Enthused by the reaction to my previous blog on the newspapers being another casualty of Covid 19, I am encouraged to write another blog on newspapers.

Many readers reacted by naming the daily they either read in their childhood or youth or adored. One reader told me about Tribune, Chandigarh, a newspaper once edited by highly respectable Prem Bhatia. In fact, there was a time when not only the newspaper, but the editors at the helm of these popular dailies acquired almost cult status. Redoubtable Khushwant Singh, after Illustrated Weekly, came to edit Hindustan Times and elevated its popularity to unprecedented heights. His weekly column, “ With malice towards one and all” appearing in the Saturday editions lent the required chutzpah to otherwise drab and serious national dailies. My grandfather loved Girilal Jain, who steered Times of India for many years. He used to especially borrow copy of Statesman from his neighbour to read editorials by S Nihal Singh. And who can forget columnists and cartoonists? If R K Laxman remained incomparable, Sudhir Dar, Mario Miranda and Abu Abraham were equally formidable.

In Mumbai, TOI has remained numero uno all along and HT was a late entrant. Indian Express ( before family division) was a formidable competitor. In Delhi, HT led the number game, though TOI, through its innovative strategy, almost overthrew HT from the top slot. But once Delhi did have respected newspapers like Indian Express and Statesman that had their dedicated set of readers. I also loved Patriot that had two three pages dedicated to Bollywood. There was also National Herald and later Pioneer. Kolkata had duopoly of Statesman and Telegraph though TOI, a late entrant disrupted the market. HT also entered Kolkata market to further wean away the share from the older publications. Chennai had its Hindu, which later started Gurgaon edition through satellite, though Deccan Herald and Indian Express were formidable too.

Mumbai, probably due to train culture , also had a number of mid morning tabloids – Afternoon Courier and Despatch, Mid Day ( still there) and Evening News ( it had a Delhi edition too! ) and then there were publications like Blitz that were most respected.

And here I am not at all talking of vernacular dailies that were loved ( and a few are still lapped up by readers) and I would place Ananda Bazaar Patrika ahead of all others for its literary bent! Probably vernacular dailies deserve a separate blog on them.

Today except an economist par excellence, Swaminathan Anklesria Aiyer, who heads ET, I don’t think anyone remembers the editors of eminent dailies.

It’s part of the change. Who ever thought print media will lose battle to electronic media? Who waits for the morning newspaper to break a news? All the news appear so stale having been acquainted with the fact hours ago thanks to internet alerts! Except for a habituated and connoisseurs of language and activities such as crossword, sudoku. Word jumble, kakuro and cartoon strips ( Blondie and Archie are my favourites) like me, who I presume are handful, newspapers seem to be close to their demise! Or may be I am at a stage of my life when nostalgia of the past is more overwhelming than the future happenings!

I have been an avid newspaper reader- more than news, features like crossword, sudoku and cartoon strips hook me on to this old ingrained habit.

During my long professional career, I have been posted at several Mofussil centres where national English dailies were either not available or available only at the railway book stall and that too stale copy of the previous day. Of course, e versions were unheard of.

Kota, where I was posted and which was situated on New Delhi- Mumbai railway line, offered unique opportunity. It offered both the major editions of Times of India – Delhi as well as Mumbai. I would always go for Mumbai edition for it was much thicker – 24 pages minimum, at times running into 38 pages and full of ads and entertainment.

The reason for this nostalgia is the resumption of newspapers delivery at home post unlocking of Covid lockdown. The newspaper barely runs into 16-18 pages, with two pages of Mumbai Times pinned along with main paper! A couple of weeks ago, popular tabloid Mumbai Mirror that used to come free with TOI was discontinued and made weekly sans all its chutzpah and syndicated columns. Not that Hindustan Times is doing any better!

Print media was already reeling under the assault of TV and OTT and with Covid, readership largely shifted to net, where there are free sites giving real time news throughout the day!

As far as reading books is concerned, I have switched over to kindle. However, I can’t think of starting my day without actually touching the daily copy of newspaper and solving crossword and puzzles using pen. If indeed these major newspapers decide to stop printing and switch exclusively to e editions, it will be the saddest day of my life.

Lohri makes me nostalgic as in our childhood, it was a big festival in Delhi celebrated with much pageant and gaiety.

