Thus, researchers have safely assumed that this evolution has been finely tuned to the processing demands of musical stimuli. The structures used for music processing and production are also used in processing and producing other aspects of communication but there may be a unique combination that focusses on musical activities alone. Researchers have now dug themselves deep into this very interesting subject. There should be many more hypothesis and counter-theories as studies progress. While archaeological studies and excavations will help a study of what remains, sound logical hypothesis must be added to the study of the physical remains to make the propositions.
Studies also describe based on a closer observation of existing tribes across the world scuh as the native Americans, Aka and Mbuti pygmies of Africa, Pintupi aborigines from Australia, or the Yupik and Innuit tribes, rhythm and instruments could have been used as part of musical discourse or performances. It has been assumed that they were either made of wood, or stone, or even hide of an animal, but were not sophisticated. Evidence wouldn’t exist too.
In the midst of this agreeable conclusion, Dr. Nicholas Conrad, H. Jenson and Friedrich Seeberger of Germany reported the discovery of three flutes in a cave near Ulm, Germany. Dating the deposits where the flutes were found suggests the instruments to be anywhere around 40,000 years old. This date takes us right upto the Paleolithic age of the last Ice age – a time when Neanderthals and Homosapiens co-existed! The flutes were made of ivory, not of elephants but a woolly mammal. The tusks were not hollow. They were cut into halves, hollowed and glued airtight together. Holes were drilled at appropriate distances, and the sound produced on a replica by Dr Seeberger was very harmonic, and followed the pentatonic scale that is followed in India.
These are clearly products of complex production processes. Considerable amount of time and energy would have been invested into researching, identifying and finally settling down on a specific design. Researches also reveal that homosapiens made deliberate use of acoustic properties of cave sites as well as resonant properties of stalagmites stalactites. Music didn’t seem a trivial leisure in their lives.
Excavations in Jiahu, China led to discovering intact flutes that were 9,000 years old. These flutes were made of the bones of cranes. A two volume Wuyang-Jiahu was published by the Science Press of Beijing after more than a decade’s study after the excavation discoveries. Having well developed five-tone, six-tone and seven-tone scales and set to a specific pitch, music seems to have been a rather evolved science much earlier than expected. These discoveries have helped rewrite history of the Qin dynasty where research previously asserted only a five-tone scale was in use in China. Infact the tones of the Jiahu flute are based on the twelve tone equally tempered scale. We seem now to look at the origin of music from a study of biology, archaeology and anthropology! Interesting!
Tuesday, January 29, 2019
Did music predate language?
Across the world sociologists and anthropologists have yet to find a single culture that through human history had no association with music. Primates and even animals and birds have communicated using musical sounds and we know that. Tempo and pitch changes communicate dangers of various kinds. A controversial question raised is if music in fact predated language! Archaeological evidence for musical activities pre-dates even the earliest known cave art. Human culture as has been studied by scientists from various disciplines hasnt encountered one that didn’t practice a recognisable musical activity. Music has been SUBJECT OF KEEN INVESTIGATION across diverse fields as neuroscience, psychology, ethnography and musicology.
Researchers ask if there was a “moment” when musical behaviours emerged as an activity, and separable from other activities. But it doesn’t seem to be so clear and separated. Fossil records of bipedal ape-like human ancestors indicate a vocal anatomy and neurological structure that isn’t significantly different from the great apes of today. But by the time of pre Neanderthal ancestors studies reveal a significant change in vocal anatomy and neurological control over it, similar to modern human-like auditory physiology.
Studies of homoergaster fossils indicate a change in structure of the larynx and increased super laryngeal soundspace. Scientists claim this allowed a wider range of sounds and frequencies, but a thoraxic innervation like in humans, allowing control over utterances of lengthy durations probably emerged in Neanderthals. It was probably a million years ago that a re-arrangement of the laryngeal anatomy coupled with neurological control over pitch, volume, contour and duration of sounds produced, happened to have evolved.
This evolution has to be read in consonance with structural changes in neurological anatomy and the behaviours too. Fossil studies and interpretations reveal development of regions in the left hemisphere of the brain – Broca’s area as it is referred to. This part is associated with fine muscular control of sequences of vocalisations and manual muscular movements. These regions are involved in, and subtly direct social communication, planning and performance of complex motor sequences which are essential elements of musical activity.
