting or sponsoring terror activities.
The Indian Police and the previous Indian government administration had a lot of questions to answer for their lack of urgency, inefficiencies and mismanagement. In an interview, Ratan Tata, the Chairman, mentioned that the police had received advance warning of the attacks and that some countermeasures had been taken. Obviously, it did not bear fruition.
1908 Taj Hotel
symbol of strength and resilience of the Indian people
At least 170 people perished in the attack. At least 50% of the victims were the employees of Taj Hotel. It is said one of the reasons why so many employees died is due to their work culture. One of their work ethe is 'guest is God'. Tata employees are said to have a profound attachment to their work, much like how its Chairman, Ratan Tata, treats all levels of his employees - like family. He is easily the richest man in India but does not appear in the who-is-who list of India's most affluent. He gives a huge chunk back to society.
It is ironic that even though Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving perpetrator, had one mind of giving up his life in punishing the infidels who squandered the wealth of his people, he went against all the odds to escape execution. He failed his appeals and clemency from President. His last helpless words were "I swear by Allah, won't do such a thing again". In a single sentence admitting his guilt and regretting his actions.
The often unspoken reason for their mindless activity is poverty. Religion is just a tool to hoodwink the helpless with the promise of monetary assistance to their families and a blissful afterlife in heaven. In this particular episode, there is a hint that even the promised money did not reach the family. The ecstatic afterlife? What a deception?
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
http://asok22.wix.com/real-lesson
http://.facebook.com/farouk.gulsara
www.riflerangeboy.com
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Indian-Australian co-production.
You say Islam is a peaceful religion, and these terrorist activities do not represent the true essence of the faith. But, why is it that the cry of an enraged suicidal jihadi bomber and the prayer of desperation and helplessness of his intended victim who is at the cusp of death is one and the same? And it is too numerous to a dhimmi's comfort. There is a huge problem, and the believers have to do a lot to resurrect the right image of the religion. Pussyfooting around it is wrong for PR.This is what goes through a kafir's mind when he sees a scene from the movie where a terrorist is about to execute his hostage point-blank on her head. He is confused as she recites the Islamic prayer usually gets a mention at the time of death.
'Hotel Mumbai' is an Indo-Australian production which tries to re-enact of one India's worst nightmare when coordinated shootings happened around Mumbai. It was the 26th of November 2008 when ten young Pakistani men landed assumingly alighted a dinghy at a secluded fishermen's wharf. With them, they had automatic rifles and explosives. In a coordinated fashion, as if they had planned this all their lives and with constant communication with their Pakistani contact, these Lashkar-e-Taiba members proceeded on their shoot at six over avenues, Hotel Taj, being one.
Ajmal Kasab, the only capturedperpetrator of the attack.The city was unprepared to such coordinated attacks, and their police force was ill-prepared for this. They had to wait for the Special Forces from New Delhi for assistance. So, the guests and staff of the hotel had to fend for themselves, dodging the bullets of four gunmen on a shooting spree. Only ten hours after the first shot, did the rapid-action personnel slide down the roof from a helicopter to put an end to the mayhem.The screenwriters fictionalised three or four characters based on real people who were caught in the hotel. It revolved around a waiter, Arjun Singh (Dev Patel), the chief chef, Hemant Oberoi, a haughty Russian businessman guest and a husband-wife couple with a newborn baby and nanny. It is an extraordinary gritty tale of how ordinary people rose to the occasion to become heroes. It was done in a down to earth manner minus the melodrama of Bollywood and the display of heroic rescue often associated with international pictures. Even though the viewers knew how the siege would end, the element of suspense was held until the very end.
More than ten years after the disaster, many old wounds remain unattended. The ease in which these Pakistani men slipped into the Mumbai fishing wharf is a puzzle. The local fishermen, who by nature are protective of their turf, did confront them of their intentions but were told to 'mind their own business'. A police report made about them by the fishermen remained unresolved.
