One Death and One Promotion -- Are you successful?

He said, "I am 4 years old". I said I am 34. He said, "I can write numbers from 1-50". I said I can write programs in 2-3 languages. He said, "I can play and study whenever I like". I said I don't know when was I able to work and play as I liked. He said, "I have everything that I can think of." I said I don't have more than 10-12 things that I can think of". He said, "I am loved by everybody I know". I said I cannot say for sure how many people I know who really love me. He said, "I think I am successful". And at this last assertion, I just fell silent.

That little child could have said several other such things that would have trumped me. And perhaps I could have borrowed time to reply back to most of them. But, I must admit that this last one was a clear loss of face for me with no defined path to recovery. I mean how can I say whether I am successful or not. I don't even know how to define success, or quantify it, or to make any obvious statement about it. Where can I find something that clearly demonstrates how can one call himself successful?

Is success about achieving a set goal? That has to be the most simple definition of success. For example, I set a goal to write out this piece. And when I finish it, I should be called successful. A newspaper hawker, a milk vendor, laundry person, vegetable seller, a plumber, a traffic police person, an electrician and loads of other similar small-scale service providers should call themselves successful if they deliver their services. But if you ask the question, "Are you successful?", to all of them, will they say, "Yes"?

What about the quantification of success? Should delivery of N no. of newspapers actually mean success? Should a vegetable vendor exhaust all his supplies for the day to be called successful? Should they be saying that, "I was successful on some day and not so on some other day and not at all on some other."? From where can any of them find a yardstick to tell how much successful they were/are on any given day?

Should it matter if somebody says, "I was successful last year but not this year."? Should the span of time have any bearing on the measurement of success? Can we find people who say, "Over the past few years, I am not doing well"? Should the age of the person matter at all? How many of us would say that "Even after spending 30+ years on the Earth, I have very little to show as success"?

Are goals of success static or should they change over a period of time, say as a person ages? If playing at will was a goal at the age of 4, should it remain the goal at the age of 34? How and when to decide to add a new goal to the timeline of one's age? Who should decide that - us or others? If the goals of any two individuals, at any given point of time, are going to be different, is there any merit in comparing the success of those goals?

If you ask for my opinion, the definition and interpretation of success looks to be a very subjective thing. But then, why are people so obsessed about being successful in life? There has to be a mental, social and financial incentive to be successful. And if somebody really strives hard for a goal, he/she must be motivated to achieve what they may call success. From where does that incentive/motivation come from?

Is it to do with plenty of money, I mean much and much more? Or is it just the fame - local, national or international? And what if somebody gets both? Should he not be called successful, in fact very successful in terms of quantization of the goals of success? To be able to achieve daily bread, luxurious life, goodies to loved ones and self, and a capability to what you want. Won't all of that qualify as the traits of a successful person?

I can say I am kind of quasi-successful since I have no claim to fame, I have just enough money to put food on the table, I can occasionally take a short tour, I am unable to change job since last 1 year, I am unable to do or purchase a lot of things that my wife demands. I often feel I am worthless at this stage of my life. I slog like a donkey at times, hardly stay connected with friends, rarely go out for ad-hoc activities, and above all cannot do at will what I desire the most. I am the classic case of a proper failure at the midway of life.

Are we done defining what it takes to be successful? Let us take an example. Vivek Hallegere Murthy became the American Surgeon General at the age of 37. The youngest in terms of age. Shouldn't that be one of the most celebrated goals of success? Should he not be damn satisfied? Will that not continue to count as a success par excellence till he dies? The big question is, "Can he claim to be successful in all spheres of his public/private life?".

I would say that success is not transcendental. It has life span and utility. Otherwise, how could you explain the suicide of Everybody Loves Raymond actor Sawyer Sweeten, just 19 years old? He was popular, had loads of money, had a very loving family, endless career prospect and what not. Why would he not think of himself as Successful and be happy? Is success not the only thing that matters to most? People crave for it and yet here we have someone who shot himself. Why?

