We too can get ‘Fired’ up for the new Chinese year 

The Year of the Fire Horse began on Tuesday. Whatever our geopolitical/economic wishlist, only the blinkered believe that China happily trots along with our agenda; its normal policy is breathing fire at us. However, let’s set aside our neighbour’s Arunachal–aki and other Lines of No Control, and talk about our own versions of this Chinese zodiac sign. 

Since we are always saddled with them, netas are the first to canter to mind. While the Fire Horse comes round only once in 60 years, our politicians do so every five, or less. Rahul wants to hold the reins, but too often seems to be just horsing around. However, even those with the whip-hand readily behave like show horses, performing for ecstatic spectators. Unlike conventional entertainment, here the audience gets paid. 

Once-fancied foreign breeds like English Thoroughbreds and more so Arab stallions are now being aggressively phased out. In their place, there’s a patriotic revival of glorious Indian ones such as the (no-longer) Royal Marwari and hardy Kathiawari. The polo-playing Manipuri and sturdy Spiti strains are preoccupied with more pressing concerns. The Maratha Light Cavalry is a regiment; it’s not to be confused with the ‘Maratha warhorse’.

The rich urban pasture is also dotted with Fire Horses. Newly elected municipal authorities and once-somnolent sarkari officials are fired up with the present buzzword, ‘development’. But this usually leaves the city in ashes/debris.    

Dream horses can become nightmares in business too. Some start-ups gallop into ‘unicorns’; the early promise of others turns out to be as mythical as that horned beast.  

This scenario is even more evident in matrimony. Even when he doesn’t turn into a nightmare, he seldom becomes a  workhorse, leaving the wife to clear the Augean table. 

How does the new Chinese year’s zodiac sign work in romance? Well, you might get fired up into horsing around with a love interest. But chances are she’ll snort a ‘Neigh’.

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Alec Smart sang: “Our MacBharat has a dream. AI-AI-ho. With a Sam-Sam here, a Huang-Huang there, a Sundar Pichh, Pichh everywhere.”

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