Thoughts On Sale

CELEBRATING CEREBRATIONS

[thoughsonsale-blog]

ஒற்றைச் சாளரம்

தமிழமுது | வழி ஒன்று, வாழ்வும் ஒன்று என்று தெரிந்த பின்னர் எதைக் கண்டு மனிதன் ஓடுகிறான்? எதை தேடி அவன் வாடுகிறான்? ஓராயிரம் நினைவுகள் இருந்தும் இன்னல்களை ஏன் நாடுகிறான்? எதனால் சாகத் துணிகின்றான்? நிலாமகளின் சிந்தனைத் துளிகள்! [caption id="attachment_3807" align="aligncenter" width="400"] Courtesy - musback.com[/caption]

ஒற்றைச் சாளரம் நீண்ட நெடிய வீதி இரண்டு விழிகள் ஓராயிரம் எண்ணங்கள். வாழ்வதற்கும் வீழ்வதற்கும் ஒரே வீதி, விதி என்று பெயர்! நடக்கலாம், பறக்கலாம், உருண்டு, ஊர்ந்து செல்லலாம். வானுயர் மரங்களுண்டு - அதற்கு மண்ணூறு வேர்களுண்டு பழங்களும் உண்டு காய்ப்பதும் உண்டு! வழித்துணைக்கு மாந்தர் வருவர், சிலர் விருந்துண்டு செல்வர், சிலர் மருந்தக்கிக் கொள்வர், சிலர் பருந்தகிக் கொள்வர், சிலர் மனதை வெல்வர்! வெல்லும் வரை பொறுமை வேண்டும் வென்ற பின்னர் நிதானம் வேண்டும்! அல்லும் பகலும் உழைக்க வேண்டும் வெல்லம் போல் வாழ்க்கை இனிக்க! வண்ணக் கோலமிட்டு வரவேற்பு வான வேடிக்கையுடன் வழியனுப்புதல் வெள்ளம், சீற்றம், செந்தீ, கடுநோய் என வேடிக்கை மனிதர் வாழ்வில் நவரசம்! மார்கழித் திங்கள் இறையுண்டு மாதம் பத்து சிறையுண்டு பொறமை, வெறுப்பு, கோபம், தாபம் என சொந்தமாய் சேமிக்கும் குறையுண்டு! பாதம் செல்லும் இடமெல்லாம் பட்டுப் பாய் பார்த்தவர் எவருமிலர் சேறு, பள்ளம், மேடு, முள், வெடி என ஏதிருப்பினும் பயணப்படு! வழிகளைப் பார்த்து மிரளாதே வழித்துணை சார்ந்து உழலாதே! துணிவு மட்டும் பிறந்து விட்டால், துரிதமாய் பாதை புலப்படுமே! காலில் கொஞ்சம் வலி எடுத்தால் இறக்கை விரிக்க பழகிக்கொள்! பயணம் என்றும் தொடரத்தான் வாழ்க்கை என்றும் வாழத்தான்!  

[thoughsonsale-blog]

10 Reasons why you should skip NEP

ReelRead | Bia Jasmine sounds rather exhausted after her tryst with the movie 'Neethane en ponvasantham." Did you enjoy the flick?

1. Neethane En Ponvasantham(NEP) is not a love story, it is a story of clash of egos. So don’t go by the “this could be your love story” tag line. Not to forget that the movie is predictable, stagnant and lags at many places, prompting the audience to applaud as the screen reads "INTERMISSION."

2. There are countless repetitions from Gautam Vasudev Menon’s past efforts. Loving father/parents from, friends who support through thick and thin, and a gal who loves the boy very much mouthing “I don’t know what I want, for example.

3. Nithya (Samantha) deserved a better match than Varun (Jeeva.) The guy’s character lacked the emotional and intellectual depth that a woman like Nithya can stay smitten by. Comparatively, the lady seems to mature as the story (or the lack of it) progresses and softly asks “why couldn’t you open up about your family before?”

4. At times, one doubted if the couple was in love or in an extended period of infatuation.

5. Or, if it is love or parasitism. The guy, without an iota of shame lives off her money. The girl is so emotionally dependent on the guy that she loses her sense of self completely.

6. Contrarily  they never come out of their comfort zones. The boy wants to take care of his family and doesn’t think much of the girl’s reaction to that. The girl remains a spoilt rich kid, an emotional wreck and cantankerous to the point of annoyance.

7. At no point do you feel that the couple is meant for each other. Jeeva spends the entire movie with a blank look and Samantha is aptly expressive. Eventually, when their characters reconcile the differences, you don’t feel happy for them. You feel bored. They nitpick on each other too much. They list out their compromises/sacrifices on account of each other.They break up for reasons a 4 year old will laugh at. These are possessive and overtly needy people who don’t value love.

8. If you are a diehard Ilayaraja fan, please don’t go with high expectations to NEP. As such the tunes seem out of sync for the situation, most tunes are rehashed and there’s a feeling of outdatedness settling in right from the first scene. I expected the background score to be extraordinary, as is the case with Raja, and what was I treated with? The soprano chorus from Devar Magan.

9. For the love of all things  90s, even if you love the tunes, the sheer frequency in which the songs appear leaves you frustrated. I am not going to emphasize on the abysmal picturization of Menon. His power of imagination seems to have come to a sudden halt.

