Appropriately So...

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What is law these days?

Hi,

I think this is what we all are moving towards...an utter and complete scenario of universal lawlessness, where there shall be one and only one law - "what I say is right (WISIR)"!

There have always been instances and examples that can be qouted from past - but it is only in last few years that WISIR has really taken shape and is beginning to look formidable enough to take on previously written rule-books. 

This concept is usually seen practiced by people who have or seem to have power given by today's rule-books. Power is also an interesting concoction of what is rightly given and what is taken by might.

I am a part of it as well...even if I try and pretend that my degree of practicing WISIR is way below many others, but I still am a part of this! Interestingly I am neither happy nor really bothered by the fact that number of people not practicing WISIR are diminishing...hmmm...come to think of it, I am a bigger memeber of this group than I would like to admit...

Money Money Money...

"Money Money Money...Must be funny...In the rich man's world...
All the things I could do...If I had a little money...It's a rich man's world..."

There are a plenty such moments when I find myself humming this famous ABBA number in my mind...but with recent global financial meltdown - I no longer just hear my inner voice repeating these lyrics...a lot more people are joining in and it may just become a World Anthem soon.

Thus, I stand up and with my hand on my heart, in full earnestness I sing it aloud...

"Money Money Money...Must be funny...In the rich man's world...
All the things I could do...If I had a little money...It's a rich man's world..."

Terror hits Delhi

Hi,

It seems like bombs can just go off at will now...whether they are sophisticated and well planned, like the ones that went off on 13th Sept 2008 or one-off incident like the one that went off in Mehrauli, yesterday. There certainly seems to be some buzz about it, some weird sense of fear and threat that hovers on us and this has become a talking point between people in Delhi and people out side Delhi.

There has been good deal of media coverage, both as a part of their duty and as a selling sensation. Media and police do make attempts in sending out messages that should educate and enable individuals in better-managing this fear. But we still live with it, crumble under it at times and that is the biggest victory for minds that plan and action such dastardly deeds.

The biggest aim for terrorists is to spread fear and unrest amongst masses. This can have a snow-ball affect on a locality, then quickly spread across the city and finally have the country in its grip. This is beyond law and order situation - since this is to do with our mind. If we continue to live under cloud of fear, what life would it be!

A friend of mine says - the only way to fight terrorism is to fight fear in our minds...a good thought to leave you guys with - I guess. Think about it, there is nothing else to it and there is no other way to it either...

Nothing official about it...

HaHaHaHaHaHa...

Innocent humour guys...innocent humour!

Legally Married Now...

Hi,

Today is another very special day - I and Tina (my wife) became legally married as well...earlier we were certified by Hindu customs, fire God and society to live a married life - now we have been issued certificated by the law to carry on living a married life!

It may not mean much or a lot in days to come - but I still felt good to have Tina by my side. She's the kind who could just as easily become as the wife shown above to the kind that she really is - someone who knows and understands me the best.

Well - this is just to let Tina know that I love her loads...now and forever!

Shahid Bhagat Singh - A Tribute

Hi,

I am sure that there is no introduction required for the person whose picture is pasted above. What is required here is for me to explain my reasons to want to write about Shahid Bhagat Singh...

Let me be honest here - I have never thought deeply about the entire freedom struggle that finally managed to free India from the British rule. I have seen, heard and even read stories (multiple times probably) and always feeling blessed to be born in a free land.

The first few things that I remember about the freedom struggle stories is seeing the movie "Gandhi" by Richard Attenborough in my early teens and then seeing this movie every 02nd October, when DD showed it without fail! From that - to our History course book, few stories and many more movies that revolved around the same theme.

In all this, I think from very early on my mind started to believe that it was Mahatma Gandhi (he and his ideology) who was one and the only one to have managed to drag the Britishers out of India. Today, I think differently - not that I think any less of Mahatma Gandhi (I cannot), just that I now know that there were others who contributed in their own way - whether with or without Mahatma's approval or even appreciation!

