Has O-India Ry been involved with Tax Fraud?

Annikki and I are not members of O-India Ry as we terminated our membership with immediate effect when we witnessed criminal behaviour towards us by Board Members of the Association. 

Just a few days ago, after the visit of our friend Shashank Subramanyam to Oulu, which we did not attend, we were sent a copy of the accounts of the performance by some friend as he wanted our comments. 

The accounts appear to have been circulated to the Association members.

These accounts make hilarious reading!

How can an Association give a grant to itself? 😂

If that was the extent of the problem, that could be passed off as just ignorance.

There is a more serious problem with these accounts.

Tickets were sold for this performance, directly and through the ticket sales service.  

When any tickets are sold in Finland for a public performance, there is an important aspect that value added tax (ALV) has to be collected and remitted to the tax authorities. 

Withholding of such tax is tax fraud.

Where is this liability shown in these accounts?

Additionally, when an entertainer performs in Finland and is paid a remuneration, income tax has to be deducted and remitted to the tax authorities. 

Why is this liability not shown in the accounts?

This can also be a case of  tax  fraud!

Recently, one prominent O-India Ry member posted a Facebook post which is very interesting!

Certainly, we too would wish this, but luckily being pensioners, we have paid our taxes while working and are thus enjoying the benefits of having paid our taxes in full, and quite in excess of what we paid!

In May 1988, the Indian Ambassador HE  K. P. Fabian called me and said that a well known Kathak dancer would be visiting Finland. He asked whether would I be interested in organising a performance in Oulu. 

As we already had a performance by Daksha Seth organised by Martti Antila,  a well known photographer in Oulu, the previous year and the Oulu City Hall was packed to the brim with an appreciative audience, I said I would take on the challenge.

The first problem was to get a suitable auditorium. As the City programme for the year had already been finalised, no regular auditorium was available. 

I looked around and found that if we did some adjustments, the main lecture hall L1 in Oulu University could be used. It had a capacity of around 500 - 600 seats.

Annikki and I set about the task of meeting all the right people and organising the budget. 

With the cooperation of all the appropriate people we decided that we would not charge any entrance fee, because of the tax implications, and as we felt we could underwrite the expenses as the lecture room was free for me and I could get the appropriate sound system from my local friends in the business. Also I got three furnished guest room apartments in the University for them to stay.

Shovana Narayan and her troupe of 5, including her singer sister, Ranjana Narayan, a Supreme Court Advocate, arrived in Oulu. I made sure they met all the important people of Oulu when they arrived.

Shovana Narayan

Shovana Narayan is one of the outstanding classical dancers of India. For her incomparable contribution to the Kathak style of classical dance, she has been decorated with several awards, including Government of India's coveted Padmashri and Sangeet Natak Akademi awards. She has bestowed Kathak with dignity and enriched it with a deeper and wider canvas of expression and dimensions. She is at once, an explorer, a performer, a choreographer and an artiste par excellence, with values and a cause. The explorer and researcher within her have seen her author six books on Indian dance, which bespeak of intensity, depth and gravity. She has also worked closely with nationally and internationally acclaimed Indian and western dancers and musicians from various streams of art. Shovana's palette contains other media, including films and operas as well as being a dedicated guru whose disciples are creating their niche in the world of Kathak that once again bears testimony to the intensive training being imparted by her. She is also a senior serving civil servant belonging to the Indian Audits and Accounts Service (1976 batch). Married to Dr. Herbert Traxl, Austrian Ambassador, the two have a son, Erwin Ishan Traxl. Her younger sister, Ranjana Narayan, is a lawyer and a classical singer. Other books by the author: ˜Kathak: Rhythmics Echoes and Reflectioin- (Roly Publication); ˜Dance Legacy of Patliputra' (Publications Division, govt. of India); ˜Indian Theatre and Dance Traditions" (Harman Publications); ˜Performing Arts: A Policy Perspective" (Kanishka Publications); "Kathak" "A Handbook (Wisdom Tree Publication); "Indian Classical Dance" "A Handbook (Sterling Publication).

That paid dividends as the auditorium was full, as Finns turned up for the performance. 

We were even able to have the University restaurant open during the intermission. We had a children’s play area for those who came with small children. We had a Red Cross facility on hand for any emergency.

Shovana performing with Rev. Patrick Dickson 

during the performance.

Shovana’s troupe.

Shovana’s accompanists

(All above photographs by Jacob Matthan.)

Picture from Kaleva newspaper reporting on 

Shovana Narayan’s performance.

Report from Kaleva which covered 

Shovana Narayan’s performance.

The whole event was a success. It was duly reported by Kaleva. 

Although the costs were minimal, we had important sponsorships in kind for the group, as we were not an official organisation, but whomsoever we asked put their hands out, generously, to help us. 

