Keenan-Reuben Murders in Bombay

Today's newspaper carries a news report on the Keenan-Reuben murder case.

Keenan and Reuben 

It happened in 2011 in a suburb of Bombay. Keenan and Reuben, had protested and tried to defend their companions from eve-teasing ruffians. The miscreants went away, only to return with a bigger group who brutally thrashed and murdered the two young men in full public view. Bombay was considered a safe place for women. Having lived and moved around in the city for 30 years, I thought so too. And felt impelled to blog.. Read more about it here.

More than four years have past. The verdict of the special court is expected any time. Watch this space for updates.

Golden Nuggets #1

"The game of identity politics appeals to shared roots in blood, soil, descent and religion. The trappings of flags, ceremonies, anthems, parades and kinship are powerful tools employed by the controlling elite. They attract committed followers who are prepared to make enormous sacrifices- foregoing security, wealth, family and life itself - with unwavering loyalty to the common sacred cause."

This golden nugget is about identity politics, triggered by the state of current affairs in many parts of the world, including my own country.

Whoever wrote it, decries jingoism, regimentation  and misplaced patriotism deliberately fuelled by scheming leaders for their own ends. One needs to think hard about Bertrand Russel's famous quote, which resonates to the same theme: "Patriotism is the willingness to kill and be killed for trivial reasons." and remember what Johannes Rau said at his acceptance speech when he was elected Federal President of Germany: "A patriot is someone who loves his fatherland, a nationalist is someone who despises the fatherlands of the others."

Am I a patriot or a nationalist?

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[ Now and then, I come across a brilliant saying which cries out to be shared. I've been placing these quotes at the top of this blog since April 2014. The first quote that I posted was Arthur C Clarke's gem: 

"I don't believe in astrology. I am a Sagittarius and we're very skeptical".

From now on, whenever I display a new quote, I'm also posting a short comment under the title Golden Nuggets.]

The Sting of Death

I woke up to a cold morning.With a light shawl over my shoulders, I went to the kitchen. As I pushed back my sleeves to pick up a hot cup of coffee, I happened to glance down and caught sight of the slight wrinkles on my forearms. Instantly I was a child of ten years, holding my grandmother's hand as we walked together in the yard. She had identical wrinkles. A warm and nostalgic moment of fond remembrance. Then all of a sudden it hit me - OMG ... I'm her age today! In the Biblical age group of threescore and ten.

Our annual Mass for the Departed yesterday had already put me in a reflective mood. More than 30 names were on the list of members who had departed in the past twelve months - each one different, each one mourned. Then I consoled myself with the usual platitudes: We begin to age the minute we are born. Every day is a step closer to death, the inevitable end to life. That is the way the spirit flies to the Great Unknown, to be reunited with those who have died before us.

Death after a long life, well lived, is *normal* and much easier to accept than yesterday's horrifying news from Paris -  cold-blooded random shootings that cut down so many without warning. Having emptied their Kalashnikovs, the young men also blew themselves up. More death and destruction!

In this short video Antoine Leiris, who lost his wife in the Bataclan killings in Paris, speaks with courage, fortitude and Love.

Autrickshaws in Bangalore

When I moved from Bombay to Bangalore a few years ago, I found the the auto rickshaw scene appalling. Now it is worse. As a frequent user of auto rickshaws in Bangalore, I have had my share of bad experiences. Yesterday was an exception, when I flagged down one at the busy junction of Queen's Road and Cunningham Road.

The vehicle looked tidier than the average. The middle-aged driver was unusually polite. In addition to the ubiquitous picture of his favourite deity up front, there was a green board on the side, prominently displaying the words "Peace Auto" both in English and Kannada. I asked the driver what it was. He proudly said that he was a member of Peace Auto. I was intrigued. He was as eager to explain as I was to listen.

It is an organisation that promotes good relations between auto drivers and passengers, through peaceful means and high quality of service.

