Shaken, not Stirred !!

It was shocking to hear about the earthquake in Nepal last month. It was a sad sight, seeing the destruction caused in the beautiful city of Kathmandu and surrounding areas. It was commendable of India’s PM Mr. Narendra Modi to send in the Indian Army and Air-Force for rescue missions. Nepal right now needs all the help it can get. My thoughts and prayers go out to Nepali citizens and those in India affected by the quake. I pray to God to give them the strength to overcome the adversity and wish them a speedy recovery.

Hearing about the quake in Nepal brings me memories of an Earthquake I experienced fifteen years back: a quake which was similar in intensity to the Himalayan Quake but caused far more damage. I still remember the day as vividly as if it happened yesterday.

It was the 26^th of January 2001. The time on the clock read 8:30 AM (or near around that). The people of the state of Gujarat along with the rest of India were slowly rousing themselves from deep slumber to celebrate the nation’s 51^st Republic day, unaware of the cataclysmic chain of events which were to occur. I was in my hometown Vadodara (also known as Baroda) in Gujarat, spending a well-earned break in-between my hectic college schedule with family and friends. My house had small room on the terrace where I was sleeping at that time. I was snoring away blissfully on the bed, wandering in ZZZ land, totally unprepared for what was to come. I must have shifted my position as the bed shook a little. The bed always shook whenever I shifted position during sleep due to shifting of weight: so my conscious mind took no notice and I continued sleeping. But my subconscious mind was active and noticed that the bed was still shaking long after I had shifted position. It must have flashed an alert-signal to my brain which flashed a warning message to me. 

The bed continued shaking and despite the deep sleep was in I instinctively knew that something was wrong. And then in an instant, the mists cleared and I knew that there was only one possible explanation for the continued bed shaking.

EARTHQUAKE!!

My mother’s high pitched shout from below confirmed my suspicions. Needing no further prompting, I shook off all remaining traces of sleep and ran for what I was worth towards the steps. The house was shaking so violently that I seriously doubted whether I would make it in time downstairs before the entire structure collapsed. But then, just as I reached the stairs the tremors subsided and everything became still again. I rushed down to the street where my family members were waiting anxiously. The entire neighborhood was out on the street. There was a lot of confusion and people were chattering animatedly. Many people like me, had experienced a quake for the first time and were still reeling under the effects. Then we all gathered our wits and started joking and laughing about the affair, just to calm our frayed nerves. After spending sometime outside, we all returned to our houses. We were all shaken by the affair despite the face of calm we projected outwards. We switched on our TV sets to catch the early morning news. It was then that the full extent of damage caused by the quake came to light all across Gujarat. Vadodara was among the fortunate cities which was least effected. There were a few cracks in some buildings and some poles and trees had been uprooted here and there, but apart from that there was no major damage to the city.

We were busy the rest of the morning answering calls from concerned relatives and friends and assuring them of our safety. The entire day, news bulletins ran continuously round the clock showing images of buildings torn to dust and rescue workers prying out trapped people from the debris. Death and destruction were everywhere. Bhuj and its surrounding areas in the Kutch district were near the epicentre of the quake and were totally decimated. Other cities in Gujarat too bore the brunt of nature’s fury. But the damage was most widespread in Ahmedabad, Gujarat’s commercial capital. A day which was to be a national celebration turned out to be a day of tragedy and mourning. The newspapers were filled with heart-rending stories of tragedy and harrowing survivor accounts. Many people including me had experienced nature’s fury live for the first time and were totally shaken by the experience. It’s one thing to read about such incidents in the paper or hear it in the news. But to experience it first hand is a totally different experience; one that will stay with you for a long time.

But even after the darkest hour comes the dawn. Slowly but steadily, Gujarat limped back to normalcy after the damage and destruction thanks to the never say die spirit of the Gujarati people, though many people still carry psychological scars till date. I myself could not sleep soundly for an entire week. The city of Bhuj was rebuilt. People went about their daily lives and the state of Gujarat once again gained its position as the vibrant economic powerhouse of India.

