Beware of the Curse

Pen is mightier than sword,
Can it really be true?
Many have fallen for this
As, I am sure, have you.


The written word is robust,
Just a stanza, or be it a verse.
Is something more potent?
Yes, it is a well directed curse.


Many are those who lived
Big, powerful and strong.
But once the foe sent a curse,
They didn't survive for long.


They conquered with weapon
And they won with wealth.
But it was all in vain against
A weapon of silence & stealth.


The written word is mighty,
But a spoken one much more.
And if its a godman in spite,
It has just shut the last door.


Even you wouldn't wish to
Ever earn such a dislike,
If she turns out to be a monk
Who had once lent her bike.

Why BJP (and you) should be watching the IPL

All of you would be in awe of AB De Villiers’ catch in the match against SRH. Most of his catches are such, but this one surpassed even his usual standards of athleticism. Same as the events following the results to Karnataka Assembly elections. The political players involved crossed the depths not seen for quite some time. Yet, they fell short of ABD. Maybe, they could take some lessons from him.

The 1^st memory of the catch is ABD jumping up, beyond the reach of a normal athlete, towards the ball. Something BS Yeddyurappa did after the results were out, when he approached the Governor with his claim to the CMship. But ABD’s leap is something he has been doing all the time. Batsmen around the world know that the ball should cross ABD beyond at least 3 metres (in all directions) to stand any chance of crossing ABD. ABD has made his name in cricket, but he has been playing many other games with equal enthusiasm & skill. Which rubs off on his cricket too. Many other sportspersons follow this, e.g. MSD was a football (soccer) goalkeeper before taking up cricket seriously, while Usain Bolt may be seen playing football (again, soccer) for a top flight German professional club. In sporting lingo, this is called cross training. Sadly (for himself), Yeddy is too old a person to try his hand at other activities. He may be tempted to follow the footsteps of ND Tiwari or Digvijay Singh, but that won’t help!

It was not just the leap that did it. He stretched his arm out, as if pulling his body behind it. He went beyond the limits of his physical reach. Sporting greatness is attained by those who cross the barriers. Whether it is a Rahul Dravid with his mental focus or a Sergei Bubka who always pushed the bar higher (literally & figuratively!). But the largest party (by no. of seats won) failed to do this. Had they patched up with JDS before the Congress did, it would have been spared the embarrassment of a Trust Vote not taken. If the Congress, who had earlier accused JDS of being BJP’s B-team, could do so, why not the BJP?

When the ball landed in his palm, he latched on to it. Fingers closing around the ball, not letting it get off. Opportunity seldom knocks twice, they say. This is nowhere truer than sports. Had ADB failed to catch it, the ball would have gone beyond the boundary for a maximum. But champions seldom give up easily, true champs never do. They give it their all, and more. In Karnataka, the famed BJP machinery failed to break through the opponents’ defence & couldn’t entice even a single MLA to switch sides. They were not only the largest party by number, they also had their own person as the arbitrator of political fortunes. Maybe owing to complacence but still unpardonable.

And then landed firmly, within the boundary. Had he stepped out, the effort would have been wasted. But he was alive to the fact & ensured that not only did his feet drop inside the ropes, they stayed within the line. Sports has always been about honesty, integrity & playing by the rules. Those who do not, howsoever successful they may be, have been shamed once they are known to be cheats. From Ben Johnson to Lance Armstrong, sporting rehabilitation is out of the question. BJP failed here on the first count itself. By making the claim without having necessary numbers was crossing the line of political propriety. Not that ethics have been integral to Indian politics for a long time now. But this was too openly corrupt for a party that has been harping on the corruption indulged by its predecessor.

To summarise, the story line in Karnataka would have been different had BJP looked up the ADB's success mantras:

• Multi-skilling has its payoffs.
• Reach out to push the boundaries.
• Never let go of an opportunity.
• Honesty pays, every time.

But this is not all, there are other aspects to ADB’s success story:

• It is years of hard work & practice that has gone behind ABD’s being the best in business.
• ADB has never been lackadaisical in his approach & has always given his 110%.
• He has managed to find motivation to deliver even when chips are down.

And not just our netas, if you can tick all the boxes above you can also be sure of seeing your dream come true. As my brother, Vikas, did who was literally on top of the world when he reached the summit at Mount Everest!

