EDITORIAL
The
Government does not recognise your existence unless you have an Aadhaar Card or
driving licence or PAN card. The Government believes that our existence is only
the physical manifestation of our names and addresses. These cards are the
underpinning of our actual existence. Not having them or losing them can cause
you lot of inconvenience and grief. If you do not link everything under the sun
with your Aadhaar card by March 2018 you will be in big trouble.
Why are these tourists all here in Delhi? I have been trying
to see India's capital as others might. As much as I would like to be the proud
citizen of Delhi as all patriotic Indians should, there are things about Delhi
that are very troubling like the rude crowds, lack of civic sense, dirt and
grime. This grubby city lacks the romance of Paris, the sybaritic pleasures of
Barcelona, the historical beauty of Prague and the adrenaline sex appeal of New
York. What is attracting down jacketed tourists? Is it the mysteries of the
Orient and the sadhus and snake charmers or are they expecting to bump into a
Bollywood star? Or are they wanting to navigate through the dung laden narrow
lanes of Chandni Chowk roaming between the trestles of medieval tripe just as
my wife likes to do? None of the beauty has been preserved and all you have are
signboards and wires hanging over what would have been a beautiful facade. More
than six decades ago as I grew up in the city, Delhi had this unspoilt charm of
a colonial outpost. Life was unhurried, roads were relatively empty and you
could get to places without jostling with milling crowds wary of your pocket
getting picked or snared by a beggar. Today the skyline is clogged, the
pollution is killing and factories have been developed in houses in crowded
by-lanes of Mayapuri, Okhla and Govindpuri
in downlit cubbyholes for nascent plutocrats. Given a decent choice and
means, I will run away. But alas, I am
here to stay only because it is Yamuna we live in – an oasis of peace, calm and
social harmony.
India
has a burgeoning population and a legion of youngsters who are unemployed. Yet
when we look for workers to man our machines they are loath to work and leave
within a few days. They are children of workers but their work ethics leave a
lot to be desired. Seems like this generation is aspirational and is looking
for a more salubrious working environment. Unfortunately they do not possess
the necessary skills to move up the value chain. Here lies the dilemma. The
company I work for is one of the few on a hiring mode but where do we look for
workers? Last week we hired ten people but only two have lasted a week. Where
are all the hundreds of smithies where our workers toiled long and hard to
hammer out a better and exciting future? Working conditions are a lot better
these days than yesteryears with strict working hours, safety regulations,
health back-up, subsidised canteen facilities and bus facilities to commute
from home to work and back. We are looking for workers who would like to do an
honest day's work to earn a living and we draw a blank.
The
heritage walk, an event in our calendar that evokes our interest in the medieval
past and an eye into the lives of our forebears was unfortunately called off.
Most of the regulars who make it a practice to go on these walks were not
available which would have just left just a few making the numbers. It was disappointing
for them.
As a
poor substitute, a potluck lunch was organised in the lawn on 26th January,
2018. Food is a great unifier. Not that the crowd was so big that it would
cause a stampede but there were enough people to make for a great repast in balmy
weather. There were a variety of tasty meal options which is what makes for a
great conversation piece and rewarding experience. People were sharing recipes
to add to their repertoire, to please their family and guests henceforth. The
children amused themselves playing frisbee and generally running around. Much
after people finished eating, they hung around to chat in brilliant weather.
The
release of Padmavat stirred a hornet's
nest. The Rajput community took umbrage on the presumed belief that their
legendary queen was romancing the invader and Rajput pride was forsaken by the
movie makers. The Karni Sena, a hitherto unknown fringe group upped the ante
with violent action at theatres, putting blockades and generally destroying
public property. The hostility was so visceral that any attempts to placate
invited more derision. They were opposed to the film maker, the actors, the
Censor Board, the Government and the Supreme Court. Should the law enforcement
agency be quiet bystanders and mute witnesses to the mayhem these groups
spread? Are we not giving anarchy room to flourish? It is a disturbing sign of
the times for law abiding citizens.
