Happy Birthday, Sir!

Happy Birthday to you, Sir! If I may use a few lines from a popular Hindi song: Aap Jiyo Hazaron Saal, Saal Ke Din Ho Pachaas Hazaar! (May You Live For Thousands Of Years, With Every Year Having 50,000 Days Each!)

In fact, Sir, you are the only contemporary Indian – after Mahatma Gandhi – who has truly transcended the Indian borders and has etched his place permanently into the global consciousness! Tatas’ legacy couldn’t have been carried forward more beautifully by anybody else! Your name’s abbreviated form RT equally represents Respect and Trust as much as Ratan Tata! The Tata Group is immensely fortunate to have you as their Leader! May you be around to guide and lead them, always! Likewise, may you always be there for India! You are the true Bharat Ratan!

If God ever granted me three wishes for letting three historic figures (Your place is set in history, already!) live forever on this earth, I would say: Mahatma Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and, You!

Happy Birthday, again!

And, a Happy 2010! May the coming year be the Best for You, so far!

I am a celebrity!

I am a celebrity! ... (My assumed position before you think I have gone insane!)

I am celebrated by all! ... (The etymological origin of the word “celebrity”.)

I am larger than life! ... (Every celebrity’s notion!)

I am famous! ... (There are many who are 'only' famous but not a celebrity!)

I am who controls the world! ... (The behavior says it all!)

I am who controls people! ... (Ask all those taken-for-granted fans!)

I am who controls the media! ... (That’s what every celebrity likes to think!)

I am, therefore, my world: I, Me, Myself! …

Aahh … Ok, I am back to my senses :)

Let’s try to understand this entire “business” of being a celebrity.

As a celebrity’s “life” gets “celebrated” by “ordinary” people - fans - he/she enjoys every moment of it – of being a “public” figure! A celebrity strategically “positions” oneself in public consciousness by “projecting” a particular “image”, and reaps immense benefits by getting to endorse various “related” products, therefore, cashing every ounce from the celebrity-hood!

In effect, however, gradually a celebrity becomes a “commodity” in the process – a position a bit difficult to sustain, by many. Because, with celebrity-hood comes responsibilities: responsibility to retain the “image” and maintain the “connect” between the endorsed products and consumers. After all, a huge sum of money rides on a celebrity every time!

Being a celebrity is not a bed of roses always; with it comes many thorns as well. A celebrity cannot be seen “flirting” with one’s “public image” by indulging into “conflicting” activities. Otherwise, he/she is set to lose almost everything earned over a period of time: the fame could turn into shame, and endorsements could dry up overnight.

The bigger loss, however, a celebrity suffers under such a “losing” circumstance is in one’s fan-base. When a celebrity falls from the pedestal, fans feel the major jolt: a fan feels emotionally cheated; his/her respect and love (selfless, of course) for his/her “favorite” shattered beyond redemption! The corporate sector fears this situation a lot: as fans find difficulty in “connecting” with that celebrity anymore and also the brands being endorsed by him/her.

As Media gets into a hyper mode, there are “stories” everywhere! The whole world seems to be talking only about the “latest scandal”! And a “larger than life” personality suddenly finds trouble in escaping from the “life” altogether! …

The same thing we saw happening to Tiger Woods. He was always much more than being “only” an amazing golfer with unmatched golfing skills. He enjoyed and earned billions of dollars because of his “projected image” of being a complete man: a hugely successful golfer and a dedicated family person, all rolled into one. People loved and respected him, selflessly, because of that. I seriously feel he could have been careful with his own life. After all, there was a lot at stake. I am sure he should have known about it all: that being a “public figure” means not having rigid “boundaries” drawn around one’s “private” space: people will have an access – though limited – to that space, always.

The raging media debate that to what extent the world should be allowed to get “involved” in a celebrity’s life has no meaning in Tiger Woods case. The fallout of the scandal is not his personal and professional loss alone; his adoring fans loss cannot be overlooked. Moreover, how can one expect the companies to continue to cast him as their “model” when the “role model” in him has got lost? Blaming public, or media, for “transgressions”(!) into his “private” life with “voyeuristic” attitude will not serve the purpose. The Tiger Woods is lost forever: the “renewed” version, if at all it comes back – will never be able to enjoy the same “pedestal position” as the erstwhile invincible and God-like Woods! … I feel sorry for him, and also for myself as his admirer. His loss is my loss, his every fan’s loss, the world’s loss, everybody’s loss. … May God guide him, from now on.

