Archive for Uncategorized
December 7, 2008 at 10:49 am
· Filed under Uncategorized ·Tagged attacks, Barrack, elections, Gateway of India, india, life, Mareica, mumbai, Obama, optimist, pessimist, politicians, realist, Republican, Secretary of Defense, terror
I was part of the crowd in the protest rally at Gateway of India… the atmosphere was magical and it felt good to see so many youngsters take to the street. A colleague later questioned if something constructive will come of it? He felt that we Indians have gotten used to living life in fear. Plus, he didn’t think that we were capable of either changing ourselves or the political system around us. Life will go on soon, he said, till the next terrorist attack.
Did he have a point? I hope not. See, I don’t call myself an optimist or a pessimist like most people. I rarely see the glass as half full or half empty. I am a realist. I see it exactly the way it is. But for once, I want to hope. To hope.. that we have finally awakened…that we will try and make a difference. That the past can and will be erased and the future will be bright and happy.
In some ways, this feeling of hope comes from the American elections. Till a few years ago, did anyone believe that an African-American would lead the free world? A man rose from anonymity to one of the most powerful positions in the world. He beat conventional favourites and managed to break old party politics. Even in his administration, he has retained the services of a Republican as the Secretary of Defense. His reason.. he is best-suited for the job. It’s that simple.
When will we learn? In the wake of the recent terror attacks, all our politicians expressed grief at the lives lost. Still, there was a hidden agenda. They used the situation to gather a few more votes for the upcoming general elections. I was aghast.. till I realized the reason they did so was because of us.
Yes, us. What have I done to change the system? Nothing. I have lived with it.. I bowed in front of it time and time again. Even for someone who is as headstrong and rebellious as me, I learned to pick my fights. and to let the little lapses pass. Can you blame then for taking advantage of us then?
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December 5, 2008 at 11:34 am
· Filed under Uncategorized ·Tagged 26/11, army, attacks, blasts, bomb, commandos, jawans, marcos, mumbai, Mumbaikars, politicians, power, riots, terror, terrorists
Me Mumbaikar. And a hardcore one at that.. somehow this city gets me and I it. I understand its need to draw blood and sweat, to cut around the edges to ensure that every citizen who makes it big goes through a trial by fire. It isn’t made for those who are used to the cushy life. Morals are tested daily, ethics put to the test and hardwork and ruthless ambition are rewarded.
So I am not surprised when time and time again this city is bombed, attacked and ravaged…not just by terrorists but also politicians and bureaucrats. And most of the times, we Mumbaikars forgive and move on.. Sorry boss. Not this time.
Most of the times, we give you-the government- the benefit of the doubt. In a suicide bomb attack or a riot, more often than not there is the element of surprise. We forgive because we feel that it could as easily have been you just like it was us. We move on because we know that you too are suffering losses just like us. Coz terror see no class, creed and religion. It kills all.
This time it was different. You knew. You had 60 hours to show that you cared about something more than your chair and power. You had time to mobilize more forces, to show an act of bravery by telling the commandoes at your service to go to the spot and help the common man while you stayed put indoors. You had time to send in more forces and give them all the ammunition they needed to kill those who tried to harm an innocent civilian. You had time to put politics behind and rise to the occasion.
Still you failed. You failed to make yourself count. And to make matters worse, you actually had the guts to go and ask people for votes, when the operations had not ended. And after some stupid statements, you actually apologised and thought we would forget it?
Sorry boss, not happening. You can’t take my city and me for granted. We rarely ask for anything for what we give but this time we want .. We want answers, accountability and responsibility for what has happened. We want security on the streets while we go on with our lives. We want more power for the mayor and we want the right to choose him/her. And most importantly, we want people to shut up about the spirit of Mumbai and its resilience. Coz you don’t know anything about it.. to know what it means you have to actually become one with this city and proudly say Me Mumbaikar.
PS: A special thanks to the NSG commandos, Marcos, Fire-fighters, Mumbai Police, Army jawans, Doctors, Nurses, and the ordinary Mumbaikar. Our city owes you big time and we will never forget.
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September 15, 2008 at 12:33 pm
· Filed under Uncategorized ·Tagged bombs, faith, friend, Ganeshotsave, Ganpati, mumbai, Mumbaikars, sensitive, terror, terrorists, visarjan
Yesterday, a friend and me got into an animated discussion on the on going Ganpati Visarjan celebrations. He was disappointed with the revelry that Mumbaikars indulged in as they headed to bid their favourite deity goodbye. How can we forget the Delhi blasts so soon, he rued. Shouldn’t there be some sensitivity shown to those who had died just 24 hours ago?
While I respect his views, I beg to differ. Don’t get me wrong…I too grieve for those who suffered in a heinous crime committed against our country. But how can we ignore the faith involved in Ganpati send off?
Ganeshotsav is one of the few festivals left untouched by commercialisation.
The reason Tilak started this festival for continues to remain the same till date- inter-religious bonding and brotherhood. The festival celebrates life and togetherness. At a sarvajanik pandal, it doesn’t matter what religion or faith you belong to. You are one in front of the God.
