Iran's N-Deal and Israel's reaction

The world is changing, and that is to say by looking at one of the biggest and most unexpected Nuclear Deal in the history. The deal signed is arguably the most significant foreign policy  achievement of Obama’s presidency.  Looking at the hostility of Iran towards the west and vice versa, it seemed nearly impossible to expect a N-Deal between these nations.
In a way it sure looks good for Iran which has been facing lots of trade embargos by the west who have never left a stone unturned in showing their global power towards those in disagreement with them. The deal says that Geneva will release $4 billion in Iranian oil sales from frozen accounts and will suspend restrictions on the country’s trade in gold, petrochemicals, car and plane parts. In exchange Iran has to stop enriching uranium above 5% reactor grade (above 5% is the level when one can develop WMDs), which Iran has been doing. Also Iran has to accept more surveillance from the IAEA and lower their existing stockpile.
Now there are two aspects to this. One, which will take Iran on the path of development and an end of a hostile political environment. That sure is a good aspect. Another is, this deal shows Iran as a nation which couldn’t stand up to its foreign policies and buckled under the whims of the western problems. And the first part brings us to the reaction of Israel over this issue.
Israel said “This deal has made the world a dangerous place.”
Lets examine why?
Israel feels that the sanctions pressure on Tehran is collapsing and the Islamic Republic has been granted the right to enrich uranium. The entire wall of sanctions, painstakingly constructed over years, is already crumbling and “will collapse within month.
But Israel’s reaction is not for the given reasons. Its maybe because now Iran is in talks and diplomatic relations with USA, the same country which has referred to Israel as a Zionist regime countless number of times, even in the United Nations. This N-Deal issue has strained Israel’s relation with the US, the country which has been protecting Israel for a long time and was (in Israel’s books) a very close ally. Basically, Israel is insecure with the growing relations between Iran and USA, because if this happens, and USA in the long run neglect Israel, then it will be prone to Arab aggression from which it has been safe for decades due to the support of USA.

So whether Israel’s statement stands true or whether the N-Deal is indeed a first step towards a new peaceful and changed world, we can only know in time.

Pseudo reality shows and the great Indian obsession.

"Arey yaar kal Big Boss me kya hua dekha"?
"Roadies ne Raghu me kya maari uss bande ki"
"Splitsvilla is sooo cool."

 

These are the conversations one can easily come across in public areas nowadays. Be it your classroom, office, bus stop, or a local train, these pseudo reality shows have dominated the Indian media market like a plague virus.
The word I used here is pseudo, because anything and everything that goes in those shows is in every definition, a deviation from what's commonly referred to as an accurate representation of reality.

Reality shows do not present reality in ways both implicit (participants being placed in unusual situations) and deceptive or even fraudulent, such as

• misleading editing
• participants being coached in what to say or how to behave
• storylines generated ahead of time
• scenes being staged and re-staged for the cameras.

Another argument is also justified that the shows are intended to humiliate or exploit participants (particularly on competition shows), that they make celebrities out of unwanted people who do not deserve fame, and that the glamorize vulgarity and materialism.

I understand that entertainment is necessary, and neither am I a nerd who is against it, but entertainment too like everything else does have a boundary. When more than half the youth population of a country is willing and aspiring nowadays to get fame and popularity by entering these shows, there definitely IS something wrong with the whole system.

Earlier students aspired to become engineers, literature experts, doctors etc etc. Their goals were defined and they didn't bask in the glory of people who won a stupid tv show and aspired to become like them. Survey suggests that 1 in 4 of every youth aging 18+ now aspires to become a celebrity by entering in these tv shows.

The big question now. Whats wrong in that?
EVERYTHING!

What is the very purpose of existence of these shows? Entertainment. But that boundary has long been crossed. People are less interested in the development of the very nation which they abuse everyday, but very comfortable in enjoying the bitchiness, gossip and voyeurism portrayed in these so called reality shows.

Our minds have been infected and we need a way out of this, else soon the greatest strength of the country will become its greatest weakness, which is the youth.

I do not say not to watch these shows, but letting it get into your head is another problem. Inception is the right word to describe the current scenario.

Today an average youth knows less about their fundamental duties and apparently everything about Shahrukh's and Salman's fights. Doesn't anyone think that there is something terribly wrong with this country?

Richard Steele aptly said "Fire and swords are slow engines of destructions, compared to the tongue of Gossip."

