The Old Man and the Kid: Bonding over Yellow-Dal!

The Old Man and the Kid: 

Bonding over Yellow-Dal!

How does he sense I’m on the terrace, the old man wondered. The terrace is not visible from the little strip of open-to-sky wash-area abutting the kitchen in the adjacent house, but the little boy hails the old man every day as soon as the latter begins his low-intensity strength-training exercise after return from a brisk morning walk.

Uncle, where are you? I can’t see you.

Here I am. The old man came near the dwarf terrace wall.

Why are you nangu?

I’m not.

Where’s your shirt?

Oh, I’m saying my prayers to Sun, ‘Om, Suryaya Namah. Please give me vitamin D. He orders me not to wear a shirt while praying.

Why don’t you pray to Ganapati Bappa Moriya, Mangal-murti Moriya? He’s the greatest god.

Who told you that?

My Dad.

Well, I also pray to Ganapati Bappa, but for my vitamin D, I pray to Surya.

~~~

Uncle, why do you eat yellow dal daily?

It’s healthy food, full of protein, and builds my muscles.

I, too, eat yellow dal. Check my muscles. They’re stronger than yours. He shows off the tiny bicep of his right arm, and noticing uncle’s unspoken doubt, challenges him to a panja-duel which he wins! I told you; my muscles are very strong!

How come? You eat unhealthy food; the other day, I saw you munching a packet of kurkure. Don’t you also eat pizza, Maggie noodles, chocolates, ice-cream, and drink coke?

Relax, uncle, I don’t eat that daily. Mama makes for me atta noodles with lots of vegetables, and she makes fresh orange juice which I love. I also eat bananas, apples, papaya, and other fruits.

He has figured out that the old man is obsessed with healthy food; and makes it a point to occasionally tease him: Uncle, today I ate  a burger, and drank a glass of coke! He loves it when uncle disapproves and frowns.

~~~

The old couple were seated at the table at 7.30 pm, as usual, and the cook was about to serve dinner when he rushed in, pulled his favourite chair, and declared, ‘Today, I won’t have dinner with you.’

Why? Not hungry?

Papa has told me, ‘You can’t have dinner daily with uncle and aunty.’ He has cooked chicken biryani, but we’ll have dinner when Mama returns from office. She has a lot of work, you know, which she must finish before coming home. Or else, her Boss would be angry.

He smelled the aroma wafting from the kitchen, barged into it and asked the cook, ‘Ramesh uncle, have you made yellow dal today?’

Yes, I’ve.

How much?

A lot.

A whole bowl?

Yes.

He returned to his seat at the table, and said, ‘Okay, I’ll just have a katori of dal only, and then go home for dinner.’

Why don’t you wash your hands, reminded uncle. He went to the basin and washed his hands with liquid soap, wiped his hands on his shirt, and chuckled when uncle frowned.

Ramesh served him dal. Before the roti arrived, he had polished it off.

May I have more dal, please?

Of course.

His katori was refilled.

May I have one roti, please, to go with this yummy dal?

He was given a roti which he shredded into small pieces, and dipped it in dal. Then he ate a piece at a time. Once finished, he asked, ‘Is dal finished?’

No, we have more.

How much?

A big bowl full.

May I have some more dal and another roti, please? What if I eat your whole bowl of dal? What will you eat?

No problem. We’ve the lauki curry.

The little guest is five years old, a very active child, and with a robust appetite. But his yearning for yellow dal surpasses his love for chicken biryani and other favourite foods – pizza, pasta, noodle. He’s fine with any dal so long as it’s yellow in colour - moong, chana, or tuar. 

(The Kid: Happy even without yellow-dal!)

Once, the cook had made chilke-wala moong dal. This is NOT yellow dal, he protested.

It's moong dal, a yellow dal, but with skin which makes it healthier and yummier, said uncle. He took a spoonful, readily agreed, and demanded and finished several servings.

Don’t you make yellow dal at home? Uncle asked.

‘My Dad makes yellow dal, but he puts chilli in it. Ramesh uncle makes it best.’

If he were a judge in a cookery competition for yellow dal, Ramesh would win for sure, and might even win a Michelin Star!

The old couple is yet to meet another child who is so fond of the humble yellow dal. Someone should check the data for India’s import of lentils, it might have gone up substantially in the last five years, thought the old man.

