Justifying a Bandh - Almost

Sitting in the corner of his shanty, Manohar kept dreading the onset of evening.....the time when his children, sleeping on a half starved stomach, would wake up and inevitably ask for some food. It was a wish he could not fulfill this evening. A question he could not answer this evening. Of course, his children would understand his silence soon enough and would not say another single word but that would only heighten his sense of despair.

Fragile Faith

The world, seemingly, is divided into two types of people ~~~ there are the normal souls who swear by this entity called love, the ones who tend to go into a swoon @ the mere mention of the second most famous four letter word in the English vocabulary:P These are the ones who will jump to claw @ your throat if u even so as make a mere mention of love in a less than exalted breath. For them, love is what the world thrives on...in fact, it's only coz of love that there is life.

But this article does not concern these normal, beautiful souls.

Much Ado About A Tuft Of Hair

Four and a half months ago, I wrote " Me Taliban " post in a state of absolute disgust. I could not fathom how such mindless religious profiling could be demonstrated from the highest echelons of justice in the country.

To his credit, Justice Markandey Katju later apologized for his ill-informed remarks and then a week ago, a modicum of justice and sense finally prevailed and the Supreme Court advocated Nirmala Convent to reinstate the student, Md. Salim, back to school. Shooting down the conduct of the school the Supreme Court termed it "ridiculous" and thereby upheld Salim's plea of being allowed to sport a beard in school.

Shades Of Rain---Curse

There was no letting up today...it had been three hours of incessant rain, it was pouring in buckets from the sky and being collected in buckets in Mira's shanty...but her buckets were too trivial compared to the omnipotence of the clouds, fresh holes were appearing by the minute on the tarpaulin covering which served as the ceiling...the periodic gusts of wind threatened to blow them away and end the ordeal at once but they had been just threats thus far.

So Spake Saim-III

Rule:-

Life is all about the struggles, it's about existing amidst the gloom, it's about knowing the flaps which we can open and the ones which we can't, it's about being nonchalant at despair, it's about accepting that life's just like that.

Exception:-

Happiness!!!

So Spake Saim-II

"Art is unknowingly more scientific than science itself"

So Spake Saim

The rising heat levels is directly proportional to the soaring lethargicity and no, I don't care one hoot whether lethargicity is a word or not.

Aila...Yeh Kya Kiya:(

No, the Sachin patent lingo bug has not bitten me:D

Aila is the name of the super cyclone which paid Kolkata and it's neighboring districts a visit...and what a visit it was.
It was the proverbial "came like a hail, went like the wind" sort of visit leaving everyone reeling behind in it's wake.

Kolkata roads were suddenly all green as more than 1800 trees were uprooted, yes I repeat 1800.
Approximately 300 deers were washed away from the Sunderbans region...More than 35 reported deaths...thousands homeless with no roof over their heads...just a summarized description of the newspaper reports of the destruction, of what Aila gifted us...Of course, what they didn't report is that Aila gifted more, it gave countless tears, an uncertain future, mental trauma, lost loved ones and what else not.

V-day:)

It's V-DAY out here today in Kolkata...not Valentine's Day u mushy dumbos:D, it's voting day...the last phase of the biggest democratic exercise world over takes place today and am all set to exercise my franchise...Nopes, it's not the "Jaagore" effect, I was very much awake before they came up knocking to wake up offering tea...I refused, had they been offering Cappuccino, maybe I would have been tempted to attribute my awakening to their campaign:D

Me Taliban

I belong to the Taliban and I am a Talib.....says who? Says Honorable Supreme Court Justice Markandey Katju.

Oh did he...I guess he must have strong valid reasons, right? Well, he does have a reason, yes.

Gosh...so you guys have infiltrated into Indian mainland, you must be a spy, right...what else would you be in India for? Hmm...I've always been in India, you see, I was born here, have been brought up here, studied here (though we hardly study in engineering colleges:D), intend to work here too if a certain IT major does not forget me...ohh n btw, I love India too but that I suppose is besides the point.

Unravelling Love-strickness

A drop of love is what everyone lusts for

An ocean of grief is what they get

A badder bargain there never will be

And yet everyone falls for it

Are people so stupid that they cannot comprehend this uneven barter of emotions?

Guftagu

A moonlit night...winter evening...starry sky...slight drizzle...empty terrace...two souls...lost in thoughts.

Girl :- Chand itna khubsoorat kyun hai?
Boy :- Ghaur se dekho...sirf dhabbe hi dikhenge.
Girl :- So much for you being a romantic *exasperated sigh*
Boy :- So much for you trying to make me one *naughty grin*

So much for silly conversations:D

"Deciphering Myself"...says Love.

As I sit down to write this today...I am in a deep quandary, you see I don't know who or what I am, I am facing this massive identity crisis if i may so call it... To be fair, I was always a little abstract when it came to definitions and explanations and it sort of even made me feel proud...I mean it is a definite ego booster that even the combined intelligence of all humankind which has unraveled many a mystery and deciphered many a puzzle could not definitely conclude as regards my entity.

We, the people...