There are three vital lessons I learnt from the incident.

The first lesson I learnt was that life is unpredictable. There is no telling what fate has in store for you tomorrow; if tomorrow ever comes, that is. J So don’t leave any stone unturned. Achieve whatever you want to achieve before the lights go out for the final time. Live fully with no regrets and worries and don’t take life so seriously. It’s not like you are going to get out alive anyway. J

The second lesson is one which we should all take seriously. There are impromptu fire drills conducted once every 2-3 months in our office premises. These drills emphasize on how we should react whenever there is an emergency, natural or artificial.  It’s a sad fact that many of us take these exercises very lightly. We treat them as a joke and an opportunity to get away from the work station for some time. But God forbid if an emergency really occurs, then many of us will have then wished that we had paid more attention to the lectures. In reality, you do not have more than a fraction of a second to think and your actions make all the difference between life and death.

The third and the most important lesson is this: No matter how much man progresses, no matter how tall and strong he builds his buildings, no matter how powerful he builds his vehicles; all his ingenuity and resourcefulness are no match for the vagaries of nature. After all, it took no more than a single Iceberg to destroy the Titanic, easily one of the biggest and most powerful ships of her time. A few tremors caused unprecedented death and destruction across Gujarat in 2001 and Nepal in 2015. Therefore, whatever man does must always be in harmony with nature. Sometimes, due to greed and oversight, man pushes the limits of her boundaries. But one day she will return with a vengeance and claim what is rightfully hers.

-          

  - -  Srinivas Pavan Addanki

The Great Indian marriage dilemma

‘The only thing constant in life is change’ goes the popular saying. Indeed, life always presents us with situations where we have to make decisions. These decisions have the potential to change our life either inconsequentially or in a big way. Marriage is one of them. Indeed, given the potential marriage can be a life altering change; a change which will either take you to new heights or plunge you into unknown depths of despair.

A few years back, I was working as a technical lead for a project belonging to a reputed Australian Banking account in a multinational IT company. One day it so happened that a delegation from the client side paid us a visit. After the perfunctory meetings and presentations, lunch was arranged. Being a senior resource and having considerable experience in the project, I was one of the lucky few among-st the senior management chosen to host the delegation for lunch. So we all went to this classy restaurant where a huge table was arranged for us. Seated just opposite to me was a high level director from the Bank and next to me was a colleague, also a senior member of the project. We were nervous and hesitant to begin with, seated in close proximity to such a big-shot. But to his credit, our visitor was very genial and put us at ease right from the start. We soon started conversing about various topics. During the course of our conversation my colleague revealed that his marriage was fixed and wedding bells were due the coming month. 

Our visitor was all smiles and congratulated him. “Hearty Congrats Mate!”, he said happily. “So wedding bells ringing for you next month eh?? Who’s the lucky girl, if you don’t mind me asking?”

My Colleague replied, “Oh not at all! She is working as an engineer in a software company in Bangalore.”

“That’s great!”, the Client said and continued “So it must be a great feeling, marrying your sweetheart.”

My Colleague, a bit traditional and orthodox in nature blushed a bit and replied, “It’s actually an arranged marriage.”

“Hmm …. of course a marriage has to be ‘arranged’ doesn’t it? Can’t just wake up one day and marry someone on the spur of the moment can you?” our visitor said jovially, in between spoonfuls of tomato soup.

“Oh no, it’s not like that.”, my colleague replied, blushing even deeper now. “My parents have met her parents and they approved the alliance.”

“If your parents like the girl, that’s even better. To think what a tough time I had convincing my prospective father in law when I wanted to marry my girlfriend! ”, our visitor said. He was not getting the picture at all.

Hitherto a mute witness to the conversation, I decided to pitch in. “What he means to say is that this marriage is fixed by his parents and not initiated by him.”, I said.

