Rarely would you miss films made by Nora Ephron and especially those starring Meryl Streep and Meg Ryan. Writer, director and screen player Nora Ephron is known for her ability to showcase parallel stories and romantic comedies like 'When Harry Met Sally'; 'You’ve Got Mail' and 'Sleepless in Seattle'. So yesterday when Julie and Julia were released, Vrushali and I were indeed ecstatic. The film touches your heart and enlivens your taste buds.
Julie and Julia is based on true stories and takes a sneak peek into the lives of two women. Nora delicately slices, squeezes, squashes and subtly blends Julia Child’s book 'My Life in France' and Julie Powell’s book – 'Julie and Julia' based on Powell’s blog in 2002 documenting her attempt to cook recipes from her idol Julia Child's 'Mastering the Art of French Cooking.'
Powell and Child have a lot in common. They are emotional, childless, extrovert, restless, and bored of their government jobs. Both of them relish food and are happily married to loving, compassionate and supportive husbands.
The film combines culinary history, travel, culture and moves between Paris in 1950 and New York in 2002. Julia Child (Meryl Streep) and her diplomat husband Paul Child (Stanley Tucci) arrive in Paris. The film unravels Julia’s journey from being a bored housewife in Paris to her enthusiastic trips in the local markets, from learning French cooking to eventually becoming a star chef on TV. Pucci gives an incredible performance and prefers to stay in the background.
Meanwhile in New York, Julie Powell’s (Amy Adams) husband Eric Powell (Chris Messina) encourages Julie to cook and write. He eagerly reads her blog and greedily gormandizes like a hungry bear. Both Julie and Julia enjoy experimenting in their kitchen and feeding their friends. Julia’s colleagues Simone Beck and Louisette Bertholle (Linda Emond and Helen Carey) are brilliant, encouraging and together they co-author a magnum opus on French cooking.
The direction is brilliant and intimately indulges you in Julie and Julia’s struggles and their triumph of discovering themselves through their culinary skills. Some scenes remain etched in your memory. Julia innocuously blanches tomatoes, seasons the food, chops onions, and shares her candid opinion about butter. Her visit to local bakeries and the joy she experiences from the aroma of fresh, green, leafy vegetables are strikingly infectious and adorable. The conversations between Julia and her husband Paul, and later with her sister Dorothy McWilliams (Jane Lynch) are engaging, lively and simply enriching. Jane Lynch plays a memorable role.
Pitted against these two talented actresses, is the charming Amy Adams who marvelously displays Powell’s mood swings and frustrations. Her kitchen in Queens, N.Y. would perhaps give jitters to Julia but her attempt to dish out all 524 recipes in 365 days is indeed laudable.
Meryl’s inimitable acting and mannerism distinctly re-creates Julia Child – the gourmet and gourmand. The near perfect intonation of Julia appears little melodramatic but that itself brings life into the character. Through her dialogues, Meryl inspires, endears and provides a wonderful glimpse into Julia’s life and yet cleverly avoids making her mockery.
A random check on the internet would show you original videos of Julia Child and also allow access to Julie Powell’s famous blog featuring the ‘F’ word and the one she wrote upon hearing the sad demise of Julia Child in 2004. Both Julia and Meryl are blessed with abundant talent, grace, charm and clearly demonstrate their tenacity to pursue their dreams and passion. No wonder, only Meryl Streep could have played Julia Child!
The film is immaculately blended but long and moves at a gentle pace. The plot lacks some thickness but not consistency and could have delved deeper into Julia’s life. The film ends almost abruptly and creates some curiosity to grab the original manuscripts. The music is loud and distorts the pathos or humor of moments. The director has an amazing eye for detail and the screenplay is fantastic. With amazing dexterity, the camera moves in and out of the characters lives, carefully capturing every emotions, joy and the mouth – watering vibrant texture of food including the few mishaps.
By the end of it all, you begin to love butter, and enjoy the delectable, sensuous French cuisine, peppered with challenges, but garnished with joy and passion and eagerly relish dollops of raspberry cream dessert with rich icing of respect, humour and love.
Bon Appetit!...
Monday, October 26, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Diwali - A Reason to Sparkle !
Diwali or Deepavali means rows of diyas (light in clay lamps). It’s a festival that brings India together, brings hope that light will vanquish the spiritual darkness and that good will triumph over evil. Diwali also marks the end of the harvest season in most of India. It also marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year in North and some parts of Western India. Diwali helps to unite cultures, customs and religions in the flow of its celebrations. No wonder President Obama lit a lamp in the White House. The celebrations start from the day of Dhanteras and extends till the final day of Bhai dooj.
