The Selfish Gene

I had purchased “The Selfish Gene” by Richard Dawkins sometime around May-2009, yet never came around to reading for almost 3 to 4 months. Reason: It was hidden out of sight in a drawer full of other papers. One day, while ransacking the drawer for something else, I came across the book… And once I began reading it, could hardly stop cursing myself for not having read it earlier.

The Selfish Gene carries forward Darwin’s theory of evolution. The central idea of the book is: it is the gene -- and not the species -- on which the natural selection works. The author describes at length how the genes ‘try’ their best to propagate themselves through the generations, and how this leads to the ‘survival of the fittest’. He puts forward the concept of an “evolutionary stable strategy’ and introduces quite a few new terms (such as ‘memes’) and phrases (the ‘selfish’ gene, to begin with!)

The book is enlightening in some ways, and disturbing in more than a few ways. It is enlightening, because it tells us a number of fascinating facts about our lives; it is disturbing, because it makes cringe about some of our thoughts and behaviours that seems all too normal so far.

Language is lucid, and author has taken pains to ensure that it doesn’t become boring. Richard Dawkins can be compared to Dan Brown in that he has a superb writing style, one that compels reader to read one chapter after the other.

A note of caution: this is a book that demands your absolute concentration; it is not something you read on a heavy stomach with eyes drooping, on way to an afternoon siesta. To be able to digest this book, it is advisable that you brush up a bit what you learnt about Gregor Mendel’s theory of genetics. It would also help if you know a bit about DNA, and genes.

The book could have done with some illustrations and diagrams. There are almost none. Hence it can be intimidating for a beginner to wade through pages and pages of dense text, which is loaded with terms from biology and genetics that are not exactly a common usage.

If you look forward to reading something that will not only tickle your grey cells, but pinch and prod them to think hard, then this is a book you ought to take up.

After finishing with The Selfish Gene, I have now taken up “The Blind Watchmaker” and look forward to a tryst with “The Extended Phenotype”.

Goa: How to visit, When to visit, What to see

Whenever I introduce myself – rather modestly – as “The Great G from Goa”, people usually tend to notice only the last part: Goa. Even though the world has become flat and UK, US, Australia have become backyards for frequent-travelers; Goa still remains a favourite tourist destination for most of Indians, and foreigners as well.

As a Goan, I often have to answer a barrage of questions from potential travelers to Goa. Rather than answering same questions over and again, I decided to put up this article to provide at some basic information. Needless to say, the would-be travelers are advised to make their own inquiries before setting out on the journey.

So here we go!

When to visit:
Goa can be visited any time of the year, but tourist season begins in October and continues up to the onset of monsoon in first week of June. The week from 25-December to 3-January is the peak season.
Goa receives about 100-120 inches of rainfall from June to September. This is the off-season and you can actually enjoy low tariff at hotels. However, the incessant rains and muddy beaches would rather restrict your plans.
If you have some time to spare, traveling by Konkan Railway from Mumbai to Goa, especially during rainy season, can be an experience to remember. The entire route is full of lush green forest cover, and has scores of long tunnels and high bridges to keep you enthralled all the way.

How to visit:
Goa enjoys excellent connectivity by road, rail and air with almost all major cities in India. Goa has three national highways: NH4A, NH17 and NH17A. NH17 connects Mumbai and Goa. Konkan Railway project runs through the state. All the airlines operate flights from the Dabolim airport, the only airport in Goa.
About a decade back, Damania Shipping operated a Catamaran ship service between Mumbai & Goa but it was stopped when Konkan railway became operational.

Accommodation:
Goa has a complete range of lodging facilities: right from five-star hotels like Cidade de Goa, Marriott, Taj and Park Hyat to Holiday Homes run by tourism department to low-cost living rooms. But if you really want to freak out, then shacks (i.e. bamboo huts raised on poles) on beaches is the option to go for!

