Saying it like it is

A little candour now and again can be a good thing. In diplomacy, it can be like a breath of fresh air. When Hillary Clinton lost her patience at an interaction with Pakistani journalists during her Lahore visit this past week and cut right through the BS to call a spade a spade, I was as pleased as punch.

The diplomatic world's worst-kept secret - that Pakistan harbours terrorists - exploded in the local media's face when U.S. Secretary of State Clinton said: "I find it hard to believe that nobody in your government knows where they (Al-Qaeda operatives) are and couldn't get them if they really wanted to."

Osama bin Laden, his Al-Qaeda network and scores of other terrorist comrades have made the inhospitable mountains along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border their home for close to a decade. The entire world knows this. And it's obvious that this safe haven could not exist without the tacit approval and cooperation of at least some in positions of influence in Pakistan as well as Afghanistan.

But so far world leaders have been walking on eggshells each time they speak of Pakistan's apparent attempt to rein in the forces of terror. They hail Islamabad as a key ally in the war on terror. And they refuse to publicly acknowledge that the Pakistanis have been turning a blind eye to the presence on their soil of men wanted around the world for killing thousands of innocent people.

Finally, the U.S. seems to have dropped the act and is saying it like it is. I don't know if Clinton had President Obama's approval before speaking that harshly, but I feel only good can come of ending an era of mouthing platitudes. "I want to have the kind of relationship where we really are talking honestly about everything between us because there's just too much at stake," Clinton reportedly said in defence of her outburst.

If Clinton really wants to work towards cutting the crap and getting real results, let's wish her the very best.

Soul-salving Sri Lanka

We're back, though we don't want to be. Back to reality, chores and responsibilities after a fabulous week in stunning Sri Lanka. A week when we unwound, switched off and recharged. When cell phones weren't a distraction, when newspapers didn't numb us with frightening facts. It was an idyllic state of disconnect. And the spectacular natural beauty of the place was like a salve for the soul.

A week is far too little time to really experience the Emerald Isle in its entirety. But we were fortunate to have even that much. We landed in Colombo airport in the wee hours of October 10 and drove four hours to the town of Kandalama in the central province. It's a quaint little place by the man-made Kandalama tank, close to the Buddhist pilgrim town of Dambulla that is famous for its ancient cave temples.

The Heritance hotel where we stayed is an architectural marvel that lies ensconced in thick woods. The 900-metre structure is hard to spot even from close range because of the clever way in which it has been made to blend with its surroundings. Floor to ceiling picture windows run the length of the structure. Most of the corridors have been left open, so you have rooms along one side while the hill and the woods lie at arm's length on the other. Monkeys, squirrels and monitor lizards have a run of the place, just as much as the guests. Deer and elk roam the property. And bats whizz above your head as you make your way to dinner.

I'm now a confirmed admirer of the architect, the late Geoffrey Bawa. He has created a building of delightful simplicity, yet with remarkable features. Terrace gardens camouflage the Heritance Kandalama completely, so much so that you probably won't spot the hotel in the day till you drive into the porch. And he has integrated large chunks of the rock around which the hotel has been built into the design. So you have portions where the rock serves as the wall. All the rooms have balconies that are surrounded by cascading foliage. Of the three swimming pools, the most beautiful is the infinity pool that overlooks Kandalama Tank.

The other thing that sets the Heritance, Kandalama, apart from other hotels is the quality of the food. It served up some of the best food we've ever eaten, be it Sri Lankan, Oriental or Continental cuisine. There were buffets for every meal and such was the standard that we saw not one guest at the hotel opt for the a la carte menu through our three-day stay. No surprise then that its kitchens have won the Heritance, Kandalama, a whole host of awards.

While in Kandalama, we visited the ancient city of Anuradhapura. A world heritage site, Anuradhapura was the first Buddhist capital of Sri Lanka and is dotted with stunning ruins, the oldest of which date back 2,500 years. To me, the most spectacular were the Abhayagiri and Jetavana stupas. They are impressive in the sheer scale as well as simplicity of design. The Jetavana dagoba is made of more than 90 million bricks! It is considered the largest structure in the world made entirely of bricks. It is said that there are enough bricks in the stupa to build a great wall from London to Edinburgh, a distance of over 500 kilometres.

I noticed though that the Sri Lankan authorities seem to be cementing most of the stupas and painting them white, which to my mind takes away from the beauty of the original structures. Though the effort to protect these gems of history are laudable, I feel one should find a way of doing so without changing their basic character.

