"May All Lucky Girls Come To You"!! ( Why I Write )

Why do i write and when do i write ? And how much of time do i spend on writing?
All are simple questions to answer .I write for myself .I write to please myself. I dont write to make money or to get fame.I write because i would like to read  what i did , or what i am doing when i am old.If some of you like what i write - its very nice .But i wouldnt stop writing if you did not like reading what i write , or i would not write something what you would like and which I did not like.
I started writing when i stopped teaching. I stopped teaching when my energy levels could not keep up with what my teaching style demanded. Teaching at one level is a physical act - one has to walk , talk , argue , articulate , entertain. Thats why some of us move from teaching to administration as we get older .The energy just slips away- very stealthily.
Writing on the other hand, is more a mental task .One can lie down and write , or one can write sitting on a chair or a bed. Hemingway wrote while standing !!One can write when one has a cough, fever and cold as i am having right now. One can write at any time of the day, evening or night .There is no time to write as such.
Perhaps ,like everyone else , I  need to express myself .I got the platform to express myself when i was young, in the form of debating and  teaching. Now i use writing as a medium to offload the "real me" !!.What I speak may not be always the way I feel (for example praising celebrities and bosses !).But what I write is 100 percent what I feel. Otherwise I wouldn’t  write.I also do not share everything I write – because many of us live lives we cant dare to be open about.I write what I feel may or should not offend or “scandalize”, the majority
It does not take me more than 30 minutes to write about 1500 words. Maybe i am a good writer – because  i dont seem to  struggle to find words or ideas to write( in much the same way as when I speak ) .I have read a lot - so quotes and  ideas of others are fresh in my mind.My memory is good – and I can compare events of the present with the past. I mix them up and relate them to my experiences in life .
I prefer writing at night when my train of thoughts is least likely to be broken. Sometimes I cry when I write – when I write obituaries of close friends and pets.I have seldom laughed while writing – humour hardly finds any space in my writings.It does not come naturally to me.
I used to write a lot on politics - till i realized that, essentially i am not a political animal. I understand politics very well because  i have been a student of politics and history - but i have never taken part in a election as a candidate at any level , and neither do i  regret not having  done so! Politics is something i would not like to reflect upon when my walk back to the pavilion starts ( which i suspect has already begun ).Politics does not tickle my mind – I know why and how politicians behave – they are so predictable( that’s why Donald Trump interests me – he is so unpredictable).There is no mystique to them.
I love cricket and tennis and i love history - and i write a lot about them .I have written a lot about travel and food .I have written a lot about loss of ones who I admired , loved and learnt from .I love human  relationships and have written a lot about them as well - though some are personal and hence still in the closet .Some of these relationships have been beautiful, some sour( not gender specific by the way).Some deal with men , some women , some with my bosses , some with people i was entrusted to lead .I dont want to forget them and don’t want to make them public at the moment .But i have captured them honestly in my writings.
For example here is a excerpt from a blog which i wrote many years back but which was shared with a select group. I quote from the blog
" She presented me a book titled "Lucky Girls" , which is one of my most prized possessions.
“Why did you spend money on a book written by a author i havent even heard of "? I asked .
She just smiled , said nothing and left. The moment passed as we chatted.
After she left ,I casually flipped the cover to read the foreword of the book .Neatly written in pencil was the sentence
" May all lucky girls come to you .From one of them".
It meant so much.It spoke so much.At the same time it suppressed so much.
Only if one writes - can one express so much in such few words .
Many years later I met her again and invited her for a cup of coffee and snacks  in a upscale restaurant .I carried a book with me as a return  gift for her.A small slim book.One of my favourites .The name of the book - “One day in the life of Ivan Denosovich”, written by Alexander Solzhenitsyn.She looked at it , opened it ,and remarked
"How impersonal.At least write something in it"
I asked the steward  for a pencil ,wore my spectacles ,and after thinking for a while, wrote
“ I have known  you from the 80s to now.The feelings haven’t changed-
Tum koh dekhaa toh ek khayaal aaya ,
lekin aaj phir dil koh humne samjhaayaah”! Unquote
I still have the book she presented me - though i have lost track of her.But the moment was captured for eternity .!!
I continue to write!!!The written word conveys so much more than the spoken word .Always. And is eternal.

Karnataka Elections – My Take .!!

Karnataka Elections – My Take .!!: The elections sent out clear indications – 1) that the Congress Party is in serious problems and on the verge  of extinction .Forget the narrative of journalists on the pay roll of a dying party who are saying that the Congress got more of the vote share than the BJP .It does not matter – you may get your maximum votes in a few constituencies and lose in a majority of them  .The inflated votes in a few constituencies add up to your vote share – but not to your seats .And this is what happened to the Congress .It was comprehensively trounced in the elections and that is the reason that it is down -43 seats .2).The BJP has made strong inroads .Its vote share has increased across Karnataka and hence it has upped its tally from 40 to 106 that is  +66 . It’s a huge victory – whether the paid digital , print or electronic media like it or not .3).The JD (S), has got only 18 percent vote and just 38 seats – down by two .

So what do we see ? The boy who got 38 marks gets the first rank , the boy who got 76 marks gets the second rank and the boy who got the highest marks 106 , comes last !!.

As I watched the drama unfold , the Congress party reminded me of a NGO sitting outside the house of the JD (S), with its hands folded and head bowed .

Two  important things emerged – minorities will not vote for the BJP , at least in the foreseeable future .Hence , one will continue to see them being denied  tickets in the elections by the BJP .This is power politics –inclusiveness will not be generated at ground zero level , but will come from the top with the capture of power .There is no point in contesting elections by putting up candidates if they are going to lose because you hate the BJP .The second thing that emerged from the election is the hypocricy and hatred of the Lutyens media towards Modi . It is no secret that the hate is mutual .Modi hasn’t given these toxic media persons a single interview .Nor has he carried them in his plane to foreign climes and paid for their whiskey and 5 star hotel stay .The narrative that they have tried to build that Modis popularity is on the decline has come crashing down .He is as popular- if not more – than when he started in 2014 .I see him sweeping the polls in 2019 .The more the media and a particular section of society abuse and vilify him – the greater is the consolidation of vote and support of those who feel that they have lost out on minority appeasement politics .Also ,the new economic eco system is such that it threatens to disrupt the old economic eco system – whether it be GST ,Demonetization , opening of accounts for the poor and transferring money directly into it ( the middleman who has been fattened by 70 years of corrupt rules and schemes is now starving ), Aadhar , RERA ( selling and buying land ),loan melas , - everything is making the supporters of the previous dispensation uncomfortable .

What happens next in Karnataka ? Logically , the Governor must call the party with the largest number of seats first to explore the possibility of forming a government .It must be asked to prove its numbers on the floor of the house .If not – then he should call the second largest party to prove their majority .In this case , I think the Congress will be able to do so .

For those who argue that in Manipur and Goa the opposite happened – to them I would say that it happened wrong .To those who say that the Congress and the JD (S), have a alliance which has the numbers – to them ,I would say that it is not  a PRE POLL  alliance nut  A POST POLL ALLIANCE ! There is a difference .Infact in no pre poll alliance would a chief minister be contesting a elections against a party which he allies with after after the result is declared ! ( I am talking of Siddaramiah ).

