Zohran Mamdani and the Pursuit of Yogakshema (Welfare of the People)

 Background

On Wednesday morning, June 25^th, the world awoke to the surprising news that a 30-something state assemblyman named Zohran Mamdani had secured a plurality of the votes in the first round of the Democratic primary for New York City’s mayoral race.  This was a cosmic upset, as his main opponent was the very well-funded but scandal-ridden former governor Andrew Cuomo who was heavily supported by the establishment.  Attention quickly gravitated to Mamdani’s background, his record as a state legislator, his viral encounter with “border czar” Tom Homan, and most of all, his overtly socialist set of campaign promises.

After Cuomo’s concession, Mamdani has now become the official Democratic candidate for the chief elected official of the country’s largest city, and is widely favored to win the general election in November.  His proposed policies have induced significant head scratching and angst within the Democratic Party, and it is not clear how much of his platform he will be able to implement.

What I find interesting – as a casual out-of-state observer – is the link between Mamdani’s stated goals and the ancient Indian concept of yogakshema (welfare of the people) laid out in Kautilya’s Arthashastra as a model for good governance.  A brief exploration of this connection is the subject of this blog post.

Kautilya’s Arthashastra

Kautilya, also known as Vishnugupta or Chanakya, is believed to have been a key figure in the events that led to the ascension of Chandragupta Maurya to the throne of Magadha (the state of Bihar in modern India) a few years after the death of Alexander the Great.  He served as a Minister in Chandragupta’s court, and is regarded as the author of “Arthashastra.  The word “Artha” means “wealth” and “shastra” means “science of”.  However, the scope of Arthashastra is much broader than that and it is widely recognized as a definitive treatise on governance – focusing on politics, economics and warfare.

Arthashastra can be construed as a manual that describes the art of government.  It covers various aspects of governance such as: (a) administration, (b) law, order and justice, (c) taxation, revenue and expenditure, (d) foreign policy, (e) defence, and (f) war.  A central tenet of Kautilya’s philosophy – as expounded in Arthashastra – was that promoting the welfare of the people results in acquisition of wealth, and continued growth of prosperity requires enlarging the territory by conquest.  Also intertwined to these principles of statecraft is the concept of Dharma, which signifies righteous conduct as well as a sense of duty – to oneself, to society and to the universal order.  These nuances make Kautilya’s 4th Century BCE magnum opus Arthashastra both complementary to and distinctive from Machiavelli’s 16th Century CE political treatise “The Prince” to which it is often compared.

Kautilya outlines three key duties of a King:

·       Rakshaa – protecting the state from external aggression, 

·       Paalana – maintaining internal law and order within the state, and 

·       Yoga­kshema - safeguarding the welfare of the people.  

The first two aspects, dealing with external and internal security of the kingdom, need little elaboration.  We focus on the third one, i.e., welfare of the subjects.

What is Yogakshema?

Kautilya’s vision of an ideal King is one who acts like a sage monarch (rajarshi) and ‘is ever active in promoting the yogakshema of his people’.  It is useful to first understand the etymology of this word before examining its relationship with good governance.

As explained by the famous Indian scholar, philosopher and teacher Adi Sankara (8th Century CE), the compound word ‘Yogakshema’ is derived from yoga meaning ‘attaining the unattained’ and kshema meaning ‘maintaining the same’.  Also, in Bhagavad Gita (9.22), Lord Krishna says: “For those who are devoted to Me and who worship Me with love, I carry what they lack and preserve what they have” — with the underlined words taken to be another definition of yogakshema.  We can summarize these scriptural statements as simply: yoga = acquiring, and kshema = protecting. 

In the context of good governance, we can expand the meaning of the two components of yogakshema as per Kautilya:

·       yoga – the King’s role in helping his subjects acquire peace, prosperity and well-being, and

·       kshema – the King’s efforts at ensuring its peaceful and continued enjoyment. 

The implicit message of Kautilya is that the King should focus on pursuing yogakshema for ALL of his subjects, especially the ones with limited resources, power and ability to make things happen on their own.  Such a policy would lead to the betterment and empowerment of society as a whole, while reducing inequity. Also, yogakshema should not be limited to material (i.e., social, political and economic) welfare only, but also encompass spiritual and moral well-being. 

