Puns & Poses

 NUREMBERG TRIALS 1945. The World War II was over. The Allies (USA, USSR and UK) had defeated the Axis powers (Germany, Italy and Japan). Unprecedented destruction wreaked by ‘Little Boy’ and ‘Fat Man’ in Hiroshima and Nagasaki confirmed the results of the war in favour of the Allied beyond any doubt. Hitler, who once marshalled a thoroughly defeated Germany, in body and spirit, to a formidable empire, could see no further recourse and hence committed suicide. Some of his followers followed the suit. But many of the high officials of the Nazi Party were captured and put in a prison at Nuremberg, Germany. They were to be tried before a court. Thus came Nuremberg trials. Just Shoot Them! Why not just shoot them! This thought came to many at that time. It might even resonate with many of you too. The sentiment (of shooting away) can even intensify knowing that chief among those who were captured was Hermann Göring, the Reichsmarschall (highest ranking military title in Nazi Germany),...

वर्चस्व  यह कहानी मेरे परनाना की है जो मुझे मेरे मामाजी ने सुनाई थी। मेरे परनाना किसी मलहट्टे (मवेशी हाट) से दो बैल ले आए। दोनों बैल भले बहुत ऊंचे कद के नहीं थे लेकिन बिल्कुल छरहरे और गठीले थे। परनाना उन्हें लेकर सुबह सुबह खेत जोतने निकल जाते थे और सीधे तीसरे पहर लौटते। बाकी किसानों के बैल जितने समय में दो कट्ठा जोतते, उतने समय में ये दो बैल चार कट्ठा बिना कोई ऊंह आह किए जोत लेते। परनाना को दोनों बैलों पर बहुत गर्व था।            हमारा गांव यादवों का था। बगल का गांव चौधरियों का था। उनमें से एक थे तेजू चौधरी। बहुत बड़े जमींदार थे। उनके नाम से आस पास के गांव में भी चौधरियों का वर्चस्व छाया हुआ था। तेजू चौधरी के लड़के की शादी हो रही थी। बारात करीब पंद्रह कोस दूर एक गांव जानेवाले थी। उन दिनों लोग बैलगाड़ियों से ही बारात जाते थे। बड़े आदमी की बारात थी। करीब पैंतीस चालीस बैलगाड़ियां जा रही थी। उनमें से एक बैलगाड़ी हमारे परनाना हाँक रहे थे, जिसे उनके ही पुत्ररत्न समान दो बैल खींच रहे थे।      बैलगाड़ियों की कतार में काफी पीछे थी हमारे परनाना ...

The Art of Art (Advisory: For 18+ only) " My anaconda wants none unless you got buns hun ". These are part of a very popular song  rap (Baby Got Back) released in 1992, courtesy  Sir Mix-A-Lot. The popularity sustained almost through two whole decades and inspired another composition by Nicki Minaj, titled ‘Anaconda’. Now, those who can’t make out what does the quoted phrase mean, may Lord bless thy innocent soul! And those who have well received the message and are smiling sheepishly, worry not, for you alone are not with a dirty mind. Together, atone we shall brothers!     When I first heard the phrase I was fairly confused as to how to react. There was definitely a sense of shame, of listening to something so raunchy and very ably unlocking the cryptic message. Yet, I could not help myself admiring symbolism used by Sir Mix-A-Lot. Then, I was even more surprised to find out how popular the rap has been across generations. More interestingly it reminded me of ...

A Vomit of thoughts 6:21 PM, 2nd April 2023 It’s a Sunday evening and I’m bored.          The digital technology around us has made our lives so easy. Easy to forget that urgent task that you need to be doing. Easy to get a dopamine high from something as silly as scrolling through other people’s pictures and whatnot. I am writing this blog after (re)watching 2 episodes of ‘The Office’, then reading IPL commentary on cricbuzz, then listening to an AP Dhillon number, and  then watching Alia Bhatt in a song from ‘2 states’ (Oh! that yellow saree!). Dopamine hits, one after another. But this is not a how-to-avoid-getting-distracted or how-to-be-more-productive blog or a listicle or anything of that sort.           Not that people care but I am writing after a very long time, almost 3 months. What took me so long? Procrastination and laziness,for the most of it. I told you, this is not a productivity-hack article.  Another rea...

 SECOND MARRIAGES “Second marriage is the triumph of hope over experience.”   - Oscar Wilde Allow me to draw a parallel. Between a second marriage and a new year.  Marrying again is no ordinary matter. It is an act of giving oneself another chance, despite all the disappointment and hurt in the past. In a very popular Netflix series “Money Heist” , Berlin (an important character) had three or four failed marriages. When mocked of his failed marriages, he comes with a very interesting reply. He says that his marriages show how he dared to believe in power of love again and again, no matter his past experiences.           Every time a new year is around we get excited. One of the reasons is the fact that we get to have a fresh start. “New year, new me”. Although from a very objective point 1st of January is just another day. But we have associated a great deal of symbolism with this day. We forgive ourselves for all the mistakes we committed pa...

MOVE 78 ‘Go’ is an ancient Chinese board game. It is similar to game of Chess in that it is played by two players at a time and it too requires intelligence, and intelligence alone. However, Go is much more complicated than chess. It is not so because of some weird set of rules or conditions. Rather the rules and objective of this game are very simple. Google it. The number of possible board configurations in Go is more than number of atoms present in the universe. No game of Go has been played twice, ever!          In March 2016, the then World Go Champion Lee Sedol (holder of 18 world titles) was about to play against an opponent like never before: a computer, powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) named AlphaGo. Lee was confident of defeating AlphaGo in all five games that were to be played. Reason behind his confidence was the fact that the game of Go at its highest level requires  creativity and intuition. How can a computer be creative and how can it...