Guide

Film "Guide" completed fifty years of its release in 2015.
An unrivalled, ahead-of-its-time film, "Guide", as we all know was based on a novel of the same name by reputed writer R K Narayan, directed by the legendary Vijay Anand and produced by Dev Anand.
Vijay Anand has also contributed to the screenplay of "Guide".
There was also a 120-minute US version written by Pearl S Buck which was produced and directed by Tad Danielewski.
"Guide" was screened at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, all of forty two years after its release.

From the conviction and faith the producer-director team had in the story to Waheeda Rahman accepting to play the female lead, "Guide" has been a very unique and special experience.
Special not only for the makers, but for the fans as well.

It is not just another film.
It is an experience that leaves the audience enriched, pensive and entertained.
The songs of "Guide" have been among the best in Bollywood history, remain unsurpassed in flavour and popularity even after half a century.
The music (by none other than Sachin Dev Burman), the lyrics (by legendary poet philosopher Shailendra), ... and their presentation ... all superlatively class apart ... !!!
And totally wowsome are Waheeda Rahman's dances, not to forget her amazingly accomplished portrayal of Rosie!!!

An interesting memory associated with one of the songs of "Guide" was narrated by Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma.
He said in one of his television interviews that Pancham Da being a good friend of his coerced him into playing the tabla for the song "Mo se chhal kiye jaaye ... " although Pandit Ji had left playing tabla and was concentrating on Santoor.

I have heard Waheeda ji saying
"Dev was so comfortable and secure in his performance that not once did he try to even remotely overshadow my character in the film."

I saw "Guide" after more than a decade of it's release.
In those days the sprawling lawns of our Colony Club used to fill up with the residents every Saturday night.
The weekly film show used to be a much awaited event for most of the people.
And of course "Guide" was House(Lawn)Full !!!

A family friend who was staying about thirty kilometers away, had seen the film nine times already, but came over all the way specially to see it yet another time.
I am convinced that in doing so he was not exaggerating his reverence for "Guide".
He was doing exactly what I have been doing ever since.

"Guide" is an overwhelming and unparalled phenomenon.
From the beginning "Guide" was special.
Everything about it was so different from the films we were used to seeing in those days ....
It was a deeply engrossing saga of complicated human relationships woven with incredible sensitivity and ease.
Who can forget the philosophy of "Wahaan kaun hai tera .... "
The grandeur of "Piya to se naina laagey re ... "
The pathos of "Din dhal jaaye ... "

An ardent fan of "Guide" has mentioned this following small bit of interesting information on Facebook, and I am copy-pasting it here :
The conversation between a lesser known actor Dilip Dutt (a regular in B R Ishara films) and Dev Saheb is memorable and remains heart touchingly profound even to this day :
Dilip Dutt : "'kya baat hein Sir aaj akele hee pii rahein hein "
Dev Anand : "'Batein karne ko itna taras raha thaa Mani kee socha thodi pii kar apne aap se kuchh kahooNga "
Aur ...Mani ki chaal ... that small shot from behind ... when he leaves ... 
ek taraf ye aur doosri taraf puri picture "Guide". Am exagerating,? 
But not as much as I appear to ... " !!!
And another one readily agrees :
"Yes ... also captivating is the moment when he keeps the unfinished Glass on the table and looks upwards where he can see Waheedaji ...
Thanks to Vijay Anand, Dilip Datt would be remembered in History "

And Dev Anand, the gentleman that he was, saw to it that even the smallest actor would not be ignored.
Such is the undying, unfading magic of  "Guide" that everything about it touches the soul.
Everyone knows they are watching a film.
But what a deeply moving, spiritually enriching and genuinely soul-stirring experience it is to watch Dev Saheb absorbing in himself the ultimate enlightenment!!!
The unadulterated bliss of it all was so real and so comforting, its aura engulfing and hypnotizing the audience completely ....

That was the kind of honesty with which The Great Anand Brothers created this legend on screen ... A stunning tale of Real Eternal Beauty !!!

When the film ended I knew once was not enough ...
Must have seen it countless times after that, but every time there is something enriching and refreshing to discover ... to learn ... to relive ...
The "Guide" never ceases to guide.

