Original Publish Date: April 29, 2009
Found this online... and I agree whole heartedly with each statement!
1) The longer the title of a scientific paper, the lesser the relevance it will have to its actual content.
2) The more time you spend researching papers online, the higher the probability you will end up surfing videos on YouTube.
3) The weather improves dramatically as deadlines approach.
4) Your 30 minute presentation should be ten minutes long. That way, the audience has five minutes to ask questions. And the first fifteen minutes can be spent trying to get the projector to work with the laptop.
5) And finally… Murphy’s Law is probably the only undisputed law on the planet.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Delhi-6: Arziyaan
Original Publish Date: February 23, 2009
Thought the movie was strictly okay... but for some reason, I can't get the lyrics/tune of the first few lines of 'Arziyaan' out of my head...
I think this is the feeling we all get when we sincerely go to a Temple/Mosque/Place of worship...
'Arziyaan saari main chehre pe likh ke laaya hoon,
Tumse kya maangoon main, tum khud hi samajh lo...'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEip7lBz6UI
Beauty in its simplicity... Rahman really is a genius. If not for Slumdog, he definately deserved an Oscar for his dozens of other brilliant compositions. I don't know who wrote the lyrics, but he deserves as much credit as well.
Thought the movie was strictly okay... but for some reason, I can't get the lyrics/tune of the first few lines of 'Arziyaan' out of my head...
I think this is the feeling we all get when we sincerely go to a Temple/Mosque/Place of worship...
'Arziyaan saari main chehre pe likh ke laaya hoon,
Tumse kya maangoon main, tum khud hi samajh lo...'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEip7lBz6UI
Beauty in its simplicity... Rahman really is a genius. If not for Slumdog, he definately deserved an Oscar for his dozens of other brilliant compositions. I don't know who wrote the lyrics, but he deserves as much credit as well.
Dosas in a Snowstorm...
Original Publish Date: December 22, 2008
So some friends and I made a plan to go out for Dosas at Mayuri a few days ago. Of course, at the time, no one realised that Vancouver would decide to do its impression of Calgary. Going against common sense and better judgment, the Surrey boys decided to show their Surrey nature by risking their lives, and going out for dinner. 5 us of went, and we had the option of picking from 4 different cars to take.
We learnt a very important lesson last night. If you are going for dosas in a snow storm, never pick a 15 year old Toyota Corolla with bald summer tires on...
A 20 min drive suddenly turned into a 40 minute crawl, but after a wrong right turn, and several exchanges of profanity, we ultimately reached our destination...
What a precise parking job!
After thoroughly enjoying our meal, stomachs full, we happily walked back out into the parking lot, only to realise that getting out might be a BIT of a challenge. But of course, we had total faith in our driver...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8I0oe9F5_s
Despite the fact that it took us 15 min to move the car 15 m, at the insistence of one particular Surreyite... :), it was decided that we shall continue the evening by going for bowling at Excalibur Lanes. Of course where we were coming from required navigation down a mildly steep hill to the bowling alley. But then, when the hill is covered in ice, and visibility is poor, the hill all of a sudden seems much steeper...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJFZBqQmHr8
TOTALLY worth it though... I bowled my best game ever!
Final Balance Sheet:
Dosa, Coffee and Mithai at Mayuri: $18.00
Bowling at Excalibur: $8.00
Throwing common sense out the window for a night, and having fun with the boys: PRICELESS
PS. If you are easily offended by profanity in the videos... too bad. It's 5 brown guys from Surrey. What do you expect? ;)
So some friends and I made a plan to go out for Dosas at Mayuri a few days ago. Of course, at the time, no one realised that Vancouver would decide to do its impression of Calgary. Going against common sense and better judgment, the Surrey boys decided to show their Surrey nature by risking their lives, and going out for dinner. 5 us of went, and we had the option of picking from 4 different cars to take.
We learnt a very important lesson last night. If you are going for dosas in a snow storm, never pick a 15 year old Toyota Corolla with bald summer tires on...
A 20 min drive suddenly turned into a 40 minute crawl, but after a wrong right turn, and several exchanges of profanity, we ultimately reached our destination...
What a precise parking job!
After thoroughly enjoying our meal, stomachs full, we happily walked back out into the parking lot, only to realise that getting out might be a BIT of a challenge. But of course, we had total faith in our driver...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8I0oe9F5_s
Despite the fact that it took us 15 min to move the car 15 m, at the insistence of one particular Surreyite... :), it was decided that we shall continue the evening by going for bowling at Excalibur Lanes. Of course where we were coming from required navigation down a mildly steep hill to the bowling alley. But then, when the hill is covered in ice, and visibility is poor, the hill all of a sudden seems much steeper...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJFZBqQmHr8
TOTALLY worth it though... I bowled my best game ever!
