CURBING SARVA SIKSHA ABHIYAN

ARVIND K.PANDEY

(Published In BUSINESS INDIA, FEB.25,2007)

It's surprising that Arjun Singh ,who misses no opportunity to give doles to minority institutions on one pretext or another and one who is willing to to fund programmes meant for minorities is so reluctant to bring Sarva Siksha Abhiyan to its ultimate . One problem with government run programmes is that they are framed without keeping in mind the ground realities . So it's not unusual that populist measures like National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) ,SAS and ,for that matter, pulse polio drives fail to produce desired result . On one hand , the government has failed to improve the face of higher education with funds for quality research reamaining unused and , on the other hand ,the elementary education is being marred by lack of vision and absence of political will .It wouldn't be wrong to suggest that the UPA government has got its priorities wrong .

HARIHARAN'S MAGIC

ARVIND K.PANDEY

(Published In GRAPHITI, THE TELEGRAPH,FEB.25,2007)

Hariharan has always avoided the beaten track to create a soul symphony through his silky voice . The songs of Roja are still fresh in the minds of music lovers .Who can forget his spellbinding rendering of " Bharat Humko Jaan Se Pyara Hai " and pangs of separation unleashed by " Roja Jaaneman " . His ability to innovate and experiment with Indian ragas with addition of modern beats has helped him to strike a chord with Generation X besides oldies . In sum , knowledge of Indian music has helped him to create new milestones in the field of music .The message is clear : Be aware of the roots to be a winner in life .

ASSAULTING JUDICIARY

ARVIND K.PANDEY

(Published in THE SUNDAY INDIAN ,Feb.26-March.04,07)

The Sunday Indian seems to be hell bent upon tarnishing the image of judiciary . Or else , it would have resisted itself from assaulting upon the spirit of judiciary in a calculated way . No doubt, there are black sheeps in judicary who need to be weeded out but that does mean all is wrong with judiciary . In fact , proposals to probe the misconduct of judges are no longer a dream .It's better to highlight the factors , which have crippled the functionings of judiciary than entering into dry criticism of its so-called shortcomings .

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PRIYANKA : Main Jo Kahongein Sach Kahoengein..Lordship Main Abhi-Abhi Bhajan Kar Ke Uthi Hoen..

TOMMY : Chal Jhoothi...Muh Par Malai Aur Doodh Laga Hua Hai...Lordship Aisen Jhothein Gavahoen Ko Sakht Saja Denein Chahiyein ...BOW-BOW

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WHEN YOU KNOW SANSKRIT

ARVIND K.PANDEY

(Published in NORTHERN INDIA PATRIKA,FEB.23,2007 )

The governor seemed to be least aware of the fact that he was delivering speech in a city , which has struck a deep emotional chord with Sanskrit , being highest seat of the Sanskrit scholars since time immeomrial .It also shows that political creatures cannot get above their habit of delivering run-out-of -the -mill speeches .How can he ignore the fact that eminent scholars like S.Radhakrishnan , Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya ,Swami Vivekananda and others stressed upon the need to study Sanskrit in order to have authentic knowledge of the Indian culture .Let me bring into his knowledge that combination of Sanskrit and Philosophy has helped students of the Allahabad University to make inroad in administrative services . What makes him think that visiting abroad ,earning 2-3 lakhs a month and etc. are the cherished goals of life ? Is a priest who is living life of purity exists on a lower pedestal than so-called classy professionals ,earning in five digits , but chased by ills of modernity ? It should not sound strange that people of " bullock-cart age " lived a much better life than people belonging to modern times , who are paying a heavy price for ignoring the laws of nature .The governor should also throw light on fact that what makes people of this nation feel ashamed in honouring and identifying with the ancient roots of this nation ?

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PRIYANKA:VANDE MATARAM ...

TOMMY:BHAJA GOVINDAM ....

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KEEP GOD AWAY FROM SCIENTISTS

ARVIND K.PANDEY

There is little merit in subjecting God to crucible of scientific explorations .The matters of faith need not be brought in the realm of reason since we are very well aware of the limitations of intellect .God can only be intercepted with the help of " inituitive wisdom " ,which is somethiong beyond the ambit of mind and intellect. We need to remeber what Radhakrishnan said :" Again, religion as way of life is the seeking of the eternal.It is more behaviour than belief .If we believe in God we must act in the light of that faith."

