Rosie the Riveter!

"Rosie the Riveter" 

Iconic industrial poster from 1942

 

Yes, they indeed can! Listen , men and women are not the same.  They are equal ; not exactly same! Like $ 3.99 can get you a loaf of bread....  equal , not same! You have surely heard about one being from Mars and the other from Venus!  True as it is; women  can do everything men can and then some! Like giving birth. You knew I was going to say that! Didn't you?

They used to need men full time for that ; but then technology for creating test tube babies became so advanced  that they can now bring a child into the world without ever coming 100 miles from any  man! Much as this is a big blow to the male  chauvinist ego and established traditional social hierarchy, the fact is that gender equations of the human society are evolving surely to be more equitable. 

The famous US poster  above, designed by artist J. Howard Miller, ' Rosie the Riveter', marked a clear turning point in modern history.  This became an iconic image of feminism in the modern era. There are a few historical ladies; some even named a derivative of Rose, like Rosalinda ;  that are said to be the model for this poster. Evidence for exactly who it was  is hazy.  Name actually is not that important anyway!

Things changed during the second world war. Males of working age went off to fight & that left a huge human resource hole  in  the manufacturing and industrial sector. Women bravely stepped into this breach and society had no choice but to accept them. Well, they became machinists; construction workers and ran the shop floor. They worked hard jobs in the shipyards. Of course there were women actually riveting  air frames together for the  planes critical to the war campaign in Europe. Women have not looked back since then. They are here to take their rightful place  and not a day too soon! 

Hopefully nobody is offended but listen if there is no jesus ; there is no Christianity! Islam collapses entirely without mohamed too. You have to believe in immaculate conception in one case and allah's postman in the other. Raise a question and you are out of the fold instantly in one case and a heretic apostate  punishable by death in the other! 

In a sharp contrast Hindu way  of life is structured on ethics of Dharma; not on personalities. Dharma means 'the right thing' and it is always informed by the era  and the geography you are in.  You do not have to believe in deity X or Y. Or a ritual A or B. You can believe in some, not the other, or none for that matter. It has zero effect on your inclusion in the faith ; your understanding of the religious principles of Dharma  or  your ritual practice. Nobody can question your personal way and your direct equation with the Supreme is beyond reproach ! 

Of course there are deities , avatars , celestial beings and Demi Gods.  There are structured worship rituals; copious religious texts; innumerable chants; multitude of prayers; temple traditions and detailed iconography. All of them exist to point to one or the other Dharmic principle. They guide and help you along your spiritual journey. You can believe the whole story or go for a selection. You can ignore it entirely. "Dharma the truth" is never in danger. Although I can not say the same for an individual that is more than likely to stray in absence of a guide.

Sanatan Dharma is the most Catholic of all faiths! Funny how we can say that! Catholic of course is meant in its literal meaning, not religious. You know that surely!

Few years ago, during the  Ram Mandir agitation, some politician wanted proof that Ram  existed, ever! They approached the court to secure a judgment against  people's belief in Ram! It is just a story; a lot of Nay Sayers maintain. They are all missing the whole point!  No one is here to proselytize!  You can believe whatever you will!

It does not matter!

What matters is what this 'fiction' actually teaches us and how it defines the contours of an ethical Hindu way of life. 

Let me take you back by about 10,000 years; to the era of the great epic Ramayana. Maybe you have heard about Shabri. She is an important character in the epic. She was a strong tribal woman who had the courage to leave behind  a  marriage she did not want and join  Sage Matang's ashram in the forest. It was not easy. A tribal; a women; a runaway bride;  penniless.... She had one crushing handicap on top of another. She had to work super hard for it but eventually she broke into the male bastion of discipleship. Her Guru sage Matang was pleased with her spirituality and predicted her salvation from his own death bed. Shabri carried on with her karma for   long and one blessed day Lord Shri Ram arrived at her door!

It was a pivotal day; a test of her devotion and purity of her heart.   In her innocence she offered her celestial guest berries she had collected from the forest. She  bit into each one of them before offering it . Just to ensure that  her entire offering was sweet and to keep the bitter one's aside. 

Traditionally it would amount to sacrilege! You would not feed defiled food even to a regular guest; forget about offering it to God! It would be extremely insulting and against all hosting etiquette.    Lord's younger brother objected to it right away! Shri Ram however brushed all objections aside and gracefully accepted the half eaten food from a poor old women! God  only saw the honest offerings in her golden, innocent , pure  heart and never needed to see what is being offered in 3D! 

It is told that Shri Ram also followed Shabri's advice to band together an army from the animal kingdom.  We all know that the epic goes on to tell us how this  monkey army guided by Lord  Mahabali Hanuman himself;  won the battle for truth; for justice and for light! Shabri had  total faith in her Guru's word and guidance.  True to it she found salvation at the feet of Shri Rama entirely due to her devoted; innocent; pure heart!

As I said you do not need to believe in Shri Ram being an avatar of Vishnu. Or  him being a God for that matter ! You do not need to believe that there was ever such a person ever born in Ayodhya in the unrecorded past . You can label this a fictional story even. Understand  however that Indian Philosophy puts the onus on you to take whatever you will ; leave whatever you will and act according to your understanding. It  however makes an individual responsible for his own refinement  and  fully accountable for his own actions. You are what you do or do not do! Like it or not you will have to take ownership. Your karma will come calling and it always delivers exactly what you earned!

Why did Lord Ram do the things he did and what can we get from this epic? There are several things here to learn. Firstly purity of thought and  unflinching devotion is more important than norms; rites and rituals.  Before you can journey towards God , you need to travel inside your heart and purify it.

Secondly God expects you to transcend all gender; age ; caste and societal biases. As you transcend your limitations that your biases have put upon you; purity of the resultant actions will spiritually elevate you towards  the Supreme.

Thirdly compassion and empathy  speeds your journey towards ultimate salvation. Your honesty will always illuminate the way forward for you. 

Fourthly a women can and does contribute equally in  making  informed monumental decisions that help shape an optimum outcome. Both  Sage Matang; Shabri's teacher and then Lord Shri Ram, her deliverer; acted as noble enablers and showed us the correct way forward.

