Jan 29, 2009

Lord Rama disowns Sri Ram Sena

Lord Rama, the upright and highly-virtuous king of Ayodhya of ancient times, has disowned the latest army raised in his name - Sri Ram Sena - by saying that he is unable to identify with the moral causes advanced by the Mangalorean outfit.

"Those who raise armies in my name should at the very least read and thoroughly memorize my epic biography written by Valmiki to have a better understanding of me and my morals before going on rampage beating and chasing women drinkers at pubs." said Sri Rama, one of the nine manifested avataars of Lord Vishnu.

"I'm afraid I can't identify with the ludicrous morality being promoted by these dimwits and refuse to associate or lend my holy name to any organization promoting such twisted beliefs and values"

ramayan-reloadedReminiscing back to the ancient times when he ruled the kingdom of Ayodhya, Rama recollected the glorious times when he and his wife Sita hedonistically enjoyed lavish parties featuring celestial nymphs, exotic wines and non-vegetarian delicacies.

"Except for the fourteen years I was forced to spend in forests eating a bland diet of fruits and roots, thanks to the machinations of my evil step-mom Kaykeyi, the rest of my life was one big never-ending party filled with well-cooked meats, exotic wines and beautiful bar dancers who in my times were known as Apsaras."

"Do the boneheads who have formed an army using my name know that I reveled for ten thousand long years enjoying the very things they consider as a violation of Indian culture and norms?" asked Sri Rama.

Lord Rama instructed his fans, followers and hooligans of the army raised using his name to read Chapter 52 of Uttarakanda, the last book of Ramayana, the official biography of his life and times written by Maharishi Valmiki. Quoting Valmiki, he narrated a passage from the chapter:

"All the trees in the forest were filled with flowers. And the rocks there, covered with flowers falling down from trees, appeared like welkin beautified with stars. And Rama's Asoka forest was like unto Indra's Nandana and Kuvera's Chitraratha made by Brahma. Having entered the rich Asoka forest abounding in many seats and houses and creepers Rama sat on an excellent seat, covered with a beautiful coverlet and well constructed. Like unto Purandara with Sachi he took Sita by the hand, made her sit and drink the wine distilled in the province of Mira. And in no time the servants brought for him well-cooked meat and various fruits. Being inebriated the beautiful Apsaras, well-skilled in the art of singing and dancing, began to dance before Rama in the company of Kinnaris. The virtuous-souled Rama, the foremost of those who know how to please, satisfied those beautiful damsels adorned with various ornaments. And Sita sitting by him, he appeared like the effulgent Vasishtha in the company of Arundhati. Being greatly delighted the celestial-like Rama pleased every day Sita resembling a celestial damsel. Sita and Raghava (Rama) thus spent their days happily. And thus was spent the delightful winter giving all enjoyments. Enjoying various things the high-souled Rama and Sita spent ten thousand years."

"As you can see from the above text written by my biographer Valmiki, I ate cow meat, drank wine and enjoyed dance performances of bar dancers in the presence of my own wife! As such I've absolutely no problem with women of 21st century AD drinking wine or dancing in pubs. As king of Ayodhya, I allowed a mere dhobi to impose his repugnant morals on me and exiled my lovely wife for another round of forest life. Now, as one of your prime gods, how can I possibly impose morals on my devotees that I myself never had in the first place?"

Jan 23, 2009

Indian Government Grants Heritage Status to Mumbai Slums

In wake of success of Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire at Golden Globe, BAFTA & Oscars, Indian Government has decided to declare slums of Mumbai as 'National Heritage' and instructed Maharashtra Government to protect the slums of Mumbai from being demolished or from being encroached upon by builders. As a result of this decision, Maharashtra Government will be forced to put its slum redevelopment policy on hold.

Minister of Culture & Tourism, Ambika Soni said today that India's dream of being represented at Oscar awards bountifully has been fulfilled and we owe a lot of our success at international awards to the slums of Mumbai which have captured the imagination of cine-lovers all over the world.

"Mumbai's slums have inspired filmmakers and moved audiences all over the world. They need to be preserved and protected to allow movie makers from all over the world to exploit them to win international film awards." said the minister. "Its time that we stop being so defensive about the degrading filth, wretchedness and dehumanising poverty exposed by western filmmakers and learn to love our slums"


slumpoochesAmbika Soni also said that her ministry is considering starting package tours of Mumbai slums exclusively for white tourists who desire to explore the city through walking tours of our 'cesspools of hell'. "Westerners don't come to India to enjoy Mumbai's night life. Mumbai's speciality are its slums and "Garbage Tourism" presents us with excellent opportunities to increase India's tourism traffic."

Information & Broadcasting minister, Priya Ranjan Das Munshi welcomed the decision taken by the ministry of culture and tourism as a step in the right direction. "We would love to win recognition at Oscars for regular Bollywood movies. But lets face the reality. Western audiences are not interested in staple Bollywood fare, however entertaining and well-made it might be. It cannot be just a coincidence that almost all Indian movies or movies with Indian themes that have won praise and adulation from western viewers share a similar central theme of degrading poverty. Weather its Pathar Panchali, Salaam Bombay or Slumdog Millionaire, India's deplorable and execrable impoverishment has always been a big hit with whites."

"I welcome the decision taken by culture ministry to preserve the slums of Mumbai by demarcating them as our national heritage. Our slums are our priceless treasure that have brought glory to our deserving film artists and we should not allow realty sharks to bulldoze them into oblivion. In future, we hope that many more filmmakers would be attracted by the dramatic opportunities offered by our slums to showcase pathetic sub-human conditions of our poverty-inflicted people and be inspired to make similar award-winning movies." added Mr. Das Munshi.

Railway Minister, Laloo Prasad Yadav said that Indian Railways would do its part in preserving slums and shanties around railway tracks in Mumbai. "The sight of grown-up men and women shitting unashamedly in full view of thousands of commuters travelling in Mumbai locals is highly dramatic, outrageously shameful and spectacularly cinematic. Such appalling sights if captured imaginatively on camera by filmmakers can fetch India more awards at the Oscars in future"

The decision to protect the slums of Mumbai have received a lot of praise from everyone. Amith Ranjan, a fanatical fan of AR Rehman's music said, "For sixteen long years, white people have ignored the genius of Rehman. He should have won multiple Oscars and Grammies by now, but sadly white directors lack the ability to make an India-based movie good enough to earn recognition at the Oscars, unless it has the universally-loved theme of India's miserable poverty. We need to preserve our slums to allow Rehman to get more such international projects that will give him much-deserved worldwide recognition."

Amitabh Bachchan who had earlier through his blog attacked the movie for its exploitation of India's dirty third-world under belly made a dramatic reversal in his stand and commended the decision by Indian government to grant heritage status to Mumbai's slums. "Considering the extent of poverty prevailing in India, it is unrealistic to expect that we would be able to completely do away with slums. If slums are inevitable, it is better to lie back and enjoy the glory that comes from winning awards from slum-based movies at Oscars"