Juggie my 10 year old baby, a constant source of joy, companionship and unconditional love to me and my entire family passed away today 17th April, 2015. He had turned 10 on 27th December 2014. May his pure soul rest in everlasting peace. Good Bye my boy, till we meet again!

Welcome 2015 - Happy New Year!

The past year was a year of mixed experiences. We learned a lot, we stumbled we fell, but ultimately by God's grace it was a gainful experience. By God's grace look forward to a Blessed, prosperous, glorious and peaceful 2015 for us and all my friends. Here's wishing all our Friends, Family and Brethren a Prosperous and Blessed New Year. May the year be filled with mirth and a bounty of goodness for all of us. Stay Blessed!

Merry Christmas!

Wine can of their wits the wise beguile, Make the sage frolic, and the serious smile

"Wine can of their wits the wise beguile, Make the sage frolic, and the serious smile." Thus spoke the Greek Author Homer of the virtues of Wine.  But that’s not all. Wine not only provides delightful company to a variety of cuisines, including Indian, but research has shown moderate consumption of red wine may improve heart condition, prevent Cardiac Arrest by keeping cholesterol levels healthy and even help fight off some kinds of Cancer. The cell and animal studies of red wine have examined effects in several cancers including leukemia, skin , breast, and prostate cancers . Scientists are studying resveratrol, a component of red wines, to learn more about its cancer preventive activities. Recent evidence from animal studies suggests this anti-inflammatory compound may be an effective chemo preventive agent in three stages of the cancer process: initiation, promotion, and progression. However, studies of the association between red wine consumption and cancer in humans are in their initial stages. Another component of red wines, Polyphenols have been found to have antioxidant properties. Antioxidants are substances that protect cells from oxidative damage caused by molecules called free radicals. These chemicals can damage important parts of cells, including proteins, membranes, and DNA. Cellular damage caused by free radicals has been implicated in the development of cancer. Research on the antioxidants found in red wine has shown that they may help inhibit the development of certain cancers. Similarly, numerous studies have suggested that moderate alcohol drinking helps to reduce the likelihood of heart disease. The so-called "Mediterranean diet", which includes a larger intake of wine, has been credited with lower rates of heart disease in those countries, despite a higher intake of saturated fats. But a team of scientists from Barts and the London School of Medicine, and the Queen Mary University in London, may have found a mechanism which points to the benefits of red wine. They say it appears to interfere with the production of a body chemical which is vital to the process which clogs up arteries and increases the risk of a heart attack. The London team tested extracts from 23 red wines, four white wines, a rosé wine and one red non-alcoholic grape juice sample, after finding that Polyphenols - from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes decreased the manufacture of ET-1 in bovine artery wall cells. They found that, in the red wines, the amount they inhibited ET-1 ran parallel with the amount of these Polyphenols they contained.

But wine isn’t something most people take to easily. At the expense of sounding snobbish, wine is an acquired taste. Most people who turn away from Wine do so because they lack the skill to mix it with the food they have. True or False: White wine is to be drunk with white meats and fish, red wine goes with red meat, and sweet wines go with desserts, period, and to do it any other way is courting a visit from the Wine Police. The answer is False, but the truth is that until a couple decades ago this is how people decided what to drink with dinner. Thankfully, our minds have broadened. The current thinking is that since food can be every bit as complex as wine, the options for creating rich pairings are staggering. And it cannot be stressed enough: a successful pairing is one that you find pleasing -- maybe nobody else on the planet likes Champagne with liverwurst, but you happen to find the combination absolutely transporting. If there is a rule of thumb it would be either to go for complementary flavours or flavours that contrast. For example, a dish with citrus would be complemented by a fruity wine; a hearty stew would go well with a full-bodied wine; and a delicately flavoured dish, such as poached Beckti, would be in good company with a dry, crisp wine. Whereas a rich cream sauce would contrast nicely with a highly acidic dry wine; and a simple snack of bread and cheese would turn positively ambrosial when paired with a complex full-bodied red. The best advice of all is to experiment, open-mindedly, and frequently.

Here are some truths about how wine can react with food: -

A wine high in tannins (Bordeaux, for instance) mated with a food high in tannins (like walnuts) will render the wine almost undrinkably dry and astringent.

Protein tends to calm tannins, so a very tannic wine might be rendered glorious when enjoyed with red meat. Delicate foods - filet of Beckti or even Chicken for example - will be overwhelmed by a full-bodied red wine. By the same token, a hearty lasagne will virtually cancel out a dry, medium-bodied Sauvignon Blanc. A wine can add its primary flavour to a dish, giving food a layer it didn't start out with.

