My latest book is The One Who Swam With The Fishes.

"A mesmerizing account of the well-known story of Matsyagandha ... and her transformation from fisherman’s daughter to Satyavati, Santanu’s royal consort and the Mother/Progenitor of the Kuru clan." - Hindustan Times

"Themes of fate, morality and power overlay a subtle and essential feminism to make this lyrical book a must-read. If this is Madhavan’s first book in the Girls from the Mahabharata series, there is much to look forward to in the months to come." - Open Magazine

"A gleeful dollop of Blytonian magic ... Reddy Madhavan is also able to tackle some fairly sensitive subjects such as identity, the love of and karmic ties with parents, adoption, the first sexual encounter, loneliness, and my favourite, feminist rage." - Scroll



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1 December 2008

I'm fine, we're fine, hope you are too

As always, I'm a little sheepish when I return to blogging after being absent for so long. But, basically MTNL's a bitch, and I hate blogging from cyber cafes, so I had to sit on my ass and wait around for them to finally send a repair guy and do all sorts of things and then reconfigure some settings--where JC got involved--and then, basically, it's been a long and arduous wait.



And then, of course, the horrible, horrible week that it has been. I had the internet but no inclination to write. What was I going to say, watching the city burn, watching bloodstained people shaped bundles being loaded onto ambulances, watching my phone go crazy with text messages and phone calls, really, what is there to say? I am PISSED OFF. And I think I can speak for most of my generation too. This teeming population of mostly 25 year olds is watching the old paunchy grown ups, supposedly in charge of everything, and then growing increasingly disbelieving. How else can you explain Vilasrao Deshmukh taking his son and fucking Ram Gopal Varma for a tour of the bullet ridden hotels?



When I, in perfectly good faith, give you, old men and old women of India, my vote, you better be willing to live up to it. Don't just sit around on your ass and expect that anything goes and then pat yourselves on the back for the fact that the economy is booming and people around the world take us more seriously. A) That has very little, if anything at all, to do with you. B) Pay your fucking cops more, man. These impoverished and underequipped men and women have no choice but to take money from whereever they can and they defend themselves against grenade throwing, AK47 carrying terrorists with--wait for it--lathis. No, I'm serious. (I read it somewhere, but can't find the source) C) Have emergency evacuation available. I heard stories of people being stuck in town not being able to go home, and SCARED. I'd have been scared if I was there. If you don't have the funds for an evacuation with security, at least build some shelters with bullet proof walls that people can make a break for when something like this happens.



When I was a little girl, I imagined the Government as a man. He had a big bald head and in my imagination, worked in a tiny little office filled with brown paper packages. I felt quite bad for Government, people seemed to be blaming him all the time. How much work could one man do, I wondered. I told this to my mother yesterday, and she said, laughing, "Now the government is a woman."



Okay, Ms Government, time to pull up your socks. I am quite confident that the present administration is going to be changed soon. (My friends have mostly changed their votes, as for us, thanks to some botch in computer systems, our names were nowhere on the voting register. I spent that voting morning walking from one polling booth to another.) The only recent decision I am happy with is that Chidambaran is taking over as the Home Minister. I think he is eminently sensible and wants the best for the country

Man, I am pissed off. I wanted to talk about Delhi and what a good time we're having and how JC is getting on with everyone and where we've been and the awesome weather and second hand bookshopping yesterday, instead I feel almost compelled to put down this tirade. I'm not letting the terrorists win, though, tomorrow, shall see my frivolity shine through, come what may.

32 comments:

  1. Thanks, you know for what!

    (Sorry if this is a double post, but i absolutely had to make sure that i'd keyed it in)

    Greeker

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  2. Nothing much is going to happen ! We will all go back to the cushy lives which we are used to and forget all about it.



    The irritation that you feel rite now, is just cos u know this is true !


    Sad but true !