Our Finnish friends took care of all the formalities so we stayed within Finnish law!

Four years of groundwork by Annikki and me amongst the community had paid off. 

From there onwards, whatever we arranged were successful events, always involving the whole of Oulu, which at that time covered just under 100000 people. 

Every ethnic community joined us in making this and all other events successful, fostering the multicultural  attitude we were promoting. 

And remember, at that time the only Indians in Oulu were my two children, aged 17 and 15, and myself!

That comfortable situation prevailed for many years as no one was seeking glory. We were all working for our communities to be integrated into Oulu society.

The performance of our friend and international superstar, Shashank Subramanyam, in August 2011 was to a packed audience in Valve in the Oulu City Centre, where the hall of 175 was filled with even people standing at the doorway to hear him play.

Shashank Subramanyam 

Shashank Subramanyam (born October 14, 1978) is an accomplished flutist from India, specializing in Indian classical music. Having displayed exceptional musical talent from a young age, Shashank began performing at the age of 6 in 1984 and has continued to showcase his artistry for over three decades.

In recognition of his contributions to the arts, the Government of France honored him with the prestigious title of Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres for the year 2022.

Shashank is also noteworthy for being the youngest recipient of the Government of India's Sangeet Natak Akademi's senior award for the year 2017, and bestowed by the President of India at an investiture ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.

We had active participation from not only O-India Google Group (not O-India Ry, which did not exist then) participants and wonderful suggestions from the local Indians to make the event appeal to the Finnish audience.

Yrjö Mikkonen (from the Finnish music academy) and his wife, Shahnaz (Head of the organisation looking after migrants to Oulu), made sure that all the technical and organisational arrangements were perfect.

Oulu City officials cooperated with us fully as they realised an international superstar had agreed to come to Oulu. 

We even had the cooperation of the airline to ensure everything was perfect with no cost to our small community. 

And the cooperation of our Indian Embassy was of paramount importance, although we did not request any financial assistance as we were not a registered society at that time.

We were all working for one goal to ensure that we had a perfect performance in Oulu. 

No one was working to further himself or herself. 

We had an Organising Committee headed by a Finn and composed primarily of Finns, those mainly in the Oulu music business. We had the cooperation of all the media, print and radio,.

The success of the event was evident.

After that, the series of problems with my health from 2014 onwards caused Annikki and me to quietly withdraw from the organisational  scene, but we continued to take part and help  the organisers to conduct successful events.

But things changed!

In our post “Why we terminated our membership to O-India Ry" speaks for itself.

 

The doom we predicted has hit the Indian Community of Oulu faster than we thought, and it has been brought on by itself. 

It was decided to bring Shashank Subramanyam again to perform in Oulu. 

As we did not want to associate with O-India Ry, we opted out of taking part in the event and informed Shashank the reasons, so our absence would not be misunderstood by our friend!

After pressurising every Indian in Oulu, night and day, less than 100 Indians (out of 500) turned up for the Shashank performance. The auditorium was less than a quarter full.

And out of 180000 Finns in the Oulu region, not even 30 turned out for this show!

There was utter confusion in ticket pricing (Euro 21, 23 and 28?), and also who could or could not attend. 

Finns are cost conscious and not fools. They know when one is being cheated! 

And advertising in Flea Markets and in Oulu University showed total absence of sanity in the organisers. 

People who go to Flea Markets go to save money! 

Two Indian Oulu University students who visited us told us that they could eat pizzas for three days for that amount of money!

The poster they produced for the event was fine but how many Finns know the meaning of Raaga Murali? 

Is it a common term as Classical, Hip Hop, Jazz, Pop, Rap or Rock?

This was a true case of the blind leading the blind!

Such an event flop may have destroyed all the good work that has been put in for 40 years to get our Indian Community appreciated in Oulu. 

Did Kaleva or any media even cover this event, (pre- or post) of an international artist.

Shashank, an international superstar,  performed to an empty hall. 

I was told that the sound equipment was sub-standard or the people handling it were not able to understand the demands of this type of music.

Who takes the blame for such shambles?

Anyone of O-India Ry willing to stand up?

We noted that some were patting their own backs on social media trying to avoid telling the world the truth and what a mess they had made of this event!

These people have been ready to take glory for someone else's work but when it came to failure, everyone is running the 100 metres backwards at twice Usain Bolt's record.

In our case the behaviour of O-India Ry was criminal by the Board Members of O-India Ry. That made Annikki and me to take the drastic step of terminating our membership with immediate effect.

In the case of the Shashank performance, 

O-India Ry appears to have gone a step further in possibly committing tax fraud in Oulu.

Is worse still to come?

Was it prudent on Annikki and my part 

to distance ourself from O-India Ry?

