Most Lacking sense: No not common: Civic !

1.30 AM in the thick of night. As I am a light sleeper, was struggling to keep the mind quiet to get into slumber. And the mobile rang. Blurted out ringtone assigned for hospitals. Admission! Got out of the bed sleepily, rode the car, by the time I reached the hospital I was fully awake. Middle-aged female in around late 30s to early 40s had come with fever of 102 *F, not really warranting to get admitted at that unearthly hours. But darkness is such an entity that many get anxious and run to the hospitals even for the minor ailments. So that was understandable. After carefully examining her, got to know that it was a short febrile illness of only 6 to 8 hrs and so, maybe, did not have any definite clinical signs to clinch the diagnosis. As a normal routine, I asked for certain investigations, of course, to be done in the morning, to rule out frequent Mumbai maladies like Malaria, Dengue, Typhoid etc, prescribed her only antipyretics as it should be and left for home at around 2.30 AM. 

Next day while making the rounds, asked the sister/ nurse assisting, for the investigations, only the urgent ones like Malaria and Dengue, so as to chart out the further course of action, but to my surprise, they were not ready. The reason being, the patient refused to get them done. I, most of the time lose my cool in such situations but here, was successful in keeping calm. Simply asked the sister to send her home against medical advice.

When a patient is admitted under a doctor to get treated he/she must have implicit faith in him/her, it's a mutual bond, a service contract. Breach in such a contract is simply not done. I had to give her piece of my mind, so very calmly I said to her,

" You might not be a school graduate even, but by refusing to go by my orders you are insulting me, a double post graduate in Medicine, who has put more than 45 years in the field to master the craft, toiled extremely hard to get through toughest exams,  and have been practising for more than 35 years as a consultant relentlessly, with the head always held high because I refused to go along with the current. I have worked as a professor of Medicine in a prestigious institute and so I don't want patients who are going to doubt the very fundamentals. You, you all, dole out whatever money a TV mechanic asks you for, though he is a 12th pass who has done some certificate course and has learnt on your TV. I too have to listen to my car mechanic who in the normal course of action does not have any official training in Automobile engineering but has learned the tricks of the trade by doing apprenticeship under a senior, similarly self-taught personnel! You better go home, before it becomes ugly.'

This incidence is the tip of the iceberg. My profession is dealing with such and more awkward situations day in and day out. My question is "Who is going to put sense in their heads and when ?"

And this is not restricted to my field alone. On roads, in public offices, in banks, in schools, even on airports what we Indians lack singularly, is civic sense. Our roads are littered beyond endurable limits, our public transport is simply abused beyond tolerance. Banks and government offices are overcrowded, clients just flocking around every table without any discipline whatsoever, so the officers are just, either plain lazy or simply incompetent but... but do not forget their arrogance. Roads are blocked with errant drivers zigzagging as if it is Formula 1 tract, Traffic courtesy, allowing the one to go first who is on the right side of the rules, is simply unheard of. Traffic signals are only for decoration and mental satisfaction, to override them is heroism perfected to the last 'T'. 

Right from day to day life to politics to education to transport We Indians are in such a hurry to break the rules that I don't understand why make them in the first place.

I feel like coining a slogan for morcha, ' Down with Civic sense! We don't have it, we don't require it !'

Bajirao Mastani continued

History, in my opinion, is totally irrelevant. What is relevant is the presence, because our future depends on how we shape it today. History does not teach us, any damn thing. I have seen many people committing the same mistake, including myself, again and again in personal life without learning from past experiences. And if it would have taught us anything on Global level, so many wars just wouldn't have been fought. 'History is always written by the victor' that's how the saying goes, yes, absolutely true but it conveniently omits the fact that the chronicler who writes it, is extremely biased. And the historian who studies it takes the cake away with interpreting it as his masters tell him to do! So far so good for the Maratha history too.

Bajirao was warrior par excellence. He won all the battles he fought in his short life span of 20 years as the warrior. But apart from his warrior side, how he was as a human being, as a son, as a husband, as a lover, there is a vast territory to explore. Any person whatever he may be, can not be the one, which we want him to be, 24 * 7. Thus it applies to Bajirao too. Many Marathi Historians have accepted, maybe grudgingly, Mastani's role in Bajirao's life, but wants him to be depicted only as a warrior, like Mr Jayant Salgaonkar who has totally blacked out Mastani from his book on Bajirao, while noted novelist, who wrote many many bestsellers, but very nicely written novels [Best sellers may not be necessarily good novels. ,Read Shobha De], based on history, Mr N S Inamdar, on whose novel 'Rau' Bajirao Mastani is loosely based, gives more credence to Mastani as Bajirao's lover whom he gave the status of the second wife. He too wrote it, after much deliberation going through the history meticulously. Whom to believe?  

