Friday, January 23, 2009

SEX, SCOTCH, SCHOLARSHIP TO CHANDNI CHOWK

The bizarre advent of new wave of metabolism group in sixties, proclaiming the need to change the approach to way we design our cities. The city is like a giant block constantly negotiating to forces that being exerted on it, changing it tactics, adopting new realities, & transforming the living conditions. Perhaps the movement was limited to few conferences, publications & few academic drills. The experience to visit Chandni chowk was reminiscent to that of images of metabolist cities.

The Indian scenario is not far from that. The years worth of effort, most sizzling intellectualization, most erotic mimicry of existential order to academia victimization over evening drinks on Chandni Chowk are unparallel in our context.
















Wednesday, January 21, 2009

BREAK HO MAMA

The rise of an under privilege almost after more than 200 years of independence history is mockery of most forward, democratic & supposed to be civilized nation. I am really amazed & shocked by the frenzied Indians all around, as if their daughters married to the hero of MB straight out of new princely state. The face books are flooded with messages like “wow I can’t believe that it, at last its reality”. The news papers, media carried out the most hilarious story almost in a manner of Hindi cinema, like rise of new hero.

I am not against or biased on any rise or fall of such political events. However, the most capitalist country, which behaves like corporate whose CEO in disguise of president has change, what in the world has to do with India or us going crazy. American constitution has laid out their foreign policy way back in Lincoln era, which is not expected to be altered by slightest margin. Unlike America, India has given four presidents from so called minority, one from really underprivileged section of society, one scientist & one woman president & prime minister. I have never come across someone yelling from down under that “wow, I can’t believe that, at lasts its reality”, or an American rising & flooding the facebook proclaiming in similar fashion that “wow I cannot believe that, at last its reality” to our new president happens to be woman. The current Indian PM is perhaps the most educated PM across the globe, I need someone (at least media) to get up and announce that with pride & privilege as against the aligned their thought & energy to some event which happens across the ocean.
WET DREAM

The imagination of 14th January is a psychological clock, prevailed for almost as old as I am, except three years of stay in USA. The new calendar has been demarcated with the day it falls; the closer it is to weekend the brighter the New Year would be. The normal kite flying would start at 7.00am during school days; the diminishing importance has reduced flying hours in recent times. The childhood memory of kite flying is still fresh, the wildest imagination of blue & white kites soaring high, ruling the sky. Is it that the blue & white favoritism comes from there…..?. These are pure imagination of carefully protected ignorance coupled with innocent dream of reach out, shout, prevail almost like despotic ruler.

The theoretical notion of flying & cutting is becoming wiser however execution is diluted with age. The whole idea of cutting in Bombay is different with Ahmadabad; here we pull, while there they push. Isn’t that synonym to the enterprising abilities that we have. I think pulling needs more skill, perhaps like Columbus expedition, sense of wind direction & wider imagination.

The fear that also persisted with the rising of blue & white is uncalled, interception of rain, that’s seemed also a consistent imagery & sub-conscious dream with kite flying. The morning session white & blue kites suddenly appeared to be reduced to skeleton. I have no clue of such parallel imagination of flying & skeletal reduction of my favorite object.

Monday, January 19, 2009

IUDI, COLLOQIUM

The formation of IUDI is much awaiting formations, awaited for many years. Although it its formation has to wait for even IID organization, that was really surprising. The formation of IID has given rise to many events if not for cause definitely for strengthening bourgeois & gentrified culture practice. The one day conference was well organized; however the presentation by Mysore & Bangalore was pathetic. Since they gave impression of that the course is need for the market & not ideological prerequisite. The presentation of CEPT was as accurate as ever, trying to justify everything that exists, perhaps that was too accurate at the level of rational science. I really doubt the imaginative plane ever existed when one talks about Urban Design or rather design. There seems to be answer for everything. The robust complexities of Indian Cities reduce to verifiable, designable object.

The hegemony that ever existed ever when it comes to Urban Design cannot be denied, at least the way it was represented. Although I see this event as a buttress to the profession, by the fact that the first school formed 40 years back. The next one twenty years back & now 3 institutes are two year old. One may look at this historic movement rather critically & summarize the Geo-politico, hegemonial precedent. However I am not quietly disappointed to the fact, that our presentation came with conviction & standpoint that it existed for comprehensive aspiration. The questions after presentation were simply to fracture the advantage that KRVIA has for its long lasted Endeavour. The problem with us is that we all look too young, as Rajat Mentioned that, at KRVIA there is no distinguishable notion between who is in which year of who is faculty & student or HOD. The questions which rose were really childish & uncalled for at this forum, including by AGK. They were almost as raised as if our thoughts are impregnates to such eventualities. We do not know the who is colonizer or process of colonization when it came to exchange program.

