Pressures Mount on Pervez Musharraf This is not to justify rule by the military anywhere but the problems that Pakistan faces are, perhaps, not going to be easily solved no matter who rules the country. With a violent extremist religious struggle against the country's secular institutions it is not going to be easy to sort matters out - look at how long it took India to solve the crisis in Punjab alone and how many horrors that entailed.

However, it is to be hoped that President Musharraf would come to understand that the best thing that could happen would be for the people to decide what they want and then move from that point onwards. At he very least, he would not have to face the opposition of those who might even end up supporting him if he were to let them have their say. The most powerful armies in the world can run whole nations only upto a point, a fact that, I am sure, the General would have learned about when he was a cadet learning about military history around the world.

The Press Ordinance and Its Repercussions It would not be difficult at all for the Pakistani media to launch a webcast news service and continue to beam news into Pakistani peoples' homes through the internet. They could even upload news clips onto Youtube on a regular basis from Europe or the US. The battle is not lost yet. Please keep the fight going - truth will always triumph in the end. The voice of the media must not be silenced.

1857 and the Lessons of 150 Years Hello everyone and thanks for responding to this piece. This is as much a learning experience for me as anything else - it is also a hope that a region that I was born in but do not live in at the moment would change for the better, for the better of the millions of people who live daily, suffering lives there.

To respond to some of the points raised:

- To call 1857 a mere ``mutiny`` would be to trivialise an expression of nationalism in a country where a foreign occupier was entrenching itself. The bullet lubricant issue was merely the straw that broke the camel`s back. The major impetus to the revolt against the British occupiers was because of their thieving Doctrine of Lapse, the instrument with which they stole whole kingdoms in what was India

- It is a testament to the effectiveness of British propaganda that we still regard Bahadur Shah Zafar as an effete hedonist who was worthless as a ruler. Surely, it was not practical for an 80 year old man to take up a sword or gun and fight himself? And, if Zafar chose to indulge his life in writing poetry it was his previlege. He was in his own country doing what he enjoyed. The British were the thieves out to occupy and plunder

- Yes, Hyder Ali, Tipu Sultan, Rana Chennamma of Kittur and many other patriots fought the british in their own limited way and were defeated. There were later heroes and patriots like Babasaheb Ambedkar whose monumental work on the Indian Constitution ahs been regularly diluted by government after government inIndependent India, Jawaharlal Nehru, an idealist who may have been a romantic in many ways but was no less a patriot than anyone else, Md Ali Jinnah who was a patriot whose grandchildren and their children still live in India following their grandmother`s Parsi religion and not Jinnah`s Muslim faith, a measure of tolerance that the gentleman definitely observed in his personal life, Sardar Vallabhai Patel and many more. But, to say that any of these people could have played the role that Mahatma Gandhi played in mobilising the people of India to agitate for independence the way that he did would be to delude oneself. The problem with the Mahatma is that modern India has tried to make a saint of him, something that he certainly was not. It has failed to show him accurately as the political genius that he certainly was. The fact that India is independent today is a testament to his bargaining abilities. Many of the problems that India faces are reminders that in some ways, his approach was flawed

- The suggestion that foreign occupation somehow brought ``order`` to India is a ridiculous one. It is upto to Indians to live as they choose. Neither the British overlords nor the thuggish Emergency time Indira Gandhi regime were models that should be mandatory for Indians to follow. The British were in India to plunder. The Mahatma realised this very well, and, when he called for a boycott of British products, they left as they no longer had a market to sell their junk to

- The suggestion that there never was an India was another fraud offered by a politician who was vehemently opposed to the idea of Indian independence - Winston Churchill. If I remember right, he said that if India could be called a country, so could the equator. The fact is that systems of government, borders etc were not defined in 1857 or earlier as they are today. People did not require visas to visit other countries and neither were barbed wire fences across national borders a matter of course. Whether it was Alexander the Great or any of the subsequent invaders and settlers who came there, they came to India. So did the British. They did not define India as a country, they came to a country and colonised it

- The EU model is a workable and positive one. If Europe which saw two world wars that killed millions of people and which put this hostility from the past behind to come together could achieve so much, there is no reason why the nations of South Asia could not. After all, Partition took place AFTER the European war ended. There are tensions in SOuth Asia like there are tensions in parts of Europe. That said, if the warmongering Europeans who believed in settling everything with blood and iron could find ways to live in peace, I don;t see why South Asians cannot. We are, after all, a land of great men of peace from ancient times down to the present

- It is also funny how even speculation on how unity could be achieved among the principal peoples of the South Asian region ends up with posts about how ``Muslims`` fought the war of 1857 amd Hindus didn`t. What religion, pray, were Nana Phadnavis, Tatiya Tope and Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi? In what was a symbol of unity among Hindus and Muslims there are those who would strain to see divisions. It is a trait of internet forums and one should expect this from those whose only interest is in picking fights, I guess, even when they get involved in a discussion on ending fighting

My thanks, again, to all who posted. I shall be glad to listen to as many viewpoints as possible. I hope that this discussion goes on and that we all have something to learn from each other.