The story after interval loses it's Marathi flavour and starts resembling any other love story from anywhere in the world. And I started losing interest. Call me parochial but that's the way it is. The grandeur is replaced by petty politicking, vacuous pride and blind faith in religion. All that Bajirao abhorred and stood against stoically. Again maybe, that was plus point for the script but laden with cliches, like an assault on Mastani and Kashibai saving her, Pune Brahmans refusing to share meals with Peshwa!

I feel Mr Bhansali has done justice to whatever was laid in front of him on most of the fronts, barring at places about Bajirao's characterization. There is a flood of information on Bajirao now. Taking in to account all that, it never seems possible, even probable that he would dance, a victory dance, in Salman fashion to the words, 'Waat Lavali' in a lingo definitely not used then, the lingo of Paral Lalbag lads in the 20th century. [ Taking too much of creative liberty ] It was superbly done by Mr Gowarikar for Akbar, going in a trance in Sufi recital, taking into consideration the dancing prowess of Hritik Roshan.[ Art with a market in mind]. Ranveer too flaws at many places failing to understand the nuances of Bajirao's persona. Yes, Bajirao used to consume alcohol and devour meat but his drunken stupor enacted by Ranveer nears today's drunken heroes, not with that grace of a warrior or befitting a Peshwa. 

True scene stealers are definitely Deepika and Priyanka. Priyanka excels because the role is tailor-made for any Indian heroine and we Indians always like the underdogs. Deepika as Mastani is an excellent choice. She radiates that beauty on many instances for which Mastani is/was known for. Not only she goes through the war scenes with ease, but she enacts love scenes with Bajirao or emotional ones with others with elan! Tanvi Azmi. Another excellent choice. With just a waive of hand on many occasions, she rejects the very presence of Mastani in Bajirao's life, is worth to watch for. Milind Soman as Amatya and Vaibhav Tatwawadi as Chimaji Appa too linger on your mind for long.

As expected 'Pinga' dance doesn't have anything objectionable. It's 'all women dance' performed on 'Haldi Kunku' ceremony. Womenfolk letting their hair loose on such occasions was a known thing and such functions were arranged for the very purpose, as the women then did not have any vent.     

All in all, as usual, I am confused. Yes, for a Bollywood it's a milestone. Going away from typical Punjabi ethos and for the first time bringing Maratha History to the fore, is definitely praiseworthy. Definitely, a well-mounted film with above-average to excellent performances, extremely soothing to the eyes photography, every frame is a picture postcard, and all the masala for average filmgoer and not so much a deviation from history or perverting the history to the hideous level for Marathis, it's definitely a film to watch at least once!

Bajirao Mastani

.... And I saw it. In Pune itself, but not where it was fiercely opposed, the citadel of Chitpawan Brahmans, Kothrud, but far away in non-Marathi Pune, Amanora. Brought up as Puneri Brahman, definitely not in a staunch fashion, I should have refrained myself from even nearing the cinema halls where it was exhibited. But the better sense instilled by that non-staunch part prevailed and I decided to join the brigade, either one, only after watching the movie. And here I am, not knowing which brigade to join!

Bored to the hilt after watching countless mundane Bollywood movies heralded by dozen or so, 'Punjab da Putters', here was one, off the track, having great potential to take the flag of Maratha pride beyond the seven seas, as for one taking immense pride in being Marathi Brahman [ Why Not ?!] it was the boon, I was apprehensive though, nonetheless looking forward to its release. As expected it met with brickbats from those who were definitely weak in history but proclaimed themselves to be zealots of Marathi culture, without really watching the movie. It had to die down naturally but real jolt came from Mr Bhansali himself, throwing his towel in, at the outset only. The 1st frame of the movie blatantly declares that 'It's a work of fiction and I have taken many liberties for creative en-devour, but not to offend any body's sensibilities [ right or wrong ],[ Who is bothered anyway, not me at least !]  ' as if deflating the hyper-inflated balloon in the beginning before it sees the skies.

