An Unlikely Diwali

I noticed him, sitting on his bed, lazing around while my mother ran around the house, yelling at the maid to dust properly as she herself cleaned and washed out the curtains and bedsheets. November had begun and so did the cold, but with Diwali just around the corner and the yearly house cleaning had begun. I could see him clearly annoyed at the fact like his house was being topped over and being scubbed nice and shiny. Just like me, he didn't like change. Maybe he'll miss the smell of the old house, as mother saw to it that house smelled of new paint and turpentine. A makeover to wash over the old. He stuck his little nose out in annoyance as I laughed in amusement.

Even though he didn't fit under the normal companions-to-have in society, little did he know that he meant the world to me. He didn't talk much and couldn't understand my language, but our eyes did all the talking. His brain might have lacked the normal intelligence of a normal human, but he was in every way smarter than any other person I'd ever known. His beady little eyes looked up as he caught starring at me as I quickly looked away and pretending like he wasn't there. He and I were on a time out. He had, after all, spilt a whole carton of milk on my favourite sweatshirt that very morning. I couldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing I was staring at him, let alone thinking of him. He always got out of tricky situations but this time I didn't want to give in. I couldn't almost feel his mischievous eyes on me, as I imagined him laughing his heart out.  I couldn't stay mad at him for long, even if I tried and he knew that; so before he could approach me, I quickly walked out and locked myself in my bedroom as he yelled my name. I'm sorry, but you mess with my favourite sweatshirt, you get the silent treatment.

Somehow I managed to nod off to sleep.

Not knowing how, or for how long, I found myself waking up to the noise of firecrackers and rockets as people all around me we're celebrating the festival of Diwali. I sat quietly and stared out of my window to the multicoloured and glittery skyline as the smog got heavier and the burnt smell hung in the air. I knew mom would soon come up demanding I dress up and come to the pooja so I decided to get ready. 

When I suddenly heard him scream in pain. I ran downstairs and took him in my arms as I hugged him and whispered soothing words in his ears. Nothing seemed to work. My mom then quickly shut all the windows and doors in hopes of making our house a little more soundproof but alas, nothing worked. I brushed his soft brown hair as I tried to put on the TV to his favourite channel but he just yelled lounder and hid under the bed. Little did I know that my little furry friend was going to be this scared of crackers. The sound of his cries made my heart bleed as I sat helplessly trying to soothe things for my little furry companion as the sounds of the firecrackers just got louder as his cries got softer and he whimpered in pain. Maybe the festival of light isn't really a festival for him at all. "Hey there buddy, I'm right here. Right here with you." I whispered as his terrified eyes looked at me in question,"But my ears hurt. Do something." 

Atleast I can lessen the sounds for my dog, but what about his other furry friends on the street? Who will look after them I wondered.  

PS- so as you know Diwali is just around the corner and you may be tempted to go and spend thousands of rupees on buying firecrackers. Not only is it harmful for the air, but it's physically and emotionally painful for all animals. Not only dogs, but birds, cats etc. So it's my humble request that you have an eco friendly Diwali and say no to crackers. I don't have a dog, but I wish I could have. This little short story could not cover even half of what dogs go through, but please I urge you to think about them and hope you have a safe and happy Diwali & a happy new year. 

Hope you enjoyed this. 

Until next time readers 

xxxx 

Secularism: an ancient terminology.

Secularism: According to the internet, "One manifestation of secularism is asserting the right to be free from religious rule and teachings, or, in a state declared to be neutral on matters of belief, from the imposition by government of religion or religious practices upon its people." 

I'm sure most of you have heard about the recent events happening in our so called 'secular' and democratic country, where a man was lynched to death due to the suspicion of the fact that he might have cooked beef in his house in UP.

