The Sober Realist - Srinath Raghavan (Summary)

The essence of ultimate decision remains impenetrable to the observer - often indeed to the decider himself. Yet even if the decision processes making was obscure it was necessary and unavoidable. "We cannot escape choice."

These words make you to ponder but they call for an attitude that few decision makers have been able to cultivate: an acceptance of the limit of all knowledge including self knowledge. Few display the temperament and ability to reflect deeply on choices open to them, on the range and limits of actions as well as their forseeable and unforseeable consequences. If cant done it is usually written of as a charade in which the corpse masquerades as a coroner. This makes us to realise that we must deal with world as we find it and not as we would have liked to find it. In a long sweep the history of the world has its roots in contemporary global politics. Global politics is a churning background of economical, technological change, geographic, cultural predisposition, institutional and practical considerations. On realizing this fact one should know and avoid assuming that ones own side is repository of all virtue.

Choices: Inside the making of Indias foreign policy - Shivshankar Menon.

1. Indo-China 1962 war (Line of actual control) had not been agreed upon based on ones differing perceptions. Each had infirmities and ambiguities in the formal position. LAC became on of the hardest part of the agreement to negotiate. India has a LOC problem with Pakistan and a LAC with China. Many are not aware of the actual border dispute with China. Every move in foreign policy is presented as unprecedent break from the past. Choices itself is a product of a period that is now history.

2. Indias bid to NSG (Nuclear Supplier's Group) to secure a waiver had a opposition from Ireland, Austria, Switzerland, New Zealand, Norway and the Netherlands. Chinese suppported India as mini six were against China too. Indias nuclear deterrent exists to deter others from resorting to nuclear black mail. On the contrary Pakistan treats its nuclear arsenal to support and sponsor terrorism.

3.Decision to not strike Pakistan during 26/11 attacks was the right one. Key to any decision involving use of force is the political context.

Looks like the worlds approach to strategy and foreign policy is nothing but a game of chess in which all the players are trying to win. Indias outlook has been strategic boldness along with tactical caution while dealing with the subject. This stance assumes that there is a lot to be gained from studying history.

Moh Maya Money, Arrival and Dear Zindagi

Genius is not knowing the answer to every question but trying to answer unknown questions with patience and research. Genius is one knowing where to end it.

Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is foolish.

Well i go on my usual binge of movies. This time it was Moh Maya Money, Arrival and Dear Zindagi. These movies revolve around `the theme "Expectation is the root of all heart ache."

Moh Maya Money: I really liked this movie. The movie revolves around a middle class man wanting to be rich. My question is who does not want to be rich. Everyone shares the desire to be rich. Well in this movie and in his quest of being rich he spins a web of lies to reach his goal. He wants to get out of his middle class life and satisfy his wife. His wife too from her end spins her own web of lies. The whole family drama revolves around the deceit involved by both and the individual outcomes they have to deal with. Unable to keep up with the growing expectations they succumb eventually with what life has to offer.

My take home message is If one can correct things from going to Bad to Worse it is best that they correct it.  As long as you pursue unethical ventures and not get caught is fine. (All have their own definition of unethical). I like a quote in the movie that talks about taking risk Marega to hi  Swarg me Jayega. Agar Swarg ka Rasta nahi dik raha hain to marna acha nahi hain. After seeing how shit unfolds i would rather not get my hands dirty. Once caught you have to face the music. If one relentlessly pursues to  correct the damage it is not always necessary that it will work for you. One should know when to put a stop. Genius is knowing when to stop. Expectation is definitely a root of  all heart ache when you are not sure if things will definitely work out for the good. Taking unwanted risk will definitely drown you to the abyss of the ocean floor.

This movie revolved around a man who wants to keep his wife happy by being rich. His whole motive was to have a happy family. Whenever shit revolves around Woman i give it a diagnosis Regina (Moh), Vagina (Maya) Angina (Money).

Arrival: I am still not able to get a strong hold about this movie. This movie according to me too revolves around the theme "Expectation is the root of all heartache". Memory is the strangest of things. It has to deal with order as per the world revolves. The movie discusses the life of a translator who has flashbacks of her younger life and how things connect to her present. All of a sudden there are alien space vessels coming out of no where. Alien vessels are strategically placed all over the world. 12 Alien vessels placed all over the world are talking to each other without emitting any transmitter waves and reasons unknown to man. Man unfortunately thinks to know the answer for everything but unfortunately his own expectations are not matching up. They let a translator and physicist communicate with aliens. The movie revolves around the communication with Aliens. They dont know what they are and face a tough time trying to understand them. Eventually over time they ask them the purpose of the visit after learning how to communicate. The answer they get was ("We are helping mankind for thousands of years and Use Weapons"). The Chinese are against unleashing weapons on mankind and want to fight the alien vessels. But then things change when the American translator gets a vision of talking to Chinese Military general in the future and she then acts accordingly and makes a call in the present which then has a different course in the movie. 

My take home message is obscure. Movie had a Biblical connect talking about visions in it. Aliens are Gods and want us to fight. It was definitely a strange movie. 

Dear Zindagi: I liked the movie as it has a lot of take home message in it.

An ode is a form of lyric poetry — expressing emotion — and it's usually addressed to someone or something, or it represents the poet's musings on that person or thing.

Dear Zindagi is in  short is an ode to life. This movie revolves around a females struggle with failure and the emotions she has to deal with. This movie definitely has the the theme Expectation is the root of all heart ache  and how she overcomes her hurdles in life with finding solutions. 

Gist of the movie: Kaira has certain expectations in life. When expectations dont match up to reality she has trouble dealing with it. Grief stricken she heads home after failures in Mumbai and does not like the tone to it. She in her subconscious knows that We all are mad and a therapist is needed to solve our mental problems. She luckily finds Dr. Jehangir Khan interesting. Her subconscious known thought makes her to seek help from a psychologist Dr Jehangir Khan. Dr Jehangir Khan coaches  her in life lessons in order to deal with life and make the best with what life has to offer. I liked the Kabaddi scene in the beach. In short this is what life is all about "Dont let life get to you."