Also, you can’t ignore what Ganpati symbolizes for us, Mumbaikars. He is our Vignaharta- the one who will solve all our troubles. He is the first person we call on before we start any new venture or business and the person we thank when everything goes off smoothly.
In this day and age, when even stepping out of the house for work is dangerous, people have learnt to turn to faith. Yesterday, all woke up with a sense of fear…will we be targeted today? Will terrorists bomb us again? But then everyone thought… as long as our Vignaharta watches over us, why should we fear? Our faith was rewarded. He watched over the celebrations and kept his devotees out of harms way.
So all I say is, sorry if anyone was offended by the revelry. It wasn’t meant to hurt anyone rather it was a celebration of everyone’s faith.
I
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September 13, 2008 at 3:07 pm
· Filed under Uncategorized ·Tagged ailments, Ananth Chaturthi, Bangalore, be, blasts, bomb, dead, Delhi, Ganapati, Gujrat, Hyderabad, india, India Gate, inflation, infrastructure, injured, mumbai, Mumbaikars, pollution, powers, relationships, taxes, that
Guys, I am outraged. As I write this, multiple blasts have rocked Delhi. They say the number of dead is 18 and the number of injured is 90. They say it’s the Indian Mujahadeen. They say there isn’t any RDX used. They say they were low intensity blasts. They say and say and say. But what do they do. Zilch, nada, nothing.
We haven’t mourned yet for our fellow Indians who died in the recent serial blasts in Hyderabad, Bangalore, Gujrat and Rajasthan. But even before the tears can stop, there is another attack that too in our national capital. They plant a bomb in India Gate-the most secure area in Delhi. If you can’t protect the powers that be, how will you protect us..the common men and women on the street?
Everyday, we live in the fear that it might be our last day alive. Should life be this difficult? We have our worries—inflation, pollution, taxes, bad infrastructure, new ailments, deteriorating relationships– are sucking the life out of us slowly. Isn’t that enough? Should a simple thing like commuting to work and back home be a battle for survival?
Why is it that even as I write it…I worry. Tomorrow is Ananth Chaturthi. Thousands on Mumbaikars will converge on the beaches of Chowpatty and Juhu to bid adieu to their favourite god. No police force on earth can watch the millions on the street. Please God show mercy. Watch over them. We-the common men and women of India- won’t be able to take another blow.
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September 12, 2008 at 2:32 pm
· Filed under Uncategorized ·Tagged cherish, friends, frienship, paying, price, questions, tough, two-faced, world
Sorry people…was out of the blog scene for wrong. But for all the right reasons, I can happily say that.
Anyway, a lot has change since my last post. Life’s good on both professional and personal front…but I have come to realise that society really is two-faced.
You see, when you are a nobody not many people care about you. They rarely ask you about life, work or show concern about your general well being. Then all of a sudden you turn a good bend and become someone. Now you are a force to reckon with and suddenly, everyone loves you. They go out of their way to stay in touch and worry when you are feeling down.
This is also the phase when people talk about you- good and bad. There are superficial praises and sarcastic comments and one learns to deal with both. Old ‘friends’ have suddenly realised my importance in their lives and I have new friendship offers as well. So who do you trust? And why? Where is the innocence of friendship? And when does one realise someone’s true intent? Tough questions..
Not that I am fishing for more. I am blessed. I have a great set of friends’…people I trust and cherish. In a two-faced world, they are the only ones who help me keep things real.
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September 12, 2008 at 11:33 am
· Filed under Uncategorized ·Tagged back, miss, people, personally, professionally, Sorry
Sorry people, was out of the loop for around three months. Apologies. Had a lot going on personally and professionally. But I promise to be more regular from now on. Seriously guys, did anyone out there miss me?
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May 31, 2008 at 6:12 am
· Filed under Uncategorized ·Tagged cricket, D.Y.Patil stadium, friends, gladiators, IPL, life, Nerul, Rajasthan, renovations, roman, squashed, stadium, tale, theatre, Wankhede
The IPL tournament is on the verge of reaching its climax as I write this. While most people are now wondering their future course of action in terms of television viewing, I am thinking on another front altogether.
Prior to the tournament, I had never been to an Indian stadium to watch a live cricket match. My first taste of the cricket madness that is so unique to India was at the D.Y. Patil stadium, Nerul. While getting there was a pain, the stadium in itself was a class apart. Spacious with cross-ventilation, designated seating, unblocked view of the pitch from anywhere you sit, it was a cricket lover’s dream come true. The food stalls just added to the atmosphere and it felt like an ancient roman theatre with gladiators performing in the middle. Truly entertaining!
Yesterday, I was at Wankhede. Now, I take the blame for what happened partly as we reached at 8.05 for an 8 o’clock match. Then we reached the wrong bridge thanks to the wrong directions of friends so it was a comedy of errors to begin with. But the horror started after that, it was so crowded! There was no place to sit and I was literally squashed while standing for the first half. To top it all, there was absolutely no ventilation. Had it not been for the company of friends and some good cricket from Rajasthan, I would have gone mad!
