DESTINY'S CHILD

Project-365

2012-01-09T22:53:00.002-05:00

Inspired by many, I have been working on 'Project-365' with photography since two months and enjoying every bit of it so far. While it sounds easy, it does take some effort to keep this going day after day. Tough part is not adding a photo for the day – but ‘remembering’ to do so. Further, it is also not that easy to keep those creative buds on all the time. However, the goal is to continue doing so thereby making this hobby of photography a daily event. Also, this photographic journey may not be as spectacular as you think, nevertheless, is intended to take a stint at photo-blogging and share the day through the lens. Hope you enjoy these as much as I do posting them and feel free to share your ideas and themes that I can work on to make it more interesting by the day.

Find this Project at - Canon101

Children's Day

2011-11-14T16:20:00.006-05:00

We never really celebrated Children’s Day as Jawharlal Nehru’s birth anniversary when growing up but it was surely a perfect day to exercise our freedom from all the rules at home and school. Here I share a beautifully written letter by Jawaharlal Nehru to the children of India (taken from The Speaking Tree of TOI).

“I hope you will take a long time in growing up” – Indeed!

Dear Children,

I like being with children and talking to them and, even more, playing with them. For the moment I forget that I am terribly old and it is very long ago since I was a child. But when I sit down to write, I cannot forget my age and the distance that separates you from me. Old people have a habit of delivering sermons and good advice to the young. I remember that I disliked this very much long ago when I was a boy. So I suppose you do not like it very much either. Grown-ups also have a habit of appearing to be very wise, even though very few of them possess much wisdom. I have not yet quite made up my mind whether I am wise or not. Sometimes listening to others I feel that I must be wise and brilliant and important. Then, looking at myself, I begin to doubt this. In any event, people who are wise do not talk about their wisdom and do not behave as if they were very superior persons...

What then shall I write about? If you were with me, I would love to talk to you about this beautiful world of ours, about flowers, trees, birds, animals, stars, mountains, glaciers and all the other beautiful things that surround us in the world. We have all this beauty all around us and yet we, who are grown-ups, often forget about it and lose ourselves in our arguments or in our quarrels. We sit in our offices and imagine that we are doing very important work. I hope you will be more sensible and open your eyes and ears to this beauty and life that surrounds you. Can you recognize the flowers by their names and the birds by their singing? How easy it is to make friends with them and with everything in nature, if you go to them affectionately and with friendship. You must have read many fairy tales and stories of long ago. But the world itself is the greatest fairy tale and story of adventure that was ever written. Only we must have eyes to see and ears to hear and a mind that opens out to the life and beauty of the world.

Grown-ups have a strange way of putting themselves in compartments and groups. They build barriers... of religion, caste, colour, party, nation, province, language, customs and of rich and poor. Thus they live in prisons of their own making. Fortunately, children do not know much about these barriers, which separate. They play and work with each other and it is only when they grow up that they begin to learn about these barriers from their elders. I hope you will take a long time in growing up..

Some months ago, the children of Japan wrote to me and asked me to send them an elephant. I sent them a beautiful elephant on behalf of the children of India... This noble animal became a symbol of India to them and a link between them and the children of India. I was very happy that this gift of ours gave so much joy to so many children of Japan, and made them think of our country... remember that everywhere there are children like you going to school and work and play, and sometimes quarrelling but always making friends again. You can read about these countries in your books, and when you grow up many of you will visit them. Go there as friends and you will find friends to greet you.

You know we had a very great man amongst us. He was called Mahatma Gandhi. But we used to call him affectionately Bapuji. He was wise, but he did not show off his wisdom. He was simple and childlike in many ways and he loved children... he taught us to face the world cheerfully and with laughter. Our country is a very big country and there is a great deal to be done by all of us. If each one of us does his or her little bit, then all this mounts up and the country prospers and goes ahead fast. I have tried to talk to you in this letter as if you were sitting near me, and I have written more than I intended.

Jawaharlal Nehru December 3, 1949

Life Cut Short

2011-11-07T18:58:00.003-05:00

It is said that through death we appreciate life and it puts into perspective how we live it. But then how do we deal with the time when a life cuts you short? All of a sudden our hearts skip a beat when dealing with tragic death – and the world stops spinning. That is what happened when I learnt this morning about the terrible news of someone I barely knew long ago – and yet my world stopped spinning for that moment. A vivacious young 23-24 year old girl – recently graduated and about to venture into the prime years of her life; so talented, in fact you would think she is going to go all out and make a difference to those around her and to the world!

Why then did life cut her short?

This is an eternal question that haunts us forever. It is times like these that remind me of how fragile life is; that we are promised nothing for what is to come. What would truly matter then I believe is –

to find those moments each day that make me tick – before life cuts me short

to find solace in those who love me – before life cuts them short

to marvel at the way my family and friends touch my lives – before life cuts them short

and to continue honoring memories of those who have inspired me – as life did cut them short but their flames sparkle forever.

I know - easier said than done - but then again, how does one deal with such situations? I would love to understand what are some of the best ways to come to terms with such instances in our lives.

My deepest condolence to the grieving parents - extremely difficult to fathom what they would be going through – but I pray that when they reach a point to see beyond this terrifying grief, that they can find peace and love in recognizing the preciousness and that eternal flame their young daughter has brought to their lives.

Steve Jobs

2011-10-05T21:20:00.004-04:00

He showed us a way to do things better.

He defined the term ‘perfection’.

He changed the world of music.

He reinvented the business of being mobile.

He pluralized the term 'I'.

He helped ‘connect the dots’.

He gave the world a ‘world’ no one knew existed.

He thanked his ‘extended family’ for making his vision come true.

‘He died peacefully surrounded by his family’.

He Came – Consolidated – Conquered

And thus Changed the world.

Steve Jobs – 1955-2011

May his soul rest in peace.

image taken from the apple website.

Up in the Air

2011-09-26T15:55:00.000-04:00

Plane Pull Event

Dulles Airport - 09.24.11

Those Favorite Things

2011-08-29T14:25:00.003-04:00

A year ago you were welcomed

into a world that has become your own.

Gandhi for a day - Vora for life;

who knew what your favorite things would be.

A love we felt so strong - in your gentle touch and cries.

Your smiles lift us abound;

the sleepy head that lets us wonder

what your favorite things might be?

And then those times you grew to sense

the things around you;

the songs that make you dance and sing.

Tugging your toys and making faces

that make us laugh.

Books that only let your mind marvel

at all it has to offer.

Feeling so happy when we take your pic!

Could these be some of your favorite things?

The curiosity of not knowing

when things rattle and move and sway!

You amaze us as you learn each step and turn.

These could be your favorite things!

And then there are favorite people to embrace;

those caring looks and loving hugs!

Some so naughty that do delight you.

Some so priceless that time cannot replace.

Eating times are always fun!

Are these your favorite things?

A sense of magic in those very firsts

and moments so exciting

especially those hi-fives and the lovely toys;

With so much to learn - and all that lies ahead.

Oh to those times when you groan,

which the family makes them go away.

So as you turn ONE today,

it makes us wonder

about all your favorite things

and we simply would not trade

a minute of such moments!

God bless you

today and always!

Ma-Daddy

August 29, 2011

Be inspired and Make a Difference

2011-08-19T18:41:00.004-04:00

There is no escaping the current wave of movement in India (and for Indians outside of it) concerning the status of #LokpalBill, #AnnaHazare and the #Futureofindiangoverningsystem. From the surge in news through the web of social media, one would think it is easy to understand the basis of this movement. Yet, to be very honest, I feel a bit disoriented about this entire episode. There are so many articles, discussions, forums regarding various standpoints on this movement – whether the Lokpal Bill is good for the nation or Anna Hazare’s movement needs to be supported or will these together harm the overall functioning (in its current manner – right or wrong) of the country. Anna Hazare’s fast seems to be the means to bring out this bill that has the ability to fight corruption at all levels. A true Gandhian would believe that ‘ends do not justify the means’ and this movement is another classic example (aside from the entire independence movement) of the quote. Bill or no Bill, I do not believe it will bring an overnight solution to the problem – it is not a magic wand (Loved your speech Mr. Jaitley and yes, there is no such wand out there!) that would remove the illegal systems that govern our country.

So in all of this, I ask myself whether I support Anna Hazare - Yes I do. Not the man per se but his means to tackle this problem is what I wholeheartedly value. This is a clear example of standing up to one’s principles and it requires a lot of conviction. In current day and age, our generation is so blinded by what goes on that it is rare to find situations that have such integrity and the fact that we get to live through such situations, the least we can do is be inspired and make a difference. There may be a lot of individuals/groups that do not support this man. And rightly so. If you do not believe in Lokpal or Hazare and do not want to support it, that is fine. Everyone has their own views and approach to what they believe in. But the point is whether we make a real impact to what we truly believe in. That in itself is more crucial than merely pointing fingers at those who are atleast attempting to ‘make a difference’.

I personally do not view this movement as a fight to destabilize the existing government or to find faults in the ‘foreign’ ruler. But it is to stand up to our own social and moral responsibilities. This fight is not only about the kind of corruption that goes on at the top level, but more importantly, how we would tackle those kinds of instances that run our day-to-day functioning – traffic violation, drivers’ license, school admissions, taxes, etc. If we do not fight these daily situations in the spirit of ‘Change’, the Bill will result into an even more dangerous entity. After all, it is we the people that contribute to such situations in the first place and not just the politicians and the bureaucrats.

It is not easy to take that first step – but we can use this movement to our advantage. This is by far the best opportunity we have to make the most of the time and its relevance (read = elections) and thereby pave way to ‘create’ a situation for the right kind of people/party worthy of support. Anna Hazare gives us hope – and all we have to do is take those baby steps – be inspired and make a difference.

The Magic Lives Forever

2011-07-31T15:06:00.004-04:00

Today is Harry's birthday - and quite apt to launch Pottermore to the fans far and wide. While it all ended in 2007, I am still mulling over the Deathly Hallows part 2 movie. It does a fantastic job of taking us through the finale of a journey into the world we have come to learn and love. To ardent Potter fans, it is indeed an empty feeling that the movie ends with - "What next?" would be the most obvious question. Again, being an ardent Potter fan, the end could not have been any better. A review of the movie of the book series for that matter, is meaningless. Albeit delayed, this post is thus a tribute to Potter-World and relives some of the fascinating moments (IMP) that have made it an everlasting phenomena. When my dad reads this, he would think I have all the time in the world to pen such stuff, yet the hope is that he would atleast read this post if 'nothing-Potter'.

As I reminisce some of the moments of this series, I wonder where to begin. While several scenes flash in my mind, the one dear to me (especially after watching the movie) is that of Snape's dying words, "You've your mother's eyes". Being the under-dog of the entire series, he never really gets the recognition that he truly deserves, especially when alive. His purpose of being thus serves as a classic example to strive for greater good.

I also loved Harry and Dumbledore's brief interaction 'in between Heaven and Earth' (is how I had portrayed it): "Professor, tell me one thing", said Harry. "Is this real? Or is it happening inside my head?" Dumbledore, with his voice strong and clear, "Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry. But why on Earth should it mean that it is not real?" Dumbledore, to me, epitomizes the sanctity of being - a perfect Godfather for life.

Harry never really excelled in any specific activity and epitomizes the normalcy of a hero in him. Yet, he shows the true spirit of heroism - when every challenge brings in him the goodness factor - saving his fellow competitor or tipping them off prior to specific challenges - an advantage he could have clearly kept to himself. Why would he save his enemy from day one? Malfoy, left to die in the Deathly Hallows, "could not be left behind" during the fire in the Room of Requirement. This itself reaffirms our faith in righteousness and is only restored all the way through.

The bond between Harry and Sirius simply cannot be described and wish it could have been better justified in the movie. Even Sirius' death was abruptly shown in the movie while it would have been worth it to give some due to the times they spend together, considering the relationship they share.

The word 'detention' itself gives you shivers and worse of all, when it comes from none other than the most artfully crafted character Professor Dolores Umbridge. While she comes in much later in the story, the character who plays this role has performed the task flawlessly - and does a fantabulous job of letting the viewers naturally hate her to the core. Hence, "we must not tell lies" does go down well for all the Potter fans.

"Dobby has come to save Harry Potter. Harry Potter must not go to Hogwarts". This character comes to life in a form that defines the very essence of the story - friendship, courage, love and above all, respect. This right to be free has existed in us living beings since time immemorial, and is reflected well through our little elf.

To go through more minute details of this epic is futile - covering Hermoine, Luna, mirror of Erised, Elder Wand, and so on. Overall, Potter symbolizes a cultural imagination that has provided an entire generation not just entertainment but also a movement encompassing spells, charms, hoarcruxes and more. Hope K enjoys this fantasy world like the way his parents do.

Finally kudos to J.K.Rowling for creating such an epic story - a story of life less ordinary, of courage, fear, friendship and above all, love. The magic does live forever!

First Steps

2011-07-30T13:00:00.004-04:00

Knew the moment would come
When you take your first steps;
I had prayed to be near,
To capture your sense of joy,
without an ounce of fear.

Wobbly at first,
With two tiny steps you advanced;
And you knew no fear,
As I greeted you with cheer.

In days to come, you'll walk a lot
And wander paths alone;
I pray again, as now,
To be near
in case there is any fear.

For now, I savor your moment,
And equally rejoice
the last few times
when you'd still be crawling.

- July 29, 2011

Mumbai Again

2011-07-13T17:35:00.004-04:00

There goes the city again.
There goes everyone's wishes and prayers (in vain?) to those who mourn the losses of dear ones that shall only increase by the day.
There goes people's status updates - hour by hour - expressing anger, frustration, pain.
This time, again, the common man in Mumbai was hit. And hit hard.
And yet, the city will wake up to courage and resilience just like it always has in the past.

Yes, there is compassion and mourning - but what next? Hopefully, no negative provocation of any sorts on the streets from our supposed leaders. That would only lead to further carnage which in turn would destroy the very fabric of our nation. It is very easy to blame it on one particular faith and loosely use the term 'fundamentalists' or 'extremists' like it has always been done - yet no answers have been found to totally eliminate such forces of terror. Clearly, the war is beyond borders and has penetrated into our households - but who is the real enemy here? Isn't it an invisible entity that requires more than a warfare to conquer?

I have no strong opinion on how such terror acts need to be dealt with but I have faith that good will triumph over evil one day. I do not want to take a soft spot on such acts but I feel it imperative to comprehend it. One may call me blind and apathetic. Truly so - I may be indifferent and distanced from it all and I hope I am alone if feeling such indifference. But the way I look at it is that I am fortunate enough that I had an upbringing that was devoid of any discrimination; lucky enough to be blessed by a core of dear ones whom I pray are far removed from such acts; privileged with the opportunities to explore the world and life and numerous ideas in any manner possible.

Unfortunately, the very perpetrators of terror are removed from the above opportunities - and have already immersed themselves into a leap of darkness.

I intend to nurture brightness and purity and nondiscrimination into the minds of those that are dependent on me. And I hope I am not alone in expressing such emotion.

Do The Work - Review

2011-05-16T16:50:00.004-04:00

***May contain book spoiler***

"On the field of the Self
stand a Knight and a Dragon.
You are the Knight.
Resistance is the Dragon.
The only intercourse possible between
the Knight and the Dragon is
Battle"

I love the above scenario and by simply imagining it in my mind over and over again makes me want to win such a 'battle'.

When I read Do The Work (from where the above is quoted) by Steven Pressfield, it felt like the writer was hammering a nail in my head with his narration. The language of the book could not be any more blunt (and in some instances offensive too) but it is aimed at kicking you in the 'right spot'. Also, imagine reading the line "I was 30 years old before I had an actual thought". While this may sound skeptical to some, having read this book, I consider this statement to be a powerful confession.

Do The Work is a short book but leaves you in a trance for long. I can compare its impact to that when reading The Alchemist and what I particularly like about this one is that it is a quick read with a tone more conversational than prescriptive and the fact that it leaves you energized to fight that Resistance. It is quite easy to fall into the trap of inertia when pursuing an idea or that the outlier in you is shunned due to various opinions from outside (and inner) sources thus falling into the rut of "letting the unconscious do its work". I am thus glad I got to read this book as it has made me look at what I would want to do 'differently'. Not only that, it has suddenly forced me to reflect whether I face Resistance around me or that more often than not, I truly could be the 'Resistance' to someone else around me.