Best wishes,

Mehul Kamdar

One Man’s Religion as Another Man’s Belly Laugh Re: # 3

Teshah,

Benedict`s stupidity and arrogant condescension has been matched with exemplary restraint by Muslim organisations. I do not believe that these deliberately provocative remarks would be matched with violence. On the whole, I think the world has shown this bigot the lack of attention that he richly deserves. If he persists in his mission, I doubt it would be difficult for the Muslim community to send a peaceful, economic message - if Arabs stopped buying German and Italian cars and luxury goods, Argentinian beef etc, the Catholic community would, itself, tell it`s chief bigot to shut the hell up. Nothing hurts more than a punch to the bank balance.

Veil for vendetta Long before the French law banning religious symbols in schools, a progressive Muslim leader, Ataturk, banned not only the chador but also the fez for Turkish men. Other Muslim societies like Egypt, Syria, Algeria etc all offer degrees of civilization over the primitive Bedou culture that some seek to impose on Muslim women these days. A very nice article - yes, there is always tragedy when a majority of people take to religious extremism as the middle class around the world seems to have done in recent times. But, whether it is the Christian Right in the USA, the thuggish band of Catholic extremists led by the present pope in Europe or the Hindus and Muslims in South Asia, articles like this one are positive affirmations of the fact there there are people of conscience ready to take the religious thugs on.

Thank you, Nadeem Paracha, for a very well written piece.

Building Barriers in Britain I would like to see the fanatics who condemn the British for firing this madwoman from duties that she was most ill suited to because of her chosen dress code try to tell Turkey, a Muslim country, to lift it`s restrictions on the veil and the fez. A country that was an Islamic superpower for centuries decided to do away with this stupidity but no, rather than take the Turks` civilised approach to religion, some people from the rest of the Muslim world chose to look at the barbaric Arabs of Saudi Arabia as an example. It is particularly sad that a woman from South Asia, a region of refinement and culture in contrast to the uncivilised Bedou culture of the Middle East chooses barbarism instead of refinement and culture. And, she has supporters to egg her on in her self imposed imbecilicity.

A superb article and a fine voice of reason - congratulations, Farouk Taj. Thank you for a very well written piece.

One Man’s Religion as Another Man’s Belly Laugh #1,

Benedict is not likely to ever be ashamed of what he has said. Indeed, he must be grinning privately that he managed to insult the billion plus followers of a rival faith. I doubt his now dead lackey, Alain de Lastic went to his death anything but convinced that he ahd done the right thing. Yes, the world will outlast Benedict and his current band of bigots, but the problem is that he is likely to make bigotry a staple in the lives of the followers of the faith that he presides over.

The best response to this, and a peaceful and intelligent way it certainly, is satire and ridicule - fortunately, the world didn`t have to wait too long for this. Muhammad Gaddafi`s instructions to the pope were just the right response to this bigoted old man. The rest of the world can sit back and laugh at the fact that both these men were serious in their own, silly ways, like actors in a 1920s black and white farce.

Conspiracy Theories: From the Mind to the Media The late Jim Morrison said in one of his songs, ``...the little Spanish girl lies on her bed, bleeding/her period, she says, is Catholic heaven/there`s a lot you can do with bed sheets and a bleeding virgin/you could plan a murder or start a new religion.`` Whether it was the founders of religions in history or today`s devious politicians hell bent on using conspiracy theory to advance their own agendas, the fact is that there are too many chowderheads ready to believe this nonsense and that is why it exists. Were people capable of rational thought, these theories would fall flat.

Is it any wonder that in schools around the world children are indoctrinated and told what they should think about instead of being thought how to think rationally? If they grew to be able to think for themselves, many of the world`s religious and political structures, founded as they are on lies down history, would fall like a pack of cards.

