Raw nerve

No more blogposts until I improve my Verbal Reasoning.

Twisted Nerve

One thing that needs to be stressed more than ever before in modern times is the distinction between forced marriages and arranged marriages. However, before opening 'Pandora's Box', we ought to evaluate the recent media frenzy surrounding the other "Abedin", with particular focus on interfaith relationship.

Whilst the stricture on interfaith relationship in Asian culture mystifies many people from this part of the hemisphere, it helps to take a look at the history of 1947 India before saying, "What's the big deal, man? we live in the 21st Century!!!" The point is, why such restriction? Why is she the victim? Are her parents not the victims? and more importantly, So what are the cultural norms in Bengali Muslim society?

Starting with the last question, first. Cultural setting in a Bengali Muslim society. It varies. In most cases, members form an inclusive relationship within a family where there is a strong bond. I find this difficult to articulate because cultural settings of Bengalis cannot be defined in two short sentences nor can it be defined elaborately, and unless an individual lives in this part of the society, he/she will surely fail to appreciate aspects of this society that seem nonsensical the Western world (and I do apologise for using the taboo 'W').

What does outrage me is, in Humayra's case, I believe her parents' are the victims. Which now takes me on to tackling my question on the victims' issue. Now you may disagree with me on this matter since it was Humayra's parents who locked her up. Firstly, I strongly doubt they would have slaughtered her. Putting aside their actions over the last couple of months, are they not the same two individuals who gave her life? There is no history of them having abused her as a child. Hence, we cannot assume two psychotic twisted individuals to be the parents of a trainee doctor. They have not restricted her career aspirations. Moreover, and secondly, perhaps the only thing they could ever desired from their daughter is for her to marry someone who is from the similar background (Religious/Cultural/Education/Status Quo). Most likely, and obviously, this was in the best intention for Humayra's long-term wellbeing, as it is what any right-minded parent would wish for. Although not all parents in Bangladesh are fussy to this extent, Humayra's parents have stressed on compatibility, and surely, Humayra was aware from a very early age.

Where I do feel empathetically for Humayra is that she was not on a similar level of thought to her parents' wishes, and loved a man as a human being without creed. She may well have been aware of the consequence of this disparity of thought between herself and her parents. In which case, where overwhelming love could not reconcile with parental expectations, she could surely have been emancipated from her parents ??? On the other hand, her parents' could have disowned her instead of creating this embarassing saga.

While it may not be a sin to love someone of another faith and while it is not impossible to show affection as a human being, we must bear in mind that it is a greater sin to knowingly hurt others be it feelings or using violence.

Emon Deshti Kothao Khuje Pabe Nako Tumi: AlieNation

On coming 16th December, Bengalis (of Bangladesh) will remember the 37th year of independence of Bangladesh from Pakistan. It may seem monotonous to religiously recall this day; a bit like Christmas with recurring Christmas jingles throughout the month but without the presents to compensate for. However, the event of Bangladesh marks a significant day in the history of Bengal and the end to a sad 9 months prior to establishing a proud and a patriotic nation. Yet after the same 37 years, we continue to strive as a nation, unable to put our differences aside and work collectively. A certain portion of us (Bengalis) take shelter under our orthodox beliefs, perhaps sometimes to save our backs for our misdeeds.

A short telefilm, based on the same name given for this blog post, inspired me to write about my fragmented country of origin. When an expatriate (of native ancestry) visits the place, it is of course far from utopia. Initially, there is not so much of a sense of belonging. But eventually, some may even love this country. It’s like Hajj for a culturally-deprived Bengali. Although, individual experiences will probably differ.

My subject is more on the ranks of diversity, based on one colour, and yet many degrees of thoughts. The best example I can give to you is about the mullah (Religious man) who lives next door in Bangladesh. This guy is rather amusing; he refuses to stare at women whilst speaking to them, is pretty orthodox, and has an interest-free current account at Standard Chartered (An elitist bank in Bangladesh, which many of you may know, charges interest on other account packages) as opposed to having one in an Islamic Bank (which does not accept interest per se). In this instance, the secular individuals would be ultra-critical of Mr Mullah. Then again, on the other end of the spectrum, is the Bengali who flies off on a honeymoon to another Islamic nation – Malaysia. I would like to quote her humorous conversation with the Malay waiter, as she placed an order for two, “Excuse me. Can we order items that do not contain Pork/Bacon because we’re Muslims? And can we have two bottles of beers, please?!!” On this note, Mr Mullah will be ultra-critical of Ms Honeymoon. But neither Mullah nor Ms Honeymoon hold a monopoly over what it is to be a Bangladeshi. Heritage of Bengal goes a long a way back, and thus, identity should not be confined to a mere 37 years.

