Blink issue 46 decembe13 2014

SOMEBODY’S WAR At the heart of our country, beyond our television screens, is the untold truth about Maoists, adivasis and CRPF jawans p4 saturday, december 13, 2014

the hindu archives

Still recovering from the Modi wave, the country’s liberal establishment is chanting Nehru’s lofty idea of India.

An idea with a capital flaw p10

Seeing off Nehru

WATCH OUT Facebook is free because we are not the customers, we are the commodity p5

VOICE OF REASON Malian Fatoumata Diawara sings of love and injustice, roots and rage p14

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Things fall apart The cicada The reef knot CREATURE FEATURE

severalofforests, there’s one insect bondthe between coral and algae, on which The In collapse the Mairie Building last month The laid bare weak bones of Puducherry’s built you’llstructures undoubtedly longthat before an entire ecosystem rests, must be protected heritage andhear the laws govern them you see or smell or touch it

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e humans are not equipped with the sharpest of senses — we don’t see as well as owls or hawks, we don’t hear or smell as well as dogs. Nevertheless, the information we receive through all our senses is integrated into our perceptions of any place, and when we’re outdoors, we notice different creatures through different sensory routes. In many forests in the summer, there’s one insect that you will undoubtedly hear long before you see or smell or touch it: the cicada.

The incessant and incredibly loud buzzing produced by the male cicada is a signal. Cicadas live their early lives underground, Water colours In the Coral Sea, which would soon be a protected marine park AP feeding on tree roots, and when they emerge in large numbers from the soil to transform into adults he first time I went div- the algae — and the reef canvas exand mate, males and females must begin by ing in the reefs of the An- ploded in remarkable hues. finding each other. The males’ persistent clickdaman Islands, I had two ing not only lets females locate them but may Over time, an ecosystem began thoughts while descend- to take shape around these exalso give them the information they need to ing through the blue. The first was panding reefs. Fish were drawn to choose the most suitable mate. This cacophony (purely sensory): this feels like un- them for food and protection. Eels is crucial to cicada reproduction. derwater yoga. The second was: made homes in crevices, and crabs For a male cicada to have any chance of fatherhow did all this chaotic, moving and snails burrowed between coring offspring, his song must stand out amid the life of fish and rays and turtles find al branches. Herbivores like pardin of thousands of other cicadas. He must sing their way to this reef? And what rotfish kept the reef clean of algae, through light and dark, come rain or shine. Cicaholds them here? das have therefore evolved an impressive bag of allowing baby coral space to grow.

Over the last 600 million years, A rich tapestry of relationships bebehavioural and physiological tricks to optimise a succession of “reefs” have ap- gan to form on reefs. Today, they their signal. The most impressive of these tricks is peared and disappeared in the are one of the most biologically dia capacity for heating up their own bodies, or “enthe darkest oceans in myriad forms. The true verse systems, After dothermy,” an ability usually found in mammals supporting over 25 hour Sunrise on Beach history of corals is a bit murky be- per cent of allRoad and birds. marine life. Nearly in Puducherry cause of the several extinction 500 million people Most insects are ectothermic, which means that depend on bijoy bharathan events on Earth that they have ei- them for their food and livelihood. they depend on heat from the sun to raise their body been wiped out entreating by or theBut t’s a warm Sunday morning Puduchertemperatures beforeinthey can beginstore the day’s activthe relationship on which built, natural ther and cultural heritage authorities on their behalf for a emerged from. ry. A group American travellers, ities. Butofmale cicadas are more finicky thanIndia. most“Our in- biggest this restsfor — the across challenge isHowevthe lack while now. “It’s a matter all of of priorities the er, what we call coral dressedsects, for the weather, on a of atemperature and must head attainout a particular bond between coral proper legal system that recognises the Government. When you have issues like poverreefs today are the heritagebefore walkthey down once-cobblescanthe produce the exact song that alertsoffe-such colonial and algae — is public a fragimportance buildings in rePu- ty, unemployment, sanitation and of something the toned streets of the French males of their own quarter. species toTheir their presence.

At gives lowerthem asult ile thing.

Warming ducherry, commensurate status, works hanging in the balance, how can one exNearly 500 million coral first beguide Ashoktemperatures, Panda is a native of Odisha, who to warm a male cicada needs up by proocean waters and and puts regulations in placeanimal for their preserpect ampledepend funding for such sites?

But that’s people about 230 directly calls Puducherry Panda’s cheerful ducinghome. a sound that may alertdepredators to and his locaseas disvation protection.gan Fortoa do point of referwhy we on keep at it, hopingpolluted our call for proper coral reefs ago, meanour masks growing tion abut will notanxiety, attractespecially a female cicada — you a lose-lose rupt the process of ence, could look atmillion Europe toyears understand regulations and legal interventions will be when the climate was after his worst fears came true aever couple proposition, if there was of one. how It’s therefore in the idea deep-rooted of conservation is in heard in time,” says Panda.algal photosynthechanging, waweeks ago. The Town or Maithe144-year-old male cicada’s bestHall interests to bethe ablepsyche to raiseofhis sis bythe theonline algae. petBeits people.

In Italyand andthe France, Banerjee, who kick-started ters of thebut Tethys sea rie Building on Goubert Avenue,independent also known of you body temperatures the don’t sun, and yond a into threshold justhe have monuments, heritage ition to galvanise the authorities action, were warmer than before. as Beach Road,does collapsed on a rainythe day,process under that so by co-opting converts temperature (around cities that enerpreserve the identity, culture and says, “We should have done it long30°C) ago.” toxic OwnUntil this time, corals were only amounts the weight of gy years neglect. November 29 muscles intoofmovement.

Insect flight are particof oxygen begin to hotel, build architecture of a place for huner of Gratitude, a heritage eating small fish and bits of plank- upshe was a wake-up call for many. ularly inefficient at turning dreds energy intosays Panda. inside the coral tissue, can which of years,” believes real change be A coral colony is made up of neither Days later, hundreds of concerned citizens is fortuitous movement, but this inefficiency algae nor corallocals are able to Meanwhileforat theton.French effected only when pitch hundreds held a candlelight and mobilised support thevigil cicada, because energy that doesn’t Eventually, coral exquarter, become Panda often points out of little vase-shaped ani- regulate. in. That “the officialsthe have agreed The biggest challenge for an online petition on change.org, movement is lost as‘Save heat.Pon- “ugly” buildings builtmals its algal[them] boarders in adecisionprocess not called too polyps that use their pels to include in the is the lack of a proper dicherry’s Heritage Cicadas Buildings Time’.across Started areinfound the world in all sorts ‘bleaching’. algae long ago with what hetentacles says is anto net bits of food and di- called making process” With is no the small trilegal system gestarea’s it in their stomachs. But, in goes by a local resident, Kakoli Banerjee, the pet- surprising of environments, and it isn’t dif- for the colour, and entire absolutethat disdain umph for people like reefs her. turn a this changed environment, corals ghostly ition demands urgent of six ferent reinforcement species of cicadas vary existing in exactly how white, lingering in aan state architecture, ignoring Devangi Ramakrishnan, urbeganthat to do something different. ofban high-risk structures — the Lighthouse, they go Old about warmingOld up. Some cicadas and are aesthetics coma. the facades designer with INTACH and They started capturing free-floatCourthouse, Policeendothermic Headquarters, VOC School, only some of the are time. the “Both Some coralwith species have Design learnt itsWhen signature. governco-trustee Urban ingproperties algae — millions — and to Calve College and the Jeune FilsunPensionnat is out, theyDebehave ectothermically, posiadapt, between algal ment-owned and private shouldof bethem Collective, also talksswitching about public involvekeeping themand inside their ment tissues. le (Government girls’ French high school). tioning themselves in full sunlight andtoretreatcan tolerate subject laws that protect the look feel of and types turns to theones focusthat squarely on the With these chloroplast-rich pro-She warmer Sunaina Mandeen, represents thetoo hot. ing towho the shade if they get at dusk, If waters cool down the But town.

In culturally important sites in youth. suggestswater. engaging them through tists their midst, coralswalks, couldcommunity group PondyCan (Pondy Citizens’ Actionendothermic, Net- France, these cicadas become flying fran- people fast enough, corals canco-curricular sometimes I’ve heard go in so far as to consult events and harvest the energy oforthe activities sun di- centred work), and other tically stakeholders also met between trees to the stay warm enough regain algae and recover.

Butto if sea the local bodyto before changing a doorknob on the city’s history im— using the algae as their Chief Minister and Lieutenant Governor. continue singing all evening. Other cicadas arein theirrectly a windowpane own house!” bibe a sensetemperatures of pride rightkeep fromrising, school.as they photosynthetic go-between. “There’s also “Both of them were genuinely endothermic all concerned the time, and therefore must partners are now, corals remain bleached, While INTACH with the Governa huge deficit of informed arlimited their becoming about the endangered French, decouple heatIndo-French production from else heritageEarlier and mentflight, to restore buildings, it alsobyof-what chitectural and designphysically critique inweaker the media, could snag,tocorals now and Tamil heritagethey’d properties needintoPuducherry. fly constantly.

Instead, they andtentacles more susceptibleshe to disease.

The isfers architectural design guidelines even in niche magazines,” says, “Opinion began farm the algae for pieces most ofandlands We urged them for an amendment to and the breathe shiver imperceptibly as Recently, and atolls they fortify beprivatedeeply owners. it to helped renovate articles that encourage dialogue their the algal cells citizens Town Planning Act, with from the state-levtheyaid sing, pulsing their abdomens and out come and exposed to the elements, IndianinCoffee House, Le Caféfood. and In theturn, Art and between the architecture and degot projects a place to and protection el Heritage AdvisorytoCommittee, to prevent increase their capacity for oxygen.

Both Similar compromising physical Culture Building. atlive, the Bhasign community on whatthe works andintegwhat predators,and butthe the real bene- in urban the demolition of privately-owned heritage routes to endothermy allow rathiar a chorus of cica- Policefrom rity of the land and people.strucMuseum, Headquarters doesn’t planning or its heritage fits offing. were for the coral host.

They structures and maintenance of their facades.” through das to sing continuously the sumreefs will what depend Public Park are also in the tures can go aThe longfuture way inofpreserving we had for an all enormous of posterity.”

But it’s an uphill task, Panda,their whoseraucous mer,says making hum isthe on whether choose to lose an Funding a major now obstacle restora- amount have for Forwe now, however, those energy, and to proliferate, chief occupation is thatforest’s of a co-convener at the background score. tion projects, but private experience or somehow reclaim it. owners in began particular who filed petitions or took to the streets of Putall minarets pyra- are taking things one day at a time. local wing of Indian National Trust for Art and find it difficult to paygrowing for the in constant and and ducherry ambika kamath studies organismic and upkeep of their mids. ancestral This is also when they got shreya yadav is a research affiliate with Cultural Heritage (INTACH), an NGO that careful assets. evolutionary biology atand Harvard Nature Conservation Foundation, Mysore bijoy in bharathan colour have — from pigments works with the Government to protect re- University Groups like PondyCantheir and INTACH been

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An SOS for men Believing that men are getting the short end of the stick, a Kolkata-based organisation launches online and offline platforms for its persecuted brethren

Role play Hridaya’s members donned saris, believing that since a man’s voice is never heard, they had to turn into women

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allies are all too common in Kolkata for a few dozen protesting men to grab attention. Undeterred by possible indifference, Hridaya, a men’s rights organisation in the city, pulled out all stops on December 1 to make its dissent heard.

The group’s members hit the streets in only their towels. The message scrawled on their bare potbellies and placards was simple: ‘Roll back the Marriage Laws Amendment Bill’. Already passed by the Rajya Sabha, the Bill is set to be tabled in the Lower House during the Parliament’s winter session. If passed, the Bill will force husbands to compensate their divorced wives monetarily, even putting their inheritance at stake. Asserting that any such law would be gender biased, Hridaya’s secretary Amit Gupta says, “We organised a ‘gamcha’ rally to show that men will soon be left with nothing else but the towel on their bodies.”

This February, several of their members even marched through Kolkata in saris. Gupta adds, “We were opposing the same Bill even then. No one hears a man’s voice anymore, so we decided to become women too.”

The scope of Hridaya’s ambit is by no means limited to legislative measures alone. Working under the umbrella of a national movement called Save Indian Family (SIF), the Kolkata-based NGO and other sister organisations such as Delhi’s Save Family Foundation (SFF) together launched a dedicated helpline for men in 2014, an Android app and a tweeting application called ‘Switter’. Multiple points of access have ensured an easy access to SIF’s Yahoo groups, websites and related literature. As a result, a fair number of men are believed to have crawled out of the woodwork, telling stories of physical and sexual abuse, marital discord and failed relationships. Ritwik Bisaria, who is in charge of public relations for SFF and all its activities, is quick to make a comparison — “On an average, we get 130 calls a day. Compare that to the 100 received by the national helpline for women in

distress (181). This alone tells you that men re- Hridaya helped me find loopholes in their alally need help. We also find that those calling legations. My name has been cleared now, but us are most often suicidal.”

I’ll never forget how the NGO stood by me As a counsellor with Hridaya, Arindam Dut- when my wife’s boyfriend stabbed me and atta attempts to find solutions to the pressing tacked me with acid.” Assuming the role of a problems of approximately 10-15 men each Shylock with too much élan, Amit Gupta asks week. “Every call is a tale of destruction and — “If a man is attacked with acid, will his skin hopelessness. With every story I hear, I feel not burn? If one gender is protected, why more appalled about the direction in which criminalise the other?” our society is heading.” A majority of the men The battle being fought by Hridaya and SIF who get in touch with Dutta have recently had activists seems almost impossible. Protecting criminal cases lodged against them and their the rights of the misjudged might well be a families by their now-esnoble cause, but portraying an tranged wives. “Women are alentitled majority as the leging sexual harassment by wronged underdog is what offathers- and brothers-in-law. ten raises eyebrows. The likes of If a man is attacked You hear these accusations of Gupta are quick to spout statiswith acid, will his unnatural sex and molestation. tics, but their defence of the skin not burn? If one Then you have the charge of an same borders on the prepostergender is protected, attempt to murder,” rues Dutta. ous. According to National why criminalise The 32-year-old relates easily Crime Records Bureau figures, the other to those he counsels. Married in 64,098 married men had com2012, Dutta’s relationship with mitted suicide in 2013. In comhis wife soured after she acparison, the figure of 24,491 cused him of cruelty and married women taking their pressed charges under Section 498A of the In- lives seemed meagre. Gupta argues, “This disdian Penal Code. Having lost his job in the IT crepancy exists because throughout history, sector, Dutta laments, “Such charges have a di- men have been defined by two roles — that of a rect impact on your career and social stand- protector and provider. The woman always ing. You and your parents are soon considered has that great right of choice.” The campaignto be wife beaters and dowry seekers.” Still er’s defence of patriarchy belies his own rhetfighting to prove his innocence in court, the oric. “Why does control only have to mean counsellor says that it is not his task to deter- something negative? It could also mean discimine the culpability of the men he gives ad- pline, safeguards, protecting and providing.” vice to — “I have complete faith in our It is predictable that the controversial Rohcountry’s criminal justice system. When a vic- tak sisters have found little favour with SIF’s tim comes to me, I’m no one to judge that per- network of over 50 NGOs. Branding them serison or deliver a verdict. I don’t know if he’s al thrashers, SFF’s founder member Swarup innocent or guilty. He will have to stand trial. I Sarkar warned of a backlash, “Injustice somecan just try and support the man who’s crying where is a direct threat to justice everywhere.” at the end of a line.”

Placed in the context of decades-old sexism RTI activist and Hridaya counsellor Joydeep and misogyny, that truism really couldn’t get Bakshi had turned to the organisation in de- any more ironic. spair. He says, “I was depressed for a long while after my wife’s family filed cases against me. shreevatsa nevatia

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Shopper’s stop Under attack A man The dressed an CRPFassoldier is emperor to attractlamb in a sacrificial customers at abetween the war souvenir thestore Stateinand the ap/andy Wangfujing pti wong Maoists

lem that stems from decades of marginalisation and exploitation of the adivasis in large swathes of land (in the undivided Bastar region in Chhattisgarh, for example, which is bigger than Kerala). Even after India attained her freedom, nothing changed for the people in this region. They remained a victim of the State’s apathy, of its absence. From 1980 onwards, the Maoists appeared on the scene and simply filled the void left by the Indian State.

They began on a good note, giving the adivasis a sense of empowerment, promising to change their lives. But soon, their focus shifted from welfare to fighting the State. The State, meanwhile, remained oblivious to the utter lack of development in this region.

It took the Centre many years to accept that the Maoist problem is not a law-and-order problem. But, on ground, it was reluctant to make changes in its policy. It failed to understand that security operations in the Maoistaffected areas need to be an adjunct to the deliverance of basic needs to the people here: access to food and safe drinking water, and a right to education and medical care.

The Centre continued to use the presence of Maoist guerrillas in the region as an excuse for misgovernance. The CRPF troops were sent in, but in the absence of a tangible intelligence apparatus, they have not been able to effectively tackle the Maoists. By the sheer presence of the CRPF and other paramilitary forces in such large numbers, the Maoists may have been pushed deeper into their bastions, but they haven’t gone away.

In the meantime, the adivasis’ first contact with the State comes in the form of the CRPF troops. In many areas, they disallow them to venture into the forests to collect firewood and other items essential for their survival. Also, in most cases, it is almost impossible for the CRPF troops to distinguish between an adivasi and a Maoist guerrilla. Sometimes, it leads to rights violations, with the CRPF soldier coming across as an impious villain.

On his part, the CRPF soldier has no idea what he is dealing with. In other counterinsurgency situations — for example, in Kashmir — the situation is far simpler. The CRPF is just not prepared for deployment in the Maoist areas. There are several reasons for this. The CRPF soldier has absolutely no facility at his disposal. His living conditions are pathetic. In the camp, he does not have access to even basic amenities. Across Maoist-affected regions, eijing is a nightmare even for some- their pronunciation aside, these happen to be guy altered our priorthe intimthe situation is schedule the same.without As a result, moone who ardently supports native places that are must-sees for any visitor. ation took straight for the city tour.low.

He rale ofand most ofus the CRPF soldiers is very languages and opposes colonial legaAn added advantage of travelling by the didn’t want towant leavetothat for the next day,sita Many of them get away from their cies, linguistic or otherwise. In the metro, where people wearing protective Sunday, explained, as Gu Gong uation ashe soon as possible.

There is a(Forbidden chasm benight sky, English can be found glowing masks are not an uncommon sight, is that you City) other tourist would be crowdtweenand the soldier andplaces the officer.

Even the (along with Chinese) in places such as the air- are safe from the pollution outside. You do ed.

The place turned out to be overcrowded officers want to get away.

Many of them are port or on the huge billboards of multination- wonder whether the smog engulfing the city even on aforSaturday.

There were umpteen preparing careers elsewhere. al companies like Coca-Cola, KFC and fashion is from the excessive number of smokers on groups donning similar coloured caps, isasexif On the other hand, a Maoist guerrilla giants Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Giorgio Arma- its street rather than the emissions from its belonging to one ofInthe IPL teams, and they tremely motivated. many cases, he is even ni... Lining the road all the way into the city, millions of automobiles. The sky were invariably led soldier. by a person better trained than the CRPF The the profusion of billboards in this communist remained hazy the entire week a differently Maoists knowcarrying this entire region very coloured well, and country’s capital is rather bewildering. The of my stay, with a thin layer of flag. in a train, clutching in large areas, theWalking local population is sympanext morning, however, when you emerge smog and dust coming from the on to a long stick, they were visthetic to them. from yourhe hotel and try begin to navigate TV cameras rollingthrough as soon Mongolian television screens. desert. That is our only contribuitors from the gets smallany towns and hardly support On the metro,The theCRPF soldier the city onasyour own, itarrive. hits you the bodies Thethat sighttooffind the tion the just crisisinand we withdraw.

It’stonot thethen accent of villages. “Many of the them may from his organisation, or from State hebe is business suits, jeans, someone slain who speaks understands a their But English, that doesn’t make things away in and soldiersorofeven the Central Reserve American dom- go miniskirts visiting the Capital for the first fighting this war for.

He is just a sacrificial hot bit of English is like hitting a jackpot.

Police Force (CRPF), Chhattisgarh.

In fact, they be-all narrate inance is pervasive in day-to-day time,” guide informed us lamb in this war.

Andthe so are the poor adivasis. pants The in underground metro,and which connects China. The metro killed a Maoist ambush come more serious showcases this a disdain that is seemingly who is with benefitting from this war? Why aonce longwe story inSo, brief the length and of the metropolis for best. The business covered with thebreadth Indian nationclose suits, our eyes jeans,or turn them cannot the adivasis near-universal in city-dwellers be stakeholders in the nearly is reputedly its cheapest mode miniskirts and away. al flag, 400km, has become our DreiserThatall is narwhy it is impor- wealth created hot pants forby outsiders.

Yet these outsiders the extraction of mineral reThe living conditions of of A three-yuan tant to understand iantransportation. opera. Before such an event, (RMB) ticket rate a long story in brief.

The lat- what is hap- sources in this were quite modern, dressed as region?

Why is the State unable the CRPF are pathetic, can take you aswe farare as you pening in our own backyard. or afterwards, just want not to go in this est hairstyles are inspired by the smartly as any of theirincity brethto rescue a CRPF soldier injured a Maoist with no access to even city.

Mercifully, the metro makes announce- West, especially Since interested in what is happen2010, there hasthe been Hollywood.

Surely, pre-a ren.

Especially theMaoists young ones.

There were also ambush?

If the are against mining, basic amenities ments English. Though the accent is cau- ponderance of sustained ing in in Chhattisgarh or other of security coloured presence blonde hair is more no whatsoever of malnourishment or whysigns are they not targeting mining companies tiously American, thein Chinese Maoist-affected areas centralpronunciation than just a passing forces in the Maoist-affected ar- any fad? other deprivation.

A few Mao and in their areas of influence?

