Friday, March 6, 2015
Holi EDM and Dance fest held in Manipur
Thursday, June 2, 2011
D K Bose on my mind
Gone are the days of Munni and Sheila; it's time for DK Bose. DK Bose has not only chased 'Badnaam Munni' and 'Jawan Sheila' but has also left them way behind. No, no, he is not after some 'Tinku' or 'Laila' or any other item girl. And he is not interested in anyone of them; he has become as famous as these item lot, or, perhaps, even more. Now, Bose doesn't need to impress upon any youth, they are already impressed.
DK Bose needs no introduction, at least among youth, he is on everyone's mind including mine. He is also on Facebook, Orkut, iPhones, BBs and the likes of. I love DK Bose, so do all my friends. He believes in running away as he says to himself, “Bhaag bhaag DK Bose.. DK Bose.. DK Bose.. DK.. bhaag!”
Well, please don't take it otherwise. The DK Bose I am referring here is a character in a song from the yet-to-be released movie 'Delhi Belly'. The song has become such a hit that everyone is humming it the way as if they are in Pre-Nursery class and singing the popular rhyme 'Baba Black Sheep'.
Like last year huge hits 'Munni Badnaam Hui' and 'Sheila Ki Jawani', 'Bhaag DK Bose' has been able to capture audience's attention in its very first video shown on mushrooming music channels. Actually, it's not the video (with all due respect to Imraan Khan) but its lyrics that has successfully established instant connection with today's youth. Salute to the lyricist Amitabh Bhattacharya who did wonderful job in creating such lines that can attract one's ears instantly. And with Ram Sampath blending these lines with his punk rock music, it can't get any better than this.
Why 'Bhaag DK Bose' is such a massive hit amongst youth? The answer to this question is, of course, because of its lyrics and music. Contrary to the popular belief that one should face any hardship that comes one's way, this song says when in trouble, just run away (Aandhi aayi, Aandhi aayi Bhaag Bhaag DK Bose DK Bhaag)! Indeed, true. Since today's youth face so many hardships in terms of relationships, office tensions, jobs, admissions, economic status among others in this cut-throat competitive world, this punk rock music with great lyrics comes as a big relief to much stressed youth of today.
The most fascinating part of this song is that every single line of it carries a double meaning when listened to carefully. For instance, 'Bhaag DK Bose DK Bhaag' when sung repetitively, it makes sense as one of the famous abuses in Hindi (another reason for its popularity). Although there have been many literal Hindi abuses used in many of the bollywood songs yet, DK Bose is completely out of the box item that uses abuses in a different style. And when the product is from none other than Mr. Perfectionist Aamir Khan, one can only expect the best. It won't be surprising if the song becomes national anthem for youth! It's a fabulous good to ear song, deserves to be listened to it once.
DK Bose needs no introduction, at least among youth, he is on everyone's mind including mine. He is also on Facebook, Orkut, iPhones, BBs and the likes of. I love DK Bose, so do all my friends. He believes in running away as he says to himself, “Bhaag bhaag DK Bose.. DK Bose.. DK Bose.. DK.. bhaag!”
Well, please don't take it otherwise. The DK Bose I am referring here is a character in a song from the yet-to-be released movie 'Delhi Belly'. The song has become such a hit that everyone is humming it the way as if they are in Pre-Nursery class and singing the popular rhyme 'Baba Black Sheep'.
Like last year huge hits 'Munni Badnaam Hui' and 'Sheila Ki Jawani', 'Bhaag DK Bose' has been able to capture audience's attention in its very first video shown on mushrooming music channels. Actually, it's not the video (with all due respect to Imraan Khan) but its lyrics that has successfully established instant connection with today's youth. Salute to the lyricist Amitabh Bhattacharya who did wonderful job in creating such lines that can attract one's ears instantly. And with Ram Sampath blending these lines with his punk rock music, it can't get any better than this.
Why 'Bhaag DK Bose' is such a massive hit amongst youth? The answer to this question is, of course, because of its lyrics and music. Contrary to the popular belief that one should face any hardship that comes one's way, this song says when in trouble, just run away (Aandhi aayi, Aandhi aayi Bhaag Bhaag DK Bose DK Bhaag)! Indeed, true. Since today's youth face so many hardships in terms of relationships, office tensions, jobs, admissions, economic status among others in this cut-throat competitive world, this punk rock music with great lyrics comes as a big relief to much stressed youth of today.
The most fascinating part of this song is that every single line of it carries a double meaning when listened to carefully. For instance, 'Bhaag DK Bose DK Bhaag' when sung repetitively, it makes sense as one of the famous abuses in Hindi (another reason for its popularity). Although there have been many literal Hindi abuses used in many of the bollywood songs yet, DK Bose is completely out of the box item that uses abuses in a different style. And when the product is from none other than Mr. Perfectionist Aamir Khan, one can only expect the best. It won't be surprising if the song becomes national anthem for youth! It's a fabulous good to ear song, deserves to be listened to it once.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Time to reveal 8-year-old secret
Life changes persistently; so does the life style – the way of thinking and perceiving things. But some memories just aren't meant to be forgotten, while some secrets are simply meant to be unveiled. Now that I am in 2011 and the Indian team has finally won the World Cup Cricket after a gap of 28 years, I think it's high time that I reveal my 8-year-old secret.
I know you all are confused thinking how can my secret be associated with cricket!
Well, the story goes like this: It was March 2003. I was due to give my board exams. At the same time Indian Cricket team has passionately made their entry in World Cup Cricket final along with its counterpart and the then all-time-favorite Australia. I was so obsessed by the game that I related all my answers in my board exams with cricket. Yes, I did that. And I scored impressively as well.
2003 witnessed a new wave in Manipur. Technological innovation was one of the major changing trends in Manipur. Here, I am particularly talking about the internet revolution. I was an active part of that revolution. In fact, there wasn't a single person, especially the school goers who didn't have their mail IDs. It was a must for one to have an account on Yahoo Messenger at least. Chatting was a kind of in-thing at that time. And I fully utilized that feature of Yahoo during the break after the board exams.
I was obsessed by chatting to the extent that I would sit inside internet cafes for long hours, chatting with unknown lots from the UK, the US, Canada, Australia and the like (now, I wonder if they really were foreigners at all!!). Yeah, I had this craze of chatting with Whites as I like their red cheeks with golden spiky hairs.
Not just pass time, chatting had become my passion. I would collect posters of celebs downloading them from net. By the way, I only collected posters of that special one. Actually, I fell in love with Mr Lee. No...No...No...don't misunderstand me ...it's not Bruce Lee. It is the dashing, amazing, stunning and handsome mate, Brett Lee.
I loved him. I still do. I like the way he runs and releases the bowl from his right hand in style embossed with speed; I love to see his eyebrows raised when his bowl is being smashed to the boundary; I like the way he irritates batsman and then gives him that taunting smile – the smile that always brings a smile on my face. Yes, I like him to an extreme of craziness.
Today, in the quarter-finals of WC 2011, I was pretty much happy with India beating the Aussies. But somewhere in my heart there was a deep and subtle pain, for the obvious reason that: my Lee was out of the WC 2011. And I would not be able to see him in remaining matches of the tournament.
It has been 8 long years ever since I first liked Lee. Though the intensity my this one sided relation now is not that high as it used to be earlier, I am still crazy about him. Craziness, of course, has a limit; but I had, probably, crossed all of them. My first mail IDs on Yahoo and Gmail were an amalgamation of my name and his name (mehnaz_lee@yahoo.co.in). And because of my mail ID, everyone now thinks that 'Lee' is my surname.
Till I was a student, it was acceptable to keep a lid over it. Now that I am working, I think it's high time that I reveal my 8-year-old secret. So world, my name is Mehnaz Nasreen and I am not a 'Lee'.
I know you all are confused thinking how can my secret be associated with cricket!
Well, the story goes like this: It was March 2003. I was due to give my board exams. At the same time Indian Cricket team has passionately made their entry in World Cup Cricket final along with its counterpart and the then all-time-favorite Australia. I was so obsessed by the game that I related all my answers in my board exams with cricket. Yes, I did that. And I scored impressively as well.
2003 witnessed a new wave in Manipur. Technological innovation was one of the major changing trends in Manipur. Here, I am particularly talking about the internet revolution. I was an active part of that revolution. In fact, there wasn't a single person, especially the school goers who didn't have their mail IDs. It was a must for one to have an account on Yahoo Messenger at least. Chatting was a kind of in-thing at that time. And I fully utilized that feature of Yahoo during the break after the board exams.
I was obsessed by chatting to the extent that I would sit inside internet cafes for long hours, chatting with unknown lots from the UK, the US, Canada, Australia and the like (now, I wonder if they really were foreigners at all!!). Yeah, I had this craze of chatting with Whites as I like their red cheeks with golden spiky hairs.
Not just pass time, chatting had become my passion. I would collect posters of celebs downloading them from net. By the way, I only collected posters of that special one. Actually, I fell in love with Mr Lee. No...No...No...don't misunderstand me ...it's not Bruce Lee. It is the dashing, amazing, stunning and handsome mate, Brett Lee.
I loved him. I still do. I like the way he runs and releases the bowl from his right hand in style embossed with speed; I love to see his eyebrows raised when his bowl is being smashed to the boundary; I like the way he irritates batsman and then gives him that taunting smile – the smile that always brings a smile on my face. Yes, I like him to an extreme of craziness.
Today, in the quarter-finals of WC 2011, I was pretty much happy with India beating the Aussies. But somewhere in my heart there was a deep and subtle pain, for the obvious reason that: my Lee was out of the WC 2011. And I would not be able to see him in remaining matches of the tournament.
It has been 8 long years ever since I first liked Lee. Though the intensity my this one sided relation now is not that high as it used to be earlier, I am still crazy about him. Craziness, of course, has a limit; but I had, probably, crossed all of them. My first mail IDs on Yahoo and Gmail were an amalgamation of my name and his name (mehnaz_lee@yahoo.co.in). And because of my mail ID, everyone now thinks that 'Lee' is my surname.
Till I was a student, it was acceptable to keep a lid over it. Now that I am working, I think it's high time that I reveal my 8-year-old secret. So world, my name is Mehnaz Nasreen and I am not a 'Lee'.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Roads full of fools!
