Politics in our blood

 The other day a friend asked me if politics is discussed in US at the same breath as it is discussed in India. I replied - "Not even close. Politics is the talking point memo in some discussions I have been to in America, but nothing compared to what we come across in India or amongst Indians. In USA politics is more or less discussed mostly around the Presidental Elections every 4 years, but in India it is a 24×7, 7 days a week, 365 days a year phenomenon, ubiquitous on social media if you take a glimpse at it. Indian Americans too discuss more about politics in America than any one else. 

India has more than 5,000 years of tryst with politics. From the age of Mahabharat when the "Mahatma" (great soul) Vidur laid out his Vidur Neeti (principles) applicable to the Dwapara Yuga (era) when ethics and morality was the sine qua non of that age. Then came the "Kalyug" (The age of Conflict) where ethics and righteousness were passe, truthfulness was damned. Kautilya, the wily but wise and pragmatic minister during Chandragupta Maurya's empire in India wrote his famous "Chanakya Neeti" which is still considered as a Treatise of modern day politics. 

Politics has been part and parcel of Indian subcontinent over centuries. But it is not just limited to scheming Kings, palace plots involving their queens and concubines, their ministers and even subjects. Politics is there inside every home. Forget politics amongst siblings, cousins and relatives, there is lot of in house intrigue between the Mother-in-law and Daughter-in-law (India's popular Sas - Bahu tele serials are based on it). Sister-in-law (Nanand) rarely see eye to eye with her co Sister-in-law (Bhauja or Bhabi). Samudi and Samuduni (parents of bride and groom) lose no opportunity in their game of scheming and oneupmanship. Politics inside Indian families living under the same roof in a nuclear family can be extremely complicated. Politics runs in our vein. 

Not a single linguistic or ethinic Indian community is free from intra-community politics. It is particularly stark amongst the PIOs (Persons of Indian Origin) in America where all over the states in United States you can see multiple Odia, Bengali, Telugu and other linguistic groups solely based on the desire to fulfill the political goals of certain individuals. In many social occasions one can see ladies passing snide remarks under the veil of their stilted, plastic smiles. Constipated with ego and false vanity, they can be seen looking at each other as if they didn't get a bowel movement for more than a week. Politics runs in our blood, so much so that an additional blood group P+ can be attributed to we Indians. I am sure if "Chandrayaan" paves the way for migration to moon, soon we will have our political parties ready to run for elections on earth's sole natural satellite. 

Interestingly, many in India took a keen interest during the last Presidental Elections in the United States in 2020. Many back home became self proclaimed supporters of Donald Trump. One guy from my village called me in middle of Election night during last election - "Bhaina, Kana TRAWMPAW HARUCHI  (Brother, seems our Trump is losing) ? "How did you know and why do you care ?" - I asked in curiosity. "Ethi Sabu TV Re Dekhauchi, everything is shown on TV here". He continued further - "TRAWMPAW MODI RA SANGA THILA. PAKISTAN KU PAANE DEITHANTA (Trump was Modi's friend, would have taught Pakistan a lesson)". I replied - "How did you know ? Did Trump ever tell you so" ? 

Wish Americans take even a fraction of this interest in Elections held in India, compared to what many Indians take in the US Elections. 2024 has been the year of hot political debates as both USA and India had their elections, first time ever since 2004. Social media is full of action without a single dull day.

Businessmen as statesmen

Donald Trump is a failed businessman who is running for office and could become the  President of the most powerful nation of earth yet again in less than a week. He is supported by many other successful businessmen, overtly or covertly. Elon Musk is openly canvassing for Trump, using his powerful social media platform (X) for the same. Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Amazon refused to endorse Kamala Harris on Washington Post. Mark Zuckerberg of Meta and Sundar Pichai of Google are bending their backs before Trump by calling him to keep the egotistic and narcissist man in good humor. Not that Businessmen (and women) stay out of the Election cycles, but never ever in the history of the United States, so many Business leaders are blatantly involved in politics.

Do Business persons make great politicians ? Technically nothing stops them from becoming one. I have many entrepreneur friends who are not only highly successful, they are outstanding individuals who make immense contribution to society. Always in awe of them I admire their guts, risk taking capability and philanthropic outreach.

