Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Mr Grinch

The wind snipped at his dry skin, the coldness of it shook him up to his very bones. He pulled up the zipper of his jacket in hopes of not catching  hypothermia. The news channels had warned everyone about the deathly snow storm that's around the corner of his little town, but that clearly didn't stop the folks of the town to huddle up bright and early to travel off for their Christmas vacations. He pulled his beanie till his bright pink elf ears were fully covered, as he stood next to the fireplace of the airport lounge, waiting. He couldn't help but notice how little boys were playing around Christmas tree, running between the legs of their parents as they tried to balance their morning cup of steaming hot coffee and hot chocolate, an enigmatic smile playing his lips, he couldn't help but reminiscent  about his childhood days. The kids fighting over who gets to sit first on Santa's lap while the pseudo Santa failed miserably to keep his fake white as snow beard in place, while the little elf's tried to keep the sugar rush in order while they stood in the queue. His chest pranged at the site and he wished he was a carefree child again.
"Flight M203 from Detroit has landed as scheduled and baggage pick up is at Gate 2."
His breath caught up in his throat, as he tried to calm down. Just then, a little girl came crashing into his legs as she dropped her hot chocolate all over him. His jacket which was once a pure white was now stained brown; it was totally ruined. His first reaction was to yell but seeing the way the little girls eyes were bordering with tears, his anger vanished and he gave her a small smile and knelt down to pick up her bag. When suddenly he felt a pair of wet, chocolate flavoured red lips on his cheeks and the little girl whispered into his ears "Merry Christmas sir, sorry for your clothes." And she ran off. Stunned, he quietly left to the parking lot where he had a change of clothes. Turning on the heater, he quickly changed his jacket and just sat down for a while as he enjoyed the warmth of the car heater, when his eyes fell on his watch. He cursed loudly and made his way back to the airport as carefully as he could in a hurry, as he tried not to slip on the ice when; all his insecurities started to build up, could he do this? Could be forget his past and move on? Could he be worthy of forgiveness? How is he supposed to pretend that the past 15 years of his life was just one bad mistake after the other? If he could be responsible for such a task? If he would survive this? If maybe for once he wouldn't feel like Mr Grinch for Christmas and he wouldn't be totally alone on Christmas Eve? If he would succeed and would actually rekindle all the lost human connections that he was deprived for all these years? If he  was capable enough? If rehab hadn't totally drained all his mental and social capabilities for relationships in his life.
He suddenly felt as if he couldn't breath and the pressure coil in his chest snapped, when he lost his balance just as he was losing control of his life as he slipped down on the hard ice as his eyes were surrounded by darkness. 
"Hey dad? Daddy? Hello? Can you hear me? Get up, come on! Hello? HELLO DAD?" His ears felt the shrillness of the voice when he opened his eyes and looked into a pair of strikingly green eyes which he had starved himself for 10 years; full of worry and he started to feel the warmth of her hands. "Hi, merry Christmas honey." He said with a smile that was a one too big for his face; as she smiled and said "Merry Christmas dad." 
Maybe the Grinch was finally giving him back his Christmas he thought to himself as he finally crushed his daughter to his chest, greedily taking in all her warmth as he smiled into her hair. 


Merry Christmas to all you lovely people out there! πŸŽ„❤️

Sunday, November 30, 2014

Saving Grace

She dipped her mouth into the bitterness of the chocolate which somehow always lightened up her veins as she felt her sleepiness fading away. The way the bitterness cut her taste buds with the marshmallows almost ripening her sweet tooth, boy did she love her morning drinks. It was a sleepy Sunday morning, with hardly any people in her little diner; When a family entered, the dad talking on the phone with a young girl about his pinky dragging her lace shoes while the mother balanced her big purse and a little baby boy on the girdle of her hip.
Putting on her famous smile to welcome her guests she took their order, when the dad got up and went out talking on the phone, pacing steadily for what seemed to be a heated conversation. Not meaning to intrude, she averted her eyes and took the order while the mother gave her a peevish smile until she looked down at her hips and her smile faltered. 
"Nobody tells you about the hardships. Let me tell you, it's a tremendous, thankless, never ending task." 
Surprised at this customers outburst, she quickly fled the scene and after placing the order to the kitchen staff, she picked up her broom and starting tidying up the place. The mother's wounded and pitiful looks, made her skin crawl and was thankful for when the toddler started to brawl his eyes out to captivate his mother wavering attention. Taking advantage of this, she ran to the broom closet to get out her coat to cover up, in hopes that now her customer won't be looking at her, with her pitiful woes. She felt almost shameful, as if she had ugly scars to paint over on her body. At war with herself, she just somehow felt drained out and suddenly even her bitter drink wasn't enough to hold her up. She felt as if the only think keeping her from losing it was the only thing that wasn't even there in the world, just a figment of what she thought it would be.This was slowly killing her, knowing the uncertainty of this, the future judging preying eyes of her fellow humans; the fact that she had no male advocate in her life at the age of 45, if she would ever survive this, who would look after her? Closing her eyes she whispered to herself "Dammit, get your shit together." 
By the time she got out, the whole family had finished their food and had left a tip for her lacking service. Annoyed for this was clearly pity money, she angrily threw it in the donation jar. Her ego severely wounded.
"You gotta keep what you get honey, or you won't have any money to feed yourself let alone two mouths!" her boss gently reprimanded her, as he held out her 10 dollar tip.
She knew instantly he was right and swallowing  her ego, she clutched her tip in one hand, while the other hand carefully cupped her swollen stomach when she felt the first kick of its tiny legs. Suddenly, just for a moment, though fleeting, she felt happy, truly happy, and that maybe, just maybe this child will be her saving grace. 