I hope that constitutionilities apart – BJP should allow the Congress and JD (S), to form the government .They must go into 2019 with this as a issue all over India .Play the victim card .Ride on the sympathies of the people in Karnataka who voted out the Congress and rejected the JD S – but find them in bed together !

At the end of the day – the BJP has won 106 seats !! Its not a small number .They can and I feel – will milk the issue .2019 is not very far off .And the govt in Karnataka should not last more than a year .BJP must not make a stake for power with a real purpose of capturing it .Of course they must “show” that they tried – but were victimized !

That is what they are doing !!

Regal Cinema Hall - Please Dont Go Away .Concluding Part .

While in the University Hostel ,we normally took a bus to go to C.P .The bus used to start from Maurice Nagar  and go to Shivaji Stadium  (  Maurice Nagar – maybe the name has changed now!! ). I think it was  route number 101.!!

The things we did at C.P ,were monotonous. But each time we did it , we felt a new kind of high .We would meet around the “Cellar” , the Amitabh Bacchan of discotheques in Delhi those days .!! Its long since disappeared. It was where Pind Baluchi is these days .Next to it was Vadheras ( or was it Vaish Brothers???) – a famous tailoring and clothes shops .

I have some very vivid memories of the Cellar .Once you entered it  - it felt like you had entered a room which was on fire .The smoke , the music ,the gyrating crowds , the familiar food ( sizzlers thrown in to good effect ), and the latest music played by very good DJs – you could hear everything from Grand Funk ,Jethro Tull  and the Doors  to something softer like Don Mclean singing “ bye  bye Miss American pie”. !!

Just across from Cellar used to be another iconic  restaurant called Ramble .It was open air ( where Palika Bazaar lies buried now )Around Rambles was a stand from where one could get a “Harley Davidson, phut phut”. And beyond Ramble were the iconic eateries - Wengers and Kevintors .We would have the patties at Wengers  ( 1.25 rupees !!), and a big bottle of strawberry milk  at Keventors ( 1 rupee a bottle )!!. Sometimes we would eat “ chola bhaturas”  behind  Regal  at Kwality .And  nearly  always  we would have cold coffee at De Pauls   and chocolate éclairs at Annapoorna   on Janpath  .!!

 But this blog is about Regal Theatre .I saw many movies in it – including  2  with my late brother  Vijay .Dirty Harry and Soldier Blue ( with the amazing looking Candice Bergen in it ).I also remember seeing Garam Hawa ,Aakrosh  ,Bhuvan Shome .The last movie I saw at Regal  I think  was in 1983 ,when we travelled from Rai to see “Masoom” . I wonder whether  it was by chance or by choosing – but I never saw a movie in Regal which would   NOT find itself in my top 20s list  of best  movies I saw .

The really odd thing about Regal Theatre  was the numbers on the back of its seats .For example  ‘6’ comes after ‘9’. Then ‘11’, and so on. Like  a pack of cards shuffled before being dealt !!

Experts  say ,that Regal was the  first building that  was  built in Connaught Place in  1932, by Sobha Singh( Khushwant Singhs Dad),  and designed by British architect Walter Sykes George.. It went on to host, along with Hollywood movies, Western Classical maestros,- Russian ballet and British theatre groups.It screened the classics like “ Gone With The Wind”( 1939 !!!!), and Pride and Prejudice” . On the top floor was a restaurant called Davicos (later ‘Standard Restaurant’) that was the toast of the town.!! The corridors and staircase of the cinema hall are lined with large black and white photographic portraits of stars from the yesteryears. Dev Anand, Meena Kumari, Nargis, Raj Kapoor…

The high and mighty graced Regal .Jawaharlal Nehru ,Lord Mountbatten,  Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Dr. Zakir Hussain, Indira Gandhi, Sir Strafford Cripps ( yes of the Cripps Mission fame – he and Nehru saw a film together here ), Viceroys .Raj Kapoor premiered many of his films here .He would come with Nargis.!

By the time , we went to see the movies in REGAL ,the  palm trees at Regal’s porch back had dissappeared,.The foyer  which had chandeliers  had started to look old .The staff who must have  donned  dinner suits and, on occasion, bow ties were no where to be seen .. Scotch and soda that was available  was no longer served .Where once upon a time  everyone would stand in queue to buy tickets , including the Deputy Commissioner of Delhi, there  were jostling crowds , always feeling insecure that their pockets might get picked .A thick maroon velvet curtain would slowly rise and fall at the beginning and end of a movie .The red carpet ,that was laid out to welcome the dignitaries had vanished .

Regal , was clearly in the hospital ward during my University Days .And now it is in the ICU on life support which is going to be unplugged on the 31^st of March .

Before I end – let me narrate a incident at Regal .We had gone to see a movie and were waiting outside the foyer .Just next to the foyer was a cigarette shop .And next to the cigarette shop , used to sit a cobbler who made money by polishing peoples shoes .And guess who we saw getting his shoes polished ? It was Jalal Agha , who was a fairly well known actor ( he became really famous after he was picturized in the  song “ Mehbooba ,Mehbooba” from Sholay.) We went to him and got talking .He told us ,that he always came to Regal and hung around it whenever he was in Delhi . “ I love seeing the crowd  passing by.” He said .He also told us that the cobbler was a personal friend of his .He  then  pointed to the cigarette shop and told us that he had been buying cigarettes from him for donkeys years .He added “ You guys are young – don’t smoke “

When I look back – neither the cigarette shop is there , nor the cobbler , nor Jalal Agha , and shortly there will be no Regal .

At times – one feels lonely .!! But tomorrow will come .And life will go on .

Regal Cinema Hall -Please Dont Go Away ! .Part 1

Memory is a powerful instrument  .All talk of forgetting the past and moving on is in the realm of rubbish .You can never ever get away from your past – which is a aggregate of memories .Some good ,some bad !! A person without memories - is a dead person .Thats why Pablo Neruda wrote " You start dying when you start forgetting ". !!

Good memories are like wine – they linger and encompass you with softness and finesse .Whenever one comes across a name , a incident , a street , a place , a friend – one also tends to  look back at times as they were when one  first encountered them .The older the memories – the more romantic they get .As I just said – they are like wine .Age makes them better .Or more forgettable .

I read that Regal Cinema in Delhi is closing down .I also read that 31^st March will be day when the last  shows will be screened .I don’t  know whether to believe it or not .Its not for  the first time that such news has leaked its way into the press .Every spring – the owner comes up with the idea of closing down .

But this time it seems more real than  at anytime before .Which will be so sad .Because it will bring and end to one of Delhis most iconic places . Regal will disappear . The memories wont .Certainly not from the mind of a man in his sixties who walked the streets around Regal from the age of 16 or 17 .

My memories of Delhi are very powerful .I was neither born , nor brought up in it  .But I studied in the University there .Those days Delhi was not like what it is today .We could easily get a ticket in a bus and find ourselves a seat of preference to occupy ( unless it was a University Special – called a U Special - , or the rush hour ).

