Sneha's Diary !!!

Good Morning

2011-08-14T02:44:00.003-06:00

चंदा मामा सो गए, सुरज चाचू जागे

देखो पकड़ो यारों, घडी के कांटे भागे

एक कहानी ख़तम तो दूजी शूरू हो गई मामू

A morning moment through my lens. Wondering what would the morning be like if the Sun had an alarm clock on snooze.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

2011-08-07T01:26:00.004-06:00

Rise of the Planet of the Ape:-Love affection,pride,greed... all the emotions with a very touching story. I cannot stop myself falling in love with Caesar. A movie that leaves you with so many questions to ponder about. Some of my friends didn't like it but for me the movie experience was captivating and made me to empathize with the apes and other animals that we separate from their natural habitat.

Will never do it again...

2011-04-29T23:57:00.006-06:00

You arrived as usual like a true friend, but I unintentionally ignored you. I was more interested in wandering through the old alleys, and relishing the old moments gone by.

You waited for me giving me hints, trying to woo me, but I kept ignoring you. I was so deep engrossed in my own world that i didn't realize when you left the room. By the time I found my folly you had gone, leaving me alone.

Now sitting on the window sill, I await you "Oh my dear sleep", please come and embrace me, I am distressed by my mistake, and will never do it again.

Resurrection

2011-04-23T18:36:00.015-06:00

It has endured the summer parched and bare

On return of the rains
Lost strength is gaining shape
And courage prevails yet again

Poems to me - Now and then

2011-04-16T13:29:00.002-06:00

During the school days, I read, understood and prepared myself for question & answers (for good marks) but never enjoyed the poems or stories as much as I do now, when I reread the same poems and stories. I feel at that age I was not mature enough to comprehend fully their style and meaning. What I largely saw was that the students as well as the teachers were only interested in completing the syllabus as soon as possible.

Another reason for not having enjoyed literature so well during the school days is that it was mostly studied and crammed during intense time pressure of exams and tests. Because of this I was hardly able to appreciate the beauty and greatness of many of these poems.

One of the other big reason is that there was no general encouragement for studying languages and parents were mostly after subjects like maths and pure sciences. Literature was the bad boy. I do not know if the situation in schools has changed. Its a pity if as a society we stop appreciating these great forms of art that add and contribute so much to our life.

The garden keeper

2011-04-11T21:49:00.006-06:00

He waters the thirsty soil in the sweltering heat

I've heard him singing hymns,

while plowing the soil, and sowing the seeds,

and nurturing the saplings under the shiny sun

Twinkle in his eyes like the dewdrops of the grass blades

folds of his skin like the bark of an old tree

he hums along as the robin sings

and beams like the sunflower as the honeybees dance

the old gardener lives his garden

One season evolves into another

small plants turn into big trees

but his work continues on

unrelenting and never ending

His back has bowed, bent like a fruit laden tree

he is gone old like the corner oak tree

but the scent of the flowers, the cool breeze

and the soothing shade of the garden

rejuvenates him and keeps him going

जनतन्त्र का जन्म

2011-04-08T10:47:00.004-06:00

सदियों की ठंढी-बुझी राख सुगबुगा उठी,
मिट्टी सोने का ताज पहन इठलाती है;
दो राह,समय के रथ का घर्घर-नाद सुनो,
सिंहासन खाली करो कि जनता आती है।

जनता?हां,मिट्टी की अबोध मूरतें वही,
जाडे-पाले की कसक सदा सहनेवाली,
जब अंग-अंग में लगे सांप हो चुस रहे
तब भी न कभी मुंह खोल दर्द कहनेवाली।

जनता?हां,लंबी - बडी जीभ की वही कसम,
"जनता,सचमुच ही, बडी वेदना सहती है।"
"सो ठीक,मगर,आखिर,इस पर जनमत क्या है?"
'है प्रश्न गूढ़ जनता इस पर क्या कहती है?"

मानो,जनता ही फूल जिसे अहसास नहीं,
जब चाहो तभी उतार सजा लो दोनों में;
अथवा कोई दूधमुंही जिसे बहलाने के
जन्तर-मन्तर सीमित हों चार खिलौनों में।

लेकिन होता भूडोल, बवंडर उठते हैं,
जनता जब कोपाकुल हो भृकुटि चढाती है;
दो राह, समय के रथ का घर्घर-नाद सुनो,
सिंहासन खाली करो कि जनता आती है।

हुंकारों से महलों की नींव उखड़ जाती,
सांसों के बल से ताज हवा में उड़ता है,
जनता की रोके राह,समय में ताव कहां?
वह जिधर चाहती,काल उधर ही मुड़ता है।

अब्दों, शताब्दियों, सहस्त्राब्द का अंधकार
बीता;गवाक्ष अंबर के दहके जाते हैं;
यह और नहीं कोई,जनता के स्वप्न अजय
चीरते तिमिर का वक्ष उमड़ते जाते हैं।

सब से विराट जनतंत्र जगत का आ पहुंचा,
तैंतीस कोटि-हित सिंहासन तय करो
अभिषेक आज राजा का नहीं,प्रजा का है,
तैंतीस कोटि जनता के सिर पर मुकुट धरो।

आरती लिये तू किसे ढूंढता है मूरख,
मन्दिरों, राजप्रासादों में, तहखानों में?
देवता कहीं सड़कों पर गिट्टी तोड़ रहे,
देवता मिलेंगे खेतों में, खलिहानों में।

फावड़े और हल राजदण्ड बनने को हैं,
धूसरता सोने से श्रृंगार सजाती है;
दो राह,समय के रथ का घर्घर-नाद सुनो,
सिंहासन खाली करो कि जनता आती है।

~ रामधारी सिंह "दिनकर"

Story of Fanne and Anne

2011-04-03T19:59:00.003-06:00

There were two girls in Rome
who lived away from home
one was called Fanne
another one called Anne
Fanne endlessly wrote blogs
while Anne took care of their dogs

Soon as Fanne finished writing
she would call Anne for sighting
Anne used to know of this inviting
and regularly went into hiding
Often this led to a big fighting

to solve this trouble
they went to a wise man with a stubble
who asked Fanne to stop writing
this to Anne was purely delighting.

Fanne and Anne lived happlily ever after
their hearts full of frolic and laughter

Thank God it's Saturday !!! (TGIS)

2011-04-02T01:01:00.012-06:00

Waiting for the match to start and kill time till 3:00 in the morning almost proves that cricket world cup has begun to interest me.
I have
-varied the settings of my blog umpteen times in the last few hours.
-prepared chicken rolls to munch while watching the match.
- called home and talked to my folks.
- read all the news articles on world cup on all respectable news sites.
- hoped that Poonam Pandey is able to fulfill her wish to the delight of all.

I am happy tomorrow is Saturday and hope world cup hamara ho. Amen!

I am thinking what else to do now, sometimes the faster you want to pass the time, the more difficult it becomes to spend it.

Post Win Update

"Anhoni ko honi kar de, Honi ko anhoni; Ek jagah jab jama ho teeno, Rajni, Ghajini aur Dhoni!".

Congratulations & Celebrations.......................

World is a mirror of our own self

2011-03-27T21:36:00.005-06:00

"जाकी रही भावना जैसी, प्रभु मूरत देखी तिन तैसी "-Tulsidas.

The kings present at Sita's swyamvar were in awe of Lord Rama and everyone looked on the Lord's form according to the conception each had about Him.

I am wondering how true this is irrespective of the time, place and context. "The world is simply a mirror, reflecting back to us our own inner state". The way we see the world is a refection of ourselves. Our judgment/ statements about others are more a statement of ourselves. Therefore they serve as a basis of our assessment by others. And tell others of what state of mind we are in.

A city called Mathura

2011-03-26T16:05:00.003-06:00

For some its a crowded city
with hustle & bustle from morning to night
For others its a holy city
-the birth place of Krishna
Some talk about the eternal love of Radha-Krishna

Some want to enjoy the Holi of Barsana
Others want to visit Gokul, Vrindavan and the arti of Yamuna
Some want to taste the delicious Pedas, Khurchan and Mishri-malai
Others cannot forget the pestering Pandas and the sneaking monkeys all around
The ghats, dancing peacocks, foreigners and what not.

But to me, when I close my eyes and see Mathura, I see my home, my childhood and the smiles of my folks.

Memories...

2011-03-20T21:08:00.007-06:00

आज जब रात को बाहर यूँ ही नजरे पड़ी तो देखा हल्की हल्की बर्फ गिर रही थी. उस बर्फ की चादर पर खरगोश के नन्हे बच्चो को खेलता देख कर घर का आँगन याद आ गया. हरसिंगार के सफ़ेद फूल घर के आँगन में इसी तरह हम पर गिरा करते थे. जब हम सब देर रात तक खेलते थे तब भी यही लगता था रात जल्दी ना चली जाए , आज भी यह लग रहा है सुबह जल्दी न हो जाए. स्मृति-कलश से कब क्या छलक कर सामने आ जाये, कोई नहीं कह सकता.

(Tonight as I glanced out, saw the snow flurries falling. Seeing the young rabbits playing on the sheet of powdery snow made me remember my childhood. The white flowers of Harsingar in the courtyard of the house fell on us the same way as the snow flurries when we played around. Playing late at night everyone wished that night does not pass away quickly, and even today I wish that the dawn does not step in early. It is hard to predict what spills out of the memory-pitcher or what an old memory wave pitches at you.)

Although i ventured outside to take a glimpse of the Super moon but the snow flurries, the powder on the ground and the rabbit family was an equally gratifying sight for me and i will remain thankful for that. :-)

...........