Strangely Diwali also brings back fond memories from my childhood. As soon as the half yearly examinations were over, our school would remain closed for almost 12-15 days. Teachers would give little homework and on the last day of school, we could experience little sadness for missing school and friends. But all this would be short lived.
The school vacations always coincided with mother’s holidays. That meant sheer joy - spending time at home instead in a crèche. Mother would spend her mornings correcting the examination papers from her school and afternoons will be lined up with plenty of chores. She will ensure that we helped her clean our cupboards, drawers and the house and later decorate it for Diwali. In the evenings we would visit shops near the Aarey Road or M.G. Road, and get spices, cereals, masalas, dry fruits and other ingredients required for preparing the delectable Diwali snacks (faral). Along with this, she would buy colourful Rangoli powder.
The mornings would be spent on the play ground, and the afternoons reading or sleeping. A visit to local flour mill was quite enjoyable. It provided necessary lessons in operations research and theory of machines. The big machine would finely grind the various grains and cereals. The small spindle would start rotating and the belt would keep running producing wonderful music. After some time, the machine operator cum proprietor would hit the machine with a small nut or hammer so as to ensure the finely grinded flour seamlessly trickles in the container below. The clinking iof metal would produce a wonderful melody. This was the time when the flour mills would do flourishing business. The Steel tins (dabba) would be covered by flour from all sides. Every dabba would contain 5- 6 kg of various flour mixes of various cereals and grains. Soon this flour would be used to prepare dough that later turned into delectable "chaklis", "karanji", "shankarpali", other sweets and namkeen items. Closer to Diwali, mom would take huge quantity of dry Poha in a big kaddai (vessel) and fry in little oil. In it she will generously add peanuts, chillies, raisins, cashew and garnish with coriander seeds, jeera, turmeric, masala, salt and a tasty chivda is ready to munch anytime.
A week before Diwali, it was time for shopping. It was fun to walk through the crowded station road, watching all those well decorated shops selling fancy items. Almost every shop boasted with signs promoting hefty discount and bumper sale. The shops were well lit and every where people had big smile on their faces. Somehow the crowd never diminished near the Azad Shopping Center – perhaps the biggest mall in Goregaon west then. The Dawood showroom on the ground floor displayed new designs of shoes and sandals that would shine sparkle and smile at you from the glass shelf. The nearby Bata show room had its salesmen standing on the street and eagerly beckon you inside their showroom. I think, Siddhartha was the only authorized shop selling Raymonds and Vimal brand of fabric. Bandra - Linking Road, Aarsa and Nadco shopping center at Andheri and Fashion Street at Churchgate were still unheard of.
The best part of the shopping was buying different kinds of crackers and fire works. No matter how many crackers we bought, as children we always remain insatiated. A new pair of shoes, gifts and new set of clothes to be worn on auspicious Diwali days were almost mandatory. Women’s shopping was always painful and my sister never seemed to like the colour or the design of dresses which my mom chose. Mom would rarely shop for herself but whenever she did, it was a boring. A visit to a saree shop taught us lessons in patience but in hindsight she seems to be much quicker, decisive and guess even more prudent in shopping than my wife. Dad would hardly indulge in shopping but on our insistence would reluctantly buy some shirt and dress material for trousers. Finally shopping was over and I suspect major part of our parent’s salary must have been blown by this time.
It was now time to make a small beautiful lantern (Akaash-Kandil). Mom and I would visit the nearby stationary shops and get some small bamboo sticks, colour papers, strings and glue. At a time when fevicol and joker gum were un-invented, rather un-imagined, the glue would be prepared at home made up of wheat or rice paste. Every afternoon, Mom will teach me how to prepare an akaash – Kandil. This continued for many years and every year there will be new design. Sometimes we even used thermocol and prepared lanterns. Ironically, today the same lanterns are purchased by us at hefty price. Meanwhile, the bamboos would be neatly cut and tied in a diamond shape on the sides. It would be firmly supported from the top and the bottom. Later the colour papers were neatly cut and glued covering the hollow bamboo square shapes. Long paper stripes would be attached as tails. After two days, the lamp would be dangling royally in our balcony. A small electric bulb would bring life to it and radiate the various colours. The light from this lantern would act as a spotlight on the rangoli below. In those days every building in the colony would display some large, beautiful designed and often star shaped lanterns.