We all have our own sources of inspirational reading and I find this topping my list for now. A strong message emanating from this book is "the last thing we want is to remain as we are". I thus strongly recommend this book to you whether you are working to improve yourself or in pursuit of a new venture or wanting to accomplish your goals.

Further, this is part of Seth Godin's Domino Project and if that is not attractive enough, it is free on Kindle until May 20, 2011.

So grab the (e)copy now, read it and if you like it, Do The Work and spread the word.

The 'Mum' Word

2011-05-08T02:39:00.006-04:00

Dear K,

Today is Mother's Day - typically celebrated on 2nd Sunday of May every year here in the US. While its origin is unclear, Wikipedia claims that this day was set aside to honor mothers - for their love and care and hence as an act of expression and appreciation for all they have done and continue to do. I agree, it is a day of commercial value, for now I care little for any such honor.

I never considered myself to be 'motherly' till you came along and clearly, that has meant a lot of changes. Hence I am delighted that I have you as a reason to celebrate whatever little this day means to me as a mother.

More so, I have you as a reason to celebrate what this day really means to me as a daughter.

Through you, I have begun to truly understand the love and care I received from my mom when I was young. I hope I can continue to extend the same to you.
Just like her, I hope I can show you what it means to be a good person.
Just as she has taught me, hope that I can teach you how to love unconditionally, how to enjoy the small things in life, and how to be carefree.
I hope to be the mom that she has been to me and more.

Now that I have you, I understand her more.

I may not always get it right - but expect no less.

So thank you Dear K - for being patient and tolerant as I learn how to be the mother you need and for showing me the mother I can be.

Forever,
Your-Mom-in-Training
&
A-Daughter-for-Life

'Dancing in the Minefields'

2011-05-03T21:24:00.006-04:00

This song has been playing in my head since a few weeks now and it just had to make it to my blog. I love this song because it narrates a beautiful story and it talks of bittersweet moments of relationships. No I wasn't married when I was 19 or 21 nor am I married for 15 years. I am not a strong believer in the kind of faith that is expressed in this song, nevertheless, it strikes a chord. It brings out in me a sense of integrity and a reminder, despite all travails and challenges, of what that promise is for.

Play this song, sing to it and treasure it -

'Dancing in the Minefields' by Andrew Peterson

Album: Counting Stars

I was 19, you were 21

The year we got engaged

Everyone said we were much too young

But we did it anyway

We got the rings for 40 each from a pawnshop down the road

We said our vows and took the leap now 15 years ago

We went dancing in the minefields

We went sailing in the storms

And it was harder than we dreamed

But I believe that's what the promise is for

Well 'I do' are the two most famous last words

The beginning of the end

But to lose your life for another I've heard is a good place to begin

'cause the only way to find your life is to lay your own life down

And I believe it's an easy price for the life that we have found

And we are dancing in the minefields

We're sailing in the storms

And it was harder than we dreamed

But I believe that's what the promise is for

So when I lose my way, find me

When I lose loves chains, bind me

At the end of all my faith to the end of all my days

when I forget my name, remind me

'Cause we bear the light of the son of man

So there's nothing left to fear

So I'll walk with you in the shadow lands

Till the shadows disappear

'Cause He promised not to leave us

And his promises are true

So in the face of this chaos baby,

I can dance with you

So lets go dancing in the minefields

Lets go sailing in the storms

oh, lets go dancing in the minefields

And kicking down the doors

Oh, lets go dancing in the minefields

And sailing in the storms

Oh, this is harder than we dreamed

But I believe that's what the promise is for

That's what the promise is for

Hiatus No More

2011-02-15T08:01:00.000-05:00

So I welcome myself to my blog after ages. Long time indeed and again, not providing any excuses for the disappearance act. With all that has happened in the times gone by, this blog has surely been neglected and hope to give it some justice now.

Things have surely changed since the last time I jotted something out here – these days now belong to the times of diapers and wipes, poops and drools, pacifiers and baby-sitters, ABCs and nursery rhymes, ToysRUs and BabiesRUs, and the oh-so-predictable eat-play-nap schedule. Of course, who then would ever want to miss out on all of that by ‘sleeping it out’! Leaving that last bit of sarcasm aside, I dedicate my recent past to all of the above and to the overall essence of venturing into parenthood. From hereon, this journey is endless.

Many have asked me to share my experiences of parenthood so far and all I can come up with are those listed above. So while blogging has been non-existent for me for a while, I intend to get back (with ‘regular’ being the operative word here) and hopefully share some enriching moments - discover the full potential of being a parent (3 a.m. cooing, elation of changing Huggies and many more), explore the world from a different lens and mainly attempt to rediscover the person within.

In the meantime, thanks for your continued patience. I will see you soon.

Lego Landscape

2010-08-08T22:30:00.000-04:00

Visit to the BrickFair 2010 in DC was indeed a remarkable experience - a platform where one could see a combination of a variety of Lego products. From optimizing the company's products to intelligent use of simple technology and more importantly, the pure stimulation of effort driven by passion. Below are snapshots of some of such a drive -

More pictures can be viewed here.

An Offline Experience

2010-07-30T16:52:00.003-04:00

A typical day that begins with checking the weather forecast on iphone to friends' mood swings on facebook to updated news on twitter and those multiple inboxes and then to repeat the series every hour or so – this digital age does keep me informed no matter how mindless these unfettered browsing might sound at times. I do love the internet – feels like I am connected to the world at large and while I may be a miniscule part of it, I love being a part of it; love that it keeps me informed, in touch and love the fact that everyday I do learn something new. Yet, I wonder if this orgy of digital routine is turning into a growing addiction and that I am actually idling away my time in trivial pursuits. So yesterday, I took the day-off off the internet and leapt into the offline world. This meant no online applications on the phone, no gmail, no twitter, no facebook, no blogs, no TV. The computer was only limited to work-related emails (aka outlook) which could not be forsaken in this economy and to make it easier on A, I did owe him two calls – one when I reached work and the other when I was leaving from work as an assurance that my water had not broken yet.

Considering this offline experience was for but a few hours only (one day ain’t much of cleansing the digital delight), in all honesty, the hour clock seemed to be stuck for long. I mean, I wondered what exactly I would do at work – like the times when you switch between ~~videos~~ windows or those few minutes when I check on tweets while some hideous sized files simply take their own time to open. Instead, not being able to do so gave me a bit of an opportunity to be proactive and also be able to delegate work hours without dawdling.

The day, after all did go by in some mindful activities, a positive feeling towards the end that it did belong to things I wanted to do rather than being slipped into the mundane mechanics of the digital world I so love to be a part of. I also realized that more often than not, with this monotonous browsing I got a lot of information on a variety of things, people, places and still, its meaning was lost in the midst of precision. While I missed out on reading some of the daily blogs, checking my daily posting of C&H and the fact that my iphone kept showing 100 odd unread mails was enticing, I was glad that I felt like leaving them alone.

In this day and age, we do have numerable tools to communicate, to stay informed and they are only multiplying by the day. It somehow breeds in us a sense that we ‘ought’ to be in constant ‘refresh’ mode that there is some urgency to it and we better get to it. But it also means taking the time out to filter the information absorbed into our brain and stocking them in its various compartments in a manner that can eventually be translated to true knowledge. Yesterday was a realization that I do need to take such recesses and that such ‘urgencies’ can wait indeed!

Will I do it again? I do not know that but what I do know is I now have the power to switch on and switch off this digital world when I want to.

Colors of Chaos -splendid!

2010-07-19T21:35:00.000-04:00

Just spotted a magnificent semi-circled rainbow on our way home from the metro. Wish I had my SLR to capture this moment, nevertheless, a breath-taking view that my iphone 3G merely attempts to shoot. Sharing some of these shots -

It was beautiful to see how everything beneath this miracle shone to glory to protect a world of its own.

"Life is indeed like a rainbow. You do need both, the sun and the rain to make its colors appear"

Name Game

2010-06-24T15:33:00.004-04:00

Of all things challenging that come as part of parenting, the one to top my list right now is the task of naming my child. Maybe that is because it is the first official act to be committed by us and hence that extra precaution. Yet, in all earnest, this one for sure is to the child's detriment and no matter how hard you whack your brains to ensure the name is most suited to your child and one that will not be mocked at, (s)he is one day going to ask you, "What made you name me __________?" implying, "What were you thinking?"

So as parents, A & I (it is weird how suddenly our perception is transforming from 'being the chid' to 'being the parent') would have to do our due diligence which so far for me has merely involved a reference check to see if that name is available to open a gmail account (an easy substitute for a bank account I'd say!). That part, what does one look for in naming their child? How does that shape a child? Or does it?

According to this article on CNN about a month ago, "names have consequences for a person's job, residency and school grades". If we do go by this, then it automatically adds more pressure to ensure that our kid is not overlooked or considered non-achiever due to his/her boring name - something shortsighted by the parents is it? So in this age of obsessive-compulsive parental acts, we are indeed led to get into the rut of deciding a name that positively, and with all certainty, influences our child's future accomplishments. Easier said but is it required? And what about the gut-feeling that follows with certain names?

And if simply naming wasn't sufficient, there is also an increasing trend of adding a flavor to it - by 'spelling' it differently. So that means, they would be left with clarifying over and over again, to the likes of "It is A-N-O-U-S-H-K-A and not A-N-U-S-H-K-A". Would altering the spelling of the name make the child's personality 'unique' and 'exceptional'? Isn't it asking too much of the child when giving them names that already symbolize such 'uniqueness'? I am not as opposed to such trends, infact, it is quite exciting to go over the whole gamut of naming industry and more importantly, it tells you a little about the pride and love that parents instinctively feel towards their little one.

Yet I doubt it can have any predictive powers over the child. And while I will only get one shot at painting this empty canvas with my choice, I hope it to be simple, pure and uncomplicated.

The Magic of RAHMAN

2010-06-14T19:26:00.003-04:00

"If music is food for the soul, then my soul just binged thanks to Mr. Rahman!"
That was A's tweet last night after being mesmerized to the tunes of 'Chaiya Chaiya', 'Yeh Jo Des Hai Tera', the oh-so-popular 'Jai Ho' and what better treat than a tribute to the King of Music with a rendition of 'Black or White' by our very own Mr. Allah Rakha Rahman.

The beat, rhythm and heart-rendering music all led led to a ballistic audience at the Patriot Center here in Virginia and goosebumps could be felt throughout the event. The 'Jai Ho Concert: Journey Home World Tour' started bang-on with Rahman right there - no drama, no show, no lip-sync but straight two odd hours of his voice along with a crew to sing along, dance along and provide a great orchestra to this complete desi spectators. One hit after another without any break kept us all enthralled - variety of singers performed to Rahman's tunes and we simply loved the way each of the crew performing on various instruments was given his/her due credit - special kudos to the violinist!

Some of the exceptional moments were when, during the performance of 'Lukka Chuppi', the presence of Lata Mangeshkar was brought in - close call to a human hologram and simply awesome:

And the percussion of violin, flute and table during 'Barso Re Megha' was pure delight to the soul -

Unfortunately my camera batteries died down and hence could not capture some of the other performances - one where all singers presented a fusion of songs, the 'Jai Ho' act, a melody of religious cum festive songs, the way Rahman started singing the song 'Humma Humma' with the letters HUMMA lighting up on the screen in perfect synchrony and the adrenaline rush during the finale act of 'Maa Tujhe Salaam'.

All in all, this was one humble, splendid concert and despite the fact that I could not related to some of the non-hindi songs, in the end all that mattered was the magic that A R Rahman created around him with his sheer Music.

Long Gone...but Back!

2010-05-20T15:15:00.007-04:00

A complete and utter shame that I haven't blogged in a long long time. I had actually resolved to 'write' quite a bit in 2010 but the year is half-way through to all that has transpired till now. To think of it, I have indeed missed out on a lot - Indian escapades, snowmageddon in DC, the IPL controversy, Icelandic ashes, job uncertainties, home-coming of Jessica Watson, general reflections on fairness, making change, life, death, family and to top it all, the on-going perspectives (newly acquired) on venturing the parental journey in a few months' time!

My saving grace so far has been the fact that not many visit this blog and with such lags, would be duly justified; yet, I am aware that all that is ever on the web is there to stay on a permanent basis so I rather keep myself on the right foot. My main aim of starting this blog was to express thoughts that would help me sharpen my thinking, provide positive reinforcement and that, more than the readers, it would enable me to get insights into all that I write about. So to all those who have occasionally glanced through this page, I do apologize for such a lag and hope to not let it occur in the future.

When I started this blog, I began by proclaiming myself to be a destiny's child. While I still strongly believe in being one, I often wonder whether I am purely a result of my own destiny or do we drive ourselves through free-will to get at where we are? This has been an age-old dialogue with never a black-and-white response yet I have heard it many a times that 'if we do not decide what we want to do (or do not want to do), someone else will probably end up deciding for us'. This and much more to blog about with the hope that what I write would eventually emerge into a platform for insight, perception and dialogue.

Maximum City

2010-01-19T20:20:00.000-05:00

Sealink in the making

Haji Ali - at Sunset

Whats up 2010?

2009-12-31T11:57:00.005-05:00

Yet another one of those times that have made me a slacker at blogging. Several of my recent posts have mentioned how there haven't been many posts and that it will be different from now on, etc. etc. Yes, I do love to write and yes there are some interesting (and not-so interesting) moments that I could keep blogging about but Shakespeare never did that either so I guess I can be excused on my own blog (j).

What indeed made me add a post today of all days was when I read the eternal question in one of those forward emails (grrr) - What is your resolution for the coming year? 'Writing' was what popped out of my head and then the brain started churning out all that I 'should do' in 2010. Now, should I put that on google docs, pages or better still, make a spreadsheet of 'dos and donts'? The newspapers talk of most common resolutions - go to the gym (not going to happen), quit smoking (old habits die hard), be more spiritual (ahem!)....so what would it be then, I wonder.

While the world rings in the new year, with Sydney already in 2010, I am reminded of what C&H a lot right now and their thought-process totally echoes what I would like to do at this point.

So here's the C&H way of wishing all of you a 2010 that is filled with contentment, safety, laughter, courage and acceptance -

Co Co Sala Experience

2009-12-16T23:28:00.000-05:00

Wish I had my camera to capture the chocolate-dining experience, yet took some random images from my iphone:

Co Cojito: Van Gogh Chocolate Infused Vodka/Fresh Mint & Lime/Dark Chocolate Flakes
Totally rejuvenating!

Chocolate Tasting Menu: different types of couverture in three states - solid, semi-solid and liquid
Haven for Chocolate Lovers

A Perfect Co-Co Dining Experience

Flavor of Food

2009-12-13T15:53:00.000-05:00

Chocolate Mousse with dark chocolate pastry served with berries and cream

Most delicious Tiramisu

Butter served on stone

First Snow of the Season

2009-12-05T19:02:00.000-05:00

Catching the first droplet

Slowly settling in

From outside our Apartment

My Friend Ganesha

And finally, taken at 6.30 p.m. ET - Thomas Kinkade would surely be happy!

Quick Update..

2009-11-30T17:20:00.005-05:00

Just back from a whirlwind of a trip in India to a post-Thanksgiving but pre-Christmas festivity out here in the

. There are Xmas songs at the metro and the grocery stores; office lobbies are decorated with the Xmas trees; holiday coupons await mail boxes.

So much to look forward to, nevertheless the past three weeks in India were filled with moments that can last an eternity. Catching up with family and friends, munching at the road-side eateries, reading newspapers, debating over school systems (a whole different ball-game) and more, exploring opportunities, traffic, radio mirchi, movies, and of course, the Prathistha Mahotsav which was the main reason to be in India. While I do regret not being able to post a daily update on the Prathistha as stated in my previous post, I am still trying to absorb the significance of the entire event – a unique experience to cherish forever indeed!

