Shailaza's Blog

Tag: Rashtradoot

  • When Poets Cook

    Maria Goretti is unlike any Bollywood wife that you may have heard about. Though she is the wife of the celebrated actor Arshad Warsi, this mother of two believes in making her own mark in the world, with her books about poetry and food.

    Maria Goretti with her children

    When one is readying to interview a person who is a celebrity in her own right and belongs to the Hindi film industry, one tries to prepare for all sorts of scenarios (maybe she will not have time or not grant the interview or will have some qualms etc). However, Maria Goretti believes in singing a very different tune. She is not only married to the celebrated actor Arshad Warsi but is also a celebrated VJ, dancer, actress, TV show host in her own right but when she starts talking you realize that she believes in being as simple as the food and poems she writes about.
    We caught up with her on the sidelines of the Jaipur Literature Festival 2024.

    What makes you write? Do you have a particular time that you write in?

    I don’t know how it came about when I first started writing. But now writing is almost like an out-of-body experience for me. So, I cannot really say that I write at this particular time or that time. It’s just something that I do and it’s become part of my life now. It doesn’t matter where I am. I could be in a completely crowded room and I will just get a few thoughts in my mind about something and I would want to put it down because it needs to be said maybe not to anyone, just to me.

    Maria Goretti with Mandira Bedi

    How did you start writing poetry?

    It was very similar to how I started writing. It just happened. When I was a child, I used to write poetry but then lost touch with it. When my children became older, I started getting some time to pursue my own passions. I started blogging and cooking. I used to write poems about experiences or whatever used to catch my fancy.

    With her husband Arshad Warsi

    Is it tough to write a poem?

    No, I don’t think writing poems is a tough job. For me, it is the editing that is tougher because you edit your work, you scrutinize each and every line and you end up hating everything. I realized that I would sit and just write a poem sometimes from start to finish and then I would revisit it maybe two or three times after that. I would make a few changes in it. But when I was doing the book, it was the most difficult thing for me to do.
    I think I read them so much that I just didn’t like them anymore. As a result, I redid half the book while I was editing it.

    How do you think a poem helps?

    I don’t know whether a poem helps anyone else, but it definitely helps the person writing. So, I think a lot of times when you read something, something in it may or may not resonate with you, you know, because I think most of the people who write poems, it comes from a very passion-filled part of your soul. I think it comes from a space that is, that is having probably an outpouring about something that you’re listening to, something that’s going on in the world, something that has probably affected you, affected the people who are around you, a movie, a situation in life. I think, I think most poems are about life in different stages. And I feel, for me especially, when I meet people and if they have read my book, and some of them come up and tell me, ma’am, that piece was really nice, it really talked to me, I feel really wonderful about it. You know, there is an oneness that happens when you read poetry.
    There’s a feeling of, okay, I know that feeling, and I know that place, or I have felt like that before. And I think that’s very, that’s very satisfying.

    As a child when you read a poem, did it really affect you?

    At the time, it did not affect me. I have been reading poems since childhood and have even recited some on the stage. But I don’t remember being touched by it. But today when I read, it is different for me, because there is no compulsion to me because I’m reading it by choice.

    So today, when you read somebody else’s poem, what happens to you?

    Sometimes it touches me. At other times, I think of what the author was thinking when he was, or she was writing it. And sometimes, of course, it leaves you with nothing, because you probably are not yet open to receiving whatever the poem is trying to tell you.
    I think a poem is an art. It’s like looking at a painting. Some people get it, some people don’t. Some people wonder, what is that speck? Why is it so expensive? I could do that or I could have done that.

    You have also written a cook book. What is food to you?

    I think food is art for the person making it. I think food is art for somebody who understands it and for somebody who loves food. More than everything else, it is a binding force. I always feel that when every time I cook or I am doing something for my friends, nobody may be talking about the food, which is the least important, but there is a gathering that happens.

    Some people are enjoying it, some are laughing, others are talking to each other, who are having probably more or you must have this because I tasted it. You know, it does that. I think food brings people together and I think that is beautiful.

    Should everyone regardless of their gender know cooking?

    I think everyone should be able to fry an egg if they are non-vegetarian and everyone needs to be able to make something for themselves (not counting Maggie here), that they live on and not be dependent. My 19-year-old son has been cooking since he was four years old. He makes his food, which I don’t like very much. I want him to sit at the table and eat with everyone else.

    What is the kind of food you like to eat?

    At home, I have my parents living with me. So, there is one kind of food made for them. And then there are my teen kids who look at the food and are like, Ugh! What is that? And then there is me in the middle. So, I am constantly juggling between, Oh my God, why don’t you like that? That is so tasty and that’s good for your health and they look at me like, that’s old people’s food. But having said that, I love clean food. I am somebody who actually changed the way I look at food.
    I would say 70% of the time, what I love to eat is the kind of food that Ayurveda tells you to eat. Nice. You know? I have learned that, I would say I got changed in my head because I love doing a cleanse for myself once in a year. And I remember that when I first went to an Ayurveda place, I tasted the food and I was quite amazed at how simple it was and how beautiful it tasted. And that brought about a huge change in the way I cook.

    What’s your favourite dish?

    I am a pasta lover and I love a simple aglio olio pepperoncino. I also like dal chawal.

    So, how are you able to wear so many hats like an author, a chef and a mom?

    Easily. But I take that back. Being a mom is not easy. I think the most difficult thing I’ve done in my life is being a mom. Because it doesn’t, you don’t have a manual of what is right, what is wrong. You’re just winging it all the time. Sometimes you hit the jackpot, sometimes you’re absolutely wrong. When I’m absolutely wrong, I say sorry.

    This article by Shailaza Singh appeared in Rashtradoot Newspaper’s Arbit Section on 17 July 2024

  • Of Ragging and Other Mischiefs

    Once upon a time, in the land of Army existed a place called AFMC. It was a place full of cadavers, doctors, classes , jokes and a lot of FUN. The Armed Forces Medical College was not just a college, it was a way of life for thousands who have passed through its doors.

    I will make no bones about it- I am what they call an ‘army brat’. For as long as I remember I have been a part of this army life, thanks to my father who retired about a decade ago. I have listened to his adventures, escapades and pranks ever since I could understand them. He is a graduate from AFMC (Armed Forces Medical College), Pune and belongs to the ‘I’ batch (Right from the inception of the college, each batch of students has been given a letter of the alphabet to identify their year and seniority. So ‘A’ was the very first batch in 1966. After the 26 letters were over (that means 26 years), they started off with A1. So, far, 57 batches of doctors have graduated from this college).


    So, when Major Dr. Meeta Singh and her husband Ashok Singh organized the yearly event Jalsa 2024, I was only too happy to attend it because it meant listening and in a way reliving the naughty, spicy and interesting anecdotes of these army doctors.
    When I walked into the Stardom Resort, where Jalsa 2024 was being held, it was like walking back into time and meeting my own childhood. I could see my father’s friends, his classmates, his seniors and juniors, most of whom I knew from years of postings. Some of them had taken to singing on the stage while the others were busy sharing jokes and laughing. Then as was the custom in their college, there were some backbenchers too who were commenting quietly on everything that was going on and having their own party.


    My purpose was simple. All I wanted to do was know about the fun they had in their time in AFMC. Acing MBBS is not easy and then these were officers of the Indian army; which is known for its discipline and tough postings. But these people were experts in taking it all in their stride and making as the popular slogan goes in the army, ‘jungle mein mangal’.
    I walked to a group of men who were sitting in a corner and drinking beer. I asked them about their fondest memories of AFMC.

    Basi Menon, an anesthetist from G batch said, ‘I remember in 1969 I got chicken pox in the third year of AFMC, so I was under a lot of scrutiny and observation in the isolation ward. Some of the students even envied me and tried to hug me and get it too so that they wouldn’t have to give any exams but most of them were unsuccessful in getting the disease. One day, this friend of mine came in four days later with mumps. Another fellow classmate and his friend turned up in the ward after crashing his motor cycle while travelling from Mahabaleshwar to Pune. I was the unofficial mechanic for all the motor bikes in the college. All the damaged, broken bikes would come to me. So, even though I had chicken pox, I still had to go and pick up the bike because I was the only one who could repair it. Moreover, it is not like chicken pox is a very serious disease. It is just that people don’t like you because you are all full of pus and pustules. And they are terrified of you when you walk in somewhere. After a lot of whispered discussions in the medical ward, my friend who managed to get the chicken pox at the same time as me (by being very (physically) attached to me) decided I could go. Everyone in the ward knew what was going on but they didn’t say anything. So, I slipped out quietly. That evening, during the rollcall, the officer in charge came to see the four of us in the ward. My bed was occupied by the pillows which were completely covered by the quilt. When he tried to talk to me, the man next to me was the son of the Air Chief and he told the officer, ‘Sir, please don’t disturb him. He is so very exhausted and needs rest.’ The officer was convinced and told him to let him know if there was any problem and walked away. I stole back into the ward the next morning and quietly slipped into my bed.’


    It seems that even in the army, examination scared every one. Basi Menon says, ‘Ashish Mitra of G batch could do anything to avoid sitting for examinations. Poor thing, it was not his fault. He had accidently cleared the entrance examination since he had such a photographic memory. But he wasn’t a doctor material. He would have done really well in journalism or some similar field. He was petrified when the first semester exams were announced. He decided to get a fever by putting onions in his armpit for a day or two. He developed the fever and tried to get admitted into the ward. But most of the officers knew what the game was and saw through him. Later on he dropped out of AFMC and now he is an orthopaedic surgeon in the US.
    Ragging was a well known fact in AFMC. The ‘freshers’ as the first years were called were made to do all sorts of tasks by their seniors; most of them were fun and helped them to bond well with their peers. Admiral Sudeep Naidu recounts, ‘I managed to do everything wrong on my first day in AFMC! Chucked out of the house by a mother, paranoid about late running trains, I arrived 2 days before the last check in date, enjoying the undivided attention of the whole college, bar one portly character who had beaten me to it. I also managed to draw considerable attention to myself by driving up to the hostel office in an army jeep arranged through a friend of a friend by the same paranoid mother. Two suitcases, one trunk, one holdall and my pride and joy – A burgundy red BSA SLR with white sidewall tyres and handles bent down into Lance Armstrong territories.


