The saga of fountain pen

A part and parcel of our childhood memories, an ubiquitous paraphernalia of our early student life was the ubiquitous Fountain Pen. The first modern fountain pen was invented by an American, Lewis Waterman from New York, which revolutionized writing by making it less arduous.

Before that there was no plausible way for a continuous, capillary flow of ink. Many great writers had to contend with the pain of penning down their thought in a staggered manner, going through a tedious loop, the monotony of dipping the pen tip time and again inside the ink bowl to write. Our teachers carried multiple fountain pens inside their bulging shirt pockets. It was not unusual to see leaking pens spilling and blotting their shirts, causing embarrassments and occasionally spilling some beans.

The SULEKHA was the most popular brand of ink and Royal Blue being the more often used color, though I preferred black. The red ink was sparingly used, only for markings and notations by examiners. One had to be very careful while pouring ink after unscrewing the fountain pen, taking care not to spill it, lest it spoils your shirt and surrounding. During the hot weather or due to fewer usage, the nib of the pen would dry out. Shaking it off and letting the Newton's law of gravitation do the rest to make it workable. Sometimes widening the nib with an used razor blade also did the trick.

Razor blade serves multiple purposes. Once in my first job I met a guy from Barhampur, Odisha who came for an interview. Staring at his stained teeth due to over consumption of PAAN (Betel leaves with scented tobacco) I asked him - "Don't you think you need to clean your teeth before your interview" ? He snarled his brown teeth at me - "AJI RAATI RE. TOOPAAZA (Topaz) BLADE NEI DAANTA KURRIBARRA EKKA (Tonight using Topaz blade I will extract all the stains out of my teeth). Not sure if he ever got the job.

The iconic movie 3 IDIOTS pokes fun at our education system - our tendency to prefer complex solutions over simple ones, deliberately obfuscating versus common sense. At beginning of movie the Director of the Engineering College boasts in front of his students showing a pen he designed to work in space, where there is no gravitational pull to pull the ink downwards. The pragmatic yet playful Rancho played by Aamir Khan retorts back with a simpler solution - "Why don't they use pencils in space" ? As they say in Hindi "BADI BADI KHUSIYA HEY CHHOTI CHHOTI BATON MEIN" (Big happiness lies in small talks). The audience instantly burst into laughing after Rancho's impromptu response.

Back to fountain pen, its ink had many multipurpose usages - especially in our school aptly named as Demonstration Multipurpose (DM), a school with a high visibility in Bhubaneswar those days. One fine morning we boys decided to demonstrate the multipurpose utility of our fountain pens. Someone came up with this brilliant, creative idea of using the pen to bring out more playful joy and do justice to its potential of used other than using it for writing. Play HOLI with the fountain pen.

He wetted and painted the back of the front benchers by surreptitiously slashing some blue ink from behind. The front benchers did same by replicating it and passing the buck to the guy ahead of him. By afternoon, most of the guys looked colorful, their starched white shirts now converted to blue and black Polka dotted Hawaiians. Our martinet sports teacher, Hannan Sir spotted us spotted leopards and tried his best to get to the bottom to dig out the culprit who started it.

Like "NIRMULI LATA" or rootless creeper, which curls it's way from plant to plant, making it is very difficult to trace its roots, our teacher's curiosity to trace its source was futile. In spite of his best efforts, he could not get to the root of the matter. Frustrated, he punished all of us by forcing us into a tiring run around a field, along the edges of Eucalyptus trees. The Holi celebration written in ink had an unholy ending as no one ever dared to play this ink throwing game again.

Towards the end of the 1980s the  Fountain Pen started dying a slow, natural death, unable to compete with ball point pens which slowly took over. The Reynolds brand, unique of its kind and only available in Bhubaneswar those days were so popular that I used to get big orders and acted as a mule, carrying bagfuls of them to my eagerly waiting Engineering College friends in Rourkela.

Have you observed that no matter what, when you use some one's pen it has certain inertia associated with it. For a few more minutes it is not unusual for one to get this ghostly feeling of possessed by the last owner, as your handwriting tends to take the shape of the previous user of the pen. It had made me wonder how come my handwriting suddenly got better.