2011-03-17T00:34:00.004-06:00

On books

2011-03-13T22:04:00.004-06:00

I am not sure whether I will love e-readers ( though they make books available at lower prices and make them easily portable); reading the printed hard bound copy has a wonderful feeling- touching and flipping the pages, the experience of crisp and nutty smell of the book and the most important is I never get that joy while searching online which i get in the bookstores. Spending time in and around the books all over with coffee and light music in backdrop. That is bliss. Many others like it as well, I always find these bookstores quite full with book lovers reading and browsing.

Yesterday, I went to Chapters and was browsing through the "Deal section" and though I got a good bargain on classic fictions of Jane Austen but a bug has been troubling my mind since then. I thought of sharing it here, may be I will get the answers. So here it is:

How does the publisher/ author estimate the cost of his/ her own book.
Whether the content of the book decides the cost of the book. Does the cost of the book influence its sales. If you want to buy a book would you buy a costly one or one that is not so expensive, or is it the size of the book.
Why are the great classics (first hand) in discount sections. Does this show unpopularity and distaste that the general reader has developed for them, are they anachronous or is it the book-store wants to clear the stock asap.
What is the use of a knowledge that you want to share with the world but only some people can afford it. I am thinking about the old age epics which were handed to next generation and popularized by rote.

Actually the word "Bargain books" bothers me, as if there is no difference between the books and other commodities and that is a troubling feeling for me.

My Mistake

2011-03-10T00:38:00.000-07:00

I was playing around with the settings on the blog and unknowingly clicked the hide comments. I noticed it today. Sorry about any inconvenience caused.

The Driving force

2011-03-07T03:56:00.003-07:00

Only the innocence of kids can solicit a smile which you cherish for long. Today in the mall we were in a lineup for coffee, near the escalator that was for riding downwards. And a little boy, I think he must have been 4 or 5 year old, was at the end of the escalator pulling the side rail like a rope as it was rolling down.

It was great fun for the kid who was just playing with the side rail, but for the lookers-on it did give an impression that the kid was moving the escalator down. I was almost reminded of the managers at work who think they are running the show and are indispensable, and if they were not there, the roll of daily events, the normal business would stop. The leaders, the driving force. They walk fast in the hallways, run from one meeting to another and are often attending emails while in meetings. The busy bees.

Some time mundane things throw great analogies.

A birthday Log

2011-03-06T00:01:00.002-07:00

When I was in school, I always wished that my birthday never fall on sundays and holidays. The birthday was the most awaited event of the year and why waste it on a sunday when you could be in school where you get treated specially among friends and teachers. I used to keep a count of who wished me and who did'nt, a habit that I keep to this day. I also reminded my near and dear in case they forgot, something I do even now. I guess some habits do not change with time. For people who are close to your heart why be formal. My birthday was not a day event but a couple of week event and I kept myself busy with planning. The birthday got marked on the calendar the day the new one arrived in new year. I do not do that now. Things happened that I guess have mellowed down my enthusiasm for celebrations.

My birthday now is more like a personal thing and I do not party or dine with friends anymore. I do not also visit any temples as my belief in the Holy side has been a little shaky always. What I do though is treat myself with some special gifts. This year I bought myself a Macbook Pro which is quite different and better than the laptops I have been used too. I am sitting with it trying to improve my Mac skills and chatting with my family.

So much for my birthday. Happy birthday to Me. Enjoy !!

2011-03-03T08:56:00.012-07:00

देखिये तो लगता है,

ज़िन्दगी की राहों में,
एक भीड़ चलती है,
सोचिये तो लगता है,
भीड़ में हैं सब तन्हाँ,

जितने भी यह रिश्ते हैं,
काँच के खिलोने हैं,
पल में टूट सकते हैं,
एक पल में हो जाये,
कोई जाने कब तन्हा!

देखिये तो लगता है,
जैसे यह जो दुनियाँ है,
कितनी रँगी महफ़िल है,
सोचिये तो लगता है,
कितना ग़म है दुनियाँ में,
कितना ज़ख़्मी हर दिल है !

वो जो मुस्कुरातें थे,
जो किसी को ख्वाबों में ,
अपने पास पाते थे ,
उनकी नींद टूटी है ,
और हैं वो अब तन्हाँ!

देखिये तो लगता है,

ज़िन्दगी की राहों में,
एक भीड़ चलती है,
सोचिये तो लगता है,
भीड़ में हैं सब तन्हाँ!

Artistry in daily life

2011-02-27T06:09:00.016-07:00

Rangoli

Connecting dots into

patterns filled with colours

on the doorstep
echoing the message

You are welcome

Potted plants

In different sizes and various shapes

hanging atop or placed in stands

abound with colors

potpourri of leaves and flowers

uniting them all together

Food

The essence of life

born out of cutting, shredding and pureeing
groomed by saute, frying or baking
embellished by spices and seasoning
creates wonders satisfying taste palate

Knitting & sewing

Warmth of love
embracing the loved ones
beautifying the home
re-energizing the inner soul

Painting

Thoughts expressed on canvas

of distinct style and persona
in colors, shades and all hues
with pencil, paint, oil and brush
whatever way your heart may choose

Nature

Mother of all creativity
home to all colors, pictures, sounds and melody
no claims, no ownership
Yet source of all inspirations

Had a Mighty fall

2011-02-20T22:26:00.002-07:00

What qualities inspire me to follow people? Though many rooms can be filled by books on Leadership but sometimes you learn the most when you draw from your personal examples. Also the lessons that you learn from your experiences have a life long impact. And this one is about what I have felt recently. I am a great listener of Sufi music and revere the great Sufi singers. Late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was one of them. His mantle was very worthily carried forward by his nephew Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, only till recently.

Since the day I have heard the news about his getting caught with large loads of currency at the Delhi airport I am not able to listen to his songs. Although it is not a criminal activity but it is still money laundering and blatant tax evasion. It speaks about the ethics and the character and principles. I do not see any sense behind this behavior nor do I see this as driven by any need. This person has been endowed by nature with a special gift of an incredible voice and had the opportunity to be born in a family of such a great singer like late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.

Of late Rahat had been the voice of many successful songs and he has a great and long music career before him. A person in his place should all the more avoid falling in the trap of easy greed and lure on money. No body minds earning an extra dollar but more important are the principles that a person should stand for, much more important than all the talent combined.

After some time may be I will return back to listening to his songs but I think he has fallen from grace. Unknowingly he has set an example that for anybody to be in a leading position, the most important quality that one needs to stand for is that of strong ethics and honesty. That is the reason why world over people still follow leaders like Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and Abraham Lincoln.

Hope some people learn from this example.

Bliss !!!

2011-02-16T00:30:00.004-07:00

I am not talking about a tempting dish or some delicious food but the meal that satisfies your soul. Like for me it is arhar daal with chawaal, vinegar dip onions, green chili, aam ka achaar and yogurt. Heavenly!!

Just like after visiting beautiful places in the world and staying in allishaan hotels, you feel more comfortable in the warmth of your home in your bed.:)

Or like no matter how much good your job is, however high the salary is, even with appropriate recognition but there is still an emptiness somewhere that gets replaced by excitement and junoon when you get to do something you love and crave for, like an entrepreneurship. Plain simple joy, I mean!

I am not sure whether I am able to justify my point of view or not, but I think this search for satisfaction helps me in making decisions about planning ahead for career change. Courage to make these decisions, I guess, automatically comes when you are financial independent.

We all excel in endeavors that we are madly passionate about. It would be safe to say that our drive for excellence is an eternal search for bliss.

February 14

2011-02-12T14:12:00.024-07:00

Red, pink, bling-bling apparels, soft toys, flowers, and decorations in the malls by the end of January shows how everybody is getting ready to celebrate the Valentine's Day. I think 14 Feb is the only day throughout the year which people around the world celebrate all together, however they can- in full public glare or even in the most clandestine ways.

Last year me and one of my friends counted male versions of the ' Red Riding Hood'. Even though both of us were in red hoodies too. But it was plain fun. I am talking about the kind of outfit Sallu is wearing in this video

Sometime early days I wrote this poem. Some of you might have read it before and though now I find it a little kindergarten-ish stuff but still I am posting it again.

My Wish

If I had wings

I would fly to wherever you were

If I had colors

I would paint your life with my magical hues

If I were the sun

I would bring warmth to your cold & gloomy days

If I were the moon

I would beam down my light to make your life bright

If I were a star

I would twinkle in your life

If I were the rain

I would wash away your pains

My simple wish is I hope to be the joy of your life

Happy Valentines

This year the Valentine's Day falls on Monday (busy day) but I am sure we will manage to go out and have fun.

Love 'em the way they are

2011-02-04T23:56:00.010-07:00

While one of them is not able to withstand the noisy T.V, the other one complains about the late night reading habit. No one is ready to compromise or listen to the other one. Such is the scene every time when I call home. Dad complains "ghar machchi-baazar bana rekha hai"(this house is as noisy as a fish market) and Mom says "raat bhar sar per light jalti rehti hai, so bhi nahi saktey" (I can not sleep whole night with this light turned on). So their intelligent daughter :-) bought them a wireless headphone and a book light. Which no doubt they like it and are using it but now a new problem has started.

Dad says: "your mother is giving me deaf ears".

While my mother is busy trying to find out new things to complain about.

I think I love when they crib about each other which means that everything is fine at home. Otherwise I fear something is not right on their side.My only wish is if there is a Mighty power above then I pray to it that my parents pass their life happily together till their last breath.

Friendship !!!

