I am not a commodity for God's sake!

Published in The Viewspaper.. http://theviewspaper.net/i-am-not-a-commodity-for-god%E2%80%99s-sake/. This one is Direct Dilse and it was not easy putting this one on paper!

Maria, age 10, had just returned from school when her parents told her that she was being sent to the city to work as a maid in a big house. That meant an end to her life of struggle and a life of luxury here after. She was very happy and excited to live in the city, earn her own living, support her family and make them proud. But that happiness was very short lived, until she realized that she was actually taken away to a dark house and forced to become a sex slave. There are many such Marias leading this dark life, having lost their identity and any hope of getting it back. It is time to wake up for those who think that slavery has vanished from our society or is prevalent only in the remotest parts of Africa. According to a research carried out by Free the Slaves, an organization which works towards banishing this evil from our society, the number of slave today are the highest as compared to any point in history, 80% of which are women and girls and 50% being minors. It is disheartening to see that those who should be playing with dolls are clearing becoming prostrate dolls caged in a life of despair.

Human trafficking, rightly called as the modern day slavery has taken an ugly form today, with the United Nations estimating it to be a $32 billion revenue generating business per year, making it the top company in the Fortune 500 list! Countries like Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, China and Nepal rank high on the supply side while Belgium, Germany, Japan, Brazil, Thailand and the US rank high on the demand side. Considering the fact that even with such a strict federal policing US has not been able to curb this evil, it raises apprehensions over the people responsible in some or the other way for human trafficking nurture in the society today. Right from passport offices to airport officials, there is corruption and dubious operation at many levels which has helped this evil to prevail. It is disappointing to see that humans are part of such a demeaning crime which doesn’t treat humans as humans but some commodity for trade.

Human trafficking has had victims of a tender age of 6 years! An age where children struggle to learn A B C D and mathematical tables, are as innocent as a lamb, averse from this selfish world, are forced into the cruelty of life. Most of the victims contract STDs, HIV/AIDS, develop suicidal tendencies, post-traumatic stress syndrome and completely lose hope of living. An estimated 30,000 victims die of abuse, disease and torture each year. Forget about the world, even in India nearly 7000 Nepali girls are sold every year into the red light district and they are as young as just 9 years! Sadly we have not been able to do anything to prevent it.

There has been a long standing debate on whether to legalize prostitution in India or not. Though many argue that our society is not yet ready for it but people fail to understand is that whether we are ready or not, the fact remains that it is very much existing in our society today. By legalizing it we can bring in reforms that will prevent forced prostitution which will hinder human trafficking and save many innocent lives. Also, through legalization we can prevent the spread of diseases by issuing license to only the fit people. And needless to say, they will get a position of respect in the society and will be able to live their lives with dignity.

Separate Telangana - An endless Saga

Published in The Viewspaper http://theviewspaper.net/separate-telangana-%E2%80%93-an-endless-saga/

Introduction

I was standing in the balcony of my house, having tea and thinking of today’s day of work, when I saw Mr. Sharma’s kids playing on the road in front of our building. It not being a Sunday, this was a rare sight and so I curiously asked them why they were not at school. The reply which came made me feel dumb, as it was not something that I hadn’t heard of in the past few days and should have easily guessed, “Telangana Bandh”. For us, office goers, it meant no roadside food stalls in breaks, no restaurants for lunch, most importantly no buses, no autos or I might say few high charging auto drivers to take us to office. This has become a regular occurrence in Hyderabad and needless to say, a painful one.

Historical Background

The history of Telangana issue goes way back to 1953 when the States Reorganization Committee was formulating the division of Indian states on the basis of linguistic grounds. With a rich resource base but less developed economy, people of Telangana were not very keen on a common telugu speaking state for fear of exploitation. After a lot of considerations and arguments, it was decided to go with a larger state for the time being with promises and constitutional safeguards made for the prevention of any injustice against the people of Telangana. Jawaharlal Nehru, the then Prime Minister termed it as a matrimonial alliance with a “provision for divorce”!

As feared, the alliance never worked, with Telangana facing the brunt of exploitation in every field. Since then there have been continuous requests, protests and movements by those wanting a separate state, followed by guarantees and promises, committees and constitutional amendments by those proposing to stay together. One such violent protest was during 1969 which had to be stopped by army action.