Do we derive any kind of satisfaction when we deem ourselves successful? Or is "The grass is always greener on the other side." syndrome applicable to people who are successful? When somebody becomes successful, should it not be the end of the road for any misadventure, misfortune or want? Why would anybody not be happy once successful? Are there more subtle layers of Success that I am not able to see?

Contentment and satisfaction have never been despised more than in the 21st century. There just cannot be a halt to your journey. One success should lead you to the other. Yes, I agree the show must go on. But on what costs and terms? Should it ignore the family, friends, health, honesty on its onward journey to bigger, grander success? Can there be any proclamations of success and then just put it into the cold bag?

Well, I am not successful at this depleting age anyhow. Are you successful?

बुधइ चला गया।

                                                                  बुधइ चला गया।
 

किस बात का रोना और कैसा पछतावा। मैं जोशी जी को यही समझा रहा था। भला बुधइ जैसों के न रहने से किसी को क्या क्षति पहुंच सकती है। उस जैसे न जाने कितने प्रतिदिन काल के मुख में समा जाते होंगे। पर जोशी जी थे की उदासी की चादर और कस कर ओढते चले जा रहे थे। संभ्रांत भारत के गतिमान जीवन के पढ़े-लिखे और उद्यमी वर्ग के किसी सदस्य से ऐसे व्यवहार की आशा मुझे तो न थी।

बुधइ के छोटे भाई, लल्लन, को भली-भाँती स्मरण है की उसने अपने अन्तिम समय में क्या कहा था। जोशी जी ने उसे अपने छोटे भाई की भाँती सीने से चिपका लिया और स्वयं भी फूट-फूट कर रोने लगे। बहुत रुंआसे स्वर में उसने जोशी जी को बताया की कैसे बुधइ ने फसल चौपट हो जाने के कारण पिछले १ हफ्ते से भोजन-पानी छोड़ ही दिया था। कल रात भी बड़ी कठिनाई से बड़ी बेटी, रूपा, के मिन्नतें करने पर १ रोटी खाई थी। लल्लन के कंधे पर सिर रखकर देर रात तक रोता रहा। सुबह जब रूपा ने किवाड़ हठपूर्वक खोला तो उसकी चीख गले में ही रह गयी। जिस विवाह के जोड़े में बुधइ ने रूपा को विदा करने का स्वप्न संजोया था, उसी को फंदा बनाकर वह छत से झूल गया था।

बिस्मिल नाका की कुल जनसंख्या १,००० से अधिक नहीं हैं। कोई ७०-८० परिवार होंगे और सबके सब किसानी करते हैं। कदाचित् ही कोई होगा जो जोशी जी को न जानता हो। जोशी जी पिछले १० सालों से बिस्मिल नाका और आस-पास के दूसरे गाओं में खेती में आने वाली समस्याओं का अध्ययन कर रहे हैं। उन्होंने जिले के संबद्ध अधिकारियों को निरंतर इन समस्याओं से अवगत् कराया है और किसानों को उचित सहायता दिलाने के लिये आंदोलन और प्रयास किये हैं। बरसों से चले आ रहे सूखों ने किसानों की कमर तोड़ रक्खी है। लोग आधे पेट सोने को विवश हैं। नगद और बचत के नाम पर किसी के पास कुछ भी नहीं है। प्रत्येक वर्ष पुराना उधार चुकाए बिना नया ऋण लेने को किसान अभिशप्त है।

कुछ ही दिनों पहले की बात है जब पड़ोस के गाँव के अपने जाननेवाले एक साहुकार के यहां रूपा का विवाह निश्चित किया था बुधइ ने। सारा परिवार बहुत प्रसन्न था और निर्धनता की पराकाष्ठा पर पहुँच जाने के पश्चात भी विवाह की भागमभाग में लगा हुआ था। जोशी जी से प्रतिदिन ही बुधइ कोई ना कोई जानकारी लिया करता था। उसे विश्वास था की इस बार की दलहन की उपज उसे अच्छा लाभ देगी और विवाह के सभी व्यय वह स्वयं ही वहन कर लेगा। क्या भारत के अनगिनत गाओं में ऐसे सपनों का तानाबाना बुनते और अच्छी पैदावार की कल्पना किये बैठे करोड़ों कृषक बंधु नहीं होंगे?

