Sunday, October 12, 2025

Taliban foreign minister in India

Though I am quite  progressive in nature and philosophy, one thing I don't like about the liberals about their lack of understanding of common sense and pragmatism. No wonder it is said that the thing about common sense is it isn't so common. Same goes with the extreme left or woke section of the liberals who are champions at shooting on their own feet.

The most recent example is a section of media in India whining about India hosting the foreign minister of Taliban led Afghanistan and the fact that no women journalist were invited at press conference of the Afghan foreign minister. Their complaint - as Taliban is anti woman, the Indian establishment didn't want to hurt their guest's sentiments by allowing a woman at the press conference.

I am all for women's rights and don't condone the brutal atrocities shown to the fairer sex in Afghanistan. America went into their country, foolishly tried to establish democracy and failed miserably in its mission. Teaching democracy in that part of the world is akin to our Odia saying - "SANDHA KU BHAGAVAT PADHAIBA" (teaching Bible to a Bull could be counterproductive). We are now seeing the results.

But with an unfriendly and volatile neighborhood with most gunning against it, India has no option but to befriend the land Afghanistan purely due to strategic reasons. Nothing wrong with that. We say in Odia - "SRI KRISHNA DINE GADHA PADA DHARI THILE", "Even Lord Krishna bent to touch a donkey's feet, humiliating himself in order to get his work done". Similarly India desperately needs Afghanistan on its side as the land locked nation which practices an extreme brand of Islam is located at a very sensitive region where all major global powers are pitted against each other.

It needs to be noted that in geopolitics there is no permanent friend or enemy where permanent interest thrives. Every country worth its salt practises the same to protect its self interest. Examples are aplenty. Historically Americans preach democracy but have no qualms about dealing with sundry dictators from Shah of Iran, Marcos of Philippines, Several military dictators Zia, Musharaf et all of Pakistan. For India its nothing new either. It has a history of dealing with Saudi Arab, Iran, China and the military junta of Myanmar, all champion human rights violators.

Countries practice their foreign policy taking the cultural and religious sensitivity of the other party into consideration. Indian deligates who are mostly Hindu aren't served any beef dish. The ones from Islamic nations aren't served pork or wine. The Americans in Saudi Arabia celebrate Christmas, considered unislamic in a ship off the coast of the Kingdom. Examples galore.

In this context nothing wrong with India hosting the Taliban foreign minister from Afghanistan if its suits the former's national interest. In this context, if not having a woman journalist in a press conference serves long term national goal, it's fine. It may be hypocrisy, but worldly wise. 

Saturday, October 11, 2025

Happy birthday JP

 Jayaprakash Narayan is amongst the numerous great persons born in the month of October (incidentally he died in the same month also) and one of our much forgotten heroes. For me, he is synonymous with his opposition to the historic, draconian  Emergency imposed in June, 1975 and his role in the Lok Sabha (Parliament) elections that followed in March 1977, when Indira Gandhi who had imposed emergency called it off and announced fresh election only to be drowned by the Janata (Party) Tsunami.


As a 8 year old, I have little memory of the Emergency, but still remembering the headlines on newspaper The Times of India "JP WAVE UNABATED" (used to be delivered in Bhubaneswar by flights from Delhi in the evening). Jayaprakash Narayan fondly addressed as JP and LOK NAYAK (Leader Of The People) was creating waves across North India which wiped away the entire Congress from the cow belt. His slogan "SINGHASAN KHALI KARO, KI JANATA A RAHI HAI (Relinquish power, as Janata Juggernaut is on its way) caught the imagination of the masses in North India where the Congress Party was literally wiped out. (Though North India punished Indira Gandhi for Emergency, South India solidly stood behind her as she swept the Southern states).

I remember my father and uncle clinging to the radio to get the latest election results from BBC whom the public those days trusted it more for authentic news as AIR (All India radio) was the government's propaganda mouthpiece (Have things changed much these days) ? Late in the night came the news of Indira Gandhi and her son Sanjay's defeat followed by spontaneous celebrations on streets.

Indira Gandhi was defeated by Raj Narain, a political buffoon of the time and her son Sanjay by a local duffer goon. I remember fireworks going up lighting the sky and celebrations near SOOCHANA BHAWAN (Information center) in Bhubaneswar, only source of latest news those days, when internet, social media and for the most TV was strictly fantasy.