There is a relatively short list of names that come to my mind - who contributed to India's freedom struggle and still were in Mahatma Gandhi's bad books. One such name is of Shahid Bhagat Singh. I have known of his stories, about his courage, about his ultimate sacrifice. But, unlike for Mahatma Gandhi, where we can have an overload of Gandhi - the person, Gandhi - the thinker, Gandhi's philosophy, Gandhi's writings and more importantly, what made MK Gandhi into Mahatma Gandhi. There isn't much available that allows us to understand Bhagat Singh the person, Bhagat Singh the thinker and similarly what made Bhagat Singh into Shahid Bhagat Singh.

Out of sheer bombarding of heroic stories about Bhagat Singh, there were actually two views that I had been exposed to (through peers, through teachers, through thought-provoking discussions at times):

1. He was a true legend, who sacrificed everything for one and only one cause - India's Independence

2. He was a terrorist, who has been given a legend's status post India's Independence

It was this second view that used to disturb me and all this started playing on my mind more in 2006. It was in that year that there was some activity towards celebrating Shahid Bhagat Singh's centenary birth anniversary next year (2007).

Then came RDB - the most moving movie of recent times, that woke up the youth of India and shook up all! It was for the first time that I felt there is more to Bhagat Singh that I know. But it was not before last weekend that I did something about it. I was in a book shop, looking for my next book. And I came across an interesting title: Without Fear - The life & trial of Bhagat Singh, by Kuldip Nayar. It was almost instantly that I bought this book.

There were broadly two objectives in my mind, which led me to buy this book:

1. To try and answer which of the two types (mentioned earlier in this post) was Bhagat Singh in reality and

2. To try and understand what was Bhagat Singh - the thinker like, what was he fighting for, what was he fighting against and what did he want for reward

I think this book managed to help me fulfill both my ojectives. A must read for everyone who wants to know about the political scenario of India in late 1920's - from a perspective that is completely different from how the then Congress saw it and asked masses to perceive it as.

More than that - this book brings out the mind of Bhagat Singh to life. We may know of his courage and how he faced his end - but we probably won't know that he was an aetheist and never prayed to God, not even in his last few days. In his own words:

"I am going to sacrifice my life for a cause. What more consolation can there be? A God-believing Hindu may expect to be reborn a king; a Muslim or Christian might dream of the luxuries he hopes to enjoy in paradise as a reward for his sufferings and sacrifices. What hope should I entertain? I know that it will be the end when the rope is tightened around my neck and the rafters are moved from under my feet. To use more precise religious terminology - it will be my moment of utter annihilation. My soul will come to nothing. If I have the courage to think of this matter in the light of a "reward", I see a short life of struggle with no such magnificent end as itself my "reward". That is all.

With no selfish motive or desire to be awarded here or hereafter, quite disinterestedly have I devoted my life to the cause of independence, because I could not do otherwise."

Through this book, I could also see (for the first time) the single biggest difference between a terrorist and a revolutionary. A terrorist (individual or group) has the aim to spread fear amongst masses, so as to allow that individual or group to get their way. They may still have a cause that fills them up with enough grit to be prepared for loss of their own life. But, their method is destruction and destruction alone.

Whereas, a revolutionary is not just fighting for the cause of (say) independence, but is ruled by the thought that what will we do post indepencdence, how will we ensure that life is better for one and all once we have achieved our goal of becoming independent. In their opinion, task at hand was not just political independence, but it is political, social and economic independence.

The revolutionary party, Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA) - led by Bhagat Singh, was inspired by Russian Revolution and Lenin was considered to be their idol. It was believed that without plans for social reforms and upliftment of poor, asking for independence was futile. It would have meant that "white babus were replaced with brown babus".

According to HSRA, terrorist activities were important to let the British governement (both in India and in the UK) realise that Indian youth was awakening and not ready to accept suppression, cruelty and brutality with folded hands. HSRA wanted to hit back at the British - but not just do that. According to Bhagat Singh:

"Revolution necessarily implies the programme of systematic reconstruction of society on a new and better adopted basis, often necessitating complete destruction of the existing state of affairs."