    I got down from the jeep, surveyed the motley crowd standing at the warden’s office and asked where I should report. A guy with cut-off jeans and a banian with more ventilation than originally intended, sauntered up to me and speaking clipped English asked me who I was. I introduced myself with pride and by the time I was finished, he was well versed with my ancestry. By this time, I noticed that he also had a hairstyle reminiscent of the then ‘angry young man’ and had the mannerisms, down to the sulky look and baritone drawl. I enquired as to who, he was, and was informed that he was a waiter in something called B Mess. My impression of the college straight away zoomed! Waiters speaking English and looking like Amitabh Bachhan! I had also arrived from Hyderabad wearing what I thought was the epitome of fashion – brown trousers with flares at the bottom – bell-bottoms! (Apparently, the new fashion of narrow trousers had not yet reached Hyderabad) Not only was I was soon rushing to the tailor near the cycle shop for alterations, but also, sitting with a blade ripping of back pocket labels like Playboy, Newman, and Dragon etc, from my trousers.
    I met another fresher who had already been initiated into all the nuances of behaving as a penguin and was soon educating me. In fact he was teaching me what “third button” was, when some seniors saw us and presuming that a fresher was ragging another fresher, subjected him to a lot of sit-ups and push-ups ! We were then duly marched off to 4Top, where we had been granted an audience with a character who was casually doing pull –ups while hanging from the top floor balcony – on the outside! I politely declined when he offered to teach me how to overcome the fear of heights and instead took the option of going in for the zero cut. This character also insisted that I retain one side of what he called “fungus” on the upper lip and this strange look acted as an incentive for other seniors to have me front roll and visit exotic hill stations in each room. Thankfully, after a round of Shimla, Mt Abu and Darjeeling we reached the at the warden’s office and I was allotted 5 Top 4. The dean had briefed the various sports options available to the new candidates and I was soon on the track, racing against a P batcher for a place in the relay team. The sports guys looked out for us freshers and there was a dictum that the sports field was exempt from any type of ragging.’

                                                          ..To be continued

    This article by Shailaza Singh appeared in Rashtradoot Newspaper’s Arbit Section on May 7, 2024

  • THE KING OF ROMANTIC WRITING

    Durjoy Datta has ruled the world of romantic novels since 2008. All his books have been bestsellers in the teen world. This engineer turned writer is now also writing for movies and serials.


    Judging by the crowds of youngsters following him at the recently concluded Jaipur Literature Festival, if Shah Rukh Khan is the king of romance in movies, Durjoy Datta can be called the king of romance in novels. Since 2008, with his first book ‘Of course I Love You Till I Find Someone Better’ he has been ruling the hearts of millions of teenage readers, especially girls.
    An engineer by education, Durjoy tasted success at the age of 21 while in the final year of his college. Slowly as each of his books started topping the bestseller lists, he decided to turn into a full-time writer with a specialization in romance. On reading his books, one would expect the author to be the traditional chocolate faced hero, however Durjoy Datta is quite different from the common perceptions. He is soft-spoken guy who believes that romance is the only pond he’d like to circle.
    Some excerpts from the tete-e-tat:

    Shailaza Singh in conversation with Durjoy Datta . To watch visit https://youtu.be/h-DJ8jcLJ8Q

    From the time you published your first book in 2008 to today, how have you evolved as a writer?


    I think at that time, I was a teenager and had a different perspective on romance. After my first book was declared a best seller, writing became a means to earn money. But over the years, I have started enjoying writing and the kind of freedom I get with it. Hence, I would like to safeguard my career as a writer.


    Why do you only like writing romance? Why don’t you experiment with other genres like fantasy or mystery etc?


    To be honest, earlier romance used to be the main theme in my novel but now it has become incidental. I have also written mystery novels, but my books are still sold as romance novels since my strong point is romance. I know what the limit to my talent is. For me, it is the easiest to make the characters fall in love with each other. Even in television shows, you can do it for 6-7 seasons. In India, you cannot write fantasy unless it is backed by some mythology. I am just waiting that someone sets a precedent and I will hang on to it and write my own fantasy novel.


    From a college boy to a married man and now a father. How has your writing changed with the changes in your life?
    I think now I cannot write about teenage romances or young romances the way I used to. I am 37 years old. I can only write what I feel strongly about otherwise it will look artificial and put on. When I am writing a book, I look forward to constructing a good story. All of my earlier writing was touch and feel-I just wanted to know what the characters feel like. Now they are more in-depth. In my book, The Boy who Loved which was published in 2017, the story of the boy was set in 1999. So for the story, I had to travel back to 1999 and remember how I was in that time. My latest novel When I Am With You is about a single mother who is also an entrepreneur and is dealing with a new relationship as well.


    So, what kind of a person were you in 1999? How has the world changed from then to now?
    Frankly speaking in 1999, I was just 12 years old. At that age, I was really intimidated by women. In those days, even if you had a crush on someone, you couldn’t talk to them or express your feelings . But today, the society has shifted. Earlier it was all cloaks and daggers but now we can have open conversations about most things. Now people can express themselves. I remember in those days, there were two different worlds of girls and guys where each had their own groups. They had clandestine messages which if discovered by the elders could wreak havoc. Now the barriers have broken down even in the interiors to a large extent.


    As a person who specializes in romance, you must have read a lot of romantic books in your young years?
    Actually, not at all! In my childhood, most of my reading has been dictated by my parents. Book reading was compulsory at bed time and no romance was allowed. I used to read Enid Blyton, John Grisham, Stephen King. After a while, ,my parents tried to introduce me to Salman Rushdie’s work. Initially I didn’t understand what he was talking about but then after a while I could relate to the books. In fact, I did not even know romance as a genre. Most of my introduction to romance has been while writing for television where you can create two extremely likeable characters and then make them fall in love and continue for the next 1200 episodes.
    People say with the social media and Kindle, paper books are not going to be around for long. What are your thoughts?
    I remember hearing about it in 2008. People used to say that with the introduction of tablets and smart phones, books won’t last for long but now it is 2023 and books are still here!
    Are you on social media? Has social media taken over books?
    Earlier I was on social media and when I used to get into my Instagram account, I used to spend hours swiping. I used to think that if I am doing this, my readers would also be doing this. But lately I have started noticing that many people have dumped Instagram and have started reading books. I really got hooked on to the social media when I became a parent. Parenthood is extremely boring- at least for the first few years. So, Instagram helps you to reconnect with your child in a different way. For example, when I see my daughter doing something cute, I record it and post it. When people find it cute and like it, I go back and look at that 15 second clip to see what is cute in it. This way I use my followers as a dopamine fix. But then this used to take over my life because I used to then think about what should be the next video to maintain the same likes. So, I pulled back. Now I am on social media just to sell my books.
    What is the difference between writing for television and writing novels?
    The difference between writing for television and a novel is a lot. Writing a book is a solitary exercise. There isn’t much money unless your book becomes a best seller. But in case of television, the money is huge and the feedback of the writing is almost instantaneous. For example, if I publish a book today, the feedback will come after six months but in case of an episode, the feedback comes the very next day through the TRPS. That allows the writer to change his ploy if the TRPs aren’t good or the audience isn’t enjoying the story.


    So, how much does TRP impact writing for television?
    Actually TRP ratings are the life blood of television. The fact is that on television, a show cannot survive if it does not have high drama. Trends also dictate the show. For example, five years ago, there was this huge trend of getting animals on the show, so everyone followed that. Every show that you see on television starts with a very noble thought. They have a social issue they want to tackle through a story. But eventually every one has put on so much of money, that they try to get as much traction as possible.
    I remember Kuch Rang Pyar Ke Aise Bhi was perhaps one of the only shows in the history of television that went for so long because everyone involved in that show believed in that show. The interesting thing is that though it did not have the usual saas bahu drama or those stories of reincarnation etc and it was a very progressive show, it still did not get good TRPs. Despite that the producers, the writers and the creators kept giving the show time so that people could see its value. And people saw its value. It is one of the highest watched shows on YouTube. A lot of people go back and watch the show. But it did not get the traditional TRPs.
    Do you think this kind of TRP governed shows are impacting our society?
    Of course, there are conversations about this everywhere. For example, on social media a lot of people talk about toxic boyfriends but toxic husbands have been a theme on television for like years. Now its like a self-fulfilling prophecy. You don’t want to show such a thing but when you show it, your show works and attracts TRPs. That really impacts me since I am so emotionally invested as a writer. Here book writing is way better because by the time the book comes out and actually makes an impact in a year or two, you are a very different person. Also, once the book is read and the reaction comes, I cannot change the book as per the feedback by the readers.
    Do you doubt yourself at times?
    There are times when I am afflicted with crippling self-doubt because honestly I had not expected that my first book would be published and would become a best seller. You see the difference between the kind of books I read and write is huge. I got published at 21 when I was reading books that were leagues and leagues ahead of my book. Then when people say that they have read and liked my books, I start wondering if they have read the really ‘good’ books.
    Had you not tasted success in such a young age, would you have continued writing?
    I have would have continued writing in some form or the other. Before I started writing books, I had a very successful blog. Lot of my blogger friends advised me to write. Had the book not worked, I would have continued writing and would have found another way of leveraging my writing.

