काल एफ़एमवर दोन खूप छान ओळी ऐकल्या:

जिसे भूल न सको उसे माफ़ कर देना
जिसे माफ़ न कर सको उसे भूल जाना

चला, विकेन्ड येतोय. एन्जॊय करा. :-)

काल जपानमध्ये पुन्हा भूकंप झाला का? एका न्यूज चॆनेलवर काल रात्री दाखवत होते पण बाकीच्या सगळ्या चॆनेल्सवर अण्णा हजारेच दिसत होते. आज तर आमच्या B School चा Alumni Mailbox दुथडी भरून वाहतोय. विषय तोच. वेगवेगळ्या शहरात कसे मोर्चे, निदर्शनं निघताहेत त्यावर माहिती दिली-घेतली जातेय. मधेच एखादा कोणी नाण्याची दुसरी बाजू मांडायचा प्रयत्न करतोय. मला दोन्ही बाजूची मतं पटताहेत. आजकालच्या काळात ना गोची अशी झालीय की कोण खरं आणि कोण खोटं हे कळतच नाही. :-(

आज दुबईच्या एका मैत्रिणीचा फ़ोन आला होता. ती एक आठवड्यासाठी फ़ोटोग्राफ़ीच्या वर्कशॊपसाठी लडाखला चालली आहे. तिचं कौतुक वाट्लंच पण मनात विचारही आला ’आपल्याला कधी असं जायला मिळणार?". पण ह्या वेळी ठरवलंय की तिच्याकडून सगळे डिटेल्स घ्यायचे आणि जायचंच. फ़क्त कॆमेराच्या नावाने बोंबाबोंब आहे. माझा लाडका पेन्टेक्स किती वर्षांपासून कपाटात धूळ खात पडलाय. किती वेळा ठरवते की तो नीट करून आणता येतो का ते पहायचं. पण त्याची काय अवस्था झाली असेल ह्या विचारानेच पोटात धस्स होतं आणि मग मी त्याला हातच लावत नाही. माझी बिचारी मैत्रिण म्हणालीसुध्दा की पुढच्या वेळी हवं तर येताना तुझ्यासाठी कॆमेरा घेऊन येईन. पण मी तिला नको म्हटलं. मला माझा जुनाच कॆमेरा नीट करून हवाय. पाहू कधी योग येतो ते.

अरेच्चा! ह्या सगळ्या गडबडीत एक गोष्ट करायची राहूनच गेली. सोमवारी गुढीपाडवा झाला ना? तुम्हा सगळ्यांना नवीन वर्षाच्या खूप खूप शुभेच्छा!

आततायी अण्णा

लोकपाल कसे हवे? सरकारला व अण्णांना..

Lokpal Bill or Jan Lokpal Bill?

One of my friends SMSed me yesterday asking me about my views on the ongoing Lokpal Bill saga. I SMSed back saying, prima facie at least, it looks like we all must support Mr. Anna Hazare. But then I also resolved to do a bit of reading on this.

In case you are wondering what exactly is the difference between Lokpal Bill and Jan Lokpal Bill, visit Lokpal Bill: Govt version vs civil society version. The history of the said Bill, can be viewed at What is Lokpal Bill.

Looks like the Jan Lokpal Bill has more teeth than the plain-vanilla Lokpal Bill. But check out one sentence from the comments posted by one Abhishek. The idea that the Lokpal should not be answerable to no one is ridiculous. We will be closing one door to corruption and opening another, possibly a wider one, just down the hall. Haven't they heard what John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton had said - Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

But after weighing all pros and cons, if you decide to support Anna, then go to http://www.avaaz.org/en/stand_with_anna_hazare?vc and http://www.rainbowskill.com/news/91-22-61550789-a-call-to-save-the-nation.php

Just when I was praising the mature reaction of Pakistani media and politicians on India's win against Pakistan, Shahid Afridi had to spoil it! Honestly, I am rather doubtful about the way their Indian counterparts would have reacted had the shoe been on the other foot.

I agree, Gambhir should not have dragged 26/11 into this. One one hand, you call it 'Cricket Diplomacy' and on the other, you somehow manage to drag in terrorism. We are better off not playing against each other then, really!

Having said that, I must confess that I don't personally think that India-Pakistan cricket matches will help foster any goodwill. I have a rather naive idea. Why not have a joint team of Indian-Pakistani players and make them play against other nations? I am not sure if that is feasible. But if cricket has to do its bit to improve relations between these 2 nations, then this would be the way to do it, in my humble opinion, of course.

I wish the sponsors had picked Pakistani players for IPL. At least Shahid Afridi would have seen how big-hearted we Indians are.

We won it! We won it!

Thank God I didn't watch the World Cup final between India and Sri Lanka. I am sure I would have died from a severe heart attack when Sehwag went out for a duck and Tendulkar walked back at 18. The highlights of the match later showed that many present at Wankhede that day went through the same emotions. I will never forget the look of disbelief on the face of a woman who gaped open-mouthed when India lost their 2nd wicket. :-(

Of course, the crowd gathered outside our society to watch the match on a makeshift screen didn't allow me to read the book in peace. When India was bowling they would scream at every run saved. If they played dholak, it meant that Lanka lost another wicket. Whereas when India came out to bat, every run scored would make the crowd erupt into loud cheers of "भारतमाताकी जय". During particularly tricky moments, Lord Ganesha would be called upon with "गणपति बाप्पा मोरया".

I got an SMS when we needed 30 runs in 30 balls. But I didn't have nerves strong enough to stand even that much of tension. So I stayed put. Another message at 15 balls, 7 runs. I was not sure of how many wickets were in hand. I tuned in hesitatingly. Oh, only 4 wickets down! It would be impossible to lose now even if I am watching, I told myself.

I cannot describe in words what I felt when Dhoni hit that sixer. I don't remember much about the win of 1983. But I have seen the replays of the same during every world cup since then and always wondered if I would see another win in my lifetime. Miracles do happen, don't they? :-)

And then the team carried Tendulkar on their shoulders as they circled the ground. I tell you, I really envied the chap then. They don't just respect him, they love him. And to get such love from people some of whom were born when he started playing - Man, he must be one lucky guy! I would really like to know how he did it. Because respect and love are earned and not demanded. And he has earned them both.