Another Martyr...

Amaran (Immortal; Tamil, 2024)

Director: Rajkumar Periasamy

A Tamil movie of the same name was made in 1992. It was a full-scale gangster movie that was initially banned from Malaysian theatres but finally screened after the censors went on a snipping spree. It was deemed too violent. The film ended suddenly as the final showdown between the hero (Karthik) and the baddies had too much gore. The Malaysian Censor Board butchered it so much that I watched a movie that was left hanging with an abrupt end, and the hall lights turned on, much to the audience's confusion about whether there was an emergency of sorts.

This time around, there was violence, gore and death, but it is a legitimate form of ending one's life; that is the government's sanction war against ideologies which are hellbent on destroying peace. We call this patriotism, not turf war.

I think one particular scene in the movie highlights the whole business of war and the use of religion in justifying war. An Indian soldier of the Muslim faith is captured by Islamic terrorists in the stone-pelting areas of Kashmir. The soldier is kneeling, with hands tied behind and head bent, waiting to be beheaded. He is chanting Holy Quranic verses. Holding a sword above the soldier's neck is a young jihadi who is cheered by a mob reciting the Islamic verses too. Which God are they fighting for anyway? If there is one up there, God will have a hard time choosing sides.

Maj Mukund Varadarajan

As a movie, it is produced in a very high-quality way. It narrates the life and times of now deceased Major Mukund Varadarajan of the Indian Army's Rajput Regiment. He fell during a counterterrorism operation in Jammu-Kashmir in April 2014. He posthumously received the Ashok Chakra award. His widow, Indhu Rebecca Varghese, tells the story, depicting their initial meeting at college, marriage, and long-distance relationship through his services in the Indian Army. It is a compelling movie which would definitely raise the spirit of any Indian worth his salt. 

There was nothing terrible about the movie. The chemistry between the actors Sivakarthikeyaan and Sai Pallavi, who portray Mukund and Indhu, is spot on. Watching the film without subtitles, one realises that the message gets clear and crisp, even when speaking Tamil and the other Malayalam. It is a truly Indian film, as Hindi, English, Tamil, and Malayalam are spoken within the same verse without causing any confusion. 

Detractors found nothing to complain about the movie. So they stooped so slow to complain that the film went beyond the call of duty to portray Muslims as the bad guys. Hello, the Kashmir issue has been initiated by a country that carved itself out of India on religious terms. Then, they complained that Major Mukund's caste did not get any prominence in the story as the filmmakers showed his family and the wedding celebration. It was an understanding between the family and the producers not to highlight their Brahmin caste.

This good Diwali movie will wet the eyes of those with sensitive souls. It is based on the book series India's Most Fearless: True Stories of Modern Military Heroes by Shiv Aroor and Rahul Singh.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

"Not by the hair on my chinny-chin-chin!"

Seven Days in May (1963)

Humans are social animals, they say. We need each other to survive. We should look at one another as our brothers and sisters to sail through the journey of life. They say we should look at another not by colour or creed, but as a fellow being seeking temporary sojournment on Planet Earth. That, borders and nation states are artificial boundaries created by multinational conglomerates with business and acquisition of wealth on their mind!

But snap out of it! This is what we have. Various nations wanting to do better than the other and do not to be taken for a fool by others. An entity called nationalism evolved over differences and the trust was put on a piece of cloth and the writings which define the nation, the Constitution. Leaders are elected democratically to guard this common belief that the Constitution is supreme, infallible and can stand the test of time as the founding fathers were visionaries extraordinaire!

We all may not be happy with how things are done but we have it stick to the majority decision. That is how it works, we state our displeasure at the ballot box, the democratic way. Any other way should surely spell mayhem and that would be healthy for our State, if we loved it so much! But then, most people are not visionaries and cannot even see beyond their next meal. They need to be coerced and shown the way. For that, we have the political platform, not the hostile military takeover.

At the heights of the Cold War just after the Cuban nuclear crisis, came a book which predicted a time in the future, in the 1970s, of a situation where a nuclear disarmament treaty is to be signed. The President's rating is at an all-time low for putting the mighty USA in a cowardly stance, believing that Communist Russians would stay true to paper. The general scream for 4-star General James Scott (Burt Lancaster) to take over the helm.

The whole premise of the story is about the observant Colonel Casey (Kirk Douglas), the personal assistant to General Scott, who notices many peculiarities and deduce that his boss was planning a coup d'etat! As a loyal citizen, he brings his case to the President himself. After much deliberation, the President and his band of trusted men unfold a takeover of the Government by rogue Army personnel.

Over the years, either by own volition or by certain undetermined events in history, we are all divided into nation states. We are given sovereignty and the free rein to lead our country to whatever direction we want to. It is our birthright to protect and preserve the visions that our forefathers had. We are not expected to just at the sideline when someone from somewhere who have failed miserably their own backyard, comes to our country upon our kind humane gesture, tells us that we are doing it all wrong. They, instead, want to inculcate their failed ideology into ours! No way, Jose!

Job well done, smoking 'em out of their foxholes?

Job well done smoking 'em out of their foxholes? 

