Five years too many : free the Baha'is!

“Five Years Too Many”
Link reference: Media Makes Us on Vimeo.

WHILE THE rest of us are able to vote for our leaders and talk openly about its results, in the Islamic Republic of Iran are Baha'is who, along with other religious minorities, are not even able to talk because of their faith, let alone vote for their leaders. It's now been five years since seven Baha'i leaders were jailed by the Iranian government for simply being a Baha'i. Yes, it's that bad, that ridiculous, and that true, and that too in the modern age. Go figure.

The seven unjustly imprisoned Baha'i leaders

Six of the seven Baha’is—Fariba Kamalabadi, Jamaloddin Khanjani, Afif Naeimi, Saeid Rezaie, Behrouz Tavakkoli, and Vahid Tizfahm—were arrested on 14 May 2008. The seventh, Mahvash Sabet, had been detained in March 2008. Their jail term of 20 years is the longest term ever given to any prisoner of conscience in Iran. Their plight is summarized in the 28 February 2013 report on Iran's human rights situation, delivered by United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon:

Serious discrimination in law and in practice against ethnic and religious minorities, continues to be reported, especially against the Baha’i community… An ongoing anti-Baha’i media campaign resulted in increasing attacks on its members and their properties. This national campaign that consists of anti-Baha’i pamphlets, posters, seminars and the broadcasting of anti-Baha’i speeches on radio networks appears to be tacitly condoned by the authorities. In addition, anti-Baha’i speeches reportedly delivered to different audiences including schools, youth organizations and the general public.

And it's now been five years.

Five years too many.

And fifteen more brings us back all the way to the dark ages, fifteen thousand years ago.

I join the rest of free-living and righteous world in demanding Iran to free the prisoners, now. Free the Baha'is. Free all religious minorities, and let them live. In the words of Firuzeh Mahmoudi, director and founder of United4Iran:

The plight of these seven is representative of the countless Iranian men and women who have been jailed for defending their freedom and human rights. Our message to the seven is this: The world has not forgotten you, and we will continue to fight for your freedom and that of other Iranian prisoners of conscience.

Related Site: Persecution of Baha'is in Iran

Sighted site: R City, Mumbai

R City Garden at the R City Mall, Ghatkopar West, Mumbai

AT THE outskirts of central Mumbai is R City, a sprawling mall with one of the best activity hubs I've seen in India. Appropriately called the R City Garden, the hub is a moon-shaped pavillion for people of all ages and walks of life to come together, sit, chat, and take pictures. It's great to finally see a modern shopping center in Mumbai that owns a sense of community. There's no hard-selling commercialization here, just lots of benches, grassy areas, fountains, Indian music, and a carousel.

Watch a clip I took of the garden tonight on YouTube:

R City
Lal Bahadur Shastri (LBS) Marg, Ghatkopar West, Mumbai, India
http://www.rcity.co.in

Sighted site: The Visaya, New Delhi

Facade of The Visaya

WHEN I first heard about The Visaya Hotel, I immediately thought, "Owned by Filipinos?" In the Philippines, the term Visaya refers to the archipelago's central group of islands, and to the language spoken by its residents. Digging further, I learned that the term came from the 7th-century Hindu empire called Srivijaya. In Sanskrit, "sri" means "fortunate" or "happy", and "vijaya" means "victorious" or "excellent". In the 12th century, these central (and a few southern) Philippine islands came under the Srivijaya empire, hence, the Visaya Islands. Et voilà! There's an Indian in every Filipino, after all!

But back to the 21st century, and back to The Visaya Hotel. Like its Sanskrit provenance, the hotel is a fortunate and excellent discovery in South Delhi. Above all is the location—parks and forests of Hauz Khas in the west, the Bahá'í House of Worship and other temples in the east, and shopping centers and eateries in the north and south. There can never be a better site than this for a traveler.

