Just another blog!

That the BJP led NDA won this general election came as no surprise. However, the fact that the BJP itself got enough votes to (in theory) form the government single handedly did catch me off guard. Turns out that the only exit poll that got it right was Today's Chanakya, a poll I regret having scoffed at. I was giddy with excitement having read the numbers and trends that appeared within hours since the counting process began. I'm not that politically inclined, and rarely voice my opinion on a platform which invites people who are wrong. Nevertheless, I cannot resist commenting on the biggest democratic event in the history of the world. There are, however, a number of trends that can be observed in this election. Chief amongst them is an anti-incumbency sentiment, and a pro-Modi wave. What's the reason for the pro-Modi wave? Why is it that I, even though I've never visited Gujarat, rooted for him as PM for the past five years? Looking back, I honestly have no an...

If the Godfather wanted to get elected, he probably would. –Oscar Wilde Democracy is the most successful form of government, we are told. It’s the same form which powers the governments of the West, and all the powerful nations in the world. Almost all other independent countries have democratically elected governments. Those that have not want to have democracy as a symbol of independence, supremacy of the people and a sign of progress. But let’s just hang in here for a minute. Is democracy the ultimate symbol of independence and supremacy of the people? Sure. It’s a government of the people, for the people and by the people. People elect representatives amongst themselves to represent their say in government. These representatives draw salaries, from taxes collected from the people, and go around governing those that have elected them to power. Whoa! Suddenly, democracy does not appear to be all that pro-equality. But moving on… While I would like to make this post as general ...

Seriously, let's do it. After all, upholding the Indian culture and values involves going to bars, shutting them down, and attacking patrons with hockey sticks. If there are girls, of course they are there for the sole purpose of soliciting. The great Indian culture does not allow us to go to bars and nightclubs. Drink whiskey, vodka, gin? No way! That's not allowed in the Indian culture. We drink सोमरस, not these poisons. As anyone would tell you, सोम is a synonym for अमृत, the potion which grants immortality, not immorality. And what's with these lovebirds coochy-cooing on Valentine's day, or in "dark, isolated places"? Public display of affection is strictly prohibited in the Indian culture. राधेकृष्ण! Are they in their teens? Children should study, not spend time with girlfriends. We have the highly successful system of arranged marriages in India, you just marry someone. No place for girlfriends or lovers. Sorry! While we are at it, what's with the...

My hands get sweaty with excitement, my heart is pounding with anticipation. Any moment now. I can see the countdown: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4... I put my car in gear. 3, 2... Engine revs to 6000 RPM. 1, 0 HONK!!! And I missed it. The traffic light turned green, but I did not declutch in time. I was late by a microsecond, but the motorists behind me did not fail to inform me of the same. Has this happened with you? Sometimes, it makes me wonder. We are so patient when it comes to parliamentary proceedings. I mean, we are still debating over bills that were proposed in the 1950s, but we cannot wait even a millisecond when driving. Time is money, you know. In a poor country like ours, we have no money, so let us not waste any more time. Someone much older (though I doubt much wiser) once complained that the younger generation was always in a "tearing hurry", which is why they never bothered to follow rules, weaved in and out of traffic, did not stop at traffic lights, ne...

Yes, it has happened. While we were so busy fighting PIPA, SOPA and all other acts that threatened freedom on the internet, we ignored the events brewing in our own backyard. It is with great sorrow that I write about the sad state of freedom in India. Yes, we are free. Yes, the constitution declares that we are sovereign. The people are sovereign. The representatives of the people are sovereign. Consequently, the parliamentarians are sovereign. Hence, they are in a position to bring about draconian acts that curb freedom of speech, acts which benefit them and them only, acts which make it illegal for you or me to criticise the government; yet, we must bow down and accept meekly, cause the parliament is sovereign, and anyone questioning the sovereignty of the parliament is a traitor and anti-national. I've always found India to be a strange place, and the series "It happens only in India" on this weblog, under which the current post too is filed, is a collection of thin...

