Refrigerator Infatuation: What is it about?
How many of you have found yourself, opening up the refrigerator door, not looking for anything in particular and shutting the door without taking anything. If you have, don’t worry, you are in good company. According to a survey this refrigerator infatuation seems to be quite common.
When people are tensed, waiting for a phone call, waiting for a result, they tend to run to the refrigerator more. When people are free, with nothing to do, they tend to find solace with their refrigerator. In fact wonder how often have you just entered the house and inadvertently walked up to the refrigerator?
This makes me wonder, “What is it about the refrigerator?”
Is it the cold breeze that hits us as we open the door? Ever felt that sudden rush of cold fresh air that surges out as we open up the baby. Remember those hot days, when we did open up the freezer to cool ourselves off. The refreshing miracle power of the machine!
Is it the enchanting lighting that engulfs us in the dead of the night? One would agree that there is something dull yet attractive about the refrigerator light. Can it be the missing link?
Is it the food that attracts us? It is said, “Our modern skull houses a pre-historic brain”. In the sense whatever our brain reflexes are today, they are borne out by pre-historic experiences. Like we are afraid when we see a snake, but we are barely afraid while crossing a road. When the fact is more people die every year, crossing the road than by a snake bite. It is explained by the fact that pre-historically more people died of snake bite and it was a serious threat to humans. Our reflexes are built on that.
Now, what we store in refrigerator? Food, right? Our basic instinct is to look for food for survival. Refrigerator might be interpreted by our brain as the Provider. We open the door time and again, not looking for food but looking after the food. A filled up refrigerator gives us the secure feeling.
By time and again opening the door, we are trying to safeguard the food and checking if we are okay. Now that’s called protecting the Provider.
General Dyer @ Ramlila Ground
After an unusually long Saturday, I made a last dash to my TV remote, before going to sleep. Little did I know that sleep would be the last thing on my mind soon.
A betaal lookalike yoga guru, who has raised hell about black money, prevalent corruption and a long-dead system, with a tinge of political ambition, was about to be turned a martyr.
A veteran leader from the party in power stated, “We are not afraid of Baba. Had we been afraid, we would have jailed him long ago”. The relevance of his remark came haunting back with the sad scenes from the capital.
Sending in Police and Rapid Action Force at dead of the night to lathi-charge sleeping innocent common men, reeks of colonial hitlerocracy. When I first saw the movie, Rang De Basanti, the scene where peaceful candle light protest was crushed forcefully. I was sure such thing could never happen in my country. China perhaps, but not in India.
What has happened today has shamed me. How can I cite General Dyer now, when Jalianwaala Baag has been re-enacted in Delhi. Lathi-charge, tear gas and burning the stage are akin to the gunshots in today’s democratic times.
Thousands of people who have come from across the country, where were they supposed to go at the dead of the night? Why not do the same operation during the day? Tear gas is to be used on rioters and miscreants, not on peaceful sleeping people.
If I can’t even protest peacefully against the issues that are haunting me, what should I do? Should I become a naxalite? Should I become a terrorist? Should I hang myself? Should I leave my motherland and live a life of an orphan?
Yes, I am corrupt. But I support any such popular movements against corruption. Even if it’s political then so be it. Coz quite frankly, I am simply fed up of being corrupt.
You are not razing down Adarsh. You have not realized a penny out of 2G. You have not brought back even an cent of black money stashed abroad. But you do sent a 2000 strong force to raze down the shivir.
Baba has been extern-ed out of Delhi. If tomorrow I will raise my voice against corruption, Will I be extern-ed too? I think I will quote from a famous movie, Go to hell DK Bose.
