Desi In Toronto

Diwali, the Hindu holiday of light falls today. It is the festival of lights as celebrated by most of India (and parts of Sri Lanka and Nepal) for differing reasons. Think of it as christmas for non-christians.

From wikipedia :

Hindus have several significant events associated with it:

Return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya

The Killing of Narakasura

Austerities of Shakti

Birth of Goddess Lakshmi

Krishna defeating Indra

In addition to Hindus, Sikhs celebrate diwali as well as Buddhists and Jains, basically, as I said before, the whole of India more or less celebrates diwali.

As a child I used to love Diwali. The lead up to the day was the best times I have had in my life. The whole world would be light up for a week before Diwali and there was a deep sense of joy everywhere, even in my dad’s acrimonious household in Nabha!! You could not escape the sheer force of Diwali no matter who you were, how much love you had for your family and what your place was in the Indian society. The big feature, of course, was the firecrackers on the evening of Diwali. Frankly I used to hate the firecrackers and would “enjoy” them from a distance. The whole festival was loud and pollution from the firecrackers was intense but I LOVED it. There was scrumptuous foods, assortment of sweets and deserts, and lots and lots of enjoyable company throughout the evening and deep into the night.

I remember the day would start with us taking a bath and wearing new clothes and then going off into the market to window shop for firecrackers. This would take us to afternoon and we would drive to my dad’s house in Nabha from Patiala, where we lived.

My grandmother would then take us kids to the small temple behind the house and makes us pray even though we would looking at the sky to see how soon the sun would set so that we could start partying. We would them go to the intersection near the house and place diyas (earthen lamps) in the middle of the intersection and soon, it would become a make shift round about. That image for some reason is burned into my memory. I loved the look of the lamps in the middle of the intersection in dusk, with all the foot and scooter/bicycle traffic avoiding the lamps carefully.

We would then proceed to our house for the main prayer of the evening where everyone was required to attend. I remember that my grandmother would lead the prayer and everyone would join in although after sometime, everyone would start joking and making fun of each other while my grandmother would try, in vain, to shush all of us. Then all of us, from the senoir most onwards, would dip their palm in flat plate with clay like solution and then place it on the freshly painted wall in the temple. Again, I have no idea of the significance of the ritual but again, it is something I re-live every diwali.The whole time our ears were rotating about like a radar to hear the first signs of firecrackers so that we could begin our whining to leave the prayer room.

And once the prayers were over, we kids were let loose. Out came the packets of firecrackers (or in my case, the ones that did not make a huge boom) and we went to the roof (which was the highest in the neighbourhood giving us a vantage point on who had the best fire display going) and then we proceeded to drown out neighbourhood with various types of bombs, rockets, strings of small crackers etc. My uncle was big into spending as much as possible on firecrackers and when questioned why, he said that it is auspicious to spend money in Diwali so that it will bring him good luck. I think he just wanted to show off!!

This would continue for an hour or so (yes, that’s how many firecrackers we had!!) and then it was time to ignore the mess and go instead for a movie or just relax around while the elders indulged in another auspicious activity – gambling. Yup, it is auspicious to gamble in Diwali. It is supposed to bring you luck!!

Before we went to sleep, everyone made sure that the doors were unlocked and most of the lights in the passage were switched on. This was done to welcome the goddess Lakshmi who would bring us luck and wealth (something like Santa Clause with intangible benefits).

Now, living Canada, the holiday is completely devoid of any joy. Sure, we get together with the family during Diwali but the boisterous nature of Diwali is missing in Canada. The low point of course is trying to explain to your kids what Diwali means. I tried the other day to explain what Diwali is to my daughter, Rhea, and the whole conversation fizzled when I tried to explain to Rhea that she is Hindu and Hindus celebrate Diwali. And she kept insisting the whole time that she is not Hindu but a little girl!!

I leave you with something I found on Hindu Blog and wish you all a very happy Diwali :

Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami on the Significance of Diwali:

The inner significance of Diwali is that it is a joyful celebration of the victory of good over evil, of our spiritual qualities dominating our basic instincts, intellect and ego. Light is a universal symbol of spirituality. Thus bringing more light into our homes and therefore our lives symbolizes each of us becoming a more spiritual person.

The light of the soul can transform our baser qualities of greed, distrust and hatred into selfless giving, trust and helpfulness. It can inspire us to be consistent in our efforts to progress on the path of spiritual unfoldment. And it can reveal to us our true identity as immortal souls living and growing in the great school of earthly experience.

The Original…..

The Copy…..

Way to go ISRO!!!

India blasted into the international space race Wednesday with the successful launch of an ambitious two-year mission to study the moon’s landscape.