Both Mullah and Ms Honeymoon are Bengalis living in a nation that comprises of a cosmopolitan and religiously indigenous population equally, but it is a nation that is not defined by multiculturalism as is Britain. When in Bangladesh, it seems okay to be different. Whilst the definition of being a Bengali might be loose, it is in that definition, Bangladesh – a kedgeree nation – has its own unique spot on the world map.

If

"You'll never get anywhere if you go about what-iffying like that... would Columbus have discovered America if he said, 'What if I sink on the way over...'" - Willy Wonka (Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator)

Autopsy

"You must philosophise
But why must you bore me to tears?
You're red around the eyes
You tell me things no one else hears
You spend all your time crying
Crying the hours in tears" (Fairport Convention)

A little more educated, yet none the more wiser. If past mistakes had to be learnt, it would be easier to say that the world is a better place. But no. It doesn't work like that. The complexities, and burnt holes in the pocket are self-inflicted, and the price is paid for by the (un)fortunate few who aren't in the boat of the 2 million unemployed in this forsaken country.

We could do well with an autopsy in the morgue of 2m. Instead, some further errors are made. The best examples are Dick Cheney endorsing McCain, and Palin as McCain's running mate. It amuses me that we still have abundant room for mistakes. Flattering as it may be to a Dog, it's a shame they can't rule the world!

Lady D'Arbanville

Pareto's Law - the 80:20 principle

It is not possible to determine whether the 80:20 rule applies to the ratio of, 'the number of people who are familiar with this economic law to the number of people who aren't.' Nevertherless, Pareto's law is just as intriguing and absorbing as Adam Smith's free market economics when confronted with in the first instance, and probably as contrary to free market dynamics.

And it is even inspiring that one UK company has established itself as Pareto Law: "Pareto Law takes its name from Vilfredo Pareto’s 80:20 principle. This economic law stated that 80% of Italy’s wealth was owned by a mere 20%. Putting this theory into business practice, Pareto Law believe that 80% of a company’s business will be generated by 20% of the sales team."

In business terms, the theory is precise if taken from a relative perspective, and not so much absolute. Say - for example - if you were look at the proportion of power (by that, I refer to control) in a company, you might find that 20% are top-level management who have 80% control, whilst 80% company labourers (including mid-management) may possibly have a 20% influence over that respective company. The amusing thing is that disproportion could not have been more optimal and even more of a paradox in the case of Pareto. While the numerator may have more influence than the denominator, it changes under a totally different scenario. Now take tangible output in a company; the workers will be responsible for 80% of tangible output, while the top-level will constituate for the other 20%. It can be refined over and over and that's the beauty of 80:20...

Still, 80:20 is not confined to business. Look around you, when you see disproportion or inequality, you might think of Pareto.

Foreign Language ad

After an idea session with a good friend (Arthashasthra) earlier today, I thought to post two Bengali adverts. Both were directed by Mustafa Sarwar Farroukhi - a new-age director who has revolutionised "video fiction" - and amidst the depressingly global "character crunch" (as Bremner puts it), we need some fun entertainment!

Citycell Zoom (Internet) advert is a very clever (/irony) advert for the following reasons:

• It was shot in Bangladesh, where nearly everything in day-to-day life seems to be uniquely chaotic. Thus, the happy-go-lucky foreign woman (Stella) decides to swim across the river after encountering an incomplete bridge.
• She is going to Rup Nagar (The town of Beauty)!!!!
• She meets her sweetheart Masud Rana (twisted tale from the classic Bengali version of 'James Bond', and is a popular read in Bangladesh; Masud Rana often has foreign girlfriends)

Now for the second ad - Freshgel (Mukh Safai)

Freshgel is humour/parody of melodramatic asian daytime soap operas. Some points to consider:

• Materialistic Choudhury (the old man) is not happy for his son to wed the daughter, and has a filthy mouth for that matter
• The mother of the girl (old woman) retorts, saying Choudhury needs to clean his breath before he splurs out any further jibberish
• Freshgel does the trick ;-)

Shishuna Kal Gelo

Lalon and Baul songs have been in the Bengali music scene for many centuries. Historically, this type of music was sung by Fakirs/Sufis. The songs are often extremely crude and unrefined. In recent times, contemporary musicians have revived the Bengali musical heritage, and it continues to be sung.

The beauty of Baul is that - like Sufism - the words are mystical. The interpretation comes with the depth of understanding, while the music is simple. Baul transmits shallow vibes as much as it conveys depth through words.

420

For those of you not familiar with the term "420" please click on the following link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Section_420

And if the definition is not suffice, watch the video above. Skip the first 5:30 minutes, and then start watching when the young lady holds a flip flop. The script is in Bengali, and you will notice that she repeatedly says, "Bhatphar". The term 420 is also known as "Bhatphar".

It may seem ironical that the lady is as unfortunate as much as she is lucky. Many victims of 420s may not be able to do the same.

