'AQI 401'

Representative Image

Doctor's office is a phenomenon in itself. As you are waiting , you get to observe all the other patients; some are on their phone; some trying to deal with rowdy children; some visibly impatient - all are waiting for the nurse to call their name.  It is nothing short of a live reality show. It can be an hour and more at times before you get called because the doctor is always ' running late'! This is the excuse the reception will give you and it has not changed in about 18 odd years that I have been going there. You of course can not go late for your appointment!  So the other day I did what I do after about 15 minutes of watching the reality show; I start watching the  news on TV they keep in the waiting area.

The thing about Western media is that it is very commercial and will slyly put out stories that serve their paymasters. Now a days there is invariably a negative story or two about India. That day after they talked about ' a car bomb going off in a busy part of Delhi,  killing dozens' in the first part of the bulletin, they finished with Delhi's absolutely horrible air quality index  at 401 in the last part of the news! 

What the fish! Air quality index - Delhi's Achilles heel ! What are we going to do about it? This August I was there for about 3 weeks. It was still August - when smog and stubble burning is not that big a factor. When it rained from time to time and washed away the pollutants in the air.  Yet I had such a horrid time scratching the rashes all over my body and just trying to breathe.Hell! I grew up in the city and I used to travel in super crowded DTC buses hanging from the door handle; without breaking a sweat. But then things apparently were not so bad in those foregone days of my youth.

As it happened, nobody had any time  for me on this trip and I never had to leave the house to meet anyone. I stayed in my AC room most of the time and was likely saved a worse ordeal than I may have endured by regular exposure to the elements outside.  Talk about a blessing in disguise! 

Just for confirmation, all the scratching; rashes and heavy breathing resolved itself quickly - few hours after I returned from Delhi.

 

I know that huge influx of internal immigrants and its attendant challenges  have made matters worse. Traffic congestion induced idling and massive growth in  the vehicular traffic is a major contributor. So is the industry including coal burning thermal power generation plant at Badarpur. Delhi metro has helped quite a bit by taking many vehicles off the road, but  it has not really made much difference to the overall outcome. 

 

Let us address the elephant in the room - Stubble burning in the farms of Punjab and Haryana ! A number of solutions have been tried ; half halfheartedly I would say because farmers are giving serious push back. Of course there is a need for crop diversification and water management that will  manage the crop rotation better and reduce or even end the need to burn stubble.

As we have seen farm reform laws meant to address these concerns were resisted vehemently in the recent past. No government in their right mind will antagonize over 80% of the electorate and hope to survive.  Farmers burn stubble because they need to clear the fields quickly  and that allows them to sow another cash crop. Stubble really is of no  financial value to them. Some time ago I heard  of a chemical spray that hastens bio degradation process of stubble as a solution. No one knows what happened to it. It is anyway an additional operational cost that will be burdensome. Setting stubble on fire costs a match box to the entire village !

 

How about we show farmers a way to monetize stubble? Do you think they will be interested? It involves them to carefully roll the stubble into bales and sell them for extra cash without  having to burn it. That will benefit everyone and  make a huge difference in the air quality of all the downwind areas.

 

 

 

Strawbale houses are not a new idea. Straw mixed with mud has been in use for thousands of years. It is time to expand and refine the process. It will be quite effective in the rural areas where straw is generated as a residue after harvesting the crop. Its local use will generate revenue and  also save on material transportation and building costs too. 

Tightly packed strawbales can be used instead of bricks and mortar for making wall structures. Usually a light lime and mud plaster is applied on too. Tests have shown a very high degree of fire resistance in such structures, as well as exceptional thermal insulation. R values typically are between 36 - 48 depending on the moisture content of the bales. In comparison concrete masonry has an R value of 1.11. It is a no brainer - suited to both very hot or colder geographical locations. There are no design limitations or concerns about structural safety either. You stymie pollution right at the source by repurposing the straw material. No straw; nothing to burn! You may checkout strawbale.com

https://www.strawbale.com

I am convinced this is the silver bullet that will significantly diminish  pollution. It will of course require public awareness; government initiative; regulatory / techincal approvals;  co operation and training of skilled trades. Yeah; add socially aware architects to the list. Builders and building materials lobby will hate It but It is doable and if I win a lottery I promise to put most of it in this... Seriously I will put my money where my mouth is! 

