(Note : This post was originally written on May 29th 2008)
Today’s newspapers reported on the capping of production by IOC, something which BPCL has already done. The article claims that IOC is currently losing Rs. 300 Crore (~$75 million) a day on account of under-recoveries (basically it sells the oil below the cost price for it to get it to the consumer). The tale does not end there, the company will not be left with any cash to pay for crude oil imports by September-end if the fuel prices are not raised or duties not cut. “If the government does not act, we might see queues and shortages,” CMD for IOC was quoted, indicating a ‘major crisis’ was in the offing.
Those are grave words. There indeed seems to be a problem in the offing with crude oil not only scaling $130/ bbl (barrel = ~159 Liters.) but managing to stay above that level for some time now. For a commodity that was trading at sub $30/ bbl till 2004 it is a significant rise. In fact, oil has crossed its historic inflation-adjusted high of $101.70, reached April 1980.
The only other instances in the recent history have been what are termed: “the oil shocks”. The two (three if you take into account the blip in the 1860s as well, though the global economy was far less dependent on oil at that time and therefore can not really be termed as a “shock”) instances of such “shocks” have been in the years 1973 and 1980, both precipitated by geopolitical changes: the Yom Kippur War and the Iranian revolution respectively, resulting in a supply shortfall. This third shock is being driven by demand for oil by energy users like China, India, and the United States.
What is also driving the prices up are two factors on the supply side:
a) Unreliable supply from the non-OPEC countries: Russia, the largest non-OPEC supplier has not been increasing the supply and does not seem likely to in the near future. One of the key reasons being the lack of opportunity for foreign investment in a sector, which badly needs investments. Other non-OPEC producers like Mexico, have also seen slipping production, whereas the supplies from Nigeria are perennially under doubt due to internal strife
b) Reluctance of OPEC countries to increase output: OPEC countries have been expanding production but that is not sufficient to meet the growing demand. The publicly stated reason is that the prices are high on weak dollar rather than supply issues. What might be the real reason is that limited reserves mean that the OPEC countries are also trying to get the maximum return for their stocks.
That means in the foreseeable future the price/bbl will remain in $100+ band. What make it worse in the Indian case are the government’s policies, which are not only postponing trouble and but also accentuating the level of the measures that would have to be taken to resolve the gap.
The current government policy to partially (at best) link the supply to global prices means that the oil companies are quickly loosing the operating capability as highlighted earlier in the article by the IOC Chief.
This policy has also led to issuance of oil bonds worth $2.3 billion in Jan, 2008 alone. In the normal scenario if it was a direct subsidy it would have gone through the budget and would have constituted a part of the budgeted deficit. But by issuing bonds the government has been successful to keep such measures “off balance sheet”. Not so long ago, a large energy company went bankrupt and its top executives are serving time for keeping liabilities off balance sheet. I am not suggesting that the same is the case with the governments, but then there is the thought, as always, who polices the police.
In addition, subsidies on Kerosene and LPG have meant that the industry has been innovating to make diesel the fuel of choice to lower the TCO (Total cost of ownership), do a quick survey of your friends and you would immediately find out, why so many people chose the diesel model of the car they just bought. As Mr. Behuria (CMD, IOC) said “Diesel demand is growing at 20-22 per cent, a rate that will necessitate IOC to import two million tonnes, but the company plans not to shell out international prices and would rather restrict supplies,”.
But will the government take corrective action, especially with pricing/ subsidies when elections are close? The answer seems to be clear from the recent comments coming out of Delhi: FM has refused to lower the import and excise duties and also seems to be reluctant to introduce an oil-cess.
With CPI (M), a key coalition partner hammering away at the government on the inflation issue, government knows that the loan waivers it has offered the farmers will not come handy if it completely antagonizes the middle class.
However, by postponing the obvious and essential the government is only going to accentuate the magnitude of the final remedy. What the government can hope is that it can hold the status quo, till the elections, so that either it will have a 5 year term to resolve the quagmire it has created or it can sit in the opposition and rattle arms against the incumbent government on the growing menace of inflation.
Whatever the course of action, the economy is on for some testing times. So, fill up your tanks, and get ready for a rough ride!
By,
Nautilus
(http://amariusqueadastra.blogspot.com)
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Friday, May 30, 2008
May 11, 2008
I’m not a sports fan and claim little knowledge of any sport, but cricket is one sport that one finds hard to ignore in India. From newspapers and T.V channels that thrive on cricket news (and now entertainment) to cricketers as models, movies and office lunch time conversations, there is not much one can do to stay away from this much- loved sport. I have in the past voluntarily tuned in (very briefly) to a T.V channel only to be ‘in-the-know’ and therefore intelligently participate in those aforementioned office lunch time conversations. Nothing short of a World Cup finals would get me to lengthen the duration of my brief tune-ins. And then there was IPL (‘Indian Premier League’ for the uninitiated). The strategy of the IPL matches to follow the recent 20-20 format; mix entertainment with sport and the excessive promotion have partially converted even non - believers like me.
