Academic and Creative Writing Journal Vikram Karve

Thursday, December 26, 2013

MILITARY CORRUPTION - WHY ?

WHY CORRUPTION AND SCAMS IN THE MILITARY?

Musings

VIKRAM KARVE

In the past few years the media has reported many scams involving senior military officers.

Junior Officers and Soldiers strive hard to maintain the much-admired image of the Indian armed forces as a highly disciplined, honest and professional body.

Why is it that some of the senior leadership in the military does not live up to the required high standards of conduct?

Why do senior officers fall prey to greed and get embroiled in corruption scandals and scams?

Do these senior military officers who get embroiled in scams become corrupt only after they attain senior ranks?

Or is it possible that only the corrupt officers are promoted to senior ranks?

Is it true that a corrupt officer stands a better chance to get promoted?

Here is some logical reasoning:

1. The “powers-that-be” always want a “yes-man” in a top position so that he will do their bidding

2. A man who has much to hide is always a “yes-man”

3. A dishonest and corrupt man has much to hide

4. Therefore, a dishonest and corrupt man is always a “yes-man”

5. And, since the “powers-that-be” always want “yes-men” in top positions, dishonest and corrupt men are more likely to be promoted to top positions rather than honest and straightforward men.

Do you agree with this logical line of reasoning?

Are sycophancy (yesmanship) and corruption inextricably interlinked?

Is this the main reason and root cause for the increasing corruption and scams?

MILITARY FOOD - ARMY STYLE COOKING - FAUJI “LANGAR WALA” MUTTON CURRY RECIPE

MILITARY FOOD - ARMY STYLE COOKING

FAUJI “LANGAR WALA” MUTTON CURRY

A “Try it at Your Own Risk” Recipe

VIKRAM KARVE

Let me share with you a recipe given to me a Foodie “Fauji” Brat.

(By the way, in the Army, the Cook House for Soldiers is called Langar and hence the name “langarwala” mutton curry)

FAUJI “LANGAR WALA” MUTTON CURRY

1. Take a pan, pour in a liberal quantity of oil (preferably mustard oil) and put it on the stove.

2. When the oil is hot, add cut onions, sauté till brown.

3. Add finely chopped ginger, garlic and green chillies and sauté.

4. Add chopped Tomatoes, stir and sauté.

5. Add Powdered Spices (Turmeric, Dhania, Jeera, Red Chilly Powder) and stir.

6. Now add Beer (5 spoons) + Rum (4 spoons) + Gin (3 spoons) + Whisky (2 spoons) + Vinegar (1 spoon)

7. Stir and sauté till the oil separates from the gravy.

8. Add 1 Kg of Mutton (cut in medium size pieces), stir and sauté.

9. If required, add a little water from time to time to prevent mutton from sticking to the pan.

10. After some time the oil will separate from the “mutton masala” gravy.

11. Now add salt and “meat masala powder” and stir.

12. Now add enough hot water, mix and bring to boil.

13. Once the gravy boils, lower the heat, cover the pan, and allow to the mutton to cook on low heat for 30 – 60 minutes till the mutton is fully cooked to your satisfaction. If you like your meat soft and well-done, cook the mutton till it almost falls of the bone.

14. Marinating the mutton by rubbing it with raw papaya tenderizes the meat and makes is cook faster.

15. Once the mutton is cooked, season with black pepper and garnish with freshly chopped coriander.

16. Serve hot with chappati, roti, phulkas or even with fresh buns, bread or pav. Or, if you prefer, you can have this curry with rice too.

Disclaimer:

1. Try this “experimental” recipe it at your own risk

2. Skip step 6 if you are a teetotaller.

3. Exact Quantity/Proportion of ingredients as per your culinary experience and taste.

Tip:

They say that “Fauji” Mutton Curry tastes better after you have downed a few pegs of Rum.

RUM and COOKING

In my early days of cooking, I cooked with a glass of “Rum–Paani” at my side (and a bottle of Rum nearby).

My recipe would have read this way:

1. Pour a large peg of Rum and top up the glass with Water.

2. Place the pan on the stove.

3. Have a sip of rum.

4. Add oil to the pan.

5. Have two sips of rum.

6. Add chopped onions and sauté.

7. Sauté till you finish your glass of Rum-Paani.

8. Add ginger, garlic, chilly paste and mix.

9. Make another drink of rum-paani.

… And so on and so forth till you add the mutton and cover it to cook on slow fire …

After you cover the mutton curry to let it cook, you may relax for some time.

