meandmyexpressions

Whose caste is it, anyway?

2011-09-20T01:38:00.000+05:30

Imagine the following scenarios:

Your child meets with an accident and is in immediate need of blood. Lots of it. You rush to the donor bank and ask for blood matching your child’s blood group. At that instant do you check what was the caste/religion of the donor?

Your home is attacked by robbers while you are away when the guard losing no time calls the police and helps prevent the crime and protects your home. Do you then check which ethnicity does he belong to?

Someone offers you a sip of water when your throat is parched, someone offers you a seat in an overcrowded bus, someone shares food or someone lends hope when your world comes crashing down… does it really matter which caste does he belong to?

I’m guessing your answer to all of the above situations would be NO. And why is that? Because you know, in each of the situations above the ‘helper’ is giving you a reason to smile, to hang on, to fight back. He’s is re-assuring you that everything will be fine. In his way, he is valuing your life. His heart is valuing your life.
And we turn around and thank the person, express our gratitude or may be pray for them too.

However, when in our daily lives we confront situations specially like marriage and choice of profession the man-made thing called ‘caste’ suddenly reigns supreme.
Marriage within the same caste is the biggest dream of parents. If your child comes up with a choice of partner you thwart her dream and crush it with the heavy dose of emotional capsules and family name. You are ready to part with your life as you see your child not agreeing to your plans for her. You dwell in the well of sadness accusing her of misery and shame she got to the family. And in some brilliant cases you rob her of her life, lest she rebels!! But in all this process what you completely overlook is her heart! She will come around. She will forget and thank you for this brilliant decision once she moves on, so you think.

An ‘ideal’ job that doesn’t compromise with the ‘family values’ is applauded and wins social trophies for the family. While fathers go around boasting the 7 figure salary ‘Monty’ got as soon as he finished his MBA, mothers don’t stop from flaunting the number of marriage proposals they have sidelined as their son is now such a wonderful catch! Your family’s respect triples in value in the eyes of the society. What else matters?
But again, did you ask your son if he’s happy? When did you last check what does he do in his free time? Or does he even get time for himself? Or do you think its irrelevant? That everyone ends up liking their job. It’s a matter of time. The kids will get used to, just like you did. That after all these years of studying medicine, how can your son become a DJ. Ridiculous!

Dear parents, I really want to speak to you on behalf of your children.
We love you. Unconditionally. We want to see a smile on your face, everyday. We want to be with you. We want you to be proud of us in whatever we do. Your presence in our life matters. If we think different, it doesn’t mean that we are disrespecting you. We want to pay heed to your advice but we also want to learn from our own experiences. Please trust us and we promise we will never let go of your trust. When we were born we trusted you with our life and with that bond our life blossomed. We are indebted to you for the life you have provided to us and we want to make the most of it! So please trust us and keep us in your prayers.
Please listen to your heart and not what others might think. Like R- Madhavan’s character in 3 idiots had said – Why should we care about what our neighbour thinks? He didn’t raise me up. He didn’t suffer for my sake. He didn’t provide me with anything. Why worry about the society parents? It is we who make it afterall!
If we get un-reasonable then set us right. Defeat us with logic but not through coloured vision of the society.
Dear parents, listen to your heart and help us become strong and courageous individuals. Coz in the end, it’s the heart that matters and nothing else!

P.S. I could elaborate on more issues but thought of sticking to only 2 as of now.

"Jeendagi" jiyengey udhaar

2011-08-25T23:40:00.001+05:30

Lo ban gaya mazaak
Ke kisi ki muskuraat pe huye they nisaar
Wo dikhey bhi nahi - bas Chhoo kar chal diye
Kiye hamare kuchh pal, zaar – zaar

Kehtey hain mohabbat
Deewana bana deti hai
Toh bata ae haseen- Tujhmein kya wo khushbu thi
Jo humein ussey pehle hi, paagal kar gayi karaar

Phirtey hain dar dar
Liye haath mein tera ishtihaar
Jo koi bata de kisi waqt
Kahan, ho jaaye tera deedar

Uss pal ka hai intezaar
Tujhko dekh loon, jee bhar, ek baar
Phir ban jaaney de mera mazaak
Waada hai, taa – umr Zindagi jeeyengey udhaar

It ain't over yet

2011-08-25T23:23:00.000+05:30

The pillows still lie side by side
The hand still goes out to the latch
Saag still gets made but no extra rotis
Dinner, never close to being over fed

Mirror makes a mockery of the solo reflection
Perfume bottles await the touch
Watches time, for almost eternity
Figuring out the last time they were touched

Candles light the room on emergency
Wine, no sausage, no cream
Beautiful memories laden in the heart
Precious and untouched

You are...

2011-06-28T00:07:00.003+05:30

You are the precious dew drop
Resting on my finger tip
So beautiful, you glisten in my eyes
But scared I am - what if i spill?

You are the dream in my eyes
Every night I see you smile
Every dawn I fear waking up
What if I don't see you a while?

You are the prayer on my lips
Touching, caressing, spilling
I fear losing a moment to the crowd
Afraid of finding you slipping

You are my thought, my light in the dark
You are my seasons to the year
You are the reason, the option,the answer
Of why I want you to be near.....

The gaze

2011-06-20T23:03:00.003+05:30

As life moved on
It was just the gaze that
Stayed on – just like it is right now…
Bathing in the past
Mingling with the present
Searching for tomorrow
Looking for a hint

Love

2011-06-20T02:46:00.000+05:30

There is a constant need for me
To find love
To feel it
To see love
To need it
To hold it and
Release it
To cradle and
Unleash it
Irreplaceable
Irresistible
Incessant
Incredible
To have it and
To keep it
And never to lose it?

To Zoozee, with love

2011-06-20T02:31:00.001+05:30

Wishing
Praying
Mumbling
Breathing
Sinking
Sailing
Holding on
To the thought that you are the best thing that happened to me ever.
My dearest friend.

Sapney

2011-06-20T02:19:00.000+05:30

Achcha lagta hai yun
Raat bhar jaagna
Aaj kal sapno se, ladaayi jo hai!
Aakhir sapney - sapney hi thehrey
Aankh khultey hi gayab ho jaatey hain
Fir din bhar bhatakti hai ummeed - tanha
Thak kar shaam ko leti sahara neend ka
Chhalawa deti, sapney dikhaati
Chidhaati, Sataati, kabhi - rulaati
Aur fir jhatkey se, subah uthati neend ka parda
Hum fir Besahara – bewjah!

Ke aaj

2011-06-20T01:59:00.000+05:30

Teri dhun par hain mere geet
Ek sur thoda hai hila
Zaroor aankhein hain nam teri
Ke aaj - galla mera hai bharaa…

Yun Hi...

2011-06-20T01:58:00.000+05:30

Hans dete hain aajkal
Liye pehlu mein zamana
Fir aadtan dhoondtey hain unn lamhon ko
Jin mei zamaaney bhar ke pehlu dekhe they...

Incomplete

2010-08-30T16:08:00.002+05:30

Through the recesses of time
Into the being
It feels empty
Feels incomplete

Like spring without breeze
Like speechless keys
Meaningless, cold
Incomplete

Like dreams without wings
Spinning wild, out of sync
Heart so empty
I - Incomplete

Mooring...

2009-12-16T15:25:00.001+05:30

Its in the “j” s and the “z” s
Its in the “Should I’s?” of the world
Its there at the coast side some where far
My life boat moored....

The chase

2009-11-17T00:07:00.002+05:30

Its chasing me away
Elusive- at a distance
I sag my shoulders- tired
Tired of running all the way

A sigh escapes
Followed by a murmur of words
Dejected- is the feeling
Everything seems so far away

Minutes ticking
Sun goes up and down again
The sinking feeling, still there, somewhere
I feel cast away

It continues to chase me away
Don’t even a shadow I see
Happiness it is, and nothing more
Elusive till the end of the day

Hindi Poetry -4

2009-10-08T23:51:00.002+05:30

Wo kehtein hain - khuda
Gham zara kam de
Raat ko aankhon mein neend nahi aati
Hum kehtey hain - ya khuda
Unkey badley ka gham humein dey
Is shab ko nazm mein badal na hai...

Hindi Poetry -3

2009-10-08T23:37:00.002+05:30

Meri Kalam
Meri Ungli ke ishaarey samajhti hai
Mere dil ke bhi

Kambakht har dard ka nishaan
Har din
Ek korey kaagaz par chhod jaati hai
Agley din
Ithlatey huye phir tayyar ho jaati hai
Maano poochh rahi ho
Aaj kis pal ka karz chukana hai?

Hindi Poetry-2

2009-10-08T23:26:00.003+05:30

Wo aawazein hain
Abhi bhi mere zehen mein
Jo mujh sey mera hona
Maangti hain

Poochho us baarish ki boond se
Jo ek pal ke liye
Mujhey mere hone
Ka ehsaas dilati hai

Hindi Poetry- 1

2009-10-08T23:17:00.000+05:30

Dard hai ek
Meetha sa
Galey se utarta hi nahi

Na jaaney sirf aankhon ka
Namkeen pani
Isey kyun sehlata hai

Aisa Agar

2009-10-08T01:17:00.000+05:30

Beauty Pagents ne jab se-Sundarta ki hod kya lagayi hai
Jahan dekho ek chehra, ek jhalak ek hansi sunayi deti hai
Pehle Jo na Mila karta tha baazaron mein
Aaj un sabhi ki dukaan lagayi hai

Skin firmer, wrinkle free creams toh kya
Ab naakhoonon par bhi painting banaayein hain
Deh ko chhipana nahi…
Ab dikhaney ki baari aai hai

Main sundar hun, main bold hun
Dekho kitno ka dil muthhi mein meri
Item girl toh pehle hua karti thi
Ab ghar ghar ke program ko item banaaney ki baari aai hai

Time nahi hai sabhi se milney ka
Tabhi toh Facebook account banaya hai
Phir hugs, kisses and photo sharing -
Ek nayi tarah ki dosti ki bahaar layi hai

Ek din aayega, jab office ghar mein badal jaayengey
Apni maa sey milney ke liye, hum kabhi - ghar ko jaayengey
Aayega wo din Jab un boodhi (old) Aankhon mein
Ek hansi ki jhalak ko dhoondta payengey

Shayari Again

2009-08-31T11:34:00.002+05:30

Teri Yaad Ne Ehsaas Dilaya Ke
Doorie Kya Hoti Hai
Yunhi Aks Mein Barbas Tera Chehra Dhoondna
Hamari Aadat Na Thi.....

Path to you....

