April Fool's day 2025

 March this year ended with a lot of uncertainty with tariffs, stubborn inflation and speculation of impending recession in air. But being an eternal optimist I can see light at end of the tunnel as nothing lasts forever, not even the bad things which happens to us. The first quarter of the year is about to end and the next month starts with April Fool's day, the first day of a new week, a new month and a new quarter. Time to gather some Foolish anecdotes while stepping into the All Fool's day.

April 1 is named FOOL'S DAY, after Steve April. He was born on 1st April of year 1579. He started 105 businesses in his lifetime, but none ever succeeded, losing all his father's assets. So everyone started calling him father of the fools.

At 19, he married a 61-year-old woman who divorced him after a month because of his foolishness. He used to carefully read all kinds of fake stories like we are doing now on social media. So we are no less fools than him.

Every year, 1st of April comes with its share of April Fool jokes. Even when we were keep washing our hands to keep Covid and other diseases away, we shouldn't wash off our sense of humor. A few year's back April Fool joke from Google was - "Equator found to be slipping. Australia at risk of becoming a Northern Hemisphere country by 2055". Many actually believed it.

Not a whole lot are aware of the fact that Equator is an imaginary line. Once Indian President Giani Zail Singh was flying above the Equator. His secretary humored him - "Sir, can you see the equator below" ?  Zail Singh responded "Yes. I can see it and a car is slowly running on it". What he actually saw, was a lice walking on his long strand of hair, which just happened to fall right in front of his eyes.

MIT, Massachusetts which has produced hordes of innovators and Nobel winning Laureates is known for sheer wit and sense of mischief from its bright and creative students. In 1998, on All Fools' Day, MIT's homepage was rebuilt to announce that the Walt Disney Company had bought the famed institute for $6.9 billion. In same year in Pittsburgh where I was living, 1st of April came with a freak snow storm - fooling all on April Fool's day.

One thing I can't fathom - Why the Utkal Dibas (Odisha day) coincides with the April Fool's day ? It would not have hurt our forefathers to chose 31st March or 2nd April instead. We have been living in a Fool's paradise ever since, fooled time and again by all who have taken us for a ride.

Never let a fool kiss you, or a kiss fool you - said Joey Adams, American Comedian (1911-99). Happy Fool's Day.

Our poor sense of humor

Recently a stand up comedian Kunal Kamra and his set has been attacked over making parody of a Mumbai based politician. A few days back I posted a humorous picture related to India's Prime Minister Modi. A few on my friend list who are  wonderful friends otherwise but ardent fans/followers/devotees/Bhakts of Modi got a bit touchy and obviously didn't like it. But when I post a joke related to Rahul Gandhi or Kejriwal it elates them to no end. The same folks commend me, like my post and flood my comment box with ROFL memes if the joke or sarcasm is directed towards Rahul Gandhi. His detractors have a field day liking the satire with their "Likes" giving me thumbs up while his supporters fall conspicuously silent, a few thin skinned folks occasionally go berserk when the joke is directed to their "Mahaprabhu" (ultimate God).

In a healthy democracy we should not be hesitant of lampooning our political leaders, whoever he or she may be. I enjoy the caricature of Trump known for his idiosyncrasies and Biden for his bumblings on Saturday Night Live, a popular late night TV show in America which has a reputation of not sparing anyone. There is no harm in mocking politicians as they are thick skin breed. And we live in a democracy, not in Putin's Russia, Xi's China or Kim's Korea.

The political leaders worst mocked at in America were Bill Clinton post Monica Lewinsky scandal and Donald Trump as it is easier to make cartoons of flamboyant guys. Obama was least prone to caricature because of his cool demeanor. The great Indian cartoonist R.K.Laxman once said he found it most difficult to make caricature of Jawaharlal Nehru for later's cool demeanor. Both Modi and Rahul Gandhi are equally flamboyant to be easily poked fun at.

Unfortunately we have a poor sense of humor, not great at self depreciating humor and jokes directed to us. We laugh at others, but don't laugh at ourselves nor like to be laughed at as we take ourselves very seriously. That's because we harbor tons of fake ego and vanity which prevents us from laughing at ourselves as laxatives to get rid of our constipated egos. We who eat a lot of spicy, stale food are world's champion farters but laugh at others who fart, rarely laughing at ourselves. Same goes with the jokes.

A point to be noted - the famous Sikh writer Khushwant Singh was a great teller of Sardarjee jokes. Such jokes were regular in his columns and he has compiled several Joke books too, mostly directed to his own community. The fearless Sardar never hesitated to speak his mind, nor lose an opportunity to make his own caricature and lamented that we as a nation lack the ability to laugh at ourselves. He didn't spare any one, not even himself. When SGPC, the Sikh religious body rebuked him for making fun at the expense of his fellow Sikhs the old Sardar responded to them - "Go to hell".

I don't mind cracking a joke at my own expense or my community of Odias. I am a Brahmin originally from the vicinity of Puri and have recounted lots of jokes about Puri Panda, the priests of Puri and my brahmin brethen from the nearby Sasana villages, many of whom are GODARA (posess elephant trunk legs) or KURUNDA (men with super size balls) due to fileria disease. I narrate those to friends often at my expense, making them roll with seizures of laughter (those who heard me can vouch for it).

During my Engineering days, a friend from Berhampur, a city from Southern part of Odisha used to crack jokes in his local dialect, often at the expense of himself, followed by volcanic erruption of laughter. Similarly the folks from the undivided district of Dhenkanal, also snubbed as DHENKUs are supposed to have wit as dim as the incandescent bulbs on a low voltage night. A Dhenku is supposed to be naive, slow witted. Only difference - unlike the Sardars, they are not known to run amock with madness at noon. It is another matter that Dhenkanal district has produced many brilliant minds who are far from being dumb or simpletons. 

