Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Thursday, November 6, 2008
"Yes, we can!"
All of us have been witness to a historic and watershed happening that will rewrite the history of the world. Something that has been fought for, something people have died for, something people have been imprisoned for, something that has defined human dynamics in many many countries over the last couple of hundred years. It was on September 22, 1862 that Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation declaring freedom for all slaves. Despite the proclamation, little change was noticed in America. But the struggle continued due to the untiring, selfless sacrifices of many people, people who had the tenacity, the perseverance and the courage to tell themselves, “Yes, we can.”
James Meredith was the first black student to enroll at the University of Mississippi on October 1, 1962. Violence and riots surrounding the incident cause President Kennedy to send 5,000 federal troops.
One hundred years after the Emancipation Proclamation, on 28 August 1963, Martin Luther King delivered his famous “I have a dream” speech, ironically standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington. He said, “But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatise a shameful condition.” Martin Luther King knew the credo, “Yes, we can.”
What was his dream? To quote from that famous speech - “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal." I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
Yes, if we really believe, we can.
Before, I go on, let us introspect on how much has really changed. Let us superimpose dream of Martin Luther King as our dream. In an Indian context. How will the speech read? “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal." I have a dream that one day on the plains of Orissa, the deserts of Rajasthan, the streets of Gujarat, the potholes of Bangalore, the coasts of Mangalore, the sons of Muslims and dalits and harijans and the sons of the so-called upper caste Hindus will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Kashmir, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the form of their faith but by the content of their character.”
Yes, we can dream that dream.
On July 2, 1964 President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The most sweeping civil rights legislation since Reconstruction, the Civil Rights Act prohibited discrimination of all kinds based on race, color, religion, or national origin. The law also provided the federal government with the powers to enforce desegregation.
Not much changed in America. On Aug 4, 1964 in Neshoba Country, Mississipi the bodies of James E. Chaney, 21; Andrew Goodman, 21; and Michael Schwerner, 24 who had been working to register black voters and had gone to investigate the burning of a black church. They were arrested by the police on speeding charges, incarcerated for several hours and then released after dark, into the hands of the Ku Klux Klan, who murdered them.
It took one hundred years after the Emancipation Proclamation for Martin Luther King to say enough is enough and organised the largest ever civil rights gathering in 1963. Little changed. "Bloody Sunday" occurred on March 7, 1965 in Selma, Alabama, when 600 civil rights marchers were attacked by state and local police with billy clubs and tear gas while they were trying to cross the bridge to the white section of the city trying to bring attention to the violations of their civil rights. It was a legal right they were fighting for.
Each of the marchers told himself while they were on the march, “Yes, we can.”
August 10, 1965. Congress passes the Voting Rights Act of 1965, making it easier for Southern blacks to register to vote. Literacy tests, poll taxes, and other such requirements that were used to restrict black voting are made illegal.
Interracial marriages which were illegal, are repealed by the United Supreme Court in 1967.
Yes, we can.
In 1991, after two years of debates, vetoes, and threatened vetoes, President Bush reversed himself and signed the Civil Rights Act of 1991, strengthening existing civil rights laws and providing for damages in cases of intentional employment discrimination.
Yes, we can.
James Bonard Fowler, the former state trooper responsible for the murder of Jimmie Lee Jackson at Selma, is indicted, 40 years after Jackson's death.
Yes, we can.
Shirley Anita St. Hill Chisholm was an American politician, educator and author. In 1968, she became the first African American woman elected to Congress. On January 23, 1972, she became the first major-party African American candidate for President of the United States. On November 3, 1983, Rev Jesse Jackson announced his campaign for presidency. In 1984, Jackson became the second African American to mount a nationwide campaign for President of the United States, running as a Democrat. It is a case of third time lucky for African Americans. Today, 146 after the Emancipation Proclamation, Barack Hussain Obama is the first African American President-elect of the United States of America. Let us not forget Condoleeza Rice and Colin Powell who occupied the highest offices in US administration.
Yes, we can.
We have sat through the multiple re-runs of Obama’s acceptance/victory speech. Many have shed tears at the accomplishment that was so many years in the making. However, beyond the rhetoric, do we see the humility in victory? In McCain concession speech do we notice the graciousness in defeat? Obama will not only be the President of the African Americans. He will not only be the President of the Democratic Party. Barack Hussain Obama will be the President of the United States of America.
A lot has changed in America with this election and it will impact the rest of the world. But how much has really changed? Obama had an overwhelming majority among black voters and Hispanic voters. The white voters voted decisively in favour of John McCain. The Southern States voted for John McCain. The Klu Klux Klan has done everything except issue a death warrant against Barack Obama.
No, not much has changed in the ethos of American culture. It has become a more politically correct community in speech and deed, but still remains deeply engrained in white supremacy thoughts. It has been a long journey over the last 200 years for people of colour in America, there is a man of colour who will soon take up residence in the White House, but the journey continues. As does the struggle for equality. Not in law, but in thought. A thought and a belief that one day people will be judged not by the colour of their skin (or, in the case of India, the faith they follow), but by the content of their character.
Yes, we can.
Let us remember Martin Luther King’s words which were uttered in a different context, at a different time, but are timeless in their message – “the fierce urgency of now.”
Yes, we can.
James Meredith was the first black student to enroll at the University of Mississippi on October 1, 1962. Violence and riots surrounding the incident cause President Kennedy to send 5,000 federal troops.
One hundred years after the Emancipation Proclamation, on 28 August 1963, Martin Luther King delivered his famous “I have a dream” speech, ironically standing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington. He said, “But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatise a shameful condition.” Martin Luther King knew the credo, “Yes, we can.”
What was his dream? To quote from that famous speech - “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal." I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
Yes, if we really believe, we can.
Before, I go on, let us introspect on how much has really changed. Let us superimpose dream of Martin Luther King as our dream. In an Indian context. How will the speech read? “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal." I have a dream that one day on the plains of Orissa, the deserts of Rajasthan, the streets of Gujarat, the potholes of Bangalore, the coasts of Mangalore, the sons of Muslims and dalits and harijans and the sons of the so-called upper caste Hindus will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Kashmir, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the form of their faith but by the content of their character.”
