Doctrine of Necessity as Made Applicable in Paksitan

“Doctrine of necessity” is a legal term. This is a term used in constitutional law and is as old as history. What does it mean? It means that a government can resort to extra-constitutional authority in case there is a breakdown in law and order. The purpose is to restore order in a situation when anarchy reigns The Romans used this doctrine in the occupied lands. Later in the 13th century, the doctrine was given a legal cover by the jurist Henry de Bracton (1210-68).

The doctrine was further revised by William Blackstone (1773-68) an English Jurist. Both jurists had a common thread that this doctrine was a necessity in case there was a breakdown in law and order. The crucial point is “breakdown in law and order”. There is a related question as to who will decide this. The jurists did not amplify on this matter.

‘Doctrine of Necessity’ has never been used in England. But it has been used in Germany by Hitler and now in Pakistan. Pakistan is one nation that has repeatedly upheld changes in Pakistan’s political environment by military coups under this doctrine. This makes sad reading.

My Introduction to "ROMANCE OF THE FRONTIER" A Sizzling Romance

This novel was long in my mind and finally I wrote it and it is published. It is a tale of an Afghan warrior and his love with a British and Anglo-Indian girl during the tumultuous period of partition 11947

• The novel
• The Plot
• Last Word

The novel

The author

Writing a novel is a work of inspiration and this novel by me fills that genre. The novel was written many years back but was kept pending I finally decided to publish and Notion Books, Chennai were only too happy to publish it. There is a lot of action, killings, and the most important part is that the book is laced with oriental erotica.

Notion Books an Indian publishing firm has taken pains and printed the book with an excellent get-up and glossy cover.

The book is on sale on-line in both paperback forms, as well as a kindle e-book.

The Plot

Book cover

The novel is set in the period when the British empire was on its last legs and as a parting shot had decided to divide India into two by creating Pakistan. This was a tumultuous period in Indian history and forms the background of the novel.

The hero is a Muslim Pathan tribesman who is benevolent, educated and above all a great warrior. The novel delineates his love affair with the daughter of a British major of the Indian army and subsequent affair with Anglo- Indian girl. In all this mayhem there are excellent erotic passages, as well as action. The hero kills with compunction, but he is just and fair . The novel also relates a feud between him and a Punjabi Muslaman who wants to drive the Hindus out of Punjab.

There is plenty of action and the reader can be spellbound in case he likes tales of love and adventure.
The book is available on all major online sites likeAmazon, Flipkart, News hunt,Kobo, google play etc. I hope some friends will grab a copy.

Last Word

The book

Considering that it is the first book, I feel it's a commendable piece of work. Some passages do appear disjointed now, but hopefully, I will correct them in later novels.

The book runs into 252 pages and does a picture of that turbulent time. The backdrop of a sizzling love adds to the allure of the novel. It's a good tale and readers should like it. It's also a tribute to the language of English which is now part of India, making it the biggest English knowing nation in the world. At a conservative estimate over 350 million Indians are well versed in this language. India has produced a number of top writers like Salman Rushdie and Kushwant Singh and I hope my novel will add to the repertoire of English literature published in India.

Loving youthful younger women * 72

I want to state an obvious fact that most men like me, covet and seek out younger attractive women for a relationship. Why? I really have no answer but maybe after all it’s a simple answer. As far as I am concerned I do seek company of younger women and I guess the answer is in one word biology. One reason is that for men the biological clock is different. I recollect reading somewhere that Anthony Quinn the Hollywood star had a child at 82. Not possible for a woman.

Despite some people sneering at older men and younger women in a relationship, the fact is many younger women marry older men it’s again a biological need.
Frankly as I am not a woman, I can’t write from the women’s angle. But I suppose all relationships can only take place if there is mutual attraction, and sexual desire. So at the end of the day the woman must like the man and that is the bottom line.

I make no apologies for the fact that many younger women have accepted me as a partner. Maybe its love, I can’t say. But I see nothing wrong with it. All I can say is that many younger women accept me and it’s not for money for I don’t have much.

Garden of Lights in Dubai * 76

Dubai always conjures up something new for its visitors. The latest is the Garden of lights, a garden that is lit up by bulbs and creates an enchanting place, replete with Dinosaurs, Animals, and Fairytales. The medium for all these depictions is colored lights. It's a tremendous achievement and I suppose the first such garden in the world.

The garden is open from 4-11 pm and is simply an enchanting place. The artists have created a magical sultans palace, animal world with tigers and lions and a special prehistoric age with dinosaurs. It's all great fun. In addition, there are lovely ballet dances and some of the girls wear shorts, showing lovely legs. No sign of any prudery or religious rhetoric here.

Among the popular exhibits are animals all around a water hole, a replica of the grand mosque, and the palace of the sultan. A series of graphics in the ant world is another delight. The entrance is AED 60 and that is a little steep. However at the end of the day, one feels its money well spent. There are many stalls selling foods to eat and drink, but no beer and hard drinks. In a way, this is a good thing as lots of children visit this garden

Islam has a recipe to stop Adultry *. 67

Islamic solution of adultery of man

Muslim lady

Adultery is as old as history of man. Over the centuries, adultery is one trait that has survived and will perhaps never go away. It is safe to say that though polygamy has become outdated in most of the world, adultery still thrives. If one has gone through the everyday life in non Muslim countries, one can see that sex dominates and as a corollary, adultery reigns supreme. This cannot be denied. The non Muslim nations have not been able to control this trait of man, which is propelled by the inherent nature of man.

