Monday, February 6, 2017

successful

The problem of all intelligent and successful people in our world are that they are not convinced about their own positions and arguments in life. Most often, some arguments or some positions at some point of their life gets acknowledged and they cling on to it rest of life convincing people the idea of success.
They know, every idea and hero become boring after a point. Either they are ignorant of it owing due to their myopic world view or they pretend their ignorance. But some of them are cunning enough to turn them into a faith, so that their own unconvincing arguments are protected above a rational pruning. Perhaps that is the reason all these "holy' religious, spiritual and nationalistic faiths that are founded on the principles of love and fraternity have caused more distress, hatred and blood bath in the world.
All others who are convinced about their arguments and position in life end up in art or rebellion and in later days in pessimism and hopelessness. But from their peripheral existence, they keep on challenging the fraudulence of the idea of successful in this world. This is not a choice but the destiny of every creative mind.
But Interestingly as they being pushed to the boundary of successful world, they become the boundary as a constant challenge to the idea of success and expansion as conscious prick and restraint for successful :-)

before you chest thumb

After long time disciples got the chance to celebrate their leader, but look like as in the case of surgical strike they will make it again "satyanaash" by too much chest thumbing. Many do not realise the mammoth crisis people have to go through to over come this 'bold' decision.
Liquidity crisis will be felt so severely not only in the industry but also for the ordinary people on the street who doesn't know anything about money than its transaction value- majority of that will now be defunct for few months. They wouldn't know why can't they have their, what they believe their "rightful" money and purchase power.Why do they have to stand in long Q in front of Banks, who would not have sufficient money to maintain the supply. Shopkeepers will fail to understand why are they not able to sell their products. Patients will stand in front of hospitals not knowing how to buy medicine or whether to run around hospitals or banks. People who are about to travels would not know, how to travel without money.
Agony and anger will be on rise for next few weeks and the same Bakths who chest thumb will be the first one to run away from celebration. Perhaps they are not realising that beyond chest thumbing they are celebrating a short term disaster for a long term benefit, which will never be able to understood by a common man on street who live on day to today basis and middle class who believe everything in this country is their rightful privilege owing their neo -liberal economic affluence.
It is certainly a bold decision but also a very painful. Unlike in 78, when eighty percentage of people of this country didn't have those notes that were withdrawn, to day 95% people live on these withdrawn notes. On a larger interest of the country and the poor people this was a much needed decision, an argument that was in the air since 2012. No one was ready to implement it, because no one were able to predict the consequences. One has to salute Mr. Modi for this bold step just few months before elections in three major states, that will decide his political equilibrium.
Perhaps the leakage of image of new notes on social network sites must have created this exigency to declare yesterday itself- fearing the possibility of fake notes of new currency coming into circulation, something that would have undermined this planned surgical strike; perhaps considered for a later date.
Every political parties will now be in trouble, perhaps including the ruling party. Of course they will find their ways to get their cash changed and that is what the fear Modi government will have to address. If people who will be suffering on the street start feeling the powerful are getting their way around to change their money and the common man are unable to do that, either with short supply of money in banks or otherwise, this anti corruption move will become the biggest corruption charge against the government- and that will be a real danger and reason for anger.
Day before yesterday, I borrowed nine thousand rupees from my wife to give it to someone and couldn't do that and I am left with those atm dispensed 500s in my hand and in couple of days my mother has to leave for a trip to Pushkar, who doesn't know how to use debit cards. Inspite of being understanding Prime minister Modi's compulsions and larger interest of the country to certain extend, I am worried man today. Imagine someone standing at hospital gate.
So my humble request to all bakhts to hold back their chest thumbing for their leader and destroy the credibility like in the case of surgical strike, this will back fire so badly in short term that one would not even have any comprehension. One has to remember that this is a short term disaster and with long term consequence. Keeping the long term interest of the country, It is bold decision by a prime minister, let us support this decision and stop at it. If you chest thumb, you will regret.