Since nationwide, there was a pro-Gandhi sentiment that prevailed - thus anybody or any thought that was rubbished by Gandhi was rubbished by people at large. HSRA felt the heat and at no given opporunity, did the Congress stop from condemning HSRA's actions. Bhagat Singh and his comrades realised this and discussed at great lengths about how can they educate people about their ways and socialist plans.

It was during one such discussion that it was decided that they need a public forum to announce who they were, what did they stand for and what according should independence really mean - which is political, social and economic. And it was Bhagat Singh who was chosen as party's representative - since he was thought to be the man who believed in this concept most and could communicate it the best - even though all understood that this only meant the end of Bhagat Singh's life (along with his other comrades who stood by him during this). But then, has there ever been a revolution without sacrifice!!!

This was managed by throwing relatively harmless bombs in the Assembly Hall, New Delhi - on 08th April 1929. It is here that Bhagat Singh surrendered himself to the police. This was the plan - the only way to evoke nationwide interest in HSRA and use the court as the public platform to broadcast the real philosophy of revolutionaries. Knowing it only meant death for him and his comrades, Bhagat Singh dealt with it in a manner that this was the only way and thus had to be done. He took pride in being handed the death penalty - as he knew that what he and his comrades had started - it wouldn't dampen with their ultimate sacrifice, rather their death would fuel it up further!

Well - I have never known Shahid Bhagat Singh better than today and can only hope that for those who have any interest have got to know him better through this post now. I for sure have not been able to write all that I wanted to or could have, thus I recommend people reading this book - Without Fear!

I would like to end with a poem by Rabindranath Tagore:

Where The Mind is Without Fear

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high; 

Where knowledge is free; 

Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls; 

Where words come out from the depth of truth; 

Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;

 Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit; Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action-- 

Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.

Reading Bug V/s Writer's Block

Hi,

In last two months my regularity of posting thoughts on this blog has taken a nose-dip. I have many times thought of getting back at it - but unfortunately never managed to either start on a subject of my liking or couldn't finish off a post.

Today, I have a strong reason to want to write - I suggested a fellow blogger to be more regular on posting on his blog...then I realised that I haven't done that myself in a long time...so here I am!

I had mentioned in one of my earlier posts "My Latest Purchase - Writer's Block" that I had become a proud owner of Calvin's invention - The Writer's Block. It seems to be a strong tool - anyhow, it came with a freebie - which I didn't know at the time of buying it, but am most glad about it - The Reading Bug!

When my ordered Writer's Block was delivered to my doorstep and I opened it - I was pleasently surprised to find this freebie, Reading Bug, inside. I didn't realise then that I could find use of both - but believe me that both have been extra strong in their effect on me. All of you can see what the block has done to me and on the other hand - the bug has made me read six novels in ten weeks.

I can't explain the feeling, to be back into the groove to read. And because of such efficiency that both, the block and the bug, have displayed - I can't decide which is a better bet! Since one comes with the other in this case - I think I shall hold on to both.

It has been raining in Delhi

Hi,

It has been the rainiest Jun-July-Aug for Delhi in recent years. I don't recall when did we get as much rain as this year, more importantly - for three consecutive months. Anyone who knows me well, would also know my love for rains. They completely drive me up the wall...

Well, it started in the year 2003 - when I drove dad's car in a water pool and got stuck! Back then we used to get knee-high water pools everytime it rained. One morning, it was raining hard and I decided to take dad's car. On my return, I was welcomed by water pools and I didn't want to enter it. But then, as it is said "vinash kale, viprit bhuddhi"...I saw a Maruti Van going steady through this pool. I had driven through such pools earlier as well, everytime driving in the first gear with the acceperator touching the floor.

With my past experince and the confidence of seeing another car managing its way steadily - I decided to venture in this pool! But that was a BIG mistake, as it tunred out within minutes...

Being slightly immature (that's what I would call it for lack of experience) and in hurry - I didn't wait to see how the Maruti Van manages the entire struggle. The fact that she was going steady, but was still just half way through - should have rung some alarm bells - telling me to see how she manages to get out safely. Since I didn't wait - I entered right after her...soon I was met with terror.