Islam has its own solution for adultery. This is the reason that adultery is severely punished in Islam. The punishment for sex outside marriage is death by stoning. Islam has however its own solution for adultery. It allows a man to have upto 4 wives. Divorce for the man is also simplified and a man can divorce a wife easily and marry again, so as to remain within the ambit of 4 wives. This arrangement sanctioned by Muslim scriptures works fine. I agree it is unfair to the woman, but then one can't get everything in life.

However there is a catch in this, as the laws are weighted in favor of man. Perhaps it is a recognition that man by nature is polygamous. Islam has recognized this peculiar trait of a mans makeup. Many will not agree with this, but almost 30% of the world is following Islam. One may not necessarily agree with the Islamic solution, but this is a fact of life and one cannot ignore it. In Islamic nations there is very little sex advertisement, yet most men are satisfied. It does give variety to the man and takes care of his latent urges.

Isolating Pakistan not easy as it is said * 60

I saw a lot of panel discussions on several TV channels by 'experts' on how to deal with Pakistan.

Some of these geniuses called for 'isolating' Pakistan. Others spoke of getting Pakistan declared a terrorist state by the international community, still, others spoke of scrapping the Indus Water Treaty, etc. These geniuses do not realize one thing : all this talk of isolating or quarantining Pakistan overlooks a crucial factor, which is a super power China. China is solidly behind Pakistan, as it has huge economic investments in that country, particularly in the Baluchistan area which is very rich in natural resources.

We may keep thumping our chests and trumpeting about our great diplomatic victory over Pakistan, but it is all a sham. China (and maybe some other countries ) having economic interests in Pakistan will never allow it to go under. USA will also not allow a Pakistan collapse.

The hype by our TRP driven media is all empty gas, ' full of sound and fury signifying nothing '.

Tale from my childhood: me and Sohan Singh

Sometimes small incidents give us the realization that life is certainly worth living. When I was in the 4th standard at the Stanes High School at Coimbatore, my father brought a boy a few years older than me to work as a help in the house. Sohan Singh or as we called him Sohani was a lad with infinite energy and as he had been brought from our village back in Punjab, he felt he was in safe hands with us, Sohani was a nice handsome boy who always wore a gray turban and carried out varied tasks at

 home.

The task he relished the most was bringing my lunch every day on a bicycle to my school which was on Avinashi road about three kilometers from where we stayed at Red fields, From 1200h my mind would be on the lunch and Sohani. In particular, the sweet paratha which my mother sent me every day. Sohni would bring a Tiffin carrier with cooked chicken, but I always looked forward to meeting Sohani and eating the sweet Paratha. Huge eagles always circled overhead and Sohani would be on guard and shoo them away.

After the lunch, he would pack everything and then would play a spot of cricket with me. I loved hitting the ball when Sohni threw the ball to me, Come Sunday and there was a cricket match. I was included and it so happened I was the youngest boy in the team. I remember Marshall, my senior (he was in the 10th standard) telling me “Look, Singh, we have included you, so chappie better play well”.

“At what position will I bat?” I asked.

“You will come in last at no 11” he replied.

This dismayed me, but Sohni was at my side and telling me “Look , I have prayed to the Guru and it's going to be a great match.”

  The match got underway and our opponents made 74. We now batted and our score read 48 for 9. I came into bat last and someone remarked that the match was over as you can’t expect a boy in the 4th standard to be able to make a mark with the seniors. As I walked into bat I saw Sohni waving to me and that bolstered my confidence. Marshal came and told me “just play with a straight bat and help me win this match”

I faced the first ball and slashed at it. The ball sped towards the third man and I was on my way. I held my end up and made 6 not out as Marshall made runs at the other end. We made 75 for 9 and won and I was elated, but perhaps if Sohni had not cheered me, I would not have faced the senior bowlers with confidence.

Sohni was a permanent fixture in our house and he also got friendly with our dog, a foxhound named Teddy as well. Teddy was, of course, my favorite and he would respond to my whistle with a yelp of joy and rush towards me.Those were excellent days. As Sohni grew up my father as a reward for years of work with us got him recruited as a driver in the Air Force. As a youngster (Pilot Officer) I met him when he was a sergeant. He smiled and patted me “baby, those were the days, at Coimbatore. Can't they come back again?”

Memories come and go, but I will always remember Sohani or Sohan Singh forever. He is now retired and stays in the village, but for me, he is more than a family help, he was a friend.

Rapes in Brazil

Brazil is besieged by crimes against women, with rape at the top of the list.

Brazil is the largest country in South America with 27 states. For many years, the Brazilian economy has not been doing too well. Matters are compounded by widespread corruption. The poverty line is expanding, and one gets the feeling that the Brazilian people are frustrated. Perhaps this is one reason that Brazil is enveloped by an endemic problem of crimes against women, some of whom are just young teens. Topping this list is rape. It's a sobering thought that Brazil has the second largest rape count in the world. The nation that comes first is the United States. Now, the USA is an affluent nation. Here the analogy of poverty and rape do not seem to go together.

