Legacy Lost?

Early this morning, Mr S, our local pious man, (vegetarian, bearded and forever donning a kurtha, a practical Indian wear) dropped at our gates to request for a place to host the Navarathri prayers at our house. I politely declined as it was a last minute request and the house was raging with exam fever!
Since we started living in this Taman more than 10 years ago, a bhajan group comprising some adults but mostly school children equipped with musical instruments and percussions, under the auspices of S's father (Masterji, as he known as he taught sangeetham [classical Indian singing] and could speak Hindi, as well), went from selected house to house singing devotional song on the 9 days of Navarathri (the 9 auspicious days to worship the Goddesses Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati). Coincidentally, the Chinese people have a similar 9-day celebration for Goddess Kwan Ying, the Goddess of Mercy! The reception for 'caroling' group used to be so overwhelming that the sessions used to go on till past midnight. That was then... Masterji and his right hand man, NS, passed on a couple of years ago. And the Navarathri bhajan group has come to this. All dressed up and nowhere to go!
What happened? Has S failed in continuing his father's legacy or have people changed their priorities? Have achieving good results and enjoying worldly comfort superseded the need to improve our karma standings in the afterlife?
We have to remember that Masterji was a retired man with time in his hands. S had a full time job to attend to and a young and growing family to be fed and educated. Charity and divine deeds start at home first!
Talking about continuing the old man's legacy, I just remembered my old barber, Lingam who succumbed to heart attack 3 or 4 years ago. When he was alive, he ran a small barber shop near our Taman. He was a mild mannered man who had only nice things to say about everything. This is a stark anomaly to most of the Indian barbers that we are accustomed to, who are strongly opinionated and you tend to agree with them as they would holding a blade at your jugular! In fact I would writing about them soon. (in midst of drafting)

Joni Mitchell

Lingam's had a small following of loyal customers who actually sang praises of his simpleton way of life and his cordialness in a letter to the editor of  'The Star', our national newspaper. As always, all good things came to an end. Like Joni Mitchell sang in Big Yellow Taxi..."Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you've got till it's gone...They paved paradise, And put up a parking lot...." Lingam died after his first fatal attack at the age of 54. (What do you know, you cannot have a second fatal attack, can you? You only live once. He had been a diabetic but kept himself trim. His morbidly over-sized chronically lethargic wife with a plethora of diseases have outlived him thus far. Perhaps, God wanted Lingam to be by his side to meet to the his tonsorial needs up in heaven!
Lingam sudden demise caught the family by surprise. His heir was a 17 year old teenager who had bigger plans on his mind - undergraduate and law studies and so forth. So, the widow hired some young punks to continue the business. After some disagreement, she got  an elderly man to run the show. After a few no-shows by the replacement barber, the premises is now permanently shut. And all the loyal followers have moved on to other barbers around there. Life goes on...another legacy lost!
I suppose that is why many renowned figures around the world are grooming their young to take over their legacy. Lee Kuan Yew groomed Lee Hsien Loong; Mahathir Mohamed and Mukhriz; Ling Liong Sik and son; Gnanalingam and Ruben; Samy Vello and Vel Paari; Lim Kit Siang and Lim Guan Eng; Anuar and Nurul Izzah; Kim Jon-Il and Kim Jr and the list goes on...

Robot and Rajnikanth a winning duo

INDIA DIARY
By COOMI KAPOOR


That the trilingual Robot is now running to full houses in all big metros, including Hindi-centric Delhi, has raised questions whether northern audiences are, at last, ready to accept a Tamilian film star.

IT IS a strange phenomenon, really. Over the years, Bollywood has warmly embraced Southern heroines, making them numero uno stars in Hindi cinema, but when it comes to their male counterparts mainstream box-office has invariably spurned them.

Some of the legendary stars of Tamil and Telugu cinema, from M. G. Ramachandran to N. T. Ramarao, never really tried their luck in Hindi cinema, fearful that audiences in the Hindi belt might find them unacceptable.