The hotel's design and amenities are world-class. I would add luxurious: the bathroom was clothed in Italian marble. At the lobby and hallways, I enjoyed viewing the stone statuaries and paintings that I think allude to the Srivijayan empire. The service, especially at the Life Café restaurant, is impeccable. Contrary to what some reviewers have written on the Internet, the roadside rooms are not necessarily bad. I stayed in a room facing the frenetic Panchshila Flyover on the first floor during a hectic weekend, and the noise levels were remarkably low. This has got to do with the architecture. The only downside are the mosquitos, which buzzed aplenty the night I stayed there, as I'm averse to those gadgets you plug into sockets to repel these bugs.

The best attraction is the tariff, a splendid three-star-hotel offer for such an excellent accommodation in one of Delhi's most expensive addresses. The Visaya is a fabulous value for money, and I highly recommend it for both business and leisure travelers wanting a big bang for their buck.

The Visaya
N82 Panchshila Park, Panchshila Marg, New Delhi, India
http://www.thevisaya.com

Filipinos elect a new council of leaders

ON THE other side of the election front, Filipinos around the world have just voted new members of the Philippine Senate and House of Representatives. Overseas Filipinos and members of the military, police, civil service, and media are allowed to cast an absentee ballot, either by mail or through designation voting precints. As a Baha'i, I am not allowed to identify with a political party or doctrine so as not to negate the very spirit of the Baha'i Faith: to esablish true and universal peace on earth. However, I am allowed to use my right to vote, bearing in mind that I am voting on the merits of the individual rather than the party. In this manner, Baha'is are able to avoid the acrimonious conflicts of partisanship and debates. I voted this year at the Philippine Embassy in New Delhi, where I had the chance to meet the recently-designated Philippine Ambassador to India, Mr. Benito Valeriano.

Baha'is elect the new Universal House of Justice

THE BAHA'I world has just completed its process to elect the new Universal House of Justice, the supreme governing council of the Baha'i Faith. Representatives of national spiritual assemblies around the world gathered at the 11th International Baha'i Convention in Haifa, Israel from 29 April to 2 May, to vote for nine new members of the House of Justice for the next five-year term. The event also marked the 50th anniversary of the election of the first House of Justice.

The electoral process follows the very unique model of electing administrative bodies in local Baha'i communities. No reference is made to individual names, thus removing all aspects of partisanship, nomination, and campaigning. Adult Baha'is vote for members of their community whom they believe are best qualified to guide their community and serve its needs. The process is marked by an atmosphere of prayer, respectfulness, and solidarity.

Last week's international election follows a five-year cycle. At the national and local levels, however, the elections are done during the festival of Ridvan, an event that commemorates Baha'u'llah’s declaration in 1863 as the Promised One of all religions.

Delegates to the Eleventh International Baha'i Convention

As 2013 rolls in

No, I've not abandoned Window Views. The year 2012 immersed me in eternal urgencies and priorities, both personal and professional. Writing for this blog took the brunt and got an unfortunate back seat.

There were tons of unprecedented joys and unwanted sorrows in the past eight months. A lot of them were musical in nature. The highlight was experiencing Barbra Streisand, an artist I have been following for the past 33 years, in concert at the Big Apple. It will remain an indelible experience. The downturn was losing Narcisse Sabour, a friend I'd sung and play music with, to the Big C. These moments reminded me of the potent nature of music in shaping relationships with one another.

It's great to write again. I hope you remain with me here in Window Views. And I hope you continue loving one another. It's what has kept us afloat through all the joys and sorrows of the passing year

Mad to be a nomad

Rustomjee Elanza, where I finally ended up

LUDWIG VAN Beethoven moved house at least 60 times in the 34 years that he lived in Vienna. That means he’d had a new home roughly twice a year. I have just relocated to a new house, and it’s my thirteenth time in 12 years. Not in the same league as the great composer, but we’re in fraternity: we’re professional nomads!

