Archive for September 2015
From Digital India to Internet.Org: Why so much skepticism?
With the facebook support for Digital India initiative, the net neutrality debate has come back to the fore. Some saw facebook gaining back door entry for its internet.org. The skeptics who are among fortunate few to access the internet have started badmouthing already.
First of all if facebook indeed is piggybacking its internet.org with Digital India, it’s their prerogative. It was our PM who prodded facebook for support, not the other way round. For a corporate entity answerable to shareholders, not everything can be charity. It’s silly when we want facebook or for that matter google, to provide free wi-fi etc to us in lieu of charity. “Dare not make money out of us”. This is simply not done.
Coming back to internet.org. The people who have luxury of internet (it is indeed a luxury in India), should be the last one to shout against this initiative. It has the might to bring internet to those who don’t have access to it as present. I agree it gives access to a curtailed internet. But for under privileged of our country, how is curtailed internet worse than “No Internet”?
The people, who have money to pay for www, now want to dictate the things for people who don’t have access to www. If you have any issues with neutrality, don’t trample the initiative, provide an alternative instead. It’s fancy to berate a big Corporation. It’s difficult to find a solution.
Let people decide if they choose internet.org. I firmly support that some internet is better than no internet. People against internet.org, keep your hatred aside, you already have access to net, you have nothing to gain or lose.
Now that we meet again
Sparks will fly again,
Doused flames ignite too,
Leaves blowing all over,
Now that we meet again.
Possums cute, popping head,
Walking, rolling, full o’ joy,
For sure they ecstatic more,
Now that we meet again.
Raining drops of heaven dew,
Air so pure, and tis so true,
It will be all even better,
Now that we meet again.
A cuckoo singing on the porch,
Keep reciting rhymes sweet,
Universe will break into a song,
Now that we meet again.
Sweet rainbow in the sky,
Mild sun to ease the cool,
Fun some more, colors galore,
Now that we meet again.
Fresh Flowers blossom they,
Amazing smell in the wind,
Breeze slow, firefly glow,
Now that we meet again.
Stars twinkles in the night,
Coded some message relay,
All codes will be encoded,
Now that we meet again.
Dear Stomach
Dear Stomach, I want to say,
You give me a lot to recall,
Meeting you like going round,
The great Chinese Wall.
There were times when you,
Were flat, and hard as rock,
And now you are all rotund,
Like a fat bear, running amock.
When you were thin and straight,
Girls turned back, gave affection,
Since you have fattened more,
Took away my chances to score.
A tattoo I inked on my chest,
With pride a lot, aiming high,
It’s hanging from stomach mine,
Looks disgusting, with a sigh.
Crunches fifty at a time,
I used to do like a cake piece,
Now you come in between,
Hands barely touch my knees.
You craved for food so junk,
And Beer you wanted by dozen,
Now see where deep you lie,
Buried under your own burden.
I always tried to keep you tight,
Hold on food, drinks and fries,
But O’ stomach my divine,
I lose to you, how hard my tries.
Woman in the Mirror
It was chilly winter evening. The fog was getting thicker. I was out on my evening stroll. “I should have worn a thicker jacket”, thought I. The cold was bone wrecking.
I had walked a good distance from my apartment and I decided to head back. “A shot of scotch, is all I need”. Just as I was crossing the road, I saw a flicker in an apartment right ahead of me. It was the fourth floor, east facing flat. The suddenness and high frequency of flicker took me by surprise.
I forgot all about the chill. Took a step back to the pavement and looked up to the balcony closely. I could clearly make out the silhouette of a woman against the wall. “What was that?” I stood startled. A vertical ring of smoke? “No, it can’t be!” I tried to assure myself. But it was right there, staring at my face. The lady seemed to enter the ring, which now became clear to me, was like a portal. The shadow entered the ring and to my horror, the part which passed the portal, was not visible. I could see only half the shadow now.
A chill ran down my spine. What in the devils name was this? I counted; the apartment was 3rd from the corner. I walked up to the building. The gate was open. Even the cold could not stop me from sweating now. Terrified I took the stairs to the 4th floor. One, Two, Three. I was standing at the door of the devils apartment.
Should I or should I not? “I have to, I have to”. I buzzed. Nothing; I buzzed again. No response. Trembling I pushed against the door. It broke open. I entered, shaking in fear. It was pitch dark. I searched for the switch. Almost fell, as I hit something. I got hold of the switch and turned it, panicking.
