RIP George Fernandes

George Fernandes, the legendary Socialist who had took on formidable opponents throughout his career died today. The man was a Trade Union leader who could bring Bombay (now Mumbai) to a screeching halt with his call for lightning strikes, until Siv Sena broke the backbone of Communist led Trade unions.

He was arrested, jailed and harassed by Indira Gandhi during Emergency days. He was released before the 1977 Elections when the Janata Party of which he was part off swept entire North India where Congress won 228 out of 229 seats, with the Congress candidate and the present CM of Madhya Pradesh Kamal Nath winning the solidarity seat in the entire North India from Chhindwara. Both Indira Gandhi and her heir apparent Sanjay Gandhi were soundly defeated, the former by a political buffoon named Raj Narain.

George Fernandes was rewarded as a Minister. Soon after he banished IBM and Coca Cola from India to prove his credence to Socialism. Those were the days Government was the biggest employer with a Hindu rate of growth. George was just playing to the gallery. 

Over the years he grew more pragmatic, though the maverick and socialist in him never died. In the early part of his tenure as defence minister in Vajpayee's ministry, Fernandes was once very pissed off when he came to know that two bureaucrats in the ministry's finance department were sitting on a file for procurement of snow scooters for soldiers in Siachen.

Officials who worked with Fernandes said he immediately issued orders for sending the two officials to the Siachen glacier to have a first hand experience of soldiers' life there.

He sent defence ministry officials on familiarisation trips to various parts of Jammu and Kashmir and to the areas bordering China in Arunachal to see for themselves the difficulties faced by border guards, sizing the Babus up.

Last few years he had been allegedly suffering from Parkinson's disease. With his demise India lost a pan Indian politician who ran for office from North (Bihar), South (Bangalore) and West (Bombay). RIP George Fernandes.

Naveen Patnaik - Heck of a lucky guy

Though invited, Naveen Patnaik, the CM of Odisha and the Scion of Biju Dynasty did not attend the mega opposition rally in Calcutta initiated by the mercurial Mamata Banerjee. He has succinctly stuck to his often quipped monologue - "We are equidistant from both BJP and Congress".

It makes a whole lot of sense for him to do so. The King of Kalinga has nothing to gain by joining the opposition rally. The man is sitting pretty on his throne, all set to win a record 5th term in a few months. His Lok Sabha tally won't go below 16, even in the worst case scenario - giving him immense bargaining power in a prospective hung Parliament. 

Come May, he could very well be the most sought after person in Delhi, even a king maker - having carved his niche and earned the respect of his tribe by beating the anti incumbency factor time and again. King in his own turf he doesn't run to politicians, the politicians run to him as leaders of different hue and color flock to his doorstep. Being cool, aloof and secretive he keeps others guessing, keeping his cards close to his chest and an aura of enigma encapsulating him.

The man is in complete control of his party and kingdom. I call it kingdom, as a la a King he has doles out freebies and freebies to keep a lazy and docile subjects complacent and happy. America is not the land of free, Odisha is. He is the perfect proposition to a feudal state which thrives on the notion that a Superior King Must rule over the inferior Subjects. At the same time he has been successful in poaching local MLAs, leaders, satraps from the opposition parties in droves - having mastered the practice of divide and conquer. 

Let's cut the crap and the hypocrisy - no one joins politics these days to serve the people and nation, rather to warm their pockets. With no chance of BJP or Congress forming the government in Odisha in the near future, the leaders in opposition see a better chance in joining the ruling party which will guarantee a secured future, rather than sticking to the losing wicket. Life is short and no Neta worth his salt, at least in Odisha has the vision and patience to play long innings. Join the flow and make some bucks as long as the BJD Supremo's aura lasts.

With wind firmly behind him and everything going well, no one is better placed than Naveen in the upcoming elections in India. Fortunately for him he is all set to kill two birds using one stone as both Assembly and Parliamentary elections are held simultaneously - resulting in the unchallenged King of a State and the most sought after man at center. Heck of one lucky guy. Even his detractors grudgingly admit the same.

Cinema, Cigarette and Cycle

During our childhood days on India the troika of Cinema, Cigarette and Cycle (later motor cycle or bike) was regarded as paraphernalia of a CHHATARA, a term in Odia meaning Vagabond with a tendency to be a girl chaser.