10. Though NEP tries too hard, it is not half as evocative as Vinnaithandi Varuvayaa, unfortunatelty.

[thoughsonsale-blog]

The whimsical beauty of 24

  Musings | Be present in the present is a compelling cliche. But, why, you ask? Krishna Kakkaiyadi expounds his theory on the pervasiveness of "24." 

As a child I always wondered why a day needed to have 24 hours, a week 7 days, a month 30 days and a year 12 months - numerical ‘oddities’ resulting in more complicated calculations, especially during dreaded mathematics and science examinations. Oh! the number of times I wished a day had 10 hours, a month had 10 days or a year had 10 months (which I understand was the case before the shift to the 12 month year by Numa Pompilius of Rome) and multiplying or dividing just involved adding or knocking off zeroes to another number! But alas, it is not to be, we have to shoulder the additional burden of tackling these seemingly tricky numbers in our 24 hour-to-24 hour lives.

  Therefore, what better number to write about than the number 24 itself? Yours truly was born on a 24th (Gifts are welcome in May, the more the merrier), apparently considered inauspicious in Hong Kong because its pronunciation in Cantonese sounds similar to that of “easy to die”. Uh-oh. Not a good start, as per the Chinese.

[caption id="attachment_3829" align="alignleft" width="400"] Courtesy - flickr images of madcap2009[/caption]

  Still, the number 24 has a place in our minds, if not our hearts, due to the existential questions it continues to pose, “what did you do to-day? You had 24 hours!” Or, “Oh, how I wish I had 48 hours in a day?” So sorry, we have to make do with 24 hours. The number 24 might lack the charisma and imagery of certain other numbers, like seven (“seventh heaven”, what can be more desirable than heaven!) or the efficiency combined with historical significance like ten (“ten commandments”); But then don’t we all wish for those last 24 hours of a vacation to continue forever? Truth be told, how many times have we started a task just 24 hours before its deadline? Or studied frantically for exams on the last day? “Eleventh hour” is such a usurper to the thrown that 24 truly deserves! 24 is like that drab, single uncle in a joint family who slogs away dispassionately without appreciation or recognition. It is thus time to celebrate the bachelor uncle of the number family and dance at his wedding baraat, a la Karan Johar style!

  Did you know that 1024  is the largest number with an SI prefix (“Yotta”, thank God for Wikipedia)? Ladies sure know how to appreciate 24 carat gold, just as computer wizards will profess the qualities of 24 in bits and bytes. As a movie buff I realized that our films are generally recorded at 24 frames per second just as our lives reel over 24 hours in a day! As the Superstar once remarked, “Ellaam Maaya”, this number bridges the supposed gap between ‘movie’ and ‘reality’.

  Patriotic Indians will realize that the Chakra at the centre of our flag, which represents the ever-revolving rule of law, has 24 spokes. A deeper meaning is ascribed to it in Buddhism as representing ‘the life’ and the twelve causal links taught by Buddha, in complementary pairs. Therein lies the beauty of 24; I have realized that it may not be as simple or effective as a 5 or a 2 or a 10, but its significance is pithy and underrated. Khalil Gibran once remarked:

  “How narrow is the vision that exalts the busyness of the ant above the singing of the grasshopper!”

  I concur- 24 might be that soothing lullaby in the background as opposed to its other hardworking, “number-crunching” counterparts (pun definitely intended!). But it is here to stay in our lives forever and ever.

  Incidentally, our Gregorian calendar was introduced by a papal decree signed on February 24th 1582, and I had exactly 24 hours to submit this piece. That could explain the quality, or the lack thereof, in this article, but as I already said, never underestimate the power of the whimsical.

  Now, take a breath, and look around yourself, how many 24s can you spot?

[thoughsonsale-blog]

The two hours

Talespun | An account of the precious 120 minutes in the lives of three people - two men and a woman, in love. A triangular love story by Bhargavi Chandrasekharan.

It was a warm Sunday morning. Nobody in the temple would have known the reason why I am circumnavigating the premises like a maniac on mission. I had composed my own prayer, invoking the names of God of all the religions. I paused for a minute, wondering if NaMo would like to use this for his next Sadbhavana mission. I continued my universal prayer, bribing each God, to persuade my father. Alternatively, he/she can also make my Prithvi persuasive. Or, a bit of both so that both can understand each other’s perspective of me, which I know would be similar. I tried to explain the dire consequences of the failure of this negotiation - I will have to choose between one of the two men. ‘What are Gods for, but to encourage love, isn’t it?’ I reasoned. I clarified that I was not talking about parental love here. Of course, God knows, a lot. Caste, no caste, he won’t mind. We are all human beings, he created us so. I completed my 200th circle. Someone was ringing the giant bronze bell ferociously, I could see that. But all I could hear is my own heart strumming like an angry Sitar. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The roads looked empty, except for a couple of morning bikers. Poorani’s instructions were very clear – “He is my father, as old as yours. “ It meant, “even if he were to call you names, keep smiling and talk politely, please.” I wore a white shirt and dark grey trousers. I remember her detailing. She warned “don’t wear black, wear blue, no. Blue is Saturn’s colour. Just go with white. Formal grey trousers to go with it? Yeah?” I nodded, unwittingly. I don’t remember being half as nervous as I am today. The image of her pious looking father floating in my mind kindled a mild headache. My own entropic mind intensified the ache. I switched it all with her smiling face. I wished I could develop some love for some conventional God at that instant. No. Faith was not to be forced, but felt, I knew. If there were one point to convince her father, I would gladly take it. Convince, why convince? I am in love with Poori. Anything, except self respect, for her. I will somehow put this to him. I checked the speedometer casually. I was driving at 150 km/hr. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nathan went about his morning prayers as usual. If he was perturbed by Poorani’s words, he didn’t show it. He trusted the almighty, who would not let her fall in, er, love. He knew it was the influence of west that has thrown this huge predicament in front of him. Love, he thought, was a mockery at pristine marital relationships. He offered his very soul to the deities in front of him, along with a bunch of fresh flowers. How would he offer the most precious flower in his garden, his daughter to this man-from-God knows-what-caste-family-background? How could he even think of going against the scriptures and the countless number of teachings of his elders? Thankfully, Poorani was not home. He could advise this man and politely send him away. Or, can he? He heard the screeching noise of a bike, which resembled a bull, to his eyes. “YAMAHA” read the bike. Of course, he thought as he buttoned up his sky blue shirt.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Good morning…Sir” Prithvi greeted, with a weak smile, adjusting his wind blown hair.

