Hurt sentiment or wounded ego ?

Let us get this clear ....there are no hurt sentiments when a cartoon , a book , a film , a painting , a song  or such other thing gets branded as "offensive"  ....
Think about it .
Most people like me , I mean the masses who have better things on hand than divisive politics to keep them busy , would never even hear of what a few European cartoonists have drawn or what M F Hussain had painted or what Rohington Mistry had written in his book or what Deepa Mehta had shown in her films.
It is actually about egotism and selfishness ...and more dangerously about vested interests mercilessly slicing the  very idea of humaneness
They certainly revel and prosper under  religious , regional , linguistic , cast , color and many many other such sectarian divisions 

It also serves to divert the masses from asking far more relevant  questions ... How boring it would be for the media and the celebrity spokespersons of various parties to talk about water shortage , unemployment , police reforms ,  road  and electricity conditions , sanitation ,  health , poverty ....
Take the viewers of a television show or the reader of a newspaper or even the ordinary net surfer . Would they like to hear such unglamorous questions to which our powerful leaders otherwise also have no answers ?
And what is new about these issues ?
Don't we all know there is inflation , there is poverty , there is unemployment , the gutters often overflow with dirt , the roads have huge potholes and ill managed traffic .... So ? So WHAT my dear ?
We have learned to live with it .... Haven't we ?

But "hurting" so called  religious , lingual , regional , cast "sentiment" also keeps happening .... Then why does it ignite intense violent passion ?
Why does it instigate people to kill (and get killed ) ?
Why can't we learn to live with this "threat" to our existence too ???
Why ... Why ... Why ???

Undying .....and forever ......

Shaam-ki-chaai is always very special .
One looks forward to it for that much needed rejuvenating break from a hectic day's work .......and if fortunate luxury permits , then for that enchanting coziness that can only be experienced with a cup full of steaming hot tea , in the happy company of one's loved ones .

For  more than half of the past decade , I have had one constant and  most loved companion to share my shaam - ki-chaai with .
My Mother.

Her dedication to the beverage was matchless and absolutely and so profoundly  passionate
She never said "NO" to tea.
Her passion  was so strong that it could not be contained by her alone.
It  used to spill all around her and engulf the smallest being within its folds.
One had to see to believe and feel  her abundant  enthusiasm for chaai.

I remember the  long distance train / car journeys  when getting a good cup of tea en route would be  such a difficult task  .
But not for a true lover like my mother .

She loved tea : No conditions attached
The flavour , the aroma , the quality : Nothing mattered .
Her thumb rule was straight : "Chaai Ho Aur Bahot Ho"

Even during the days of her hospitalisation in the Cardiac Care Unit , she would ask for extra cups of tea , which the  nurses would most affectionately oblige.

She came home very weak and our hopes for her recovery took a depressing downturn when she refused  to have tea.
From that day  her condition went from bad to worse .
The struggle to bring her back on the road to recovery seemed a frustrating one
Nothing  .....absolutely nothing , not even the best of medicines seemed to be working for her this time orund.

Life from her body kept slipping like sand  from one's reluctant fingers even as the doctors tried to tighten their grip on it .......
It is so true that most often happiness comes  without making  much noise , in apparently trivial moments such as these . The priceless treasure chest fills up gradually.
But before you realise their worth , these small moments become memories.

 My constant shaam-ki-chaai-companion is lost forever ......but has left beautiful memories forever.
I love to picture her sitting blissfully  in a sprawling lush green tea   garden , sipping her favourite beverage in ultimate easement and glory

 May her soul rest in eternal  peace.......

:-) :-)

Never loose hope
You never know what new happiness  tomorrow may bring !!!

I have already written about how elated and happy I have been feeling after taking life's "most difficult " decision :-)

Most of my friends still feel it must have been perhaps a hugely difficult one after all  !!!

Oh! I am referring to that one wonderful  decision of my life bringing to an end  the tedious and unpleasant ( For me it was  very unpleasant and depressing ) process of  colouring the hair .
This decision to stop coloring the hair just happened ... and then thankfully there was no looking back :-)

Honestly though I was a little apprehensive of what my family and friends will say ... there was a " fear " within my heart that I ll hear long sermons from my sister and cousins , even my dear nieces , who love me very much , all exhorting me to reconsider this strange and anomalous decision of going silvery grey :-)

Not entirely wrong was I .
There were a few who did react as per my expectations :-)
Some friends who may have heard the stories of my " kanjoosi " ( :-))politely even suggested that I may have not tried the better quality hair colouring stuff which is a little expensive :-D

But there were most thankfully more voices of encouragement .
Not that I was going by the majority's decision this time , but it did make an enormously pleasing difference .
And the realization that I had achieved what many others just wish they could , was an extremely delightful sentiment .

But even with so much contentment coming my way through encouraging compliments , I was not prepared for the most smashing and glamorous one from someone most unexpected .

I was invited to the screening of short film recently. There was this adorably plump girl , with large beautiful ear rings , clicking pictures and mingling with the guests cheerfully .
Everyone , well almost everyone , seemed to know her .
She came and stood before me like a flash of lightening , introduced herself and clicked my pictures. She was still just a name to me ... at the most her introduction for me was : a very good friend of my host .

A few days later we got a call from this host ... I did not know how to react to this completely unexpected thrilling news he  had given !!!

That girl who was clicking pictures was a famous casting director working with one of the topmost production houses in the Hindi Film Industry , she is a cousin of a famous producer ,  she has hundreds of people sending her their portfolios for that one chance which could make their Bollywood dreams come true ..... !!!!