Remembering our loved ones

 Dateline 28th November 2023

(Posted on Jacob's Blog, Seventh Heaven Blog for Cathedralites and Kooler Talk (Web Version) Blog for St. Stephen's College alumni.

Cathedral & John Connon School 59ers have lost many of our ones in the last few years. 

Here is a partial list of those from our 2969class who have passed on. 

(I do not have any information about our lady classmates except dear Farhana. I hope someone will update me on this.)

Ashok Ruia

Bala Parasursman

Dossu Pagdiwalla

Fali Dhondy

Farhana (Kably) Poonawala

Farukh Kanga

Flicky Shroff

Hasnain Chinwala

Indrajit Shah

Jacob Eapen 

Jack Haskell

 Jaswant Ghatge

Kurshed Balsata

Michael Colaco

Murali Balani

Naubir Mohindar

Pradeep Bhakar

Prem Goel

Ramesh Mirchandani

Virat Gidwani

Trevor Newnes

I have deliberately left out from this list, one of our dearest, who was tragically lost  15 years ago, Ashok Kapur.

59erGolden Reunion Directory

Our Mumbai 59ers met as a memoriam to Ashok

At our 2009 Golden  Reunion of 59ers,  Annikki and I dedicated our Reunion Directory to Ashok with these pages:

But besides Ashok, we lost many others during those fateful days, which has been brought to mind by Rajiv Bhatia on his Facebook page.

26/11

Remembering the late - Ajit & Monica Chhabria, Sunil & Reshma Parikh, Sanjay & Rita Agarwal, Rohinton Maloo, Mohit Harjani, Lavina Harjani, Anand Bhatt, Pankaj Shah, Vishnidas-Nilam-Gunjan Narang, Neeti-Uday-Samar-Kang, Rupinder Randhawa, Ashok Kamte, Hemant Karkare, Vijay Salaskar, Tukaram Omble

I also remember one of my other alumni from St. Stephen’s College with this post from our alumni Facebook page. 

None other than the heroic Ashok Kamte:

Ashish Joshi , the Moderator of our alumni Facebook   page posted this.

LEST WE FORGET

This is what my friend & college senior, Gary (Justice Anupinder Grewal), wrote in the memory of late Ashok Kamte (Gary's batchmate) a brilliant police officer who attained martyrdom on 26/11. Late Kamte was a friend & one year senior to me in the College .

ASHOK KAMTE

I have been attending the annual St. Stephen's College, Reunion very frequently ever since I passed out of college in 1987. However, this year on 14th December, it was drastically different as it turned into memorial service for Ashok Kamte and I was entrusted the painful task of paying tribute to Ashok. 

It was a tragic personal loss as besides being my classmate in college and a friend, I had the privilege of living with Ashok and his family at his mother’s Flat in Hira Mahal on the Amrita Shergill Marg for about year while studying law. 

Ashok had joined us at St. Stephen's College for his Post Graduation after he had Graduated from St. Xavier’s College, Bombay. What stood him apart from the rest of the Stephanians was the enormity of his physical stature, which alongwith his quest for academic excellence was a rather unique combination. What surprised many was why is the National Power Lifting Champion pursuing Post Graduation at St. Stephen's. There is no preference for sports persons for admission in M.A. Little did they realize then that Ashok always strove for excellence, whether in the classroom or the playing field. He had single minded commitment to succeed. He was very happy when he was selected to the I.P.S. He used to say that he was meant for action and disliked other civil services for their bureaucratic file work.

While training for the Power Lifting Championship, he would not compromise on his diet. As his mother would not allow him to have more than two eggs, due to its high cholesterol content he would buy a dozen eggs from the market, cook and eat them at his neighbour's house. He had broken three national records in Power Lifting and won half a dozen Gold and Silver Medals. He had also won the Bronze Medal in Junior World Power Lifting Championship. Power Lifting is one of the toughest sport and Ashok would train for hours in complete solitude. Despite his powerful build, he was extremely agile and could sprint quite fast. Besides his love for swimming and squash he would generate amazing pace and bounce while bowling on the rather placid College Cricket pitch at Morigate. He had played an important role in the victory of our team. 