Driving on Indian roads could be one of your most terrible experiences. Being a driver is a curse in India. It hardly matters whether you are in a Mercedes or Maruti 800. When the roads are jam- packed and filled with chicken-headed people, it really doesn't count on which Ac car you are traveling. Here I am not talking only about the Delhi roads or for that matter other metro cities', roads in UP, Bihar, Haryana etc. apart from few states in north-east states too are horrible.
There is a subject called Civics which is taught as a part of Social Science in schools. I am damn sure these lot have never ever flipped the pages or attended any class of this particular subject for they consider roads as their drawing rooms. They will try to overtake your vehicle from whichever sides they want to especially the bikers as if they are professionally racers (which unfortunately they aren't). In a bid to show off their bikes, yes, the ones with superbikes will surely speed up in a zig-zag manner. They think that with this stupendous act (actually, a stupid one), they can easily impress girls. Well, let me take this opportunity to announce on behalf of all the girls' community that we fully detest these savaged riders from the core of our hearts. Yes, we do!
Honking is another habit which we Indians are proud of. And 'Don't Honk' is the popular tag one must have noticed on most of the vehicles especially on trucks and buses. Nevertheless, the ones whose vehicles flaunt this tag are the ones which indulged into high-decibel honking. I don't understand why these people press their vehicles' horns so brutally when they know that the red light is still on. Perhaps, they don't know the symbolic meaning of red light or is it some other reason, I can only wonder.
I am so used to listening this honking that I asked the taxi driver in Shillong (in my recent visit there) that if there is a ban on honking. He laughed out heartily and told me that patience is the key. Yes, actually, he was right. Unlike people in this part of the country (Yes, Shillong is a part of India that lies in northeast region. And it is the capital of Meghalaya), people backed in Delhi are so impatient and restless, they are always in a hurry to reach their destination as if they are Obamas, Wen Jiabaos or some other VIPs. While in Shillong, people even though stranded in a massive traffic jam, they would never honk or indulged in verbal fights. They are so disciplined that sometimes I am forced to ponder that if this lot are really Indian.
I learned driving when I was in VII standard. My then instructor would always tell me that drivers should not lose their temper though I am highly short-tempered a person. He would tell me that patience is the word you should always remember. However, when you are in a place like Delhi where people lack civic sense, I hardly can be patient. I get irritated when I see someone driving rashly or breaking traffic rules. But those golden words of my instructor would always struck in my mind then I would switched on the Ac at its maximum level and put on some soft music and I would drive on. Thinking that I have to go miles before I sleep, I would tell myself that roads are full of fools and I should not turn into one of them.
There is a subject called Civics which is taught as a part of Social Science in schools. I am damn sure these lot have never ever flipped the pages or attended any class of this particular subject for they consider roads as their drawing rooms. They will try to overtake your vehicle from whichever sides they want to especially the bikers as if they are professionally racers (which unfortunately they aren't). In a bid to show off their bikes, yes, the ones with superbikes will surely speed up in a zig-zag manner. They think that with this stupendous act (actually, a stupid one), they can easily impress girls. Well, let me take this opportunity to announce on behalf of all the girls' community that we fully detest these savaged riders from the core of our hearts. Yes, we do!
Honking is another habit which we Indians are proud of. And 'Don't Honk' is the popular tag one must have noticed on most of the vehicles especially on trucks and buses. Nevertheless, the ones whose vehicles flaunt this tag are the ones which indulged into high-decibel honking. I don't understand why these people press their vehicles' horns so brutally when they know that the red light is still on. Perhaps, they don't know the symbolic meaning of red light or is it some other reason, I can only wonder.
I am so used to listening this honking that I asked the taxi driver in Shillong (in my recent visit there) that if there is a ban on honking. He laughed out heartily and told me that patience is the key. Yes, actually, he was right. Unlike people in this part of the country (Yes, Shillong is a part of India that lies in northeast region. And it is the capital of Meghalaya), people backed in Delhi are so impatient and restless, they are always in a hurry to reach their destination as if they are Obamas, Wen Jiabaos or some other VIPs. While in Shillong, people even though stranded in a massive traffic jam, they would never honk or indulged in verbal fights. They are so disciplined that sometimes I am forced to ponder that if this lot are really Indian.
I learned driving when I was in VII standard. My then instructor would always tell me that drivers should not lose their temper though I am highly short-tempered a person. He would tell me that patience is the word you should always remember. However, when you are in a place like Delhi where people lack civic sense, I hardly can be patient. I get irritated when I see someone driving rashly or breaking traffic rules. But those golden words of my instructor would always struck in my mind then I would switched on the Ac at its maximum level and put on some soft music and I would drive on. Thinking that I have to go miles before I sleep, I would tell myself that roads are full of fools and I should not turn into one of them.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Anything for a cause
Youth love to support any cause and they never fail to flaunt what they support. Be it global warming, slum issues, deforestation, child labour, female infanticide, gay rights and the like; yes, you name it, they have it. Nowadays, you ask any youth specially the school and the college goers, they will surely tell you that they support a cause and will also try to show it off.
Scorching Sun or heavy rains or chilly December days, today's enthusiastic youth do not care of such hindrances and make it a point to hit the roads, streets, audis, schools, colleges among others supporting their causes. I am sure many of you must have noticed it. As I too witnessed this scene only a day before yesterday, it was an awareness campaign on climate change where I was one of the speakers (yes, yes, I am a member of an NGO called NECEER) , youth throng there in a huge number despite the day being Sunday. Only few of them were very concerned about the cause, others just came to get the certificate, badge, newsletters, posters etc. so that they can show off to their friends and acquaintances that they are associated with a cause and are really concerned about it.
Well, I know a junior of mine who proudly told me (I am sure he must have told this to everyone he knows) that he is associated with 25 NGOs and he is supporting around 150 causes! How he manages to support so many causes despite being an engineering student, only God knows. One can easily spot him for he always wears badges, carries flyer, pamphlets etc. of the causes he supports wherever he goes. I can only hope that he knows what are the problems behind climate change, global warming, female infanticide and the like.
Besides, there are so-called PETA activists, most of them models, who pose almost nude for the PETA campaign just for the sake of publicity. No, no, not only for the campaign but for their own publicity, these lot do such things and flaunting what they endorse is one of them. By the way, I don't see any logic behind showing your own skin for saving some endangered animal's skin. Are there no other ethical ways to save animals from unethical treatment apart from posing nude? I can only wonder.
Flaunting a cause is order of the day. Not only this male junior of mine is showing off what he supports but also thousands of youngsters are leaving no stone unturned to do the same. Anyway, as far as they are supporting the cause, it hardly matters whether this lot is flaunting or doing anything to publicise themselves (which is directly proportional to publicising the cause). But one thing is for sure that today's youth love to support any causes. And they can do anything for it.
Click here for more blogs
Scorching Sun or heavy rains or chilly December days, today's enthusiastic youth do not care of such hindrances and make it a point to hit the roads, streets, audis, schools, colleges among others supporting their causes. I am sure many of you must have noticed it. As I too witnessed this scene only a day before yesterday, it was an awareness campaign on climate change where I was one of the speakers (yes, yes, I am a member of an NGO called NECEER) , youth throng there in a huge number despite the day being Sunday. Only few of them were very concerned about the cause, others just came to get the certificate, badge, newsletters, posters etc. so that they can show off to their friends and acquaintances that they are associated with a cause and are really concerned about it.
Well, I know a junior of mine who proudly told me (I am sure he must have told this to everyone he knows) that he is associated with 25 NGOs and he is supporting around 150 causes! How he manages to support so many causes despite being an engineering student, only God knows. One can easily spot him for he always wears badges, carries flyer, pamphlets etc. of the causes he supports wherever he goes. I can only hope that he knows what are the problems behind climate change, global warming, female infanticide and the like.
Besides, there are so-called PETA activists, most of them models, who pose almost nude for the PETA campaign just for the sake of publicity. No, no, not only for the campaign but for their own publicity, these lot do such things and flaunting what they endorse is one of them. By the way, I don't see any logic behind showing your own skin for saving some endangered animal's skin. Are there no other ethical ways to save animals from unethical treatment apart from posing nude? I can only wonder.
Flaunting a cause is order of the day. Not only this male junior of mine is showing off what he supports but also thousands of youngsters are leaving no stone unturned to do the same. Anyway, as far as they are supporting the cause, it hardly matters whether this lot is flaunting or doing anything to publicise themselves (which is directly proportional to publicising the cause). But one thing is for sure that today's youth love to support any causes. And they can do anything for it.
Click here for more blogs
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Pay us or face the music
“Pay 50 lakhs or face action.” A common threat that the people of Manipur get every now and then from the mushrooming militants in the state. Hurling a Chinese-made hand grenade at residences has become an easy way to extort money from the well-known personalities of the state.
Due to this violent act of the militants, many have been killed and hundreds have been injured till date. Ministers, bureaucrats, engineers, doctors, lecturers amongst others are the main targets of grenade attacks carried out by the militants. The grenade hurling incident has become such a day-to-day affair that even the local newspapers carry the news report in a single column. The latest attack is the one on Friday where a Chinese hand grenade was found at the residence of L Jayantakumar Singh, Health Minister of Manipur at Pishumthong, Imphal East. It was later diffused and disposed by the bomb experts of Manipur Police, according to a report.
However, Chongtham Ranabir, Executive Engineer IFCD is not as lucky as Minister Jayantakumar as one security guard was killed and other four were injured on a grenade attack carried out by unidentified militants on February 11 at his residence in Singjamei, Imphal West. An eye-witnessed said, “Two unidentified man on a motor-bike hurled the grenade from the front side of the engineer's residence.” But it was not a first attack on his premises but the grenades have been hurled on four more occasions as well. Ranabir told media that he has been receiving monetary demands from various militant groups. The undergrounds are after him to get contract works on favour of their fellow men, revealed Ranabir.