Wait, hold on a minute, WHAT? I'm sorry but when did we get the authority and the right to publicly lynch a person to death due to something he has done inside the confines of his own house? Unless he's cooking meth or raping a minor or cannibalism is in the picture or any other such humanly unaccepted behavior; nobody, and I mean nobody has the right to kill someone. Can someone also tell me as to why there was an official check by the police force to see if he had beef or not, before they could arrested the mob that lynched the man more important than just throwing the culprits into jail? I'll eat beef, pork, chicken, octopus, lizard too if that’s my fancy within the premises of my house, but what I cook and eat is my business and my business only. Not my religion, not the government, not the police, not my neighbors, not anyone. What I chose to cook and eat is none of the outside world's business? Understand that please.

Do people understand that a Muslim man eating beef inside his house, does not in any way related remotely to the fact that he is demeaning a Hindu's religious sentiments? Dear Hindu extremists, the world does not revolve around you or your religion. Sincerely, the rest of the world.

 If a man wants to eat beef, he wants to eat beef. It's that simple. Stop hiding behind your religion curtain and giving us Indians sad excuses for such kind of barbaric actions.

India for centuries is known for its secular society with its various culturally diverse groups all living together without any extreme incidents like this? Even our ancestors are better read in this topic than the present society.

I mean, all that talk about development and digital India and we can't stand someone eating beef inside their own house? *slow clap*

The Maharashtra beef ban is one of the stupidest ban's our government could have ever come up with, and seeing the recent attacks regarding this issue; seems likes the rest of India wants to catch up to it too. If you really gave a shit about our sacred cows, maybe try to get them off our roads and stop them from eating garbage. Cows in India die more from road accidents and consumption of plastic from garbage cans than anything. If they're so sacred to you, then please see that you spend money on the cows and their hygiene and give them grazing fields to feed on, give them the respect you think they deserve when you argue how lynching a man for eating beef is justifiable. Can you do that?

I think we all know the answer to that question.

So before you go spewing rubbish and giving us speeches as to how you did that to protect our Hindu religion, remember you're in a secular country. A country where a Hindu can eat pork in the same room as a Muslim can eat beef. If you're going to ban beef in Hindu majority states, then please ban pork in Muslim majority places too. If you're going to ban sale of chicken for a few days to protect the sentiments of the Jain community, then please by all means ban the sale of liquor and pork during the month of Ramzaan for the Muslim community.

If you still don't get the meaning of secularism, dear government, please go back to history books where India and Pakistan were one and we lived with the Muslim eating beef community just as they lived with our pork eating Hindu community. What a person's eating preferences are, is something not to be even thought of or let alone debated on. But I'm ashamed of being in a country where what I eat can be the very reason I can be killed. Just where is my country heading too?

So here's my take on this debate.

Dear government and so called "Hindu-religion-protectors", first things first, bans do not work in this country. Instead you promote the cause of the ban to a level even Salmaan Khan's films don't reach.

Second, anything and everything a man of the religious minority does, is not related to Hinduism, especially if he's a Muslim. I mean even the Arabian country's allow a man to have pork inside the confines of his house. Saudi Arabia countries are better off than us in terms of such tolerance. Let that sink in.

Third, you call this society we live in as a secular society. Learn the meaning then, or just don't call yourselves secular. If there was a secular India, it's sure gone away now. There's nothing secular about our nation presently, so stop being foolish and trying to sell us out delusion. Nobody is buying it.

Sincerely a-18-year-old-girl-whose's-scared-for-the-future-for-her-country.

Until next time readers

xxxx

Drown

 

He didn't know where this little boat was taking him, but he was glad to get some piece of quiet from the dark nights back home. His little ears couldn't take anymore gunshot sounds or wailing. His Papa always told him to put cotton in his ears and sleep, but the cotton itched his skin and he often spent nights scared out of his mind as he feel asleep to the wails of women all around him and firing. He always wondered if this is what children all over this world listened to as they too slept but Papa always told him that children across the big blue ocean from his house slept to the sounds of crickets and frogs croaking and on most nights to no sound at all.