The attackers were in contact via their mobile lines with their puppet masters in Pakistan all through the siege. The young gunmen were given a minute to minute instructions and even given moral support to stay true to their divine missions. Despite their evil, destructive planning and execution, their ringleader in Pakistan remains at large. Pakistan who admitted playing a role in the attack seems apathetic towards amending their caustic relationship with their neighbour and continue exporting or sponsoring terror activities.
The Indian Police and the previous Indian government administration had a lot of questions to answer for their lack of urgency, inefficiencies and mismanagement. In an interview, Ratan Tata, the Chairman, mentioned that the police had received advance warning of the attacks and that some countermeasures had been taken. Obviously, it did not bear fruition.
1908 Taj Hotelsymbol of strength and resilience of the Indian people
At least 170 people perished in the attack. At least 50% of the victims were the employees of Taj Hotel. It is said one of the reasons why so many employees died is due to their work culture. One of their work ethe is 'guest is God'. Tata employees are said to have a profound attachment to their work, much like how its Chairman, Ratan Tata, treats all levels of his employees - like family. He is easily the richest man in India but does not appear in the who-is-who list of India's most affluent. He gives a huge chunk back to society.
It is ironic that even though Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving perpetrator, had one mind of giving up his life in punishing the infidels who squandered the wealth of his people, he went against all the odds to escape execution. He failed his appeals and clemency from President. His last helpless words were "I swear by Allah, won't do such a thing again". In a single sentence admitting his guilt and regretting his actions.
The often unspoken reason for their mindless activity is poverty. Religion is just a tool to hoodwink the helpless with the promise of monetary assistance to their families and a blissful afterlife in heaven. In this particular episode, there is a hint that even the promised money did not reach the family. The ecstatic afterlife? What a deception?
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
http://asok22.wix.com/real-lesson
http://.facebook.com/farouk.gulsara
www.riflerangeboy.com
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
May 8, 2020
If walls could speak!
Vivekanda Illam, Chennai.Ever wondered how people in the tropical climates used to cool themselves down on a hot day before the advent of refrigeration? Frederic Tudor, a businessman from New England, had the foresight to harvest something free from its frozen lakes to ship it to places that needed it most. He mastered the art of sending tonnes of ice, covered with sawdust, to Florida and the Caribbean in the early 19th century. He later even exported it all the way to India. A trip carrying 100 over tonnes of ice from Boston to Madras typically took 4 months with 80% of the cargo intact. In the 1840s, Frederic Tudor built a facility in Madras to store his merchandise. It was named the Ice House.Frederic Tudor was part of the Boston Elite or Boston Brahmins, as they were referred to. The Boston Brahmins are descendants of the earliest immigrants from England. They were Protestants and were the leading influencers of American institutions and cultures.
Frederic TudorIn 1833, the first shipment of American ice arrived in Calcutta. It sent excitement to the locals of such chilly luxury. For the next two decades, these cargos were in Calcutta, Bombay and Madras. They had a good thing going until local artificial-ice manufacturers started their businesses. Around the 1870s, refrigerated merchant vessels started scaling the high seas.Madras, as it was known in the 1830s, was a bustling metropolitan city with a network of business enterprises. Many of its old buildings aged more than 200 years are still standing today. It speaks not of the English exploitation of the country but instead of the astute craftsmanship and quality of buildings built by the local builder. It is said that Madras had its own brand of superior plaster-mix. Chennai also has the reputation of having the second most number of heritage buildings in India after Calcutta. It has its own Heritage Conservation Committee that oversees maintenance and reservation of their old erections.
Sister R.S. SubbulakshimiThe Ice House was sold off in the 1880s after the ice business winded up. It was bought by a High Court judge who named it Castle Kernan. It was later changed ownership many times. It is now called Vivekananda Illam (Vivekananda Home) as he is said to have spent time there in 1897. The building was also used by Ramakrishna Mission and R.S. Subbulakshmi, a social reformer, for social upliftment activities. Almost all Indian freedom fighters, at one time or another, is said to have met there to preach their efforts for Independence at the premises.
