This post is not a tribute to Kancha Illiah although I concede he was a man with thoughts and experience worth respecting. This post is my reflection on why I do not believe in the institution of God. I shall, at times, refer to the 4th Earl of Russell's arguments.
The primary reason for not believing in God has been the extremely religious atmosphere I've been brought up in. I come from a typical middle-class family which traces its roots to the poorest yet most religious part of India. Religious, not in the bigoted, but rather in the too-devoted-to-care-about-others manner. Religion has never been enforced on me but at the same time has been a constant companion in my formative years. At the age of 8, I knew more Hindu myth and prayer than the average 18 year old in India. With the imbibing of religion in my childish mind, the institution gained a follower. Premature celebration, religion. Apostasy had to follow, for the rational mind makes its choices based on reason and logic, rather than epics that run for 100,000 verses.The sweeping statements end here.
Religion, as Marx(of the Karl variety; Groucho was too busy with women and comedy to notice) defined it, is the 'Opium/Opiate of the masses'. Scholars of tremendous learning have connoted this statement to correspond to their own thoughts on the institution of religion.I, in my capacity as a person of very limited learning but a decent amount of exposure, am of the opinion that religion is too interweaved with the populace and their daily life for it to be given up as a whole. At the same time, it is an insidious poison that spreads in the veins of society, corrupting the path of the pathbreaking. His Beyond-Human-Greatness (HBH) Russell has stated that religion has only enforced the morality of a few on a whole. The contemporaneous example that springs to mind is of the Hindu fundamentalists. Religion is a force both adhesive and divisive.In the present time, it is almost quotidian to hear about some conflict in the world whose roots are latently entrenched in religion. From where I can see, the view suggests that its divisive.It led to the greatest exodus in human history.It divided sons of the same father and led them to fight for decades altogether. As HBH Russell believed, religion has done nothing for man but curb his spirit,royally screw his life and deny him his right to indulgence.So much for religion.
Now for God. If I were to refer to Hofstadter, it'd be an endless loop of 'God Over Djinn'(I don't expect anyone to get this reference). God, in the Biblical sense, is the creator of the earth and the heavens. This is one of the arguments that everyone, ranging from evangelists to saffron clad men selling Bhagwad Gitas in the Bangalore Rajdhani Express, has tried.The fallacy is obvious.If you possess the power to create,you ought to be have been created. It becomes what is defined by Hofstadter as a 'strange loop'. Loopy Loopy God Thou Art. God, in the eyes of the rational HBH Russell and Thomas Paine, is a creation of man.Man, in his height of Godless glory,created God to make modesty a continuing virtue.The virtue remains while the sanction of God is proliferated at an exponential rate. The institution has benefited the few of power. His Holiness Pope Leo X is alleged to have said: "It serves us well, this myth of Christ". Myth it sure is,Leo. Myth becomes legend. Legend becomes History. History becomes Scripture. Scripture becomes code. Houston, we have a problem.
In all,I believe George Carlin said it the best: "Religion is bullshit".
In a totally unrelated vein, I detest works of literature that have self-help motivational messages. Those are for dweebs.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Forever Dead
the title is random. As shall be the post.
'Indian culture'. Brilliant term.Brilliant Cliche.Every single act of violence against expressions of love, the fairer sex and anyone who dares oppose all of this is justified at the behest of Indian culture. If those proliferating this nonsense had their way, my mum would've never got her PhD. My sisters would've never been able to exercise their right to education. Like 'good' Indian women, they'd be illiterate, subservient and oft abused.
If their ideology was to be subscribed to, Hinduism says that men and women are to not fall in love with each other. Any external or material manifestation of their love is to be questioned and quashed by any means possible.Even from the point of an atheist, this is fiction penned down with a lot of imagination.Let us not debate scripture, for the Bajrangis shall lose hands down on that point. Let us rather solve a silly little paradox here. Prithiviraj Chauhan is listed as one of the inspirations for these organisations, as he managed to defeat the 'bad' Muslim ruler, Mohammed Ghori. The same Prithviraj who abducted Samyogita in order to defy society and marry her.Go Bajrangi,solve.
If we are to progress on the incorrect premise that Indian culture advocates repression of free expression,then the very idea of free expression should be repugnant to Indian society. A clear proof of it being an incorrect premise comes from the fact that policemen in Delhi, without any orders or instructions,were bashing up the Bajrangis who dared to create any disorder. 'Screw you saffron brigade' is the clear mandate of the urban Indian population, which is somehow conveniently ignored by the fundamentalist groups.
One of the many reasons for my apostacy, this.Hail Bertrand Russell.
'Indian culture'. Brilliant term.Brilliant Cliche.Every single act of violence against expressions of love, the fairer sex and anyone who dares oppose all of this is justified at the behest of Indian culture. If those proliferating this nonsense had their way, my mum would've never got her PhD. My sisters would've never been able to exercise their right to education. Like 'good' Indian women, they'd be illiterate, subservient and oft abused.
