We went to a show at the British Council last night, my attendance made possible thanks to Sandhya who was kind enough to ask if I wanted to fill in for her husband Rohit.

 

The show (wonder if it can be called a play?) was titled The Summit and was loosely based on the Reagan- Gorbachev talks of the mid-eighties. In it, two brothers (RalfRalf, yes that's what they call themselves) occupy the stage for 70 minutes and put up an amazing show of subtle comedy, intense physicality and deep political statement-making - all without any decipherable language! They are ostensibly two world leaders who are engaged in a Summit in full public view. Their languages are different (both improvised languages, made entirely of sounds and syllables not found in any modern language).

 

On the face of it, it is classical comedy at its best, much in the mould of the Chaplin movies where the players evoke laughter through their everyday actions and behaviour. The lady sitting next to me was in splits all through and I can understand.

 

But the play also had deeper undertones.

 

At one level it exposed the superficiality of international politics. There are these bozos who are propped up by public opinion and who are only puppets in the hands of those who pull the strings. The actions as well as expressions of these people are based on what they are tutored about, and they look over the shoulder after every step they take in any direction. They themselves are insignificant as individuals. Here is the futility of personality-oriented diplomacy.

 

At another level, it threw up the question of whether modern civilisation has any strong basis. Today, our existence as individuals, families, nations and cultures is based on the thought that we are defined by our language and/ or 'organised' means of expressions. The other animals are inhuman because they are not so disciplined in how they express their thoughts. And you are a Gujarati, Bangladeshi or German based on the language that you speak. What if each individual spoke in different languages? What if what I call a computer, you call a salmon? Would we still understand each other? And if no, how important is verbal understanding?

 

Catch it if it comes to your city. You will not be disappointed.

 

p.s. Once again I was surprised at how we become uncomfortable with silence. Have you noticed that the moment lights go out and there is a pause before a performance, many of us start coughing? And that our heartbeat becomes irregular?

It’s amazing how a great plan can be made over a great bottle of Cabernet.

 

On Saturday we were having out customary weekend drink when one curious drunken soul wondered aloud, "What are we going to do for the long weekend?” [Monday was India's 54th Republic Day and so a national holiday].  I, who had never taken his car out of town, volunteered to drive out to Jaipur. Within about 6 hours of our alcohol propelled decision, we were on our way.

 

Remember those days as school children when we went for the annual picnics? We did, as we sang a full-throated cacophony till our ear-drums could take it no more, and we pointed out cheerfully to sights we had always missed on our way to office. There was a sandwich casserole, thanks to my friend's wife, and a fruit basket which we picked into at regular intervals.

 

The road from Delhi to Jaipur is newly laid and has a beautiful construction. It’s a toll road, so the traffic is much regulated and moves at reasonably high speeds. There are mustard fields all through the way, and at many points, the road looks like it has been freshly pulled out from the looming hillocks. The sun played hide-and-seek with us as we sped through shadows of small but majestic, old and denuded mounds of earth. There were bougainvilleas planted on the road dividers that gave immense joy to the senses.

 

We were received by an old colleague who is also a dear friend. He whisked us immediately to a game of polo. It was the finals of the Sirmour Cup and was attended by the who's who of India's royalty. Let me confess here that while I have no particular weakness for celebrities of any kind (unlike my friend, Alpha’s mom!), blue blood always has held a special fascination.

 

When I saw Maharani Gayatri Devi, seated two rows ahead of us, I went week in the knees and I walked up to her, fearing the worst. She was kind and cordial and summoned a photographer! I am sure I must have been looking like a complete jackass and I hope it doesn’t show in the picture! She spoke with me for over 5 minutes and, boy, is she gorgeous! She has so much class and elegance… she must have been a stunner when she was young, at 85 or so, she has that sparkle in her eyes that makes hearts go round in circles. Thereafter my friend formally introduced to the Maharaja (a suave man in his 60s and the Maharani’s stepson) Brigadier Bhawani Singh, and it was a great experience too.