In 2013, Anil Shetty, a young man decided to do something more than complain about the problems that beset auto rickshaw services in Bangalore. The Peace Auto initiative was launched, in association with B.PAC and - rather grandiosely named - the World Peacekeepers Movement. Today  400 auto rickshaws in the city carry the green boards which announce their affiliation with this initiative. The organisation has clear goals that will benefit both passengers and drivers: such as law-abiding, courteous service to passengers and support for drivers' welfare.

If you happen to travel in one of the Peace Autos, don't fail to give your feedback on their website. I did.

Nirbhaya - India's Daughter?

The documentary India's Daughter was aired by BBC this month and quickly withdrawn in response to the objections raised by the government of india. I think many more saw it because of the media publicity and the big hue and cry. The brutal rape of a girl renamed Nirbhaya (fearless) a year ago in New Delhi, the capital of our country, had seared public memory. The documentary has brought it back to public consciousness, created headlines and raised many more issues.

Should the documentary have been banned? Is it in bad taste? Does it distort facts? Is it intended to belittle India? In my view, the answer is NO.

Every single person - young or old -  whom I have spoken to, found the documentary rivetting and a big jolt to our collective conscience. At a Women's Day gathering of young men and women that I addressed, all had seen the documentary and with one voice agreed that it should be universally aired.

Typical of those supporting the ban is this article  by an Indian journalist. In response, I wrote the following:

Apparently, the main objective of this article is to criticise the BBC for airing this documentary and to justify the ban. Mahapatra says that the documentary raises several questions of irresponsibility, but mentions only two. Neither of his stated reasons hold water. Let's take them one by one.

The first one is at 16 minutes is an interview with the convicted bus driver. Voyeuristic? No way. Nothing could have been more effective in conveying the horror of the crime than this man's remorseless demeanour and blunt words. Why is it irresponsible journalism?

The second objection is at 53 minutes, when the same convict expresses deplorable views to justify why his judicial sentence should not be carried out. Nobody is likely to be shocked or influenced to commit similar crimes! Many who saw the documentary before BBC blocked it, believe that this interview as also the lawyers' statements, convey a hard-hitting message. Let's not blame the messenger, but face the bitter truth.

Violence is unacceptable; violence against women is doubly so. The wagging heads and pointing fingers rub salt in the wounds and seek to perpetuate patriarchal social norms without any attempt to change attitudes. The sad truth is that this is not a problem in India alone. For example, see  this article  about the murder of a schoolgirl in Australia, a *modern* and *developed* country. We're in the 21st century, but nowhere near to being a truly egalitarian society.

Nightmare in Nigeria

Last week, hundreds were killed by Boko Haram militants in the town of Baga in the north-eastern state of Borno in Nigeria. Some reports say that it is one of this terror group’s worst massacres to date and that local authorities have given up counting the bodies left lying on the streets. The Nigerian government is supposedly downplaying the attack and the number of casualties. For a recent report in the Guardian, Click Here.

This was happening in Nigeria at the same time as the terrorist attacks in Paris. Yet, the lack of media coverage and the world's reaction to the Nigerian nightmare has been quite muted. Some are questioning why 12 killings in Paris are more condemnable than 1200 Africans killed in Nigeria. What makes one massacre more newsworthy than another?

The placard says: 

I AM CHARLIE. 

Let's not forget the victims of Boko Haram"

Click Here for a report from The Guardian and Here for the BBC report of the recent slaughter in Nigeria, as Boko Haram continues its attacks with impunity.

Charlie Hebdo

Immediately after the murders at the humor magazine Charlie Hebdo's offices in Paris, The Patheos carried James Ford's  Small Rant Against Religious Fundamentalism. Click Here to read it and Click Here for some heartbreaking cartoons from around the world.

This cover of the New Yorker is priceless.

Within days, two more related violent episodes- Hostages and Police Raids - have occurred in Paris. Meanwhile, the media coverage and discussions continue. Tens of thousands are tweeting their solidarity under the tag #JeSuisCharlie in many languages. Another tag #JesuisAhmed has emerged, to honor the French Muslim cop who was shot dead by the terrorists escaping after the massacre inside the Hebdo office.

