Disguising my India...

This topic has been fairly running in my mind for quite some time and a recent conversation has pushed me into writing this pronto. I don't know if anyone will feel offended after reading this, but if you do, you must understand that I am just expressing concern over an issue that ought to be given a thought, rather solved soon pending which the impact in future will be significant in an awry way.

An acquaintance here today who has visited India couple of times was recounting his experiences and as with any foreigner he started off with the “quantity of spice in food” to bad roads to unbearable traffic to India's growth. I was quite used to explaining people about the first three. But the last topic hit me hard because I realized I did not know answers to the questions that surfaced in the discussion. He was being very polite with curiosity but I found myself in a web that I couldn't clamber out of easily. It slowly dawned, 'Growth' is the answer to so many of India's problems today and will probably be in future too.

Govindaa...gooovindaa....

Its nice to know we are growing in all spheres-scientific, economic social etc., surpassing all boundaries and gaining new heights with every step we take. But there is growth in one particular field which is often overseen, in most families neglected. I am talking about the population growth. Why do we Indians forget that we are expanding beyond the point of explosion and still procreate even after a healthy beautiful child was conceived earlier? I can understand if this was the case with the previous generation. Still in the 70's-80's or even early 90's population wasn't much of a threat. But what is wrong with the current highly-qualified generation who has seen the world, understands the threats to want more of their own gene pool bobbling in front of their eyes?! Many couples argue that its the elderly (who have already grandparented more than once, considering the count they themselves were responsible for) in the families requesting for new products to be manufactured and supplied so that they can spend their last days playing with them! And no, it cannot be brought off a shelf, it has to be made in-house! While hundreds of thousands of kids lay orphaned in the direst of conditions, the influx of those children is increasing who really have little or no clue of the imminent risk they are running into.

Procreation and variation in gene pool is very much necessary to continue the species, to carry forth the name, different traditions, culture, knowledge, heritage and in some cases businesses. But considering that the birth rate is about 25% while the death rate is about 9% for every 1000 people, doesn't it become the responsibility of every citizen to ensure that we have only what we will need for progress in harmony than have a surplus of human resource who fight for every other available seed for sustenance? Consider this, you and me will not have trouble during our life time, its the next generation that is going to suffer. If you have been in a city like Bangalore you will see the development and the increase in population over the last ten years grow manifold and you will also notice/complain about how there is no more place, how things are getting expensive, how there is not enough land up for purchase and definitely not many houses that can be bought. Everyone needs it. Everyone is in a pursuit of house, vehicles(atleast two-wheelers if not four) and being Indians, gold amongst the materialistic entities while simultaneously demand for lesser traffic, cleaner air, more space and what not! How on earth will anyone be able to provide all these if the population just keeps sky-rocketing? The usable land remains the same unless of course you start adding rural areas to the city limits as well. In that case if the arable lands and farmers are forced into different careers, then how can the food demands be met for a higher number of people?

Big families don't necessarily lead to a healthy, bonding society. I once lived across a family which probably had a sole goal in life-to populate the world. In pursuit of it, every year came a new entree into the market. And being rich as they were, they celebrated every one of the joyous occasions marking the successful anniversaries of each product. Of the many ignored birthday invites (to save my money on gifts) I picked up one random nipper who was unlucky enough to be graced by my satire presence. I had gone there just to count the total head. It was impossible. The gradient in looks and size wasn't that big and I just kept counting all of them over and over again. The house ran in chaos while the matriarch of the house just sat in her fat armchair overlooking her tired production unit(read daughter in law) who herself was haplessly gazing at her troublesome products. There really wasn't any enthusiasm in her eyes. Of course, if every month you had a commodity demanding cake and balloons, would you be spreading joy? Yes, I don't like calling them children. It seemed to me like a production house for humans where the machines in the production line never found rest time! Either the couple hadn't heard of birth control methods or they had some superficial dreams and beliefs. Just think, if the parents cant spend enough time on each of their kids what is the point of bringing them into existence?Its bad enough that we have a terrible percentage of unproductive, inefficient people, do we need more of them? Atleast that section of people is ok, do we need sociopaths or psychopathic additions to the society? Oh, this applies to a 2-children family as well. I have known instances where one of them is ignored, so that the other gets the light of the hour. Seriously, is that why the seconders are conjured?

The main detrimental aspect is the Indian mentality of conservative shyness when it comes to birth control methods. Many couples claim some of their conceptions is because of an “accident” where the doctor's prescribed pills did not work exactly the way it should have on the woman's reproductive system. How difficult is it for men to take one step forward to buy some protection? Why is it acceptable rather expected for a woman to take B.C pills prescribed by a doctor that involves so much risk and money, not to mention adverse effects on health, while all men have to do is buy a pack around the corner of the street? One of my friend was telling me how condoms are available for as low as Rs. 3 (its true, check the websites!) and as discreet as in places like the gents restrooms of malls and showrooms. Is it really “Oh what will the other person think of me if I buy this?” or is it just plain ignorance combined with arrogance?  Its the tradition of keeping it under covers as though its some pagan ritual that Indians should really rise out of. 

We are not far behind..

Chinese who are currently world no. 1 in terms of population, have some policies that they strictly follow. One child per family, More than that? pay more taxes! And to see, its working out efficiently. At the present rate, we will surpass the Chinese by 2030. In India too, if they can bring some policies like that AND FOLLOW THEM strictly, then we can keep a check on our population too and thus ensuring equal opportunities for all in every matter. This was what was going on in my mind when my western acquaintance asked why we don't have a policy to curb this godforsaken rate of increase! I told him that we do have a 2 children policy and his immediate question was, what happens if you have the third one? I did not have an answer because nothing happens in India! Why are we so negligent about it? We have all the time to divide states and pay foreigners giant bills to play in some chaotic, senseless tournaments but we don't have time to solve the problems on hand!

A simple policy (This was suggested by the same friend mentioned above and I support)-

One child per family- Reduction in taxes,

One child+an adoption-further reduction in taxes,

More than one-Increase the taxes(by a specific percentage),

No offsprings-Minimum taxes.

No offsprings+adoption-No taxes!

