RIFLE RANGE BOY

Feathered Cocaine: The Story of Money, Terrorism and Falconry (2010) Is not interesting that fifteen years after the apprehension and killing of Osama bin Laden, this documentary is making its round. Perhaps, it is the flavour of the month as the US Elections are just around the corner. Probably because Joe Biden is associated with the old administration, it is a subtle reminder of the evil deeds of the past Government. Watching this Tribeca Film Festival screened a documentary about falconry, it gave a kind of a deja vu feeling. It reminded me of the many so-called altruistic non-governmental organisation working on humanitarian cause getting a free pass into third world countries and starting to dictate how the host country should be run. Think Red Cross and the Bolshevik Revolution, think IMF and the 1997 economic crisis, think missionaries and the Nicaragua Contra rebels. Here, in 2010 documentary, Alan Howell Parrot tells the story of his life. Becoming obsessed with falc...

The Black Prince (2017) Punjab has the dubious honour of being one of the last states in India to stand steadfast against the might of the British. Even when it finally crumbled, the state was the site of one of the first resistance to the rule of the British Raj. We are all too familiar with the prowess of the one-eyed Maharajah Ranjit Singh, who remains the only person that managed to conquer Afghanistan. Even the mighty Alexander the Great was blocked at the borders by King Porus with a little unceremonious help of the Anopheles mosquito. The 1919 Jallianwala Bhag massacre ignited the fire of nationalism. On one hand, the Sikh can walk proudly with their heads held high knowing very well they had a few 'firsts'. However, as boastful as they may be of their feats, they would also bow their heads in shame for the treasonous acts of many their kind.  On 13th April 1919, which happened to be the day the Sikhs celebrated their holy day of Vaisakhi, the Christian ushered...

Operation Blue Star, The True Story. Author: Lt. Gen. K. S. Brar Sometimes one cannot help but wonder if this whole business of God, His Divine Grace, His Omnipresence, His Omnipotence and His Omniscience is just that. A business. His symbolic representation here on Earth may just be a figment of our imaginations and our complicated way to justify our ignorances, faux pas and errors of judgment. We use His name to hoodwink our flock to commit atrocities against our kind and to qualify for a 'get-out-of-jail' free card. We evoke the divine forces for one's solace and to pacify our ego. Is there indeed a force out there that governs the balance and metes justice to ensure equilibrium in the grander scheme of things? This  is crystal clear from the events surrounding the events that led to and occurred after the siege of the revered shrine of the Sikh Golden Temple in Amritsar back in June 1984. The account of circumstances of the unfortunate event was penned from the ...

Plato, in the book Republic, suggested that the state should be ruled by philosophers. But he also mentioned about groups of people attuned to different classes to do different duties for the upkeep of the nation. In modern times, these ideas may not be politically correct as it is not good virtues that spins the modern world, but rather, stashes of money. In the 21st century, conformity of the majority to the whims of the 1% goes a long way in keeping order but not peace and definitely not law. Creation of just wars seems to the calling of the century whilst the powerful maintain their stronghold on the hapless majority. Harimandhir Sahib, was given the golden feel to the pre-existing temple by Maharajah Ranjit Singh. He has the honour of being the only power defeating the Afghanis. He created Punjab, ruled over Kashmir and Afghanistan. His royal regalia included the coveted Koh-i-Noor diamond which was snatched from the Persians who had looted it from Andhra Pradesh. T...