On Sunday, there was a nationwide outpouring of grief, solidarity and defiance as people of all ages, religions and nationalities marched along a three-kilometer route en masse to show their respect for the victims and support for the values of the French Republic: “liberté, égalité, fraternité”. It was the first time since the liberation of Paris in August 1944 that so many people - an estimated 3.7 million - took to the streets of the city. Heads of state of several countries were on the front line, right behind the families of the victims. Leaders of all the religions marched behind a banner bearing the slogan “We are Charlie”.



Violence in the name of religion is as old as organised religion itself. What will be the repercussions of this week's attacks? When something terrible happens, first we run for shelter. Next we re-emerge and seek each other for support.Then comes the urge to go out there to reclaim and protect  what belongs to you. Will The Western countries seriously re-consider their national policies regarding radical Islam and immigration laws?

France has the largest Muslim population - about 5 million - in Europe. No doubt the vast majority of them strongly condemn the massacre; but many find it difficult to identify with Charlie Hebdo who *ridiculed* the Prophet of Islam. There is already a reaction: "Je ne suis pas Charlie" (I am not Charlie). Which direction will their process of assimilation and integration take? Issues of allegiance and loyalty are both visceral and controversial.

The first issue of Charlie Hebdo after last week's terrorist killings in their office is out. It sends out a call to forgive the murderers and at the same time, carries a controversial cover. One European head of goernment commented on the latter: "You may not agree with what they have done, you may be offended by what they have done, but you should defend their right to publish it.” Pope Francis, when asked for his view, said that freedom of speech was a fundamental human right but it came with an obligation. “every religion has its dignity. One cannot provoke, one cannot insult other people’s faith, one cannot make fun of faith.”.

New Year 2015

It is 2015. Day 4 already. May all the remaining 360 days go well for you and me.

The New Year lies before you, like a spotless tract of snow

Be careful how you tread on it, for every mark will show.

In spite of the mess made by humans, it is still a wonderful world.
Take four minutes to listen to this:

Happenings Old and New

Not a single post for 4 months, when I was on the move. I guess I needed to be on my home turf to resume blogging! A lot has been happening since June - in my life, in the world. However, yesterday's sensational news are often forgotten today. Yet, most of us want to know what's going on  - as I do via the WORLD NEWS  section displayed at the bottom of this page.

The media - talking heads on TV, streaming news on the internet and the good old newspaper delivered daily at one's doorstep - goes on and on about politics, business and entertainment. Today's  top 5 headlines are a fair representation of daily news coverage.

• Philae comet lander back in contact  ... space exploration
• Leaders meet in Brisbane for G20  ... politics
• Boko Haram militants 'seize Chibok' ... terrorism
• 'Major milestone' in polio battle  ... health
• Fifa judge 'surprised' at criticism  ... sports

How does one decide what is important or significant enough to really matter? Or merit more than a few minutes of our attention?

Today the headline about Philae caught my eye. A space robot transmits information from the surface of  a comet! Will this news grip the world's imagination as did the first landing on the moon? What insights about the comet will Philae and Rosetta reveal to the excited scientists back on earth? Click here for an update from Emily Lakdawalla of the Planetary Society.

Maya Angelou

She's gone. One of my all time favourite women. 86 years of dynamite. Maya Angelou is among  the most celebrated and influential women of recent times. In farewell, it seems appropriate to quote her own words:

When I think of death, and of late the idea has come with alarming frequency, I seem at peace with the idea that a day will dawn when I will no longer be among those living in this valley of strange humors.

I can accept the idea of my own demise, but I am unable to accept the death of anyone else.

I find it impossible to let a friend or relative go into that country of no return.

Disbelief becomes my close companion, and anger follows in its wake.

I answer the heroic question 'Death, where is thy sting? ' with ' it is here in my heart and mind and memories.'

Maya Angelou  in 1970

"A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song."

Her voice and her words have resonated in the US and globally. Raised in the deep South she imbibed and retained strong African American values. A champion of civil rights, she was closely associated with Martin Luther King Jr and Malcolm X. In the seventies her book I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings made her famous. In her lifetime she has published 30 best-selling titles of poetry, fiction and non-fiction. Combined with a flair for poetry and a passion for the performing arts, she was internationally acclaimed.

