Interesting read (from Vijay Simhas 10 Things, Tehelka)
INDIA IS NOT THINKING OF
1.PLAN B
It’s what every government puts in place, even in Hollywood thrillers. When will we?.
2.LIFE AS A SUPERPOWER
What will our Islam policy be? What do we do about the UN? Will we have world-class products?.
3.2050
What should our population be? How many states will we have? How do we travel? The works.
4.FOOD
We are dangerously addicted to potato and edible oil. Our food joints sell junk. It shows in the way we look.
5.CHINA
Barring icy civility, we don’t have a clue. There are incursions in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh. We watch.
6.DRUGS AND BOOZE
Our biggest blind spot. The number of addicts and alcoholics is rising in every state. We wait.
7.POOR LIFE ETHIC
We are not good with ambition and efficiency. We are poor executors. We are not the stuff of dreams.
8.CLIMATE
It’s hot in Srinagar. It’s parched in Bihar’s Gangetic belt. It’s pouring in Delhi in August. What gives?
9.HYGIENE
Gandhi was right. We are masters at spitting and urinating. We don’t wash enough. We fall sick too often.
10.BEASTLINESS IN PEOPLE
Can’t smile. Can’t greet. Can’t give way on the roads. Can abuse. Can beat. Can kill.
10 THINGS SHE IS OVERDOING
1. Fear of Maoism
2. Sense of well-being
3. Importance of CWG 2010
4. Pre-eminence of family
5. Role of Bollywood, they don’t deserve Padma awards
6. Sanctity of courts, they should be accountable too
7. Politics
8. The media, mostly mediocre
9. Religion
10. The Pakistan bogey
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Friday, August 6, 2010
JK-A -2
children and boys with stones or maybe nothing, against a trained army with sophisticated artillery. Does it not say something? Everything obviously is not right.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Jannat Abused.. (JK-A)
Everyday when I open the newspaper, I am saddened.
When I spot reports about the valley, I fearfully try and quickly read if the attacked places are the places where my friends live, is it about anyone I know, or is it about someone who’s their relative.
If I being a non-kashmiri feel this terror, I can well imagine whats going on within the state.
Historically, the basis of J&K to be a part of India was fraudulent. The fact that it continues this way inspite of India calling itself a ‘Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic’ assuring its citizens of justice, equality and liberty, is nothing but shameful.
After years of neglect, oppression, false promises, injustice and betrayal, Kashmir has once again re-ignited the anger in their hearts and are out on the streets to protest against the step-motherly treatment and to fight for their rights.
Sadly, they again seem to forget what they face is a ruthless enemy which has absolute power and the best of ammunitions, as against them who are just some random disorganized groups of disillusioned, troubled and unarmed people (primarily youngsters).
Why would a healthy 17 yr boy would take to the streets and pelt stones if there is no reason for him to do so? If you think the government of India is not responsible for this trouble, you are basically saying the people of the valley are mad. Life in the valley is not normal. Visit it to see and read well to know.
I think what Kashmir needs now is an educated and rational leader who connects with the people of Kashmir and lead this fight for rights and justice. No great fights were won without a great leader. What Nelson Mandela did for Africa, what Gandhi did for India (barring a few reasons why I not totally appreciate everything about him), what Hon-Chi-Minh did for Vietnam and like many other leaders, Kashmir is today in need of the torch bearer who would show the right and well thought way.
If this does not happen soon and the civilians continue their non-focused, unplanned and poor protests, sooner or later either they will be suppressed, or cause even further destruction and damage and death.
As I write this, I recall what the Late Mr. Vijay Tendulkar had once said, ‘Ever time atrocities happen, riots happen, the powerful leftist unions are non-existent. Once the riots stop, they come out in the streets with peace marches’. Sad but true. I wonder what I can do, perhaps I can just write something which hardly anyone will read. But there are so many people in powerful positions, why are they not getting together and raising their voice. Atleast someone will flinch after knowing the reality and who knows, maybe a leader will be born!
As I end, I would like to quote a bit from Sahir Ludhianvi’s ‘Khoon phir khoon hai’:
"zulm phir zulm hai, barhta hai to mit jaataa hai
Khoon phir Khoon hai, Tapkega to jam jaayega
...
...
zulm ki baat hi kya, zulm ki auqaat hi kya
zulm bas zulm hai, aaghaaz se anjaam talak
Khoon phir Khoon hai, so shakl badal sakta hai
aisi shakleiN ke mitaaoo to mitaaye na bane
aise shole k bujhaao to bujhaaye na bane
aise naare k dabaao to dabaaye na bane"
When I spot reports about the valley, I fearfully try and quickly read if the attacked places are the places where my friends live, is it about anyone I know, or is it about someone who’s their relative.
If I being a non-kashmiri feel this terror, I can well imagine whats going on within the state.
Historically, the basis of J&K to be a part of India was fraudulent. The fact that it continues this way inspite of India calling itself a ‘Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic’ assuring its citizens of justice, equality and liberty, is nothing but shameful.
After years of neglect, oppression, false promises, injustice and betrayal, Kashmir has once again re-ignited the anger in their hearts and are out on the streets to protest against the step-motherly treatment and to fight for their rights.
