GROWING UP WITH HARRY POTTER

I grew up listening to the cliché that, “Books are a person’s best friend”. But, it was actually when I stumbled upon The Harry Potter Series that I realized what a delight books can be. I had the life-changing encounter of getting introduced to the magical world of Harry Potter purely by chance. I was all of 12 years old when I read the first Harry Potter book. Little did I know back then that it would mark the beginning of a life-long obsession. If I remember correctly, the first five books of the series were published by then and the first two had already been converted into movies. I could have watched the movies first and read the books later. But, as I had no access to the movies, I turned to the books instead. The fact that I read the books first and then watched the movies is something I consider as a blessing in disguise.

The Harry Potter books offered me a chance to delve deep into the world of Harry, Ron and Hermione. A world in which “love” and “friendship” existed in their purest forms. It has been close to 6 years since the world of Harry Potter was brought to a fitting closure by the one who created it at the first place – J.K. Rowling. But, it continues to flourish in the hearts of millions of Potter-maniacs like me.

There were so many moments in the series when one would simply be in awe of what had been written. Whether it was Harry seeing his parents in The Mirror of Erised or Draco’s predicament while killing Dumbledore, each moment had its own speciality. And to top it all was the breathtaking climax in which the proverbial notion of victory of good over evil took centre stage. Also, the manner in which the characters were developed throughout the seires is something astonishing. My personal favourite character of Severus Snape had so many layers embroiled unto him that it was a treat to see the various facets of him unravel in the way it did. The character of Albus Dumbledore was also remarkably portrayed. “The only one you-know-who ever feared” came across as the wise old man who knew everything. The duel between Voldemort and Dumbledore at The Ministry of Magic remains to be one of my favourite sequences in the series.

Two of the greatest wizards of all time engaged in a fierce duel

"I show not your face but your heart's desire." ~The Mirror of Erised

"Killing is not nearly as easy as the innocent believe." ~Albus Dumbledore to Draco Malfoy

The final battle

The fact that I was reading Harry Potter books at a stage when I could connect with the emotions of the adolescent characters enriched my experience appreciably. Puppy love, conflicting thoughts, risk-taking impulse – Was Harry facing the same dilemmas as I was? It is amazing how books can influence various aspects of your day-to-day life. Using 'Alohomora!' in front of locked doors, mistaking every other black dog on the street as Sirius Black, wishing you could apparate to places instead of going there normally, developing a crush on Hermione Granger (or, rather, Emma Watson)  – these are things only a Potteraholic could have experienced.

Every generation is associated with certain things which cast a spell (no pun intended) on it. I will always feel that I am lucky to belong to a generation which saw the advent of Harry Potter. 

IN RETROSPECTION OF THE WALL

It has been exactly one year since Rahul “The Wall” Dravid finally bid adieu to the “gentleman’s game”. Most of the people of my generation have watched cricket being played in a vehement and agitated manner, often involving unnecessary display of external aggression. But then, there was a true “gentleman” in the form of Rahul Dravid, who proved that there is still place for old-fashioned classicism in modern-day cricket. He showed the world that it is possible to be successful by channelizing your aggression into your performance and conducting yourself in a graceful manner. As somemone beautifully put it,

“Every father would love to have his son like Rahul Dravid.”

Coming to cricket, the world has seldom seen a batsman so technically sound as Rahul Dravid. The sheer ability to bat for long hours is what made him special (and often ridiculed too). In a team game, he was someone even Hitler would have vied for as an ally. The fact that he could package himself into multifaceted roles according to the needs and necessities of the team made him an integral part of Team India. Starting from keeping wickets to leading the team, he has been there done that.

My earliest memory of Dravid is watching him bat during the 1999 World Cup in which he emerged as the highest run getter. Who can forget his historic partnership with VVS Laxman in the Kolkata test which changed the direction of Indian Cricket? The fact that he has been involved in such mammoth partnerships adds a lot of value to his contribution. My favourite knock of Rahul Dravid will always remain his match-winning 233* against Australia at Adelaide. Having watched Dravid bat that day makes you proud to be an Indian.

