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And then I graduated ….

Posted by Ritesh - 31/07/09 at 11:07:16 am

I am happy to say that I graduated again. This time with a Masters in Information Technology. Two years spent at IIIT-Bangalore was probably the best time of my life. I met and studied under some wonderful professors, made lot of friends and learned a whole lot about a lot of things.  My reason for joining the Masters program was very simple, I realized that I didnt know a lot and needed to at least start somewhere. It was supposed to the answer the question I asked myself time and again. What I wanted to do in life. I was certain that I would have a clear answer by the end of two years. Instead, after masters, I find myself more confused than ever about what to do. I realized what I missed out on. I also realize , and accepted, that I don’t know a lot in terms of anything. My thirst for knowledge has grown ten fold; my interests in varied domains have increased as well. Anyway, this was supposed to be a happy post about my graduation, instead, its turned into another morose self introspection. This was the first real graduation I have had and I must say, I made the most of it. Hope many more graduations follow   Here are some photos from the event.

Bangalorean

Posted by Ritesh - 17/07/09 at 04:07:24 am

Whenever I meet non Bangaloreans, I am always asked a bunch of questions: “Sweater? Is it that cold outside? “, or here’s another favorite: ” can you explain  why you wear socks while wearing sandals “. The answer lies hidden in socio-cultural trends that have emerged from the colleges and homes of Bangaloreans. This post will hopefully try and demystify all that.

Let me start by describing the typical Bangalorean (B- for short). A typical Bangalorean is rare yet mystical combination of traditionalism and post modern fundamentalism. Both these traits, the typical Bangalorean will adopt given the appropriate social setting. Most B-Girls can pull off a very traditional Silk Saree and an evening dress with the same level of comfort and confidence. The same with B-guys pulling off a Kurta, Dhoti and Suit with the same elegance. Most B’s, especially those raised in Brahmin households, have dabbled a bit in Classical music, Indian classical dance or art in their younger days. Most have then deserted their cultural skills citing reasons as diverse as lack to time to just, “it was not cool in college”.

As kids, specifically the generation that was in school in the late 90′s, B-girls and boys were treated to a mix of cultures. The  onset of cable television did bring a powerful dose of globalization to urban India; parents made sure that amidst all the cultural chopsuey, their kids held on to their traditionalist values. Which is why most B’s grow up with a multicutural influences and practices.  Most B-kids can relate to watching the Mahabharath/Ramayan on TV as well as watching Remington Steele, Knight Rider and Wonder Years. The result of this cultural mishmash was the multitude of cultural fads (read popular culture) that influenced the youth during the late 90′s. These cultural fads were purely a result of the amount of infusion of global culture in the households of the kids. Take for example the places I studied during the late 90′s. Different groups of Individuals had different heroes and role models, and each group followed a different cultural norm. Its not hard to figure out that kids from different cultural tastes didn’t mix much but, there really wasn’t too much tension amonst them either. Each one was happy knowing the other was, in some way, not their type. Here are some of the cultural groups that I can readily think of:

1. There were the Americanized kids who lived like the kids from Wonder Years or SweetValley High; these were probably the ones with access to cable, imported paraphernalia and whose parents shared multi cultural tastes themselves.
2. The traditionalist kids were the ones that watched regional movies, didn’t realize the importance of branded clothing and tended to abhor the Americanized kids. Their parents probably didnt allow them to access  Euro-American television or magazines and worse yet, portrayed the same as a form of evil.
3. There were the liberals who believed in both schools of popular culture,and  who experienced a mix of both these cultures. Most of these kids didnt need to rely on popular culture as a mark of identity.
4. Then there were kids like me, who didn’t know what the f* they were doing.

One thing I have to unanimously agree on is that B-kids are very well read. You will find kids in high school influenced by the works of Wodehouse, Forsyth, Alistar Mac Lean,Crichton,  Agatha Christie, Dickens and Sheldon to name a few. Enid Blyton doesn’t help with the clarity on popular culture either, if anything, the famous fives and secret sevens have just ruined it for most of us. They would do unthinkable things and we would be left wondering about our miserable and non adventurous lives.