The unmanned lunar orbiter Chandrayaan-1, or “moon craft” in ancient Sanskrit, launched at 6:20 a.m. (8:50 p.m. ET) from the Sriharikota space center in southern India.

The mission seeks high-resolution imaging of the moon’s surface, especially the permanently shadowed polar regions, according to the Indian Space Research Organization. It will also search for evidence of water or ice and attempt to identify the chemical breakdown of certain lunar rocks, the group said.

And the best part is…….

The Chandrayaan-1 is carrying payloads from the United States, European Union countries Germany, Britain, Sweden and Bulgaria, and India plans to share the data from the mission with other programs, including NASA.

And the most inane part is………..

Critics of the mission have questioned its $80 million price tag, saying the money should have been spent by the government to improve education and fight poverty.

Of course the critics do not account for the fact that the PR advantages of this launch for education and science. Nope, they want to spend millions of dollars on education like they always have….

The government’s education expenditure as a percentage of GDP (blue line in Figure 1) has never ever risen above 4.3% of GDP, despite the target of 6% having been set as far back as 1968 by the Kothari Commission.

And here is the picture of the moon impactor sure to make every one of Indian origin, proud….

Update : This has got to be the funniest take on the moon-mission by India, Indian style!!!

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Liberal Party officials prepared a memo in 2006 warning their incoming new leader to prepare an immediate ad campaign to counter an expected assault from the governing Tories aimed at destabilizing whoever won.

However, Stéphane Dion opted instead to hang onto the bulk of a $4-million war chest he inherited upon taking over the top job, responding to a Tory ad blitz with a limited run of upbeat commercials.

When he announced his decision to step down as Liberal Leader on Monday, Mr. Dion said a Tory onslaught supplemented with substantial amounts of cash helped define him with the public and he never recovered.

So let me get this straight. The “esteemed” Liberal party of Canada wanted to run sleazy campaign ads against conservatives, Dion says no and Dion loses. I don’t understand this. I mean what does it say about us. That we respond to a politician by how much he/she can beat up the opponent in sleaziness? Is that what politics has come down to in Canada?

To be honest, I do not think this is the only reason why Liberals lost. Liberals lost because of lack of direction from Dion and the poor support that the party members gave Dion. Also, the party is moving away from being the party of the people to the party of business just like the conservatives : Maybe it always was the party of the business community but under Dion I thought that this party is very much the party of the people.

I think the party members still have not recoganised the fact that the loss was as theirs as much as it was Dion’s lack of “leadership”. To throw hacks like Michael Ignatieff (a torture supporter) and Bob Rae (his one term in office in Ontario is not fondly remembered) in the ring amongst others is basically saying let’s change the wheels of the car even though the engine’s shot. I know the party needs money right away but to go and pander to the businesses for money instead of rebuilding the party from ground up is disingenuous and insulting to the motto of the Liberal party. I fear that that Liberal party will, after Dion leaves, be competing with conservatives for business political dollars while ignoring the common folk.

The only reason why I was all for the Liberal party was Stephen Dion who showed time and time again to be a classy guy and a moral politician (and there are not many of those these days). I will be following the Liberal party’s shanangins to see what happens next but so far it seems that my love affair with the Liberals is over.

Needless to say that Rush Limbaugh is basically a pig in a suit. See here for details as to why. Here is the latest from the piggy.

“Secretary Powell says his endorsement is not about race,” Limbaugh wrote in the e-mail. “OK, fine. I am now researching his past endorsements to see if I can find all the inexperienced, very liberal, white candidates he has endorsed. I’ll let you know what I come up with.”

He has shown his racist colours numerous times before so I think this is outrageous but what can you expect from a pig. Then he goes on to defend his words.

“I thought it should be about race,” he said. “I thought you liberals thought this was a historic candidacy because finally we are going to elect a black guy…why hide behind this, why act like it’s not about race?”

“This was all about Powell and race, nothing about the nation and its welfare,” Limbaugh added. The talk radio host also criticized members of the media for not addressing his claim that Powell likely hasn’t endorsed white candidates who, according to Limbaugh, have similar political leanings and experience as Obama.

“Just so you know, I haven’t come up with any,” he said. “I worked diligently on this on the airplane on the trip home from Green Bay yesterday. I can’t find any of these inexperienced white liberals that Powell has endorsed.”

He is right. For some people, it’s all about the race in this election. There are people who would rather incite voilence than see a half-black man get elected to office.

So I wonder how many reporters have asked Piggy whom he is voting for. And if it’s not Obama, is it because he is black? And if he says yes, does that not make him a racist?