Yes, we can dream that dream.
On July 2, 1964 President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The most sweeping civil rights legislation since Reconstruction, the Civil Rights Act prohibited discrimination of all kinds based on race, color, religion, or national origin. The law also provided the federal government with the powers to enforce desegregation.
Not much changed in America. On Aug 4, 1964 in Neshoba Country, Mississipi the bodies of James E. Chaney, 21; Andrew Goodman, 21; and Michael Schwerner, 24 who had been working to register black voters and had gone to investigate the burning of a black church. They were arrested by the police on speeding charges, incarcerated for several hours and then released after dark, into the hands of the Ku Klux Klan, who murdered them.
It took one hundred years after the Emancipation Proclamation for Martin Luther King to say enough is enough and organised the largest ever civil rights gathering in 1963. Little changed. "Bloody Sunday" occurred on March 7, 1965 in Selma, Alabama, when 600 civil rights marchers were attacked by state and local police with billy clubs and tear gas while they were trying to cross the bridge to the white section of the city trying to bring attention to the violations of their civil rights. It was a legal right they were fighting for.
Each of the marchers told himself while they were on the march, “Yes, we can.”
August 10, 1965. Congress passes the Voting Rights Act of 1965, making it easier for Southern blacks to register to vote. Literacy tests, poll taxes, and other such requirements that were used to restrict black voting are made illegal.
Interracial marriages which were illegal, are repealed by the United Supreme Court in 1967.
Yes, we can.
In 1991, after two years of debates, vetoes, and threatened vetoes, President Bush reversed himself and signed the Civil Rights Act of 1991, strengthening existing civil rights laws and providing for damages in cases of intentional employment discrimination.
Yes, we can.
James Bonard Fowler, the former state trooper responsible for the murder of Jimmie Lee Jackson at Selma, is indicted, 40 years after Jackson's death.
Yes, we can.
Shirley Anita St. Hill Chisholm was an American politician, educator and author. In 1968, she became the first African American woman elected to Congress. On January 23, 1972, she became the first major-party African American candidate for President of the United States. On November 3, 1983, Rev Jesse Jackson announced his campaign for presidency. In 1984, Jackson became the second African American to mount a nationwide campaign for President of the United States, running as a Democrat. It is a case of third time lucky for African Americans. Today, 146 after the Emancipation Proclamation, Barack Hussain Obama is the first African American President-elect of the United States of America. Let us not forget Condoleeza Rice and Colin Powell who occupied the highest offices in US administration.
Yes, we can.
We have sat through the multiple re-runs of Obama’s acceptance/victory speech. Many have shed tears at the accomplishment that was so many years in the making. However, beyond the rhetoric, do we see the humility in victory? In McCain concession speech do we notice the graciousness in defeat? Obama will not only be the President of the African Americans. He will not only be the President of the Democratic Party. Barack Hussain Obama will be the President of the United States of America.
A lot has changed in America with this election and it will impact the rest of the world. But how much has really changed? Obama had an overwhelming majority among black voters and Hispanic voters. The white voters voted decisively in favour of John McCain. The Southern States voted for John McCain. The Klu Klux Klan has done everything except issue a death warrant against Barack Obama.
No, not much has changed in the ethos of American culture. It has become a more politically correct community in speech and deed, but still remains deeply engrained in white supremacy thoughts. It has been a long journey over the last 200 years for people of colour in America, there is a man of colour who will soon take up residence in the White House, but the journey continues. As does the struggle for equality. Not in law, but in thought. A thought and a belief that one day people will be judged not by the colour of their skin (or, in the case of India, the faith they follow), but by the content of their character.
Yes, we can.
Let us remember Martin Luther King’s words which were uttered in a different context, at a different time, but are timeless in their message – “the fierce urgency of now.”
Yes, we can.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Half a dream fulfilled
A very Happy Dussehra to everyone. Or as they call it in my dad's battalion - Dasain. The last time I spent Dasain at the Battalion was way back when dad was commanding - probably 1970 or thereabouts. It has been my ardent wish to be a part of the Dasain celebrations at the unit ever since. Many battalions of the units have been posted close to Delhi and the opportunities had presented themselves a few times in the past, but somehow I never managed to be there. This time too I would probably have been somewhere up the high Himalayas had it not been for the unscheduled snow, avalanches, landslides, aborted expeditions, etc. Had it not been for these causes, I might have been abe to manage being in dad's battalion - 4/3 Gorkha Rifles that is posted close to where we were. But then, we were back in Delhi before the great day and I thought I had missed my chance yet again. But then, fate willed otherwise. The battalion that my dad was commissioned into, and the one that my mother was married into, was posted in Delhi, waiting to sail away on a UN Peacekeeping mission. And I kind of invited myself in to be a part of the celebrations.
I have just come back after a few hours of absolutely breathtaking experiences. Tonight was the night of revelry and celebrations. Three hours of drama and skits and plays and songs - all written, choreographed, directed and performed by the boys of the battalion. I have faint memories of yesteryears and all of them came flooding back in a flash. I felt my dad sitting next to me, holding my hands and participating in the celebrations along with the men he once commanded.
Oh, to be in uniform.
But, this is only a dream half fulfilled. Something in my head has been teling me for some time that my troubles and sorrows are waiting for a sacrifice. I have wanted to be a part of the Dasain celebrations with the unit, but more so, I have wanted to be a part of the bali. And today a bali did take place. But tomorrow is the big day. About 35 goats will be offered to the Mother Goddess as part of an age old tradition of the Nepalese people. And I will be a part of that. Given an opportunity, I would really like to offer a sacrifice myself. That will really be the fulfillment of a long cherished dream. Maybe I am being superstitious, but then, when the chips are down I am willing to clutch at whatever straw is offered to me.
Being a Buddhist I should not be offering sacrifice, when my primary purpose in life is to offer the road to salvation to all living beings. Making a sacrifice ... killing ... another living being is absolutely against all my Buddhist teachings. But given the tradition of the battalion, the memory of my dad and my long desired dream, this is something I need to do and be a part of. The priests are there and the sacrificer solicits the forgiveness of the animal. And there is a dream yet half unfulfilled.
