Thursday, April 29, 2010

What is My Class?

I like these classes. In a day, I have to create at least two dozens of class. Confused? I am talking about Object Oriented Programming in Computer. I like OOPs, be it C++, Java, C#, J# or others. Here I can name my class without any interference but today I am confused with my own class, the class in which I exists and not the class that I have created.

In early days moving around Kolkata means red color noisy Government Buses, no private buses were available that time. If we asked for a taxi ride, our guardians made us feel like that if we asked for a piece of land in moon. Going out that time gave us a chance of rare outings at the same time it was horrible experience while moving in those buses. Mostly we used to visit our aunt in South 24 Parganas and that too on very rare occasion, and often my elder aunt used to take me to Mathurapur where she was working at that time and in a train but today I cannot remember those train journeys. I never enjoy a bus ride; feel like vomiting whenever aboard a bus. Bus service in Kolkata still in very bad condition, feel pity whenever look at the interior and seats arrangement.

We were very lucky as often used to visit Jamshedpur and then Jamshedpur to Kolkata. Those journeys were very nostalgic as that time world was very huge and people hardly move around. We were having rare privilege of those train rides and in regular basis. While living in Jammy, we mostly used our eleven numbers to move around the small sleepy town.

When, I started travelling alone, mostly in two tier-sleeping coaches and with a reserved ticket. Whenever trains pass through Bihar and U.P. your reservation turned to be invalid by default, in your reserved seat, you will feel like a stranger. I always tried to book an upper berth while reserving a seat, little safer. Apart from recent past, I never travelled by a
first class, because my equation is very simple, a first class coach never reaches before the second class. Time complexity! My students will like this. I am not comfortable with too much comfort. If I can travel by a fax, certainly pay whatever asked to pay. Trains always was an integral part of my life; it gave me a unique family, lots of friends, a few enemies, unlimited joys, bit of sorrows, lasting impression and a little depression. I am talking about great Mumbai locals that were my second home during my stay over there and on those very hard working days. That was the time when I was only an Indian citizen.

Later, I became a world citizen too. Started flying around certain part of the world with some of those best air carriers like KLM, Cathy Pacific, Gulf Air, Singapore Airlines, Saudi Airlines, Air India etc. All above were my pleasure and my employer's pain but always in economic class. With the low-cost airlines came to the scenario, taken bit liberty and start looking beyond my old friend means Indian Railways.

Today I walk ten minutes to reach my work place in Kolkata. Whatever transport I get from out as well as from my home I denied all and keep walking and last ten years doing so, scorching heat, heavy rains or cold weather I prefer to walk.

Since I born, that was my travelling pattern, rather call it a travelling bio-data. In India more than 20% people still travel by bullock cart, rest by trains and buses. Hardly 5% to 10% fly in and out and 2% out of that only by first class. Now I asked a question to foreign educated (with a Kolkata connection – amazing), ex. UN Under-Secretary-General, most probably having equal mixture of red and so called blue blood and finally ex. Junior MEA minister Mr. Sashi Tharoor

Sir, can you tell me what is my class?

No, it is not cattle class, because that is too high for me but certainly a near extinct class, who guided by her brain and executed with her heart. Class of a person exposed instantly when one opens their respective mouth.
!!!Class lies in honest heart, in beautiful mind, in genuine smile, so give a kick to the so-called classy classic class and try to be class apart.!!!