And here this "powerful" woman had herself almost come knocking at my door  ... asking if I would be interested in doing films !!!

I still can't believe this has happened to me !!!!
My hunger for adventure has long been satiated otherwise this temptation would be impossible to ignore :-)

It  would have been another entirely new innings in life ...
I can't stop picturing myself giving motherly hugs and rubbing shoulders with the super stars of the day :-) !!!
Although I have decided not to do films , I must admit that the thought of it makes me smile , and instantly there is a feeling of happiness and confidence deep within me .....

So never loose hope ......
You never know what new happiness  tomorrow may bring !!!

Phir kab milo gi ......

One again I was reminded that Goodbyes are not easy to say .
I  could not hold my tears back as her  voice moist with emotions touched my ears :
" If you are coming this side , let us meet ..... because .... naa jaaaney phir kab milna ho .... "

 The thought of her going away  was extremely saddening .
Not that we met everyday . Not that we talked everyday.
But ever since I have met her she has been close to my heart .
Strangely she has been a rejuvenating force in my life .
I have admired her for her breathtaking  simplicity and  her unadulterated sincerity .


An exemplary daughter ,  an absolutely devoted mother , an affectionate friend , a diligent professional , a marvellous host .
But certainly these are only a few aspects of her immensely affable personality .
For some years now her life had centered so completely around her father  that now after his passing away she  seems to have lost a major part of herself......
She is brave . She is dignified .
She will  overcome the pain , she will come to terms with the loss , but it will take some time ....and a good  measure of effort .
I wish her  all the happiness and  contentment in life.


I don't make friends easily . But she is  a great one .
I don't visit  family and friends much . But used to visit her once in a while .....
She had invited me over very earnestly for lunch in February , but I could not go ....
Usually I don't let regrets overpower me , but this one now seems to prick me a lot.

" Keep in touch please " I said , emptiness suddenly engulfing me
"Oh! Sure .... My WhatsApp will be working " , she told me in a tearful voice

Thank God for WhatsApp and Facebook , but  the homes that welcomed me inside their warmth with open arms seem to be closing doors....
 Goodbyes , specially such abrupt and  heart wrenching  ones are hard to say .

Holi aayi re .....

" Holi ke din dil khil jaatey hain rangon mein rang mil jaaty hain ...... "
and
" giley shikwey bhool kar doston dushman bhi galey mil jaatey hain ...."

If  only  Dushman , the enemy ,  could be embraced with love and faith once again , washing away  the colours of hurt and pettiness in the outpour of Holy colours and burning anger and hatred in the rising flames of The Holika , how beautiful and clean  would the next morning  dawn

After all the purpose of Holika dahen is to  remember the triumph of good over evil , and the celebration of this victory is carried farther with  splashing of colours as spring sets in signifying warmth and new beginnings ....

Is it  so difficult for a new  beginning to be made in the right direction ?
The colours of happiness and celebration would be far more joyous and true if  the colours of peace and love are added too :-)

All the best
Wishing everyone Happy Holi ....

Jai Jawaan Jai Kisaan

" Jai Jawaan , Jai Kisaan  " was  not just a slogan given by one of our most loved Prime Ministers , it also till date remains a token of the respect and affection that the Nation has for  our soldiers and farmers .
And note the fact that Jawaan comes  before Kisaan .
This  is not merely for the sake of rhyming or a coincidence .
It is because , it is the soldier who endangers his life so that the Nation feels safe and secure , and as a result the entire Nations runs smoothly .

For year and years we have been rightly proud of these two important contributors to our National progress and  pride.

Hence the BJP 's Prime Ministerial candidate gave the Nation a rude shock and jolted even the silent onlookers like me  from slumber to awakening.
What  the hell is this , I ask myself .
Is this the man who is being  advertised and  marketed  by almost the entire media as perhaps the greatest leader of our times ?
And a whole bunch of so called " loyal  and non-corrupt "  Indians are presenting and endorsing him as a strong  man and a world class leader , who keeps his word and delivers on his promises ?

Is this that great man ?

He has blundered with History , geography , general knowledge , languages etc etc .... but blundering with National Pride ?
We , and I mean every Indian , and I mean truly patriotic humane  Indian , must sit up and  question  this  insensitive creature as to how could he ever say that a  trader takes more risk in life  for national progress than a soldier ??? How could he ever equate the two  of them ?
Does he even know what a soldier does for the Country ?
Never in my life have I heard a  person   utter such   indecorous words for the selfless sons  of  the Country ,  who put duty to their Motherland before everything else.
They endanger their own lives and put their families behind them for the safety and honour of  The  Country and are forever there to help  all their fellow countrymen in such difficult times as Natural and man made calamities .
What do we give them in return ?
The least we can do is respect their spirit and honour their sacrifices .

The chaai walaas know this ..... but  sadly the  BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate does not seem to know even this .

Promote Love , Peace will follow .....

Pyaar har rang mein pyaraa hai
Jeenay ka saharaa hai ,
Sachchaai ka ujiyaraa hai
Kaynaat ko pyaar ne hi sanwara hai

Pyaar Qudrat ka  karishma hai
Iss ki khushboo  se koi jagah nahi khaali
Pyaar wo ehsaas hai jo dilo'N mein
Dhadkan ki tarah rehta  hai

Noor ka wo lazawaal chashma hai 
Jis kii paakeezgi mein har gunaah beh jaaye

Pyaar jihaad hai , araam nahi
 Pyaar  farmaan e Khuda hai , haraam nahii 

Pyaar ke geet har gali har aangan  mein guungunaao 
Nafraton ki haveliyan  todd ke baahar aao ....

 



Happy Valentines Day to all