2011-01-26T21:11:00.009-07:00

Time is not a healer...

2011-01-23T02:55:00.003-07:00

They say time heals everything.Uber lie!!
It is just that with time people accept the truth and become strong enough to live with the loss. They have mastered themselves to hide the pain, and it doesn't mean that they are healed. Its far from possible.
The only thing is, they don't want to make life miserable for them and people around them. Involving and keeping busy is the only thing to distract them from their wounds. Time doesn't heal and it never can.

Powerful Words

2011-01-14T21:27:00.010-07:00

I was watching 'No One Killed Jessica'. And at two instances in the movie I was strongly convinced that sometimes nothing but swearing is the only choice.

Sometimes people can act very insensitive even sadistic to some degree, which totally appalls me and fills me with disgust.Though I agree that there can be many ways to correct them but their act can become so unbearable that after swearing and venting out the anger one feels relieved and that person instantly gets the message.

May be with time this attitude of mine may change b'coz I have often in the past laughed at old stubbornness and rigidity. My attitude used to be 'often wrong but never in doubt'. Time has taught me virtues of relaxing and taking it easy.:-) But I still believe that if sweet words spread harmony then retorting back preserves harmony.

रश्मिरथी- The Sun's charioteer

2011-01-04T01:10:00.005-07:00

My knowledge of Ramdhari Singh Dinkar was restricted to the few poems that were a mandatory reading in the school text books. Of late someone suggested me to read Rashmirathi probably influenced by my love for reading mythological/ historical literature. During my recent trip to India I bought a lot of Hindi books which included Rashmirathi. Now I have just started reading this book and I was totally bowled over by the few starting pages (read preface) of the book. The poet has written this in the year 1953 but the poem is most modern in its thinking and heralds the dawn of a new age of meritocracy over the age old shackles of caste and family order. He has been able to invoke this message through the mythological character of Karna in the backdrop of epic struggle of Mahabharata.

About his contribution to the vast body of literature that was being written those days about the often neglected character of Karna, he has to say-

"कर्ण का भाग्य, सचमुच, बहुत दिनो के बाद जगा है. यह उसी का परिणाम है की उसके पार जाने के लिए आज जलयान पर जलयान तैयार हो रहे है. जहाजो के इस बडे बेडे मे मेरी ओर से एक छोटी सी डोंगी ही सही."

I will be reading this book through the coming days and would definitely borrow a few paragraphs from this poem for my blog.

Mein Tainu Pher Milangi (I will meet you yet again) - Amrita Pritam

2010-10-24T03:49:00.012-06:00

I will meet you yet again
How and where? I know not.
Perhaps I will become a
figment of your imagination
and maybe, spreading myself
in a mysterious line
on your canvas,
I will keep gazing at you.
Perhaps I will become a ray
of sunshine, to be
embraced by your colours.
I will paint myself on your canvas
I know not how and where –
but I will meet you for sure.
Maybe I will turn into a spring,
and rub the foaming
drops of water on your body,
and rest my coolness on
your burning chest.
I know nothing else
but that this life
will walk along with me.
When the body perishes,
all perishes;
but the threads of memory
are woven with enduring specks.
I will pick these particles,
weave the threads,
and I will meet you yet again.

Translated by Nirupama Dutt

Turn around the hourglass

2010-10-22T23:05:00.004-06:00

It has been a season of endless wait
full of long sorrowful days
and the unending gloomy nights
like the parched desert earth
longing for the monsoon rain

It all seems to have turn around
and it is all so different today
the flowers seem to smile at me

and the dew drops shimmer in the light of dawn
the morning wind sings a song to me
something pleasing is happening all around

And finally its time to turn the hourglass around

Khali in Lilliput

2010-10-16T16:17:00.012-06:00

While watching today's episode of Bigg Boss 4 the entry of Khali reminded me of the tale of 'Gulliver in Lilliput'. Everybody else looked like a Lilliputian in front of him. I don't see anything in Bigg Boss's house that matches Khali's needs. However the episode did become very interesting with his entry and all other housemates were definitely in awe of him. Everybody seemed to follow him around the house as if he was an Ajooba. Let's see how the kitchen department, which is perennially short of stuff, is able to meet his requirements.

Life's pleasant surprises !!!

2010-10-09T00:25:00.013-06:00

- Feelings when you read a book you were not sure of being good, but it left a pleasing impression.
- Joy when you watched a movie and then asked yourself why did I not watch it for so long?
-Pleasant conversation with someone you think is convoluted and not your type.
- Coming to know that your khadus boss is on vacation for 2 week.
- That coming Monday is a holiday.
- Appreciation from a person least expected.
-That your daily commute to work has vanished.

And that is how it make me feel................

Being objective

2010-10-03T22:29:00.007-06:00

We all read and comment and present our perspective on different issues that happen around us. Our thoughts about these things may no doubt reflect the truth but the way they are presented also reflect our feelings towards it. A good and very humourous example is that of Jai describing Veeru to mausiji (from movie Sholay). In spite of all the vices that Veeru has, Jai's advocacy for Veeru reflects his friendship.

In matters of opinion it is very difficult to be objective. And though objectivity may be a sought after thing but in real world it does not exist. All opinions even the most politically correct ones represent the bias of the commenter. Extending this further, I would say that being politically correct is not something that I like most. It seems to be pretentious and misleading. I prefer people who can express their opinion openly though with a humane touch and love and compassion towards others.

The superstitious me

2010-09-26T21:15:00.002-06:00

If I feel any of my loved ones are in some problem and I cannot do anything about it then my heart begins to hope and pray for something miraculous to help me out. Its then that my logical mind take a back seat and forces me on the path that I normally consider as superstitious and mindless. I guess the mind is kind of divided into two parts logical and emotional. And the fear of losing something forces the emotional half to rule. My thinking is that if some of my superstitious and emotional acts are not harmful and bothersome to others, there is no problem in doing them. This is the reason why I sometimes do many things that makes my mother happier.
Although I would not encourage anybody to be superstitious and do things that make no sense.And definitely not motivated by greed or gain.

Discover yourself !!!

2010-08-28T00:42:00.005-06:00

A very dear friend of mine sent me this video. Its thought provoking and what it tell us is that none of our disabilities can be an obstacle if we don't perceive it to be one. Each one of has a unique ability which cannot be over powered by a visible disability and it is this ability that can propel us to achieve whatever dreams we have. Rather than blindly imitating others, the discovery of our inner-self is of paramount importance. Its our attitude that makes the life different for us.

Accents, dialects and blah blah !!!

2010-08-02T20:11:00.004-06:00

I am sure this is not the first time I have seen someone being ridiculed for a funny accent, be it an East Indian speaking Hindi in Delhi or a South Asian speaking English in north America.

Language that was meant for communicating and building bridges between peoples and cultures is often used to discriminate and divide them into self-sustaining groups (aka islands).

While a tinge of humour in a group of people is acceptable and even likable but deriding somebody because of the way s/he speaks is disrespecting to human intellect.

Language should only be a means to communicate and once the meaning is understood, the means should not become more important than the end. Some people are trained in the faculty of languages and are fortunate enough to be able to express themselves in different languages, which is a commendable skill. But the lack of it should not be a reason of concern. Excellent speech and its various forms are just good enough to amuse and relax and perhaps motivate but are not anything more than that. Its like looking at a good picture or a listening to a good song. Constructive and persuasive arguments are different and are not dependent upon accents and dialects. They are more like mathematical theorems that stand on their own feet. To my mind oratorical magic is an art that can be used to persuade the gullible and not the intelligent. Consider somebody like Dr Steven Hawking, I am sure he does not depend upon some language to either motivate him, amuse him or to express himself.

One reason why most of the people in this world are considered unread or illiterate is because we do not value the language in which they speak and thereby deny ourselves of the collective wisdom of a big group of people.

But there are people who are able to rise above this mindset and focus on important and more constructive things. I wish this was true for most of us.

Office etiquette !!

2010-07-29T01:06:00.000-06:00

The world of small things

2010-07-25T00:17:00.002-06:00

Small is petty, insignificant and immaterial, well! may be not. Most important and big things are well presented, polished and masked in politically correct connotations but it is the small things- words that are a slip of the tongue, involuntary gestures- that show a glimpse of the real person and unmask the hidden personality. Though people are too complex to be stereotyped but small acts of kindness or cruelty or mere indifference towards others are the key to decipher someones behavior.
Most big things are draped in pretense and the real world around us is in the small things.

Canada Day weekend in Jasper national park

2010-07-20T22:38:00.007-06:00

What a tremendous start to the month. I went with a couple of friends to the Rockies nearby. We stayed for a few days in Jasper national park and hiked in the mountains. There is a tramway here that takes you to the Whistler mountain top which is 3500 ft above the base of the mountain. At the summit you are at the mercy of the forces of nature with no proper trails built to aid you. So for a first timer like me it was quite scary. The mountain wind was fast and chilly and enough to knock you off your feet if you are not cautious. But it was very inspiring, you get one to one with raw nature and realize how small or insignificant we all are in comparison to the brute force of nature. Though it also pushes your adrenalin button and feeds your desire to achieve more.

On the ground were some awesome natural lakes with sandy beaches. The glacial silt in the river water gives it an awesome green color. Looks very beautiful. And then while returning back we stopped at the Athabasca glacier which has ice as thick as the Eiffel tower is tall. Just listening to these facts was flabbergasting. I will keep the bus tour to the glacier in my future plans. So refreshing was everything all around that even with my best efforts I could not make my mind worried or think of something tense, strange eh!