That brings us to the cities. Encouraging Public transport is a great tool. Other cities have tried a number of things with varying degrees of success. Intensification is a process that increases  building activity in a specific zone, rather than spreading out construction activity further and further away as normally happens. This allows for optimal use of the municipal services; effective maintenance monitoring and  reduces transportation needs of the residents by concentrating all human activity in a defined area.

Fly ash brick uses waste material  from burnt coal and also avoids the significant pollution generated in the traditional brick making process. Container homes use old containers used for transportation and turn them into housing. They are successfully being used for regular housing as well as temporary needs. Some of these projects are stunning spaces. ICF ; 3 D printed homes; use of prefab building components - all need to be encouraged and invested in. They all are part of our response to this crisis.

Slum redevelopment is as much about human dignity and social justice, as it is about regeneration of cities and pollution control . People having to live in cement pipes is a shame but maybe not. Hong Kong has a proposal that actually uses a stacked 2.5 m pipe to house people.

 

OPOD tube concept is not such a bad idea. Apparently similar projects are already  in varying stages of development in other countries as well.

That brings me back to Delhi and how some of the private redevelopment is taking place. Euphemistically called builder flats; it is a hit or miss. More miss than hit sadly! In a way it is welcome that it is adding to the available housing stock but most of the flats are concentrating on squeezing as many bedrooms as possible. Circulation , proportion, curb appeal and landscaping does not figure in the scheme of things. Most are poorly planned concrete boxes. Hideously decorated with ugly ceiling elements; garish wall treatments and impractically small kitchen areas squeezed in; I won't recommend them. I have yet to see a single correct bathroom layout. Parking needs are invariably compromised for the residents themselves and  guest parking is unheard of.

I am not referring to the pricey upmarket localities of Gulmohar park; GK 2 and south Delhi farm houses. Things are better there because plot sizes tend to be generous with  low population density.  By any chance have you seen the price tags on those properties? You would think you are looking at something in London; New York or the Bay Area.

I am more concerned with smaller , narrower <100 sq. m row housing redevelopments in areas like Chattarpur; vasant kunj and Raj Nagar. Similar design language is echoed in several other areas including suburbs like Faridabad and Gaziabad. All these developments are being executed with a 'slum' mindset. Cram as many beds as you can in as little space as possible.  Maybe a strict elevation / plan regulations like Chandigarh is required in Delhi. Though I am not sure if anyone follows any rule in Chandigarh any more. Anyway all new development there is outside the city limits in areas like Mohali.

Sadly even planned neighbourhoods like Rohini and Dwarka have quickly gotten degraded with mushrooming slum pockets; missing drain covers; broken pedestrian paths; twisted road divider elements rendering it entirely useless. They are following exactly the pattern that was seen in Saket and Vasant kunj previously. I expect the new developments in kakardooma to mirror this  decay faster. Delhi society generally has  very poor civic sense; refuses accountability or responsibility  for their own environment.  Nobody cares! I have a good theory about it. Maybe I will take it up  some other time.

Good aesthetics; new building materials and construction techniques  with  responsive design is being practiced elsewhere in the world facing similar weather; noise ; air pollution and over crowding challenges as Delhi. Why can't we care? Why not?

H house, Vietnam

https://youtube.com/@architecturemind?si=Y7xr25dS70KUvpxG

https://www.instagram.com/architectural_mind?igsh=MWV0ejd6bGE2aXY2

 

 

बातें सबाब की!

AI generated image

भारत में रेल का सफ़र करना बड़े फायदे का सौदा रहता है। आपको अपने सारे रिश्तेदार मिल जाते हैं। वो भी ऐसे जिन्हें आप आज से पहले मिले ही न हो! कोई आंटी, कोई भैया,कोई चाचा; कोई बेटा... खास कर सेकंड क्लास के डिब्बे में। ये दुनिया में शायद और कहीं न होगा।

सो ऐसे ही एक सफ़र में अलीगढ़ में पढ़ने वाले  कश्मीर के छात्रों का एक ग्रुप चढ़ा मेरे सामने ही उनकी सीटें थीं। मैं दिल्ली से बैठा था। सब के सब मेरे से बहुत छोटे थे उम्र में। सो लगभग घंटे भर में मेरे को भैया भैया कहने लगे। बातचीत होती रही, खाना उनके पास नहीं था , कुछ मैने दिया कुछ फल वगेरह और एक आध ने रेल वाली थाली भी मंगवाई।

