An over-heated Problem ??

The Copenhagen meet to strike a deal on climate change is making headlines everyday now. Nothing seems as urgent as saving the world. It is imperative for every country to bind itself to emission cuts for consequences of the denial can be catastrophic. We have the obligation and opportunity to be the generation which retrieves earth back from the mess our great grandfathers ( read previous generation Americans, as they are fondly called) have left it in. That is how it is all projected to us and that is how we understand it. Global warming demands immediate action and there is no doubt over the fate of earth if we choose to be delinquent. Yet, one wonders the righteousness of our approach towards the problem. Our measures, to whatever meager sum they amount to, still need to be examined if they are the steps in right direction, and more importantly, with right intentions.

While no one questions the enormity of the problem and the sentiments are strongly in favor of taking stringent actions, there are some very interesting viewpoints and assessments that deserve wider analysis. An Editorial in TOI dated a few days back tried to elucidate why and how the 'Global warming' debate has been blown out of proportion; why this entire movement seems like a huge setup to shift the economic balance of power which now seems to tilt in favor of new emerging economies. Of course, such arguments may sound unnecessary and maybe ignored on account of routine journalism to present counter views. Articles like these which denounce our over cautious standpoint is susceptible to plentiful criticism not just from environmentalists, but even from other factions. Debates like these should leave adequate scope for different opinions, but such adamant advocacy and strong resentment towards a counter opinion raises suspicions of a foul play. Human sentiments have steered the history and have shaped the world we see today. This is what seems to be happening again. By aligning the public opinion around the globe, industrialized nations seek their own revival through climate change. Global warming, besides being a "huge problem", is a necessity, a tacit strategy for their return in a world that is inclining towards the emerging powers. They need to stage a comeback, and global warming promises just that.

The dissidents do not claim it is entirely facade. There have been too many experiments around the world at different times with adequate conformity to reject it as a ploy. What is questionable is the intention and understanding in the global community. The problem is serious, but it hardly gives the impression that the solution seekers are not interested in benefiting from it, even at the cost of others. Europe, US, Japan and others who constitute the developed world have been pushed to a backseat as the emerging economies like ours are spreading their influence. The growth rate for these economies have plunged down to near zero, and for some, even below that. This recession has showed that such economies are now much more vulnerable to downturns while emerging markets like India and China have grown better tolerance. In these circumstances, green industry which holds the potential to turn around the fortunes of the wrecked, rest completely on our sense of urgency. With available technology and capital, developed nations have an edge in starting out in the industry that promise to overtake all others in scope and size. Countries like China and India will be forced to slow down while the developed nations accelerate right back on path of growth .And this is the reason why these countries are so unwilling to share technology and capital and why they want to burden us with unreal responsibilities after polluting earth for over two centuries. The wheels of capitalism are in motion again, as some prepare to save themselves, even if it comes at the price of drowning others.

The Copenhagen meet is at a verge of a breakdown. Developed nations haven't moved an inch on their propositions. Developing nation, quoting an English daily, "have pulled the emergency chain before the train collides with an unbreakable wall". In a sense this is good. A bad solution is worse than no solution. Unless developed world realize the true magnitude of the problem and desist itself from the greed which has left us in this turmoil, we shall remain incapable and foolish as ever to save our own selves. I neither side the hardliners, nor the critics and cogently realize the weight of the problem that looms over us. But illogical decisions based on wavering human emotions can do humanity no good. History will approve as it has seen the fall of some of the greatest civilizations when greed corrupted their values. We have over exploited the little planet, to the extent that it can undo all our evolution in matter of years, something which it is completely capable of. There is a bigger challenge than the climate change today, and that is to face ourselves and ask - Are we ready to change ? Do we accept our mistake ? Can we give up our selfishness and greed? At this point, the answer doesn't seem affirmative, and unless it is, we can't expect a solution. Copenhagen will subside in history as one of the biggest failures of the mankind. Not where humanity failed to delineate a sensible political draft, but one where it failed to confront itself with dignity and prudence.

Khai-Khai

It took me a good measurable time to realize that 'Anonymous' was no Greek philosopher, even though his quotes found their way right next to those by Socrates and Aristotle in popular English dailies (Secretly, I still imagine him as a Bald man with loads of beard straying all over his face). Nevertheless, I still value and preserve much of his wisdom I mustered during my school days. He had resolutely emphasized on human relationships and its complexities and why is it so important for us to address them with the attention they demand. Had the Greeks taken some time off writing volumes on astronomy and trigonometry and paid a little heed to what the bald man with loads of beard had to say, they would have actually been worthy of the hype they've left behind for themselves. After all, it is the intricate web of human relations that bonds everyone of us into a society and thus into civilizations which propels our advancement. It's a fabric holding entire humanity together and you don't have to be a great philosopher or a rocket scientist to get the idea. Yet, we continue to be oblivious to the grand scheme of things. We overlook the patterns as if they never existed, as if they are inconsequential. Instead of solving the puzzle, we just keep on complicating it. It's like total chaos all around and as Mr. Anonymous would have sadly pointed out, we are loosing ourselves into it everyday, every moment.

