Saturday, August 30, 2008

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Save Tibet ?

Save Tibet? From whom? It’s not that china is wants Tibet dead. For every conflict there is always a two perspectives. Unless you look from both perspectives and be neutral you cannot say who is right or wrong. For china Tibet is an inseparable part of its country. So is it wrong if it uses force to stop anti national activities ? Yes people of Tibet doesn’t want to be part of china, so does the people in Kashmir doesn’t want to part of India. Doesn’t Indian military use force in Kashmir?
Even Dalai Lama doesn’t seeks independence of Tibet now, he wants all government affairs to be run by Tibetans except foreign and defence affairs. May be he wants autonomy on lines of Hong Kong.
Yes it is true that communist china brought down religious freedom, migrated Han population into Tibet,there are preferential socioeconomic policies that prevents Tibetan occupying important posts,but then it has also done some massive economic developments like the Qinghai Tibet railway . Also western china reported an annual economic growth rate of 10.6% for six years.
I think it is inappropriate to call what is happening in Tibet as "cultural genocide." This kind of cultural extinction happens everywhere, This kind of so called "cultural genocide" is also happening in ladakh where the young generation are embracing western values
Many people dont realise that Tibetan society was a institutionalised feudal theocracy and society which rejected outsiders. The society did not embrace the change happening in the world and as Dr Spencer Johnson (Who moved my cheese ?) said "If you do not change you will become extinct" the Tibetans had to pay the priceof losing their freedom to china.
The propaganda or the lobbying is done by every country to protect its own interests. Its nothing new and chinese have every right to protect its sovereignty.

Why not compare Kashmir with Tibet ?

If you use this kind of logic that Maharaja Hari Singh choose accede to india despite the wishes of majority muslim kashmiris , then by this logic Junagadh in gujarat should be in pakistan, since Nawab of Junagadh chose to merge with pakistan in 1947.Indian government for this purpose agreed for plebiscite , but till now didnot agree for plebiscite in kashmir because india will surely loose.
Middle way approach has been passed by tibetan parliament by i think 67% votes in favour of it. So there is enough majority in that .Its only the young tibetans are not in favour of that. Young tibetans think that by shouting nearchinese embassies around the world, by holding candle vigils around the world will win independence for them. It will surely win some sympathies but not freedom.I dont see tibetan independence unless and untill there is break down of communist party of china.

Personally even i wish to see a independent tibet, but as a rationalist i dont see it happening. China is "manufacturing economy" of the world, no big country will go against china and harm its own business in china.

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Skit Sum Sduk Sum




Skit Sum Sduk Sum
Rating 3/5
This is another movie from Ladakh Vision Group.
The movie is yet another Ladakhi melodrama highly influenced by bollywood. The story doesn’t offer anything new. It is yet another love story gone sour due to confusion. The great cinematography of breathtaking highland mustard fields deserves a praise. The costumes are amazing , the great selection of gonchas, sulmas, phoomet & stotung
Its a story of Otsal and Nilza . Otsal is son of a doll maker , carries his father ‘s (potrayed by morup namgyal ) profession after his death. Otsal goes to sell his dolls to gyalsa (capital). There he meets Nilza after saving her from a Dzo chase. There love grooms among the great landscape and till interval everything is picture perfect.
After interval , there is marriage. Otsal comes as magpa to Nilza’s family. Since Otsal is not interested in Nilza’s family business , he continues his work for doll making. This doesn’t go well Nilza’s father since he want Otsal to manage his business. He then hatches a plan to create confusion between Nilza and Otsal . This results in divorce and Nilza goes to himachel Pradesh to deliver their baby.
After seven years Otsal visits himachel Pradesh and meets his daughter. Parents reunite and they live happly after.

Its high time now Mr Wangchuk Mogol , put some subtitles in the movie and submit the movie to international community , like OSEAN CINE film festival .The movie will definitely showcase Ladakhi art and culture to the international community and might win some accolades.

One thing i need to mention that the background score definitely needs some improvement.
Also Ladakhi movie making has now graduated and produces fine cinema.






















Download the songs of Skit Sum Sduk Sum here