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  3. I'm tired of talk, I don't want to blame the government, I think most people are insensitive and the wrong patil resigned,
    I want Bombay to be safe, I wnat us to be able to pee at the Taj again, I don't want RDX but just baida roti at Bade's
    I don't want JC shot at because he's white and english
    I want us to dine in peace at leopold without jumping out of our skin if a cracker goes off...
    Mostly I wnat reasons for why this happened and how its goign to never happen again

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  4. Ah. Finally a post by someone who isn't blindly cursing the terrorists, but is actually looking at what needs to be done. And somehow, I'm not entirely happy with Chidambaram as home minister. He doesn't have a tough image.

    My verification word this time is "anger". Ironic, innit?

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  5. Prefix for Mr. Ram Gopal Varma, too far eM... too far...
    What is the big deal in it? if RGV is not a celebrity, no one will even notice it...

    Imagining Government as a bald headed old person... very good... classy...

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  6. when our govenments bald head filled with hairs......

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  7. I’m real angry too!! This is crazy and I cannot believe we sit around letting this happen. There was this piece by an CNN IBN reporter wherein he tried to bring in wooden crates that could have help upto 100 kgs of RDX into Mumbai via the water ways of Murud janjira and then by road right upto the gateway of India. He did it 3 different times and different routes and not once did he get stopped or questioned!! And all this after this attack!! What kind of a high alert is this? Where are they freaking spending our tax money? Aaarrggghhh! I’m really so freaking pissed!!

    And hey… thanks for the mental pic.. the government as an old Bald man in a tiny office with brown paper packages.. priceless! Helps make the blood pressure come down when I think about their utter lack of competence.

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  8. That is soooooooooooo true...you know what?? i hate that bloody bald man in his little brown packaging office...

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  9. Dewd, if Vilasrao hadn't toured the Taj, he'd be vilified for not even visiting the scene of the crime. They can't win, can they?

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  10. Yup, but u n me n everyone else around knw that there s nuthn much v cn do abt all these. That was the worst part,I ges. I mean, v hav had our share of bomb blasts n stuff,but they r all over in a second and all u get 2 c n hear r the statistics. but this being rooted in frnt of the tv n watching in helplessness s somethng else all together. One does feel sad for all those poor dead ppl,but the first emotion i felt was anger,strong righteous anger at the good 4 nuthn goons governing us,at the helplessness of a common policeman encountering heavily armed terrorists with battered helmets and service revolvers,at the president and pm who keep talking big about doin this n that 2 stop terrorism an den go country hopping,at that useless home minister who doesnt have the sense god gave a goat,at our great cm who had been chilling out in kerala,at our damned system of red tapes which took 10 hrs to despatch nsg commandoes to mum,at the govt who unheeded the intelligence warnings again...I mean,this is India man,not just sum small country to squirm at the mention of terrorism.After encountering terrorism in different forms for 61 years,we still buckle under it,it s pathetic,really!! Till now the terrorists were operating in hiding,we were fighting nameless,faceless desperadoes. Now they have acquired courage to come forth n fight,perhaps knowing that India would still let them walk scott free,no matter how much havok they create. Its high time we did something about it. Even while we praise all the bravehearts who laid down their lives to protect us,there is a twinge,a regret,smwer inside dat their lives could've been spared,or worse,that,they might've died in vain,for they r not the first ones 2 die 4 the country,they will nt b the last. Nuthn has changed in our country with the sacrifices of others,so wat can happen now with these fresh string of martyrs? i don mean 2 be pessimistic,but thats wat has always happened...n v actually don hav a reason to thnk that it might change now...

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  11. Completely agree with everything you've said...I've struggled over the past 4 days to update my blog...coz there are so many thoughts and I've almost become ADHD at this point...ANGER against terrorists, fucking bald guy (including Mr. CM and Mr. Deputy CM according to whom, "such little things happen in big cities"), and I'm angry with the same cliched "spirit of Mumbai"....

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  12. Yes, something's got to give. Yes, WE need to get off our asses and do something, instead of pointing fingers. And yes, no point in being gloomy while we're at it. Humour always helps.

    Cf: your mental picture of Government. When we met, did you think you were face to face with Government?

    J.A.P.

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  13. i didn't know you were into How i met your mother..