Horror! The apartment was empty. No one was there. No woman, no portal. Nothing! Bedding was laid out neatly and rest of the room also looked unused. Near the end of my wits, I checked the wardrobe, under the bed, in the bathroom. Nothing!
Sigh! I smiled at my foolishness. All ado for nothing! It was indeed a figment of my imagination. I sat down on the bed and look a breath. Just then I noticed something. It looked like ash near my feet. A straight line of ash. I looked up. There was mirror. In the mirror, a lady. I jumped up. No one behind me. Just in the mirror. A lady struggling to get out. My heart skipped a beat. I dashed for the door and ran all the way home. Almost collided with few people on my way. Took a shot of whiskey and closed my eyes.
Next morning I saw news about a building that went up in flames. It looked familiar. I walked briskly to the place. I saw the building burnt to ground. “A man was seen running away from the building last night, just before the fire broke. Police are looking for him”, I heard a by-stander. I exited the scene terrified and confused.
It has been good twenty years. I still don’t know what happened that night. All I am left with is the haunting memory of the woman in the mirror.
Love vs Arrange Marriage: What they dare not tell you
I read a few of the posts as to how in India Arrange Marriage is increasingly becoming taboo (against earlier when love marriage was taboo). They cited examples as to how in metros general observation is, “His must have been arranged marriage else he would not have landed such a pretty girl”. Most other posts also give similar examples which show men into negative. As if arranged marriage is something that helps undeserving men “GET” Cinderella’s.
I mean really? Actually all this started with that non-writer who milked IIT’s in his first novel and revel in praise by mediocre people to his mediocre writing. In one of his novel on a similar topic, he had the leading lady explaining to a “non-deserving” guy, as to how lucky he was that he is getting a Cinderella, just coz of arranged marriage. Else he would have got a lame girl on his own (read love marriage).
Now let me give you some not so fancy truth. Love marriage has helped none but the girls, who are able to land up with guys, whom the girls would never have got from arranged marriage. No one dare to cite this fact. Girls end up with a Prince Charming from love marriage. Her father would just have mustered a lame guy in comparison. Come one girls be brave enough to accept this. You don’t have faith in your father and his finances anymore.
Love marriage is a vehicle for girls to get hold of a better guy most of the times. Guys rarely gain anything materialistic from it. So girls when next time you say, “This guy got Cinderella just coz of arranged marriage. He didn’t have spine to get her by himself”. Remember, “You got the Prince Charming just coz of love marriage. Your father didn’t have spine to get him for you”.
The moment
I remember that moment to this day. Like it has etched itself in my memory with some permanent ink.
The moment I felt more alive than I ever have. The moment I felt no need for an answer to my existence. The moment I felt my soul. The moment I found myself with the singularity. The moment surroundings became dimensionless and I found my direction.
The moment the struggle seized to exist. The moment all efforts seemed futile. The moment I was nowhere and I was everywhere. The moment I was the God and I was the worshipper. The moment the sun shined the brightest. The moment the night was the darkest.
The moment I was supreme. The moment I was helpless. The moment I was filled with emotions. The moment I was zombie. The moment I was content. The moment I desired. The moment I knew everyone. The moment all were strangers.
The moment I enjoyed the pleasures of heaven. The moment I burnt in hell. The moment I held my head high. The moment I hung my head in shame. The moment I was way ahead. The moment I was the last. The moment of agreement. The moment of discontent. The moment I wanted to die. The moment I wanted to live.
The moment of bereavement. The moment of happiness. The moment of enlightenment. The moment of bewilderment. The moment of sanity. The moment of insane. The moment of extreme love. The moment of worst hatred. The moment I wished never ended. The moment I begged seized to exist.
It was the moment I died.
Money and Friendship
A close friend of mine always said, “Beware your friends more than your enemies”. His reasoning was, you already know that your enemy will try and harm you, but your friend is the one whom you tend to trust and thus are more vulnerable. You least expect a friend to attack. Thus to be safe you have to be more vigil with people who you trust.