ADB Pic source: http://www.freepressjournal.in/cricket/ipl-2018-rcb-vs-srh-virat-kohli-compares-ab-de-villiers-to-spiderman-because-of-this-flying-catch-watch-video/1278993

The Kill

Many years ago, when cities were few and far between and we had very few zoos to keep and display animals, there was a pristine forest teeming with wildlife. As the day broke, the birds would come out and wake up rest of the animals from their well-deserved slumber. The animals frolicked around throughout the day and went to their resting places during the night. Then, the larger ones would come out and kill a few animals to feed themselves. Thus the animals led a peaceful life together in this closed ecosystem. The forest served them all their needs.

Except during the dry months when the water bodies ran dry and many of the herbivores moved to the outskirts near human habitation where they had access to food and water meant for their domesticated counterparts. This was a cruel time for those that stayed behind, especially the larger ones who were essentially disadvantaged by their meal preferences. Their dietary habits were such that they couldn’t partake of the plenty that the forest had to offer, which was essentially vegetarian. When very desperate, they had no choice but to go after the cattle and also smaller animals whose lives revolved around humans. But this provided only one meal, at the most, for the humans would soon come looking for them and ensure no more lives were lost. So perish they must, of hunger or human vengeance, but this is how the numbers are controlled ensuring each has enough to survive.

It was one such hot day. A grazing cow got separated from the herd and had strayed into the forest. Aware of the perils that lurked there, she preferred turning back before she herself was feasted upon. But the jungle is a different world altogether and its denizens were already aware of her arrival and subsequent movements. One female leopard was already stalking her, waiting for an opportune time & location to go for the kill. She had to feed her hungry cubs too. It was over four days since the family last had a decent meal. But it was a matter of minutes now. The cow will soon be out in the open and ready for the kill. Till then, she just had to keep enough distance between them so as not to alarm the cow. Stealth and speed were her weapons & she was in familiar territory.

But her sharp senses felt another, unwanted presence. She froze and merged in the background. Slowly she turned around to look in the direction of the presence. She felt it moving forward with bold & confident steps unmindful of its environs. Then, she saw it. A young leopard, who had often been seen here earlier and was such a nuisance. He was a loner but had no hesitation in breaking the laws of the jungle. Now it was also going after the stray cow, for no one in the forest can resist an easy meal.

This was going to be a tough day. This young male would not be shy away from fighting for the cow. But this was not what worried her. His carefree, reckless movement could alarm the cow who would then escape unhurt. There was considerable distance between the prey & the hunters to cover quickly. The chase would anyway deplete her energy reserves. And if she failed to get the prey, her family would have to go another day without food. Making it more difficult for her to get another kill. There was no way she could abandon this prey for another predator. This was going to be a desperate hunt, for survival.

The two contenders continued stalking the cow who had now moved into open land. It was just a matter of few minutes and they were prepared to fight it out at the end. Then, all of a sudden, the cow started running. But instead of going forward towards the village it turned right, closer to the young leopard’s path. As the dust cleared behind her they saw a tiger chasing the cow. A leap later and it had her neck in its jaws. The cow gave up the struggle soon. The tiger put it down and lay besides it, gathering its breathe. It was all over for the two leopards.

But, no. The young male leopard did not stop. It kept moving ahead. This was not normal. But the mother leopard made a quick decision. She followed the younger one. If there was to be a confrontation with the tiger, she would go along with the younger leopard. If not the entire kill, she would manage to get something for her cubs and herself too. The next day would bring other opportunities.

The young leopard, it seemed, had read her thoughts and welcomed her decision. The two moved forward and now were very close to the kill. The tiger, seeing them, had shrugged off the post-hunt lethargy and had taken up position to protect his kill even if it called for fighting off two leopards. Dealing with a single leopard was an easy task. Dealing with two leopards was also not so difficult but these were looking desperate. The very fact that they had not gone away but were just a leap away from the kill proved they had transcended fear. Rarely does one see an animal not afraid of the tiger.

The tiger had moved in front of the kill. The leopards would have to go past him if they intended to reach the kill. And the leopards too stood their ground. Facing the tiger together gave each added courage. This was going to be a fight to the finish. Neither the leopards nor the tiger were in a mood to share the spoils.

What happens next? For that we will have to wait for events to play out in Karnataka!!

Pic source: https://www.behance.net/gallery/57574137/Indian-Wildlife-Ranthambhore-National-Park

Success, Failure & Rahul Gandhi

So, Mr. Rahul Gandhi has lost another election. While the bhakt brigade on social media will have a field day, I hope he doesn’t lose heart & quit politics. Actually, he should have done this a long time back but we are not discussing it on this post. Results of the Karnataka elections made me think of success & failure & Rahul Gandhi’s political journey so far. Okay, that journey has only been a failure, but who knows when the tide would turn...