Suicidal depression

This issue has been lingering on my mind for a while now... I was meaning to write something on the matter and post it last week. The only factor being that the media has presented alot of speculation on the state of the economy. Most people - who are not directly affected by the current economic situation (i.e. professionals in sectors other than finance) - may feel dismissive and callous, claiming the media is feeding us "exaggerated cr*p". Indeed, the whole issue of the eroding financial system of the West is well over-publicized. But I - myself - am in a state of panic, and would declare this sovereign nation to be experiencing "suicidal depression".

Firstly, when Lehmen Brothers collapsed, some professor at Imperial College stated that UK will not experience a severe/direct exposure by the fall. Merely for the reason that the US mortgage market is directly hit by this loss, as opposed the the UK market. In my opinion, it is severe and has - as subsequently witnessed with Lloyds Halifax - allowed room for speculation on the trading floors.

Namely, SPML and Preferred were the two subsidiary mortgage firms in the UK owned by Lehman Brothers (LB). This is just a strand of the impact of LB in the UK. And even if 5,000 job losses may not sound so much, the effect will take in the form of a "spill-over"/"knock-on" effect. This means that there are 5,000 more jobseekers in the job market, far more experienced than a graduate with the same competencies, with the likelihood of competition for a secure position going up. The effect also implies, the amount of tax per working head increasing (and that includes the callous people mentioned in the first para :P). If the redundant workers do manage find a similar position to that of their former employment, chances for a fresh graduate (of an equal calibre) are slim in the niche job market, and thus, unemployment will rise together with state benefit for those who seek it.

However, it is not only LB, or the recent acquisition of Lloyds that solely distort the demand-supply side of job cuts. If we were to open a copy of a generic newspaper, we would still find that many organisations are cutting back owing to the "credit crunch". This brings me to my next area of focus - recession. When the "credit crunch" took its toll earlier last year, it was anticipated that the gloomy economy is susceptible to remain the same for another year. Unfortunately, with institutions disintegrating or being nationalised, the inclination for the reversal of gloom to bloom will roughly take another several years at the best.

In a nutshell, we are living through bad times if not as brutal as living in countries experiencing war. If ex-fed man Alan Greenspan (BBC) can be shocked at the intensity of the current economic crises, we are sure to be witnessing a well-documented story for the books of timeless history.

Retreat - Wall Street 2: The sequel

Back in 1987, in Wall Street, Gordon Gekko - in defence of capitalism - delivered his most memorable proverb, "Greed is Good."

Twenty one years later, after the nationalisation of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the two largest financial institutions the world has ever known), should Gordon choose to be wiser, will he re-evaluate what he meant by "Greed"?

Under the assumption that free market is far more commercially effective than a planned economy, it would have been almost unthinkable to question the free market dynamics. This has now turned into a harsh reality. We now question capitalism to the core; and indeed the new synergy "Sociocap" (allowing the state to combine two extreme political/economic systems: Socialism + combining it with Capitalism). Is there such a thing?

I am a little disappointed. Capitalism builds dreams and skyscrapers. Sociocap, on the other hand, pick up the pieces when the dreams shatter. Under Capitalism, we have aspirations and we strive to outperform. Under Sociocap, we are a mere bunch of failures, stretching out for every penny that is dropped.

Going back to the original point of thought, this is the most crucial time to bring my friend and foe 'Gekko' on the big screen. Think. Try and imagine how he could guide us to a contemporary set of virtuous sins by delivering another memorable speech in a sequal to 'Wall Street.'

*Inspired by "We are all Capitalists now? Not any longer" - The Times newspaper (12/09/08)

Humble hunger and humility

In the month of Ramadan, when one has to forsake the taste of sumptuous delights in order to find the spiritual greater inner-self, throughout the day it becomes a challenge to remain tolerant on an empty stomach. This month tests those adherents with their generosity, their understanding, their empathetic nature - and further - their ability to control their temper.

I believe this is summed up by Hazrat Ali's saying - "No belief is like modesty and patience, no attainment is like humility, no honour is like knowledge, no power is like forbearance..."

Not in my domain

You are probably better off calling it 'blog standard', the latest call to censor web content is now referred to as the 'Streisand effect', named after the self-deprecating stunt pulled by singer Barbra Streisand who unsuccessfully sued to block personal material that she disliked from appearing on the blog dimension of the internet.

An illustration of the "Streisand effect" is best described with an axiom from John Gilmore - one of the pioneers of the internet: "The Net interprets censorship as damage and routes around it."

Sidelining all the celebrity-frenzy attention the web is credited to give in its amorphous world, the curious question lies as to whether a government is entitled to its privacy from the blogger's space. When the web censorship scenario sets on authoritarian countries such as China and Saudi Arabia, it seems plausible for the state to intervene for sensible reasons. However, infringement of the blogger's right has been a hotly-debated topic where it appears, contents in blogs can put the ordinary - and potentially influential - blogger behind bars.

