Those 10 minutes

This time I have a story to narrate.

Lately I visited a place.It was 10 AM in the morning. On the first floor of the building was a big hall. Around 50 little kids were lined up on the floor in a corner of the room. None of them was more than 5-6 years old, too young to understand their fate. The elder ones had already left for their school, and these kids were to leave after having food. They were waiting for their lunch (brunch, as we call it). 



Two of them ran towards us, not greedy but curious to know what we had in the polythene bag for them. They were glad to see the bag full of hot jalebis on that cold morning. 

Their superintendent told us about their life. She was amused to describe that these kids do not like to sleep on bed. They prefer to sleep on a gaadi instead! Everyone had a gaadi of their own and all shared the same hall to sleep. Those who were too young, had got a small room nearby, which was confined enough to save them from the cold; they had no rajai to cover themselves.

It must now be easy to guess that this place was an orphanage!

I was tearful and had goosebumps after this incidence. Though a trivial one, but this incidence gave me a lesson. A lesson that I have read and heard many times, but understood the true meaning after this. We often crave for all that we want, but are not contended over what we have. We mourn on our failures and neglect our achievements. These children, they are homeless, parent-less... 

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...And then I landed to the planet

...And then I landed to the planet,

Neither as an angel nor a princess,

But yet another ordinary girl,

With every passing year,

I had countless cheers,

and a few tears,

a lot to learn,

and a lot of experience,

a lot of success and celebrations,

and so much to thank the almighty,

for giving to me all that I have! 

Years later,

A new day has started,

I have aged one more year,

God had gifted my life with yet another year,

or has reduced an year out of my life!

Yet, this one year of my life has given me so much!

Gratitude, compassion, success, belief, love for fellow human beings,

If I count my blessings, they are countless, infinite. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME

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Fair is Lovely, Thin is Beautiful

Planning to buy the latest beauty cream...? Or may be, having a sip of green tea after a tiresome gym routine!

Which complexion do you own - Fair, medium fair / wheatish, dusky, dark?

They say, "Beauty lies not in eyes of beholder". If so, is it the societal pressure to be fair?

In a country where majority of people are dark skin, there is this preconceived notion that has been conditioned in the society to look fair and slim. In the current pretext, this is not only applicable for women but for men too. When it comes to songs, they sing-"Gori Gori", the pretty girl.

Why is it that it that whitening products in India have a 2000 crore industry? to add more, men are now joining women in the fairness bandwagon for the pro-fairness obsession that has now existed for decades.

Is the fairness industry itself fair or ugly?

Why is it that it that fair and lovely is the largest selling product in India than any other country and its sale is growing manifold every year? The TV ads selling fairness products link success and confidence to being fair. Forget about working hard, it's all about skin color.

While some Americans have made bitterly racist remarks about Miss America Nina Davuluri based on the color of her skin, it seems that people in India have problems with her dark skin as well.

When it comes to being thin, I seldom stick my eyeballs to posts over the internet and newspapers to find ways to loose weight.

We may ask ourselves a question - Why Do You Want To Be Slim?

Is it because you think you should? Because others have been pressuring you to? Because your doctor said so? Because you are getting married? Because you have a holiday? Because you think it will make you happy? Because you saw a holiday photo and was horrified? Because you want to wear clothes of your choice?Do you feel inferior or lose confidence in front of your slim friends? etc etc

With people starving for days and facing hectic exercise routines, things have clearly gone frighteningly awry. Locked in a battle with their own bodies, and trying to mould themselves into a shape they were never meant to be, many women lose touch with themselves, and what is truly right for them.

So the real question shouldn't be, 'can you be fat and happy?' but 'are you?'

We are quite simply not all meant to be the same, and it's time to celebrate and embrace diversity.

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Right wrong, wrong right. Puzzled!

Disclaimer : This article doesn't intend to hurt any person's religious feelings, any community, country or people.

He sacrificed his brothers, sons, his entire kingdom and even his own life for the sake of his sister's pride! He abducted someone's wife and imprisoned her for several years. You are correct, I am talking about Ravan.

The other day, during a conversation, someone gave me the example of Ravan to define evil.

Ravan is regarded as "wrong". Beyond any doubt, he should be, cause this is how he is being portrayed in the epic and subsequently in all the TV shows. For a moment, if you keep aside ethics and rectify the fact that he must have been "right" on his part!? After all, every girl in the contemporary world needs a brother like him. And every wife needs a husband who doesn't touch a woman without her consent.

In no way do I intend to contrast the epic but to highlight the unvarnished truth that what is the precise definition of  right and wrong! Possibly, it is about the mindset that varies from person to person, community to community, society to society, religion to religion...

Aren't right and wrong convertible terms, depending upon popular opinion?

I believe that right vs. wrong is a psyche that is primarily gained one's emotions and social experiences.

Read the following and analyse from the perspective of both the parties - 

• Many feel it is RIGHT to smoke and consume alcohol, whereas several others find it to be WRONG.
• Marrying someone of choice sounds RIGHT to some, but may be WRONG decision from the perspective of many.
• Committing suicide may seem RIGHT and easy option by a handful of people. On the contrary, it is perceived to be a WRONG decision by most.
• Some believe war and/or revenge is the RIGHT way, others believe peace and communion may solve an issue.