Now writing with a fountain pen is going to be of mountainous proportion, a real pain. Only left are nostalgic memories to cherish, which is going to die with our generation, as photo films, telegram and handwritten letters did. Wish you all had a Happy and Colorful Holy-day sans ink. 

Our social media warriors

 The ongoing Israel-US's war on Iran has set cat amongst pegions within social media in India. Many hitherto united due to their hatred against current Modi-BJP disposition are not only highly divided about a war where the Government of India has taken a neutral stance, they are rabidly warring among themselves more than the current war, being already divided and taking opposite sides. It is often outrageous and occasionally outright funny to see their clash of thoughts and watch them debating on social media. Those having opinions about the ongoing war in the Gulf fall into the following categories.

1. The Indian Liberals - especially those from an Eastern state of India known to have a long Commie leaning are not unexpectedly staunchly anti-USA although their idol Russia and comrade China have long relinquished communism and have a perfectly working relationship with the United States. America is certainly not above criticism and they have every right to be critical of its policies. But here comes their hypocrisy - they don't send their kids to Moscow or Beijing, rather to Marlyland or Boston and try their best to get American Visa for themselves. (One of my college mates and a huge critic of America had his US Visa rejected). If Hypocrisy would be an event in the Olympics, they would win Gold medal hands down.

2. Hard core Bhakts and supporters of Modi/BJP - They love to hate Iran and have a crush on Israel. Since time immemorial they have been cheering every time the Jewish nation bombs Hamas, Gaza or Iran. Some of them even address Israel as "Salom Dost" (salute my friend). Don't think common Israelis ever reciprocate in same frenzy and address us Indians as "Namaste Mitron". Even if Modi hugged Netanyahu (the later reciprocated the former's hug by an apparently uncomfortable embrace not to be seen as diplomatically impolite in public), the Israeli Prime Minister's "Fraandly" response was more strategic than any meaningful friendship with Modi. I am sure the Isreali commoners share the same feelings, without having any great love for us.

A few of them who are rabid Muslim haters are supporting Iran because of their antipathy towards Trump ever since the American President, once the darling of India's right wing now turned into rabid Trump/America haters. They are behaving like jilted lovers ever since their idol Modi was ditched by his Fraand Dolaand for his new love Pakistan. They come with their own confused defense of their support for Israel but opposition to USA - we stand with the Iranian public but are against their Ayotollah leadership. They are against American attack on Iran, at same time they're for Israeli attack on Iran, as if the results of their attacks are any different. Have you ever heard of more confusing opinions ! Regardless, the deserve a Silver medal in hypocrisy.

3. Indian Muslims - No surprise or hypocrisy here. They were anti Israel and Trump from the beginning, they are still now. Most of their love towards Iran dwell on religious affinity rather than understanding of the complex Middle East crisis. While they are critical of killing of innocents in Gaza (I too consider killing of innocents as inhuman), they are conspicuously silent of the attack by Hamas on innocent Israelis and the atrocious atrocities of the Iranian Mullahs on their own citizens, especially women. Bronze medal in hypocrisy goes to them.

Regardless of what's happening in the Middle East, the issue is too complicated to be solved militarily. A long term political solution is the key no one is talking about. Forget laymen like us, even professional foreign policy analysts have no clue about any long lasting solution. Middle East, what a mess !

Happy Women's Day

 There is a song from Amitabh Bachchan's blockbuster movie "KHUDDAR" which was released in the year 1982 where the tall actor who was the unquestioned Superstar, King and the one man Bollywood industry sings onscreen the Kishore Kumar's song -

"MAA KA PYAAR, BEHAN KYA PYAAR,
KABHI KABHI DULHAN KYA PYAR,
TERE PYAAR KA RANG HAZAAR".

Roughly transliterated...

"Mother's love, Sister's love,
Sometimes the love of the beloved,
Their love comes colored in thousands".