Final Balance Sheet:
Dosa, Coffee and Mithai at Mayuri: $18.00
Bowling at Excalibur: $8.00
Throwing common sense out the window for a night, and having fun with the boys: PRICELESS
PS. If you are easily offended by profanity in the videos... too bad. It's 5 brown guys from Surrey. What do you expect? ;)
The Perfect Poem for a Dreary Sunday Afternoon...
Original Publish Date: November 9, 2008
Let that come when it comes; all hope is lost
Of my reception into grace; what worse?
For where no hope is left is left no fear;
If there be worse, the expectation more
Of worse torments me than the feeling can.
I would be at the worst; worst is my port,
My harbour, and my ultimate repose,
The end I would attain, my final good.
My error was my error, and my crime
My crime; whatever, for itself condemned,
And will alike be punished, whether thou
Reign or reign not
-- John Milton (1667)
Let that come when it comes; all hope is lost
Of my reception into grace; what worse?
For where no hope is left is left no fear;
If there be worse, the expectation more
Of worse torments me than the feeling can.
I would be at the worst; worst is my port,
My harbour, and my ultimate repose,
The end I would attain, my final good.
My error was my error, and my crime
My crime; whatever, for itself condemned,
And will alike be punished, whether thou
Reign or reign not
-- John Milton (1667)
The Simple Things...
Original Publish Date: October 10, 2008
So as most of you are probably aware of from my status messages, I recently completed my comprehensive exam, thereby sentencing myself to another few years of school... Studying for this exam, proved to be quite a challenge, and required me to spend alot more time on campus then I normally like to. I am lucky that my family lives in Surrey, and so usually I get to come home every weekend or every other weekend and just chill out. However, this exam basically required me to spend a heck of alot of time locked up in my room in Thunderbird, or in my office in CEME, at all hours of the day/night. I haven't gone home nearly as much in the past 2 months as I normally would. So I guess I was missing out on the benefits of sleeping in a normal sized bed, watching TV on a normal sized screen, and eating normal tasting food cooked by a normal person... ;)
Anyway, I finally got to come home today for the long weekend for a well deserved break. I've been looking forward to this since yesterday when I finished the exam. Just kept on thinking about how nice it would be able to sleep in a bed that I wouldn't be in danger of rolling out of... eating food that actually tasted like food... not having to do my own laundry for the next few days... getting to watch the cricket match on a normal sized screen instead of on the laptop, basically all those material things that I get to take for granted when I am at home...
So as usual, I got on the B-Line from UBC, overloaded with my backpack and duffle bag... then transferred onto the Skytrain, never getting a seat as usual... stumbling my way past all the crackheads at Surrey Central onto the 323, and finally getting off at 90th Ave and making the final trek home... The same journey that I made for 4 years during my Undergrad, and then for another year during my Masters...
It occurred to me today just how irritating it used to be to make this stupid journey everyday during those 5 years. I would have to wake up waaaay to early, only to never get a seat on the Buses/Skytrain, usually get drenched by the rain, and then end up getting to class late half the time anyway. But, for some strange reason, today, after a long while, I actually enjoyed the trip home. Still all the same irritants, and yet for some reason, today, it was different. Maybe I was just feeling relaxed, or enjoying the music playing on my iPod, but this time, after a long time, as I was crammed into on the bus/skytrain, I enjoyed looking at the diverse variety of people that makes up Vancouver, was amused by the antics of the crackheads at the skytrain station, and was enjoying the memories as I passed by my friends houses on the bus on the way home in Surrey. As I walked by my old high school, I couldn't help but be shocked by just how many years its been since I graduated from that place. When I was walking on the soccer field, I kind of missed the weekly soccer/football games we used to play with friends during the summer.
Anyway, I am home now writing this little note, and I guess I kind of feel a different respect for all those who have travelled from all corners of the world just to study at UBC. I am lucky enough to be only an hour and half away from my home, and can easily come back here pretty much whenever I want. Alot of people don't have that option. The respect is NOT because they too are missing out on big beds, TVs, food, and laundry. I am saying this because they are also missing out on those simple little things that makes home... home. The simple little things that we don't usually take the time to actually appreciate. And for each person, these things will be different. For me, I amen't able to get together with my old friends nearly as often I would like to. I miss those soccer matches, movies, retarted conversations, and stupid arguments. I miss being able to go over and talk with the neighbors, and join in with the neighborhood kids during the street hockey games. I miss being able to walk a few blocks for some hot samosas and chutney, and I can't help but get a bit nostalgic about how easy life was back in High School. I enjoy being able to live in this wonderful city, and alot of times don't appreciate how cool it is. And for all the advantages of the freedom I get by staying on campus, for some unexplained reason I think I even kind of miss getting into massive arguments with my parents about just about everything.