“Namaskaram, Prithvi” roared the confident Nathan, noting that the “Sir” was an afterthought from the boy and walked him to his home.

“I want to marry Poorani,” Prithvi started counting the number of deities on the wall and in their glass cupboard, only to give up soon.

“Who proposed love first, between the two of you?” Nathan deliberately ignored the question.

“Poorani, I was overwhelmed” Prithvi answered truthfully.

“Oh. So you didn’t even consider her actually?”

“I have always loved her, even before she spoke to me. In fact, the first time I saw her, you were with her. I knew we were meant for each other. But, you, sir, I can see that we are polar opposites. I didn’t want to make her choose between one of us. As invaluable as Poorani is to me, I won’t marry her without your consent.”

“Yes, you can.” Nathan said with a concluding tone.

“Did you mean we can marry?” Prithvi asked in disbelief.

“I heard that you don’t believe in Gods, now you don’t believe even human beings?” Nathan asked with a straight smile.

“No, no, sir. I thought I had to talk a lot and argue much. Poorani said I have to try and convince you for at least 2 hours.”

“She asked me to entertain you for at least 2 hours too.”

“Guess she knew that was our cut off point.”

“And she knew that my favourite was white colour. Is yours blue by any chance?”

“Well, yes.” Prithvi broke into a grin.

“You think we have a camera attached around?”

“No, but I was asked to record our conversation.”

“What is this, sting operation?”

“Dunno.” Prithvi laughed, “but, how “yes?””

“Did you do everything my daughter asked you to do before coming here?”

“Yes.”

“Do you always do that?” 

“As long as it is reasonable, yes.”

“That’s trust, bordering on faith.”

“Is it?”

“Welcome home, Prithvi,” Nathan remarked, thanking his God silently.

“I would like to thank you for the remaining half an hour and more, sir,” Prithvi smiled genuinely as the door bell rang.

The men looked at each other, in anticipation, in satisfaction, in peace, counting the stars in each other’s eyes.

Countless. 

[thoughsonsale-blog]

Solitary

Versity | Vaishnavi Chandrasekharan's poem on the laws of life. A plaintive verse depicting the dichotomy of the mind and the endless compromises it makes in a lifetime. 

I started afresh Constantly thinking of the end [caption id="attachment_3833" align="alignright" width="400"] Pic Courtesy - Anurag Jain[/caption] I waited, tirelessly To find a foe or friend Not knowing the way further I stopped by to sip water At last I found somebody The somebody who never spoke But made an occasional sound Not very far from my sight Lay some food on the ground We ran towards the food Stopping, gazing at one another Neither wishing to share Nor intending to care We pushed, jostled and barked wildly Not letting the food from our sight even mildly I threw a stone that pierced through his body Wiping my teary eyes with hands all bloody Now I had all the food for myself But no “somebody” to accompany thyself, Alas, at the end of my journey I remain as I began, very solitary.

[thoughsonsale-blog]

Au revoir, "ToS"- December 2012

Dear Readers, After nearly 4 years of this wonderful interaction with you, we have come to a stage where we take a take a small break in our journey. Yes, the December 2012 issue will be the final edition of your favourite “Thoughts On Sale” magazine. ToS has been so special and close to our heart that it pains us to halt the magazine, even though it will only be for a short span of time. We at ToS are extremely grateful to your immense love and support without which our mission would not have taken off. We promise that we will come back soon with newer ideas and fresher thoughts. In these days of distress, we leave you with lots of hope and optimism which we urge you to spread. We take a bow with this issue themed “Number It.” Hope you enjoy our presentation. Happy Reading! Cheers! Team Thoughts On Sale.