March 8 being the Women's day reminded me of this song from my teenage years. The love of mother and sister is in its purest form, precious and unadulterated, like the clear Spring water bubbling out of the top of a glacial mountain. It is perennially pristine, unequivocally soothing, unwavering and unflinching. When I go to India, my mother's hug and caressing hands used to feel so soothing, something I longed for days, months and years. Mother's love is panacea to all ills plaguing mind and body, heart and soul. Unfortunately she is no more. I am yet to get over the loss and probably never will.

The love of the beloved comes next, with the disclaimer of "Kabhi Kabhi" (sometimes) tied to it. It reminds me of another Bollywood movie titled "DULHAN WOHI JO PIYA MAN BHAYE" - "Beloved is the one who keeps her Lover happy". In my opinion, it applies other way round too. It is also the duty of a lover to keep his beloved happy, the men to keep their women happy, yet our misogynistic society rarely mentions about it. (Bollywood is still a misogynistic institution, filled with nepotism and hypocrisy. Otherwise how could be a silly movie like "Animal" released few years ago where a woman asks a man to lick his shoes be a big hit making millions) ?

But unfortunately with the progress of time, in the age of cutting edge technology where thoughts can fly in twinkle of an eye, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robots are replacing humans, the world has become anything but respectable to the fairer sex. Women are still belittled, harassed, persecuted, suffer from inequality and often treated as sex objects. There are plenty of stories of battered women, not from slums but from the so called elitist families. Discussing it here is beyond the scope of this blog. But I can say with confidence that I personally know many Indians and folks of Indian origin here in America boasting openly about treating their women as doormats, humiliating their wives in public like drop of a hat to prove their masculinity and indulged in rampant cheating.

I am now reminded of the Hindi saying - "MUCHHE WOHI RAKHTE HAIN JIN KE APNI MARDANGI PAR SHAQ HOTI HAI". Roughly transliterated it means - "Those who keep Moustache are those who got doubts on their masculinity". Similarly, those who needlessly boss over their women have an inferiority complex about their masculinity. I remember a scene from movie "ARJUN PUNDIT" where actor Sunny Deol slaps actress Juhi Chawla. An angry and humiliated Juhi retorts back - "AGLI BAAR IS HAATH KISI MARD PE UTHANA (next time you better try hitting a man using this hand of yours). I consider it isn't masculinity, rather a cowardly, despicable act to physically hit a woman universally considered as the weaker sex.

One guy, who doesn't live very far off from me well known for conquering whores once bragged in front of me that women should be treated as slaves and physically beaten, then quoting an Odia proverb to drive his convoluted logic -

"NAARI, GADHA, BHRUTYA AAU  DHOLA,
TANKU JETE BADEIBA SETE BHALA".

Roughly translated

"Women, Donkey, Servants and Drum,
The more you beat, the better they Perform". 

It made me feel sick to my stomach. I told him impromptu on his face in no uncertain terms, LOUD and CLEAR, that I COMPLETELY DISAGREED with him and believe that beating women, animals or servants is not only utterly disgraceful, it is cowardice, despicable act and the ultimate form of indecency. 

The fairer sex is no more the weaker sex. Things are changing of late, though not as fast we would desire. Still facing hurdles in their life, women have come a long way, matching mano to womano. They have succeeded, equalled and even bettered men in myriads fields. We still have some catch up to do and miles to go before achieving the gender equality of accepting women as equals. On the occasion of Women's Day I salute all women who have made a significant difference to my life, contributing to it, shaping my knowledge and character, like a potter shaping pottery out of clay. Happy Women's Day to all !!!

Ides of March

 Beware of the Ides of March. As weather warms up with the arrival of spring, the month began with a turbulent world heating up Middle East as war and turmoil there continues unabated with no sign of Russia's war against Ukrain ending anytime soon. It is further accentuated by uncertain economic future ransomed by Trump initiated war.

Historically nothing new about a tumultuous March as it brings back memories from a major historical event tied to this month eons ago, when Julius Caesar, the scion of the great Roman Empire was murdered inside the Senate by his own insidious colleagues, many he believed were his friends.