Returning from a trip can have its own repercussions, some happy and some not so. I take this this to be a time to be able to soon pen down some of these times, share snippets of the visit and complete the description of the Mahotsav. With this, hope you have a happy Monday!

'Ritual to Spiritual' - A Close Encounter

2009-11-13T14:44:00.005-05:00

With the belief in ‘Each-to-His-Own’ principle, we are in India, as my Dad likely states it, on a ‘Ritual to a Spiritual’ visit. No, by this visit, I do not mean yoga or any form of penance and meditation; rather to witness and be an integral part of a Jain ceremony termed as the Panch-Kalyanak Mahotsav – Five-Event Celebration.

I usually avoid writing/expressing about religion and/or its various facets mainly because of the very sensitivity with which it has been looked upon, the world over. Not that I am an atheist but while I do have certain agnostic perceptions, there is some level of faith that goes beyond the religious aspects. Nevertheless, as I am about to observe closely this celebration, I would like to share some of my experiences therein, without sounding too religious. I aim to express the overall process of this ‘ritual’ and the knowledge gained with a view to document its various steps and capture the overall emotions attached.

I would like to thank my Dad who has contributed most of the conceptual notes on the event without which I may not be able to fully comprehend its essence. Several of his notes are quoted in Italics. If, at any point, you think that the posts do not reveal the true essence of this celebration and/or that it tends to contradict (and upset) your own beliefs, do remember that this is not my intention and in advance, do accept my apologies.

Moving on to the celebration and before I do so, it is important to understand, in brief, a bit about the religion per se. While Wikipedia does a good job of giving a detailed description, simply put, Jainism is a neo-religious way of life wherein its believer usually focuses more on uplifting his/her soul to a level that is devoid of materialistic/worldly activities and moves to one of reflection, introspection, meditation and penance. In today’s day and age, this has proven to be difficult to practice in its entirety, yet there are several individuals who have treaded on this journey. “According to the religion’s spiritual texts, since its evolution, there have been 24 such souls that have followed this path of self-renunciation, gained universal knowledge, thereby attained, what is termed as, liberation of the soul (Moksha) and these individuals/their souls are called Tirthankars.” Devout followers of the Tirthankars are known as Jains and thus the religious connotation.

“Each Tirthankar is highly revered by the Jains (Their devotees) who believe that in so doing, are driven to the path of real peace and happiness.” From this same spirit of devotion also evolves a deep sense of desire to build a space symbolizing an individually driven force for ritual (and spiritual) gratification as well as a community feeling for worship and reverence. This space, typically referred to as a Temple (Mandir), is created with the support, financial and otherwise, from devotees wishing to install an idol – Deities who consecrate one or more of the Tirthankars. The Panch-Kalyanak Mahotsav is thus a five-day event celebrating the installation of the idol – with each event (day), closely observed as each of the life-stages that the Tirthankahrs go through i.e.

1. Conception (Garbhha Kalyanak)
2. Birth (Janma Kalyanak)
3. Renunciation/ Austerity (Dishka Kalyanak)
4. Universal Knowledge/ Omniscience (Kevalgyaan Kalyanak)
5. Liberation (Moksha Kalyanak)

The posts that follow would thus look at each of these events (days) closely. If you have any questions, I may surely not be able to answer most of them, yet a discussion from a more spiritual perspective might be fruitful.

Going Green

2009-11-09T13:15:00.012-05:00

Since the past year or so, enough has been discussed, deliberated and dialogued on 'Green' - the buzz word world over. Last year was Poland and this year we will see it in Copenhagen where world leaders discuss the fate of climate change. We already know that damage has been done so what next? Yesterday when I took part in a virtual Climate Change Conference (titled 'Humanity's Leap in the Golden Era'), it dawned me more than ever before, that there is indeed nothing I have done in my part to even be more conscious of the environment, to contribute in a way less damaging or simply doing things that would typically be considered ‘responsible’ – in short, altering my very own lifestyle that currently generates more waste like nobody’s business!

One of the speakers at the conference focused on how our very own 'attitudes' need to change and this got me thinking of ways in which our household can be well-suited to work around being environment-friendly. So thanks to the world wide web, I came across several resources that can be extremely useful for amateurs like me. I resolve to adhere to some of these tips and sharing the same with the hope that it would lead you to also take action in your own little way.

*** As part of our ‘Green Team’ efforts at work, there was a video screening of The Story of Stuff over a year ago. This is indeed a good starting point in case you haven’t see it yet -

*** They say that any change begins from within, from ourselves, our own homes. Check out your own ecological footprint here.

*** Boy oh Boy! That is a lot of energy right there! Want to get a second opinion? Check how green you are.

*** Having fun with these calculations? Here is another to see the impact your house has on the environment.

*** So you want to know what this whole green business is all about? Want to know what global warming means and what are those carbon credits they are referring to? No, for once these 'credits' do not apply to your so-called 'credit history'. Check this information here and here.

*** TERI has created a fascinating child-friendly site to introduce environmental education to children here.

*** Want some more resources for children? Kidsgreen is a fun, hands-on resource that kids may love to indulge in.

*** Want to be more green-savvy on a daily basis? Check out Green Biz and Green Daily.

*** Earth 911 is a great resource guide on how to 'Reduce-Reuse-Recycle'.

*** For the 'Greenopreneur' in you, see what Inhabitat has in store. Don't you just love that Lego Table?

*** Want to devote 'green' to your mind and body? See what MINDBODYGREEN has to offer.

*** And no list can be complete without its WIKI page.

Have any links that you have bookmarked? Any handy tips you abide by? Look forward to your inputs, suggestions and any advice to help become a little more environment-friendly.

Halloween

2009-11-03T21:15:00.000-05:00

Jessica Watson

2009-10-29T16:48:00.006-04:00

Since the past couple of weeks, I have been following Jessica Watson’s blog and a journey to fulfill her desire to become the youngest person to sail solo, nonstop AND unassisted around the world! She set sail, after few trial and errors, on October 18, 2009 and this journey would take around ten months. This is the route she would follow.

“Tomorrow I’m going to get up and sail around the world” is how she shares her excitement to the audience the day before she sets sail. She is savvy in her writing and makes the reader an integral part of her journey – a surreal feeling that we too are in the yacht with her.

To be honest, I have mixed emotions out here – while one part of me thinks this is out-right crazy, the other, more strong, dearly wishes that she makes through Godspeed! I mean, how often do we follow our dreams, passion and desires amidst all the fears, apprehensions, obligations, adverse circumstances and more often than not, the inertia within? And, how often do we actually motivate someone to take those steps, with all the risks and dangers aside – to leave the ‘protective’ instinct instead, support in such endeavors to soar high? This is not the first time someone has attempted such feat yet it seems like there is way too much ado about it. Overall, I am quite looking forward to her journey, curious to read her daily anecdotes and learn all about her life experiences of the vast ocean ahead of her.

One of her recent blog posts reads – “This morning I had a school of dolphins pass by and the odd bird also drops in to check us out. I think keeping the cabin tidy is going to become one of those never ending battles. Is it just me or does housework always take this long?”

It surely takes a drive, physical and emotional, to keep going. Good luck to you Jessica and indeed, soar high!

Beauty of Fall

2009-10-27T22:56:00.000-04:00

Shenandoah National Park

Skyline Drive

October 25, 2009

Watch out for..

2009-10-24T23:06:00.005-04:00

Post the Slumdog fever, and surely a tough act to follow, I am keenly looking forward to the Road, Movie. Not sure if the movie should be considered 'ahead of its time' like all movies by Dev Benegal - English August fame - yet, Road, Movie promises to bring out a surreal movement within Indian cinema. Abhay Deol once again sets higher expectations - Ek Chaalis ki Last Local, Manorama Six Feet Under, and Oye Lucky among others. Take a sneak peak before we get to see it on the 35mm -

Redemption in the Sky

2009-10-21T22:53:00.000-04:00

October 19, 2009
McLean, VA

Review: The Blue Sweater

2009-10-21T22:32:00.004-04:00

"If you move through the world with your intellect, then you walk on only one leg. If you move through the world with your compassion, then you walk on only one leg. But if you move through the world with both, intellect and compassion, then you have wisdom"

These were the wise words of a Buddhist Monk Maha Ghosananda to Jacqueline Novogratz, as stated by the latter in her book titled The Blue Sweater: Bridging the Gap between Rich and Poor in an Interconnected World. I finally got around to completing the book, long overdue but worth the time it took to absorb the accounts of her experiences about her intellect AND compassion. For once, this book takes philanthropy at a different level, not in a prescriptive manner - one that defines charity and those anachronistic terms that look at 'social issues' from a sympathetic perspective - but with a personal revelation of life and times of those 10,000 hours spent as a healer, investor and an entrepreneur of social change.

"They say a journey of thousand miles begins with a single step. I took mine and fell flat on my face" -
This indeed is a strong beginning not only to the book but also to the journey that Novogratz embarked upon her own as she moved out of her comfort zone from the Manhattan skyscrappers to Hamlets across Africa and Asia. The book is an extension of its title '....in an interconnected world....' with a fascinating tale taking the author to Rwanda - the Switzerland of Africa, a land of 1,000 mountains with sharp contrast of poverty and political upheavals; region that made her realize that in order to contribute, she would 'have to be ready to take Africa on its own terms, not hers'!.

Novogratz presents her book in the form of a memoir through numerous tales of social enterprise, each with a flow of emotions, perceptions and ideas on issues of poverty. These stories are gripping and in that, Novogratz leaves no loose ends. Her writing style brings out the transformation within her, the kind of philanthropic direction she drives herself into and who she goes on to become. She describes the Rwandan genocide in a manner so powerful and poignant that it leaves the readers distraught by the end of it. Her take on founding the Acumen Fund resonates the unconventional wisdom of philanthropy, a trend made more meaningful thanks to the likes of (among many others) Muhammad Yunus and Bill Drayton. Needless to say, these individuals including Novogratz, in their own way, are now monuments of social entrepreneurship.

Don’t get me wrong here. The Blue Sweater is not only about lessons of poverty and social enterprise but indeed about utmost honesty that instigates sense of hope and optimism. Of course, there are parts in the book that are left abruptly, areas where she could have further elaborated on strategic processes that were the result of her work or given a glimpse of the individuals whom Acumen later supported. Further, certain parts in the book seemed quite cliché according to me – quotes of prominent individuals at the beginning of almost every chapter. One can get quotes from Nelson Mandela, Roosevelt, Martin Luther King, Jr., Gandhi, even the Qoran. She may be inspired by them all but they do appear out-of-place especially in some of the chapters. Yet, my favorite of them all -

“We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility for our future"
- George Bernard Shaw

Overall, The Blue Sweater is a fascinating read especially for those involved in international aid and development. It is a paradigm-shift from what we already know – social enterprise, economic sustainability, poverty – to empowering leadership, dialogue and social change.

Want to know whether the book is for you? Find out here.

Wondering if The Blue Sweater does exist? Read the book and find out more.

Spirit of Diwali - Part 2

2009-10-18T19:13:00.000-04:00

Spirit of Diwali

2009-10-18T18:25:00.000-04:00

Peace, Prosperity, Happiness - Happy Diwali!

2009-10-16T14:09:00.007-04:00

Out of hibernation, truly so, Diwali does that to you!!

This festival is a coming-together of communities, beliefs and practices - a melting pot of sorts that has no defined rules and regulations except to celebrate life, peace and success over all that is evil. It is the real flavor of India and the country transforms into a space filled with lights, laughter, victory and vibrancy. Diyas are lit, colorful designs - aka rangoli - adorn homes, decorative lights are hung around windows and doors, gifts and food galore! Crackers, are burst and while this has increasingly added to the noise and pollution, lot of communities - small and large - have chosen to ban such form of festivity. Many may argue that the true essence of Diwali has been lost amidst such aesthetic forms of celebration but honestly, no one would have a real answer to that. Some seek solace by praying, some prefer to stay indoors; others travel, many indulge in festive rituals. A mix of such cultures thus add diversity and exclusivity to this festival. My experience during this time has been no different, yet having moved to the US three Diwalis ago, that charm and anticipation has not been the same. Nonetheless, I see a common thread cutting through the two countries during such festive occasions and it is evident that Diwali is indeed a unique combination of July 4th (firecrackers), Thanksgiving (continual feast) and Christmas (gifts, celebration of life and a perfect holiday)! So, no matter what faith or belief you come from, I would say, indulge in this assortment of harmony, show humility to those less fortunate, reach out to those in need, light sparklers and cherish in the moments with hope for more to come.

Want to know the significance of Diwali? Wiki-Diwali to you!
And if that weren't enough, here is more (long) celebration the POTUS style -

Happy Diwali and (if applicable), Saal Mubarak!

Morning Tweet

2009-09-22T08:58:00.004-04:00

Having become a comic-strip addict, I wonder if these characters make us laugh or are they indeed laughing at us?

66 Degrees North - Almost!

2009-09-13T23:08:00.046-04:00

Iceland is not a country one can visit again mainly because of its astronomical prices, but our recent holiday to this country was simply the most memorable! It is not a popular destination for the brown skin and when I say that, I mean it literally - validated by the fact that A and I were almost the only two 'brownies' in this land of fire and ice. Nestled alone in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, this land provides some of the most stunning landscapes - with active geothermal springs, Glacier Mountains, waterfalls, black-sand beaches and an extremely vibrant remoteness to existence. It boasts of the world's oldest functioning parliament (established in 930), midnight sun in the summers, northern lights in the winters and most importantly, its 'Icelandic' way of life. Of course, it is a misnomer that due to its economic crisis, the country is ‘affordable’, nevertheless, our visit for a week was simply the most amazing! What better way to relive every moment of the trip than by sorting pictures and essaying on them –

Blue Lagoon

Since this is close to the airport, it made practical sense to begin our trip with this site. The Lagoon is a geo-thermal spa, man-made by accident, thanks to the water from the geo-thermal power plant in close proximity.

The water that was run off the filter from the plant was assumed to have been absorbed in the nearby grounds but it actually got collected in the surrounding lava and thus formed a Lagoon – an amazing aqua-blue color created due to the mix of algae/silica formed in the geothermal water.

The lagoon is surrounded by a misty landscape and lava fields abound.
Maintaining this backdrop, the building is a low-key standpoint close to the plant that seems like a star-trek satellite base of sorts. One of the main touristic destinations turned out to be the most under-rated! The lagoon itself is considered to have curative properties typically, this experience involved slopping into the warm 30C water and grab hand ful of silica – from around the pool area – give yourself a scrub and then let it run through under an enormously hard waterfall - a natural form of ‘swedish massage’ one can ever get!

Golden Circle

We took a day-trip around the Golden Circle – mere collection of splendid wonders and historical sites and called golden because of the region being encircled with the most vegetation in the country. Also ironic is the fact that this site is a park where continents have met and collided to form fire and solidify into ice!

Silfra - We started off by taking a ‘dry-suited’ snorkeling ‘tour’ (thanks to Tobias from Dive.is) of the Silfra – the crack between Eurasian and North American tectonic plates visible in this glacier, clear-transparent and purest form of water.

The sensation of snorkeling, at first intimidating, was the most impressive especially since the water current literally swayed us through the two ‘continents’ in 2C water. This clearly was the highlight of our trip!

Thingvellir National Park - Apart from being considered as the site ‘in-between two continents’, this is also the world’s first Parliament (930). We took in its various elements – the visible fault line where the plates meet in the form of a long ridge. We walked partly through the ridge with stunning views of the Althing.

Geysir - At first, this site let out an awful smell – the likes of ammonium peroxide in a chemistry lab. After a while, you get used to it especially when seeing Geysir Strokkur erupt every 7-8 minutes or so, a precision of super-hot water that shoots right into the air from a hole in the ground.

A stated that these are caused by hot water colliding with the cool one and thus thrusting towards the surface!

You would think this place would be quite touristic and lots of people strolling around – surely so, if existed in the vicinity of North American territories – long queues, with least proximity to the actual site and ushers flagging ‘no-entry’ zones, screaming crazily! Thankfully, this place had a café, souvenir shop and beautiful landscape, untouched by crazy-flocking brochure-driven industry.