I will see you tomorrow when I would have had a chance to participate in an age old ritual and offer my participation towards fulfilling a cherished desire.
I have just come back after a few hours of absolutely breathtaking experiences. Tonight was the night of revelry and celebrations. Three hours of drama and skits and plays and songs - all written, choreographed, directed and performed by the boys of the battalion. I have faint memories of yesteryears and all of them came flooding back in a flash. I felt my dad sitting next to me, holding my hands and participating in the celebrations along with the men he once commanded.
Oh, to be in uniform.
But, this is only a dream half fulfilled. Something in my head has been teling me for some time that my troubles and sorrows are waiting for a sacrifice. I have wanted to be a part of the Dasain celebrations with the unit, but more so, I have wanted to be a part of the bali. And today a bali did take place. But tomorrow is the big day. About 35 goats will be offered to the Mother Goddess as part of an age old tradition of the Nepalese people. And I will be a part of that. Given an opportunity, I would really like to offer a sacrifice myself. That will really be the fulfillment of a long cherished dream. Maybe I am being superstitious, but then, when the chips are down I am willing to clutch at whatever straw is offered to me.
Being a Buddhist I should not be offering sacrifice, when my primary purpose in life is to offer the road to salvation to all living beings. Making a sacrifice ... killing ... another living being is absolutely against all my Buddhist teachings. But given the tradition of the battalion, the memory of my dad and my long desired dream, this is something I need to do and be a part of. The priests are there and the sacrificer solicits the forgiveness of the animal. And there is a dream yet half unfulfilled.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Courage and Resilience in Adversity
We are a team of adventurers on an expedition to better a Guinness World Record of the highest altitude reached by a motorcycle and were on our way to Leh. We crossed the 13,050 feet Rohtang on Sep 19 in the evening just as the rain and snow started to hit the mountains. We reached Keylong on the night of Sep 19 as the snowfall became very heavy. By next morning Keylong town was covered in more than 18 inches of snow. News started trickling in that Rohtang was snowed in and all traffic had been stopped. Also, that some tourists and locals were stranded at Rohtang top. What was more worrying for us was the fact that the road ahead that we had to take to go to Leh was facing severe snowfall. The 16,500 feet high Baralacha La pass was facing very heavy snowfall.
By afternoon news trickled in to Keylong that Baralacha La was completely cut off and that there were many vehicles stranded on the high altitude pass. By Sep 21 news was that there were nearly 1000 people stranded without any food, warm clothing or shelter, exposed to the continuing snowfall. Sarchu, the closest town to Baralacha La Pass was also inaccessible. Over the next few hours, some people managed to get to Sarchu or were evacuated by the local authorities and the Indian Army. All the people were huddled in the makeshift tents with continuing snowfall making the temperature drop to unbearable levels.
There was news of avalanches and landslides all along the route to Baralacha La. By Sep 22 there was unconfirmed news of casualties. News reaching Keylong was sketchy and people talked about six to seven people who had either died of the severe cold or had been swept away in avalanches. Unverified information also came in of some Army soldiers being swept away in avalanches.
The inclement weather conditions and low lying clouds meant that the Air Force helicopters could not take off for essential rescue operations or to drop food and clothing. However, to the credit of the Indian Air Force, we did see some sorties being flown whenever there was a break in the weather conditions making it suitable to fly.
Today on Sep 24, we were there at Stingri helipad and were witness to a group of people who had been evacuated from Sarchu. Among them, men, women and children. We met a family who had with them an infant barely a few months old.
There are supposed to be some trekkers near Chandratal. However, when the IAF chopper flew over the area, they did spot a tent but saw no signs of any movement or any people. The hope was that they were trying to walk to relative safety. The chopper dropped some food, a pair of boots and some blanket near the tent hoping that the team would come back to the tent and find the air dropped supplies. There were also search and rescue operations on in the area to locate people thought to have been swept away in the avalanches.
News from Koksar, a town close to Keylong, is that a shepherd along with hundreds of his sheep and horses have been swept away in an avalanche killing the entire lot.
The crop that was being grown to sustain the local population for the length of the winter is under snow and people are worried that they will not have enough rations to last the winter. In Keylong, electricity has been cut off due to broken transmission wires, water pipes have burst and food is fast running out. And this in Keylong, the District Headquarters. One cannot even begin to imagine the condition of the people who are stranded at high altitude at Baralacha La and at Sarchu, still waiting for some kind of help to rescue them. The administration is doing what it can, but the terrain and the weather is not helping matters. Fortunately the weather has held for the past couple of days and news is of the road between Baralacha La and Sarchu having opened today. The stretch between Zing Zing Bar and Baralacha La is still closed and the JCBs are working over time to clear the road and reach the unfortunate stranded.
Nature continues to play its part. A call from Leh this evening gave us the news of yet another avalanche near Baralacha La which has swept away two trucks and a car. Despite all the havoc that Nature is wrecking on this stretch of Earth, the people are showing tremendous resilience and courage. Volunteers are going out of their way to extend all help and support. The only regret they have is that the troubles they are facing continues to be local news while the rest of the country remains blissfully unaware of the difficulties faced by these incredible hill people.
By afternoon news trickled in to Keylong that Baralacha La was completely cut off and that there were many vehicles stranded on the high altitude pass. By Sep 21 news was that there were nearly 1000 people stranded without any food, warm clothing or shelter, exposed to the continuing snowfall. Sarchu, the closest town to Baralacha La Pass was also inaccessible. Over the next few hours, some people managed to get to Sarchu or were evacuated by the local authorities and the Indian Army. All the people were huddled in the makeshift tents with continuing snowfall making the temperature drop to unbearable levels.
There was news of avalanches and landslides all along the route to Baralacha La. By Sep 22 there was unconfirmed news of casualties. News reaching Keylong was sketchy and people talked about six to seven people who had either died of the severe cold or had been swept away in avalanches. Unverified information also came in of some Army soldiers being swept away in avalanches.
