Gulaal

Gulaal is a story about power.Where there is power, there is loyalty, obsession, betrayal, helplessness, revenge and of course love. Gulaal is the story of all these and many more characters, all colorful, all earthy, all full of pithy language.The director intersperses all of them beautifully with some striking poetry and presents an appetizing palette of reality. An angry film and anger oozes out in every frame.

Not a tinge of Euphemism… Anurag Kashyap presents a crude reality in its crudest form. Euphemism blurs the starkness… cheekiness delivers!

Black is the new White!

“Fair, slim and beautiful bride wanted”. This is the pre-requisite for marriage. Our obsession for fair skin is not new. America finally got over its racial fixation, but when will India get over it? India is not a fair-skinned country. It has its share of color tones. As we move towards the south, the white Aryan tone gradually varies giving way to wheatish Dravidian shade. Our chromatic convictions are pretty strong....no room for debate. It’s an axiom that white is better than the black. Many times I have had friendly arguments with my grand mom on this issue and she did believe fair skin was a bonus.

A few days back, nani’s friend happened to visit us. My nani was super-excited to meet her. It was delightful to watch them chirp like pony-tailed teenagers. I happened to overhear their conversation or you can call it unintentional snooping…Now who doesn’t like gossips? Some uncle’s wife’s cousin’s daughter was trying to get married but it seems her dark complexion was playing the villain! Then the friend, to my utter contempt, said, “Even your grand daughter is dark…how will you marry her off?” .Though slightly offended, I waited for my grand mom’s reaction. My nani brightly quipped, “Don’t worry Gita, Obama is the new president and black is the new white…you never know when people would start looking for intelligent dark women like Michelle as potential life partners.” Her friend’s ‘bowled over’ look was indeed a Kodak moment!

Be the change you want to see!!

“War on Mumbai”, “Taj in flames” and the most recent “Mumbai Fights Back” headlines are dominating the media. Amidst the horrific tragedy coverage, they managed to give unnecessary footage to the outrageously trivial issues like Achuthanandan’s dog remark, the lipstick-candle march retort and of course RGV’s visit costing our honorable chief minister his post! Oh did I forget the famous rather the infamous “bade bade sheheron mein aisi choto choti batein tho hoti hi rehti hain!” remark.

Have you ever wondered why our politicians are insensitive and irresponsible? Why is our bureaucracy so vulnerable? Why are our security forces so insouciant? It’s we who are solely responsible. It’s time to stop the blame game and spend some time in retrospection. It’s a cliché but democracy is a government made of the people, by the people and for the people. Here it’s definitely made of the people but I am very doubtful if it is for the people and by the people.

It is a system of governance which allows extensive representation and inclusiveness of as many people and views as possible to feed into the functioning of a fair and just society. But do we to vote? Even if we did, do we bother to check the credibility of the candidate we vote for? Are we justified in blaming the politicians? We are the ones who placed such huge responsibilities on unsuitable shoulders. It’s we who were asleep and are angry at being woken up so catastrophically.

But where are the suitable candidates? None of the suitable candidates are in politics, whom do we vote for? Do you know iff a voter has dislike to all of the candidates competing there, then he can show his dislike to all of them by registering for 49'O.According to Rule 49-O of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, if an elector whose roll number has been entered in the register of electoral rolls in Form 17A, decides not to vote, a remark to this effect shall be made against the said entry by the Presiding Officer and the signature and thumb impression of the elector shall be obtained against such remark.Now, if the number of 49'O count is larger than that of the winning candidates total vote count, then a re-election is called there. The political parties would be forced to select a suitable candidate. Now if winning election becomes a challenge, suitable candidates would automatically get attracted to politics. Slowly and steadily the entire political system would get revamped and would no longer be ‘dirty’ politics. But this is possible only if we decide to change.