Yet I can't remember a business person ever becoming a successful politician. The rise of Donald Trump brings up a very pertinent question - Can a businessman excell in state craft ? Possible, but unfortunately history hasn't been on their side. Rarely we have seen eminent business persons at the helm of affairs of a nation and carving a niche.

Billionaire Trump boasted that if elected, he will build a wall on Mexican border, making Mexico pay for it. None of that happened. In four years in office, he managed to build a token wall on a small stretch of the vast southern border, but by any stretch it hasn't stopped illegal immigration. Nor Mexico has paid a single Peso for that wall. There is no reason for me to believe why he will do the wall if he gets elected this time.

Trump was a businessman from outside the Washington Beltway, supposed to bring a breath of fresh air using his much vaunted negotiation skills as an asset to his administration. But he turned out to be a pompous, big fat liar with dictatorial tendencies, trumpeting hot air to garner votes. His skills as a businessman (a failed one) neither helped US, nor helped his reelection bid in 2020.

A nation ain't Corporation. You can't build a fence and bill your neighbor, as you send invoices to your clients in business. You can't fire your voters if they aren't on the same page with you. Managing a country is not a business of managing boardroom or balance sheet. A country is not run on the basis of profit and loss. It's takes lot more than that.

It's not just Trump who failed. We have seen many Businessmen making poor politicians, national leaders or anything remotely statesmen. Mitt Romney, a man with business experience failed to enthuse the electorates in a nation known as the citadel of Capitalism.  Despite his best efforts he could not get rid of the stigma of a vulture capitalist. He could not connect to the commoners especially in a country where business and business men are adored and not so much frowned upon, unlike in many nations including India.

I personally admire and respect the businessmen for their vision, acumen and stewardship. They make champion managers, have exemplary people skills and guide their corporations to pinnacles of success. However their leadership is mostly limited to their boardroom, rarely beyond that. Many who manage their company extremely well, are poor to manage in managing their companions on home front which lead to marital discords and divorces. It yet proves that nanaging a nation is a whole different ballgame.

History stands as a testimony to this fact. Our great leaders Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Subash Bose, Indira Gandhi (arguably the most manly Prime minister India ever had. She did size up Pakistan by walking the talk, not just by talking the talk) did not have any business background. In America, the most capitalist country in the world, none from Roosevelt, Kennedy, Reagan, Clinton or Obama had hardly had any kind of business background. So also English Prime Ministers Churchill and Maggie Thatcher. The myth that a business person would make a great national leader still lives on and on, yet to be vindicated.

Happy Diwali 2024

 It is interesting to note that Halloween in US and Diwali, the Festival of Lights in India come around the same time in year. This year it's unique, for both Diwali and Halloween happen to be exactly on the same day. Both occasions involve respecting the dead in their respective ways. However, there is a difference. Diwali indicates the culmination of the festival season in India, whereas Halloween is the harbinger of the festive season in America, with Thanksgiving, Christmas holidays to follow towards the end of November and December.

Halloween is invariably on the 31st of October as Westerners follow the Gregorian Calendar. The date of Diwali which follows the Hindu Lunar Calendar falls on a New Moon Day, comes very close its American counterpart of Halloween every year. This year Diwali is on October 31 per Gregorian Calendar.

In Odisha we call it DEEPABALI, but the genX has already switched to the more fancied and eye catching "Diwaali". Traditionally earthen lamps are lit and KAUNRI KATHI (a thin, white capillary stick which is empty inside) is burnt to wish salvation to the departed souls. The culture of incessant bursting of loud, noisy crackers (fireworks) is an outside import along with the fireworks manufactured in Sivalakshi, Tamil Nadu or imported from China these days. This deviation in culture started as an urban phenomenon in Odisha, now well permeated into its villages.

Though an important festival in Odisha, unlike Diwali being the major festival in India, especially in the North and West, Deepabali is more like another important festival, because the preceding Durga Puja and Raja festival during the early monsoon steal more limelight. But invasion of North Indian culture along with Hindi when sister now a days is preferred to be addressed as a "Didi" rather than a "Naani or Apaa", thanks to the all pervading Ekta Kapoor's TV serials, Deepabali is slowly paving it's way to Diwaali in Odisha.