In the interregnum, you must have 3 large pegs of rum.

After this, taste the meat.

Then have another peg of rum till the mutton curry is fully done, and then start eating it piping hot.

Depending on the quality of the mutton (and your mood) this dish should take around 5-6 large pegs of Rum with Paani for it to be fully ready.

And after imbibing that amount of Rum, you too will be fully in the mood to relish the delicious “Fauji” Mutton Curry.

Cheers! Happy Eating!

VIKRAM KARVE

Copyright © Vikram Karve
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.

NB:

All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

No part of this Blog may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Blog Author Vikram Karve who holds the copyright.

Did you like this story?

I am sure you will like the 27 short stories from my recently published anthology of Short Fiction COCKTAIL
To order your COCKTAIL please click any of the links below:
http://www.flipkart.com/cocktail-vikram-karve-short-stories-book-8191091844?affid=nme
http://www.indiaplaza.in/cocktail-vikram-karve/books/9788191091847.htm
http://www.apkpublishers.com/books/short-stories/cocktail-by-vikram-karve.html

COCKTAIL ebook

If you prefer reading ebooks on Kindle or your ebook reader, please order Cocktail E-book by clicking the links below:
AMAZON
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MGERZ6
SMASHWORDS
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/87925

Foodie Book: Appetite for a Stroll
If your are a Foodie I am sure that you will like my book of Food Adventures APPETITE FOR A STROLL. Do order a copy from FLIPKART:
http://www.flipkart.com/appetite-stroll-vikram-karve/8190690094-gw23f9mr2o

About Vikram Karve

A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer and blogger. Educated at IIT Delhi, IIT (BHU) Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and an anthology of short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories and creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional and academic research papers in journals and edited in-house journals and magazines for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing and blogging. Vikram Karve lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.

Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Vikram Karve Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/vikramkarve
Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Email: vikramkarve@hotmail.com

Twitter: @vikramkarve

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

The 10 Commandments From a Dog’s Perspective

The 10 Commandments From a Dog’s Perspective

10 DOG COMMANDMENTS

1. My life is likely to last 10 to 15 years; any separation from you will be painful for me. Remember that before you adopt me.

2. Give me time to understand what you want from me; don’t be impatient, short-tempered, or irritable.

3. Place your trust in me and I will always trust you back. Respect is earned not given as an inalienable right.

4. Don’t be angry with me for long and don’t lock me up as punishment; I am not capable of understanding why. I only know I have been rejected. You have your work, entertainment, and friends, but I only have you.

5. Talk to me. Even if I don’t understand your words, I do understand your voice and your tone. You only have to look at my tail.

6. Be aware that however you treat me, I’ll never forget it, and if it’s cruel, it may affect me forever.

7. Please don’t hit me. I can’t hit back, but I can bite and scratch, and I really don’t ever want to do that

8. Before you scold me for being uncooperative, obstinate, or lazy, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I’m not getting the right foods or I’ve been out in the sun too long, or my heart is getting old and weak. It may be I am just dog-tired.

9. Take care of me when I get old. You too will grow old and may also need love, care, comfort, and attention.

10. Go with me on difficult journeys. Never say, “I can’t bear to watch” or “Let it happen in my absence.” Everything is easier for me if you are there. Remember, regardless of what you do, I will always love you.

Author Stan Rawlinson
1993

HOW TO ENJOY RELATIONSHIPS - ONLINE and OFFLINE

Last evening, an old Navy buddy visited me and I really enjoyed talking to him.

But unlike in my Navy Days, I hardly have any social life.

Now-a-days, after retirement, I am spending too much time online.

Maybe I need to read once again an article I had written about 5 years ago.

And maybe you need to read this too...

Wish You a Merry Christmas

HOW TO ENJOY RELATIONSHIPS - ONLINE and OFFLINE

Musings

VIKRAM KARVE

ONLINE and OFFLINE RELATIONSHIPS

Thanks to the advent of the internet, you have the opportunity to live in two worlds:

1. The Real World

and

2. The Virtual World

You can also have two identities:

1. Your online identity in cyberspace

and

2. Your physical real-world offline identity in real space

You can live a dual life:

one life online

and

one life offline

by maintaining two lives, one in real space and one in cyberspace.