To be exact scientifically let me paraphrase what stalwarts in this field like Juergens, Zwirner, Schulz and others have explained – “the motor planning of purposeful utterances rely mainly on input to the motor cortex and the natural integration of emotional content into vocalisations relies on input from the anterior limbic cortex and PAG (periaqueductal grey matter). Thus, vocal control, expiratory control, orofacial muscular control and overall control of the laryngeal system has developed in the human anatomy as evolutionary process”. Humans are the only primates that possess the neurological connection that regulates sound produced from the larynx with the controls mentioned above.
A third anatomical aspect that also needs a mention here is the transformation of the middle and inner ear – form and structure. The middle ear is sensitive to the range of frequencies humans commonly use. The stapedius muscles of the middle year contract to reduce movement of the stapes bones on the eardrum during vocalisation, thus reducing the intensity of perception of own vocalisations. This, as can be imagined, reduced the extent to which individual vocalisations obscured prevailing environmental sounds.
Thus, researchers have safely assumed that this evolution has been finely tuned to the processing demands of musical stimuli. The structures used for music processing and production are also used in processing and producing other aspects of communication but there may be a unique combination that focusses on musical activities alone. Researchers have now dug themselves deep into this very interesting subject. There should be many more hypothesis and counter-theories as studies progress. While archaeological studies and excavations will help a study of what remains, sound logical hypothesis must be added to the study of the physical remains to make the propositions.
Studies also describe based on a closer observation of existing tribes across the world scuh as the native Americans, Aka and Mbuti pygmies of Africa, Pintupi aborigines from Australia, or the Yupik and Innuit tribes, rhythm and instruments could have been used as part of musical discourse or performances. It has been assumed that they were either made of wood, or stone, or even hide of an animal, but were not sophisticated. Evidence wouldn’t exist too.
In the midst of this agreeable conclusion, Dr. Nicholas Conrad, H. Jenson and Friedrich Seeberger of Germany reported the discovery of three flutes in a cave near Ulm, Germany. Dating the deposits where the flutes were found suggests the instruments to be anywhere around 40,000 years old. This date takes us right upto the Paleolithic age of the last Ice age – a time when Neanderthals and Homosapiens co-existed! The flutes were made of ivory, not of elephants but a woolly mammal. The tusks were not hollow. They were cut into halves, hollowed and glued airtight together. Holes were drilled at appropriate distances, and the sound produced on a replica by Dr Seeberger was very harmonic, and followed the pentatonic scale that is followed in India.
These are clearly products of complex production processes. Considerable amount of time and energy would have been invested into researching, identifying and finally settling down on a specific design. Researches also reveal that homosapiens made deliberate use of acoustic properties of cave sites as well as resonant properties of stalagmites stalactites. Music didn’t seem a trivial leisure in their lives.
Excavations in Jiahu, China led to discovering intact flutes that were 9,000 years old. These flutes were made of the bones of cranes. A two volume Wuyang-Jiahu was published by the Science Press of Beijing after more than a decade’s study after the excavation discoveries. Having well developed five-tone, six-tone and seven-tone scales and set to a specific pitch, music seems to have been a rather evolved science much earlier than expected. These discoveries have helped rewrite history of the Qin dynasty where research previously asserted only a five-tone scale was in use in China. Infact the tones of the Jiahu flute are based on the twelve tone equally tempered scale. We seem now to look at the origin of music from a study of biology, archaeology and anthropology! Interesting!
Thus, researchers have safely assumed that this evolution has been finely tuned to the processing demands of musical stimuli. The structures used for music processing and production are also used in processing and producing other aspects of communication but there may be a unique combination that focusses on musical activities alone. Researchers have now dug themselves deep into this very interesting subject. There should be many more hypothesis and counter-theories as studies progress. While archaeological studies and excavations will help a study of what remains, sound logical hypothesis must be added to the study of the physical remains to make the propositions.
Studies also describe based on a closer observation of existing tribes across the world scuh as the native Americans, Aka and Mbuti pygmies of Africa, Pintupi aborigines from Australia, or the Yupik and Innuit tribes, rhythm and instruments could have been used as part of musical discourse or performances. It has been assumed that they were either made of wood, or stone, or even hide of an animal, but were not sophisticated. Evidence wouldn’t exist too.
