Looking at Ravana: Afresh

Ravana is normally referred to as the demon king with 10 heads and is  generally accepted as the villain. But all facts about Ravana have been distorted by Hindu writers over the ages and I suppose even the Ramayana written by Valmiki is certain to have had a lot of interpolation.

 Ravana was the king of Sri Lanka and historians have been able to place his reign during 1800-1600 BC. One thing is that he is a real character and not a myth. But there are certain facts about Ravana that can be surmised.

a)      From all accounts Ravan was a very virile man and conquered many women. His favorite wife was Mandodri and an Apsara named Hema. Ravana also desired Sita in her earlier birth as the sage woman Vedavati. Ravana was struck by her beauty and proposed to her. On being rebuffed he tried to force himself on her, but Vedavati to escape the amorous advances of Ravana entered a burning flame and killed herself.  She was reborn as Sita the wife of Rama to take revenge on Ravana

b)       Ravana was also a follower of Shiva the omnipotent Hindu god. He is reported to have met him at Mount Kailas in the Himalayas and Shiva had blessed him with knowledge, wisdom and power. Ravana had been given the celestial juice of immortality by Shiva.

c)       Ravana in his previous birth was the gate keeper along with his brother Khumbkaran at the abode of Vishnu as Jaya and Vijaya. It was on a curse that he was born as Ravana and was supposed to be an enemy of Vishnu. Rama was the 8^th incarnate of Vishnu.

d)       Ravana was also a man with infinite wisdom. He had mastered the Vedas and all the Hindu granths. He had knowledge of the three worlds.

Ravana was thus no ordinary mortal. He was a man with a mission. He was not a god but the epitome of the essence of man and thus had all desires and follies of a human being. His kidnapping of Sita is an act for which he his generally condemned. But in the age in which Ravana lived, these were normal occurrences.

Ravana is revered as a god in a lot of places.  But one aspect not touched by Hindu writers is as to what happened between Ravana and Sita. What was the relationship?  It is mentioned that he visited her everyday with gifts and presents.Surely a relationship spread over many years cannot be restricted to only flowers and gifts. It is also mentioned that he was a very virile man. But everything else is in the realm of conjecture.

Younger Women and Older Men * 76

 Recently a young officer who had been dismissed from the  Indian Air Force committed suicide. The sad part is that she killed herself by hanging from a fan not for any other reason than the fact that she loved another senior officer 25 years older than her, a chap called Group Captain Gupta. The poor girl hanged herself in Bhopal at the residence of the officer. Now it has transpired that this young girl was in a a live in relationship with a man old enough to be her father. I understand that this officer had promised to marry her and when he later refused the jilted girl committed suicide.
 All this sounds so familiar and in my travels abroad including the USA this is the most common phenomena. Even in corporate parties I find older MD's and VP's escorting girls less than half their age. The smiling faces all around show that every body seems happy.

 Let us  get one fact straight, per se  there is nothing wrong with an older man loving a younger girl . I am sure  men who are reading this blog will agree with me and quite a few would have younger girls in the office as mistresses + secretaries.This is the recipe to youth for an older man. Vatsyayana has said and it and recent research in Denmark also substantiates that older men having sex with younger woman  adds to the longevity of the man.
 The bad part is when a straight forward relationship is given a twist of dishonesty as done by Group captain Gupta. My advice in this matter is certainly have a younger girl as a consort or a lover, but don't mislead. In case the girl asks for the impossible, then its better to break with her.

Grease Devils, Sex and Tamil Women in Sri Lanka

 

When I was undergoing the Junior Commanders Course at Coimbatore, we had 3 officers of the Sri Lanka Air Force also with us. That was the start of a long friendship with the trio. A few weeks back one of the Officers( now retired) visited me and mentioned that  certain grease devils were moving at night in  North East Lanka. He said that his maid a Tamil had confirmed that the grease devils were targeting Tamil women and one women had been assaulted and  her breasts cut and bitten.
 I let the matter  rest till  a bit of research convinced me that this is not a figment of imagination but a reality. There was a case of a young Tamil girl alone at home who was accosted by 2 men who were covered with grease. One held her hands and the other untied her sari for the primordial act. These grease covered men now referred to as grease devils target only Tamil girls and women. Incidentally these grease devils are dressed only in their underwear, like the "Chaddi" gangs in India. But the the Chaddi gangs rob and commit thefts, while the Lanka grease devils go after the Tamil girls.
The police didn't  act on these complaints initially and the result was a clash with the local Tamils. Two men were chased and they entered the naval base. Thus the chance that these nocturnal grease devils are Sinhalese soldiers  may be true. In any case Sinhalese girls are not touched.
 This has all the makings of a pot boiler and there is food for a good film script. But seriously with the defeat of the LTTE, the young Sinhalese soldiers may be having a lark with Tamil girls to offset their boredom

 The sad part is that the Tamil girls are at the receiving end and the sooner something is done the better.

