India’s current series in Australia, the umpiring decisions, the racist comment(s) controversy and now the IPL bids … cricket is always big news in India and more so now. Naturally, the news of the winning bids for IPL has been hogging headlines everywhere. Shahrukh Khan, Vijay Mallaya, Ness Wadia and Preity Zinta all wining the bids among others.
Naturally, the fate of the Indian Women’s Hockey team got mere mention. Returning to India from a training camp in Australia, the team had to spend a chilly wintry night in very shabby accommodation.
Also, they were unaware of a Rs. 5 lakh grant for purchase of equipment and so they had to shell out their own money.
So despite the appeal of “Chak De” and SRK and the women’s hockey team winning the hockey world cup in reel life, in real life, its cricket all the way.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Friday, January 11, 2008
Sir Edmund passes away
One day in 1852 in British-ruled India, a young man burst into an office in the northern Dehra Dun hill town and announced to his boss: "Sir, I have discovered the highest mountain in the world!" Full article here.
That highest mountain in the world, known as Peak XV till then, is of course known to us as Mount Everest.
The man who made the euphoric declaration was Sir Radhanath Sikdar, a bengali mathematician who worked for the Surveyor General of India and joined the Great Trigonometric Survey in 1840.
And just over a 100 years later, on 29th of May 1953, the Everest was conquered by Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay.
Sherpa Tenzing Norgay passed away on 9th May 1986 and today, his partner Sir Edmund Hilary breathed his last and joins him, scaling higher and higher peaks together, in the hereafter.
That highest mountain in the world, known as Peak XV till then, is of course known to us as Mount Everest.
The man who made the euphoric declaration was Sir Radhanath Sikdar, a bengali mathematician who worked for the Surveyor General of India and joined the Great Trigonometric Survey in 1840.
And just over a 100 years later, on 29th of May 1953, the Everest was conquered by Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay.
Sherpa Tenzing Norgay passed away on 9th May 1986 and today, his partner Sir Edmund Hilary breathed his last and joins him, scaling higher and higher peaks together, in the hereafter.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
A divine display
Yesterday was awesome. Nature put on a very special show for our benefit….First of all, the day was unusually warm. With the mercury dipping to 1.0 deg only a few days back, it was heavenly to stand on the verandah and not feel the chill.
Perfect weather for a trip to the small oasis in this ugly concrete jungle that is Gurgaon: Leisure Valley Park. Overcrowded on weekends, we had the park all to ourselves except the few couple…they were anyhow, tucked away in the remotest of corners! Like the warm weather, another bit of luck, eh?
A little inside, the small enclosed rose park was a RIOT of colours. Roses of all hues, a single rose, big as a small tea cup to tiny clusters …what a sight to behold. After a pleasant amble, we left and made our way to the parking lot outside. Ah, life was already smelling of roses!!
And then, we saw this most amazing display, put on, as if, just for the two of us. From the far end of the near empty large parking lot, up they came without a warning, a huge swarm (they were definitely not looking like a flock) of the common myna (shalik in bengali), putting up an uncommon display. They came at an angle, swooped low and soared up, and at some hidden signal, the whole swarm separated into different flocks and flew in opposite direction, and then came together again and again and just as suddenly, flew to different trees and sat on the topmost / outmost branches, sort of outlining each tree and the whole process began again. I don't know much about birds habits (city dwelling ignoramus that I am), but I don’t think it was something common. The parking attendant and his two cronies too were watching it, agape. I wish I had carried a camera with me. It was like looking through a kaleidoscope where the figures, merge, meld and break up in perfect symmetry.
To imagine, I have lived so long and yet have never seen so many roses of some many hues, birds in rapturous display...and it must have always been, as long as birds have been, as long as roses have been....
I carried the images with me even as A negotiated his way through the totally un-symmetric chaotic mess of roads, cars, metro diggings, back to our home.
Perfect weather for a trip to the small oasis in this ugly concrete jungle that is Gurgaon: Leisure Valley Park. Overcrowded on weekends, we had the park all to ourselves except the few couple…they were anyhow, tucked away in the remotest of corners! Like the warm weather, another bit of luck, eh?
A little inside, the small enclosed rose park was a RIOT of colours. Roses of all hues, a single rose, big as a small tea cup to tiny clusters …what a sight to behold. After a pleasant amble, we left and made our way to the parking lot outside. Ah, life was already smelling of roses!!