***

 

 

 

Be A Child Again, Watch Matilda The Musical

Have you watched Matilda The Musical? If not fond of musicals, have you watched Matilda, the film? Both are on Netflix.

Oh, I’ve jumped the gun. Let me begin at the beginning. Have you read any or all these books: Matilda, Anne of Green Gables, Alice’s Adventures in the Wonderland, Harry Potter series, Jungle Book, Malgudi Days, and The Blue Umbrella?

But, I’m an adult; why should I read children’s books? You may ask.

Well, you should read children’s books. Because, these books are relevant and meaningful. Because, once upon a time you were a child, ever eager and excited to embark upon a journey to a spectacular world of imagination which filled you with a sense of wonder and even awe, and gave you goosebumps when your favourite characters were faced with imminent danger. That was before adults drilled into you that the real world which mattered was very, very different from the fictional world which must be trashed.

Also, children’s stories are mostly written by adults, not children. These are meant for children, but the good stories are never infantile. The narrative is simple but not simplistic, never dumbed down for the target readers. Often, children’s stories speak as much to the kids as to the adults – parents, family, elders, teachers, and mentors.

“A children's story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children's story in the slightest,” said C.S. Lewis.

So, consider a voyage to the wonderful world of children’s literature, and watch children’s films, whenever you can. To begin with - watch Jungle Book, Malgudi Days, The Blue Umbrella, The Lion King, Finding Nemo, WALL-e. There are many other gems.

A few days ago, I bought a Kindle copy of Matilda (1987) by Roald Dahl with illustrations by Quentin Blake for INR 139.39. I had watched Matilda, the 1996 film a few years ago, had loved it; and recently watched Matilda The Musical (2022) and greatly enjoyed it - as much as I had enjoyed My Fair Lady, an enchanting musical for adults based on G.B. Shaw’s Pygmalion.

Why did I read the book after watching the film and the musical? Wasn’t it boring to read a story which I already knew very well? No. The film and the musical are both based upon the novel, but reading the novel is pleasurable on its own merit. I loved the author’s narrative style, and his ability to create with sheer words a fascinating, yet complex, world. No wonder, Roald Dahl’s children’s books were bestsellers, and have sold more than 300 million copies worldwide.

You are not alone!

Who is Matilda? A little girl in a small English village, so neglected by her parents that she could as well be an orphan. Like Anne of Green Gables. Her father is a crook; he buys stolen cars, refurbishes, and sells. Her mother is convinced that girls need looks not books to get a rich husband and a good life. Every day she drives away to her bingo parties leaving Matilda, a four-year old alone at home (wasn’t that illegal?) to receive parcels and packages. But Matilda is a precocious child who loves to read. After finishing Easy Cooking, the only book at home, she went to her father and said, ‘I want a book.’ Her dad snapped:

“A BOOK?! WHAT D'YOU WANNA FLAMING BOOK FOR?...WE'VE GOT A LOVELY TELLY WITH A 12-INCH SCREEN AND NOW YA WANNA BOOK!”

The four-year old girl was disappointed, yet unfazed. She was unstoppable, took matters into her own hands, walked ten blocks daily to the public library and devoured all the books in the children’s section after which she went on to read big books for GROWN-UPS with the guidance of Mrs Phelps, the helpful librarian.

“So Matilda’s strong young mind continued to grow, nurtured by the voices of all those authors who had sent their books out into the world like ships on the sea. These books gave Matilda a hopeful and comforting message: You are not alone.”

Matilda: Book-lover

Matilda was reluctantly put to Crunchem Hall Primary School rather late by her callous parents.  

Which books had she already read when she joined school?

Roald Dahl feared that the inexorable march of the telly – the brazen, boorish, loud, flashy, exhibitionist new kid in the block – might bully the meek, gentle, self-effacing books to retreat to a dark corner. That is why he made Matilda an adorable bibliophile; her extensive reading taking her  on an exciting journey ROUND THE WORLD.

Matilda, the Novel

Read it. I guess you’d enjoy it. Gift it to a child. She’d love it. Roald Dahl authored many popular children’s novels and stories.[i]

Matilda was the author’s last novel for children. Interestingly, Matilda was a wicked girl in the first draft of the novel. Dahl was unhappy about it, trashed the draft, and rewrote the novel transforming Matilda into the adorable, intelligent girl who refuses to suffer bullying at home or at school, and acts to help herself, her schoolmates, and her teacher - Ms. Honey.

