South America & India (Chatgpt experiment)

After my long trip across South America I couldn’t help but think how Indians (of the actual India, in Asia) and (Native) South Americas are too similar to be dismissed as completely different civilizations that had zero connections. Over the last 6 years since my travels to the Americas, I have heard and read bits and pieces of news which I may have made a mental note of, and constituted as possible evidence for a hypothesis that both cultures / populations are linked. I never really made a concerted effort to put all these nuggets together, and quite frankly, I was never very organized about it. It was more of a fantasy that I indulged in from time to time and whenever some ‘evidence’ showed up I thought to myself ‘Wow that’d be cool’.

 

Fast forward to 2023, and chatgpt is all the rage. So what I did was to try and get it to work for me to get me going on my ‘project’. And boy, did it make a good start. Ostensibly, in this ‘essay’ I present only one side of the story, (but for the absolute last prompt) . On why the two populations / civilizations / cultures could be inextricably linked. Perhaps a later post will talk about why they’re most definitely not. And why all these eerie similarities are just fanciful coincidences. (Of course, standard warnings apply to the prompt and the responses. Nothing is tested to the nth degree for it's veracity. Also, Bing seems to randomly repeat stuff, but I have left it all as was, with numbers within the text indicating reference links, which I haven't copied). 

 - - 

Here's the prompt I used on 13^th May 2023, via Bing.

 

You are a trained historian, geologist, anthropologist and writer.

After hearing that the leading hypothesis of human population migration to the America's via the Bering’s land bridge was debunked, because of human fossils being found in Mexico which predate the ice age and hence, the land bridge, you want to formulate and test an alternate hypothesis.

The hypothesis is as follows :

The americas were populated in two or more waves, at least one of which occurred well before the ice age. The people who made it there were actually from India, from an advanced (for the time) sea-faring population.

To test this hypothesis, you want to lay out all the facts existing in current literature, connecting them with some cultural traditions which seem too similar to be coincidental, and some similarities in ancient languages spoken by Indians and American Indians.

Write out all these facts, conjectures and eerie similarities in an essay with as much detail as possible over the next 10 messages if need be. I can reprompt you with 'and some more' if need be.

Bing

The discovery of human fossils in Mexico that predate the ice age and hence, the land bridge, challenges the dominant theory of how humans first populated the Americas. According to this theory, known as the Clovis-first model, humans migrated from Asia to North America via a land bridge across the Bering Strait that was exposed during the last glacial period, around 13,000 years ago. They then spread southward through an ice-free corridor that opened up between two massive ice sheets covering most of Canada and the northern United States. These early migrants are associated with a distinctive stone tool culture called Clovis, which is found throughout North America and parts of Central and South America.

 

However, the fossilized footprints found at White Sands National Park in New Mexico offer what some scientists say is the most conclusive evidence yet that humans lived in North America long before the end of the last ice age1. The research, published in the journal Science, dates the prints to between 21,000 and 23,000 years ago1. This means that humans occupied the continent during the Last Glacial Maximum, when most of it was covered by ice and impassable for migration. The footprints also show that these ancient humans were hunting and gathering along the shores of a large lake that existed in the area at the time1.

 

The White Sands footprints are not the only evidence that contradicts the Clovis-first model. Other archaeological sites in North and South America have yielded human remains and artifacts that are older than or contemporaneous with Clovis, such as Monte Verde in Chile (14,800 years ago), Meadowcroft Rockshelter in Pennsylvania (16,000 years ago), and Cooper's Ferry in Idaho (16,500 years ago)2. These findings suggest that humans arrived in the Americas by multiple routes and at different times, possibly using boats or coastal routes to bypass the ice sheets.

 

One possible alternative hypothesis is that some of the earliest Americans came from India, from an advanced (for the time) sea-faring population. This hypothesis is based on several facts, conjectures and eerie similarities that connect India and America across time and space. Some of these are:

 

•  The genetic evidence: Some studies have found traces of Indian ancestry in some Native American populations, especially those from Amazonia3. These studies suggest that there was a gene flow from India to America around 6,000 to 10,000 years ago, possibly through Polynesia or Melanesia3. However, other studies have challenged this interpretation and argued that the Indian ancestry is either an artifact of statistical methods or a result of recent admixture4.

 

•  The linguistic evidence: Some scholars have proposed that there are linguistic similarities between some Native American languages and some ancient Indian languages, such as Sanskrit and Tamil5. For example, they have pointed out common words for animals, plants, numbers, body parts, kinship terms, and grammatical structures5. However, these claims have been criticized by mainstream linguists as lacking rigorous methodology and evidence.

 

•  The cultural evidence: Some observers have noted that there are cultural parallels between some Native American traditions and some ancient Indian traditions, such as mythology, astronomy, medicine, art, architecture, and religion. For example, they have compared the Native American concept of Manitou (a spiritual force that pervades all things) with the Indian concept of Mantra (a sacred sound or word that invokes divine power). They have also compared the Native American practice of building mounds (artificial hills used for burial or ceremonial purposes) with the Indian practice of building stupas (dome-shaped structures used for Buddhist worship). However, these parallels have been dismissed by many scholars as coincidental or superficial.

 

In conclusion, while there is some intriguing evidence that suggests a possible connection between India and America in prehistoric times, it is far from conclusive or widely accepted. More research is needed to test this hypothesis and explore other possible scenarios for how humans first populated the Americas.