Life is too short, hectic and complicated. Unfortunately, you are going to hurt people, and get hurt yourself. It is going to be a struggle, and very few things come easily. People are basically bastards, and there is nothing you can do about them. No matter how much you think you know, the truth is, you actually don't know much at all. And frankly speaking, overall, things can get really, really depressing at times. But, for all the bad things, we can also get a great deal of comfort from the simple things that we take for granted. They will give you the strength to get through the adversities you will face. And alot of times, they are all you have.
The point of this long winded note is not to bore you with stories of my trip home. But, rather, to encourage you to take the time to step back, take a deep breath, and just enjoy the simple little things in life. The more uncomplicated, the better. Forget about what is wrong with the world. It will make life seem much more tolerable. I think that is what I am going to try and do this weekend... ;)
So as most of you are probably aware of from my status messages, I recently completed my comprehensive exam, thereby sentencing myself to another few years of school... Studying for this exam, proved to be quite a challenge, and required me to spend alot more time on campus then I normally like to. I am lucky that my family lives in Surrey, and so usually I get to come home every weekend or every other weekend and just chill out. However, this exam basically required me to spend a heck of alot of time locked up in my room in Thunderbird, or in my office in CEME, at all hours of the day/night. I haven't gone home nearly as much in the past 2 months as I normally would. So I guess I was missing out on the benefits of sleeping in a normal sized bed, watching TV on a normal sized screen, and eating normal tasting food cooked by a normal person... ;)
Anyway, I finally got to come home today for the long weekend for a well deserved break. I've been looking forward to this since yesterday when I finished the exam. Just kept on thinking about how nice it would be able to sleep in a bed that I wouldn't be in danger of rolling out of... eating food that actually tasted like food... not having to do my own laundry for the next few days... getting to watch the cricket match on a normal sized screen instead of on the laptop, basically all those material things that I get to take for granted when I am at home...
So as usual, I got on the B-Line from UBC, overloaded with my backpack and duffle bag... then transferred onto the Skytrain, never getting a seat as usual... stumbling my way past all the crackheads at Surrey Central onto the 323, and finally getting off at 90th Ave and making the final trek home... The same journey that I made for 4 years during my Undergrad, and then for another year during my Masters...
It occurred to me today just how irritating it used to be to make this stupid journey everyday during those 5 years. I would have to wake up waaaay to early, only to never get a seat on the Buses/Skytrain, usually get drenched by the rain, and then end up getting to class late half the time anyway. But, for some strange reason, today, after a long while, I actually enjoyed the trip home. Still all the same irritants, and yet for some reason, today, it was different. Maybe I was just feeling relaxed, or enjoying the music playing on my iPod, but this time, after a long time, as I was crammed into on the bus/skytrain, I enjoyed looking at the diverse variety of people that makes up Vancouver, was amused by the antics of the crackheads at the skytrain station, and was enjoying the memories as I passed by my friends houses on the bus on the way home in Surrey. As I walked by my old high school, I couldn't help but be shocked by just how many years its been since I graduated from that place. When I was walking on the soccer field, I kind of missed the weekly soccer/football games we used to play with friends during the summer.
Anyway, I am home now writing this little note, and I guess I kind of feel a different respect for all those who have travelled from all corners of the world just to study at UBC. I am lucky enough to be only an hour and half away from my home, and can easily come back here pretty much whenever I want. Alot of people don't have that option. The respect is NOT because they too are missing out on big beds, TVs, food, and laundry. I am saying this because they are also missing out on those simple little things that makes home... home. The simple little things that we don't usually take the time to actually appreciate. And for each person, these things will be different. For me, I amen't able to get together with my old friends nearly as often I would like to. I miss those soccer matches, movies, retarted conversations, and stupid arguments. I miss being able to go over and talk with the neighbors, and join in with the neighborhood kids during the street hockey games. I miss being able to walk a few blocks for some hot samosas and chutney, and I can't help but get a bit nostalgic about how easy life was back in High School. I enjoy being able to live in this wonderful city, and alot of times don't appreciate how cool it is. And for all the advantages of the freedom I get by staying on campus, for some unexplained reason I think I even kind of miss getting into massive arguments with my parents about just about everything.
Life is too short, hectic and complicated. Unfortunately, you are going to hurt people, and get hurt yourself. It is going to be a struggle, and very few things come easily. People are basically bastards, and there is nothing you can do about them. No matter how much you think you know, the truth is, you actually don't know much at all. And frankly speaking, overall, things can get really, really depressing at times. But, for all the bad things, we can also get a great deal of comfort from the simple things that we take for granted. They will give you the strength to get through the adversities you will face. And alot of times, they are all you have.