Monday, October 27, 2014

Parents VS kids

1. Then:
You guys had no Internet, thanks to which you guys had the most memorable childhood memories and no 9gag or Tumblr eating up your time. 
Now:
We live, breathe, eat, speak, talk Internet. We're obviously more aware of things than our parents but when it comes to non virtual work- we fail. Miserably. 

2. Then: 
Your eating, sleeping habits were on point. You'd have a daily routine that you would followed which made you a much more disciplined than any other generation. 
Now: 
Lolol, what is sleep? Food- pizza, pizza, any cheese, oh and pizza. 
I'm sorry did I hear someone say 8:00 am? That's practically the middle of the night. 

3. Then: 
You guys were so scared of your parents especially your dad that you didn't have the guts to look them in the eyes because of which most don't have open conversations about what they actually want to do in life, and you guys live with "what ifs" and all your dreams which you couldn't complete cause you didn't have the nerve to do what you want or go against your parents wishes. 
Now: 
It's not changed much from then, but yes, we kids at least have to nerve to convey our dreams, if we run after them or not? Now that's circumstantial I think.  

4. Then
You guys seemed more self assured than this Gen Y for sure. 
Maybe it's because you don't have social networks to ruin your self image after seeing the other people lifestyles (pretentious even so). 
Now:
Self assurance is something of the myths cause you might self assure others but are lost when it comes down to oneself. Whether it's ones self image, body, social life, life goals. Everything is so damn scary and almost everyone has a complex which leads to self destruction. 

5. Then
The level of competition was negligible compared to present. I'm not saying there wasn't, obviously what's life without a little competition? 
Now: 
Life's a joke- you're in the 2nd most populated country and not that it's full of airheads, oh no, you're competing with sleep deprived, hard working, parents pressured kids. That's all. Not one- but about a million of such kids. Hey no pressure kiddo. 

6. 
You guys complain or boast (I'm confused which) about how your pocket money was 40-50 rupees and your parents never spent more than 300-400 rupees on your whole childhood. Or complain about how you guys didn't get new shoes or clothes like ever considering all were hand me downs from your siblings. What you guys don't realise is that you guys learnt the real value of money the hard way, and is something to be very very proud off. 
Now: 
Our Starbucks latte comes for 200-300 bucks. 500-1000 is cheap for us and we burn money like its nobody business. "Baap ka paisa." after all. 

7. Then:
Your school fees was like 10-12 rupees, and you guys never ever forget to remind us this. But please try to get that we kids are in a very very expensive generation. That costs of living are higher- your days are gone. It's a little unfair to compare your cost of livings with ours just cause of the massive change in economy. It's not our fault that the onions are as expensive as gold okay? 
Now: 
More expensive, better quality. Let's show off the brands of all that we're wearing in our hash tags so that people know I don't do cheap. Come on guys- I know we can we better than just brands and stupid labels. There life more than that- and we need to start learning the value of money, the sooner the better. Our "baap ka paisa" will run out sooner or later and then what? 

8. Then:
You guys did have people who drink, smoked or did drugs. But it was all under the covers. But a very less fraction. 
Now:
Having a social life = late night partying + drinking/smoking. 
Kids these days smoke like nobody's watching, do drugs to follow a new fad. Sometimes I feel that the peer pressure and the whole tension to do well knowing that there are probably 100 people better than you leading to such extreme measures. But drugs and smoking are inexcusable habits

9. Then: 
Due to lack of technology, you guys had the privilege to explore all the possibilities and try out new things. Anything you did was new.
Now: 
We're following fads to go vintage. If we have a eureka moment- just google it. 10 million people have already been there or spent that. It's more and more difficult to stand out. So we spend all our time trying to fit in. Originality is lost. Very few get to stand out which is a tremendous achievement! 

10. Then: 
Romance was something special and oh so chivalrous and filmy. From writing letters to stealing glances at the local park- romance those days were something different. 
Now: 
Lol, romance? You mean he/she liked my facebook/Instagram post. That's so romantic. Or she/he send me a text first- best day of my life. It's a virtual bubble we live in- and virtual romances and online dating is something I can't fathom. At all. I'm sure our romance stories will start something like this: "It's all began when she/he sent me a Instagram/Facebook request." 