Gulfoss (Golden Falls) - Same was true here where there were absolutely no security measures stopping us from going to the edge of the falls – and the experience was oh-so breathtaking!

There are two sets of these falls – each as magnificent (as Niagara) yet the wind and water with the stunning backdrop made it memorable.

Snaefellsnes Peninsula

We drove to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula – west of Iceland ridged by extinct volcanoes, landscape of glaciers, open beaches and sandy shoreline. It was this place that was referenced as ‘The Journey to the Center of the Earth’ by Jules Verne.

Budir - Visit to Snaefellsnes would not have been complete without a stay in Budir, 28-room hotel, set amidst a visceral surrounding with unspoilt view in all directions – lava fields, snow-capped Snaefekksnesjokull glacier and a wooden black chapel.

It is also one of the most romantic hotels with fancy food and to reiterate, a location to die for.

Glacier - The Snaefekksnesjokull Glacier offers some of the best hiking trails and while we nearly missed out on snowmobiling (the off-road driving on the glacier that was to lead us to the site became one of the scariest but wildest experience ever),

the view from the top was stunning!

Rural Iceland – About 20 minutes from Budir, is Arnarstapi, a small village of collective dozen homes with a tiny harbor – typical fishing community –

offers a quaint feel with rock formations at the seashore, caves carved in the cliffs with amazing arches and bird cliffs galore.

Another similar town is Hellnar that offers one of the prettiest restaurants on the base of the cliff, overlooking the ocean. These towns share similar impression in that, there are lego-typed homes nestled at decent proximity to each other with remote access to civilization (except for regular tourists flocking around) and yet, savvy with the Internet. Here we got to ride on the Icelandic horses – more so as a pleasure-ride through the sandy beaches and river streams.

It was strange in such a harsh land to see sheep in flocks including the black sheep of the family.

Reykjavik (Reh-Kah-Vikh)

We never got the pronunciation of this city right, until we got there. Nearly 60% of the country's population resides in its capital and a trip to Iceland does call for getting a flavor of its 'urban' lifestyle by staying in the capital. Apart from exploring the ‘wild’ side of the country, we also got a taste of the world’s northern-most capital. The city had a pretty look-and-feel with narrow streets opening up to the harbor, upcoming high-rises and buildings painted in shades of blue, yellow, red.

These streets are popular for the graffiti art that adorn walls of the small buildings.

At the center of the city and standing tall is the Hallgrimskirkja Church gifted by the US to the country honoring the 1000th anniversary of the Althing. Unfortunately, we were unable to go inside or enjoy this site due to the on-going scaffolding work. A statue of Leif Ericson (the first explorer to visit Iceland) stands in front of the Church and offers a pretty view of the city in the background.

Then there is a mock-up version of a Viking Ship that at first looks like a multi-legged insect!

Another site further away from downtown city – Perlan (The Pearl) –a glass dome structure consisting of museum, art gallery, revolving restaurant and an observatory with a stunning view of the city and far beyond.

The main shopping streets in downtown Reykjavik - Laugarvegur and Skolavoroustigur – with boutique stores, souvenir shops and cafeterias galore. We frequented one of the popular retaurants – A Naestu Grosum (meaning First Vegetarian) – that provides a plethora of vegan meals, mess-like food but amazingly delicious and fresh. And how can Indians miss out on Indian food - so visiting the northern most Indian restaurant in the world was a must – visited the Austur Indiafjelagio literally meaning The East India Company for some delicious desi khaana. One of the weirdest things we experienced is the concept of water – drinking and otherwise. Hot water from the tap smells of sulphur and egg mixed together BUT the cold water is the purest form of water one can ever get. So the first piece of advice we got as tourists was to NOT buy bottled water in Iceland.

Overall, Iceland has a wonderful blend of luxury and adventure which, thanks to DTW, we were able to experience both. The sights it offers do tend to take the breath away and the remote existence was extremely romantic.

So would we visit this country again? To see the Northern Lights, most definitely!

Power of Prayers

2009-08-21T19:42:00.004-04:00

I have always believed in the power of prayers. Somehow, in the daily chores, it is not easy to keep reminding oneself of this and every year around this time during Paryushana, the feeling is reiterated in many ways through reflection and reading.

Religion is and has been a sensitive issue for centuries the world over and especially in the current environment we live in, it is hard to find that deep sense of devotion and divinity. However, born and raised in a devout Jain family and the influence of Initiatives of Change has played a key role in fostering spiritual, if not religious, principles and ideologies. So effortlessly, I have grown-up believing in the influence of prayers and the overall concept of God – that resides in me and the fact that one’s main goal is to merge with the force that exists inside us.

While organized form of religion is not my cup of tea, as kids our parents would advice us to form a ‘habit’ of praying – "..not as means of desire or for self-fulfilling prophecies", they would explain, "but as a form of atonement". It may have started out initially as consenting to their advice without truly understanding its essence; now I call it a weapon deeply rooted and a ‘dial-up modem’ used to ‘connect’ to the force within.

Each of us have our own unique definition of prayers. Some recite verses, some meditate, some talk, others listen. On the other hand, there are people who doubt the very existence of such phenomenon. True, there is this agnostic side to all of us, in some more reinforced than in the other. But then don't we all go through that phase at some point, and hopefully, outgrow? Or do people remain in denial of such experiences? I do not have an answer to those who simply refute such faith but I do know that doubting the beliefs has never helped me in challenging situations; on the contrary, that hope and sense of deep faith has facilitated in overcoming such difficult circumstances. Furthermore, to answer the question how prayers help in such cases, I am not sure. Maybe they do, maybe they do not. It is not quite a reflex action of ‘prayers-versus-wishes’ but a form of discipline, a practice that surely bears fruits in some form.

My mentor at Initiatives of Change used to exemplify quite simply that the power of prayers is like that of gravity. We can never truly fathom how such a force like gravity acts in our lives and yet, at a micro level, it keeps us from falling.

Think about it….

Eye Test?

2009-08-14T13:05:00.004-04:00

I have my first 'ever' eye exam to go for and sure apprehensive of the same!
(First ever?? What were you doing all your life?; you NEVER felt the need to show to an eye doctor?; whats the problem now?) - ya ya that I am prepared for however, what I am not, is what I came across in today's Bizarro -

Happy Friday!

Think Outside the Bun

2009-08-10T16:00:00.007-04:00

Its been a while since I blogged and did not think that after this break, an entity like Taco Bell would indeed make me pen down my thoughts! So what got me to do so was during last night’s indulgence of TB’s classic Mexican pizza when I read its catchline - Think Outside the Bun!

What a cliché, I thought at first glance – I mean, seriously, what’s the big deal about thinking outside of the bun (For one, there would be no Mexican Pizzas to relish!)? I have heard it ever so often – think outside the box; think different; think big – so this play of words seemed just another sort of well-advertised substitute. Although an age-old creativity slogan, in hindsight, I did like this caption - a clever way to inform people to go beyond the bun and try something different. But more than that, fostering the very concept to think beyond limits no matter how commercial it may sound.

It's easy to get sucked into our daily burger lifestyle and those buns that we live for. We do things in a certain manner because ‘that’s how they are done’; or ‘someone else has been doing it and hence we ought to continue that’ or ‘I was told to do it’. Often, it also feels like we are so ‘stuck inside the box’ that there is hardly any room to ‘think outside of it’. I mean, realistically speaking, even if I wanted to think outside of what I do, it requires quite a bit of effort – mentally and otherwise. Who wants to move out of that comfort zone? On the other hand, that’s where the challenge usually lies – being constantly aware of thinking and doing things beyond the norm even if it means starting with the mundane tasks. It is not about breaking away from the traditions but to question the very assumptions on which such traditional practices lie and to see if that can be altered. Of course, this requires understanding the fundamental principle behind the box i.e. what is inside the box , whether there is a need to go beyond and so on. After all, only once did Neo understand the Matrix in its totality did he gain control over it in order to come out of it/fight it.

While this is an issue left to individual decision-making and thought-process, this short video by Joseph Pelling provides a humorous illustration, that kinda goes 'outside the box' - literally!!

Enjoy -

outside the box from joseph Pelling on Vimeo.

Twitter Effect

2009-07-02T14:20:00.008-04:00

First there were the newspapers, then came emails, google, facebook and just when you are settling into the zone of quick-reads, is the next big thing on the block – the Twitter Effect. There is no denying that this has become the most popular social media tool – the so-called high muckamucks who use it to describe their up-to-the-minute endeavors in 140 characters. Students, Professors, Politicians, Corporate honchos - they all have a (fan) following to the extent that ‘I twittered’ has become a popular jargon among many a few ‘twitterers’. Not too long ago, my organization had a brown bag lunch on twitting as a low-cost media tool – sure thing! While we may have already been late entrants into this arena, it did not take too long to figure out how the functionality gets executed minute by minute. I am not a twitterer and while I do have a presence there (curiosity after all, DID kill the cat), my dear A is the only follower in there. So what is the point of all this?

I haven’t yet gotten myself to recognize the power (is there?) that rests in there and especially after having heard this to be the next contagious disease, I feel it best to get immunized. But is it really something to care for? A friend’s recent facebook status was ‘I have 250 followers on my Twitter’ – now what does that mean to a layperson like me? Does that make him celebrity personified? Its great to see what people/places are upto but updates-on-the-go can be quite intimidating.

While on one hand I am quite excited about using this tool – I see its usefulness in the kind of work I do, or simply introducing this technology to my professional role – however, on a personal note, I am yet to determine. There are some really ‘cool’ applications in here that I recently learnt at work – something called a vision thing that provides updates on what is happening in the twit region from across the world or that an application that keeps you informed about your friends on-the-go and not-on-the-go. But somehow, I do not get it. I mean, what would happen to it next? Is it just another fad that will die down or would it evolve into a revolution of sorts? The cacophony created is enough for one to expect some great things for the future rather than knowing who is eating what and where and with whom. Would there be more beyond this mundane-ness or would it lead to the dullest blog feature?

A couple of months ago, there was an eruption of hacking and phishing among twitter accounts so if you really think you are following tweets by me, think again; and dear A, if you wonder why I am not following your tweet, think again :-))

Image from http://www.seattlepi.com/fun/bizarro.asp

The 'Do-Re-Mi' Spirit

2009-06-01T10:18:00.006-04:00

There is something about this video, released quite a while ago, that made me smile on a manic Monday like today - it has surely made my day and would be totally thrilling to be part of such a free-spirited act. If you have not already seen it, turn on your speaker volume and enjoy how people broke the norm from their daily routine and had some real fun!

Happy Monday!

Tis Grad Time

2009-05-21T17:13:00.011-04:00

This and the past couple of weeks have been all about graduation and commencement speeches. Facebook has photos of friends graduating while emails galore with the transcript of several speeches by the oh-so-popular celebrities – Jobs, Page, Bush, Oprah, Schmidt, Clinton, the First Lady and POTUS himself. It’s a moment of pride and exhilaration, a day to laugh and to revel in all the adulation the graduands receive from their families, professors, friends to the speaker of the day.

It has been quite some time since I graduated and while I can barely recall the commencement address given at my graduation, I quite enjoy reading what varied orators have to say on that day year after year. Sometimes it is the typical cheesy stuff about growth and change while some with a few funny anecdotes thrown around but most with utmost sincerity, good food for thought and a path stirrer. Baz Luherman did a good job with his sunscreen sequence, in my opinion, of providing snippets from retrospection and thanks to the musical note, is something one can easily remember. There are some inspirational statements which I can almost never remember but one gets the gist, or so I assume.

However, do these speeches do any good, I still wonder. For one, they provide the media with a tool to hammer the speakers about what they ‘said’, why they said what they said and what they support/do not support. They are also considered as fillers to the overall handing-out ceremony. My parents really enjoyed the speech given during my brother’s graduation ceremony years ago so that did some good there. Other than that, they become items to forward around, motivating quotes to quote, some for future reference et al. But otherwise, wonder if they are merely transcripts archived in the books of yesteryears.

Seriously though, there are way too many distractions in the Hall/Lawn to be focused on the prose being delivered – be it the outfit, the weather, those shoes, the lighting or the heartthrob. My colleague mentioned that a good commencement speech is one which makes a statement with “…if you could remember one thing from my speech that would be…..”

So a day considered to be a momentous occasion, with newest possible ideas out in the open still remains fragmented with tit-bits of time. Is that what it takes to be a Graduate?

Stir the World?

2009-05-13T22:32:00.004-04:00

Someone wise once told me that God has a purpose for each of us for which he has already prepared us. I know that more often than not, I have gone astray from my purpose and from the path that I set out on. At times, I feel I am living in a matrix and there would never be a way out. Or that, I simply do not want to venture out; after all this is comforting enough. Yet, there are times where my ideological inclinations are strong enough and that itself lead me to the feeling of actually being outside the matrix. So as I switch in and out of this so-called virtual reality, I do so assuming that I am not alone. Often, this issue of purpose, journey et al figure in my conversations with friends who think that the odyssey of our lives take their own course but there is always a particular 'something' that guides us, directs us and leads us on. Frank Buchman used the North Star as an interesting metaphor in describing IofC's (formerly, Moral Re-Armament) overarching objectives of being the change in the world in that, "We may never reach the North Star but it always guides our path".

In this day and age, it is easy to be carried away with what goes on in our daily routine and take comfort in what we seek around us. However, once in a while we come across instances - what we see, experience, something we reflect on, a complete 'deja vu', or just an act of being - that remind us of our paths, of where we belong, and of where we are set out to be. A video I came across recently has stirred my path, to remind me where I ought to be. I share this with you hoping that you too would be reminded of yours -

Much ado about gifts

2009-05-05T23:16:00.003-04:00

They say that it is not the gift that matters but indeed the thought that counts! Clearly, this would be an easy way out in my never-ending plight to hunt for a (decent if not perfect) gift for A. But then a serious problem arises when there is a greater mismatch between the thoughts and the gifts per se. I mean, if this were true then I could really just express what I ‘thought’ of gifting him – saving myself the trouble of the larger issue. Or simpler still, thanks to the virtual realities we live in, use the Facebook gifts option (oh gosh, that would be terrible indeed!). So I wonder if it is merely the ‘thought’ of the gift or the entire package – the thought, the intention, the actual gift.

Now do not get me wrong here. I love to gift; love the ‘thought’ of gifting and the entire process involved right from ‘shopping’ around town (or better still, creating something from sctrach), making sure it is the right match, to the funky wrapping, ensuring there is enough gag-ness to it and the works. HOWEVER, the problem lies when deciding what to get especially with the D-Day fast approaching. So as I near the deadline, the struggle currently lies in whether to gift something:

1. that is top-of-the-line product one is sure to like (boring?)
2. I 'know' he wants (quite predictable)
3. I 'think' he needs (dangerous)
4. I 'know' he needs (boring again)
5. I like and hence he may like it too (assumptions are not healthy)
Or 6. I like and hence get it so I could use it too (perfect)

While this dilemma is endless, the question really is whether the thought matters more than the gift. I would say the thought is as important as the gift. In a way, we humans live in a cycle of give-and-take and are genetically programmed to be touched by receiving gifts - irrespective of occasions - to love, cherish and enjoy.

I mean, seriously, the element of pleasure and surprises we revel in when someone showers us with gift, no matter what the occasion, is priceless as opposed to when someone told you I 'thought' of getting 'x' for you but could not do so which may be sweet but not as exciting. Also, age must have something to do with the way we perceive gifting. As a kid, the concept of gifts (both, receiving and giving) was much much much more thrilling and sort of intellectually stimulating as opposed to the brain-dead that exists as we move out of childhood (that would be my present status). Yet, somewhere deep down there do exist those 'memories' of gifts in the past where the thought indeed mattered and it is those moments that naturally trigger our innate being. So the intermix of thought, love and 'action' is what goes into a gift and that matters most to me when gift-hunting. But my search to gift A still continues...