The point of this long winded note is not to bore you with stories of my trip home. But, rather, to encourage you to take the time to step back, take a deep breath, and just enjoy the simple little things in life. The more uncomplicated, the better. Forget about what is wrong with the world. It will make life seem much more tolerable. I think that is what I am going to try and do this weekend... ;)
Bush and Rice
Original Publish Date: June 3, 2008
Thought you all might find this interesting:
http://news.in.msn.com/international/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1365424
Apparently, it is okay for 350 million Americans to be obese and eat more than there fair share of food, while if 350 million Indians begin getting their mininium nutritional requirements and start to prosper, its a pretty big problem, and they are responsible for causing global food prices to increase.
According to George Bush, Americans are incredibly compassionate people... Yes, Mr. Bush, dropping food packets marked 'USA' from helicopters while starving Africans run around underneath like ants is incredibly compassionate. The decades the West spent neglecting and exploting Africa is a moot point. No, it is far better that we now send them a bit of food aid. But then again, the Indians are already eating too much... what would happen if the AFRICANS started eating too? Before you know it, Americans would soon be STARVING to death...
Now I am not saying that Canadians, or for that matter, any other group of people in the world are particularly brilliant... but if a countries leadership is a reflection on its people... then Americans are by far the biggest morons in the world.
Thought you all might find this interesting:
http://news.in.msn.com/international/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1365424
Apparently, it is okay for 350 million Americans to be obese and eat more than there fair share of food, while if 350 million Indians begin getting their mininium nutritional requirements and start to prosper, its a pretty big problem, and they are responsible for causing global food prices to increase.
According to George Bush, Americans are incredibly compassionate people... Yes, Mr. Bush, dropping food packets marked 'USA' from helicopters while starving Africans run around underneath like ants is incredibly compassionate. The decades the West spent neglecting and exploting Africa is a moot point. No, it is far better that we now send them a bit of food aid. But then again, the Indians are already eating too much... what would happen if the AFRICANS started eating too? Before you know it, Americans would soon be STARVING to death...
Now I am not saying that Canadians, or for that matter, any other group of people in the world are particularly brilliant... but if a countries leadership is a reflection on its people... then Americans are by far the biggest morons in the world.
Something for the Engineers to think about...
Original Publish Date: April 10, 2008
Something to chew on for all the engineers out there...
Was having an interesting talk with my supervisor several nights ago.We were discussing the pointlessness of going to engineering school, as there was a very good chance that the neighboorhood postman would end up making more money than us. He suggested that in order to increase our marketability, we should introduce yet another course for students to take, 'Engineering Marketing 101', as it might help us sell ourselves. Didn't really think much of the comment at the time…
Yesterday morning I was happily killing time, reading through the news, and came across the following link:
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1728893,00.html?xid=rss-topstories
It seems as if US water infrastructure is in serious need of repair, and billions of dollars need to be invested to bring the system back up to standard. Is the government willing to spend this money though? I sincerely doubt it… after all, there are still buildings in Iraq which need to be bombed, and that money for explosives has to come from somewhere, doesn't it?
But getting back to my original point, in North America, despite deteriorating infrastructure, we are generally lucky enough to be able to turn on the tap, and get clean water. But just how bad is it, in the rest of the world? The numbers are quite shocking:
Turns out 2.2 million people will die this year due to lack of access to clean drinking water. To put this in context, the number of people expected to die this year worldwide due to AIDS is estimated to be 1.9-2.4 million people. It seems as if lack of clean water is AS BIG a killer as AIDS. Yet, how is it that so many people know of the AIDS epidemic, and so few know the severity of this water crisis? There are plenty of 'AIDS walkathons', 'charity drives', and 'benefit concerts', but I have yet to hear of a 'Water walkathon'…
Is it possible that my supervisor was right? Do we need to start taking courses in marketing? Do Engineers need to start taking more pride in what they do, and start selling themselves, and more importantly, their services, to the public better? We have the 'cure' for dirty water, and yet, we do not advertise it well enough. Is it not frustrating then that while billions of dollars are invested in R&D for diseases, we don't invest money in implementing the 'cure' for unsanitary water worldwide? Ultimately who is at fault for not making sure that our services are actually put into practice?
The fact is that without electrical engineers, doctors would not have access to the biomedical devices with which they are able to perform their miracles. Without civil engineers, you probably wouldn't get any water pouring out of the tap when you turn the handle. Without mechanical engineers, we would not have the engines which run just about anything that moves. It's clear that engineers have power. But as Spiderman would say, "With great power comes great responsibility".