 

Bing

Some more facts, conjectures and eerie similarities that support the hypothesis of an India-America connection in prehistory are:

 

•  The archaeological evidence: Some researchers have claimed that there are archaeological similarities between some ancient sites in India and America, such as megalithic structures, rock art, pottery styles, and metallurgy. For example, they have compared the Dolmens (stone chambers with large capstones) found in southern India with the ones found in New England and Georgia. They have also compared the petroglyphs (rock carvings) depicting spiral motifs and geometric patterns found in Maharashtra with the ones found in Arizona and Utah. However, these claims have been challenged by other archaeologists as lacking chronological and contextual evidence.

 

•  The botanical evidence: Some botanists have suggested that there are botanical similarities between some plants native to India and America, such as cotton, maize, beans, squash, tobacco, and chili peppers. They have argued that these plants were domesticated independently in both regions, or that they were introduced by ancient transoceanic voyagers. For example, they have pointed out that cotton was cultivated in India by 2500 BC and in America by 1500 BC, and that both regions developed similar types of cotton fibers and textiles. However, these claims have been disputed by other botanists as based on insufficient or unreliable data.

 

•  The astronomical evidence: Some astronomers have proposed that there are astronomical similarities between some ancient calendars and star maps used by Indians and Native Americans, such as the Hindu lunar calendar and the Maya Long Count calendar. They have also suggested that some ancient monuments and temples in India and America were aligned with celestial phenomena, such as solstices, equinoxes, and eclipses. For example, they have compared the Konark Sun Temple in Odisha with the Chichen Itza pyramid in Yucatan, both of which are oriented to the sun's movements. However, these claims have been criticized by other astronomers as based on selective or inaccurate interpretations of the evidence.

 

Bing

Some more facts, conjectures and eerie similarities that support the hypothesis of an India-America connection in prehistory are:

 

•  The maritime evidence: Some historians have argued that there is maritime evidence that ancient Indians had the capability and the motivation to undertake long-distance voyages across the oceans, including to America. They have cited the ancient Indian texts such as the Vedas, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, and the Puranas, which contain references to ships, navigation, trade, and exploration. They have also cited the archaeological evidence of ports, docks, shipyards, and maritime artifacts found in sites such as Lothal, Dholavira, Dwarka, and Pattanam. They have also cited the historical evidence of Indian contacts with other regions such as Southeast Asia, Africa, and Europe through trade and cultural exchange.

 

•  The religious evidence: Some scholars have suggested that there are religious similarities between some ancient Indian and Native American beliefs and practices, such as the concept of reincarnation, the worship of nature and animals, the use of sacred plants and rituals, and the role of shamans and priests. For example, they have compared the Native American concept of Wakan Tanka (the Great Spirit or Great Mystery) with the Indian concept of Brahman (the Supreme Reality or Absolute). They have also compared the Native American practice of using peyote (a hallucinogenic cactus) for spiritual purposes with the Indian practice of using soma (a mysterious plant or drink) for religious ceremonies.

 

•  The artistic evidence: Some artists have proposed that there are artistic similarities between some ancient Indian and Native American styles and motifs, such as geometric patterns, animal figures, floral designs, and symbols. For example, they have compared the Indian mandala (a circular diagram representing the cosmos) with the Native American medicine wheel (a circular symbol representing harmony and balance). They have also compared the Indian kolam (a decorative drawing made with rice flour or chalk) with the Native American sand painting (a ritualistic art form made with colored sand).

 

Bing

Some more facts, conjectures and eerie similarities that support the hypothesis of an India-America connection in prehistory are:

 

•  The anthropological evidence: Some anthropologists have claimed that there are anthropological similarities between some ancient Indian and Native American physical features, such as skin color, hair type, facial structure, and blood type. They have argued that these similarities indicate a common ancestry or a genetic admixture. For example, they have pointed out that some Native Americans have type A or B blood, which is rare among other populations of the Americas, but common among Indians. They have...

 

Bing

Some more facts, conjectures and eerie similarities that support the hypothesis of an India-America connection in prehistory are:

 

•  The historical evidence: Some historians have argued that there is historical evidence that ancient Indians had some knowledge of or contact with America, based on some references or clues found in ancient Indian texts, inscriptions, maps, and legends. For example, they have cited the Ramayana (an epic poem dating to the 5th century BC or earlier), which mentions a land called Patala (the netherworld) where the sun rises from the west and sets in the east. They have also cited the Mahabharata (another epic poem dating to the 4th century BC or earlier), which mentions a land called Sudarshana Dwipa (the beautiful island) where gold is abundant and people live for a thousand years. They have also cited the Puranas (a collection of ancient Hindu scriptures dating to the 3rd century AD or earlier), which mention a land called Sapta Dwipa (the seven islands) that corresponds to the seven continents of the world. They have also cited the Kumari Kandam (a lost continent or island that was once home to an ancient Tamil civilization), which some legends say sank into the ocean due to a cataclysmic event. They have also cited the Piri Reis map (a world map drawn by a Turkish admiral in 1513), which shows a part of South America that resembles the coast of India.