Sister R.S. Subulakshmi was widowed at the age of twelve, and she made it her life ambition to uplift the plight of widows and woman generally. She continued her studies and obtained excellent results. She started Sarada Ladies Union (Sarada, being Swami Ramakrishna's consort) for widows. In 1915, the Government of Madras acquired the Ice House for her social work.
It went on till 1963 when it was given to the Ramakrishna Mission. It currently houses an exhibition on the life and times of Swami Vivekanda.
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May 5, 2020
The background
Haider (2014)
It turned out to be not a film depicting the plight of the Kashmiris but rather a retelling of Hamlet with the beautiful Kashmir in the background the internal squabble as the country as its backdrop. Even though the movie makes it appear as though there is just bloodshed, guns and terrorism in this snow-covered paradise on earth, much of its past history remains untold.
People tend to assume Kashmir had always been a Muslim majority country where India is trying to exert its influence, but its citizens want out. There are much more than meets the eye.
Kashmir was a revered place from time immemorial for seekers of knowledge and epistemology. It was the destination for many sages the world over. Hinduism, Shiva Taitrism, planted itself firmly here as early as 3rd century BCE. The populace was considered highly literate and skilled. The turning point came in the form of invaders. A particularly Muslim ruler by the name of Sikander Bhutshikan (1394-1417), an iconoclast, was hellbent on destroying non-Islamic symbols and enforced widespread proselytisation. Naturally, the Hindu Pandits escaped in droves to other parts of India and Kashmir became a Muslim-dominant country. Many Hindus remain closeted, only outwardly Muslims.
King Ranjit Singh united Punjab, Afghanistan, Kashmir all the way to Tibet, but his successors lost Jammu and Kashmir to the East India Company in the first Anglo-British War in 1846. The British started the Hindu Dogra dynasty. It was Hari Singh, its descendant, who was the King of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir in 1947 who decided to join neither India nor Pakistan. It stood an Independent sovereign state.
Trouble started soon after Independence. Pakistani troops masquerading as Pashtun tribal groups infiltrated into Kashmir to take over the country. The 1st Indo-Pak war started when Maharajah Hari Singh asked for help and agreed for ascension into the Indian Dominion. The battle, however, ended in a deadlock with India controlling a third of the country and Pakistan the other third.
Martand Sun Temple Kashmir.
The director was embroiled in controversyafter staging a devil dance here.Sheikh Abdullah was appointed the head of Jammu and Kashmir by Nehru. He had earlier led a rebellion against Hari Singh was had been imprisoned before. Sheikh ruled the state with special powers accorded to him via Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. His reign was marred with many insurgencies, Islamisation pogroms and terrorist activities with help from Pakistan. There were hardly any economic activities or development, but only a high tension volatile environment. More Sikhs and Hindus exited from their ancestral land seeking a better life since the 1980s.
Many talented writers now settled elsewhere, have penned their doggone experiences in Kashmir in many of their heart-wrenching writing set in their once serene homeland. With the aberration of Article 370, India hopes to bring development and a semblance of peace in the region. Unfortunately, foreign media keeps stirring undue tension and anxiety amongst the people of the area to keep up their sales.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
http://asok22.wix.com/real-lesson
http://.facebook.com/farouk.gulsara
www.riflerangeboy.com
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
It turned out to be not a film depicting the plight of the Kashmiris but rather a retelling of Hamlet with the beautiful Kashmir in the background the internal squabble as the country as its backdrop. Even though the movie makes it appear as though there is just bloodshed, guns and terrorism in this snow-covered paradise on earth, much of its past history remains untold.People tend to assume Kashmir had always been a Muslim majority country where India is trying to exert its influence, but its citizens want out. There are much more than meets the eye.
