Woolful and Coolful

 Pandemic stay at home for nearly six months has opened up a new relationship - interaction with cats in our backyard. We love them a lot, especially my wife who leaves no stone unturned in caring and feeding them, having named one as "Woolful" (due to its woolen like coat)and the other one "Coolful" (for its cool, nonchalant nature).

Woolful is dark gray with furry overcoat. Looks like a house cat which is neutered, as a bit of the upper portion of its left ear is chopped off (in US they cut a little piece of the left ear of kitties to indicate that they are neutered. A cat can give birth to a dozen litter every year. Because of increasing pet population in America, the pet owners are encouraging to fix them). Woolful has dark, piercing green eyes which glows in darkness. Sometimes it vanishes for a few days, making us think that it has gone back to its owner's fold. But the cat reappears, pleasantly surprising us. We aren't sure if it is male or female. 

But we are sure the other cat Coolful is female. One day she brought along her kittens hidden behind the foliage, lifting them one after another with her teeth. We saw those couple of kitties a few times before they stopped coming. Not sure where they have gone. Nothing lasts forever. We enjoyed the bubbly kittens jumping around as long as the spectre lasted. But we are optimistic they will come back - after all cat has nine lives.

Woolful seems to be a semi wild kitty. One day it will finish up the Salmon and Shrimp cat food we give it in minutes. Other day it will hardly touch it, sniff it and barely eat any. We think it is being fed by somebody somewhere else. On the other hand, Coolful is perennially hungry. Whatever the "Meow Mix" brand we give her, she finishes it pretty fast. She is a purely wild and we feed her more keeping the kittens in mind. The feline duo occasionally snarl at each other, but mostly exist with peaceful coexistence. When we serve them food, we make sure that they are at least 10 feet apart.

Summer is fun time, but this summer has its share of fauna in addition to the usual flora in our backyard. A unique pandemic summer it is. COVID-19 home stay has no doubt its share of benefits in disguise. Don't think I could have so much feline fun if Coronavirus didn't force me to stay home for long.

Can Congress survive without Dynasty ?

 In most part of the 1980s India, the Congress Party led by Indira Gandhi, followed by her son Rajiv Gandhi after her tragic assassination was ruling at the center and an overwhelming majority of the states - with the exceptions of the triumverates of Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Karnatak. Ironically now a days the Congress is in power in three states too - Rajasthan, Punjab and Chattisgarh.

Congress those days was the only party with a pan Indian presence. Other parties had mostly frugal, regional appeal with BJP hardly in picture, so much so that the two BJP Lok Sabha members were poked fun at as "HUM DO, HAMARE DO" (We two, we have two) - the famous family planning campaign ad of that era to educate couples to limit themselves to maximum two kids.

As sun never set over the British empire, it never set for Congress empire in India as it had a presence all over the country, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, from Saurashtra to Shillong. But sun seems to be setting on the party. The clock has turned a full circle. A popular quip of the time was Congress Party will win as long as "ALLI and COOLIE" (Muslims and poor people) vote for the party. It wasn't far from the truth. Congress is currently ailing as ALLI (Muslims) have moved to greener pastures of regional parties and COOLIES (poor folks) to others.

In this context, the current imbroglio in the Congress is understandable. The party is not accustomed to stay long outside power and the Gandhis at its helm of affairs have spectacularly failed to deliver. The Gandhi family magic is so passe, so the kind of mutiny by some prominent Congress folks was brewing for sometime. They have demanded and rightly so - a restructuring of the party, alluding to a change in its leadership. But they have no alternative in mind.

Power is the best glue and the best aphrodisiac. Gandhi family is the glue of the party, not to mention its access and hold on to the party funds. The current gen of Congressmen can't easily get rid of the Dynasty. Without someone from the Gandhi family as head, the party will split into Congress A to Z. And with the current dynasty of an ailing Sonia, a nincompoop Rahul and a fickle Priyanka leading, the party is doomed.

For the time being, the Congress party has procrastinated its woes to another day as Sonia Gandhi will continue as its interim President for some time. Yet everything is not goody goody in the Grand Old Party of India. More drama to follow. BJP and its supporters must be praying for the status quo - for a Gandhi to lead the party. Congress is still a national party, whose dormancy may be revoked by a new face which can capitalize on anti incumbency (a la V.P. Singh in 1989) and galvanize its moribund infrastructure. But it doesn't look likely and the Saffronites can enjoy the frailty of Congress while it lasts.