If their ideology was to be subscribed to, Hinduism says that men and women are to not fall in love with each other. Any external or material manifestation of their love is to be questioned and quashed by any means possible.Even from the point of an atheist, this is fiction penned down with a lot of imagination.Let us not debate scripture, for the Bajrangis shall lose hands down on that point. Let us rather solve a silly little paradox here. Prithiviraj Chauhan is listed as one of the inspirations for these organisations, as he managed to defeat the 'bad' Muslim ruler, Mohammed Ghori. The same Prithviraj who abducted Samyogita in order to defy society and marry her.Go Bajrangi,solve.
If we are to progress on the incorrect premise that Indian culture advocates repression of free expression,then the very idea of free expression should be repugnant to Indian society. A clear proof of it being an incorrect premise comes from the fact that policemen in Delhi, without any orders or instructions,were bashing up the Bajrangis who dared to create any disorder. 'Screw you saffron brigade' is the clear mandate of the urban Indian population, which is somehow conveniently ignored by the fundamentalist groups.
One of the many reasons for my apostacy, this.Hail Bertrand Russell.
Thursday, February 05, 2009
ءردء اءر بعنازیر بھءتته
For the past one month, I've been on an off-and-on Urdu learning spree. I can read and write Urdu with average fluency now. It's quite an exciting prospect to learn a language. It's like diving into a world full of human expression. If my language spree continues, I shall graduate a polyglot.
At NALSAR, we rarely get the time to read beyond the course (barring Political Science, wherein we do manage to read things of interest although the didactics are absolute bullshit). I'd vowed to myself that I'd read a lot this semester.Being an avid reader, especially of works that relate to politics or humanity, reading Benazir Bhutto's autobiography, "Daughter of the East", was quite an irritating exercise, partly due to her fibs and partly due to a mild fever that I'd acquired. She's glorified her father beyond the wildest imagination of any person who knew about Zulfi's politics. She went to the extent of saying that it was Mujibur who was responsible for the 1971 war, at no point mentioning that it was her own father's ego that led to the Bengali agitation and the formation of the Mukti Bahini. The very same father did not allow Bihari refugees from Bangladesh, who'd supported him through the war even though they were residents of East Pakistan, to settle in Pakistan. Those people exist today sans rights,passports and worst of all,food. They can be seen in the slums of Delhi,Bombay,Calcutta and possibly, smaller towns of East India.The same father who spoke of Roti, Kapda and Maqaan but never spoke of how he wished to provide those to the common Pakistani. He was every bit like the Quaid-e-Azam. Pakistan's Quaid-e-awam, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who never cared for the Awam(Common Populace). The period described by Benazir is the time of General Zia. Zia is accused of having proliferated Islamisation in the legal system. However, it was Zulfikar and not Zia who'd started it. In a half-hearted Islamist gesture, he'd declared Friday as a public holiday and banned drinking and gambling.It is highly regrettable that a woman of the stature of Benazir(although, from what has been written about her, it can be inferred that she was an academic disaster) had to resort to this degree of untruth to back her campaign and to forward the interest of PPP.Enough of Benazir bashing. Daddy may not approve.
My love for poetry in chaste Hindi was something that gradually died after I discontinued formal instruction in the subject. These past few days, thanks to Abdaal and Urdu, I'm rediscovering poetry and have fallen in love with Ghalib's "Hazaron Khwaishen Aisi" and Majaaz's "Awaara".It's always been my belief that Hindustani poetry manages to convey emotion, particularly sadness, in a much more intense manner than English. English poetry, particularly that of Milton,is impressive but lacks the depth of Hindustani. An example of which is Taraana-i-Hind by Allama Iqbal(What we term 'Saare Jahan Se Acha').
Enough.The law of Contracts harks silently from a corner. To quote Carl Emmanuel Bach,"I'll be Bach".(And I shall forever be glad for batchmates who've heard of the Goldberg Variations; and I succesfully managed to lose my Glenn Gould CD).
At NALSAR, we rarely get the time to read beyond the course (barring Political Science, wherein we do manage to read things of interest although the didactics are absolute bullshit). I'd vowed to myself that I'd read a lot this semester.Being an avid reader, especially of works that relate to politics or humanity, reading Benazir Bhutto's autobiography, "Daughter of the East", was quite an irritating exercise, partly due to her fibs and partly due to a mild fever that I'd acquired. She's glorified her father beyond the wildest imagination of any person who knew about Zulfi's politics. She went to the extent of saying that it was Mujibur who was responsible for the 1971 war, at no point mentioning that it was her own father's ego that led to the Bengali agitation and the formation of the Mukti Bahini. The very same father did not allow Bihari refugees from Bangladesh, who'd supported him through the war even though they were residents of East Pakistan, to settle in Pakistan. Those people exist today sans rights,passports and worst of all,food. They can be seen in the slums of Delhi,Bombay,Calcutta and possibly, smaller towns of East India.The same father who spoke of Roti, Kapda and Maqaan but never spoke of how he wished to provide those to the common Pakistani. He was every bit like the Quaid-e-Azam. Pakistan's Quaid-e-awam, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who never cared for the Awam(Common Populace). The period described by Benazir is the time of General Zia. Zia is accused of having proliferated Islamisation in the legal system. However, it was Zulfikar and not Zia who'd started it. In a half-hearted Islamist gesture, he'd declared Friday as a public holiday and banned drinking and gambling.It is highly regrettable that a woman of the stature of Benazir(although, from what has been written about her, it can be inferred that she was an academic disaster) had to resort to this degree of untruth to back her campaign and to forward the interest of PPP.Enough of Benazir bashing. Daddy may not approve.