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Stormy affairs of a Genius, Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Its Goinggoing.. and gone, not talking about something that just vanished to outer space; talking about a cricket ball. I know everybody is bored with overdose of cricket and too much of masala cricket that has lots of controversy as its topping and dressing. I started following the game of cricket very early, most probably studying in 7th or 8th grade. We were having a Murphy radio. Those days radio mean electricity, battery operated radios were not available, so it was having a fix position in the house. Using a Radio mean Bengal’s pride, even it is not on the record but everyone knows that J. C. Bose was very much involved in the invention of this gadget. Those days radios need an antenna and there was a yearly charge by government, you have to acquire a license and renew it every year, the inspector would knock your door every now and then to check it. When my addiction with cricket was at its prime, we solely depend on that radio for news and commentary. That radio was something, the phrase that can be fit to it "L*** ka bhoot bato se nahi manta", it would leave me high and dry and stop at the middle for no cause, often we used our fist, poor radio. That time only bothered with the runs that our team scored and if we were winning or losing. Tony Greig came with English team and started fielding at Silly Mid Off with his almost seven feet frame and without any protection, Silly man, so my knowledge about the fielding positions was improved a lot and finally came to know about all legs, like forward short leg, fine leg, long leg and deep fine leg. Then Bye! Bye! to the radios and enter the Television. TV gave us a complete view of the game and knowledge that includes all the finer points. Why only cricket? About all sports, like Stephen Edberg’s touch volley, Steffi Graff’s forehand shot or those tactical moves of Sir Alex.

Today I will talk about a Cricket Genius who is one of kind. A genius cannot be judge by a single outing; still I go to a particular series that was in 1998, when Australian came to India with Michael Taylor as its captain. We won the test series 2-1 and then there was a triangular one-day series with Zimbabwe was the other team. For the first time Australia started with different teams for two different version of the game, so Michael Taylor departed with few other team members and Steve Waugh stepped in. We gone to loss the final and proceed to Sharjah for another triangular series with Australia and New Zealand. The cricket in Sharjah brought big money or call it oily money and since all sorts of dirty thing started in cricket.

In that series India beat Australia in Semi final, thanks to an unbelievable batting display by none other than Sachin Tendulkar, 143 from 109 balls, the particular match also remembered for that famous desert storm. India to play final with Australia, and once again the man call Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar shows the way with a high quality 134 run. We won the cup. During that match what I enjoyed most apart from batting display by maestro was the commentary by Tony Greig, the famous one was “He's hit that one ... He has HIT that one!! ... its going .. going .. ON TO THE ROOF! ... WHAT A PLAYER!! ... superb player!! ".

Since, another twelve years passed by, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, the man still standing tall with his arrays of shots. He does not need slogging or improvising, even playing this heavily spiced masala cricket known as IPL. When he finally leaves the field, cricket may be not as same as it was. People will never know what is real cricket was, hardly able to see a man who can play all the real shots that are written in a cricket book. His strong side, none, he can play either side of the wicket with complete ease. In personal front, he is not a big mouthed or self-praising fellow, taken praise and brickbat in same manner without uttering a word, that what a genius is different from other. He does not need a desert to create a storm. On eve of his 37th birthday, dedicate this page to him.

!!!Rise above the politics and give due respect to the deserved one, giving due respect is a huge assets and works like an echo, returned same way as rendered.!!!

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Bengal Shows the Way


I cannot tell you the exact date, mater of fact I am very poor in history and found the subject is a boring one too (a big sorry to all historians). Somewhere down the line our beloved freedom fighter Gopalakrishna Gokhale uttered this famous line, “what Bengal thinks today, India thinks tomorrow!", it was justified at that time when he said it but now most of the Bengali's still living on that phrase without bothering to get a few new ideas. Living in past glory, but it is fading fast too. Even couple of years back we were laughing at the whole system in Bihar and sympathetic to its economy, education and political situations but today same Bihar has come up big way. The only state of our country even do not have a company listed in the share market, of course after Jamshedpur with Tata & Iron Company and TELCO gone to Jharkhand, but all these are from past. There is considerable upswing in the economic front in Bihar with 11.44% GDP growth.

My home state still lurking behind. Too much politics and political activities took away all the glory and shines from this state, which once shows the way. A few years back, when I came back here still Government office overcrowded with employees and mostly those are favoured by the ruling party. If you go by the head count on Government offices that time, it was amazing, a big joke. A decade and half ago computers are strict no-no here, seems very rich and can afford such batteries of unnecessary employees, most of those were sitting and gossiping whole days. If go by this piece of information that most of our state Government earning goes to interests and other revenues.