होली के बाद फसल काटने की जुगत में थे दोनों भाई। पर यह क्या? उपरवाले ने तो जैसे बुधइ से कोई ऋण वसूली की हो, इतनी अधिक बारिश भेज दी। २ सप्ताह के भीतर ३ बीघा खेत तालाब बन गए, सारी की सारी काटने को प्रस्तुत फसल नष्ट हो गयी और साथ ही जीवन जीने की अंतिम आशा भी बुधइ का साथ छोड़ गयी। बेटी के हाथ पीले करने का वचन दे चुका बुधइ प्रभु की इस लीला का निवाला बना चुका था। देश के हज़ारों अन्य किसानों की भाँति उसने भी इस सर्वनाश का कारण जानने के लिये ईश्वर से स्वयं ही जा कर मिलने का निर्णय कर लिया। 

जोशी जी के बहुत समझाने के बाद लल्लन ने ग्राम विकास अधिकारी से साहयता मांगी। पता चला की साहब तो १० दिनों के लिये किसी क्रीड़ा प्रतियोगिता में भाग लेने राजधानी गये हुए हैं। जोशी जी ने जिला मुख्यालय में ३ दिन धरना दिया तब जाकर जिलाधिकारी कार्यालय से १०,००० की छतिपूर्ती की घोषणा हुई। यह रकम मिलयगी कब कोई नहीं जनता। रूपा का विवाह अब नहीं हो पाएगा ऐसा हर कोई जानता था।

पूरा सभ्य व सम्पन्न समाज मूक दर्शक बना देखता रहा। बुधइ की चिता  जलने के साथ ही समाज की आत्मा का पुनः आत्मदाह हो गया। न ही पिछले सालों में कुछ किया और न ही आगे करेंगे। जब हमारी थाली में दाल-रोटी पहुँच रही है तो "किसने पहुंचाया, कैसे पहुंचाया, आगे पहुंचा पाएगा या नहीं", यह सब सोच कर हम अपनी पेशानी पर बल क्यों दें? किसान मरता है तो मरे, अपनी बला से। हमने तो नहीं मारा ना? ना ही मरवाया। तो हम भला किसानों के हितों की चर्चा और आंदोलनों में क्यूँ माथापच्ची करें?

कौन समझाये यह सब जोशी जी को? बिना बता के ही रो-रो कर आसमान सिर पर उठा रखा है। जो जैसा चल रहा है, चलने दो! हमारे किये वैसे भी कहाँ कुछ होने वाला है।

Something is seriously wrong in West Asia

How would you react if somebody tells you that the Taj Mahal is no more? Or all Stupas in Bodhgaya have disappeared? Or any other monument of any value has been decimated? I will be shocked to the core and I believe you will share the same feeling as well. The destruction carried out by ISIS in the Iraqi city of Nimrud is beyond any known expression of grief and utter nonsense. They have not only belittled the people of Iraq but also inflicted a colossal damage to the World Culture and Heritage.

All the standing artifacts, structures and layouts of the capital of the ancient Assyrian empire have been bulldozed. All the magnificence of the past that belong to Nimrud has been erased. Yes, some of them has been preserved earlier elsewhere but the loss is irrecoverable. There used to be statues and walls and a citadel which ISIS has leveled to the ground. Other tangible valuables have been looted.

Nimrud was the capital of the world's first empire, the Neo-Assyrian Empire of the 1st millennium BC. Lying 35km (22 miles) south of the modern city of Mosul in north Iraq, Nimrud covers some 3.5 sq km (1.35 sq miles), with a prominent "citadel" mound within the city walls, on which are clustered the main administrative and religious buildings. These buildings include the enormous palaces of several Assyrian kings and the temples of Ninurta, the god of war, and of Nabu, the god of writing.

I am deeply saddened, a state which can not be put into words. This is not the first time the Culture and History of a place has been put to the sword. In 2001, Taliban blew away the Bamian Budha. In 2013, retreating Islamist insurgents set fire to a library containing thousands of historic manuscripts, some of them dating back to 13th century. Both of these devastation events took away forever a very invaluable piece of our history.

