Chimerical echoes

What does it feel to grow up as an orphan in India? What does it feel like to become a millionaire? What does it feel like to betray? What does it feel like to starve? What does it feel like to see a murder? What does it feel like to be lucky? What Does It Feel Like To Know That "IT IS WRITTEN" ?????????????? Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire appeals to all these elements making you realize that its a HARD life but people go on living. The social order of the life in the slums , the ambitions/lusts for power and the usual play of destiny makes the movie an honest and bold statement of India. Though the movie underlines the lives of the ordinary, it is not a tragic or a gripping tale of sorrow; instead it showcases the extraordinary lives of the ordinary whom the world passes by without a second glance. The movie probes through all the issues from riots to prostitution,high society mumbai underworld to young fanatics of Big B..... The movie is a truthful documentation of L

As a country that supposedly gained its Independence from non-violent means the hypocrisies that continues in the nation are countless. In fact, the suppression that happens in the country remains vigilantly demarcated and prevails under layers of countless constitutional acts, amendments, laws institutions and finally powerful individuals. The fight for democracy in our country has not received the rightful attention it deserves. The non-ceasing crusade for justice and equality by the numerous human rights activist’s remains muted and cleverly concealed by authority. Fuelled with consumerist culture, the privileged in the country find it hard to imagine the “iron curtain” that is in existence in the country. As well informed and media savvy individuals of country there are many among us who do not know about Irom Sharmila or the AFSPA. Not a controversial issue as the North –East region of our country has remained for long distant and remote to us. In fact, we “mainland Indians” have

All of us in this world are followers of a certain belief system or faith. There are also those among us who do not follow any of the belief systems or faith but adhere strictly to an ideology based on objective thinking, behaviour and so on. All through the ages, there have been numerous contributions, trials, tribulations, debates, arguments, criticisms etc between the various sects. Inherently all human beings exhibit the trait of “individual self-expression”, all of us trained to express our feelings, thoughts as well as absorb and understand life through the same ways. All human beings depending upon the situation carry out this process of understanding and assimilation with the world around consciously or unconsciously. What poses here as a question is do human beings necessarily at all times follow only the prescribed model or the pattern of the majority or the path of individual self-expression. It is here that I begin my debate…. A statement goes that “Every man Is like every

It is within the framework of Communalism can we categorize the non-ceasing violence , the attacks on women, the damages on property and the evident threat to individual self-expression. When religious groups view, a mere arch as a symbolic threat and justify the subsequent violence the situation demands the urgent need for us to revisit our religious doctrines. No religion preaches violence or justifies violence against those different. All religions preach respect towards other faiths and not condemnation. Many of the radical religious groups tend to misinterpret doctrines and spread hatred between communities and religions. As a country infamous for communal strife, the recent Hindu-Christian clashes in the Kandhamal district of Orissa do not come as a shock. In order to understand the present situation, the events leading to the clashes need to be re-examined in chronological order. The Kandhamal district of Orissa is rich in natural resources with its inhabitants belonging to var

In a rural village in Orissa, children bear similar marks of childhood. All their stomachs have spotted marks due to branding from iron rod. The local superstitious belief holds that this will stop the undernourished stomach from protruding any further. This blind superstition is quite common but rarely challenged…. Children from the formerly manual scavenging community in Madhya Pradesh do not attend the local school due to discrimination…. A mentally unstable young woman lies within the compound of a government hospital in Indore, unattended but in dire need of medical help… As a land of distinctive complexities, the issues existing in the nation are truly “one of its kind”. The ages of colonial rule and domination has made this country exhibit the traits, characteristics that have for long only focused on the diversities. However, larger issues like marginalization, poverty, displacement, violence etc form the crux of the unity that we often talk about. I personally have felt that

A view of greenery, The silence of nature, But there is nothing “Natural” about this scene. Instead of chirping, All we hear is the hissing of the burning tyres. It is a scene after a serial blast. As time progresses we can hear the lower tones Of humans moaning out of pain. It is a scene of death. A murder of human spirit. A murder of humanity. A murder of the democratic spirit; Anything-aspiring equality; Anything inspiring truth; Or striking the soul for a change: Why is violence sought out? Why is it seen as the means to attaining Equality? Is “Bloodshed” the means to a fair end? Why is the act of disillusioned humans regarded as ‘glory’ by groups?