Delhi also didn't sleep that night when its denizens went on a frenzied celebration spree. I still remember the pictures next day of folks in bell bottom pants and long sideburns dancing on streets of our capital city flashed on Newspapers.

The man who sowed the seeds of the first anti-Congress government at the center with his concept of "Total Revolution" and united different political factions from socialist left to Right Wing under a single umbrella called Janata Party, is now India's a much forgotten and neglected hero. Khushwant Singh who interacted with many Who's & Who's during his long life span, mentioned JP as the top 5 personalities he admired -  "this man was so powerful and charismatic, yet so down to earth that though an extremely busy person he would give an audience and a patient hearing to everyone, big or small who visited him". 

Without him, Indira Gandhi could have defeated the fragmented opposition (she in fact swept the South and portions of Gujarat and Maharashtra who stood solidly with her despite the Emergeny) and possibly christened herself as the Queen of India and her son Sanjay as the Crown Prince. Thanks mostly to JP,  it didn't happen and democracy survived in India. Indira was to be taught a lesson. Otherwise she could might have made India her dictatorship. Emergency was probably her testing ground for that.

Soon after his death, the Janata Party splintered. Many likes Laloo Yadav who grew under JP's shadow promising to help the poor, ended up making himself and his family rich by indulging in rampant corruption. His followers forgot him and his ideology. Lot of things currently across the country echoes the times of Emergency days, yet vindicating history repeats itself and those who forget history are condemned to repeat it. HAPPY BIRTHDAY Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Narayan, last but the least one more of our forgotten heroes.

Tuesday, October 7, 2025

The Cuttack riots of October 2025

 The recent riots in Cuttack (Kataka in Odia) is extremely exasperating, especially Odisha is not known as a communal state by any yardstick. Odias in general are peace loving folks who being perennially afraid of police prefer to stay away from trouble (KALE POLICE CASE HEI JIBA - for they are mortally scared of facing police cases). Not any more as modern day Odias can't stay away from trouble these days, attracted to violence like moth to fire.

I love the city of Cuttack though have been a frugal visitor to the Silver city. Never seen the two iconic educational institutes for which the city is better known - Ravenshaw College and the SCB Medical College in my life due to lack of opportunity to visit them. Forgotten when was the last time I visited Cuttack. It was probably quarter of a century ago.

Cuttack and Bhubaneswar form a Twin city, separated by distributaries of river Mahanadi. A la twins, me a Pukka Bhubaneswariya (hard-core Bhubaneswar guy) and my friends from the city of Cuttack fight a lot among ourselves like siblings do. During my growing up days, Cuttack was the big brother, a happening city and Bhubaneswar its poorer twin. The later was regarded as a city of immigrants lacking a coherent culture of its own, termed by many as GOLAM NAGARI (The City of Slaves) ascribing to the salaried class slavish people serving their SARKAR (government) masters vis a vis DILADAAR and BOBAAL (Broad hearted and fun loving) KATAKIAs (denizens of Cuttack). We used to poke fun at our KATAKI friends for their squalor like SAHI (localities) consisting of unplanned houses entwined by narrow lanes filled with stinky, squalid drains compared to us housed in swanky, planned quarters in the squicky clean city of Bhonsar (Bhubaneswar in pronounced locally).

The city-zens from Cuttack boast to be fun loving, considering the 5 or 6 Talkies (local parlance for movie theatres) they had, a decent by the standard of those days and far more than any other city in Odisha at that time. Prominent of them were Grand Cinema, Durga and Nishamani Talkies - the later which played only Hollywood movies. From the quality of mosquitoes (the famous KATAKI MASA is capable of lifting you for miles) to the movies the city sandwiched between the bank of giant Mahanadi river and its tributary Kathajodi river always had an edge over its newly built adjoining capital city. Though critical of Cuttack's fledgling infrastructure, its dirty drains, whenever the latest Hollywood blockbuster hits the Nishamani theatre in Cuttack, especially a movie of my teenage crush Brooke Shields, I lose no time to visit Cuttack to watch her movies.