Some wine and food combinations result in a flavour that was not present in either one and is not meant to be, metal for instance. Try white turkey meat with red Bordeaux if you doubt this. Sometimes it's as though this wine has been searching all its life for this food and fireworks ensue. Tannic wines make sweet foods taste less sweet; salty foods emphasize tannin. Salty foods mute the sweetness and enhance the fruitiness of a sweet wine. Wines that are high in acid taste less acidic with salty or sweet food; acidic wines also can offset oily foods. You can, for instance enjoy a Cabernet-Sauvignon with bitter/dark chocolate. Similarly much more suited to our Indian cuisine is the Shiraz. Try having Shiraz with spicy Indian food or if you are adventurous, with some chopped green chillies & onions.

Tasting the wine fills in some blanks, mainly with regard to a wine's "balance." Take a generous sip and swirl it in your mouth. The weight of the wine in your mouth will tell you whether it's light-, medium- or full-bodied. It also tells you how much sweetness, acidity, alcohol and tannin it contains. The object is for these elements to harmonise pleasantly. The ultimate moment in tasting is just before the wine is swallowed, when the vapours hit the upper nasal cavities. In France, the concept of aftertaste has been quantified in the form of a "caudalie." If the flavour of the wine stays in your mouth after swallowing for one second, that wine has achieved one caudalie; the more caudalies the better, especially with the wines of Burgundy. Really good wines make the strongest impressions with their smell and their aftertaste.

So the next time you raise a glass, give your health and your taste buds a thought, have a glass of wine.

Ambarish Singh Roy

Merry Christmas!

Well, it's finally here . Winter, that is, or whatever semblance of the stuff we get down here. Still, there it is. Rummy thing about this season is, it creates activity. Everyone's either throwing

parties, dinners, cocktails, or just packing off and going on a toot. An

enormous percentage of the general population seems to find this season just

the right time to jump off the dock (read get married). Perhaps it's the

fallout of the activity epidemic or a realisation that all the days of the

year have suddenly run out, so why not make the best of what's left and get hitched. I must confess at this point that I have the heart of an eternal

bachelor, for it is I believe the only honourable estate which allows a man

to preserve his mental equilibrium. But I digress, getting back to the nip

in the air (and I use the expression loosely), it has it's pros and cons,

but personally speaking, I think the pros outweigh the cons. True, one can

sense the devious flu-bug flapping it's microscopic wings in the air, and

one is gulping down copious amounts of Vitamin C and orange juice to ward

off this killjoy; however, it is also the weather which heralds the advent

of Christmas. Christmas in it's varied warm hues tends to uplift ones'

spirits, gives a man hope and an inclination to look forward to the nicer

things in life. Christmas Trees,Carols, Plum Puddings,

Mistletoe, Stuffed Turkeys, Presents and of course good old Saint Nick, are

thoughts which put a smile on the stiffest of stiff upper-lips. I may not

believe there's an over-weight old gent clad in red nightwear swooping down

the chimney with a sackful of goodies, but I have no shame in admitting that

I do believe in Santa Claus. One has never forgotten writing letters to

Santa,hanging Christmas stockings and waiting eagerly all night only to run

out at the crack of dawn to unwrap the boxes beneath the Christmas Tree.

Whatever emerged from those packages, be it ever so humble as a mechanical

ladybug (one of my all time faves), it was magical. The festivities at home,

the ever-running kitchen and the warmth of guests added to that magic. That,

I believe still endures and that to me is the magic of Santa Claus and

Christmas.

What i'm getting at, I suppose, to wrap it up in a nut shell, is:

May the spirit of Christmas bring you peace,

The gladness of Christmas give you hope,

The warmth of Christmas grant you love.

I wish all my friends here, and their n & d ones a very Merry Christmas and

a Blessed New Year ahead.

Friday the 13th, September, 2013 – Why was it significant for India?

Friday the 13^th carries with it many myths and legends. Americans believe it to be an unlucky day when ghosts and goblins make an appearance hither and nigh. Historically, Friday the 13^th marked the day The Vatican ordered simultaneous assassination of the Knights Templar throughout it’s Papal realms, which resulted in the ‘disappearance’ of their Order and ultimately led to the brutal public burning of Jacques DeMolay, their Grand Master.

