To Post or Not to Post

The Social media has come a long way. Few years ago no one could imagine that there will be a time when there will be smartphones, so much internet usage and most importantly so much of social media. Today there are zillions of platforms- Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Whatsapp, Tinder, Flower, Petal and God knows what else (the last two names were the figments of my imagination but who knows right :)).

Again there is a lot of discussion around the pros and cons of social media, how much and what one should share and so on. Of course there are no hard and fast rules as such so everything is fair game as long as the individual is comfortable with it. My guess is that it also depends upon the individual personality and more or less the social media is an extension of either one's personality or what one really wants to showcase.

People will always have opinions on the content shared by others and now that social media has become so big that no one can really define what needs to go up and what not. Its individual discretion what goes up and what not....photos, opinions, tweets, blogs etcetc

One thing is for sure...love it or hate it...its here to stay and we all better get on the board and get used to it. 

The Color Black!!

Really Fascinated since time immemorial!! I consider myself as someone who takes her fashion seriously and feels most comfortable when wearing something or everything black. Any shade, any hue would do.  Something about this color...it oozes style and confidence like no other color. Many celebrities swear by it...the underlying reason being that black is also a safe color. When in doubt...wear black...Red Carpet event, Day wear, Evening attire anything...black will go!!  As an example, LBD is iconic!

Fashion choices change with time and season but one color that has braved the changing times and remains timeless is BLACK.Wear it, flaunt it and enjoy it!

Fads, Fashion and Style

Everything's changing rapidly now so much so its difficult to distinguish between fashion and fad anymore. So many products, so many varieties available...products guaranteeing to change everything about you. This drive to look perfect, to possess everything is making world more and more materialistic. Globalization and aggressive marketing is not helping the cause. Range of cosmetic products, brands and lines of clothing and even plastic surgery and other surgical enhancements are now at your disposal, promising to transform you into that perfect man and woman that their advertisements talk about. Maslow's hierarchy of Motivation is now under question as 'Needs' have become secondary now. All sorts of eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia), exotic dieting methods etc. are into play to achieve that 'perfect' shape. A few centuries ago, curvy, slightly heavier and curly haired women were preferred and considered a 'beauty' in England. A few centuries later, its the skinnier ones-the Kate Mosses and Miranda Kerrs who rule the roost. How soon can you lose the post-baby flab (that is if you must have a baby)and turn into your fabulous skinny self is something tabloids are keeping tab of on a daily basis. Some like Gwnyth Paltrow have gone a step ahead and cut the toxic 'Carbs' from their Children's diet. Very soon, there will be pills quenching thirst and hunger minus of course the dangerous 'carbs'. After all, style is everything!!!

The Unforgettable Win :)

Yet another battle of nerves and India comes through...we qualify for the World Cup Final for the third time... defeated Pakistan for the 5th time in the world cup thus cementing the fact that India never loses to Pakistan in the world cup.

It was like all the cosmic forces had conspired together to keep Sachin playing and my heart kept flying to my mouth each time he was dropped or some other wicket fell...In the end Suresh Raina steered the team onto a comfortable total and then there was tremendous bowling and fielding effort and for once it outshone the batting :)

I want to thank:

M.S Dhoni- for his mind blowing captaincy


Sachin-for his valuable 85 and just for his presence anyway

Sehwag- for giving a blazing start

Ashish Nehra- for excellent line and length

Suresh Raina- useful contribution of 36 runs

Yuvraj Singh- for making up with ball what he couldnt with the bat today

Munaf Patel- for being so impressive

Zaheer Khan- for his usual brilliant self

Harbhajan Singh- for welcome breakthroughs

Entire Indian Team- for brilliant fielding and team cohesion

Pakistani Team- for dropping Sachin 4 times and  being a pathetic fielding side in general

It was an amazing bowling display by Wahab Raiz and Sayeed Ajmal.

Waiting for the Saturday and praying for the team to win this one and lift the cup!

Good Ol' DD Days...

Getting nostalgic eh?...Yes I am and writing this blog to refresh,cherish and relive those wonderful memories.

National Programme was introduced in 1982. In the same year colour TV was introduced into the Indian market and the first thing was the Live telecast of Independence Day speech given by then Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi on 15th August 1982 followed by the Live telecast of the 1982 Asian Games being held in Delhi.




80's and early 90's were the classic Doordarshan entertainment era where it was the latest and only form of visual entertainment available to the Indian audiences. I am talking about the time when owning a colour TV set was a status symbol and people kept their TVs in the Living room for everyone to see [some of them still do I believe :)]...

I am talking about the time when  Sunday morning tea was incomplete without  Rangoli ......Chitrahaar was something not to be missed on Friday evenings.....among the first serials were Hum Log (1984), Buniyaad (1986-87), Ramayan (1986-87), Mahabharat(1988-89) etc which glued millions of viewers to Doordarshan.

Now that I look back at those days filled with fond memories, I find Doordarshan as a major part of our lives where we could not wait to watch serials like Byomkesh Bakshi, Janki Jasoos, Karamchand, Vikram aur Betaal, Surabhi, Circus, Fauji, Malgudi Days etcetc...



