Wednesday, December 29, 2004
Busy Busy Busy
Hello people! Just came back from a trip to Shirdi and PHEW! I am tired. But anyways got loads of stuff to do. I think I am done posting for the year. So will seeya guys next year now! :D Have a rocking time! Bubyeeeeeee! Happy New year!
Saturday, December 25, 2004
Memories
I was watching Indian Idol with Amma. The final 11 selected has some excellent singers I really look forward to listening. Prajakti Shukre! WHOA...what amazing talent! Amit Sana, Aditi Paul are also very good. Amma also enjoys any such music related shows.
The format of the show is , every eposide will witness the removal of a particpant who has got the least numebr of votes. This week Vishal Kothari had to leave. Surprisngly he's damn decent as a singer. But well, one can never guess the public mood as a whole. Suddenly I see another contestant with moist eyes. Turns out that both of them are very good friends, joined Indian Idol together. It must have been tough for him to see his buddy being kicked out.
This scene took me back some 2.5 years ago when me and one of my very good friend were busy pursuing various colleges for a particular degree course. We badly wanted to get admission in one particular college and wanted to be in the same college together. Both of us sailed through our entrance, GDs and PI and were awaiting the results at that college. On the result day, I went to college without my friend as she was ill. To my utter dismay, I realised that I had got through and she hadn't and I had to call her up and tell her the bad news. I was so confused because I didn't know whther to be happy that I got through or to be sad that my friend didn't. I guess that was one of the toughest thing I have ever done. I broke down while telling her the news on phone. It all seems so silly and trivial now. But at that time it didn't. We both had wanted to do the course together, wanted to be in the same college, TOGETHER! and it ain't a nice feeling when dreams crash!
I just remembered the incident when I saw the other participant with moist eyes trying hard to control himself. But well, its tough controlling emotions at times. While on this end, my eyes moistened too.
Some memories are funny. You never know when you will have a rendevous with them.
The format of the show is , every eposide will witness the removal of a particpant who has got the least numebr of votes. This week Vishal Kothari had to leave. Surprisngly he's damn decent as a singer. But well, one can never guess the public mood as a whole. Suddenly I see another contestant with moist eyes. Turns out that both of them are very good friends, joined Indian Idol together. It must have been tough for him to see his buddy being kicked out.
This scene took me back some 2.5 years ago when me and one of my very good friend were busy pursuing various colleges for a particular degree course. We badly wanted to get admission in one particular college and wanted to be in the same college together. Both of us sailed through our entrance, GDs and PI and were awaiting the results at that college. On the result day, I went to college without my friend as she was ill. To my utter dismay, I realised that I had got through and she hadn't and I had to call her up and tell her the bad news. I was so confused because I didn't know whther to be happy that I got through or to be sad that my friend didn't. I guess that was one of the toughest thing I have ever done. I broke down while telling her the news on phone. It all seems so silly and trivial now. But at that time it didn't. We both had wanted to do the course together, wanted to be in the same college, TOGETHER! and it ain't a nice feeling when dreams crash!
I just remembered the incident when I saw the other participant with moist eyes trying hard to control himself. But well, its tough controlling emotions at times. While on this end, my eyes moistened too.
Some memories are funny. You never know when you will have a rendevous with them.
Thursday, December 23, 2004
Help needed!
Ok...I need a small favour from you guys. Do you guys know anyone who is currently pursuing MA in International Relations from Jawaharlal University, Delhi? If yes, please drop in a mail. My contact can be found in th sidebar of my blog.
Also, blogger is giving me a small problem. My dashboard and my profile shows that I have posted 119 entries till date. But this number has been static for quite a while now. It refuses to register any number of new entries that I have posted. Could anyone tell me why? Also, how to sort this problem?
Also, blogger is giving me a small problem. My dashboard and my profile shows that I have posted 119 entries till date. But this number has been static for quite a while now. It refuses to register any number of new entries that I have posted. Could anyone tell me why? Also, how to sort this problem?
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
Down but NOT out!