And while the entire mankind seem to be traveling the erroneous path, the brilliant B-Clan (Bakar Community) of R-Land seems to have provided a break. And what a break it is. It has taken the entire place by storm and promises to be the next revolution that can change the world. Take note Mr. Obama, this is what you might want to talk about in your next speech. For all the uninformed, this phenomenon is called Khai-Khai. Veterans call it the holy game (That would be Vidit Agarwal and gang.) The name of this divine game is composed of one word, repeated twice - Khai. Khai is a steep fall leading to a sure end for every thing that goes for it. It may sound dreadful, and the way it is pronounced in iteration sounds more like a childhood game like ghar-ghar and office-office than instilling any significant fear. But the fact is, that it actually embarks on something as fundamental as the harmless emotions that characterize children playing those games with iterative names. It is a simple game which paves way for humans to open up and find where they stand in the labyrinth of life.

It is a game with a hypothetical situation (having dreadful real consequences) and 4 simple rules. The situation is that you are standing with two of your dear ones on the edge of a Khai and circumstances such arise that you are to save one and end your tryst with the other by pushing him down to a painful end (hypothetically of course).The rules are as simple as a boolean expression. 1st, you can't save both of them. 2nd, you can't push both of them. 3rd, You can't jump yourself to avoid an answer and 4th, you can't deny a decision. You have to choose one and you have to do it veraciously. And that's about it. It may sound simple, but you can appreciate the challenge only when you give it a shot yourself. It is an open forum, a battle against yourself. You play with no one else, but just against your own negligence in quest for your own enlightment. The game doesn't end with one question. Questions are thrown on you one after another, with all the permutations and combinations you can think of, ultimately to craft a list of people who matter to you most. The game continues for hours with an unspoken promise to say and hear only truth and nothing else. Even if you try, the game is self-structured to offset any kind of diplomacy and pretense. Layer by layer, every person is unleashed. Hearts are broken, relationships are strengthened, barriers give way to new alliances, just to make some fresh wounds. It is a roller coaster ride that takes you through shock and celebrations, joy and sorrow, love and realization in some of the most defining moments of your life. It reveals who you are and where you stand in the human ecosystem that every individual builds for itself. Khai-Khai lets you evaluate the entire humanity against yourself. It is beyond awesomeness !

Let me construct a small example of how difficult and interesting it can be. Since to ensure everyone understand what we are talking about, I'll replace the characters by important organs. I don't know if I'll be doing justice to the game since it is experimentally found to work best on humans, but you can at least get an idea of what its all about. So here is A playing Khai-Khai with B.

A : Let's play Khai-Khai

B : Sure

A : Okay, choose between right hand and left hand

B : It's a no brainer. Right Hand of course

( Everyone anticipated it. It was his right hand after all !!)

A : Heart or Brain ?

B : ummmm....this one's a little tricky

A : ( Brags a little for framing it)

B : ( After some thinking) Though, I know Brain is more important, but I listen to my heart more. Let it be Heart.

(Many sitting around are shocked. A knew it, as he claims. But Brain can't believe it. He remains silent and try to appear indifferent, but he is shocked to the core. Heart, on the other hand, always knew it. B turns healthier with red cheeks in days that follow !)

A : Aur ab Mudhe ka sawaal. Eyes !!

B : Nooooooooo......

A: Yes....

B : Not this one...I'm not answering this

A: Right eye or left eye ?

B : Shit. I can't answer it. I'm sorry.

A : You don't have that option. You have to answer.

B : But they are both same. Exactly Equal.

A : You have to choose one.

B : This is insane.

A : Just choose one.

B : ( Thinks a lot. He wants to give up, but can't...it's Khai-Khai after all)

B : Okay ( Eyes on him now. Complete silence)

B: It's......( More eyes follow. Hearts pounding)

B: It's .........I can't do it !! They are both EXACTLY same.

A : That won't do B. Just say it.

B : Okay OKay. Though they are both equal, it's the...left eye.

(There are murmurs in the crowd, faces staring at each other to make sense of the declaration. Right eye is shattered. Left eye tries to maintain decorum, but still find itself boasting with left eyebrow penetrating almost into the forehead).