And then, we saw this most amazing display, put on, as if, just for the two of us. From the far end of the near empty large parking lot, up they came without a warning, a huge swarm (they were definitely not looking like a flock) of the common myna (shalik in bengali), putting up an uncommon display. They came at an angle, swooped low and soared up, and at some hidden signal, the whole swarm separated into different flocks and flew in opposite direction, and then came together again and again and just as suddenly, flew to different trees and sat on the topmost / outmost branches, sort of outlining each tree and the whole process began again. I don't know much about birds habits (city dwelling ignoramus that I am), but I don’t think it was something common. The parking attendant and his two cronies too were watching it, agape. I wish I had carried a camera with me. It was like looking through a kaleidoscope where the figures, merge, meld and break up in perfect symmetry.
To imagine, I have lived so long and yet have never seen so many roses of some many hues, birds in rapturous display...and it must have always been, as long as birds have been, as long as roses have been....
I carried the images with me even as A negotiated his way through the totally un-symmetric chaotic mess of roads, cars, metro diggings, back to our home.
Monday, January 07, 2008
Let them eat biscuits, then….
MP’s cutting across party lines agreeing about something, in India. Is that possible? Pigs might fly, right? Well actually, the impossible has happened, but not in the way that you or I would have imagined. The Times of India reports that 30 odd MPs from different parties have written to the Ministry of HRD to replace the present hot, cooked meals under the Mid day Meal scheme for primary school students, with – hold your breath - biscuits! (TOI, 31 December, 2007)
The Mid day Meal scheme in India covers 12 crore children in 9.5 lakh schools in the country. Hot meals, locally cooked, supervised and served is aimed at community participation as well as increased enrollment and retention of students in primary schools. What will they eat, if they go to school (and not work for thier lunch and dinner, if lucky) was the basis of launch of this scheme, which was initially launched in Tamil Nadu and later adopted by the Government of India, The ministry of HRD, to cover the rest of the country. More here.
The MDM scheme is currently Rs. 5,000 crores and as the government is looking to expand this scheme to cover 18 crore children, the budget would therefore increase too and heftily. Incidentally, (the paper reports) the argument was very similar to the Mumbai based Biscuit Manufacture Welfare Association (BMWA)’s proposal to the HRD ministry.
The arguments put forth would have been really funny (hilarious in fact), but they had me wiping tears none of which were of mirth. (TOI 31, December 2007)
Samajwadi Party's Rajya Sabha MP Abu Asim Azmi writing,"Biscuits are a healthy, packaged, nutritious product which can cover many shortcomings of the present system followed by the MDM schemes."
"Biscuits are a favourite snack of children and have a higher recall and acceptance among the intended beneficiaries of the MDMs." RPI's Ramdas Athawale
K Natwar Singh "Members of the defence services, state police, administrative personnel, farmers, all classes of professional and labourers continue their biscuit consumption habits nurtured since childhood."
There is hope yet. Many state governments have written to the ministry of HRD opposing biscuit lunch plan. (TOI January 6, 2008).
Some states have relied on the Supreme Court’s 2001 and subsequent orders that prohibit centralized purchase of food for the scheme in order to avoid corruption. It has also been argued that serving hot cooked meals ensures local community participation.
Gujrat’s reply “ Biscuit is a snack which cannot be considered as alternate to hot, cooked meal…moreover the state government prescribes a menu for the MDM scheme according to local tastes and hence biscuits cannot be provided”.
Obviously, K Natwar Singh was talking about the other states and not Gujrat.
Meghalaya, “State Government prefers the cooked midday meal as it is in line with Supreme Court direction. Also, a meal is more filling and “healthful” than biscuits. Maybe Samajwadi Party's Rajya Sabha MP Abu Asim Azmi was talking about a different biscuit.
Pondicherry provides more than the prescribed levels of nutrients through a mixed menu and therefore rejects biscuits.
AP takes the medical route saying biscuits have disproportionately high percentage of sugar and daily consumption of biscuits is likely to expose the children to risk of juvenile diabetes.
Remember what happened to a certain lady who said, “If there is no bread, let them eat cake?”…well we live in more “civilzed” times and therefore, make the proponents of biscuits for lunch eat, well, biscuits – their just desserts.
The Mid day Meal scheme in India covers 12 crore children in 9.5 lakh schools in the country. Hot meals, locally cooked, supervised and served is aimed at community participation as well as increased enrollment and retention of students in primary schools. What will they eat, if they go to school (and not work for thier lunch and dinner, if lucky) was the basis of launch of this scheme, which was initially launched in Tamil Nadu and later adopted by the Government of India, The ministry of HRD, to cover the rest of the country. More here.