We made our way to C.P very often ( I was in the Hansraj  Hostel  ). Most of the times we would see movies in the movie halls around the University area or within easy reach .Amba , used to be a favourite which was a walking distance of 10 minutes from my hostel .There were also other movie halls which we frequented – Alpana in Model Town , Filmistan  near the Subsi Mnadi , Ritz  and Minerva in Kashmere Gate ,Novelty and Shiela ( slightly further away ).We would also make our way to Golcha in Daryaganj .Chandni Chowk had a number of movie halls – Moti ,Excellsior , Kumar and many more .Most of them have died .Look at what happened to Minerva - i remember seeing so many movies here .....sigh .......!

There was another “movie hall” if one could so call it .It was the darling of all Delhi University  hostellers .It was nothing more than a slightly sophisticated “tin shed” .The chairs could be moved around at will ( like in a “shaadi” !! in a tent house premise ). It was called Robin .It was a free for all movie hall !! People would in with beer bottles ,or  get up and start dancing or clapping .At times brawls would break out when goons form Malkaganj or Kamla Nagar would barge in to bully the sophisticated “hep”  ganja and weed smoking long haired freaks !!. Ticket would cost 25 paise .I am told that it was not demolished .It was razed to the ground in a storm !!

But when we had our best attire on ,and wanted to impress a girl with whom we were going out ,or to show off to our relatives or friends who came from small towns - we would make our way to Regal !!. And what a amazing place it was . More of that in my next blog .

Schools - Why They Are In A Mess In India - Part 1 .( The Macro Picture ).

The greatest problem about schooling in India is that everyone who knows A,B,C,D  and can count ,thinks that teaching is the last refuge of people who can do nothing else .Everyone thinks he /she can teach !!.There is no mystique about teaching – there are no high sounding words like cytosine or psoriatic arthritis !! Or for that matter section 302 of the Indan Penal Code !! Its all about cat ,rat ,ohms law ,noun , Brussels etc – don’t we all know about them ?!!

That’s the real problem – teaching is considered so easy that it is not taken seriously by anyone else who is not in the teaching profession  .The greater problem is – that if we don’t take it seriously , then we are slowly setting fire to India .Everything starts from schools .A healthy school system – leads to a healthy nation .

Just by way of a simple question – how many of you reading this blog  know the about the  total number of schools in India ? Or as to how many students study in these schools ? Or for that matter , what are the different kinds of schools ? How many are affiliated to the State Boards or the CBSE ? How many IB Schools are there in India ? What is the average salary of a school teacher who will shape the thinking of your child for the rest of his /her life ? How many schools are there in the private sector ? How many of them are in the public sector?

All the above are important questions and you may say that it is not important  to know these “trivial” facts .Yes you could be justified in saying so – but then please don’t air your views as if you  know everything about schools .Dont  start whipping the schools for the fees they charge ,the quality of teaching and  please be prepared to understand the obstacles they face as they evolve . Don’t call all schools that charge high fees  “ money making machines” .Nothing comes free in todays world .A teacher is a professional .He /she comes with a price .Infrastructure comes with a price .Land comes with a price .Electricity and water come with a price .Buses come with a price .Furniture comes with  a price .Everything comes with a price .!!

Let me answer some of the questions that I asked . Please dont think ,i am dumping statistics on you.The statistics have been taken from government sources and Ernst and Young .
The total number of schools in India is approximately 1.5 million (15 lakhs ). About  250 million children are enrolled in them ( 25 crore)- that is just 69 percent of the school going age of children .Both the US and the UK  HAVE 100 PERCENT enrollment of the kids who are in the school going age – 3 to 16 years .We  in India ,cant provide education to the remaining 31 percent because the govt  does not either have the resources to build schools ,and even if it were to have it – would not invest in them .We spend a measly 3.7 percent of our GDP  on our schooling system .Thats why there is a urgent need for the private sector to involve itself in a big way into the educational sector .

 Of these 1.5 million schools – only 1 percent are afilliated to the CBSE .The rest of the 96 percent are affiliated to the State Boards ,CISCE , AND ABOUT 400 ARE IB Schools .Some schools are run by local bodies  and Municipal Corporations .

Lets look at the number of private sector schools ( like our own DPS JAIPUR ).There are only 4 lakh private schools – from nursery to Class 12( cumulative  - primary ,middle and secondary and senior secondary )Of these 4 lakh schools ,the maximum are in the primary( 57  percent ) ,and then in the middle sectors .The least are in the secondary and senior secondary level( 14 percent ) . This is so – because as the children  grow , they tend to drop out of schools for a variety of reasons .) Of these 4 lakhs ,only 18600 or so schools are affiliated to CBSE .The rest are under State Boards . The government  spends  a measly 3.7 percent of our GDP  on our schooling system .Thats why there is a urgent need for the private sector to involve itself in a big way into the educational sector .

The most important thing to understand  is that though there are only 25 percent schools in the private sector – they account  for 40 percent of the total student force in schools .This clearly means that the quality of education is better in private schools than in government schools .This is also reflected by the fact that states with the highest number of private schools have high pass out rates than the ones with state run schools .

And yet , year after year , the government hammers the private schools by creating roadblocks .There are so many obstacles in the way of running a private school efficiently ,that only the very dogged and determined continue to stay optimistic .Clearly – there seems to a shift to other sectors which get battered less and are also prone to less scrutiny .There are 18 clearances to be obtained to just start a school .And the most important thing is – that once you get the clearances , the battle does not end .It begins 

 Ask me .I started 3 schools from ground zero !! I remember waiting outside the Secretatriat in my car with Sangeeta nursing my 11 month old son .It was hot .And by the time , we had got back home ,Pratique had suffered a heat stroke and the file had not moved a inch from the desk of the Under Secretary to that of the Deputy Secretary .!!

Later that night we asked ourselves - were we in the right profession ? 

The answer was to unfold itself slowly over the next 3 decades !!

( Part 2. The Problem Beyond What  The Statistics Reveal ).

Never Lie - Never Ever Lie .!!

I was on a routine flight from Delhi to Ahmedabad .I flew a lot on that sector , either  for official work at the DPS Society ,or to meet my son at Delhi University ,or to meet Sangeeta who was the Principal at the Himjyoti School in Dehradun .

Delhi Domestic Airport was crowded like a railway station .Packed with people – most of their faces  looking drained and greasy .Understandable – it was Delhi weather at its worst – hot and humid .

The travelers were  impatient to get their boarding passes ,which would entitle them to enter the lounges where they could relax a bit – security check ins suck your patience  most of the times .Being a experienced traveler ,I was carrying only hand baggage – it helped me  having not to wait at conveyor belts at my destination .As I waited , I was  lookjn  forward to reaching home ,having a shower , a nice cup of Lipton Darjeeling tea , and slip into my airconditioned room .

The problem( sometimes a ego inflator !),  of having been a Principal for 3 decades is that there is someone or the other who will recognize you at a public place .Thats one of the reasons that I dress up reasonably well – (tie intact !!)- when I travel  or go to a mall or the movies . Everyone who smiles at me , appears  to me to  be either a student who I have taught ,or a parent with whom I have interacted .Someone who smiles a lot  is sometimes greeted with “Oh hello , how are you doing”? This sometimes shocks people – and sometimes makes them happy !!. I have noticed however ,that it has never hurt anyone .

