Once upon a time...

Ladakh: A Road Trip to the Himalayas

2010-07-20T16:48:00.062+05:30

Ladakh

The road trip from Manali to Leh is not for the faint hearted. The route took us through some of the highest motorable roads in the world. At altitudes over 17000 ft. above sea level, the air is thin, temperatures low and the sun very strong. With the Rohtang pass closed due to a landslide, we had to trek on foot for a considerable distance. Headaches induced by lack of oxygen were the order of the day. In spite of all this, this road trip was without doubt one of the best I have ever made. The scenery around us was so beautiful and so serene that it almost seemed unreal.

At Sarchu, our first camp site, the sight of those zillion stars, brightly shining against the pitch dark sky cannot be described in words. Those strong gusts of Himalayan winds; those frightening gorges; those caravans and army convoys; that snowfall; the impeccable blue of the sky and water; those reticent monks; and that silence in the monasteries; characterised this trip.

This trip was no holiday. It was an adventure. Apurv, Mukul and Subra provided brilliant company.

Manali

Manali is a sleepy little town in Himachal Pradesh. We stayed here for a day as part of the acclimatization process, on our way to Leh. It is surrounded by pristine forests, misty hills and not to mention the apple orchards. With so much of greenery around us, it was difficult to keep off the ‘grass’. But unlike many people around us, we just about managed to do so.

Delhi

After returning from Ladakh, I stayed back in Delhi for sometime. The Delhi air carried a whiff of the sublime smell of wet wood interspersed with that of wet earth. One evening, Mahesh Sir (our political science professor at law school, who is now based in Delhi) was kind enough to drive me down to the hallowed campus of his alma mater, the JNU. As we drove around the campus, which is spread over an area of over thousand acres, Mahesh Sir –having spent almost ten years of his life there- nonchalantly described every nook and corner. When darkness began to fall, we sat by the Ganga Dhaba and discussed life over a cup of tea.

I stand at the cusp of a major change in life. This break afforded me the time to prepare for it. Keep watching this space for the continuity within the change and the change within the continuity.

Pensive waters...

2010-06-27T15:22:00.005+05:30

A Blip in time..

2010-04-18T20:14:00.004+05:30

Each of us is a blip in time;

Some brighter, some lighter.

A few leave traces;

Traces, which never last.

Reminiscences fade away,

Recollections get jaded.

Soak your moments in,

You are only a blip in time.

Who are you?

2010-03-19T23:53:00.009+05:30

Kaun ho tum?

Haveli Haider Quli, My Name is Khan and other stories…

2010-02-14T23:54:00.012+05:30

Haveli Haider Quli…

On the 1st of January this year, as Delhi woke up to that chilly morning, I was more than excited in anticipation of the day that was to be. For later that day, I was to visit my maternal grandmother’s ancestral house in Chandni Chowk in Purani Dilli. Though I had been to Delhi many times before, for some reason or the other I could never visit that old house in Haveli Haider Quli, the birthplace of my grandmother (Naniji). Like most girls in those days, Naniji got married off at a very early age and left Chandni Chowk and Delhi to be a homemaker for Nanaji.

The people who live in that house today are the descendants of Naniji’s elder brother. My mom had already informed mamaji (Naniji’s nephew and mom’s cousin) that I wanted to pay them a visit. So, as the cycle rikshaw went past the Lal Qila, the Parathewaali Gali and the age old sweetmeat shops- some of them have been in existence since 18th century- on its way to the Fathepuri Masjid, I could feel Goosebumps at the back of my neck.

Mamaji had been waiting for me at the junction in front of the Fatehpuri Masjid. Given his striking resemblance to my mom’s brothers, I had no difficulty in identifying him. Very soon, I walked into Haveli Haider Quli. And hopefully, somewhere up in the heavens, Naniji was beaming with joy…

The Marathon…

Even when I’m on a vacation, I make it point to give every Sunday morning what it deserves most…sound sleep. Nevertheless, the morning of Sunday, the 17th of January saw me walking up and down the platform at the Bombay Central Station, as I waited for the next train to Victoria Terminus, the starting point of what was to be the Dream Run. Soon, I found myself wading through a sea of people who had gathered for the event. Thankfully, the Dream Run didn’t involve much running. I would prefer to call it a parade, and what a parade it was! I've been in Bombay for more than a year now, and I can say this with any amount of confidence that the Dream Run was one of the best experiences I’ve had here.

Watching my cousin, Sunny, play bass guitar for his band, as we went pass Jazz by the Bay, was the icing on the cake.

My Name is Khan …

I had not seen this guy in such high spirits before. I am talking about this lad, who happens to be a partner at the law firm I work for. This Friday evening, he was on his way to watch My Name is Khan, when our paths crossed. As the lift took us down, my sadness was growing in proportion to his happiness. You’ve guessed it right. We didn’t have tickets. However, thanks to the same guy and another colleague, a couple of phone calls later, the tickets were - believe it or not- delivered to us.

Soon, we were standing in a queue, which started at the Regal theatre and ended somewhere around Café Mondegar. I had seen such queues before. The Upper Stalls of theaters in the Hindi heartland I hail from usually welcome Shah Rukh’s movies with even longer queues. Fortunately or unfortunately I never had to stand in any of them. Never did I know that I’ll do the honours in Shah Rukh’s city. Just to clarify, the queue we were standing in was for getting inside the theatre and not for buying tickets.

Nice movie. By the way, have you guys seen Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man? I bet Shah Rukh has.

Art Attack…

This catchy phrase was used for promotion of the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival this year. Really liked it. The phrase, I mean.

Jaisalmer: The Trip

2009-12-28T16:13:00.003+05:30

Jodhpur...

2009-12-28T15:23:00.004+05:30

A Ride through Pushkar...

2009-12-23T23:53:00.013+05:30

Udaipur: Magnificence Redefined

2009-12-21T21:23:00.032+05:30

Udaipur…

I have had the good fortune of visiting many places in India and abroad. Udaipur is without a shadow of doubt, one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever come across.

This place is a photographer’s paradise. The confluence of colours, symmetry, and light is beyond the power of words! The art and architecture of Udaipur epitomize the power of human imagination and the will and capacity required to convert such imagination into reality.

Thanks to Shantanu, my buddy from school, who now works in Udaipur, I had an absolute FIELD day.

A day before exploring Udaipur, we visited Haldighati, Kumbalgarh and Ranakpur, which are places not very far away from Udaipur and can be covered during the course of the same day.

Kumbalgarh is a magnificent fort built on top of a mountain in the Aravali ranges and offers breathtaking views. I would rate it higher than the Amer Fort at Jaipur in terms of its magnificence and location. While Ranakpur is known for its age old Jain Temples built out of marble stones, Haldighati’s historical significance for India needs no introduction or elaboration.

Shantanu, if you find me at your doorstep again before winters end, do not panic!

Mumbai meri jaan...

2009-12-13T17:25:00.011+05:30

Mumbai.

To my understanding, there are not many things here, which are ends in themselves. In other words, most of the things one does here are means to some end. And more often than not, that end happens to be money or the power that comes along with it. Having said that, though one could argue that this is true for any other metropolitan city in modern India, I doubt that the intensity with which people pursue this end here can be matched anywhere else. Mumbai is all about work. For in Mumbai, one lives to work and not the other way round. Another facet of Mumbai which keeps people focused on earning more money is the fact that unless you are very lucky, no amount of money is enough to guarantee you all comforts of life. You may own a couple of luxury sedans, but even those wouldn’t prevent you from getting stuck in those traffic jams for hours together. You may have enough money to buy a chopper to avoid this, but unless you are very lucky, you’ll never find a place to land it!

Perhaps, it is this characteristic of Mumbai’s culture, which makes it value merit more than any other place in the country. Be it a beggar on the street, a working professional or even a film star for that matter, the competition to do well is intense. The systems of this city inspire/ force one to give his/her best. Irrespective of what school of thought one belongs to, sooner than later, one usually gets or has to get adjusted to the systems of this city. And how do you realize that you have adjusted? When the snarling traffic jams, the maddening crowds, and those noisome smells leave you unfazed, you have truly arrived in Mumbai!

In the last one year, the city and its people have given me a lot. And no matter how the coming days turn out to be, I'll always be grateful to them and the city for the year that was. All in all, so far so good.

Here’s a short eulogy:

P.S.:

Looking forward to my vacation, which starts at the end of next week. Watch this space for all the action.

Work hard, and party harder. Adios!

HNLU: Death and Reincarnation

2009-09-29T18:42:00.016+05:30

That first day,
Those laugh riots,
That first song,
Those bus rides,
That hail storm,
Those silent nights,
That first crush,
Those coffee swigs,
That long walk,
Those last minutes,
That life,
That place…is no more.

While it died a painful death,
And the flames on its pyre still linger,
Another life beckons.

Its plunderers are still at large,
And saviours, it never had,
Yet, another life beckons.

If skullduggery succumbs to uprightness,
And hypocrisy gives in to humility,
This life could well be a better one.

The Gathering...

2009-09-06T19:49:00.006+05:30

On that grey afternoon of the 3^rd of September, I happened to be in a congregation of people who had gathered by the Arabian Sea to witness the culmination of Ganesh Utsav. To be surrounded by a million people from different walks of life was in many ways an incomparable and yet a strange experience. The fear of a stampede breaking out or of a bomb going off only added more to the adventure. As the rains came down and I made my way out through that sea of people, taking refuge under one umbrella after another, I kept wondering about the sheer vulnerability of our existence.

Devprayag: Where Skies Meet the Earth

2009-07-03T23:45:00.009+05:30

Devprayag is the place where Bhagirathi and Alaknanda converge to form the Ganga. I have had the good fortune of making several road trips in India, and even abroad. The trip from Rishikesh to Devprayag and back was without doubt the best I have ever had. The union of the Shivalik ranges with the forest, sky and the river cannot be described in words. The sight of two streams of different colours fusing into each other at Devprayag was also unparallel. The time spent at the point of confluence, watching the two rivers push into each other from close proximity, encapsulated in it one of the best moments of my life.

Rishikesh: The Realm of Serenity

2009-07-03T00:15:00.021+05:30

Ever since the Beatles set foot in Rishikesh some 40 odd years ago, the place has acquired a lot of significance among spiritual seekers from across the globe. All the hype notwithstanding, there is something about this place that keeps one in very high spirits all through out. Sitting by the Ganges this evening, watching it voraciously ripple over those gigantic rocks, I was just too happy to be able to relate to the following lines from an Eddie Vedder song:

Wind in my hair, I feel part of everywhere,
Underneath my being is a road that disappeared;
Late at night I hear the trees,
They're singing with the dead,
Overhead...

Leave it to me as I find a way to be,
Consider me a satellite forever orbiting;
I knew all the rules but the rules did not know me,
Guaranteed...

Needless to say, I missed my guitar.

Haridwar: A Celebration of Faith

2009-07-02T00:20:00.012+05:30

Though I am Hindu, and a Brahmin at that, I haven’t really practiced the religion in textbook terms. My knowledge about the details of Hinduism is also abysmally poor. I had not come to Haridwar for a pilgrimage. I was visiting Haridwar because I liked the description of the place in a ‘Lonely Planet’ travel book on India. Nevertheless, after reaching Haridwar earlier today, and having seen nothing interesting, I was cursing ‘Lonely Planet’ for having written good things about the place. This perception was however, destined to change. For, as the evening set in and I positioned myself at the Har-Ki-Pauri ghat to witness the aarti of the Holy Ganges, I could sense that something grand was in the offing. By the time I set my camera up, the place was bustling with pilgrims from all parts of the country. Most of them had diyas in their hand. An elderly couple sitting next to me informed me that as the aarti proceeds, the diyas would be let into the river in small baskets of leaves. I also saw vendors selling milk to the pilgrims, which was also to be offered to the river. Such was the size of the gathering that it required the temple officials to supervise the actions of the crowd. Soon, the constant murmur gave way to a hymn. And what followed was a hair-raising experience. Suddenly, an assembly of priests descended to the ghat. I could now hear loud chiming of bells. The priests carried huge torches with them, which erupted fire. The next half hour was spent in taking in this mesmerizing confluence of fire and water. As the aarti drew to a close and the chiming stopped, I kept staring at the river, astounded by the power of my own religion.

Jaipur again...

2009-06-30T21:56:00.019+05:30

This post is dedicated to Anurag, Kundan, Daal Baati and Vodka…

Bombay in dabs of colour..

