Just saw a school girl, returning home after attending afternoon school shift, enjoying the last drop of her manchow soup from a roadside vendor. At Rs10 for a soup bowl that contains some veggies also, the girl seemed to be having a good deal that was value for her hard earned pocket money. And it’s not only the neighbourhood Chinese stall that sells a soup bowl for Rs10, half a plate of veg chowmein for Rs30 and some manchurian for Rs.25, but also a dosa stall giving crispy hot masala dosa for Rs25, idlis and vadas at Rs5 apiece and fluffy onion Uthappam for Rs30, served with two types of chutneys and sambhar. And a rice plate for Rs40 is a full meal comprising two chapatis, vegetable, dal, rice and pickle. Mumbai’s vada paav is still a hearty meal for Rs10 while samosa, India’s favourite snack at Rs10 a piece is great accompaniment for a cup of hot tea that costs another Rs10. Bhelpuri, sukha bhel, singh chana mix, popcorn at Rs5 or Rs10 are great energy boosters for a tired person.

The thought of this blog came to me when I saw that small school girl whetting her hunger and satisfying her taste buds by having Rs10 soup and this sight changed my views diametrically. Having visited some of the iconic overseas locations, I had become a stickler for cleanliness and orderliness. The wide and well appointed pavements bereft of encroachment by vendors, spic and span with not even a hint of dirt, people strolling or cycling lazily that I got exposed to while being abroad, made me strongly abhor the congested, fully encroached, dirty, uneven pavements of Mumbai. I also detested trash being disposed on roads and pavements by these roadside vendors. But the above sight has changed it all. Even an ordinary sweet shop sells samosa for Rs20 that can go up to Rs30 in a more upmarket restaurant. A meal in a 5 star hotel can cause as much as Rs2500 per head! When the not so well off elements of the society can be served hot delicacies at affordable prices, why should the elite resent these food shops for encroaching pavement? I am planning a different mission from henceforth- I will strive for regularising these small vendors by helping them get licence, sensitising them to improving hygiene, telling them to put up their stalls at strategic locations that do not block a pavement fully and educating them on trash management. Freshly cooked, hotly served and deliciously prepared affordable food is the right of the deprived of this country. It also provides self employment to millions of budding entrepreneurs . We only need to manage them more intelligently and scientifically.

We all know that the standard of Bollywood music has deteriorated greatly over the years. From Indian raga and folk music based music to medley and fusion, mainly influenced by Western sounds, to the current fad of rap and Sufi, the Bollywood music seems to have plunged to new low, where its all noise and cacophony, but no melody whatsoever!

However, the point that gets missed in all this debate is even steeper decline in the standard of poetry or lyrics, the preferred term used for Bollywood songs. Sahir was the poet first and then a lyricist. So were Shakeel, Majrooh, Shailendra and Hasrat. Sahir beautifully captured the pathos of break up between lovers in his all time hit, “Chalo ik baar phir se ajnabi ban jaaye hum dono ” from hit movie Gumrah, which incidentally is my personal favourite song too! The song further says, “tarruf rog ho jaaye to usko bhulna behtar, talluk bojh ban jaaye to usko todna achha” , which can be loosely translated as ” if familiarity becomes a disease, it deserves to be forgotten; if relationship becomes a burden, it deserves to be severed”. What depth, what profoundness! Compare it with another so called “hit track” from recent Ranbir- Anushka block buster ” Ae Dil hai Mushkil” that says, ” dil pe pathar rakh ke munh pe make up kar liya, mere saiyan ji se aaj maine breakup kar liya ” , which can be loosely translated as , ” by making my heart stronger and putting make up on my face, I am celebrating break up with my lover”. Though translation is hardly required as half of the words are colloquial or English, this sounds so shallow and crass.