The fact that the questions were pregnant with philanthropic colonial aspiration of wisdom sermons. At last I believe that Sonal has done excellent job in organizing the whole play. She has huge ability to organize & do follow-ups. And of-course the right temperament for teaching profession.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

OSCAR OSPREY

There seems to be sudden urge for another award for acclamation within Hindi cinema. The regional acclamations are denounced for global presence. It seems to be the flavour of contemporary practice in art, architecture & any other form of art. The remote connection I can establish of Hindi cinema within the realm art is only possible through medium of technology & not through the medium of representation. The Oscar aspiration is perhaps parallel to Pitzeker in architecture if not exaggerated. The Pitzker award seems to be aligned with thought of regional appropriation while Oscar is universalism. The recent effort to align Hindi cinema with universal appraisal is boisterously visible in the depiction. The dated song of 90s, morphed with regional language, prolaiming its global aspiration without any intellectual integrity is worth of notice for critical appraisal. The epic heroism, linear ritualistic pattern of cause & effect story line seems to be the only way of manufacturing the cinema.

The debacle of recent Hindi cinema at Oscar is not surprising as it hinged on idea of popularism at the level of issue but definitely not at the level its destiny. The usual flavour is convenient & comfortable for us; perhaps we like to live with that singularity of structure thought pattern. The white transforms in to black, yet morphing & emerging of gradation of grey is not of any concern or cause. I am not worried about what it takes to be Oscar winner; I am seeing the pseudo philanthropic aspiration that is visible in various other art forms. The recent rise of art form in disguise of moral decorum within our context is rising up to reassure our society whose values are palpable, confused & relegated to only entertainment. The concern of iconic buzzard that prevails within various art forms is to be able to entertain…….

Friday, January 9, 2009

MY FAVOURITE TWENTYFIVE

MY INSPIRATION FROM FAVOURITE TWENTY FIVE

(FIRST TEN ARE AS IN ORDER)

1- ADOLF HITLER FOR REVOLUTION, RENOUNCE, RETALIATION, IDENTITY, RACE
2- ALBERT EINSTEIN FOR EVOUTION, SCIENCE, IDEA, HUMANITY, PHILOSOPHY
3- CHRISTOPHER ALEXANDER FOR EXPEDITION, WORLD VIEW, COURAGE
4- CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS FOR EXPEDITION, CONVICTION, IMAGINATION
5- SARDAR PATEL FOR COURAGE, CONVICTION, EXECUTION
6- NELSON MANDELA FOR SUFFERENCE, RESELLIANCE, CONVICTION & PHILANTHROPY
7- FIDLE CASTRO FOR RESISTANCE, CONVICTION, CAUSE & STUBBORNNESS
8- KARL MARX FOR REVOLUTIONERY IDEA, SOCIAL WELFARE IDEOLOGY
9- MICHAEL JACSON FOR ANGER IMAGE, CAUSE FOR SUFFERANCE & MUSIC
10- DOUGLASS JARDIN FOR INVENTION, CONVICTION & EXECUTION IN SPORTS
(NOT AS PER ODER)
11- LE CORBUSIER FOR IMAGINATION, CONVICTION, RETALIATION IN ARCHITECTURE
12- MARLIN BRANDO FOR SILENT DEPICTION, RUTHLESSNESS IN CINEMA
13- AMITABH BACHAN FOR ANGER DEPICTION OF DISCONTENT YOUTH, AGELESSNESS OF ACT IN CINEMA
14- PETER EISENMANN FOR DENOUNCE, IMAGINATION, FREE REPRESENTATION IN ARCHITECTURE
15- DIEGO MARADONA FOR RUTHLESS ANGER, SKILL, EXECUTION IN SPORTS
16-- MAHARANA PRATAP SING FOR CONVICTION, RESISTANCE, PRIDE OF TERRAIN HISTORY
17- MOHAMD ALLI FOR SPORTS & PHILANTHROPY
18- MANMOHAN SING FOR LEDEARSHIP, DIPLOMACY, ENTERPRENEUR POLICY IN INDIAN POLITICS
19- DHIRUBHAI AMBANI FOR ENTERPRISING TO MASS IMAGINATION & EXECUTION
20- KHAN ABDUL GAFAR KHAN FOR FRONTIER LEADERSHIP, BELIEF & CONVICTION
21- SALMAN RUSHDIE FOR COURAGEOUS CONTEMPORARY WRITINGS,
22- RATAN TATA FOR ENTERPRISING, IDENTITY & COMMITEMENT TO NATION
23- JOSEPH STALIN FOR STAND AGAINST CAPITAL INFLUENCE, NATIONALISM
24- IMMANUEL KANT FOR THEORY OF COHENSION AMONG SCIENCE, NATURE & RATIONALISTY
25- NARENDRA MODI FOR COURAGE & CONVICTION AGAINST THE PSEUDO SECULAR FORCE.

Ethical and Moral Construct of Modern