Post 2004 protests

Just when the separate Telangana emotion had subsided, the political parties in Telangana made it the driving wave for their electoral campaigns and thus came the emergence of Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS). In November 2009, TRS president K. Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) went on a fast unto death demanding a separate state of Telangana. There after it lead to chaos in Andhra Pradesh assembly, with pro Telangana MLAs resigning on any move which went against the formation of separate Telangana and MLAs from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema resigning on any move towards division of states. Many cases of suicide among pro Telangana students of Osmania University were reported to pressurize the government further.

Srikrishna Committee

To find an ultimate solution to the issue, a committee was setup in December 2010 to study the entire situation and propose a long term solution to this problem. The committee came up with six solutions, two preferred solutions being, keeping the state united or bifurcation of the states with Hyderabad as the capital of Telangana and a new capital for coastal Andhra. After so much of struggling and trouble shooting, we were back to square one with no party agreeing upon any solution and the protests and Bandhs continuing till date. It has not just disrupted the common man’s life but also caused a lot of revenue loss to the government.

Points of contention

The two major rivers, Krishna and Godavari have always been a major reason of grievance, with Telangana never being happy by the allocation of water to their region. Another point of contention is the government jobs in Hyderabad being taken up by people from coastal Andhra and their students bagging most of the seats in prestigious educational institutes. Though these are of concern to common public, but not so much for someone to commit suicide.

A game of politics

From a bird’s-eye-view, in the end everything appears to be a game of politics. People of Telangana are hoping to get power by formation of a separate state, while people of coastal Andhra dread diluting their position of power. The developed state of Hyderabad has become the major bone of contention for being a rich source of revenue and the immense employment opportunities that it provides. Forget about the concept of global world, what happened to the concept of “May the best man wins”?

Hyderabad being the biggest IT hub after Bangalore, it has a large base of non-telugu speaking people working with software giants and other multinationals. If they decide not to risk their lives and move away from Hyderabad, this would soon be followed by multinational organizations which are already re-considering their plans of setting up new offices in Hyderabad. This would ultimately lead to loss of the revenue these politicians are craving for. It is high time the government takes some stringent measures to prevent this from happening. Started by politics and aggravated by politics, we will never be able to find a solution to this seemingly endless problem unless active and constructive politics overtakes selfish needs.

Tourism Pollution - A crisis

Published in The Viewspaper http://theviewspaper.net/tourism-pollution-%E2%80%93-a-crisis/, a painful saga of the side effects of tourism, emphasizing the need for "sustainable" tourism in India..

Tourism- A tainting treasure

With rich natural vegetation, flora and fauna, long stretching water bodies and snowcapped mountains, an enthralling history and an unparalleled cultural diversity, India is a tourist attraction for many national as well as international tourism enthusiasts. Unfortunately with the growing number of people flocking these places of natural beauty, it is adversely affecting our environment. Littering of tourist places, the upcoming hotels and resorts at the cost of trees, the growing transport and air pollution have collectively led to the degradation of environment at many tourist attractions. As an Indian and more so, as a responsible human being, it is our moral duty to protect our environment from any such harm.

The tarnishing Taj

Our most treasured monument, Taj Mahal which we proudly refer to as the seventh Wonder of the World has been one of the biggest victim to this rising pollution. The fine white-marble monument built as a symbol of love is turning unpleasantly yellow due to the air borne particles from the surrounding oil refineries and the increasing traffic. Attracting around 300,000 visitors every year, this gigantic monument was completed in 1648 after 17 years of construction by 20,000 workers whose hands were cut off to prevent its duplication in future. Today, it is disheartening to see that many of the second time visitors have already started noticing the marks on this aging beauty built with such relentless dedication. To cut back on pollution, government has taken measures under which, cars and buses are prohibited from driving too close to the Taj Mahal. Visitors are supposed to park their vehicles about one and a half miles away and then take horse-drawn carriages to reach the monument. A non-corrosive and non-abrasive clay pack treatment is being carried out to remove deposits of particles on the marble which is estimated to cost around $230,000.

From tranquility to turmoil

A decade back, people used to travel to Shimla to spend a peaceful vacation in the beautiful valleys and snow clad peaks, away from the scorching heat of summer. But all that is left now are crowded places, congested traffic on roads, heaps of litter and diminishing vegetation. Same is the case with Mussourie, Manali, Rishikesh and many other tourist places. The surge in number of pilgrims has brought in considerable pollution. Ganga and Yamuna, two of our precious rivers are reeling under high levels of pollution. The rising level of pollution has raised many eyes and now people have started adopting eco-tourism to prevent the degradation of our most valuable resource – the nature.