Bollywood’s Stolen Concepts from Hollywood Re: # 1

Absolutely right. All of the south has it`s own film industries, all of which have produced remarkable films. In general, South Indian films have also concentrated on Indian themes without aping Hollywood plots as mindlessly as Mumbai`s films have. And, there is also the magnificent film industry in the Eastern states of Assam and West Bengal. Mumbai is not India and plagiarism in films is not an exclusively Indian trait. To say this, as the author does, is to reflect her own ignorance and prejudice, not quite what makes for a factual article.

The Arab-Israeli Conflict in the New World Order When Yasser Arafat died, a lot of money that belonged to the Palestinian nation went missing - some say that it was $ 300 million, others as much as $ 1.5 billion. And Palestinians continue to starve under their own peoples` rule as they did under Israeli control. Is it any wonder that Palestinian patriots like Hanan Ashrawi and Mahmud Darwaish have been so disillusioned with the process that they stay as far from it as possible?

And the tragedy continues on the Israeli side. Forced to live in this aprt of the world because the Europeans did not want them living in Europe (some nations sent Jews to gas chambers and others to Palestine) they have ended up in a permanent state of conflict with their neighbours both within their country and across their borders.

This is an excellent article and the author must be thanked for taking a fair and unbiased look at the situation in one of the saddest parts of the world.

New LFO Ultra Riffat Jahan,

I understand your pain and salute your sense of humour. Theere is nothing that people everywhere deserve better than democracy. I hope that the dictatorship in your country passes and your people can enjoy freedom again.

Every human being on earth deserves this.

The Missing Girls A very apt and good piece. As someone who has been married for a long time without children and in bad health, I recently decided, along with my wife, that we would adopt a ``cradle baby`` from Tamilnadu, a girl who has been given to the government instead of being killed by the Gounder caste. I hope that I live long enough to see her grow up into a bright and educated young girl, and, if I don`t, I am sure that she would give my wife the love that only a daughter can give after I am gone.

Best wishes and keep up your very good work!

Is This Why the Jews Are Disliked by Other Religions? Hello everyone,

I have been watching the full fledged donnybrook going on here and perhaps, now that tempers have cooled a little, shall comment from my side:

1. Yes, historically, there was no Anti-Semitism in India and neither were the Zoroastrians persecuted - they took asylum in the country. I was told by K A Francis about the Anti-Semitism of the Portuguese - I have another source of information about this, and, indeed, about a different tyrant, this time an Indian - Tipu Sultan. From the edited mail that I received (some personal information has been removed as well as details about the person who has sent this as he happens to be in a very sensitive position in a very sensitive region)

Quote[Dear Mehul,

This piece on the Jewish people is excellent. A very
different perspective than the typical stereotypical
bullshit that we are dished out usually.

By the way, the first instance of anti semitism in
India happened in my place, Fort Cochin. Just 3 km
from my house which you have seen.

Kerala had a settlement of jews from the time of King
Solomon. They had a trade outpost for King Solomon in
Kerala near the ancient port of Kodungallur. A place
called Chendamangalam where XXXXXXX hails from. This
was the seat and capital of Cochin kings. Inside the
Kings quarters you can still see a Synagogue, A
Church, A mosque and A Temple all side by side. All
under the protection of the King of Cochin. When Tipu
Sultan was invading Kerala and as he was reaching
Cochin, they took off from Chendamangalam and made
their seat first in Alwaye and then in Ernakulam. And
the jews who came away with them were given quarters
in a an island called Saudi which was connected to
another island called mattancherry. Part of Cochin
Royal family also made their quarters in Mattancherry.

Later when the portugese where invited they were given
quarters in the island of Mattancherry near Saudi and
that`s when the portugese saw the jews living there.
They attacked the jewish quarters at night and in the
same night the whole of the Jewish community came
running to the King and the King gave them quarters in
Mattancherry and that`s how they ended up living in
Mattancherry for the next 400 or 500 years. Only 2
families are left in Mattancherry now.

If you want more details on all these ask me with
specific questions.

XXXX]End Quote.

Needless to say, the author has some Jewish blood though his family left the Jewish faith a long time ago and are now Christians.

2. Speaking of ``honour killings`` they have mostly taken place in the West among Muslim families and to a slightly lesser extent in Sikh families. But in India there have been numerous documented incidents of caste panchayats killing young people for marrying into different castes. This is something that seems to happen with regularity in the so-called ``Cow Belt`` of North and Central India.

3. While Orthodox Jews may have held mourning ceremonies for children who married out of the community in the past, what is happening now is what I have clearly pointed out from the pages of the Chicago Reader and the Sunday edition of the Chicago Tribune. In any case, even if some recalcitrants held a Shiva for a child who married outside, I would consider it preferable to murder. Anyone who equates murder with a silly ceremony is neccessarily someone who shares the priorities of the murderers who carry out honour killings.