And it also reveals a secret ! How can you reach God? Do you need to go somewhere? Do you need pilgrimages or special rituals? Does your caste, creed or gender make a difference? Do you need to offer God gold, silk and diamonds?

No, no and no! All you have to do is your karma. Do it with compassion. Do it with empathy. Do it with dedication. Do it with purity of thought, speech and action. Be responsible, be accountable, be honest. Is it too much of an ask?

That's it. God will himself knock at your door!

A modern day life coach will charge you $ 250/30 minute session to tell you the same thing for achieving a fulfilling and content life. Only they market this as the 'Sunflower Theory'.  Be a sunflower for someone! During the day it will face the sun and reflect its brightness to light up the receiver's life. In the dark however sunflowers will turn towards each other to become each other's Sun; each other's hope and each other's enabler. You can get this guidance for free by spending a little time with your own traditions.

It all sounds like feminism  because it is. Remember these concepts were handed down to us when  even history was  not born. It is a bit deflating that I have to preface this recall by showing a factory poster made in 1942. Astonishing how commonly we  undervalue and ignore  that we already possess! Let us be each other's sunflower. Not only when the light is shining but also when dark clouds are hovering overhead.  it is not hard!

This Diwali  may we recall the story of Shabri. May God grant us thoughtful innocence; purity of heart and an unshakable devotion to our purpose; just like her. May we all be a bit of a feminist!

The famous Sanskrit prayer to the divine on the left says," (O, Lord) Lead me from untruth to truth. Lead me from darkness to light. Lead me from death to immortality."

Many blessings of the Diwali  group of auspicious festivals to you ; your family and your friends. May you all be healthy , prosperous and successful. Let Divine light show you the right path  and may peace prevail in the world.

OM Shanti , Shanti Shanti !! 

Buenos Dias , Senor!

birds eye view  of the resort 

Travel, tourism and hospitality sector has the potential to generate a lot of employment and revenue of course. Human capital can really be leveraged since this is a service intensive sector of an economy.

I have had a brush with this sector from time to time. For a few years I worked with the  Hyatt Group and looked after their marketing communications design. ITC welcome group and Air India were my regular clients for years.

 

ITB Berlin is a highly regarded tourism exposition that occurs every year in the month of March. For six years I designed India pavilion in the show. I also designed India pavilion in WTM London twice. This is also a highly regarded travel exposition. The structure of such national pavilions are designed to facilitate participation of private travel, tourism and hospitality companies that use the platform to market their services.  Obviously I had to interact with nearly everyone that's anyone in the Indian travel and tourism industry. I had to understand the business of fifty odd clients in order to design booths specific to their business and brand image, simultaneously  keeping true  to the master design  of the pavilion.

One thing that struck me that the entire industry was focused on corporate business. Personal travel for leisure was just an after thought.  Not a lot of business was expected to be generated in this segment. Things apparently have changed a lot in the intervening years. Two things in the news however stood out recently. Paris alone gets more tourists than entire India. Secondly there was a miles long jam due to tourist vehicles on the roads leading to several hill stations in India recently. How in the world do we let it happen? 

 

Gulf of Mexico

Sea is fascinating . It looks limitless, uplifting and full of hope. There is a reason why a seaside vacation is so therapeutic. Though I can not really decide if I personally like the hills more or the sea more!

 

 As long as You take me on a vacation..... I am good either way.

 

Plan of the resort [ Courtesy Paradisus Playa Del Carmen]

I was in a resort recently and it set me thinking. I remembered a few previous times in some other locations and how things compare. I am an Indian at heart and always will be. Don't want to believe that we can not do  as well as others! So this resort was designed by Spanish  architect Alvaro Sans.  His practice  almost entirely consists of Hotels and resorts and apparently he has worked on over 200 projects world wide. This property is marketed as two separate resorts although as  you can see it is one plan. Smaller Left wing of this complex is reserved for adults only.  There is no physical barrier between the two wings except a sign on the corridor that says 'adults only'. Restaurants in this wing wont take your dinner reservations if you plan on bringing kids along and of course you will not get a room assigned here. Otherwise circulation is  seamless and unobstructed,

My observations based on the room interior design is that originally the project was not designed  for families in mind. Soaker tub that can be seen and  reached from your bed is more suited to a romantic getaway than 'change your kids diapers' holiday! Ground level rooms have open balcony steps that take you straight into the swimming pool! Not exactly child safe! Managements was smart to respond to changing times ; a rise in disposable incomes and  family travel trends.

Apart from policy failures at the government level ; trouble in  managing  differing social norms and a poorer demographic to cater to; let me tell you what we need to work on in India. Let us take two comparisons to this resort , which is in the Cancun area of Mexico.  Goa in the  west of India and Sri Lanka as a similar lower Income location, I have been to both these locations so It is as first hand as it can be.

Firstly let me admit. Mexico is part of North America and just a stone's throw from the affluent US markets. US dollars are commonly used and it is a favourite destination for US and Canadians holiday makers. This is an advantage that is fully used by policy makers, Travel industry and even airlines that bombard package after travel package on the target markets.

So let us start with Food. Personally  I liked the food in Sri Lanka the best. The seafood laden banquet that I gorged on at Bentota Beach is something I will remember for a long time. This one goes to Sri Lanka. Specially their combination of quality , service and price is unbeatable. Mexico comes second. A lot of similarity with the Indian palate is their secret but again the quality of food and service is the difference. Prices are a lot cheaper that US/Canada and specially if you compare them with the pricey places in the Bahama's. They however can't beat Sri Lanka. Goa comes last on every count except maybe price where they equal Mexico. 

Morning Walk! 

Secondly talk about service. India in general does not understand the concept of service. Just because you provide a service does not make you a servant, and it definitely does not make you a scammer. You must be professional and meticulous at all times, specially in the service industry. So I was on my morning walk at the beach. Went over to lounge  and think in peace for a bit at the cabana. The server quietly came over to see if I needed a drink. He would have received a dollar or two  as tip had I ordered, since unlimited drinks were part of my package and it did not cost me anything extra to order one. I did not want any drinks and he did not pester me any further. He was needy but not greedy! 

