Surrendering Innocence

When I read the story behind this photograph of a Syrian child refugee by Turkish photojournalist, Osman Sağırlı, I too was moved like a million others who shared and reposted this picture over the last week since it first appeared online. Hands raised in show of surrender and a fear so apparent in large luminous eyes, one can only imagine the trauma of a child in a war-torn region. Even in a refugee camp, a place considered safe for war victims and the displaced, the threat of attack is a subconscious reality.

The photojournalist was visiting a Syrian refugee camp where he pointed his telephoto lens to a child to take a picture when she, Atmeh, instantly lifted her tiny arms high above her head, perceiving the object to be a weapon. The act of surrender is bitterly synonymous to the surrender of innocence. I, myself have been a refugee, making it to my first birthday before the invasion of my birth country, Kuwait by Iraq. While I cannot remember anything from the events when my family abandoned our home in Kuwait and made it safely out of the country with the help of the Red Cross, I still reckon it to be, the most terrifying episode in my life yet.

We all know that war disrupts the lives of so many, who have lost, lived and hope to start afresh. Yet the scars remain and for all its worth, we still find ourselves moving towards more wars and destruction. Our leaders live out their fantasies of power and wage wars in the name of this very power.

My Bluntkut: A fool with power is like a gun without a safety on.

Yes Bank International Polo Cup- ARC Mumbai vs Argentina

The Yes Bank International Polo Cup between India’s Amateur Riders’ Club (ARC) and Argentina returned for its fourth summer of horsemanship and equestrian gala at the sprawling Mahalaxmi Race Course last Saturday. The event was organized in association with the Consulate General and Promotion Centre of the Argentine Republic, in Mumbai.

Despite the sweltering heat, polo aficionados, diplomats, businessmen and the city’s socialites flocked to the stands donning decorative headgear, colourful ensembles dapper jackets and the all-essential shades. Consul General of Argentina Tomas Ferrari and his wife delivered sartorial elegance in pinstripes and slate grey. In the list of special guests was Dr. Indu Shahani, CEO of Yes Bank, Dr. Rana Kapoor’s wife, Bindu Kapoor and daughters Radha Kapoor and Roshini Kapoor; and Bollywood actor Poonam Dhillon.

L to R: Dr. Indu Shahani, CEO of Yes Bank, Dr. Rana Kapoor’s daughters Radha Kapoor and Roshini Kapoor  and wife, Bindu Kapoor; Bollywood actor Poonam Dhillon and Interior Designer Nisha Jamvwal

Among those others who also attended the polo match were Ajay Piramal, Chairman of the Piramal Group with his wife Swati Piramal, Bollywood actor Rahul Dev, Trustee Prithvi Theater, Kunal Kapoor, British singer Sofia Hayat, Interior Designer Nisha Jamvwal and anchor of the evening Rochelle Rao.

Ajay Piramal with wife Swati Piramal

The match was met by packed stands and the players regaled its spectators with an action-packed game. ARC’s three-year consecutive win against Argentina failed to reroute our allegiance to the Argentine players and we cheered away between regular hand-fanning and punctuated applause. In the audience, kids sported argentine jerseys and waved blue and white flags through the vigorous galloping, gallant goals and rising dust and mallets. Mounted on new polo ponies (a mentionable fact, if I may), the Argentine players gave a tough fight, albeit only to be beaten by their Indian counterparts by a single point.

The prize distribution ceremony that followed saw Raj Shroff, President of ARC, Consul General Tomas Ferrari and Bindu Kapoor felicitate the teams for their sportsmanship and awarded the wining team with the Polo Cup.

Argentina is a reigning Olympic champion in this equestrian sport and their lands are naturally blessed with expansive estancias and the best endurance horse breed, the Criollos. Argentine polo players are known to be one of the finest players in the sport world over and we can only hope that next year the Argentines take the cup home.

As the sun set on the fields, everyone gathered under the marquee for rounds of cocktails and appetizers while the Bombay Chambers Orchestra enthralled its audience with all time classics and invigorating instrumental music.

Bombay Chambers Orchestra performing at Yes Bank International Polo Cup

Seated at the tables we let the music takeover and shared happy smiles to an evening well spent.



Hasta La Vista !

