Full text of Kamal Haasan's keynote address at Harvard, 'Freedom of speech is unlike love'

Ulaganayagan Kamal Haasan attended the annual India Conference of Harvard University on February 6, 2016.

He Says...

Freedom of speech is unlike love. Love as popularly quoted, is never having to say that you are sorry. With freedom of speech you must be ready to say as many things as you need to before you say sorry. That too only when are truly convinced you are, sorry that is.

The choice of the topic ‘Freedom of speech’ was mine. Those who invited me here must also have believed in it. I thank them for allowing me this freedom. Why did I choose this topic? Why now ? Is it because as a filmmaker, a free speaker and thinker I feel suddenly concerned about my freedom of speech? Is it any recent untoward or frightening attempt to curb or coerce my speech, through politics or religion? Or both? My honest answer? Not really. To be precise, not exactly. I am only voicing my concern which is handed down to me by my ancestors, generations of town criers who care for their lot.

“What’s Kamal Haasan's problem? What is ailing him that he chooses to speak on freedom for speech as if it is threatened?” That too in a democratic fortress like the US of A where freedom thrives and freedom of speech more so. You can speak, rap and curse and also use parliamentary language to show off your education. That’s the kind of freedom enjoyed here. Is that freedom of speech? Is that freedom enough? Hyde park in London, centuries ago allowed somewhat similar freedom. It was called soap box oratory and allowed speaking opportunity. For centuries, many could clearly see the oppressing or the opportunistic political hand throughout history however stealthy it moved— from the senate of Rome to modern day senates.

Democracy is often touted as being the only bastion for freedom of speech. My opinion is questioned when I tell them Democracy is not the most infallible of political systems. They take umbrage. They see red. Red as my political complexion. Let me confess I am not. I feed myself in this international buffet of political ideologies never committed to one diet like a religion. I think, like in food habit, man should remain omnivorous to stay on top of the food chain. I don’t have a religion yet I shamelessly use some rare but finer points from even religion for a better living and harmony. I don’t think that either democracy, communism or fascism or any other "isms" is going to be the ultimate and final answer for all social maladies. We have in our short 10 thousand year period of time experimented with various combinations. It is work in progress. Our society is work in progress. Some scientists believe that human mind itself is work in progress. So I am unwilling to accept any one political ideology as a settled cure for all our woes. I am always usually sternly informed that I cannot deny the fact that only in a democracy can freedom of speech exist. Freedom unlike money is not safe once inside a bank locker. It won’t safely accrue, to be withdrawn for use in times of dire need. Constant vigil is necessary to safeguard it. I am part of that large vigilant community that is always on the lookout, for subtle political coercion. That is the reason why I am willingly part of the reform committee In India that is going to recommend a new order of function for the film certification board that surreptitiously tries to censor films and other voices in the name of culture or the state. I am not here to bash democracy or praise communism or socialism.

I have taken this opportunity to put on record through media and those receptive minds here that we cannot take freedom of speech for granted and complacently think that democracy automatically means freedom of speech. It is only through the offices of democracy that Hitler rose to power. ‘Oh! That was when the world was naive. Not anymore possible some say.’ Let’s move forward in history and that too Indian political history and you find emergency promulgated and voices silenced in plain sight for the world to see. I am not taking a dig at my own country. As a matter of fact, I am proud of the kind of democracy we have managed to practice in spite of many attempts to abuse it. India is a younger democracy as compared to the centuries old democracy practiced in UK and the US of A. Yet universal suffrage that is voting rights for all citizens of India came into practice 15 years before it came into practice in a democracy called America. It was not democracy that allowed freedom of speech and freedom itself but the other way around. It was freedom of speech that sculpted and cultured democracy. Silenced voices rose in harmony, masterfully orchestrated by Martin Luther King. His blood was the ink that made corrections in the law of this land. America moved into a period of transition after that.

Not only India, the world is in transition. The world is going to face new challenges, find new opportunities. I can almost hope to see borders blur within my lifetime, and all will truly and slowly become citizens of the world instead of boasting limiting parochial borders. Many, many whistles will be blown before that happens. I am proud and fortunate to be in a medium that can reflect and protect freedom of speech and even fight for it subcutaneously and also in a full frontal attack if need be.

‘You are going to speak all this in Harvard?’ asked some of my friends, in awe and some in disbelief. I have been constantly reminded about my lack of intra mural training. I must humbly submit that I am a high school dropout. Before, with very little success on my side, I used to brag about being a drop out and yet managing to move seamlessly in scholarly circles without being caught out. Well I was an actor, what do you expect? I knew the right lines. I have over time realised the value of education and the institutions that disperse it. It might be true that even these great institutions need to be constantly reformed. I can only agree with a pedestrian understanding that change is permanent and rigidity or stagnation is the recipe for atrophy and regression. I have always envied people like you who have pursued wisdom and skill in your chosen field, where it is taught with scientific methodology. People often confuse my voicing dreams of going back to film school as humility, that too a false humility. Believe me it's truly humility that time and experience has taught me, that too not very kindly. I have learnt little tricks in the time I spent in the film industry, a little more than half a century. What took me nearly 25 years to learn could easily have been taught to me in a proper film school in 5 or 7 years. The only difference and a happy compensation was that I was earning throughout the process of learning instead of spending on my education. I guess that is a good trade off.

