the legacy of one-mindedness

I was watching Jodha Akbar the other day. I must say I was impressed by the screenplay. Still my reflective (and sometimes confused) mind harped on the unusual fact that had Akbar not happened to India, we would have been a bunch of fighting states. Afghanis would have continued looting us, forget India becoming a trading giant of 16th Century.

The history tells us that we live on the legacy of a handful few. They come, they see and they conquer. They briefly demonstrate the infinite capacity of a human being. Who will doubt human potential after what Mahatma Gandhi accomplished? His persuit of a single thought of non-violence changed the way we look at a conflict. On the other hand we have Hitler who single-handedly wrecked havoc on billions of souls.

Our corporate versions of Jamshedji, Dhirubhai and Aditya Birla tell us never to undermine the strength of a one-minded person. Yes, the key is being one-minded.

here begins '08

After two and a half month I again set foot outside my territory. This time the place is Jaipur. The last one was Kovalam and what a place it was. The sweeping beam from the lighthouse on a teeming crowd in the bazaar-like-coast was all the more remarkable as 2008 was approaching that night. But that was last year.

Now I am in Jaipur - the pink city. Amber fort is colossal. Jaigarh fort is rich with heritage. However the one that impresses me most is Nahargarh fort. Standing on the roof top of Madhavendra Palace the visible spread of Jaipur city is truly awesome. Standing there, one feels like a king.

Another thing remarkable in our trip is not a monument or a structure but a family. We went to meet an old relative to their house. The way they treated us, I felt that they firmly believed in the saying - Guest is God. They ensured that we have a beautiful end to a regular trip.

Navin, my cousin from UK, is laughing all the way back from Jaipur to Delhi. He can not believe his eyes seeing trucks changing lanes like circus and even moving in opposite direction to us on our side of the road. He keeps joking about the civic sense in Indian masses. But he likes India.

some other day, some other time

Some other day, some other time, 239 would have been enough for the mighty Australians to defend. Not on Sunday. Not when Little Master decided to get busy. Indians were thrilled. Australians were devastated. The reason was the sheer timing of the genius display by Sachin. Nobody doubts his abilities. Still the timing will be an endless source of pain to the Aussies.

I can imagine the arrogant Hayden sitting in the dressing room thinking what went wrong after he had shrugged off India in media and had invited Ishant to the ring. I can also imagine Ponting planning to eat his own words when he earlier stated in a newspaper that a third final won't be necessary. After Sunday, it means the exact opposite.

Whatever happens on Tuesday, cricket as a religion gained a further inch of foothold in India this Sunday. Some other day, some other time it would have only been another victory.