ठर्कीपन
बात है उस दिन की, पैदा हुआ था मैं,
सफ़ेद लिबास में पुचकार रही थी वो,
उम्र न देखी, वक़्त न देखा, बस ली फिर्की,
नर्स को ही देखकर हो गया मैं ठर्की|
नर्सरी क्लास का है किस्सा यह,
आगे की कुर्सी पे बैठी थी वो,
खींच दी आहिस्ता से चोटी उसकी,
उसकी नन्ही जुल्फों में उलझा ये ठर्की|
चौथी कक्षा की टीचर जी,
हर बच्चा उन पे मरता था,
कितनों से लड़ा, कितनी तोड़ी बत्तीसी,
ब्लैक बोर्ड की लिखाई ने कर दिया ठर्की|
स्कूल के मास्टर की कोचिंग जाता था,
कुछ अपनापन था वहां, दिल को भाता था,
नंबर अब जो भी दे वो, बेटी भा गयी मास्टर की,
फेल और पास क्या जाने, यह मन तो है ठर्की|
बचपन का दोस्त था जो, एक दिन बोला वो,
नीले दुपट्टे में आई है जो, दिल ले गयी मेरा,
कहने को भाभी होनी थी, पर मर्जी इश्वर की,
समझा लूँगा दोस्त को मैं, न समझे ये दिल ठर्की|
कम्पटीशन का पेपर देने बैठा था, आर या पार,
दो सीट आगे बैठी थी, दिल हुआ बेकरार,
सलेक्श हो जाएगा अगले साल सही,
आज जी भर के देखूं उसको, हो कर ठर्की|
ऑफिस में तो सुधर जा अब, सीधा बन,
शिकायत करेगी, जायेगी नौकरी, होगी कुर्की,
जान दे, दूसरी मिल ही जायेगी नौकरी तो,
आज रोका तो बुरा मान जाएगा दिल ठर्की|
बचपन में सीखा था मैंने,
कैसा भूल गया यह ज्ञान,
अब ना भूलूंगा जीवन भर,
हर दिन जाप करूंगा, जी कर, मर कर|
इश्क में पड़ेगा तो जान से जाएगा,
ऐसा घुसेगा, पानी नहीं पायेगा,
जूतों से पिटवाएगी यह लड़की,
नज़र रख सीधी, मत बन ठर्की||
Secret Talks
Personal Secret is described as something that is known to the person alone and not to any of his acquaintances. Lie is defined as an intentional false statement. They both are related as one leads to another.
Everyone keep secrets. To keep them hidden, they lie. There are various reasons behind. Most common are shame, loss of money, property, love desertion, to brag etc.
I have come across people who kept some weird secrets, told wonderful lies. Some of substance, some just for fun.
1. Kyunki…shhh
A college mate leads the pack. You know how it’s common to deride the ‘Saas-Bahu’ soaps. Well this friend of mine just loved them. The situation was precarious; he couldn’t dare to them watch openly, lest he became butt of all jokes. So he used to download and watch them all alone quietly. As fate would have it, he shared the folder by mistake across the network and the skeletons came tumbling out.
2. Categorically denied
Our society has been divided into class and caste and so is the college admission process. However in some a stigma of being a category student creeps in. Treatment meted out to them could be a reason. There was a guy in our batch, who lied about the same. I won’t go further into the reasons, as the discussion is complex. But when it came out in the open, it left everyone wondering.
3. Had a boyfriend
Most common of them all! Don’t tell about having boyfriend/girlfriend and keep yourself in the market. It’s okay for causal flirting but when done to take advantage, it becomes tasteless. A girl fooled around with a friend to get him to do the academic work allotted to her, while keeping the existence of her boyfriend hidden. Here’s a fact: ‘Guys only help Single Girls’. She knew this well. I can’t say that my friend really cared or so he said later on.
4. From Upstate
We often find people hiding their birth place. Across Europe, I have found people from Pakistan calling them Indians. In Mumbai, few people from UP, Bihar fake their origin to be Delhi. Sometimes out of being scared, sometimes otherwise. A friend of mine introduced himself in the first year as a Delhite. It was only in the final year that we came to know he was from Ghaziabad. He tried to justify by citing NCR. Well reasons can be aplenty. We do still poke him for the same.
5. Opener
A senior at college related to me a funny story. During their first year, a guy told everyone that he was the highest JEE ranked student of their batch. He was called Kholu (common term for rank opener). He enjoyed the limelight for a semester, at the end of which people came to know the truth. They started calling him nakli kholu. Why he lied is still a secret as he maintained his innocence all through.
6. Open the Closet
A serious issue with our society as far as homo-sexuality goes. I have known at least two people who kept it a secret, for obvious reasons though. Hopefully, in future the social stigma attached o it will wither away and people would not have to hide in the closet.
7. Uncle Sam
A first year student who was a localitie was being ragged. He dared the seniors, “My uncle is in ULFA, stay away from me or else don’t tell me I didn’t warn you”. Needless to say, he got away. The fun was, everyone knew he was lying but no one dared to call otherwise.
कौन है तू
Majboori Ka Naam Mahatma Gandhi: Why?
“Kyon bhai sahab, aaj car ki jagah bus se travel?” “Kya karein, Mazboori ka naam Mahatma Gandhi.”
We use this phrase all the time. Don’t we? If I ask you, “What does Majboori have to do with Mahatma Gandhi?” Most of you would be stumped. Come to think of it, don’t you feel odd that we have coined our Father of the Nation, Mazboori.
