Kartika Purnima 2023

 Today is KARTIKA PURNIMA, the last full moon day of Fall (Autumn). This special day has a historic significance for the state of Odisha where it is celebrated to commemorate its rich heritage. In the Western hemisphere, it is called the Beaver Moon shining bright on a cool, crispy sky.

Once upon a time, Odisha used to be an independent state and a maritime superpower. It's SADHAVAS (traders) use to go on trading expeditions to faraway lands of Java, Sumatra, Borneo (modern day Indonesia and Malayan Peninsula), bringing in riches and laurels. This full moon day with high tide and the advent of winter with calm seas assisted by favourable trade winds was considered apt and auspicious to launch a commercial mission.

Many on this day in my home state back home of Odisha flock in droves early in the morning to the nearest river, lake or pond to revisit the past. They float miniature yachts with lamps, slowly pushing them into water. Propelled by rippled waves they waver a few feet with the lamps flickering before getting submerged - probably a metaphorical symbol of the waning and faltering state.

For years my father has been telling me that there was invariably a huge line in front of the pond near our house to float the flotillas associated with this festival. Each year, the line gets longer. The reason - most water bodies inside Bhubaneswar either have dried up, or gobbled up by land sharks who topped them with soil to form the bottom base of the ever expanding concrete jungle. This year too there seems to be no respite.

History depicts Kalinga (modern day Odisha) as an independent, indomitable Republic of the time - rich and robust enough to challenge and resist the powerful Magadha Kingdom for several generations. Kalinga's marauding War Elephants, an integral part of the military those days was regarded as the best in Indian subcontinent. In a Hindi Tele Serial on Chanakya, when the princess of Magadh, the daughter of Emperor Mahapadmananda is kidnapped, mad in rage he suspected Kalinga - EK KALING HAI JO AISA MAGADH RAJKANYA KA APAHARAN KA SAHAS SAKTA HAI, "Only Kaling could dare to kidnap the daughter of the Magadh Emperor". Kalinga was powerful enough to earn the respect of its powerful neighbor in North who envied its power to live in peaceful coexistence.

After him both Chandragupta and his son Bindusara of Maurya Dynasty spectacularly failed to conquer Kalinga. It is said that Chanakya, Chandragupta Maurya's prudent minister advised his King to refrain from attacking Kalinga, a powerful adversary of the day. The wise minister was only following his famous Chanakya Neeti (treatise) - "If your adversary is powerful, it's wise to make truce with it". His words supposedly dissuaded the Magadh Emperor already tired from his protracted battle against the last Nanda King from any kind of misadventure against Kalinga. His son Bindusara followed his father by maintaining the status quo by continuing the truce.

But the ambitious CHANDASHOK (Ashok, the Cruel), his scion attacked Kalinga and finally won a pyrrhic victory over Magadh's old adversary in the year 261 BC. The citizens of Kalinga fought bravely till the end. The Daya river near the Dhauli hills on outskirts of modern day Bhubaneswar turned into red with the spilled blood. Ashok was stunned when he saw the women and kids of Kalinga stubbornly fighting, refusing to surrender till they fell one after another.

The war was bloody enough to transform CHANDASHOK (Ashok, the Cruel) into DHARMASHOK (Ashok, the Pious). Couple of centuries later it was payback time for Kalinga. KHARABELA, the emperor of Kalinga avenged the earlier defeat by conquering and ransacking Magadh. 

From 11th to 15th century AD, the Gajapati (Lord of Elephants, probably because of Kalinga's famed Pachyderm army was its forte) Kings of Odisha built embarkments on rivers, created impressive architectural feats like the Sun Temple of Konark (Black Pagoda), defended aggression from enemies and built a great civilization. At one point of time the Kalinga empire extended from Ganges in North to Godavari in the south under King Kapilendra Deb.