Sustainable tourism – Need for the day

Conservation of natural resources is one concern, but the immediate concern is to tackle the harm caused by the increasing number of tourists. The littering of the once clean Juhu beach of Mumbai is not new but somehow we have not been able to find a solution for it yet. Environmentalists have insisted on solutions like burning or burying of paper and taking away non degradable polybags to ensure proper disposable of wastes. But such solutions are always easy to suggest and difficult to implement.

Mawlynnong is a remote village hidden in the greens in Meghalaya. This small place located at around 90km from Shillong is known as “The cleanest Village in Asia”. The residents of this picturesque village have learnt to live at harmony with Mother Nature and are a very good example which the urban folks should emulate. With the sustainable bamboo dustbins, separate compost pits for organic and inorganic wastes, ban on use of polythene and smoking, public toilets maintained by the villagers themselves, ritual of sweeping and cleaning of the gardens and roads every evening, this place is spick and span in every respect. Even the children there are taught from an early age to keep their surroundings clean and they don’t hesitate to pick up the odd piece of garbage on the road and put it in the bin.

This realization and seriousness is the need of the day. If this can be achieved then we sure will be able to preserve our country’s rich tourism from degradation.

Scotland of the East - Shillong

My first article on The Viewspaper http://theviewspaper.net/scotland-of-the-east-%E2%80%93-shillong/, on the place I manage to fall in love with every time I am depressed, whenever I am alone...

The city of Shillong

Located in the North-East in the state of Meghalaya, about 5000 feet above sea level, the city of Shillong is captivating with its alluring beauty and its rich Khasi culture. Characterized by rugged hills, dense forest and lush green valleys and highlands, this place is rightly called the Scotland of the East. With the first rays of the sun falling, it wakes up every morning, dressed in mist and clouds to give its companions the most memorable experience ever with nature. With a rich flora and fauna and the usually low temperatures in summer due to its hilly terrain, it acts as a perfect paradise for people trying to shy away from the scorching heat of the summers. Also known for the heavy rainfall belt of Cherrapunjee and Mawsynram this place is a must visit for every Indian once in their lifetime.

Journey to Shillong

While joining IIM Shillong for doing my MBA, I planned to reach Shillong a good three days early to take my parents across this exotic place and enjoy a long awaited family vacation.  Known for its beautiful lakes and waterfalls, the journey started with the stretch of Barapani Lake along the way from Guwahati to Shillong. With their surrounding sylvan hills and grassy down, the place is a treat with idyllic picnic settings. After spending some time enjoying nature and the exciting water sports like kayaking and water skiing, we continued on our journey to reach Shillong before sunset. After a long tiring day, all we could do was make arrangements for the next day’s tour of Shillong city and take a peaceful nap.

Places to visit

Excited to explore the city, we got up early the next day and headed towards our first spot – the Elephant falls and the Shillong peak. The two level waterfalls with fresh milky water gushing down with a roaring sound will force you to freeze the frame and hold on to that moment for eternity. The water at the foot of the falls was chilling yet we could not stop ourselves from stepping into it to experience that thrill. While returning we stopped at Shillong peak to get a view of the city of Shillong covered in dense fog and enjoy the fresh air gushing through our faces.

Our next stop was the Wards Lake. The century old, world famous artificial lake located at the heart of the city is extremely popular for its garden walks and boating. Though we could not spend much time there but the beauty of the place is worth mentioning. Next we went to the Don Bosco museum. The museum has well laid out galleries containing artifacts, paintings, fibreglass figures, emanating knowledge effectively through art. By the end of the day, I was amazed at how perfect a blend of beauty and culture was the city of Shillong.

The Paradise called Cherrapunji

The next day we planned to take a full day trip to Cherrapunji. We went well protected, expecting a heavy bout of showers. The first thing that caught our attention was the clean, fresh look that the region wore. With majestic mountains kissing the snowy clouds, and the gushing stream of sparkling water in the fall, Cherrapunji was beauty personified. We passed by many waterfalls enroute stopping at a few.  Standing atop thousands of feet at the mouth of one such waterfall, I felt invigorated and allowed myself to forget all the anxieties of the days to come. Our next stop was Mawsmai caves. At the outset, we found the cave unwelcoming, given their low roof and dark and damp environment. But just as our feet touched the cool water in the cave, we were infused with a sense of exploration and were amazed at how the rocks and water led us on until we reached the end of the cave. We continued to our next spot- the Eco Park, created by the Government of Meghalaya. We lost ourselves in the fragrance of the multi-hued flowers and admired the ecological aspect of the attraction. We stayed for a while, wonderstruck at how a place could be so impeccable. The sun started to set behind the hills, and it was time for us to leave. Despite the fact that it did not rain at all during our visit, we were soaked in the beauty of Cherrapunji- A paradise indeed!