Taller Sasal Budha in 1963 on left and after destruction in 2008

Why should we worry about history? Well, the most pragmatic planning of future as well as immediate present can be done only on the basis of analyzing what occurred in the past and how. A past that tells us about the spread and acceptance of cultural beliefs and practices across the globe from the place of their birth. To think that Islam and Buddhism would have flourished together in ancient Afghanistan is so encouraging and strength-giving against the clash of religions. The same is the case in Iraq. The Mesopotamia of the old was a treasure trove and a world pioneer in so many things. It had rulers and subjects who cared for and assimilated faiths from across the world. A great reinforcer of the fact the myriad groups of people can peacefully coexist.

Needless to say, the historical insights into how people and culture and they clicked is so much useful in finding solutions to similar present day problems. The versatility and innovation of the past when combined with Science of today can work wonders to many small and big problems alike. The preservation of once lineage and culture through idols, sculptures, manuscripts, paintings and other forms of artwork guides us about the importance of doing and highlighting all things good for future generations to embrace and learn from.

It is true that ISIS has floored Nimrud not only for their stand against all things which they believe is non-Islamic but also for selling those priceless artifacts in black market. Their major income is from the sale of these stolen goods and belongings. All the ancient antiquities in their purview is under serious threat of being led to the same fate as Nimrud in days to come. They are unbelievably insane.

The topic of rise and flourish of ISIS and all the negativity surrounding Islam can be dealt elsewhere. We are concerned here about losing a big share of our history in West Asia because of these religious bigots gaining ascendance every passing day. Will we see any sort of clamp down from their current position in coming days?

मेरे दीपक -- प्रियतम का पथ आलोिकत कर!

                                                                       मेरे दीपक

मधुर मधुर मेरे दीपक जल!
युग युग प्रतिदन प्रतिक्षण प्रतिपल;
प्रियतम का पथ आलोिकत कर!

सौरभ फैला प्रतिपल धूप बन;
मृदल मोमु-सा घुल रे मृद तनु;
दे प्रकाश का सिन्धु अपरिमित,
तेरे जीवन का अणु गल-गल!
पुलक-पुलक मेरे दीपक जल!

सारे शीतल कोमल नूतन,
माँग रहे तुझको ज्वाला-कण;
विश्वशलभ सिर धुन कहता
"मैं हाय न जल पाया तुझमें मिल"!
सिहर-सिहर मेरे दीपक जल!

जलते नभ में देख असंख्यक;
स्नेहहीन नित कितने दीपक;
जलमय सागर का उर जलता;
विद्युत ले घिरता है बादल!
विहन्स-विहन्स मेरे दीपक जल!

द्रुम के अंग हरित कोमलतम,
ज्वाला को करते हृदयंगम;
वसुधा के जड़ अंतर में भी,
बन्दी नहीं है तापों की हलचल!
बिखर-बिखर मेरे दीपक जल!

मेरे निश्वासों से द्रुततर,
सुभग न तू बुझने का भय कर;
मैं अंचल की ओट किये हूँ,
अपनी मृद पलकों से चंचल!
सहज-सहज मेरे दीपक जल!

सीमा ही लघुता का बन्धन है,
अनािद तू मत घड़िय़ाँ गिन;
मैं दृग के अक्षय कोशों से -
तुझमें भरती हूँ आँसूू-जल!
सजल-सजल मेरे दीपक जल!

तम असीम तेरा प्रकाश चिर;
खेलेंगे नव खेल निरन्तर;
तम के अणु-अणु में विद्युत सा -
अमिट चित्र अंकित करता चल!
सरल-सरल मेरे दीपक जल!

तू जल जल होता जितना क्षय;
वह समीप आता छलनामय;
मधुर मिलन में मिट जाना तू -
उसकी उज्जवल स्मित में घुल-मिल!
मदिर-मदिर मेरे दीपक जल!

प्रियतम का पथ आलोिकत कर!

The Fight Against Cancer -- Where are we?