As I waited – I caught the eye of a young man ahead of me in the queue .He had been looking at me and giving me a smile .

I thought ,I had seen him somewhere . But I let it pass by pretending to look at my ticket , and at the queue behind me .As he edged ahead and moved forward  he looked back and   waved at me . I waved back .Very soon  we were next to each other – but on different sides of the queue .( In airports ,people line up and sometimes queues take the form of a “U”. So you come across each other on the two straight lines of the U before  you turn round the curve ).

“ Good evening ir”, he said rather enthusiastically .Enough enthusiastically to make people turn their heads and look  towards me .By now ,I was convinced that he was a student whom I had taught .

“ Good evening”, I said .” How are you”,?

“ Fine thank You Sir. Do you recognize me” ? he asked expectantly .

I have learnt not to lie .But  there were so many people who were now part of the conversation , that I thought it would be rude and arrogant for me to say no .Besides ,my memory was reconnecting with him .Oh yes – he was a terrific sprinter in school .I also knew that he was from Soma House .But for the ife of me I could not recollect his name .But yes – I knew that below those cotton trousers he wore – were a pair of very hairy legs !!

“ Of course ,I do” !! I said . “So you are going to Ahmedabad ?” I enquired .

 “ No Sir , I am going to Pune . ( It was a Delhi Pune flight with a stopover at Ahmedabad ) .Sir do you remember  my name” .?

“ Yes I do” ,I , answered  without thinking .He was now near the counter  . I knew that I had made the cardinal mistake of telling a unnecessary lie .I was very uncomfortable – not because I had lied ,but because what do I tell someone who thinks I remember his name .

While he checked in , I phoned up a fellow Principal friend of mine who was working in Panipat .

“ Vinoo – yaar ,what is the name of the boy ,we used to call “ Harry”,  because he had a lot of hair on his legs?”.!!

Vinoo pondered – I could make that  out in the pregnant silence at his  end  of the phone.

“ Kulu , I will get back to you .Aur sab theek thaak hai”

“ Yes ,yes .Please get me his name fast .Treat it as a emergency “ . I was panicking !! I was not interested in polite conversation .

I was cursing myself as to why I had lied .

I checked in .The boy was waiting for me .I did  not  want to meet him yet as I did not remember his name .I pretended I was talking to someone  else on my  cell ,as I shook his hands !

And then the worst happened .While I pretended to speak , the phone rang .We both looked at each other . He was too smart not to know that I had been on a fake call .

The   call was from Vinoo .He told me that the name of the boy was Devinder (name changed ). I thanked him and rushed to Devinder and gushed

“ How are you Devinder. Such a pleasure meeting you .Its been ages”.

Devinder was over the moon that I remembered not only his name ,but his House and the fact that he was hairy .

“ You are amazing Sir .You are phenomenal .And Sir you are right about the hair . See.” He pulled up a bit of his trousers .And sure the hair were still there .!!

I wonder though – what he must  have thought of the phone call that I faked while waiting to know his name ?

The bottom line – never lie .Its damn inconvenient .!! And never  never lie if you are ageing !! It compounds the problem !

Back To School - But Now As Teachers !!

I remember both the girls when they joined  DPS Jaipur as students .That was about 15 years ago, though it seems like yesterday . I don’t have to scratch my memory to recollect what all they did as schoolgirls .They were not the normal run of the mill school children .Both were very independent and focused .I never summoned them to my office for violation of a school rule.!! Both were value driven.

Both have great lineage .Anushree's Dad was working in the Gulf( Muscat ) and she was already exposed to the world outside India .That obviously gave her the edge .She  went on  to acquire her BA  degree from Delhi University after doing her Political Science Honors from Daulat Ram College .Anyone who has studied in Delhi University knows how good the College is .She then went onto study French from the  Alliance Française ,Delhi.She bounces with energy – which is a prerequisite of a good teacher. 

Suhasiny is the granddaughter of India's greatest music director and lyricist – the legendary Madan Mohan- her mothers Dad.I know her parents Sangeeta and Rajive  very intimately and for a number of years we were part of the same party circuit( till i aged !!) ! She has a elder sister Putul , who studied English Hons at St Stephens College and  Oxford !! .  
Suhasiny   was  the School Captain , and  went on to join Lady Sri Ram College and did her Honors in History .She then went  to the School of Oriental and African Studies  in London – the equivalent of MIT / Harvard  for the Liberal Arts !! She travelled the world- London ,Berlin ,Copenhagen ,Stocholm ,Gotenburg ,Salzburg ,Vienna, Praha , Munich ……... I followed her travels very closely.

I talked to them  in my comfortable office , on a wide range of issues .I asked them the obvious question-as to what they found better – being students or being teachers in DPS Jaipur ?. They were unanimous in their opinion that it was far greater fun to be a student

“ Its less responsibility when you are incharge of yourself .Buts it’s a huge responsibility when you are in charge of yourself and so many kids .Its not just about teaching them History or French .Its also about teaching them the discipline of how to learn .Its not about WHAT to learn – its about HOW  to learn”  they said .They crinkled up their noses and continued  

“ We love teaching –but sir there is so much of file work .There are so many formats to fill”.!! I remembered my days as a young teacher  and had failed to understand why there was so much of paperwork in the teaching profession .I had presumed that teaching was only verbally telling kids what you know and occasionally writing something on the boards !!

I reassured them ,that with the passage of time ,they will learn how to manage that easily and that ,that paper work  also had a relevance .Its like a map when you are driving in a new town !!

DPS Jaipur is a coeducational school .Suhasiny and Anushree  went to study in colleges that were all girls colleges  .Did they find that a big change ? Did  they think , that it was a advantage or a disadvantage to be in such learning centres ?

“It really doesn’t matter Sir .The topic is only good for a inter house debate !! If your focus  is study ,then we don’t think it matters whether there are boys in the class or not .We were very clear what we wanted to do.” they said decisively . And as a counter they added

“Why do you presume that the only way boys and girls  meet is because they are studying in the same class and college ? And besides – the channels of communication are so many these days – technology has changed the rules of the game of relationships .There are no walls  these days ” they said added. One just needs to prioritize “ .

Hmm .Kids these days have really moved on !

I  asked them,that as teachers , what issues are important to them .Both were very concerned about the strong patriarchal society and the attitude of the men towards women- at times bordering on disdain .They feel that women and girls , still have far less freedom of choice than men .

“ But that’s true  only in the underdeveloped parts of the country .It should not matter to someone like  both of you who stay  in a city, and  that too,the  capital of the state” I said .

“You  will be surprised Sir – but we find women in rural areas safer than women  in cities .The social and religious norms still hold sway there .People find it difficult to deviate from them “ they said .They  felt that even in European countries women are discriminated against – albeit in  more subtle ways .