Women Beings

2009-04-17T17:17:00.008-04:00

"Women are never stronger than when they arm themselves with their weaknesses"
- Madame Marie du Deffand

Two pieces of news (that I came across this week) exemplify this quote and proudly, I support them.

1. There is a good chance you must have already viewed this video thanks to facebook/twitter/other sources of networking/media. Susan Boyle, a Scottish from West Lothian ("a collection of ....... villages" she terms it) is taking part in Britians Got Talent 2009 and clearly, she is beyond this show. First glimpse of her and she must have already got dismissed right before she even starting displaying her talent. But that did not, for once, dither her from giving one of the finest performances ever experienced by any audience in a 'reality talent hunt'.

Here's the video, if you haven't already seen it.

2. The second piece is rather appalling and boils me (sure others too) to even fathom the extent of ridicule and authority the men of Afghanistan must have had in passing a new law that:
- forbids women to leave their homes except for emergencies (To me, even getting groceries is an emergency - how do they define it?);
- forbid women to work or receive education without their husband's permission (Insane!)
- takes away custody from the mothers' right to their children incase of divorce (and create more monsters like them?);
- disallow women to own land of house from their husbands (I'd totally support this 'the other way around' which will happen one day);
- Allow rape of wives by the husband i.e. women cannot refuse sexual relations when the husband demands unless she is sick (such husbands should be hanged, period.).

The women of Afghanistan opposed this law and continue to do so here.

I realize that a lot of the above happen in different countries, different cultures. With all due respect to each culture, I personally believe that any act that:
(a) does not take into consideration respect for an individual;
(b) takes away the right to live with equality; and most importantly
(c) treats women as if they were pawns of a chess board which you pick and move and throw as you please;
needs to be condemned for sure but more than that, punished with utmost severity.

I am not a feminist but by default those genes reside in me. It is a shame indeed, that the very ideologies our predecessors fought for - equality, justice, freedom - do not apply to women. Like I said earlier, such instances happen in different cultures too, some personally known to me. I wait for the day when I can expose these people and it would be a way of doing my bit to fight for this cause.

Susan Boyle, kudos to you for standing up to that crowd who might have initially mocked at you but you truly shut them off!

To the women of Afghanistan and also to those who do face such situations, I pray for your fight, and your cause to win over such atrocities.

To the women beings -
Citius Altius Fortius
(Swifter, Higher, Stronger)

Go Vote..

2009-04-15T23:01:00.005-04:00

Elections are considered a lifeline of a functioning Democracy and India witnesses this event (drama?) in the coming weeks. With preparations on-going, it is indeed a war of the parties with hidden agendas as always. Tomorrow marks the beginning of a long-drawn 25-day agenda culminating into a new (hopeful) government in June. So far, the fight has been between The Congress and the BJP but clearly, with the Third Front forging ahead, would be a crucial decision for the country.

Some claim this to be India's first ever digital election campaign. L K Advani has become a blogger we see! With best practices from the 2004 election campaign - remember India Shining and Feel Good Factor? - there are also various initiatives to drive the citizens for an informed, more conscientious decision-making on whom to vote - Tatas with Jaago Re, Idea Cellular with My Idea, Times of India with Lead India and many more. Then there are the likes of Agni and IVote as well. Not sure of whom to vote in your constituency? How about locating your MLA through Empowering India? And to spice things up, Congress has bought the rights of Jai Ho for its campaign visitations.

I remember election day as being the day when, for once, it would be fun to 'show the finger' around!

Voting in India has changed over the years and contrary to what people may say - their names not being part of the voter registration - no longer holds true. Pan-India drives have taken place through household surveys to ensure eligible voter is included in the data. And after all, it is also the duty of each individual to ensure his/her name exists in the voter registration. Infact, Google India, in partnership with Hindustan Times and nonprofits including the Liberty Institute, has set up the India Elections Center, to enable voters to confirm their registration status, polling booth. So no more excuses out there! Surprisingly, this time around, majority of the young have entered the political fabric of this system albeit greater apathy exists among several who simply cannot be bothered to go vote. "What difference would a vote make?" is a typical reasoning but seriously, if we do not do our bit, how can we expect any wonders to take place?

Let us not be cynical of the drama that unfolds before us during this election; if we truly want to see India Shining, let us be a part of it. So a humble request to the Indian voter out there -
Go Vote, It Counts!

Review: Six Suspects

2009-03-30T21:33:00.004-04:00

Jessica Lal, Manu Sharma, Sanjeev Nanda, Salman Khan, Barkha Dutt, petty-criminals from UP, the 'Page-three' celebrities, the Underdogs of Indian Political System - What you get when you combine these pieces together? Vikas Swarup's latest - Six Suspects - adds these together (in a fictitious sort of way) to give yet another piece leading the reader into the nooks and corner of India which we daily witness, discover and revel.

In this one too, Swarup presents a style similar to that in Q&A, in that the story looks back from a particular event and then uncovers its way to describe the present. As the title goes, Six Suspects revolves around these six (of course!) characters, distinct in every way, each of their stories compelling enough with whodunnit at the core. One thing they all have in common is Vivek aka 'Vicky' Rai - complete playboy industrialist and bollywood producer - who is killed on the eve of his birthday party at Number Six, his famous farm house at the outskirts of Delhi. And as a matter of fact, our six protagonists happen to be at that party, and some of them with the intention of killing the casanova! So while the book takes us through the journey of these unique individuals, it goes way beyond 'who killed Vicky Rai'.

So who are these six suspects?

1. An American tourist whose tales take us through the realms of being cheated by the 'Indians', the country's call centers in Mumbai to the peak of terrorism in Kashmir and above all, his 'Americanism' in between all that. About to marry his 'pen-friend', he lands into this 'inscrutable' country not knowing what likes ahead; oh and he also happens to share his name with the Google entrepreneur - Larry Page.

2. An indigenous tribal from Andaman whose travelog involves cutting through the gritty regions of the 'non-tribal' India that he is bewelidered by and somehow this character makes the reader realize the facets of India not known to its own people.

3. A corrupt bureaucrat who serves on the board of Vicky Rai's company and by a sheer accident of sorts, is amusingly transformed into the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi that leads him to Gandhigiri in splits.

4. A Bollywood starlet for whom Vicky Rai has a special inkling, an indecent proposal of sorts, that she reluctantly accepts. Maybe, there is a hidden motive there?

5. A small-thief caught in the angst of rich versus poor, love versus hatred; whose fate leads him into a situation that is beyond what he could fathom.

6. Finally the father of the deceased and also the home minister of UP - Jagannath Rai - who has very strong inclination in having his own son dead.

With a gun found from each of these suspects at the scene of the murder, the book takes us through a roller-coaster journey into the lives of these individuals (and those that link them all to Vicky Rai) from the partially-narrative eye of an investigative journalist, Arun Advani.

Having read Indian authors the likes of R.K.Narayan, Amitav Ghosh, Salman Rushdie and Shobha De, they all provide diverse outlooks on India, its people and the culture that defines them both - be it the rural authenticity of Malgudi Days or the Sunderbans described romantially by Ghosh, the mythical fantasies associated with Rushdie or the upper class turbulences by De. Infact, Swarup does none of that and when you read this book, it sems like an expose of characters taken from those we see through our rear-view mirrors. He brings to life an intermix of people, culture, race, religion all derived from one mass, and yet so distinct!

Not many may approve of his style of writing wherein the characters are not succinctly defined or the fineness in the plot but in my opinion from his two books, both the language and the outline are gripping and total page-turners. Fast-paces dialogues make it surreal and extremely entertaining but maybe not from a literary perspective. It is said that too many ingredients (or is it cooks?) spoil the broth but this one spices up some bizarre twists of fiction and weaves them together with a vast breadth of information thus making it totally worth a read.

Yeh Hain Mumbai Meri Jaan_100 Things x 1

2009-03-22T14:35:00.002-04:00

I chanced upon a list of 100 things to do in Mumbai and almost every one of them brings back memories of times spent gallivanting around the city! Each of us have our own 'things to do' in the city we love, the city that runs through our memory veins and the city that has the ability to bring out the best AND the worst in us.

I reproduce this list as is here with my comments on some of the things I have done, yet to do and my own interpretation of some that I am attached to:

1. Get high on Qawaali at Haji Ali - Not sure about the Qawaali but totally worth walking through the slippery, rocky path that lead up to the Masjid and then do the 'maatha teko'. Make sure the head is covered as a form of respect to the place. It is a norm.

2. Spot a celebrity at Juhu PVR

3. Sit down on the steps of Asiatic Society Library - and watch the world go by!

4. Crane your neck to see the Bombay Stock Exchange building - The site of watching brokers and those alike on-the-go and on-the-phone. For a photographer, it would be fun to capture images and expressions of these individuals.

5. Spot a leopard in IIT Bombay Campus. If you can't, settle for an IITian girl.

6. Enjoy a play in Prithvi Theatre - absolutely! A personal favorite!! And not to forget, some hot coffee to sip along with some brownies too. If keen on dinner, some aloo paratha with kaali dal and raita!

7. Enjoy the NCPA in a play or opera - their experimental theatre showcases some of the best talents in the city! Also, it can be followed by some good road-side Chinese food if those stalls still exist considering, they were banned at several places.

8. Find some calm around the Banganga Tank - I'd say, visit this place during the Banganga Festival. It is priceless!

10. Haggle for non-antiques in Chor Bazaar - they say, you never know what will be handed to you!

11. Face the high tide on Worli seaface - and thereafter, munch on some grilled veggie sandwiches and gulp down Energy! If its a rainy day, how about a cup of tea and some butta?

12. Bet money on race horses at the Royal Western Indian Turf Club, Mahalaxmi - More of a fashion show and since I am always low on cash, I would avoid this one. However, I would recommend some nice brunch at Gallops and watch the horses trot.

13. Dangle your feet, lean back on your palms and enjoy the sea from the Marine Drive promenade - Apply #7 and latter part of #10 here as well.

14. Go for a heritage walk in the Naval Dockyard (first Sunday of every month, Indian nationals only) - Wow, this sounds intriguing! Will try it the next time I am in the city.

15. Explore the Sanjay Gandhi National Park. A National Park in the city limits? Oh yeah! - Totally recommend this one. It seems there is less-travelled path that leads form Borivili to Powai (An IITian friend did this one!) and some of us friends did attempt on this one, after bunking a dreary lecture but 15 minutes into the stretch and we returned!! But do recommend Kanheri Caves and rock-climbing.

16. Soak in the Victoria Terminus - Delight to the eyes at night and something to soak in! Also, interesting is to hop on a 'shared' cab ride during peak times from here. You'd be surprised at the kind of people that would ride with you.

17. Watch DDLJ at Maratha Mandir - Come Fall in Love?? Totally cheezy! I am not a big fan of this movie yet, everytime it plays on TV, I tend to grab some moments from there. While Maratha Mandir has set a Guiness Record by showing this movie for the last 14 years (kidding!!), I am not sure how it'd be to watch it from there. Nevertheless, visiting MM is an fun considering the booming multiplexes that have made these ornate structures redundant.

18. Park at Hard Rock Cafe and mourn for a minute the death of mills around Parel.

19. Jog on Juhu Beach - The stretch next to the Godrej Bungalow near Holiday Inn is one of the better stretches to jog on. And not to forget, the indulgence of GOLA and all of #84 out here! Also, some kiddie moments of merry-go-rounds out here could be a good laugh.

20. Sit on a tetropod at Nariman Point in midnight till the police constables shoo you away.

21. Stand still on the flyover bridge at Dadar station and watch the crowd whiz by you - And if you are a woman, be prepared to get molested with n number of men touching you briskly. Yet, changing the trains from western to central lines at Dadar station at peak times is an experience to cherish. Kudos to people I know who did this every single day and to those who do so as I write!

22. Find out who is grittier You or Crawford Market? - The butchers' market area is extremely gory and I do think I can ever visit that part again!

23. Find the Fort Wall - now this would be interesting. I know that the Khaadi Bhandaar, Horniman Circle Gardens, Kala Ghoda are all part of this wall and mesmerizing to the core! But will have to see if I can spot the Wall beyond those vendors. On another note, a total must is to (a) enjoy the Kala Ghoda Festival (#92) and (b) watch a play/musical at the Horniman Circle Gardens. This can transform you to a magical night of light, color and grandeur.

24. Ride the Victoria on Marine Drive.

25. Discover the city's Jewish connect at Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue - added to my to-do list. I learnt more about this during the 26/11 attacks on the Jews.

Yeh Hain Mumbai Meri Jaan_ 100 Things x 2

2009-03-22T14:33:00.000-04:00

26. Watch the sunset over Aksa Beach in Madh Island - If I had to go this far, I'd choose the Renaissance in Powai overlooking the lake. Also, the sunset from Haji Ali (#1), from the upcoming sea-link, from the princess necklace they are all worth it!

27. Discover the underbelly of Mumbai in Dharavi - and make sure you do not get lost! On second thoughts, get lost and see where you land. If you are a shopoholic, venture into one of the leather shops and check out how the store owners boast about the display look-alikes of Louis Vitton, Gucci, Nine West, Prada and many more.

28. Stay for a night at Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. You definitely want to tick off this luxury address for the oh-I-stayed-there-for-a-while conversations. - More of the NRI types but worth being pampered at the Taj even if it means going to any of their restaurants or a massage at their salon. They surely know the essence of hospitality.

29. Catch the national madness of cricket in Oval Maidan.

30. Cheer a football match at Cooperage ground - and cricket at the Bombay Gymkhana especially if it is between the Xavierians and their Alumni!

31. Bury your nose in books for hours at Strand - enjoy bun-maska with tea at the corner and check out some souvenirs at the Bombay Store.

32. Stroll in Bombay University.

33. Climb the airport wall in Kurla to gain a phenomenal view of Boeings - I thought this was wired after it got destroyed during the 26/07 rains.

34. Swoon at a concert in Bandra Kurla Complex - worth visiting is the BKC gardens right ahead and enjoy the serenity there. It is a rare to spot such a place in the city unless it has already been infested by civilization.

35. Gaze at the Queen's Necklace from the Hanging Gardens at dusk - there used to be Cafe Naaz which was the bestest place to hang out. Sad they demolished it :-(

36. Hunt for antique furniture in Oshiwara.

37. Hike up the Mazgaon Hill.

38. Buy books from roadsides around Flora Fountain - one can get all kinds of banned books and some weird ones with spoofs on Men are from Mars...

39. Enjoy the private palaces of Malabar Hill - with flourishing towers, few exist. Nevertheless, the drive up and down the Hill are nice especially the latter which merges into an open stretch to get the first glance of the ocean.

40. Part on a ferry in the Arabian Sea off Gateway of India - how about ferrying up to the Elephanta Caves especially during the festival?

41. Take a break from the city. Vasai offers the ramparts of Bassein fort, ruins of Portuguese churches and East Indian food.

42. Trek in the Sahayadris - The best is Bhimashankar especially during the monsoons. Another thing during the monsoons is rafting in the Ulhaas River. Good rapids on the west coast of India!

43. Say hello to the fauna at Byculla Zoo.

44. Buy a camera from D N Road's gray market.

45. Dare the red light district of Kamathipura - this is not as bad as it sounds. Kind of overhyped and walking during broad day light, you do come face-to-face with stark reality that makes you wonder who is living in a bubble - them or you.

46. Guess what RFID system they use to tag clothes at the Dhobi Ghat - forget that. Just visiting the Ghats in unique and a photographer's delight. One needs to get there by 7am. Better still, watch as the sun sets it first rays on the Ghats as the beloved dhobis get to their act.

47. Take a power nap at David Sassoon Library.

48. Catch movies at art-deco cinemas: Regal, Eros, Metro - Sterling would top my list here.

49. Bow your head before the city's famou deities: Mumbadevi (where it all began!!), Mahalaxmi (Sunset view is awesome), Walkeshwar (beautiful architecture), Siddhivinayak (overrated but a must-do when in Mumbai), Iskcon (extremely serene..do try the coffee here)

50. Dine where Shahrukh Khans and Ness Wadias dine: Olive, Indigo. - If you do want to splurge, I would actually recommend Souk at Taj, Franjipani at Oberoi or Emperor's Court at Renaissance (The view from here is to die for).