Her father had bullied her:

“I'm right and you're wrong, I'm big and you're small, and there's nothing you can do about it.”

The sadistic Principal Miss Trunchbull enjoyed bullying and tormenting the kids. Matilda decided that enough was enough, and she chose to do something about it. What could a mere child do against authoritarian, arrogant, and unreasonable adults? Much, when a bright girl proceeds to right wrongs and is helped by her magical power of telekinesis!

Matilda has been adapted into stage musicals and films, each bringing unique interpretations to the beloved story. A list of the stage productions and films is at endnotes.[ii]

Matilda, the Film

Great performance by Mara Wilson as Matilda and Pam Ferris as Miss Trunchbull. Sadly, the film was not a box-office hit.

Matilda The Musical

Matilda the Musical (Stage Production) is running since 2011, with over 4,874 performances in London’s West End.

Matilda the Musical (2022 Film) grossed $37.3 million at the box office, with additional viewership on Netflix.

Here’s the link for the delightful songs in the musical: https://youtu.be/-kURfS7FOhM?feature=shared

Sing & Spell

If you were the teacher, how would you help your primary school students to spell difficulty, especially when some of the kids are still struggling to spell cat  (K-A-T?) and what (W-H-O-T)? Here’s Ms. Honey’s inspired rhyme:

“Mrs D, Mrs I, Mrs FFI,

Mrs C, Mrs U, Mrs LTY.

That spells DIFFICULTY!'

How perfectly ridiculous!' snorted Miss Trunchbull, a spinster. 'Why are all these women married?”

---

[i]  Brief CV of Roald Dahl

•        Born: September 13, 1916, in Llandaff, Wales.

•        Died: November 23, 1990, in Oxford, England.

•        Career: British novelist, short-story writer, poet, screenwriter, and wartime fighter pilot.

•        Military Service: Served in the Royal Air Force (RAF) during World War II.

•        Notable Works: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, The BFG, The Witches.

•        Awards: British Book Awards' Children's Author of the Year (1990), World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement (1983).

•        Legacy: His books have sold over 300 million copies worldwide, making him one of the most influential children's authors.

 

[ii] Matilda: Stage Productions and Films

Matilda has been adapted into stage musicals and films, each bringing unique interpretations to the beloved story.

Stage Productions

•        Matilda the Musical (2010) – Premiered with the Royal Shakespeare Company, featuring music by Tim Minchin and a book by Dennis Kelly.

•        West End & Broadway (2011–2013) – The musical became a global success, winning seven Olivier Awards and five Tony Awards.

•        International Productions – Matilda the Musical has been staged in Australia, South Korea, Japan, and South Africa, among other countries.

Film Adaptations

•        Matilda (1996) – Directed by Danny DeVito, this live-action adaptation starred Mara Wilson as Matilda and Pam Ferris as Miss Trunchbull.

•        Matilda the Musical (2022) – A film adaptation of the stage musical, directed by Matthew Warchus, starring Alisha Weir as Matilda and Emma Thompson as Miss Trunchbull.

 

To Believe or Not to Believe?

Fake-news pandemic

Do you use social media? Do you watch news and debates on TV? Do you read newspapers? How do you manage to sieve mountains of chaff to find the elusive kernels of truth? How do you handle the half-truths, the untruths, and the blatant untruths which bombard you daily?

I asked a few friends. One said: I no longer read newspapers. Another has no social media account. A total waste of time, she said. But, I guess, you may not have resorted to such extreme measures.

Press Information Bureau (PIB)  has issued an advisory (@PIBFactCheck) regarding misinformation and a fake video claiming to pertain to the unfortunate Air India plane crash at Ahmedabad on 12 Jun, 2025. Why would anyone circulate a fake video on the terrible accident in which so many lives were lost, and for which the whole country mourns and grieves? Maybe, the person forwarding the video believed it to be true, and was eager to share it with his contacts at once. It was an old video from Lebanon.

Who creates these viral posts and why? Fake-posts are  by design sensational, exciting, manipulative; and circulate six times faster than simple, unadorned, dull truth. Some are fabricated in pursuance of an explicit or hidden evil agenda - to whip up communal or mob frenzy. Others are to confuse, confound, misinform, and misguide. Many posts are promotional; marketing a product, a political ideology, or an idea. A few may be just for fun while others may be pranks and jokes – usually at the cost of the ‘other.’ Maybe, a do-gooder believes in a magic therapy or solution, and resolves to spread it for the benefit of humankind, as was widely noted during Covid 19. World Health Organisation (WHO) termed it as infodemic.