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  14. You are frustrated because your bragging about Delhi got spoiled by a national calamity! I thought you were in either in Taj or Leopold sipping on a highly priced coffee before getting shot between ur eyes!

    Your writing is so shallow and your blog sounds like that of a teenager! You don't really know anything about the ground realities in India and live in a cocoon of your own.

    I had hopes against hopes that you would write something substantive after a tragedy like this. But alas, you don't appear to grow up! So do your sycophants here!

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  15. I didn't expect this on your blog. The only nice thing was the bald man-government analogy.
    You are better of putting down your confessions dear.

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  16. After some few long days...I am commenting for Em's post.......First I would like to thank for Em's this post as scribbled about Mumbai-fight..

    Hey..Hii...COMMENTATORS......IF YOU WANT TO PREVENT TERRORISM..!!!!!!READ CAREFULLY BELOW FIVE POINTS AND TRY IN YOUR LIFE....ANOTHER ANY POINT IS TOUCHED IN YOUR HEART JUST ASK MY "MAIL ID" TO Em as she had given a chance to express feelings of my heart.....................
    1)First, Terrorism is a network..it flows each people's mind in a nation to the mental-tendency of destruction..It can prevent only through SOCIAL-CAMPAIGN
    2) Secondly, I identified those who work with me and they are saying we are Friends WITH some rigid-religious talk betweeen when we discusS any topic come from about our nation...So you each one has to identify and ask "why You are saying?..and does not pull out from your company even he/she is teasing you...I MEAN DOES NOT BELIEVE A BLIND-FRIENDSHIP AMONG YOUR COMPANY.JUST IDENTIFY EACH ONE'S TALK AND THEIR ACTIVITIES AND CONFIRM.

    3)Thirdly....This one suppose no one cared this topic even Ministry of India or World.....JUST CREATE A "CRYING AND RESPONDS CLUB"..This is neccessary because No Indians doesn't identify another one's feeling even I saw one of my friends father death ceremony he is crying like "AN ACTOR"..I thought what a F***ing feelings he was..?..Here our community has already divided Upper-Class and Lower-Class like a railway reservation..AS PER MY OBJECT UPPER-CLASS DOESN'T KNOW THE PAINING AND LIFE FEELINGS OF LOWER-CLASS AND VICE VERSA..I SAW IN TV SOMEBODY WANTS TO EXPRESS TO PROVE "IAM AN ENGLISH"...HEY MAN/WOMAN NO NEED TO EXPRESS LIKE THAT WAY...

    4) Fourth one, Every one should understand what my Religion? ..Does not go to too much involve...Because If you study too much you would only think about MYSELF...MY RELIGION..I AM..I AM....I AM .You never..ever can think about others or other religion...In india Every religion should "RESPECT" other religion....Why I double -quoted tht word know,,,,"Belief" and "Respect" are different word
    ..IN THIS MOST IMPORTANT SENTENCE IS RELIGION MEANS NOT OBEY OR BLINDLY-TRUST YOUR RELIGIONAL LEADERS WHO SAYS WHATEVER OR WHENEVER...THAT IS INDIA'S BIG..BIG..BIG..MISTAKE...EACH ONE SHOULD A VIEW ABOUT THEIR OWN RELIGIONAL ACTIVITIES.

    5)Fifth,and Last Point is EVERY CITIZEN IN COUNTRY SHOULD THINK "I AM A PRIME MINISTER OR I AM A SOLDIER OF THIS COUNTRY"...EACH ONE HAS DUTY TO SAVE OUR NATION...IF I DID, I WOULD GET AND SATISFY WITH THAT ACTIVITIES..

    Thanks EM alot from my mind for thihs opportunity

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  17. I am angry too...also by the casul attitude by which many having been taking it....
    I had kept awake the whole night watching the news channels report the horror that Bombay went through the whole night of 26th. I had burst out crying many times at the thought of what people there had been going through..The next day, when we were discussing it among colleagues, someone commented "that is alright. It happens all the time in Mumbai?" and continued making similar comments throughout!! A couple of us got so angry, we started shouting at this person!!