Feeling sleepy, he hid his tiny head under his Papa's shoulder as the salty breeze tickled him to sleep. After countless nights of no sleep, he had a dream. He was sitting in a boat just the same as the one he was sitting in right now, as a big wave hit the boat as it rocked dangerously. He felt her eyes on him, burning holes through his tiny back, as she watched his family fall into the big blue ocean. He saw that his mother had stopped struggling to keep afloat, as she pushed him towards a bright orange tube. She suddenly went as still as the body he saw outside his pavement of his house back home, except his mother smelled of salt and sea weed instead of the unbearable rotten smell that came out of that body. His papa was nowhere in sight. When she suddenly turned towards him and almost lovingly waved her arms around his fragile little body as though showering him with kisses. Almost as if she knew that he would fall from the boat and would need support. Not to mention, the stillness and peacefulness that came with her kisses and hugs, almost made him forget that she was a stranger and that she might be dangerous. Throwing caution to the wind, he took her cold but somehow warm hugs and clung to her as everyone else got washed away. He held on with both his tiny arms as she lulled him to sleep. Had he known his wasn't a dream and he had been lulled to death, maybe then his tiny body wouldn't have been washed ashore on the pearly white beaches of Turkey as Mother Nature swept his sleeping lifeless body on the beach, the waves kissing his cold cheek relentlessly, as he looked deep in slumber; for the whole of humanity to cry out in pain. 

Days

The soft wind swept her sticky face, tickling her as she felt her eyelids drop and the humidity and stickiness of the sun made her even sleepy as she dragged her foot forward to the taxi stand. She had just stepped out of the train station and had another half an hour journey calling her name as she sun beat down her back and she cursed herself for not putting any sunscreen as she felt her dusky Indian skin cry is horror as it turned two shades darker. She could almost hear her mother's monologue in the background, "Who will marry you? Nobody likes a dark skinned girl." Her inner snark already rebutting with a "Yes, the whole point of  my life is to marry a boy, mother dear." Her heart panged at the thought of her mother as she became terribly homesick. Living in a PG away from home can only be exciting for so long before one starts miss their family.
Her turn to catch a taxi finally came, as she paid for her prepaid cab and waited for the cab to arrive. The bright yellow taxi almost hurt their eyes in the hot tropical sun as the cabbie smiled amicably and opened the door for her. The chill of the AC offered some respite to her sticky hot skin as he started the drive home. With nothing to do, she studied the cabbie's profile. Long nose, wrinkled skin, a small button nose with a bushy black moustache and curly black hair, he was a stark resemblance of her uncle back in her home town. He smiled politely when he suddenly asked her name. Skeptically she told her first name. His eyes suddenly sparkled and he told his name as Rajesh Kumar and that he was from South India from the state of Tamil Nadu. Hearing stories about kidnapping and rape cases among public services, she was on alert as to why this stranger was telling her all thing about his life. He went on to ask what she was studying and where she was from. Not reading any signs of psychopathic or murderous sign from the cabbie, she curtly gave him one reply words, hoping he would get a hint. But the simpleton not reading her signs, went on to talk about his family, his nephew who is studied in the same college as her and is now in Canada, about his two daughters, how he misses his family who he left back in Tamil Nadu in hope of providing them better, his two daughter who are studying in 10th and 8th and getting all scholarships and straight A's, and lastly his wife's cooking. She may not have been interested in talking to him before, but she recognised something she hadn't before; his eyes. She saw the same sad eyes as hers, eyes that were missing the familiarity of their home and warmth of their family. She politely smiled and nodded and listened intently to everything he said. Just as they reached her destination, he turned back and smiled so sincerely, all her doubts and coldness melted as he said, "Thank you for talking to me so nicely. I work all day and drop passengers from here to there, but most are too busy on their phones or don't want to talk to me as I'm a cabbie. Do you know I wait to go home so I can talk to people? My friends and family are tired of hearing me talk, and keep telling me to shut up, but I need to make up for the silence I hold the whole day. But you listened and didn't shut me down completely. So thank you Miss!" She laughed as she paid him as she felt her cheeks redden with embarrassment for the suspicion she felt for this simple man. His cute crooked smile filled her lungs with cheer as she told him, "You and I, are outsiders who are surviving in this city for the betterment of our families. I know the feeling and hope his helps you to go on a holiday to visit them." as left him a generous tip and she walked to her PG.
"You made my day miss." he said.
''No, you made mine."


