Picasso Loved Younger Women: It was the Secret to his Creativity

Pablo Picasso is one of the all time great painters. He died in 1972 at the age of 91.Picasso had some glorious love affairs and now we know that at each phase of his career he needed a younger woman. This woman not only adorned his bed and studio, but was his inspiration as well. Pablo painted all his muses in the nude and the paintings are a living testimony that he was also a great lover.

One aspect of his relationships stand out. All his muses were much younger than him, some of them over 40 years. He thus unwittingly proved the Hindu tantra theory as relevant.  Tantra says that sex with a younger woman rejunavates a man. His creativity flowers and he lives longer. This is exactly the recipe Picasso followed.

I wonder if all men can do what Picasso did. It would certainly would be worth it. Loving a girl 20-40 years younger would be certainly worth it.

Devyani Khobragade is Stinking Rich: Yet Violated all Laws

Deviant Khobragade has been given a reprieve by the foreign office. She has been transferred to the United Nations. This will give her immunity from arrest. The Indian government has backed her, but there is another side to her actions which needs to be highlighted.

Devyani could have easily paid her maid, the minimum wages as per the US act. She is awfully rich. In fact she owns 11 prime properties in India including a flat in Mumbai's controversial Adarsh housing society worth 2 million dollars. The flat was for Kargil war widows was taken by giving a false affidavit and documents.

The US has clearly pointed out these facts. Frankly its a shame that the lady who looks demure should have done such things. She could have paid the maid, but Indian officers living in a feudal world haven't come to terms with the labor laws that servants also have rights. They exploit them to the hilt. This charge Devyani must answer. The US is answering, by not dropping charges and only freezing them. The lady is perhaps a backward caste and made it to the IFS in reserved category. Not much should be read about her ability.

Devyani Khobragade has a lot to Answer: Financial Irregularities

. The Lady looks demure, but thats about all Devyani Khobragade is in the news. This Indian Foreign service officer was arrested by the New York police on charges of Visa fraud and violation of the minimum wages act in the USA. The Indian press led by Arnab Goswamy of Times News Channel have gone overboard in defending Devyani. I wonder how a responsible person like Arnab, who is the sheet anchor of the Times Channel, could have overlooked certain other facts. The treatment meted to Devyani need not be thought of as special as I have even seen photographs of the great Micheal Jackson being handcuffed.

Jackson Handcuffed What needs to be highlighted is the amassment of wealth by this lady. No channel except Headlines Today (which made a passing reference) to the wealth amassed by Devyani. She reportedly took a flat worth 2 million dollars by ‘Irregular’ means in the Adarsh housing society. Her name is mentioned in the inquiry commission’s report as a person who took the flat by giving false documents. Incidentally these flats were meant for war widows. Obviously this calls for action and the complete takeover of the flat. Will Arnab bring this to the fore? The lady has also 34 acres of prime wine land in Nasik. How did she manage it? It’s about time the news channels brought her activities under the scanner and not keep harping on her treatment in the USA, which in any case was nothing out of the ordinary

White and Fair Skin Syndrome: Is it Rationale?

Ever since I was a lad I read stories of Snow White and the seven dwarfs , Rapanzul and the Sleeping Beauty. The refrain of all these tales was a lovely extremely fair colored princess. Later when i read the Indian classics the reference and epitome of beauty of a women is fairness. Hence over the centuries, the concept of beauty in a woman is a fair skin. This incidentally is not confined to the East, but is prevalent all over the world. It surprises me that in Africa also the lighter skinned girls are the more desirable lot.

This concept of fairness and beauty is something that is ingrained in the psyche of a man. That is perhaps the reason that in the movie world a dark skinned heroine is a non starter. There are exceptions, but they only prove the rule. Cashing on this concept of fair skin, an industry has cropped up that promises a user ways and means to become fairer by face bleaches and fairness creams. I wonder how successful these creams are , as I understand the basic pigmentation will not change. but women will spend any amount of money to become even one shade lighter skinned.

One has only to glean the matrimonial ADs in the newspapers, where 99 % of the applicants desire a fair skinned bride. I wonder where the dark skinned girls will go ? Skin color is Gods gift, yet it is not thought so. Even God is depicted as a white skinned entity. Why can't a God be Black ?

The fact is that white color and a woman's beauty go hand in hand. This is a concept that has come down since the dawn of civilization and I do not see it going away in our generation.

Tom Cruise in the Last Samurai: a Glorious Role

The Saga of the Last Samurai

Hollywood is the leader in world cinema and has thrown up stars with a global following. One of the stars that deserve mention is Tom Cruise. This handsome star has starred in many Hollywood hits, some of them unforgettable. One of his films in which he gave a stupendous performance is ‘The Last Samurai”.. The Samurai are a warrior clan that dominated Japanese society and culture for close to 3000 years. They had distinctive swords that were slightly curved and thus more aerodynamic with minimal drag.

Tom Cruise plays an American in Japan who dons the garb of the last Samurai. There is a lovely undertone of a celestial love between Tom Cruise and the widow Taka of a Samurai warrior played by Japanese actress Kayuki. In the end Tom Cruise returns to the village and his love for eternal bliss and happiness. In the movie Tom Cruise as a samurai a warrior plays his role to the hilt. The battle with swords against guns and artillery is stupendous. The photography is wonderful and the scenic splendor of Japan is captured beautifully by the camera.