My love for poetry in chaste Hindi was something that gradually died after I discontinued formal instruction in the subject. These past few days, thanks to Abdaal and Urdu, I'm rediscovering poetry and have fallen in love with Ghalib's "Hazaron Khwaishen Aisi" and Majaaz's "Awaara".It's always been my belief that Hindustani poetry manages to convey emotion, particularly sadness, in a much more intense manner than English. English poetry, particularly that of Milton,is impressive but lacks the depth of Hindustani. An example of which is Taraana-i-Hind by Allama Iqbal(What we term 'Saare Jahan Se Acha').
Enough.The law of Contracts harks silently from a corner. To quote Carl Emmanuel Bach,"I'll be Bach".(And I shall forever be glad for batchmates who've heard of the Goldberg Variations; and I succesfully managed to lose my Glenn Gould CD).
Saturday, December 27, 2008
In Memoriam and Undying Respect
"Aye mere watan ke logon, zara aankh main bhar lo paani
Jo shahid hue hain unki, zara yaad karo qurbani"
This is my personal homage to the men who shed their lives so that you and I can sleep with contentment and security.To the men who died for their nation, a nation that has scarcely rewarded them. Sometimes, patriotism becomes a love beyond sanity. And so it was for them.I do not suggest bombing Pakistan or killing the politicians of India. All I suggest is that let this time, Indian be Indian before anything else.
I wish we never forget this incident, these martyrs.
Karz in shahidon ka hum chuka na payenge kabhi,
Par mil kar ye koshish aur dua karen,
Ki jo aane waali nasal is jahan ko dekhegi,
Wo ek roshan aur sunehra jahan dekhe, Inshallah
-Anjaney Das
27.12.08
(I'd refrained from writing anything till now because I've always felt that putting emotion into writing always conveys much less feeling than what is inside a person)
Friday, November 14, 2008
Bhaiyyaism
The movie 'Deshdrohi'(Literally,one who betrays the nation) has been quite in the news the past 2-3 days. It's a movie depicting the amount of hate that a migrant from UP and Bihar has to face in Bombay. Fearing retaliation from the parochial Maharashtrians, the movie was banned from being screened in Maharashtra.Quite proximate in time,considering Raj Thackeray was cutting a cake today which was shaped like the Hindi text for the word 'Bhaiyya'. 'Bhaiyya' is a term, meant to be derogatory, used to address North Indians residing in Maharashtra.
Personal animosity aside, I condemn Thackeray's views owing to the fact that they are separatist in nature. Due to 4 months of law school, the first thing that strikes my mind is the illegal and unconstitutional nature of his views and their manifestation,ie, acts of violence against migrants. I do concede that migrants have infested the city of Bombay to the point where quality of life has reached hitherto unknown depravities. I however, do not see this as a reason good enough to draw lines between Maharashtra and the rest of India. We have lived a farce of unity for 61 years. Albeit a farce, it has managed to lead the various nations within India towards a common upliftment. Thackeray is of the opinion that jobs in Maharashtra should be reserved for ethnic Maharashtrians. In such a situation, where exactly do the muslims of Bombay, who've inhabited the city for over 7 decades, stand? Oh wait, they're Muslim. Therefore, by the definition of Thackeray Sr., they're not Indians. Matter settled.
Parochialism has been prevalent in Indian politics for quite some time. Periyar's anti-Hindi agitation, a movement I abuse superficially, is a thought that I wholly agree with. A language, alien to a people, cannot be enforced on them to suit a farcical national interest. It was a latent expression of domination which deserved to be questioned by all means possible. Language has always been a sensitive factor in India, considering the states were re-divided on a linguistic basis after the Fazl Ali Commission Report. Here is where the fallacy in Thackeray's argument lies. Most of the Maharashtrians study, or at least know, the basics of Hindi. There is no active anti-Hindi movement in the arteries of Maharashtra. How does the question of learning Marathi compulsorily come in to play? Trust Raj Thackeray to answer that.
The day is one where a man cannot move around in his own nation. Are we then really 'an indestructible union of destructible states'??
The CM of the state accuses Thackeray of besmirching the name of the state. Thackeray is doing what demagogues of his state have been doing for over a century now. From Tilak to Savarkar to Godse to Golwalkar to Thackeray Sr., the politics of hate has always been the hallmark of the state. The average,middle-class Maharashtrian is Indian over anything else. It's only a bunch of goons, from times historical to contemporary, who manage to fan hate to the extent where the majority's sane voice is drowned in an orgy of violence.