And the conversation went on and on .We discussed  whether DPS Jaipur had changed from their times ,whether the children were distinctly different from what they were ,whether we are in sync as far as teaching is concerned with what they were exposed to and how they saw themselves after let us say 10 years !!.Suddenly Sangeeta came in and said that Suhasiny had a remedial class and that I should let her do her job ! They both left after I took a few photographs with them .

What do students like  Suhasiny and Anushree  teach us  .?( All teachers  MUST   presume that they learn a lot from students .A teacher is  not a sage on the stage ,but a guide on the side )

They teach us that you can compete and yet remain fair and honest .I would be very disappointed if  they were to cheat someone.That will negate knowledge empowerment  .

I would be very disappointed if they were to lose a honest battle. They look such winners .Students  like them  are not JUST teachers  .They represent a belief ,a idea –that one  will succeed  by honest means – if not in the short run ,certainly in the marathon of life.

Students  like them  also teach us  that you can be loyal and loving and yet very rational, and  that professionalism does not run contrary to loyalty .One can be a poet and a nuclear scientist (like Einstein), one be a hopeless romantic but yet a  great king .!We need more children like them , leaving our schools and becoming teachers .

Did I give them any advice ? No .I don’t believe in giving advice .I believe what Einstein when he said “ I am grateful to all those who refused me advice as its because of them I did it myself”  . However  if they are reading this , then what Steve Jobs wrote is something I would like them to keep in mind in their life

“Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

I find it necessary to quote Steve Jobs , because many will discourage them from becoming school teachers given their qualifications and brilliance .They did that to me .But I followed my heart .

I hope they follow theirs !! 

Modi Has Won The Battle - But The War Has To Be Won !

Today my mother in law went to the bank here in Jaipur to exchange her old currency notes with the new ones .She –like the rest of us – is entitled to 2000 rupees per week .She was apprehensive ,but decided to take the risk .After all – some sections  of the Press ,political parties and some sections of society , have been raising the spectre of long queues causing immense hardships that could lead to violence .However she came back  gushing with praise .She recounted how orderly the queues  were  and how optimistic and willing the people were to sacrifice their comforts because they felt the PM had    “morally” made  the  right move ! From a AAP supporter ( she is a Delhi resident ), she was “Modified”!! And by the way ,my  mother in law is no greenhorn to  politics .She can teach a thing or two to economists and political scientists .She reads the newspapers on her smart phone and uses facebook and twitter.She is wise and a survivor of the Partition.She has seen it all –from Nehru to Modi .She is up there with a very informed  political opinion .1

Yes ,Modi  seems to have  won the demonetization game .The teething problems will continue for sometime.Everyone is prepared for that .One does not need to a rocket scientist to know that the Kejriwals and Mamtas  would whip up frenzy .One does not need to be expert in differential and integral calculus to predict that the “award wapasi” brigade and communist dominated university intellectuals ( all have  studied in American Universities and send their  kids there  too ),will try to intellectualize a simple idea and tie it into knots of abuse and negativism   . However the positives  of the idea has gone deep and far into the corners of India

I am not a Lutyens Delhi man and live in close proxity to rural areas .I interact with a huge army of  rural poor  with whom I work .I also interact with a huge class of educated citizenry  on a daily basis .Most feel that what the PM did was that he took  a calculated ,bold ,innovative decision .He took the risk because he feels for India .

It is a excellent move .Out  of the box  disruptive  thinking is required in a country like ours .The aspiration and the dream must always be beyond our means .When John Kennedy said in the early sixties that he dreamt of putting a man on the moon – we all laughed .When we saw movies in the 90s  of cars without drivers we all laughed .We laughed at a lot of things and we criticized a lot of things .That is becoz in our  mind  we never imagined the way some game changers do – the Einsteins ,the Zuckerbergs ,the Steve Jobs .A “disruptive” idea holds the key to progress in todays world .It has to be really disruptive to be effective – remember how the cell phone eased out the telephone , or how the transistor chip eased out the radio ,how a laptop eased out the PC , how cell phones are easing out lap tops , how emails killed the postal service ,or how digital cameras killed “roll cameras”? These ideas caught us unaware and we slowly adapted to a better lifestyle.We felt uncomfortable with cahnge initially .

I haven’t been able to understand the  argument  of those who are opposing the move – do  they want the black money to be eliminated ? If yes – then what is the best option to do that ? And if that option existed – then why has  it has not been exercised till now  7 decades since independence ?And if it has been exercised ,then why are there no result? And if better options are there – how many decades more will it take for them  to bear fruit ? Can India wait ? They need to make their stand very clear – they cant run with the hare and hunt with the hound .

The man from Gujarat exercised  the best option .He has thrown the dice .There is no point about complaining about its implementation .Any refinement of the implementation part before it was introduced , would have led to the leakage of the a measure that ,depended on secrecy The success of it would depend on  adhocism as the system ( people) responded once it was declared  The very fact that the government is responding on a near day to day basis proves that it is dynamic and responding and adapting  whenever  required

There is no doubt that the citizens are furious, but they will NOT  punish Modi for it .He has already gotten away with it, only the extent of his rewards is unclear.

Why ? Because there was a message which was loud and clear .It was a message that had nothing to do with your caste or your religion .It was a message that was based on the twin pillars REMOVAL OF CORRUPTION AND NATIONAL SECURITY. It was a message that what we leave behind for our successive generations must be worth it .We  cant  leave behind something  cancerous and moth eaten .

This may not be apparent at first glance, especially if you are not very fond of him.But there is observable evidence that the general public is with him.

It is our only chance to eradicate corruption .We must use his charm ,guts ,honesty and great orotorial skills to create a new India .He connects very well with the masses .He seizes every opportunity .Look at the way he seized the opportunity at the Coldplay concert yesterday to connect with the people  via a video  address, and quoted lines from Bob Dylan’s iconic song, “The times they are a-changin”.and said 

“You have been smart in asking me to only address the gathering and not sing, else I’m pretty sure your audience would be asking you for their money back, and that too in Rs 100 notes,”.!!! He rocked !!

Methinks - he has won the battle !!.But remember - the war has yet to be won .


(Please share if you agree and become a stakeholder for removal of corruption .)

Down Memory Lane - Remembering Jaswant 30 years down the line !! Part 1.

25 Kms North of Amritsar is a place called Chowk Mehta .It houses  the Damdami Taksal ,a  seat of Sikh learning and education .Tucked away almost unknown to the outside  world ,it sprang into prominence when one of its heads ,held the country to ransom .He was instrumental in instilling fear in the minds of many like  us who by birth were as close to any Sikh in any part of the world .Then, as  now, we always made our way to the nearest gurudwara in our vicinity with the same regularity as to a temple or a masjid  .It was a  bond (between us and the Sikhs ),that no one had ever dared to drive a wedge through .It was also crystal clear that  no one would succeed if they attempted .

 Sant Bhindrawale tried to do the impossible .He was headquartered at Chowk Mehta from where  lists were prepared and  diktats sent  to carry out gruesome killings of Hindus .He had a narrow support base -but it was a  ruthless and committed one  .Those  who did not support his ideas ,were confronted with a choice –leave or be prepared for the repercussions .Maybe death ..

