This is not funny any more

Let me bore you with a story that you must have heard many a times before.

Once there was a king. The king was very rich and was very arrogant. His richness had no limits neither were any limits to his wants. He always fancied new things, unique things. Things-things that will make him stand out from the rest. It was very important for him to stand out and he devoted most of his money and time possessing things which brought him admiration. His fascination about expensive things was well known around the world.
Taking advantage of his obsession, two thugs from a far off village thought of a plan.
They packed an empty box and gifted it to the king saying the empty box contains a royal dress made of unique fabric that only smart and intelligent can see. These thugs were heavily rewarded as the king never seen such a unique cloth practically never ever seen it.
Now the news was announced about this gift across the country. It was said the king is planning to wear it in his birthday. King was sure that it was going to be the biggest party ever as people from all around the world would present on the occasion and the dress will attract more people.
Finally the day arrived. People from every corner of the world were there just to see the dress king was going to wear as they all knew about the specialty of the fabric. The King arrived stalk naked. Every one present in the ceremony was praising the king and was admiring the non existed dress. Non in the crowd stood up to the king to say, he was not wearing anything. Everyone was scared of being called a stupid, to stand up and say what they really felt about the whole thing until a kid all of sudden started laughing and said… O look at the king, he walking naked.

Thank God we have kids. We have people who points out. We have people who don’t mind being ridiculed for asking questions. Thank God we have so called stupid people.
Gimmicks only attract lambs not humans. Humans ask questions, lambs don’t.

Last week I went to India habitat centre and was waiting for my friend to arrive. I saw a crowd standing in front of one of the art gallery. It was a big crowd I never saw such huge crowd in any exhibition. I avoided the crowd and walk straight and got my self seated under a tree and started watching a movie on my laptop. In few minutes my friend came and asked immediately about the crowd. I had no idea so we both thought of checking the exhibition just for kicks.

The exhibition was on Aboriginal art from Australia. That’s what I came to know after I read the captions below every painting. I did not see any Aboriginal people around there. There were many white skinned and browned skinned funny drunken people admiring the art of indigenous Australia. For me the whole thing was a sham. None of the paintings in the exhibition worth more than a minute to spend time on.

But then who am I to pass a judgment. I am not an Art critic. I know nothing of fine definitions of art. I just did not like what I saw, that’s it. Who am I to say anything when those painting were attracting such a big crowd?
Well painting did not attract that crowd the PR agency and the supply of free booze did. I tried and spend few minutes on each painting came out got myself a glass of Beer. I started chatting to my friend he did not like what he saw either. These paintings were sold from anywhere 60k to few lacs. But the drinks were for free for whosoever visited that exhibition.
Booze was the crowd puller.

After couple of free beers I saw a really drunk guy trying to start of a conversation with us. I thought as he his badly drunk and would be honest about the Art exhibition. But to my unpleasant surprise he started praising them. I don’t know how much of the Art he saw there but I was sure he had enough drinks not to be pretentious. I still don't know what was there to be liked? After a while I stared to hate that place and walked away.
I was wondering what if one day, one day there is an exhibition on Indian tribal painting. Will it pull so much of crowd. Can Madhubani or Saura painting can compete without booze on there side. I was sad by the time I left that place.

Yesterday I went to FICCI to watch Palas Sen and his band together known as Euphoria play Live. The event was, starting of a signature campaign on climate change sponsored by Oxfam India. Well personally I don’t like Euphoria that much not that that I hate them Just that I don’t like them when call themselves a Rock Band. But anyways I saw them live before. One thing is for sure they are honest to money they get or to the audience who come to see them. They give everything they have to the show. My problem is not with the band.

The programme was on climate change. And the Tag line said STOP HARMING START HELPING.

Are you kidding me this band uses all electronic musical instruments. There was special light and smoke arrangement to give it a concert feel.

Do you know how much energy is wasted on this. Doing a concert for lambs and for monkeys. Think out of the box. Make it an acoustic show if you really care anything about environment just for that day at least. Why was this show anyways, to gather crowd to fight forces leading to climate change. Whom all are you attracting? What is your message?

I don’t need thousands of lambs. All I want is one human being who is going to take a step of his own. Feel now. This is serious.
Please Think


Note:- The original story is from "The Emperor's New Clothes" by Danish poet and author Hans Christian Andersen