Take Home message: 

Once a man wanted to climb Mount Everest. He wanted to climb it without due diligent preparation. On seeing a Chinese expedition to Mount Everest he decided to proceed with it. With great zeal and vigor he started marching forward. The Chinese expedition warned him to stay back with the troop and not walk away on his own. Due to a communication gap he thought that they were cheering him. On moving ahead he encounters a snow leopard that devours him. He cries for help and the Chinese tourist on the contrary thinks that he has walked far ahead and start praising him.

In short when we are not prepared for  doing something great it is better we opt for something that is easy and less fulfilling. It is not necessary that we punish ourselves and push ourselves to achieve the difficult with less preparation. Goals need to be realistic in life.

In today's world as per research a man during his life on earth  may meet 150 people on a average. Out of them 50 are those who you feel comfortable to invite them at home. 4- 5 (Inner circle) is the number who you are really comfortable with. Comfortably indices keep on changing with time, circumstances and expectations. So in today's world one needs to be comfortable with himself. Only if you are comfortable with yourself you will not need the approval of others or care for their judgement. If you dont take control over your car some one else will then start driving you. 

Finding a suitable partner is like finding a comfortable chair. Peoples opinion matter less. One is branded a SLUT/MAN-WHORE on having multiple relationships. One should care less with what people have to say.

If you are living in the past you will make the present miserable and the possibility of expecting a better future will significantly diminish.

One should be possible to express their emotions as and when they feel. Bottling up of emotions will not let you experience the best when needed. Putting yourself in pain and living with pain by compromise will do no one any good.

Problems are usually for the most man made. We dig our own graves by excessive thinking on it. Try to find your comfortable chair. 

Hence i come to terms with this famous Shakespearean quote

 "Expectation is the root of all heartache"

History of Money $$$$$$$$$$.

Seriously who does not like the smell of money. Freshly minted currency will always be on ones mind more than anything in the world. In today's world Money is Power and Power is Money. World will care less if you dont have any money. Money is the only form of communication that unites the whole mankind in one BIG MELTING POT. The big melting pot is nothing but the crucible of desire and greed. If money would not have its significance world in which we live today would not be the same

Well i got my hand in a piece that describes the EVOLUTION OF MONEY IN (SUBCONTINENT) - INDIA.

Monetary system harks back to over two and a half millennia. Two and a half millennia does not include a long period of monetary dark age which began 1.5 million years ago when the earliest human came to inhabit the subcontinent. Earliest humans survived on foraging and hunting till the discovery of rudimentary farming 8000 years ago. It was then earliest humans made their settlements in North Western India and began a rudimentary barter of mutual agreements.

1. From Harappa to 1300 BCE - Barter system:

Barter system had its genesis 5500 years ago in North Western India on the banks of Sindhu and Saraswati river. They had a complex monetary system based on fixed weights and quality goods. Even international trade with Persia and Gulf was conducted. Barter revolved around gold, silver, bronze and pottery. Period came to an end in 1300 BC with dying of the Saraswati River. The movie Mohenjo Daro explains it in a way.

2. Followed by that comes the Vedic period. Cow emerged as a medium of exchange between upper classes. Inconvenient handling and perishable nature led to the use of precious metals like gold and silver. HIRANYA was the first name used for gold and silver in India. Subsequently the names were changed to SUVARNA and PITH. Gold units were referred to as Rajata.

Origin of Tolla: 100 times the weight of a seed is a Ratti. 96 Rattis is 1 Tolla. Tolla became the weight standard for the Indian coin in early historic India. Tolla has its room from the earliest historic till British and current day weighing of precious metals.

3. Post Vedic period: This is the rise of India's iron age kingdom - Mahajanpada - 5 century BC. Its reign empowered to issue India's first state certified coinage in Silver. Coinage was used from Afghanistan to Deccan peninsula to Saurashtra to Ancient Bengal in the East. They punched unique emblems on each side of the coin. Coins in each local series correspond to definite weight range usually multiples of Ratti keeping in mind the precocious nature of Silver. Post Vedic period was India's first state certified coin in Silver.

4. Pannini a fifth century Sanskrit grammarian used the term Rupya to describe beautiful images on these coins. Rupaiya currently used is derived from the word Rupya. Monetary system maintained on these punch mark coins for 500 years till date including the Mauryan empire. In the Mauryan empire 32 Rattis was the standard weight for a silver coin. Silver coin issued was called Karshapara and was used from Khyber pass to Karnataka. Karshapara is what gave the word Kaasu  for money in South Indian languages. Kaasu later then became Kaash. Kaash was used colloquially in the colonial era which gradually evolved as Cash in English. I would not have even guessed that the word cash has South Indian roots.

Mauryas Silver coin - Karshapara- - Kaasu - Kaash - Cash.

5. Sixth century to Thirteenth century: India saw a big change in monetary system after the invasion of India by Alexander the Great in 326 BC. Indians encountered cutting edge Greek technology (Die struck coins). Bronze dies engraved with negative designs on both sides and striking them simultaneously on a coin black. Alexanders successor married Mauryas royal. Seleucids maintained friendly ties till the Ashoka period. Eventually local governors became independent establishing a great kingdom of Greek Bactria. The Bactrian Greeks forayed into India with the fall of Mauryan empire. Indo-Greek kingdom engulfed large areas of (Kabul-Gandhara). Die struck coins with life images of  Greek deities and rulers issued. So in short India had coins in its history with Greek deities.

Trade with Rome made it to issue its first gold coins. Coin had images of deities from (Indo-Greek-Zoroastrian) pantheon. Gupta dynasty amplified the use of gold coins Gold coins issued were in Brahmi script and were shown to have the Gupta emperors hunting lions, posing with weapons and playing the Veena. Gupta dynasty ended up in 6 th century by Hun invasion. Number of local kingdom rose in different regions issuing different coins of mixed Gupta dynasty and foreign coins. Paradigm for Gold standard was maintained in South India for the Roman golden coin. Gold coins had a heavy influence from the sixth to thirteenth century.

