'A quiet walk in Landsdowne, Uttrakhand, India' by K.J.S.Chatrath

Let us go on a silent walk,

Hand in hand,

Just you, me and eternity.

(Inspired by T.S.Eliot's lines in the Love Song of J.Alfred Prufrock:

"Let us go then, you and I,

When the evening is spread out against the sky...")

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"Cliches, clichés & nothing but the clichés Mr. Satyarthi" by K.J.S.Chatrath

I have just read an article in The Hindu, ‘Victory for the world’s children’ by Mr. Kailash Satyarthi (http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/united-nations-agenda-for-worlds-most-underprivileged-children/article7750251.ece)

I found it to be, to use a cliche',  a collection of cliches, clichés & nothing but the clichés. Take a look at some of the gems propounded by the ½ Nobel Prize winner:

“A charter of our collective vision of the next 15 years.....”

“It is a clear victory for millions of children reeling under various forms of abuse.....”

“Finally, children’s cries have been considered. It is a major win for civil society members who have been fighting tooth and nail for decades to make children a priority through policy, budgets and strong enforcement measures.....” 

“Now, the targets are cut out in front of us. What is needed is immediate, trailblazing and sustained action.....”

“ I appealed to all to stop accepting business as usual.....” 

“I urged that the governments prioritise child-related SDGs in national legislation and planning.....”

“In the last decade, corporates and civil society have become equal actors as state and innovative partnerships between all are imperative for achieving global targets.....”

“Globalisation of knowledge, of economy and of products is rampant; let us turn it into the globalisation of human responsibility too.....”

“I have faith in the youth, my beacons of inspiration, the agents of change, to use their energy and enthusiasm constructively.....”

“Let us create a youth movement that gives us change-makers, leaders and rewriters of history.....”

“Today, change is knocking on the door in the form of those raring for development, inclusivity and peace. And that change will occur. Let these goals not just spell victory of children, but victory of the humankind and of our beloved earth.....”

I am tempted to use another cliché Mr. Satyarthi - Windbaggery !

'The disappointing Martian' by K.J.S.Chatrath

ISRO photo of Mars

I love science fiction films. India's successfull launch of Mangalyaan too has enhanced my interest in Mars. So this afternoon  I sacrificed my siesta to go and watch 'The Martian'.

I did not read any review lest it spoil my enjoyment of the film. In any  case, my problem with most of the film reviews is that those end up narrating the story in detail and say very little about other aspects. So I will skip the story of this film.

The film is based on the bestselling novel by Andy Weir. There is an Indian character in the novel- Dr Venkat Kapoor. However in the film he is renamed as Vincent Kapoor and the part is played, very competently by a black actor Chitwetel Ejiofor. 

I found the portrayal of the astronaut on Mars, lacking in gravitas.  He never grips you as a person who is all alone on an entire planet. He is joking even when the situation is really grim. Except in one sole little moment towards the end of the film when he appears to get emotional. Surely the astronauts are chosen, inter-alia, for their tough mindsets and are given rigorous training to handle any eventuality. But the portrayal in the film tended to put in smarty lines when a little more seriousness should have in order.

I saw the movie in DT Cinema in Chandigarh. Somehow to me the screen seemed to be much smaller than in Fun cinemas. Since it was a 3D film, special specs were provided. I have three observations. Firstly, while over the years the technology of 3D films seems to have surely advanced, that of the accompanying specs has not kept pace with it. Secondly, the lenses of the  specs supplied were  full of scratches. Thirdly, the system of wrapping a tissue paper around the used set of specs and handing those over to the cine goers of the next show too seemed to be lacking in primary  hygiene.

My take- I am not happy to have missed my siesta and to have spent Rs.200/- for the ticket. 

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'Le Corbusier brouhaha'- by K.J.S.Chatrath

I am not a fan of Le Corbusier, and much less of his 'originality'. Here are a few issues that I am uncomfortable with.

Ignoring local conditions:

 

"Not that Chandigarh is utopia. Far from it. The dust-catching jalis, the confusing patterns of sectors, the medieval segregation of social classes are apalling" wrote late Charles Correa in a Times of India article in 1968.