I just find it funny no one has brought that up. If you find anything please forward me the link cause I could use a few laughs.

Update : And if he is voting for McBush because he is white, does that not prove that Piggy is a hypocrite?

Link

A Western journalist called me the other day to ask what Asians thought of Sarah Palin.

“Just a minute,” I said. “I’ll ask them.”

I held my hand over phone, counted to 20 and then got back on the line. “They like him,” I said. “But they think he should make more episodes of Monty Python.”

There was a long pause. I heard the journalist’s brain cell click into place. “That’s not Sarah Palin,” she eventually said. “That’s Michael Palin.”

“Well, Asians would like her to tell her husband to make more episodes of Monty Python.”

“Actually, I don’t think Michael Palin is her husband.”

I took a sharp intake of breath. “They are not legally married? That’s something that Asians definitely do not approve of.”

“No, no, no, she’s married to someone else, not Michael Palin.”

“That makes it worse,” I said.

There are few things in life more pleasurable than tormenting American journalists. The only downside is that it is so easy. They are absolutely convinced that the rest of the world watches every detail of what happens in the United States as if it was some sort of wacky global sitcom designed to entertain the rest of the planet. Actually, that IS more or less the case. But I still like teasing them.

<via CathiefromCanada>

Congratulations Sachin!!! Way to go.

The stifling suspense and the prolonged wait finally came to an end as Sachin Tendulkar on Friday emerged as the highest run-accumulator in Test cricket’s history……Tendulkar arrived here with 11,939 runs against his name from 151 Tests, averaging 54.02 hitting 39 centuries in the process. His ODI record put together– he tops the run-accumulator’s chart there too with 16,361 runs — Tendulkar has scored more than 25,000 international runs with the help of a mindboggling (42+39) 81 centuries and 138 half-centuries.

And all those runs flowed from the blade of someone who, rather reluctantly, swapped leather-flinging with willow-wielding after a blunt Dennis Lillee told the 12-year-old aspiring fast bowler in a Chennai camp that he had no hopes as a pacer.

Or probably the blame actually lies with Waqar Younis.

Tendulkar was hit on the mouth by Waqar in his debut Test series in Pakistan with dripping blood drenching the shirt of the cuddly teen with curly hair. Nineteen long years since the incident and bowlers around the world continue to bleed even to this day for a folly of one of their predecessors.

I remember watching this young man who joined the Indian cricket team with enormous hype surrounding him. I remember him as the first player of the new generation of Indian cricketers who had this “fuck-off” attitude that was so desperately needed by the Indians. I remember him being a lousy captain. I remember him resigning as captain and returning to what he does best, being a great sportsman. I remember him being the first athlete in India to be managed by a professional company that bought him loads of cash.

Sachin, you thoroughly deserve all the accolades.

Passionate essay……

Well, we all knew it would happen but this is a disaster. Liberals lost a lot of ground this election and I put the blame squarely on us. Lack of understanding of the liberal platform, overestimation of the conservative platform and vote splitting with the Greens and NDP are primarily the reasons why we did not elect Liberals in power. C’est la vie.

You are now in power, Mr. Stephen Harper. Please keep your eye on the ball and stop telling us to buy stocks in the financial crisis. And, would you please not pay for the bad mortgages. Let the market handle the situation (your vaunted belief, if I may remind you).

Congratulations Prof. Krugman!! I don’t know much about economics but as someone who has been following your blog, your opinions on NY Times and having read your books, I couldn’t be happier for you. You are exactly the kind of sane voice needed by USA and the world!!

Results from my blog :

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Worse, Palin’s routine attacks on the media have begun to spill into ugliness. In Clearwater, arriving reporters were greeted with shouts and taunts by the crowd of about 3,000. Palin then went on to blame Katie Couric’s questions for her “less-than-successful interview with kinda mainstream media.” At that, Palin supporters turned on reporters in the press area, waving thunder sticks and shouting abuse. Others hurled obscenities at a camera crew. One Palin supporter shouted a racial epithet at an African American sound man for a network and told him, “Sit down, boy.”

This is probably the reason why the Republican’s campaign is imploding under it’s own stupidity. I hope that they get a good drubbing in this election.

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“I’ll be the first to admit, I’m not the most emotionally expressive guy,” said Mr. Harper, when asked whether he might want to show more empathy with Canadians becoming increasingly fearful for their economic future.

No one is asking you to pull out a handkerchief and start sobbing into it, Mr. Prime Minister. Just tell us what plan of action or just say something nice to let all Canadians (Update: god, what gibberish. I meant to say : Just tell us what the plan of action is or just say something nice to calm all Canadians).