Crime in Brazil

Brazil's 27 provinces do not maintain any figures of rape. In addition, many rapes are not reported. Crimes are rampant and many rapes are committed by youngsters. There was the case of a 16-year-old lad who was under the influence of cocaine and he raped a woman in a moving bus with a weapon in his hand. As per Brazilian law the boy would get away with a 3-year term in a correction home as he is a minor. The recent rape of a 16-year-old girl is an example of a sense of frustration among the young. This rape has galvanized the people, but tens of rape cases are just swept under the rug. The conviction rate of rapists is abysmally low. One is also reminded of the rape of an American student in a moving bus by 2 men who also shackled the boyfriend of the girl and made him watch as they carried out their act.

Curtailing rape

Rape is a #Crime that is in the statute books of all nations. Punishments are also clearly defined. Brazil is second on the list of most rapes, followed by India. The pride of place goes to the USA. Rape can never be stamped out, but committing rape can be made a costly proposition if deterrent punishment is meted out. In many cases, the police adopt a negative attitude. In Brazil crimes against women are endemic and a herculean effort will be needed to bring down the crime rate. The rape of the 16-year-old teen that has agitated the people and may well be the catalyst to bring change. 

  

Why India does not win medals in Olympics

Posted: 08 Aug 2016 08:37 PM PDT

Why no medals in Rio ?
Why does India, having a population of 1.25 billion people, perform so poorly in sports ? Why have we not won a single medal as yet in the Rio Olympics ?

There are two answers.

(1) Modern sports are very expensive, and so usually only rich countries do well in international events.

There are of course exceptions. Ethiopian runners like Haile Gebrselassie have performed superbly in long distance races. Anthony Nesty from a tiny poor country Surinam won a gold medal in the Seoul Olympics defeating the famous American swimmer Matt Biondi. But these are exceptions.

Modern sports require a lot of money for training the sportspersons, providing them the best kits ( which are often very expensive ), providing them nourishing food ( which 75% or more Indians do not get ), getting the services of medical experts ( some of whom can even tell how to develop a particular muscle in the leg to run faster ), gadgets and other machinery ( which are also often expensive ) needed to improve performance, etc. These are often not available to sportspersons in a poor country like India, and it was so stated by Mary Kom in her speech in Parliament recently.

(2) Most Indian youth want a life long career, whereas in sports usually one's career ends before 30 years of age. After that the sportsperson is usually left to fend for himself/herself. Many retired Indian sportspersons are living in great poverty, and nobody cares for them. So most of our youth do not pursue sports seriously after a certain time, thinking they will starve later on.if they do so.

So to win a lot of medals in the Olympics and other international events we have to make India a highly prosperous country
.

Fertilizing the Europeon women * 71

The exodus

Fertilizing and the harem

Europe is besieged by a great exodus from the Muslim lands from the arc of the Mediterranean Sea to the Middle East and even as far as Pakistan. This is mass migration and follows the famous pull and push theory. Such migrations have taken place throughout history. However, this migration is different as Europe has a shortage of labor and the Islamic followers are looking for a better life away from their war-ravaged lands. An initial lot of migrants were welcomed by the European powers. The motive was selfish as the European nations were in need of labor to service their menial jobs.

Exhortations of the Imams

In the harem

.
The reason for this shortage of labor is the low birthrate of the European women, which means a declining younger population. They were soon at their wits end as they were flummoxed by the magnitude of the exodus. and had to down shutters.The exodus was also given a religious twist and this appealed to younger Muslim men.

The Imam of the Al Aksa mosque in Jerusalem broadcast in his sermons the need of the Muslim men to fertilize the European women as the Christians had failed to do so. He pointed to the low birth rate of the European women and exhorted his followers to spread Islam by fertilizing them. Many Muslim felt this was an excellent method to spread Islam. In any case, the Koran looks favorably on migration as a means to spread Islam.

Women in Islam.

Arab women

Islam is an insular religion that has global appeal. Many Muslims have been taken in by this rhetoric and felt European women are easy game. This came to the fore in Germany, where on New Year eve many German women were assaulted. Basically it's a clash of cultures as in Islam women are subservient to men and Muslim personal Law as codified in the Sharia gives hardly any rights to women. In addition, for centuries, the Arab Sheiks have always coveted pure blonde European women, particularly from the Slav countries, for their harems.

This was the genesis of the white slave trade, carried on by the Berbers and others. The problem has no easy solution as Europe does need cheap labor and cannot turn away all the migrants. How will they strike the middle line i.e balance the migrants with the needs of labor? #Immigration

The Perfumed Garden: Arabic book of great erotica

The perfumed garden was written in Arabic. The book is credited to Sheik Nefzaouj and was compiled in the 16th century. Not much is known of the Sheik. It has no pious intentions like the Kama Sutra but is plainly written with the idea of arousing sensual pleasure. However, both books were translated by Richard Burton an English man and we must remain forever indebted to him for his painstaking effort. The western world has not produced any ancient erotic manuals, perhaps because of the straight jacket approach to Christianity and the earlier puritan approach. But the eastern manuals recognized the sexual side of man and the result is two great masterpieces of erotic literature.

The perfumed garden is more like a storybook with nearly 22 stories as part of the text. These are erotic stories and the effort of the sheik is to integrate them into the main text and bring out the essence of the sexual nature of man. They also serve as a guide for attaining extreme bliss- for one cannot deny the fact that the sex act by itself is the most potent form of pleasure in the world.

The Perfumed Garden is pure erotica and reads more like a fairy tale book. It engrosses the readers with its stories. Interspersed with the stories is good advise on all matters relating to sex. Over the centuries this book has been read and reread any number of times and are a source of intense gratification to most readers. It is a moot point that most works on the sexual side of mans relationship with a woman have emerged from the orient. I will recommend reading this book -nothing can be better than that.