In the midst of this agreeable conclusion, Dr. Nicholas Conrad, H. Jenson and Friedrich Seeberger of Germany reported the discovery of three flutes in a cave near Ulm, Germany. Dating the deposits where the flutes were found suggests the instruments to be anywhere around 40,000 years old. This date takes us right upto the Paleolithic age of the last Ice age – a time when Neanderthals and Homosapiens co-existed! The flutes were made of ivory, not of elephants but a woolly mammal. The tusks were not hollow. They were cut into halves, hollowed and glued airtight together. Holes were drilled at appropriate distances, and the sound produced on a replica by Dr Seeberger was very harmonic, and followed the pentatonic scale that is followed in India.
These are clearly products of complex production processes. Considerable amount of time and energy would have been invested into researching, identifying and finally settling down on a specific design. Researches also reveal that homosapiens made deliberate use of acoustic properties of cave sites as well as resonant properties of stalagmites stalactites. Music didn’t seem a trivial leisure in their lives.
Excavations in Jiahu, China led to discovering intact flutes that were 9,000 years old. These flutes were made of the bones of cranes. A two volume Wuyang-Jiahu was published by the Science Press of Beijing after more than a decade’s study after the excavation discoveries. Having well developed five-tone, six-tone and seven-tone scales and set to a specific pitch, music seems to have been a rather evolved science much earlier than expected. These discoveries have helped rewrite history of the Qin dynasty where research previously asserted only a five-tone scale was in use in China. Infact the tones of the Jiahu flute are based on the twelve tone equally tempered scale. We seem now to look at the origin of music from a study of biology, archaeology and anthropology! Interesting!
Saturday, April 16, 2016
Naming Kids
And what is it with Indians and naming their kids these days? Every kid has a godforsaken name. Wellwishers like me can neither pronounce the name nor remember it, come Christhmas time.
"The girl is called Joshana" my sister told me long distance from Seattle, soon after naming her n th kid.
"Oh, Jyotsana, that is a nice name."
"No, no. It is not Jyotsana. It is Joshana." She corrected me and then proceeded to explain to me how the name actually means Jyotsana, but is still different. Wtf! If it sounds like Jyotsana and means Jyotsana, why can't she call the kid Jyotsana and make it easy on all of us ? Gone are the days when parents vied with each other to lovingly name their kids 'Sanjay - a simple, yet nice name. Now it is each kid to itself. OOf these days it is far easier to remember the kids' Aadhar number than the name itself.
Can you imagine our schools and colleges bereft of a Bala or a Srini?
And nowadays, epic-oriented names are 'in'. If it is not Vedic and has a sanskritic origin, the name is 'out'. My friend 'Sooth' was telling me about his friend who named his kid after a character from Kalidasa. (That narrows it down to about two thousand names) My friend tried to recall the name, but had total amnesia. After half an hour of trying, all Sooth could remember was that it rhymed with an airlines. Jet ? Spice ? This didn't seem to help. Then he also remembered that it rhymed with a motorcycle model. Could it be Vespa, Kinetic Honda ? Wait a minute, Then he remembered it also kind of rhymed with hot milk and the name was ...Meghdoot ! Fancy name for a brat who looked exactly like a Pazhani or Laloo.
Even among characters from mythology, only certain names seem fashionable. What is wrong with a Surpanakha ? (Sue, for short). Kaikeyi will make a nice name. Especially when the whole world is turning into a global village, a name like Kaikeyi will be easily recognized even in China, because it sounds Chinese.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Jungle Rules
I read that Lok Satta Chief JP was threatened to be done away to death if he continued to publicise his stance.
Rule 1 of the jungle - I'll kill you if I see you again in this territory. Hide from me, and more importantly, stay unheard and remain unnoticied.
Kapil Sibal the new Telecom Minister attacks the CAG body itself - calls it archaic. One's political party, political stance and high command directives take precedence over TRUTH, HONESTY, SERVICE to the Nation, and the NATION as a whole.
Rule 2 of the jungle - I'll talk loud, wax eloquent, support obstinately and will listen to none -provided you feed my accounts in tax havens.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's admission that Raja was the choice of the coalition and he did not favour it - this several weeks after Raja was arrested post the CAG blowing the whistle
Rule 3 of the jungle - I'll rake in as much moolah as I can for every opportunity I can find - I will also identify my guinea pig for every plan gone wrong.
This is the jungle we live in. The rules are very clear - You must learn the ways of the jungle before it swallows you. Politicians will not hesitate to end your expeditions should they interfere with political rituals. But, should you aid them...you could be their guinea pig.
Rule 1 of the jungle - I'll kill you if I see you again in this territory. Hide from me, and more importantly, stay unheard and remain unnoticied.