    This article by Shailaza Singh appeared in Rashtradoot Newspaper’s Arbit Section on February 21st, 2023. You can also check out the video of the interview on https://youtu.be/h-DJ8jcLJ8Q

  • A Doctor With His Eyes Wide Open

    It is often said that when a student is ready, the teacher appears and when he is truly ready, the teacher disappears. Dr. Pavan Shorey’s life has been a roller coaster of a myriad of emotions which he has learned to deal with. He believes meeting his guru helped him to gain a new lease of life.

    Dr. Pavan Shorey

    The well-known author Louise Hay says that the professions that we choose are more than our bread and butter. They also represent and help us to find our purpose in our lives. Dr. Pavan Shorey, who is actually a poet and a writer at heart, chose to become an ophthalmologist, a doctor of the eyes. He has helped millions to see the world but little did he know that finding a guru would also help him to see the world with new eyes.

    ‘In our initial meetings, my guru told me that though the tragedy has happened but life has to go on. He told me to wait for time to heal me and in the meanwhile do my karma of looking after my parents and my son. He wasn’t one of those saffron clad gurus with ashrams. In fact, he was a householder. He never asked his followers for any money or any materialistic thing. In fact that is one mark of a true guru. He will never ask you for any money or anything materialistic. Every evening we would meet in his house in Jaipur. There were 10-15 of us who were regular attendees. He had a lot of followers in different countries too. We would start our sessions with a meditation. After that, there were discourses which were mostly about the questions that his disciples asked. In the end of the session, we would recite the Hanuman Chalisa.’

    The Valley of Flowers

    So, what made him write ‘Conversations on a Park Bench’ and ‘The Mountain Deer’?

    ‘I was associated with my guru for about ten to fifteen years. He had helped me to overcome my grief and see the world in a different way. Though he passed away in 2018, even when he was around, I always wondered why can’t there be a book with his teachings in it? When I sat down to write ‘Conversations on a Park Bench’, in 2012, I had initially thought of writing about a lady who is groped by her boss and experiences vishadh and wonders about the purpose of her entire existence. But then, I thought of taking my story and fictionalizing it.’

    How long did it take for him to write the two books? ‘I finished ‘Conversations on a Park Bench’ within a year. My friend Nihal was incredulous when I told him that I had written the book in a year. According to him, a book takes years of research and writing. However, I took four years to write my second book ‘The Mountain Deer’.

    But why didn’t he think of writing an autobiography? ‘I don’t believe that I am that important. I had read somewhere that the great author Khushwant Singh had once told Amrita Pritam that the story of her life was so inconsequential and tiny that it could be written on the back of a revenue stamp. I too am of the same opinion. Moreover, I believe when you write fiction, you have the liberty to create conflict to keep the narrative flowing. A personal story is quite boring because you just keep listing your achievements and failures.’

    So, are there some instances in the book where fiction meets real life? ‘Yes, in fact many. But there is one incident that I can never forget. In my book ‘Conversations on a Park Bench’, there is a chapter titled ‘Who Am I’ where the protagonist Vivek is going to a meeting with his colleague Prashant. He waits for him in the parking lot of the building where he sees the watchman sitting with his wife. Their small daughter (who is toddler) is playing nearby. Prashant comes down and they get into the car. Just then, Prashant’s phone rings and he starts reversing the car while talking on the phone. As he backs the car, they hear a thump sound. They get out of the car to find that the watchman’s small daughter has been crushed under the car. Vivek is shaken by the incident but he sees that his friend is so materialistic that he has no qualms about what he has done. He strikes a deal with the watchman and the doctor who was in charge of the case and wriggles out of the situation by paying both of them some money. When the watchman protests, he tells him that the child was a girl and had she lived he would have had to pay a lot of money for dowry and her marriage. So, this amount is good enough for him. Later he boosts to Vivek about how he used his ‘marketing skills’ to get out of the situation. Vivek feels revulsed and it is then that he questions himself about his life and who he really is. This chapter was based on a real incident. There was a man who brought the body of a small child to the hospital and I could see that the poor mother of the child sitting and crying helplessly. My friend got out of the situation by giving her a mere 30,000 rupees. Tears came into my eyes when I saw the plight of this couple and I was revulsed and repulsed by the whole thing. How can someone be so callous and cruel?’

    ‘There is another incident in the book that has been inspired from real life. In the book, after his wife Radhika’s death, Vivek’s father-in-law asks him to return the flat which was a wedding gift to the couple. Vivek feels bad but his guru advises him to become detached with such materialistic things and return the flat. This again happened with a friend of mine. When his wife died leaving behind his infant son, his in-laws took away the baby on the pretext that he will not be able to take care of the baby. They held the baby to ransom and demanded his wife’s provident fund money, jewellery, car etc. My friend was distraught and asked Guruji for advice. Guruji promptly asked him to return everything and get his son back.’

    In both his books, death has been the turning point in the story. Being a doctor, how does death affect him?
    ‘As a result of years of medical training, doctors develop a clinical detachment from death. Though in my speciality deaths are quite unheard of, yet I too have developed a detachment from death. This is not taught; it is just something that is passed on from seniors to juniors. But then, years of studying spirituality have also taught me that even when the body dies, there is something that remains alive. I remember an incident that I have also mentioned in my book where I had gone to meet a friend’s wife in the hospital. She had 80 percent burns as a result of a gas cylinder that had burst in her home. In such a scenario there are almost nil chances of survival and the doctors cannot do anything except give palliative pain killers to the patient. When I entered the room, she was lying in covered frame. She asked me who I was and when I said it was me, Pavan, she recognised me. It was then I realized that though the body had almost gone, there was something in her that was still recognizing and responding to me. She passed away after a couple of days.’

    From a bystander’s point of view, Dr. Shorey’s life has been quite a journey. So, doesn’t he feel lonely? ‘No, I don’t. I have my practice where I see my patients. My son who is 37 years old is married and we keep meeting every now and then. I spend a lot of time with my friend Nihal and his family. Apart from this, I regularly go on treks to the mountains. I have trekked to the Valley of Flowers, the Great Lakes of Kashmir and many other such places. When I am at home, I like to spend time gardening. I love to see my flowers grow and bloom. I like reading and listening to the works of Meena Kumari, Sahir Ludhianvi, Neeraj and many other famous poets. I love the bhajans of Mira Bai. But my all-time inspiration remains Robert Frost. I also keep writing new stories and poems. In fact, I have recently written a new poem that talks about my life at 60 something.’

    I am still a young 60 something

    I used to walk a kilometre in 10 minutes,
    Now I do it in fifteen.
    I get a little breathless, a little tired,
    But I am still fit like a teen.
    I am still a young 60 something.

    I get a muscle pull in my bums,
    Or a sharp pain in the back.
    Docs say it is aging,
    I say I am fit to lift a wheat sack.
    I am still a young 60 something.

    I get up from the bed,
    The whole world reels around me.
    My friends say cervical spondylosis,
    But I can easily bend over backwards for all to see.
    I am still a young 60 something.

    I get up twice at night to pee.
    My friends say it is prostate,
    I have too many fluids at night,
    Guys, you have this negative trait.
    I am still a young 60 something.

    I see a beautiful woman,
    My heart skips a beat.
    Where the mind goes, the body doesn’t follow,
    All fantasies take a retreat.
    I am an old 60 something.

    Please join us on the 15th of January, 4 p.m. for an exclusive interaction with Dr. Pavan Shorey where he will be talking about his books, trekking, life and much more at Sudharma, Chameliwala Market, Opposite GPO, MI Road, Jaipur.

    This article by Shailaza Singh appeared in Rashtradoot Newspaper’s Arbit Section on 15 January 2023.

  • From the eyes of a Poet Doctor

    Dr. Pavan Shorey

    ‘And they lived happily ever after!’ This phrase has perhaps been a part of ninety five percent of the fairy tales, movies, stories that we may have read during our lifetimes (except for those who have a penchant for tragic endings). Most of them are simple stories – A boy and a girl meet, they fall in love, they get married, have children and they live happily ever after. What if it’s not happily ever after? What if one of them passes away? What does the other do then? Can someone still lead a happy life without your better half? How does one deal with such a loss?

    A couple of weeks ago, in a strange reading binge (these days watching binges are more common) I read two books by the same author- Dr. Pavan Shorey.


    His first book ‘Conversation on a Park Bench’ narrates a story about a 28 year old man Vivek Sharma, who loses his wife Radhika in a car accident. In one moment, they were happily speeding at the speed of 100 km per hour on the Jaipur Delhi highway when a truck coming from the wrong side hit them and changed Vivek’s life forever. In the aftermath of the accident and Radhika’s death, Vivek is constantly plagued with guilt and depression when he meets Dr. Madhav who helps him to conquer his grief and gain a deeper insight into life through insightful conversations. The book is peppered with conversations which weave in stories about human existence.

    Conversations on a Park Bench
    The Mountain Deer


    His other book is titled ‘The Mountain Deer’ which is contemporary retelling of Katha Upanishad, an ancient Indian scripture which narrates the conversation between Nachiketa and Yama, the God of death. In the Mountain Deer, a young man Sarvagya ‘Shelly’ Pant, a resident of Mumbai starts questioning the very meaning of life when his grandmother breathes her last in his arms. When he has a heated argument with his father, the latter banishes him to his hometown in the Himalayas. The book takes the reader into Shelly’s tryst with the truth as he starts questioning his very existence and embarks on a very interesting spiritual journey.
    Naturally, when one reads such books (which have no picture of the author), one inadvertently creates the author’s image in the mind. In our first meeting, I was almost expecting to see a saffron clad monk-like, serious, solemn man who would start talking about purpose of life the moment we would meet. However, the person I met was casually dressed in jeans and T-shirt with a chilled-out vibe. His friend Nihal Mathur describes him as a doctor with a heart of a poet. So, I was prepared to hear some serious poems on the trials and tribulations of life when he recited a poem on a completely unexpected theme-


    The Bespectacled Girl

    Your spectacles
    You set aside
    For they imprison your eyes
    Your eyes, they seek release from the glassy cage
    You have so fashionably put

    Your eyes
    So distant
    So remote
    I seek warmth and mischief in them

    For your eyes stripped off your spectacles
    Will open windows to your heart.

