Built to last

In our current elitist, educated circles, talk often revolves around or touches upon occurrences, practices, characteristics and popular culture in the United States. In our insulated, supposedly cosmopolitan lifestyles, we lap up American television shows, movies, music, magazines, fashion, food and more recently it's politics too. All exclusively the pastime of the classes. When I returned to India almost to the day today 3 years ago, there was a distinct change in consumption patterns with regards to America and all things American.

Consumption of many things American among the classes had increased several fold, thanks to India opening up more of its markets, globalisation etcetera but also because the classes seemed to lap up so many things American. However, I also noticed a curious dichotomy at work. People around me were consuming all things American but were also deriding many aspects of the culture and the values that created those things that were being consumed. I commonly found myself in the midst of discussions where American culture was seen as shallow, American tastes viewed as crass, American people talked about as lacking a world view and being misinformed about pretty much all aspects of life outside their little town tucked away in the Midwest.

I found that opinion of the country was and is being shaped purely in light of popular media reporting (and like most media reporting sensationalist) and by some aspects of its foreign policy. I was recently also privy to an ugly argument between a friend and another acquaintance on the merits / demerits of living in America where one had an obviously anti America stance but this was to me merely an illustrative example of the popular sentiment that existed among my demographic. Many of the values that America was built on and till today upholds were being lost in what I feel is a silent frenzy whipped up by Anti American sentiment prevailing in many countries.

While America is not without her share of faults, misdemeanors and skeletons, we must not allow these to blind us to her overwhelmingly positive traits. Thinking about this same issue recently, I realized that to me, America is the single most enduring institution ever created in the history of humankind. An institution is born on a certain set of ideals commonly decided and then goes on to thrive if those ideals are strong enough and are based on positive values.

In 1776, a document was created which among other things proclaimed, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

These words resonate till today as the basis for this institution we know as America. I personally know of scores of friends who went to the States and were successful not because they belonged to a particular caste or race or colour, not because they spoke a particular language or subscribed to a certain political or religious view; they succeeded because they subscribed to a certain set of values which included hard work, freedom and acceptance of an egalitarian society. And there are millions more like them. We who berate so many things American would do well to take a step back and examine why it is that this institution continues to thrive and why its citizens continue to be the torch bearers leading us down tunnels as yet unexplored.

A close friend & American sent me a speech recently: Ronald Reagan's address after 8 years as America's President. Describing how he saw America, he said, "In my mind it was a tall proud city built on rocks stronger than oceans, wind-swept, God-blessed, and teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace, a city with free ports that hummed with commerce and creativity, and if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors and the doors were open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here. That's how I saw it and see it still."

We could all do well by adopting some of this remarkable experiment's ideals and values. A Republican President said those words above and once again, despite popular perception it might just be that possibly, another Republican will give this institution its best chance to shrug off the slack, jettison unneeded baggage and start afresh in taking its place as that "shining city on a hill". But that's a story for another day.

Filling the gap...and how

There weren't too many subjects I used to ace in school. Of course, I attribute that, not unfairly to a lack of mentoring and an inability of the system to understand that if I couldn't learn the way they taught, they had to teach the way I learnt. At any rate, I had a natural aptitude for English and always did quite well there, but also managed high grades in the social sciences which included history. Of course I realise now that that was primarily because my retentive abilities were / are high. But nonetheless, I was always pleased with my high grades in history.

If I was to look back now, my "history" classes left me with a deluge of historical dates of events which even now I am not entirely sure bore any historical significance, a long list of Mughal emperors, British viceroys and lords and the many scores of battles they fought against each other. I learnt of Indian independence, the central figures in that quest, the important dates such as 15th August being Independence Day and 26th January Republic Day and other more obscure dates and related events.

Nowhere however did I learn about how India had evolved into what it was in 1995. It seemed like the subsequent 50 years didn't count as history. The battle of Plassey (while extremely significant in the larger context) or the policies of Cornwallis were more important for impressionable 15 year olds to learn rather than to know the inexplicable manner in which India was partitioned, the bloodshed that followed as a consequence of the blunders the British committed, about the nonsensical creation that was East Pakistan, about the in fighting in the Congress, the birth of the Muslim League and of Jinnah's lust for power.

I tell anyone who listens that in contrast to education in some of the private schools today, I feel moderately let down with what I experienced, and in contrast with undergraduate education in the West, I feel positively cheated. However, we can but look to put right what Fate and Circumstance conspired to put us through. I have read through about 40 pages of Ramachandra Guha's book "India after Gandhi - the history of the world's largest democracy" and already I have learnt more about post 1947 India and its creation than I did in 5 years of school studying "history". This book should be prescribed reading not only for all school students but indeed, I would encourage every Indian and foreigner interested in India to read this book. It also happens to be on the Economist's list of the best reads of 2007.

Mr. Guha's style is measured yet riveting and students and lovers of history and India surely must doff their hats to the gent. For one as yet unschooled in many seminal works of history, every page so far has been a pleasure that I seek to absorb to the fullest. This is definitely a book that will occupy pride of place in my humble collection.

Ocimum basilicum

It is a tender low-growing herb that is grown as a perennial in warm, tropical climates. It is originally native to India and other tropical regions of Asia having been cultivated there for more than 5,000 years. It is prominently featured in varied cuisines throughout the world including Italian, Thai, Vietnamese and Laotian

So imagine my delight when I stopped by Namdhari's (chic, organic vegetable & fruit store) today on my way to work just on the off chance that they may have some interesting & fresh herbs and to my absolute delight, I found neatly stacked and fresh little bundles of Italian basil, parsley, rosemary, thyme, sage and oregano! I spent ten minutes just sniffing and admiring all the herbs, thus drawing dubious looks from the man at the counter. I left with 2 bundles of fresh Italian basil.

Pesto alla genovese in its classic basic form has Genoese basil, salt, garlic, extra virgin olive oil and Pecorino Sardo cheese. Many variants have been elaborated within the genoese cuisine by adding extra ingredients like pine nuts, walnuts and curd or ricotta cheese. Parmesan cheese or Pecorino Romano cheese can be used instead of the pecorino sardo cheese.

Ah joy!

Cross posted on World Café

The more things change.....

I just saw a Hindi movie titled Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi. Apart from being a fairly well made film, it brought into sharp relief the Emergency period that was brought about by then prime minister of India, Indira Gandhi in 1975. I am always left with a feeling of incredulity, anger, disbelief and horror that this actually occurred in my country, often touted as the world's largest democracy. All the "participative democracy'' mantras I am so excited by were rendered puny and inconsequential with a single stroke. One might take some comfort and believe we have progressed, that our political system & bureaucracy have more checks & balances. But then again, I visited Gujarat only a few months back......