In sharp contrast to the failure of the male stars from the South to break into the Hindi cinema, female actors have had little or no difficulty in making a mark in Bollywood, with the likes of Hema Malini, Rekha, Jaya Prada, and a whole host of others from down South who played the female lead against mainly North Indian heroes in a large number of Hindi films.

Indeed, these heroines were far more successful in Bollywood than in the Southern cinema, though most of them had landed in Bombay after getting a break either in Tamil or Telugu films.

Lest you assume that the audiences in the Hindi belt were biased against southern male stars, it ought to be clear that aside from language, the mannerisms and looks of heroes from Chennai and Hyderabad posed a problem to Bollywood, which was obsessed with typical Greek god looks.

For instance, a handsome hulk of a man from Punjab, Dharmendra, undoubtedly Hindi cinema’s lone He-Man, was difficult for the southern cinema to duplicate.

Now, this is not to suggest that there are no handsome heroes in the South. They are, but their looks are of a different kind that do not go down well with north Indian audiences.

For instance, Kamal Hassan is easily one of the greatest actors in Tamil cinema, his histrionic skills having been duly acknowledged by many national and international juries. Yet, barring a Hindi film or two, Kamal has found little success in Bollywood.

In the above backdrop, the phenomenal success of Rajnikanth in the Hindi belt, along with the rest of the country, has raised questions whether northern audiences are, at last, ready to accept a Tamilian film star.

The super-duper hero of Tamil cinema has hit the jackpot even in the North and the West with his latest offering. The trilingual Robot – in Tamil and Telugu versions, Enthiran – is now running to full houses in all big metros, including Hindi-centric Delhi.

Billed as the costliest film ever made in India in any language, the sci-fi film took three years and over US$35mil (RM108.95mil) to make. More than one-third of the cost was on account of special effects and the creation of a robot of a Rajni look-alike.

Finest Hollywood sci-fi technicians – who had earlier worked for Jurassic Park and assisted in the making of Spiderman and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – were hired by S. Shankar, the director, and story- and screenplay-writer of Robot.

The film’s story itself is rather simple. Rajni plays a scientist who has been engaged in creating a robot for use by the armed forces in frontline combat.

His invention is capable of human emotions, though it is also able to do superhuman feats such as toppling flying helicopters, crushing enemy soldiers with his bare hands, and talking disease-bearing mosquitoes out of spreading dengue.

But the twist in the story is provided by the villain, played by Bollywood’s Danny Denzangpa. Unknown to its inventor, Rajni, he fiddles with the brain of the robot, named Chitti, and makes it fall in love with the girl (Aishwarya Rai) Rajni is in love with.

From here on it is a mad scramble between Rajni the scientist and his creation, the robot. Audiences get their money’s worth in hilarious and astounding situations which only the superstar Rajni alone can pull off.

So what explains the success of Robot in the Hindi heartland? Of course, the fast-paced action is a main draw. Robot is full of typical Rajni one-liners that draw whistles of approval from the front stalls.

Admittedly, Rajni has done a number of Hindi films earlier, but has not found much success, even when he had his co-star in none other than Amitabh Bachchan. How come, then, Robot has swept the Hindi box office ?

One explanation is that the real hero is the Rajni clone robot who displays such feats, including human emotions, that everyone is left marveling at his versatility.

Maybe the presence of Hindi cinema’s most beautiful heroine, Aishwarya Rai, and one- time favourite villain, Danny, too served as an attraction for North Indian audiences.

Days before the release of Robot, earlier this month, there was a strong buzz about the greatest sci-fi film in the history of Indian cinema.

Probably, the 60-plus Rajni, the only film star to appear in public as his natural self – that is, completely bald, grey moustaches, ordinary features – banked on his vast army of fans in Tamil Nadu to give Robot the initial push.

Thanks to the buzz, nearly 2,000 prints of Robot were released in theatres across the country. In Rajni-crazy Tamil Nadu, some theatres began the first show of Robot at 4am, while the more sensible theatre owners in Chennai held the first show at 5am or 6am.