A : Bhaiya...Macha di !!

A : Now left eye or the heart ?

And it goes on.

So if you want to get a true feel of the powers of Khai-Khai, you have to allow yourself to play it. It'll be full of surprises, sometimes much to your dislike. But you'll resign with content at the end of the day. Inspite of every feeling that goes along with this game, it promises more satisfaction than you could have bargained for, for nothing is more enlightening than the truth itself. It is the game where you want to speak the truth when nothing compels you to, but your own inner self. And since all this is so dynamic, you have to follow it every day with every single person who concerns you and there are people who do that religiously. In fact, sources claim that after an immensely popular and life changing season 1, Khai-Khai has now entered its second season with wider fan following. That is the power of truth. That's the magic and addiction. That's the solution and revolution. And that is the essence of khai-khai, which so beautifully resonates with the purpose of our existence. If you want to understand the meaning and origin of life, stop taking refuge under clueless babas or spending billions on stupid underground accelerators.

Play Khai-Khai and enlighten yourself !!

An old gossiping women that we are

A semester came and a semester went by, and amid the cruise I comfortably ignored the torpid existence of my blog. Such things never happen for the first time with me, and especially if we are talking negligence and unaccountability. You can say, I have a history. But all things apart, I no longer fancy stretching this post with inconsequential fables of my life. I would have wanted that a few days back, but not now. I'll reserve that luxury for the subsequent posts. Right now like everyone else in the country, my thoughts are predominated by the terror attacks in Mumbai and our own inability to protect ourselves from such intrusions.

About 10 days ago, terror shed it's shadow on our beloved city Mumbai. Dark chapters are registered everyday in this country's history, whether they are communal riots, wars, discrimination, bigotry, corruption, shameful political dramas or terrorist attacks. This year we had seen it all. 64 bomb blasts in last 6 months. But this time it was far too much adventure, far too much destruction. A boat walks right from Pakistan, straight into the heart of our city creating havoc, leaving hundreds dead and a nation mourning.It wasn't just a terror attack, it was a proper foreign invasion. I don't know what to feel; feel sad, feel anguish, frustrated, stupid, dumb or what.

I no longer feel secure going out shopping now.My parents forced me to call off the Goa trip we were so excited about. England team withdrew it's tour midway, fleeing back to the safety of their nation. No champions trophy this time. No tourist outburst for the Incredible India. It's a financial loss running down in billions, and it's loss of faith and security. Maybe that's what these terrorists wanted to achieve. And maybe I could safely claim, they have not disappointed their masters. But yet again preserving our wonderful record, we easily let things happen. Where was the security ? Where was the intelligence? And why do we turn diligent or start contemplating only after adversity dints it's way into our lives? This time we have been rendered naked and everyone can see how just unprepared we are. It's not about a security lapse. It is about our thinking and our mentality.

The reaction of the government, those wonderful statements that government issue right after such a disaster, sometimes they so make me feel if I could just evaporate into thin ether. It is at these times I feel so disgraceful being an Indian. Look at Israel, these fanatics kill their 2 citizens and they strike them right into their heart. These terrorists won't dare spell Jihad against America again. And see what we Indians do. We condemn these attacks. A few years back, Bangladesh killed our 16 soldiers in an erratic aggression on eastern borders. Now a country like Bangladesh which can't stand a chance against our might, dares to kill our soldiers in a fight born out of our sheer passiveness. And still what we do, we condemn the attacks and we pass a proposal in parliament 6 months later denouncing the attacks and promising to take action by building diplomatic pressure on the neighbor. Can't you sense this is what old fearful women do. Men strike back, once and for all and the enemy conceives a 1000 times before daring such a feat again. Old fearful gossiping women lay quite enduring all the pains while men rule the world. America never needed the consent of world before evading Iraq. No protests around the world or even in it's own territory ever mattered. While we, we Indians, after all such attacks try to prove America and the world that our Neighbors have been involved in fostering terrorism. We seek permission from the world to take actions. We are so feeble in taking decisions ourselves that at virtually every point we affirm that we are still slaves. We will take lots more time to break the thousand year tradition of slavery. Why don't we just accept it ; we are just too soft to live in this world.

