Intellengetsia

The ball started rolling when a young highly educated, working mother [ A CA working on the top post in a Multinational Bank] came along with her 7 months old child, complaining that the baby is not putting on weight as expected, in spite of giving normal food. The child was just not thriving. Really 7 months child hardly looked like max 4 months of age Though eyes were bright and the torso, in general, was well-formed, but the child was absolutely short, with small broomsticks as legs and hands.  and was not thriving properly. My DOCTOR daughter in law, trained in Neonatology. saw the child and after examining  she said ' Child is malnourished and so is not thriving, maybe, not getting enough nutrients.' It turned out that the mother belonged to some sect, something like Jehovah's Witnesses and did not give the child the food what in the normal course the child required. Non-veg was big taboo,  so was out of the question but more surprising was that 50% of the vegetables even were taboo! Even after explaining the fundamentals and the importance of normal nutritious foodstuff for 5 months old, the mother steadfastly rejected 75% of what was charted out for her daughter from the vegetarian food, in the 1st place, out of the remaining, citing more complex religious taboos, one after the other, she vetoed out, practically 90% from the spread. The irony was, whatever her highness passed, hardly was a balanced diet. Mostly only Carbohydrates and fats. no fibres, no proteins, no vitamins! And I was shocked at myself of what I suggested as the last resort. 'Send her to The Sect dietician !'. Dietician having religion ?!
Any branch of Modern Medicine is developed, being developed or at least trying to develop on the merit of pure authenticated research, proved by umpteen experiments, in short science in its purest form and thus carries no label. It must not. And here? Though it looks absurd but the statement holds water, definitely. We have come to such a passe that this stupid sentiment is sipping slowly in all walks of life.
Intelligentsia. By definition, maybe my own is a class of people where you get berth only on, 1. Intelligence, sheer intelligence, no book worms here. 2. Rational thinking. 3 Having fine faculties to discuss analyse dissect and oppose if necessary 4. Have the capacity to think independently, what they call outside the box and last but not the least 5. To have the courage and integrity to put forward in front of any audience from any platform what you really feel, think from the gut levels.
There was a lot of hue and cry about Mr R Rajan's refusal to continue as RBI governor any further.   As I have already accepted that I understand nothing about economics, all about those fiscal rates, deficits and what not. Accepted for the argument that Mr R Rajan was the best, 1st in his class, even for that matter a gold medalist, but there must be this second guy, a silver medalist, who missed the rank by the width of a hair, and it's highly likely that 'He might be having totally opposite views what Mr Rajan is trying to set for India. So here we have a world-famous economist backed by Leftists, thumping their hearts so much that, they might burst. But the picture is obviously not that clear, now we have in the field of economics two diagonally opposite viewpoints even for the middle path. My intelligence is unable to cope up with it!
An architect with right-wing upbringing, they call it chaddi values, will definitely try to incorporate, the designs popularized by the serial on Ramayan. In fact, nobody can vouch how exactly was the architecture in those times. But you will get ornate pillars with lotus and or Om incorporated somewhere . Exactly a Muslim one would try to emulate mosque like pattern in all his designs.
These are only a few examples. Every topper from every field is not simply, a topper now, he belongs to a camp. He can't or is not allowed to shed his artificial attires. Sad state of affairs.
The divide may be on different levels, Religion topping the all, political inclinations, caste, creed,  region, nation, gender oh the list is unending! Unbiased thinkers have become a rare breed. The so-called Intelligentsia too is so divided I shudder to call them the members of the elite class.  

Father Of The Bride

Well, it's not about the movie by the same name, that had a sequel which did not stand vis a vis the original, both starring Steve Martin. This blog is about the reaction of 3 different fathers facing an almost similar situation, in their daughter's life.

1967 classic, 'Guess Who's coming to Dinner ?' ' Time Pass 1' and of course last but not the least 'Sairat'

Multiple Oscar winner 'Guess Who's Coming to Dinner' was well ahead of its times even by American standards. Joey or Joanna daughter of a liberal white couple, Mr and Mrs Drayton returns home early from her Hawaii holidays with a black boyfriend Dr John Prentice, whom she had decided to marry, the decision that topples the apple cart of the outwardly liberal facade, so far running smoothly. With the ominous declaration, the very white foundations of news baron Mr Drayton are shaken to the core. The fears are heightened by the laws prevalent then. Till the time of the release of the film or six months around in 1967, in 17 states of US of A, mostly from the south, Interracial marriages were forbidden. By the law! [ We in India are lucky in that sense because not only inter-caste marriages are not banned by the law but are encouraged by the government in power, always, bestowing innumerable gifts and facilities in money and kind on the newly wedded couple, right from the day one !]

