My Favourite Short Stories - Part 1 - The Night Train at Deoli
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Life Management
STANDARD OF LIVING vs QUALITY OF LIFE
Short Fiction
The Monkey Trap
Short Fiction
The Monkey Trap
By
VIKRAM KARVE
This morning while out on my walk in the verdant hills breathing pure fresh air and watching my pet dog Sherry gambol, cavort and play in sheer enjoyment I thought of this story, one of my favourites, The Monkey Trap…so here it is, Dear Reader…
“Come, Vijay,” Captain Naik said, leading me into his study, “I’ll show you something interesting.”
He opened a cupboard, pulled out a strange-looking contraption and laid it on the table.
I looked at it, confused but curious.
The peculiar apparatus consisted of a hollowed-out coconut attached to a solid iron chain, about two feet long, with a large metal stake at the other end.
“You know what this is?” he asked.
“No,” I answered.
“I got this in
He looked at me and explained:
Look at this hole. It’s just big enough so that the monkey’s hand to go in, but too small for his fist filled with rice to come out.
The monkey reaches in, grabs the rice and is suddenly trapped. Because his greed won’t allow him to let go of the rice and extricate his hand, the monkey remains trapped, a victim of his greed, until he is captured.
The monkey cannot see that freedom without the rice is more valuable than capture with it.
That’s what happens to most of us. Probably it’s the story of your life too. Think about it.”
I thought about it and said, “Suppose I quit the merchant navy. What will I do?”
“Why don’t you join me?” Captain Naik suggested, “It’s a comfortable job. It’s professionally satisfying, and you will have plenty of time for your family too. Besides, I need people like you. Of course, you won’t get your few thousand dollars, but the pay is quite good by Indian standards.”
Captain Naik was the director of a maritime training institute in
At first I wondered whether he had a vested interest, but I knew that was not true. Captain Naik had been my mentor and well-wisher; it was he who had groomed me when I had been a cadet on his ship many years ago, and always showered me with his patronage later too, when I was a junior officer. That’s why I had made it a point to visit him the moment my ship touched Murmagao port.
For the next six months, as I sailed on the high seas, I could not forget the ‘monkey trap’ – in fact, it haunted me.
And soon I knew what my decision would be.
But first, I would have to discuss it with my wife.
Truly speaking, that was not really necessary.
My wife would be the happiest person on earth.
For I could clearly recall every word of the vicious argument we had just before I left home about seven months ago.
It was our tenth wedding anniversary and we had thrown a small party.
As I walked towards the kitchen door, I noticed my wife, Anjali, engrossed in a conversation with her childhood friend Meena, their backs toward me.
“Tell me, Anjali,” Meena was saying, “If you could live your life again, what is the one thing you would like to change?”
“My marriage…!” Anjali answered.
I was stunned and stopped in my tracks, dumbstruck, at the kitchen door.
After the party was over, I confronted Anjali, “What were you doing in the kitchen all the time with that Meena friend of yours? You should have circulated amongst the important guests,”
“I feel out of place in your shippie crowd,” Anjali answered.
“My shippie crowd…!” I thundered. “And you regret marrying me, do you?”
I paused for a moment, and then said firmly, “Listen Anjali, you better stop associating with riffraff like Meena. Think of our status.”
“Riffraff…!” Anjali was staring at me incredulously, “I too was also what you call ‘riffraff’ once. And quite happy too! What’s the use of all these material comforts and all this money and so-called status? None of it can compensate for the companionship and security of a husband. This loneliness, it is corrosive; eating into me. Sometimes I feel you just wanted a caretaker to look after your parents, your house, and of course, now your children; a sentry to hold the fort while you gallivant around for months at a time. And that’s why you married a simple middle-class girl like me; or rather you bought me! That’s what you think, isn’t it…?”
I winced when she said, ‘bought’.
But in a certain way, I knew it was true, and that is why I lost my temper and shouted, “I don’t gallivant around – It’s hard earned money I have to slog and undergo hardship for! I do it for all of you. And yes indeed! I bought you. Yes I may have bought you…but that is because you were willing to sell yourself. Remember one thing. No one can buy anything unless someone is willing to sell it.”
I instantly regretted my words realizing that they would only worsen the gaps in our relationship. Gaps I had failed to fill all these ten years by expensive gifts and material comforts.
That is what I was always doing – always trying to use money to fill gaps in our relationship.
And now, almost six months later, I was flying home after handing over command – for the last time.
This was my last ship. I had made my decision.
It was probably the meeting with Captain Naik and the ‘monkey trap’ which clinched the issue, but my decision was final.
I had even written to him and would be joining him at his maritime training institute in a month.
But I did not write or tell Anjali. For her I wanted it to be a surprise – the happiest moment of her life! And mine too.