In the next election, for any government around the globe, bloggers can perhaps boycott the free publicity (be it infamous or good publicity) given to that state.

Unwanted guest - musafir

In Islamic terms, a guest should always be made feel welcome, irrespective of prejudice. Yet if we were to count the number of unwanted intrusion and compare it to the number that we genuinely would welcome, it would be exceptional to find that the latter number is higher than that of the former.

Frankly speaking, prejudice does take precedence in different forms. Postcode-orientated discrimination is nothing new; nor is it unusual to find a community who holds prejudice against those classified as 'benefit frauds', and furthermore, it is common to despise a "chamcha" who unwittingly lives up to his bestowed name.

Although it is a grave injustice to be indifferent to the children who have had his name since birth. After all, these children are innocent of his misdeeds.

Today, a little boy's reaction provoked the thought that there is an element of dignity which all human beings deserve, despite instances where - on one scale - 'dignity' may possibly remain imbalanced with the other scale weighing more.

"I am always ready, sweetie"

"...His armoured division and two infantry divisions were deployed elsewhere. To shift them would need the entire railway network, so the grain harvest could not be transported and would rot, bringing famine. And of his armoured division’s 189 tanks, only 11 were fit to fight."

In reality, Sam Hormusji Framji Jamshedji Manekshaw was hardly ever ready. He was the army chief during the independence war of Bangladesh, who recently passed away on 27th June.

I have mixed feelings about this guy. On behalf of the Indian army - Sam Manekshaw tried to liberate Bengalis under Pakistani occupation. Although, on the flip side, Bengalis would enounter another drastic famine partly because of Sam. Yet famine was not quite close to the greatest controversy of this man's career; it was suggested that he sold war plans to Pakistan during the 1965 war.

What adds to the amusing history is the fact that though modern-day India lacked to appropriately honour the cheeky man who once assured apprehensive Mrs. Indira Gandhi with, "I am always ready, sweetie", Bangladesh acknowledged the role Sam played towards the nation's foundation by paying a grateful tribute when he passed away. All in all, very fair to pay repsect to those who were doers. In this instance, however, we will continue to wonder if the tribute itself was just another 'one-up' game to India on Bangladesh's part.

Objective illusions

Sometime ago, a wise blogger posted an article called 'Mathematics manifesto' on his blog (Objective Illusions). Unfortunately, in a recent visit to the domain, it no longer remains a site for the intellectual perception feeds, but more so the site has had its contents(and perhaps ownership) changed and is now a place to go to for cinema listings & pyshic clairvoyance.

A written piece of this blogger's work was archived in hardcopy; here is an abstract recollection of his musings:

Raymond Smullyan, a Mathematician, Philosopher and author of several outstanding books of logical puzzles, tells, in one of his books, a revealing story. A friend invited him for dinner. He told Smullyan that his teenage son was crazy about Smullyan's books and could not wait to meet him. The friend warned Smullyan not to mention that he is a Mathematician and that Logic is a part of Mathematics because the young fellow hated Mathematics.

A person abhors reading in general may be suspected of lacking in intelligence, but otherwise, in the absence of further personal data, would likely be judged "normal." A rare person would dislike music as opposed to the one who dislikes a particular kind of music (classic, chamber, pop, country, etc). You would probably be surprised to meet a fellow who feels indiscriminately dizzy at the sight of a painting. Why then has it become an acceptable norm to confess a dislike and misunderstanding of Mathematics as a whole?

If you are a mathematician you surely know what I mean. If you are not, pretend you are, and next time when making a new acquaintance suggest as much. Chances of a response in the spirit of "Oh, really. I have always had problems with math," or "Math was the most difficult subject I ever..." are overwhelming. Somehow I feel that a biologist would not hear (at least not too often) complaints about biology, an a chemist about chemistry. I am sure of this because the term "math anxiety" has gained a respected position in our vocabulary long ago which may only compare to the position afforded to a more recent "computer illiteracy." But whoever heard or confessed of "biological anxiety" or "chemical illiteracy"?

Two attributes (real or perceived) of Mathematics place it apart from other subject and sciences. Mathematics is the only deductive science, and Mathematics is pervasive. It is pervasive and fundamental in the sense that more human activities require at least some math skills than is true of any other field of knowledge. I believe this to be a standard perception. Why is it then that so many people (after having troubles with math in school and learning very little or next to nothing) live their lives happily without missing Mathematics in the least?

The answer is simple. You cannot build an engine without good knowledge of Calculus. Still you can drive a car without any understanding of the internal workings of the engine; much less of the mathematics needed to design or build one. In pragmatic terms, we need mathematics very rarely, and, when we do, the mathematics we need is mostly trivial. Coutning the change in a supermarket, mortgage cost, interest on a loan, the best time to start a driving trip, frequent flier mile count, and what else? However, thinking along those lines is a great simplification and injustice towards both Mathematics and the avarage person. I know for sure Mathematics may be beautiful. Judging Mathematics by its pragmatic value is like judging symphonia by the weight of its score.