Celebrations
On the first day of Diwali, we would wake up early around 4: 30 a.m. Before our bath, we would apply scented oil and utaney or ubtan (herbal scented paste using besan, oil, milk and some herbal paste). I reckon Moti soaps would have flourishing sales during Diwali. Immediately after our bath we would wear new clothes and rush down to lit fire crackers. In our building a small competition ensued, as to who will burst the first fire cracker (preferably atom bomb) early in the morning. Those days ‘captain’ brand bombs or a sutli (green threaded) bomb produced massive noise that woke up everyone in the colony. A chap named Sanjeev whom we affectionately called Pappu regularly won this competition except once. That year I burst a bomb even before having my bath somewhere around 4:20 a.m. Well, I don’t remember Sanjeev waking up early the rest of the year or was it the other way round!
Later in the day, we would perform a small pooja at home and then we would be ready to gormandise on Diwali faral (delicacies) consisting of delectable sweets such as "karanji", "ladoo" made from Besan and Rawa, "shankarpali" and “barfi”, "mithai" as well as some spicy eatables like "Chakli", "Shev" and "Chivda". In addition there will be plenty of dry fruits.
A visit to the famous Ayyappa Temple at Bangur Nagar and Ambe Mata Mandir near Aarey Road was always on the card. Later we would carry some faral and distribute it amongst our relatives and neighbours. They also reciprocated generously. Fortunately or unfortunately there is no tradition of gambling amongst Maharashtrians albeit some of them are now actively participating in stock markets! In the evenings, mom and sister would draw colourful rangoli design. Everybody would flaunt their new clothes. The dark night soon gets illuminated by hundreds of lamps, lanterns and crackers are bursted non stop.
Five Day Festival
A lunar half-month is 15 days. Diwali as a new-moon day marks the last day of a 15-day period. The celebration starts after worshipping Lord Ganesha. As against other parts of the country, Diwali is a three day festival in Bengal, with the first two days being of utmost importance.
In Maharashtra, Diwali starts from Vasubaras which is the 12th day of the 2nd half of the month of Ashwin. In rural areas, this day is celebrated by performing an Aarti of the cow and its calf- which is a symbol of love between mother and her baby. In the rest of the country, Diwali starts from Dhanatrayodashi or Dhanteras. Dhan means "wealth" and Teras means "13th day". Thus, as the name implies, this day falls on the 13th day of the second half of the lunar month. It is an auspicious day for shopping of gold & Silver Ornaments, Idols & Coins and God yantras. Some Maharastrians families would worship cash, jewellery and an idol of the Goddess Laxmi.
Naraka Chaturdasi or Choti Diwali: Chaturdasi is the fourteenth day on which demon Narakasura was killed. It signifies the victory of good over evil and light over darkness.
Laxmi- poojan or Diwali comes on the third day. It occurs on Amavasya i.e. no moon day. Laxmi, the Goddess of wealth and prosperity is welcomed by offering traditional pujas. The business community places their new accounting books in front of the Laxmi deity and offers puja for the well being of the business. In the evening, the Bombay stock exchange performs a token bidding called Muhurat trading and for the past few years this event is beamed across through various TV channels. Generally the traders would buy stock for their kids or grandchildren as security and would not sell it. These traders do not make any payments on that day (according to their belief Laxmi should not be given away but must come home). In every household, cash, jewellery and an idol of the goddess Laxmi is worshipped.
The fourth day is known as ‘Padwa', ‘Bali Pratipada’ or ‘Govardhan Puja’ and it falls on the 1st day of the new month – Kartik, in the Hindu calendar. It is celebrated as the first day of the Vikram Samvat calendar, in Gujarat. In Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, it is celebrated as Bali-Pratipada or Bali Padyami. The day commemorates the victory of Vishnu in his dwarf form Vamana over demon-king Bali, who was pushed to the nether world and the return of Bali to earth from the nether-world. In Maharashtra, it is called as Padava or Nava Diwas ("new day"). Wives would perform Aarti and men in turn would present gifts to their wives on this day. In North India, it is celebrated as Govardhan puja, also called Annakut, and is celebrated as the day Lord Krishna defeated God Indra by lifting the Govardhana hill to save his kinsmen and cattle from rain and floods.
The fifth day known as Bhaubeej or Bhai dooj is the time where the bond of love between a brother and sister is further strengthened. The sisters offer prayers for the general well being of their brothers. Gifts are exchanged expressing brotherly feelings of love and affection.