I didn’t hire a luxury air-conditioned taxi from Mumbai airport to take me direct to my house in Pune like I always did. I knew I would have to get used to a bit of thrift and frugality and being less lavish in the future.
So I took a bus to Dadar Station and caught the Deccan Express at seven in the morning.
I was travelling light – no expensive gifts this time, and it being off-season, I was lucky to get a seat in an unreserved second-class compartment.
When I reached home at about lunch time, I was shocked to find my wife Anjali missing.
My old parents were having lunch by themselves; my children were at school.
When Anjali arrived at two in the afternoon, I was stunned by the metamorphosis in her appearance – designer dress, fashionable jewellery, hair done up, fancy make-up – painted like a doll; in short, the works.
“What a surprise!” she exclaimed on seeing me. “Why didn’t you call up and tell us you were coming…?”
“Anjali, I want to talk to you. It is something important,” I said.
“Not now,” she said, almost ignoring me. “I am already late. I just came for a quick change of clothes. Something suitable for the races…”
“Races…?” I could not believe my ears…!
“Don’t you know? Today is the
“New car…?” I asked dumbfounded.
“The old one looks cheap. I hate to be seen in it. It doesn’t befit our status at all. We must have something good – the latest luxury limousine. I know we can afford it.”
The next few days passed in a haze of confusion, punctuated by one surprise after another from Anjali. She wanted a deluxe flat in one of those exclusive townships, to send our children to an elite boarding school in Mussoorie of all places, membership to time-share holiday resorts, a farmhouse near Lonavala, and on and on – her demands were endless.
And in between she would ask me, “Vijay, I hope you are happy that I am trying to change myself. It’s all for your sake. You were right. It is money and status that matter. Without a standard of living, there can be no quality of life…!”
I did not know whether to laugh or cry.
That she was once a simple domesticated middle-class girl whose concept of utopia was a happy family life was now but a distant memory to her.
Anjali was no longer the simple girl I once knew - she has metamorphosed into a high-society wife.
To ‘belong’ was now the driving force of her life.
I wish I could give this story a happy ending.
But I will tell you what actually happened.
First, I rang up my shipping agent in Mumbai and told him to get me the most lucrative contract to go to sea as soon as possible.
Then I wrote a long letter to Captain Naik regretting my inability to join him immediately.
But I also wrote in that letter asking him to keep his offer of the teaching job open just in case there was a reverse transformation in Anjali – back to her earlier self.
I am an optimist and I think it will happen someday.
And I hope the day comes fast – when both of us, Anjali and I, can free ourselves from the Monkey Traps of our own making.
Dear Reader, close your eyes and ponder a bit.
Have you entangled yourself in monkey traps of your own making…?
Think about it…!
Reflect…!
And in your mind’s eye visualize all your very own self-created Monkey Trap in which you have entangled yourself.
What are you waiting for?
The solution is in your hands.
Just let go, and free yourself.
But is it that easy?
Ask yourself – What is more important: Freedom or golden manacles…?
What do you value more: standard of living or quality of life…?
I wonder, Dear Reader, if I shall ever be able to free myself from the manacles of the ‘Monkey Trap’ of my own making and can my high society wife ever become the simple middle-class girl I once knew…?
And do tell me:
Is it true that without a standard of living, there can be no quality of life…!
VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve 2010
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Monday, February 15, 2010
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Tuesday, September 22, 2009
LAST POST - OBITUARY P D JOSHI ( 6th March 1932 - 22nd September 2008)
REMEMBERING "DADDY"
[A Repost of my heartfelt tribute to my Father-in-Law who left for his heavenly abode exactly one year ago on 22nd September 2008]
LAST POST
In the early hours of the 22nd of September 2008, Pratap Dattatraya Joshi, breathed his last, and departed for his heavenly abode, at the Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital in Pune.
Pratap Joshi was an epitome of simple living and high thinking. Born on the 6th of March 1932, he imbibed sterling values from his father, DP Joshi, a Teacher and Scout, a legend in his lifetime.
A product of the prestigious First Course of the National Defence Academy [or 1st JSW, as he liked to call it], Brigadier PD Joshi was certainly not the archetypal pompous hard-drinking handlebar-moustached high-falutin Colonel Blimp type of Officer.
He was a simple, down-to-earth, Spartan, unassuming, dedicated, sincere, patriotic, scrupulously honest, erudite person possessing a golden heart filled with humility and compassion. Throughout his distinguished career spanning 37 years, and even thereafter, he spread happiness, benevolence and goodwill owing to his cheerful disposition, kind-hearted nature and inimitable sense of humour.