PS
This is actually an incident that occurred to me. Just added some spice but I really liked his man. It was such a pleasure to have met him.
Dear Rajesh Kumar, wherever you are, I hope you're doing well. I'm sorry for my indifference and I hope you see your family soon.

Until next time readers
xxxx

Equal Love

So as everyone is aware, the American Government made history by declaring equal marital rights and dignities to the gays and lesbians. It's a remarkable win for all its citizens and a damn well reason to be proud of it's government. I couldn't be more happier for the LGBTQ community; it's a massive well deserved win.

Now while we can share their happiness, our LGBTQ community is far from celebrating this achievement with the Indian government making gay rights the least of their worries. Now I'm not saying the government is sitting and fiddling with their thumbs, I know there are a million other issues being sorted out, but freedom to choose who you marry, who you can love is a fundamental right that cannot be denied because you think homosexuality is "unnatural". I'm not going to try and change your views on homosexuals. That's something that is personal according to me and the orthodox nature of our ancestors are too deep rooted to change by reading a few words.

Yes, we may be one of the few countries in the world to recognise a 3rd sex: Transgenders, but has that really changed the dynamics? Hijra's (aka transgenders) are still not given as much dignity in our society as asked, they're not given the same job opportunities as males or females, just maybe the right to vote. Most still spend their lives begging at street corners. But at least the court and the law legally recognises them. The gays and lesbians aren't even recognised as natural humans and are given the status of outer-space species or aliens or clinically challenged.
Since the time the Indian Government back in 2013 declined to repeal section 377, homophobia has been on the rise. Supporters of the LGBTQ community have been worried that by criminalising homosexuality, gays and lesbians are venuerable to police or public brutalities and homophobia.
Recently Mr Gay who represented that gay community on international platforms withdrew from a pageant as he was scared to death by the homophobic people who sent his family death threats and warnings. One boy was reported almost beaten to death by fellow classmates who justified it as a cleansing process and to make him "straighter". Oh I'm so sorry, I didn't realise that a boy liking his own sex is disrupting your life and causing problems in your life. Indians and their pigheadedness can never fail to surprise me.

We might have gay pride and walks, but I feel it's more of an act of rebellion against the court's decision rather than concentration on the real issues at hand and fighting for whats right. Now I'm not saying that gay prides are a farce, they're very much real and relevant. But voicing and fighting for basic fundamental rights are lost in the background noise.

And to all the bigot's who think of homosexuality as ''unnatural" and think gays and lesbians should go to a doctor to get themselves checked and cure them as "straight.", I'm sorry that someone's preference to love and marry their own gender is harming you. I didn't know that homosexuality is highly contagious and now somehow you'll be pooping rainbows and boys will start dressing as girls and girls as boys. And this other million dollar question as to; how can they produce kids? It's scientifically and medically impossible. There is something known as adopting and I'm sorry but I didn't realise that the whole point of loving someone and marrying them is to have kids. Then why don't you shun every infertile couple out there?
 Oh my just imagine the horror. Someone living the life they want can actually affect your happiness and life so just save on the trouble and shun these people by calling them outer galactic species and aliens or send them death threats so that they live and die in the closet.

Yes, I'm a straight girl who supports gay rights, and I hope to see a day when I don't have to support them just as they don't need to support me for being heterosexual. I hope every citizen of this country is given the right to love, marry, court, have relations with any person they wish irrespective of their gender.
As Macklemore rightly said: I might not be the same but that's not important. No freedom 'till we're equal damn right I support it.