These arecoats the quescomplicates things—awe bit.are Chinese and eastern India not names like eas. The CRPF forms the core of caps also visible in the crowd. tionswere we must ask. And these must be asked Yiheyuan, Kong Miaonguozi- Outsiders in Beijing interested Sanlitun becauseYaxiu, thinking the troops sent by the Centre to outside There our were three Britons drawing rooms.in our conducted jian, Zhuxi Jiniantang, or We Zhongguo Lash Our aboutMao it becomes an incubus. do not want fightguide the Maoists.

The as tour group, including a retired couple and was fluent in Maoist English,problem, and underrahulniece pandita is Opinion editor of The Hindu Bowuguan lend themselves correct standable that; we do hardly not want to engage withto it beyond many whoin have seen theAmerican situationaccent. on ground spite of his The their from Australia.

Just as we entered t@rahulpandita pronunciation in the the flashes of rage we Roman display script. in frontLeaving of our Great keep telling Delhi, is aday’s socio-economic prob- the Wall was on our list, but the smart first Gate, called Wumen or Meridian gate,

Chronicles of a city foretold The capital of China is a pageant of glowing billboards, miniskirts on the metro, tour groups in colour-coded caps and serendipity

The war that B doesn’t affect us

What a CRPF soldier deals with in Maoist areas and why we should look beyond our TV screens

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You are being watched It is time we realise, when it comes to Facebook we are not customers, we are the commodity. We can check out any time, but we can never leave

partha pratim sharma

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n the post-Snowden world that we live in, privacy has become a public concern.

Hence, Facebook, undisputedly the largest repository of our social and personal information online, recently updated users about a change in its privacy policy starting 2015. Under the legalese, the changes are not dramatically different from the older policies of Facebook, but it does explicitly spell out for users that once published, their data on Facebook will be used at the company’s discretion.

What is different is that Facebook, instead of implementing these changes on the sly, is bothering to inform users about them, making transparent its usage and collection policies for user data.

In response, there have been a flurry of legal-sounding and impressive declarations of privacy, demanding that use and abuse of data on Facebook be governed by an imaginary copyright law, which ought to prevent the changes Facebook makes to its data-usage policies. These declarations are partly poignant in their futility, and partly ludicrous in betraying our ignorance of intellectual property regimes and our own relationship with personal data and information on social media at large.

Rights surrendered We need to understand the structure of ownership when we join Facebook and start sharing our information. The data that we produce is indeed our own. And nobody can take credit for the original information or cultural production that we share on Facebook. However, the rights we have as an author — to be identified as the author, to determine who we willingly share this information with, and whether we want to be publicly linked to this information — are superseded by the rights we

give away to Facebook. In accepting the Terms trol resides in the servers and data storage, of Service — which is a legal contract deter- learning algorithms and predictive mechamining our rights and responsibilities and nisms, context mapping scripts that deterFacebook’s liability and ownership — we enter mine our value and the values within the into an agreement with Facebook, giving it a social web. non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, Facebook offers us choices that masquerade royalty-free, worldwide licence to use any in- as freedom; the difference is subtle but clear. formation and content that we post. To put it So, even if we delete our Facebook account plainly: once we agree to the Terms of Service, and all the data, Facebook will continue to Facebook can do whatever it chooses to do, so store it, and use it. It might make it anonylong as it never overrides our mous, or no longer bother us symbolic rights as the prowith it, but we don’t have the ducer of that information. right to delete our data, only to Putting up these declaraforfeit using it through regisFacebook offers tions now is the equivalent of tered accounts. us choices that telling your doctor you have As the privacy controls on masquerade as changed your mind after he Facebook become more transfreedom; the has extracted your teeth. Intelparent, they also become difference is subtle lectual property rights do not opaque, because they are not but clear allow for selective whims and about everything that we can do fancies, where we can change with our data. They are about our minds to invalidate previwhat you can do under the limitous terms and contracts. We ed choices you have about your need to understand that the rights of attribu- data. Putting up highfalutin, supposedly legal tion and sharing are different from the rights disclaimers do not offer any protection of ownership and distribution. So when it against this structure. All they do is give us a comes to our posts on Facebook, we can delete false sense of security that we have resisted them from our walls and timelines, but they the new changes implemented by Facebook. will still be stored and shared by Facebook in Whereas, in reality, on the first sign-up, we had order to economise the data. In other words, already agreed not only to existing privacy Facebook is like that old song from The Eagles policies, but all subsequent changes to them. where you can check out any time you like, but The solution does not lie in retrospective deyou can never leave. fiance, but in a proactive consideration of the Another dimension to these debates is to rights we give away — permanently and absounderstand the mechanisms of control that lutely — when we sign up for the free services. are often hidden in the social web. What we re- These services are free because we are not the ally have is interface control. On Facebook we customers, we are the commodity. can only ‘control’ our social relationships and decide what we can see and what our ‘friends’ nishant shah is a professor of culture and aesthetics can see. However, this is not control. This is of new media and the co-founder of The Centre for just information management. The real con- Internet and Society, Bengaluru

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Ringing sales The mobile wallet is expected to become a $20.4-billion business by the end of the year afp/manjunath kiran

ELSEWHERE

Ever wondered? How many Lego bricks would it take to build a bridge capable of carrying traffic from London to NYC shutterstock

Implausible meets science

Discovering that snowflakes aren’t all so tiny, dainty and soft

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he day dawns dark and silent. It’s so quiet that I wake up wondering if I’ve lost my hearing in a dream.

That’s one of the features of living alone. If something goes wrong, you’re the only one to know about it. Then I peek out of the nearest window and see the cause of the silence. A blanket of whiteness has been spread across the world: it has been snowing all night. Tiny flakes are continuing to drift down. They look so innocent, so tiny and dainty. I always think that snowflakes deserve to make a faint tinkling sound as or readers familiar with the huge- those waiting spaces, such as the dentist’s they descend. ly popular webcomic ‘xkcd’, What reception or airport lounge. The wonI struggle with opposing urges. One, to remain cozily tucked If? by the same author, Randall drous nature of the subject and analysis up in bed. Two, to throw aside the warm embrace of my comMunroe, will be a return to a hap- makes it the perfect escape from reality — forter, brush teeth, make tea, put on three layers of clothes and py place just like PG Wodehouse or Asterix in short doses. go to the Gym across the street. Because going to the Gym is would be for most. So, I shall write this resomething I am paying a subscription for and, therefore, unMunroe is also funny… very, very funny. view safe in the knowledge that most Parts of each answer are laugh-out-loud less I use it, I am Wasting Money. Believe me, if not for the $50 readers who read the first sentence went hilarious, however, the real gems are hidmonthly fee I would NEVER crawl out of my warm bed on a — ‘x-k-what?’ snowy morning! den outside of the main text. He uses his To start with, ‘xkcd’ is a blockbuster staple ‘xkcd’ stick-figure cartoons to comBy the time I leave my flat, I am feeling extremely virtuous. webcomic “of romance, sarcasm, math, plement the body of each answer. The Delighted to join the energetic, industrious world I can see and language”, started in 2005 by Mun- notes and citations (a la scientific papers) from my window. People buzzing about in their cars or trotting roe. It has been a ‘lodestar’ for scientists, are also worth spending time on; and so is by in their windcheaters and bobastronomers, engineers, aka, anyone gee- the “Weird and Worrying Questions from ble-topped woolly hats. The Dunkin ky. To understand Munroe’s clout in that the What If? Inbox” page, which interDonuts parking lot is full at this universe, it is useful to know that at 29 he sperses various sections. hour of the morning, 7.30. Busy already has an asteroid named after him.

Now, let me go on to qualify — “This OMIGOSH, I think, all mothers with two children As The New York Times reported this March, inay Singhbook does isnot own a debit orfor among strapped backseats of with theirany of the not exclusively geeks.” others Geek offer mobile payment services, areinto onlythe with us and not in capital letters.

MY details “the asteroid in orbit between Jupiter andcard, credit nor does anyone pepper in his the cars are leaping to grab a cup of culture references and butbook Paytm is different as itDRAWING has its ownHAND mobile merchants,” saysout Sharma.

Mars and once known simply as 4942 was which family, livedrichness. for four So gencoffee before addhas to the if Princess Leah’s which brings it into the league steaming marketplace, Paytm also takes caredriving of any to reversal of renamed last year by the International As- iniconic erations Bihar’s Gayathe district. school. Men in dark parkas are carrybuns, eatingYet, habitsofofSnapdeal gremlinsand Shopclues. transaction.

And if any merchant fails to fulfil tronomical Union as 4942 Munroe.” they regularly shop online Homeshop18 ing those cleverly made the takeout or the from sex-changing nature of dinosaurs obligations, Paytm blocks merchant and Like the webcomic, What is a book and If? Naaptol.

Even their holiday booktrays with cutouts for holding four in Jurassic Parkhotel aren’t well-known factsshopping in Card-free the payment.

Over 22 million have used Paytm which aims to answer multiple implauings are done online, again without internet tall Styrofoam cups securely. your universe, you may miss“When out on smartphones a fair came, people wanted to since January, making it one of the largest mosible, yet fascinating scientific bankingscenarios or cards. Singh instead has a mobile shop online and operator It’s warm the building.

The moment I step out, howevnumber of jokes. walletinside (payment bile commerce companies. using solid, rigorous and oftenfrom hilarious wallet Paytm, which himcriticism to load that er, brrrr!

The allows only other can bemobile lethrough operator) wasI’m wearing my waterproof ankle boots, and the hood scientific research. Questions range cash on his from mobile vied phone a that nearby my gap fleece-lined jacket is up. When I get to the Gym I’ll remove onthrough Munroe is he is too at We saw of notbizarre allowed. that Customers love it the very popular “What would mobilehappen retailerto or ATM and (if usethat it forcan all his on- and outer taken three stepsretailer from Fabfurtimes actually be a created thing). Paytm inthe2011 to layers, of course. Barely have IOnline furniture the Earth if the Sun suddenly switched Some of the answers seem too line transactions. theoption front stoop when — whoops! There’s a patch of ice hidden farfetched build an online payment nish has witnessed this growth off?” and the bizarre (and In gruesome) the recent“Ifcase(such whereas a customer Ub- lasers under the soft-seeming snow!

My rightfirst-hand. foot skids!“Paytm It flies offers out buyers pointing of 500TW the for theatmasses,” says Vijay ShekIn the recent case someone’s DNA suddenly vanished, how er’s car-sharing service was or allegedly raped by har to from under I amafalling!

ThenofI landincentives with a THUMP. And I’m and admoon powering a hairdryer 11Peta-founder and Sharma, CEO of me! like cash-back where customer long would that person last?” to the Paytm some- helped the driver, Delhi close in I found Flat on my back.car-sharing Watts) and Police in a few cases, Paytm.myself Short for ‘paydown. through ditional discounts. It also makes Uber’s what practical (?) “How many bricksAs Uber on theLego accused. riders ‘What’s can onlythe pay I sit up, feeling ridiculous but also suddenly mortal and frail. wondering point?’, the refermobile’, Paytm is the consumer payment much more conveservice was allegedly would it take to build a bridge capable through Paytmofunder RBItoguidelines ThencomI clutch raped the wrist of my right hand.

It’sTying whatwith I used to leads to ence Spinal Tapfor notcredwithstanding.

Howbrand of mobile internet nient. them by the driver, carrying traffic from London to NYC?” Butpolice it card use, the downloaded the and Uberfar between break my fall. Paytm Now it’shelped hurting.

OMIGOSH, I think, all for in capital ever, these are few and Communications, pany One97 greater sales merchants like Delhi let’s start by saying this book is not exclu-wallet, app and Paytm booked cab and letters.

MY DRAWING HAND! OHthe EEEK! us,” Oh NONONONO! But: CRM I hardly take aaway fromdi-the whose overall readinvestors include SAIF says Reeju Dutta, manPolice close in on sively for geeks. While therected analysis rigor- to take theisdriver them to Uber’s I massage the wrist carefully. Nothability of the book. office Partners, Intel Capitalcan andwiggle SAP all my fingers. ager of Fabfurnish. accused ous and often complex, the book isn’t so.was a neat in Gurgaon.

This track ing’s broken. Not even fractured, so far as can tell. It the hurts The ploy best to way to down summarise What among If? Ventures, others.

At IFabfurnish, number of The author does a great job simplifying theofoffice, whose physical address remained from the with any sharp, unnat-Paytm has would be to borrow from Paul Krugman’s Paytm began by offering pay-solid whack it received, but nottransactions through scientific terms and likening research unknown untilto then.paper on ‘Economic Theory ofment ural pain.

Interstellar services for utility bills increased 10 times in the last six relatable concepts — usingThis acrobatic gi- ofTrade’ new world mobile return to feel luckydrives that a certain — wallets “This isisa expectserious analysis of a ri-recharges. It Ihas and mobile ex- to my warm silent flat, trying months.

“Paytm raffes stacked atop each other measure ed to to become a $20.4-billion businesswhich by theis, ofpanded aren’t much worse.number Not succeeding.

The balloon of Even my though diculous subject, course,through the tie-upsthings with companies since of sales and revenues. height, using iPhones to measure com-according end of the year, to of a joint byin science.” punctured.

I look opposite whatstudy is usual January this year, after earlier the RBIgood gave intentions its nod for is utterly the order value may not at bethe toosnowhigh, the numputing power of the human andand us- Mobile the brain Internet Association flakes still falling outside with new respect:Paytm not allis relativeFinally, think ofofitIndia, as a strollmobile through sciwallets.

Shoppers can store cash on my berwindow of transactions through ing Hiroshima as the standard for ofence Paymentsunit Council Indiafantasy and IMRB. that soft gentle (grounded in mobile fact) asphones you for payments toand a whole lotafter of all. ly higher, making it very important for us,” energy and explosions (because, really, cash, Besides loading users can the alsostick-figure sync retailers stop to admire birds from and Myntra to Zovi and Fabfurnish Dutta explains.

MANJULA PADMANABHAN, author and artist, us tales of her parallel lifeKhanna, in what else is there?). their credit or debit card Paytm’sin mobile smellwith the flowers the footnotes. to Yepme.

Ditto fortells Homeshop18.

Vikrant its marginalien.blogspot.in US, in this fortnightly The over 50 questionswallet stand and independavoid having to punch in confiden“If you are on an Elsewhere, online shopping site, series COO - TV Business, says: “Within a month of anuj is a technologist by day andgets geekyour card details pre-filled and you our partnership, 10 per cent of our online payently, so you can jumptial to card any details randomduring anpradhan online transaction.

Paytm culture enthusiast night page and start reading… perfect for all including Several companies PayU, by CCAvenue, just have to add your CVV number. The card ing customers adopted this wallet service. It

A stroll into the world of the geek that will leave you with answers of questions you have never asked

F

What If? Randall Munroe Hachette Popular Science/ Humour ₹499

Thump, on my back

Money talks… from a mobile phone

In less than a year, 22 million have used Paytm, generating business worth ₹3,500 crore. This is the brave new world of mobile wallets, where hard cash and payment cards are passé

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Some payment gateways in India:

Cash is not king Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Paytm founder and CEO

also gave us access to over 10 million Paytm customers and saw referral traffic.”

Currently, 12 per cent of Homeshop18’s online paying customers uses Paytm. “We are looking at launching Paytm option on all our mobile platforms next year and expect to grow by 50 per cent every month after that,” Khanna adds.

Paytm users can load their mobile wallets with cash from banks, retailers and ATMs. “We are in talks with some large nationalised banks for tie-ups. And on the retail front, we want to see that any place where a phone can be charged can also load money into a Paytm wallet,” says Sharma. He expects one million such outlets in the next three years.

Already, 16 million Paytm wallets have been created since January and the company has seen a ₹3,500-crore annual run rate of transactions. “Consumers have accepted us wholeheartedly. Our wallet users are growing at more than 40 per cent every month, while transactions are growing at more than 20 per cent,” he adds.

shutterstock/ christos georghiou

Forget cash-on-delivery This growth for Paytm is driven by online services such as food delivery, cinema ticket bookings, travel bookings and so on. “These services typically don’t accept cash on delivery, but users want to book with assurance. We are an answer for businesses that don’t accept cash during delivery. We are an alternative to cash-on-delivery,” says Sharma. India’s e-commerce boom was primarily driven by cash-on-delivery, but Sharma believes the next wave of services including taxis and medical appointments will grow with mobile ecommerce. “But unlike e-commerce, we don’t require logistics.”

According to a study by Accel India, the number of cash-on-delivery transactions in India will drop from 60 per cent in 2013 to 50 per cent by 2016. And the share of third-party wallets such as Paytm will rise 7 per cent.

Third-party wallets, despite being a new phenomenon, have a strong value proposition and will become popular quickly, just like in China. They will be-

come a significant alternative to cash-on-delivery, the study says.

Khanna says additional factors such as greater adoption of mobile payment technology, high penetration of mobile internet and a strong demographic dividend will see young India increasingly favouring quicker, safer and convenient payment options.

Marketplace players:

Gateway to the market Encouraged by the growing number of merchants and customers opting for Paytm, the company set up its marketplace in February.

This is basically a common platform where customers and merchants can discover each other. “We are like the checkout aisle where you can pick up things on the way out,” says Sharma, adding, “we were getting traffic as we were sorting payments. So we began offering an opportunity to merchants to have their catalogue discovered.”

Globally, too, payment gateways and marketplaces have been linked — eBay and Paypal, and Alibaba with Taobao, for instance. “All marketplaces in the world are successful as they control payment to the merchant. Otherwise, you are an inventory owner and can’t control the experience of the customer and you can’t create trust. This is our fundamental understanding,” Sharma adds.

Paytm currently features a staggering 3.5 then tied up with payment gateway ngpay. million products and over 10,000 merchants Devangshu Dutta, chief executive at consulin its marketplace. “We will be the fastest to re- tancy firm Third Eyesight, says a payment ach a million merchants in the next two gateway-cum-marketplace eases two pain years,” says Sharma. points for merchants — acquiring customers As a marketplace, Paytm does not hold in- and handling the payment transactions. “And, ventory. In contrast, the e-tailer owns the in theory, that’s something which can be delivproducts in inventory-led models. “We don’t ered by the same company. But in practice, the store goods but offer logistics to skill sets and mindsets required merchants through our cloud are different.” service,” says Sharma. Instead of In the payment space, any big courier companies, Paytm company’s aim is to drive down We are like the has tied up with multiple smallthe transaction cost, while the checkout aisle where er players in every location, almarketplace seeks to acquire you can pick up things lowing it to deliver to 20,000 customers, drive sales volume, on the way out pin codes across the country. drive conversion (visitors into buyers) and increase transaction Double business value as well, he explains.

With nearly $30 million invested “There is nothing to say that so far, Paytm is currently raising more money. the same company cannot execute it. But giv“No other e-commerce company is using our en that the marketplace model is undergoing model. There are independent payment com- significant changes and seeing a lot of action panies such as CCAvenue and Airtel Money, and competition (Amazon and Snapdeal are while the marketplace model has Shopclues investing billions of dollars), it does need pheand Snapdeal. But nobody has this combina- nomenal execution ability to compete in that tion of payment+marketplace,” says Sharma. space,” Dutta adds. Considering its dream run This model, however, is not an easy one. Flip- so far, Paytm will be hoping to ride the two kart would know. It launched the payment boats simultaneously and successfully. gateway PayZippy in July 2013 only to shut it down a year later for want of traffic. Flipkart rashmi pratap

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PRESENT IMPERFECT

Maid in urban India While the girls — from faraway towns and villages — may start out in a state of fearful desperation, eventually the city renders them confident and cunning Many lives, many masters A 16-year-old girl who came to Delhi in search of a better life and a new identity reuters/mansi thapliyal

house in Kolkata for six years. When son of Wellthe met Poet Arundhathi rethe house got married, the daughter-in-law Subramaniam placed her (hello again, great Indian familywould to bumpup into a values!) and Nafisa found herselflove signing poem in as many with an agent who filled her parents’ heads public places as with stories of a place called Gurgaon, possiblewhere k bhagyafigures, prakash maids made salaries in high four some even five figures. She came last year and worked in a house. There were seven people, she said, and babies crawling all over the place. She slept in the kitchen and had to use a common toilet downstairs. The employer gave her two rotis and whatever remained of the sabzi after the family had eaten. “They were nice,” she told me repeatedly. When she went home after a year, she stayed for a month and came back to the city, this time with her younger sister in tow. She was assigned my house and her sister, a place a couple of kiloducator and haiku poet K Ramesh use walls for messages and propaganda. On Arundhathi metres Self-professed down the road.nomad Nafisa does not haveSubraa Chengalpattu, Tamil met Tinalives thisin time last year, when sheNadu, theI bark of trees and the surface of rocks, home. was her seventh employer, and she vanmaniam Mumbai, andfrom travels mobile phone,lives so sheincalls her sister my freand my teaches at the Pathashaala, walked into house wearing a shinya resdals and lovers scrawl their names and declare had been in all kinds of places — Ludhiana, quently Chennai Coimbatore.

For her, landline everytonight, justand as we finish dinner, idency school The Krishnamurthi pink salwar kameez andofcarrying a small Jammu, love.Delhi, Why not find enriching ways toinbring Gurgaon — and worked all ponot her just aplacate printedher page, it is the art of and poetry I can is hear homesick, Foundation India.Earlier “My poems about little black backpack. that are morning, to public spaces? kindsetry of homes.

Every year, when she walks in- weepy the spokenBetween voice. “As child,they thistake is what sibling. thea two, caredrew observations, everyday experiences that we steeped in a domestic-help crisis, a friend-of-athe she mid-’90s, Poetry in Motion to a newInhome, is nervous, she admits, but was me to theand art, as I suspect it doespayments for many othof the family make enormous passme by,”a says the of poet whom friendsimply had given number an for “agent”.

I the launched inInNew Yorkthe (and other US of cities), no longer afraid.

Jammu, grandfather er children as well —treatment. this capacity of the for the father’s medical Quiet as huis about freeing the mind calledhaiku the guy and transforming, in a six-minute conversawhich saw displayed in buses and subthe toddlers shepoems was hired to manage called voice to leap,I was divein and Toroom, be able to she is,man yesterday, when thesoar. other restricted patterns of thought.