It gave me goose pimples when Ranveer Singh attired in heavy metal helmet and armour to match, riding effortlessly on the horse, shouted 'Har Har Mahadev' attacking the enemy in the opening frame. 'That's it, it's going to deliver' was my first instinct. Every frame that ensued went on as if in crescendo till the interval. Marathi culture at its epitome was picturized beautifully. The battlefields came alive on a mammoth scale, maybe on par with any historical from the west. Men wearing circular headgears so typical of that era, over their shaved pates leaving a tuft of hair at the back in the centre, looking every inch regal and staunch at the same time, including light-eyed Aditya Pancholi. Milind Soman didn't have to try hard, he himself being one, chitpawan Brahman. Ladies draped in elegant nine-yard sarees, with hairstyles to match with golden flowers put in their hair, told that research at least some, must have gone in, to create an ambience of a bygone era. Priyanka Copra as Kashibai just glided in the frame, like a blast of fresh air, so came the royal pride as Tanvi Azmi with her bald pate and stern face.
The forts, palaces and citadels of Maratha empire, whether they were in Pune, in Satara or elsewhere, definitely gave an idea of how the architecture was then.  Visits to  Shaniwar Wada relics umpteen times in childhood always brought that feeling of emptiness. 'How would have it looked in its prime time?', was always a thought to ponder.  And I was grateful to Mr Bhansali that he made it real, for me at least.  It being shadowed by Rajasthani Architecture, in my view is rubbish. Interiors of all the palaces are awe-inspiring whether it is Satara's palace, HH Shahu Maharaja's court or Ganesh Mahal of Shaniwar Wada. But the seeds of doubts started getting sowed somewhere on the way. Shaniwar Wada having Sheesh Mahal on the styles of 'Mughal - E- Azam'? And Mastani dancing like  'La Madhubala'? Maybe unfathomable. May be creative liberty. The way you take it, after all, it's not a historical piece. But the feeling of uneasiness started getting repeated. 

Entries of all the main characters are so dramatic that at times they are either unreal or cliche. The unfurling of Mastani's tassel is no doubt dramatic but definitely cliche as it was mostly predictable and has been done away with, in many a movie in the past.
Does script do justice with history, Bajirao, Mastani or Kashibai? So many questions !!

More to follow......

Alma Mater

If you remove C from BJMC Pune the history of institute goes back to 19th century, 1871 to be precise. Started as BJ Medical school with a generous donation from Jeejibhoy family Became college in 1946 and I am one of the fortunate to have passed out from this motherly institute.
The scenario in 1970 was totally different than what it is today. Pune university as such catered colleges, so many, right from Khandesh to Ratnagiri and from Thane to Ahmednagar, that it was practically overcrowded. So city like Mumbai had 4 colleges only for her students while Pune had to bear the load of rest of Western Maharashtra including part of Southern Maharashtra, as 80 seats were reserved for Shivaji University.  Injustice? whom to blame?
When I entered the premises, many faces I saw were really should not have been there in the 1st place, at least in my opinion, because merit was the thing I had in mind. To my shock, which was rude, to say the least, for the first time in my life I got to know about a parallel system like reservation quota. Though coming from elite Brahmani school, such taboos were never taught, nor practised and we were never made aware of such things. Absolutely cohesive camaraderie. Well below the cut off percentage for open category, this lot definitely studied hard but always fumbled in viva for want of fluency in spoken English, maybe examiners too knew where they came from, it was a small world then, so used to help them in clearing the exams.  And thus through the same system, many enrolled even for PG courses.
Today many of them, gracefully retired, mostly from Government services rub shoulders with the elites without any prejudice whatsoever, of course, it should not be there, but it seems to be laced with covert arrogance, making it amply clear by utterances, behaviours, and body language. If a co-student from open category happened to be subordinate in Government service it became more apparent, or it seemed so. My own friends, co batch mates today are no less than me in any way, they wear good clothes, eat at 5-star restaurants, their wards go to English medium schools, many are studying abroad and they pay the income tax by the same slab what I pay but..... big but !  But still they and their children, the ones who went to English medium schools, attended same private tuition classes, wore branded shoes and took tennis lessons, still avail facilities under the backward category. At this stage, I then wonder what exactly it means by backwards?
The whole idea was, to bring real, real backward classes to a particular standard of living, once that achieved how far it is feasible for this class to continue with the reservation policy.

No, I am definitely not against reservations. You go 50 miles north of Mumbai, number one metropolis of India and we have Jawhar and Mokhada where for simple drinking water you have to struggle day in and day out, electricity is seldom available, schools are distant and ill staffed, in short, no gateway to mainstream society. This is the deserving lot and not the one who sits next to each other in Secretariat as officers or high levels managers but one enjoys and other doesn't, that's discrepancy! And the constitution I know is against it fundamentally.

We may be from the same  Alma mater but has a system  made a rift or is it so?

Another thorn in the leg was rampant nepotism. The professional rapport among-st the teaching staff and the practising but visiting consultants was so thick that the wards of the doctors got undeservedly better percentage in the finals enabling them, to hog all the coveted PG seats though in reality, they did not deserve. Now they buy in the open market!
Don't know where people like me started with dreams in eyes and goals in heart and practised honestly throughout life and where is it going to end?