While India is poised for a leap in many fields, in my own field of activity, we are preparing the ground for India to become, truly, an international contestant in the global market. We want India not to become complacent with a happy captive home market of 1.2 billion . We want India to set world standards. We have done it before. We have be forerunners and actual practitioners of the civil disobedience. An idea presented as a theory by Henry David Thoreou, we actually put it to practice. Thanks be to Mr. Rajagopalchari popularly known as Rajaji and our own Mr. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. India became a trendsetter for giants like Mr. Martin Luther King and Mr. Mandela to emulate. Those vigilant gentlemen have made it possible for me to speak fearlessly, but with responsibility, today. I respect the way their freedom to speak was won. On rare occasions, freedom of speech was won taking on violence without returning it in kind. A very hard act to follow. To take on violence with non-violence needs extraordinary valour. Not without reason does Gandhiji, an otherwise humble man, openly brag about ahimsa being the highest form of valour. That is why probably the 24th Theerthankara or saint in the Jainic religious order, the champion of Ahimsa, was called Mahaveera, the great warrior. Ahimsa is difficult to achieve. It is not done by merely turning vegetarian. Being a vegetarian and yet showing apathy to fellow human beings is purpose defeated. In my mind, there is this constant tussle between Darwin's theory and the fascinating concept of ahimsa. Well that is the subject for another podium, another debate. Once again I remind myself and you to be on constant vigil. Any government institution or religion trying overtly or covertly to coerce your mind to suit a narrow selfish purpose with disregard to larger society is something we should all be wary off.

Simple Vannila Cookies

SIMPLE VANILLA COOKIES

The taste of sweet vanilla — which so often features only as a background flavour — shines in these Simple Vanilla Cookies. Not only are they quick and easy to make, they can be prepared with minimal mess.

These Simple Vanilla Cookies include just six basic ingredients, and you can mix the dough with a wooden spoon. They’re ready to shape and bake immediately, which gave my student bakers plenty of time to prepare them — and clean up, too — in our hour together.

Before making these cookies, I had never mixed cookie dough by hand. While I’m not afraid to experiment with the ingredients in recipes, I usually follow directions that tell me to do things like use an electric mixer. It took baking with fifth graders to help me stray from the beaten path, electrically speaking, and I’m so glad I finally did. Watching the dough come together as you stir with a wooden spoon is super satisfying.

If you, too, are a fan of power tools in the kitchen, take this opportunity to go old school and give hand mixing a try. It’s way easier than it sounds, and I think you’ll enjoy its pleasing simplicity.

The taste of these cookies has a pleasing simplicity, too. I fought the urge to stir in lemon zest or freshly crushed cardamom, and I’m glad I did. The taste of sweet vanilla — which so often features only as a background flavor — shines in these delicious cookies.  With their delicate outer crust and soft, tender middle, they are nearly impossible to stop eating.

SIMPLE VANILLA COOKIES

PREP TIME

15 mins

COOK TIME

15 mins

TOTAL TIME

30 mins

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Author: Suzanne Cowden

Recipe type: Dessert

INGREDIENTS

·         1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

·         1 ¾ cups granulated sugar, plus extra for flattening cookies if needed

·         1 large egg

·         2 teaspoons vanilla extract

·         ½ teaspoon salt

·         2 ¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease or line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2.  In a large bowl, mix the butter with a wooden spoon until it is light and fluffy. Add 1 cup of sugar and mix until combined. Add remaining sugar and mix well.

3.  Add the egg, vanilla, and salt; mix to combine. Add flour in three additions, mixing until the flour is just incorporated after each addition. The mixture should be loose and crumbly.

4.  Using your hands, press the dough against the bottom and sides of the bowl to bring it together into one cohesive mass.

5.  Shape dough into 1½-inch balls (about 1 tablespoon each) and place them about 1-inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Using the bottom of a glass or the tines of a fork, flatten the cookies gently. If the dough sticks to the glass or fork as you work, dip it in granulated sugar between cookies.

6.  Bake until the cookies’ edges just begin to brown, about for 10 to 12 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

The thing which Madras missed

Hotel Laxmi Nivas,Kalladka:This gem of a restaurant located enroute the Bangalore-Mangalore highway, serves according to me the best frothy tea or KT as it popularly called.Whenever we plan a trip to Mangalore a stop to Laxmi Nivas is a must.

The origin of KT is a bit of a mystery for even the present owner Shivarama Holla (42), even though it is being served since five decades.He says

"My grandfather Laxminarayana Holla went to Madras on a visit. When he came back, he started the unique KT on an experimental basis and it was an instant hit. He said it was being served in Madras. I have not known KT being served anywhere even in Madras."

So what's KT? While normal tea has a frothy milk cream layer atop of the tea, KT has a one fourth layer of thick tea decoction sitting atop thick milk.

