What Sachit Thinks

Regular readers of this blog (numbering to about one), may have noticed that I've started using the style of 'chapters'.  This is to indicate that this is part of the series of articles I've written about ' Getting around in Bangalore ' This time, I'm writing about my observations while travelling in 'Namma Metro'. It's a medium of transport that I use often, and like it too. So in no particular order, here are some observations, thoughts and facts: Once you enter the metro station, you are subjected to a security check. Which amounts to putting your bag through the scanner and going through a metal detector body search. While this is fine, what I find obnoxious is that many times, I've found the security personnel not even looking at their computer screens! What kind of screening is that? One can either purchase a token for the journey or a travel card (costing Rs. 50). I find the travel card easier to use, since it's just a tap ...

Update at 16:00 on 12th December 2019 The results are out for NIOS exams conducted in October-November 2019. Click on the link here  results.nios.ac.in  And all the best! Update at 14.50 on 11th December 2019 We are very close to getting the results of the NIOS exams held in October-November 2019. The update since 10th December 2019 is "Coming soon". Even if you hit the 'Check Result' button and try, you won't get any result. I will update as soon as the results are out.

In the 'Getting around in Bangalore' series, I wanted to mention how difficult it is for one to walk around. So today,  I took the bus to come to work. It's half a km walk from the bus stop. But just look at this photograph... This is right in front of the Traffic Police HQ. Where does the pedestrian go after crossing the road? And here's another one.. I mean, where is the place to walk?

Haven't I told y'all, that of late I've given up driving on weekdays? Yes, you heard that right. I've boycotted my car and therefore driving on working days. Why, you might ask, have I given up the pleasure of driving on weekdays? Not rocket science this. The answer is simple, it's the ever-boding, omnipresent Bangalore traffic, you see. Having driven to my current office location daily for the past 15 years, I'd had enough. I was at the precipice of going mad and driving everyone mad around me! This had to stop. Therefore, I had to make a decision and arrived at two options to choose from - a) boycott driving and figure alternative ways of reaching office or b) boycott work and figure alternative ways of earning money. Surprisingly, the choice was not easy to make! Grudgingly, I chose a), but b) did die fighting, I must report. In a city like Bangalore, contrary to popular notion, getting around is not such a daunting task. With the right amount of patie...

With the rape and murder of the Hyderabad vet, I feel that the public has had enough. Already, there's a report of a mob lynching a rapist and parading him naked. If the government doesn't enforce a law that the average rapist will fear (castration, stoning, etc), I'm afraid people will take matters into their own hands. But I'm really curious to know what makes a rapist...a child rapist...and a rapist/murderer? Surely they are not human beings. Filthy animals. But how do they become what they become. Whenever I'm out in the public, when I look at men, I always wonder if that one is a child rapist. Or a murderer. I mean, what leads him to do it? When he sees a 4 year old, doesn't he see a 4 year old? What's sexually attractive about an infant? Does the brain fade that much? Or what drives him to brutally rape and murder? Apart from the law, what can we do to prevent it? Seeking answers here. 

It's been a while since I saw a good whodunit film. And this one is a brilliant classic. Harking back to the days of Christie and Hitchcock movies, Knives Out does it with elan and panache. From the opening sequence, showing two german shepherds (or were they alsatians?) running towards you in slow motion, to the final one with the cicle of knives, this movie is gripping. The piece de resistance of course is Daniel Craig, who plays a Boston detective, with a French name and a southern drawl. What a combo! But he's done a marvellous job. The story keeps you hooked till the end. Watch it!

It's not often that I come out of the theater in a trance. The last time I remember was when I saw The Green Mile. This was one such 'trance' event. Joaquin Phoenix has taken the art of acting to another level. Even when he runs, it's the authentic Joker way of running. And boy, when he laughs, does he give you the creep. If you were to categorize this movie, it's easy to slot it into an 'against all odds' kind of a movie, but the message and sub text runs very deep. It is the story of every marginalized person in our society. The Joker only amplifies what they all feel. And amplifies it brilliantly. If Joaquin doesn't get the Oscar for this performance, I'm going to wear a skirt for one full day!

Like many people, I too have been a fan of Quentin Tarantino over the years. I went for this movie not having seen any trailers, so didn't know what to expect. But what a brilliant, brilliant movie. It's like a song that grows slowly on you, and suddenly, you find that you're hooked to this song. That's how he builds this movie towards the end. There's not much of a story, it's more like poetry....visual poetry, told stylishly. There are two protagonists here. You know who I'm talking about. And I can't say who is better, but I enjoyed watching Leo's vulnerability.  What I also liked was the depiction of that era. Extremely authentic. Would love to watch this movie again. 3 hours of paisa vasool!

Now that the Article 370 has been made toothless, and all states and UTs are at par, here's an idea I have: Start an annual process of 'twinning' states. There's already this concept of twinning cities across the world, but they are meaningless In our case, twinning will have meaning. For example: Tourists between the two states will enjoy benefits (discounts, vouchers, etc) Employers taking in associates from the twin state will be incentivized Setting up businesses in each other's state will be incentivized Tax breaks for doing business with each other Any other that you can think of Each year, say on Independence Day, lots are drawn and states/UTs are twinned. So this year J&K is twinned with TN this year and Mizoram the next, for example One way to revive the notion of national integration Makes sense?

Over the last two decades, there has been so much violence in Kashmir, that it is no longer bearable to watch, hear or read about it. There seems to be no end in sight to the cauldron of strife between the triumvirate of India, Pakistan and the Kashmiris (not including Jammu and Leh/Ladakh here). I don't know if this impasse will ever be resolved, but I might have a solution. 2 points really. 1. Hold the (god-damn) plebiscite / referendum Having promised this since 1947, a referendum to decide the future of the region should be held. Ask Kashmiris (on both sides) what would they like to do - a) Join Pakistan, b) Join India or c) Get independence. No matter what the result is, it should be respected and followed through peacefully. How long will we (I mean both) go on spending heavy money in protecting a territory that may not belong to us? And lose lives for no logical reason? Someone's missing out on a ton of money to be made from tourism and forestry; but first peace ...

I'm writing this a bit late. I saw Uri with my wife on Valentine's Day, 2019. My first reaction after the movie was, 'Revenge begets revenge', which I told my wife. And how true that turned out - Pulwama happened a couple of days later. Anyway, coming back to the movie itself, it turned out to be exactly how I had thought it would be - steeped in nationalistic jingoism and basically ,' maaro saalon ko ' (beat the bloody buggers). Lots of people I know have enjoyed the movie, but strangely, I did not. From a pure cinematic experience, the script was really thakela (tired). Too predictable. Many goof ups too - for ex. the Indian woman spy calling the Indian security advisor on the mobile, as if she was next to him in Delhi! The intent of the movie was to spew hatred and encourage revenge, which it did well, but as a movie buff, I was disappointed.