At first our visitor looked at me with a puzzled expression and then the truth dawned upon him. He almost dropped the soup-spoon in the bowl. “Really mate?”, he exclaimed wide eyed with surprise. “You’re telling me that you’re marrying this girl whom you haven’t met before?”, he asked my colleague incredulously.

My Colleague nodded his head sheepishly.

Seeing the bewildered expression on our visitors’ face, I proceeded to explain to him the entire mechanics of the Indian Marriage Machinery, right from start to finish. It went something like this:

• Boy / girl both come of ‘suitable’ age
• Boy is ‘settled’ in career and draws a good salary.
• Girl has completed education and preferably is also working.
• Parents take a call and decide to search for an alliance for their child
• Boy / girl’s profile is set up in various matrimonial sites.
• Word is spread in the market and among friends and relatives to search for a suitable match
• Parents start searching for profiles and evaluate proposals received by them (Search criterias are a bit dicey for example 'A blend of traditional and modern values'  - but I will cover that later).
• After ‘n’ number of screenings and rejections, parents zoom across a suitable profile (There are a lot of ifs and buts to judge suitability, but I will cover that later) and contact the persons mentioned in it for taking the matter forward
• Boy / Girl throw a spanner in the works by revealing about an affair which they have kept secret till now.
• Flustered parents either bend to their children’s will or oppose it.
• If the latter holds true then boy/girl elope and marry secretly.
• If the above three points are not true then the search continues.
• Broad minded parents will show the profiles of the people selected to their sons / daughters for their approval before proceeding further, the others don’t.
• Then phone calls take place. Parents speak to the boy / girl’s parents and speak to the boy / girl themselves in some cases and proceed further if satisfied.
• Then come the meetings. Parents arrange for a meeting between the boy and the girl with themselves in close proximity. Boys’ parents have a chance to see the girl and vice-versa.
• Girl’s father eyes the boy sternly and evaluates his career prospects and gauges the boy’s confidence in general.
• Boy’s parents evaluate the girl for her homeliness and nature.
• Broad minded and considerate parents arrange for the boy and girl to chat in private. The others don’t.
• Like SRK’s seventy minutes in ‘Chak De’, the boy / girl have a similar period of time or lesser to chat and evaluate whether he/she is the perfect soul-mate.
• A lot of questions are asked in that limited window of time and most of the time the boy / girl cannot reach a conclusion. A few extra meetings are arranged.
• If the answer is negative from any / both parties then like a programming go-to loop, the search starts all over again.
• If the answer is in the positive from both parties (usually the yes/no comes from their parents) then parents consult the family astrologer, compare horoscopes and find a suitable date for marriage.
• Invitations are printed and sent across to all and sundry.
• Preparations start in earnest and wedding shopping starts.
• Some parties hold a small engagement ceremony while others don’t.
• Girl’s father searches for suitable venues.
• Date of marriage happens to be a very auspicious date and nearly all marriage halls are booked.
• After a lot of running around, the girl’s father finally happens to find a venue and books it.
• Marriage date approaches and the relatives start pouring in.
• Finally D-day arrives and the marriage takes place a midst great pomp and ceremony.

And so I concluded. Our client was a good listener and drank in all that I said.

“Aaah!”, he said after I had finished, his face showing comprehension. But it was a very deep and guttural ‘Aaah’. I guessed his mind must have been in a kind of a tizzy digesting this piece of information.

“And the girl? I guess, she should be fine with it too.”, he asked my colleague after recovering a bit.

“Oh yes, of course!", my colleague replied. "Her parents have approved and so she is fine.”

Again our visitor replied with an ‘Aaah’, this one deeper than the last. I guessed he must have felt some sort of pity for the girl.

“That’s cool.”, he replied at length and I thought he wouldn’t discuss this topic further. But I guess his curiosity got the better of him and he couldn't resist asking my colleague another question.

“Err …. So have you spoken to her then? You know … about compatibility issues and all that.”