Certain things don’t excite B’s. Bollywood for example, just doesn’t excite us. Yes, there are the occasional Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik fans, but why settle for these when you can watch Kevin Spacey or Brad Pitt. We are also not very into sports. Cricket still is the most popular but you wont find the same level of fanaticism as the rest of India. Exhibitionism, of wealth and prosperity, is also not a very strong characteristic of B’s. B’s dont like over paying for South Indian food. Nothing more than Rs 30 for a dosa, but yes, Dal Fry can go as high as Rs 150. Technologically we are very sound and learned. Most have interacted with computers from the early 90′s. Enough said, let me answer those questions I asked.

Why do I wear a sweater? Most B’s do. Take a look around. Given the general chill in the air, most B’s have a wide variety of warm clothing. This includes sweat shirts, sleeveless sweaters, cardigans, jackets etc. All we need is the weather to be remotely close to “not hot”.

Why do I wear socks when I wear sandals? most B’s start riding a two wheeler once they are out of school. Bangalore is also a very windy city, so there is usually a lot of sand and mud on the roads. We wear socks for ergonomic reasons. Not because its cool, but because it keeps our feet clean, esp when we ride. It also saves our legs from looking like a zebra’s hide due to the exposure of the open parts of our feet to the sun.

More to come …. But do reply with other traits that you think are uniquely Bangalorean.

All that glitters is immoral to own

Posted by Ritesh - 03/05/09 at 05:05:57 am

To have gold is to be in fear, and to want it to be sorrow.

Then why is it that people are so attracted to it. Gold and diamonds have time and again been responsible for some of the worst wars in the history of mankind, and yet, people long to own it. A visit to any jewellers shop on a weekend should be enough to understand how crazy people are about this yellow metal. 

 

 

 

 This got me thinking about why gold was what it was. Some of the earliest records of human history depict how people adorned themselves with gold. It was a symbol of wealth and prosperity. Countries still speak of Gold reserves and I am sure, every one’s heard of Fort Knox. Its viral. History shows gold as being the symbol of affluence, society doesn’t treat buying gold as being morally wrong and the effect of this is the craze that surrounds gold. Indian traditions, as with many other religions I am sure, mandate gold  offerings during certain ceremonies and rituals. Such is the value attributed to the ownership of gold. And why is Gold expensive? Because it is so hard to get. 

One hardly realizes that every gram of gold probably has a very unfortunate story to be told. Mining tops the list of the most dangerous professions in the world. Along with being the most dangerous of the professions, its also the most hazardous as almost every miner is plagued with a variety of diseases specific to miners. Same goes with diamonds and other precious metals. I don’t need to explain the perils of people in African countries and the famed conflict diamonds. 

And, I don’t buy the argument that by not buying gold we are denying people a livelihood. I can make the same argument about prostitution and I don’t think that’s morally acceptable. A lot of people believe about diamonds and jewellery being cursed and I think its more than fitting given so many lives are lost in the process of procuring them. The next time anyone buys gold or any other precious metals, think of these facts.

Rains and the society

Posted by Ritesh - 25/04/09 at 07:04:36 am

Rains are common sight in Bangalore. Ever since the day I started travelling by myself, I distinctly remember being stuck in the rain. I was stuck yesterday for more than an hour and it got me thinking.  Rains are a great leveler.  

 

I am sure many relate to the image above. It usually starts with the realization that its going to pour.  The feeling of cold dampness in the air, hitting you whilst you try and race to your destination. This is usually accompanied by strong winds raising dust and debris from the road. Winds so strong that you see people meandering around the straight road in order to hold the wobbling two wheeler steady. 

 And it pours. Slowly at first, giving you a hope that you might actually make it to your destination with just a couple of wet spots on your shirt. Unfortunately nature doesn’t comply and lets it rip. This is followed by a frantic search of  the surroundings in hopes of finding a shelter. The problem here is that, more you hope of beating the rain with your superior driving, lesser is your chances of finding a good spot under a shelter. Most good spots are usually taken by people who seem to have been perenially standing there. Then there are extremely good spots, places where you can bite into a morsel or two whilst you wait for the rain to stop. In Bangalore, these are usually road side bonda or chaat shops and some times small hotels, that are more than ready to receive and service the stranded incidental customer. 