2009-06-26T14:16:00.011+05:30

P.S: People, I'm on vacation from tomorrow till the 13th of July. Watch this space for all the action!!!

Bishti...

2009-06-26T14:00:00.003+05:30

I’ve always been allured by the rains or ‘bishti’, as we call it in Bangla. My earliest recollection of rains takes me back to my pre-primary school days. I remember standing outside the school gate in my oversized rain-coat, gawking at the downpour, frantically waiting for Dad to come. As some years passed by and I moved to a bigger school, rains started attaining more significance in my life. Given the huge number of students that my school had, to avoid commotion that heavy rains would otherwise cause, the school management would more often than not declare such days as holidays. Although one could call up the school to confirm if a given ‘rainy day’ had been declared a holiday, I took great pleasure in going to the school and find out myself. The 'rickshaw ride' to the school on such days in anticipation of a holiday being declared, and the exuberance among students on being told to return back remain deeply ingrained in my memory. As I moved on to higher classes, my mode of traveling to the school also changed. Speeding down the wet roads on my motorbike, splashing water on unassuming passers by, at least for those few moments, I felt no lesser than a superstar. My fascination for rains continued even at the law school. Standing under the façade of the law school’s archaic structure, conversing with friends, as the rains lashed down, delight is all I derived. As I write these words, I can see clouds of different shades and colours clamoring for space over the Arabian Sea. Gazing at the rains pouring down on the Sea from twenty three floors up in the sky, I can only ponder over my providence.

Bombay: Act III

2009-05-25T02:03:00.018+05:30

A handful of joy,

In a day full of sorrow;

An unreal smile,

Amidst surreal thoughts;

The unsettling pace,

Of a place frozen in time;

Where the race is unending,

And life, contorted;

Where every moment counts,

And nothing goes unnoticed;

Where winners take it all,

Bombay, an illusion in reality.

P.S.:

People, as I complete six months at work, I’m finding it more and more challenging to keep up with everything that’s happening around me. There’s so much of action on every front. Be it work place or home, no day, no moment goes eventless. There’s so much to write about and so much to share. And yet, there’s so little time to do justice to this wish.

The above is an attemp to express my understanding of Bombay and its people.

I’ve had the good fortune of spending time in Bombay even before. And those of you interested in my other pieces about Bombay, see this, and this.

I’m also looking forward to my first major break in June/July.

Shall keep you posted.

By the way, my blog turned 4 years old on May 17 :-).

Bombay: Act II

2009-03-11T12:16:00.003+05:30

I haven’t really had any opportunity to reflect upon the changes my life has gone through over the three months I’ve spent here. The breaks we got were all squandered away in merry making. The fact that we stay very close to a shopping mall which also happens to have a multiplex hasn’t helped matters much. So, today being the much awaited holiday because of its occurrence in the middle of the week, and being the day where any attempt to venture out may lead to unpleasant albeit colourful consequences, it only made sense for me to do what I haven’t been able to do so far; reflect. I find it hard to believe that it’s been more than three months at work. And as luck would have it, I’ve come across some genuinely wonderful people so far. Be it our landlord, or the people I’ve worked with, or those countless cab drivers who have taken me around the city; they’ve all been really good. The hallmark of my journey so far has been the ‘firm retreat’ in Goa. It happened to coincide with my birthday. Adarsh, along with some other colleagues of mine made it sure that I had a great time on the day. With a little help from Abhipsit, a guitarist who also happens to be a junior at law school, and Ninad, a colleague who hails from Goa, I gifted myself a really nice guitar on the day.

Though life has suddenly thrown open lots of opportunities to make the most of, I am dearly missing my law school and the friends I made there. Though some of them are here in Bombay, I know it for certain that we would never be able to have the same fun again. On a positive note, I also know it for sure that my conceptualization of ‘fun’, is slowly but surely undergoing a change. Yes, you have guessed it right. I may not have become a connoisseur yet, but I’ve certainly had my share of swigs. So, until I post again...hic...adios!

Bombay: Act I

2008-12-28T18:36:00.002+05:30

There was nothing unusual about that morning in Raipur. Just that it happened to be the 3^rd of December and I categorically remembered it as the date on which I had joined law school five years back. So, on my way to the airport, as the car sped along the empty road, random thoughts kept crossing my mind. After all, besides leaving law school, I was also parting away from the city I was born and brought up in. Though I knew that I would be making short trips once in a while to see my folks, any long term stay would now be out of question. More importantly, I was aware that even during those trips, my mind would be too occupied with mundane matters to ever allow me to savour Raipur that way again. So, gaping at the countryside from my car window, I was trying to take in as much as I could in those last few moments.

When I stepped out of the aircraft at the Bombay airport, I was completely taken aback by the weather. Until then, I had spent all the Decembers of my life wearing warm clothes. But, Bombay made me realize that this wasn’t going to continue in the near future.

If carrying four huge suit cases wasn’t sufficient to attract everyone’s attention, my guitar took care of the rest. Unlike others, the cab driver couldn’t keep his curiosity to himself and asked me if I worked in the film industry. “If only”, I said letting out a sigh. I told him that I had come to Bombay to work at a law firm and a guitar unfortunately was to be of no use there. But his curiosity had not ended there. “I seem to have seen you on television”, he said. I couldn’t help but gleefully smile at him.

The next four weeks saw me settling down in a South Bombay flat along with Adarsh, shopping, savouring cuisines, watching movies, plays (watched one while sitting next to Shashi Kapoor at Prithvi Theaters), musical concerts and of course working (only to make sure that I continue doing the former activities in the days to come).

As I pen these words, I can also sense a slight chill in the air. All in all, so far so good!

Here’s wishing all of you a fantastic 2009!

Those were the best days of my life!

2008-10-02T01:20:00.016+05:30

The final semester at law school has been one of the best I’ve had in the five years spent here. I’m pleased to let you all know that I’ve learnt to play the guitar. Vivek, a junior of mine, who also happens to be a fantastic guitarist, ensured that I picked it up in good time (in just over two months). Here’s a rendition of one of my favourite songs. And I can't thank my parents enough for having borne with all the noise I made over the last two months.

About thirty odd days of law school life remain to be lived. I’m extremely happy and yet very sad!

Those expressions at the begining of the song were to prevent my mom from walking in front of the camera...lol! And I know that there is a lot of scope for improvement!

Past Perfect- I

2008-08-26T00:24:00.003+05:30

On that nippy December evening, soon after the law school became bereft of girls, twenty-four starry eyed law students set out on a mission. While some of them were exuberant with zeal, others followed what came to be known as ‘class orders’. Though it lacked the seriousness of a military operation, the enthusiasm some of our men displayed, gave it all the sanctity one would normally associate with a highly classified rescue operation. But for a serious lapse on part of our intelligence unit, it could have been a different story altogether. Before you jump the gun, I’ll throw some light on the backdrop. The mission objective was to watch the late night show of a movie which, as we were to discern later, had lived up to its name.

When all the occupants of a boys’ hostel (we were the only occupants of our hostel then) at a national law school decide to stay out in the face of a 9:00 PM deadline, the complications that follow are nothing but inevitable. While almost half way into our operation, as one marathon song followed another, and as a volley of dialogues over powered our senses, two of us panicked and deserted the troop. I realized that in naming the movie ‘LoC’, the producer was referring to the minimum level of patience the audience was expected to have. And certainly, I fell way short.

As we returned to our base (read the hostel), the watchman welcomed us with an extraordinary smile. Before I could deduce his intentions, the sight of an unseen lock on the door of my flat sent several chills down my 18 year old spine. I realized that the authorities had been tipped off and the stealth operation was never that covert after all. By now, the watchman’s smile had widened even as his eyes shone with sarcasm.

We immediately contacted the troop and informed them about this unexpected development. For that already exhausted lot, the news came like a bolt from the blue. Amidst the heavy artillery fire, it was almost as if a hand grenade came out of the screen. They abandoned the mission and ran towards the hostel. It was late in the night and yet most of them were fortunate enough to find transportation for returning back. However, some of our men were scattered all over the battlefield (read the movie theater) and were so deep in action that they could not even be informed about the happenings at the base. They withstood the entire onslaught with unparallel courage and resolution. After the movie finally got over, these men were rewarded for their gallant effort when they failed to find any conveyance and had to walk all the way from Shyam Talkies to the Boys’ Hostel at 1’clock in the night. Meanwhile, back at the hostel, the rest of the troop was getting ready for spending the night, out in the cold. As we deliberated over our further course of action in the dead of that night, the ambience reflected that of a night on the warfront. By the time the last group arrived, we had given up our hope of the warden showing up.

Just as we started preparing to sleep outside, one of our valiant men showed qualities of a highly trained combatant and successfully infiltrated a flat through its constricted bathroom window. Soon, the backdoor of that flat flung wide open. If only the warden knew about the high level of competence some of our men possessed! As our men started taking refuge in that flat, the watchman gaped in helplessness. Nevertheless, most of us decided to take on the challenge and opted to stay out. Some braved the night on the planks lying in the watchman’s room while some others cuddled inside a small enclosure in the verandah (which was later used to house the water cooler). If the grueling night wasn’t enough, the next morning witnessed us getting castigated by the warden who felt it necessary to subject us to an excruciatingly lengthy sermon on how our action was “so unbecoming of national law school students.”

One could have treated that day as just another bad one. However, while facing such music, if one is conscious of the fact that he is still wearing clothes he had put on more than twenty four hours ago, the possibility of taking things lightly goes into the oblivion. And all this for a goddamned movie! All twenty- four of us were made to write apology letters. I can still recall the contents of mine.

The day was 26th of December, 2003 and we were barely twenty days into our law school lives. We broke the law and deserved to be punished. Nevertheless, now that we are some 70 odd days away from becoming lawyers, I realize that there is no point in studying so much of law in the first place if one can’t- at times- take it in his or her own hands!

D.

P.S.:-

It’s been almost five years. The warden referred to above, is the present warden for Boys at National Law School, Bangalore. And till date, we have no love lost for him. This would hopefully be followed by memoirs on other pleasant happenings at law school. Watch this space!

Return to the Wild!

2008-05-24T17:10:00.013+05:30

I had first set foot in Bandhavgarh around nineteen years ago. Dad, a lecturer of Orthopaedic Surgery then, had been just transferred to the Rewa Medical College from its counterpart in Raipur. As we adjusted to a new place, Bandhavgarh National Park being some hundred odd kilometers away from Rewa, soon became the preferred destination for most of our family outings. When relatives and friends visited us in Rewa, we invariably found ourselves making road trips to the tiger country.

Fortunately, my family’s love affair with this place survived Dad’s return to Raipur some time in the mid nineties. We continued coming to Bandhavgarh, though the place was now some four hundred odd kilometers away. The distance nevertheless reduced the frequency of those trips. We could now visit Bandhavgarh only during my summer and winter vacations. Later, as I got more and more occupied with studies, those visits to Bandhavgarh came to an abrupt end at the turn of the last century.

After finishing my first year at law school, I along with my brother and five cousins, finally came back to Bandhavgarh in the winter of 2004. It was an unparallel experience to relive those childhood visits we had made in the past. I had however, not started this blog then. And therefore, when mom and dad suggested early this month that we could make a trip to Bandhavgarh if I wanted to, the very thought of going back and sharing my experiences here, made me return from Delhi where I was in the middle of yet another internship.

Here’s an ode to the place in its own words,

P.S.:-

Life’s at crossroads again, and I hope not to go over the edge;
For I know, to salvage my soul, there would be no crane. :-)

A wish!

2008-01-21T19:54:00.000+05:30

On seeing that falling star,
I couldn’t help but make a wish,
That when you do walk away,
May I have the heart to say goodbye.

Magnificent Geneva!

2007-10-20T23:39:00.000+05:30

The autumn leaves,

A classy piece,

A tempting plate,

A sporty gait,

A flood of colours,

A tryst of lovers,

A chiselled bloke,

A gulp of smoke,

A portrayal of pain,

A musical lane,

Some thoughts for food,

Some food for thought,

Geneva, a City that Mesmerizes

P.S.:-

This was my second visit to Geneva. In addition to attending the WTO workshop, I did a lot more to make the most of my visit this time around. Here are some highlights:

Jean- Jacques Rousseau, a political philoshopher I read about in the first year at law school was born and brought up in Geneva. It was an unparallel experience to visit his house in the old part of the city. His most famous statement is "Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains. One man thinks himself the master of others, but remains more of a slave than they are." His ideas were the driving force behind the French Revolution.