Yeh Hain Mumbai Meri Jaan_100 Things x 3

2009-03-22T14:31:00.001-04:00

51. Feel the sufi mystism at dargahs of Haji Ali and Maqdoom Ali Mahimi.

52. Shop at the Bandra boutiques or if they are too expensive give Hill Road or Fashion Street a shot - Hill Road for sure. However, the best road-side shopping is Colaba Causeway followed by # 78.

53. Gape at famous residences: Shahrukh Khan's Mannat, Amitabh Bacchan's Jalsa - They all look the same to me and Ricky, no Shahrukh does not own an Island, he merely lives on one like other 13 million!

54. Discover the theatre scene in the city at venues other than Prithvi and NCPA: Sophia, St. Andrews, Rangsharda, Ravindra Natya Mandir.

55. Explore the Powai and Vihaar lakes - How can I ever forget the school picnics that were to these two destinations. Once considered as outskirts of the city are very much a part of sprawling township.

56. Visit the museums: Prince of Wales, Monetary, Modern Art, Mani Bhavan - these are not much to write home about and hope can be well-preserved. Mani Bhavan has something for a Gandhian and would be worth walking to the August Kranti Marg (rather what little remains of this historic site). The Prince of Wales Museum (now known as the Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vaastu Sangrahalaya) is in one of the most precious areas of the city and has a grandeur image to it. Albeit in a run-down state of preservation, least one can do is pay a nominal fee of Rs. 5 (is that even a fee??) to find some pre-historic jewels, armours and artefacts.

57. Admire the British era architecture in Fort: Churchgate station, Western Railway headquarters, High Court, General Post Office, Telegraph Office, Police Headquarters - Mumbai, considered as one of the Victorian Gothic cities of the world, has been endowed by the British with a legacy of divergent styles. Totally worth checking these sites.

58. Learn about the rock-cut architecture: Elephanta, Kanheri, Mahakali and Karla Caves.

59. Explore the churches: Gloria church Byculla, Portugese, Mt. Mary Bandra, St. Michaels Mahim, St. Thomas Flora Fountain, Wodehouse Colaba, Afghan Church Navy Nagar, Our Lady of Salvation Dadar, St. Andrews Bandra - Mt. Mary's offers the best of times during the Bandra Fair every September.

60. Check out an art exhibition: Jehangir Art Gallery Fort, Tao Art Gallery Worli, Piramal Art Gallery Nariman Point - And if you do visit Jehangir Art Gallery, it is imperative you have Aloo Paratha and Raita at Cafe Samovar.

61. Buy fish at Sassoon Docks, Cuffe Parade or Dockyard Road, Mazgaon.

62. Find the forst of Mumbai: Bombay Castle, Castella de Aguada, Madh Fort, Mahim Fort, Sion Fort, Sewri Fort, Worli Fort.

63. Buy a vintage bollywood poster in Mini market or Lamington Road - Of course! Countless argumants I used to have with my mom about my 'justification' to have these posters in my room. What was I thinking?

64. Get away to the beaches around Mumbai: Alibag, Kashid, Murud, Nagaon.

65. Travel to places overnight: Goa, Ajanta Ellora, Mahabaleshwar, Pune, Khandala, Lonavala - Each place has its own USP, some for commercial purposes too. My favorites are Panchgani and to enjoy the beach, the cleanest stretch in Ganpatiphule in those fancy MTDC tents.

66. Discover the charm of marble tabletops, bentwood chairs and Irani chai at Parsi cafes - Sometimes it can be an overdoze if you work for a Parsi conglomerate.

67. Catch behind the scenes action at a Bollywood studio - They still have the sets used in epic series like Mahabaratha and Ramyana. Also, the view atop the hills in Goregaon is simply brilliant, what with a view of the growing sky-scrappers vis-a-vis the stumbling slums.

68. Loft the ball for a six in your neighbouring 'galli' cricket but make sure you do not break any window panes - and spot how the girls outweigh the boys!

69. Silently stare at the Towers of Silence and Agiaries.

70. Shadow the dabbawalas for one full day - this sounds like fun!

71. Walk through a koliwada.

72. Ride a vintage lift in a 100-year old building - true! Also, the liftmen here are more vintage than the life itself.

73. Travel in a local train. How about the Virar fast? - Check #20.

74. Ride in a double-decker bus. Isn't Mumbai the only city where they still run them? - To ride them on the Marine Drive-Chowpatty stretch is scenic.

75. If you have made it to a penthouse in Mumbai, you might as well enjoy the view.

Yeh Hain Mumbai Meri Jaan _100 Things x 4

2009-03-22T14:23:00.003-04:00

76. Drink cutting chai, eat vada pav - Any nook-corner of the city has its own taste of these. From Colaba to Virar, this diet is the heart of the city. Also, do try out the jhunka-bhakar at VT station.

77. Gorde on late-night sandwiches in Juhu.

78. Sip some wine at an expensive seaside restaurant: Vie Lounge Juhu, Dome Marine Drive, Aurus Juhu, Salt Water Grill Chaupatty.

79. Figure out what all the fuss is about having a beer in Mondegar or Leopold - You wouldn't want to miss this one. And do not forget the jukebox!

80. Jack your car bonnet using a cold-drink bottle and eat kebabs at Bade Miyaan in Taj's back alley - I was told that only the small bottles work for this one but this is worth a visit past midnight.

81. Savour a fine authentic meal of East Indian cuisine at Anant Ashram.

82. Eat a Gujarati-Marwari thali at Friends Union Joshi club in Kalbadevi - Personal favorite is the Thakkers at Marine Lines especially during the Mango season.

83. Smoke a hookah at roof-top restaurant Koyla in the Arab quarters of Colaba.

84. Eat South Indian fare in Matunga - Ashit would top this to the list!

85. Eat pav bhaji, pani puri, bhel puri, sev puri at Girgaum Chaupatty - Taste of the city lie in these items!

86. Chew a paan outside Shoppers' Stop, Bandra W - Mucchad Pan at Peddar Road cannot be beaten. He is a pan eater's addiction, an obsession. Do not believe me? Watch this.

87. Indulge yourself with fruity flavors of Naturals ice-cream. And if its summer, try a cup of Alfonso mangoes with malai ice-cream.

88. Learn the art of ordering tea in a streetside cafe "Ek Paani Kum Dena".- And also the art of drinking from those tiny 'shot' glasses which I am yet to get it right.

89. Drink Kingfisher, Cobra or Zingaro in your neighborhood look-alike bar of nightlovers - Naaah...these are boring. How about some sugarcane juice outside the Taj? That is to die for! However, I would not vouch for your gastronomic system to support it.

90. Try green chilli ice-cream at Bachelors - before that, some masala Khichyaa papad 'pizza' look-alike for sure!

91. Swing to some live music as you enjoy your continental meal at Not Just Jazz By the Bay. Do pay attention to the witty hoarding outside as you leave the place - True to its words 'Not Just...', it is fun karaoking to some rendition with a bunch of buddies.

92. Run the Mumbai Marathon - to support a cause!

93. Enjoy the Kala Ghoda Art Festival - and soak in the merriment.

94. Cheer 'Mumbai Indians' in an IPL cricket match at Wankhede Stadium - would be unlikely if the IPL is moved out of India. However, simply cheer India for a cricket match at the Wankhede but make sure that the tickets you purchase are genuine and not sold in black. The cops there know their job well and if caught, you can land in the local police station watching the match with the remaining havaldaars. Do not believe me? Ask my brother.

95. Get drenched to the bone while biking in the monsoons - quintessence of Mumbai, the city's monsoons are simply to rejoice and soak in pleasure.

96. Sing 'Govinda Aala Re Aala' as 40 feet high human pyramids take the prized matka - of course!! And if this is part of your community, make sure you do contribute decent amount into the matki. Else, it is not fair to them.

97. Get lost in the crowds of Ganesh Chaturthi - Totally!

98. Watch thousands of pink flamingos in the mangroves at Sewri - Another delight to the D90 and Cannon powershot owners but I hear this would be extinct due to the demolition of mangroves along that live :-(

99. Eat Nihari Kebabs and sweetmeats around Masjid on the eve of Eid.

100. Run a 'free hug' campaign. This is Mumbai, Meri Jaan - Jaadoo Ki Jappi always works!

And yet as I end this list, I feel it does not do justice to a zillion things one can come up to be in this Maximum City. Feel free to add your own experience to this.

Dhoop Kinarey: A Lost Culture?

2009-03-16T15:04:00.008-04:00

Raat yun dil mein teri
khoyi hui yaad aayi;
Jaise wiraanay main,
chupke se bahaar aa jaye;
Jaise sehraaon mein
holay se chale baad-e-naseeb;
Jaise bimaar ko be-waj-ha qaraar aa jaaye!

This gazal is the essence of an epic drama that has laid the foundation of my knowledge of the people, the culture and of the land called Pakistan. Nearly 16 years ago, I was introduced to this series that led to an attraction and likeness towards Pakistan – what little is reflected from this piece of fiction.

Dhoop Kinarey – At the Edge of Sunshine – epitomizes emotions of love, parenting, friendship and above all, respect. Each episode (I remember them as compiled in four video tapes) unfolds unique and special moments that bring out distinct sense of beauty through words and expression. Coupled with the fact that it is spoken in Urdu with an intermix of English adds a specialty that draws you further into the arena of Pakistani family culture – in a surreal sort of way. I had a go at this serial recently, like the nth time, and it mesmerized me in its entirety, all over again. It also made me sad to figure out what little might exist of this fiction in the current day and age in this country.

So the plot revolves around two doctors and their relationship amidst the stereotypical responses to situations. Dr. Ahmar Ansari - an established doctor who lives his life in isolation and for whom the greatest betrayal in life was given by his foster father - and Dr. Zoya Ali Khan - a young doctor, reluctant at first but begins to love the profession gradually, and Dr. Ahmar too. It may sound like a typical love-story of sorts and coming from a bollywood-centric society, sure indeed! But this serial is an act apart. Without divulging into the story any further, what I really want to highlight is the manner in which this drama unfolds and has exactly the same effect on me no matter what phase in my life I have watched it. As a 14-year old, Dr. Ahmar was a symbol of an ideal man and it is not any different right now. The character - completely male-centric (which male isn't) - runs away from the very person he loves and does not spare a moment to malign the woman he has fallen in love with simply because he is afraid to express his love for her. It is also the result of his deep hatred for the lady who, for no fault of hers, is bestowed with his ancestral home that his foster father (her grand-father) left for her. On the other hand is Dr. Zoya's character, bold and free-spirited who stands tall during instances when what matters is one's beliefs and values:

"Main buzdil nahin hoon Anji; par maine jhuk ke kabhi koi cheez nahin maangi" (I am not a coward Anji; but I have never begged for anything). This says a lot about the character.

Despite the age-gap that exists between them, their journey towards maturity, professionalism, responsibility and love, can be viewed with a light of subtlty, honor and innocence. Then there are these other characters in the form of confidante, a friend, the father and a caretaker, that reflect those of a progressive society - a father who supports her daughter's dreams and aspirations, a friend who stands tall when it comes to providing objective and critical judgment, a caretaker who unconditionally showers love and care. And not to forget, the envious Dr. Sheena who flawlessly portrays her character with precision. Absolutely no hamming in the scenes, no glamorous/ornate sets and simplicity to the core! Basically, scenes you can relate to - like the homes you live in, surroundings and people that are believable and leave deeper impact to the language, words and expressions. Some of my favourite dialogues and scenes in the serial:

"Hum Insaan ko makammal daur par na jaan sakte hai, na samajh sakte hain”
[It is during trying times when people can neitber be known nor can they be ever understood]

"Har kaam aadmi apni pasand se to nahin karta, bahut se kaam doosron ke khatir kiye jaate hain; balki mera khayal hain ki aadmi apni behtar zindagi doosron ke khatir basar karta hain.Apne liye to chand se lamhe mil jaate hain; woh bhi itefaak se"
[You do not necessarily do things of your own liking. There are many things you do for the sake of others. Infact, I believe that large part of our lives are spent living for others. For us, just a few moments to live by and that too by coincidence]

"Hum jo kuch dekhte hain, woh zaroori nahin ke sach bhi ho; aankhon ko kabhi khuli daur pe aitbaar kiya nahin jaa sakta".
[What we see may not necessarily be the truth; Although wide open, our eyes cannot always be trusted]

"Zindagi mein bahut si baatein aisi hoti hain, jiski wajah se aadmi ke andar kadwaahat bhar jaati hain."
[Several instances in life lead people to become bitter]

"Hum bhala apni arzooun ke darwazay kaise band kar sakte hain? Ye hamaray ikhtyaar mein kab hain? Ye umeeden, ye arzooien to zindagi ke aainay hain. In mein hum apni tasveeren saja kar, khushiyon ki duniya aabaad karte hain. Phir agar mere dil ne koi arzoo ki, to kya koi jurm kya?"
[How can we close doors on our own desires? Is this even in our being? These wishes, these desires are truly the mirrors of our lives. In these, we create a picture, a life full of happiness. And then if my heart desires someone/something, is it a crime?]

"Zindagi ke jitne bhi morr hote hain na, ye andhay hote hain. Yehi tu zindagi ka husn hai."
[it is a general rule in life that all crossroads we arrive at are blind.]

Zoya: "Nafrat insaan ki achaayion, ache jazbon, sab kuch ko is tarah khatam kar deti hain, jaise jungle ki aag zara si dair main sab kuch tabah kar deti hai."
Anji: "Nahi Zoya, main nahi maanti. Dekho, maine dekha hai, Zoya. Ke zara sa andhera bohut si roshni ko chupa nahi sakta. Lekin zara si roshni sab andheray mita deti hai. Aur dekho, Zoya, nafrat bhi to andheray ki tarah hoti hai na."
[Zoya: Hatred kills every good deed, good thoughts just like the way a fire in the forest destroys everything in an instance.
Anji: No Zoya, I do not believe in this. I have seen that slightest bit of light can destroy total darkness but even a little bit of darkness cannot hide the light. Hatred is just like darkness.]

"Main unki nafrat ka maan rakhongi!"
[I shall respect his hatred]

And my favourite,

"Rona koi buri baat to nahin, acchi baat hain. Jab bohut saara paani barsata hai na to aasmaan bilkul saaf nazar aata hai aur aasmaan par saath rangon ki dhanak nikal aati hain".
[Crying is not a bad thing, infact it is good. When there is a lot rain shower, the sky appears crystal clear and in there one can view the seven-coloured rainbow]

So with such a legacy as set by Haseena Moin, once considered meaningful, memorable and flawless, what has happened now? A Culture lost amidst the realities of terrorism, power and religion? It would be sad indeed to see the death of such art in Pakistan albeit fiction.

Here or There? - The Eternal Dialogue

2009-03-13T18:49:00.006-04:00

In our on-going search for a rental condominium, Ashit and I chanced upon a particular one, wherein the existing tenant who was supposed to meet us, was not around but told us his parents would let us in. I would not bore you with the story of our condo-search, or the condo, or even the tenant but just a snapshot of our conversation, with the parents, that has been chasing within the walls of my brain since last night.

Part I

(We walk by the long alley leading to the condo, knock at the door and are greeted by an elderly couple)

Us (they are Indians): "Hello, we have come to see the condo and your son told us you would be here."
Them (Oh, desi bacche): "Yes yes, he called and told us you were coming by. Come I will show you around."

Us (looks like they are visiting his son): "So how long has your son been in this house?"
Them: "About two years. We have come from India to help him move out and possibly buy a house."
Us: "Thats nice. It is a good market to buy a place."
Them: "Yes yes, in the rent you pay, you are better-off buying one. We lived in this country for almost 25 years and yet never know when is a good time to buy. I say, you just buy if you have to."
Us: "Oh 25 years, that is long indeed and you moved back to India now?"
Them: "We lived there for a year but will be between the two countries. My son and daughter both live here; they will settle down here."