Not sure if many remember the traditional Odia way of celebrating Deepabali is to invite the deceased forefathers with shouting at their top of their voice - 

"ବଡ଼ ବଡ଼ୁଆ ହୋ ! ଅନ୍ଧାରରେ ଆସି ଆଲୁଅରେ ଯାଅ । ଗଙ୍ଗା ଯାଅ, ଗୟା ଯାଅ, କାଶୀ ଯାଅ, ପୁରୁଷୋତ୍ତମରେ ମହାପ୍ରସାଦ ଖାଇ ବାଇଶି ପାହାଚେ ଗଡ଼ଗଡ଼ଉ ଥାଅ ।" 

Roughly transliterated...

O' our beloved departed Souls, 

Come in the dark but depart in light.

Travel to Ganga, Gaya and Kashi,

After eating the sacred offerings in Puri,

Roll over the 22 steps of Lord's abode).

The new moon night symbolizes arrival of the departed souls in darkness. By lighting lamps we invite them to lighten up with festivities and leave darkness behind. Our Odia legends Fakir Mohan Senapati, Madhu Babu, Gourishankar Ray, the Pandit duo Gopabandhu and Nilakantha Das et all who worked tirelessly to secure the Odia language must be groping in the dark, shedding tears to see their mother tongue getting ravaged by cultural onslaught from the North. Let's light a few lamps to the salvation of our forgotten heroes and enlighten the GenX.

On the other hand Halloween is a custom of the Western world, much prevalent in America who succinctly protect this tradition from dilution by drivels in any form of outside influence. Homes and front yards are decorated for Ghosts and Ghouls. Kids and adults alike wear fancy and funny outfits, especially the former roam outdoor from door to door asking for "Trick or Treat".

More often the "Treat" of candies is provided to the kids, rather than any "Trick" by the homeowners. Once I tried my own trick to impress a bunch of kids doing a Ghost dance, shaking my 6 packs of fat, which ultimately made the kids flee for their lives. That was the best ghoulish trick they probably ever got.

Since then I have stuck to treating them with Candies. An estimated $10 billion worth of candy is consumed in America during the Halloween. A lot of it wasted, going down the drain, eaten by teeth bacteria and ending up benefiting the Dentists.

Happy "ଦିପାବଳୀ ଶୁଭେଚ୍ଛା, Dipabali, Diwaali" to my friends and family. Stay safe and enjoy the occasion.

A week away from US Presidential Election 2024

Exactly a week remains before the Election day in America on Tuesday, November 5. Harold Wilson, the British Prime Minister once said that a week is a long time in politics. Anything can happen between now and November 5 to decisively move this race one way or other. The race is still tight, as Comedian Bill Maher said - "the race is tighter than Trump's ass in a federal prison". 

A month ago it was looking like Harris has wrapped up this election and sealed the deal, especially after Trump's poor performance in the debate with her. Since then a lot of water has flown under the bridge of Chattahoochee river. The gap between them has considerably narrowed, the momentum now with Donald Trump. If the Election is held tomorrow, Trump is probably winning. 

Why this is happening ? What has happened in between for Trump to close the gap and  Harris can't close the deal ? Well, Kamala Harris has a messaging problem. If she can come out as genuine and not look like a stereotype politician, she would have a chance. Politicians like Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama were natural communicators. I think it is now a case of too little, too late to build that image. She blew up that post debate advantage she had. It is now her Election to lose. If Trump wins, it will be a blow to the traditional American politics for the following couple of reasons. 

1. Previously the Presidential debates matter to swing the election one way or other. In 1980 Reagan came out better against the incumbent Jimmy Carter in the debate which turned the tide for him. In 1992 Bill Clinton turned the table by defeating George Bush senior and comfortably won the Election. Nowadays debates don't matter in an overtly divided country where voters have already made up their mind. 

2. The old theory of Republicans being friendly towards the rich, democrats standing for the Working middle class is gone. Now Democrats are perceived as a party of the woke, college educated, privilege class elites. Trumpians (not traditional Republicans) see him as the fighter of non college White Working class. This explains why democrat strongholds, the blue wall of the rust belt of Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin are shoes signs of cracking. Even many Labor Union members, young male Blacks and Hispanics are leaning Republican. 