But in the age sans contraceptives, the mighty King maintained both Queens and Concubines who kept on delivering broods of legitimate and illegitimate progenies, laying the seeds for future fratricidal wars. His descendants got involved themselves in internecine squabbling to capture the throne and managed to be the harbinger of the demise of the great Kalinga empire. Raja Mukund Dev was arguably the last independent Odia King before it came under Muslim rule, followed by the Marathas and British.

A scene from the Hindi movie ASHOKA still rings a bell. When Prince Ashok, played by the popular actor Sah Rukh Khan arrives in KALING (modern day Odisha), he is offered food by a native who says KALING MEIN KOI BHUKHA NAHI RAHTA (nobody goes hungry in Odisha).

More than couple of thousands of years after Ashok it sounds irony by itself. Poverty and malnutrition keeps Odisha in the news cycle as the state lagging behind in Human Development Indices. In Odia there is saying "KARPURA UDI JAICHI, KHALI KANA PADICHI", meaning the smell of camphor is gone, only the cloth remains. Gone are those glorious days, only left are the golden memories down the lane to cherish.

The day after KARTIK PURNIMA is called CHHADAKHAAI (Feast after the Fast), when the Odias make trip to the local fish, meat market. They do it to break the logjam of their month long absence from non-vegetarian food of fish, meat and poultry they cherish. This hiatus can be an entire month for the few devoted ones or just 5 days (PANCHUKA) of absence from the titillating foods at the fag end for most.

The prices of fish and meat skyrocket as the vendors often try to seize advantage of the demand. It's not uncommon for street vendors being beaten for selling sub standard fish and meat. I remember reading in a local newspaper sometime in the 1990s, public thrashing of a guy accused of selling dog meat in guise of goat meat. This day also marks the beginning of the winter months, a very pleasant season which last for couple of months. Happy KARTIK PURNIMA to all.

15th Anniversary of 26/11

Whenever I travel to India, I am forced to take a break in Delhi or Mumbai for a few hours before catching the connecting flight to my hometown Bhubaneswar. On my return journey I spend some time in those cities. Never ever I fail to take the opportunity to talk to the cabbies and commoners to gauge the pulse of our nation at the time.

In Mumbai the outsiders are often branded as GUJJU (Gujuratis), GULTI (Telugus), MALLU (Malayalis) and so on depending on their states of origin. Not sure what they call Odias behind their back - probably the people from Odisha are not numerous or influential enough to earn a specific tag. The South Indians as a whole are packaged as "YENDU GENDU WALLE", poked fun of their accent, often put under the same bucket as Behenc**d (sister slammer) Madrasis as they are called in Delhi.

The worst in Mumbai is reserved for the Biharis (any one from the cow belt is considered as a Bihari including those from UP) who is regarded as betel chewing, foul mouthed, smelly, dirty ones living in squalors. They are accused of having a criminal bent of mind compared to the cultured, broadminded, brave heart Marathis. 

The Bihari cab drivers reciprocate by accusing the Marathis of being arrogant, snobbish and intolerant to outsiders. Folks lose no opportunity to backbite each other community, often in a deregatory way. So much about the much boasted cosmopolitan fabric of Mumbai where every community speaks ill of each other behind their back.

But a notable difference was a decade and half ago when I was travelling through Mumbai barely a week after the 26th of November, 2008. The patriotic fervor was high on the aftermath of the infamous 26/11 incident when terrorists from Pakistan caused multiple casualties inside the city. My brother-in-law, my wife's cousin Saurav Mishra was one of the victims who took a bullet but fortunately survived. I didn't come across any community specific character assassination by anyone in an apparent show of unity which overrode the all pervading parochial feelings.

It is said that crisis can be the best leveller - tiger and goat are known to live in peaceful coexistence and collaboration when cornered inside a boat during flood. No wonder Cricket and Pakistan, especially when both juxtaposed together brings the best Indian out of us.

It also didn't go unnoticed to me the lack security in the Airport inside and out barely a week after this heinous crime. You would expect a Fort Knox at the Airport and it was far from it. Have we learnt any lessons from this attack ? Are we better off more than a dozen years after this incident. Your guess is as good as mine.