For Robot, Rajni was reportedly paid US$3mil (RM9.34mil) plus a share in the profits from the box office receipts.

Not bad, considering that the director of the film, S. Shankar and the robot, too, played stellar roles in the success of Enthiran.

Delhi 2010

I simply cannot resist sharing my two cents on the ongoing Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. No, I am not going to suggest that we should boycott the Games, which only revives the ugly history of our colonial masters' tactics of exploiting their subjects and draining resources to fill the coffers of the British East India Company and its Empire until the sun finally set.

I am rather going to confine myself to the opening ceremony, which I happened to browse while waiting to see how my favourite English football club, Liverpool, got run all over by the BPL minnows, Blackpool. Anyway, I have no intention or patience to stay glued to the TV to keep track of the medal tally and so forth.

Despite the rather dismal pre-opening ceremony reviews that the press around the world gave, India managed to stage an impressive and extravagant showcase of its culture to the rest of 'civilised' world with no glaring faux pas!

One cannot help but compare this performance to that of another giant who had also just awakened from a long slumber, China, at the Beijing Olympics 2008. Without a shadow of a doubt, in my humble opinion, Delhi 2010 (opening) was a pale comparison to that. Beijing set the gold standards in how any major event should be organised. With brilliantly choreographed and mind-boggling props and colour camouflaging, the Chinese managed to depict and narrate their entire civilisation and achievements without words. Every participant in the ceremony played their part exceptionally well to tell the world, "Watch out world, here we come!"

We have been informed that the Indian authorities have taken numerous steps to ensure adequate security and to sanitise Delhi and its surroundings. At best for them... For those who missed the Commonwealth 2010 opening ceremony, here it is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRgjWufabjY (Delhi 2010)
And those who want to view the Beijing Olympics opening again...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_M23M6xyYg (Beijing 2008)
For those who want to know what these two civilisations have contributed to the world at large... Be amazed!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Chinese_inventions

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Indian_inventions
Free Website Traffic!

Penang under HK scrutiny

Now that Penang had been instrumental in the turn of events during the 2008 political tsunami, Penangites should also listen to what a TVB documentary made in Hong Kong has to say about LGE. It is an old production when Pak Lah was still PM. Beware, the world is watching!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HA5HRSlYcY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmNwjX9TnGE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaAvEFRQkqM&feature=related

Behind the veil

Views from the other side

Recently, one of email buddies sent me a powerpoint presentation on the ordeals of the ladies behind the meshed veil of the burqa had to endure in a male dominated society all in the name of man's own interpretation of the religion. Their voices are muffled by the sobbing sounds of their unheard cries in the dark.
That got me thinking.... 
In fact, in our own everyday world close to us, there are many amongst us who walk around putting up a front covering the sorrows that they carry behind the mask that they wear on their faces. Just like they say in show business, "Honey, the show has to go on!", life has to go on...

Norman Bates & Bates Motel

I know a general practitioner, who is forever ready with his pearly-white teethed smile, was diagnosed with cancer of the urinary bladder about 2 years previously. He is still smiling these days after enduring 12 hours of radical surgery, nauseating chemotherapy afterwards, losing erectile and ejaculatory functions, losing his bladder and uses a stomal bag for urinary functions. And he is still practicing medicine to treat others as well as to provide for his young family.
Just like a lady that I know  who only moves in high society, attending one party after another. Her younger sister is an equally high heeled jet trotting executive in a successful multinational company. The youngest sibling, unable to live up to the sisters' mark lost the rat race and was labelled a schizophrenic. Struggling to manage himself, he needs the help of his ailing mother for guidance. But how long? So much of anxiety...
So the next time when you are in a situation where someone is hogging the road and you are in a hurry, take a step back and ponder. You do not know what hopeless situation he may be in. His wife could have died or something worse. You do not know what trouble he is in. Maybe you do not want to be in his shoes.