Cut to present day India. On this date most importantly, the Judiciary in it’s wisdom decided to award the Death Penalty to the four rapists-cum-assasins of ‘Nirbhaya’ the Delhi gangrape victim. The court in it’s sagacity termed it as the ‘rarest of rare cases’, and rightly so. The judgement will be appealed, unfortunately, by a defence counsel who is in contempt of court and harbours a desire to ‘burn his own daughter if she goes out with a guy at night’. Not only should his license be immediately revoked, he should be assigned to a psychological correctional facility – the man has issues! However, the court judgement today provided a much needed salve on the wounds of Nirbhaya’s family, at least for the moment. It is a pity that the juvenile who caused most harm to the victim got away with 3 years imprisonment in a juvenile correctional facility – his punishment should have been at par with the others. But such are the laws of the Indian Penal Code and we must accept them till they are amended.

The Bharatiya Janata Party chose this very day to crown it’s next PM-in waiting – Narendrabhai Damodardas Modi, much to the chagrin of the Party’s patriarch and mentor Lal Krishna Advani. By 6 P.M. Advani had been completely isolated and sat at home licking his wounds. I would have loved to be a fly in the wall when after the announcement Modi went to visit Advani. Even a die hard Advani supporter and Modi detractor till yesterday; a person of apparent integrity, Shushma Swaraj, changed tags and said she was ‘Happy’ with the announcement. Will Narendra Modi be the savior who will deliver us from the evils that plague India today? Only time will tell. But let us examine Advani’s point of view here for a moment. Given, that the octogenarian still lusts for the PM’s post. Let us try to examine his cause for this boycott, apart from the fact that Modi snatched his dream nomination away from him. Modi also snatched both titles of Lauha Purush and Vikas Purush away. What does that leave Advani with? In the eventuality that the BJP comes close to majority in 2014, it will need allies cutting across ideologies and party lines. It has to win back the JDU. It would need help from parties like the TMC, BSP, AIADMK and perhaps even the National Conference. It would be difficult for Modi to attract such a multi-faceted coalition given his staunch Hindutva (or should I say Moditva) reputation and an almost dictatorial style of functioning. In such an eventuality Advani, the lone voice of dissent against Modi would be resurrected by the party and be persuaded to take the PM’s post. So Advani, might be down, but the old war horse is still not out!

What was Congress’s reaction to BJP’s announcement? A smirk by Kapil Sibal and a taunt by Renuka Chaudhury. Perhaps two terms in office has made it complacent or even over-confident? They need a battle plan badly to counter Modi and Modi is a formidable opponent. So it’s high time they get their act together, peel off the sticking plaster from their lips and get into combat-mode. It’s time to speak up and walk the talk. They need to decide on the PM candidate for the UPA 3 and launch a counter-offensive.

So, Friday the 13^th didn’t turn out any differently than what myths and legends tell us. We have punished 4 Ghouls, but we have also elevated a man who will, given time and circumstance, either restore our country into the Economic giant and global power it was, not very long ago…or destroy, disintegrate and dispirit it. God Bless India!

India can't afford to become a welfare state ...yet!

India needs to become economically sound before it attempts to be come a Welfare state. Health Care, Food Security are excellent initiatives. But the timing is questionable. Our Macro-Economic situation does not allow such populist albeit necessary policies to be rolled out at this fragile fiscal juncture. I agree when our Economist PM says "Indians are spending too much on unproductive assets". We spend on Imported electronics, Gold (Which is more a burden on the economy at this point even if a month ago it seemed like a good investment). To put it in simple terms India imports much more than it can afford and exports much less than its' potential. This causes a Balance of Trade problem. Fiscal Deficit at over 4% is a big worry (Remember Dr. Manmohan Singh, the then Finance Minister rang alarm bells as Finance minister in 1991 when fiscal deficit was at 2.5% of GDP). We are doing worse than all other developing nations. FII's have pulled out and don't want to come in till the 2014 elections are over. It is the same case with FDI. So we're low on Forex income, we won't sell our Gold, we can't control the runaway inflation, and we certainly won't curtail Government expense and propose an 'operation hair shirt' (to quote Humphrey Appelby) to reign in our Government budget. Parliament costs us 2 Crores a day - nothing gets done. The stock markets are on life support - they don't know whether to react to the overtures of the RBI and the Finance Minister or react to the plummeting Rupee. We are having to spend more than ever on our Defence budget and, excuse the expression, homeland security budget thanks to incursions by our neighbours (heck even Myanmar crossed our borders today), and the Maoist insurgents, all thanks to our toothless foreign policy and impotent policies of the Home ministry. And now that the Government keeps on introducing populist policies which will cost the exchequer Lakhs of Crores every year, there is no scope of implementing the tough fiscal measures that the Government knows that it ought to implement. America was one of the first countries to be hit by the global recession - it's back on it's feet...it's currency is strong and it's economy is looking up, even though it's rate of unemployment is still high....it's getting there. When will our Government wake up and remedy our Economic problems which have hit every strata of the society? Or do they really want us to wait for the 2014 elections for another Government to pull us out of this economic inferno?

