Baba Ramdev's fake cure for COVID-19

Baba Ramdev's claim of finding a cure for COVID-19 is purely fake. Yet such a faking preposterous claim has charged up his devotees, mostly of the BHAKT type who have gone wild, dancing like monkeys as if their Guru has invented the much coveted miracle drug for the deadly virus.

It takes me back to the year 1995 when someone in Chennai (then Madras) who claimed that he can convert petrol into water. He became an overnight sensation. All newspapers and magazines carried this news. Politicians and bureaucrats of all stature, big and small visited him, taking pictures smiling next to him. In due course, his claim was proven to be fake. 

But Baba Ramdev doesn't need to be proven as fake. He is a much  accomplished fake. It's fine if he sells this product as an immunity buster, a la Patanjali honey or Chawanprash. But claiming it as a cure for COVID-19 is just a sales pitch gimmick. Its effectiveness as a medication or vaccine should not be decided by claims and counter claims on social media. Rather it needs to be fully tested in the laboratory and on humans to prove its veracity. Until then, any claim beforehand is nothing but a fraudulent tactic.

For many right wing lunatics, religious believes and fake claims override logic and science. Anything scientific is anathema to them, making them perfect buyers for snake oil which can be easily sold to them (same as Trump has been able to sell Bleach as a COVID-19 cure for his Diehard followers). Ramdev being a smart businessman is aware of the Right wing penchant of buying snake oil who can be easily taken for a ride.

We have a proverb in Odia - AUSHADHA BIKALA RE TATIA KAMUDIBA, meaning desperately biting the container looking for medicine. Because we have a poor track record of invention and innovation, a slight claim by someone about a miracle cure for a global pandemic disease makes us dance on the street.

Jokes apart, it reminds me of another Odia proverb - NAI NA DEKHUNU LANGALA (Becoming naked before seeing the river). It simply means annoucing something before it's due arrival. If Baba's claim about his product being a cure to Coronavirus is proven to be true, he will be a global Superstar, potentially becoming the first Indian to win a Nobel prize in Medicine. I will be the first one to sing paeans of eulogies for him and join the Bhakt dance on street. Till then hold your horses folks.

Kapil Dev's historic innings in 1983 World Cup

I still fondly remember Kapil's innings of 175 not out against Zimbabwe in the 1983 World Cup exactly 37 summers back. I was in my village to spend the summer vacation of my school days.

That match was not being telecasted due to a strike by BBC Employees. In fact non of the league matches were shown live in India. World Of Sports program on Sunday afternoon in Doordarshan, the only TV Channel available at that time used to show some Workd Cup Cricket highlights. That's all. Only semi-final and finals were telecasted live later.

There was no TV in our village those days. I was listening to the running commentary on BBC Radio. Soon after India batted it slid to 17 for the loss of 5 wickets. I was now convinced that India is going to lose as I was skeptic of them recovering from that point. It could have been the end of India's World Cup dream and Aussie skipper Kim Hughes's earlier prediction of India being the dark horse of the tournament would have gone unnoticed.

Kevin Curran and Rawson, the two opening fast bowlers of Zimbabwe were creating havoc in Indian batting lineup, but for some strange reason Captain Duncan Fetcher took them off from the attack when India was reeling at 17/ 5. It was twilight time and the electricity went out as it was quite normal in our village (5-10 hours of electricity in summer was manna dew from heaven those days).

I huffed and puffed to the local HAAT (market) about 3 km away to fetch some batteries. Rushed back and slid 4 RED EVEREADYs (an ubiquitous battery brand those days) into our MURPHY radio and stretched its antenna to its max. Those days it was difficult to catch BBC or Radio Ceylon stations post sunset. It was followed by a good 5 minutes of struggle to adjust the vertical bar to the exact location with intermittent bursts of farts from it, CHRRRRD... PRRRRRTT.., before I could finally manage to tune into BBC, expecting India to be all out for somewhere around 100.