It is not unusual to see litigations filed in courts against silly jokes on some plea or other. Should we file a petition or case against the producer of the movie "Chennai Express" for its Lungi dance song sequence and few other scenes, mocking at South Indians. Should we troll a Lungi (a loincloth worn around the waist which can easily taken off for convenience and multiple purposes) Mithun Chakraborty for his Bharat Natyam dance to the tune of Tamil accented "YUM KRISHNA AIYYAR YEMME (Hum Krishna Aiyar M.A.) in Amitabh's movie "AGNEEPATH" ? Should we ban the legendary Bengali actor Utpal Dutt (yesterday incidentally was his birthday) for rolling his expanded pupil and snorting "Oodee Baba" ? As a nation, we should know how to laugh and enjoy jokes, rather than being laughed at for lacking a sense of humor.

Jagannath Puri

 A throwback from few years back. One fine noon I arrived at a local Fast food joint operated by a Desi Bhai (as Person of Indian origins are addressed in US). At the counter I asked him, "Which part of India are you from" ? "I am a Gujarati from Bombay and you ?" - he questioned me back. "From Odisha" - I replied. The crunches on his forehead and shrinking eyelids indicated his confusion. "From Bhubaneswar", I added, hoping it would ring a bell to him.

He still looked bewildered. "Jagannath Puri" - I fired my next salvo at him, expecting it will pinpoint to the correct location and clear his nebulousness. He retorted back - Oh yeah "Jagannath Puri Jee, your are a Punjabi then". Now I was sure if he couldn't make a connection to Odisha via the temple town of Puri or its capital Bhubaneswar, and disregarded me as some Punjabi BAIN**OD (sister slammer) with last name Puri. Anyway, it was interesting to discover that our Desi Bhai who was the owner of this popular Chicken based fast food restaurant chain was a strict vegetarian.

Ides of March

 Beware of the Ides of March. As weather warms up with the arrival of spring, the month began with a turbulent world heating up as Russia's war against Ukraine as well as war in the Middle East turmoil continues unabated. It is further accentuated by an uncertain economic future with Trump initiated tariff war. Historically nothing new about a tumultuous March as it brings back memories from a major historical event tied to this month eons ago, when Julius Caesar, the scion of the great Roman Empire was murdered inside the Senate by his own insidious colleagues, many he believed were his friends.

Julius Caesar was a fascinating character in history, a great general and politician, a handsome, muscular, flat stomach man with a magnetic persona, the Knight-in-Shining armor darling of the Roman women, presiding over 50 million people of the Great Roman empire at its zenith of power, extending from Britain to Syria, from Bavarian Alps to North Africa. 50 million was a gargantuan population 2,000 years ago.

With success comes jealousy, rivalry, backstabbers and enemies. This has been since time immemorial, a basic human nature unaffected by passage of time. Caesar was a victim of his own success. In the quest for power a person's near and dear ones (as usual) can be your worst enemies. We have this Odia adage - "ANTI CHHURI TANTI KATE" (the waist knife can cut your throat, or your so called near and dear ones are the first ones to backstab you). It was vindicated two millenniums ago that politics invariably and eventually trumps over military. Most who planned Caesar's assassination were his close friends, especially his closest buddy Brutus of "Et To Brutus" fame. Those were Julius Caesar's last words as Brutus pulled the dagger on him.

Historians differ on how close Brutus was to Caesar. Some say they were extremely close. Others say it wasn't so, as Brutus once unsuccessfully rebelled against Julius and was pardoned by the later for he was the son of Caesar's mistress. He always had a grudge against Julius to settle, for he harbored the humiliation of often taunted for his mother's allegedly affair with Caesar. It is said Brutus's mother simply couldn't resist and succumbed to Julius's charm. Personal anger and jealousy can be a lethal concoction. Brutus was waiting for the opportune moment to push the dagger on Julius to backstab him.

The role of another Mistress of Caesar, the powerful Egyptian Queen Cleopatra in this imbroglio can't be ignored. She from Royal Egyptian bloodline with a legendary blend of beauty and brain, a talented woman who spoke multiple languages and dabled in politics and medicines with equal aplomb. Cleopatra who was rumored to take bath in pure milk to preserve her beauty accentuated Caesar's ambition to be the ruler of great Roman empire by suggesting subjugation of Senate - the people's elected body. She too fell for Julius Caesar's irresistible charm.

Power can be an addictive aphrodisiac. Thousands years down the road we have seen democratically elected leaders soon developing dictatorial tendencies - Indira Gandhi, Trump and Modi included.
Cleopatra, who was the daughter of a politician from Egypt's powerful establishment and quite familiar with the palace intrigues saw this coming. It is said that based on a dream she had the night before her husband's Brutal assassination, she warned Julius Caesar to be on guard. But drunk with sheer public adulation, fame and accompanied over confidence he chose to ignore her, least expecting an assault to come from his close friends on his familiar Senate floor.

Power often prevents the powerful from being aware of the vacuum surrounding them, keeping them myopic not to be able to see the approaching storm, leaving them off guard and vulnerable. China's all powerful President Xi Jinping who has consolidated power in China, the second largest powerful country in world couldn't see Corona virus coming. Trump ignored it only to pay a price of getting defeated after his first term. In India, Indira Gandhi, the iron lady Prime Minister with dictatorial tendencies was assassinated at the peak of her power when she was a pan Indian cult figure.