Ashok was proud of the fact that he had the blood of two Martial Races the Maratha’s and the Sikhs. While his father is a retired Colonel settled in Pune, his grand-father was in the Imperial Police. His mother Mrs. Paramjit Kamte,, who now lives in Gulmohar Park is from the well known Bawa Family of Goindwal Sahib and is grand-daughter of Late Bawa Budh Singh of the Indian Service of Engineers. Bawa Budh Singh was the 14th descendent of the Third Sikh Guru, Guru Amar Dass. When I called on Mrs. Kamte, she said that though she is proud of the fact that Ashok has become a National Hero yet at times she cannot comprehend that he is no more. He was the only male member in the family whom she could look forward in times of need. He had perhaps inherited his very fair features from his maternal grandmother Mrs.Surinder Bawa (maiden name Violet) an English Lady. His sister, Sharmila, a well known model and a ballet dancer, now runs her famous Dance Academy in Dubai. His wife, Vinita, stays at Pune alongwith his sons, Rahul and Arjun. Besides serving the U.N. Force in Bosnia, Ashok had also trained in Punjab for some time. 

Ashok was known for his high integrity and efficiency which was evident in his earlier stints in Maharashtra especially in Solapur, where he had brought an inflammable communal situation under control within a few hours. I had spoken to Ashok sometime back when as Commissioner of Police, Solapur, was in the news for bringing to book the local M.L.A who was flouting the law for noise pollution. Ashok had personally gone and arrested the M.L.A. from his residence at mid-night after the M.L.A. had earlier roughed up police officials. I had asked him whether he had really beaten up the M.L.A. He replied that if he had done so, the man would not have survived as though he no longer competed in power lifting but maintained regular exercise regime. It was his conscientiousness, patriotism and devotion to duty which made him the target of the terrorist attack at Mumbai. He was the Additional Commissioner, (East) and even though the area around the Cama Hospital(South) did not fall within his jurisdiction, he had reached there as he had undergone specialized training to handle terrorism and hostage situation. He would lead from the front and was not the kind to send subordinates to do risky jobs. He lived for others and had a proactive approach. He made the supreme sacrifice and attained martyrdom in the battle field and made his family, friends and the nation proud. "

Anupinder Grewal

Additional Advocate General, Punjab (Now Judge, Punjab High Court)

Let us each keep a moment’s silence, wherever we are, to honour of all our alumni. Founder’s Day for the school was November 14th. That for our college is 7th December. 

May all these dear ones friends 

Rest In Peace.

Nokia Phone to the rescue!

 I have been using the iPhone for over 15 years. 

Old trusted Nokia, where the keyboard has faded!

Before that, like every Finn,had  I was a Nokia phone user. 

There were intervals where I used Jolla and then went back to a Nokia, but came back to the iPhone. 

Part of my collection of mobile phones from 1987: 2 Mobiras, Jolla, iPhone 4, Nokia clam shell, other 2 Nokia antiques, an Häger internet phone.  (My only Samsung was lost in Helsinki and my Nokia 920 was lost at Delhi Airport.)

When my iPhone 4 gave up the ghost, my friends, The Gang of 18 from around the world (Canada, India, Israel, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, UK, USA)  made sure I got an iPhone as a present so I would keep in touch with all my classmates. 

It has been very reliable, till yesterday, when it refused to charge.

I was in a desperate situation, as I have several phones, right  from the original Nokia, when it was called Mobira, but the problem was all of them are in a safe place but I did not know where the charging cables were.

It was a desperate search as without a phone I am dead to the world. With our two daughters,  it is OK as they used FaceTime and we can call each other from my MacBook Air.

The problem was that to even call a taxi to go to the repair shop  is a problem without a phone, as we are both house-bound. 

I found some charging cables and played around till I found the one which matched one of my ancient Nokia phones. I got the phone charged. Then the problem was of getting my micro SIM from the iPhone to fit the Nokia. 

I knew I had a lot of adapters, but when you want one, it is impossible to find it. Annikki’s  grandfather had a saying that when one stops looking for something, it will just come to hand!

I found an old wireless adapter with an old SIM and in its old large holder frame. I fixed my mini SIM to that, and voilà, worked.

I called my taxi service. Annikki and I went right  across town to the K-Citymarket in Rusko, where I knew FONUM has a service centre working on Sinday.

The two youngsters were most helpful. 

While Annikki and I did our shopping they fixed  my iPhone. They found some dirt had got into  the charging port and they cleaned it out.

When we got back, it was working fine.

The charge was to be €25.

I asked them to change my Elisa home network connection to 5G from the present 4G, which was just €2 per month more than my present charge. I also bought a wireless INSMAT wireless charging station. No more dirt likely in the charging port! The boys did not charge me for cleaning the iPhone. I got the charging station for just €4. 

I bought a SIM card for my old trusted Nokia and now that is hanging next to my TV for hopefully another unlikely emergency..

The lesson learnt with this experience is that although I have everything to handle any situation, I have left everything disorganised after my health issues got to the foreground. 

Now is the time to reorganise as I have all these beautiful gadgets, all sitting there and I waste so much time when an emergency arises.

I am on 5G from tomorrow. I hope that will help get my blogs out faster. 

