Been “Missing” from the BlogWorld a long time. A memory. A prediction: I would stop blogging after my GMAT was done. Well, I stopped much before that! And this is NOT to prove that wrong. It’s a funny thing, joblessness; it makes you do a lot of things.
I recently read “The Kite Runner.” It’s an interesting read; it makes you think. At least it made me think, made me retrospect. One can relate to it in so many different ways - a character, a relationship - the strained father-son relationship, the smitten-by-her-beauty love, or the life-with-a-guilt. The best part about the novel is that the characters are etched nicely and they do not change. The Coward doesn’t become a Knight overnight. The loyal, the submissive, remains so till the end.
Some of the quotes in the book are really good -
“For you, a thousand times over.”
“There is a way to be good again.”
Even though there has been so much talk about Afghanistan in the past few years, it wasn’t until I read this book did I come to know of the history of that country. The cruelty of the Taliban was still better known, lesser known, or rather unknown was the invasion of Russians and unrest for the decade preceding the Talibs. Not that the book broods over it, it presents, in snippets, the life and times of an Afghan, the hardships, the tortures he/she faced. But then one is tempted to think: It is “fiction” after all; as the saying goes, Ignorance is Bliss…
Tuesday 4 December, 2007
Monday 25 June, 2007
Flying High
Recently – most of my blogs start that way, I know, but its usually the recent happenings that make me write – I was in a flight and thanks to the low air fares, everyone can simply fly and it seems everyone was simply flying. As luck would have it, I was surrounded by a large family, with people in the age group 2 to 70, presumably going on a summer vacation. Though it is rather doubtful, but The Family must have checked in after me, else why would their seats be so far apart? After a good 15 mins of convincing and swapping, The Family did manage to get some seats together, but just when they were beginning to settle down they realized that they didn’t have window seats for all. (I wonder why they didn't charter a plane!) Thus began the fights, not only among the children but also among the elders and the kids.
I hadn’t seen a family more unruly; such that the airhostess had to shout at one of the “bhabhis” (I'm assuming) of The Family, saying “please take care of your child, if he falls down, who will be responsible”. This because the child was jumping up and down the aisle when the plane had begun its descent. The crazy doings of The Family, with such primitive, crude conduct would not end. It made me think, that a till a few years ago, flying was only for a selected few, a privilige. But now, Indians have money. And this is the Indian with the money! Finally India seems to have arrived; I do hope the manners will be on the next flight!
I hadn’t seen a family more unruly; such that the airhostess had to shout at one of the “bhabhis” (I'm assuming) of The Family, saying “please take care of your child, if he falls down, who will be responsible”. This because the child was jumping up and down the aisle when the plane had begun its descent. The crazy doings of The Family, with such primitive, crude conduct would not end. It made me think, that a till a few years ago, flying was only for a selected few, a privilige. But now, Indians have money. And this is the Indian with the money! Finally India seems to have arrived; I do hope the manners will be on the next flight!
Thursday 31 May, 2007
Street kids!
On my way to the gym (before you say it, YES I have been going regularly, what my weight is now and what it was when I joined is beyond the point!! :-) ) I stop at this one traffic signal. And like most traffic signals, I usually find it RED. Now this one day, a kid was selling pens there. A Fancy CHINESE Pen with a torch on top. I thought that the kid could use the money, so bought one. Now the very next day, the same RED traffic signal and the same kid : “Bhaiya, pen le lo, bhaiya.” I informed him of my purchase the previous day and told him that I wouldn’t buy one everyday. Once again the very next day, the same RED traffic signal and the same kid: “Bhaiya aapne bola tha roz nahin loge, kal nahn liya, to aaj le lo.” Grinning ear-to-ear, I kept thinking of a smart reply, but eventually gave up, shelled out another 10 bucks and left with another fancy orange-coloured Chinese-made pen. The pens do work, but I am still amazed by the street-smart kid!