For such a holistic vision of the entire society to prevail, the subjects should adhere to their own dharma (righteous conduct) while heeding a higher moral consciousness both at the level of elites and the common people.  The King’s dharmic duties would entail implementing policies that address both the prosperity (yoga) and protection (kshema) of his subjects.  This requires initiatives targeting economic development to promote prosperity as well as social welfare programs to preserve well-being in an equitable manner across the society. 

Relevance vis-a-vis Mamdani’s Platform

Let us take a look at some of the key pillars of Mamdani’s campaign, viz:

·       Improved housing affordability

·       Expanded community benefits for childcare and higher education

·       Better infrastructure and amenities

These proposals are fundamentally consistent with Kautilya’s concept of yogakshema.  They are aimed at improving the quality of life of those at the lower end of the economic totem pole.  Indubitably, these policies protect main-street types such as teachers (whose income has stagnated over the years) while taxing the wall-street types such as investment bankers (who have benefited disproportionately from a booming stock market aided by favorable tax regimes).  Some may characterize these as merely socialist promises.  

However, as Kautilya has explained, a noble King ‘endears himself to his people by enriching them and doing good to them’ in a way that increases shared prosperity and reduces inequality across the kingdom.  That appears to be Mamdani’s motivation as well.  In fact, both yogakshema and Mamdani's platform are oriented around the idea that there is an obligation of the King/state to ensure that those with limited resources are able to prosper as well.

It is also interesting to note that the Preamble to the US Constitution’s phrasing “promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty” seemingly mirrors the dual thrusts of yogakshema.  Here, “promote” can be interpreted as the attainment of well-being (yoga), and “secure” can be taken to mean protecting the underlying rights and freedoms (kshema).

In Conclusion

A well-known Shanti Mantra (peace prayer) from the Upanishads, well-aligned with the concept of yogakshema, states:

swasti prajaabhya paripaalayantaam
nyaanena maargena mahim mahishah
go braahmanebhya shubhamastu nityam
lokaah samastaah sukhino bhavantu

We pray for the well-being for all the subjects.  May the rulers govern the land according to the principles of justice and equality. May the natural environment (with cows as a proxy) and intellectuals/custodians of knowledge (with brahmins as a proxy) be protected on a daily basis.  May all enjoy happiness.

Should Mamdani win the general election this November, one hopes that the principles of yogakshema will continue to be reflected in his governing policies and priorities, and this Shanti Mantra would be a good invocation for his administration.

End Notes

1.      My primary resource for this article was L.N. Rangarajan’s translation of Kautilya’s The Arthashastra, published by Penguin Classics – along with assorted forays to the interwebs.

2.      Mamdani’s maternal grandfather, A.L. Nair was a colleague of my father, B.K. Mishra. Both served as officers of the Indian Administrative Service in the state of Odisha during the period ~1950 to ~1980. 

Kabir Khan’s 83 Brings Back Memories

Memories of the Summer of 1983 have been slowly fading for me for some time, but there will always be a warm glow associated with it.  I was back with my parents in Bhubaneswar for four months, enjoying the hiatus between the completion of my MS degree and the commencement of my PhD program in USA.  My sister was getting married, and I was picking up on the basics of the Hindu wedding ceremony from my father.  A few other cousins were also getting married in distant villages and visiting them opened my eyes to the simplicity of life in rural Odisha.  But the most vivid remembrance is that of being glued for hours to the live telecast of India’s improbable victory in the 1983 Cricket World Cup.  Watching Kabir Khan’s paean to Kapil Dev’s jawans the other day on Netflix brought those sepia-tinged memories rushing back to life in glorious color.  

And what memories they are!  Srikkanth’s cavalier attitude at the top of the wicket (an earlier incarnation of Sehwag?), Mohinder “Jimmy” Amarnath doing his magic with both bat and ball; Sandip Patil and Yashpal Sharma flailing away in the middle order; and the trio of Madan Lal, Roger Binny and Kirti Azad pitching in every now and then – with the young skipper Kapil Dev exhibiting an inordinate confidence in himself and his team to accomplish the unthinkable.

But I had forgotten about Balwinder Singh Sandhu.  “Ballu”, who had his engagement broken by his future in-laws because a cricketer had no decent income those days.  Ballu, who could not believe that the Indian team was about to get Rs. 25,000/- collectively(!) if they won the World Cup.  Ballu, who got hit on his left temple by a bouncer in the final but still managed to add 22 valuable runs for the last wicket with Syed Kirmani (out of a meagre total of 183).  And Ballu, who proceeded to castle Gordon Greenidge with a wicked in-ducker that sharply nipped back after he had deviously taken the previous ball away from the dashing opener.

