I Love You!

"I Love You" ... have you ever said this to some one?!  I know whether you said or not, you certainly love 'some one' and many more! But if you have ever used this phrase I am sure you have said it mostly to 'some one' and not to many others you love in your life. Further, I am pretty sure you should have said it in exact same words... I mean in English words!
I was wondering, why it is not so cool to say it in our mother tongue? I imagined, said to myself,  how does it sound of I say it in Kannada. It sounded like a movie title!! Sounded unusual, unfamiliar!! Why so?! Love is after all matter of heart and logically, mother tongue should be the most apt language to express it.
Never heard of a Kannada movie dialogue, where hero / heroin proposes to their love interest in 'Kannada'. Same is the case almost in movies of any Indian language including Hindi. Well, "mein tum se pyar karta/i houn" doesn't sound so unusual... I think I have heard that in few classical Hindi movies.

Let me take it to next level.
Is it necessary to say some one that you love him / her? Well, there is a possibility (again as seen in the movies, heard of others) that if not expressed, one may miss the chance of  getting his / her love. And I have read few books / articles (on human relationships) which recommend saying "I love you" to your loved ones as many times as possible, though you and they are very much know it, feel it, believe it  like air they breathe. Those theories argue they make the relationships furthermore stronger and importantly refresh them, evoke feel good factor. I think they do.
On the other side, there are couples and other relationships who never told in their life that they love each other but they love each other as much as <I don't what!>. I believe best painting should speak for itself...may not be to all, but definately to those who appreciate art. If a note, description or a narration plackard had to tell what the painting is all about, then it's not a good enough painting. Same way love is felt without using a word. So, this line of thinking makes no room to saying "I love you"

Are we influenced by other cultures, movies, media, in 'expressing' our love? I feel, because this is matter of love...natural love, keeping it natural is the best way. If I, my heart, feel like saying "I love you" I should... again be it in my mother tongue or even in English. Anyways, whether you say or not, or what you say and what not, how you say and in which language, it can be felt and experienced like air your loved one / love interest breathes. Same is true for you also...if someone loves you passionately, you could strongly sense it, no matter whether you are told or untold they love you or even otherwise!

'Realty' or Mirage?!

A food for thought: A 30x40 plot in my native place (for that reason,  take it any taluk / district town or tier-3 city) will cost 8-10 Lac. But same sized plot in Bangalore costs 50-80 Lac!!!

Why?

I am sure you will call me crazy for asking that. 

You will say "economic worth" of two are not comparable!

OK, then why the same doesn't hold good internationally? A third-world country's property prices are relatively costlier(35x PE) than developed country's ( <25x PE) ?!!!

The real estate investors or even you and me would call equity market ballooned @ PE 25x and may thereafter it would crash / bubble will burst. Real estate today is above 35x PE. Here I am taking about physical real estate not real estate stocks.

Which ever locality of Bangalore you may be living, I am sure this holds good. Consider the rent from property as the earning. Think of the price of that property. I am sure you will arrive at 35 PE. The situation is worse in Mumbai and Delhi NCR (May be more than 40x). Even if the capital appreciation is factored in (may be incorrect to do so on PE based calculation), it still be at 27-30x.

This is highest in the WORLD!!
More than even Tokyo or London or Paris... few of the costliest cities of the world.

Interestingly look at the real estate stocks... Take any big name... They are quoting dirt cheap. Many are @ half their Book Value. If the real estate is such an awesome investment same should reflect in their stocks... Well that's common sense.

Most of the buyers are "investing" to sell for huge profit. Thanks to cash and black / grey money, real estate deals have become 'speculative' transactions. Greater fool theory perfectly at work.

The person who can buy when majority can not, then he has easy money or wealthy man greedily & foolishly "investing" without caring the fundamentals of economics.  He buys it for selling later. He should find another similar person (greater fool) to liquidate. Because the price was already out of reach of of genuine buyer for consumption. So that genuine buyer ends up being tenant (renting from) of that 'smart' (self proclaimed) investor.

As tenant's income is limited and hard earned, rent can not be irrational. That's why rents do not increase at the same pace at which property prices do.

It has been rolling for long time now and cannot keep rolling forever. Just it's a matter of time...
Reasonable levels were breached loooong ago.

Now only there are 2 possibilities
First, obviously it should crash.
Second, it should hang on at these levels until earnings catch up; i.e., income levels of genuine buyers (not so called investors, who are in fact speculators) go up to the level at which they can afford it. Second option is good for the whole of economy.
First one will have ripple effect that will spill out to every other sector starting from banking. Remember the subprime crisis in US followed by great global recession.

Last point: any asset ultimately should have direct or indirect consumption backing. Homes are ultimately built for people to live in. There is a huge demand for affordable housing but in reality most of the people can't find one. For them 'Realty' has become mirage. 

How Right to Information Act Came in to Existence in India

Every time I heard of some groundbreaking truth uncovered using the tool "RTI Act", as much I admired the people who sought, got and publicized that information, so much I appreciated the power of RTI Act itself.

I also wondered how such a powerful tool was given to citizens of India? How come or law makers and executors were so generous about empowering the public against themselves?