In conclusion: if a celebrity enjoys being “celebrated” by “ordinary” people, then one should be ready for being pulled down from the pedestal to being a pedestrian because of the self-created mess with wayward ways.

(I wanted to express my views on this subject post watching Barkha Dutt debate the topic on We The People.)

Kasab's Crime - and Punishment

Watching news channels incessantly flash Kasab’s most dramatic u-turn reminded me of Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s superb “Crime and Punishment”. Not only the words “crime” and “punishment” started playing out in my mind but also the protagonist (sorry, I do not remember the name) who had at first tried to justify his sinful action by believing that murder was permissible in pursuit of a “higher” purpose. However, I could see the clear delineation between the criminal in the novel and the murderer of 26/11 innocents: the former had the moral courage to accept his crime and choose the path to self-redemption, but, here in India, the murderer Ajmal Aamir Kasab had remained shamelessly remorseless. Infact, he had the audacity to proclaim, “I have never seen a AK-47!”

At first I felt acute agony but then I steadied my anguished mental state by deciding not to waste my emotions over a demon who was not human.

But I felt intense anger at the workings of the criminal justice system of our country. The farce of conducting a “fair” trial in the name of a democratic system and the “right” of even an established accused is immensely baffling. India has wasted vast amount of rupees and resources in the apparently never-ending process. And in the end, India gets to hear an unregretful Kasab say, “I had come to Bombay to try my luck in Hindi movies!”

This entire saga is being played out in a Bollywood style. We have a killer captured live on CCTV – and also on numerous television channels - killing scores of people with his AK-47 – yes, the same gun he claims to have never seen! – and watched live all across the globe. And then there are 610 “lucky-to-be-living” witnesses whose accounts the courts took extra pains to record officially. While the entire drama is being played out, the villain is being lodged in especially renovated jails with all possible comforts, enjoying highest possible security cover. The story is advancing well as planned with “expected” twists in the script sprinkled in between. Then comes the climax: the scene is of the courtroom. The prosecutor and the police are presenting their investigative reports; the judge asks the accused for his final words and then the world hears the most extraordinary narration of the times: Killer Kasab’s Krazy Konfessions! Recants actually, technically. (The details are imprinted on Indians psyche thanks to repeated “breaking news” on TV channels and extensive coverage by newspapers.) …

If we grant a fair and free trial rights to even a proven criminal like Kasab (until proven guilty?!) and prolong the process beyond comprehension - making it look more like a time-pass - then it is a sheer mockery of the criminal justice system; and a mockery of the memories of all those innocents murdered mercilessly on that fateful night of 26/11. Aren’t the closed-circuit cameras and the scores of witnesses not proof enough to convict Kasab? Does India fear that international courts may condemn it if it accorded deserved punishment to Kasab for unpardonable crimes? I mean, is there any justification for a “democratic” judiciary procedure in this case?

In my opinion, and I am sure I share it with my fellow Indians, Kasab should be hanged till death in public. Period. His heinous crime deserves nothing less. The message to terrorists of his ilk will be that they cannot – and should not – try to fool around any more. India – and the world – will hand over adequate punishment in proportion to their crime every time they try to disrupt peace and harmony. Terrorists are simply poisonous weeds: the world will uproot them forever. And peace and prosperity will prevail on our earth – come what may!

May Allah come to this nihilist’s rescue by sending him a Sonia, like the protagonist in Crime and Punishment, and set his soul free from all radical ideologies and sins. … Inshallah.

Post-Bush America: for India

The fact that we are still not living in a Post-American world is evident from the all around frenzy in our country over the not so well developing Indo-US relation since Obama administration took charge of affairs. The fact that the US foreign policy hawks did not deem India suitable enough to be a part of the stability plan in our troubled northern neighborhoods is also causing concern amongst the Indian politicians and the diplomats alike. The fact that the American President tried to involve China in the Indian scheme of things in Kashmir is giving severe ulcers to foreign policy pundits. The fact that President Obama played a marvelous host to our prime minister during his state visit but never for once publicly reprimanded – even as a passing remark – Pakistan for sponsoring terror activities on the Indian soil is solid enough a proof that for the United States of America – under Barack Obama – India still has to cover quite a distance before it can even think of being counted as its “natural ally”.

So, what should India do?

Without delay, India should remove all those ambiguous factors that have kept its foreign policy ailing, and inconsequential, since inception post independence.

India should immediately take stock of its foreign policy framework and rework on it, putting a few brilliant “expert” brains behind it. If India wants to sit on the global high table and get counted in matters pertaining to geopolitics, it will have to sell itself well. And, India has a lot to “sell” to the world: its hard power and its soft power as well!

