Joe Biden Running for POTUS ?

Joe Biden is now sending serious vibes regarding throwing his hat into the Democratic field. (The official announcement could come in 48 hours). That means, Hillary Clinton now has got some serious competition. Competition and Choices are always good for Democracy as well as the Consumers in a society. It is the dream of every American politician to be the President of USA. They must be having the reverie of walking into Capitol Hill, with Senators and Congressmen standing up and clapping as the Speaker welcomes "Ladies and Gentlemen, Please welcome the POTUS". Not only it comes with White House, Air Force One, a Presidential resort at Camp David, a Presidential Helicopter, Limo etc, the world also looks for leadership in the sole Superpower of the world. Many multiple term Senators and Governors aspire life long for the cherished Post. For most it remains a dream. Vice president Biden, a 6 term Senator is just one step away from Presidency and at 72 it is last shot at arguably the most powerful position on the surface of earth, i.e. the President of United States. So why not give a last shot to a lifelong ambition John F Kennedy and Barack Obama were exceptions to the rule. In last 50 years, they are the only Senators whop became president (rest including Reagan and Clinton were Governors). Both became President before they completed their first term as Senators. JFK was already well known, he was from the famous Camelot Kennedy family. His dad Joseph Kennedy was a well known figure from New England who also served as Ambassador to England. (Many say the senior Kennedy was also a notorious playboy, his sons carried their father's traits). Similarities ends there. Unlike JFK, Obama was not so well known. He was and is still is a family man, untainted by any innuendos of debauchery. But like JFK, he had immense talent, charisma to connect to the audience, breezing his way towards presidency. Some say he was lucky, but I say he was at the right place and the right time (that's how I define luck as, to be at the right place at right time). In year 2002, he could not even one of the 435 Congress House of Representative seats, soundly defeated from Chicago suburb. In 2004, he got elected as a Senator. Only 4 years later, he bit multiple odds to become the first black man to live in White House. It makes perfect sense for Biden to jump into the ring, as for him (as well as Hillary), the is the chance of Lifetime.

Happy Birthday to Odia legend Akshaya Mohanty

Today is the Birthday of the legendary Odia singer Akshaya Mohanty. Like Kishore Kumar, he was a virtuoso, a multifaceted artist. Though more famous as a versatile singer, the lyricist in him penned many songs. The all rounder in him arguably stood him above his contemporaries from his generation, which included a field of gifted talents. KHOKA Bhai(his went by this alias), started singing and was at his peak during 1970s. During that time he made the cardinal mistake of quitting his government job to fully focus on his musical career. Unfortunately for him, he was from a state, better known as the graveyard of artistic pursuits, a milieu which harbors anathema towards anything but secured SARAKARI (government) jobs. He could have rubbed Clarified Butter on his mustache (NISARE GHIA MARI) and worked nonchalantly, nonstop till 58 and still doing amateur singing. But he took a risk to pursue hi first love, music and paid big time for his decision. He sang many Odia hits, his records sold well, he hugely popular and admired, yet his going pro did not fetch the remuneration to compensate his ability. By mid 80s he was nowhere and not exactly in great economic shape. He took to alcohol, which probably cut short his life and career. Akshaya Mohanty visited America multiple times and enthralled the NROs (Non Resident Odias) with his nostalgic songs. My memory goes back to 1979, just back from America, he was quoted in the popular local daily SAMAJA, that even cats and dogs are better off in America. Soon came out a song composed and recorded by him, based on his American experience, AMERICA RE PREMA HUE BEECH ROAD UPARE, AAU CUTTACK RE PREMA HUE RASTHA PACHHARE. (Love in America is a road side show, In Cuttack love happens behind Rickshaw). India has come a long way since 1979, economically much advanced. The young generation since have lifted their veil of shyness, moved to parks and pubs, as hand pulled Rickshaws have given way to their Auto cousins. Saluting the Maestro and wishing him a Happy Birthday, let me end my ode to him with this funny number, which he most probably penned himself, "PREMIKARA BARIADE BAIDHANKA AU BICHHUATA BANA... DEKHIBAKU MANA CHHANA CHHANA KUNDAAI KUNDAAI GALA PRANA".. Roughly transliterated " My beloved's backyard has a jungle Filled with Poison Ivy, In the eagerness to watch her stealthily, I had to scratch myself heavy."