I was not aware of any strong demand or movement of public (like what we see for Jan Lok Pal) before it was enacted. Today,  I did some online search to find that there was more than decade long fight to push & corner the Govt to bring such a law. 

Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS), lead by Aruna Roy, was the pioneer to start and most instrumental in the RTI Movement.

Interestingly, before the national level RTI Act was enacted by the Parliament (Year 2005), several state level  RTI Acts were brought by Tamil Nadu, Rajashtan, Goa, Delhi and Karnataka, as early as year 2001

Rajasthan, where the actual RTI movement was started and was rigorously activie, was not the first state to bring it. Tamil Nadu was the first state to enact RTI Act (though not a powerful one), without any notable public movement within the Tamil Nadu state. Goa & Karnataka were the next states which brought RTI almost on their own without public movement. Later in few more states like Delhi and Maharashtra, RTI enactment followed the public movement by Parivarthan NGO (in Delhi, with mentoring & support by MKSS) (Parivrthan NGO <website not available> was founded by Aravind Kejriwal & Manish Sisodia) and Anna Hazare (in Mahrashtra).

It is notable that the enactments followed by the public movements were more powerful and practical ones.

Later more or less all RTI activists, movements and international institutions networked and came together to make the national level RTI Act 2005. "National Campaign for People's Right to Information" was the association of major RTI Movement Organizations.

Here are some more resources:

Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (RTI India)

Wikipedia (RTI Act India)

ONE FINE STORY about WAY TO WEALTH and MUCH MOooRE

ONE FINE STORY about WAY TO WEALTH and MUCH MOooRE

Once upon a time, an old village man just before he died, called all young men of the village and told them about a secret coffers hidden in a distant island. He gave them the map of’ way to wealth’ and also told that one has to travel through very risky and challenging way to reach there.
Years passed after that event happened and nobody bothered to explore those coffers. But lot many legends and stories were weaved about the complexities and troubles of the ‘way to wealth’. Many even claimed that what all the old man said was a fairy tail, not a truth. When things were like this the village and entire region was hit by drought and there was scarce of food. There was no work for farmers as there was any rain, there was a very less work to traders as there was very less to sell and make profits.

So they had to buy all most every thing from neighbor state. But they had money which would not have lasted long. At hat point of time, a youngster called L, called the meeting of the villagers and therein he announced that recently he had been on an adventure sail recently and went very near to the coffers’ island, about which old man told. He said the way was really challenging but not too risky as all of them presumed and it could be conquered with a planned, team effort. He said once they succeed in the mission they can get out of the most of the scarcities they were facing due to drought. (Of course what all L said was not the truth. He was never been on adventure sail. But to convince the people to take up the adventure he thought it was necessary to lie). He explained them plan regarding how to go about. He told first they have to build four or five small ships which can carry about 20 young men each. They have to store enough of required food, equipments, weapons etc. and then have to sail on the way indicated in the map given by late old man. The mission may stretch from a week to a month.
And he requested rich men and bankers of village to take care of expenses of the adventure and asked young men of the village to take part in the adventure. But none of the villagers seemed convinced. None of rich men obliged to contribute to the mission, the hope of good result of which was rare and they personally had not faced any serious problem due to drought, so far, as they had money to buy every thing. So in such a situation they don’t wanted to lose their money on ‘hopeless’ mission. And youth also didn’t want to risk their life. Seeing to the waves, L put another alternative. He asked rich men to lend him enough money holding all his lands and properties as collateral. And for the remaining amount of loan he would serve them as a slave if he defaults. And further if mission becomes success the coffers will be divided in to five parts, of which one part will belong to himself or his family, one part will of rich men, one part will shared among youth or their family who go on mission and rest of two parts will be utilized for the welfare of village. With this offer and some more motivational talking he was able to convince all and mission rolled on its way.

As it was decided earlier, they built six ships, made six groups of 20 members each, selected one captain and four chief sailors for each team, decided when to start their journey to the island of coffers and took off. It was decided before taking off that, the best effort will be made that all the six ships travel in group. If something uneven happens and if they move away from each other, each ship will proceed according to the map in guidance of captain and chief sailors. (L was member of one of the team. But which team, whether he was a captain / chief sailor is not known)
All the ships covered almost half the way, together without any major odds. There after came a cyclone which waved the sea violently and scattered all the ships. But no harm caused to any of the ships. Though all the ships lost sight of each other, they haven’t lost the way. But three ships’ crew was afraid of proceeding any further. They were horrified by the cyclone they have just escaped. So they decided to return empty handed but at least live and returned to village. Other three ships unaware of other ships proceeded further on the way to wealth.
All the three ships reached the island of coffers individually and were immensely happy to see such an exuberant amount of gold all around. They loaded as much they can in to ship and started towards their village. They left some communication hint on the shores of island for their peer ship which may come after wards.
On the return way each ship had to pass through lot more troubles. Each ship at some point had to face a severe cyclone.
The crew members of one ship, as soon they witnessed a gigantic cyclone trying to engulf them, lost any hope of survival and cried for the help of God. Due to journey they covered so far they felt exhausted and it seemed to them they will not able to escape this time. Their confidence was shattered so much that they hardly tried to escape. And finally giant waves of sea sunk the ship.
Second ship, when faced such a cyclone, did not give up the hope and kept on trying to escape. They tried for hours to go out of cyclone zone. Finally they were out of cyclone zone and luckily they had not lost the way also. There after they reached the village comfortably.
The last ship was also too courageous and fought daringly against nature. However after hours of tough job they were able to escape form the cyclone but unfortunately completely lost the way. They didn’t give up! They anchored away from the cyclone zone and tried finding the ways and directions by watching stars, with the help of little astrology they knew. They waited till next day and started proceeding in the way which they decided to be correct. For few weeks they kept on traveling without seeing any land. By that time they were too exhausted and all the food and fuel they had was over. Unfortunately they never found the land and lost for ever.