Then there is the company. A varied mix of people that will be a part of your life for a short time and will be forgotten within the hour.  This is where you relate to your position in society. The place where boundaries of caste, education, race and gender are diminished. For example, yesterday, I had the pleasure of sharing a small awning on the street with a mechanic, a young mother and her new born baby, a worried father who couldn’t believe that nature and fate had together let him down, a budding guitarist from eastern part of India, a woman who was dressed as a nurse and couple of people I couldn’t recognize because they felt it was too embarassing to remove their helmets while they waited under an awning for over an hour.  No, there was no food, nor was there any reprise from the winds that would blow a good helping of rain onto our unprotected selves. But there was goodwill. People who tried their best to help protect the young baby, giving the mother tips. People who gave a restless individual a polyethene cover, who decided that,  it would be better to brave the rain than stand helplessly . People who would enviously look at passing cars, often letting out a soft sigh as if indicating a sense of displeasure about their current state (envy is probably the most prevelant of the emotions amidst the Indian middle class, blog post on this soon). People who were more than ready to have a political debate about the recent elections often claiming superioirty of infrastructure in Bangalore, forgetting that they were stranded under an awning. There were no politicians or engineers or doctors. There were just people. Stuck in the rain.

Voter’s Dilemma

Posted by Ritesh - 17/04/09 at 06:04:39 am

Time for electing a new Cental Government and I am yet again puzzled by the dilemma that shrouds over my puny mind during every elections. I dont want to take any names, so lets just name the two major political parties A and B. My constituency has candidates from both these parties. Party A’s candidate sounds very promising but Party B is power in the state. Here’s the dilemma, given the structure of our political system, it becomes essential that the Centre – State relationship should stay healthy. It should be too given the policies that the centre holds control over. Since party B is in power, rationally, knowing the bigger scheme of things, I should’nt be voting for party A’s candidate as party A at the centre will mean disconnect in the dialogue between the centre and the state. And thats not good. But party A’s candidate is the best person according to my judgement. How do I solve this problem?

Reboot

Posted by Ritesh - 11/04/09 at 03:04:33 pm

A certain trigger got me thinking about our virtual identities and there were things that I couldn’t take a stand on. The first being that of boundaries in our lives. Fifteen years back, at least in India, we had to send out snail mails or greetings to all my relatives during festive seasons. The mail was more to serve as an update mechanism, a pretext to talk. My relatives would usually call back to acknowledge the receipt of the mail and then exchange updates on each of our families lives. This intrinsic need to discover and exchange information, fast and reliably, was the reason social networking sites and email saw such great adoption. What’s happened now is that we (or should I say, I) don’t recognize boundaries about our life. I am talking about people like me. The overtly public  beings who wish to tell the world about every happening in their life via a lifestream of sorts ( read twitter, blogs etc). I don’t think it even matters if there is someone on the other side who is interested in what I have to say.

Where do you draw the line when it comes to your real life vs your virtual life. Are modern day technologies upping the exhibitionism quotient in people like me? Where does my public life end and where does my private life start? Even though most of my lifestream updates usually tend to be knowledge sharing bits of information, usually interesting artifacts I find on the net or general thoughts. I starting to feel people are taking it the wrong way. I have a belief that a system is what controls actions of people. If blogs and twitter didn’t exist, would I still be the person that I am? This post by itself is a sort of a strangeloop if you think about it. What started as a forum for expressing my views on topics on everyday life has turned into frighful medium for exhibitionism. Will I stop ? Probably.  Will it affect my life and its priorities?  Definitely. I will still continue to pour my opinions on the web about certain artifacts, because thats what the internet is all about; diminishing information asymmetries.

Pink is the new Black

Posted by Ritesh - 16/02/09 at 02:02:12 pm

Given all the controversy about shipping of large quantities of pink undergarments to my fellow comrades, I would like to point out that my comrades were not deterred. If you notice my costume, I would say some elements are almost off pink, and in this twisted mix of satire and symbolism,  I have created a character to reflect the modern Indian  psyche.

Symbolic protests work well in certain situations, and it might have worked this valentine’s, but people are far from done with this issue. What the ignorant public has done is turned a self proclaimed saviour of Indian integrity into an internationally acclaimed figure. On the one hand are the people who are sending underwear to protest, on the other front, a sympathetic crowd is silently supporting the cause of AntiUnIndianism. Karnataka’s very own Chief Minister has expressed his disbelief, and I quote

Is it a crime to talk about religion? Is it a crime to infuse patriotism in young minds?

Whats wrong with this whole incident? A bunch of angry people beating up and  harassing women in public, an act which receives national attention and increased underwear sales; Has anyone asked what happens to the exact same people when they go home to their spouses. It took close to 4000 pieces of undergarments to protect the rights of about a dozen women, imagine how much the people would need for  ( by my rough calculations) 378 Million ladies. Anyone considering investing Jockey?