For Food and Fashion

The vacation at Shillong was made all the more special with its unique cuisine and fresh fruits. Known for its rich meat especially pork, we really liked a spicy preparation of rice and pork cooked in the traditional Khasi style. Also we couldn’t get enough of the tasty Momos which forms a special part of the Meghalayan cuisine. And the fresh pineapple, plum and peaches were something that we had never experienced back home.

What makes the trip to Shillong an amazing experience is an insight into the rich culture of this place. Driven by the matriarchal system, people in Shillong are extremely helpful and accommodating. An interesting fact which came to our notice was that drivers here don’t honk horns and hardly overtake in spite of the heavy traffic. The city closes down at 8.00 and wakes up early with the sun. They lead a disciplined life living in peace with the nature.

Shillong is a treat for shopaholics. From fashionable items to handicrafts to guitars, it has an extensive range in all items. You have to get on to the streets of Police Bazaar at least once to see the wide range of fashionable clothes, winter wears and accessories at minimal prices. Rightly called as the Rock City of India, it houses high quality guitars at reasonable prices. We couldn’t stop ourselves from spending a few bucks for a special handicraft showpiece and hand bag for my mother and an electric guitar for my brother.

Fly to Heaven

The only troubling part of this journey is the remote location of the city. We travelled by train for around 36 hours from Hyderabad to Kolkata, followed by Kolkata to Guwahati and then finally a three hour road journey to Shillong. On contemplation, I think a flight for the same route would have been much more convenient and time saving than the train. In spite of all this, the three days at Shillong made it appear all worth and the satisfaction became deeper after the initial struggle. As it is rightly said, the joy of reaching the destination increases proportionally to the difficulties faced during the journey. Our stay at Shillong was so fulfilling that I would happily be willing to take this journey again and again.

Never managed to cross it.. Did I!

Few days back I wrote this.. And here I am again, at the crossroads of life..

Blessed was I to walk into this world,

In hands which cared and caressed me all times,

‘Papa, papa’, a distant voice I could hear,

I wanted to respond, but had to wait so long.

I stumbled and I walked and then walked too far,

Now when I turn, I see nothing but despair,

I wish I could go back to the same old days,

Into the tenderness of her love and care.

Rugged as I may look, so am I from inside,

Wish I could keep the selfish desires aside,

Free like a bird I want to fly again,

Wish I could get back my wings for the ride.

Folded those wings, to get another flight,

Not sure though, if it is right after all,

Entrapped in my own shell I want to break out,

To breathe again, and to live some more!

Immersing into the greens..

The natural vegetation of Shillong is a treat to watch, a beauty to imbibe and an experience to relive every time you step into the green outdoors. It has been less than a month and I have already been to a lot of trips enjoying the clear blue skies, lush green lands, mountains and valleys, cloud covered lanes and the crystal clear waterfalls. But this one trip to the sacred forests of Mawphlang organized by our own faculty at IIM Shillong was expected to be something completely different. I hadn’t heard of this place before until our professors told us that it has a sacred power associated with it, a power which hurts anybody who tries to hurt it. There have been stories that people who have disturbed the ecology of these forests have suffered from illness thereafter and some have even died! Though the stories didn’t captivate me much but I was quite excited to undertake this trip as it would be a ‘date with nature’ as described by our professors. And what made it even more interesting were the ground rules set by them, which said that we weren’t supposed to carry any packaged food, no cell phones, no ipods and most importantly we weren’t supposed to utter a single word while inside the forests. That looked like quite a difficult task but as I could see the sole motive was to make each one of us experience and appreciate God’s biggest gift to humanity – The nature.

                                

We started at 5 a.m. in the morning and reached Mawphlang by 6 a.m. When we got down from our buses all we could see were unending green grasslands covered with fog as far as our sight could go. I was wondering, weren’t we supposed to go to a forest. After walking for a few kilometers on the green carpet, we finally reached the coveted place. It was like a big porous green wall which we were about to break into. Standing on the fog covered grasslands on one side and looking at the entrance of the dense green forest on the other, it reminded me of some fantasy world like Narnia. Curious and excited, without further thoughts, I stepped into it with my friends. And mesmerizing would be too small a word and too short of an emotion for what I experienced thereafter.