What is a pragmatic value of music or literature? Yet would you rather do without either? Few among us attempt to or practice writing music. Most are just happy to be able to appreciate it. Appreciation of music enhances our lives. Likewise, the ability to appreciate Mathematics enhances the lives of those who possess it.

"me no speak in english"

Rant mode: On
Sympathy mode: Off

It is dreadful to find a customer in KFC, push in the queue, place her order, and react (when confronted) with "me no speak in english."

Fortunately for the woman, she knows how to enter her PIN (numeracy is fantastic!); knows exactly what she wants (no mistake with the fried Chicken pieces); and furthermore, is an expert on condiments ("just mustard please, no mayo, and can I also have ketchup in a small container?"). Regrettably, etiquette jumps through the loophole with queuing.

The thick skull should consider incorporating 'queue' in her English vocabulary.

Chirag...

Literally referred to as 'Lamp'(/fire torch/light), yet somewhat metaphorically, it is divine inspiration/ray of hope, and a bit like an invisible blinking idea bulb over the head.

The burning chirag is attractive, it should continue to burn. Albeit slowly, this noor inside us will diminish with age. We feel helpless in our moments thereafter.. And yet - somewhere lurking - there will be another youth where another powerful chirag burns. They will remind us of our yesteryears; by then, we would only be capable of offering our knowledge in return of favouring their noor.

So while the chirag is burning, let us learn further, and develop the knowledge which others will seek.

For the two Jahans: Ishrat (Affection) and Nur (Light).

Woman like a man

"You wanna be rich,
you wanna be kitsch,
you wanna be the bastard of yourself
woman like a man, woman like a man, like a woman, like a, like a man"
(D.R. - O)

Dignity is the frame within which an individual is considered creditable, and deserves esteem. Pride is quite the contrary... it is mere foolishness that drives the individual to a superficial belief that he/she is an honourable person.

In an unrestricted society with context to gender and work, a lady would endeavour to reach the same heights as a man (who has long-established his position in this governing structure). It is an achievement if that lady reaches such height, and furthermore dignified of the lady to be humble of her success. Yet, if it is pride that gets the better, the lady leaves nothing but displays herself as a fool. Dedicated to a naive baroness.

Pink (Anderson) Floyd (Council)

Remember when you were young, you shone like the sun. SHINE ON YOU CRAZY DIAMOND

...Now there's a look in your eye, like black holes in the sky. SHINE ON YOU CRAZY DIAMOND

We mustn't falter. Options tempt us, but we mustn't falter.

For the love of Pink Floyd, their songs and lyrics brought glee to the generation beyond; they were curious, as was the experimental music composed. A loyalist once said, 'they (Pink Floyd) are irreplaceable'. In fact, no one will ever replace the greatest gig in the sky.

With the blessings of the present day existence, an optimist can sing, 'Shine on you crazy diamond'

Fountainhead

Objectivism... one strand of thinking often associated with Ayn Rand (the author of "Fountainhead"). Where - in metaphysics - reality remains fixed and objectively knowable.

The philosophy of Objectivism is as vast as is metaphysics. The only issue is in choosing the initial facet when entering the world of independent mindedness. Next stage is just as challenging as the first; although later the stages and the facets might all evolve into a whole big labyrinth. Somehow, like the process of completing a thesis, a tangle has to be untangled and then everything can be put into perspective.

Whether it is after that completed thesis things make sense, or realisation hits that things will stay in square one, it is meaningful to know Asrar-i-khudi (Secrets of self).

Adieu Couturier, Bonjour Chaste Minister

Ubiquitous fashion with classic elegance. Yves Saint Laurent (The guy who wore the finest spectacles) was probably one of the most unorthodox couturier of his time. He died on 1st June, leaving the fashion house to mourn.

The mourning went beyond fashion houses to a nation's loss of a talented man. But France had two reasons to cry. Firstly, the death of Monsieur Laurent, and secondly, the annulment of the marriage of the unchaste virgin who lied to her dearest that she was a virgin before they married.

However, the argument goes beyond infidelity... the couple were both French Muslims, who had their marriage annulled on the basis that chastity was an "essential quality" (under the French civil code, an annulment can be granted "if there was a mistake about the person, or the essential qualities of the person"). But the couple still remain married now that the case has been sent back for review this week.

Rachida Dati - Justice Minister in France - is the lady who is in questioning. Given that the French fail to see how chastity is seen as an essential quality, Madame Dati's rational for announcing this marriage void was granted on that same key where virginity was regarded as an essential quality in the case. It is a perfectly comprehensible verdict, especially from a woman (Dati) who comes from a Muslim background. Yet, it is extremely unfortunate, the difficulty in the chaste minister's verdict requires taking into consideration the sensitivity of the secular French republic.

