#241

As they say, one should be gracious in victory and generous in defeat.  So, let me be generous enough in admitting that this sledgehammer of a verdict in favor of Narendra Modi is a massive endorsement of the kind of politics the BJP represents, with which I will never agree.  But then, I can only speak for myself.  However, I am also realistic enough to see that a substantial number of people in this country at the moment have internalized the ideas of muscular nationalism, Muslims being put in their place, Hindutva, anti-intellectualism etc etc.  Even if you know that in the long run, these are recipe for disaster; but don't they say that in the long run we all are dead?  Anyway, I should not be churlish, but should rather offer my congratulations to all the friends and families who have always blindly rooted for Modi no matter what.  Today, people like us will have to find other distractions.  Tomorrow is another day.  There will be other elections.

Not many people realize, but the 9th of May has to be a red-letter day in the annals of women's emancipation. For it was on this day in 1960 that FDA (Food and Drug Administration) in the U.S. finally gave its stamp of approval to the use of birth control pill across the country. This singular act, to my mind, contributed most to the feminist movement and women's empowerment in general than any amount of sloganeering, marching and bra burning could ever have done. Suddenly, women not only in the United States but all around the world had a sense of autonomy over their own bodies. They were in the position to decide when to have children and how many. Because now, they could have sex without fear of getting pregnant, it also paved the way for the sexual revolution of the 70s. The world is a better place because of that.

#239

Before the Pulwama terrorist attack, it was by no means certain that Narendra Modi will return as Prime Minister of India after the general elections in April-May 2019.  But I can sense a change in optics after  Valentine's day massacre of the security forces in Kashmir.  It is almost inevitable that the rising tide of jingoism, mixed with prevailing anti-Muslim feelings, adequately being nurtured by the North Korean news channels, they will add up, in the end, to propel the BJP and Modi in the saddle ones more.  I hope I am wrong.

The various reports of violence against individual Kashmiri Muslims across the country are just insane! This madness is going to play right into the hands of the extremists and the ISI, in that it's going to provide a catchment area to recruit more and more disaffected youths to their evil agenda, and will make this whole issue of grievance and alienation a self-fulfilling prophecy.

By any account and any yardstick of terror, what happened in Kashmir yesterday, was a monumental tragedy.  Shock and a numbing sense of stupefaction are the underlying emotions at the moment.  What's the point in apportioning blame one way or the other when the whole state is in a ghastly mess?  A stray SUV laden with military-grade explosives on an industrial scale finds its way on one of the most secure highways in the world, represents a colossal intelligence failure.  Who is going to be held accountable?

#235

Rahul Gandhi often says that he and the Congress party will always play on the front foot and that they are never going to play on the back foot against the BJP.  That's fine up to a point, but since he has used a cricketing analogy, let me just say that a good batsman should be equally adept in both front and back foot in order to negotiate hostile bowling from the opposition.  He should see the example in Narendra Modi in that how he would purposely shift on the back foot; when he would become maudlin and start crying in the name of his mother and also his humble origins.  Even though how humble the man is in a real sense, is, of course, another matter.  So, you see?  Indian politics is a devious business, and Mr. Gandhi should learn from the best.

#234

Good music is something I have always appreciated ever since I can remember.  Many years ago when I was just a kid, I remember we had an HMV Vinyl record player given as an item when mother and father got married.  I clearly recall, from time to time, they would play the records of Hindi film music on the turntable.  I would be absolutely fascinated by those small sized 33 RPM disks, and also by the bigger standard sized 45 RPM disks.  Looking at my parents now, you wouldn't think that they were the kind of young people once upon a time who actively sought to buy records to listen to Hindi music.  In those days, ours was the only household as far as I knew which had a vinyl turntable.  Otherwise, the cassette-player deck used to be the most common thing.
   I don't know how exactly, but with the passage of time, the record player fell into a state of disuse and disrepair, until it gradually vanished from our lives altogether.  We cannot stall the march of technology, and in good time like everyone else, I also started consuming music digitally.  But even with such a long absence, I could never forget those vinyl days of my childhood.  A few years ago, the word was getting around that vinyl record is making a comeback in the retro-cool circles, not only in the west but also in India.  It got me really excited, that's for sure.  Only one thing had changed from the old days; the vinyl had become prohibitively expensive to afford more than a couple of someone like me.  But I wasn't ready to give up.  I thought let me get hold of a turntable first, then with a bit of patience and some good fortune, I can increase my collections.
   Finally, due to the generous offer of my younger brother, I got my record player.  He and my sister have made sure that I am not wanted for vinyl either.  These days, there are multiple ways of consuming music.  The thing with listening to an LP record is that the quality of sound that you get is pure and completely original and unvarnished, unlike in the digital format where it is embellished with all kinds of instrumentalities.  Holding a vinyl with its magnificent sleeve is like possessing a piece of music in a tactile and tangible way.  Gently putting the record on the turntable and lowering the stylus on the outer most grooves is nothing short of performing a religious ritual by the faithful if you like.  I am happy to report that my neat little pile is slowly but surely growing, and I am so grateful to be reunited with something that is no longer just of nostalgic value but a tangible reality.