I have some great news for our blog readers as we shall concentrate on a new schedule to help you get to the blog you want to read in a more organised fashion.

I have two new blogs lined up for December and a couple of older focused ones will come back on line, completely refurbished. 

I will give you the calendar schedule shortly.

Here are the list of our blogs:

1. Collectibles By Annikki (Daily)

2. Jacob’s Blog (Weekly)

3. News (Weekly) Findians  Breaking News

4. Maliyakal Family Blog (New) (Weekly)

5. Kandathil Family Blog (New) (Weekly)

6. Seventh Heaven for Cathedralites (Fortnightly)

7. Oulu Best (Worst) Buy (Fortnightly)

8. JM Politics (Fortnightly)

9. Findians (Fortnighly)

10. Findians Editorial (Fortnighly)

11. Findians Briefings (Fortnightly)

12. Kooler Talk (Web Version) (Monthly)

13. Art of Kamutaza's Tembo (Monthly)

14. CHAFF (Chamber for Assistance of Finns and Foreigners) (Monthly)

15. Photographs from Finland and India(Monthly)

16. Last Will and Testament (Monthly)

17. Move The UN (Monthly)

18. Mobile Snowman (Winter)

19. Talk Show Ratings (When news is available!)

Do stay turned for this BREAKING NEWS which we have scheduled for the next Finnish Independence Day on 6th December 2023.

To enjoy a child, be a child!

 

Today, as I care for a person suffering from dementia, I see there is a childlike behaviour that takes place progressively.

The first reaction would have been to become impatient with this behaviour.

But when Annikki was studying for the Montessori course, she could not type, whereas I had a good typing speed. She would wait till I got home. During the day she would research and prepare her notes. After dinner, she would sit by my side and dictate her notes to me. 

That way I was fortunate to have a great teacher without any effort on my part as she got 98%, continuously for 3 years,  for her work.

But what is more important that God saw what lay ahead of me and taught me all that Montessori was all about, preparing me for what lay ahead.

The main thing I learnt from her thesis is that the Montessori philosophy is that the Child is the Fsther of Man,

Now as I care for my loved one, I believe She is the Father and I learn from her day by day, to laugh and be happy, happy just as the children she raised so lovingly over the last 56 years. 

She never even once got angry with them!

 

When today she repeats a story from her past, 20 or 100 times, I listen patiently. 

When she laughs, I ask her what makes her laugh and laugh with her.

I was an impatient person, always wanting to get ahead in life. Annikki has always been a meticulous person and every thing she did, she knew the purpose.

I have tried to become like her. I admire how she tackled my impetuousness and my desire to run before I could walk.

Today I am calm and collected and enjoying her beautiful childlike behaviour.

 When I am away from the room, she will call to ask where I am, just like a child calls for her father. I reply and she understands and is reassured that I am nearby. 

That is all I can do today, reassure her that love is nearby and at her service. 

It is a pleasure for me to know that I am not forgotten but always still in her thoughts!

Just today a friend sent me a note which I reproduce below. Remember, this is a two way street!

 Nagma Khan

To enjoy life like a child you need to have certain other traits of a child. Some of them are listed below: (Please feel free to add more)

• Do NOT hold grudges  - let go off anger and bitterness, they benefit no one and they will harm YOU the most.
• Find happiness in little things - you don't have to be a millionare or you don't have to be the successful person to be the most happiest. A happy person finds happiness even in the most simplest of things. Try and be happy with whatever you have.
• Do not be TOO content - well seemingly I am contradicting the previous point but actually I'm not. Just like a kid finds happiness in certain things but they are never too content, they are always on the move, venturing out to try new things. Similarly in one's life one should always strive to do better each day, learn new things,outperform themselves. As someone put it,

"Learn to be happy with what you have while you work hard towards what you want"

• Never give up - just like a kid, no matter how many times you fall down, no matter how much you get hurt, always have the courage to get up and the faith to go on.
• Learn to trust - one of the most remarkable things about kids I think is the way they can trust their parents, family, etc. That way they will have complete faith that no matter what happens, their loved ones will be there for them. If only all of us can trust our loved ones like that so many problems can be avoided.
•  
  Annikki and her childlike laughter
  
  
  
• Laugh a lot - yes, even at the most stupidest of jokes, even at your own miseries, with your friends or alone, just laugh away. Laughter is an awesome medicine!
• Think positive - look forward to each day just like a child looks forward to an ice-cream treat, accept life as it comes and have a positive outlook, this change of perception works wonders!
• Pray - do it everyday just like kids do, it will give you the scope to reflect on your life and sort out many issues. If you are an athiest then you may try meditation. Cleanse your soul, your mind automatically clears out.
•  

Thank you Nagma Khan for this lesson.

All these points above are the lessons that Annikki taught me 3 decades ago when she was studying her Montessori course.  