[thoughsonsale-blog]

Wuthering Heights

AUTHOR: Emily Bronte GENRE: Gothic LANGUAGE: English YEAR PUBLISHED: 1847 PUBLISHER: Thomas Cautley Newby “Wuthering Heights” is the only novel written by Emily Bronte and it was published in 1847. “Wuthering Heights”is a very puzzling and interesting read. It casts a spell on the reader with its shocking presentation about the cruelties of the human heart and the depth of depravity the human mind is capable of descending to. Heathcliff is an orphan found on the streets of Liverpool by Mr.Earnshaw who decides to take care of him. He is taken to “Wuthering heights”, the home of Mr.Earnshaw. Hindley and Catherine are Mr.Earnshaw’s children. Hindley dislikes this sudden development and this causes a discord in the family. Later, Hindley is sent off to college. Catherine and Heathcliff grow closer and become fond of each other as they grow up. Hindley returns after completing his education and gets married to Frances. Following the death of Mr.Earnshaw, Hindley becomes the master of the house and forces Heathcliff to become a servant instead of treating him like a brother. Catherine meanwhile develops a friendship with Edgar Linton. She confesses to Nelly, a servant of the Lintons and Earnshaws that she cannot marry Heathcliff although she has feelings for him because of his poor status and that she would marry Edgar Linton. On overhearing this conversation, Heathcliff sets off from Wuthering Heights only to return as a rich man with a vengeance. Catherine remains married to Edgar Linton. Heathcliff sets his sights on ruining the Linton household by eloping with Isabella, Edgar’s sister. He causes Hindley to lose whatever wealth is left through gambling. Catherine falls in sick bed due to brain fever. Her sickness is due to the constant arguments between Edgar and Heathcliff and also the realisation that it was she who is responsible for all the strife and misery suffered by all parties concerned. She dies shortly after giving birth to Cathy Linton. Heathcliff is still in love with Catherine and this is evident as he begs her ghost to haunt him for the rest of his life. Heathcliff’s overt desire for revenge stems from the fact that he was passed over by Catherine for Edgar purely based on his social standing. Catherine who married Edgar for social position, stability, and wealth becomes a desolate creature who has failed in life. Her efforts to evade the consequences of her marriage prove futile. The singular decision of Catherine affected not only the lives of Heathcliff, herself and Edgar but also that of the entire Earnshaw and Linton families. The basis of her decision was due to the economic and social constraints of the English society in those times. Marriage was often based on social and economic gains than love. It solved the problem for young unmarried women to gain social standing but the demerits outweighed the benefits of such a union as in the case of Catherine. She may have gained money and power, but she lost the man she loved. To worsen matters, her decision affected Heathcliff in the worst way possible and he became an evil person whose ambitions turned dark and dangerous for the Earnshaws and the Lintons.

[thoughsonsale-blog]

The 23 year old fighter

EyeRight | Let us focus on people, their health, safety and security rather than culture, tradition, language, race, religion and caste says Bhargavi Chandrasekharan.

One reads about cases of crimes against women every day that it has become a routine inconvenience as opposed to shocking crime. I thought a change was in order after the Guwahati incident in July 2012. In August, Pallavi Puryakastha, a young lawyer was raped and brutally murdered in Mumbai. The rapists in Punjab joined the party in October, raping girls right left and centre. Come November, we got to know about the continuous rape of a 13 year old by her father and uncle. And then the Bangalore police abetted sexual harassment of a sober, educated, law abiding woman playwright. I thought nothing worse can happen.

Then this gang rape of a 23 year old paramedical student in Delhi comes up. This girl watches a movie with her male friend and boards a bus on her way back. What follows is pure horror. They gang rape her, torture her and throw her naked body unceremoniously out of the bus. Being the urban girl who returns late to home regularly, thanks to the nature of my work and the punctual public transport system, I can imagine her plight. The leering looks, the lewd remarks, the very moves of the predator eyeing his prey loom large in front of my eyes. I shouldn’t be shocked and chilled as I am now, having followed the hate crimes against women one after the other. Yet, I am. I seek solace in the fact that this lady, unlike some of the other victims, wants to live. I sincerely hope she recovers well and soon.

But will she recover from the trauma? Will she get a break from our reactive society and its stereotypes? For instance, I am used to elders advising me about coming home “in earthly hours” so much that I hear myself saying to my female friends, “please, let’s meet in the mornings, evening? Well…” I don’t hate being chaperoned by responsible men any more, their concern seems to have an underlying meaning. Of course, I am not going near anything that shows skin, including a cut papaya. In fact I don’t react much when women with a defeatist mentality say that “men will be men and we girls should adjust and save ourselves, so that we present ourselves as virgins to our respective knights from our caste and uphold the family tradition.”

You see what I mean? There is a sense of helplessness that has spread among the women. It has been proven time and again that a woman’s independence and intelligence will not stand in the way of a man who wants to overpower her and mock at her privacy. From helplessness to pointlessness, the plot is worsening. So, what do we do? Castrate men? Hang them in full public view? What if that insults and instigates the perverts in fringe? How can we impress upon such men that they cannot thrust their power, need and anger upon females? How do we educate these men that no matter the time, clothes she wears or the people she moves with, a woman’s dignity can just not be compromised? How do we let them know that consensual sex is still not out of fashion? And no, these are not illiterate, drunken rowdies that we are talking about. There are educated, spoilt rich and sober men who coolly plan these violent attacks against women.