Although I was very young when most of these serials were aired, they have left a lasting impression on me and just remembering them fills me with nostalgia and refreshes my fond memories of those happy days.

My emotional outburst would be difficult to understand by those who were born into the Cable TV era...in this heavy commercialisation of the electronic media where  there are atleast 200 channels in every home today and where its easy for any person like me to get flummoxed by this flood of non-stop, 24*7 entertainment, where the electronic media is brimming with millions of channels and those many formats of entertainment.

Doordarshan was left far behind in this rat race and today I am sure except for those who cannot afford cable TV or where its not available (very unlikely though), no one watches Doordarshan including me. I have stopped following Indian serials for a very long time mainly because its too difficult for me to digest the daily dose of  crap that is fed to the viewers and where Saas-Bahu is the central theme of almost every serial...where the copied "reality" shows like Bigg Boss are popular...I honestly cannot stand Bigg Boss where entertainment is provided by accumulating some has-beens and some wannabes, their fights, showcasing their personal issues and any other non-sense they can broadcast for garnering TRPs....

I am reminiscing about the days when TRP was not even known...when the serials were aired only once a week...when their characters acquired a legendary status and no matter how popular these serials became, they did come to an end (pun intended!!)... when life was simple...Simple yet Beautiful :)

Why do I still serve you?

These  are the amazing lines I have borrowed from a TOI Blog....Thought Provoking....


Why do I still serve you?


How you play with us, did you ever see?

At Seven, I had decided what I wanted to be;I would serve you to the end,

All these boundaries I would defend.

Now you make me look like a fool,When at seventeen and just out of school;

Went to the place where they made "men out of boys"

Lived a tough life …sacrificed a few joys…

In those days, I would see my "civilian" friends,

Living a life with the fashion trends;Enjoying their so called "college days"

While I sweated and bled in the sun and haze…

But I never thought twice about what where or why

All I knew was when the time came, I'd be ready to do or die.

At 21 and with my commission in hand,Under the glory of the parade and the band,

I took the oath to protect you over land, air or sea,

And make the supreme sacrifice when the need came to be.

I stood there with a sense of recognition,

But on that day I never had the premonition,

that when the time came to give me my due,

You'd just say, "What is so great that you do?"

Long back you promised a well-to-do life;

And when I'm away, take care of my wife.

You came and saw the hardships I live through,And I saw you make a note or two,

And I hoped you would realise the worth of me;

but now I know you'll never be able to see,

Because you only see the glorified life of mine,

Did you see the place where death looms all the time?

Did you meet the man standing guard in the snow?

The name of his newborn he does not know...

Did you meet the man whose father breathed his last?

While the sailor patrolled our seas so vast?

You still know I'll not be the one to raise my voice

I will stand tall and protect you in Punjab Himachal and Thois.

But that's just me you have in the sun and rain,

For now at twenty-four, you make me think again;

About the decision I made, seven years back;

Should I have chosen another life, some other track?

Will I tell my son to follow my lead?

Will I tell my son, you'll get all that you need?

This is the country you will serve

This country will give you all that you deserve?

I heard you tell the world "India is shining"

I told my men, that's a reason for us to be smiling

This is the India you and I will defend!

But tell me how long will you be able to pretend?

You go on promise all that you may,

But it's the souls of your own men you betray.

Did you read how some of our eminent citizens

Write about me and ridicule my very existence?

I ask you to please come and see what I do,

Come and have a look at what I go throughLive my life just for a day

Maybe you'll have something else to say?

I will still risk my life without a sighTo keep your flag flying high

but today I ask myself a question or two…Oh India…. Why do I still serve you?

A Growing Menace...Reality TV Shows...

So whats capturing the headlines at all the news channels and papers in India today...a certain Reality TV Marriage is breaking apart.  Its not the first time the rich and spoilt brat of a Late Politician has been accused of domestic violence. His first marriage (which did not take place on Reality TV) also broke apart after his wife divorced him on the grounds of domestic violence. What remains questionable is that on what basis then was this monster who gets his kick by hitting women was brought to a Reality TV Show with a lot of fanfare and promotions in his quest for a new wife??...The moronic title of the TV Show was "Rahul Dulhaniya Le Jaayega"...I never watched the show so I really dont know on what basis the girls were selected and further on what basis he selected his "bride", what I do know is that after garnering lot of TRPs and advertisement money, the brat finally selected a wannabe actress/model from Kolkata who is accusing him of domestic violence barely into 4 months of their marriage and who is now showing off her abuse marks on news channels, I have no real sympathy for this girl because afterall on what basis did she decide to marry this guy? Didnt she inquire into his past, tried to know him better? If her only objective was Money and Fame, she got all this and some more that she had not bargained for. I think the next title of the show the brat will star in will be "Rahul Dulhaniya Le Jaayega...aur fir uski Pitaayi Karega"...

Theres a flood of reality TV shows these days and apparently this brat is much in demand in these shows because he also starred in another moronic "Reality " show "Big Boss"...I have still not comprehended what this show is about...They gather some wannabes from all walks of life (mainly those who have been involved in some kind of scandal...more scandalous,the better) and keep them in the house and monitor their "activities" and based upon "Viewer Voting" they are all chucked out of the house one by one and in the end one wins a huge sum of money...How..Why..On What Basis....Dont ask...thats the beauty of these reality TV Shows.