But all it all- teenagers will be teenagers. This or past generations: there's some traits that we can't get rid off. From rebellion against parents to crushes, to pressure. We're all on the same page somehow. 

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Serendipitous meetings?

As she sat, waiting for the bus; She could feel the trickle of sweat cascading down her neck. But at the same time the sudden temperature drop and a cold gush of wind chilled her to her very bones. Flabbergasted at the ever changing minds of the weather gods, she ran to a nearby cafe, in hopes of drying off. 
The cafe was crowed and the hustle of people annoyed her to the point that she decided to walked out in the stormy weather; which seemed like the grey scale of doom would wail out its misery anytime soon. Out of the corner of her eye- She finally found an empty bench which was canopied by an umbrella. Though the bench was occupied by an old man,she went on her way in hopes that she would have come company till the storm passed. Just as she got closer- she realised that the man was smoking a cigar and having a very sensitive throat to smoke, she thought of going someplace else when the rain started pelting on her back. She quickly jumped under the umbrella with a peevish smile on her face as she watched the startled look on his face. 
They sat in awkward silence as the smell of stale smoke hung in the air and the only light -was coming from the lit end of his cigar. "Weird weather, eh?" He asked, to which she just shrugged. Finally noticing her uneasiness, he put out his smoke and gave her an dry smile. Noticing his  relaxed posture, his aged wrinkled skin, his small beady eyes, she tried to read as to what kind of background he may be from, when suddenly he said, "I smoke to die."
Curious by the way he told me such a private so easily, she just shrugged and said,"Hey, no judgements. Do what you gotta do, but smoking is never the answer, nor will it ever be. There many other ways to be sad and pretend to want to die. But you know they say to each their own." 
He just smiled and lit another smoke. "Do you like the world?" 
"Yes...no...well most of the times" she flustered. 
"Why? What's to like- good people die, bad people die, strong people die, weak people die, chaos is hiding around every corner of our life, we can't wait to live but at the same time we die without living. Smokers die, non smokers die. Everyone just have a different amount of time allotted. That's it." he said. 
The despair and the morbidly of the truth behind his statement made her skin tingle . She couldn't figure out if it was out of astonishment or if she just was uncomfortable with the thought of having such a morbid topic as a 'small talk'. His piercing eyes stared curiously into hers while his words sunk in. 
"Listen here mister, you might think you have nothing to live for, and this whole "world is an evil hell and we're all just waiting to die" is not the way to go about. I agree, we're all on a time limit and there chaos and imbalance everywhere. But that's the thing, that's where the true essence of living truly lies. Waking up, taking shit from people, finding happiness with your loved ones, feeding yourself, taking care when everyone is trying to take you down, stumbling across problems at very moment and waking up and repeating everything. That's the guts, and courage we all need. The moment we run out of that courage portion, our time ends too." 
Seemingly startled at the girl's outburst he asked, "Why is there so much imbalance in every equation though? There is good and there is bad, there is calm and there is angry, there is supposedly a white and black area, but that's bull. We call know that it's all grey, no white, no black. So if there is a god, why is he so unfair? And who made him the leader of what we are granted and what we are not, what lies in our fate? Everything is twisted in ways I refuse to fathom. Explain me this whole equation of this God?"
The ends of her lips curved upwards and she said, "Imbalance is the very existence of balance, like bad is of good. Everything is intertwined in a network that is out of reaches of us mere humans. The faster you accept that- the happier you'll be and the faster you'll leave the world peacefully. The worlds full of misery- we hardly need you to add on, so try to keep you head above water. And keep swimming."
The old man's wrinkles suddenly seemed to disappear as he tried to inhale the depth of her words as silenced enveloped them. 
As they parted ways, she quietly quoted her favorite author, "The world is not a wish-granting factory my friend." To which he gave a sad smiled and they quietly slipped into the shadows, probably stained forever with insight they've never asked for but unknowingly it's marked them. For good or bad? We'll never know. 





Friday, September 5, 2014

At this moment.

At this moment someone is brushing their teeth to go to bed, while somewhere the suns rises in the horizon, making people brush their teeth for the exact opposite reason. Someone is falling asleep to the soothing melodies of a lullaby, at the same time somewhere some one's waking up to the shrill screeches of the rooster  waking them up. Somewhere people are fighting over silly reasons, breaking relations while somewhere, some kids share their P&B sandwich on their first day of school, with all their little awkward cuteness marking their soon to last; long lasting friendships.
At this moment, some painfully hang onto their last breaths while some take their first breaths from their mother wombs. Some cry and grieve at the loss of loved ones while some cry and celebrate of a new life on this planet. Some take their first steps as an individual while some lose their legs over tragic accidents. Some say their first words while their loved ones celebrate on the other hand, some say their last words while their loved ones grieve. 
At this moment- someone is falling in love with some one's eyes while someone else is falling out of those same eyes he fell in love with. Some people are saying their "I do!" to tie their love in a legal binding While others are saying "I do" to break this very legal bond once made on love. While some people are making new friends others make enemies. Some are stepping out of the circle of life and risking their lives to fell a thrill of excitement while others live and die, all their lives contemplating on whether to step out and actually feel alive. While some gain something out of serendipitous situations while others lose all they've got in tragic situations. The sun rises somewhere in the horizon while in the same horizon on the other side of the world- the same horizon sets the very same sun. Isn't it funny? Thinking about all these precious, tragic, exhilarating, somewhat diabolical and beautiful at the same time painful moments that occur every passing moment. Just think about it! The possibilities are endless. 
To infinity and beyond, god darn my heads such a painful beautiful and wonderful place to live in! 
And this is such a sneak peak of what it's like. 