The question is, where does our responsibility end? Does it end with simply designing a system/component, or do we also have a responsibility to the public to see that our services are being properly implemented? Forget about marketing ourselves better in order to increase our chargeout rates... Do we need to 'market' ourselves better in order to see that our knowledge and expertise are being properly implemented?
Something to chew on for all the engineers out there...
Was having an interesting talk with my supervisor several nights ago.We were discussing the pointlessness of going to engineering school, as there was a very good chance that the neighboorhood postman would end up making more money than us. He suggested that in order to increase our marketability, we should introduce yet another course for students to take, 'Engineering Marketing 101', as it might help us sell ourselves. Didn't really think much of the comment at the time…
Yesterday morning I was happily killing time, reading through the news, and came across the following link:
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1728893,00.html?xid=rss-topstories
It seems as if US water infrastructure is in serious need of repair, and billions of dollars need to be invested to bring the system back up to standard. Is the government willing to spend this money though? I sincerely doubt it… after all, there are still buildings in Iraq which need to be bombed, and that money for explosives has to come from somewhere, doesn't it?
But getting back to my original point, in North America, despite deteriorating infrastructure, we are generally lucky enough to be able to turn on the tap, and get clean water. But just how bad is it, in the rest of the world? The numbers are quite shocking:
Turns out 2.2 million people will die this year due to lack of access to clean drinking water. To put this in context, the number of people expected to die this year worldwide due to AIDS is estimated to be 1.9-2.4 million people. It seems as if lack of clean water is AS BIG a killer as AIDS. Yet, how is it that so many people know of the AIDS epidemic, and so few know the severity of this water crisis? There are plenty of 'AIDS walkathons', 'charity drives', and 'benefit concerts', but I have yet to hear of a 'Water walkathon'…
Is it possible that my supervisor was right? Do we need to start taking courses in marketing? Do Engineers need to start taking more pride in what they do, and start selling themselves, and more importantly, their services, to the public better? We have the 'cure' for dirty water, and yet, we do not advertise it well enough. Is it not frustrating then that while billions of dollars are invested in R&D for diseases, we don't invest money in implementing the 'cure' for unsanitary water worldwide? Ultimately who is at fault for not making sure that our services are actually put into practice?
The fact is that without electrical engineers, doctors would not have access to the biomedical devices with which they are able to perform their miracles. Without civil engineers, you probably wouldn't get any water pouring out of the tap when you turn the handle. Without mechanical engineers, we would not have the engines which run just about anything that moves. It's clear that engineers have power. But as Spiderman would say, "With great power comes great responsibility".
The question is, where does our responsibility end? Does it end with simply designing a system/component, or do we also have a responsibility to the public to see that our services are being properly implemented? Forget about marketing ourselves better in order to increase our chargeout rates... Do we need to 'market' ourselves better in order to see that our knowledge and expertise are being properly implemented?
Maut Tu Ek Kavita Hai...
Original Publish Date: December 15, 2007
Was watching the classic 'Anand' last nite after a long time. Although it has always been one of my favorites, this time I paid particular attention to the poem recited by Amitabh:
"Maut tu ek kavita hai
Mujhse ek kavita ka vadaa hai, milegi mujhko
Doobti nabzon mein jab dard ko neend aane lage
Zard sa chehra liye chaand ufaq tak pahunche
Din abhi paani mein ho, raat kinare ke kareeb
Na andhera ho, na ujala ho
Na aadhi raat, na din
Jism jab khatm ho aur rooh ko saans aae
Mujhse ek kavita ka vadaa hai, milegi mujhko"
Not to sound morbid, but I don't think death can sound more beautiful than this...
Was watching the classic 'Anand' last nite after a long time. Although it has always been one of my favorites, this time I paid particular attention to the poem recited by Amitabh:
"Maut tu ek kavita hai
Mujhse ek kavita ka vadaa hai, milegi mujhko
Doobti nabzon mein jab dard ko neend aane lage
Zard sa chehra liye chaand ufaq tak pahunche
Din abhi paani mein ho, raat kinare ke kareeb
Na andhera ho, na ujala ho
Na aadhi raat, na din
Jism jab khatm ho aur rooh ko saans aae
Mujhse ek kavita ka vadaa hai, milegi mujhko"
Not to sound morbid, but I don't think death can sound more beautiful than this...
Monday, August 10, 2009
Snakes, Sadhus and Incredible India
Original Publish Date: November 16, 2007
'Incredible India’… you have all seen the commercials… colorfully dressed dancers, ridiculously flexible people doing yoga, spectacular wild life. But does all this really make India ‘Incredible’? Is this what makes it unique? What is this invisible bond that draws us back again and again? They are questions which I sort of struggle with. I mean, if you want to see dancers, flexible people, and elephants, you can always go to the local circus, rather than traveling half way across the planet. I mean, really, why should one travel to India? As any Indian has to admit, it’s polluted, overpopulated, corrupt, and if you are not careful, the mosquitoes might just eat you alive. It probably makes a lot more sense to travel somewhere nice and safe… Europe, or maybe the Caribbean. You can always get your ‘India Experience’ by watching the latest Bollywood blockbuster. Right?