So it came by, that I, who have never viewed a single live cricket match, had this urge to go for an IPL match. Going through the schedule, May 10th seemed a perfect day. The points in favour were: it was a Saturday and so no cause to rush from work, match was to start at 8 p.m. which meant no summer sun to bear with, the T-20 format would hold my attention span and of course, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) were playing on home ground. Having decided on a mid price range of Rs. 600/- , getting tickets at that price for five of us turned out a bit of a task which ended four days before the match. So I relaxed and looked forward to an evening that I anticipated would be different from my usual Saturday night activities.
Come Saturday and during the day I learnt that the original group of five had turned out to be seven. The group size would have least bothered any of us, more-the-merrier being the thinking, except that an early request by a friend through an uncle to the wife of Sri Lankan cricketer Jayawardane had come through and we now had six pavilion tickets! We were just one short. Carrying on with our 600 rupee tickets meant giving up the rare opportunity of being in the Pavillion Terrace, where tickets are priced at Rs 4000/-! And on the other hand, going to the Pavillion meant that one person would be left out. Who would volunteer? From struggling for tickets, we now had abundance and that too the best. However, ideas on what to do next were less than abundant.
After some discussion, three of us left for the venue with our 600 rupee tickets that now seemed like they were meant for the less privileged. However, as we neared the stadium, the dazzling floodlights, the sound of cheers and the sight of the crowds on the road, made me forget our ticket situation and just want to be in there one among the frenzied mass.
A long walk from the car park (which was a just a street where cars were parked) and many queue check points later found us inside the stadium at last. Not to be left behind in any of the hollering and cheering, we joined in the general noise manufacturing. The air all around was charged with excitement. Sivamani banged away on his drums. The theme song of the CSK blared over the loud speakers every now and then. The first view of the cricketers was when they came in to the grounds for their warm - up. We had the Punjab XI Kings team on our side of the stadium and the crowd went crazy when Yuvraj turned and gave a few smiles and waves for the audience. The toss came soon after. The Punjab team won the toss & opted to field first.
While we were getting a feel of the place, one friend persevered hard to get us that one extra pavilion ticket. His resourcefulness (and some risky smooth talking) actually landed us with one! So while throngs of people were trying to get into the stands on time for the match, having got this ‘good news’ on the phone, we were suddenly in a big hurry to get out of the stadium. We had to go through all the security check points again, explaining at each point that we wanted to go out and not return again. All we received were sympathetic weird looks.
It’s no joke circling the stadium by foot especially in the hot, humid Chennai weather and with people milling around everywhere. As we half walked, half ran to the pavilion gate where the rest of the group was waiting with the tickets, we could make out from the cheering that the match had started. We finally made it to our seats and this time, the view was great! The audience here was much more controlled but whenever there was a sixer or a four hit, the cheering equaled the other stands. Since I have frankly acknowledged my ignorance of the game and since I am not attempting to write a review, I’ll skip the description of the game. Today’s edition of ‘Hindu’ covered it pretty well. For me, the highlights were an exciting three to four overs close to the half - way mark of CSKs batting that contributed to it’s good score; watching the ball sail through to our stand when one of the players hit a powerful sixer; watching the cheerleaders every now & then whenever I remembered (and observing that they were not very impressive), all the 9 wickets that CSK took, soaking in the ambience and enjoying a cool breeze that had somehow replaced the warm weather and finally, a glimpse of Preity Zinta (and her boyfriend, Ness Wadia)!!
Since it was the first (and maybe only) time I was going for a live cricket match, I had hoped that the game would not only be good but also that CSK would win. After all, I had to place my loyalties somewhere and siding with CSK in Chennai was not a difficult choice. So, when it was quite clear in the last three overs that CSK would win, I was happy. However, I hardly expected the climactic end brought out by Balaji’s 3 wicket hat- trick that sealed the victory and set a new IPL record!
So while the cheerleaders may not have impressed me much, the experience did impress me enough that this non-sport, non-cricket fan, was compelled to write about it. Such are the effects of good sport-entertainment!
By,
Sonal Nair
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Yuksom
No one on any blog or website that I had read prior to going to Sikkim gave an accurate description of Yuksom - for instance, see descriptions here and here; one of those that gave a somewhat accurate description of the place was ghumakkar. It was either explicitly described as a town, or the town-status was implied in the fact that it was the original capital of Sikkim, a lot of tourists and trekkers visit it regularly etc. Hence after a long and scenic drive from Gangtok, we were expecting to reach a town slightly smaller than Gangtok, whereas Yuksom is actually just a bit bigger than a hamlet !