Monday, August 25, 2014

I see you

I see the way you haunch you back, slouching in a manner my mother would have a fit over, the bags under you eyes suggesting that your amber colored stones have seen more than they should have, the half empty cup of caffeine your calloused fingers clutch; The lack of sleep evident even for the blacked orbs of a blind man.
The way your fingers twitch, the way your eyes keep looking at your phone, the crooked frown that mars your strong jawline, the way your eyebrows knit in frustration, the way your legs are tapping against the pathway, and your restless ways annoy the grandma sitting across you, evidently judging you, and probably raiding on this generation kids. The way your foreheads starts to form beads of sweat while at the same time you pull your pale blue sweater around you, your white as ghost skin flush a lush pink of embarrassment or excitement, your evident impatience catching every eye in the park. While the different hues of orange and red light up the sky, your eyes reflecting the colours, almost as if your skull have rubies in them. The tension palatable and the suspense of a phone call slowly killing you as your eyes wander to the skies, seemingly silently praying for something. 
Finally the snazzy ring tone of you phone literally shakes you up, while I watch you spring on your feet, the lack luster of days of insomnia vanishes and you walk to and fro, talking, and then suddenly throwing the phone down. My breath hitched and my heart pounded thinking of all the terrible scenarios that could have happened to you. 
I couldn't make out from your lips to lip sync your conversation, but I sure could hear the loud pounding of your heart, almost as if it wanted to be break free from your rib cage. I knew something big has happened. What? I don't know. 
But the way you threw you head back and astoundingly  laughed, with a little bounce in you walk, the twinkling gleam in your eyes, that crooked frown turned upside down with a blinding smile, and the way your lips screamed to the whole wide world. 
 "IT'S A GIRL!" 
I knew it didn't matter anymore. 

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Intriguing alienation.

Do you ever just sometimes, for a moment, stop. Just stop for a second, and breathe. Just breathe, and take in your surroundings and just be still. Just be...aware. Or try to be aware of the things you're going to do, you did and wonder as to when and what is your destination. Just look at the clouds and wonder as to where they're heading. So just watch the flock of birds flying in the sky, wondering if they watch a new sunset and sunrise every day? If at this every moment, someone has just taken their first breath in this world, while someone takes their last? Someone's falling in love while someone's just breaking apart? Someone's happy. Someone's heartbroken, someone angry. Someone having their eureka moment while some spend sleepless nights studying a eureka moment?
So many moments, so many someone's, and all you can do is think about it. In that very moment, taking it all in, trying to process and calm your heart that's trying to rip off your chest, telling your brain to shut up, to stop thinking so much. While you're lungs are trying to take a deep breathes to keep you pushing forward. You've never been so claustrophobic, yet you've never felt more liberated? By literal terms to exist but at the same time not existing. To see everyone's faces blurred out, and just, just for a moment- you're alone and nobody around you matters. 
It's not a melancholic or ecstatic feeling. Nor is it exciting or depressing. But it's just something, that is crying to get noticed, and never been more aware of it. It's just there...
And all you want is to be in that moment and at the same time get out of it, experience it, at the same time forget all about it. Wondering if it's gonna mark you or you'll just go back to the way things are. Make or break you. 
It's a silence which is so quite it's almost deafening. Almost as if you've lost all your senses and feel as if you're not existing but at the same time you've never been more aware of your existence. Your throat clogs up, your lungs puffed up, your mind like scattered stars, trying to find an alignment. It just hangs in the air, almost as if you can touch it, taste it, feel it. All your senses on high alert and at the same time you feel numb. But it's a feeling that stays with you always. 