The inclement weather conditions and low lying clouds meant that the Air Force helicopters could not take off for essential rescue operations or to drop food and clothing. However, to the credit of the Indian Air Force, we did see some sorties being flown whenever there was a break in the weather conditions making it suitable to fly.
Today on Sep 24, we were there at Stingri helipad and were witness to a group of people who had been evacuated from Sarchu. Among them, men, women and children. We met a family who had with them an infant barely a few months old.
There are supposed to be some trekkers near Chandratal. However, when the IAF chopper flew over the area, they did spot a tent but saw no signs of any movement or any people. The hope was that they were trying to walk to relative safety. The chopper dropped some food, a pair of boots and some blanket near the tent hoping that the team would come back to the tent and find the air dropped supplies. There were also search and rescue operations on in the area to locate people thought to have been swept away in the avalanches.
News from Koksar, a town close to Keylong, is that a shepherd along with hundreds of his sheep and horses have been swept away in an avalanche killing the entire lot.
The crop that was being grown to sustain the local population for the length of the winter is under snow and people are worried that they will not have enough rations to last the winter. In Keylong, electricity has been cut off due to broken transmission wires, water pipes have burst and food is fast running out. And this in Keylong, the District Headquarters. One cannot even begin to imagine the condition of the people who are stranded at high altitude at Baralacha La and at Sarchu, still waiting for some kind of help to rescue them. The administration is doing what it can, but the terrain and the weather is not helping matters. Fortunately the weather has held for the past couple of days and news is of the road between Baralacha La and Sarchu having opened today. The stretch between Zing Zing Bar and Baralacha La is still closed and the JCBs are working over time to clear the road and reach the unfortunate stranded.
Nature continues to play its part. A call from Leh this evening gave us the news of yet another avalanche near Baralacha La which has swept away two trucks and a car. Despite all the havoc that Nature is wrecking on this stretch of Earth, the people are showing tremendous resilience and courage. Volunteers are going out of their way to extend all help and support. The only regret they have is that the troubles they are facing continues to be local news while the rest of the country remains blissfully unaware of the difficulties faced by these incredible hill people.
Friday, August 22, 2008
A brilliant article by Melvin Durai
Melvin Durai is a Winnipeg-based writer and humorist. Born in India and raised in Zambia, he has lived in North America since 1982. Through the Internet, his column is read by thousands of people in more than 90 countries.
THE SHOT HEARD AROUND THE WORLD
In case you missed the news, in case you were sleeping under a rock or just got released from Guantanamo, India won its first-ever individual gold medal at the Beijing Olympics, causing 1.1 billion people to jump up and down with joy, touching off a minor earthquake in California and a major interruption in tech support.
Yes, an Indian man won an Olympic gold medal -- and without all his opponents getting injured. Abhinav Bindra, a 25-year-old from Delhi, won first place in the 10m air rifle event, beating 50 other shooters, including that great Albanian marksman Imer Gudschot.
So excited were members of the Indian Olympic Association, so taken in this moment of high-fives and champagne-popping, that some of them checked the official medal table to see if India had moved past America. No such luck, of course, but that didn't stop Indians from celebrating like it was the greatest Olympic achievement ever. And who can blame them? After all, it was their first individual gold medal since India began competing in the Olympics more than a century ago, back in the days when 'catapulting' was an official sport.
'The drought is over!' screamed one newspaper's headline, causing even more celebration across the land, particularly in the farming community.
It was a shining moment for India on the world's greatest sporting stage. As one Indian politician eloquently put it, 'Abhinav Bindra has shooted us all into glory!'
Almost everyone in India, from the Prime Minister to the church minister, heaped praise on Bindra. Even members of the Indian Astronomers Association, attending a convention in Pune, took a break from the proceedings to applaud the 'shooting star.'
Congratulatory messages poured into India from all over the world. U.S. presidential candidate John McCain, hoping to endear himself to Indian-American voters, sent a congratulatory card that he said was 'from one straight shooter to another.'
Indian legislators debated a motion to celebrate Aug. 11 every year as Gold Medal Day. They voted down a proposal to display Bindra's medal at a national museum in Delhi, amid fears that the building would not be able to handle the millions who would come to view it.
The excitement and celebration may have seemed overblown, but not to Indians. 'People around the world may not know this,' a Chennai man said, 'but we Indians really love gold!'
Bindra's victory, combined with shooter Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore's silver medal at the 2004 Olympics, is expected to increase the popularity of shooting in India, drawing thousands of youngsters to shooting competitions and exhibitions during breaks from cricket.
'We want shooting to be more popular in India,' said sports administrator Baljit Singh, 'but not as popular as it is in America.'
Hoping to match the success of TGC (The Golf Channel) in America, media mogul Rupert Murdoch announced that Indian viewers would soon be treated to TSC (The Shooting Channel). It's expected to feature various shooting competitions from around the world, as well as reruns of the American shows 'Gunsmoke' and 'Have Gun Will Travel.'
Rajesh Patel, who has been hired as a TSC analyst, said Bindra's victory will have a lasting impact in India, even on sports announcing. 'We're not going to say that someone's performance is 'simply wonderful' anymore,' he said. 'We're going to say that it's 'simply Bindraful.''
Schoolchildren for years to come will learn about Bindra, thanks partly to an Indian publisher who has already put out a special alphabet book: 'A is for Abhinav. Abhinav is first name of champion. B is for Bindra. Bindra is surname of champion. C is for Chapati. Chapati is food of champion.'
Bindra has not just earned a lifetime of adulation, he has become India's most eligible bachelor, receiving a flood of marriage proposals. Said his proud mother: 'We have received proposals from North Indians, South Indians, even West Indians.'
Indeed, a Trinidad dairy farmer with a 20-year-old daughter offered 1,000 cows in dowry, but Bindra turned down the offer, saying he doesn't want to milk his fame.
That pleased Indian sports fans, who want Bindra to choose his bride carefully, believing that the country's future Olympic glory rests partly on what type of genes his children inherit. Some are even dreaming of a match between Bindra and badminton star Saina Nehwal, an Olympic quarterfinalist. But that would be folly, according to one Indian scientist, who said, 'If we match a badmintoner with a shooter, we might end up with a badshooter.'