Instead of organizing candle marches and anti-politician discussions, it’s time to spread awareness and take ownership of the mistakes we knowingly committed. Let us not let democracy crumble under the pressure of terrorism. Our freedom fighters fought valiantly for the freedom we enjoy today. The same kind of feverish patriotism is the need of the day.

Six months from now, we have elections, let’s elect a suitable candidate and make sure our democracy wins! Let’s not limit ourselves to candle marches and signature campaigns. Friends, let’s rise above the situation and make this happen!!!

Poignantly Numb

I still remember the first time I went to visit The Gateway Of India and was awed by its grandeur. But what caught my instant attention was the beautiful Taj Mahal hotel. The heritage building with its delicate and intricate architecture facing the violently surging Arabian Sea left a lasting impression.

The place for me is a symbol of opulence and grandeur. It is not just another passive structure to pose for photographs. It represents the spirit of lakhs of Indians who come to Mumbai with nothing but a dream. It instills in them the confidence to dream big. It’s the only place which is ardently adored by both the elite and the indigent. It has always been a dream for me to reach a level when I can proudly go inside the place. It epitomized the celebration of my fulfilled dreams.

But today, when I switch on the television and watch the images of the place up in flames, coldness grips me. It makes me numb. I can no longer relate to it. The sense of insecurity and uncertainty overwhelms me. It’s like my paradise is in flames. Strangely, I feel guilty too.

Our Epics- Are they Logical?

Stories do play a very important role shaping our moral values and principles.

As a kid, I read a lot of books but nothing came close to the popular stories aired on television. Mahabharata, Ramayana and later Arabian nights, potli baba and Sinbad ki kahaniyan were some of the memorable ones.

But Mahabharata used to be ‘The Sunday treat’! I still remember the excitement in the room when our TV used to croon, “Maahaaabhaaratamm”. For the next half an hour every Indian with a TV set in his house used to sit transfixed…pin-drop silence was mandatory. Even now parents feel that their kids should know Mahabharata and Ramayana stories.

But I wonder what kind of moral values do these stories provide. The epics have crossed the lines of mythology and assumed the status of history. But are these stories worthy of our adulation? I am not an iconoclast but I do disagree with many of the important events described in these stories. Some of them are out rightly illogical.

Mahabharata’s main cause was Draupadi's insult…She was a trained warrior princess not a naïve lady. To humiliate the princess, Dushasana ordered his guards to strip off all her clothes. She ould have protected her dignity by fighting him but she chose to call Krishna for help. Why? Gandhari, the ever-faithful wife of the blind king Dhritrashtra, chose to bandage her eyes. Instead she could have helped him see the world through her eyes. Rather that negating her husband’s weakness, she chose to aggravate them!

Krishna guiltlessly flirted with women even with married ones? If Radha knew that she was the twin soul of Krishna, why did she get married in the first place?

In Ramayana, Sita is forced to give agnipariksha and Ram is not even doubted? The saddest part is even today there are people who think Ram was right and follow his footsteps. Ridiculous! What kind of moral values do these epics teach our kids? I believe it’s high time that we modify these stories suitably rather than provide them with fake justification! What do you think?

The Brutal End!

“I have always loved watching the sun set behind the cluster of mountains, sink into the bottomless oceans, and disappear behind the unreachable horizons but watching it fade behind the super tall glass and steel structures was a welcome change. It was just another perfect evening. The sky was alive with hues of red and orange smeared immaturely. The colossal structures in grey and steel punctuated the landscape belligerently. What a stark contrast they presented! But the sun appeared sad today. I felt she was reluctant to go; I don’t know the reason though! Finally she disappeared and I felt like a mother sending off her daughter. “ Nevermind , she’ll be back tomorrow,” I told myself and welcomed the moon with open arms.

The moon seemed discontent too. Or is he sick? The brilliant shimmering lights that welcomed the moon everyday didn’t accompany him today. Is that the reason for his gloom? Or is it the devil that has spread its wings across the sky? Oh Yes, it is…I can see the devil swelling its viciousness out of those tall shining chimneys. My poor moon!