It seems simple when Holla explains how it is done: 

"Pour hot milk and let the thick tea decoction land atop the milk slowly with the help of a spoon. There you have it."

But more than technique - it is the consistency of the milk, the amount of sugar and the proportion of the decoction which makes the difference, Holla, lets the cat out of the bag. No wonder, KT being replicated at many other hotels here and elsewhere does not taste like Kalldka KT! No wonder it has a found a page on Facebook and Orkut.

Though he does not count the number of KT's served per day, he says on an average 80-100 litres of milk and 3-4 kilograms of tea powder is used. 

"Sixty per cent of our customers have either KT or Rimjhim (coffee version of KT)," 

The rest lap up the steaming dali thovve (with idli), golibaje and tuppa dosa.

KT was prepared using Kelaguru tea powder for 30 years and later switched on to Devagiri brand.

"Honestly, tea powder does not make a difference. The only criterion is that tea decoction has to be thick. It's actually the creaminess of milk plus the amount of sugar added is the differentiator," he says.

Holla has plans to upgrade the hotel, when pointed about cleanliness aspect. "We will have a new building as soon as NHAI decides how much they will acquire for the four lane," he adds.

Source:If it's chai, it should be Kalladka KT!.

Where is Bose?

India has 20 secret files relating to the 1945 disappearance of independence leader Subhash Chandra Bose.

Source: 'Secret files' on India hero Bose 

The Prime Minister's office says that none of the files have been disclosed to the public because they may "prejudicially affect relations with foreign states".

Correspondence relating to the files have been seen by the BBC.

Bose disappeared at the end of World War II after he sided with Japan.

Thousands of Indian soldiers joined a militia formed by him in the final years of the independence struggle.

Indian officers and soldiers of the British Indian Army - who were captured by the Japanese on the eastern front during the early years of World War Two - switched their loyalty to Bose and formed the core of the Indian National Army (INA).

Treacherous route

Now parliamentarian Sukhendu Sekhar Roy says he found out about the existence of the documents through various sources, but has repeatedly been denied the right to raise the issue in the upper house of parliament - the Rajya Sabha.

"I have tried to raise the issue at least seven to eight times," he told the BBC.

"But my questions were never allowed."

He says that he is now contemplating legal action because "the nation has a right to know how the hero of our freedom movement disappeared".

In 1941, Bose escaped from his Calcutta home despite the efforts of British police to catch him. He was under house arrest at the time.

Taking a treacherous route through Afghanistan, he reached Germany and met Hitler to request military help in ousting the British from India.

From there, he travelled to Japan to get Tokyo's help in forming the INA.
After rigorous training, the INA marched towards India through Burma and at one point even captured part of what is now the north-eastern Indian state of Manipur.

But it was forced to surrender after a British counter-attack - and in August 1945, Bose disappeared after last being seen at Taihoku airport.

After that, it remained a mystery what exactly happened to him.

Some believe that he died in a plane crash, others that he came back to India as a Hindu monk and some that he was kept in solitary confinement in Siberia.

After independence, several enquiry commissions were formed to find out what happened to him, but none produced conclusive findings. The most recent investigation - whose findings were disputed by the government - said that he did not die in an air crash.

"It's quite possible that if the secrets are revealed, our relationship with some foreign countries might get strained because they were involved in this 'conspiracy'," Mr Roy said.

"But my doubt is a few political leaders of that period were also involved in it and the government is trying to protect those leaders - who still enjoy immense respect from the people of India."

How to Grow Mint at Home in Pots-How to Grow Pudina

Growing Mint or for that matter any herbs is very easy and you do not need much space. A small balcony is enough to start a herb garden. As mint is easy to grow, you can start your own herb garden with mint. Homegrown mint is fragrant, flavorful, tastes better than what you get in the market and of course pesticide free. Today we will learn how to grown mint easily at home in pots/bags.

How to start 

You do not have to buy mint plant from the nursery. I personally feel, it is a waste of money. Get a bunch of mint/pudina from the local vegetable market. When buying mint from the market, select mint with thick stems as seen in the picture below.

Use the leaves for making dishes like mint pulao, mint thuvaiyal or mint chutney and reserve the thick stems.

The best time to plant is late in the day or in the evening after sunset. So in case if you are not planting them immediately, keep the stems in a glass of water as seen below.

Mint needs good quality, rich and well-drained soil. I used the same potting mixture, I used for growing vallarai/brahmi.

Before planting wet the soil. Then plant the stems in a pot/container/grow bags with some spacing between the stems. Sprinkle water well after planting. Make sure that the pot or container you are using has holes for proper drainage.

Ensure that the soil is moist (not wet nor dry), so avoid over watering.

Keep the mint plant in a place where it will receive morning sunlight and partial afternoon shade. Within a few days, you will find new leaves coming up. Add vermicompost once in 10 or 15 days.

As Mint spreads fast, make sure the pot/bag is broad enough.

Once fully grown, you can harvest mint leaves and enjoy using it in your dishes.