2009-08-13T14:53:00.000+05:30

The dots were light
Few years back
And I needn’t worry
Where they lead
Away in a world
Of friends and foes
I was busy struggling
With millions vows
Career, friendship
But no time for love
Just a little bit of time
For me to grow up
Tears of joy
With radiant days
Blissful nights
And lonely escapades
Never again did
The dots touched the eye
Whilst they grew darker
With every passing day
Then one day it struck
Shaming a lightning of its brilliance
The dots lead me to you
And this was the only chance
The laughter went loud
Eyes welled up more often
Days went more brilliant
And the nights dimmed the heaven
Wonder I
Oh what a design!
Awestruck I am
Waiting for no other sign
He had a plan
Oh I fail to understand
All these years these dots lead to you
And I stand here with no more demand

Sleepy Eyes....

2009-07-31T11:34:00.003+05:30

I pry them open
Yet they dance
I bathe them in water
Yet they slouch at every chance

I engage them with colours
And words and tricks
They seem interested
Only with subconscious pics

I tell them to open up
They smile and twitch
I try telling them stories
They rely on what they sketch

All day they keep me busy
Either hiding from dreams or reality
And at night when I tell them to sleep
They turn stubborn and make things blurry

Sweet Nothings- 2

2009-07-30T17:28:00.003+05:30

There are days when you don’t mind getting drenched in the cold winter rain
The love in your heart keeps you warm
And there are days when you REALLY don’t mind getting drenched in the cold winter rain
Cos it’s sometimes the only way to soothe your pain

Sweet Nothings-1

2009-07-27T18:01:00.001+05:30

If I could weave my entire life again…
I would choose your color from the start
And weave it across - to the last…

:P- Yet another

2009-07-21T14:42:00.002+05:30

Is Dil Ki Kya Suney,
Yeh Toh Kambakht Kabhi Bhi Dhadakta Hai,
Thokar Kha Kar Jab Tootey,
Toh Apna Sa Mooh Lekar Laut-ta Hai
Samjhaya Bada Issey,
Na Kar Apne Ko Kisi Ke Hawaaley,
Kho Kar Khud Ko,
Hamesha Ka Dard Chhod Jata Hai..

Am there...

2009-07-20T16:05:00.000+05:30

Just like
The tickle down your spine
The flicker in your eye
The smile on your lips
The spin of your thoughts
The humming of your mind
Thoughts knocking on your head
The movement of your eyes
Fingers snapping every sec
I am right there beside you
Watching every move you make…

I dream of...

2009-07-20T14:19:00.001+05:30

I dream of walking by your side
Making way through the rain
With damp feet and cold toes singing
Making circles of vapours in the air

I dream of cuddling by your side
With a coffee mug to share
And nothing but a wide expanse
Of a starry night to stare

I dream of napping by your side
Tugged warm beneath your eyes
And nothing just a dream to knit
That with our heart - rhymes

Mera..

2009-07-20T10:07:00.002+05:30

Tu Tera, Tera Khuda Tera
Mera Khuda Koi Aur Hai?
Tera Gum, Tere Khuda Ke Aansun,
Mera Gum Koi Aur Hai?
Tere Hum, Tere Khuda Ke Liye,
Par Kya Tu Mera Hai?

Missed.........

2009-07-13T00:06:00.001+05:30

The feeling of missing some one is the mother of all emotions, I feel. ‘Cos I think it encompasses all the emotions. It can be anyone- a lover, a sister, parents, old school buddy, your mentor, rival in college, pets, native place, your ex-boss (not for good reasons am sure), the small lane where you learnt to smoke… feeling of missing is all pervading. Miss some one you love, miss some one you hate, but you miss them/it just the same. I tried to pen down few ways in which I have seen/ heard people expressing their “I miss you” emotion:
1.Sit and listen to songs; their favorites too
2.Go through the memory lane with the help of pics
3.Call up
4.Keep checking the cell phone for a message
5.Creative ones write sonnets
6.Walk on the terrace and talk of related topics with a friend/kin and sometimes real random topics for no reason at all
7.Wear their favourite color
8.Taking the same route to work
9.Celebrating his birthday even when he’s gone (specially in case of pet owners)
10.Treasuring an old piece of paper/flower/gift wrap
11.Building a monument to their name (am waiting for one on ma name :P )
12.Naming your kids after them
13.Watching “P.S. I love you” yet again
14.Or simply going out with an umbrella, wanting it to rain… and when it doesn’t doing the same thing - next day again

P.S: I am missing Monsoons…. terribly

And the magician sleeps...

2009-06-26T18:17:00.005+05:30

I got a call from my mother around noon. “Michael Jackson’s no more” she said in a sad tone. The tragic news of MJ’s passing away had been covered by all news channels but a call from a fifty something, with least interest in English music, forget pop, expressing her sadness over the phone, I think that speaks volumes of what a legend Michael Jackson was. Unknowingly he had touched the right chord in every ones heart, whatever with the scandals and controversies that surrounded the later years of his life.
As I write this there are over 18 thousand tributes that have already been paid to the legend on Facebook. And I don’t feel like writing anymore.

Forget about the silver lining, still looking for dark clouds....

2009-06-26T01:06:00.003+05:30

“Rain in Mumbai: Thirsting for more
Delayed rains, farmers’ nightmare
Andhra farmers worried over delayed rain…” so run the headlines across all dailies and news portals.
Its 25th June and the rains failed the forecast of the met department. Though it rained in few pockets in Mumbai the city faces a grim future if the monsoon does not catch on within two weeks. Heat waves scorch the north and central parts with temperatures soaring above 40 degrees. Roads have scattered traffic through the day with people looking for respite in enclosed spaces and AC consumption is on an all time high. No dark cloud, forget looking for any silver lining.
June has been a cruel month for the farmers and July is awaited with prayers on their lips.
Madhya Pradesh, the state producing 55% of the country’s edible oils still awaits monsoons, whereas by July beginning the sowing of seeds is already done. Delay in monsoons mean a drastic fall in food grain production and with the dried out tube wells and bore wells the anxiety levels for all farmers is very high. With all valuables pledged for money to buy seeds, the rain failure not only indebts them but also bring them to the brink with no food or money to sustain life.
As per NDTV report, the rain failure in the Krishna belt causes loss of 40,000 tonnes of food grain. In Telangana region the cotton crop is still to be sown and Andhra Pradesh counts days to water the fields to be readied for like paddy, cotton, maize and groundnut.
Government officials have predicted 81% of avg rainfall in the northwestern region of India and over all a 93% shortage. There is hope for a monsoon revival but the clouds seem very elusive. The rains, which should have covered most parts of the country by now, have stopped their movement ahead. The worry is that sixty per cent of the crops are rain fed and the government is drawing up contingency plans to counter the situation.
Rain failure would also put the newly elected government’s promise for providing food to all. Let’s see when it rains. Whenever, it does, should rain cats and dogs!

Heart "brakes" !!

2009-06-20T14:38:00.006+05:30

“There’s no doubt about it; this is a country that breaks your heart in a new way every day, fractures you in ways that you didn’t even realize you could be broken.”
Sanjeev Bhaskar, in his book- India.

It was nine thirty at night as I made way through the massive crowd of passengers walking towards their respective destinations. My train was scheduled for a ten thirty departure. Wondering how to spend an hour waiting in one of the busiest railway stations of India- the old Delhi railway station, I some how managed to climb down the stairs of platform No.9 without being washed down by the surge. All I could see was a sea of human heads. A sudden transformation as it was for me (for I was used to catching trains from Hazrat Nizzamuddin, which happens to be one tenth as crowded as Old Delhi) I battled to stay unnerved and found a small place to keep my bag. Eyes wide open with the new experience I soaked in all that I could see. Eyes looked at me as if I was an alien. My capris seemed to be out of place because women were either wearing sarees, suits or jeans which covered their entire body. I instead had a bit of flesh on display.
It was a different world on its own. Women sitting on their luggage with the platform chairs fully occupied, children walking barefoot to the vendor for comics, fathers filling up bottles with water from the taps. Some families eating dinner while some sleeping on the platform waiting for the train that takes them home.
Suddenly I felt a gaping rift between me and the people there. How without knowing, I had found my own niche environment where in I lived and worked. How my necessities were different from them. How my wants and demands were starkly different from most of the people present there. Not that I don’t know that a large part of India still struggles to manage three meals a day, but that the reality would slap me hard in such a way- frankly, I wasn’t prepared.
I had recently been too used to AC cabs and AC train coaches and clean environment that some where my mind had stopped remembering the less privileged. Yes, I think I am extremely lucky to have been born in a family where we were taught to work hard and endure hardships. Yes, there was hard work involved in whatever I have achieved in my life so far. But there was a cushion of my family’s support always around me, in what ever I did. Many don’t have that. And this sight was an example. That a father and a son would look at the same piece of bread with same hunger, that a brother would fight with his sibling to get a biscuit crumb, that a five year old would carry a five month old around begging for alms (not a rare sight) would pummel my heart and jolt me so strong- I was not prepared.
The most heart rending experience of the day was a small impoverished family of seven that almost brought me close to tears. The pics below were taken from my phone camera and hence are slightly blurred.

This family of seven lay on the platform. Two mothers with their respective children a grandmother and a young male member. One mother had three children, two 6-7 year old boys and an infant may be 6 months old. All of them lay on the bare rugged, dusty floor. Dirty feet, cracked heels, dried and worn out skin.
It was the infant that caught my attention. In his sleep he had moved a little away from his mother. A piece of cloth was collected and placed under him while a small handkerchief was used to cover his naked body. Small hands with clenched fists, rested parallel to his head (the way all children sleep). Legs still slightly folded reminding of his body position when inside the womb. The day was cooler with gentle breeze making its way across the platform. Every time the breeze blew, a small smile would cross his lips and he would take a deep breath of satisfaction. His tiny fingers would open ever so lightly and then fold back again. The smile would persist for some time before fading away into the serene expression of his face.
Sometimes a wheel cart carrying luggage would move across, just too close to his feet and my heart would jump up half expecting a mishap. Some times the shrill whistle of the engine would ruffle him up a bit. But the breeze brought him smile just the same. He had no crib, no baby cushions, no mosquito nets around him. No air conditioners and different creams and lotions. He might not even have had the basic vaccines necessary for his life, yet he slept peacefully, smiling with every gentle stroke of the wind. He had no questions, no anger, no resentment not even a want of MORE. Yet for him that moment was the moment of bliss where he slept close to his mother yet around danger.
I could not look at him long. I could not gather so much courage. People walking by would look at him. Walk away. Mothers even told their kids to look at the way the infant was sleeping. A feeling of pity was their in everyone’s heart but nothing more.
Life in itself is an experience. And some incidents suddenly make you aware of the fact that you are one of the blessed ones who have what most people can only dream of. That the want of getting more and doing more will persist till you die, but one should even find little joys with what you have. That life gives you the “present” to enjoy. And while you jostle up with the worries of future you would end up losing your present.
That baby taught me the joy of the present. It was the cool breeze and sleep that he was enjoying at the moment. And he was happy for that moment.
Soon my train came chugging along and I made my way to the compartment, half praying that the family gets to eat the biscuit packs I left near them when they get up and half praying for the life gifted to me.