Watching Cinema, along with Hippie Hair style was considered as a ticket towards unsecured future for men during the 1970s. A well mannered boy was only supposed to watch occasional movies, preferably family oriented - JAI SANTOSHIMA or VEER HANUMAN kind of movies, only after the culmination of major academics exams. 

Keeping long Hippie style hair was considered to be rude and bad manner of presenting oneself in front of elders. As a 10 year old I was anything but a CHHATARA. Yet the overgrown hair inadvertenly curled around my ears lead my grandfather soundly chastise me -  "HIPPIE BAALA KAHIKI RAKHICHU ? CHHATARA HABU KIRE" (Why have you kept Hippie style ? Are you planning on becoming a Vagabond ?". I had no such intention, but promptly had a hair cut.

Cigarette start with curiosity in teenage days as many get their hand in smoking. Some slowly fall addicted to it. Smoking was considered as another tell-tale sign of going wayward - another step towards being a CHHATARA. The movie actors of those days, including stars like Amitabh Bachhan in Bollywood and Rajnikanth in the South glamorizing the bad habit. 

Smoking in front of elders and seniors was considered a sign of utter disrespect (same as talking looking downward without an eye contact was considered as respectful). So the teenagers smoked in hiding until they be came a slave of their habit to come out of the veneer of secrecy and do it openly. Interestingly chewing PAAN or Chewing Tobacco wrapped in Betel wasn't considered as bad as smoking and need not be done secretly, though it was no less harmful than smoking. Though tobacco is less popular with the youth today with alcohol taking over, the stigma remains. 

Cycle in Odisha defaults to Bicycles, a common mode of transportation for the most young and old alike in 1970s, until Scooters and motor bikes started becoming more and more common and affordable in the 80s. Either way, whether pedalled or motorable, bikes were sign of Freedom for the young to travel far and wide beyond the controlling territory of their parents. It also served as a fast gateway after playing teenage pranks or convenient escape mode post chasing girls - both typical trends of CHHATARA.

Time have changed. Cinema can be viewed at swanky Multiplexes rather than CHARAPOKA (Bedbug) infested movie theaters where the bloodsucking parasites had a feat at the expense of the cine goers. The ubiquitous sight of the audience scratching their private parts in public was not uncommon - thanks to the bedbugs hidden inside the Coconut coir chairs inside the theaters, always chosing to bite the right places in wrong time.

Cigarettes are no more the fad they used to be, with the movie heroes preferring to put lips on their female opposite's than on cigarettes. Bicycles have been long replaced by trendy bikes. The ever transactional CHHATARA has gone through metamorphic transformation in the age of cellular and social media.

The Dilemma of Holiday fat

Holiday season over, I already feel like gaining a few pounds. It brought me some fond memories from past. 

In the year 1996 I came back from a stint in England after adding a few Pound Sterlings to my wallet and a few pounds to my waistline. Everybody back home suggested me to shed some flab except my mother who disputed the idea. She firmly put down her defense - "MO PUARA TIKE SWASTYA HEICHI JAICHI, TAKU MOTA KAHIKI KAHUCHA", my son has become healthy not fat. Like all mothers from our generation gaining weight by their son is a matter of pride. 

A chubby chap is known as KHAIBA PIBA GHARA PILA(in Odia) or KHANE PINE KA GHAR KA LADKA (in Hindi) meaning a boy from a well to do family who liberally spends on food. A slim trim guy is considered as a DHAIN (in local slang it means nincompoop), also often alludes to someone being stingy and a miser(able)one. 

A SWYASTAWALA or healthy son earns accolades for the daughter-in-law from her mother-in-law for feeding him so well. (Normally relationship between these women in family is viewed as friendly as one harbored between a Snake and Mangoose). On the other hand a slim husband can earn the wrath of the mother-in-law. 

Very soon I was to lose much of those SWASTYA I gained. One fine evening I gobbled up a dozen GUPCHUP (Odia term for GOLGOPPA or PANIPURI) washed down by LASSI (sweetened yogurt) from a road side stall. Next couple of days I spent controlling the floodgates which opened from both top and bottom end. After the recovery, I felt a lot lighter. My jeans felt no more tight. The road side food did wonders in so less a time which no diet for exercise can do. Now I have to go an extra mile to melt the Holiday fat.