Social media, with about 5.4 billion subscribers, is truly big, all-pervasive, and impacts the lives of users in more ways than they realise. Billions of messages, photos, videos, and audios are circulated 24x7, swiftly manufactured by creators including AI-enabled Deepfake fabricators, and lapped up by credulous, unquestioning consumers. Sadly, it suffers from a pandemic of fakes. If modern life is a city, and social media its high-streets; it is littered with garbage everywhere, and more is dumped every second with no garbage cleaners in sight. The putrid smell is insufferable except for those who now accept it as the new normal.

Fables on Untruth & Truth

All cultures have their morality tales about Truth and Untruth. Aesop’s tale about the shepherd boy who cried wolf is cautionary: Telling a lie can be dangerous, for the person who often lies will not be believed even when he tells the truth. Panchatantra has a contrarian tale: the Brahmin with a goat who was persuaded by three charlatans that the goat was a dog! Untruth repeated by many begins to sound like truth!

Puranic Fake-news

Fake news is not an invention or a  fabrication of the sick, convoluted modern mind. Puranic fake-stories are quite well-known. Yudhisthira lied to Drona about Ashwatthama’s death, and the lie was orchestrated by none other than Krishna. Truth alone does not win a war!

Samba - Krishna’s son, dressed up as a pregnant woman, and his playmates asked a rishi, all in jest, about the gender of the baby in the womb. The rishi saw through the prank and cursed that the prankster would give birth to a mushala (an iron mace) which would decimate the Yadava clan.

In Ramayana, a washerman made a slanderous remark about Sita’s character, based on a rumour that was going viral in Ram Rajya. It was fake-news. Ram knew the truth since he had already subjected Sita to agni pareeksha. Yet, he banished his pregnant wife to the forest believing that to be his Rajdharma.

Dictators have  a different Rajdharma: Kill those who doubt the untruth promoted by the state, and those who dare tell the truth.

Puranic fake-news had significant consequences. Drona quit fighting after hearing Yudhisthira’s lie, and Kauravas lost the Mahabharata war. Samba’s fake-pregnancy resulted in decimation of the Yadava clan including Krishna’s death by Jara’s arrow, the sharpened, deadly tip of which came from the cursed mushala. Malicious, slanderous rumour about Sita’s purity led to the banishment of the innocent Sita and the innocent children in her womb.

Recent Fake-news

You may have read one or more of the following Fake-news:

·      When transporting elephants by plane, the cabin is filled with chicks. The elephants are so concerned about crushing the chicks to death that they stay immobile for the entire duration of the flight!

·      Horses are immune to the poison of the deadliest cobra, owing to which these animals are used to manufacture anti-venom vaccine!

·      BHU Foundation was laid by Sant Attar Singh, a Sikh saint!

·      Newton made two holes in a wall in his house for the convenience of his cats – a small one for the smaller cat, and a big one for the bigger cat!

·      New York Times published a Front-Page article in praise of PM Modi!

Not all fake-news are malevolent!

Did you watch the adorable video of two Hiroshima survivors – Kenji on violin and Sayuri on the piano - performing after 80 years of the 1945 holocaust; in a huge auditorium before a live audience with several breaking down to tears?

Had you checked for the source, you’d have easily found the You Tube link which candidly states that it is an AI-generated video created for ‘fun.’ There was no evil agenda, and no wish to hurt anyone; but rather to evoke human sympathy for the unfortunate victims of the man-made disaster.

Fact-check Tools & Portals

Social media giants (Meta, YouTube, TikTok, X) have adopted fact-checking, content removal, demotion algorithms, warning labels, and improved policies to tackle misinformation. Governments and other global organisations have also formulated laws, regulations, and policies to contain the infodemic.

CoPilot’s list of leading Fact-Checking Platforms:

Global Fact-Checking Platforms

• FactCheck.org – A non-partisan fact-checking site focused on U.S. politics and misinformation.
• Snopes – One of the oldest fact-checking websites, debunking myths, hoaxes, and viral misinformation.
• PolitiFact – Specializes in verifying political claims, using a "Truth-O-Meter" rating system.
• Reuters Fact Check – A global news agency fact-checking viral claims and misinformation.
• AFP Fact Check – Operated by Agence France-Presse, focusing on international misinformation.
• Full Fact – A UK-based fact-checking organization covering politics, health, and social issues.
• Lead Stories – Uses AI-powered tools to detect false claims and viral misinformation.
• Africa Check – A leading fact-checking organization focused on African news and misinformation.