This three legged chair in front of the UN building is an artist's portrayal of the horrors of land mines.

The visit to the United Nations was awe-inspiring. It is imperative to point out here that though the Headquarters of UN is in New York, a lot of its work is done in Geneva.

I was lucky that my visit to Geneva coincided with an exhibition of classic cars.

A Classic Renault

The BMW 507 (1959)

The Ferrari F430 Spider (2007)...one of the few recent models that were on display. Trust me, the visit to the exhibition kept me breathless for quite some time.

The hallmark of this visit was my befriending Gaudy, a trade specialist from Costa Rica. We went all around Geneva together. It was her wonderful company that made this visit 'sublime' in the real sense of the word.

My roommate Javier, a marine engineer, hailed from Southern Spain and was in Switzerland on a vacation. Since this was the first time that I had travelled abroad alone, I was a bit anxious when I first landed in Geneva. However, as the day of return drew closer, I realized that I was really lucky to have come across a host of wonderful people right through the trip. And Javier was certainly one of them.

Another Pilgrimage!

2007-10-05T00:50:00.000+05:30

People...if yesterday was a bit jittery, today was undoubtedly one of the best days of my life!

Yes, I regard WTO law as a religion...and today's visit was in no uncertain terms a pilgrimage.

For today, I heard and met people I had only heard of before...the priests of this religion, if you allow me to use this phrase!

Here are some I saw and heard today...

Pascal Lamy...the Drector General of WTO

Georgio Sacerdoti...the Chairman of the WTO Appelate Body (the highest tribunal of the WTO)

Prof. Joel Trachtman from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy...a place I would love do my Master's from...and a man, I cited in the memorials for the Commonwealth Moot in July this year!

And the pilgrim of course!

The day culminated with a sumptuous French dinner...trust me, I have no clue as to what all plants and animals I ended up eating today!

So, madame et monsieur (ladies and gentlemen), untill we meet again, au revoir!

P.S.- You guessed it right, I got my baggage back!More stories soon!

2007-10-03T23:09:00.001+05:30

People...My airline lost my suitcase...thankfully, it only had my clothes.

Aftermath...

Had to purchase clothes...

And since the suit case had my camera charger, i don't think I'll be able to click pictures.

The WTO Forum starts tomorrow...

Geneva Again!

2007-09-29T20:54:00.001+05:30

People...another windfall has taken place...I shall be off to Geneva in the early hours of October 3rd to participate in the WTO Public Forum 2007 to be held at the WTO Headquarters on the 4th and 5th of October.

Do keep an eye here!

God willing, I shall post soon!

Promise!

2007-08-25T00:53:00.000+05:30

"Every photograph makes a promise. But the promise is never kept. And that’s what makes the photo great."- Some photographer

Independent Shots!

2007-08-15T00:19:00.000+05:30

Not this September...

2007-07-25T23:29:00.000+05:30

You guessed it right. We didn't make it!

Yet, we were not all that bad too...finished third and also got the 'Best Written Submissions' award.

All in all, it was a good outing. The fact that we were competing till the very end (read semi-finals), ensured that we couldn't see much of Patiala.

So, back to the law school now....getting geared up for other battles.

Another Moment of Truth!

2007-07-15T14:24:00.000+05:30

We dispatched the memorials for the Moot Court Competition yesterday. The Competition is scheduled to take place in Patiala over the next weekend. We'll be jostling all the major law schools of the Country for an opportunity to represent India at the World Finals to be held at Nairobi, Kenya.

Irrespective of the outcome, I promise to bring you all stories related to what would be my first visit to the Punjabi heartland.

God willing, we'll go to Africa in September!

Take care people, and may God bless!

Transcendence at last!

2007-06-30T13:36:00.000+05:30

I had decided to abstain from posting anything until I finished writing the memorials for the moot court competition I’m working on.

But people, this just had to be done!

I had read somewhere that inflicting oneself with excruciating punishment is one of the ways of purging oneself of all the sins. It’s an experience that purifies one’s soul, cleaning away all the dirt accumulated over the years.

Although, I do not know much about the origins of this theory, I came to realize about its veracity yesterday.

Yes people, I did it. I subjected myself to extremes of agony, anguish, distress, grief, sadness, shock, and suffering.

As bizarre as this may sound to you, yesterday’s experience has changed me for good. I feel like being born again. It’s a feeling that cannot be described in words.

Thanks HR!

Yes, you guessed it right. I sat through Himesh Reshamiya’s Aapka Suroor!

Watch it people! It’s a short cut to transcendence.

And do preserve the ticket as medal for your gallantry!

P.S.- Internship's over. Heading back today!

The Kingdom of Colours...

2007-06-20T09:36:00.000+05:30

A rosy haze,

A puzzling maze,

An airy sight,

A distant flight,

A golden latch,

A vibrant match,

A glittering night,

A soggy bite,

A sparkling frame,

A swirling dame,

A perfect smile,

A glance so vile,

A brownish hue,

A royal view,

A tilt so slight,

A breeze so light,

Under a shade of Grey,

I had a sublime day,

Dear Rachit, Kundan, Rajveer
Gaurav, Tau and others,
In trying to screw a few,
I'd put everyone on the skew,
While blood still curls for some pests,
I swear I'll make amends for the rest.

Yours truly,

Debu

P.S.- People, I've taken up another moot court competition that should keep me occupied for July. Bad habits, die hard!

Shootout at Jaipur!

2007-06-18T09:12:00.000+05:30

All I can tell you now is that a dangerous shootout took place at the Jaigarh Fort yesterday. Details Coming Soon!

A Foreordained Submission...

2007-06-14T19:14:00.000+05:30

Before coming to Delhi in May last year, I only had faint memories of this ancient metropolis (is it an oxymoron?) from my visits years ago. However, the resplendently orange elephant at Appu Ghar, the rasping male voice emanating from a loud speaker at the Red Fort light & sound show and the Ice Cream vendors at India Gate were all well entrenched in my cerebral alleys even as I tried hard to recall the other details of the city.

Although I got to know a lot about Delhi’s people and culture during that visit, thanks to soaring temperatures, I couldn’t muster enough courage to explore much of the city. The visit in November, however, was quite different. While mornings saw me drawing inspiration at the Supreme Court, evenings witnessed Delhi holding my gaze.

So as I moved about the city this time around, the nonchalance with which I found myself dealing with the Auto-Rickshaw wallahs told me that I now knew Delhi fairly well. And when the sweltering weekend couldn’t keep me from venturing out to discover more of Delhi, I could finally realize that I had been won over. I had at last succumbed to Delhi’s allure.

The city has so much of history and culture embedded into it that anyone with even a dab of aesthetic ability is bound to fall in love with it. And as for me, a bit of this place runs in my blood. So, in spite of that initial hostility in May last year, it was inevitable to be smitten by it.

Here’s what caught my eye,

Chandni Chowk

The place is as old as the Red Fort with sweet shops dating back to the 18th century still operative. My maternal grandmother was born and brought up here in a huge Haveli that still exists [my mom’s a North Indian]. In spite of being very crammed up, the fact that this place was at the heart of the 1857 riots makes me appreciate its aura at every visit [Read William Dalrymple's The Last Mughal: The Eclipse of a Dynasty, Delhi 1857 to know about what happened at the Chandni Chowk].

Amidst the age old temples and shops, as one observes some people squabbling with a petty Cycle-rickshaw Wallah over a meager amount of money, one realizes that if only the omnipresent 'Big M' was equipped with senses, it would have surely smirked at these people who had just spent a fortune inside without even bating an eyelid. That hazy structure at the end of the road is the Red Fort!

The mesmerizing Light & Sound show at the Red Fort. A must visit for those who understand India’s History.

I happened to enter into a narrow lane known as the Parathe Waali Gully. It has eat-outs functioning from the late 1800’s which specialize in making Parathas of every possible kind. I could just about gather enough courage to have one!

Chawri Bazar

This is another place teeming with life very close to Chandni Chowk. This picture depicts conventional India’s tryst with modernity. The chaotic traffic and the scary electrical connections hardly hint at the state-of-the-art Metro Rail Station right under this place.

Jama Masjid

Another marvel of Mughal Arhitecture not very far away from Chandni Chowk.

On a sweltering evening around three hundred years back, his forefathers could as well have been found where he sits today.

Fried Chicken at brightly lit traditional eat-out near Jama Masjid…

Although I didn’t have any, I’m sure it would be better than KFC. Unlike KFC, they don’t have to add any preservatives for God’s sake!

India Gate

Visit India Gate on a Public Holiday to see how Indians hailing from rural and urban backgrounds flow into each other like two rivers.

As Sun dipped down over the green expanse around India Gate on that unusually overcast Sunday, scores of people converged at the place to cool off.

Who said India didn’t have a Grand Public Bath? It’s a different matter alltogether that the architect who designed the landscape around India Gate would be perhaps turning in his grave.

He bubbled away in anticipation of attracting some kid’s attention...caught mine instead.

Connaought Place

In addition to being Delhi’s main commercial centre, this place has showrooms of all the major apparel brands.

Heat

As this man braved the heat (it should have been around 45 Degree Celsius that day) to eke out a living, I marveled at his determination to make ends meet. A substantial population of India lives in villages. Just imagine their plight in this heat! Our country is naturally disadvantaged.

Power Cuts

As temperatures soared, power failures became the order of the day. The inverter at the place I’m putting up at could only power the common hallway at nights. I couldn’t sleep much for three consecutive nights. Thankfully, I had George Orwell and Amitav Ghosh for company in the hallway.

Eat-outs in order of liking (from my visits during the course of all three internships...and excluding the international chains)

Oh! Calcutta (Expensive, but worth the money...at Nehru Place...Ironically, I was taken to this place by Adarsh, a close buddy who happens to be a Mallu)

Karim’s (World Renowned...near Jama Masjid)

Zen (Authentic Chinese Food...South Extension-II)

Eatopia (Food Court at the India Habitat Centre)

Andhra Bhavan Canteen (all you can eat for just 50 bucks...and the that too for quality food... at Ashok Road)

Nathu’s Pastry Shop (Excellent Sandwiches...Bengali Market)

A Continental Restaurant at Khan Market…(Can’t Recall the name)

Pot Pouri...(at Connaought Place)

Banana Leaf(Flavoursome South Indian Food....at Connaught Place).

Sarvanna Bhavan (Lip Smacking South Indian Food...again at CP)

A Rajasthani Restaurant at Dilli Haat (South Delhi)

Being a teetotler, I woudn't be able to apprise you much about the 'Boozing Scene' here. And although I could have given you an insight into New Delhi's modern, magnificent infrastructure, I wanted a raw feeling to persist right through this post.

People, if Bombay Talks, Delhi Rocks!

A Recollection...

2007-06-07T11:31:00.000+05:30

Hello People! Delhi is on fire! All my mental faculties have been fried to a frazzle! So, while I regain them, leaving you with the story of an incident very close to my heart {had posted it around two years back...quite obviously, my aspirations are no longer the same ;)}:-

On the wing to Hong Kong...

It takes around five hours to Hong Kong from Delhi and this information was communicated by the small monitor embedded in the seat of the passenger sitting in front of me. The Sardarji sitting next to me was a British citizen and was too big for his economy class seat. The air hostess had to vex him twice to make sure that he puts on his seat belt.

As we waited for the takeoff, the captain announced that the flight would be delayed by few minutes as a passenger required some medical attention. At this, Sardarji got quite perturbed and after few authentically Indian vituperative epithets in British accent, narrated an incident:

"They would have thrown him out in US. Once, I had this swelling in my toe, and requested for some medical attention only to have been given the option of going out."

The 'take off experience' wasn't as religious as the one on my last international flight (read Bangladesh in Retrospective-I).However, I was edgy enough to concentrate on the monitor which displayed the route map and also informed about the altitude, tail wind speed, etc. while the other passengers nonchalantly watched the umpteen channels available on their respective monitors. A brisk confabulation with Sardarji ensued soon:

S-So, where're you going?
D- I 'm a law student. Am going to participate in a moot court competition to be held in Australia.