The need of the hour is silencing all polemic, by means lawful, unlawful or plainly inhuman. Our quest to survive rests on a threadbare base that needs to be supported at all times. Let's hope this fire is temporary.
Personal animosity aside, I condemn Thackeray's views owing to the fact that they are separatist in nature. Due to 4 months of law school, the first thing that strikes my mind is the illegal and unconstitutional nature of his views and their manifestation,ie, acts of violence against migrants. I do concede that migrants have infested the city of Bombay to the point where quality of life has reached hitherto unknown depravities. I however, do not see this as a reason good enough to draw lines between Maharashtra and the rest of India. We have lived a farce of unity for 61 years. Albeit a farce, it has managed to lead the various nations within India towards a common upliftment. Thackeray is of the opinion that jobs in Maharashtra should be reserved for ethnic Maharashtrians. In such a situation, where exactly do the muslims of Bombay, who've inhabited the city for over 7 decades, stand? Oh wait, they're Muslim. Therefore, by the definition of Thackeray Sr., they're not Indians. Matter settled.
Parochialism has been prevalent in Indian politics for quite some time. Periyar's anti-Hindi agitation, a movement I abuse superficially, is a thought that I wholly agree with. A language, alien to a people, cannot be enforced on them to suit a farcical national interest. It was a latent expression of domination which deserved to be questioned by all means possible. Language has always been a sensitive factor in India, considering the states were re-divided on a linguistic basis after the Fazl Ali Commission Report. Here is where the fallacy in Thackeray's argument lies. Most of the Maharashtrians study, or at least know, the basics of Hindi. There is no active anti-Hindi movement in the arteries of Maharashtra. How does the question of learning Marathi compulsorily come in to play? Trust Raj Thackeray to answer that.
The day is one where a man cannot move around in his own nation. Are we then really 'an indestructible union of destructible states'??
The CM of the state accuses Thackeray of besmirching the name of the state. Thackeray is doing what demagogues of his state have been doing for over a century now. From Tilak to Savarkar to Godse to Golwalkar to Thackeray Sr., the politics of hate has always been the hallmark of the state. The average,middle-class Maharashtrian is Indian over anything else. It's only a bunch of goons, from times historical to contemporary, who manage to fan hate to the extent where the majority's sane voice is drowned in an orgy of violence.
The need of the hour is silencing all polemic, by means lawful, unlawful or plainly inhuman. Our quest to survive rests on a threadbare base that needs to be supported at all times. Let's hope this fire is temporary.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
That Which Once Was
Today, my mentor at NALSAR(We have a mentor-mentee program here) was speaking to me. In the middle of the conversation, he told me about how he'd heard of my Columban 06 win from someone I knew when I used to live in Vasant Vihar. It suddenly brought back everything that happened in August 2006. It's been over two years but the memory is fresh in my mind. The semis, the tie-breaker with Sanskriti, how we got Caligula right, the finals, Chugh on fire during the finals, the last answer of mine(Phileas Fogg),glory. Been a long time but I still count it as one of the finest moments of life. To the Columban.
I miss school a lot. I didn't do so in '07 but after coming to college, and especially during the Delhi trip a few days ago, I've become quite sentimental about RKP. It's been a long time since I donned that uniform, went to school in a bus full of crazy 12thies, to a class with crazier classmates, the quizzes, the times...everything.
I'm in quite a 'I-miss-things' mood today. Need to go back to Delhi soon.
I miss school a lot. I didn't do so in '07 but after coming to college, and especially during the Delhi trip a few days ago, I've become quite sentimental about RKP. It's been a long time since I donned that uniform, went to school in a bus full of crazy 12thies, to a class with crazier classmates, the quizzes, the times...everything.
I'm in quite a 'I-miss-things' mood today. Need to go back to Delhi soon.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Delhi
Delhi,13.09.08,6:13 PM: Noise.Noise.Colossal Noise. Silence. Blank Noise. Connaught Place saw a bomb explode. Within half an hour, Delhi saw six other bombs take off. Gaffar Market and GK-1, M-Block Market, places excessively crowded on a Saturday evening,were targetted.Again it leads us to question ourselves and the system: What is terrorism?? Why is it?? What can we do??
Terrorism, as I see and define it, is a mere political weapon. Its efficacy and immorality far exceed all other methods of destabilising a regime. At the risk of sounding a superficial reader, I quote Dan Brown on this: "Remove the facade of infallibility of a Government,and you remove its people's faith". That is precisely what this attack has done. As a resident of Delhi, I shall never again feel safe in a DTC bus. The end objective of terrorism is not to kill and cite retribution as a reason, but to achieve a political end. We had a recent debate in class(With extremely juvenile views on terrorism being expressed) over this and it was astounding that no one saw terrorism the way I did.Enough said.Moving on to generality-
I shall land in Delhi on the night between the 1st and 2nd of October. I can't predict what I'd do once I land. Once the gravity of it hits me. Being back in the city I've lived my entire life in. Too much in love with it to appreciate any other, almost prejudical in my ignorance of them. Reading about the Sultanate period, I realise how much that city has to offer culturally. There's a separate pride in me when I count myself as one from Delhi. The smell of her land, the people, the manner of speaking and the courtesy, the tiffs in the DTC buses, the perpetually under-construction bridges, the lanes of Vasant Vihar, the times in Kaushambi, the last ride through Delhi. Magical city of mine, Je t'aime beaucoup.