The tax reduction or increase doesn't have to be more, trust me, considering the Indian mentality, people will definitely think for every tiny percent of increase or decrease in their tax slips! The government too can make quite some revenue with it considering that there will be a few nonchalant people and few more idiots who will make up for all the sensible (albeit a few) lot's taxes..If only this was possible somehow..

You could mock me calling me an “outsider” at the present but I am still an Indian and it hurts to know that my country has some shortcomings and that the world knows about it, worse laughs about it. Its even more a fierce battle within when I cannot defend cos we really aren't working on solving it. If we were making an effort then I could proudly defend my country's honor in front of the western eye.

But sadly, I did convince them in a totally polar approach (by pointing out the human resources and potential because of the increase; the marquee of Indians covering the globe etc.) although it was basically me trying to reaffirm my love for my country by disguising one of its many negative tapers. I am sure many other expats have tidied the crumbles this way which beyond doubt is not a permanent solution for our own good within India and outside too.

aeroyogi

22/09/2010

Independence Day... Really??

Its plastered everywhere. Songs, flags, slogans..I am being wished by my countrymen and yet I do not feel it. I do not feel I am from an independent country. After 63 years of our so called independence, we still are cluttered and confused, in fact in more ways than what existed back then..

Every anniversary, one old man will be remembered by most in the media for his over hyped ways of contribution and the rest of them will be conveniently forgotten. Children sing songs, enact plays from pre-independent eras, hoist flags, eat sweets and go home to a national media that is hell bent on manipulating viewer content  according to their profit charts. Don't get me wrong, these acts will help children remember the struggle but will this show them the reality? The present that is screaming out for help?

Year after year, its all done in a wish, but are we truly independent? Not everyone feel they live in democratic country because they are bound by a million problems all of which manifest from a regime so senseless in varied facets. Are we free of a multitude of socio-economic and political problems that could and should have been addressed already? We drown in corruption and uptight bureaucracy run by umpteen number of selfish, power hungry uneducated fools and yet we sing of a victory that was attained a lil' more than half a century ago with great difficulty, endurance and time..

I think we still have a lot to fight for, as this day really means nothing to more than 3/4th of India, most who will be happy to feed a morsel to their malnourished kid just like another day, most who will be glad if they did not have to pay their salaries worth to get a simple seal from the government and some who will feel blessed if their merit was recognised and not their economic/socio-cultural backgrounds. While the more 'fortunate' souls bless the holiday if its on a week day and enjoy it in a cafe equally plastered with an overdose of patriotic symbols. We are satisfied with the malls that get bigger and personal pay checks that can afford them. We aren't afraid to encourage corruption because we see the one standing next to us and think that's the way world works. But is it?!

Lead from darkness to light..

We might have let this detail slip through before, but let us no more.. Let us each do our part righteously and take time to help our neighbours do the same. There is nothing a common man can't achieve through his common ways that can bring about an uncanny change to the current situation. The common man just needs the support of another common man. Lets put a foot down and not enter the gate guarded by the satan's sentry. It will take time and it will be painful but it will be worth the trouble. If we yield to the easy route now, we will be answerable to the future generation who will not only be born in the trammels of vanity but also will have to live with such fate, and evil only worsens with time unless treated otherwise.

Of course I am not saying the whole of India can do this at once. Its unreasonable to expect everyone to reason in terms of the benefit for future, but if one can take time to educate and help people in their surroundings, homely neighbourhoods will slowly lead the way to a beautiful country-free and prosperous. It will not happen in a year or two.. It may take decades, but if we do not start even now, then we really fail as patriots, fail those who fought for an independent India and no amount of calling out slogans or remembering their achievements on National holidays will prove it otherwise. 

All we have to do is start, stick to our ideals and spread the thought in whatever responsible way we see fit. Let us bring a change together in the hope that such time shall mightily arrive when our children can grow up in a free country-free(even if not completely) of all the negatives that has bound us today in shackles, such time when they will really empathize and appreciate the blood and sweat of all those great heroes who dreamt and sacrificed for a FREE INDIA, such time when western tourists are no longer looking to photograph award winning 'art' pictures of dusty markets, slums and their inhabitants fighting for survival. Let the disparity amongst people end. Let democracy be a word understood and respected by all. Let Independence Day mean to everyone. 

And to all those who want to argue that it cannot happen because of a countless reasons, first dethrone that negativity from your brain. If our fighters had thought like you then we'd still be wiping slime off a British foot. For once, plant a positive seed and just nurture it, you will find a countless reasons to believe there is light at the end of the tunnel. And as a derived version from Charles Tindley's gospel song goes-

We shall overcome                                                        

We shall overcome

We shall overcome some day

Oh deep in my heart, I do believe,that,

We shall overcome some day....

Let's help ourselves..Jai Hind.

Happy fighting for our true Independence Day.

aeroyogi
15/08/2010

Life in Netherlands-Part 6- ..3..2..1.. Ignition..Lift off

And tower cleared.. It went ricocheting from the ground into the windy skies of the ASK Military base at 't Harde.

After months of designing and constructing with 4 other super cool international students, the rocket was ready for launch. It was a fantastic experience which involved some awesome rocketry knowledge, a chance to work with some brilliant minds around and a real launch feel . Probably the coolest project I have done till date. For the first time in Holland, being with this team made me feel at home.

      Best team I've worked with till date

Antanas couldn't make it on launch day

We probably had the best looking rocket amongst all. Martin's idea of putting up every team member's country flag was such a feel-good idea that made us all proud and happy. An international collaboration that truly materialized experiences in a plethora of domains.. We named our rocket MEAT 52, a scramble of TEAM 25 that we were officially called in the beginning.

Successful or not, a great deal of lessons were learnt while sprucing up the rocket. Listing few major ones and the entire experience of launching a rocket! 

We decided that a simple mechanical deployment system would work best (not the greatest idea-Lesson 1) for our rocket since we didn't want any hassles dabbling with circuitry and programming too much. Lesson 2-Nothing, I mean nothing at all is free of electronics and/or programming in today's science. I think it was quite simpler when men pushed the wheel cart!

