Giri-Isms?
It’s been some time since we have been subjected to GANGHIGIRI, a newly coined ‘cool’ term in the legacy of populist erosion and mutation of public memory. One wished that it would die out in the regular life-cycle of all the ‘cool’ terminologies, but it just continues to threaten, revisit and laugh at the vast vacuum that we have comfortably embraced and coined-IDEOLOGY.
Not only in India, but all across the world, ‘Gandhigiri’ has been promulgated, proclaimed and accepted as The Great Indian Ideological Resurrection. Articles after articles are pouring with this effulgence of reaffirmation ideology.
While my mother happily watches the latest edition of Munnabhai doing another of his countless brainless acts on the silver screen, in some far corner of the country, I contemplate upon the reasons I should react to the now-legalized absurdity.
Personally, I would not want to react to this brainwashing exercise, but on second thoughts I feel that the issue is deeper than what meets the eye. The point is not whether you prescribe to a viewpoint or not, it is about the perspectives or the lack of them that make us comfortably accept these societal (also suicidal) blunders. I am not criticizing any personal opinion on the issue; I am just bewildered by the unilateral response by all and sundry. It just does not bake my cookies just to think of the way it has been lapped up, it almost appears as if a Prophet or a Savior came and opened up our eyes to an extinct truth. I am not even going at the film, because it no longer belongs there, it has become a national obsession – Gandhigiri! A quick-fix heal for all your problems! I won’t be surprised if I see that as a punch line for the Congress in the upcoming elections, the connections with the party through the Dutt family is way too obvious to be ignored.
I am at loggerheads. May be someone can help me being more digesting of the current goings-on.
Someone has an anti-wave view, have a look:
This recent flick 'Lage Raho Munnabhai' is being lauded for popularising Gandhian thought. But really, if you see instances of 'Gandhi-giri', it wouldn't take you much time to acknowledge that these pseudo-Gandhians have got it all wrong. They have but a weak understanding of Gandhian philosophy, but still have no qualms in adopting his style of protest. This is just the normal politics dressed as Gandhianism.This has in fact been going on for many years now. Satyagrahas by politicians, for whom lying is an occupation. How many of those have we seen!Now, let's see what instance of "Gandhi-giri" the Hindustan Times has to offer.
Gandhigiri lased with a doze of realism. That is what it took Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz to persuade his Cabinet colleagues to junk the heavily Sankritised Gribi Unmoolan for the simpler, easily comprehensible Garibi Hato slogan [...]To drive home the point, Soz invoked the Mahatma’s advocacy of Hindustani, a happy blend of Hindi and Urdu so easily understood by millions of unlettered Hindus and Muslims across north India.
Well, I must concede that this is Gandhi-giri indeed. Only, it is Indira-Gandhi-Giri and not Mohandas-Karamchand-Gandhi-giri.
Let's now come to the biggest frauds amongst them all. The Gandhi-giri of Central Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah.
"I believe in ahimsa (non-violence) in not merely turning the other cheek, but converting someone peacefully to the cause, so all types of citizens come to accept the RTI as being beneficial to them."
I suppose that he forgot that Gandhi refused to negotiate Bhagat Singh's release with Lord Irwin despite pressure on him from all quarters to do so (in the early 1930's). Why? If this were the case, why have this man as the commisioner? Why have courts, why have laws if they are not to be implemented? Wajahat Habibullah can't hide behind Gandhi after disrespecting the law of the land. Gandhi would not have protected him.
Another rather humorous news report:
In the wake of the nationwide 'GandhiGiri' mania caused by the hugely successful 'Lagey Raho Munnabhai', comes a brand new craze that is sweeping across India – 'Giri-Giri', inspired by low-profile former president V.V.Giri.The sensation has apparently been sparked off by a rather sedate, 45 minute documentary on the rather sedate Dr.Giri called, quite appropriately “The V.V.Giri Story”, by young filmmaker Jai Shankar Iyer. “ I never really expected it to take off quite like this.”, said a visibly emotional Iyer. “Let's hope Giri-Giri can transform the nation in the same way Gandhi-Giri did. Booyakasha!”, he added, surprising those present with an impromptu Ali-G impersonation.“It's inexplicable! People all over India are suddenly solving their personal problems by attending blade meetings, shaking hands with random diplomats, signing assorted papers, and supporting Bangladesh – just like Dr.Giri would.”, said an excited Priya Krishnan, making her second appearance on Son of Bosey.