Now you may or may not support it. But you sure as hell don't have the right to outcast and derogate them as unnatural and send them to witch doctors to be cured. Don't hate them cause you don't share their beliefs or understand their love, but give them the same amount of respect as they give you. You don't see them being heterophobic now, do you? All I'm asking is to show them such respect and dignity, as they to you.

Waiting for the day where love conquers all in my country too ❤️ 

Until next time readers!
XXXX

Out of the box

So as many of you are aware of the recent news that has broken the Internet about the very controversial reality TV series family called the Kardashians. Love them, hate them, don't care about, they've always got the media going into a frenzy with their bold family values and tactics. But you must have heard of Bruce Jenner who underwent hormone replacement therapy and has come out as  a trans woman; Caityn Jenner.
Who's Bruce jenner? He is a former American field track and field athlete whose has won a gold  medal in the men decathlon event at the 1976 Summer Olympics.
Who's Caityln Jenner? The former named Bruce Jenner who has finally come out to the world after struggling for most of her life with her sexuality. Nothing has changed, Bruce and Caityln are the same person with just different names.

As we are born, we are recognised clinically as a boy or a girl by doctors. There's no grey area with your gender. You're born as a certain sex, boom. No questions asked you're either a male or a female. There's no blurred lines, no stepping over boundaries. But what if you aren't fitting in these two boxes of labels? You don't identify as a male or female? Does that mean you don't have any box to tick and now you're an out caste?
NO.

Here's a few words that dictionary.com has added as binary gender words

1. AGENDER
(adj) nothing or relating to a person who doesn't have any specific gender identity or recognisable gender expression.
 (noun) a person who is agender.

2. BIGENDER
(adj) Also bigendered. Nothing or relating to a person who has two gender identities or a combination  of both.
(noun) a person who is bigender

3. GENDER FLUID
(adj)nothing or relating to a person whose gender identity or gender expression is not fixed and shifts over time or depending on the situation.
Also genderfluid, gender fluid, gender-flexible
Now, lets be clear, people who identify themselves under any of these three words have their private parts intact. They're not transgender. NO, they've NOT got their private leached or any such absurd theory running down the rumour hill.

There are some bold people who've identified themselves under these binary terms and are changing our views about these unique people who just don't fit in the gender box ideals of society's realms. There's the stunning Ruby Rose who has come out as gender fluid through her critically acclaimed video- Break Free.  Or the Crocker jeans company's ad starring the stunning Erica Linder with the apt tag line of ''Come as you are. Whatever you are." (If you've got time, I implore you to check these videos on YouTube)

These agender people are changing the deep rooted dynamics of the industry and society. There's a modelling agency called Unique Models that let girls model for men's wear or binary gender clothes. Or boys for girls wear. Now when I say girls/boys wear I strictly mean it in the literal sense of the societies ideas of gender clothes which we all have accepted.
Also let me tell you, these androgynous models are slaying in their respective fields and do it with a finesse of glamour that is shocking and unparalleled beautiful.

Now you may not accept these uniquely out of the box people as normal; Or mix up some homophobic medical or religious issues as shunning these people as "abnormal." That's a choice that's completely and solely yours and I can have no say in it and nor am I interested. All I do want to say is that - One does not have to fit our archaic societal rules set in the 80's to not live the way they want. Respect someones decisions to not identify as your idea of gender but to live as whichever whatever gender they want to.
ALSO
If you're confused about a stranger's gender in public?
Here's a tip
DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.

And as Crocker jeans aptly said it- Come as you are. WHATEVER you are. 

Untill next time readers
xxx

10 Reasons Why Pune is like no other place

1. The Weather

Whether it's the Monsoon season, Summer, Autumn or Winter; Pune has a way of beautifully wearing its seasonal veil with a nice breeze to always suite your mood. Being a student oriented population, this city's weather is perfect for every adventure to be taken.

   

2. The Rich Heritage Sites

From the Aga Khan Palace to Sinhagad Fort to Vetill Hill; One never tends to run out of places to see and reminisce about this country's stunning architecture and rich heritage. The haunting stories of the palaces to the battles stories of the whispering ghosts of the forts, Pune has a way of singing the songs of past glory.