Kandalama is a great place to stay if you want to visit Sri Lanka's Cultural Triangle that includes the rock fortress of Sigiriya, the ruins of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, the island's second Buddhist capital. Not surprisingly, the Heritance Kandalama plays host to large groups of Buddhist pilgrims and holidaymakers from East Asia.

After three days in Kandalama, we drove south-west to the beach town of Ahungulla. The drive was picturesque right through, but we had the misfortune of riding in a van that seemed to have no shock absorbers whatsoever. Except for the main motorways, roads in Sri Lanka aren't the best around. So if you're planning to travel there (and especially if you have a bad back), do try to avoid hiring the very popular Toyota HiAce vans. Because those will rearrange your skeletal frame.

Anyway, the six-hour drive did eventually end. And it was fortunate that the place is so very beautiful that you don't dwell too much on the discomfort. Ahungulla lies by the Indian Ocean south of capital Colombo. It is just south of the more popular beach resort town of Bentota, and therefore less crowded. Exactly like everyone's idea of a beach holiday destination, Ahungulla was practically razed to the ground by the 2004 Tsunami. It has built itself back up remarkably well.

Our home in Ahungulla was another Heritance hotel, also designed by Bawa. An equally beautiful property, it bears all of Bawa's hallmarks. Nature occupies centrestage. No element of the design ever takes attention away from the landscape. The Heritance Ahungulla has a massive colonnaded reception lobby that opens out into a placid swimming pool. As you enter, at a single glance you take in the lobby, the pool, a patch of sand and the Indian Ocean beyond. It just takes your breath away.

We'd decided to use the Ahungulla leg to just relax, not exert ourselves by dashing about visiting the local sights. And we did just that. The Ahungulla Heritance offers its guests more onsite recreation options. It has two tennis courts, a badminton court, two swimming pools, billiards, ping-pong, a library and Internet connectivity. So the evening we arrived we hit the beach and then the pool. The next day was library, badminton and then the pool. Followed by tennis for my husband and the kids. And the beach at sunset. The third day all four of us hit the tennis court before cooling off in the pool. (My kids will never forget the sight of a monitor lizard taking a drink from the pool we were in and a squirrel stealing my older son's lemonade!). The evening was reserved for the beach after a well-earned afternoon siesta.

The only excursion while in Ahungulla was to nearby Kosgoda to visit a marine turtle hatchery. It is a remarkable, not-for-profit facility. Run purely on donations and entry fee, the hatchery was completely destroyed by the Tsunami. It's up and running again, thanks to the generosity of patrons around the world.

The hatchery pays local fisherman a little more than market rate for the turtle eggs they excavate from the beaches. This ensures that these endangered creatures don't end up on breakfast tables. The hatchery then incubates the eggs under mounds of sand. Soon after the hatchlings emerge, they are released into the ocean. The local species include the Green Turtle, the Leatherback, the Olive Ridley, the Loggerhead and the Hawksbill.

The hatchery caretaker said only one percent of a clutch of eggs bears female hatchlings. So the females are doubly endangered and their survival is critical to the future of the species. That's why the hatchery keeps the females for seven years, making sure they are strong and their chances of survival once back in the ocean are the best they can be.

After a memorable three days in Ahungulla, we drove north two hours to the Sri Lankan capital Colombo. It was the 16th of October. A bustling metropolis, Colombo is full of the sights and sounds of any South Asian city. It is full of beautiful buildings constructed during British colonial rule, which ended in 1948. My husband had been to the city on work in June and was keen to take us for lunch to a place he had visited then. Paradise Road Galleries, situated in an upscale area of Colombo, was everything he'd promised and more. The food was excellent, the ambience unparalleled. Curiously, the house was once home to the architect Bawa. So it seems we were on a virtual Bawa pilgrimage!

Of course we did the truly touristy thing and hit a few export surplus clothes stores in Colombo. The much talked of House of Fashion was a little chaotic and disappointing. What surprised me was the fact that it had no trial rooms! Odel was much more impressive in the way it was organised and the variety of stock. The prices were unbelievable. So I quickly emptied hubby's wallet.

We'd booked an apartment for the day at the Hilton Residences. The apartment was well-appointed and comfortable. We relaxed there for a few hours and flew out at midnight back to Mumbai, just in time to be home for Diwali.

Sri Lanka was incredible. We came back happy, rejuvenated, sated, a little bit heavier and very, very tanned. And we can't wait to get back.

Seriously, Nobel committee?