How much time:
This entirely depends on how much time you have at your disposal. The least you should plan for is 3 days: 1 day each for North Goa & South Goa, and one day for shopping and relaxing on a beach. If you have more time, keep 2 days for North Goa, 2 days for South Goa, and 1 day for shopping/beach. That’s sufficient on all accounts.

Travel:
Goa Tourism Dept arranges bus tours that cover North Goa and South Goa in one day each. Most of the major hotels have their own sight-seeing tours. Apart from these, there are independent tour-organisers.
One of the best ways to see Goa is to hire bikes from one of the many rental services in Panjim, the capital city and set out to explore the state on your own, with the aid of a map.
Most of the roads are in a good condition, with ample road signs.

What to see:
Beaches: Goa – the land of Sun, sea and sand! The state is gifted with 110 km of west coast which contains about two dozen major and smaller beaches. Miramar, Calangute & Baga (near Panjim), Colva, Benaulim (near Margao), are the major ones, and hence more congested. There are some less frequently visited ones like Harmal near Pernem (North Goa) and Palolem near Canacona (South Goa).

Dona Paula, situated just a few kilometers from Miramar beach provides a breath-taking view of sea. One can enjoy water-sports here. There is a romantic/tragic story associated with the small hill-top from where tourists watch sunset.

For the ones who like peace & quiet, Morjim beach in North Goa is the place to try. The beach is at 'sangam' of the Zuari river with Arabian sea, and is a paradise for swimmers. Of late, this beach has become famous as breeding place for the rare Olive Ridley turtles.

Churches: The state was under Portuguese rule for more than 450 years. Catholicism is the more dominant of the Christian sects here. There are practically hundreds of beautiful churches all over the state, but the most famous are in Old Goa, where mummified body of St. Francis Xavier is preserved. It is taken for public view once in a decade.

Temples: My home town Ponda (pronounced Fonda) is ringed by all the major temples of Goa: Shantadurga, Manguesh, Mahalasa, Kamaxi, and Ramnath. The temples are managed by mahajans (priests) rather than government trusts, the main reason they are well-looked after as a personal property.

One good thing about temples in Goa is that you can spend considerable time having darshan of the deity, rather than being shooed away in a matter of seconds.
The big temples have huge chandeliers and glass lamps hung from the ceiling and when lit, they cast a beautiful sight. One can only imagine how the scene must have been when there was no electricity.
Dudhsagar waterfall: Deep in the Sahyadri ranges on eastern border of Goa, one can see the Dudhsagar waterfalls while traveling by train. The falls are at their best during the rainy season.

Apart from these, there are minor attractions like two wildlife sanctuaries.
Last few years, one major tourist attraction that is coming up in a major way is plantations such as Ela Pharma.
For the more adventurous, Tambdi Surla temple is recommended. It is small temple of Hemadpanthi architecture, built in 13th century. Folklore has it that a king cobra wraps itself around the Shiv-ling every night.

Calangute beach has Subodh Kerkar's art complex which is worth a visit.
The trip aboard Santa Monica cruise boat across river Mandovi is an experience to remember. There is a band and food and drinks are free (needless to say, included in the boat fare).

Food:
Goa is a paradise for fish-lovers (i.e. people who relish fish as their food!). There are lots of varieties of prawns, pomfrets, sardines, oysters and lobsters. Traditional Goan plate consists mainly of fish-curry, pickle and rice, washed down by the very refreshing solkadhii!
(Photo courtsey: Joel's Flickr album)
Fresh cashew nuts are available in many varieties, roasted/salted/ with husk/spiced.
Liquor, esp. beer is quite cheap. You can get good wine. FeNii (fermented cashew juice with a very high alcoholic content) is the local favourite. Mama Costa is a good place to try it out.

What to enjoy/buy:
T-shirts marked Goa and bamboo hats are available at very low prices on all major beaches and are quite a craze. Artifacts made from sea-shells, coral etc are good as souvenirs or gift items.
There is a midnight bazaar at Arapora… highly recommended for those who can make it.