From Shakespeare's novel it looks as if the attack on Caesar was impromptu on that fateful Spring day inside the Roman Senate. But the sinister plot to kill him was hatched long before which was later implemented to perfection. Gladiators were kept ready as back up, in case the best laid plan went wrong. Caesar was assassinated on the Senate floor as planned.

Plenty of water has flown in the river Tibur (the bank on which the city Rome was established ) since that fateful day in the month of March. Guns, bombs, missiles have replaced dagger as the killing machine. Humans can fly into space and their thought can travel at twinkle of their eyes, with the world shrunk to a global village.

Yet for quest of absolute power politics, backroom deals, back stabbing, jealousy,  assassinations, leaders with dictatorial tendencies vying to consolidate power hasn't changed over the last 2000 years. The basic human nature still remains the same, hasn't changed at all. March has just started, we are not done with it yet. Beware of the Ides of March.

The planned Saudi Cricket league

Indian Premier League (IPL), the annual multi million dollar mega, colorful cricket event held in India starts from today. At the same time, Saudi Arabia has announced its plan to launch in future a mega $500 million Cricket league consisting of 8 teams, with matches to be played in 4 different locations and the Final in Saudi Arabia.

Now the most interesting thing to watch for will be how India's policy of not playing with Pakistan in Pakistan will come into play. BCCI may not be able to have its way with the Saudis the same way it has its influence over ICC. Because, coming to the Geo political influence, forget BCCI, India is no match to MSB led Saudi Arabia which has a huge financial and strategic assets as leverage. It's the only country which is close to all global powers which matter - US, China, Russia and surprisingly (though not so overtly) Israel. Not just its assets of petro dollars and oil reserves, its strategic location in the tinderbox of Middle East makes Saudi Arabia a big and key player in the game, in football, cricket or otherwise.

The country is also close to both India and Pakistan for various geopolitical reasons. India is a strong manpower supplier to the Saudis, and Pakistan's all powerful Army has acted earlier as a mercenary to Saudi's interest, not to mention their Islamic connection. The desert Kingdom could use cricket diplomacy to bring India and Pakistan under the same umbrella. This cricket league will most likely be used for the same, for every one is aware of the popularity of cricket in not only both India and Pakistan, in the entire Indian subcontinent stretching from Afghanistan to Bangladesh. It not Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism or Christianity, but Cricket is the real religion in that part of the world.

Now India has some deft diplomacy work on hand. Don't think BCCI will deal with Saudi Arabia the same way it deals with Pakistan.
Saudi Arabia ain't Pakistan. But because India being a $4 trillion economy and BCCI currently wielding tons of influence in the world of cricket, it definitely going to get some concessions as part of the deal. But it is Pakistan who could turn out to be the real winner as it has nothing to lose. It has everything to gain, for the country is on the verge of bankruptcy with its cricketing set up in shatters with lowest ever moral. Half a billion USD, the planned budget of Saudi Cricket league is big money and can do some wonders, "Kyon Ki Paisa Bolta Hai" (Since Money talks). Let's not forget that BCCI's influence and control over ICC today is mainly due to one factor - it's MONEY stupid !

Reminded me of the liberally Hindi mixed Odia saying, which I read in an Odia short story titled "ANDHARUA" during childhood. 

"ABE PARASU, JABE PARASU,
BABU PARASURAM;
PAISA KYA NA KARE KAAM." 

Roughly transliterated.... 

Come Peter, Go Peter,
Oh My Lord Peter,
Money Can do,
Tremendous wonder". 

Money, Money, Money.
Brighter than sunshine,
Sweeter than honey. 

Tribute to Sashi Kapoor

 He was handsome, successful, kind, compassionate and a dedicated husband - all rolled into one, blended perfectly like the best of blended Scotch Whisky. What more a woman wants ! My tribute to Sashi Kapoor on his Birthday, which is March 18. If alive, he would be 89 today. 

Hailing from Bollywood's legendary Kapoor family, he was an outstanding actor, a handsome gentleman known for his good behavior and benevolence. He was a rare breed apart from his normally arrogance and haughtiness displaying counterparts from Bollywood. As mentioned in an Interview by the actor himself, Sashi Kapoor was the unwanted child whom his mother, the wife of actor Prithviraj Kapoor who wanted to abort him by falling off from bicycle and other crude means when she was carrying Sashi Kapoor in her womb. But he came out to the world regardless, and for a good reason to carve his niche in the celluloid world.

One of my dad's Maternal Uncles lived in Bombay from 1950s till mid 1980s, earning his livelihood as a make up artist in Bollywood. When he came home after a long, tiring train journey from Bombay, he used to take a break at our residence in Bhubaneswar before proceeding to his native place Biragobindpur, a Shasan Brahmin dominated village near Puri, my dad's maternal uncle's village. As a youngster always curious to know about the life in celluloid world, I used to query our "Mamu Aja" (maternal great grandfather) to extract some juicy, spicy tidbits on these film folks from someone who worked in their close proximity.

Once I asked him who he thought as the best person in Bollywood he had ever encountered. He immediately answered without a blink - Amjad Khan and Sashi Kapoor. Amjad Khan was a straight shooter who showed no sign of any air of arrogance and idiosyncratic traits usually associated with actors. Protrayed as a bad guy in many Bollywood blockbusters, Amjad Khan was a complete different person off screen, a "Dil Daar", broad hearted type. Sashi Kapoor was also "Dil Daar" man, perfect gentleman who always asked my "Mamu Aja", his make up artist, about how he and his family were doing back home in his village near Puri. A generous man, Sashi Kapoor gave him hefty tips. Never he would belittle or show any kind of  condescending attitude to a his staff, an ubiquitous forte of our film folks who harbor supercilious, feudal mindset and known to be champion hypocrites.