Mr. Prime Minister, I'm writing this letter to express the extreme anguish inflicted upon me by the movie "3 Idiots". The movie has hurt my religious sentiments and those of many others. I would request that you ban the said movie immediately. The movie caricatures a certain college of engineering. It criticizes the education system in the country. In doing so, it has hurt the sentiments of millions of pedagogicians over the world, and in India. If you are not aware, pedagogism is a flourishing religion in India, which worships any form of education. Moreover, the movie pokes fun of Rastogi because he believes in the power of rings. This, Mr. Prime Minister hurts the feelings of the followers of millions of "Baba"s, not necessarily political. It also hurts the religious feelings of the Tolkeinians in India, who venerate the rings and search for the One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them. The...

This is a post I have been wanting to write for the past six years, but have finally decided to shed inhibitions and write it now. Shed inhibitions? Be warned, this post is not politically correct; I have never strived to be politically correct, though I always wish to be morally correct. Politics in India is dirty. There is no going around the fact. When given a choice to vote, I find myself between a rock and a hard place. None of the manifestos appeal to me. Some political party, which I shall not name, had in its manifesto declared that it shall ban computers from India. How can I, an educated person, and an aspiring engineer ever stand such blasphemy? No computers! Say goodbye to all transport, elevators, microwave ovens, mobile phones, and everything else associated with the past half-century, 'cause all of them rely on microprocessors, or as the layman calls, computers. Yet, in a country with a population over a billion, housing over a seventh of the world's population, ...

Dear Politicians, As I write the first line, I wonder why have I ever included the Dear. Let me assure you that I believe that there is little that you have done that would evoke a feeling of fondness within me. I am writing this letter wondering about how myopic must one be to become a politician. At the same time, this letter results from an explosion of anger and despair over the way in which you have determined to utterly destroy certain good things for your own gain. The newspapers over the past few days have been exceptionally full about what the minister for HRD plans for engineering colleges including IITs. Of course, newspapers have always been full of news about IITs. Take for example the issues of LGBTQ groups at IITB, and the corresponding issues faced by the straight people at IITB. Or about how 600 odd students fell in for an April Fools' prank carried out by someone on the campus. Which again makes me wonder: why the obsession with the IITs? How do things that happe...

For a change, let me actually try writing a good post. This is in relation to something contemporary to the two day old housefly that has been pestering me in my room until my heart hardened enough to turn on the UV light attracting it into a 340VDC mesh, where it rests in peace. Actually, the post may also be considered contemporary to the two year old dog that keeps befouling my hostel wing, who loves to sleep outside just one particular room in the wing. Also, this is a move towards fulfilling a promise that I had made on the 21 st of March this year , when I started the It happens only in India series. I shall refer to the latest book that I am reading I have been forced to read through my Reading Fiction course, and that is Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie. A motif in the book is the pointing finger that Salim Sinai keeps seeing everywhere. Of course, 30 years since that book has been written, the finger has to evolve into something bigger. And that is the hand. Some...

Disclaimer: The posts on this series have nothing to do with a similarly named program appearing on Fox History and Entertainment. I generally do not get to watch a lot of TV in the hostel. Most of the time, the TV room is occupied by some spineless jerks good friends who like to spend their time watching the latest music videos (with more of a visual rather than an auditory remix), or some older people (read hostel workers) who like to watch nothing other than Hindi movies from the 1970s/80s, which is perhaps the stupidest era of Bollywood. And when there is a cricket match, as is now, the TV room is hijacked by cricket fans, almost the entire hostel. That coupled with the extreme peer pressure to not be labelled a hopeless nerd means that I barely get to watch my favourite programs on National Geographic or Discovery channels. I also like to watch the news sometimes. However, of late, I have been less and less impressed with the news too. I believe that there is less of news and m...