Just get to any tourist spot in India and see for yourself how visitors are pestered and pressured to buy!

While on the subject of free unlimited drinks, I did not see a single holiday maker over drinking or drunk. Not one! Not ever! Just attend any marriage banquet in India  and see for yourself what free drinks provided by a host does to people. Imagine the nuisance they will be in order to get value for their money If they pay upfront for a  drink package! Zoom to Goa and I sadly have seen a lot of tipsy Joe's and only slightly fewer in Sri Lanka. We definitely need to learn how not to over do it!

Competition is another area of comparison. Although I do not prefer the economy to be totally dependent on one single sector but as you leave Cancun airport on the coastal Highway 307 towards Tulum there is nothing but resorts after resorts for the next 100 odd kilometres. They are all either good, or better or best. It creates a healthy competition and provides a varied choice in the market. Why can't  Goa provide a similar experience ; beats me? There are  places for back packers and beach combers and places that are super luxury in Goa. But then there is such a small  exclusive market for them that they give whatever they give for the price they will. They do not have any incentive to give more for your buck. People like me can't afford the ultra luxury and have grown out of the lower end. Anyway there is hardly any middle ground.

Safety is another big one. So let me tell you what happened to me. Two days into my trip I was walking on the beach one morning. I walked a little far. Went  out of the resort property lines along the beach to a point where the sea came inshore a little bit. It made a  shallow, around 8/10 meter wide channel of water that could be safely crossed on foot.  There was a municipal botanical garden some 500 meters across it . I crossed over to visit it and as I returned 30 minutes later I realized I do not have my cell phone on me. I had dropped it somewhere!

It is a 5 years old phone and not very expensive either; but losing it in the middle of an overseas trip......very, very inconvenient indeed! So I waded back through the shallow channel a second time to retrace my steps - without any  luck. A bunch of labourers nearby were working on cleaning up weeds from the shoreline. Their supervisor had picked my phone from where I had dropped it! The old phone was still worth her month's wages!

 " You lost phone?" 

Contrast that with the news that recently a Japanese tourist in India had his I phone stolen on a train and police were unable to trace it. Mexico is crime infested and associated with cartel violence & gang activity ..... isn't it what we like to say? Guess who is coming back for another visit? Hint: it is not the traveller from Japan!

Sri Lankan's are well mannered and soft spoken. Goans can be very disinterested in you and it shows on how service is provided. Landscape maintenance staff at my resort; very obviously contract workers; always greeted me with  a smile  on my early morning walks. "Buenos Dias Senor!" Made me feel good every morning. They  were shabbily dressed ; clearly poor;  temporary labour, not even remotely in a guest facing role.  They did not have to do any PR. They certainly did not even know the basics of those marketing concepts in the first place . They did it as  part of their culture ; positive, innocent mental make up and staying true to their traditional roots!

 "Good day, gentlemen! Good day to you too! Gracias!

Mangrove Wetlands

A last word about environmental matters. I could see how carefully landscaping was done by the designers. Palms do look pretty but very 'tourist brochure'! They were there but  designers purposefully  included several others beautiful tropical plants and bushes native to the area in their layered landscape plan and I appreciate that approach. It really places the project in its geographical context and  imparts a distinct visual character. Inner building corridors wrap around koi fish ponds. There is a tortoise pond and a few internal mini gardens as well.

However their greatest achievement and a highlight of my experience was the walk through a real live mangrove forest. Designers thankfully did nothing to it! So they crafted this long winding slightly elevated boardwalk through this forest. In about a two minutes  walk you reach deep inside the mangrove. It envelops you gently on all sides. Little forest animals like coati cross your path randomly ;  it is their home. Ground is wet and fallen vegetation has imparted a deep red translucent hue to the water. Sunlight filters through the green tree canopy and you suddenly become an eternal part of this slice of  nature.  Stay there awhile! Hear the profound sounds of stillness. Take a deep breath; close your eyes ; feel the connection with  earth! God is somewhere around you! You are blessed!

Absolutely ethereal experience!

All pictures were shot by me on my now famous  cellphone  camera and colour corrected using free AI tools.

  

 

The Muse!

 

Royal Ontario Museum. 

View from landing at level 2 

Entrance foyer Ceiling detail and Stained Glass window.

Pix credit :Ashutosh Kaul  

Hermitage museum in St. Petersburg  is among the best museums in the world; among the biggest too! One September day long long ago I was lined up to enter it. The line was massive. Apparently the entire city had decided to visit it the day I had planned to. As I was psyching myself for a long wait of several hours an officious looking lady came over and pulled me out of the line! " Dear guest", she said in Russian, " you need to use a different door"!

So she led me to the front of the line and I entered the building from I assume a  door used by high communist party functionaries and senior government officials. I was a 25 year old Mr. Nobody from India. Why on earth would I get such protocol is a mystery the universe has yet to reveal ! Did I tell you that those were the best times of my entire life. Shows would give us the front row seats. Front row meaning the first row, no less.  Clubs would immediately change to Indian dance number as I set my foot in; " in honour of our Indian guest" they would announce! Random total strangers  would send a bottle of champagne to my table at the restaurant, " with our compliments"....... I do not have the count of the number of museums; historical places, attractions, public spaces;  events and people that gave me the royal treatment.

One theory is that the universe was over compensating me for the cruel back stabbing and absolute unravelling of my entire life's plan  that was taking place  simultaneously behind my back.  Completely unbeknownst to me my truth was turning into white lies and deep silence.  If truth gets replaced by silence; the silence becomes the lie as well! Best time of my life was also the worst time of my life! Interesting; isn't it? 

 

Let us get back to the Royal Ontario Museum! The heritage limestone masonary building was constructed in 1912 and expanded in 1931 as the plaque on the  facade says. A modern addition on Bloor Street inspired by the museum's substantial crystal collection opened in 2007 .

