Politcal Jaywalk

So far I have refrained myself from commenting on the current turmoil in the political arena but, I feel that every day the politicians are serving out more garbage than serving people. So, here I am with my first Jaywalk into politics. First of all, I would like to clarify that I am not pro-anyone. I am a liberal. With that out of the way, let me begin by saying that the politicians are doing what they do best - Mud Slinging.

Recent spate of politics in India, the largest democracy, and US, the erstwhile free country, has left us wondering WTF! In India, the shoe-gate was toned down, and the religious hate speech by the "other Gandhi" Varun made prime time news. As two widows from the same family fight it out to best their own sons' political carrier, the main agenda is left out in the summer sun, sweating. Let me point out a few things off the top of my mind:

1. Varun would make a better leader anyday than Rahul. Rahul is meticulous and divisive in his ways; agreed. But recent Varun saga puts him in a different league. He knows the pulse of the people more than Rahul does. For those who heard Rahul speak during the no-confidence motion in July last year, did he not remind you of a certain aged RSS champion from the opposition, Atal Bihari Vajpayee. It only goes to show that he is not at all ready to step out of his mother's shadow.

2. Sonia Gandhi uses the shadow of Manmohan Singh to do her work as the alternate PMO. What else would justify her choosing an a champion of reforms who has little to with politics even after 5 years as the PM than a first time MLA. Lets hope she would dare the right wing patriots to wear the crown herself; if she comes to power that is.

3. P.Chidambram, the home minister of our country had a Reebok hearld at him, or was it a Nike. The point is that it wasn't him to be blamed for the what CBI did. It was his predecessor if anyone was to be blamed for it. Still, I condemn what happened. The shoe was not thrown at a person, but at the Home Minister of India. It is the saddest thing to happen, and yet, somehow it is an expression of demcracy. The fact that he guy was let off without any charges is also commendable whereas the Bush shoer got convicted and is in prison.

4. If the leaders of today would stop playing regional politics and conentrate more on the economy, or development and upliftment of people. I mean, is there a single man made monument that they can boast of, built after independence? Mamta Banerjee made it about her personally to seige the Tata Motors plant in West Bengal. While states jumped at the project when it shut down, numerous other projects still hang in balance. Posco plant in Orissa, Dadri power project in UP are just 2 examples.

5. The world has great expectations from Obama, but am more skeptical of him than before he got elected. He is a new world president, but he is no better than some of our own politicians at turning around and going back on promises. Opening up Bush era torcher cases against the officials is just one thing on top of my mind. His approval rating is dropping like the Dow Jones did around his election. I think such a young leader of a country like the US is not right, where people start to live their life when they are 40, he still seems to have some way to go on world politics though.

6. I thought political mud slinging was getting too messy in India with even film stars getting their hands dirty until I read about the French President doing it to fellow world leaders. I don't know what kind of leverage he hopes to derive there, but it is in bad taste all the same.

I would write about more such futalities of politics, but I have to stick to my Indian Idealism too (pun unintended).
So go out and vote, and let me know how it turns out.

The Brotherhood of men

A lot has been written about Freemasonry and I am not going to write about explaining it in detail again. It does warrant a brief description though. It is a soceity, if you want to call it, of men who have the best intentions of spreading three basic principles of scoiety ever since it was founded by humans. Truth, Brotherly Love and Charity. Those are the only three founding principles that hold this fraternity together. If you want to know more about Freemasonry click here. I wanted to recount my expreiences as a mason.


I came to know about Freemasonry through an article I read about it in the newspaper and ever since then have been intrigued by it. I researched about it on the internet a lot as well. Then I came to know my uncle, who lives next door, is a memeber and when I joined the my first job, I asked him to refer me. That is how I came to know, learn and be a Free Mason.

When I first walked into a Freemason Lodge, it was a feeling of elation, a step on the mysterious side. The initiation was more ritualistic and an experience. Instead of just walking into the room and being welcomed with open arms, I was prepared mentally, and physically, to be a mason. But after I crossed the line, and since then, I have felt as much a part of the whole group as a decade old memeber. I never thought that Freemasons had such warmth in their hearts. I feeling that I had always echoed, and also why I felt that I belonged here. I was the youngest memeber and also the only bachelor there. (I remember getting an invite to a memebers' son's wedding which amicably said: "Mrs. & Mr. Jatin Mehrotra") Before I knew it, I was among people, a brother, with people of my grandfather's age and even older, listening, and even life experiences (telling dirty jokes at times too).

I knew what I was there for, and why I wanted to be there, but I also realieased that it wasn't just about the charity which is at the heart of our society. We do a lot of charity work; no doubts there. The other reason, and I might be inviting a little ire here, is that all men need their space. It is also probably one of the reason that Freemasonry has survived for so many centuries. Men need their own space too, period.

Freemasonry is not just a society, although it is often referred as one. In India, it is registered as a charitable trust. The membership of the Lodge always welcome people from all walks of life. Many American Presidents have been members, including the first. Indian kings, Nawabs and now SC Judges, industrialists and sportsmen. They have all been members. We never solicit membership, or ask any friends and family to join. A man must come of his own free will. Its like our notice board says - To be one, Ask one.
I have an incident to recount for every meeting that I have attended, wether in Agra, or anywhere else. That would be in later posts. For now, it would be sufficient to say that it is a different world to be on the other side, and it is an experience different from all other.