As I watched the last hour of “83” unfold magically until Mohinder Amarnath pinned Michael Holding lbw and the Indian fans invaded the pitch, Ballu (and Kapil Dev, and many of his teammates) came to symbolize an attitude of “hunger” while striving for respect that was in stark contrast to the current state of Indian cricket.  The astounding riches of BCCI in general, and IPL in particular, from broadcasting rights seem to have ushered in a sense of entitlement, security and complacence for the top-tier cricketers who appear to take their place in the India national team for granted.  Abetted by lucrative central contracts and sponsorship deals, they flit in and out of the team under the ruse of “workload management”, with considerable latitude for failure.  No wonder that the Indian team full of super stars crashed and burned for a dismal and ignominious 36 all out in Adelaide during the 2020-21 tour Down Under, whereas India’s B-team with a predominantly motley cast of no-names pulled off the improbable Gabba heist against the same Australian team a few weeks later.  The Sri Lankan team that won the Asia Cup recently, especially after the initial drubbing by Afghanistan, is another exemplar of such a team with “hunger” – despite being bereft of multiple superstars and with its engaging never-say-die attitude.

The IPL is the richest T20 league in the world, where highly compensated Indian players regularly rub shoulders against the very best of the world.  Yet, these very same players consistently under-deliver in Indian national colors during multinational tournaments – as has been the case in the 2021 World Cup and the 2022 Asia Cup.  Add to that the current team management’s vexing mantra of “we’ll give you a long rope to show us what you can do” but “we’ll constantly experiment with our team composition to add flexibility” – that engenders a lack of clarity for some players about their specific role in the playing eleven.  All that brings to mind is the Randy Newman jingle – “it’s a jungle out there, disorder and confusion everywhere”.

One of the reasons why Kapil Dev’s jawans were able to will themselves to exceed expectations and lift the 1983 World Cup was because the cost of failure could have been significant to their professional career and their livelihood.  In the current context, there appears to be no such penalty – especially for the upper echelon members of the team.  So long as this state of affairs continues with minimal price to pay for non-performance, IMHO the Indian national cricket team will most likely continue its record of misfiring in major tournaments. 

Needless to say, I will be delighted to be proven wrong in the months and years to come (although I won't promise to literally eat my words like David Firth).  I fervently hope that Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma will soon converge on a new template that balances longevity, stability, and consistency with past performance and future promise – leading to triumphant campaigns at home and abroad.  In fact, I have just renewed my subscriptions for both Willow TV and ESPN+ so that I don’t miss any live streaming opportunities beginning with the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia. Chak de India!

$ % & # @

Subroto Bagchi - Odisha's Warren Buffett

Amidst the persistently depressing coverage of a raging pandemic, last week came the welcome news of an act of philanthropy that was staggering in scale by Indian standards.  Subroto Bagchi (co-founder of the IT services company Mindtree and chairman of Odisha Skill Development Authority), and his wife Susmita Bagchi (writer and chairperson of Odisha’s Mo School programme) announced their pledge of INR 340 Crore (USD 45 Million) to establish a state-of-the-art cancer hospital and a palliative care center in Bhubaneswar.  This generous act has resulted in many news headlines comparing Bagchi to Warren Buffett - so let us delve a bit more into that comparison.

Warren Buffett, aged 90, is chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, which is a holding company of various publicly traded and privately held business entities as well as passive investments in the stocks of other companies.  Buffett has a net worth of around USD 100 Billion (as of April 2021), and is consistently ranked among the top ten wealthiest people in the world.  He is also regarded as one of the most successful investors of all time.  Under Buffett's stewardship, Berkshire Hathaway's stock price grew at an annualized rate of 20.5% during the period 1965-2018, compared to 9.7% for the S&P 500 index (a broad measure of the US stock market).  Buffett is known as the "Oracle of Omaha", primarily for his insightful but folksy commentaries on investing and the economy during the annual shareholders meetings of Berkshire Hathaway at its headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska.

Buffet's other claim to fame is his promise to donate over 99% of his wealth - meaning that his children will not directly inherit a significant portion of the family fortune.  Buffett has said, "I want to give my kids just enough so that they would feel that they could do anything, but not so much that they would feel like doing nothing".  He has already given more than USD 40 Billion, mostly to the Gates Foundation and foundations run by his children.  In 2010, Buffett and Bill Gates launched the Giving Pledge, asking billionaires to commit to donating at least half of their wealth to charitable causes.