All the major beaches have one or the other water sport: Motor Boat Rides, Parasailing, Water Scooter Rides, Water Skiing, and Windsurfing. Parasailing is a bit costly, but then the experience is truly out of this earth!

Recommended websites:
Official site of the state tourism board: www.goatourism.org/
Goa Tourism Development Corporation: www.goa-tourism.com/

People/Language etc.:
Goa is one of the most peaceful states in India. People have a susegad (laid-back) attitude towards life. There was a time when shops opened at 10 in morning and you would find hardly any shop open after 8 pm. Of course, things are changing, with malls and multiplexes sprouting up in all the major towns.
Goa has two state-languages: Konkani & Marathi. People can easily converse in either of these two, and are generally good in Hindi as well as English.

Though Goa is better known as a tourist destination, this tiny state, with a population of just 1.8 million has given India some of its best scientists (Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar, former Director General of CSIR and Dr Anil Kakodkar, Director of BARC), singers (the Mangeshkar family, Pdt Jitendra Abhisheki, Kishori Amonkar, Prabhakar Karekar, Remo Fernandes), artists (Mario Miranda), fashion designers (Wendell Rodricks), sportspersons (Leander Paes, Bruno Coutinho), Writers (Manoharrai Sardessai), Business leaders (Victor Menezes, Sumant Mulgaonkar), and so on.. Due to limited opportunities for high-end careers in the state, most of the Goan youth is spread all over the India & world.

Concluding Remarks:
The most important thing to remember is Goa is more about chilling out and relaxing, rather than rushing from one spot to another.

I extend you a warm welcome to my home-state, and hope that you have a good time!

Gently Falls the Bakula

Gently Falls the Bakula
- Sudha Murthy
Sudha Murthy is a well-known name in literary circles. Apart from being the wife of N R Narayan Murthy, the legendary software entrepreneur who founded Infosys, Mrs. Murthy has created an identity of her own as a writer. She also chairs the Infosys Foundation.
I have read a few of her books, “Wise & Otherwise” being one of them. Her stories are rooted in Indian soil and she has an uncomplicated narrative style. Gently Falls the Bakula is no exception.
The story is about a bright young man and a girl, who know each other from their school-days, fall in love and get married in spite of a family feud. Shrikant graduates from IIT-Bombay, joins a software firm and is on his way to become its director. Shreemati, though more intelligent than him, gives up her further studies and manages his house. After almost half a decade of marriage, she realizes that her husband has become too focused on his career and has no place for family matters or to think about her. Eventually, she takes a decision that leaves their family life shattered.
The novel was written more than three decades ago, in fact it was Sudha Murthy’s first Kannada novel. Hence it is difficult to surmise whether her views have changed over the years.

Nevertheless, I have some objections with the points raised in the novel.
To begin with, the couple has had a love marriage, they know each other quite well. Shreemati is well aware of the ambitious, hard-working nature of her husband, and in fact before their marriage she is proud of it. How come the same qualities turn against him after the marriage?

On the face of it, no one can deny that it is insensitive, indeed cruel, for any man or woman not to value a relationship and give it due share of time and attention. At the same time, one must take into account the practical realities of today’s work culture.
As a boy, I used to complain about my parents not giving sufficient time at home; in spite of the fact that they worked regular hours 10 AM to 6 PM, and always had Sundays and other holidays off, no matter what.
But in software industry, working 50-60 hours a week is the norm, and weekend offs is a dream that does not come true always. And not just the guys; the girls are nowhere behind when it comes to putting in long hours.
The point is: Would Mrs. Shreemati have held same views about not giving enough time, had she been working too? As per my opinion, there is never anything like giving ‘sufficient time’ at home; you may spend all the weekends at home every month, and yet the family members are more likely to complain that you do not give enough time during week-days!

