इज्ज़त के नाम पर होती हत्त्यायें : जागो हरियाणा जागो !

Soft skills for cops at Central Detective School at Chandigarh

बदलो हरियाणा बदलो

छोड़ो कबीलाई प्रवृति

Khushwant on Fatima Bhutto: 26 years old, beautiful,has seen enough violence...

Rajbir Deswal interviewed Khushwant Singh on April 13.

Twenty six years old, beautiful, “Fatima Bhutto has seen enough violence...her book–Songs of Blood and Sword– is an impeccable prose...fraught with murder, treason, lies and..."

Lovely pigeons, two,

Outside our window,
Lovely pigeons, two,
They begun to coo,
Ruffle feathers too,
And I like to see them there and exclaim how humanlike they are!!!

Delhicious past

Delhicious past

By: Rajbir Deswal
Like many charming ladies, Delhi too has a past!
News has reached us claiming Delhi to be the most popular among foreign tourists .Contrast this claim with the Economist Intelligence Unit’s survey done some years back which dubbed Delhi as the ‘third worst city’ for foreigners and one is bound to get confused.
The impression given historically may be that “Delhi is the capital of the losing streak. It is the metropolis of the crossed wire, the missed appointment, the puncture, the wrong number...” but when it comes to the aspects of health and safety; culture and environment; and infrastructure, Delhi is the third worst city in the world to live in, for foreigners, after Port Moresby in Papua Guinea and Karachi in Pakistan.
I have no reason to differ with the survey conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit as also FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and industries) but going by the accounts of the travellers and chroniclers, it is a mixed bag of impressions but largely in favour of the Indian capital, and yes a bit, against Karachi.
John Foster Fraser, in his Round the World on a Wheel, (1899) describes Delhi as “the most uncertain minded of cities in the world. It is like a fidgety girl who will first sit here m and there, then somewhere else, and 50 square miles of ground and 20,000 ruins tell where it has rested. The modern Delhi is like the capricious girl grown up—charming and imperial. But also, like so many grown up and charming ladies, Delhi is a city with a past.”
Through a letter written to her family on February 18, 1916, Gertrude Bell, having enjoyed the hospitality of the Viceroy conveyed her impressions of Delhi as :”Though I knew the plans and drawings I didn’t realise how gigantic it was till I walked over it. They have blasted away hills and filled up valleys, but the great town itself is as yet little more than foundations. The roads are laid out that lead from it to the four corners of India, and down each vista you see the ruins of some older imperial Delhi. A landscape made up of empires is something to conjure with.”
Our own VS Naipaul, in An Area of Darkness, (1964) strikes a satirical note when he says about Delhi that. “The streets were wide and grand, the roundabouts endless: a city built for giants, built for its vistas, for its symmetry: a city built for its vistas, for its symmetry: a city which remained its plan, unquickened and unhumanized, built for people who would be protected from its openness, from its openness, from the whiteness of its light, to whom the trees were like the trees on an architect’s drawing, decorations, not intended to give shade: a city built like a monument.”
In 1874, Edward Lear in a letter to Lord Carling Ford exhibited interesting wordplay—“Delhi, where I stayed 10 days making Delhineations of the Delhicate architecture as is all impressed on my mind as in Delhi by as the Delhiterious quality of the water of that city.”
As for Karachi, George Woodcock, in his Asia’s, Gods and Cities exclaimed, “It rises from a barren desert.” Care for the other impression about the city? Well, it goes like this—Karachi, the Americans say, “is half the size of Chicago cemetery and twice as dead.”

What will the people say? Address their collective sensibility and save lives.

Any social group that develops itself into a ‘ghetto’ will always have tendencies to uphold ‘honour’. This is largely done for needing security and recognition as a true blue of that group, caste, tribe or community. If there are allowed chances for proper assimilation, of various kinds of social groups, and their being available to each other, and also if they are inter-acting on regular basis, at the same time being aware of each others’ customs, practices, taboos and tribulations, beliefs and rituals; then sure enough, it is a collective honour, of the collective sensibility of the social groups, and not that of a particular or ostracized social entity. As such this kind of a scenario being available and obtaining will help. Collective and assimilative social sensibilities, which cater to a wide spectrum of the social stratum, will always be condemnatory of the lead taken by any of its subsidiary group of the act of killing for honour.

Ram aur Shyam inspired

Ram aur Shyam had once inspired me to the extent that I used to mimic Dilip Kumar in his double role during the Recreation period in the school.

HOME TRUTH !