As a reaction to the rampant attacks, locals have been staging protests on streets and have been demanding to stop this violent way to extort money immediately. The Apunba Lup (Joint Action committee) of Khetrigao Leikei in Imphal staged a protest against the grenade attack at the residence of A R Khan, an IAS officer. The officer's house too faced a grenade attack earlier on January. Meena Begum, a member of the Apunba Lup said, “We are strictly against this kind of attacks where lives of many are at stake. We demand quick action from the militants to stop such acts immediately.”
http://thesundayindian.com/article.php?type=blog&blog_id=29&article_id=12878
Due to this violent act of the militants, many have been killed and hundreds have been injured till date. Ministers, bureaucrats, engineers, doctors, lecturers amongst others are the main targets of grenade attacks carried out by the militants. The grenade hurling incident has become such a day-to-day affair that even the local newspapers carry the news report in a single column. The latest attack is the one on Friday where a Chinese hand grenade was found at the residence of L Jayantakumar Singh, Health Minister of Manipur at Pishumthong, Imphal East. It was later diffused and disposed by the bomb experts of Manipur Police, according to a report.
However, Chongtham Ranabir, Executive Engineer IFCD is not as lucky as Minister Jayantakumar as one security guard was killed and other four were injured on a grenade attack carried out by unidentified militants on February 11 at his residence in Singjamei, Imphal West. An eye-witnessed said, “Two unidentified man on a motor-bike hurled the grenade from the front side of the engineer's residence.” But it was not a first attack on his premises but the grenades have been hurled on four more occasions as well. Ranabir told media that he has been receiving monetary demands from various militant groups. The undergrounds are after him to get contract works on favour of their fellow men, revealed Ranabir.
As a reaction to the rampant attacks, locals have been staging protests on streets and have been demanding to stop this violent way to extort money immediately. The Apunba Lup (Joint Action committee) of Khetrigao Leikei in Imphal staged a protest against the grenade attack at the residence of A R Khan, an IAS officer. The officer's house too faced a grenade attack earlier on January. Meena Begum, a member of the Apunba Lup said, “We are strictly against this kind of attacks where lives of many are at stake. We demand quick action from the militants to stop such acts immediately.”
http://thesundayindian.com/article.php?type=blog&blog_id=29&article_id=12878
Buying a perfect groom
Sale, sale, sale! buy one, get 50% off, seasonal discount up to 70% . Yeah, yeah, you got it right. It's a season of discounts and sale. You can avail anything you want at anytime but of course *conditions apply*. Search, select and buy from any nearby market or just surf the net then click the mouse and buy what you want virtually. Wait, wait, you people must have misinterpreted me, I am not talking about the ongoing sale in the mushrooming malls, but the sale of grooms in our developing country since time immemorial.
You don't believe me? You ought to trust me on this. However, you need to shell out those hard earned savings of your parents and yours too to get what you want (here comes that *conditions apply*).
Well, the other day this friend of mine was surfing the net with full concentration. She was too lost on it that she couldn't notice my presence in the room at all. Damn! She was surfing some matrimonial site.
Reena! You getting married? I shouted.
Shocked at my presence and shout, she scolded me and said no to my question.
Why were you surfing that flashy matrimonial site then? I curiously inquired.
Obviously searching for my perfect groom, was her reply.
Totally a gone case she is, I thought. Yes, I was confused as this newly schizophrenic friend first said that she was not getting married and then told me she was searching for a groom that too a perfect one. I mean what she was up to with man, only God knew.
Holding two hot coffee cups in her hands, she told me as she gave away my cup that she needs to find her soul-mate soon.
Look dear, I am 22 turning 23 in few days. As you know that I hail from such a place that finding a perfect groom is a Herculean task. Worst it is when one has so many boundations on the lines of caste, community, creed, profession and so on and so forth. And I being a teacher I want my to-be hubby to be well-educated as well. However, it's too tough a task to find a perfect combination of rich yet qualified, same caste but different gotra (sub-caste), similar community handsome man in today's time.
You know what, 50 lakhs is the rate of a PCS officer nowadays, she told me with a drooping face.
I said, “Excuse me, what do you mean by the rate?”
Ignoring my question, she told me that she has decided to opt for a teacher instead as it would cost her less. “You know, I always wanted to marry a civil servant but guess I have to compromise,” she told me sadly .
“20 lakhs is a huge amount dear, I can get a lecturer husband instead of a PCS one in just 30 lakhs,” she further told me.
Cases of infanticide, female foeticide, burning females to death and the like perhaps have surged due to the above, I pondered.
“So you were asking about the rates?”finally she remembered that she owed me an answer.
“Yes?”I replied enthusiastically.
“As I already told you one needs to arrange 50 lakhs to get a PCS officer but if you want an IAS officer then you ought to shell out another 20-30 lakhs from your parents' saving accounts,” she told me.
“40 lakhs for a doctor groom, 30 lakhs for a lecturer, same for the software engineer, 15 lakhs for a primary teacher, 10 for a shopkeeper....,” and she continued listing the rates.
“Wait, wait, wait, what about a journalist hubby? It's nowhere in your list,” I asked ( I ought to ask this for the obvious reason, hey don't take it otherwise, I am talking about my profession here)
"No Idea,” she failed to tell me.
"Get Idea,” I told. She told me she loves Airtel ( poor joke)
By the way it's so embarrassing that people don't consider our profession, journalists as a serious one. I mean what the hell yaar...Many Reenas are searching for IAS officers, doctors, teachers among others but no journalists...ammm...sad, I am now.
After searching several colourful matrimonial sites, finally Reena decided to zero down a lecturer as her 'perfect groom'.
By the way, forgot to tell you all that she got a 5% discount on her hubby as she is a platinium card-holder of marriage.com. The matrimonial site offered to negotiate the groom's price with the latter's family.
Click here for more blog
You don't believe me? You ought to trust me on this. However, you need to shell out those hard earned savings of your parents and yours too to get what you want (here comes that *conditions apply*).
Well, the other day this friend of mine was surfing the net with full concentration. She was too lost on it that she couldn't notice my presence in the room at all. Damn! She was surfing some matrimonial site.
Reena! You getting married? I shouted.
Shocked at my presence and shout, she scolded me and said no to my question.
Why were you surfing that flashy matrimonial site then? I curiously inquired.
Obviously searching for my perfect groom, was her reply.
Totally a gone case she is, I thought. Yes, I was confused as this newly schizophrenic friend first said that she was not getting married and then told me she was searching for a groom that too a perfect one. I mean what she was up to with man, only God knew.
Holding two hot coffee cups in her hands, she told me as she gave away my cup that she needs to find her soul-mate soon.
Look dear, I am 22 turning 23 in few days. As you know that I hail from such a place that finding a perfect groom is a Herculean task. Worst it is when one has so many boundations on the lines of caste, community, creed, profession and so on and so forth. And I being a teacher I want my to-be hubby to be well-educated as well. However, it's too tough a task to find a perfect combination of rich yet qualified, same caste but different gotra (sub-caste), similar community handsome man in today's time.
You know what, 50 lakhs is the rate of a PCS officer nowadays, she told me with a drooping face.
I said, “Excuse me, what do you mean by the rate?”
Ignoring my question, she told me that she has decided to opt for a teacher instead as it would cost her less. “You know, I always wanted to marry a civil servant but guess I have to compromise,” she told me sadly .
“20 lakhs is a huge amount dear, I can get a lecturer husband instead of a PCS one in just 30 lakhs,” she further told me.
Cases of infanticide, female foeticide, burning females to death and the like perhaps have surged due to the above, I pondered.
“So you were asking about the rates?”finally she remembered that she owed me an answer.
“Yes?”I replied enthusiastically.
“As I already told you one needs to arrange 50 lakhs to get a PCS officer but if you want an IAS officer then you ought to shell out another 20-30 lakhs from your parents' saving accounts,” she told me.
“40 lakhs for a doctor groom, 30 lakhs for a lecturer, same for the software engineer, 15 lakhs for a primary teacher, 10 for a shopkeeper....,” and she continued listing the rates.
“Wait, wait, wait, what about a journalist hubby? It's nowhere in your list,” I asked ( I ought to ask this for the obvious reason, hey don't take it otherwise, I am talking about my profession here)
"No Idea,” she failed to tell me.
"Get Idea,” I told. She told me she loves Airtel ( poor joke)
By the way it's so embarrassing that people don't consider our profession, journalists as a serious one. I mean what the hell yaar...Many Reenas are searching for IAS officers, doctors, teachers among others but no journalists...ammm...sad, I am now.
After searching several colourful matrimonial sites, finally Reena decided to zero down a lecturer as her 'perfect groom'.
By the way, forgot to tell you all that she got a 5% discount on her hubby as she is a platinium card-holder of marriage.com. The matrimonial site offered to negotiate the groom's price with the latter's family.
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Dear Tropicana, I can't leave you
A small packet of juice and a plate of maggi fill my stomach every morning in the office. I know mine is not a healthy breakfast. Barring maggi, the remaining menu, yes, only the juice is healthy (I go for Tropicana always, you know brand matters). Na na, neither I am going for a zero figure nor my intention is to bore you people by discussing my diet here. But, this time I am gonna talk about some serious issue, and what can be more serious than the Budget. Yes, I will be talking about the budget, not just the country's but my monthly one as well.
As usual, I ordered a small packet of Tropicana and maggi today. After relishing my share of breakfast, I went to pay the bill.
How much Yadav jee? I asked.
42 rupees only for today and Rs 222 for the previous day, he told.
How come 42 (seems 42 was more than 222 for me)? I inquired.
Arey madam, 20 for maggi and 22 for juice, he explained.
What? 22 rupees? Kaise? How come? I fumed.
Madam, mandee ki meharbaani hai (he means it's due to the inflation, a friend of mine explained), he said.
Gosh, he knows what inflation is, I thought. And it's called mandee in vernacular (thanks Yadav jee for enhancing my knowledge of Hindi).
From 15 to 18 and now 22 rupees per packet, this is truly a height.
For the very first time, inflation hit me and has hit me really hard. I was never that sad when the price of onion sky-rocketed last month. May be I hardly consume onion, but the rise in price of juice will surely affect me a lot. This has made me think over those lot who have been suffering due to this mandee for months now.
Sipping to my favourite Tropicana juice will cost me more now, I wonder. But I promise, I am not going to stop drinking it come what may as it's a healthy practice (my dear papa told me). What will happen at the max? I may have to shell out extra money from my limited salary, right? Oh oh, this is going to be so hard...Rs 4 more I have to pay, bad and sad it is! Well...Okay, I am ready to pay it provided the rate remains constant for at least a year or till I get a hike in my salary. I wish my voice could be heard by our hon'ble Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee. But he's busy thinking over onions, tomatoes, economy and the like. Will my Tropicana juice be figured on his list? I hope and wish it does.
