Modi Town Hall

Article first published in +ABP NEWS Click here


The genius of Prime Minister Narendra Modi lies in always staying two steps ahead of his rivals. While his opponents are still struggling with Social Media, aping his Chai Pe Charcha or Mann Ki Baat, he goes Boom! and raises the bar with a US style Town Hall.

Warming up by – now almost a ritual – some friendly trolling of the media, he also sent out a gentle signal that he can communicate to the masses over their head. To the opposition and the liberal chatterati, his message seemed to be: I decide the subject of my discourse, select topics that I wish to speak on, at a time of my choosing.

So he set the agenda, and how!

Little did anyone expect him to take the ‘gaurakshaks’ head-on. And what a pasting it was. There were no pious platitudes on respecting all religions or other such homilies. To say more cows die of consuming plastic bags and waste and asking State Governments to prepare dossiers on self-appointed ‘Gaurakshaks’ was a double masterstroke that would have left even his raucous critics gasping.

If he disappointed Omar Abdullah and his close friends in the media by not talking about the ‘Valley’, he must have done so advisedly. The Government is working as per a strategy in Jammu & Kashmir and the Prime Minister would certainly not like to derail it by making a comment which is bound to given a different spin by those, to borrow his phrase about ‘Gaurakshaks’, who have opened shops in the name of Kashmir. Sending Rajnath Singh to Pakistan for the SAARC, he has already driven home the message to the jihadists across the LoC – that the Government will play in Kashmir as per its own rules which are not part of regional dialogue.

By deftly swinging the focus to agriculture, handlooms (Khadi for Nation, Khadi for Fashion) , Smart Villages not just Smart Cities, he quietly pricked some holes in the balloons of his friends across the aisle in Parliament. So, Rahul Gandhi’s speechwriters have to think of something new in place of the tiresome suit-boot. Sonia Gandhi won’t be able to speak just about the plight of weavers on her next trip to Varanasi. And, Lalu Prasad has to come up with something smarter than his earlier ‘smart villages’ quip.


What makes Narendra Modi’s speeches and exhortations potent is the ring of passion and authenticity in whatever he speaks. This cannot be achieved by mere oratory alone unless there is a genuine conviction at the core. Those familiar with the thoughts and writings of Swami Vivekananda would know about his obsession with “preventive healthcare”.

Safe drinking water, hygienic cooking, healthy eating habits, yoga and physical exercise had engaged Vivekananda more than a century ago. One can decipher a distinct impression of his teachings in Narendra Modi’s views on these issues. For that, one does not need an Oxford Economist or Harvard-educated lawyer as Prime Minister, but someone with a heart and common sense.

Of course, one can almost visualise Sanjay Jha or someother bright young Congress spokesperson saying on TV – even Rahul Gandhi understands the importance of safe drinking water – as he always carries his bottle of Evian while visiting Dalit homes.

Talking of “last mile” first, the Prime Minister reminded the States of their responsibility to reach governance to the grass-roots. But, the message is equally relevant for his party colleagues and Sangh followers. Narendra Modi alone cannot keep shouting from the ramparts of Red Fort, Town Hall or Mann Ki Baat. It is also for them to carry the message to the last man in every town and village.

The Yin and Yang of Anushka Sharma's Lips

[PK becomes Bollywood’s biggest grosser ever]

Let me start with a few confessions.  I have not seen PK nor have any intention of watching it. I hold nothing against those who went for it and loved it. I am happy for Raju Hirani and Aamir Khan that the movie has been the highest grosser. I can only feel  sorry  for those who tried to get it banned or withdrawn from the theatres  but didn’t succeed. And, finally I agree with Anushka Sharma that what she has done with her lips is entirely her business and she is fine as long as Virat Kohli doesn’t have a problem. Others are free to like or dislike her new look.

In fact, this last line pretty much sums up my position on all works of art – whether it’s a book, painting, sculpture, theatre or movie. Take them for what it’s worth – feel free to like, dislike or reject but don’t decide on behalf of others. If it is trash – the public themselves will reject it, which would be the biggest snub to the one who has written or made it. A bad product sinks without a trace and  giving it undue attention can only bestow it with an added lease of life (E.g.– by talking too much  about Anushka’s  missing pout – it can actually turn to be a fashion trend like size zero. Just saying.)