Our Christmas

There is a distinctive nip in the air, it's that time of the year, my personal favourite. Peace on earth and Goodwill towards all men. Hearts aglow with the warm yuletide spirit. Shiny wrapped up presents under a well decorated Christmas Tree and Christmas Carols sung by The Rat Pack, Elvis Presley and Nat King Cole. 

I follow a set Christmas pattern, well it makes me happy. On Christmas Eve I watched A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens starring Sir Patrick Stewart with my little one Vrinda (My elder one Rai is away in Punjab visiting relatives on her mother's side). This was followed by another Christmas favourite 'Christmas with the Kranks' a movie starring Tim Allen adapted from a novel 'Skipping Christmas' by John Grisham. In the evening we went out to Red Hot Chilli Pepper for a quiet dinner with the family. We skipped the Christmas Eve party at the Club this year. After a sumptuous meal and some spiritual sustenance, we headed home and wrapped the presents while The Rat Pack sang lovely Christmas carols. At night we watched Christmas Mass from the St. Paul's Cathedral which is always very touching. Then I sent out the last of my Christmas emails and tuned in to Old Time Radio - BBC After Dinner Christmas Ghost stories. Of course there was a lot of food from Nahoum's - Calcutta's famous Jewish bakery - Cheese Puffs, Pince Pies, Jam Macaroons, Marzipan Walnuts, Plum Pudding, Plum Cake, Rich Fruit Cake and delicious Chicken patties.

On Christmas Day Vrinda was ever so excited to unwrap her presents from Santa. The look on her face was priceless! To add to the Joy my parents returned after a 11 day vacation so the home seems full again. We're  still missing my elder daughter Rai, but she's having the time of her life. We went to Christmas Lunch with friends to Calcutta Club. After a couple of cocktails we dug into the delicious spread which consisted of Roast Turkey, Fried fish with tartar sauce, Sliced Ham with pineapples and Pork Chops ending with Plum Pudding with Brandy sauce. After lunch we came home and enjoyed a siesta. Watched some Christmas specials on TV and caught up with my parents.

So all in all it was a very enjoyable Christmas at the Singh Roy household and we wish you a very Blessed and Merry Christmas - from our family to yours.

Change in weather

The Gathering Storm

A blistering summer is upon us this year and there is no escape from the heat or the humidity. In Calcutta temperatures ranged from 40C to 42C last week. The streets wore a deserted look in the day with people wary of venturing out in the heat and with good reason. Heat related deaths in the state almost touched a hundred, which is I must say, an appalling figure. Even the Air Conditioners gave up their noble fight and barely wheezed cool air under the stifling weight of summer heat. Whenever I drove past traffic policemen I felt sorry for them standing out in the sun with nothing to protect them save a metal helmet.

But enough of the obvious morbidity of the situation, there is a lighter side to summer. The kids are on their summer recess (now extended) and families are heading to the hills or foreign climes. Readers of this blog will realize that I happen to be slightly out of the ordinary, so when most people get influenza in the winters, I got mine this year at the peak of summer, accompanied by a throat infection. And I confess, even at 42C hot Lung Fung Soup felt good to the palate and warmed up my cockles no end. The infection lasted 5 days even with heavy dosage of anti-biotics and other assorted drugs and it gave me the luxury of resting for 4 out of those 5 days, even in this busy season. 

However, there are signs of a change in the weather. The MET Department says we are to have Monsoons by 10th June. Yesterday evening we had heavy thundershowers which cooled things down considerably. If that is a sign of things to come, it is welcome indeed!

Yeh Lucknow ki sar-zameen

There are these places which call to you from time to time. There is a link between the place and one that one holds dear and does not wish to sever. Lucknow is one such place to me. I have visited Lucknow a few times before (as I have mentioned elsewhere in this blog) and all of those visits have been amply rewarding. So when I was asked to attend a meeting at Lucknow in the first week of April this year, I leapt at the chance. There are so many things about Lucknow that calls me to it - the history, the people, the culture and last but not the least the mouth-watering delicacies served up by the Awadhi kitchen. Now the problem one faces while travelling to Lucknow from Calcutta is that the train journey lasts a day and a half. So I took the flight, which got me there in 2 hours flat. 

