This post is dedicated to a friend. Somehow after participating in the blog-a-thon and reading experiences of so many women and men across the board, my thoughts flew to you.
It seems appropriate that I dedicate this post to a guy, who at the risk of been a social outcast would not disrespect women. He would not be the part of the 'cool gang' or try to 'fit in' with the rest of guys because these so called cool people would do ‘cool’ things like disrespecting women. Because sometimes words, roving eyes and the vibes can be as violating as a dirty physical touch.
I have called you ‘uptight’ at times. Asked you why you can't gel around with people. But you just shrugged it off saying you have better things to do.
I have respected you for being that guy who would not succumb to peer pressure. Whose one look would quiet anyone. Who practices what he preaches. Who respects women the old fashioned way. Yet treats them like an equal.
You may not be the chivalrous man, always teasing that since men and women are equal, I should pay for our meal. This been the only argument I have ever lost. I can proudly say today that I know a person like you.
I wonder if they make ‘em like you anymore.
Orignally posted on Wednesday, March 08, 2006 4:31 PM
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Woman
Her boss doesn’t look at her face when he talks. He looks about 6 inches south and talks to a different body part. It doesn’t matter that her vocal chords and the brain aren’t situated there. She may be wearing a suit, decently covering her or a shirt. It doesn’t make a difference.
Or he coos to her, “Don’t call me sir. Call me by my name.” He brushes past her and pretends like it was an accident.
He calls her to his cabin or asks her to stay late. Then without any guilt, he asks her for ‘favours’ so she can get her well-deserved promotion.
There are times she keeps quiet and takes it all. At other times, she raises her voice. People say that maybe her character is flawed and she asked for it. The man is obviously allowed to get away with harassment.
Welcome to the workplace, girl. Your fight for dignity, equality and respect continues. It starts from the moment you are born and it continues throughout your life.
You can don any hat – of a daughter, mother, wife, sister, juggle housework with office work and yet be called the weaker one.
You forget your inner strength sometimes. Or are made to forget it.
This is for all the stronger sex aka men-
One last thing, be man enough to be labelled as the "fun-spoiling" guy (read Spark’s post for the reference to context).
To recognize Women's Day, a blogathon was being organized for Tuesday, the 7th of March 2006. Blank Noise is asking bloggers to put up a post about their opinions and experiences of sexual harassment - as a victim, perpetrator, observer or bystander - at work, at home or in the public sphere. Some of my fellow O3 bloggers Jitu, Maya, Sapphire, Savy, Surabhi, Smile Girl, Spark, Scarlett, Sumit, Wild Child, Techie, Tejbir, Sunny and Maxx have already done their bit. I tag everyone - man and woman to put up their posts.
Originally posted on Tuesday, March 07, 2006 11:38 AM
Or he coos to her, “Don’t call me sir. Call me by my name.” He brushes past her and pretends like it was an accident.
He calls her to his cabin or asks her to stay late. Then without any guilt, he asks her for ‘favours’ so she can get her well-deserved promotion.
There are times she keeps quiet and takes it all. At other times, she raises her voice. People say that maybe her character is flawed and she asked for it. The man is obviously allowed to get away with harassment.
Welcome to the workplace, girl. Your fight for dignity, equality and respect continues. It starts from the moment you are born and it continues throughout your life.
You can don any hat – of a daughter, mother, wife, sister, juggle housework with office work and yet be called the weaker one.
You forget your inner strength sometimes. Or are made to forget it.
This is for all the stronger sex aka men-
One last thing, be man enough to be labelled as the "fun-spoiling" guy (read Spark’s post for the reference to context).
To recognize Women's Day, a blogathon was being organized for Tuesday, the 7th of March 2006. Blank Noise is asking bloggers to put up a post about their opinions and experiences of sexual harassment - as a victim, perpetrator, observer or bystander - at work, at home or in the public sphere. Some of my fellow O3 bloggers Jitu, Maya, Sapphire, Savy, Surabhi, Smile Girl, Spark, Scarlett, Sumit, Wild Child, Techie, Tejbir, Sunny and Maxx have already done their bit. I tag everyone - man and woman to put up their posts.
Originally posted on Tuesday, March 07, 2006 11:38 AM
Monday, November 19, 2007
Jessica
Someone is shot dead in front of hundreds of people, witnesses dont remember this because of collective amnesia and the accused walk scot free. No its not a script of any Hindi masala movie.
Its reality.
Jessica Lal, a model was killed seven years ago, the witnesses turned hostile in the courts of this country, the judges said that there was ‘lack of evidence’ and all the nine accused have been acquitted.
It is not coincidental that the accused were politically well connected and powerful people. I cannot say anything against the judgment of the Court because I shall be held in contempt of court. But I can ask a few questions, hoping that someone can answer these-
If this is how the system works, the rich and the powerful can twist their way around, why the hell was the system created?
Does the common man stand a chance?
Can we rely on the system anymore?
How do the hostile witnesses and the alleged killers sleep at night? With no feeling of guilt?
What is this world coming to?
Imagine the kind of message it gets across. That it is acceptable to commit a crime because I can get away with it? That the system will 'protect' me. Loss of life is just a byproduct of the heinous crime and nothing more.
Since our childhood it is ingrained in our psyche that ‘Truth Shall Prevail’ and the law of this country makes sure that justice prevails. A judgment like this has left me disillusioned and pissed off.
P.S: I hope all the killers rot in Hell. Because in this lifetime they are walking freely on earth.
Also read Savy's post for more.....
Update 1: Sorry for not replying to comment on time. Just neck deep in work. Will reply soon. Till then cheers, take care and keep coming by and commenting ... hugs to all ....
Update 2: Someone mentioned to me in the comments section to keep quiet and accept this because its NOT going to make a difference if we raise our voice. To that person and everyone who thought that this was a lost cause, the case has been reopned. We the people of THIS country have done our bit, the media has done its bit. Now hopefully the government machinary will do its bit. So that we don't lose hope.
Originally posted on Wednesday, February 22, 2006 1:38 PM
Its reality.
Jessica Lal, a model was killed seven years ago, the witnesses turned hostile in the courts of this country, the judges said that there was ‘lack of evidence’ and all the nine accused have been acquitted.
It is not coincidental that the accused were politically well connected and powerful people. I cannot say anything against the judgment of the Court because I shall be held in contempt of court. But I can ask a few questions, hoping that someone can answer these-
If this is how the system works, the rich and the powerful can twist their way around, why the hell was the system created?
Does the common man stand a chance?
Can we rely on the system anymore?
How do the hostile witnesses and the alleged killers sleep at night? With no feeling of guilt?
What is this world coming to?
Imagine the kind of message it gets across. That it is acceptable to commit a crime because I can get away with it? That the system will 'protect' me. Loss of life is just a byproduct of the heinous crime and nothing more.
Since our childhood it is ingrained in our psyche that ‘Truth Shall Prevail’ and the law of this country makes sure that justice prevails. A judgment like this has left me disillusioned and pissed off.
P.S: I hope all the killers rot in Hell. Because in this lifetime they are walking freely on earth.
Also read Savy's post for more.....
Update 1: Sorry for not replying to comment on time. Just neck deep in work. Will reply soon. Till then cheers, take care and keep coming by and commenting ... hugs to all ....
Update 2: Someone mentioned to me in the comments section to keep quiet and accept this because its NOT going to make a difference if we raise our voice. To that person and everyone who thought that this was a lost cause, the case has been reopned. We the people of THIS country have done our bit, the media has done its bit. Now hopefully the government machinary will do its bit. So that we don't lose hope.
Originally posted on Wednesday, February 22, 2006 1:38 PM
Hot and Happening
If the title got you all interested and you think I am going to write about somebody hot then you are reading a wrong blog post.
Flashback to February 1990:
Its mid February. I mind wanders over to a decade and a half back when I detested winters mornings because I used to feel cold. Getting up early in the morning to a foggy day and going to school was nothing less than a torture. I used to feel very cold and remember wearing layers of woolies to protect myself.
Fast Forward to February 2006:
It so hot that leave alone wearing a sweater, I am wearing my summer clothes. Its not cold at all with temperature steadily creeping upto 23oC. Using a fan a decade back - even the thought of that would chill me to the bone.
I am deeply concerned with the weather change which has slowly but steadily taken place in the time being. ‘Global warming’ is something we have all heard about but never really thought or cared about.
The term simply means that the climate all across the world is changing and the world is becoming warmer by the day. According to the National Academy of Sciences, the Earth's surface temperature has risen by about 1 degree Fahrenheit in the past century, with accelerated warming during the past two decades.
The Asian region spans polar, temperate, and tropical climates and is home to over 3 billion people. As the climate warms, many mountain glaciers may disappear and the northern forests are likely to shift further north. Rapid population growth and development in India will put additional pressures on natural ecosystems and will lead to a rapid rise in the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere unless steps are taken to curtail emissions.
The Kyoto Protocol seems like a step in the right direction. It is an agreement under which industrialized countries will reduce their collective emissions of greenhouse gases by 5.2% compared to the year 1990. The goal is to lower overall emissions from six greenhouse gases. India signed and ratified the Protocol in August 2002.
I leave you with a thought:
Glaciers in the Himalayas are retreating at an average rate of 50 feet (15 m) per year, consistent with the rapid warming recorded at Himalayan climate stations since the 1970s. Winter stream flow for the Baspa glacier basin has increased 75% since 1966 and local winter temperatures have warmed, suggesting increased glacier melting in winter.
