The E-System (Education, not Ecology)

Teaching is a highly respected profession, if not too highly paid, at least here in India. But slowly, as scoring higher grades becomes a highly commercialised process, teachers are losing their respect, but earning more.

Not that it bothers them. Or the students for that matter. Everyone wants to gain something in this process. Students dole out large amounts of cash (I mean their parents), attend lectures at the other end of town in over-crowded classrooms for 6-7 hours at a stretch, and cope up with their homework while studying for tests at the same time. Sounds unbelievable, but it happened to me.

And now I'm so disheartened with this entire system that I don't feel like opening my books. Or maybe I'm just plain lazy (which I never was).



Sigmund Freud's Role in a six year-old's Punishment

I suddenly remembered an incident this morning. Can't figure out how it popped into my mind, because I wasn't thinking about the past.

This happened when I was six years old, in first grade. My usual teacher hadn't turned up that day in school, so the teacher next-door popped in and said,"Write down all the difficult spellings from the first five chapters of your textbook. Write each word thrice."
She then disappeared for a half-hour. She took a tour of our classroom when she came back.

She stopped near my desk, peered into my notebook and asked,"Are these the only words you find difficult to spell?"

There were only six words in my book.

"Yes", I replied.

That simple, innocent word angered her.

She sent me to sit on the dirty floor, muttering phrases like 'thinks she's too smart' and 'children these days are a real terror' and 'disobedient child'.

I was puzzled. Why should I have been reprimanded for answering honestly? If she doubted my honesty, she could have always tossed a couple of words at me to spell. But she didn't.

I didn't realise back then that I had pricked her ego, a Freudian concept that would that will never let go of anyone.

I think I have an answer...

I tried my best to find out the reason behind the cold wave in Mumbai (it's so cold today, I'm wearing a polo-necked shirt), and I found a possible answer to my query. According to my well-read cousin who is an authority on every topic, the tempertures in Mumbai vary with the weather changes in Shimla. It recently snowed in Shimla and the effect was felt here. Sounds far-fetched, but a quick scan of any geography text book will remind you of the weather and the factors which influence it.


Brave People

Here we are, being taught the importance of future security, and sticking to a career that is most-suited for our personality, and pays well too. Throughout their teens, kids are taught the importance of building a secure future, and sticking to it for the rest of their lives. At least that's what I have always been advised to do.

But now I notice things changing. On Rediff.com I read about an ex-CEO who now works as a counter-hand at McDonalds. Now that surprised me, why would a CEO of a well-known ad agency want to work at McDonalds?

And then I read about a few people who handle 3 or more different types of work simultaneously. Passion, restlessness, experimentation, whatever may be the reason for this trend, one thing's for sure: it's definitely catching on.

Perhaps I will be the next victim. Just hope my family does not faint from shock.

Cold Wave hits Mumbai

No one knows where it's come from, surprisingly newspapers are mum about it. It's cold here in Mumbai, which is unusual considering that it's warm here all year round, and the lowest temperature we have had must be around 30 degrees Celsius or so.

But now people have thrown away the moth balls and are donning their shawls, cardigans, sweatshirts, whatever. It's too cold to bathe for long, and it's impossible to even turn on the fan.

Strange.

Perhaps it's got something to do with global 'warming' which can cool the planet.

Answers, anyone?

It's c-c-c-cold now. What next? Hail? Snow?

PS-- Brrr..........

The Irony of Criticism

We are always taught to avoid criticising anyone or anything, unless, of course, it is our job to criticise. Film critics, specially, love to lash out at silly errors and dialogues in a film. You can't blame them though. After all, it's their job. And I'm sure they love it.
But sometimes criticism can take a U-turn, and backfire on the job-loving critic. Take the example of the film Asoka. It didn't fare well with the critics and most people complained about the movie being ridiculous and silly. I, of course, enjoyed it, because Shahrukh Khan was a part of it.

The reason I mention this is because, with the upcoming awards announcing the nominations for various categories, Asoka is a nominee in almost every category be it music, performances, or the technical aspects. I hope the critics are silenced now, and so are the people who outrageously criticised it, without even watching it!

Hah!

Foeticide v/s Suicide?

A few days ago I mentioned female foeticide in my blog. On first hearing it, anyone would self-confessed 'modern' person would exclaim:"Oh my! How cruel!" On second thoughts however, anyone's mind may change.....

Getting rid of a foetus is another thing, but giving birth to a child and then killing her daily is another. The latter is exactly what happens to most unwanted, unaborted female foetuses. The girl is born without much celebration or fanfare as in the case of a boy. She is then brought up, educated and all the other things that have to be done are done, but with a sense of burden, rather than love or responsibility.

This situation is similar to you wanting a red shirt, but your friend giving you a blue one inspite of your express desire. You won't like the blue shirt as much as the 'wanted' red one, will you?

That's what happens. Unwanted girls are clearly and without any embarrassment treated less favourably than boys. The boys must be sent to the best school in the country, whereas the girl can go to just any B-grade one, won't make a difference. This is just one minor example, things can get much worse.

I know of a girl who attempted suicide, much to her friends' amazement. They always thought of her as a happy-go-lucky person. But her enthusiasm, it seems, was just a cover-up. A cover-up to hide from her friends and classmates that she was an unwanted girl receiving no affection or love from her family. Of course her suicide attempt took her parents by surprise(!).