They say you live only once. But if you can do it right, once is enough.
With one matchless masterpiece, Dev Anand has ensured that he would be remembered for many many more decades not only as a heart warming romantic hero, but as an intense and compellingly magnificent actor film maker too !!!
He is ageless and timeless.
With "Guide", he has attained immortality.

Demonetization: A financial and human (mis)stroke

The day I withdraw my kharcha-paani from the bank, I usually go straight from the bank to a moderately good eatery to give myself a treat.

There is always a tussle between a plate of hot upma with steaming masala chaai or chicken falafel with lots of hummus accompanied by the warmth of that unfailing companion:
The ever-uplifting garam chaai ki pyali.

But either way it is a sumptuously rejuvenating experience which I look forward to.

This is followed by window shopping.

And if there is something really gorgeous (and reasonably priced too) I might even spend up to fifteen hundred rupees to add it to my wardrobe.
This is the "awaragardi" I enjoy very much twice in a month. I am bad with savings. So I withdraw strictly as much as I require. I cannot hoard.
Clothes, food, furniture, cosmetics, accessories etc etc , if they are more than what I can use, I give them away.

So, it seems much as usual, but comes back like coincidence that the afternoon of this 8 November, I withdrew five thousand rupees from the bank, went to my usual haunt and settled down comfortably with chaai and upma.

It was a usual afternoon.

The place was fairly (but not uncomfortably) busy.

As usual the shops around were having a steady flow of window-shoppers and buyers.

I also strolled in and out of the shops looking for nothing in particular.

Soon enough some lovely long skirts had me drooling over them.

Mulling over which one to buy, it occurred to me that I should have a look at the shops in Elco Market too.

So postponed the decision for the next day, and I came back home.

Everything usual took a turn for the unusual with a message from my sister.

"Saw the news?" she asked me.

This actually very unusual because we hardly watched news on television for the past many many months.

I asked her What the news was, but No reply came.

Meantime my boys started discussing on WhatsApp if there was enough cash with each one of us?

Now the horror of the News that my sister had mentioned started unfolding...

The five thousand rupees I had withdrawn hours earlier were in the 500 denomination.

So I was now sitting with ten notes of 500 which were rendered worthless by "the boldest decision in the financial history of Independent India"
(This is how PayTM hailed this disastrous announcement in its advertisement)

The next day banks were to remain closed.

By God! was the common man prepared for the chaos to which the banks opened ...
For the common man, as for the bank employees, this totally unexpected and unimaginable financial jerk has been nothing short of a horrific nightmare.

The fallout of it all has been huge and multidimensional.

It has unsettled numerous innocent human lives in more ways than any layperson could have imagined.

But the planners of this so called surgical strike are supposedly among the best brains in the country.
They should have foreseen.
And even if they did not have that kind of a vision, they should at least now not turn a blind eye to the suffering of the underprivileged.

However instead of bringing back a sense of stability and calm to the common man, there have been theatrics and counter theatrics by the political parties and a sorry display of complete absence of any sensitivity for the hardships of the masses from some upper classes.

As things unfold it is becoming more and more heart breaking to see how miserable people have suddenly become not so much because some people are facing real financial problems, but more so watching the soullessness of people who seem untouched by this mock-stroke.

Ismat Chughtai had written in Urdu some lines when my brother had asked for her autograph years ago.
I don't remember the exact text, but it was something like:
" Duniya mein do tarah ke log hotey hain:
Amiir aur Ghariib
Duniya mein do tarah ke mazhab hotey hain:
Amiir aur Ghariib
Duniya mein do tarah ke mulk hotey hai:
Amiir aur Ghariib
Duniya mein do tarah ke nazariye ( points of view ) hotey hain:
Amiir aur Ghariib "

May I humbly add a small heartfelt line to her memorable ones:

Demonetization has yet again categorized people into the same two types: 

Amiir aur Ghariib

And as the aftermath continues this following message someone shared on a social networking site sums up the crisis with much logic and depth:

"DeMonetisation reminds me of the Sheep
who cheered when their leader promised them
a blanket each.