6. 10 th century - 12 th century:  This century in India had Islamic coinage with images and praises for Allah and Prophet Muhammad. Sindh became the first part of the Indian subcontinent to come under Islamic influence which issued by a local coinage. Muhammad Gohri established his Delhi conquest in 1192. (1210-1232) - Indo - Islamic coinage established. Indo-Islamic coinage dominant in medieval India under 5 dynasties of Delhi Sultanate.

7. Mughal rule: Emperor Akbar introduced Rupaiya (bimetallic coin), paisa (copper coin). Gold coin was called Ashrafi/Mohur. Coins employed the image of Akbar and Jehangir. Akbar introduced market controlled exchange rates between three coins. Numerous Mughal rulers challenged the monopoly over the coinage which included Shivaji, Sikh rulers etc etc. European powers issued coins in Western/Southern/Eastern bases. English were punished by Emperor Aurangzeb for issuing such coins. Gradually the Mughal empire saw its decline followed by the English to gain access over the Indian subcontinent. Delhi came under English control in 1803. English continued the charade of issuing coins under the Mughal emperor till 1835.

8. 1835-1858: Abrupt switch over to Uniform coinage with name and image of the English monarch. Denominations of currency included Mohur/Rupaiya/Paisa bearing the name of East India Company and British Monarch.

9. 1862-1947: India revolt against the East India Company forced it to give power directly to the British Crown. India Paper Currency Act established in 1861. RBI was established in 1935 for monitoring India's Monetary System.

10. 1940-1945: Stoppage of issuing the silver coin. Replacement of silver by half silver.  Different types of alloys were used in coins by 1947.  Post independence British currency continued to be legal tender till 1950. In 1956 Republic of India issued currency with its emblem and 1957 coinage was turned into a decimal system.

All i can say is WOW as i am just amazed to know the brief history of money. It is definitely indeed a remarkable feat to see mankind evolve with money in the equation from Barter to Market economics. All of our lives revolve around money and for life to sustain, money will and always be a integral part of our lives.

Apart from this what today connects money from its past to the present is Banks. Well  recently i had a chance to hear Chidambaram (ex Finance and Home minister), Mohammad Yunus (Grameen Bank) and PAYTM CEO give their views on the current Banking scenario and Microfinance especially. It was a enlightening speech as i never knew what Microfinance in Bangladesh is. His economic model has been a success not only in Bangladesh but through out the world. He helps the underprivileged by giving soft loans who eventually make a living with their entrepreneurship skills.

Current day scenario: Money was mediating on striking a deal. Banks in India have become a mediator by giving loans. Bank follows money. For micro finance to work in India new laws in banking need to implemented. 40 % of India is unbanked. There are 7000 villages in India and building infrastructure is not easy and will take time. Physical infrastructure has to be evenly spread for technology to spread its wings. Grameen Bank on the contrary has infiltrated each and every village of Bangladesh and has branches even in the US. Bangladesh excels India in banking based on the cheer account holders. Grameen bank unlike other bank helps underprivileged people to start new small scale business and be self made entrepreneurs.

All said so far things have been interesting  when it comes to money. Money is an evolving medium and is now currently seeing a new face of  Prime Minister Modis Economics. He will definitely leave some kind of legacy behind in the world of Money.

Asians have reached a milestone in the world of Subcontinent economics so far and there is yet more to come with mobile wallets and what not.

DEBATE: THE GREATNESS OF SHAKESPEARE IS HIS LANGUAGE

Well they say that Shakespeare still lives and breathes among us. He while writing his work would not have thought that he would leave a legacy behind for the future to cherish. As per Scholars it has been told that at least 1 Shakespearean play is played every day all over the world. Guess that proves it all that which makes him the greatest GRANDMASTER the world has known so far. What makes Shakespeare "The Legend" for me is his inclination towards few lines in many of his plays "All the world is a stage and we are merely players, Hell is empty and all the Devils are here". All of this makes a strong stand favouring Art imitates Reality. I am for sure is no less than PLAIN EVIL THAN THE DEVIL HIMSELF.

("Art imitates Reality") This one particular line for me has different meanings from time to time.The real question for me  is What is Real ?. What is the actual definition of Real. How much can anyone differentiate between Real and Imagination (Art).  Things were  the same then as it is now. I really don't know how much of it is Real or just my Imagination (Art) from time to time. The things that i come in contact with (newspapers) makes my head spin. I see that we all are walking in  a fine narrow line between sanity and insanity. If one slips on to the other end (Insanity) to make things from bad to worse, there is nothing much that one can do about it. The scenario which we all unfortunately face today is people  caught in between the struggle to distinguish imagination (Art) from reality. Like it or not i guess  Shakespeare knew what Reality is. William Shakespeare the greatest playwright writers of all has undoubtedly come up with his own twist of reality through his plays. He discusses life be it Macbeth, Othello, Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Merchant of Venice. Every character in his play has emotions that relate to good or bad, positive or negative. While reading or watching the play people can see their character personified in a larger than life image. I guess this distinguishing factor is what Shakespeare got it right. Only good does not exist out there in the real world. It is mixture of  emotions that make us who we are and where we are headed.

If i then ask myself "Who am I." For me i guess i know who i am. I am really trying to find it out on a day to day basis is the best i can come up with. Real life scenarios i guess make you who you are just like any Shakespearean plot. I live in a cut throat world and i for that have a particular fondness towards (SHYLOCK, JEW OF SHAKESPEARE). I will give it a best fight to get what is mine and if defeated i will accept it and deal with it in my very own way without being a nuisance to any. If i live in a "DOG EAT DOG WORLD", it is better that i be a DOG. I want my pound of flesh which is mine just as Shylock determined to get what rightfully belongs to him. Though difficult of doing such a thing in the real world  i love fancying such a thought.

For me i have not  gone through everything he wrote. The reason is that i  really don't understand when i read it. Such a similar plight was shared by a panel member of the Debate on Shakespeare that i recently attended. Inspite of me having a tough time in understanding what he wrote there are still few words that we all use on a day to day basis.  "Love is Blind" is a Shakespearean word and a theme that world cinema has adapted to and tries very hard for all of us to believe in it. For me personally it has been a "Wild Goose Chase" another Shakespearean word. Either way many of the movies have been inspired with such Shakespearean words. "Break the Ice" another Shakespearean word is something which i should do and get directly to business. Jot down a few pointers that i have got from a "Debate on Shakespeare"

DEBATE
THE GREATNESS OF SHAKESPEARE IS HIS LANGUAGE 
FOR THE MOTION: Alyque Padamsee and Suhel Seth
AGAINST THE MOTION: Carlos Gamerro and Simon Choa-Johnston.