During shootings, before taking his seat for his make up sessions, Sashi Kapoor would invariably address Mamu Aja with "Aap" rather than "Tum"- "Kaise hain Aap" (how are you) blended in his infectious smile. Unlike others who would seat silently during their make up sessions, Sashi Kapoor would chit chat with him. He was curious about "Oodissa", a state he was barely familiar, often wondering if a decent "Oodiya" film industry existed. The actor was quite oblivious about Bhubaneswar. The only thing he knew about Odisha was Puri because Kapoor family were aware of Lord Jagannath and he was happy to relate with Mamu Aja about the temple town being the abode of Sri Jagannath Jee. The young teen in me was surprised that Sashi Kapoor barely knew about Bhubaneswar, as like the proverbial "KUPA MANDUKA" or the frog inside the well, at that time I was under the impression that Bhubaneswar was the epicenter of the universe. Every one loved Sashi Kapoor at the set. As a youngster I would listen to my Mamu Aja's narration in one breath with rapt attention, still printed and engraved in my memory.

Sashi Kapoor's gentlemanly manner was later corroborated by Simmi Grewal, his co-actress in the Award winning movie SIDDHARTHA based upon Herman Hesse's epic novel bearing the same name. After Sashi Kapoor's death she wrote an eulogy on him where she mentioned about the following episode.

They went to New York city in the Bell Bottom era of early 1970s related to International Award won in the movie "SIDDHARTHA" based on Herman Hesse's famous novel in which both had acted together. They were sitting in a Manhattan restaurant when came down a bunch of girls swooning over Sashi Kapoor and his looks - "Hey look at this cool, cute Italian guy", mistaking an impeccably dressed, smiling handsome dude with dark hair and fair complexion with a gentlemanly smirk (New York city is a haven of folks from Italian origin). Sashi Kapoor, a happily married man, a person of high integrity was hardly perturbed with the female adulation he got and chose to ignore them.

He was different from the Kapoor clan in many ways - look, class and charisma. A rebel of sort, always considered as the unwanted Kapoor as his mother wanted to abort him, Sashi Kapoor marked his presence in the tinsel world after his initial movies didn't run well in the Box Office. But when he the jackpot after the runaway success of movies "Waqt" and "Jab Jab Phool Khile" he never looked back. Unlike Raj Kapoor and Rishi Kapoor he was not a chubby faced chocolate hero. He had class, style and a contagious smile.

Sashi went out of way in conservative Kapoor family to marry Jennifer Kendal, a Firangi (white foreigner) in the year 1958, a first in the Kapoor family and rairest amongst Bollywood movie stars those days. (Karisma Kapoor was another first, the first Kapoor girl to act in Bollywood which was a taboo for the females in Kapoor family). Both Sashi and Jennifer were happily married until her death in 1984. Inspired by his wife, Sashi dabbled in art movies unlike the rest of Kapoor family men. 

No doubt Sashi Kapoor will be remembered in the world of acting and for his generosity. RIP, the gentleman actor. May you keep smiling in heaven.

5 years past Covid

 In 5 years after taking 5 Covid shots, including the original one followed by 4 boosters,  am still a Covid virgin (unless unknown to me I have been asymptomatic at some point without realizing of losing my Covid virginity). It was exactly 5 years ago when the Covid -19 virus, unbeknownst of all just 4 months before March, 2000 was pandemic enough to begin lockdowns and start a new culture of Work From Home for an unforeseen period.

Exactly 5 years ago, today on March the 16, was the first day I began working from home as the Covid-19 Pandemic was starting to take a grip, spreading its malevolent tentacle all over the world including in United States. I thought the pandemic would be over in couple of months or so before I get back to my work location, expecting it to become business as usual soon, but never in my wildest of dreams I thought of working for more than 2 years, 7 months at a stretch from home. This was the harbinger of a new work culture hitherto unknown called working remote and like a hybrid car running on both gas and electricity, a hybrid work model of home and office took birth.

Soon I got familiar with phrases like social distancing, rubbing sanitizers and frequently washing my hands and retrospected how years of pandemic wheezed past and how it  changed my habits. Lazy like a fox, I started shaving only once a week, showing off my prominent 5 O'Clock salt and pepper shadow on my cheek. While I am reminded of the popular Palmolive Shaving Cream Ad on the Doordarshan, the only TV Channel available in India back in those days - "Kapil Dev, tough cricketer, tough beard". I am not a tough guy from any angle, but my razor stumbled on my stubble gained in a week, giving me a tough time.

No more I could say I don't touch alcohol during the day. The Coronavirus forced me to touch alcohol - in the form of hand sanitizers and alcohol soaked hand wipes. While entering a store, I used hand sanitizer and after returning back to my car I used it once again. Washed my hands way too often and way too long, thanks to this nouveau virus. Would have easily been branded as a classic SUCHIBAI ROGI (An Odia slang used for a psychological patient with the habit of washing their hands frequently due to compulsive cleanliness). But I was simply not taking any chances. Had no desire to get infected and gift it to my family. Twitching the usual Odia proverb a bit - "HATHA DHOU THA, GUNA GAU THA" - "Wash you hands, sing paeans of praise (of COVID-19)".