Smoking
in the premises and throwing of cigarette, beedi butts, soft drink and liquor
bottles all over the colony and the terrace, spitting in the lawn, on the streets
and the external walls, taking dogs into the park for their constitutional,
throwing litter on flower beds, in the park and other places are all practices
we should put a stop to. If any resident comes across anybody indulging in
these activities they should counsel these individuals. These are matters of
hygiene and civic sense which we should practice.
New
leaf composters have been installed in the main lawn, in the tiny tot area and
behind D-block where leaves that fall off the trees will be deposited and
processed into manure by a method explained to us by an agency which
specialises in this field. We would thus be in a position to generate manure
that will have no offensive smell unlike the manure that we buy from outside.
It will also save us some cost of sending dry leaves outside by tempo and the
cost of buying manure.
Facebook,
the internet's stomping ground is swamped by young and old alike. How Facebook
has captured the imagination of diverse ethnic and demographic populace is mind
boggling. I probably open my Facebook page once a month. In the initial years,
I used to find a lot of younger folk dominating the space. Now I find that the
malady has stricken the senior citizens as well. I cannot imagine why anybody
would be interested in knowing what some acquaintance ate for breakfast, lunch
and dinner or would want to see them in a million poses in a narcissistic
overdrive? I can understand if a person occasionally posts something but to
swamp the page with twenty posts in a single day borders on obsessive
compulsive disorder.
In a
slight departure from previous years, the painting competition this year will
be held in the main lawn on 4th February, 2018 instead of the badminton court
to take advantage of the pleasant weather and beautiful surroundings. Residents
who wish to participate should get a hard board as a support backing for the
painting sheet. The competition is open to all age categories. Please
participate with enthusiasm as there are several prizes on offer.
OBITUARY
For
Bhanumathi Kurup, wife of Late Mr. C.G.R. Kurup and ex-resident of H-101, the
New Year turned out to be a time to say goodbye to everybody. She passed away
peacefully in her home in Kochi on 1st January, 2018. Her son Santosh was with
her at the time of her demise. Yamuna residents convey their heartfelt
condolence to the bereaved family.
SNIPPETS
Madhu
Swaminathan of B-006 delivered a yet unnamed baby girl on 6th January, 2018 .
Both mother and daughter are fine. I am sure the tot will have to put up with
sibling rivalry with her older sister. Both Madhu and Kartick are going to have
their hands full changing nappies. We wish them good luck
***********************
Rohan
and Kalpana Samson of A-201 who are now living in New Orleans, USA have been
blessed with a baby girl on 17th January, 2018. They have named her Aisha. The
birth of their second daughter just goes to show that Yamuna is breaking the
national average of more girl child births compared to males. Grandparents
Madhavi and Julius are there with them to take care of the baby and when they
return, Kalpana's parents will fly out
to keep up the trend of grandparents looking after the grandchildren in their
formative months.
MIRTH CORNER
I asked my girlfriend what sort of books she is
interested in. She said, cheque books
*******
The easiest way to make your old car to run
better is to check the price of a new car.
*******
*******
Q: What's the difference between a good lawyer
and a great lawyer?
A: A good lawyer knows the law, a great lawyer
knows the judge.
*******
Boss: We are keen on cleanliness. Did you wipe
your feet on the mat as you came?
Interviewee: Yes, sir.
Boss: We are also keen on truthfulness. There
is no mat.
*******
Q: Why do dogs not marry? A: Because they are
already leading a dog's life!
*******
Q: What's the similarity between mother and
wife?
A:One
woman brings you into the world crying and the other ensures you continue to do
so.
Some
of the jokes may seem sexist or offensive to women, particularly wives but I
would request them to take it in good humour. It is only a joke after all.
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS JANUARY 2018
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DATE
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TIME
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EVENT
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VENUE
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4.2.18
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11AM
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PAINTING COMPETITION FOR ALL AGE GROUPS
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MAIN LAWN
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FOLLOWED BY POTLUCK LUNCH
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17.2.18
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4.00 PM
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THIAGARAJA ARADHANA
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BADMINTON COURT
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