Global AI Fact-Checking Tools

• LongShot AI – Uses advanced AI to cross-reference text with trusted sources, ensuring accuracy.
• Detecting AI Fact Checker – Provides real-time fact verification and error detection.
• EarthCheckr – Focuses on environmental fact-checking using AI-driven verification.
• Indicator Media – Offers investigative tools for detecting misinformation and digital manipulation.

These tools leverage machine learning and natural language processing to analyse claims and verify sources.

Fact-Checking Platforms in India

• Alt News – A well-known Indian fact-checking site debunking misinformation and fake news.
• Boom Live – Focuses on verifying viral claims, political statements, and social media misinformation.
• Factly – Provides fact-checks on government policies, social issues, and viral news.
• The Quint WebQoof – A fact-checking initiative by The Quint, debunking fake news in India.
• India Today Fact Check – A dedicated team verifying viral claims and political misinformation.

These platforms are part of the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN), ensuring credibility and transparency.

Conclusion

We’re condemned to swim in a sea filled with the floating garbage of fake news, stories, and videos. How do we stay afloat and alive?

Long ago, S.T. Coleridge explained why the audience enjoyed a drama which they knew was entirely fictional. They created for themselves a ‘willing suspension of disbelief’ for the duration of the play. In a fictional world, animals could talk, and monkeys could fly. That is also the world of Super-man, Spiderman, James Bond, and the invincible Bollywood hero.

However, today in the world of social media, a contrarian attitude to ‘willing suspension of disbelief’ is required. What should we call it? Shining searchlight of scepticism?

Should scepticism be our main course, or just a modest daily dose of iodised salt?

For every post that is forwarded to us, what may we ask? True or False? Wolf, Goat, or Dog?

Maybe True, or Not? Maybe Untrue, or Not?

To believe or not to believe? That’s the question.

***

Postscript

AI-171 crash dt 12/06/2025

On Jun 15, the following WhatsApp message has been ‘Forwarded’ by some users:

“Here are the latest *verified updates* on the Air India AI-171 crash investigation, based on India's AAIB *preliminary report* released today (*June 15, 2025*)”.

I ran a fact-check. No AAIB preliminary report has been released. It’s FAKE-NEWS.

The following two paras were added on 24/06/25:

Lord Jagannatha's Golden Well

In a WhatsApp video, a devotee claims that for the ritual annual bath of the deities on Jyestha Purnima, aka Deba Snana Purnima, the Golden Well in Srimandira premises mysteriously fills with water and as soon as the snana is over, the water empties out. The water comes from Vaikuntha Loka, asserts the devotee. He also mentions that 1008 pots of water are poured over the deities.

It’s FAKE-NEWS.

It's true that there is a well, called Subarna-kupa, which is earmarked for the bathing ceremony on Jyestha Purnima, and is kept covered during the remainder of the year.

That the well remains dry for the entire year and fills only on that special day is untrue.

Also, the deities are bathed in 108 pots of water, not 1008 pots.

Lord Jagannatha's Fever

In another WhatsApp video, an allopathic doctor narrates a story he had heard from two senior doctors - one a devotee, and the other a sceptic.

The deities fall ill for a fortnight during which they are provided herbal medication and restorative diet. This is known as the Anasara period.

Since 2014, following ruling by Puri Shankaracharya, darshan of the deities is not allowed during this period; prior to that devotees could even touch the deities. Once, before 2014, both the senior doctors went to Srimandira for darshan of the deities recuperating on Anasara Pindi. The sceptic doctor had taken along a thermo-metre which he thrust into the right armpit of Lord Jagannath, but he was pushed out in 30 seconds by the huge crowd. Upon checking the thermo-metre, he noted a reading of 106 degree F! Lord Jagannatha, indeed, had high fever, conceded the sceptic doctor.

A clever story. A hearsay - cannot be proved or disproved. At present, no one except the daita sevayats can approach the deities during the anasara period. So, a temperature test cannot be performed ever again!

The anecdotal story must be believed, the persuasive narrator suggests.

It is for the readers to believe, or not to believe.