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PRIYANKA :SCIENTISTS SHOULD NOT SHATTER THE INNOCENCE OF LORD WITH THEIR FINDINGS...MEOW

TOMMY :I ENDORSE THE MEOW OF PRIYANKA ....BOW-BOW

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THE FOREIGN MAHATMA

ARVIND K.PANDEY

(Published In THE WEEK, FEB.25,2007)

The sane voice of Archbishop Tutu has extended the influence of Gandhism across the globe in a substantial way .Considering the way Gandhian principles have been marginalised with Gandhi turning into object of ridicule on You Tube besides being framed in dubious relationship ,in his own land, through so-called political bigraphies ,it's heartening to find a legendary figure like Tutu taking note of his contributions in intimate terms.His appeal to counteract 'mad logic of racism' has come at a strange time when racist remarks hurled at Shilpa Shetty in 'Celebrity Big Brother ' provide an insight into racist notions prevailing in the white-people. It shows that the developed nations are yet to imbibe truly humane qualities honouring universalism despite being placed in ultra-modern conditions .One fails to understand why the citizens of these nations are so interested in chasing the ghost of apartheid and ,in the process , provide a new lease of life to 'historical wrongs ' committed in the name of colour and race .One hopes that his intiatives to chain the beast of of racism and his efforts to nullify 'clash of civilzations' don't lose tempo in a world turned into playground of negative forces .

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PRIYANKA :You should take note of the fact that Britishers have kept a safe distance from those who hurled abusive remarks at Shilpa .

TOMMY : Indians should emulate high -standards set by the Britishers in this regard .

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ON MAHASHIVARATRI

HAR-HAR MAHADEV TO EVERYONE .MANY THANKS TO THE VISITORS FOR ARRIVING IN PRAYAG IN HUGE NUMBERS .

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VIEWING CRICKET WITHOUT CUTS

ARVIND K.PANDEY

One wonders what the Prasar Bharati was doing on the negotiation table when telecast deals were given final shape ?It's only when Nimbus refused to provide feed to Doordarshan ,the government became aware of its drawbacks inherent in dependency on Private sports broadcasters . I don't know who compels goverment to believe that Ordinances are the solutions of the problems . True , the cricket lovers will now have the luxury to watch matches played anywhere in the globe but their fixation for Indian clashes has given many jolts to Prasar Bharati .

A DIFFERENT CRICKET

ARVIND K.PANDEY

The fascinating brainwave of Ramachanhdra Guha has once again given birth to a strange world governed by its own logic . Apart from conceiving such cricketing clash of civilzation ,the author should have also thrown light on the probabilites in the wake of opposition's ( Group comprised of non-Asian players )humiliating defeat at the hands of Asians .Will celebrations be devoid of prejudices ,which usually accompany the end result ? In my eyes , only a change in mindset is going to make such encounters meaningful . The presence of elements governed by the baser tendencies will turn even such innocent clashes into happenings no less dangerous than actual wars .Anyway , let me thank Guha for acknowledging the greatness of Tendulkar .It's no secret that many analysts in our nation lack the abilty to look beyond his ducks and minor flaws !

SRI RAMAKRISHNA :THE OCEAN OF BLISS

ARVIND K PANDEY

( PUBLISHED IN SOHAM ,FEBRUARY,2005)

[TODAY WE ARE CELEBRATING HIS BIRTH ANNIVERSARY]

It's beyond human intellect to comprehend in totality the attributes of a real Master. Why? Because to know Lord you have to become Lord. Sri Ramakrishna could undoubtedly be hailed as supreme incarnation of the Parabrahman. He is the perfect role model for the enthusiastic seekers who wish to merge their identity in Lord. Ramakrishna is regarded as the real Master by their disciples. While laying down the characteristic of qualified teacher Sri Aurbindo stated "The master is one who has risen to a higher consciousness and being and he is often regarded as its manifestation or representative. He not only helps by his teaching and still more by his influence and example, but by a power to communicate his own experience to others"

Sri Ramakrishna graced this divine land on February 18,1836 in a village named Kamarupkar. Ironically, the decent representatives of Lord always appear at times when the atmosphere is laden with confusion and chaos. As a matter of fact they are like gentle wind amidst the fury of demoniacal interests. Other than human garb, which they use as a mean to wonder among us like an ordinary soul, there is no other point of similarity, which allows to strike a bond with these rare souls. Ramakrishna had a unique childhood. Even then he was in league with his "sublimity of his aim and the one-pointedness of his application to them". Once the person who was chosen to play the part of Shiva in a play, named "Conversation between Shiva and Parvati", was forced by the circumstance to withdraw his name at the last moment. Ramakrishna got the chance to provide colour to the role of Shiva on the stage. No need to mention that he transcended the human consciousness while playing the part and for next few hours remain lost in that particular mood. His childhood provides a glimpse into his bent of mind stuffed with extraordinary perceptions. Ideally, it allowed him to gain insight, which invariably shattered the illusions of this dreamy would.