A bunch of twenty

2009-06-15T22:19:00.003+05:30

Twenty for a bunch
Neither more nor less
Dangling thin arms
Where the bouquet rests

Bare feet on the roads
Skin scorched under sunrays
Dry lips, moist eyes - he hounds
Every single car on the way

Knocking on windows
Gestures shining out the need
Careless wave of a hand from the other side
Shining of the diamonds and beads

Eyes searching for that single soul
Who would buy his flowers away
Tomorrow is still to come
If only “today” could pass the day

Signals move the traffic
For him - also his life
Every single stop that the traffic makes
Are flickers of hope ripe

Awaiting the next lot to stop
That a red signal brings him some green
Been two days since the little one
Had some rice and water clean

Every day as I go about carrying out the everyday rituals of my life, I come across these cherubians on the roads, selling small bunches of flowers. Nice fresh flowers, wrapped in a thin cellophane paper. Not very intricately designed, but a bunch of joy none the less. They are red and orange and white or a milange. Everyday a new shade. But the only shade that remains unchanged across all days is the shade of struggle and misery in those innocent eyes.I buy a bunch when ever I get a chance. Not necesarrily will that note bring a massive change in that little one's life. But yes, it does give me a reason to smile when I see it reflect in his happy eyes. That can be called my selfish motive. Humans are selfish. Aren't they?

Alone

2009-06-12T02:44:00.000+05:30

My shadow walks behind me
I get enveloped in the dark
Groping for support- unsure
My eyes get used to the difference - stark

Stumble a rumble- passed a mumble
Walking by the sea
Grains of time stick to my feet
Like a blood sucking leach

Waves wash away the footprints
No trace - who came and went
That I shall walk all alone
Till age makes me go bent

Tears frittered away by the wind
Dry salt on my cheeks
The cry of a night bird gives me company
‘Cos alone some where it shrieks

Congress it is !

2009-05-20T22:52:00.005+05:30

“Hindi Hai hum watan hai, Hindustan hamara
Sarey Jahan Se Accha”

My sentiment was reverberated in various forms across the country. Some danced on the streets, some had a content smile on, some went out and congratulated each other while some sat glued to the television sets all day on 16th May 2009. (And those who sulked- well, I was amused at their reaction)
The day when India chose to go secular and when the Indians did make every vote count.

Rahul Gandhi, the magician who turned around UP to his benefit not only helped Congress a thumping victory but also made the nation understand the potential in the future prime- ministerial candidate. Day before he declined the cabinet berth and opted to in- turn work for the party, strengthening it further which to me looks like the best move.

This triumph of Congress simply puts forward the following points:
1. India does not want to get divided into a Ram’s and Allah’s land.
In the words of Mallika Sarabhai, a famous social worker and dancer, the only question that Mr. Advani and his party asked every Indian was- Hindu or not? The party believed in “hindutva” rather than help build a “hindurashtra”. That a ram mandir be built after demolishing mosques.

2. India is ready to participate in honest politics.
Where the benefit of the “common man” is taken care of and not the elite. BJP’s India shining campaign spoke to the elite. And even this year the advertising campaigns only spoke of the negatives of other parties. Not a single mention was made of the tasks accomplished by BJP. Even if there was a mention, it definitely skipped my eye and ears. They were busy pulling down others while their own house was put on fire.

3. 82 years Vs 35-40 year old gentleman. Youthful cabinet Vs. knee operated and tired old people moving around with the help of attendants.
India is the youngest country in the world. Median age is 26 years. I can certainly say that a person of the age of my grandfather can not look towards the future with the same point of view as mine. Accepted they have experience, accepted that politics runs in their blood. But now is the time for a change. We have seen the nation in the hands of the older lot. Let the new one’s take the lead. Let them make decisions, let them learn, let them lead.

4. Sonia Gandhi, Dr. Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi Vs. L.K Advani, AB, Vajpayee and Reddy
I would just want to say, that the partnership of Dr. Manmohan Singh and Mrs. Gandhi did work. Yes, the charisma of India’s favorite political family remains but the way nuclear deals were taken care of and the way economic downturn was tackled with the help of our finance minister Mr. P.Chidambaram there is no reason why people should ask for more.A person of Dr. Manmohan Singh’s capabilities would surely help the country prepare for both internal and international calamities. Rahul has shown the grit and determination of a leader which is quite visible with the UP results and also his decision of working at the grass-root level rather than choosing the cabinet.

All said and done, the task for the winner is also huge. The need of aliies like DMK and TIC is required too. The only thing is that together with their subordination to the Congress their regional interests will also be taken care of. The great recession and national security looms large. The Doctor has been voted back for a second term on the basis of the strength of collective leadership. Now the task of delivering to the expectations of people starts.

Would end the column saying –
“Hum Bulbuley hain iskey
Yeh Gulsitaan hamara”

Aur filhaal toh “bulbuley gunguna rahein hain"

Not again !

2009-05-19T15:50:00.002+05:30

You got the question right?
Did you?
How come – it’s not what I think!
How could you?

You are the same
Same old story on a new face
Tried to mend my life
Yet stuck in the same phase

Dreamt of new hope
Got rain from the other direction
The slant and ferocity the same
Holy crap- resurrection!

Drawn between yesterday and tomorrow
Color theme gray
Letting go my spirits un- attended
Please don’t let them stay!

A shayarana Dialogue...

2009-05-19T14:15:00.004+05:30

“ Kal aage kya hoga,
Yeh darr tumhe hai na,
Mein aas-paas hi kahin hoon,
Itna yakeen toh hai na?”

“ Yakeen hai ki tum ho
Tabhi toh ye saans
Takra kar wapas aati hai,
Jo tum na ho toh
Sisak mein badal kar ud jaati!”

.................................................................................

“Teri har baat chup-chup kar, mere peeche aati hai,
Tanhai mein labon par, ek hansi de jaati hai,
Yeh ek pal ka lamha bhi khuda ka hai
Jisne tere mere milne ka bahana socha hai.”

“ Khuda bhi deewana tha,
Jo yeh bhool kar gaya,
Baithe- baithe humein
Is paheli ka hamsafar kar gaya
Ab toh lagta hai qayamat mein jaan hi jayegi,
Ke har din dum bhar bhar kar- Jee bhar gaya.”

Half....

2009-05-18T15:29:00.003+05:30

Half of its pain
half of its cheer
Half lived life
Half things clear

Half into change
Half out of it
Half is true
Dreams half knit

Heartfelt moments
Tuned precious times
Things still HALF way
From perfect sunlit smiles

Time to be a child again...

2009-05-16T23:43:00.000+05:30

123.. 567
123.. 567
That’s what I chime every weekend after my salsa class. The happiest moment of the week when the twirls and turns and cross body steps energize me and fill my heart with satisfaction. Yes I did something different from every day routine and yes I feel happy.

Specially, for the employed junta everywhere around the world, 5-6 days of the week to office and back envelop their lives and suddenly there is no time for oneself. Hence it becomes necessary to find a way out to release tension and give in to the activities you enjoy. Go dance, practice music or play squash. Release that extra tension and attain a sense of relief and happiness at the end of the session. Monday mornings would be less dreaded and you will be back at work with a vengeance.

Not only personal but also your professional life will improve with this simple step. You will feel happy and a similar feeling will be reciprocated from colleagues around you. Remember the lady in the office who is adored by almost every one? What does she do? Spread mirth and happiness? What’s stopping you? Go ahead and smile with that inner happier self. Those who find it difficult to start a topic or socialize with people will definitely get a new topic of discussion. Talk about the weekend and you would be surprised to see how differently people look at you. Common comments would be “hey I didn’t know you were such a multitalented person?”, or “Hey I want to join swimming too, can you pls tell me the address to the place? May be we can go there together?” Bingo you have a companion!

It’s easy to sit and think you have nothing to do in your life. Or you don’t have the time. The question is how inclined are you to go fetch time for yourself? Many of us want to go back to the school days when we waited for summer vacations to begin. Playing the chase game with cousins, eating juicy mangoes stolen from the neighbour’s orchard, or simply cuddling together listening to granny’s stories. Now we don’t have the luxury of it all, but starting all over again with your hobby will not only bring back the good times but will transcend you to the childhood days, when you learnt and faltered, were scolded and loved.

Believe me its fun being a child again!

And I get him started...

2009-05-16T14:17:00.002+05:30

(This ones for ma chinky old friend :))

Ask him a question
He asks back two,
Cut his sentence into half
And he makes you rush to the loo!

The discussion went fine he says
Ask him who spoke it all?
With a naughty gleam in his eyes
He proclaims- “Why me! After all!”

Throws caution to the winds
Laughs and cries just the same,
Though carries his heart on his sleeves
A mind of his own- un-tamed

Prick him, annoy him,call him names
He manages to smile in gay abandon,
Gathers the world’s happiness for all
Without a question spelled in vain.

"I - do" errrrrrrr..... "I do-not" !!

2009-05-16T00:36:00.004+05:30

Ever sat in the corner of your darkened room, going through the loving smses. Reading them one by one. From the start till the end.
Ever kept awake all night long, with his gifted sweater snuggled in your arms. Smelling it. Feeling it. Choking yourself with tears.
Ever sat hugging your self on the roof top, watching the sun go down with your spirits as night envelops your dreams, desires and wishes.

At least two out of four people go through the rough and unhappy phase of love life. For some it’s a phase. For some a way of life. For some a memory. For some a dream.
Not only the skirmishes between a couple cause such problems but also the society and family play an important role. We talk of modern India and equality and diversity within the Indian sub-continent, the case of inter-caste marriages as a taboo still smear the fate of the Indian youth.

It’s not only the story of villages but also the Metros and 1mn+ towns where many couples everyday take the test of the society. If the girl of a different cultural/religious background be suitable for their son or not? If the boy with a lower financial status be able to take care of their daughter’s dreams and future? Will the couple be able to survive days that go beyond newly found love and togetherness?