Sadly, they again seem to forget what they face is a ruthless enemy which has absolute power and the best of ammunitions, as against them who are just some random disorganized groups of disillusioned, troubled and unarmed people (primarily youngsters).
Why would a healthy 17 yr boy would take to the streets and pelt stones if there is no reason for him to do so? If you think the government of India is not responsible for this trouble, you are basically saying the people of the valley are mad. Life in the valley is not normal. Visit it to see and read well to know.
I think what Kashmir needs now is an educated and rational leader who connects with the people of Kashmir and lead this fight for rights and justice. No great fights were won without a great leader. What Nelson Mandela did for Africa, what Gandhi did for India (barring a few reasons why I not totally appreciate everything about him), what Hon-Chi-Minh did for Vietnam and like many other leaders, Kashmir is today in need of the torch bearer who would show the right and well thought way.
If this does not happen soon and the civilians continue their non-focused, unplanned and poor protests, sooner or later either they will be suppressed, or cause even further destruction and damage and death.
As I write this, I recall what the Late Mr. Vijay Tendulkar had once said, ‘Ever time atrocities happen, riots happen, the powerful leftist unions are non-existent. Once the riots stop, they come out in the streets with peace marches’. Sad but true. I wonder what I can do, perhaps I can just write something which hardly anyone will read. But there are so many people in powerful positions, why are they not getting together and raising their voice. Atleast someone will flinch after knowing the reality and who knows, maybe a leader will be born!
As I end, I would like to quote a bit from Sahir Ludhianvi’s ‘Khoon phir khoon hai’:
"zulm phir zulm hai, barhta hai to mit jaataa hai
Khoon phir Khoon hai, Tapkega to jam jaayega
...
...
zulm ki baat hi kya, zulm ki auqaat hi kya
zulm bas zulm hai, aaghaaz se anjaam talak
Khoon phir Khoon hai, so shakl badal sakta hai
aisi shakleiN ke mitaaoo to mitaaye na bane
aise shole k bujhaao to bujhaaye na bane
aise naare k dabaao to dabaaye na bane"
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Read this on Discovery Health:
Myth: Cohabitation is just like marriage, but without "the piece of paper."
Fact: Cohabitation typically does not bring the benefits - in physical health, wealth and emotional wellbeing - that marriage does. In terms of these benefits, cohabitants in the United States more closely resemble singles than married couples. This is due, in part, to the fact that cohabitants tend not to be as committed as married couples, and they are more oriented toward their own personal autonomy and less to the well-being of their partner.
Do you agree?
Myth: Cohabitation is just like marriage, but without "the piece of paper."
Fact: Cohabitation typically does not bring the benefits - in physical health, wealth and emotional wellbeing - that marriage does. In terms of these benefits, cohabitants in the United States more closely resemble singles than married couples. This is due, in part, to the fact that cohabitants tend not to be as committed as married couples, and they are more oriented toward their own personal autonomy and less to the well-being of their partner.
Do you agree?
VISION
I am very fond of films, but I am not a sincere audience – what I mean is that I most often watch films at the end of my day, just before I sleep, and hardly watch the entire film in one go (yes, you can frown!). But yesterday was different, I watched a film by Govind Nihalini called, ‘Drishti’.
This film is about a couple played by Dimple Kapadia (as Sandhya) and Shekhar Kapur (as Nikhil) who have a 7 yr old daughter, and who eventually part ways after a 9 year long relationship.
It’s difficult for me to describe the entire story in a systematic way, but I shall try and discuss the plot.
If we question why at the first place Sandhya had a fling with the young musician (played by Irfan Khan) when she looked pretty content in her life with Nikhil and her child, I think the answer is maybe she was bored with the routine and the mundane activities and repetitions and predictability that a marriage brings. And so the moment she met this young mysterious man who shared the common interest of Music with her and displayed much affection and passion towards her, she got into a ‘harmless’ relationship with him. However, when she felt that soon this fling could spill over and destroy her stable family – whom she loved – she backed out and called off the relationship with Irfan. All this while, she was very sure that her relationship with Irfan was not of love, but of passion and adventure, and at no point was she ready to pursue it at the cost of messing up her family life. At a certain point, she also says that Irfan had the eyes of a newly born calf – very ‘vulnerable’ and ‘dependent’. So maybe she also had this feeling of being ‘prime’ / ‘important’ / ‘perfect’ which added to the fervor and her attraction towards him.
Now talking of Nikhil, I suppose, he was looking for the same Sandhya he fell in love with years ago – the one who was energetic, new, fresh and lively. And when he failed to find the person with whom he could communicate and enjoy like he used to, he was drawn away and drifted towards a much younger woman who filled up that void.
Anyway, proceeding with the story, one night Nikhil sat with Sandhya and told her about his affair and informed her that he would be moving out immediately since it is difficult for him to spend even a single day with her. Quite a few months passed and just a day before their divorce, Nikhil visited Sandhya and expressed his desire to return to her giving her reasons that even when he was with this new woman, Sandhyas’ memories never left him (not to forget, he said the new woman had become strange and domestic and perhaps in love with another younger man). This area is a bit gray, since they show a shortly revived passionate moment but the very next scene hints that they had the divorce anyway and later became friends.