    He was quite candid. “In medical college, I had developed a huge crush on this senior student who used to wear spectacles. I wrote this poem for her but never shared it with her.’
    So, does he write poems often? ‘Oh, yes! I have been writing poems from eighth class. I had written another poem which talked about the plight of the migrant labourers during the pandemic.

    A Migrant’s Song

    I drag myself up from a bed of stones
    My legs stiff as Bamboo poles
    l have many a hundred miles to walk
    Will I make it to my home, my goal
    Sab kuch hai Ram Bharose!

    l am a 10th fail, only job i got was of a labourer
    Half my wage I sent to my family
    l slept in a Juggi, six persons to a room
    There were times I had to sleep hungry
    Sab kuch hai Ram Bharose!

    I have no work, the factory is closed
    Hunger will kill us before the virus can
    I sold my phone for two thousand rupees
    I save it for a bus ride, if I am lucky to find one
    Sub kuch hai Ram Bharose!

    On the way, some are runover by trucks
    Some are crushed by trains
    We were abandoned like orphans
    It is not in our right to cry out in pain
    Sab kuch hai Ram Bharose!

    I bandage the foot blisters with rags
    I curse myself, I curse my low birth
    We do not matter, we do not matter
    A helpless rage in me, we the scum of the earth
    Sab kuch hai Ram Bharose!

    The sun is up in the sky, I settle down to sleep
    I drift into a dream, wind whistling past my ears
    I am on a motorcycle with my wife and son
    I am so happy, I never was in years
    But dreams dont last, I wake up and trudge on
    The never ending road ahead of me
    Sab kuch hai Ram Bharose!
    Sab kuch hai Ram Bharose!

    An alumnus of St. Xavier’s School, Jaipur, Dr. Shorey believes that the Fathers of the school helped him to discover his love for poems and stories and hone his talent.

    “I loved reading authors like Dostoevsky and Solzhenitsyn. I had a strange hunger to delve int the English vocabulary and a penchant for selecting long and difficult words like ‘dilatant’ from the English dictionary and incorporating them in my writings. Once there was this essay competition in the school. Father Mayer came to announce the results and he said that the winning essay was almost like a ‘mud cake with stars’. My classmates thought that he was talking about one of their essays and when he inquired about the writer, they tried claiming it as their own. It was then that he remarked that the person who has written the essay is completely oblivious of the fact that it was his essay that was being discussed. Suddenly, it dawned on me that it was my essay he was talking about and I stood up and he appreciated my work. In fact, Father Mayer and Father Strauss were some of the first people who appreciated my writings which gave me a lot of impetus. My friend and classmate Nihal too was instrumental in enhancing my English because he used to get me books written by Dostoevsky even when I was in medical college.’

    Did his parents encourage his literary talent? ‘My father was an army officer. He never read my writings. In fact, my mother loved Hindi Literature, so I developed a liking for Hindi because of my mother.’

    So, how did such a literary aficionado end up becoming a doctor? ‘I actually loved English Literature. I loved writing stories and reading books. But I am the only son to my parents and I have four sisters. So, it was expected that I would take up a job. So, I decided to pursue medicine.’

    Dr. Shorey with his wife Sunita and son Aviral

    Though his family is originally from Himachal Pradesh, Dr. Shorey resides in Jaipur and is a practicing ophthalmologist who specializes in retina. He completed his MBBS from SMS Medical College after which he became a resident at Lady Harding Medical College in New Delhi. It was there he met the love of his life, Sunita, who an anaesthetist from Pondicherry. The couple decided to get married and were soon blessed with a baby boy Aviral. However, their happiness did not last for long as Sunita was diagnosed with lung cancer which was in its last stage.

    ‘Lung cancer is a very tricky disease and often gets misdiagnosed. In fact, when we finally came to know it was lung cancer, within a week she got a stroke.’

    Soon she passed away and life was never the same for Pavan and his son.

    He says, ‘When this kind of a tragedy happens in your life, you have the time to reflect on what has happened and why it has happened. I experienced something called ‘vishadh’ at that time. It is similar to what has been described in Bhagvad Gita’s first chapter where Arjun first sets foot on the battlefield and feels depressed when he realizes that he has to fight his own kith and kin. I was merely 37 years old at the time. My parents moved in to take care of my son. Even though I threw myself into work, I couldn’t understand what has happened. The persistent questions were ‘why me? Or ‘What have I done to deserve this? When Nihal realized my state of mind, he called me to Jaipur for the weekend and that’s how I started coming back every weekend to meet him and my other friends.’

    But the questions still remained and so did the quest for the answers. ‘I didn’t understand what had happened to me and was constantly questioning my life, my existence and the purpose of my living. When I was working in Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital in Delhi, I was in touch with another doctor was in touch who I knew had lost his wife. He advised me to meet his guru Mr. Ojaswi Sharma, a law professor who lived in Jaipur at that time.’

    So, did he believe that a guru would help him to ease his plight? Was he actively searching for a guru? Dr. Shorey believes that you cannot find a guru by searching for him. He is simply revealed to you at the right time. But though he believed in God, he did not believe in this philosophy. Yet, on the behest of this doctor, he decided to meet this person and attend his sessions.’

    Did the meetings help? ‘Although I found his sermons and sessions to be very different from the usual preachings of most gurus, I was still sceptical about accepting him as a guru. He being a realized soul noticed my reluctance and told me I was holding myself back. He told me to let go. Yet, I felt that I did not need a guru. But one day it so happened that my son Aviral, who was studying in Central School in Delhi at the time did not return in his bus at the usual time. I set out in my car and was madly searching for him. When I couldn’t find him and nothing was working, I prayed to Mr. Ojaswi Sharma. After a minute, I saw my son standing right in front of me. It could have been a coincidence but I took it as a sign that he was indeed the guru who would help me to find all the answers that I was looking for.’

    To be continued….

    Please join us on the 15th of January, 4 p.m. for an exclusive interaction with Dr. Pavan Shorey where he will be talking about his books, trekking, life and much more at Sudharma, Chameliwala Market, Opposite GPO, MI Road, Jaipur.

    This article by Shailaza Singh appeared in Rashtradoot Newspaper’s Arbit Section on 14 January 2023

  • It is all about Khusrau!

    He lives Khusrau, he breathes Khusrau; so much so that he even dreams of Amir Khusrau, an Indian poet and a Sufi mystic who lived in the 13th century. For Pradeep Sharma ‘Khusrau’, the Sufi mystic has reached out to him beyond time and helped him to discover his calling.

    A man possessed
    I had only read stories like Laila-Majnu or Heer-Ranjha where people gave up their entire lives for the object of their affection. I had seen movies like Darr, where Shah Rukh Khan’s character does not stop at anything to gain the affection of the girl he is madly in love with. However, I could never imagine these stories in real life because after all, most of us are quite practical, worldly wise people who understand that we all need to work for a living. However, a meeting with Pradeep Sharma ‘Khusrau’ changed it all. He is ridiculed by his relatives but respected by many in the world. He may not be rich but his self-created ‘property’ is probably worth millions in the international market. Pradeep Sharma ‘Khusrau’ is not your ordinary collector; he is man in love with Amir Khusrau. For him, his day starts and ends with Khusrau.


    Reprogrammed
    A graduate in fine arts and a cartoonist, his tryst with Khusrau began when he happened to listen to a gramophone record titled, ‘The Multifaced Genius of Amir Khusrau Dehalvi’. As a result, he started developing interest in Khusrau and his works. However, he was diagnosed with neuro psychosis in 2006.
    Says Pradeep, “I was afflicted with neuro psychosis, a disease which has no cure in medical science. Till about 2010, I was bedridden and could not go anywhere. The doctors had no clue why I was afflicted with this disease. However, they had prescribed a lot of medicines which I had to take every day for the rest of my life. According to them, if I didn’t take these medicines, the next option would be a mental asylum. I used to either sleep for 20 hours in a day or be awake for days at a time. I lived on sleeping pills too. I was quite depressed that my life had taken such an unexpected turn. During this period, my father consulted an astrologer who said that I would be bed ridden for the rest of my life. For me, this was the most depressing period of my life.”