We got place to sit in the second half and from then it was smooth sailing till the end. Then the way out was again jammed and I was once again squashed. The only plus of the stadium is that the station is right outside so you can leave for home in peace unlike in Nerul where you have to first think of transportation.
However, I would advise you to never take small children with you to Wankhede, it’s a recipe for disaster. My only hope is that when the renovations are completed, it will be able to offer more of a competition to D.Y. Patil. As of now, Nerul wins hands down.
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May 29, 2008 at 5:06 am
· Filed under Uncategorized ·Tagged anthill, children, integrity, life, middle class, money, morals, mother, mumbai, Parents, personality, pre-teens, script, society, survive, teenagers, traditional, values
My mother was very disturbed yesterday. The entire week she had read disturbing news about juvenile crimes. She could not fathom how pre-teens and teenagers from middle and upper-middle class Mumbai families could be involved. She kept wondering how the class, supposed to be rock solid in values, is the rotten apple in the bunch.
True, na? Traditionally, it is the middle class that epitomes the character of a society. They are the foundation on which society works and functions, like the worker ant in an anthill. Hardworking with high ambitions, integrity with strength of character, they are the ones who pass on traditional, working class values to their children. So what’s gone wrong?
Exactly that. With money becoming all-important, both parents now have even less time to spend with their children. Lack of quality time results in no family values and that’s where the script fails. Children grow up thinking that the only way to survive is to make money. So can you blame them if they are willing to bend the rules along the way?
So what does it mean for society? Well, I really don’t know. But when an entire generation grows up without morals and an individualistic personality, can the future really be bright? That’s for each one of us to interpret.
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May 28, 2008 at 5:31 am
· Filed under Uncategorized ·Tagged 26/7, advertisement, BMC, cess, family, food, freedom, infrastructure, jobs, life, money, monsoon, mumbai, Mumbaikars, oil, politicians, politics, rains, real estate, relationships, socializing, tax, travel
Another cess or tax is going to be introduced to aid the ailing oil industry. As if people are not taxed enough! I mean come on; life has become such a pain these days for us Mumbaikars. It’s like living in a rut and never finding the way out.
First of all, finding decent jobs is difficult. While a lot of people come here to earn a living, most forget that nearly nothing can be saved. The cost of living is that high. Real estate and food prices are going through the roof and traveling from one end of the city to the other can cause so much stress that it can drastically reduce your life-span. To top it all, relationships are taking a beating due to increased work hours and less time for socializing.
Then, after all the trouble one goes through to survive, you realise that the government has taxed almost everything leaving you with peanuts in your hand. Those who don not live with family, end up paying nearly half their pay packets as rent! Add travel and food costs and more often than not you are broke much before the month end.
I can even understand being taxed if some good comes off it. Like that advertisement that asks everyone to dutifully pay taxes so that the money can be used to build infrastructure. But as we all know that almost never happens. Our hard earned money goes into the politicians’ pockets and we continue to live in impoverished conditions that deteriorate even further.
Just as an example, take the monsoon. It’s a yearly phenomenon so it never catches us by surprise. The BMC has nine months to complete repairing roads, building new flyovers, de-silt drains. Yet every year the rains manage to catch the BMC on the wrong foot as if they never knew that June would mark the beginning of the rains! While a 26/7 is a natural disaster that no one can prepare for even the normal Mumbai rains catches the city administration napping and Mumbaikars running for cover.
It’s seriously so frustrating to see all my hard earned money go into the hands of incompetent fools who have no clue on how to run the country. Try as I may to think of politics as a circus, it still hurts that this is the freedom that our ancestors gave their blood and soul for. Was it worth it?
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May 27, 2008 at 6:12 am
· Filed under Uncategorized ·Tagged Aarushi, cases, cuss, degrading, exception, family, friends, genuine, human, humanity, karma, life, murder, Neeraj, norm, values, world
The world gives me the chills. Is just a case of bad karma? I don’t know. These days, I find it insulting to be called human. Humanity is like a cuss word that is reserved for those who lack morals or ethics.
There was a time when you would make it purely on the basis of hard work and talent. Now, you reach the top you have to be willing to pull someone else down. Life has become all about money and careers and you are judged only on those parameters. Who needs friends and families? As long as I am successful in my professional life, my personal life can go down the drain. Are you surprised then with the lonely existences most people live and the rising divorce rates in the country?
I, for one, refuse to allow any one aspect of my life to control me. I want it all. My reason is simple…of what use are all the joys and successes in life if you have no one to share it with? It’s tough to make and sustain long-lasting relationships. Genuine friends are hard to find and even more difficult to replace. But it is only in the company of family and friends can life truly be said to be meaningful.
And I have to hope that a few people out there agree with me. If not, the Neeraj and Aarushi murder cases will soon become the norm rather than the exception. With no ethics and a degrading value system, what else can we expect?
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