Soon I got bored with the monotony of work from home. I longed for getting back to work at the Campus in downtown Columbus. When ennui overcame me at the Office, I used to take a walk around chatting with my colleauges, loiter aimlessly in the corridor to shrugg off my jaded nerves, occasionally take a stroll on the river walk to fill my lungs with fresh, cool air wafting over the bank of the river Chattahoochee. I started missing eating food in Cafeteria sitting with my coworkers.  Missed the fun and chat about the latest rumor in the air. 

A sucker to spicy stuff, my ever alert ears is perpetually receptive to juicy stories. Once I overheard two ladies walking ahead of me in a narrow corridor. Unknown to them I could listen to their conversation. Both were bitching about their Mother-in-laws, doing the later's character assassination. I heard one of them saying - "My Mother-in-law would sneak inside my home with a duplicate key and smoke inside the house. She would listen to everybody but me". The other one nodded - "Mine is no different from yours. She is such a bitch". No wonder Mother-in-laws and Dauhter-in-laws rarely go together, harboring a "AHI - NAKULA SAMPARKA" or "snake and mongoose" relationship, a la the animals who are born to fight with each other. When I returned back to work, the work place was never the same. The Covid made the work place look like an Orange whose juice has been sucked out.

Two-third of American Economy is fuelled by consumer spending. Uncle Sam soon slid into recession in early 2020 due to a panicking public uncertain about the future put a break on their purse. My expenses were inadvertently curtailed. No vacations, no trip to India, no restaurant visits as I was mostly stuck at home. Even with record low gas price, I rarely drove more than 10 miles a week. Filled gas in my car only once in every couple of months, as I din't have to commute to work. Under normal circumstances, I would fill up my gas tank at least once every other week. Not anymore. That was a first time in US for me in nearly quarter of a century. 

Yet on a positive note, I helped mother earth. Lesser use of car means less emission of toxic greenhouse gases. My support to the "Go Green" cause didn't stop there. Due to working from home there was fewer usage of Office stationaries, Computer printouts, electricity, elevators, AC and so on. I could proudly proclaim of saving many trees from being felled and contributing to keeping the environment Ozone free due to restricted usage of CFC (CloroFluoroCarbon).

My first tryst with Corona was not the virus, rather a brand of shoes. During my childhood days there were only a handful of decent shoe stores in Bhubaneswar, prominent were Bata, Corona and BSC brand carrying stores in Unit - II, all adjacent to each other. I could relate Corona to a friend of mine who had an aura about him. His claim to fame was following the English music - ABBA, Boney M etc. There were hardly anyone to fact check on him. Often he used to sing something with snorted lips, which resembled "Corona Shoes.. my Corona Shoes..Shoooooes... Whoooos". I was completely spellbounded and flabbergasted. Ignorance can be bliss, but it metamorphosed into sheer adulation for the guy around us having knowledge of English music. That's the only Corona I was aware of until the arrival of the virus bearing the same name decades later.

The pandemic could have been stopped at its nascent stage. Stopping the spread of a virus is akin to keeping a secret. If you know a secret and don't want it to spread, just don't tell it to anybody. When you are telling it to some one else, the probability of keeping the secret a secret gets reduced by 50%. If that person tells to another person it get reduced to 25% and so on. Before you realize, the cat is already out of the bag. Like gossip or rumor, diligent imposition of social distancing or quarantine could have stopped the disease from spreading further 5 years ago. But disease had already gone viral and claimed millions of lives.

A la a joke which becomes stale and folks start losing interest after hearing it multiple times, people now have become immune to the news of the death and spread of Covid-19. No one is afraid of the disease anymore.  Since Covid Pandemic forced me to spend longer stretches of time at home, it has opened up a new relationship - interaction with feral cats in our backyard. We love them a lot, especially my wife who leaves no stone unturned in caring and feeding them.

When on March 16, 2020 I started Work from Home, Donald Trump was the President of United States and Joe Biden was still struggling in the Democratic Primaries to challenge Trump. Since then a lot of water has flown in the river Chattahoochee and tables are turned. Now 5 years down the road Trump is back in the saddle. But the fun of pre Covid days is gone forever. Covid has changed everything, leaving a whole different world for us to live on.

Jaya hotel serving beef

 A roadside hotel named "Jaya" near Sakhigopal on the way to Puri not very far from my ancestral village was recently in news for serving Beef masquerading as Goat meat. "BHATA MANSA" (Rice and goat meat) is popular dish among Odias who consume plateful of the curried meat along with mounds of rice followed by evacuating the undigested remnants next day morning in open fields, their bottoms barely an inch above visible Pyramids of shit. 

Two men who ate the Beef curry thinking as goat meat got suspicious only to find their doubt confounded. Full of remorse due to inadvertently committing a sacrilege, in order to do penance by cleansing themselves they sought refuse with Pandits of Muktimandap, an assembly of Brahmins of Sasan villages near Puri and my "Biradaari" (fraternity), most of whom are GODARA (filaria infected thick legs) and KURUNDA (Again filaria infected men with supersize balls). Per the advice of these Pundits, the youth duo tonsured themselves, took bath at Narendra Pond in Puri, drank "GOBARA PANI" (cowdung laced water) followed by a trip to Lord Jagannath temple to purify themselves of any sin they committed out of eating beef. 

Now back in United States 6 years ago during our drive back home from Oklahoma, we made a stop inside the state of Arkansas at a Taco Bell (A Mexican Fast Food Chain) for lunch. It turned out, it turned out what could to be a Taco Hell of an experience to many, especially for the staunch Hindus. No sooner I took a bite of my order of Chicken Taco, than I could taste and smell something different. The Taco had brownish beef inside. The manager profusely apologized and promptly replaced the mistaken order with my original order of Chicken Tacos. 