It is true that one of the earliest reasons for decline in standard of poetry was the meter being provided to the lyricist in the form of a pre composed tune by the music director, within which the lyricist was required to fit the words, the poets of yore could still manage the challenge by infusing life and feelings into their poetry. Rajendra Krishan wrote, “khuda bhi aasman se jab zameen par dekhta hoga, mere mahboob ko kisne banaya sochta hoga” for Rajendra Kumar starrer Dharti that can be loosely translated as ” God while looking at my beloved from heaven must be wondering did he only create this wonder?” to today’s cheap and crass description of women as namkeen, patakha and what not really that is representative of the new low that Bollywood music has hit. Gulzar has grown old, while Javed Akhtar has gone into hibernation. There are a few good poets in younger lot; hope their creativity is valued and respected by Bollywood, or we shall have to move to private music for melody and substance.

Chanda Kochhar has had a severe fall from grace. From an iconic leader, who gave new direction to ICICI Bank, she seemed to have come the full circle after the Bank’s board decision to terminate her services, claw back all incentives given to her since 2009 and cancel all the stock options granted to her which had yet not been vested! Awarded a Padma Bhushan, the highest civilian honour in 2011, the question is does she deserves the end that has been meted out to her by her institution that she served with so much distinction over the years?

Without going into the details of her illustrious career and her meteoritic rise as the head of the second largest bank of the country, which is a stuff folklores are made up of and which can be perused all over, including in Wikipedia on her, the question is when are we going to get over this patriarchal mindset? Her Board approved sanction of certain facilities to Videocon group, who also had some dealings with her husband! Chanda, in her lifetime, received several felicitations and earned substantial monies through salary, bonuses and stock options, the scale and extent of which could well be beyond the imagination of most of us! That she agreed to compromise her position and propriety for gain of few crores to her husband is hard to digest! The proposal for sanction of loan to Videocon came through proper channel after due assessment and was sanctioned by the Bank’s board after following the laid down process. Was any material information on the financial profile or dealings hidden from the Board and could be attributable directly to Chanda? Can it be conclusively proved that Deepak Kochhar brokered the deal for Videocon and got gratification or was that a separate unconnected deal between Deepak and Videocon?

It’s a matter of great worry and shame that women associated with business world in India continue to be treated at two extremes! On one hand, we have businessmen unabashedly using their wives’ for balance sheet and tax management, though women are blissfully unaware of all the consequences, putting their signatures on the dotted lines as directed by their husbands. On the other hand, highly independent, qualified and successful women like Chanda have to bear the brunt for alleged misdemeanours (alleged because still not conclusive) of their husbands!

Let the women lead lives of their own – whether home maker or professional- without compulsively or necessarily dragging them into acts of omission and commission of their husbands! After all, all that Chanda achieved over the years (academically, professionally and personally) cannot be slave to one act, proper or improper, by her husband. She deserves to be heard and given an opportunity to clarify her position before the world at large fixes its opinion on Chanda.

Why should we pan the reputation of India’s first Prime Minister Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru by blaming him for partition of the country along with Jinnah, talking about his affairs (especially with Lady Edwina Mountbatten) and his Muslim lineage? Why can’t we talk about his leadership, charisma, erudition, principles of Panchshila, his contribution to the nation building in the form of large dams, steel plants and other industrial plants?

Why Indira’s reputation is maligned for emergency related excesses and operation blue star? Why is she not eulogised for her deft handling of situation in East Pakistan that led to creation of Bangladesh and India’s great strides in space technology during her reign? If her population control measures during emergency were executed well and politicians cutting across ideologies had supported the move, India’s 2011 census might have been different and burden on India’s agriculture and natural resources might have been lesser!

Why we remember Rajiv only for anti Sikh riots post Indira’s assassination? He was the first person to bring an element of entrepreneurship in governance. He was disciplined, clean and well mannered. His work in the field of science and telecom was pioneering!

Was PV Narasimha Rao only a puppet PM? We remember him for the tragic event of Barbari Masjid demolition that happened during his reign, but not for the tremendous work done by his then FM Dr Manmohan Singh in salvaging India’s finances from the brink of bankruptcy!

Atal Bihari Vajpayee was not only a great orator, but one of the finest administrators, the Country ever saw! However, it’s a fashion to mock him from his much ridiculed “India Shining” campaign rather to praise him for his tremendous work on India’s infrastructure development!