I beg to differ. If I may, I would like to take the next few minutes of your time, and briefly relate to you an experience I had last December, in Haridwar, Uttaranchal, India.
Anyone who has been to Haridwar knows of the many ghats that are on the riverbank. The water is quite clear, and at times, the setting is quite peaceful. One fine afternoon, I was just sitting along the shore, minding my own business, when I was approached by a somewhat shady looking Sadhu. I had seen many Sadhus in Haridwar, but what stood out about this one, was that he had a particularly large snake wrapped around his neck. Now, for those of you who don’t know me, let me tell you that I’m not terribly comfortable around 7 foot long snakes, especially those which seem to have a habit of hissing at passer Byers as they stroll by. The Sadhu proceeded to walk up to me and held out a small can in which he was collecting alms. I took a 5 rupee coin out of my wallet, smiled, and dropped it into the can, hoping that he would be satisfied. Apparently, this was not the case…
He asked, "Beta, kya tum Ganga Maiyan ke bhakt ho?” A bit taken aback, I nodded in approval. He then proceeded, "Agar tum sach mein bhakht ho, phir jev se ek note nekalo, aur ‘Baba’ ko chuo." It took me a few seconds to try and figure out what he was talking about, when I realized that by 'Baba', he was referring to the giant snake wrapped around his neck. Now, at this point, partially out of curiosity, partially out of faith, and partially out of fear, I again reached into my wallet, pulled out a 50 rupee bill, hesitantly stuck my fingers out and touched the snake. Pleased, the Sadhu began to recite some mantras and after some time, he asked me to repeat after him, "Bolo Ganga Maiyan ki jai!" which I did without hesitation. At this point, he removed my hand from the snake, took the bill out of my hand, crumpled it up, put it into his palms, and then started rubbing them both together. As he rubbed his palms together, he asked me to place my hands under his palms, and after some time, 'magically' out of his palms plopped a Rudraksha bead. At this point, I thought the ordeal was over. Apparently, I was wrong.
The Sadhu now REMOVED the snake from around his neck, and much to my displeasure, proceeded to place it around my neck! At first, I hesitated, but the Sadhu calmed me by saying "Darro mat beta, Baba kuch nahin karega". I now sat there, frozen, with a large snake wrapped around my neck, hissing, and the Sadhu continued to recite more mantras. After what seemed an eternity, he again asked me to repeat "Bolo Ganga Maiyan ki jai!” which I did with a terrified yelp. Finally, mercifully, the Sadhu removed the snake, 'blessed' me, and proceeded onwards, as I sat, somewhat shaken, not sure of what just happened to me.
What is really weird about my experience (other than the fact that I didn’t pass out when the snake was wrapped around my neck) was that for some strange reason, I didn’t feel cheated. A shady looking Sadhu had just practically threatened me with a snake, took off with my money, and for some reason, I felt richer for the experience! Perhaps I’m some sort of fanatic. Maybe I’m kind of a fool…
Over time what I have come to realize is that for the same reason that I can’t explain why I actually enjoyed being cheated, no one will ever be able to describe in words what it is that makes India, ‘Incredible’. It’s just something you just have to go and experience on your own, be it the good, the bad, and the ugly. People of Indian origin, and Indians themselves, travel throughout the world to experience different cultures, to view different relics or monuments, or just to party and have a good time. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with this, often, they neglect to travel their own country. In the midst of the daily grind, and the myriad of problems which plague it, one forgets about just how spectacular and unique India really is. It is a fascinating country with a fascinating way of life. Most importantly, it will always be your country, and I suppose what I have come to recognize is that one should try and discover their own country before they go around exploring others. For me, apparently all it took was just took a shady looking Sadhu, a 50 rupee note, and his seven foot long hissing snake to make me realize this!
'Incredible India’… you have all seen the commercials… colorfully dressed dancers, ridiculously flexible people doing yoga, spectacular wild life. But does all this really make India ‘Incredible’? Is this what makes it unique? What is this invisible bond that draws us back again and again? They are questions which I sort of struggle with. I mean, if you want to see dancers, flexible people, and elephants, you can always go to the local circus, rather than traveling half way across the planet. I mean, really, why should one travel to India? As any Indian has to admit, it’s polluted, overpopulated, corrupt, and if you are not careful, the mosquitoes might just eat you alive. It probably makes a lot more sense to travel somewhere nice and safe… Europe, or maybe the Caribbean. You can always get your ‘India Experience’ by watching the latest Bollywood blockbuster. Right?