I am a member of an informal group called Indo-Pak Youth Forum for Peace. This group came into existence after the interactions between Indian and Pakistani delegates during the World Social Forum. Ours is a group which works towards the people to people interactions between the two countries. Well, we were anticipating the arrival of 20 Pakistani youths to India by 25th of December. They were to come to India and visit, Delhi, Pune and Mumbai in that order. We had an elaborate schedule prepared for them for their stay and other programmes including cultural stuff, sight seeing, interactions between the students of Mumbai etc. But as luck would have it, the Pakistanis couldn't get the visa and now their whole trip stands cancelled. But we plan to go ahead with an interaction programme we had planend with the students of Mumbai. This is a symbolic gesture just to show that we inspite of their absense, the message of peace would be sent.
It is very disheartening especially after the amount of time we have put in for meetings, discussions etc. detailing every single thing of their trip and stay in Mumbai. But this is the reality of the Indo-Pak relations. Whenever there has been a talk about Indo-Pak relations, I have always never been really affected by it. But this time it is different. We have actually had the chance to witness the visa problems the citizens of both the countries face in order to visit their friends and relatives. The problems or well, exagerrated problems, are so trivial that one wouldn't encounter of such things if one is travelling to some another country. But well....life goes on and we expect them in India real soon. Such increasing animosity just doesn't make sense any more and such events just make me wonder what GOOD RELATIONS are we talking about?
It is very disheartening especially after the amount of time we have put in for meetings, discussions etc. detailing every single thing of their trip and stay in Mumbai. But this is the reality of the Indo-Pak relations. Whenever there has been a talk about Indo-Pak relations, I have always never been really affected by it. But this time it is different. We have actually had the chance to witness the visa problems the citizens of both the countries face in order to visit their friends and relatives. The problems or well, exagerrated problems, are so trivial that one wouldn't encounter of such things if one is travelling to some another country. But well....life goes on and we expect them in India real soon. Such increasing animosity just doesn't make sense any more and such events just make me wonder what GOOD RELATIONS are we talking about?
Monday, December 20, 2004
Kiddos
Just yesterday I had been to my guru's place who teaches me music. My guru has a 5 year old daughter Lavanya who is extremely adorable. She's very chatty and well, we kinda bond very well. When I entered the house, I saw that she had worn something which resembled like a frock but was way too long for her so much so that it touched her toes. Before I could open my mouth to ask her about what she was wearing, she came rushing to me and said, "Shobha, see my dress, it's just like my mumma's nighty. Also I can tuck it in like this, see, see! (...and she began tucking her *whatever she had worn* in a way mom's usaully do when they work in the kitchen). You know Shobha, if I wear this na, i can be like mumma you know!" and then she went around prancing merrily around the house.
I could see that she adored her mother completely. She's in one of that phases wherein she wants to be like her mumma in every small way. I remember, when i was a kiddo, Appa was my HERO. I was fascinated by him. I used to imitate Appa in every possible way. i thought it was fashionable to loose temper like Appa did when hew as angry, so even I used to be pretend pretend angry :P I used to fascinated by believe it or not, Appa shaving his beard! Ok, don't laugh, but I was. Appa has always been deodrant-perfume freak. So I used to make a point to have deos and perfumes sprayed on my school uniforms , hehehehee! I learnt to tie my shoe laces by watching appa tie his shoe laces as I thought,nobody could tie it better. ROFLLL! I mean they seem so funny now but at that point of time nothing was more important than aping Appa. Also I used to envy Amma's wardrobe, I wanted all her sarees.
I guess it is just one of those cute kiddo phases which you soon overgrow. Somethings just don't change na! {Thank god, it doesn't :)}
I could see that she adored her mother completely. She's in one of that phases wherein she wants to be like her mumma in every small way. I remember, when i was a kiddo, Appa was my HERO. I was fascinated by him. I used to imitate Appa in every possible way. i thought it was fashionable to loose temper like Appa did when hew as angry, so even I used to be pretend pretend angry :P I used to fascinated by believe it or not, Appa shaving his beard! Ok, don't laugh, but I was. Appa has always been deodrant-perfume freak. So I used to make a point to have deos and perfumes sprayed on my school uniforms , hehehehee! I learnt to tie my shoe laces by watching appa tie his shoe laces as I thought,nobody could tie it better. ROFLLL! I mean they seem so funny now but at that point of time nothing was more important than aping Appa. Also I used to envy Amma's wardrobe, I wanted all her sarees.