इसी दौरान पढ़ाई लिखाई की बातें हुई तो एक लड़का फार्मेसी कर रहा था। एक और कुछ जो मुझे अब याद नहीं; और बाकी के चार इस्लामिक स्टडीज। थोड़ा पूछ ताछ की मैने तो बड़े डिफेंसिव हो गए। मैने समझाने की कोशिश की कि बेटा जैसे तुम्हारा ये दोस्त फार्मेसी कर के न सिर्फ अपने गांव और परिवार की मदद कर सकेगा , बल्कि अपने जीवन को भी सही चला पाएगा। तुम्हारे गांव में यूं ही तीन मस्जिदें हैं। तुम्हारी जगह कहां बनेगी? बनी भी तो मामूली। उस पर  न तुम कोई हिंदी या अंग्रेजी जानते हो, उर्दू भी मामूली है। किसी तरह का स्किल नहीं , कोई रोजगार का जरिया नहीं बन रहा। खेती पर विश्वास नहीं किया। सिर्फ अरबी का ज्ञान तुम्हारा साथ कितना दे पाएगी?  उन्हें मेरी बात जमी नहीं। अंत में उनका था कि हमें सबाब मिलेगा। इस दुनिया से ज्यादा आख़िरत का फिक्र होना चाहिए; और कुरान के अलावा कोई ज्ञान  कहीं नहीं है। 

वो लोग पूरी तरह मत शिक्षित हो चुके थे। जो दो बच्चे उनसे पढ़ाई में अलग थे उनका भी मूक समर्थन ही था। खैर! चूंकि मैं खुद कश्मीर का हूं तो मेरे को बाकी स्थिति का भी अंदाजा हो गया। मेरा दिल अनिष्ट की आशंका से बैठ सा गया, हालांकि वो सारे बच्चे जम्मू पहुंचने तक भैया भैया कह के घर, बाहर और दुनिया का पूछते सुनाते रहे। इस घटना के कुछ महीने बाद ही कश्मीर में हिंदू होलोकास्ट अंजाम दे दिया गया।

वो पीढ़ी आज ऊंचे नीचे पदों पर तैनात होगी। कोई स्कूल में  हेडमास्टर होगा  तो कोई बिजली विभाग में होगा। कोई एग्रीकल्चर डिपार्टमेंट में गांव में होगा; कोई श्रीनगर डेवलपमेंट ऑथोरिटी जैसे शहरी विभाग में। कई पुलिस में होंगे , कई बैंकों में तो कई राज भवन के दफ्तर में भी होंगे ही।यानी समाज के हर वर्ग में, हर शहर, हर गांव में। हर मुहल्ले में। दिमाग में आ रहा है कि नहीं!

आज किसी ने मासूमियत से पूछा कि ये कश्मीरी डॉक्टर क्यों टेररिस्ट बना?  तो  मुझे याद आई वो रेल यात्रा जिसमें मुझे भविष्य का अंधेरा नज़र आया था। तो भैया डॉक्टर हो, इंजीनियर हो, चपरासी हो या ड्राइवर हो..... सबके लिए काफ़िर को मुसलमान बनाना सबाब; मुसलमान न हो तो उसका घर जला, लूट पीट कर घर से भगाना सबाब; रुक गया तो उसको जान से मारना सबाब। विरोध करे तो जहां मिले, जैसे  मिले उसका कत्ल सबाब। इस सब में अपनी जान बच गई तो गाज़ी  का खिताब; जान जाए तो शहादत का सबाब ! फिर इस सबसे अल्लाह  को राज़ी करने का सबाब और फिर जन्नत में 72 हूरों के साथ जिंगा ला ला सबाब! सबाब ही सबाब!

ये पक्का अप्रूव्ड ब्लू प्रिंट है। कोई इससे अलग कुछ करे तो करे, वरना जो है यही है।

ये बात कई बार की जा चुकी है; कभी थोड़ा खुल कर, कभी दबे लफ्जों में ; कहीं कोई नाराज़ न हो जाए। तुमको बीजेपी का बंदा और पुराने विचारों का हामी ; एंटी इस्लाम न समझे। फ़िर वोट बैंक का मसला भी रहता है। पर साफ़ बात है कि कश्मीर में हर मुसलमान को टेररिस्ट न समझें पर टेररिज्म का समर्थक जरूर समझें। यही उसकी बचपन से परवरिश हुई है। यही उसका सारा परिवेश है। यही वो है; ये ही सच है।

उनके साथ उसी तरह का सलूक रखे तो ठीक ; नहीं तो यही होगा जो होता आया है। डॉक्टर एक-47 छिपाएगा; इंजीनियर बॉम्ब बनाएगा; ट्रांसपोर्टर दिल्ली पहुंचाएगा और प्रोफेसर ट्रिगर दबाएगा ! 