Kapil Sibal the new Telecom Minister attacks the CAG body itself - calls it archaic. One's political party, political stance and high command directives take precedence over TRUTH, HONESTY, SERVICE to the Nation, and the NATION as a whole.
Rule 2 of the jungle - I'll talk loud, wax eloquent, support obstinately and will listen to none -provided you feed my accounts in tax havens.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's admission that Raja was the choice of the coalition and he did not favour it - this several weeks after Raja was arrested post the CAG blowing the whistle
Rule 3 of the jungle - I'll rake in as much moolah as I can for every opportunity I can find - I will also identify my guinea pig for every plan gone wrong.
This is the jungle we live in. The rules are very clear - You must learn the ways of the jungle before it swallows you. Politicians will not hesitate to end your expeditions should they interfere with political rituals. But, should you aid them...you could be their guinea pig.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
The end of an Era
One of the finest musicians of Indian classical music, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi (1922 - 2011), has been lost to the world. Being an outstanding disciple of Sawai Gandharva (Rambhau Kundgolkar), he was the flagship of the Kirana Gharana.
His musical career spanned several decades. During this period he was a very prolific performer who seldom disappointed his fans, and the general masses (who came to hear him out of sheer curiosity).
Each performance of Pandit Bhimsen seemed either an emotional plea or a thanksgiving to the Almighty. He carried music lovers to a very different plane, making them forget all their wants, desires and pains, for those few hours. I always felt he made the masses interact with the Almighty through the sheer emotion in his music.
On stage Pandit Bhimsen was electrifying in his delivery. He specialized in Purya Dhanashree, Miya ki Thodi, Darbaari kaanada, and a few other raagas, which were his usual pieces in most of his concerts. This did not mean he lacked in repertoire as Panditji has also presented an out of the world Miya ki Malhar, daasar krithis, and abhangs with utmost ease. Panditji, on several occassions, has performed "jugalbandhis" with other artistes.
As I write this short obituary, it is still difficult to accept that Pandit Bhimsen is no longer with us.
I pray that his music be heard by all music lovers for many more decades, thus making it truly eternal.
His musical career spanned several decades. During this period he was a very prolific performer who seldom disappointed his fans, and the general masses (who came to hear him out of sheer curiosity).
Each performance of Pandit Bhimsen seemed either an emotional plea or a thanksgiving to the Almighty. He carried music lovers to a very different plane, making them forget all their wants, desires and pains, for those few hours. I always felt he made the masses interact with the Almighty through the sheer emotion in his music.
On stage Pandit Bhimsen was electrifying in his delivery. He specialized in Purya Dhanashree, Miya ki Thodi, Darbaari kaanada, and a few other raagas, which were his usual pieces in most of his concerts. This did not mean he lacked in repertoire as Panditji has also presented an out of the world Miya ki Malhar, daasar krithis, and abhangs with utmost ease. Panditji, on several occassions, has performed "jugalbandhis" with other artistes.
As I write this short obituary, it is still difficult to accept that Pandit Bhimsen is no longer with us.
I pray that his music be heard by all music lovers for many more decades, thus making it truly eternal.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Students - their involvement in political movements
Often we read about students clashing with policemen or the paramilitary forces, destroying public properties, hurting themselves, and others in the bargain. In some cases we also read of some students taking the extreme step to end their life.
While one does understand the need for agitations, what I fail to understand is the students' lack of discernment on what to agitate for, and how to go about it. In any agitation, the political party members who are office bearers, MLAs, MPs, Ministers are never at the site of violence; never get injured; never lose their life; they merely court arrest, visit hospitals to assuage the feelings and injuries of students and the common man who has borne the brunt of the violence (call it lip service). Shamelessly they go on to address the media articulating one lie upon another on how hurt they are, and how they feel one amongst the victims.
Why doesn’t the student community understand that they are being used by the political parties like paper napkins (for the political class to blow their nose into), and then thrown away!! The students are being taken for granted, and are being misdirected. This does not augur well for the future of India - that is going to be led in the future by many from this student community. An agitation means no classes, means exams being postponed, means delay in graduation, and finally a delay in landing a job to carry on with life. It also means building into our psyche a streak of violence, negativism, sycophancy, and a host of negative traits that we don’t need at all.
