CheckMate!

The beautiful game of chess is all about mind, patience and intelligence, a rare combination required to outwit the opponents. While staying in I.I.T., I used to play it with my neighbours and then often with the computers too. Now these days I cannot say about my intelligence equation but my patience level is worrisome, but whatever is left is totally dedicated to my work. I do not blame my patience; at times it has to go through vigorous litmus test and now it is tattering. I cannot concentrate through a whole game anymore. The game is all about knocking down the opponents King, but it is not that easy because your opponent is also equally equipped. Looking around the world and specially Middle East and North Africa, we will find full of power crazy rulers and dictators. Even some countries that practice communism, government never allows their citizens the basic freedom. It was then Soviet Union along with some of its East European counterparts and as well as China, throttles their citizens and prohibited them from expressing their views. Leave alone the Mussolini or Hitler, they too are having competition from some of these modern day dictators.

After Brezhnev, the last ruler of Soviet Union from cold war era, the famous iron curtain fell apart and exposed a very ugly scenario. Behind the nuclear arsenals, space project and all those science technologies the truth that was hiding was hunger, poverty and prostitution. With emergence of Mikhail Gorbachev, Soviet Union went to the path of splitvile before any civil war could break out. Today even economy looks well but it is Vladimir Putin all the way, iron curtain no more exists so you can even glimpse shirtless Putin flexing his muscles.

Romania then a communist country, from 1967 until 1989, ruled by the dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu. He was not lucky like some other dictators and his end was pathetic. After widespread demonstrations against his dictatorship and the communist rule, he made an unsuccessful attempt to flee with his equally powerful wife Elena. They were captured and tried secretly and were executed within twenty-four hours.

Idli Amin, the name itself is scary, one visualize all sorts of gory things, torture, blood and score of dead bodies. He fled to Libya and then to Saudi Arabia, where the word democracy is not even available in the dictionary, word human rights buried deep down in the Arabian Sea and rights for Women, just forget it..

War with Israel in 1969 were combined effort from Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Iraq, it was supported by then USSR. Arabs lost that war within six days. Conflict between Arabs and Israelis continues until today. In 1979, the then President of Egypt Anwar Sadat signed a peace treaty with Israel in Camp David, it was not liked by the Egyptians including the families I used to know. He was assassinated on October 6, 1981. Since then Egypt is ruled by Hosni Mubarak, glued to the chair for last thirty years.

During mid eighties, in Asia, Philippine showed the courage to drive away the dictator Ferdinand Marcos along with his glamorous wife Imelda Marcos, more famous for her collection of shoes and other expensive accessories.

Most of the Middle East states and countries along with other gulf states are blessed with its own natural gas and oil reserves. Since 1960 onwards, all these states flourished due to natural reserves. A dictator or rulers and their successor are ruling most of these states. Saudi Arabia, always maintain strict rule and prohibit everyone from getting their basic freedom that includes expressing their views. Ruling family and their thousands of princes can practice anything from drinking and others but it cannot applied to their own citizens and immigrants. You follow it or perish in jail, often flogged or even killed. Recently in Britain concerning a Saudi Prince, who killed his domestic help, he caught doing all sorts of thing that strictly not allowed in Saudi Arabia, of-course in paper.

Look at the whole of Middle East stories will be the same. In Kuwait it is al-Sabah,  in Bahrain, al-Khalifa, Qatar it is al-Thani, al-Nnahyan from Abu Dhabi, Asad of Syria, Hussein of Jordan, Qadaffi of Lybia, all riding the same boat. Dubai is little exception due to the education level in the ruling family but still it is al-Maktoum family and not a single country over there can dreams for going the way to the democracy.

Saddam Hussein, another dictator was not lucky because he was too arrogant and never had a good relation with his neighbours. It was not only USA, it was because his neighbour’s willingness saw his downfall. For USA, habit of poking its nose to each and everything made the world too dangerous to live on.

Our neighbouring state always believes in governance in uniform. First, it was Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was overthrown by Yahya Khan and then Nawaz Sharif by Pervez Musharraf and then... wait and watch.