At the same time Trump, a New York real estate sellsman who is good at making hyperbolic statements has been able to connect to the White non college working class like no politician has. They think Trump is answer to their woes. Whether Trump will REALLY drive all illegal immigrants out of America or bring back jobs to America, your guess is as good as mine. 

Interestingly, Democrats have more money this time and are outspending Republicans. They also have a well entrenched system to play the ground game by poking the undecided, independent voters urging them to go and vote. Ground game is very important when results in the crucial swing states of Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania is going to be decided by razor this margin, in a margin of few thousands from a million of votes cast. It's going to be a long night on Tuesday, November 5.  But one thing I can predict with certainty - if Kamala Harris wins this, Trump is again going to be her opponent in 2028, as I am sure he will get GOP nomination hands down. So tighten your belts and get ready for a roller coaster ride.

RIP Dinabandhu Mausa

He was our neighbor in BJB Flats in Bhubaneswar, my hometown back home where my father was quartered from 1976 to 1991, and I spent the bulk of my childhood and early part of youth. He is Dinabandhu Rath Mausa, my father's friend and colleague who used to teach English in BJB College.

Just before my Plus 2 Higher Secondary Examination my dad requested Dinabandhu Mausa to guide me in English, especially the English poetry which I neglected. Earlier I had tried my hand in poetry, but miserably failed in it, athough I was a voracious reader of English prose, literature, books and sundry magazines. Not that I was disinterested in English, but I focused more on Math and Science subjects so that I could get into IIT or REC, the two most sought after Institutions those days to get into for graduate studies. Qualifying for these institutions attempted by 99.99% undergrads those days was a matter of prestige. If you failed to crack IIT or REC JEE (Joint Engineering Entrance) after successive attempts, you were considered a PENA (Nincompoop) or DHAIN (an Odia word for Asthmatic person gasping for breath, often used as a slang to denote an useless, good for nothing guy). 

I certainly had no intention of ending up as a PENA or DHAIN, yet I went to Dinababdhu Mausa's home not to dissapoint my father. It paid its dividends. Mausa taught me that English poetry is not read, rather it has to be felt, along with few tricks of writing and I grasped it like sponge to water. Under his tutelage, I could understand the depth of the poems of my favorite duo John Keats and Percy Bysshe Shelly, especially Shelly the eccentric genius who died from a freak drowning accident in the sea, his poem "Ozymandias" is arguably one of the best I read. I also started liking the works of John Donne, Wordsworth, Elliot, Frost and was surprised to find a poet in Shakespeare.

Dinababdhu Mausa gave me assignments to write critical appreciation of poems. I found my writing very ordinary and expected a bad feedback from him, afraid to ask him. One fine evening my father came home - "Just spoke to Dinababdhu Babu. He told me, your son has a flair for writing in English and better suited for humanity stream. He needs no direction and good to go as far as scoring good marks in English subjects in his Higher Secondary Examination go".

My mother was an expert cook. Dinababdhu Mausa loved the Puri style cooked "MACHHA BESARA" (scrambled fish) prepared by my mom. Mausa got married in the summer of 1986. He threw a big reception at the OTDC Pantha Nivas, a stone's throw from BJB Flats where we used to live. I remember me savoring several helpings of "Quality" brand Ice Cream - a luxury those days. While studying Engineering in REC (now NIT) Rourkela, I used to come home during the Holidays and often met Dinabandhu Mausa, our neighbor. He always motivated me - "Hope you are still writing. You have a knack for story telling. Don't lose your flair in writing. Keep it up".

We left BJB Flats in 1991 and shifted to our own house constructed by my father. In 1998 I visited Mausa to invite him for my marriage. His long hairs had long gone (we used to call him Shakespeare Sir for his long, flowing hair which made him resemble the legendary English playwright). Then I lost contacts with him until I reestablished contact a few years ago on Facebook. He asked me to find a suitable girl for his son Rutwik who is in USA. I replied - "Mausa, your son is good looking and qualified. It shouldn't be difficult for him to find a life partner. These days young men and women prefer to look for partner by themselves". Mausa said - "You are so correct. I wish he finds someone soon. The boy is getting old". It was so sad to see a gentleman leave this world too soon. May God give strength to his children Rutwik and Olivia to overcome the grief. Om 🕉 Shanti.