The film is based on the 1877 Satsuma Rebellion led by Sag Takamori was a battle between Samurai warriors with swords against Government forces with rifles and cannon. Tom is ably complimented by the Japanese actor Ken Watanabe as the warrior Sag Takamoni. This is one of the best films of Tom Cruise and brings out his histrionic ability For me this is the best film of Tom Cruise as he dons the garb of a Samurai warrior to perfection.

The Muslim World Revolted against "Satanic Verses" by Salman Rushdie: A Misunderstanding ?

Background Salman Rushdie is an Indian born author who is settled in England. In 1989 his book 'The Satanic Verses' was published. The book created a storm in the Muslim world and resulted in the spiritual head of Iran, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini announcing a Fatwa for the head of Salman Rushdie. This fatwa is important as it was the first time that a government in modern times had endorsed a demand to kill a particular individual, in this case Salman Rushdie.

Rushdie and the “Satanic Verses” Rushdie was born a Muslim and yet chose to write The Satanic Verses. The title of the book itself fuelled Muslim anger who felt that the Satanic Verses referred to the Koran itself. Most who had not read the book were easily aroused thinking that Rushdie had committed a sacrilegious act by referring to the Koran as The Satanic Verses. The fact that it was written by a Muslim was like adding salt to the wounds. The Title of the Book Mislead Muslims The title of the book is indeed a misnomer and had Rushdie and his publisher clarified the title as to its real meaning, there is a chance that Muslim anger would not have raised to the heights that it did. For most Muslims the book for referring to the Koran as the Satanic Verses was the work of the Devil. Actually Rushdie was referring to some verses in the Koran that have been exorcised. The prophet Muhammad had ordered the removal of these verses from the Koran as he realized that they were not the words coming from god.

These verses now do not form part of the Koran, but are described by Ibn Ishaq, who wrote the first biography of Muhammad. Many other writers have alluded to these verses. The disputed verses permitted worship to 3 pre Islamic goddesses from Mecca namely Allat, Uzza and Manah. As these verses went against the grain of the monotheism of Islam Muhammad had them removed. Actually Rushdie was referring to these verses as the Satanic Verses and not to the Koran itself.

Mistake by the Publisher and Rushdie The problem is that Islamic scholars do not use the words Satanic for these exorcised verses but Gharaniq( Birds). The words Satanic Verses are not used in Islam and the common man without any clarification from Rushdie or the publisher assumed that Rushdie meant the entire book as the satanic verses, when in reality he was referring only to the exorcised verses. Another matter was that the word Verses in the book title when translated into Arabic was translated as Ayat. This term is used by Muslims only to refer to the Koran. Last Word Thus many Muslims who read the title felt that Rushdie was referring to the entire Koran as the Satanic Verses. This is not to defend Rushdie, who made many derogatory references to Islam and Muhammad by referring to the prophet as Mahound a word used by Christians to describe Muhammad during the crusades. But the title of the book was a misnomer and Rushdie and his publisher became the center of ire of all Muslims worldwide.

Was Dr Ward Correct? He Believed in Unity through Sex

Sex has been accepted as central to human thought. Freud and Jung have alluded to sex as a great motivating force. There is no doubt that when a man mates with a woman, it is an act of sublime pleasure that nothing can match. Food,  travel, and adventures are fine by themselves,  but they don't match sex in any way, which is something special. But there is a question. If sex is so sublime can it unite the human race? Can sex alone bring unity in a divisive world, if sex was free?

In this connection the case of Dr. Ward, a doctor is worth examining. Dr. Ward had also met Gandhi and was a well-known and respected figure in the top echelons of London society in the early fifties of the last century.

Dr. Ward had a tragic life and he was arrested and charged with living off earnings from prostitutes. He was tried and from the tenor and conduct of the judge, Dr. Ward concluded that he would be sentenced to a prison term. Before the day he was to be sentenced, Dr. Ward committed suicide with an overdose of sleeping pills.
The fact is the charge that Dr. Ward lived of earnings from prostitutes was simply not true. Ward lived,later it transpired believed in global unity through sex. He thus organized sex parties and black men mated with white women to the delight of onlookers. Many girls with Ward like Christine Keeper and Rice Mandy Davies became famous later on, or shall I use the word notorious?
Dr. Ward also invited the high and mighty to his parties, which sometimes took the form of orgies. General Ayub Khan and War Minister John Profumo are examples of the VIPs who attended.
Ward had seen through mirrors installed and sex was conducted for all to see and savor. He helped many poor girls, but sex was the ingredient. Dr. Ward believed that sex could unite races. It was a bizarre theory,  but he believed in it. He was of the view that once sex was free and blacks mated with white girls the racial barriers would break.
But I feel that Dr. Ward's theory is too simplistic. Sex is a metaphysical force that generates myriad emotions of love,hate, violence and much more. DR Ward never thought of these aspects. Perhaps pleasure was his main motive and for that, he cannot be faulted.