समझे कि न; जब तक समझ में नहीं आएगा धमाके होते रहेंगे।कब तक अपने को धोखा देते रहेंगे? कब तक पाकिस्तान पे ठीकरा फोड़ कर्तव्य की इतिश्री समझेंगे? कब तक?

आप कन्फ्यूज़ हैं, पर  सामने एकदम स्पष्ट लोग खड़े है! जिस देश में कश्मीर फाइल्स को प्रोपेगंडा कह के झूठा बताया जाए;  उसे बॉम्ब धमाकों से भी  कुछ सुनाई दिखाई नहीं देगा। अभी आयेंगे देखना इन बिचारे डॉक्टरों के वकील ! बताएंगे कैसे इसकी बिचारी माँ ने कर्जा लेकर डॉक्टरी करवाई; कैसे मोदी/ बीजेपी/ हिंदू अतिवाद ज़िम्मेदार   है इनके बंदूक उठाने का! आप लोग सिर हिला के मज़े लेना ! मोदी फेल हो गया... वाह भाई वाह! मजलूम इंसानों की लाशों पर राजनीति करना। इधर उधर इसे या उसे भला बुरा कहना ; फिर उबर इट्स से पेस्ट्री ऑर्डर कर मस्त हो जाना।

जाओ भाई चादर तान के सो जाओ। ऐसे होता रहता है! फ़ज़ूल छाती पीटने का ड्रामा न करें!

Free Stuff!

My car has a little problem that has never gotten fixed even at the Lexus dealership. They can't find anything wrong with it. Front tyre are both fine, but the back right tyre loses air in cold weather. Not a lot but enough for the tire pressure monitoring system to register it and the warning orange lights to light up. This annoys me no end! Hate this light!

So I used to drive to the gas station just at the intersection outside home and fill air before I proceeded to wherever I was going. The air pump was  self serviced and free! Did I already tell you 'it was'? Then all the gas stations decided that they will charge a dollar for air unless someone fills gas first.  In that case It will still be free. I continued filling air this way; sometimes by paying, at other times gratis because I filled my tank at the same time.

Then the price went up to 2 dollars to be charged to your credit card, irrespective of you filling gas at the same time or not. Just for comparison gas was about a dollar for a litre. It started to pinch ; specially as I had to fork this out the entire winter; just for that one tyre twice a week. I can afford 2 dollars , but it is the principle and it stinks. You get the feeling ; don't you?

Even the air was not free any more! Eventually I had to spend good money on purchasing my own  car battery operated air pump to avoid the gas stations bankrupting me by selling me free air!

Amazon still does free returns! Just keep in mind that you need to have bought some stuff already and they have included the return postage into their selling price. It isn't free really!

13th amendment abolished slavery in 1865 and African Americans were 'freed' a long time ago. They are still paying a price for being who they are. Free is not really free! Everything costs something and God forbid should you go for  free money.  It costs too much! Your life... almost always! Nothing is free!

So you have already heard about Zohran Mamdani; newly minted mayor of New York. He is Mira Nair's son from her current husband Mahmud Mamdani. My biased opinion is that her name would have been Maira Mahmuda Mamdani but likely got saved by the fact that she was already an established film maker under her own name at the time of her marriage! 

Any way I would hope that she had some self respect and kept her name consciously. Her film making does show a clear impact of her Islamic company. Apparently she did not convert at marriage and her husband is non practising.  Zohran still was raised a Muslim by her and that's what he self identifies as! A little strange self goal I would say!

I can see people's reservations with that in a city like New York. Specially his previous statements about Israel - Palestine issue and his aunt's hijab. There is another complexity - his wife! Rama Duwaji is an established  artist  of Arabic heritage and her work is largely focused on Arabic and Islamic themes. Just understand that 9/11 happened in New York by Arab terrorists in support of Arab and Islamic causes and picture begins to darken. I do not blame people to see the ghosts of 9/11 in 11/4 !