 

Rest of the trip was full of surprises. I met someone who I hadn’t met for 14 years and hadn’t expected to meet! We drove all the way to Chokhi Dhani only to be told that the place is booked for the evening. And the biggest surprise was the realization that I could drive for over 660 kms and not be fatigued at all! I love my Ikon!!

I am considering another break on the next weekend. Game? Mail me on yayaawar@yahoo.com.

I have had a most disturbing experience this week.

On saturday, we went to watch a movie at the Wave cineplex in Noida. They have recently started valet parking and so we left the key with the driver and sped off into the theatre. After the truly engaging movie ("Ek hasina thi") got over and we came down, I noticed my wallet was missing... racking my brain, I realised I had left it in the car. When the valet brought in the vehicle, sure enough, the wallet was not there where I left it. My heart sank.

Its the season for repeats!! This one becomes relevant as elections loom around the corner...

Today let me touch upon a topic very close to my heart....the issue of integration of Muslims in India.

Ever since I was growing up in a small town in India, we have had Muslim friends and neighbours, and I have some warm memories of that time. The succulent mutton that used to come from Salim's house during Id, the great joy one used to feel when his Boodhi Nani (grandma) used to come down...the smell of onion always emanating from their kitchen....

Strangely though, I hardly got to study with any Muslim classmates. In school, engineering college or even at my IIM, Muslims made for just about 1% of the class. This is odd because India is supposed to have over 20% people of this community. If you look around, in the army, the police, and the corporate world or in the academia, the representation from Muslims is hardly noticeable. I don’t think its because of any discrimination....the most probable reason is that most Muslims (except the high or middle class urbanites) finish their schooling in some madrassa, which while providing them with good practical or spiritual knwoledge, make them unfit to join the mainstream.

Does India hate Muslims? Unlikely. Most of our highly respected musicians (Bismillah Khan, Bharat Ratna, Vilayat Khan, Amjad Ali Khan, Fahimuddin Dagar, Zakir Hussain et al), movie stars (Amir Khan, Shahrukh Khan, Tabu) and many beloved sportsmen (Azhar, Zahir, Kaif, Aslam Sher Khan, Nawab Pataudi, Md. Shahid) belong to this community......and more Hindus than Muslims stood against the carnage in Gujarat, which incidentally was a one-off tragedy in the history of India.

The only beneficiaries of the backwardness of Muslims are the Mullahs, Imams and sundry politicians who then can herd the faithful to their own ends. Sadly, the Islamic intellectuals who want to reform their community are beaten down by their own brethren who call them anti-Muslims. Rafiq Zakaria, Mushirul Hassan and Maulana Wali Mohammed come to mind. Some of the greatest minds in the world are Muslims, and most of them are tolerant, cultured and secular. Most Muslims do not marry four times, and in today's world, most of them do not just say talaq talaq talaq before throwing their wives out. They do not cheer for Pakistan in a match with India, and definitely do not nurse an ambition to go to Lahore some day. These are stereotypes created by the black sheep from the other religions, of course with help from their ilk from the folds of Islam.

No amount of political bickering will ever change the fate of Muslims in India. Their young men will have to take charge of their futures. They will need to get the very best of education, then compete for the very best of positions and then assert their voice in every domain they enter. They will need to educate their womenfolk and not restrict their passage through life. There is no dearth of talent within them....all they need to do is shed their inferiority complex.....I would love to see many more Salims (as well as beautiful Salmas!!) walking shoulder to shoulder with me!

From my old blog.

From my post dated March 27 2003:

Lots of people have asked me what my alias yayaawar stands for, so this one goes out to them.....

Yayaawar means one with no fixed address or one who roams around (aimlessly?!!). It is used in the context of gypsies or nomads. I chose this because I have been moving all my life....from place to place, from people to people, from this goal to that....
Posted by Ranjan J on 01:16 PM

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Thursday, March 27, 2003

It turned out much better than I had imagined.