Well i am not a great avid reader of Shakespeare or a literary genius to have any comment on it. All i have done so far is to attend plays of Shakespeare. Few points made in the debate made me to think what actually Shakespeare as a person was and the points that work in my favour. This debate again left me spell bound with the command of language and presence Alyque Padamsee and Suhel Seth had. Again i can only wish if i can speak like them as i was mesmerized by it.

Few points from FOR THE MOTION:
1. Shakespeare is not meant to be read (It has to be acted). He lives in the Actors mouth. Words have meaning in the intelligence and depth of the human nature. -  Otherwise Shakespearean language should be communicated from his mouth to the audiences ear. I guess i can relate to it . I have not read any and have no intention to. Matter of the fact understanding contemporary English is difficult for me.

2. Never knew that Shakespearean plots were not original.

3. Shakespeare had a ghost writer named Manlo who helped in coming up with his plots. For me  I guess it was the ghost himself who gave him the plot of Hamlet. If it was not for a Ghost such a plot would not see the light of the day.

4. Shakespearean words remain relevant to date. He has a finite cunning sense of knowing what human nature is which he makes it abundantly clear in his plays.

Few points from AGAINST THE MOTION:

1. Shakespeare used visuals in his words during the play for narration that made the play what it is. It was just not because of the language but the use of visuals and theatrics in his words that got his message conveyed across the room.

2. Languages die and go on living in a transformed state as i guess is the  current day scenario. Many prefer to watch adapted Shakespeare movies or play.

3. Language relevant to human emotion is a medium of communication that evolves.

4. Shakespearean power of Transcendence expresses its greatness. Shakespearean plots have been adapted today keeping aside the language that was used.

My Take:
If you want a real Shakespearean play and not the language things may not add up to ones expectation. I guess it is only with original Shakespearean words that you get a  taste of what the humble origins of cinema was. I would rather stick to The Greatness of Shakespeare is in his language to get a Blast from the Past effect while watching his play. I can anytime catch a movie for much better understanding.

Tales of Horror: Writing Spine - Chilling Stories  - Workshop, Mumbai Literature Festival - 18 November 2016. Darryl Jones. 

Once upon a time there was a Ghost disguised as a serpent and his name was SATAN.

SATAN SATAN SATAN !!!!!!!!!!!!!  Wait a minute, i have heard this name somewhere. This sounds so familiar.

 HMMMMMMM LEMMMMMME THINKKKKK.

Oh yeah !!!!!!!!!!  This Evil Son of a Gun was in the Bible and especially in the Chapter Genesis. He was in the beginning and i guess will stay till the end.

So yeah he should be hovering around somewhere right now as i  try to write a spine chilling story at 1:00 AM in the night all alone in my room.

Well Satan after all is a Ghost. Why am i saying that ?.

Ghost does what Satan does at best. I have not really come across a friendly Ghost story. Think hard and all you may get is Casper and few others. Matter of the fact is that they were no friendly either.

Well like it or not the first  Ghost writer would have wrote the Bible. Well he was well aware of such a entity (Talking Ghost in a serpent). It should obviously be a ghost talking as serpents just HISSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!. All i have to say is WOW. Should i really be afraid of such a thing. Some say FEAR is False evidence appearing real and many say fear is human. I stick to being human. I for sure know that any ghost if out there can easily beat the fuck out of me. I have no coming back from it. Rather than being brave it is better that you run for your life. Rite now there is no clue of Satan around while i am writing this piece as Satan himself is writing  it.

Satan and me in union singing this song - The Ghost Whisperer.

The reason i consider my being with Satan is because of a story i concoct during the recently attended Literature Festival based on a actual persons real life story. May sound dumb and medieval bronze age shit but we all believe in it like it or not if you believe in GOD. He is the one who has come up with this Crazy son of a Biaaatccchhhhhh !!!!!!

Before i come up with the story i made i had the pleasure to attend a workshop given by Darryl Jones. He is a Dean of Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social science and a Professor in the School of English at Trinity College Dublin. He specializes in Genre of Horror. Thanks to him i come up with my very own modern day twist of Horror.

Few points i got from this workshop.

1. I will keep an open mind and will believe in it if you can give me an evidence to satisfy me is not what any Ghost writer should ask himself before he starts writing it

The thing that he should keep in mind is "I wont believe in it as such but while writing i did believe in it and i will make you believe". Well like it or not this is what the First Ghostwriter came up with. People today have been inspired and have come up with a twist of the original version. Invasion Of Body Snatchers is the twist that you get. 

First Horror story as per Darryl is the Classical Tragedy of Euripides/Bacchae/Mayhem violence. Like it or not it is a Representation of Religion, Cannibalism.

There is a difference in between Terror and Horror. Horror evokes reaction (Shock/Disgust) and Terror evokes fear. Fear though and extremely powerful force is expected and anticipated for many. (Shock/Disgust) is not expected otherwise. How many times will any one say that i am shocked rather than saying i am afraid. For certain afraid will be most of the time than shocked which is heard of only in a unnatural event

 Examples: Coming in contact with a Cannibal. (Texas Chainsaw Massacre) will evoke shock.
Terror and Fear will always go with movies involving war. I liked the Brad Pitt movie Fury in which a young guy fighting the war shits in his pants out of fear.

2.  While writing the Genre of Horror it is Terror (fear) followed by Horror (shock) and finally grossing one out. Grossing should be used sparingly while writing.

3. Lovecraft is a writer that has broken every rule of writing horror.  M.R JAMES is one of a writer that does well in it.

4. There always needs to be a mesmerizing dissolving decomposing sense of atmosphere while writing a piece on horror.

5.  Now comes the Classification of Horror

SATANISM:  Demonology/Occult. Like it or not comes in the classification  of Horror. This proves my point about the first Ghost writer who has used this concept effectively.