In his village school, when others were busy in parroting the sterile instructions of the teacher, he toyed with ideal which was not normal by any standard in that age. "What purpose will it all serve-this hard study, this sitting up late at right, this rumination of the glosses and commentaries? Will this help me in attaining the truth? "Obviously, he did not wish to end up as ‘finished product’ much like his school teacher. He rebelled against this sort of teaching system which enabled man to sail in the ocean of materialism with ease. But in the process extracting a heavy price for teaching this art of deception. We are unconsciously turned into monsters that trample other human beings without any trace of remorse. It wouldn’t be out of place to observe that in our times the realistic education has come to mean the ability to laugh at the miseries of fellow beings and name it pragmatism.

On of the commonplace assumptions regarding the bent of mind of Indian saints is that they lack scientific temper. In other words, they just swallow the facts owing to their inability to discern them in rational ways. The reality is otherwise. Ramakrishna passionately followed all through life that "He shall accept anything as true only after having subjected it to close scrutiny. If it stands the test, I will reduce it to practice. And I shall not look down upon anything of the world if it is not demonstrably untrue". This may be the reason why apparently antagonistic soul like Narendra could hardly resist from surrendering his dreams at his feet. This curious mixture of both these worlds-the earthly and the heavenly-created deep impression on Vivekananda’s mind who didn’t take much time to be the vehicle of his purpose. So much that he openly confessed that "Ever since our first meeting, it was the Master alone, and no one else, not even my own mother and brothers, who had uniform faith in me. That faith and that love of his have bound me to him forever. It was the master alone who knew how to love. He did love, while others only feign to love for the sake of their self-interest".

How intimate was their relationship could be gauged from this hilarious incident. Once Ramakrishna offered the Hookah to Narendra. Perplexed looking Narendra could not turn down this strange offer. He stopped smoking after two or three puffs. The Master then took that Hookah and as he was about to smoke Narendra, stopped him to remind that he should first wash his hands and then carry out the smoking business. This infuriated Ramakrishna and what followed was display of ecstatic mood mired in uncontrollable anger-a familiar sight for Narendra having spent a long time with him. "You rascal, you are awfully conscious of differences" uttered Ramakrishna before gaining normalcy. The smoking session moved ahead with that very Hookah which Narendra had sealed with impunity with his lips.

In earlier year of Sadhana, the group comprising of Narendra, Kesava and others was greatly influenced by Western Philosophy. Narendra however, tried to counteract the charm of alien literature. Something so evident when he quotes Hamilton who felt that "where philosophy ends there religion begins." It wasn’t easy for the Master to de-construct these minds shaped in convictions gathered from here and there. Even Master was bit worried about their flirtations with bogus reading material. "I hope he did not do so because some Western scholars had expressed that opinion."

Under the influence of Western Philosophy Vevekanand held the opinion that God unknown and unknowable. Ramakrishna came to intuitively apprehend his dilemma regarding the true nature of Lord. He advised Narendra to seek the Lord’s grace which he said could result from sincere prayer offered from heart aching for Lord’s darshana. Such feelings when condensed in form of words may read like this "O God, I don’t know Thy nature, do Thou manifest Thyself to me as Thou really art". Vivekananda, who earlier medicated on formless Brahman with attributes, decided to anticipate Lord in its real form. So he started praying "O Lord make me fit to see your real nature". What the Master wanted to convey through this episode was that the Lord couldn’t be governed by any particular belief. He has form and lo and behold formless as well. And thus Narendra bid adieu to doubts in this regard. Being now aware of His glory Swami Vivekananda suggests seekers to unite their heart and mind with the fountain of all bliss." Seek for the Highest, aim at that Highest, and you shall reach the Highest."