The Orator and the Oration

Kofi Annan, the 7th Secretary-General of the United Nations, was the Orator for the evening at King's College London on 28th May 2008.

His speech of progressive Africa was inspirational. Power words such as, Green revolution, Cultivation stagnation, Debt relief pretty much summed up conditions for Africa in context to poverty and aid.

War zone issues, disappointingly, were better left avoided. The issue of Darfur however did arise, and the Orator's response was to address these obvious problems.

In future, may be we can all brainstorm and come up with a solution to resolve the conflict instead of shooting power words.

The Crystal Skull

On Friday 23rd May, The Wall Street Journal published an article about the crystal skull, re-establishing the debate on the authenticity of the artifact.

Little susprise that the publicity surrounding the skulls have been incited by Indy's latest blockbuster release. Brought out from storage, the lucid artifact was displayed by the Quai Branly Museum to coincide with the launch of the film "Indiana Jones and the kingdom of the Crystal Skull."

However, little is known about its origins. The legend of the skull is that 13 crystal skulls, dating from the Aztec period more than 500 years ago, must be reunited by 2012 to prevent the end of the world. Sounds just about apt for a blockbuster movie script, but a little phoney for it to be considered as a historic fact. This sparks the argument of why the museum would promote an item it knows very little about. Who cares? "Fakes have their own fans!" ...the responsive psyche of awed visitors swarming around the skull.

Tentative as to whether this reaction displays a trend of an easily-mesmerised society, or whether integrity has lost its defination along with facts about the historic background of the crystal skull...

Still, who cares?

Le Grand Voyage

A trip to the Ka'aba (picture above) is mandatory, at least once in a lifetime for a muslim who has the means to do so. Much so in good luck if the musalman has an opportunity to perform this pilgrimage more than once.

Le Grand Voyage: Réda's father - a devout muslim - embarks on a journey by car from France travelling to Mecca to perform the 'once-in-a-life-time' Hajj. Young Réda is rather apathetic when it comes to religion; he reluctantly joins his father to perform Hajj. From two divergent spheres of the world, Réda is pretty much French, while his father appears very Arab. Inevitably, the two characters see themselves opposed on many matters, on a journey where secularism vs. traditionalism.

As the journey (and the reel) rolls on, the two characters unfold... Réda learns as to why his father chose to travel by car, with added depth as he begins to learn more about his inherent religion. An epiphanic moment for Réda, one that is fuelled further by discovering that his father - being the traditionalist - can speak in French but chooses to speak in Arabic to Réda. The cultural and language discord is emphasised throughout the film to create an accord between the two men.

Initially, it was a simple niyath for Hajj; the two souls, however, were left enlightened on their spiritual route to the great pilgrimage.

Ganashatru

An enemy of the people.

Dr Ashok Gupta (played by Soumitra Chatterjee, in the picture above) replaces the original Dr Stockmann in the Bengali adaptation of 'An enemy of the people', originally written by Henrik Ibsen.

In the realm of religious superstition held by the masses, Ganashatru illustrates honest endeavours of a professor who strives for the wellbeing of those masses.

Essentially - in the film - Dr Gupta is convinced that the holy water, which pilgrims in thousands drink, is contaminated; Dr Gupta sets out to prove his conviction. In the process, the solution he offers is at a cost to the thousands of pilgrims who travel from lands far far away to drink this water. Realising what effect the solution would have on tourism, bureacratic power in its very usual clichéd form takes precedence.

Indeed, challenging scientific wellbeing to religiously spiritual wellbeing is tricky. The pilgrims are induced to feel that Dr Gupta is the enemy.

Losing much of what he strived to acquire, Dr Gupta sinks into his chair and admits to defeat, 'Ami hare ghelam' (I have lost).

Asha acche. But there is hope

Alma Mater

"Smoke, Smoke in air... don't be afraid to care... Look around, choose your own ground" (fusing Smoke in 'Breathe' by Pink Floyd).

Time has come for the rabbit to run. His alma mater gave him a spade, he must start digging. Digging deep. For there is carrot to reap.

But that is not enough; there are too many rabbits to the carrot.

Mate, why my creed?

"...our community is obliged to fulfil its duties and be active in promoting the good for all and stop any harm which it can clearly see approaching" (Mass mail sent out by an organisation cajoling a certain sect of Londoners to vote for Ken Livingstone, April 2008)

Whether 'open' lobbying or engineering the minds of unaware ordinary Londoners, the upcoming Mayoral elections provokes the mind of how a Londoner should react to the ballot papers on Thursday, 1^st May.

Several organisations have requested Londoners to vote for Ken Livingstone, as Boris Johnson appears somewhat "evil" towards the major-minorities of London. The oxymoron may appear as an anomoly for the 'major-minority' people who wish to vote independently and not be told who they should vote for.