For our sake and the sake of future generations, I hope this phenomenon is controlled lest we end up having more natural calamities and drastic temperature change. I don’t want my winter to look like summer or fancy my home submerged in water!
Originally posted on Monday, February 20, 2006 5:41 PM
Flashback to February 1990:
Its mid February. I mind wanders over to a decade and a half back when I detested winters mornings because I used to feel cold. Getting up early in the morning to a foggy day and going to school was nothing less than a torture. I used to feel very cold and remember wearing layers of woolies to protect myself.
Fast Forward to February 2006:
It so hot that leave alone wearing a sweater, I am wearing my summer clothes. Its not cold at all with temperature steadily creeping upto 23oC. Using a fan a decade back - even the thought of that would chill me to the bone.
I am deeply concerned with the weather change which has slowly but steadily taken place in the time being. ‘Global warming’ is something we have all heard about but never really thought or cared about.
The term simply means that the climate all across the world is changing and the world is becoming warmer by the day. According to the National Academy of Sciences, the Earth's surface temperature has risen by about 1 degree Fahrenheit in the past century, with accelerated warming during the past two decades.
The Asian region spans polar, temperate, and tropical climates and is home to over 3 billion people. As the climate warms, many mountain glaciers may disappear and the northern forests are likely to shift further north. Rapid population growth and development in India will put additional pressures on natural ecosystems and will lead to a rapid rise in the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere unless steps are taken to curtail emissions.
The Kyoto Protocol seems like a step in the right direction. It is an agreement under which industrialized countries will reduce their collective emissions of greenhouse gases by 5.2% compared to the year 1990. The goal is to lower overall emissions from six greenhouse gases. India signed and ratified the Protocol in August 2002.
I leave you with a thought:
Glaciers in the Himalayas are retreating at an average rate of 50 feet (15 m) per year, consistent with the rapid warming recorded at Himalayan climate stations since the 1970s. Winter stream flow for the Baspa glacier basin has increased 75% since 1966 and local winter temperatures have warmed, suggesting increased glacier melting in winter.
For our sake and the sake of future generations, I hope this phenomenon is controlled lest we end up having more natural calamities and drastic temperature change. I don’t want my winter to look like summer or fancy my home submerged in water!
Originally posted on Monday, February 20, 2006 5:41 PM
Dalits: Also A Part Of My India?
After spending a great evening reasserting my independence and spending time with friends, I woke up today only have my friend call me up early in the morning.
During our conversation we talked about two incidents which happened in the past 24 hours and triggered me to write this post.
In one part of the country a Dalit girl was paraded naked by Upper castes in a village for no fault of her’s and in another part, Upper caste men tried to rape another Dalit girl, weren’t successful in the attempt and so cut her arm cut off, taking it away with them.
As I write this, another story trickles in. A nine year old girl this time.
I have one grouse with the mainstream media. It isn’t doing enough to highlight this. Why can we have specials on Valentine’s Day or length of Sania’s skirt but no talk of issues which ail this county? Is there an unspoken code where we don’t talk about the ‘caste divide’?
In my knowledge, the only person writing about Dalit issues in the mainstream is Chandra Bhan Prasad. Though it is an issue close to his heart because he belongs to that community but are enough opportunities been given to this community to rise? There are other issues pertaining to Dalits which I haven't touched in this post which I may in later posts.
We talk about communalism being a problem but casteism can’t be ignored either.
Obviously the caste divide is very wide. When the Indian constitution was been formed, it was B R Ambedkar’s dream that the constitution should give equality to one and all. He also added, “Rights are protected not by laws, but by the social and moral conscience of society”.
In letter we have equality but in spirit we don’t.
For more, read this
Originally posted on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 6:08 PM
During our conversation we talked about two incidents which happened in the past 24 hours and triggered me to write this post.
In one part of the country a Dalit girl was paraded naked by Upper castes in a village for no fault of her’s and in another part, Upper caste men tried to rape another Dalit girl, weren’t successful in the attempt and so cut her arm cut off, taking it away with them.
As I write this, another story trickles in. A nine year old girl this time.
I have one grouse with the mainstream media. It isn’t doing enough to highlight this. Why can we have specials on Valentine’s Day or length of Sania’s skirt but no talk of issues which ail this county? Is there an unspoken code where we don’t talk about the ‘caste divide’?
In my knowledge, the only person writing about Dalit issues in the mainstream is Chandra Bhan Prasad. Though it is an issue close to his heart because he belongs to that community but are enough opportunities been given to this community to rise? There are other issues pertaining to Dalits which I haven't touched in this post which I may in later posts.
We talk about communalism being a problem but casteism can’t be ignored either.
Obviously the caste divide is very wide. When the Indian constitution was been formed, it was B R Ambedkar’s dream that the constitution should give equality to one and all. He also added, “Rights are protected not by laws, but by the social and moral conscience of society”.
In letter we have equality but in spirit we don’t.
For more, read this
Originally posted on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 6:08 PM
The Day I Landed On Planet Earth
At mid night the phone calls began and the SMSs started flowing in. Till 4th I wasn't feeling too excited with age catching up and I don't even look that old :D
But the phone calls and the messages got me all exicted. My friend had come over on 4th night and we spent some time doing what girls do best. Don't get any ideas, we were catching up on girlie talk, taking about our teenage years (and the crushes, tution, school, college) and bitching about bosses and colleagues.
Finally I went to sleep but kept getting calls and missed calls from my friends till about 4 in the morning. Messaged my one of my friend in my sleep. I have no idea what I wrote! My friends were coming over to spend a lazy sunday at my place (all working people can't afford to stay up late on Sunday night) and they were excited. Got up at 9.00 in the morning with more wishes from old school and college friends. Was pleasently surprised that so many people remebered my b'day :)
By 10.30 we dragged ourselves out of the bed and were roaming around in the home in our payjamas, unruly hair and sleepy eyes :D :D Got threatening calls from friends that they are landing up at my place in half and hour so decided to take a bath coz I didn't want them to get scared.
Checked out my blog and read comments by some of you. It was kinda sweet. Told my family about it. The feel good mood began by this time.
By 12.15 people started trickling in. By 1.00 everyone including assorted relatives, child hood friend and college friends had turned up. The young people sat together and the oldies were chatting amongst themselves. We all sat, taking in the sun, eating paranthas, butter, dahi, pulao, paneer, choley and stuff... (no non-veg at my place) courtsey mommy.
My friends had got the cake for me. The icing on the cake(and I mean this literally not metamorphically) read:
Dear Banput,
Wishing you Happy B'day
Now my name is not banput. I am half baniya and half rajput, hence the nick name banput. Not to say my parents had a hearty laugh on reading it. As for me? I got my photo taken with the cake :D
Then we listened to Bryan Adams (the next best thing) after I told everyone to buy me plane tickets and ticket to his concert as b'day present. Which by the way, no body got for me. We all chilled out and since I don't know how to make tea, one of my friends made it for all of us. By late evening the party broke up. But I was in a feel good state for a long time after that and today I am in no mood for working :D :D
Hope the boss doesn't decide to chuck me out....
Update: Happy Valentines day to all you people :)
Originally posted on Monday, February 06, 2006 12:45 PM
But the phone calls and the messages got me all exicted. My friend had come over on 4th night and we spent some time doing what girls do best. Don't get any ideas, we were catching up on girlie talk, taking about our teenage years (and the crushes, tution, school, college) and bitching about bosses and colleagues.
Finally I went to sleep but kept getting calls and missed calls from my friends till about 4 in the morning. Messaged my one of my friend in my sleep. I have no idea what I wrote! My friends were coming over to spend a lazy sunday at my place (all working people can't afford to stay up late on Sunday night) and they were excited. Got up at 9.00 in the morning with more wishes from old school and college friends. Was pleasently surprised that so many people remebered my b'day :)
By 10.30 we dragged ourselves out of the bed and were roaming around in the home in our payjamas, unruly hair and sleepy eyes :D :D Got threatening calls from friends that they are landing up at my place in half and hour so decided to take a bath coz I didn't want them to get scared.
Checked out my blog and read comments by some of you. It was kinda sweet. Told my family about it. The feel good mood began by this time.
By 12.15 people started trickling in. By 1.00 everyone including assorted relatives, child hood friend and college friends had turned up. The young people sat together and the oldies were chatting amongst themselves. We all sat, taking in the sun, eating paranthas, butter, dahi, pulao, paneer, choley and stuff... (no non-veg at my place) courtsey mommy.
My friends had got the cake for me. The icing on the cake(and I mean this literally not metamorphically) read:
Dear Banput,
Wishing you Happy B'day
Now my name is not banput. I am half baniya and half rajput, hence the nick name banput. Not to say my parents had a hearty laugh on reading it. As for me? I got my photo taken with the cake :D
Then we listened to Bryan Adams (the next best thing) after I told everyone to buy me plane tickets and ticket to his concert as b'day present. Which by the way, no body got for me. We all chilled out and since I don't know how to make tea, one of my friends made it for all of us. By late evening the party broke up. But I was in a feel good state for a long time after that and today I am in no mood for working :D :D
Hope the boss doesn't decide to chuck me out....
Update: Happy Valentines day to all you people :)
Originally posted on Monday, February 06, 2006 12:45 PM
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Man O Man!!!
So I am tagged thanks to Tejbir, Sanjeev and Dirty Doggy
8 different points seem like a very difficult task. I don’t think that a perfect man exists (and it’s a myth :) but I’ll try my best.