The vulnerability of a woman seems to escalate and pukes out a nastier crime which the laws have been unable to tackle. Instead of attacking the negativity, we are admittedly forced to cower into our totes and stay their meekly, lest they rape and kill us. The Government doesn’t seem to care about its subjects and is busy bickering about borders and building missiles. And us? We armchair activists have complained a lot, achieved nothing substantial, and promptly forgotten because it did not happen to women from our households.

Nevertheless, we must protest and complain, even if nobody pays heed. We must stop attaching the tags of “culture” and “tradition” to words and deeds that suppress women. We must emphasize that if a religion treats women badly, that religion is certainly wrong and should amend itself for survival. The whole web of mystery around a female mind and body must be done away with. A woman with an attitude (or “head weight” as some call it) should not be projected as a “rape material.” A woman with an unfamiliar costume should not become an object of desire or ridicule. Sexist language and gender stereotypes, even for fun, must be checked. Men and women should accept the reality that women will be an integral part of the functioning of this world and therefore cannot be stamped on. Media must come to terms with its role and must curb its instincts to further the display culture. Sex education must become a part of the curriculum in school. Equality and maturity must be insisted, at all levels of the society. Above all, hope, humanity and love must be stocked in excess and distributed promptly.

[thoughsonsale-blog]

One hope

Artery | EyeRight| Our picture of the month, contributed by Priyanka Pal. Very evocative of the one going gang rape tragedy in Delhi and the hiatus of ToS magazine. We are all hopeful of a beautiful future!

For the sake of millions of women who have suffered the wrath of sexual abuse of various degrees,

For the sake of thousands of men who went down trying to prevent the crime,

For the sake of respect, dignity and gender equality and love,

One and all unite.

[thoughsonsale-blog]

Paradoxically - December 2012

Artery| Paradoxically| A perfect take on the December'12 theme by A. Gates. Very thought provoking, you can count on her for that!

[thoughsonsale-blog]

Abort the anti -woman framework

EyeRight | Why neglect the humane aspect of Savita's death and dwell on the religious connotations? Let us do away with the anti-woman laws, says Bia Jasmine.

A large section of the Indian diaspora living in catholic countries woke up to the rude and ugly fact that abortion is illegal within their dominion. The Indian media gobbled it up as yet another tool to increase its TRP ratings by organizing pointless debates that never touched the core issue behind the death. Instead of thinking and acting upon the humane and rational side of the issue, the intent is on minimizing it into a religious spat.

Forget about the legal status and validity of an unborn fetus, it differs from country to country. Forget about Catholicism and its continuing indifference towards science, they are incorrigible. And please forget that the victim was an Indian Hindu and those who are responsible for her death are followers of Irish Catholicism, rather their law of the land. Does the death of Savita Halappanavar teach us anything? If your answer has anything to do with religious attitude and the hardships Indians face abroad, you need to introspect deeply.

The cause of Savita’s death was reported as Septicaemia or Sepsis as it is commonly known. Normally, Sepsis or blood poisoning is treated as dangerous and life threatening. But in Savita’s case, the hands of those in charge were tied down, inexplicably, by the law. Irish law clearly states that abortion is illegal within its territory. To those who allude Savita was an Indian and need not comply with Irish law, do justify the logic that those who live in Gujarat cannot treat beef as a part of their food although it may pass through their territory in containers.

Back to the issue, Savita was yet another victim of the anti-woman framework that many democracies have stood by for years. Savita is not the only woman who died of Sepsis during pregnancy. Hundreds of women in catholic countries go through this inhuman and agonizing death. The death of Savita comes in the wake of Romney’s now infamous remarks about abortion and unwanted pregnancy. The alarming facet of the tragedy is that it was well within the ambit of law.

To all those who sympathize with the position of women in Taliban regimes, the position of women in developed democracies is no different. Women continue to struggle against laws and rules that are direct deterrents to their personal life and liberty.

By banning contraception and making abortion illegal, the anti-woman framework has been successfully denying the right of a woman to her own body. It is high time for Amnesty International, the innumerable Women’s right groups, the self-righteous Feminist groups and the United Nations to look into this passive murder. Savita may have died for no action of her own, but if we all act rationally, her death may well serve a purpose by liberating women across the world from the clutches of anti-woman frameworks.

[thoughsonsale-blog]

Thoughts On Sale - November 2012 - Newsmakers

Dear Readers, Greetings! It's great to see you all stay with us, in the course of publishing the November 2012 issue. The issue is titled “Newsmakers.” We have some interesting news analyses covering a spectrum of topics, not to forget an amazing interview with Mr. Sanjay Pinto, a senior journalist turned full-time-lawyer. We hope you enjoy our updates and let us know of your views about the issue. Also, you could get much closer to the magazine by contributing to the forthcoming issues! Happy Reading! Cheers, Thoughts On Sale Team.

  List of contributors for November 2012 ToS Vinutha Malleshappa Suchitra Ravi Kunjwal Bharath Bhargavi Chandrasekharan Bia Jasmine A. Gates

[thoughsonsale-blog]

Being politically correct

EyeRight | May be Chinmayi didn't say anything disrespectful about the fishermen and the protesters didn't harass her. So, don't gang up on Bhargavi Chandrasekharan for not being politically correct. Remember, freedom of speech? Rationalism? Liberalism?

