An Indecisive Indian

Election results are expected in less than a week, heralding the arrival of a new government. While speculation and mixed chatter abound, there is a prevailing sense of the inevitability that the current government is likely to retain power, albeit with a reduced majority. I do not have an ear to the ground but regardless, a new government will mean a new railway minister. If the current government is re-elected, will there be a change in the minister for Indian Railways? Rumors suggest that the present minister might be promoted to an even more significant role. We wait and watch with interest.   Before the new railway minister takes office, let us briefly review the successes and failures of the current administration. I will focus on presenting the facts without delving into their implications. Although I usually offer constructive criticism and even face troll and backlash, this time I will simply lay out the facts for readers to form their own opinions.   Let us ...

  I am a railway engineer by trade. I love poetry. Without any pretentions of being a connoisseur, not your typical topied ( donning the Indian head-dress ) or top-hat-wearing scholar by miles. No charade here—just an ordinary soul head over heels for Urdu and English poetry, especially the masters, Ghālib and Shakespeare, the rockstars of verses.   My expertise in poetry? Let us say it hovers around the "enthusiastic amateur" level. No formal education beyond Pre-University level in any form of literature. But hey, I do not just read their poetry; I feel it with all my heart. Equaling or excelling me in this love affair with verses is great legion of folks sailing in the same boat. We adore these poets without needing a degree in "Appreciating Poetry A to Z". Scholars, bless them, dissect lines while we  vibe to the rhythm.   Why Shakespeare and Ghālib? My journey into the realms of their genius began under the guidance of a remarkable teacher, Late HL Dut...

  Ah, the ever so fragrant journey of train travel in India! It is a unique experience, isn't it? Indian Railways (IR), in their gallant attempt to curb the olfactory assault of train toilets, has employed various methods over the years. bio-tanks, modular toilets, vacuum evacuation,  auto-essensers and even bum showers—sorry, health faucets/jet cleaners. When it comes to addressing some of the age-old problems, they have really thrown the kitchen sink at them. In a phased manner, they fitted bio-tanks in all their coaches, putting a stop to dumping all the toilet waste on the track. Never mind that it took the Supreme Court’s gavel to get them moving. IR’s detractors call other measures listed above half-hearted, and even their on-board housekeeping service is inefficient, leaving the toilets stinking to the seventh heaven. It is a veritable odyssey of odors! But have these efforts made train toilets cleaner and less odorous? Well, according to some of my graceful and more ...

Sudhanshu Mani Indian Railways (IR) was once a glorious marvel of professional excellence. Ok, not quite!! While it never had a 'spotless reputation’ , it certainly has ‘ seen better days’ . Now, it seems to have degenerated into a Shakespearean comedy, brimming with twists, turns, and a cast of characters that make the bard's works pale in comparison.   A bit of a background first. IR’s daily escapades can make your ‘hair stand on end’ . From overcrowded trains, surprise platform changes to last-minute train rerouting, passengers are often left with ‘bated breath’ , wondering where they would end up next. ‘All of a sudden’ , the loud whistle blows, and the train lurches forward, leaving those who had hoped to ‘sleep one wink’ out of luck. It’s enough to make even the most seasoned traveller cry out, "For goodness’ sake, what’s next?"   The journey on IR is truly an adventure leading you ‘up and down’ . One minute, you're chatting with your seatmate and t...

  Sprinkle Some Ghālib Magic: Elevate Your Eloquence Much like the bard whose influence on the English language resonates through phrases, idioms, and words created by him, Ghālib's impact is profound, albeit not easily discernible. Ghālib pioneered an entire genre of poetry and a distinctive prose style, yet attributing the invention of idioms and phrases directly to him proves challenging. Undeniably, in the early phases of his poetic journey, his writing style remained enigmatic to many. Reflecting on his own craft, he would express it by saying:   Mushkil hai zabas kalaam mera ai dil sun sun ke use sukhanwaraan-e-kaamil Aasāñ kahne kī karte haiñ farmāyish goyam mushkil vagarna goyam mushkil   ( zabas: plentiful, a lot, sukhanwaraan-e-kaamil: complete, perfect poets, farmāyish: request, goyam mushkil vagarna goyam mushkil: saying it is difficult but not saying is also difficult.   O heart, my creations are indeed not very easy to comprehend. When ...