Promises to keep, Miles To Go…

A long road lies ahead for AAP

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has been running the Delhi Government for the last seven years. The progress it has achieved in several areas, such as health, education, electricity and water supply is remarkable.

But a lot still remains to be done and AAP can’t afford to become complacent now.

Take these recent reports in the newspapers for instance.

https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/delhi-news/in-dire-straits-lala-hardayal-library-staff-unpaid-for-at-least-10-months-101645401970367.html

In this article, we learn about long delays in payment of salaries to library employees. This is unfair. Delhi government says it’s because of insufficient funds. We can’t believe that. Almost everyday, it spends a lot of money on useless advertisements for political propaganda. It may be necessary for political survival, but one might ask where all those funds come from. Take a look at the pic below. It is of a full-page advertisement in the Hindustan Times dated 21 February 2022. You will understand what I mean.

Full page HT advertisement 21 February 2022

Libraries are an important part of education and cannot be neglected in such a callous manner. Ideally, there should be a public library in every nook and corner of Delhi and their employees’ salaries should never be such a big issue. This will also help in creation of more jobs, which is the topic of discussion in the second link below.

https://hindustantimes.tech/entrepreneurship/short-staffed-poorly-maintained-despite-wedding-uptick-mcd-halls-remain-vacant-latest-news-delhi/

This article talks about under-staffing in the state-run community halls. This is strange for a country with the world’s second largest population. It is quite obvious that recruitment of adequate manpower is not happening. This is a common problem in many other key sectors too, such as government hospitals.

Delhi government often tries to get away by heaping the blame on the MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi), which, it says it doesn’t control.

But we, as laypeople, strongly believe that the Delhi government can easily find ways to get things done. In privately managed organizations, for instance, people on lower rungs escalate matters systematically one level after another till the problems are resolved. We expect AAP also to do likewise.

Here is what AAP should do on urgent basis.

1. Fill up all the vacancies, wherever they exist. Hospitals, colleges, schools, community halls, etc.

2. Pay all staff salaries on time.

3. Stop excessive pay hikes.

4. Start more public libraries in Delhi. They can start with ebooks. Many organisations and individuals would be only too eager to help here.

Mr. Kejriwal and Mr. Sisodia, are you listening?

Cooking with Cauliflower Stems (Gobhi Ganthals)

Cooking with grated cauliflower stems (ganthals)

Before you discard those cauliflower stems (ganthals) and their hard leafy coverings, think again. You can use them to create a fantastic dish, a bhurji that you would love (see the pic on the top). It’s easy to make; plus, it is versatile. Add it to cooked macaroni or Maggie noodles. Or use it to make sandwiches and parathas. Or just eat it with rotis, parathas, or bread. Here is the recipe.

Method:

1. Soak the vegetables (ganthals and their hard leafy coverings) in water for 10 minutes.

2. Wash the vegetables properly and ensure they are clean. Put them in a sieve to let the water drip out.

3. Grate the vegetables.

4. Heat a karahi. Add half a teaspoon of heeng and one tablespoonful of whole coriander seeds. Don’t let them burn. Add the vegetables right away.

5. Add some turmeric powder, salt and red chilli powder as per taste.

6. Cover the karahi with a glass cover and stir intermittently. Add some green peas. I used frozen peas.

7. Once the vegetables are tender, switch off the gas. Your gobhi ganthal bhurji, as we call it in Hindi, is ready. Enjoy!

Three Idiots

Three laborers sitting on the edge, 24 February 2022, Vikaspuri, Delhi

In big cities like Delhi, you will find many laborers like these guys working hard. They lead risky lives with no insurance cover. The only person who takes care of them and their families is God Almighty. Our government also tries to take initiatives, but that’s not enough. The challenges are too many and it has misplaced priorities with little focus on things that are urgent.

Dancing with a stranger

Here is an excerpt from one of my short stories, “Dancing with a stranger” in my book ‘Emotional Reflections.”

An excerpt from my short stories collection “Emotional Reflections”

Did you like reading so far? If yes, how about reading the entire book? Hurry before the story vanishes from your mind. Order from Amazon. Use these links.

India: Amazon.in: https://www.amazon.in/Emotional-Reflections-Jasbir-Chatterjee-ebook/dp/B092FPFQ18/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?crid=3S6P6QWNDCAX4&keywords=emotional+reflections+book&qid=1645451522&sprefix=emotional+reflections+boo%2Caps%2C466&sr=8-5

Other countries: Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/Emotional-Reflections-Jasbir-Chatterjee-ebook/dp/B092FPFQ18/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=3VWZ2DPS7Y9V7&keywords=emotional+reflections+book+jasbir&qid=1645451836&sprefix=emotional+reflections+book+jasbir%2Caps%2C644&sr=8-1

Kacha Badam Kaku (Raw Peanuts Uncle)

Bhuvan Badyakar (Kacha Badam Kaku)

Bhuvan Badyakar, a poor, semi-literate peanuts seller from West Bengal, India is now a global star. Just imagine that! The power of the internet! Watch him singing here. https://youtu.be/GsyAEnC0zp8

Day in and day out, he had been singing aloud his self-composed Kacha Badam song to attract customers. He never gave much thought to it. One of his customers liked it so much that he made a video and shared it on the internet. Today, it’s an international hit! Everyone is grooving to it and posting their videos and reels. Here is a link to one of them. https://youtu.be/Mtk17Vea62g

Many singers and musicians have even created remixes of this song.

You might wonder why you like the song so much. Well, Bhuvan’s voice has a matchless melody and rhythm that needs no music. It has a natural earthy quality and rustic charm that somehow endear everyone.

The sad part of all this is that it is not one of those rags-to-riches stories. His fame and creativity have not translated into money; what he needs the most; the main reason behind his making up that song.

Though he has received many honors on various platforms for his song, he remains poor. He is still that Kacha Badam Kaku, selling raw peanuts from his old wooden cart and living in a fragile hut.

When he was a child, he used to dream about becoming a Baul singer. But everything changed after he grew up. But God sees everything, I think, and gives everyone the chance to shine. It’s just a matter of time.

Best of luck, Bhuvan!

18 February 2022: Here is some good news. https://www.indiatoday.in/trending-news/story/kacha-badam-singer-bhuban-badyakar-receives-rs-3-lakh-from-music-company-for-his-viral-song-1914483-2022-02-17

But a lot of people say that an amount of Rs.3 lakhs is just peanuts; not in proportion to the impact his song has made. Bhuvan is a simple man after all, and the world of showbiz is cruel. May God protect him from harm.

Spring 2022, Delhi

Spring is back in Delhi now. Black clouds and unbearable winter chill are all gone. The sky is blue and the breeze that blows feels soft and soothing on the skin.

While walking by on my way to work a few days ago in February 2022, I came across this female dog with a strange, thoughtful expression on her face. I just couldn’t stop myself from clicking her pic. The most amazing thing was that she didn’t get ruffled and remained where she was.

Like her, I also brood a lot these days; whenever I get the time. Thoughts of my Dad who passed away last month, all those wonderful things he did during his lifetime keep coming back. My eyes become moist and I feel a lump in my throat. With strong will-power and determination, I pull myself back to where I need to be.

I wonder what the dog was thinking about.