Our rocket malfunctioned the previous night of the launch. Apparently the updated code wasn't working because of a software glitch in the system. How small things can ruin your life! Stefan(my skilled teammate toiled through the circuits all along when we lesser mortals who could not go beyond the definition of capacitors and resistors watched) and Eric(the electronics and programming/debugging guru) worked on it all night while the other teams and safety officers had set up a camp fire in the middle of a beautiful scouting camp situated right in the heart of a typical European countryside which had great big farms hosting animals like Llamas and kangaroos too!!

The campfire in the middle of nowhere

Yeah, it was peculiar but great.. The guru and the prodigy had set the system right before the night died and we began testing and retesting it. The servo behaved stranger than ever.. The gear inside wouldn't turn a full 180 degrees consistently. It kept getting stuck midway which ultimately was the cause for the 'after' condition of our rocket!

 Lesson 3- Don't test so many times that a working system fails!

Setting up the towers

Anyway few more adjustments, it was just fine and we retired into our sleeping bags. The launch morning wasn't a guest for perfect weather though.. Just like the previous day, it kept raining and the cold penetrated through my shoes and lost me my toes for the day. When you are in Holland, complaining about rain only wastes your energy. It rains in Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring!! And every time it does, it feels the same. A thin chill passes down your spine constantly giving you the feeling of being electrocuted! Soaking wet,we tested the deployment system and it was working. Alleluia! After removing and wrapping the parachute into the top section several times so that it did not interfere with servo rod that pushed off the nose cone during deployment, we fixed the motor with Olga's guidance and help. (Lesson 4 – Give more than enough tolerance for a mechanism that will keep your system safe). We went back to the tarmac and one by one the rockets shot off from the towers that we the participants had assembled the previous day.

It was awe-inspiring, encouraging and motivating to see a rocket-our rocket being launched. I got an opportunity to set off the ignition for the launch! ;)

MEAT 52 and some other launches

Rocket sciences isn't exactly easy or predictable, I can now sympathize with the millions of dollars draining in the gutter all over the world due to failed space missions. Who wouldn't after seeing the remains of our rocket that had a perfect launch but a failed deployment because the servo wouldn't just turn all the way?! The military officials at the base took the longest to find our rocket remains. The egg placed in the belly of the rocket that had to return safely to the earth (the competition criteria) was probably deep fried mid air and had shattered into a thousand pieces when the rocket nose dived at approx 200 km/hr from about 700 m high! 

What came back of our rocket!

We knew we had lost the run in the competition when we saw the rocket diving down with the nose cone still on the body after it had disappeared into the clouds for few seconds. The yellow of the parachute was nowhere to be seen then. But that was just one thing in the rocket that was intact amongst the remains, in fact we got it back exactly the way we had packed! The nylon was still roped around the cloth. We had probably tied it too tightly while trying to make space for the servo rod. Lesson 5- Make sure of the material thickness while designing the system. Everything occupies more space in the body than you imagine!

So our rocket's launch and flight were alright but we could not retrieve the egg safely, Mission failed. "Well, sh** happens!" grunted the safety officer. Though slightly disheartened, Martin's ever positive attitude and the rest of the team's pick up and learn mindset, helped a lot in digesting our rocket's demise. Atleast it would be lesser unknowns for the next time! Some other rockets that were working fine till the last minute faced terrible fate at the end too. But on the whole, the rockets not just from DARE but also NAVRO and NERO(all Dutch amateur rocket organizations) rounded off the day with some mind blowing show!

Wouter on fire! 

It was not just a great learning experience but also so much fun. Met so many amazing people, heard different stories, saw some great fire tactics display and truly camped after ages. Plus it felt cooler later on to tell “I just launched a rocket!” ;)

That was the first time I realized that it was not just Stefan who was good at working with his hands, it was common to all the Europeans there. They are used to working on their own. Some of them there had built every piece of furniture in their apartments! Of course assembling/transporting launch towers and rockets wasn't a big deal for them! In India, the usual age when you would probably hold a drill gun is around 15-16.. May be not even then for most of them(generally speaking). Here, a majority of them know how to repair any problem that comes with a bike or for that matter any mechanical/electronic gadget. It made me feel lot more dumb than usual! Why hadn't anyone let me try when my house needed painting or a partition in the living room had to be erected? Where was I when dad kept sending his old 70's bike for servicing? Or when my computer and audio/video player needed repair? Why hadn't anyone told me I could do it or taught me how to? All I remember from my childhood is everyone's desire for me to excel in academics and extra curriculars. India should be westernized from this aspect. We run to “professionals” for everything. We are so much dependent on someone else for everything. Why is it that we never try doing it on our own? Is it just laziness or pure ignorance? Are we afraid to try or do have a false dignity of labour concept? Or is it just because its simpler and easier to let someone else do it? Any which way, children in India miss out on developing essential working skills for life.

These people have done it all. Plus they are good at academics and extra curricular activities. I felt a little useless in comparison to their efficiency. But since then, its been a different story all together. Those couple of days changed me quite a lot. Every time there is some machine malfunction, I just think of the launch days.and some how I come up with a solution! :) Lesson 6- Just the mere thought of someone else being able to do the job makes you do it yourself first! And it gives a little boost to my confidence. Its not just me, most of my fellow Indians are now painting and furnishing their houses on their own which they definitely wouldn't have done in India!

The rocket days are something I will never forget for it has been an eye-opener to a new subject, new friends, new mindset and a host of experiences that I had come here looking for.

In the making of...

Unforgettable  days...

aeroyogi

15/05/2010

My Nicotine....

At the oddest of hours and the weakest of moments, I remember the one thing that always assured a great ending to my day, my nicotine. Even though I have been away from it since the last ten months or so, today I experience a powerful withdrawal hit which has weakened all my senses and has had me lower my guard. I am on my knees wasted all over drowning in a puddle of nerves, desire, fears and pain.

Yes, I am Swathi Krishna and I am an addict. From the time, I can possibly remember, I owe my dreams, goals, fantasies, pleasure, victories, failures, heck, my entire life to this incredibly addictive substance which has clearly made me what I am today!