Tendency of many Odias to talk in Hindi these days

The other day in a Facebook group, couple of Odias were chatting in Hindi. "YEH PHOTO DIKHAI NAHI DETA", said one Ms. Pati. " ZOOM KARKE DEKHO, AAPKO SAHI DIKHAI DEGA", responded Mr. Mohanty. Unable to resists my inherent temptation of trespassing with unsolicited satirical remarks, I wanted to play a bit with them. So I interspersed their tete a tete with my remark - "It's interesting to see two pure Odias talking amongst themselves in chaste Hindi." Weird is this latest inferiority complex prevalent in the new generation, especially in the Twin City of Cuttack - Bhubaneswar. It wasn't so during my growing up days, though an angry, agiated Odia would occasionally switch to SAALE KO DEKH LENGE in Hindi ( SAALA means wife's brother, but in this context means, I am the seducer of your sister). But non-agitated Odias, under normal conditions of temperature and pressure, are talking in Hindi these days. My sandwiched opinion put a break in their conversation, raising a red flag, hitting their nerve. As usual they resorted to instant GALUAMI, (the Odia term for stubbornly defending oneself, even aware of being wrong). Came their defense in fortified Nationalism, "Hindi is our national language, so we are chatting in Hindi". One of them I presume a fake Id (many facebook groups are flooded with males masquerading as females, only to gain companion of the fairer sex). Sure, everyone is entitled to converse in any language, whether in Hindi or anything else. And it's non of other's business. But that's besides the point, as both being Odia from Twin City, they didn't have. I lived in many places outside Odisha, where the natives love and adore their mother tongue. No idea, why the present generation of Odias (usual disclaimers apply) want to talk in Hindi, when the closest non-Odia would be miles away. Doesn't make sense. Ashok invaded Kalinga in 261 BC and earned a Pyrrhic victory after a lot of bloodshed. But no bloodshed was necessary when outside cultural invasion slowly conquered the Twin City' when the current generation youth invited the influence in open arms. CHHENA (cheese) has become Paneer, often pronounced as "Paneeyari" in local accent. Sangeet ceremony and Punjabi dance has taken over the marriage celebrations, not to mention the greasy out of state food flooding the menu. Many TV anchors and youngsters now a days prefer to speak in a fake, accented Odia liberally interspersed with Hindi and English. Odia movies have a sizable amount of Hindi laced dialogues, delivered with a fair share of South Indian voluptuous dance movements. We have become a net importer of alien culture, hardly exporting our's, running a net deficit. No wonder we Odias are a fast changing breed, brooding over other's culture and traditions. The eminent writer Khushwant Singh once wrote that the way the Sikhs are getting rid of their facial hair and turbans soon they would cease to be a separate identify, eventually melting with Hindus. Won't be surprised if the same fate awaits the Odias, their culture and traditions could very much face an extinction in the next quarter of century.

Memoreis from the Barabati Stadium

Barabati Satdium, Cuttack is in the news for wrong reasons, but it brings back nostalgic memories from past. In 1979, as a 10 year old cricket fan, I was watching a match between the touring Australian team and India at that venue. The gallery was full of transistor wielding spectators. I starkly remember during Australia's fielding, a  guy shouting HE HE (hear ye) Hilditch and threw a half eaten apple towards him. (Andrew Hildtich, the Aussie player, was the solicitor son-in-law of legendary cricketer Bobby Simpson). Hilditch returned the compliments gesturing like a Monkey, hardly a complimentary one. 

Mid afternoon, the Odia commentator's announcement blared from multiple transistors, "CHA PAANA BIRATI", or Tea Break. The person who was next told me nonchalantly , that the players will go outside for tea and chew a few betel leaves (PAAN) during this break, hence the name "CHA PAANA BIRATI". I believed him and imagined Alan Border along with Kim Hughes going out to a Kiosk outside and ordering GOPAL ZARDA (scented tobacco laced) PAAN, followed by a "Cutting Chai", brewed from a coal oven. However I took it for granted that Rabi Panda, a player representing Odisha those days probably be doing so.

Less than three years later came January 1982 and I came back to the same venue to watch the first ever One Day International match in Odisha. This game was unique and one of it's kind. For the first time an international match involving team India was going to be played at the picturesque stadium. India's opponent, a formidable English side, with star studded players, which included the likes of Botham, Gooch, Gower and Willis.

 

Enthusiasm was building up in anticipation of the match. There was a huge demand for the tickets, selling like hot cakes. My father managed to get couple of them, giving an ardent cricket fan in me the most cherished opportunity of life time. The demand was so huge, that a few government officials were openly selling their passes in the black market. 