Dr. Manmohan Singh was no silent spectator, but an extremely erudite scholar who brought sanity to Indian polity by completing two terms ! Why is such a scholarly person remembered only for his lackadaisical speeches and not for his remarkable honesty and straightforwardness?

And will the stigma of Gujarat riots overshadow all the good work being done by Modi in the form of India’s international standing, economic reforms, IBC, Swachch Bharat, Mann ki Baat etc? Will the entire country gang up against him by throwing all their respective ideologies to wind by opposing Modi’s re-election?

Great AB Vajpayee, who had the rightist lineage but was a moderate to the core, had ideological differences but no enemies. He was loved and respected by people cutting across political, social and religious preferences. This was because he was reasonable , balanced and rational. While not afraid of calling a spade a spade, he was generous with compliments for good deeds done – whether the same were done by a friend or an enemy. Can we have more Vajpayees in today’s political milieu to give it a semblance of orderliness?

It’s a funny title; Russia is known for its circus, but Indian circus, one may have hardly heard about. Indian circus is not the circus that has skilled performers showcasing their talent in risky adventures, but is, in fact, Political circus . The trapezes, ring masters, clowns are not there as we see them in a normal circus. This circus continues throughout the year repeating itself every now and then 29 times (29 states), but the main and the most awaited show happens once every five years. Incidentally, the current year 2019 is the year when this gala show is slated to happen. This great Indian Political circus is Lok Sabha General Elections that happens every 5 years.

Why is such an important event that can make or mar the destiny of the nation is being called or compared to circus? Quite simply put, because it’s full of uncertainty (linked with risky adventure), surprise (anything that’s out of ordinary is surprising), action (there are animated election rallies and meetings, workers of political parties sometimes can go beyond sloganeering to fist cuffs and various acts by parties to catch the mindset of voters) and entertainment (there’s no dearth of it – there’s wit, humour, parodying, spoofing and what not!) and all the above combined makes it a real wholesome show like a Circus is!

Where else could leftists and Congress (enemies for decades with workers killing each other for years in West Bengal and Kerala) join hands against TMC, NCP, whose Sharad Pawar was responsible for sabotaging Sonia’s chances of becoming PM, remains integral part of NCP-Congress combine for more than a decade, BJP and Shiv Sena being part of the same Government sharing power yet pulling rug from under each other’s feet and Mayawati and Akhilesh coming together with the sole objective of keeping BJP at bay in UP and if such an adventure is not a circus, what else can you call it?

However, it’s up to us the voters to use our franchise with utmost discretion by rising above the narrow considerations of religion, caste, creed, factionalism, political prejudices to vote for the best, so that we can increasingly make our elections a serious and sincere affair, gradually reducing the above elements that make Indian Politics a circus!

My father was no music wizard, but he had an ear for music. He could identify ragas and was the main inspiration behind my mother taking up singing seriously and making a profession out of it.

He would dutifully tune to Radio Ceylon every morning to listen to old Hindi film songs that used to be broadcasted between 7.30 am and 8 am every day. Two of his favourite songs were – Jhoom jhoom ke gao aaj from Andaz and Gaaye ja Geet Milan ke from Mela- both sung by Mukesh and composed by Naushad. Ironically, after composing these evergreen ditties for Mukesh in late 40s or early 50s, Naushad did not work with Mukesh till they reunited in 1968 for Saathi. By that time, Naushad was well past his best. After early success with Sahgal, Talat and Mukesh, Naushad almost exclusively worked with Rafi during his prime, composing some gems but probably depriving music lovers from immortal melodies like my father’s favourites. On the contrary , the great Pancham hit high notes riding on Rafi’s magic in super hit Teesri Manzil, though later on he created most of the evergreen eternal magic with maverick Kishore Kumar. Naushad never worked with Kishore, like OP Nayyar never worked with Lata. It just leaves one’s heart craving, imagining how if these all time greats of yesteryears had combined more differently rather than sticking to their personal whims, egos and fancies, how many more songs that would have touched the chord of hearts of millions of simple music lovers like my father could have been created. Not that he didn’t like other songs – he used to wait for the 1st of every month not only for his salary but also to listen to Kishore’s all time favourite “Khush hai zamana aaj pahli tarikh hai” from the movie Pahli Tarikh, composed by elusive Sudhir Phadke that used to be broadcasted by Radio Ceylon on the first of each month. However, the magic of two Mukesh/Naushad ditties remained unmatched in his lifetime.