So, tell me. Have you ever been graced by this alienated yet somehow comforted experience? 
If you haven't, then this is just a peek into my world. 
You have have felt it, or want to, let me tell you, it's a pretty intriguing alienation, which I wouldn't trade for the world.
🎭

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Rainy disposition ☔️

I watched as the rain drops splashed against the pavement, creating a complex pattern which was soon on the verge of being flooded. The clouds roared in annoyance, of being noticed by us mere humans to let us know that they're here, and it's that time of the season- monsoon. The grey clouds dimmed the once lit up sky, the kind of grey you see on dolphins, a nice soothing grey with borderline banality tendencies.
I observed the different reactions of people, the little kids almost racing to get out of their school buses, trying to escape the holds of their forever ready caging tendency of the parents, the teenagers some hiding from the rain, some romancing with their young love, some with war at themselves; contemplating to whether dance in the rain or save themselves a weeks worth of cold and cough. While the parents, frustrated with the weather, trying to control their kids, cursing the weather gods, while trying not to get any of the muck on their work pants, and preventing themselves from getting wet. While the old people, just sit and watch the rains from the windows, their legs a bit too worn out from old age for them to actually enjoy the monsoon, with a cup of steaming hot tea in their hands, and a rainy scene to help keep them company as their reminisce of the good old days.  
And me? 
I just watch as each raindrop falls on the ground, creating ripples on the puddles, filling up the potholes with water, hear the frogs croak, as the plants having had their bath; enjoy the lush green wash which covers the earth, almost as if the plants are having a ball, where all of them have worn their best dresses, in hopes of impressing the world and showing off to the human eyes, the real beauty of Mother Nature, with the birds chirping and the frogs croaking, almost as if telling us 'Listen up humans of the world, the most beautiful person is ready to come out in all it's holy glory.' Ahh Mother Nature. 
Oh and thunderstorms are the best. Some might be freaked out about these monstrous creatures, but I think their one of the most spectacular things a naked eye has ever perceived. 
The purple streak of Harry Potter's scar being displaced on the skies is truly a potter head fans dream. The electric blue streak highlighted or bordered with silvery purple, as a thunderous sound soon follows, against the grey scale of the heavenly skies accompanied with the smell of wet mud is truly one of the reasons I thank the gods to be alive. This feeling of sheer pleasure and happiness, of seeing everything in the truest form, without any mask, make up to cover in all it's imperfections. That, that is the reason, I love the rains. 



  

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

#LikeAGirl

'You fight like a girl!" "Awh come on, stop crying like a girl!" "You run like a girl!" "You punch like a girl!"
These are just your average based 'insults' that men in particular love to throw around in mockery to question someone of their 'manliness'. 
Just yesterday in class one of the boys was crying for some reason and our teacher who by the way is a man, being oh so original and charming could only think of one way of shutting the poor chap by saying, "I won't be calling your parents for disturbing by class this way" and I quote "tu ladki hai kya?" (Are you a girl) "tu ladki jaise rota hai, tu ladkiyo jesai harkat karta hai" (You were crying like a girl and you behave as one)  
Isn't it funny? We go worshipping girls in India, and recently campaigning for the liberation of the woman in the society, and yet we have people, educated from the highest and most prestigious institutions like IIT talking like this. 
In the field I'm currently pursuing, engineering- girls are in minority for reasons unknown. But does that give men the right to insult the term 'girl?'
When did 'like a girl' become an insult? What is wrong with hitting 'like a girl?' Or crying 'like a girl?' Or even running 'like a girl?' What wrong in being compared to a girl?
 WHAT IS WRONG WITH BEING A GIRL?
What I can't seem to fathom is the thought that women and girls all round are okay with the fact that 'like a girl' is an insult and maybe even use it themselves. This breaks my heart. I've always counteracted if someone uses this term in a condescending sense. As a kid I used to give them my version of 'death ray vision' and throw a fit till they took back their words. As a teen- I would give them a moral lecture with a underlined death wish if they ever uttered that line again. 
Why don't people get it? As if being girl isn't hard enough, making cheap tags lines and mocking the way we are isn't helping the situation. They say real men respect women in every way. I'm not saying all the boys around me are rapists and molesters. But these sheer sexist comments are the root bases of the inferiority complex between men and woman. 
Like William Goulding once said, "I think women are foolish to pretend they are equal to men, they are far superior and always have been." Such a wise man. 
So to all the girls and women around the world, here's my advice. "Punch like a girl, cry like a girl, scream like a girl, walk like a girl, talk like a girl, throw a ball like a girl, sing like a girl or even bloody breather like a girl. Cause it working. Damn straight it's working. As long as we do our job or excel in our various fields, nobody's gonna ask you if you 'did it like a girl.' If they did, just tell them 'Its cause I'm a girl, and you're just sorry you can't be us." A sass a day keeps the basics away. ✌️ 

Here's to us girls, keep it simple. Keep it real and being "like a girl." 