Zohran can cause a lot of uneasiness just by being himself. He also played Bollywood numbers after his win; maybe as a nod to his Indian mother. India is not exactly the flavour of the day in the US under Trump and it has not gone down too well either! A direct comparison is already being made with Sadiq Khan; currently the mayor of London, UK. It is giving many New Yorkers sleepless nights as London under Sadiq has mostly turned into londonistan according to reliable word on the street!

We can ignore most of these facts for now as unproven bias and allow his actions to show his true self. We need to give him that. The real challenge lies some where else! In one word it is called ' free stuff'!

Mamdani looks like he graduated  from the kejriwal school of politics. Kejriwal perfected the art of promising freebies that he had no money for; to select sections of the electorate and win at the polls. He also pioneered cultivation of the urban Naxalite ; anti rich image that appeals to a certain demographic.

A cursory look at Mamdani's platform will show that he wants to tax the rich. He believes nobody has a right to be a billionaire. He has promised free universal child care; free city bus services; freezing of rent and city run grocery stores.

He would pay for it by a tax on wealth and an increase of the corporate tax rate. All this B.S. appeals to the immigrant and lower and middle class demographic. Those are the one that need a helping hand and they get out to vote in large numbers. This is another parallel between New Delhi and New York. Large immigrant voter base struggling to keep their head above water in an expensive megalopolis. This demographic is the one that voted kejriwal to power and this demographic is the one that has voted Mamdani in. Just remember voting percentage in New York has not crossed 38 %. That means 62% of the eligible voters did not cast their vote! 

Here is the problem. The moment you tax wealth; wealthy will vote with their feet and leave the city. Their money opens many doors to them and they do not have to live in New York. If you raise corporate tax understand that corporations have a clear responsibility to their share holders to maximize profits and this increased cost of operation will result in either the corporations relocating or passing the cost on to the consumer. Likely both.

These promises are hollow with slim chances of success or any tangible benefit to ordinary citizens.  There is no money  for them either.They however are a good rallying points and create big voting blocks that can and does hand you the elections!

Those that know how those kejriwal world class schools; mohalla clinics ; free DTC bus for women, free water; free electricity  etc. fared ; know that these schemes are populist but not sustainable. Only thing that worked  well was buy one get one booze bottle scheme! You do not need me to tell you that having a wine shop on every street corner does not do much for social uplift. It was used to generate slush fund for election spending in Punjab.

 

Here is wishing Zohran Mamdani a better result for New York than what kejriwal delivered for the citizens of New Delhi. I would not exactly recommend  keeping high hopes to the good old New Yorkers though! Keep your fingers crossed. Free is always expensive! You will certainly pay more than you would have if you get what you can afford. It is all coming out of your pockets! Remember that!

 

Broadly Speaking!

HEIDI KLUM'S HALLOWEEN COSTUME!

Words kill;silence does too!

Amongst the most potent abilities humans developed on their evolutionary journey, speech is at the very top of the list. It certainly has made us the most powerful species on earth. We have used it to express ourselves; connect; socialize; conduct interactions; tell stories; educate, preserve and propogate ideas and knowledge  in a seamless fashion. 

As is part and parcel of the human failing, we have turned communication also into a tool of power for asserting control ;domination and manipulation.

Most of us would have experienced 'denial of communication'; even as a  child. This is where an adult, usually your own mother would stop talking to you in order to punish you for some transgression or to encourage modification in the behaviour pattern; or simply to assert authority. We quickly learn that it works! Specially were there is a strong emotional bond! We later do the same to our friends and anyone close to us. They always return the favour. Wives and significant others use this tool very commonly for emotional blackmail and oneupmanship.

You can always disagree and hold on to your point of view. I may dislike it but I respect that. However denying communication entirely is the  most cruel; selfish; heartless; rude and insulting choice that you can ever make. This only makes humans the worst behaved animal in the universe and the only one to do so. It is the quicker way to end a relationship and firmly marks a singular lack of respect for the other. Worst cut is that we proclaim love for the victim at the same time we are perpetrating this injustice. 'Human' is a synonym of hypocrisy!

Silence is a ticking time bomb! So speech must be a relief! No! Not so fast! Human depravity has no limits! It is not for nothing do they say 'silence is golden'!

It is so because human speech is largely a dishonest, self serving drivel;

if you are lucky on that day. On other days it a complete white lie meant to obfuscate; misguide and lead you to get exploited  one way or the other.

Coca Cola has long been advertised as ' refreshing'! A bottle of carbonated water with synthetic caramel coloring agent; unspecified acidic flavoring chemicals including phosphoric acid; unhealthy gas for fizz and 36 grams of sugar in one little can. Did anything amongst the ingredients sound refreshing to you?