India’s military prowess – in defending its territorial integrity in spite of repeated assaults by both Pakistan and China - is acknowledged by all. Though it should maintain its non-ambitious status in terms of border expansion, nevertheless, India should assert itself strongly in matters related to regional politics. India truly deserves a leadership position in its immediate neighborhoods, to start with, before embarking on an endeavor with global aspirations.

Talking about its soft power, though things “Indian” are becoming a rage abroad, still a lot needs to be achieved in this domain. India has to put in a lots of “intelligent” efforts in making people world over adopt the “Indian-way-of-life” as a matter of routine, like the “American-way-of-life” dominates the global psyche. India has to get into the consciousness of the world. Then only we can truly claim to have arrived on the world stage.

For India, selling its soft power is much easier today due to world’s willingness to accept and experiment things “Indian”. This change is apparent, and possible, because of India’s growing economic clout. After all, everybody wants to emulate a nation which is economically on a strong foundation. Remember, the “Mighty Dollar”? India’s “Reliable Rupee” could do the trick!

I feel, it is simple to comprehend.

India is an emerging economy and as the fourth largest economy of the world is expected to soon acquire the economic superpower status along side China. Therefore, it is high time India leveraged its economic strength and established itself as a real “emerging” global power. For this, India needs to put its foreign policy in place.

And, soon the world will see a strategic shift in Obama administration’s attitude towards India and will acknowledge our country as US’ “natural ally”. Its otherwise “failing and crumbling” neighborhoods will accept India as its regional leader and sustained peace and prosperity will be brought about in this part of the world and elsewhere as well! I truly believe that a lot can be accomplished globally with coming together of the oldest and the largest democracies of the world!

Sounds achievable? … I think so.

Thus, Indians need not worry about having to live in a Post-Bush America. With the requisite changes in India’s approach towards its international affairs, both India and the world will soon get to enjoy the Obama-Singh era!

(A sincere digression: God forbid, if the world will ever have to live in the Post-American world. ’Cause, all said and done, the democratic America is a much better world leader than the autocratic Russia or China!)

Disclaimer - The above views are the earnest expressions of a foreign policy non-pundit!

Hope @ 'hagen?

Nope. That’s my feeling.

The Climate Change Conference at Copenhagen is experiencing extreme confusion and chaos. The ongoing slugfest between the ‘developed’ and the ‘developing’ nations is becoming more intense as the days go by. The inevitable stalemate is not going to be resolved anytime soon. Perhaps it will take many more years before the human race realizes its own ultimate interest in saving its abode: the Earth.

What I find the most amusing is the definition of the developed and the developing nations. China is currently the most dominant global economy; yet it claims to be ‘developing’, still! And, therefore, China is smartly trying to sweep under its responsibilities towards containing industrial pollution in spite of being the biggest polluter in today’s times.

There is no denying the fact that the established ‘developed’ countries have to take the accountability in terms of commitment and investments in cutting down the emission levels to the non-dangerous levels as they have been the primary culprits in bringing the world to its hazardous levels of global warming.

Nevertheless, I feel that the emerging economies like China and India – yes, India, too – will also have to own their share of responsibilities towards carbon emission cuts. They cannot keep hiding behind their low per capita emission cloak and get away; a country’s absolute contribution to the global pollution should be taken as the deciding yardstick. And, they should stop singing the same old tune about being penalized for the reckless ways of industrialized nations and that they do not have enough resources to implement the required norms. Most of the developing countries – say for instance, India – are rich enough to put enough money in necessary technologies. Only, they have to be honest with their expenditures. Because, what ails all these countries besides overflowing population and, perhaps, resultant pollution is the perilous levels of corruption. (Remember Rajiv Gandhi’s honest admission about 85% of the public money getting into private bank accounts of the immensely corrupt politicians and bureaucrats in India?!) … The African nations of course need extensive support from the rich nations in meeting their levels of carbon cuts.

Let’s all work towards a Cleaner and a Greener Earth for the sustained survival of the humankind. We sure want to see our 'carbon-free' footprints forever on this planet!

So, let’s hope that Hope Happens @ Copenhagen!