S- Where in Australia?
D-Gold Coast

S-Why do you want to study law? (Then followed certain imputations on our system)
D-(Trying to defend myself)...Well, you cannot debase the entire profession just because of a handful of miscreants. (And in an extra-defensive move)In any case, I want to become a law teacher (thinking that it would be too much for Sardarji)

S-(Even before a second had elapsed) How will you have the conscience to teach something you know wouldn't be realized?
D-(Taken aback...with that sinking feeling) Well, not always...you see...

S-(Cuts me short) How long will you be there?
D-(with that 'just got screwed feeling) A Week.

A long silence follows as Sardarji dozes off and lies like a mountain between my window seat and the loo where I needed to go for quite some time now. I gather the courage to wake him up and squeeze my way into the aisle. I come back in roughly five minutes only to find him lying like a log on his seat. The lady standing in queue for the loo cannot hold back her smile as she watches my emphatic efforts to awaken Sardarji go up in smoke. He finally allows me to squeeze my way back.

The captain suddenly interrupts the passengers' in their in-flight entertainment and a thousand things cross my mind before he finally speaks, "Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain. Sorry to disturb you in your in-flight entertainment. If you could look to your left, we have a beautiful sight...the Himalaya Mountains...and we’ll be flying past the Mt. Everest in about five minutes...enjoy your flight. Thank you for flying with Cathay Pacific."

I immediately glance to my left and mutter God knows what all words to myself...at some distance, the snow laden peaks emerge out of an even cloud cover that stretches below on both sides of the aircraft and brightly shine in the afternoon sunlight against a spotless blue sky...I am left pondering on my providence.

After some time, as the aircraft starts to descend, I check my laptop bag to make sure that my passport and tickets are in place. The aircraft touches down on a landing strip few meters away from the South China Sea while I am left wondering as to how could the sea which was visible till the last moment, suddenly vanish. The sea green coloured water reappears as I look beyond the airport compound through my window. As I get ready to disembark from the aircraft, I hear the chief air hostess say, "Thank you for flying with Cathay Pacific. Have a nice stay at Hong Kong."

Of Cats and Dogs...

2007-06-02T02:45:00.000+05:30

Gandharv, Zuber, Shantanu, Bhavin and Me...reliving the school days!

Three weeks have passed since I came back from Bombay. In the face of no real challenge at hand, this period can be said to be one of the most uneventful phases of my law school life. so far. I didn’t even come near anything having to do with my future profession.

However, having said that, I utilized this period for rejuvenating those bits of my life which had been left unattended for quite a while. Catching up with long lost (not literally) friends, reading some brilliant works of fiction, socializing on the internet like never before, working out, and most importantly, introspecting.

Introspection quite obviously took me for a ride of emotions inter alia, happiness, dejection, satisfaction that comes with any accomplishment, emptiness and even despair.

So many things have taken place in these three and a half years of my existence at the law school that if I start penning down all my experiences and come out with a book, I might as well give Chetan Bhagat a run for his money! Jokes apart, the moot point is that controversies and Debanshu have always walked hand in hand at HNLU. There hasn’t been one semester where I didn’t land up in some or the other kind of jhol (aka soup)! My problem is that I am very arrogant at times and vengeful too. I have always believed in the following:

Tit for tat,
It has always been like that,
You killed my dog,
I’ll kill you cat.

Though killing somebody’s cat (not literally…you know what I mean) does tend to satisfy me, I do it only and only when somebody kills my dog. However, as any true Gandhian (is there one?) would tell you, being vengeful is extremely immoral. It makes you go round and round in a cycle of unhappiness. It’s a cycle because once you kill somebody’s cat for avenging the death of your dog, he would move heaven and earth to have a shot at your other dog. And if he succeeds, you would again run after his cat and this cycle would continue for ever.

I want to be out of this cycle once and for all. To facilitate this, I hereby tender an apology to all whose cats have been killed by me. Not that I lack the ability to kill any more, but just that I want to spend the remaining short period at the law school in complete peace.

And yes, I’m leaving for Delhi tomorrow. Back to the grind! And thankfully so!

Illusion...

2007-05-27T00:39:00.000+05:30

Reflecting upon the bygone days, as life threw up certain unprecedented questions, I happened to chance upon the following lines which in my limited understanding of this world and its people affirm a brilliant truism,

Duniya jise kehte hain, woh jaadu ka khilona hai,
Mil jaaye to Mitti hai, Kho jaaye to Sona hai.

The Master Science

2007-05-20T18:46:00.000+05:30

Ever since man came to become a social animal, it is ‘Politics’ that has continued to govern his journey from the cradle to the grave. This is an attempt to unravel some complexities of this rather subtle concept.

Technically speaking, Politics is the theory and practice of government. A closer look at this apparently simple definition reveals many imbricated meanings. Politics actually is the science that governs the interrelationships between human beings. It is a science because of the certainty with which it predicts human behaviour. And it is through the notion of ‘Political Power’ that any relationship in a given society can be explained.

Power, as defined by scholars, is the ‘ability’ of an individual to influence the behaviour of others. Examine any relationship in a society and you would see that its existence or non-existence is determined by the exercise of power by the players involved.

Relationships between Government and the people, parents and their children, husband and wife, employers and their employees and even between two friends are shaped by the exercise of power by one in relation to the other.

All our acts relating to other individuals are directed at influencing their behaviour. When a car salesman tries to convince a customer into buying a car, he is only trying to influence the customer’s behaviour in order to ensure that he does buy it. The customer on the other hand remains skeptical through out the process, asking questions every now then, and in the process influencing the behaviour of the salesman who is forced to give his best. If the customer ends up buying the car, the salesman was more effective in exercising his power than the customer and hence can be called more powerful. But, how does this happen? How does one become ‘powerful’?

It is here that ‘ability’ assumes importance. In the above example, if the car salesman has an experience of more than ten years, his ability of influencing the behaviour of a customer is obviously high. And unless the customer has a very good understanding of cars himself, he would find it extremely difficult to not succumb to this ability of the salesman.

The logic of the above argument can be extended to each and every relationship in the society. Be it the Prime Minister and his Secretary, a lawyer and his client, a beautiful girl and her beholder, a doctor and his patient, a CEO and his employee, a software-professional and his client and even a taxi driver and his passenger, they are all perpetually caught up in this clash of ‘abilities’. They are all trying to influence each other and more often than not, it is their natural ability or education/training that determines the final outcome as to who overpowers whom. The crux of the argument is that we are all perpetually involved in politics which is shaped by our respective abilities to influence the behaviour of others.

But then why do we enable ourselves? What makes us crave for power? The answer lies in understanding a highly complex facet of the human mind, i.e., the ego. Ego is our own idea of our worth in the society we are part of. It is to increase this worth that we channelize all our energies throughout our lives. No human mind is bereft of this inherent quality. We try to look good, impress others, earn money, and move ahead in life with the sole purpose of increasing our self worth in the society. While a rickshaw puller works hard to give good education to his children so that his own self worth increases in his society, a CEO of company does that to make sure that his company earns the highest possible profit, increasing his self worth in the process. Our ego therefore, is the single most determining factor in directing our desire to enable ourselves - going to the gym, working hard for the exams, working hard at the work place are all means of augmenting our abilities- for influencing the behaviour of others.

Disparaging as it might sound, but the fact remains that in trying to impress upon your boss, in engineering somebody’s downfall and even in seducing your partner, you are doing nothing but playing politics. Politics, in no uncertain terms is the art of making what seems impossible, possible. And yet it is a science that governs all others.

So, before you throw a jibe at a politician involved in the governance of the country, do remember that he is one of your own tribesmen, a little less enabled then you perhaps.

What is imperative for you is to be aware of your own politics. This is because understanding your own politics is the ‘key’ to understanding why certain things ever happen to you.

This life is a political battleground. Don’t play blindly without thinking about the pros and cons of your actions. And make the right moves. You would always get the same results. It’s the master science after all. And always remember that you can’t help but play.

And be on your guard. Because this game stops only with your end!

© Debanshu Mukherjee, 2007.

P.S.- I’ve been a student of political philosophy in my first year at law school. The politics of International Relations (American Realism, a theory that traces the American foreign policy from the World War Days to Vietnam and Iraq, among other theories is my all time favourite) was by far the most interesting part of the two semester long course. Our course teacher, Dr. Maheshwar Singh, a PhD from JNU was extremely effective. This is my first attempt at looking at politics from a micro perspective.

I am currently reading the Age of Capital by Eric Hobsbawn and another book on the Indian Securities Market.

New Abode...

2007-05-18T00:11:00.000+05:30

That's our new campus under construction...had gone there in the evening today.

The picture was taken from quite a distance and hence not very imposing. The structure is in the form of a humungous circle with three floors. The best part about it is the library which is designed to resemble that of the Harvard Law School.

It's located around 25 kms south of Raipur on the Jagdalpur Road.

It has been constructed on an area of 70 acres with a budget of 50 Crores!

Can't wait to see the final structure...am apprehensive about its distance from the city though.

Anniversaire!

2007-05-17T00:00:00.000+05:30

People, my blog turns two years old today!

Albeit its genre is essentially travel related, you would have noticed that I do post stories from my personal life every now and then.

I thank all my patrons from the bottom of my heart for bearing with me for these two years. Your support is what inspires me to go on.

Leaving you with my favorite post…

Rang de Basanti and John Rawls...

Keep inspiring!

Bombay Talking…

2007-05-11T21:13:00.000+05:30

Life at the 23rd floor of that sea facing building wasn’t all that bad after all. Interns at law firms do not get the most challenging of assignments. Nevertheless, there still remains an ocean of theoretical and applied knowledge to imbibe and learn from. And I’ve just had my first few swigs. So, let’s see how things shape from hereon.

That apart, here’s Bombay in its own words...

Where old is new,

And companions few;

Where strangers gawk,

And shadows talk;

Where hearts are lonely,

And souls deprived,

Where love blooms,

Amidst ocean and the night;

Where life's so full,

And yet so empty,

,

Where dreams are made,

And lives get crushed,

The city that inspires,

Bombay.

Telling the Untold...

2007-04-16T02:47:00.000+05:30

I had purposefully restrained myself for publishing anything here before my tenure as President, Student Bar Association came to end. Now that it’s over, here I am, back to my own world, liberated; no longer responsible to any of the three hundred souls I had enjoyed serving so much; unshackled forever. As life as the President completes a full circle, I present before you stories from my personal (and not professional) life…

September

Prof. Rostam Neuwirth continued to enthrall...

The WTO Course continued to inspire as I became more and more engrossed in the subject.

October

Sudeep, a guy I had known from my school days who was now a batch mate at the law school was no more. We lost him in a road traffic accident. Life came to a complete standstill for quite a while. Reality had never been so harsh. And I had to face it!

November-December

I got placed at Mr. Ram Jethmalani’s chambers for what would be my first internship under a Supreme Court lawyer. Quite obviously, it was an experience of a lifetime!

Enjoyed Delhi for the first time. It's beautiful in winters!

January

The BONGS of HNLU!

I saw my idea of celebrating State-days at the law school being implemented with professional execution as students hailing from various corners of the country arranged what came to be known as ‘State Day Celebrations’. The law school was in a complete festive mode for the first three weeks of January as we got to taste lip smacking cuisine from all over India and got to witness performances reflecting the cultural ethos of the State concerned.

The Jessup Debacle: I can’t say about my teammates, but I knew I had not worked hard enough to expect anything at the India National Rounds. I had too many eggs in my basket this year for me to have taken up this Competition. I’ve learnt my lessons though. On a happy note, Chennai was so much better in January! Had fun in the malls!

February

No significant happening on the personal front.

March

I happened to get acquainted to one Mr. Indradip Banerjee, a benevolent gentleman and a pass out from NLS , who after having reached the heights of his profession was kind enough to come down to our law school to give us the ‘real picture’ of the world out there. He has helped me fine tune many of my life- fundas!

I am leaving for Bombay tomorrow for my first assignment at a law firm. I promise to keep you updated from hereon.

Ladies and Gentleman, I'm well and truly back!

A Presidential Clutter!

2006-08-24T00:38:00.001+05:30

Hello People! It’s been quite a while.

Last month was underscored by a host of surprises. So when I was declared elected as the President of our Student Bar Association (a body of around three hundred undergrads) on the 29th of July, the happening belied all capabilities of foresight I could have had.

While the incident infused me with immense self-confidence, the days that followed have taught me lessons galore.