So Chinmayi, a playback singer gets a gang of tweeters arrested for harassing her in twitter, a social networking site. A lot has been talked about the alleged immature statements of Chinmayi about the fishermen of Tamil Nadu and the abusive protest directed at the singer as a consequence. On one side, the Tamil sentiments are hurt and on the other the feminists see this as an incident of sexual harassment online.

Whenever the bow of Tamil sentiment is invoked, naturally, the arrows of anti-Brahmin and anti-anything-not-Dravidian-according-to-the-protestor are shot at. On one hand, the sect quotes Kaniyan Poongundranaar: “Every town is mine and all the people my kin.” Of course, the revolutionary Periyar’s caste annihilation is rejoiced. This should make the protestors a liberal and rational lot, who think before ganging up on an immature statement, who are updated enough to know that the Indian fishermen who cross the accepted international maritime boundaries are actually infringing on the livelihood means of the Lankan Tamil fishermen. Though killing of fishermen is by no means justified, are the saviours of the fishermen aware that sometimes, the fault perhaps lies with our own fisher folks? Instead of goading them into the Katcha Theevu, which is not longer legally ours and regardless of their stand on that, shouldn’t the activists warn that it is not safe for the fishermen to cross the boundary lines until the diplomats find a solution for the issue? In our enthusiasm to take up social activism, is it right to instigate innocent, illiterate fishermen into the deep sea only to have them arrested or worse, killed?

[caption id="attachment_3701" align="alignleft" width="256"] Pic Courtesy - teachthought.com[/caption]

Obviously, Chinmayi has no idea about this. Though I fail to understand the hashtag campaign and its impact, I differ with her alleged opinions. Many witnesses swear that the singer compared the lives of fishermen with fishes. May be the vegetarian in her can see all the living beings for what they are and there really is no difference. You know, when a fish dies, its parents cry, the wife wail, the children suffer, the friends weep. A fish family is deprived of its basic means of livelihood when the head of the family fish dies. Or, in the alternative, there are so many fishes in the sea and the death of one fish does not impact another’s. In the fish world, the rule is to eat the “lesser” fish. Like life, fish, swims on. Is it not?

And then, there is the “caste”and “gender” angle.

Whatever is the nature of comment of Chinmayi, how correct it is to make sexually harassing remarks about her mother? If human beings can’t be compared with fishes, so can they not be abused based on their gender. And what is with the gang snubbing in social media? What do her tweets have to do with her being a female? Will it be less stinging if she were a male?

And what is this “Tamil” heart or a “Tamil” mind? My mother tongue is Tamil and my heart goes lub dub, that’s how all the hearts speak, technically. If English or Sanskrit or Swahili is only a language and not knowledge, the same logic applies to Tamil as well. Tamil being arguably oldest language of the world, I feel immense pride in communicating in the language. But playing identity politics based on language is just not logical. Also, typing Tamil words in English script hardly counts as a service to the language. Like the joke goes, a nanny in an Anglo Indian lady may wax eloquent in English, but that does not make her wise. Likewise, a nanny in a Tamil speaking home may be fluent in Tamil, but that does not maker automatically cultured and rational. We must not confuse the chalk with the cheese, for our own good.

I fear Tamil Nadu taking up the Maharashtrian model of all dangerous “isms.” One might be tempted to ask why the self proclaimed Dravidians are forever opposed to the Brahmins. I won’t ask though, as there are historic reasons to it, there have been decades of this one caste suppressing the fundamental rights of many sects. Still the socially backward classes face humiliation as a matter of routine. But how long can we have this ring of hatred around us? What about the upper caste mentality of the so called elite class? Where does it place the sane individuals who were raised in the so-called-upper caste families to be good human beings who treat others with respect and love but who now face the wrath of reverse oppression? Can their suffering ever be equated with the suffering of say, the Dalits who are still treated like animals in some places?

May be there will be come a time, when we do not have to identify ourselves based on archaic races, languages, political parties, complexions and genders. May be, deep inside our mask of identity, the human being in us is still alive. And that human being should not have gone to the extent of having the angry tweeters arrested, after all the punishment seems to far exceed the weight of the crime committed. To the tweeters – to ignore is human, to Chinmayi – not to take revenge is human. To self – to forget and forgive is totally human.

[thoughsonsale-blog]

Interview with Sanjay Pinto

ToS Talk | When most lawyers are busy shifting to other professions, here is a man who reenters the ring, with fresh energy. Sanjay Pinto, a senior journalist recounts his journey back to the High Court as an advocate. An interview by Bhargavi Chandrasekharan. 

Are you a journalist who graduated in law or a lawyer who took to media?

A judicious mix of both! My elder sister is a lawyer. As a little boy, I remember arguing cases at home against her before my mother with a blanket wrapped around as a substitute for a gown! My father fought cases as a litigant right up to the Supreme Court. I also remember trudging to court straight from school with my bag in tow! Dinner table conversations invariably would revolve around cases. My tryst with journalism began when I was just into my teens with the Letters To The Editor column in national newspapers. I was also into debating and by the time I passed out of Law College, I had won 106 inter-collegiate debates representing Loyola College and the Dr.Ambedkar Govt Law College from 91 to 97. In 97, a compulsory apprenticeship rule was in force. Coming as I did from a middle class family, I had no financial cushion to go through a gestation period. So when an offer from NDTV came my way, I grabbed it with both hands! After 15 years with NDTV, my passion for law was re-ignited while fighting a criminal defamation case slapped on me when I was the Executive Editor of NDTV Hindu. I hadn’t said anything about the complainant but was looped in only because of my role as the Editor.  had this quashed on the ground that vicarious liability doesn’t exist in criminal law. That paved the way for my transition from colour to black & white! And the prodigal son returned home!