And then you may find a bunch of situations around you illustrating such instances.......

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Ultimate option - none of the above

An excerpt from one of the news channel's website - In a landmark judgement, the Supreme Court on Friday gave the citizens of India the right to reject all candidates in elections. "Negative voting would foster purity and vibrancy in elections," the court said. 

Opinions of frustrated citizens would be known publicly as practically the entire electorate would vote and if the rejections exceeded the votes cast in favor of candidates, all the candidates would be rejected and fresh elections with new candidates would be scheduled. Those in favor of negative voting have been demanding that re-election should be ordered in a constituency where more than 50 per cent of the voters reject all candidates. At present, the law doesn't allow that. 

Supposedly, this is on the verge of reality shows, wherein its the common people who drive the show. In the event of this option being included in the electronic voting machines, I foresee certain benefits:

Voters shall now be free to express their views, rather than being compelled to opt out of any of the given candidates. They might be granted the ability to mandate the possible candidature too. In most of the countries, including India, the political party chooses its candidate. But in US, it is the people who choose the candidates.

Every political party would regard the electorate as a formidable force to reckon with and would ensure that only honest representatives of integrity were admitted to their party. Hence the representatives would be careful and prudent in their conduct. Parties will have to be cautious and pressurized to put up better candidates. This shall also ensure that people cast their mandate for the *candidate* and not for a *political party*.  Scams and scandals would decrease immensely.

A new era of integrity would begin. The citizens will be able to raise their voice/ concern which wouldn't otherwise have been possible easily, esp. in those constituencies where aristocracy prevails in the name of democracy. 

Moreover, the democracy which was till now, of the people and for the people, will now be by the people too.

Accolades and a grand welcome to this decision . I vote for it!

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Open up a whole new world now..

Turn failure into a greater success. Every situation will throw up winners as well as losers. Defeat can, however, be turned into victory by a slight shift in attitude.

The first step is to accept gracefully the fact that you lost. And that you lost because there was something that you did not have and the winner did; do not blame others for your defeat. Focus on that something, understand it and, in doing so, identify your weak areas. Now try and figure out ways of working on those areas. Look at your present defeat as an opportunity to improve yourself and also something that may possibly help you shift focus onto something bigger and better. 

Sometimes it may so happen that you are trying to succeed at something that you are not meant for, and greener pastures await you elsewhere. If that is so, understand that. Focus your energies towards areas more suitable to you. Shifting your goal may open up a whole new world for you, one you may not have dreamt of earlier. 

And remember - 

"Koshish karne se mushkil aasan hoti hai ,

Milne se kya bol tamanna kum hoti hai"

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Wo kaagaz ki kashti, wo baarish ka paani..

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Nyaymeva Jayate (न्यायमेव जयते)

In no way am I eligible to comment on the judicial system of the largest democracy of the world, neither do I have enough wit to educate people against committing crimes.Adding to the bombardment of the web with yet another anti-rape post. 

I am contended to know that the four convicts in the Delhi gangrape case are sentenced to death penalty. Being a girl, and above all, a HUMAN, this is what I had opined should have been their fate.

A second thought that startles me is, does this decision also imply that every victim ought to loose her life in order to lead to such a verdict? Is it mandatory for every such crime to fall in "rarest of the rare" category? I guess, rape is rape, isn't it? And, what if she, out of her misfortune lived through those scars which lasted for rest of her life, just like the Mumbai journalist and lakhs of others in India! Possibly, the punishment would have been different in such instance.

Moreover, awarding capital punishment in this case shall keep the "future" rapists notified that they make sure the victim is spared alive.

Not every victim is fortunate enough to have the whole country stand for her- may it be the police (who prepared a 1200 page chargesheet within a month), or the public who landed on the roads in protest, or may be all politicians irrespective of the parties they belong to, and of course, the judiciary and the media!

Alas! did I miss the under-aged, juvenile, the luckiest of all?  He is one of the blessed and much cuddled "baby criminals" of the nation. The other day while I was googling about juvenile justice in various countries I figured out that many countries amend their laws for juvenile offenders depending on the nature of the crime. To the best of my knowledge, India is not the only country, beastly crimes occur in almost every corner of the planet.
But will it all come to an end? If yes, how?

Ending with these questions here...

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If I had wings

 

If I had wings to fly high and far,

I shall fly over the bountiful clouds,

I shall kiss the rainbow and touch the radiant sunset,

I shall have the velvet sky to glitter with the stars,

I shall smile with the moon, 

I shall fly among the birds and underneath the golden beam,

If I had wings to fly high and far, 

I shall be naturally doing what I really please,

The sky shall be mine and the world far away,

I shall own my time for the eternity,  

I shall not bother over trifle reasons,

I shall be free from the countless goals of the restless world,

If I had wings to fly high and far,  

The limitless sky shall be my playground,

There shall be no liabilities,

I shall fly away from where I am, 

I shall be liberated from all the alliances,

I shall feel the delight of spreading those graceful feathers.

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