Today is the 26th day of January, the Republic Day of our country...59 years ago on this date we framed our constitution proudly proclaiming ourselves to be a secular, democratic and free minded nation...a nation where there was freedom of speech and liberty of thoughts...together we pledged to uphold the virtues imbibed in our constitution and abide by it steadfastly.

"Ek Lau Is Tarah"

Gardishon mein rehti...Behti guzarti

Zindagiyaan hain kitni
In mein se ek hai...Teri meri agni

Koi ek jaisi apni

Par khuda khair kar...Aisa anjaam kisi rooh ko
Na de kabhi yahan
Ghuncha muskurata ek...Waqt se pehle
Kyun chod chala...Tera ye jahan
Ek lau is tarah kyun bujhi mere maula
Ek lau zindagi ki maula

Mindless Mayhem!!!

As I sit down to write this, its been more than 42 hours since that first crack of lightning which left a destructive trail in its wake…a trail which is yet to be fully uncovered…a destruction which is yet to be fully comprehended…125 killed, more than 300 injured is what the official count has been put at but trust me when I say this…they have wreaked more havoc this time round. They have killed more than 125 innocent human lives…this time they have killed many an onlooker who will forever live with the memory of such mindless terror…they have injured the soul of every Indian who will forever unsuccessfully grapple with such incomprehensible rage…what can one do in the face of such inhumanity…how do you explain the actions of such individuals, let alone justify them…what could their motivations be except for incorrigible rage…

*Desi Girl*

I love it when that dazzling smile comes on your face illuminating all n sundry.

I love the mischievous twinkle in your eye just b4 pulling a prank.

I love the jingling rhapsody created by the friction between your bangles.

I love the sunlight reflecting off your earrings breaking into various hues.

I love the intricate patterns that you make on your hand with henna.

I love the rosy red that adorns your cheeks when I praise your beauty.

I love it when you dance in the rain.

Salaam INDIA...

Today we the people of this country of ours unite in the celebration of our INDEPENDENCE DAY...61 years since that fateful day in the summer of 1947, a day which saw us emerge from the shadows of anonymity to embrace destiny...and trust me, it's been a journey. A ride through crests and troughs...we have kept bumping our way forward in time.

At the stroke of midnight...00:00 am, 15th August,1947...Pandit Nehru in his "tryst with destiny" speech remarked "At the stroke of the midnight hour...when the world sleeps...INDIA will awake to life and freedom" .....and awoke we did, riding out into the world chartering out a new path...rewriting our destiny.

I have often recklessly commented that India would have been better off in the hands of the British and this almost blasphemous comment finds its way out of my vocal chords in view of the present "rosy" scenario of our country. To every championing voice of India's independence...the cynic within retorts "how about being independent from corruption and communalism, from economic disparity to bursting population, from political shams to sporting wilderness".....yet today I would rather talk about the positives. Yes, there have been blots which have caused a severe dent on our "democratically successful" credentials...yes, there have been events in the face of which golden words like "democracy", "liberty" and "freedom" have seemed hollow and pointless...yes, sometimes this whole "largest functioning democracy" thing all seems a huge charade and a humourless joke...yes, there are times when it seems there is absolutely no hope for this country.....yet, INDIA has come through and will continue to move forward...with all its faults and problems, we will walk the road ahead...

I congratulate all my fellow countrymen for their part in this enchanting journey...I congratulate you for breaking through...I congratulate you for keeping faith...I congratulate you for being Independant.............. INDEPENDANT INDIANS!!!

P.S. Also hereby, I would like to wish the whole of Pakistan on their Independence Day...njoy...live freely!!!

TEACH INDIA

"KNOWLEDGE IS POWER" ...and to empower the downtrodden, "education"--- our only tool. For education allows one to do what he must rather than do what he can. Of course, education is just not about books...books after all just make you literate, but they are a good stepping stone towards wholesome education. In this regard, no praise is worthy enough for The Times of India's latest nation building initiative "TEACH INDIA". This is a social initiative that brings together children in need of education and people who can contribute a little time towards teaching them.

Launched initially in Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai and Delhi the project aims to reach the remotest corners of the country in the near future. The initiative is asking it's volunteers for just 2-hr shifts at their own preferred time and location...the shifts ranging from just 2 shifts a week to five or six depending on the volunteer's choice.

TEACH INDIA aims to help undereducated children through a slew of programmes including basic education, support classes and story telling. The response to the initiative has been tremendous to say the least with more than 55,000 individual volunteers signing up for the cause in just 11 days. Also, a number of top level corporate houses have joined the initiative thereby lending more solid support to this humble cause.

But as they say, there's never enough goodness...so let this be a plea from my side to all of you wonderful people of bloggerville...please encourage this initiative in every which way you can...if you are in one of the above mentioned four cities please volunteer for the initiative if you haven't already...ask your friends, relatives, colleagues, neighbors, etc to come forth and strengthen the initiative...four hours a week is too small a price for the impartment of education to the uneducated children of our country...for once my friends, we have a chance to contribute to the development of our society, our nation...let this not go to waste.

MOTTO:-

Education here isn't something which lets a child get to the next class...but to a future free of poverty and deprivation.

P.S. Guys, am really sorry for not commenting on all your wonderful posts...but was a bit down, please forgive me!!!