The debate in my judgment lies elsewhere. The dichotomy between faith and rationalism has been in built into every society and religion from time immemorial – just as the conflict between the head and the heart in human nature. This is at times manifest in religious texts itself. While the Gita and Upanishads in Hinduism are largely intellectual – the Ramayana relies more on mythical allegories. (Though sometimes  people can try to invent  pseudo scientific explanations to myths such as plastic surgery to an elephant God or IVF or test-tube conception for a virgin).  These are the 2 sides of the same coin – the Yin and the Yang as it were. I always cite the example of perhaps the greatest legal luminary India produced – who was at once a devotee of Sri Aurobindo (who was as cerebral as one can get) and a miracle spewing saffron-clad hair-raising Godman of Andhra Pradesh. And, you have the example of Vivekananda himself – who was pure brain and his own Guru – Ramakrishna an embodiment of Bhakti and mysticism.

Belief in miracles or the power of penance,  pilgrimage and rituals has been there from the inception of mankind. It, perhaps, stems from man’s realization of his own limitations and the existence of a larger power in the universe – beyond his control – against whom he is but as helpless as an ant. It is to protect himself against such a  force or the elements does he seek the shelter of ‘religion’. Now to question,  whether these devices work – would be as self-defeating as arguing with a votary of homeopathy about the scientific improbability of such a therapy working. Call it ‘placebo’ effect if you will – but it may have its utility. Again to quote Sri Ramakrishna  - “Vishwas-e Mila-e Vastu, tarkey bohu dur” (faith dissolves of things that arguments can’t resolve) or the bard “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio..”.

How religion has been exploited over the centuries for geo-political ambitions ends is not the subject of this discussion. As long as the human race exists there will always be a ‘spiritual bazaar’ – where brands and products will come and go. I daresay ‘sexcapades’ under  saintly garbs or cassocks of priesthood have also existed since ancient times – across religions and countries. But, it is the marketing and building huge commercial empires around them that is a relatively recent phenomenon and merits deeper inquiry.

It’s no mean task to manage multi-crore commercial empires (I had read somewhere, one Yoga Guru’s net worth is reportedly valued at Rs 14k crores). Having spent a better part of my working life in Consumer Products and Media industry  I know a thing or two about the challenges and complexity of running a business. Any executive of FMCG companies like HUL or ITC  will tell you  – managing the supply chain, sales, marketing of 100s of SKUs (stock keeping units) across a nationwide distribution network is no “sadhu’s” play. Similarly, operating a business model out of producing and selling audio-visual labels, publishing, web-retailing,  event management and marketing calls for a high level of expertise, core-competency and, above all, requires a commercial organization. The successful marketing of the Patanjali Ayurvedic range can give Himalaya Drugs or Dabur a serious  run for their money.  And, ask Ponytail Chaudhuri how difficult it is to create a chain of colleges and Preetha Reddy or Devi Shetty about  hospitals.. These businesses or institutions can’t be efficiently and effectively run by volunteers alone. Most of them have franchises both domestic and foreign which are source of substantial revenue streams which too have to be managed and the earnings judiciously invested to generate continuous returns to  fund future expansions – just as Chief of Treasury in a large corporation would do. Many banks, professional fund managers, financial advisors and brokers have large Ashrams as their key clients. And, no wonder some of them have to engage private armies to manage acres of prime real-estate.

Management of Religious Institutional Businesses can, therefore, be the subject of Business School case studies and, one day, may be offered as a course in Harvard or Stanford.  It is my thesis  many of these God-men and Gurus are fronts . Behind them are clever businessmen  who run a sophisticate operation. They first invest in creating a brand (perhaps, even engage marketing or image management consultants) and then exploit it as a pure commercial venture.

But, where does that leave the poor devotee or  ‘Bhakt’ ? That brings me back to another favourite quote of Sri Ramakrishna – “Jadio Amar Guru Shuri Baadi Jaye, tobu O amar guru Nityananda Roy” – roughly translated – even though my guru may visit a bar or a brothel, he will always remain my Guru.  In essence, once you have surrendered at the feet of the Guru -  by that act itself if you have moved one step up the spiritual ladder. And, that’s also the key both these Godmen use as also Amir Khan and Raju Hirani who make commercially successful movies out of them. One man’s faith is another man’s business – or put differently Anushka’s lips may be a turn you and me off – but as long as the movie is a box office hit – who cares ?