The main market of Yuksom consists of a few small shops clustered together – a few grocery shops, some chai-snacks-cold drink shops etc. Though we had no plans of hitting any happening night-spots or malls in Yuksom, we were a bit concerned at it’s lack of urban sprawl as we had not completed shopping for our trek and had planned to buy some stuff in Yuksom before setting out early the next morning. However, once we had visited the market and assured ourselves of the availability of the essential items we required, we cheered up and spent (wasted ?) some time on the non-essential stuff - typical touristy trinkets such as T-Shirts that proclaimed ‘Zongri’ in large capital letters with total disregard for the correct spelling - ‘Dzongri’.
We also relaxed and relished an atmosphere totally different from what we were accustomed to. Yuksom market is a place clearly set apart and away from the plains. The way you see garlands of shampoo and pan masala strung across the front section of small grocery shops everywhere else, the grocery shops in Yuksom’s market had woolen caps and gloves dangling down in the front section – proof that trekker’s concern themselves far more with staying warm than with personal hygiene (or lack of it); alternately proof of the ever-present opportunity to fall ill due to cold and the corresponding lack of will (and opportunity) to bathe.
Unlike other busy, crowded city markets, where one is serenaded by a cacophony of voices and horns and one’s olfactory senses often assaulted by the smell of diesel, here there is silence and calm, and the clean, fresh smell of rain and greenery, occasionally interspersed with the sizzling sound of something being fried accompanied by a delicious mouth-watering smell. The mountains are clearly visible in the distance and loom large on the horizon. You can sit on a bench outside a tea-stall, sip tea and gaze at them for hours, either reverently, excitedly or apprehensively, depending on what experience you anticipate during the trek ! In case you visit, Guptaji’s shop is highly recommended by a close friend of mine, especially their cheese - and - tomato toast.
As Yuksom is the base for starting the Dzongri/Goecha La trek and far more foreigners than desis go on the trek, the market is full of firangs. In fact, Yuksom itself is full of firangs. This is reflected even in the sizes of shirts stocked in the shop I mentioned earlier – the one that sold the ‘Zongri’ shirt – this shop is the only one which sells all kinds of trekking stuff such as track-shirts, jackets, waterproof trouser etc and their smallest size is ‘L’; as the shopkeeper told us, all foreigners have broad shoulders !
Though most people that come to Yuksom do so because it is the starting point for the Dzongri – Goechala trek, I think it is also the perfect place for a nice, relaxed holiday for those who are comfortable with solitude and silence and don’t hanker for the hustle-bustle, bright lights and crowds of a large city.
Apart from a lot of small lodges and rooms available, there is one 3 star hotel too, Hotel Tashi Gang. This is a scenic place to stay in, with a chorten just outside it’s gates, a well-maintained garden and rooms that have balconies with a view of snow-covered peaks. The interiors are warm and well done-up, and the service is good, if a bit slow at times. One can while away quite a few hours sitting on the balcony, looking out, reading books, chatting with one’s companions and just chilling peacefully. For a change of scene, one could amble down to Guptaji’s for cheese-tomato-toast and tea.
For those who are more active, Yuksom is surrounded by hills and forest and offers nice walks. The walk to Sachen is a lovely walk that can be completed in 3 hours – even if you amble slowly and take breaks on the way to admire the view, maybe spot a few birds too. It involves crossing 3 rope bridges across streams, this has just the right degree of adventure – it is different, it is fun, is very picturesque with the river below, hills around and multi-coloured prayer flags dangling from the bridge and it is not at all dangerous though the bridge sways gently as you walk across. The walk to Sachen and back is prefect for a day long hike, even for kids (note : it is 3 hours one way, so the kids will need to walk for a long time).
All in all, one could easily spend 4-5 days in Yuksom, and return to work feeling fully refreshed and ready to take on the world.
p.s. For more stories about my Sikkim trip, check these - 'Peeping Tom, Not I' and 'About a Monastery'.
By,
Zenobia D. Driver
The main market of Yuksom consists of a few small shops clustered together – a few grocery shops, some chai-snacks-cold drink shops etc. Though we had no plans of hitting any happening night-spots or malls in Yuksom, we were a bit concerned at it’s lack of urban sprawl as we had not completed shopping for our trek and had planned to buy some stuff in Yuksom before setting out early the next morning. However, once we had visited the market and assured ourselves of the availability of the essential items we required, we cheered up and spent (wasted ?) some time on the non-essential stuff - typical touristy trinkets such as T-Shirts that proclaimed ‘Zongri’ in large capital letters with total disregard for the correct spelling - ‘Dzongri’.
We also relaxed and relished an atmosphere totally different from what we were accustomed to. Yuksom market is a place clearly set apart and away from the plains. The way you see garlands of shampoo and pan masala strung across the front section of small grocery shops everywhere else, the grocery shops in Yuksom’s market had woolen caps and gloves dangling down in the front section – proof that trekker’s concern themselves far more with staying warm than with personal hygiene (or lack of it); alternately proof of the ever-present opportunity to fall ill due to cold and the corresponding lack of will (and opportunity) to bathe.