Being in a Maruti Esteen, I was going faster than the Van through the pool and soon I was about to catch up with her. It was right then, the Van decided enough is enough and broke down...right in the middle of the pool....errr, the road! With me just behind her - seeing that she had come to a halt almost abruptly - I braked...and that was the end of my journey inside my car through the pool.

My house was just a few hundred meters from that spot where I was getting soaked in rain - trying to push a very heavy car all by myself. But those few hundred meters seemed longer than any distance I have travelled so far. The damage to the car was way beyond I could anticipate...the engine got jammed as somehow water entered some God-for-saken pipe...whew! This cost my dad loads...and I didn't drive his car for many months to come.

Since then rains and I have had a love-hate relationship...

But seriously, guys tell me - what is it that you like about the rains that you would want it to rain more than necessary. By 'necessary' I mean - the amount of rains that our agriculture requires, or our health requires...but anything more than that is just trouble to me. The roads go from bad to worse, the traffic becomes pain in the a** from pain in the neck and there is just too much of muck all over.

Well - that is just me...I am sure one amongst rare to feel so about one of the better liked phenomenon - Rains! There still could be a healthy divide on how many like / dislike other seasons like summer, winter - but for rains - I feel most would like to love rains. Please tell me why???

That's it from me...do leave your comments and feedback. Thanks...take care, keep smiling and drive very carefully when it rains.

My latest purchase - writer's block!

Hi,

I come back to writing after a really long break...in last 30 days, I could manage just one post. Well - after all I am one of the few who bought Calvin's invention - the Writer's Block!!! Anyhow, now I am back and first would like to fill in with what has been happening in my life...

Last month has not just seen me buy the block, but also some hectic schedules along with some real fun times. It has been an exciting month for more than one reason...

It is sort of difficult to start here...what should I set the ball rolling...hmmm...let me just start...

Okay - after ages...and I actually mean ages did I read two novels in a month (by that I mean, from start to finish). Yes - that used to be regular when I was in college, but in recent years - I manage to complete one (or two at the max) in a year. But July saw me finish two...the good part is that I am on with my third now.

I first took up "Deception Point' by Dan Brown. This was a fast paced political drama - very enthralling. I would probably not rate it better than The Da Vinci Code - but it was good enough for me to burn the midnight oil for three consecutive nights and finish the novel. It was yet another 'unputdownable' from this author (first being TDVC).

My second novel of the month was Chetan Bhagat's 'The 3 mistakes of my life'. "Wow" is all that I can say for this story...truth and fiction have been blended beautifully by Bhagat in this story. I am tempted to call this one yet another 'unputdownable' that I got my hands on. I don't think comparng Dan Brown and Chetan Bhagat makes any sense - both are in different leagues and are leaders in their respective leagues.

Now, in August - I have recently (last night that is) started reading yet another bestseller from Dan Brown - Angels & Demons. It certainly promises to keep me up for couple of more nights - that's all that I can say about what I think of this novel.

Well then - reading novels apart, there were other exciting things that I was a part of. One of them being my trying out food at Varq - before its official launch. Wells thanks a ton S&S...Food at Varq was not just delectable - but it was food's presentation that completely awed me. It is an Indian cuisine restaurant - but completely the only one of its kind - AMAZING!

One of the most special occasion for the month of July was coming together of Tina and my dear friends - Arif and Shriya as husband & wife. They got married on 17th, 18th and 18th of July. If you are thinking what does this mean...well that is the exciting part. On the 17th - these two got married legally, in court that is. Then on the morning of 18th - they got married with Hindu rituals and later in the day - had a Nikah as well. Yeah - got married thrice within 24 hours!!! Well - I wish both of them the best and all the happiness they deserve...it has been long over-due.

With all this excitement - consider this that I work in an environment where each moment could bring in something to excite, trouble, push me down or pull me up...that is the brilliance of working on your own and owning a start-up! Guys - do visit Grehom - tell me what you think of it, give me suggestions on what you think can / should improve...your inputs shall be greatly appreciated!

All right then - that is all for now. Will try and be more regular with my posts this month. Take care and keep smiling...