Departing year

Dear dying year,

Wish I could just flip the calendar back to Jan 2010. Wish I could have you for ever.

I met you as an adolescent. You were kind, treating me to foreign trips and jobs. You were harsh,even made me cry when I did behave like an idiot; You introduced me to some of the most wonderful people, gave memories worth reverence and lessons I can never forget.And now we part.
And when we do so, I part as an adult.

Couldn't have asked for a better year. Thank you 2010. It was a pleasure.
2011 has its benchmarks set too high.
And somewhere down there my gut says, its not gonna disappoint.

You made me 21.
Thank you.

Astalavista

The third kind : Part 1

Some realizations come rare and then you do realize how different you had been perceiving things to be. You realize how wrong you were.
Lucky I was to get my flash of enlightenment on my way back home last week. They came in hordes and I lost more than a couple of ten rupee notes, but they needed more help than my mere money. They needed my invaluable acceptance. Was I ready to give that?
Technically,I don't know whether they should be called a 'he',a 'she' or a 'it'. I'll stick to the masculine. I am talking about them whom we call hijra or chakka. (Eunuch in english; for my oversees readers :) )

It all started on my 2842 from Chennai to Bhubaneshwar. We are sitting happily, (12 in a place of 8 )forcefully made part of the conversations of a Bengali family who were 10 Db off the acceptable limits, when we hear those intimidating claps. Bengalis muted. A couple more of those claps,with increased intensity,announce their entry into the scene. Bengalis petrified. I try acting as if I am asleep. Behera doesn't get better of his wits and tried to copy. I count before closing my eyes. They are 4. Gosh. Gang Rape. A split second into my mental maths and I am shaken up with a cacaphonic, " Abe chikne!! Mere Salman!! Chal paisa nikal. " With this, another one sits on the lap of Bengali brother. Bengali bhabhi slips into a coma. Behera fumbles with his wallet as I reluctantly bring out a 10 rupee note. Mr. eunuch has the victorious smile on his face. I pity the loss of a plate of samosas.
The journey continued. Bengalis got down. They were replaced by Andhrites, once by Oriya. The act changed but neither did its actors nor did its props. It was always about the helpless us, the invincible they, their 10 rupee note and my plate of samosas. And this happened numerous times in this one journey. There came a time, when this had become ritual for me. Once I was enjoying to see their act. Another time, I was infuriated and wanted to give a written complaint to the TTE.
I started hating them for being what they were.
And thank goodness I lost fifty bucks, because it actually did get me thinking about the whole eunuch menace. There was a confusion,mixed with awe, about what they actually were.Why were we this helpless?
But then it struck me. Who was helpless? Was it US or THEY?

Ayodhya immaturities

This time it was the Ayodhya verdict which came under the axe.They say Better Late than Never :)
A collection of few random thoughts pertaining to the verdict.

On the day of the verdict, our 'responsible' & 'mature' media, or getting specific,India TV calls this Ram Vs Rahim. If this will not incite violence then what will.

The verdict gave Nirmohi akhada 1/3rd of the disputed land. And they will full gaga over it. Why wont they be. They had been vehemently fighting for it. By the way, these people calling themselves nirmohi (literally which is a conjugation of nir i.e. no and moh i.e. attachment to material world) , ideally should quit all attachments and indulge fully into the service of the Lord. Why were they this attached to a mere piece of land?
Aankh ke andhe, naam nayansukh.

Why wasn't there a verdict punishing those responsible for the Babri Masjid demolition?

My once favorite BJP (that was only because of Atal ji) seems to have lost its purpose or maybe given their ideologies a makeover. Bent upon reaping political benefit from the issue, their conduct was disgraceful.

Luckily the youth in the country was mature and smart enough to not indulge in any violent repercussions of the verdict. Neither Lord Ram or Allah would have preferred fighting over a mere piece of land. They are omnipresent and if anywhere they need a space, then its your heart and soul.
Why don't the political catalysts like VHP,RSS and Youth Congress invest their resources towards other pressing issues India is reeling with, say illiteracy and corruption for example.

Why isn't religion not a mutually exclusive set?
Why can't they coexist? Why is it mandatory for someone to choose one and reject the rest?

We need to grow. In our thoughts. In our actions. Don't we??