I beg to differ. If I may, I would like to take the next few minutes of your time, and briefly relate to you an experience I had last December, in Haridwar, Uttaranchal, India.
Anyone who has been to Haridwar knows of the many ghats that are on the riverbank. The water is quite clear, and at times, the setting is quite peaceful. One fine afternoon, I was just sitting along the shore, minding my own business, when I was approached by a somewhat shady looking Sadhu. I had seen many Sadhus in Haridwar, but what stood out about this one, was that he had a particularly large snake wrapped around his neck. Now, for those of you who don’t know me, let me tell you that I’m not terribly comfortable around 7 foot long snakes, especially those which seem to have a habit of hissing at passer Byers as they stroll by. The Sadhu proceeded to walk up to me and held out a small can in which he was collecting alms. I took a 5 rupee coin out of my wallet, smiled, and dropped it into the can, hoping that he would be satisfied. Apparently, this was not the case…
He asked, "Beta, kya tum Ganga Maiyan ke bhakt ho?” A bit taken aback, I nodded in approval. He then proceeded, "Agar tum sach mein bhakht ho, phir jev se ek note nekalo, aur ‘Baba’ ko chuo." It took me a few seconds to try and figure out what he was talking about, when I realized that by 'Baba', he was referring to the giant snake wrapped around his neck. Now, at this point, partially out of curiosity, partially out of faith, and partially out of fear, I again reached into my wallet, pulled out a 50 rupee bill, hesitantly stuck my fingers out and touched the snake. Pleased, the Sadhu began to recite some mantras and after some time, he asked me to repeat after him, "Bolo Ganga Maiyan ki jai!" which I did without hesitation. At this point, he removed my hand from the snake, took the bill out of my hand, crumpled it up, put it into his palms, and then started rubbing them both together. As he rubbed his palms together, he asked me to place my hands under his palms, and after some time, 'magically' out of his palms plopped a Rudraksha bead. At this point, I thought the ordeal was over. Apparently, I was wrong.
The Sadhu now REMOVED the snake from around his neck, and much to my displeasure, proceeded to place it around my neck! At first, I hesitated, but the Sadhu calmed me by saying "Darro mat beta, Baba kuch nahin karega". I now sat there, frozen, with a large snake wrapped around my neck, hissing, and the Sadhu continued to recite more mantras. After what seemed an eternity, he again asked me to repeat "Bolo Ganga Maiyan ki jai!” which I did with a terrified yelp. Finally, mercifully, the Sadhu removed the snake, 'blessed' me, and proceeded onwards, as I sat, somewhat shaken, not sure of what just happened to me.
What is really weird about my experience (other than the fact that I didn’t pass out when the snake was wrapped around my neck) was that for some strange reason, I didn’t feel cheated. A shady looking Sadhu had just practically threatened me with a snake, took off with my money, and for some reason, I felt richer for the experience! Perhaps I’m some sort of fanatic. Maybe I’m kind of a fool…
Over time what I have come to realize is that for the same reason that I can’t explain why I actually enjoyed being cheated, no one will ever be able to describe in words what it is that makes India, ‘Incredible’. It’s just something you just have to go and experience on your own, be it the good, the bad, and the ugly. People of Indian origin, and Indians themselves, travel throughout the world to experience different cultures, to view different relics or monuments, or just to party and have a good time. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with this, often, they neglect to travel their own country. In the midst of the daily grind, and the myriad of problems which plague it, one forgets about just how spectacular and unique India really is. It is a fascinating country with a fascinating way of life. Most importantly, it will always be your country, and I suppose what I have come to recognize is that one should try and discover their own country before they go around exploring others. For me, apparently all it took was just took a shady looking Sadhu, a 50 rupee note, and his seven foot long hissing snake to make me realize this!
The Confused Desi?
Original Publish Date: October 28, 2007
Coming back to university to do my Masters degree means many things. One of which is of course, meeting new people and making new friends. Since I am of Indian decent, it only seems natural that I hang around with the Desi crowd at UBC. Most of these people are ‘FOBs’, basically those who were born and raised in India and have come here to do their Masters/PhD degrees.
Over time, some of these ‘FOBs’ have become my very good friends. However, a topic that sometimes comes up in discussions is my lack of ‘CBCD’ness… that is, apparently because I am Canadian born, I am not confused enough. Every time anyone says this, I really do become confused. Why should I, or any other person born in this country who has roots in India be confused?