Indian family system is such, that parents are given an importance that surpasses the need and wants of your own life. The most important lesson in most of the Indian homes is to be thankful to your parents for the kind of life provided to you and in return expected to behave the way the parents want you to. Be an all rounder, make your parents proud with scoring 90% in all exams, being able to perform dancing/singing/debating feats, and keep coming up to the expectations they have set for you. And mind it, every year the bar would be raised higher. Not necessarily will the expectation be spelled out for you, even the undercurrents would yell the need to conform to the age old systems and discipline.

If you perform below avg. lovely examples of cousins doing better would be quoted to make you realize the wrong path you are treading on. And what it would take to get back in the good books of your parents. And the obedient child immediately gets back to rectify his errors. So what he’s good in cricket, its important to get 96% in 10th std. So what she’s a budding ballet dancer, the latest computer coaching will feed her in the years to come. (Naachney ke liye toh umar padi hai/Sports bhi koi occupation hai?) And if you are able to balance extra-curricular with studies, nothing like it! But study, you must!

With so much of a “hard work” emerges the obedient child. Appreciated in social gatherings he becomes the epitome of a “sanskari” person. An individual who’s future lay in the hands of the parents and NOT him. Who was expected to behave the way his parents wanted him to. And he loyally obliged them every single step of the day.

Tomorrow, if this person dares to think differently, not only will he be questioned but rebuked to think individually. Different than expected! A mind of his own, which might be good for him but does not digest well with the parents or the society? Suddenly the years of hardships or efforts that the parents had under-taken to educate the child stand against his will.

He is taught to treat all his friends equally, but in-equality creeps in at the time of marriage. Only same caste/status family would be good. And if the horoscopes matche, nothing like it! Here,I would want to question the parents- Do you think caste and horoscope match are the ultimate test of compatibility between the partners? Will nothing ever be able to harm their relationship? Will they live happily ever after? Do you or your pandit guarantee it? Many will guffaw at the question, others would consider it irrelevant. After all what do the kids know about the nuances of the institution called marriage? It is us - the experienced, who know the best and will take the correct decision always.

People live for status, kill for prestige, move heaven and hell for family morals but no one gives a damn about a simple emotion of love. That if a person loves you everything else will follow. That if I am loved by the society they will respect me for what I am and my views and actions. That if I am rotten at the heart I would be hated. That if I smile I will get a smile in return.

Few weeks ago an article in TOI spoke of same sex marriage being carried out in the country. In one way we are celebrating the liberal way of living and conducting one’s life and in the very next second, another article on father killing a daughter for marrying out of caste would envelop us back into the shackles of old practices.

I don’t know if Indians would ever change the obsolete way of thinking. The necessary condition of trying to fit into the norms established and accepted by the society hold supreme importance. The necessity to avoid every single action that might raise an eye-brow, fully knowing that none of that single eye would weep for you when tragedy strikes still remains. We Indians are concerned with what the world has to say about us rather than living the life we want to live.

I myself writing this article would find it easier to preach and put forward my point. But if tomorrow I want to lead my life the way I want to- I am sure I will be questioned!

Disclaimer- The article is based on personal opinions and experiences. In no way am I ruling out the fact that there are people who not only think differently but act differently too. Which is why I think this world is a better place to live in.

I Zoozoo You !

2009-05-15T23:07:00.002+05:30

Its time to move on to another level and express endearments saying- “I zoo-zoo you”
Such is the effect of these cute creatures created by O&M that it has taken the nation and the world by a storm. Its not the IPL fever anymore but these tiny egg-like creatures who make the world fix their eyes and smiles for at least 30 seconds every time they are on TV.
Set Max had marked the advent of the 2nd season for IPL with “ kabhi dekha hai-itney logon ko- ek saath- ek kaam kartey hue” campaign where in people from various parts of the country were performing similar action at the same time. The reason shown ,was the matches during IPL which would spread a similar kind of emotion across a billion population thus bringing out the craze for the sport in India. Now when I look at the zoozoo ads, it seems the campaign suits them better!
Hands up all of those who for once, ignored the mail from the boss and clicked to view the latest zoozoo ad uploaded on facebook. Hands up all of those who clicked on re-play on you-tube every time to share a smile again. Hands up all of those who forwarded the “how zoo-zoo were made? ”mails and other links to their friends. I think now I can see a billion hands up!
All of us have seen them on TV, downloaded their emoticons and wallpapers, “thums-upped” them on facebook, played all contests and quizzes to identify with a particular kind of zoozoo, to say the least – we are addicted to them.
An apt replacement for the dear old pug (the old endorser) of Vodafone zoozoo ads not only bring out the message of the ad clearly, they are such an out of the note-book concept that the originality, innocence and humour tugs at every one’s heart. You can identify with them and even empathise. If pug made history, zoozoos are there to make a cult.
All I can say is – I am zoo-dicted !

Tu Hai - (On popular demand :P)

2009-05-15T19:19:00.003+05:30

Na Tha Tujhey Door Karney ka Irada
Na thi gum ko kari sifarish,
Ye dil hi toh tha pagal,
Jisney ki thi marz ki guzaarish

Na kar ki gum tu
Is duniya mein sabhi ko hai ye dard,
Fark bus yeh-
Ki Is dil ka marz bhi tu,
Aur dawa bhi tu hai....

"Galat Kiya Kya "- My stint with Shayari :P

2009-05-15T17:23:00.001+05:30

Har Pal Tera Khayal
Har raat - teri yaad ka bana ke takiya,
Tujhey yaad kiya,
Galat Kiya Kya?

Har Din Kayi Sawaal,
Har Subah Tere Sapno Ka Bana Ke Aks,
Khud Ko Dekha
Galat Kiya Kya?

Har Waqt Ek Darr
Tere Iraadon Ke Saaye Mein khud Ko chhupaya,
Mehfooz Paya,
Galat Hua kya?

Cold

2009-02-12T11:28:00.000+05:30

The winter chill shies from the cold in my heart
As I walk through the wilderness- alone
The words that I said hit hard on you
Leaving you as cold as a stone

You say it’s a phase and shall pass
Aiming at self with a dart
Ask me to stand by and watch muted
Rather than being a part

Bleed Oh! The drops in red
You avert your eyes from me
Tears touch down - cascade
Shattered pieces is all I see

FOR YOU A THOUSAND TIMES OVER...

2009-02-07T00:41:00.001+05:30

With you around, I know I can falter
I know my words bring joy
Pain in my eye brings flutter in your world
I know that and I can’t deny

With no promise but trust, boundless and free
You let your heart knit a beautiful dream
Bewitched I swim, caring no less than a dime
When you tug at my arm to show me things the way they don’t seem

The day can get sunny, shining loud and bright
Or get dampened by a stormy downpour
I know I can still look back and get
A hug with nothing more than a whimper

Can’t promise a golden morning
Can’t promise a blessing shower
Shall try to fetch small joys for you
FOR YOU - A THOUSAND TIMES OVER !

A Wednesday !

2008-12-05T01:23:00.000+05:30

A blow by blow account of the terrorist attack.

Of what recently came to be known as India’s 9/11 had its roots in Pakistan, as reported by the officials. Kasab- the only terrorist in custody admits that he hails from Pakistan and was the one who killed Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief Hemant Karkare, encounter specialist Vijay Salaskar and Additional Commissioner of Police Ashok Kamte. As per official news, all the terrorists were trained by ex- army officials for over a year and this was their “internship task.” Currently Kasab is under custody and following is the account of how the terror account unfolded.

Ten terrorists (there is a possibility of more) started their killer journey from Karachi via sea route. As they entered the Indian seas they hijacked an Indian fishing trawler and later used a rubber dinghy to walk up the shore and enter Bombay through the Gateway of India. At Gateway of India the 10 terrorists split in five groups of 2 each. Each terrorist carried Rs. 6,200 in cash. Each group had 1 bomb each. That equals five bombs. Two of these bombs were planted in 2 cars outside Taj and Oberoi.

One of the group headed towards The Taj, one towards CST, one towards Café Leopold, one towards the Oberoi Hotel and one towards Nariman house.

Wednesday, 26th Nov, 2008. 21:30 hrs
Café Leopold. Colaba. South Mumbai.

It is life as usual. Someone laughing, someone waiting for their order. The waiters making the rounds. Business is in full swing. Its dinner time.
Bang! Enter two militants brandishing machine guns and in no time they start firing all around indiscriminately. Cries, chaos, disaster. Someone ducks below the tables, someone falls. Those who run outside are gunned down too. Terrorists move towards the Taj. The terror journey begins.

Wednesday, 26th Nov, 2008. 21:30 hrs
Nariman House. Jeweish Centre. Colaba. South Mumbai.

The Holtzbergs are hosting dinner for five ultra- orthodox Jewish travelers this fateful night. Kocher meal and bed for the night has been offered to the guests. While Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and his wife Rivka play hosts, nanny Sandra runs after the two year old Moshe.
In no time the Jew family and there guests are stunned to see at least two men storm in fraying bullets in all directions. All are taken hostage. The rabbi makes calls to the Israeli Consulate but not much help comes to rescue.
As the time passes the situation turns grimmer and un-controllable. Sandra Samuel, the nanny of Moshe hides in one of the rooms. Later next day, on hearing Moshe calling out her name, she will rush her way out with the baby in her arms but his parents dead.

Wednesday, 26th Nov, 2008. 21:55 hrs
CST. South Mumbai.

Fathers returning from office. Mothers carrying children back home. One year old Viraj with his parents and elder sister walking on the platform. Its rush hour.
The routine hustle is shattered as Kasab and Abu Dera Ismail Khan open fire. Sudden outbreak. Some people rushing back in the train compartments, few running away towards Platform1 (in the opposite direction). Vendors finding refuge behind their counters. Some one is seen pulling out an injured lady amongst the dead and in a second he’s down in a pool of blood. It’s as if you are watching “Saving Private Ryan” live. Soon RPF policemen and the ticket collector fall prey. 55 more lives lost.
Minutes after the attack- shattering silence, which is broken by sobs and cries of the one year old Viraj and many like him who look around shaken and scared. Crying out for their parents. Crying out for help. Crying out to save them. Crying out in pain.
By then its time for Kasab and Ismail to create havoc in the Cama Hospital. By10 pm ATS chief Hemant Karkare reaches CST.

Wednesday, 26th Nov, 2008. 22:00 hrs
The Taj Mahal Hotel. Gateway of India. South Mumbai.

Bertie Gomes , the senior most bartender and the man behind the famous Harbour bar was attending to his guests. With the wedding season on, revelry was at its peak.
Shooters from Café Leopold arrive at the Taj and are joined by two others who make their way into the hotel through a side entry. This is the beginning of a 60 hr battle in aamchi Mumbai.

Wednesday, 26th Nov, 2008. 22:15 hrs
Hotel Trident- Oberoi. Nariman Point. South Mumbai.