THE SHOT HEARD AROUND THE WORLD
In case you missed the news, in case you were sleeping under a rock or just got released from Guantanamo, India won its first-ever individual gold medal at the Beijing Olympics, causing 1.1 billion people to jump up and down with joy, touching off a minor earthquake in California and a major interruption in tech support.
Yes, an Indian man won an Olympic gold medal -- and without all his opponents getting injured. Abhinav Bindra, a 25-year-old from Delhi, won first place in the 10m air rifle event, beating 50 other shooters, including that great Albanian marksman Imer Gudschot.
So excited were members of the Indian Olympic Association, so taken in this moment of high-fives and champagne-popping, that some of them checked the official medal table to see if India had moved past America. No such luck, of course, but that didn't stop Indians from celebrating like it was the greatest Olympic achievement ever. And who can blame them? After all, it was their first individual gold medal since India began competing in the Olympics more than a century ago, back in the days when 'catapulting' was an official sport.
'The drought is over!' screamed one newspaper's headline, causing even more celebration across the land, particularly in the farming community.
It was a shining moment for India on the world's greatest sporting stage. As one Indian politician eloquently put it, 'Abhinav Bindra has shooted us all into glory!'
Almost everyone in India, from the Prime Minister to the church minister, heaped praise on Bindra. Even members of the Indian Astronomers Association, attending a convention in Pune, took a break from the proceedings to applaud the 'shooting star.'
Congratulatory messages poured into India from all over the world. U.S. presidential candidate John McCain, hoping to endear himself to Indian-American voters, sent a congratulatory card that he said was 'from one straight shooter to another.'
Indian legislators debated a motion to celebrate Aug. 11 every year as Gold Medal Day. They voted down a proposal to display Bindra's medal at a national museum in Delhi, amid fears that the building would not be able to handle the millions who would come to view it.
The excitement and celebration may have seemed overblown, but not to Indians. 'People around the world may not know this,' a Chennai man said, 'but we Indians really love gold!'
Bindra's victory, combined with shooter Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore's silver medal at the 2004 Olympics, is expected to increase the popularity of shooting in India, drawing thousands of youngsters to shooting competitions and exhibitions during breaks from cricket.
'We want shooting to be more popular in India,' said sports administrator Baljit Singh, 'but not as popular as it is in America.'
Hoping to match the success of TGC (The Golf Channel) in America, media mogul Rupert Murdoch announced that Indian viewers would soon be treated to TSC (The Shooting Channel). It's expected to feature various shooting competitions from around the world, as well as reruns of the American shows 'Gunsmoke' and 'Have Gun Will Travel.'
Rajesh Patel, who has been hired as a TSC analyst, said Bindra's victory will have a lasting impact in India, even on sports announcing. 'We're not going to say that someone's performance is 'simply wonderful' anymore,' he said. 'We're going to say that it's 'simply Bindraful.''
Schoolchildren for years to come will learn about Bindra, thanks partly to an Indian publisher who has already put out a special alphabet book: 'A is for Abhinav. Abhinav is first name of champion. B is for Bindra. Bindra is surname of champion. C is for Chapati. Chapati is food of champion.'
Bindra has not just earned a lifetime of adulation, he has become India's most eligible bachelor, receiving a flood of marriage proposals. Said his proud mother: 'We have received proposals from North Indians, South Indians, even West Indians.'
Indeed, a Trinidad dairy farmer with a 20-year-old daughter offered 1,000 cows in dowry, but Bindra turned down the offer, saying he doesn't want to milk his fame.
That pleased Indian sports fans, who want Bindra to choose his bride carefully, believing that the country's future Olympic glory rests partly on what type of genes his children inherit. Some are even dreaming of a match between Bindra and badminton star Saina Nehwal, an Olympic quarterfinalist. But that would be folly, according to one Indian scientist, who said, 'If we match a badmintoner with a shooter, we might end up with a badshooter.'
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Bharat Mata Ki Jai
Today is a great day for Indian sport. Two Olympic medals in a single day. And with Abhinav Bindra's Gold, history has been created. Never before in Olympic history has this nation of more than a billion people managed to get three Olympic gold medals. And that too in individual events. Not difficult to imagine given our obsession for the guys in white flannels . or increasingly today, the men in blue.
I got to watch the last couple of rounds of Vijendra's medal winning bout and to be honest, my eyes did glass over. As it had done when the national anthem was playing as the tricolour was lifted behind the podium with Abhinav waiting to be awarded the coveted Olympic Gold! It is truly an emotional moment for every sports loving Indian. Maybe it is time for people to realise that there are other sports in India besides the one played by ten odd nations (counting Kenya, Zimbabwe, et al) with a piece of willow and a five and a half ounce piece of leather. Maybe it is time we looked at, recognised and encouraged all the other millions of people who are trying, against all odds, to become champions of the world.
Just about five weeks away from today, three more Indians will attempt to become world champions. But the shouts of their success and their tears of joy and their overpowering emotion of success will not be shared by anyone, as they will be standing in the solitary wilderness of the high mountains. They will have only themselves to congratulate as their eyes well over and the moment of glory will only have the whispering winds and azure sky as mute witnesses. Three champions who are trying to defy all odds, are going against all known logic, countering good sense, and embarking on a journey to become the best in the whole wide world. Recognition will come to them from the world body that recognises incredible feats of human endeavour - Guinness World Records - but probably not from their own countrymen under whose flag the feat was achieved.
Certificate in hand, the triumphant trio will try and convince people to support their next adventure. Maybe they will succeed, maybe the struggle will continue. After all, adventure sports is not cricket. Neither is it an Olympic sport. There are no spectators to cheer the challengers. There is no television to take the triumph to the masses. But it is a sport nevertheless and these three Indians will be crowned champions of the world.
At the summit of achievement, the three will stand shoulder to shoulder, unfurl the Indian tricolour at 22,000 feet, look up at the sky and sing the national anthem. That is the recognition worth dying for, worth every effort, worth every pain, worth the time spent knocking on closed doors, worth every humiliation attracted in the journey of The Longest Mile for the three Cliff Riders.