I must tell you about my nicotine. Its the kinda drug, that had normal effects like any other would do, but in its own special way. It pumped me up a million times over, gave me a sense of euphoria and drove away my blues miraculously, no matter how badly the day had ended. I always had preserved it for the end of the day, which gave me a reason to survive the next! I probably did it once a week or bimonthly when I was a kid(mostly for recreation). As I grew older, responsibilities, worries and tensions came with age that forced me to use it for sheer survival! Where the deadlines had to be met, doppelgangers of all kinds had to be dealt with and fight for survival in the direst situations had been almost life-threatening. In such times, it was only my nicotine on a daily dosage that helped me pull through. Of course all my well-wishers forbade my regular usage of it, but I always sided with the one thing that kept my soul intact. And the best part is there haven't been any side effects nor will there be any!

And yet, it was this wonderful matter, that encouraged me to abandon it. Graceful enough to let me pursue my dreams. It was a choice between that and my career. It was valiant enough to let me go just as I was cos we were mutually dependent. Indeed, the beginning of this separation was replaced by my excitement of living in a foreign country which strangely had license to sell every molecule that caused addiction except for my nicotine. But now, after 10 months of restraint and self-control, I am on the floor, craving like a baby. A tiny bit of it on the tip of my tongue would do. But I am miles away from the treat.

It is available on almost every other street of an Indian city, (yes! Its legal very much because of its popularity and harmless nature) but each place serving it differently that every new joint you try, you rediscover yourself differently. My nicotine is not a normal roll and sniff kinda joint. There is an elaborate, gratifying procedure to savour it. And if the one who prepares it isn't doing it right, then half the euphoria is lost before it reaches your taste buds. There is a specific pattern to it and every sitting you need to have atleast 7 shots before even mildly being satisfied. The rhythm of the making of your shots stimulates your fluid production and the wait of few seconds before you can pop your first shot gets highly unbearable in a thoroughly enjoyable way. Pick-crunch in the belly-toss the filling-dip in sweet poison-pop it in before it pops out! And it repeats...

Yeah, Priceless is the pleasure derived from one sniff in the open air as you pass by a stall, hearing the smoking potato mermen singing gallantly to the lil' shy pulses in tutus, the irresistible crunch of the bad fat guy amidst its hundred brothers and the jaw dropping tango of cumin and mint with the sensuous tamarind sauce gliding in and out; all conspiring against your free will and ultimately taking over your senses. The quick and careful preparation by the vendor even amidst a jamming mob, the rush when you know the nicotine wont last long with the sweet poison engulfing the bad guy and the eagerness with which you pop it on your tongue gives such a high that clears your head in a jiffy like a seasoned matron. The tango of cumin and mint continues on your taste buds arousing every cell to join the celebration of a delicacy forming within you. And what more, if you cannot afford it, then may be you live in some dusty alley downtown!

And I'm sure I am not the only one, there are millions of people in and outside India addicted to it. If there had to be a society of addicts, the fraternity could fill up a couple of nations easily. I am not ashamed of being an addict, cos those who aren't, aren't blessed enough by this cosmos to dwell in the charm of one helluva substance named Pani puri!

I dunno how long it will be before I can get back to the love of my life, but I do know, when reunited, the universe will engage in such merriment unseen before unfolding a fair of life and celebration on every ounce of every galaxy!

aeroyogi

27/6/2010

A million times over....

Feathers spread warm and bright,
She glides high and might,
An angel so prime she is,
I bow on my knees to my goddess so kind.

Held me tight, has she always,
Picked me up from the ground,
Despite my ego clad songs so long,
I lap in her eyes tall and sound..

Not a word of falsity,
No pretense of being guile,
How, I cannot fathom her patience so firm,
That turns me round-around on ground..

The world might be lost,
For her thoughts have I conquered,
No straw had I picked,
To gain such an honor.

She feels my breath every arc,
Across the oceans yonder,
How, I cannot fathom her heart so large,
That can unendingly love beyond the bond.

When I crumble beneath the vessel of existence,
She holds the freight that guns her down,
Yet she smiles and hides me under her veil,
Faces the wrath and fury prolonged.

As I stand amidst the graves ,
She clutches me hard and steers me loud,
The world sneers at my deeds those deserved,
My tears trickle into her embrace profound.

She believes in me when I do not,
And converts me so with no afflict,
How, I cannot fathom her trust is placed,
That realizes a hope of life I dreamt.

The most beautiful of nature I've known,
She wears out in sentiments drawn to me,
How, I cannot fathom, an ugly wight like me,
Seems to her like the paradise's Queen..

A single lyric will do injustice,
To the lady I know is a miracle,
How, I cannot fathom I adorned her feminity,
If not a blessing thats ONE and true.

I would depart with glee,
To again be from you,
A million times over, I'd cry,
Mother, Thank you.......

aeroyogi
14/6/2010

Life in Netherlands- Part 5- Peakaabooo... the sun is out!

The smell of fresh grass,bright sunlight kissing gently on the the back of my neck, faint wind playing with my hair, tiny winged insects crawling up my aeroelasticity notes and lustrous ducks walking past me, all of these betokened the mighty onset of spring and the peril of winter. Even though spring started quite early and many talked about it as the Dutch would do, it was only today that I really felt the dainty season through my veins.

I had proceeded up the library roof top around 6 pm when the library shut down on a fine April Saturday. If you think I am a geek to sit with books on a day like this, don't you dare! If you bore my work load, you would condemn me for not working harder! Anyway, there were hardly few people up there and the weather was perfect. Not windy, not cold, not hot, not humid and definitely no clouds! I sat at the top of the slope and opened by notes and started pouring my brain cells into it.  I gradually leaned on my back still muttering the notes under my breath with my backpack acting as a pillow.It was so relaxing and soothing, just like my bed back home! :D That was comfortable. Owing to the sub standard bed and "cot" that was provided by the housing department, I had never felt like climbing onto it with my books. And there I was on the soft grass reading away like it was a novel. The warmth was just too apt in magnitude and I could actually feel my skin smiling broadly on the rendezvous with the sun after months! 