In our fledgling yet national law school, problems are the only constant. Not that these glitches are peculiar to us alone, but still this is not the best of times to have taken the office. Power has been defined as the ability of a person to influence the behaviour of others. While I’m still not sure about the ramifications of this value loaded concept on my post, I do realize that I’ve now become responsible to a lot of people.

When the new hostel facility was out and out rejected by a majority of our students, mass agitation was the inevitable outcome. While the fact that I stayed at my home made my locus standi (right to bring up a claim) weak, it didn’t deter me from dealing with some unprecedented confrontations.

As the Convener of the moot court society I was made to draft six pages of minutely delved upon rules for our internal moot court competition. Except for the eligibility criteria, the rest was well taken by the students. While the Faculty Advisors had vehemently proposed the initial eligibility criteria, owing to pressure from the student fraternity which wanted a more relaxed criteria, the volte-face within the moot society was inevitable. The rules were relaxed.

I had slogged for three days to come out with the rules. However, all of it went up in smoke. Not that I liked the initial eligibility criteria myself, but this was the first time that my hard work didn’t get any recognition. And more importantly, this was the first time I was working for others (without pursuing any personal agenda). The entire episode ensured that I cut a sorry figure for myself. I even contemplated resigning. After all, why should I work when my efforts don’t bring any results?

However, some deep contemplation brought me back to my senses. My religion too (Hinduism) expects me to work without bothering about the results. I’ve taken up a position of responsibility and I must work!

God willing, justice will be done to me!

On the personal front, the WTO Course offered by an Austian Prof. (who is here for this semester on an exchange programme) is giving me unparallel satisfaction. I hope and prey that I'm not jumping the gun. Intellectual Property Law also being offered this sem is fascinating too.

The year ahead would throw a lot many challenges. I would expect your active support.

Adios!

Let's Save the Tigers!

2006-07-14T00:47:00.000+05:30

Although I am quite focused on making a career in International Trade Law, Tiger Conservation is an area I would always like to remain associated with.

I have visited the Bandavgarh and Kanha National Parks a legion of times in my growing up years and have seen and observed the tiger in its natural abode innumerable times. I recall being in Bandavgarh -in one of my several visits- around the time when Sita, a tigress had been poached. The discussions with various people associated with the park then, have for long remained ingrained on my memory. Such has been my association with Bandavgarh National Park that my parents- both doctors- were once contemplating about buying a house near the park. In fact, forests and wildlife have always remained subjects of my fascination. One of my uncles has recently retired as the Director of the Wildlife Institute at Deharadun, and he is another person who has inspired me to respect the forests and the wildlife.

After undergoing the Environmental Law Course in the second year of Law School, my resolve for doing something for the tigers only became stronger. I am aware that saving the tigers is indispensable for India’s water security (given the 'tiger-forest-water' link). However, I also look at the tiger as a heritage we need to preserve for the future generations. I have gone through the report of the Tiger Task Force (which was appointed by the PM last year to look into sudden disappearnce of Tigers from a National Park in Rajasthan) in parts. They seem to be more concerned about the human populations inside the parks than the tiger. Nevertheless, they do have some good suggestions for improving the enforcement agencies.

Having read Valmik Thapar’s Last Tiger -which relies on the WPSI report- in parts, I realize that it is the market for tiger skins and bones in Tibet (for skins) and China that fuels its poaching in India. As long as the source isn’t dismantled, the problem would always persist. The economic factor would always remain a driving force for the poachers. The porous Nepal border along with the ‘no visa required’ policy for movement across it, is another facilitator.

The Wildlife Protection Act even after hundred amendments can’t save the tiger as long as the market for tiger products is not dismantled. And since it exists outside our territory, the role of Public International Law gets underscored here. It is high time that bilateral consultations are entered into with China. We now have enough proof to show that activities in the Chinese territory are a source for tiger poaching in India. The ban on transboundary harm is a rule of binding customary international law.[1] This rule is embodied in Principle 21 of the Stockholm Declaration and in the new Convention on Biological Diversity according to which States have “the responsibility to ensure that activities within their jurisdiction or control do not cause damage to the environment of other States”. It makes a prima facie case for a petition to the International Court of Justice if China doesn’t co-operate as it is violating a customary rule of International Law.

I have interned under Satish Maneshinde, one the most prominent lawyers practicing at the Bombay High Court and can recall at least one case which involved the tiger and the Wildlife Protection Act. We were for the accused who got acquitted after a trial which lasted for ten years. I am convinced that we cannot expect much from the current system to save the tiger.

I have also submitted a research paper on ‘Legal Personality of Animals and the Animal Rights Discourse’ as part of my Jurisprudence-II course at the Law School and have looked into possible reasons for poor enforcement of Wildlife Protection Laws in India.

My rationale behind posting this piece is to keep me motivated right through the year for completing my paper on Tiger Consevartion. I would request my regular readers to chip in with suggestions.

[1] Catherine Tinker, Responsibility for Biological Diversity Conservation under International Law, 28 VAND. J. TRANSNAT’L L. (1995) 777, 806-09.

Cities Classified!

2006-06-19T15:44:00.000+05:30

People, I’ve my presentation coming up tomorrow. Have been researching on the Dispute Settlement Mechanism of the WTO for five weeks now. Getting the work published in a quality journal will require a lot more effort. Let’s see how things shape up.

Delhi in May- June is not the best of places to work in. Yet, I’ve had my share of fun here. With this visit, I have now lived in most of the major cities of this country after having visited some well known places of the world. Here’s an objective assessment of these places in order of my liking.

1. Bombay…

I’ve lived in this city for around 6 months (all stays taken together).I just can’t think of settling down at any other place in India (God willing). Having said that, I must stress that I love Bombay primarily for its old downtown area. It’s archaic buildings in Anglo-Saxon architecture, the peaceful localities of central Bombay, the Regal theatre and Café Leopold in Colaba, Swaminarayan (Dadar) and Siddhivinayak (Prabhadevi) temples, the age old Irani restaurants, the Bombay High Court, those bus rides along the Arabian Sea, the nightlife, and of course it’s people are just some of the other alluring factors.

This city can both make and break men. For the common man, life is a struggle here. But its energy is contagious. It has inspired many a great careers and has nurtured a host of great men. Truly, no city in India even comes near to Bombay. It rulez. It inspires.

Victoria Terminus

The Bombay High Court

Regal

Gateway of India

Leopold

2. Muscat…

I remember Muscat for its high sophistication, scarce population, exotic locales and those high speed car rides (almost all major car companies of the world have show rooms here…cars are the only means of transport available…and everybody can afford them…that’s Muscat for you) . It’s only after coming here that I realized that the Arabian Sea is actually blue! :). The city is sparking clean too. Given the number of Indian faces one comes across (mostly mallus), it’s almost as if India shifted to a posh setting. I’ll never forget Muscat for the landing at the Seeb International Airport…as the aircraft descends and hovers above the sea, seconds before landing, the sight of the arid mountains in contrast with the dark blue sea remains unparallel.

That's a solid rock in the background, right in the middle of the sea...

3. Gold Coast…

I stayed here for a week in March, 2005. The place is known all over the world for its sublime beaches. Surfer’s Paradise and Burleigh Heads are the two prominent Surfing venues. State-of-the-art malls, extremely friendly Aussies, the Pacific Ocean, cheap eat-outs, outstanding nightlife, sea doves and the extremely economical and efficient public transportation system make it worth its name.

Isn't that serene?

4. Berne…

Although I’ve just seen the old city, the sights and sounds of this fantastic part of the world deserve a special mention. The sights of flashy trams moving through its old lanes, basking tourists at the Parliament Square, the house of Albert Einstein, those age old human settlements, and the chimes from that archaic cathedral make this place special.

Berne, basking in it's medieval glory.

5. Brisbane…

Though I didn’t see much of the city, the towering skyscrapers, the GABA Cricket Stadium, and the wonderful people at the QUT, Faculty of Law will stay in my cerebral alleys forever.

A cutting-edge bridge over the Brisbane river...

6. Geneva…

‘Posh’ is one word I would use for describing this famous metropolitan. Lake Geneva, the University, extremely fashionable people, the WTO Headquarters and host of other International Organizations make it a charming city. French is the language spoken and prices are sky high.

How about this for a home?

7. Chandigarh…

I lived here for a month in April-May 2004 for my first ever work experience at the Chandigarh District Courts at Sector-17. This planned city had a very pleasant climate at a time when most of north India was oppressively hot. It’s highlights; the four lane roads with the latest flashy cars zooming about, the lush green public parks, the market at Sector-17, the good-looking crowd, the ever so gregarious and friendly Sardars, the peaceful localities, the spotless cleanliness, the disciplined people, the proximity to Shimla and of course, the parathas!

8. Bangalore…

I stayed here for a fortnight in November 2005. People, this place truly rocks! The malls, the pubs, the crowd, M.G. Road, M.T.R, the ISKCON temple and of course the National Law School (we stayed in its campus for a week while researching for the WTO moot), the sprawling campuses of the Indian Institute of Science and that of IIM-B make it special.

Bangalore Central...

MTR...Bisi Bella Bath (rice cooked with lots of spices) Rocks!

NLS...enlightenment at the other end!

ISKCON temple by night...

9. Calcutta…

As with any other Non Resident Bengali, the association with this place dates back to my childhood days. The best-bit; dirt-cheap high quality food at the roll walaas and the authentic Chinese restaurants, the old streets, the yellow taxis, Kalighat temple, Eden Gardens, the underground rail network, Park Street, Writer’s Building, fish markets and of course the kind hearted and emotionally charged people. Although I’ve been to the city a legion of times, I’m yet to witness a Durga Puja there.

10. Hyderabad…

This city has everything to take one for a ride. The people here know well how to enjoy life. The outskirts have some brilliant resorts which make every visit worthwhile. And of course, how can I ever forget Hyderabadi Biryani!

Authentic Hyderabadi Biryani specially prepared for me at batchmate Basava Rao's place by his cook.

11. Pune…

Pune is another city I’ve frequented many times. Two of my closest cousins grew up here which meant we visited them quite often. My uncle used to stay in the tranquil cantonment area and his house had borne with a host of other cousins. Lately, my brother shifted his base there- another factor which has kept me associated with this city. Pune has recently become one of the major higher education centers of the country, a fact that gives the city a very young, hip-hop look. The Osho Ashram ensures a constant inflow of foreigners. With such huge student population, the city does have its share of fun, frolic and quite obviously, trouble!

12. Delhi…

Delhi is beautiful, albeit extremely hot in May-June. It has some excellent shopping arcades and ravishing food joints. Buses are all dilapidated and the auto-rickshaws hardly run on meters. This political capital of the country gets a lot of media attention. While South Delhi has an opulent look, the old city is very crammed up and wears a worn out look. Delhiites dress up very well. However, there is nothing here other than the Supreme Court that inspires. It doesn’t throb like Bombay.Delhi Haat and Ansal Plaza are worth a shot. The unlimited thali food at Andhra Bhavan Canteen for Rs.5o is incomparable.

With Arun and Rachit at India Gate...

13. Dhaka

Extremely conjested.Read the Bangladesh post

14. Chennai

I stayed here for a week in November 2005. It was a time when the entire city lied completely inundated and had virtually nothing to offer. So, it would be unfair to comment about it before giving it another shot. Do read the Chennai post

P.S.- I’m heading back home on the 24th. The law school reopens on the 3rd of July. Professional commitments would keep me occupied till the 10th of July. I don’t intend to participate in moots this year and would hopefully post pieces related to relevant social issues every fortnight from now on. I haven't done justice to the tiger paper and can sense a feeling of guilt gripping me tight. I'll make amends.

And I take my photography quite seriously. So, kindly respect my copyrights. Special thanks to Sangeetha for the Delhi picture.

The Swiss 'wrap up'

2006-05-30T15:32:00.000+05:30

Hello people! It’s been almost two weeks in Delhi. More than anything else, it’s the weather which is keeping the spirits low. X-Men-3, Da Vinci Code and Ice Age-2 are the three movies I’ve seen so far…all at PVR, Saket, supposedly the best multiplex of the city…

Internship is going fine, albeit at my own pace.

Its high time I wrap up the Swiss story. Here are some shots from our trip to Bern, the political capital of Switzerland. It was by far the best place we visited there. We had stopped by on our way back to Zurich and had just about enough time to see around the old city…

The train journey from Geneva to Zurich via Bern was phenomenal in more than one ways...

