Its raining crap

The new Kochi airport looks plush - very plush, given the socialist Malayali's restraint to be self effacing when it comes to showing opulence. (Would like to clarify that this reference to plushness is only relative to other airports in Kerala) But with a delayed flight, it also gave the perfect setting for the adage "the more things change, the more they remain the same." Earlier, like a confused desi I had arrived at the domestic departure gate only to be told that my flight to Mumbai will take off from the international terminal. I left the domestic terminal entrance wondering whether this was the airport administration's ploy of showing off their new premises. The delay added more conspiracy to my theory. The extended airport tour, the delay and the unexpected opulence started taking the shine off the mallu dust settling on me, although it was a very short trip to my home state. The dust was mostly collected off the road during the 20 odd hours that

The rape of this nation began much before the rape of its citizens. Didn't you see this coming? Trapped within our selfish community, religious and political moorings, we were mute spectators when the nation was crying hoarse with the unbearable pain of getting split wide. We refused to see the blood and the tired hustle of a nation trying to stand up as one. What we felt was only the throbbing libdio led by our self interests - be it reservations, corruption, religious one-upmanship, community pogroms, conversions and political brinkmanship.  Even when the soul sighed, your voice was muffled by your own communal and political insinuations. Each time the nation choked with the abuse, you joined the throng and pointed fingers. Even when it bore the mucky ink of the vote that was cast.  Stop soiling your social media wall with self-righteousness and borrowed sympathy shoved down by propaganda. Your selective social media outrage is as fake as the one you accuse your prim

Home Truths In the land I come from, in Kerala, half-informed debates on public policies, regulations and laws were common place across any congregation above 2 people. During my younger days, matters of faith used to be a private matter. Personally too, I have always felt uncomfortable discussing attributes of one religion versus the other.  I have also been led to believe that religious tolerance and acceptance in the state of Kerala was much higher than the national average. As much as I can remember, the fiercest rioting and arson in Kerala have happened on political agendas rather than anything overtly religious. Here again, it was the Communist parties with their militant trade union ideologies that always used to find itself at either ends in these clashes. However, unlike in many other parts of India it used to be the youth cadres of the Communist parties and RSS (and not BJP) which used to engage in these political battles especially in the northern belt of Kerala. (th

Tales of late self realisation to a naive political observer   Not sure what's running though the minds of people who have been following the Maharashtra Civic Polls 2017. I was quaintly surprised at the emergence of BJP as a front runner in this. What have people voted for? - The candidates, their ideology, their past performance, or the expectations of a better future? Or is there something more latent - like hope, ambition, aspirations, or negative emotions like discontent, feeling of oppression, dejection etc.? To unravel this, I do not have access to the statistics that the  psepologists refer to, nor have I been a keen observer of past trends. But I've been able to put together some basic data and understand BJP's performance in various elections since they won legislative elections in 2014. In more or less every election involving a civil body or a legislative bye-election, held in India since 2014, BJP has improved its vote share if not emerging with a

As a Marketing Communications professional, I have found 'religion' to be a well oiled marketing machinery that has built some of the most powerful brands in the history of mankind. It involves all elements of Marketing communications; for example: very strong brands with clear brand messages, icons (or idols), rituals, brand ambassadors, activation programs, ambient advertising, merchandising et al. With changing times, they have also embraced online and digital communications. Binding faith or brand loyalty is the hallmark of the brands that are active in this industry - with the 'marketers' and brands literally taking to fight wars for market dominance. However I have not been a great endorser of the expositions conducted by many these brands. Over time, most of these 'marketers' have moved  beyond their raison-d'etre and as a Hindu loyalist, I could not help but cast my critical eye on some of the activties by my own faith. While most of the religio

 I have realised that the concept of India thrives best in our minds and not in reality. India survives in each of our conscience as a concept loosely strung together by our virtues or by the lack of it. And it is not uniform. As an identity, it can be best described as an unfinished dream trying to complete its play before reality ends its climax. I might be chastised for blasphemy and sedition, but I don’t think that the real concept of India is going to play out very soon. And my interpretation is as follows: The constitution was framed in the midst of a reality defying orgasm called freedom. The drafters of the "World's longest constitution" were learned-no doubt, but were obviously feeling high and self righteous about framing policies that sought in all good faith-to reshape the mindset of a faction rid nation into believing in the power of 'one' India. In drafting this, they gave absolute freedom to everybody to follow everything they wanted- faith, re