Significance
Diwali is not just celebrated by the Hindus but also by Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists. It has different reasons of significance for all these communities. In Hinduism there are various reasons for its celebrations. In north, Lord Ram comes home to Ayodhya emerging victorious from Lanka. Down south, the demon Naraka Asura is vanquished by Lord Krishna. Meanwhile in west, Lord Vishnu buries Bali under the earth and in East; an enraged Goddess Kali beheads the demons. In Jainism, Diwali marks the attainment of Nirvana by Lord Mahavira. In Sikhism, the festival of Diwali is significant in accordance with the illumination of the city of Amritsar, on the homecoming of Guru Har Gobindji. Guru Har Gobindji, along with many Hindu gurus were imprisoned by the Mughal Emperor Jahangir. After he got free from the prison, he went to the golden temple in Amritsar. The entire city of Amritsar is lit with lamps. The festival of Diwali is also celebrated by some sections of Buddhists.
Well technology and times have changed and so have the styles of celebration. But the fervor and enthusiasm hasn’t diminished at all. Undoubtedly there are different reasons for cheer but indeed a cracker of festival! …
Here’s wishing all a Very Happy, Sparkling and Safe Diwali!
Strangely Diwali also brings back fond memories from my childhood. As soon as the half yearly examinations were over, our school would remain closed for almost 12-15 days. Teachers would give little homework and on the last day of school, we could experience little sadness for missing school and friends. But all this would be short lived.
The school vacations always coincided with mother’s holidays. That meant sheer joy - spending time at home instead in a crèche. Mother would spend her mornings correcting the examination papers from her school and afternoons will be lined up with plenty of chores. She will ensure that we helped her clean our cupboards, drawers and the house and later decorate it for Diwali. In the evenings we would visit shops near the Aarey Road or M.G. Road, and get spices, cereals, masalas, dry fruits and other ingredients required for preparing the delectable Diwali snacks (faral). Along with this, she would buy colourful Rangoli powder.
The mornings would be spent on the play ground, and the afternoons reading or sleeping. A visit to local flour mill was quite enjoyable. It provided necessary lessons in operations research and theory of machines. The big machine would finely grind the various grains and cereals. The small spindle would start rotating and the belt would keep running producing wonderful music. After some time, the machine operator cum proprietor would hit the machine with a small nut or hammer so as to ensure the finely grinded flour seamlessly trickles in the container below. The clinking iof metal would produce a wonderful melody. This was the time when the flour mills would do flourishing business. The Steel tins (dabba) would be covered by flour from all sides. Every dabba would contain 5- 6 kg of various flour mixes of various cereals and grains. Soon this flour would be used to prepare dough that later turned into delectable "chaklis", "karanji", "shankarpali", other sweets and namkeen items. Closer to Diwali, mom would take huge quantity of dry Poha in a big kaddai (vessel) and fry in little oil. In it she will generously add peanuts, chillies, raisins, cashew and garnish with coriander seeds, jeera, turmeric, masala, salt and a tasty chivda is ready to munch anytime.
A week before Diwali, it was time for shopping. It was fun to walk through the crowded station road, watching all those well decorated shops selling fancy items. Almost every shop boasted with signs promoting hefty discount and bumper sale. The shops were well lit and every where people had big smile on their faces. Somehow the crowd never diminished near the Azad Shopping Center – perhaps the biggest mall in Goregaon west then. The Dawood showroom on the ground floor displayed new designs of shoes and sandals that would shine sparkle and smile at you from the glass shelf. The nearby Bata show room had its salesmen standing on the street and eagerly beckon you inside their showroom. I think, Siddhartha was the only authorized shop selling Raymonds and Vimal brand of fabric. Bandra - Linking Road, Aarsa and Nadco shopping center at Andheri and Fashion Street at Churchgate were still unheard of.
The best part of the shopping was buying different kinds of crackers and fire works. No matter how many crackers we bought, as children we always remain insatiated. A new pair of shoes, gifts and new set of clothes to be worn on auspicious Diwali days were almost mandatory. Women’s shopping was always painful and my sister never seemed to like the colour or the design of dresses which my mom chose. Mom would rarely shop for herself but whenever she did, it was a boring. A visit to a saree shop taught us lessons in patience but in hindsight she seems to be much quicker, decisive and guess even more prudent in shopping than my wife. Dad would hardly indulge in shopping but on our insistence would reluctantly buy some shirt and dress material for trousers. Finally shopping was over and I suspect major part of our parent’s salary must have been blown by this time.