I was wrong. To my pleasant surprise Kapil Dev had just scored a 100. There was about 10 overs to go and the score was inching towards 200. From this point the Haryana Hurricane was totally unstoppable and Tunbridge Wells witnessed a complete massacre of the bowlers. He made a mincemeat of Rawson and Curran who were back in the attack after their morning show when they ripped through India's batting line up like a hot knife through butter. Now it was Kapil's turn to reciprocate.

The commentator was blaring with high pitch "Khaphil Dhev on rampage". Finally the Indian innings ended at 266 in 60 overs (that was the last 60 overs World Cup). The rest we know is history. Had India lost that match they could have never reached the semi-finals. Without being in semi-final they could not have gone to final. Without being in final they couldn't have won the world cup. Without the World Cup win cricket may not have gained the momentum in India, as I believe our 1983 World Cup win against the mighty Windies acted as a catalyst to cricket in India.That innings of Kapil Dev forever changed the history of cricket.

Couldn't stop mentioning here - in that match Gavaskar was out for a duck, Sandip Patil and Ravi Sastri, each for 1. If India lost this match it would have been out of the World Cup and a 24 year old Kapil Dev would have been thrown out of the Captainship. Gavaskar who lost his Captainship to Kapil Dev following India's disastrous tour to Pakistan just 6 months ago in which Imran Khan single handedly destroyed India, won't have minded to get his Captainship back. Now connect the dots......

Why China is doing all this now

The writer Khushwant Singh was once visiting Hong Kong, close to the heels of the humiliating defeat suffered by India at the hands of the Chinese on the aftermath of their surprise attack on our Eastern front in October, 1962.

As the Sardar on a journalism mission was walking down the street, a fellow Sikh greeted him - "SARDARJEE. DESH SE AYE HO (you have come from our country) ? TUMNE TO NAAK BHADDA DITTA (you cut our nose - meaning you have shamed us)".

He continued - "CHINIYAAN NE TO TUMHARI BH**ND MAARLI (the Chinese have screwed your bottom). KUKKAD KHAANDE JOGE HO (You are now only good at eating chicken - poking fun at the penchant of the Punjabis towards eating chicken. The pun was, you are good for nothing, chicken eating folks, who have forgotten how to fight).

The Sardar of Hong Kong went on further - "I used to boast before my Chinese wife about the great martial tradition of Sikhs. Now she is poking fun at me". Point taken, the Chinese beat us left and right in that war, catching us unware, following the age old military adage, "surprise is the main element of war".

History repeats itself. Fast forward to the year 2020 as they have managed to capture 60 square kilometers as reported on the media. No surprise here. The inscrutable Chinese plan their strategy well in advance and caught us off guard again. We have been caught off guard by the Pakistanis in 1999 too, but unlike the Pakis, Chinese are too tough a customer to deal with. The bottom line - the Chinese screwed our bottom once again.

Whatever the casualties are reported, truth is the first casualty of a war. In spite of the positive spin we try to give this incident on media, social or otherwise - the Chinese did their job, the casualties from their side not withstanding. If the rest of think about the next quarter, Chinese plan for next quarter of the century. After achieving their goal, they're now talking about peace.

Now the million dollar question is why China is doing all these now ? There are 1,489,458,126 theories floating around and not to be left behind let me add a few from my side.

China may be doing this in order to divert attention from their internal crisis. After COVID-19 and a slugginsh economy everything may not be alright in the Middle Kingdom. At this time Xi needs some diversion to save his seat. Drawing analogy to a proverb popular in Odisha, India is like GARIBA MAIPI SABURI SHAALI (The poor woman is perceived as every one's sister-in-law, simply meaning India is taken for granted was a weak nation), the Chinese being no exception. The perception hasn't changed much despite our government courting foreign leaders and doing some aggressive diplomacy.

China also thinks it's time to step into the vacuum left by US as the Superpower is busy fighting COVID-19, Civil unrest and other internal squabbling in an Election year, led by an useless, headless Head of State. America has relinquished its global policeman role to some extent. Long term Corporate greed along with a laid back attitude towards China has only made it worse. China sees an opening and starting to flex its muscles - using its neighbor India as a testing grounds.

