Bombay

Bombay

The official name's now Mumbai, nevertheless, it will always be Bombay to me. Today's post is about a 'What-if' scenario, one I think when I see wonders and horrors of  present Bombay. It is - What if the British retained and leased Bombay in 1947 the way they did in case of Hong Kong?

One thing was for sure, Bombay would have continued the liberal capitalistic outlook fully under the British, amidst the soul drenching, povertarian, socialism unleashed by Nehru after 1947. Just like HK became the oasis of free markets even when China fell into the abyss of communism under Mao, a far greater tragedy then Nehru's socialism. There still remained a beacon of ideals in HK for the Chinese, and Deng later reversed after 1978 the disastrous policies of communism, and advocated market economy. I am sure he had the success of HK and Singapore in mind when he did this reversal.

Even today, it is South Bombay, built by the British, which is the finest in whole of India, in capitalist culture and values. Just look at this magnificent structure to know what Bombay was under the British.

What Indians built in Bombay after the British left that can be even remotely comparable with this structure? Even the so called skyscrapers in Nariman Point are tiny structures as compared to the skyscrapers in other cities.

If British would have retained Bombay, we would not have seen flight of talent, capital and intelligence, and stinking increase in poverty in ways we saw under socialist system. It would have remained a free trade zone, with trade with all major economies, and better use of its natural harbour. Similar to what Singapore became. And, it would have remained largely liberal; it is still liberal but there are still regional chauvinistic fools all around. It would have attracted the best talent pool from India and other parts of world and would have been a world city, which sadly it is not today. It would have better town planning, no rent control acts, and certainly, no slums. And the wonderful opium bars and jazz clubs would have continued. And Bollywood? That may not have happened or happened elsewhere!

Well, if wishes were horses.... Still there is scope of improvement. It should first be separated from any state, the mayor should be given powers more than the CM. It should be declared a free trade zone with separate set of economic laws then rest of India.

Today's listening pleasure - Bach

Very few drops of ocean that is western classical music I have tasted, So, knowledgeable readers kindly excuse me about my understanding, which I have none.

I was zapped by listening to Bach's Air first time I heard..Recently I saw and heard this version on Boston Symphony Orchestra page on FB and it's lovely. Enjoy.

Happy 331st birthday to Johann Sebastian Bach! Here's a clip from Nov. 22, 1966 of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, led by Erich Leinsdorf, performing "Air" from Bach's Orchestral Suite No. 3. (Video credit: BSO, Inc. and WGBH)
Posted by Boston Symphony Orchestra on Monday, March 21, 2016

Agnostic to Atheist

Agnostic to Atheist

As per Hindu customs, before starting any new venture or an event, God is invoked in some manner, the preferred one being Ganpati, the God of wisdom. So, when I begin, or should I say, rebegin this blog after nine years, whom should I invoke? Since I was hardly a believer, maybe in my primary school years, later became agnostic, and now a confirmed (I should believe so) atheist.

I developed this one theory of God during my agnostic years, which I 'ld like to share here..And it's based on algebra! So, here it goes.

Humans, while trying to sustain and thrive using their powers of knowledge building and communication, could not comprehend source of natural phenomena like day/night, rains, wind, and so on. Humans in  different parts of world where civilisation existed, then used algebraic method of assuming the solution as 'X' i.e. 'God' as mentioned in different language. So they declared - Let's assume that this 'X' - 'God' created this phenomena, be it, day/night, rains, wind, earth etc. It became a beginning point of solving equation, now the problem to be solved was - Find out who/which/what is this 'God'. So, some had this assumption for each natural phenomenon or object; there was God of rains, God of wind, God of sun, God of moon, God of mountain. Many societies these Gods became displayed as humans themselves, an anthropomorphic God.

Now, humans are intelligent and a few among them are more intelligent than others. These few folks have tried to solve this equation in two different manner - one using religious ways, other using science. And science folks have been more successful in solving and getting this 'X'. Once you get what creates rain, lo, there is no need of having a God of rains.  But religious folks have believers on their side, so they smartly keep making new assumptions. No God of rains, fine, we will now have God of Creation itself, who has created entire world from scratch. Now, scientists begin to solve this 'X', this God of Creation!

At some point of time, humans forgot that they created this 'X', this assumption of God, and started believing that it's not assumption, but the ultimate truth. And God became omnipotent and most powerful.

I think due to advent of science which permeates our life, and the many questions and assumptions of God which are not required now, it is safe to bury these assumption of God. Once God goes away, so will the evilness in organised religions.