In this context, widespread riots which followed stone pelting on a "BHASANI" (immersion) procession of Maa Durga look out of place. Such things common in the Hindi cow belt states were rarely heard in the state of Odisha. But as us, also alluded as "DEKHA SIKHA" (Copycat) Odias who readily love to ape North Indian culture, this is another feather added to our cap. It was sad to see swanky departmental stores and a KFC outlet being ransacked and vandalized. Those involved in violence and pilfering aren't ideology mongers, but plain thugs and scums taking advantage of the grim situation.

Few years ago another place impacted by similar imbroglio was Bhadrak, a place associated with my childhood memories. I spent solid 5 years in that small town before migrating permanently to Bhubaneswar in the year 1976 and after finishing Class III at BANKA lower primary school in that city. Still remember living close to dusty embarkment of river Shalandi, high enough to protect the neighborhood from being marooned during monsoon floods, snaking its way through the sleepy city.

One of my first memories is my father, a huge fan of drama, cinema and theaters taking me to watch "Mogal Tamasha", a local theater  which best depicted the assimilation of Hindu and Muslim cultures. Still imprinted in my mind are images of our rental home in a predominantly Bengali neighborhood with multiple Muslim households scattered around, forming a sizable part of community and my friend circle in school. Still remember my school friends from class III with nick names SAIBA (A local variation of Sahib who sadly passed away recently), KRESTO (Krishnendu Guha), PATHANA (Rezamuddin Khan), PECHA (Owl), CHHELI (the Goat) who was a fast climber of KARAMANGA (Star fruit) trees and so on. All these thoughts came floating by when I heard the news of riots, same as an old song over radio waves wafting in, bringing in the memories associated with that time.

What is the commonality between the cities of Cuttack and Bhadrak which has turned communal in recent past ? Both stood as symbol of communal harmony. As usual, the blame game has well begun, before anything is even half done. Political parties are now accusing each other of complicity. In this murky world of alternate truth and fake news, the truth is the main casualty. Like Nero fiddled as Rome burned - the inept and corrupt administration is caught napping while taking its summer siesta post an afternoon bout of PAKHALA as Cuttack burnt.

An official statement of "the situation is tense but under control" has been issued - a standard bureaucratic practice from the Doordarshan (the solitary government controlled TV channel) days since 40 years ago. More than any official or administrative magic, let's keep faith in time as time is the best healer, keeping our fingers crossed and hoping for the best - for unlike many other Indian states communal violence is not the forte of Odisha. Let's keep it that way.

Monday, October 6, 2025

Kumar Purnima 2025

The festival of KUMAR PURNIMA (The Full Moon day of Youth) is celebrated in Odisha on the auspicious day of SHARAT PURNIMA, also known as the "Hunters Moon", the Full Moon immediately following the DASAHARA festival. This year Kumar Purnima is being celebrated today.

Unlike the more prominent national festivals of DASAHARA and DIWALI, sandwiched between these two major festivals, KUMAR PURNIMA is very specific to the state of Odisha. The occasion is perfect when the prickly heat and slushy ground post the monsoon season gives way to a balmy, salubrious weather under a clear blue sky, culminating in full blown "Hunters moon" smiling on top of the sky, playing hide and seek with floating fleecy white cloud.

The young, nubile Odia girl prays this day aspiring for a handsome groom, her Knight-in-Shining-Armor dream man to lift her in his strong, loving, caring arms to the distant full moon smiling up above the sky. Boys and girls alike attire themselves in their brand new sets of clothes. Varieties of PITHA (rice based cakes) are cooked at home from the thinner variety called CHAKULI to the baked variety of slightly larger than Golf ball size "ENDURI PITHA", which are no doubt healthy and tasty, but BIRI or lentil component in it produces a lot of gas. My favorite is the rice based MANDA PITHA which is stuffed with grated coconut laced with jaggery.

During our childhood days, we used to have an extended Puja vacation in our village near Puri, with the much awaited Kumar Purnima a fitting finale to the extended Puja holidays. My first memory goes back to 1976, exactly 49 years ago under a sparkling silver moon, we kids would moon around the tall coconut trees, creating clouds of dust in the surrounding, still struggling to digest the sumptuous lunch of NADIA KHECHADI (ghee laced yellow rice with sprinkled grated coconut), Sweet Dal and an array of other delicacies, singing together...

JANHI PHOOLA THO THA,
KAKUDI PHOOLA THO THA.
GUNDUCHI MUSA KAHI JAUCHI CHAULA MUTHE THOI THA.

roughly transliterated...