I immediately rushed to the bathroom, did a "THOO THOO" to spit out everything out of my mouth, followed by a thorough rinsing. It was no fault of the young server of that Taco Bell, rather an apparent case of miscommunication, the message lost in translation and accent, as in remote places in America those not familiar with the Indian accent can have a very tough time understanding them.  

In Hindu mythology, after the legendary "SAGAR MANTHAN" churning of the sea by the "Deva" (Gods) and Asura (Demons) it was decided that the Gods and Demons would share in harmony the "Amrit" (nectar) coming out of sea which would make all immortal. When it came for the demon Rahu's turn to drink the nectar, no sooner he drank it than his head got chopped off. But before that the nectar through the food pipe had already reached Rahu's neck and his head become immortal. Similarly, as the beef didn't go beyond my throat, I stayed brainwashed about beef, though my body still remained pure. 

The default meat in America is Beef, unless otherwise specifically mentioned in the order. A good example is the Cheeseburger. Though sounds vegetarian, the burger is melted Cheese covered default meat is beef. But I didn't go that far to tonsure my head, drink GANGA JAL (water from River Ganga which washes off the sins committed) as I got no access to Cowdung laced water. Nor I bothered to shoulder a new PAITA (sacred thread worn across shoulder by Brahmins).  

A la Narsena Naidoo in the short story "JATIRA DHAKKA" (The jolt from Caste) from our middle school Odia Literature textbook, I lost my caste that day. Before being ostracized, I needed to follow the path of purification prescribed in that epic short story - JA PURI JA. GOBAR PANI PEE, TEBE JAI JATI PHERI PAIBU - Go to Puri (sacred temple city of Hindus). Drink Cow dung laced water, then only you can get your caste back. Never did that and forever lost my caste.

Aurangzeb - the man and the myth

 The other day I saw scenes from the historical movie "Chaava" which is generating controversies and to some extent needless jingoism fuelled and fanned for political purposes. More than anyone else's acting, I was particularly impressed by the actor Akshaye Khanna who played the role of the legendary Mogul King Aurganzeb, the ruthless Emperor of "Hindustan" (India) who ruled with an iron hand for 50 years, but presided over an empire which was on its path to sunset. 

Yet even more than 300 years after his death Aurangzeb still dwells in Indian psyche, dividing our populace still obsessed about him. The last powerful Mughal emperor was a unique man of his kind of the time, for unlike his predecessors who ruled around 25 years he ruled for 50 years. Aurangzeb also lived longest until 90 in an age sans vaccines to tackle incurable diseases when living till 50 was a luxury. Akshaye Khanna's performance in the movie is commendable. He has perfectly portrayed the fascinating character of a merciless, cold, calculative Aurangzeb with his steely, Cobra like piercing eyes (the Mogul Sultan's Cobra like eyes has been corroborated by no other than his bete noire Shivaji during their famous encounter in Mughal court). 

There is a popular saying going back to the medieval period of the Mughal Dynasty's 200 years of rule of India from 1525 to 1739 which goes as "TAKHT YA TAKHTA", meaning "Crown or Coffin". It aptly described the fratricidal wars fought between the Mughal brothers for the prized Kingship which knew no Kinship. In the end one of the brothers ended up with Crown, the rest rested in their graves. 

The last powerful Mughal emperor Aurganzeb was no different. After killing his brothers he captured the prized Peacock Throne and put his ailing father Sahajahan to house arrest overlooking the monument "Taj Mahal" over river Yamuna which he built in memory of his beloved wife Mamtaz Mahal.

Akshaye Khanna playing the role of Aurangzeb in the movie speaks coldly - "HAMAARI ABBUJAAN SAH JAHAN YEH TAAZ HAMARI BHAIJAAN DARA SIKOH KE SAR PAR RAKHNA CHAHTE THE. MAINE WOH SAR KATKE ABBUJAAN KE PAAS BHEJ DIYA (My father Sah Jahan wanted to place this crown on the head of my brother Dara Sikoh. I cut my brother's head and sent it as gift to my father). It is true that Aurangzeb sent his father the severed head of his dad's favorite son and his own blood brother Dara Shikoh served on a platter when Shah Jahan was dining. The old man fainted at the sight of the head of his favorite son and his face crashed into the table, breaking his teeth. 

But Sah Jahan, the old man who fainted at the sight of the ghastly, macabre sight of his son's decapitated head was no lily white. The fifth Mughal emperor had no qualms about blinding and killing his brothers for securing the coveted Peacock throne. He inhereting these traits from his father Jahangir, who blinded his rebellious son Khushru wanting to usurp him for the coveted crown.  

Why was Aurangzeb so cruel ? The question could be reversed. Why did Shah Jahan hated Aurangzeb so much ? It is not easy to understand, but it is true. From a very young age before he was an adult, Aurangzeb was sent out by his father on impossible missions, like reconquering their ancestral lands in modern day Afghanistan, while the pampered eldest son, Prince Dara Shikoh was mollycoddled in Mughal court. Unfortunately, for both father and his favourite son Dara Sikoh, this mistreatment of Aurangzeb produced a hardened and experienced warrior. While the suave Dara sat with Pundits busy learning Sanskrit and translating Upanishad (a sacred Hindu text) to Persian, his younger brother became a hardened warrior learning all the scheming and political maneuvering needed for war. 