Charles Darwin admitted “I was considered by all my masters and my father, a very ordinary boy, rather below the common standard of intellect.” A sentiment that Rahul would readily agree with. Except that he still has to attain the heights of success that Darwin did. He still has time on his hands & hopefully he will.

C. S. Lewis said, “Failures, repeated failures, are finger posts on the road to achievement. One fails forward toward success.” It appears to be one long road for our warrior. He has already come a long way & should plod on. Would IK Gujral & Manmohan Singh have, in the wildest of their dreams, ever imagined themselves as Prime Ministers. At least Rahul has the surname that grants him the 1^st right of refusal whenever the Congress gets a chance.

Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts. This was Winston Churchill, the guy who pulled his country through the despairing years of WW-II. While not comparing our Rahul baba to Churchill, he has given enough evidence of the courage to stick around in the electoral arena despite repeated losses. (Sadly, the bravery awards are not given to the civilians else Rahul would have been a prime candidate.) Maybe, in the not so distant future, Rahul would be able to turn around the fortunes of the Congress that he has almost single-handedly destroyed.

“They told me I couldn’t sing” is what he told his father after returning from the audition. That was Elvis Presley. Rahul has also been in this situation more often than not & should get inspired by the phenomenon that Presley later turned out to be. Or, Fred Astaire who was rejected during a Hollywood screen test because he “Can’t act. Slightly Bald. Dances a little.” If they can, why can’t Rahul?

Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently. Did Henry Ford have a premonition of someone like Rahul Gandhi coming into existence much after he had passed away? It seems so, for Rahul has lived the 1^st part & proven the 2^nd part!!

We all know what Thomas Edison said – “I have not failed. I have just found 10000 ways that won’t work.” So has Rahul. Though he is still a long way away from reaching the 10000 failure milestone. Hopefully, it would arrive while one is still alive. He should start eating Mentos. It is supposed to light up dimaag ki batti.

“Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself.” Not just Churchill, but by Charlie Chaplin’s standards too, Rahul Gandhi is personification of courage. Bravo man, keep plodding! Like Chaplin, you also have the knack of making people laugh at you without even trying hard.

Anyway, whatever be the final outcome of the Karnataka elections (Congress & JDS can, theoretically, still form the government), Rahul should now start planning for the 2019 general elections. And the state assembly elections that would be held in the meantime. If nothing else, he will continue to entertain us.

Pic source: http://www.naveenchoudhary.com/misc/rahul-gandhi-funny-speech/

Presenting the CM of Punjab. Oops Delhi. Sorry Punjab. No, Delhi. Actually Punjab...

Is it true? Is Arvind Kejriwal the AAP CM candidate for Punjab? Nothing could be a better news for the people of Punjab. Finally, the messiah of the mango people was making their state his home. 

But what about the people of Delhi? They would not take it kindly, being abandoned mid-course in such a way. Well, I have a way out. Rather, more than a way out…

Odd-Even: This one has the best odds as it is the easiest to implement, Chandigarh & Delhi being not too far off. This is also one which is close to AK’s heart. In fact, he will also get a chance to meet his voters/non-voters when he commutes either way.

Visiting CM: We all have seen that Delhi is too small a place for both Modi & Kejriwal. As per this option, Kejriwal will visit Delhi when Modi is on one of his foreign trips or on election campaign. Thus, we will have only one of them in town at any time which could reduce the noise levels considerably. Of course, Punjabis would feel cheated because Modi is more often out of Delhi, than in.

Raj Dharna: When a Dharna is there, can Kejriwal be far behind? Kejriwal moves to the place/state that is holding a Dharna. And stays put till another Dharna is organized. Though there is a risk here – Kejriwal may start acting as the CM when he attends Dharna in another state which would not be to the liking of his friends there (like Didi or Nitish).

Seasonal Visits: I personally prefer this one. We all know how winter affects Kejriwal and also the problems it creates in the city. So, Kejriwal can stay in Punjab during the winters & get the farmers there not to burn their agriwaste, Delhi would get so much less of winter smog. As far as the muffler is concerned, he can get to wear it in Punjab too.

CM by Holography: He can be present in both the places by having his 3D hologram projected (as Modi did during elections) where he is not. Actually, this seems to be the best option as this would enable Kejriwal to be the CM of Goa too!!

Referendum: If all/most of the above seem equally attractive, let there be a referendum in the country (or Delhi & Punjab, to begin with) to decide the best course of action. I am sure that people of both, Delhi & Punjab, will not like to lose their CM. Thus, this democratic tool appears to be the best solution. And AAP has plenty of experience, & much faith, in a referendum.