"Not Beyond Us". The 2015 edition of the World Cancer Day gave us this encouraging and meaningful tagline. The events conducted on 4 February took a positive and proactive approach to the fight against cancer, highlighting that solutions do exist across the continuum of cancer, and that they are within our reach. The focus for the current year will revolve around the following 4 factors.

• Choosing healthy lives
• Delivering early detection
• Achieving treatment for all
• Maximizing quality of life

What is Cancer?

A term for diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control and can invade nearby tissues. Cancer cells can also spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymph systems. There are several main types of cancer, more than 100. Carcinoma is a cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs. Sarcoma is a cancer that begins in bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue. Leukemia is a cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue, such as the bone marrow, and causes large numbers of abnormal blood cells to be produced and enter the blood. Lymphoma and multiple myeloma are cancers that begin in the cells of the immune system. Central nervous system cancers are cancers that begin in the tissues of the brain and spinal cord. Also called malignancy.

Origins of Cancer

Our understanding of the origins of cancer has changed dramatically over the past three decades, due in large part to the revolution in molecular biology that has altered the face of all biomedical research. Powerful experimental tools have been thrust into the hands of cancer biologists. These tools, including newly devised and implemented technologies that permit the interrogation of entire genomes, have made it possible to uncover and dissect the complex molecular machinery operating inside the single cell, normal and malignant, to understand its operations, and to pinpoint the defects that cause cancer cells to proliferate abnormally.

All cancers begin in cells, the body's basic unit of life. To understand cancer, it's helpful to know what happens when normal cells become cancer cells. The body is made up of many types of cells. These cells grow and divide in a controlled way to produce more cells as they are needed to keep the body healthy. When cells become old or damaged, they die and are replaced with new cells.

However, sometimes this orderly process goes wrong. The genetic material (DNA) of a cell can become damaged or changed, producing mutations that affect normal cell growth and division. When this happens, cells do not die when they should and new cells form when the body does not need them. The extra cells may form a mass of tissue called a tumor.

Courtesy :- American National Cancer Institute

Not all tumors are cancerous; tumors can be benign or malignant.

• Benign tumors aren't cancerous. They can often be removed, and, in most cases, they do not come back. Cells in benign tumors do not spread to other parts of the body.
• Malignant tumors are cancerous. Cells in these tumors can invade nearby tissues and spread to other parts of the body. The spread of cancer from one part of the body to another is called metastasis.

Some cancers do not form tumors. For example, leukemia is a cancer of the bone marrow and blood.

Where are we today?

It is for sure a long road before each and every battle against Cancer can be won. But more and more progressive research is helping patients across world to have better chances of getting rid of this menace. The Charged Particle therapy is fast growing in terms of popularity. 

Standard radiation treatments, which have already been around for decades, send X-rays straight through the tumor and out the other side of the body, damaging healthy tissue both coming and going. But protons and ions—atoms stripped of electrons—slow when they hit the body and come to a stop, depositing most of their destructive energy at their stopping point. If you tune a beam of protons or ions so they stop inside a tumor, you can deliver the maximum dose of radiation while sparing healthy tissue and minimizing side effects. This makes it ideal for treating children, whose developing bodies are particularly sensitive to radiation damage, and for cancers very close to vital tissues such as the optic nerves or spinal cord.

India's Position

There are no charged-particles based Cancer treatment facilities in India. As per a Boston Consulting Group study, 70-80% of cancer patients are diagnosed late when treatment is less efficient and 60% of them do not have access to quality cancer treatment. Out of 300+ cancer centres in India, 40% are not adequately equipped with advanced cancer care equipment. This study further suggests India will need at least 600 additional cancer care centres to meet the requirements by 2020.

A report quotes Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi of Tata Memorial Hospital as saying that annually, nearly 5 lakh people die of cancer in India. As per WHO Report 2005, this number is only expected to rise to 7 lakh by 2015. Globocan 2008 report shows that in India, cancers of lung and mouth in men and cervix and breast in women are the biggest killers.

Ignorance among public, delayed diagnosis and lack of adequate medical facilities has given cancer the dubious distinction of being a ‘killer disease’. However, fact remains that if cancer is detected in its early stages, it can be treated and individual can lead a healthy life. 