Of course, we live in a nation that has served under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi and likes. They taught us non violence and peace, the universal values that remain valid even to this date. But surrendering over to these values while terrorists roam fearlessly in our country and ripping apart bodies of our people is not practicing non-violence. If somebody threats your existence without any sane reason to do that, you have full authority to wipe them out of their roots. I don't think we need any permission from anywhere around the world to hunt down these terrorists if we are sure of their hide-outs. We need a strong leadership, one that can use all the diplomatic weaponry to choke the finances these terrorists are thriving upon and which can summon the defenses for an invasion right into their centers if the need ever arise. We are in paucity of good leaders and our corrupt and impotent political system is incapable of fulfilling that demand. If you look at the core, the solution lies in the change of mentality, change the way we think and all the changes will trickle down to other factors consequently.

The only positive this entire episode has brought with it is a sense of awakening. People are getting united to fight terror, and not just terror, they are raising their voice against the crooked and fraudulent political system. People from all walks of the life belonging to all factions of the society are gathering to express how annoyed they are. The politicians of our country, the dirtiest creatures ever to assume life, they have finally started to hear our cries of belligerence. I can't infer that this incidence can spark a revolution. But slowly things will change, as they are changing now. Democracy is the last revolution in a democratic setup, rest all other changes take their time to happen. Change is bound to ensue, as our society is undergoing transition and as our youth is becoming more responsible and expressive. But I fear, there will be still many more attacks that'll follow before we can break the mind barriers that has enslaved us for centuries. Many more soldiers, many more brave officers will lay down their lives for our protection. This nation can never forget their sacrifices. They died by the bullets of terrorists, which pierced their brave souls as a consequence of decades of treachery by our politicians. They are no less than terrorists, even more foul. And we have our own contribution in their making. This is a moment of shame for all of us. It's time to regret and cry, but more than that to learn a lesson, so that we can undo the mistakes that has brought us here. This nation is like our mother, a diseased one, but still she do everything to nurture us. It's time to pay her back.

The only concrete solution to this problem, I'll stress once again, a change of mentality. Once we promise ourselves that we'll not tolerate anyone exploiting us, whether they are politicians or terrorists, all problems will meet their solutions in the aftermath. Good leaders will come out from good people and they'll serve the wants of this nation through democratic channels. All we requires is to break that barrier that has been binding us for long. We need to believe that we can invoke a change. It is tough, but unless we believe in ourselves, there is no progress we can make.

An entire semester came and an entire semester went by, as everyday I saw a quote on my notes register

"The Person who cannot believe in himself, cannot believe in anything else"

I saw this entire story and then I remembered this quote by Roy L. Smith. Suddenly Everything started making sense.


P.S : I request the people of this nation to live like men, but I nowhere want them to perceive that I am a male chauvinist.

P.S.S : That was a DJ !! ( Dang Joke, a step below PJs)

P.S.S.S: Jokes apart, I'm very serious about this post.

A new post !!

It's just for the sake of it, I'm putting on a new post on my blog. The thing is that, it's not that I haven't been visiting my blog so often. Well I'm not ignoring it. I have written about 4 posts write now which I haven't published yet. As soon as I finish a post, I realize that it would be better that I don't publish it. Not that they are not worth it, it's just some other strange reasons which I can't broadcast, because if I do them, there would be no reason not to publish them. And it's even not that I'm not working on my blog anymore. I do visit it everyday and I'm in constant search of topics to get about them. As soon as something happens, I'll surely put it on the this bakarblog. As most of you don't read my blog ( Note: When I write blog, I write it as if I'm serving to every reach of humanity), you won't care why I'm not doing so. Those who ever even faintly thinks of it, have absolutely not effect in their lives whatsoever( Though I may caution you of the butterfly effect). By this time, if any one of you is reading this, must have realized that this post is an absolute waste of time and digital space and some people have this wonderful ability to keep on talking and talking when there is nothing else left to talk. And I promise you, I could have extended this post to GBs if my lappy wasn't running out of charge. Anyways before I go, some of you wise matter must should acknowledge the title of the blog : The (GREAT) Bakartheory !!!

If everything could happen the COGNI way...

Cognizance is approaching fast now, and it dazzles me to know it is the second largest tech-fest in the country, and it does so even more with it's young age of four. Talking in context of other IITs, IIT Roorkee has a bad habit of losing out on everything which amounts to University rankings, especially the PR ( what people think about your place). When you compare yourselves with any other institute in India, except "our brothers" (with the possible exception of IIT Guwahati) or when you don't compare yourselves with anyone, you feel this IIT is better next to heaven. We've got one of the most beautiful campus in the country and hostels that other IITs envy. And we have such good sporting facilities, great food and brilliant internet accessibility. We've all the luxuries at our disposal. But the point is, there is more to the college life, and especially a one in an IIT, than that.