Crocodile meat is eaten in America *. 67

 I recently received a letter from an American friend who informed me that crocodile meat is eaten in Louisiana State of the United States. This really surprised me as I am unable to digest the fact that people eat crocodile meat. In fact it beats my imagination. I am told that Crocodile meat is a delicacy and the tail meat is costlier. People in some eating joints are served ‘Gator burger’ or ‘Alligator Smoked Sausage’. These are available more in ‘French Market’ area along Mississippi river in New Orleans city.

It stands to reason that alligator farms where the crocodiles are bred and reared only for commercial purpose (human consumption) are also around. Alligator heads (after the taxidermy) are also available for sale and their price may vary from $ 15-50 depending on the size of the head. Some people have bizarre tastes

Can Brittiania rule the waves

BRITAIN TO TRY AND RULE THE WAVES AGAIN WITH 2 POWERFUL NEW AIRCRAFT CARRIERS

The Royal navy will flex its muscles as two new carriers join by 2020 which will make the British a force like old when Britania ruled the oceans

https://pixabay.com/en/aircraft-landing-jet-carrier-713693/

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For close to 200 years the Royal Navy ruled theoceans and it was entirely due to British naval power that the adage 'the sun never sets on the British empire' was coined. The Second World War and a pyrrhic victory over Hitler's Germany coupled with the loss of colonies reduced the UK to a fifth rate power, content to ride piggyback on uncle Sam. Six decades down the line, with an uncertain future with the EU and having far-flung possessions like St. Helena, Gibraltar and Falklands  the British think-tank hase decided to commission two of the biggest aircraft carriers in the Royal Navy.

The new carriers.

Two extra large Queen Elizabeth class carriers will be commissioned by 2020. These carriers will displace nearly 65,000 tons DWT and will have state of art technology and aircraft. Though considered large they will not be as big as the Nimitz class of aircraft carriers in service with the US navy which displaces 100,000 tons DWT.  A significant change from other modern carriers is that these will not use nuclear propulsion. In place of nuclear power, the carriers will use giant electrical motors which will be powered by Rolls-Royce MT30 gas turbines with 4 diesel generators that will give the carriers an operating range of 10,000 miles. Doing away with nuclear power is the real revolutionary step and will make the carriers safer to operate. The carriers will give an edge to aerial combat as it will be able to launch 24 first line fighters within 15 minutes.

Can Britain get back its lost glory?

The carriers will certainly add to British naval power, but one cannot visualize the Royal Navy matching the erstwhile British navy that ruled the 7 seas. One reason for this is that Britain no longer has bases outside the UK and operation of these aircraft carriers far away from home is fraught with risk. In any case, they will  only be able to operate at great distances from the homeland as an adjunct to the US Navy. One cannot visualize the UK fighting a war, say, in the Indian ocean or South Atlantic on its own. In that case, this heavy expenditure on these behemoths may not be in the best interest of the economy of a small nation like the United Kingdom. This concept is also under threat as many in Scotland, despite the referendum, still want to secede from the union.

Can a woman love her abductor? *. 72

One of the forms of marriage recognized in Hinduism is Asura Vivah or marriage by abduction. Perhaps the ancient Hindu saints recognized that a man may desire a woman so much that he could abduct her. So they sanctified it and accepted it as a form of marriage. This is a piquant situation and I wonder from the woman’s point of view of how she would feel if she was abducted and married by any man. Would she accept him? My thinking is positive on this issue, though I am aware as per the modern law; it is a crime to abduct a woman. Marriage is out of question.
Throughout history there are examples of women being kidnapped andabducted for marriage. the emperor Jahangir loved Noor Jahan so much that he got her husband killed and married her. History tells us that Noor Jahan became a favorite of Jahangir and advised him on all state matters as well as bearing his children. How did she forget her killed husband?

Perhaps it has something to do with psychology, mental makeup and sex. When all these add up, then a woman is likely to accept the man who may be her abductor. There was a peculiar case before the Madras High Court, where a woman who had accused a man of rape wanted to withdraw the charge as the man wanted to marry her. The court obviously did not accept her plea.

Women by nature are soft and whether in America or India the psychology is same. There are so many cases of women loving their abductors even in the west. The famous books on Angelique Series by Sergeanne Golan lucidly elucidate this point, where Angelique starts loving her abductors.

I feel if abduction is dictated by love, and then there is every chance that a woman will love back, but violence and force can leave a woman scarred for life. Islam in particular has a lot of abductions, but nothing is done about them

China puts the Dalai Lama in dog house: no justification !

The Dalai Lama is a respected figure who yearns for peace and some autonomy for his homeland Tibet. Unfortunately China has put him in the dog house. The Chinese follow such tactics  most of the time with anyone who opposes them. China has trampled on the freedom of the Tibet people and it is on record that many have imolated them to protest Chinese rule laced with terror.
In such a scenario the time spared by president Obama to meet  Dalai Lama is a godsend. It shows Tibetans are not forgotten. But more needs to be done to throw the Chinese jackboot out of the back of the Tibetan people.