Why is there a violent agitation by students for a separate state? Why isn’t there even a “peaceful” agitation against the price rise of all essential commodities - which affects them more than formation of a new state? Ok, forget the students for a while here. Why hasn’t any political party taken up the cause of price rise seriously - all we hear is noise in the media channels that matter to them. Has any opposition party gone up to the ruling party and proposed a joint action to overcome the current crisis? No. None is interested in having this issue resolved.
I hope the student community will soon understand what they should do, and what they shouldn’t and continue with what they are supposed to be doing – that is acquiring knowledge for a brighter future. It is detrimental to their future should they heed the call of agitation by the political class & fall into the trap of self destruction.
While one does understand the need for agitations, what I fail to understand is the students' lack of discernment on what to agitate for, and how to go about it. In any agitation, the political party members who are office bearers, MLAs, MPs, Ministers are never at the site of violence; never get injured; never lose their life; they merely court arrest, visit hospitals to assuage the feelings and injuries of students and the common man who has borne the brunt of the violence (call it lip service). Shamelessly they go on to address the media articulating one lie upon another on how hurt they are, and how they feel one amongst the victims.
Why doesn’t the student community understand that they are being used by the political parties like paper napkins (for the political class to blow their nose into), and then thrown away!! The students are being taken for granted, and are being misdirected. This does not augur well for the future of India - that is going to be led in the future by many from this student community. An agitation means no classes, means exams being postponed, means delay in graduation, and finally a delay in landing a job to carry on with life. It also means building into our psyche a streak of violence, negativism, sycophancy, and a host of negative traits that we don’t need at all.
Why is there a violent agitation by students for a separate state? Why isn’t there even a “peaceful” agitation against the price rise of all essential commodities - which affects them more than formation of a new state? Ok, forget the students for a while here. Why hasn’t any political party taken up the cause of price rise seriously - all we hear is noise in the media channels that matter to them. Has any opposition party gone up to the ruling party and proposed a joint action to overcome the current crisis? No. None is interested in having this issue resolved.
I hope the student community will soon understand what they should do, and what they shouldn’t and continue with what they are supposed to be doing – that is acquiring knowledge for a brighter future. It is detrimental to their future should they heed the call of agitation by the political class & fall into the trap of self destruction.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Temple festivals - Nallepilli (Palakkad district)
Close to the border of Tamil Nadu in Palakkad district, is this small village Nallepilli. A serene hamlet comprising a main road, several small streets that lead to this main road, a BSNL exchange, post office, acres of paddy fields spread in all directions, several small lakes and ofcourse the Shiva, Shashtha and Bhagavathi temples. If something can overpower you here, it is the stunning silence in the middle of the day, and the hospitality of the residents.
I visited Nallepilli in December 2009, for the Shashtha Preethi (the festival during the month of December when Lord Aiyyappan is worshipped). I entered the agraharam of the village at about 9AM, and was looking around when some residents came up to me and enquired if I needed help. When I mentioned to them who I was looking for, they directed me to the house of my friend and within a quarter of an hour we had visitors at the friend's place asking if he needed any help to host us. This was quite a pleasant experience for city dwellers like me, who wouldnt even know his neighbour in the apartment complex he lives in. My friend let them know that my wife's great grand father was a resident of the same village, and that he was the headmaster of the school (the only one then).
The narration of the link we shared with the visitors was hardly over when two old men came to meet us. One of them is related to my wife, while the other was a student of the headmaster. Their happiness on discovering a relation that was lost until now was so childlike. Extremely naive, and so uncomplicated!!
Needless to say, we had a fantastic time at the village, and almost felt like settling down there to a simple, steady and uncomplicated life, filled with abundant silence.
The next visit was in May 2010 for the kumbabhishekam of the Shashtha temple. Close to 1000 people attended the function, and were served a sumptuous lunch. Food was served the previous day as well - thrice. Nobody went hungry.
In all these events, residents of the entire village worked in groups (committees as we would say in the urban world), to ensure the function went off well. Some worked back stage, while some worked on the stage. But none had a complaint that his/her work went unrecognized.
People who have moved out of the village seeking different career options in places as far away as Delhi and Bombay were back in Nallepilli for the function; it was "their village" and "their function". A good union to relive the nostalgia of the years spent in the village, and keep the tradition going undisturbed. This was quite a strength to the current residents to stay back and continue the good work with support and patronage from those who moved out of the village for professional reasons.
If you look at neighbouring Tamil Nadu, villages that boasted of a past where such events were known for their grandeur, there isnt even a whine or whimper these days. It is a pity that none of the ancient temples receive due patronage or support anymore.