In spite of India's recent assertiveness, the border issue with China has been its Achilles Heels. What is China's is China's, ours is negotiable. That's the strategy the dragon seems to be following with its new earned clout due to the growth in economic and militarily power. 

Also, India's current outreach to America as being part of later's strategy to corner China is a common knowledge. The recent bonhomie between Modi and Trump hasn't gone unnoticed to China. Indo - US alliance is certainly a long term need, but right now India can't rely on a mercurial Trump who says something in the morning and contradicts the same in his nighty tweet. China wants to bully India and show its own place, a rebuttal not to get so close to Uncle Sam.

We live in a complicated geo political world, where there is no permanent friend or enemy, but permanent interests thrive. China is jealous of Japan's economic success and India's Nuclear power status. It has outsourced North Korea to checkmate Japan and Pakistan to keep India at bay. But occasionally China acts on his own to keep things straight. It doesn't care much about US at this point to step in for India's help.

At this time the criticism of Modi can wait. All of us must stand united. But as things cool down, we must introspect our lacuna and accountability should be fixed for the loss of 60 square km area to China, chances of getting back is bleak.

China by its stupendous economic growth in last 40 years has developed an enviable clout. America has no clue how to tackle the fuming Dragon. Even the so called Champions of Islam, Saudi Arabia and Iran tolerate China though the Chinese authorities force Muslims to eat pork and drink alcohol in their restive Xinjiang province. America, Russia et all will at best give lip service to India if things escalates into a full scale war more than this skirmish. 

India needs to be very careful in dealing with China. Militarily and economically India is no match and got some catch up to so. We must learn from this Aamir Khan monologue from the iconic movie "3 IDIOTS" - "SUCCESS KE PEECHHE MAT BHAGO. KAVEEL BANO. EK DIN SUCCESS TUMHARE PICHHE BHAGEGI". Transliterated - "Don't chase success. Be capable. One day Success will chase you". China has been capable in last 40 years to be successful. We must earn it.

Suicide of Sushant Singh Rajput

Couple of days back, Sushant Singh Rajput, an upcoming Bollywood actor apparently suffering from chronic depression ended up his life by killing himself. A versatile actor who could have gone long way in his life and carve his niche decided to cut short it by killing himself.

I remember a scene from the iconic movie "3 IDIOTS". A young student's (his last name was Lobo) design of a flying machine was rejected multiple times by his recalcitrant teacher. So, he hung himself to death.

When confronted by Aamir Khan in that movie, the Principal gets defensive - "Are you making me responsible for one odd suicide by a student who couldn't take the pressure" ? Aamir's reply was - "I am making the entire system responsible". 

He wasn't far from the truth. Often the pressure cooker environment of the system without a lid for an escape route can lead to catastrophic consequences when excess steam builds up in the form of mental stress to blow up on the face. Tragedy follows beyond redemption.

Aamir Khan speaks some hard truth in that movie. Students carry a lot of burden and expectations from their demanding parents and a cit throat competitive society. The simple equation Ambition - Achievement = Frustration holds good. Often they snap, as the lid of the pressure cooker comes off burning the face.

In this context, Sushant Singh's suicide calls for some introspection. As reported by media, the actor originally from Bihar was under some kind of stress of late. 

Not so unusual in Bollywood when on lives under the glare of neon lights, achievement often doesn't match ambition and life is curtailed at a tender age. It has been happening since the age of Guru Dutt and Meena Kumari who were connoisseurs in their fields in celluloid world ended up ending their lives.

Suicides are happening quite frequently in premier educational institutes in India. Now a days, many mediocre students churned out of innumerable coaching institutes manage to clear the entrance test. Once in, when left on their own they can't cope up with the aggressive curriculum and choose end their lives unable to face the milieu. This was confided by some professors of an IIT to a friend of mine who regularly visits his Alma mater whenever he makes a trip to India.

Every person has right to live. It hurts utmost when someone commits suicide. And it hurts more, if that person happens to be young. Like every man and woman of their age, they too have a dream, but unwisely decide to procrastinate their unfulfilled dream by killing themselves. 