Basically, my point is that I want this year Budget to be middle-class friendly so that I, like many others, could at least sip a Tropicana juice without paying much heed to the price and the tax and the other hidden prices amongst others.
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As usual, I ordered a small packet of Tropicana and maggi today. After relishing my share of breakfast, I went to pay the bill.
How much Yadav jee? I asked.
42 rupees only for today and Rs 222 for the previous day, he told.
How come 42 (seems 42 was more than 222 for me)? I inquired.
Arey madam, 20 for maggi and 22 for juice, he explained.
What? 22 rupees? Kaise? How come? I fumed.
Madam, mandee ki meharbaani hai (he means it's due to the inflation, a friend of mine explained), he said.
Gosh, he knows what inflation is, I thought. And it's called mandee in vernacular (thanks Yadav jee for enhancing my knowledge of Hindi).
From 15 to 18 and now 22 rupees per packet, this is truly a height.
For the very first time, inflation hit me and has hit me really hard. I was never that sad when the price of onion sky-rocketed last month. May be I hardly consume onion, but the rise in price of juice will surely affect me a lot. This has made me think over those lot who have been suffering due to this mandee for months now.
Sipping to my favourite Tropicana juice will cost me more now, I wonder. But I promise, I am not going to stop drinking it come what may as it's a healthy practice (my dear papa told me). What will happen at the max? I may have to shell out extra money from my limited salary, right? Oh oh, this is going to be so hard...Rs 4 more I have to pay, bad and sad it is! Well...Okay, I am ready to pay it provided the rate remains constant for at least a year or till I get a hike in my salary. I wish my voice could be heard by our hon'ble Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee. But he's busy thinking over onions, tomatoes, economy and the like. Will my Tropicana juice be figured on his list? I hope and wish it does.
Basically, my point is that I want this year Budget to be middle-class friendly so that I, like many others, could at least sip a Tropicana juice without paying much heed to the price and the tax and the other hidden prices amongst others.
Click here for more blogs
Monday, February 14, 2011
I am Aarushi's soul
One fine day, I got up just to see my throat-slit. I saw my dead body lying in my bed. Since then I (Aarushi's soul) am not able to rest in peace. I am in deep pain. Why are media, CBI and others not letting me rest in peace? Dear all, I am as confused as you are. I have no clue how I was killed. But it doesn't mean that the CBI, media or police can harass my parents.
It's been three years now and my killer is still at large. I wonder why the law enforcement agencies have not been able to nab him even after so many days. Ammm...well, I can recall my days in the school. It was General Knowledge class and the teacher was telling us that the CBI is the top investigating agency of our country. That they have solved several impossible crime cases.
But in my case, the CBI has failed to arrest the murderer(s), instead they have filed a closure report. Their failure has forced me to doubt my GK teacher's words, though unwillingly (but then, teachers are always right). Well, it's too confusing. Seriously, I am in a dilemma whether to trust my teacher or my perception of the agency.
I was taught that it's all about loving our parents - a sub-title of one of my favourite movies. And I love my parents as any other child would do no matter how their parents are. It's too hard to see my parents suffer because of me. I am hurt to see my dad taking rounds of court, police station, CBI headquarters, clarifying things to media and so on and so forth. Now, that I am no more in the world and my parents are suffering my loss, I sincerely request you to stop harassing them (I wish you could hear me. Deep pain that I am in. Please help rest my soul in peace).
It's been three years now and my killer is still at large. I wonder why the law enforcement agencies have not been able to nab him even after so many days. Ammm...well, I can recall my days in the school. It was General Knowledge class and the teacher was telling us that the CBI is the top investigating agency of our country. That they have solved several impossible crime cases.
But in my case, the CBI has failed to arrest the murderer(s), instead they have filed a closure report. Their failure has forced me to doubt my GK teacher's words, though unwillingly (but then, teachers are always right). Well, it's too confusing. Seriously, I am in a dilemma whether to trust my teacher or my perception of the agency.
I was taught that it's all about loving our parents - a sub-title of one of my favourite movies. And I love my parents as any other child would do no matter how their parents are. It's too hard to see my parents suffer because of me. I am hurt to see my dad taking rounds of court, police station, CBI headquarters, clarifying things to media and so on and so forth. Now, that I am no more in the world and my parents are suffering my loss, I sincerely request you to stop harassing them (I wish you could hear me. Deep pain that I am in. Please help rest my soul in peace).
Catch 22: Waiting for my V-Day rose
Roses, roses everywhere not a single one for me. I have been craving for a dedicated red rose but none has given one to me. Well, before anyone starts showering sympathy on me for not having received a single rose till date, let me first clarify that I am talking about a Valentine’s Day rose here. Two decades and two years have passed, precisely 22 Valentine’s Days have gone by since I first stepped on this mighty world (how silly I am, revealed my age for it!), but I am yet to receive a red rose on this celebrated day of love.
“So you mean you never had a boyfriend in your life?” asked a colleague of mine. "Oh! you never have got a Valentine’s rose as well," he taunted.
“Of course not”, was my reply.
"Oh lady, don’t make me confused," he said.
"I am not making you confused," I murmured.
“What? What did you say right now?” asked he.
"What do you mean? You never had a boyfriend or never got a rose," he shot.
With a half-hearted smile, I told him that I have no intention to make him confused rather I wanted him to know that I have got end number of bouquets, countless dark chocolates, fancy dresses, golden rings, silver chains, watches, cakes and what not; got all of these either on my birthday or New Year or Eid or Diwali or Holi and so on and so forth but unfortunately not on Valentine’s Day.
“Hmmm…so sad”, he consoled me which sounded more of a taunt to me.
"Listen dude, don’t pity me," I told him.
Not getting a red rose or for that matter any other gifts on Valentine’s Day doesn’t necessarily mean that I have had or have no boyfriend(s). On the contrary, I have had enough of them, I told him with my chin up.
Scratching his head, he asked if you had so many BFs than how come you never received any gifts on Valentine’s Day for 22 long years.
"Dude, I am not discussing gifts here, only roses that too red one I am talking about," I told him.
I remember when I was in VIII standard, one of my close buddies came near my house and blushingly gifted me a packet of Chinese chewing gum that day.
I asked him, “Yaar, what’s the occasion, why this gift?”
Too shy to say anything, he just wished me Happy Valentine’s Day and sped away on his TVS Scooty.
Yes, it was my first Valentine’s Day gift ever but sans that red rose. Many came and went(talking about BFs here), however, I never got a red rose till today.
Perhaps it’s because every V-Day was always an off-season of love for me, either I had just broke up with a guy or had a major fight in and around the day. And I am denied that red rose every single time.
“Oh…poor you,” my colleague solaced me. His solace forced me to think that I am really poor and I couldn’t receive any red rose till now. If I am that unlucky that in this 22 years of my existence I couldn’t deserve a 10-rupee rose, yes the red one. Ammm …he’s right, I am poor then.
By the way, let me admit that the imported chewing gum, yes the Chinese one, gifted by that buddy of mine is the only V-Day gift I received so far; though I have got many gifts on various occasions, getting gifts on a special day like V-Day helps love bloom like anything, I heard someone saying it.
Although I believe that Valentine’s Day is not the only day to express love to one another, yet I feel celebrating love on a designated day adds spice to lovers’ life, one feels very special (yes, I felt excited and special to have got that packet of Chinese gum).
Jinx seems vowed not to end this time too, on this Valentine’s Day I am working in the office with no rose, I mean red rose on my way. It seems I am not waiting for my V-Day rose from a true lover but waiting for *Godot. I wish my Godot soon arrives.
(*Godot is a character in Samuel Beckett’s novel ‘Waiting for Godot’ in which two protagonists wait endlessly in vain for Godot to arrive.)
“So you mean you never had a boyfriend in your life?” asked a colleague of mine. "Oh! you never have got a Valentine’s rose as well," he taunted.
“Of course not”, was my reply.
"Oh lady, don’t make me confused," he said.
"I am not making you confused," I murmured.
“What? What did you say right now?” asked he.
"What do you mean? You never had a boyfriend or never got a rose," he shot.
With a half-hearted smile, I told him that I have no intention to make him confused rather I wanted him to know that I have got end number of bouquets, countless dark chocolates, fancy dresses, golden rings, silver chains, watches, cakes and what not; got all of these either on my birthday or New Year or Eid or Diwali or Holi and so on and so forth but unfortunately not on Valentine’s Day.
“Hmmm…so sad”, he consoled me which sounded more of a taunt to me.
"Listen dude, don’t pity me," I told him.
Not getting a red rose or for that matter any other gifts on Valentine’s Day doesn’t necessarily mean that I have had or have no boyfriend(s). On the contrary, I have had enough of them, I told him with my chin up.
Scratching his head, he asked if you had so many BFs than how come you never received any gifts on Valentine’s Day for 22 long years.
"Dude, I am not discussing gifts here, only roses that too red one I am talking about," I told him.
I remember when I was in VIII standard, one of my close buddies came near my house and blushingly gifted me a packet of Chinese chewing gum that day.
I asked him, “Yaar, what’s the occasion, why this gift?”
Too shy to say anything, he just wished me Happy Valentine’s Day and sped away on his TVS Scooty.
Yes, it was my first Valentine’s Day gift ever but sans that red rose. Many came and went(talking about BFs here), however, I never got a red rose till today.
Perhaps it’s because every V-Day was always an off-season of love for me, either I had just broke up with a guy or had a major fight in and around the day. And I am denied that red rose every single time.
“Oh…poor you,” my colleague solaced me. His solace forced me to think that I am really poor and I couldn’t receive any red rose till now. If I am that unlucky that in this 22 years of my existence I couldn’t deserve a 10-rupee rose, yes the red one. Ammm …he’s right, I am poor then.
By the way, let me admit that the imported chewing gum, yes the Chinese one, gifted by that buddy of mine is the only V-Day gift I received so far; though I have got many gifts on various occasions, getting gifts on a special day like V-Day helps love bloom like anything, I heard someone saying it.
Although I believe that Valentine’s Day is not the only day to express love to one another, yet I feel celebrating love on a designated day adds spice to lovers’ life, one feels very special (yes, I felt excited and special to have got that packet of Chinese gum).
Jinx seems vowed not to end this time too, on this Valentine’s Day I am working in the office with no rose, I mean red rose on my way. It seems I am not waiting for my V-Day rose from a true lover but waiting for *Godot. I wish my Godot soon arrives.