Every evening, before we go to bed, Annikki, even in her childlike behaviour, will ask me to tune in on YouTube to a sermon from her church. 

She will listen for an hour to the pastor who talks the language of her heart. Every word is pure gold to her! 

Then I tune to an YouTube channel (a Canadian singer and violinist Rosemary Siemens) which plays soft hymns. There are hundreds of tunes, but even with dementia taking over her life, she can remember every tune, and she can silently aing thetunes she knows. (Music is one of the last traits that vanish in dementia. As a child, Annikki sang all the time, and even today she tells me that when she went to school, in the class breaks, she sang continuously. And she had a beautiful voice.)

As she drifts into sleep every, I slowly dial down the volume. When she enters her deep sleep, I close the singing, knowing that she is at peace with the world.

Unravelling the Mechanics: Indians’ Perspective on International Indicies

 In 2014, when Annikki and I last visited India, Delhi was reported as the most polluted city in the world. In one chapter of our book “The Titanic Called India”, we covered the report published in the international media.

Here is the relevant text two pages from our 2015 book:

Vapi, in Gujarat , was reported in 2013 as being the most polluted location in India!

These are the indicies of various human issues comparing India with Finland in 2022/2014 prepared by reputed institutes and organisations. (See our blog entry about Finland and indicies.)

The cover of our Titanic book was also a reflection of the grave situation facing India. We tried, in an apolitical way, to highlight the enormous problems facing Indians and also how these were all being ignored.

The table below shows the change in some indicies between the period 2014 and 2022. (The Modi period of Indian history.)

Does anyone care?

Annikki and I have no intention to visit India again as it would result in sure death by either one cause or another. 

Even crossing a road in Bngalore is testing fate,

Our children and grandchildren are all over the world  and none are likely to stay in India to risk their lives. They may visit the country to visit relatives and friends, but each visit will be short.

We pray daily for all those trapped in this cycle of self destruction!

No one has any intention of doing anything about this. Their personal politics are more important than the country.

Sardar Patel Statue (The Statue of Unity - Rs. 3000 crores)

The Ayodah Temple (Rs. 18000 crores)

Narendra Modi Stadium (Cost Rs. 800 crores)

New Indian Parliament (Rs. 839 Crores)

And take the cost of Modi's international trips over his first 5 years which was Rs. 254 crores. (Former Prime Minister spent Rs. 642 crores between 2004 and 2013, 9 years.)

And when India was the chair of the G20, Rs. 4100 crores was spent by the country for self-aggradisation.

What appears is important is spending huge amounts of taxpayers money on building statues, temples, stadiums, changing names of parks and cities, foreign trips and hosting conferences. 

The next priority is changing the  name of the country which will cost well over Rs. 12000 crores.

These are all more important than the well being of the Indian people.

And what is said about the tragedies that are plaguing India, taking with it the lives of innocent Indians.

Odisha train tragedy

Manipur burns

Utrakhand tunnel tragedy

Death in Gujarat hooch tragedy

Gujarat Morbi Bridge tragedy

All these tragedies are conveniently quickly forgotten as well as the major issues faced by India, so beautifully captured by my friend cartoonist, agricultural scientist from Bangalore, Bala, (Professor J. Balakrishnan).

Let us remember that 26th November is Constitution Day.

But who cares about the Indian Constitution and the “western” conspiracy against India with all these "false indicies"!

Let us, as Indians, truly believe that India is the 

most secular, educated, free, democratic, healthiest, non-misogynistic, happiest country 

in the world! 

Isn't it?

Ravi Shastri wrong, Harsha Bhogle right!

 Australia walked away today with the ICC World Cup today.

Before the semifinals of the tournament, Harsha Bhogle, India’s No. 1 cricket commentator, made a statement that he thought India had peaked too early. He was shot down quickly by Ravi Shastri.

Today’s final was exactly as Harsha, )and I), had predicted. 

Rohit, Virat and Rahul, played their roles. but Gil, Iyer, Jadeja and Suryakumar were exactly the disappointment that I knew would occur.

I was happy to see that even in a non-traditional cricketing state in India, Kerala, people had turned out to sit under the trees to watch the final, and this was beautifully covered by Manorama TV.

My grandfather, late K. C. Mammen Mappillai, would have been proud that when he translated the very first article I ever wrote, when I was just 9 years old (71 years ago), which he translated to Malayalam and had it published in the newspaper, has now resulted in Sanju Samson hitting the high spot in Indian Men’s Cricket, closely followed by Minnu Mani, in the Ladies game. 

Minnu Mani

Minnu is the first Kerala lady player to play for India  and was the leading wicket taker in the series against Bangladesh.