The Shoe-pedia

Into these Slip knot, for you know you’ll never let go,
One more pair to add to that shoe empire,
Prada, Gucci, Burberry, high fashion galore.
On the hunt for Lita-da-das but Oxfords can have me,
All of 8 feet, Still-o’-toes are a mood lifter,
But when heels beg for mercy, its ballerinas only.
Court shoes, peep-toes, Mary Jane stamp all over my toes,
I don’t mind it when it’s another Monday
But gladly on gladiators in my khaki shorts going boho!
Meet the brotherhood in brogues with briefcases a-hurrying,
Men in Black oxfords know ‘em
So take kindly to Clarks and lace-up with derby.
Stick by Dr. Marten’s rules while on parole,
A morning jog in Reebok style,
Remembering college days with Converse and Plimsole.
So Puss in boots was notorious, wild and witty,
The Rodeo boys in Cowboy boots were no match.
All salute to he who left a legacy in all leather honesty
It costs a pretty penny; Louboutins and Jimmy Choo
But if the shoe fits, take it!
And die a happy old woman who lives in her shoe!

When in Ireland

This is a reel of my Irish fetish playing out. Ireland is not only about bagpipes, tartan prints and men in kilts. Not that I know a great deal about the Irish culture but I do know I’ll get along quite well with the Gilbeys of Ireland just as well as I get along with their Baileys Irish Cream. Ireland can make for an exciting mise-en-scène for romantic comedies and heroic tales. Below are three of my favorite movies set in Ireland or that were partly shot in Ireland.

P.S. I Love You (2007)

‘P.S. I love you’ is a heart-warming tale of love and loss that has the story-line, the ridiculously-charming Gerard butler and beautiful Ireland. Hilary swank starts receiving posthumous letters from her deceased husband, Gerard butler and each of these ends with the phrase ‘P.S. I love you’ that ultimately leads her out of her grief–ridden state. It is a heady love story and it almost challenges you to hunt for a sweeter, more earnest way to tell someone how much you love them. Cecelia Ahem used a mere ‘P.S.’(postscript) to do this and we go to lengths with heart shaped trinkets, chocolates and grand declarations.

“Sometimes there is only one thing left to say, P. S. I Love You....”
― Cecelia Ahem, P.S. I love You.

Made of Honor (2008)

I’ll say Patrick Dempsey has come a long way from being second best in my all time favourite romantic comedy ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ to finally bagging the grand prize with Michelle Monagham in ‘Made of Honor’ and that too against a wealthy, majestic Scot. Ironically, in ‘Made of Honor’, it is Kevin Mckidd who plays a ‘Sweet Home Alabama’-styled-Patrick who gets dumped at the altar. The movie is swell with rich Irish tradition of the Highland games, the bachelorette-kiss-for-change and heightened festivities, making it an endearing chick flick.

Leap Year (2010)

Starring Amy Adams and Mathew Goode (Oh Goodie!), ‘Leap year’ is a honey-toned dreamy love story that makes you want to knock Amy off the cliff and teleport yourself into the scene(sorry but you can’t help but fall in love with Mr. Goodie through each of those 100 ticking minutes). Girls let’s just console ourselves because I think I know why Amy Adams was chosen for the part; an Irish ditty goes like this “Heigh for the apple and ho! for the pear. But give me the girl with the pretty red hair.” She fit the ball. While ‘Leap Year’ doesn’t have all the Highland drama it does have its bit of comic grain and even though it is yet another predictable romantic film, I guarantee you would watch it all the way to Dublin and back.

P.S. Girls, you have a lot of time before the next leap year(2016), so find an Irish lad of choice and leave him without a choice!

Dear Fellow Pedestrian,

I confess. I swore for the nth time as a speeding car missed me by an inch, its rear view mirror oblivious to my shock as I stood in a cloud of dust. I still had an entire stretch to cover (sin footpath) before I made it to the bus stand, an entirely dug-up stretch, paver-block-strewn and trenched for cabling.