My mentor in Journalism Ka Naa Subramanyam once gave me a letter of recommendation to be given over to Anees Jung the then Editor of Youth Times. The letter said,"Rajbir Deswal writes tolerably well!" I didn't then under the undertone or the overtone as I didn't understand what the other day someone wrote to me what follows:--

"My dear Rajbir,

You want 2 know the home truth. OK gear up 2 hear it.Y have been a 'successful' writer. Its a pity people do not know what is good and what is succesful. I am sure u dont want 2 hear 2. Your writing may be lapped up by stupid persons, but it is immature, stupid and useless. I am sorry if I offended u, but trueth is always bitter, What u write should be put in the toilet 4 people to use it 2 wipe their asses. Can u stand the truth? If not think of me as a bloody fool. Its OK with me. But u write trash. Forgive me for Iam drunk and cant tell a lie."

Goat sense and human non-sense

O' My God! If Ghaggar waters swell further atleast I am safe at this height. poor humans there! Can't foresee the danger.
Now this is me: Took this photo when Ghaggar had flash floods 2009 Monsoons

Best jell ever !

When one is offered bouquets and flowers, the petal like pithiness thaws in, and offers a bed of fragrant cushions, that make the best jell and glue, to remain bonded in a beautiful bind!!!

आज मैं ऊपर आसमान नीचे !

आज मैं ऊपर आसमान नीचे !
ये आदमी के पाँव ज़मीन पे क्यूं नहीं टिकते ?

Neither a mystic nor alone a romantic dreamer

Mr S D Sharma, who is the famous art critic of The Tribune observes about Rajbir Deswal, receipient of Lakhmi Chand Award :“Very few of us , even blessed with a rational , ethical, aesthetic mind and sensibility, have their intellect, spirit and the life impulse –all functioning at the highest pitch and working in the closet collaboration to create wonders in their chosen realm of art or profession. Neither a mystic nor alone a romantic dreamer the well read and village fed Rajbir Deswal is a blend of numerous traits that of a prolific author, columnist, artist, administrator, police super cop of International recognition. Since he had been all, along maintaining his tradition of excellence in his profession and the passion of a prolific author Rajbir Deswal , presently DIG ( CID) Haryana, can not be designated with a single sobriquet.
He was an obvious choice for the prestigious Lakhmi Chand Samman- 2009-10 instituted by the Haryana Sahitya Akademy his contribution for promotion of pristine Haryanvi culture to a larger segment through his half a dozen books in English and articles. The award carries a citation, shawl memento and a cash prize of One lac rupees. The universality of Rajbir Deswal does not lie in being a Haryanvi but in the genius that enabled him to describe the Haryanvi Soul with which all human beings can identify with.
His columns like Humour from HaryAna , Sunta Jayiye , Tharhi Mahari Sab ki Baat, , mainly middles, Meri England Yatra a in Hindi and English newspapers had a receptive readership. His book “ Culture- Bright and Dark ( 1992), edited by Chander Koumdi offers a deep and authentic insight into the Haryanvi pastoral life , cultural ethos, rituals, customs and changing trends. However his maiden literary venture “ Wit and Humour of Haryana ” reviewed and commended by legendary Khushwant Singh got sold like hot cakes (over 15000 copies sold in a week). The author virtually translated the richly rustic humour of Haryana which was received with remarkable approbation and established the credentials of a super police cop as a prolific writer with a vision and impulse.
Like any other child prodigy he used to sculpt raw poetry while studying at the St. Theresa’s convent at Karnal which merely reflected his childhood memories spent at his native village Anta near Jind. But Deswal’s meaningful exposition of Haryana culture began about 30 years back with his articles “ Baratis of Haryna “ and “ Haryana ka Bateu ” in the Indian Express and Dainik Tribune. His books “ Latke Jhatke” provide an insight into the profound depths of on vibrant and boisterous Haryanvi humour and Taron ke Jungle, an anthology of 23 poems he scripted was inspired by Atal Behari Bajpayee’s “Meri ekavan kavitayen”.
The latest book being “ Holypol” , compilation of his middles, published at a prime space in national dailies like The Tribune, The Hindustan Times, Indian Express and the Pioneer newspapers. It’s richly fraught with logical , philosophical and literary content; all these middles have been appreciated by the naïve, connoisseurs and critics as the most concise yet with elaboration of thought which stamps the versatility and creative potential of Rajbir Deswal. However his other traits that of an accomplished singer and an Urdu ghazal and lyricist have yet to come to the fore. Just sample his latest but captivating couplet from a ghazal ““ Aaj gustakh huyi jaati hai kyon baade naseem, kya kisi shokh ki zulfon se lipat ayi hai/Woh hein zaalim ke meharbaan mein yeh kaise poochhun,meri himmat ne bikrne ki kasam khayi hai ””