    The Magic in Dreams
    Pradeep had almost given up hope of leading a normal life again. He started getting bizarre dreams where he met a strange old man with a beard. Sometimes, he would be accompanied with another old man.
    He says, “In 2009, I started getting strange dreams during my sleep. I used to dream of sitting and crying in a deserted place with old monuments. In these dreams, an old man with a white beard used to talk to me. I kept getting these dreams repeatedly. The old man used to talk to me in English. He would always assure me that my current problems would soon be over. He said that medical science had no answer to my disease but he could cure my disease. When I asked him why was I facing such problems, I was told that these problems were as a result of my past deeds and this was a self-purification period. He said that my suffering will come to an end but I had to throw all the medicines given by the doctor because these medicines were making me dull. However, when I talked to my mother and doctor about this, they dismissed it as a bad dream and did not let me throw away the medicines.”
    Pathar Wale Baba
    “In 2010, I had visited the shrine of Hazrat Nizamuddin with a friend. I met a semi-nude fakir who was called Pathar wale baba, who rarely is seen by any visitors. He gave me a bottle with water and told me that to drink this water any time I felt depressed or sad. He told me that as I finish the water in the bottle, I will also be cured. The old man in my dream also advised me to drink the water.”
    Persisting Dreams
    We seldom remember our dreams when we wake up. For most of us, dreams are nothing but vague images and impressions that make no sense in the real world. However, for Pradeep, dreams became his guide. When he could not throw the medicines for the fear of his family and doctors, he dreamt about the old man again.
    “After about three months after I had the first dream, the old man visited me again. This time he did not have a beard. He admonished me and asked me if I really wanted to get well. He told me the doctors had no idea of what they were doing and asked me to throw the medicines. I ultimately threw the medicines but could not sleep for the fear of turning mad without them! However, I slept that night and got up at 11 am. My father who believed that I was merely using the illness to avoid work was quite upset about this. However, my mother was convinced of my problem because she knew the kind of medicines the doctors had prescribed. Soon, I started feeling well again. I no longer felt dizzy or scared again.
    Dream on
    However, this was not the end of these dreams. He kept getting dreams where he was instructed about everything.
    Pradeep says, “The dreams continued to guide me. In my dreams, the old man used to give me detailed instructions about whom to meet, where to go etc. I used to get up in the morning and write down all the details. Based on these dreams, I made a project report. When I shared this project report with professors and other senior people they were taken aback! They thought that this report was a work of some great professor. They could not believe that I made it! According to them, it was impossible for a common man who had not studied or learnt about Amir Khusrau in detail. I still get those dreams and receive instructions on what to do or how to proceed.”
    Family Matters
    As a result of his dedication to his passion, Pradeep had to face the ire of his family members. They felt that he was simply wasting his time on this frivolous pursuit on Khusrau and not earning any money.
    In Pradeep’s words, “My parents aren’t very encouraging when it comes to my passion. My father threw me out of the house twice. However, I came back. He felt that my passion towards Amir Khusrau was nothing but madness and it was not letting me concentrate on building a good career. But during that time, I was in a state where I could not understand what my parents were trying to tell me. I was totally oblivious to their admonitions and was only focussed on Amir Khusrau.”
    “I was married twice. The first time, I got married to a lady who demanded 10 lakhs within 2 months of being married. When I refused, she filed a dowry and domestic violence case. Ultimately, I had to shell out around 3 lakhs rupees to get out of it. The interesting thing is that I or my parents hadn’t asked her for anything yet I feel she was a woman who made a living by marrying unsuspecting guys and then using the dowry law to extract money. I didn’t want to marry the second time but my parents pressured me into it. However, this marriage also did not work as a result of fights between my parents and wife and my financial problems. I have a son who stays with my wife. We are separated for the last 2.5 years.”
    “Even today, my relatives, my cousins keep calling me and tell me that I am ruining my life. I believe no one has the right to judge anyone. They are not feeding me or fuelling my passion in anyway. I don’t listen to them. I believe whoever has become great in the world was first ridiculed for his passion. I love Khusrau and that is what my purpose of life is.”
    Happy days
    For most of his life, Pradeep Sharma Khusrau has spent money on acquiring works of Khusrau from various parts of the world and faced backlash from his family. However, there was a time, he was paid for working and researching on Khusrau. He says that was the most beautiful period of his life because he was getting money to follow his heart.
    “In 2012, I received a phone call from Hazrat Nizamuddin from a gentleman called Farid Ahmad Nizami. Everyone at the Dargah knows me as Pradeep Sharma Khusrau. The gentleman told me that the Aga Khan Foundation in Delhi is looking for someone to help them in their research on Amir Khusrau. At that time, I was working as a drawing teacher in a school with a salary of 20,000 INR. The next day, I attended an iftar party with some of my friends. I was talking about Khusrau in a group, when I was approached by a gentleman from Agha Khan foundation who said that they had been looking for me after they got to know about my passion and expertise on Khusrau. He told me that they couldn’t find anyone though they had approached well known professors and experts and even given advertisements in newspapers. He said that though the people who came were qualified but none of them had the relevant expertise when it came to Khusrau. He asked me to come to his office the next morning. I was interviewed by a panel of 5 people who asked me about 50 questions on Khusrau. They were so impressed with my answers that they immediately gave me an appointment letter as a researcher on Amir Khusrau.”
    “However, I told them that I was working as an art teacher and needed to serve the notice period. I talked to the principal who did not agree to relieve me. When I shared my predicament with the people at Agha Khan foundation, they offered a part time arrangement. So, I used to get up at 5 am, go to the school to teach. At 2 pm I used to go to the foundation and work there till 8 or 9 pm. The project became bigger and finally I was asked to join full time. I explained my problem to the principal and I was relieved after my notice period. Then I joined the Aga Khan foundation at a salary of 70,000 INR. Initially the project was for two years. However, they liked my work so much that they asked me to work with them for two more years. These four years were almost like a golden era for me. I travelled to 22 states in search of Khusrau, organized concerts, programs, symposiums and seminars. I was immersed in Amir Khusrau day in and day out. My folks also did not trouble me because they were happy with the money coming in. After four years, I was given another year-long project on Mirza Ghalib and Abdul Rahim Khan-i-Khanan.”
    Office Politics
    Pradeep’s golden days were soon riddled with office politics and colleagues who resented his success.
    He says, “Soon people started resenting me for my knowledge and work, I had a tiff with my senior who wanted me to take the short route for everything. I couldn’t do that because Khusrau was a passion and I wanted to do everything properly. So, she started sending negative reports about me. As a result, I was asked to leave. So, I worked till 2018 and since then I worked in two schools and today, I am unemployed. However, I am still working on spreading Khusrau’s work and words.”

    • This article was published in Rashtradoot Newspaper’s Arbit section on 12 June 2021

    …To be continued…

    By Shailaza Singh

  • Net Time- Virtually Yours

    Most people would like to find their love online these days. They love the sense of adventure, thrill that comes with it. There are millions of options available no doubt. However, the net also has an abundance of scammers who are just waiting to ensnare those besotted with love!

    One goes, others come- Bus, Train and Chats!

    Sunita, 39 was quite upset. Her online friend had not been talking to her for an entire week now. They had been friends for over two months. He did not answer her calls and just sent a cryptic message saying, ‘will talk later’. One day, her friend Mansi came to meet her. ‘Why are you so upset?’ she asked. Sunita told her the issue. Mansi nonchalantly said, ‘he must have found someone more loaded. After all, its an investment of time!’

    Sunita revealed that her online friend had asked her for her photographs which she refused to give. Since then, he had become distant and kept saying that she did not trust him enough. Mansi nodded, ‘yes, he wanted to have a little bit of ‘fun’. When he could not get it from you, he decided to try his luck elsewhere. Remember, in real life or net, when one goes, other comes whether bus or train or even a chat friend.’

    Options Galore

    Dr. Anamika Papriwal, a psychologist says, ‘When one goes on apps like Tinder or TrulyMadly or Aisle, they are given an impression that there are plenty of options to choose from. It is like being in the biggest supermarket of the world where you have millions of options to choose from. So, you will always keep wondering if there is anything better than the one you currently have or if you don’t get the desired features from that product, you will have no qualms about leaving it and trying for the next best option. As a result, the relationships online are hardly long lasting unless you disconnect from the app once you have found the person you were looking for.’

    Need based transactions

    When Arunima 41, decided to come to India for two months, she knew she would be lonely without her husband and daughter. She comes here regularly to take care of her business and stays for months at a time. She says, ‘Every time I come here, I start scoring for people who are looking for a casual, no strings attached fling. After all, why should boys have all the fun? I have a family back home and I am not looking for any kind of melodrama or complications or monetary problems. There are many who are looking for the same thing and we get together. Once the two months are over, we bid adieu and promise to never be in touch again. So far this arrangement has worked for me quite well.’

    Kaveri Banerjee a psychologist based in Delhi says, ‘Online relationships are nothing but simple transactions that are a matter of convenience for most people. They are mostly need based and not based on emotions or long term. When the need is met, the people go their own separate ways.’

    Agrees Govind, 35, ‘I am a single guy who is not looking for long term. When I meet a girl online, I want to meet her immediately so that I can evaluate if we are a good fit. If she delays the meeting or does not want to meet before knowing me and chatting with me, I tell her that I don’t have either the time or the patience for such conversations.’

    Honey! I want your money

    Vihaan was 50-year-old widower, settled in Chandigarh. His sons and daughters were married and were living in different parts of the country and the world. Vihaan stayed alone in his house with his servants. One of his friends advised him to logon to Tinder, an app for single men and women. Vihaan liked the idea because he could look at prospective matches from the comfort of his house. He chanced upon Aparna, a single mother working in a not-for-profit organization (NGO). She was a 45-year-old divorcee who had a college going son. They instantly hit off and Aparna even introduced Vihaan to her son Nikhil.

    They talked for long hours on end on audio and video calls and Aparna told him how she had single-handedly raised Nikhil after her husband walked away with another woman. Vihaan felt he had met a kindred soul in Aparna. He talked to his friends and they advised him to go and meet his dream girl. Aparna readily agreed to the idea. Vihaan had booked his tickets for the following week. Before the day he was to travel to meet her, Vihaan got a call from Aparna at about 1 a.m. She told him that Nikhil had met with a serious accident and was in the ICU. He had lost a lot of blood and the doctors would not operate until she deposited 2 lakh rupees. She said she did not have that kind of cash and asked him to help. Vihaan asked her for her account number and promptly transferred 2 lakh rupees. After about five minutes, he received a ‘thanks’ on WhatsApp from her number. He tried calling but now her number is always switched off.