Till one sheep asked *where will the wool come from??*😳😳"

Peace And Love This Diwaali

"There is not enough darkness in this whole world to put out the light of even one small candle."
Likewise there is not enough hatred in this world that can put out the light of love.

Hatred may raise its head often.
But every time it will be overwhelmed and over powered by love ... 
That is the strength of love. 
That is the light of love.
It makes Peace visible and within reach.

An individual is only as good as the Peace and Light s/he radiates.
Hold the Lamp of Love in your hands.
Make way through the dense darkness ...
Light The Path ahead ...
Sooner or later everyone will follow ...

Lighting diyas of love, hope and peace this Diwaali and Wishing everyone a prosperous and Peaceful festive season
And as I do this I am reminded of a beautiful couplet by Mir Taqi Mir:
“Uss ke farogh-e-husn se jhamke hain sab mein nuur
Sham-e-Haram ho ya ho diya Somnath ka” 

Dear Friends and Family! Happy Diwali to all of us :-)

Ashoora

I have not read or academically explored Islamic History.
Whatever Islam I practice is from what I have seen in my family plus my own understanding of God's universal message through His countless Messengers.

So my perception is that The essence of That Divine Message remains the same.
But the Time and Place, Language and Ethnicity are obviously different.

Hence we see that while we celebrated the Victory of Truth and Purity over Evil, Vijayadashmi, yesterday, today, the of 10th Muharram, (Aashoora), we are remembering the ultimate sacrifice of Hazrat Imam Husain and his companions.

Also there are some lesser known facts associated with Aashoora (Day of Remembrance) that I came to know through google search on the subject.

Wonder if Muslims generally know that Ashoora marks the day that Moses and his followers (a.k.a The children of Israel / Bani Israel) were saved from Pharaoh by God by creating a path in the Red Sea.

Other forgotten, but very important commemorations include Prophet Noah leaving the Ark and Prophet Muhammad's arrival in Medina.

All these three events being significant victories of Truth over Evil.

Have a Peaceful Blessed Muharram Friends 

In Search of a peaceful vocabulary.

*"चाकू.. खंजर.. तीर* और,
*तलवार..* लड़ रहे थे.. कि...,

कौन.. *ज्यादा गहरा घाव* देता है,

*शब्द..* पीछे बैठे.. मुस्कुरा रहे थे...।"
(Chaqoo ... Khanjar ... tiir ... aur talwar Ladd rahey thay ke kaun zyada gehra ghaav deta hai ....
Shabd ( Words ) piichhey baithey muskura rahey thay )

The manner in which words and thoughts have changed over the years in daily parlance is an astonishing phenomenon.
Talking in the extreme superlative has become commonplace. Violent and at times lewd vocabulary passes off as a show of one's patriotism (I guess they call it nationalism these days) and broad mindedness.

Even the seemingly harmless and cordial Good Morning messages invoke the reader to "fight all odds", informing that "life is like war where you win some battles and you loose some battles".

An appeal for kindness also comes wrapped in violent words. It says:
" Everyone you meet is fighting a battle, Be kind ".

And this one is talking of another kind of violence:
"The hardest battle you have to fight is between who you are and who you want to be"
Or
" Fight all your battles on your knees and you win every time "

And this message is supposed to highlight patience...
"Winners in Life are those who lost a few battles but continued fighting"

Good God ! So much violence even in sending out a line or two of Good Luck and Good Thoughts to someone who is dear to us.

I understand the spirit and sentiment behind such "strongly" worded messages.
They are supposed to be instant inspirations, something like instant coffee perhaps that energizes immediately. But imagine the kind of energy one imbibes from such unpleasant words in the long run.
These words stay in our mind. They have become a part of our life.

We desperately need a change in vocabulary.
Our tongue is the mirror that shows our mind, just as our eyes are the mirror that reflect our heart.

Your thoughts become your words.
Hence it is actually startling to discover this en masse preference for rough and merciless words.
When shall we realize that one has to exert extreme caution with words?

It may sound monotonously repetitive, but one must not forget that Words can hurt, Words can harm , and Words can even undress you.
But Words are good too.
They can bring peace and they can be soothing.
Words have the power to embrace you in an affectionate hug.