“A haiku tion, from I agreed to part with ₹25,000 in commisways.

In Chicago, I wouldher walk into the L train her to his room and groped (here’s looksayher it aloud wastoalways thespeaking magic of her it. It’s a I heard call out our dog, It does not involve sion is in simple. exchange for Tina’s presenceany in complex my ing at to you, be immersed in a poem, out the great Indian familydrowning values). She greatwords pity tooflose that aliveness and allow first few English.

When I gave her a it to wordplay.

It her stems an experience and kicked is rumble house.

(Tina isn’t realfrom name). and sway.

Could I likewise sit in a train turn intosweater him hard in “that place” a printed artefact alone,” she says. for the winter, she asked to relate Next time,apparent people will By easy the end of theto… week, it was to see in Chennai and catchto a glimpse of loneliness Being a if and waited for morning call part of amany poetry experiI had pair ofpublic pants to go with something traffic inanyone who sawextraordinary.” her that she wasOnce quiteataacharas poet Salma writes: the agent and ask him to rescue ments, including Kala Ghoda festivit. WhenMumbai’s she put them on, she mesmerised by asalwar line ofkurtas soap bubacter.tersection, She abandoned the shiny Loneliness is weary her. Sure enough, too when the agent al somewouldn’t years ago, seenwith poetry makeshe eye has contact Yesterday, I heard her bles floating across, he wrote: first for full-length trackpants and later for ca- came, grandfather From keeping had my company a story performed subwayherstations me. in I watched from theand bal- city call out to our dog, Soapwhen bubbles pris. Once, I popped into her room be- about missing To visitors and passers mobile phoneby and squares, cony, parksrunning and even near down thelamp-posts. road, speaking her first few From a children’s park to my calls, I saw ₹4,000Itfrom cause she wasn’t responding keeps complaining his wallet and everyWhere else can we with poetry? “In calling outreach to herout new friends. words of English traffic rule that sheBreak was adressed in a pair of shorts I had one agreed Thatthat it’s terribly bored fault it was Tina’s as many public as possible, essentially I can places view this as an adorable tried to introduce his poems set asideHas to he giveever away to charity.

She knew her in was always important and she“Itshould leave.

“I wish for I me to write im- to remind us that poetry of is arural vitalgirls nourishing metamorphosis to environments the book? mind, she did not let my beyond daughter boss over“Once mediately when isthe words had kicked him twice” all she part of our daily or lives, not an urban uniformity I can ac-some in Chennai The School,early wheresays I about her and established powerathierarchies came. it Later, now.the thought is there, stodgy textbook affair,” she says. knowledge this as the irrefutwas teaching, I strung up my on. Her mobile phone was often a source of po- In but do not come her the free words time, Tina helped the agent able evidence that transformative Her poem ‘Where I Live’ isisan atfeminism from a tree. She Anyone angst between us.ems It rang endlessly. sweptcould back,” Salma, whovillage, writesand in earned recruit moresays girls from the articulate ambivalent happening homes,to washing our dishes.

The strength of in ourtempt come by and the house and did the dishes withread.” the earbuds one month’s Tamil. Confined the house Shepoetry pay as hertocommission. also lies feelingsthese towards city —fa-a mix How can you explain girlsthe — from in else gleaning The delight of ears, poetry of the phone wedged firmly into her al- is in from a youngaage, andan urban actively solicited loverebellious life. She was of loathing and affection. raway Bengal — who find themselves in the secrets in every multiple readings, like watchternately flirting or shouting at whoever was gifted, wrote on every girl by now, she confident, sassy andscrap with an atti- new liveaonhome a wedge land threatening centre I of in ofHaryana, read ing a budThe opening its petals. at the other end of the phone. best I could paper came herbetween way. By admira- where they run intoReclaimed tude of that had that me swinging from a tired ocean lecherous grandfathers strength liesbefore in gleaning do was to get her to Its shut the door the seof 16, sheWhen had written tion the andage annoyance. her 12 months and stingy, ungrateful Somewhere at theand edgeyet of the employers, crets in every new read. In yelling began. poems, which wereabout done, seven she went home.

She were is sure about somehow — despite universe the fact that they neither knowing the words Over the course of fact, the next few months, I in local magazines whatpublished she wants.inShe is going to take a few speak the language At thenor endunderstand of a meal, when well the you advance gives greaterinjoy. In got to hear her story. She started working andoff, later in books.

The printed always months come back and find herselfwork anothbreakofaan fortune cookie, could youcling findon, a poem topology unfamiliar city — they on temple homes when she 16, she India, said, after a ladywalls gavewithout her a sense of achievement. believes er house the help of the agent. She has inside?

What if, every morning we went working hard to send money homewhen so their wetoinscribed recruiter who routinely took girls the city stothe -liberating power of are theout, internet: strictin criteria housewife employers so parents to work, we could find a selection of poems and siblings can have a life. While they to ries.fiveToday, visited her village in Bengal. There were “Through the Kindle someone can read my are families with babies. carefully displayed the counter may read, start out in a state of fearfulnear desperation, people children in the family; she was the third.

A South Africa.

A poem go anyThebooks agentinbrought me another girl.can I’ll call from which buy coffee?

Could I wander eventually their we financial independence and inbrother and sister were older than her but her Nafisa, where — government offices, on an asinto meek as Tina was volatile, as eleca gardendependence to find a poem across theirto employers’ help inscribed define their when the brother got married, his wife did not quiettricity billwas receipt, theover ration phone as Tina loud.on Still, theorlast few bill! three rocks?

And while them you walked along a self-worth.

The city renders confident want him to have anything to do with his fam- weeksMy poems were telling printed Nafisa has been meon herpostcards story. She and corridor to work, could youI’d hear and cunning.

Treat them badly, say,a poem at yourbeing ily. So he left the village for hers and started is thecould anyone.

There are different meanoldestreach of nine children — eight girls and out?years, Thenthey thatare journey heart to peril.read In a few going—to“from kick serihelping his father-in-law in his business. It fell a boy.ings versehas at adifferent times. Also, Her to father chest condition, andeach Na- pertongue”, asdon’t Subramaniam puts it — would ous ass, and you want it to be yours. upon Tina to find a way to feed the family. She fisa left son’s experience unique move within us and with us. her village in Westgives Bengalhim eightayears t@veenavenugopal was paid ₹5,000 then, all of which she sent ago to find perspective. travel with the poem work as We a maid.

She worked in a to find a story: it is like a journey, a many-lay- sujatha shankar kumar is a Chennai-based writer and photographer ered experience.”

Unexpected encounters

Poems must not exist only on the page. The poetic journey “from heart to tongue” should move within us and with us

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Moveable feast Poet Salma is happy that a poem can go anywhere, into a government office, on the Veena Venugopal is editor BLink and back ofofaThe bill...Mother-in-Law author r ravindran

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TEMPORARY SERVICE

DEITy of porn How a nation will soon be left groping in the dark, hoping against hope

Backside bulletin After sex education, the Government is planning to turn its back on porn m srinath (modified)

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Shovon Chowdhury is the author of The Competent Authority

was shocked to hear that the government is banning porn. This is a crippling blow to the advancement of human knowledge. As it is, they’ve banned sex education. How will our children learn? We are condemning future generations to a lifetime of groping in the dark, hoping against hope.

As our precious freedoms are being stripped away one by one, will we not stand up? If not now, then when? Let us examine the facts, and identify those who march against us.

The decision to declare war on porn was taken on September 5, 2014, at a meeting of CRAC (Cyber Regulation Advisory Committee), in Conference Hall No 1007 of DEITy (Department of Electronics and Information Technology).

This means that DEITy has over 1,000 conference halls. Next time you cannot find a venue for a wedding, this is a point worth noting.

As a result of decisions taken at this meeting, chaired by Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad, we will join an elite group of countries, which includes China, Saudi Arabia and Morocco. Five secretaries of the Indian Administrative Service helped to manage the meeting. FICCI, ASSOCHAM, CII and NASSCOM have all promised full assistance, which shows that while they are very laissez faire on business freedoms, when it comes to personal freedoms, not so much. The CBI has suggested involving Interpol. The honourable minister has said that the matter should be viewed “in the context of Indian culture and moral obligation toward society”. It has been agreed to use web filters to block not just porn sites, but any sites which “hurt the sentiments of Indian society”. The Government will also be launching a massive advertising campaign to educate the public about the many evils of porn. In case you want to know exactly who said what, you can check out the minutes of the meeting on the Medianama site.

This step is being taken to prevent crimes ment service looking at porn. The rush will be against women. Many factors contribute to unprecedented. Admission tests will be heavithis, but the Government prefers simpler solu- ly competitive. Training institutions will tions, such as banning things, and changing spring up, with names like Porn Star, XXXpert names. These measures show that our hearts and Orgasm Launchers. Bright young boys are in the right place, and they take very little from the villages will have avenues for advaneffort. It’s like renaming a city Chennai or cement. Eventually, Chetan Bhagat will write Mumbai. The city doesn’t benefit, but you get a One Night at the Porn Centre. warm, fuzzy feeling.

However, this whole thing may not be as This decision has grave social, economic, po- simple as it looks. Personally, I feel quite optilitical and human dimensions. In the future, mistic because there could be wheels within Indians on holiday abroad will wheels. It could all be part of a hardly ever leave their hotel master plan. A national cleansing rooms. Our international stubefore the reintroduction of andents will flunk left, right and cient texts and traditions. We are MLAs and MPs will centre. Google Glass sales will the nation of tantriks, who can have nothing to boom, as the law will not cover balance elephants on their orgawatch in Parliament. spectacles. Millions of youth will ns, and the Kama Sutra, which Future generations no longer be able to research combines sexual activity with will grow up never Sunny Leone’s career. MLAs and gymnastics in a unique and knowing about MPs will have nothing to watch memorable way. The Kama Sutra Savita Bhabhi in Parliament. Future generacould be a key thrust area in our tions will grow up never knownew linguistic approach. It was ing about Savita Bhabhi. Dark originally written in Sanskrit, days are ahead of us. and everyone knows that translaIn this, as in many other things, we will have tions can never really capture the flavour. Protwo kinds of people. Those who are above the moting it could be the fastest way to spread law, and those who are under its boot. There the language, and bring some joy to the lives will be porn haves and porn have-nots, with se- of Sanskrit scholars in India, who have toiled lect access for VIPs, who will need to carefully so hard and received so little. judge whether something is pornographic or In this way, we will free ourselves from fornot. We’ll follow the Victorian principle, which eign domination. According to reliable statisruled that porn should be allowed only for the tics, 99 per cent of the porn currently viewed select few whose minds are not open to im- in India is of foreign origin. Once these foreign moral influences. This is one more thing — influences have been purged entirely, our soil apart from criminal records and red beacons will be ripe for a local flowering. Which means — that will divide the rulers from the ruled. that this step by DEITy, duly supported by On the bright side, there is an economic CRAC, is not the blow against personal freebenefit. This is going to boost employment. dom that we fear it to be. It’s a simple case of It’s not an easy job to suppress millions of import substitution. porn sites. Thousands of people will be ret@shovonc quired, who will spend a lifetime in govern-

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Life makes sense when I’m on stage

Malian Fatoumata Diawara’s music reflects her love for her roots and anger at its injustices India’s liberals need a Clinton, not more Nehrus. Until they dehyphenate the left from liberal, through too much kind they of singing, a Wassalou sound. We exuntil they embrace economic freedomfrican as awomen coreliveliberal idea andtain until look beyond hell and suffering/ We should look periment with different kinds of melody, like Nehru, Modi will stay unrivalled again at our ancestral beliefs and as- jazz or rock, but the base is always Wassalou.

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ndia’s liberals have never had it so bad.

They had opposed Narendra Modi tooth and nail, and yet there he is, in colour coordinated kurta and jacket, anointed commander-in-chief for the next five years, at least. Still in shock, the country’s liberal establishment has retreated into quoting Jawaharlal Nehru’s lofty idea of India, as if that magic chant will make Modi disappear.

‘If only Nehru’s great grandson had half his brains’, you can almost hear the collective lament at the India International Centre in Delhi. Yet they make the same mistake as their princeling — they quote the past to a generation in search of a future. For two-thirds of the population, which is below 35, Nehru is the sarkari landline of political leaders; Modi is the Android and iPhone rolled into one. In spite of the democratic evidence, liberal intel-

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sess them/ Keep what is good for us, and reject all that harms us — from Fatoumata How have all your life experiences affected Boloko, cry against Diawara aka Fatou’s song lectuals and political parties are aliving in de- your be for even greater economic freedom, indimusic? female circumcision prevalent to inthe herright home andsome private enterprise.

A poor nial: India has moved decisively in Ividualism have taken tough decisions andcounthey country, Mali. try hard may for have fordecithe economic thinking, and no numhave all been very me. voted But these 32-year-old singer berThe of quotes

by Nehru willFatou pull it has experi- sions helped me nanny State in Ithe past, butbe-a become who am today… enced “many lives” in her lifetime. Beginning cause of this Iyoung, back now. lower-middle-income don’t care so much, one day I as If a dancer in herliberty father’s troupe specialising said ‘no’ to all my country will prefer growth and individual (political family. n spite ofInthe in the Didadi dance from the west IAfriprivate enterprise. and economic) is theform central tenMali it’s like India, everything is family; evidence, can of Wassalou; an actress popular it’s Hence,For theusfuture thetoIndiet ofregion liberalism, then Nehru’s idea indemocratic not like in Europe. to sayof ‘no’ our liberal Malian run away home tointellectuals of Indiafilms, had she onehad central flaw: from it anthing, liberal project family was a big like sayinglies ‘no’intoclassiyourand political parties perform with the economic French theatre did not encourage free- company cal liberalism that celebrates self.

Sometimes you can be destroyed for all of are living in denial Royale Luxe; an accompanydom ofdethe individual, instead the life, political freeyour but itand caneconomic go well also if

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ing vocalist African greats domhave of the putting faithfor in the nanny State you theindividual, will and not keepthe a like Sangare and Cheikh Statistmind. left-liberalism of I ran the withOumou its excessive regulations and strong Because when Tidiane Seck, doles. she gave patronising Asup it acting turned Nehruvians. they dehyphaway, came toUntil France, it was like to herwas musical dreams,au The day when they out,pursue the State an unworthy enatereborn. the left Ifrom liberal, until being wasn’t in touch in since releasing her album Fatou pair. India’s left-liberal consensus they embracewith economic freedom a core libmy family forassix whole areIndegoing to stop earlier 2011 and the EP Kanou eral idea andyears. until they Nehru, Inpendence is over: free market is the new nor- genital I cutlook off beyond my hair, making female this dia’s liberals will not be able to counter Modi mal,year.

23 years after India tentatively opened up this new Rasta hair, to say I’m mutilation, I’ll stop the economy. last few In years, she’s the push strategically. itsIn Statist the future, willabout free. This was my passport, my singing that toured with some of the biggest identity. And through my music names in the music business, inalso, I’m trying to say that our cluding Herbie Hancock, Daparents’ generation is not our mon Albarn and Paul generation. It’s time for them to McCartney. Fatou was recently in Delhi to per- let us change, we want something different, form at the Blackberry Sharp Nights — Masters that can be possible. Today, by my lyrics I canof World Music. On the sidelines of the gig, she not say my parents cannot tell me nothing; explains what it means to be a Malian musi- but I do what I want to do, it’s because I fight cian and the driving force behind her exuber- for it. That’s why today, I don’t want to just sing ant performances. about love every day; each song in my album has something more.

Do you agree with Andy Morgan, former manager of the Malian band Tinariwen, who What language do you sing in? said: “Like Jamaica or Ireland, Mali’s music Bambara. and culture are its primary assets, its shopwindow to the world, its ‘gold and cotton’”?

Where is home?

If the music is opening doors, then for sure, I Home is in the air, in the plane (laughs). But, agree. People know Ali Farka Toure, Tinariwen, seriously, I can say home for me is on the stage.

Oumou Sangare, Salif Keita and Toumani Dia- Even when I go back home to Mali nowadays, I bate; so you know, we have very famous artists. have a different mentality, I look at people and It’s the only country in Africa like this. think things, and it’s because of what I have And you can get 10 artists from Mali togeth- lived every day, every second of my life is power and it’s for sure that each of them will give er and it’s very strong. For me I have a nation you a different type of music. I’m like Oumou and that nation is to be loved. But travelling as Sangare. I’m from Wassalou in the south of a musician is something else, every town is difMali. Also, each region has its own culture, ferent, every audience… it’s the same but also that’s why the types of music in Mali are so ve- different. It’s like they are your kids, like your ry different. family, you have to learn how to know them and fill them with joy. Life makes sense when What differentiates Wassalou from the other I’m on stage. regions in Mali?

Wassalou is different because our sound is one What are your plans for the future? that people can dance to, more funky, like in My immediate plan is to make my second alIndia (laughs). And we have a relatively more bum. I’m writing about the same subjects but liberal view, and women sing more as well, using different melodies. For me it’s simple. and men mostly play the instruments.

The day when they stop arranged marriage, I’ll stop singing about it. The day when they are What is the setup in your band? going to stop female genital mutilation, I’ll We are four people. One bass guitarist, I play stop singing about that. But if they continue, the electric guitar and we have another lead I’ll try to find different types of music, to keep guitarist apart from the drummer. Very sim- talking about it. And as for my album’s name, I ple really, and it’s my first project without tra- don’t know yet, maybe it’ll be called ‘Love’. ditional instruments. I use my voice like an sibi arasu Hanging heavy It’s time to jettison Nehru’s idea of India; one that had onenot central flaw — it did not encourage economic freedom of the individual s subramanium instrument, exactly a cappella.

It’s a cer-

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Art and aesthetics

Lessons from Clinton-Blair Instead of a return to Nehru, India’s liberals should study how the likes of Bill Clinton and Tony Blair reinvented the Democrats and Labour in the ’90s, and eventually defeated the powerful legacies of right-wing heroes Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher. Both Clinton and Blair recognised the fundamental rightward economic shift in their countries, pulled their parties away from welfarism and trade unions towards market-friendly policies, refreshed the packaging with youth and focused squarely on liberal social issues. This was their successful antidote to end an era of ReaganThatcher conservatism.

Like Modi, conservatives Reagan and Thatcher had come to power promising recovery for their floundering economies, which were suffering from low productivity, high inflation and a general sense of drift in the late ’70s, under liberal governments. The hallmark of the Reagan-Thatcher era was cuts in welfare spending, financial deregulation, privatisation and union busting. Their policies paid off, the economies recovered, and both their parties went on to prosper. Reagan’s Republicans stayed in power for 12 years, Thatcher’s Conservatives for 18.

Meanwhile, liberals in both countries floundered through the ’80s, as they stuck to their old policies and candidates. Bill Clinton changed that in 1992, when he defeated Reagan’s successor George HW Bush to capture the White House. Clinton had spent years positioning himself as a centrist, a “New Democrat,” very different from the previous liberal challengers, who were in the same old welfarism mould.

Since World War II, every Democratic presidential candidate had tried to pitch some version of Franklin D Roosevelt’s New Deal, the government-led relief and recovery package of the Great Depression era in the ’30s, which here is a miniature painting belongbecame the bedrock of American welfarism. the20th-century Pahari region, datedgodfacirca Roosevelt ing wasto the liberal that depicts SitaDeal and ther of the1775-80, US, their Nehru, andRama, the New crossing thebroke Gangafrom after was their Lakshmana ‘idea of India’.

Clinton beingpast. exiled from Ayodhya.

The painting meathat “We should expect people to move sures welfare about 25rolls x 35cm and isrolls,” dominated by the from to work he declared forceful, swirling waters of the Ganga.

The in his announcement speech.

But for the 1992 protagonists of thealso Ramayana and thetoboat campaign, Clinton had to appeal the carrying them are base, specks in this landscape.

In traditional liberal particularly to undermost IndianBlacks miniature even though privileged and painting, Hispanics, many of nature were is rendered delicately passionatewhom on welfare.

Here and he campaigned ly, it is human that is generally foreagaianst the action Reagan-Bush conservatism, grounded. Hence, has“party alwaysofbeen promising to end this the work 12-year the considered unusual by art historians rich”.

But soon after becoming president,and he scholars.that In his latest book, Spirit and of Indian realised old-school classThe warfare welPainting, artlimited historian BN even Goswamy provides farism had appeal, among his libdelightful eral base. speculation about the artist’s intent.

Hethe believes this folio would After setbackthat for Democrats in the have 1994 been followed by another, mid-term elections, Clintonwhich went would back tohave bedepicted Rama in enthusiastically conversation with the boating the centrist, embracing man, reminding thesecond verse in the Reaganomics.

Bythe theviewer end ofofhis term Ramayana in which Rama offers to pay the even the chief ideologues of Reaganomics boatman for hisClinton service effusively. and the boatman says were praising “I thought to him — ‘What have President,” done is verysaid little, just Bill Clinton was aI great Arthur taken you these waters; but you are the Laffer, oneacross of Reagan’s top economic aides. one who going to were eventually across “The first istwo years reallytake bad.us Then he the bhavasagara: of even sorrow thatReis changed the tunethe andocean became more this world.’ agan than Reagan.” Clinton had won over the Goswamy, distinguished artusurped historian and crucial swinga voters and even some Professor Emeritus ofhe Art History at his Panjab Republican votes. But also retained libUniversity, Chandigarh, has written eral base through progressive lawsextensiveon gun ly on Indian miniature In this book, control, crime, gender painting. equality and nuclear he goes beyondMost the academic encumbrances disarmament. importantly though, he of chronology andgoing: citations give usnew a lyrical got the economy 22 to million jobs account of the story of, and behind miniawere created and unemployment hitthe a 30-year tureapaintings.