Abolish ban on cow slaughter and beef eating

I have repeatedly said that there is nothing wrong in eating beef. Almost the whole world eats it---America, Europe, Africa, Arab countries, China, Japan, Australia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Thailand etc. In many of our own states beef is eaten, e.g. Kerala, Goa, North Eastern states, and West Bengal.
So are these beef eaters all wicked people, and we alone are sadhu saints?
And how can a cow be gowmata( mother cow) ? Can an animal be a mother of a human being ? Does it carry any sense ? A cow is just another animal, like a horse or goat.
Some people say that it is a matter of sentiments for Hindus.
But similarly, some Muslims say that Sharia and burqa are matters of sentiments for Muslims.
 In my opinion, these are all sentiments based on stupidity, and we should not bother about , or pamper sentiments based on stupidity.
 I call for repeal of laws banning cow slaughter and eating beef., just as I call for enactment a Uniform Civil Code and the  abolition of the burqa.

Lusting for the Hindu Woman *. 74

Lusting for Hindu Women/Girls:Sex is a Factor

Marriage

Lust is a word that means intense or unrestrained sexual craving. Sometimes the word does look vulgar or coarse but it defines a mindset that is dictated by desire and temptation. 

All over India and Pakistan the one fact that stands out is the number of Hindu girls with Muslim men has husbands. In Pakistan it takes a bizarre form with about 20-25 Hindu girls being kidnapped every month in Sind province and forcibly converted and married to Muslim men. In India there is no coercion but any numbers of Hindu girls marry Muslims. Even the film stars are into it and the most famous present day heroine Karina Kapoor is marrying a Muslim star who has 2 grown up children.

Hindu Muslim wedlock

I began to wonder why this is so after all just a few decades the Muslims and Hindus did not have much of intermarriages. Before independence and the advent of the Raj, the Muslims were the rulers and they could have their pick of Hindu girls. Even the warrior Timur selected 200 of the most beautiful Hindu girls for his harem. But it all ended with the Raj and independence.
So frankly I am intrigued to see so many Hindu girls marrying Muslim men. The contrast is stark as in all cases the Hindu girls convert to Islam. This is mandatory and is something that happens, but I suppose there is very little coercion involved, except in Pakistan where the situation is entirely different. I wonder what could be the psychology behind these marriages.

Love Jihad

Obviously there is some background to it. One thing that strikes me is that after loss of political power by the Muslimsthe Hindu girls became unattainable. So the Muslim men with encouragement from the Mullahs began to assiduously woo Hindu girls. The idea was to marry them and beget children. It’s like a victory in battle, after all in ancient wars the women were the prize.
These are harsh thoughts, but I suppose there is some truth in it. Thus the Muslim man will go out of his way to court a Hindu girl. What about the Hindu girl? There is a new found freedom given by independent India and the Hindu girl is exercising it to the hilt. One manifestation is these marriages. In contrast the reverse of Muslim girls marrying Hindu boys is just a trickle. Rigidity in Islam is intense?

Kissing on the 146th Floor of the Burj Khaifa

The Burj Khalifa is located in Dubai. Presently, it is the tallest tower in the world. Visitors are allowed to the 146th floor for a fee of 100 AED (about $25). The floor is partly open to the inclement weather. In winter, it can get pretty cold there. If it starts to rain, the charm of being on this floor is greatly increased. The covered portion houses coffee shops and snack counters.

I last visited the tower in January, a few months back. I took my English girlfriend who is a teacher here, up the tower at night. The tower is open on a 24-hour basis. We had just entered the uncovered porch when it began to rain. In addition, a cold wind blew and it ended with us hugging each other for warmth. Frankly, it was fun and then we kissed with the cold wind blowing and rain falling. How exhilarating it was with the rain and the tongue of my girl enmeshed together.Down below we could see the lights of Dubai. It was a magical moment, never to be forgotten. A tap on the shoulder brought us back to reality. A security guard stood with an umbrella and he whispered “Sir, no kissing. It's not allowed”. I will say we were lucky as people have been put behind bars for less.

Kissing on the 146th Floor of the Burj Khaifa

The Burj Khalifa is located in Dubai. Presently, it is the tallest tower in the world. Visitors are allowed to the 146th floor for a fee of 100 AED (about $25). The floor is partly open to the inclement weather. In winter, it can get pretty cold there. If it starts to rain, the charm of being on this floor is greatly increased. The covered portion houses coffee shops and snack counters.

I last visited the tower in January, a few months back. I took my English girlfriend who is a teacher here, up the tower at night. The tower is open on a 24-hour basis. We had just entered the uncovered porch when it began to rain. In addition, a cold wind blew and it ended with us hugging each other for warmth. Frankly it was fun and then we kissed with the cold wind blowing and rain falling. How exhilarating it was with  the rain and the tongue of my girl enmeshed together.Down below we could see the lights of Dubai. It was a magical moment, never to be forgotten. A tap on the shoulder brought us back to reality. A security guard stood with an umbrella and he whispered “Sir, no kissing. It's not allowed”. I will say we were lucky as people have been put behind bars for less.

Death Railway of Siam during World War II * 60

I am a history buff and love to read about the Second World war. One incident in World War II has fascinated me is the death railway made immortal by Sir Alec Guinness in the movie ” Bridge on the River Kwai”. When I visited Thailand for a holiday, I resolved to visit the death railway, a name used for a bridge which was built by the Japanese over the river Kwai to connect Thailand to Rangoon.