Albert Einstein's house in Bern...

Aish at Bern...

Everytime the age old bell of this clock tower rang at the stroke of every hour, we could sense the past gripping us in its medieval corridors...

Shadows...

The Gothic cathedral came into existence in 1421. Its tower was added in 1893. The colourful statutes embellish the Cathedral.

An old pavement...

Aare, a tributary of Rhine passes through Bern

The Swiss Parliament...

Switzerland is undoubtedly an enchanting place.We were there only for a week and found very little time to see around. Nevertheless, whatever little I saw would remain ingrained on my memory forever. I take this opportunity to thank Adarsh and Roy for the wonderful company. I also thank all my friends at the Law School for the support they provided right through the effort (Hoysala, Basva, Rachit, Anurag, Anshul and Siddarth deserve a special mention for bearing with my mood swings during the preparation days...special thanks to Anjali, Monal and Anubha for all the encouragement...for whatever reasons, these people always made me believe that we would get past the national rounds...a big thanks to our sponsors Allahabad Bank, Jindal Power and Steel and the State Govt. of Chhattisgarh.Lastly, I thank my parents and brother for everything. God willing,I'll visit again!

As they say in Geneve, au revoir!

Delhi...

2006-05-19T14:51:00.000+05:30

People...there has been a slight change in plans here. Actually, I got hold of an an intresting opportunity to do a research based internship at the Indian Society of International Law here...of course, the area is WTO law...However, the Tiger thing is still very much on and lets see how I juggle things...Delhi is dry and boring...it's no match for Bombay's class...Mumbai rulez...will always do...at least for me...

By the way, since the internet facility here is not all that great, i might not be able to wrap up my Swiss story from here...here's one part i 've managed to upload...

Flying over the Swiss Alps on our way back...

Colours of flying...

Off to Delhi

2006-05-14T02:47:00.000+05:30

I am heading for New Delhi tommorow morning for this year's internship. I would be working on a project on 'Tiger Conservation in India'. I'll be back in the last week of June, just before the Law School reopens.This project would hopefully take me to uncharted territories.

God willing, I'll post the rest of the stories from Switzerland soon.

Au revoir!

The Countryside

2006-05-14T02:33:00.000+05:30

After the priliminary rounds, we found time to visit La Plaine, a village town on the France border...it took us 20 minutes by train

Risked my life for this one...

Thats France on the other side...

Was DDLJ shot here....just asking?

Some Eye-catchers

2006-05-13T16:46:00.000+05:30

Perhaps the closest I'll get in this life...

Roy in a sublime blend

A BMW scooter...our Vespa is very common too...

Cars galore...

Fashion (shoot)...

Tram...

Modern or Postmodern?

The sun sets around 9:00 PM in April...the Nightlife starts around ten...

Haloed...in the train to Bern

The Food Scene

2006-05-12T16:33:00.000+05:30

This is what we got for lunch on most days...and it cost around 10 Franks or 400 rupees...of course, we used sponsorship money.

The Cafeteria at the Univeristy of Geneva...

Believe me, it didn't taste great...

The IOC had a tie up with this restaurant for the participants' dinner...it was located inside the scenic campus of the International Relations Institute by the lake.

I'm sure the European participants were loving this food...we, along with the American, Australian and the other Asian teams had a tough time.

Mushroom, chicken and rice...was better than other days...

The best food we had was the buffet breakfast at the hotel...the menu was the same everyday but was diverse enough to try something new every morning....

The last supper...my face tells how much I relished it ....that's the Columbian team...behind them, the LSE team...

Notwithstanding the food, the dinner table was the best place to interact with the other participants...the New York University team.

The WTO Moot Story!

2006-05-10T03:27:00.000+05:30

As promised, here I am with stories from Switzerland. This will be done in parts, each with a different theme. Let me first tell you people about what this competition was all about.

There is this organization called The European Law Students’ Association (ELSA) which organizes this moot court competition on WTO law every year. This event is sponsored by a European Law Firm called O’ Çonnor and Company, APCO, and the Cambridge University Press. The University of Geneva provided its facilities for its staging this year. The World Trade Organisation provides technical support to this competition.

The moot court problem came out in September last year. It deals with a dispute arising between a WTO Member that subsidizes its agri-industry, and a WTO Member that does not subsidize its agri-industry and hence believes it is impeded from competing fairly on the world market in certain agri-products. The Member which subsidizes its agri-industry does not pay out more subsidies than its scheduled commitments permit under the WTO Agreement on Agriculture, but the complainant nevertheless claims that the agri-subsidies are in violation of both the Agreement on Agriculture and the Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures.

It was a very complicated problem which required us to research all over the country in the November break. We did most of our research at the National Law School, Bangalore and cannot thank its library staff enough for having extended to us all possible help. Prof. G.V. Ajjappa who taught us Jurisprudence-I and Legal Methods is well respected at NLS and was instrumental in getting us access to NLS Library and accommodation at the boys' hostel there. It is an irony that we could beat NLS in the regional round. The IIM- Bangalore library was another place we researched in. The libraries of NALSAR, Hyderabad, (got access with the help of Sagee Sasikumar who earlier taught at our law school) and NUJS, Kolkata too helped us in our research. Although, our own library lacked books in this highly specialised area of trade law, the online legal database it subscribes to was enough to provide us with a legion of articles related to our case. The case was so complicated that we could not find a single person in the law faculties we visited who could have helped us crack (understand) the problem. With all due respect to the people we consulted, we found them as clueless as we were.

NLS by night.... and their library complex...

At IIM-B...

That's Manu...fellow law schoolite who is based in Bangalore. While we explored the libraries, he provided us with the required logistical support.

On my way back home from Bangalore, I stopped by in Hyderabad to look into the NALSAR library...Basava, my batchmate who hails from this charming city, ensured that I enjoyed every moment of my stay there when not in NALSAR. Here, sipping coffee by the Hussein Sagar lake in perhaps the shot of my life!

It was only after we read some of the WTO panel reports (run into hundreds of pages) related to our case that we finally cracked the problem in December. Once we could do that, it took us about forty days to prepare our written submissions for each side. The three of us had divided our work to meet the 15th Jan deadline. I can’t remember having worked harder in my life than I did in these forty days. The proofreading and final touches kept us from sleeping for thirty six consecutive hours just before the submission date.

Slogging for the written submissions at the hostel...

That sleepless last day...

Our regional oral round (for the Gulf and South Asia) was supposed to be held in March to select two teams for the world finals. Owing to some communication gap between the regional round organizers, a Mumbai based law firm and the International Organising Committee (IOC), it was cancelled one day before we were to leave for Delhi, the venue for the round. The IOC decided that they would now select teams on the basis of written submission scores. Out of all the law schools from South Asia which participated, HNLU, Raipur and NUJS, Kolkata got selected. So, after all we had understood the problem correctly and the content our written submissions met the required standards.

The IOC had organised regional rounds in South America, Northern Europe, Southern Europe, Asia, Asia- Pacific and South Asia and an International Written Round for North America and Africa to select eighteen teams for the Final Oral Round to be held at Geneva. Around seventy teams had registered for the competition from the world over of which eighteen got selected.

In my last post, I have already told you about what happened to us. We were lauded for making it that far on our own, but believe me we could have done a lot better. Actually we had to raise around hundred and fifty thousand rupees (around 3,300 USD) to meet our airfare and participation fee which included accommodation, food and administration costs for the three of us. Our selection was announced on the 16th of March and we were to report at Geneva on the 25th of April. In between, we had our end semester examination from the 6th April to 14th April. The Govt. of Chhattisgarh (after several applications and a meeting with the Additional Chief Secretary) provided for our airfare which came to around ninety thousand rupees. Jindal Power and Steel, and Allahabad Bank gave another sixty and we had raised just about enough funds to meet our budget. All these funds were routed through the University in the form of cheques. Encashing them was another pain in the neck. We were to leave for Bombay on the morning of 23rd of April. Our bank was forced to circumvent certain policies to ensure that we had hundred and fifty thousand rupees in cash on the evening of Saturday, 22nd April, 2006. I will never forget that day.

We had purchased the air tickets long back by putting our own money then. So, we now had on us, rupees fifty thousand each, in cash as we left for Bombay by the morning train. The entire episode had ensured that we had not practised even once after the announcement of our results, a fact that pains me even today. If only we could arrange for the funds a bit more easily. So here we were, on a Bombay bound train, under prepared for the oral rounds, on our way to Geneva to face the Global Challenge.

The weather was surprisingly pleasant in Bombay as we got off the train that morning. It was only after visiting four hotels that we finally found an affordable abode near the station. The room was air conditioned but was so small that three of could not stand together in it at the same time. One had to be on the bed to ensure that the other two could at least move. We soon got ready and headed for the commercial centre of the city to purchase Euros and Swiss Franks. My team mates (one lives in Cochin and the other in Calcutta) seemed more than interested in downtown Bombay, and before we could realise that we had spent the entire day window shopping, after having watched ‘Being Cyrus’ at Regal, and having a flavoursome meal at my favourite, Baghdadis, it was already evening. Regular readers must have deciphered as to who led them to these places.

Soon we headed back to the hotel at Dadar, packed our stuff for the last time, had a very Indian dinner and finally headed for the airport at nine. Here we were, a group of three undergrads minutes away from boarding a Swiss Air flight to what would be our first voyage to Europe.

The passenger sitting next to me was a Bombay based businessman who deals with lighting events and functions. He was on his way to Frankfurt to see a show related to his business to meet the tastes of his elite clients at Bombay. He had travelled all over Europe and warned me that most non-English Europeans would not speak English even when they knew it. This man had also had a brush with our criminal justice system when he filed a case against a client one of whose cheques had bounced. So while he told me about his case, I recalled a legion of such cases where my boss had defended the guilty party. He knew about him but felt that his fee was too high for the amount involved in his case. Nevertheless, another name added to my contacts in Bombay.

We landed in Zurich at around 6:30 AM local time. It’s another state-of-the art airport. Our flight to Geneva was at ten and we lazed around and window-shopped till we took off. Among the other things at this glittering airport, a Mont Blanc pen for 4000 Swiss Franks (hundred and fifty thousand rupees-our entire expenditure limit) and an Armani suit for 2000 Swiss Franks would remain ingrained on my memory for a long time to come.

At the Zurich Airport

It took us just thirty minutes to reach Geneva from Zurich. On coming out into the airport lobby, we saw a pretty lady carrying a board with ELSA written on top of it. On approaching her, we found that she was not from ELSA but had come there to receive the team from St Peter’sberg, Russia. Just as we came out of the airport and saw signs in French and German all over the place, we knew that we were in for some trouble. We first headed for the adjoining train station only to come out again and wait for a taxi. The taxi, a Mercedes was driven by a hefty guy who apparently could not speak any English. Thankfully, he understood the address we showed and took us to Novotel Gene´ve Centre (a four star hotel), a ten minute ride which cost us 33 Franks (Rs. 1200). We had by now fathomed that Switzerland is one of the most expensive places in the world.

They put us up here...

Our room...

We paid our participation fee at the registration desk, kept our luggage and came out soon to have our lunch. We had not eaten anything at the Zurich airport after finding the rates there to be too high. Our hearts sank when we saw similar rates for every thing at Geneva too. We found a McDonald's nearby and had a regular combo meal for 11 Franks each (Rs. 400). Thank heavens that our participation fee included food too. We were supposed to get meals from the next day onwards. The draw of lots was held in the evening which was followed by a cocktail party. Finally, we had something without any inhibitions.

The draw of lots.

We commuted on tram from our place of stay to the University of Geneva and each ride cost us three franks. So we had to spend at least six Franks (around two hundred rupees) from our pocket everyday.

Ready for the first moot.