Jaswant Singh chose to leave Chowk Mehta.

“I have come to teach here .Why have you come ?To sell "andaa" and chicken on a cycle .It does not make sense to me ” ?I had asked, as a young teacher at Rai  .It was a logical question.

“How can one stay in a place where we are told that Hindus are our enemies . How can one stay in a place when people tell you that a separate country Khalistan is going to be created ? They keep saying   "Sikh ik vakhri qaum hai. (Sikhs are a different race)  .In our family we have Hindus .And in our family I have relatives in Andhra ,Maharastra and Assam .Sa…la , Ch…..ya,  sanoo bewakoof  samajdeh hai “ ( they think we are fools”) .He was a raw and rustic man .But he was a true secularist and a nationalist .

Rai is a residential school .And having the mess food day in and day out was uphill task –even though the food  was top class .But even top class food loses its edge once it becomes repetitive , predictable and assured  .By the time I had spent my first year at Rai ,I knew what was going to be served for breakfast on Monday ,lunch on Tuesday or dinner on Saturday !! We always had the option of eating at the world class dhabas at Murthal but one could not do that very often .The distance and the pocket protested sometimes .

Jaswant Singh changed all that .He gave us options .He peddled raw  eggs and  dressed chicken and it suited us fine .I always preferred having boiled eggs which were warm ,and cook my own chicken and share it with my other bachelor friends .He would announce his arrival by ringing the bell of his cycle three times !! I would open my door and inspect his eggs and chicken .One day I told him that the eggs were too small and so were the chicken .I was at the prime of my life and had taken to playing squash daily .I had fairly good biceps .I flexed my muscles and showed them  to him.

“I need  big eggs and chicken to feed my biceps” I boasted !! Get me big eggs and a good “kooker” (chicken).And I expanded my chest !!

He was quick to retort

“If you eat the eggs  and the chicken I supply you ,you will be like this”, and proceeded to show me his biceps !!And I swear ,they were really big and bulging !!And as a afterthought he said

“But you wont get them  ,because you are a Amul eating man .Desi ghee khaaya karoh(eat pure ghee).” he added with a smile and a hearty laugh !!

“Can you get me desi ghee”, I asked ?

“Of course I can .You just have to tell me a day or two in advance .I will get you desi ghee and looni makkhan (white butter). You need it .”!!

That’s how I started to eat farm fresh eggs,farm fresh dressed chicken ,desi ghee and looni makkhan !!Jaswant  started feeding my body . From  a acquaintance ,he became a friend .I would talk to him in Punjabi  .I asked him once whether he travelled to Punjab often .

“Of course I do .I have some land there .I will return once the madness is over .I don’t  like it much here .I feel homesick” .Punjab at the time was in the grip of terrorism .Terrorists used innocent  human beings like Jaswant as couriers  to pass messages to each other  or hide in their homes .And if the police came to know of such incidents ,then the innocents were targeted .People like Jaswant were caught in the crossfire of the Police and the Terrorists .No one was obeying or playing the game according to rule .Punjab lurched from one gory incident into another .I got married .The Principal of the school changed .And for reasons best known to him ,he stopped the entry of Jaswant into our school campus .I don’t know what the reasons might have been .I could not understand  why he ordered the cutting down of  eucalyptus trees and  targeting  people like Jaswant .Jaswant stopped coming .

In the mayhem of terrorism ,I lost my brother in law who was a senior IAS Officer .Jaswant came to meet me .On his cycle but without his eggs ,desi ghee ,and chicken .I was grieving and trying to cope with the tragedy .I heard the bell of the cycle ring 3 times .I got up and opened the door .........

To be contd and concluded tommorow .

Demonetization -When One Is At The Crossroad Of History , Speak Up .

One should not and cannot remain neutral when one is at a crossroad of history .The demonetization move by the PM is the single biggest and most revolutionary attempt to remove corruption .Those indulging in pessimism and casting aspersions on its success ,don’t even know what else is up his sleeve .Those marching to the Rastrapati Bhavan are doing something good – they are walking !! Its good for health .

I watched the debate in the Rajya Sabha yesterday for sometime .The opposition parties have clearly lost the plot .They are barking up the wrong tree by deputing journalists ( all beneficiaries of the “ancient regime”, ), and getting sound bites from the elite  - the “award wapasi brigade”.The collective picture that is being “manufactured”, is that India is on the verge of riots and economic anarchy .!!

That is far far away from the truth .The truth is that people are willing to wait and the queues are getting shorter .I have made sure that I try to get a feel of the mood of the crowd .I have been out on the streets and talked to them in detail. I was surprised as to how much of goodwill the move has generated for the PM .He has a huge task cut out for himself – will the results of this move ,translate into facts ? That’s the risk the PM has taken .And that’s a risk every game changer  takes .

Of course some parties who have a few seats in parliament and state assemblies – will be able to garner enough people to stand in a line so that their leader can come and get selfies with them !! .The vocal chords of the commies also need to get primed once in a while outside the campuses of  anti national universities   – becoz their brands’   catch line is “Empty vessels make the most noise”.!They are doing that .

Closer to the ground – the people have overwhelmingly accepted the great initiative .Of course it could have been implemented better ,but parties during whose tenure, the 5 year plans ,Nrega ,Clean Ganga project , Food for work ( people actually sold food instead of eating it ), Scams , subsidies ( they never reached the actual target group), ……..one can go on and on ( difficult to find a particular project that was successfully implemented ), cannot lecture as to what will happen in the future .Of course one understands their pessimism .But then they need to deal with it themselves rather than impose their negativity on a optimistic nation .No one expects them to cooperate

A word of caution though .I would have liked  the PM  not to make this as  a issue of the rich versus the poor. This should not be taken as a “class” war ( as distinct from a caste or communal issue). It is a extremely dangerous ground to tread on .I have seen many poor people becoming slightly haughty and spout disdain against the rich and middle classes .I think the attempt should be  to explain to the people what black money is ,why the steps are being taken , and not indulge in rhetoric that “ameer goli dhoondh rahe hai ,garib aaraam se so rahe hai”. There should be a difference between Che Guera  and Narendra Modi .A revolution has started from the top of the pyramid .It will filter down through sensible policies and not  through  conflict on the streets .Lets keep it that way .Good for everyone .

How "Conveinient" to make a issue of "Inconvience" to defend Black Money !!

When people stood/sat/slept/ in Jantar Mantar and brought the capital to a standstill in April 2011 , it was called a movement against corruption. The roads were blocked,people defecated on the streets, and there was near total collapse of law and order. But people tolerated it-even though the people who heralded the movement were men and women of dubious character-one of them became a CM after pledging that his movement was apolitical.!!! 
Now this talk of inconvenience when a real solution is being offered?( And talk of business houses being in the know of demonetization ?And talk of most black money being in form of gold property and parked in foreign banks ? All attempts to create a negative opinion against the move ). I hope people join the queues and make them longer till these queues reach Kanyakumari. I hope someone can convert this inconvenience into a vehicle of change. Let everyone just join the queues (even if they do not need immediate money) as a show of solidarity in the fight against corruption. Come on INDIA-Jantar Mantar was fake. It did not manage to bring in the Lok Pal bill the way the people wanted ! It was political ( in the garb of being apolitical), and made Chief Minister's and Governors of people involved. It was a movement against the government to grab power. This is real. It is a decision by the government to eradicate corruption. That's why we must support it.