Incidentetally Correa's profile picture of that time shows him donning Le Corbusier style round spectacles!

Dull, drab repititive houses:
To me the identical houses in Chandigarh look like the mass constructed flats in the erstwhile Soviet Bloc East European countries. 

Copied Open Hand Design:

I had problem with an 'original' idea of Le Corbusier while visiting Iran, Morroco and Spain some time back.

 

In Iran

In Morrocco

A Fatima's Hand souvenir commonly sold in Portugal

Chandigarh

Please see the Fatima's Hand atop a very old building in Iran and a tile showing the open hand in Morrocco.  It is an extremely common centuries old symbol in these countries signifying "Fatima's hand' meant to ward off evil!
Now compare these  with the original and amazing contribution of Le Corbusier to Chandigarh- the 'Open Hand Monument'.

How very original!

Copied Chimney Design:


 

The common design of atomic plant chimney & Chandigarh legislative Assembly's cut-chimney.

Original by Le Corbusier?

You must be joking....

Heritage City?

It is amazing to see how everything used or touched by Chandigarh’s planner architect Le Corbusier is being revered as a ‘heritage’ item. One fails to understand how the simple chair or the stool used by Paul Jeanneret, an associate of Le Corbusier becomes a heritage item?

The notebooks in which Leonardo Da Vinci used to scribble his notes and draw sketches of machines 400 years back are surely heritage items. The pyramids constructed in Egypt thousands of years back are heritage items.  

 

 Egyptian statue- about 4000 years old.

But the 50 year old note books of Le Corbusier. You are not serious! What is a 50 year old article or a drawing in a country like India which has thousands of years of known history.

Let us see the dictionary definition of ‘heritage’. These are the “Valued objects and qualities such as cultural traditions, unspoiled countryside, and historic buildings that have been passed down from previous generations”. What are the heritage items are, for example, the remnants of the Indus Valley Civilization not the 50 year old stuff.

Let us now read this with The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. This Act defines an ancient monument as a monument which is atleast 100 years old.

May be since Chandigarh is a newly built town and we don’t have any old building to show off our pedigree or class, so....maybe....

Come on, let us have some sense of proportion.

The tyranny of Sector Markets: 

Of course my take is that he made a mess of the architecture & planning of Chandigarh. I recently wanted to go to a chemist shop in Sector 35. I could not find one and was told that this sector’s market was earmarked for eateries by Le Corbusier and for going to a chemist’s shop one must travel to a sector where there is a Medical hospital/institution. Similarly I wanted to buy some school stationery in another sector and could not locate any stationery shop as it was a sector ordained for shops of some other speciality. I do hope that I got it all wrong and that the  local vocal followers of Le Corbusier would educate people like us.

 

Furniture: 

Some heritage lovers of this 55 year old city think that everything that Le Corbusier or Jeanneret touched qualifies to be worshipped as a heritage article.

Look at the above chairs. I would call them ordinary. Just very, very ordinary. Chairs of this design are being made by local carpenters in various parts of India since long before we first heard of Le Corbusier and Jeanneret.

Why should we go over board in our praise just because some foreigner "designed"/ or sat in these chairs?

Governor's Palace: 

I was amused to read the article "Chandigarh's Unbuilt Monument" in The Tribune, January 10, 2013. The article talks about and provides a photograph of a model of the 'unbuilt' Governor's Palace kept in the City Architecture Museum, Chandigarh.

As a layman, the model looks to be just terrible! The nearest in aesthetics that I can think of is Shri Mukesh Ambani's multi-stored house in Mumbai.

Personally I am so glad that some one put his foot down and tax-payer's money was not wasted and that the 'Palace' was 'unbuilt' before it could be 'built!

Bharat Ratna for Le Corbusier...Ha, Ha & Ha:

Now some one has come with a preposterous suggestion that Le Corbusier and Jeanneret should be awarded the 'Bharat Ratna'......Come on, get serious and stop deifying these departed architects who designed a totally unIndian city ....

Cartoon from 'The Hindu'

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