If ever I see a kid on the street begging for money, I preferably make him do some work: “Clean my car and you earn yourself 5 bucks.” Even if he makes it dirtier than before, it doesn’t matter. The point is that the kid learnt that money does not come for free; he needs to work for it. The law of OUR country does not permit kids under 18 to work; it’s a crime. I beg to differ! If these kids, most of whom are homeless and don’t have the money to buy, let alone education, even food or clothes, are to be on their own without the basic necessities of life, I would not be surprised to find them in jails, sooner than later. And even if we don’t employ them, who will pay for their food, clothes and of course, their education? The government surely cannot afford it. Is it not better for them to work and earn their own living, rather than turning into criminals or beggars? Is it not better than they learn the value of money the harder way rather than being pampered by somebody who’s basically and actually a nobody?
If ever I see a kid on the street begging for money, I preferably make him do some work: “Clean my car and you earn yourself 5 bucks.” Even if he makes it dirtier than before, it doesn’t matter. The point is that the kid learnt that money does not come for free; he needs to work for it. The law of OUR country does not permit kids under 18 to work; it’s a crime. I beg to differ! If these kids, most of whom are homeless and don’t have the money to buy, let alone education, even food or clothes, are to be on their own without the basic necessities of life, I would not be surprised to find them in jails, sooner than later. And even if we don’t employ them, who will pay for their food, clothes and of course, their education? The government surely cannot afford it. Is it not better for them to work and earn their own living, rather than turning into criminals or beggars? Is it not better than they learn the value of money the harder way rather than being pampered by somebody who’s basically and actually a nobody?
Wednesday 23 May, 2007
Water? Water, everywhere?
The Chronicles of SardarMan -
In the peak of the summer season, it is not uncommon for any part of the country to experience water shortage. Now just the other day, my mom was in the loo, when water got over. Thanks to the miracle-invention of the century, mobile phone, she could get in touch with the watchman to get the motor on. What should have taken less than 10 mins ended up in a full fledged water fight (read war) lasting days!!
Enter Sardarman. A menace. Lives in the building, on the ground floor, has a hobby of watering barren land, any piece of barren land that he can lay his eyes and water hose on. In the parking lot, he has made his office, and in half of the building complex he has made courtyards; courtyards, which can only be called encroachments. So anyway, that fateful day the Sardarman, with the Sardarwoman as his accomplice, washed every part of the courtyard and watered all accessible barren lands. What’s worse, they had blocked the water connection for the rest of the building. And when the watchman requested them to defer their washing plans for an hour, he was greeted with nasty abuses. The menacing duo then, in retaliation, turned all the taps on and left the building. Just to prove their point, whatever that was.
War had thus been declared. The guns and tanks, loaded with all sorts of household crap, were fired. As the policeman much later pointed out to the duo, its nature’s law (also called gravity in scientific jargon) that anything and everything will fall down. The much adorned, endlessly beautified courtyard would need another round of washing. The advent of the policeman did nothing but appease the duo.
Now the climax! A few days later, we were just leaving for the airport, to drop off my sister. And we see HIM, running frantically towards us, hands drawn out in front of him, motioning for us to stop. We glanced at the watch: 4.30 AM. In the middle of the night, he wanted to fight about what had happened the other day. Would not listen to anything we have to say, even the probability of missing the flight didn’t convince him. Only when another call was made to the helping-helpline 100, did he back-off and let us leave. But we couldn’t even relish the cake. No prizes for guessing who we ran into at the gate, awaiting our return!
In the peak of the summer season, it is not uncommon for any part of the country to experience water shortage. Now just the other day, my mom was in the loo, when water got over. Thanks to the miracle-invention of the century, mobile phone, she could get in touch with the watchman to get the motor on. What should have taken less than 10 mins ended up in a full fledged water fight (read war) lasting days!!
Enter Sardarman. A menace. Lives in the building, on the ground floor, has a hobby of watering barren land, any piece of barren land that he can lay his eyes and water hose on. In the parking lot, he has made his office, and in half of the building complex he has made courtyards; courtyards, which can only be called encroachments. So anyway, that fateful day the Sardarman, with the Sardarwoman as his accomplice, washed every part of the courtyard and watered all accessible barren lands. What’s worse, they had blocked the water connection for the rest of the building. And when the watchman requested them to defer their washing plans for an hour, he was greeted with nasty abuses. The menacing duo then, in retaliation, turned all the taps on and left the building. Just to prove their point, whatever that was.