A tale of two MUNDAs

 At peak of the currently ongoing Presidential campaign in USA, I remembered this incident exactly 8 years back when Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton were in their final throes of political slugfest. On one fine morning of a Fall day of 2016, I took my car to the same mechanic I have been seeing over several years. A huge Trump supporter and a staunch Republican, he had already made up his mind. At the same time, he was still nervous about his candidate Trump victory, the same way the Democrats are now about a Kamala Harris win.

"This tainted bi*ch (referring to Hillary Clinton) is going to destroy our great nation built by our founding fathers. Along with her philandering husband Bill Clinton, the duo are going to convert the sacrosanct White House into a Whore House", he lamented. Though I wasn't a big fan of Hillary and disagreed with some of her policies, I wouldn't get personal and call her a b*tch. But I liked her husband Bill Clinton who in my opinion was a good President during whose tenure the American economy was booming in his 8 years of Presidency and he was the last President who saw a budget surplus.

I told my car mechanic to look back into history and the days of JFK as the President of the United States. Jack Kennedy was a Casanova of his time and his affairs included Interns inside the White House and females outside it. "Do you know JFK once surprised his Brtish counterpart Harold McMillan by telling the later - "If I don't have sex everyday, I get headache". "Oh, Is it so. I didn't know that"- my car mechanic buddy burst into laughter, as he took a drag from his Marlboro, complimenting me with his Southern drawl "Awhh Myaan, you seem to know a hell lotta stuff about America than me".

Shaking his head, he replied - "See the hypocrisy here ! The liberal media ain't say nothing about the Kennedys, or Bill Clinton but they are after Trump's ass". But he acknowledged, "Kennedys, though Democrats were Patriots who loved our country and fought for it. This Son of a Gun Bill Clinton is a draft dodger predator and pedophile. (Son of a Gun is the accolade reserved for the progeny of pleasure ladies who used to accompany Sailors during their long shipping sojourns during Medieval times). He added - "Can't fault the Kennedy brothers as their dad Joseph Kennedy was a notorious womanizer and his sons inherited their father's legacy." I wanted to say Trump was a draft dodger and a notorious womanizer too, but preferred to remain silent.

Never knew that womanizing is part of genes and passed on as inheritance. But he did have a point. We humans are champion hypocrites, always lenient towards the celebrities we worship, turning blind eyes towards their shortcomings, pushing them under the carpet. At same time, we lose no opportunity to chide and mock at others whom we don't like if they do exactly the same. Kennedys were after all the Camelot family, no less than Royalty, a cult figure whom the Americans still adore.

It reminded me of Aparti, the coconut plucker from our Brahmin dominated Susan village near Puri, who tilled our paddy fields. A staunch supporter of the Congress party those days, he believed Indira Gandhi always fought for poor. In between tying a rope knot around his legs and waist before climbing the tall coconut trees, he would take long drags from his BIDI (thin cigars of raw tobacco popular in India) while extolling the pro-poor virtues of Indira Congress. No matter what I say, not withstanding any visible change in his economic status, he had unflinching loyalty to the "Hand" symbol of the Congress party and Indira Gandhi.

It is another matter that until 1991, with Gandhis at helm, India was bracketed with sub-Saharan Africa in povery. It took a non-Gandhi to rescue India from the economic doldrums by opening up its economy with liberalization, which since has moved tend of millions of Indians out of poverty.

Aparti (also addressed as Apartia) has never driven anything beyond his dusty bicycle, with a hanging, perforated leather seat, its two wheels with multiple patches on the cycle tyres barely able to hold enough air, the tube almost touching the ground. My auto mechanic drives a swanky Chavy Trailblazer with Michellin tires glistening under a bright Fall sun.

The best brand Apartia ever smoked in his life is New Odisha BIDI. My mechanic friend intermittently pops up a Marboro from his pocket and takes drags and puffs out smoke and frustration with these liberal Democrats who are hell bent on snatching away his gun rights and freedom.