However, I already said that creativity is a thing that Bengal can put its nose far ahead from others. Why not? Obviously, it is not in the hand of Government and political muscle power. When I came back here, the Bengali Films were going through a horrible phase and the quality of the movies was forgettable, of course baring a few. Since last four years, things have changed and lots of young filmmaker coming with many innovative way to make films that worth watching. As Bollywood cannot live-forever in the shadow of Hollywood, Tollywood too have to shake of its inclination or cloning attitude from Bollywood. Music, Painting, Theater and Literature still are in very good hand.

Today, I want talk about something else than creativity. I am here to tell you about the family system in Bengal. Since forty years, the educated couples in Bengal preferred to maintain a small family and zeroed to a single child. Those families are very happy with a single child even it is a Girl child and there were no panic or race to get another child or never missed a male child at their respective homes. Rest of our counterparts putting all efforts to kill a female foetus, animal also does not perform this. Last four decade Bengali’s has dared to embraces this process. Even in my time, I never got a different treatment from my family being a girl child, where my friends from other states complained about how their brothers pampered more in their house for everything that includes food, education and other comfort. However, I am only talking about a girl child and not about the plight of women in our society. Those families carrying with a single child, almost half of those are girl, treated as par equal quotient in Bengal. Parents are happy and satisfied with their only offspring, there is no complaining and that is what actual mindset of a normal Bengali. Today on the eve of Bengali New Year, I feel very proud, because born to a Bengali parents who gave me enough space and facility that every child of either sex really deserve with equality. Thumbs UpC.

!!!What Bengali’s has dared four decade ago, rest of India yet to realize. In this land of Durga, every girl child is rocking too. !!!

Thursday, April 08, 2010

Good Riddance!!

A sports person, a bit of talent here and there and bit more glamour. Any use of it? If I say no, I may consider myself a big fool. It is very useful, look at Anna Kournikova, used her so-called beauty in the tennis arena on those few occasions of her forgetful outings. She is at the top and to stay there got a famous boy friend too.

Most of these breed mis-handled by their respective families and then there is media and advertise world to make them hero when they are a total zero. Mis handled by families? Yea, great Steffi Graff mis-handled by her own father and to the core, but she was an exception, numerous talent and a total package. With a rare combo of talentand dignity, even she was emotionally broke for a couple of years, came back big way. I cannot remember any other tennis player, a runner up at Wimbledon and when at the top dared to say Adios. Then there was Jackie Jo, Flo-Jo and others, the timeless memories to cherish. In our country, these things are rare apart from great Sachin Tendulkar, talent, capabilities and dignity a total package.

SM, the name itself irritates me. The lady packed with a bit forehand, a bit double handed backhand coupled with a very weak service and of course no stamina to play all court game. It was her glamour and not tennis which pampered by our starving media. If she were in USA or Europe, she would have been unknown for ages.

Why our media is so starve, among a billion populations they do not find a face or news. Our media and USA Government are look like a perfect twin, one can make a Frankenstein out of anybody and other can take a worthless person to the top, look at other examples of Mr. and Mrs. from Swayamvar saga.

This woman apart from her sports sense also having lack of common sense too, I think not a single Indian can forget the incident when she rest her feet inches away form our national flag, yes it is our national flag. When you tell something to them then always there is Dubai for their gateway. Nice place, to hide your face.

Now her bit knowledge of tennis is blown away and if believed to the news, after failing some of those relationships in her personal life like her tennis and a failed engagementto another SM, smart chap, found the escape route in right time. She was desperate to get someone and found a good company in another SM (too confusing), double whammy. A fellow even do not know how to speak, remember 2008, T-20 World cup final presentation. Someone with bit educational background cannot fumble and tumble such way. I do not want to keep an account of his sixer but by the time, everyone knows that what a huge fixer he is. Perfect Joddi, I hope India will always do better if get rid of a person like SM. We should celebrate the moment not because she is getting married but she will have another address than India and if failed in this attempt too, any other SM is there, please stand up. Hurray, got many and running hard from over the
boundary rope.

India should celebrate indeed because of this riddance. We have many real heroes, name a few and reserved our tears and cheers for a Sachin Tendulkar, Kiran Bedi, Neerja Bhanot, Satyadev Dubey, Hemant Karkare, Ashok Kamte, Major S Unnikrishnan and many of those unsung heroes.