May Nallepilli and its tradition be kept alive for a long long time.
I visited Nallepilli in December 2009, for the Shashtha Preethi (the festival during the month of December when Lord Aiyyappan is worshipped). I entered the agraharam of the village at about 9AM, and was looking around when some residents came up to me and enquired if I needed help. When I mentioned to them who I was looking for, they directed me to the house of my friend and within a quarter of an hour we had visitors at the friend's place asking if he needed any help to host us. This was quite a pleasant experience for city dwellers like me, who wouldnt even know his neighbour in the apartment complex he lives in. My friend let them know that my wife's great grand father was a resident of the same village, and that he was the headmaster of the school (the only one then).
The narration of the link we shared with the visitors was hardly over when two old men came to meet us. One of them is related to my wife, while the other was a student of the headmaster. Their happiness on discovering a relation that was lost until now was so childlike. Extremely naive, and so uncomplicated!!
Needless to say, we had a fantastic time at the village, and almost felt like settling down there to a simple, steady and uncomplicated life, filled with abundant silence.
The next visit was in May 2010 for the kumbabhishekam of the Shashtha temple. Close to 1000 people attended the function, and were served a sumptuous lunch. Food was served the previous day as well - thrice. Nobody went hungry.
In all these events, residents of the entire village worked in groups (committees as we would say in the urban world), to ensure the function went off well. Some worked back stage, while some worked on the stage. But none had a complaint that his/her work went unrecognized.
People who have moved out of the village seeking different career options in places as far away as Delhi and Bombay were back in Nallepilli for the function; it was "their village" and "their function". A good union to relive the nostalgia of the years spent in the village, and keep the tradition going undisturbed. This was quite a strength to the current residents to stay back and continue the good work with support and patronage from those who moved out of the village for professional reasons.
If you look at neighbouring Tamil Nadu, villages that boasted of a past where such events were known for their grandeur, there isnt even a whine or whimper these days. It is a pity that none of the ancient temples receive due patronage or support anymore.
May Nallepilli and its tradition be kept alive for a long long time.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Babus and Netas
Any family get together will have atleast one group of relatives/friends that would have a crackling argument on the pervasive corruption amongst the Babus and/or Netas, coupled with a totally dysfunctional government system in place.
A famous French writer Hilaire Belloc observed on the eve of the French revolution " Government is a thing that guides, and if need be compels. Visible in France, there is not such a thing". India seems to heading in that direction.
Over and above all the 5 year plans executed so far (11 so far since independence I guess), we've had several other focussed projects for focussed development. None has been successful, or has been executed with the deserved spirit. By adopting Pareto's principle here, of the 100% uinvestment not even 20% has trickled down to benefit the common man.
Add to this the big scams of 2010 - the CWG, the 2-G, Adarsh, mines and land scams in Karnataka, and probably extending into the other states as well. The value of these scams is more than 2,50,000 crore rupees - 40% of India's GDP.
My blood boils!! And I will be pulled up, arrested, questioned, my house raided, just because I failed to submit my IT-Returns for a perticular year on time? What is the value? 4,00,000 rupees worth income tax that has already been deducted and has reached the coffers of the government, but has not been reconciled with the Return - a mere piece of paper.
Will we ever believe that a babu or a neta can be clean? Will we ever believe the good intention of this clan? How do we get ourselves of this murk?
A famous French writer Hilaire Belloc observed on the eve of the French revolution " Government is a thing that guides, and if need be compels. Visible in France, there is not such a thing". India seems to heading in that direction.
Over and above all the 5 year plans executed so far (11 so far since independence I guess), we've had several other focussed projects for focussed development. None has been successful, or has been executed with the deserved spirit. By adopting Pareto's principle here, of the 100% uinvestment not even 20% has trickled down to benefit the common man.
Add to this the big scams of 2010 - the CWG, the 2-G, Adarsh, mines and land scams in Karnataka, and probably extending into the other states as well. The value of these scams is more than 2,50,000 crore rupees - 40% of India's GDP.
My blood boils!! And I will be pulled up, arrested, questioned, my house raided, just because I failed to submit my IT-Returns for a perticular year on time? What is the value? 4,00,000 rupees worth income tax that has already been deducted and has reached the coffers of the government, but has not been reconciled with the Return - a mere piece of paper.
Will we ever believe that a babu or a neta can be clean? Will we ever believe the good intention of this clan? How do we get ourselves of this murk?
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