Recent comment of Asaram
Bapuji on how calling the rapists 'bhaiya' and chanting the Saraswati mantra
would have saved the hapless girl from being brutalized has sparked a lot of
controversy across our nation. Many of my friends quite perturbed by the comment
poured their heart on Facebook in angry status messages, but by such hullabaloo
over his comment they are only helping him earn what the comment was meant for
- undue publicity and some 30 days of fame. Asaram has become an infamous
celebrity overnight; the self-proclaimed godman now is a household name that
would give him ample professional leverages in luring more followers. If anyone
thinks of his controversial comment going to affect his number of followers, he
is wrong. Even negative publicity is a publicity which only will help him gain
a slew of new followers. Who has unknowingly and unconsciously supported Asaram
reach his goal of attracting new members in his ashram?? We did.

Today on FB, I came across
a fantastic parody of the whole situation put into a form of joke as about how
following 10 ways as specified by the well-known of our country can prevent a
rape. Here it goes:
"1. Don't live in
India - Migrate to Bharat instead. (Courtesy - RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat)
2. Don't eat chowmein.
(Courtesy - Khap Panchayat)
3. Don't go out with boys
in the night. (Courtesy - Abu Azmi of Samajwadi Party). Better still - go on self-imposed
house-arrest.
4. Don't wear jeans.
Fashion is strictly prohibited. (Courtesy- too many people to mention)
5. Get married when you are
16 years old. (Courtesy - Khap Panchayat)
6. Don't use mobile.
(Courtesy - Khap Panchayat)
7. Don't cross Maryada
(Courtesy - MP Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya)
8. Say NO to anything
remotely connected to western culture (Courtesy - RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat)
9. Perform puja to put
"stars" in correct "position". (Courtesy - Chhattisgarh
Home Minister Nanki Ram Kanwar) And if everything mentioned above fails and you
are still being raped, here is the last weapon
10. Call your rapist
"Bhaiya". (Courtesy - Spiritual Guru Asaramji Bapu) That ought to STOP THE RAPE!! " (Extract taken from SantaBanta Jokes)
I personally believe Asaram
Bapu watches a lot of soppy hindi movies where the heroine trapped in the
'changul' of villains addresses one of them as 'bhaiyaa' stirring humane
emotions in him who, then, makes a 360° shift in character from the hair-raising
monster into a self-righteous brother, who while a minute ago was all horny
suddenly converts into a savior of his newly found sister's honor. How melodramatic
and filmy!!

Over to the recipe,
Semolina Khichuri is an interesting concoction, the recipe of which required
'radhuni', a special spice very strong in flavor to be added, but although
spices sold under the Bangladeshi brand name 'Radhuni' are available aplenty,
the 'radhuni' spice that we Bengalis use in many vegetable preparations is
nowhere to be found. The availability of a brand by a similar name only leads
to more confusion when we look for our Bengal 'radhuni', everyone pointing
direction towards the shelf overflowing with the stacks of Radhuni spices.
Hence I have told one of my relatives travelling to India to bring a few
packets of our radhuni masala on her way back. Meanwhile, since radhuni masala
is missing in my kitchen inventory, I make do with garam masala powder which has
lent an exquisite fineness to the wholesomeness of Semolina Khichudi. Best
served with Narkel boda, this khichuri tastes great with even Narkel Posto
Boda.