The battle tested 3rd son of Sah Jahan soon became a Master in military moves, the first in the Mughal Dynasty since Akbar (Jahangir was a hedonist and Sah Jahan indolent). He defied the odds by making strategic military alliances with his other brothers and then dealing with his main threat and father's blue eyed boy, defeating Dara Sikoh in the battle of Samugarh in spite of the later having the backing of the Imperial Mughal Army. Eventually Aurangzeb killed all his brothers and went on to rule for half a century. 

Aurangzeb was born suspicious and trusted non. Childhood psychology runs late into age - a person who can't trust his father can't trust anybody else. Seeing being ignored by his father who openly favored his elder brother Dara Sikoh, Aurangzeb abhored his dad and took his sweet revenge by killing his brothers and imprisoning his "ABBUJAAN". Sah Jahan groveled over Dara's gruesome death for rest of his life looking vicariously at his mammoth masterpiece Taj Mahal he built on the banks of Yamuna river for 8 years before passing away. It's fate not father who decides "TAKHT YA TAKHTA".

Happy Women's Day

 There is a song from Amitabh Bachchan's blockbuster movie "KHUDDAR" released in the year 1982 where the tall actor who was the unquestioned Superstar, the King and the one man Bollywood industry sings onscreen Kishore Kumar's song -

"MAA KA PYAAR, BEHAN KYA PYAAR,
KABHI KABHI DULHAN KYA PYAR,
TERE PYAAR KA RANG HAZAAR".

Roughly transliterated...

"Mother's love, Sister's love,
Sometimes the love of the beloved,
Their love comes in thousand colors".

March 8 being the women's day reminded me of this song from my teenage years. The love of mother and sister is in its purest form, precious and unadulterated, like the clear Spring water bubbling out of the top of a glacial mountain. It is perennially pristine, unequivocally soothing, unwavering and unflinching. When I went to India, my mother's hug and caressing hands felt so soothing, something I long for days, months and sometimes years. Mother's love is panacea to all ills plaguing mind and body, heart and soul. Unfortunately she is no more and I am yet to get over the loss and probably never will.

The love of the beloved comes next, with the disclaimer of "Kabhi Kabhi" (sometimes) tied to it. It reminds me of another Bollywood movie titled "DULHAN WOHI JO PIYA MAN BHAYE" - "Beloved is the one who keeps her Lover happy". In my opinion, it applies other way round too. It is also the duty of a lover to keep his beloved happy, the men to keep their women happy, but our misogynistic society rarely mentions about it. (Bollywood is still misogynistic institution, filled with nepotism and hypocrisy. Otherwise how could be a silly movie like "Animal" released last December where a woman asks a man to lick his shoes be a big hit making millions) ?

But unfortunately with the progress of time, in an age when thoughts can fly in twinkle of an eye in the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the world has turned any less misogynistic. Women are still belittled, harassed, persecuted, suffer from inequality and often treated as sex objects. There are plenty of stories of battered women, not from slums but from the so called elitist families. Discussing it here is beyond the scope of this blog. But I can say with confidence that I personally know many Indians and folks of Indian origin here in America boasting openly about treating their women as doormats, humiliated their wives in public like drop of a hat to prove their masculinity.

I am now reminded of the Hindi saying - "MUCHHE WOHI RAKHTE HAIN JIN KE APNI MARDANGI PAR SHAQ HOTI HAI". Roughly transliterated it means - "Those who keep Moustache are those who got doubts on their masculinity". Similarly, those who needlessly boss over their women have an inferiority complex about their masculinity. I remember a scene from movie "ARJUN PUNDIT" where actor Sunny Deol slaps actress Juhi Chawla. An angry and humiliated Juhi retorts back - "AGLI BAAR IS HAATH KISI MARD PE UTHANA (next time you better try hitting a man using this hand of yours). I consider it isn't masculinity, rather a cowardly, despicable act to physically hit a woman universally considered as the weaker sex.

One guy, who doesn't live very far off from me well known for conquering whores once bragged in front of me that women should be treated as slaves and physically beaten, then quoting an Odia proverb to drive his convoluted logic -

"NAARI, GADHA, BHRUTYA AAU  DHOLA,
TANKU JETE BADEIBA SETE BHALA".

Roughly translated

 "Women, Donkey, Servants and Drum,
The more you beat, the better they Perform". 

It made me feel sick to my stomach. I told that guy impromptu, directly on his face in no uncertain terms, LOUD and CLEAR, that I COMPLETELY DISAGREED with him and believe that beating women, animals or servants is not only utterly disgraceful, it is a cowardice, despicable act and the ultimate form of indecency. 

The fairer sex is no more the weaker sex. Things are changing of late, though not as fast we would desire. Still facing hurdles in their life, women have come a long way, matching mano to womano. They have succeeded, equalled and even bettered men in myriads fields. We still have some catch up to do and miles to go before achieving the gender equality. On the occasion of Women's Day I salute to all women who have made a significant difference to my life, contributing to it, shaping my knowledge and character, shaped my life, like a potter shaping pottery out of clay. Happy Women's Day to all.

Is Trump Putin's Agent Orange

There is accusation of US President Donald Trump being a Russian Secret Service KGB Agent codenamed "Kasnov" since 1987. He was supposedly involved in money laundering using Russian mafia to protect his floundering, bankruptcy driven business empire. The Russian Dictator Vladimir Putin probably got something BIG on Trump, enough to blackmail him and end his Presidency. The Comedian Bill Maher says Trump is Putin's "Agent Orange". Normally I would dismiss this talk as conspiracy theory and calumny raised by Trump's opponents, unless I could see the following telltale signs :

1. Trump who bullies every person has so far been conspicuously soft on Putin. He hasn't spoken a harsh word about the Russian Dictator, though he used the word Dictator against a democratic elected President Zelensky of Ukraine. That perplexes me. 