I guess it is just one of those cute kiddo phases which you soon overgrow. Somethings just don't change na! {Thank god, it doesn't :)}
Thursday, December 16, 2004
Sigh!
Oh, well, sometimes I feel why the hell I am on the side of ethics always? I mean.WHY WHY WHY!
Mid-day THE TABLOID of Mumbai goes ahead and prints pictures of Kareena Kapoor and Shahid Kapoor, kissing in a discotheque on the front page. Well its a common knowledge that they are seing each other. I know Tabloids are meant to sensationalise every possible thing udner the sun. I just wonder what purpose do these pictures serve? I mean they have zilch news value. Apart from grabbing eye balls and increase readership, the pics do nothing more. Mid-day does not depend a lot on subscription as its sales are more dependent on the amount of copies it sells from the stands, So I understand the sensationalism bit. But the the pics are vulgar and Mid-day is obviously promoting soft-porn in its front page.
What I fail to realise is that what is so newsworthy about what they were doing? It is just a natural act. Just b'coz they are celebrities, I don't understand how Kissing makes news? (I THINK I NEED A NEW LECTURE ON THAT!)
In India, if you might have noticed, sleazy details of politicians are usually avoided. Vir Sanghvi in his recent column had talked about rhe same fact that a politician's private life is nobody's business unless and until it affects the electorate as a whole. Why can't the media leave the celebrities alone? I hope the paparaazi culture doesn't permeate here. (I know, I know, all wishful thinking....!!!)
And why the hell are both the Kapoors denying the whole thing? Its but obvious that the ones in the pictures are the kapoors only. By saying that you are from a respectable family to indulge in *SUCH* deeds only reeks of hypocrisy. What harm in accepting it? Accept the fact and fight the case in the court on the basis of GROSS VIOLATION OF PRIVACY. I know they are popular actors of India and Indian society is not all that liberal and is conservative, but by denying it, they are only giving the paper an upperhand.
Such stories just make me wonder if I would ever be journalist int he truer sense of the term? Compromising on ethics isn't what I exactly want to do. I also wonder if it would be easy to stand in what you believe for and still survive? I don't know. It is scary for me as journalism was all that I have always wanted to do. I would be shattered to say the least if something on the contrary happens :(
P.S. I know, I have been irregular with comments for the past few posts as I have been very busy. I will reply to them soon :)
Mid-day THE TABLOID of Mumbai goes ahead and prints pictures of Kareena Kapoor and Shahid Kapoor, kissing in a discotheque on the front page. Well its a common knowledge that they are seing each other. I know Tabloids are meant to sensationalise every possible thing udner the sun. I just wonder what purpose do these pictures serve? I mean they have zilch news value. Apart from grabbing eye balls and increase readership, the pics do nothing more. Mid-day does not depend a lot on subscription as its sales are more dependent on the amount of copies it sells from the stands, So I understand the sensationalism bit. But the the pics are vulgar and Mid-day is obviously promoting soft-porn in its front page.
What I fail to realise is that what is so newsworthy about what they were doing? It is just a natural act. Just b'coz they are celebrities, I don't understand how Kissing makes news? (I THINK I NEED A NEW LECTURE ON THAT!)
In India, if you might have noticed, sleazy details of politicians are usually avoided. Vir Sanghvi in his recent column had talked about rhe same fact that a politician's private life is nobody's business unless and until it affects the electorate as a whole. Why can't the media leave the celebrities alone? I hope the paparaazi culture doesn't permeate here. (I know, I know, all wishful thinking....!!!)
And why the hell are both the Kapoors denying the whole thing? Its but obvious that the ones in the pictures are the kapoors only. By saying that you are from a respectable family to indulge in *SUCH* deeds only reeks of hypocrisy. What harm in accepting it? Accept the fact and fight the case in the court on the basis of GROSS VIOLATION OF PRIVACY. I know they are popular actors of India and Indian society is not all that liberal and is conservative, but by denying it, they are only giving the paper an upperhand.