 

My heart was pounding fast with unbridled excitement. Now I am going to actually see those I see regularly on Sportstar, Sportsweek and Sportsworld, the popular Sports magazines of the time.Finally the D-Day arrived. We got up early at 4 AM and proceed towards Cuttack, as we were told in advance that there were many fake ticket holders. It was wise for us to get inside the stadium before it got full. (Later I learnt that thousands of spectators with valid tickets were denied entry into the stadium. Ineptness of the authorities 30 plus years ago was replicated again, yesterday.)

 

The match commenced on time. There was no TV, but dad's friend who was one of the commenters in Odia, showed me the TV cameras. I gaped at them. (TV hasn't yet come to Odisha and won't come until the month of November, the same year, thanks to the Asian Games). I had my pocket transistor with me. England batted first with the Oriya commentary blaring " GOOCHA AAU COOKA (Gooch and Cook in Oriya accent) THIA HOICHANTI AAU MAHANADI PATU KAPIL DEV ASILE( are standing and from Mahanadi rive side Kapil Dev is walking in).

 

At lunch we helped ourselves with cold Puri and sticky Potato curry brought from home.  It was a long day. India easily won the match. After the match, we came out of the stadium, squeezing our nostrils using fingers, emanating from the yellow rivulets of urine almost flooding the exit gates. Finally got back home tired, with tons of memories to cherish down the lane.

3 years later in December 1984, England was at the verge of defeat, with the dangerous Allan Lamb still at crease. It was getting dark and England's defeat was a foregone conclusion. The spectators turned on their torch (flashlights) in unison to light up the stadium, for the game to continue. I left the stadium to beat the rush so that I can be back home before the roads get crowded. On my way, I learnt that Lamb swung the match in England's way by hitting several sixes of Yashpal Sharma. That was the last I saw of Yashpal Sharma, Lamb ending his career for good.  It was also the last time I watched any sporting event at that venue.

Burglary in my neighborhood

In my last blog on gun culture in America, I mentioned about the weapons acting as a deterrent against burglars. Reminds me of few years back, when in a short span of time, there were three burglaries inside Indian homes, all within two miles from my house. The closest victim was my neighbor from Gujarat, who lives hardly 100 feet from my house.

 

It was a Saturday, the weekend following Diwali (most Indian festivals are celebrated the following weekend in America). Most DESIs (a common way of addressing PIOs in America, in Odisha Desi is the term used to describe Pariah dogs) were expected to be at different Diwali parties across the town.

The intruders apparently did their homework before picking their target house, taking both Gold and Guns into account. I am sure they must have taken my home into consideration, but expected (and rightly so) my much richer neighbor is much more worthy of a target.

 

It was 8 PM when the unwelcome guests entered through their back door. Their alarm went off, blaring high decibel siren. The owners who were at their POTEL (Motels in US are owned by so many Patels, that they can very well be called as Potels) were promptly informed by the Alarm company. The intruders didn't stay long. Armed with gold detector, they grabbed the jewelries and fled in few minutes before the police arrived. Fortunately, the stuff they got were mostly imitation (fake) ones, so the owner's loss was minimal.

 

All these things happened and I had no clue (In America, there could be commotion in your neighbor's house without you having an iota of idea what's going on). After this incident, my neighbors made their home a Fort Knox, enhancing their security system with all possible features. They also brought a new member to their household in form of a dog (not sure about gun). Being strictly vegetarians who had never brought meat inside their house, they had to adjust feeding lamb meat (in form of dog food) to their huge, calf sized canine.

The Monday after this incident, whatever few jewelry we had, shifted their residence from my home to Bank Locker. Ever since, I live with the law of Averages, as my neighbor's home was chosen, I would be left alone for a while. Anyway, the stuff I carry inside my house won't worth a bucket of warm spit for the burglars, not worthy enough for them to take a risk.  

Shooting in Oregon

A gunman went on shooting rampage in a sleepy, small town College in Oregon. One more avoidable tragedy, and many more to come, unless something drastic is done about gun control in America.

Gun culture is ingrained in American spirit and blood for centuries, resulting in bountiful of bloodshed, since the nation got its independence. They take their 2nd Amendment, i.e. "Right to bear Arms" quite seriously, next only to their 1st Amendment of "Freedom of speech".  Americans value their privacy and don't like trespassing on their property. The laws also favor the gun owners. If you kill an intruder in your house, most likely you can get acquitted for self defense by the Jury.

 

No doubt guns provide deterrent to intruders, who would think twice before breaking into an American home. It probably explains why many houses of PIOs (Persons of India Origin) have been burgled in recent past, for they are perceived as hoarding lots gold and having no guns for protection.