Sri Saradadevi, the divine consort of Sri Ramakrishna, also considered the Master ‘embodiment of bliss itself’. That is why she advised seekers to rely on Ramakrishna in order to remain above the pangs of worldliness. Vindicating the fact that Ramakrishna was not an ordinary soul she said, "Really and truly Sri Ramakrishna was God himself. He assumed this human body to remove the sorrows and sufferings of others". According to the holy mother Ramakrishna played the part of both Maheswara and Maheswari. All through her life she translated into action the will of Master. Perhaps, she has known too well that Lord alone is the real and the world illusionary. It’s really hard nut to crack to cross the ocean of desires partially owning to seeker’s bent of mind but more largely because of Mahamaya’s mysterious designs. "A person may have no relative anywhere but Mahamaya may cause him to keep a cat and thus make him worldly. Such is her play", observed mother in lighter vein. Unmistakably it may sound pessimistic had not she sent supreme souls to show us the way amidst drama of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. The moral of this whole story is that a soul must take refuge in these Mahatmas (super souls) if he truly wishes to strike an eternal bond with Lord. Such souls alone provide security blanket from the onslaught of worldly desires.

A man who is in sync with sincerity of his purpose finds himself sooner or later in company of the Lord. Let us never forget that real aim of the individual wondering on this planet is realization. Other than this all other concerns are bound to open the floodgate of misery. In this journey towards the Lord the company of godly souls acts as a catalyst. Our intrinsic nature compels us to return back to our source. It’s only matter of time when the restlessness to attain the Highest germinates in our heart. Indeed, the life goes in waste if it is not used as an instrument to establish perfect communion with the Lord. Finally, I would like to refer to statement of the Master, one surcharged with mystical undertone, which establishes his tie-up with the Lord - All those who are living their final lives in the world will come here, and all those who have, even once, truly called on God cannot but come here. Yes, it’s imperative for the seekers to honour those who share the platform with Lord.

ZEROES ARE INSIGNIFICANT

ARVIND K.PANDEY

What's the point in searching ducks in a heap of Tendulkar's fantastic records ? Considering his numerous rare feats, the zeroes lose their significance . After all, he has played more than 300 ODIs and there could be moments when mastreo might have lost his touch .These ducks should not be examined in isolation but be placed side by side his better achievements . Such weaker episodes only reveal that we are governed by the vunerabilties encircling a human being !

RAHUL GANDHI:NOT ON PAR WITH REAL,TRUE LEADERS

(Published in NEWSWEEK,FEBRUARY 19,2007)

Rahul Gandhi's legendary background has helped him have an edge over his political rivals. But let us not harbor the illusion that he could morph into an able leader simply by virtue of his iconic political legacy. Great leaders are often shaped by hardships and the ironies of life—in this case, Rahul Gandhi's privileged upbringing has done nothing for him. Since most of the GenNext leaders have been unable to shake off their elite tastes, a huge rift exists between them and the ordinary citizens whom they wish to represent. By contrast, the ability of yesteryear's leaders to speak the language of the masses helped them strike a deep bond with the man on the street. Those who are supporting Gandhi—Congress Party sycophants rather than real well-wishers—have their own vested interests for doing so. They believe that Rahul's rise might be the lifeline for their sagging political careers.

ARVIND K.PANDEY

(Published in NOTHERN INDIA PATRIKA ,FEB.14,2007)

I am afraid that the writer did not do her homework well before stating in her book ," Power and Pilgrimage:The Allahabad Kumbh Mela ", that Kumbh Mela is "less than 150 years old ". Kama Maclean's contention that Puranic legend was forcefully grafted to convince Britishers about Mela's religious sanctity is laughable since scriptural text's have many references to Kumbh -a festival based on astrological charts .Does Kama Maclean want us to believe that Britishers lacked intelligence enough to see through such concoctions ? It's very clear that she is not aware of the fact that nearly all the Hindu festivals and rituals are backed-up by Vedic and Puranic confirmations . Isn't it absurd to conclude that these references came into existence to please a foreign power ? In fact , Sri Shankaracharya made it mandatory for various Hindu organisations to reshape themselves after gap of 12 years in four prominent cities associated with Kumbh celebrations .Interestingly , the confluence of Ganga and Jamuna in Prayaga has always appealed to the religious instincts of the ancient kings , to an extent that Harshavardhana organized the " Moksha-Parishad " which was attended by more than a half a million people .Probably , this is why Swami Atmananda of Ramakrishna Mission emphatically opined that Kumbh is one of the most ancient celebrations approved by the Vedas .