Such stories just make me wonder if I would ever be journalist int he truer sense of the term? Compromising on ethics isn't what I exactly want to do. I also wonder if it would be easy to stand in what you believe for and still survive? I don't know. It is scary for me as journalism was all that I have always wanted to do. I would be shattered to say the least if something on the contrary happens :(
P.S. I know, I have been irregular with comments for the past few posts as I have been very busy. I will reply to them soon :)
Monday, December 13, 2004
BJP flip flops
Something very funny is happening within BJP. Earlier it was Uma Bharti who publicly raised uncomfortable questions in total media glare and today it is Smriti Irani who takes the charge.
Today by afternoon TV channels showed Smriti Irani's outburst..err....Can't really call it outburst, it was more of a well thought out statement actually which she made, demanding Gujarat CM Narendra Modi's ouster/resignation. She stated that BJP's image as a national party and Atal Bihari Vajpayee's image has taken a beating owing to the fact that Narendra Modi didn't resign when he was supposed to, didn't fulfill his moral obligations so as to speak. She wanted to make sure that the blot in Vajpayee's image as a PM of India which was tarnished because of Narendra Modi not resigning when the situaion demanded that.
It's amusing that she is raising the issue now after so many days. What was she doing when Vajpayee publicly said Gujarat was a mistake and that Narendra Modi should have gone out? Its weird, very weird. Why does she have to make a publicity stunt like this? Doesn't she get like tons of publicity as Tulsi? Weird Weird Weird! This is a classic case of instigation I feel or may be some personal motive.
Then came another twist when she took back all that she said. It was very funny when the channels aired the assertive Irani voicing her "concerns" and a glum, sullen faced Irani taking back her statement. It was as if a child was made to say, I am sorry, I wouldn't do this again in front of the whole school assembly. She didn't even look at the camera and read the whole statement out. I am curious to know "Aage kya hoga..." This is going to be fun, lot of fun. Ha ha!
Tubelight thought of the day: Ambition and Laziness make a sad sad combo. and yea...I hate MONDAYS!!!!
Today by afternoon TV channels showed Smriti Irani's outburst..err....Can't really call it outburst, it was more of a well thought out statement actually which she made, demanding Gujarat CM Narendra Modi's ouster/resignation. She stated that BJP's image as a national party and Atal Bihari Vajpayee's image has taken a beating owing to the fact that Narendra Modi didn't resign when he was supposed to, didn't fulfill his moral obligations so as to speak. She wanted to make sure that the blot in Vajpayee's image as a PM of India which was tarnished because of Narendra Modi not resigning when the situaion demanded that.
It's amusing that she is raising the issue now after so many days. What was she doing when Vajpayee publicly said Gujarat was a mistake and that Narendra Modi should have gone out? Its weird, very weird. Why does she have to make a publicity stunt like this? Doesn't she get like tons of publicity as Tulsi? Weird Weird Weird! This is a classic case of instigation I feel or may be some personal motive.
Then came another twist when she took back all that she said. It was very funny when the channels aired the assertive Irani voicing her "concerns" and a glum, sullen faced Irani taking back her statement. It was as if a child was made to say, I am sorry, I wouldn't do this again in front of the whole school assembly. She didn't even look at the camera and read the whole statement out. I am curious to know "Aage kya hoga..." This is going to be fun, lot of fun. Ha ha!
Tubelight thought of the day: Ambition and Laziness make a sad sad combo. and yea...I hate MONDAYS!!!!
Sunday, December 12, 2004
M S
M S Subbulakshmi passed away yesterday. To say this is a sad news would be an understatement. Especially for someone who wakes up every morning to her Suprabhatam. She died at the age of 88, well its good she didn't suffer too much. M S you would always and always be remembered.
Friday, December 10, 2004
Sunday, December 05, 2004
Sunday
I don't know why my Sundays get over so soon......:( We students in India know nothing what a weekend means like as most of the times we have our colleges working full day on Saturdays (save the engineering colleges) So all, that we get is ONE SUNDAY! Not Fair, not fair at all!!!!!! One day is just not enough to relax or well Sunday should have 48 hours!