Given the fact that we had come without any practise, we did very well to impress the judges in the first preliminary round against Howard University, Washington. Dr. Arthur Appleton, White & Case, Geneva, Dr. Laura Nielsen, University of Copenhagen, Denmark and Ms. Hannah Irfan, WTO Legal Affairs Division were the three judges for our first moot. The next day, we were up against Javerian University, Columbia who were the champions of the South American Regional Round. I think we did well even here. However, the judges Dr. Jan Bohanes, WTO Appellate Body Secretariat, Prof. Christian Tietje, University of Halle, Germany and Ms. Barbara Oliveria did not like our approach of dealing with the prior rulings of the WTO panels as flawed when not supporting our case. In fact, we even fumbled at some questions. If only we got some time to practise the respondent’s side. Believe me, we had not practised properly even once. However, when the semi- finalists were announced in the evening, we found ourselves ranked higher that the Columbian team in oral submission scores. It was disappointing to not make it to the semis though. However, we were ranked above ten other teams, most European (Russia, Finland, Italy, Germany, Sweden, Norway), two American (Howard, Dukes) an African and a Taiwanese team. The only American Law School ranked above us was that of the New York University. And almost all of these teams had coaches. The grand final was staged at the WTO Headquarters. The teams to reach the final were the London School of Economics and Political Science and the University of Sydney. Let me also tell you here that we along with NUJS, Calcutta and the team from Columbia were the only undergrads. International Trade Law is primarily considered a post graduate subject.

With Felipe Serrano from Bogota, Columbia at the announcement of semi-finalists...

The cocktail party that followed...

It was a wonderful experience to see the World Trade Organisation. Getting inside involved a long process. Our passports were deposited at the entrance in exchange for identification badges. The judges for the finals had the biggest names associated with WTO Dispute Resolution Process including the Deputy Director- General, Alejandro Jara. It was a well contested final with the University of Sydney emerging as the winners. We had seen their semi-final too. They were brilliant and deserved to win. Let me tell you that there were Indians on both teams. The LSE team had two Indians including one of the speakers. Both of them had graduated last year (one from ILS, Pune and other from Amity, Delhi) and are pursuing their LLM in LSE. The Australian team too had a girl who was an ethnic Indian. She was a brilliant speaker.

Inside the WTO, overlooking team LSE (far right).

The Aussie team...among other things, they won scholrships to study a course at the World Trade Institute, Bern.

The grand panel of the grand final...

Behind the WTO building...

At Lake Geneva, right behind the WTO compound...

The WTO Entrance...

At the end of it, given the kind of exposure we got, I rate the entire experience as a highly rewarding one. I find myself very close to deciding upon going for a Master’s Degree in International Trade Law from an American or European University after graduating. However, I still have two years to graduate and you never know. Given a chance, I would certainly like to help the next team from the Law School which takes up this moot. This was in all likelihood my last moot as a participant. It’s high time to work on publishing something. Mooting consumes too much of your time and energy and its impossible to come out with a paper while working on a moot. However, it is a highly enriching experience. We get to learn more than we would ever in the classroom.

Having said that, the proposition of going to a foreign land on a fully paid trip, remains an alluring one. So I won’t promise anything. Yet, deep down in my heart I know that its time to move on.

Here in Geneva

2006-04-29T03:00:00.000+05:30

People!!! This is where I'm right now...at the lobby of our Hotel at Geneva...

We were up against the Howard University, Washington D.C. in the first round...we did well to beat them....here, just after the moot...

Then came the Javerian Univeristy, Columbia...was a very fiery moot...will fill in the details later...this was taken just before the moot...

We didn't make it to the semis...got the 8th rank in about 70 teams which had registered for this competition on International Trade Law...wanted to do better though...

Flying back to India on the 1st of May...The Finals take place tommorow at the WTO Headquarters here between the London School of Economics and the University of Sydney...we'll see that and head for Bern, well known city of this country...then to Zurich to finally fly back to India on the 1st of May....

Godwilling, I'll post soon with alll the details...

P.S.- French food sucks!

Rang de Basanti and John Rawls

2006-04-17T03:49:00.000+05:30

Please don’t frown at the title. Actually another semester has come to an end at my law school and it’s about time I dashed off a piece on a theme that has kept me captivated for quite sometime now. Before I introduce it, let me give you a general background. Jurisprudence or the philosophy of law is something every law student is expected to be well versed with. It is true that no client would ever seek to be lectured upon the concept of ‘justice’ or the philosophical underpinnings of the concept of rights and duties, yet as my teacher once said, “it will be assumed that a lawyer has knowledge of the theoretical underpinning of the professional expertise he claims.” Just as an aeroplane is a practical machine which works only if its design is based upon sound aerodynamic theory, a lawyer without knowledge of jurisprudence is no lawyer at all.

Having done Jurisprudence-I (an introductory paper on the nature and functions of law) in the 2nd year, I was anxiously looking forward to Jurisprudence-II this semester, which deals with concepts like ownership, possession, the nature of rights and duties and most importantly the theories of justice. I am glad that our course teacher was good enough to have effectively communicated these theories while leaving many a minds ignited.

What I propose to do here is examine the current state of affairs in our country in the light of certain theories of justice. Rang de Basanti, a recent Indian movie on the state of affairs in our country would serve as a model for proper elucidation.

With the march of civilization, there are bound to be people who will be dissatisfied with the system as it does not give them their due. Our forefathers fought against the British rule because they believed that it did not give them their due. The Bangladeshis rose up against Pakistan as they thought that they were not getting their due. So, it all boils to what is due to the people, i.e., what the people deserve to get. Now this is exactly what the theories of justice deal with. Over the years, philosophers have tried to identify certain principles of justice which help in determining what is due to the people. However, justice is a very vague concept. People’s understanding of justice differs from society to society. For instance, given a chance, a rich man who has earned a lot of money would not want the state to tax his income. A poor beggar on the other hand would want the state to abolish all the beggary prohibition laws. So when every one speaks from his own selfish point of view it becomes impossible to have such principles of justice which would be acceptable to one and all.

To answer this question, John Rawls in his book called the Theory of Justice which came out in 1971 refers us to a hypothetical situation called the ‘Original Position.’ For him, this refers back to the time before the beginning of civilization when man lived in the state of nature. There, every individual was completely detached and had no biases. So, in arriving at his principles of justice, he looks at them from the perspective of an unbiased individual living in the state of nature having nothing to do with the affairs of the modern world.

He says that when such unbiased people deliberate on the principles of justice which will help in determining as to what would be due each of them, the first thing they would agree upon would be maximum liberty for all compatible with the like liberty of others, i.e., every individual should have the freedom to do what he likes and this freedom should be the same for all.

Next comes the question of exercise of these freedoms (which leads to all the problems). Some people exercise their freedom more effectively than others. For example, all the degree holders in India have the freedom to appear for the Civil Services Examination. There is equality of opportunity for all. However, few chose to do so (an exercise of freedom), and even fewer get selected (some worked harder than others-another exercise of freedom). So by exercising freedoms, some people become successful while some others don’t. This goes to show that the exercise of freedoms leads to creation of positions of inequality. For instance, A, a graduate while exercising his freedoms passed the Civil Services Examination and became an IAS officer. Now this position of A is that of inequality in the sense that he is no longer on the same footing as the other graduates who had the chance to appear for the exam or who appeared and did not get through, i.e. he is no longer equal to them.

This leads Rawls to the second principle of justice. He says that an individual’s position of inequality can be justified only if it is for the benefit of the least advantaged member of the society. So in the above illustration, A’s position of inequality (IAS Officer) will be justified only when he honestly works in the interest of the nation for the benefit of the least advantaged person in the society, i.e., A’s each action must trickle down certain benefits to the least advantaged. So while the position of inequality of an honest Prime Minister may be justified, that of a Gangster can never be. While the latter might be a very benevolent person who hands out doles to the poor, his criminal actions against the state would ultimately harm the interest of the poorest of the poor.

The best part about Rawls’ theory is that it applies to one and all. It does not differentiate between the State and an individual. So his theory rings true for professions based on intellectual attainment like engineers, doctors and lawyers as much as it does for a Government Officer or a Minister. For Rawls, this and only this is the solution to all the social problems and tensions.

Rawls’ criticizers point out that why should a person who has effectively exercised his freedoms be responsible to those who haven’t. Prof. Upendra Baxi comes to his rescue here. Rawls’ assumption of original position seems to be true to the extent of allotment of freedoms to all. However, when it comes to exercise of these freedoms in the modern world, not everybody starts from a similar position. For instance, what does freedom to become an engineer mean for a twelve year old child who washes plates at a dingy eat-out. Upendra Baxi thus says that the capacity to exercise these rights or freedoms is as important as the freedoms themselves. It is here that the role of those who enjoy a position of inequality comes in. So the Education Minister’s position of inequality would be justified only when he builds enough capacity in the child so as to enable him to become an engineer. Unfortunately, the politicians of this country have made ‘capacity building’ and ‘reservation in higher education’ synonymous. What use is reservation in an engineering college for a person who has never visited a school? For such children the freedom or right to be educated is nothing but a tantalizing illusion.

Although, it is a fundamental right guaranteed to every child in this country to be educated at state cost till he attains the age of fourteen, it hardly solves the problem of capacity building. Unless this child completes his higher secondary education, his chances of succeeding in this competitive world are negligible. There is a hell lot of difference between being a literate and being educated. Another irony is that while most of the higher education professional institutions impart education in English, the state run schools impart education in regional languages making it even more difficult for the disadvantaged to succeed. I do not say that people coming from non-English speaking backgrounds can’t succeed at the professional institutions, but still it does have an affect today.

Mahatma Gandhi, a private individual enjoyed a position of inequality too. However, he used it to improve the life of his fellow human beings. I don’t want to sound too idealistic here but what least one can do ensure his contribution to the least advantaged is do his own job honestly and responsibly. The benefits would trickle down to the least advantaged. On paper, our system isn’t all that bad. It only fails when it comes to implementation. Today, accumulation of wealth has become the highest moral value for people. Man’s every action revolves around making money. It is not wrong to earn money for one’s hard work, but it should not be at the cost of the society one is part of.

What was true for the minister who was shot at in Rang de Basanti is true for each of us. Is our position of inequality for the benefit of the least advantaged? If it is not, this country would go no where. For, until a significant population of the country continues going to sleep without any food in their stomach, the booming economy is a mere facade and Indian names in the Forbes list of the richest, a travesty.

We don’t need a revolution to solve our problems. We need no people of the "third kind." We just need such people to take up positions of inequality who would do there jobs with honesty and responsibility and not just for the sake of power that comes with it. So, it is not our system that fails the people. It is the people who fail it. We need to have rule of law, i.e., governance according to the system and not according to men. Politics can't be allowed to prevail over law. It's is high time we stop blaming the system.

P.S.- I got busy searching for sponsors after having qualified for the World Finals of the Moot. The end-sems got over on the 14th. Our tickets and visas are ready. We’ll start practicing in a day or two…flying in the early hours of 25th. Godwilling, we’ll win something and come.

The moment of truth has come!

2006-03-13T17:56:00.000+05:30

Yes, I did land safely...two months back though...

Much water has flown down the Ganges since I last posted...

Where should I start?

I got busy preparing for my mid-sems after coming back...then me, Adarsh and Roy practised day in and day out for our oral rounds of the moot...a day before we were to leave for Delhi, the International Organising Committee announced the cancellation of the sub-continental rounds...6 months of hard work seemed like going up in smoke...then came the projects submission deadline...that happened to be today...so here I am, back to the blogsphere.

And about that moot, we are expecting some announcement on the 15th of March...We are competing against all the major law schools...Godwilling, we'll go to Geneva.

Another Catharsis

2006-01-23T01:23:00.000+05:30

Oman is an extremely peaceful place. Although I could only go to places located around Ibra, I’m sure the warmth is the same allover. This break came as huge relief after the slog for the memorials. However, the law school is on, and I’ve already missed a week of classes. It’s now time to go back to Raipur.

I’ve a flight to Sharjah tomorrow morning from Muscat. After a six hour transit period, I would be flying to Mumbai in the evening. I’ll reach Raipur on the afternoon of 24th January. God willing, I’ll post soon.

The Turtle Beach

2006-01-22T22:49:00.000+05:30

21st January, 2006.

Ras al Hadd, a natural habitat for green turtles is around 70 Kms from Sur, a city on north-eastern coast of Oman. The drive from Ibra to Sur was completed in around two hours.

Fuel of the nation. One liter of gas is priced at around 35 cents (US) or Rs. 15. Even electricity is generated from gas here.

Minars at Sur.

The evening sun going down at the Sur seafront. Ras al Hadd is still some way to go.

After zigzagging through the Sur streets, we were once again on the highway running along the Arabian Sea.

As the darkness set in, we reached a very aloof place called the Turtle Beach Resort. My bro hit the pool table soon while the Omani gentleman sitting in the background keenly observed his skills. It is imperative to point out here that all the Omani nationals (men) have uniform code across the country. The costumes of woman on the other hand vary in style from region to region. The men’s costume is called Dishdasha, a long sleeved, collarless gown that extends to the ankles. They also wear an embroidered cap called the Kummah.