It was now time to make a small beautiful lantern (Akaash-Kandil). Mom and I would visit the nearby stationary shops and get some small bamboo sticks, colour papers, strings and glue. At a time when fevicol and joker gum were un-invented, rather un-imagined, the glue would be prepared at home made up of wheat or rice paste. Every afternoon, Mom will teach me how to prepare an akaash – Kandil. This continued for many years and every year there will be new design. Sometimes we even used thermocol and prepared lanterns. Ironically, today the same lanterns are purchased by us at hefty price. Meanwhile, the bamboos would be neatly cut and tied in a diamond shape on the sides. It would be firmly supported from the top and the bottom. Later the colour papers were neatly cut and glued covering the hollow bamboo square shapes. Long paper stripes would be attached as tails. After two days, the lamp would be dangling royally in our balcony. A small electric bulb would bring life to it and radiate the various colours. The light from this lantern would act as a spotlight on the rangoli below. In those days every building in the colony would display some large, beautiful designed and often star shaped lanterns.
Celebrations
On the first day of Diwali, we would wake up early around 4: 30 a.m. Before our bath, we would apply scented oil and utaney or ubtan (herbal scented paste using besan, oil, milk and some herbal paste). I reckon Moti soaps would have flourishing sales during Diwali. Immediately after our bath we would wear new clothes and rush down to lit fire crackers. In our building a small competition ensued, as to who will burst the first fire cracker (preferably atom bomb) early in the morning. Those days ‘captain’ brand bombs or a sutli (green threaded) bomb produced massive noise that woke up everyone in the colony. A chap named Sanjeev whom we affectionately called Pappu regularly won this competition except once. That year I burst a bomb even before having my bath somewhere around 4:20 a.m. Well, I don’t remember Sanjeev waking up early the rest of the year or was it the other way round!
Later in the day, we would perform a small pooja at home and then we would be ready to gormandise on Diwali faral (delicacies) consisting of delectable sweets such as "karanji", "ladoo" made from Besan and Rawa, "shankarpali" and “barfi”, "mithai" as well as some spicy eatables like "Chakli", "Shev" and "Chivda". In addition there will be plenty of dry fruits.
A visit to the famous Ayyappa Temple at Bangur Nagar and Ambe Mata Mandir near Aarey Road was always on the card. Later we would carry some faral and distribute it amongst our relatives and neighbours. They also reciprocated generously. Fortunately or unfortunately there is no tradition of gambling amongst Maharashtrians albeit some of them are now actively participating in stock markets! In the evenings, mom and sister would draw colourful rangoli design. Everybody would flaunt their new clothes. The dark night soon gets illuminated by hundreds of lamps, lanterns and crackers are bursted non stop.
Five Day Festival
A lunar half-month is 15 days. Diwali as a new-moon day marks the last day of a 15-day period. The celebration starts after worshipping Lord Ganesha. As against other parts of the country, Diwali is a three day festival in Bengal, with the first two days being of utmost importance.
In Maharashtra, Diwali starts from Vasubaras which is the 12th day of the 2nd half of the month of Ashwin. In rural areas, this day is celebrated by performing an Aarti of the cow and its calf- which is a symbol of love between mother and her baby. In the rest of the country, Diwali starts from Dhanatrayodashi or Dhanteras. Dhan means "wealth" and Teras means "13th day". Thus, as the name implies, this day falls on the 13th day of the second half of the lunar month. It is an auspicious day for shopping of gold & Silver Ornaments, Idols & Coins and God yantras. Some Maharastrians families would worship cash, jewellery and an idol of the Goddess Laxmi.
Naraka Chaturdasi or Choti Diwali: Chaturdasi is the fourteenth day on which demon Narakasura was killed. It signifies the victory of good over evil and light over darkness.
Laxmi- poojan or Diwali comes on the third day. It occurs on Amavasya i.e. no moon day. Laxmi, the Goddess of wealth and prosperity is welcomed by offering traditional pujas. The business community places their new accounting books in front of the Laxmi deity and offers puja for the well being of the business. In the evening, the Bombay stock exchange performs a token bidding called Muhurat trading and for the past few years this event is beamed across through various TV channels. Generally the traders would buy stock for their kids or grandchildren as security and would not sell it. These traders do not make any payments on that day (according to their belief Laxmi should not be given away but must come home). In every household, cash, jewellery and an idol of the goddess Laxmi is worshipped.