Like was the turned example mentioned low, deficit budget into a surplus above, Goswamy his academic experand poverty was atweaves an all-time low. He succeedtisebywith poetic insights thatliberalism come through ed reinventing American to suita devoted in the paintings. the timesimmersion and by co-opting his predecessor’s Through extensive but breezy essay tisuccess, withhis a liberal twist. tled Layered World’, he“New sets up the world of In ‘A the UK, Tony Blair’s Labour” finally the courtly painter his patron: their relapresented a viableandliberal alternative to

Art historian BN Goswamy’s selection of Indian miniature paintings spanning nearly thousand years provides the reader a lyrical backstory to the artworks

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Man in the muddle Manmohan Singh was a liberal and a devout Nehruvian but he succeeded in putting India on the economic fast-track vv krishnan

The Spirit of Indian Painting Close Encounters with 101 Great Works 1100–1900 BN Goswamy Penguin Anthology, Art History ₹2,499

Front of the pack From the Clinton-Blair years, Indian liberals can learn that in bipolar democracies, sometimes it’s smarter to subtly co-opt the adversary’s successful policies, than to oppose them ap/chris bacon

Thatcherism and won the 1997 elections by a tor. And remember, World War II devastated Jalandslide. Instead of going back to “Old La- pan around the same time that India gained bour’s” militant trade unionism, Blair success- its independence.

And yet, a noted liberal economist argues fully positioned New Labour as part of Cool Britannia: a liberal, globalised marketplace of that Japan’s current slowdown proves that arts and ideas, with London as a pre-eminent Nehru’s economic strategy was superior to Jafinancial services hub that rivalled New York. pan’s! Wouldn’t it just be smarter (and more He could do so only because of Thatcher’s fi- honest) to admit instead that Nehru was a visionary when it came to instilling secularism nancial deregulation. but heThis got it Blair and his New Labour successor Gordon and democracy in the country, Cross currents Pahari painting is Brown were called “sons of Thatcher” because, wrong with the economy? unusual because the Unfortunately, though, such assertions though she was their political rival, they redominates theelites Indian liberal tained much of Thatcher’s successful econom- point at a deeper malaise:river human figures the spirit of the-masses-areic policies. Labour had a good 12-year run in suffer from a patronising, indian painting dumb delusion that goes back to the time of office till 2010.

So what lessons do the Clinton-Blair years Nehru. One of the primary reasons that Nehru State-led model ofabout economic growth tionship each other, the artist’s thematic have for with Indian liberals?

That in bipolar de- chose Indianthe painting is as much artistic conthat heisbelieved economic in the and stylisticsometimes concerns, it’s hissmarter training,tothe pa- was mocracies, subtly cerns as it about the viewer’s freedom engagement. the selected private citizen tron’s connoisseurship and the legacy of the co-opt the adversary’s successful “The workshand that Iofhave for thiswould book that businessmen few named masters — suchthem as Nainsukh, Mis- have affectedbememisused: policies, than to oppose in the way described in Kathe country, sacred while the kinthe andsake Basawan.

Goswamy does not define vyartha. It is would for of it. That liberal honot anloot art-historically or poor would get their thecows spirit of Nehru Indian or painting but expresses it; sanctioned selection ly like Roosevelt but anot personal one,”dues.

GosNehru was perhaps a a well-meaning muchbe like artist must setthe aside for aexpresses new set ofthe idea of the wamy says. He Thewas 101 perhaps works selected include well-meaning but like overbearbhavasagara by emphasising the vastness of most of the patriarch, ideas and leaders to emerge. usual suspects andan many more patriarch, but like an ing see parent, he hampered the the river and the littleness And that unless they updateof to the a characters. that you don’t commonly reproduced. overbearing parent, ward’swork development.

Goswamy draws a wide range of minia- One such beautiful newer version of from Indian liberalis ‘The Speaking Tree’, he hampered the Outlook’s Lola Nayar hadin a nuturesaway — Mughal, ism, from Pahari, Nehru’sRajput, FabianJain, Deccani — an early 17th-century work that is now the ward’s development take in Museum, the newsmagaand writings Akbarnama socialism, theysuch face as more than a (Abu’l Fazl, collection ofanced the Islamische Berlin.

Nehru Quasquicentennial 16th century) and wilderness.

Padshahnama (several au- Like with all zine’s decade in political the works in the book, Goswamy Special. the legacy ofthe Inthors, 17th century), to give us an impression provides us with the“Indeed, legend from which firstcase, prime minister of the aesthetic concerns of painting in India. work springs.dia’s Refreshing Indian liberalism In this it is the legendhas of been undermined by human subsequent “I have tried to express the spirit Indian slowly Unfortunately, many of India’s liberalofintellecthe Speaking Tree that bore fruitConand leaders, including Indira painting the tuals are through not ready toartists’ move considerations; beyond Nehru. gress was found on the island of Waq Gandhi, Waq. He who also many democratic she theirmonth, approach thethe 125th anni- did away with Last as Indiatowards celebrated mentions importantnorms,” texts where the legend 1991 reforms brought —some principles of first portraiture, their the liberal wrote. “Only the versary of its prime minister, is referenced the relief — not(10th-century just to industries, treatment of pouring space and time, eulogies kept in, and with that a mis- long-awaitedShahnama text) but concomitantly to consumers.” (a 12th-cenand what they took tradi-policies. guided defence of hisfrom economic and ‘Iskandarnamah’ economist The architect of poem) those reforms, Manmohan tion and what noted they gave to it,” Prabhat In Frontline, tury in relation to the It isPatnot an artnaik wrotesays that Nehru’s economichistorically strategy sacred Singh, was a liberal and a devout Nehruvian.

Goswamy in an interview. prophecy of Alexander the or forms day, patron/viewer the core of any genuine an- selection But with India’s economy to the brink, The “to rolethis of the Great’s deathpushed — and discusses the sanctioned ti-imperialist and topro-people he was to correct course in 1991, putting in allowing a work have an im-development that distinguish but a personal oneforcedcharacteristics strategy in an economy such as India’s.” Then India on a path greater freedom pact on him/her is an important thetowork.

Foreconomic this self-evidently to support assertion, wrote, “it is in- and growth. The 2009 mandate, particular, concept in his Indian poeticsheand bizarre but exquisiteinwork, he usstructive several of the Asian reforms momentum unaesthetics,that and Goswamy dis- economies was one for greater es a poem

by Muriel Rukeyser that had appeared have forged further away fromthe Nehru’s cusses this at sometolength and ahead of In- der Singh, a move (1913-1980) to talk about effect dia in terms of growth, through an ‘outwardwhile keeping his ideas of secularseems to espouse it as well.

He begins with a socialism of the work. looking’ strategy, are today(afacing intact.

Unfortunately, liberal power quotationeconomic from a reading of Kavyartha theo- ism “The intention behind thethe book for me and acute economic difficulties includes elite did not comprehend or respect the elecry on poetry spanning several(which centuries): the publishers was to engage the audience Japan, thearemost successful ‘export-led’ mandate.

“There things, some of ofthem passing toral without using much jargon. My aim was to growth of Asia).”when you confront a bring As athe result, today cherished Goswaidea of strange,stories that happen reader andNehru’s object together,” It isoftrue Japan is facing economic is under threat a rightwork art:that (i) unfolding of thean heart; (ii) its secularism my says. Thetoo book achieves this from and also proslowdown, boom-and-bust cycle(iv) of wing with a reading huge mandate. expansion; part (iii) of itsthe agitation; and, finally, vides government a comprehensive list forNehthe an open economy. But it is also true that the av- ruvians canresearcher. no longer save Nehru orand Indian vibration.” interested His writings inerage is still 25that times thanfrom the liberalism; a new generation liberAndJapanese leads to the idea ‘wericher can take sights seemwe to need have the aesthetics thatofare valaverage Indiatoopened its al thought leaders who can. works ofIndian art only(before according our ownup enerued in Indian painting — simplicity, delicacy economy they were to nearly 70 land timeson richer).

Ja- and the need to tell a story. gies, or capacities’, finally the idea pan has zero hunger, negligible poverty, sambuddha mitra mustafi is the founder of that when a work has spoken to an engaged Political Indian is an art critic based in New York blessy augustine scores India from in every social indica- The viewerway ‘the above flame leaps object to viewer.’

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Middle march The train moving on a narrow-gauge track to its final destination, Katwa

End of the line The last of McLeod’s light rail services in West Bengal comes to a halt

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hree coaches, each a tad smaller than a city bus, are tugged by a miniature engine running at a snail’s pace of 15km an hour. The stations, also referred to as ‘halts’, have no platforms and passengers wait alongside the tracks.

This is the world of light rails, a colonial legacy once managed by McLeod & Company of the UK. Connecting a 27km stretch of rural hinterland in Burdwan, about 150km from Kolkata, is Bengal’s last and one of the country’s few surviving narrow gauge (2ft 6 inches) passenger train services of the Eastern Railway.

McLeod & Company had set up four such narrow-gauge lines around Calcutta in phases from 1915, during World War I.

Three routes have already been shut down and the last of them, from the sleepy town of Katwa to Balgona in Burdwan district, was also closed on December 1 for conversion to broad gauge.

The broad gauging will cost ₹123 crore and is expected to be completed over the next two years.

While most passengers welcome the change — the conversion will cut travel time by half, from two hours to one — those working with the trains are overwhelmed by nostalgia.

“They were like my sons,” says Mohammed Inamul, who has been taking care of the archaic machines for 35 years.

Photographs by ashoke chakraborty and text by abhishek law

Staying connected Sukumar Nunia, like his father and grandfather befo beforr

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saturday, december 13, 2014

Spanner in the works The upkeep of old trains can be hard work

Fair exchange To keep the narrow-gauge service going, most passengers buy tickets, even if the counter at Kaichar is mostly empty. About 50 people use the service daily

ore him, is a pilot for the narrow-gauge service

Slow living A worker gets ready for his shift

On time is a wonderful thing Since there is no platform, locals wait to board the train right by the track

Country ways Farmers busy at work at Kaichar, a rural outpost, through which the train passes

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Let it go

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Life makes sense when I’m on stage

Malian Fatoumata Diawara’s music reflects her love for her roots and anger at its injustices India’s liberals need a Clinton, not more Nehrus. Until they dehyphenate the left from liberal, through too much kind they of singing, a Wassalou sound. We exuntil they embrace economic freedomfrican as awomen coreliveliberal idea andtain until look beyond hell and suffering/ We should look periment with different kinds of melody, like Nehru, Modi will stay unrivalled again at our ancestral beliefs and as- jazz or rock, but the base is always Wassalou.

I

ndia’s liberals have never had it so bad.

They had opposed Narendra Modi tooth and nail, and yet there he is, in colour coordinated kurta and jacket, anointed commander-in-chief for the next five years, at least. Still in shock, the country’s liberal establishment has retreated into quoting Jawaharlal Nehru’s lofty idea of India, as if that magic chant will make Modi disappear.

‘If only Nehru’s great grandson had half his brains’, you can almost hear the collective lament at the India International Centre in Delhi. Yet they make the same mistake as their princeling — they quote the past to a generation in search of a future. For two-thirds of the population, which is below 35, Nehru is the sarkari landline of political leaders; Modi is the Android and iPhone rolled into one. In spite of the democratic evidence, liberal intel-

A

sess them/ Keep what is good for us, and reject all that harms us — from Fatoumata How have all your life experiences affected Boloko, cry against Diawara aka Fatou’s lectuals and politicalsong parties are aliving in de- your be formusic? even greater economic freedom, indifemale circumcision prevalent to inthe herright home andsome private enterprise.

A poor nial: India has moved decisively in Ividualism have taken tough decisions andcounthey country, Mali. try hard may for have for decithe economic thinking, and no numhave all been very me.voted But these 32-year-old singer berThe of quotes

by Nehru willFatou pull it has experi- sions helped me nanny State in Ithe butbe-a become who am past, today… enced “many lives” in her lifetime. Beginning cause of this Iyoung, back now. lower-middle-income don’t care so much, one day I as If a dancer in her father’s troupe specialising said ‘no’ to all my country will prefer growth and individual liberty (political family. n spite ofIn the in Didadi dance from the west IAfriprivate enterprise. andthe economic) is theform central tenMali it’s like India, everything is family; evidence, can of Wassalou; an actress popular it’s Hence,For theusfuture thetoIndiet ofregion liberalism, then Nehru’s idea indemocratic not like in Europe. to sayof ‘no’ our liberal Malian run away home tointellectuals of Indiafilms, had she onehad central flaw: from it anthing, liberallike project family was a big sayinglies ‘no’intoclassiyourand political parties perform with the economic French theatre did not encourage free- company calyou liberalism that celebrates self.

Sometimes can be destroyed for all of are living in denial Royale Luxe; an accompanydom ofdethe individual, instead the political freeyour life, but itand caneconomic go well also if

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phil sharp

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ing vocalist African greats domhave of the putting faith for in the nanny State you theindividual, will and not keepthea like Sangare and Cheikh Statistmind. left-liberalism of I ran the withOumou its excessive regulations and strong Because when Tidiane Seck, doles. she gave patronising As up it acting turned Nehruvians. they away, came toUntil France, it dehyphwas like to herwas musical dreams, out,pursue the State an unworthy au The day when they enatereborn. the left from liberal, until being I wasn’t in touch in since releasing her album Fatou pair. India’s left-liberal consensus they embracewith economic freedom a core libmy family forassix whole areIndegoing to stop earlier 2011 and the EP Kanou eral idea and years. until they Nehru, Inpendence is over: free market is the new nor- genital I cutlook off beyond my hair, making female this dia’s liberals will not be able to counter Modi mal,year.

23 years after India tentatively opened up this new Rasta hair, to say I’m mutilation, I’ll stop the economy. last few In years, she’s the push strategically. itsIn Statist the future, willabout free. This was my passport, my singing that toured with some of the biggest identity. And through my music names in the music business, inalso, I’m trying to say that our cluding Herbie Hancock, Daparents’ generation is not our mon Albarn and Paul generation. It’s time for them to McCartney. Fatou was recently in Delhi to per- let us change, we want something different, form at the Blackberry Sharp Nights — Masters that can be possible. Today, by my lyrics I canof World Music. On the sidelines of the gig, she not say my parents cannot tell me nothing; explains what it means to be a Malian musi- but I do what I want to do, it’s because I fight cian and the driving force behind her exuber- for it. That’s why today, I don’t want to just sing ant performances. about love every day; each song in my album has something more.

Do you agree with Andy Morgan, former manager of the Malian band Tinariwen, who What language do you sing in? said: “Like Jamaica or Ireland, Mali’s music Bambara. and culture are its primary assets, its shopwindow to the world, its ‘gold and cotton’”?

Where is home?

If the music is opening doors, then for sure, I Home is in the air, in the plane (laughs). But, agree. People know Ali Farka Toure, Tinariwen, seriously, I can say home for me is on the stage.

Oumou Sangare, Salif Keita and Toumani Dia- Even when I go back home to Mali nowadays, I bate; so you know, we have very famous artists. have a different mentality, I look at people and It’s the only country in Africa like this. think things, and it’s because of what I have And you can get 10 artists from Mali togeth- lived every day, every second of my life is power and it’s for sure that each of them will give er and it’s very strong. For me I have a nation you a different type of music. I’m like Oumou and that nation is to be loved. But travelling as Sangare. I’m from Wassalou in the south of a musician is something else, every town is difMali. Also, each region has its own culture, ferent, every audience… it’s the same but also that’s why the types of music in Mali are so ve- different. It’s like they are your kids, like your ry different. family, you have to learn how to know them and fill them with joy. Life makes sense when What differentiates Wassalou from the other I’m on stage. regions in Mali?

Wassalou is different because our sound is one What are your plans for the future? that people can dance to, more funky, like in My immediate plan is to make my second alIndia (laughs). And we have a relatively more bum. I’m writing about the same subjects but liberal view, and women sing more as well, using different melodies. For me it’s simple. and men mostly play the instruments.

The day when they stop arranged marriage, I’ll stop singing about it. The day when they are What is the setup in your band? going to stop female genital mutilation, I’ll We are four people. One bass guitarist, I play stop singing about that. But if they continue, the electric guitar and we have another lead I’ll try to find different types of music, to keep guitarist apart from the drummer. Very sim- talking about it. And as for my album’s name, I ple really, and it’s my first project without tra- don’t know yet, maybe it’ll be called ‘Love’. ditional instruments. I use my voice like an sibi freedom arasu of the individual s subramanium Hanging heavy It’s time to jettison Nehru’s idea of India; one that had onenot central flaw — did not encourage economic instrument, exactly a itcappella.

It’s a cer-

R

BL

cover watch

saturday, december 13, 2014

Art and aesthetics

Lessons from Clinton-Blair Instead of a return to Nehru, India’s liberals should study how the likes of Bill Clinton and Tony Blair reinvented the Democrats and Labour in the ’90s, and eventually defeated the powerful legacies of right-wing heroes Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher. Both Clinton and Blair recognised the fundamental rightward economic shift in their countries, pulled their parties away from welfarism and trade unions towards market-friendly policies, refreshed the packaging with youth and focused squarely on liberal social issues. This was their successful antidote to end an era of ReaganThatcher conservatism.

Like Modi, conservatives Reagan and Thatcher had come to power promising recovery for their floundering economies, which were suffering from low productivity, high inflation and a general sense of drift in the late ’70s, under liberal governments. The hallmark of the Reagan-Thatcher era was cuts in welfare spending, financial deregulation, privatisation and union busting. Their policies paid off, the economies recovered, and both their parties went on to prosper. Reagan’s Republicans stayed in power for 12 years, Thatcher’s Conservatives for 18.

Meanwhile, liberals in both countries floundered through the ’80s, as they stuck to their old policies and candidates. Bill Clinton changed that in 1992, when he defeated Reagan’s successor George HW Bush to capture the White House. Clinton had spent years positioning himself as a centrist, a “New Democrat,” very different from the previous liberal challengers, who were in the same old welfarism mould.

Since World War II, every Democratic presidential candidate had tried to pitch some version of Franklin D Roosevelt’s New Deal, the government-led relief and recovery package of the Great Depression era in the ’30s, which here is a miniature painting belongbecame the bedrock of American welfarism. the20th-century Pahari region, datedgodfacirca Roosevelt ing wastothe liberal that depicts SitaDeal and ther of the1775-80, US, their Nehru, andRama, the New crossing the broke Gangafrom after was their Lakshmana ‘idea of India’.

Clinton beingpast. exiled from Ayodhya.

The painting meathat “We should expect people to move sures welfare about 25rolls x 35cm and isrolls,” dominated by the from to work he declared forceful, swirling waters of the Ganga.

The in his announcement speech.

But for the 1992 protagonists of thealso Ramayana and thetoboat campaign, Clinton had to appeal the carrying them are base, specksparticularly in this landscape.

In traditional liberal to undermost IndianBlacks miniature even though privileged and painting, Hispanics, many of nature were is rendered delicately passionatewhom on welfare.

Here and he campaigned ly, it is human that is generally foreagaianst the action Reagan-Bush conservatism, grounded. Hence, has“party alwaysofbeen promising to endthis the work 12-year the considered unusual by art historians rich”.

But soon after becoming president,and he scholars.that In his latest book, Spirit of Indian realised old-school classThe warfare and welPainting, artlimited historian BN Goswamy provides farism had appeal, even among his libdelightful eral base. speculation about the artist’s intent.

Hethe believes this folio would After setbackthat for Democrats in the have 1994 been followed by another, mid-term elections, Clintonwhich went would back tohave bedepicted Rama in enthusiastically conversation with the boating the centrist, embracing man, reminding thesecond verse in the Reaganomics.

Bythe theviewer end ofofhis term Ramayana in which Rama offers to pay the even the chief ideologues of Reaganomics boatman for hisClinton service and the boatman says were praising effusively.

“I thought to him — ‘What have done is verysaid little, just Bill Clinton was aI great President,” Arthur taken you these waters; but you are the Laffer, oneacross of Reagan’s top economic aides. one who going to were eventually across “The firstistwo years reallytake bad.us Then he the bhavasagara: of sorrow thatReis changed the tunethe andocean became even more this world.’ agan than Reagan.” Clinton had won over the Goswamy, distinguished artusurped historiansome and crucial swinga voters and even Professor Emeritus ofhe Art History at Panjab Republican votes. But also retained his libUniversity, Chandigarh, has written eral base through progressive lawsextensiveon gun ly on Indian miniature this book, control, crime, gender painting. equality In and nuclear he goes beyondMost the academic encumbrances disarmament. importantly though, he of chronology andgoing: citations give usnew a lyrical got the economy 22 to million jobs account of the story of, and behind miniawere created and unemployment hitthe a 30-year ture apaintings.

Like was the turned example mentioned low, deficit budget into a surplus above, Goswamy his academic experand poverty was atweaves an all-time low. He succeedtiseby with poetic insights thatliberalism come through ed reinventing American to suita devoted in the paintings. the timesimmersion and by co-opting his predecessor’s Through extensive but breezy essay tisuccess, withhis a liberal twist. tled Layered World’, he“New sets up the world of In ‘A the UK, Tony Blair’s Labour” finally the courtly painter his patron: their relapresented a viableandliberal alternative to

Art historian BN Goswamy’s selection of Indian miniature paintings spanning nearly thousand years provides the reader a lyrical backstory to the artworks

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Man in the muddle Manmohan Singh was a liberal and a devout Nehruvian but he succeeded in putting India on the economic fast-track vv krishnan

The Spirit of Indian Painting Close Encounters with 101 Great Works 1100–1900 BN Goswamy Penguin Anthology, Art History ₹2,499

Front of the pack From the Clinton-Blair years, Indian liberals can learn that in bipolar democracies, sometimes it’s smarter to subtly co-opt the adversary’s successful policies, than to oppose them ap/chris bacon

Thatcherism and won the 1997 elections by a tor. And remember, World War II devastated Jalandslide. Instead of going back to “Old La- pan around the same time that India gained bour’s” militant trade unionism, Blair success- its independence.

And yet, a noted liberal economist argues fully positioned New Labour as part of Cool Britannia: a liberal, globalised marketplace of that Japan’s current slowdown proves that arts and ideas, with London as a pre-eminent Nehru’s economic strategy was superior to Jafinancial services hub that rivalled New York. pan’s! Wouldn’t it just be smarter (and more He could do so only because of Thatcher’s fi- honest) to admit instead that Nehru was a visionary when it came to instilling secularism nancial deregulation. but heThis got it Blair and his New Labour successor Gordon and democracy in the country, Cross currents Pahari painting is Brown were called “sons of Thatcher” because, wrong with the economy? unusual because the Unfortunately, though, such assertions though she was their political rival, they redominates theelites Indian liberal tained much of Thatcher’s successful econom- point at a deeper malaise:river human figures the spirit of the-masses-areic policies. Labour had a good 12-year run in suffer from a patronising, indian painting dumb delusion that goes back to the time of office till 2010.