I am sure this is the state of most roads in the city as utilities like MTNL, Mahanagar Gas and mobile companies rush to lay cables and pipes between November and June, a period permitted by BMC for roadwork. It is appalling how newly repaired roads and footpaths are haplessly drilled and dug in peeving patchworks, making an utter mockery of us taxpayers. Holding the BMC responsible for our namesake footpaths and bad roads is somehow pointless. In fact, only a few days ago the BMC passed a new rule hiking the cost of random and frequent roadwork on newly constructed roads, four times the regular cost. As per the new trenching guidelines. , restoration of dugout roads will have to be completed within seven days following trenching activity. How do you check? Well, technically the contractors have to put up a board stating duration of construction work (which is never done). Utility agencies undertaking trenching of newly constructed roads will have to shell out four times the amount, costs of which will reduce on subsequent ageing of the road. The BMC will also make available its own plans for construction work and encourage utilities to time their projects accordingly to avoid rampant digging.

Moreover, utility agencies often do a shoddy job of filling up and leveling. It is then the daily commuter who has to pay the price of ankle sprains, knee injuries and sometime even with their life. While roadwork is unavoidable, there needs to be a check on the time taken to complete the job because the delay is enough to maintain that dust allergy and cold. I flinch even at the thought of our elderly folk undertaking suicide walks to the vegetable vendor or the grocery shop across the road. Speaking of our vegetable vendor who has saved us a walk to the market and our valuable time by occupying the only footpath across the road, I feel like a hypocrite. We dutifully smile at him and call him ‘kaka’ in exchange for the carrots mum needs to prepare the halwa.

Infact, to tackle the problem of hawkers and beggars claiming portions of the walkway and streets, the BMC has even narrowed footpaths, yet you find yourself dodging, hopping and alternating routes. Sometimes I wonder if we can even afford to have a walkway. The roads are so narrow and with cars parking at will along the sides, it is as good as a honking orchestra. The plight of the pedestrian has been ignored for so long that we have stopped caring, haven’t we? But, don't stop caring! Don't lose hope!



Mybluntkut: Through this post, I wish to bring to light the measures undertaken by the BMC for a better future and keep even the slightest ray of hope alive.

Charlie vs Them

I am not a cartoonist but I have this amazing sketch app on my phone; had a good seat in the train today and the disposition of a raging bull. The result was the Joker’s take on the Charlie Hebdo terror attack in France. “Why so Serious?”- Islam was targeted by Charlie’s satirical cartoonists as much as any other religion; equally made to endure its time on the laughter pulpit. Rewarding anti-religious actions with violence is merely a mockery of your own faith and its tenets. In Islam, Prophet Mohammed was a man, not God, and the Muslims fear that portraying him would convey a wrong message and even offend God because Idol worship is wrong, far worse if the idol is but man-flesh and blood. Was this a good enough reason to storm the gates and take lives?


Now the world stands together, mouthing ‘Je Suis Charlie’ and they are not afraid. We are slowly moving into an impending Religious War and it might just be - Charlie vs Islamic Extremists. I bet the Joker has not seen insanity yet!

My Bluntkut: Religion was made for the good of mankind but if it fails to serve the purpose it was created for then reverence is a farce and prayers, blasphemy!

Minority Report

I practice the minority religion-Christianity! That said, I am also a citizen of a south-Asian peninsular landmass called India, besides also being human. Of course religion matters, it is our life’s saving grace. What it shouldn’t be made to look like is a political party’s best game-face. In the recent elections that brought PM Modi to power, we voted as one nation for a better future and not for the better religion. Then why must a movie like PK (2014) stir such rage? If the same energy lost to vandalism was used more constructively for quicker development and good governance, imagine our progress. But here we are, making headlines with a controversial India-Pakistan (hindu-muslim) kiss. PK gives us an outlander’s perspective on our leanings, beliefs and mannerisms, which has its own comic twist.



My Bluntkut- PK is an eye-opener and we ought to cherish out diversity and be proud of secular India!

Welcome

Besides the fact that I now don an ‘Anna Wintour-minus-the-fringe’ haircut, Bluntkut is my wingman through digital space. I decided to start blogging and chose today, the first of another 365 days because it holds a certain promise for many of us; even the air is dense with hopes, resolutions, dreams and decisiveness. Through this blog, I wish to entertain, voice out and express my deepest thoughts about that which makes headlines; my newest finds; and even that which catches my groggy fashion eye. I pray I make good work of this and of course carpe diem...