While lighting of pyre and the fun of standing around the fire in bitter cold was an unmatched experience, the small eatables such as groundnuts, gajak and rewri added to the festivity. Children forming groups and singing Lohri folk song Sunder Mundriye and asking for Lohri, which in those days used to be 5 or 10 paise, added to the fervour of this festival. I think this tradition of asking for money by children on festive occasions is common to Punjab and I have heard similar stories about “ Eidi”.

Of course, festival hastraditional, religious and regional significance attached to it and these stories are well known and I am not repeating them.

What, however, bleeds my heart that the farmers who should be harvesting their crops and celebrating this festival on their farms by dancing to the tune of Bhangra are agitating against farm bills by sitting in at Delhi border under the most severe cold condition? Let’s pray for amicable end to this agitation on the occasion of this Lohri!

Happy Lohri as also Makar Sankranti, Bihu and Pongal! While harvesting is used in relation to crops, I pray that this time these harvesting festivals help us reap peace, health, brotherhood and happiness!

Farmers are braving bitter cold and camping at Sindhu border persisting with their one point demand to the government- to repeal three farm laws. There have been several rounds of meetings between farmers and Government but farmers have made it clear that nothing short of repealing of these monstrous laws will satisfy them. Unfortunately, government has also made it clear that laws will not be repealed. The last hope now rests with Supreme Court; as I write this blog, it’s confirmed that Supreme Court has stayed implementation of these laws till further order and constituted a committee to discuss the issues with stakeholders.

Incidentally, Supreme Court also expressed concern at the danger of Corona virus spreading through these agitations and congregations? The Hon’ble court cited the example of Tablighi Jamaat , where a large congregation in closed space raised Covid concerns. In fact, it is most unfortunate that that in spite of Covid wreaking havoc in almost the entire world by afflicting millions and killing thousands, the world has seen a spate of agitations. Whether it’s movement led by Maulana Fazlur Rahman in Pakistan, attack on Capitol Hill by Trump’s supporters or agitation by our farmers, it’s most unfortunate that one of the most virulent strains of the recent times have been ignored by the agitating groups by exposing their as well others’ lives to grave risk.

Let’s hope that Supreme Court’s stay on implementation of three farm laws till further orders have a sobering effect on this ongoing agitation as rigidity in democracy helps no one and the only way forward in democracy is consultative stance and not rigidity of stance and this applies to both – government as well farmers. It’s not the question of who blinks first? It’s the larger issue of who saves nation from going on this destructive path that’s who shows magnanimity first?

IKEA has finally arrived in Mumbai and their mega store at Navi Mumbai is not something that Indians would have seen till now. Of course, those who have traveled abroad to places such as Dubai and Singapore are well aware of such mega stores having visited Carrefour and IKEA thereat. But for others this is an experience to be believed through a visit.

IKEA arrived in India a few years back with their store at Hyderabad and on line delivery. I remember Indians feeling excited at their commencement of Indian operations. In fact, I am told that several people from all over, including Delhi and Mumbai undertook visits to Hyderabad not to see Charminar or Salarjung Museum or Ramajirao film city, but to specifically shop at IKEA.

We of course had done some e -commerce transactions with IKEA and were already enrolled as IKEA family member. In view of ongoing Covid and expecting a deluge of crowd, the store had made pre registration mandatory and we could do so easily in view of priority accorded to us by virtue of we being part of IKEA family.

Somehow this visit reminded me of my childhood days of visiting an exhibition at Pragati Maidan and halls of fame there that were decked up for such exhibitions. IKEA showroom looked as big as one of those halls of fame, like you needed a ticket to enter the exhibition, here you required a pre registration and QR code and there were similar queues for entering the showroom.

Once inside, the experience was almost ethereal, with all kinds of goods aesthetically placed. You felt like picking up every trinket – pieces of crockery, cutlery, storage et al. Food court had long queues and coffee house served quick snacks that were both – delicious and reasonably priced.

I don’t know whether IKEA will be able to sustain this interest or things are going to peter out once the initial euphoria dies down. Will they bring more and more attractive deals and win Indians’ mindshare and wallet share or will Indian experience be below their worldwide benchmarks? Only time will tell. But as is said “ well-begun is half done” and by beginning their Mumbai operations with a bang, IKEA seems to have won the first battle.

Welcome to Mumbai IKEA!

While the world at large is rejoicing at the passage of 2020 and transition to 2021, not everyone shares this optimism and joy. For many, who have been badly bruised and battered by Covid 19, the path to recovery is going to be uncertain and long drawn and that too if Corona does not spread its fangs by way of more vicious strains.