 

 

 

Daniel Libeskind designed these prismatic aluminum ,steel and glass volumes. It is currently being expanded and renovated.  Entry vestibule is not accessible  here. Original Queens Park entrance is being used. It certainly is no joke to design a modern addition to a classic building and still make everything work aesthetically .

 

The difference between a civil engineer and an architect is this: Any civil engineer can make a successful, functional and safe structure. The fact that the structure encompasses a volume inside it and a volume outside in which it exists is the concern of an architect. Architect has to deal with this nothingness! Consider me biased but  based on this design, Libeskind fared better in this regard than Frank Gehry has. 

OK don't listen to my gibberish! These are the kind of things I used to tell my son. Wanted him to become an architect or a nuclear engineer. Nuclear he said was way too much thermodynamics ; stuff he was not very fond of. He also did not want to deal with 'nothingness'! Being a straight forward, logical, concrete  person; uncertainty of the creative process did not appeal to him. A solid, proven engineering, technology backed plan with a clear build process and a predictable result is his thing. Of course he chose civil engineering. I am glad he did not listen to me because he is immensely successful in his career and very  happy. Maybe he listened too well!

Museums and galleries are a visible marker of great cities. Definitely among the achievements of the human society. They preserve ; teach; amuse; entertain and inspire. They often are your muse for life. Generation after generation of art students have regularly visited to sketch and get inspired at a gallery. Literally learning from a past master. Together with the Statue of Liberty;  Metropolitan Museum of  Art on 5th Avenue  and  the iconic Guggenheim Museum,designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, also on 5th Avenue totally define the New York city. The vibe around these  buildings is nothing short of electric.

MET asks you to pay whatever you want to enter if you are a resident of NY and NJ. $1 is fine.  I paid $ 10 a bit sheepishly. I was feeling cheap till I came across a board near the main entry that had several entry tickets hung on it. People leave them for the next visitor to use at no charge. There is absolutely no fiscal reason not to go in. There are several other discounts available for seniors,and students. Children under 12  enter free .

Worldwide museums encourage visits by discounting tickets ; open houses ; student freebies and senior passes. Never miss a chance to visit one. There is a serious culture of museum patronage throughout the western world. Lineup at Louvre is legendary. EU residents pay 22 Euro, others pay 32 Euro and under 18 pay nothing. I.M.Pei designed the now famous glass and steel pyramid entrance to Louvre. It is an exhibit in itself. British looted art and cultural icons everywhere they colonised. That means from the entire world! It is said that World's biggest crime scene is British Museum in London! Everything  they have is stolen goods. Well the silver lining in all of this is that the entire collection is free to visit. Although they recommend booking a time slot online to avoid long line ups.

Eastern Europe and Russia are a bit ahead in this regard in my opinion. Everybody visits museums. It is not only for the creative people; tourists or culture snobs. Factory worker; simple villager; brick layer; housewives; children of all ages; students, old, young - all of them can be found lining up to enter. Funded mostly by the public exchequer the entry cost to one great museum after another is kept low ; really low. I did not pay anything to see several amazing museums including Hermitage. Even today General admission  to Hermitage is about $10  provided you plan ahead. 

They can be a private profit led business once in a while; like Madame Tussaud's wax museum, admission to which runs  about $35. Not worth it by my reckoning. strictly a tourist trap. I regret going in, you may like it! On the other hand  Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan costs $ 70 for general entry and then there are some additional discretionary costs. Budget about $ 150/ person for a complete experience . It is worth every penny.

New Delhi has the National gallery of Modern Art housed in Jaipur House near India Gate. Natural History Museum is at Barakhambha Road near Mandi house. There are quite a few others too .  To my chagrin attendance however is abysmally poor across the board!  What you should never ever miss though is the National Museum on Janpath. It is a virtual treasure trove offering a rich collection representing the full spectrum of the oldest civilization on earth. It will elevate and enrich you to such a degree that you will change forever. Wish a lot more people would visit it.  If you want to visit only one spot in the city ; make it this one. It costs a very cheap INR 20 for Indian nationals. About the cost of a cup of coffee! Even for a foreign national it is INR 500. It is about $6. Cost of a coffee and cream cheese bagel. Same admission price for National Gallery of Modern Art. Entry however is free for children and students with an ID.

There is a Naval gallery on level 2 of the National Museum. I am not sure if it is still operational. There was some talk about relocating it. You can safely miss it if you are short on time . I designed it quite a few years back. I revisited it about 8/9 years ago. There were far  too many directionless random updates since I did this project.  There was no design language left that I could decipher. Typical Virgo fault finder that I am ; I  could only see all the subpar amateurish creative decisions I had made then. It made me uneasy ! I would surely  make those decisions differently today. Can't hide behind budget and bureaucratic constraints ; which were nothing to be trifled with.

 

I am still accountable for what I put out there in the world! We all are!

Year 1638!

AI enhanced street view. Ray & Maria Stata centre.

Like a lot of my other stories this one too is from a long time ago! A long long time ago I wanted to study in a foreign University. I had quite a bit of money saved up from my job as a project designer in Russia and I had heard a lot about how you could make up the short fall! I was not certain but apparently bursaries, campus jobs and scholarships would have seen me through.

I applied to a few in US , including Parsons school of design! I was always a cheeky over ambitious sort and I always went for the impossible! Most of my great successes and bitter defeats can be chalked to the fact that I always overreach.  Well a couple of these schools did not respond at all. A couple asked for more details as in a polite no and a few sent in their student package tailored to my situation detailing next steps I needed to take and the timeline for the fall session. It was a provisional yes ; I was in and I had a choice of schools to go as well.

Do not ask me which school I chose.  I did not attend any of those schools. It Is a bit complex but because of certain life events that had taken place ;  my family insisted that I should go abroad only after I marry. I understand it was to protect my fragile situation but I should have brushed their opinions aside! It stopped me in my tracks instead ! I froze. I was too despondent to marry and I did not pursue my education either. I let all offers lapse and one fine day I made a bonfire of all those painful reminders of my weak resolve.  University papers along with some other cards,  and letters and promises were burned to ash and banished from my thoughts forever! I was entirely mistaken !  I Have not forgotten anything; not even a little bit ! Clearly everything was etched on my heart!