Just before descending from the record beating altitude, the triumphant trio will join hands and shout out to the expanse of nothingness - Bharat Mata Ki Jai. And the surrounding mountains will echo the sentiment back to them. Only they will know that they represented the country and have carried the flag for India as world beaters!
I got to watch the last couple of rounds of Vijendra's medal winning bout and to be honest, my eyes did glass over. As it had done when the national anthem was playing as the tricolour was lifted behind the podium with Abhinav waiting to be awarded the coveted Olympic Gold! It is truly an emotional moment for every sports loving Indian. Maybe it is time for people to realise that there are other sports in India besides the one played by ten odd nations (counting Kenya, Zimbabwe, et al) with a piece of willow and a five and a half ounce piece of leather. Maybe it is time we looked at, recognised and encouraged all the other millions of people who are trying, against all odds, to become champions of the world.
Just about five weeks away from today, three more Indians will attempt to become world champions. But the shouts of their success and their tears of joy and their overpowering emotion of success will not be shared by anyone, as they will be standing in the solitary wilderness of the high mountains. They will have only themselves to congratulate as their eyes well over and the moment of glory will only have the whispering winds and azure sky as mute witnesses. Three champions who are trying to defy all odds, are going against all known logic, countering good sense, and embarking on a journey to become the best in the whole wide world. Recognition will come to them from the world body that recognises incredible feats of human endeavour - Guinness World Records - but probably not from their own countrymen under whose flag the feat was achieved.
Certificate in hand, the triumphant trio will try and convince people to support their next adventure. Maybe they will succeed, maybe the struggle will continue. After all, adventure sports is not cricket. Neither is it an Olympic sport. There are no spectators to cheer the challengers. There is no television to take the triumph to the masses. But it is a sport nevertheless and these three Indians will be crowned champions of the world.
At the summit of achievement, the three will stand shoulder to shoulder, unfurl the Indian tricolour at 22,000 feet, look up at the sky and sing the national anthem. That is the recognition worth dying for, worth every effort, worth every pain, worth the time spent knocking on closed doors, worth every humiliation attracted in the journey of The Longest Mile for the three Cliff Riders.
Just before descending from the record beating altitude, the triumphant trio will join hands and shout out to the expanse of nothingness - Bharat Mata Ki Jai. And the surrounding mountains will echo the sentiment back to them. Only they will know that they represented the country and have carried the flag for India as world beaters!
Friday, August 15, 2008
Democracy doesn’t win wars
It is coincidental that today, August 15, we celebrate the Independence Day of the world’s largest democracy. It is indeed something to be extremely proud of, our democracy that is. We citizens, each and every one of us, have a voice. We can demand that our voice be heard. There are enough examples in our neighbourhood where this fact is not true. And the democracy we take for granted so easily, is subverted by many governments around the world. Long live India and long live this vibrant democracy.
But sometimes it makes me wonder. This complacency. Do we take freedom for granted. Do we not realise that with freedom comes responsibility? And accountability? Do we not owe something back to this society that comprises each and every one of us? Why do crib and curse the famous ‘system’ and sit back and perpetuate the problem. Why don’t we stand up and do something about it?
But that is another debate and the subject I am dealing with is democracy and its importance in times of crises. Can a democratic set-up win a war? Let us take an example. The enemy is deeply embedded in a hill feature, above us. We are out numbered and the enemy is better equipped. A battalion is entrusted with the responsibility of capturing the hill feature. Let us see democracy at work…
The platoon commander who will lead the assault comes to the battalion commander and requests a meeting who in turn calls his Brigade Commander who asks him to wait for some time. The Brigade Commander radios the Divisional Commander who then confers with his Corps Commander.
(And remember all this is conscientiously minuted, in triplicate, and filed and receipts taken.)
The Army Commander sets up a Committee who meet to discuss the best way forward, the possible alternative methods of attacks that will offer the best chances of success. The Committee publishes a White Paper after three days and sleepless nights (it is war, after all) and sends it to the Cabinet Committee on Security for their approval. They spend another couple of days on the White Paper and finally the Parliamentary Committee on External Affairs tables it in Parliament for approval. Of course, this is after a special session of Parliament is called to debate the issue. Finally, the action is approved and the document containing approval of the assault on the hill is passed down the chain of command to the platoon commander who is waiting for the command to go ahead. But then, by this time, the enemy has run over the post and a new set of battle plans have to drawn up and sent to Parliament for approval.
This is an exaggerated example but isn’t this pretty much how to democratically fight a war? I am convinced that there is a need for democracy and that is what binds us citizens together. But at the same time, in times of crises, there is need for a strong hand, an iron will, nerves of steel, a time for split second decisions and the orders better be obeyed, or else there could be hell to pay. A war is won by a dictator. And the dictator is the person in charge on the frontline. The man who is leading his men to their death … or glory.
Democracy does not and can not win a war. Democracy comes into play after the battle has been won. When democrats, bureaucrats, politicians, citizens, come forward to pay respects to the martyrs and to rejoice the gallant soldiers. Till then, we need a dictator to win the war.
Are we in the middle of a crisis? Is our great country being compromised due to the democracy we hold so dear? Is it time to take some steps to stem the rot that is setting in before it is too late? Was it necessary for the trouble in Kashmir over the Amarnath issue growing out of hand? No, say many. Can the Kashmir extremism be wiped out? In about two months, I have heard people say who have the means to do it. Problems based on religious lines, education issues, sporting issues, et al. Many of these are examples of democracy gone sour. We the people need to stand up and ensure that the greatness of our country that has endured for thousands of years is not compromised.
Let us remember that when we are at war, it is not democracy that we need. Jai Hind.
But sometimes it makes me wonder. This complacency. Do we take freedom for granted. Do we not realise that with freedom comes responsibility? And accountability? Do we not owe something back to this society that comprises each and every one of us? Why do crib and curse the famous ‘system’ and sit back and perpetuate the problem. Why don’t we stand up and do something about it?