I came across some similar situation. People who call themselves your friend; proclaim it with a drum in hand, are the ones you should throw out of your lives. So I learn’t the hard way. I understand you have to have few people (or at least one), whom you can trust. To find such people amongst your friend group, you have to test them. I am not saying become the old lady from “old lady and the wolf story”, but do test them. Only then you will know if they are for real.
If you help your friend with cash or kind, they will pretend to be loyal to you. But how do you if they are for real? A rule of thumb is if you help your friend with money, you put your friendship at stake. Do it only in life and death situations if you have to, not as a norm. Else you are equally guilty of his/her impending betrayal.
If you have helped your friend with money, decide on a date of repayment with interest. Most of the times, the “friend” can get money from somewhere else, all he/she is looking for is to save on interest. Involve the interest component. This will preempt a lot of betrayals.
Even if you don’t need money, do ask a friend whom you have helped in past to lend you some. This will show the true colors if any. Never be gullible enough to fall prey to the crocodile tears of such people. Else they will hurt where you are most vulnerable, at times when you need their support.
I would suggest never involve money in friendship. Money is such a thing, which ends lives, this is just a friendship. There are a lot of people who will glue themselves to you just for taking advantage. It’s you who have to be careful. Remember, it’s never fun to find out you were being taken for a ride.
Sick pleasure of our struggle
How the tide turns! I have read this phrase here and there, but never really understood the import of this, save for now. Suddenly all that was rosy turns to thorns. All of a sudden rain into downpour. Gentle breeze becomes tornado; a soothing wave becomes tsunami.
We humans struggle with ourselves all our lives. We fight the inner demons, wanting to be victorious. More often than not we lose. What are these inner demons? Maybe they are imbedded by the creator on purpose. To keep us in check. Or maybe just a for the purpose of some sick game he is playing. Pitting us against our inner self.
I feel we are not alone. Our single body houses us and a demon. It keeps us busy with a struggle so futile. This demon comes into its colors during crisis. A struggle we are destined to lose. A carrot of a hope, with a stick following.
Just when you are happy, the doom beckons. It comes in different avatars. It actions via different beings. It can make you harm yourself; make a loved one harm you. Without a prior warning, it jumps onto you. Catching you unawares.
Such is the tide of time. We feel we have a winning chance. But when have the puppets won. We are but at masters whims and fancies. Like a wicked child playing with toys. We do what makes the child tick. Hence our actions makes no sense most of the times.
We should give into the all-power. There is no point to struggle. It’s not our battle to win. Don’t give him the sick pleasure of your struggle.
देखा तुझे तो जाना ये
दिल में नहीं था कोई गम,
खुशियाँ भी थीं मुझे भरपूर,
फिर भी अधूरा था जीवन,
देखा तुझे तो जाना ये।
अपनी मस्ती में ही जीता,
मन करा तो जरा-२ पीता,
यह सब तो बस मिथ्या थी,
देखा तुझे तो जाना ये।
सारा संसार ये था मेरा,
उत्तर दक्षिण, पूरब पश्चिम,
अधूरा था कितना बिन तेरे,
देखा तुझे तो जाना ये।
जीत बहुत सी मिलीं मुझे,
बहुत इनां मैंने जीते,
ख़ुशी जीत की होती क्या,
देखा तुझे तो जाना ये।
गुस्सा हमेशा रहा खड़ा,
हर किसी से जा-२ के मैं लड़ा,
बिन लड़े हारने में भी मज़ा,
देखा तुझे तो जाना ये।
अपनी बुद्धि पे बड़ा ताब,
अपनी प्रशंसा आपों आप,
बनके पगला फिरना कैसा,
देखा तुझे तो जाना ये।
था सब कुछ, पर कुछ कम,
न कहने वाला कोई सनम,
आँखों की नमीं क्या होती,
देखा तुझे तो जाना ये।
Today is the day it all started
Today is the day it all started,
Today is the day it all ends,
From the echo of the silence,
To the laughter of the friends.
Two ends of time meet today,
Circled along for bit too long,
Whatever required will be done,
There is nothing right or wrong.
We all have been so resistant,
To embrace the ways ahead,
It’s just insecurities speaking,
As to proof, there is no shred.
A plunge has to be taken indeed,
Living in silo is thing of the past,
Sooner or later; it’s just a matter,
Gregarious you will? or an outcast.
This is called walking to future,
New customs, people; life change,
Going against is not desired,
If you do, it is highly strange.
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