So what lessons do the Clinton-Blair years Nehru. One of the primary reasons that Nehru State-led model ofabout economic growth tionship each other, the artist’s thematic have for with Indian liberals?

That in bipolar de- chose Indianthe painting is as much artistic conthat economic in the and stylisticsometimes concerns, it’s his smarter training,tothe pa- was mocracies, subtly cerns as itheisbelieved about the viewer’s freedom engagement. the selected private citizen tron’s connoisseurship and the legacy of the co-opt the adversary’s successful “The workshand that Iofhave for thiswould book that businessmen few named masters — suchthem as Nainsukh, Mis- have affectedbe policies, than to oppose memisused: in the way described in Kathe country, sacred while the kin the andsake Basawan.

Goswamy does not define vyartha. It is would for of it. That liberal honot anloot art-historically or poor would get their thecows spirit of Nehru Indian or painting but expresses it; sanctioned selection ly like Roosevelt but anot personal one,”dues.

GosNehru was perhaps a a well-meaning muchbe like artist must setthe aside for aexpresses new set ofthe idea of the wamy says. He Thewas 101 perhaps works selected include well-meaning but like overbearbhavasagara by emphasising the vastness of most of the patriarch, ideas and leaders to emerge. usual suspects andan many more patriarch, but like an ing see parent, he hampered the the river and the littleness And that unless they updateof to the a characters. that you don’t commonly reproduced. overbearing parent, ward’swork development.

Goswamy draws a wide range of minia- One such beautiful newer version offrom Indian liberalis ‘The Speaking Tree’, he hampered the Outlook’s Lola Nayar hadina nuturesaway — Mughal, Rajput, Jain, Deccani — an early 17th-century ism, from Pahari, Nehru’s Fabian work that is now the ward’s development take in Museum, the newsmagaand writings Akbarnama socialism, theysuch face as more than a (Abu’l Fazl, collection of anced the Islamische Berlin. zine’s Nehru Quasquicentennial 16th century) and wilderness.

Padshahnama (several au- Like with all the decade in political works in the book, Goswamy Special. the legacy Inthors, 17th century), to give us an impression provides us with the“Indeed, legend from whichofthe firstcase, prime minister of the aesthetic concerns of painting in India. work springs.dia’s Refreshing Indian liberalism In this it is the legendhas of been undermined by human subsequent “I have tried tomany express the spirit ofintellecIndian slowly Unfortunately, of India’s liberal the Speaking Tree that bore fruitConand leaders, including Indira painting thetoartists’ tuals are through not ready move considerations; beyond Nehru. gress was found on the island of Waq Gandhi, Waq. He who also many democratic she theirmonth, approach towards thethe 125th anni- did away with Last as India celebrated mentions importantnorms,” texts where the legend 1991 reforms brought —some principles of first portraiture, their the liberal wrote. “Only the versary of its prime minister, is referenced the relief — not(10th-century just to industries, treatment of pouring space and time, eulogies kept in, and with that a mis- long-awaitedShahnama text) but concomitantly to consumers.” (a 12th-cenand what they took tradi-policies. guided defence of hisfrom economic and ‘Iskandarnamah’ Frontline, economist The architect those reforms, Manmohan tion what noted they gave to it,” Prabhat In and turyof poem) in relation to the It isPatnot an artnaik wrotesays that Nehru’s economichistorically strategy sacred Singh, or was a prophecy liberal and aofdevout Nehruvian.

Goswamy in an interview.

Alexander the forms day,patron/viewer the core of any genuine an- selection But with India’s economy to the brink, The “to rolethis of the Great’s deathpushed — and discusses the sanctioned ti-imperialist andtopro-people he was to correct course in 1991, putting in allowing a work have an im- development that distinguish but a personal oneforcedcharacteristics strategy in an economy such as India’s.” Then India on a path greater freedom pact on him/her is an important thetowork.

Foreconomic this self-evidently to support assertion, wrote, “it is in- and growth. The 2009 mandate, particular, concept in his Indian poeticsheand bizarre but exquisiteinwork, he usstructive several of the Asian reforms momentum unaesthetics,that and Goswamy dis- economies was one for greater es a poem

by Muriel Rukeyser that had appeared have forged further away fromthe Nehru’s cusses this at sometolength and ahead of In- der Singh, a move (1913-1980) to talk about effect dia in terms of growth, through an ‘outwardwhile keeping his ideas of secularseems to espouse it as well.

He begins with a socialism of the work. looking’ strategy, are today(afacing intact.

Unfortunately, liberal power quotationeconomic from a reading of Kavyartha theo- ism “The intention behind thethe book for me and acute economic difficulties includes elite did not comprehend or respect the elecry on poetry spanning several(which centuries): the publishers was to engage the audience Japan, thearemost successful ‘export-led’ mandate.

“There things, some of of them passing toral without using much jargon. My aim was to growth of Asia).”when you confront a bring As athe result, today cherished Goswaidea of strange,stories that happen reader andNehru’s object together,” It isoftrue Japan is facing economic is under threat a rightwork art:that (i) unfolding of the an heart; (ii) its secularism my says. Thetoo book achieves this from and also proslowdown, boom-and-bust cycle(iv) of wing with a reading huge mandate. expansion; part (iii) of its the agitation; and, finally, vides government a comprehensive list forNehthe an open economy. But it is also true that the av- ruvians canresearcher. no longer save Nehru orand Indian vibration.” interested His writings inerage is still 25that times than the liberalism; a new generation liberAndJapanese leads to the idea ‘wericher can take from sights seemwe to need have the aesthetics thatof are valaverage India its al thought leaders who can. works ofIndian art only(before according to opened our ownup enerued in Indian painting — simplicity, delicacy economy they wereto nearly 70land timeson richer).

Ja- and the need to tell a story. gies, or capacities’, finally the idea pan has zero hunger, negligible poverty, sambuddha mitra mustafi is the founder of that when a work has spoken to an engaged Political Indian is an art critic based in New York blessy augustine scores India from in every social indica- The viewer way ‘the above flame leaps object to viewer.’

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saturday, december 13,13, 2014 saturday, december 2014

PRESENT IMPERFECT

Maid in urban India While the girls — from faraway towns and villages — may start out in a state of fearful desperation, eventually the city renders them confident and cunning Many lives, many masters A 16-year-old girl who came to Delhi in search of a better life and a new identity reuters/mansi thapliyal

house in Kolkata for six years. When son of Wellthe met Poet Arundhathi rethe house got married, the daughter-in-law Subramaniam placed her (hello again, great Indian familywould love to bumpup into a values!) and Nafisa found herself signing poem in as many with an agent who filled her parents’ heads public places as with stories of a place called Gurgaon, possiblewhere bhagyafigures, prakash maids made salaries in high kfour some even five figures. She came last year and worked in a house. There were seven people, she said, and babies crawling all over the place. She slept in the kitchen and had to use a common toilet downstairs. The employer gave her two rotis and whatever remained of the sabzi after the family had eaten. “They were nice,” she told me repeatedly. When she went home after a year, she stayed for a month and came back to the city, this time with her younger sister in tow. She was assigned my house and her sister, a place a couple of kiloducator and haiku poet K Ramesh use walls for messages and propaganda. On Arundhathi metresSelf-professed down the road.nomad Nafisa does not haveSubraa Chengalpattu, Tamil met Tinalives thisin time last year, when sheNadu, theI bark of trees and the surface of rocks, home. was her seventh employer, and she vanmaniam incalls Mumbai, andfrom travels mobile phone,lives so she her sister my freand my teaches at the Pathashaala, walked into house wearing a shinya resdals and lovers scrawl their names and declare had been in all kinds of places — Ludhiana, quently tonight, Chennai Coimbatore.

For her, landline every justand as we finish dinner, idency school The Krishnamurthi pink salwar kameez andofcarrying a small Jammu, love.Delhi, Why not find enriching ways toin bring Gurgaon — and worked all ponot her just aplacate printedher page, it is the art of and poetry I can is hear homesick, Foundation India.Earlier “My poems about little black backpack. that are morning, to public spaces? kindsetry of homes.

Every year, when she walks in- weepy the spokenBetween voice. “As child,they thistake is what sibling. thea two, caredrew observations, everyday experiences that we steeped in a domestic-help crisis, a friend-of-athe she mid-’90s, Poetry Motion to a newInhome, is nervous, she in admits, but was mefamily to theand art, as I suspect it doespayments for many othof the make enormous simply pass me by,”a says the of poet whom friend had given number an for “agent”.

I the launched inInNew Yorkthe (and other US of cities), no longer afraid.

Jammu, grandfather er children as well —treatment. this capacity of the for the father’s medical Quiet as huis about freeing the mind calledhaiku the guy and transforming, in a six-minute conversawhich saw displayed in buses and subthe toddlers shepoems was hired to manage called man voice to leap,I dive and Toroom, be able to she is, yesterday, when was in thesoar. other restricted patterns of thought.

“A haiku tion, from I agreed to part with ₹25,000 in commisways.

In Chicago, I wouldher walk into the L train her to his room and groped (here’s looksay her it aloud wastoalways the speaking magic of her it. It’s a I heard call out our dog, It does not involve any sion is in simple. exchange for Tina’s presence in complex my ing at to you, be immersed in a poem, out the great Indian familydrowning values). She pity tooflose that aliveness and allow first great few words English.

When I gave her a it to wordplay.

It her stems an experience and is house.

(Tina isn’t realfrom name). rumble and sway.

Could I likewise sit in a train turn intosweater kicked him hard in “that place” a printed artefact alone,” she says. for the winter, she asked to relate Next time,apparent people will By easy the end of theto… week, it was to see in Chennai and catchto a glimpse of loneliness Being a part and waited for morning call of amany poetry experiif I had pair ofpublic pants to go with something ataachartraffic inanyone who sawextraordinary.” her that she wasOnce quite as poet Salma writes: the agent and ask him to rescue ments, including Kala Ghoda festivit. WhenMumbai’s she put them on, she mesmerised by asalwar line ofkurtas soap bubacter.tersection, She abandoned the shiny Loneliness is weary her. Sure enough, too when the agent al somewouldn’t years ago, seenwith poetry makeshe eyehas contact Yesterday, I heard her blesfull-length floating across, he wrote: first for trackpants and later for ca- came, grandfather From keeping my hadcompany a story performed subwayherstations me. in I watched from theand bal- city call out to our dog, Soapwhen bubbles pris. Once, I popped into her room be- about missing To visitors and passers mobile phoneby and squares, cony, parksrunning and even nearthelamp-posts. down road, speaking her first few From a children’s park to my calls, I saw ₹4,000Itfrom cause she wasn’t responding keeps complaining his wallet and everyWhere else can we with poetry? “In calling outreach to herout new friends. words of English traffic rule that sheBreak was adressed in a pair of shorts I had one agreed That that it’s terribly it was bored Tina’s fault as many public as possible, essentially I canplaces view this as an adorable Has ever tried to introduce his poems set aside to he give away to charity.

She knew her in was always important and she“Itshould leave.

“I wish for I me to write im- to remind us that poetry of is arural vital girls nourishing metamorphosis to environments theboss book?

“Once mind, she did not let my beyond daughter over mediately when isthe words had kicked him twice” all she part ofuniformity our daily or lives, not an urban I can ac-some in Chennai The School,early where says I about her and established powerathierarchies came. it Later, now.the thought is there, stodgy textbook affair,” she says. knowledge this as the irrefutteaching, I strung up my on. Her mobile was phone was often a source of po- In but do not come her the free words time, Tina helped the agent able evidence that transformative Her poem ‘Where I Live’ isisan atfeminism from a tree. She Anyone angst between us.ems It rang endlessly. sweptcould back,” says Salma, writes and in earned recruit more girls from who the village, articulate ambivalent happening homes,towashing our dishes.

The strength of in ourtempt come by and the house and did the dishes withread.” the earbuds one month’s Tamil. Confined the house Shepoetry pay as hertocommission. also lies feelingsthese towards city —fa-a mix How can you explain girlsthe — from in else gleaning The delight of ears, poetry of the phone wedged firmly into her al- is in from a youngaage, andan urban actively solicited loverebellious life. She was of loathing and affection. raway Bengal — who find themselves in the secrets in every multiple readings, like watchternately flirting or shouting at whoever was gifted, wrote on every scrap girl by now,she confident, sassy and with an atti- new liveaonhome a wedge land threatening centre I of in ofHaryana, read ing a budThe opening its petals. at the other end of the phone. best I could paper came herbetween way. By admira- where they run into tude of that had that me swinging Reclaimed from a tired ocean lecherous grandfathers strength liesbefore in gleaning do was to get her to Its shut the door the seof 16, sheWhen had written tion the andage annoyance. her 12 months and stingy, ungrateful Somewhere at theand edgeyet of the employers, crets in every new read. In yelling began. poems, which wereabout done, seven she went home.

She were is sure about somehow — despite universe the fact that they neither knowing the words Over the course of fact, the next few months, I in local magazines whatpublished she wants.inShe is going to take a few speak the languageAt thenor endunderstand of a meal, when well the you advance gives greaterinjoy. In got to hear her story. She started working andoff, later in books.

The printed always months come back and find herselfwork anothbreakofaan fortune cookie, could youcling find on, a poem topology unfamiliar city — they on temple homes when she 16, she India, said, after a ladywalls gavewithout her a sense of achievement. believes er house the help of the agent. She has inside?

What if, every morning we went working hard to send money homewhen so their wetoinscribed recruiter who routinely took girls the city stothe -liberating power of are theout, internet: strictin criteria housewife employers so parents to work, we could find a selection of poems and siblings can have a life. While they to ries.five Today, visited her village in Bengal. There were “Through the Kindle someone can read my are families with babies. carefully displayed the counter may read, start out in a state of fearfulnear desperation, people children in the family; she was the third.

A South Africa.

A poem go anyThebooks agentinbrought me another girl.can I’ll call from which buy coffee?

Could I wander eventually their we financial independence and inbrother and sister were older than her but her Nafisa, where — government offices, on an asinto meek as Tina was volatile, as eleca gardendependence to find a poem across theirto employers’ helpinscribed define their when the brother got married, his wife did not quiettricity billwas receipt, theover ration phone as Tina loud.on Still, theorlast few bill! three rocks?

And while them you walked along a self-worth.

The city renders confident want him to have anything to do with his fam- weeks My poems were telling printed Nafisa has been meon herpostcards story. She and corridor to work, could youI’d hear a poem being and cunning.

Treat them badly, say, at your ily. So he left the village for hers and started is thecould anyone.

There are different meanoldestreach of nine children — eight girls and out?years, Thenthey thatare journey heart to peril.read In a few going—to“from kick serihelping his father-in-law in his business. It fell a boy.ings versehas at adifferent times. Also, Herto father chest condition, andeach Na- pertongue”, asdon’t Subramaniam puts it — would ous ass, and you want it to be yours. upon Tina to find a way to feed the family. She fisa left son’s experience unique move within us and with us. her village in Westgives Bengalhim eightayears t@veenavenugopal was paid ₹5,000 then, all of which she sent ago to find perspective. travel with the poem work as We a maid.

She worked in a to find a story: it is like a journey, a many-lay- sujatha shankar kumar is a Chennai-based writer and photographer ered experience.”

Unexpected encounters

Poems must not exist only on the page. The poetic journey “from heart to tongue” should move within us and with us

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Moveable feast Poet Salma is happy that a poem can go anywhere, into a government office, on the Veena Venugopal is editor BLink and back ofofaThe bill...Mother-in-Law author r ravindran

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saturday, december 13,13, 2014 saturday, december 2014

TEMPORARY SERVICE

DEITy of porn How a nation will soon be left groping in the dark, hoping against hope

Down the ages A collection of early edition novels at the Charles Dickens Museum in London afp/carl court

PAPERWALLAH

Love to Scrooge

Backside bulletin After sex education, the Government is planning to turn its back on porn m srinath

My relationship with A Christmas Carol tells of my own childhood and growing up

janice pariat

IM

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y long-standing affection for Dickens with A Christmas Carol, institutional- white salwar, and dusted so much powder in was shocked to hear that the government Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Car- This step is being prevent crimes menther ised what one taken could to call the recognisably service looking porn.aThe rush willemanatbe hair that, for at a week, little cloud is banning porn.

This with is a crippling blow Laol began a well-thumbed against women.

Many factors contribute to and modern ‘spirit of Christmas’.

Stockings unprecedented. will be heavied from herAdmission head whentests she sneezed. to the advancement of human knowl- The dybird Classics for children. this, but the Government prefers simpler solu- Yule wreaths, crackling fires and mistletoe, ly competitive.

Training All these years later, institutions I have finallywill read A edge. As it is, they’ve banned sex educacover featured a suitably Dionysian Spirit of tions,logs such asterrace banning things, and changing and houses softly covered in snow. spring up, withCarol. names like Porn Star, XXXpert Christmas tion. Christmas How will Present, our children learn? We areholly robe spilling open, names. measures thatassociated our hearts with HisThese writing was soshow strongly and Orgasm Launchers.

Bright young boys The edition I own is nowhere as charming condemning to a lifetime entwinedfuture in his generations locks, exuberantly perched on are inthe theDecember right place, and they take very holiday season that little when he fromas the villages will its have avenueshand-painted for advan- ilthe first, with exquisite of groping in of theculinary dark, hoping against Ahope. a mound extravagance. throne of effort.

It’s like renaming city Chennai or to passed away in 1870, a young girl is said cement.

Eventually, Chetan will lustrations (if you’re so Bhagat inclined, it’swrite available As our preciouspuddings, freedoms fat aresausages, being stripped Christmas iced cakes, Mumbai. city “Mr doesn’t benefit, but you getwill a FahaveThe asked, Dickens dead?

Then One Night at from the Porn Centre.& Stillman for a measly online Sumner awayturkeys, one by one, we cheese, not stand up? If not he fruitwill and from where warm, fuzzy feeling. die too?” ther Christmas However, this whole thing notthis beone as in a $39,500).

But may I found now, smiled then when?

Letbenevolently us examine the and sea- This decision down at facts, a skinny gravewinters social, economic, po- simple as it looks.second-hand My warmhas Assam were Personally, I feel optishopquite in Rochester, identify those who march against us. clothes and green Scrooge, dressed in night liticalfar and humanfrom dimensions. the future, mistic because there removed VictorianInEnKent,could one be of wheels Dickens’within favourite Thebedroom decisionslippers. to declareI find war on outporn nowwas thattakthe imIndians on—holiday abroad will gland but it didn’t stop my siswheels.

It could all be part towns (descriptions of ofit alitter en onage September 2014, at a version meetingofofthe CRAC is a much5,enhanced original hardly everI from leavetrying theirtohotel ter and faithfully master plan. APapers national Pickwick andcleansing Great Expecta(Cyber Regulationillustration Advisory Committee), first-edition

by John Leechinfrom rooms.

Our ainternational stu- exrecreate white wonderland, before the reintroduction of antions), and it bears the school Conference Hall No 1007 DEITy (Department 1843. “Scrooge was of the meanest man in the dentshausting, will flunkinleft, and the theright process, cientstamp texts and traditions. are of having beenWe presented, MLAs and MPs will of Electronics and Information world,” began my ‘retold’, Technology). abbreviated vercentre.

Google stock Glass of sales willwool. household cotton the nation can Wilin 1908,oftotantriks, a certainwho Master have nothing to This means that DEITyeverybody has over 1,000 confer- boom, sion. “He hated and everything — as lawbrush will not cover Mythe next with the text balance on their orga- and liamelephants Smith for Diligence watch in Parliament. ence especially halls. Next Christmas. time you cannot venue Then find one acold Christspectacles.

Millions of youth willform took place in school in the ns, and the Kama Sutra, which Good Behaviour.

Future generations for a wedding, this is changed…” a point worth noting. mas Eve, his life no longer be adaptation. able to research of a stage One so gecombines sexual activity with It isn’t, I’m surprised to find, a will grow up never As a result of decisions at this meetWith over 30 stagetaken and television adaptaSunny Leone’s MLAs andlife of neric that Icareer. cannot, for the gymnastics in book a unique and first children’s at all. The knowing about ing, chaired

by ShriasRavi Shankar we MPs tions, almost many films, Prasad, three operas, a will have nothing watch me, remember theto playwright.

I memorable way. grim The Kama Sutra“Marline echoes and cold, Savita Bhabhi will join an elite group ofnovels, countries, which in-parocouple of graphic half-a-dozen in Parliament.

Futurefrom generaremember little that crecouldley bewas a key thrust area in our And dead: to begin with.” cludes China, Arabia and Morocco.

Five it’s dies, andSaudi too many spin-offs to mention, tionsative will endeavour, grow up never knowexcept that our new the linguistic It was in ‘staves’approach. (or song stanzas, secretaries of not the Indian Administrative Ser-story. difficult to be familiar with the ing about Savita Dark girl Scrooge — aBhabhi. tall, feisty originally written in title) Sanskrit, keeping with the are pepvice helped the meeting.

FICCI, AS-dead Scroogetoismanage visited by the apparition of his days named are ahead of us. Gogoi — found Supantha and everyone knows that transla- depered with discomforting As a child, I was SOCHAM, CII Jacob and NASSCOM havewarns all promised partner Marley, who him of three In this, as in many other we will have tions can never really the script much too things, extended, captureA the flavour.

Proscriptions. woman dying in the happily unaware that full assistance, which shows while they two kinds spiritual visitations thatthat night — Christmas of people. to Those are and threatened leavewho until weabove the moting it could be the fastest wayghosts to spread gutter with the of rich Dickens wrote this are very fairePresent, on business freedoms,Yet to Past,laissez Christmas and Christmas law, and are under its boot. There the language, andbusinessmen camethose to awho compromise.