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OUTRAGEOUS

Mr.V.S.Datta , Editor of Northern India Patrika , ratifies the views expressed by the writer .He says : " I fully endorse what Arvind Pandey has written .I read another article on this very subject in which I found that the author had quoted extensively from Kama Maclean's book as if she has written another Veda .No mention of anotherv counter argument was there .Since childhood we have been listening to our history teachers telling us that Harshavardhana would come to Allahabad for the Kumbh every 12 years and give away all that he had with him to the nedy and the poor and to all others . Did Harsh live 150 years ago ? It is outrageous on the part of foreign writers to write on the basis of superficial knowledge that they possess .And it is still more outrageous on the part of our own so-called intellectuals -psuedo-intellectuals I would call them -to extol these uncalled for comments which cannot be traced to facts but which are their own raw interpretation of some events on the basis of of their half-baked knowledge ."

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PRIYANKA : Thanks to Arvindji And Datta Sir for upholding the legitimacy of Kumbh Mela in a strong manner .

TOMMY : Reserach Scholars should be devoid of prejudices to lend a degree of credibilty to their findings .

SHERU : I have no birth certificate .

BHANUMATI (A Research Scholar ) : Well, that means you don't exist at all sincec there is no material evidence to verify your existence .

SHERU : Let me then bite you to prove that "I'm " . And he is running after her like a policeman chasing a theif .

TOMMY : In matters of faith , it's better that we do not adhere to excessive reasoning in a mad rush to have answers for the missing links .

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ON VALENTINE'S DAY

Lastly , let's chope that this day brings love and stability in lives of people trapped in ironies of life.

Ah, love ! could thou and I with fate conspire
To grasp this sorry Scheme of Things entire ,
Would not we shatter it to bits-and then
Re-mould it nearer to thye Heart's Desire !

{ TAMAM SHUD }

(VERSE 73)

(From the Rubaiyat of Omar Khaiyyam of Naishapur )
( Edward Fitzgerald )

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STORY OF TWO DRUG CHEATS

( By Roderick Toombs of Australia in CRICINFO'S February ,2007 issue )

How the world sits back and allows Mohammad Asif and Shoaib Akhtar to play international cricket is beyond me .Two drug cheats playing significant roles in a victory against South Africa . Two drug cheats who should have been banned for at least two years .

These test matches should be erased from the records as a result of their participation .As the rest of the sporting world attempts to clean up its act and provide their respective sports with an element of legimitacy cricket becomes a laughable facade a competitive sport that preaches all the right ethics , and then sends a message directly to the kids :" If you come from the Asian block , you can get away with anything ."

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PRIYANKA: PCB IS EXPERT IN 2+2=5 ..MEOW

TOMMY :MUSHARRAF'S MAGIC IS HELPING PCB TO COME OF AGE ..BOW-BOW

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GREATS CANNOT BE MANUFACTURED

ARVIND K.PANDEY

(Published in CRICINFO, FEBRUARY,2007)

The world of cricket can never be impervious to time and change . Yes, it's not possible to see replicas of Shane Warne,Glenn McGrath and Justin Langer in the future version of Australian Cricket .But it is also true that Australians have always been lucky in churning out quality players at regular intervals .Their bench-strength have kept players in the final 11 susceptible to uncertain future in the wake of poor performances . In fact , what separates it from the Asian giants and West Indies is its ability to have right replacements in time of need .Look at the way Michael Hussey , Michael Clarke ,Shane Watson , Nathan Bracken and others have been able to make worthwhile contributions for its team in such a short span of time . Ricky Ponting's words are worth remembering :" We are going to be losiong two of the all-time greats (Warne and McGrath) in a short period of time .It's sad , but we have now got to push on ."

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PRIYANKA : DRINKING MILK LIKE ME WOULD HAVE HELPED THEM TO DELIVER SUCH GREAT PERFORMANCES.

TOMMY : WHETHER THEY DRINK MILK OR NOT IS NOT THE ISSUE BUT WHATEVER THEY DO TO GAIN STRENGTH IS NOT TRIGGERED BY CHORI-CHORI INSTINCTS .