And then was the anticlimax, coming back to the mundane city life, I got struck by the flu. A sore throat, running nose and creeping fever, which got cured with some rest, lots of ice cream, Popsicles ( which my mother would never have allowed but is advised as common cure for sore throat) and a few unavoidable antibiotics.

But it was a very refreshing trip to Jasper and I look forward to some more.

Chao…..

Heartily Matters !!!

2010-06-25T00:01:00.004-06:00

Many times the definition of 'who a sensitive person is' has made me ponder. A person who openly exhibits his/her emotions without a slightest regard of people around. He/She could cry at the slightest drop of a hat and would try to outrun others in being empathetic towards the general environment. And there are others who outwardly appear stoic and are in firm control of their emotions. These people normally do not exhibit emotions to preserve the dignity of the environment they are in. However they are mostly misunderstood as cold- hearted, unemotional people with icy behaviour. And no matter whether their heart splits and bleeds at the agony of others, they are often labeled as heartless beings. And needless to say that I have always reached the conclusion that the second ones are more sensitive.

With light, you steal some darkness

2010-06-06T22:49:00.010-06:00

Recently I have read Khaled Hosseini's book “The Kite Runner”. The book is an excellent story about a boy and his boyhood friend. There are some excellent lines in this book, one of which is “When you kill a man, you steal a life.... You steal his wife’s right to a husband, rob his children of a father. When you tell a lie, you steal someone’s right to the truth. When you cheat, you steal the right to fairness.”

Also while bloghopping a day back I came across this poem by Dr. Kanhaiyalal Nandan.

मृत्य जिजीविषा से बहुत डरती है

मरने में मरने वाला ही नहीं मरता
उसके साथ मरते हैं
बहुत सारे लोग
थोड़ा-थोड़ा!
जैसे रोशनी के साथ
मरता है थोड़ा अंधेरा।
जैसे बादल के साथ
मरता है थोड़ा आकाश।
जैसे जल के साथ
मरती है थोड़ी सी प्यास।
जैसे आंसुओं के साथ
मरती है थोड़ी सी आग भी।
जैसे समुद्र के साथ
मरती है थोड़ी धरती।
जैसे शून्य के साथ
मरती है थोड़ी सी हवा।
उसी तरह
जीवन के साथ
थोड़ा-बहुत मृत्यु भी
मरती है।
इसीलिये मृत्य
जिजीविषा से
बहुत डरती है।

~ डा.कन्हैयालाल नंदन

It is amazing how these two different pieces of prose and poetry so effectively express the same idea. Its amazing that these have been written at two different times, in two different languages and with reference to two different subjects. But I guess the philosophy of life does not change.

Imagination

2010-05-31T22:33:00.032-06:00

Does not follow a specific bind

Cares not for a time

Out of nowhere it catches the mind

Levitates you, leaving all behind

You enter into a land

Where you are the master

And the destroyer

Where the world is your canvas

And creativity the magic wand

Where the impossibles take shape

Makes you break into a ecstatic dance

A crescendo that triggers a trance

~~~~~*****~~~~~

Surprises in bytes

2010-05-23T00:47:00.012-06:00

1. Last week me and my friend 'S' were going to downtown by the city train and as usual she started making fun of a girl sitting in front of us in Hindi mix Punjabi. The girl was engrossed in her novel, and as her station arrived she stood and ask my friend "Tussi Downtown ja rehey hou?" (Are you going to Downtown ?). My friend's face went wide open. Since last week we all tease her by asking "Tussi Downtown ja rehey hou?" I just hope that from now she will never dare to make fun of anybody in any language.

2. Today in the city train I met a Polish man who must have been around 80-85 years old and we talked for around 30 min. He grew up in India before partition and had been to Karachi, Jamnagar, Kohlapur and Goa. He sang for me some lines from the beautiful song "mera bulbul so reha hai shorgul na macha" and left me amazed. After talking to him I realized that hindi is no more an unknown language that one can speak publicly and still expect that you would not be understood. Thanks to the spreading bollywood and desidom, hindi is slowly but surely arriving at the global platform.

3. I love internet the most whenever I talk to my Amma (taiji-aunt), who is sitting at 13 hours time difference from my place. She tries to touch me through the screen and bless me and I can feel her through all that distance. Technology serves us miraculously at times.

I love you Amma !!!

Be the holding hand

2010-05-08T02:20:00.003-06:00

The most difficult thing in life is to console somebody. And for a person like me who doesn't exhibit emotions very openly, it becomes even more difficult. These are the moments when sincere and heartfelt words appear to be cheesy and superficial. Consoling words are sincere and comforting only if they are backed by a sincere action. If you can't be of any help or are not willing to take out sometime for the people who need help, then better don't give false hope. There are people who would pose to be your true well wishers and to satisfy their curiosity would gather from you every detail of what has happened. Nobody needs lecturing, preaching or trite cliches.

A warm hug, a sincere nod, a patient ear and a holding hand is all that you need to console somebody.

Things far and near

2010-05-01T00:47:00.000-06:00

Amidst the snowy and chilly wind,

I think of the distant past,

Of flying kites,
Of thandi lassi, mithi kulfi,
And sleepy hot afternoons,
My heart aches,

I sulk, sigh and brood abound.

As days pass,

Sitting on the deck under the bright sun,

I enjoy my afternoon soup,

Of warm summery breeze,

The mood has changed, the air is light,

Everything seems so joyous around.

Things far and near always churn my heart

My mind takes a flight,

Landing on my feet sometimes like a deft trapeze artist,

Wiped-out otherwise by strong emotional waves.

The psychology of self-consciousness

2010-04-20T22:33:00.002-06:00

It is easily comprehensible and imaginable by a lay person that a social gathering which induces self focus in a person also leads to his/her divided attention. But what is surprising is that it also leads to impaired memory. A study showed that individuals under situations of scrutiny or social anxiety had problems recollecting names and characteristics of people they met. "Public self consciousness was the crucial determinant of how much evaluation of others affect people."

A good example of this is what happened to my friend who failed his first driving test. When the driving examiner sat beside him, he became self conscious which led to divided attention. Less focus on the environment around him led to his missing a stop sign and thus failing the test. The guy to his much relief passed the next test and drives happily now.
Also children who are under strict srcutiny and constant judgement by their elders become diffident and more self focussed. This ultimatley harms their personality and their social behaviour. I am in much favor of letting people be themselves wherever they are.
While a bit of focus on yourself might help but definitely excessive self-consciousness is big No.

Reference: Self-Consciousness, Public and private Self-Awareness, and Memory in a Social Setting, Kimble et al, The journal of psychology, 119(1), 59-69.

Chanakya -the hindi teleseries

2010-04-10T02:09:00.018-06:00

I happened to get the link of this television series in Google videos and once I started watching it got hooked to it and thus spent my long Easter weekend watching the entire 8 volumes, almost 32 hours of video. No other historical series that has been made in Hindi has impressed me more. It is a phenomenally well researched work with a meticulous eye on detail orientation. The serial is directed by Dr Chandra Prakash Dwivedi who also plays the role of Vishnugupt Chanakya. As evident by its name the story revolves around the life and struggle of Chanakya to integrate the different republics present in erstwhile India into a powerful kingdom under a just and systematic rule that works for the welfare of the nation and its citizens. Dwivedi has masterfully played the role of Chanakya and enlivens the character of this ancient political statesman and Vedic sage to the fullest on the small screen. Chanakya who was the foremost teacher of political science and economics in India around 300 BC was also a nation builder and a protector and nurturer of a nascent kingdom. And in that process he made use of all the four facets of the ancient statecraft :- Saam, Daam, Dand, Bhed. In the serial Dwivedi has made all efforts to see that Chanakya is well portrayed and in my opinion he has been tremendously successful.

Vishnugupt Chanakya emerges as a perfect role model even for today. I wish I were one of the disciples of Acharya Chanakya and would be a recipient of the immense knowledge and character he embodied.

P.S :- The Hindi used in the serial is a little hard and sometimes I needed the help

of English subtitles to understand.

For You

2010-02-14T14:12:00.038-07:00

Your craving for me,
is the reason I am
of different hues, light & dark
under the heat, through the grind
textured fine with a silky shine
my journey ends on your lips
a sip that awakes the senses
thrills the mind and lifts the spirit
Oh! how much I love you
I am for you, nothing without you

~~~~~~~*******~~~~~~~

"Miley sur mera tumhara"- however the original one

2010-02-09T20:59:00.014-07:00

I happened to watch the new 'Miley sur mera tumhara' song and it proved to be a disappointment. May be because the original song had set the bar so high that the remake couldn't match the expectations. I think the very concept of remake makes its success precarious as it lacks the originality and the imagination that attracts people to it. Also I think the original song was more people focused and it showed prominent personalities intermingled and mixed with the other common folks. On the contrary this one looks like a bollywood trailer or a star kid promotion video-it does not have the depth and the creativity that such a piece of art warrants. It seems that the soul is missing from the song. Its like what 'Ramu ki aag' has done to 'Sholey'.

I am glad to share the original piece.