She’d bring some joy to the lives dancing around slim novella propelled whenCome. it comes to personal notsimilarly so will be He must listen tofreedoms, them or be pornScrooge haves and play of porn the have-nots, present, with se- of Sanskrit scholars India, have toiled her,inthe twowho ghoulish children, by a sense of injustice much.

The CBI has suggested involving Inter- than cursed to drag around chains far longer lect access while for I’d VIPs, takewho up will the need part to ofcarefully so hard and received so little. and Want, that the Ignorance for the victims of the pol. The honourable Marley’s own. minister has said that the judgeScrooge whether something or whisked awayisonpornographic his adIn this way, we Spirit will free ourselves from for-pulls of Christmas Present Industrial Revolution matter As should be viewed “in theunaware context of In-Dicka child, I was happily that not. We’ll follow the Victorian principle, ventures with the ghostly trio. which eign domination.out According to reliable statisfrom beneath his robe, the sidian ens culture andthis moral obligation toward so- by ruled wrote slim novella propelled a How thatwe porn should to becapture allowedthe only for the tics, 99 per cent oflent, managed thehooded porn currently Spirit ofviewed the Future ciety”.burning It has been agreed to use web filters to of sense of injustice for the victims selectaudience’s few whosewilful minds are not open suspension of to im- in India is of foreign origin.

Once these his foreign who shows Scrooge unloved blockthe notIndustrial just pornRevolution. sites, but any sites which He decided that the moral influences. is one more thing — influences have been disbelief withThis these theatrical purged our of soilglowgrave.

It is aentirely, small work “hurtbest thething sentiments ofdo Indian society”.

The he could was write a story, not an apartshenanigans, from criminalI’llrecords redAdmittedly, beacons it never and know. will be for a local flowering. means ingripe genius.

Deeply scathingWhich and angry, funny Government be launching article towill callalso public attention atomassive their inhu— that will divide rulers from theamateur ruled. lightprobably hadthe more to do with that and thisskittish, step byepic DEITy, supported by actandduly intimate.

Even now, advertising campaign to educate the publicas he Oning man working conditions.

“Something,” thethat bright side,usthere is in andarkness economic bathed mostly rather CRAC, is as not blow against personal ing anthe appraisal of all our deeds freeand misaboutsaid, the many evils of strike porn. In you want “that would thecase heaviest blow in benefit. is going acting to boost employment. domdeeds. thanThis scintillating prowess. that weItfear it todemands be. It’s a simple caseatofevery gently a re-read to know exactly who what, you can check my power.”

I wassaid mostly enthralled by the fesIt’s notOur an easy to suppress millions mostjob convincing character wasofJacob import substitution. year’s end. So we can enter the new one with out the meeting the Mediativeminutes imagesofinthe the book. on Prince Albert, the pornMarley, sites. Thousands of lovable people Animikha will be re-Dutt, its closing line: God bless us, everyone. played by the t@shovonc namanewly site. installed husband of Queen Victoria, quired, who will spend a lifetime in chains govern-we’d who expertly rattled the dog brought from his native Germany the tannen- wreathed around her at all the right cues. For janice pariat is the author of the novel Seahorse baum, or Christmas tree in 1841. Shortly after, ghostly luminescence, we’d dressed her in a t@janicepariat

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Ringing sales The mobile wallet is expected to become a $20.4-billion business by the end of the year afp/manjunath kiran

ELSEWHERE

Ever wondered? How many Lego bricks would it take to build a bridge capable of carrying traffic from London to NYC shutterstock

Implausible meets science

Discovering that snowflakes aren’t all so tiny, dainty and soft

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he day dawns dark and silent. It’s so quiet that I wake up wondering if I’ve lost my hearing in a dream.

That’s one of the features of living alone. If something goes wrong, you’re the only one to know about it. Then I peek out of the nearest window and see the cause of the silence. A blanket of whiteness has been spread across the world: it has been snowing all night. Tiny flakes are continuing to drift down. They look so innocent, so tiny and dainty. I always think that snowflakes deserve to make a faint tinkling sound as or readers familiar with the huge- those waiting spaces, such as the dentist’s they descend. ly popular webcomic ‘xkcd’, What reception or airport lounge. The wonI struggle with opposing urges. One, to remain cozily tucked If? by the same author, Randall drous nature of the subject and analysis up in bed. Two, to throw aside the warm embrace of my comMunroe, will be a return to a hap- makes it the perfect escape from reality — forter, brush teeth, make tea, put on three layers of clothes and py place just like PG Wodehouse or Asterix in short doses. go to the Gym across the street. Because going to the Gym is would be for most. So, I shall write this resomething I am paying a subscription for and, therefore, unMunroe is also funny… very, very funny. view safe in the knowledge that most Parts of each answer are laugh-out-loud less I use it, I am Wasting Money. Believe me, if not for the $50 readers who read the first sentence went hilarious, however, the real gems are hidmonthly fee I would NEVER crawl out of my warm bed on a — ‘x-k-what?’ snowy morning! den outside of the main text. He uses his To start with, ‘xkcd’ is a blockbuster staple ‘xkcd’ stick-figure cartoons to comBy the time I leave my flat, I am feeling extremely virtuous. webcomic “of romance, sarcasm, math, plement the body of each answer. The Delighted to join the energetic, industrious world I can see and language”, started in 2005 by Mun- notes and citations (a la scientific papers) from my window. People buzzing about in their cars or trotting roe. It has been a ‘lodestar’ for scientists, are also worth spending time on; and so is by in their windcheaters and bobastronomers, engineers, aka, anyone gee- the “Weird and Worrying Questions from ble-topped woolly hats. The Dunkin ky. To understand Munroe’s clout in that the What If? Inbox” page, which interDonuts parking lot is full at this universe, it is useful to know that at 29 he sperses various sections. hour of the morning, 7.30. Busy already has an asteroid named after him.

Now, let me go on to qualify — “This OMIGOSH, I think, all mothers with two children As The New York Times reported this inay March, Singhbook does is not own a debit orfor among strapped backseats of with theirany of the not exclusively geeks.” others Geek offer mobile payment services, areinto onlythe with us and not in capital letters.

MY details “the asteroid in orbit between Jupiter andcard, credit nor does anyone pepper in his the cars are leaping to grab a cup of culture references and butbook Paytm is different as itDRAWING has its ownHAND mobile merchants,” saysout Sharma.

Mars and once known simply as 4942 was which family, livedrichness. for four gensteaming coffee before addhas to the So if Princess Leah’s which brings it into the league marketplace, Paytm also takes care driving of any to reversal of renamed last year by the International As- iniconic erations Bihar’s Gayathe district. school. Men And in dark parkas are carrybuns, eatingYet, habitsofofSnapdeal gremlinsand Shopclues. transaction. if any merchant fails to fulfil tronomical Union as 4942 Munroe.” they regularly shop online Homeshop18 ing those cleverly madethe takeout or the from sex-changing nature of dinosaurs obligations, Paytm blocks merchant and Like the webcomic, What is a book and If? Naaptol.

Even their holiday hotel booktrays with cutouts for holding four in Jurassic Park aren’t well-known factsshopping in Card-free the payment.

Over 22 million have used Paytm which aims to answer multiple implauings are done online, again without internet tall Styrofoam cups securely. your universe, you may miss“When out on smartphones a fair came, people wanted to since January, making it one of the largest mosible, yet fascinating scientific bankingscenarios or cards. Singh instead has a mobile shop online and operator It’s warm the building.

The moment I step out, howevnumber of jokes. walletinside (payment bile commerce companies. using solid, rigorous and oftenfrom hilarious wallet Paytm, which him criticism to load that er, brrrr!

The allows only other can bemobile lethrough operator) wasI’m wearing my waterproof ankle boots, and the hood scientific research. Questions range cash on his from mobile vied phone a nearby mygap fleece-lined jacket is up. When I get to the Gym I’ll remove onthrough Munroe is that he is too at We saw of notbizarre allowed. that Customers love it the very popular “What would mobilehappen retailerto or ATM and use it forcan all his on- and outer taken three stepsretailer from Fabfurtimes (if that actually be acreated thing). Paytm inthe 2011 to layers, of course. Barely have IOnline furniture the Earth if the Sun suddenly switched Some of the answers seem too line transactions. theoption front stoop when — whoops! There’s a patch of ice hidden farfetched build an online payment nish has witnessed this growth off?” and the bizarre (andIn gruesome) the recent“Ifcase (such whereas a customer Ub- lasers under the soft-seeming snow!

My rightfirst-hand. foot skids!“Paytm It flies offers out buyers pointing of 500TW the for theatmasses,” says Vijay ShekIn the recent case someone’s DNA suddenly how er’svanished, car-sharing service was or allegedly raped by har to from under I amafalling!

ThenofI landincentives with a THUMP. And I’m and admoon powering a hairdryer 11Peta-founder and Sharma, CEO of me! like cash-back where customer long would that person last?” to the Paytm some- helped the driver, Delhi close in I found Flat on my back.car-sharing Watts) and Police in a few cases, Paytm.myself Short for ‘pay down. through ditional discounts. It also makes Uber’s what practical (?) “How many bricksAs Uber on theLego accused. riders ‘What’s can onlythe pay I sit up, feeling ridiculous but also suddenly mortal and frail. wondering point?’, the refermobile’, Paytm is the consumer payment much more conveservice was allegedly would it take to build a bridge capable through Paytmof under RBIto guidelines ThencomI clutch raped the wrist of my right hand.

It’sTying whatwith I used to leads to ence Spinal Tapfor notcredwithstanding.

Howbrand of mobile internet nient. them by the driver, carrying traffic from London to NYC?” Butpolice it card use, the downloaded the and Uberfar between break my fall. Paytm Now it’shelped hurting.

OMIGOSH, I think, all for in capital ever, these are few and Communications, pany One97 greater sales merchants like Delhi let’s start by saying this book is not exclu-wallet, app and Paytm booked cab and letters.

MY DRAWING HAND! OHthe EEEK! us,” Oh NONONONO! But: CRM I hardly take aaway fromdi-the whose overall readinvestors include SAIF says Reeju Dutta, manPolice close in on sively for geeks. While therected analysis rigor- to take theisdriver them to Uber’s I massage the wrist carefully. Nothability of the book. office Partners, Intel Capitalcan andwiggle SAP all my fingers. ager of Fabfurnish. accused ous and often complex, the book isn’t so.was a neat in Gurgaon.

This track ing’s broken. Not even fractured, so far At as IFabfurnish, can tell. It the hurts The ploy best to way todown summarise What among If? Ventures, others. number of The author does a great job simplifying theofoffice, whose physical address remained from paythe solid whack it received, but nottransactions with any sharp, unnat-Paytm has would be to borrow from Paul Krugman’s Paytm began by offering through scientific terms and likening research unknown untilto then.paper on ‘Economic Theory of ural pain.

Interstellar ment services for utility bills increased 10 times in the last six relatable concepts — usingThis acrobatic gi- ofTrade’ new world mobile return to feel lucky that a certain — wallets “This isisa expectserious analysis of a ri-recharges. It Ihas and mobile ex- to my warm silent flat, trying months.

“Paytm drives raffes stacked atop each other measure ed to to become a $20.4-billion businesswhich by theis, ofpanded aren’t much worse.number Not succeeding.

The balloon of Even my though diculous subject, course,through the tie-upsthings with companies since of sales and revenues. height, using iPhones to measure com-according end of the year, to of a joint byin science.” earlier punctured.

I look opposite whatstudy is usual January this year, after the RBIgood gave intentions its nod for is utterly the order value may not at bethe toosnowhigh, the numputing power of the human andand us- Mobile the brain Internet Association flakes still falling outside with new respect:Paytm not allis relativeFinally, think ofofitIndia, as a strollmobile through sciwallets.

Shoppers can store cash on my berwindow of transactions through ing Hiroshima as the standard for ofence Paymentsunit Council Indiafantasy and IMRB. that soft gentle (grounded in mobile fact) asphones you for payments toand a whole lotafter of all. ly higher, making it very important for us,” energy and explosions (because, really, cash, Besides loading users can the alsostick-figure sync retailers stop to admire birds from and Myntra to Zovi and Fabfurnish Dutta explains.

MANJULA PADMANABHAN, author and artist, us tales of her parallel lifeKhanna, in what else is there?). their credit or debit card Paytm’sin mobile smellwith the flowers the footnotes. to Yepme.

Ditto fortells Homeshop18.

Vikrant its marginalien.blogspot.in US, in this fortnightly The over 50 questionswallet stand and independavoid having to punch in confiden“If you are on an Elsewhere, online shopping site, series COO - TV Business, says: “Within a month of anuj is a technologist by day and geekyour card details pre-filled and you our partnership, 10 per cent of our online payently, so you can jumptial to card any details randomduring anpradhan online transaction.

Paytm gets culture enthusiast by night page and start reading… perfect for all including Several companies PayU, CCAvenue, just have to add your CVV number. The card ing customers adopted this wallet service. It

A stroll into the world of the geek that will leave you with answers of questions you have never asked

F

What If? Randall Munroe Hachette Popular Science/ Humour ₹499

Thump, on my back

Money talks… from a mobile phone

In less than a year, 22 million have used Paytm, generating business worth ₹3,500 crore. This is the brave new world of mobile wallets, where hard cash and payment cards are passé

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Travelling tables in NYC

Some payment gateways in India:

Never been to Eritrea or sunk your teeth into a Slovakian burger? Buy a ticket to New York

M

y culinary indulgence in the Yemeni One has to walk into a Yemeni restaurant to reBig Apple began even before I alise just how different the cuisine is from landed. As my flight cruised that of its other Middle-Eastern neighover the Atlantic, I woke bours, thanks to the Ottoman and up to the aromas of freshly brewed Mughal influences. Dig into the napeppermint tea, cookies, sandtional dish, saltah, a sumptuous wiches and hot street snacks; it meat stew served in a bowl made was high-tea time! Later that afterwith the traditional Yemeni bread. noon, I confessed to a fellow travellVeggie lovers, revel in the fassolia, er and New Yorker that the sautéed kidney beans topped with the English-style high tea left me feeling typical spice mixture called hawaij. Your like I was heading to London, not New Cash is not king Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Paytm founder and CEO taste buds will thank you.

York City. He laughed and said: “That’s exactly Where: Yemen Café, Cobble Hill, Atlantic Avehow New York makes you feel, like the entire Corn-ucopia A Venezuelan arepa shutterstock also gave us access over 10 million Paytm come world belongs in onetocity.” a significant alternative to cash-on-de- nue Brooklyn; yemencafe.com customers and sawback referral traffic.”

His words came to me with every eclec- livery, the study says. rice cakes the wok-fried 12 per cent of Homeshop18’s ticCurrently, cuisine I sampled in this eclectic city. on- nut Khanna saysand additional factorsglass suchnoodles as grea- Danish withadoption your veggies, meatspayment or seafood. line paying customers uses Paytm. “We are ter of mobile technology, There is more to Danish food than the Danish Where: Khe-Yo, Tribeca, Manhattan; kheyo.com looking at launching Paytm option on all our high Eritrean penetration of mobile internet and a (pastry), and you don’t have to cross the Atlanmobile platforms and expect to strong demographic dividend will see young tic (from NYC) to try it. Delight in the decepEast Africa seemed next like ayear far-fetched proposigrow by 50I per month after Venezuelan tion, until hadcent my every first Eritrean meal.that,” Laid India simple open sandwiches or increasingly favouring quicker, safer tively Khanna Wellconvenient acquaintedpayment with Mexican cuisine? Travel smørrebrød, made on freshly baked rugbrød out on aadds. sharing plate with injera, a delicate and options.

Paytm users load mobile flatbread madecan of teff ortheir wheat grainswallets found further south, add in some ethnic influences (rye bread) topped with players: fresh herring, meats Marketplace with from banks, retailers and ATMs. “We Gateway and an ancestral European touch, and you’ll and veggies; and don’t miss the frikadeller, in thecash highlands of Africa, along with flavourto the market are in talks with with somecurry large nationalised be treating yourself to a heavenly Venezuelan ful stews simmered powder and cu- Encouraged by the growing number of mer- Denmark’s meatballs. Danish cheese, potatoes banks forboth tie-ups.

And onand the familiar retail front, we chants arepa (corn flatbread) opting stuffedfor with mashed min, it’s unfamiliar for the and customers Paytm, the and rye bread make for a humble, yet indulwant see that any place where a phone can company black beans, veggies and sauce, gent meal for vegetarians too.

Indiantopalate.

Eritrean cuisine leans towards setplantains, up its marketplace in hot February. be charged load money into a Paytm with is plenty of other fillings for meat lovers. seafood duecan to also its location on the coast, but This basically a common platform where Where: The Copenhagen, Tribeca, Manhattan; wallet,” says Sharma.

He expects one million Where: Lasand Caracas Arepa can Bar,discover East Village, there’s plenty to delight vegetarians and ve- customers merchants each thecopenhagennyc.com such in the next years.

Manhattan; caracasarepabar.com gans;outlets try timtimo (redthree lentils cooked with other.

“We are like the checkout aisle where Already, million(pureed Paytm wallets have been herbs) and16 shiro chickpeas).

Feel you can pick up things on the way out,” says Slovakian created since eating Januarywith andyour the hands, company has Sharma, Caribbean right at home emptyadding, “we were getting traffic as we Would you believe that the hard-to-find Slovak seen a ₹3,500-crore annual run rate of transacSo what if thepayments.

CaribbeanSo feels far offering and too burger has been called the best in town? Whet ing your glass of Sowa or home-brewed beer. were sorting we too began tions. have accepted us wholeexpensive to holiday in? Feel to the pulse of catthe your appetite with the halusky, a deep-fried Where:“Consumers Massawa, Morningside Heights, Man- an opportunity to merchants have their heartedly.

Our wallet users are growing at alogue region discovered.” with a homemade roti (similar to variation of the German spaetzle (small dumhattan; massawanyc.com more than 40 per cent every month, while roomali roti), rolled with callaloo, Globally, too, payment gatewaysa curry-like and mar- plings) and organic ale. Then treat yourself to Laotian are growing at more than 20 per ketplaces transactions stew, traditionally seasoned herb- the burger: a juicy beef patty or a beet-walnuthave been linked —with eBaya green and Paypal, It’s easy treat your taste buds to Thai and and cent,” heto adds. and-oil-based marinade thatfor lends it a distinct Alibaba with Taobao, instance.

“All black-eyed-peas patty topped with cheese, Malaysian flavours in most cosmopolitan ci- marketplaces flavour. Pick meats, candied yams or in theseafood, world are successful as wrapped and fried in langoš, the traditional ties of the world. But to really retreat into the they Forget cash-on-delivery veggies to add to your roti, and wash down the bread made using family recipes, and served control payment to the merchant.

Otherrecesses of Southeast try Laotian cuisine This growth for PaytmAsia, is driven by online ser- wise, gigantic with sweetowner sorrel,and a cooler youportions are an inventory can’t with beetroot ketchup. at a wine barasinfood NYC. delivery, The first round of sticky vices such cinema ticket control that willthe giveexperience you a taste of of island living. and Where: Korzo Haus, East Village, Manhattan; the customer rice served with eggplant puree the“These spicy you bookings, travel bookings andand so on.

Where: Freda’s Cuisine, Mor- korzorestaurant.com can’t createCaribbean trust. This&isSoul our fundamental “bang bang” sauce is on theaccept house cash (andon you’ll services typically don’t de- understanding,” ningside Heights,Sharma Manhattan; adds. fredasnyc.wordSouth want tolivery, pay forbut another).

Try the cocousers want to crunchy book with aspress.com Paytm currently features a staggering 3.5 then tiedAfrican up with payment gateway ngpay.

African Dutta, safarischief and wines have surance. We are an answer for million products and over 10,000 merchants South Devangshu executive atfound consul-a place on theThird worldEyesight, map, butsays theira cuisine is businesses that don’t accept cash in its marketplace. “We will be the fastest to re- tancy firm payment still hard to come by outside eases Africa. Atwo mash-up during delivery. We are an alter- ach a million merchants in the next two gateway-cum-marketplace pain of influences from Portugal, Malaysia, Ennative to cash-on-delivery,” years,” says Sharma. points for merchants — acquiring customers gland and India, meats like ostrich“And, and says Sharma. India’s e-comAs a marketplace, Paytm does not hold in- and handling theexotic payment transactions. oxtail feature in the menu, vegemerce boom was primarily ventory. In contrast, the e-tailer owns the in theory, that’sheavily something which canbut be delivtarians cansame tuck company. into the mushroom-saffron driven by cash-on-delivery, products in inventory-led models. “We don’t ered by the But in practice, the sauté flavoured chutneys, orrequired cottage but Sharma believes the next store goods but offer logistics to skill with sets and mindsets cheese simmered in Malay spices. wave of services including tax- merchants through our cloud are different.”

