Our National Anthem - Embarassing to know its real meaning!

Are you aware of the genesis of our national anthem and its true meaning therefore. If you know, you will cringe from singing it again... and acknowledge it as our national anthem.

Our National Anthem was composed as a poem in December 1911, precisely at the time of the Coronation Durbar of George V, and is a paean in praise of "the overlord of India's destiny". The composition was first sung during a convention of the then LOYALIST Indian National Congress in Calcutta on Dec. 27, 1911. It was sung on the second day of the convention, and the agenda of that day devoted itself to a loyal welcome of George V on his visit to India.

Look at how the event was reported in the Indian press then:
"The Bengali poet Babu Rabindranath Tagore sang a song composed by him specially to welcome the Emperor." (Statesman, Dec. 28, 1911)

"The proceedings began with the singing by Babu Rabindranath Tagore of a song specially composed by him in honour of the Emperor." (Englishman, Dec. 28, 1911)

"When the proceedings of the Indian National Congress began on Wednesday 27th December 1911, a Bengali song in welcome of the Emperor was sung. A resolution welcoming the Emperor and Empress was also adopted unanimously." (Indian, Dec. 29, 1911)

So naturally the poem was more as a praise for the English monarch and acknowledging that he holds the destiny of India. Read the literal english translation of the same...

Jana-gana-mana-adhinayaka jaya he ________Thou art the ruler of the minds of all people,
Bharata-bhagya-vidhata ________ dispenser of India's destiny.
Punjaba-Sindhu-Gujarata-Maratha _____ Thy name rouses the hearts of Punjab, Sind, Gujarat and Maratha,
Dravida-Utkala-Banga _________ Of the Dravida and Orissa and Bengal;
Vindhya-Himachala-Yamuna-Ganga _____ It echoes in the hills of the Vindhyas and Himalayas, mingles in the music of Jamuna and Ganges,
Uchchhala-Jaladhi-taranga _________ and is chanted by the waves of the Indian Sea
Tava Subha name jage ___________ They pray for thy blessings
Tava subha asisa mage ___________ and sing thy praise.
Gahe tava jaya-gatha.
Jana-gana-mana-adhinayaka jaya he ________The saving of all people waits in thy hand,
Bharata-bhagya-vidhata ________thou dispenser of India's destiny.
Jaya he, jaya he, jaya he,
Jaya jaya jaya, jayahe. __________Victory, victory, victory to thee.

Rabindranath Tagore is quoted saying "Here is a poem which I have written. It is addressed to God, but give it to Congress people. It will please them."

It pleased them so much that they made it our National Anthem.

Can we Indians take risk?

Honestly, I need to find the answer myself. On the look of it , the hypothesis is that we do not want to take risk. Or perhaps, we can not take risks. Though I need to do an indepth research to check the hypothesis, yet let me take television content and share a few observations.

The media is abound by the view that reality shows are the next big revolution on Indian television. How I interpret this view is that there will be another revolution in official plagiarism of foreign reality programming content. And believe me, thats what is happening! Look at the most recent much talked about serial on Sony Television - Big Boss.

Big Boss is one such copied programming content adapted to suit the Indian consumers. Technically it is not copied because Endemol India is producing it in India. (The original programme, Big Brother was produced by Endemol - a Dutch production company.) It is an adaptation, nonetheless. What is even worse is that Big Boss is very clearly a scripted programming enacted by television celebrities. Reality programming by essense is something which is not scripted and involves common people.

Why is Big Boss scripted? Why do we have television celebrities enacting Big Boss? From all the page 3 phenomenon and the successes that the media got, it was the safest bet to get in a bit of security by getting in celebrities. And celebrities can manage to act, making it simpler to plan the reality show. Isnt it very logical and safe thinking to reduce the chance of failing?

Is the Sony programming team playing safe? Are they scared of failing? Are they simply risk averse?

The next question is that "Is this typical to the Sony programming team?" To my opinion, it is not. Bollywood is such a mature industry. Even there, most of the productions are copied and inspired by successful previous productions.

We Indians are risk averse. We cannot take risks. It is definitely a thought to ponder upon.

"RX100 emotion". Please get it back, YAMAHA

I am a proud owner of my RX100 - a true model and a dream of every biker of MY generation in India - and I feel part of the Yamaha brand family. It is such an intense relationship that I didn't think twice to bash up one toddler of a bike rider, who had painted "Honda" in the fuel tank of his badly maintained YAMAHA RX100, that too removing the YAMAHA metal plate completely.

It is with such passion that I am writing this piece to forward my views about how YAMAHA should attempt to tackle the Indian consumers and re-emerge as the most coveted bike brand in India.