And just as I was absorbed into the surroundings as with myself, there came along a couple of ducks quacking along, may be something funny cos I felt like laughing too! May be they crack(quack)ed up seeing so many papers strewn all over me. Still on the ground, I could see the deep orange of their webbed feet like never before. Do all ducks have orange limbs? Now, I am confused cos I don't remember seeing such a beautiful orange on any animal. Or may be they were highly patriotic ducks, they just had to wear their country's colour all the time! :P Wait, did they think I was lifeless, cos the minute I got up to grab my phone camera, they almost flew from there! I had to literally run around the library dome to get a picture of those cute companions. they just refused to be photographed showing their tail all the while and keeping a grim face! hmph! x(

I just let them be and walked back to my books. Seeing that I meant no harm, they came back to my study spot and kept me company. They probably sensed I needed quiet and so they maintained it. With ocassionally a few swans soaring over,lot of light and air and not a human to disturb, I did a lot more than I would have done locked up inside! 

After a while, I snapped up my belongings and walked down the only slope in Delft as the sun decided it was time to call it a day! The winds were picking up now determined to defeat my hair in all good spirit and the ducks were heading back to their nests on the edge of the canal opposite the library that was posing like a shy damsel letting the last of the ducks wade through her. It still felt perfect letting Newtons gravity and inertia laws prove themselves while I had to just put one step forward....:D 

.

Back on the ground and near the EWI building, which strangely was standing still (every time I pass by it, I have the feeling that, all its 20+ floors sway to Holland's aeonian winds! :D ) was when I saw the planes flying into the evening sun with contrails trailing meters behind. Was glad to see the metal birds back in action after the Iceland volcano puked ashes at the skies and stopped the very thing from moving that would feed me bread and butter next! This global warming reduction technique is not only effective but also a spectacle to behold, especially if you do not know why! If you haven't seen it before (your kidding!) or you wanna see it again, here is a page of some photos I clicked. 

One of the good things about Holland is that you can look up at the skies and walk your ground without the fear of falling into a pothole! And so did I utilize the benefit fully today. It looked like as though the pilots were as eager as me to reach out and hold on to the sun for a long time as they flew directly into it.. If you can enlarge the photo, in one of the pics, it actually looks as if the plane is ramming into the sun, causing a solar flare ring outwards. Just as I wanted to lower my gaze, few gulls soared by across the contrails crooning in unison the song of spring and the lightness of hearts. A panorama that let my face relax in a smile and my mind perch on the tallest of the greenest trees! 

It was time to get back to my nemesis as the weight on my shoulders prodded me hard. As opposed to the winter and the autmn, my mind though loaded with a million worries, seems blissfully light and the confidence hops back slowly just like the ladybird skipping on the bark of the young tree right beside me. All of the flora were sprouting leaves and colorful flowers in full force. I would again be able to pluck those apples from the nearby tree in few days and there will be golden daffodils waving out to me wherever I go. Some air in the wind that said things would get better now....

 A flame of warmth, happiness and expectation surged through me leaving me smiling more than ever outside my humble dwelling.... Spring, as I have never before seen, is definitely rolling on its fastest wheel... :) 

aeroyogi

The big fat Indian wedding-1

I decided I will write a series of posts from now on about Indian weddings. According to me, its a waste of time and money. It tests your show-off skills, emotional quotient and it is the ultimate pressure handling test. Companies can use it as a tool to assess the candidates break down point.

They look grandiose, has a lot of merriment too but on the outlook. Do you know and/or believe the atrocities committed/undergone when a Hindu brahmin girl has to get married in India? I am not talking about the during-marriage phase yet, its the prior-marriage part of it. Let me list few of them for you. And of course we are talking about arranged marriages. I don't have to explain the concept since its got quite a reputation. Some favourable and some depiciting astonishment..

Of course, I am not saying all brahmin families are the same. As in case with anything, there are few exceptions but what is the fun in talking about them?? ;-) This tale could be of any ordinary or extraordinary brahmin girl. I cannot comment on other girls. But I guess its all the same. Lets talk about a happy little family which is not completely orthodox or has thrown all the traditions to the wind. A broad-minded loving family where the girl hasn't had too many restrictions.

The girl in question could be a graduate, a post-graduate or a doctoral degree holder. She can have the potential of being the next Sunita Narain, Naina Lal Kidwai, Indira Krishnamoorthy Nooyi or a Kalpana Chawla. But to the family that comprises of not just the parents, she is a mere mortal. An ordinary girl. Her dreams and goals could as well be treated like a mistake caused by her youthful zest and imagination! Once an ideal hindu brahmin girl makes a crime of turning 21 or 22 years old, all the aunties in the house start getting hormonically super active. Yeah, you read it right! The aunties of the house!

They all become mothers of the girl, crooning over her and start manipulating the actual mother's sensitive, scared brain and turn matchmakers at their own will without any prior consultation from the girl's parents. Oh yeah, forget the permission from the girl. Their estrogen production might have stopped ages back for good but the new estrogen rich kid in the block somehow activates the adrenaline in them and magnetically attracts them all like vultures towards meat! The uncles usually remain silent but on occasions they offer their advices nose-up in the air with a feeling that no man is born yet who can contradict them.

I remember a grand-uncle of mine telling "Good boys are like vegetables in the market. You go early in the morning, you get the freshest and the healthiest ones. You go by evening, you will have to settle for the rotten ones." Well, I so wanted to say "I'll go back the next morning". But I bit my lip. :-)

The poor parents in question, bound by the societal conventions now look into each others eyes. May be the only time after 25 years when they got married! But this time there is no pure, young romance in their eyes. Thy dread the near future. An overwhelming sense of danger is cast upon them. They fear getting into the "getting our daughter married" mode. But they treat it like a duty. A responsibility, which they were shouldered when they were born around half a century ago! They feel there is no escaping to it. If they fail to comply with the societial rules, they can be marked as bad parents. And they who have been the best of parents till then fear a black spot on their parenting record. They silently hold each others hands, once again may be after those 25 years when they first held it in their wedding, close their eyes and dive straight into the dark forces of horoscopes, matrimonial sites, Brahmana sanghas and of course the ever-helping relatives arms!

You can find a deep change in the way they talk to their girls. Fathers who treated their daughters more like sons, gave a high-five when they came back home in the evening, plotted together in pranks now start looking at their daughters more like- you-are-a-guest types. The mothers become unnaturally shrilly and start fussing about a simple acne that is sprouting on her daughter's face as though its a malign tumour that could kill her. Forget about sizes. If the girl does not look like a sleek designer flower vase, eternal doom is guaranteed! Lets talk about that later.