In addition, it has been reported that a disturbingly large number of people are suddenly becoming slightly balding, middle aged men who look mildly like batman. (What? Whaaaat?!? Oh, really? Just look at the picture. Hah!)“Actually, I wonder how his name can be V.V.Giri?”, asked renowned wildlife photographer S.U.Saravanakumar, currently in Bristol for the WildScreen film festival. “Technically, his name is VenkataGiri VarahaGiri, and can only be shortened to V.Giri V.Giri, or maybe V(Giri+Giri).”, he explained, displaying his keen analytical mind, and the ability to use concepts of algebra to shorten names.“Gandhigiri is old hat. Giri-Giri is the new mantra. Laisaalangadi GiriGiri. South Indians love Jangiri!”, yelled an incoherent Koidy, before immersing himself in his copy of 'Hellbrandt Grimm' once more.Various companies have already moved to cash in on the Giri-Giri sensation by bringing out books, posters, coffee-mugs, comics and videogames based on V.V.Giri. Airtel has also introduced a downloadable ringtone based on his famous speech at the Fourth Commonwealth Law Conference in 1971. After the success of GandhiGiri and now Giri-Giri, there is an unprecedented interest among Venture Capitalists to fund other freedom-fighter based Giris. Among those rumoured to be in the pipeline are SubramaniaBharathi-Giri, LalaLajpatRaiGiri, and even Khan-Abdul-Gaffar-Khan-Giri.
Here are some excerpts from an article on Boston Globe, titled “How Gandhi Got His Mojo Back”!
In India and the West, the legacies and teachings of prominent historical figures are all too often lost among pop culture, new technology, and the media. But a new hit movie in India has somehow managed to make Indians shift their focus from Brad Pitt, who is adored there, to the most important figure in modern Indian history -- Gandhi.
Gandhi's sudden popularity among all ages and cultures in India brings to an end a long period in which his fame and influence had faded. While Hollywood holds a similar significance in people's lives as Mumbai-based Bollywood, the most popular branch of the Indian film industry, and has more money, resources, and global reach, it has not been able to create the same kind of response as Bollywood was able to generate for a historical figure.
On a smaller level, Reuters India reported that a girl, Shweta Polanki, broke up with her boyfriend when he made whistling noises to get the attention of a waiter, a gesture that is belittling and disrespectful, according to ``Gandhigiri."
The actor who played Munna Bhai, Sanjay Dutt, said that Gandhi, ``looking down from heaven, must be happy to see a nation reawakened."
The actor who played Munna Bhai, Sanjay Dutt, said that Gandhi, ``looking down from heaven, must be happy to see a nation reawakened."
Another comment on the article says:
If "there is no such thing as Gandhism" as the Mahatma himself claimed, how can there be Gandhigiri? Etymological similarity with dadagiri and goondagiri offers an explanation. The craze is an astute creation of commercial salesmanship. A less profiteering form of Gandhigiri among English liberals prompted a verse in that Bible of the fashionable left, the New Statesman and Nation,
"Hitler with his Brown Shirts, riding for a fallMussolini with his Black Shirts, back against the wallDe Valera with his Green Shirts, caring not at all,Three cheers for Mahatma Gandhi, with no shirt at all."
It would be grossly unfair to dismiss the reportedly 43,870 Gandhian groups worldwide as people with an eye on the main chance. But it is entirely appropriate that today's enthusiasts should focus not on Gandhi's concept of the village but on the fun and frolic of a paunchy, ageing bleary-eyed "hero" of the Hindi screen. Rajkumar Hirani's preposterously unreal but hilariously funny fantasia only demonstrates how easily Indians are moved by tear-jerking sentiment amidst the splurge of song, dance and colour that is Bollywood at its best.
If "there is no such thing as Gandhism" as the Mahatma himself claimed, how can there be Gandhigiri? Etymological similarity with dadagiri and goondagiri offers an explanation. The craze is an astute creation of commercial salesmanship. A less profiteering form of Gandhigiri among English liberals prompted a verse in that Bible of the fashionable left, the New Statesman and Nation,
"Hitler with his Brown Shirts, riding for a fallMussolini with his Black Shirts, back against the wallDe Valera with his Green Shirts, caring not at all,Three cheers for Mahatma Gandhi, with no shirt at all."
It would be grossly unfair to dismiss the reportedly 43,870 Gandhian groups worldwide as people with an eye on the main chance. But it is entirely appropriate that today's enthusiasts should focus not on Gandhi's concept of the village but on the fun and frolic of a paunchy, ageing bleary-eyed "hero" of the Hindi screen. Rajkumar Hirani's preposterously unreal but hilariously funny fantasia only demonstrates how easily Indians are moved by tear-jerking sentiment amidst the splurge of song, dance and colour that is Bollywood at its best.