When does a person decide to end his or her life ? It's not just because of the frustration with their life, it's more due to their lack of care or concern for rest of the world, which includes their near and dear ones. If I feel suicidal for some reason, I may resist that thought for a moment, if I think of my family, if not me. Apparently they don't care about their loved one and decide to end their life at the spurt of the moment, never getting a second chance to regret it later.

Suicides amongst youngsters are on rise. Surging hormone gone wild can create havoc in heart and mind, which can be due to failure in career, romance, academics or bullying by others. 

The greatest tragedy is silence of the silent majority, which is conspicuously deafening who turn a blind eye to the competition and peer pressure which is to be blamed. A good number of folks consider themselves as under achiever and put undue pressure on their children to outsmart and outshine their parents. Keen to see their kids fulfill their unfulfilled dreams, they often push them too hard until they snap - crashing their parent's dream.

With growth of urbanization and break in nuclear families, mental stress related issues in India are on the rise. The country has been so far laid back in addressing this issue. Mental health and stress reduction therapy is at its infancy and has some catch up to with the Western world, though India has made advances in conventional medical fields. It's time we take mental health seriously before it is too late.

The Foreign Line

Remember those college days (halcyon days for us Indians) there was a time when many were fascinated by Palmistry ? Most of our fellow palmists (or should I say all) were fakes whose soul intention was to use it as a pretext for holding a girl's hand.
For them the little knowledge they acquired through reading couple of pages of "Palmistry for the Dummies" was not a dangerous thing, rather pretty useful to hold the hands of pretty MANDUs (a slang for nubile females). Girls who otherwise would normally sense the flirtatious character in a guy from miles away, somehow obliged them by showing their palms for a reading of the writings on it.

Perhaps a sense of insecurity along with an eagerness to learn what their future holds for them, made them fall for the trap. Our palmist would hold the palms, while tilting it little left and right would bring his eyes closer, gently roll his thumb over it faking all the seriousness of scanning the lines.
Then he would make all goody goody predictions, because the rosier the prediction the longer you can hold on to the hands (a bad prediction could backfire with the opposite effect). The boys who were less insecure most of their questions would rally around their profession goals.

A typical question posed to the palmist was if the foreign line existed. Those days when traveling out of state was the big deal going out of country was kinda dream. That line was supposed to come from the bottom left of your palm. The farther it goes, the farther you should travel. If it is less than a centimeter you go to Nepal or Bangladesh. An inch or so you travel to Dubai or Singapore. The longer it is, farther you go from your land of birth.

Some of my Engineering college mates came from Nepal, Palestine, Ethiopia and Kenya (who else would come to India and stay for 4 years those days). Technically they had travelled to a foreign land. Curiously I would look for foreign lines on their hand. For Nepalis I expected shorter and longer foreign lines for Palestinians. But non of them had the elusive foreign line.

Yet these books sold like hot cakes, especially in the AH Wheeler stores in Railway Stations. While travelling in trains they were great reads and tools for time pass, especially when train journeys can last up to 48 hours. Enclosed inside the train compartment one gets good enough time to form relationships. As the time gets closer to get off from the train, addresses and phone numbers were exchanged.
But rarely such relationships lingered on any further. Like the line of head and line of heart on the palm which run parallel to each other and never meet, so also the train passengers as they bid adieu after arriving at their destination - to follow the destiny on their palms.

Such chance encounters in life is best depicted me of a passage from our epic BHAGVAT GEETA. Two logs floating in the middle of Ocean collide with each other only once to get separated forever, never to meet ever again. 

It reminds me of Kishore Kumar song:

AATE JAATE KHOOBSURAT

 AWARA SADKON PE
KABHI KABHI ITTEFAQ SE ;
ITNE ANJAAN LOG MIL JAATE HAIN
IN MEIN KUCHH LOG BHUL JAATE HAIN
KUCHH YAAD REH JAATEIN HAI..

Roughly transliterated....

On these vagabond roads
Once in a while by chance
Many unknown faces we meet;
Some we forget
And some in memory forever fit.