In English, Mazboori means obligations, compulsions, and constraints emerging out of sheer helplessness. I asked many people in my office about the origin of the phrase. Noone came close. They were amazed when pointed out that indeed we are calling out father of our nation, helpless.
This brings me to the question, Why? In absence of any concrete definition, there are several explanations floating around. Let’s take them one by one:
Partition Blame
 |
Gandhi looked helplessly and let the nation get divided. His Mazboori was the worst kept secret. All the decisions he took were under pressure and portrayed sheer helplessness. |
Last Resort
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This is one explanation that paints Gandhi in good light. When all options are over, try Gandhi. When all else failed, he practiced hunger strike, which shook the foundations of an empire. When one is out of money, there is no option but to eat less expensive food and live frugally. |
Overcome
 |
Gandhi overcame all the Mazboori’s (difficulties) in his life and led India to independence. Thus whenever there is Mazboori, remember Gandhi, you will find the solution. |
Non Violence
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Non Violence is taken to be sign of weakness and helplessness. Gandhi preached and followed non violence, hence the phrase. |
Currency
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Indian currency started having imprint of Mahatma Gandhi. To a poor India, Majboori emanates from money (or lack of it). Thus Mazboori ka naam Paisa aka Mahatma Gandhi. |
Gandhi was Majboori
 |
To rely on Gandhi was Majboori of all Indians who wanted independence. As there was no one else who could have fought with Britishers and deliver Azaadi. |
Self Destruction
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With the world in shambles and on the verge of self destruction, we have no options but to follow steps of Gandhi to save the world. That’s what Anna Hazaare has shown. |
Expect the Unexpected
 |
When cornered, people tend to behave unexpectedly. When Gandhi was helpless, with no independence in sight, he turned to innovation. His turned prevalent hunger into a potential Anshan. We all find ways to struggle when turned into a corner. “Necessity is the mother of invention”. |
Just for Kicks
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Since we were kids, we have been asked to name, Father of Our Nation so many times, that it has become our Mazboori to memorize it. |
Happiness is Strange
To be honest I have had my fair share of happiness in life. Still it remains one such emotion which I have not been able to comprehend; at least the reaction to it has been an enigma to me.
Emotions and facial expressions follow each other. Sadness make the face look gloomy; fighting hard to not let the tears out, we can see lines on the face; during anger, the tension on the forehead can be detected.
But when it comes to happiness, people deal with it in their own strange ways.
Excitement: One jumps up and down. Runs around. May be to attract attention and let others know about the happiness. Or to get exhausted with all the physical exercise so as to die the excitement down.
Mona Lisa: Simple smile. Blood rushes to the cheeks making them pink. The face is beaming.
Laugh-out-Loud: This facebook lingo is something which a lot of people actually practice. Sudden bout of happiness. A joke perhaps. Little force on a small surface creates extreme pressure. Similarly a sudden happiness may create hysterical laughter.
High Fives: Joy of victory. High fives, fists thrown up and down. This is a happiness of accomplishment. Win a war, win a game. Your face shows determination. Your face might not have a smile, but you are happy within.
Peace: The face shows relief. You are happy to achieve something after a lasting struggle. Happy that that the struggle is over. After an exhaustive soccer match ending in a tie. Soldier who has been on warfront from a long time, on hearing of the truce.
Tears: Here is where it gets murky. People cry when happy. How often we seen people crying on receiving an award? This pertains to getting our due after a huge effort. Tears of happiness. Strange. Isn’t it?
How to ease the tension?
Oxford dictionary describes tension to be a mental or emotional strain. To cope with it, we all do some weird things. Some eat a lot. Some starve themselves. Some want to be left alone. Some like to party. Some smoke. Some drink. Some sleep. Some fall prey to insomnia. Guess some things are aberrant to cause and effect.
As for me, I stuff myself with food when tense. I am no medical expert but my guess is that more oxygen is needed to digest the excess food gobbled up. This extra demand of oxygen must for sure be met by diverting some blood flow from my darn brain to the belly. This might be shutting of some brain activity and helping me overcome tense thoughts. I would opt for a dead brain any day, but that’s me!
When food can’t be ordered say at the dead of the night, I opt for the next best option. Start typing whatever gibberish comes to my mind. It’s around 1:30 in the night now. All junk food is finished and I don’t have anything else but to write. Funny I can’t pinpoint the reason why I am tense. This further adds to uneasiness.
Anxiety is the exactly what I have right now. In fact for the last couple of weeks my mind has not been at peace exactly. How would I love the day when I be Joey and my brain will read blank…blank…blank…blank…blank. Void of all thoughts; bereft of any tension, if at all momentary. Alas! It’s not to be.
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