After the battle of Midway where the Imperial navy suffered a catastrophic defeat, the Japanese had great difficulty in transporting men and material to Burma, where the Imperial army was fighting the British Indian army by sea, as their carrier fleet had been annihilated. This led them to construct a rail line through the thick jungles to Rangoon. It was an arduous task and the Japanese thought it fit to use Allied Prisoners of War as labor for this construction. One of the most difficult stretches was across the river at Kwai. All around the river there were dense tropical forests and cutting through the forest and constructing the bridge over the river was a very difficult task.

The Japanese had a paucity of time and they wanted the bridge and rail line ready in as a short time as possible. this led a very harsh regimen for the prisoners who were made to work 12 hours a day with hardly any food to eat. This aspect of Japanese character has baffled me as they studiously ignored the Geneva Convention on POWs. The Japanese soldiers overseeing the construction treated the prisoners badly and many died during the course of the construction. it was a terrible time and after the war, the Allies tried many of the Imperial army officers and soldiers and hanged many of them.

The Bridge is still there and is a tourist site. There is also an excellent museum that showcases the construction of the bridge. All in all, it’s a place worth visiting.

Taslima Nasreen: Bengali Writer with a Fatwa on her Head

Taslima Nasreen is a woman writer who I admire. She hails from Bangladesh, but presently she has fled Bangladesh and is in exile in Delhi. Earlier for some she was given asylum in Norway. The reason Taslima had to run away from Bangladesh was primary to escape death at the hands of Islamic fanatics who had issued a Fatwa for her death. Taslima though a Muslim, in an interview broadcast over BBC had opined that the holy books of Islam like the Koran need to be revised as they were anti-women. This interview brought the ire of hardline Muslims on her and a fatwa was issued that she be killed.

Taslima is also a writer of some standing. She writes in Bengali, but a few of her books have been translated into English. Her most famous novel is “Lajja” (Shame) which delineates a story about the persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh at the hands of Muslims. Her latest novel ‘French Lover’ is published She is now catapulted in the big league of writers and her books sell like hot cakes.

Taslima was born in 1962 and her early life was non-descript. She came into limelight after a publication of ‘Lajja‘ and her anti-Islamic views. It’s a pity that Bangladesh does not recognize the greatness of Taslima. Her views on Islam should not come in the way of appreciation of her books.

Visiting the " garden of Lights" in Dubai * 60

Dubai always conjures up something new for its visitors. The latest is the Garden of lights, a garden that is lit up by bulbs and creates an enchanting place, replete with Dinosaurs, Animals, and Fairytales. The medium for all these depictions is colored lights. It's a tremendous achievement and I suppose the first such garden in the world.

The garden is open from 4-11 pm and is simply an enchanting place. The artists have created a magical sultans palace, animal world with tigers and lions and a special prehistoric age with dinosaurs. It's all great fun. In addition, there are lovely ballet dances and some of the girls wear shorts, showing lovely legs. No sign of any prudery or religious rhetoric here.

Among the popular exhibits are animals all around a water hole, a replica of the grand mosque, and the palace of he sultan. A series of graphics in the ant world is another delight. The entrance is AED 60 and that is a little steep. However at the end of the day, one feels its money well spent. There are many stalls selling foods to eat and drink, but no beer and hard drinks. In a way, this is a good thing as lots of children visit this  garden

Abu Dhabi has greened the Desert * 69

Desert and Green in Abu Dhabi

The deserts of Saudi Arabia abuts the  Arabian Sea and on the edge of the Arabian desert is Abu Dhabi.  Abu Dhabi at one time was a desert but the enlightened ruler imported soil from Pakistan and India as well as trees en masse and let them flower in the Arabian desert. The result is there for all to see as greenery abounds in many places and one of them is the Al Alain zoo. Al Alain is known as the green city of Abu Dhabi and its a delight to go there. I go often to Al Alain and never forget to spend time in the zoo.

 The zoo has greenery and one must give credit to the legion of Indian workers 

Donald Trump and Hillary; Choice between Bad and Worse * 77

The US election is campaign is on and it is now emerging that there may be two contenders. Firstly the front runner for Democratic nomination is Hillary Clinton. She has the edge on Bernie Sanders. The second man is Donald Trump who is the leader for GOP nomination.

Both candidates, Donald and Hillary have been mouthing cliches and hardly inspire confidence. Both are part of the historical process that is signaling the end off the US empire. Hillary is a shade below Trump and apart from a lot of make-up has really nothing much to offer.   Trump is mouthing irresponsible statements, particularly on nuclear matters. 

Its a pity the American voter has no choice and they can be classified as bad and worse. Hard luck America!

Modi and his Invisible Wife

The BJP’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi had left his wife 4 decades back

 Life is funny, on one hand older men are marrying younger women and on the other hand many men are just deserting their wives and leaving the poor lady to fend for herself. One such case concerns the BJP candidate for Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi. This man married a lady from nearby his village 4 decades back and then told her he was leaving. He just packed his bags and never went back to her for 4 decades. The poor lady studied and got a job as a teacher and has now retired. She never married as Modi never divorced her and she is still loyal to this man.

I don’t know what to make of this. This is not good news about Modi and the man must explain his reasons for behaving like this. What sort of example is he  setting for Indians ? Thus, when he talks of empowerment of women, he sounds so hollow. I wonder what he feels when he looks at him in the mirror.