The list for a mythical man is as follows -
He has to give me my space, let me be and accept me as I am. He shouldn’t try and change me. He should be like the ‘wind beneath my wing’. Let me fly. Rest assured I’ll come back to him.
He has to mentally stimulate me i.e. he has to be well read and should be able to hold forth on a range of topics from art to literature to politics.
He has to live with my idiosyncrasies. He should be able to tolerate my moods, cribbing, rantings and ravings.
I have friends of different shapes, size, caste, colour, creed and he has to tolerate them. If not all, them some. :D :D
Which brings to the next point that he should be secure and self confident. He should be able to speak his mind and be straight forward. Am I asking for too much?
He should be adventurous, impulsive and be able to surprise me; be ready to pack his bags at a moment’s notice or whisk me away for an unplanned holiday or anything like this.
He has to be a good cook and help me look after kids and generally help in house work.
Make me smile when I am upset. This means he has to be funny and cute and have a sense of humour.
In conclusion such a man doesn’t exist…par hope par duniya kayam hai…
Almost everyone is tagged, so I’ll try and tag some people who haven’t come out with their list.
i_otta, Saba (My Memories), SKJ, Konfusd, Deeps (ketharaju), Pluto and anybody else who may want to tag him/herself…
Instructions: 1. The tagged victim has to come up with 8 different points of their perfect lover.
2. Need to mention the sex of the target.
3. Tag atleast 8 victims to join this game & leave a comment on their comments saying they’ve been tagged.
4. If tagged the 2nd time, there’s no need to post again.
P.S: Wishing everyone a Happy Republic Day
Update: Hey everyone I'll be a little irregular on o3 because work responsibilities have increased though I'll sneak in and read your posts and drop a line as well :) Till then wishing everyone a rocking time. Hugs and cheers to all :)
Originally posted on Wednesday, January 25, 2006 12:48 PM
8 different points seem like a very difficult task. I don’t think that a perfect man exists (and it’s a myth :) but I’ll try my best.
The list for a mythical man is as follows -
He has to give me my space, let me be and accept me as I am. He shouldn’t try and change me. He should be like the ‘wind beneath my wing’. Let me fly. Rest assured I’ll come back to him.
He has to mentally stimulate me i.e. he has to be well read and should be able to hold forth on a range of topics from art to literature to politics.
He has to live with my idiosyncrasies. He should be able to tolerate my moods, cribbing, rantings and ravings.
I have friends of different shapes, size, caste, colour, creed and he has to tolerate them. If not all, them some. :D :D
Which brings to the next point that he should be secure and self confident. He should be able to speak his mind and be straight forward. Am I asking for too much?
He should be adventurous, impulsive and be able to surprise me; be ready to pack his bags at a moment’s notice or whisk me away for an unplanned holiday or anything like this.
He has to be a good cook and help me look after kids and generally help in house work.
Make me smile when I am upset. This means he has to be funny and cute and have a sense of humour.
In conclusion such a man doesn’t exist…par hope par duniya kayam hai…
Almost everyone is tagged, so I’ll try and tag some people who haven’t come out with their list.
i_otta, Saba (My Memories), SKJ, Konfusd, Deeps (ketharaju), Pluto and anybody else who may want to tag him/herself…
Instructions: 1. The tagged victim has to come up with 8 different points of their perfect lover.
2. Need to mention the sex of the target.
3. Tag atleast 8 victims to join this game & leave a comment on their comments saying they’ve been tagged.
4. If tagged the 2nd time, there’s no need to post again.
P.S: Wishing everyone a Happy Republic Day
Update: Hey everyone I'll be a little irregular on o3 because work responsibilities have increased though I'll sneak in and read your posts and drop a line as well :) Till then wishing everyone a rocking time. Hugs and cheers to all :)
Originally posted on Wednesday, January 25, 2006 12:48 PM
Do You Know What Secularism Means?
Yes, the timing of this post coincides with Sanjeev’s. I told him that I was about to write on the same topic and he urged me to put forward my views and so here goes my post.
On Sunday I was as usual ranting and during a discussion came out the issue of Secularism and Pseudo secularism.
A general observation states that our country could be on the verge of been divided on religious lines.
I said that in our country people are secular only because they have to be and not because they want to be. Because we have such diversity and we have to live together, that’s why we pretend to be tolerant. Does that make the people of this country pseudo secular?
I was rudely interrupted by a wise old man to look up the meaning of the word ‘secularism’ in the dictionary.
Secularism, according to the dictionary doesn’t mean religious tolerance, it means the lack of religion. We tend to use both words interchangeably but that isn’t the case. It actually means ‘the belief that the state, morals, education etc. be independent of religion’.
In our country neither the state nor the morals, education etc. are independent of religion. Bal Thakeray once said that that politics and religion can’t be independent of each other. Many were offended by his views and many editorials were written. I was of the opinion that they should be independent of each other.
But sadly, religion has been woven in the fabric of politics and they both go hand in hand. They co-exist whereas they should be independent of each other i.e. the separation of church and state. To think that it exists only in this country is wrong. My earlier blog on fundamentalism points this out.
Are we, as the common man, pawns in this game of religion politics often dubbed as a fight of secular vs. communal? We often get swayed by words of certain people, formulate our opinions and spew venom against each other.
Before I deviate from the topic further, lets check out another definition of the same word. I checked up another dictionary and it said secularism is ‘indifference to or rejection or exclusion of religion and religious considerations’.
Which brings me to the question - Can we be indifferent to religion? Can it be excluded? It cannot be excluded from our personal lives. So does it mean that we can’t be secular? Or should this definition be taken in some other context? I leave this open to debate.
Originally posted on Wednesday, January 18, 2006 4:32 PM
On Sunday I was as usual ranting and during a discussion came out the issue of Secularism and Pseudo secularism.
A general observation states that our country could be on the verge of been divided on religious lines.
I said that in our country people are secular only because they have to be and not because they want to be. Because we have such diversity and we have to live together, that’s why we pretend to be tolerant. Does that make the people of this country pseudo secular?
I was rudely interrupted by a wise old man to look up the meaning of the word ‘secularism’ in the dictionary.
Secularism, according to the dictionary doesn’t mean religious tolerance, it means the lack of religion. We tend to use both words interchangeably but that isn’t the case. It actually means ‘the belief that the state, morals, education etc. be independent of religion’.
In our country neither the state nor the morals, education etc. are independent of religion. Bal Thakeray once said that that politics and religion can’t be independent of each other. Many were offended by his views and many editorials were written. I was of the opinion that they should be independent of each other.
But sadly, religion has been woven in the fabric of politics and they both go hand in hand. They co-exist whereas they should be independent of each other i.e. the separation of church and state. To think that it exists only in this country is wrong. My earlier blog on fundamentalism points this out.
Are we, as the common man, pawns in this game of religion politics often dubbed as a fight of secular vs. communal? We often get swayed by words of certain people, formulate our opinions and spew venom against each other.
Before I deviate from the topic further, lets check out another definition of the same word. I checked up another dictionary and it said secularism is ‘indifference to or rejection or exclusion of religion and religious considerations’.
Which brings me to the question - Can we be indifferent to religion? Can it be excluded? It cannot be excluded from our personal lives. So does it mean that we can’t be secular? Or should this definition be taken in some other context? I leave this open to debate.
Originally posted on Wednesday, January 18, 2006 4:32 PM
I Search, Therefore I Am
Everything is an illusion. Created by man or God? Through smoke and mirror I search for something. I think it is truth I seek. What is an illusion and what is reality. The lines have blurred and one mixes with another.
In search of answers, I read the scriptures. The religious text I read is truth? No. When I read the interpretation, I realize it is distorted by different people to suit their needs.
I read the scripture and search for my answers. I find something. Yet another person finds something else. We are all searching for our truth. We all find different things in the same. So how can it be truth if it is subjective? If it is relative?
With a thousand questions running in my head, I blurt out my dilemma to someone. A wise old man tells me that there is nothing like absolute truth.
Then what is it? The opposite of absolute is relative. But if it is relative, then my truth is another man’s lie. And if it is someone else’s lie how can it be truth. I am not sure if I make sense or if anyone understands my dilemma.
But what I look for, I shall find. My faith in God tells me so. It is not absolute it is not nothing. It is something. Undefined. Because if something is relative, it cannot be zilch. Zero. Nada. Nothing. I don’t know what I am searching for. All I know is when I find it will make sense.
---------
This post may not make sense to fellow bloggers and readers. These are just rantings of a crazy person
Originally posted on Monday, January 16, 2006 11:50 AM
In search of answers, I read the scriptures. The religious text I read is truth? No. When I read the interpretation, I realize it is distorted by different people to suit their needs.
I read the scripture and search for my answers. I find something. Yet another person finds something else. We are all searching for our truth. We all find different things in the same. So how can it be truth if it is subjective? If it is relative?
With a thousand questions running in my head, I blurt out my dilemma to someone. A wise old man tells me that there is nothing like absolute truth.
Then what is it? The opposite of absolute is relative. But if it is relative, then my truth is another man’s lie. And if it is someone else’s lie how can it be truth. I am not sure if I make sense or if anyone understands my dilemma.
But what I look for, I shall find. My faith in God tells me so. It is not absolute it is not nothing. It is something. Undefined. Because if something is relative, it cannot be zilch. Zero. Nada. Nothing. I don’t know what I am searching for. All I know is when I find it will make sense.