Terrorism, as I see and define it, is a mere political weapon. Its efficacy and immorality far exceed all other methods of destabilising a regime. At the risk of sounding a superficial reader, I quote Dan Brown on this: "Remove the facade of infallibility of a Government,and you remove its people's faith". That is precisely what this attack has done. As a resident of Delhi, I shall never again feel safe in a DTC bus. The end objective of terrorism is not to kill and cite retribution as a reason, but to achieve a political end. We had a recent debate in class(With extremely juvenile views on terrorism being expressed) over this and it was astounding that no one saw terrorism the way I did.Enough said.Moving on to generality-
I shall land in Delhi on the night between the 1st and 2nd of October. I can't predict what I'd do once I land. Once the gravity of it hits me. Being back in the city I've lived my entire life in. Too much in love with it to appreciate any other, almost prejudical in my ignorance of them. Reading about the Sultanate period, I realise how much that city has to offer culturally. There's a separate pride in me when I count myself as one from Delhi. The smell of her land, the people, the manner of speaking and the courtesy, the tiffs in the DTC buses, the perpetually under-construction bridges, the lanes of Vasant Vihar, the times in Kaushambi, the last ride through Delhi. Magical city of mine, Je t'aime beaucoup.
Sunday, September 07, 2008
The times they are-a-changing
Pakistan has a new President: Asif Ali Zardari. I am unable to understand the psyche of the people of Pakistan(DISCLAIMER: I do not believe in the typical Indian sentiment towards Pakistanis). They have,albeit in an undemocratic manner, elevated to the post of President, a man whom they once jokingly termed "Mr. 10%"(a reference to the amount of commission he used to demand for his facilitation of a mercantile transaction, in the capacity of the PM's husband).
Asif Zardari is the son of Hakim Zardari, an industrialist and the leader of the Zardari clan(Originally Baloch Jats). His marriage to Benazir Bhutto led him to be one of the most important men in South Asia. He is alleged to have abetted the death of Mir Murtuza Bhutto, his brother-in-law and a potential threat to his '10%' activities.
I do not question the political knowledge of the Pakistani people. What I don't realise is why they don't ever express dissent towards blatant misuse of power and for that matter, unworthy people usurping power. I believe this silent repression is a direct consequence of the feudal structure present in the states of Pakistan, from pre-partition times.
Whatever the case may be, I believe this decision is one that Pakistan will regret.
In a lighter vein, a mention of Pakistan makes me want to watch Dhoop Kinare and listen to Nayyara Noor.
Asif Zardari is the son of Hakim Zardari, an industrialist and the leader of the Zardari clan(Originally Baloch Jats). His marriage to Benazir Bhutto led him to be one of the most important men in South Asia. He is alleged to have abetted the death of Mir Murtuza Bhutto, his brother-in-law and a potential threat to his '10%' activities.
I do not question the political knowledge of the Pakistani people. What I don't realise is why they don't ever express dissent towards blatant misuse of power and for that matter, unworthy people usurping power. I believe this silent repression is a direct consequence of the feudal structure present in the states of Pakistan, from pre-partition times.
Whatever the case may be, I believe this decision is one that Pakistan will regret.
In a lighter vein, a mention of Pakistan makes me want to watch Dhoop Kinare and listen to Nayyara Noor.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
NALSAR
As promised,the NALSAR post. Left Delhi on the 27th of June 2008. Going to college is generally a mixed bag of emotions, from excitement to anxiety,elation to melancholy but for me it was all sadness. Leaving behind the city I grew up in, leaving behind a home I knew would change beyond repair by the end of my course, leaving behind a world, perfect in every aspect. Landed in Hyderabad at about 11:45.Went to the RBI guesthouse.I had my interview on the 28th.Mighty misnomer. It's just an advertising session on the part of the VC.
Joined the hostel on the 29th.The most terrible night ever(Considering the fact that I had 4 months at NALSAR in front of me at that time; DISCLAIMER: Nothing against NALSAR).
Classes commenced on the 1st of July. One week into the NALSAR life and I had friends, friends who'd be with me these 5 years, I had my prejudices, prejudices against people whom I deemed arrogant berks(A foolish thing to do for a lot of people;Some I guess will be addressed that way for all of the 5 years).