Julius Caesar was a fascinating character in history, a great general and politician, a handsome, muscular, flat stomach man with a magnetic persona, the Knight-in-Shining armor darling of the Roman women presiding over 50 million people of the Great Roman empire at its zenith of power, extending from Britain to Syria, from Bavarian Alps to North Africa. 50 million was a gargantuan population 2,000 years ago.

With success comes jealousy, rivalry, enemies and backstabbers. This has been since time immemorial, a basic human nature unaffected by passage of time. Caesar was a victim of his own success. In the quest for power a person's near and dear ones (as usual) can be your worst enemies. We have this Odia adage - "ANTI CHHURI TANTI KATE" (the waist knife can cut your throat, or your so called near and dear ones are the first ones to backstab you). It was vindicated two millenniums ago that politics invariably and eventually trumps over military. Most who planned Caesar's assassination were his close friends, especially his closest buddy Brutus of "Et To Brutus" fame. Those were Julius Caesar's last words as Brutus pulled the dagger on him to snuff life from his body.

Historians differ on how close Brutus was to Caesar. Some say they were extremely close. Others say it wasn't so, as Brutus once unsuccessfully rebelled against Julius and was pardoned by the later for he was the son of Caesar's mistress. He always had a grudge against Julius to settle, for he harbored the humiliation of often taunted for his mother's allegedly affair with Caesar. It is said Brutus's mother simply couldn't resist and succumbed to Julius's charm. Personal anger and jealousy can be a lethal concoction leading a person to get vindictive. Brutus was waiting for the opportune moment to push the dagger on Julius to backstab him.

The role of another Mistress of Caesar, the powerful Egyptian Queen Cleopatra in this imbroglio can't be ignored. She was from Royal Egyptian bloodline with a legendary blend of beauty and brain, a talented woman who spoke multiple languages and dabled in politics and medicines with equal aplomb. Cleopatra who was rumored to take bath in pure milk to preserve her beauty accentuated Caesar's ambition to be the ruler of great Roman empire by suggesting subjugation of Senate - the people's elected body. She too fell for Julius Caesar's irresistible charm.

Power could be an addictive aphrodisiac and its still now. Thousands years down the road we have seen democratically elected leaders soon developing dictatorial tendencies - Indira Gandhi, Trump, Modi and many more included. Cleopatra, who was the daughter of a politician from Egypt's powerful establishment and quite familiar with the palace intrigues saw this coming. It is said that based on a dream she had the night before her husband's Brute(al) assassination, she warned Julius Caesar to be on guard. But drunk with sheer public adulation, fame and the accompanied over confidence he chose to ignore her, least expecting an assault to come from his close friends on his familiar Senate floor.

Power often prevents the powerful from being aware of the vacuum surrounding them, keeping them myopic not to be able to see the approaching storm, leaving them off guard and vulnerable. China's all powerful President Xi Jinping who has consolidated power in China, the second largest powerful country in world couldn't see Corona virus coming. Trump ignored it only to pay a price of getting defeated after his first term. In India, Indira Gandhi, the iron lady Prime Minister with dictatorial tendencies was assassinated at the peak of her power when she was a pan Indian cult figure.

From Shakespeare's novel it looks as if the attack on Caesar was impromptu on that fateful Spring day inside the Roman Senate. But the sinister plot to kill him was hatched long before and later implemented to perfection. Gladiators were kept ready as back up, in case the best laid plan went wrong. Caesar was assassinated on the Senate floor as planned.

Plenty of water has flown in the river Tibur (the bank on which the city of Rome was established ) since that fateful day in the month of March. Guns, bombs, missiles have replaced dagger as the killing machine. Humans can fly into space and their thought can travel at twinkle of their eyes, with the world shrunk to a global village as Artificial intelligence and Robots take over.

Yet for quest of absolute power politics, the backroom deals, back stabbing, jealousy,  assassinations, leaders with dictatorial tendencies vying to consolidate power hasn't changed over the past 2000 years. The basic human nature hasn't changed at all. March has just started, we are not done with it yet. Beware of the Ides of March.