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This post may not make sense to fellow bloggers and readers. These are just rantings of a crazy person
Originally posted on Monday, January 16, 2006 11:50 AM
Godess of Social Thoughts Is Here
After my induction into the religion of Bardism, Lord Bardy has made me a Goddess of social thoughts. I shall live up to the responsibility given to me.
Since social thoughts includes a range of issues, I will like to highlight the plight of bloggers who were waiting to receive pink hundi with yellow dots as promised by Lord Bardy on his December 9th post. This has in turn raised a stink at O3 and now it is not operating properly.
Another issue which has cropped up, time and again, is of lungis or as the stylish people call ‘sarongs’. Male devotees are exempt from wearing such a contraption which may unfold itself and drop at inappropriate places and be a cause of amusement for this Goddess and other female goddesses and devotees. On second thoughts, let all the male devotees wear the sarong.
While I am on this, let me also point out the need for free popcorn and pepsi which are required when posts are hijacked and important discussions regarding technique, amnesia, jungle etc. take place. These life changing discussions shape the future of this country and I request err.. demand O3 to provide the free food.
Another pressing issue as pointed out by the Great Lord Bardy is of holy alcoholic water(HAW). As fellow bloggers would like Vodka, Beer, Whisky, Breezers or any other HAW listed out by Pluto in his post, these should be made available to them on-demand by O3.
Devotees keep in mind that Lord Bardy would like the above mentioned holy alcoholic water as prasadam. A (few) bottles should be offered to the Lord everyday so that your life goes smoothly. Also the miracle of Lord Bardy’s statue drinking Vodka can be seen on Thursday (with Vodka provided by devotees).
As there is a problem of water scarcity, the great God requests people to take bath once in a decade. Please try and understand that people are dying because to lack of water in various parts of this county and world. As for problems relating to hygiene I request devotees and others to drink HAW and forget all about it.
Issues which have been left out may be pointed out to me via the comments section. They shall be duly updated in the post.
Originally posted on Friday, January 13, 2006 12:59 PM
Since social thoughts includes a range of issues, I will like to highlight the plight of bloggers who were waiting to receive pink hundi with yellow dots as promised by Lord Bardy on his December 9th post. This has in turn raised a stink at O3 and now it is not operating properly.
Another issue which has cropped up, time and again, is of lungis or as the stylish people call ‘sarongs’. Male devotees are exempt from wearing such a contraption which may unfold itself and drop at inappropriate places and be a cause of amusement for this Goddess and other female goddesses and devotees. On second thoughts, let all the male devotees wear the sarong.
While I am on this, let me also point out the need for free popcorn and pepsi which are required when posts are hijacked and important discussions regarding technique, amnesia, jungle etc. take place. These life changing discussions shape the future of this country and I request err.. demand O3 to provide the free food.
Another pressing issue as pointed out by the Great Lord Bardy is of holy alcoholic water(HAW). As fellow bloggers would like Vodka, Beer, Whisky, Breezers or any other HAW listed out by Pluto in his post, these should be made available to them on-demand by O3.
Devotees keep in mind that Lord Bardy would like the above mentioned holy alcoholic water as prasadam. A (few) bottles should be offered to the Lord everyday so that your life goes smoothly. Also the miracle of Lord Bardy’s statue drinking Vodka can be seen on Thursday (with Vodka provided by devotees).
As there is a problem of water scarcity, the great God requests people to take bath once in a decade. Please try and understand that people are dying because to lack of water in various parts of this county and world. As for problems relating to hygiene I request devotees and others to drink HAW and forget all about it.
Issues which have been left out may be pointed out to me via the comments section. They shall be duly updated in the post.
Originally posted on Friday, January 13, 2006 12:59 PM
Dilli Ki Sardi
I got a call at 10.30 a.m yesterday. Cursing the person who wanted to disturb my sleep, I reached out to the irritating phone which would not stop ringing. Sleepily I managed to say “Hello”. The rest of the conversation woke me up.
Brrr...this is the coldest winter I have ever seen in Delhi. Teeth chattering, layers of woolies, sitting in the sun curled in my easy chair, reading a book, eating aloo paranthas with dollops of butter. That’s how I thought I’d spend the weekend. Being the eccentric oddball that I am, I didn't.
I was at a Kashmiri refugee camp of people dislocated after the earthquake. I met people of different ethnic and religious groups. There were widows, orphans, young boys and families. Their living conditions were appalling. Small tents of about 3X4 feet, along a dirty nullah is the land given by the Government. Interestingly, the metro (a sign of development) ran above the camp as did a Sonia Vihar pipeline (Sonia Gandhi project to bring water to people).
I met a young man who is in his early twenties, around 21. He spoke about the conditions back home, where it was snowing and the tents provided by the Government were not enough to sustain. The compensation amount was also meagre, not enough to rebuild lives.
So they had been given this land in Delhi. They had reluctantly come to Delhi and were living in conditions where they didn’t have enough food or clothes. Sometimes they went to bed, hungry.
The young man, a Bachelor of Arts student, spoke in decent English. On asking what he did, he told me that twice a week, he went around asking people to give them food, clothes and blankets. Rest of the time, he worked in a subzi mandi in Delhi, packing crates or selling vegetables. Unwillingly, his education had been halted.
He told me, “Work is worship and in times of adversity we have to do things which we otherwise wouldn’t”. Leaving behind a carpet business, destroyed by the earthquake was the hardest thing he did.
The people at the camp hoped that the Government would send them back as soon as the harsh winter was over. As children ran about playing with each other, I was told that about 100 of them were orphans and there were around 40 widows. With pleading eyes and folded hands, an elderly lady asked me to help them in any possible way. I could see that the plea for help was genuine.
I know there is so much hatred and distrust for Kashmiris. We all have our biases based on what we hear, what the media reports say, what we are taught. Do we ever try and meet people with open minds and hearts. Shouldn't we overcome those biases?
Later that evening, in the comfort of my home, I was sitting in front of a heater, eating garam gajar ka halwa, wrapped in my blanket with a thousand thoughts running in my head. What if I was in such a situation? Would somebody leave aside his biases to help me?
Originally posted on Monday, January 09, 2006 1:36 PM
Brrr...this is the coldest winter I have ever seen in Delhi. Teeth chattering, layers of woolies, sitting in the sun curled in my easy chair, reading a book, eating aloo paranthas with dollops of butter. That’s how I thought I’d spend the weekend. Being the eccentric oddball that I am, I didn't.
I was at a Kashmiri refugee camp of people dislocated after the earthquake. I met people of different ethnic and religious groups. There were widows, orphans, young boys and families. Their living conditions were appalling. Small tents of about 3X4 feet, along a dirty nullah is the land given by the Government. Interestingly, the metro (a sign of development) ran above the camp as did a Sonia Vihar pipeline (Sonia Gandhi project to bring water to people).
I met a young man who is in his early twenties, around 21. He spoke about the conditions back home, where it was snowing and the tents provided by the Government were not enough to sustain. The compensation amount was also meagre, not enough to rebuild lives.
So they had been given this land in Delhi. They had reluctantly come to Delhi and were living in conditions where they didn’t have enough food or clothes. Sometimes they went to bed, hungry.
The young man, a Bachelor of Arts student, spoke in decent English. On asking what he did, he told me that twice a week, he went around asking people to give them food, clothes and blankets. Rest of the time, he worked in a subzi mandi in Delhi, packing crates or selling vegetables. Unwillingly, his education had been halted.
He told me, “Work is worship and in times of adversity we have to do things which we otherwise wouldn’t”. Leaving behind a carpet business, destroyed by the earthquake was the hardest thing he did.
The people at the camp hoped that the Government would send them back as soon as the harsh winter was over. As children ran about playing with each other, I was told that about 100 of them were orphans and there were around 40 widows. With pleading eyes and folded hands, an elderly lady asked me to help them in any possible way. I could see that the plea for help was genuine.
I know there is so much hatred and distrust for Kashmiris. We all have our biases based on what we hear, what the media reports say, what we are taught. Do we ever try and meet people with open minds and hearts. Shouldn't we overcome those biases?
Later that evening, in the comfort of my home, I was sitting in front of a heater, eating garam gajar ka halwa, wrapped in my blanket with a thousand thoughts running in my head. What if I was in such a situation? Would somebody leave aside his biases to help me?
Originally posted on Monday, January 09, 2006 1:36 PM
Monday, November 5, 2007
Terror In My Backyard- And Its Home Grown
The naxalite problem has been gnawing my mind for a few months now. What really triggered me to write is post was a comment by fellow blogger Wise Donkey on my post 'Death So Unlikely'.
Once I was travelling in a remote area of Andhra Pradesh. I had to come back late at night. The car's interior roof lights/reading light were switched on for about two hours in which we traversed through some villages, small townships and a forest clearing. Reason? It was a naxalite area and gun-toting naxals could watch our every move. They didn’t want to kill anyone who was helping the village people.
We were told by locals that since we did not have police or government officials accompanying us, we wouldn’t be harmed. Moreover we were doing something for the downtrodden and the naxals were quite happy.
On my way I passed a police station, bombed a long time ago and some bullet marks visible on what was left of the walls. Needless to say, I did not come across any police personnel in that area.
That’s when I decided to understand the dynamics behind the naxal problem and where it is heading now.
The name ‘naxal’ comes from the village of Naxalbari situated in the narrow corridor between Nepal and what is now Bangladesh. It connects mainland India with the northeastern states.