Made trips to the city. Had my life's first solo adventure trip on the 2nd weekend of August.Did projects.Got ragged.Stopped hating it.Started getting along with seniors.Preparing for a cultural fest.Introductory Moot.Sleepless nights.Long phonecalls.A vision of the future with the person whom I adore the most.My roomie,the authority on History and one of the most genuine people I've ever met in life. My moot partner,high on life, redefines assiduous.All my friends, the best there can ever be.The late night birthday bashes(which well,as the literal meaning may suggest, involve a lot of bashing,especially that of the posterior).Cheap movies. Songs off the LAN.
These 2 months have been less of an experience and more of a lesson. I've learnt how not to be cocky, how not to be verbose, how not be a smartass all the time.I've learnt what genuine hatred means.I've learnt how much I love my city.I've learnt that I'm much more confident and strong(in the sense of courage; for my external strength, I believe the maxim of 'res ipsa loquitor' is the most appropriate one to cite) than I thought I am.I've learnt what 'multi-faceted' truly means.
I won't say I love this place. It's too restrictive to love it. I do concede though that I love my hostel life. I now realise what my parents really meant when they told me about their college experiences.College life is an altogether new experience with its highs and sobreties(pun,if found,intended).
5 years down the line, it won't be me. It'll be a different person sitting here and posting.With due regard to my future self, I hope I don't change beyond recognition.Deep down,I always wish to remain the person who boarded that aircraft to Hyderabad and before doing so shouted out in rem(Do excuse the legal jargon;One of the irrepairable things law school does to you), "Delhi I love thee".
To one and all, This blog stands resurrected.
Joined the hostel on the 29th.The most terrible night ever(Considering the fact that I had 4 months at NALSAR in front of me at that time; DISCLAIMER: Nothing against NALSAR).
Classes commenced on the 1st of July. One week into the NALSAR life and I had friends, friends who'd be with me these 5 years, I had my prejudices, prejudices against people whom I deemed arrogant berks(A foolish thing to do for a lot of people;Some I guess will be addressed that way for all of the 5 years).
Made trips to the city. Had my life's first solo adventure trip on the 2nd weekend of August.Did projects.Got ragged.Stopped hating it.Started getting along with seniors.Preparing for a cultural fest.Introductory Moot.Sleepless nights.Long phonecalls.A vision of the future with the person whom I adore the most.My roomie,the authority on History and one of the most genuine people I've ever met in life. My moot partner,high on life, redefines assiduous.All my friends, the best there can ever be.The late night birthday bashes(which well,as the literal meaning may suggest, involve a lot of bashing,especially that of the posterior).Cheap movies. Songs off the LAN.
These 2 months have been less of an experience and more of a lesson. I've learnt how not to be cocky, how not to be verbose, how not be a smartass all the time.I've learnt what genuine hatred means.I've learnt how much I love my city.I've learnt that I'm much more confident and strong(in the sense of courage; for my external strength, I believe the maxim of 'res ipsa loquitor' is the most appropriate one to cite) than I thought I am.I've learnt what 'multi-faceted' truly means.
I won't say I love this place. It's too restrictive to love it. I do concede though that I love my hostel life. I now realise what my parents really meant when they told me about their college experiences.College life is an altogether new experience with its highs and sobreties(pun,if found,intended).
5 years down the line, it won't be me. It'll be a different person sitting here and posting.With due regard to my future self, I hope I don't change beyond recognition.Deep down,I always wish to remain the person who boarded that aircraft to Hyderabad and before doing so shouted out in rem(Do excuse the legal jargon;One of the irrepairable things law school does to you), "Delhi I love thee".
To one and all, This blog stands resurrected.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Ni Ni Ni Ni
Long Long Time.
15th June 2008.2 days past my 19th Birthday.12 days left before I go to Hyderabad.17 days to class.5 years to Graduation.65 years to Death.
Next Post about NALSAR.
15th June 2008.2 days past my 19th Birthday.12 days left before I go to Hyderabad.17 days to class.5 years to Graduation.65 years to Death.
Next Post about NALSAR.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Killing in the Name of
"Mazhab Nahin Sikhaata , Aapas Main Bair Rakhna
Hindi Hain Hum,Watan Hai,Hindostan Hamara
Iqbal!Koi Mehram Apna Nahin Jaahan Main
Maloom Kya Kisi Ko,Dard-E-Nihaan Hamara"
(Taraana-i-Hind by Sir Muhammadal Iqbal)
Here We Are Now
Two images.One of a wounded child begging in Connaught Place(Clicked by me).The other of billionaire,socialite Vijay Mallya.Both revealing a different obscenity.One,the obscenity and indignity of poverty.The other,an ostentatious exhibition of affluence and supeficiality,almost grotesque in nature.
This is what we have to show for 60 years of self-governance.A nation divided on the lines of Region,Religion,Caste,Economic Status and so much more.
I do not say there is no hope.The hope is me.The hope is you. The pain in me,is the pain in you.
Friday, January 04, 2008
2008
Another year over.I'm 18 1/2.I started drinking in '07. I quit smoking in '07.So its been quite an eventful year(as far as vices are concerned).Oh and I also lost faith in '07.