Neither a mystic nor a romantic dreamer

Honour bound

By: SD Sharma
Neither a mystic nor a romantic dreamer, Rajbir Deswal is a blend of numerous traits - a prolific author, columnist, artist, administrator and supercop of international fame.
Little wonder then, Rajbir Deswal, DIG (CID), Haryana, was an obvious choice for the prestigious Lakhmi Chand Samman-2009-10 instituted by the Haryana Sahitya Akademi for his contribution to Haryanvi culture. The award carries a citation, a shawl and cash prize of Rs 1 lakh.
His columns like Humour from Haryana, Sunta Jayiye, Tharhi Mahari Sab ki Baat, mainly middles, Meri England Yatra, received widespread applause. His book "Culture- Bright and Dark' (1992), edited by Chander Koumdi, offers a deep insight into Haryanvi pastoral life, cultural ethos, rituals, customs and changing trends. His maiden literary venture, "Wit and Humour of Haryana", reviewed by the legendary Khushwant Singh, sold over 15,000 copies in a week! Deswal's meaningful exposition of Haryanavi culture began about 30 years back with articles such as "Baratis of Haryana" and "Haryana ka Bateu". His other notable works include "Latke Jhatke" and Taron ke Jungle. Deswal's latest book "Holypol", is a compilation of his middles, published in major national dailies.

Sahitya Akademi Award for DIG Deswal

Award for DIG Deswal
Chandigarh, April 6

A senior Haryana police officer, Rajbir Deswal, posted as DIG (CID), has been chosen by the Haryana Sahitya Akademi for the prestigious Pt. Lakhmi Chand Samman for 2009-10.
The Rs 1 lakh cash award is given in recognition of an individual’s contribution to the state’s art, culture, history and folk literature.
A post-graduate in English literature, Deswal has authored many books and over 500 articles.
He is a member of the Indian Society of Authors and the Haryana Sahitya Akademi. — TNS

ए भाई ज़रा देख के चलो

सम्भाल्के चल करनाल कोई जो खो गई सोहणी पत में वो नहीं फिर पाणी पत में
सम्भालका करनाल सोनीपत पानीपत

कड़क पुलिस अफसर ने बिखेरा मधुर आवाज का जादू

कड़क पुलिस अफसर ने बिखेरा मधुर आवाज का जादू
सीआईडी
डीआईजी राजबीर सिंह की प्रतिभा के कायल हुए दर्शक
नौसे 18 साल के प्रतिभागियों ने हिस्सा लिया
‘वॉयस ऑफ चंडीगढ़-2010’ के ऑडिशन के इस क्वार्टर फाइनल राउंड में 9 से 18 साल तक आयु वर्ग के के प्रतिभागियों ने हिस्सा लिया। इस दौरान 44 प्रतिभागियों ने पुरानी फिल्मों के और सूफियाना गीत गाकर अपनी आवाज का जादू बिखेरा। इस दौरान प्रतिभागियों ने ‘लागा चुनरी में दाग..’, ‘रसिक बल्मा...’, ‘नैन लड़ गई वे...’ आदि गीत पेश किए तो माहौल एकदम खुशगवार हो गया। संस्थान के सीईओ मनमोहन गर्ग ने उम्मीद जताई कि 28 सितंबर को होने वाले फाइनल में मुकाबला और भी कठिन हो जाएगा। उन्होंने सभी प्रतियोगियों को अगले दौर के लिए शुभकामनाएं दीं। ब्यूरो

Voices divine

Voices divine
Away from the glamour of the commercial formula type music contests with loud music and beaming lights, a traditional akhand jyoti and an idol of goddess Saraswati emanating spiritual sanctity and contemplation, marked the Gurukul Vidyapeeth and S-4 Trust sponsored music contest. As many as 40 contestants in the age group of 9-18 years and selected already for the quarter final of the Voice of Chandigarh vied for a berth in the semis of the mega contest among the school and college students of Tricity.
The potential voices of the region were given two themes, devotional and semi-classical songs from films, according to Rinku Kalia, who adjudged the contestants along with Simmi R Singh, head of the music department at MCM DAV College and music director Varinder Bachan.
The best spell of music came from the chief guest Rajbir Deswal, DIG CID Haryana, who enraptured the crowd with a melodic recital of " Suhani shaam dhal chuki na jaane tum kab aao ge … CA Manmohan Garg, CEO Gurukul Vidyapeeth, declared that the winners in the semis will be given two-weeks free coaching before the mega final. He also honored the chief guest and judges of the contest.
— SD Sharma