Unlike other busy, crowded city markets, where one is serenaded by a cacophony of voices and horns and one’s olfactory senses often assaulted by the smell of diesel, here there is silence and calm, and the clean, fresh smell of rain and greenery, occasionally interspersed with the sizzling sound of something being fried accompanied by a delicious mouth-watering smell. The mountains are clearly visible in the distance and loom large on the horizon. You can sit on a bench outside a tea-stall, sip tea and gaze at them for hours, either reverently, excitedly or apprehensively, depending on what experience you anticipate during the trek ! In case you visit, Guptaji’s shop is highly recommended by a close friend of mine, especially their cheese - and - tomato toast.
As Yuksom is the base for starting the Dzongri/Goecha La trek and far more foreigners than desis go on the trek, the market is full of firangs. In fact, Yuksom itself is full of firangs. This is reflected even in the sizes of shirts stocked in the shop I mentioned earlier – the one that sold the ‘Zongri’ shirt – this shop is the only one which sells all kinds of trekking stuff such as track-shirts, jackets, waterproof trouser etc and their smallest size is ‘L’; as the shopkeeper told us, all foreigners have broad shoulders !
Though most people that come to Yuksom do so because it is the starting point for the Dzongri – Goechala trek, I think it is also the perfect place for a nice, relaxed holiday for those who are comfortable with solitude and silence and don’t hanker for the hustle-bustle, bright lights and crowds of a large city.
Apart from a lot of small lodges and rooms available, there is one 3 star hotel too, Hotel Tashi Gang. This is a scenic place to stay in, with a chorten just outside it’s gates, a well-maintained garden and rooms that have balconies with a view of snow-covered peaks. The interiors are warm and well done-up, and the service is good, if a bit slow at times. One can while away quite a few hours sitting on the balcony, looking out, reading books, chatting with one’s companions and just chilling peacefully. For a change of scene, one could amble down to Guptaji’s for cheese-tomato-toast and tea.
For those who are more active, Yuksom is surrounded by hills and forest and offers nice walks. The walk to Sachen is a lovely walk that can be completed in 3 hours – even if you amble slowly and take breaks on the way to admire the view, maybe spot a few birds too. It involves crossing 3 rope bridges across streams, this has just the right degree of adventure – it is different, it is fun, is very picturesque with the river below, hills around and multi-coloured prayer flags dangling from the bridge and it is not at all dangerous though the bridge sways gently as you walk across. The walk to Sachen and back is prefect for a day long hike, even for kids (note : it is 3 hours one way, so the kids will need to walk for a long time).
There are also some places of historical and cultural significance nearby. I did not find the time to visit any of these, but am mentioning them as this post would be incomplete without this information. The coronation throne, Dubdi monastery and Khecheparu Lake are all supposed to be worth a visit.
All in all, one could easily spend 4-5 days in Yuksom, and return to work feeling fully refreshed and ready to take on the world.
p.s. For more stories about my Sikkim trip, check these - 'Peeping Tom, Not I' and 'About a Monastery'.
By,
Zenobia D. Driver
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Review of 'Ismat Apa Ke Naam'
‘Ismat Apa Ke Naam’ is the enactment of three stories written by celebrated and controversial author Ismat Chughtai. The stories are set in middle-class Muslim homes in U.P.
Though Motley prefers to call the staging of ‘Ismat Apa Ke Naam’ a story-telling session, I will nevertheless call it an enactment. Though only one actor was on stage in each story, telling the story in the same words as penned by the author, with minimal usage of props, the experience was far richer and more entertaining than any story-telling session I can think of.
The first, ‘Chhui Mui’, enacted by Heeba Shah, is a story told through the eyes of a young girl observing events in her Bhabhi’s life. It contrasts the difficulty her rich, spoilt Bhabhi has in giving birth to a child with the calm and dignified manner in which an unknown poor woman gives birth to her baby in a train compartment.
The second story, ‘Mughal Bachha’, enacted by Ratna Pathak Shah, tells the story of beautiful young Gori Bi who is married to a proud and headstrong youth Kale Miyan. The story gently pokes fun at the successors of the Mughals at the time the glorious days Mughal Empire were over, their lifestyle, their extravagant habits and their descent into penury. It also describes the unusual relationship between Gori Bi and Kale Miyan.
The third story, ‘Gharwali’, enacted by Naeeruddin Shah, was the best of the three. The story explores the nature of the man-woman relationship, marriage, the status of women etc. With sufficient doses of social satire, drama and earthy humour – which in these days merely seems midly risqué, but in the 1940s must have whipped up a storm, this story had the audience engrossed throughout. Never a moment of boredom, Naseeruddin in the roles of the carefree, spirited maidservant Lajjo, the nervous old bachelor Mirza and various other minor characters was nothing short of brilliant.