“We have shown our Jaatakams to the astrologer. It is a good match. There are nineteen points matching for both of us.”, my colleague replied confidently.

My client looked at me with an expression akin to a man who was drowning in the sea and begging me to throw a line. I couldn’t blame him.

“He means the girls’ and his horoscopes match perfectly.”, I explained.

This time he said another ‘Aaah’. If the previous ‘Aaah’s were anything to go by, this one would have been the mother of them all.

“So that’s how it works here.”, he said after I concluded. His countenance showed some relief as the air of mystery was cleared somewhat.

“You must find all this a bit strange.”, I said.

“Oh not at all! Each country has its own traditions.”, the client covered up, being a thorough gentleman.

“So how’s it down under?”, I asked, wanting to change the topic.

“Well down under it’s a bit different.”, he replied. “Kids usually become independent in their teens and start looking out for jobs to self-finance their education and their careers. They move out and become independent. They eventually find their soul mates on their own and settle down in life.”

It was my turn to say ‘Aaah’.

We did not discuss much on this topic for the rest of our meal, much to my relief. Our visitor probably felt that he had ventured too much into unknown territory. Whatever the reason, this conversation left a deep impact on my mind.

The innings of destiny !!

After months of waiting and anticipation the moment that Cricket fans have been so eagerly waiting for is underway. The 11^th ICC Cricket World Cup is in motion. Fourteen nations from all across the Cricketing world are slugging it out down under in a month and a half long gruelling battle of Strength, Strategy, Wits and Stamina. It remains to be seen which of these nations will triumph ultimately and carve their name in the annals of Cricketing glory.

For India, the world cup just could not have started better. Thumping victories against arch rivals Pakistan, the strong Proteas, minnows UAE and Ireland has set the momentum and all across the nation and fans are rejoicing as India has smoothly sailed into the semi-finals. For many Indians, winning against Pakistan is like winning the world cup itself and is enough reason to celebrate. But then again, Indians don’t need any excuse to celebrate Cricket. It is no big secret that the billion plus people who reside in the world’s largest democracy follow the game with a zeal and passion that rival the most extreme of religious fanatics. Productivity will be at an all-time low as students and professionals will cut classes and bunk office for watching matches. Even the most workaholic of executives will take time off to check the scores on their laptops or smartphones. Politics and social issues will take a backseat as Cricket will form centre-stage of all discussions. The usually crowded malls and multiplexes will wear a deserted look. For the entire duration of the tournament, Indian players will be under intense scrutiny by the Indian media and fans. And this kind of attention brings about huge pressure, as expectations will be sky high. Fans will expect the Indian team to retain the cup they won in 2011 and nothing less will suffice for them. Credit goes to Dhoni and his boys for tackling the huge pressure and expectations to lift the trophy after a gap of no less than twenty eight years(India won it's maiden world title in 1983) in front of a delirious home crowd in Mumbai.

If the Indian team of 2011 was burdened with huge expectations to live up to, the 1983 world cup winning team had none. In fact, no one really expected them to qualify for the knockouts, leave alone win the tournament. As Kapil Dev, the captain of the Indian 1983 World Cup Squad said in an interview, “No one even gave us a ghost of a chance”.

In the early eighties India were yet to find their footing in the one day Cricket scenario. Established contenders as they were in test cricket, their one day prowess left a lot to be desired. And if their record in the previous world cups (One win in 1975 and no win in 1979) was anything to go by, people would consider India lucky even to win a few matches. Indian Cricket itself was in a volatile state. After a disastrous tour of Pakistan four months prior to the tournament, Sunil Gavaskar was forced relinquish the captaincy. After some deliberation, the board decided to entrust the captaincy to Kapil Dev Nikhanj, a raw and inexperienced youth from Haryana. Kapil was a newbie and had yet to earn the respect of his team mates. But he was brave and not averse to taking risks: perhaps just the tonic that Team India needed.