The second wind of Rahul Dravid is what underlines his greatness beyond dispute. The three test hundreds in England in his penultimate series distinguished him from mediocrity. The fact that all the other batsmen failed makes his knocks even more special. And who can forget those 3 consecutive sixes of Samit Patel in his solitary T20 International in the same tour? The decibel levels in my hostel went through the roof the moment the final six came of his bat. It was perhaps because of the uncharacteristic element attached to it. The perception of Rahul Dravid in the minds of most people is associated with defensive batting. But, having witnessed some of his attacking knocks, I feel it is unfair to stereotype his batting. He holds the record for the second fastest 50 by an Indian in an ODI. His 75 off 36 in an IPL match for RCB was as attacking an innings as it can get. He is easily one of the most complete cricketers to have played the game.

One year on, Dravid’s big shoes have been partially filled in by Cheteshwar Pujara. The double hundreds he has notched up in the recent past give you an impression of “another brick in The Wall”. But the de facto parameter to judge his credibility would be his overseas performance. He needs to notch up some fine performances abroad to be somewhere near his great predecessor.

Rahul Dravid will always be remembered as the proverbial “good boy” who re-defined the game of cricket. He remains to be the epitome of integrity, determination and sportsmanship. The cliché that went viral during his retirement aptly justifies his legacy as a cricketer and as a person:-

“People say that Sachin is God,

Ganguly is God of off side,

Laxman is the God of 4th innings,

But when the doors of the temple are closed, even God is behind The Wall”

ELECTIONS 2014 – A GAMECHANGER?

India is slowly but steadily gearing up to celebrate the biggest festival of democracy, i.e., the general elections. How many months the great Indian voter needs to wait to make his/her voice heard is yet to be finalized but one thing is certain – change is in the air. I believe that the right to vote is the single most powerful instrument of change. We, as Indians, should be grateful that our forefathers have empowered us with such an indispensable fundamental right via the Constitution. But, what remains to be seen is how it is being used when it matters the most.

The battle lines are slowly being drawn between the two principal national parties, namely, the Congress and the B.J.P. While the Congress party is hoping that a certain Yuvraj will come out all guns blazing and lead the party to power even as it faces some serious credibility and morality crisis, the B.J.P. is banking on NaMo to ride on the wave of anti-incumbency and form the next government. Each party has its own set of challenges. UPA – II has been a complete disaster and the image of the Congress party as a more secular alternative to certain right-wing parties has been lurked under a series of scams and poor governance. The B.J.P. has failed to gain from the loss of the Congress due to its inner turmoil. The acceptability of Narendra Modi as the Prime Ministerial candidate for the next general elections is still under a shadow of question mark. However, after the third consecutive victory in Gujarat, the clamour for NaMo as the next PM has been growing across different sections of the society. Therefore, in all likelihood, it will be Rahul Gandhi v/s Narendra Modi in the next general elections.

India, unlike U.S.A., is not a presidential democracy where a certain Barack Obama can charm his way to the White House. It is a parliamentary democracy where the single largest party or alliance gets to form the government. Hence, it will precisely be Rahul Gandhi-led Congress v/s Narendra Modi-led B.J.P.. If the election is fought on the same old lines of secularism v/s communalism, it will be hard for the B.J.P. to challenge the so-called secular parties. But, if the election is fought on the planks of development, B.J.P. can showcase the model of several states like Gujarat to boost its claim to form the government.

However, the next elections will not be only about Congress and B.J.P. We live in an era of coalition politics. Several regional parties like JD (U), AIADMK, TMC, BJD, NC, SAD, etc., have gained prominence over the last few years. They are expected to pose a strong challenge to the principal national parties and will play a decisive role in who forms the next government. In my home state of Odisha, Naveen Pattnaik-led B.J.D. is so strongly poised that it is hard to dethrone it any time soon.

In this dystopian world of politics, Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party or the A.A.P. is like a glimmer of utopia. The highly idealistic approach of the party regarding the selection of candidates has struck a chord with many, especially the youth. However, to win an election you need votes. The complexity of the Indian electoral system makes me cynical about the future of the A.A.P. in politics.

It is high time that the citizens of the country understand the importance of their vote. Shouting slogans, participating in candle marches, staging dharnas will not bring about change in the true sense. Only if we vow to elect our representatives based on their credibility, India can truly be transformed.

As Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt once said,

“A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of the user.”



Also published as my editorial at STIMULUS INDIA !