A chocolate bar I remember was infused with ' oxygen'! Sounds pretty good doesn't it? If you guessed it is just air bubbles to inflate the volume ; you would be correct. It is meant  to make you pay more for a small amount of chocolate since it looks and feels big.

Unfortunately this practice is not limited to the commercial world. Politicians are masters of deception and double speak. In fact we encounter falsehoods everyday at every step. Unfortunately in our personal interactions too. More so in the personal realm! Gas lighting, false claims, wrong information, promises that one has no intention of keeping are so common place that by now you likely have already labelled me as some weirdo; nit picking perfectionist oldie!

Listen, I do not want to hide things; lie or unnecessarily mislead anyone. Is that such a bad thing? Many years ago I was in Mumbai for an exhibition that was getting installed on site. I was a young man and a bit older contractor kind of became friendly. One evening after he had downed a few he started praising me. Initially I thought it is the usual flattery as I was to sign his project completion certificate enabling his payments! But than he said why he liked me! I was open to respectfully discussing things ; I did not lie or ask for any kickbacks; I did exactly as I said I would  by the time  I promised!

There, that was it! Really nothing special. Everyone I thought is like that. It is later in my career I realised I would come to much grief because that is not the way of the world. 

What you say matters enough to be acted upon. Least you can do is follow through ! Tell this to Chris broad! He is a 68 years old  ex  left hand opener for England in test and ODI cricket. Mate is old enough to understand; or is he? His sports career got over 38 years ago when he was just 30 years of age. He later became a broadcaster and a cricket official. Well he has a healthy average of around 40 in both tests and ODI's. That tells me he was  pretty handy with the bat.

Apparently he would have gone far but he self sabotaged his own career by not having control at the crease. Very difficult for a leopard to change spots later in life. Most likely he has lost control again. So he has come up with a revelation recently. According to him 'someone' called him not to penalize Indian team for a slow over rate; when he was officiating as a match refree. He then somehow managed to find the 'lost' time and Indian team was not penalized. This narrative implies the  excessive clout India has in ICC and the undue advantage their teams get by obscene bullying of everyone around.

Why is he saying it now?  Attention seeking - perhaps ! Remorse - perhaps! Trying to rewrite history- perhaps! 

I read this or words to this effect that kind of sounds so true. 'Some people do not feel sorry for what they did. They just hate how it makes them look. They do not carry guilt. They carry discomfort. Instead of fixing what they did; they try to fix your version of the story. They are not sorry for the hurtful mess they caused. They are sorry they can't control how you remember it.'

If he had any morality or ethics or if Chris broad is telling the truth; maybe it is  about time he realised that as the match refree it was his duty to uphold all the laws governing the game. If he did not report  this illegal approach to the ICC; if he then went on to tweak the results in order to give undue advantage to one team over the other - he has brought the game into disrepute; shown unprofessionalism and participated in a criminal act. He is as complicit in this illegality as anyone else. He is accountable! Yes! He is! 

He should do the right thing and start by refunding the fee received for those matches where he says it happened ; because he got paid to do something and the fellow dropped the ball. Secondly he should name the person that phoned him. Aid prosecution of the culprits and recuse himself from any further cricket game official duties as a tainted candidate for the job.

We will start to believe him then! Will he do it? Your guess is as good as mine but if you guessed 'no'....... You are smart , you ' ld go far in this world!

New Quantum research reveals that time does not move forward but folds onto itself. Meaning your present actions might already be reshaping your past. Interesting; isn't it?

Make sure that you are not making  mistakes in the present that will double down on the mistakes made in the past. Remember words are powerful. Use them carefully! You will be forever held accountable for them. Silence on the other hand is way more powerful. Use it intelligently. Overuse can be devastating! Always weigh before speaking and know when staying quite is patently unjust!

Humans learned how to speak about two million years ago. Since than they have been trying to learn  when they ought to speak and when they have to keep quite! Most haven't got the hang of it yet! Maybe, if we checked back in another two million years..... Perhaps!

खामोश अजनबी!

AI generated representative picture

सिर्फ जहां में  दुश्मन ही बचे हैं मेरे; अब और क्या देखना बाकी है?

आ जाओ दगा करने को; एक दोस्त की कमी बाकी है।

ज़माना बदला तो है; लोग फिर बालों की चांदी का एहतराम करते हैं।

तुम भी दोस्ती निभाओ, आओ, मिल के मुझे  शर्मसार करते हैं!