“But look, the main thing I think a government has to do at a time like this is not panic. There’s a lot of people out there not panicking. I think there’s probably a lot of great buying opportunities emerging in the stock market as a consequence of all this panic.”

I have no clue what prompted this idiotic statement from our prime minister. I mean, he is right, this is a great time to buy at the stock market but I don’t think that would be priority number one for thousands of people who have lost their jobs in the manufacturing sector, or have problems selling their homes, or are generally wary of the economy (that would be everyone) right now. Only someone completely out of touch with reality would try at create a silver lining where none exists.

It will be interesting to see what plans for immediate relief other parties have. I believe we will be hearing more durnig the day today.

…….he actually refused to shake Obama’s hand after last nights debate. What an asshole!!

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I’m sorry, but I don’t want a Prime Minister who is “just like me”. If I did, I’d run myself. I want someone who has a a broader perspective, with a better understanding of how government and economics work, and who is smarter than me (and I’ve got a pretty kick-ass IQ).

I don’t give a rat’s ass if you have a hunting license or a brood of kids or if you play piano or wear sweater vests. I want to know that you have great ideas, and a vision for this country that approximates mine, and a solid, practical plan for how to get us there.

I’ve said it before – if Stephane Dion, for all his intellect and ideals and bold, forward-looking vision turns out to be unelectable in this country simply because he has a heavy accent, it will say more about us than it does about him. Gods help us all.

So Harper was caught with his pants down.

Initially I had thought that the language that was used was mostly about the “purchase of uranium by Iraq from Niger” claim. But after seeing the above clip, the wording is not only of the false claim, but basically the Iraq policy.

So claims of plagiarism aside, this leader of ours actually propounded a policy that was wrong on so many levels and we are supposed to trust him to lead us effectively?

The problem I have always had with Harper is his inability to differentiate from hardliners of the world who have time and time again been proven wrong.

How exactly is he different from McCain who claims “fundamentals are strong” from “the Prime Minister, called for a “sober analysis” but stressed Canada’s economic fundamentals are sound and the finances of the average Canadian household are not at risk.” How long due think that Canadian economy will remain insulated from a melt down in the US?

Moron.

Having said that, none of the other leaders have an actual plan in their agenda in case the credit crunch comes knocking hard on Canadian shores. So far everyone (including Harper) are criticizing the US administration.

I caught a part of Bill Carroll’s show today and I have to wonder why CFRB lets this gas bag use their airwaves.

The argument was about this Jewish professor in York University who wants to continue with the classes in York University despite the fact that it closes down for Rosh Hashana (something to do with a clause by the founders). The professor explains that this is a human rights’ violation as far as students of other religion are concerned. The professor’s argument was that this is actually detrimental to the cause of Jewish people. The more you thrust your religion down someone’s throat, the worse you look.

Then Bill followed it with an idiotic comment which just cements in mind the fact that Bill Carroll is retard. I am paraphrasing :

“Don’t you think that Christians are unfairly targeted, especially in the private sector, when they want a holiday on say Good Friday where the employer would say something like “but are you that religious?” If a member of another religion were to ask for a holiday, they would get it right away. And even though this country was founded on Christianity, it’s the Christians who are always defensive about their religion and the religions of the minorities get a pass?”

Here we go again with “attacking Christianity” theme. Does this guy take his lessons from Bill O’Reilly? I mean, I am really tired of this nonsense theme from “real” Christians and from the politically correct people.

My answer to Billy is : as a member of the minority group, I can take a day off from work from my private sector job but the day off comes from my holiday bank. That goes the same for Muhammad on Eid and the same for Dingane on Kwanzaa and the same for Harpal Singh on Diwali and on and on and on. I don’t know of any company in Canada that says to it’s minority group “sure, go ahead, take a day off as part of celebration of your main holiday. And it will not come from your holiday bank.” But when it’s time for Christmas, work slows down to a crawl as everyone is off, some private companies give a few days off between Christmas day and New Year’s Day, people are slacking as no one seems to want to work…..and what’s that sound? That’s the sound of the management saying “aw shucks. It’s Christmas.”

So Bill. Please shut up. We minorities recoganise very well that Canada is predominantly a Christian country and will be one for a very, very, very long time. Christmas day has been ingrained into the minds of every one around the world. I mean, when even when I was a kid in India, we would look forward to 25th Dec because we knew it would be a day off for all of us.

And if you must take the day off on Good Friday, well do what the rest of us do…..take it from your holiday bank and stop moaning about it.

And can someone please, please shut Jaquie Delaney up? She has steadily become Bill’s lap dog and mouths off absolute nonsense on The Bill Carroll Show.