Why we must support Modis demonetization move

The social media has been dominated by two major events in the last 36 hours - the election of Trump to the White House and the stunning masterstroke by the PM - Narendra Modi.Much has been debated .It should .Most of us have applauded him and a few of us have criticized him .Fair enough .Those who have supported him have been dubbed "ultra right wing". Those criticizing him are the so called "left liberals" (JNU types, and the losers who have still not accepted the moral responsibility in any democracy –to respect and accept the will of the majority !!!).
All that is reflective of our democracy( so vibrant that slogans of "barbaadi", and support of terrorists are justified as "freedom of speech by not only respected intellectuals, award wapasi phoneys but also by glamorous TV anchors !!).
I do not want want to add to anything new to the election results - except the fact that though no prediction is verifiable ,i think that the responsibility of office of the President will transform Trump - he is too intelligent not to learn quickly( by the way i am a staunch Hillary supporter .She gave a fantastic speech yesterday - gave me goose bumps as i listened ) .So i am not going to believe that he will nuke Syria or Pakistan or throw the immigrants out !!.He has his ears close to what are real issues which Hillary Clinton tried to soft peddle becoz she did not want to take a risk.Its time we gave terrorism a name – whether Hindu ,Islamic ,Christian etc .Terrorism operates through religious fundamentalists of all religion .Lets not avoid the fact to win votes .
Back to India -again too much has been written and debated to write something which does not sound cliched !However ,I do want to make a point about all the noise some political parties are making in the aftermath of demonetization of 500 and 100 rupee notes .Their silly arguments about the middle, lower middle and poor segments of our society , suffering because of the paucity of 500 and 1000 rupee notes being made irrelevant, is shocking to say the least .Some phoney intellectual started this argument ,spokespersons of political parties picked it up , the supporters of political parties became noisy on facebook and twitter and ran with the hare and hunted with the hound - not having guts to give a compliment without a rider !! .I disagree - yes even the Prime Minister said that there would be inconvenient , and the Finance Minister also acknowledged the same .They are not like Mohhamed bin Tuglag who took to to reforms without knowing the consequences .The government is like a good doctor who will tell you that you need a operation because the tumour is threatening to get malignant .Its like a doctor who will tell you that you will have to be operated and that the operation means loss of inconveinience of staying away from your home and family members .Its like a doctor who will tell you that there may be pain and incisions on what appears outwardly a beautiful body .Yes the doctor will tell you that forget the inconveinience for a few days /weeks because once you recover ,the quality of life will be better .So dont squeal - and dont expect not be operated and still remain healthy .If you want that – then you have suicidal tendencies !!.

And one thing i have noticed about the PM -criticize him as much as you want ,call him names ,slap cases on him ,try to demoralize him ,BUT - he does what he is convinced of .You may either call him a man with dictatorial traits or like me - admire him becoz he seems to know his mind .!! He is not a flip flop man like the young pretender to the throne of his dynasty !!.And unlike a bhakt or his rabid opponents - i will criticize and applaud him on issues .And not blindly .!! Come on - give him his due !!

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Leonard Cohen - RIP

When we were in the University ( Delhi ), it was “hep and cool” to listen to western music .90 percent of us were brought up on Hindi music and got baptized into western music inorder to upwardly move into the “hep” crowd .Of course we had heard the Beatles and a few other groups but names like, Jethro Tull ,Grand Funk railroad ,Pink Floyd , Doors , Deep Purple ,Jimi Hendrixs ,The Who ,Santana,John Lennon ,Bob Dylan,Three Dog Night ,Petula Clark ,Neil Diamond ,Grateful Dead ,Blood Sweat and Tears ,Abba ,Elton John ,The Beach Boys ,Osibisa ,Doors ,The Rolling Stones ,Carpenters ,Bee Gees ,etc were new to us .But once we (I ) started to listening to them – I was hooked .It did not matter whether it made me hep or not .I just loved to listen to them because they were terrific musicians and bands .I listen to them even today –sometimes starting midnight till 2 am – the way I did in College.

One name is missing from the above list – and that is Leonard Cohen who passed away 2 days ago .He was one of my favourite musicians – had a fabulous voice and sang on a range of subjects – politics ,religion ,sexuality ,personal relationships ,tragedy ,hope , hopelessness – everything which you and me experience .I am not going into the details of his life ( was a Canadian and won Canadas top honour), and was singing till about a couple of weeks back even at the age of 82 .
Back in July, he wrote a touching final letter to his muse, lover and friend Marianne Ihlen whom he met on the Greek island of Hydra in the 1960s. He would go on to have several other relationships with beautiful and glamorous women who would bear him children and grandchildren---but Ihlen stayed in his heart.
Ihlen’s close friend Jan Chrstian Mollestad wrote to Cohen that Ihlen was suffering from leukaemia and time was running out .Mollestad recalled that after contacting Cohen “it took only two hours and in came this beautiful letter from Leonard to Marianne.
“We brought it to her the next day and she was fully conscious and she was so happy that he had already written something for her.”
This is what he wrote in the letter to her , and what Mollestead read out to her in her dying moments
‘Well Marianne it’s come to this time when we are really so old and our bodies are falling apart and I think I will follow you very soon. Know that I am so close behind you that if you stretch out your hand, I think you can reach mine.
“And you know that I’ve always loved you for your beauty and your wisdom, but I don’t need to say anything more about that because you know all about that. But now, I just want to wish you a very good journey. Goodbye old friend. Endless love, see you down the road.’”
Mollestad said that when he read out the line “stretch out your hand,” Ihlen did indeed stretch out hers.
“Only two days later she lost consciousness and slipped into death.”
Mollestad added
“I wrote a letter back to Leonard saying in her final moments I hummed 'Bird on a Wire' because that was the song she felt closest to. And then I kissed her on the head and left the room, and said “so long, Marianne.”

Do try to listen to the song “So long Marienne” ,Hellulajah” and “Bird on a Wire”
Though times have moved on maybe some of you may like them.
Cohen died on the 7th of this month .RIP – you enriched my life .

The Havelis Of Shekhawati

I had been to the Shekhaweti area before .About 10 years back ,I was on a CBSE Inspection of a school in Dundlod .I had stopped over at a Heritage Hotel for tea and had diverted to Nawalgarh to have a look at a exquisite Haveli of the Poddars .But ,it was getting dark –so I had seen it in a hurry .I was convinced that one could not see havelis in a day or in a hurry.I had promised myself to come back to them .It took me 10 years to fulfill the promise to myself .
The Skehawati area is not far form where I stay .Three hrs drive, on a beautiful road, brought me to my first destination – Fatehpur .I drove through its crowded streets and terrible roads and all of a sudden – I was in the middle of a town that seemed to have no other buildings but havelis .What are “HAVELIS” ?.