Wow, I just realised that my friends are getting just as twisted as me. I guess that is why they say that friends with the same mental illness flock together. When a naturalised Sikh Canadian gets elevated to the rank of Minister of Defence, normally the whole world would sing praises of equality, of globalisation and acceptance of multiculturalism. That the world is everyone's oyster and all one has to do is show allegiance to a flag, bravery and the zest to fight for the Truth against the tyranny of Evil forces. There are two forces in this world, the Good and Evil. The Evil one is hellbent on crushing something good that the rest of the world (i.e. Good) is trying to propagate.

But, no! My friend looks at it as a betrayal to Sikh community.

The Sikhs have always had a special place in the heart of the people of the world. Before the Partition, Sikhs were the minority in the state of Punjab, overpowered in numbers by the Hindus and Muslims. But still, in Malaysia and most parts of the world, people are under the impression that Punjabis and Sikhs are one. That is speaking much of the charisma of the Sikhs.

At one time, the Malaysian wing of the Standard Chartered Bank used a Sikh security guard as their icon to denote their mammoth structure, steadfastness, strength and cordiality. Some time ago, I saw a public service announcement from India. A young demure girl walks along a deserted street in Chennai. She notices a few mean looking good-for-nothing punks on dirt bikes looking lustfully at this maiden. Thinking of the worst, with many unsavoury scenes of Kollywood and Bollywood flashing through her mind, she hastens her pace. She lets a sigh of relief when she sees another biker in front of her. The silhouette of the burly chap with a turban gives her hope. Hope that she has found a dependable soul to rest her woes. The motorcycle trotting punks, upon seeing their nemesis scoots off in no time.

Turbaned Tornado

So, the rest of the community looked at the Sikhs with awe, respect and confidence. What more, they, a small community, have done well. A Sikh in any part of the world is instantly recognised. These qualities must have used by the learned minister to garner accolades in the army. His CV includes the ability to infiltrate enemy territories to garner vital information to turn the outcome of the Gulf War to the side of self-proclaimed Protectors of the world.

Now, the trust is gone. He has put his whole community in danger. Until now, the Sikhs have not been targets of terrorist activities. Dumb actions by naive Americans who mistook Sikhs as Taliban do not count. The frustrated fundamentalists would now have another area to create mayhem. After all, it would mean to them that the Sikhs had turned over to the 'Other Side'!

Just food for thought...

Blood money

Mayfair Set (Documentary, 1999)
Produced, Written, Directed by Adam Curtis


#1 Who Pays Wins
With an uninspiring name like that, I thought the documentary would deal with something related to British affairs. The only Mayfair that I knew was the most expensive property in the original 'Monopoly' game. (Dark Blue, together with Park Lane)
Glad I watched it as it opened another Pandora Box of evil that lurk in what appear to be a kind gesture. Again, the dictum, 'there is no such thing as a free lunch' holds true.
It narrates the concept of mercenary soldiers and arms sales business that helped to sustain and rejuvenate the British economy after being battered in the World War 2. Colonel David Stirling, a gung ho nationalistic soldier ran SAS (Special Air Services) in Northern Africa, a mercenary army during the fight with Rommel.
After WW2, he led a quiet life in Rhodesia but got embroiled in its politics there at a time of Black nationalism, through the Capricorn Party to safeguard the interests of the whites there. This movement was not, however, supported by the then government.
He then returned to London to start a gambling den named Clairmont in Mayfair, in a building befitting the grandiosity of the past history of Britain. It catered exclusively for the aristocrats and the rich and famous.
His big break came in 1958 when President Naseer of Egypt (who is considered to have the blessings of the Russians) attacked Yemen. An important seaport Aden which is of British interest is situated there. As Naseer had humiliated them in Suez, the British government was not keen to get involved in the debacle. As Saudi was scared of being attacked, SAS offered their expertise for a fee, of course.
This was the beginning of the era of arms dealer like the American stooge, Adnan Kashogi.
1964 saw England, under the Labour Government, in an economic quagmire. The pound sterling  took a tumble and foreign funds started moving out. Spending was cut back, the British troops were pulled and Britain was no longer 'Great'. What better way to make money than to sell off the remnants of the arsenal of weaponry left over from the second World War.
Naseer was defeated.
UK, unofficially, through private ventures continued selling weapons of high sophistication and auxillary support (radar, training, etcetera). Corruption started rearing its ugly head as whitemen tried to sell their arms to the royal Saudi family via agents. Modern off-shoots of arms trade flourished between Saudi and UK.

Colonel Sir Archibald David Stirling, 

DSO, OBE (15 Nov 1915 – 4 Nov 1990) 

During the Nigerian civil war, UK supplied arms to the federal army. It was leaked to the public view by a journalist, Jonathan Atkins. A brouhaha ensued in UK, while its watch-dog continued supplying mercenaries to influence and prevent violent overthrows of despots in the Middle East and Africa.
In 1974, Stirling was involved in a bad accident.
After recovering from it, he found his den in London infiltrated by rich Arab big gamblers with oil money. These nouveau riche found pleasure in mingling with aristocrats of their former masters.
With the increase in industrial revolt and unemployment, Stirling, the nationalist, yearned for the good old days where Britain was great. He and his group of friends had a contingency plan to take over the executive powers of the country if political chaos were to occur. They infiltrated into the trade union.
Arab money return to UK to buy as tension in their land escalate. Corruption set in the UK as the Arab buyers started bribing their British sellers for merchandise.
Looks like the whole Arab thing went a full cycle, Arabs bribing the British as they did to the Arabs 20 years previously. To top it all, Stirling's castle in Scotland was bought over by an Arab.
And move over to the second episode....