It’s never easy moving from one home to the next. I’m sure Mr. van Beethoven had more than his fair share of exhausting moments. No amount of careful planning prepares you for tough surprises, as a lot of factors in relocating are beyond your control. The pain begins when selecting houses. They are either too large or too small or too pricey or too dilapidated—nothing seems to be the right size, the right location, and the right price. And even if you like the place, there are the endless negotiations with agents, landlords, and housing societies, who exist solely to protect their own interests, in behalf of YOUR own interest.

Mumbai has been the most challenging city to find a place to live in. In the past few years, India’s most open city has been brutally terrorized by attacks fomented by non-Mumbaikars, so the city’s no longer interested in making it easy for everyone. Landlords are required to register lease agreements with the local police, who require no-objection certificates from housing societies, who rigorously screen prospective tenants to ensure that only the best residents populate their domiciles. Oftentimes, in the interest of security, the decisions of housing societies override the landlord’s concurrence. And that’s when prospective tenants—like me—end up suffering.

My search for a new house in Mumbai—which began my in July after deciding to live in a less expensive house—has been the most adventurous. And hilarious. I was ready to close the deal with one rather old flat because of its proximity to my office . . . until the landlord discovered that I was non-vegetarian. Apparently, he was vegetarian, and he couldn’t allow meat-eaters to use his kitchen. Or kitchen-for-rent. There are racist and sexist discriminations, but foodist?

Another landlord, who was apparently wasn’t vegetarian, allowed me to live in his house on the third floor with my two dogs Polo and Pancho. However, he had to argue this with the housing society, who finally consented on one condition: that I don’t use the elevators with the dogs. That was fine with me: I told them I’d use the stairs . . . and the dogs would use the lifts. I never heard from the society or landlord afterwards.

The biggest hindrances to getting a flat in Mumbai, however, are your civil status and your citizenship. If you’re single, you’re not deemed desirable: a single man living in a rented flat plotted the November 2008 terror attack. And if you’re a single AND a foreigner, good luck: a single man living in a rented flat plotted the November 2008 terror attack, and he was a foreigner. After continuous rejections for being single and a foreigner, I finally asked my real estate agents to find me an Indian wife to rent, instead.

I finally found a place early this month. It’s a brand-new flat in a brand-new building called Rustomjee Elanza, two suburbs away from my office. It’s on the 34th floor, so I get spectacular vistas of south Mumbai. It’s a splendid gift for my perseverance, and it’s all because the housing society has not been formed yet. This means I have some time to enjoy the freedom from singled out for being a single, non-vegetarian foreigner with two dogs.

In the meantime, I’m enjoying the views from the balcony, along with the madness of being a nomad!

They don't serve their kind here

Royal Cuisine Restaurant at the Raj Palace Hotel, Chennai

THE MOST memorable travel moments are those defined by your dining experiences. Knowing what and where locals eat saves cost and gives a direct account of cultural habits. Which is why I was puzzled why the Royal Cuisine restaurant at Raj Palace, where I stayed during my brief visit to Chennai this week, did not include South Indian fare in their menu. I was in Chennai, center of the Tamil world, and I had to have idli and sambar!

When I asked the restaurant, I got a tongue-in-cheek reply. "There's no South Indian dishes because we eat them everyday."

To quench my hunger for chettinad food, I guess I got to travel to Chennai everyday then!

Dare to bare and wear their ware

No money, no clothes
Image source: Desigual Blog

FOR CASH-STRAPPED Spaniards, Desigual’s end-of-season sales give them the chance to shed their fashion inhibitions . . . by shedding their clothes.  Yesterday, the flamboyant clothing brand from Spain opened their summer sale in Madrid with the nakedly daring “Come In Undressed and Go Out Dressed” campaign, where 100 people strip down to their undergarments to avail of free shopping.  Undressing may be a ploy to ensure that those shoppers really have no money on them.  Or have the most perfectly imperfect bodies to fit into those broken-sized end-of-season markdowns.