Briefly and without intellectualizing the word ,Havelis are magnificent mansions ,built by the “Marwari” community ( trading community), between the 18th and 20th century for their families .The region was the centre of trade route that connected the Middle East with China (Silk Route ),and also Delhi with Gujerat .With the opening up of the sea routes ,the importance of the area declined commercially and the merchants migrated to other parts of India – especially Calcutta .Here they made their fortunes and would return to Shekhawati to build glorious Havelis –each seeking to outdo their neighbours .
The highlight of many havelis was, and still is ,- the outstanding murals painted on its walls .Artists were invited from neighbouring towns who painted these exquisite frescoes .Natural colours were used –especially blue ,maroon, yellow ,green, indigo .Sometimes the murals were decorated with GOLD AND SILVER LEAF (look out for “Chandi Sone” photos in my second blog).Many have small mirror work distinctive of Rajasthani textiles .The themes of the murals were on the life of Lord Krishna – particularly those depicting his mischievious pastimes .Later frescoes showed British influences – cars ,trains ,balloons telephones !!, gramphones and even Englishmen in hunting attire !!
There are two categories of havelis – one which have decayed and left to crumple and die. Sadly no one wants to restore them .I am willing to take up a project to do some of them and even buy one .But there are huge problems about their ownership legalities .A lot of them have been occupied by illegal occupants and are now kind of slums .Innumerable number of them .Secondly – there are HAVELIS THAT HAVE BEEN RESTORED AND BUILT INTO HERITAGE HOTELS AND SCHOOLS .They are exquisite .I stayed in one of them .But even in the dying or dead Havelis are innumerable treasures of art and history .
Have a look at some of the HAVELIS .DONT VISIT THEM AS IF YOU ARE OUT FOR APICNIC WITH CHIPS AND MUSIC SYSTEMS IN TOW !! Visit them if you want to revisit history ,to revisit the great art ,if you want to identify with the walking streets of the Birlas ,The Khemkas ,The Dalmias ,Poddars ,Ruias ,Bajajs,the Goenkas – the whos who of Indian business .And stay a night or two in their charming hotels – believe me I found them better than the magnificent Hotel I stayed in Vancouver which overlooked a beautiful bay .Or a hotel on the Bosphorus !!

Vijay Kain - A Tribute To His "Taaya" from Pratique

Pratique ( my son ) pays tribute to Vijay (my brother).I cant better it -so am making public a letter written by him to me .I am not changing a single word or correcting a single spelling.And do remember that he is writing to me -so you will find a lot of it directed towards me .

" On a Friday afternoon on July 3rd 2015, my father told me he was going to Chandigarh to meet Vijoo taaya. He has never forced me to do anything in my life. So as usual he gave me a choice of whether I wanted to come and meet his elder brother. He told me taaya was extremely unwell and it would be nice if I could accompany him – “he is a nice guy. Aa jaao if you can. It is nice to know the elders of the house”. I said yes. To this day I don’t know why. Maybe because I wanted to meet a man who I knew only through pictures and remarkable stories. Maybe because my father, even though had not forced his will on me, had never been more honest about a demand he made of me. Maybe because I was very intrigued about the idea of Vijoo rather than the Man Vijoo. Whatever it was, I don’t care today. I am glad I met him.
So we left for Chandigarh and in a journey spanning over roughly 6 hours, all I heard was “Oh you can’t meet a man as patient as Vijoo” or “oh he is so brilliant” or “listen don’t be loud in front of him – he is not like the rest of us. Very classy – be careful about what you say”. I heard all this and my father’s countless tales of a man he often associated with, not in a manner that can be defined as relationship between brothers but that between a father and a son. So, when the next day we were getting ready, and I was dressed up in my signature jeans with a round neck tea shirt and flip flops, my father looked at me, utterly annoyed and said “don’t you know who you are going to meet?!” – “please wear some decent clothes with a pair of black shoes and make sure they are polished – I always polish my shoes. Vijoo always wears polished shoes too”.

By this time I was really regretting having said yes to this trip – I was on a holiday to India and I had just come for 2and a half months out of which I had interned for 2 months and in the remainder of this holiday I was being taken to meet a man I was related to, probably just in name. I asked myself, who is this Vijay Kain and why is my father, who is otherwise never so formal, being so careful in approaching his own brother. So well, very reluctantly I did what was asked of me and there we were ready to go. Throughout the journey, between Indu Bhua’s house and taaya’s (about 20 mins or so) I kept asking myself “karna kya hoga?! – touch his feet, shake his hand? – hug him? Nahin nahin cant hug him – we hardly know each other”. So after much deliberation I told myself – “listen just go upto him and say hi sir… wait sir or taaya.. lets say hi taaya – how are you – shake hands and if people around you get too judgmental touch his feet – formality poori kar dena if the situation demands it and chup chaap sit down in the corner of the room closest to the exit”. We reached.

There it was – Vijay Kain (IAS) on the address board with a car number PIH 1. Okay now it was certain – “this guy is a huge shot”. We had been instructed by the others who were in touch with him that he wasn’t fit enough to walk and as such kept lying on the bed for the most part and didn’t talk or eat much. So I entered the house, my taayi was there to receive us. And there he was standing by the drawing room. I was seeing this man after god knows how long. My father met him like a fanboy, my bua was equally delighted to see him. I, in the midst of all this was super confused when he looked at me through the commotion and said “arey Pratique it is soo nice to see you yaar. Thank you for thinking of me and making the effort of coming here”. Nobody had to tell me what to do. I walked to him, touched his feet, hugged him and said Taya how are you feeling. He looks at me and says – much better now. It became very clear why my father and my aunts were in love with this man unconditionally. Where my brother Kunal got his humility and his sensibility from. Where my father got his warmth from. You saw Vijay Kain in everyone. He was an idea. He was an attitude. He was, what you would want to be.

We caught up for hours that day. It is said that wiser of the two men always listen more. So it had to be. He listened to me while I told him everything there was to know about me. I wanted this person to know who I was. I wanted him to remember me. I wanted to make sure he would want to be related to me by more than the just a surname that we shared. He listened intently to what I was doing and what I wanted to do further – “Acha you stay in Halifax – I have been to Halifax. Lovely place. The people are so warm”. “Master of Global Affairs seems very interesting. Have you thought about the UN – maybe you might want to work for them”. We discussed what we liked to eat. I listened too for a change – he told me of his travels. Told me of his love for fish and cricket. Told me of the time when he was just a young civil servant. I can go on and on about my meeting with him and my later interactions with the man, but you knew him better than I did. We finished our dinner that day and we went back home with a promise taaya made to me “once I am fine I shall share a glass of wine with you”. Do come back to meet me if you have the time.
It is human nature to reduce an idea to a man. We are no different and hence we are extremely disturbed about his passing. But shareer, the body, literally translates into something meant to decay. It is but inevitable. Take comfort in the fact that you all are in part a reflection of what he was much like he was very much a reflection of what you are.
As for me, he still owes me that glass of wine. I will have it with my father. I will have it with my buas. I will have it my brothers. And I will end up drunk because let us face it I am just a short little kid who looked at his father on his way back home after meeting his taaya and asked - dad when do we get to meet him again…""

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