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SINGUR :SHATTERED BY GLOBALISATION

ARVIND K.PANDEY

(Published in BUSINESS INDIA,FEB.11,2007)

Lenin has stated that " Imperialism is capitalism in that stage of development in which the domination of monoply and finance capital has taken shape ; in which the export of capital has acquired pronounced importance ; in which the division of the world by International trusts has begun ; and in which the partition of all the territory of the earth by the greatest capitalist countries has ben completed ." The developments in Singur are indicative of fact that Communists have given way to 'dictatorship of capitalist forces ' from 'dictatorship of proletariats '.Yes, no one can beat Communists in imbibing paradoxes of heinous kinds ! Or ,in other words , globalisation has taught individuls how to give space to strange paradoxes in their lives with zero-tolerance towards principles !!!!

CANNOT FOOL PEOPLE

ARVIND K.PANDEY

(Published In INDIA TODAY,FEB.19,07)

The tough resistance offered by the residents of Nandigram simply proves that it's not possible to fool all the people all the time . Considering the fact that policies aimed at large acquisition of lands have been formulated at par with interests of business czars ,the owners of these lands feel betrayed . It's surprising that the UPA government ,supported by the so-called saviours of workers, decided to go ahead with the creation of SEZs weighed heavily in the favour of those who are marred by the ills of suffice . The violent protests in Nandigram should make it clear to everybody ,associated with projects recquiring large possession of land , that owners need to be made part and parcel of such projects .How can their interests be dismissed without making substantial arrangements for their bread and butter ? Also, the government should eye barren lands instead of offering cultivable land to the capitalists .

CRICKET:MONEY RULES THE ROOST

ARVIND K.PANDEY

(Published In BUSINESS INDIA ,FEB.11,2007)

The new broadcast deals are indicative of fact that Cricket has now occupied the notoriety of being the game governed by the market Gurus.In the modern times when all the things have fallen in the lap of matreialistic considerations , it would be nothing short of foolhardines to expect players and umpires to remain detatched from the charm of money . Cricket , traditionally being the game of gentlemen , has rapidly morphed into game supported by the unhloy nexus of cricket boards, market forces and ICC. Globalisation ,here too, has come to play a dominant role in bringing changes on par with the dynamics of market . So it's not surprising that sportsmanship, quality innings and twists and turns of a high class duel have been replaced by match-fixing elements , concocted aggression and high-pitched drama unleashed by big fishes of the corporate world ,who can in no way see their huge stakes going in drain . Precisely , this is why 'phatapat 'version of the cricket have come to assume larger than life importance for the ICC even as they come to crush the mental and physical stamina of the players.

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PRIYANKA : THE WHOLE THING IS THAT KI SABSE BADA RUPPAIYA ....(AN OLD SONG FEATURING IN NEW MOVIE " BLUFFMASTER " )

TOMMY :SILLY CAT ,GREEDY CAT KYA RUPAIYAN SAHIT UPAR KA TCKET KATANA HAI ?

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ARUNDHATI ROY:GODDESS OF ILLUSION

ARVIND K.PANDEY

(Published in HARDNEWS,FEBRUARY,2007)

Arundhati Roy's howls of outrage are ,more often than not , borne out of figment of imagination . And as always happpens such people are used by the leftist brigade to lend credibilty to their frivolous activism .One of the hallmarks of her writing been to draw conclusions from baseless facts in support of wrong people . Such head- on- collisons with the Constitutional bodies might provide her short-lived fame ,especially in the International arena , but in the long run it simply tarnish her persona beyond repair . The harsh truth is that she does not believe in learning lessons from her previous blunders ,just like US, which gain resonance from her mindless defence of Afzal . Does she think that Highest court is biased towards Muslim criminals ? Why does she want us to believe that the investigative agencies , the trial courts and the SC danced to the tune of false findings ? It's unfortunate that her 'social conscience ' fails to take into account tales of killed soldiers , the traumatic lives of their widows and , above all, the onslaught by the Islamic militants in the various parts of country . Instead of becoming the mouthpiece of divisive forces , it's time for her to use the power of pen to strenghten the roots of nation . Interestingly , she seeks to occupy high moral- ground by virtually fanning the flames of disintegration ,something proved by her love for fallacious aruguments . It's amazing that her psuedo-political concerns have made her keep a safe distance from objectivity and accuracy , leading to falsehood in the name of truth !