4. There has been a mention of Jewish gangsters in the late 19th century and in the 20th. This is, again, a wrong comparison. I have talked about youth and gangs of young people and not organised crime. If you recall, this was a discussion on families and how they stick together, not an attempt at equating say the career of a Meyer Lansky with Osama bin Laden. It would be ridiculous to extend a comparison of families that live so close - just on two sides of a road - and yet so differently to the extent that some have done. I repeat - this is not an examination of organised crime - it is a comparison of family lifestyles between the Jews and non Jews.

5. There have been a lot of comments about the ``superiority`` of one or another religion over another. Frankly, I do not believe in this and I don`t want to enter into any arguments over this complete nonsense. All religions belong to man`s primitive past - the difference is that some have been able to come out of this savagery to some extent or the other and others have not. Again, that was not the scope of this article and I do not want to get into this cyber-slugfest as it was never my intention to start a fight of any sort.

6. From the posts here, it is clear that there are a few members of the Muslim faith who seem to have objections to any positive depiction of Jews. I would advise them to grow up and start coming out of their silly mullah given persecution complex. As someone who has first cousins who are happily married into Muslim families and who has been very happily associated with them, I think this is an attitude that is ridiculous. If you want to be bigots, that is your previlege. Please don`t expect anyone to really want to respond to your attitude positively. Whole Muslim nations that have fought wars with Israel have made peace with the Israelis - including Egypt which defeated the Israeli army in 1973. The childishness that you seem to exhibit is like that is seen in farces - someone`s great grandfather`s great grandfather called someone else`s great grandfather`s second cousin`s great grandmother an idiot and the descendants keep fighting a family feud over what happened. I don;t think I need to talk about this anymore as, again, it was not my intention to bring international issues into an examination of family life in different communities. If you need inspiration from the Quran of Islamic tradition, ask your mullahs what ``Ahl e Qitab`` means.

7. My intention in writing this piece was to describe how kinder families and better family structures would help communities advance themselves. If the Jews have managed to do it, there is no reason why South Asians cannot. It would not be difficult to achieve if you look at it a little - unfortunately, hating Jews comes more easily to some.

8. There has been a suggestion that Chowk is a ``corporate sponsored`` site. I did not know about Chowk until I found it on a web search a couple of months ago while I was in the initial stages of my treatment. Do elt me know who the sponsors are - it would be really nice to get ``sponsored.`` :) Considering that your post is on the same website that has my piece, I hope that you benefit from the sponsorship as well. My best wishes to you and I salute you for your very astute observation and comments. :)

Thank you very much, everyone, for posting here.

An Ode To Wine Beautiful writing. Please do write more and more often.

Your irreverence in communicating a ``spiritual`` experience does remind me of Omar Khayyam`s Rubaiyat. And it is every bit as pleasant to read.

A Love Affair with Lahore Thank you very much for an article that makes my coming trip to Pakistan more than merely something to look forward to. My wife`s family came to India from Lahore and my mother`s from Karachi, where, indeed, she was born and where she lived with her parents well after Partition, coming to India only in the late 1950s to join university there and marry my father.

I hope to visit both my mother`s as well as my wife`s ancestral homes and try to locate friends of my maternal grandfather who are still alive - I have received more than a little help from a leading columnist in one of your newspapers in this regard. Hopefully, after I return to the US, I shall be able to post here about my voyage of discovery through a country that my maternal ancestors came from.

Thanks and best wishes!

Greasing Palms -- Surviving Through Corruption in India Whether it involves getting a driver`s license, getting your address verified by the police for a passport, registering a property, getting an income tax PAN card, settling an income or sales tax dispute, getting a ration card, getting a ``migration certificate`` if you join a university in a different state from where you did your schooling, getting cargo cleared through customs (even when you are prepared to pay customs duty) etc, etc, etc in India, nothing happens without paying some bribe or the other. Fortunately, there are NGOs that do some very good work to fight this menace - some years ago before I left India to work outside, one such NGO helped with filing tax returns at the Income Tax office in Chennai. The group had yound lawyers and CAs who stood on the pavement outside the Numgambakkam office in the crazy Chennai weather smilingly helping everyone who went to them. The sad thing is that despite their being there and putting in this hard work for nothing, there were some who chose to go in by themselves, invariably paying baksheesh to the goondas in service inside.