Ridge Gourd flowers go burst, 
Cucumber flowers go burst.
The Squirrel has spread message,
Keep a handful of Rice for forage.

Today 49 years later, I stand in my backyard under a spotted blue sky due to partly cloudy on a cool, windy evening deriving vicarious pleasure of another time looking at the full moon rising behind a starry sky through the pine trees - the virtual substitute for the coconut trees back home, as the swaying, chirping little birdies crisscross the crimson sky of the twilight. The plumpy, brown feral cat in my backyard chases away a squirrel, reminding me of the lanky kitty cat "Tipu" staring at us kids in our village from a safe distance as we went frolicking around the coconut and betel nut trees. Tips is long dead, but still alive in memory.

The slowly rising full moon goes hiding behind the pine trees, as the leaves swaying to the wind gusts try to wipe the dirt off its surface like a wiper cleaning a car windshield, giving me a clear view of the rabbit on the moon. An array of  Pelicans pass by cawing PAAON PAAON. The brightly moonlit yellow dandelion flowers leaves look brighter, smiling at me, reminding my good old childhood days and the nostalgic memories of a bygone era to cherish forever. HAPPY KUMAR PURNIMA TO ALL.

Sunday, October 5, 2025

Singapore

 A decade ago I visited the city-state of Singapore. I was impressed by the place, professionalism and discipline displayed by its citi-zens and enforced by the government. Singapore's success as a nation is exemplary, we all know about that.

The country don't meddle in international affairs and mind their own business. Being a business friendly country it has earned the respect of the whole world. So much so that, US President Trump and North Korean dictator Kim Un Jung agreed to meet at Singapore for their summit. Singapore did something rare - making the two agree to Singapore to host the summit. One has to point a gun at both the heads of Trump and Kim Jung Un to make them agree on something.

But a tiny thing about a tiny animal did not go unnoticed to me - the conspicuous absence of mosquitoes over there. One would expect Singapore being a tropical country to have lots of mosquitoes. In reality, it is other way round. Though tropical and an ideal ground for breeding of these blood sucking parasites, it is mostly free of them, thanks to the cleanliness and civic sense of the citizens duly backed by the authorities.

One of the reasons one doesn't get a scratch from mosquito bite can be alluded to a man called Lee Kuan Yew, who built the country from scratch. A diverse nation of quality people, in a short span 50 years, he led its transformation from a struggling nondescript war ravaged port city, to a giant hub of business. It also arguably has the best Healthcare facilities in Asia. Singapore has turned out to be a model state in Asia, least corrupt and the most entrepreneur friendly in Asia.

One example elucidates this culture of civic sense and effective imposition of directives which every country should learn. In the early 1990s once Lee Kuan saw LUNGIs (a loincloth popular with Indians) and underwears visibly hung on the balconies of apartments dotting the city. He immediately ordered a clamp down and soon these obnoxious items soon vanished from the view and stopped dotting the Singapore skyline.

Once Arvind Kejriwal, then the Chief Minister of Delhi made a fake allegation against Delhi. When questioned, the ambassador of Singapore to India just laughed it off. The diminutive Mr. Kejriwal should know that
Singapore is not India. They are formidable and can teach you an unforgettable lesson. They didn't even bother US President Bill Clinton's appeal in 1990s to be lenient to an American citizen who broke the law in the city-state. They will care a hoot about a Delhi CM. 

A la America, Singapore is also the greatest example of diversity. Over the years it has attracted the best talents from across the globe to become the epicenter of trade and commerce. Many who contributed to its growth, originated from another nation. It frequently invites our legendary Odia writer Manoj Das as a cultural consultant, using the expertise of a real expert in the field of culture, who is pretty much ignored in his own nation. That tells part of the story. Singapore which lacked human resource, nurtured human resource in a short span of time to touch the zenith of success.

Experts say Japan stagnated into a lost decade due to its stubborn refusal to diversify. Diversity is not a dirty word, it is dear word. It creates a conducive environment, a confluence of knowledge and ideas for the betterment of the society. Embrace it to leap forward. Desist it to risk going back to the stone age at a fast rate in a faster changing world.