PS- Watch this amazing ad here, the links given below. Here's to an amazing campaign that promoting us women, please support them anyway you can. Spread the love ❤️

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Summer bummer love

As the crystal periwinkle coloured water kissed the silvery white shores of the islands, I felt the sand beneath my feet trying to escape as I curled my toes trying to clutch them, failing miserably as the stubborn waters washed the velvety sand between my toenails. almost as if it was trying to pull me into the big blue canvas; forcing me to forget my worries and just literally go with the flow. Oh how I wish I did.
Walking along the scenic Island coastline was like a beautiful and surreal experience. With the sun beating down my back; the smell of salt in the air as a gentle cool breeze helped me keep the humidity at bay. The silvered sand glistening as if some pirates had hidden their secret stash of treasure underneath the sand, stunning the onlookers with their shine, prodding them to break into a treasure hunt. 
While the vast blue ocean tried to swallow the shoreline, I walked with my bare feet digging into the sand creating footprints while the cheeky waves erased my very evidence of ever being there. 'Walk barefooted in sand once in a while and you'd never have to pay money for a pedicure.' Reminiscing these lines said by my grandmother, I looked into the angry sky, as the sun tried to run away from the clouds that were trying to overshadow the blue ocean in the horizon. 
The beach was full of these tiny sea crabs. With each step I took, every sea crab within a 10m distance hid away into their shell. Obviously not liking the intruder treading their lands with her gigantic feet. It was like a chain reaction, as I walked every living thing around me locked themselves away; hiding from the scrutiny of human eyes. There is that line between nature and us. If these crabs were humans- they'd probably shine their outer shells and strut their stuff, showing off their islands to the intruder. While these tiny creature want to be left to their solitude, not interested to show the world what they've got. Now that's a hidden valuable lesson neither school, society nor anyone for that matter can teach us. 
Out of the corner of my mind I saw a movement on one of the dried up corals. On inspecting a little closer I saw a tiny kitten purring softly as it tried in it's cat monologue to build up it's courage to jump over the small stretch of water and landing safely onto the inviting silver arid sand. Stranding without anyone to help- the kitten purred pitifully. Boy don't we all know this feeling?  Carefully I tried to coax the tiny thing into letting me pick her up so that I could land her feet on the sand. It took half a packet of crushed Oreos and a good old 10 minutes of "good kitty, nice kitty." 
Mission accomplished. 
The kitten purred and wrapped herself around my foot almost as if giving me her gratitude. Oh how my heart was set on this creature. I played with the animal till it the sun kissed the ocean; marking my departure. 
After a million kisses, a full packed of crushed Oreos  and a prolonged goodbye I set foot back home wishing the animal a good life. The kitten followed me half the way till it's tiny paws probably worn out and it's tiny figure disappearing into the now dimly lit up sky. 
I wonder if that's what summers about. Finding tranquility in the wilderness of the earth, learning to appreciate Mother Earth, just finding the almost extinct solitude from the hassle of city life. I hope the kitten remembers me, if I ever someday stumble into her again, though I know there's a bleak chance of that ever happening. 
Forgotten summer love, sun kissed skin, blue skies, a new sense of confinement and a brief agreement between the mind and your heart, almost lulling you to never go back. 
Now that's what summers all about. 
#SummerTwentyFourteen 



Friday, April 11, 2014

Religion Prejudice

Today I'll be writing on one of the most controversial but hushed topic in our society. Religion.
  • : an organized system of beliefs,ceremonies, and rules used to worship a god or a group of gods.
Hindu, Muslim, Christianity, Sikhs, Jews and so on are all the different religions all around the world. We may praise the almighty god with all the pre-historic rituals and all that jazz, but does anyone have the authority to question their customs? Like a woman can never be a Rabbi or a priest in a baptized church. Muslims women are to be behind a veil or 'burka' when in public, some middle eastern counties don't allow women to drive cars. They don't even allow their woman to pray in mosques. We as Hindus frown upon the household where a women is the bread maker in the house or remarriage of a widow, the dowry system, marrying  an innocent 13 year old off to some 30 or sometimes even a 60 year old man. When I open the newspaper, all I see is this heart breaking stories of child marriage, suicide  attempts of women due to not being able to pay dowry, or due to the constant henpecking from the in-laws. 

But all in all- we see, we might feel sad but move on as this is all under 'religious customs.' Not allowing girls near worship places when their on their monthly cycle- I have friends who are not allowed to go out of the house during those 5-6 days. I'm sorry, but is no one aware that this happens to every female and its not something we asked for? Our god made us this way. We think of child birth as something pure and magical but when it comes to the periods that illusion is demystifies? And then we sit and wonder as to how this inequality between a man and woman has started. It's always the girls fault. Whether it's blamed on Eve for biting the sinful apple or on us girls wearing short clothes is a mating call for males to rape. It's always us. 