If Kindness inside your heart must flow through your words, then it is important to choose words that are not violent and harsh in nature.

As this Islamic Year is in its concluding month, let us pray for a Peaceful World in the coming years where both body and tongue will speak softly in words that bring harmony and understanding among all of God's Creations.

Hajj Mubarak
Eid Mubark

Tum besaharaa ho to ...

Talking Peace is like preaching religion.
As is the sad irony in both cases:
They are not meant to be practiced in essence.

One hardly comes across any glorification of Peace, except of course the Nobel Peace Prize.
On the other hand look at the glorification of violence.
And the amazingly potent pretexts under which violence is justified.
Most often this vicious activity of justifying hate , murder and rape is sheathed in holy virtues.

The loftiness of sacrifice and "bravery" in giving up one's life for a cause, never mind killing many more before one can qualify for the seventy-two-Virgin reward in Heaven above.
or
That one-in-a-thousand medal of appreciation (which often comes posthumous)

Why is "resting-in-peace" easy but "living in peace " difficult ?
Any thoughts for the families who are left behind to collect the gallantry awards?
Oh ! Don't we honour them enough ... ?
Big bunches of flowers, Facebook Salutes, candles  ... ! 
What more can one do ?

So do we realize what we are doing when we buy toy Pistols, and models of tanks, fighter air crafts, soldiers etc for our four-five-six year olds?!
Are we not gifting them a world of violence at that tender age ?
Even a call to make children do well in exam comes wrapped in words like "fight", "Win" etc

Some time ago I read a quote by His Holiness The Dalai Lama
He says ...

Interestingly while in digital India , WhatsApp University syllabus is creating battallions of youth armed with degrees in hate politics , there still are in the real world old Hindi film songs that enrich peoples' lives with beautiful messages of co existence reminding us of a shared heritage

Take for instance
" तुम बेसहारा हो तो
किसी का सहारा बनो
तुम को अपने आप ही
सहारा मिल जाएगा  ..."
Written by Anand Bakshi Saheb, this is not just another film song.
It is philosophy expressed in poetry.
Philosophy of non violence and compassion, of comradeship and sharing, of spreading love instead of nurturing vindictiveness.

Listen to the following lines:

" तुम हो एक अकेले तो 

रुक मत जाओ चल निकलो 

तुम को रास्ते में कोई 

साथी तुम्हारा मिल जाएगा "

These words give much hope to someone holding the light of peace standing firmly even in their solitude !
Bakshi Saheb's this song also calls for finding peace inside your heart ...

"ना मिलता है प्यार बाज़ारों में

ना बिकता है चैन दुकानों में 

ढूंढ रहे हो तुम जिसको 

उसको बाहर मत ढूंढ़ो  

मन के अंदर ढूंढ़ो

प्रीतम प्यारा मिल जाएगा"

The enormous energy of youth is a paradoxical combination of dream-like softness in thought and steely determination in action
Hence it is of utmost value that in a country of such immense diversity as India , this energy is channelised towards nurturing life and building the nation on the principles of justice and equality
But instead of such positive attitude being developed , what we see happening around us is an alarming contrast
Young boys and girls reading the WhatsApp University course , are being robbed of their power to think rationally and the lines of their inexperienced palms are beginning to get imprinted with destruction .

Another couplet from the same song says:

"सब्र से जीना आसाँ होता है 

फ़िक्र से जीना मुश्किल होता है"

Meaning:
Patience (सब्र) is a trait that brings comfort, and eventually shows the right path.
But "फ़िक्र" denoting a restless / revengeful mind is like termite.
It eats into your confidence and erodes all sensibilities.

How much peace can a cycle of hate and counter hate beget anyway ?

And as far as justifying violence on the basis of Newton's action-reaction theory is concerned , one must understand that life is not Science or Math.
Here neither two opposite forces attract each other nor do two negatives make one positive.

In life one can live in peace if one can bust and break the action-reaction theory  , clean the cobwebs of past animosities , and open the windows to let in the light of happiness and harmony

Let us open our hearts to the music of peace and poetry of love.