Aga Khan Palace

Sinhagad Fort 

                                                                                      

3. The Food

Pune is a foodie's heaven. Its has a very cosmopolitan background to cater for all cuisines from Chinese to Italian to European. From the juicy burgers from Burger Barn to the Vada Pav from Joshi's Vada Pav to Nile's biryani to the famous and lip smacking Shrewberry biscuits to Budhani chips to Chitale's sweets and namkeen to Vaishali's veggie friendly delicacies, Pune is literally a food paradise. 

Chitale's famous bakarwadi

Shrewsbury Biscuits 

  

  

4. The Nightlife

Pune has always been considered a very safe city for women. It's buzzing nightlife is very active during weekends where the local pubs and restaurants have amazing deals and with some or the other local celebrity music bands playing, to keep the dance floor pumping while local auto rickshaws are always available as local transport.There are always some local plays at the theatre or the cinema halls flooded with movie buffs, the city is alive on weekends and will be sure to give you weekends blues the coming Monday morning. 

Local pubs 

A concert at a local pub

5.  Shopping

Pune caters to every whim of a shopaholic, from street shopping at FC road or antique artefacts or furnisher at Juna Bazaar; to sandal shopping for the famous Osho Ashram slippers to the top notch brands at the many malls, everything is found here. The local street shopping is very pocket friendly and one can get everything- from clothes to jewellery in these shops. One's bargaining skills are definitely going to improve while shopping here. If this hustle bustle is not cut out for you then the many shopping malls with hundreds of international brands are always there. 

Women shopping at the local market

Amanora Mall

6. Local connectivity

Pune has the perfect location for weekend get-aways to Lonavala- a scenic drive among green mountains to this beautiful hill-station.  The beautiful Pune-Mumbai expressway is a smooth drive to the city that never sleeps- Mumbai, a coastal metropolitan city which is one of India's leading growing cities. Pune is also well connected by road to other states like Goa, Karnataka, Andra Pradesh.

Mumbai-Pune expressway

A tunnel on the expressway

7. The Pune Racecourse

The Pune Racecourse is an open 118.5 acres lush green filed where most of the local horse-racing and Polo matches take place. Its is controlled by the Army Cantonment area and is very well looked after. Matches are often held where the locals can watch and enjoy with a delicious brunch at the Truf Club. Many tournaments are also held here. 

The Pune Racecourse

Horse racing 

8. Places of Worship

Pune is known for its famous Dagadusheth Halwai Ganapathi temple where the Lord Ganesh is worshipped. People where all around India come to worship here and see its beauty. The St Mary's School Church is another such place which was built during the British rule and is one the oldest churches with beautifully draped glass windows. Or the Pataleshwar rock caves which is another heritage site. 

9. Osho Ashram 

The perfect place to kick back relax and learn and study the science of meditation. The stillness in the air and the aura of peacefulness and oneness that radiates from this place is one of a kind. People from all around the world come here to meditate. This ashram also offers ancient techniques for cleansing the body and modern original music as well. A place for absolute seredity and peace.

A devotee meditating at the ashram

The Osho Garden

10. Green City

Pune is known as a green city owing to the lush green tress and landscapes that adorn the city. It also has many beautifully landscaped gardens which are every nature lovers paradise. From the Botanical gardens in Empress Gardens to the quite beauty of the Osho Garden to the fountains of Bund Garden, Pune is truly a sight for sore eyes in terms of natural green tress.

The Flower Festival at Empress Garden 

A fountain in the Bund Garden Park

Pune's vast diversity and the amicable people of this city make it one of the best cities to intern in. So if you are looking for a place to intern, whether you are an international or local student, everyone and anyone is welcomed into this beautiful city which has many doors to open for social interaction and leadership opportunities. 

So if interested, what are you waiting for? To register yourself and log onto to aisecinpune.in and enjoy what this city has to offer firsthand.