We Indians are extremely respectful and hygiene conscious inside our homes. Our food habits are rather stern requiring us to wash our hands and face before having a meal, if full bath (snanam) is not possible. We also offer prayers before touching the food. As regards elders, the system of touching feet to solicit blessings of our elders is an age old practice; and these elders could be anyone and not necessarily our parents and immediate elders! We have seen our mothers and wives cleaning homes (or supervising cleaning up by maid servant) on daily basis. To sum up, respectfulness and cleanliness are deeply ingrained in our ethos.

However, once out, a sudden transformation happens to us, which is inexplicable. We spit and urinate on the walls, throw waste on the roads, become road hogs while driving, get enraged if fellow driver even lightly scrapes our vehicle, talk and WhatsApp on our mobiles while driving or walking, show all our might while boarding or deboarding city bus or local train, dig our nose and scratch our privates in public etc.

That’s why the war cry from our PM for “Swachch Bharat” or “Clean India” appeared so relevant. Our cities are crowded and chaotic, green cover reducing at a menacing pace, air pollution much above the safe levels, rivers dirty and roads seeing an influx of vehicles month on month. Mumbai is declared free from open defecation, but the ground reality is different. Look at our platforms, government hospitals, public toilets even airports (look swanky, but clearly wilting under the weight of increasing traffic)… the muck runs deep.

Let’s not talk about population explosion. Let’s also not talk about Singapore and Dubai. We cannot worry about the things beyond our control, but should do our bit of contribution to the task of making India better, cleaner and greener. On the eve of 70th Republic Day, let’s take a pledge that entire country is our home and all that we do inside our homes- our acts as well as behaviour- we shall replicate in public. Jai Hind.

On this occasion, let me quote Republic Day greetings that I have received from Marvilla, the travel company launched by my old friend that reads:

Competition is good for consumers because it adds more value to each rupee spent by them. Even if the gain is not in value terms, it definitely adds to the service level and experience. It started with consumer goods, then automobiles, banking and currently there is hardly any sector that sees monopoly of a single player or cartelisation between two or three players.

On our visits abroad, we used to wonder at super giant stores like Walmart, Carrefour, Mustafa, Lulus etc, the range offered by these stores and the sheer shopping experience. We had our own Super Bazaars, Apna Bazaars, Akbarally’s etc, albeit on a much smaller scale. However, with the World shrinking, India also hasn’t remain untouched by this phenomenon and what started as Big Bazar format has soon expanded into a host of chains having multiple stores. More, D’mart, Star Bazar, Reliance Fresh have all quickly mushroomed and have rapidly captured the consumer’s mindset.

The above has impacted the sales of neighbourhood grocery, General and provision stores. People go to D’mart that guarantees minimum 7% mark down on MRP, gives customer advantage to choose amongst the competing brands, showcases special offers, accepts payment through debit and credit cards and provides pleasant shopping experience in cool and spacious air conditioned comfort. D’mart has also come closer to customers by opening D’mart Ready in every nook and corner, where customers can go and place order and collect their merchandise later.

As if this was not enough, the neighbourhood grocer has experienced onslaught from e-commerce platform. People, who have busy routines and can’t visit hyper stores can now procure the things of daily requirement online from the likes of Amazon, Flipkart and Grofers. This could be the final nail in the coffin of local retailer.