 

When I entered Friday’s at about 6.15, I heard the din created by a boisterous bunch seated in the basement and I knew I had found them. What struck me was all the women (and Senjam) were seated on one side of a row of tables, and all the men (and Sakhi, Lone Cypress and Khotta!!) on the other. Bon homie was flowing all around, helped in part by the alcohol!

 

Let me admit that I had not read the blogs of most of the people on the table. Yet the warmth made me at home immediately. It hit me that people of diverse backgrounds, various age-groups and different mentalities are active citizens of blogland. Yesterday's gathering put a nagging myth to bed: "Bloggers are not losers who seek release in cyberspace". Each one brings a unique value to the table (pardon the pun!)....

For a description of the individuals, you would do better to visit my newly acquired friends Sandhya and Sakhi. I could not do a better job than they have done.

What I found weird in the beginning were questions like "What's your FULL name?" and "Where do you work?" and "Where do you live?". But then I figured its all just an ice-breaker and no one gives a REAL damn as to where I actually work... and then one opened up. Thereafter it was a smooth sail.

What I am really proud of is that I was one of the last four people and the last two bloggers to leave the place! Rohit, Bodhi, Sandhya and I had kathi rolls and a few more rounds before they said "Last orders puhleeze" and we made way...

Now some specific observations about the fair folk (men, eat your hearts out!):

There were more good-looking and intelligent women in the room than there are true leaders in the Congress. Beautiful Life, who I saw only fleetingly, is really beautiful and seems to be full of life. Jill is a bright little kid (at least vis-a-vis me!) who is so full of beans. Lone Cypress is elegance personified. Priya is cute and so is her accent. Sakhi has an intensity you can feel and that attracts you to her. Sandhya is a darling (the old babe) who I would like to have pursued had she not been so very happily married. SwNe is a bubbly, energetic person who I did not get to know too well (my loss, entirely, and I'd like to make up some day). Twilight Fairy is someone you look at and feel the calm within - wish I had more time with her. And Wonderbug, she left us for her waiting husband before I had even settled down (he is one lucky guy I tell you).

Conclusion: I was an amazing event, well-conceived, well-planned and superbly executed. Great show guys!! And I am still looking for my soul mate!!

 

Oh, what a time we had!! Detailed post will follow as soon as I get time (before tonight I promise).

Also, check out the new links to the beautiful people I met yesterday...

P.S. I have not asked most people before linking them, as one would do normally. In case you don't want your link to appear here, do let me know.

This is a joke! Where do they get these ideas?? Who are the dumb-heads they speak to?

Women in India's corporate world have it relatively easy, especially upto mid-management levels.

Those of us who have gone to business schools will remember that all the top companies will take in a girl if there is a toss-up between her and a guy. I am not against women, and I do not think most women take any unfair advantage.... its just that most MNC companies have policies relating to workforce diversity which they have to adhere to.

Everytime I interview for an opening, I have seen myself to be sympathetic to women. Women come across as more vulnerable and your sub-conscious mind prods you to give them a chance as they have "overcome so many odds". One is even more liberal when deciding salary packages..... the poor sods who have "male" written all over their anatomy invariably draw a lower comp than women at par!

In reality, most women I have known at work have been very competent and there is nothing to separate them from men. They are equally aggressive (I have known some real tough ones) and equally spirited. And those who are very good go up parallely, if  not faster, than their male colleagues.

When it comes to dressing, give me a mini-skirted babe anyday :)

She is an upright woman who would not like me to mention her name in this context, so let me call her X.

Thanks guys for the comments (and also to those who mailed me, including the people behind the 3 hate mails, you know who you are!!).

I am going to the DBM!! Roll out the red carpet, will ya? And order those large ones for me...

Alpha and Kash, will let you know if I meet my 'true love' or 'soul mate', though I know these rendezvous (whats the plural for rendezvous? rendevouss? or rendezvous's??) don't yield much for a 30 year old.... But I sure hope I meet some interesting folks who I want to keep in touch with.

In any case, watch this space for a report on the 14th.

Sandhya, sorry if I sounded like a spoilsport... I was actually in two minds.