 

•  The anthropological evidence: Some anthropologists have suggested that there are anthropological similarities between some ancient Indian and Native American physical traits, such as skin color, hair texture, facial features, blood type, and skull shape. For example, they have compared the Dravidians (a linguistic and ethnic group native to southern India) with the Olmecs (an ancient civilization that flourished in Mesoamerica from 1500 BC to 400 BC). They have also compared the Aryans (a linguistic and cultural group that migrated to India from Central Asia around 1500 BC) with the Anasazi (an ancient culture that inhabited the southwestern United States from 100 BC to 1300 AD). They have also compared the Siddis (an ethnic group of African descent living in India) with the Black Indians (people of mixed African and Native American ancestry living in America).

 

Bing

Some more facts, conjectures and eerie similarities that support the hypothesis of an India-America connection in prehistory are:

 

•  The genetic evidence: Some geneticists have argued that there is genetic evidence that ancient Indians and Native Americans share some common ancestry or admixture, based on some markers or haplogroups found in their DNA. For example, they have cited the M130 marker, which is found in some Dravidian-speaking populations in India and some Native American populations in North and South America. They have also cited the R1a haplogroup, which is found in some Indo-European-speaking populations in India and some Native American populations in Central and South America. They have also cited the X2a haplogroup, which is found in some Native American populations in North America and some populations in West Asia and Europe.

 

•  The musical evidence: Some musicologists have suggested that there are musical similarities between some ancient Indian and Native American instruments, scales, rhythms, and melodies, based on some acoustic or structural features or patterns. For example, they have compared the Indian flute (a woodwind instrument with a hollow tube and finger holes) with the Native American flute (a similar instrument with a block or fipple that creates a whistle sound). They have also compared the Indian raga (a melodic framework for improvisation based on a set of notes and rules) with the Native American pentatonic scale (a five-note scale that is common in many Native American songs). They have also compared the Indian tala (a rhythmic cycle of beats that is used to accompany music) with the Native American drumming (a rhythmic pattern that is played on a drum or other percussion instrument).

 

Bing

Some more facts, conjectures and eerie similarities that support the hypothesis of an India-America connection in prehistory are:

 

•  The numismatic evidence: Some numismatists have argued that there is numismatic evidence that ancient Indians and Native Americans used similar or identical coins or tokens for trade or exchange, based on some shapes, symbols, or inscriptions found on them. For example, they have compared the Indian punch-marked coins (silver or copper coins with various marks punched on them) with the Native American wampum (beads made from shells that were used as currency or gifts). They have also compared the Indian cowrie shells (sea snails that were used as money in many parts of Asia and Africa) with the Native American olivella shells (similar sea snails that were used as money in some parts of North America). They have also compared the Indian swastika coins (coins with a swastika symbol on them) with the Native American swastika tokens (tokens with a similar symbol on them).

 

•  The architectural evidence: Some architects have suggested that there are architectural similarities between some ancient Indian and Native American buildings or structures, based on some designs, features, or functions. For example, they have compared the Indian stepwells (subterranean wells with steps leading down to the water) with the Native American kivas (underground chambers used for religious or social purposes). They have also compared the Indian stupas (dome-shaped structures used for Buddhist worship) with the Native American mounds (artificial hills used for burial or ceremonial purposes). They have also compared the Indian temples (buildings dedicated to various gods and goddesses) with the Native American pyramids (stepped structures used for worship or rulership).

 

Bing

Some more facts, conjectures and eerie similarities that support the hypothesis of an India-America connection in prehistory are:

 

•  The mythological evidence: Some mythologists have argued that there is mythological evidence that ancient Indians and Native Americans shared some common stories or legends, based on some themes, characters, or events. For example, they have compared the Indian flood myth (a story of a great deluge that wiped out most of humanity and was survived by a righteous man and his family who built a boat) with the Native American flood myths (similar stories of a cataclysmic flood that were told by many tribes across the continent). They have also compared the Indian snake myth (a story of a primordial serpent that represents chaos and is defeated by a god or a hero) with the Native American snake myths (similar stories of a monstrous snake that is slain by a deity or a warrior). They have also compared the Indian sun myth (a story of a solar deity who travels across the sky in a chariot or a boat) with the Native American sun myths (similar stories of a sun god or goddess who rides a vehicle or an animal across the heavens).

 

•  The philosophical evidence: Some philosophers have suggested that there are philosophical similarities between some ancient Indian and Native American schools of thought, based on some concepts, principles, or values. For example, they have compared the Indian Vedanta (a system of metaphysics that posits the unity of all reality and the identity of the individual soul with the supreme soul) with the Native American monism (a worldview that affirms the oneness of all existence and the interconnection of all beings). They have also compared the Indian Yoga (a discipline of physical, mental, and spiritual practices that aims to achieve liberation from suffering and ignorance) with the Native American shamanism (a practice of entering altered states of consciousness to communicate with spirits and heal others). They have also compared the Indian Ahimsa (a principle of non-violence and respect for all life) with the Native American pacifism (a value of peace and harmony with nature and other people).

 

Bing

Some more facts, conjectures and eerie similarities that support the hypothesis of an India-America connection in prehistory are:

 

•  The literary evidence: Some literary critics have argued that there is literary evidence that ancient Indians and Native Americans shared some common genres or themes, based on some forms, styles, or motifs. For example, they have compared the Indian epics (long narrative poems that recount the deeds and adventures of legendary or historical heroes) with the Native American epics (similar oral narratives that celebrate the exploits and achievements of tribal ancestors or culture heroes). They have also compared the Indian fables (short stories that convey moral lessons using animals or plants as characters) with the Native American fables (similar stories that teach ethical values using anthropomorphic creatures or natural phenomena). They have also compared the Indian hymns (poetic compositions that praise or invoke various gods and goddesses) with the Native American hymns (similar songs that express reverence or gratitude for various spirits or forces).