Where: Braai, InHell’s Kitchen, Manhattan; is and medical appointments service,” says Sharma. Instead of the payment space, any braainyc.com company’s aim is to drive down will grow with mobile e- big courier companies, Paytm We are like the commerce. “But unlike has tied up with multiple smallthe transaction cost, while the checkout aisle where Icelandic e-commerce, we er players in every location, almarketplace seeks to acquire you can pick up things When a coldcustomers, wave sweeps through City, don’t require lowing it to deliver to 20,000 drive sales the volume, on the way out Iceland doesn’t feel conversion like another (visitors country, espelogistics.” pin codes across the country. drive into cially if there’s dark ale and grilled transaction octopus for According to buyers) and increase company. Although to make a trip a study by Accel Double business value asyou’ll well, have he explains. to Scandinavia “There for the more traditional — India, the number With nearly $30 million invested is nothing to sayfare that think shark and whale meatexecute — at Skál can of cash-on-delivery so far, Paytm is currently raising more money. the same company cannot it. you But givfeast onthe Arctic Char with caramelised root vegtransactions in India will “No other e-commerce company is using our en that marketplace model is undergoing etables andchanges coco beans Lamb Porchetta, drop from 60 per cent in 2013 to model. There are independent payment com- significant and or seeing a lot of actiona hearty pork-lamb-egg-and-potato classic. are 50 per cent by 2016. And the panies such as CCAvenue and Airtel Money, and competition (Amazon and Snapdeal Where: Skál, Lower East Side, Manhattan; share of third-party wallets such while the marketplace model has Shopclues investing billions of dollars), it does need pheskalnyc.com as Paytm will rise 7 per cent. and Snapdeal. But nobody has this combina- nomenal execution ability to compete in that Third-party wallets, despite be- tion of payment+marketplace,” says Sharma. space,” Dutta adds. Considering its dream run shivya nath is will a travelling vegetarian ing a new phenomenon, have a This model, however, is not an easy one. Flip- so far, Paytm be hoping towho rideloves thetotwo experiment with local flavours wherever she goes. She strong value proposition and kart would know. It launched the payment boats simultaneously and successfully. will become popular quickly, gateway PayZippy in July 2013 only to shut it blogs at the-shooting-star.com just like in China. They will be- down a year later for want of traffic. Flipkart rashmi pratap

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Shopper’s stop Under attack A man The dressed an is CRPFassoldier emperor to attractlamb in a sacrificial customers at abetween the war souvenir thestore Stateinand the ap/andy Wangfujing pti wong Maoists

lem that stems from decades of marginalisation and exploitation of the adivasis in large swathes of land (in the undivided Bastar region in Chhattisgarh, for example, which is bigger than Kerala). Even after India attained her freedom, nothing changed for the people in this region. They remained a victim of the State’s apathy, of its absence. From 1980 onwards, the Maoists appeared on the scene and simply filled the void left by the Indian State.

They began on a good note, giving the adivasis a sense of empowerment, promising to change their lives. But soon, their focus shifted from welfare to fighting the State. The State, meanwhile, remained oblivious to the utter lack of development in this region.

It took the Centre many years to accept that the Maoist problem is not a law-and-order problem. But, on ground, it was reluctant to make changes in its policy. It failed to understand that security operations in the Maoistaffected areas need to be an adjunct to the deliverance of basic needs to the people here: access to food and safe drinking water, and a right to education and medical care.

The Centre continued to use the presence of Maoist guerrillas in the region as an excuse for misgovernance. The CRPF troops were sent in, but in the absence of a tangible intelligence apparatus, they have not been able to effectively tackle the Maoists. By the sheer presence of the CRPF and other paramilitary forces in such large numbers, the Maoists may have been pushed deeper into their bastions, but they haven’t gone away.

In the meantime, the adivasis’ first contact with the State comes in the form of the CRPF troops. In many areas, they disallow them to venture into the forests to collect firewood and other items essential for their survival. Also, in most cases, it is almost impossible for the CRPF troops to distinguish between an adivasi and a Maoist guerrilla. Sometimes, it leads to rights violations, with the CRPF soldier coming across as an impious villain.

On his part, the CRPF soldier has no idea what he is dealing with. In other counterinsurgency situations — for example, in Kashmir — the situation is far simpler. The CRPF is just not prepared for deployment in the Maoist areas. There are several reasons for this. The CRPF soldier has absolutely no facility at his disposal. His living conditions are pathetic. In the camp, he does not have access to even basic amenities. Across Maoist-affected regions, eijing is a nightmare even for some- their pronunciation aside, these happen to be the guy situation altered our prior intimis schedule the same.without As a result, the moone who ardently supports native places that are must-sees for any visitor. ationofand took straight for the city tour.low.

He rale most ofus the CRPF soldiers is very languages and opposes colonial legaAn added advantage of travelling by the Many didn’tofwant leavetothat for the next day,sit-a themtowant get away from their cies, linguistic or otherwise. In the metro, where people wearing protective uation Sunday,ashe explained, as Gu Gong soon as possible.

There is a(Forbidden chasm benight sky, English can be found glowing masks are not an uncommon sight, is that you tween City) and tourist would be crowdtheother soldier andplaces the officer.

Even the (along with Chinese) in places such as the air- are safe from the pollution outside. You do officers ed. The want place to turned out to be overcrowded get away.

Many of them are port or on the huge billboards of multination- wonder whether the smog engulfing the city preparing even on aforSaturday.

There were umpteen careers elsewhere. al companies like Coca-Cola, KFC and fashion is from the excessive number of smokers on groups donning similar coloured caps, isasexif On the other hand, a Maoist guerrilla giants Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Giorgio Arma- its street rather than the emissions from its tremely belonging to one ofInthe IPL cases, teams,he and they motivated. many is even ni... Lining the road all the way into the city, millions of automobiles. The sky were invariably led soldier. by a person better trained than the CRPF The the profusion of billboards in this communist remained hazy the entire week a differently Maoists knowcarrying this entire region very coloured well, and country’s capital is rather bewildering. The of my stay, with a thin layer of flag. in a train, clutching in large areas, theWalking local population is sympanext morning, however, when you emerge smog and dust coming from the on to a long stick, they were visthetic to them. from yourhehotel and trybegin to navigate TV cameras rollingthrough as soon television Mongolianscreens. desert. That is our only contribuitors from the gets smallany towns and hardly support On the metro,The theCRPF soldier the city on own, itarrive. hits you asyour the bodies The that sighttooffind the tion the just crisisinand we withdraw.

It’stonot thethen accent of villages. “Many of the them may from his organisation, or from State hebe is business suits, jeans, someone slain who speaks understands But English, that doesn’t make things away in and soldiersor ofeven the Central Reservea their American dom- go miniskirts visiting the Capital for the first fighting this war for.

He is just a sacrificial hot bit of English is like hitting a jackpot.

Police Force (CRPF), Chhattisgarh.

In fact, they be-all narrate inance is pervasive in day-to-day time,” guide informed us lamb in this war.

Andthe so are the poor adivasis. pants The in underground metro,and which connects China. The metro killed a Maoist ambush come more serious once showcases this a disdain that is seemingly who is with benefitting from this war? Why a longwe story inSo, brief the length and of the metropolis for best. The business covered with thebreadth Indian nationclose suits, our eyes jeans,or turn them cannot the adivasis near-universal in city-dwellers be stakeholders in the nearly is reputedly its cheapest mode miniskirts andaway. al flag, 400km, has become our DreiserThatall is narwhy it is impor- wealth created hot pants forbyoutsiders.

Yet these outsiders the extraction of mineral reThe living conditions of of transportation.

A three-yuan tant to understand ian opera. Before such an event, (RMB) ticket rate a long story in brief.

The lat- what is hap- sources in this were quite modern, dressed as region?

Why is the State unable the CRPF are pathetic, canafterwards, take you aswe farare as you pening in our own backyard. or just want not to go in this est hairstyles are inspired by the smartly as any of theirincity brethto rescue a CRPF soldier injured a Maoist with no access to even city. Mercifully, the is metro makes announce- West, especially Since interested in what happen2010, there hasthe been Hollywood.

Surely, pre-a ambush? ren. Especially theMaoists young ones.

There were also If the are against mining, basic amenities ments English. Though the accent is cau- ponderance ofsustained ing in in Chhattisgarh or other of security coloured presence blonde hair is more why no signs whatsoever of malnourishment or are they not targeting mining companies tiously American, thein Chinese Maoist-affected areas centralpronunciation than just a passing forces in the Maoist-affected ar- in fad? anytheir other deprivation.

A few Mao and areas of influence?

These arecoats the quescomplicates things— awe bit.are Chinese and eastern India not names like eas. The CRPF forms the core of tions caps were also visible in the crowd. we must ask. And these must be asked Yiheyuan, Sanlitun Kong Miaonguozi- Outsiders in Beijing interested becauseYaxiu, thinking the troops sent by the Centre to outside Thereour were three Britons drawing rooms. in our conducted jian, Mao Zhuxi Jiniantang, or We Zhongguo Lash fight about it becomes an incubus. do not want the Maoists.

Thein Maoist as tour group, including a retired couple and Our guide was fluent English,problem, and underpandita is Opinion editorJust of The Hindu Bowuguan hardly lend themselves correct many that; we do not want to engage withto it beyond whoin have seen theAmerican situation accent. on ground standable spite of his The rahul their niece from Australia. as we entered pronunciation in the the flashes of rage we Roman display script. in frontLeaving of our keep Delhi, is aday’s socio-economic prob- t@rahulpandita Greattelling Wall was on our list, but the smart the first Gate, called Wumen or Meridian gate,

Chronicles of a city foretold The capital of China is a pageant of glowing billboards, miniskirts on the metro, tour groups in colour-coded caps and serendipity

The war that B doesn’t affect us

What a CRPF soldier deals with in Maoist areas and why we should look beyond our TV screens

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a young woman requested us to pose with her for a photograph. A flurry of similar requests followed from many others. Clearly foreigners, especially whites, were in great demand and as there were few foreigners that day we were engulfed with requests.

You are being watched It is time we realise, when it comes to Facebook we are not customers, we are the commodity. We can check out any time, but we can never leave

A film named Siddhartha With the maximum temperature at 20 degrees Celsius and minimum at around 11, it was the city’s best season of the year. An international film festival had opened a day earlier and several events were lined up ranging from automobile shows to fashion parades. A report in the official English newspaper China Daily had this interesting bit: “Hollywood’s ties with the second largest film market (meaning China) in the world were on full display on Wednesday, as the fourth annual Beijing International Film Festival kicked off in the Capital.”

The report also stated that Alfonso Cuaron, the director of Gravity, which grossed 69 million yuan (roughly ₹66 crore) in China in 2013, was present at the festival. Dubbed Hollywood films and their heroes and heroines are extremely popular here.

After returning to India a week later, I learnt that a film called Siddhartha had won the best film award. It was directed by an NRI, Richie Mehta, and made in Bollywood. To top it all, the film had nothing to do with the Buddha (originally named Siddhartha) or Buddhism, which is widely followed in China, but is about a father’s search for his missing son.

Marquez at the marketplace Wangfujing is a hip and popular market in the heart of the city. The six-storeyed Wangfujing Book Store here has elevators taking book lovers to the different floors. There were books from all over the world on almost all subjects, but they were all in Chinese. In one corner on the third floor, we found a few racks of English n the post-Snowden world that we live in, privacy has become a public concern.

Hence, Facebook, undisputedly the largest repository of our social and personal information online, recently updated users about a change in its privacy policy starting 2015. Under the legalese, the changes are not dramatically different from the older policies of Facebook, but it does explicitly spell out for users that once published, their data on Facebook will be used at the company’s discretion.

What is different is that Facebook, instead of implementing these changes on the sly, is bothering to inform users about them, making transparent its usage and collection policies for user data.

In response, there have been a flurry of legal-sounding and impressive declarations of privacy, demanding that use and abuse of data on Facebook be governed by an imaginary copyright law, which ought to prevent the changes Facebook makes to its data-usage policies. These declarations are partly poignant in their futility, and partly ludicrous in betraying our ignorance of intellectual property regimes and our own relationship with personal data and information on social media at large.

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Rights surrendered We need to understand the structure of ownership when we join Facebook and start sharing our information. The data that we produce is indeed our own. And nobody can take credit for the original information or cultural production that we share on Facebook. However, the rights we have as an author — to be identified as the author, to determine who we willingly share this information with, and whether we want to be publicly linked to this information — are superseded by the rights we

No ordinary wall A child plays in a quiet bylane, with a government directive in the background reuters/guang niu

books, including pulp fiction, Chinese culture waiting,” I finally replied. But like the beggar, and history, some Penguin classics, some fic- she too had no time to wait for my response. tional writing about China and, of course, two She waved and muttered a quick “Bye-bye” novels by Gabriel García Márquez. The book and disappeared into the crowd drenched in that gave me the special kind of joy that one the colourful lights of the billboards and neon can only feel in an alien country was The Sea of signs. I was left admiring her courteousness.

Poppies, by Amitav Ghosh, a book on the AnThat took me right back to Marquez again. glo-Chinese Opium Wars.

His autobiography, Living to Tell the Tale, deThe other shops in the area were bursting scribes a journey to Aracataca, his hometown, with fashionable goods ranging from luxury with his mother. The slow-moving steamer is watches to designer dresses. Almost all the full of passengers. There they see a young prosmultinational brands were present here. The titute doing brisk business. Marquez’s mother pedestrian-only road had its share of street pities the plight of the woman, yet underhawkers, but they were present in an orga- stands her compulsions.

I was now intrigued. What made me draw nised manner in a few big halls. My wife visited one such hall in search of affordable connections between the first half of 20thpresents. The place was crowded and noisy, century Colombia and Beijing in the 21st cenwith music systems blaring popular western tury on the day of his death? Was it just my tunes. I managed to find a place to sit on the imagination running wild or was it somebenches parallel to the footpath. The evening thing else? I had no answer. was cold, yet comfortable. partha pratim sharma I had learnt about Marquez’s death that ve- pankaj bisht is an eminent Hindi writer and novelist an academic andstorage, political Editor ofinSamayantar, ry day andtoturned my thoughts towards Mar- and give away Facebook.

In accepting the Terms trolthe resides the servers and data in Hindi quez to create ‘a room of mycontract own’ indeterthat journal of Service — which is a legal learning algorithms and predictive mechacrowded and rights noisy place. mining our and responsibilities and nisms, context mapping scripts that deterI loved Marquez others — ofwe myenter gen- mine our value and the values within the Facebook’s liabilitylike andmany ownership eration.

The first Chinese winner of giving the Nobel into an agreement with Facebook, it a social web. for literature, Mo Yan, is a great fan too. The non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, Facebook offers us choices that masquerade Colombian is very popular in any China. royalty-free, writer worldwide licence to use in- as freedom; the difference is subtle but clear.

Reach Though he and diedcontent of cancer at we 87, it wasTo still sad formation that post. put it So, even if we delete our Facebook Beijing is connected to mostaccount to learn once that awe man youtoadmired so much was and all the plainly: agree the Terms of Service, data, Facebook will continue Indian metros by one-stop flights. to no more. He died late it the previous night Facebook canhad do whatever chooses to do, so store it, and use for it. It might make anonyTickets next Spring startit at and morning papers could longthe as it never overrides our not cover the mous, or no longer bother us about ₹35,000 return. news.

My son learntasof the it through symbolic rights pro- the internet. it, but we don’t have the The with underground metro plies from I was a pensive mood when suddenly a ducer ofin that information. right to delete our data, only to 5am to 11pm and is the best way middle-aged stopped before me and Putting upman these declaraforfeit using it through regisFacebook offers to commute in the city, unless you pulled out an amputated right tions now is the equivalent of hand from his tered accounts. us choices that book a seat in a tour bus. coat pocket. looked around telling your He doctor you have cautiously. BeAs the privacy controls on masquerade as fore I could evenmind wave him changed your afteroff,hehe was gone. He Facebook become more transVisit freedom; the was clearly wary of the police. has extracted your teeth.

Intel-Yes, though not parent, they also become difference is subtle Spring and autumn are the as prevalent as back home in India, beggars lectual property rights do not opaque, because theyby are not seasons usually preferred but clear are stillfor found in China. allow selective whims and about everything that we cantodo tourists. But expect dust clouds My thoughts to Marquez and to an fancies, where returned we can change our the data.

They of are about blowwith in from deserts interview long ago in which he had said our mindsfrom to invalidate previwhat you can do under the limitMongolia in the Spring. that writeand the contracts. first sentence ous to terms We of any book is ed choices you have about your One data. Putting the challenging. needmost to understand thatWhether the rightsit’s of his attribuStayup highfalutin, supposedly legal Autumn therights Patri- disclaimers Hundred Years of Solitude, tion and sharing are different fromofthe dohostels not offer any hotels, protection From to five-star or Love in the of Cholera,So all when of them arch of ownership andTime distribution. it against this structure.

All they do is give us a Beijing has plenty of options. open and naturally that you false sense comessotospontaneously our posts on Facebook, we can delete of security that weHappiness have resisted Consider the Double become oblivious to the behind them from our walls andlabour timelines, butthem. they the new changes implemented

by Facebook.

Courtyard Hotel in a tree-lined He reader’s and a writer’s writer.in Whereas, alley willwas stilla be storedwriter and shared

by Facebook in reality, oncentral the firstDongcheng sign-up, we had in the My wife was takingthe herdata. own time.

Thewords, crowd already agreed order to economise In other only to existing Districtnot (hotel37.com/EN/) or privacy try seemed cold in- policies, but all subsequent changes to them.

Facebooktoisbe likethinning that old and songthe from Thewas Eagles the charming, wood-and-slate The creasing I was on but the where yougradually. can checkSoon out any timealone you like, The solution does not lie in retrospective deOrchid (theorchidbeijing.com) in bench.

I heard someone say in En- fiance, but in a proactive consideration of the you canSuddenly never leave. the Gulou neighbourhood. glish, “Hello,dimension sir!” I turned my right andissaw Another to to these debates to rights we give away — permanently and absoaunderstand young Chinese woman smiling at me. “Are the mechanisms of control that lutely — when Tip we sign up for the free services. you alone,hidden sir?” she said.social web. What we re- These services are often in the free because we areopera not the Save are an evening for Peking It have was so unexpected that IOn could not reply ally is interface control.

Facebook we customers, we areatthe recitals thecommodity. traditional Liyuan immediately.

Sheour could read my bewildercan only ‘control’ social relationships and Theater or Lao She Teahouse, is a professor culture and aesthetics ment “Are alone, sir? Or nishant shah decideand whatrepeated, we can see andyou what our ‘friends’ accompanied byofbaozi (steamed waiting your friend?” can see.for However, this is not control. This is of new media and the co-founder of The Centre for buns) and jasmine tea.

This time I smiled, “Oh no, thanks.

Yes Iconam Internet and Society, Bengaluru just information management.

The real

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Things fall apart The cicada The reef knot CREATURE FEATURE

In severalofforests, there’s one insect bondthe between coral and algae, on which The collapse the Mairie Building last month The laid bare weak bones of Puducherry’s built you’llstructures undoubtedly longthat before an entire ecosystem rests, must be protected heritage andhear the laws govern them you see or smell or touch it

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e humans are not equipped with the sharpest of senses — we don’t see as well as owls or hawks, we don’t hear or smell as well as dogs. Nevertheless, the information we receive through all our senses is integrated into our perceptions of any place, and when we’re outdoors, we notice different creatures through different sensory routes. In many forests in the summer, there’s one insect that you will undoubtedly hear long before you see or smell or touch it: the cicada.

The incessant and incredibly loud buzzing produced by the male cicada is a signal. Cicadas live their early lives underground, Water colours In the Coral Sea, which would soon be a protected marine park AP feeding on tree roots, and when they emerge in large numbers from the soil to transform into adults he first time I went div- the algae — and the reef canvas exand mate, males and females must begin by ing in the reefs of the An- ploded in remarkable hues. finding each other. The males’ persistent clickdaman Islands, I had two ing not only lets females locate them but may Over time, an ecosystem began thoughts while descend- to take shape around these exalso give them the information they need to ing through the blue. The first was panding reefs. Fish were drawn to choose the most suitable mate. This cacophony (purely sensory): this feels like un- them for food and protection. Eels is crucial to cicada reproduction. derwater yoga. The second was: made homes in crevices, and crabs For a male cicada to have any chance of fatherhow did all this chaotic, moving and snails burrowed between coring offspring, his song must stand out amid the life of fish and rays and turtles find al branches. Herbivores like pardin of thousands of other cicadas. He must sing their way to this reef? And what rotfish kept the reef clean of algae, through light and dark, come rain or shine. Cicaholds them here? das have therefore evolved an impressive bag of allowing baby coral space to grow.

Over the last 600 million years, A rich tapestry of relationships bebehavioural and physiological tricks to optimise a succession of “reefs” have ap- gan to form on reefs. Today, they their signal. The most impressive of these tricks is peared and disappeared in the are one of the most biologically dia capacity for heating up their own bodies, or “enthe darkest oceans in myriad forms. The true verse systems,After dothermy,” an ability usually found in mammals supporting over 25 hour Sunrise on Beach history of corals is a bit murky be- per cent of allRoad and birds. marine life. Nearly in Puducherry cause of the several extinction 500 million bijoy Most insects are ectothermic, which means that people depend on bharathan events on Earth that they have ei- them for their food and livelihood. they depend on heat from the sun to raise their body ther cultural been wiped by or theBut t’s a warm Sunday morning inthey Puduchertemperatures before can beginstore the day’s the relationship on which built,activnatural and heritageout entreating authorities on their behalf for a emerged from. ry. A group ofmale American travellers, ities. But cicadas are more finicky thanIndia. most“Our in- biggest all priorities of this rests — the across challenge is Howevthe lack while now. “It’s a matter of for er, that whatrecognises we call coral dressedsects, for the weather, a of atemperature and must head attainout a on particular bond between coral proper legal system the Government. When you have issues like poverreefs today are the reheritagebefore walk they down once-cobblescanthe produce the exact song that alertsoffe-such colonial and algae — ispublic a fragimportance buildings in Puty, unemployment, sanitation and of something the toned streets of the French males of their own quarter. species toTheir their presence.

Atgives lowerthem asult ile thing.

Warming ducherry, commensurate status, works hanging in the balance, how can one exNearly 500 million first beguide Ashoktemperatures, Panda is a native of Odisha, who to and a male cicada needs warm up regulations by proocean waters and puts incoral placeanimal for their preserpectpeople ampledepend funding for such sites?

But that’s do about 230 directly calls Puducherry home.

Panda’s cheerful ducing a sound that may alertdepredators his locapolluted seas disvationtoand protection.gan Fortoa point of referwhy we on keep at it, hoping our call for proper coral reefs ago, meanour masks growing anxiety, tion abut will not attractespecially a female cicada a lose-lose rupt the process of ence,— you could look atmillion Europe toyears understand regulations and legal interventions will be when the climate was after his worst fears came true aever couple proposition, if there was of one. how It’s therefore in the idea deep-rooted of conservation is in heard in time,” says Panda.algal photosynthechanging, waweeks ago. The Town or Maithe144-year-old male cicada’s bestHall interests to bethe ablepsyche to raiseofhis sis by theonline algae.petBeits people.