SECULAR HORROR: Madmen/Psychos. We are the monsters.

SUPERNATURAL: Paranoid disorder of order.

FANTASY: Eruption of supernatural in the real world.

MARVELOUS: Fairy Tales

UNREALITY: Epistemological/Uncertainty. Unease and Doubt. Tale of Madness.

So the genre i chose was Supernatural and this is my story Based on (Significant others/Member of the group) true events

Just a idea of the story 

Once upon a time there lived a honest Income Tax Officer working for the Revenue Services.  Suddenly while working he came to know about change in laws (Demonetization)  which was  going to affect the whole country. He was shocked just like any other. He agreed to co-operate with the government and worked hard towards keeping up with the plan. One day he gets a tip of illegal transaction taking place and acts upon it. Before he could do something about it he was killed.

Years and Years passed no one ever knew when and how all of a sudden a hardworking and a honest man like him disappeared. Suddenly one fine night a known acquaintance starts seeing strange things around him. Fear takes the best of him and is shocked when he starts to hear the voice of his lost friend. He then comes to know that he was murdered and takes him to the place where he was buried.

He was told to keep quiet about it. All he has to do is observe to see what comes next.
Man who killed the officer starts hearing his dog bark. Dogs keep barking and barking. He persuades them to keep quiet as he cant sleep. In a fit of rage he takes out his gun and shoots the dog. He fires a single shot straight in its head. Followed by that he goes in disbelief when he still hears the dog bark. The barking of dogs from his ears goes into his body. He is shocked and terrified and starts vomiting. He eventually comes to know it is the Ghost of the Tax officer who he killed. He realizes his mistake and immediately goes to the police station and confesses his murder. Police are shocked on listening to what he has to say and arrests him. He then spends his rest of the years living alone in solitude in shock.

The guys real story hails from Karad, Maharashtra in which he was contacted by the souls of few women who were killed (burned alive) in Dowry dispute . He unfortunately could not help them as he was not in a position to do it. I dont know how much of it is true but this was the gist of what he had to say.

If what he has to say is out there God alone knows what is really out there.

 INDIA AND PAKISTAN CAN NEVER BE FRIENDS

 FOR THE MOTION: Maroof Raza and Shiv Kunal Verma.
 AGAINST THE MOTION: Pavan Varma and Shashi Tharoor.
 Chair: Vir Sanghvi

I was spellbound after attending this particular debate for many reasons. First of all the topic was so interesting (PUNCH LINE OF THE DEBATE) and secondly it was the oratory skills and command of language of the panel members especially Shashi Tharoor and Maroof Raza. I only wish if i can speak like them. Every word spoken has a capability to mesmerize the crowd. I was totally glued into the debate as such a kind of a debate can ignite a fire of memories of the recent past.

Well when it comes to taking a stand i am and will be For the motion that India and Pakistan can never be friends for the reasons i know. However this debate gave me a insight for what people have to say. I want to highlight few points made by panel members in order to validate my stand.

Points made For the Motion:

1. Geopolitics sealed the gap of India and Pakistan being friends. Cold blooded dispute over geography left millions dead. Divide and rule took its stand. For the British it was game set.

2. Following the geopolitics divide Emotional Quotient came into play that left many wounds raw till date.

3. Things changed and emphasis from geopolitics and emotional quotient translated to Real Politics. In short Pakistan was after blood.

4. 1971 East Pakistan partition politics followed by series war of war is Pakistans politics/stand against India

5. Factors that favor Pakistan anti-India stand
Opposing ideology, India's multicultural society.
Horrors of partition played by Pakistan.
Pakistan's national narrative is Anti-Indian. Any one not agreeing to it by definition is clinically myopic as he cant read the writing on the wall.
Obsession with Kashmir. Pakistan has a strong Islamic foundation and ideology. Zia ul Haq, Pakistani Military General made it clear about Pakistan's strong Islamic ideology. If Pakistan does not match up to its Islamic roots Pakistan would end up as second class India. Hence a strong case needs to be taken up against India.

Zia ul Haq - Pakistan will eat grass but build the bomb to be a nuclear power. 
I must appreciate his and the countrys willingness to stretch and achieve their dreams. 

Points made Against the Motion:

1. Choose your friends but you cannot change your neighbors.

2. History is an evolving medium. Diplomacy cannot have a permanent influence. No one can rule out the possibility in future that friendship is not possible. If they say it is not possible because of India's geopolitics, Europe will prove it otherwise. Countries change, people change and voices change. They find a change in themselves.

3. Possibility of India and Pakistan friendship cannot be completely ruled out because of changing waves in geopolitics. What if both are at threat for another Colonial rule.

4. India can always be friends with the Pakistani people as there is a lot in common among both than any other sworn enemies on earth. India and Pakistan ties in all avenues and areas can and will flourish as both share the common thread (DNA).

5. Though India can be a very good friend to Pakistani people friendship with ISI backed Pakistan is not possible because of a strong anti-India stand. Pakistani army controls the GDP of the country and has no strategic interest of peace  based on their military expenditure. Kashmir is a symptom of Pakistans need of hostility against India to promote its Islamic Agenda.

My take
Well i agree to many of the points that are For the motion and few with against the motion. I will for today proceed with For the motion.

1. For Pakistan they take the Kashmir (Masla) very seriously. Kashmir Masla is Pakistans GARAM MASALA. Many Pakistanis may go from Naram to Garam when they talk about Kashmir. Garmi is what all want which is the need in Pakistani diet just as Kashmir. Ghosh without Masala is not of any use.

2. Pakistan has a hard core Islamic ideology that roots for Kashmir only because of Kashmirs Muslim majority. Kashmir has a Muslim majority only after many Kashmiri Pandits were driven out. Otherwise this would not have been the case.

3. Pakistan as far as i know claims it right on Kashmir only because of its Muslim Majority.

4. I may lack real actual knowledge on Pakistans obsession for Kashmir. As far as any Indian is concerned we share a common indoctrination that we have been brought up with.

5. The whole Kashmir fiasco has religion embedded in it. If they ask Kashmir solely on the basis of their religious beliefs then coming up with a good fight is the only way to go.