Government has been urged to bring Cancer under the ambit of "notifiable diseases" so that more adequate and cheaper care can be afforded to all and sundry. Chemotherapy remains the most used Cancer treatment strategy in India. Some scientists, at Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute (CNCI), Kolkata, are trying to use Neem for the prevention of growth of tumor cell in mice. Let us hope this research can benefit humans in sometime to come.

Till then, keep spreading the awareness about Cancer.

Our beloved Cartoonist -- Rest In Peace

Following the daily "You said it" cartoon series in Times of India was a passion for many upright, educated, urban English newspaper readers in India. Readers of Times of India would first read the cartoon strip before reading even the headlines. He was consistently dear to his readers via a perfect blend of sharp wit, stinging satire and nuanced portrayal of India's public life. It all started in 1951 and continued till he got paralyzed due to a stroke in 2003. It took "The Common Man" and his concerns to a platform where none can simply choose to ignore him.

He was born as Rasipuram Krishnaswamy Laxman on 24 October, 1921 in Mysore. The youngest of six brothers, Laxman had as his older brother, the legendary R.K. Narayan, the creator of Malgudi. He married writer Kamala and has a son, Srinivas. He was awarded Padma Bhushna in 1973 and Padma Vibushana came in 2005. The Ramon Magsaysay award was conferred on him in 1984. He passed away on the 26 January, 2015. Laxman was being treated for a urinary tract infection and kidney failure, doctors told The Hindu newspaper, and had been put on a ventilator. He was reported to have suffered several strokes since 2010. He wrote an autobiography titled The Tunnel of Time in 1988.

A colossal loss indeed. His Common Man was the true tale of an ordinary Indian citizen in its time. Take a look at this particular cartoon published in 1969.

He told the world in the most simple manner possible that if you wanted to find highly deprived human being, who survives on thin air, look no further than India. Most of his similar iconic cartoons from 1960s and 1970s will be relevant if reproduced today. His Common Man never spoke. Silently watching the events, the Common Man represented the silent majority of India who had no voice.

His liking for the politicians was equally deep. Take a look at this cartoon which mocked the Emergency.

Mr. Laxman said, "What politics is all about today. Blah-blah-blah. The day that stops and the quality of our leaders improve, I will have to retire and go away.". He often said politicians appeared to be to behaving as if they were perpetually modelling for the cartoonist. He was acutely aware of the lax political accountability in the country and thoroughly enjoyed puncturing the politician’s ego, exposing double standards.

If there was ever anything that Mr. Laxman wanted to do, it was sketching. He started doing that as early as when he was 11. He was rejected by the famous J.J. School of Arts in Mumbai. The same institute felicitated him much later after he had earned a name. He took the opportunity to thank the then Dean for rejecting him so that he turned into a full-time cartoonist. His eagerness to delve into details and make his cartoons meaningful was exemplary. He never resorted to pettiness and vulgarity to achieve his goal. For instance, unlike many in his trade, he never sketched anyone as an animal. But his genius lay in the ability to find the right metaphor, the apt imagery to convey a sentiment. In 1981, when Y.B. Chavan rejoined the Indira Gandhi faction of the Congress, Laxman sketched his homecoming by showing him entering through the dog flap, instead of the main door.

The Crow was his "most intelligent bird". He used to draw several sketches of crows in his free time. Crows make an appearance in many of his cartoons. All TV illustrations for Malgudi Days were sketched by him. In many of these, the synergy between the Man and the Nature were portrayed by crows and Swami.  

His last cartoon was for ISRO congratulating them for the successful Mars Mission.

People invariably connected with the Common Man, and Laxman’s work represented the bewilderment of the poor, contrasting it with the corruption of the ruling classes. His work will always bring a smile or draw a laugh and make you realise the grim irony and unchanging nature of the world we live in.

Journalists -- Are they crossing the limits?

Can somebody cover all the events in the World and make news out of them? What qualifies as news? What news are we interested in? Who should decide what is news to us? Media has become too powerful and pervasive to leave our lives untouched. 24-hour news reporting has certainly created clarifications/doubts in our minds about every single entity around us - be it family or society. Are they true impressions? Are they ephemeral since the next news is already a history by the time current one sinks in?