Now if I come to think of this particular story and analyze why their marriage did not work, I think it just the lack of efforts by both of them to overcome the obvious consequences that familiarity and routine brings to ones life. I am saying the above statement in context to relationships which have matured and is based on more intelligent reasons like intellect, sharing similar ideas about life, appreciation of the partner and his/her personality and character. I don’t know very clearly, since I am not saying that couples have to stay together even when they don’t have the desire, but what I am saying is that maybe one should not walk out simply because there is no passion in their relationship. Passion is transient – what you are passionate about today, may become boring / familiar tomorrow. And we are talking of people here, not objects. I think its grossly unfair for the other person (You may argue that staying with someone you don’t love is being unfair to yourself and in a way also unfair to the partner, but that is another debate). I agree that to maintain a bare minimum health in a relationship there should be a mix of discipline, trust, respect, space and adventure. And it would work only if the couple shares this responsibility of maintaining sanity, peace and affection. Its easy to say, its not working, but its only fair and honest to discuss, talk and then respectfully decide what needs to be done.
I know may be I am talking of ideal relations, but life is anything but ideal. I have hardly heard of thinking people having one marriage. But I still have not completely understood why it can be impossible to maintain a unique and ‘custom-made’ relationship with their partner – particularly when the initial deciding factors were not frivolous.
You are born with most of relationships, only friendships and partners are chosen by us. Don’t choose if you are not sure. And if you get in, you must have a very good reason to walk out. Don’t you think?
This film is about a couple played by Dimple Kapadia (as Sandhya) and Shekhar Kapur (as Nikhil) who have a 7 yr old daughter, and who eventually part ways after a 9 year long relationship.
It’s difficult for me to describe the entire story in a systematic way, but I shall try and discuss the plot.
If we question why at the first place Sandhya had a fling with the young musician (played by Irfan Khan) when she looked pretty content in her life with Nikhil and her child, I think the answer is maybe she was bored with the routine and the mundane activities and repetitions and predictability that a marriage brings. And so the moment she met this young mysterious man who shared the common interest of Music with her and displayed much affection and passion towards her, she got into a ‘harmless’ relationship with him. However, when she felt that soon this fling could spill over and destroy her stable family – whom she loved – she backed out and called off the relationship with Irfan. All this while, she was very sure that her relationship with Irfan was not of love, but of passion and adventure, and at no point was she ready to pursue it at the cost of messing up her family life. At a certain point, she also says that Irfan had the eyes of a newly born calf – very ‘vulnerable’ and ‘dependent’. So maybe she also had this feeling of being ‘prime’ / ‘important’ / ‘perfect’ which added to the fervor and her attraction towards him.
Now talking of Nikhil, I suppose, he was looking for the same Sandhya he fell in love with years ago – the one who was energetic, new, fresh and lively. And when he failed to find the person with whom he could communicate and enjoy like he used to, he was drawn away and drifted towards a much younger woman who filled up that void.
Anyway, proceeding with the story, one night Nikhil sat with Sandhya and told her about his affair and informed her that he would be moving out immediately since it is difficult for him to spend even a single day with her. Quite a few months passed and just a day before their divorce, Nikhil visited Sandhya and expressed his desire to return to her giving her reasons that even when he was with this new woman, Sandhyas’ memories never left him (not to forget, he said the new woman had become strange and domestic and perhaps in love with another younger man). This area is a bit gray, since they show a shortly revived passionate moment but the very next scene hints that they had the divorce anyway and later became friends.
Now if I come to think of this particular story and analyze why their marriage did not work, I think it just the lack of efforts by both of them to overcome the obvious consequences that familiarity and routine brings to ones life. I am saying the above statement in context to relationships which have matured and is based on more intelligent reasons like intellect, sharing similar ideas about life, appreciation of the partner and his/her personality and character. I don’t know very clearly, since I am not saying that couples have to stay together even when they don’t have the desire, but what I am saying is that maybe one should not walk out simply because there is no passion in their relationship. Passion is transient – what you are passionate about today, may become boring / familiar tomorrow. And we are talking of people here, not objects. I think its grossly unfair for the other person (You may argue that staying with someone you don’t love is being unfair to yourself and in a way also unfair to the partner, but that is another debate). I agree that to maintain a bare minimum health in a relationship there should be a mix of discipline, trust, respect, space and adventure. And it would work only if the couple shares this responsibility of maintaining sanity, peace and affection. Its easy to say, its not working, but its only fair and honest to discuss, talk and then respectfully decide what needs to be done.
I know may be I am talking of ideal relations, but life is anything but ideal. I have hardly heard of thinking people having one marriage. But I still have not completely understood why it can be impossible to maintain a unique and ‘custom-made’ relationship with their partner – particularly when the initial deciding factors were not frivolous.
You are born with most of relationships, only friendships and partners are chosen by us. Don’t choose if you are not sure. And if you get in, you must have a very good reason to walk out. Don’t you think?
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
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