Your brainchild “The Landmark Debates” has become a prominent event in the City. Would you compare the debating champions of today with your own days as an orator/debater? What has changed over the years?

When I was into debating, we would travel to far flung places, regardless of the prize. Once we got a plastic tray as the first prize! Speaking was a passion. Preparation was a lot more serious than what I see today. But the city has quite a few really good debaters, especially from schools like PSBB, Lady Andal & P.S Senior. Over the years, other cultural events have eclipsed debating. I’m trying to revive the art of debating through the Landmark Debates. I’m also coaching youngsters in public speaking in my free time.

You have been a reporter and then an editor. Tell us how a story is discovered, developed by a reporter and its journey to editor’s table.

In TV and especially in the bureaus, your job title changes but the job description remains the same. I started off as a Correspondent with NDTV in the summer of ’98 and rose to the position of Bureau Chief and Resident Editor. At NDTV Hindu, I got to play Ranji Trophy skipper – head a small local channel as Executive Editor! The roles are often inter changeable. An Editor suggests a story and guides a Reporter along. A Reporter also sniffs out news. An Editor decides on how it is to be showcased in a bulletin. Getting a story approved by the Editor before beginning the shoot is like getting a case admitted!

As an erstwhile senior journalist, how do you see the paid news drama?

The Chinese wall between Editorial & Marketing is showing signs of crumbling. It is a reality and I’m glad it has come out. Reverse stings are a new trend with those targeted hitting back. Anything that aids in the discovery of truth is good in the ultimate analysis.

What is your take on the sensationalisation of news, especially by TV journalists?

TRP ratings often dictate content because they also push ad sales. A TV report is like an FIR, a newspaper story can be as elaborate as a chargesheet! I often feel the South is neglected by national channels. It makes discerning viewers feel that they live in the ‘Republic Of South India’! There is dumbing down, taking the moral high ground and attempts to come across as politically correct. Prime time news debates can be a lot more meaningful. Anchors must allow panelists to complete their points!

In one of your columns, you talk about “mob psychology” with reference to social media. Does it in some way influence/affect the mass media too?

The social media has emerged because of a disconnect between the mainstream media and the common viewer or reader. The danger of a trial by the media (sometimes even judging & sentencing too!) was recently looked into by the Hon’ble Supreme Court resulting in the possibility of affected persons seeking postponement of publication or telecast in sensitive cases. As news consumers and newsmakers many of us seem to have somehow lost our ability to disagree without being disagreeable, lost our tolerance for the other view. Free speech comes with reasonable restrictions and must never degenerate into a free for all.

What in your opinion qualifies as “responsible journalism”?

I can’t help drawing a parallel with law at every opportunity! The principle of natural justice is what separates responsible journalism from sensationalism. What is important is a balance, the other side of the story. Responsible journalism isn’t rocket science. It all boils down to the truth, fairness and sensitivity.

We usually see lawyers shifting careers. What made you quit your successful stint as a journalist and turn to law full time?

I don’t mind repeating the cliché – law is a noble profession. The satisfaction of seeing a client get justice is priceless. As a journalist, you can expose and highlight issues. As a lawyer, you can go a step ahead and get orders to implement things. I was tired of being tied to breaking news. I longed for a routine and time for the family. The other day during cyclone Nilam, I had posted on Facebook that for the first time in 15 years I got to watch the monsoon unfold from my window without having to scamper around and wading through waist deep water on the ground! I miss NDTV. I miss the medium. But I’m happy in the legal profession. I have so many friends here. It has been like a home coming. Here, there is no retirement. I love the reality of a vacation! And to be honest, the scope to earn more money. I think and hope that my debating skills will be put to better use here, for a better cause.

Can you share with us your top five moments as a media person?

Tough to condense 15 years into 5 moments! Hmmm. My interviews with cricketers, sensitive court trials, the tsunami (including the scares after 2004!) crime stories, election yatras with top political leaders and my campaigns for good causes like ‘Search For Thamana’ and ‘Save Baby Ganesh’.

[thoughsonsale-blog]

Paradoxically - November 2012

A. Gates raises a curious question about the newsworthiness of an incident. Who decides what is NEWS, anyway? Click below to view the toon of te month!

[thoughsonsale-blog]

The drained brains

EyeRight | Vinutha Malleshappa puts things in perspective about the Indian youth migrating to other countries seeking better opportunities in education. Ye jo des he tera, anyone?

Mera beta bada hoke America jayega padne. (My son will grow up to get educated in America.)

Well this might seem like a cliché, but this is how and this is where the great Indian minds even at a very young age are diverted away from their own country.

Brain Drain, the migration of skilled labour force to other countries, deeply affects the economic development of the home country. It also results in an uneven distribution of knowledge. Brain Drain, the export of great minds from the country, though considered a matter of pride at times, when we turn out a three sixty degree it can also be considered a shame to the country. One of the major factors the drives the younger gen abroad is the rigid education system of India.