Desigual launched the sale campaign in January 2011.  It’s a fitting testament to the brand’s commitment to tolerance and fun.  When you have no money to buy clothes but a lot of money to buy a plane ticket, you know where to go to.

Related Stories: Madrid shop gives free outfit to shoppers in their underwear—at TheZigZagger.com

Romina and Arman mark five years!

Arman, Romina, and Naysan Imani
Image source: Shamelessly stolen by Paul from Arman's Facebook profile

IN THE flurry of my birthday on 16 June, I missed the fact that two of the most beautiful couples I have ever met celebrated their fifth year of togetherness on the same day. In 2007, my friends Romina and Arman Imani decided to live their lives in perpetual unity. It's been five years since I wrote excitedly on this blog about their getting engaged, and five years since I gushed over their getting wed.

Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Imani! I believe I'll be saying this perennially to both of you, so you better get used to my saying it. (Naysan is now looking a lot like the father, and that's a good thing.)

Related Stories: Romina and Arman Get Engaged | Romina and Arman Get Married

Championing women’s heart disease

GUESS WHAT kills women more than any other illness around the world?  It’s not cancer; it’s heart disease.  How ironic that a woman sustains the lives of others by using her heart . . . and then faces death with a disease that plagues her own heart!

“Even in scientific research, women are still treated as second-class citizens,and to me, that’s just unacceptable.”—Barbra Streisand

Barbra Streisand—yes, that incredibly talented, multi-hyphenated force of nature living amongst us—is dedicating her creative and leadership powers to advancing research, education, and health care of women’s heart disease.  According to www.discoveringforlife.org, heart disease kills more women each year than all cancers combined, but most of the research on the disease for the past fifty years has been done on men.  This is where Miss Streisand, known for trailblazing for the cause of women in her film and musical projects, has stepped in.  Since 2008, her non-profit organization, the Barbra Streisand Foundation, has been supporting the Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.  I encourage you to visit the heart center's Web site to better understand what can potentially kill the women we love.  The facts and the stats they've listed are alarming.

In a peerless career spanning 50 years (that's 50 years THIS year), Miss Streisand has illuminated our lives with theatrical and song performances that celebrate the affairs of the heart.  Now she’s back on center stage, shedding light on the heart of the matter: the health of the heart.  We're the luckiest people in the world to have such a woman in love! (That's referencing the two biggest-selling Streisand songs in history, just in case you've forgotten.)

Related Stories: Barbra Streisand's heart fundraiser is the hottest ticket in Hollywood (Examiner.com)

Turning 47

THE DOORBELL rang at eight this morning, surprising me with a home delivery of flowers and surprising me even more about its source: the management team of Globus Stores! I've received flowers on my office desk, but never brought personally to me at home—and that, too, from my professional leadership team. It sweetens the thought of being valued well, and the value of being thought well. It's a memorable gesture on a memorable day.

When I turned 46 last year, I reflected at how quickly I reached that age.  I wrote:

Now I understand why the first 30 or 35 years of your life seem to be the longest and slowest--you spend all that time building up a cache of dreams, hopes, triumphs, regrets, fears, and tears. 

Today, as I turn 47 and being remembered by my leaders at work, I look back to those first 30 or 35 years of my life, to remember another leader, one who forged my dreams and hopes in the most masterful way. He was my father, Catalino Ancheta, who passed away ten years ago.  His greatest legacy is my family's spiritual foundation: the Bahá'í Faith, which he introduced to my mother and to each of my five brothers and five sisters.  It's a gift that forever changed my understanding of how life must be lived, for oneself and for others.  It's a present that remains unmatched and irreplaceable, the greatest I've ever had and will probably ever have.

Turning 47, I honor my father . . . and all our fathers!

Related Stories: Turning 41 | Turning 42 | Turning 43 | Turning 45 | Turning 46