Roza Namaaz... aur Insaaniyat

To me, The Holy month of Ramzaan gives ample time for retrospection and soul searching, the main reason being that unlike many others, who observe rozas and still energetically pull through the daily chores with apparent ease, I tend to feel feeble by afternoon 😃

As a small girl, my sister had once asked Mummy the reason for Ramzaan fasting.
Mummy informed her that going without food and water the whole day helps us in understanding better what it feels like to be hungry and thirsty and as a result we can actually feel the pain of the lesser privileged fellow human beings.
We will be able to empathize with them more earnestly when we experience it ourselves.
My sister had innocently replied:
" Why the whole month then ? We can understand that in just one day !!!"
Needless to speculate.
I am quite sure this spontaneous innocence  must have left Mummy speechless back then.

Also a very common line that can bring "logic" into the most illogical "religious" practice is:
"Religion is a matter of faith. Everything cannot be explained. No one has seen God. Still we believe in Him ... Right?"
( Actually an illogical outburst again 😉 !!! )

My fourteen year old niece shuns this "logical" idea with an emphatic NOT RIGHT.
Her very valid point is:
"How can religion be illogical or unexplainable ?"

Recently I came to know that a German who is studying the Qur'an has discovered that the Qur'an does not mention/prescribe/advice fasting the way it is being done since times immemorial.
(That is one month compulsory fasting during the month of Ramzaan.)

The Qur'an, as he has interpreted, says that whenever you see the new moon, fast for a few days.
The number of days is not specified, hence can be any number as per the convenience of the person.
Noteworthy is the underlying conclusion that such fasting can be undertaken every month at the sight of the new moon and the number of fasting days can be adjusted as per one's convenience.

Scholars who study the scriptures because they are honestly interested in unearthing deeper meaning and bringing to fore a logical interpretation of these ancient Holy scriptures must be encouraged as also the message in the verses must be revised from time to time and interpreted in accordance with the changing times so that their meaning, relevance (and holiness) does not fade away with time.

In a developed world where one talks of global citizenship, religion must essentially evolve to enrich the mind and heart with peace, and be respected as a personal choice.

This is all the more important because nowadays religion is being blatantly and brutally (mis)used as a lethal political tool.
We are given to understand that every religion preaches peace, but ironically in the name of religion everything from hurtful provocative speech , riot, rape and war are not only permitted, this barbarism may actually be deemed sacred !!!

I have not studied religion in depth, but am totally convinced that no Prophet has come to this Planet with The Message to kill or bring in unreasonable practices of worship.

Today in the morning I found this following quote which certainly is soul nourishing and supremely uplifting, specially in the present times when Muslims are seen defending their faith through word of mouth because of irrational activities of some misguided individuals who happen to be having Muslim names.

I think instead of wasting precious energy in making corrective speeches, setting an example through endearing and compassionate deeds would be definitely a better and more potent option.

May God be our true Guide leading us to the path of righteousness

The Good and Bad of Facebook

Before it happened to me, I had no idea what it was and how it could rattle you inside-out !!!

But now that I have experienced it, I am completely shaken by this encounter with an invisible stranger, who was lurking somewhere in cyber space, looking for targets and I became one of his/her victim. 

For the first time in so many years of Face-booking I have felt like saying "Go to hell Facebook ... I don't want to see your face again" !!!

For simple unsuspecting and cyber-illiterate people like me, and for that matter for anyone, this hacking activity comes like a mean and nerve shattering experience.

I am still very very nervous. But friends have been extremely supportive and encouraged me to get back.
I don't know how long I will take to get back my confidence and enthusiasm.

From reconnecting with long-lost friends and long-distance relatives, to finding and connecting with a wide range of like-minded strangers, to reaching out to professional contacts, to getting opportunities to expand one's horizons , are all important aspects of such social networking sites. 

Interactions and friend-circle in such cases, therefore cannot always be confined to the people one knows personally.

Hence is it not the responsibility of Facebook to protect its members ?

This is a social networking site open to public across the globe.

Must it not provide more safeguards so that users don't encounter such dangerous and embarrassing situations?

Everyone must have their privacy respected and well protected so that Facebook-ing is a pleasant experience and is free from disgrace, doubt and discomfort even when one is interacting with persons outside of one's own little world.