Reiterating again what I opined earlier - it's the saga of two MUNDAs (an Odia diatribe towards folks with diehard, unflinching views). Both Aparti back home in India and my car mechanic in US, are common people separated by two worlds on the opposite sides globe. One illiterate and poor riding a decrepit bicycle, the other literate and economically much better off driving a SUV - yet both with unwavering loyalty to their political parties, MUNDAs nevertheless.

Ides of October

It is the ides of October. This month is known to have its share of history of turbulence - from the famous October revolution in Russia in 1917, to the epic Wall Street crashes in 1929, 1987 and 2008 happening in the same month. Last October Hamas, Israel's bête noire, launched massive terror attacks in Gaza from land, sea and air, killing hundreds and taking scores of women and children as hostage. Israel's response since has been swift. Since last October the nation has retaliated forcefully. This imbroglio has put the Middle East into crisis mode once again. And month of October isn't done yet. 

I am reminded of the famous cat eating bird story, one of the episodes from the epic Indian short story collection of "PANCHA TANTRA" (The Five Treatises). A bird was trying to make cat see sense with reasoning, proselytizing it to follow a peaceful, pious path. The cat feigned listening to the story in rapt attention. No sooner it got closer to the bird, than the cat jumped on it, killed and ate the bird. Moral of the story - Don't try to inculcate empathy, sense and righteousness into those who are unreceptive to such message. It is not only futile, it can backfire big time. No wonder, scores from a music festival in the quest peace, including one pro-peace American academic in Israel was amongst those killed in the Hamas attack. So much to senseless wokeism. Israel has forcefully responded back, civilians as usual being the collateral damage.

Terrorists are terrorists - regardless of their religion, caste, creed or color. No matter what, shooting unarmed people in a music festival, taking women and children into captivity is a crime. Period. Also it was a rare but major intelligence failure of Israel's famed secret services Mossad which otherwise has many spectacular successes under its belt. Israel has been striking back pretty hard. They aren't paper tigers soiled in unrealist belligerence and soaked in fake jingoism. It responses in kind to any attack on its interest without any hesitation. I can foresee Israel doing more harsh things in Gaza as United States has already extended it its blank support to the Jewish state. The elusive ceasefire is no where in sight.

America's support to Israel is nothing new and perpetually unwavering. In the year 1948, when the state of Israel was formed, Harry Truman, a Democrat and the President of the United States at the time, immediately recognized it risking an Arab backlash. Since then US has unequivocally backed Israel. Apart from perfunctory American aids and grants, Israel invariably gets the latest arms, ammunition and equipments from Uncle Sam. Whenever there is a resolution against Israel in Security Council, the nation gets the blanket support from the United States. You may very well say that Israel is the undeclared 51st state of the United States. More jews live in USA than Israel and are known to be traditionally rich and influential. 

United Nations (UN), an useless bloated bureaucracy whose Birthday incidentally is today, October the 24th, has urged restraint and peace from both sides. As if Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran and Israel care a hoot about its appeal ! In June 1981 when the Israeli F-16s bombarded Baghdad to permanently end Saddam Hussain's nuclear ambition, Menachem Begin, Israeli Prime Minister at that time was condemned by the United Nations. US promptly vetoed the resolution. I am now reminded of a cartoon by the eminent cartoonist R.K. Laxman on  newspaper "Times of India" depicting the UN Secretary General admonishing a defiant Menachem Begin, the Israeli Prime Minister - "If you attack again, you will be condemned more severely". 

Meanwhile, India has opted to extend its support to Israel and a Palestinian state, though it has denounced Hamas's action as terror. Whereas China, a country Israel holds in much higher esteem due to its business interests has urged calm. This symbolizes that Foreign policy doesn't run on raw emotions, but rather on pragmatism and harsh realities where protection of self interest based realpolitic rules the roost. This latest crisis shouldn't be viewed in simplicistic prism of another religion conflict. Middle East situation is much more complex. 

I have seen a few Right wing supporters in India who never held a gun in their life, volunteering themselves to fight for Israel. Relax folks. It is fine to extend your moral support, but it is a different thing to fight an actual war. Israel can take care of itself and doesn't need any unsolicited, untrained mercenaries. No wonder China, which puts religion into back burner before its national security has urged restraint without taking any sides. Let our government's foreign policy do the whatever is appropriate in the interest of our country. Whatsapp University graduates, fighting wars is not your forte. Please stay away from this.