I sometimes follow Urdu press for their poeticism. Came across a couplet in one of the Urdu publications that captured the circumspection of a large population to the premature celebration and optimism around 2021. The couplet reads:

दुनिया गुजर रही है रोज़ आज़माइशों से

है किस तरफ़ न जाने रुख़ वक़्त की नदी का

हम दो दहाईयों से है अबतला में और अब

इक्कीसवाँ साल है इक्कीसवीं सदी का ।।

The above is loosely translated as below:

World is facing new challenges each day

Only God knows what will be future’s way

For last two decades we have faced only trials and tribulations and no deterrent

Will this 21st year of 21st century be any different?

Let’s not presume that with change in calendar date, all is going to be automatically well! We shall have to continue with the new lifestyle post Corona and not revert to our old habits. We will have to respect nature and respect fellow humans for this Covid has been a great leveller and we need to imbibe the reality without any qualms or doubts!

Happy new year once again to my readers.

So what’s your new year resolution?

Most people would feel quite wary if posed the above question, thanks to their totally unexpected and unusual experience of 2020! If you get only 2 out of 12 months in a year, you cannot be expected to fulfil your resolutions! In fact, going by the above analogy, 16-17% achievement should be considered good enough, given the time one had. Unfortunately, the problem is that these new year resolutions are either 100% fulfilled or else treated as failed promises that we made to ourselves! For example you either quit smoking or don’t quit, go for medical check up or don’t , travel to your favourite destination or not, acquire a particular skill or not – it’s all black and white; there’s no room for shades of grey!

Given the persistence of pandemic and uncertainty associated with our day to day lives, even the year 2021 resolutions that are either black or while may not help us much other than giving us frustration at the end of the year for having failed to have achieved anything! Therefore, it may be much better if make new year resolutions around efforts that are journeys and not destinations. I have tried to create a library of such resolutions from which, we can select one or two:

(1) I will try to read at least one book.

(2) One day in a month I will skip watching TV

(3) I will try and make at least one friend this year.

(4) One day in a month, I will undertake partial fast by giving up either rice or chapati that day

(5) I will try to eat at least one fruit everyday.

(6) I will turn vegan for at least one day in a month.

(7) I will visit my place of faith at least once every quarter

(8) I will relieve my wife of cooking at least one evening every month or I will give at least one evening free every month to my husband to be with his friends.

(9) I will watch at least one Oscar or national award winning Hollywood/Bollywood classic during the year.

(10) I will try learning at least one new recipe.

The above is only indicative and not comprehensive.

As you will notice that above resolutions are not difficult to follow ( and in fact many of us follow all the above several times ) and can be readily fulfilled. The only problem is that one still needs grit and determination, for it’s my experience that you will be offered chapati on a non chapati day, you will botch up the new dish whose recipe you learnt over Internet and will never try your hand again, you will be tested with the choicest of kebabs during the vegan day , the day you are scheduled to visit temple, church or your preferred place of worship, an urgent task will suddenly come up, your tryst for a new friend will fall flat et al. This, in fact, was explained to me at length by the head of a Jain family with whom I got quite close at one point of time. The senior gentleman would give up tea one day, milk the other and rice another day. It looked quite simple on the face of it but it was quite difficult to practice.

The moral of the story is that we may choose easier resolutions, but fulfilment could still elude us. Better is to embark on a journey of overall betterment!

Happy 2021!

Cricket was a gentleman’s game. Five days test match used to be played at a languid pace with crescendo on the 5th day, a close tie getting decided in last 20 mandatory overs. A lot of technique, strategy, patience and perseverance went into the game.

One day international started with 60 overs a side that got reduced to 50 overs later on. The idea of getting the result on the same day excited cricket lovers, though the purists were not amused with the power hitting and restrictions on bowling.

And then came even shorter version 20-20, where spectators didn’t even have to wait for one full day to know the fate of the match but only a few fun filled action packed hours. The purists sounded the death knell for the gentlemanly game for this form of cricket was brutal, power packed and raucous.

The year 2020 had an analogy with the cricketing game of 20-20. It proved to be brutal, raucous and powerful in the wrong sense. It tested our patience, perseverance and above all immunity. Like for cricket aficionados, 20-20 rang a death bell for the gentleman’s game, 2020 rang a death knell for aficionados of life! Life came to a grinding halt and like the shorter version of game that gave us new terms such as power play and super over, the year 2020 gave us new terms such as mask, hand sanitisation, social distancing and lockdown.