Couple of Falls ago, I called a Plumber. I watched standing on my driveway, as the strapping 6 feeter closed in his mini truck. Something instantly caught my eyes. All that glitters may not gold, but it can be a Gun. I could not miss the sight of it lying on back of his truck, shining under a bright Fall sun. Though safely ensconced, the sight of a rifle, interspersed with thick bullets sent a chill down my spine, chiller than the cold Autumn air.

 

He could sense my discomfort and his nonchalant response of getting ready for the upcoming hunting season assuaged me. I could breathe easier now. Our tete a tete continued. Apart from this hunting rifle, he owned 5 more guns, totaling half a dozen. I asked him "why you need so many of this weapon? Don't you trust police". His response "Police would come in minutes, but it takes seconds for someone to shoot".

 

Point well made. Though the Oregon gunman was killed by the police before he an out of ammo, he still managed to kill a dozen or so. At the same time I pondered back home the police would take hours sometimes days to arrive. I hope he has not seen those Bollywood movies, when the legendary Inspector Saab Jagdish Raj takes his sweet time to arrive at the crime scene.

 

An average American family carry multiple guns. Many, including women carry them inside the car dashboards. One can easily buy guns, available in shops, dime a dozen. The other day some one at work was surprised to know that I don't have guns. "What if some one tries to break into your property", he asked. I said, "I will call police. Wont you do that ?" I asked. "No, I would first kill that Son of a Gun ( meaning bast***)."

 

I could not imagine myself as a gun slinging Cowboy on a shooting spree. It's way beyond my wildest Wild Wild West fantasy I have never held a gun in my life, let alone fired one. Neither did anyone in my extended 14 generations from both sides. I have no intention of being ambitiously different. God bless America and save innocent lives from untimely deaths.

Happy Birthday to Bapu

Happy Birthday to the man about whom Albert Einstein said, "It's hard a believe such a man in flesh and blood ever walked on the surface of earth". He wasn't far from truth, the man he was referring to, earned it. He is non other than our Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, popularly known as Mahatma (the famous soul) Gandhi.

Newton's 3rd Law says every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Every violent action would naturally follow with an equal or more violent reaction, continuing the never ending cycle of revenge. But Mahatma Gandhi decided to fight violence in exactly opposite manner, something different called "Non-violence".

 

He experimented it in South Africa against Apartheid and subsequently applied the same in India against the British rule. He experimented with different vices and virtues early in his life, prompting him to write "My Experiment with Truth". However after his wife's death, his experiment of sleeping naked with his nubile niece, attracted some controversies.

 

His method of protest being unique, caught the attention of the world, at a time when electronic media was at its infancy. The world stood up and took notice, appalled when the DANDI March protesters were brutally brought down by the DANDA (stick) of British Police. The victims did not show an iota of retaliation or remorse. His ideology of non-violence was later replicated by Dr. Martin Luther King, half a world away in United States to fight for Civil Rights. Dr. King, like his idol Gandhi was assassinated, but vindicated the efficacy of "Non-violence".

When India celebrated its independence, brought arguably by the non-violence means, instead of celebrating, Gandhiji spent the day praying and fasting. He was steadfast in his pursuit for Hindu-Muslim unity, but India was partitioned amidst bloody violence on communal lines, exactly opposite to what he stood for.

 

Post partition, Pakistan asked India to pay Rs.48 crore (480 million), a princely sum those days. India refused to oblige. Bapu (as Gandhi was popularly addressed as) wanted India to pay the money to younger brother Pakistan and went on fasting, forcing India to relent. Pakistan used that lump sum amount of money to buy arms, certainly not directed towards Iran or Russia. Gandhi was an idealist. But his idealism failed as he fell to an assassin's bullet.

 

After his death, his countrymen hardly retained his ideologies. India continued to be riddled with violence of all sorts, later in form of terrorism. The current affairs of our nation can aptly be described by these few lines lifted from the Odia song LE NABEENA from 1981, depicting the sad saga of the Mahatma. (Nabeena here depicts the Odia version of Johny, no relation to any person dead or alive).

 

LE NABEENA TIKE PACHHAKU ANA,
HATHE BAADI DHARI THIA BAPUJI NANA,
BAPUJI BUDHA RA AAKHI RE LUHA,
TA RAMA RAIJE AAJI YAMA RA BHAYA

( O' Nabeena, take a peek behind.
Stick in hand Old man Bapuji is standing,
The old man's eyes are filled with tears,
Yama, the God of death has filled
His Dream Land with fear.)