My Tribute to Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi

 I was perhaps in high school, when I was privileged to watch Pataudi hit 203 not out against the MCC. at Delhi. I remember it was the last day of the test match and Tiger( as he was popularly known) started the day at 31 not out. Accompanying me were two of my friends Prabhjot Singh and Jasbir. Haven't heard of them after  schooldays. I remember Pataudi hooking and driving the English bowlers and he had reached 199 with an over to go. The English captain had placed all his fielders to deny Pataudi that one run,. The bowler if I remember correctly was Barry knight. Pataudi drove him for 4 and that was that, he had reached a double hundred.
Over the years cricketers have come and gone, but none had the stamp of class like Pataudi. He was a nawab in the real sense. He  was in addition a tiger on the field a superb fielder and India's best captain  ever. How many know that India started winning for the first time under him ?
 Pataudi is an immortal and for us schoolboys he was a hero. I remember Prabhjot asking '' Arre Yaar( friend), how can he bat with one eye? I can't even copy properly in a class test with two eyes"

Rugby: Nude Men vs Women * 79

 Rugby is a demanding sport, which requires extreme fitness. It’s not played much in India and the sub-continent, mainly as the game involves a rough and tough tackle and Indians don’t like it. But recently there was an event, that is both hilarious and a tremendous advertisement for the game. A rugby match took place between men who were nude and women.

  This  rugby match was staged this September at Dunedin. An all women Spanish rugby team the Las Conquistadores tackled the Blacks in an international rugby game. The men players entered the arena nude and the match was a hilarious event. It ignited interest in the game .The women won, but I suppose the result does not matter, it is the spirit with which it was played matters.

 The Spanish girls from Barcelona based rugby players gave a good account of themselves and were not afraid to tackle the nude men. Who were perhaps a little careful? An injury can be devastating. But it was good fun. Wonder how many nations will allow it?

Getting a Date in Andorra * 78

One may wonder how Andorra featured  on this blog. Well, I made one visit from Southern France to Andorra with friend who suggested that he needed a date for company. I didn't need one, but I observed how my friend went about it.Andorra  is a small landlocked country in southwestern Europe bordered by Spain and France. It is the sixth smallest nation in Europe.
Andorra is a prosperous country mainly because of its tourism industry. Last year  including the two of us 10.2 million tourists visited Andorra. Many visitors like to visit Andorra not only for a sojourn in a beautiful place, but also to pick up a good date for company and romance. Hence in case that is your aim you may find the following paragraphs helpful.

a) Free dating site. One of the premier sites is DirectOnlineDating.com. This is a free dating site and no matter what your relationship woes are, free dating site Andorra & online relationship can help. You can get on the net and generally there is not a man who can come back empty handed.

This dating site commenced in 2001 and as per their advertisement they have more than 100,000 profiles. The best part is that it’s a free site and you can log on and try and look for a girl from Andorra who can give you good company when you are there.

b) Andorra tender fields.

Andorra Tender fields is an all-new Andorra online dating site. This site is dedicated to all singles in search of Andorra partners. Andorran girls are beautiful and are good company. You could select a girl as a date and maybe if you are lucky end up making her your wife. The fact is that the dating sites are sometimes quite unscrupulous, hence tread with caution and make your choice wisely. But all in all a holiday in Andorra with a lovely Andorra girl is like the icing on the cake.