6. Coming up with a good fight is the need as the next claim can be Rest of India for having more Muslims than Pakistan. Just because you have Muslims in majority living in any given state  it cannot be called Pakistan is what they should know. They were not able to convert Bangladesh to East Pakistan so will be the case with Kashmir if they relentlessly pursue it. It is just a matter of when if they stick and play with the Religion Card and not learn from prior mistakes. If they can get their way through this Pakistanis will be the next Arab Sheikhs sitting on vast amounts of oil conquering all of the Middle East with their hard core ideology.

7. Todays news paper headlines again discussed Pakistans usual rhetoric against India. Headlines  for today was unusual as they resorted to something different  than their usual method of kill. Pakistani army beheading an Indian soldier. If this continues i would agree to disagree to see peace anywhere on the discussion table. Hence my stand too will be for the motion till they come up with a solution to end differences.

Fantastic beast and where to find them, Shut in and Force 2.

So i binge watch 3 movies at a time. All the three movies that i watch have one thing in common. The theme was simple. The theme revolved around a common saying  "More than meets the eye." In real life too there are plenty of scenarios in which we may never know what is the underlying phenomenon for any given Name, place or thing.

In these 3 movies - Case scenarios  

Fantastic Beast and where to find them: Well the movie revolves around magic and sorcery. The movie i guess is a prequel to Harry Potter. There is reference to Hogwarts and Dumbledore. The wizard in the movie played by Eddie Redmayne (Newt) was favoured a lot by Dumbledore in Hogwarts. Well Newt travels to New York en route to Arizona. On his way he sees Salem Philantropy that talks about the presence of wizards and witches. While listening to what they have to say a magical creature escapes out of his box. During the process of searching the magical creature he confronts Tina Goldstein and meets Jacob. MACUSA(Congress of Wizards and Witches) governing body is aware of Newts presence and charges Newt and Tina for bringing chaos in the city with its magical creatures not knowing that it was done by Obscurus. They escape the punishment given to them. 

 An entity called  Obscurus, a dark, destructive force manifests itself in young magical children who conceal their powers (Squib) ancestry of wizards. The force can be unleashed during periods of anger and stress. Newt has seen such a case in Sudan. Obbscurus in the movie manifests itself when Credence (host) looses his temper. MACUSA kills Credence as it does not want their secrets to be revelaled to the real world. They fear it is too late to protect their secret world, but Newt releases his Thunderbird to spread a potion over the city via a rain downpour that will erase all New Yorkers' recent memories. MACUSA wizards magically repair the destruction.

This whole movie may make sense as it is Plain Fiction.

2. Well Shut in a Naomi Watts movie is unaware of the real time facts around her. She believes in what she sees not knowing that there are series of events that have taken place in the real world.She starts believing in Ghosts as she does not have a rational explanation to what she sees. Only later at the end she realizes she is being played by her the son the whole time. He wants to stay at home and has a close sexual affection to his Step Mother. He does not want anyone to be close around his mother and seeks revenge on them who come close to her. Again a case of more than meets the eye. 

3. In Force 2 played by John Abraham i go into the world of Secret Service. The movie revolves around Secret Service unaware of secrets within its own group. They are forced to suspect a foreign force that is against them until John Abraham steps in. He gets a tip from his friend ( Agent who gets killed) that makes him to approach authorities. Authorities afer heated arguments take him seriously. They then arrange a team to find the mole in their group. With planning and great effort he eventually comes to know  everything about the person who is repsonsible for everything. Again a movie revolving around the theme "More than meets the eye."

I guess in real life too all of us will be confronted with such case cas scenorios. Only by being dilligent and keeping a open mind facts will be known. Blindly believing in the press, media etc etc is something that one should always keep in mind. Seeing is Believing is not the case all the time altough majority of the times. 

ONE INDIAN GIRL - CHETAN BHAGAT

I spent a whole day reading this book and have eventually realized that this book has the appeal when it comes to translating FICTION TO REALITY. I will care less if people dont agree to what is told in the book.

The book starts with Radhika Mehta a high achiever earning lot of money, having a opinion on everything and  having past relationships The questions she asks through out the whole book to herself is if anyone out there in the male chauvinistic society really likes her. She is confused about the expectations and hence the identity crisis that she goes through is written well in the book. Well i am for sure there are few takers out there who will ever get married to a girl who makes more than the male counterpart. It is after all a clash of the male ego. Money is the only factor in the relationship that emasculates a man because of his growing insecurity. The character Debashish Sen has done justice to the whole Unconscious Insecure Man. There is even a word that is given to such women "BALL BUSTERS." I liked the part when during groom hunting she realizes that many men share the same reaction especially Dr. Bakshi who she contacts via Skype.

Apart from that the whole concept of it in the book has a real life appeal to it that will sicken many. The whole nupital match process via Matrimonial services is just nothing but another "JOB INTERVIEW." The sooner or later you realize that the better in terms of dealing with it. I feel that the word "Aesthetic" screams out loud and wants to make itself heard in the book. Well  the variation for aesthetic for Indian Men and Women may mean different although there is not a big variation.

The emphasis of a fair skin and the comparison of fair skin to wheatish skin is done well. White skin is perceived as beautiful and the mothers anguish in getting her daughter married due to lack of it resonates through out the whole book. I feel that men have all subconsciously wired into giving importance to bigger boobs, color of the skin than brains. I really couldn't stop laughing when Radhika Mehtas third voice acknowledges the fact that Punjabi men like breast in the size of a football than brains. It is just not the male the female too has mental check boxes when it comes to getting married. In the book she would not prefer to get married to a man who is planning to do a MBA via correspondence, joint family or a family business. All i guess have created a mental image of what they want to associate with both Men and Women equally. The whole courtship process i feel has only a Materialistic appeal to it. As long as you are branded well you have skin in the game. It is just like any other Business economic principle.

When it comes to courtship i recently heard a celebrity having his take on it. Courtship does not exist in the real world. At the end of the day when the dust settles it is "WHAM BAM THANK YOU MAM." This book may mean many things to many. All will never reach to a same conclusion of what is really going on. A feminist will have her take on it and a male chauvinist will have his. I feel at the end it is going to be a big variation  in terms of Take home message that the book has to give.

