All Along The Watchtower

Probably one of the most meaningful songs I've come across in a long time.
All Along The Watchtower (written: Bob Dylan; guitar: Jimi Hendrix) is about the joker and the thief (possibly two of the most timeless characters), who realize that they need a new life and head towards a castle occupied by the princes, women and barefoot servants and which is well-guarded. In three verses, Dylan manages to create such amazing drama, which is brief, yet full.
The joker wants to escape because "there's too much confusion"; he feels used ("by businessmen" and "plowmen"). The thief can however appreciate the worth of all his efforts and is sympathetic towards the joker. Both of them understand the value of each other. But the last lines of the lyric show how despite the fact that they desperately want to begin new valuable lives, having realized that life is not a joke, they can't possibly enter the castle, and are left outside with the growling wildcat.

Of Tamed Horses

Mr. Yusuf Raza Gillani of the PPP was sworn in as Pakistan’s new Prime Minister recently. He heads the Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) coalition Government. Before I proceed to the cynical part, I must confess that as a well-wisher of Pakistan, I feel utterly relieved that elections were held peacefully and a Government in opposition to the Presidential brand of politics has been set up.

Be that as it may, I somehow foresee a dangerous trend emerging in the subcontinent (if not the world) politics – that of puppet Prime Ministers. A few days ago, I read that the PPP co-chairman Mr. Asif Zardari (Benazir Bhutto’s widower) remarked, “I want to be a Sonia Gandhi.” Now such a fancy sent a little shiver in me. This tendency to have puppet Prime Ministers like Mr. Manmohan Singh and Mr. Yusuf Raza Gillani is a little disturbing for me. It results in shifting the power centres, while constitutionally, the person holding the post is accountable. It is like agency without responsibility. So, if tomorrow, Mr. Zardari (who, I presume, will hold the maximum amount of say in important policy decisions) advises Mr. Gillani to do something against his will, Mr. Gillani will still have to do that and have to face the consequences of it. Like Dr. Manmohan Singh, Mr. Gillani will presumably have no say in choosing his Cabinet – it will depend (almost entirely) on the whims and wishes of their respective equestrians. Assuming for a moment that their judgment is sound in important policy decisions, they definitely don't/won't participate in the everyday working of the Government. Then, is it safe to leave the day-to-day working of a Union Government to a person whose Cabinet has incompetent people or corrupt politicians, or generally, people who he does not get along well with? The Prime Minister is supposed to be the captain of the ship and if the ship has crew-members who do not listen to him, because they know their captain does not have any say in telling them to behave themselves, isn't the ship bound to face navigation problems?

Just Like a Woman

"Nobody has to guess
That baby can't be blessed
Till she finally sees that she's like all the rest".

They have more than one meaning. Think again.

I'm in the "nothing is real, nothing to get hung about" state.
It doesn't matter much to me. Doesn't matter at all, actually. I've come clean out of this shit. The Sherlock Holmes in me helped me, let's say.

"You are remembered for the rules you break." -- Douglas MacArthur

"Always trust your instinct. It is inevitably correct." -- Anonymous

Kicked a sandcastle. Divine intervention, must we say, eh? :)

See also: this.

"I really don't know what more there is to do."

Sourav Ganguly, March 8, 2008.

Two gentlemen in conversation. One of them a Sikh cabby (S), and the other a passenger in the cab (P).

S: Sir ji, Shivratri nahin hai kal? (Sir, isn't it Shivratri tomorrow?)
P: Nahin, aj hi hai mera khayal. (No, I think it's today.)
S: Achha, kyunki kal kaafi sangat sadak te jaaoondi vekhi si main. (Ok, because I saw a procession in the streets yesterday).
P: Hmm...
S: Eh Shiv bhagwan ohi nahin see jo ke bhang bade chaa naal peende ne? (Isn't Lord Shiva the one who enjoys drinking bhang?)
P: Haan ji, ohi ne. (Yes, the same).
S: Achha, taan phir Shivratri nu bhang vee mildi honi hai. Mildi hai? (Ok, then bhang must be served on Shivratri, isn't it?)
P: Nahin ji, mere khyalon bhang taan nahi mildi. (I don't think so.)
S (disappointed): Kyun?! Jiven guru, ovein chela honda hai! Leh! Eh vi koi gal hoi! (Why?! Disciples are just like the guru. What is this?!)

I know translation ruins it all, and even reporting does. But if you're in Chandigarh, you can't miss such things.

I'll be back in hell this time a week from now. How very very unfortunate!

Hans Raj Khanna (1912-2008)

(July 3, 1912 - February 25, 2008)

To his sister days before delivering the sole dissent in the Habeas Corpus case: "...I have prepared a judgment that is going to cost me the Chief Justiceship of India."

[From H.R. Khanna, Neither Roses Nor Thorns (Eastern Book Co., 1987)]