The land of Buddha: Ravaged by war, Apostles of peace, Turned into victims of rage: Merciless war games, Where innocence takes up arms, Numbing anything humane, To defend the “worthy” cause: BUT Who is to decide the “worth”? Who will receive honor? Who will bask in glory? Who will accept laurels? (As in wars fought earlier, As well as wars that lay ahead.) “Existence” will cease to be; At the end of this glorious war!

In many schools today, we find students categorically divided based on their marks/percentage…. The school authorities say that this is to make the students excel in the subjects more… they argue that the world is facing stiff competition and this is the right way to build them for the challenge… The reason why this factor has started to bug me so much is that recently I heard of a school where students are divided into “clubs”!.... when a child score above 80% means: the child becomes part of the elite club and will be eligible for free snacks/lunch (sponsored by school)…. This is a demeaning, revolting… SKEWED value system: the school is imposing on its students! Is dividing children on the basis of their capacity to perform / out perform the prescribed content … (an education system based solely on the memory capacity of children)…The right way to shape a child’s attitude or build the child to face life… guess only engineers, doctors, professionals will survive in this planet I am n

My long two-pointed ladder's sticking through a tree Toward heaven still, And there's a barrel that I didn't fill Beside it, and there may be two or three Apples I didn't pick upon some bough. But I am done with apple-picking now. Essence of winter sleep is on the night, The scent of apples: I am drowsing off. I cannot rub the strangeness from my sight I got from looking through a pane of glass I skimmed this morning from the drinking trough And held against the world of hoary grass. It melted, and I let it fall and break. But I was well Upon my way to sleep before it fell, And I could tell What form my dreaming was about to take. Magnified apples appear and disappear, Stem end and blossom end, And every fleck of russet showing clear. My instep arch not only keeps the ache, It keeps the pressure of a ladder-round. I feel the ladder sway as the boughs bend. And I keep hearing from the cellar bin The rumbling sound Of load on load of apples coming in. For I have had too m

I may receive much criticism for the posting that follows. I strictly base this writing on what I consider is my understanding of the subject; what I have witnessed from my briefest of contact with real rural India and which I have debated with myself a million times. 33% reservation for women!!!!!!!! This has been taken up as the call of the hour the need of our times……I say why not….. QUESTION: Women have always wanted EQUALITY in our society; so why now this 33% reservation………. THE REALITY: EQUALITY has for long been the passion of women’s movement worldwide; just like other how everyone who is socially conscious longs for peaceful, just, equal world. But is this so in the real context. What we long for needs time for achievement. But progressive aspects like “EQUALITY” happen only when De Jure and De Facto fall on similar planes ………… In reality women lack equal footing in many cases, this 33% would be a boost towards achieving a push forward. Also women Panchayat leaders are looki

Rape, Murder, Molestations, Harassment's….have become a part of daily life but still we purposefully avoid the seriousness of issues. And this is well recognized and projected effectively by our loyal consumerism promoting Fourth Estate (who by the way follow point-blank guidelines set by the elite and socially powerful individuals) In fact they even go to an extent of justifying their media content by labeling themselves as “Infotainment Channels” and not merely the clear cut/ straightforward “News Channels”. You see “News Channels” need to have a political stand on issues, They have to be a responsible media, They have be mirrors of our society, They need focus to be the “change elements”……………. Unfortunately this is asking for too much from our celebrity crazed, advertisement dependent, TRP bound News …uhm.. Sorry Infotainment channels. The numerous problems of evictions, displacements and lopsided development projects do not find their place in today’s media: Instead celebrity w

A white cup, Plain and clear. With a handle to hold on; Filled with coffee: Hot and strongly brewed; Waiting for me!

“Most of the things which are left unsaid in the world are probably the chances which destiny gives to us to alter the outcome of our lives. But sadly these chances remain as only “what-if” in many peoples life and the few who do choose it.” Life started out normal for Ina orphaned at ten, nowhere to go, Nobody to care destined to end up as a nameless nobody in the streets. But destiny smiled at her as her step mom took her in. Barely 10 unable to understand the complexity of the situation but pleased with the change in plans Ina realized only in the years to come her step mom’s real interests for her. Present Day (Morning) “Ina, it’s getting late,” yelled Lia. Possibly only Ina can be this slow with things, why does mom put up with her anyway …such thoughts continued to trail in her mind as her step-sister walked in with the ironed clothes. “Ina, why do you keep being so slow, for god sake you have been ironing clothes since you were twelve. Why you make me yell at you every morning.