    Sonakshi was a 44-year-old single lady living with her parents in Hyderabad. She was a very successful entrepreneur who had been too busy for marriage during her youth. Now, she felt the need to share her life with someone. Her friends advised her to download a dating app. Soon, she got connected to Raghu, a businessman who was based in New York, USA. Raghu was an issueless divorcee who was looking for his soulmate. He was a great conversationalist and Sonakshi discovered that they could talk for hours on end about every topic in the world. After about two months, Raghu told Sonakshi that he will be coming to meet her. He wanted to marry her and take her back with him. Sonakshi’s joy knew no bounds. Raghu sent her pictures of all the expensive gifts including Apple iPad, diamond jewellery that he had purchased for her. Sonakshi’s friends warned her to be patient and not get blown away by such gestures. But Sonakshi could not wait. She was ready to meet her Prince Charming. On the day that Raghu was supposed to reach Mumbai, Sonakshi got a call on her phone. The man speaking on the other end said that he was calling from the customs department in Mumbai airport. He told her that Raghu has been arrested since he had items worth more than the permissible limit and unless he paid, they will not let him go. Sonakshi asked them to send the details where she could send the payment and the person sent her a link. She was asked to pay 1 lakh, which she immediately paid without even thinking. Then she got a call from the concierge at the hotel where Raghu’s stay was booked. She was told that though Raghu was supposed to make the payment to book the room, his phone was out of reach. So, they asked her to make the payment of 50,000 INR. They sent her the link and she made the payment. After sometime, she got a call from Raghu who told her that the custom’s issue was solved and he wanted a business class ticket from Mumbai to Hyderabad. He asked her to transfer 50,000 INR and said that he will return it as soon as he meets her. Sonakshi transferred the money. She later tried to call Raghu but since that time his phone has been switched off.

    Dr. Anamika Papriwal, a psychologist says, ‘I have heard of women talking to men for days and they asking them to pay their children’s fee or give them money for their daily expenditure. Many of these people who pull off such scams have an innate understanding of the human behaviour. They first befriend the person, establish trust with them and then spend time talking to them. Once the person starts trusting them, they start with small transactions which they promptly return to again establish trust. Once that is done, they move in for the kill. In a way, it is an addiction where the person gets addicted to the other person. You can get anything done from an addict who needs his daily dose. That is how this works!’

    Truelove.com

    However, not all is gruesome and gory in the world of online dating. There are stories where people have found true love too.
    Thirty-year-old Puja met Nikhil on a dating app. Initially, she thought he was quite arrogant and snobbish. However, when they started chatting, she realized that he and she shared the same dreams and values. Nikhil travelled to Baroda to meet Puja and her family. After a while, Puja too visited Nikhil and his parents in Lucknow. Soon, they were married and are now blessed with a baby boy.
    Arjun, a 35-year-old doctor living in Gurgaon had faced rejection from a lot of girls. Online, he met Shruti, an interior designer who was also living in Gurgaon.  Shruti was beautiful but suffering from self-image issues owing to her weight. They connected and realized that they had a lot in common. They got married after dating for two years and are still going strong.

    This article was published in Rashtradoot Newspaper’s Arbit on 2 June 2021.

  • How I got rid of Oggy and his cockroaches

    A few years ago, like all children, my daughter had fallen in love with cartoons on Cartoon Network. She used to watch all kinds of programs including Tom and Jerry, Shiva, Chota Bheem and the cringe worthy Oggy and the cockroaches. As it is, for me the very word ‘cockroach’ is enough to induce a sleepless night, the three cockroaches made it worse! My daughter sat spell bound as the cockroaches and Oggy kept battling it out in Oggy’s refrigerator and at times literally tore the kitchen apart in pursuit of vengeance! The icing on the cake was that the voice-over artist sometimes mimicked voice of Shahrukh Khan, sometimes Nana Patekar, Sunil Shetty and other such then popular actors. After some months, I was so fed up that I asked my friends to help me. One of my friends downloaded and shared a Japanese Anime ‘Spirited Away’. At that time, there was no Netflix or other OTT, so we had to make ado with the subtitles. I showed the movie to my daughter and she loved it! And that was the reason enough to discontinue the cable service.

    It has been a decade since I and my daughter introduced ourselves to subtitles and movies from different countries and languages. Earlier, we downloaded these from different sites like YouTube and torrents which offer ‘free’ movies. Initially, I was quite scared that some kind of Internet police might come and catch me for going on torrents and other such sites. I had prepared a list of counter arguments and kept it in my bedside cabinet for such emergencies and foreseen circumstances. Some reasons given in the list were:

    1. Downloading movies with subtitles is better than letting the children watch serials produced by Ekta Kapoor or other such people. Though the children are intrigued by the idea of saas-bahu politics (children are born politicians) and repeated plastic surgery (they love the idea that they can hide behind a new face if they do something wrong) and multiple divorces and remarriages (my daughter was simply hooked on to the idea that for each marriage she will get at least three to four new dresses with matching dress and jewellery!)
    2. Watching other movies with subtitles is actually education! One of my friends told me that her son who goes off to sleep in the English class at school actually learnt reading by watching movies with subtitles. He loved Hollywood action movies like Rambo and would actually read the subtitles to understand what actors like Sylvester Stallone were saying (most of them actually mutter under their breath). With time, his English literature teacher was actually impressed with his ability to read in the language!

    However, my list of reasons kept lying in the cabinet because no one ever came! So, we read the subtitles and we watched movies. An old friend was curious about why did I go through so much trouble for movies with subtitles when most English movies either had Hindi subtitles or were dubbed in Hindi. It was then I told her about my experience with the well-known movie Jurassic Park’s dubbed Hindi version. In that movie, there is a scene where the female protagonist says ‘I want to see the dinosaur’s shit.’ This dialogue was translated into ‘mujhe dinosaur ka gobar dekhne hai.’ I am not arguing whether it was the correct translation or not but from that point onwards, I steered clear of dubbed movies!

     I also bought a lot of CDs and DVDs of good movies that I believed would help her to inculcate some good values. Some came with subtitles while others did not. We kept our CDs very carefully lest they get scratch marks because then the CD would not either play certain segments or would simply get jammed . We also did not jump tracks because that again could lead to scratches and bad unplayable sectors. The CDs could only either be played on our computers or television sets which meant sitting in the living room, switching on the television or the laptop, inserting the CD and then waiting for it to play. When my daughter complained that it was a cumbersome process, I told her stories of the VCR (Video Cassette Recorder) in which we had to insert this huge video cassette, rewind it and then play. She rolled her eyes. She said that idea was unimaginably old fashioned and preposterous!

    New entries

    Then Netflix breezed into our lives. I deleted all my downloads and tore the long list of reasons. The CDs were forgotten in an old cupboard.  Even today, I don’t know what to do with my huge collection. I thought of turning them into plates and decorations but then a friend advised me to wait because according to him one day, these CDs and DVDs would be treasured as antiques and I would be able to make a lot of money by selling them! I am still waiting!

    With Netflix and later Amazon Prime and other such OTT platforms, my phone became my new cinema hall. I could walk into it anytime and watch the movie and the scene of my choice again and again- A far cry from the first time that I was introduced to cinema in Jaipur in my summer holidays!

    Back then, my maternal grandfather hated movies with a vengeance! He believed that movies did nothing except corrupt minds of young people. So, on the pretext of going to the vegetable market, my aunt masterminded the great escape and smuggled my grandmother, mother, my brother and me in a matador car and took us to the Rajmandir Theatre to watch the matinee show Amitabh Bachchan’s ‘Sharabi’. She even paid a friend to shop for vegetables and fruits. When the movie finished, we went to Niros Restaurant, ate food, picked up the vegetables and fruits and went back home! Till date my grandfather is unaware of these little escapades!

    Today, with Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hot Star, and other such platforms, my daughter and me huddle up in any corner of the house and watch these movies and series regardless of their language. Sometimes, we hook it up to the television and even binge watch with a bowl of fresh popcorn. We hardly realize that we are reading the subtitles. The interesting bit is that we keep discovering new things about distant lands. One day, my daughter told me that in Japan, people are not scared of haunted houses because they believe that each house has its own spirit. So, whenever they move in to a new house, they thank the spirit and ask him to take care of them and their family. This fact she got to know from a movie called “My neighbour Totoro”.

    Covid time pass

    The good part about these movies with subtitles is that one has to pay attention to understand what is going on. Hence most of times, in this era of COVID, online movie watching is quite engrossing! Not that we have achieved nirvana but cartoons have been replaced by a lot of meaningful content and thank fully Oggy and the cockroaches have been completely forgotten!

    However, the danger still looms large as I just discovered that Salman Khan has launched another no brainer ‘Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai’ on OTT. While Oggy and the Cockroaches rile me with goofy no brainer conversations, a Salman Khan movie brings up questions like ‘why cannot Salman Khan protect India from COVID?’ or ‘If he is so strong, why cannot Salman Khan help in dealing with the pandemic?’ Wouldn’t it be great if these OTT platforms had questions to these answers in subtitles too?

    This article by Shailaza Singh was published in Rashtradoot Newspaper on 12 May 2021

  • The Unseen Jaipur through the Lens

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    The Unseen Jaipur through the Lens

    One lazy Sunday morning, about ten people found themselves walking through the streets of the walled city of Jaipur. It was an eclectic mix of some teenagers, professionals in age groups ranging from 30s to 50s. Some held very serious looking cameras while the others were clicking pictures with their mobile phones. It was the second and the final day of the visual story telling workshop which was being conducted by Tabeenah Anjum Qureshi, a seasoned journalist and photographer with Outlook India. Though the older people tried to play it cool, they couldn’t help getting infected by the raw enthusiasm of the teenagers who kept clicking with their phones and cameras. The resulting photographs revealed unseen but beautiful facets of Jaipur, those which could only be discovered by an untrained eye.