But why should we feel the pain for him? What value is he adding to the commodity we buy from him or experience that we have of dealing with him. He charges MRP (when local taxes were extra, he would religiously include the same without issuing any receipt, meaning without ever paying it) , gets irritated if you ask him for competing products to select the best deal, tries to push expired goods, has goods stacked all over in not too clean environs, doesn’t accept card or online payment, does not dress up smartly, behaves indifferently and demands change for smaller payment! It’s high time these retailers do a quick upskilling in retailing and marketing and start adding value to their proposition. Keep price list of competing goods handy for customer to choose, recommend lucrative deals to earn trust, don’t treat MRP as the minimum retail price, start accepting credit and debit cards, put up a pleasant persona before customers and discard inferior/perished goods even if it means loss on those materials, is my unsolicited advice to these shopkeepers, lest they are going to be rendered redundant sooner than expected.

In today’s milieu, when people have all information available to them on touch of a button and are spoilt for choices, only those who provide value add shall survive, others will simply be obliterated.

Mamta played the perfect host to the leaders of Mahagathbandhan and the seeds for the downfall of Modi Government is said to have been sown in Kolkata. However, strange is the mathematics that Mahagathbandhan seems to be relying upon for electoral supremacy over now almost alone BJP. In UP, Maya and Akhilesh have divided equal number of seats between themselves, leaving zero for congress and the grand old party has already cleared its intention of fighting alone for all the seats in UP. Mamta cannot see eye to eye with Left parties and collaboration between Left and Congress in the last state elections in WB proved to be a disaster. TRS and BJD have already cleared their intentions of not joining Mahagathbandhan and in fact, TRS will oppose TDP tooth and nail in Andhra in Lok Sabha elections. Karnataka is in serious disorder and Tamil Nadu is in political chaos. The enmity and equation of WB will replicate itself in Kerala. In spite of long anti incumbency, Rajasthan and MP elections were closely fought and electorate can be expected to vote differently in Lok Sabha elections. Congress is already wiped out of North East.

Delhi will back BJP and Maharashtra will not overlook great work done by Devendra Fadnavis. Gujarat will surely back Modi for one more term at Centre.

Mahagathbandhan must get its calculations right if it intends to offer a serious opposition to Modi’s return to power. By flaunting ineffective turncoats like Shatrughan Sinha in its midst, Mahagathbandhan may end up becoming a laughing stock rather than a serious bidder for power at Centre. The beginning made at Kolkata seems to be only adding to the invincibility of Modi.

Bhagvad Gita, the Supreme book that encompasses all the learning for peaceful and meaningful existence of mankind has one unique shloka that demystifies the entire objective of existence. It reads:

Karmanye Vadhikaraste, Ma phaleshou kada chana, Ma Karma Phala Hetur Bhurmatey Sangostva Akarmani

A man should just keep on performing his duties without worrying about the outcome of his actions. This was preached to Arjuna by Lord Krishna, who was acting as Arjuna’s charioteer and when Arjuna was facing moral dilemma in killing his near and dear .

A very fine interpretation of the above verse that I came across the other day gave me the fodder for writing this blog. It said, “There is a subtle difference between ‘waiting’ and ‘waiting for’ and in that lies the difference between ‘peaceful progress’ and ‘stressful success. Have you performed the actions that are to be performed…have you done what can be done by you…now wait…. just wait….not ‘for’ this or that or anything, but just wait…. In it, you will discover the key to peaceful progress. ‘Waiting for’ also brings in success, but all that success is too stressful.”

Isn’t the above so very relevant in today’s context when the sole objective of all our actions is for material gain – bigger home, bigger car, more expensive watch and higher status? We do get success but we also build so much stress in our lives that we hardly enjoy the success.

The above was reinforced today when we watched twin daughters of our friend performing Bharat Natyam for the first time on stage. Their Guru said that it was very courageous of some parents to send their children for learning dance form because the only goal to be achieved was the self realisation by the children by learning the dance form and nothing else, while the objective of most parents these days was to see their children securing merits , going to the best colleges and earning 6 figures salary. Some parents just wait to see their children becoming virtuous while some others wait for their children attaining success!

Let’s perform our actions selflessly and just wait rather than wait for the outcome of actions! Relevance of Bhagvad Gita in our day to day existence shall never diminish.