Are things going to change for those power greed rulers? People of a tiny Arabian country showed courage and the way for others, hats off to Tunisia and its peoples. They had the courage to boot out their ruler Ben Ali. His counterpart Qaddafi was very sorry for him, he most probably is yet to get the signal and yet Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali got a very safe home, obviously in Saudi Arabia.

There are many such countries like Zimbabwe, Yemen, Honduras, Somalia, Myanmar, Algeria etc., a free world is a distant dream unless people show courage like Tunisian.

The encouraging things happening just before I can post this piece, Egyptian too came out on road to demonstrate against the Mubarak regime and well as some trouble is brewing in Lebanon too. It is not religion, be it Christian, Muslim, Jews, Hindus or others all deserve their basic freedom; no one have the right to snatch it away. Freedom, it is a very beautiful thing.

!!!The adhesive companies should take some clue from this dictators, the way they glued to the power generation after generation.!!!

Watch-out!!

Since mid nineties India and its Economic surge took the reverse route, good that it was upward bound and in this millennium we found it leaping forward like never before. Of course, poor remains poor but life style of others changed drastically. Six years back a boy, most probably studying in class seven coming to me with an expensive mobile, I was very surprised to see that how parents can pamper their wards by showering costly gadgets. I was scared for him, advised him to be careful while moving around with the gadgets. Frankly, at that juncture, I was yet to have a cell for myself and it was not even on my wish list. Things changed afterwards and myself bought a computer for my grandchild when he was studying in second standard and bought a new one two years back. Economy, needs and all other aspect take the backseat when we want to give something to our wards but lots of hesitation and calculation goes through the mind while getting a thing for myself; often I drop the idea to get an item that I was eagerly looking for. As a kid, we had a few options and scanty requirement apart from foods, clothes and footwear. Remember how, often I pleaded my granny to give a few coin to buy small goodies from neighbourhood groceries. My granny was having a trunk; most probably, it came all the way from East Bengal when family forced to leave their home. In my early days in Kolkata, I was eying that trunk and often told my granny to leave that stuff exclusively for me when she was going to die. When I was nine or ten we left for Jammy and thereafter other places and hardly gone back to that house. Being in Kolkata for last ten years, I visited our old home only twice. The place is no more the same place that I knew, with buzzing development and metro rail around, the place has changed considerably. Local promoters prowling like sharks around that property but we yet to fall prey. Today often I wonder about that trunk and its whereabouts, still imagine it with full of coins, my childhood reserve bank. After repeated pleading and when I about to give up my granny would feel little pity on me and gave away a few coin, of course that too at a barging rate, not what I asked for.

While in school in Jammy, we were having a radio with an antenna on the rooftop and that was the only electronic gadget around us apart from other electronic accessories like fans, lights and electric heater. No need to mention, that the radio had to go through vigorous routine to fulfill our heavy demand. When I was about to appear in school final examination, my paternal aunt promised me to give a watch, only if I score well but just before my examination some horrible thing happened in my life. I lost my MOM. I know everyone have to go but it was too early and equally unexpected and frankly that I yet to overcome from that disaster. I passed my examination but not as I expected. That watch, which I was eagerly looking for, was then no more a desired item for me and I never remind my aunt for it after.

First watch that found its place on my left wrist was one bought by me and with my own earning. While in aboard, some of my colleagues, mainly girls and those are from over the boundary lived a very lavish life, they drunk and smoked heavily but my life style was always a very simple one. During that time I fell for three things, can call it fetish, first one was collecting pens, just name it, Parker, Scheffer, Waterman and some other too. I was so possessive about those pens that no sooner I bought it; found a safe place before anyone could sight it. The second one was footwear, but nothing sort of like Imelda Marcos, only couple of good one, mainly Italian made and obviously bought with my hard-earned money, the final one was the watches. I was having a few famous Japanese made and one from Swiss maker too, during late eighties I bought an Omega watch from Singapore, it was a fav watch and was my favourite one too. That favourite watch of mine never liked my wrist and I lost it during one of my rare outing in a B.E.S.T bus while I was living in Mumbai. Subsequently, I lost interest on watches and thereafter I never wore any costly watches. Today, no more obsessed with any of those hobbies but still all are permanent tenants of my memory. My most desired pens are now reside in somewhere, may be in one of my deserted suitcase, no more fascination left for any costly footwear and since last ten years, I stopped wearing watches even there are a few numbers of expensive one still lying in my drawer. Funny but true that old habit never die down, while sitting in front of my computer and a mobile in my hand yet at the end always look back to the age old wall clock for getting the exact time.

