Lions and Paper Tigers

The way poachers killed 3 lions in Gir reminds me of the days when my mom or grandmother used to pick out lice from my head. I was in school in Calcutta and lice infestation was common. But finding lice and catching them needs careful technique and some practice. Something poachers have but forest officials dont.

You take a tourist to Ranthambhore or Sariska, you wont see a tiger. But of course for some extra fee, the really determined kinds can have a dekko. How so? It seems people know where the tigers are when commerce knocks on their doors.

Only poachers see commerce in tigers, lions, rhinos and tuskers. Not the government and definitely not the rest of the public. Who goes to Ranthambhore or Corbett because they want to save the tiger? Honeymoon maybe, vacation yes, post safari booze party most definitely! Poor wildlife activists try hard to enlighten the public. The same public that doesnt hesitate to lynch a scared leopard that 'mistakenly wanders' into territory that was his to begin with. But then he doesnt have the voting rights. Even if his species had, we'd make sure that their numbers are so less that they cant make any meaningful changes to the existing laws. We might even have to set up a minority commission just for them.

Minority commissions are set up for wild life. But those are there to give a patient hearing to activists really. Who cares about wild life? About trees? You think city dwellers? All they care about is that the trees in their avenue should not be cut. Not because of the shade or the oxygen or the fruits, but because it looks beautiful and increases the value of their real estate. Hell, a small shopping mall in Delhi would get more footfalls during a regular weekend than Gir receives in an entire year. You think villagers care? All they want is that elephants dont trample their crop, leopards dont carry away their cattle and that there is more land to give away as dowry. What about the government? You know, in some ways, the government is the keeper of public conscience. Yes, government is active in that area. It is busy making sure that people below 25 can vote, copulate, raise kids, gamble on stocks, but cant drink alcohol. It is making sure that kids who get raped and molested by their own relatives are not exposed to any suggestive sexuality on television. Government can only do so much. After all we are the government. Government does what we want and what we want is a facade of propriety.

And a facade is what we shall get. A few years down the line, your kids and mine, lugging 'artificial oxygen' cans on their backs will go on a weekend trip to the local zoo to see something called Wild Life. The only problem is that it no longer exists in the wild.

I feel like watching 'Planet of Apes' once again.

Global Warming and World Economy

Humans are Opportunists and Survivors

Global Warming and Global Super Freeze are phenomena that happen once in a megaannum. The Earth too tends to balance itself. We are lucky to be living during a warm time. The early effects of Global Warming will only be rising sea levels, warming up of land, air and water, and harsh weather. Some land will be lost to sea and some regained from ice.

Humans are versatile and know how to survive even in adverse conditions. To protect ourselves, we'll definitely develop some technology to cool us or heat us, as might be the need. But the thing is that amidst all this, man is already seeing commerce. There is already conflict between Canada and certain Scandinavian countries over territorial rights on some frozen islands in the arctic region that are de-freezing. Why? Because they're rich in minerals and oils. Thats opportunism.

If oceans become a little warmer, fish cultivation will go up. Man will have more incentive to develop ocean based habitats. A new Atlantis maybe! Ocean is still highly unexplored. Once the right technologies are developed, ocean beds will be more accessible. That means more oil and more metals and more energy. In the long run, economy will always survive, because humans will survive. In the short run, a warmer climate will only fluctuate the graph a bit. In the long run only thing that can truly devastate world economy would be either an asteroid hitting the earth or a trigger-happy egomaniac letting off a nuclear bomb. What must we as individuals do? Get an air conditioner; non CFC of course! :)

Organisation as a Mother's Womb

Employees are profit centres and should be treated likewise -- as investments. Employees should be called stakeholders; in fact, Primary Stakeholders.
There are good/bad organisations and good/bad performing organisations. Employees are most affected if the organisation is good or bad. Hence, they are the primary stakeholders. Everything an organisation does, is done by people. These people are the actual profit generators. Therefore, they must be nurtured, nourished and taken care of. They are the atoms that make up the matter.
Employees should feel secure, happy, and relaxed working in the organisation, just like a unborn child feels inside mother's womb. Like a mother, the organisation should take care of the worker -- providing love, structure, and guidance. Even when the employee eventually leaves the organisation, he must feel unhappy about leaving. He must feel happy coming back to visit his 'alma mater'. 

