ChinmayC Blog

The genocides, tortures, murders and rapes currently coming to light in Uttar Pradesh of Northern India only prove that feudalism still rules in this region. Feudal lords of states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar may have assumed a democratic nomenclature, but  their basic nature and execution of duties remain horrifyingly the same as in the middle ages. The situation is confounded by still existing poverty, illiteracy, damnable traditions and exploding population. Though bitter political fights are being fought over this saga of inhumanity, it’s hardly political. The ruling party may be under a lot of pressure and if this eventually effects transfer of  power to an opposition party the situation would not ever improve. This basically means a transfer of power from a feudal lord to another equally reactionary feudal lord. Feudal exploitation would remain its mantra. No wonder, the Women Reservation Bill has been facing maximum opposition from these two states. Because, the basic ...

Intuitive people cultivate meditation and some of them acquire spiritual or divine power. They remain in a constant awakened state and keep getting cosmic messages on all issues they are approached or told about. Such people are programmed and designed by the cosmos to help and guide distressed and gullible souls toward achieving Nirvana. If they try earning money from their power they lose it fast and inevitably. I know quite a few awakened personalities including our guru Vijay Deutale (Bhaiya) who are helping people selflessly and sometimes transferring the ailments of their devotees to theirs visiting the followers on their own cost whenever called and never get irritated or angry or unwilling. Through their prescribed ways they absorb the negativity out of you and finally neutralize it. Some of them never even needs to eat. A divine fragrance envelopes them all the time. All of them tell on their own that earning money from their power is prohibited by the High Command. They a...

Jyotirmay Dey , crime editor of a Mumbai eveninger Midday, was shot dead in broad daylight yesterday afternoon at Powai township.  Dey was returning home on his bike when four people on two motorcycles came up to him and shot five rounds of bullets into him from close range.  This brutal murder looked to be very professional and it indicates involvement of the Mumbai underworld. More specifically the oil mafia. Apart from his regular articles Dey wrote two researched books on the underworld and recently he was writing a series on diesel adulteration in a particular locality near Mumbai for which he received threatening calls of late. An investigative journalist goes down to mafia bullets for writing his views. Only last January an additional district collector of the Government of Maharashtra, Yashwant Sonawane was burnt alive in broad daylight for inspecting suspicious activities of petrol and diesel adulteration. It's very disturbing. Both acts showed bold defiance of the pe...

Basically, the politicians of India have failed miserably to deliver on curbing the menace of corruption and black money. Huge and huger scams kept on surfacing making the masses disillusioned. So, social activists, saints, god-men and the like have come to occupy the center stage starting a movement against corruption. Anna Hazare , who was relatively unknown outside Maharashtra, sat on fast in the national capital in April, 2011 and became a national hero eliciting unprecedented mass support. Many political parties and leaders wanted to be a part of this, but Anna was firm keeping the movement non-political. Ramdev Baba , the Yoga-guru who made his billions all over the world running two television channels and stigmatized by the alleged murder of his own guru, saw this and thought why not have some political power and clout. He picked up black money issue which is only the other side of a larger issue of corruption. He started his fast unto death at Ramleela Ground, New Delhi yeste...

If you are honest it's only by exception, because corruption is now the overpowering rule! That you are honest is only a personal feeling, that you are proud of the fact at your heart, 'Oh! I'm honest! I'll always be honest! I may suffer all my life, but I'll live with my head held high!' Yes, that's the only thing you'll achieve being honest apart from undergoing all the stresses, dismay, tension, shame and anger involved in the honesty paradigm! If you are offered a bribe in your own office the honest you will definitely and indignantly decline it. But the fact is bound to remain forever with you only. Because, you won't be able to share it with anyone in your office for the simple fact that you are never sure who is how much in it! You are only likely to antagonize the system and the system will retaliate by making you a scapegoat. You cannot even take it to the top, because at the top level corruption combines with power making it lethal and omin...

Today I just happened to read a news item regarding a Mumbai railway canteen which is serving only biscuits and samosas due to policy decisions. And, suddenly all the nostalgia came surging back to me! Call it fate or coincidence, in the late eighties and early nineties I used to miss the connecting trains on my journeys from Mumbai to Guwahati almost always getting stranded at Howrah. But during my nights at the second class waiting room floors I used to have sound sleep, Because, I always had the sumptuous thali (rice plate) at the Howrah railway cafeteria. All the varieties were there--vegetarian, fish curry plate, egg curry plate or the chicken thali . The food was homely, innocent and always tasty. To make matters ecstatic, I was ravenously hungry on all the occasions! Not only at Howrah, all of the railway canteens anywhere in India appealed to my gastronomic mind hugely. They looked so welcoming and appetizing. It was a comfort zone, almost a home where you can barge in with all...

Well, are you intrigued seeing the fish? Fish is almost a staple diet in Assam, but don't worry, I am not going to promote eating fish! This comes in a hilarious context only. And the context is anyway Assam! We finally arrived in Guwahati on 6th May afternoon thanks to Air India! For my ten days the trip had been really hectic. Just everything was done and accomplished. Attended from funerals to weddings involving travel, Ragini had two one-hour interview programs on different news channels-the second one being on the day I left, Ragini also had hugely appreciated concert of devotional music at the beautiful premises of Balaji Mandir (Temple) and I managed to meet my best friends and also spent valuable time with an eminent poet-writer of Assam. So, then, I thought of celebrating Assam with a good joke about 'fish'! In certain areas of Assam fishermen are very smart and sharp. They believe that they are giving a most wanted service and they want to be respected and trusted...