Lotus

2010-02-02T22:09:00.057-07:00

Born in a muddy pool,
I am often bitten by bugs,
that live with me in this dirty, murky world
and feed on my leaves
but still this home i love abound
The dirty murky miry pond
that i call my home
nurtures, nourishes & shelters me
transforms me into a beautiful flower
fills me with beauty and enchanting powers
that keeps my head high
enshrines me in the heart of millions
and at the Lotus Feet of God

3 Idiots !!!

2010-01-20T21:25:00.007-07:00

The Guide dog and the lesser humans

2010-01-18T23:25:00.003-07:00

It happened on the city train today while I was coming back from work. A blind man with his guide dog boarded the train. The dog was a Labrador retriever as the guide dogs are mostly. And may be because i had all the time in the world to observe this dog, I found something very unique about this dog. It had a very calm disposition almost like a monk. This was a moving train with passengers coming in and moving out but the dog was calm, cool and contemplative with a serene expression on its face. Not even once did it look at the other passengers or displayed any expression or emotion or took a sneak a peek out of the windows. I have seen dogs in moving trucks, cars etc and they are up on all fours, tongue sticking out and tail wagging and here was one before me an absolute contrast.
While I was comparing and admiring this dog came in a young playful couple. They started to pet the dog, play with it oblivious of the discomfort it created to the blind guy whom the dog serviced. The dog probably responded a bit but mostly tried to ignore them. Obviously it created a difficult situation for the blind man who totally depended on the dog. I was quite irritated at seeing this but did not wanted to create a scene in the busy train. To me the dog behaved excellently and this couple definitely like lesser human beings.

जो बीत गई सो बात गई

2010-01-12T22:31:00.023-07:00

जो बीत गई सो बात गई
जीवन में एक सितारा था
माना वह बेहद प्यारा था
वह डूब गया तो डूब गया
अम्बर के आनन को देखो
कितने इसके तारे टूटे
कितने इसके प्यारे छूटे
जो छूट गए फिर कहाँ मिले
पर बोलो टूटे तारों पर
कब अम्बर शोक मनाता है
जो बीत गई सो बात गई
जीवन में वह था एक कुसुम
थे उसपर नित्य निछावर तुम
वह सूख गया तो सूख गया
मधुवन की छाती को देखो
सूखी कितनी इसकी कलियाँ
मुर्झाई कितनी वल्लरियाँ
जो मुर्झाई फिर कहाँ खिली
पर बोलो सूखे फूलों पर
कब मधुवन शोर मचाता है
जो बीत गई सो बात गई
जीवन में मधु का प्याला था
तुमने तन मन दे डाला था
वह टूट गया तो टूट गया
मदिरालय का आँगन देखो
कितने प्याले हिल जाते हैं
गिर मिट्टी में मिल जाते हैं
जो गिरते हैं कब उठतें हैं
पर बोलो टूटे प्यालों पर
कब मदिरालय पछताता है
जो बीत गई सो बात गई
मृदु मिटटी के हैं बने हुए
मधु घट फूटा ही करते हैं
लघु जीवन लेकर आए हैं
प्याले टूटा ही करते हैं
फिर भी मदिरालय के अन्दर
मधु के घट हैं मधु प्याले हैं
जो मादकता के मारे हैं
वे मधु लूटा ही करते हैं
वह कच्चा पीने वाला है
जिसकी ममता घट प्यालों पर
जो सच्चे मधु से जला हुआ
कब रोता है चिल्लाता है
जो बीत गई सो बात गई।।

~ हरिवंश राय बच्चन

Colours in our life

2009-12-24T23:03:00.013-07:00

I have often wondered what makes our likings for different colours so different from other people around us. For eg if I like a certain colour I would assume that people around me would also like it. But I have found this to be untrue so many times that it bewilders me. This is even true for people who have lived together long enough.

May be everything including colours has a natural vibrations that attract or repel us depending upon how our psyche responds to it. Though one can attribute definite reasons for some of these likes/dislikes but for others there are absolutely none. I have read that you can define the personality of the person depending upon what colour s/he likes. We also tend to associate a colour to a certain person so much so that the colour almost begins to represent that person and we tend to like/dislike the colour depending upon how much we like/dislike the person.

I would say that all of us spend a lot of time in life searching the colours and the patterns we like. And I wish in this Christmas and the Holiday Season, Santa led by Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer bestows your best colours onto you.

Wait no more- Watch Avatar

2009-12-20T02:02:00.008-07:00

I happened to watch Avatar and hands down its a spectacular movie experience. And more so when you watch it in 3D. The imagery is magnificent although the story is simple and may be predictable to some. The world of Pandora- the planet of the Na'vi people- almost makes you remember the Jurassic park with even more colours and 3D effects giving it an extraordinary flavour. The Na'vi people resemble the indigenous/aboriginal people like everywhere else. Their music has flute and drums and you might almost hear an Indian rhythm within it. The director has successfully delivered a message of respecting Mother Nature and all its elements and abstain from its reckless exploitation. It has a tinge of romanticism and extreme hope and idealism when the movie portrays that the Gods respond to the prayer of the Na'vi people and come to their rescue.

And above all the movie has a happy ending.

Green grass, blue skies & then snow all over

2009-12-13T19:05:00.003-07:00

Green grass, blue skies, bright shining sun and flying birds-never missed these so much in my life before the fourth of this December when Calgary was hit by an awful snow storm. The amount of snow pouring from the skies was so horrendous that it caught the people by surprise and coupled with high speed winds just took the life out of the city. Visibility went zero, vehicles got stuck on the roads, mounds of snow and white everywhere, that's what outside was like. It has been one week since and things are in much better control now. Snowplow trucks and salt/sand spreaders are all at full-time work now.
But we friends still enjoyed at home in the evening cooking chicken-biryani, gajar ka halwa and hot coffee.

Connection

2009-12-08T22:49:00.009-07:00

A particular colour, a peculiar smell, few names and sometime particular food often reminds us of people we met at some stage of life. There are people whom we may like or dislike and there are others who are the few special ones close to our heart and don't need occasions or things to remind us of them. They stay with us in all moments of life and whether we meet them often or not, talk to them often or not, it really doesn't matter.

These are the people with whom we remain connected throughout the whole life.

A childhood wish

2009-09-13T00:06:00.008-06:00

Often in my dreams

I see the shallow streams

And the women singing in the paddy fields

the monsoon rains that makes the fields flood

And the morning sunlight that blooms every bud

the frogs in the streams that croak melodiously

the meditative painted storks that move cautiously

With a streak of white in my hair

and visible wrinkles on my cheeks

A splash of colours on my canvas

and the weather all calm and serene

I live and paint this lively scene

One time in my childhood my father was posted in a small cantonment called Hempur (Uttaranchal) located between Kashipur and Ramnagar. And everyday while going to school I use to relish the countryside and wished that sometime later in my life i comeback and live in this place again. I still hope that my childhood wish comes true.

Commemorating our passed ones

2009-09-07T02:22:00.008-06:00

This time of the year a big lot among us commemorate our passed ones with a detailed list of rituals and ceremonies. I have witnessed the fanfare with which this is conducted, it almost becoming an occasion to be talked about and told to people around how much and what was done at the day of “shradh”. I think they do it out of awe and fear that something bad would befall if this is not done on a specific way and time and method. Our clever pundits have many such stories up their sleeves which they can instantly dish out about what happened when the family did not do the shradh of their parents. People who do not do these pujas are often criticised by the family and the relatives and blamed for any ills happening around them. I have also seen that these are the same people who probably ill-treated their folks when they were old and alive often blaming them for too much interference in their lives. And once they have passed away then all the love suddenly begins to bloom and show off. You can find that manifested in various forms – donations to the priests/temples in the name of their parents, building rooms, benches and whatever can be in the name of their parents.

Probably a simpler and a much easy form to remember your loved ones after they have passed away is to just think about them and be happy that you were able to do whatever was best possible to be done in those circumstances.
And the people who did nothing then now organize animated ceremonies and conduct elaborate rituals to demonstrate their love. It is like shutting the barn door after the horse has gone. Its pity to see our religious practices have fallen to this abysmal depth of illogical decay. And I hope people have the courage to see some sense.

Shankar Halwai in Mathura

2009-08-09T02:52:00.012-06:00

Fond memories of yesterdays keep visiting you as you go along in life. That's what I realized when I stumbled upon a you tube video about Shankar halwai. I have visited this shop numerous times and it was almost second nature to eat at this place while visiting the Holi-gate, which is the heart of the city. This is one of the oldest shops in Mathura and offers you a complete pure vegetarian food at astonishingly modest prices that can be afforded by the most ordinary Aam adami. And all this doesn't make the food any less tastier, in fact this food can be one of the most mouth watering north Indian food that anybody can have or boast of. Another thing to note is that all their preparations are completely devoid of garlic and onions.

I could recognize in the video the friendly attendants who served the food lovingly and all the lovely sweets that are characteristic of the winter season. Though the shop is not very gung ho on ambiance and decor but this is typical of an old city crowded eating joint. The shop is visited by people from all classes of life, the very rich seths to the extreme poor, who sit along side by side enjoying eating together.

To say the least I started feeling home sick after watching this video.

Friendship and the bane of adulthood

2009-08-01T23:14:00.045-06:00

I remember as a child I had a lot of friends and I didn't need any reason to make friends. And they remain friends in spite of any arguments,difference of opinion or even occasional fights. The sooner these differences appeared the sooner they vanished and the friendship remained without any scars or remnants of these differences. We were quick to appease and pacify an angry friend. There were no ego and personal pride involved in all this.

However things changed as I grew older. Probably all of us became more worldly wise, street smart and savvy. We begin to have personality clashes and yearned for more private space in our lives. The demands of our personal and professional life has taken over most of the available time and we have led small excuses come in the way of making more friends and sustaining the old ones.

I seriously lament all this around me and wish the things were the same as they were during my childhood days.

Wish you all a very happy friendship day.

Regality In Capture !!!