What is it that makes us confused? That we can’t speak our own language… no wait, most of us can speak at least one Indian language along with English. Maybe its religion… no wait, most of us have been accompanying our parents to the Mandir/Masjid/Gurdwara for years. Pop culture? But some of us like Bollywood movies too, and I can’t think of anyone who doesn’t like to Bhangra! Hmmn… let me think. Not knowing about Indian politics? Yeah, that must be it. We are confused because we don’t know that AIADMK stands for ‘All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Khazagam’. Of course I wonder about just how many North Indians actually know what AIADMK stands for…
There are definitely different types of Canadian born Indians living in this country. Perhaps due to upbringing, or due to personal preference, there are those who are proud of their heritage, and respect it (Indo Canadians), and those who do not (just Canadian). Either way, it’s a conscious decision, and nobody is confused about it.
During my last visit to India, I noticed a few things. One of which was that the country was becoming rapidly ‘westernized’. There are those who still want to maintain tradition, decorum, and everything else that makes India, ‘India’. But I wonder if the average urban Indian student these days knows more about Shakespeare or Kalidas? The economic theories of Adam Smith or Chanakya? If the average urban Indian student doesn’t know the things that are actually truly ‘Indian’ does that mean that he/she is confused as well? Overall, I think I experienced a 5000 year old civilization which is becoming rapidly overwhelmed, and whose younger generation is struggling with wanting to become ‘westernized’ and yet remain ‘Indian’ at the same time.
My point is that the line between the average urban Indian, and the average Indian born in Toronto is slowly becoming blurred. Why do FOBs and CBCDs tend not to interact with each other? Well in general I would say that each group feels the other is arrogant and exclusive. Hmmn… perhaps there is more in common than we thought.
That’s not to say there’s NO difference between being Indian born and Canadian born. There is no question that those of us who are born here have missed out on some of the benefits that must have come with growing up in India. We may never know what the ‘immigrant experience’ of packing up and moving to a foreign country is like. But on the other hand, those of us born here have had the benefit of growing up in, experiencing and balancing two different cultures. We are proud to be Canadian AND Indian. And I for one, am cool with that.
Coming back to university to do my Masters degree means many things. One of which is of course, meeting new people and making new friends. Since I am of Indian decent, it only seems natural that I hang around with the Desi crowd at UBC. Most of these people are ‘FOBs’, basically those who were born and raised in India and have come here to do their Masters/PhD degrees.
Over time, some of these ‘FOBs’ have become my very good friends. However, a topic that sometimes comes up in discussions is my lack of ‘CBCD’ness… that is, apparently because I am Canadian born, I am not confused enough. Every time anyone says this, I really do become confused. Why should I, or any other person born in this country who has roots in India be confused?
What is it that makes us confused? That we can’t speak our own language… no wait, most of us can speak at least one Indian language along with English. Maybe its religion… no wait, most of us have been accompanying our parents to the Mandir/Masjid/Gurdwara for years. Pop culture? But some of us like Bollywood movies too, and I can’t think of anyone who doesn’t like to Bhangra! Hmmn… let me think. Not knowing about Indian politics? Yeah, that must be it. We are confused because we don’t know that AIADMK stands for ‘All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Khazagam’. Of course I wonder about just how many North Indians actually know what AIADMK stands for…
There are definitely different types of Canadian born Indians living in this country. Perhaps due to upbringing, or due to personal preference, there are those who are proud of their heritage, and respect it (Indo Canadians), and those who do not (just Canadian). Either way, it’s a conscious decision, and nobody is confused about it.
During my last visit to India, I noticed a few things. One of which was that the country was becoming rapidly ‘westernized’. There are those who still want to maintain tradition, decorum, and everything else that makes India, ‘India’. But I wonder if the average urban Indian student these days knows more about Shakespeare or Kalidas? The economic theories of Adam Smith or Chanakya? If the average urban Indian student doesn’t know the things that are actually truly ‘Indian’ does that mean that he/she is confused as well? Overall, I think I experienced a 5000 year old civilization which is becoming rapidly overwhelmed, and whose younger generation is struggling with wanting to become ‘westernized’ and yet remain ‘Indian’ at the same time.
My point is that the line between the average urban Indian, and the average Indian born in Toronto is slowly becoming blurred. Why do FOBs and CBCDs tend not to interact with each other? Well in general I would say that each group feels the other is arrogant and exclusive. Hmmn… perhaps there is more in common than we thought.
That’s not to say there’s NO difference between being Indian born and Canadian born. There is no question that those of us who are born here have missed out on some of the benefits that must have come with growing up in India. We may never know what the ‘immigrant experience’ of packing up and moving to a foreign country is like. But on the other hand, those of us born here have had the benefit of growing up in, experiencing and balancing two different cultures. We are proud to be Canadian AND Indian. And I for one, am cool with that.
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