Stray Thoughts

E very evening we go for a 4 km walk. It is not only our daily quota of 'wellbeing' but also our opportunity to see our neighbours and exchange a nod and the briefest pleasantries. This is much more than what happened in Delhi where we also took a morning constitutional since the lockdown started but passed our neighbours without any acknowledgement. One evening a month or so back we met a short elderly lady who had just climbed up the hill and had stopped to catch her breath. After the nod of greeting and exchange of 'namaskars', she asked who we were and we showed her our house. She was able to place us now and shared where her house was and who her son's were. And then she reached into her bag and have us two apples. Meetha hai she said and gathering her small jhola walked off purposefully in the opposite direction. Since then we have met her a few more times, and exchanged nods.  Last week I was a little late in getting out for evening walk, and met up with her

How many of us recall the significance of the 11 th of July? I am sure many do not. It was not many years ago that this day was celebrated with mini-marathons, speeches by Health Ministers and sometimes by Chief Ministers or even Prime Minister. This was one day I have been called for a TV panel discussion more than once. Having deftly put myself into the frame let me now take the cat out of the bag. Yes, for those who guessed correctly, 11 th of July is World Population Day. A day when doomsday predictions of how rapidly India’s population is growing is reinforced along with the seemingly inconsolable fact that the day is nigh when our population will storm past that of China.  It is another national obsession with the Chinese dragon that we simply cannot get out of our head. Most educated Indians seem convinced that China has got their ‘population’ problem sorted while we Indians got it all wrong. Many admire the ‘one-child policy’ that China adopted in the 1970’s and see that as s

Who killed Father Stan, tell me if you can An old and frail man. Not I said the doctor, we did our best Gave all the drugs did all the tests. We did the best that we can We didn't kill Father Stan. He was old and he was frail. We spread the news even when in jail. The Media said we are in shock You just can't put us in the dock Not us, we don't make the rules, Activism - that's for fools! We follow orders from our boss Said the Policeman sounding cross Not I said the learned Judge From the law I do not budge. It’s the same for all in this land That has always been my stand Who killed Father Stan? I asked the man In his office in North Block Isn't it you who take stock? He thundered and he shook, Such questions I do not brook. We need a strong hand To run this holy land. He was in jail wasn't he? Must have done something don't you see? Do you really know this man Who you all call Father Stan? Coming out into the street. Sought out som