26/11/2009: Bombay, a year later

I along with my country folks and people from all over the world got somber yesterday for all the innocent victims of Bombay massacre last year. The mindless mayhem perpetrated upon the city and people of Bombay by a bunch of Pakistan-trained terrorists was so extraordinary that those 62 hours made India seem the most vulnerable. Bombay, of course, bounced back to life soon, showing its famed resilience once again in the face of its biggest adversity. The extraordinary courage shown by Taj Mahal hotel and Trident hotel staff, anti-terror squad's officers, CST's announcer, policemen, and most of all our elite NSG commandos was all the stuff of legends! Also encouraging was the solidarity shown by the citizens of India in severe condemnation of the most barbaric destabilizing act of the brainwashed extremists. We all heard India chanting: Enough is Enough!

The Indian government had to act. Under public pressure, it removed the utterly incompetent Home Minister. The Maharashtra chief minister and the home minister were forced to resign because of their absolute insensitiveness exhibited towards the most shocking of the carnage. India got a new Home Minister: a highly respected and perhaps the most competent so far. It felt India would finally be able to brace itself for any future fight to save its territorial integrity and maintain tranquility all around.

But nothing has changed apparently.

Except for the workings of the ministry of home affairs, of course. P. Chidambaram has successfully revamped the systems involved in maintaining homeland security to a large extent and we would soon be seeing him further minimizing the “accumulated neglect” and ensuring that India never ever gets under such hopeless circumstances.

But, beyond that? Has Bombay really learnt its lessons? Could Bombayites sustain their anger against the state government’s gross ineptness in handling the entire episode of terror? Did they decide to throw out the incompetent and corrupt government for bringing their beloved city to its knees in those horrific 62 hours a year earlier at the first opportunity thrown to them in terms of the state assembly elections recently? Sadly, the answer to all these disturbing questions is a big NO.

Bombay could never transcend beyond sloganeering. “Enough is Enough” remained only in the domain of a few people seeking short-term television appearance. They did not even come out to vote in enough numbers that could have upset the ruling party’s cartel. They did not even choose a few decent and capable professionals who had decided to take a plunge in the murky waters of politics, all for the sake of their fellow citizens. Worse, the same person got the Home portfolio whose utterly shocking sentiments that “such small things keep happening in big cities” had offended the entire nation post 26/11.

The fact that Bombay tries to disguise its indifference towards its narrow day-to-day routine grind of life by showcasing its so-called virtue of “resilience” is immensely disappointing. And this was at its best display yesterday – a year post 26/11.

The citiwallas had no time to come together even in remembrance, forget about showing solidarity and strength in demanding answers from the state and the central governments for their continuing apathy. Whatever we saw happening yesterday in Bombay and elsewhere as a mark of 26/11 first anniversary was all thanks to media’s initiatives, television channels in particular. Otherwise, the so-called Maximum City was happy with its minimum exhibition of its emotions.

(And, by the way, where were all those stalwarts, again, – by/for/of Marathi Manoos - ever eager to divide Bombay – err, Mumbai – in the name of the so-called Maratha Pride? Perhaps, they did not deem the issue of Mumbai’s safety strong enough a platform to garner a few more gullible votes! Honestly, I pity Shiv Sena and MNS alike.)

I pray for all those departed souls and their family members left behind. I pray for enough strength to our Home Minister Mr. P. Chidambaram who has the skill and the will to set things right. I pray for sustained security and prosperity of my country.

God save India.

Thank You, All !

“If the only prayer you said in your whole life was "thank you," that would suffice,” said Meister Eckhart a few centuries ago. Today, on this Thanksgiving Day, I take a leaf out of his saying and “Thank” all those people who made – and make – me who I am.

In essence, at the core, I Thank God for His/Her Blessings for surrounding me with the most wonderful of people i.e. my parents, to start with. Though “Thanks” is a very mild expression of my strong feelings of gratitude and love and respect that I have for them, yet I say, “Thank You, Mummy and Papa!”

I “Thank” my sisters for being in my life as “true” friends, more than anything else!

I “Thank” my knowledgeable teachers for imparting the best of knowledge and values!

I “Thank” all my friends who came into my life at various stages and made my life worth living!

I “Thank” all my “foes” too who made me acquire enough strength and learn the ways to survive in this “big bad world”!

I “Thank” Mahatma Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, and all great historical and living figures in various fiields, authors, musicians, moviemakers, media, newspapers, sportspersons, and everybody and everything else for making my life enjoyable and comfortable!

Last, but not the least, I “Thank” my country for democracy and secularism that She has granted for my Free Life!