I put up at a hotel called the Deep Palace, a quaint old kothi of a Nawab which had been sold to a hotel group. The exterior has that old world charm with the intricate carving and the cannon at the foyer, but the interiors are much like any other business class hotel. They would have done much better to include the Nawabi theme indoors as well. The hotel was adequately comfortable, the service was satisfactory and the food was good. Two items on the hotel's Menu which I would recommend are the Mugh Wajid Ali and the Murgh Kabuli Tikka Kebab. Do not try the Biryani, they only have a Hyderabadi Biryani (a blasphemy in the city of Lucknow) and that too tastes like a pulao with bits of mutton thrown in. We had a meeting in the evening followed by dinner which went on till late at night. Thereafter my friend Jatin took us to a paan shop (Agarwal Nawabi Paan Seller - Shahgunj). It was a non-descript paan shop, what made it stand out was it's owner who is a post-graduate but choses to run a paan shop and makes a darn good job of it. The paans in his shop ranged from Rs.10/- to Rs.300/- per piece. When we had finished the man further amazed us by refusing to take payment from us as we were visitors to the city ( though I strongly suspect Jatin had something to do with it as well).

On the second day Jatin kindly offered to show me around town. We decided to visit the important monuments - The Bada Imambara, the Chota Imambara, the Rumi Darwaza, the Picture Gallery, The Residency and the Qaisarbagh Baradari. We also had lunch and shopping on our agenda. The visit to these monuments (which I might add have been wonderfully restored and looked after) took me back 20 years when I last visited them purposefully. I was carrying my Canon EOS 600D with me and freely indulged my inner shutterbug. 

We first visited the Residency. It was clean, well maintained and well-restored since my last visit two decades ago. The only pity was that they didn't allow cameras inside the museum. We then went to the Chota Imambara. Here we took a guide who explained all the artifacts inside as well as outside the Imambara. The collection of chandaliers there is rare to say the least. The silver throne and a replica of the crown of the Nawabs of Oudh also caught my eye. The Chota imambara is spectacular, not in size, but in detail. The intricate engraving throughout the fascade with white on black is truly striking. 

We next visited the Bada Imambara, the Asafi Mosque and certain other parts of that Imambara. It was very crowded, however I did manage to get a few good snaps. Apart from the legend of this Imambara ( which claims that it was built- demolished- and re-built 6 times to provide employment during drought), the architecture is fantastically thought-provoking. It is a marriage of Mughal and Awadhi architecture and the result is breath taking to say the least. We did not visit the Bhool-Bhulaiya (because I had done so on a previous trip) but marveled at the various facets of that imposing edifice. The Asafi mosque is a gem in it's own right and echoes the architecture of the Middle-East. 

We then stopped by to click a few pictures of the Rumi Darwaza - a fantastic creation of Awadhi architecture. I regretted to note that this particular monument - a symbol of Lucknow, hadn't been restored or well looked after as the other monuments have been. We then visited the Picture Gallery. Unfortunately cameras weren't allowed here either and no amount of cajoling would convince the caretaker to look the other way while I took a few snaps. However, once he finished giving us the guided tour of those amazing portraits of Nawabs of Oudh, in chaste Urdu and with proper measure of Lucknawi adab thrown into the mix, he led us to a verandah which gave us a magnificent view of the skyline of Lucknow and a side view of the British clock tower (not to be confused by the remains of that which stands at The Residency). Here I was allowed to take a few snaps. A small consolation.

We next went to the Qaisarbagh Baradari, where the last ruler of Lucknow Nawab Wajid Ali Shah used to hold court and entertain. It is now let out for weddings and social functions and is therefore well maintained. It was difficult to imagine the Nawab sitting regally surrounded by courtiers and musicians amid the modern day trappings of a wedding hall - the aluminium chairs and other decorations, but once I persuaded myself to do so, it transformed me to those old magical days. The two marble statues erected long after the last Nawab bid adieu to Lucknow, are also worth mentioning. 

I must mention here that we had been doing all this sight-seeing when the real-feel of Lucknow's temperature was about 40C. So we were quite exhausted, thirsty and hungry. I had mentioned to Jatin my love of the true Lucknavi Biryani and he took me to a place in Lalbagh called Hotel Charminar. We were joined by a friend and his family there. We ordered the Galouti Kebab, Shaami Kebab, Achari Mutton and Mutton Biryani (Chicken was unavailable). The Biryani was worth it's salt and so were the kebabs. We thoroughly enjoyed the meal and left a satisfied man. We then visited Ramashray to pack a few sweets and savouries for home. I highly recommend the Malai Paan (known as Malai Gilori in Varanasi) and a surprise find - Sem ka beej (which is a personal favourite in any form - roasted or fried). I promptly packed a kilo of that. We next went shopping to a Lucknow Chikan wholesaler, where all of us bought clothes for our families and dear ones. A good collection and economical.  