It was ironic that this law, known as 'Anti-Miscegenation law' was struck down by Supreme court of US of A only 2 days after the death Mr Spencer Tracy, the protagonist of the film, Father of the Bride!
Yes, he reacts in the same way every father of the bride would react if she goes against his wishes when mostly he has doubts about the compatibility on personal and more importantly on a social level. Though ridiculed by his golf buddy, a catholic priest who dares to tear his mask of liberalism on his face, though warned by his wife of 40 years about the likelihood of bad blood being run between his only daughter and his double standard principles he goes ahead and objects to the very idea, the marriage of his only daughter to highly qualified, intelligent, polite, well mannered but....  a black 'Negro ' guy! The word 'Negro' is used unabashedly to describe him and his ilk. But our hero though smarting under the attack does not give up on his principle, to get the permission of Mrs and Mr Drayton, wholeheartedly for the alliance!
And 'Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? ' to add fuel to the fire.
Parents of Dr John, Mrs and Mr Prentice! Mr Prentice gives piece of his mind to John, his son, about how lowly paid mailman he was, how hard it was for him to educate John to this level, how he walked 75000 miles carrying the heavy load of mail, all usual emotional blackmail, in short, He asks for his pound of flesh.
The rejoinder given by Dr John is worth emulating and should be an eye-opener to all those in India who are still burdened under the caste system. he says,
"Throughout your life, you thought  as a black man, I think simply as a man"
The day, downtrodden in India will accept this reality lot many problems would be solved!
No, no... drawing-room rejoinders and spitfires with small amount of rational sympathetic bond between the two mothers is not the subject to whet and whine, How rationally Mr Drayton comes to a laudable solution keeping all the aspects of positive and negative outcomes open, is worth a watch and imbibe! That's how the father of the bride should be!
I stayed for 8 years in Lalbag Parel area during my student days, so I am quite conversant with the milieu of the area. The 'Tapori' types in the area, were/are always after the girls to patao them. Classier the dame more the efforts. But when it comes to their own sisters having even serious affair with a deserving boy, they let the hell loose for the boy, and even for their own sister. Thrashing, lambasting, beating is a common practice.  The happiness of sister ... what ?. 
I happened to view 'Time pass 1' with such crowd sitting just next to me in the row. With every showdown of 'The Father of the Bride' here a Brahman, a lower level clerk working in BARC, entire row used to go into ecstasy with loud boohoos and shouting explicit s. Here his being Brahman was the butt of the joke ! Exasperated by the situation, not having monetary, or political clout at his disposal this poor 'Father of the Bride' who could not fathom [ I must say here, that I too won't, being a father of a similar daughter] his smart well educated talented daughter getting involved with a son of a rickshaw driver, duffer in school, lacking common manners and decency decides to flee from the scene. That's his upbringing, his values, to a certain extent his cowardice, resigning in front of the masses, but not uttering a single word of dissent or taking any malicious action against them either! What else he could have done? The Father of Bride.
By this time 'Sairat' must have crossed the bar of Rs 100 crores. The thrust of publicity was mostly on the boldness of the girl, almost reaching to the level of emancipation. But are we forgetting something here? what Mr Manjule wants to convey. The director shows a child running barefoot leaving bloody footprints behind him! And who is responsible for the bloodshed. Father of the Bride. Vacuous pride in caste superiority, total lack of reason, tremendous arrogance due to brutal political clout, that's today's rural Maharashtra for you!
Three fathers, three brides and three reactions!

Genes

I am past 60 but can befriend with anybody from 5 to 50. I go for swimming regularly. The complex has the swimming pool of its own. Whatever the reason, but a complex having around 1600 flats, the pool is hardly frequented. And thus I am friends with few 10 years olds who come regularly, on one to one basis. 

While having a dip, they pour out their grievances, however small to me in the most earnest manner.

'Uncle', though I am in the league of their grandpa, they always call me uncle. Once so happened that one's father asked him to call me grandpa, initially he stoically refused, but when he saw other gentlemen in his 80s having a swim, he said 'That one is real grandpa, he is young grandpa.' Well, of course, I took it in my own stride, lovingly!

'Uncle, he pushes me down, Uncle he broke my water glasses, Uncle he does not allow me to swim !'   

At times I don't understand how to pacify them. I tell them, 'If you succumb to any bully in whatever way, you would be bullied all throughout your life. So resist in whichever way, you can !'  

One around 8 years in age and weighing no more than 20 kgs said, ' But uncle I can't. He always overpowers me.' 

I said in that case ' Remain away from him, that's the only way .'

'But if we do something to him, he tells his mummy and she scolds us without reason '. 

'In that case, bring, your mummy in' 

'But she won't venture'

I Replied probably without thinking, on the spur of  moment, 'In that case, change your mummy' 

Everybody exploded in laughter including the gentleman nearby who was listening to our conversation intently. He made a sign of 'Thumbs Up' to me and started laughing.

But these are THE genes, some are born bullies some just take it till the point they can take it, afterwards either they succumb or change the path, physically, psychologically. And it starts at this innocent age. 

The story gets repeated on every walk of life every day and there is no concrete answer to it!

The entire episode culminated on a bizarre note.

Two girls in the same age group were having similar type of altercation. One retorted, very solemnly to other's outburst, ' If you feel  my way, good, if not, go and die !'

Any answers for these 7-year-olds?