Consider the following definitions from Oxford Dictionary.

News :- Newly received, or noteworthy information, especially about recent events

Journalism :- The activity or profession of writing for newspapers or magazines or of broadcasting news on radio or television

In a nutshell, News is a noteworthy information and Journalists are people who present it. There is no mention in these definitions about what can be regarded as "NEWSworthy" and who should decide that. So, in principal, Journalists should deliver news in terms of plain facts and not in terms of assumptions or assessment. They should capture the latest factual happenings and pass on the same to us without being judgmental in any respect. As a receiver, it should be left to us to pass any verdict or not.

The reality is quite opposite though. More than the news bulletins, the News channels air the analysis/debate shows of some kind or the other. Each news channel declares its show, its analysis and its outcome as the best. Often, they give a hint that the similar proclamations by their competitors are useless. Arnab Goswamis, Barkha Duttas, Rajadeep Sirdesais of Indian news channels have long lived on the premise of fooling us into believing what they assess and presume to be true. Yes, I hate the conclusions they make for us.

While I was in college, I had programmed myself to watch the 8:45 pm News Bulletin on Doordarshan. There were no other news channels so the choice was easy. Now, I can listen/watch the same news in different Avatars on different channels many times in a day. Now, when I compare the quality of that 15 minute nutshell kind of news delivery to the incessant dissection of any news item, I thank the college authorities to not beam these atrocious channels of today during those times.

Everything is a news item these days. Anything can be dusted, polished, extra-coated, debated upon by self-proclaimed experts

and then declared good or bad with a classic looking, teary or hair-clenching adjudication. Sample this from last year's general election campaign.

Rahul Gandhi visits a Dalit home in a Uttar Pradesh village, eats and sleeps there.

The news channels, barring only a few which I missed keeping track of, showed this item 15 times a day, debated on it in a special programme with experts and pronounced the following.

He will swing Dalit votes towards Congress.

We all know what happened afterwards. The question is not about how did they arrive at the outcome but why this debate in the first place on a extremely stupid activity. Take another really stupid item to be debated on Prime Time National channels.

Sanjay Dutt gets a 14-day furlough from Yerwada Jail.

Why in the world are we concerned about Sanjay Dutt when there are many criminals with more ghastly crimes to their names sitting outside? The Newshour on Times Now devotes two episodes to debate this non-issue? Who cares about this discussion when at the same time something more serious like terrorist attack on Charlie Hebdo is in news?

Talking about Charlie Hebdo, what paucity of news items in today's 24-7 world forced them to use Prophet Mohammed in a cartoon? How many prints did they sell more, how many advertisements did they get extra, how many actually enjoyed that cartoon, and many more such ROI questions. I am more concerned about the bankruptcy of ideas than the freedom of expression. They unnecessarily provoked a mindless, insane faculty of people to do what they did. And how did Charlie Hebdo respond? Another Prophet cartoon on the front cover. Whole of the Muslim world is burning with protests, from Nigeria to Malaysia.

Regulations on what should be termed as news item for public consumption should be put in place now. Exactly what those regulations should be, I leave it to my readers to ponder till I can take the subject further.

 

The Thunder DownUnder

The just concluded 4 Test Match Cricket series between hosts Australia and India was remarkable on several fronts and demands some serious debate. If you are a cricket statistician or are remotely interested in the Number Games, this series was much above being called "Astounding". It was neither "Brilliant" nor "One-sided" but definitely something to remember for a long time to come. There were remarkable changes to both the Australian and Indian cricket, both for good and bad. The Cricket was at its mysterious best, if not near its performance peak, and not even once there was any foregone conclusion to be made. The events, both on and off the fields, ensured that the Cricket World was never in a position to take their eyes and ears away from this series.

Here are some of the statistical wonders from that series.