And as if this trauma and fatigue I went through was not enough, there has been a lot of confusion among friends who were there on my (hacked) account.

It is a rather ajeeb daastaaN :-)smile emoticon
Please read on (with patience) ...smile emoticon

On that original account (which as far as I know has now been deactivated by me after it got hacked the other day ) I had been included in a lot of Facebook groups... many many... countless in fact, most of them I didn't even know !!!

As a result there were too many notifications.
I later learned that there is an option through which I could limit the notifications.
But before this awakening happened, I had created a second profile separating specially my family from this first account and used it mainly for group interactions.

Now after my account was hacked, I was obviously shocked and nervous, and almost decided to write  an obituary to my experience with Facebook.
But friends told me that it is happening all over and with too many people, so I need not hang the gloves just because some sadist criminal sneaked in.

But yes! If at all I want to exercise extreme caution, I should deactivate the hacked account at least for some time, and create a new profile.

I did that.
And came on to another one.

Now, in an interesting turn of events, before this new account came up, friends saw another Zohra Javed, which was actually my second Facebook profile ( that I had created for my family ).

So now there is a flood of inbox messages and huge confusion has spread as far as my Facebook profiles are concerned...
Quite obviously ... I can understand.

Friends are sending warning messages to one another saying "don't accept friend request from her . Her account was hacked. Besides two two Zohra Javeds .... which of the two is the right one  .... oh! well ... you never know ... "

This is so humiliating and taxing for someone who is trying to reconnect with so called friends after a traumatic cyberspace experience. But one cannot blame them either.
Everyone has a right to be safe from malicious intruders.

I was like Hum ne Facebook ko apna waqt diya , mohabbat di, maan-samman diya .... 

Aur Facebook ne hum ko kya diya ... ???

HACKER !!! 

Being an ardent fan of old Hindi Films and songs all this reminds me of Kaviraj Shailendra ji's song:
" Dost dost naa rahaa , pyaar pyaar naa raha ... "
And yes! I will innovate the next line dedicating it to my broken trust in Facebook ...
"Facebook hamein tera aitbaar naa rahaa ... " !!!

Shakespeare could have written a second comedy of errors ... !!!
But I think Gulzar is still around ... So this time "Angoor" ka female and more contemporary version to bann hi sakta hai ...

wink emoticon

... 

Manful Women

Three women.

And a man.

He meant a different entity to each one of them.
Yet his influence on their lives was incredibly strong and absolute. 

In spite of each one struggling within their own skin (and with one another), in spite of being wary of one another, and in spite of all the insecurities that sprang up as a result of their entwined interrelation, they lived together in the same apartment, manfully sharing a commitment that was more a result of their mutual pain than all of their other obligations and affection put together .

Who among the three suffered the most? 

Who among them was the most insecure ? 

Who among them was the most vulnerable ?

Was it the mother who had lost her son ?

Or

The woman who had lost her husband ?
Or 

The girl who had lost her father .... ?

Each one living with an irreparable loss.

And coping with it.

The Mother-in-law, alert to the extent of being suspicious, ensured she got her rights without self pity. 

The daughter-in-law, aware of her own constraints and vulnerability, stood firm and confident, and sensitive enough to ensure that her Mother-in-law's last days were as comfortable as possible.

The innocent, youthful and supportive (grand)daughter, in whom the mother-in-law saw a reflection of her son, and the daughter-in-law saw the reflection of her husband, helped them both in their determination every day to sail through their innumerable and most often irritable differences and precariousness.

And as we celebrate yet another Women's Day, here's offering deepest respect to each of these women.

Women's Day is a reminder and an opportunity to understand why one must respect women as individuals, and celebrate them as human beings.

Happy Women's Day :-)
Happy Every Day :-)

"Anti National" is the new "Kaafir "

You never really can fathom the length and breadth to which words can travel.
From ruining relationships, undressing mindsets, and turning a Democracy into a banana republic, to creating everlastingly injurious heart breaks, words can do so much more.
Thoughtless slogan-brandishing and tongue-wagging laced with a lewd, malapert and contumelious vocabulary has become not just fashionable , but a symbol of one's nationalism.
( I say "thoughtless" but a somber voice within cautions me that this jeering hateful display under the pretext of loyalty to the Nation could all be a well planned and thoughtfully articulated mayhem )

The more vulgar a person can be the higher their reckoning.

