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April 29, 1998
SPECIALS
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How Readers reacted to Dilip D'Souza's recent columns
Date sent: Tue, 21 Apr 1998 14:15:00 -0500 Attaboy Dilip! Thanks for writing about culture, and the vultures swooping down to protect it. I wondered if Mr Cockburn realised that the Puritans couldn't possibly be wringing their hands if they were clambering on fellow Puritans's shoulders. Anyway, more power to your ilk for addressing these issues. Maybe one day, sooner than later, it will lead to unity among the saner elements of our country. Then we can move on. And I must warn you, if you go to a Dada Kondke movie, be prepared to sit through the songs! I have never gone to his movies for that very reason.
Date sent: Tue, 21 Apr 1998 18:05:21 -0500 Nice article, Mr D'Souza. Mohan Kompella
Date sent: Tue, 21 Apr 1998 15:42:41 -0700 One of the occasions when Dilip's article portrays reality. Nice change Dilip.
Date sent: Tue, 21 Apr 1998 18:28:20 -0400 Kudos, Dilip, for bringing up another bitter truth. It is a pity to see my fellow citizens being 'cleansed' by a bunch of chaddiwalas, who with their 'infinite' wisdom have taken it upon themselves to teach us morality. What culture are they talking about? The narrow-minded 'shariat' of Manu which gave us such gems as the caste system, sati and male chauvinism, and lead to the total degradation of a once successful civilisation? What about Khajuraho, Kamasutra, Krishna's antics, Menakas, Arjuna, Draupadi, and millions of such 'dirty' things in our past (I quote the past as these guys insist on taking us backwards!)? The fact is they don't care! All they need is some gimmick to get political attention. The people, society, culture and country can go to the dogs. And they have the audacity to say they are patriotic! Why just blame them? Ms Pandey is a perfect example of us Indians -- narrow minded, corrupt. Her only business in life is to meddle with the neighbour's business. We talk about 'culture' and 'morality', but only on the outside. Inside we are 'dirty' -- the thousands of AIDS cases and the still flourishing flesh trade is testimony for that. No wonder these goons can take advantage of our gullibility. Wake up, people!
Date sent: 21 Apr 98 14:29:14 -0700 Mr D'Souza, Stop writing nonsense the way you did today in Rediff. Come to your senses. There is the BJP in Maharashtra, there is the BJP at the Centre. Vinay
Date sent: Tue, 21 Apr 1998 15:23:43 -0500 I feel it is too late to comment on Dada Kondke's work. He is no more. He was not treated at par with other Bollywood producers. I saw his film and I want to tell all others to see it. What Pramod Navalkar is doing, I feel, is a joke. A minister should not be taking charge of people's preferences. If the play is bad or not interesting, people will not watch it. Theatre in Bombay is very popular. People respect it. Ajit
Date sent: Tue, 21 Apr 1998 13:08:15 -0600 I am trying to take an objective look at Mr D'Souza's article. I am definitely against the foolish demolition of bus shelters and replacing benches with chairs -- that shows the pathetic frame of mind of our politicians. At the same time, why would anyone try to find privacy in a public place? Aren't public places called so because they are meant for the public? You might sit in a park, enjoy the ambience as you discuss your private life. A goodbye kiss is okay in public but not a passionate minute-long kiss in front of a crowd which might include children. And I am sure if it were a park there would definitely be kids around. The example being set for them is: "Hey kid, see this! This is how you kiss... come back tomorrow for advanced education!" No thanks, sir! We already have enough perverts in the country and no further advancing of their cause is needed in print. Behaviour in public parks is a responsibility, and has got less to do with culture and more with the person's character and education. And God save India if culture is dead because of the behavorial irresponsibility of some people. Coming to Dada Kondke and his movies, I share Mr D'Souza's status of not watching any of his films. But I am not grieved by that. A comedy of any kind is a matter of individual taste. If his movies run because of sex comedy that is fine, because they appeal to certain section of people. What one should be worried is the general fall in values in films. Look at the current set of female artists in Indian movies. Do they ever get a respectable role? Indian movie-makers, even the women, are so chauvinistic that a heroine is nothing but a characterless person, out there to tag along with the hero -- scantily clothed of course! My perception of the Indian culture lies in some principles: Respect your fellow human irrespective of gender, help the needy etc. In essence be good. Western culture is slightly different. There is more equality among the genders and the driving principle is Live Your Life, don't give a heck to what others think about you. That is good too; the only problem is like everything else it has been extended to mean that 'there is nothing called responsibility, go ahead and freak out!'. The Indian way of life has withstood the ravages of time and is proven. One need not even redefine it for modern times. We just have to go back to the basics to find answers for all our questions. Niren
Date sent: Tue, 21 Apr 1998 15:23:43 -0500 Bravo Mr D'Souza . Well spoken. These culture mafia must be asked to read Shaw's prefaces -- Ooops, that's not swadeshi, I'm afraid! So how about Kalidasa? Or Subramanya Bharathi whose love poetry had a luminosity unrivalled by most western erotic versifiers of his time?
Ravi Aron
Date sent: Tue, 14 Apr 1998 12:52:46 -0400 Pakistan has waged three wars with us. If you have studied Indian history, you will realise how important it is to have the strongest possible army -- India has been invaded by many foreign tribes, which we cannot allow any more. If you don't have armed forces capable of defending your country, whatever gains you make (in your words education, sanitation etc) will be nullified by the loss of freedom and sovereignty due to defeats by terrorist countries like Pakistan and Communist countries like China. Ravi
Date sent: Wed, 22 Apr 1998 10:32:32 -0400 I have a suggestion for Dilip D'Souza, Bhabani Sengupta et al. Let's have your children do a month of counter insurgency, armed with only a .303 rifle. Will they take it up? Stick to your political writings and leave defence alone. You are not qualified to comment on it. L N Subramanian |
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