Gift of the Raj: Maid as Mistress * 68

The British ruled India for close to 200 years. From the time Robert Clive won the Battle of Plessey in 1757 to 1947 they were the imperial rulers of India. Along with this is the fact that just about 100,000 Englishmen administered a vast country of 250- 350 million (the population at that time).  Most of these Englishmen worked with zeal and genuinely loved India. It is also known that thousands of them worked in far flung areas all alone, without any female company. This was a dangerous period for the lonely Englishman, as he was often prey to his sexual desires and ended up by sleeping with his maid. In effect the Indian maid became the mistress of the house. In many case these maids also became pregnant and their offspring became the Anglo-Indians.

This was the state of affairs in British India for close to 200 years and there is one movie titled "Before the rains' that gives expression and credence to this fact. The movie starring Rahul Bose and Nadia Das was produced by Merchant Ivory production and garnered over one million dollars at the box office. It was made in English and faithfully depicts the sexual liaison of an Englishman in a remote corner of Kerala with an Indian maid played by Nadia Das.The role of the Englishman is depicted with great conviction by Linus roache.His love scenes with Nandita Das, who plays the maid, have a degree of finesse and lovely to behold.

The movie states an obvious fact that the maid culture of maids as mistresses of lonely Englishmen was a fact of life. This aspect has not been touched by most Indian writers and it required Merchant Ivory business house to produce a film and highlight this fact. The English were benign rulers and treated their subjects with due courtesy and respect. The propaganda by pseudo nationalists that the British Raj was all bad is a canard, best thrown into the dustbin. The maid- master relationship is actually a theme of the Victorian age, where we read so many tales with the maid asking the master “Sir was I good?"

The maid -mistress culture lasted for as long as the Raj (a euphemism for British rule). After the British left in 1947, this culture did not end and the new rich and ruling class copied this aspect of the Raj. We do have tens of maid now working in the houses of the ultra-rich and sexual liaisons are very much part of the scenario.

Harems and White Christian Women * 69

White women in Muslim harem

Many have wondered as I do as to how the white women who were kidnapped from the villages of Europe fared in a harem where the predominant women were all Muslim. White women kidnapped were all Christian and the Arab Sheiks and Caliphs loved the white women. They coveted them as a diamond and had a fetish for white women complete with hymen. In short they wanted total virgins.

The word Harem is derived from the Egyptian word Harim which means women. So the Harem was only for women and white christian women and girls were inducted into it. However for the white christian women the Sheiks were a little more lenient and life for them was easier, but it was like a prison all the same.

The white women were given better quarters and had women slaves to attend to them. They could also purse interests in song and dance. The Arabs prized their white women in the harem and spent more time with them than with other women.

 In short the white women from the villages were more privileged than the local women in the harem. They were however converted to Islam  and not allowed to go out. But the Arab rulers spent more time with them

Tamil Girls and Fairness * 77

A look at the Tamil screen shows that the heroines are fair skinned. I have yet to see a dark skinned heroine on the South Indian screen. Even Jayalalita when she was a star is milky white in complexion. These milky white complexioned stars contribute to a beauty culture in South India where skin-whitening creams outsell Coca-Cola. Yet the fact is that most Tamil and South Indian girls are dark complexioned. I wonder why a dark complexioned girl cannot strike out in the Tamil film industry.

One aspect that is overlooked is that the ancient scriptures, epics, or folk tales in Tamil or for that matter in any Indian language, the good character is always portrayed as being fair in complexion. A beautiful princess is always without fail described as being fair and white as snow. This is a dangerous portrayal as it is suggesting that the fair are fair good and the dark complexioned has evil intentions. This view has been expressed by Shyamala Bhatia, an associate professor in history at the Bharati College, University of Delhi.

If you add that the white race ruled India and their women were white than it becomes clear why the concept of fairness being superior is embedded deep within the Indian psyche.

But even after the white rulers went away, India‘s concepts of beauty has not changed. Thus milky-complexioned Tamil stars to a massive market for skin lightening creams, the notion that white means beautiful is all pervading in South India. The word for fairness in Hindi is “GORI” and in Tamil it is நேர்மை

Nērmai. I am afraid it will not go from the South Indian psyche.

Second Wife for a Non Muslim by Converting to Islam

Is It Correct For A Couple To Marry A Second Time By Converting To Islam?

Islam in India allows a man to have more than one wife and this is used by many to bypass the Hindu Marriage Act

Is it Correct for a Man or Woman to Convert to Islam to Marry a Second Woman?

India is a land beset by myriad problems and one of these is battle for a uniform civil code. The Indian constitution lays down in the Directive Principles, the need for the state to enact a uniform civil code for all and that includes Muslims.

For reasons of vote bank politics the Indian political leadership has ignored the Directive Principles, with the result that Hindu personal law is codified and one can marry only one wife, the Muslim personal law is still governed by the Sharia and that means easy divorce and up to 4 wives.  The restriction of one wife is something many Hindus want to circumvent so that they can marry again and it is known that many convert to Islam and then get married, as Islam permits a second wife. Thus there is no chance of a case of bigamy being filed.

One of the celebrated cases concerns the film star Dharmendra and his consort Hema Malini. According to the Hindu Marriage Act, a Hindu cannot marry a second time while the first wife is still alive. Dharmendra is an Arya Samaj Hindu Punjabi. Hema Malini wanted to marry Dharmendra and on August 21, 1979, both Hema and Dharmendra converted to Islam. They changed their names to Aisha Bi R. Chakra arty and Dilawar Khan Kewal Krishna respectively, and got married as Muslims by conducting Nikah.  This is just an example, but there are tens of such cases.