!!!Watches cannot go beyond 360 degrees and life moves through straight yet bumpy routes there are no return back with a measured angle but memories can do it. !!!

Fest Rules the Dogma!

Religion and religious beliefs are very strange thing because it directs you to the different paths. It is very difficult to shake of all the customs, even we intend to show it, but in back of our mind we always relish it. The cultural environment we experience during the course of our upbringing is work like a foundation stone and in rare case when we can able to choose between the good and bad one. Being born and bought up as an orthodox Hindu I feel that my religion gave me a fare share of moderate views, of-course I have no idea about hard liners. I had many friends from different religions like Christians, Muslims, Jews, Parsis, Sikhs, Buddhists and others too.

I can eat at any place, only consideration will be the cleanliness. It is funny but true that religion is mainly attached with the place of prayer. I visited many of them at my ease and comfort. Of-course at some places people from other religions is not allowed and in some others, women have no permission. If given chance I would have visited that too and probably done it with great comfort as same as going to a temple. Do not blame others, in Hindu religion once people from different castes were never allowed to a temple and it was the upper caste (?) who ruled the god. Even until now, people belonging to other religions are prohibited to enter some temples in South India and their counterparts from Eastern region. Wonder who are making these rules on the behalf of God, just wanted to know who they are and just wanted to explore their mindset. This is the main cause that prevented from Hinduism to spread its wings like other religions. When we baptize a person to Hinduism, first question will arrive that is the caste, there will be big issue about the caste of the new entrance. Absurd!

One thing for that Hindus will always stand out from others and that is their festivals. Large varieties of Colourful of festivals you will never find in any other religion. Just stand near a Hindu calendar and there you will find loads of it, some small and some huge. If you cannot find one then you can create one. Be it social or religious, Festival India always rocks. Some are regional and some celebrated all over India and other part of world by the Hindus. Makar Sankranti is one of such, celebrated most part of India but different way.

Makar Sankranti generally celebrated either on 14th or 15th January and according to Hindu calendar, it is the last day of month of Poush. For Tamilians it is Pongal, a harvest festival. Pongal in Tamil means, "boiling over or spill over." Mostly, Tamilians make a special kind of rice in Pongal, my friend who is working in Dadar Post Office always invited us for this occasion. Maharashtrians celebrate it by distributing sweets made out of Sesame seed and jaggery (Til Laddo). While distributing they always says ‘Til gur ghaya ani gor gor bola’ (to keep love and harmony) . Wow! World would have no problem if a piece of sweet could make this wonder. I knew an elderly Maharashtrian lady, a retired teacher, used to call her ‘Tai’ (elder sister), she often send me a Sankranti card. In North India, the day is known as Maghi and for Punjabi's it is Lohri.

West Bengal experiences thousands of pilgrims from different parts of the country. Pilgrims throng at Gangasagar, near the ashram of the sage Kapil, which has been a famous holy pilgrimage in Bengal. It is said that a dip in the ice-cold water at the junction of the river and the sea is auspicious. 

I have fond memories from my childhood during the Sankranti. There were lots of hustle bustle and activities took place in the kitchen. Mom, Granny and Aunts made many varieties of homemade sweets and we kids were made to pay more attention around the kitchen than any other thing. I was very fond of sweets in my earlier days, but I don’t blame myself, as we were not having too many other options to choose from like chocos, pastries etc. While in Jammy, mom made these sweets over there too but with her, everything is gone. 

On the eve of Makar Sankranti, I wish all, using their own way, of-course without any sweets but close your eyes and feel the sweet touch of mine, it is always there.

!!!So, Yesterday once more, Today forever and Tomorrow..........…break ke baad.!!!

A Mini Break at Meen Dwip and a Date with an unusual quite friend!