These lines from my friend Ambika Prasad Mahapatra aptly reminds of this fateful day.

A Blood thirsty nation

A dozen rotten souls

An incompetent State

A few brave hearts

Hundreds of innocent victims

Thousands of devastated families

Millions of vulnerable commoners.

And the line - "We salute the Mumbai spirit"..

Viruses hate alcohol

Last Tuesday morning when I entered my workplace, after going through the rotating turnstile, the next stop was the temperature check by a device put near the entrance, a new set up post Covid. As I passed through, the scanner talked loud and clear - "Your temperature is normal" displaying my body temperature of 97.6°F. After settling down at my desk, as usual I grabbed my morning cuppa Coffee. It felt soothing to my slightly itchy throat.

Soon I had this odd feeling of my throat getting sore and starting to itch more. By noontime I could sense coming down with something. This is not uncommon at this time of the year, the beginning of flu season. Post lunch I sneezed couple of times as my nostrils started to get warmer and wetter, as my breathing was beginning to give my nose a burning sensation. My spine, knees and slowly my entire body started aching badly.

Rather than hanging around and spreading my infection to the slim workforce on a Thanksgiving week and putting the rest of my coworkers at risk, I took rest of the days off and headed back home. Skipping my usual afternoon walk, I told my wife make a "Kada Chai" (strong tea) boiled with a liberal dosage of ginger slices and black pepper. It certainly was soothing to my aching throat. But the relief was temporary as it began to get worse.

Fortunately the next day was the day before Thanksgiving, a short day at work from home. I was feeling weak and tired, so took an afternoon siesta. By evening I was starting to get chills all over my body. It prompted me to gulp down Extra Strength Tylenol and retire early to bed. Normally I get up around 6 AM in the morning. But on this Thanksgiving day,  a holiday here, when I opened my eyes it was already 9 O'clock in the morning. My entire body from tip to toe was hurting like hell. I told my wife - "My voice sounds like our legendary singer Saigal". She replied sarcastically - "To me it sounds more like the course croak of a Bull Frog on a rainy summer night". We ordered some hot Thai food for dinner, which felt good to my tasteless taste bud.

The first thing I did after getting up on this Thanksgiving morning was do a Covid test using my home test kit. Thankfully it came negative. But flu like symptoms persisted, though I have already taken the seasonal flu shot weeks ago. I continued to lie on bed like a horizontal version Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the legendary medieval time  preacher in Odisha and Bengal during the Bhakti movement. After a frugal lunch of hot chicken soup and lightly toasted bread I took a long afternoon nap on Thanksgiving day, thanks to the drowsy extra strength Tylenol. 

On Thanksgiving evening the feeling was horrible. Never felt like this for a long time. I was constantly getting chills and flu like symptoms. After excusing my wife and son for dinner, I went on sleep on an empty stomach. The next day, the day following Thanksgiving was hardly any better. The virus continued to torment me. It was a challenge for me to walk barely 30 feet to the mailbox on Friday afternoon to fetch mails as my legs refused oblige. The flu like symptoms won't relent. I was feeling hungry but hardly left with any energy or desire to eat. I drank hot ginger, black pepper tea which made me feel a little better after all. Yet it barely helped as the relief was temporary. By evening it was again starting to get worse.

I read somewhere that Viruses hate Alcohol. So I poured myself two stiff, large pegs of Vodka. My wife made me a double egg Omlete with freshly plucked chopped red chillies still growing in my backyard with cilantro on top. I washed the hot Omlete down with the sharp tasting Vodka. Alcohol shrugged off my jaded nerves. I slumped on bed to fade into deep slumber.

I woke up Saturday morning fresh and refreshed, feeling a whole lot better. I was still sneezing and coughing, but the worst seemed to be over. The body ache and weakness had reduced to a manageable level by not making me feel any worse. What various medications couldn't do, couple of Vodka shots could. No wonder viruses hate alcohol.