Some religions are of the belief that homosexuality is an unnatural disease and we must immediately shun out such people who are 'ill'. Or in some tribal beliefs when children start teething, they believe that the child is possessed  by the devil and go to these con artists who sit under the title of 'gurus' with their yellow forehead and saffron clothes, with their multiple necklaces just waiting to pounce  on poor villagers for a living. If a girl is not mentally stable they send her off to some remote temples where she's made to pretend to be some devil possessed sorcerer and people sit around her chanting spells to ward off her 'evil spirit'. You're probably thinking- Are you kidding me? I wish I were, but it's the bitter truth. Have you seen any female pundits? Or god being addressed as 'her'. Though we have many female deities, they're always put in a smaller temple or less grander than their supposing 'husbands' . That's why maybe I like Durga Mata so much. Call it a feminists guilty pleasure. But she's the only goodness know for being a superwoman, for not depending on any man.  
Whether it's Hitlers genocides or discrimination of females in worship place as long as the discrimination is under the title of 'religious believes' we all just drop the idea of voices our thought or fighting for our right and start chanting gods name in fear of being cursed by him. The hypocrisy of the government and the juvenile customs of our many religious beliefs have suppressed us woman form any kind of power. Not to mention our religious believes of not talking open about 'sex education'. In India we student do not receive sex education talks, but in turn are supposed to pride the fact that we worship many goddess and pray to them to bless us.  I mean the whole country dedicates temples and 'Ashtami' days for national holiday to worship our girls who are our 'devi' or goddesses. While any other day it's okay to rape a girl between the ages of 9 months old to a 90 year old or molest a baby girl in open day light? Studies have shown that sex education is one of the ways to drastically reduce rape cases. The evident carelessness and egoistic male chauvinism in this country is appalling but if it's under the tag line of religion- we just let go and take whatever is in our way.  

I'm not an atheist. I believe in god, I pray, I visit temples, churches, gurudwaras etc.  But I like to believe that god, this enchanting mystical form we pray and devote our faith hasn't brought me into this world to see that women are inferior to men, or girls can be discriminated whether openly or in religion, and we are just supposed to be okay with it. No, he has brought me to see that equality is my birthright and nobody gets to put me down- not religion, not any government or cult. Not even he himself. 
Discrimination is showing prejudice in any form- political, social or even religious. Why can't we tax this biased system which is hiding under the protection of god? Which thinks it can get always with it cause we fear god? Try being god loving, not god fearing people. Then maybe we will someday get to see an equality which we can only dream of right now. Think about it. 


PS- I meant to hurt no religion, customs, cult or any beliefs. It's not a hate blog, nor an atheist one. It's only my beliefs cause everyone is entitled to them, and thisπŸ‘† is mine. Sorry not sorry if it hurts any sentiments or feeling, it's not intentional and all of this is purely frictional and for amateur blogging. 
Till next time my readers. πŸ™
   

Monday, March 17, 2014

17 years, 17 little observations.

Here's to my 17 years of my life in 17 personal life pointers.

1. Don't grow up, it's a trap. We all just wait to grow up just to experience more conflicts nobody prepared us for. 

2. Nobody wants sympathy. We all just want empathy. 

3. Little things in life do matter. 

4. All the bad things is life are prettier, more attractive, more alluring and definitely more cheaper than the good things is life. That's what makes it so hard. 

5. Everyone just wants money, nobody actually wants a job. 

6. School days are the best days in ones life. 

7. People come and go, but family stays, irrelevant of whether you might like it or not. 

8. When people are irritated , they make it a point to pass on their irritation to everyone around. Maybe that's why anti-socials are in a way smart to stay away from people. 

9. When life hands you lemons- you spend the rest of your life wondering what to do with it. Make lemonade or just  keep it as a showpiece till it rots. The choice is yours. 

10. The 80's kids might have had a hard life with no actually luxury of technology or urbanisation, but they definitely had a better life than this generations. Without technology or communication, you really don't give a damn about what your next door neighbour is doing. And that's something I'd kill for. 

11. Money doesn't buy happiness but I rather be crying and drinking my sorrows in a mansion than a hut. Just saying. 

12. Boys or men definitely gossip just as much as us women. If not more.

13. Reality checks are the worst kind of checks in life. 

14. The older you grow; you're given your lawful rights to liberation. But somehow, you feel even more caged.  

15. Men's mightiest downfall in life is their ego, and women's their incapability to mind their own business. 

16. The worlds a  big masked ball, everyone is wearing a pretty mask to hide their inner demons. 

17. Expectations mostly lead to disappointments. Best advice- just wing it- unexpected things in life are the most memorable memories. 

....... (To be continued) 



PS- Happy Holi to all you beautiful people out there ❤️


Thursday, February 20, 2014

Should we be proud?