Although Bagchi's net worth is not comparable to that of Buffett, his philosophy of handling money is very similar.  As he said in a recent interview, "A decade ago, we had a family meeting, when Susmita, me and our two daughters, we discussed how we will handle our money. At the time, we decided two things -- one, that our savings will not be inherited by the family, except for a small portion and that most of it would be used to serve humanity. We did not fix the amount then, but the idea was agreed upon.  We saw ourselves as the custodians of our wealth and not its owners."  These sentiments are very much in sync with his mother's advice "Go Kiss the World" - as described by Bagchi in his book.. 

It is indeed fair to say that one of Odisha's (and India's) most successful entrepreneurs (Bagchi) is a philanthropist of the highest order - much like Warren Buffett.  The Bagchi family's altruistic mindset is also well aligned with the best traditions of charitable giving as per our ancient scriptural teachings, as outlined in the Shikshavalli of the Taittiriya Upanishad:

        श्रद्धया देयम् । Give with Faith

        श्रिया देयम् । Give in Plenty

        ह्रिया देयम् । Give with Modesty

On a personal note, Subroto Bagchi was my senior at BJB College Bhubaneswar, where he was well-known as a champion debater and the NCC Best Cadet awardee at India's Republic Day Parade.  I still remember our only meeting, at the college debate competition (which he duly won while I was eliminated) - he came up to me after the event and said, "You spoke well, but try to be a bit more factual next time".  His advice has served me well over the years.

I have enjoyed Susmita's short stories and travelogues - published in the journal Sucharita (where she served as Assistant Editor and then Editor).  A particular favorite is her short story collection "Naibedya", with one of the stories "Antahswara" loosely serving as the inspiration for our recent skit "Corona Dahani" (YouTube link here).  

Susmita's grandfather Narayan Pati was the headmaster of Orissa Police High School where I studied for a few years.  A brilliant educator and the author of many highly regarded textbooks in school-level mathematics, he actively promoted Odisha's well-known musical folk theater form - Gitinatya - by making it a recurring item during our school's annual function (with help from musician's of the Orissa Police band). 

Subroto and Susmita Bagchi's benevolence, humility and spirit of public service should be something to take pride in for all OdiAs, and serve as a source of inspiration.  May Lord Jagannath continue to shower his blessings on the Bagchi Family.

Proud to be an OdiA - Let me count the ways

On this 85^th anniversary of Odisha’s statehood, I have received several messages from family and friends along the lines of “Happy Utkala Dibasa, proud to be Odia”.  It got me thinking - why am I proud to be an Odia?  After cogitating for a bit, here are the top 10 reasons why I take pride in my OdiA asmitaa (identity):

[1] History – The current state of Odisha (also known as Odra, Utkala or Kalinga at various times) can trace its history back to the days of Mahabharata, where the King of Kalinga was believed to have been a supporter of the Kauravas.  Fast forward to King Ashoka’s time in the 2^nd  century BC, where the bloody battle of Kalinga set the stage for his renunciation of all violence and the spread of Buddhism in the Indian subcontinent.  In the 1^st  century AD, emperor Kharavela held sway over large parts of the Eastern coast both to the north and south of Kalinga’s borders.  Odia kings ruled through the millenia (Yajati Kesari from Jajpur, the Gajapati kings from Puri) to mid-16^th century when the Afghans marched in and chaos prevailed until the British took over in the early 19^th century.  When modern day Odisha emerged from the confines of the Bengal and Madras presidencies in 1936 (thanks to leaders like Madhusudan Das and unsung heroes such as Baxi Jagabandhu and Surendra Sai), it re-established the Odia identity that had cycled through burning bright and then smoldering through the ages, but had never been fully extinguished.  

[2] Geography – Odisha is blessed by mother nature through its beaches, lakes, mountains and various other landforms.  A sleeper as far as Indian tourism is concerned, Odisha has some of the best unspoiled white sand beaches in the country – from Gopalpur in the south to Chandbali in the north, not to mention the area in and around Puri.  Chilika, Asia’s largest salt-water body, is an ecotourism hotbed according to Lonely Planet.  It is home to a bevy of migratory birds from Siberia and other points of origin far north, as well as an incredible array of birds and aquatic species such as the endangered Olive Ridley turtles and the rare Irrawaddy dolphins.  The unspoiled mountains and hills of Koraput, Phulbani and Keonjhar are excellent candidates for nature retreats.  Many breathtaking waterbodies such as lakes, gorges, and waterfalls are to be found just miles away from major population centers – albeit in relatively under developed state.  All in all, as OTDC puts it, scenic, serene and sublime!