Links/acknowledgments:
http://www.commondreams.org/views06/1013-20.htm
http://krcfart.blogspot.com/2006/10/travesty-of-gandhianism.html
http://www.bosey.co.in/2006/10/new-film-on-vvgiri-sparks-off-giri.html
http://www.sepiamutiny.com/sepia/archives/003869.html#comment94123
Not only in India, but all across the world, ‘Gandhigiri’ has been promulgated, proclaimed and accepted as The Great Indian Ideological Resurrection. Articles after articles are pouring with this effulgence of reaffirmation ideology.
While my mother happily watches the latest edition of Munnabhai doing another of his countless brainless acts on the silver screen, in some far corner of the country, I contemplate upon the reasons I should react to the now-legalized absurdity.
Personally, I would not want to react to this brainwashing exercise, but on second thoughts I feel that the issue is deeper than what meets the eye. The point is not whether you prescribe to a viewpoint or not, it is about the perspectives or the lack of them that make us comfortably accept these societal (also suicidal) blunders. I am not criticizing any personal opinion on the issue; I am just bewildered by the unilateral response by all and sundry. It just does not bake my cookies just to think of the way it has been lapped up, it almost appears as if a Prophet or a Savior came and opened up our eyes to an extinct truth. I am not even going at the film, because it no longer belongs there, it has become a national obsession – Gandhigiri! A quick-fix heal for all your problems! I won’t be surprised if I see that as a punch line for the Congress in the upcoming elections, the connections with the party through the Dutt family is way too obvious to be ignored.
I am at loggerheads. May be someone can help me being more digesting of the current goings-on.
Someone has an anti-wave view, have a look:
This recent flick 'Lage Raho Munnabhai' is being lauded for popularising Gandhian thought. But really, if you see instances of 'Gandhi-giri', it wouldn't take you much time to acknowledge that these pseudo-Gandhians have got it all wrong. They have but a weak understanding of Gandhian philosophy, but still have no qualms in adopting his style of protest. This is just the normal politics dressed as Gandhianism.This has in fact been going on for many years now. Satyagrahas by politicians, for whom lying is an occupation. How many of those have we seen!Now, let's see what instance of "Gandhi-giri" the Hindustan Times has to offer.
Gandhigiri lased with a doze of realism. That is what it took Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz to persuade his Cabinet colleagues to junk the heavily Sankritised Gribi Unmoolan for the simpler, easily comprehensible Garibi Hato slogan [...]To drive home the point, Soz invoked the Mahatma’s advocacy of Hindustani, a happy blend of Hindi and Urdu so easily understood by millions of unlettered Hindus and Muslims across north India.
Well, I must concede that this is Gandhi-giri indeed. Only, it is Indira-Gandhi-Giri and not Mohandas-Karamchand-Gandhi-giri.
Let's now come to the biggest frauds amongst them all. The Gandhi-giri of Central Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah.
"I believe in ahimsa (non-violence) in not merely turning the other cheek, but converting someone peacefully to the cause, so all types of citizens come to accept the RTI as being beneficial to them."
I suppose that he forgot that Gandhi refused to negotiate Bhagat Singh's release with Lord Irwin despite pressure on him from all quarters to do so (in the early 1930's). Why? If this were the case, why have this man as the commisioner? Why have courts, why have laws if they are not to be implemented? Wajahat Habibullah can't hide behind Gandhi after disrespecting the law of the land. Gandhi would not have protected him.
Another rather humorous news report:
In the wake of the nationwide 'GandhiGiri' mania caused by the hugely successful 'Lagey Raho Munnabhai', comes a brand new craze that is sweeping across India – 'Giri-Giri', inspired by low-profile former president V.V.Giri.The sensation has apparently been sparked off by a rather sedate, 45 minute documentary on the rather sedate Dr.Giri called, quite appropriately “The V.V.Giri Story”, by young filmmaker Jai Shankar Iyer. “ I never really expected it to take off quite like this.”, said a visibly emotional Iyer. “Let's hope Giri-Giri can transform the nation in the same way Gandhi-Giri did. Booyakasha!”, he added, surprising those present with an impromptu Ali-G impersonation.“It's inexplicable! People all over India are suddenly solving their personal problems by attending blade meetings, shaking hands with random diplomats, signing assorted papers, and supporting Bangladesh – just like Dr.Giri would.”, said an excited Priya Krishnan, making her second appearance on Son of Bosey.