War had thus been declared. The guns and tanks, loaded with all sorts of household crap, were fired. As the policeman much later pointed out to the duo, its nature’s law (also called gravity in scientific jargon) that anything and everything will fall down. The much adorned, endlessly beautified courtyard would need another round of washing. The advent of the policeman did nothing but appease the duo.
Now the climax! A few days later, we were just leaving for the airport, to drop off my sister. And we see HIM, running frantically towards us, hands drawn out in front of him, motioning for us to stop. We glanced at the watch: 4.30 AM. In the middle of the night, he wanted to fight about what had happened the other day. Would not listen to anything we have to say, even the probability of missing the flight didn’t convince him. Only when another call was made to the helping-helpline 100, did he back-off and let us leave. But we couldn’t even relish the cake. No prizes for guessing who we ran into at the gate, awaiting our return!
Friday 11 May, 2007
Tanha...
Unlike my other posts, this one has the lyrics of a song. I don’t think or expect many people to have heard it. It used to come on TV LOONG back, and I somehow, just remembered the song today. Its a beautiful song, slightly dense though. Read on…
dekhiye to lagta hai,
zindagi ki raahon mein,
ek bheed chalti hai.
sochiye to lagta hai,
bheed mein hain sab tanha.
jitne bhi yeh rishte hain,
kaanch ke khilone hain,
pal mein toot sakte hain.
ek pal mein ho jaaye,
koi jaane kab tanha.
dekhiye to lagta hai,
jaise yeh jo duniya hai,
kitni rangeen mehfil hai,
sochiye to lagta hai,
kitna gam hai duniya mein,
kitna zakhmi har dil hai.
woh jo muskuraate the,
jo kisi ko khwaabon mein,
apne pass paate the,
unki neend tooti hai,
aur hain woh ab tanha.
dekhiye toh lagta hai,
zindagi ki raahon mein,
ek bheed chalti hai.
sochiye toh lagta hai,
bheed mein hain sab tanha.
dekhiye to lagta hai,
zindagi ki raahon mein,
ek bheed chalti hai.
sochiye to lagta hai,
bheed mein hain sab tanha.
jitne bhi yeh rishte hain,
kaanch ke khilone hain,
pal mein toot sakte hain.
ek pal mein ho jaaye,
koi jaane kab tanha.
dekhiye to lagta hai,
jaise yeh jo duniya hai,
kitni rangeen mehfil hai,
sochiye to lagta hai,
kitna gam hai duniya mein,
kitna zakhmi har dil hai.
woh jo muskuraate the,
jo kisi ko khwaabon mein,
apne pass paate the,
unki neend tooti hai,
aur hain woh ab tanha.
dekhiye toh lagta hai,
zindagi ki raahon mein,
ek bheed chalti hai.
sochiye toh lagta hai,
bheed mein hain sab tanha.
Monday 30 April, 2007
The Inscrutable Indian
Every Indian likes, I am sure, the "Angry young man" but over the past I have a feeling, that most of them are becoming into one themselves and burning effigies is their forte. Be it of Richard Gere and Shilpa Shetty over an "entertaining" kiss or the noodle-strapped Mandira Bedi over a designer sari.
In today’s age where the world is going forward, the people of India seem to have another direction in their mind. While accepting, rather gladly, appalling kissing scenes in "murder" movies, they react with such vigor to simple pecks. And what is worse that they have the support of the "learned" judiciary. With multiple warrants issued, it is absurdity personified. A sari worn in the spirit of the world cup is interpreted as a defaming act of the tiranga leading to riotous protests and rallies and of course, the burning of effigies. There is so much fervor in the people, but all only for futile causes.
Now I am not asking people to take a back seat, after all it is the generation of "Rang De Basanti" but at least be rational about their acts. Where has the spirit of the Jessica Lal murder case gone?