  • Gulabo Sapera: The Girl Who Survived and Danced

    The mesmerizing dance of the Kalbeliya community has become famous all over the world. But, about 50 years ago, this community of snake charmers could never have thought in their wildest dreams that their daughters would dance and popularize this folk art. This phenomenon can only be attributed to Padamshree Gulabo Sapera- a woman who refused to stop dancing and living!

    The sand dunes of Rajasthan have been a silent witness to the changing times. They have been mute spectators of a time when thousands of new born girls were buried alive in their sands and died without a whimper. But then they have also witnessed the miracle of Gulabo Sapera, a girl who was buried in their folds minutes after she was born and lived to tell the tale.
    Today, the world knows her as Gulabo Sapera, but she was christened Dhanvantari after the Hindu god of medicine and nectar, after she was found alive despite being buried in the sand dunes. She belongs to the tribe of Kalbeliyas who are known for their ability to catch and tame snakes.
    Gulabo reveals, ‘We are gypsy people who live in the jungle, catch snakes and make them dance to earn money. Our people used to go from door to door asking people to feed the snakes milk and collect dakshina. In the old days, most girls were killed as soon as they were born because most of our tribe lived in the forests. There was an unwritten rule that no family could have a lot of girls in their house. If they wanted they could keep a single girl child but not more because abduction of girls was quite common in those days. Then, we were quite poor and most families don’t have enough money to ensure that their daughters along with the sons can be fed, clothed and protected or pay dowry in their marriage. When they had to marry their boys, they used to get girls from the chhabri community (basket weavers) by paying the bride price and marry them. These girls were brought from their families at a very young age. A lot of women in my family have been married like this.’
    The famous model and actor Milind Soman may have married Ankita Konwar, a girl who is 25 years younger to him but this trend is not new to Rajasthan. Gulabo says, ‘My father is 25 years older to my mother. Infact, my father was taking care of my grandmother when she gave birth to my mother. He travelled 10 kilometers, went to the village and got the things required for the delivery for her. So, my grandfather proclaimed that this newborn girl would not be killed and will marry his son once she grows up.’
    Having witnessed female infanticide in such close quarters within his family, Gulabo’s father was quite against it. ‘He wanted that men from our community should marry the girls from their own community instead of getting girls from other communities by paying the bride price. He believed that girls of his own community were far more beautiful and talented. He worshipped Goddess Chamunda and was dead against female infanticide.’
    Gulabo’s three elder sisters were protected by her father when they were born. ‘The people of our community were quite upset about the fact that my father did not allow any one to kill his daughters. I was the seventh, child, born after three sisters and three brothers. I was born on Dhanteras. My father had gone to buy some goods for the festival of Diwali. My mother slept out of exhaustion after the delivery. So, seizing the opportunity, the midwife who had come for my delivery, along with my five year old brother took me and buried me in the sands. When my mother woke up and demanded to see her new born, she was told that the baby had been buried. She insisted on visiting the place where I was buried and dug me up. Some how, I was alive despite being buried in the sands for more than five hours! As a result, I was named Dhanvantari after the gods of medicine and nectar.’
    However, her struggles were far from over. The next morning the village panchayat admonished her parents for saving their daughter after she was buried in the sands. Gulabo reveals, ‘My father received a lot of flak from the village panchayat. In their eyes, it was a sort of rebellion. But my father said that since I was found alive even after five hours of being buried in the sand, I was no longer his daughter but the daughter of the Earth Goddess! He told them to spare me and punish him in case they deemed fit. At that time, my father saved me from being killed. However, people were not happy seeing me alive. My father ensured that I did not stay in the village but travelled with him for his performances.’
    It was this travelling that helped Gulabo learn dance from the snakes. ‘I used to watch those snakes dance and I imitated them. Slowly and steadily, as I grew up, I learnt to dance like the snakes on the music of the been. After a while, I started dancing with the snakes wrapped around me. People started liking my dance and gave money to watch me dance. However, people of my community again objected that how could my parents allow me to dance and earn money? This continued but I did not stop dancing and people continued appreciate it. They started calling me Gulabo. When I was eight years old, I was dancing at the Pushkar Fair on a sand dune when I was discovered by the people from the tourism department of Rajasthan.’
    But her struggles weren’t over yet. ‘There was again a huge hue and cry in my community after I started performing in dance shows. But I paid no heed to them because now I knew that this was what I wanted to do. I was scheduled to travel to America for my first dance show when my father passed away on the eve of my departure. The people of the community said all sorts of things to me, they blamed me for my father’s death. They wouldn’t let me go. However, I begged them to let me go because I knew my father was my biggest supporter and he wouldn’t have stopped me from taking on such a big opportunity.’
    It was only when her name started figuring in newspapers and other journals that people of her own community started realizing her true worth. ‘When I came back from America, people of my village were awed at my popularity. Many of them told me that the people from other communities invited them to their homes and honoured them because they were related to me. They, who were treated with nothing but contempt had never witnessed such a change of heart or received such respect from the villagers.’
    As Gulabo’s fame grew and her art was revered in 153 countries across the world, the people of her community started viewing their own daughters in a different light and realized their potential. The infanticide which was so rampant earlier started declining as the daughters were finally allowed to live and dance. ‘They said that they wanted their daughters to emulate my success and help them to live better in the world. Today, girls are no longer killed in my community. In fact, they learn dance and earn for their families. Some girls manage to educate themselves. My husband supports me. We have five children, two boys and three girls. My girls love to dance. All my children are educated and have studied in English medium school. We will soon open a school for these girls where they will be educated and will also learn dance.’
    However, despite her success Gulabo feels that girls are still not viewed as equals in many segments of the society. ‘Girls still need to be careful lest they give the wrong signals. My parents always advised me to be conscious of my step in the public. They told me to always be alert and understand the body language of the people I talk to. The girls have to remain strong.’
    Gulabo’s journey is as legendary as this dancer herself. She has not only been an inspiration to the people of her community but has also helped people to realize the true value of girls!

    This article was published in Rashtradoot Newspaper’s Arbit Section on February 25, 2021.

  • Virtually Yours- Jaipur Literature Festival 2021

    Will the virtual version of Jaipur Literature Festival be able to enchant its audiences like its real counterpart? In this post pandemic era, will the readers be able to digest this literary reality?

    On my way to the Diggi Palace Hotel, scenes from the last year’s Jaipur Literature Festival flashed across my mind’s eye. People carrying books in their hands, their bags bulging with books. Hundreds of people queueing in front of the kiosks, eager to get their books signed by their favourite author. There were some who had positioned themselves next to their favourite spot for the next session and were patiently waiting for the next session to begin. Elsewhere, many die-hard foodies were sampling the exotic dishes that had been painstakingly prepared by the chefs of Diggi Palace Hotel. Some die-hard fans were deep in conversation with their favourite author over a cup of tea or coffee! The green of the lawns of the sprawling palace were hardly visible amidst the colourful tents that were erected and the audience that occupied those lawns for the author sessions and discussions.

    As I entered the gates of Diggi Palace, my reverie was broken by the cry of a peacock. I looked at the empty lawns and the peacocks who were walking across them as if they owned the place. And then the reality that I had refused to accept struck me! Jaipur Literature Festival would be an online affair in 2021. I walked to a corridor where Sanjoy K Roy, the managing director of Team Work Arts, the company which produces the festival was talking to a handful of people. They were waiting for B.D. Kalla, the art and culture minister, who was to officially inaugurate the Jaipur Literature Festival 2021 which is being held from 19 February 2021 to 28 February 2021. When I asked him for his views on the online change forced by COVID, he was quite upbeat about it, ‘Yes, this time people all over the world have registered for the festival. When the festival was held here, hardly any people from Germany could come. But now, we have so many people registering from different countries like Germany, Saudi Arabia and all across the world. The reach of the festival has become global in the true sense of the word.’

    I remembered the bygone times, where the tourists and the people living in Jaipur would plan to spend their entire day at the Diggi Palace Hotel. Once they entered the venue, the visitors did nothing else except listen to author sessions or explore the various delights the festival had to offer. Some of them would even get their durries to have impromptu picnics in a corner of one of these lawns. Would the online version be able to captivate the audience in the same way? Would this online audience have as much dedication and staying power as the audience in the physical version of the festival?

    ‘We do hope it would,’ said Sanjoy K Roy. ‘To engage our virtual audience, we have curated a great line up of authors and speakers who would talk about a variety of topics ranging from books, nationalism, pandemic and more. This time, instead of having multiple sessions at the same time (in the physical versions, there were different sessions conducted by different authors in four different venues at any one given time), we will only have two sessions at the same time, so that the people don’t have to worry about missing out these sessions.’ Going forward, once the physical version of the festival is restored, will they still continue with the online version too or is it just for this time? ‘Definitely,’ said Sanjoy K Roy, ‘the online version will now be an integral part of JLF since it has definitely helped us to expand our reach and increase our audience across the globe.’

    But would the viewers spend their entire time listening to the sessions as raptly as they did in the physical version? Sanjoy K Roy shrugged his shoulders, ‘May be not the entire time but from our experience during the pandemic time, I can say that the average viewing time was about 18 minutes per viewer which is more than the average of 7 to 8 minutes on OTT platforms. Moreover, while we could only accommodate a maximum of 15,000 people in the front lawn in the physical version of the festival, in the digital version we have received an average of 32,000 views per session, which is way higher.’

    Our conversation was interrupted by the entry B.D. Kalla, minster for Art and Culture, Rajasthan who had come to virtually inaugurate the festival. I watched as Sanjoy K Roy greeted the minister and then took him to light the lamp to signal the commencement of the festival. One could actually see the effect that the pandemic has had on the world as people wondered whether to light the lamp with or without wearing the masks. Ultimately, they decided to film both the versions and take the decision later. Last year, there was a crowd present to witness this inauguration, this year there were only peacocks and a handful of people.