Few of the local Khasi people accompanied us in our journey, to brief us about the forest and its history but more so to guide us with the path, since without them we sure would have got lost in the greens. The first time we stepped into the forest, we couldn’t stop praising this scintillating piece of natural beauty. The floor was covered with a thick layer of dried leaves which helped us walk through the turns and slopes in the forest. The trees acted as our ceiling protecting us from the light drizzle and allowed only small streaks of sunlight to reach us. When we looked up, it felt as if a source of light was trying to enlighten us in this divine place and it rightly managed to do so. The freezing streaks of water were playing music which we had never heard before and the tall green trees were bending over to talk to us, it was literally a date with nature full of romance and intimacy. The chirping of birds further added to the perfect desirable ambience. It was one of those moments when you want time to stop. I wondered how life has evolved, something which was a part of our routine few generations back has become a vacation now. I wished I could go back to that generation and continue to live this vacation forever, if only that could happen.

Our journey was refreshing and by no means easy. People slipped but got up, were tired but walked on, cribbed but continued to laugh. It was as if we were willingly trapped in a green maze and the fact that we will somehow manage to come out was the only motivation as well as the only deterrent. When it all got over and we were back on the grasslands, it was a moment of achievement for all of us, an achievement to have finally been able to understand nature. Our trip was named immersing into the greens and it was literally so. And though the time has passed and its memories continue to linger, something which will remain with us forever is the sense of responsibility for preserving this nature in where so ever we are and by what so ever we can. I wasn’t sure if it was the end of a beginning or the beginning of an end for me. 

The shepherd boy and wolf

The following incident was narrated by one of our professors of Business Ethics at IIM Shillong and I couldn’t help but sharing it..

Everyone must have heard of the story of the shepherd boy and the wolf. The moral of the story was straight forward “A liar's truth is seldom believed”. Ever wondered of any other moral that could be derived from that story? Before you proceed to read on, just think for a moment and try to come up with an alternative moral. Don’t worry if you are not able to come up with anything else, that is what happens to most of us who have a restricted frame of mind. If you are able to come up with something sensible then I must admit you have an excellent ability to unlearn things.

Pause for 5 min and try to think of an alternative moral for the story…..

There are two separate incidents which I will share, both involving kids. Both of which will show you a glimpse of the innocent intelligence of children. The first incident took place in Kolkata, where a father narrated this story to his son and asked for the moral of the story in the end. He was amazed on listening to his son’s reply. His son said, “Dad, what kind of story is this. There is problem in the first line of the story itself. How can a shepherd boy go to work, this is child labour and it is illegal. I do not accept it.” A child talking about child labour, touching indeed!

The second incident happened in Punjab, where a school teacher narrated this story in class and asked the students to give the moral of the story. There was one kid who stood up and said, “Ma’am, this tells us that when we lie everything good happens with us but when we say the truth we get hurt”. The teacher was amazed at the child’s thought process.

I myself was amazed by both the replies. Even at this stage when I think of the story, the only moral that comes to me is the traditional one. I guess that it has been in grilled in us for so long that it now becomes too difficult to part ways with it. This happens not just with stories but with many other learnings which we have encountered in our life. Our professors at IIM Shillong keep telling us that the best way to learn something new is to unlearn your previous learning. After listening to these two stories I couldn’t agree more!

5 things I love/will miss about Hyderabad

There were a lot of things in my mind when I was leaving Hyderabad and I was not in a position to collect all of them. Now that I am alone at home, I finally decided to pen down my thoughts. Though the list is endless, this is just the top five in the list of things I love/will miss about Hyderabad.

5. Watching Movies - Well, I know watching movies anywhere else would probably be the same but I wonder when again I would be in those spirits to watch any random movie for no reason at all! Well the only reason I can now think of is that "it is a weekend"! And hence I ended up watching movies like the super duper hit - Prince and the retro style all time favourite comedy - Action Replay! Though I should add that I had awesome fun watching them, after all it is the company that matters. Now, that there are no theaters in Shillong I will definitely miss it even more.

4. The grand architecture – Within my first month itself in Hyderabad, we went for a full day Hyderabad darshan trip and I was awestruck with the beauty of the grand palaces, forts and museums. Looking at those massive structures, a tiny part of me dreamt of being born in the Nizam’s family. The history is even more interesting. Cannot forget to mention the beautiful laser show at Lumbini park, the famous Charminar, the glowing Necklace road, Hussain Sagar lake and the literally enlightened Buddha statue. As a child I had always dreamt of going to these places at night with friends and this wish was fulfilled on my last birthday, what more could I have asked for.