It is very clear and apparent to me that Yamaha the brand and RX100 the bike are synonyms. For a more evolved biker, it may be the RD 350. Remember that mean machine! On the whole it is the RX100. This is not a mere truth. RX100 is no longer manufactured in India. It was in 1998 that the last RX100 was made. And RD 350 a little before that. Even now the legacy goes on.

Yamaha has tried to encash the brand through quite a few follow-up launches. It launched the RXG series which had a 135cc version by the name RXG135. A little later the company came out with a 5 gear variant of the same. But none of these models became hit with the consumers and could not meet the expectations of the consumers. Then of course all 2 stroke engines went out of production.

That was an end of an era. Escorts Yamaha became Yamaha. 4 stroke engines became the rage. Yamaha launched a slew of 4 stroke models. But that era was never to come back. Yamaha has become just one of the struggling bike brands in India. There were many reasons. One of the primary reason is the management take-over by Yamaha from Escorts, which took away quite a few years from the brand. Then a series of bad branding made the scenario even worse. I could believe my eyes when Yamaha launched something called "Crux" and "Crux R". Why and how on earth, somebody can call a Yamaha by those names. Thank God, Suzuki has done even worse by launching "Zeus". "Jesus" could have been a better name. By then, most of the Yamaha dealers starting switching loyalties and started selling Bajaj and the TVSs of the world. Why wont they... Loyalty wont have given their two meals of the day!

Then came Yamaha Enticer, which stirred the market a bit. It was a first time for India to taste a cruiser comfort and the kick was that it was launched by Yamaha. Many thought Yamaha is back with a bang... at least I thought. Alas, Yamaha is back. But again the whole fever fizzled. The next few launches were dampeners. Enticer alone could not bear the pressure of getting the brand back to the RX100 days.

Durlovspeakth - Yamaha should give them (consumers) back the glory of RX100. RX100 was a hope and a aspiration. And it will take generations to wipe off the "RX100 emotion". My generation and perhaps 2-3 generations younger to me have to die for the "RX100 emotion" to die. Why wait till then...

Durlovspeakth - Know the "RX100 emotion". And the consumer need therefore. Fulfill it.

Even today, if you ask a bike enthusiast to name a Yamaha bike, he would most likely name RX100 and then he would say R1 or R6. So the message is clear. The consumers are comparing RX100 to an R1. What is the common thread. Both the bikes have the common perception of being powerful and fast. Perhaps pick up is the other word.

Perhaps it is very easy to derive why Pulsar became such a huge icon. The consumer found a comparison. Pulsar could get close to the "RX100 emotion". It looked powerful and was powerful. Pulsar 150 was the volume grosser but I firmly believe that the Pulsar 180cc made the brand and fulfilled the "RX100 emotion". And that helped sell the lower models even to the 125cc Discover.

Durlovspeakth - Jackie Chan was not the brand ambassador but the Pulsar 180 was. And the real brand ambassador is the "RX100 emotion".

Yamaha needs to take a learning. Now the consumer wait is for a 250cc upwards bike. Rather I would say a RD350 in 4 stroke avatar is what Yamaha needs to capture the "RX100 emotion".

Yamaha should launch a power bike with great pick up with 350 CC equivalent engine capacity and see that it gives more than 40 kms a litre. Marketing and advertising should push it as flagship product and John Abraham is the apt ambassador to promote a speed bike. This bike might not give the volumes but the lower versions of the same would. No harm in copying Bajaj.

I wait with great earnest that Yamaha understands the "RX100 emotion".

Scrabble Magic

This has got to be one of the most clever E-mails I've received in a while. Someone out there either has too much spare time or is deadly at Scrabble.

DORMITORY:
When you rearrange the letters: DIRTY ROOM

PRESBYTERIAN:
When you rearrange the letters:BEST IN PRAYER

DESPERATION:
When you rearrange the letters: A ROPE ENDS IT

GEORGE BUSH:
When you rearrange the letters: HE BUGS GORE

THE MORSE CODE:
When you rearrange the letters: HERE COME DOTS

SLOT MACHINES:
When you rearrange the letters: CASH LOST IN ME

ANIMOSITY:
When you rearrange the letters: IS NO AMITY

MOTHER-IN-LAW:
When you rearrange the letters: WOMAN HITLER

SNOOZE ALARMS:
When you rearrange the letters: ALAS! NO MORE Z 'S

A DECIMAL POINT:
When you rearrange the letters: IM A DOT IN PLACE

THE EARTHQUAKES:
When you rearrange the letters: THAT QUEER SHAKE

ELEVEN PLUS TWO:
When you rearrange the letters: TWELVE PLUS ONE

THE GRAND FINALE:

PRESIDENT CLINTON OF THE USA:
When you rearrange the letters TO COPULATE HE FINDS INTERNS

Hope you enjoy them.

See you all.