In 1967, when the leftists were forming the government in Calcutta, three sharecroppers with the help of members of the breakaway wing of the CPI–M, armed with sticks, bows, and arrows, removed the entire stock of grain from a landlord's granary in Naxalbari village. At that time, it was considered to be a socio-economic problem in one state of India.
It slowly spread to Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttaranchal, Orissa and Uttar Pradesh. With Maoist supporting (as media reports say) their cause the problem has become a security as well as socio economic problem.
If proper measures are not taken, this could take a deadly turn.
And as Wise Donkey said, if Professor Puri, was gunned down by Naxals would there have been so much hype? The answer is ‘NO’. Why? Because we don’t consider it as a security problem or the fact that it is home grown terror supported by poor and down trodden as well as some politcial parties in parts of this country? The poor have no choice sometimes. As for the political parties - if it serves their purpose, why would they stop such a thing?
The Naxalite problem is tackled at three levels - first at the state level in which the individual states deal with the problem; second at the union level, in which the union government provide funds and security forces to tackle the Naxalite groups; and third at the intrastate level, where the states cooperate with each other to deal with the situation.
Some examples of states making an effor tinclude –
In December 2000, the governments of Bihar and Jharkhand mounted a coordinated offensive against the Naxalites.
The AP government has also tried to win back the peasantry by redistributing some of the land in the north Telengana region and has initiated programs to lure the Naxalites into surrendering by helping them to reintegrate into the mainstream society.
In West Bengal, extremist tendencies have been brought under control through an effective socio economic program, including land reforms, and an effective (police) administration.
While at the center, it has been more ‘talk’ and less ‘action’. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that a line has to be drawn between violence that is a law and order problem only and violence that has socio-economic and political underpinnings. This complexity of countering Naxal violence is widely recognized and the committee has been set up which would need to address socio-economic, developmental and political factors.
How effective has that committee been? When a local leader is shot dead in West Bengal or a jail break been perpeterated, why has the Centre kept mum on the issue? Why has the Centre not accepted it as a ‘terror’ problem behaving like a pigeon with closed eyes? Why has the media not made a sincere effort to bring this to the fore? What if these were Islamic terrorists? What kind of action would have been taken then?
Since 1960s, it is known that Naxals thrive where there are no or less land reforms or there is a poor section of society, with no resources to meet their daily requirements. Then, why the delay (of about 35 years)?
Lest this problem grows bigger, the Government should wake up and take a long term action to solve the problem. A start has been made but sincere efforts have to be made to eradicate this problem. Since the remote contolled Prime Minster will not be able to do this own his own, I hope Sonia Gandhi thinks for the common man.
P.S: I would like to attribute the some facts to articles published by Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies. Any opinion and error is soley mine.
Orignally posted on Tuesday, January 03, 2006 4:19 PM
Once I was travelling in a remote area of Andhra Pradesh. I had to come back late at night. The car's interior roof lights/reading light were switched on for about two hours in which we traversed through some villages, small townships and a forest clearing. Reason? It was a naxalite area and gun-toting naxals could watch our every move. They didn’t want to kill anyone who was helping the village people.
We were told by locals that since we did not have police or government officials accompanying us, we wouldn’t be harmed. Moreover we were doing something for the downtrodden and the naxals were quite happy.
On my way I passed a police station, bombed a long time ago and some bullet marks visible on what was left of the walls. Needless to say, I did not come across any police personnel in that area.
That’s when I decided to understand the dynamics behind the naxal problem and where it is heading now.
The name ‘naxal’ comes from the village of Naxalbari situated in the narrow corridor between Nepal and what is now Bangladesh. It connects mainland India with the northeastern states.
In 1967, when the leftists were forming the government in Calcutta, three sharecroppers with the help of members of the breakaway wing of the CPI–M, armed with sticks, bows, and arrows, removed the entire stock of grain from a landlord's granary in Naxalbari village. At that time, it was considered to be a socio-economic problem in one state of India.
It slowly spread to Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Uttaranchal, Orissa and Uttar Pradesh. With Maoist supporting (as media reports say) their cause the problem has become a security as well as socio economic problem.
If proper measures are not taken, this could take a deadly turn.
And as Wise Donkey said, if Professor Puri, was gunned down by Naxals would there have been so much hype? The answer is ‘NO’. Why? Because we don’t consider it as a security problem or the fact that it is home grown terror supported by poor and down trodden as well as some politcial parties in parts of this country? The poor have no choice sometimes. As for the political parties - if it serves their purpose, why would they stop such a thing?
The Naxalite problem is tackled at three levels - first at the state level in which the individual states deal with the problem; second at the union level, in which the union government provide funds and security forces to tackle the Naxalite groups; and third at the intrastate level, where the states cooperate with each other to deal with the situation.
Some examples of states making an effor tinclude –
In December 2000, the governments of Bihar and Jharkhand mounted a coordinated offensive against the Naxalites.
The AP government has also tried to win back the peasantry by redistributing some of the land in the north Telengana region and has initiated programs to lure the Naxalites into surrendering by helping them to reintegrate into the mainstream society.
In West Bengal, extremist tendencies have been brought under control through an effective socio economic program, including land reforms, and an effective (police) administration.
While at the center, it has been more ‘talk’ and less ‘action’. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that a line has to be drawn between violence that is a law and order problem only and violence that has socio-economic and political underpinnings. This complexity of countering Naxal violence is widely recognized and the committee has been set up which would need to address socio-economic, developmental and political factors.
How effective has that committee been? When a local leader is shot dead in West Bengal or a jail break been perpeterated, why has the Centre kept mum on the issue? Why has the Centre not accepted it as a ‘terror’ problem behaving like a pigeon with closed eyes? Why has the media not made a sincere effort to bring this to the fore? What if these were Islamic terrorists? What kind of action would have been taken then?
Since 1960s, it is known that Naxals thrive where there are no or less land reforms or there is a poor section of society, with no resources to meet their daily requirements. Then, why the delay (of about 35 years)?
Lest this problem grows bigger, the Government should wake up and take a long term action to solve the problem. A start has been made but sincere efforts have to be made to eradicate this problem. Since the remote contolled Prime Minster will not be able to do this own his own, I hope Sonia Gandhi thinks for the common man.
P.S: I would like to attribute the some facts to articles published by Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies. Any opinion and error is soley mine.
Orignally posted on Tuesday, January 03, 2006 4:19 PM
Death So Unlikely
29th December, 2005. 9.30 AM. An uneasy calm lies at IIT, Delhi. The whirr of engines of OB vans of various news channels breaks the silence. For people at IIT it hasn't sunk in yet.
Beacuse it is a death so unlikely. You go to attend a seminar and die because of a terrorist attack. What are the chances of that? This is probably the first of its kind attack in India (excluding J&K).
By now, I hope you realize I am talking about the attack at IISc Bangalore. As I write this, it hasn't yet been ascertained who is behind the attacks. One thing which is trickling in is the news that there was a 'lapse' by security agencies. I would not blame them in totally here beacuse the target was unexpected. Though there was probably information that vital installations were on a hit list but somehow you never expect something like this to happen.
Leaving apart the why and the how, the reactions by political parties (they have got something new to talk about), lets talk about how it will affect the psyche of the people.
Some people have vested interests have decided to divide this country. I am ashamed to say that they have been fairly successful. Successful in terms of creating mistrust among two communities and spreading some amount of hatred for each other. Incidents like this will amplify that.
It will also create some amount of fear. Someone says “We are not safe while shopping or attending seminars”. This is the fear which some people are trying to instill in our minds. We can’t allow them to be successful.
This does not mean that we indulge in verbal (or otherwise) bashing people/common man belonging to the ‘other’ community. Lashing out at them is no solution. It means that we understand that this is a part of a bigger plan to destroy this country as interests of many lie here. It also means that we need to get provoked at the people who are really responsible for it. Can we as educated, literate people, rise above it?
Originally posted on Thursday, December 29, 2005 11:57 AM
Beacuse it is a death so unlikely. You go to attend a seminar and die because of a terrorist attack. What are the chances of that? This is probably the first of its kind attack in India (excluding J&K).
By now, I hope you realize I am talking about the attack at IISc Bangalore. As I write this, it hasn't yet been ascertained who is behind the attacks. One thing which is trickling in is the news that there was a 'lapse' by security agencies. I would not blame them in totally here beacuse the target was unexpected. Though there was probably information that vital installations were on a hit list but somehow you never expect something like this to happen.
Leaving apart the why and the how, the reactions by political parties (they have got something new to talk about), lets talk about how it will affect the psyche of the people.
Some people have vested interests have decided to divide this country. I am ashamed to say that they have been fairly successful. Successful in terms of creating mistrust among two communities and spreading some amount of hatred for each other. Incidents like this will amplify that.
It will also create some amount of fear. Someone says “We are not safe while shopping or attending seminars”. This is the fear which some people are trying to instill in our minds. We can’t allow them to be successful.
This does not mean that we indulge in verbal (or otherwise) bashing people/common man belonging to the ‘other’ community. Lashing out at them is no solution. It means that we understand that this is a part of a bigger plan to destroy this country as interests of many lie here. It also means that we need to get provoked at the people who are really responsible for it. Can we as educated, literate people, rise above it?
Originally posted on Thursday, December 29, 2005 11:57 AM
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Awakening
When I started to write this, I had no idea why I wanted to post this today. Then I realized maybe it was because we have lost our sense of wonderment. As we grow up, we get bogged down by responsibilities, doing the right thing and forget that life is passing by.