But that is another debate and the subject I am dealing with is democracy and its importance in times of crises. Can a democratic set-up win a war? Let us take an example. The enemy is deeply embedded in a hill feature, above us. We are out numbered and the enemy is better equipped. A battalion is entrusted with the responsibility of capturing the hill feature. Let us see democracy at work…
The platoon commander who will lead the assault comes to the battalion commander and requests a meeting who in turn calls his Brigade Commander who asks him to wait for some time. The Brigade Commander radios the Divisional Commander who then confers with his Corps Commander.
(And remember all this is conscientiously minuted, in triplicate, and filed and receipts taken.)
The Army Commander sets up a Committee who meet to discuss the best way forward, the possible alternative methods of attacks that will offer the best chances of success. The Committee publishes a White Paper after three days and sleepless nights (it is war, after all) and sends it to the Cabinet Committee on Security for their approval. They spend another couple of days on the White Paper and finally the Parliamentary Committee on External Affairs tables it in Parliament for approval. Of course, this is after a special session of Parliament is called to debate the issue. Finally, the action is approved and the document containing approval of the assault on the hill is passed down the chain of command to the platoon commander who is waiting for the command to go ahead. But then, by this time, the enemy has run over the post and a new set of battle plans have to drawn up and sent to Parliament for approval.
This is an exaggerated example but isn’t this pretty much how to democratically fight a war? I am convinced that there is a need for democracy and that is what binds us citizens together. But at the same time, in times of crises, there is need for a strong hand, an iron will, nerves of steel, a time for split second decisions and the orders better be obeyed, or else there could be hell to pay. A war is won by a dictator. And the dictator is the person in charge on the frontline. The man who is leading his men to their death … or glory.
Democracy does not and can not win a war. Democracy comes into play after the battle has been won. When democrats, bureaucrats, politicians, citizens, come forward to pay respects to the martyrs and to rejoice the gallant soldiers. Till then, we need a dictator to win the war.
Are we in the middle of a crisis? Is our great country being compromised due to the democracy we hold so dear? Is it time to take some steps to stem the rot that is setting in before it is too late? Was it necessary for the trouble in Kashmir over the Amarnath issue growing out of hand? No, say many. Can the Kashmir extremism be wiped out? In about two months, I have heard people say who have the means to do it. Problems based on religious lines, education issues, sporting issues, et al. Many of these are examples of democracy gone sour. We the people need to stand up and ensure that the greatness of our country that has endured for thousands of years is not compromised.
Let us remember that when we are at war, it is not democracy that we need. Jai Hind.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Remembering the brave soldiers of war!
If you worship your Bollywood star or a cricketing idol, you are requested to spare a thought for all those people who possibly deserve it a lot more. Salute them for their sacrifices. They give their today for our tomorrow. These are a few faces that are no more. They laid down their lives on the heights of Kargil to protect the sovereignty of our country against the enemy. Go through this mail and shed a tear for the martyrs who are lost from our collective memories. Read the letter from Capt Vijyant Thapar ... maybe for a brief moment in time, your eyes will moist. This is for all those brave warriors who fought in Kargil and an appeal to all of us who sleep better today and yet do not even remember who to thank - do not forget our heroes!
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Thursday, July 31, 2008
Oh to be back on the road again!
Have you heard the song by Willie Nelson? Back on the Road Again? Incredible it is, and reflects my state of mind entirely. How I wish to be back on the road again. And not just any ol' road - the road untrodden, a road where there is at least a thin sliver of sand enabling me to print my footsteps. And we have been trying. For over three years now. Trying to achieve the impossible dream. The dream of bettering a Guinness World Record. Of taking our vehicles to the highest ever altitude taken by any man (or woman) anywhere in the whole wide world. Our target is to drive to an unprecedented altitude of 23,000 feet.
But that is not the impossible dream. The impossibility of the dream lies here in the city. A dream that will see us manage to get enough funding to be able to go ahead and make the attempt. We are not looking at anything fancy - no fancy gear, no fancy equipment, no fancy vehicles, no fancy support team. Just enough money to be able to rig up a vehicle, enough money to be able to put gas in the tank, enough money to be able to manage three decent meals a day, enough money to pay the peak fees and the sherpas. Three years ago we started out with a need-based budget, today we are talking of a budget that just about meets costs.
And it is so difficult to convince people to pay heed to us. Maybe the sheer audaciousness (is that a word?) of it all, the extreme nature of the event, the impossibility of achieving success, is what is detering people from giving us their support. Or maybe it is just that they do not believe in anything that is not conducted with a piece of English willow and a five and ounces of leather!
But, it seems that a trip is likely in the next fe weeks. A trip similar to The Longest Mile (that is the name we have given our impossible dream). A trip that will take us back to my favourite playground - Ladakh. And a trip that will hopefully see us bettering a Guinness World Record. Come September!
But I really do have ot be back on the road again. Just to feel the cold and crisp air on my face, to go through places that teaches humility in the face of tremendous odds, to experience once again the sheer ruggedness and isolation of the coldest desert in the world. And this time it seems we will be able to do the trip thanks to the efforts of my two good friends - the Brothers Cooper.
Oh to be back on the road again!!!
But that is not the impossible dream. The impossibility of the dream lies here in the city. A dream that will see us manage to get enough funding to be able to go ahead and make the attempt. We are not looking at anything fancy - no fancy gear, no fancy equipment, no fancy vehicles, no fancy support team. Just enough money to be able to rig up a vehicle, enough money to be able to put gas in the tank, enough money to be able to manage three decent meals a day, enough money to pay the peak fees and the sherpas. Three years ago we started out with a need-based budget, today we are talking of a budget that just about meets costs.
And it is so difficult to convince people to pay heed to us. Maybe the sheer audaciousness (is that a word?) of it all, the extreme nature of the event, the impossibility of achieving success, is what is detering people from giving us their support. Or maybe it is just that they do not believe in anything that is not conducted with a piece of English willow and a five and ounces of leather!
But, it seems that a trip is likely in the next fe weeks. A trip similar to The Longest Mile (that is the name we have given our impossible dream). A trip that will take us back to my favourite playground - Ladakh. And a trip that will hopefully see us bettering a Guinness World Record. Come September!