[3] Temples –  Odisha is verily the land of temples – with thousands of temples still standing across the state.  Even though the Mughals and Afghans tried destroying a lot of small temples in villages during the 16^th-18^th centuries, the large ones have endured for hundreds of years.  We all go gaga over the gorgeous stonework of the chariot wheel in the Konarka Sun temple, the posing danseuse in the Rajarani temple, or the archway of the Mukteshwar temple – which are among the best that one can find anywhere in India.  Recent removal of the outer protective layers from the Puri Jagannath and Lingaraj temples have revealed exquisite stone carvings that are at par with those mentioned earlier.  I feel very proud of these feats of engineering and architecture accomplished with primeval tools, and the fine details of the carvings characterized by extreme beauty and diversity.     

[4] Language – Originating from Prakrit and Pali, the East Indian proto-languages, OdiA is one of six designated classical Indian language (with a long literary history and not having borrowed extensively from other languages).  It has roughly a 1000-year history, with seminal contributions such as the Madala Panji in the 13^th century, Sarala Mahabharata in the 15^th century, devotional works by the Panchasakha poets in the 16^th century, and many advanced literary works book-ended by Upendra Bhanja and Kabisurya Baladev Rath in the 17^th-18^th century.  The works of Fakirmohan Senapati in the 19^th century started the era of story-telling, which has continued with Surendra Mohanty (historical fiction), Manoj Das (short stories with a humanistic flavor), Fatura Nanda (satire) and many more recent practitioners of the craft.  All in all a vibrant written tradition, although the oral traditions run the risk of being diluted with Hindi and English (as seems to be the case with most Indian languages these days).    

[5] Dance and Music – Odissi dance has been a singular point of identification with the state of Odisha for almost 50 years (cue the reference to Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra in the recent movie Tribhanga).  It is arguably the most lyrical among India’s classical dance forms – the abhinaya, nritya and mudras of Guru Kelucharan or maestros such as Sanjukta Panigrahi and Sujata Mohapatra always bring tears to my eyes.  Over the last few years, watching the appreciation of Odissi grow significantly among non-Odias, and the increasing number of teachers/students all over the world, has been a matter of immense pride for me.  On the music side, classical Odissi clearly goes hand-in-hand with the dance form, but there are other variants such as chaanda and champu that stand out as derivatives of this classical tradition.  I find the popularity of these forms similar to how Carnatic music has produced many short devotional pieces to set arrangements that have endured for years.

[6] Folk traditions – There are many delightful folk traditions such as the genres of paalaa and daaskaathia for musically narrating puranic stories, which tend to fly under the radar.  What has always astounded me is the raw talent of these performers, and their fantastic improvisations on the spot on a regular basis.  Add to this the multitude of folk dance forms, and what we have is a rich cultural heritage that needs to be promoted and sustained with more resources.  Dances such as chhau nacha, paika nacha, ghoda nacha, danda nacha, kela keluni nacha, ranapa nacha, and many variants of folk dances in the Sambalpuri folk style continue to enthrall viewers all across Odisha.  It is unfortunate that these traditional forms have not been recognized much outside of Odisha (perhaps with the exception of the performances of Saswat Doshi – it was a delightful surprise to see the revelry inspired by him at the Eiffel Tower).

[7] Arts and Crafts – OdiA artisans produce an amazing array of standout products that are among the best in the world of Indian handicrafts.  More and more people – all over the world – love to adorn themselves with Sambalpuri silk sarees, with designers and weavers continuing to produce innovative designs.  There is also the exquisite art of silver filigree (taarakasi), the lovely appliques produced in and around Pipili, the beautiful stone sculptures made out of rocks as varied as hard granite to soft soapstone (essentially capturing the glory of OdiA temple art), and the more recent entry of sand art popularized by Sudarshan Patnaik.  We also have the paintings from the tribal cultures of Odisha (all along the Mayurbhanj to Koraput border line) that bear a striking similarity to art from other ancient cultures (e.g., Native Americans).  It is nice to see artisans continuing to hone their craft and getting more visibility from customers.