For me,

1. I never expected to come in contact with Erotica as past Chetan Bhagats books dont really have much of it. The comparison of sex to greasy French Fries and 4 course French Gourmet meal was done well. I never saw that coming. Such things are really out there and men get intimidated on seeing Females past flames. For eg Big Bang Theory shows Wolowitz getting intimated with Bernadettes x.

2. All have a inner me. A little mini me that has a opinion for everything. No one is really honest about inner thoughts. FAKE IT AND SAY IT is what it is. Radhikas mini me (Third voice in the book was good). I liked the inner me concept a lot. There are 3 voices in a person. First voice knows everything, Second voice thinks about what to say and the last is speech which is spoken.

3. Man who can woo dont need to oblige and the Man who cant needs to oblige. Many men may fall in category of men obliging.

4. Women/Men wear clothes to attract attention. The line Indian girls transform themselves from party chicks in short dresses to fully clad chaste vigoral bhajan attendees is almost a visual affect.

5. Greed and Investment banking go together. Long term greed is a principle of Goldman Sachs.

6. Men who say that  woman should be on par with a man is loosely thrown to impress a female. In real private life of a man the very concept would not be entertained. Man will change when such hard  and fast rules are applied to them. Eg given in the book is Debashish Sen.

7. Men prefer to live with a open minded girl but when it comes to marriage and raise kids a Simple Indian Female is preferred. They just cant see the extrovert being the mother of their kids.

8. The whole life of a man is incentive based. All see at incentives that a relationship brings. Once successful they take things for granted they will always easily move on. Once they realize that all future ventures like this will culminate in failure they come back to their senses. Eg Neel Gupta and Debashish Sen trying to change Radhika Mehtas mind during her marriage.

9. Mind will play games with you. If it wants you to do something it will find 100 different rasons to justify it and make sense.

10. Emotions cloud your judgement.

11. The last is and which should always be respected is that both Men and Women want to seek pleasure in whatever they do. No one should be stopped in seeking pleasure which otherwise then would eventually end up as a character in One Indian Girl.

The book says that Men want Sex and a career and Woman a career and kids. A man cant live with one of it neither can a woman is all what the book is trying to convey.

I at the end feel that this book to a greater extent has a appeal when it comes to translating fiction to reality.

November 20, 2013.

Well this was one scary day in my life. Words can never express the feeling of what i have gone through. It was the scariest moment and will be a traumatising memory for the rest of my whatever life is left. I have had plenty of failures but never had a failure that was done deliberately by me when there was so much at stake. I still remember this particular day that shook me. It was a AC/DC song that nature played on me. I was sick for a while and i told everyone concerning that something is not feeling right. Although i could never anticipate  a perfect storm headed towards me. I was in Hyderabad, Banjara Hills not expecting that i will be a Banjara in terms of what i experienced.

Hyderabad November 20, 2013 will always be a integral part of my life. I dont know if things i experienced was for the good or bad. I still have to write about it in my log of what i have experienced. After clearing USMLE Step 1 with a average score i decide to head for Step 2 exams. While giving my examinations i sit with determination  till the 7 th block. Determination was not enough to endure what i experienced. I started shaking through out and had no control of my body whatsoever. Things never made sense to me then and the story is still the same. Unable to cope with what i was going through  i decide to step out for a while. Inspite of all efforts the problem still persisted. I somehow go again to proceed with the 7 th block but all efforts put by me were in vain. Eventually i decide to just complete all remaining blocks for the sake of it. I may be one of  the very few people who might have solved 3 blocks of examination in 10 minutes in the history of USMLEs. As i walked i felt no remorse or anything. I thought it to be the "ACT OF GOD". I walked out expecting nothing in life. I felt nothing as a matter of fact, may be it is the shock of what i experienced.

As i leave the examination hall i head to Hard Rock Cafe in Banjara Hills as that was my plan. I kept my plan and was walking towards it. I felt no inhibitions while doing that. I go in with a state of shock and order a beer and burger which i gulped in few minutes. Then from there i head to Ooty as my stay was in the planned itinerary. I stay there for a week and come back. All to a extent was fine but was in constant thinking  of what i experienced. I was confused in terms of it being a "ACT OF GOD" or something else. After me coming back i have had a battery of tests and met few consultants in Psychiatry and Neurology. I had been given a range of diagnosis that were all refractory to medications. I still somehow since then have managed 20 months of employment in 36 months and a weight gain of 30 Kgs. Everything since that day has been a uphill task and is still. The best part is that i am still alive. Although i dont know if i will live a full life as the diagnosis given is obscure. I have no complaints but so far i have managed to pull 3 yrs on since that defining moment which has shaken me to the core. Act of God according to me pulled its strings and all i have been doing is just observing. People think that i am loosing my mind. As far as i am concerned if that was the case i would have never been so lucid about it. I have resigned 2 times in 36 months and all i am doing is to keep my head above the water as long as i can. I have managed it for 3 yrs and don't know much in the future will i be able to do. The best part in spite of all this shit storm in me is that i have managed to live with it by putting a smile. I hope i can pull on further keeping my fingers crossed.

I am now officially 30 years since November 20, 2013 as i consider this day as some kind of a rebirth may be because i am not dead yet. I am now looking forward with what i have than crying with what i have lost. Life is unpredictable and i have always known that is what may be keeps it interesting.

This was one of a kind of a exam in my life and  all have i to do is live with fingers crossed. If life gives you lemons make lemonade. 

Bill Lynn's LONG HALF TIME WALK and Rock on 2

I guess war is nothing but Hunger Games. Like it or not we are all hungry to hoard and this just makes  us what we are (WARMONGERS). Either you fight or not is a choice which we all have. The thing is that there is no day in which you dont fight. Everyone is trying to survive and all are fighting for their lives. 