No matter what she undertook, she became a trailblazer. Author, poet, historian, songwriter, playwright, dancer, stage and screen producer, director, performer, singer, and civil rights activist.  Her biography The Global Renaissance Woman ends thus: "Dr. Angelou’s words and actions continue to stir our souls, energize our bodies, liberate our minds, and heal our hearts."

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Indian Economy, Post -Election

The Indian economy is going to be steered by a new team. The important ministerial portfolios have been announced. Next week, the prime minister and his cabinet will be sworn in. Thereafter the government is expected to reveal its priorities and roll out its policies. The stock markets have reacted positively to Modi's leadership and promises of economic development in line with his Gujarat Model. What does the crystal ball indicate for the future?

Looking at the surge in optimism and investor confidence, in their recent article  K L Investment Partners  anticipate a long-term bull trend in the stock market and a positive feedback loop in the economy. Their summary:

     India Election Like Abe In Japan: 10-Year Bull Market Has Started

India has a stable, single-party government after 25 years; weak governance due to multi-party coalition politics has been the primary cause for India’s growth being significantly below potential.
Modi, leader of the new government, has a reputation as being pro-business, with the willingness and ability to quickly push through major changes through the complicated, slow and corrupt bureaucracy.
Indian economy has significant tailwinds: demographic dividend, large highly educated and skilled workforce, large and growing middle class.
Risk: terrorist strike leads to the right-wing government initiating a military confrontation with its nuclear armed neighbor (Pakistan).
Risk: ruling party has been accused of having an anti-minority and fascist ideology. With 13% Muslims and 2.4% Christians, this may lead to negative socio-economic consequences.

You can find the full article  here,  as well as breaking news and information on global stocks by expert analysts here.

Keep in mind that making long term predictions is a long shot in the dark ... there is simply too much uncertainty and unpredictability around!

Postscript A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul. - George Bernard Shaw

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India's Dramatic Elections 2014

On the Brink

Among the numerous forwards and commentaries that I've been reading during this election period, I liked this poem (author unknown) written just before the results were out:

The Onus is on US

And so here we are on the brink of d-day 
This week we will know how our future will sway 
The duffer, the bluffer, the man with the muffler 
Which one of these men will we have to suffer 

If you voted for Modi go and jump. 
If you voted for Rahul you're dumber than he 
If you voted for Kejri then that should be fine 
Because sooner or later the man will resign 

Democracy demands we give them a chance 
But this time I think we should join in the dance 
Coz whoever they are, the men at the helm 
The country still belongs to us, not to them 

We gave them their seats, the two-seventy-two 
We voted them to power between me and you 
But whether they prove to be wise men or fools 
This nation is ours so let's play by the rules 

Let's not break the law, can we please stand in line 
Let's not pull those strings to avoid paying a fine 
Let's finally get that a red light means stop 
Let's not stoop to bribing the poor traffic cop 
Let's be part of the reason our country is great 
Let's be good citizens before it's too late 
Let's serve our great country without hesitation 
Let's all work together to build a strong nation 

Enough of the trolling, the barbs and the fights 
Now let's stick together, stand up for our rights 
Enough of debates on religion and caste 
Now let's be united, secular at last 

They might have the seats, the two-seventy-two 
But the country belongs to me and to you 
And we're a billion people, a billion and plus 
At the end of the day, the onus is on us.

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The 16th General Elections 2014 are over. Among the many surprises and upheavals, three dramatic firsts stand out:

1. For the first time since Independence India has elected a non-Congress party to the Lok Sabha  with an absolute majority. 
2. The country will have virtually a single party in power at the Centre, for the first time in decades ... Not a single party in the opposition has managed to win even 10 per cent of the 543 seats!
3. The Prime Minister-to-be, Naredra Modi of the BJP, will be the first one born after 1947, the year India won freedom from the British.