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  18. i think there is a competition amongst our politicians as to who is the most stoopid of em!The winner is at-choo-taa-nandan!!loser

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  19. It’s just stupid! Really stupid!
    Our politicians are passive, insensitive and absolutely useless!
    Am positively inflamed by the vile audacity and absolute lack of tact shown by Vilasrao Deshmukh, and other such idiots!

    Indian politicians have trivialized the actual issues: now getting water supply to some remote village as become the default agenda to many potbellied khadi wearing fools! (granted its an important issue) but what about national security … what about the Tax we pay in hopes that our government can protect us!?????

    I completely agree with you and its awesome you’re safe!

    I needed to vent! – 12 hours of NDTV will do that to you!
    -S

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  20. dear friend,
    once again......
    if you dont mind do explain the congenial
    correctness of your confession if U CAN because people tell something, do something and finally piss off saying it was merely an eccentric enthusiasm that prompted them to do so..........
    i would be pleased to know if you r 'THE ONE ',IF I AM MISTAKENLY CORRECT!, of that sort..........
    hope and prey u get me........
    if u can, please do send it to my mailbox(...) with address
    geniusathish @gmail.com

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  21. dear friend
    now on me.....

    a student of mechanical engg. at
    Trivandrum govt. engg. college

    a person who loves to love the world and people the way they are

    but still a person who tries to leave the rest a little better than they were

    and finally a person who wishes to leave his footprints here even after he expires............

    hope that will make the 'INDIVIDUAL' sathish........
    but never the person sathish...........
    because thats upto the rest to judge me individually according to their conscience..........

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  22. dear frind,
    being factual i think the whole politics is a rotten gameplan...
    they came unstoped, they devoured us demonly....... our men finally braved them

    ...........but still.......
    we gain nothing.........
    but we loss lives........


    and so my dear friend i am burning with discontent..........so

    "i'm not fine, hope you r too"

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  23. i could say a hundred things, all of which have been written and said.. so all im going to say is

    u go girlfriend!

    i felt ur last para spoke volumes.. we need to show solidarity through our individuality.. u go bak to ur frivolity.. (i hope i dont sound sarcastic - coz im not!)

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  24. @ Perakath - The issue was not him 'touring' the Taj. It was him giving the guided tour to his son and ram gopal verma. Whats next? an RGV magnum opus - "Shootout at the Taj"?? - with Riteish playing an NSG commando? pathetic!

    @ eM - I think we need a happy post from you soon. Been reading way too much about the blasts.

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  25. I should have been in Goa today but for those terrorist attacks. Of course my loss is negligible a billion times over when compared to what people suffered, but I guess we are talking "frivolities" here.

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  26. And here I was, thinking Rang de Basanti had actually inspired the nation's youth to get off our asses and do something other than cribbing!!

    Well, time for me to go back to my life of TV and sleep!

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  27. Oh yes "confessing back" !! I had been an annonymous confessor on your blog till today. Well, not one of those bad ones who jus match your foul vocabulary :) but a neutral one :) .. reading someone else's life and thoughts is the best form of entertainment I guess and thats y am here :)

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  28. friend,
    people live , people die........
    people come , people go.........

    only thing that matters is how they come and how they live...
    and finally how they let others live....

    5 major states underwent 'operation election' , but came up with 'dying colours'...........

    what happened to our country????
    what happened to our conscience??????
    what happened to our self-esteem???????

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  29. friends,

    i have started thinking alittle crazy...............

    what better has being independent brought to us????????

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  30. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  31. i am not a writer or a syntactician . . so my feedback might not mean much. But the expletives in this post appeared to be a bit forced. . almost as if they were added as an afterthought.

    e.g. when Quentin Tarantino or Kevin Smith talk or their characters talk, the profanities are seamless. . . grammatically correct. . if you will. But in this case seems like Vilasrao Deshmukh had to fuck Ramgopal for the tour.

    Dont get me wrong. I am a fan. And this comment has nothing to do with the subject matter of the post. Just a fucking feedback.

    ReplyDelete

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