    When he was done with the ceremony, I asked Sanjoy K Roy about the controversy surrounding the venue of the festival- Diggi Palace Hotel. Weren’t there articles and rumours about Diggi Palace Hotel no longer being the venue of JLF? And if that was the case, what was the future of JLF in 2022? ‘As of now, I am glad that thanks to the pandemic, the venue has not changed and I hope that will remain the case in the next year.’ What if the venue is changed? Where would the festival be held? ‘It is too early to comment on this but yes one thing is for sure that JLF will not go out of Jaipur.’

    During the 13 years of its physical presence in Jaipur, JLF was not just an event that people looked forward to. It had become an important source of tourism and income for hotels, tourist guides, autos, busses and many street vendors who waited for the festival to earn their yearly income. The festival may have survived by donning an online avatar, but what would those people do this year? Sanjoy K Roy smiled sadly, ‘What can I say? It has been the case everywhere. The pandemic has impacted every one including us. Just this morning as I was coming here, I met the guy who used to sell his wares outside the palace during the festival. He told me how difficult it was for him and his family to survive this year since there would be no tourists or festival to sell his wares. We are hoping that we are back to business as usual in 2022 so that people are able to compensate for their losses.’

    Ever since the onset of the pandemic, the world has been reeling with the deluge of online conferences, webinars, meetings and all sorts of virtual events. Many employees swear by their power naps and zoning off techniques to cope with the online information overload. It is indeed a challenge to sit glued to one’s chair and listen to the ever-droning colleagues and bosses without switching off.  Students all over the world have been earnestly hoping that they are able to physically attend their schools since online classes no longer hold their interest.  Some studies have suggested that it is difficult for human beings to concentrate on online events for an extended span of time. Moreover, most celebrities, authors and other speakers have their own channels in Instagram, Facebook and YouTube where they keep talking to their followers about their books, achievements and activities frequently.

    In such a scenario, will an event like the Jaipur Literature Festival be able to hold the attention of the netizens? In the real world, the authors sessions were punctuated by coffee breaks, question- answer sessions, a visit to the book store, author signings and interactions and many more such activities which cannot be replicated even in the most technologically advanced version of the online festival. The question is even if the festival has been created using the most curated list of authors and advanced technology, will it be able to satisfy the audience’s need for a face-to-face conversation with their favourite author or smelling the pages of a brand-new book in the book shop or getting it autographed by its author? Will this virtual version be able to replicate those moments and experiences? Will the audience learn to love this version as it loved the physical festival? Maybe or maybe not! Only the people and time will tell.

    This article by Shailaza Singh was published in Rashtradoot Newspaper’s Arbit Section on 17 February 2021.

  • No Free Lunch!

    No Free Lunch!

    Book review by Shailaza Singh (published in Rashtradoot Newspaper on 22 January 2021)

    In their book, The World of Energy, Engine of Life, Raj Sharma and Vishnu Pareek analyse the entire spectrum of energy, from conventional sources to various alternative sources. The book also provides a perspective on energy policy over the years and explains the fundamentals of energy and all related aspects using clear and straightforward language.

    Book Title : The World of Energy, Engine of Life

    Authors : Prof. Raj Sharma is currently an Adjunct Professor at Curtin University’s WA School of Mines: Minerals, Energy and Chemical Engineering. Prof. Vishnu Pareek is currently serving as Head of the WA School of Mines: Minerals, Energy and Chemical Engineering, and as Dean of Engineering at Curtin University.

    Publisher : Springer

    I loved studying science during my school days. During those times, there was a lot of talk about how fossil fuels like coal and petroleum are polluting the world. Chapters about these topics in our school books talked about how these fossil fuels must be replaced by renewable sources of energy like the wind or the sun or electricity. A lot of time has passed since then. However, despite the Gulf war and the excessive hue and cry about issues like pollution or global warming or ozone depletion, alternative sources of energy have really not been able to dominate the world at large. Yes, there are increased instances of people using solar panels or windmills or water or nuclear for generating electricity but they are few and far between as compared to the excessive dependence that the world has on fossil fuels. Despite the various advances in science and technology in the last two decades (internet, smart phones, other gadgets etc.), nothing much has been seen on the horizon for harnessing energy from the much-touted cleaner sources.

    This question has always been there on my mind but I could never get an answer to it. The topic of renewable energy sources, pollution and fossil fuels is a good option if you want to sound very smart and intelligent in social conversations but ultimately all those people just end up shaking their heads and shrugging with resignation when one asks them about the solution to this predicament. However, the question about renewable sources of energy has still remained unanswered despite the media’s hullabaloo about all these issues.

    So, when I picked up the book titled ‘The World of Energy- Engine of Life’ by Professor Raj Sharma and Professor Vishnu Pareek, I did not have any expectations. After all, after decades of discussion on this topic, the endless debate by the media, the protests by people who believe the world is going to end any day, what could this book which has been published by Springer say which had not been said before?

    Energetic Revelations about (US)

    As I was reading the book, a paragraph really caught my attention.

    “President Carter in his address from the Oval Office on July 15, 1979, said among other things:

    …. calling for the creation of this nation’s first solar bank which will help us achieve the crucial goal of 20% of our energy coming from solar power by the year 2000. Solar energy contribution to the energy pie in the US today (2018) is less than 1.0%- as against the target stated by President Carter of 20% by 2000!”

    The authors go on to say “US with 5% of the world’s population, uses about 20-25% of the world’s energy to lead the lifestyle that it does! One can only try and imagine what would happen if India and China with a third of the world’s population were to provide a similar lifestyle to their people.”

    So much for solar power! This is a fact from a country which is touted as a world leader in technology and lifestyle. Moreover, the book also talks about how most countries in the world believe that replicating the Western (US) model of development would be the ultimate sign of having arrived in the developed world but in reality, the model is quite unsustainable since the wastage of energy by the country is quite high.  The authors also bring out the stark contrasts between the energy consumptions of various nations versus their population. What captivated my attention was that today US and China (which is following the US pattern of development) collectively consume about 40% of the world’s energy despite having only 24% of the world’s population! The authors say that the development of China happened on the back of cheap, abundant and reliable energy which was readily available in the form of fossil fuels which fulfil about 87% of China’s energy need. Though India’s energy consumption is less than 6% of the world, 92 % of its energy needs are being met by fossil fuels!

    Another myth that this book dispels is “‘green energy’ is not really ‘green’ since it requires ‘black (fossil fuel) energy’ to harness, transform into a usable form and control its use to deliver the benefits of modern life.”

    Much ado about Carbon Emissions

    By this time, I was hooked because everything this book said was different to what has been largely propagated in the world. The media has been talking about how the carbon dioxide emissions have exponentially increased due to the rapid industrialisation etc. However, the authors say that carbon, which we all know is the fourth most abundant element in the universe is the essence of life on the earth and in the form of carbon dioxide the only source of oxygen that we breathe. According to them the human population in on earth a hundred years ago was about 1.7 billion with a reported CO2 concentration in the atmosphere of about 100 ppm; today (2020), the human population of earth is about 7 billion with a reported CO2 concentration in the atmosphere of about 400 ppm!

    Out (Laws) of Energy Efficiency

    The three laws of thermodynamics which are considered the gospel truth as far energy is concerned are as popular as the laws of gravitation. However, I have never seen anyone interpret them so interestingly till now.

    “-You cannot win

    – You cannot break-even either, and

    – Everything eventually goes to ‘naught’”

    Whether in science forums or important sounding books and journals, people keep talking about how to maximize energy efficiency. However, the authors of this book are very clear that “one cannot do without energy-but there is no free lunch!”

    Sunning Away!

    Everywhere in this book, the authors have clearly stated some interesting facts!  Every form of energy whether fossil fuels or the much-hyped alternate sources are a result of the sun shining on the earth. Without the sun, nothing is possible!

    “The only ‘green’ energy on Earth in the present day meaning of the term, is that received directly from the Sun in its raw, nascent and pristine form. Period. Full Stop. Everything else is ‘Black’. Nature has provided an automatic clean-up mechanism for the carbon waste in the form of the carbon dioxide cycle. It is the ‘clean, green energy- solar and wind in their raw and natural state-that gave Man his start and it is this energy that Man left behind in his quest for ever more.”

    (Has the) Climate Chang(ed)?

    “It is interesting to note that CO2   in the Earth’s atmosphere has been much higher in the past than it is today; and, there does not seem much correlation between CO2 concentration and Earth’s temperature.”

    The authors believe that labelling climate change as a man-made phenomenon and to pin it on fossil fuel driven carbon dioxide emissions is too simplistic. They believe that earth has been through cycles of warming periods and ice ages over hundreds of millions of years where sea levels have risen and deserts have been formed time and again. The activists have been harping away and campaigning on the ‘burning’ issue of the climate change but the book begs us to think about it from a different perspective!

    (No) Conclusions

    This book offers no conclusions or solutions- the authors have been very clear about this aspect from the beginning to the end. They have simply presented facts based on a lot of different studies that have been done over the years which in a way dispel many myths surrounding the world of energy. Yes, there are some suggestions like revisiting the old cultures like those of India and other countries of the world to understand deeper aspects of energy and its conservation but even those are marked with a ‘perhaps’. The authors make no bones about the fact that fossil fuels do have a competitive edge over the other alternate sources of energy due to a variety of reasons like their ease of use, availability and harnessing power.

    The Last Word

    The debate on energy has been a long standing one. Over time, the lack or abundance of energy has caused wars, created controversies and catapulted many activists to limelight. This book brings a lot of perspective to these burning topics and is interesting even for those who are not from a science back ground and offers an insight into the much debated and very controversial topic of energy. Read it and form your own conclusions! After all, there is no free lunch!