These are the two principle sites. It’s best to get on the net and select your partner. Thats what my friend did. He had rollicking company in Andorra, but man, keep yourself Fit.The reader can understand what I mean

The Sad Case of Manmohan Singh

When I get up and read the morning news papers it gives me a pang to see the Sikh prime minister staring into your face from the photograph on the page. It gives me a feeling that he is bewildered, maybe its my perception. But when some IIT graduates refused to take degrees from him I realized that here is a man who is not only bewildered, but has lost his crown of a philosopher.
 Man Mohan Singh comes from a community that is known to be hardy and has produced some of the greatest martyrs in Indian history, yet here is a man who has negated everything that the great Sikhs stood for. He has proved himself ineffective in tackling corruption, poor administration, a policy of drift in foreign affairs and above all joining a party that has the blood of his own community on its hands.
When he looks at himself in the mirror I wonder if he can ask his soul; is that all ? Is that my purport in life ? Perhaps he must look to the Sikh scriptures for an answer.

My Thoughts on the Burkha * 78

 

I have been thinking of the Burkha for some time and wondering whether it is a mark of identity or a mark of subjugation. Frankly I can get no answer to this question. But again I am thinking that with the European countries banning the Burkha, then perhaps there must be something not proper about it. The Burkha is slightly different from the Niqab.

After the ban on the Burkha in France, Muslim clerics there defended the decision and brought out that it was a mark of subjugation. Now that I have  question; why is only a woman supposed to wear the Hijab an d not the man ?

Many do not also wear it, as it is not compulsory like in India, but in orthodox Moslem nations like Saudi Arabia wearing the Hijab is mandatory and there is no choice in the matter. Failure to wear the Burkha in these hard line states can invite action from the religious police

 but there is no doubt that wearing of the Burkha is not mandatory. Islam only mentions that women be dressed soberly and not show themselves. The Burkha is an invention of the hard line Moslem clerics. But now many a terrorist in the garb of a Burkha has been able enter a high security area and explode bombs.

 I have another facet and that will confuse a lot many people. I have a Muslim girl friend. Earlier  on an evening out with me she never wore the Burkha, but now she has started wearing one.  On my questioning her as to why she had worn it, she replied that it was not a constraint and all she wanted to do was emphasize her identity as a Moslem. As an educated lady she felt it was a symbol of her freedom as well as a mark of identity, and for that reason she liked to wear it.

The Burkha however has become part of politics with hardliners on both sides having divergent views. Some visualize it as mark of subjugation while others say it is a mark of individuality. Many European nations are moving ahead to ban the Burkha in the public place. Maybe they have a point, but in India it thrives and is a mark of identity and many women wear it. It cannot be wished away.

Fantasies of Married Men * 79

If you are a married man and happily married at that, how would you feel if you had a crush on the girl next door or a lovely sales girl who may visit your home with a product? Do you feel guilt about it? Social scientists opine that in case you do feel attracted to another girl or woman then you need not feel guilty about it. Andrea Sytash a columnist writes that ‘being attracted to other people after you’re taken is normal’.

Thus in case a sales girl arrives and your wife is out on a shopping errand and you have to attend to her and start feeling how good she will look naked, then there is no need to feel guilty about it. This is the mental make up of a man as by nature man is polygamous. It’s normal in case you don’t attend to her sales pitch and visualize her breasts and make a fantasy. Don’t be alarmed, as it is a normal human physiological activity.
Sometimes men feel burdened by the guilt complex and feel that coveting another woman who is not your wife is wrong. But a man can be happily married and yet have a crush on another girl. 

Remember if you are in the proper frame of mind all this can be fleeting fun. Man is a social animal and needs to connect to others. One can’t keep hidden desires piled up in the recess of your minds. In fact in you have a crush on a woman and fantasize about her, there is a good chance you will come home happy and translate the crush to your wife for some great sex.
Remember it’s normal to fantasize, but to go one step further and start another relationship is another story. That may be a signal that your relationship at home needs some special attention.

General VK Singh and the His Age Controversy, The Chief in a Poor light

The present Chief of the General staff of the Indian army General VK Singh  is slated for retirement in 2012. This retirement is as per his original recorded date of birth in his service documents, which is 1950.  But the  VK Singh desires an extension of one year  year as he feels that his date of birth was wrongly recorded as 1950 in place of 1951.

 The government of India has rightly rejected his contention and the chief must now retire in 2012. But like a man clinging to a last hope  he is repeatedly petitioning the government as well applying subtle pressure to reverse the decision , so as to his getting one more year in office.