The continental dinner was quite flavoursome.

We reached the beach (a conservation area) around 9:00 PM. After buying the entry tickets, we were asked by a Ranger to join the other tourists in a circle for him to explain to everyone, the behaviour of the green turtles. These turtles come to the beach in the nights to lay eggs. They come in hundreds in the months of June, July, and August. In January though, they do not frequent the beach in such numbers. It is a real tragedy that out of around thousand eggs, merely two or three go on to become fully grown turtles. And human beings are one of the reasons for this. These turtles live up to the age of around 150 years and can grow up to around 1.5 meters. Tagging them has showed that these turtles after leaving Ras Al Hadd reach places as far as Malaysia, Maldives and Somalia. Once out of the eggs, they come back to lay eggs only after around twenty five years. As of now, this is all I can recall. Soon, we were led into the beach in small groups (No camera flashes are allowed).

Now that’s a once in a lifetime shot. A green turtle laying eggs. I was lucky to have a carried a tripod. In the torch light, I was forced to have a very slow shutter speed.

Covering up the eggs, the most this mother can do to protect them

Almost done. Very soon, the turtle would leave for the sea to come back after four years. Truly, a hair raising experience! We headed back soon and reached home around 1:00 AM.

Muscat Again

2006-01-22T20:51:00.000+05:30

20th January, 2006

Unlike my brother who is staying back till the 27th, I wouldn’t have had another chance to see around Muscat as I am leaving on the 23rd. So, soon after we came back from Wahiba, we were back on the road.

A distance of around 180 Kms was covered in 90 minutes flat.

No…this isn’t any Grand Prix!

The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is built over an area of 40, 000 Sq. mts.

The Omnipresent M.

A triumph of human endeavor.

Near the port.

A Hindu Temple in Muscat.

In front of a yachting club.

We had our lunch at Asha, a South Indian Restaurant in the heart of the city.

The Oman Sheraton.

After the tiring day, the drive back home was just perfect.

Wahiba Sands

2006-01-22T16:22:00.000+05:30

Soon, we were on our way to a place known as the ‘Wahiba Sands’ for some frolic in the desert. As Hamid sped up on the sandy track, and as the afternoon sun blazed, it was almost as if we were cruising on a golden river.

The Al-Raha tourist camp’s ambience was charming enough to leave me gawking at it when we reached there. We had the option of staying either in the cottages at the base camp or in one of the tents mounted in the desert. We opted for the latter and didn’t repent. The tents had been put up at the higher dunes above the base camp.

There was some time before we could go for what is known as ‘Dune Bashing’. So we lazed around till that happened.

We hit the sands soon on a Land Cruiser.

We had a time of our lives bashing the desert.

The Base Camp from the dunes above.

Ours wasn’t the only vehicle around.

The evening had started to set in.

My bro on the Wahiba landscape.

Soon, the four-wheeler went for the final plunge as we headed straight down for the base camp. Believe me, the fall (if you allow me to call it) was an out of the world experience.

After the evening coffee at the camp, I joined my bro in trying out skateboarding on the sands. The landing wasn’t as cool as the take off. Nevertheless, it was fun.

We had some wonderful Omani food for the dinner.

The dinner was followed by some lively Arabic music and dance by our hosts.

A night in the desert. The tent was unexpectedly comfortable even in that cold.
Under the clear night sky, it was an intimate date with the desert.

We got up early next morning and climbed up the dunes to see if we could catch a glimpse of the sunrise. Though the clouds prevented a full fledged view, it was still a sight worth the effort.

The desert at the dawn.

After the breakfast, we were on our way out of the camp. As we headed for home, we came across some locals on camel backs going about their daily chores. Our day’s revelry is their way of life. A fact worth a ponder.

An Oasis in the Rocks

2006-01-21T15:36:00.000+05:30

19th January, 2006

Our first venture into the Omani outback couldn’t have been better. Wadi Bani Khalid is named after a Prophet, and is a spot no visitor to this country can afford to miss. It has pools of crystal clear water formed from cascades flowing out of the small openings concealed in this rocky valley that encloses the area.

Hamid, our driver for the day, zoomed at speeds of over 100 Km/hr as we headed towards Wadi.

At an eat out on the way.

Back on the road.

The sudden upsurge of greenery gave us an inkling of what lied ahead.

There it is! Truly, a sight without an equal!

We were already on our feet and had started scaling the rocks.

It isn’t always the worst of experiences to become a subject of somebody’s attention. These kids seemed more than interested in analyzing our ascending skills.

Heading for the cliff.

Climbing down to this pool was a very scary experience.

Once there, the source was never far off.

Dad zooms in from the top as my bro poses for my cam.

My bro couldn’t keep off the water for long.

The sight right above the pool.

Back on the rocks above.

The wadis of Oman, though dry when the weather is still, turn into raging streams on a rampage when the rare rains pour down. I truly enjoyed this Grand Canyon of Oman, negotiating my way through its rugged corridors, following the instinct of a hill dweller.

Magical Oman

2006-01-17T22:35:00.000+05:30

In Muscat...

We took off from Bombay around 4:30 AM today morning. I couldn't catch any sleep in the flight. The stop over in Sharjah was short and sweet. The breakfast wasn't all that great though.
The connecting flight to Muscat lasted for just about 40 minutes. Nevertheless, as the Airbus cruised over the Gulf skies, we witnessed some unparallel sights. The sharp features of this arid zone were at their very best. The sand below us shone like gold, even as the Arabian Sea soothed the eyes.The landing was perfect.

With my bro near a beach...

Near a resort in Muscat...

Leaving Muscat...

We went to many shopping malls...did a lot of shopping and had some wonderful food too.

On our way to Ibra, where my parents live.

Today was undoubtetly one of the best days of my life!

Thanks a lot Mom & Dad.

36 Grueling Hours

2006-01-16T14:29:00.000+05:30

Patrons...It was only two days back that I came to know what a 'sleepless night' actually meant!

Our memorials had to be dipatched by 14th Jan. We had finished the major part of the work and had reserved the 13th for final editing. You would not belive...we had to work from the afternoon of 12th Jan to the evening of 14th Jan to make sure we met the deadline. We hardly had any food during that torturous slog. One set of the briefs is to reach Belgium and another, Bombay. All's well that ends well.

Am in Bombay today. I just don't get tired of this place.

I'm flying to Oman tommorow morning.

God willing, I'll post soon.

A Century!

2006-01-01T17:32:00.000+05:30

Hello patrons...my 100th post couldn't have come at a better time.

My Best Wishes to one and all for the new year.I've been busy writing memorials/briefs for the WTO moot since the exams got over. By the way, they went fine.15th Jan is the submission date.

I'm heading for Oman on the 17th to meet my parents.Soon, I'll post all the reamining stories from the South India trip. God willing, this will be followed by stories from the Oman trip.

And yes...we had a rollicking time last night.

Ahm..ahm..that's me singing Suno na suna sun lo na...

This is how law schoolites boogie.

Yaaaaaaaaaa...

Some more...

Our bonfire..

The Culmination...

Once again...wishing you a Very Happy New Year.

A Southern Surprise!

2005-11-22T13:19:00.000+05:30

South India. The only Indian region I hadn’t ventured into. Yet when the Law School was forced into an early winter break (thanks to a pox scare), we were pushed into preponing our visit to Chennai, a place we had identified as our first destination for researching on WTO and Agricultural Subsidies, an area around which our moot court problem revolves.

Very soon, I found myself on a Vishakapatnam (Vizag) bound train. We (myself and S. Roy, my teammate) reached the port city on the morning of 4th November and discovered much to our dismay that our connecting train to Chennai had been cancelled owing to the heavy rains there. Rest of our time in this beautiful city was spent in visiting the various travel operators in hope of finding a bus to Chennai. Everything was packed.

The Vizag Station

It was only when I contacted one of my uncle’s friend who stays in Vizag that we finally got our train tickets done till a place called Vijayawada, which also happens to be one the largest railway junctions in the country. Another pointer to the value of having ‘Contacts’ in India.

On the train to Vijayawada...unaware of what lied ahead!

We left Vizag around 4: 30 PM. Owing to a train accident that had taken place a few days back, the train was to travel on a diverted route and was to take longer time than usual. Now Vijaywada was supposed to arrive at half past midnight. Roy was fast asleep around 11:30 PM hoping I would wake him up once the station comes. The morning exercise of visiting one travel operator after another had really drained a lot out of us. As I closed my eyes around quarter to twelve, hoping I wouldn’t doze off, the inevitable actually happened.

When I looked at my watch at around ten past one and found the train moving at a very high speed, a hundred things crossed my mind. Had I missed the station? No! How could that happen to me? We didn’t even have reservation from Vijayawada onwards.

Still sleepy, I shake Roy up and inform him about the farce. He is too sleepy to fathom the gravity of the situation. Soon, both of us drag our entire luggage to the compartment door and frantically wait for the next station. The train seems to pick up more and more speed even as we expect it to stop. It’s around 2:00 AM and the train shows no signs of stopping anywhere. For a moment we mull over the possibility of continuing with the journey, reach Hyderabad and take things from there on. But without tickets, that could be a huge risk. I go looking for the Ticket Checker in the adjacent compartments as the train rips through the silence of the night. I find him fast asleep and muster the courage to wake him and tell about what happened. He introduces me to another gentleman and informs that even he is on the same boat. He asks me to get down at Khammam, the next station.

Finally, the train slows down and halts at Khammam around 2:30 A.M.When we get out of the train, the sight of at least five more persons from our train who were supposed to get down at Vijaywada but now stand stranded in the middle of this vacant station releases me of all the edginess. We rush to the ticket couter and buy two General Compartment tickets to Vijayawada.Soon, we find ourselves sitting near the door of the General Compartment on a Vijaywada bound train. Last time, the sleep betrayed us. This time, we betray it. Or at least try doing that.

Very soon, we find ourselves on yet another train. It’s the Vijaywada-Chennai Godavari Express. The train starts at 6:00 AM and is scheduled to reach Chennai around 1 O’clock. The beautiful sights of morning keeps me awake till the after effects of the previous night’s sleepless journey forces me into a slumber.

The Sunrise from the Godavari Express.

A shot from my professional camera...ahm...ahm!

Ravages of Rain!

Around 1:30 PM, as we enter Chennai, the appalling sights of water logged roads and fields prepare us for what lies ahead. As we get down from the train, the noisome smells of the inundated city keeps me scatterbrained till I come out of the station.

Much to our disappointment, we find that Prof. Shanthakumar from the Law School, who belongs to Chennai and was supposed to help us in our research, has not yet reached Chennai as even his train got cancelled. And certainly, we could not expect him to be as adventurous as we were.

Hari (Roy's friend who stays in Chennai) takes us to the Ambedkar Law College (which happens to be his own College) to meet Prof. Manohar, a person Prof. Shanthakumar had referred us to. It is here we meet Adarsh, another member of our team who had reached Chennai few hours before us. Prof. Manohar tries his best to arrange for our accommodation at the various youth hostels but to no avail.

We stay in Chennai for three days. We roam around in the rain. We get wet almost every time we step out. We visit few institutes. We find no resources whatsoever. Blame it to the lack of planning. Blame it to the weather.

Adarsh and Roy busy researching?

Some more!

Had Hari not taken care of our accommodation, we could have been forced into squandering a hell lot of money for nothing.

The best part of our stay in Chennai!

The Marina Beach!

Would you believe its 4 in the afternoon?

We leave Chennai on the night of 7th November, empty handed. The Bangalore bound bus proves to be the final test of my patience as ‘BUGS’ feast on my blood right through the journey. It was like Chennai’s last kick on my already beaten up rump.

Hari's car was 'smooched' by a lorry as he carried us around! Arguing with the driver as Adarsh and Roy(foreground) wait helplessly.

We reach Bangalore early next morning hoping that the National Law School wouldn’t be as disappointing. But after the Chennai experience, we must expect the unexpected.

To know about what happened in Bangalore, do keep an eye here. My postponed exams [thanks again to the ‘Chicken Pox Break’(CPB)] start from December 1st and it’s high time that I catch up with my studies. Adios.

Tommy [12-03-1993 to 1-09-2005]

2005-10-17T19:08:00.000+05:30

Thank you for all the joy you brought to our lives...