(*Godot is a character in Samuel Beckett’s novel ‘Waiting for Godot’ in which two protagonists wait endlessly in vain for Godot to arrive.)
Sunday, February 6, 2011
I'm a Hindu-Muslim-Punjabi-Manipuri
So you are a Manipuri? Yes, I am. But then, why don't you have 'chinky' eyes? How can you speak Hindi so fluently? These are the common questions which I have been shot at wherever I go. Then the whole process of explaining my identity takes place. It goes like...well, I am a Manipuri, born and brought up in Manipur, but my origin is of Punjab. As soon as they hear this word Punjab, their level of curiosity rises and before I could complete my explanation, they would shoot another one - Punjabi, you?
Yes, I am a Punjabi as well as Manipuri, I would reply every single time. My ancestors came to Manipur eight decades ago from a village called Majitha located in Amritsar, Punjab. Surprised to know my origin, they would react, 'Great! now, we know the secret of your Non-Chinky eyes'.
The curiosity of this inquisitive lot doesn't end here. They would question me more as if they are some CBI agents and I am an accused of some murder case or so! For instance, they would ask, Why your ancestors left Punjab? Why they came to Manipur? If you are a Manipuri then do you eat pork and dog? Well, I failed to understand how they so beautifully connect Manipuri or any other Chinkies with dogs and porks. Perhaps, they might have come across people who enjoy eating those non-vegs or is it that Chinkies do not have any other unique features apart from their chinky eyes and being dog-eater ? I can only wonder. May be, these lot aren't aware of the progress that these chinky eyes people have made. May be, World Boxing Champ Mary Kom, CWG Gold Medalist Suranjoy Singh are just another dog-eaters for them.
While wondering which one to answer first, one would again question me, Have you ever tasted dog meat or pork? Annoyed with their stupid questions, I would reply promptly that I am a Muslim and pork is haraam (forbidden) in Islam. Silence would prevail for some time, and I know what made them speechless. Yes, I being a Muslim is another shocker for them.
Even if they are confused with my identity so far, they would never stop inquiring. Now, their target is to find out what I speak- Urdu is what you speak, right?, they would ask. Big no is always my reply. I know it's a common confusion that Urdu is the language of Muslim. Here, I would like to clarify that Urdu is not every Muslim speaks (though majority knows the language). I speak Manipuri as it's my mother tongue and a Muslim in Kerala would converse in Malayalam, same goes with Kashmiri Muslims, they would obviously talk in Kashmiri not in Urdu.
To satiate their curiosity of my origin, I would start explaining my family tree. Basically, my ancestors were Hindu of high caste from Undivided Punjab. Yes, they were Brahmin and converted to Islam way back in 19th century. During the partition, my great grandfather preferred Manipur to any other place in India or rather Pakistan as Manipur then was a tranquilled land ('was' because the adjective is no more valid with the advent of militancy) and is really close to nature. Shocker again for them, this time it's the Hindu connection that was surprising to them.
Confused with the bombardment of information, they would ask me to stop. And they would conclude by themselves that you are a Punjabi Manipuri Muslim now residing in Delhi. Ammm...No, I said and corrected- I am a Hindu-turned-Muslim-Punjabi-Manipuri now planning to settle in Delhi. And that's my identity or is it an Identity in crisis? I wonder.
Yes, I am a Punjabi as well as Manipuri, I would reply every single time. My ancestors came to Manipur eight decades ago from a village called Majitha located in Amritsar, Punjab. Surprised to know my origin, they would react, 'Great! now, we know the secret of your Non-Chinky eyes'.
The curiosity of this inquisitive lot doesn't end here. They would question me more as if they are some CBI agents and I am an accused of some murder case or so! For instance, they would ask, Why your ancestors left Punjab? Why they came to Manipur? If you are a Manipuri then do you eat pork and dog? Well, I failed to understand how they so beautifully connect Manipuri or any other Chinkies with dogs and porks. Perhaps, they might have come across people who enjoy eating those non-vegs or is it that Chinkies do not have any other unique features apart from their chinky eyes and being dog-eater ? I can only wonder. May be, these lot aren't aware of the progress that these chinky eyes people have made. May be, World Boxing Champ Mary Kom, CWG Gold Medalist Suranjoy Singh are just another dog-eaters for them.
While wondering which one to answer first, one would again question me, Have you ever tasted dog meat or pork? Annoyed with their stupid questions, I would reply promptly that I am a Muslim and pork is haraam (forbidden) in Islam. Silence would prevail for some time, and I know what made them speechless. Yes, I being a Muslim is another shocker for them.
Even if they are confused with my identity so far, they would never stop inquiring. Now, their target is to find out what I speak- Urdu is what you speak, right?, they would ask. Big no is always my reply. I know it's a common confusion that Urdu is the language of Muslim. Here, I would like to clarify that Urdu is not every Muslim speaks (though majority knows the language). I speak Manipuri as it's my mother tongue and a Muslim in Kerala would converse in Malayalam, same goes with Kashmiri Muslims, they would obviously talk in Kashmiri not in Urdu.
To satiate their curiosity of my origin, I would start explaining my family tree. Basically, my ancestors were Hindu of high caste from Undivided Punjab. Yes, they were Brahmin and converted to Islam way back in 19th century. During the partition, my great grandfather preferred Manipur to any other place in India or rather Pakistan as Manipur then was a tranquilled land ('was' because the adjective is no more valid with the advent of militancy) and is really close to nature. Shocker again for them, this time it's the Hindu connection that was surprising to them.
Confused with the bombardment of information, they would ask me to stop. And they would conclude by themselves that you are a Punjabi Manipuri Muslim now residing in Delhi. Ammm...No, I said and corrected- I am a Hindu-turned-Muslim-Punjabi-Manipuri now planning to settle in Delhi. And that's my identity or is it an Identity in crisis? I wonder.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Kashmir: 'Hell' on Earth
27 killed including children in just four days
Bullets, teargas shells, stones, fires, cries, shouts, liveless bodies,blood, blood and more of blood are some of the features that aptly describe once tranquilled valley, Kashmir, the Paradise on Earth. However, with the current crises giving no sign of end, the valley is fastly becoming 'Hell' on Earth.
It is to be noted that the people of Kashmir are on mass protests for more than a month now due to the killings of innocent people by the security forces. The killing of a 17-year-old-boy Tufail Matoo while he was on the way to home from his tuition classes on June 11 triggered the protest.
This time not only the infamous Separatists but also the civilians are on the roads demanding freedom from India and shouting anti-government slogans. It is due to the merciless killings of innocent people by the Armed Forces Special Powers' Act backed cops.To control the crises, the Government brought in 2000 troops in the state. However, in the name of restoring peace, these forces are on a kiling spree that too of innocent people. "In spite of the public stand advising the security forces restraint, people are getting killed," says Shahidul Islam, a moderate separatist. In the battle of bullets versus stones, it is obvious that the stone-armed ones are the vurnerable lot to death. 27 deaths in just four days is what the valley people is getting from the government who rather preferred the para-military forces to their own local cops for handling the crises.
Deployment of these forces should have been the last option to tackle the situation, instead the Government should have reached out to the people for a talk and should have consider their reasonable demands. This act on the part of the ruler has worsened the scenario and people, youth in majority are defying the system and have adopted the words of the Moderate Separatist Leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq who said, "Protests are a fundamental right of the people and cannot be denied to them. He further said that if government uses any force against them, it will be responsible for the consequences. And now the government is facing the 'consequences' with the protest still going on.
People of Kashmir have seized the belief from the new government with a promising leader, Omar Abdullah as their Chief Minister. All their expectations led to heartaches when the CM brought in CRPF to control the angry crowd. This deployment added fuel to the fire; the already tormented people either by the government or the militants felt more tortured. The promises made to bring peace and harmony to the state during the election campaign proved to be just another fake promises by any xyz politicians. Everytime Kashmiris are ditched, that's why they have plunged in to this never-ending protest this time. And the age-old blame-game have started with everyone blaming everyone. " The problem is the gap between promise and performance." Islam says. While J&K Congress President Saifuddin Soz says, " Omar Abdullah cannot be entirely blamed as there are many actors and factors."
In the midst of this blame-game, it is only the people of Kashmir who were, are and still will be suffering. It is a high time that the rulers pull up their socks and come up with a new approach to handle this unfortunate situation before the things go out of the hand and the situation get worsened than ever. Not only these so-called leaders but also the people should get involved in bringing peace and harmony to the valley and make Kashmir once again the undoubtable Paradise on Earth.
Bullets, teargas shells, stones, fires, cries, shouts, liveless bodies,blood, blood and more of blood are some of the features that aptly describe once tranquilled valley, Kashmir, the Paradise on Earth. However, with the current crises giving no sign of end, the valley is fastly becoming 'Hell' on Earth.
It is to be noted that the people of Kashmir are on mass protests for more than a month now due to the killings of innocent people by the security forces. The killing of a 17-year-old-boy Tufail Matoo while he was on the way to home from his tuition classes on June 11 triggered the protest.
This time not only the infamous Separatists but also the civilians are on the roads demanding freedom from India and shouting anti-government slogans. It is due to the merciless killings of innocent people by the Armed Forces Special Powers' Act backed cops.To control the crises, the Government brought in 2000 troops in the state. However, in the name of restoring peace, these forces are on a kiling spree that too of innocent people. "In spite of the public stand advising the security forces restraint, people are getting killed," says Shahidul Islam, a moderate separatist. In the battle of bullets versus stones, it is obvious that the stone-armed ones are the vurnerable lot to death. 27 deaths in just four days is what the valley people is getting from the government who rather preferred the para-military forces to their own local cops for handling the crises.
Deployment of these forces should have been the last option to tackle the situation, instead the Government should have reached out to the people for a talk and should have consider their reasonable demands. This act on the part of the ruler has worsened the scenario and people, youth in majority are defying the system and have adopted the words of the Moderate Separatist Leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq who said, "Protests are a fundamental right of the people and cannot be denied to them. He further said that if government uses any force against them, it will be responsible for the consequences. And now the government is facing the 'consequences' with the protest still going on.