Lee Kuan Yew, the founding father of modern Singapore could envision this. He once famously said " China can draw on a talent pool of 1.4 billion people, but US can draw on the World's 7 billion. " He wasn't far from truth. His death marked end of an era, but the city state of Singapore continued as a modern state. Probably Singapore would not have been where it is today. Singapore today stands an example to its Asian counterparts.

Friday, October 3, 2025

Happy birthday Sashtri jee

The birthday of Mahatma Gandhi always overshadows that of a hardworking, honest, patriot Indian, a great leader who shares October 2 with our Bapuji as his birthday. He is no other than Lal Bahadur Shastri, who was India's Prime Minster, albeight for a short time.

If Lal Bahadur Shastri did not die the fateful day on January 11, 1966, 59 years ago, Rahul Gandhi would most likely be a mid level manager in some private company, only to boast about his great grand father being the first Prime Minister of India and Grandma being a Central Minister, instead of being the CEO and Scion of Congress Party Inc. Only difference, the CEO of a company is accountable to its shareholders, whereas Rahul Gandhi is accountable to none.

Lal Bahadur Sastri was a diminutive man with a towering personality. A charismatic person whose personal integrity was beyond question. He resigned as Railway minister taking responsibility for a train crash, something inconceivable and unthinkable these days. During his one and half years of being at the helm of affairs, he could capture imagination of millions of Indians. 

Thinking him as weak, Pakistan attacked India in 1965, soon to be resoundingly rebuffed. His slogan of the time JAI JAWAN, JAI KISAAN (Hail Soldiers, Hail Farmers) swiftly yielded results in form of yield by farmers which was enough to wipe out India's perennial grain shortage and motivating the soldiers who gave a befitting response to our attacking western neighbor by reaching the outskirts of the city of Lahore. It raised him to the zenith of popularity which unfortunately didn't last long due to his untimely and controversial death on January 11, 1966.

Truth is the first casualty of war. It reminds me of a column by the eminent writer Khushwant Singh. The legendary writer, known to be friendly towards Pakistan was once invited by the Pakistani consulate in Bombay where Premium Scotch and succulent Kabaabs were served. When the Sardar enquired about the occasion for the celebration, he was told that the party was to commemorate Pakistan's victory over India in 1965 War. Khushwant Singh said, "May Allah grant you more and more such imaginary victories and may I be invited to such parties where Premium Scotch is served."

Shastri's premature death brought Indira Gandhi to power, who soon consolidated her position by making the Congress Party her family fiefdom or "BOPA ZAMINDARI" (Father's feudal property). Soon others emulated her, except the Communists (though I have no love for them, I admire them for resisting the family fiefdom politics) and to some extent BJP, though of late it is starting to look more like Congress. Almost all parties, regional or otherwise are now family held Inc.

From the Badal dynasty of Punjab in North to Karunanidhi dynasty in South, from the Biju Dynasty in East, to Siv Sena Dynasty in West, we have examples aplenty. I am sure the history of India would have been different and our generation who were born in late 1960s and early 1970s would have seen a different India today, if Sastri Jee did not die on that fateful cold Soviet night in Tashkent in January 1966.

Thursday, October 2, 2025

Happy birthday Bapu - 2025

Albert Einstein once said this about him - "It is hard to believe such a man in flesh and blood ever walked on the surface of earth". The world famous scientist wasn't far from the truth, as the man he was referring to rightly earned his accolades. We are talking about non other than our BAPU (Father of the Nation), Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, popularly known as MAHATMA (the famous soul) Gandhi.

Born in Gujarat to an upper middle class family, educated in England, Mohandas Gandhi first experimented his peaceful protests against the brutally racist Apartheid regime in South Africa. He subsequently applied the same against the British rule in India. 

Gandhiji (as he was popularly addressed as) experimented with different vices and virtues early in his life, prompting him to write "My Experiment with Truth", where he frankly admitted his distaste for sex when as a young adolescent he had a sexual urge while attending to his ailing father and slipped away momentarily to his wife's bed to fulfill his desire. When he returned, his father had passed away. This incident filled him with remorse and anathema towards sex.

But sometimes his experiment went little too far. At old age of 67 after his wife's death, his experiment of sleeping naked with his nubile niece to test his control over libido attracted a lot of controversy. Tongues started wagging about a man sleeping naked, cajoling his neice to get naked and sleep next to him. His opponents, notably the Muslim League made a big deal out of it doing Gandhi's character assassination. Gandhi finally discontinued this practice after some persuasion by an image conscious Congress party. What happened in dark, stayed in dark.