W-H-A-T???!!! My jaw dropped as I heard U.S. President Barack Obama was to receive this year's Nobel Peace Prize. I was up to my eyeballs in clothes that I had to pack for the holiday that begins just a few hours from now, but I had to drop all that and blog.

I couldn't understand. I still can't. Why Obama? Why? What has he done to deserve this highest of honours? Given a few speeches? Renewed hope among non-whites of a world of equal opportunity? Spoken kindly and respectfully to the Islamic world? Yes, yes and yes. But so what?

The entire world had succumbed to Obama appeal during the U.S. presidential election last year. And his victory was celebrated just as enthusiastically across the globe as it was by his supporters in America. I was among the billions applauding at the time. We have since followed his fortunes with interest. His quiet dignity and erudition have earned our respect. His address to the Islamic world through his speech in Cairo was a welcome departure from the macho BS that used to flow out of his predecessor's mouth. But has all that made the world a better place? Has it changed anyone's life? Has it ended the mutual suspicion - even hate - between the Western and Islamic worlds? No, no and no. It's true that America and the world have very high expectations of this man. But he hasn't done anything yet.

Which brings me back to 'Why?'. I am well and truly baffled. And I hope Obama is too. He must know he has done nothing to deserve this honour. My respect for the man would increase manifold if he gracefully declined the award in favour of someone truly worthy of it. I hope he does.

Why can't we cast caste out?

Caste. A word that in India could spell power or misery. Privilege or dishonour. Influence or helplessness. Don't you think it's time we cast it out?

Ironically, in today's India the caste knife cuts both ways. Earlier belonging to a high caste was like being born with the silver spoon in the mouth. No longer. The chauvinists among the high caste groups still haven't come to grips with the fact that people they consider lesser mortals are getting preference in education and employment, while also becoming considerably influential politically. But discrimination against the lower castes is certainly not a thing of the past. There are still thousands of temples that bar entry to "untouchables". Thousands of villages even today don't allow people from the lowest castes to live among them or draw water from their wells.

Today India is extremely nervous that the United Nations will declare caste discrimination a violation of human rights. But I think we should jump at this chance and sign on, as our neighbour Nepal has reportedly done.

Wouldn't it make sense to just declare caste discrimination immoral and illegal? Lots of old, anachronistic practices have slowly died out after being declared unlawful. For instance, widows no longer burn on their husbands' funeral pyres (except for a few shocking cases now and again) and child marriage appears to be on the decline. This change has come very slowly, over many generations. But at least we seem to be moving in the right direction on these fronts.

I know hundreds will pounce on me for advocating this, claiming I am over-simplifying a very complex issue. But then sometimes the easiest and most obvious solution can be the right one, especially when the problem is tremendously complicated. Won't doing away with caste restore honour to millions who have been ill-treated and insulted all their lives? Won't it gradually fix the fundamental problems in society that have caused widespread discontent, feeding violent reactionary movements like the Maoist insurgency that is slowly bleeding the life out of a large swathe of central and eastern India?

The main problem is that there is a lot riding on caste politically. Our leaders have spent decades nurturing hopes and expectations in various caste groups. Job and educational reservations for SCs (scheduled castes, or listed lower castes) and OBCs (other backward castes) are among the most popular carrots politicians dangle before voters ahead of every election. Politicians like Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati have got where they are today because of caste politics. She is the newest mascot of Dalit empowerment. Dalits are members of the lowest bloc in the Indian caste heirarchy who received the most inhuman treatment of all, shunned as "untouchables" and left the worst jobs.

On the other hand, high caste chauvinists want to cling on to the system because they feel it gives them honour and privilege, somehow making them better than the rest. And these group wield a lot of political influence in many parts of the country.

The tragedy of it all is that the caste system began centuries ago as a simple way of distinguishing people in various vocations. Priests were Brahmins, warriors were Kshatriyas, traders were Vaishyas and people doing menial work were Shudras. Trouble began when someone decided to make it hereditary. So a Brahmin family would always be covered in honour while the children of the Shudra had no hope of improving their lot or elevating their social status because they were condemned to a life of menial labour. That's when this most inhuman of social systems began to evolve. Gradually scores of sub-castes emerged, creating an extremely complicated social web.

Even today inter-caste marriages are fairly uncommon in the Indian heartland. Though my husband and I live in a bustling 21st century city, people are surprised to learn that our parents aren't from the same state and that we had a "love marriage". And when they find out that we have no idea what my husband's caste is, they're truly horrified!