India- a country with diverse topography and unmatched natural beauty from the tall snow pecked peak of Himalayas to the multicoloured grains of sand of Kanyakumari- we are blessed with it all.
So should be proud of our our country? So proud that we yell it from the mountain tops? Proud of our nationality, as Indians we should be ecstatic with the way our country runs, patting our government on their backs? 
Yet, we youngsters- the moment someone takes the name of the Indian government; we snicker and roll our eyes with the look that says it all? This-country-has-no-hope. Yes, the government is corrupted, I mean it's politics. If it's ain't dirty- it ain't politics. But yet, I am ashamed of the way things are running in the this country. From our own capital so lovingly nicknamed- 'the rape capital'. I mean just imagine, your country's own capital; shine and pride is the most unsafe place for girls, and for I am one doesn't really create a good image for my future safety. From the sexual assaults to the thousands of pending molesting and rape casing on the our every own chosen delegates, this country has seen it all. To top it off; the outstanding behaviour of our Raj Sabha regarding the long awaited Telangana and Andhra issue. Ripping papers, tearing documents and flipping it in the air in anger like some Bollywood movie, stripping down to their boxer holding slogans for their beliefs, snatching and hitting each other and blatantly disrupting the sitting of the house in front of our Prime Minister and the other respectable members of the house. Isn't that just lovely? I mean our kids are sure to get some anger management issues classes from our prime and shine? 
Not to mention even our own very NRI's sitting in other countries, look down upon their own homeland- singing praises of the respective countries they now reside in? I was watching the debate hour with Arnav Goswami during the Devyani humiliation case, when I was flabbergasted to hear the views of our very own flesh and blood deriding their homeland and judging us to over-reacting over a small matter? The nerve of such people! Are they aware of the national uproar of their fellow people? The humiliation we had to go through? Sitting in their "high chairs" judging us with like we're always the one to blame, Indians the fools? 
Not like our Indians are any less! Demanding states, fighting against each other like little children? Our very own Indo  Pakistan war with the naxalites. Don't even get me started on the elections. It's the blind leading the blind. The illiterate people's innocence is taken advantage off by our forever greedy and foolish politicians. 
All you hear in your house is our elders just blaming the government, shaking their heads in disappointed muttering that "Nothing can be done with this country." Yet, refusing to vote to some decent chaps to make this country's democracy just a little less hopeless, talk about double standards. 
When I see the mass gathering during Nirbhaya's case, the opening of the T-2, the general Lokpal Bill, our master blaster- Sachin Tendulkar, Ghandhiji, Mother Teresa, Jhamsedji Tata; our India is a homeland of all these great people which gives me the tiny hope that's left in my heart  and I cling to it with both arms that maybe, just maybe my generation can knock some sense into the administration of this country and show the world why India's the largest democracy in the world! Show them what we got. Cause if we ain't got hope; we ain't got nothing left to fight for. So my advise? Instead of warming the chair, go vote! Baby steps, right? It's a start. :) 

Sunday, February 2, 2014

Passion over mind?

Passion. The most candid of human desires, the most over hyped of emotions according to me. Passion is what drives people out of their comfort zones- daring themselves to try and and get out their this zone. I've always been told do what you're passionate about, follow your dreams. But why is almost is it so hard to follow your passion? To follow what you want. After all 'the heart wants what it wants.' As teenagers- we are never out of options for careers options, but what we want? It's a totally different matter. Suppose you have always wanted to be one of those food critics you see on those TLC channels or those world travelers, I mean getting paid to eat and travel the world? What more could anybody ever want? But is it a safe option? I mean what would your mom or Dadi say if that next door Mrs Mehta asked them what their precious grandson or daughter is doing? Imagine the horror! No degree, no doctoral or engineering certificate adorning the house walls. Or dreaming of being an Acapella singer or a ventriloquist? Or starting a band and strumming it around with your homeboys. Even asking your parents or subtly suggesting these options as an occupations can lead to a dreaded silence hangs in the house for almost a month, the tensions always palpable, to last a lifetime.
There are always people who have attained success in their lives because of their passions, but as teens- you can't help but feel as if these are one is gazillion cases where destiny and luck matters. And god forbid you base your arguments of such examples in your never ending debates of self conflict. You're bound to feel like just screaming on top of your lungs till the words dry out.'Why is being a teenager so hard?"We're too young to do half the things in our life's but old enough to make decisions which we have to stick to for the rest of our life.
The moment us teens even utter the words- life is so stressful. The sardonic laughs of the adults will resonate in your ears. "You? Seriously what pressure do you guys even have apart from studying?" Ah well, what I would like to say to such adults is- maybe in your times- you people had a less luxurious life and I know you've all worked hard to get where you are, but that doesn't mean  us teenagers or "kids" don't know what pressure is. Times have change drastically. Try being a teenager trying to find your limelight against the billions of other kids, who are just as clever and talented or maybe more than you can ever be. With the completion rising higher the the Burj Khalifa , keeping your head above  water gets harder every goddamn passing moment and with the added task of not succumbing to drugs or other things and in some unfortunate cases of being bullied, if that's not hard or too pressuring at our tender age, I don't know what is! 
Going behind passion is like choosing between Johnny Depp or Leonardo DiCaprio, both extremely tempting to chose but at the end of the day- the Oscars only can go to one. I don't know if I'll take journalism; my passion as a career or engineering; my life long dream as a career.  Maybe in life I won't take either for all I know, but we can't base our plans on maybes and ifs and one in a million cases. Just try and write our own destiny without trying to screw up and spice up our life's by taking risks and indulging into our passions every once in a while in sake of all sanity.
Ps- I know, I'm a month late- but hey- it's now or never. Happy new year to all my readers :) sorry for the late updates. The crazy schedule of a science student πŸ™ˆ