I have silently cursed myself everyday ever since for my poor motivation. I could have done it; I had it in me; I should have ! Life however does not stop for your indecision; bad decision or dilly dallying. Life took me over too and I could  set a foot inside a foreign University lecture hall only on the day I drove my son there for his  engineering orientation!

I have participated in a few MOOC courses from world's topmost universities. Let me tell you It is not the same and does even provide a cold comfort! The distinction was sharply brought home to me  in Boston, Massachusetts.  I went to visit Harvard and MIT in Cambridge; just across the Charles river. The electricity that courses throughout your entire being as you enter the gate itself is something that needs to be felt first hand.

  I landed at Harvard on the day their student orientation was taking place. How should I describe the sense of utter loss I felt ?  It was strangely mixed with the exuberant joy at seeing all those new students milling about with purpose and great expectations. I became one of them for a  fleeting second; till I realized I am not! They could almost be my own grand children.  Never in my life have I felt more crushed and even more elated at the same time! 

 

I had to feel better quickly and I went on to MIT as therapy. I would have never qualified for anything at MIT but Imagine going to class in a building complex designed by Frank Gehry! Crinkled sculptural Ray & Maria Stata centre on Vassar street with  zigzag shiny metal canopies and red brick facade is famous for things more than its design. MIT ; that  knows a thing or two about building science actually sued the construction company and Gehry both for serious  deficiencies in the building. There that is one the major problems with a Gehry design. It is hard to build and harder to maintain. You can never remain neutral about his buildings  and you can not forget them in a hurry either! Would have loved to go in and experience it fully  if I had more time.  I watched its sculptural facade from the street near the pole that had a MIT flag hanging from it. Amazing experience indeed!

You realize in New York,  how similar New York is to Toronto. Someone that should know told me that most of the movies that call for a New York location  are actually filmed in Toronto . Nobody can make the difference on screen. Toronto is a cheaper and cleaner version of New York.  Actually New York has a different vibe. It is more restless, more agitated ,  edgier, more neon and hence gives a bigger adrenaline rush than Toronto. I like it in small doses. You have to be physically present for this experience though! Times square is probably the most dirty place in New York. Homeless; vagrants; scamsters; broken pavements and dirty overflowing garbage bins spilling smelly trash on the pathway;  vying for attention with unruly, drunk crowds;  make one feel right at home - If you are from India.

Indians can also identify with Washington DC. Just like New Delhi there are steel mesh barricades everywhere. You can hardly get near the white house or capitol hill . Secret service, police and K9 officers are patrolling aggressively everywhere. Air is heavy with officialdom. Muscular American nationalism of the Trump administration and its visible & voluble opposition has taken over all public spaces. Makes one hard to breathe. Its redeeming feature is a plethora  of excellent museums though  It does not feel like it should or as before. Maybe once Trump era gets over ......

Boston vibe  gives a high too but it has more gravitas! It comes wrapped with a lot of  American history and resonates with deep academic seriousness. There is a likeable openness that is typical of the American society. It is driven by the student population and its past as the cradle of the American revolution. Your experiences are free, open, accepting and generous! Significant hallmarks of the west. It is right after my own heart.

On that note  Quincy market there opened in 1826. There are reportedly over 100 food stalls there today. It is lively and  very popular. Several performers , singers and musicians can be seen performing outside all around it. Couples, families , kids  and youngsters sit on the stairs; on the pavement , on benches and just stand around to enjoy the music every evening. It is a sight that will restore your faith in humanity. We have indeed evolved from an animal state; at least culturally.

The establishment that I want to draw your attention to is called J J Donovan's Tavern. It opened with the market and has been in operation for 200 years. A simple beer tastes different here. Costs different too! It is worth it.  Apparently a drinking establishment endures as well as an educational  establishment! 

I could not have missed both; could I ? 

 

 

आटे दाल का भाव!

old ration shop

स्वर्णा चक्की फ्रेश आटे का  बीस पाउंड का बैग कब बारह डॉलर से उन्नीस का हो गया पता ही नहीं चला। यूं तो पहले भी ये दो इक डॉलर महंगा ही था औरों के मुकाबले ; पर अब सरासर चुभ रहा है! ला हम फिर भी वही रहे हैं। कोई रोटी खाना तो बंद नहीं न हो सकता! फिर ऐसे वैसे कोई भी आटा नहीं चलेगा। छोटी मोटी बातों को दिल पे लगाएंगे तो जियेंगे कैसे? यहां तो जीने के लिए बड़े बड़े गहरे दाग भी सबकी नज़र बचा के जिगर में छुपाये मुस्करा रहे है।

पर देखो अगर पेट भरा हो, सिर पर छत और बदन पे कपड़ा हो फिर भी कोई कितना लालच करे, इसकी कोई सीमा है कि नहीं। अपने पे नज़र डालूं तो कई बार कई लोगों को कभी मज़ाक़ में कभी कुछ इर्ष्या से कहते सुना है, "अरे ये तो लेक्सेस में चलते हैं"! मुझे इसमें कुछ खास बात नहीं लगती। लेक्सेस कौन सी रोल्स रॉयस है? मुझे  तो डेढ़ लाख डॉलर की मर्सिडीज जी वैगन पसंद आ रही है। तो क्या करूं इस लालच के लिए? नशा बेचना शुरू कर दूं क्या? 