The Mayoral campaign is indeed very legit as it highlights the agenda and the views of the candidate running for the election. However, is it really necessary to have so called 'in-between organisations' - sending out mass letters to a certain sect of the society - feeding us with their subjective views? If that is the case, should we not be entitled to know fully - and not partially - the agenda of the Mayoral candidates? Dogma of the possible sophos moros was never meant to represent the creed of the many kind; London is composed of this diverse society, one which should not be undermined by stealing the rights of the voter, whoever they may wish to vote for.

Fiscal sonnet

My lord, what a fate!
Out of pocket, and a lower rate
Inflating away capital gains,
little for the consumer remains
No longer can we have self-indulging lunch,
our money has been bitten by the credit crunch
Gone are the holy days of glory,
that past has now become a frontline story
Could there be a more worse spill-over effect?
One that scars, leaves a remorseful impact
The man and his lady groans,
'oh dear, we need another loan!'
And the kingdom frowns,
don't we all wish we wore the golden crown?

Hassan

"A servant is a master in disguise"

For those who serve with integrity and, at some stage, realise to come to terms with life without greed getting the better.

Kichuri Rs

Round table of 'R' discussion
Seated: Reasonable, Ruswa (Shame), Revival, Reform, Revolution, Re-evaluation, Roshni (light) and Rostam

There was the Rostam (Champion of the Champions) of Global Poverty, who once said, "we can tackle problems of the world if we were more Reasonable". Suffice to question, would it be an easy job to be Reasonable within a world inconsistently fragmented by Ruswa, Revolution, Reform... (etc.)?

Re-evaluating this existing global problematic scenario, Revive past beauty for the future, bring Roshni (optimistic light) in to the present, and leave Ruswa behind as a matter of the past. Sustain a future.

Ku Klux... a(las) Californios

The guilds from the town of Cartagena, Spain. Marrajos (/Las Californios) - An orthodox catholic, non-violent type, who hold a ritual procession on Good Friday (just before Easter).

Now moving to the infamous (KK)Klan - could the traditional dress code of a guild be more exploited? it is saddening to see. Easily, the Marrajos may be mistaken for the KKK; apt instance of infamy conquering the noble.

The Famine of Bengal... Distant Thunder

The clever marauder is the crow. From his set of famine paintings, this picture shows Abedin painting a mother at her weakest.

1943 famine of Bengal is a widespread story amongst Bengalis and a few knowledgable people beyond that geographical hemisphere. Some felt callous about it, after all it was only the poor who mostly suffered! To give a brief account of the impact of 1943 Bengal famine, around 1.5-3 million people died.

There are several hypothesis as to what might have caused the famine. Some say rumours of war-time demands caused the famine; while it was also said, the famine could also have arisen due to natural calamities (i.e. flood) - leaving the peasants to feed on their limited cultivation.

In an article (sometime ago), the writer describes Bengal as, 'a poor man's Las Vegas.' ...minus the brightly-lit casinos!

Romeo and Juliet

"Hey it's Romeo, you nearly gave me a heart attack!!!"

(Dire Straits)

For those who believe in love, what is with whirlwind romance... and then the reality check?

The conditional love seems somewhat an anomaly; love unconditonal remains in its very true form. The latter teaches us to be better beings, to love what the world gives and in return, to nurture our surrounding.

Unfortunately, conditional love is a masque; deceiving the mortals that it is unconditional... leading to obsessive behaviour and often an irrational mind.

Sometimes, respect and care need to be carefully defined. Although sensible souls could use their heart and mind to identify what is the reasoning and ideology behind unconditional love.

Dedicated to Shaukeen.

Amte Baba - radical nourishment... ha ha!

In this week's issue of The Economist (Vol. 386 No. 8569), an obituary was published on Amte Baba, otherwise known as Murlidhar Devidas Amte - the criminal lawyer who could charge as much as 50 rupees (in mid-1940s) for talking 15 minutes. Inflation-adjusted, this figure is phenomenal... approximately 1000 rupees, perhaps even more, in modern-day India.

The monetary power - implied above - is applied to reflect propensity of the rich guy who scavanged... As a Brahmin Hindu, Amte Baba broke a fundamental doctrine - Brahmins DO NOT touch the untouchables. He did. He even educated the lepers in a societal style.

He was not alone. Baba Amte's wife left her sister's wedding to help the servants clean dishes.

Amte Baba's philosophical musings: "Where there was fear, there was no love; and when an action was not done in love, it had no value."

On that note, here is a distinguished piece from beloved Gurudev... Songs of Offering:

Where The Mind is Without Fear

"Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;
Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls;
Where words come out from the depth of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
into the dreary desert sand of dead habit;
Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action-
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake. "

- Rabindranath Tagore (Gurudev)

Agantuk

The Bison, represented in this cave art picture, triggers a question of ancient civilisation... over 20,000 years old, drawn using tools which were at best limited, so what can be said about modern civilisation? Clairvoyance! Suffice a picture - similar to this cave art - becomes the theme to a film called, 'The Stranger (Agantuk).'