'08 has started on an extremely happy note.I just hope it continues that way. I've gained something too precious to lose.
Things I'm currently in love with:
1.Shona
2.Episode 1108('Make love,not Warcraft') of South Park
3.The 'Dead Parrot' sketch from Monty Python
4.J.J.Cale's 'Cajun Moon'
5.Rene's Magritte's 'The treachery of images"
6.His Dark Materials(Its so friggin brilliant)
New Year Resolutions:
1.Work as hard as possible to find Rakhi Sawant remotely hot.
2.Work as hard as possible to consider 50 Cent remotely music.
3.Work as hard as possible to read an Erich Segal novel and actually like it.
Happy New Year. Hope its a great year for you.Its turning out to be brilliant for me.
Cheers
Anjaney(Pronounced:un-juh-nay)
'08 has started on an extremely happy note.I just hope it continues that way. I've gained something too precious to lose.
Things I'm currently in love with:
1.Shona
2.Episode 1108('Make love,not Warcraft') of South Park
3.The 'Dead Parrot' sketch from Monty Python
4.J.J.Cale's 'Cajun Moon'
5.Rene's Magritte's 'The treachery of images"
6.His Dark Materials(Its so friggin brilliant)
New Year Resolutions:
1.Work as hard as possible to find Rakhi Sawant remotely hot.
2.Work as hard as possible to consider 50 Cent remotely music.
3.Work as hard as possible to read an Erich Segal novel and actually like it.
Happy New Year. Hope its a great year for you.Its turning out to be brilliant for me.
Cheers
Anjaney(Pronounced:un-juh-nay)
Monday, December 17, 2007
The End of Time
This is not about an apocalypse,as the title might be appearing.Its too random to categorise.
The Kant family has specialized in refuting all existing arguments and conventions of the day.Immanuel "Why-the-fuck-am-I-so-obscure-and-gay" Kant rejected various arguments concerning the existence of god and rejected the idea of the knowledge of an object in its true form. His great-great-great-great grandson,who incidentally was born in India due to imprudent disposal of a condom, has rejected classical mechanics and all that Sir Isaac "I'm-gonna-screw-the-lives-of-all-sciencees" Newton stood for. He is our very own Shivajirao Gaekwad aka, Rajini-KANT. His rejection of gravity drew Erwin Schrodinger to suicide(but not before stating his famous equation whose textual form resembles ancient cave drawings),Albert Einstein to a haircut and Wolfgang Pauli to heterosexuality.He is what Friedrich "God-my-moustache-is-just-so-sexy" Nietzsche described in his magnum opus(Thus Spoke Zarathustra) as the Ubermensch(or the overman).
Nietzsche:
NT Rama Rao(With Grand Heroic Entrance):
He is the saviour:Krishna Part X,Jesus Part II and all those who're supposed to come down to earth someday.Worship Him.
The Kant family has specialized in refuting all existing arguments and conventions of the day.Immanuel "Why-the-fuck-am-I-so-obscure-and-gay" Kant rejected various arguments concerning the existence of god and rejected the idea of the knowledge of an object in its true form. His great-great-great-great grandson,who incidentally was born in India due to imprudent disposal of a condom, has rejected classical mechanics and all that Sir Isaac "I'm-gonna-screw-the-lives-of-all-sciencees" Newton stood for. He is our very own Shivajirao Gaekwad aka, Rajini-KANT. His rejection of gravity drew Erwin Schrodinger to suicide(but not before stating his famous equation whose textual form resembles ancient cave drawings),Albert Einstein to a haircut and Wolfgang Pauli to heterosexuality.He is what Friedrich "God-my-moustache-is-just-so-sexy" Nietzsche described in his magnum opus(Thus Spoke Zarathustra) as the Ubermensch(or the overman).
Nietzsche:
Behold!I teach you the ubermensch
NT Rama Rao(With Grand Heroic Entrance):
Screw you bunghole!We've got our own.
He is the saviour:Krishna Part X,Jesus Part II and all those who're supposed to come down to earth someday.Worship Him.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Another Prick Amongst Us All
Long Time.
2 kids in Gurgaon (Aged:14 and 13) killed their classmate by pumping six bullets in him.Guys who've barely come to terms with puberty are shooting their fellow students at point blank range. The Richard-cranium filled media wasn't patient. Aaj Tak went to the extent of extracting the report cards of the shooters and informing the public that these kids used to flunk or barely pass.This is why their minds are messed up. I'd be a mass murderer by those standards.
It's not the kids who're at fault.It's the way we're bringing up our kids. 8 year olds(Seen this myself) in my old school are calling each other "Bhenchod".No understanding of what it means.No clue about why it's offensive.Saying it because they sound "adult" when they say it.Spiders help us.
I belong to what I call the 'Porno' generation. We discovered the internet at the age of 10-11 along with the darker side of it.We were the frontrunners of what is today a full-fledged billion dollar industry.Social pressure is such that 13-year old girls need to wear extremely short skirts to look cool. 13 year-old Guys need to have a Ciggie in their mouths to look cool.Where are we heading??