This makes sad reading as an extension to VK Singh will upset the entire chain of promotions and appointments of the senior generals  for the next 2 years. The chie,f intent on his personal agenda is unaware what effect his antics are having on mass of the soldiers in the Indian Army. Is he so callous as not be aware that the common rifleman sees this in an entirely different light. Here is their own chief wanting to stay on in office for another year and for this he can do anything.Is he not satisfied with a tenure of 3 years as Army Chief ? Are the loaves of office so tempting for him to forgo a record of a 100 years of the Army as a professional force?
Granted that Singh may be right on his contention of his date of birth, but propriety demands that he demit office on the required date. It is not understood how he is lobbying and putting pressure on the government to extend his tenure.  This leaves a sour taste in the mouth and one wonders how come such men of straw are promoted as generals.
There is a need for the government to act and it must retire VK Singh forthwith. This will set an example to all senior brass not to pursue a personal agenda. But who will send VK Singh home ?

R

What is the Legacy of Mao tse Tung * 69

At a time when China is on the threshold of becoming a world power it is worthwhile pondering over the fact as to what is the legacy of Mao tse Tung. As a start Time magazine in its issue on 13 April 1998 acknowledged  Mao as one of the 100 most influential men of the twentieth century.

 This is true but there is another side to this story and that is the conduct of Mao after he seized power.


 Mao believed in his own version of Marxism  and he started two  campaigns of let a hundred flowers bloom and the  Cultural Revolution. By these two campaigns he hoped to keep the Chinese society in a state of ferment for ever and have an ongoing revolution that would propel China to a place in the Sun. Why ?  Because his mind was conditioned to accept chaos and ferment by decades of civil war and violence.

History records that both the campaigns of Mao the Cultural Revolution and the hundred flowers bloom  failed. The policy of a hundred flowers was launched by Mao to gauge his opponents. Once these were identified  of whom many were arrested and sent to labor camps for rehabilitation, the movement was called off.  He then followed up by launching the Great Leap forward.

The Great Leap forward was Mao’s attempt to put his ideas into practice as he assumed that a perpetual revolution was a necessity in the development of China. Thus he started collectivization of farms, abolished land ownership and the result was a famine when millions died.
Mao perhaps had no qualms about the deaths conditioned as he mentally was of a society in ferment and a perpetual revolution.  He followed up with The Cultural Revolution . This was his plan to keep society in ferment. The net result was that bands of red guard brigades went about identifying enemies of the revolution, many of whom were executed or sent to prison. the results now tell us that 30 million Chinese died during this decade of Mao's rule.

Mao will thus be dammed in History for the later part of his career. His earlier achievements of ushering in a mass uprising pale into insignificance with the monstrosity of the crimes that he inflicted on the Chinese people. luckily the policies of Mao were set aside and China has moved ahead, but in my view Mao's rule was a dark night for China. This will also dawn on the Chinese sooner than later.

Is DILIP KUMAR a Nationalist ? * 73

 Dilip Kumar needs no introduction. He is a top notch actor who has held sway on the Hindi screen for close to 3 decades. But one aspect of his behaviour has intrigued me. This was highlighted to me by a friend in the course of a beer drinking session at the Army Club.

 Let us now see what bugs some people.In 1962 the Chinese waged a war with India and Dilip Kumar and the film industry roared their support for India. Dilip also took part in various programs that glorified the Indian army. Everybody thought he was a true nationalist. For a time Dilip basked in the glory of patriotism. This was however short lived as close on the heels of this war came the 1965 war with Pakistan.

 This period saw  Dilip Kumar go into a shell and he refused to condemn Pakistan. It will be recollected that the 1965 war was started by Pakistan to wrest Kashmir from India. Dilips silence then was baffling. Even during the 1971 war when Pakistan was roundly defeated , he remained silent. This again baffled many of his supporters as they could not reconcile that a man so vociferous in India’s support against China, kept mum in the case of Pakistan.

Much later a Shiv Sena member of parliament, if I remember it was  Sanjay Nirupam ( now in the Congress)  who  called him a Pakistani  in the precept of Parliament. The matter was compounded when he was awarded the Nishan-e- Pakistan the highest civil award given in Pakistan. He accepted the reward, though at that time many people asked him not to accept it. The Kargil war again found him wanting. Despite a plea by Bala Sahib Thackeray to return the Pakistan award, he refused and took refuge behind cliches. These acts of Dilip Kumar are to say the least baffling and one wonders what is the essence of patriotism of Dilip.

This is not to suggest that Dilip Kumar was anti-national, but his actions to say the least have been odd for a man who was loved by the Hindu masses.