यही पर मानसिक संतुलन; कमिटमेंट; मोरालिटी; सेल्फ कंट्रोल और एथिक्स की  आजमाइश शुरू होती है। मेरा मानना है कि कोई भी हर एक मोर्चा जीत नहीं पाता। लालच  और हवस की रस्ते  रस्ते रोक टोक है। पर खुद को सस्ते में पूरा का पूरा बेच डाले जो; थोड़े लालच के लिए, उसको क्या कहें! हैं कुछ लोग और मेरी बदकिस्मती से मेरी पहचान के ! वैसे इस मुद्दे पर सिर्फ वर्षों से मै ही अपना जी जला रहा हूं, वो अपना वजूद  हार के भी खुद को जीता हुआ समझते है! दूर कहीं अपनी दुनिया में खुश है! खुश रहें।

चाहे तो इसे हम एक ईश्वरीय माया कहें , चाहे सत्य,  पर सीता माता ने लक्ष्मण रेखा लांघी ! क्या हुआ? सोने का हिरण मिला? मिलता कैसे, ऐसा कुछ होता ही नहीं! फ़िर मिला क्या ? लांछन और विरह मिला! फिर धरती में समा जाने का भाग्य मिला ! कुछ सीखते हम इस कथा से पर हम हैं कि भागे चले जा रहे हैं किसी न किसी स्वर्णमृग के पीछे पीछे; हर लक्ष्मण रेखा लांघते हुए ! 

मैं ये कभी न कहूंगा कि पैसा बुरी चीज़ है। मसला यहां आता है कि कितना और कैसे। शास्त्रों ने समझाया है मनुष्य जीवन का लक्ष्य। धर्म, अर्थ, काम, मोक्ष !  आसान शब्दों में कहे तो अपना कर्म सही नियम से करके  पैसा कमाओ। उससे मौज मस्ती भी करो और प्रभु में लीन हो जन्म मरण के चक्रव्यू से मुक्त हो! तो देखा न पैसा कमाना बुरा नहीं , उसका उपयोग भी शास्त्र सम्मत है। बस धर्म अनुसार यानि नियमानुसार हो तभी तो मोक्ष भी प्राप्त होगा। वरना लालच ने तो ले डूबना है ही!

सुनो भाई अब कोई बाबर लुटेरा मंदिर लूटने फरगना से नहीं आता। हम लोग काफी हैं ! अब समझ आया क्यों 500 साल श्रीराम मंदिर नहीं बन पाया।  धोखा देने में ज़रा भी हिचक नहीं है बस अपना फायदा होना चाहिए! गद्दार बनने का कोई  मौका मिले तो सही, किसी की भी पीठ में खंजर उतार दें। मंदिर की दान पेटी से चोरी करना कौन सी बड़ी बात हो गई! हुआ क्या अगर जीवन भर का दाग लग गया? तीन मंजिला मकान तो बन गया! इज़्ज़त गई तो गई ,पैसा तो आया! ग़द्दार हुए तो क्या हुआ, अपना फायदा था लपक लिया! क्या होता है भक्तों की धार्मिक भावनाओं को चोट पहुंचाना? जाने किस बात का शोर  मचा रखा है ?

वो गाना सुना है ना ,"देते हैं भगवान को धोखा, इंसा को क्या छोड़ेंगे। कसमे वादे प्यार वफ़ा सब बातें हैं बातों का क्या। कोई किसी का नहीं है पगले...."  लानत है उनके इस जीवन पर। मंदिर के द्वार पर इज़्ज़त से जीवन यापन का सुअवसर मिला था पर उन्होंने धोखेबाज़; गद्दार; चंदा चोर बनना चुना!

मैकेंजी स्कॉट का नाम सुना होगा।  ये शायद कभी किसी मंदिर में न गई होंगी। कोई पूजा पाठ नहीं करती होंगी। कभी ऐमजॉन के संस्थापक जेफ बोज़ोस की पत्नी थी। दानवीर हैं; लेखिका हैं। अमेजन के 1.3% शेयर अभी भी इनके पास है। दुनिया की सबसे अमीर महिलाओं में से एक हैं। इनके पास लगभग 40 बिलियन अमेरिकी डालर  की संपत्ति है। साल 2025 तक अपनी संपति में से 26.2 बिलियन डॉलर दान कर चुकी थी। अभी तक रुकी नहीं हैं। कभी समय निकाल कर देखना एक बिलियन में कितने जीरो लगते हैं। और 26.2 से उसको गुणा कर देना। फिर 95 से उस रकम को गुणा करोगे तो रुपये में जो नंबर आयेगा गिन न पाओगे! मुँह खुला का खुला रह जाएगा!

कबीरदास जी कह गए हैं," साईं इतना दीजिए, जामे कुटुंब समाय। मैं भी भूखा न रहूं, साधु न भूखा जाये।। नहीं चाहिए एक इंसान को बेइन्तहा पैसा। अच्छा कर्म कमाओ। इस विदेशी महिला ने बता दिया धर्म, अर्थ , काम का क्या मतलब होता है। इन्हें मोक्ष कम से कम मुझ से तो पहले प्राप्त होगा। 

सब कुछ पैसे में तौलना बहुत महंगा पड़ता है। फिर ये हम पर निर्भर करता है कि पैसा हमे हमारी औकात दिखा देता है या कि हम पैसे को उसकी औकात बताते है। मैकेंजी स्कॉट की तरह हम भी बताएं पैसे को कि बस तुम दो रोटी की हैसियत रखते हो। आटे दाल की तरह मेरे चरित्र का भाव नहीं लगता; मेरी वफ़ा अनमोल है। मेरा वचन बाजार में नहीं बिकता! मेरा कर्म और कर्तव्य पैसे के परे है !

गाड़ियों की दुनिया का एक कॉन्सेप्ट है ,'lifetime ownership cost'. मतलब ये कि एक गाड़ी 15/ 20 साल चलती है तो कितना खर्चा खायेगी। आम तौर ये माना जाता है कि जापानी गाड़ियों का रख रखाव सबसे कम  और जर्मन गाड़ियों का खर्च सबसे अधिक होता है। टोयोटा की गाड़ी फोक्सवैगन की गाड़ी से महंगी मिलती है पर लोग फिर भी टोयोटा लेते हैं। पता है कि सालों साल जिंगा ला ला रहेगा। फोक्सवैगन आज कुछ बचवा देगी पर 2/4 साल में ही खर्चा करवाएगी और फिर बहुत खर्च करके भी मुफ्त में तंग करती रहेगी।

कर्म का भी कुछ ऐसा ही है। सद्कर्म करते समय उलझन होती है; महंगा लगता है; मुश्किल लगता है। पर ये सारा कुल जमा सबसे सस्ता पड़ता है, जीवन भर आराम से चलता भी है। दुष्कर्म बस करने में आसानी है! उस वक़्त फायदा भी दिखता है। कुछ मिलता भी है! बाद में सारी उम्र की परेशानी, निराशा और ग्लानि से निबटो!