Rhetoric question.No answer though.
2 kids in Gurgaon (Aged:14 and 13) killed their classmate by pumping six bullets in him.Guys who've barely come to terms with puberty are shooting their fellow students at point blank range. The Richard-cranium filled media wasn't patient. Aaj Tak went to the extent of extracting the report cards of the shooters and informing the public that these kids used to flunk or barely pass.This is why their minds are messed up. I'd be a mass murderer by those standards.
It's not the kids who're at fault.It's the way we're bringing up our kids. 8 year olds(Seen this myself) in my old school are calling each other "Bhenchod".No understanding of what it means.No clue about why it's offensive.Saying it because they sound "adult" when they say it.Spiders help us.
I belong to what I call the 'Porno' generation. We discovered the internet at the age of 10-11 along with the darker side of it.We were the frontrunners of what is today a full-fledged billion dollar industry.Social pressure is such that 13-year old girls need to wear extremely short skirts to look cool. 13 year-old Guys need to have a Ciggie in their mouths to look cool.Where are we heading??
Rhetoric question.No answer though.
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Absurdity
Albert Camus once said " Any man appearing for competitive exams in India is liable to look like a geek and hence has to not have long hair".
Bye Bye Long Hair.
The Present:
Bye Bye Long Hair.
The Present:
Monday, September 03, 2007
When the Hymen Breaks
The title is irrelevant in a very relevant manner.
The state of the media is getting worse by the nanosecond. Plug in to a Hindi News Channel and this is what you get:
Anchor: To ab Salman Khan aiport pahuch chuke hain.
5 mins later...
A: Ab Salman Khan gari main baith chuke hain...
1 second later...
A:Ab Salman Khan ki gari chal chuki hai...
THIS IS NEWS. SPIDERS HELP US.
I need a break.I was solving the integral of (1/x^2 +3x +2) in my sleep last night. IIT JEE has put a stop to my wet dreams.This is worse than the thought police.Winston atleast screwed Julia before being tortured.(Those who haven't read 1984 and are therefore clueless about the previous lines,kill yourself.)
The state of the media is getting worse by the nanosecond. Plug in to a Hindi News Channel and this is what you get:
Anchor: To ab Salman Khan aiport pahuch chuke hain.
5 mins later...
A: Ab Salman Khan gari main baith chuke hain...
1 second later...
A:Ab Salman Khan ki gari chal chuki hai...
THIS IS NEWS. SPIDERS HELP US.
I need a break.I was solving the integral of (1/x^2 +3x +2) in my sleep last night. IIT JEE has put a stop to my wet dreams.This is worse than the thought police.Winston atleast screwed Julia before being tortured.(Those who haven't read 1984 and are therefore clueless about the previous lines,kill yourself.)
Recent Acquisitions
I've been on a book buying spree for about a week now.The Delhi Book Fair was a huge disappointment.No Camus,No Kafka.Yet,I did find a lot of buy-worthy stuff.
Them Being:
1.The Prophet-Kahlil Gibran
2.Essays on Aesthetics-Jean Paul Sartre
3.English Translation of the Adi Granth
4.Animal Farm-George Orwell(Brilliant is a grave understatement)
5.Paradise Lost-John Milton(")
6.Crime and Punishment + The Idiot- Fyodor Dostoevsky
7.Rashmirathi-Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar'
P.S.Catch-22 is an amazing book.It personifies the term Dark Humour.
Them Being:
1.The Prophet-Kahlil Gibran
2.Essays on Aesthetics-Jean Paul Sartre
3.English Translation of the Adi Granth
4.Animal Farm-George Orwell(Brilliant is a grave understatement)
5.Paradise Lost-John Milton(")
6.Crime and Punishment + The Idiot- Fyodor Dostoevsky
7.Rashmirathi-Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar'
P.S.Catch-22 is an amazing book.It personifies the term Dark Humour.
Monday, August 20, 2007
The School That Was,Is and Shall Remain
"DPS R.K. Puram has ranked first among the top 10 schools in India, in a survey conducted by IMRB International- India's No.1 market research agency (a constituent of WPP Group pic, London) and Education World.DPS R.K. Puram stood out on infrastructure provisions, quality of alumni, integrity/honesty, selectivity (in admissions) and parameters."
And thus the Dipsite conquered them all....
And thus the Dipsite conquered them all....
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Ingmar Bergman(1918-2007)
Ingmar Bergman is dead.I saw 'The Seventh Seal' again and bits of 'Through A Glass Darkly'.Cinema has lost one of it's most prized directors.Bergman's movies were nothing short of art.The witch-burning scene of The Seventh Seal can move the hardest of men for it's strength lies in the eyes of the child to be burnt.The concept of playing a game of Chess with Death lacks originality(It's a part of Nordic folklore),but in it's cinematic form is brilliant.
INGMAR BERGMAN R.I.P.
P.S. The oddest and perhaps the saddest thing(for movie buffs)...Michelangelo Antonioni died on the same day.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)