People of Kashmir have seized the belief from the new government with a promising leader, Omar Abdullah as their Chief Minister. All their expectations led to heartaches when the CM brought in CRPF to control the angry crowd. This deployment added fuel to the fire; the already tormented people either by the government or the militants felt more tortured. The promises made to bring peace and harmony to the state during the election campaign proved to be just another fake promises by any xyz politicians. Everytime Kashmiris are ditched, that's why they have plunged in to this never-ending protest this time. And the age-old blame-game have started with everyone blaming everyone. " The problem is the gap between promise and performance." Islam says. While J&K Congress President Saifuddin Soz says, " Omar Abdullah cannot be entirely blamed as there are many actors and factors."
In the midst of this blame-game, it is only the people of Kashmir who were, are and still will be suffering. It is a high time that the rulers pull up their socks and come up with a new approach to handle this unfortunate situation before the things go out of the hand and the situation get worsened than ever. Not only these so-called leaders but also the people should get involved in bringing peace and harmony to the valley and make Kashmir once again the undoubtable Paradise on Earth.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Stop blame-game, let's act !
They say, “A thing of beauty is a joy forever.” However, this may not be the case with the beauty of our Loktak Lake. The future of this God-gifted lake is bleak! The deteriorating scenario of our lifeline is of great concern. Conservation of the lake is the need of hour.
However, the big question mark that pops up in everyone’s mind is how, how can we immediately start conserving this floating lake?
For the last many years, everyone is blaming everyone! For instance, A (government) blames B (public), in retaliation, B blames A then C (media) blames both A and B and the blame game goes on and on. In the midst of this blame-game, we have forgotten that we are losing our grip on this beautiful lake. Instead of blaming one another, we should act right away from sunya (scratch) to save this means of livelihood of thousands of people.
Though there are many reasons for the failure of saving the Loktak, however, in my opinion, the lack of awareness programmes among the people of Manipur is the main reason of its worsening.
People should be well-informed about the pivotal role that the lake plays on their lives. Awareness programmes like organising campaign to save the lake on various levels, involving common men in the talks and discussions relating to the conservation and sustainability of the lake, the concerned authority such as Loktak Development Authority should organise symposia, seminars and other related activities frequently involving not only the intellectuals but also the public, and lectures on the significance of the Loktak Lake should be held in different schools and colleges among others.
Of course, the Government should take up strict measures to stop dumping of wastes, polluting the lake, spreading of toxicants et al on the lake. A mere paper work and forming so-called monitoring committees to conserve the Loktak will do no good for the conservation of this beautiful lake. The verb ‘act’ is what we need towards the saving of the only fresh-water lake in the north-east India.
Besides, time to time media introspection apart from the above will surely help save the lake. No one can stop the conservation of the lifeline of Manipur if the Government, the public, various NGOs and the media among others come together and start working earnestly towards saving the Loktak Lake.
Let’s stop the age-old blame-game and act now to conserve our life, the Loktak Lake.
WELCOME JUDGEMENT
CONVICTED: Five awarded death sentence for honour killing
In a landmark judgement, Karnal sessions court on 30 March convicted five people who were involved in an honour killing in 2007. It took almost three years for the court to take up action against the killers, such step should have been taken much earlier; however, better late than never. This is a historic moment for the people of Haryana particularly those who have been the victims of a heinous crime called Honour Killing.
Honour killing is an atrocious crime where a family or a khap panchayat (caste council) kills individuals who marry in the same gotra (sub-caste).This brutal crime is done to save the honour of a family or a community.
The crime has been in existence for so many years without any interference from the government’s side. And the reason behind this irresponsible act of the government is the fear of losing its votebanks which are mainly contributed by the khap panchayat as it acts as the opinion leader of a village.
For its own benefit, the government tried religiously to avoid the issue for so many years. However, the pressure from various NGOs, civic societies, victims’ families and other pressure groups force the government to take up stringent measures to curb honour killing. That’s the reason behind the conviction of five people who were involved in the brutal murder of Manoj and Babli in 2007 in the name of honour. As their gotra was same, they were declared brother and sister by the monstrous khap panchayat. This council has not only killed the two souls but has also been torturing their respective family members too.
“We have been ostracised by society for more than two years...but the authorities never approached us to listen to our grievances,” Chanderpati, Manoj’s mother.
Even though the justice has been done in Manoj and Babli case but still there are innumerable Manojs and Bablis whose justice have been denied and whose families have been silently suffering from the atrocities of the society for the sake of honour.
We need similar judgements and strict laws from the authorities to help prevent the growing menace of honour killing.
In a landmark judgement, Karnal sessions court on 30 March convicted five people who were involved in an honour killing in 2007. It took almost three years for the court to take up action against the killers, such step should have been taken much earlier; however, better late than never. This is a historic moment for the people of Haryana particularly those who have been the victims of a heinous crime called Honour Killing.
Honour killing is an atrocious crime where a family or a khap panchayat (caste council) kills individuals who marry in the same gotra (sub-caste).This brutal crime is done to save the honour of a family or a community.
The crime has been in existence for so many years without any interference from the government’s side. And the reason behind this irresponsible act of the government is the fear of losing its votebanks which are mainly contributed by the khap panchayat as it acts as the opinion leader of a village.
For its own benefit, the government tried religiously to avoid the issue for so many years. However, the pressure from various NGOs, civic societies, victims’ families and other pressure groups force the government to take up stringent measures to curb honour killing. That’s the reason behind the conviction of five people who were involved in the brutal murder of Manoj and Babli in 2007 in the name of honour. As their gotra was same, they were declared brother and sister by the monstrous khap panchayat. This council has not only killed the two souls but has also been torturing their respective family members too.
“We have been ostracised by society for more than two years...but the authorities never approached us to listen to our grievances,” Chanderpati, Manoj’s mother.
Even though the justice has been done in Manoj and Babli case but still there are innumerable Manojs and Bablis whose justice have been denied and whose families have been silently suffering from the atrocities of the society for the sake of honour.
We need similar judgements and strict laws from the authorities to help prevent the growing menace of honour killing.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
for the sake of 'honour'
Every year 5000 females are killed in so-called ‘honour killing’
Honour killing is one of the many norms of some communities where one has to pay one’s life on violating the rules of the society. In India and some other countries, females in a family are considered the honour of the family. When such women go against the family wishes specially when they marry or eloped with their partners belonging to different caste or community ; the members of the family or the society ’ kill’ them for the sake of defending their honour.
In India alone, hundreds of women if not thousands are killed in the name of honour. 13 females per day are killed for the sake of honour worldwide, according to a UN report. However, the reports of the killings go off the record and the culprits or the perpetrators leave unpunished. Honour killings are not always committed by the kins of a family, the announcement of the brutal punishment is done by a Khap Panchayat (Prominent in western UP and Haryana) or a Caste Panchayat, a court which protects traditional norms of a particular caste in a village. Even if a household agrees to the will of their children, this panchayat does not go with the decision of the family; instead such families are asked to leave the village.
Ravinder Singh Gehlout’s family is the recent target of Khap Panchayat at Dharana village in Haryana’s Jhajjar district in which the family has been asked to leave the village as Ravinder has married a girl called Shilpa who is of his gotra. Same gotra means sibling like relationship so according to the khap, the marriage in the same category is equivalent to incest. This is one such instance in Haryana where family is being asked to vacate their house. However, in some cases like Ved Pal Maul’s case, on July 22, the man has been murdered brutally by the members of the panchayat at Singhwal, in Jind district when he came to take his wife back whom he had married to against the consent of the girl’s parents. Also, there is no trace of the well-being of the girl. In this case, there was no issue of different caste or same gotra, it was just that they opted for ‘love marriage’.
There are innumerable cases like Ved Pal’s or Ravinder Gehlout’s. If, in 2007, the murder of Manoj and Babli shocked the region, in 2004, a pregnant woman, Sonia, and her husband, Rampal, of Asanda village in Jhajjar grab the attention of the masses when they were almost forced to declare each other brother and sister. Last year, in Bhiwani, two girls were burnt alive just because they went to greet some male friends on Diwali.
Despite of knowing the consequence of such acts, there are some girls in Haryana who get married secretly in courts and never confront to their parents as they know they will be killed the very moment they open their mouth. According to a local girl, she secretly got married to her lover of different caste a year back but she is continuing to stay in her paternal house as she knows her confession about her marriage will only lend her into the worst.
These caste panchayats are illegal in nature but still people dwelling in villages continue to obey their rulings. According to P Chidambaram, Union Home Minister, “Caste panchayats are informal bodies and have no legal status as such. Often, villagers give precedence to the judgement of a caste panchayat rather than that delivered by the courts of law.”
Honour killing is not limited to Haryana only, it is prevalent in western UP and Punjab as well. In the name of tradition, the caste panchayats reward murder of a married couple or declare the man and woman as brother and sister or even sit on an indefinite protest to throw out a family from a village. These acts are done in front of everyone’s eye but nobody is taking that needed extra step to stop such a crime.
As honour killings do not come under the National Crime Bureau, there are no enough records on this dreadful act and that is why the culprits are roaming around the town without any hesitance. It is due to the lack of government’s intervention, this heinous crime is increasing day by day. The policy makers in the government knowingly stay away from these issues to satiate their political desires. They know that if they interfere in this matter, they will lose a handsome vote banks from the region. With such malice prevailing in the society, the country can hardly progress and will be unable to compete on international platform.
Honour killing is one of the many norms of some communities where one has to pay one’s life on violating the rules of the society. In India and some other countries, females in a family are considered the honour of the family. When such women go against the family wishes specially when they marry or eloped with their partners belonging to different caste or community ; the members of the family or the society ’ kill’ them for the sake of defending their honour.
In India alone, hundreds of women if not thousands are killed in the name of honour. 13 females per day are killed for the sake of honour worldwide, according to a UN report. However, the reports of the killings go off the record and the culprits or the perpetrators leave unpunished. Honour killings are not always committed by the kins of a family, the announcement of the brutal punishment is done by a Khap Panchayat (Prominent in western UP and Haryana) or a Caste Panchayat, a court which protects traditional norms of a particular caste in a village. Even if a household agrees to the will of their children, this panchayat does not go with the decision of the family; instead such families are asked to leave the village.