So deeply ingrained is caste in the Indian psyche that it even crosses religious boundaries. Though millions turned to other other faiths such as Sikhism, Buddhism, Christianity and Islam because of caste discrimination among Hindus, caste identity has remained intact for most of them. Marriages are generally arranged between families with similar caste backgrounds.

To me, the United Nations move to brand caste bias a glaring human rights violation is a golden opportunity to give this barbaric system a long-due burial. Anyone who maintains that anything good has come of the caste system is lying. There have been no advantages to us as a people. All it does is divide us, create hatred and suspicion. Mahatma Gandhi recognised this. He told us we wouldn't get far as a nation if we didn't end discrimination against the socially disadvantaged, whom he called Harijans (people of God). We should have paid heed.

There's still time. Let's cast caste out now.

Fling out the faux front page, please

I hate it. Just HATE it when a faux front page stares back at me first thing in the morning. Why do I have to turn a page to get to the front page? Doesn't the name say it all? It is the FRONT PAGE for god's sake. Completely self-explanatory.

I understand that the print news business is fighting for its life these days thanks to the explosion of competition from the electronic and online media. So advertisements are more important than they've ever been before. But you can't go and change the basic character of a newspaper. A reader should not have to turn a page to get to the main news. The front page should tell all.

But now, a couple of times a week, the first page of a newspaper won't tell you what's happened in the world in the past 24 hours but instead tom-tom the launch of a new property development or trumpet yet another luxury brand. I personally find it sickening. Please keep the ads inside and preserve the sanctity of the front page. Please.

The China chip on our shoulder

It's time. High time we stopped. This perpetual chip on the Indian shoulder when it comes to China is getting plain embarrassing. We just can't seem to stop ourselves from comparing our achievements with those of the Chinese. To what purpose? It's most counter-productive.

On Thursday China marked the 60th anniversary of being a Red republic with great pomp and pageantry. Indian journalists were among hundreds from around the world invited to watch the spectacle at Beijing's Tiananmen Square. From all accounts it was a great show, the centrepiece being the parade through which China showcased its military prowess. Nothing wrong with that, considering we Indians do it every single year on the occasion of Republic Day in January. What I found pitiful was how some of our news channels started comparing the arsenal missile by missile. They said things like India has no answer to this one, matches this one, surpasses that one.

Why, why, why? What's the point? I hope to god that our defence decision-makers and military commanders are already aware of all this. Why do you need to flash these comparisons in front of the public? Are you trying to work up a mammoth inferiority complex? Or mass paranoia? You've already tried your best to do both by harping on increased "Chinese incursions" along the borders just about a month ago. Thankfully the hysteria whipped up then was very short-lived.

And it's not limited to the domain of defence, is it? Whenever we try to assess urban progress, we seem to promptly compare things to Shanghai. Our economic indices and business accomplishments are always compared to those of the Chinese. Why the hell can't we stop ourselves?

The thing is that while we're ahead of the Chinese in a handful of fields, we're way behind in most others. So such comparisons simply end up depressing us as a nation, denting morale. Doesn't that defeat the purpose?

There's no denying that China has notched up phenomenal successes in the last six decades. But it is a fundamentally different nation. It is goverened in a very different way. Its achievements have come at the expense of personal liberties and human rights. Individual voices are stifled. So much that we take for granted in our lives as Indians are pipe dreams for the Chinese, even people in booming cities like Shanghai.

I'm not trying to say that we're better off, or they are. It is important to understand that our two nations have evolved in very different ways. It's only natural that the pace of advancement will not be the same. The India we know and love is a cacophonous, chaotic place full of conflicting opinions and courses of action. Yet we are advancing. There's no attempt being made here to justify tardiness in development. I'm just pointing out that this is inevitable because of the way we are as a people. Comparing ourselves to the Chinese monolith is futile.

That reminds me, I just love the new Hindustan Times ad campaign that has It Is Time as its catchphrase. It urges an end to Indian cynism, sycophancy, breaking of rules and disregard for human rights. People are made to snap back to their senses with the swat of a rolled up newspaper. One of the ads shows three guys looking at the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, Mumbai's beautiful new landmark that took over eight years to build. One of these chappies says China could do this in two years, which is when he gets swatted on the head and shuts his trap. "It is time to end cynicism", says that ad. And I agree wholeheartedly. Let's not constantly beat ourselves up and run our morale to ground. That's defeatism at its best. Let's have a little more faith in ourselves and stop looking over the shoulder constantly at what our northern neighbour is up to.