Returning to the desk after a minuscule break. I was away to a small island known as Meen Dwip. It was the last day of a very eventful year 2010, in the morning at six we left for the destination by a car. After reaching Raichak took the ferry for Kukrahati for crossing the river Hooghly. Once we reached Kukrahati we took a four-wheeler for Durgachowk, at there we had our breakfast in a restaurant called ‘Benfish’. Matter of fact the West Bengal Government’s Department of Fisheries having these chains of restaurants and hotels in the coastal areas that known as ‘Benfish’, and our tour too conducted by the same organization. Around eleven we left for Patikhali on a cycle van and then by a ferry on the river Haldi to Meen Dwip, at Nayachar. I told my grandchild that when anyone asked about the place the best answer is ‘most probably not far from Indian Ocean, that way it may near to Maldives and just wondering how far it is from Indonesia’. Jokes apart, first time got an idea about a remote tiny island, it is not very far yet to reach here we have to cover two water bodies and as well as three different mode of transportations. The tiny Island was without any electricity and the mobile network was always playing hide and seek with us. I was planning to take the lappy along but finally decide against it. The hotel we boarded was known as ‘Mohana’ and it is too run by ‘Benfish’. Hotel generator that provides electricity from evening 5.30pm to 10.30pm, people around the area those have mobile comes here to charge there handset. All edible comes from other side of the shore, therefore whatever our needs we had to order a day before. This small island fully depends on fishing and fisheries. Peoples are very poor by financial terms as well as exploited by political parties. Politician belongs to either party never spared these poor peoples and trying every bit to flex their power. Looking at the situation it seems that West Bengal is now converted to a most dirtiest political war base.

Once done with the lunch played badminton for two hours, it is good that I can do it without exhausting and played it well. Badminton was the one among the other three sports that I played, at school I played baseball and thereafter while in aboard tried my hand in lawn tennis too.

My first encounter with Lalu happens while playing badminton, a cream coloured dog was lazing around, very much looked like a normal stray dog. In the beginning we were little uncomfortable but slowly found some uniqueness in the creature. After badminton, when strolling around, the dog followed us quietly and surprising that not for once it barked, the dog is known as Lalu. Night in the dining room we met a family consisting five people, father, mother, daughter, son-in-law and grand daughter, the group was very talkative and gave us very good company during early mornings and evenings when there was nothing to do. Next morning was the first day of this year 2011, after breakfast, we were on the way to nearby riverbank that was just couple of kilometer away. We used a cycle van as our mode of transport. On our way, we had great company and it was Lalu, running after us all the way but strange not once we heard it bark. Due to my curiosity, I inquired and came to know from hotel employee that the dog was the lone species of same category because there were no other dogs in the island. Lalu always accompany the guests, those come and boarded at the same hotel and also see off them when they left the island.

After coming back had, lunch, we ordered shrimps for the dinner. Whenever I consume shrimp I remember my days in Dubai, the day we were served shrimp, it was only shrimps with a loaf of soft bread from local bakery, salad and mayonnaise. A big thumbs up for employees of 'Mohana' for their hospitality, great human beings, only word to describe Mr. Bera and his peoples. 

On Sunday morning we were due to return back, both families hired a boat to ferry us back to the other side. Morning it was very windy and cold, when we reached the jetty, the boat was not yet there. Lalu was with us even it was shivering due to cold but never left. I kept a half packet of biscuit in my pocket and decided to give it away to Lalu before I left. Around 8am the boat arrived, both families boarded, we tried to find a safe place to protect ourselves from the cold wind. Within an hour, we were already at the other shore, other family members left for their own destination, of-course after exchanging our numbers. We took a Private taxi for other ferry service, while sitting in the taxi I discovered the packet of biscuit still in my pocket, I felt terrible and very angry with myself because I forgot to give it to Lalu before I left. 

While writing this piece, I wonder what goes through the mind of the mute lonely dog of Meen Dwip, who took great care of the guests of ‘Mohana’, those unknown peoples who comes and give him a short company and always leaving him behind on the jetty of Meen Dwip.

!!!Human’s great Friend, yes Lalu proved it very quietly.!!!