I dont want to be the judge of the war in the Middle East. I cannot judge unfortunately as the facts are unknown and all we do is assume. So recently i have seen two movies with two different stories. Each of it revolves around the same theme "Fight for Life"

Let me go with  Bill Lynn's long half time walk. This movie revolves around a Texan who is really not interested in joining the war till a family crisis strikes him. He ends up joining the war as his sister suffers a accident. Her fiance comes out of the planned marriage after realizing that  she is damaged goods. The same story is true for many. Unlike the Texan Bill who is possessive when it comes to his sister vandalizes her fiances property. To avoid jail he joins the army. Joining the army to serve the homeland is often taken as bullshit as there is always a ulterior motive associated which he reveals. All this says that like it or not we have to fight in our day to day lives to keep our heads above the water. Unfortunately the disadvantage of not being rich made him to join the army. In this case scenario this was the only choice that he was left with. After joining the army he ends up with another crisis that takes him directly to insurgents who are trying to prove their point. Altough this time he was able to keep control over his nerves that led his unit Bravo team to achieve acclaims as live action was caught on tape. He feels the pain of loosing his squadron leader and the memories of war haunts him as  he takes a tour for being a Poster boy of the army. During the whole tour he has to fight with himself whether or not he should call the quits as his sister forces him to make it a point  to leave the army. Sooner or later during the whole tour he realizes that he has to fight for his right to live with or without the war. At the end he drops the idea to quit and joins the fight. He then marches on to the future not knowing where he will end up. I liked the  concept that the movie is trying to convey. I too feel that would be the right thing to do in order to make a difference in my life . Nothing is given easy in life and you should fight for it. 

The other story is Rock on 2 - This too deals with fight for life. Unfortunately in this movie fight and the struggle for life is different. All dont react the same way in dealing with crisis. Sometimes emotions get a good grip and people fall prey. The story revolves around emotions that makes people to take decisions in life. All decisions are not necessary good as they are just a coping mechanism to deal with failures. 

Coping mechanisms are ways to which external or internal stress is managed, adapted to or acted upon. Susan Folkman and Richard Lazarus define coping as "constantly changing cognitive and behavioral efforts to manage specific external and/or internal demands that are appraised as taxing".

Coping Mechanisms/ Case scenarios:
Rahul Sharma: He looses confidence in himself- Reason (Disapproval from family) - Leans to the idea of death. He eventually ends up taking his life as he finds it convenient. 

Adi Grover:  He makes a classical case of Emotions clouding judgement. Not knowing what to do he copes with his failures by moving away from his life and doing things that  gives him a purpose. He then makes a  case of altrusim. He enjoys being with less fortunate as he thinks that he is making a difference, He then again succumbs to tragedy that changes his path. Sometimes we in our lives will not know where we are headed after suffering a tragedy which all can relate. He eventually comes to terms and does what is best, coping with grief. 

Jia Sharma: She is coping in her own way in order to avoid having a argument with a father in pursuing her life dreams. She copes only by Sacrificing her dreams though she is good in what she is.Makes a case of coping by sacrifice. 

The story around the 3 main characters revolve around their coping. They eventually break their habit of coping and proceed with Fighting for their lives. The story has twists and turns in their fight to make their voice heard. Eventually they win it by keeping their cool and focus. Nothing is easy and giving a good fight with high spirits is the best thing to do. 

Fight for life is a theme that should always gain momentum in ones life and one should come to terms of it not being easy. PAIN AND FIGHT is what defines us i guess.

Labiela: Ethiopias New Jerusalem

Have heard this a long time ago that a place (shrine) in Ethiopia holds the Ark of the Covenant. Sounds like a Indiana Jones movie. Al tough Ethiopia is a old country and is clearly mentioned in the Bible. Name of this country has not changed for a long time since it is mentioned in the Bible. Bible having the name Ethiopia has always amazed me. No one for sure knows who came up with Old testament. Whoever wrote it should have been smoking some strong weed. If the author cares to say the days god took to make the world he should be god himself. I for sure know the number of times i have taken a dump in a day. I would not care to share that information with anyone in particular unless if he or she is interested. Author of the Bible for sure knows Ethiopia. Now it is Ethiopia that is called New Jerusalem for Christian devotees. It does not really matter if god has Ethiopia in the Bible then may be he is omnipresent.

Supernatural season 12, episode 5 - The one you have been waiting for

Saw something interesting today from a post by someone which states 1 =1+1= 3. I knew what that means in my own way. May have a meaning only for those who dont know anything. I know that there are people who dont know beyond the above formula because they dont want to know or they are happy with what they know. It does not mean that there are people who dont want to know. I always feel that death is the answer to all questions not known to man. 

So far when it comes to death man has come up with few  strange words 

Necromania: An abnormal tendency to dwell with longing on death.

    Necrophilia An abnormal fondness for being in the presence of dead bodies. Sexual contact with or erotic desire for dead bodies.

Necromancy The supposed practice of communicating with the dead, especially in order to predict the future.

Well of all these strange words necromancy was a word which i discovered long time ago.  I have been seeing series Supernatural for quite a long time. I have gone through Leviathans, Lucifer, Abbadon, Darkness, Shape shifters, Vampires, Werewolves  as antagonists in the series and the list can go on and  on. None of it will actually make any sense in the real world. Nothing of such a entity can ring a bill in my head. The episode that deals with necromancy is apart from them. I feel there are few curious people who definitely want to know the unknown and get the future. In real life there are tarot card readers, astrologers and what not. I too have come in contact with such people at my own will  for the fun of it within limits. Well for many and me at times it all seems a joke, Necromancy was serious business for the Nazis. 

Al tough today i have seen something really interesting in Supernatural season 12 episode 5 that actually matches relevant historic records. I guess series Supernatural has got something relevant in this particular episode. People do write about it with context in real life and real people. (Wikipedia, Books and Videos). The first episode dealing with such a subject was in Season 9 2013 dealing with Thule society and Golems (Jewish mystic). At that time it did not make such a impact in me cos i thought it as fantasy. Later i realized such a society did exist after seeing a documentary that dealt with Nazis and Occult in YouTube. Nazi symbols and ideologies many of it were borrowed by beliefs held in such a ideology. May be that is why i feel that this episode definitely means a lot because of its context with real people talking about in the real world. I have no curiosity in exploring it though it is good to keep an open head and not reject it blatantly if such a topic ever comes up. I guess if they have it many will have their own dirty little secrets and should be best kept at ones discretion.