A happy man

Or the annoying man who is talking on top of his voice in a school concert in an unknown language. May be it is not because he lacks common phone etiquette or common sense, he may be in hot soup. Like they say, "I was complaining that I have no nice shoes to wear till I saw a man with no legs!"
Everybody wears a mask to face the real world. Do you seriously think that the runners-up in the Miss World is all joy and smiles for losing the crown or the worker who laughs it away when his boss reprimands him?
We want everything to be perfect for us but in reality we have to live with the imperfection that is endowed upon us and to get the best out of the less than perfect to newer heights.

       

Chindian - Result of true national integration!

One big Chindian family: The lady is blue,a Chinese baby was adopted by an Indian family and later became
 a Tamil school teacher! She is wearing shades after cataract surgery. Her family members are more inclined to Indian way of lifestyle - in preference of food, language and choice of spouse.

Bernard Chandran-designer

Nicol David @ Duracell Bunny

Not Chindian, but Amala (Tamil movie star of 80's).
Could pass off as a Chindian!

   

Tan Sri & son, Ruben Gnanalingam.
(2007:Forbes Asia, 29 in their List of 40 
Richest M'sians wealth US$215 million. 

Pretty Chindian lasses, could be mistaken for
Filipinas, Hispanics or any global citizen

Another happy family!

Michael Veerapan, jazz pianist extraordinare

Datuk Krishnan Tan

Puan Sri Gnanalingam

*Author’s precautionary advice:  Please be forewarned that the content of this article may appear racial in outlook. It is written with the noble intention of promoting unity, not otherwise. Readers’ discretion and common sense should prevail.
The word 'Chindian' cannot be questioned as an alien word anymore as a page is dedicated in Wikipedia for this word! (see:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chindian ) Before this only people from Malaysia  and Singapore were familiar with this word. For those in the dark about this terminology, they are people born of result of Sino-Indian matrimonial bondage. They are true result of national integration, which occurred by national evolution of mixing of cultures without fear or favour. In a country where various divisions and subdivisions exist in many day to day activities between and within races and when people often find comfort in their own kind, I view it with enigma. We can say this a true Malaysian race will evolve over time if integration is let to set in without forced intervention from the powers that be in the name hastening national culture.
I have many Chindians contacts, starting way back from childhood days in RRF.
My first contact with Chindians started when my sisters and I did a short stint of tuition classes with a certain Form 6 student in St. Georges’ School, Ms Kamala Veni, in Boundary Road near RRF. In those days, especially in the circle of RRF, sixth formers were considered a sort of local hero as not many successfully complete Form 5 (equivalent to ‘O’ levels). Since sixth formers were just a step before undergraduate studies, they enjoyed celebrity status in Amma’s books! Veni’s mother is Chinese. I remember her as a very jovial person would try very hard to blend in by talking Tamil all the time. In spite of her limited vocabulary, pronunciation and grammar, she attempted to communicate with people around her in Tamil albeit in a broken and comical, much to the amusement of people around her who would snigger behind her back. Unfortunately, Amma and my sisters were guilty of such behaviour!

Then there was Ms Thavamani of E14-10. She was a newborn when her Chinese biological parents gave her to an old Tamil couple for adoption. Even though physically, she looks every inch a Chinese (skin complexion, straight hair and facial features), culturally (way of talking, head gestures, hand gestures, mannerisms, dressing sense, long pleated hair with flowers, linguistic skills and many other features), due to her nurturing, made her more Indian than any typical Indian girl. In fact, she would sometimes pass cynical remarks about her Chinese neighbours and their pungent cooking ‘aromas’. I remember once an old Chinese who was incapable of conversing in Malay was trying to tell her something in Hockkein in the lift. Lucky for both of them, Lats, whose is fluent in the dialect acted as an interpreter!