60th Death Anniversary of JFK

 On a fine bright, sunny November morning in the year 1963, the strapping 6 feet 1, young, handsome and charismatic American President John F. Kennedy touched down at the Dallas Love - Field Airport accompanied by his elegant wife, Jacqueline 'Jackie' Kennedy just before noon. Jackie was pretty in pink from head to toe, including a fetching pink pillbox hat shining on her head. The American President popularly addressed as JFK, dashing as always, was outifitted in a grey suit and blue tie. They made a stunning couple.

Tragedy is known to strike at the most inopportune time. The Presidential motorcade passed through Elm Street near Dealy Plaza in Dallas with JFK and the First Lady perched upon a Convertible Limo, smiling and waving to the crowd gathered on his right. Suddenly at 12.30 PM local time, three fatal shots, fired by an assassin Lee Harvey Oswald hit him in succession as he slumped into his wife's lap. Jackie held him muttering forlornly repeatedly: 'They have killed my husband'. This happened exactly 60 years ago.

JFK's Assassination is a major event in the history of last century. Though Americans make fun of the British for their obsession with their Royal family the Kennedys are treated no less than Royalties. Conspiracy theories galore the untimely death of their Camelot President who once told the British Prime Minister - "I get a headache if I don't have sex every day". Multiple women who had affair with JFK found him irresistible. To them he looked like a Greek God.

Lee Harvey Oswald who killed JFK was shot dead only 48 hours later by Jack Ruby, a Dallas nightclub owner who had terminal cancer. He died soon after killing Lee Harvey Oswald, eliminating any thread which could lead to the identity of the real killer. In the movie JFK, Oliver Stone says that President Kennedy was shot from close, the back of his skull was blown away. But later after autopsy it was found to be intact, leading to myriad conspiracy theories.

I have visited the room in Dallas, Texas, now an exhibit for visitors, from which Oswald supposedly fired his shots. From the window one can see the spot where the President was shot at. Firing from a bolt action Rifle from that range and hitting a target on a moving vehicle one has to be a damn lucky shooter. 

Never mind the conspiracy theories, nobody has captured the public imagination of Americans as the Kennedys. Couple of JFK's speeches "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country " and "We should not negotiate out of fear nor we should fear to negotiate" still resonates with many, raising goosebumps. A truly inspirational and charismatic figure during a trip to NASA he told the scientists to send a man to moon by the end of 60s decade. The idea which sounded crazy at that moment came true in 1969, just before the end of that decade as he envisioned. An inspiring leader, sadly JFK never lived to see the day of moon landing.

The legacy of the Kennedys has never died. Many still remember JFK and his charismatic younger brother Robert (Bobby) Kennedy who was assassinated on June 5, 1968 just after winning the California Primaries for the Democratic Party in the corridor of Ambassador hotel in Los Angeles. The youngest of the brothers, Edward (Teddy) Kennedy lived much longer, being a Senator from the state of Massachusetts for long time. He was controversial too, linked to the death of a young girl in an accident whom he supposedly impregnated. It is said that the Joseph Kennedy, the father of the Kennedy Brothers who was an Ambassador to England had the reputation of a notorious womanizer and it is said his son's inherited his traits. Yet the Kennedys were patriots. Teddy Kennedy is still remembered for his famous speech at the Democratic Convention of 1980 - " The work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die". The American dream lives forever.

Bodyline series

 As the semifinals are ready to begin in this Cricket World Cup campaign in few hours, today it is worth remembering Harold Larwood on his birthday today, his tryst with the famous or rather infamous Bodyline series of 1932-33 nearby 80 years ago. The English bowler of the day, bowling at an estimated blistering speed of 90-100 mph, which was considered very high those days totally decimated his Australian opponents. Today happens to be his 119th birthday.

But more importantly he was accused of bowling bouncers on the leg side targeting the body of the batsmen, especially at his opponent star batsman Sir Donald  Bradman, a thorn on the English side. For the first time in the history of cricket, a new term was coined - "BODYLINE".