The devil seems to have bigger plans and I can smell it. The nauseating odor has left me longing for some fresh air…Usually a whiff of fresh air comes to my rescue but today it seems busy. I am out of breath.

As I struggle to catch some air, my parched throat craves for water; but not a drop of liquid around. I feel weak but not a sympathetic soul to hold me up. I wonder how can things go wrong so fast? Or Was I painlessly slipping? A wave of relaxation and agitation wrapped into one grope me. I feel agitated because my end is untimely and relaxed because I would be finally free from the earthly agonies. My flesh is cold and my soul lifeless; but my heart is burning. A devastating fire is razing me from inside. I can feel the heat spread and bloat me. I am like a bubble ready to burst. My skin is cracking but I am helpless. God, do I really deserve such a brutal end?”

Mother Earth exploded and a thousand pieces flew across the Milky Way! All that remained were memories of a green and blue life nurturing planet!

Random Retrospections!

Four Golden Years….An amazing campus life…Wonderful friends…What more can I ask for? But if you ask me, what is ‘the’ thing that I would miss the most….Undoubtedly my friends!

At this point of my life, I seem to realize their importance more…Partly because I was lucky to be friends with some amazing individuals and partly because we are parting our ways. Yesterday, one of my closest friends P left for Delhi and later had plans to go to US to pursue her master’s. She was my first best friend in college. The thought of not meeting her for 3-4 years made me feel uneasy. Way back home, countless memories flooded my mind. I can still recollect the first paper presentation we did together. After completing the entire paper, we realized that the contents were primitive and not even close to the kind of standard mandatory for the competition…lolzz…the entire session was exhausting yet enjoyable! She is level headed, highly ambitious and a well read individual. Interactions with her always inspired me. We never got exhausted of topics… our ‘out of the box’ dreams, our aspirations, philosophy, time machine (weirdly, I want to own one now)...the list was endless!

It was only through P, I met my other closest friend T. She is an authentic gem! Her presence makes you feel special and wanted. I would terribly miss those lunch breaks when we would rush to P’s hostel canteen and chatter nonstop while devouring the tasty canteen food (specially the hot and spicy manchow soup)! And how can I forget her Hindi heavily garnished with south Indian accent (mind you…she’s is a true gujju)….It sounds so cute! She’s a proficient shopper…she checks every little detail patiently…bargains effortlessly…and come out of the shop with a satisfied smile…It’s a pleasure (and a learning experience too) to watch her shop. Though many would disagree with me on this (How can it be a pleasure to watch someone shop?!... ;) ). In a nutshell, she’s blessed with an exceptional combination of child like innocence and a mature head-set.

How can my group be complete without M. Her beaming smile and expressive eyes lightens up the air. I don’t remember how I was introduced to her. But we chatted like long lost friends even then. I could trust her instantly. The unforgettable night-outs, our insights on how an ideal life, relationship or career should be (We can write a book on that...lolz ), criticizing profs, discussing our latest crushes, giggling over stupid jokes, playing pranks, the Rose day, Horizons…I would miss all of them!

I have learned that swinging on a swing or playing the sea-saw or perching on tree branches was no longer immature! Donning funny hairstyles or singing kindergarten rhymes in chorus was no longer crazy! I came here for the reason most people go to college. to find the part of myself I never knew was there. I have been here only a short while, yet so much has happened. There are times I still feel as if I don't belong here, and other times there is nowhere on Earth I'd rather be. Oh! It was beautiful. These cherished memories would remain permanently etched in my mind! Love you P, T and M.

You are the Best..Love you!

Lo…Behold!!! I saw the most beautiful sari…. a peach colored crisp cotton sari with delicate, exquisite embroidery work…a classic piece!! I was buying this sari for the most beautiful woman. Fond memories crossed my mind.