The MDM scheme is currently Rs. 5,000 crores and as the government is looking to expand this scheme to cover 18 crore children, the budget would therefore increase too and heftily. Incidentally, (the paper reports) the argument was very similar to the Mumbai based Biscuit Manufacture Welfare Association (BMWA)’s proposal to the HRD ministry.
The arguments put forth would have been really funny (hilarious in fact), but they had me wiping tears none of which were of mirth. (TOI 31, December 2007)
Samajwadi Party's Rajya Sabha MP Abu Asim Azmi writing,"Biscuits are a healthy, packaged, nutritious product which can cover many shortcomings of the present system followed by the MDM schemes."
"Biscuits are a favourite snack of children and have a higher recall and acceptance among the intended beneficiaries of the MDMs." RPI's Ramdas Athawale
K Natwar Singh "Members of the defence services, state police, administrative personnel, farmers, all classes of professional and labourers continue their biscuit consumption habits nurtured since childhood."
There is hope yet. Many state governments have written to the ministry of HRD opposing biscuit lunch plan. (TOI January 6, 2008).
Some states have relied on the Supreme Court’s 2001 and subsequent orders that prohibit centralized purchase of food for the scheme in order to avoid corruption. It has also been argued that serving hot cooked meals ensures local community participation.
Gujrat’s reply “ Biscuit is a snack which cannot be considered as alternate to hot, cooked meal…moreover the state government prescribes a menu for the MDM scheme according to local tastes and hence biscuits cannot be provided”.
Obviously, K Natwar Singh was talking about the other states and not Gujrat.
Meghalaya, “State Government prefers the cooked midday meal as it is in line with Supreme Court direction. Also, a meal is more filling and “healthful” than biscuits. Maybe Samajwadi Party's Rajya Sabha MP Abu Asim Azmi was talking about a different biscuit.
Pondicherry provides more than the prescribed levels of nutrients through a mixed menu and therefore rejects biscuits.
AP takes the medical route saying biscuits have disproportionately high percentage of sugar and daily consumption of biscuits is likely to expose the children to risk of juvenile diabetes.
Remember what happened to a certain lady who said, “If there is no bread, let them eat cake?”…well we live in more “civilzed” times and therefore, make the proponents of biscuits for lunch eat, well, biscuits – their just desserts.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
Roti, Paani aur Bijli
The water supply was restored on the 4th, after three full days. At first we felt irritated, harassed, angry. Our daily routine went haywire. How much comfort we derived from the same ness, routineness of everyday things ... no reason why... like sweeping and mopping, watering plants, the dishes, the laundry...
It felt surreal to wash the clothes at 6pm when a water tanker would arrive and water would run through our taps if only for a couple of hours.
We had all our taps on...and the slightest trickle, heralding the arrival of the water tank would galvanise A and me (and the other residents I am sure) to action. We stored water wherever possible: In buckets, in my two pressure cookers, assorted pots and pans...in fact I was running out of dishes to prepare the meals!
The household helps came several times each day to check and somehow, the water would arrive only after they had left! They must have been laughing at our predicament, a taste of what 'their' life is like. This afterall, this is nothing new to them. My maid J manages to run her home with water that her husband brings from a distant tap.
It also drove home the point how much we took things for granted...how wasteful we were. And not just leaving the tap on while brushing. I managed to cook and clean and wash clothes properly but with a limited quantity of water...perhaps, for the first time, the correct amount of water. A bucketful of water was enough for a good bath instead of a luxurious soak in a bath tub. And believe me when I say, it felt just as good as if I had taken a bath in a hot tub with aroma oils and candles lit on the edge, sipping wine!
Even after the water supply was restored, we continued to store and use water judiciously (read not wastefully).
Last evening, when we reached home after our weekly shopping at Wazirabad Haat, we found the entire building completely dark. That meant no power and no generator either. A was too tired (with the various excuses that the administration would have given us and none of which would make sense and yet all would promise instant resolution of the problem) and so we lugged our veggies upstairs slowly, through the ptich dark.
The power came back for half an hour, enough time for me to grill the kebabs and then it went and returned only at 9 this morning. Which meant I missed "To Kill a Mockingbird" shown on Sony Pix last night at 10pm. (This is the second time I could have seen and yet missed the film...the first time was my choice, unbelievably. We were in the middle east then and I for some unearthly reason...chose to swot for my exams rather than watch the film...perhaps the only time I have done so)!
This morning, we find out that Gurgaon has been plagued with 12 hour power cuts. So perhaps the building admin decided to give the generators a rest and keep it for the all important pumping water to the over head tanks.
Perhaps all this is a boon in disguise...teaching us, preparing us for the day, not so far away when we'd have to ration (if lucky, fight for if not) water, power, fuel and by we, I mean everyone....