2. I am all for world peace and would like this Russian- Ukraine war of three years which has led to loss of life, money, property to stop right now. If Trump is doing this for World peace it's fine. But if he is doing this at the behest of Putin who is blackmailing him, it is not only dangerous, it's roblematic. What baffles me is Trump's peace plan which is totally skewed in favor of Russia. In any peace talk both parties need to make concession. It takes two to tango, two hands to clap. But Trump (and his hand pick lackeys in his government) want ONLY Ukraine to make all kinds concession and haven't spelt out yet on the Russian, aka Putin's side of bargain. Incorrigible isn't it ! 

3. We have seen the televised bashing of Zelensky by Trump and his obsequious VP. Would Trump ever behave with Putin 10% of the manner ? I doubt. During Trump's first term in one of his meetings with Putin the body language of a timid Trump before the Russian Dictator was a contrast to his bullying style of diplomacy. That makes me think Trump, once ascribed by Joe Biden as "Putin's puppy" is hiding something. 

Ronald Reagan famously described Russia as "the Evil Empire". He must be turning in his grave as the original Conservatives have turned to Trump, a man whom I believe can sell himself for a price. Hopefully he doesn't give Putin Alaska as gift. 

Unlike many who think in the lines of "My Fraand Dolaand", the geopolitical game is played cut throat where there is no permanent friends or enemy, where only permanent interest thrives. Not surprising under Trump, blackmailed or otherwise, USA and Russia are getting closer similar to what once USA and UK were, a relationship whom Churchill famously described as "Common people speaking common language". Regardless, this unusual, one sided crush of Trump on Putin is "Sochnevali Baat Hai" or "Something to think about".

Forty years of quality telecast

 The live telecast of ongoing Champions Trophy tournament brings back memories from down the lane, transporting me on a time machine back to this day exactly 40 years ago, to March 1 of the year 1985. Those were the days when TV was new to Bhubaneswar. I could barely sleep the night before excited to watch the first ever live telecast from Australia of a match between India and the home team playing Benson and Hedges World Series in Australia. 

When at sharp 5 AM I switched on to Doordarshan, the only Channel available on TV at that time, I heard the clear voice of the long nosed Richie Benaud with his typical cap wearing style hair on Channel 9 from the land Down Under (as Australia is known). Richie's typical Aussie accented punch lines "gid dye (good day) mite (mate) from MCG",  "in the air but saif (safe)", what a keitch (catch)" still reverbates in my mind and refuses to escape my memory. It was so genuinely Australian, like Kookaburra to Kangaroos. 

India was playing with host Australia in a crucial group league match in the series involving all test playing nations of that time. It was a do or die game for Australia as India was just starting to peak after defeating earlier its traditional opponent Pakistan and England. With blurry eyes minutes after the start, I watched Indian bowlers storming into the Aussies batting up. Before they realized they were reduced to 17 for 4 (oops 4 for 17 as they call it there). Kapil Dev and Jackie (as medium pacer Roger Binny was called by his teammates for his Jackfruit shaped round bottom) were in demolition mode. Australia could never recover from the shaky start and was all out for 160 odd runs. India easily won the game, knocking the home team out from the tournament. Alan Border, then Captain of Australia blamed the defeat on their team getting tired due to playing way too much cricket. The Aussie press howled sarcastically - "if we don't play too much we won't lose too often". India went on to win the tournament with Ravi Sastri gifted an Audi car being the Champion of the Champions. 

More than India's victory what stuck me was the excellent quality of the coverage and telecast of the match with the lucid voice of Richie Benaud (along with ziraffe sized Tony Greig who died years ago) as icing on cake. For the first time I saw the telecast from each ends of stumps, showing the front view of the batsman facing the ball as well as cameras on all ends of the field. Such excellent clarity of vision was conspicuous on our Konark TV (a popular government controlled local brand of that time which soon became defunct). The replays were shown like flipping pages on a glossy magazine. It was magical for us audience in India not accustomed to such quality telecast, not to mention the titillating moment to the early teen in me to view the summer milieu of scantily clad girls from the land down under wearing bare minimum and taking sunbath in the stadium, beamed live to the conservative middle class living rooms in Bhubaneswar. It was like a breath of fresh air. 

So far, I had mostly seen on the Doordarshan (only TV channel available) the so called slow motion replays during cricket telecast with unwelcome stoppages at the crucial moment of the game being quite common, with a drab message "RUKAWAT KE LIYE KHED HAI" or (Sorry for the interruption) message flashing on the screen. Too many grains, unwarranted ghost like pictures. Camera hardly followed or captured the movement of the ball. Indian Commentators suffered from verbal diarrhea. After a boundary, six or wicket would come a banner on TV proudly proclaiming ACTION REPLAY like a trailer announcing the release of a movie. Then would come the hazy replay in slow motion. Even the telecast from Pakistan was much better, which could be attributed to them possessing American telecast equipment those days. 

Often by the time the replay would finish, one more delivery would be over and you would miss a 4, 6 or a wicket. As a welcome change, the telecast and the voice of Richie Benaud was both mesmerizing and welcome respite from the past. That telecast from exactly 40 years ago brought the frog in me out of the well. Cricket telecast and Channel 9 have come a long way ever since, so also India and the quality of cricket telecast these days all over the world.