In addition, it has been reported that a disturbingly large number of people are suddenly becoming slightly balding, middle aged men who look mildly like batman. (What? Whaaaat?!? Oh, really? Just look at the picture. Hah!)“Actually, I wonder how his name can be V.V.Giri?”, asked renowned wildlife photographer S.U.Saravanakumar, currently in Bristol for the WildScreen film festival. “Technically, his name is VenkataGiri VarahaGiri, and can only be shortened to V.Giri V.Giri, or maybe V(Giri+Giri).”, he explained, displaying his keen analytical mind, and the ability to use concepts of algebra to shorten names.“Gandhigiri is old hat. Giri-Giri is the new mantra. Laisaalangadi GiriGiri. South Indians love Jangiri!”, yelled an incoherent Koidy, before immersing himself in his copy of 'Hellbrandt Grimm' once more.Various companies have already moved to cash in on the Giri-Giri sensation by bringing out books, posters, coffee-mugs, comics and videogames based on V.V.Giri. Airtel has also introduced a downloadable ringtone based on his famous speech at the Fourth Commonwealth Law Conference in 1971. After the success of GandhiGiri and now Giri-Giri, there is an unprecedented interest among Venture Capitalists to fund other freedom-fighter based Giris. Among those rumoured to be in the pipeline are SubramaniaBharathi-Giri, LalaLajpatRaiGiri, and even Khan-Abdul-Gaffar-Khan-Giri.
Here are some excerpts from an article on Boston Globe, titled “How Gandhi Got His Mojo Back”!
In India and the West, the legacies and teachings of prominent historical figures are all too often lost among pop culture, new technology, and the media. But a new hit movie in India has somehow managed to make Indians shift their focus from Brad Pitt, who is adored there, to the most important figure in modern Indian history -- Gandhi.
Gandhi's sudden popularity among all ages and cultures in India brings to an end a long period in which his fame and influence had faded. While Hollywood holds a similar significance in people's lives as Mumbai-based Bollywood, the most popular branch of the Indian film industry, and has more money, resources, and global reach, it has not been able to create the same kind of response as Bollywood was able to generate for a historical figure.
On a smaller level, Reuters India reported that a girl, Shweta Polanki, broke up with her boyfriend when he made whistling noises to get the attention of a waiter, a gesture that is belittling and disrespectful, according to ``Gandhigiri."
The actor who played Munna Bhai, Sanjay Dutt, said that Gandhi, ``looking down from heaven, must be happy to see a nation reawakened."
The actor who played Munna Bhai, Sanjay Dutt, said that Gandhi, ``looking down from heaven, must be happy to see a nation reawakened."
Another comment on the article says:
If "there is no such thing as Gandhism" as the Mahatma himself claimed, how can there be Gandhigiri? Etymological similarity with dadagiri and goondagiri offers an explanation. The craze is an astute creation of commercial salesmanship. A less profiteering form of Gandhigiri among English liberals prompted a verse in that Bible of the fashionable left, the New Statesman and Nation,
"Hitler with his Brown Shirts, riding for a fallMussolini with his Black Shirts, back against the wallDe Valera with his Green Shirts, caring not at all,Three cheers for Mahatma Gandhi, with no shirt at all."
It would be grossly unfair to dismiss the reportedly 43,870 Gandhian groups worldwide as people with an eye on the main chance. But it is entirely appropriate that today's enthusiasts should focus not on Gandhi's concept of the village but on the fun and frolic of a paunchy, ageing bleary-eyed "hero" of the Hindi screen. Rajkumar Hirani's preposterously unreal but hilariously funny fantasia only demonstrates how easily Indians are moved by tear-jerking sentiment amidst the splurge of song, dance and colour that is Bollywood at its best.
If "there is no such thing as Gandhism" as the Mahatma himself claimed, how can there be Gandhigiri? Etymological similarity with dadagiri and goondagiri offers an explanation. The craze is an astute creation of commercial salesmanship. A less profiteering form of Gandhigiri among English liberals prompted a verse in that Bible of the fashionable left, the New Statesman and Nation,
"Hitler with his Brown Shirts, riding for a fallMussolini with his Black Shirts, back against the wallDe Valera with his Green Shirts, caring not at all,Three cheers for Mahatma Gandhi, with no shirt at all."
It would be grossly unfair to dismiss the reportedly 43,870 Gandhian groups worldwide as people with an eye on the main chance. But it is entirely appropriate that today's enthusiasts should focus not on Gandhi's concept of the village but on the fun and frolic of a paunchy, ageing bleary-eyed "hero" of the Hindi screen. Rajkumar Hirani's preposterously unreal but hilariously funny fantasia only demonstrates how easily Indians are moved by tear-jerking sentiment amidst the splurge of song, dance and colour that is Bollywood at its best.
Links/acknowledgments:
http://www.commondreams.org/views06/1013-20.htm
http://krcfart.blogspot.com/2006/10/travesty-of-gandhianism.html
http://www.bosey.co.in/2006/10/new-film-on-vvgiri-sparks-off-giri.html
http://www.sepiamutiny.com/sepia/archives/003869.html#comment94123
posted by humanprojector at 10:04 AM
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