Coming back to World Cup final, the brave decision to choose to field after winning the toss was credit to Pat Cummins. 

Gil never got going. This was a clear sign  of what lay ahead. Rohit and Virat played their roles well, but Rohit as captain, should have shown some more maturity. 

The absolutely fantastic catch by Travis Head showed that the Australians were not going to roll over. 

The Australians were throwing themselves everywhere, reducing 4s to 2s and ones. 

Fielding was exceptional and as I have said earlier, it is the fielding that wins games.

With Rohit going, closely followed by Iyer, it was becoming clear that India was not going to reach the par score of 300. 

Thi brilliant catch by Travis Hesd to send off Rohit showed the mood of the Australians. They were playing TO WIN.

The procession that followed with the absolutely outstanding team work of the Australians. meant that the Indians could not put a foot in the door.

Restricting the Indians to just 240 meant the Australians did not have a dagger over their heads and they could go about their work with a precision that they are renowned for. 

No heroics were necessary and the confidence shown by Travis Head in his batting, which earned him the Player of the Match Award, was an example of cool composure.

I am sad that India lost, but I concur fully with Harsha Bhogle who said that the Indian side had not been exposed fully and, therefore, they were unprepared for a reversal of fortunes in any game.

I do not blame the Indian bowlers, as the pitch turned in character at the innings break. Even if they could bowl at their best, they were in the sights of clever Australian batting which had sufficient depth not to be rattled by a couple of reversals, exactly the opposite to the under-exposed Indian side.

In my humble opinion, Ravichandran Ashwin, who is one of the most well-read players in Indian history, should have been in this side. Not only would he have been an asset in the batting, he would have read the pitch and adjusted his bowling better than any of his colleagues

You may have on paper the best side in the world! However, knowledge was what was lacking in today's performance by India.

Reflecting on your dietary preferences!

 I found this certificate from 1977.

Annikki won the First Prize in a Bangalore Exhibition cum Cookery Contest on "Wheat, Milk and Milk Products”.

Her entry was a vegetarian cake based on using yoghurt instead of egg. 

It was truly and delicious.

Although we are ”non-vegetarians” this is a very broad term. 

Annikki, on Christian religious grounds, does not eat, pork, prawns, as they are considered, by her religioius sect, as taboo. 

Pigs, crabs, lobsters and prawns are considered as scavengers and, therefore, unhealthy for human consumption. (Other Christians claim that God stated that there is a contrary view in the Bible.)

More clearly the biblical prohibition can be stated as follows;

“ Prohibited foods that may not be consumed in any form include all animals—and the products of animals—that do not chew the cud and do not have cloven hoofs (e.g., pigs and horses); fish without fins and scales; the blood of any animal; shellfish (e.g., clams, oysters, shrimp, crabs) and all other living creatures that ...”

Annikki’s Christian religious order, The Seventh Day Adventists,  are considered among the healthiest people of the world. 

Here are extracts from her book published in 1994  “…for the hour of his judgement is come…” (The Holy Bible Revelations, 14:7).

I eat everything which  I personally do not think disgusting! For instance, rats, snakes, and eels are not very appetising. 

I prefer South Indian Vegetarian cuisine, some of which is common to Kerala, Tamilnadu, Karnataka, Andhra and Telengana.

 

Masala dosai served with sambar and coconut chutney

 

Vada surved with coconut chutney

 Idlis (rice cakes) served with sambar

Non-vegetarian, eggitarian, vegetarian, and vegan. These are four distinct dietary choices that people make based on their personal, religious, cultural, ethical, and health considerations. 

While each category has its own unique characteristics, they all play a significant role in shaping individual lifestyles and the broader food industry.

Non-vegetarian, as the term suggests, refers to individuals who consume meat and animal products as part of their regular diet. This category includes people who enjoy a variety of meats, such as beef, pork, poultry, and seafood. 

Non-vegetarian diets are commonly seen in many cultures around the world, where meat-based dishes form an essential part of their traditional cuisine. 

 

Advocates of non-vegetarian diets often argue that meat provides essential nutrients, such as proteins and essential amino acids, that contribute to muscle growth and overall health. 

 

However, it is important to ensure that the meat consumed is sourced from sustainable and ethical farming practices to minimize environmental impact.

But the word non-vegetarian is stretched by some. Especially in West Bengal in India where they eat fish and call it the “vegetable of the sea”.

My favourite fish dish is the special fried Pearl Spot fish (Malayalam: Karimeen). 

Every time I land in Cochin/Ernakulam, I will go to the Grand Hotel restaurant and order this fish and have my full of it.

When we were little children and came to Cochin by train, we would go to a sea front hotel cum restaurant and order this fish and only then carry on our journey to Kottayam by car.