I will eat myself if a brahmin family does not look at horoscopes,the first thing, in times of crisis. Parents who generally do not believe in astrological influences start taking out the dusty old horoscopes of their daughters that was written when the girl was born. A natal record penned by a man, usually of whom the parents have atleast heard about, who people consider, to be bestowed with the knowledge of seeing the future. I do not know how, but this man can tell the exact year in which she will get married the day she is born. He can say which direction the groom will be found! I think the vicious process starts here. The quest begins with the aim of digging out the guy who had matching planetary effects when he was born. Wow, marriages here rely primarily on the day and time when the girl and boy was born!! Makes sense huh?!

Beat it, a man who is no way connected to the girl, sits in his private sanctimonious domicile feeling blessed about designing another human's life and people actually take his word on the girl's life. If he says the girl was born in the wrong time, she is chided after 21 years for not crowning out of her mother's cervix hours earlier or later! But if she did crown at the "right time" i.e something like during the fight of mars and saturn or during the mating of pluto and the moon for example then she can bring enormous fortune to the guy who holds her heart! I'd say who holds her dad's signed cheque book rather!

I am not saying this ancient study field is wrong or is senseless. I trust my country beyond any barriers. If some tradition/culture/a field of study was born in India, it definitely has a rational and intellectual dimension to it. If its been for so long, may be there is more to it.

Indian study of planetary movements dates back to the B.C's. Those noble men searched and found answers to several mysteries around human life. Those in the Vedic times(I don't claim to be an expert on Vedas, but having undergone few related lessons about religious history years ago, I can only think this as a probability.)wanted to know how man is related to the universe. They tried relating the microcosm and the macrocosm which research facilities all around the world are trying now! They predicted celestial phenomena which astronomers do today! Along with being brilliant astronomers, they were philosophers who tried to find the truths and tried to relate human activities to the celestial phenomena in the only purpose of finding a way to relate to the universe, beyond mundane. In that sense they became astrologers too. They couldn't be wrong in predicting the influences of planetary motions on natural disasters and human life. It is done even today but we know it with a different name! But what is happening today is men sheerly following a crude path to make a living. They follow a set of rules that has changed over the years to suit human needs. Today's astrology is something like an ABCD(American Born Confused Desi).

Is there someone who has actually studied the vedas completely and has full knowledge of the celestial occurrence? If so then he wouldn't be found on every other street of an Indian town. If so, he would be employed by the greatest research institutes in astronomy, meteorology and disaster management and the earthlings would never be less prepared for a disaster!

Now you are not expecting every Indian child's life to be predicted by someone like them, do you? Basing every important decision taken in a life on the word of someone who proclaims to know the heavenly bodies better than anyone else is outright foolish! What value does a person's will/desires hold then? If a certain star/planet/constellation was prominent a the time of birth, so be it. But how does it affect the later life? How does it determine a person's character?

Generally, in any hindu tradition for that matter, if the planet Jupiter is strong i.e in a certain position and the Mars is not creating any ruckus by being in the wrong position the girl is ready for marriage! Doesn't really matter if she is on verge of completing her thesis which could potentially cure cancer, she has to get married at that time or else she is doomed for loneliness, the rest of her life.

This is the point which brings parents to their knees. They would rather let the world die than conducting their daughters wedding after her thesis by which time Mr.Jupiter wickedly pulls out of his deployment! May be that is why there is still no cure to cancer! :P

Anyway the girl may well be ready to accept consequences. When so argued, the lectures begin. From every corner. At some point you will want companion blah blah... Agreed. Everyone needs a companion for life.. But who says if Jupiter decides to take a break form the same position, the girl cannot find a guy?! Of course if you are prioritize cast and creed, which is rather senseless, one would rather not bother after Jupiter decides to call it quits. And I wonder, how does Mr.Jupiter manage to act on all the billion hindus around the world? Why does it just stop being strong for a person? How can Jupiter be at the extreme of fitness for the person sitting next to you but be at the prime of infirmity for you?? Hundreds of girls are born at the same time. So all those hundreds should get married at the same time, with guys possessing matching planetary conjunctures at their birth time and in turn it implies that all of them will be found in the same place more or less. Right??

Oh we still haven't spoken about matching the zodiacs(rashis). How is it that constellations can be friends or enemies? And based on that humans getting married?! I am sure this was not what the Vedic people decided to pass on, atleast not in this way.

Ok will someone please explain that to me?!!

Ok, that topic can go on for days,. Didn't meant to write so much or get so serious! Pardon me. :)

The next step for parents would be to register their daughter in those money-minting small dingy offices calling themselves trusts and sanghas, in case they do not have "contacts" whose brother-in-law's, grandchild's maternal uncle's wife's sister-in-law's brother's son is available for marriage! Those old-fashioned staff in the offices set up rules that the house mates have to follow with no exceptions. A studio-picture where the camera man has a thousand lights on the girl who has no limits on her make-up and that photo which has been photoshoped with tens of editing steps clearly visible is the primary most requirement. The morons in there fail to realize that she is hardly gonna look like that daily! Mind you its not the groom's family asking for it yet!

Looking for the right guy. A brahmin guy. Parents who have never known internet, will become tech-savvy, register their daughters in all online websites, some named like 'asklaila' (doesn't it sound like a tabooed website or something? :P ) and start browsing the profiles of boys there!! I'm serious. It sounds rather gross, don't you think? The very concept of it makes me nauseous. Its the same case with guys I suppose too. The same parents who wouldn't allow their sons to check out a "girls website" and proudly tell everyone "Our son is such a good boy. He never looked at any girl also before, you know?" oblivious to their son's hidden talents, will encourage, flaunt and in fact use the technology to the fullest extent in browsing profiles and pictures of girls, commenting and having a good time of their lives! Hypocrits!!

I love bhel puri and dahi puri too! :P

There is more to it. Once they start finding interesting profiles, some coming from those dingy offices, comparison starts. Salary, Place of living, Status are the top priority. Mind you, at this stage, the horoscopes will mysteriously be matching and of course the relatives and parents-turned spies would have found the link in their contacts and would have extracted all the details of the boy! You see, in certain sects of brahmins, it is known that everybody within the sect is related one way or the other. Its like the pure-blood concept from Harry Potter series. Find the missing link, you find the true CV of the guy!