Then there is a childhood friend of mine (SD) whose mother is his father’s niece. SD’s mother, a Chinese child, was adopted by my friend’s grandmother. The grandmother’s much younger brother married this girl (of course when she was of marriageable age) and my friend was born. So SD’s mother was also her mother-in-law. And the father’s sister was also his mother-in-law. But grandma was still grandma to SD, either way you look at it! In the Tamil culture, it is perfect alright for uncles (only mother’s brother) to marry nieces and first cousins to marry provided their fathers or mothers are not siblings! I suppose they consider that only the male species carry genetic material; the females are just empty vessels! (oops!)

Many years ago, SD was about to get hitched to tie the knot after cupid shot the arrow at the heart of a loving Chinese girl. During one of my visits at SD’s parent’s home, SD’s mum complained to me, “Look at your friend, he is marrying a Chinese girl. Can he not find a nice Indian girl instead?” I did not what to say, suppressing my funny facial muscles as I stared into her Oriental face. What racists we Malaysians are, behind the face mask that we all wear? Anyway, they all appear happy now – with the proud grandparents doting on the offspring of that blessed union.

In varsity, there were many amongst us who were Chindians. One apparent observation that I noted was their apparent bonding to the Indian students, i.e.if they acquired their ‘Chinese genes’ from their maternal side. Those who have Chinese fathers tend to stick to the Chinese. This is by no means a double-blind randomised control study prepared for publication. As a nation, we have many prominent Chindians who have contributed much to the country. A few figures that I can recall include Datuk Krishnan Tan (construction), Ruben Gnanalingam (being moulded by his father Tan Sri Gnanalingam of West Port Klang), Datuk Nicol David (squash), S. Kumaresan (cycling), Datuk Bernard Chandran (fashion), Michael Veerapan (jazz pianist) and Melvin Khoo (Indian classical dance).

Just that you may know....
Chindians display so much as a product of national integration that many are as ambassadors of sorts to the world like in the national airline carrier, MAS. Classical stereotyping as we, Malaysian, do sometimes land them in 'trouble' during the fasting month of Ramadan when they are 'caught' feasting, much to the embarrassment of the Islamic officials when the matter is clarified! 

Hope for a speedy recovery!

Harakahdaily columnist Dr Farouk Musa ill

Harakahdaily

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 15: Activist and Harakahdaily columnist Dr Ahmad Farouk Musa (pic) has been admitted at Hospital Kuala Lumpur since last week for bacterial meningitis. His condition is reported to be critical. Dr Farouk, 47, a cardiothoracic surgeon by profession and a senior lecturer at Monash University, was admitted on Friday evening. He was later put on sedation. He is currently still warded at the intensive care unit, but has yet to regain consciousness. Friends who visited him at the hospital describe him as a person who never runs out of energy. Days before he was taken to hospital, he informed Harakahdaily's English editor that he was preparing for his next piece for his column, 'Islamism Revisited'. Late last year, he launched a new organisation called Islamic Renaissance Front, a youth empowerment movement which focuses on intellectual debate. The IRF has since held several talks and seminars, most notably organising a lecture by well-known Swiss scholar Dr Tariq Ramadan last July and a seminar on Qur'anic tafsir. Dr Farouk is also a founding member of the Muslim Professionals Forum, and has been actively speaking at various inter-religious fora as well as contributing his thought-provoking articles on the subject of Islamic reform. Despite his busy teaching job and practice, he is said to be engaged in various projects, one of which is to produce a Bahasa Melayu translation of the late Polish-Muslim scholar Muhammad Asad's renowned work, The Message of the Qur'an. Dr Farouk takes a personal interest in the subject of Islamic revivalism, and in speeches and writings has emphasised the need for reform based on true Islamic intellectual traditions, an interest which led him to form the IRF. He has been actively involved in his medical field, having presented papers in Asia and Europe, winning several awards for his research works, specifically on minimally invasive surgery and atrial fibrillation. We hope readers will pray for Dr Farouk's speedy recovery. NB. Ahmad Farouk Musa was my classmate in Penang Free School between 1976 and 1980. (FG)