Newton's 3rd Law says every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Same is applicable to human emotions. Every violent action would naturally follow with an equal or more violent reaction, often leading to a continuous, never ending cycle of revenge. But Mahatma Gandhi decided to fight violence in an exactly opposite manner, using something different and out of box concept called "Non-violence". 

Many with minimal understanding of history who blame Mahatma for launching non violent protests against the British should note that when Gandhi came back from South Africa in January, 1915 violence was not an option as India was not in a position to take the might of the ruling British by force. The last biggest organized mutiny against the was firmly squashed in 1857 as the British broke the last backbone of Indian resistance. Unlike many who believe that English shat in their pants and fled away on the sight of Subash Chandra Bose, militarily Indians never posed any serious threat to British empire. They ruled India with the support of majority of its people using an iron hand who with their efficient spying network could smell like ripe fart any resistance from miles away (For those now ridiculing Gandhi for his nonviolent method of resistance should ask themselves how many Battalions were raised by their idols RSS and Hindu Mahasabha - both were present prior to our independence).

However, his method of protest being unique, immediately caught the eyes of the world at a time when the upcoming electronic media was at its infancy. The world stood up and took notice, appalled by the sight of the "DANDI" march protesters brutally mowed down by the DANDA (stick) of British Police (Indians who formed the majority of the British police force had no qualms hitting or killing their own when ordered by their English masters). The victims didn't show an iota of retaliation or remorse and went ahead with their protest, still taking the blows from police baton and falling injured one after one another, until they couldn't carry on any further. 

This incident was covered extensively by the Western media which brought Gandhi and his unique mode of protest to the the World's attention. Gandhi was an idealist whose idealism did not fail in his missions, though finally he fell to an assassin's bullet. His ideology of non-violence was later replicated by Dr. Martin Luther King Junior half a world away in The United States to fight for the Civil Rights. Dr. King, like his idol Mahatma Gandhi was too assassinated, but both vindicated the efficacy of "Non-violence" as a mode of protest.
When India celebrated its independence, arguably brought by his non-violence means, instead of celebrating, Gandhiji spent the day praying and fasting. He was steadfast in his pursuit for Hindu - Muslim unity, but India was partitioned amidst bloody violence on communal lines, opposite to what he stood for. Gandhi failed to stop the partition from happening.

Post partition, Pakistan asked India to pay Rs.48 crore (480 million), a princely sum those days. India refused to oblige. Bapu wanted India to pay the money to younger brother Pakistan and went on fasting, forcing India to relent and pay the money to its western neighbor. Pakistan used that lump sum amount of money to buy arms and attack India.

As mentioned by the eminent Freedom Fighter and Social reformer from Odisha, Pandit Nilakantha Das who was a contemporary of Gandhijee, the later visited the Satyavadi School in Sakhigopal, near Puri during his trip to Odisha in 1923. Sri Das disagreed with his mode of operandi by getting freedom through spinning wheel of CHARKHA. After completing his public meeting at Puri, it was Gandhi's turn to proceed towards his next stop - Cuttack. 

Gandhi's team suggested that half of them would travel by train and the rest by PADAYATRA (March on foot). But Pandit Nilakantha advised all of them to take the walk, so as to build the momentum of public enthusiasm, giving Gandhi an opportunity to better connect with the local polulace. Gandhijee heeded to Pandit Das's advice, opting for a walk in coastal Odisha. 

On their entire journey Gandhi's entourage survived on boiled rice and vegetables. It was tough on Pandit Nilakantha, a typical Brahmin from Puri who loved his fish curry. Midway, he came across a leper and donated his hand spun KHADADA (crude cotton cloth) to the destitute. Next day, Bapuji encountered a group of KELA (nomads) feasting on Barbecued KATASA (wild cat) who strayed into their camp. 

He went on preaching vegetarianism to them, trying to dissuade them from eating meat. Gandhijee advised them - "Eat milk and ghee which are good for health. Stop committing the HIMSA (violence) of killing animals". But for the poor nomads, milk and ghee were pipe dream, a distance luxury and KATASA MANSA (Wild cat meat) was the crude reality.