Larwood created havoc in the Australian dressing room when he managed to break the skull of one of their batsmen and injuring several others. He was widely blamed for his unsportsmanlike conduct but had no regret, ascribing his action to following the orders of his wily skipper Douglas Jardine, the protagonist of this idea of Bodyline bowling well within the rules of cricket. The captain defended his tactics, proclaiming that he was too well within the rules laid out in cricket those days - a gentleman's game where aggression was an alien notion.

Needless to say England won the series Down Under. But more importantly, it managed to put a spanner into the wheels of Bradman's juggernaut. The famous Australian who till then scored runs at an average of 100 plus, could manage only a 56 for average in that series, quite unlikely of him.

Many from our generation might remember the TV serial based on the same series, aptly named as BODYLINE and shown on DOORDARSHAN, the only TV channel available in India in the year 1987. This controversial strategy adopted by the English captain Jardine was very unpopular, though well within the rules of the game. It was probably the first blotch in the gentleman's game, which until that point was lily white like the flannels worn by the cricketers.

The English team also had an Indian batsman (India was a British colony at that time) named Nawab of Pataudi Sr., an useful cricketer who incidentally scored a century in that series. I starkly remember a scene where Ashok Banthia playing Nawab Pataudi gets emotional in front of his captain Jardine, "Now Sun must be setting in my motherland India" to which his captain responded - "Sun never sets over the British Empire". It was true during that time. Alas, gone are those days of British glory. Ironically it was the same English who initiated Bodyline bowling to curb Bradman, after being battered by the battery of West Indian and Australian fast bowlers introduced the rule to restrict the number of bouncers per over.

Jardine didn't live very long and died of cancer in 1955. Larwood lived longer, dying in 1995. Jardine came to India, did some Tiger hunting and posed himself in pictures taken before a fallen tigers, a fad of the time high and mighty in India. He too died soon. Bradman lived much longer and missed the 100 batting average by a whisker - which he could have easily got but for his meager by his standards average of 56 in that famous BODYLINE series. Almost 100 years since, Cricket has come a long way from its origin England to India to its current epicenter India.

Happy Diwali 2023

 It is interesting to note that Halloween in US and Diwali, the Festival of Lights in India come around the same time of the year. 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 little later than usual, falling on November 12 as per Gregorian Calendar.

In Odisha we call it DEEPABALI, but the genX has already switched to the more fancied and eye catching "Diwali". 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 a city 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 $6 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.

Money is the greatest leveller

 Money can be the greatest leveler. Even Communists, the champion hypocrites they are and who are known to protray frugality, have immense love for money.

Few years ago I volunteered to file Income Tax Returns for the lower income group organized by VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) of Goodwill, a local Charity Organization with tie up with IRS (Internal Revenue Services). It gave me immense pleasure of working for the community and the accompanied opportunity to interact with folks from different walks of life, not to mention the immense satisfaction from serving the Community.

During my chitchat with the Tax filers I often stumbled upon some interesting anecdotes. From the saga of a 95 year old lady, who as a teenager drove a Ford in the 1930s (then 90% of the American households had access to car) and how she flirted with her beau on telephone, a fancy gadget and the new kid in block (Americans then had 4 times more phones per person than the British, 6 times more than the Germans), to the story of an 18 year old kid, a first time tax file accompanied by his mother who never returned to her Indian husband after moving to the United States and settling down for good.

But nothing trumps this encounter. Money certainly can be a great leveler, the proof of which I saw in my own eyes. Like every tax season, one fine spring morning I was doing my Volunteer Tax Preparation for the low income people. A couple who were filing jointly, were seating across me as usual, while I prepared their taxes. As I was busy going through their documents, entering them on the IRS Website on the computer and asking them tax related question, I was frequently interrupted as the couple were busy bickering among themselves on some trivial matter.