She always looked as fresh as dew in her crisp Bengal cotton saris. Her freshly shampooed long tresses with two strands of hair delicately braided, the perfectly round maroon bindi and a fine strip of ‘chandan’ right above, she looked like an angel. I still recal the satisfaction I felt then, when I would spot her among ‘moms and dads’ waiting for their kids back from school. She would patiently wait at the entrance with outstretched arms and a lovely smile on her face. Way back home, I would narrate all great things I did in school from ‘how my teacher gave me A++ grade’ to ‘how my best friend betrayed me by not offering me her pencil’. She would listen to them with genuine interest…her face glowed with pride, every time I boasted of my ‘so-called’ academic feats! I miss those interesting sessions...Terribly!

The relationship I share with her today is beyond words. A doting father, affectionate brother, naughty sister, trustworthy confidant and above all THE BEST MOTHER. She is an amalgamation of all the relationships.

PS: Happy mother’s day AMMA !….This sari is only a beauty, a glimmer of the magnificence of your inner core. Nothing in this world can even come close to the love you showered and the sacrifices you made. I love you Ma!

National Anthem

This Vedio clip touched me...It instigated the patriotic me!! Truly Touching!!

The Four Virtues

Life is an endless circle of greed…
Be it for money, knowledge, love or life…
Greed clarifies, cuts through and captures the essence,
It raises man to the next echelon, it commands evolution!

What is life without lust?
It’s just another name for exaggerated passion,
Passion stirs the soul and instigates hidden desire,
It is the pedestal on which humankind thrives!

Idleness is often bamboozled; it isn’t a sin to be lazy;
Satan finding some mischief still for idle hands to do is obsolete,
Hibernation incites innovation, ingenuity flourishes in laze;
Recline on the flat of your spine and dream to create wonders!

Why is it a sin to be proud?
Pride instills sanguinity, the power to rule the world,
The ecstasy of success is tasted best with a dash of pride;
It confirms the essence of individuality, draws out the hidden beauty;

Greed, Lust, Laze and Pride; The four abandoned virtues,
Acknowledge them to prosper in this commonsensical world!!

The Truth about TRUTH

When was the last time you lied? Just an hour ago, when my friend asked if I was free to go for a walk I politely declined. I told her that I was busy with my project when I was not doing anything even remotely related. Why? Just because I didn’t feel like going and didn’t wanted to tell the real reason!

Truth…Why do we attach an idyllic and superlative tag to this extremely rare phenomenon? The truth is a bully we all pretend to like, isn’t it? Honesty and truth are fine materials for sermons but when we have to actually follow it in real life, we get frightened.

Have you ever told your friend that she looked terrible that day ? Have you ever tried to disapprove your professor’s absurd blabbers? Never…That is because you neither want to hurt your friend nor screw up your term works! Then why despise this wonderful “Lie”.

Are we honest with ourselves? Then why do we wear make-up? Why do we try to project ourselves as ‘beautiful and wonderful’ when we know that we are not? What is the point in creating an illusion when the truth is contemptibly transparent! We try to camouflage our real feelings by the so called social etiquette. We are trained to say ‘Nice to meet you’ and ‘Thank you’ even though we may not like that person. But our body language and facial expression deceives us. We dare not face the truth!

Truth is an extremely strong principle that has the power to transform us, enlighten us. But for a common man like you and me…let’s face the truth…Lie is not that bad either!Don’t snatch away lies, let us live with them!!

Wild Showers!!

The amiable earth drains
To the extent she could bear;
This makes the anxious heaven
Darken with accruing vehemence,
The meek clouds blink spontaneously
Amidst the brimming tears,
And the aqua driblets hits vociferously,
Uplifting the heat-wilted foliage!

As the pelting drops startles life beneath,
The scared lion roars ferociously,
Every time there is thunder clap;
As an attempt to reclaim his imperiled status.

The dear eyes longingly at the graceful doe,
As his heart brims with enigmatic desires.
The soaked monkey tightly perches,
On a secluded branch,
Looks skyward bewilderedly
As if to ask the God
Why this sudden shower?