Afterall, man does not live by bread alone. Water and Power are very important too....
It felt surreal to wash the clothes at 6pm when a water tanker would arrive and water would run through our taps if only for a couple of hours.
We had all our taps on...and the slightest trickle, heralding the arrival of the water tank would galvanise A and me (and the other residents I am sure) to action. We stored water wherever possible: In buckets, in my two pressure cookers, assorted pots and pans...in fact I was running out of dishes to prepare the meals!
The household helps came several times each day to check and somehow, the water would arrive only after they had left! They must have been laughing at our predicament, a taste of what 'their' life is like. This afterall, this is nothing new to them. My maid J manages to run her home with water that her husband brings from a distant tap.
It also drove home the point how much we took things for granted...how wasteful we were. And not just leaving the tap on while brushing. I managed to cook and clean and wash clothes properly but with a limited quantity of water...perhaps, for the first time, the correct amount of water. A bucketful of water was enough for a good bath instead of a luxurious soak in a bath tub. And believe me when I say, it felt just as good as if I had taken a bath in a hot tub with aroma oils and candles lit on the edge, sipping wine!
Even after the water supply was restored, we continued to store and use water judiciously (read not wastefully).
Last evening, when we reached home after our weekly shopping at Wazirabad Haat, we found the entire building completely dark. That meant no power and no generator either. A was too tired (with the various excuses that the administration would have given us and none of which would make sense and yet all would promise instant resolution of the problem) and so we lugged our veggies upstairs slowly, through the ptich dark.
The power came back for half an hour, enough time for me to grill the kebabs and then it went and returned only at 9 this morning. Which meant I missed "To Kill a Mockingbird" shown on Sony Pix last night at 10pm. (This is the second time I could have seen and yet missed the film...the first time was my choice, unbelievably. We were in the middle east then and I for some unearthly reason...chose to swot for my exams rather than watch the film...perhaps the only time I have done so)!
This morning, we find out that Gurgaon has been plagued with 12 hour power cuts. So perhaps the building admin decided to give the generators a rest and keep it for the all important pumping water to the over head tanks.
Perhaps all this is a boon in disguise...teaching us, preparing us for the day, not so far away when we'd have to ration (if lucky, fight for if not) water, power, fuel and by we, I mean everyone....
Afterall, man does not live by bread alone. Water and Power are very important too....
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Happy New Year!
Is it a crime to use a whole mug of water to paint on a day when there has been no water?
We woke up to the new year to find that there was no water running out of the tap(s). We had to depend on the three large buckets of water (now ice cold since the mercury had dipped to 2 deg C last night... and still feels that way indoors), all day.
So, we spent the day,A & I, glued to the TV and the net respectively. I cooked what I could using the least amount of water. Some of the water was used by J to mop the floors (I insisted) and washing the tea cups, strainer and kettle (J insisted, knowing our tea-dependence).
"It will be back in half an hour", we were told around 9am. It's nearly 6pm and we are still waiting. Apparently the plan was to get four tankers of water, put that in the building's reservoir and pump it via the water pump. Last update: 2 tankers have arrived, but the water pump is now being fixed: Why wasn't it fixed earlier? Who knows why?
In the meanwhile, I am painting (water colours).
"Be good today", ma would tell us, on new years' past of our girlhood day's (mine and my sis R's). "If you cry today, you will cry all the year through". (The first day shows the year...apparently).
I seriously, sincerely hope that, THAT is NOT true.
Happy New year, everyone.
We woke up to the new year to find that there was no water running out of the tap(s). We had to depend on the three large buckets of water (now ice cold since the mercury had dipped to 2 deg C last night... and still feels that way indoors), all day.
So, we spent the day,A & I, glued to the TV and the net respectively. I cooked what I could using the least amount of water. Some of the water was used by J to mop the floors (I insisted) and washing the tea cups, strainer and kettle (J insisted, knowing our tea-dependence).
"It will be back in half an hour", we were told around 9am. It's nearly 6pm and we are still waiting. Apparently the plan was to get four tankers of water, put that in the building's reservoir and pump it via the water pump. Last update: 2 tankers have arrived, but the water pump is now being fixed: Why wasn't it fixed earlier? Who knows why?
In the meanwhile, I am painting (water colours).
"Be good today", ma would tell us, on new years' past of our girlhood day's (mine and my sis R's). "If you cry today, you will cry all the year through". (The first day shows the year...apparently).
I seriously, sincerely hope that, THAT is NOT true.
Happy New year, everyone.
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