 

•  The medicinal evidence: Some medical experts have suggested that there are medicinal similarities between some ancient Indian and Native American remedies or practices, based on some herbs, techniques, or effects. For example, they have compared the Indian Ayurveda (a system of holistic medicine that uses natural substances and methods to balance the body, mind, and spirit) with the Native American medicine (a similar system of healing that uses herbal remedies and rituals to restore harmony and wellness). They have also compared the Indian turmeric (a spice that has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antiseptic properties) with the Native American goldenseal (a plant that has similar benefits for treating infections and wounds). They have also compared the Indian yoga (a discipline of physical, mental, and spiritual practices that aims to achieve liberation from suffering and ignorance) with the Native American sweat lodge (a ceremony of purification and detoxification that involves sitting in a hot and humid enclosure).

 

 

Bing

Some more facts, conjectures and eerie similarities that support the hypothesis of an India-America connection in prehistory are:

 

•  The geographical evidence: Some geographers have argued that there is geographical evidence that ancient Indians and Native Americans were aware of each other's existence or location, based on some names, descriptions, or maps. For example, they have compared the Indian name Bharata (the ancient name for India derived from a legendary king) with the Native American name Aztlan (the mythical homeland of the Aztecs in northern Mexico). They have also compared the Indian description of Jambudvipa (the island-continent that India was part of according to ancient cosmology) with the Native American description of Turtle Island (the name for North America according to some tribal legends). They have also compared the Indian map of Ptolemy (a 2nd century AD Greek geographer who included India and parts of Asia in his world map) with the Native American map of Waldseemüller (a 16th century AD German cartographer who included America and parts of Europe in his world map).

 

•  The mathematical evidence: Some mathematicians have suggested that there are mathematical similarities between some ancient Indian and Native American concepts or inventions, based on some numbers, symbols, or calculations. For example, they have compared the Indian decimal system (a system of writing numbers using ten symbols and a place value notation) with the Native American quipu (a system of recording numbers using knots and strings). They have also compared the Indian zero (a symbol and a concept that represents nothing or emptiness) with the Native American zero (a similar symbol and concept that was used by some Mesoamerican cultures). They have also compared the Indian pi (an irrational number that represents the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter) with the Native American pi (a similar number that was approximated by some Native American cultures).

 

Bing

Some more facts, conjectures and eerie similarities that support the hypothesis of an India-America connection in prehistory are:

 

•  The linguistic evidence: Some linguists have argued that there is linguistic evidence that ancient Indians and Native Americans spoke related or influenced languages, based on some words, sounds, or grammars. For example, they have compared the Indian Sanskrit (an ancient Indo-European language that was used for religious and literary purposes) with the Native American Quechua (a language family that was spoken by the Inca Empire and its descendants in South America). They have also compared the Indian Tamil (a Dravidian language that is spoken by millions of people in southern India and Sri Lanka) with the Native American Zuni (an isolate language that is spoken by a tribe in New Mexico). They have also compared the Indian Munda (a language family that is spoken by some tribal groups in eastern India) with the Native American Na-Dene (a language family that is spoken by some groups in North America and Siberia).

 

•  The cultural evidence: Some cultural anthropologists have suggested that there are cultural similarities between some ancient Indian and Native American customs or traditions, based on some beliefs, values, or practices. For example, they have compared the Indian caste system (a social hierarchy that divides people into four main classes based on their birth and occupation) with the Native American clan system (a kinship structure that divides people into groups based on their ancestry and totem). They have also compared the Indian fire ritual (a ceremony that involves offering oblations to various gods and ancestors through a sacred fire) with the Native American fire ceremony (a ritual that involves honoring and communicating with various spirits and ancestors through a sacred fire). They have also compared the Indian tobacco use (a practice that involves smoking or chewing tobacco for medicinal or recreational purposes) with the Native American tobacco use (a similar practice that involves using tobacco for healing or ceremonial purposes).

 

Bing

Some more facts, conjectures and eerie similarities that support the hypothesis of an India-America connection in prehistory are:

 

•  The archaeological evidence: Some archaeologists have argued that there is archaeological evidence that ancient Indians and Native Americans left behind some artifacts or structures that indicate their presence or influence, based on some shapes, materials, or functions. For example, they have compared the Indian stone balls (spherical stones that were used as weights or ornaments) with the Native American stone balls (similar stones that were used as weapons or tools). They have also compared the Indian copper plates (metal sheets that were inscribed with grants or records) with the Native American copper plates (similar sheets that were engraved with symbols or images). They have also compared the Indian rock art (drawings or paintings on rocks that depict animals, humans, or abstract designs) with the Native American rock art (similar drawings or paintings on rocks that show similar motifs or themes).

 

•  The astronomical evidence: Some astronomers have suggested that there are astronomical similarities between some ancient Indian and Native American observations or calculations, based on some stars, planets, or phenomena. For example, they have compared the Indian nakshatras (lunar mansions or asterisms that divide the sky into 27 or 28 segments) with the Native American constellations (star patterns that divide the sky into different regions). They have also compared the Indian planetary periods (cycles of time that are associated with the movements of different planets) with the Native American calendars (systems of timekeeping that are based on the cycles of the sun, moon, and stars). They have also compared the Indian eclipses (events that occur when the sun or moon is obscured by another celestial body) with the Native American eclipses (similar events that were interpreted as signs or omens).