post demonitisation

As the queues in front of urban banks are getting reduced and opposition parties have just geared up for the confrontation for a discussion, demonetization process has now entered into a crucial stage of its second phase of implementation. Some of the pros and cons that are emerging in India with far reaching consequences may be
1. Prime minister Modi’s image as a leader who can take big risk may have gone up, but the chaos and unpreparedness followed after 8th November, certainly has severely eroded his image as an able administrator, a claim on which he came to power . As the day go by, even if one assume the lines are coming down in urban India the rural distress has only have made the beginning. This leaves a serious erosion of faith of rural people in the ability of government and Mr. Modi in particular. This will have a long term consequence with cascading effect on future plans of government, including the provisioning of NPAs in banking sector. People will not be in a position to understand, when the government is holding their valid money back, the banks are writing off the industrialist’s loans in hundreds of thousands of crores, although it is an important necessity as far as economy is concerned. It is a catch 22 situation. If government doesn’t do the write off or make provision for NPAs as RBI guidelines mandate, the economy is doomed, if the they do, they will be branded as corrupt and the public angst will rise and government is doomed.
2. Even if one ignores the government’s claim on black money, with banking transaction control that has dried up the liquidity in market, the nation is going to be affected very badly in coming days. Going by Chamber of Indian Industry's (CII) a group always stood by Modi, projections, a contraction of 50% in organized retail and 75% unorganized retail sector is expected as immediate fallout with long term cascading effect This also will lead to a sharp rise in loan defaults, business failures, decline in national and rural economic activities and rise of unemployment, eroding all the benefits banks are reaping with the current flood of deposits.
3. Also these large-scale deposit accumulations in banks are not cost free. These deposits are required to generate the necessary income to meet the interest payment. Unless and until a massive re-monitisation program is in place to generate demand for credit and pacify the economic contraction, banks will be forced to cut interest rate and that in turn will further deflate the already curtailed currency holding of common man and their income. Add to that, during the upcoming harvest season, if the liquidity crunch due to this banking restriction is not addressed with sufficient liquidity in market, one can only fear the worst agrarian crisis in the country including the subsequent food shortage.
4. The worst blunder now government has committed is the restriction brought upon the cooperative sector. In India, there are no comparison between cooperative sector and nationalized banks when it comes to the rural economic credit and support systems are concerned. The contribution of nationalized banks with their urban corporate focus, on rural credit front their performance have always been pathetic. So It has always been cooperative sectors that have sustained the efficacy of rural economy, if not vibrant but at least active. Now with this new stricture, it is going to collapse this alternate economic model completely, that too at a time when currency withdrawal and banking restrictions are crippling liquidity of rural economy. On one side farmers and unorganised sectors will find it difficult to draw their own money from banks on the other side they will also loose the benefit of their next best option- cooperative banking credits. This is one act that is going to create serious damage to Indian economy.
5. In every state in this country, cooperative sector remains a vital life line for its economy. If government cripples it with their utopian ideas of hundred percentage zero black money program, state after state will start building their confrontation with central government for their basic economic life line. Unlike earlier, there are no planning commission exist today to address state’s economic problems vis. Central government. This will further collapse, not only federal system but also the economic activities of the country. Also in all probability this will lead to the stifling of the movement towards GST implementation. Already Kerala is up in arms to protect their cooperative sector.
6. Small scale industries, informal and unorganised sectors that contribute to 82% of rural and 72 % urban employment are already hard hit by this demonetisation program. Post November 8th, most of these sectors from across the country have already shut or are in the process of shutting down thier shop due to liquidity crisis and subsequent payment problems.
7. When the demonetisation program was declared, a large majority of the people in the country have trusted the government with its intentions but as the day go by and without any clear road map and daily dilly dallying with policy issues and its knee jerk implementations, the government is fast loosing out on public trust factor front.
8. These are only few minor problems, but banks with heavy deposits, markets with heavy liquidity crunch and government with no clear policy road map, the country is now heading for massive economic crisis. It is high time the government with immediate effect declares and disseminates a clear policy framework to reassure the nation why should they be patient.
A government that withdrew 82% currency from market affecting entire nation and every individual, it should have been better prepared with policy frame works, road maps and effective communication in place. Unfortunately it is the rumours and chaos that are flying thick and fast than the reassurance about the government’s abilities to control the situation. This is certainly not a good sign. Government should immediately come out with a road map for re- monetising the economy by declaring large scale infrastructure projects that would re-energise economy and above all convince the nation about their ability for administration. Otherwise not only an economy but also a nation will breakdown with liquidity crisis in market and money stashed away in banks. That scenario will be a sudden death for the government for sure.