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What Lies Ahead
India is definitely at the cross-roads, with clear indications of veering strongly to the Right. There is elation, trepidation and great expectations - fairly normal reactions when big changes are imminent.

Kahlil Gibran's words come to mind:

Pity the nation that welcomes its new ruler with trumpeting, 
and farewells him with hooting, 
only to welcome another with trumpeting again.

The BJP, with a huge electoral mandate for Development, is laying its plans to form the Government and to roll out its agenda for India's future. The fate of a billion Indians is at stake.

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New Year 2014

Another year has passed. I look back, recalling the good times, choosing not to dwell on the bad ones ... and I am grateful.

Good health, caring friends, peaceful domesticity, rewarding community service, engrossing hobbies and pleasant social interaction - these I had aplenty in 2013. I made two trips abroad. One was an enjoyable tour of South East Asia - Bali, Viet Nam and Cambodia. Being summer, we sweated a LOT. Otherwise, we had an excellent time  - great sightseeing, yummy food, fun shopping and congenial company. From June to September I visited my sons and their families in the US. Spending quality time with my grandkids was the highlight of  this vacation.

For Christmas and the next few days I was in Manglore catching up with old friends and relations, seeing familiar places of my childhood and reliving old times, while enjoying the current social scene. I was back in Bangalore on the 31st,  to end 2013 with a late evening service at the Cathedral and to bring in the new year with a dear friend and her family. The weather in Bangalore is at its coldest - a welcome change from the hot days which are getting worse due to the deteriorating environment in the city.

In the first week of 2014, America is experiencing uprecedented cold weather. I just read the Latest News Report  about the Polar Vortex sweeping across North America and saw a map of the Affected Regions in the US. Climate changes, global warming, the environment - these need more attention and concerted action, cutting across political and economic barriers.

My eldest granddaughter was lucky. Well before the unexpected cold wave hit, she enjoyed lovely weather and excellent skiing conditions in Utah. Together with her father, she honed her skills on the blue slopes. They returned safely back home to the East Coast soon after the New Year.

	Through it all, this little guy was snug indoors!
My four-year-old granddaughter who lives in the vicinity of New York, stayed home from school and built a snowman, happily unaware of the sub-zero temperatures disrupting life.

At the same time, on the diametrically opposite side of the planet, it is sweltering summer. My grandkids in New Zealand  enjoy a cool treat in their backyard.

Pope Francis

Pope Francis I is the TIME magazine's Person of the year 2013. Never mind what I think of the choice. The question is: What do you think about it? Before jumping to conclusions, we need some background information.

Selection

Time's Top 5 Finalists for 2013. Now read the Lead Article on Pope Francis. It is a longish article, so in this post I have paraphrased a few extracts.

Who is Pope Francis?

He is Jorge Mario Bergoglio, a 76-year-old Argentinian. Son of an Italian immigrant, young Jorge trained as a chemical technician before joining the Jesuit priesthood.  He was the Archbishop of Buenos Aires till his election as pope in March 2013, succeeding  Pope Benedict who resigned, due to old age and ill health. The first non-European pope in 1,200 years, he is poised to transform a place that measures change by the century.

The changes began with the new name that he chose. Of the 266 popes in history,  23 were named John. He is the first in 2000 years to choose the name Francis - after Francis of Assisi, the 13th century saint who gave up luxury to follow a radical Christ-like life and is revered as the patron of the poor. He took this name and promptly called for a church of healing.

Social justice has always been a strong plank in his life's work in Argentina. He retains the same focus on social doctrine,  together with the traditional priestly role of upholding faith and morals. The Latin motto on his Coat of Arms means: "Having mercy and choosing him", a reference to the apostle Mathew, a lowly tax collector, whom Jesus called to be one of His twelve disciples.

Why the World Notices

Quite apart from the fact that he is the spiritual head of a huge Global Catholic Population, Pope Francis I comes across as unique. And not simply because of his headline-grabbing pictures of being a caring pastor. He has formally stated:

I prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a Church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security.