After Gandhi's death, his countrymen hardly retained his ideologies. India continued to be riddled with violence of all sorts, later in the form of terrorism. The current affairs of our nation may aptly described by these few lines lifted from the Odia song LE NABEENA from 1981, depicting the sad saga of the Mahatma. (Naveena here depicts the typical down to earth Odia guy, no relationship to any person bearing the same name).

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

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

Happy 156th Birthday to Bapu, the Father of the nation. We may or may not agree with what you did or what you could have done, or whether your out of box experiment with non violence was an useful weapon. But you carved your niche to be the greatest amongst the greats who ever walked on the surface of earth.

Wednesday, October 1, 2025

Durga Puja memories

Durga Puja is thick in the air. Today it culminates on DASAHARA (10th day), after passing ASHTAMI (the 8th day of worship of Goddess Maa Durga) when it is at its peak. The air is filled with its unique flavor - the smell of "JHUNA" (Saal Resin, sweet smelling powder sourced from bark of a tree when lit emits perfumed smoke), the sound of music blaring and the sight of huge idols of Maa Durga on the PENDAL (pedestal). Puja always puts me on a Time Machine, propelling me back to my growing up days in Odisha and certain related events forever etched in my memory.

Once I brought some PRASAD (offering to deities) from Lord Jagannath temple, Puri for the priest at the local temple in the United States. The priest, a Brahmin from Gujarat, was very pleased with what I got for him from the sacred Jagannath DHAM (abode). We sat down chatting, as he asked me about my trip. I told him how much I cherish the fish and goat meat curry in Odisha. He was appalled and could not believe a Brahmin being a voracious eater of fish and a four legged animal. He asked me "AAP BRAHMAN HO KAR KAISE EK JEEV KO KHA SAKTE HAIN" - How can a Brahmin in you could you eat an animal ?

I had no answer, but narrated to him my childhood experience when we used to religiously visit our ancestral village near Puri during Durga Puja vacation - the equivalence of Christmas break in US. It was fun time when post monsoon the air was calm, moonlit nights cool and crispy. The schools, colleges would be in holidays and us in a festive mood. Unlike Diwali in most parts of India, Durga Puja ending in DASAHARA (Dussera) used to the major attraction in Odisha followed by the festival of Kumar Purnima on the following full moon day. Of late this has been somewhat diluted due to rapid cultural invasion from  outside, as our DIPAABALI got converted to DIWALI. 

The most awaited event would be the ASHTAMI (8th day) for the annual ritual of goat sacrifice. On that fateful day villagers would walk in droves to catch a glimpse of BODA HANA(Goat slaughter). The sacrificial BODA (a non-castrated male goat with goatee and smelling horrible) destined for slaughter would be brought in and tied to a post. The priest would arrive chanting MANTRA (hymns) amidst the cacophony of the beating of GHANTA (large brass circular plates). 

A strongly built DHOBA (washerman) of our village with twitched Walrus moustache with its thick end pointing downward would arrive on scene. Wiping off the layers of sweat beads from his forehead, he would unleash a sharp sword glittering under the morning Fall (Autumn) sun. With one massive blow he would detach the head of the goat from its body.

The disoriented torso of the goat would meander a few feet before collapsing, with its eyes wide open, still gaping at the crowd. The priest would collect its blood and offer it to the Goddess. Later on the goat would be skinned and its meat divided equally among the villagers as PRASAD (sacred offering).
This whole episode which created an earthquake in my mind wasn't free from aftershocks. For the next few days all that glittered wasn't gold, rather the unforgettable glittering sword slashing through the goat's neck gave me nightmares of the torso chasing me, the detached head hovering over it, the eyes still open and staring at me. As I tried to flee, it was catching up on me. I tried to outrun it, but still unable to move as the goatly apparition closed on me. I would be up in a flash sweating profusely. My sister sacrificed meat eating after watching one such goat sacrifice on this auspicious day of ASHTAMI. 

Back to the future - the same aftershock came back to life, as our priest from Gujarat in Georgia who was patiently hearing my narration almost fainted. He could not digest this scene happening in a Brahmin village where his counterparts had no issues digesting the scene, followed by meat. I can vouch he was glad that I did not bring any PRASAD from my village. Happy Durga Puja and DASAHARA to all.