Part II

Them (they are like my kids only; let me give them some tips): "Make sure you check this place thoroughly before moving in. See to it that the land lady cleans the condo properly before you move in. The carpet was not cleaned at all and the walls have stains all over."
Us: "Thank you 'uncle', that is really good to know."
Them: "Of course, you are Indians so I thought you should know. Do not tell the land lady I said these things."
Us: "No do not worry. We appreciate you said so we know in case we decide on this condo."
Them: "Yes yes, my son and his friends moved into this apartment immediately after the previous tenants moved out. So the land lady did not do much cleaning or repair. And boys will be boys so they just do not care for such things. They do not even listen when we tell them to check things properly. There is no light in any of the rooms. You have to add lamps, etc. The compressor was malfunctioned so the gas bill was high.."
Us (wow we know more than we need to...that is great): "These things are useful for us in case we move in. Thank you for sharind this with us. By when would your son move out of the condo?"
Them: "By the end of next month. We have notified the land lady and once we finalize the house, we will be out. But these kids do not listen..that is a problem. They just do what they want to do."
Us (can hear our parents echo the same!!): "Our parents complain the same about us."

Part III

Them: "Oh so you intend to move back to India? Why? Make sure you plan well before you leave this country. India is quite expensive and when we go there, you will realize things were cheaper in the US. Hope you are planning well."
Us (We better get going, its getting late): "Yes, we have been visiting often and realize things are different. But our entire family is there and the ties make us want to move back."
Them (oh, how I miss my family!): "Yes yes, I totally understand what you must be going through. Absolutely feel how it must be for you. We did not want to live in this country for the same reason. I was in India before I came to the US. My company moved me to the Middle-East but there were legal issues with my family joining me there and I could not leave them behind in India. When my children were born, I took the offer to move to the US instead and then time just went by. Now my kids are Americans. They have hardly visited India - maybe two-three times in their entire lives. They do not even like it there."
Us (sad..looks like they do not have much company around here and hence sharing with us)

Them: "I tell you, kids do not listen. They are so independent and hardly want to be with us (by now, their eyes are a bit moist). We feel rejected.."
Us (generation gap is it?): "No 'uncle', do not make assumptions; it is not rejection but things just work differently here if you compare to India."
Them: "Yes, yes I know it is not entirely rejection...but they do not want to listen to us. I told my wife just a while ago, "Be calm, there is no point in being hyper". Just a while ago, our son was home and we told him to stay home since you were coming. Heee would just not bother and said, "you guys are around, I am off.."

Us (that bugger, knew you would have done that): "Its ok, we anyways, were here to see the condo and then would talk to the land lady directly." Them: "Yes, but he just took off. See they hardly bother. Things are different in India...when you have people over, you share a cup of tea, some snacks. Here it is sooo diferent. Even to meet your own blood, you need to call them, take an appointment! Kids here do not have strong ties with family. It is just the way that it! Few months ago, my mother passed away and I got a call from my children, "Sorry to hear that Dad" and bang, no words of expression. They have hardly met my mother 2-3 times their entire life. What do we say?"

End.

While realizing there are two sides to this, I never thought I would come face-to-face with this reality. I thought I was only supposed to read them in books, see them in movies or simply hear tales of such instances. Listening to it in first person did leave questions in both our minds when we got home.

1. If we do end up staying in the US for a long time and start a family, will we say the same things 30 years down the line?

2. Is this one of the reasons we want to go back to India? What is the guarantee we would not say the same things even if we did move?

3. Is this even such a big deal?
4. Does it matter where we are brought up or really the 'way' we are raised?
5. Hope our parents do not say the same things about us to others. Have we sub-consciously responded this way to our parents?

I can sympathize with the 'uncle' and 'aunty' and truthfully feel sad for them. And what else can one do anyways? But the way I see it, things do stand different in this day and age. Infact, being in India does not guarantee a bonded upbringing just like being outside of it does not necessarily mean privileged with opportunities. More than the place, what would matter more is the the thought-process in the kind of future I would want to raise a family, places to go to, people to meet, a journey that one is meant to be on rather than assuming it best for the unborn. Hence, I would not want to reason my decision, to stay in a particular place, based on what would be best suited for my child who is not even born in thought.

There were loads of opportunities my parents gave me (and my siblings) and we made the most of it. In that sense, we were privileged indeed! And thanks to the rapport developed between us, we share a fair amount of openness, trust, space and most of all, hugh unconditional emotional attachment. And this is the reason why being in India means more than anything else. Other things just follow suit.

Rape Game _ Are we going insane?

2009-03-10T23:12:00.006-04:00

Based on my friend’s recent facebook status, I googled to watch this piece of news that not only angered me but also gave me goosebumps to shudder:

As a fan of video games, I have thoroughly enjoyed Atari as a kid and now there is the Wii. But to imagine a game that shows filth and seeks pleasure in such sick piece of animation and simply makes it sound like a ‘video game’, in my opinion deserves to be ostracized. I feel ashamed that our race can even denigrate to such low levels of greed, lust and even dominance.

It is said that where we breed is a reflection of who we are and of our identities. I would not want to comment much on this but the fact that some evil mind that has conceptualized and designed such a horrendous device, what more can be said of such minds.

"If the girl is raped and gets pregnant, you have to convince her to have an abortion; if you cannot get her to do it, you have the option to throw her under a train."

I cannot fathom to think of the pleasure that anyone can attach to such actions albeit virtually. It took some time for me to calm down and accept such form of reality as well but really, how dare someone even seek a market for this kind of sadism? This may sound naïve to those who might have come across this piece of information and many more of such gory instances. To me, watching this news seemed as if we are a human race that truly lack any sense of morality or sense of responsibility – are we people that simply lack?

I only wonder what kind of think-tank would have partnered this act? Doesn't making such devices actually lead to such acts?

Hope my conscience is not alone in feeling the restlessness after viewing this clip.

Crisis Well Explained

2009-02-28T12:23:00.010-05:00

Kids say the darnedest things..and they hold sooo true especially when it comes from our very own Calvin!

Click here to enlarge

My (Un)necessary Evil

2009-02-25T10:08:00.006-05:00

This post is the result of a fascinating question that I overheard (ahem!), someone discussing in the metro, on my way home yesterday. Not typically the kind to eavesdrop (trust me!), this one surely got me interested!

If I had to give up on one technology, what would I choose?

I pondered on this for a while and wondered what I could do away with. So I came out with a list of techie products that sustain my daily existence and see if there was anything I could do without:

1. TV and Remote: IMPOSSIBLE!!!

2. Radio/Mp3/DVD: Life without music and movies is no life at all. So totally ruled out!

3. Refrigerator/Microwave/Toaster/Oven: If I choose to live in the kitchen my entire life then I'd be fine without these....oh but what about my crispy toast??

4. Washing Machine/Dryer: Well, now not having these could possibly cure the disease of 'shrinking clothes' but then again, I do not have a good Laundromat out here....wait a minute, before you get there, realize that just the thought of 'me-washing-and-drying-clothes' without these two can be extremely threatening so yes, I need them because no Ramdas would come here do it for me!

5. Garbage Disposal: I learnt about this only when I came to the US and realized, in layman's terms, its significance in sanitation, hygiene and overall waste management treatment. Infact, there was a time I wondered if the BMC would be able to set this up in my Ghatkopar, so I would keep this right there!

6. Dishwasher: Now, this has multi-purpose functionality - to wash dishes (sure!), to drain out the washed dishes, to hide uncleaned dishes from the sink, to uhhhhh.....of course, ease my job when I just cannot be bothered to DO the dishes. So am glad, I have this facility!

7. Computers/Internet: No mails? No Bheja Fry?? No google??? No Mac???? ~~No music piracy?????~~ No way!!

8. Phone: Having the IPhone has made my life less complicated (ok that is a bit dramatic and not entirely true but really, not having a phone is out of question here!)

OH WAIT A MINUTE!!!!!! I know what I can DO AWAY WITH!!

It is the entire ordeal (that I go through) in leaving voice messages on the cell phones of people I want to talk to but cannot.

Why have voicemail? What is its purpose? Apart from the fact that you LET a person KNOW that you called (which probably is evident because of the missed number that flashes on the phone), what could be the objective of a voice message? Since I am part of this so-called Matrix (I am actually outside it but pretending to be in it!), I too have a voicemail set up on my phone IN CASE someone cannot get through to me and hence leaves a message. The point is not in leaving or retrieving messages but the long-drawn (mental) process that I get annoyed with. For instance, when I call someone and instead get that person's voicemail, it may typically go as:

"Hi this is ______, please leave me a message".

Now in a fraction of that second, my brain has to derive a plan as to:
(a) first remind myself why I called this person?
(b) what do I want the person to know?
(c) what message should I leave?
(d) when should the person call me back in case I am busy thereafter (am I busy then)?
(e) should I even leave any message?
And this only gets worse if the person is someone I am trying to impress upon. Wish I had a transcription on this!

I am sure I can spare myself of this 'intellectual' agony and simply hang up and (a) wait for the person to revert based on my 'missed phone number' or (b) try again if it is that urgent.

While on the other hand, the typical messages that I usually get range around:

My Husband: "Hi, its me, call me". That's quite sweet but considering we talk sweet-nothings almost all the time, this one I can do without (took his permission indeed when I wrote this one!).

My Friend: "Hi, what's happening, call me". We cross each other almost all the time so really, lets talk TO EACH OTHER rather than our voice mails.

My Mom: "Hi beta, called for no reason so call when you can". A shame indeed on me that I miss my Mom's phone. Sorry Ma, call you in a jiffy!

At times, my nieces and nephew have left random messages or simply sung songs but see, those are different. They are meant to be treasured recordings and can stay put!

So what I am referring to here is the justification of voice messages as opposed to, lets say, emails, emergency texting or simply bombarding the phone with unlimited call-cuts. If these do not work, then it only means not worth getting in touch.

Often, I tend to simply call the person who left a message without actually listening to the message. My bad sure but it is so much more easier to just call rather than listen to the message and then determine when to call, whether to call or not! And since I am, all the time, struggling to ensure my minutes are intact till the due date, I'd rather reserve them for my calls than listen to messages! Actually, having an IPhone is, in this respect, an advantage because its visual voicemail feature lets me unclutter the messages based on names/numbers but requires me to clear/listen to them at some point. Further, whom does this service benefit in true sense - the call who did not get through or the receiver who is yet to listen to the message? Or really the network operators who offer this service and then mint some minutes off 'both' the users? I have heard that there are service providers who offer voice message conversions into text but with this post I doubt ATnT would even both offering this to me.

Anyways, this is a technology which is my 'unnecessary' evil that I can do away with. What would be yours?

Jai Ho

2009-02-23T00:23:00.003-05:00

It was written....indeed!

"All my life I had the choice between hate and love. I choose love and here I am"
- A R Rahman

I@50 - The Lost Generation?

2009-02-19T13:32:00.004-05:00

Take a moment to watch this video - no graphics, no animation - simple text with a simple message:

This video was created by Jonathan Reed as part of a 'U@50' Contest organized by the American Association of Retired Persons. With the ever-increasing debate on generational transformations, especially at a tipping point in history (do I feel it is indeed such a time because I still am part of the make-or-break generation?), I wonder:

a. Is this yet another brilliantly portrayed campaign ad and nothing beyond?

b. What direction am I truly headed - the first way or the reverse?

c. Will I actually succeed in the reverse?

d. Or will 'I@50' be the Lost Generation?

Text as follows:

I am part of a lost generation,
and I refuse to believe that
I can change the world
I realize this may be a shock but
"Happiness comes from within."
is a lie and
"Money will make me happy"
So in 30 years, I will tell my children
they are not the most important thing in my life;
My employer will know that
I have my priorities straight because
work
is more important than
family
I tell you this
Once upon a time;
Families stayed together
but this will not be true in my era.
This is a quick fix society
Experts tell me
30 years from now, I will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of my divorce;
I do not concede that
I will live in a country of my own making.
In the future
Environmental destruction will be a norm;
No longer can it be said that
My peers and I care about this Earth;
It will be evident that
My generation is apathetic and lethargic.
It is foolish to presume that
There is hope.

And all of this will come true unless we choose to reverse it.

- The Lost Generation, Jonathan Reed

Glory of Love?

2009-02-11T22:20:00.008-05:00

My colleague asked me today about Ashit and my plans for Valentine’s day so while I had not really thought about the plans and considering it being the long weekend, all the more reason for us to have decided on some rendez-vous. But then, my colleague and I got into talking about how things seem different now that we are no longer in School and that we have passed the ‘age’ to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Having said that, it made me wonder whether I had really overcome that phase. On the contrary, I think that gnawing sense of expression still exists and frankly I do look forward to it. Not in a manner that can boost our existing economy or by having to shower/being showered by, my husband with flowers but in a way that it becomes a day filled with fun and laughter – aside from the routine existence of being. While it is true that we do not really need such a day to make us realize and value relationships (would not even want to dwell into the history of this day as theories galore on this one), on the other hand, it infact reinforces those pangs of love, happiness and color on moments and times not only shared with our husbands/wives but also siblings, friends, parents. I remember my sister and I would give each other Valentine’s Day cards or wish each other over phone…sounds cheesy? Actually it was cute. On the contrary, when we would do the same to our brother, that poor bugger would have his own sweet way of rubbing off such sentimental gestures aside (not anymore, thanks to his wifey!). At the same time, I do remember those days of endless crushes and the likelihood of receiving 'surprises' from 'annonymous' admirers!

Fast forward to current times and I realize that Valentine’s Day is great if you are newly in love/puppy love or then the most popular kid in School. For the rest of us, we are by now programmed to plan this day with our beloved ones, go out, dance to the concept of gifting, and basically do something that might not be done on any other day for that matter. Now that is something that, in hindsight, I hope to have already overcome – programmed! Sounds like a matrix indeed! Surf the internet and there are countless pop-ups on ‘How to Celebrate Valentine’s Day’, ‘How to top the previous year’s Valentine’s Day’, ‘What is IN and What is NOT this Valentine’s Day’, ‘Top 10 Valentine’s Day Gifts of the Year’ and the list is limitless! Restaurants provide a special Valentine menu on this day so the chances of a-la-carte are minimal unless it is the never-disappointing chipotle. Flowers are triply priced! There are even ‘Valentine Resolutions’ somewhere out there! I would not want to revolt the way this day has been marketed and considered a money-minting gimmick. Infact, that holds true for so many other days - Friendship Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, even Doctor's Day and there is also something called Best Friends' Day - no that's different from Friendship's Day. So why blame poor Hallmark that went back in time to dig out who St. Valentines was? Infact, considering the recent times, I found the 'macroeconomic' analysis of this day by NY Times extremely intriguing!

To me, this day is simply a few seconds of making near and dear ones feel special - if not all days atleast one? - and indulging in the fact that despite it all, Love truly exists in us and around us! This is my theory...what would be yours?

Lakadi Ki Kaathi - Childhood Anthem!

2009-01-27T17:03:00.004-05:00

The part 'Tak Bak Tak Bak Tak Bak Tak Bak' was a revolutionary verse to me as a child and getting it right was the toughest part, being a six year old! The song 'Lakadi ki Kaathi' is a tune I grew up with, close to my heart, and still tend to hop to the tune of '...dauda dauda dauda....dum utha ke dauda'.

In my memory, this song had become an anthem of sorts that we as children ought to know and now my nieces and nephew jingle to this tune.

I had a hearty laugh when I read the below comic strip by Fly, You Fools along with a rush of nostalgic memories for this song. Hope you enjoy this as much as I did in adding yet another long-lost memory to my blog:

Fly You Fools - Indian Comics about Life.

Perfect 10!

2009-01-22T13:05:00.005-05:00

Best Director - Danny Boyle
Achievement in Cinematography - Anthony Dod
Best Motion Picture - Christian Colson
Best Sound Editing - Tom Sayers
Sound Mixing - Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke, Resul Pookutty
Best Screenplay - Simon Beaufoy
Film Editing - Chris Dickens

And finally, three nominations for A R RAHMAN for:
Original Music Score
Original Song: Jai Ho and O Saya (two nominations)

Slumdog Millionaire deserves the above nominations - Cheers to that!