3. Hyderabadi delicacies – By the time I came to Hyderabad, I had lost interest in Chicken and Rice was never a favourite! But the Hyderbadi chicken Biryani changed all my taste buds and no matter how much I crib about having put on weight but I just cannot resist when that delicious bowl comes in front of me J Hyderabad undoubtedly, is a delight for foodies and especially non-vegetarians. Be it the expensive multi-cuisine restaurants or the average roadside chicken centers, taste is something which is never compromised. Though I will enjoy shedding some unwanted fat from my body, but the Paradise Biryani will truly be missed.

2. Night life - Coming from Nagpur, I had hardly walked on the streets after 11. Though it is a safe place to hang out but there is hardly anything interesting open after 11. Hyderabad gave me a whole new opportunity to enjoy the so called “night life”. It started with the dream bike rides and roadside (Bomarillu style) ice cream and ended up with the long car drives and fancy ice creams. Our lift used to be shutdown and building used to get locked at 11 but in spite of those hassles we continued our adventure as the ice cream was too sweet to resist and the fun too much to give up.

1. My Shreetam – I have taken the liberty to call him mine and I will try not to fall short of words at least this one time. When I first met him in Hyderabad, I learnt about the concept of selfless service to friends. On spending some time, I learnt the art of understanding and exploring the various facets of life. I started to think, started to live meaningfully and more importantly started to love! I have seen life like never before. It will be difficult to give a name to this relationship so I will just call him my Shreetam (just as we say my friend, my love etc) :) Leaving Hyderabad this time, I left a part of me behind and I will definitely come back to this beautiful land to reunite with that inseparable part.

my childhood memories

Childhood memories seem to be the best part of life, especially when you are a grown up man but crave every moment to re live those golden childhood days. And when you are at home, suddenly all of them keep coming back to you one by one. When I think about them, I get such random pictures, like our green colour landline phone, today who uses a normal bsnl landline phone without a caller id. When I think of it, I realise why it is such a distinct memory. I have built beautiful relationships with so many people- friends, cousins, relatives over the years talking on that phone.

When I was packing up my stuff while coming back from Hyderabad this time, I came across a decade old letter which I had written to one of my school friends. It read somewhat like this:

Dear friend,

                How are you? I am fine. I got 90% this time. How much did you get? I am enjoying the holidays, also missing school. What are you doing in these holidays? Why did not you write to me? .. and so on.

I went through it again and again till I hadn't got enough of it and couldn’t stop laughing there after. After reading that letter I recalled that we were a gang of four friends who used to exchange letters every summer to keep in touch. I cannot recollect how it all started but I am glad it did. This piece of paper keeps reminding me of those friends and though I am not in touch with them now, I still feel close to them. I guess this is how at each stage life keeps on storing some memories for us here and there which become important only when we have completely moved on to the next stage.

I am glad facebook has made the world so small, that everything now is just a search away. Recently one of my friends posted a childhood photo of her playing in a swing in front of her house. When we were kids, we have played on that swing day and night like crazy and it was so nostalgic recollecting those days. Their family was very close to ours and had later shifted to some other place. It was awesome fun when they used to come to meet us but the only part I remember now is that when they used to leave, every time, I used to cry like the entire universe was coming to an end! All our neighbours used to make fun of me the next day. I have so many bigger concerns and issues to think about now and drop a tear but those tears still seem precious to me for the sole reason that those days might never come back again!

I was kind of a studious kid in my childhood (some would say even now!). Being sincere, I was never scolded while studying or doing homework but some how I still remember crying. When I asked my mom she told me I had this insatiable urge to get everything correct the first time. And she particularly recollects that I used to cry a lot while writing the letter ‘S’ as I could never get it correct. I can completely understand, for an analytical mind like mine, the artistic ‘S’ must have been more difficult than other letters. Today, while I was helping my mom get a hand on the computer, I got a little irritated by her continuous questioning and just when I was about to give up my dad told me, “Child, this is exactly how we taught you to write ‘S’. Look at yourself now. Do you think we gave up on you.” For a moment I felt ashamed but it was an awakening call. Life does come about as a complete cycle.


(dedicated to all my friends who have made my childhood memories special..)

Dear friend..

Dear friend, walk in to the world with open arms,
But remember what you want to reflect or absorb,
Discover, that is what took you to new places,
But don't end up using it for your own selfish needs,
Invent, that is what brought us from darkness to light,
But don't end up turning the clear blue sky dark,

Be ambitious and have aspirations,
But remember that satisfaction holds the key to all happiness.