A visit to Lucknow for me isn't complete without a visit to Tunday Kebabi. Since I had about 8 friends coming over to my room that evening, I ordered 7 plates of the delectable Lamb Tunday Kebabs. They were packed for us within 10 minutes, piping hot! We were back at the hotel by 5.30 P.M. and when my friends arrived at 8 PM the kebabs were still reasonably warm ( of course we got them re-heated). To compliment the kebabs I ordered Achari Aloo and Kabuli Murgh Tikka from the hotel to be washed down with our beverage of choice. Around 11 PM we realized that some of us still wanted dinner and a friend took us to the hotel's restaurant 'Firdaus' (which has live music). We ordered a lovely Tamatar ka shorba, followed by the aforesaid excuse for a Hyderabadi Biryani, some Gilafi Naan and a delicious Murgh Wajid Ali. The meal was enjoyed by all who partook and we rounded off with some hot gulab-jamuns.

Like every visit to this fair city, it left a lingering flavour in my mind, of not just the food, but the culture, the warmth, the traditions and the eternal poetry that is Lucknow.

For more of my Lucknow Picture Please click : Lucknow through My lens

P.G. Wodehouse: Life and Works - BBC Documentary

Happy New Year

Auld Lang Syne (Days Gone By) ~ Andy Stewart http://t.co/uiXuk0ae

Have a Merry and Blessed Christmas

FREEMASONRY AND CHRISTMAS

The observance of Christmas doesn’t seem to bring satisfaction to some people. On one hand, many say it’s too religious, and thus don’t want Christmas trees in public buildings and nativity scenes within a shepherd’s-crook length of government lawns. On the other hand, many say it’s not religious enough; it’s too commercial. They’ve been saying it for years—it’s the central theme behind the charming animated cartoon A Charlie Brown Christmas which was made some 40 years ago.

Setting that aside, what does Christmas mean to the Freemason?

Certainly Freemasonry is not a religion, Christian or otherwise. It leaves the determination on spiritual matters to each individual Mason, so long as he believes in the Almighty Creator. But there are certain messages from the story of Christmas that are applicable to all Masons, not just those who celebrate a certain birth on December 25th.

Many Christians feel God gave his greatest gift to mankind, and that Gift’s birth is marked on Christmas Day. And the spirit of giving is also outlined in our Masonic ceremonies. The new Entered Apprentice is reminded in the northeast corner of charity, and to practice it whenever possible. There’s the monetary charity of that portion of our ceremony. And there’s another kind. The one referred to in the Charge in the same degree which admonishes “to relieve his necessities, soothe his afflictions, and do to him as you would that he, under similar circumstances, should do until you.” In other words, the Golden Rule, from the Sermon on the Mount.

Christmas is a time of faith for our Christian brethren. But all Masons are reminded in the different degrees of the principle of faith. In the explanation of the First Degree Tracing Board, we hear “How ready and willing ought we to be to adore the Almighty Creator.” Therefore, let this time of year serve as a reminder to all Masons to practice their faith, whatever it may be.

Faith and Charity are names of principal staves or rounds on the Ladder you see every meeting on that Tracing Board. But there is another round, and that is Hope in Salvation. While Salvation has a particular connotation to those who believe in the story of the virgin birth, the concept of some kind of reward for following Masonic principles during our lives winds its way through the various degrees, as those of you familiar with the working tools explanations of the Second and Third Degrees well know.

So let this season of the year remind all Masons, no matter what their religious beliefs, to follow those universal tenets of the Craft—faith, hope and charity. Doing so should bring satisfaction to you at Christmas-time.

The Tree is up!