Thank You, All!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

:)

Vande Mataram Controversy: Pathetic Politics of Identity

If every individual was to ask this question to himself/herself: Who am I? The answer would be the same in each case: I am an Indian / American / Mexican / Brazilian / Pakistani / South African / Australian / Bahraini / Iraqi / South Korean / German / English / Mauritian / Nepali / Bhutanese / Sri Lankan / Chinese / …, No person will ever get identified as a Hindu / Muslim / Christian / Jew / Buddhist / etc. in the world. If any body has any conflict of views here, he/she can simply glance through his/her passport, and, taking it further, he/she should try getting a visa to any country on this earth based on his/her religion and not his/her nationality.

Thus, when we are born with a “pre-defined” – and pre-destined - identity based on our “nationality”, then from where does this dilemma arise about ones identity? If a person is of a particular nationality, then everything belonging / related to that particular nation is the inheritance of him/her as well. Say, I am an Indian and therefore everything Indian has a connection to/with me. Be it its history, its legacy, its anthem, its song, etc. It doesn’t matter at all that I was born into a particular religion or a particular region or a particular caste or a particular community. My country remains India; my national anthem remains “Jana Gana Mana”; my national song remains “Vande Mataram”.

And, if I have any problems proudly adopting any of my Indian legacies, then I am free to relinquish India and be a part of that world where my religious identity will be of paramount importance and not my nationality i.e. where my passport will be stamped based on my religious beliefs and visas would be granted based on my religious allegiance.

Vande Mataram …!!!

P.S.: I appreciate Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's efforts in making those fatwa-issuing maulwis come to senses. ... Wonder why there wasn't much of protest from our home minister P. Chidambaram who was present at that Deoband's meet ...

LOL: Line of Linguistic Divide

I love my country. I love and respect her for diversity and democracy. Though I am critical of her “deliberate” shortcomings, especially the apathy of a small minority of its “privileged” class towards the population on the other side of the divide, but today I will talk about India’s linguistic legacy only.

India is home to one of the oldest civilizations and she continues to flourish because of her celebrated diversity manifested in myriad fields including languages. Amazingly, there are 22 “official” languages (Hindi being the most widely spoken by almost 45% of public) besides scores of dialects. And India being a democratic country, everybody has the right to speak, write, and read in whatever language he/she feels comfortable. Though English is the “common” language used in business and administrative set up, yet nobody is ‘bound’ to adopt a particular language for anybody’s else’s sake.

Same linguistic rights are with elected members of the Parliament and the State Assemblies. And what happened with Abu Azmi, SP’s MLA-elect during his oath administration, is utterly disgusting. The shameful conduct of MNS MLAs (or goondas?) was also unlawful, who deserved nothing less than expulsion for the entire term. I wonder why no action was taken against Raj Thackeray for issuing a verbal diktat to Abu Azmi against his planned oath taking in Hindi? The deranged and highly unimaginative MNS Chief should be banned for life from contesting political elections and should be punished appropriately as a lesson to all other divisive characters in our society.

What was more disgusting was the mute spectator status of the ruling Congress party in Maharashtra. Why couldn’t it summon enough courage to stop that act of disruption of the MNS? If it thinks that by supporting MNS spread its wings, it will be able to weaken the Opposition and will be able to thrive and survive for long, then it is sadly mistaken. The Congress will soon see itself getting wiped out from the political canvas of the state. No one has ever succeeded in successfully rearing a monster; the latter has always bitten back, and hard. … Rahul Gandhi, are you listening???

I feel like LOL: laughing out loud on my beloved country’s LOL i.e. Line of Linguistic Divide.

God save India.

Our Pitiable Neighborhood

Often I wonder what went wrong with the DNA construction of Pakistan that since its inception it has remained crippled. Nevertheless, no matter that it has waged many wars on my country, albeit unsuccessfully every time, tries to wreck India’s stability with its repeated terrorists attempts, again, unsuccessfully, that it has annexed a considerable chunk of my nation’s territory – that portion renamed by the world as Pakistan Administered Kashmir (PAK), in India it rightfully being referred to as POK – Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, I feel no animosity towards our neighbor that is now called a failed state worldwide. For me, Pakistan is a country which was cleverly severed by British from India’s body a little more than six decades ago, and Pakistanis are the beings who were Indians only till recently, a little more than six decades ago.

But, I feel pity for Pakistan.

I feel pity for Pakistan because it has let its politicians and army exploit it to the hilt without ever forcefully raising its voice in protest and punishing the perpetrators of anarchy, utter mismanagement and extreme corruption. It has silently suffered repeated rapes. I wonder why …

Perhaps, something went wrong completely during its inception.