Stand up for what you think is right,
But don't end up carrying too much hatred instead,
Try to fight for all your rights,
But learn to adjust when the situation demands,
Learn to love by everything you have,
But don't let your expectations ruin it all,
Be fearless in all your actions,
But do fear the one who has a watch on all.

Travel as much as you want and as far as you can,
But don't forget to pause and reflect in between,
Live and enjoy your life to the fullest,
But don't give this as an excuse to your responsibilities,
Be a part of the sweet music around,
If nothing exists then make some of your own,
Don't hesitate to dance to the tunes of life,
But do make sure that the steps are your own.


(dedicated to all my fellow human beings....)

happy journey...

I have travelled by train quite a number of times and now I have got very well accustomed to it. But unlike few of my friends, I prefer to travel only with a confirmed ticket. The only journey in waiting was while I was travelling to ahmedabad and that gave me quite a good experience never to take up such adventures here after in life! My mom always tells me not to let those W/L chepaks occupy space at our feet or they will slowly move and make our good night sleep not so good and I believed her, until I myself was travelling in waiting and was begging for a place sufficient to just hold on to the seat. But anyways, that was one nightmare. My last journey though, was quite an experience. I was travelling from Hyderabad to Nellore in Charminar Express (No, it doesn’t give us a view of the Charminar as I told one of my friends and he even believed me!) That same friend had advised me not to travel by sleeper and had explained to me the funda of how the living standards of an average middle class man had increased and how I was living with my own little perceptions. But not having received the last month’s salary has had quite a bad toll on me and I had to book sleeper tickets.

The journey started quite well with my seat getting confirmed. The ticket collector (TC) came, checked the ticket and went away. As the train crossed station after station, I was amazed by the number of people getting on the train and running behind the TC with their W/L, RAC tickets. One person even had a W/L e-ticket who still ended up getting a seat along with a full blown session on e-ticket rules. My respect for that man in black coat grew, in spite of not having gone through a professional management course, he seemed to have managed quite well! The TT seemed to have space for every possible passenger. I was a little irritated looking at the crowd, it looked more like a second class compartment. But I had no option and resentfully went to sleep.

My return journey was by Simhapuri Express and though it is supposed to be a lower grade train as compared to Charminar but surprisingly it was much cleaner and less crowded. I was quite happy until the TC came and told me that my ticket was RAC! I was already low leaving my parents and was hardly in a mood to talk to anyone. And to add to my agony, hell RAC! And as per the past experiences, even W/L might get converted but RAC, no chance! They are like those few unlucky auto walas who get sodexos from their passengers. They get paid but don’t know how to you use it. I had already started hating the TC for no reason of that poor soul. Not in a mood to request or revolt, I just laid down in one corner of my seat hoping the other person just cancels his/her ticket after checking its status. But nonetheless I knew I was being far too optimistic and thought I better get some sleep before I become uncomfortable. It must have felt like just a moment’s sleep when I was woken up by the announcement at the dreaded station. I adjusted my sheets and sat straight with crossed fingers as I saw a group of people entering my compartment, followed by the TC. The fellow passengers started adjusting their bags when the TC finally came up to me and told me with a plain face and in as less words as possible, “Your seat has been confirmed, happy journey!” I couldn’t believe what had just happened. I sat there smiling for a minute trying to digest the fact. On talking to my ‘could be’ RAC partners I found out that they too had got a confirmed seat. I was pleasantly surprised. In this world of unbearable corruption, there are still a few people who stand by their values. Maybe it wasn’t about values for him, may be he just considered it as a part of his job. But he hadn’t realized what he had just done for me. It was a lesson to note down in my “rules to live your life” notebook. Thinking of it, respect from some random person might not be significant to you but it might be significant to that person. Influencing people to be more honest to their work, more honest to humanity, will ultimately helps in building a better world.

It was not the joy of getting a seat but the joy of realizing that such people still exist that didn’t let me sleep there after.

when will we wake up!

“We are not even ready to talk for anything below 60 lakhs”. Wondering, what is it that is being bargained for such a huge sum of money? Surprisingly and shockingly, it is for a bridegroom. No, this is not a decade back incident in some remote village in Bihar. It happened last week with one of my aunt who has recently started the groom-hunt for her daughter in Hyderabad. I asked my mother curiously what he was doing? She said he was working in some multinational company and earning 15 lakh rupees pa. I started wondering why would anyone possibly need 60 lakh rupees if he is so self-sufficient. That brings me back to the much sought after question. I have seen people arguing that the reason they are willing to pay huge amounts as dowry is for getting a well earning guy for their daughter who can take care of her for the rest of their lives. With 60 lakhs, wouldn’t anyone be capable of doing that. And the point is, if the guy is so self-sufficient and well earning then why he would possibly need such huge amount from his would-be family to run his own family!