The staff scurrying in the lobby greeting the guests with a wide warm smile. Need to be efficient and perfect. Guests being shown the way to the main hall, some being guided to their suites. Its season time and there is no margin for error.
As if the time stood still as the two figures marched in, whipped out machine guns and opened fire. Instantly the staff members are gunned down while the guests are ushered in by the rest of the staff members without any warm smile but with an effort of responsibility and valour. Putting their lives at stake. Executive manager, Mr. Paramjit Singh who had gone out for a smoke hears gun shot and rushes in to make sure the guests are at harms bay. Sanju Soni, the restaurant manager shuts the doors and asks the guests to stay calm.
Two loud explosions follow in the next half an hour and with that starts the 2 day siege of the Trident- Oberoi.

Wednesday, 26th Nov, 2008. 22:40 hrs
Cama Hospital.

After indiscriminate firing across railway platform and roads the militants reach Cama Hospital where they try and enter the maternity wards. The women inside together with few men latch the doors and prevent the terrorists from entering.
In the meantime the police gets news on the bomb blasts in Vile Parle and Dockyard Road Station. The bombs were planted in taxis.
By 11 pm, Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief Hemant Karkare, encounter specialist Vijay Salaskar and Additional Commissioner of Police Ashok Kamte reach the hospital and lose their lives to the bullets of the terrorists. They grab the police vehicle and make their way to Vidhan Bhavan shooting as they pass the Metro Cinema junction and killing few bystanders and a policeman. Near Vidhan Bhavan the police vehicle suffers a flat tyre and the terrorists hijack a skoda at gunpoint . At Girgaum Chowpatty they are intercepted by the police while negotiating a U- turn. It is at this moment, that the brave inspector, Omble grabs Kasab’s gun barrel and refuses to let him go. Kasab continues firing but Omble holds on and takes all the bullets. Other policemen overpower Kasab and he’s immediately arrested.

Whole Wednesday night the gun-battle between forces and terrorists continue. By this time the Marine Commandos, NSG Officers and Rapid Action force have been called to action.
Whole of Thursday, 27th Nov, 2008 passes by with forces trying to pull out a plan to rescue hostages and gun down the terrorists. In the Taj and Trident the staff continues to usher guests to the safest of places. Banja, the chef makes sandwiches for guests to calm them down. Hospitality, responsibility and humanity at its best.

Friday, 28th Nov, 2008.
Nariman House. Jeweish Centre. Colaba. South Mumbai.

NSG commandos land on the roof tops of Nariman house to attack the militants. Commandos break the roof as snipers give cover. Thus begins a battle of bullets, grenades and bombs which lasts for another 15 hours.
In Trident, by 3pm, the hotel is declared neutralized. 32 people dead, 10 staff members among them.

At around 5 pm in the Nariman House, a huge explosion in the fourth floor helps the commandos to trickle down. By 10 pm Nariman house is neutralized by the commandos. The street lights up with crowds cheering for the valiant efforts of the commandos. People shake hands and click photographs with the heroes. Operation though successful, leaves five hostages, and one commando dead. All terrorists are neutralized. By this time many hostages have been rescued from various attacked sites.

Saturday, 29th Nov, 2008.
The Taj Mahal Hotel. Gateway of India. South Mumbai.

Taj has been under siege for almost 60 hours when at 8:30 am on Saturday. NSG begins the final assault. With smoke billowing from the Taj dome and bullets and grenades being fired, the commandos make their way inside the hotel and after hours of explosions and fire and smoke at 8:30 am on Saturday, 29th Nov, 2008 the Taj is declared neutralized.

DISCLAIMER:
(The details have been taken from various websites and dailies and is as per information published for public view. At some places, narration has been given an imaginary twist to the settings to make the article more realistic. In no way is the author trying to suggest anything )

Our hearts bleed and beat for Mumbai..

2008-12-04T01:37:00.000+05:30

In order to condemn the Mumbai attack on 26th Nov 2008 an e-mail was sent out across India calling out citizens to act. Calling it as an opportunity for everyone to gather and make their opinion count, various venues were selected for a mass gathering across the 6 metros.

In Delhi it was organized near Jantar Mantar and a huge crowd of about 500-600 people had gathered to express their emotions in form of slogans, posters and lit candles. It started at 6:30 pm today, (Dec 3rd 2008) with people chanting slogans against the politicians followed by many patriotic songs. The anger was palpable. Our resilient nature was being questioned? Why were Indians resilient? When America was attacked on 11th September they stepped up the security leaves to such a level that till date there has not been a single terror attack anywhere. While India has suffered almost 3 major attacks in the past 6 months and every time we seem to say- “ We’ll not let it happen next time !” The videos below capture the mood of the gathering.

Media was asked not to let the fervor die down and should try to keep the spirit of the Indians alive. Onus of creating a platform was taken up by Mr. Sudhakar who shared his phone number with the audience. He invited the audience to help him set up a group and that would act as a platform for addressing such issues and making life for every one peaceful and safe. Another gentleman encouraged everyone to join the website www.yuwa.in and voice their views. Catch the video:

People unanimously asked for all the terrorists to be hanged to death so that we do not again fall down on our knees at the demands of various terror groups in return of hijacked planes and other terror strikes. Here’s the video:

Politicians were criticized in a big way. People questioned the equality of reward distribution with Abhinay Bindra earning 3 crores for winning an Olympic gold while Unnikrishnan’s family being given just 5 lacs for his bravery. Ballots of the deserving candidates being captured and the masses being forced to continue voting for the undeserved. Have a look:

This is just the start. Hope to see a revolution emerge just like phoenix from the ashes of all innocent lives lost at the hands of evil. Watch this space for a “blow by blow” account of the attack which will be updated in the next 24 hours. That will follow with a tribute to the great fighters who fought for us and saved our lives.

Slogans

People Lighting Candles

The Agitation

A Week Past...

2008-12-04T00:55:00.000+05:30

Taj Attacked

"They can rip us apart, they can blow everything to bits, they can pump bullets into our businesses but we- our core undefeated and intact- pick up the pieces fast and restore ourselves. They can gut our hotels but they can’t destroy our guts. INDIA FIGHTS BACK.” Thus ran a quote on ET’s front page a week after terrorist attack on Mumbai- calling it India’s 9/11.

A week after 60 hrs of battle. A battle to save the lives of innocents held at gunpoint.
A week after the death of almost 200 people out of which 30 were foreigners.
A week after we lost our brave soldiers- Karkare, Salvaskar, Kaamte and many more
A week after baby Moshe was orphaned and Viraj lost his mother at CST (the one year baby drinking water in the arms of a Head Constable Suresh Salunkhe police officer- A picture that appeared on the front page of ET)
A week after we witnessed death, tears and helplessness in front of our eyes.

Attack on CST

Its been a week since I have been trying to put my thoughts together but some how words seemed to fall short of describing the utter bewilderment and sadness that dawned on me as I scanned through the news channels soaking in any information on the hostage situation on 27th Nov 2008. It had been 28 hours and firing, blood and grenade attacks could be seen everywhere. The news channels surrounded the Taj like falcons hovering around, waiting for an animal to die.
Right from the common man like Bhishm Mansukhani who had gone to Taj to attend a wedding, to the known like- Shyam Benegal, Shobha De, Lata Mangeshkar and many more were asked to comment on the terror attack.

Operation at Nariman House

It was quite an opportunity for our dear politicians though. With assembly elections round the corner, Mumbai blast became an agenda for them to woo votes. (Elections were held in Delhi on 29th Nov, 2008, as scheduled). Their lackadaisical approach and Mah CM Deshmukh asking the special task forces to march towards Mumbai hours after the attack only increased the casualty count. The people were being killed indiscriminately while the NSG commandos waited for a plane to fly down from Delhi to be taken to Mumbai. And then they were carried to the attacked sites in the Mumbai BEST buses. (While our cricketrs get the deluxe- state-of –the-art buses). It only left the common man wondering at the un-preparedness of India in the wake of any such national calamity. The forces are not to be blamed. NSG’s request for an aircraft for their use was not agreed by the authorities and government.

Who says the so called leaders didn’t come to share grief with the masses? Mr. Modi was outside The Oberoi after 37 hours of gunbattle that only led to the police force run helter skelter for his security. Utter nuisance.
Many leaders could not make it due to their assembly election schedule. After all, in the words of Mr. R. R Patil, Former Deputy CM of Maharashtra “ Aisi chhoti moti vaardaat toh hoti rehti hai.”

While Unnikrishnan breathed his last facing a volley of bullets from the militants inside the Taj, the government did not even prepare a befitting funeral for the martyr. And when Unnikrishnan’s father slammed the door on the face of Kerala CM- Achuthanandan asking him to leave immediately in a fit of anger (justified) the CM says “Had it not been Unnikrishnan, even a dog would not have come to this house!” Aghast as I am, we need to get rid of the weeds from our nation where people like Unni, Salaskar, Tukaram Omble (who took the bullets of the only arrested terrorist- Ajmal Ameer Kasab at the Chowpaty helping other officers to overpower Kasab), Bertie Gomes, Banja, Paramjit Singh and many other employees of the two hotels who realized their duty and gave their lives for its sake.
They knew what it was to be born an Indian. They knew what it took to be an Indian.

Stories on politicians and their reactions have been filling up a lot of air time on news channels and space on all the dailies. Now is the time when we can get together and bring about change in the system. Its not the politicians but you and me who make India. Its Us who can make this change happen.

Victims

Lucky yet Unlucky - Rescued

Through the eyes of a 6 month old...

2008-11-23T01:33:00.001+05:30

I was walking by, in the market when I saw a mother carrying her six month old baby in her arms. Eyes wide open, the poor thing was staring at almost everything. I smiled. “Welcome to the world, chhotu”, I thought. And that thought was a catalyst to a series of thoughts that made me write this article. So here’s an interesting account of what possibly could be going on in the mind of those speechless angels and what it is possibly like to be a six month old. So here you go. The world through the eyes of a six month old.

Ok. I hate it when she scrubs my face like that. One she has removed all my clothes and put me in this tub filled with warm water and when she sees me crying the scrubbing becomes more vigorous and quick. Can’t she tell that I don’t like it? Since like six months now? Every morning I cry but she never forgets to just submerge me in this soapy water. Now, in few minutes another old lady will come and pick me up in her arms and wipe me away with that soft towel of mine. I like her. Cos she’s the only one who knows I don’t like it. But I don’t understand why she gets late every time. Can’t she just come like few minutes early and save me from this ordeal? Hmmm…
Oh here she is. My saviour with a beatific smile. Thank God!

Five minutes later.