In Italy and and the France, Banerjee, who kick-started the ters of thebut Tethys sea rie Building on Goubert Avenue, independent also known ofyou body temperatures the don’t sun, and yond ainto threshold justhe have monuments, heritage ition to galvanise the authorities action, warmer than before. as Beach Road,does collapsed on a rainythe day,process under that so by co-opting converts enertemperature (around toxic cities that preserve thewere identity, culture and says, “We should have done it long30°C) ago.” OwnUntil this time, corals were only amounts the weight of years neglect. November 29 muscles gy intoofmovement.

Insect flight are particof oxygen begin to hotel, build architecture of a place for huner of Gratitude, a heritage eating small fish and bits of plank- up was a wake-up call for many. ularly inefficient at turningdreds energy intosays Panda. inside the real coralchange tissue, can which of years,” she believes be A coral colony is made up of neither Days later, hundreds of concerned citizens is Meanwhile movement, but this inefficiency fortuitous forat theton. algae corallocals are able to French effected onlynor when pitch hundreds held a candlelight vigil and mobilised support the cicada, because energy that quarter, doesn’t become Eventually, coral exPanda often points out of little vase-shaped ani- regulate. in. That “the officialsthe have agreed The biggest challenge for an online petition on change.org, movement is lost as‘Save heat.Pon- “ugly” buildings builtmals its algal[them] boarders in adecisionprocess not called too polyps that use their pels to include in the is the lack of a proper dicherry’s Heritage Buildings infound Time’.across Startedthe world Cicadas are in all sorts ‘bleaching’. algae long ago with what he tentacles says is anto net bits of food and di- called making process” With is no the small trilegal system gestarea’s it in their stomachs. But, in goes by a local resident, Kakoli Banerjee, the pet- surprising of environments, and it isn’t dif- for the colour, and entire reefs turn a absolutethat disdain umph for people like her. this changed environment, corals ghostly ition demands urgent of sixvaryexisting ferentreinforcement species of cicadas in exactly how white, lingering in aan state architecture, ignoring Devangi Ramakrishnan, urbeganthat to do something different. ofban high-risk structures — the Lighthouse, they goOld about warmingOld up. Some cicadas and are aesthetics coma. the facades designer with INTACH and started capturing free-floatCourthouse, Policeendothermic Headquarters, VOCsome School, only of theare time. the “BothThey Some coralwith species haveDesign learnt its When signature. governco-trustee Urban ingproperties algae — millions — and to Calve College and the Debehave Jeune FilsunPensionnat is out, they ectothermically, posiadapt, between algal ment-owned and private shouldof bethem Collective, also talksswitching about public involvekeeping them inside theirment tissues. le (Government girls’ French high school). tioning themselves in full sunlight andtoretreatcan tolerate subject laws that protect the look and feel of and types turns to theones focusthat squarely on the With these chloroplast-rich pro-She warmer Sunaina Mandeen, represents thetoo the ing towho the shade if they get hot. town.

But at dusk, If waters cool down In culturally important sites in youth. suggestswater. engaging them through tists in far their corals couldcommunity group PondyCan (Pondy Citizens’ Actionendothermic, Net- France, these cicadas become flying fran- people fast enough, corals sometimes I’ve heard go so as tomidst, consult walks, events andcan co-curricular harvest the energy of sun di- centred work), and other tically stakeholders also mettothe between trees stay warm enough regain on algae recover.

Buttoif imsea the local body to before changing a doorknob ortheactivities theand city’s history — using the algae bibe as their Chief Minister and Lieutenant continue singing Governor. all evening. Other cicadas arein theirrectly a windowpane own house!” a sensetemperatures of pride rightkeep fromrising, school.as they photosynthetic go-between. “There’s also “Both of them were genuinely endothermic all concerned the time, and therefore must partners are now, corals remain bleached, While INTACH with the Governa huge deficit of informed arlimited their becoming about the endangered French, decouple heatIndo-French production from else heritage Earlier and mentflight, to restore buildings, it alsobyof-what chitectural and designphysically critique inweaker the media, could snag,tocorals and Tamil heritage they’d properties Puducherry. needinto fly constantly. they andtentacles more susceptible to says, disease.

The isfersInstead, architectural design guidelines evennow in niche magazines,” she “Opinion began to farm renovate the algae forpieces most ofand lands We urged them forshiver an amendment to and the breathe imperceptibly as Recently, and atolls they fortify beprivatedeeply owners. it helped articles that encourage dialogue their In turn, the algal cells citizens Town Planning Act, with from the state-levtheyaid sing, pulsing their abdomens and out come and exposed to the elements, IndianinCoffee House, Le Caféfood. and the Art and between the architecture and degotprojects a place to and protection el Heritage AdvisorytoCommittee, to prevent increase their capacity for oxygen.

Both Similar compromising physical Culture Building. at live, the Bhasign community on whatthe works and integwhat predators,and butthe the real bene-in urban the demolition of privately-owned heritage routes to endothermy allowrathiar a chorus of cica- Policefrom rity of planning the land and its people.

Museum, Headquarters doesn’t or heritage strucfits offing. were for the coral host.

They structures and maintenance of their facades.” through das to sing continuously the sumreefs willwhat depend Public Park are also in the tures can go aThe longfuture way inofpreserving we now hadfor an all enormous of posterity.”

But it’s an uphill task, Panda, their whoseraucous mer,says making hum isthe on whether choose to lose an Funding a major obstacle restora- amount have for For we now, however, those energy, and began to proliferate, chief occupation is thatforest’s of a co-convener at the background score. tion projects, but private experience or somehow reclaim it. owners in particular who filed petitions or took to the streets of Putall minarets pyra- are taking things one day at a time. local wing of Indian National Trust for Art and find it difficult to paygrowing for the in constant and and ducherry ambika kamath studies organismic and upkeep of their mids. ancestral This is also when they got shreya yadav is a research affiliate with Cultural Heritage (INTACH), an NGO that careful assets. evolutionary biology at Harvard bijoy bharathan colour have — from pigments in Nature Conservation Foundation, Mysore works with the Government to protect and re- University Groups like PondyCan their and INTACH been

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Guess who?

Move over Banksy, Kerala’s got its own anonymous street artist

An SOS for men

Way to go, Bengaluru

The garden city dabbles in segregation of garbage Believing that men are getting the short end of the stick, a Kolkata-based organisation launches online and offline platforms for its persecuted brethren

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he Kochi-Muziris Biennale is playing host to luminaries of the art world this year. Italian artist Francesco Clemente will share space with Palestinian artist Mona Hanoum, and contemporary artists Anish Kapoor and Yoko Ono. But, elsewhere in Fort Kochi, away from the biennale, an anonymous street artist is painting the town black and white. Going by the moniker ‘Guess Who’, Kerala’s own Banksy is carrying out art-by-night operations in Kochi, with posters where pop culture meets Indian culture. In one work , displayed outside a boatyard, Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley and Michael Jackson pose meditatively, holding sitars, sandal paste smeared on their foreheads.

Monalisa smiles in a half-sari, Salvador Dali sports a lungi and Malayalam star Prem Nazir plays James Bond. Much like the elusive British graffiti artist, Guess Who remains anonymous, reachable only on mail.

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e agree that it has taken one landfill to overflow and eventually close and another one brimming to boot. But, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has finally woken up from its municipal slumber and is getting its act together by announcing that only segregated garbage will be picked up. On Monday last week, residents found the garbage they had left

Prince among thieves

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allies are all too common in Kolkata for a few dozen protesting men to grab attention. Undeterred by possible indifference, Hridaya, a men’s rights organisation in the city, pulled out all hotels in e’ve often wondered about one, but two on December thieves who waste their con- the Statestops capital — Hotels1 to make its dissent heard.

Theand group’s members siderable skills on stealing buffaloes Mega Palace New Mega Pal- hit the streets in only towels.

The message and jackfruits. What we like is a thief ace. At $25their a night, the palaces offer scrawled on their bare potbellies with a dream and a plan. Like last Wi-Fi, air-conditioning, TVand andplacards clean was simple: ‘Roll themore, Marriage Lawsget Amendment Bill’. Alweek, the Patna police arrested Sonu sheets. Forback a little you can ready passed by the Rajya and satellite chan-Sabha, the Bill is set Alam, who had allegedly stolen a car. a private terrace to be tabled the Lower During the interrogation, the police nels. What’s more, theinNew Mega House during the Parliament’s winter session. discovered that the accused was a Palace even offers a barbeque on its If passed, the Bill willApparently, force husbands to compensate their diveteran car thief, operating an inter- dining table!

Alam went wives monetarily, old trade to replenish his even putting their state gang of vehicle-stealers, specia- back to hisvorced inheritance at stake.

Well, he will Asserting that any such lising in SUVs and luxury cars. Upon empty coffers. be gender further enquiry, it was revealed that now enjoylaw thewould hospitality of biased, Hridaya’s secretathe accused was the owner of not the State. ry Amit Gupta says, “We organised a ‘gamcha’ rally to show that men will soon be left with nothing else but the towel on their bodies.”

This February, several of their members even marched through Kolkata in saris. Gupta adds, “We were opposing the same Bill even then. No one hears a man’s voice anymore, so we decided to become women too.”

The scope of Hridaya’s ambit is by no means limited to legislative measures alone. Working under the umbrella onna Tartt’s The mon Northup’s journeyof a national movement calledwas Save Indian Family (SIF), the Goldfinch is this to slavery completKolkata-based NGO and other sister organisayear’s Pulitzer winner. ed by a paltry 28.2 per tions such as Delhi’s Save cent. Kobo’s data also re- Family Foundation Twelve Years a Slave’s (SFF) together launched veals that none of thea dedicated helpline sales skyrocketed after forbooks men in an Android app and a tweetthe release of the Oson2014, the bestseller inglistapplication car-winning movie adfeature on thecalled ‘most ‘Switter’. Multiple points of accesslist. have an easy access to aptation. However, it completed’ Toensured find SIF’s Yahoo groups, websites and related literaseems that most readtheir ‘most completed’ ture.

As aofresult, a fair number of men are beers haven’t actually finbook the year, Kobo lieved to have ished reading them. A surveyed 21crawled million out e- of the woodwork, telling stories of physical new survey from ereaders from various and sexual abuse, marital discord bookseller Kobo has recountries to reveal that and the failed win- relationships. Ritwik Bisaria, whoorisBaileys in charge of public relaa Man Booker vealed that most readers never fin- ner is not tions but for SFF and all its activities, is quick to a self-published ish reading bestsellers. Only 44 per prize winner comparisoncalled — “On an average, we get cent readers were able to finish thriller, make very afortuitously 130 calls a day.

Compare that to the 100 reTartt’s 800-page novel, whereas Solo- Rotten to the Core. ceived by the national helpline for women in

Fund your dreams by stealing

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On the shelf

How many books on this year’s bestseller list have you read?

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outside for collection rotting away at their doorsteps, only to be told, “no-segregation, no collection,” by municipal workers. As of now, the city is not equipped to treat its garbage, at least not all of it, even after segregation. But, the order is certainly a step in the right Role play Hridaya’s direction. Whether banana peels will members donned find their way back to the same bin, only saris, believing that time will tell.

since a man’s voice is never heard, they had to turn into women

Jumbo camps

distress (181). This alone tells you that men re- Hridaya helped me find loopholes in their alally need help. We also find that those calling legations. My name has been cleared now, but us are most often suicidal.”

I’ll never forget how the NGO stood by me As a counsellor with Hridaya, Arindam Dut- when my wife’s boyfriend stabbed me and atta attempts to find solutions to the pressing tacked me with acid.” Assuming the role of a problems of approximately 10-15 men each Shylock with too much élan, Amit Gupta asks season partment andwith will be fedwill ‘sumptuweek. “Every call is a tale he of holiday destruction andis upon — “Ifus a man is attacked acid, his skin TamilI Nadu and nutritious food’, hopelessness. With every and storythe I hear, feel governnot burn?ous If one gender is protected, why has decided to take ele- according to reports in a local daimore appalled about ment the direction in which criminalise the other?” phants out for a ‘winter ly. And it’sfought not just elephants our society is heading.”

A majority of the men camp’.

The battle being by the Hridaya and SIF that will get their annualProtecting dose of 44 elephants from various who get in touch with About Dutta have recently had activists seems almost impossible. acrossand the their State as well as TLC. Themisjudged mahouts accompanying criminal cases lodgedtemples against them the rights of the might well be a animals will also ‘luxuryan from the Nagore Dargah will the noble families by their one now-escause, butenjoy portraying attend camps to be held in vari- care’.

What’s more, for those tranged wives. “Women are alentitled majority as ele-the ous parts that refuse to get on aofleging sexual harassment by of the State between De- phants wronged underdog is what go to eyebrows. camp, the forest de- of cember 11 and January 27. truck fathers- and brothers-in-law. tentoraises The likes If a man is attacked Organised You hear these accusations of at a whopping cost of partment Gupta has are said quickit’ll tooffer spoutthem statiswith acid, will his ₹90 lakh, the elephants will be the tics, samebut treatment at home. of the unnatural sex and molestation. their defence skin not burn? If one under the care of the forest deThen you have the charge of an same borders on the prepostergender is protected, attempt to murder,” rues Dutta. ous. According to National why criminalise The 32-year-old relates easily Crime Records Bureau figures, the other to those he counsels. Married in 64,098 married men had com2012, Dutta’s relationship with mitted suicide in 2013. In comhis wife soured after she acparison, the figure of 24,491 cused him of cruelty and married women taking their pressed charges under Section 498A of the In- lives seemed meagre. Gupta argues, “This disdian Penal Code. Having lost his job in the IT crepancy exists because throughout history, sector, Dutta laments, “Such charges have a di- men have been defined by two roles — that of a rect impact on your career and social stand- protector and provider. The woman always ing. You and your parents are soon considered has that great right of choice.” The campaignto be wife beaters and dowry seekers.” Still er’s defence of patriarchy belies his own rhetfighting to prove his innocence in court, the oric. “Why does control only have to mean counsellor says that it is not his task to deter- something negative? It could also mean discimine the culpability of the men he gives ad- pline, safeguards, protecting and providing.” vice to — “I have complete faith in our It is predictable that the controversial Rohcountry’s criminal justice system. When a vic- tak sisters have found little favour with SIF’s tim comes to me, I’m no one to judge that per- network of over 50 NGOs. Branding them serison or deliver a verdict. I don’t know if he’s al thrashers, SFF’s founder member Swarup innocent or guilty. He will have to stand trial. I Sarkar warned of a backlash, “Injustice somecan just try and support the man who’s crying where is a direct threat to justice everywhere.” at the end of a line.”

Placed in the context of decades-old sexism RTI activist and Hridaya counsellor Joydeep and misogyny, that truism really couldn’t get Bakshi had turned to the organisation in de- any more ironic. spair. He says, “I was depressed for a long while after my wife’s family filed cases against me. shreevatsa nevatia

Who says holiday retreats are only for people?

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saturday, december 13, 2014

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cornerstone in-faq by joy bhattacharjya Inspired!

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ecember 13. Alexander Selkirk, who was the inspiration for Robinson Crusoe, died on this day in 1721, 12 years after surviving his fouryear solitary stay on Juan Fernandez Islands. This week’s quiz looks at a few other real-life inspirations!

1

Donald Sinclair was unfortunate enough to host the cast of an extremely well-known television series at his establishment in Torquay in 1970. His behaviour and general demeanour inspired which classic television character, the male lead of a long-running British series?

2

Edith Head is easily the most successful Hollywood costume designer ever with a staggering 35 nominations and eight Academy awards. The pint-size Head is the inspiration for which character in a well-received animation film released by Pixar in 2004?

3

Paul Pfeiffer was the nerdy best friend of Kevin Arnold in The Wonder Years. Which lovable sidekick in an even more famous television series is directly inspired by Paul?

4

Now for a couple of villains. Which famous story was inspired by a 17th-century squire named Richard Cabell, who apparently sold his soul to the devil and sent a pack of ferocious animals to escort his soul into hell?

5

Another famous 19th-century author was struggling to come up with a suitably interesting villain when he remembered a friend, William Ernest Henley, a poet, critic and editor, and the sound he made while approaching. Name the villain and the story, both extremely famous.

the new york times crossword-0706

downright tricky!

6

Which literary character, also featuring in a popular TV series, is believed to be inspired

by Margaret of Anjou, wife of Henry IV — and was one of the prime causes for the bloody War of the Roses in 15th-century England?

7

Palle Huld was just 15 years old when he circumnavigated the globe, which he wrote about in his book Around the World in 44 Days.

Which character was inspired by Palle Huld?

8

While the songwriter has refused to respond to direct questions about his inspiration, he has acknowledged that he first learnt about a specific incident while folding newspapers for his paper route in February 1959, something also mentioned in the lyrics. Identify the song, and the incident.

9

While many believed Aandhi was inspired by Indira Gandhi, director Gulzar claimed that it was actually based on an equally charismatic leader from an eastern state, who rose to be chief minister. What is her name?

10

Which popular and critically-acclaimed TV serial of the late ’80s was inspired by the career of the elder sister of the director/ writer, who also played the lead role? Shekhar Kapur appeared in a cameo in the series.

Answers

1. Basil Fawlty of Fawlty Towers 2. Edna Mode, who designed the costumes for The Incredibles. Like her real-life inspiration, she hated modesty.

3. Milhouse Van Houten in The Simpsons.

4. The Hound of the Baskervillles by Arthur Conan Doyle 5. Long John Silver in Treasure Island. Henley had an amputated leg and Stevenson remembered the tapping sound of his wooden crutch.

6. Cersei Lannister, from the Game of Thrones. George RR Martin has openly acknowledged the War of the Roses as an inspiration for the series.

7. Tintin, who was also a bit of a globetrotter.

8. American pie by Don McLean. The line “February made me shiver…” was about Buddy Holly’s death in a plane crash on February 3, 1959.

9. Nandini Satapathy of Orissa 10. Udaan, based on Kanchan Choudhary, an IPS officer and the first female Director General of Police.

She was played by younger sister Kavita Choudhary.

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joy bhattacharjya is a quizmaster and Project Director, FIFA U-17 World Cup t@joybhattacharj

ACROSS 1 It may be cut by an uppercut 5 Drink cooler 12 Map feature 17 Nurse 20 “From Here to Eternity” setting 21 Stage-diving locale 22 More than willing 23 For 24 Stoker of fear?

25 Not flat or sharp 26 Lay ___ 27 Politician with a like button?

28 Adorns 30 Minnesota player, familiarly 31 Microwaveable snack 33 Dress that drapes 34 Hall-of-___ 35 Highly desirable to Uncle Sam? 36 Wine-list heading 37 Competitor in some county fairs 40 Offer to buy unspecified stocks, say 42 Lean-meat source 44 Shortstop-turned-ESPN analyst Garciaparra

45 “Thanks a ___!”

46 Stylebook concern 49 Area with XY coordinates?

51 Routine checkup 57 Desire 58 Stay inactive over the summer 60 Paris street 61 Vend 62 Moderator of the first Obama/McCain and Obama/Romney debates 64 Early Chinese dynasty 65 Graph’s x-coordinate 67 Statement after long deliberation 72 Relayed 75 Son of Aphrodite 76 Common pool or store posting 80 Word with house or boy 81 Type 82 “The Education of a Golfer” autobiographer 85 What might give you a big head?

86 Hollywood and Bollywood, e.g.

89 Material in the hats of Buckingham Palace guards 91 Byes

92 Litter member 93 Do-nothing 95 Grp. battling consumer fraud 96 1980s video game spinoff 100 Drag staple 103 Et ___ 105 Surf sound 106 Ones trapped in boxes of their own making?

107 Connecticut Ivy 109 Southern grocery chain 111 Harry Potter mark 112 Downloader’s directive 115 Agents’ org.

116 Black ___ 117 Post-Weimar period 119 Terrace-farming pioneers 120 Mantel piece 121 “Walk Away ___” (1966 hit) 122 “Absolutely Fabulous,” e.g.

123 “JAG” spinoff 124 Fail to keep up 125 Beyond piqued 126 Allow to continue 127 H.S. proficiency exams DOWN 1 ___ salad 2 Proverbial speedsters

3 “That’s what my Spidey sense told me” 4 Quince, e.g.

5 Reassuring reply 6 Reasons to say no 7 Subj. of a thought experiment 8 Lament about modern men 9 When computers work 10 Trade cross words 11 C4H10O 12 European coastal plant once thought to be an aphrodisiac 13 Pachelbel classic, familiarly 14 When Tatum O’Neal won her Oscar 15 Part of a hockey goalie’s equipment 16 “Cogito, ___ sum” 17 Ray-finned fishes of the Southwest U.S. 18 Ticked off 19 Versifiers 29 Health care giant with a Tree of Life logo 32 Major African humanitarian concern of the 2000s 34 Hollywood setting: Abbr.

38 Like the contents of many attics 39 Traitor Aldrich 40 Nastiness 41 Tour transport

42 Actor Jannings 43 Chess ending 45 ’80s TV star who later pitched Snickers 47 Some square dancers 48 “___ Enchanted” (2004 film) 50 1982 holiday country hit

by Alabama 52 1960s pop singer Sands 53 Tiny battery 54 Laud 55 LAX, O’Hare and others 56 “Of course!”

59 Grammy-nominated 1998 hit for Alanis Morissette 63 New Year’s ___ 66 Bill’s partner 68 Jell-O maker 69Actress Moore 70 Highland tongue 71 “Right away, boss” 72 Kaput 73 “Celeste Aida,” for one 74 Enterprise for Morton 77 Bad way to be caught 78 Eats 79 Collect on the surface, in chemistry 82 Floor

83 Dadaism pioneer 84 Up to snuff 87 AOL, e.g., for short 88I tem for a houseguest 90 Fast-food chain with the Ultimate Angus sandwich 94 One who drills, fills and bills: Abbr.

97 Up 98 Directing a shell 99 Down Easter 100 Rogue 101 The ___ Mets 102 Half a star, maybe 103 Label for pans?

104 House entered near the autumnal equinox 106 “All In” network 108 Spanish hero whose 113-Down is represented enigmatically six times in this puzzle 110 ___ Torres, four-time Olympic swimming gold medalist 112 Press 113 Moniker 114 Colleen 118 Green: Prefix

By Byron Walden / Edited by Will Shortz

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