[8] Food – This is so central to the OdiA identity that I don't even know where to begin.  First, we have the mithaa class (rasagolaa, chhenaa poda, chhenaa gajaa, chhenaa jhili, rasaabali, khira gajaa, pheni,  khiraa, khiri, etc.).  Then we have the pithaa class (chakuli, chunchi patara, enduri, mandaa, arisaa, kakaraa, chitou, boula gainthaa - not to speak of a whole host of poda pithaa varieties).  Now let's move on to the tarkaari class (ghanta, besara, mahura, rasaa, chhenchedaa, daalmaa, santulaa, chatu podaa, simba raai, etc.).  I am sure you can think of more items - so please add your favorites to the Comments section.  Before I forget, I should mention the unique type of Mahaprasad known as abhadaa - especially in the Puri Jagannath and Bhubaneswar Ananta Basudeb temples.  There are also many types of meat and fish preparation - all of which are uniquely characterized by light but perfect level of seasoning that fully brings out the flavors of all the ingredients.  

[9] People – We OdiAs are a friendly sort, but too self-effacing if I might say so.  Sometimes, we tend to recede to the background when people from other parts of India (especially those from metro cities) tend to dominate the conversation.  Maybe this is our charm, but we need to stand up and educate others about all the things that make Odisha special - as I have tried to do here.

[10] Lord Jagannath - Last, but not least, is our beloved Kaaliaa.  He is the Lord of the Universe, and together with his brother Lord Balabhadra and sister Devi Subhadra symbolizes the concept of universal brotherhood.    The deities have eyes but no eyelids - meaning that they are always open, constantly looking over the universe.  The arms are parallel and do not close - meaning that there is room for everyone in that divine embrace.  The colors of the deities are black, yellow and white - representing the three main ethnicities of mankind.  The murtis are incomplete and not fully finished - the imperfections are there to reassure us that even divine creatures are not immune to imperfections, and vice versa, even human beings with their imperfections can aspire to divinity.  Finally, we have the devotional music or janaana, a unique form of poetry which treats the Lord not just as an object of veneration but also as a family member - who can be the source of pride and disappointment, joy and anger, and everything in between.

May Odisha continue its path towards progress, and may OdiAs stay connected with our heritage, traditions, culture and uniqueness.  Bande Utkala Janani!

Before I Forget - My Favorite Memories #1 (Food - international)

My mind's random access memory feature keeps on hitting more and more bad sectors with the passage of time, making it increasingly difficult to quickly recall names, places, etc.  Therefore, this is the first in a series of posts that is (hopefully!) a pre-emptive attempt to capture and archive some of my favorite memories before they get too hazy. 

The subject of this post is my top ten foodie memories from our international trips over the last 30+ years.  They are in no particular order, because it is very hard to pick one over the others and they all evoke special and lingering one-of-a-kind memories.

1. Zurich, Switzerland - bratwurst and rosti: Bratwurst or sausage is a staple in the German speaking world (i.e., Germany, Switzerland, Austria).  The Zurich spin on this humble offering, often featured in both homestyle and posh restaurants, is a well-spiced and perfectly grilled pork sausage, swimming in zwiebel or onion sauce.  It is typically paired with rosti, a pan fried (to crisp golden brown perfection)  Swiss potato dish that reminds one of hash browns and potato pancakes at the same time.  The rosti can also be topped with a single fried egg.  Wash this combo down with a stanger of Feldschlosschen or Hurlimann beer and stop worrying about the cholesterol count - das schmecht gut!

2. Vienna, Austria - tagliatelli milanese: After a long day of sightseeing in Vienna, we wandered into a little Italian trattoria run by an Indian brother and sister duo (of all people!) wanting nothing more than a carb-laden and reinvigorating meal.  Boy, were we in for a pleasant surprise!  The hostess recommended tagliatelli milanese as one of the house specialties and crowd favorites, so we ordered it.  Wide strands of egg pasta, tossed with thin strips of ham in a spicy onion and garlic based tomato sauce - simple in concept, but heavenly in taste.  Add to it some fresh focaccia bread to sop up the sauce and a couple of glasses of the local Gruener Veltliner (Austrian white wine) - cibo buono! 