(Article first published in the @DailyO on January 5th, 2014)

The Spiritual Bazaar and Testosterone UGs

the spiritual economy

I don't think even the most ardent devotees of the Sai Baba would be surprised by the discovery of crores of rupees plus bullion and silver from his inner chamber. Religion in our secular nation operates pretty much on the principles of free market economy. So I don't quite fault the sage of Puthapurty or any other Baba, Mataji or Guru for amassing the wealth that gullible followers throw at their feet.

But, I am not sure if anyone has done an estimate of the size of this "spiritual bazaar" in monetory terms. Baba Ramdev claims that - if all the black money kept in Swiss and other foreign bank accounts was repatriated - then poverty would disappear from this country. I suspect that - if all the unaccounted wealth of our Godmen, women and religious trusts are brought to book - it would certainly lower the poverty index by a few basis points. It's another matter that, some of it would no doubt have found a way from the religious coffers to the pockets of politicians.

It's not that it's not happening even today. It was interesting to read sometime back how the Shiv Sena and the NCP cut a deal over the control of some major temple trust in Maharashtra. Apparently (if newspaper reports are to be believed), while NCP allowed the Sena the rights for the Siddhi Vinayak temple in Mumbai, the Sena llowed them to retain the franchise at the Sai Baba temple at Shirdi. It is common knowledge, how the ruling party in Andhra Pradesh exercise its influence at over the affairs of the Tirupati Devasthanam Trust.

In this regard, one can't help admire the practical foresight of Swami Vivekananda -considering he died so young (at 39). Knowing that money could easily be the undoing of the Sangha he was establishing - he laid down water tight rules of financial management at the Ramakrishna Math and Mission. It was mandated - a writ which runs even now without any dilution - that a not a single rupee received as donation or income, nor any monies spent - can go unaccounted. Therefore, you will note that even the monks of the order (as, indeed, the nums of Sarada Math) would issue a receipt alomost religiously - for the smallest donation.

testosterone fortified UGs


Among the Commercials seen on Bengali TV channels - the ones I find most offensive are those for male undergarments - featuring the stud brigade of Bollywood - Sunny Deol, Salman Khan, Sharukh Khan Akshay Kumar and now even the Chote Nawab (Saif). Last evening - an unforseen exigency made me go UG shopping in Durgapur. With some difficulty I found a hosiery shop in the local municipal market. And oh boy - did I have a choice? I was spoilt e - between Lux Cozi, Amul Macho, Dollar Club, Rupa Frontline and more. Brands which I never thought I'd ever touch. The tag line of one sounded like that of a popular cement brand "bahar se strong, andar se strong".

But, that made me think that, Bengalis may be suffering from a sudden crisis of libido. The other sleazy advertisements one sees are for some shady brands of deodorants (Click here to see video) and a highly suspect "Japani Tel" - which shows a snake charmer arousing a serpent, with obvious connotations.

Psychologists say - testosterone surge occurs in moments of elation and success - when there is an overwhleming sense of power. I am not sure if the converse would also true - in moments of despair and depression - when the spirit is willing and badly needs a boost but the proverbial flesh is weak.

This might sound as specious psychology - but could well be true for a race which can boast of only 2 testosterone heroes - Subhash Bose and Saurav Ganguly.

In Bed with Ghosh

A friend tickled my interest with a teasing text message – “ In bed with Ghosh”. Generally I am a little wary of buying over-hyped books soon after their release. Vikram Seth’s Two lives and Vikram Chandra’s Sacred Games were 2 such disappointments in the recent past. I couldn’t go beyond the first 100 pages of the first and not even 50 pages of the second. So, I was a little hesitant in picking up Amitava Ghosh’s latest – the Sea of Poppies despite the rave reviews all over (and, now, also a nomination for the Booker).

Till date Ghosh’ Shadow Lines remains my favourite with the Hungry Tide coming a close second. Somehow his Glass Palace, liked a lot by many, didn’t do much for me – I thought it somehow lost its way between a family saga and a historical epic - tho’ its sprawling canvas and gigantic sweep are truly awe-inspiring. Ghosh’s prose often leaves me a little cold. It doesn’t have the soul uplifting quality that I look for in a great book. While I certainly don’t have the temerity to go as far as Hugo Barnacle to say – “There isn't one badly composed sentence in the book……, there isn't one particularly good sentence, either” , his impeccably constructed sentences fail to challenge the reader's imagination.