Manmohan Mitra - the protagonist - is very much a Gobir Joler Maach (Literal: Deep Sea Fish/ stylistic expression in Bengali used to describe a person who is reserved).

Throughout the length of this feature film, it is difficult to identify Manmohan Mitra; how can he be best described - why does he return to native Kolkata after 35 years of travelling abroad, does he have a maatlab (objective) in good faith, or is he totally superficial?

Indeed, Manmohan Mitra can considered as the lucky few who spend time travelling in quest of finding answers and understanding the world. With attained knowledge from travelling around the world, the charming Mr Mitra does not display what he knows; he explores his vicinity and he asks those around him what they perceive to be civilisation.

"... NASA, and seated closeby is Nasha (Addiction) - where one (NASA) has progressive technology fuelling the unimaginable dream, where is technology in modern society to cure the other (Nasha)?" - Manmohan Mitra (The Stranger)

The Alchemy of Happiness

'...a mistake of an opposite kind is made by shallow people who,
echoing some phrases which they have caught from Sufi teachers,
go about decrying all knowledge' - Al-Ghazzali (The Alchemy of Happiness)

The Alchemy of Happiness (Kimiya'e sa' adat), originally written in Persian by Imam Al-Ghazzali, is a book based on Sufism in Islam. Rather powerful usage of words, Al-Ghazzali is enlightening for the distressed spiritual soul looking for inspiration from a world beyond.

Having learnt Al-Ghazzali's quote (italicized above), to review 'The Alchemy of Happiness' would be a paradox. Such that the desire is to extract abstract, echoing partial knowledge...

Knowledge of Self - the highest faculty in him is reason; as regards, to his mere animal qualities, man is inferior to many animals, but reason makes him superior to them.

The Knowledge of this world - the world is like a table spread for successive relays of guests who come and go... the wise guest eats as much as is sufficient for him, smells the perfumes, thanks his host, and departs.

Begum Benazir... Ziddi Madam

Some might say 'Brave', others may simply say 'Foolish', Benazir Bhutto being - perhaps - both.

Her death has been haunting. The intensity of a public figure whom, for the babies of the 80s, would probably have been a household name since the day they were born... living through the world events as it happened to the shake from the waking news last December (a day after the anniversary of another shocking natural calamity: Tsunami).

Being the Ziddi Madam (Stubborn Madam) that she was, Marhumma Benazir was determined to leave a legacy be it in living form the political throne, or just a simple imprint - "Reconciliation: Islam, Democracy and the West".

The predator or the prey?

"Lady Madonna

...children at your feet
Wonder how you manage to make ends meet
Who finds the money when you pay the rent
Did you think that money was heaven sent?"

Far from Cat Stevens with his 'Lady D'Arbanville' (inspired by Yusuf's love at the time), Paul McCartney would definately have to be a psychic if his Lady Madonna were a tribute to dearest Heather Mills, as the lady struggles. Take a queue from the lyrics of Lady D'Arbanville... 'I loved you my lady'...

Alas! I have my very own 'Lady Madonna' [Lady boss! literally; putting aside Snoop Dogg's metaphoric description of his wife (another pretentious cow)]... she manipulates, shows false compassion, though not so much a hard-headed woman.

Lady Madonna is a bit of a coward, with no sense of reality. She has made me lose faith in Her Majesty for rewarding so-called good citizens with OBEs, MBEs, etc. Sometimes, Cruela De vil gets rewarded for making nice coats from dalmations. Similarly, Lady Madonna has an OBE gong for ?????

My Lady and I both work on a virtually non-existent project. She has all the money, it was sent to her from heaven, or may be the blackhole "Enron-style".

I have the perfect gift for my lady - 12 feet sari for 5 feet 2 inches lady madonna. Okay, may be another foot (including the blouse piece part attached). 13 feet sari for 5 feet 2 inches fat lady madonna.

Shatranj ki Khiladi - The Chess Player: A tribute

The first blog: lost virginity. The namesake of this blog, "Shatranj", comes from Shatranj ki Khiladi (i.e. The Chess Player) - a film by Satyajit Ray (apparently, one of Ray's most overrated films, although the title in itself is kind of pretty and sounds important). Hence, a tribute to the one of the wisemen who brought wisdom and intellect on planet earth.

Shatranj - the word itself means 'Chess', an old form of chess mostly popular in Persia.

Following the christening session/introduction of this blog, Shatranj will - from this day forth - be pronounced by strategy, beauty (hence, the Greeen Shatranj), and alot of vomiting (thoughts).

...go Kosovo ;-) less ethnic cleansing, and more soul purifying.