 

 

Bing

The hypothesis of an India-America connection in prehistory faces many challenges and limitations, such as:

 

•  The lack of direct or conclusive evidence: Most of the evidence that supports this hypothesis is indirect, circumstantial, or ambiguous. There is no clear or consistent archaeological, genetic, linguistic, or historical proof that ancient Indians and Native Americans had any contact or interaction. There is also no record or trace of any ancient Indian voyages or settlements in America, or vice versa.

 

•  The alternative or simpler explanations: Many of the similarities that are cited as evidence for this hypothesis can be explained by other factors, such as independent invention, parallel evolution, convergent adaptation, cultural diffusion, or coincidence. There is no need to invoke a complex or improbable scenario of transoceanic contact to account for them.

 

•  The methodological or logical flaws: Many of the arguments that are used to support this hypothesis are based on faulty or biased methods, such as cherry-picking data, ignoring counter-evidence, making unwarranted assumptions, drawing false analogies, or committing logical fallacies. There is also a lack of peer review or scholarly consensus on this hypothesis.

 

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As you can see Chatgpt has helped me research the topic quite well for a starter. This may have taken me a few hours if not more to do on traditional Google (didn’t try Bard, yet). And certainly the several angles with which it looked at the hypothesis almost had me already convinced! More, in my next, hopefully!

Switzerland

Switzerland is like a 5-star hotel in Mumbai, surrounded by relative mediocrity & poverty. Everyone outside is enamoured by its splendid facade, has heard stories of its spas & beach-facing swimming pools, and the tabloids catch the rich & famous zipping in & out.

Back in the day, when this 'hotel' started out, some of its enterprising owners realized their great location advantage, and invested in creating the best infrastructure for the biggest marketing campaign of all time - the Swiss Alps. Needless to say, it was a roaring success. And since so much money & effort was put behind making all this infrastructure, the 'prices' had to be prohibitively expensive. This meant only the richest of the rich could come & 'stay'.

As this started happening, the enterprising Swiss figured a common thread running through these rich visitors - their need to stash away their cash, secretly. So the 'hotel' started offering 'other' services as well, very discreetly. The rich paid more & more to enjoy the benefits. Over time, everyone from the waiters to the guy who sorted the hotel trash started earning enough to be driving around in Mercs - some did, some chose not to and even left. The 'hotel' continued to get facelifts, and the common people outside continued to look on with awe. But the 'benefits' that the hotel provided, known only to the rich few, became one of the biggest USPs of the hotel, keeping it well ahead of other magnificent hotels.

But then two strange things happened in quick succession.

The owners of the hotel were impressed with the stupendous growth the hotel was seeing, and wanted more. They realized that too many people were leaving and not enough coming in, especially for the kind of growth they wanted. So they decided, undoubtedly correctly, to let anyone from around the locality in to help work at the hotel. This was a strange thing as this was never ever done in the history of the hotel, which was always a closed, selective community. But it brought in fresh ideas & 'unspoilt' people who were willing to do whatever it takes to make their lives, and by design, the hotel's future a success.

The other strange thing that happened was that laws got passed to have a 'camera' in all 'hotels', including Switzerland, with full access for global governments. The carefully built, and biggest standing, USP of the hotel was no more. The rich and famous could no longer come in & get other services without having Big Brother watching them through that wretched tin can on the wall. Many clients swore never to come again. There were murmurs of some other hotels somehow having the ability to have a few rooms without cameras. Many of the rich & famous promptly began going there.

Business dropped dramatically at the hotel. Enough clients were not coming in.

What's worse, some of the original inhabitants of the hotel started complaining that the stream of folks from the locality were getting too many. There were meetings & demonstrations, and open rejection of some of the cultural ideas of the ‘new ones’.

The owners had no clue what had hit them. They had two problems to solve at the same time. One, how to get business back. And two, how to quell this discontent amongst some of its inhabitants against the people coming in.

Interestingly enough, these problems might be linked. But more on that, and the first problem, later.

Bowing to pressure from this dissenting group, the owners did the unthinkable. They made it everybody's problem by asking them to vote on whether the people from the locality should be allowed in. They thought, rather naively that this group was a minority and the problem would solve itself with the vote saying that everything's fine, “keep 'em comin' in”.

The result of that vote came on Sunday evening. A shocker, to say the least. 44% of the people didn't even bother voting. Of the 56% that did, 50.3% were the dissenting group. That's well less than a third of the total. But as it happens, the owners have to go by the result, and tell all those locality groups that they cannot allow people to come in indiscriminately. The two problems are now even bigger.

Had the owners' thoughts of a victory in the vote materialized, the people from the locality would have come in, with fresh ideas, hard work & ambition, and helped solve the first problem, of business going down. Because people trying hard find a way, eventually.

The once magnificent hotel is now at a crossroads, its future uncertain. The best bet for the owners would probably be to go back to the original USP, around which in the first wave of business was built - beautiful, natural gifts complemented with amazing infrastructure, and a dazzling marketing campaign. But they would need people, and if not recruiting from around the locality is a constraint, they might well fall short. They might need to take down pricing in pockets, so as to gain volumes, but then would existing infrastructure suffice?