Under Hindu marriage act no Hindu can marry again without getting a divorce from the first wife, but many in India take the easy path out by converting to Islam to circumvent the law. This question is great importance and the reason is the two sets of separate personal laws of the Hindus and Muslims. This needs to be rectified and also needs a political will. One fact that cannot be obviated is, that unless some social stigma is attached to such cases, they will continue. The BJP which talks of Ram Rajya has rehabilitated Hema Malini and a lady who converted to Islam is their star campaigner.  What a shame. Could not the BJP find anybody else?  I wonder what example this lady is setting to the rank and file of Hindu women all over India. Come to think of it, even Dharmendra was made an MP, but he flopped in that role.

 Pandit Nehru comes out as the arch villain of all this, as in 1955 he got the Hindu marriage act passed, but left the Muslim personal law intact.  It must be remembered that in the state of Goa the Portuguese enforced the uniform civil code and one wife and Muslims there accepted it. Had Nehru passed the uniform civil code at that time such cases would not have occurred?

Cure of Pre mature Ejaculation Through Tantra

 This is a very common phenomenon and most men at some stages of their lives suffer from it, either temporarily or for longer periods.

Premature Ejaculation and Tantra

Modern science does not have any sure shot cure for premature ejaculation and most doctors will treat it as a psychological problem. But in Hinduism there is a cure and that is through Tantra sex.

 Hinduism recognizes Tantra sex as one of the paths to salvation. A deeper study reveals that Orgasm is not the goal of Tantra sex and once a man has understood this, the rest will automatically fall in place.

Steps in Tantra Sex

 Tantra sex is a slow ritualistic sex and man must follow the tenets bravely. There is no room for tension. It will be a help in case his partner also believes in he power of Tantra.  Thus a man must try and follow the steps outlined below

b)     The second step is the art of disrobing your partner. This again is a slow process and should be followed up by a massage of the partner’s body with aromatic oils.a)     He must first  create an atmosphere for the sex act by burning incense sticks and having soft religious music in the background

c)     The man must caress the erogenous zones and build up for the next stage. In this he must remember the saying of the great sage Vatsyayana that “all parts that can be kissed and licked can also be bitten”. This needs no elucidation

d)     The act itself is the last part, but not the main object. Time is of essence as Tantra sex  requires a lot of time and it relaxes the individual. Once both partners are ready the next step can be taken without thinking of orgasm. The aim is to bring the partner to a sublime level where ejaculation itself loses meaning.

Last Word

 The last part of Tantra sex is belief in the act of Tantra sex. Unless you have the confidence in Tantra the chances that you will achieve anything are pretty slim.  Modern US doctors have also vouchsafed for it.

A word of caution, participants must remember that Tantra sex is not something that can be done alone, but needs a guru who will guide the participants through the stages of Tantra sex

Germany and Migrants: Everything is not Honky Dory

The war in the Middle East has led to an exodus, that is the word one has to use for the hundreds of thousands who are leaving their homeland and trying to enter Europe. At the time of writing over a million refugees have flooded  the EU and Germany has absorbed the largest number of them. This is not an altruistic move, but Germany needs labor and they felt this  exodus can be used to their advantage.

However there is always a underside and this  came to teh fore when the  refugees mostly improvished Moslems  sexually assaulted German women. The police have confirmed that the men who did this cannot be identified. This is the catch and Germany will have to live with it. One reason is the restrictive society in Mile East where women are never seen unclothed or wearing a revealing dress.. To see Geran women in various dresses has had an effect and it is sexual masochism to the fore. I am afraid this is the price that the Germans will have to pay for the cheap labor to run their country for them

The Sport of Indian style Wrestling " Khusti": Dying away

Indian Style Wrestling or 'Kushti' Its Origin and Present Position in India

Madan Singh

Wrestling is the oldest sport in India. It traces its origin to a bygone age. The earliest mention of Kushti or also called ‘Dangal’ is in the Mahabharata an epic that traces its origin to 4000BC. In this epic the warrior BhÄ«ma wrestles with the Rakshas King Jarasandha.  This is a famous episode and the two had a wrestling bout that lasted for 13 days and in the end BhÄ«ma broke Jarasandha backbone and tore apart his body with his bare hands.
Over the centuries this Indian form of wrestling continued in India. It is different from the Free Style and Greo0 Roman style of wrestling which is universally recognized all over the world. This style of wrestling is confined only to the sub-continent and now is home only to India and Pakistan.

Kushti has simple rules and is fought between two protagonists in a large arena covered only with sand and loose mud. The men wrestle only on this natural environment and normally there is nothing like a ring. The game is a trial of strength and the victor who pins his opponent to the earth with both shoulders touching the sand and mud.  No blows with the hands are allowed and the men grapple with each other face to face. There is no rest period or ‘rounds’ and the match once started goes on till one of the players is defeated or signals his acceptance of defeat. Earlier bouts never had a referee and normally this part was played by the Chief Guest who could be a maharajah. But modern Kushti matches have incorporated a referee.
Presently the Champion Phelwan in India is given the title Rustam-e –Hind after the hero of the Iranian epic. Unfortunately the sport is confined to India and Pakistan and is not an Olympic sport. Efforts are on to stream line the sport, but paucity of funds and lack of sponsorship is a big handicap.