The fourth day is known as ‘Padwa', ‘Bali Pratipada’ or ‘Govardhan Puja’ and it falls on the 1st day of the new month – Kartik, in the Hindu calendar. It is celebrated as the first day of the Vikram Samvat calendar, in Gujarat. In Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, it is celebrated as Bali-Pratipada or Bali Padyami. The day commemorates the victory of Vishnu in his dwarf form Vamana over demon-king Bali, who was pushed to the nether world and the return of Bali to earth from the nether-world. In Maharashtra, it is called as Padava or Nava Diwas ("new day"). Wives would perform Aarti and men in turn would present gifts to their wives on this day. In North India, it is celebrated as Govardhan puja, also called Annakut, and is celebrated as the day Lord Krishna defeated God Indra by lifting the Govardhana hill to save his kinsmen and cattle from rain and floods.
The fifth day known as Bhaubeej or Bhai dooj is the time where the bond of love between a brother and sister is further strengthened. The sisters offer prayers for the general well being of their brothers. Gifts are exchanged expressing brotherly feelings of love and affection.
Significance
Diwali is not just celebrated by the Hindus but also by Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists. It has different reasons of significance for all these communities. In Hinduism there are various reasons for its celebrations. In north, Lord Ram comes home to Ayodhya emerging victorious from Lanka. Down south, the demon Naraka Asura is vanquished by Lord Krishna. Meanwhile in west, Lord Vishnu buries Bali under the earth and in East; an enraged Goddess Kali beheads the demons. In Jainism, Diwali marks the attainment of Nirvana by Lord Mahavira. In Sikhism, the festival of Diwali is significant in accordance with the illumination of the city of Amritsar, on the homecoming of Guru Har Gobindji. Guru Har Gobindji, along with many Hindu gurus were imprisoned by the Mughal Emperor Jahangir. After he got free from the prison, he went to the golden temple in Amritsar. The entire city of Amritsar is lit with lamps. The festival of Diwali is also celebrated by some sections of Buddhists.
Well technology and times have changed and so have the styles of celebration. But the fervor and enthusiasm hasn’t diminished at all. Undoubtedly there are different reasons for cheer but indeed a cracker of festival! …
Here’s wishing all a Very Happy, Sparkling and Safe Diwali!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Democracy, Elections, and the Power of a Single Vote!
Since 2004, low voter turnout in India and especially in city like Mumbai has become a norm. And yet, when it comes to comparison between the previous poll results and the current exit poll results, these dismal attendances do not seem to display any significant bearing. Isn’t that little strange?
Is it because of the new de-limitation, or because of the rise in regional parties or simply due to political apathy that results in poor voter turnout?
Delimitation has shrunk the constituencies and over the years even the quality of our political class has deteriorated. Barring few, none of our leaders personify the qualities of visionaries and colossal leaders like Gandhi, Nehru, Tilak and Patel just to name a few. Although our population hasn’t shrunk, nor the number of voters but people who actually turn up for voting have definitely reduced. And this is evident from the recently held Lok Sabha and the state assembly elections in Maharashtra.
Maharashtra, known for its rich social, cultural, sports and economical contribution with several national leaders, industries, educational and research institutions, flourishing textile mills, educated people, multiple communities and religions and indeed an inclusive, progressive state has considerably deteriorated. Regular load shedding, farmer suicides, rampant corruption, poor infrastructure, increasing slums, inadequate water supply, illegal and unauthorized constructions, rising unemployment, uncontrollable naxalism coupled with international terrorism and the mad clamor for political power has almost destroyed this once glorious state.
The state once boasted of educated leaders like Gokhale, Dadabhoy Naoroji, Ambedkar, Kriplani, Pherozshah Mehta, Dinshaw Wachha, Phule, Savarkar, Achutrao Patwardhan, P.K. Atre, S.M. Joshi, N G Gore, S.A. Dange, Prabhodhankar Thackeray, Y.B. Chauhan, Vasant Dada Patil, Madhu Dandavate, Datta Patil, Mrinal Gore etc who believed in having healthy discussions, debates and non-violent politics.
Today, politics has become a lucrative family business and electoral seats are exclusively offered to close family members regardless of their competencies and achievements. Little wonder, we get to witness several rebels and defections. The educated middle class and the poor find it increasingly difficult to contest in elections.
With less than 60% of voter turnout across the state, coupled with rebels and division of vote banks, the various exit poll results tend to belie the anti-incumbency factor. Invariably it speculates to bring back the earlier government by default. Psephologists and experts prognosticate a marginal difference between the ruling UPA & the opposition NDA and predict the possibility of a hung assembly. In such a situation, UPA and the NDA have no choice but to lure MNS, other parties and the independent candidates to support from outside or join the government. Moreover with several contenders among every party vying for the chief ministerial position and various ministerial berths, would it then come as a surprise to see the rise in defections once the poll results are announced.