Like in religious beliefs so in the context of patriotism  , one must obey unquestioningly whatever rules the so called "leaders" have laid down
Or else there could be fatwas declaring the "dissident" blasphemous and anti national ...
Sounds rather dictatorial to someone born in a democracy ... ?
Not really...  

Come to think of it, this is not just about a country or a religion.
By the way "thinking" is fast going out-of-fashion.
Not only this , having an analytical mind could again be termed anti- national , anti-social and indeed insulting to religions across Nations.

How many of us can "see" the "bigger game " here ?
Is this not generally a convenient way to subjugate children, women , subordinates and just about anyone who has a different opinion from the so called "Head of the Family"

Delve a little further into the social fabric of any community and we find that any deviation from the set trends is looked down upon.
Questioning the things one may genuinely not understand or may not agree to, is considered profane ....

This is how the fantastic tradition of mediocrity begins and continues...........
Incredible to note is the fact that such a stagnant "progress" suits the political class everywhere.

But let us not forget that it is that crazy lot of unconventional minority who dared to question and research and sift good from bad , that we stand indebted to today for all the good that is there on this planet ...

In this context obviously The JNU issue cannot be left out.

It is much close to heart because in my opinion it is connected with the quality of education that our youth are getting ... and also very importantly it is about human rights all over the country ....

As it is, everyone knows that the general conditions, as also the quality of higher education have been a matter of concern for a long time. Instead of making way for any improvement, whatever quality there is , is also being compromised ... 

As a woman, a mother, and a home maker, who holds human rights close to heart, ( and not in the least a political commentator) I thought I will be failing in my duty to our youth and the Nation if I don't speak on this ...

"Anti National" has now become like the erstwhile "Kaafir"
And my conscience tells me that like no Muslim Mulla is qualified enough to pronounce anyone "Kaafir" , similarly, no so called patriot / Nationalist is qualified enough to call another fellow Indian "Anti National ".

I am not a great writer or journalist and don't have fans and readers following me, hence what I am writing here, is for the satisfaction of my conscience and soul. For reiterating that I did not remain silent when the future of our coming generation was being jeopardized and women were being called "bazaaru" and "prostitutes" by people whose minds are filled with a mass of road-side filth.

This is my space and here I talk with myself. I will however be happy if others also read this piece and think about this issue with a clear mind and conscience.

In a democracy, the masses must be aware and awake as a responsible opposition because the ruling parties often take turns in sitting on the Treasury / Opposition Benches, their interests are much the same and so are their tactics when it comes to intimidating their own population.

Smiling Through Tears

Last night I had a dream.

It is a splendid sunny morning. I am visiting my school.
In my dream the garden around my school seemed an endless stretch of green dotted with colourful flowers and bathed abundantly in the morning sun.
There was someone accompanying me, and in my dream I thought it was my brother.
I found a lovely patch to sit and asked my companion to take a picture of me.
But by the time I made myself comfortable and ready to be photographed, my companion was nowhere to be found.

On waking up, I wish my companion in the dream had waited a bit and obliged me by taking that picture.
Me sitting amidst all those colours shining in the glorious rays of the sun.
It would have been the best picture of my life.

But as I think more and more about the dream I am convinced that the companion whose presence I felt in this dream was my "bachpan", my childhood, who I cannot catch in a single frame.
It is an experience that never leaves you.
It continues to come back.
To hold us, to love us, to refresh us.

At times, it makes us smile through tears.
Like it did today.

Last month (December that is) was my mother's first death anniversary, earlier this month was my father's eighth death anniversary.
And day before yesterday (24th January) my mother's only brother breathed his last.

Absolutely overwhelmed with nostalgia, and spending time with family on Facebook and WhatsApp, reliving some of the most endearing moments, this morning I got a heart touching and enriching gift in an e mail from a valued and long time friend.
Four black and white pictures of the most colourful times of our life.