And while this may not be Rahman's best (we all agree), he puts it well:

"There is a wealth of music and rhythm in India. People outside have noticed it a bit late. But they have noticed it"

Kudos to you Mr. Rahman!

Contrary to the recent uproar in India over banning Slumdog Millionaire/Slumdog Crorepati as the Hindi version (ban where? globally?? Try hard), the movie is infact not just about the slums of Mumbai or poverty-stricken India but rather echoes the grandeour and power of story-telling that makes issues of poverty, child abuse and gang wars a happy and heart-rendering experience. Visual richness, splendor in the simplicity of settings and the earnestness in the music score make the movie real than ever. So those trying to make this movie an issue to fight, kindly take a break, a back-seat and go enjoy this flick for its pure innocence.

Inauguration Day - Simply Worth Remembering!

2009-01-21T19:24:00.020-05:00

I am not sure if yesterday was a culmination of a long-drawn campaign or indeed a beginning of something we are all eagerly looking forward to. Whatever it may, it was a day indeed!

Bone tired coupled with a severe jet-lag, the effort to be at the Mall was worth each ache and every chill that the body faced. To me, this day epitomized the unshaken spirit of common men and women (and children) who were braving the cold at the National Mall to witness an event filled with hope, renewal, belief and responsibility.

Waiting through the rush metros to get into the trains, the wait in-between metros, the walk to the Mall and over four more hours before the ceremony began - all to just hear one man talk to a sea of people!

One could see him in all - watches, hats, flags, pins, books, blankets and many more - truly amazing to see how much of a role model Barack Obama (or should I say, Mr. POTUS) has become to the world.

While I could barely see the ceremony, thanks to large screens around the Hill, the site was indescribable. With the start of the ceremony around 11.00 am, several dignitaries began to enter the steps of the Hill - Senators, Cabinet Members, Hollywood stars, former-future second and first members poured in too with roars of applaud for the first lady, future Secretary of State and Vice-President elect although many booed to the now-former President. All around, people were sharing blankets, warmers, greeting each other with humility and there was an overall feeling of excitement and pure joy - in Hindi I would use the phrase "Total Dhamaal".

Snipers were at their best, atop the Natural History Museum.

The day itself felt great. While the chill factor increased by the hour and there were times when several among the crowd wanted to get done with, there was a sudden uproar when Barack Obama made his presence at the Hill. Chants of "Yes We Can" and "GOBAMA" were heard in abounds at the time of swearing-in.

And then came his speech when a sudden surge of silence ran through the crowd. His words - "...stand here today humbled" - must have resonated among us all. His speech overall offered encouragement and a sense of optimism combined with immense responsibility, setting a precedent not only in the US but also globally.

While the task of returning home post the ceremony was daunting and thanks to Holiday Inn, 100s of us were kept warm, January 20, 2009 was not simply a day but an experience I do not want to forget.

To Ponder....and Happy Holidays!

2008-12-25T02:53:00.003-05:00

With the on-going discussions about Mumbai attacks, I had a rather interesting conversation with a colleague who wanted to know more about India and why I wanted to go back. While the latter was pretty easy, what took me aback was the fact that I was not able to succinctly describe what my own country is all about. For a moment there, I was embarrassed (and quite ashamed) of not being able to talk with eloquence of the nation I am so attached to, whose roots have been nurtured for long and the one I deeply care for. Of course, we did babble about stuff like Unity in Diversity, Vedas, Religion, Culture, Family and Cricket. And then there was Gandhi too. But really, those were not my first flashes of India during the chat. I frankly do not know why I was unable to articulate what India is really all about but then again, the concept of India itself is nebulous enough that cannot be justified in one obvious answer. One may call that an excuse for me to not describe this entity, but how else could I lucidly substantiate a country with one-billion people of varying regions, practices, languages and even modes of communication among varied others? So this reminded me of a long list of contributions that India have, till date, made towards global development since ancient times.

We all have our own interpretations and definitions that permeate the other. One of my favourites though is the way Rabindranath Tagore describes India in 'Mind Without Fear' from Gitanjali:

Where the Mind is without Fear and the Head is Held High;
Where Knowledge is Free;
Where the World has not been Broken up into Fragments by Narrow Domestic Walls;
Where Words come out from the Depth of Truth;
Where tireless striving Stretches its arms towards perfection;
Where the mind is led forward by Thee into ever-widening thought and action -
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake!

If you have any of your own, do share the same. As I get set to revisit my roots, and seek more answers to the same, I wish you all Happy Holidays - one with peace, love and hope.

Here's to the year that has gone by....
and to the one we would all wake up to!

Bilqis - Our Unsung Heroes?

2008-12-10T00:13:00.008-05:00

I used to hum to the tune of Rabbi Shergill’s latest song Bilqis everytime it would play on my Itunes. Like most of his previous songs (remember Bulla?), it takes a keen ear to comprehend the lyrics and when I would hear Bilqis, the only lines I could understand clearly are:

Jinhe Naaz Hai Hind Par, Who Kahan The (Where were those who are proud of India?)

Just a while ago, I heard this song, yet again and somehow, got totally haunted by it. That’s because I only realized it now that this is not a song per se but an account of sorts, to pay tribute to four heroes of our country! Isn’t it a remarkable concept to narrate injustice in a way that it actually hits us? And while Rabbi is popular with his Sufi songs, this one goes to a different a level altogether. In a melodious yet inspiring note, Rabbi sings out emotions of four of our unsung heroes in the quest for what they truly believed in (and died for).

Mera Naam Bilqis Yakub Rasul (My name is Bilqis Yakub Rasul)
Mujhse Hui Bas Ek Hi Bhul (Only one mistake did I make)
Ki Jab Dhundte The Vo Ram Ko (that when they were looking for Rama)
To Main Kharhi Thi Raah Mein (I was right there)
Pehle Ek Ne Puchha Na Mujhe Kuch Pata Tha (First, one asked me but I knew nothing)
Duje Ko Bhi Mera Yehi Javab Tha (my answer was the same to another)
Itno Ne Puchha Ki Mera Abb Saval Hai Ki (So many asked me and now I ask)
Jinhe Naaz Hai Hind Par Vo Kahan The Jinhe Naaz Hai Vo Kaha

Muslim woman from Gujarat, five-months pregnant and mother to a three-year-old son, Bilqis Yakoob Rasool is one of the victims (and how!) of the Godhra massacre of February 2002. Fourteen members of her family were killed during this attack. Bilqis reported it all to police, but the case was closed in January 2003. The police said that those responsible could not be found. In spite of the risks in taking the unusual step of speaking out, Bilqis continued to pursue justice for herself and her family. The case was closed due to lack of strong evidence but has reopened for further investigation and is still ongoing.

Mera Naam Shriman Satyendra Dubey (My name Mr. Satyendra Dubey)
Jo Kehna Thha Vo Keh Chukey (I have already said what I wanted to)
Ab Parhey Hain Rah Mein (Now I lie on the road)
Dil Mein Liye Ik Goli (with a bullet in my heart)
Bas Itna Kasur Ki Hamne Likha Thha (My only fault was that I wrote)
Vo Sach Jo Har Kisi Ki Zuban Thha (the truth which was known to everyone)
Par Sach Yahan Ho Jatey Hain Zahriley (But the truth here is poisonous)
Jinhe Naaz Hai Hind Par Vo Kahan The Jinhe Naaz Hai Vo Kahan Hain

Satyendra Kumar Dubey was assassinated in November 2003 in Bihar due to his fight against corruption in the Golden Quadrilateral Highway Construction. A Foundation has been created in his name to fight corruption in India.

Mujhe Kehte Hain Anna Manjunath (I am Manjunath, brother)
Maine Dekhi Bhatakti Ek Laash (I saw a corpse)
Zamir Ki Beech Sarhak Lakhimpur Kherhi (in the middle of a road in Lakhimpur Kherhi)
Adarsh Phasan Jahan Naaron Mein (where ideals are attached to campaigns)
Aur Chor Bhare Darbaaron Mein (and courts are filled with thieves)
Vahan Maut Akhlaq Ki Hai Ik Khabar Baasi (there is stale news in death)
Jinhe Naaz Hai Hind Par Vo Kahan Hain Jinhe Naaz Hai Vo Kahan Hain

Manjunath, an employee at the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) was murdered for closing down two petrol stations in Lakhimpur Kheri for selling contaminated fuel. This issue stirred an uprising among students at various Institutes including IIM and IIT and has led to setting up of the Manjunath Shanmugam Trust to fight this case as well as focus on governance in the public sector in India.

Maza Nau Aahe Navleen Kumar (My name is Navleen Kumar)
Unnees June Unnees Bar (June 19th, 19 times)
Unnees Unnees Unnees Unnees Unnees Baar Unnees Unnees Unnees Unnees Unnees Unnees Unnees Unnees Unnees Unnees Unnees Unnees Unnees Baar (19 times chanted ‘19’ times)
Looto Dehaat Kholo Bazaar (steal open markets)
Nallasopara Aur Virar (Nalasopara and Virar)
Chheeno Zameen Hamse Hamein (take away our land from us)
Bhejo Pataal (send us to hell)
Jinhe Naaz Hai Hind Par Vo Kahan Hain Jinhe Naaz Hai Vo Kahan Hain

Navleen Kumar was stabbed 19 times to death on June 19, 2002 as a response to her activist work for the land rights of tribals in Nalasopara, suburb in the outskirts of Mumbai. Her fight was mainly against various builders who had seized land of the tribals through fraud and terror.

Now, as I write this blog, it raises a question in my mind, “Am I proud of my country?” The answer to that is evident in who I am today, and what my country is , defines me in more ways than one. I hope you like this video - note, especially the strumming of the National Anthem in between the verses:

Life Persists...a Tribute

2008-12-05T09:47:00.003-05:00

Words fail me as I see this video - with sadness, tears fill my eyes but with hope, love abounds.

A Tribute to Mumbai
Karsh Kale
for November 26, 2008

In the midst of death,
Life persists;
In the midst of untruth,
Truth persists;
In the midst of darkness,
Light persists.
Hence I gather that
God is Life, Truth, Light.
He is Love
He is Supreme Good.

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
October 20, 1931

I Vote Nobody?

2008-12-02T14:48:00.008-05:00

There is an email doing the rounds recently, in light of elections in India (and also the current attacks in Mumbai):

Did you know that there is a system in our Constitution, as per the 1969 act, in section '49-O' that a person can go to the polling booth, confirm his identity, get his finger marked and convey to the presiding election officer that he does not want to vote anyone! Yes, such a feature is available, but obviously, these seemingly notorious leaders have never disclosed it.
This is called 49-O.
Why should you go and say, 'I VOTE NOBODY' because, in a ward, if a candidate wins, say by 123 votes, and that particular ward has received 49-O votes more than 123, then that polling will be cancelled and will have to be re-polled. Not only that, but the candidature of the contestants will be removed and they cannot contest the re-polling, since people had already expressed their decision on them. This would bring fear into parties and hence look for genuine candidates for their parties for election. This would change the way of our whole political system. It is seemingly surprising why the election commission has not revealed such a feature to the public. Please spread this news to as many as you know.Seems to be a wonderful weapon against corrupt parties in

India

. Show your power, expressing your desire not to vote for anybody, is even more powerful than voting. So don’t miss your chance. So either vote, or vote not to vote (49-O) and pass this info on.
Use your voting rights for a better INDIA.

My fellow Indians, this is a total hoax created by some dimwits out there. There is no such Section in the Indian Constitution or even a 1969 Act. Here is the factual information on 49-O from The Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961:

"49-O Elector deciding not to vote: If an elector, after his electoral roll number has been duly entered in the register of voters in Form-17A and has put his signature or thumb impression thereon as required under sub-rule (1) of rule 49L, decided not to record his vote, a remark to this effect shall be made against the said entry in Form 17A by the presiding officer and the signature or thumb impression of the elector shall be obtained against such remark."

So as it states above, the rule is mainly an administrative guideline created by the Electoral office especially with reference to voters who simply decide not to vote. Hence, in such situations, the office may want to keep a record of voters’ negative votes used to tally the total voting ballots gathered. It just does not take into account a vote in favor/against that particular candidate. So it has no bearing on the overall results of the elections! And in no manner can it really cancel ‘polling’ if the candidate’s majority is less than the 49-O votes.

In fact, in the proposed electoral reforms by the Election Commission of India, which was forwarded to the Prime Minister of India in 2004, the following was suggested:

The Commission has received proposals from a very large number of individuals and organizations that there should be a provision enabling a voter to reject all the candidates in the constituency if he does not find them suitable. In the voting using the conventional ballot paper and ballot boxes, an elector can drop the ballot paper without marking his vote against any of the candidates, if he chooses so. However, in the voting using the Electronic Voting Machines, such a facility is not available to the voter. Although, Rule 49-O of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961 provides that an elector may refuse to vote after he has been identified and necessary entries made in the Register of Electors and the marked copy of the electoral roll, the secrecy of voting is not protected here in as much as the polling officials and the polling agents in the polling station get to know about the decision of such a voter. The Commission recommends that the law should be amended to specifically provide for negative / neutral voting. For this purpose, Rules 22 and 49B of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961 may be suitably amended adding a proviso that in the ballot paper and the particulars on the ballot unit, in the column relating to names of candidates, after the entry relating to the last candidate, there shall be a column to enable a voter to reject all the candidates, if he chooses so. Such a proposal was earlier made by the Commission in 2001 (vide letter dated 10.12.2001). (A petition by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties seeking such a provision filed at the time of the recent general elections is pending before the Hon’ble Supreme Court)

[Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/49-o which may not be the most official source, nevertheless a reference of sorts for those wanting to do further reading and enlighten those spreading false statements]

Democracy does not merely mean freedom of speech and expression but really the responsibility to adhere to those very words. Election is the life-line of a democratic nation so let that be a responsibility we carry and not merely shun it with the hope of better India.

In light of the voting issues, we as the voters of our country need to be enlightened, alert and conscientious in ensuring that the right candidate is infact elected. So in order to pursue this, it becomes critical in ensuring that we the voters are educated and informed of these candidates and not merely finding such useless statements and basing decisions on them. It is time we come out of such blame-game situations and indeed take concrete actions and responsibilities. Instead of criticizing and condemning, we the voters actually ought to cast the vote and choose a candidate most appropriate to lead our country. I thought this is realistically not possible till I witnessed the way in which America elected Barack Obama as the President after twice choosing Bush. If that is possible and when the entire country can chant to YES WE CAN, can we the Indians not follow suit? Can we not spare some moments of our lives in ensuring that we the voters take extra steps in the state of our nation that invariably affects all of us?

Should We Sleep?

2008-12-01T00:44:00.005-05:00

My family friend's 17-year old daughter pens down an ode and raises a question that requires a justified answer. Are we prepared to give an answer to the coming generation who looks up to us for direction, advise and leadership or are we also termed as the 'spineless' creatures just like our predecessors?

Can You Sleep?

You hear gunshots in places you had dinner last week,

From a window, you see blood leak.

You hear live gunshots, explosions and screams.

Outside your window, you see commandos and army trucks pass by.

You feel like its a movie,

but what you are seeing is reality.

Can You Sleep?

You see 'fresh blood stains' on TV,

And you are thinking, "It could have been me"

You see babies being rescued,

You see eye-witnesses breaking down,

and then you see politicians do nothing but frown.

Can You Sleep?

While you are listening to the sound of an innocent cry,

"many more will die",

are the healing words of a terrorist.

I ask you,

Can You Sleep?

While you hear of the coming hurricane in the next year or two,

you hear a new born baby coo,

and you are wondering why he was ever born,

will he ever see the brightest morn?

Can You Sleep?

While people are killed, with joy, some hearts are filled.

The Earth cracks,

The Earth is famished,

The Earth is parched,

Bombs explode, animosity grows,

The blame flies around,

Bodies fall to the ground,

Can You Sleep?

In the midst of this reality, you see politicians asking for votes,

trying to win you with their flowery quotes.

I do not ask you if you can sleep,

I now ask you:

SHOULD YOU SLEEP?

Niharika Vazirani, 17

Mumbai