Strong positive, business building steps need to be taken…

Else, the hotel is destined to die a slow, painful death, eventually taken over by those dissenters who think they can do without help.

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As a new member of the hotel staff, I find myself in the midst of this calm chaos. The natural wonders that this place possesses coupled with the painstakingly built infrastructure is even more amazing than what it looked from the outside. But the murmurs of dissent against 'us' just got a voice today. Albeit only 28%. Hope they realize that we're all eventually working for the prosperity of the same hotel, that's how the system was designed.

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Here's a link to the vote that happened - http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/09/swiss-referendum-immigration-quotas

Train to Kurnool

(Wrote this like a coupla months back on a notepad... finally found its way to the blog...)

I met a cheerful old woman on the train from Hyd to Kurnool yesterday. Her face was calm and relaxed. Perhaps she reminded me of my grandmother, which is why I took an instant liking to her. She was dressed in an impeccable saree, the pleats neatly done up and looking never ever disturbed. Her hair was straight, white, and pinned up delicately. I watched as she went about checking all the pieces of luggage she had, as old people often do. She methodically went about cleaning her spectacles and keeping all the things in the places they ought to have been. Then she poked herself with a needle (insulin, I got to know later) rather nonchalantly.

Noticing my disappointment with the cold, dull, veg-biryani served on the train, she offered me a chapati, chhole and some curd-rice. My policy of not accepting anything to eat from anyone in a train went out of the window as I gleefully digged in. Then began the usual talk about where our families were, what I was doing, etc etc etc. Her command over English was exceptional and she spoke clearly and crisply.

We got talking about her family. 'Twas a typical Indian family for her generation; two sons, a daughter and their families, all well-settled. Everything seemed normal, until she told me about her husband. Sadly, he was paralysed and at home... for the last 18 years. My respect & admiration for her quadrupled after I heard this.

All this while, she had a warm smile on her glowing face. She'd pretty-much figured out how to smile through life despite all that it keeps throwing up.

A thing or two to reflect on, and learn, perhaps?

Condy, the three musketeers and what happened to the chick with the red top

Condi-pherry, Tindia.

Condy as its popularly known, was quite a unique destination. In a country where several people were obsessed with 'going abroad', it provided a cheaper and far easier alternative to experiencing a 'foreign' country life. The Trench had set foot in this place a few hundred years ago, and despite losing their colony to Tindia eventually, they had managed to leave a rich flavour of their culture behind. Not only that, several Trench people stayed on and were a 5000-strong community. The buildings and architecture in one part of the city was distinctly Trench. So much so that anyone visiting that area would definitely think he was in Trance rather than Tindia.

Condy was also known for its cheap liquor. It was, being a Union Territory, free from state taxes. Combined with its location by the sea, it made a strong case for a drunked weekend - Legend had it that after having a few glasses of Trench wine in Condy, people would be transported to the magical Trench Triviera, thousands of miles away. Of course, verification of this legend had to be done personally to satisfy ones curiosity.

Pseud Sing had been waiting for this trip for a loong time. His company (Fight Drank), was sending him to Condy to do a land valuation! It was going to be his first job-trip and he was pretty excited. But staying true to his 'I don't give a shit, life sucks' image, Pseud hid his excitement from his friends by playing it down as a purely business trip where he would be bored to death.

When Chromesh, Pseud's good friend from B-school got to know that Pseud will be in Condy, he immediately formulated a plan to meet-up and spend the long Christmas-weekend with him in Condy. Chromesh worked for an IT company in Dennai, which was just 3 hrs from Condy. Ever the sport for any travel activity, and a Condy-lover himself, the trip was an obviosity for Chromesh. He also called up his new-found partner-in-crime, Gopey and asked him to join them in Condy.

Gopey was from the same batch in B-school. He worked for an FMCG firm in Ghirupati, just 6 hours away from Condy. He'd already done Condy with Chromesh once, and loved the place. He'd recently been bitten by the travel bug and used to pack himself off to some place or the other on weekends. This, some felt, was more out of a desire to get out of a boring life in Ghirupati than to really travel and explore places. That, of course, was far from the reality. He was actually trying to run away from the hot women that used to surround him when he's in Ghirupati. The weekend was the only time he could squirm out with an excuse of meeting old friends. Much like Chromesh, who too was stuck with incredibly hot women in what is often called the 'Land where its easier to get a hot chick than to get a glass of water', Dennai.

Finally, the much awaited weekend arrived. Pseud Sing was the first to reach, before the weekend itself actually, for his work. Chromesh drove in from Dennai on his Bullet and joined Pseud on Thursday. Gopey meanwhile was busy pretending to be hard at work and decided to join them only on Friday evening.

The Thursday began for Chromesh & Pseud with a drinking binge of epic proportions. They had had so much beer in just a few hours that they had reached the magical Trench Triviera, which as we all know happens only after a few glasses of authentic Trench wine. Pseud couldn't have asked for a better start to the end of his first job-trip. Pseud was so proud for being among the first students from his B-school batch to go 'on-site' in another country - and this was not just any country, this was Trance! As they were riding around in the magical Trench Triviera, Chromesh realized that someone had sabotaged the back typre of his Bullet and it was punctured. He decided to pick a fight with one of the local goons and Pseud of course joined in. Luckily, Chromesh wasn't so angry and decided to let the criminal go with just a few strong words. Chromesh was well known for his extreme patience and it served to save this criminal from sure death... for Chromesh was strong, very strong. His new, and ongoing tryst, with a gym in Dennai had made him the only Super-Man on Dearth.