3. Kyoto, Japan - ramen with assorted tempura:  One evening, following a long day traipsing around the old city, we stumbled upon a ramen bar in central Kyoto with a long queue outside.  When we entered after a bit of a wait, the place was packed along its lone counter and at the few tables for standing customers.  There were several cauldrons of ramen being prepared, and fryers where all kinds of tempura were being freshly fried.  The clientele was primarily Japanese, but they had an English menu for the occasional gaijin like us.  We opted for the basic ramen with the obligatory pork and slices of semi-soft-boiled egg, topped with scallions and tempura pieces of choice - made with either eggplant, potato, pumpkin, green pepper, beans, asparagus, onion, shrimp, or chicken (choices, choices).  Half an hour later, we rolled out feeling warm, stuffed and delightfully satisfied - that simple yet superb meal for 4 having cost us only about 25 USD - oishikatta desu!   

4. Rome, Florence and Bologna, Italy - eggplant stuffed with minced lamb + seafood ravioli + sphagetti alla chitarra con gamberi: Needless to say, Italy is synonymous with "see food, eat food, enjoy food" and that has been the case for us over several visits.  Still, there are a few special memories that stand out.  From Rome, there is the large eggplant with its flesh scooped out, sauteed with herbs and spices and mixed with minced lamb, re-stuffed into the eggplant shell and baked - and then served by the owner humming Italian operas while supervising his daughter's homework.  Florence brings back memories of a succulent seafood ravioli dish in a light saffron cream sauce, paired with a robust Chianti, and prepared from Nonna (grandmother)'s recipe - who was busy greeting customers outside the family trattoria with a wide toothless grin.  In Bologna, there was the spaghetti with square cross-section (alla chitarra) prepared with grilled prawns (gamberi) - tossed in a saffron-tomato sauce, and paired with a spritzy Asti Spumanti.  All in all - fantastico!

5. Edinburgh, Scotland - fish pie:  The Scottish capital is famous for its fish, so we wanted to check out the famous "Fisher's" fish restaurant for its wares.  I had the traditional fish pie, which had flakes of cod, haddock,  salmon, prawns and boiled egg pieces.  It was held together by a creamy parsley béchamel sauce, topped with fluffy mashed potatoes and generous helpings of parmesan and cheddar cheese, and baked until the top was golden brown and the inside was sizzling.  Each fragrant spoonful was a joy for the tastebuds - with the fish, potato, cheese and sauce blending together in a delectable concoction.  Paired with a nice South African Chenin Blanc, it created on outstanding effect, or as the Scots would say - bia iontach!

6. Madrid, Spain - paella: When we walked into a restaurant in downtown Madrid around 7 PM one evening and asked for dinner, the waiter looked dumbfounded - no tapas? he asked.  No, early dinner, we replied.  Dejected, he got us seated in a near empty hall, but perked up when he realized that we were the first people he had come across from the Indian sub-continent.  We ordered paella - the "national dish" of Spain, especially for tourists.  As the dish was being prepared, our waiter entertained us by playing with a large octopus that was being boiled (maybe it was alive as well!).  Our paella mixta was a combination of round grain rice, assorted vegetables, seafood (shrimp, mussels, baby squid) and chicken, cooked in olive oil with saffron seasoning.  Accompanied by a fresh green salad, and glasses of a smooth Rose Rioja wine, this was a terrific one-pot meal. Comida increible!

7. Neuchatel, Switzerland - pizza with ham, mushroom and egg:  My favorite pizza memory is from a bistro in French Switzerland, in the little village of Columbier near Neuchatel.  The extra extra large pizza was light in crust, topped with a garlicky tomato sauce, chunks of fresh mozzarella, slices of local ham, fresh mushrooms, a couple of fried eggs, and finished with truffle and black-pepper infused olive oil.  The owner-hostess was keeping an eye on her daughter's school work at the adjacent table, while chatting with us in very cute French-accented English.  We finished several bottles of the quintessential Swiss white wine Fendant, and sauntered out of the bistro murmuring - tres bon repas! 

8. Lima, Peru - fish with assorted potato appetizers: A famous archeological site in Lima is Huaca Pucllana,  a great adobe and clay pyramid built during 200-700 AD and used as a ceremonial and administrative center for the Lima culture.  There is a popular restaurant by the same name right next to the excavated site, where I had a very special lunch.  It started with a causa sampler - a cold yellow potato puree, splashed with lime juice, cilantro and Peruvian yellow chile pepper served with avocado, boiled egg and cherry tomatoes and topped with crab meat, grilled shrimp or roasted vegetables.  The main course was grilled seabass in red quinoa crust with sauteed artichokes and asparagus over a potato puree (but of course!).  Outstanding preparation, presentation and taste; with full justice to the many varieties of potatoes native to Peru - almuerzo maravilloso!