Ok this is fun. This lady who scrubs me everyday also massages my body after the water dip. The sunrays filter through the windows and fall directly on my forehead, arms and legs and she comes with a liquid which is massaged all over me. And then I am left naked for some time. While she massages me she makes weird sounds. “Ma-ma, ma- ma, baby mama” That’s all she keeps repeating. Does she want me to repeat that? Cos the other day you know, when I hummed a bit? The whole house went on frenzy. This “mama” lady shrieked. With joy I guess and I was surrounded by a lot of people peering down at me. One was the same old lady in saree and there was another old man, who generally stays with her all the time. It was fun to get so much attention, I tell you. And everybody was making those queer sounds , “awww” and ma-ma lady kept on saying, “Baby say ma-ma, ma-ma” but then I was not in the mood to repeat, you see.
Well that was that. Today again she’s trying her luck. Haha, but I am not impressed at all. Let me find an opportune moment to hum a bit. Let’s see how they behave then.

Fifteen minutes later.

Well I am all dressed right now. And mama is trying to force this steel object filled with food into my mouth. Like I said when she comes to know I don’t like some thing she forces it on me. When I grow up, I’ll tell her it is not a good thing to do. Till then I pray that saree lady comes and rescues me.

Half hour later.

Ok. I think we are going somewhere. Hmm.. Mama looks dressed and oooh… shes peering down at me. Man, she looks so different. Her face looks changed. They haven’t taught me colours as yet, so I can’t give you those details. Now come on you are expecting a little too much from a six month old. Aren’t you?

Fifteen minutes later.

Yeah. Didn’t I tell you we are going? Here I am strapped in a seat of a big car which mama’s driving. She has rolled up the windows so I can only hear the faint noise of traffic. There are these big cars and buses looking down at me. Mama is more scared than I am. Oh she has switched on that nice box in front of me which speaks in different sounds. Mama is humming too. I think this box asks her to repeat things after it. Haha, just that it is musical with blue and red lights flickering up and down. Interesting. Ok let me play with it a bit. Talk to you later.

Half an hour later.

Whoops. She just lifted me in her arms. Man. I dozed off while listening to that musical box cos I feel so zapped right now.. Ooh. I am perched on her left arm looking over her shoulder. There are people all around. We just passed two men looking at mama. Do they know her? If yes, why didn’t she say hi? Never mind. I’ll ask her this when I grow up. There are quite a few who look at her. Wonder why?
Oh look! There are these ladies walking just behind us. They are looking at me I am sure. The shorter one is touching my pinky. Now what does she want? Ok, she’s making me feel shy. Oh look at them, they are laughing at my shy smile. What was so funny? And my God! I don’t believe it! Mama is smiling back a them. Not good, I say.

Ten minutes later.

We have entered a big room through huge ornamented doors.Inside it’s very shiny with big lights everywhere. Mama is peering at some thing that is put behind the glass. There are many of them. Of different colours. I have seen them on almost everybody. They wear it on their wrist. All of them. (How boring! I’ll tie it on my neck when I grow up).And they keep looking at it many times a day. I wonder why? And this thing also hangs on the walls of our house. Here I see so many of them hanging all around us. Mama is talking very animatedly with this old guy at the counter. I think they know each other well. Surely better than guys staring at her on the road. She is pointing at the huge black one behind the glass. They are packing it for her as she hands them a small card. Is she inviting this old man home?

Ten minutes later.

I am back again perched on her left arm. A packet hanging on her right arm. Mama is humming. She looks happy. Hmm.. let me smile a bit. Awww… she just kissed me on my cheek. I like her. A lot. Wait a minute, she just entered in another big room with lot of tables and chairs and look how every man inside is guiding her to the table in the centre of the room. Now can’t she see it? Weird people! Ok. I am placed on a small chair with a wooden plank flipped shut in front of me. Mama got me a toy here. So sweet. She’s looking at the same thing on her wrist and then towards the door. I think she’s waiting for some one. Let me play a while.

Fifteen minutes later.

Look at that! While I was playing some one came in and mama got up. I can’t see his face. They are hugging each other. Hmm. Mama handed him the gift she just bought and he kissed her back and slid a shiny thing on her finger. The one just next to the pinky? She looks so happy and surprised. Oh she kisses him back. Is it some kissing competition? And hello who are you?
Finally, he turns around. Oh! He’s the same guy who shares my room with mama. I see him everyday, every morning. At times even he asks me to mumble “Pa-pa, pa-pa” Wonder what’s wrong with the two. Hey! wait a minute, he’s reaching out to grab me from the chair and Oh he flings me up in the air! That freaks me out! Oh my God! I don’t like it much.. Now don’t complain that I peed on your pants. “Eh pa-pa! Oops, I just mumbled that and look! Look at them! They are going hysterical with surprise. Ready to jump with joy. Kids, I tell you!

I See You !

2008-11-17T02:04:00.000+05:30

I see you
In the flicker of the flame
Reflecting the purity of your passion

In the bubbles of soap water
Popping out like your promises around me

In the colours of the butterfly
Resembling the shades of your dreams

In the taut strings of the guitar
Speaking of discipline of your being

In the hem of my dress
Holding on to till the very end

In the little finger that holds my thumb
With the same trust that you once held

The Wake

2008-11-17T01:28:00.000+05:30

My friends raise eye brows, my parents have given up explaining the negative effects, my cousins pray I don’t share the room with them, my aunt complains and my brain does funny things in the morning (ok that’s an exaggeration) when I once again commit the crime of sleeping late. Sleeping late by my standards is like 4:00 in the morning when I can hear the early birds chirping in the summer months (n still sleeping in winters) and when I know that I have exactly three and a half hours to get my ass off the bed and start the day with a jarring morning (which smoothens out as I sip coffee in office). Yes, the morning shower jolts me into reality and I am ready in no time all prim and proper with sparkling eyes but there are times when I have to try my best to stifle the yawns, specially when my boss extends my job list and I know I have a long day ahead. But that doesn’t stop me from keeping awake the same night. May be I’ll sleep earlier, lets say 1:00 am.. But never before that. And how I look forward for weekends when my mornings roll into afternoons and I open my eyes to the mouthwatering whiff wafting through the kitchen and I know its time I get up !
I don’t really think its insomnia. (Did you know- 64 million Americans suffer from insomnia and women are 1.4 times more likely to suffer from it than men. Why? I mean is that even a question? Really? Haha..) But yes over the years I have developed this habit of staying up late. Whether it was because of studying well into the night and getting up late during preps before board examination or reading away novels at night and waking up giggling with cousins during vacations, staying up late has become a part of me. (Unless, of course, I am traveling or sick tired.) I have often tried to go off to sleep on time. And I admit that if I want to I will go to sleep at around 10-11pm. But then I think at night I get the best of me. All new ideas, new thoughts would come up. I will suddenly remember something important and pull out my laptop and I start typing vigorously. All my poems happen at night. Very few may be 1% during day time. For me the quiet of the night gives me time to think and write my thoughts. I unleash myself. Few of my nocturnal friends also experience the same effect. Shane comes up with new songs and music on his guitar, Aditi plans her next tour plan, Mahesh cooks up another article for his magazine. So it actually works for few people. Does it work for you?
Its also the time to watch some great stuff on TV. This article in HT specially drew my attention today in which Nivriti Bhutalia gets tired of her biological clock and watches TV the insomniac way. Channels like Discovery, HBO, Star Movies have lineups worth watching. If nothing much you could catch one of the back-to-back series of F.R.I.E.N.D.S which would keep you warm enough laughing and drift you off to sleep in no time.
I think its all about an individual and how it fits him or her. Gone are the days when “early to bed and early to rise” was the discipline in every house. Now with new lifestyles and newer job profiles rules have been customized. Otherwise,what will happen to our BPO employees in that case and the 24- hr pharmacies and our poor old chowkidaar to name a few. Why not give him some company and go the “Jaagtey raho” way??
So tell me:
What kind are you?
What do you do when you go to sleep? Read a novel? Listen to music? And stay awake doing nothing? Or whisper sweet nothings to your beloved? Or is it that you are reading this article and laughing to your self and wondering- “Should I reply?”

Interesting Tryst

2008-11-16T00:10:00.000+05:30

I had been waiting for almost 20 minutes. Flipping through the October edition of Cineblitz filled with gossips from the starry land, my eyes wandered to something worthwhile. A write up on geo- thermal stations in New Zealand kept me captivated for another 30 minutes when I was called in for the check up.

In the next ten minutes I was on my way to the pharmacy in the basement of the 5 storied clinic. I had shown a constant improvement with my acne treatment and had come in for a routine check up. The clinic was one of its kind. With all possible treatments available in the dermatological domain the architecture of the building was truly state- of- art. The interiors were tasteful with Cerulean blue colour theme. Beautiful ornamented ceramic pottery could be seen on every shelf and the floor was kept warm with nice blue Kashmiri carpets.

In the pharmacy I was greeted by a kind eyed gentleman who must’ve been in his late sixties. Dressed almost identically to Dr. Sharma, a look at his face confirmed him as his brother. He was ruffling through prescriptions and pulling out required medicines for the patient sitting in the sofa inside. I opened the glass door and placed my self next to the first patient. The regular pharmacist was not around and Mr. Sharma looked a bit hassled with packing the medicines in zip pouches and then writing down the billing details. I waited patiently however my curious eyes stayed attentive. Every few seconds he would look at me and smile in a way saying, “I will just attend you in a moment”. I smiled back nodding and reassuring that I was at ease and he need not worry. I think it was this “optical language” that made us click the very next moment. No sooner did the first patient turned his back than Mr. Sharma as he introduced himself as, started chatting with me.

Through out his childhood and adolescence he had lived in and around Delhi. After that he moved to the States and then to the Arabian part of the world where he worked as a Manager for one of the MNC’s. Quite happy with his life it was not until Dr. Sharma, his younger brother, who was practicing as a dermatologist in the States insisted him in starting up their own clinic in India. Close as they were, Mr. Sharma couldn’t say no to his younger favourite. Moreover the thought of coming back home was heart warming enough.

Then began their journey of building the clinic from scratch. Right from buying the land and getting the building erected both the brothers worked towards perfecting everysingle step of their dream. He was made the CEO while Dr. Sharma continued his practice. With a huge clientele and a very busy schedule with patients visiting from all over the world, Dr. Sharma had little time to look into the matters of the company. And what could have been better than your own brother handling it.