सो स्वर्णा आटा लिया करें। महंगा जरूर है ; सब जगह मिलता भी नहीं पर सेहत के लिए बेहतर है।  एडेड शुगर  0% है। दूसरे आटे बताए बगैर 3% चीनी आपको खिलाते हैं! नमक और चीनी कम से कम रखेंगे तो सुखी रहेंगे।

सोचा आज शनिवार को आपको आटे दाल  का भाव ही बता दूं!

Fusion- Confusion!

AI Generated conceptual fusion reactor 

Flex fuel; hybrid and EV! Words pretty common these days. We are all aware of the current challenges with the fossil fuel. There is still a lot of it but wars, tariffs and muscular economic policies by the 'haves' nations have put serious challenges to the public; specially the "have nots"!

 

Electric motor was invented in 1821 by Michael Faraday. Yes; that was 200 years ago ! A battery was invented even earlier in 1800 by Alessandro Volta. An electric light was not  created until 1879 . Of course you know from that primary science book - it was Thomas Edison! That was really the turning point. Electricity increasingly became critical to human society. We now need it for ...... everything. From waking up to an alarm and using a battery tooth brush to toasting your bread and making coffee and iron your shirt. From Using your laptop for work  and cellphone for communication ; to using X Ray and other medical devices for health care ...... even those red, green and amber lights at every intersection. All things need electricity. Your gas pump needs it , municipal services need it to manage waste and pump clean water into your home. Your HVAC systems run on it. It was only time before personal transportation became dependant on it.

 

I am at an age where I have collected a treasure trove of stories. So here is a true personal one. It happened on 14th August 2003, exactly one year after I arrived in North America . The big blackout unfolded - largest power outage in history occurred ! Electric grid tripped and over 50 million people were without electricity. I was kind of used to this in India except I was no longer in India. Soon We realized that not only can we not drive anywhere because  there was mayhem on the roads without any traffic lights; we can not even sit at home and sip coffee! Why; because the coffee maker will not work and the stove and oven you are wondering about was........you got it. It was electric too. Fridge died; milk and other cooked food spoiled in the august heat and I had two little kids to feed. 

 

I walked across the street to the big grocery store in the strip plaza. They were open but not really open for business. I picked up a bunch of banana and tried to pay for it; the high school dropout cashier refused to sell it to me because her weighing  scale and the connected cash computer was no longer powered! She did not know how to complete the sale.  My mind was racing and my over active imagination was  dramatically picturing my kids crying of hunger! I went  up to the store manager, explained the situation and then proceeded to tell him how he can continue operation. Just use the manual spring scale hanging at every produce stall to weigh; multiply the weight by the price on a piece of paper like a grade 3 child  and ask for exact change from the customer. simple elementary task!  A light went on in his head. He thanked me profusely  like I was Einstein come back to life. Of course I got that banana bunch! Can you even imagine how cripplingly  dependent we have become on electricity? Some people can not even wipe their back side without it!  Hello! I am joking; everyone can !

 

Coal burning  power generation is seriously problematic. Hydro electric power is a lot better but its environmental impact and the high  dependency upon monsoons as well as Dam safety considerations are not insignificant. For stable sure power It is clear that we need to go nuclear. I know ,I know you are thinking Chernobyl ! Well there is risk in crossing the road too! We do it anyway by standing well behind the zebra crossing and wait for pedestrian lights to come up and then quickly walk across before it turns red.

 

Currently all nuclear power plants are fission power. What it means is that the reactors split the  unstable atom of a fissile material like uranium or plutonium resulting in the release of  massive energy which is then converted to electricity. Of course it comes with the problem of the need for long term secure storage of radioactive waste. Long term is really long term. Some isotopes have a half life of 2.5 billion years! No, I am not joking here. There is also the real danger of a nuclear meltdown when the process become unstable. Something like what happened in Chernobyl. It is not a lone incident. A number of other accidents, mishaps and misevents of various intensity have occurred already. 

 

What are our options then? Fusion is one. So what happens in a fusion reactor is that unlike fission reactor we combine two lighter nuclei into a single nucleus. Combining actually produces thrice the energy of a split. The good thing is it relies on hydrogen isotopes Deuterium and Tritium  instead of uranium. If you remember your basic chemistry you know water is 2 hydrogen and 1 oxygen; H2O. We can get a lot of hydrogen rather easily and then extract the isotopes. I am making it sound easy only because this technology already exists. Fusion reactors also produce helium as a waste. It is harmless. These reactors can not melt down. if the process malfunctions the reaction just stops.

 

There is currently one fusion power  plant and it is far far away.  There are a couple of technologies being perfected  for the reactor design including magnetic confinement and accelerated plasma. They are not yet ready to be operational. Every country that has the scientific resources is really working hard to get there. A few private players are pursuing the inertial confinement reactor design as well. No one has had complete success yet. A commercially viable fusion power plant is a work in progress .

 

Did I not tell you that there is  one plant far away? Yes there is one and it is called Sun! The sun ; our sun is a fusion power plant. Elon Musk is a pretty smart fellow and he believes we are unnecessarily trying to replicate on earth something which is already happening so efficiently in our neighbourhood. We should be trying to use the power radiated by sun instead! A good point I do not entirely disagree with. We should invest in efficiently harnessing power from sea waves; windmills as well as solar panels. Work on improving efficiencies of solar panel technology; power storage and distribution etc. etc. But there should be no confusion on the need for a fusion reactor.

 

I would like to have another sun! Wouldn't you?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

Aah, Taj!

Taj by moonlight. AI's interpretation.

It is quite mysterious how Taj Mahal came to be the most known symbol of India. India is hard to define, harder to describe and hardest to brand!  On top of everything, asking for one single image to encapsulate it all.....somebody; most likely an alcoholic British colonial halfwit chose Taj Mahal and it has stuck.