Gems galore!

Thanks to RS for this collection of pictures starting from a time more than 150 years ago...

Sikh Cavalry Officers, British India Army, attending Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in 1873 in London, England.

circa 1919..

Photograph by Randolph Bezzant Holmes (1888-1973), India, North West Frontier,

Indian army camel corp in Miran shah..

From an album, of 74 photographs compiled by Neville John Gordon Cameron, 

1st Bn Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders.

A British officer with his family, 1877, Mooltan.

Five Indian soldiers near Miranshah, Tochi Valley, Waziristan, 1898

Military encampment in the Razmak,1898

Indian soldiers and elephants, Multan, 1898

British and Indian soldiers with elephants, Multan, 1899

Hyderabad contingent regtl center band in Toochi..1895..

Churchill introduced to Sikh VCOs in Shillong,1945..

4th Sikh Regiment of the Indian Army. Group portrait of the Sikh officers and British captains of the 14th Sikh Regiment of the Indian Army. Multan, Punjab, India (Pakistan), 1919.

Guest: Son of Duke of Connaught.

1st Estab of Indian troops in out skirts of Nowshera (probably present day Risalpur),1907.

Payments by QM to COOLIE CORPS in Jamrood,1877.

The mutineers of 1857 were killed being tied to a cannon and blasted..these nations now teach us HUMAN RIGHTS and Geneva convention.

Abbottabad,1892..BUILDING????

Peshawar Punjab 1870

Photograph of Peshawar, with a view across the cantonment towards St John's Church and the distant mountains of the Khyber Pass, taken in 1878 by John Burke. John Burke accompanied the Peshawar Valley Field Force, one of three British Anglo-Indian army columns deployed in the Second Afghan War (1878-80), despite being rejected for the role of official photographer. He financed his trip by advance sales of his photographs 'illustrating the advance from Attock to Jellalabad'.

Football match 1903..(surprisingly RACE COURSE MURREE).

Officers of the 2nd Batallion, Worcestershire Regiment, Waziristan, British India, 1940. The vehicle is a Crossley "Indian Pattern" armoured car. These were developed in the interwar period for internal security duties in Northern India, based on a Crossley truck chassis. Substantial British and Indian Army forces were occupied in internal security in India during WW2, as the possibility of insurgency (encouraged by the proximity of Japanese forces from 1942) was a substantial concerrn. "Indian Pattern" armoured cars remained in service until Indian and Pakistani independence in 1947. The model here (like most others) was reconditioned in 1939, in the course of which the worn-out Crossley chassis was replaced with a Chevrolet truck chassis. Best regards, JR.

5th Sikh in Mardan,1895..after an operation in Tirah valley..

5th Sikh Regt in Mardan..1895..

Toochi,1895..

Punjab frontier cavalry,1878..D I KHAN..

Gurkha band in Quetta,1902

1/66 Punjabi's band in Abbottabad,1895..

Deputy Commissioner Camblepore with his tamed cheetah..1895.

Peshawar..???

Nicholson monument 1903..

Armoured corps boys wings barracks,Cherat,1930s..now HQ SSG..

Commander in Chief of India Gen. Monro + staff inspecting barracks Gharial, nr. Murree India 1917..General Monro served as C-in-C India from 1916 through 1920, and was in charge during the 3rd Afghan War of 1919. His career was tarnished by the Amritsar Massacre..

Indo-afghan border 1898..

1879..

Inside attock bridge,,

1902..

Military hospital Nowshera,1888,the largest and last major hospital during the AFGHAN campaign..1878..

Queen mother inspecting Indian troops Delhi,1903..during DEHLI DARBAR.

No.11 Light Battery (RFA) drawn up on a parade ground in marching order with full equipment. in quetta,1930..

Scenes with a marching column on Kohat-Tall road,the North West Frontier of India: Crossley (India pattern) armoured cars and crews parked-up during the march. All crewmen are wearing Royal Tank Corps issue overalls.

Scenes with a marching column on the North West Frontier: Men of a British infantry piquet in a sangar during a break for tea (in army slang having 'a brew and a wad') at mohmmand..

Military Service 1914 - 1939: Lieutenant-Colonel Montgomery, Commanding Officer of the 17th (Empire) Battalion, The Royal Fusiliers, with his officers outside a Bierstube in Durren during the occupation of the Ruhr.,from here he moved to command and staff college quetta as a DS,,

Military Service 1914 - 1939: Captain Bernard Montgomery DSO with a fellow officer of 104 Infantry Brigade, 35 Division, with which he served from January 1915 until early 1917. He was awarded the DSO for conspicuous gallantry on 13 October 1914 during the Battle of the Aisne in which he was wounded.