2009-07-19T19:58:00.013-06:00

Beautiful Fur + Fearsome Reputation = Grim Outlook

The above pictures are from my visit to the local zoo. Apart from the striking beauty and the regality of this magnificent animal what was more striking was the restlessness that I saw it in. The tiger kept moving incessantly inside its enclosure which spoilt my numerous attempts to take its good picture. And though the enclosure was pretty big (half the size of a soccer field ) but it was evident from the behaviour of the tiger that it hated being kept in the captivity and the prying eyes and ever clicking cameras of its human visitors.

This was a disgraceful power equation at display. Just because the human being has power it has captured an otherwise very powerful animal and put it up for display and entertainment. Various thoughts begin to pass by my mind as I watched it. I was entertained and delightful to see 3-4 ft away the king of the jungle, an animal with a fearsome reputation. Each time it passed near by me something trembled inside me, at the same time I felt ashamed at being responsible for keeping an animal under captivity devoid of freedom and its natural habitat.

Its hard for me to conclude whether its good or bad to keep an animal in a zoo or whether the idea of a zoo is good or bad but these questions are difficult to answer and I'am sure they get raised in every person that comes close to this issue.

My first 3-D movie experience

2009-07-18T00:12:00.004-06:00

Before this I have always seen animation movies on my laptop but this time i got persuaded by my friend to watch Ice Age-3 in a movie theatre. And for the first few minutes I could not believe what I experienced. As they begin to stream the pre- movie show there is a very distinct 3d effect that you can understand and feel. The falling rain being showed on the screen suddenly begins to have an effect that it has reached you. The thick and dense forest gives you a feeling as if you are walking into it. The river of molten lava begins to flow out of the screen. And the characters (Sid the dimwit sloth, Buck the dino hunting weasel and others ) seem to be floating and diving in the air all the time.
The kids and their parents in the theatre seem to enjoy a lot and shreaked and laughed all through the movie. Overall it is a great fun and I would recommend people watching this movie in a theater if they already haven't.

Do not stand at my grave and weep

2009-07-03T22:00:00.011-06:00

Do not stand at my grave and weep,

I am not there, I do not sleep.

I am in a thousand winds that blow,

I am the softly falling snow.

I am the gentle showers of rain,

I am the fields of ripening grain.

I am in the morning hush,

I am in the graceful rush

Of beautiful birds in circling flight,

I am the starshine of the night.

I am in the flowers that bloom,

I am in a quiet room.

I am in the birds that sing,

I am in each lovely thing.

Do not stand at my grave and cry,

I am not there. I do not die.

~Mary Elizabeth Frye

Use & Throw

2009-06-27T13:23:00.016-06:00

In the age of recyclable plastics, "Use & Throw" philosophy has permeated into our psyche. We are contemporary to the thousands of plastics that has been discovered in the last 30 years when most of us have been born and raised. The only way to deal with used plastic is to throw them away and we have most likely extended that philosophy into our life. We use and throw away our relationships, try to discover new ones and then throw them away and then try to discover again. We are the perpetrator as well as the victim in this game of use and throw. That's the bane of the age of plastics.

Happy living !!!

A Young Vine

2009-06-22T11:39:00.035-06:00

A young green vine

In search of a support

Twines around the seemingly benign rose bush

Unaware of its duplicity

Gets stinged by the thorns

Then

Falls back on the ground

Pained and abused

| --To mark the plight of young children rampant all around us--|

My Viewpoint

2009-06-21T02:14:00.012-06:00

Nowadays its fashionable to criticize anything that has western origins. The days to commemorate your father, mother, valentine etc that are commonplace in the western style of life are the usual targets of such activity. Oft repeated argument is that these days are needless, almost fake, exhibition of our concern for people that are so near and dear to us. Another claim is that these days are against the Indian ethos and values and celebrating them is denigrating the Indian culture.

If these arguments hold then we should not be celebrating our birthdays, anniversaries also. Days such as father's day are special occasions where we set aside our daily routine work and do something special to remind ourself and our dear ones of our love towards them. It baffles me to think how can this celebration denigrate the Indian culture.

As all other young girls I have always idolized my father and still do.:-)

Lets join together to commemorate Father's day.

500 Against 1........

2009-06-18T22:44:00.007-06:00

A recent heroic incident would pass away into oblivion if I do not capture this in my post. There were 501 people involved in this incident that took place in the city of Chitrakoot and all the guys involved were armed to the teeth. The real hero of this story was the notorious mobster Kewat who had a "handsome" reward of Rs 50,000 on his head and fought the 500 cops including their valorous leadership for an astounding 48 hours.
I was flabbergasted by the complete ineptitude of the UP police involved in this. How could you need 500 armed policemen with complete logistics to counter a single dacoit.
This speaks volumes of the training, infrastructure and motivation of the police to protect the ordinary citizens from criminals.

This incident should be noticed by all well meaning sections of the society to not to jeer at the cops but to help overhaul the policing system which otherwise is going to the dogs.