shalini ente kootukari

ഇന്നുച്ചക്ക് പത്തു പതിനഞ്ചു വർഷങ്ങൾക്കു ശേഷം ശാലിനി എന്റെ കൂട്ടുകാരി വീണ്ടും കണ്ടു. എൺപതുകളിലെ അസ്തിത്വവാദ കഥകളിലൂടെ കടന്നുവന്ന പദ്മരാജന്റെ കഥയുടെ ചലച്ചിത്രഅവിഷ്ക്കാരം ഇന്നും എന്തുകൊണ്ടോ ഒരു തേങ്ങലായി മാറി നിൽക്കുന്നു. ഇന്നത്തെ തലമുറക്കധികമൊന്നും പുതുമകൾ കാണാൻ പറ്റാതാകാതായിരിക്കുന്ന എൺപതുകളിലെ അവതരണ ശൈലി, എൺപതുകളിൽ വളർന്ന എന്നെ പോലുള്ളവർ പരിചയിച്ച മനുഷ്യരെയും ഭാഷയെയും ഭാവുകത്വങ്ങളെയും പക്ഷെ ഈ ചിത്രത്തിൽ അനശ്വരമാക്കിയിരിക്കുന്നു. എല്ലാത്തിനും മുകളിൽ മനസ്സിനെ ഇത്തിരി ഉലച്ചത് കഥാപാത്രങ്ങളേക്കാൾ അവയെ അവതരിപ്പിച്ചവരായിരുന്നു. ഒരു കാലഘട്ടത്തിൽ നമുക്കൊക്കെ വേണ്ടപ്പെട്ട കഥകൾ പറഞ്ഞവർ ചിരിപ്പിച്ചവർ പിന്നെ കരയിച്ചവർ - വേണു നാഗവല്ലി, സുകുമാരി, ഉമ്മർ, സുകുമാരൻ, ശോഭ ഇതിലെ കഥാപാത്രങ്ങളെ അവതരിപ്പിച്ച അവരാരും ഇന്നില്ല എന്ന സത്യം ഒരു ഞെട്ടലോടെ പിന്നെ ഇത്തിരി വേദനയോടെ തിരിച്ചറിഞ്ഞു. അവർക്കൊപ്പം ഞാനൊക്കെ ജീവിച്ച ഒരു കാലവും കഴിഞ്ഞു പോയിരിക്കുന്നു 

capitalism and money

I always wondered why does capitalism dislikes the central banks printed cash they make profits and preferred private company printed plastic cards. Then I realised capitalism can not levy tax(charges) on our central bank printed cash but can tax as they want on our money in plastic forms. if we spend they will charge, if we don't spend they will charge. if we hold they will charge. if we do not hold they will charge. Above all, they will decide how much we can access our own money in your bank, they will control how we spend and we will never feel we are spending our hard earned money. it is only a 2 inch plastic card on which few companies are making world's largest profits and on our money.

terror and cash

Terror nationalism to cash less to less cash ! is there any end to this joke of understanding of economy of money with our country's economists who control this country's economy?
1. Isn't it cash either physical or digital still cash? Where is the question of cash less or less cash!
2. Every printed note is signed sovereign guarantee by the government of India. Is there any such sovereign guarantee for digital money?
Is the Digital money legal at all without such a sovereign guarantee??
Is there any constitutional validity for this digitisation of currency without parliament amendment ?
3. Also every tom dick and harry are starting apps and swipe machines taking all information about bank details of people and pass words and if these companies fail, fraud or sell these data, who will take the responsibility?.
There are laws controlling stock markets and its dealers, is there any law in this country to monitor and control these companies mushrooming in this country ? If they become fly by night companies what is the guarantee or under what legal provision these companies will be dealt by the law? is there any clarity?
If the government is making the digitisation (cash less or less cash) as a method to cover up the short supply of currency, they look like entering into a biggest breach of law of the land. Government must get to act on these issues immediately else the crisis is going to destroy the value of sovereignty that our country as a nation rest upon.

a note to Shinoj

Shinoj, It is interesting the way the conversation is taking place. But there are many areas that are going un noticed in this process. first and foremost may be the way the construct of the argument against craft melas in fine arts colleges. If one change the word craft mela to art mela in those arguments, one will seem arguing for craft mela ! This binary between art and craft is around the human history for a very long time perhaps from the days of known written languages were came in the world. It starts from idea of calligraphy of words (pictorial-craft) and meaning of the words ( representation of abstract-sign) as both can imply the significance of craft and meaning . From that level the very idea of expression has many implications and consequences in human life as a result of complexity exist in the socio-cultural, economic and political construct in artistic forms. If one argue one against the other or one for the other, then one will be doing the lip service to ignorance of art history. It is not only just history but it will also have the ramification of who's history and who is reading, acceptance of it or rejection of it, linear construct of it or lateral construct of it, formalist construct of it abstract construct of it, expression of it or representation of it , interpretation of it or inference of it, appropriation of it or selection of it, celebration of it or rejection of it so on and so forth to our life and philosophy.

It is a dangerous argument that craft should not find space in art college. This was dealt extensively by William Morris about the idea of labour and dignity in aesthetic production that finally resulted into formation of Marxism. So one only has to reflect on this history to understand the complex layers of this argument.

Also let us not generalise and dismiss the bengal schools, Cholamandalam experiments as insignificant market operators of the day . If one locate them in colonial, post colonial and subaltern studies arguments and constructs, one will understand the very important role they play even today in our artistic arguments and expressions both at vernacular and global level. Even the role of art fairs and Biennales are of no less important in these critical position.

The problem of craft and art emanate unfortunately from our misnorms on a non existing binary between them today. The world has moved much beyond the concept of sign, symbol and metaphor of art, its role and function in art world and especially in art institute. One has to seriously reflect upon one’s own role if one adopt the reductionist approach of one for the other or one above the other without contextualising it in historical and theoretical construct. (although perhaps nothing wrong in it if one practice it but in an educational institute the role is beyond art practice)