Being a traveler Mr. Sharma and his wife had been around the world. “We’ve been to 40 countries,” he gleamed. I smiled back enthusiastically saying, “Wow, I wish to go around the world too!” He quickly replied, “Oh, you should!” And after that I launched into a small description of all the recent tours I had taken and how my generous boss had readily allowed me to take leaves. Mr. Sharma then hurled few questions on my job profile as a researcher and my hobbies and whether I was happy with my job. I nodded and said, “Well, the best thing is I get enough time to travel around.” He listened to me patiently nodding his head here and there and simultaneously making my bills. I was my usual self- chatty and friendly.

Quite pleased with me I suppose, the next thing he did was hand me over his visiting card. A very generous and kind gesture, I thought. He added quickly, “You are full of energy and I like you. Be positive all your life and do what you love the most. I have always liked creative people and you have compelled me to give you my visiting card, which I don’t give out easily. Feel free to contact me any day and I will be more than happy to help you. Keep in touch and I would want to see some of your creativity. ” I smiled benevolently.

It doesn’t happen every day that in the strangest of situations and filled with strange people you suddenly come across someone who without knowing you much, trusts you and believes in you and more importantly wishes good for you. The kind eyes seemed to bless me and reflected the honesty with which I spoke. Mr. Sharma is one of such people whom I would always remember as one of the “Connectors” in my life. People as messengers sent by God to re-instill the faith in me and to always coax me to keep going ahead. Almost like angels.

Rhythm

2008-10-06T13:26:00.000+05:30

Ever wondered why nursery rhymes rhyme? Why is the “little teapot” “short and stout”? Why didn’t the poet let it taper with his imagination? Why does the twinkling star “up so high” shine like a “diamond in the sky”? Why didn’t the moon come in?
A recent conversation with a friend made me look for reasons for rhyming of nursery rhymes. The obvious reason is that children find it easy to understand the rhyming lines. New to the world and vice- versa the big things explained in their language will always make sense. And would help them remember the entire poem.
Also, I believe few reasons why nursery rhymes rhyme could be:
a. A baby, even before its born, comes in touch with rhythm. His mother’s heartbeat and breathing movements are rhythmic. So the rhythmic pattern becomes innate to his being. And it’s all the more obvious for him to understand rhythm.
b. The lullabies that put him to sleep are rhythmic. (There might be a connection between the frequencies emitted by the lullaby and the frequency of the child’s sleepy brain. Both converging and putting him to sleep.) The rhythmic tap on his back helps him drift into his fairy land.
c. The sounds of the little toys around him emit a rhythmic monotone. The wind chime hanging over his head not only acts as and engaging distraction but a device producing rhythmic music.
d. The words “Mama” and “Papa” both are rhythmic repetition of the first syllable. Thus strengthening the fact that rhythm holds true in their learning and deciphering pattern.
e. And last but not the least… their wails are rhythmic too… Owwwaaaaahhhh they go again and again 

Gone

2008-10-01T23:31:00.000+05:30

Its gone
And i know
Its gone
And i cant do anythin
Cos its gone
Forever it is
Its gone
Where
I dont know
But its gone
To the stars
In the heaven
Its gone
Let it be buried
Where it is
Its gone

My Latest Crush

2008-09-26T17:17:00.000+05:30

I saw him in one of my gymming sessions. Tired with running in the field I was wiping off sweat from my forehead with my t-shirt sleeve when he caught my attention. Majestically he walked past without even flickering a glance in my direction. I smiled. Quite a sight he was. Felt like pummeling him all over just that it would have been the other way around had I given that fantasy of mine a try.
I continued jogging in the field. My instructor had refused to allow me use the tread mill. “If you want results, take on the field,” he had said. And I had clumsily made my way to the dry field on the right hand side of the gymming hallway. I had barely completed 3 rounds when Turkis (that’s how the little boy accompanying him pronounces his name) trundled his way into my life and made me his ardent fan. All the resentment on my instructor’s decision had melted away like butter on a grilled bread loaf.
It took exact 2 minutes for us to click. I think he sensed I was a dog lover. And no sooner did I call his name out he plodded clumsily toward me. Weighing close to 40 kgs this cute looking Napolean Mastif snuggled next to me on the green patch and looked up with droopy eyes. The folds of his skin hanging loose reminding me of the Garnier Fructis anti wrinkle cream advertisement. After initial head pat and a coat brush he preferred rolling on the grass and I got up to take few more rounds. My head would turn right, left and back to catch a glimpse of what he was up to while I jogged.
Now we meet almost everyday. I see myself beam when I see him in the field and my eyes search for him when I am early. I think he likes me too. He lets me play with his skin folds and ears and I even checked his eye colour by almost peering right into them. The small kid who gets him there? I told you about him right? Ya. He says, “Didi, you are the only one who has the courage to come and touch him and surprisingly he never growls, Nahin to yeh logon ko chhoney bhi nahi deta, apne ko”. I smiled. Ya may be I found a new friend ! Turkis- my little monster.

Happy Birthday !

2008-09-07T22:08:00.000+05:30

To my dance partner for life !

Like dew drops on the rose petals,
you'll glisten in the whorls of my life

Like the first ray of sunshine on a winter morn,
I'll help blossom your every dream alike

Wishing you not the sky
But a firm earth underneath
Wishing you not the world
But to be the reason for the world to be!

This is a poem I wrote for Prithvi today for 2 reasons-
1. He deserves it
2. My only way to reaffirm the fact that our friendship is unbreakable

ROCK ON!

2008-08-30T00:52:00.000+05:30

Music lovers watch it. Music ignorant watch it, still. “Rock on” really rocks.
The movie talks of love, jealousy, betrayal, dissatisfaction, lies, hatred, competition…. Everything.. It’s a story about four friends, who know nothing but music, talk nothing but music and breathe nothing but music are estranged from each other due to circumstances and how music re-unites them. The story is about going away and then coming back. A subject that has been dealt with, in many movies before but Rock on stirs a faint rhythm in your heart and makes it louder. It brings out alive the rock star in you. The one who wants to live life - the way it wants to, irrespective of the societal pressures, peer pressure or one’s own motive of leading a so called “comfortable” life.

KD- the character played by Purab Kohli is a sight to watch. He has played his reel role in the real sense. A next door guy with eyes dancing for girls he is the funny bone of the group. His drunken act in one of the parties is commendable and just a true snap from every day life. He plays the drums in the group.

Joe- An aggressive character played by Arjun Rampal is the guitarist in the group. Unfair - is the game life plays on him and becomes one of the reasons for the band to disband.

Luke Kenny is noticed as Rob- the key board guy who not only has talent but has been recognized by many musicians and has made a mark in the industry with few jingles in ads. Even after ten years of being without his band he wants to make it to the stage- against all odds

Farhaan Akhtar being introduced as Aaditya does justice to the lead role. His real talent of being able to sing and compose music, helps add credibility to the character and leaves the audience spell bound. No, he is not a chocolate hero in the movie. With shades of gray and dischord interwoven in his character his debut performance is commendable too. And his husky voice does sound sexy :)

Prachi Desai- the youngest queen of hindi soap “Kasam Se” acts as Farhan’s wife and plays a role of home maker of a wealthy investment banker. Her husband’s lack of involvement in family life and her quest to know him better makes her discover the “Magik” her husband’s band had tried to weave ten years ago. Thid pivots her to the critical role of the real starter of the re-union. With the re-union even her marriage which is some where on the rocks gets saved.

The music and lyrics resound more once you have seen the movie otherwise it becomes difficult to relate with it. Even Sindbad - the sailor and Kabhi Khud Pe Hansa make your feet tap in the theatre and you are bound to listen to it the very next moment you step out. "Jo Tum Ho Toh" tops the list.
I donot know anything about picturisation and camera angles, but the shots taken in Aaditya’s palatial house, where the reflection of the characters in being captured on the glass instead of their real self adds newness.
The film is to the point without any melodramatic moments and that makes it even livelier.
So what you waiting for- Rock on !

The Wait ..

2008-08-13T10:54:00.000+05:30

I walked around the market
Looking for your favourite sweet
Bought a kilo and turned around
To make a hasty retreat

Kneaded the dough with coco
Stuffed it with kiwis and berries
Decorated the cake with lil hearts
And topped it with cherries

The clock struck one
Excited- I smiled
Six hours more and you shall be here
On fingers, I counted like a child

Went around the house singing
The song you gave to me
Feeding the fish with food droplets
In a bowl fish for you to see

Warmed the house with log fire
Lit candles as the sun set down
As their incense wafted through
And made my senses drown

The clock struck seven but no one arrived
I waited on the garden steps
The wax melted and candles burnt out
While I sat alone and wept

The sun came up the very next day
Lighting up the whole street
Out I sprang, away in the crowd
Looking for your favourite sweet

Picked up berries, picked up the dough
Counted all the packets of candles
With one arm wrapped around a new fish bowl
I made my way back in worn out sandals

Thirty seasons these eyes have cried
And woken up to bright sunshine
Thirty seasons have rekindled those candles
Which continued to burn out - without the wine!

FOR LOVE’S SAKE

2008-08-05T14:37:00.000+05:30

Drops of blood
Fall down like beads
On the soil
And knees go weak

He stumbles and bends
And stops short
Raises his hand
Where his beloved calls out

Her picture fading out
From his bleary eyes
As his mind plays games
He hears her shout

Her flailing arms
Calling out for him
While they hold her back
From reaching out o him

A lid bats- he sees her eyes
That smiled and told him
How much she
Loved him

A struggling breath comes out
Her locks intrude his thoughts
That she blows away from her face
With forehead full of knots

A smile creases his face
As he lay down
And slowly visions fade
As he calls her name out

Like one last effort
He looks onto her side
And watch her speck grow
Larger in size

She rushes like gale
Against the harsh sun
Where her beloved lies
Slained for love’s sin

She stumbles and bends
And stops short
Raises her head
Gets up and starts out

Beads of blood
Appear on her sleeve
As her snow white raiment
Turns crimson with every leap

Crash and down
A feet away from him
Tears stream down
As she lunges for him

Their eyes meet
For one last time
Visions of them together
Ethereal- Divine

One last breath
One last shudder
Wind wipes their pain
As rain pours down to smother..

If you want it, you get it !

2008-07-13T22:56:00.000+05:30

13th July 2008

16:53 hrs
I look into her eyes but she looks away. I bow my head and nod. “Naah its not gonna happen.” I again look up while people come and go. Some faces smiling some tired. Some withdrawn like mine while some indifferent.

16:58 hrs
Ankur lights a cigarette and look at me exasperated. I give him a pleading “pls some more time” kind of look and he smiles and nods. I again search for the same pair of eyes but now she gets busy with her colleagues and arranges her way out to get something.

17:05 hrs
She’s not back and I look at my watch with my heart racing at the speed of 120km/hr.
Ankur goes and buys a chewing gum. 10 minutes to go!