But the analogy ends here! While 20-20 might herald death of a game, the year 2020 heralded death of human beings. We all heard news of loss of lives of our acquaintances and famed personalities.

2021 brings with it fresh hope, aspirations, desires, will to live life and dreams in our eyes! Because where there is hope, miracles do happen and 2021 will be miraculous giving us back our Corona free lives!

Happy 2021!

The title of the article is not wrong as the date indeed goes back to 1983 and today is the 37th anniversary of this landmark event of my life. It was on this day 37 years ago that my student life of the past 16 years came to an abrupt halt and leaving my MSc that I was pursuing at that time halfway, I took up a banking job in a nationalised bank.

The change was total and metamorphic so to say. From the holy and serene precincts of University of Delhi to a branch of Nationalised Bank , it was a big shift from me. There was change in profile of my colleagues – from same age group and studious type to middle aged and boisterous, profile of my activities – from studying and brainstorming to dealing with dissatisfied customers under a dead routine, profile of my dressing – from simple jeans and T-shirt’s to formal pants and shirts and profile of my thought process – from an aspiring academician to be a career banker !

Thus it was a life changing moment and my life has never been same again. From a physics student aspiring to do further study in quantum mechanics to a banker aiming for state bank probationary officer and IAS exams, it was a true metamorphosis.

The reason for this blog is a news item that I came across yesterday. A person, who retired from State Bank after a career spanning over 35 years, wrote medical entrance exam and has got admission to MBBS course at the ripe old age of 64. By the time he gets licence to practice, he’d be touching 70, but this example proves that there is no point regretting about the shifts in life against the choice, as it’s never too late to chase your dream! I am rather buoyed by this example and suddenly not feeling any regret at the direction taken by my life and it’s journey so far!

Period between Christmas and new year is one of the most awaited times of the year. I am told that things come to a complete passé in most of the Europe, US and down under in Australia and New Zealand. My daughter who works and lives in South Africa has also told me about the cold freeze ( though Christmas is summertime there), meaning no work!

In India, we are workaholics! Except for 3-4 days at a stretch that Kolkata is shut during Durga Puja, I really haven’t seen parallel of Christmas vacation abroad, in India. You celebrate Diwali today and go to office next day – for a change Mumbai had two days off Diwali this year. Ditto other festivals – Ganpati, Rakhi, Holi or Dussehra. Or may be we have too many religious and national holidays throughout the year that do not justify any break at a stretch.

It’s a fact that economic affluence and travel, including the overseas, are rather recent phenomena in India. In our childhood, our travel was mainly to our grandparents or marriages in family. Overseas travel was a rarity, unless someone was working abroad. I had mentioned in one of my earlier blogs that my father never owned a passport meaning he never crossed Indian borders, unless Pakistan is considered a foreign country, which it was not prior to the partition as my father used to study and work in Lahore. My mother is slightly more widely traveled having been to Switzerland to visit her brother, Johannesburg to visit my daughter, her granddaughter and a visit to Thailand!

This Christmas raised lots of hopes as just before the start of the season, the success of Corona vaccines created a lot of positivity and it seemed that end of Covid was near. However, a new mutated strain of Covid, fresh lockdowns by several countries and night curfew in Mumbai have all played spoilsport! However, I read two beautiful thoughts outside Mahim Church that summed up the never say die human spirit! The first one said, “ Unmask your heart and welcome Jesus” , which to my mind is a beautiful take on pandemic, exhorting us to wear masks on our faces while opening our hearts to help those who need the same most! The second one read, “ You can limit the numbers, but you can’t limit our faith”. While only limited number of devotees congregated at churches for Christmas Eve masses, a large number of faithfuls joined on line in a true spirit of the festival that is aimed at bringing happiness for one and all!

We have all been waiting for 2020 to get over and 2021 to come! We in fact should wait for Corona to get over! This hope was expressed during Diwali and Eid too and the same hope lingers on now during Christmas, because I read somewhere, “ There was never a night or a problem that could defeat sunrise or hope.” Then what’s so special about this coronavirus?

With this I end series of blogs I wrote on the occasion of Christmas and wish my readers merry Christmas and seasons greetings once again!