Lastly, I find it difficult to justify her final decision. To say, “I expected these things from you, but you didn’t deliver, so am calling the whole thing off”, is more suitable for a business deal, but not for a relationship; especially one based on love and trust. Relationship is about giving the other person a chance to make up for the mistake… if he/she doesn’t wisen up even after you have pushed the matter in face, walking out of the door is not only advisable, it is strongly recommended.

I was glad to read this novel; it has definitely given me something to think about. Thanks to my office-colleague who shared the book with me!

[Book] The Catcher in the Rye

Very few fiction books leave the kind of impact that The Catcher in the Rye by J D Salinger does. But then, very few characters are as weird and whacky as Holden!
The narrator, Holden Caulfield, is a troubled teenager who has problems at school, at home and almost everywhere. He finds it difficult to get along with almost everybody, for he thinks they are phonies. The only exception is his younger sister, Phoebe, whom particularly adores. Another soft spot in his heart is his first crush, or perhaps love.

To some extent, Holden reminds one of Christopher Boone ( from The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time); but unlike Christopher, who is an autistic kid, Holden has his wits about him; only that he uses them to pass sarcastic judgments about the people he comes across. He makes some very accurate, if uncomfortable, observations about world.
The Catcher in the Rye makes for a fascinating read. It makes us aware of hypocrisy that goes around all the time, and the importance of being earnest. The language was considered scandalous by 1950s standards, when it came out, which resulted in many colleges banning it for years. Today it has become something of a cult book, for every one of us can identify ourselves having same thoughts as Holden at some point in our life.

The book ends on a very interesting note; in fact I consider the line is something of a gem.
I am so glad to have this book in my personal collection, all thanks to RVP.

Genius: The Life & Science of Richard Feynman

I read “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!” some years ago, and it still remains one of my favourite books. So when I came across Genius: The Life & Science of Richard Feynman by James Gleick, there were hardly any second thoughts about purchasing it outright.

The book opens with a classic Feynman quote, (one that a few of us pompous fellows could learn something from)… “I was born not knowing, and I have only had a little time to change that here and there.”

Unlike “Surely You're...” this biography attempts and succeeds as a serious approach to the life of one of the most nonconformist scientists. It discusses his childhood, the influence of his parents, esp. the father on young Richard’s thinking, and then traces a brilliant career that spans MIT, Princeton, Cornell and finally, the Caltech. It does fall the bit short on Feynman’s work on the atom bomb (the Manhattan Project) at Los Alamos, but the description of scientists’ thoughts and feelings on the day they successfully tested the first bomb (Trinity test – 5:30 AM, 16 July 1945) makes up for it.

Next, we read about Feynman’s involvement with quantum electrodynamics, for which he was awarded Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965 (shared with Julian Schwinger and Shinchiro Tomonaga). It is clear that the author has expected some familiarity with the terms of high-energy particle physics, without which these chapters become quite incomprehensible.

Feynman has been considered a fantastic teacher, for the way he tried to teach from the fundamentals and brushed aside anything that hindered creative, free-wheeling thinking. The “Feynman Lectures on Physics” have been regarded as classic textbooks for a student of higher physics.

The book concludes with Feynman’s role in the committee that investigated the Challenger Space Shuttle tragedy of 1986. In his characteristic way, Feynman approached the problem as a scientist would and discovered the root cause to be a lapse in adherence to the safety procedures by NASA.

What makes this particular biography special is the way it brings out the emotional, personal side of this maverick physicist. Feynman had a deeply emotional love for Arlene, whom he married in spite of protests of his parents (she had then-fatal tuberculosis of lungs). Their letters reveal a man of immense passion, integrity and strength. After Arlene’s death he seems to have tried to bury his grief in a series of torrid and short-lived affairs.

This biography is a must-read for everyone that wants to know the real man behind the mask of wise-crack we meet in “Surely You’re…”