The Problem with IIT Roorkee is that it has still not moulded in the shape of an IIT. In 2001, University of Roorkee was converted to IIT Roorkee. That's the problem. And you see that word - University, that's the biggest problem of them all. That's the reason why we have such a bad habit of losing out to other IITs, as referred above. The University culture is still prevalent here. IITs are places which breed intellectuals, gives them lot of room for creativity and thinking and enough resources to materialize them. That's something like a trademark of these places. But not our's. We still live in those old days where University Politics and dominance was the way to get things done. You are not supposed to be creative in a University (defined in Indian education system) and you have no scope to look-out in any field that is not a part of your curriculum, which is lol...devised by the gods of University Politics. Passiveness, is the word that can best describe the administration here. They want to improve, but not at the pace other IITs are going, or how a "world class institute" should uplift itself. It's not that the progress in not visible or you get a feel of typical government administration here, but certainly you don't see the level of progressive ideas other IITs make. There are cells and societies here, and lot of them, which keep experimenting different things now and then, but they are never given sufficient resources or mentorship support or even encouragement to do something ground-breaking. The administration is reluctant to implement new ideas that dilutes their authority ( as what they feel because the idea is not Their's). Just for example, this institute won't go off the way to arrange even a few grands to support a project if it's out of pre-determined budget ( This actually happened with a guy in Electronic section of Hobbies club). I'm quite accustomed of exaggerating stuff, but it's all truth, even if with somewhat less immensity.

And That's why I'm so amazed. To make a very young tech-fest in a fiercely competitive environment the second largest in the country, requires a vision of great leadership and ideas, that are adored and cherished by the new generation, the ideas and efforts that belong to them. I don't think I have any further permit to comment more on this issue. I'm just in first year and say what I've learned by my observations and by interactions with some seniors whom's opinion really count. Anyways, I'm happy to see Cognizance reaching such heights so early and applause to those who have made this possible, and yes, administration needs special mention here. Hope to have a great fest this time again. But just imagine, if everything here in Roorkee could happen the GOGNI way...

So I'll leave this one here. And I'll leave you with this photo: The leaning tower of Pisa (of Roorkee). I found out this while on my way to breakfast in Khosla, which I believe, deserves an entire post to do justice to the pleasure it provides :




This is still in front of Electrical department. It's been more than a week and it seems the " administration" has taken no note of it. Lol... Go out and check it before it's gone.

Adieu '07

Time to bid farewell to, what I endorse, the most eventful year of my life. And what an year it had been. Although, all the action started after the interval, it was sufficient enough to over-compensate the lull in the beginning. The melancholy from the previous year continued it's grip over me as the year began. The JEE frenzy was on it's peak with me spending sleepless nights mustering all the bits and pieces I could make out of past year and a half. And the labor did pay off, in the form of a big JEE rank. I am quite enough a theist to accept all results like a well mannered boy. After some tough decisions and flustering spend of days, I ended up in one of the best technical Institutes of the world, in a non-technical course. For this place, IITR as we call it, it was just matter of days to wipe out any skepticism about my judgment of the situation I was renounced in. And from here, the adventure begins.

For the first time in my life, I lived a hostel life, in the hog heaven, in the lap of luxuries. Everyday was a new venture, a happy junket, where I made all those friends and learned so much, in all the quarters you can sum up in the mind. I was in an environment shrouded with cultures from all over the country and it's folks taking in charge of the new life they had just grabbed. These guy were brilliant, in every field. If there could be anything like talent-burst (due to over-loading), it would have happened right around me. And with them, I laughed, played, learned, danced...yeah ! I started dancing too...I'm still pathetic at it, but I'm improving...everyday...coz we dance almost everyday. We spent together nights out in canteen eating paranthas and soup maggies and petties Bhujiya. We spent together nights out mugging up the stuff and taking and giving lectures a week before the exams. And there was Thomso, and all those Birthday bashes, and finally one hell of an NCC camp to sum up everything in the best possible way ( Click here to know more about that NCC Camp). In these 5 months, I lived a very eventful life, full of ups ( mostly) and rarely downs.

This year was also a good one for India. The economy boomed and many significant political events unfolded. And this had been a good year for the world peace too. Not much of war, and quite an increase in poverty reduction measures by developed nations and a built-up of that sort of mentality. We have seen many issues being resolved and a growing sense of humanism all around. I just hope 2008 carries all the good momentum with it and prove to be a prodigious year, and better than the marvelous 2007.

All right buddies, I'll take off now...only to meet you in the next year. And I'll leave you with this video...from one of my favorite band's new album...just to keep the momentum going.






Linkin Park
Alb : Minutes to midnight
Song : What I've done

Check-Out the lyrics of the song.