Involuntary Closure Re: # 4

Zehra,

You ask if what are people back home saying about it? Honestly the only time one is even reminded here that such a disaster even happened is sadly only when you see someone wearing a white wristband.

And I second Beejay`s remarks and compliments to you who followed her inner voice to do what most of us only intend.

On a side ... a friend who travels a lot to Malaysia, Indonesia etc was talking about how the resorts have been rebuilt and tourism is also returning some. But there was something else she said which summed it up for me ... she said even though tourism has returned but you don`t see the locals go in the water ... i guess she was saying even when the whole world moves on, for those who lost their homes, their lives, and loved ones to that water ... it will never be the same.

Tales from Behind the Bar Re: # 14

dost-mittar:

The point here is not of demand and supply, rather of workers rights. The fees are illegal to begin with but these workers are unable to exercise their rights because law enforcement looks the other way. And my guess is that the fees as well as the conditions vary from bar to bar.

Tales from Behind the Bar A few weeks ago I remember listening to a radio program on KPFA about the struggle of lap dancers (as they are referred to here) in San francisco. One thing I remember being discussed was the coercion into sexual acts because the nightly stage fee that they pay the club owners has gone from $25 to $250 in the last 10 years. So while in the past they could take home $100 doing what they signed up for (dance) now if they want to take home the same amount they have to earn more than $250 which does not come from lap dance alone. I am sure the case must be the same in Bombay.

The other thing is that in spite of the fact that the dancers here have been organized under what is called Exotic Dancers Association fighting for their rights for 20 years now, the fact is that social stigma brackets all these professions as sex workers – people who its ok to take advantage of. So even if law is on their side we (police, journalists, public) are more than willing to ignore the whole thing, justifying in our minds, that somehow it must have been their fault. And the victim continues to be victimized.

Corporal Punishment Re: # 10

Ah, so this originated in grade 9 but alas we are still enduring it here... there is the man who writes the best short stories (something that comes naturally I suppose) and then he changes his garb and starts afflicting judgments on morals, on women, on conduct, and on those inexorable indoos! (ahem, just a harmless kid following the proctor hand book).

Mystery solved!

For this one observer

Dance of the Seasons / American Amavasya Ignore comments 1,2,3 and 4.

Its a beautiful read blending American and Indian seasons/festivals.

Train from Pakistan, 2004: The Return A cousin of mine visited Lahore in April this year. She went from England to Indian Punjab and then crossed over by foot at Wagah to Pakistan. Of Lahore, her reaction was that its unblievable that just a few minutes away from Amritsar is this beautiful city with a thriving culture. There aren`t many movie halls there but the theater is big from her accounts. In all she had a lot of praise for the city.

From other sources I have heard that the stark difference between Indian Punjab and Punjab in Pakistan is the lackof role of women in the economy of the city/country. While in Indian Punjab women are part of the economy at all levels from vendors, shopkeepers, labourers, business even farming. But in Pakistan you don`t see women in any of these roles.

In fact even my cousin who had traveled by herself said that starting with the guy at immigration to almost everyone she met kept asking ``aapke baki log kahan hain?`` implying where is the man of your household?

This is not to say that in India women are independent everywhere. But proportions are a lot better perhaps.

The success of such events have a lot to do with how well they are organized. Hopefully Tarun Tejpal learned a few lessons.

Do you know who have been other invitees of these lectures and how those have fared in similar settings?

Who Decides? #43 by HP on April 26, 2004 8:54pm PT
How many Indians participate on the other types of interactions on this board?

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You have a point here. I checked pages of arjun_m, sadna, jay, ... each one has 3000+ replies but not a word about themselves. Not a word on who they are, where they are, what else they read, what they think, what are their influences. Nothing, zilch, sunya. So, why has chowk allowed such faceless individuals to clutter this community? I say arjun_m, jay, sadna (others) need to introduce themselves (they owe it to this community) or they ought to leave.

Separate Destinies? Dear Manto, I suffer from poor comprehension skills as well, can someone clarify in such a case if someone does not want to declare their religion or declares they do not belong to any religion can they still register to vote? or do they lose their voting rights? or they simply get listed as non-muslims? just curious.

A Pakistani Woman’s Voice #1 Urbashi,

You can also look at Zeynab Ali`s earlier article - Mapping Karachi`s Charms and Contrdictions. I found it quite informative, specially the comments to that article.

Orissa: A Gujarat in the making #3 by gujjubania on November 4, 2003 7:34am PT

``Mullahs in India get a monthly government salary - never heard of any hindu pandits getting anything from the Indian government. Muslims are given extensive Haj subsidies - which exceed the amount spent by the GOI on all the IITs per year. Hindu pilgrims never get any assistance from the GOI.``


This in justification of the massacre in Gujarat? Why doesn`t BJP repeal these subsidies and salaries? or are they hoping for the muslim vote bank???

The Karachi Airport Ayatollah HM,

Brilliant! First, Beards and Bombs and now this, for once I could come to Chowk and laugh my head off.

Nazar Sahib,

What do they say, khuda key vaaste… aapke to panch province hain, but what about us with 25 no 27 no 30 … well you get the idea. What does a national language mean anyways. Would the constitution need to be translated to all the national languages? With 1000+ pages, that should keep the courts, politicians, leftists, rightists and everyone else busy for years to come. Unfortunately, the conflicts will only multiply. Languages are a regional affair and should be left that way.

Myths and Dreams: Hindutva Nationalism and the Indian Diaspora Re: #22 pmishra

Similarly, I am sure the author isn`t proposing that forced conversion to any religion are OK. So lets talk about the point the author is making - that the Sangh Parivar brand of hindutava is perpetuating communal violence in India and that funding to organizations supporting such philosophy should be checked.

What I have seen thus far is only slandering and attacking the author. Why focus on the messanger and not the message.

Myths and Dreams: Hindutva Nationalism and the Indian Diaspora stuka, rsaxena, pankaj,

You can call this leftist, marxist, commie, or what ever else you like. But the fact is that today we need more voices of dissent against the system where Narendra Modi can get reelected, where gujarat was only a ``lab experiment``, where thousands of new hindutava cells are being established to control in other states - Rajasthan and Orrisa.

Myths and Dreams: Hindutva Nationalism and the Indian Diaspora #9 Urstruly,

Your analysis is very accurate, couldn`t agree more.

pmishra et al,

``Taking pride in your history and religion ...``

There was once a saint-patriot of India who is revered in both the East and West alike because his message was one of spirituality and strength of both mind and body, he challenged us to rise above creed caste rituals and myths. He taught that Siva was not to be found in the temple but in the poor that we serve. Yes, Swami Vivekananda.

And then there is the brand of Hinduism being propagated by the Sangh Parivar steeped deep in myths and rituals. They it would seem have successfully encapsulated all of hinduism into one temple. And the measure of their success is being witnessed in the various religious conflicts around India.

Yes, we should take pride in our identity and in our heritage. But should we divorce our senses and turn a blind eye to this hijacking of the Hindu religion and culture by the likes of Modi/Tagodia and the saffron clad men of Sangh Parivar?

Transfer of Power from the British Raj & The South Asian Politicians #23 by Indian on August 17, 2003
Why are these Pakis still debating about Constitution, Partition, Lahore Declaration, Two nation Theory? We Indians should be thankful to Mr. Jinnah. He indeed was visionary statesman. He knew exactly what he was doing. He took out cancerous tumor from Ind ia.

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Dear Indian,

You are right hatred of any form that is used to discriminate against people is like cancer. And in India the new mutation is called ``hindutava``. How do we get rid of that!

A Fellow Indian