The entry of girl and guys still awaits. May be you first need to digest this post. I shall soon get back to you.;)

Tot ziens!

aeroyogi

27/03/2010

Agent Kats in the house! (Story 1)

Well, if you are wondering who this Agent Kats is, you are one of those who did not read my blog at the right time. She had shown herself to the world for few hours today. She is my character, born out of me. Actually she had never surfaced any day before. Few circumstances yielded in her rising.. A character that stole me away from me. I wish you all could read about her. But Vignesh just showed me how dangerous it is for the world to know about Agent Kats right away! Not that it hadn't occured to me but I was so in love with my intrepid, audacious, invulnerable and dominating character that I wanted the world to read about her. I still do. But may be a little change in perception was called for. You will get to know her better in due course of time.

Agent Kats. She was born out of abhorrence. She has a split personality, but any form she adornes, her ultimate motive is to cause misery and destruction, a gruesome end is what she craves and strives for! Destruction of those who torture, drill, bore and grind your senses and absolutely get to the worst side of you. I love Agent Kats, not beacause she is me, its because she is not me!

She is super sexy, carries an athletic body that probably won her medals in the Olympics, wears black leather, has a ruler straight hair that brushes her back just beneath her shoulder and a tuft of hair always falls on her eye. She has an OMG3 console that acts as a weapon manufacturing database for her. But she hardly needs it. She can move with the agility of a snake while can balance herself better than a cat! Not unlike a spiderwoman, her brain is razor sharp that can work on different areas at once and her confidence alone could just obliterate you. She thrives in an invisibility shell that senses the need of her services. Half a thumb tall in her shell, when risen from her slumber transforms into a dark, translucent, six feet tall woman with rage tat could ignite hell. She is simply amazing.. I love her!! I feel sorry I never gave her a chance to face up these many years!

She has had a couple of ventures too in the recent past where she valiantly destroys the enemy with her ingenuity, exuberant skills and robust weapons. Grown men those who obviously have undervalued her, have experienced the worst of brutal destiny. Her most recent one would rock your ground. Literally. What else can you expect with a 200 dB sound level?

This wrong-doer (we shall call him enemy target) smelling cigarette-ish had caused a lot of annoyance and misery. He challenged the powers of the all-prevailing Agent Kats and her endowment. Thats when Agent Kats exploded out of her invisibility shell. I felt like someone was giving her drum rolls behind! She flew out like a Ninja with fury undefined. As she landed straight on enemy target's shoulders, she transformed herself into the six-feet phantom. A spectral delicacy for the eyes! He could already feel her weight. Aha! Pay back! He began crumbling while Agent Kats only stood her ground! When the enemy target could no longer tolerate, he buckled on his knees. Agent Kats zipped out her console and threw it in the air high above. As she did, the audio command prompt bleaped. She muttered something to it and then I couldn't believe my eyes and ears. There were all sorts of weapons that lined up and then formed a delta. Odd sounds emanated from those vibrating artilleries, none that I could recognise. But I saw the target down on the floor screaming clutching his ears. I did not understand. The noise wasn't that bad. Perplexed I look at Agent Kats. Her lips twisted wickedly and pointed at a small screen on the gizmo that had stationed itself in mid-air right at the center. It was then I realised she was directing all the 200 db worth sound towards the target. Normally, threshold of pain is 120 db.When exposed to sound levels greater than that, constantly, it could lead to a variety of misfortunate abominable ailments. Agent Kats did nothing but to stand on his chest nonchalantly with folded arms. I wonder how she shielded herself and me against the sound! Pressure built up and blood started oozing out of his ears and nose. She hadn't touched him and yet he couldn't stand against Agent Kats' mightiness. His body was contorting like as though he was being electrocuted in a cold water bath. Sensing he had enough after a while, Agent Kats lazily pulled out the center most contraption and muttered in a strange language into it. All the gadgets fell into a single line, roved around the target in an involute fashion and swept themselves cleanly into the OMG3 console.

Agent Kats zipped the console to her waist and walked gracefully upto me. She never spoke to me but something in her eyes told me that she would always be there for me. I held her up in my palm and she stood there wit a benign smile. I thanked her and she calmly walked right into her invisibility shell. The shell simply floated into me. All of a sudden I felt light by a thousand pounds.

She exudes an aura around herself and anyone in her vicinity. Her power is ineffable and she is enigma personified. I am yet to discover lots about her. Atleast it looks like there is a lot more to her than this. When I do, the world shall be enlightened better.:-)

aeroyogi

26/03/2010

Life in Netherlands-Part 4-Studying differences...

Somewhere in the early dawn, still lying on my bed, I groggily parted my window blinds to see the wet road, multi coloured spaceboxes and the little glowing stars from the lamp posts and other buildings. Of course you can attribute the "star effect" to my poor uncorrected vision! Its become an usual ritual of mine to get a glimpse of the blurry morning outside the window before I get out of bed. I dunno why but I just do it!

Its also another ritual of mine to curse under my breath (I dont want that to be the first word I utter every morning) seeing my alarm clock showing 8:00 am when it just looked like 5 am outside!

Welkom bij Holland!

But this quarter, I had decided I wouldn't repeat what I did in my first quarter. Learnt few valuable lessons that will shortly come across you. I decided, rain or snow(forget sun) I would go to all my morning classes that started at 8:45 am. And so am I following my decision very tediously.

Back in India I'd wake up comfortably at 6, catch the bus at 7 :30 and sit happily in the bus till the traffic was conquered and then go about the day like a happy soul. That was so easy. The fact that I had to travel about 25 km just one way now seems like a child's play!

I hurried through my morning activities and got down to see my cycle lock totally disappointed with me and refused to open in the cold! Seeing that my faculty is on the other end of the campus,(about a kilometre) I had to hurry now. It had snowed the previous night and the temperature was pathetic enough to just freeze it all over. I hate walking or biking on ice owing to the fact that I have hurt quite a few "sensitive" parts of my body slipping over. I must have made a mistake in fulfilling my karmic duties somewhere along the line. The vengeance is appalling! But still undeterred I tread carefully as fast as possible literally frightened of the viciousness beneath me. Nature decides to push its clairvoyances further in trying my grit and starts showering some snow flowers and tugs the winds to crusade past me almost pushing me back to my room.