In today’s age where the world is going forward, the people of India seem to have another direction in their mind. While accepting, rather gladly, appalling kissing scenes in "murder" movies, they react with such vigor to simple pecks. And what is worse that they have the support of the "learned" judiciary. With multiple warrants issued, it is absurdity personified. A sari worn in the spirit of the world cup is interpreted as a defaming act of the tiranga leading to riotous protests and rallies and of course, the burning of effigies. There is so much fervor in the people, but all only for futile causes.
Now I am not asking people to take a back seat, after all it is the generation of "Rang De Basanti" but at least be rational about their acts. Where has the spirit of the Jessica Lal murder case gone?
Tuesday 24 April, 2007
Almost Famous
The media has gone crazy over what they call "The wedding of the century" - the Abhiash wedding. Now I am confused if they called the Liz-Nayar wedding also the same, or was it "The most opulent wedding?"
Anyway, in the wedding of the century it took ten seconds to fame for Ms Jhanvi, apparently a model. All she had to do was go to the media-clumped Prateeksha, make some bullshit claims and slash some veins. And BANG, she’s on national news almost instantly and on the cover page the next day. Now the question really is whether this effort will pay off; whether her time on the hospital bed and in the jail cell will last her a lifetime?
I always thought that fame was not easy to get. But now, it seems, the news-hungry media is standing by the door, just waiting for any Tom, Dick and Harry to ring the bell...
Anyway, in the wedding of the century it took ten seconds to fame for Ms Jhanvi, apparently a model. All she had to do was go to the media-clumped Prateeksha, make some bullshit claims and slash some veins. And BANG, she’s on national news almost instantly and on the cover page the next day. Now the question really is whether this effort will pay off; whether her time on the hospital bed and in the jail cell will last her a lifetime?
I always thought that fame was not easy to get. But now, it seems, the news-hungry media is standing by the door, just waiting for any Tom, Dick and Harry to ring the bell...
Sunday 15 April, 2007
The cutting scissors!
The interference of the government in censorship of television and radio shows in some countries is high while in some others is negligible. The role of government, I believe, is as necessary in censorship as it is in making laws.
The social implications of any television or radio show can be disastrous if improper content is telecast. It is commonplace to see people repeat what is being shown on tv, whether in advertisements or on shows. People emulate their heroes. While statutory warnings written on cigarette packs do not drive the smokers away, it would be foolish to think that the people who see/hear the telecast show would not smoke when the actors they are in awe of, do so. The interference in school books and curriculum is admissible, rather desirable, because what the little children read is what they learn and what they aspire to do. In a very similar manner, the shows with their increasing viewerships also need the state's approval.
The supporters of democracy might argue that censorship in any form is the violation of the right to free speech. However, one must understand that it is not advisable to let lions roam our roads when the same are frequented by the children and adults alike and all would be vulnerable.
It is the government’s responsibility to maintain the culture and integrity of a country. Some shows can very easily, hurt the sentiments of some groups. In the Uganda riots of the recent past, the country seemed to be against a particular sect of people. Not because they had done something bad, but because the shows had, in a rather harsh connotation, alleged. In another incident, racial discrimination on a very popular tv show in UK got not only the attention and wrath of the political world, but also, a sudden fall of the ratings and viewerships of that show. It eventually ended in apologies from the crew members. But had it been censored in the first place, it might not have created the rift and the unhealthy feelings in the hearts and minds of people.
Therefore, censorship in its entirety is desirable, as far as done within limits, so as to maintain a healthy culture among the various disparate communities and to avoid adverse affects on the minds of the youth and the children.