Kamala Harris as Biden's VP Nominee

 Joe Biden has chosen California Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate on the Democratic Party's ticket. A talented lady, she has a bright future ahead of her. She is a second generation American whose parents migrated to the United States. 

Her father is from Jamaica and mother of Indian origin. They divorced when she was barely 6 years old. Her name Kamala means Lotus in Sanskrit. But her connection to India almost ends there as she is as American as Apple pie. In US the voters mostly cast their ballot looking at their Presidential nominee. But if elected she will be in a unique position - a Vice President at the age of 54 when Biden will walk into the Oval Office at 78 being sworn in as the oldest President in History of the United States. He is expected to pass the baton to the younger Kamala Harris, who has a future ahead with a golden opportunity.

Facing the dual headwinds of COVID-19 and an economy in recession, Trump has a tough task ahead of him. This has not only put his supporter in backfoot here in the United States, surprisingly a lot of folks back home in India too. Many Modi supporters who align themselves to Trump by default think (erroneously) that the mercurial American Businessman -turned - President will send his Central Command to defend India in case the later is attacked by China, just because Modi held Trump's hands in the highly published "Howdy Modi" event in Texas.

At the same time a few back home have predicted that if Kamala Harris becomes the Vice President because of her Indian origin she will openly support India in every international forum. Such assumptions are highly fallacious and strictly fantasy. When I corner them with my arguments that foreign policy doesn't work that way, they get defensive - "Well, I don't care much about American Election", though they care enough to post their comments about it on regular basis every other day. I rest my case.

It should be noted that rarely a Vice Presidential nominee matters and helps a whole lot to his or her running mate during campaign. Very few remember the VP debates from past. It's said that the post of VP isn't worth a bucket of warm spit - a person who forever lives in the President's shadow and represents the President in the funerals of Third World leaders.

Only if and when the President dies or resigns from office, the Vice president is elevated to the President of the United States. Most recent examples are Lyndon Johnson becoming the President on the aftermath of Kennedy's untimely Assassination in 1963 and Gerald Ford taking over the White house in 1974 after the resignation of Richard Nixon, post Watergate Scandal.

Both hardly left a huge mark as Presidents. Johnson didn't opt for reelection in 1968 for his webbing polpularity. Ford lost to Jimmy Carter in 1976. Last VP who was elected as President was George Bush Sr., nearly 30 years ago in 1988. Al Gore, Bill Clinton's VP lost in the year 2000. Consequent Vice presidents Dick Cheney and Joe Biden refused to run for the office of President.

With the high profile Presidential candidates at loggerheads and center of national attention, will the likes of Mike Pence make any difference ? For the Republicans it's Trump all the way, no one is even close to his charisma among its GOP base. But I am sure Kamala Harris who has galvanized Democratic Party, especially its African American base will not be taken lightly by her opponents. I am sure she will be a great asset to Joe Biden and his campaign.

RIP Chetan Chauhan

 After losing the Test Series in Pakistan in 1978, India's witty Captain Bishen Singh Bedi gave 3 reasons for India's loss - the Cricketers, the Footballer and the Outsiders. Imran Khan and Zaheer Abbaz were the Cricketers who played well against their arch rival, Footballer was alluded to Javed Miandad who padded all the deliveries from our spinners whereas the outsiders, apltly named for the Umpires looked the other way. India lost the series, Bedi lost his Captainship as aftermath of a tour when the visitors believed their rooms were bugged and from the day one started counting the remaining days to go back to India.

But in the same series in the Lahore test this player led a fightback along with the better known legendary Sunil Gavaskar in the second innings when India was trailing by 250 odd runs. Both of them scored nearly 200 runs reducing the deficit to a large extent for the first wicket against some hostile bowling from Imran Khan and Sarfraz Nawaz, until this batsman was prevented from scoring a much deserved century by a caught behind for 93 - a dubious decision again by the Outsiders, the Umpires. This man was India's opening batsman Chetan Chauhan.

Shadowed by Sunil Gavaskar, Chetan Chauhan was his able partner. This opening duo formed the perfect pairs in many more series to come. Chetan was a true Rajput who braved facing all fast bowlers of the time. 