रूठा था मैं किसी से किसी ज़माने में; कोई किसी को भी ऐसे मनाता है क्या?

हंस लो;जिस जन्म मिलोगे पूछेंगे ज़रूर, कोई किसी को उम्र भर रुलाता है क्या?

तुमसे तुम्हारी खबर लेनी थी; पर इतना हक मेरा बनता नहीं है।

 तुम मुझ को कभी याद भी न करना; वैसे तुमको ये  जचता नहीं है!

तुमने कहा था हम अजनबी हैं; जाओ मुंह दिखाना भी मत!

तुम्हीं छिपते फ़िरे हो! देखो आ सको तो; वरना सामने आना ही मत!

ऐसी लंबी तुम्हारी जिंदगी का मैं भूला हुआ , मामूली  सा लम्हा हूं। 

आ गए तो मजबूरन याद करना पड़ेगा - कौन हूं; क्या हूं; किसका हूं?

ये होता तो वो होता; ऐसा करते;  वैसा न करते तो कैसा रहता?

जो होता इससे बहुत अच्छा होता। अफसोस! तुम भरोसा रखती तो अच्छा रहता!

किसी तजुर्बेकार को पूछना; दोनों में ज्यादातर बेवफा कौन होता है?

फौरन बताएगा,"कोई नहीं होता"; बस ये कि लड़का गरीब होता है!

चैन मुझे नहीं,क्यों दिख रहे हैं आंसू तुम्हारे? बस तुम्हे मुस्कुराता  देखना चाहता हूँ मैं!

फिर तुम सोती भी कम कम हो; खुद  खयाल रखो

! न ये हक दिया मुझे, न ही हूं कहीं भी मैं!

मन भारी है; सिवा दुआ के कुछ बचा नहीं, न लेने और न देने को।

अजनबियों सी उम्र कुछ बची है; खामोशी से रोने और  तड़पने को!

 

Wakhan Corridor!

Area Map

 

What is really going on in South Asia and how is Afghanistan back in the middle of it? 

I know it is exhausting to go back again and again about Afghanistan but really that is what is happening so  that's what you have to talk about.

In my experience a lot of people have greeted me with a Salam Wa le Kum; traditional Islamic greeting! I do not really mind and have answered back appropriately as Wa le Kum Assalam. The trouble with all that is that I am not a muslim or even remotely middle eastern. I do not have a beard nor do I dress like one. For some reason people assume one or the other. I have never been able to point to the reason behind it. Interestingly it is only a Pakistani that shows regret ; some times very visibly after coming to know of my identity. Greeting a kafir must be a great sin !

You know who does not think so ? Pretty much every body else! Iranian , Syrian , Indonesian ; all firmly muslim communities. One group that sticks out amongst them is Afghans. They are positively beaming because I am an Indian. I am confused! All these were supposed to be hard line Islamists ; even terrorist sympathizers if not terrorists themselves and Pakistan was supposed to be an ally in the fight against extremism! Yet on ground their training, indoctrination, culture and thought process is not like a normal person of the Islamic faith. I do have a theory about it but that  we shall explore some other time.

Afghanistan has been in the eye of the storm for a very long time. In the Indian context Gandhari married to Dhritrashtra was from Ghandhar- modern name Kandahar. So was mama Shakuni. Without these two characters Mahabharat would not have taken place; nor would there be a need  for Lord Krishna to give his battlefield sermon! Lynch pins of  our entire history, culture, society; morality and ethics.

Taliban wresting control of Afghanistan was considered a major boost to Pakistan.Their dream of achieving strategic depth became real. It was their handpicked group too. For a few years it did seem so. A number of Indian consulates got closed and eventually Indian embassy too. India's investments in Afghanistan in form of the hospital ; parliament and other infrastructure seemed wasted in a way and all running projects stalled. 

Taliban went on their merry way -very regressive; anti women; Islamic extremist ideology. This only suited pakistan ; since this countered Indian broadening influence.

As usual Pakistan celebrated too soon. They hit a decoy and start a victory parade for dowing rafale! They convince themselves that they have won , while their 93,000 troops are making a cowardly surrender.