A great set of three plays, definitely worth watching; in fact, one of those plays that must not be missed. Though I have not read any of Ismat Chughtai’s work so far, the play makes me want to read some of these stories.
By,
Zenobia D. Driver
Though Motley prefers to call the staging of ‘Ismat Apa Ke Naam’ a story-telling session, I will nevertheless call it an enactment. Though only one actor was on stage in each story, telling the story in the same words as penned by the author, with minimal usage of props, the experience was far richer and more entertaining than any story-telling session I can think of.
The first, ‘Chhui Mui’, enacted by Heeba Shah, is a story told through the eyes of a young girl observing events in her Bhabhi’s life. It contrasts the difficulty her rich, spoilt Bhabhi has in giving birth to a child with the calm and dignified manner in which an unknown poor woman gives birth to her baby in a train compartment.
The second story, ‘Mughal Bachha’, enacted by Ratna Pathak Shah, tells the story of beautiful young Gori Bi who is married to a proud and headstrong youth Kale Miyan. The story gently pokes fun at the successors of the Mughals at the time the glorious days Mughal Empire were over, their lifestyle, their extravagant habits and their descent into penury. It also describes the unusual relationship between Gori Bi and Kale Miyan.
The third story, ‘Gharwali’, enacted by Naeeruddin Shah, was the best of the three. The story explores the nature of the man-woman relationship, marriage, the status of women etc. With sufficient doses of social satire, drama and earthy humour – which in these days merely seems midly risqué, but in the 1940s must have whipped up a storm, this story had the audience engrossed throughout. Never a moment of boredom, Naseeruddin in the roles of the carefree, spirited maidservant Lajjo, the nervous old bachelor Mirza and various other minor characters was nothing short of brilliant.
A great set of three plays, definitely worth watching; in fact, one of those plays that must not be missed. Though I have not read any of Ismat Chughtai’s work so far, the play makes me want to read some of these stories.
By,
Zenobia D. Driver
Sunday, May 18, 2008
'Motley' Festival at Prithvi Theatre this month
Naseeruddin Shah is one actor who is a treat to watch – whether on stage or in a movie, and this month Prithvi has a sumptuous feast in store for me and all his other fans. The second half of May sees many of the ‘Motley’ group’s plays being performed at Prithvi. Unfortunately, I missed ‘Dear Liar’ and ‘Manto Ismat Hazir Hain’ which were staged last week, but am hoping to watch the others.
The schedule for the rest of the month is as follows :
18th and 19th May – Ismat Apa Ke Naam (I managed to watch this yesterday and will be posting a review soon)
20th May – Katha Collage Part 2
21st and 22nd May – Antigone
23rd May – Kothri No. 42
(Note : Naseeruddin Shah is not acting in Katha Collage Part 2 and Kothri No. 42)
‘Dear Liar’ is an adorable comedy centred on the relationship between the playwright George Bernard Shaw and Mrs. Patricia Campbell. Both Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah turn in great performances as they tell the love story through the medium of reading the letters exchanged between Mr. Shaw and Mrs. Campbell. Apart from the great acting and witty dialogues, I enjoyed listening to a rare, pure form of English being spoken with perfect diction. (One of the reasons I love watching plays staged by ‘Motley’ is for the sheer pleasure of listening to the language – be it Urdu, English or Hindi. Am sure I would have got either bored or frustrated ploughing through the same stories in text form, but the plays bring them alive and make the language approachable and fun.) A play I thoroughly enjoyed watching last year and one that I want to watch a second time. Unfortunately, I did not book tickets in time to catch last week’s show, but am hoping that it will be staged again soon.
‘Manto Ismat Hazir Hain’ and ‘Ismat Apa Ke Naam’ are both plays I have heard a lot about. I watched ‘Ismat Apa Ke Naam’ yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed it. I shall not write more about in this post – separate review follows.
Jean Anouilh’s ‘Antigone’ is an adaptation of Sophocles’ play by the same title, adapted once more for current performances by Satyadev Dubey. The story revolves around 16 year old Antigone, a brave, idealistic, reckless young girl who defies King Creon, who is also her uncle. An interesting story, it explored the concepts of power/authority and individual will, the changes wrought by power on the person wielding it, and the struggle between the establishment and those ranged against it. Power-packed performances by the trio of Naseeruddin Shah*, Ratna Pathak Shah** and Benjamin Gilani. Benjamin Gilani plays the narrator in this play and (in my humble opinion) he has some of the best lines in the soliloquies he delivers.
*Why wasn’t his name shorter ? It is a pain to type over and over again, but I feel calling him Naseer – even in a blog post – would be sheer impertinence.