In the 1980 series in Australia he along with Gavaskar rescued Indian from a similar situation in the second innings while trailing by 200 runs in the first. Chetan Chauhan battled against Dennis Lillie at his fiercest best by scoring 80 odd runs. Though his partner Gavaskar added century after century to his tally, a test match century forever eluded this batsman who had so many fighting knocks and fifties to his credit.

After cricket, Chetan Chauhan the star of many innings in cricket started his second innings of his life - politician. He was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) from BJP.  Like many sports person and Bollywood actors he failed to carve his niche as a politician.

The gritty, never say die fighting Rajput finally lost his battle with COVID-19 at the age of 73, a young age to go these days when medical science has made folks living upto 80 easily taken for granted. Rest in Peace, the fighter. Om Shanti.

Dhoni's retirement

 It was early 2006. India was chasing a sizable Pakistani total in front of a hostile home crowd in Lahore. At a crucial moment India lost its star batsman Sachin Tendulkar, still needing tons of run to see through their target. The highly partisan Pakistan cricket went berserk in the stadium in anticipation of victory after getting their prized scalp of Sachin, seen as the last man standing.

Those days the end of Tendulkar was regarded as the beginning of India's impending end. Nonchalantly walks in a young man with long hair, a tyro - who followed the departure all connoisseur batsmen left. Nobody expected much from this guy named M S DHONI from a non descript, impoverished state named Jharkhand.

In middle of a hostile India baiting (rather hating) crowd, he led a successful chase staying as cool as iceberg. The cheering crowd conspicuously fell silent as Dhoni, cool as cucumber led the charge of Indian fightback. He made the Chief Minister of Punjab, Sahbaz Sharief (brother of Nawaz Sharief) who was inside the stadium safely ensconced in his box, tense enough to come out and puff away smokes from his cigarettes from the sidelines. Smile had apparently vanished from his lips, his long, quick drags of cigarettes revealed his apparent nervousness.

It's not a very common characteristics of a newcomer to crash into limelight in such a challenging scenario in middle of a nail biting, pressure cooker rivalry between two arch rivals. A new star was born that day. India's subsequent win due to Dhoni's performance in Pakistan's own backyard earned praise from non other than President General Musharaf, not a huge fan of India or Indians by any standard. (Musharaf incidentally told Dhoni not to cut his trademark long hair as it looked good on him).

Arguably Dhoni was the harbinger of a new era when Indians finally got out the endless cycle of meekly surrendering against Pakistan to the chagrin and disappoint of its fans. Soon India was no more seen as lacking the nerve and guts to fight under adverse circumstances.  

Dhoni continued to flourish and never looked back. His quitting today from all formats of the game brings back memories of his biggest gift to cricket which is a religion and a huge unifying factor in a nation divided on the lines of religion, caste and what not ! Under his leadership India won the much coveted World Cup in 2011. Three years later followed his abrupt relinquishing of test career to the surprise of tens of millions of his fans. But he continued playing for long time in the shorter versions of the game.

A la most long lasting Indian Captains, Dhoni's tenure wasn't free from its share of controversies, with partisan debates surrounding him. But what's not debatable is his commitment and contributions to Indian cricket. The man has earned it. Hats off to a legend and God to many in a country where cricket is the religion. Wish you a happy retirement life.

3 Months to Elections 2020

Exactly 3 months from the American Presidential elections, it is time to take stock at this important political checkpoint in America. A shaky GOP (Republican party), especially its Presidential nominee Donald J Trump who looked shoo in with a steady economy during the pre COVID-19 days, now seem to be staring at defeat.

Joe Biden, the Democratic Party nominee is going to announce his VP candidate and running mate this week. But he needs to do more. Though Trump is in self destructive mode, but being simply anti Trump isn't enough. Biden must come out with an agenda of how to clean up the mess left by Trump. He has a long laundry list, so he must speak out an action plan to reassure the nation.

For a start, he should mention how his cabinet will look like. He should mention names of professionals for important positions like the Secretary of Treasury, State, Defense, Attorney General etc to steer the country in the right direction. They will be men and women of abilities, not quacks and semi literate people  whose only qualities are loyalty and absolute boot licking which is the sine qua non of Trump's Presidency.