"One such time I left town and on my way back, at a point where the land was high and I could see the sea to my left and down the road a long ways, I suddenly felt I was in heaven. The spot was in fact no different from when I had passed it not long before, but my way of seeing it had changed.
The feeling, a paradoxical mix of pulsing energy and profound peace, was intense and blissful. Whereas before the road, the sea, the trees, the air, the sun all spoke differently to me, now they spoke one language of unity. Tree took account of road, which was aware of air, which was mindful of sea, which shared things with sun.
Every element lived in a harmonious relation with its neighbour, and all was kith and kin. I kenlt a mortal; I rose an immortal. I felt like the centre of of a small circle coinciding with the centre of a much larger one. Atman met Allah."
- Yann Martel, Life of Pi
When I read the above, it was so powerful. I needed to share it with all you people. Have you ever had that Hallelujah moment in your lives?
"One such time I left town and on my way back, at a point where the land was high and I could see the sea to my left and down the road a long ways, I suddenly felt I was in heaven. The spot was in fact no different from when I had passed it not long before, but my way of seeing it had changed.
The feeling, a paradoxical mix of pulsing energy and profound peace, was intense and blissful. Whereas before the road, the sea, the trees, the air, the sun all spoke differently to me, now they spoke one language of unity. Tree took account of road, which was aware of air, which was mindful of sea, which shared things with sun.
Every element lived in a harmonious relation with its neighbour, and all was kith and kin. I kenlt a mortal; I rose an immortal. I felt like the centre of of a small circle coinciding with the centre of a much larger one. Atman met Allah."
- Yann Martel, Life of Pi
When I read the above, it was so powerful. I needed to share it with all you people. Have you ever had that Hallelujah moment in your lives?
When you have felt deep inside that life is what you make of it? That you have woken from a long slumber and realized that things are meant to be a certain way, you just need to look at them in a different light?
That the universe will conspire to give you something you need, only if you keep your eyes and heart open? Like there was something in front of your eyes and you did not see it before?
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P.S : This post was inspired by an old blog post of mine
P.P.S : Merry Christmas to everyone
Originally posted on Friday, December 23, 2005 2:24 PM
Duryodhan Say Chkravuyh Tak
Yawn! Another sting operation. Actually when another prominent Hindi news channel came out with a set of sting operations, it didn't excite me. Actually, It has left me disillusioned.
You may ask me why? It is because everytime a politician(in any capacity- MP, MLA, Cabinet Minister) is seen defaulting/not following the laws, there is hue and cry for a few days then it dies down.
Also the size of the scam is proportionate to the the position i.e. higher the post, bigger the scam. Which automatically means longer the time taken for any any action to take place.
Now, look at Laloo Prasad Yadav and the fodder scam. The Congress goes on to make him the Railway Minsiter of this country. Another case in point is Bangaru Laxman. Look now what BJP has done with him. He is in the list of 'leaders'.
Both political parties suffer from amnesia and there is no mention of the scam or the money taking incident in their official biodatas. So that is what we have to look forward to. The above are some off-the-cuff examples, there are others too on that list. The post will become too long if I start naming all - which just shows how corrupt both the opposition and the ones in power are.
Back to the question of sting operation. The following will happen-
The person may get suspended from 'active' membership but retain primary membership of the party. An enquiry committe is setup. The findings take years to come. We go back to our life, media finds something new and the case is forgotten. A few years later that politician is inducted into the party again. This time with a better post and position.
The problem lies in the loopholes of the political system. It also lies in the Judicial system. If laws were stringent and everybody taken to the book then it would deter people from breaking rules. Suspending the MPs is a stort term solution to the poblem. An overhaul of the entire system is the need of the hour.
The country runs on three important pillars- The Legislature, The Judiciary and The Executive. The fourth unofficial pillar is media. All these pillars support India. I can see cracks in the pillars. My only hope is that these pillars don't crumble in times to come.
Originally posted on Tuesday, December 20, 2005 12:57 PM
You may ask me why? It is because everytime a politician(in any capacity- MP, MLA, Cabinet Minister) is seen defaulting/not following the laws, there is hue and cry for a few days then it dies down.
Also the size of the scam is proportionate to the the position i.e. higher the post, bigger the scam. Which automatically means longer the time taken for any any action to take place.
Now, look at Laloo Prasad Yadav and the fodder scam. The Congress goes on to make him the Railway Minsiter of this country. Another case in point is Bangaru Laxman. Look now what BJP has done with him. He is in the list of 'leaders'.
Both political parties suffer from amnesia and there is no mention of the scam or the money taking incident in their official biodatas. So that is what we have to look forward to. The above are some off-the-cuff examples, there are others too on that list. The post will become too long if I start naming all - which just shows how corrupt both the opposition and the ones in power are.
Back to the question of sting operation. The following will happen-
The person may get suspended from 'active' membership but retain primary membership of the party. An enquiry committe is setup. The findings take years to come. We go back to our life, media finds something new and the case is forgotten. A few years later that politician is inducted into the party again. This time with a better post and position.
The problem lies in the loopholes of the political system. It also lies in the Judicial system. If laws were stringent and everybody taken to the book then it would deter people from breaking rules. Suspending the MPs is a stort term solution to the poblem. An overhaul of the entire system is the need of the hour.
The country runs on three important pillars- The Legislature, The Judiciary and The Executive. The fourth unofficial pillar is media. All these pillars support India. I can see cracks in the pillars. My only hope is that these pillars don't crumble in times to come.
Originally posted on Tuesday, December 20, 2005 12:57 PM
Open letter to George W Bush
Dear Mr. Bush,
Well, well, well..... looks like your foot-in-mouth disease has increased with age. This is what you had to say at Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholors:
So today you have accepted the responsibility for going to war with faulty intelligence. Now that you have accepted that your were at fault, will you bring back to life the 30,000 people killed in the Iraq war? I hear you saying a faint “No“. If God gave you the right to kill these people, surely he gave you the right to bring them back to life. Oh, he forgot to give you that power? Too bad, because now the blood of these people is on your hands. I wonder how you sleep at night.
Now that you have managed to sway the precarious balance of cultural ethnicity (Sunnis, Shias, Kurds, Others) in Iraq, how you bring back the peace? How will you stop the suicide attacks? Oh, maybe they solve your purpose. More people dying means less population to rule over and lesser number of people to raise their voice against you.
You stood at the Woodrow Wilson International Centre while you said the above words but forgot what Woodrow himself once said. I will jog your memory and remind you that Woodrow Wilson once said “I would rather belong to a poor nation that was free than to a rich nation that had ceased to be in love with liberty.“
Well it seems Mr. Bush you have forgotten what liberty means. The meaning of the word in this context is 'freedom to live and freedom to choose'. You have ceased to give this to the people of Iraq. You chose to come into their country, kill people, give them a government which runs on your tunes.
To say -I am sorry, I was wrong is as bad as saying 'All is fair in Love and War'. You have forgotten the love part but remember the part which talks about 'war' and implemented it to the T.
But you still believe:
Your goal has always been more that removal of Saddam. A country rich in oil and it prime geo-political location is your favourite country. Remember when you installed your men in northern Iraq (Kurdish region), years ago? The 32nd parallel where Iraqi planes were not allowed to fly? You were waiting for the right moment to capture the rest of the county.
Now that you can keep a watch over this part of Asia, why not spare Iran, the agony?
Love and Peace.
Regards
Zephie
Originally posted on Thursday, December 15, 2005 2:18 PM
Well, well, well..... looks like your foot-in-mouth disease has increased with age. This is what you had to say at Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholors:
"It is true that much of the intelligence turned out to be wrong. As President I
am responsible for the decision to go into Iraq."
So today you have accepted the responsibility for going to war with faulty intelligence. Now that you have accepted that your were at fault, will you bring back to life the 30,000 people killed in the Iraq war? I hear you saying a faint “No“. If God gave you the right to kill these people, surely he gave you the right to bring them back to life. Oh, he forgot to give you that power? Too bad, because now the blood of these people is on your hands. I wonder how you sleep at night.
Now that you have managed to sway the precarious balance of cultural ethnicity (Sunnis, Shias, Kurds, Others) in Iraq, how you bring back the peace? How will you stop the suicide attacks? Oh, maybe they solve your purpose. More people dying means less population to rule over and lesser number of people to raise their voice against you.
You stood at the Woodrow Wilson International Centre while you said the above words but forgot what Woodrow himself once said. I will jog your memory and remind you that Woodrow Wilson once said “I would rather belong to a poor nation that was free than to a rich nation that had ceased to be in love with liberty.“
Well it seems Mr. Bush you have forgotten what liberty means. The meaning of the word in this context is 'freedom to live and freedom to choose'. You have ceased to give this to the people of Iraq. You chose to come into their country, kill people, give them a government which runs on your tunes.
To say -I am sorry, I was wrong is as bad as saying 'All is fair in Love and War'. You have forgotten the love part but remember the part which talks about 'war' and implemented it to the T.
But you still believe:
“We are in Iraq today because our goal has always been more than the
removal of brutal dictator.It is to leave a free and democratic Iraq in his
place....My decision to remove Saddam Hussein was the right decision. Saddam was
a threat and the American people and the world is better off because he is no
longer in power".
Your goal has always been more that removal of Saddam. A country rich in oil and it prime geo-political location is your favourite country. Remember when you installed your men in northern Iraq (Kurdish region), years ago? The 32nd parallel where Iraqi planes were not allowed to fly? You were waiting for the right moment to capture the rest of the county.