1. 5879 The total number of runs scored in the series, by both the teams. This is the highest number in terms of total number of runs scored in any series of 4 or lesser Test matches. The second-most runs (5651) also came in a series between India and Australia, the 2003-04 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
2. There has been only one instance of two batsmen scoring four or more hundreds in a single Test series. Virat Kohli and Steven Smith created history when they scored four hundreds each during the 2014/15 Border-Gavaskar Trophy played in Australia.
3. 769 Runs scored by Steven Smith in this series, the most ever in a series of four or fewer matches. There have been two instances of batsmen scoring more runs when they have played only four matches in a five-match series - Sunil Gavaskar (774, versus West Indies, 1971) and Viv Richards (829, versus England, 1976).
4. 692 Runs scored by Virat Kohli this series, the most by an Indian batsman in Australia and the third-most by an Indian batsman in any series. Sunil Gavaskar aggregated 700-plus in a series on two occasions, in 1971 and 1978-79, both times against West Indies.
5. 482 Runs scored by M Vijay this series, the most by an Indian opener in Australia and the third-most by an Indian opener in any away series. Gavaskar has aggregated more on two occasions: 542 against England in 1979 and 774 against West Indies in 1971.
6. 8 Number of times that the teams have posted a 400-plus score during this series, the most ever in a Test series. There have been seven previous instances of teams making seven 400-plus scores in a series.
7. 0 Number of previous instances where both teams have gone past 400 in the first innings of each Test in a series of three or more Tests. Both Australia and India have each posted 400-plus scores in the first innings of every Test this series, with Australia going past 500 on each occasion.
8. 6 Number of consecutive 50-plus scores for Chris Rogers, the most by an Australian. Eight other Australian batsmen have made six 50-plus scores as well - Jack Ryder, Doug Walters, Greg Chappell, Allan Border, Mark Taylor, Michael Hussey, Phil Jaques and David Warner. 
9. 15 Umesh Yadav's economy rate during Australia's second innings, the worst in Tests for a player who has bowled three or more overs in an innings. He returned figures of 0 for 45 from three overs.
10. 24 Number of instances this series of a bowler conceding 100-plus runs in innings, the most ever in a Test series. Nathan Lyon has six such innings, the most, while Ashwin has four.  

Getting Married? Don't look for a Groom

What happens to those who decide not to wed but still want to experience the grandeur and fun associated with it? Would you just sit in your own company and ponder of all the missed opportunities? Well, if you are a single female in Japan, you need not worry too much. A Japanese Travel Agency is offering something called Solo Wedding aims to help women get married without a groom.

Solo Wedding is a concept around unmarried women who do not want to get into a wedlock and at the same time would love to be a part of everything else associated with a wedding. Cerca Travel, the Japanese Travel Agency, offers a two-day wedding experience called Kyoto Solo Wedding centered on a fake wedding shoot designed to pamper women and boost their self-esteem.

Customers each pay between ¥250,000 to ¥470,000 (~$2,075 to $3,900), which buys them 1 night at a hotel, a dress consultation, either a dress or a kimono to wear during the shoot (with accessories), professional hair and makeup, a limousine ride to the shooting location (a Japanese garden), a photo shoot with a professional photographer, and photos on a USB drive and in a photo album.

The variable price is because there are “optional experiences”. One is having a Japanese man stand in as a groom for you in your photos (only their hand, shoulder, or back will be visible in photos), a second is a dinner with your tour coordinator, and a third is pampering at a beauty salon.

According to the Japan Times, about 30 Japanese women have taken advantage of the travel package so far. Most of them are in their late 30s and above, and about half of them have been married women who either didn’t have photos the first time around or had bad ones.

The rest are like Tomoe Sawano, a 39-year-old single entrepreneur who was the first woman to buy the package. She tells Japan Times that the photo shoot experience changed her outlook on life and marriage: “Being single at this age, I was frustrated by pressure (to get married), but after this experience I left my worries behind me. I hope to find a partner but now believe that even if I can’t, I can enjoy life.”

Some Artwork from Mughal Period

A piece from Hamzanama -- 1564-69

A Piece from Tutinama -- 1580-85

Story of the Lion and the Lynx from Tutinama -- 1580-85

Tale of The False Ascetic from Kathasaritasagara -- 1585-90

The arrival of Nanda and his family in Vrindavan from Harivamsha -- 1586-90