कलेइडोस्कोप

2009-06-12T00:50:00.027-06:00

कुछ चमकीले मोती , रँगीन चूडियाँ

थोडे कंकर और कागज
उमीदो के रंग मे रंगे
काँच की दीवारों मे
एक दुसरे को देखते
हँसते मुस्कुराते
साथ निभाते
नित्य नया रूप धरते
हर एक करवट पर, नई अकृति लिये मन को सुहाते
तो कभी कुछ अजीब जान पड़ते
उमीद की किरण मन मे बसाये
जीवन रूपी यात्रा मे
कोशिश,उमीद,उल्लास मन मे जगाये
हर सुबह के साथ
नित्य नया रूप अपनाने को तत्पर
जिन्दगी इक कलेइडोस्कोप
इसके उतार चडाव को स्वीकारना
मेरी
इक कोशिश

~~~~~~~~~*********~~~~~~~~~

Lilac Festival - A Visual Treat !!!

2009-06-01T22:12:00.047-06:00

It was a bright sunny day yesterday, yet the breeze that blew was cool making it a perfect day for an outing. And what could be more better than enjoying the one day Lilac festival in downtown Calgary. I couldn't believe the hustle-bustle on 4th street downtown with endless colourful shops on both the sides of the street. The street was jam packed with people mainly young masculine boys with their lovely girls showing off. The pedigreed pet dogs competed with their owners for street space with an equal elan. Lots of multi cuisine food shops with lemonade, smoothies and beer being served in the patio.There was some magical spell in the air, the aroma, the essence, the people and music which was captivating and thrilling.

In one corner the magician was showing off his tricks and the crowd with kids were enjoying it immensely. Further away an Irish band was pulling crowds and just behind them the Havana Cuban dance studio members were performing what was a visual treat.

You name any street shop worth its salt and it was there. Everything from palmist, street massage, Hollywood hair stylist, traditional jewelery from Africa, paintings from Bali, Henna, leather stuff to house mortgage specialists and free dance club membership and last but not least police personnel stationed and patrolling. It had all the contents and masala similar to a street fair back in India like yeh fair or woh fair or this & that fete etc.

But the most astounding was what looked at first sight a statue on a pedestal but soon started swaying on the dholak beats being played by a sadhu. As I went nearer, Oh it was a girl with a golden body paint in a indian dress dancing on dholki and the man was in disguise of a sadhu. It was magnificent. . As I returned back it was late evening and the last sunday of May had begun to end. Some photographs through the eye of my cell.

Kowtowing to Mangal - "Mahima Mangal ki"

2009-05-30T19:56:00.017-06:00

My friend has recently been diagnosed as suffering with manglik dosh. For the uninitiated reader, manglik dosh is a concoction of planets in your horoscope that can have catastrophic effects on your future (married) life if not rectified or cured through a series of ceremonies conducted by a learned pundit. And then your choice of eligible partners is also greatly reduced as this condition warrants that your partner is also a manglik.

Of such paramount importance does the manglik dosh become that all your other important personality traits like character, education, morals & beliefs take a back seat. The day its out in public knowledge that you are a manglik, people would shun you as if you have caught swine flu.:-) Believe me for a young person of marriageable age in India there is no worse malaise than being a manglik.

Strangely the deleterious effect of mangal is only to fell upon the spouse and not on your blood relations like your parents & siblings and even your friends.
I am sure if there is any intelligent form of life on Mars, they would be equally wary of the effect planet earth has on them and they would have a name to this, guess what, pritwik dosh. ;-)

As you would have observed, i find all this very amusing and humorous and would not care a damn about the manglik dosh, the business of horoscope or the pseudosciences of numerology, astrology etc as they stand on no scientific ground or the test of reason. And I am sure that it would be so with the majority as time passes by. :-)

My Twinkling Evening Star

2009-05-24T01:41:00.029-06:00

The sun has bid adieu to the weary day

Now the blanket of misty clouds cover the sky

With the twilight all set to embrace the darkness

Amid a gust of wind that blows through

I sit atop the hillock with my eager wait for you

That soon ends

Aloha! the twinkling evening star

I spot you peeping from behind the clouds

And make a wish upon you

The child in me rejoices

With my hope rekindled

That the wish I make tonight be fulfilled

And the illuminating starlight fill my soul

~~***~~

Only For You.........

2009-05-09T15:23:00.039-06:00

Sometimes or I should say most of the time we don't agree to each others thoughts and argue, but you know I really understand your feelings & fears. I know of your earnest desire to see me happy. I still remember in my 3rd std papa brought a yellow colored raincoat for me and unfortunately :-( it didn't rain that day and I was literally in tears. Then you got the garden hose to create artificial rain and cheer me up in my new yellow raincoat.:-). There were numerous such occasions when you pampered me like I was a princess.
No doubt you were and are still very strict but I understand, its for helping me face the world. And yes its true when it comes to papa, I became biased but that doesn't mean I don't love you. Your are my strength and your presence makes me feel strong. I am short of words now so a poem of

Rudyard Kipling for you 'MOM'.

Mother o' Mine

If I were hanged on the highest hill,
Mother o' mine, O mother o' mine!
I know whose love would follow me still,
Mother o' mine, O mother o' mine!

If I were drowned in the deepest sea,
Mother o' mine, O mother o' mine!
I know whose tears would come down to me,
Mother o' mine, O mother o' mine!

If I were damned of body and soul,
I know whose prayers would make me whole,
Mother o' mine, O mother o' mine!

Every time I read this poem, muzey esa legta hai 'Tarey jami per' ka 'meri ma' wala song iss poem sey he inspired hou.:-)

Happy Mother's Day

The Wind Tells Me

2009-05-06T01:42:00.011-06:00

I stop walking
The wind pushes against my back
Telling me to move forward

I look behind me
The wind blows in my face
Telling me not to look back

I rake some leaves into a pile
The wind scatters them
Telling me to leave them be

I blow a kiss
The wind takes it
Telling me it will reach the one I love

I cry
The wind dries my tears
Telling me it will all be ok

I whisper a secret
The wind listens
Telling me it will keep it safe

I get angry
The wind soothes me
Telling me it's not worth it

Whatever I do
The wind reacts
Telling me what I need to hear.

~Jocelyn Sullivan~

Enchanting Bus Driver !!!

2009-04-30T23:36:00.004-06:00

Everyday on my way to college, I normally take a bus from the city train station. The bus driver is awesome. She is very talkative and since most of us in the bus are regular college students she knows us pretty well. As we get down at the college bus stop she wishes us well and even when she sees students standing on the side walk she stops the bus out of turn to pick them up. If by chance we happen to take the same bus after the classes are over in the evenings, she welcomes us on board with a broad grin and makes a point to talk to each one of us. There can be nothing more refreshing than somebody trying to cheer you up with such nice gestures. She reminds me of a bus driver 'Salim Bhai' when I was a kid and had jaundice he used to reserve the front seat of the bus for me and wait for me even when I was a bit late. He was a store house of different medical instructions and was caring and affectionate. Even today I remember vividly his burly face,rolling moustaches and stout body.

Bus driving can be a very boring profession because you are moving on the same bus route for 8 hours daily endless number of times. But in spite of the mundane nature of the task these people with their attitude add such immense value to the work at hand that the final product leads to complete customer delight.They are actually best in their class, examples to be followed, with values to be cherished. And I am completely enchanted by them. :-)

Because Of Eva

2009-04-14T01:20:00.006-06:00

As a young child, Ryan lost his parents in a car accident. Eva was her neighbor then. Ryan was moved to a foster home and had a very troubled childhood. It was Eva's letters, counsel and financial support that saw him through the college. After college Ryan took up teaching literature at the university and became busy in his family. He then went on to become a successful author. All the while though he remained out of touch with Eva but thanked her for the role she played in nurturing him at a difficult moment in his life. Later he wrote his autobiography and dedicated it to Eva. He decided to meet her to give her a copy of the book.

When he went to meet her at her old house, he was told by the neighbors that Eva is critically ill with cancer. Shocked, he cursed himself for having abandoned her. Finally he located her in a hospital room in her dying moments. Though she could barely talk, she did recognize him and could hear him. Grief stricken, he read her the dedication of his autobiography "Because of Eva" to her and then saw her demise with a happy and peaceful expression on her face and a copy of the book in her hands.

P.S :This story is for the "Tell a Tale" blog . It has a picture around which a story has to be written. This is my take on the prompt for week #4.

Dichotomy of life .................

2009-03-14T02:18:00.045-06:00

Sometimes a facial expression hurts you more than a physical wound,

Your own people become devils and life looks so cruel .

Times change and .........

A healing word acts as a medicine,

A simple smile gives you a way of life,

A feeling of trust becomes your confidence,

Friends become angels and life becomes very sweet,

Such is the dichotomy of life and we should accept it as it comes.

Amazing Picture

2009-03-13T01:35:00.002-06:00

I was hopping through the net when I fell upon this picture. This is a dandy example of antithesis- a juxtaposition of contrasting ideas. The little girl is an epitome of light-hearted playfulness and the sculpture represents old aged brooding meditation. It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words and there can be nothing more true.:-)

A Forever Friend

2009-03-12T02:14:00.007-06:00

Sometimes in life
you find a special friend;
Someone who changes your life
just by being part of it.

Someone who makes you laugh
until you can't stop;
Someone who makes you believe
that there really is good in the world.
Someone who convinces you
that there really is an unlocked door
just waiting for you to open it.
This is Forever Friendship.

When you're down,
and the world seems dark and empty,
Your forever friend lifts you up in spirit
and makes that dark and empty world
suddenly seem bright and full.

Your forever friend gets you through
the hard times, the sad times,
and the confused times.
If you turn and walk away,
your forever friend follows.
If you lose your way,
your forever friend guides you
and cheers you on.

Your forever friend holds your hand
and tells you that
everything is going to be okay.
And if you find such a friend,
you feel happy and complete,
because you need not worry.
You have a forever friend for life,
and forever has no end.

~Author Unknown

Dedicated to my Best Friend.:-)

Inquisitiveness- A behavorial disorder

2009-03-09T23:22:00.012-06:00

Every relationship thrives and survives on keeping some distance. This is the life and breath of every surviving creature. Even young saplings need some distance to germinate and grow. Some people don't seem to understand this basic fact. Or may be I am wrong, they understand it very well when this applies to themselves but it is a different story when it applies to others. Every damn silly detail about others must be known. Why? Just for fun and common knowledge. Please understand some feelings, facts and issues are private affair and should not be pried into. And even so of a person with whose life you are remotely connected. This is beyond every realm of civility.
These habits unnerve me a lot and I am sure it would to some of you too.

A beautiful Gift

2009-03-07T20:55:00.020-07:00

Every Tuesday and Friday I go to the library to work as a volunteer. My volunteering work is a good exercise in mixing with people here and knowing the people of my community. The library is one of the many public libraries that we have in different communities here and it is well attended by the people.During the weekdays you find it full with older and retired guys playing chess with their friends and the women exhibiting their knitting skills. In the evening hours it is packed with school children who come to finish their homework.
Because you often get to see the same faces I have started to develop a bond with them.There are some kids that have yet to discover the magic of reading and I work with them as a story time buddy. And by all means it is great fun. Yesterday the kids in turn narrated their stories to me as a fun gesture on my birthday and it was awesome. There are small gestures in this world that sometimes bring upon you great happiness. Isn't that amazing ? :-)

Little deeds of kindness,
little words of love,
make our earth an Eden,
like the heaven above.

The world is falling apart

2009-03-04T00:04:00.005-07:00

People say it has never been so bad in their living memory. Entire cities and communities have been affected. And the learned analysts say that it has just began and the end is nowhere to be seen. The recession that started in mid 2008 has now taken the shape of an epidemic. A single mom that I met in the library today was let go from her work yesterday. I could hear her sobbing and later when I talked to her she said that she is supporting her two kids and has to hit the street again job searching in an environment where there are no jobs and scores of laid off job seekers. What can be more awful than this ? Media is adding to the frenzy by continuously airing the most pessimistic and negative numbers that are available. These are the same guys who an year before had no clue of what was about to happen? Charities and food banks are being robbed of their already dwindling contributions. As a student I am not sure of what the future has in store for me. But I hope the best for me and the other people around.

A Bundle Of Feelings

2009-03-01T01:35:00.017-07:00

I was going through my old posts and realized that each post has an anecdotal association. Old friends, emotions and memories begin to linger as I went through each and every post. All of them were a window to a distinct past that has gone by. I saw myself evolving and learning through my experiences and interactions with fellow bloggers. My blogger friends are an important part as they appreciated and encouraged me through their insightful comments. Although I don't know them in person but I have begin to attach a personality to each of these by reading their comment and their own blog. In a way it is very interesting how without meeting in person you can appreciate the tastes, likes and dislikes and psyche of fellow bloggers. These relationships are based
on our thoughts and ideas and transcends normal human relationships which are often based on origin, color, sex and appearances. And I think that is amazing.:-)

......................

2009-02-20T23:46:00.001-07:00

Since last two- three days i was having a weird feeling as if something bad is going to happen. Neither was I able to eat nor sleep. When I called home they said dad is hospitalized for some prostate problem. For the first time in my life I am feeling so helpless and weak didn't feel like talking to anybody. I know he will be alright after the treatment but I am very scared if anything goes wrong during surgery. Except praying to God i can't do anything, never before in my life I felt so weak. I know this phase will also pass.

A book

2009-01-25T20:06:00.011-07:00

Placed up high on my shelf,

you are a repository of knowledge,
a window to a mind,
gateway to an enchanting world,
an engrossing story to one reader,
beacon of hope and peace to another,
an entertainer par excellence to one,
invoker of revolution to another
takes me on a journey to an imaginative dreamland,
Allows me incarnation into many different lives,
there is no better a compassionate companion of my solitude,
a friend, counselor and teacher other than you

~~~~~~******~~~~~~

Happy-New-Year :-)

2009-01-01T23:51:00.032-07:00

~~~Happy New Year~~~

All over again

2008-12-29T12:57:00.005-07:00

Born from the wet clay spinning around the wheel
forbearing the journey through fire valiantly
transforming into a hard shiny ceramic
to face the world and embrace its all-pervasive misery
with equanimity and joy
and then with time, with no whimper and grudge towards none
wither into earth only to be molded back in the soft wet clay all over again

~~~~~~***~~~~~~

Between me and the devil time

2008-12-11T18:09:00.026-07:00

On this misty foggy stormy night
You have succeeded in stealing my wings
You celebrate, you laugh and you dance
You are happy, rejoicing at my bleeding wounds
I can't fly anymore
can't kiss the stars and can't compete with my old folks

But O devil time,
I bet, you are still a loser
As you can't steal my soul, my faith and my self-belief,
I am still laughing, celebrating and having fun all around
Go away, I challenge thee,
And try scheming another plan to conquer me

Down the memory lane.......