Just for the record, the 1983 World Cup consisted of eight teams divided into two groups of four teams each. India were placed in a seemingly tough group alongside the mighty West Indies, Australia and minnows Zimbabwe. England, Pakistan, New Zealand and Sri-Lanka were in the other group. Each team was to play the other team twice. The top two teams in each group would progress to the knock-outs. Critics predicted a cake-walk for West Indies and Australia. Entering with no expectations, India started the 1983 tournament with a bang, defeating the West Indies in their first league encounter followed by another victory against Zimbabwe. A few eyebrows were raised. Many however, considered the victory against the West Indies a fluke. India failed to make the most of the winning start and fell behind with losses to Australia and the West Indies again in their second league encounter with the giants. They desperately needed a win in their remaining league matches (against Zimbabwe and Australia each) for any hope of them qualifying for the knockouts. Many thought that the match against minnows Zimbabwe would be an easy victory while the match against Australia would be more challenging. Little did they know how close India came to being eliminated against the minnows.

India and Zimbabwe met at Turnbridge Wells, England on the 18^th of June 1983. India won the toss and elected to bat first on a green pitch which the Zimbabwean seamers exploited to their lethal advantage. The pitch proved a mine-field in the initial overs and four Indian wickets fell rapidly, much to the dismay of the Indian supporters present. Gavaskar, Srikanth, Mohinder Amarnath and Sandip Patil arrived and departed the crease in quick succession. The score-board read nine runs for the loss of four wickets. Kapil Dev, the Indian skipper sauntered in. Many did not know it yet but he was about to play the innings of a lifetime. Soon, the wicket of Yashpal Sharma fell and the score read seventeen for five. It was all looking bleak for India. A pall of gloom fell on the Indian spectators. If India were to lose this match, they would not qualify for the knock-outs and would have to return home bearing the ignominy of defeat. The sceptics would have been proven right and the media would have written off their initial victories as flukes. The organizers feared that the match would be over before lunch time and they would have trouble controlling the Indian crowd which was growing increasingly volatile. But destiny had other things planned. For the next couple of hours Kapil held his nerve and batted cautiously to steady the ship even while wickets were tumbling at the other end. Other batsmen arrived and returned back to the pavilion without giving much support to their skipper. India looked in deep peril with the score reading seven for seventy eight. Madan Lal came in and gave some much needed support to his skipper. When he fell, the score read one hundred and forty for the loss of eight wickets. India were not out of the woods yet. Syed Kirmani, the Indian wicket keeper came in. Kirmani supported his skipper beautifully and together, they put on one hundred and twenty nine run partnership for the ninth wicket, a record which still stands today. Kapil, on his part paced his innings beautifully. He played with caution at first taking his runs in singles and twos, striking the odd boundary till he reached his century in the 49^th over. After that he was a tiger unleashed. He struck the ball with brute force to all corners of the ground and many times over it as well. At the end of sixty overs, Kapil’s score read an incredible one Hundred and Seventy Five runs while India’s score was a respectable Two hundred and Sixty Six runs for the loss of nine wickets. The score was still within reach by the opposition but it was far better than what would have been given India’s top order collapsing like a pack of cards.

Rejuvenated by their skippers knock, India fought back like tigers and restricted Zimbabwe to two hundred and thirty five runs, with Kapil again being in the thick of action taking a few vital wickets. India had pulled of an incredible victory, thanks to the courage and the never-say-die attitude of one man. Cricket is a team game, but sometimes it takes a special individual performance to lift the sagging morale of the entire team. Clearly, Kapil’s innings made the entire difference between victory and defeat. The BBC camera crew were on strike that day which is a pity; as one of the greatest cricketing knocks in Indian One day Cricket history went unrecorded. Many people fondly remember the famous victory over the West Indies in the 1983 final, but few remember that had it not been for the champion performance of a spirited leader a few matches earlier, India would have never got there.

Srinivas Pavan Addanki