Forever young at heart, Pratap Joshi did not suffer from the Auld Lang Syne Complex. After retirement he did not live in the past, languishing, melancholic and brooding about the “good old days”, but moved on with exceptional enthusiasm and childlike zeal to his new passions and loves – music and social work.
Starting from the scratch, he studied classical music with sheer dedication, resolute grit and passionate zest for many years till he was bestowed with the prestigious post graduate degree of Sangeet Alankar. Then he taught music to one and all, free of cost, making special efforts to teach the needy and underprivileged.
Travelling extensively, and roughing it out in the heart of the mofussil, to rural and far flung regions, he made a significant social contribution to enhancing primary education in backward areas, as the Chief Trustee of the Natu Foundation Educational Trust. He eagerly contributed his expertise to Jnana Prabodhini and for improving the efficiency of Hospitals.
Pratap Joshi loved animals, especially dogs. He always had pet dogs, and showered his unconditional love on them and all the dogs that he came across in the neighbourhood, pet and stray. It was distressing to see his pet dog Dolly desperately searching for him soon after he had gone away from us forever. We shall always remember the love with which he snuggled and cuddled Sherry, our Doberman girl, when she was a baby.
He had a genuine zest for living, and enjoyed every moment of his life, indulging himself in his favourite foods, movies, travel, music – anything he liked, he did it! He laughed, and made others laugh.
I first met Pratap Joshi in March 1982 and he left such a lasting impression on me that I became his fan ever since. He was my father-in-law, more like a loving father who I could count on to stand by me, advice and inspire me, in happiness and in adversity, and I shall forever cherish every moment I shared with him.
My son, a seafarer, was his favourite grandchild, the apple of his eye. It was a pity he couldn’t be with his beloved grandfather during his last moments as he was sailing on the high seas. Such are the tragedies and travesties of life, and death.
We will miss you dearly “Daddy”.
You lived your life to its fullest and loved all of us from the bottom of your heart. We are sure you will shower us with your blessings from your heavenly abode.
You were a noble, virtuous and morally upright man who always wished well and did good to everyone you met and wherever you went. May your Soul Rest in Peace. RIP.
VIKRAM KARVE
vikramkarve@sify.com
vikramkarve@hotmail.com
http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
[A Repost of my heartfelt tribute to my Father-in-Law who left for his heavenly abode exactly one year ago on 22nd September 2008]
LAST POST
In the early hours of the 22nd of September 2008, Pratap Dattatraya Joshi, breathed his last, and departed for his heavenly abode, at the Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital in Pune.
Pratap Joshi was an epitome of simple living and high thinking. Born on the 6th of March 1932, he imbibed sterling values from his father, DP Joshi, a Teacher and Scout, a legend in his lifetime.
A product of the prestigious First Course of the National Defence Academy [or 1st JSW, as he liked to call it], Brigadier PD Joshi was certainly not the archetypal pompous hard-drinking handlebar-moustached high-falutin Colonel Blimp type of Officer.
He was a simple, down-to-earth, Spartan, unassuming, dedicated, sincere, patriotic, scrupulously honest, erudite person possessing a golden heart filled with humility and compassion. Throughout his distinguished career spanning 37 years, and even thereafter, he spread happiness, benevolence and goodwill owing to his cheerful disposition, kind-hearted nature and inimitable sense of humour.
Forever young at heart, Pratap Joshi did not suffer from the Auld Lang Syne Complex. After retirement he did not live in the past, languishing, melancholic and brooding about the “good old days”, but moved on with exceptional enthusiasm and childlike zeal to his new passions and loves – music and social work.
Starting from the scratch, he studied classical music with sheer dedication, resolute grit and passionate zest for many years till he was bestowed with the prestigious post graduate degree of Sangeet Alankar. Then he taught music to one and all, free of cost, making special efforts to teach the needy and underprivileged.
Travelling extensively, and roughing it out in the heart of the mofussil, to rural and far flung regions, he made a significant social contribution to enhancing primary education in backward areas, as the Chief Trustee of the Natu Foundation Educational Trust. He eagerly contributed his expertise to Jnana Prabodhini and for improving the efficiency of Hospitals.
Pratap Joshi loved animals, especially dogs. He always had pet dogs, and showered his unconditional love on them and all the dogs that he came across in the neighbourhood, pet and stray. It was distressing to see his pet dog Dolly desperately searching for him soon after he had gone away from us forever. We shall always remember the love with which he snuggled and cuddled Sherry, our Doberman girl, when she was a baby.
He had a genuine zest for living, and enjoyed every moment of his life, indulging himself in his favourite foods, movies, travel, music – anything he liked, he did it! He laughed, and made others laugh.
I first met Pratap Joshi in March 1982 and he left such a lasting impression on me that I became his fan ever since. He was my father-in-law, more like a loving father who I could count on to stand by me, advice and inspire me, in happiness and in adversity, and I shall forever cherish every moment I shared with him.