**I did not find Ranta Pathak Shah’s age an impediment in essaying the role of 16 year old Antigone
By,
Zenobia D. Driver
The schedule for the rest of the month is as follows :
18th and 19th May – Ismat Apa Ke Naam (I managed to watch this yesterday and will be posting a review soon)
20th May – Katha Collage Part 2
21st and 22nd May – Antigone
23rd May – Kothri No. 42
(Note : Naseeruddin Shah is not acting in Katha Collage Part 2 and Kothri No. 42)
‘Dear Liar’ is an adorable comedy centred on the relationship between the playwright George Bernard Shaw and Mrs. Patricia Campbell. Both Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah turn in great performances as they tell the love story through the medium of reading the letters exchanged between Mr. Shaw and Mrs. Campbell. Apart from the great acting and witty dialogues, I enjoyed listening to a rare, pure form of English being spoken with perfect diction. (One of the reasons I love watching plays staged by ‘Motley’ is for the sheer pleasure of listening to the language – be it Urdu, English or Hindi. Am sure I would have got either bored or frustrated ploughing through the same stories in text form, but the plays bring them alive and make the language approachable and fun.) A play I thoroughly enjoyed watching last year and one that I want to watch a second time. Unfortunately, I did not book tickets in time to catch last week’s show, but am hoping that it will be staged again soon.
‘Manto Ismat Hazir Hain’ and ‘Ismat Apa Ke Naam’ are both plays I have heard a lot about. I watched ‘Ismat Apa Ke Naam’ yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed it. I shall not write more about in this post – separate review follows.
Jean Anouilh’s ‘Antigone’ is an adaptation of Sophocles’ play by the same title, adapted once more for current performances by Satyadev Dubey. The story revolves around 16 year old Antigone, a brave, idealistic, reckless young girl who defies King Creon, who is also her uncle. An interesting story, it explored the concepts of power/authority and individual will, the changes wrought by power on the person wielding it, and the struggle between the establishment and those ranged against it. Power-packed performances by the trio of Naseeruddin Shah*, Ratna Pathak Shah** and Benjamin Gilani. Benjamin Gilani plays the narrator in this play and (in my humble opinion) he has some of the best lines in the soliloquies he delivers.
*Why wasn’t his name shorter ? It is a pain to type over and over again, but I feel calling him Naseer – even in a blog post – would be sheer impertinence.
**I did not find Ranta Pathak Shah’s age an impediment in essaying the role of 16 year old Antigone
By,
Zenobia D. Driver
Friday, May 16, 2008
Review of 'Wedding Album' - a play by Girish Karnad
I have seen three plays written by Girish Karnad. The first play I saw, which was the second play written by Girish Karnad - 'A heap of broken Images' ('Odakallu Bimba' in the Kannada original and 'Bikhre Bimb' in the Hindi version), was refreshing and different - both in terms of content and the audio-visual props used to take the story forward. It kept one engaged throughout, and each of the themes explored gave one food for though, nay, provoked thought and discussion. ‘ A Heap of Broken Images’ was followed by 'Flowers' which also had a theme that was different (almost weird, actually), yet it failed to keep one as engrossed as 'Heap of Broken Images' did - in spite of an innovative set arrangement and Rajat Kapoor.
Hence I went to watch ‘Wedding Album’ with the expectation that it would be something different - if nothing else, at least the theme would be handled in a different, innovative manner. Which I think is the root cause of my disappointment with the play. The play seemed quite mundane - there were some moments of humour and irony, but barring those the play just seemed like a slightly-more-realistic version of a soap on TV. The biting social commentary of 'Heap of Broken Images' or the introspection of 'Flowers' were both absent in 'Wedding Album'.
The beginning - the video made by the young girl’s family for her groom in America to view – seemed promising, but the rest of the play did not live up to it. Part of the reason may be that some nuances of dialogue were lost in translation from the original written in Konkani. Another was that the acting did not measure up to that in ‘A Heap of Broken Images’ or ‘Flowers’. But the main reason was that the play just did not hang together.
Some of the characters were stereotypes, but it wasn’t very clear whether their depiction was intended to mirror reality or to mock it. There weren’t insights into a character’s behaviour, their decision-making process etc, yet there were plenty of situations which required explanations. In a way, I guess, the play faltered under the burden of too many issues being focused on, too many questions raised. There were just too many disparate strands which faltered midway, were abandoned thereafter and did not merge into one fluid plot-line – for instance, the elder sister ignoring her daughter, or the irony of the young man in America wanting a traditional Indian wife and selecting one who seems traditional but actually is not.
In conclusion, a play I would not recommend, especially to anyone who has already seen ‘A Heap of Broken Images’. Wait for Girish Karnad’s next one instead.