TALE OF GOSSIP MONGERS

ARVIND K.PANDEY

Whatever be the truth ,it's never too easy easy to dilute the negative impact of gossips . The Lewinsky-Clinton affair might have escalated the sale of magazines , dependent upon gossips for their survival , but ask Hillary who had to fight countless fields of dubious battles to sustain her marital relationship . Ironically, gossips which add spice in the women's circle ,sooner or later, go out of control to invite all sort of mess in the lives of innocent women . Not a long time back a prominent correspondent associated with the Indian Express had to end her life ,simply because gossips left no room for better days . The gossip mongers aren't aware of the fact that frivolous versions of truth make the task of person difficult ,who is bothered about
unearthing 'truth' . Remember , there has to be a judicious balance in all those things ,which have the potential to make or mar human affairs . The gossip could be a possible time- bomb in times of crisis ! Let's hope we remain at a safe distance from gossips and come to utilize our energy in a constructive manner.

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A GOSSIP SESSION

PRIYANKA : I've heard your better half has been found involved in cross-border milk smuggling ..

CHARU: The information seems to have been leaked by reporter of Tommy Times ...

PRIYANKA:Forget about my husband's minor crime .I 've heard that someone has sent you parcel having imported rats from Switzerland .Whose brain is creating trouble for you ? I have also heard that " MILKPOOL" construction is taking place without having permission from the authoritries . The Pool will allow you to have luxury of milk bath at any hour of the day .

PRIYANKA :Shut up..I'm 100% vegetarian ...No such construction is taking place since I'm active member of "Save Milk Campaign " .The aim of this campaign is to provide Kittens and Puppies have milk when they are starving .

CHARU: But isn't this true that yesterday your neck was trapped in the container when you were drinking milk chori-chori on the 14th floor .Thanks to the rescue efforts of Fire Brigade that you are in position to have a conversation with me ..

(A TERRIBLE FIGHT ENSUED ......)

TOMMY:No matter what's the level of their progressiveness ,they just can't learn to have facts verified before entering into conversation . Nobody can stop their "Bakaiti" (Gossip).Tommorow you will find Charu and Priyanka again sharing the coffee table with a different tale ...

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CHILDREN:CHASED BY NEW DANGERS

ARVIND K.PANDEY

(Published In INDIA TODAY,FEB.12,2007)

Let's not forget we are living in times when incarnations of evil are wiping out traces of decency from the society . The psychopaths like Mohinder Singh Pandhers are no more odd men out in daily scheme of our things . No wonder the layers of insecurity thickens around present-age children .Add to it ,the free access to sexual adventurism on Internet , the onslaught of movies depicting violence and dominence of mindset which promotes waywardness have made the children vulnerable to host of psychological disorders .Though we cannot stop the winds of change ,a better interaction with ancient values could produce light at the end of tunnel .

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PRIYANKA:Bachhoen Ka Bachha Hona Is Duniya Me Khel Nahi ....
TOMMY:Jab Tak Wo Badoen Se Ghiren Rahengein ....

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AN APOLOGY

Yesterday ,I wrongly spelled the world "Children " .Apart from my personal blunder , the cause of fault lies in the chaos which dominates the cafe from where I operate ..It's just like Bar Dancer's Club ..Loud Music with Puffs of Cigarette everwhere..It's suffocating ...So I hope my readers will ignore my minor mistakes and come out with beautiful comments ...Last night Priyanka came in my dream and did lot of Gaali Galuj ..She came to lift this particuar word from here and awarded students no marks who spelled it correctly ....

Anyone has heard this song from "Awara" ....Aaja Ek Do Ten Ye Mausam Hai Rangeen ....will immediately understand my state of mind .The chaos which accompanies the lyrics almost make it difficult to decipher the exact lines of this song . Just imagine me to be the lines and take chaos to be the atmossphere of the Cafe .You wil then realize my plight .

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GOING BY THE COLOUR OF SKIN

(Published In THE HINDU,FEB.04,2007)

It appears that developed nations are yet to imbibe truly humane qualities honouring universalism. The racist remarks hurled at Shilpa are indicative of Britishers' inability to honour the traits of modernity despite living in an ultra-modern society. It's time for the Indians to stop moulding their patterns of living in flawed Western colours.

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PRIYANKA:GORA AND KALA SHOULD NOT ENTER INTO DUBIOUS BATTLES IN THE NAME OF COLOUR .

TOMMY :MOTIS OF ENGLISHTAN NEED TO HONOUR THE WISHES OF PRIYANKAS OF KALUSTAN

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