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree
Such pleasure do you bring me
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree
Such pleasure do you bring me

Oh every year this Christmas tree
Brings to us such joy and glee
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree
Such pleasure do you bring me

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree
Oh ever green unchanging
A symbol of good will and love
You'll ever be unchanging
Each shining light each silver bell
No other light spreads cheer so well

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree
You'll ever be unchanging

Mistletoe & Holly

Oh, by gosh, by golly
It's time for mistletoe and holly
Tasty pheasants, Christmas presents
Countrysides covered with snow
Oh, by gosh, by jingle
It's time for carols and Kris Kringle
Overeating, merry greetings
From relatives you don't know
Then comes that big night
Giving the tree the trim
You'll hear voices by starlight
Singing a Yuletide hymn
Oh, by gosh, by golly
It's time for mistletoe and holly
Fancy ties an' granny's pies
An' folks stealin' a kiss or two
As they whisper, "Merry Christmas" to you
Then comes that big night
Giving the tree the trim
You'll hear voices by starlight
Singing a Yuletide hymn
Oh, by gosh, by golly
It's time for mistletoe and holly
Fancy ties an' granny's pies
An' folks stealin' a kiss or two
As they whisper, "Merry Christmas" to you

Mt. Fuji, Japan

Phir Kisi Rahguzar Par Shayad

Phir kisi raahguzar par shaayad

Hum kabhi mil sakein, magar shaayad

Jaan pehchaan se bhi kyaa hoga
Phir bhi aye dost ghaur kar, shaayad

Muntazir jin ke hum rahe un ko
Mil gaye aur hum-safar shaayad

Jo bhi bichhre hain kab mile hain “Faraz”
Phir bhi tu intizaar kar shaayad

Hon'ble Shri Jyoti Basu - An Interview

Hon'ble Shri Jyoti Basu - An Interview

In an informal interview at the Writer's Buildings, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Hon'ble Shri Jyoti Basu, a fellow Xaverian, recollected to Dr. Argha Banerjee, Professor English Dept. St. Xavier’s College, Calcutta and Ambarish Singh Roy, Alumnus, B.Com Dept. & Member Editorial Board, his experiences of being a true Xaverian with a tinge of nostalgia .He shared his views not only on his association with St Xavier's but also a wide gamut of relevant issues pertaining to the present educational system and today's youth.


Can you tell us any striking anecdotes that you remember pertaining to your time at St Xavier's?

I was in St Xavier's from 1924, I took my admission in the 2nd standard, and went on to appear for the Senior Cambridge, and Intermediate exams from the school and college respectively. My father was late for my admission, so when we went to St. Xavier's for the 1st standard, they said they were full as they took only 30 students in their class at that time.. I went back the next year .I completed my first standard from Loreto Day school, Dharamtolla, and fortunately I was admitted there, but sister told my father "tell your son he's going to be the only 'boy' student in the class". I belong to a non-political family. Even in St.Xavier's I don't remember any political movement, except in 1930, when there was the famous Chittagong Armoury raid and even a student like me was enthused by that. Next day the Headlines appeared in the newspapers and the students, we quarrelled among ourselves. Most of the students then were British or Anglo-Indian, I remember only two of us were Bengalis, I and a friend of mine, and we thought the raid was a good thing. Why I remember this is because the very next day a leaflet was issued by the authorities at St.Xavier's condemning this incident, so there was a little bit of tiff between us.

Teachers who left an impression on you.

There was a lecturer Mr. Rolland and one Fr. Shields, he was an Irishman, I think, whom I still remember. I remember Fr. Shields because even after I came back from England and joined politics, he came to our house and met my wife. Now he is no more, I think he was later in Ranchi St.Xavier's. There were some others, most of them were Belgians, Irish or foreigners and one or two Anglo-Indians were also there. I can't recall their names.

Subject-wise, which were you more interested in?

I was more interested in Arts, I was bad in Mathematics. There was one Mr. Hall who was a very fine teacher. Only once did I have to take tuitions in mathematics because I got frightened, I was really bad in mathematics.


Speaking of tutors, it is a very sensitive issue, like you mentioned once you had a private tutor, now it has become a run of the mill exercise.

Nowadays everybody seems to keep private tutors, especially those who have the money. I feel very sad about it. It is a very bad thing that has happened, although the remuneration of the teachers has gone up, of course they have to teach a lot more students now. I remember in our times it was 30 students in one class; I don't know what's happening in St.Xavier's now. But when we were there I was very impressed by the dedication of the teachers, be it in school or college, and we had a team of dedicated teachers to guide us. We had regular weekly exams. I remember we were given cards according to the numbers we received. If one received a Grey card thrice, he would be expelled from school. Fortunately I never got that card! There were different cards according to gradations, for instance, there was another one for academic excellence. But coming back to the issue of interest in subject, I was more interested in Arts than in Science subjects. From the sixth standard I remember I had Latin as my subject, there was no provision for Bengali, so in Senior Cambridge, I know it may sound strange but I had Hindi as one of my subjects along with Latin, and not Bengali. It was very easy to pass in Hindi I remember!