Now that you can keep a watch over this part of Asia, why not spare Iran, the agony?
Love and Peace.
Regards
Zephie
Originally posted on Thursday, December 15, 2005 2:18 PM
Friday, November 2, 2007
License to Kill
The drama began when I decided to learn driving. It is a nightmare to drive on Delhi's killer roads. If anyone can drive on Delhi roads, he can drive anywhere. The concept of lane driving is different here, so are the road rules. If three lanes have been designated for the traffic then people will create six lanes out of three. You can overtake only if you have the bigger vehicle.
Keeping this in mind, began my tryst with driving. After much coaxing and cajoling, I learnt to drive. The D-day came when I had to go for my driving license test. With nervous butterflies in my stomach, I reached the test centre. (For easier understanding, from here on Test Centre with be called TC in this post.)
My driving school had fixed the day and time of the test for the people in my batch. A motely group of people (including me) were told to come in a back lane near TC at a certain given time. All of us assembled there (a college student, an office goer, a teacher, a doctor and other assorted people). We huddled together in a group. It looked like we were involved in some shady drug deal as passerbys gave us suspicious looks. I didn't know how the day would unfold.
After a roll call of all our names, we were told in a low voice by the driving school guy “Aapko fikar karne ki koi zarurat nahi hai. Aap test may pass ho jaogey.” Then he gave an all knowing smile and told us to follow him.
We walked in the lane towards the TC. At the TC, we entered from a back door and then proceeded to walk past counters where the normal junta was not allowed. Then we stopped and signed a form at a particular counter. The list had already reached the counter wallah guy. By this time I realized that a few palms had been greased so that our license would be made without much difficulty.
Then we went to the area where we were supposed to drive the car. Again, the driving school guy told us in a tone full of conspiracy “Dekiye abhi apka driving test hoga, sirf 100 metre agey jaana hai phir 100 metre reverse. Bas. Apka test khatam.”
The car in which we were supposed to give our test arrived. It was a car provided by the driving school. It had double accelerator, break and clutch. Now comes the fun part.
The person who was supposed to take our test, stood on the road (with loads of money in his pocket - This I deduced from what happened next). He did not bother to get in the car to test us! The driving school guy sat in the car with each one of us. A college student whose number was just before mine looked a bit nervous coz she wasn't sure about reversing properly. After the test, she got down and with a puzzled face came upto me and said “Kuch bhi nahi hua.”
My number was just after hers. Before I could comprehend her statement, I was called for my test. With butterflies playing circus in my stomach I sat down in the car. The driving school instructor told me - don't put your foot on the accelerator. Just hold the steering wheel and pretend you are driving. I told him I can drive, but he ignored that! With a questioning look on my face, I followed his instructions.
I held the steering, he put his foot on the accelerator, moved the car forward. Stopped. Asked me to look back and yet again pretend that I am reversing the car. He then reversed the car and we stopped. With a smile on his face he told me “You have passed the test. You can collect the license in one hour.“
What test? That was a driving test? I think it was an acting test.
Needless to say, I have a driving license and that too for twenty years!
P.S : In retrospect I just wonder, if people get license like this, no wonder road accidents are increasing day-by-day.
Originally posted on Monday, December 12, 2005 11:42 AM
Keeping this in mind, began my tryst with driving. After much coaxing and cajoling, I learnt to drive. The D-day came when I had to go for my driving license test. With nervous butterflies in my stomach, I reached the test centre. (For easier understanding, from here on Test Centre with be called TC in this post.)
My driving school had fixed the day and time of the test for the people in my batch. A motely group of people (including me) were told to come in a back lane near TC at a certain given time. All of us assembled there (a college student, an office goer, a teacher, a doctor and other assorted people). We huddled together in a group. It looked like we were involved in some shady drug deal as passerbys gave us suspicious looks. I didn't know how the day would unfold.
After a roll call of all our names, we were told in a low voice by the driving school guy “Aapko fikar karne ki koi zarurat nahi hai. Aap test may pass ho jaogey.” Then he gave an all knowing smile and told us to follow him.
We walked in the lane towards the TC. At the TC, we entered from a back door and then proceeded to walk past counters where the normal junta was not allowed. Then we stopped and signed a form at a particular counter. The list had already reached the counter wallah guy. By this time I realized that a few palms had been greased so that our license would be made without much difficulty.
Then we went to the area where we were supposed to drive the car. Again, the driving school guy told us in a tone full of conspiracy “Dekiye abhi apka driving test hoga, sirf 100 metre agey jaana hai phir 100 metre reverse. Bas. Apka test khatam.”
The car in which we were supposed to give our test arrived. It was a car provided by the driving school. It had double accelerator, break and clutch. Now comes the fun part.
The person who was supposed to take our test, stood on the road (with loads of money in his pocket - This I deduced from what happened next). He did not bother to get in the car to test us! The driving school guy sat in the car with each one of us. A college student whose number was just before mine looked a bit nervous coz she wasn't sure about reversing properly. After the test, she got down and with a puzzled face came upto me and said “Kuch bhi nahi hua.”
My number was just after hers. Before I could comprehend her statement, I was called for my test. With butterflies playing circus in my stomach I sat down in the car. The driving school instructor told me - don't put your foot on the accelerator. Just hold the steering wheel and pretend you are driving. I told him I can drive, but he ignored that! With a questioning look on my face, I followed his instructions.
I held the steering, he put his foot on the accelerator, moved the car forward. Stopped. Asked me to look back and yet again pretend that I am reversing the car. He then reversed the car and we stopped. With a smile on his face he told me “You have passed the test. You can collect the license in one hour.“
What test? That was a driving test? I think it was an acting test.
Needless to say, I have a driving license and that too for twenty years!
P.S : In retrospect I just wonder, if people get license like this, no wonder road accidents are increasing day-by-day.
Originally posted on Monday, December 12, 2005 11:42 AM
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Main Ek, Mere Paanch....
Pluto and Navin tagged me…so here goes my list of fivers…
10 years ago
Was a lil kid in school who did not know that the opposite sex existed for reasons other than studying with, copying homework, tying rakhi, playing football and fighting with….
5 years ago
Just came out of school and entered college..
While in college…bunked every Friday to watch ‘first day, first show, first row’
Clueless about what I wanted to do in life…
Last Year
Met some great people…
Found a great job…basically, had a rocking year….
Yesterday
Was running like crazy to get some work done…lots of frayed nerves… lots of irritated people… L…basically everyone screwing everyone….though by end of the day, things were in control…phew!
5 Yummy things
Chocolate (except anything which has caramel or liquorice flavour)
Piping hot Aloo chat in rainy season
Gol Gappe…in road side stalls
Crispy Waffles with chocolate sauce
Chocolate truffle pastry with hot chocolate sauce
I guess I am obsessed with chocolatey stuff….
...I am salivating now….thinking about these things….
5 Things I know by Heart
My phone number…Finally!!
7 times 3 in Table of 7 – which I learnt after a lot of struggle in class 3rd and threats by my Dad … I had a maths test the next day…
P.S: This does not mean that I don’t know other tables :D
Lyrics of my Fav songs by Bryan Adams
Nursery Rhyme – Twinkle Twinkle little star – which I sing for my nephew
Gayatri Mantra
5 Things I ‘d do if I had lots of money
Do nothing!! Just laze around in front of TV, eat junk, wake at 12.00 in the afternoon and live a completely spoilt and unhealthy life…
Go on a loooong world tour…visit all countries of the world and spend quality and quantity time in each of them…basically live a life of nomad
Have a private library of thousands and thousands of books…it should be situated by the side of an ocean, have large french windows so sunlight can stream in, have wooden floors, comfy chairs and good music…that’s my dream….
Have many homes – one in the middle of a bustling city, one in the mountains, one beside the ocean, one in the middle of a farm, one in some secluded area on a cliff.. (hopefully in many countries)
Last but no the least- Help my Mom in her endeavour of helping socially and economically backward children to live a life of dignity…
5 Places I escape to
My room (its heaven!!)
My fav book café
My loo…whenever people bother me, I go sit there with my book….
My blog :)
Mountains…if I get a chance
5 Things I’d never wear
Leaves
Only body paint
Platform heels
A skirt which is too short
Garish Makeup
5 Favourite TV Shows
Don’t really get time to watch TV…. I just keep surfing channels and watch whatever catches my fancy… there are some shows which I try and watch regularly…
Friends
Desperate Housewives
Big Fight (NDTV)
Gilmore Girls
Monk
5 Things I enjoy doing
Reading (which must be apparent by now)
Eating head of anyone in ‘talking range’
Listening to music (its therapeutic and helps me unwind in the evening and helps me get my groove in the morning….)
Dancing though I have 2 left feet… I can dance all day long with good peppy upbeat music, food and susu breaks….
Sitting on my terrace watching the birds play with each other (many species reside around my home), squirrels jumping from one branch to another, green trees, blue sky, clouds and appreciating nature in all seasons
I want to Tag
Navin
Angelz Fear
I otta
Skj
Does it matter (Archana)
I wanted to tag Peshwa, Taira, Bard, Sanjeev and other people as well but they were already tagged....
Originally posted on Thursday, December 08, 2005 1:18 PM
10 years ago
Was a lil kid in school who did not know that the opposite sex existed for reasons other than studying with, copying homework, tying rakhi, playing football and fighting with….
5 years ago
Just came out of school and entered college..