Ravinder Singh Gehlout’s family is the recent target of Khap Panchayat at Dharana village in Haryana’s Jhajjar district in which the family has been asked to leave the village as Ravinder has married a girl called Shilpa who is of his gotra. Same gotra means sibling like relationship so according to the khap, the marriage in the same category is equivalent to incest. This is one such instance in Haryana where family is being asked to vacate their house. However, in some cases like Ved Pal Maul’s case, on July 22, the man has been murdered brutally by the members of the panchayat at Singhwal, in Jind district when he came to take his wife back whom he had married to against the consent of the girl’s parents. Also, there is no trace of the well-being of the girl. In this case, there was no issue of different caste or same gotra, it was just that they opted for ‘love marriage’.
There are innumerable cases like Ved Pal’s or Ravinder Gehlout’s. If, in 2007, the murder of Manoj and Babli shocked the region, in 2004, a pregnant woman, Sonia, and her husband, Rampal, of Asanda village in Jhajjar grab the attention of the masses when they were almost forced to declare each other brother and sister. Last year, in Bhiwani, two girls were burnt alive just because they went to greet some male friends on Diwali.
Despite of knowing the consequence of such acts, there are some girls in Haryana who get married secretly in courts and never confront to their parents as they know they will be killed the very moment they open their mouth. According to a local girl, she secretly got married to her lover of different caste a year back but she is continuing to stay in her paternal house as she knows her confession about her marriage will only lend her into the worst.
These caste panchayats are illegal in nature but still people dwelling in villages continue to obey their rulings. According to P Chidambaram, Union Home Minister, “Caste panchayats are informal bodies and have no legal status as such. Often, villagers give precedence to the judgement of a caste panchayat rather than that delivered by the courts of law.”
Honour killing is not limited to Haryana only, it is prevalent in western UP and Punjab as well. In the name of tradition, the caste panchayats reward murder of a married couple or declare the man and woman as brother and sister or even sit on an indefinite protest to throw out a family from a village. These acts are done in front of everyone’s eye but nobody is taking that needed extra step to stop such a crime.
As honour killings do not come under the National Crime Bureau, there are no enough records on this dreadful act and that is why the culprits are roaming around the town without any hesitance. It is due to the lack of government’s intervention, this heinous crime is increasing day by day. The policy makers in the government knowingly stay away from these issues to satiate their political desires. They know that if they interfere in this matter, they will lose a handsome vote banks from the region. With such malice prevailing in the society, the country can hardly progress and will be unable to compete on international platform.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
‘Encountered’ Manipur
Would a judicial probe suffice Manipur’s angst?
Finally, the state government of Manipur ordered a judicial inquiry into the fake encounter of Mr. Chungkham Sanjit on August 27. The decision came after a month of turmoil with bandhs, protests and curfews in the state due to the alleged fake encounter. The judicial inquiry commission will be headed by Retired Justice, PG Aggarwal of the Gauhati High Court.
However, the Joint Action Committee or Apunba Lup, formed in connection with the killing of the youth, is of the notion that there is no need to form a commission when it is quite evident from the photographs taken by the Tehelka magazine that who all were involved in the fake encounter. The Lup is asking the government to take immediate steps without going into judicial probe by punishing all those involved in the encounter.
It is to be noted that on July 23, Ch Sanjit ,a former militant and Th Rabina, a pregnant woman were killed and five others were injured during an encounter at the busy Imphal market. Tehelka, a national news magazine exposed the fake encounter in front of the nation. Due to the Tehelka’s exposure, the truth came in front of the public and for a month now, the people of Manipur have started strong agitation by staging protests, bandhs, strikes and the like. People are protesting against the insensitive attitude of the system, they are raising slogans like ‘Stop killing innocents’, ‘ Stop fake encounters’, ‘CM should resign’, ‘Suspend the commandos’, the famous old slogan – ‘Repeal AFSPA’ and the like.
To combat the agitation, the state government imposed indefinite curfew all over the state which is still going on. Besides, security has been alerted in and around Imphal town by deploying armed forces at strategic locations. Also, during the relaxation hour of curfew, gathering of four-five people is prohibited.
In all these developments, it is the civilians of the state who are suffering and are stuck in this vicious circle of regular killings of innocent people, bombings, fight between the system and the so-called freedom fighters (insurgents) of Manipur. According to National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Manipur reported the second highest number of fake encounters after Uttar Pradesh during 2008-09. A senior home ministry official said, "The rising figures could well explain the current public unrest in Manipur where people have been on the street against trigger-happy cops ever since the state witnessed the killing of two persons in an encounter on July 23.”
It is so unfortunate that today’s mainstream media do not have enough space to cover these grievous situations where 2-3 persons, mostly civilians, are killed on a daily basis in this part of the country. Instead they give importance to some potholes developed on a city road, the minor mishaps happening in a metro city, celebs’ quarrel and many such trivial issues.
It is to be observed how effective the said commission would be in probing the fake encounter; specially, when the people of Manipur have stopped believing in such commissions and the system itself. They want quick result and quick justice from a responsible government. “We demand punishment of accused police commandos”, Phulindro Konsam, Spokesman of Apunba Lup said, “otherwise we’ll launch various forms of agitations.”
Finally, the state government of Manipur ordered a judicial inquiry into the fake encounter of Mr. Chungkham Sanjit on August 27. The decision came after a month of turmoil with bandhs, protests and curfews in the state due to the alleged fake encounter. The judicial inquiry commission will be headed by Retired Justice, PG Aggarwal of the Gauhati High Court.
However, the Joint Action Committee or Apunba Lup, formed in connection with the killing of the youth, is of the notion that there is no need to form a commission when it is quite evident from the photographs taken by the Tehelka magazine that who all were involved in the fake encounter. The Lup is asking the government to take immediate steps without going into judicial probe by punishing all those involved in the encounter.
It is to be noted that on July 23, Ch Sanjit ,a former militant and Th Rabina, a pregnant woman were killed and five others were injured during an encounter at the busy Imphal market. Tehelka, a national news magazine exposed the fake encounter in front of the nation. Due to the Tehelka’s exposure, the truth came in front of the public and for a month now, the people of Manipur have started strong agitation by staging protests, bandhs, strikes and the like. People are protesting against the insensitive attitude of the system, they are raising slogans like ‘Stop killing innocents’, ‘ Stop fake encounters’, ‘CM should resign’, ‘Suspend the commandos’, the famous old slogan – ‘Repeal AFSPA’ and the like.
To combat the agitation, the state government imposed indefinite curfew all over the state which is still going on. Besides, security has been alerted in and around Imphal town by deploying armed forces at strategic locations. Also, during the relaxation hour of curfew, gathering of four-five people is prohibited.
In all these developments, it is the civilians of the state who are suffering and are stuck in this vicious circle of regular killings of innocent people, bombings, fight between the system and the so-called freedom fighters (insurgents) of Manipur. According to National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Manipur reported the second highest number of fake encounters after Uttar Pradesh during 2008-09. A senior home ministry official said, "The rising figures could well explain the current public unrest in Manipur where people have been on the street against trigger-happy cops ever since the state witnessed the killing of two persons in an encounter on July 23.”
It is so unfortunate that today’s mainstream media do not have enough space to cover these grievous situations where 2-3 persons, mostly civilians, are killed on a daily basis in this part of the country. Instead they give importance to some potholes developed on a city road, the minor mishaps happening in a metro city, celebs’ quarrel and many such trivial issues.
It is to be observed how effective the said commission would be in probing the fake encounter; specially, when the people of Manipur have stopped believing in such commissions and the system itself. They want quick result and quick justice from a responsible government. “We demand punishment of accused police commandos”, Phulindro Konsam, Spokesman of Apunba Lup said, “otherwise we’ll launch various forms of agitations.”
Monday, July 6, 2009
Kashmere Gate
“What’s there in a name”, they say. Nevertheless, it has something to do when it comes to Kashmere Gate as it has a deep meaning in itself. Yes, Kashmere Gate, the Mughal Architecture; got its name as the royal processions used to pass through it on their trips to Kashmir during summer. Also, it is said that it has been christened like that as it faces towards Kashmir, the Heaven on Earth. And it has a great historical importance as well.
Nowadays, Kashmere Gate is not just a historical monument but a locality too. It is a well-known place in North Delhi. In its ambit, there are places like the famous St. James Church, the oldest Inter -state bus terminal (ISBT), the recent metro station, General Post Office (GPO),Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, the Chief Electoral Office, the Chief Administrative Office of Northern Railways and so on and so forth.
Talking about the Kashmere Gate , the monument; it is said that it was constructed by Shah Jahan and it forms one of the four existing gates of his empire, the other three being Ajmere Gate, Delhi Gate and Turkman Gate. All of these gateways are in fragile condition. They need an immediate attention from the concerned authorities. The structure has been greatly damaged during 1857 Uprising, the British force stormed in Delhi through this gate and the cannon holes are still visible in the structure. It serves a major historical importance as it is the symbol of the Great Mughal Empire. And it is through this gate that the Mughals used to pass by and later on by the British too for their any trips.
However, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is looking into this site for conservation purpose. According to Mr. K K Mohammed, Superintendent Archaeologist ASI, Delhi; “Conservation and preservation work is in progress in Kashmere Gate. It has to be conserved and beautified so that tourist can relish the historical significance of this site. For this purpose, we are also developing a garden as a resting place in this hustle bustle locality. We have set up railings too all around the monument to protect it. Further, we are planning to develop antique and handicraft shops as well.”
As this locality is situated near Old Delhi, one can always enjoy the rich heritage of Delhi such as the Red Fort, Jama Masjid, Sunheri Masjid, Hanuman Mandir and the like.
St. James Church or Skinner’s Church is one such site worth visiting which is located in the middle of Kashmere Gate. The religious structure was built in 1836 by Colonel James Skinner. When he was lying on a battlefield, he made a promise that he would build a church if he survived. On the north is the Skinner family's burial ground. At the rear, the Tomb of Thomas Metcalfe can be seen; Metcalfe was an Agent and Commissioner during the British rule. “This church is one of the fourteen important heritages of India. And keeping Commonwealth Games 2010 in mind, renovation work will be carried out as many Britishers will be heading towards it to offer prayers”, an official of the Church mentioned.
The oldest and one of the biggest inter-bus terminals of India lies in Kashmere Gate, it is called Maharana Pratap Inter-State Bus Terminus (ISBT). The bus service from here operates between Delhi and other nearby states like Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and the like.
