National Anthem - a tool in jingoism?

For quite some time now, moviegoers in parts of India have been participating in a peculiar phenomenon – playing of the National Anthem before the start of any movie. I believe this was a practice some decades ago as well and has now been revived.

Why we participate in this can be answered fairly simply – we do it because we are in effect made to. No matter where or when the National Anthem is played, Indians will rise. But the questions that beg to be asked are - Why do we need to do this? What are we hoping to achieve? Are we so green as a nation that we need to buttress our identity as a people in this jingoistic fashion? What is so wonderful about people reluctantly rising to join the rendition of a composition that they in fact normally feel passionate about?

My reservation about playing of the anthem in theatres is fuelled by what I consider to be the inappropriateness of both the place and the occasion for such an activity. True, it’s a convenient setting for finding a large bunch of people together. But really, that’s about it! What I find absolutely telling is the statement that is flashed on screen before the anthem is played – ‘Please rise for the National Anthem’. There’s something going horribly wrong when you need to tell the citizens of India this – and what is wrong is simply that it is unnatural. Movie halls are meant for watching movies…and wonder of wonders - our brains know this!

But now here’s the tricky bit. Even while harbouring these misgivings over the last few years, I've found myself sucked into the quagmire. Although my mind kept repeatedly telling me that I didn't subscribe to this irrational brand of nationalism, I found a little lump rising in my throat every time I stood up only to reinforce it. An important self discovery and learning for me - my mind does indeed know what it knows… but my heart's a free agent!

Polling Booth Centre

All of India has been voting using EVMs for quite some time now but this is a notice I found at my booth this morning - some things never change!

The Numbers' Game

The IIMs have modified the criteria of eligibility for CAT - general category applicants need to score at least 50% marks in their bachelor's programmes; there will no longer be any rounding off.

A national Daily says this is 'bound to affect lakhs of IIM aspirants'. Really? I'm intrigued - wonder how many students with a 49.9% score made it to an IIM so far? If it 'affects aspirants', i'd say it's in a positive way by sparing them useless effort.

One way of admitting students is for the Entrance Test itself to be the sole basis of selection. If, on the other hand, previous results are to be considered as well, it is ridiculous to set filtration levels so low (as 50% is), for selection to the best institutes in the country, that they are rendered absurd and meaningless....as absurd as having entrance tests for tiny tots! I find it surprising that marks could be 'rounded off' earlier - if true, then the idea of a rounded off benchmark was as stupid as stupid can get.

The paper also tells me 2.3 lakh applicants vie for 1500 seats at the IIMs and as each application costs Rs. 1100, they make Rs. 25 crores in this process. Makes sense - the 50% level is not so ridiculous after all!

A song and dance about Dandiya

The other day, I was handed a couple of passes for a 'Dandiya Nite' in the city. Having grown up on a healthy dose of Dandiya during childhood days in Bombay and further 'Garba'ed away on campus during all the college years in Ahmedabad, it seemed like a good idea to put the passes to use and make a night of it with friends (night here in Bangalore of course meaning till 11 pm when city authorities in their collective wisdom have decided for us that we should be in bed). Admittedly, I entered the arena with dollops of skepticism, but even I didn't bargain for the disastrous scene we found.

Admittedly too, I am a trifle spoilt. Garba on campus was a beautiful affair - the traditional music was haunting and the dance sublime poetry in motion. Even the two left feet types would have found it hard to stop at mere feet tapping. Ahmedabad had very little going for it on any front - and it is a crying shame that 'Cultural Stink' is synonymous with Gujarat today - but it had Garba for redemption.

So what made the evening so terrible - a combination of Punjabi music with Dandiya and Gujarati music with Bhangra being danced to it (at least attempted with all sincerity). Why was that so bad - well, for starters, even if one were to leave the grouse of any purist out of it (no mean feat that), can you imagine Bhangra with Dandiya sticks - one so does not want ones eyes gouged out! Neither did most people know what to do, nor did they seem too thrilled about whatever it was that they were trying to do...and they still couldn't be bothered to find out what they were in fact supposed to do. Such a travesty of Dandiya!

One of my expat friends came up with something interesting. He wanted to know if there are any classes one can join to learn traditional Indian folk dances. That one definitely stumped us. Where indeed can one learn Bhangra, Garba, Dandiya, Ghoomar, Lavani, Cheraw, Bihu or any of the other numerous dance forms? We are knowledgeable enough about where we can learn Salsa, Rumba, Tango, Jive and Waltz....and perhaps also Bharatnatyam, Odissi, Kathak, Kuchipudi, Kathakali, etc.,...note, I say perhaps ....but, our social dances....sorry, no idea! At the risk of exposing my own ignorance, I'd say this instruction would be very hard to come by here - and I'm not counting Bollywood dancing a la Shiamak Davar stables.

The highlight of the evening - fortifying ourselves at one of the 24 hour coffee shops afterwards. That was indeed badly needed!