Their verbal cat fight, a ritual amongst all married couples, was reaching its zenith. Nothing unusual, as every couple fight. The only exceptions probably could be Mrinalini Devi and her spiritual husband Sri Aurobindo of Aurville fame or Sri Ramakrishna Paramhans and his wife Sarada Devi. Otherwise those couples who say they never fight are certainly lying. Anyway, tax preparation needs utmost attention with zero scope for errors, so the couple's rambling was an irritating drag on my work.

My cup of patience was full. I was about to mildly reprimand them when all of a sudden their Refund Amount popped up on the screen. They were getting about $3,600 back which was a hefty sum proportionate to their income. I interrupted their bickering, announcing the Refund amount which is going to land up in their Bank Account in 2-3 weeks after I e-file their return. Their face suddenly glowed, words turned sweeter. The husband now started calling his wife Sweetie. The wife reciprocated with calling her hubby Honey. They high-fived and praised Good Lord for being graceful to them that morning. (Little they understood that it's their own money they are getting back from IRS who holds on to it for more than a year with 0% interest. But it's in human nature to get elated at the news of sudden, unexpected arrival of money). 

The animosity that existed between the squabbling couple a few moments ago was long gone. With a smiling face they warmly shook my hands and bid adieu. It was a heroic gesture to someone who had done nothing but was the bearer of the news of their tax return which they were entitled to anyway. I enjoyed my 2 minutes of fame, thanks to money which can certainly be a great leveler. Their reaction made me remember the good Ole rhyme :

"Money money money.

Brighter than sunshine,

Sweeter than Honey".

The timeout dismissal of Angelo Matthews

Today Sri Lankan player Angelo Matthews was given out for "Time Out" based upon the appeal by the Sakib Al Hasan, the Bangladesh team captain for the delay by the Lankan batsman for arriving at the crease due to a broken strap in his helmet. It was perhaps the first such decision in the history of international cricket. So shameful and unsportsmanlike of Bangladesh cricket team, though perfectly within the boundaries of the existing cricket rules. 

Rule vs Sportsmanship - a question which has plauged Cricket, known as a gentleman's game. Douglas Jardine was well within the rules when he instructed Larwood to bowl bouncers in the infamous Body line series. The purpose was to contain Don Bradman who had become a scourge for English cricket team. Jardine partially successful in his mission, considering Bradman who averaged more than 100 until then, ended up with an average of 56 something. That series was responsible for him to stay stuck at the average of 99.99. It was an unsportsmanlike gesture, but Jardine was well within the rules at that time when there was no restriction on bouncers to be bowled. 

Fast forward to 1981 when New Zealand was 6 runs away from victory with only 1 ball remaining. Greg Chappel, the Australian skipper instructed his younger brother to bown an underarm delivery to the hapless Kiwi batsman. Chappel was perfectly within the rules and Australian won the match and the triangular series. Kiwi press screamed next day - "Chappell's underarm stinks". A Kiwi company offered Chappell brothers free  deodorants for rest of their lives ! 

In 1980, during the Jubilee test match between England and India at Bombay, Kapil Dev was polishing off the English batsmen when Bob Taylor was given out caught behind. England was perhaps 5 wickets down for 50 something. Taylor complained to India's captain Vishwanath who called back Taylor to bat again. Botham who was at the other end scored a memorable century, later took 10 wickets to win the test for England. 

During the 1987 World Cup match against Pakistan, Abdul Qadir was feets away from the non-stricker end when bowler Courtney Walsh gently reminded him to get back into the crease. Walsh could easily ran Qadir out. This decision of Walsh cost West Indies the game and a place in the WC semifinals. 

It might have cost India the Jubilee test in 1980 and West Indies the World Cup in 1987, yet Vishwanath and Walsh will go down in history of cricket as epitomes of sportsmanship. Shame on you Bangladesh cricketers, hard luck Angelo Matthews.

Politics is 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. It 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 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.

Look for more hot political debates next year as both USA and India are having their elections in 2024, first time ever since 2004. Social media will be full of action without a single dull day.