There is hardly any improvement in the standards of higher education we have to offer and the amount of exposure to any course never seems on par with the technology developed. The education in India has been repeatedly drubbed for being "mark oriented" and "degree oriented.” It is seen as "knowledge oriented" abroad. Students get to select subjects of their own interest and also get degrees based on those selected subjects. This helps the student gain knowledge and expertise in a vertical specific field of interest.

[caption id="attachment_3642" align="alignleft" width="250"] Pic Courtesy - techhui.com[/caption]

Secondly, the pull factors. Better employment opportunity and a high paid salary (unless the Rupee value increases, any salary earned is comparatively high!) are in no way allowing those great minds think of returning back to their homeland. And thirdly, the available resources to carry out excellent research opportunities which they compare with the India scenario and lament at the lack of adequate infrastructure. Prevention of this trend will remain a slow process in India until it equals the Education Standards satisfying those eager minds. A study reveals a loss of $2billion a year for India as a result of emigrants of Computer experts from India. And the numbers increase in cases of students going for higher studies. And as a result now we have many Indians in foreign land at high positions. .

The brain drain is not a recent problem that has been discovered recently. There are cases dating back to times of history from post war era in Europe to America.The United States of America has been, till date the hottest destination and very successful in creating a lot of pull factors. But it seems to be turning the other way now. Many skilled foreign nationals staying in America leave no work opportunities to the Americans themselves which is leading to a regression. The American President is now trying to increase job opportunities to the natives and simultaneously cutting existing jobs employing foreign nationals and denying them visas and work permits.

May be this will help the Indians come back and help the GDP growth of India. One can’t ignore, however, the plight of the jobless foreign nationals who have doctoral degrees and try to make both ends meet and also their hapless families back home who depend on their income. But how can one blame the government taking a pro citizen stand, when they see the unemployed youth go crazy, grow obese and commit hate crimes on random foreigners whom they mistake for Sikhs?

And what about the second-class treatment that our cousins residing abroad refuse to share? Despite their high standards of living, the respect they receive from the society leaves a lot to be desired. It is another matter that the emigrant Indians, on their home coming gush about the exotic locales of their new homeland and hail about the Indian culture when they are back across the seas.

The swinging fortunes of the brain drained individuals is a serious concern to the international community, which is increasingly accepting the shrinking of the world into a village, although with a severe third world bias. May be the emigrant Indians will find reasons to serve their own country, some day. Else, one has to find happiness in the knowledge that they may not be contributing to the exploding population of India, at least until their pink slips are issued.

[thoughsonsale-blog]

Cloud Atlas - Is everything connected?

Reelread| Suchitra tells you why the overtly long and the slightly complicated "Cloud Atlas" is worth your time. Enjoy!

In the first 10 minutes of the movie, you are left in a strange, morphing land, one where the scene changes from a voyage in the Pacific Ocean to the story of a publisher in the 21st century to a dystopian future with a closed room scenario. You spend the first hour trying to make sense of the many threads the directors have laid out to you to follow, grabbing the common themes, the clues they have laid out, making connections, investing in this story and then that one. It is strange and unusual, this mosaic-manner of storytelling. Sometimes you lost one plot or the other, as the door closes in one segment and opens in another one. But something keeps you hooked, something keeps you on your toes for the almost-three-hour duration of the movie.

Six stories, all intertwined, in more ways than one. There is the story of the 19th century lawyer, giving aid to an oppressed slave aboard a ship journeying on the Pacific Ocean to San Francisco. He later publishes his diary, which is read by a genius musician composing ‘a sestet with six overlapping soloists’ called Cloud Atlas. In the late 1970s, a journalist comes across the letters the composer wrote to his lover. There is also the story of a publisher in the late 2000s, confined in an old-age home, fighting his oppressors. And two futuristic stories - one, a long conversation between an ‘archivist’ and a rebel soon to be put to death. And the last one about a dystopian future where man preys upon man, condemned to eventual dying out of the human race.

It’s not just following each thread to its completion that grips you as the movie moves on. It is also the way the past affects the present, how ideas grow over time, how people change, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. One theme that runs through the movie is one of oppression. ‘The strong shall eat, the weak be meat’ says a character late in the movie. Whether it is the slavery that we have known in the past, or the horrific oppression of the ‘fabricants’ in the future set in Neo Seoul, or even the confinement of the elderly in old age homes (comic as this segment was), it is all about the strong and the weak and the meek becoming strong again.

The other thread is past life connections, a sense of karma. Different archetypes play out in the six sequences across ages, maybe driving home the point that even as times change, the moulds that people are set in sometimes don’t. Like clouds, the forms change, the substance does not. The movie has a great way to show it - employ the same character to play the same archetype across multiple ages.

The movie is star-studded - there is Tom Hanks, Halle Berry and Jim Broadbent - and Kamal Hassan must be jumping in joy after seeing the make-up effects in this movie. Maybe his next would be a feature of this sort, but himself playing all of the characters? let us wait and see.

All in all, Cloud Atlas is a rare movie, a delight to watch. It is a great adaptation of the book, with some conclusions modified just a bit, for the cinematic palate. Perhaps multiple viewings would not hurt. At three hours, it is on the longer side, but definitely worth every minute of the watch.