Kashmir was a revered place from time immemorial for seekers of knowledge and epistemology. It was the destination for many sages the world over. Hinduism, Shiva Taitrism, planted itself firmly here as early as 3rd century BCE. The populace was considered highly literate and skilled. The turning point came in the form of invaders. A particularly Muslim ruler by the name of Sikander Bhutshikan (1394-1417), an iconoclast, was hellbent on destroying non-Islamic symbols and enforced widespread proselytisation. Naturally, the Hindu Pandits escaped in droves to other parts of India and Kashmir became a Muslim-dominant country. Many Hindus remain closeted, only outwardly Muslims.
King Ranjit Singh united Punjab, Afghanistan, Kashmir all the way to Tibet, but his successors lost Jammu and Kashmir to the East India Company in the first Anglo-British War in 1846. The British started the Hindu Dogra dynasty. It was Hari Singh, its descendant, who was the King of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir in 1947 who decided to join neither India nor Pakistan. It stood an Independent sovereign state.
Trouble started soon after Independence. Pakistani troops masquerading as Pashtun tribal groups infiltrated into Kashmir to take over the country. The 1st Indo-Pak war started when Maharajah Hari Singh asked for help and agreed for ascension into the Indian Dominion. The battle, however, ended in a deadlock with India controlling a third of the country and Pakistan the other third.
Martand Sun Temple Kashmir.The director was embroiled in controversyafter staging a devil dance here.Sheikh Abdullah was appointed the head of Jammu and Kashmir by Nehru. He had earlier led a rebellion against Hari Singh was had been imprisoned before. Sheikh ruled the state with special powers accorded to him via Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. His reign was marred with many insurgencies, Islamisation pogroms and terrorist activities with help from Pakistan. There were hardly any economic activities or development, but only a high tension volatile environment. More Sikhs and Hindus exited from their ancestral land seeking a better life since the 1980s.
Many talented writers now settled elsewhere, have penned their doggone experiences in Kashmir in many of their heart-wrenching writing set in their once serene homeland. With the aberration of Article 370, India hopes to bring development and a semblance of peace in the region. Unfortunately, foreign media keeps stirring undue tension and anxiety amongst the people of the area to keep up their sales.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
http://asok22.wix.com/real-lesson
http://.facebook.com/farouk.gulsara
www.riflerangeboy.com
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
May 4, 2020
More stitches in Nine-Nine!
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Seasons 1-7; 2013-present)
Netflix
These days, the men in blue are painted as inhumane, dishonest and incompetent. With the ease of remotely recording them at work and with the benefit of hindsight, the public is quick to shoot, kill and bury the force. Things have become worst now, because of lockdown, as more vent their frustrations at the officers who are just trying to earn an earnest income (most of them anyway), carrying out duties assigned to them. Nobody likes to do the dirty job, but somebody got to do it anyway. What the powers-that-be can do is to improve public opinion. Like everything else in life, it is all perception. Police morale will further improve if they think that their job is given due credit by the public. They should not be looked upon as glorified gangsters working hand-in-glove with crooked politicians or even in cahoots with the very people they are supposed to protect the public from.
Rosa and Amy
One imagines the overhanging mood in the office of the police is that of anxiety, frustration, denial, suspicion and anger. Against this backdrop, it is a relief to see this sitcom which seems to show that the police actually have a good time while still maintaining high successful arrest rates. Sometimes viewers start thinking that they have too much time in their hands, especially from watching their highly intricate Annual Halloween Heist.
What makes this series different from other sitcoms? For one, it is their choice of cast. This fictitious precinct is led by a gay black officer, Captain Holt, who has a sob story about his challenging climb up the ladder of promotion in the police force which is overtly discriminative against blacks, what more if he is homosexual. The lead character is this whacky, sometimes immature, mischievous detective, Jake Peralta, who is the prime mover in the office. He carries the baggage of 'daddy issues' because of his philandering and absent father. His love interest is Amy, a meticulous Hispanic officer, whom Jake eventually marries. Jake's best friend is Charles, a timid colleague who plays along with Jake's pranks. Then there is Sergeant Terry, a buff but family guy who dotes on his twin daughters. Rosa is another Hispanic detective who is an emotional and insecure one who is bisexual.