The snake wriggles indecisively,
Offended by the seeping intrusion.
The only form that doesn’t seem to mind,
Are the mirthful birds that carry the news,
Of the pouring glory across the globe!

The cloud disburdens and the wild spirit gladdens,
What a beautiful sight the nature presents;
As the wild life blends harmoniously,
With the God’s elixir that
Rekindles life in every form!!

To Die Or Not To Die!

Do we have the right to live life in our own terms? Ofcourse, we do! Now that isn’t an issue of dispute. Fundamental rights bestowed upon us entitle us to choose every step we tread…so does that include our choice to die? Euthanasia…should it be legalized? Many countries are in favor of mercy killing…so should India join the foray? Controversies seldom confuse me. Most of the problems are either black or white to me…but this one is mournfully grey.

Imagine this….every time as my ventilators make me breathe, excruciating pain torments every inch of my body. Innumerable tubes cram every orifice in my body. I am incompetent to perform even my basic chores. I have always lived a liberated dignified life and here I am living just for the sake of it. Should I let my inability hurt my dignity just when I am at the threshold of the finish line? Moreover it’s my body, my soul and my choice. Doesn’t it sound pretty logical?

Many argue that euthanasia amounts to suicide. Suicide is a spontaneous, puerile decision to end life as an attempt to escape from an ostensibly crucial issue. While the decision to pull the chord isn’t a hasty one…infact it’s a noble deed to liberate the vehement soul and let it rest in peace. Now is this ethical? Who are we to play God? But then who are we to counter God’s will by mechanically extending couple of tormenting hours in life? Another major impediment is the Hippocratic Oath…One of the clause goes like this…’To please no one will I prescribe a deadly drug nor give advice which may cause his death.’ But then the same oath subsumes another vow ‘to keep the good of the patient as the highest priority’. Euthanasia is in the interest of the patient hence is moral.

Having said that, the optimistic (unrealistic) me refuses to believe that my loved one can actually die. What if there is a miracle? What if my beloved wakes up as if nothing happened? What if ‘The Lord of Mercy’ decides to bestow few more years? These ‘What if’s are countless. Some things in this universe are celestial and incomprehensible. I do believe in miracles. I have seen them happen.

Let me share an incident…One of my close friend’s father suffered from a rare lung ailment ‘primary pulmonary hypertension’. His condition aggravated rapidly and was put under ventilator and showed almost nil progress for ten days. Doctors had given up. But then to their utter surprise, he started responding excellently and was back on his feet in a month. Some years back, he left for his heavenly abode after almost 3 years of normal life. Those three years did matter a lot for the family. His family got together and made the maximum of those 1095 days. This incident reinforced my faith in miracles. What if the family had decided to put him off the ventilator?

Weighing both the sides, I believe it all depends on personal choice. If the chances of survival are nix and the suffering unendurable, I don’t think euthanasia is a bad choice.

The Magic Of Writing

Two weeks and I haven't updated my blog. It's not that I am busy...its just that I don't have anything to write about. And here comes a fudging term to my rescue...Writer’s block…Do you think this phenomenon actually exists or is it just an excuse? Why is that sometimes I stare hard at my computer and still fail to type even a single sentence? But then there are times when words flow out of control and it becomes tricky to stick to the subject. I came across a beautiful excerpt from ‘The Zahir’ by Paulo Coelho that elucidates this unrestrained process…

“Writing is one of the most solitary actions in the world. I sit down in front of the computer, gaze out on the unknown sea of my soul, and see a few islands- ideas that have developed and which are ripe to be exposed. Then I climb into my boat called ‘The Word’ and set out for the nearest island. On the way, I meet strong currents, winds and storms, but keep rowing exhausted knowing that I drifted away from my chosen course and the island I was trying to reach is no longer my horizon”

Brilliant analogy, isn’t it?
I firmly believe that writing is the finest mode of expression. As the ideas, imaginations, beliefs, principles, suggestions and solutions flow through the soul, the words spring to life and transform themselves into a fantastic piece. The creative satisfaction is unparalleled…That’s the magic of literature.