The beauty of our democracy is that every election gives birth to new political parties, various alliances and fragile third / fourth fronts that promote new ideology, promise change and print new colourful manifestos selling the same old wine in a new bottle. Since 1995, hung parliament and assemblies have almost become a routine. And this is largely due to political, ideological and voter indifference.
Perhaps we should learn a lesson from Americans who battled for over 100 years, for their right to vote, but then seem to ignore it when they have received it. In India, we were lucky to get our right to vote immediately after independence but like Americans, we also continue to abstain from election. While American politicians strive hard to fulfill whatever they have promised during elections our politicians simply forget their promises made during polls.
Having said that, seldom do we also miss any opportunity to criticize the government and fight for our rights. No wonder voting is merely looked as a constitutional right but not considered as our moral responsibility and duty. Often lower voter turnout indicates a growing apathy for political parties and politicians. It often indicates the growing indifference, laziness, an unwillingness to deal with all this politics, which make people stay away from the polls. People are more concerned about their personal issues, problems that affect their lives; these become the top priorities and therefore don't give a damn about elections. These people would not even bother to learn about the candidates, nor about their parties and their election manifestos. Moreover people don’t find any trustworthy and competent candidates and therefore prefer to abstain from polls.
Apparently, voter absenteeism also suggest that the average Indian still does not understand the power of excercising their adult franchise. The most often heard excuse for not voting in an election is "a single vote won't make any difference." Yet History is replete with instances about the incredible power of single vote. In many cases, the course of nations has changed because of this single vote. If you think that your vote won't make a difference, please consider the following:
Remember it was one single vote of Saifuddin Soz that toppled the Vajpayee government in 1999. In 1645, one vote gave Oliver Cromwell control of England. In 1649, one vote literally cost King Charles I of England his head. The vote to behead him was 67 against and 68 for — the ax fell thanks to one vote. In 1714, one vote placed King George I on the throne of England and restored the monarchy. In 1844 in Indiana on Election Day, a farmer named Freeman Clark lay seriously ill in bed. He begged his sons to carry him to the county seat so he could vote for David Kelso to become a state senator. The old farmer Freeman Clark got to vote for Kelso but Freeman Clark died on his way back home. Kelso won the election by one vote of Freeman Clark. One vote granted Texas (1845) and California (1850) admission into US as a state. In 1875, a one vote margin changed France from a monarchy to a republic. In 1923, by a majority of one vote, they chose Adolph Hitler to become the NAZI Party leader. In the 1960 presidential election, it was one single vote per precincts that made John F Kennedy the President of USA.
If a single vote can make such a difference, do you feel we must make voting mandatory just like they have it in Australia?
Well, this requires some serious discussions and changes in our law. As per election rules, Section “49-O" provides an opportunity to every voter to abstain from election. In such case a person must go to the polling booth, confirm his identity, get his finger marked and convey the presiding election officer that he doesn't want to vote anyone! Unfortunately there is no provision for counting such votes and protecting identities.
Come to think of, we simply cannot afford to sit back and blame the politicians, parties and the system. In time to come we might see few reforms in election rules, but until then, its time we take responsibility and vote in various elections at every level - national, state, district and local and believe in the power of our single vote!
Is it because of the new de-limitation, or because of the rise in regional parties or simply due to political apathy that results in poor voter turnout?
Delimitation has shrunk the constituencies and over the years even the quality of our political class has deteriorated. Barring few, none of our leaders personify the qualities of visionaries and colossal leaders like Gandhi, Nehru, Tilak and Patel just to name a few. Although our population hasn’t shrunk, nor the number of voters but people who actually turn up for voting have definitely reduced. And this is evident from the recently held Lok Sabha and the state assembly elections in Maharashtra.
Maharashtra, known for its rich social, cultural, sports and economical contribution with several national leaders, industries, educational and research institutions, flourishing textile mills, educated people, multiple communities and religions and indeed an inclusive, progressive state has considerably deteriorated. Regular load shedding, farmer suicides, rampant corruption, poor infrastructure, increasing slums, inadequate water supply, illegal and unauthorized constructions, rising unemployment, uncontrollable naxalism coupled with international terrorism and the mad clamor for political power has almost destroyed this once glorious state.