Hitchcock and Scully S6E2Gina is Capt Holt's private secretary who does more job online than in the office. She lives in her own make-believe world and comes out with witty one-liners. Two interesting characters who had seen better times in the younger days, Hitchcock and Scully, now spend most of the time dodging work, eating and just sitting around. In their heydays, they were menacing enough to still hold the record of solving the most number of cases in the precinct. Guess, they burnt out along the way.
The fascinating thing about the sitcom is that the writers always come out with some new story every time. From busting drug lords to meeting family members or outwitting each other to meet the Halloween challenge, there is always something to smile. They are plenty of pop culture references that an 80s kid can pick up and feel happy about it.
Avid followers (like my son!) would have to wait a little longer for the eighth season to premiere, due to Covid and the lockdown.
Jake and Holt
Plenty of laugher at Brooklyn-99
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http://asok22.wix.com/real-lesson
http://.facebook.com/farouk.gulsara
www.riflerangeboy.com
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Netflix
These days, the men in blue are painted as inhumane, dishonest and incompetent. With the ease of remotely recording them at work and with the benefit of hindsight, the public is quick to shoot, kill and bury the force. Things have become worst now, because of lockdown, as more vent their frustrations at the officers who are just trying to earn an earnest income (most of them anyway), carrying out duties assigned to them. Nobody likes to do the dirty job, but somebody got to do it anyway. What the powers-that-be can do is to improve public opinion. Like everything else in life, it is all perception. Police morale will further improve if they think that their job is given due credit by the public. They should not be looked upon as glorified gangsters working hand-in-glove with crooked politicians or even in cahoots with the very people they are supposed to protect the public from.
Rosa and AmyOne imagines the overhanging mood in the office of the police is that of anxiety, frustration, denial, suspicion and anger. Against this backdrop, it is a relief to see this sitcom which seems to show that the police actually have a good time while still maintaining high successful arrest rates. Sometimes viewers start thinking that they have too much time in their hands, especially from watching their highly intricate Annual Halloween Heist.
What makes this series different from other sitcoms? For one, it is their choice of cast. This fictitious precinct is led by a gay black officer, Captain Holt, who has a sob story about his challenging climb up the ladder of promotion in the police force which is overtly discriminative against blacks, what more if he is homosexual. The lead character is this whacky, sometimes immature, mischievous detective, Jake Peralta, who is the prime mover in the office. He carries the baggage of 'daddy issues' because of his philandering and absent father. His love interest is Amy, a meticulous Hispanic officer, whom Jake eventually marries. Jake's best friend is Charles, a timid colleague who plays along with Jake's pranks. Then there is Sergeant Terry, a buff but family guy who dotes on his twin daughters. Rosa is another Hispanic detective who is an emotional and insecure one who is bisexual.
Hitchcock and Scully S6E2Gina is Capt Holt's private secretary who does more job online than in the office. She lives in her own make-believe world and comes out with witty one-liners. Two interesting characters who had seen better times in the younger days, Hitchcock and Scully, now spend most of the time dodging work, eating and just sitting around. In their heydays, they were menacing enough to still hold the record of solving the most number of cases in the precinct. Guess, they burnt out along the way.The fascinating thing about the sitcom is that the writers always come out with some new story every time. From busting drug lords to meeting family members or outwitting each other to meet the Halloween challenge, there is always something to smile. They are plenty of pop culture references that an 80s kid can pick up and feel happy about it.
Avid followers (like my son!) would have to wait a little longer for the eighth season to premiere, due to Covid and the lockdown.
Jake and HoltPlenty of laugher at Brooklyn-99
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