Smile At Will

Smile every opportunity you get to do so. Even if you dont, look at a tree, a leaf or the sky and smile. For me, I have this photo of Preity Zinta on my desktop. Sometimes I just look at her and smile. Smiles are so important. For me, when I smile, I feel so invigorated and optimistic. Suddenly, everything's just fine. :) Earlier I used to take my smile for granted. Then came a period when people made me very conscious of my smile by telling me what effect it had on them. But of late, I'm happy about my smile because of the effect its having on me. I smile best when I smile alone-at a thought, a tune, a view, a sound, a face, a gesture or just Preity smiling back at me :) A smile is the quickest way I can cheer myself up-and I need a lot of cheering these days. So I dont lose any opportunity to smile. :)

Overcast Morning

26 May 2002
New Delhi

I don't remember what woke me up but I vaguely remember the noises emanating from the kitchen. I'm a light sleeper. As my mind regained consciousness, I started becoming aware of the cool wind blowing from the fan above me. It was cool; it was soothing; it was so comforting! I hadn't felt so pleased early in the morning in a long long time. I was a bit annoyed about the noises in the kitchen but at the same time I was glad that I was awake to enjoy this soft breeze. The windows were open too. I had rained last night and the sky was overcast - a rare event in Delhi. It seemed beautiful outside. I was becoming more and more awake. But what finally made me get out of the bed was the urgency of my bursting bladder. I hated this part of a perfectly fine Sunday morning. I didn't want to leave the bed but I had to. This was so irritating!

I stumbled into the loo half asleep. My eyes opened just enough to position my member. Nature's call should have a more meaningful connotation. My eyes were shut involuntarily and as the warm urea-filled water gushed out of my body, I could hear nature calling outside. Subcontinent birds and animals of all kinds - sparrows, crows, squirrels, cats, dogs, humming birds, bumble bees, parrots and many other birds and creatures whose names I didn't know. It was a delightfully melodious cacophony. Either they were quarrelling or they were competing in their celebrations. It was a party, a rave! I tried to open my right eye to look at the Mango and Bel trees outside in the hope that vision would aid my hearing. All I could make out were fresh clean leaves, sparkling green, dark and light hues. It was so fresh and bright that I had to shut my eye; even though it was an overcast morning. But I was enthused.

I finished the job and walked towards the bedroom windows. It was beautiful outside. A lovely silky cool breeze was coming into the room. I wished it would remain the same the whole day, the whole month! I had to go for a movie around noon and it would be easier in this weather. The fragrance wafting in made me nostalgic. It reminded me of my village, which looked, smelled and sounded like this for most of the monsoon season. I felt very relaxed. Especially, the breeze was heavenly! I gave a longing look towards my bed. It was a Sunday for god's sake!

I went and sat on the edge of the bed unable to make up my mind. The fan was blowing away. I gave it a fond look and flopped onto my bed - mmmmmmmmm this is soo good! I guess we're allowed such little indulgences. I went back to sleep, dreaming nothing at all.

Rain and Thunder

25 May 2002
New Delhi

It sounded as if the cat was up to some mischief, knocking over something or scratching some object. Then I thought someone was knocking on the windows from outside. Was the cat trying to get in? It had been lightning for quite some time. It was a full moon night as well. Maybe the cat was getting edgy. But I heard the hail minutes before the rain started pouring. As soon as I realised that it was hail, I got excited. That should cool Delhi down. It didn't occur to me that it could rain too. It had been so hot and dry the whole of last week that I couldn't imagine that there was any water left in the skies.

I left my writing desk and opened the windows. I was dark outside. I could hear the hail stones crashing against terra firma and the walls of my house. But I couldn't see anything. The sound was happiness enough.

Then the water came. At first in in a few drops; big ones that make a lot of noise. The earth let out the rainy dusty earthy aroma that everyone, without exception, loves so much. I'm yet to meet someone in this dry subcontinent who doesn't like that scent of mother earth. The magic never fails to wonder me.

The storm came very suddenly; quite suddenly. I didn't expect it to rain, let alone a storm. A torrent of thunderous streams of angry water came charging against the parched but indignant earth. It was like a battle of epic proportions. It was like copulation between celestial objects. In short, it was very violent. But this violence will calm down and bring peace to many hearts in this starved city. I wish this would happen every evening!

The wind was so strong that it brought in rain water through the windows. I left them open so that some freshness creeps into out blast furnace of a house. I got more than I asked for.

My mother was happy. I was happy. I guess the cats were happy too. They had been suffering this heat silently. I mean they did meow a lot meaninglessly, but nothing compared to mom's cribbing. The bed was next to the windows and the pillows got wet. Momentarily mom was angry at me for that. But only momentarily. Then she settled down with her dinner, feeling cool and happy, chewing away to salvation. I rested my pen for a while.

No One To Talk To

Miss you
Miss you
No one to talk to
But never liked
Talking to you
Too much love
Too much pain
Not again

Forgive you
Forgive you
Wasn't your fault
My love in a vault
Everything looking for
Found in you your
No wasn't looking for it
Never knew looking for it
Found you pretty thing
Found all everything
Soul mind
Rhythm divine
Body matter
Vision character

Talking to you
Water for a desert lost
Had to pay a cost
Poisoned with love
Killed me with every mouthful
I greedily gulped

Knew
Had to let go
Didn't you know too?
Poisoned me you
Didn't you know?
Never, you didn't, no
Wasn't your fault
My love in a vault

Forgive you
Can't forget you
Too much love
Too much pain
Not again
And now
No one to talk to.