Pakistan was created by Mohammed Ali Jinnah, himself a staunch secularist and an atheist, but who fancied and fashioned his “idea” of his country on his politically motivated notion entrenched in separatism and religious bigotry. Jinnah was one of the most hypocritical of the world leaders who exhibited a complete dichotomy between what he preached and practiced. Still I believe that if he would have remained alive for considerable period of time post partition, he could have led Pakistan on a different trajectory than the one on which it found itself sliding after his sudden death soon after its partition from India.

Even if Pakistan was created as a Muslim state – of the Muslims, by the Muslims, for the Muslims – even if it has been governed (shall we say, ruled?!) by army dictators for most period of its existence, even if it went along with US and became its puppet along the way, even if it created Taliban and let its soil used for waging terror attacks on India and elsewhere, even if … still it could have become a much better country for its own folks. I wonder why it did not happen …

All that Pakistan had to do was to show the same amount of courage that it showed in orchestrating the ouster of General Pervez Musharraf, every time it found itself being manipulated by its greedy politicians and brutal dictators. And the things would have been much better for Pakistanis. It just had to think about itself rather than getting distracted by things hugely detrimental to its own interest and no one else. Islam, its ‘founding’ religion, could have come as its biggest guide in its endeavor towards stability and prosperity, if interpreted and followed properly of course. Pakistan was not required to be friends with India if it didn’t want to be. Forget about the illusions of cricket and people-to-people contacts and other initiatives to so-called normalize the situation across both sides of the LOC. Pakistan just had to do what was good for sustainable peace and prosperity of its own people.

Instead, Pakistan continues to live in its blinkered world with a mind perpetually in denial. Instead of taking sincere corrective measures to rid itself of the ever increasing menace of its own creation i.e. Taliban and scores of other extremists outfits; instead of dismantling the terror network and infrastructure built on its land – supported by the establishment itself of course, Pakistan is shamelessly diverting blames on India for all its woes, including Taliban’s terror! I find it extremely preposterous and pitiable at the same time.

Today, the state of affairs in Pakistan is so pathetic that the world is wondering if it will survive and for how long before collapsing completely. For me, an Indian, Pakistan’s political and social stability is crucial for the peace in my own country.

I say, wake up Pakistan! Else, the time is not far when you will get fatally mauled by your own demons. Let the world feel proud of you rather than pity you, as I do.

Pakistan will come to its senses someday soon, I am sure. Or is it audacity of hope? I hope not. Inshallah …

Delhi's Diwali

Diyas, Mithayis, Patakhas, Rangolis, New clothes, Laxmi puja, Parents blessings – in kind and cash, both! … (not necessarily in the same order!) … are the vivid images which conjure up in my mind when I think of Diwali celebrations. But all these changed when I witnessed Diwali celebrations in Delhi – more than a decade ago when I moved to this city.

Here, in this richest Indian megapolis, I found the concept of Diwali to be different. Though the essential ingredients of Diwali seemed to be intact to a large extent, but I was amused to find that the fundamental focus in Diwali was on “gifting” – to relatives, friends and business contacts. I felt Diwali to be more of a CRM annual ritual than a family festival. It was funny to see people running mad all over the city with “gifts”, adding further to the extremely chaotic traffic conditions in days nearing Diwali, as if contesting in a race in Customer Relationship Management (CRM)! And even weirder was the realization that almost all of these relatives, friends and business contacts were to be forgotten comfortably till the next Diwali arrived when the exercise in CRM would start all over again! … In the entire process, it’s the family which gets the least importance, I guess.

Delhi’s Diwali is different in yet another basic aspect: here, people do not light diyas but instead decorate their home with multicoloured electrical bulbs. Frankly, these artificial tools of lighting accentuate the ugliness of surroundings. I actually wonder if Delhiites get too tired “giving & receiving gifts” that they are left with no energy to go through the procedure of diya lighting: putting oil and wick in earthen diyas, arranging them on roof and walls, and then lighting them at dusk on Diwali day. If only these Delhi residents had the opportunity to enjoy Diwali in other parts of the country and see the beauty of homes decorated with diyas, I am sure, they would relinquish these electrical bulbs forever.

Hopefully, the ever-running and ever-consuming Delhi will halt temporarily in its pace and enjoy Diwali in its true sense: a family festival, an occasion for the family to be together and celebrate, and pray for God’s blessings for prosperity and peace.

Every Diwali I pray: Let there be light - in every human’s heart, mind and soul :)

Happy Diwali!

Happy Diwali!

Happy Diwali! Let there be light: in every human's heart, mind and soul!