By,
Zenobia D. Driver
Hence I went to watch ‘Wedding Album’ with the expectation that it would be something different - if nothing else, at least the theme would be handled in a different, innovative manner. Which I think is the root cause of my disappointment with the play. The play seemed quite mundane - there were some moments of humour and irony, but barring those the play just seemed like a slightly-more-realistic version of a soap on TV. The biting social commentary of 'Heap of Broken Images' or the introspection of 'Flowers' were both absent in 'Wedding Album'.
The beginning - the video made by the young girl’s family for her groom in America to view – seemed promising, but the rest of the play did not live up to it. Part of the reason may be that some nuances of dialogue were lost in translation from the original written in Konkani. Another was that the acting did not measure up to that in ‘A Heap of Broken Images’ or ‘Flowers’. But the main reason was that the play just did not hang together.
Some of the characters were stereotypes, but it wasn’t very clear whether their depiction was intended to mirror reality or to mock it. There weren’t insights into a character’s behaviour, their decision-making process etc, yet there were plenty of situations which required explanations. In a way, I guess, the play faltered under the burden of too many issues being focused on, too many questions raised. There were just too many disparate strands which faltered midway, were abandoned thereafter and did not merge into one fluid plot-line – for instance, the elder sister ignoring her daughter, or the irony of the young man in America wanting a traditional Indian wife and selecting one who seems traditional but actually is not.
In conclusion, a play I would not recommend, especially to anyone who has already seen ‘A Heap of Broken Images’. Wait for Girish Karnad’s next one instead.
By,
Zenobia D. Driver
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Happiness
A tree he cannot name in a stranger's yard.
His happiness in leaf at last, boughs that dance
seasonal and spontaneous, the tree shaking light
like a drenched dog.
He has just time to pluck a sprig from the lowest branch before the bus arrives.
By,
Falstaff
(http://2x3x7.blogspot.com/2008/04/happiness.html)
His happiness in leaf at last, boughs that dance
seasonal and spontaneous, the tree shaking light
like a drenched dog.
He has just time to pluck a sprig from the lowest branch before the bus arrives.
By,
Falstaff
(http://2x3x7.blogspot.com/2008/04/happiness.html)
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Stuck in Traffic and Bored ?!!
I recently discovered the perfect solution for whiling away time during the hour long journey to and from office everyday – this would work for anyone traveling to office by bus, car (except for those driving, of course), or cab. The antidote to boredom, irritation and mind-numbing frustration is to read from a book of poetry during the trip – mind you, to avoid a headache/nausea, it is essential that the poems are printed in a large font size.
Unlike a newspaper, a book, or (horror of horrors) printouts from work, poetry does not demand continuous reading – in fact, discrete intervals of reading enable one to savour the poem far more. Thus it is prefect reading material for someone stuck in start-stop-start-stop peak hour traffic. Every time the vehicle is a rest at a traffic light or in a jam, one can read a few lines of poetry; once the vehicle starts moving, one can soak in the lines, relish the imagery and the ideas and give one’s imagination free rein.
For a start, choose to drive away the Monday morning blues with some Ogden Nash, Shel Silverstein, Wendy Cope or Piet Hein and arrive in office with a grin plastered all over your face. Trust me, you will notice the traffic and travel time far less then you do currently if you try out this solution.
Note :
I discovered this solution by chance while trying to quickly finish an anthology of poems borrowed from a friend. Apart from the discovery of a solution to peak-hour-travel-blues, this anthology also enabled the discovery of a marvelous poet called Billy Collins. I found his poems remarkably fresh, witty, ironic, endearing and always an interesting read. Given here are links to some of his poems : Flock, Special Glasses, You, Reader
(Go ahead – print these out and enjoy them on your way home from work)
For poems by Ogden Nash, Piet Hein, Wendy Cope and Shel Silverstein, you can check the wondering minstrels, the poems are sorted by poets and have interesting commentary by the minstrels owners and readers too – the commentary really adds to the pleasure of reading the poems.
Zenobia D. Driver
Unlike a newspaper, a book, or (horror of horrors) printouts from work, poetry does not demand continuous reading – in fact, discrete intervals of reading enable one to savour the poem far more. Thus it is prefect reading material for someone stuck in start-stop-start-stop peak hour traffic. Every time the vehicle is a rest at a traffic light or in a jam, one can read a few lines of poetry; once the vehicle starts moving, one can soak in the lines, relish the imagery and the ideas and give one’s imagination free rein.
For a start, choose to drive away the Monday morning blues with some Ogden Nash, Shel Silverstein, Wendy Cope or Piet Hein and arrive in office with a grin plastered all over your face. Trust me, you will notice the traffic and travel time far less then you do currently if you try out this solution.
Note :
I discovered this solution by chance while trying to quickly finish an anthology of poems borrowed from a friend. Apart from the discovery of a solution to peak-hour-travel-blues, this anthology also enabled the discovery of a marvelous poet called Billy Collins. I found his poems remarkably fresh, witty, ironic, endearing and always an interesting read. Given here are links to some of his poems : Flock, Special Glasses, You, Reader
(Go ahead – print these out and enjoy them on your way home from work)
For poems by Ogden Nash, Piet Hein, Wendy Cope and Shel Silverstein, you can check the wondering minstrels, the poems are sorted by poets and have interesting commentary by the minstrels owners and readers too – the commentary really adds to the pleasure of reading the poems.