Melodic Recap

Niladri Kumar, the zitar king…He calls it zitar not sitar for the sound produced is zany and zestful! I happened to attend his show at MOOD I (Fusion) and was spell bound. Just an attempt to recapture the moment!

In his psychedelic kurta
And unruffled poise,
With his pride across,
He sat elegantly;
I saw him with skeptic eyes,
As a mysterious smile lit his face

He pluck a string and fret another,
Accelerated the hymn with couple more,
He strummed with an electric pace
And air droned with melodic pleasure;
His unkempt hair swayed in resonance;
He plunked fast, he fret faster,
Every soul boomed with ecstasy,
Every bit throbbed with joy,
Suddenly he stopped,
Ambience mystified.
He called it sound check!


If this was preview
How would be the real show?
Magician, he was
As all sat spell bound
Craving to be under his tuned spell!

'Chat' up your senses!

Have you ever gobbled up the tangy pani-puris , twenty of them at one time? Aahhh…I was lucky to experience the ultimate bliss!! The mini bloomed puris with its cute belly wobbly with piquant-hot water, stuffed with melting potatoes and mashed chick peas, simply teased my taste buds! Mouth-watering, isn’t it? These humble puris added a zing to my otherwise bland life (Thanks to the grueling Cat results ).Bless the soul who invented this amazing chat!

Water, Air and Fire III

Here is the last one...Fire..It's a tribute to someone special!

I know a woman

With the exotic beauty of the firefly, shimmering in light,
Holding a torch to lead me through the darkest night;
Like the salubrious sun that turns the meadows into inflorescence,
She changes my abode into paradise by her angelic presence.


I know a woman

With soul like the moon, fiery passion within yet so quiescent,
She amazes me with her dynamic traits just like the growing crescent;
Her heart glows like a new lit candle flame, steady and bright,
Infusing a sense of tranquility, imparting a shade of celestial white.


I know a woman

Who lovingly sows the seeds of abiding bond, like the holy pyre,
And razes down the malicious souls like the blazing fire;
Cozy warmth to hurting burns, binding good to detaching bad,
She does it all like the dancing flames, happy or sad!

The woman is you….I love you MOM!

Contemplate...

"The tragedy is that there are many walking encyclopedias who are living failures"

This phrase appears in the book 'You Can Win ' by Shiv Khera. Do you agree ? Do you think formal education plays no role in success? Is it only about attitude and experience?Or is it that institutions fail to build character and inculcate the right attitude?

Give this a thought....

When a rose can smile, even with thorns constantly pricking her tenderness,

Why can’t you??

When Saraswati (Goddess of knowledge), herself, is chilling out with her veena,

Why are you breaking your head mugging those incomprehensible equations and unintelligible concepts!!

Water, Air and Fire II

Here is the next one...Air...the space between heaven and earth...which gave birth to spirit.

AIR

Like the occasional gust of air that brushes against your tender cheeks,
With your eyes shut, as you let your soul get pampered to its peak;
She walks along leaving you mesmerized by her grace and lore,
The bracing breeze or her fleeting look, you are left longing for more.

As the zephyr quivers both the green and ripe leaves, impartially,
She makes a million hearts flutter as she paces past elegantly;
On a typical day, when you least expect something extraordinary,
When the sun shines bright and everything looks merry;
The breeze changes its direction and blows right through your terrace,
She enters your life and you wonder why God is so generous!

Like the breathe enters the flute pores to create melodic symphony,
She pervades your soul to transform your aura in to a mellow harmony;
Just when you get addicted to their enjoyable presence and vitalizing touch,
The tender breeze takes the form of devastating cyclone, wrecking thy life,
No rhyme or reason, she walks away breaking the bond of man and wife;
And you are left wondering why the hell then the breeze blew your way,
Merely to make you realize that, with woman and wind around,
Unpredictability is not far away!