The place has also the privilege of not just having a metro station but a junction which serves the Red and Yellow lines. The Kashmere Gate metro station also serves as the Headquarter of Delhi Metro. With the advent of such a technologically advanced transport system, the commuters are heaving a sigh of relief for they are free from traffic jams and pollution.
General Post Office (GPO), the Chief Electoral Office and the Northern Railways Chief Administrative Office are the significant government offices that are located in this part of North Delhi. Also, Old Delhi Railway Station, the oldest railway station in Delhi city, is few metres away from this place.
Coming to the educational set-ups in this area, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU) is worth mentioning. Earlier known as Indraprastha University, it was set up in 1998 by Government of NCT, Delhi. It is standing tall in the building where once Delhi Engineering College used to house. Within a span of ten years, the University has been able to well-established itself as a productive State University. It is a professional University with more than 70 professional courses being imparted in various affiliated institutes and on the university campus as well. However, there is a talk doing the rounds on shifting of this campus to Dwarka as the current campus is a temporary one. And in its place, Ambedkar University is shifting in.
Besides, there is Indraprastha College of Delhi University, which is located just 2 km away from ISBT.
With a small market called Bada Bazaar just opposite to St. James Church, people residing in and near Kashmere Gate can get anything of their choice. For the hostellers of GGSIPU, it proves worthy for their immediate need. One can avail juice, fruits and vegetables, fast food, cosmetics, electronics, clothes and many more from this market. However, if one wants to indulge in western food; this place has the solution to it as well, for Parsvnath Mall in the metro station catering to such cuisines in their outlet of Nirula’s and Mc Donald.
Besides this, Ritz Cinema fulfils the need for entertainment to the workers and labourers residing in this locality.
Keeping in mind the security of women, the Delhi Police has set up its women’s wing, Kashmere Gate for providing safety to the female residents and hostellers putting up in this area.
Accommodation for the tourists is not at all a big issue as there are lots of cheap hotel and motel available around the place. And also, Municipal Corporation of Delhi is planning to build good budget hotels for catering to the people coming to the terminus.
Despite of all the aforesaid features, Kashmere Gate area has become susceptible to deterioration with encroachment, slums, pollution, traffic jam and the likes of problem. The monument itself has been under the vigil eye of Archaeological Survey of India for some years now. ASI is planning to bring greenery around the gate on the same lines as that of India Gate. With the development doing the round in all over Delhi, the concerned authorities should take up some measures to enhance this historically significant place without damaging the old structures.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Is it all about loving your parents?...
Love is the ultimate thing which binds this world into a single thread. And to be in love with the closed ones of one’s life is the best thing to happen in his or her life. Parents are one such love of one’s life that brings up and foster their children in a best possible way. The bond between a parent and his/her children is the strongest one ever existed in this mighty world. However, this inseparable tie is ought to break some or the other day due to some unavoidable reasons. One of the many reasons is the expiry of a parent or a child, another being the hassle between them and the like. Further there are several causes which turn this pious relationship into a polluted one.
A parent, particularly the father, is a person who brings his children up in the society and he is the one who looks after their well being. In present times, every progeny of him is given a quality education and all other basic necessities irrespective of the gender. We are living in the twenty first century where boys and girls are treated equally with no prejudice. But there are some exceptions where we see some kind of bias prevailing in a society. Female children‘s freedom to express themselves are curbed by their family members in some society. Even though we claim about the civilization and development our nation have attained still there are many loopholes which hinder our nation’s growth. One of the main reasons of this hindrance is the torture, be it mental or physical, done to a girl child by her own family members specially her father.
Recently, father raping his own daughter has been doing the rounds in almost all the headlines of the media. The exposure of many such tainted fathers is the order of the day. Father being a rapist of his own blood is a height ! To satiate his insatiable desires, these male parents have broken all the ethos and customs of the society and landed themselves into such a shameful act. Some people term it as incest, but it should be remembered that incest is a sexual encounter between close relatives with each other consent. So, in this case, it cannot be called as incest but a rape. Mental trauma would be the exact term which can be used for the state of mind; the victim must be going through. One can at least bear the physical torture but the mental one is intolerable !
Exploiting one’s own children is an acme. And the people indulging in this crime should be awarded crucifixion so that they can realise what sin they have committed and it’s not repeated in his lifetime. Also, the victim of such rape cases should not be hesitant and should try to come out from this vicious cycle like what has been done by the other victims from Maharashtra, Amritsar and the like. One is not destined to suffer all his/her lifetime, happy days await for everyone after every sad day. Well, it is of a great happiness that these brave victims are able to come out from this life terminating cycle but there are many more daughters who are suffering this violence silently and surrendering their lives in the hands of some parasites, their so-called fathers. They should pile up their guts and be able to break this barrier and lead a bright future ahead. The concern authorities should try and help in overcoming and uprooting this menace as soon as possible.
It is due to all these happenings that we are bound to give a second thought about the love one should have towards his/her family. Although it is impossible to think of loving a parent in the aforesaid situation, yet one is hesitant to even think of breaking the linkage with their parents. But of course, a victim of the above mentioned case would not be able to recreate that unbreakable bond that is why one of the victims of such a rape case has urged that she wants to kill his father! In spite of all this crime, one cannot stop loving one’s parents and one gets same love or more from them but it is unfortunate that some of us do not acquire the love one craves for !
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
swearing by democracy...
It is an utmost truth that democracy is of the people, for the people and by the people. But in the name of democracy, the so called representatives of people of our nation are leaving no stone unturned to fetch their vote banks in the upcoming election. All the politicos and their parties are going gaga over their plans and intentions. They are indulging in big promises, swears, proclamations and what not regarding the development of the nation. These politicians swear by their manifestoes wherein they have put down their plans, intentions, policies and many more for the betterment of the nation. However, when the time comes for the implementation of their manifestoes, they just discard them and start doing their own things of profit-making. This is an unfortunate scenario, a status quo, of our nation which lies in the hands of some parasites.
During election days, the leaders and scions of different political parties try to outwit one another to grasp the attention of the public. This is the peak season of showering lies to the public in which they are adept at. One party proclaims to be secular, another assures to uplift their community and other promises to fight for the plight of the marginalised section of the country. The formation of alliances and the breakup of the same are the common scenario during election days. Giving ‘gaalis’(rebukes) to one another before the poll and clasping the same people during post poll are the common features in this nation. There exist many more similar features like the above mentioned. The dirty games of this sect of people to gain the control of the nation are still on the run.
Even if we, the people, know the politics designed and played by these politicos still we are not in a position to confront them. The basic cause of this is that we are left with limited options to choose from when balloting. One sees the same set of candidates contesting the election again and again, moreover, who have broken our trust for end number of times. There are restricted numbers of newcomers in this field. Although our land needs some budding and zealous leaders yet the older ones are restricting the growth of these buds. However, we cannot deny the fact that there are some quarters of youngsters and dedicated leaders in our political system that can bring about a change in a positive way. Even though the quarters are in a lesser quantity, still our citizen should try to encourage young leaders who can lead India in a far better way.
Let us keep our fingers crossed for this upcoming Lok Sabha election and hope that this time; some apt leaders come for our rescue from the clutches of the existing parasites (withal, it is a hypothetical statement). But to hope for the best, we have to be participatory enough and this means that come what may, we should not waste our adult franchise. At least, one has the option to choose the best among the worst ! Thus, we should try to clinch back our right to breathe freely in an open air; we must strive for the best and help one another to climb the ladder of development sooner. And last but not the least; we should try to create a system where the genuine meaning of democracy is given deference.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
conflicting feelings...
Can human exist sans feelings? Fortunately or unfortunately, man is destined to live with the feelings of various natures. These feelings are commonly known to us as emotions. And emotions can hardly be controlled .It is this trait of human which distinguishes us from any other animal. We, human beings, often tend to flow with these intense feelings. When one overflows with the emotions, one forgets one’s existence in this mighty world and starts living in one’s created world. This is where most of the people make their lives miserable.
Controlling one’s feelings towards anything or anyone is one such technique to smoothly run one’s life. Even if one knows this fact one is tempted to flow with them. Although our thinking faculty reminds us continuously about the consequences we might face yet we go with the desires created by these feelings. And there comes the conflict between one’s mind and heart. It is obvious that the brain wants to curb the emotions but the heart says the opposite. This conflict between them leaves a man in a confused state and makes him remember the phrase ‘reality bites’. As our thinking lobe always reminds us the reality and keeps conferring us to leave the platonic world but who will tell to this lonely heart?! It’s really hard for it to digest the reality. Thus, the conflict goes on and on....
By the way, what if one exist sans emotions? Well, if this was the condition, then there would be no more conflict feelings and every single being would be leading a life with no ups and downs in it. One would be governed by only logical thoughts without emotions that come out straight from one’s mind. Practically, it means telling one’s heart to indulge in an abortion of all the emotions that it might give birth to. Ultimately, becoming a callous person with no feelings of any single being existing in this planet. However sans these intense feelings, there will be no twists and turns in one’s life which indeed is the real taste of life. Even if one abominates the conflict between the two, one has to learn to live with it and has to make a choice among those conflicting feelings. And there is always a choice in life though it might hit one really hard to accept it.
Controlling one’s feelings towards anything or anyone is one such technique to smoothly run one’s life. Even if one knows this fact one is tempted to flow with them. Although our thinking faculty reminds us continuously about the consequences we might face yet we go with the desires created by these feelings. And there comes the conflict between one’s mind and heart. It is obvious that the brain wants to curb the emotions but the heart says the opposite. This conflict between them leaves a man in a confused state and makes him remember the phrase ‘reality bites’. As our thinking lobe always reminds us the reality and keeps conferring us to leave the platonic world but who will tell to this lonely heart?! It’s really hard for it to digest the reality. Thus, the conflict goes on and on....
By the way, what if one exist sans emotions? Well, if this was the condition, then there would be no more conflict feelings and every single being would be leading a life with no ups and downs in it. One would be governed by only logical thoughts without emotions that come out straight from one’s mind. Practically, it means telling one’s heart to indulge in an abortion of all the emotions that it might give birth to. Ultimately, becoming a callous person with no feelings of any single being existing in this planet. However sans these intense feelings, there will be no twists and turns in one’s life which indeed is the real taste of life. Even if one abominates the conflict between the two, one has to learn to live with it and has to make a choice among those conflicting feelings. And there is always a choice in life though it might hit one really hard to accept it.
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