Ultimately, there was only one ship to return successfully. All the crew members became rich men of the region. All the family members of lost crew members also became rich but had the agony of missing their family member. The crew members, who returned empty handed half way from the mission, did not earn or achieved any thing, but are safe with their life and family. All the rich men who funded mission became richer. Village and all members of society were not only able to get enough food but also better and improved facilities. A fine edifice was built in the village in memory of those who died and lost in the mission.

*****
Girish Kodashettar
(17th June 2005)

Kalpadeepa - a short story

Kalpa-Deepa - a short story
(Translated from Original Kannada)

It was his routine- to get up early in the morning, begging to every door of the street for food and then after searching for some junks in the garbage. Of quiet a young age, in the unclean rags he looked like any beggar boy.

He responded in the same‘no reaction’ way to all the people at various doors who behaved differently. Pitiful. He never knew that he has to be angry on some one who misbehaves. Since he started seeing the world, this all is like that only. And that made him ‘careless’ about all such things. At maximum, as if a natural response of every animal, thankful eyes were his response to the ‘generous’ people who poured unhealthy food in to his bowl, which other wise they would have delivered to dust bin.

His next duty was search of junk. He used to sell the junk to the junk shop to earn some pittances. He spent his times in the garbage blissfully, as children would enjoy playing in parks. In the heaps of wastes, he searched for others’ unwanted and his wanted things.
One day, as usual, after filling his bag with enough junk, he sat at a corner of bus stand and started checking what he collected that day. In that day’s collection, among usual items - such as squeezed toothpaste tubes, waste boxes, tins, half full shoe polish container, old & damaged shoe polish brushes- there was one thing that made boy’s eyes glow with fascination- an artistic ‘chirag’ like tiny lamp.

Instantly some thing flashed to boy -the story, grandma telling to her grandson, which he listened hiding behind a tree. He recalled that story of a poor boy called ‘Aladdin’.

“Once upon a time there was a poor boy called Aladdin…
One day he found a ‘Chirag’ which confined within it a gin…!
Thereon it gave him all he wished…!”

Boy felt thrilled. Started thinking “if the one I am having now is just same as that magical chirag… and if it gives me all I wish… then…then…I will ask for lot of money, new colorful clothes and all that I think. I will eat all I wish in that big hotel on the main road to city. I eat all those beautiful dishes I saw in the glass showcase of that hotel. The hotel owner, who ran me whenever I went near the hotel, will not be able to recognize me in my rich dresses. After eating in the hotel, I will sit in my long car. Driver will salute me and start driving the car towards city… I go to city…there I will…”

As the boy kept on dreaming, his entire colorful dream became dense smoke; the smoke started swirling with a great speed! And then the smoke whirl entered the junk bag!! The boy frustrated as his dream shattered and desperately started searching for that spinning smoke which took away his dream. Bag was full of junks and boy had no patience. Desperately he emptied his bag at once. The whirlpool hidden in the bag then swiftly moved and entered a small black box- the shoe polish wax box. The small box, due to the impact of whirlpool stated rolling on the ground and started running away from the boy. Btu passionate boy picked something to hit the rolling box and stop it. Chased it for a few steps and was just about to hit it. But then the wax stopped as it hit and stuck between a pair of shoed legs. Then the man shouted-“stop playing now. Come here and shine my shoes quickly. I’ll give you five rupees if you make them shine like new. Hurry up!”

Boy was nonplussed and was unable to utter anything. “Five rupees! Wow!!”- he said him self and then only he noticed what he is holding in his hand, which he picked to hit the rolling box- a shoe polish brush! Before this, boy saw many others doing this job. But he never thought that he could also do that. But today…

Boy sat down and started shining the shoes of proud man. Once boy thought enough he looked at the face of that man. He was not happy and shouted “not enough”. Boy brushed again. But man seemed not happy with that. He gave the boy three rupees and said “this is more for what you did” and walked away. For the boy, three rupees were too much. Mean while another shout came- “hey, how much you take for shining my shoes?”
Boy is not aware that, what his chirag spouted was an illusion. He is not able to analyze or interpret the meaning of his dream and what all happened thereafter. He not even knows that he already stepped the first step towards realizing his dream.

Girish Kodashettar
(written on: September 2002)