The trip to the magical Trench Triviera on Thursday was so fulfilling and intoxicating that Pseud and Chromesh didn't wake up on Friday morning. It was well into the afternoon when they awoke to Condy. Just about when Pseud was waking up, Gopey telephoned. He was acting pricey, saying that he won't be making the trip coz he was tired and that the travel would make him even tireder. (Of course, the real reason was that he'd fixed up a weekend date with one of the many hot women in Ghirupati, and he was strangely looking forward to it - possibly because she'd said 'This weekend or never'). Chromesh grabbed the phone from Pseud as soon as he heard rumblings of Gopey not coming. He fired Gopey left, right and center, telling him how the hell he could leave his friends and go off with some hot chick. Gopey had major introspection to do at this juncture and decided that friends were indeed more important. He chided himself for changing his mind so easily with the hollow promise of a 'now or never weekend-date'. He immediately picked up his weekend back-pack and left for Condy.

Gopey's ride to Condy was rather uneventful, apart from his bus running into a blacker-than-soot buffalo in the din of night. He finally reached Condy and greeted Pseud with his trademark "Pseuuuuuuuuud, wassup??" After the exchange of regular pleasantries, they decided it was too late in the night to make a trip to the magical Trench Triviera and just went to bed after a couple of beers.

The place they had for them was owned by a sweet Trench lady, Pascala. It was a room on the terrace of her house. Pseud was proud of himself for being able to use his legendary GLCSA (Good Looks, Charm & Sex Appeal) to get possession of the room. The lady had a very cute 8-year old daughter, Victoire. They had moved to Condy 2 years back. Pascala was so enamoured by this place that she'd left her native Trance to settle down in this dream-land. She was happy to have guests at home and treated them with utmost love and affection.

The bed was now really calling out to the gang. So much so, that they fell asleep even before they hit it. Pseud and Gopey were fast asleep when Chromesh felt a sudden urge to go to the magical Trench Triviera. Quietly he started gulping down all the remaining bottles of beer and drifted off to the magical Trench Triviera.

Saturday was going to be THE day. Gopey woke up early as usual and started fiddling with his laptop as soon as he'd finished his regular morning-activities. Realizing there was not much the laptop had to offer, especially since none of Gopey's hot girlfriends were online, he decided to make breakfast for himself. He was an accomplished chef and the aroma of the mouth-watering dish he was preparing woke Pseud up from his slumber. Chromesh though was still troddling around in the magical Trench Triviera and it would be a while before he returned.

Pseud and Gopey enjoyed the fantastic breakfast and waited for Chromesh to return. After a few hours, when he finally came back, they collectively decided to step out for lunch. They headed for Le Dupleix which was supposed to be the best Trench restaurant in town. They ordered salad, and pasta, and wine... it was a truly Trench experience. Chromesh though ordered local parathas and paneer subji as he felt the Trench food wouldn't ruffle his taste-buds.

After the awesome lunch, which lasted over 2 hours, they walked back to their place. They were greeted by some good news from Ms. Pascala. There was going to be a Trench party at night at a new place being opened by a friend of hers. Gopey was the mildly excited by the news and immediately started imagining himself surrounded by heavily-clad, somewhat hot Trench women - a welcome change from the usual rut of scantily clad, super-hot women in Ghirupati. Pseud was his usual self and acted as though this would be just another party that would make his already sucky life even suckier by reaffirming his 'single' status. But he was secretly hoping, and confident, that he would get back to his glory days where women used to swoon even the sight of a stamp-size photo of his left ear.

Chromesh's original plan was to leave back for Dennai in the evening itself before dinner as he had a very important 'meeting' to attend the next day. But upon hearing news of this party, Chromesh was the first to head to the bathroom to get ready, primed for assault!

As the three strode confidently towards the party-place, they could see people around them being blinded by their sheer presence. They were THE kings and they were going to RULE the night.

As they reached the scene, they found they were one of the first ones to arrive. They decided to start with a round of drinks and were joined by the cheerful Pascala almost just at the moment they were going to say "Cheers". She started telling stories about her life and how she loved Condy and how the world would have been an imperfect place if there was no Condy, etc, etc. The trio were rapt in attention to the colouful and vivacious Pascala. They failed to notice the heavily-clad, somewhat hot women who were streaming in. Pascala then took their leave as she had work to attend to and left the trio to themselves for the night.

By this time, all of them were down a few drinks, Gopey more so than the others. Pseud tried to look un-interested in the glances that were being thrown across the terrace by the white-top & hazel-eyed Trench girl. Gopey on the other hand was conveniently assuming that she was looking at him rather than Pseud. Chromesh was quietly surveying the scene as Pseud and Gopey exchanged glances with each other and then with the white-top. Gopey, confidently stode forward with what seemed to the others like a strong plan in mind. But after a few steps he veered off-course toward the food counter where he'd caught sight of the delicious prawn-idlys. Pseud finally decided he'd had enough of the arbitrary eye-exchanges and stepped right into the crowd of Trenchies. With his awesome grace and poise, he blended in with them as though he'd always belonged. He then called over Chromesh and Gopey to join him as he surveyed the scene. When they finally joined him, they actually found him to be animatedly in conversation with a tall white guy named Tim. He was from Banada, living and working in Dyena and down for a 'spiritual' trip to Tindia. Gopey tried to make his way toward the blue-top but Pseud called out to him and asked him to join them. Gopey grudgingly joined them as he was of the opinion that he'd have a good chance with blue-top, ever since that white-top had mysteriously disappeared from the scene.