Sometimes I wonder about the whole hooplah about a Sunday and Monday Morning blues etc. A day by any other name would be just the same. What if we all had a thrusday off other than a Sunday? Yea, then we would probably have Jolly Wednesdays and the works....But well, My lament remains.....MY SUNDAY IS ALMOST OVER.....:((
R K Naryan describes the Sunday groove in a perfect way in his essay, Next Sunday. (Incidentally for all the Mumbaiites, you can read the essay in the Sunday Mid-day today.
"Sunday is the day most looked forward to by everyone. it is one day which suddenly eveporates before you knowwhere you are. Everyone knows the Saturday-evening feeling already tainted by the thoughts of Monday. what happens to the day? It is the day on which so many items are thrust-promises made of a little shopping, calling on someoneand so on and so forth, all promises, promises. there is no way out except by streching the twenty four hours to do the work of forty-eight. before one notices the forenoon is gone" .......
Aaaah, I love RK Narayan...
Sigh...My Sunday's gone! Damn! TOMORROW IS A SUPER SAD MONDAY.....DOUBLE DAMN! huh :( and the fact that I have to wake up early for a lecture that makes me even more sleepy doesn't really help.....:(
P.S. WHY DOESN'T YAHOOMAIL HAVE A SIGNOUT/LOGOUT LINK? Could any of the techie readers enlighten me please?
Sometimes I wonder about the whole hooplah about a Sunday and Monday Morning blues etc. A day by any other name would be just the same. What if we all had a thrusday off other than a Sunday? Yea, then we would probably have Jolly Wednesdays and the works....But well, My lament remains.....MY SUNDAY IS ALMOST OVER.....:((
R K Naryan describes the Sunday groove in a perfect way in his essay, Next Sunday. (Incidentally for all the Mumbaiites, you can read the essay in the Sunday Mid-day today.
"Sunday is the day most looked forward to by everyone. it is one day which suddenly eveporates before you knowwhere you are. Everyone knows the Saturday-evening feeling already tainted by the thoughts of Monday. what happens to the day? It is the day on which so many items are thrust-promises made of a little shopping, calling on someoneand so on and so forth, all promises, promises. there is no way out except by streching the twenty four hours to do the work of forty-eight. before one notices the forenoon is gone" .......
Aaaah, I love RK Narayan...
Sigh...My Sunday's gone! Damn! TOMORROW IS A SUPER SAD MONDAY.....DOUBLE DAMN! huh :( and the fact that I have to wake up early for a lecture that makes me even more sleepy doesn't really help.....:(
P.S. WHY DOESN'T YAHOOMAIL HAVE A SIGNOUT/LOGOUT LINK? Could any of the techie readers enlighten me please?
Friday, December 03, 2004
Religion
I remember when I was in my first year, my sociology professor had posed a question to our class--->"Why is religion so important to people?" (or something very similar to that) I remember that my answer was prompt---->"Religion forms one of the most important part of a person's identity." My Prof was happy with my answer as this was the reply that she was looking for. But I was very amused with my profesor's happy reaction because I thought I hadn't said anything new. I completely believed in what I said at that point of time because personally I identified being a HINDU (obvious!) and that BEING A HINDU WAS A PART OF MY IDENTITY. I was never conscious of the fact but I thought it was the most natural thing and that everybody thought the same. But to my surprise I found not many people thought on similar lines.
I don't know whether today, 2.5 yrs hence I would say the same thing. I mean I am not sure whether being a Hindu forms a huge part of my identity as it did earlier. I am not negating the influence of relegion in any way.....NOT AT ALL, its just that I now question more and refuse to accept what is status quo.
I find this very funny. Religion is something which we inherit from our parents. We are HINDUS because our parents were HINDUS and this applies to any relegion for that matter. We seriously don't have a choice in that matter. Of course one has full freedom to change his/her relegion when we major, but well...that's only when IF THE PERSON WANTS TO! Don't you think its so funny that RELiGION which is inherited, something which you did not make a choice, forms a part of one's IDENTITY? It becomes such a fundamental part of ones life, governs our life to such a large extent.....but it is something which we never consciously thought about, or basically never really sat and exercised our right to choose (coz there was never any right to choose as such when you are a kid.) It's weird.....Therefore the attitude of relegious fanatics amuses me to a great extent....I hope I have conveyed what I want to say....