He has made it clear that it is not just talk. He wants actual transformation. Among the bishops and priests who run Catholic institutions. On the focus of activities. In the church finances. Soon after he was elected, he named a special commission to investigate the Vatican Bank which has been under a cloud since 2010. In turn they asked an independent firm for an audit. In October, the bank disclosed an annual report for the first time in its 125-year history.

The following quotes highlight the reason why he captured world attention in 2013:

"... what makes this Pope so important is the speed with which he has captured the imaginations of millions who had given up on hoping for the church at all.".

People are weary of the many problems besetting the Roman Catholic Church, when all the while (to borrow from Milton), “the hungry Sheep look up, and are not fed.” In a matter of months, Pope Francis has elevated the healing mission of the Church — the church as servant and comforter of hurting people in an often harsh world — above the doctrinal work which has always been paramount to its leaders.

"...  the new Pope may have found a way out of the 20th century culture wars, which have left the church moribund in much of Western Europe and on the defensive from Dublin to Los Angeles."

Not everybody agrees with the selection of TIME magazine. More about this in another post. Meanwhile:

Do you know how he celebrated his first birthday as Pope? Click Here.

Have you seen his most popular pictures after becoming Pope? Click here.

Doris Lessing

Doris Lessing  died peacefully today, in her home in London. She was 94. A versatile writer with a brilliant mind, her books covered a wide range.  In her youth, she was a fiery socialist and her early writings reflected that. Later she turned to spiritualism. No matter what the theme, her books always probe the interiors of human thoughts and feelings.

Nobel Prize at 87

Young Doris Lessing

She was a prolific writer and her fiction has multiple dimensions... definitely not light reading. As I posted in May 2013,  The Grass is Singing is one of her books that made a strong impression on me.

Age is a Number

Four years ago, I wrote a post on Growing up, Growing Old. As I re-read it now, I'm in the mood to post some more on the same lines...

John F. Kennedy once said in a speech in 1963 that change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. True enough, but not original. Heraclitus the philosopher beat him to it when he wrote “Change is the only constant in life.” 2500 years ago, in Ephesus! In Future Shock,  one of my favourite books about the changing world, Alvin Toffler writes about change and what it does to people, to society; and how they try to adapt. Expectedly, when we are exposed to changes at an accelerating pace, stress and failure to cope become major problems. Toffler discussed these issues in 1970. Today, that future shock is already here!

While I age and my system slows down, the changes in the world around me are accelerating at a crazy pace. Double whammy!

Random Recall

I wonder how many remember these!

Home milk delivery in glass bottles with tinfoil tops 


78 RPM records

Adding Machines

A Time When...

Decisions were made by going 'Eeny-meeny-miney-moe' or 'Tick Tack Toe'

'Race issue' meant arguing about who ran the fastest.

The worst thing you could catch from the opposite sex was 'chickenpox'   

Having a Weapon in school meant a slingshot.

Cardboard stuck in the spokes transformed a bicycle into a motorbike.

Power to the People

The BBC has a Section on World Changing Ideas for transforming the future of Planet Earth. Recently I read this article on the escalating energy needs of urban communities and radical ideas to improve the situation.

Amazingly innovative ideas like smart grids and decentralised power generation,  described in plain English. Imagine having the wherewithal to generate and control your own energy usage! Like solar heating on your own terrace, some day these high-tech ideas will be reality. I believe it is a peek into the future.

It certainly gave me something to hope and dream about, as I sweltered in the April heat of Bangalore, enduring long hours of power cuts.

Litterbugs

You and I are not wholly free of blame!



Don't just watch this video. please act on it and pass on the message too.

The Delhi Gang Rape, December 2012

This barbaric act perpetrated in the heart of our capital in December 2012, has horrified the country. One hopes and prays that the widespread anger and disgust will lead to significant changes in the Indian social and legal system.

Truly, the hands of an artist can do wonderful things to express inner feelings. Watch this video clip. Need I say more?

Getting to Mars

The real thing is better than sci fi.

Space exploration is an expensive, high-tech adventure. But adventure nevertheless. In this exciting video, NASA shares the crucial seven minutes before Curiosity lands on the hot surface of Mars.