My son, a seafarer, was his favourite grandchild, the apple of his eye. It was a pity he couldn’t be with his beloved grandfather during his last moments as he was sailing on the high seas. Such are the tragedies and travesties of life, and death.
We will miss you dearly “Daddy”.
You lived your life to its fullest and loved all of us from the bottom of your heart. We are sure you will shower us with your blessings from your heavenly abode.
You were a noble, virtuous and morally upright man who always wished well and did good to everyone you met and wherever you went. May your Soul Rest in Peace. RIP.
VIKRAM KARVE
vikramkarve@sify.com
vikramkarve@hotmail.com
http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Software Defined Radio
SOFTWARE DEFINED RADIO [SDR]
[Here is an article on SDR compiled by my students Shijesh, Sibil, Shyju and John by browsing the internet, books and journals]
The rapid growth of technology and changing trends in the Communication techniques has paved way for the introduction of many telecommunication devices, many of which are not feasible to modify cost effectively due to lack of flexibility in their implementation. Software Defined Radio (SDR) technology mitigates this problem by providing the flexibility through software.
Software-Defined Radio (SDR) is a rapidly evolving technology that is receiving enormous recognition and generating widespread interest in the telecommunication industry. Over the last few years, analog radio systems are being replaced by digital radio systems and programmable hardware modules are increasingly being used in digital radio systems at different functional levels. SDR technology aims to take advantage of these programmable hardware modules to build open-architecture based radio system software.
An SDR system is a radio communication system where components that have typically been implemented in hardware are instead implemented using software on embedded computing devices. In other words SDR is a Radio in which some or all of the physical layer functions are software defined.
A Radio is any kind of device that wirelessly transmits or receives signals in the radio frequency (RF) part of the electromagnetic spectrum to facilitate the transfer of information.
In today's world, radios exist in a multitude of items such as cell phones, computers, car door openers, vehicles, and televisions.
While the concept of SDR is not new, the rapidly evolving capabilities of digital electronics are practical enabling many processes that were once only theoretically possible.
In the past, radio systems were designed to communicate using one or two waveforms [waveform here refers to any specific standard like Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), and Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) or it can be as simple as Frequency or Amplitude Modulation (FM or AM)].
As a result, two groups of people with different types of traditional radio were not able to communicate due to incompatibility problems. The need to communicate with people using different types of equipment can only be solved using software programmable radios because of its flexible architecture.
Traditional hardware based radio devices limit cross-functionality and can only be modified through physical intervention. This results in higher production costs and minimal flexibility in supporting multiple waveform standards. By contrast, software defined radio technology provides an efficient and comparatively inexpensive solution to this problem, allowing multi-mode, multi-band and/or multi-functional wireless devices that can be enhanced using software upgrades
The primary goal of SDR is to replace as many analog components and hardwired digital VLSI devices of the transceiver (radio) as possible with programmable devices.
Some of the advantages of SDR are:
- Multifunctionality. The same piece of hardware i.e. the radio set can be used to transmit, receive and process different communication signals that adhere to different air interface standards. This can be done simply by reconfiguring the software.
- Global Mobility. The same piece of hardware i.e. the radio set can be used in different parts of the world that endorse different air interface standards. This can again be done simply by reconfiguring the software.
- Compactness and power efficient design. Unlike traditional non-SDR systems, which require multiple hardware sets for multi-functional communication, the same piece of SDR hardware can be reduced for such a purpose. This results in compact and power –efficient design, especially as the number of systems increases.
- Ease of manufacture. A SDR comprises of fewer hardware parts than a traditional radio since most processing is done in software within a general-purpose microprocessors or special purpose microprocessors like the DSP, or in reconfigurable hardware including FPGAs. This eases the production cycle for the manufacturer with lesser parts to standardize and produce.
- Ease of upgrades. Any service upgrade can be easily introduced through the release of new software versions without the expense of recalling or replacing the hardware units. A user can simply download the software off the internet and load it into the SDR.
The most significant asset of SDR is versatility. Wireless systems employ protocols that vary from one service to another. Even in the same type of service, for example wireless fax, the protocol often differs from country to country. A single SDR set with an all-inclusive software repertoire can be used in any mode, anywhere in the world. Changing the service type, the mode, and/or the modulation protocol involves simply selecting and launching the requisite program, and making sure the batteries are adequately charged if portable operation is contemplated.
The ultimate goal of SDR engineers is to provide a single radio transceiver capable of playing the roles of GSM phone, CDMA phone, Wimax terminal, wireless fax, wireless Web browser, Global Positioning System (GPS) unit, and other functions still in the realm of science fiction.
http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
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