How would you compare the education system of today with the one prevalent in your times?

Now a days the situation is bit different, I do not blame the teachers but the system has become such that are a lot of boys in a class, so, like in our times individual attention cannot be given to the students. In our times teachers used to give a lot of individual attention, they used to call us after class and sort out our problems; you don't have those things anymore. The schools and colleges are overcrowded today with little scope for individual attention.

Curriculum

The curriculum has certainly changed for the better staying in tune with the modern requirements of subjects like electronics, computers. It is difficult to compare and generalize but one can nonetheless compare and say that a lot of variety has been introduced into the curriculum for the better, according to the requirement of modern times. Students today have a lot to choose from unlike our days.

What about the brewing commercialization of education?

If you talk about the whole of India, that is what has happened, that is what we have been trying to avoid for the 23 years that we have been in government and you know we have made education free upto the level of class 12. But we think, from our experience that private institutions are also necessary. We have to involve the Industrial houses in setting up Schools and colleges. We think now, more than ever that mix is necessary. Like we didn't have these private engineering colleges, now we've got 12 of them, another 12 are coming up. But we didn't have these previously, that is why people blame us because we didn't have these private institutions so our students had to go to other states and study. But at present we are having a 'mix'.

Students' participation in politics.

St.Xavier's was one place I remember, where there was no politics. Even then, when there were strikes in other institutions, St.Xavier's never joined. This I remember, but again one incident happened, I think it was in 1930 or '32, when Gandhiji went on fast, in his non-cooperation movement and I used to come to school with my father who was a doctor, I told my father that I didn't feel like going to school on that day as Gandhiji was on fast. He didn't object to that at all, he wasn't a political person; he said, "Okay you come with me and sit in my chambers."

You asked me a question about student's involvement in politics; I think they have to be involved. If what we thought during the Freedom struggle had happened, that wouldn't have been necessary. We thought the British were responsible for all the ills that happened in India, but after 50 or 52 years of Independence we see that students still have to be involved in politics because of the unemployment situation, they don't get jobs, they don't know what is going to happen to their future. They have to be aware of the planning processes, the economy which has evolved, and also discuss among themselves, the different points of views and philosophies that prevail. But people like me, who think like me, we tell them, “that you have to be in politics, you have to know what is happening, because that is your future. What is going to happen to our country, from the economic point of view, from the social point of view, from the political point of view involves the future. But studies are most important. That you must not neglect at any cost. Unfortunately for our country, what we never thought would happen, 40% of the population is illiterate. Since some of you have got the opportunity to study, you must make the best of it. That is the kind of advice we give them. The students have their own organizations, they are not political, and they debate among themselves about the education system, the syllabus and we ask them to give us their views. If all that was promised during independence had happened, then students would have been interested in building the nation. But that is not the situation. Students have also entered into politics. Sometimes they have to go on strikes; then again I say concentration should be on the studies, that is the main thing. But of course you have to be concerned about your future. You have to know what is the 9th plan? What happened to the 8th plan? What is your future? Will you get a job or will you be in business? Because your future is involved.

Opinion about the brain drain

Students, when they get an opportunity, they go abroad. We talk about brain drain, but I am in two minds about it. I would like all of them to help us in India, but we can't give them the opportunity. The Bengali Doctors who reside in America once invited me. They have their organization and they hold their annual conferences, and one of them took me to Toronto, I think there were about 250 of them, when I saw their bio-data, I said I don't talk about brain-drain anymore. We haven't been able to give them the opportunity, but they are doing so well there. The doctors are very well known, some of them have written books also, so I was very happy and I told them “you work here and when the opportunity comes you may also come back" some of them are coming back. I think more opportunities will be opened up for them with the progress in the fields of information technology, electronics, computers and so on.

Do you think students now have given up their idealism and become more self-indulgent?

Well that is the society. That is western society that is having its infection on our society also. What can be done? Television and electronic media newspaper and so on…. It's not quite proper what is happening. We are losing our grip on our own culture. I don't say we should remain where we were, we should adopt what is good from outside also of our country whether in arts science or technology. But we must have a base of our own. Unfortunately, my feeling is that the younger generation gets allured by that the media exposure of the Western Society. Their entertainment should be based on our own culture along with what is best in other cultures also.

Message for Xaverians

St Xavier's my school, my college whenever I hear that someone is from there I feel happy and I again tell them that you have got this opportunity Work hard, study study study! Try to take the best the institution has to offer you, especially the hard work of the teachers, try to do your best not only for yourself and your family but for the country as well.