While in college…bunked every Friday to watch ‘first day, first show, first row’
Clueless about what I wanted to do in life…
Last Year
Met some great people…
Found a great job…basically, had a rocking year….
Yesterday
Was running like crazy to get some work done…lots of frayed nerves… lots of irritated people… L…basically everyone screwing everyone….though by end of the day, things were in control…phew!
5 Yummy things
Chocolate (except anything which has caramel or liquorice flavour)
Piping hot Aloo chat in rainy season
Gol Gappe…in road side stalls
Crispy Waffles with chocolate sauce
Chocolate truffle pastry with hot chocolate sauce
I guess I am obsessed with chocolatey stuff….
...I am salivating now….thinking about these things….
5 Things I know by Heart
My phone number…Finally!!
7 times 3 in Table of 7 – which I learnt after a lot of struggle in class 3rd and threats by my Dad … I had a maths test the next day…
P.S: This does not mean that I don’t know other tables :D
Lyrics of my Fav songs by Bryan Adams
Nursery Rhyme – Twinkle Twinkle little star – which I sing for my nephew
Gayatri Mantra
5 Things I ‘d do if I had lots of money
Do nothing!! Just laze around in front of TV, eat junk, wake at 12.00 in the afternoon and live a completely spoilt and unhealthy life…
Go on a loooong world tour…visit all countries of the world and spend quality and quantity time in each of them…basically live a life of nomad
Have a private library of thousands and thousands of books…it should be situated by the side of an ocean, have large french windows so sunlight can stream in, have wooden floors, comfy chairs and good music…that’s my dream….
Have many homes – one in the middle of a bustling city, one in the mountains, one beside the ocean, one in the middle of a farm, one in some secluded area on a cliff.. (hopefully in many countries)
Last but no the least- Help my Mom in her endeavour of helping socially and economically backward children to live a life of dignity…
5 Places I escape to
My room (its heaven!!)
My fav book café
My loo…whenever people bother me, I go sit there with my book….
My blog :)
Mountains…if I get a chance
5 Things I’d never wear
Leaves
Only body paint
Platform heels
A skirt which is too short
Garish Makeup
5 Favourite TV Shows
Don’t really get time to watch TV…. I just keep surfing channels and watch whatever catches my fancy… there are some shows which I try and watch regularly…
Friends
Desperate Housewives
Big Fight (NDTV)
Gilmore Girls
Monk
5 Things I enjoy doing
Reading (which must be apparent by now)
Eating head of anyone in ‘talking range’
Listening to music (its therapeutic and helps me unwind in the evening and helps me get my groove in the morning….)
Dancing though I have 2 left feet… I can dance all day long with good peppy upbeat music, food and susu breaks….
Sitting on my terrace watching the birds play with each other (many species reside around my home), squirrels jumping from one branch to another, green trees, blue sky, clouds and appreciating nature in all seasons
I want to Tag
Navin
Angelz Fear
I otta
Skj
Does it matter (Archana)
I wanted to tag Peshwa, Taira, Bard, Sanjeev and other people as well but they were already tagged....
Originally posted on Thursday, December 08, 2005 1:18 PM
Yeh Hai Mumbai Meri Jaan!
Mumbai. City of dreams. A city of pretences. A city of contradictions. A city divided, yet a city united. A city so complex.
A glittering city awaits me as I reach in the night.
My car stops at the red light in front of Victoria terminus. A landmark, a gothic Italian structure built by the Britishers. A young man on a motorcycle stops next to me. A burka clad woman sits behind him. Her hand clutching his shoulder. In front of me is a taxi with 'Hey Ram' written on it. A Parsi man crosses the street. I want to capture this moment forever. Because it gives me hope. I see a melting pot of multi-religions, multi-ethinicity and multi-cultures.
As I reach my hotel in South Mumbai, I see lots of cars parked. Some (well dressed) people have decided to stop their car on the road and there is a jam. It seems there is a Page 3 party going on somewhere closeby as some of these people (in shiny clothes) stoll upto their cars. My driver honks the horn. They turn back and glare him. The expression on their face saying 'You don't know me or what?'. I see. This is also a city of pretences.
Tired, I go to sleep. In the morning my friend comes to meet me. She apolozies for not coming and meeting me the previous night. She says her home in the suburbs is too far from South Mumbai. She works in the the area of investments and finance. We walk towards the Marine Drive. She tells me about the Business district at Nariman Point. The dream of anyone who has made it in the world of Finance has an office here. She hopes, hers will be here one day too. I know, this is afterall a city of dreams.
We look for a place to have breakfast. Nothing is open so early in the morning. We go back to my hotel room and eat biscuits. We sit and talk. She tells me South Mumbai is like South Delhi. Posh. Anyone who is 'Anyone' lives here. She tells me people smirk if she tells them she doesn't live in the town. No autorickshaws ply here. I see provocation for the dreams to come true.
I go for my business meeting. I meet some people. I see some not so straight men at high posts in big organizations. In Delhi, they will feel the discrimination straight on (no pun intended) . I see this city absorbing everything and weaving it in its fabric.
Later as I go to the airport, my driver apolgetically tells me that he'll have to take another route. I ask him why. He tells me its because of Ambedkar Punyathi the next day. I nod in acknowledgement. As we go, I see people living on the pavements. Children happily scamper away as women sit and chit chat. Some men take a bath. But they don't even once look at the cars which pass them. It seems they live in another world. Moments later, my driver breaks my reverie and tells me in a disdainful tone that these are the 'famed' slums of Mumbai. In a tone which is full of contempt for the people living in those shacks, he tells me its 'jaisey log, waisa area'. Moments later, we hit a road which is wide, slum-less, neat and looks like a better area of the city. I see a city divided.
I ask him whether the city is divided on religious lines. Do people live in seperate areas or are they integrated. He tells me they live in segregated areas. In a city which is a hub of Hindu fundamentalists and a city which has seen gruesome riots, I see scars not yet healed. There are some whose lives have not been affected. They air kiss each other at nights. I see a city so complex.
It compels me to come there again. I hope I do. For there is much to scratch beneath the surface. Different layers waiting to be unfolded. Different stories waiting to be told. Much to be seen and understood. Much like Delhi.
The two cities have evloved. From the time of Mughul rule to the time of British rule and the currently, some things have changed and some have stood in time. I am facinated by this complexity and simplicity rolled in together. I feel a connection.
Mumbai, I will see you again.
A glittering city awaits me as I reach in the night.
My car stops at the red light in front of Victoria terminus. A landmark, a gothic Italian structure built by the Britishers. A young man on a motorcycle stops next to me. A burka clad woman sits behind him. Her hand clutching his shoulder. In front of me is a taxi with 'Hey Ram' written on it. A Parsi man crosses the street. I want to capture this moment forever. Because it gives me hope. I see a melting pot of multi-religions, multi-ethinicity and multi-cultures.
As I reach my hotel in South Mumbai, I see lots of cars parked. Some (well dressed) people have decided to stop their car on the road and there is a jam. It seems there is a Page 3 party going on somewhere closeby as some of these people (in shiny clothes) stoll upto their cars. My driver honks the horn. They turn back and glare him. The expression on their face saying 'You don't know me or what?'. I see. This is also a city of pretences.
Tired, I go to sleep. In the morning my friend comes to meet me. She apolozies for not coming and meeting me the previous night. She says her home in the suburbs is too far from South Mumbai. She works in the the area of investments and finance. We walk towards the Marine Drive. She tells me about the Business district at Nariman Point. The dream of anyone who has made it in the world of Finance has an office here. She hopes, hers will be here one day too. I know, this is afterall a city of dreams.
We look for a place to have breakfast. Nothing is open so early in the morning. We go back to my hotel room and eat biscuits. We sit and talk. She tells me South Mumbai is like South Delhi. Posh. Anyone who is 'Anyone' lives here. She tells me people smirk if she tells them she doesn't live in the town. No autorickshaws ply here. I see provocation for the dreams to come true.
I go for my business meeting. I meet some people. I see some not so straight men at high posts in big organizations. In Delhi, they will feel the discrimination straight on (no pun intended) . I see this city absorbing everything and weaving it in its fabric.
Later as I go to the airport, my driver apolgetically tells me that he'll have to take another route. I ask him why. He tells me its because of Ambedkar Punyathi the next day. I nod in acknowledgement. As we go, I see people living on the pavements. Children happily scamper away as women sit and chit chat. Some men take a bath. But they don't even once look at the cars which pass them. It seems they live in another world. Moments later, my driver breaks my reverie and tells me in a disdainful tone that these are the 'famed' slums of Mumbai. In a tone which is full of contempt for the people living in those shacks, he tells me its 'jaisey log, waisa area'. Moments later, we hit a road which is wide, slum-less, neat and looks like a better area of the city. I see a city divided.
I ask him whether the city is divided on religious lines. Do people live in seperate areas or are they integrated. He tells me they live in segregated areas. In a city which is a hub of Hindu fundamentalists and a city which has seen gruesome riots, I see scars not yet healed. There are some whose lives have not been affected. They air kiss each other at nights. I see a city so complex.
It compels me to come there again. I hope I do. For there is much to scratch beneath the surface. Different layers waiting to be unfolded. Different stories waiting to be told. Much to be seen and understood. Much like Delhi.
The two cities have evloved. From the time of Mughul rule to the time of British rule and the currently, some things have changed and some have stood in time. I am facinated by this complexity and simplicity rolled in together. I feel a connection.
Mumbai, I will see you again.
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