Sachin Rules!

Image source: Rediff.com
Commit all your crimes when Sachin is batting. They will go unnoticed because even the Lord is watching.

- Reads a banner at Sydney Cricket Ground

How many times have we crucified him and how many times he has risen up from the ashes. That's Sachin Tendulkar for you.

Dumbledore’s Army & Rang De Basanti

As I was watching the latest Harry Potter flick, I couldn’t help but draw similarities a few key scenes in the movie had that with the current scenario we are facing in our education system. The movie opens with the resent day scenario that Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry is facing. The Ministry of Magic – more of a governing body, is influencing & trying to make inroads into the way Hogwarts had been running so far. Intentional ignorance displayed by Ministry of Magic headed by Cornelius Fudge takes over reasoning of Albus Dumbledore. The Ministry’s growing influence can be seen as they manage to appoint a new teacher - Dolores Umbridge in Hogwarts. Parroting what Ministry has always believed in (that Lord Voldemort has not returned) she starts influencing the student community much to their discomfort. Though appointed as a defense against the dark arts teacher, she rather believes in giving theoretical lessons rather than practical as like her ministry, she believes that the text book curriculum would be sufficient for the students who are made to live in a make believe world sans Lord Voldermort. However Harry Potter, the rebel amongst the students is not happy and when he protests, he gets punished. But to practically prepare students against the dark lord, he starts an underground organization called as Dumbledore’s Army. This organization prepares the students, secretly to tackle against the evil forces.

Compare this with the times in which we live today. The growing ‘controversial’ intervention of Ministry of Magic – which in our case is the HRD Ministry, can be seen in all spheres of education these days. Right from conflicting views on sex education in books to different interpretations of religious scriptures, the list goes on. The Ministry’s plan to ‘plant’ their own directors in IIMs by releasing a recruitment ad in leading new dailies for the post is so Hogwarts like scenario. Imagine if the Ministry succeeds in their latest plan to have a controlling say in IIMs. The directors appointed by Ministry would obviously come with a predefined propaganda which would besides other things include a say on the implementation of increased quota system – a pet ‘project’ of HRD Ministry. Already the Ministry’s plan is getting stiff resistance from our modern day Dumbledore’s Army – the students, who have united to make themselves heard. But sadly, unlike Harry & his band, they don’t have much of ‘magical’ powers to resist against the dark forces of the Ministry. Whatever resistances the students have tried to put have got crushed down by the powerful forces controlled by the Ministry alliances (read police). It wouldn’t be too long when a few from these Dumbledore’s Army would go underground and do a ‘Rang De Basanti’ on the dark forces from the Ministry. Will it solve the purpose? Probably no, but it would rattle the Ministry enough to think twice before venturing out with their vicious plans.

The cat & the baba...

On sunday night while I was just about to sleep, I heard my mom screaming in her sleep. It seems she was going through some bad nightmare. We all rushed to the room and woke her up. Badly shaken, she woke up, didn't say much and then went off to sleep again.

Next day she told us that she saw a black cat in her dream and the cat was stalking her. usually whenever she has seen the black cat in her dreams, something good had happened. Like she told us that before I was born, a day or two before that, ahem...she had seen the cat. So, a good omen, but for what? We didn't know.

We then headed for an appointment with our lawyer. We had to show him the draft copy of our agreement papers before heading to the builder's office for final submission of demand drafts and completion of other formalities. After the meeting, we had a quick breakfast at a small cafe nearby. Just when we were planning to leave, a sadhu baba dressed in the garb of Sai baba approached us and asked us if we could spare some food for him. Now me being me, I don't really entertain sadhus, especially ones who beg. But my dad belongs to a different breed. He took out his wallet to offer him some money, but the sadhu refused the money and requested if we could feed him with something. So stuck with the unusual request, dad asked him to step in the cafe and told the waiter to serve the sadhu with a plate of vada sambhaar. My dad, who himself is a staunch believer of sai baba, in someway felt that perhaps it was god himself in disguise or else when do you come across fakirs & babas who refuse money. Not thinking too much about it, we reached the builder's office.

The marketing lady before getting down to start the formalities gave an offer to us. She said that just yesterday someone had canceled his booking (which was made about a month back) and the rate that was offered to that person was Rs. 25 less than our negotiated final rate. She said if we wanted, she can pass on that rate to us. A quick calculation and we realised with the new rate, it would mean a saving of over Rs.28,000 to us. An unexpected gift like this, who can say no! Just 2 weeks back we had spent over 5 hrs to negotiate and cut down rates by over 3 lakhs. A rupee more of rate cut was met with stiffest of resistance. And here within 2 minutes we got a further discount of over 28k. After completing the formalities , happily we stepped out.

The events that took place ysday night and today morning played in my mind and b4 even I could say anything, mom & dad voiced it. The cat + feeding the baba = unexpected savings

The rational side of me cannot accept it. But somewhere in back of my mind, I can't discount it either.