But it shouldn't be a surprise. What kind of life must it be for a girl who knows that she's just a problem; not being loved or cared for, or looked after?

Her life must be hell. Maybe worse than that. No one will ever know what happened to the girl if she dies......

In that case, won't foeticide be a better (read less cruel) option?

What is a Blog for, anyway?

By definition, a 'blog' is an online journal or log or personal diary belonging to an individual or a group.

So what is one expected to write in them? My answer is: anything. Anything what you are thinking about and would like to share. If I suddenly start thinking about movies, and a moment later, about academics, then it should be on my blog. That is, if I'm comfortable writing about it.

But according to my friend, who doesn't bother to open my blog, a blog should be 'interesting'. This is what happened next.

In this, P is her.

Me: Interesting? How?
P: Well, you know, stuff that your friends would like to know about you....
Me: Like what time I woke up, what time I went to college, what time I bathed, and what kind of music I'm listening to?
P: Yup, something like that.
Me (to myself): Grrr....
P: Well? Will you be doing that from now?
Me: No. But wait till Tuesday and see what I do.
P: What will you do on Tuesday?
Me: Give you a dose of what I'm doing now. Wait and watch.
P: I don't mind!


Well P, you wanted to know about what I do, right here on my blog, I told you what I did on Sunday....happy?

(Note: Grrrrr......)

War Alert!

My grandfather and uncle were in Amritsar today. Amritsar is my home town-- I wasn't born there and have visited it only twice, but that's where most of my ancestors lived, and many far-off relatives still live there.

Food wise, it's excellent. You get some of the best truly Punjabi(read dipped in oil and ghee) dishes there.

Historically, that's where Jallianwala Bagh is-- where innocent Indians were massacred by General Dyer. Also, that's where the Operation Bluestar was executed.

Geographically it's a stone's throw away from Lahore, Pakistan thus making it a very important strategic point for army and BSF officers. (I could see Lahore from the Wagah border, it's so close).

Today, while people were busy with their work, school, play and eating, Fighter planes were heard and spotted in the skies. Panic spread and people ran home, thinking an Indo-Pak war had begun.

Thank God it was just a practice session.

Maybe next time will be a real one.

Spare the Girl, Save a Life

Female foeticide is common everywhere in India, not only the lower income groups, but also the educated people resort to this when in desperate need of a male child in their family.

And it's not only those shady doctors who do the sex determination tests, but also the famous ones, the ones who deliver celebrity babies and are all over the papers. The sex determination test (the secret one) which needs to be done before it's too late for an abortion is done, is a slightly complicated procedure, involving withdrawal of amniotic fluid and increasing the risk of the child having congenital defects. Most to-be mothers are willing to bear the risk and pay an exorbitant price for the all-important test. Of course, this test is done only on the most trusted clients.

I did a bit of asking around casually and have come to the conclusion that in almost every family in this country, female foeticide is an accepted norm.

I had a taste of this a couple of years ago. A woman from an exteremely rich family, herself very well-educated, gave birth to a baby boy--15 years after giving birth to two girls. At the naming ceremony, the grandmothers beamed happily and pronounced gleefully: "We always said it's very important for girls to have brothers. Our wishes for a boy for her have finally come true." The mother nodded in return. Seems she was very happy too. It also seems that she had three abortions.
The sisters have nothing to say about their new brother, and they keep mum on the issue. Of course, everyone in the family knows it wasn't just a mistake; it was a deliberate mistake. Disgusting.

Ask any woman if she knows a doctor who does top-secret sex determination and female MTPs, and almost invariably, the answer you get will be 'Yes'. All the women I asked gave this answer.Everyone knows. It'a an open secret. What shall I say? I shouldn't be surprised, should I?

'Heard the Latest?'

In school, I had this really amusing habbit of walking upto my friends with some exciting news and say "Have you heard the latest?" And they would roll their eyes and reply in chorus "Now what?"

Now I don't get the chance to say that. And the latest is always about who is gonig out with who and who broke up and why. That is so boring and cliched. Nothing exciting anymore it seems.......

PS-- The only thing that will excite me now is perhaps my examination schedule.


Thank God Blogger's working now!

For a few days, Blogger was down (really). But now it's back, revitalised and great as ever. :)

War of Words

When are we going to grow up? Will just spewing words around the place help-- the Indo-Pak problem I mean. Vajpayee says something, Musharraf lashes back and brings up something new to debate about. And Vajpayee does the same in reply to the reply. It's going on and on, don't think it will end too soon. Of course, Bush's rather ironical (and hypocritical) comments are superficially noted and then conveniently sidelined.

I don't know who will win this war of words or whether there will be any winner or loser, but what I do know is that Prez Musharraf needs to polish his English vocabulary. After all, he should know the difference between 'armed intruders' and 'terrorists' and 'freedom fighters', right? I'm ready to give him free lessons on the condition that he NEVER forgets them.


Bye Bye India

The media converage of the Pakis leaving India makes the Indian Government sound like a bunch of morons with not a single drop of compassion in their blessed souls; and the people leaving like heroes. So maybe the people who run this country behave like a bunch of morons, but hey, softening up doesn't get you anywhere, at least not these days. And if Big Brother you-know-who toughens up, isn't it time the so-called Gentle Kid also grows up?

As for the people going back to their country, they won't feel homesick anymore.