Infact, what’s perhaps Ghosh’s singular strength among Indian authors writing in English ( don’t think they use the term Indo-Anglican anymore) – his rigorous research also turns out to be his greatest weakness. His narrative is often weighed down by the copious details – which read like what should have appeared as footnotes in a thesis built into the main body of the text. It reminds me of our student days – when we were well prepared for an exam – we tried to pack in everything we had studied into the answer. Similarly, at times he gives the impression of getting carried away displaying his erudition on the subject – leading the unsuspecting reader to miss the woods for the trees.

For me, the Hungry Tide was an exception – its narrative soared to great heights as the killer tide raged through the Matla. He never let the details take over the story. Even in parts where there was either a historical background or an anthropological data they were seamlessly woven into the plot. This, sadly, didn’t happen – at least for me – in the Glass Palace, where the various strands seemed to come apart towards the end.

Reverse Parochialism

And yet, though I am not usually prone to parochial chauvinism, I end up gifting Ghosh’ books to many a friend. That’s because – among the new breed of Indian authors I find him to be the most consistent and none of his books can be dismissed as bad fiction or being light weight ( something that can’t be said even about Rushdie – who I don’t think has written a single worthwhile book after Midnight’s Children and I find most of his heavy tomes not just forgettable but at times downright unreadable)

I have so far come upto some 150 odd pages of the Sea of Poppies – as the IBIS takes berth in the Hooghly. The description of the of the Poppy fields and the Opium factory in Ghazipur is riveting – as indeed is the tale of Zachary Reid and his band of lascars and serangs who steer the schooner (which was once used for ferrying slaves from West Africa) to its new owner – Benjamin Burnham in Calcutta who had purchased it for shipping opium to China. But, there are times I do wish that Ghosh hadn’t come upon reference material such as “ An English and Hindostanee Naval Dictionary of Technical Terms” or “Anglo-Indian Vocabulary of Nautical terms and the Glossary of Anglo-Indian Words and Phrases”. I find myself constantly tripping over the forced colloquialism – often breaking the rhythm and cadence of the read.

But, I’ll reserve my judgement – for what it’s worth – till the IBIS completes her voyage.

Of Falls and Failings

The other very interesting book I am reading in tandem is Sudhir Kakar’s collection of essays – “Mad and Divine”. In the first article – titled “The Childhood of a Spiritually Incorrect Guru : OSHO ”. All things said, there is no denying that Rajneesh was a remarkable character – deeply charismatic even if a fascinating charlatan. Kakar has tried to unravel the phenomenon that was OSHO by tracing his evolution through the journey from his childhood with not just the insights of a master psychoanalyst but also with the sensitivity of a novelist.

I have always been intrigued at how so many of these self-proclaimed God-men and Gurus - merchants of the Spiritual Bazars as I like to call them - stray from their “path”. A simple Google search would reveal that – almost all ‘big brands’ exported to the West have got embroiled in some sexual scandal or other – starting from the great Mahesh Yogi, Swami Rama, Kriyananda to the latest one in a Texas (Austin) Ashram – who is out on a multi-million dollar bail for charges of paedophilia.

I know many of you would assert that, there was no question of a fall or straying as their chosen “path” was far from straight to begin with. But, I would like to give the benefit of doubt at least to some of them if not all. That’s because – I genuinely believe ( and, here I am not trying to make a case for myself ) that it is the same “vital energy” which drives both the spiritual and primal urges. This is clearly recognized in Tantra. And, it is for the same reason – the ancient sages have always stipulated exercise of abundant caution in climbing up the serpent (Kundalini) as it were – otherwise, face the risk of a grave fall. Ramakrishna and Swami V – who prescribed strict abstinence for the true spiritual aspirant, enunciated the same principles in more recent times.

Kakar explains this beautifully, when he writes:

“…..the spirit when it soars pulls up the psyche in its wake. But… the spirit never completely escapes the gravitational pull exerted by the forces of narcissism, aggression and desire in the psyche..”

then he goes on to add – “what may be essential for our gaze, however, is to attend to the vision of the spirit’s soaring, not the oft-repeated tragedy of its fall.”

Gol-Maal

I find this resonating strongly with 2 other teachings of Ramakrishna. He used to say “ Jadio Amar Guru Shudi Bari Jaye.. tabuo amar Guru Nityananda Ray” – which roughly translated means – even if my Guru goes to a bar or a brothel, he would still be my Guru. Or putting it more simply, he would say – that the world is full of “Gol-Maal” , it is for us to eliminate the “Gol” and take the “Maal”

The next essay in the book is - “Seduction and the Saint”. I would be dishonest – if I say that, I am not looking forward to reading it a wee bit more than the next chapter of the Sea of Poppies.