Jewel of Kumaon--Nainital can surprise you with it's mystifying scenery

Sunday Economic Times April 4th
By Rajbir Deswal

The magnificent scenery at Nainital—which is about eight hours away from Delhi by road—is a big draw. And the bonus is a trip to Kilbari to explorehill mysteries, at a place where the clouds come right down to earth.
But of course you’ve seen Nainital... even if you haven’t actually been there. Flashback to Sunil Dutt and Mala Sinha gazing soulfully at the distant peaks in Gumrah or Rajesh Khanna romancing Asha Parekh around the lake in Kati Patang or the all-star blockbuster Waqt with Raj Kumar, Sunil Dutt and Shashi Kapoor chasing baddies down those impossible mountain roads. When a place attracts so many film units, there’s got to be something special about it. And certainly there’s plenty that’s special about the Jewel of Kumaon.
The place gets its name from a deep crescent shaped taal—actually two lakes: Malli-Tal at the northern end, and Talli-Tal at the southern end. The Naini part of the name refers to the left eye of Lord Shiva’s wife Sati, which supposedly fell at the spot, creating the lake. Ma Naini’s temple stands on the Malli-Tal shore. The temple is relatively modern but is built on the site of a much older one that was destroyed by an earthquake. (You’re in a seismically active place so don’t forget to say your prayers when you visit Nainital).
Colonial records name an Englishman as having discovered this place, but actually, from ancient times, sadhus and pilgrims bound for Badrinath and Kedarnath camped around the lake. According to the Imperial Gazetteer, when hunter P Barron reached Bhimtal during the course of his 1,500-mile expedition through the Kumaon Himalayas in 1839, local people told him of Nainital and he became the first Britisher to lay eyes on the spot.
The British wasted no time in creating a pleasant little resort for themselves and one of the first things they set up was the Boat Club, which goes back to the 1850s.
The boats make a lovely sight. As the wind drives them across the placid greenish waters, their brightly-coloured sails somehow remind you of butterflies fluttering over a meadow. Every boatman seems to be a born raconteur. Nainital Lake is 93 feet deep but the boatmen are sure to make it several times deeper with yarns about how a fellow spends a year making a rope and it still doesn’t reach the bottom. With an impassive expression, the boatman will go on about how the spirit of the lake claims annual “sacrifices”. Your eyes stray to the boat and you try to judge its “seaworthy-ness” and your chances of returning safe and dry to the shore.
Ranikhet, Almora, Kausani, Bageshwar, Bhimtal, Naukuchiatal, Ghora-khal, Kathgodam are all within day-tripping distance, but there are many places to explore right around Nainital. If you’re young and full of beans, the trek up 2680-metre high Cheena Peak (renamed Naina Peak) is what you want.The route winds through fragrant forests of cedar and oak where moss festoons the trees, testifying to the cool, damp climate. The view from thesummit will make you forget your aching muscles—there’s Bandarpoonch, Badrinath, Nanda Devi, Trishool and Pindari Glacier straight ahead and just some 200 miles away. The eternally snow-clad peaks change colour dramatically as the sun moves across the sky.
If you can spare yourself the luxury of a third day in Nainital then you can ill afford to forgo a visit to Kilbari which the locals would tell you was infamous during the Raj days as the ‘belligerent’ Indians were killed and buried there; hence the name, Kill-Bury, which over the years evolved it’s calling to what it is now. Hills have mysterious tales to tell always, until and unless one is a Ruskin Bond.
From Khara Pathar if you go till about 12 km you reach this beautiful village which is unique in its musical tone and aesthetic tenor. The hill birds’ tweets and the jungle sounds almost silence the revved up engine sound of your car. But it’s better to come out here and wade thorough the thickly foliaged trees and spiraling creepers. The damp track and the overhanging soft but pithy tendrils flowing down the moss-laden and fern-laden trees complete the canvas.
Even after sunrise, the darkness of the night still seems to reign here, and would not allow the sunrays to penetrate or intrude, for the intense growth of flora supplements the cause of the mysterious obscurity and dimness. What grows here in the name of flowers is the wild variety. But yes, if you come to Kilbari during summer months then rhododendrons will surely greet you with all their crimson façade.
Reach Kilbari to find yourself in the clouds every half hour for through this village is the natural outlet of the rising winds and the trailing fog. Cold breeze seems to pierce through but pleasantly here. The moving clouds can also be seen losing height when they slide steadily on to the Nainital valley side. A trail takes to down to the heart of the village where they have a traditional Hindu temple with vermilion painted walls.
(The writer Rajbir Deswal is an IPS officer)

When Ma's face brigthened and heart gripped. At my pranks!