So Pseud, Chromesh, Gopey & Tim were at their little group in front of the bar. Tim was an interesting chap and kept conversation flowing with some real wise-cracks. He declared that he was interested in the red-top but also that it had just not been his day till then, so he was not going to risk a move. The trio egged Tim on so that he would go for it. It had come to the point where it seemed like the trio were crazed fans cheering for their lone-striker to score the winning goal.

The drinks, meanwhile, were flowing... fast. Gopey had reached the brink of the magical Trench Triviera. He hobbled into the lone bathroom just by the side only to be surprisingly encountered by the white-top and the blue-top coming out of it… together. As soon as he looked at them, they gave him that 'deer caught in the headlights' look. Gopey faked the most fake 'Why hello, nice to meet you' smile and entered as they left. He came back out just in time for his refill of beer and his ticket to the magical Trench Triviera.

The gentle and patient Chromesh had been surveying the scene for a while and had decided that Purple-top was going to be his catch. But he found himself cheering Tim on. Later, he selflessly thought to himself. "Lets do this for Tim first". Pseud was so deeply involved in the cheering that he'd forgotten about white-top altogether. Tim FINALLY got up and walked towards red-top. The trio watched with anticipation and bated breath... Was their striker going to score?

The conversation started. Tim looked smooth. All that coaching and brain-washing from Pseud and Gopey seemed to be working. They saw Tim getting his fancy cell-phone out to take down a number as red-top spelled it out.

Gopey said, "Pseuuud, I think we've lost Tim for the night. You think you want to say hello to white-top?"

"Naah, I think I'd prefer to go to the magical Trench Triviera", Pseud giggled as he said.

"Can't agree more" added Chromesh "Lets make this a guy's night out... no more women! We stay together!"

And then they met soon in the magical Trench Triviera. This is what they'd come to Condy for.

--

Next morning, Chromesh had to leave early for his 'meeting'. Pseud and Gopey woke up later and packed their bags to go back. They bought little Victoire a big box of chocolates and said goodbye to Ms. Pascala, who promised to invite them for more Trench parties whenever they’d happen in town.

So ended the trio's trip to Condy, and not to mention, the magical Trench Triviera...

Au revoir!!

:-)

PS - All characters in this story are fictional and any resemblance to any person(s), living or dead, is purely coincidental

Desperate Measures

One month almost since my last post and my blog's started complaining that I ain't giving it enough time. A combination of a string of parties and of laziness rearing it ugly head again has forced me to take these desperate measures to get a post going. The thing with laziness is, it fires your creativity to give excuses to not do something with your time as well... like saying that I was too busy to write a post! Or worse still, I was suffering from a lack of motivation... writer's block... mental pneumonia or that my mind felt like it was being squeezed from all sides by a boa.

Anyways, as I sat to write this, I had to start fishing for what I'd write about. Hmm.. lets see..

*F1*- season's gotten boring, Schumy's long gone, and altho Vettel's looking exciting he's in the wrong car this season at least...

*Football*- Clubs are all off for the moment and nothing much apart from some uninteresting qualifiers going on...

*The economy* - So much said and so much read... from Iceland becoming worth a loaf of bread to a multi trillion $ bailout across European countries... The gift of foresight for coming into FMCG :-P

*Travels* - I've only been to campus, Bombay & Hyderabad. Bombay & Hyd there's not much to write about.. and if I start writing how awesome a time I had on campus, I'll prolly need a week's vacation to complete the post :-D

*Arbit fiction* - Two unfinished posts already and no way forward, sure to hit a roadblock, not something to take up when 'the flow' 's a bit iffy.

So after the round of presentations that each category made to the unimpressed blog post control center in my head, the decision still remained as open as before the presentations started.

And then, arrived the unknown presenter who wowed the singular audience with aplomb. 'Movies' made a spectacular surprise appearance with WALL-E... the super-cute love story about a robot and his visitor from space...

Now I must admit I'm a total sucker for cartoons and would probably find even an ok-ok cartoon movie pretty good. But this one was simply fantastic...

Hard-working as any robot should be, but with a touch of human romance about him, Wall-E is an instantly loveable character. The movie takes its time to describe Wall-E's motivations and the little nuances that make him what he is. His trusted mate, a little cockroach (yuck! I know! But still one can't help but like him!), is also portrayed wonderfully, which just adds to the feel-good factor at the start. (Scientific reason - even if all life has ended in the world, the likliest creature to survive would be the cockroach!) Anyways, the ride only just begins when Eve, the 'sexy'-robot-from-outer-space-looking-for-life, touches down and completely blows Wall-E away with her moves. After this its just an absolute roller-coaster as Wall-E follows her to a space station and while attempting to profess his love for her, ends up saving mankind as well...

The plot is simple, the execution is brilliant (Pixar! Need I say more!?) and its difficult not to fall in love with it all.

If you've seen this movie, lemme know how you liked it!? If you haven't seen this movie, get a copy and watch it and then lemme know. :-)

xx

Twenty-five already seen by me,
Many more I shall roam free!

Also a toast,
To many more a post.

xx