!!!Many prowl around us worth not even a dime, still shining brightly, just overlook, your attention what make them worth even has a zero value.

Thursday, April 01, 2010

Sleeping over dead bodies

Racism and casteism are part of our lifestyle and whole world united in these process, old and modern are no different. No matter how big we talk, cannot come out of it. I am no exception. White are bullying blacks in the name of skin colour. Then there are infighting between Shias and Sunnis. In India it is casteism, do not know from where it started but it is there.

For me there are four castes in our country. The poor, born to die and dying every day thousand times. Then we middle class, life is very difficult for us too, we have to bite whatever come to our way but cannot swallow. We cannot go either this way or that way. All the time thinking, what the people will think, spends whole life doing hard jobs to survive and thinking, as this is a quality, which middle class inherited. The rich caste and Indian super riches are super beggars. They even do not know how to spend few dime for the poor and hardly seen them feeding the hungry one. By chance, they spend; a few bucks it makes no difference to the poor or to their own coffer. They prefer to buy costly gifts for their wives on their respective birthdays; the amount can feed thousand hungry stomachs for years. Their only goal is to overdo each other, no, not in business, in the Forbes list. They should learn a few lessons of humanities from Warren Buffet, Bill Gates and some of those Hollywood bigwigs. I remember great Audrey Hepburn in two frame one from the cute princess of Roman Holiday and other cancer stricken Audrey standing tall, lovingly holding a child in Ethiopia. Even Mother Teresa mostly depends on fund that came from aboard than India.

Today I am not talking about this caste, I am going for the fourth Caste, politician. I am not against all, they should realize that their big talk is total failure and time has come to put extra bit towards their own work. Few exceptions always will be there, Manmohan Singh, A. K. Antony, Rahul Gandhi and then there was Atal Bihari Bajpaee. A. B. Vajpayee was very honest P.M. but always surrounded by corrupted elements. Only problem with him was his speech, and at a space, those snails may sleep twice and still would have beaten him in the race. He would always start with ‘Bhaiyo’ and by the time he utters the next word, obviously that was ‘Baheno’, I think population of ‘Bhaiyo’ most probably increased by a million.

All others of these caste are tremendous actors and they deserve all prizes name it Tir-Oscar, no-able, unable, disable and horrible all together. Just look at the incident in Stephen Court, my god feeling so irritated, the flames may not touched my skin but certainly touched my heart. Reading itself is a teary experience. Peoples ran for their life to the terrace as last hope, found a locked door, a dead end, and died together. Just cannot believe, a metro city, size of Kolkata cannot afford a Hydraulic Ladder in time and even it is hard to digest that a fire Department is so ill prepared. When all over, more than four dozens young and old perished, some of them reduced to the ashes and other by jumping from the windows. Dying in inferno is the worst of all.

As before this time too, Government realizes that the system is wrong, clap-clap, you cannot stop me doing this, slapping my own palm is my birthright, because I cannot do anything else, I never lost my dear one and neither my ashes are scattered around Stephen Courts top floors. If go by a piece of news that appeared in a daily newspaper, the Government was all set to catch the culprit, I mean the owner of the building, but at the end they found their own finger pointing to them only, globe is round, with a perfect radius from the center point, thanks Galileo. Once again clap-clap, ouch its hurts.

After every disaster, Politicians are total package, a combo of Mahatma Gandhi, Swami Vivekananda and of course Swami Nityananda too. Then our own big sister, always politically incorrect, standing on the knee-deep blood, nobody else can play political card better than her. Peoples from all walks of life left home and sadly for the last time and never returned, some of them lived there and perished there. Hard to believe those dead bodies also having a price, two lakhs. A boy aged only twenty-two, left home on his own and returned in a small bundle with two-lakhs price tag. I know it is very difficult to swallow but you have no choice have to bite it.

!!!Nothing in my hand, middle class caste, forced to bite, cannot swallow, keep my eyes wide open, yes few drops of salted water what I can afford for those who died.!!!