Someone told me that the law takes domestic violence seriously and books men who beat up their wives. I have heard otherwise. Most people I know say they sympathize with the man rather than the woman, mostly because they are spouse beaters themselves. Claim being, “when the hormones start acting up, you need to beat it down”. Whats more, the great Indian code of conduct, the manusmriti – the book most Indians claim to live by, makes beating your wife seem almost like a man’s fundamental right. Are these the values that we are trying to save in this amoral society ?

AntiUnIndian Man on Street Protests

Posted by Ritesh - 31/01/09 at 05:01:31 am

I happen to travel past Vidhan Soudha ( legislative assembly of Karnataka) on my way to work and the route to is dotted with either tourits or protesters. Last week , on the way to office, I had the good fortune to be stuck in the midst of a street protest by the farmers demanding reforms in land laws. While most people on the road were angry because of the blockade, I however, was more than happy to support their cause. Think curse of a democracy crossing the tragedy of the commons and you will know what most other people felt at that place.

But seriously, aren’t we a little too involved with our own lives? When do we take the time to understand what the pains the poor farmer feels ? No matter what others say, farmers are right in blocking traffic and disrupting the lives of hundreds. Its the only way for us to relate the farmer and I fully support their cause. All people who are against this view are UnIndian. Streets were actually built as a place where people can organize themselves and stage protests; traffic was just consequential. You will obviously point out that parks are a good place for these activities, but if we protests happen in public parks then where will my comrades go and bust couples trying to have some alone time. Its one UnIndian activity disrupting another.

Let this be a lesson. We should always support street protesters and encourage them by showing them bigger, more populated streets. Whats our respite ? Well, if there are issues that we face like better protest grounds (roads), drinking water, fuel prices etc, we should head down to the villages and torch a couple of paddy fields or burn some tractors. How else will Equality and Nationalism prevail ?

The AntiUnIndian Man awakes

Posted by Ritesh - 26/01/09 at 05:01:21 pm

I have been reborn. I refuse to stay quiet and let western influences harm the rich cultural heritage our country. Why ? was years of cultural and societal molestation by the Britishers not enough ? Do call center and IT employees, in their efforts to service the caucasian man, really think they are becoming one of them ? I have for long withstood the poisoning and degradation of Indian culture. Be it clubbing, pubbing, rock music, ball room dancing or even mobile phones. The times are hard and its only our Indianness which will save us from impending doom. Total collapse of the Indian Society.

I cannot stay silent. Mere andar ka jaanwar jaag gaya hain ( the animosity inside of me has awakened ). I shall now take up a new responsibility. The responsibility of  cleansing our culture, strengthening the moral fiber of our society and most importantly, creating awareness amongst people about India’s rich cultural heritage which seems to be dying a natural death due to Americanization of our youth. Shiv sena, Ram sena, Bhajrang Dal and the other misunderstood heroes of our country (my comrades) need to be given their due share of respect and admiration.  Where else will you find such dedication to just cause ?

I shall now be called  – The Anti UnIndian Man . The faceless crusader against all things UnIndian. I shall challenge all aspects of modern soceity and try to re-establish the faith of our people in the traditional Indian ways of the past. India was great in the 1800′s and me and my comrades will revive the grandeur of the good old days. My eager offline self has been crying to come out of the closet. This shall be my reprise.

Rajneeti 2.0

Posted by Ritesh - 14/01/09 at 12:01:42 pm

I was surprised to see the website of  BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate Shri L K Advani. Seems like President Obama’s use of internet during his campaign has inspired many to establish their presence on the net. The internet has become synonymous with the younger generation and this new form of campaigning is an effort to find in roads to enticing the youth to vote. Other efforts like Jaagore have also been designed especially to encourage the otherwise uninterested youth to vote. Jaagore almost reminds me of P Diddy’s vote or die campaign. Looking back at some of our politicians and the diligence with which they handled issues like  terror , allegations  and instances when they made news, I am but over enthusiastic about the legislative future of my country. With such inspiring prospects being added to cadre, not to forget the seriousness with which they treat this post,  its almost certain that our country is headed to being utopian at the least.  

 Whats my take on this ? I am not very clear. I am in a fix to decide which leader to vote for. I am trembling on my stands of libertarianism when faced with such convincing candidates. Let the big choice not be so hard on us folks. If capable leaders is what we need then we have dozens of them. Why make us choose ?

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