An eye for an eye, and the whole world would be blind. -Khalil Gibran

We the people of this CIVILIZED world live in glass houses…. Within our fragile setup where we merely just look out and see atrocities prevail. We have been so called the products of “progressive” civilizations Yet we loot, we plunder, we kill, we harass, we cheat, we lie We wage wars, we nuke, and we discriminate, And falsify our actions as Glory… I question myself whether we can be branded in any way as “Humane”

The chances of ending up as a lonely man had never occurred to him. He did not have any regrets as far as he cared. He was 28 years old, had a steady income, and owned a single bedroom flat; he was definitely better off than most of his counterparts. It was not that he was passionate about programming, but who is? People work for money; they work to put bread on the table. His passions can wait ……. Life is yet to begin right….. But right now all he could think is why everybody around him ignored HIM. He pushed through the crowds. He stood frozen at what he saw. It was him lying on the ground….. “It was a terrible thing… and such a young man.” “It’s such a pity……” Laments kept echoing.

Dreams Hold fast to dreams For if dreams die Life is a broken-winged bird That cannot fly. Hold fast to dreams For when dreams go Life is a barren field Frozen with snow. This is a poem by "Langston Hughes"....... I am not a very literary person but a friend of mine asked me to read this poem. I was stuck by the optimism that the poet seems to generate with his words. The importance to hold fast and stand by , no matter what the barrier ......... All of us cherish dreams, we hope for better things, better situations and so on. Dreams help us to aspire, wish, hope , feel for things to come. Dreams help to harness with others in a realm beyond our understanding. Our dreams reflect collectively a lot of goodness .......but the antonym of the word "Dream" is "Reality"...... This is very ironic considering the fact that whatever "goodness" we seek remains just a distant dream and not a ground reality. These are not words from a &qu

There is controversy and debate all over the country, if OBC's should be given reservations in the premier institutes of our country...... But i am more haunted by the grim future this young boy would face, Due to discrimination and denial of basic education for being a DALIT....... There is no media to highlight him, no minister to support his cause...and worse no attention towards this ongoing malady that has consumed countless such innocents!!!! Innocence is a virtue, which has become a lost cause for children like him.....who grow up without enjoying the "childhood" that we know of......We are developing a nation where we do not even provide basic/minimal fighting chance to many nameless individuals........................

"Hope" is the thing with feathers "Hope" is the thing with feathers— That perches in the soul— And sings the tune without the words— And never stops—at all— And sweetest—in the Gale—is heard— And sore must be the storm— That could abash the little Bird That kept so many warm— I've heard it in the chillest land— And on the strangest Sea— Yet, never, in Extremity, It asked a crumb—of Me. Emily Dickinson

An Employee of Our Times A woman i saw Sorry,A working women i saw Not very different from all Middle-aged and illiterate Yet the only provider for the family With wages low and discriminatory Timings prescribed as compulsory Bindings without negotiations With a job- warranty for eternity Within a repressive culture that forces her to Follow a practice banned by law (of which by the way she has no clue) Moulded to fit in and Conditioned not to question Forbidden not to think Barred from opting out Excluded from progression Controlled to check empowerment Chained to docility for a lifetime Doing the job of "MANUAL SCAVENGING" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Statements often make points They hit you hard that You realise your incompetence......... I recently read a book which had a testimony of a dalit women who says that : She cannot say when the times are harder on her; In summer when water scarcity leaves her with no o

All of us are familiar with the many different forms of oppression. We have at one point of time been victims as well as perpetrators of this action. ….Dictionaries defines the word as “to dominate harshly” or “to inflict stress upon”…… Truly this is the only original trait that we HUMANKIND have retained after all these years of our so called human civilization. This barbaric trait has been responsible many evils in our world and it’s recently that I came to gain an experience that enlightened me of my IGNORANCE of reality….. We in India are a very boastful sect… indeed with a culture as rich as ours we are the best symbols of progressive development of civilizations….. With foreign investment pouring in and globalization reaching out there are probably very few who would deny or contradict the statement that “Our country is developing GR8.” To add to this joyful burden is the prediction known as BRIC ………. All things said and done lets just look into this whole “development “with a m