That will be a contrast to Trump era where Quackery not Science, superstitions not rationalism are the way. These are tendencies of Fascists. Trump who idolizes Putin and sundry dictators adores all these faddism. It is said in private the Yankee Trump pokes fun of his non college educated blind supporters, but he needs their votes. Those 36% are his base will vote for him come what may - even if Trump caught raping a minor on 4th Avenue of New York city in broad daylight. But he needs more to win his reelection, so he can't even get competitive without the support of his base 

A week is a long time in politics. Three months are eons away. Trump should remember that he lost the popular vote last time to Hillary but won the elections before he won the crucial swing states of Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. Those states don't look too good for him now. But the extremely crucial swing state of Florida is slowly slipping out of Republicans hands - partly due the rise in the COVID-19 cases in the state this summer and partly due to a nincompoop Governor of the state whose priority is buttering Donald Trump than serving his state (Georgia is not far behind, but will stick to Trump being a stubbornly Red state). If Trump loses Florida, he is toast.

Trump can still turn it around. The Republicans are masters in the art of winning elections. But time is fast  running out for Trump. A month later comes the Labor day, the harbinger of Fall season which is synonymous with the Flue season in America 🇺🇸. The concoction of COVID-19 and Flu virus is a sitting timebomb ready to explode. Add the election fever to that with a flamboyant Trump prone to histrionics on the ballot. We are going to see an eventful next 90 days in the US. Tighten your seat belts and get ready for a turbulent trip.

North Star shoes in my dream

The other day early in the morning I had a dream of wearing a pair of North Star shoes, a popular sneaker and probably the only decent one available during my childhood days. I felt happy, waking up with a fulfilling feeling.

North Star shoes, with black and yellow stripes resembling tiger skin used to cost Rs 99.99 a pair, a sizable amount in the year 1980, the haydays of socialism and closed market economy in India when jeans and sneakers were luxury items. This brand was available in Bata, a chain of stores apart from Carona (no relationship to COVID-19) which offered a decent array of shoes those days in Bhubaneswar.

I requested my dad to get me a pair. My father was always generous to me, fed me exotic, quality food, took us to good restaurants, never hesitated to buy me my favorite books, comics, magazines and took me to watch cricket in Barabati Stadium. But he sneered at the idea of buying North Star shoes, firmly putting down his foot on my longing desire.

His logic - while teaching in BJB College, Bhubaneswar, he has seen the North Star shoes worn only by the CHATARAs (girl chasing vagabonds) and BAZAARIs (free roaming loafers). The hall mark of a BHALA PILA (a good guy) those days, a category students fell into - those who wear only CHAPPAL (Sandal) and may occasionally deviate to slip their feet into some cheap, white Canvas shoes polishing its dirt off using a white paste. My dad's conviction vetoed my desire.

Time and again, I would gape at the North Star shoes peeping through the glass window displayed in front of the BATA Store located in Unit II (probably only one of its kind at that time), doing my window shopping salivating at it, dreaming to wear it one day. But luck wasn't on my side, I could never wear them. The North Star was that shooting star I wished for, so near yet so far. Soon the brand went out of the shelves and out of the market.

Eventually, I forgot about it. Never thought of it for long time, until that morning when I found myself wearing a brand new pair of North Star shoes in my dream. That small, smoldering sparkle of desire never really vanished from the extinguished fire. The wish inside the child inside me never died, it was lying dormant like a volcano, ready to rise as Phenix from the ashes. The ever hidden subconscious desire recalled to manifest itself after decades in form of a dream. No wonder, I woke up with a wonderful sense of fulfillment .

Childhood memories never die. It manifests itself in different ways. India's Prime Minister for 17 long years, Indira Gandhi had an insecure childhood. Her mother died young. Her father was mostly away busy in freedom movement, spending long stints in jail. She had a lonely, insecure childhood. As a teenager hungry for company she readily fell in love with Feroz Gandhi who gave her some attention, ending up marrying him.

Though later in life she became a Prime Minister, her sense of insecurity never died. It was apparent from the way she handled herself. She ruthlessly consolidated her power inside the Congress Party eliminating all her rivals. When Allahabad High Court declared her election null and void she imposed Emergency and put the entire opposition behind the bars. She would never allow someone from her party to complete a full tenure as CM of a state, lest that person becomes a threat to her position. All these actions represent a classic insecure mindset, the stigma during her childhood days forever stalked her. 

Past memories can be very stubborn, especially about the things we longed for as a kid, the things we craved about, our feelings, fantasies and crushes, dwelling deep inside our subconscious mind and surprising us by erupting in dream. It never gets deleted from the memory, stays embedded inside our mind's Recycle bin which is never emptied. We simply learn to live with them.