Here is the recipe  for Masala Pomfret (which is used mored commonly that Pearl Spot fish) from the famous culinary expert of Kerala, the late Mrs. K. M. Mathew.

This is a revised recipe as in the old days her recipe used 9 red chillis, and was one of the two spiciest Kerala dishes, the other being the red chilli curry, usually eaten with steamed tapioca.

 

 

 

It is often thought that India is a vegetarian country. 

 

This map recently published shows this to be false and only 29% of the country are vegetarians.  (Only 3% of the people of Kerala are vegetarians unlike 75% of Gujarathis.)

 

Most eat lamb (mutton), chicken and fish. The majority of Indians do not eat beef as the cow is a religious symbol to some as it provides milk. 

 

It is difficult to understand as the best milk in India comes from the buffalo and not the cow, so why is the buffalo not considered a religious symbol. 

 

But faith is what it is and it should be a personal choice to be respected.

It is also ironical that one of the largest exports from India is beef, and some of the largest exporters are the very people who hold the cow as their religious symbol. 

But such ambiguities exist everywhere in India, which is a patriarchal society which only gives respect to women on paper.

The men in India are the best examples of cowards.  

 

A recent study showed that when it comes to giving human transplants to even close relatives, men will run the 100 metres backwads superfast, under some pretext, and push their womenfolk forward as the donors. 

 

The eggitarian diet is a relatively recent term that emerged to describe a category of individuals who consume eggs but avoid other forms of animal meat. Eggitarians obtain their primary protein and nutrient source from eggs, all while abstaining from meat, poultry, and seafood. 

 

This dietary choice allows individuals to enjoy a range of dishes that incorporate eggs while maintaining a balance between animal protein intake and ethical considerations. 

 

Some eggitarians may choose this diet due to personal taste preferences, religious beliefs, or environmental concerns associated with large-scale livestock farming.

 

Vegetarianism involves the exclusion of meat, poultry, and seafood from one's diet. However, vegetarians still consume products derived from animals, such as dairy and eggs. 

 

This dietary choice encompasses various subcategories, including lacto-vegetarian (consuming dairy but avoiding eggs), ovo-vegetarian (consuming eggs but avoiding dairy), and lacto-ovo vegetarian (consuming both dairy and eggs). 

 

Many vegetarians adopt this lifestyle for a combination of reasons, including animal rights, environmental concerns, and health benefits. Numerous studies have suggested that well-planned vegetarian diets can provide all the necessary nutrients, vitamins, and minerals required for a healthy lifestyle, while also reducing the risk of certain chronic diseases.

 

Many vegetarians will avoid eggs during their religious festivals, such as Pongal and Diwali. 

Recently we were invited to a truly wonderful Gujarathi feast by a couple in Oulu, making one wonder with such and array of great vegetarian dishes all over India, why it is necessary at all to be non-vegetarian.

A super Gujarathi vegetarian meal served to us in Oulu.

Veganism is perhaps the strictest form of plant-based diet and lifestyle, excluding all animal-derived products. Vegans not only avoid meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs but also eliminate dairy, honey, and any other products that have an animal origin or involvement. 

The primary reasons people choose veganism are ethical concerns for animal rights, environmental conservation, and personal health. By abstaining from animal-derived products, vegans aim to improve animal welfare, reduce carbon footprints, and promote a cruelty-free lifestyle. While ensuring proper nutrition on a vegan diet may require more careful planning and supplementation, many vegans assert that their decision brings various health benefits, including lower cholesterol levels, reduced risk of heart disease, and better weight management.

 

Non-vegetarian, eggitarian, vegetarian, and vegan diets represent an array of dietary choices with unique characteristics and motivations. 

Each category reflects personal preferences, cultural backgrounds, ethical beliefs, and health considerations. Understanding and respecting these different dietary choices is crucial as it promotes inclusivity and allows for a more diverse and sustainable food culture. 

One persoanl note is that many faiths also have different forms of fasting. 

Christians fast during theperiod of Lent, between Ash Wednesday and easter, as a memory to te fact that CHrist fasted in the wildrenerss for 40 days when he was repeatedly tempted by Satan.

Christians do not actually fast during that period but give up some of their favourite food and the money saved is given to charity.

The Muslims fast during the period of Ramzan, forom morning to evening, somer not even swalloewing therir own saliva.

Other religions do fasting in relation to the religious festivals associated with them, ands most are also associated with some health issues.

Coming back to Annikki's religious sect, they are not only vegetarian, but also do not consume coffee, tea, alcohol or any harmful drugs.

There is a more radical form of Christianity which believes that God will take care oif everything and do not even go to doctors!

Ultimately, the decision to adopt any particular diet and life style is a deeply personal choice that influences not only individual health but also broader environmental and ethical concerns.