Though that was where my essay ends, I would have loved to mention about the bans the Indian tv ministry is putting on tv channels. Be it AXN in the beginning of the year or FTV recently. Though I barely watch these channels, but I strongly feel that such interference is also not desirable. There has to be a balance; the exercise of such power should not be irrational. The stay on the release of the movie “Black Friday” was also too harsh, but it was still justifiable because of the influence it might have had on the then-running court case. I did not mention any of these in the essays because they are very India specific. Don’t forget to leave your comments…
The social implications of any television or radio show can be disastrous if improper content is telecast. It is commonplace to see people repeat what is being shown on tv, whether in advertisements or on shows. People emulate their heroes. While statutory warnings written on cigarette packs do not drive the smokers away, it would be foolish to think that the people who see/hear the telecast show would not smoke when the actors they are in awe of, do so. The interference in school books and curriculum is admissible, rather desirable, because what the little children read is what they learn and what they aspire to do. In a very similar manner, the shows with their increasing viewerships also need the state's approval.
The supporters of democracy might argue that censorship in any form is the violation of the right to free speech. However, one must understand that it is not advisable to let lions roam our roads when the same are frequented by the children and adults alike and all would be vulnerable.
It is the government’s responsibility to maintain the culture and integrity of a country. Some shows can very easily, hurt the sentiments of some groups. In the Uganda riots of the recent past, the country seemed to be against a particular sect of people. Not because they had done something bad, but because the shows had, in a rather harsh connotation, alleged. In another incident, racial discrimination on a very popular tv show in UK got not only the attention and wrath of the political world, but also, a sudden fall of the ratings and viewerships of that show. It eventually ended in apologies from the crew members. But had it been censored in the first place, it might not have created the rift and the unhealthy feelings in the hearts and minds of people.
Therefore, censorship in its entirety is desirable, as far as done within limits, so as to maintain a healthy culture among the various disparate communities and to avoid adverse affects on the minds of the youth and the children.
Though that was where my essay ends, I would have loved to mention about the bans the Indian tv ministry is putting on tv channels. Be it AXN in the beginning of the year or FTV recently. Though I barely watch these channels, but I strongly feel that such interference is also not desirable. There has to be a balance; the exercise of such power should not be irrational. The stay on the release of the movie “Black Friday” was also too harsh, but it was still justifiable because of the influence it might have had on the then-running court case. I did not mention any of these in the essays because they are very India specific. Don’t forget to leave your comments…
Tuesday 10 April, 2007
I moved my cheese...
Recently (actually today only, but just in case you're reading this some other day) I got an award at my previous company. Now its not one of those "young acheiver" or "Mr. talented" awards which some have got, its a rather simple one, by the name "Best integrated team" and as you might have guessed by the name, it wasn't I who was lauded but the team. I am not boasting, read on. So, I got many calls from my ex-colleagues and not-yet-ex-friends to congratulate coz now my photo would be put up, but then does anyone really wanna see it? And does it really make much of a difference as to what I did when I was there? It was, after all, another time, another life...
Have you read "Who moved my cheese?"? All it talks about is change and how it affects you, rather adversely, and how to cope with it. But does reading such a book really make you invulnerable to change? All said and done, one does not cry, not even fret, about the change. Not because it is inevitable, but because it was your decision, your deliberated choice. But then that is what makes it all the more difficult. One opines whether it was a wrong choice after all, but I think one shud close that chapter and look forward to what is there to come. Because I believe that the best is still to come. Is it practical, is it not too ideal? I guess ambivalence is a way of life. You think and after weighing your options come up with a decision, but that decision haunts you for a long time. It seems to have many ifs and buts.
Now tell me, can you really sell the ferrari and become a monk? But thats beyond the scope...
Have you read "Who moved my cheese?"? All it talks about is change and how it affects you, rather adversely, and how to cope with it. But does reading such a book really make you invulnerable to change? All said and done, one does not cry, not even fret, about the change. Not because it is inevitable, but because it was your decision, your deliberated choice. But then that is what makes it all the more difficult. One opines whether it was a wrong choice after all, but I think one shud close that chapter and look forward to what is there to come. Because I believe that the best is still to come. Is it practical, is it not too ideal? I guess ambivalence is a way of life. You think and after weighing your options come up with a decision, but that decision haunts you for a long time. It seems to have many ifs and buts.
Now tell me, can you really sell the ferrari and become a monk? But thats beyond the scope...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)