Of all the amazing masterpieces of architecture India has; they had to pick this! Why had they not heard about the largest monolithic structure in the world; the kailasa temple? A 107' high building  site, two times the size of Parthenon at Athens; carved out of a single rock?

Part of the Taj story is the romanticism associated with the building. A king apparently got it constructed to bury his fourth wife Mumtaj ......oh; was it the third. Ok, 3rd then! There is no knowing how many wives, concubines, keeps and other subjugated women passed thru the royal chambers! Islamic love is hard to keep count of !

ShahJehan, according to popular belief  killed Mumtaj's husband to marry her. The evidence is a bit weak on that but it is historically proven that Mumtaj bore 14 children in the 19 years they were together and she died in childbirth! None of this 'permanently pregnant' status sounds like love to me!

I visited Agra first time on a grade 2 school trip. I do not remember much except the bus ride and the fact that a teacher scolded me for something which I do not recollect. There is no picture. I wanted to have my picture taken, since so many other people were getting clicked by the commercial photographers. I do not think we had a camera along. We were so little and it was more than half a century ago. It is pretty hazy! It was a day trip, we returned late evening and my mother collected me from school.

A couple of years later my maternal uncle tagged me along on a trip to Agra. This time we stayed overnight with a friend of my uncle. They were both completing their M.D. at Delhi. We did not see the Taj at night. This friend had a RolliFlex  film camera  and I asked for my picture to be taken. I posed , they clicked. It was a pretend click just to humour a child.  No individual picture ever got produced. You should never deceive a child! Being honest is not hurtful, it shows that you trust them with information. Simplify it, but tell the truth! It is also helpful if you can provide another option while denying one. It is very humiliating when you lie! Children know you are lying; as I did! Deception has a negative effect on a child's innocent mind! You are teaching them it's OK to lie! It is not!

One of the most beautiful sights in the world is a laughing child. One of the most satisfying thing in this world is being the reason for that laugh!

There is a B&W group picture from this trip somewhere that features me. It is somewhere but also etched on my heart. A young boy in shorts standing at an angle to the camera.  You see they could have easily told me this. " We will get a picture of everyone together", There, see how easy saying the truth was! I would have been happy and would never have remembered this bad lifelong experience of subterfuge! I do have a clearer idea of this trip. I remember sitting on a stone bench and eating. I was still too young to understand 'love' and that this place was the lover's ' Mecca'! 

As an adult I did see it in moonlight - eventually! A friend accompanied me on this occasion. We boarded a slow train and travelled on the upper berth from nizamuddin railway station to Agra. I liked this trip better because of the company. Although there were a few anxious moments and some disagreements. Not sure why! Anyway I saw it in moonlight and God knows I did not feel any romance in the cold building at all. Once you know the history of things , it is not possible to unknow it! It will colour all of your experiences going forward. Especially if that history was not exactly kosher!

Aga Khan award for excellence in architecture is prestigious and is held every three years. I designed the built part (there was a performance part too) one year it was held at Agra. There were a few different sites for different elements like seminars/workshops and winning design showcase exhibition ; in addition to the main award ceremony site; which was an open ground at a hotel called Taj Khema.  You can see Taj from its grounds. We used that view as a background  for 'no design high creative appeal' effect. Incorporating the free view into overall design / planning  did go rather well with the client's brief. It actually sold our project design.

I have to admit that Taj looks shimmering in moonlight from a distance.

I did travel a few times to Agra before that event for client meetings; site measurements; design presentations, contractor selections etc. however I never set foot inside the Taj premises. Even during the build process at various venues I just did not bother to visit. There was no time either and nothing was scheduled at the monument premises anyway. You might have guessed by now that I am probably the only person on this earth that is not a fan of  Taj.

Last time I visited though was so  very different from my previous subpar experiences. My daughter was set to go to university and her complaint was that she has no experience of 'India'!  "People think I am Indian. They ask me and I am blank. I have not even been to Taj Mahal", is how she put it. So we promised to show her a bit of India before she heads out to the uni. This time I went like a 'not Indian", which I certainly am not. I am not a not Indian. We booked an Agra  package. A vehicle  would pick us from our home in Delhi. We got a guide and we bought queue free express entry in Dollars. Guide tells you a lot of rehearsed non sense but it kind of makes the commentary nuanced. This was the  best Taj trip for me because my children enjoyed it. I skipped the gory history, as did the guide.

Remember what I said about bringing a smile to children! The  experience was made greater because the travel agent my son had booked online with had also included  a lunch in the price. Something we did not realize till our vehicle stopped at the restaurant.  It was one of the best meals I have ever had and trust me I used to work for Hyatt and for two and half years I only ate five star lunches everyday; and dinners too;  quite so often! I know what good food tastes like! 

That travel agent had done a good job with our booking. I met the guy at his inlay souvenir  factory. He was old money with several pies in the oven. This travel thing was one of his sons extra curricular activity. Old money are class- mostly; nouveau riche are crass -mostly !

 

No, I still do not see Taj as even remotely romantic. Firstly it is mislabelled. Taj Mahal means Crown Palace! It is an effing graveyard! Palace, are you serious! How on earth do you build a palace  on the foundations of dead bodies? You can only erect a grave stone on the buried. It is a big white Grave Stone with inlay work!  Who in their right mind would wander off to romance in a cemetery? Really who? Love and romance is associated with warmth, colour and exuberant joy! Not with a cold, white, barren marble tomb; made to mourn the loss of a beloved ! I do not blame the builders though! They designed it for the mourning king and to that extent it is doing its job. Their intention for it was never  to be a palace, much less a mecca of romance . It is a mausoleum. Would you ever use a mortuary building as a marriage hall ? 

 

Remember this in life too! You can not laugh by making others cry! You will never get peace by robbing others of theirs. A deceiver will get deceived in time! Karma is real. It may take a long time and it maybe one  lone person pointing at the  king that has no robes on; but some day, someone like me will come along and say it out loud!

'' The palace you made is your grave"! It is a grave! It is! It is!