 

    

In Memoriam - Kargil War '99

26 July 1999, It was a Monday and the whole Nation united to see the end of 60 day war.

May 3rd 1999, Pakistani forces and militants were sighted on this side of the LoC by local shepherds. Pakistani Forces and Militants on the order of Gen Parvez Musharraf infiltrated the LoC and captured the areas which served as the de-facto border between the two countries.

And hence Operation Vijay was initiated with the sole purpose of sending the rats back to their holes. With opposition forces sitting on altitude, they had a natural vantage point.

And then came the Indian Army, the culmination of the fiercest warriors on the face of earth with their motto instilled in their hearts "Service before Self". The same army defeated the same opposition forces not once, but thrice before this war.

June 9th 1999, Indian Army captures two key positions in the Baltic Sector. A crucial point. And by June 13th, we got back Tololing in Dras sector. By June 29th, Point 5060 and Point 5100 were captured near the Tiger Hill.



July 4th 1999, Brave soldiers took over Tiger Hill after a 11 hour long battle. This is now also famously known as the Battle of Tiger Hill, and by 5th of July Indian Army successfully took control over the entire Dras Sector. By July 11th Pakistan begins pullout and on 14th of July Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee declared Operation Vijay a success.

In the whole operation 527 Indian sons, fathers and friends lost their lives protecting the country they swore to defend. And nothing, not even that victory can bring back the souls lost during the war, let this day serve as a reminder of those who laid down their lives in order to protect the lives of 1.04 billion people.

They did their job and more than that. Least we could do is to show them some courtesy, extend a hand of compassion and sympathy for those who are dead, for those who are still out there on the night's guard saying "Nothing is gonna hurt you tonight, not under my watch."

So lets take some time off our daily routine and commemorate the Bold, the Brave and the silent guardians who laid down their lives for us. It is often said, that a dream death of a soldier is to die in action. I could agree no less.

14 years have passed since, but the wounds are too deep to heal. The scars of the war are still visible quite distinctly. And neither should we forget, because the history always teaches us some lesson. In this great War there was again a lesson which would be faded away with the currents of time. The nation who forgets their martyrs and soldiers isn't fit to be a nation at all.

The lines sung by Lata Mangeshkar aptly fits here - "Tum bhul na jao unko, isiliye kahi ye kahani, jo shaheed hue hain unki, zara yaad karo qurbaani."

So heres one. To,
The Indian Armed Forces and the Martyrs of the War.

Jai Hind. Jai Bharat.

The Oath Of Vayuputras - Book Review

For centuries, the stories of Gods as we know them today have been flowing through the length and breadth of India. The "puranas" of The Almighty gods, Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh. For all one knows, that these are mythologies. But, Amish Triparthi gave everyone in India and abroad, a whole new perspective of what we call Mythology and what "might" actually have happened.

After the immense success of the first two books of the Shiva Trilogy, I must admit, I was really excited about the last and final conclusion. I for one, take great pleasure in reading the history and mythology. And that might be the reason, I felt particularly connected and inclined too this series.

Of all the things, Amish  has done is research impeccably well. The best part of the series is not the writing style; its simple and not much to adore about; but what is brilliant is, the way he connected the dots. He actually makes one believe, that the story he is narrating may have happened. That there was no such thing as magic, but science, no such thing as Gods, but people who rose up to that level, where others started worshiping them, not out of fear, but out of respect for their deeds. He took fiction to a whole new level, and gave it a new dimension.

This book had everything a reader wants, politics, war, stories of heroism, legend, secrets, the wisdom of dharma and adharma, duty and honor and ofcourse: the depth and intensity of the love of Shiva for Sati (and vice versa).

Also, this particular book has an add-on which others didn't have. It has not only covered Indian Mythology, but it went as far as Persian (Pariha), Egyptian, Mesopotamian and Tibetan legends. The way each and every term has been described and explained is just brilliant.

In a very subtle manner Amish has connected mythology to his fiction (i say any further, that would be a Spoiler). So many things going on in different kingdoms, it was like reading Game of Thrones, only that, this had less politics and more of action (no complaints there).

I can go on and on about it, because I am a fan now.
So to summarize, its Spellbinding , Archetypal, Stirring, Narrative, Elaborate..Magnificent.

Waiting for his next project.

Till then...

                               Om Namah Shivay