9. Salvador, Brazil - moqueca:  My expectations regarding food in Brazil had been limited to varieties of grilled meats with rice and boiled/mashed beans. I was pleasantly surprised during dinner one day in the coastal city of Salvador, when my host ordered a large bowl of moqueca for us - a seafood stew  cooked with palm oil using coconut milk, fish broth, onions, garlic, tomatoes and cilantro, and bursting with chunks of white fish, shrimp and scallops.  It was served over rice with farofa, a coarsely powdered smoky and salty side dish made of manioc (yucca) flour.  The mocequa was very flavorful, not overly tomato infused like the Mediterranean cioppino.  The farofa remined me of the south Indian podi powder often eaten together with rice.  An unexpected regional delicacy - prato incrivel! 

10. St Petersburg, Russia - Georgian, Uzbek and Russian samplers:  As with the Brazilian experience, I went to Russia thinking that culinary adventures would be limited to black bread, borscht (cabbage soup), tasteless dumplings, spice-less meat and lots of potato.  False alarm, to my great joy!  Over a weekend in the lovely city of St Petersburg, reminiscent of Vienna's grandeur and its milling tourists, I really enjoyed sampling Georgian, Uzbek and Russian cuisine.  Georgian dishes included khachapuri (cheese bread), khinkali (dumplings with mushroom and minced meat filling), and chakhokhbili (chicken stew with tomoato, onions and herbs).  Uzbek dishes I tried were qutub (semi-circular savory baked goodies with various fillings), liulia kebab (ground meat cooked in skewers), and pilaf (with lamb, chickpeas and berries).  The Russian offering was limited to blini - pancakes made with buckwheat flour like a crepe but folded in a rectangular shape.  I had one filled with mushrooms, one with ham and one with condensed milk - prekrasnaya eda! 

Postscript: Well, all this discussion of food is making me hungry (again).  Bon appetit to me (and you)!

Thespian Adventures

Over the last few years, I have started an informal group called "Sahitya Anuragi Natya Mandali" or literature-loving drama group. We seek to promote classical Odia plays and/or dramatized short stories in various settings. Here are a couple of our recent performances.

1. Patent Medicine by Fakir Mohan Senapati -- Our version blends Gopal Chotray's dramatized version with Akshyaya Mohanty's gitinatya version (Shrimati Samarjani). Normally, people lip-sync to the latter. We actually speak our lines and sing the songs.

2. Dui Dahara Sahityika by Fatura Nanda This version combines two of Fatura Nanda's satirical short stories into a single skit.

Each of these plays is ~20 minutes. I hope you will enjoy them!

Vedic Graduation Advice

‘Tis the season for graduation all across the world, the joyous celebrations of a rite of passage.  In thinking about what advice to give to our college and high school graduates as they set out on their new journey, I find myself being drawn over and over again to the timeless Vedic words of wisdom found in the shikshAvalli of the taittirIya Upanishad.  This dIkshAnta upadesha or graduation advice was traditionally offered by the AchArya (teacher) to the residents of the gurukul (residential school) upon completion of their studies.  I think of these guiding principles as a Code of Conduct: the Hindu equivalent of Ten Commandments.

So, what do these mantras offer in terms of practical instructions for life?

First, the AchArya talks about values.

• satyam (truthfulness) - Be truthful in speech and thought.  In action, be truthful to your values.  Maintain your integrity.
• dharma (duty, righteous conduct) - Perform your proper duty.  As a student, concentrate on studies.  As a householder, take care of your family and your parents.
• swAdhyAya (self-study) – Learning should be a lifelong process.  Keep expanding your horizons with new ideas and skills.

Next, the AchArya talks about responsibilities.

• Pay your debts to the teacher.
•  Look after your own welfare.  Take care of you physical and mental well-being.
• Reach out to others.  Be a productive member of the community and society.
• Take pride in your cultural and spiritual heritage.  Be an Ambassador.

Then, the AchArya talks about charity.

• Give to causes that you believe.  Give to those who are less fortunate.
• Give as much as you can.  Give with respect, with sympathy and with modesty.

Finally, the AchArya talks about respect.

•  Treat your mother, father, teacher and guest as “God”, someone who is worthy of supreme respect. 
• Show reverence to your superiors and those who are more distinguished.
• If you have any doubts about your actions, your conduct or your judgment, seek guidance from those who are more learned and experienced than you.

Please visit THIS LINK for the original Sanskrit mantras and their formal English translation.

Shubham.