17:12 hrs
She appears for a minute and emerges with a ream of papers. Distributes them and comes to the counter where I had been waiting for her.
“Any luck?” I ask. No ma’am, but let me check if I can go something for you. With this she again vanishes in another room at the farther end. I look around for Ankur he’s no where to be found. I turn back to the counter.

17: 14 hrs
Ankur is standing on my right hand side. His eyes question me and I give him a hopeful look. He smiles back and I cross my fingers.

17:20 hrs
She emerges with few stapled credit card receipts talks animatedly with her senior and points at me. The supervisor looks at me and I smile hoping that would do some magic. He turns back and nods. This is the first time she smiles benevolently at me and hands over 2 tickets of Jane Tu… Ya Jane Na..
Yes, that was the drama before I got to watch this “most excitedly talked movie of the month”. Every one in office, friends, cousins, cousin’s neighbours aunty had been raving about it while I smiled with an understanding look. Only my heart knew how much I longed to see the movie. Not that I was in love with Imran Khan or the story seemed intriguing. But for the simple fact that I wanted to watch what everyone liked so much.

With all previous movie plans going down the drain due to other commitments this weekend also looked clumsy. Saturday was pretty boring with my time spent at home and grocery shopping. Sunday I woke up to the world at 10:30 am and made my way to the kitchen by 11:30. I felt like cooking for a change. (Such occasions come once in years. And yes don’t worry every one at home are fine, even after the meal).
I looked around in the kitchen. After going through a list of dishes I zeroed in on Dal Makhni. The preparations started. Onions getting chopped. Garlic being grated. Tomatoes and butter making their appearance from the refrigerator to the kitchen shelf. With the help of my cousins I was successful in making a chaos in the kitchen. Someone was thirsty, someone was craving for chocolate biscuits, someone wanted to make sure I was cooking and someone secretly smiling as if awaiting a catastrophe. No sooner did the youngest of the lot woke up than she wanted to know what I was doing in the kitchen. After explaining my intentions she dreamily walked away to my aunt’s lap.
I turned around and continued mixing the contents in the pressure cooker.
The French beans vegetable was done and salad looked fine. I was just marvelling at my cooking skills (as no one else does so why waste a chance ;)) when my phone rang.
It was Ankur.
Ankur- “Hi, what’s your plan for the day?”
Me- “Nothing”
Ankur- “Ok I am planning to go to the Osian Film festival. Wanna come along?”
Me- “Oh sure, but is there some great movie coming?”
Ankur- “Lemme check. I’ll call you back.” And he hangs up.

I resume to my cooking. This time hastily checking the ingredients for the dal. The phone beeps to a message from Ankur saying “Get ready fast and reach Srifort by 12:45”
I look at the clock. It is 12:10 already. I am in the kitchen, still in my night suit with unfinished Dal on the burner and I am supposed to reach a place that was 10 km away in the next 35 min. I give final touches to the “tadka” and explain the rest of the procedure to my cousin.
By 12:36 pm I am on my way to the auditorium.
12:54 hrs- I reach the auditorium and look for Ankur. He as usual was running behind schedule and reaches by 13:20 when no movie is being showcased. The next show was at 16:00 hrs.
With 2 hrs in hand we make our way to CCD in a near by market. Ankur orders a chicken omlette burger and I a regular mocha. In between our discussions and our phone snatching fights (where he tried to read my messages) we dump our plans of going back to the festival. It was raining, we were too tired and simply lazy.
Sitting there we come across the movie line up on different cineplexes. That’s when we make up our minds for Jane Tu. It had been doing well. We had been planning it. And we both hadn’t seen it. Though getting a ticket seemed to be gory tale of “house full” we still planned to go ahead.
And that is how the whole game of looking into the eyes of the lady in the ticket counter and requesting began.
What with the pouring rain and my long dupatta getting entangled in the wrong places we made it amongst hundreds of people who came to watch the 17:15 show. With tickets in hand I clapped and Ankur hugged me. “Never ever I saw you so enthusiastic about anything. Man you can surely make things happen,” he exclaimed. I gave a twinkle back thinking of the famous quote from the Alchemist - “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it"

And when I got back home every one chorused "Lunch was delicious!" Day couldn't have ended in a better way !

HAPPINESS...

2008-07-08T23:50:00.000+05:30

Happiness is sleeping on your mother’s lap for eternity
The lick of your dog on your nose
The touch of a rain drop on your cheek
The gentle breeze flirting with your locks

A tap on your shoulder when you can’t face the world
Winning over an argument with a crinkle on your nose
A tear filled smile on your beloved’s face
Letting your friend win - by losing that race

That surprise waiting for you when you switch on the lights
A nod of agreement when every one’s hostile
Stealing that last choco pie from the refrigerator and then acting innocent
Helping an aged person while crossing a busy road- preventing an accident

Successful struggle for that last ticket of a blockbuster
Helping your dad wash the car when its pouring with not a fluster
Allowing your sibling to drive for a few miles alone
Bumping into your kindergarten friend after 20 years in the unknown

A long tiring day sealed with a kiss
Going over the same old song everyday- without a miss
Spotting a shooting star on a starry night
Searching for a face in the crowd - far away from sight

Cuddling next to your pet and going off to sleep
Waking up to a beautiful morning and go bow peep
Being called your dad’s favourite
Wearing a sweater mom had knit

All these and many more joys surround our world
And yet we all are in its pursuit..
In the pursuit of HAPPINESS…

Abraham Lincon rightly said:
"People are just as happy as they make up their minds to be."

DELHI- when it rains !

2008-07-07T23:23:00.000+05:30

" Every season has its own reasons and charm. To me rain symbolizes the start of new things, the catharsis of broken souls and the hope of reuniting the broken strings. What with the traffic jams and potholes- the lush green lawns and the earthworms have a different story to tell!"

Delhi can act funny in a lot of things. Temperature fluctuations, political hazards, traffic sense, auto wallas… just to name a few. But what really makes me wonder is the craziness that dawns upon the city when it rains.

May- June you get scorched. Its relentless and heartless. Come July and the rain gods smile at the parched city. But they would surely play hide and seek. Early morning you’ll wake up to the clouds laden with rain, ready to burst any given moment. Mothers reschedule their laundry for another day and those who have already washed the whole family’s raiment will rush to terrace and put them back in stands inside the rooms under ceiling fans working on full swing. Children would linger around the telephone with a hope of receiving a call from school declaring a “rainy day” while the adolescents would make it a point to meet their beloved in such a romantic weather. Fathers would opine on the weather forecasts for the week (based on their experience) while the grand mothers would talk of the crop cultivation boom for the year (also based on their experience).
One hour later and you would again be gazing at the sky- this time bright sunlight all around, temperature soaring and atmosphere getting increasingly humid. And every one is left stupefied.
It does rain when it does. Sometimes in spurts, sometimes in gushes. The reactions are obvious. Everyone sighs in relief and look up to the skies with gratitude. A smile everywhere, the city readies itself to embrace the monsoons.
Now what happens after rains is quiet interesting. Traffic jam with immediate effect. And if you are traveling you will realize that it is not the best time for you to be out in the roads. Its wet, stuffy, difficult and endless. The traffic seems to increase manifold. The waiting time at every signal is at least 15 min. And this amazes me. It’s not that the traffic stops when it rains. Neither does it slow down so much. Then why such a fuss after rains, I fail to understand.
Apart from traffic, the rain gives autowallas a reason to increase their rates, take the longest way to the destination, not to go by the meter installed and to charge any amount they fancy. Rains also act in their favour in a way that the number of passengers increase.
Also, you will find increasing number of men releaving themselves by the roadside ;). The numbers here also seem to increase. May be the outpour pressurizes them to compete or may be they feel its already wet and some more won’t harm anything.

Every season has its own reasons and charm. To me rain symbolizes the start of new things, the catharsis of broken souls and the hope of reuniting the broken strings. What with the traffic jams and potholes- the lush green lawns and the earthworms have a different story to tell!

The call

2008-06-21T01:19:00.000+05:30

Cos he knows a call will get him a step closer
He steps back a thousand miles
And looks at the sinkin sun
With tears in his eyes

She knows she’ll keep waiting for the call
But waits till the stars fill the sky
And looks at the sinkin sun
With tears in her eyes

Laughter..

2007-07-15T01:11:00.000+05:30

It comes in fits,
It slogs out solo.
It gets loud,
And you can make out when its hollow.

Hands reach out to hide it,
Hands clap to accompany,
You bend back to welcome it,
And purse your lips when there’s no company.

Eyes dance to the tune of it,
And wells when it’s a good one
The tummy aches till you stop
And gasp, ‘ God I’m done!”

Medicine that tickles your body,
Comes without thinking to whom,
You realize it when people turn around,
At the flourish of your ha ha hu hu !!

Illusion

2007-07-15T01:09:00.000+05:30

Indifferent to sunlight
In darkness I smiled,
Unmoved in the crowd
Alone I cried.

Walked on glaciers
Where snow gave way under feet,
Where road was endless,
And no retreat.

They painted it black,
The mood, the sky
I kept wishing to see green,
But never gave it a try.

Or is it that I did
That oh! I tried my bit,
Had you stayed to see,
Peels of laughter - fit.

For this I punish
My poor soul to death,
That, things could have been better
Had I tried till my last breath.

Eyes..

2007-07-15T01:06:00.000+05:30

They speak the speechless language
When nothing’s left undone,
When the heart has a song
That to the world remains unsung.

They shatter the screaming silence
A flicker, a glance, a wink,
When among those million faces
You search for a pair to link.

They rest to give way to dreams
Of sunlit friendships and golden beams,
To wake you up with a tingling feeling
Or, may be the neighbours with your screams.

So quiet yet so talkative
So calm yet so racy,
So gentle yet it bores through
When the hour makes you go crazy.

Droopy when the day’s done,
They dance on Friday night’s peak,
When on the dance floor with,
Lashes they play hide and seek

That's Life..

2007-07-15T01:01:00.000+05:30

Of Little Miss Sunshine

and Music and Dance,

Of winning smiles

and that knowing glance,

Of insecure moments

a tear, a sigh,

Of "euu" jokes

and downcast eyes,

Of hours of talks

on essays and Kotler,

Of long office hours

and "Oh! i missed my bus" one liners,

Of perfect drives

and chocobars,

Of crazy bike rides

and movies under the stars,

Of brutal discussions

that went on for hours,

Of Leo attacks

that left deep scars,

Of unreplied messages

and silent goodbyes,

Of talking to the darkness

and waiting for replies,

What with Orange juice, Tequila

Bacardi and Smirn off??

Still trying to begin

Where you left off!!