But I really do have ot be back on the road again. Just to feel the cold and crisp air on my face, to go through places that teaches humility in the face of tremendous odds, to experience once again the sheer ruggedness and isolation of the coldest desert in the world. And this time it seems we will be able to do the trip thanks to the efforts of my two good friends - the Brothers Cooper.
Oh to be back on the road again!!!
Monday, July 21, 2008
India (and Indians!) Everywhere
We are witnessing some tumultuous times in India. A Government desperate not to lose the vote of confidence. Unprecedented growth in the economy. Galloping inflation. A stock market gone haywire. The nuclear deal (and I still don't know what the big fuss is all about).
And the world coming in to India to be a part of what is touted as the next big thing. Not people can put a finger on what that something big is, but there is a sense in the air, that something big is about to happen. There are two distinct Indias. One that is at the forefront of this global scenario, raking in the benefits (and the spoils). The other India is one that is not only blissfully unaware of all that is happening in their own backyard, but are largely untouched by it. Consequently, a lot of people are getting left out in the sharing of wealth. Traditional education, traditional employment, traditional form and manner living is becoming increasingly irrelevant. Unemployment is bound to increase since the process of percolation of the needs and wants of a new global order will take some time to become part of the process of our culture.
I feel it will take at least one generation for the process to fall in place. The flux will continue till the time that the new needs and the manner fo fulfilling these needs is not addressed in a systemic manner. Education from the school level in general, and vocational training in general has to be geared to meet the growing needs of the new employers.
Even employers are going through this flux. Many employers are trying to come to grips with the global India. Most are conditioned from childhood with stories of the Raj - British as well as Licence. We grow up believing that we are subservient to the powers that be. The sudden empowerment is difficult to accept. We still believe we cater to our own enclosed constituencies. Why can't we believe that we are part of the new global order and increasingly it is other countries that will become dependent (subservient!?) to India and Indians. Goe are the days when a Green Card was a prized document; soon people from all over the world will cherish a Hari Patti, the Indian version of the Green Card. And the sooner we understand, accept and adopt this reality, the sooner we will see India (and Indians) Everywhere.
Uttar Pradesh is the world's fourth largest "country" in terms of population. Almost 20% of the world citizens are Indians. And here we are, still hankering to own products manufactured by countries like Korea, Taiwan, Finland, Switzerland, etc. What prevents the Swiss from cherishing the Made in India label. We are capable, we have the talent, all we need to believe that we will soon be the rulers and not the ruled anymore.
And the world coming in to India to be a part of what is touted as the next big thing. Not people can put a finger on what that something big is, but there is a sense in the air, that something big is about to happen. There are two distinct Indias. One that is at the forefront of this global scenario, raking in the benefits (and the spoils). The other India is one that is not only blissfully unaware of all that is happening in their own backyard, but are largely untouched by it. Consequently, a lot of people are getting left out in the sharing of wealth. Traditional education, traditional employment, traditional form and manner living is becoming increasingly irrelevant. Unemployment is bound to increase since the process of percolation of the needs and wants of a new global order will take some time to become part of the process of our culture.
I feel it will take at least one generation for the process to fall in place. The flux will continue till the time that the new needs and the manner fo fulfilling these needs is not addressed in a systemic manner. Education from the school level in general, and vocational training in general has to be geared to meet the growing needs of the new employers.
Even employers are going through this flux. Many employers are trying to come to grips with the global India. Most are conditioned from childhood with stories of the Raj - British as well as Licence. We grow up believing that we are subservient to the powers that be. The sudden empowerment is difficult to accept. We still believe we cater to our own enclosed constituencies. Why can't we believe that we are part of the new global order and increasingly it is other countries that will become dependent (subservient!?) to India and Indians. Goe are the days when a Green Card was a prized document; soon people from all over the world will cherish a Hari Patti, the Indian version of the Green Card. And the sooner we understand, accept and adopt this reality, the sooner we will see India (and Indians) Everywhere.
Uttar Pradesh is the world's fourth largest "country" in terms of population. Almost 20% of the world citizens are Indians. And here we are, still hankering to own products manufactured by countries like Korea, Taiwan, Finland, Switzerland, etc. What prevents the Swiss from cherishing the Made in India label. We are capable, we have the talent, all we need to believe that we will soon be the rulers and not the ruled anymore.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
It just ain't cricket
The English may have ruled India for 200 years. And the English gentlemen might have invented the game of cricket. But it is India that rules the world of cricket. "The world of cricket" is a contradiction in terms really. Ten odd countries and reducing, who play this game, with three of them which were part of one country - India. And the amount of money being spent (and earned) out of this one game is incredible to say the least. We revel at our one major conquest of 25 years ago (kudos to Kapil's Devils) and on the other side of the coin, forget that there is something known as hockey which is not only our national sport, bit one where we have earned kudos for decades. India was once a name to be reckoned with as far as at least Asian football was concerned. We have had global champions in badminton. We have some great chess players including the current world number one. But, the badminton camp for the Olympics had to be scrapped because they did not have Rs 75000 to buy shuttle cocks. There is no money to buy ammunition for the shooters, our medal hope for the Olympics. I do not grudge BCCI for running the business of cricket and turning the game into such a huge money spinner. I only wish that there is someone somewhere with the vision and the interest to see the opportunity in other sports. Not just the money that has to come in, what is required is management excellence and a vision to see and telescope the future for glory in the years to come. But then, business is business and everyone wants to back a winning horse. But to me, this just ain't cricket.
I hate to feel at home when I am travelling
Have you heard that one before? Maybe you have. But then, so many people among the many I have travelled with, seem to forget this cliche. Why would one want to carry their home along with them when are out travelling? There are those who miss the comforts of the home environment. There are those who lament the non availability of a shower so that they can shampoo their hair. There are those who wilt when shown the next tree to complete their morning chores. And then there are those comfort lovers who will spend a whole lot of money to go to some exotic place, and spend the next few days cocooned in their hotel rooms, play cards, drink booze and come back with happy memories of a wonderful holiday. Sad really. I, for one, travel becaise I want to see what the rest of the world looks and lives like. And I revel in each new adventure. If I wanted to feel at home when I was travelling, I would never leave home in the first place. I hope I am in the majority.
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