The state once boasted of educated leaders like Gokhale, Dadabhoy Naoroji, Ambedkar, Kriplani, Pherozshah Mehta, Dinshaw Wachha, Phule, Savarkar, Achutrao Patwardhan, P.K. Atre, S.M. Joshi, N G Gore, S.A. Dange, Prabhodhankar Thackeray, Y.B. Chauhan, Vasant Dada Patil, Madhu Dandavate, Datta Patil, Mrinal Gore etc who believed in having healthy discussions, debates and non-violent politics.
Today, politics has become a lucrative family business and electoral seats are exclusively offered to close family members regardless of their competencies and achievements. Little wonder, we get to witness several rebels and defections. The educated middle class and the poor find it increasingly difficult to contest in elections.
With less than 60% of voter turnout across the state, coupled with rebels and division of vote banks, the various exit poll results tend to belie the anti-incumbency factor. Invariably it speculates to bring back the earlier government by default. Psephologists and experts prognosticate a marginal difference between the ruling UPA & the opposition NDA and predict the possibility of a hung assembly. In such a situation, UPA and the NDA have no choice but to lure MNS, other parties and the independent candidates to support from outside or join the government. Moreover with several contenders among every party vying for the chief ministerial position and various ministerial berths, would it then come as a surprise to see the rise in defections once the poll results are announced.
The beauty of our democracy is that every election gives birth to new political parties, various alliances and fragile third / fourth fronts that promote new ideology, promise change and print new colourful manifestos selling the same old wine in a new bottle. Since 1995, hung parliament and assemblies have almost become a routine. And this is largely due to political, ideological and voter indifference.
Perhaps we should learn a lesson from Americans who battled for over 100 years, for their right to vote, but then seem to ignore it when they have received it. In India, we were lucky to get our right to vote immediately after independence but like Americans, we also continue to abstain from election. While American politicians strive hard to fulfill whatever they have promised during elections our politicians simply forget their promises made during polls.
Having said that, seldom do we also miss any opportunity to criticize the government and fight for our rights. No wonder voting is merely looked as a constitutional right but not considered as our moral responsibility and duty. Often lower voter turnout indicates a growing apathy for political parties and politicians. It often indicates the growing indifference, laziness, an unwillingness to deal with all this politics, which make people stay away from the polls. People are more concerned about their personal issues, problems that affect their lives; these become the top priorities and therefore don't give a damn about elections. These people would not even bother to learn about the candidates, nor about their parties and their election manifestos. Moreover people don’t find any trustworthy and competent candidates and therefore prefer to abstain from polls.
Apparently, voter absenteeism also suggest that the average Indian still does not understand the power of excercising their adult franchise. The most often heard excuse for not voting in an election is "a single vote won't make any difference." Yet History is replete with instances about the incredible power of single vote. In many cases, the course of nations has changed because of this single vote. If you think that your vote won't make a difference, please consider the following:
Remember it was one single vote of Saifuddin Soz that toppled the Vajpayee government in 1999. In 1645, one vote gave Oliver Cromwell control of England. In 1649, one vote literally cost King Charles I of England his head. The vote to behead him was 67 against and 68 for — the ax fell thanks to one vote. In 1714, one vote placed King George I on the throne of England and restored the monarchy. In 1844 in Indiana on Election Day, a farmer named Freeman Clark lay seriously ill in bed. He begged his sons to carry him to the county seat so he could vote for David Kelso to become a state senator. The old farmer Freeman Clark got to vote for Kelso but Freeman Clark died on his way back home. Kelso won the election by one vote of Freeman Clark. One vote granted Texas (1845) and California (1850) admission into US as a state. In 1875, a one vote margin changed France from a monarchy to a republic. In 1923, by a majority of one vote, they chose Adolph Hitler to become the NAZI Party leader. In the 1960 presidential election, it was one single vote per precincts that made John F Kennedy the President of USA.
If a single vote can make such a difference, do you feel we must make voting mandatory just like they have it in Australia?
Well, this requires some serious discussions and changes in our law. As per election rules, Section “49-O" provides an opportunity to every voter to abstain from election. In such case a person must go to the polling booth, confirm his identity, get his finger marked and convey the presiding election officer that he doesn't want to vote anyone! Unfortunately there is no provision for counting such votes and protecting identities.
Come to think of, we simply cannot afford to sit back and blame the politicians, parties and the system. In time to come we might see few reforms in election rules, but until then, its time we take responsibility and vote in various elections at every level - national, state, district and local and believe in the power of our single vote!
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