As far as this is a story running in the neighboring house, you can live with it and laugh on it. But consider the same scenario in your own house. Consider being sold to a guy like this. After all the money that your parents have spent for your top class education, after all the hard work that you have put in to be a top performer through out, after all the struggle you have been through to get a good job, after all the dedication you have showed in job to receive a fast promotion, if you wake up to realize that you would be sold for some price to a greedy so called self-sufficient person, then will you not be shattered. I am fighting a helpless battle at my own house for a reform. Dowry and the related domestic violence are the most prevalent problems faced by maximum mediocre households in Andhra Pradesh. Easy access to cheap liquor is further aggravating the problem. Even after decades since the enactment of Dowry Prohibition Act, Andhra Pradesh and many other Indian states are still facing this evil problem. A problem which cannot be dealt without the collective efforts of every probable victim, every father who desires a good guy for his beloved daughter, every mother who dedicatedly does groom-hunting for her daughter, every guy who is an search of a lovely wife and every girl who is in search of a caring husband. It is we who are the root cause of this problem and it is only we who are the most affected by it. So when do we plan to wake up?

the call for justice!

After decades of tolerance of the un-just, unruly and oppressive dictatorship regime, the middle-east has finally risen to get back its right to justice. The inextinguishable flames of the fire set by a young fruit vendor in Tunisia has already eaten up many ruthless dictators of the Middle East and at the same time have ignited the minds of the common man to fight for a common cause. The struggle has definitely not been an easy one. Many voices were raised, so that many other could never be suppressed. Many lives were lost, so that many more could live peacefully. Many protests were made, so that there never would be a need for another one. And many countries have already attained their mission, which once looked impossible.

While too much is being read into the implications of this uprising on a global level, it will all be forgotten in a few years time while we become busy with our own unending struggles. But what our leaders might want to understand is that it is not the dictatorship which was the trouble maker in countries like Tunisia, Egypt and Libya. It was in fact, the unjust dictatorship. There are still countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar and UAE which are not affected in spite of their dictatorial regimes. The development projects undertaken by King Abdullah’s government for the benefit of their people did not give the people in Saudi Arabia any reason to stand on a square and shout on top of their voices. Today’s fight against unjust dictatorship might inspire a similar one against an unjust democracy! The latest revelations about the cash-for-votes unfolding in our country might just be the beginning.

 

With a party promoting Saffron terrorism, a party promoting Maoist ideologies, a party driven by self proclaimed immortality and a party drowned in corruption allegations, our situation looks hardly sustainable. There are two reasons why it is still under control, one is that as of today the people in our country are self sufficient and another is the non-uniform cause of discomfort. But this will not long last. A day will come when survival will be at stake, then caste and creed will cease to exist. It will be then, that humanity will over power all other forms of discrimination and fight against one government. Being an Indian, I hope that day never comes. I hope that if ever humanity does take such a massive form then our political system and leaders form an inseparable part of it. It is only this hope that keeps me going.

Waiting for the green signal..

How many times have you speeded your vehicle to catch the green signal at the nearing traffic signal? Well if your answer is never I would say you are too sober for this world. I am myself a person of values (at least I like to think so) and even then I have rushed into the signal many a times to avoid that irritating red light. Not that we are in a hurry to reach somewhere but it is just the worry to be left behind!

This desire to catch the green signal is not limited to the traffic post, it is much more complex and diverse than one can imagine. While working in the automation team, my team mate once told me than the green tick after a test passes gives her a certain unknown kind of relief. I could completely understand her as I myself had spent many sleepless nights dreaming about the failed test cases. You might not be able to comprehend the above situation but if you try to recollect there will definitely be a time in your life when you might have desperately craved for a green light. One such time for me, is now, when I login every time with SR6738800 and cross my fingers for a “Congratulations” written in serene green colour. I know this is not the end and that further makes me wonder when this desire will ultimately end.

The urge to grow and explore greener pastures has always driven mankind and I am just bloody one of them. When I think of the ultimate gain from this entire struggle my two little eyes glitter with two big $ $ ! But that is definitely not what I had in mind when I set for this journey. Somewhere the idea got lost, somewhere I got lost, somewhere many others like me got lost. This is not the only definition of happiness left in the world. The sooner we realize this and stop being a part of this rat race, the easier it will be for us to get back to our true individualism. That might bring our search for the green signal to an end, a happy end.