 Anyway there are other players in the arena. Lots of them. Among other things USA apparently wants Bagram airport where they can make a base to check China and Iran from. They have already paid the local goon Pakistan to create trouble with Afghanistan. That might allow US to intervene and maybe wrangle a sweet deal. Pakistan wants Afghanistan to be their hinterland in case of war with India and an arms length away camp/training ground for their terrorist assets. Pakistan also eyes the control of the wakhan Corridor to have connectivity to erstwhile soviet republics; china and create a defensive line when India tries to take POK back.

China is apparently also interested;  one it helps their belt and road initiative and control on the area helps them manage the rebellion in adjacent Chinese territories.

Wakhan corridor of Afghanistan ; if you check the map sits where China , Tajikistan and India meet . I know ; I know that part of India is under Pakistan's control. Nevertheless it is right there at the civilizational, historical and financial meeting point. 

Taliban have a medieval mindset. Their behaviour has not left the sixth century. Their attitude to women is shamefully obnoxious. That however does not make them stupid.

They have realized that notwithstanding the fluffy talk of Islamic brotherhood; Afghanistan has been short changed by fellow Islamists. Durand line that delineates the border between British India and Afghanistan was forced by the British. Upon their departure from the Indian Subcontinent and the resultant partition of India, it made Pakistan the heir. This fellow muslim nation has not lifted a finger to address this issue except calling it a permanant border.

Afghanistan also remembers how Pakistan leveraged the soviet occupation to their benefit. Where Afghanistan became cannon fodder;  Pakistan became rich! At least their generals siphoned off dollars by the  bucket load.

They also remember how Pakistan provided the bases and facilitated continuous bombing of afghan targets by the USA after Russia left.

So several thousand Afghan National are in Pakistan. They were literally invited in by Pakistan with express approvals of the US during the soviet times. It suited the anti Russia narrative. Now 45 years later they are being hounded out. Their third generation are adults now. These people have mostly worked in food industry and transport sector. Hard jobs no body wants. It is pressure tactics to soften Afghans for to give concessions to the US.

India  is largely seen as an ally of Russia which is a black mark in Taliban eyes.  Despite an ideological bias and religious animosity towards India and incidents of direct confrontation like plane hijacking etc. Taliban has mostly avoided antagonising India.

India earned it by continuously investing in Afghanistan infrastructure. These are visible symbols of goodwill and diplomacy. A hospital does not differentiate between people of differing ideologies. Taliban realises that India helped big time; even if it was not all altrustic or aligned ideologically. 

Mulla muttaqui's visit to India and restarting of full diplomatic ties are really an interesting development. It needs to be read with how Pakistan is making things hot for Afghans; and What slice of the pie America wants. Afghans can make life easier for themselves and India can help there. Afghans can make life tough for the American proxy in the region; Pakistan. India can help there too. 

One takeaway from all this is that one should not celebrate too soon! Neither should you be quick to give up.Interesting times ahead. Keep you eyes glued to the tv news.

From the wish list!

Old Magazine style digital illustration.

I would have preferred

to wake up first thing everyday and see you.

I would have preferred 

not to spend a futile life time just looking for you!

I would have preferred

to listen, hear and trust the magic in your voice.

I would have preferred 

not to forget your face. Now that would've been nice!

I would have preferred

for you to love me more than I love myself.

I would have preferred

not to have to pick myself from the dump - myself!

 

I would have preferred

to smell that fragrance of your hair and pink paint your nails.

I would have preferred

not to wake up middle of the ocean; drifting with shredded sails! 

 

I would have preferred

for time to have stopped at a moment of my innocence.

I would have preferred

to understand your cold apathy. To me it makes no sense!  

 

I would have preferred 

for you to always prefer what I preferred. 

I would have preferred

to be the one for whom in silence you suffered!

 

I would have preferred

to have said a loving last word; though there was nothing left to say.

I would have preferred

to be wrong about you regretting your choices every day!    

 

I would have preferred

to love, hold tight, nurture,build, rise and grow old together.

I would have preferred

not to drop our head on our knees; sob & mourn each other!  

 

I would have preferred 

to have not met for my peace or ever set on you my eyes.

I would have preferred

not to be silent strangers; look blank & pray to the skies!   

 

I would have preferred

for you to communicate; be vulnerable & come home  to me. 

I would have preferred

for you to have thought wisely while I could still give 'me' entirely!

 

I would have preferred

us to be forever; graceful; generous, kind & abundantly celebrate in mirth.  

I would have preferred

not to leave everything unfinished; to the chance of another birth!   

 

I would have preferred......