Zenobia D. Driver
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Girl with the Maazaa Coloured Shoes
Recently, after a long and tiring vacation, I was transiting through Kolkata airport on my way back to Aamchi Mumbai. My friends and I landed at Kolkata airport in the afternoon, and we had a few hours to kill before catching the flight back home. We collected our luggage, found somewhere to sit and settled down to wait. All the excitement that we felt while waiting at the airport during our onward journey to Bagdogra airport was absent and in its place was lethargy and a blankness of mind in which the minutes sank slushily. To kill time, I sampled some ‘sandesh’ from the Bengali sweet shop; on our onward journey 10 days ago, it had been fresh, soft and sweet, now it was flat and a bit stale – mirroring the change in our mood.
After reading a few pages of the novel I was carrying with me, I got up to get myself a cup of coffee. When I returned, I found my place occupied by an airport employee - my friends were either too sleepy to notice or too tired to object to his presence. Being too tired to endure a lengthy argument myself, I just sighed and squeezed myself into the tiny wedge of space between this man and the girl seated next to him, thus cutting myself off from even the occasional spurt of conversation between my friends.
As I lazily sipped my coffee, I glanced around at those seated next to me. To my right sat the airport employee in a blue uniform, scruffy shoes and scaly hands that could use dollops of moisturiser. To my left, sat a young girl attired in jeans, blue-green printed blouse and Maazaa coloured open-toed sandals. She had a slender build, wheatish complexion, long straight hair and an oval face with smooth, blemish-free skin. To her left sat a young burly man earnestly typing away at his laptop.
As if my observation disturbed her somehow (the act of observation changes either the position or the momentum of the object being observed, intoned the Ghost of Uncle Heisenberg), she got up abruptly from her seat. She half-smiled at me, glanced towards a luggage trolley kept nearby, muttered something that I assumed was a request to mind that no one steals anything and then left. To the snack counter, I assumed initially, but she walked right past it. Hmm, must be headed towards the loo, she’ll be back soon and I’ll be relieved of this boring chowkidari. But more than a few minutes ticked by and there was no sign of her. I wondered where she could be – hoping that she was not unwell in the loo and I wouldn’t have to play the Good Samaritan rescuing her. I hopefully scanned the row of phone booths nearby in case she was inside one, but drew a blank there.
A few more minutes slowly passed and then a new worry entered my head. What if she was a terrorist and one of the suitcases had a bomb inside ? Her trolley was piled high with luggage - two big suitcases and a few smaller bags, any of which might conceal a bomb. I was the closest to her luggage; I would definitely be blown to smithereens. I wondered how a bomb kills one – whether it is the shrapnel piercing one’s vital organs that is fatal or the heat wave, but figured the latter would be applicable only in the case of an atom bomb. Having established the process to my satisfaction, I then wondered if, after ripping through me, the shrapnel would have enough momentum to continue and rip through the person sitting next to me ? What would the radius of destruction be – both for direct hits by shrapnel and for indirect hits ? With this morbid line of thought, I swiveled my eyes to make a note of all those within a radius of a few metres from the luggage trolley and mentally sympathized with them about their impending doom.
Among these I noticed a trio of aged comrades – easily recognizable from being regularly featured in the news - slowly shuffling towards the Reserved Lounge. The trolley lay almost directly in their path to the lounge. The bomb must have been meant for them – just my bad luck to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. As the comrades slowly shuffled closer, I noticed that they had no retinue flocking about them, no garlands around their necks etc. And I remembered a news article that I had read a few years ago which listed all the candidates contesting elections and their declared assets, the comrades’ in general had the lowest wealth and assets compared to other politicians. My respect for them increased as I watched their no-airs, quiet walk to the reserved lounge. A few minutes after they entered the reserved lounge, one of them shuffled out again, stood in queue at the snacks counter and waited his turn patiently before buying the sandwiches he wanted – no flunk sent running to get what sahib wanted, no elbowing aside others in the queue on grounds of self-importance. Rather impressive behaviour – pity about Nandigram though.
Watching the comrades and wondering about the contrast between their behaviour in small trios and large groups (mobs?) distracted me sufficiently that I did not notice time slipping by. With a start, I noticed that the girl had returned bearing soft drink and snacks and was giving the same to the burly young man sitting next to her. He in turn, was passing the laptop to her so that she could check her mail.
Is it just me or are we all in a heightened sense of awareness regarding security ? So much so that at times the most mundane happenings give rise to fear and paranoia ?
By,
Zenobia D. Driver
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