Whenever any changes are recommended for the better in any relegion, it is opposed tooth and nail. I don't understand why.....I can quote one example.... vedas are the prerogative of only BRAHMIN MEN. Women and NON-Brahmin men are NOT ALLOWED to learn VEDAS. Even our Shankaracharya refused to accept the changes stating that every relegion has its own set of discrimination and that we have to learn to accept and live with that. I disagree, I completely disagree. WHY can't women or any non-Brahmin people learn Vedas? Is Vedas a prerogative only of Brahmin Men? I know many uncles who are staunchly against the idea of WOMEN learning Vedas. "Its a sacrilege" they claim. DOHHH! "Some things can't be changed. Our ancestors might have had some thing in mind before formulating such rules." DOHHHHHH again. This is the justification that they have for all the discriminatory practises. The irony is that they don't have a justification at all....HERD MENTALITY being a mantra. Just because its been the tradition, we ought not to break it. DOHHHHHHH! There are many such discriminatory practises followed till date.....and well...WE ARE IN 21ST CENTURY.....huh! I am not singling out Hinduism for such discriminatory practises, there are other relegions too. However being a Hindu myself, I prefer tot alk about Hinduism or may be a miniscule part of it.
Note: It's just not my intention to hurt anybody's religious sentiments. These are just some of the questions that I have raised and I don't think so I have demeaned the religion in any manner. If someone thinks likewise.....too bad! Constructive comments, criticisms are most welcome!
I don't know whether today, 2.5 yrs hence I would say the same thing. I mean I am not sure whether being a Hindu forms a huge part of my identity as it did earlier. I am not negating the influence of relegion in any way.....NOT AT ALL, its just that I now question more and refuse to accept what is status quo.
I find this very funny. Religion is something which we inherit from our parents. We are HINDUS because our parents were HINDUS and this applies to any relegion for that matter. We seriously don't have a choice in that matter. Of course one has full freedom to change his/her relegion when we major, but well...that's only when IF THE PERSON WANTS TO! Don't you think its so funny that RELiGION which is inherited, something which you did not make a choice, forms a part of one's IDENTITY? It becomes such a fundamental part of ones life, governs our life to such a large extent.....but it is something which we never consciously thought about, or basically never really sat and exercised our right to choose (coz there was never any right to choose as such when you are a kid.) It's weird.....Therefore the attitude of relegious fanatics amuses me to a great extent....I hope I have conveyed what I want to say....
Whenever any changes are recommended for the better in any relegion, it is opposed tooth and nail. I don't understand why.....I can quote one example.... vedas are the prerogative of only BRAHMIN MEN. Women and NON-Brahmin men are NOT ALLOWED to learn VEDAS. Even our Shankaracharya refused to accept the changes stating that every relegion has its own set of discrimination and that we have to learn to accept and live with that. I disagree, I completely disagree. WHY can't women or any non-Brahmin people learn Vedas? Is Vedas a prerogative only of Brahmin Men? I know many uncles who are staunchly against the idea of WOMEN learning Vedas. "Its a sacrilege" they claim. DOHHH! "Some things can't be changed. Our ancestors might have had some thing in mind before formulating such rules." DOHHHHHH again. This is the justification that they have for all the discriminatory practises. The irony is that they don't have a justification at all....HERD MENTALITY being a mantra. Just because its been the tradition, we ought not to break it. DOHHHHHHH! There are many such discriminatory practises followed till date.....and well...WE ARE IN 21ST CENTURY.....huh! I am not singling out Hinduism for such discriminatory practises, there are other relegions too. However being a Hindu myself, I prefer tot alk about Hinduism or may be a miniscule part of it.
Note: It's just not my intention to hurt anybody's religious sentiments. These are just some of the questions that I have raised and I don't think so I have demeaned the religion in any manner. If someone thinks likewise.....too bad! Constructive comments, criticisms are most welcome!
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