Sitting with mother in the kitchen during the winters was a treat in itself, not only for the warmth of the fireplace, but because it meant that I could play pranks on her. I had this nasty habit of adjusting the firewood to get a stronger blaze and this would invite immediate retribution from mother. “Don’t play with fire,” she would warn me.
I never heeded her. Often I would pretend that I had got my fingers burnt and would shriek in pain. This would bring her rushing to my side and I would then burst into loud laughter. Every time I played this trick, mother would rush to my side in alarm. Being her only son, she was taking no chances. Or I would play with the smouldering embers. The glowing patterns in the dark appeared to be as delightful as fireworks. Mother would of course forbid me to do this but I would disconcert her by saying, “But it brightens up your face, Ma!” This would cause her to smile, despite her irritation.

Buy liver,get kidney free:Man of the future

Man of the future
By Rajbir Deswal
I claim to be no Darwin, but I can foresee the (re?)evolution of the future man, in being half real and half plastic. Believe you me please, for it’s not me who says it, but the chip inside me.
With expectancy of life crossing the count of eighty years, for an average human being, one can imagine the assortments and appendages a human-body is likely to have, in times to come, when you may ‘buy a liver and get a kidney free!’
Take heart, for your so-called mortal frame will one day have, a built-in stenting, when a heart attack may just be as harmless, as a twitch near the left eye. Or your brain stroke may leave you more charged up, with renewed backup of battery power.
I can visualise pop-ins and slots in a man, where one could attach life support systems, as you do the earplugs to an iPod. You could also carry your oxygen cylinder like a pen in your pocket. Also your hornlike, evolved antenna, could make you stay connected at all times, with dedicated Intensive Care Units.
With a habit having had been by then, thawed into a kind of demeanour in you, on the psychological plane, you could have a set of robots as friends for socialising .You could programme them to suit your taste, and if they entertain you no longer, you could re-programme them. I gainsay, you could date them too and leave out the ‘out-dated’ ones.
With everyone getting fixed pretty looks on their faces, employing plastic surgery, there would be Most Ugly Look competitions to experience what would be called ‘ for a pleasant change’. Also the most hated people of the world could include Elvis Presley, Marlyn Munro, Anthony Quinn or Angella Jolly; or nearer home, Dev Anand or Madhbala.
All this will effect a change in human-emotions too. Expressions like love, affection, care concern, empathy could then be good stuff for making sci-fic movies. The Oscar winning flick could be the story of a man torn to pieces for offering to look after his old and infirm parents.
The positive side of the future man’s characteristics and capabilities, is seen by me as being able to see, store, play and repeat your best of the dreams on an LCD screen. Also you could retrieve your long forgotten memories of people, places and events. And delete permanently the traumas.
In such a scenario, when none would seem to gather upto the ancestors, then legislations like ‘Health for All’ may not be counted as political gimmicks. One would have all the Yoga experts either sent to Coventry or made to drink poison like Aristotle. And the medical specialists who would practice Hippocratic Oath would be rubbished as real hypocrites.

If you have take look at the anatomy of the future-man with me, then take note of his big head, for he will only use his brain. The inactivity of the limbs will make them grow smaller, due to disuse atrophy, since all jobs would be done by remote, or on-person, controls.
Even the denture is likely to suffer in size, for fast foods and synergy drinks would not entail much of jaw moment. One who could eat a sugarcane stem, by squeezing the juice, would be seen as the real terminator. Stomach size too will reduce, since supplements would take care or your digestion and metabolism. You could have your new and fresh mesh of intestine woven into your system, like you knit a sweater, if you want to have a complete overhaul.
But, would future man be a complete man then? I don’t really know.
Also at http://www.tribuneindia.com/2010/20100403/edit.htm#5

April is the cruellest month!!!

April is the cruellest month, breedingLilacs out of the dead land, mixingMemory and desire, stirringDull roots with spring rain,--T S EliotI never knew an alt gory interpretation of Wasteland as in here(on the net):

"The poet asks his friend if the “corpse you planted last year in your garden” has “begun to sprout?” Here again Eliot is invoking the idea of resurrection, and of the natural cycle of death and life. First, when dead people decompose, their organic matter fertilizes the ground, which loops back to the first line of the section, in which April, “the cruellest month,” is breeding flowers, which presumably are feeding off this decomposed flesh. But in a more specific way, this passage refers to Frazer’s book, which details a primitive ritual whereby in April these primitive civilizations would plant a male corpse, or just the man’s genitals, in order to ensure a bountiful harvest. This harvest, which can be interpreted symbolically as the rebirth of civilization, is potentially threatened by “the Dog,” which has been interpreted as the lack of meaning in life."