2008-12-07T01:21:00.025-07:00

This is about the time I was very young and was taught about Gandhism in school. When I came back home, I asked my mom and she said yes it works.
Then a little later while playing a game, a friend of mine got annoyed and slapped me. With Ahimsa firmly ingrained in my mind as the ultimate practice to follow, I offered the other cheek to my friend. Obliged, my friend gleefully slapped me again. Shocked and uterly surprised to see Ahimsa not work, I gave her 2-3-4 right then and there.;-)

In the evening back home, mom asked me about what happened.
After narrating her the whole incident, I told her your way didn't work so i used mine .:-) (snehaism)

What a disservice to the community !!

2008-12-04T23:21:00.008-07:00

There can be no greater disservice to the community than what is done by these gun totting zealots (which we also call as terrorists)and their hard-lined radical teachers. I would appear foolish and naive if I try to expound on the virtues of this great religion,Islam, and its followers. When I listen to beautiful singers like Ustad Rashid Khan and see Zahir khan win matches for us and Shahrukh in "Swadesh" I am overwhelmed by the examples set by them. Among the cesspool of the politicians and top administrators of this country, the name of Abdul Kalam shines as a beacon. India as a nation has grown and developed culturally, spiritually and in all spheres of life through its association with this great religion. I firmly believe that all ordinary and common people of our country believe in this and exhibit this belief through their kind deeds whenever the need arises and the humanity demands.
And there can be no greater disservice done to Islam than killing innocent people in its name. Needless to mention the only purpose that it serves is to create a temporary feeling of bad blood between the siblings who have lived together for centuries.

Of mindless politicians and senseless killers

2008-11-29T12:56:00.011-07:00

We are all aghast at the killings in Mumbai at the hands of senseless murderers but what was more shocking was the response of the Deputy chief minister of Maharastra R.R Patil who said "Aisa nahi hai. Itne bade shahar mein chhota hadsa ho jata hai. To total failure nahi hai (It is not like that. In big cities like this, small incidents do happen. It's is not a total failure.)"

Now this gentleman is the top executive of Maharastra government. He is supposed to lead in the decision making process of the government and make sure that all measures are taken that incidents like this do not recur and the security system is able to apprehend such plans much in advance.

But on the contrary he does not acknowledge it to be a major failure of his intelligence setup(which I think is a group disgruntled policemen trying to get to more profit-reaping positions)and believes it to be a 'chota hadsa'. Now I know that our friends of Mr Patil have attributed this to his poor knowledge of the language but I believe that the minister was trying to paint this as a regular kind of security lapse and not a total failure. The minister deserves a thorough official reprimand for putting his foot in his mouth and i would be more happy if this can cost him his political position.

I end this post by saluting our brave men in uniform who did an excellent job at purging the murderers. A friend of mine hinted that the security personnel were probably inefficient in taking so much time to kill the terrorists, without knowing that they were just careful and meticulous to save as many guests as they could. Had India been a totalitarian regime we would have gassed the whole hotel and the operation would have been over in an hour. And we would have never known who/what/how many were the casualties.

we need a 100 million voices like this for a change to come,the change that we earnestly seek.

In defense of inequality

2008-11-16T14:12:00.008-07:00

All human beings are born alike. Hmmm..let me think , I guess not!!!

I do not think they are alike and they do not deserve to be equally educated as there are inherent differences between the way they think and work. In simpler words some are more smarter and are capable of leading others. These ones are capable of more hard work and come up with brighter ideas and can perform better than other ones in stressful circumstances like sitting in a boardroom, making sense out of a business memo or may be working in a foreign bank.

If you think I am sounding silly, you are wrong because that’s what the CAT exam statistics tells me. The HRD ministry was able to successfully deprive better education and thus a chance of good future to a lot of unworthy candidates ( 288200 out of 290000 that have filled the forms). I am sure they would be patting their back for setting up a very tough screening procedure, for having very few good management institutes for a horde of young citizens who want to take the country ahead.

What a great service to the nation and its young citizens.

Remembrance Day - A day to remember

2008-11-11T17:23:00.011-07:00

In Flanders Fields
by John McCrae, May 1915

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep,
though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

On 2 May, 1915, in the second week of fighting during the Second Battle of Ypres Lieutenant Alexis Helmer was killed by a German artillery shell. He was a friend of the Canadian military doctor Major John McCrae. It is believed that John began the draft for his famous poem 'In Flanders Fields' that evening.

Mantra of good living

2008-11-05T18:48:00.008-07:00

Its going to snow today night

2008-11-04T23:07:00.007-07:00

Its going to snow today night,
And tomorrow morning the bare trees,
the barren fields and the weary roads will be all covered in white,
And its the snow which along with the moonlight would,
Make these dark nights even more bright

Snow snow snow, its going to be snow everywhere,
covering the pathway, covering the driveway,
testing your patience and your might

Falling from the heavens,
everywhere on the old and the young,
the mighty and the poor,
the black, colored and the white,
on all living and non-living alike,

Thinking of all this that's going to happen
fills me with joy & delight

Nature's blessing

2008-10-28T20:12:00.008-06:00

Blessed are the women who enjoy motherhood. The memories of my childhood- the time I started walking, my first tooth, the first time i said ma- every such little thing is stored in my mother's computer memory, which she delightfully shares with me sometimes.
She was always there for me in times of need. I am really grateful to God to bless me with such a mumma as my mom. My mother has been a housewife, but even some of my friends whose mothers were working, had their grand parents or somebody else in the joint family who took good care of them while their mother was away.
But with the breakup of the joint family system and with the ever increasing crazy drive for getting ahead, the children find themselves all alone stranded in some day care.
I am not against the working moms but I feel that for a certain period, they should enjoy the motherhood, they should enjoy the moments with their child and not send the child to daycare - if they can afford to and if there is no impending financial crisis. Its a nature's blessing to be able to procreate. A friend of mine who cannot become mother, told me adopting a child is also not easy, there is a long queue and you have to be financially strong. Its a long legal and such a slow process and full of mental trauma that only people who go through this can understand.

I feel we should be ready to acknowledge that if the younger generation spend most of their time in day care facility deprived of the love and the care of the family, they would reciprocate by sending their parents to old age home at the earliest opportunity.

My Wish

2008-10-21T22:42:00.012-06:00

If I had wings
I would fly to wherever you were
If I had colors
I would paint your life with my magical hues
If I were the sun
I would bring warmth to your cold & gloomy days
If I were the moon
I would beam down my light to make your life bright
If I were a star
I would twinkle in your life
If I were the rain
I would wash away your pains
My simple wish is I hope to be the joy of your life

Soulmate

2008-10-14T16:10:00.010-06:00

The other half of your heartbeat,
the one who makes you whole...
The eyes that sparkle when you meet,
and a touch more precious than gold.

They feel your love whether near or far,
and anticipate your every desire...
Sense your needs no matter where they are,
and their visions you inspire.

A soul mate will see you with youthful
eyes, whether you become bald or gray...
and love you with the depth of their heart,
until their dying day.

A soul mate is a mate for life,
even if your ways do part;
no matter what the outcome may be
for your hands hold each others heart.

~Mary Wilson

A lively street of my town

2008-10-05T14:52:00.017-06:00

Monday to Friday on this lively street I watch,
the hustle & bustle of the people walking around
a local band playing with joy and energy profound
a painter who is engrossed in his work, oblivious of the world around.

The street is lined with colorful flowers
that are blooming in their pots
All across people gathered are eating at the vendor shops
somewhere else birds are chirping and feeding in their own flocks

Sitting on one of the benches, I think that

there can be no greater comfort than walking through this street

to wander through it, is a sheer pleasure
and to watch it, is a visual treat

Words of wisdom

2008-09-26T23:02:00.008-06:00

The Granny Next Door

2008-09-21T17:36:00.019-06:00

"Ma, what will you do there ? You will catch cold. Relax at home and keep yourself busy in pooja".

This is the daily scene of my neighbours in India.

The Dadi (granny) has her own room where she spends her whole day. She is not allowed to meet the high profile guests. She does not accompany her family to 5 star hotel dinners and expensive malls.

My parents tell me that when Dadi was young she never thought twice before spending any amount to meet her children's needs. She was very fond of wearing bright clothes and loved to be around among the people.
When I visit her, I still find her very observant and intelligent. But it pains me to see that her own family avoids talking to her and she is mostly by herself. And also she is mostly subject to a host of instructions like do's and don'ts. I kiss and hug her a lot and she gets very happy and cheerful, while the whole family gives me odd looks. But I don't care and they dare not say anything to me.
Not that they are bad but they probably feel that dadi has no other human needs than food, clothes, medicines or sleep.That she needs good company to talk to, needs to go out to parks, shopping or just spending weekends with friends and relatives.

Are we so busy in our life not to take out a few minutes for our older people or have we become simply insensitive ?