You can have two kinds of relationships:

1. Virtual Relationships (or Online Relationships)

and

2. Real Relationships (or Offline Relationships)

You can have two kinds of friends:

1. “Offline” Real World flesh-and-blood Friends

and

2. “Online” Virtual Friends

Internet is a great tool for social networking and it enables us to live two lives and enjoy the benefits of instant interaction and friendships across the globe and facilitates us to enjoy the best of both worlds.

It is good to have the best of both worlds, the real and the virtual, as long as you maintain a balance.

Yes, like you try to have “work life balance” you also must have a “real-world versus virtual-world” balance in order to enjoy the best of both worlds.

How do you do this?

Well, here is one of my favourite Mulla Nasrudin stories which exemplifies this aspect:

HOUSE IN THE HILLS

An Apocryphal Mulla Nasrudin Story

VIKRAM KARVE

Mulla Nasrudin bought a beautiful house at a picturesque place far away from civilization high up in the hills.

From time to time he would suddenly pack his bags, leave the city, and go away to his house in the hills.

He would disappear for days, sometimes for weeks, sometimes for months.

And just as suddenly as he used to disappear, he used to suddenly unpredictably return back to the city without any warning or notice.

When asked the reason for his erratic and whimsical behaviour, Nasrudin explained:

“I have kept a caretaker woman up there in the hills to look after my house.

She is the ugliest woman - horrible, repulsive, hideous, and nauseating.

Just one look at her and you will feel like vomiting.

When I go to live there, at first she looks horrible.

But slowly, slowly, after a few lonely days, she is not so horrible.

Then after some more desolate forlorn days, she does not look all that ugly and she does not seem so undesirable.

And as more and more time passes in lonesome seclusion, a day comes when I start seeing some beauty in her.

Yes, after I spend some more time in that lonely desolate place, far away from civilization, a day suddenly comes when I start finding beauty in that ugly woman.

She starts looking desirable and I start getting attracted towards her.

The moment I start finding that horrid woman desirable, I know that it is time for me to escape from my house in the hills.

The day I start feeling attracted to the hideous woman means enough is enough.

I have lived away from the real world for too long.

Now even this horrible revolting woman has started looking beautiful.

I may even fall in love with this ghastly ugly repugnant woman and that may be very dangerous for me.

Enough is Enough.

Enough of the virtual world.

It is time to get back to the real world.

So I pack up my things and rush back to the city.”

MORAL OF THE STORY - Enjoy the Best of Both Worlds

Dear Reader:

Has your Virtual World, your cyber space, your second life, started looking a bit too “beautiful”…?

Are you spending more time in cyberspace, social networking and interacting with your “virtual friends” rather than having face-to-face interactions and communication with your immediate “flesh and blood friends” in real space?

Is there an imbalance between your online life and offline life?

Are your virtual relationships overwhelming your life?

Are your online relationships taking precedence over your real life offline relationships?

Is your online identity becoming more important to you than your offline identity?

Are you losing touch with reality?

Maybe it is time for you to return back to the Real World.

Of course, when you get saturated and bored spending too much time in the real world and start feeling suffocated with relationships in the Real World, you can always go back to the virtual world which is like your alter ego.

Like Mulla Nasrudin, you can, and you must, enjoy the best of both worlds, and nurture both your online and offline relationships!

You can alternate and switch over between both your lives, online and offline, just like Mulla Nasrudin does between the city and the hill-station!

Social Networking gives you a lot of pleasure and satisfaction and internet a great tool for building relationships.

It is good to have two identities and live a dual life, offline and online, and enjoy the best of both worlds, the real world and the virtual world, as long as you maintain a balance between your two lives, one in real-space and the other in cyber-space.

So now you know what to do.

When your online sweetheart starts looking too beautiful, just go back to your offline sweetheart, and vice versa...

Wish You a Merry Christmas

VIKRAM KARVE

NB:

All stories in this blog are a work of fiction. The characters do not exist and are purely imaginary. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Did you like this story?

COCKTAIL ebook

Twitter: @vikramkarve

Academic and Creative Writing Journal Vikram Karve

Thursday, December 26, 2013

MILITARY CORRUPTION - WHY ?

MILITARY FOOD - ARMY STYLE COOKING - FAUJI “LANGAR WALA” MUTTON CURRY RECIPE

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

The 10 Commandments From a Dog’s Perspective

HOW TO ENJOY RELATIONSHIPS - ONLINE and OFFLINE

Blog Adda

COPYRIGHT

Vikram Karve Linkedin Profile

Total Pageviews

Indiblogger Creative Writing

WriteUpCafe

BlogCatalog