Between you & me

CHENNAI

DR. PANGLOSS, a character from Voltaire's Candide, was fond of saying that ``this is the best of all possible worlds.'' Many people believe that man's ethical qualities have improved over the centuries, that the world is becoming more peaceful, and some sort of an Arcadia is round the horizon. Well, and then something like the barbarous attack on New York and Washington happens, which shakes them to the core. The attack on American cities was reprehensible as the attackers used passenger planes to crash into the buildings. It was the ultimate in terrorism, and it was far worse than bombings during a war. The terrorists I don't think thought of possible consequences, especially the fact that almost all the nations of the world would rally behind America. While efforts are being made to flush out bin Laden, the Americans, have put together a fighting machine such as has never before been seen during peace-time.

The Taliban, it seems to me, has nothing more to offer than angry rhetoric, and despite its air of derring-do, cannot be a match for the forces assembled by the United States.

Especially now, since it has lost the support of two of the three countries in the world with whom it had diplomatic relations. Everybody, including the Americans, are concerned about the innocent population who might be caught in the cross-fire. The Taliban's problem does not cease there. A large number of the population have already started fleeing, and in the north, Afghan troops are steadily gaining ground against Taliban strongholds. What happens next is anybody's guess, except that I think the U.S. will exert its utmost to vanquish the Taliban, and to bring back the deposed ruler of Afghanistan, Zaheer Shah, as the head of state.

If the attacks on American cities represented some sort of macro- terrorism, there were sufficient instances of micro terrorism here and elsewhere. A man in Switzerland shot and killed nearly 15 deputies because of the grievances he had against the system. In U.P. a young couple was murdered because the families were against their marrying. Again in the north, an inebriated legislator, coming home late in the night, shot and killed his young driver because the latter had the temerity to ask for a place where he could sleep.

In our own Salem, a school-boy (10) was set on fire by some of his school-mates because he informed the teachers about the boys he found copying. Micro perhaps but very revealing about the absolute degeneration of values.

Where were you when the earth trembled in Madras? I was talking to two friends when one of them shook himself and declared that his chair was rocking. We thought he had too much to drink - as it happens he is a teetotaller - when, by Jove, our chairs started rocking too. We went out and saw that our neighbours too had felt the tremors. What I thought was interesting was that nobody would have taken the tremors seriously if it had not been for the horrendous tragedy in Gujarat on January 26. The radio and TV did a good job of reassuring the people, though many took to the open spaces, like the beach. Panic is the real villain on such occasions, though there were people who were genuinely frightened, by and large people behaved as if it was an outdoor picnic. Incidentally, this was not the first time I experienced a tremor in Madras. Though I can't now find corroboration, in the late sixties or seventies, while in the Masonic Hall on Commander-in-Chief road, I felt a distinct movement of the chair I sat in. Afterwards I checked with the other members - some had and some hadn't, but it was not in the papers, and we forgot about it soon enough. I felt one when I was in Agra viewing the Taj, but that is another story.

I NEARLY forgot the forthcoming local bodies elections. Actually I have nothing to say on the subject, except that I haven't the foggiest notion about what is going on. The new alignments, which seem to change every day, are beyond my understanding, except that they are out to win and to hell with the people. When the major parties view these elections as extension of their power, and no effort is made to give the positions to known leaders in the area, it is difficult to be excited about these elections.

AN INDIGNANT reader from Besant Nagar writes: ``The Varasiddhi Vinayakar Temple is a private temple, the hub of community activity in Besant Nagar. It also attracts people from all over Madras. An absolute stay order was obtained in 1998 in the High Court, restricting the takeover of the temple by the HR and CE Board, until the exact nature of the temple is decided. Violating this order, and indulging in contempt of court, officials of the HR and CE stormed into the temple on Tuesday afternoon, and sealed the hundi etc. Pleas as well as display of the judges order were ignored by the officials. The devotees had to wait for an hour outside, as the poojas in the sanctum could not be conducted as per schedule. This caused a great deal of trauma to the devotees. This was the same evening that a tremor occurred in Madras. Cause and effect?'' Let us hope that the HR & CE Board presents its case.

Senior citizens have another avenue to present their problems - a magazine called Senior Citizens, published by The Tamil Nadu State Federation of Senior Citizens' Councils (15 Saurashtra Mela Rajaveethy, Thanjavur 613001). Some time ago, I published a few couplets from a poem a reader sent to me. Since then I have received several requests for the full text of the poem, and the name of its author. Unfortunately, I don't maintain a file and I cannot find the reference. If the reader who sent me the poem writes to me again, I will gladly share the information with interested readers.

DO YOU know, Parthasarathy, that one of the things Jewish people enjoy very much is jokes against themselves? Let me introduce you to a couple of them. Rothschild, the richest man once in the United States, was travelling in the country, when he stopped at a tiny coffee-shop and ordered breakfast. When he finished and asked for his bill, he was given one for 20 dollars. Outraged, Rothschild said: ``I have never seen a bill like this.'' The coffee-shop owner said equably; ``Well, for that matter, we have never seen a Rothschild before''.

A Jewish man invited one of his closest friends to spend a weekend with him in his country house. The friend went, and had an excellent time - golf, fishing, martinis at sundown, then a great dinner at the Club. Monday morning, as the friend was leaving, he was presented with a bill for 800 dollars. He was flabbergasted, and said: ``I thought I was your guest. Ah ha, the other said: ``You didn't think I was doing all this for free? Any way, let us go to our Rabbi and abide by his judgment.'' So they went to the Rabbi, who listened carefully to their presentations, and ruled that the guest should pay the host. They walked out, and the friend offered 800 dollars to the host, who firmly declined to accept it. The friend, bewildered, said: ``What did we go through all that song and dance for?'' The host replied: Oh, I just wanted to see what a lousy Rabbi we have.''

S. KRISHNAN

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