Frozen canal on the left and the icy-salted road!

My conscience thinks of me as a woman with fortitude and yes I wouldn't betray my conscience any day. With a deep frown between my brows I squint up to look at the sky that was still lapping all the different colours. It looked like one of the modern art paintings where in only the artist himself can decipher its meaning. Pondering over the pink, blue, grey and orange and dreaming of the clear blue skies back in India, I just pushed myself against the winds and after what felt like an hour of this drudgery, finally! lo behold! I reached the faculty. What a relief it was!

My faculty lobby.

I was so glad for the warmth inside there. I was already 5 minutes late but you know what? the teachers here couldn't care any lesser as to what time you walk in or out of the class. Unlike in India where the teachers (albeit a few) stop their teaching, look at you like a piece of smelly toe-rag and question you- "What I-say?? No time sense? You think this is your in-laws house to enter whenever you want??" and that which evokes an equally adept answer from the student if the teacher can be played around with. A million of which I am sure you can think of. And walking out of a class in between meant you would either end up in HOD's room or/and screw up your internals marks next time!

This professor did not bother to look away from his presentation slides and went on about the effects of flutter on different components connected to the wings. I sat down and started taking notes while the guy behind me bites off noisily on his apple. I have got used to this now but initially this struck very strange in fact offensive too! In India I was once told off by my harassed lecturer in a noisy class that did not listen to him, for drinking water "Swathi, I am an old man standing for 2 hours and lecturing and you are drinking water!" Like I denied him the privilege! Like any student could deny any privilege to any teacher!! That was for water. I couldn't imagine anyone in any class bringing anything that even smelt good. Forget eating except probably in my former HODs class 'cos he had real thick glasses and he could hardly make out what the front benchers did! May be some of the teachers took it as an offense too.

Through out school and college life, we have followed the custom of not eating inside classroom religiously even though no hoardings were put up. Guess its sort of inbred into us. Until and unless we decided to get naughty in the class, hardly could we set up a lunch table when the teacher is chalking out equations once derived by "noble" men that solved complicated questions for which, answers weren't even requested!

But here, I still remember the first day vividly. I was out of my wits. This guy walks in half an hour after the class, sits in the front row, pulls out his new coke bottle and uncorks it. It makes an unusually loud gurgling sound in the silent room with the gas trying to escape. I look around and no one is least perturbed by it. Its like they hadn't noticed this guy at all. The professor declares a break of 15 minutes while people go out, get coffees and chocolate bars. I did take a coffee too, but I hastened to finish it before the break was over. Back in the class again, I was taken for a surprise.. All around people started ripping open their packets and sipping drinks even after the professor had resumed the lecture. In India, only the notorious lot or those who wanted to get out of class did that! And to a bigger surprise, the prof himself was sipping coffee while changing slides. Now thats something I hadn't seen at all! Soon another guy just stood up in between the class, picked up his coat and walked out silently. I was waiting for the professor to say something. I didn't know how they abused students in Holland and I wanted to hear it! But the prof couldn't have been more impervious to the situation. I was dumbstruck. I then realised may be this is all common here.

Oh, students are never abused by teachers here whatsoever! Students are respected and treated as equals just like the teachers, may be not in terms of knowledge but in every other human way you can think of. Of course you have no hitting businesses here and the situations and people you deal with seem so sensible and full of maturity. I wonder why is it mostly never like that in India.

But you cannot deny teachers hitting you meant they cared for your development. You wouldn't realise it when your getting beaten up but atleast you'd realise it some day that some teacher cared for you so much and because he/she beat you, you have learnt something really worthwhile and good! I cannot see how you would realise if a teacher cared for you here. Actually I'm not sure they do!

As days passed by, I realised my previous realisation was true but I still couldn't take a coffee cup inside the classroom forget eating when the lecture is being delivered. But today, in the break, I zip up a coffee from the vending machine right outside my class and sip it slowly- as slowly as the lecture was going. I still cannot bring myself to eat something in midst of a class! I think after coming here, I am addicted to coffee! With huge books, monotonous lectures and hours in front of laptop, I need caffeine now. Oh! Hollanders are coffee lovers as well..

The coffee, chocolate and drinks vending machines outside the class in the corridor.

There are other changes too.. Hardly any professors used lecture slides to teach students in India. It was just chalk and board. But here along with those two, everything was in a presentation format. Its later put up on a portal where one can access the class notes online. The teacher-student relationship is much better in India where we get to speak more often! Here everything goes online. From schedules to meetings to assignments. One mail to all in the group and the job is done. No professor would ever know your name or your existence until you are acquainted with them for a good reason. And then students print out every single thing- slides, lectures, assignments-even those which can be read from the net!! I kinda feel the westerners waste too much paper.

My coffee mug and my nemesis! :-o

But one really likeable aspect of the faculty is its brilliant classrooms! Well decorated, well lit, well equipped for both students and teachers, its got space and the aura for learning. They have something called the smart boards- you can see to the left of this picture. You mark on it, you have it marked on the presentation slides! So the profs need't use long sticks or laser beams to point out above their heads!

One of the classrooms.

Anyways, after 4 different courses at the finish line of the day, I am again at the bottom of my well brooding that I may never end up getting my degree! For one though its not all that difficult to understand he subjects, its just bad enough to give answers in the exam which is never related to the text! Everything here is application based. Students are bred in such environments from their early bachelors. They are used to it. But me coming from VTU, where a question like- Derive Euler's equations- can be found in Pg 150 of one particular text book, its difficult to answer a question such as-Derive the condition for Euler's equation-the condition unfortunately pops out of nowhere in all the books! You are given a hint and the rest is left upto you to use your brains! These guys are terrific in math. I mean real math! not mere arithmetic. Series functions, PDE, ODE, are all second nature to most of them here. We hardly used them back in India. We were only aware of its existence!

You could say because of this factor and also me underestimating the exam standards, I have done hopelessly here. the main reason I have transformed to a new leaf in the 3rd quarter!

Hopefully it goes better from here. Got so many more differences to list, but I need out now. I will continue this post soon enough!

aeroyogi

4/2/2010