The list is endless...for high TRPs, thwarting Competition and in the quest of  presenting themselves as 'Different'...TV Channels are leaving no stones unturned and since "Reality TV Shows" are the hottest "in" thing these days they are belching out a variety "Reality Dance...Singing...U name it and its conceptualised in the "reality" format. One such mindless reality show was "Emotional Atyachaar" wherein couple conducted "Loyalty Tests" on one another and this TV show helped by "planting" a sexy ruse (male/female dependent upon on which partner the test was being conducted) and then this ruse would chase and shower attention on mostly plain and slightly over weight "targets" who more often than not fell victim to their attractions and then got busted...they then helped the other partner who was conducting the test to catch their cheating partners "red handed" in the act and actively recorded and broadcasted the emotional showdown that used to follow...Forget about whether its real or scripted, can you imagine something more idiotic and stupid than this??...A popular TV show like "Sa Re Ga Ma Pa" has also fallen prey to TRPs...a show that has given some of the most talented singers to the country is now dependent upon viewer voting where Judges are no more than Puppets and real winners are chosen by public through voting,where people vote for their favorite singers not for their talent (because seriously how would they know who sings better,not everyone is a musician) but vote the contestants if they belong to their state, caste, religion etc.

News Channels are also not acting responsibly...Under Pressure to keep viewer's attention, these 24/7 news channels sensationalize and hype small and irrelevant issues to such an extent that they seem like national calamity. For example, the marriage of this brat (entire ceremony was broadcasted 'Live' ofcourse) was reported with the same enthusiasm with which they are now reporting the allegations of his second wife and her bruise marks. As the "Idiot Box" is graduating into "Moronic Box" we can do nothing but choose to either watch or not watch.

Reality TV was touted as the great new hope for the digital era. A new genre featuring real people in real situations,laughing real laughs and shedding real tears. But it has fallen prey to the easy temptation of pre-packaged programming, degenerating into a scripted charade controlled by off-screen handlers in which contestants shed fake tears and throw sham tantrums to wring a few drops of interest from blase viewers. And why blame the viewers? All entertainment today is prefabricated . Even war. No wonder death has also lost its capacity to move us.

My Tattoo Story....

I had been mulling over this idea for a long time. Back in India there were many obstacles...my parents would never have allowed it, they were appalled even now when they heard I had it done but there wasnt much they could do as I am married now, living a bit away and considerably mature (they seriously doubt the last one though!).. Also, back home I didnt really have any specific tattoo design on my mind...I didnt want to go through all that pain to have some flower or some other random design engraved on my skin.

So after falling in love...getting married and coming to Europe and having the advantage of a lot of free time on my hands (Plz dont misinterpret the'free time' concept..its just that Assignments,PPTs,Exams,Job Interviews, Hostel life and Chatting with Gursher whole night kept me lot busier in India...its another issue that now that we are married and are together all the time, we dont talk whole night ever...I wonder what married life does to u :P), I gave this idea some serious thought and considered a specific tattoo design. Internet was my best source of information and found a lot of stuff about Tattoos....these things arent the latest trend...Tattoo designs have a long history, they have been found on mummified bodies dating back to 3300 BC and have been part of many cultures including our Indian culture.

I also learned that its a very painful procedure and there are many precautionary details involved and therefore decided that if I have to get it done the design better be worth the pain...and after much contemplation, I decided to get my sweetheart's name engraved on my skin forever. I chose the Gurumukhi script because his name looked best in that. When I inquired about Tattoo Parlors, I found one next to my home and got an appointment 2 months later because of the waiting!!...  convincing Gursher wasnt easy as he feared it might hurt a lot or cause me some permanent damage in terms of infection etc.....

Finally,got through all these hurdles and  got tattooed on June 12,2010. The name 'Gursher' is inscribed on the lower inner side of my arm in magenta color signifying Love and Femininity :).... To say that this procedure was infinitely painful wouldnt do justice to what I really felt...that searing and blinding pain can only be described and understood by those who have gotten inked themselves and my darling husband didnt help the matters much when while holding my hand and standing by my side, asked me how painful is it when he was supposed to distract me from that very topic!!.. :P.....

If you ask me if it was all worth it...I would say it was worth every Goddamn second of it! Its not just a tattoo...its a tribute to the love I have for Gursher.  I dont approve of people drugging themselves in anyway and then getting tattooed. Alcohol isnt permitted because it thins your blood and you will tend to bleed more...Anaesthesia isnt a safe option and involves plenty of Health risks and anyway it isnt used anywhere here.

Getting a Tattoo done is like a rite of passage and pain is an integral part of that rite..Don't Cheat.. if you dont have the guts to bear that pain, may as well dont get it. Getting scarred for life is no mean feat so show some COURAGE... ;)

Wrong Brand???

The recent demands of BMC (Bombay Municipal Corporation) have been branded as "Medieval Fatwa" and "Hindutva Diktat" by the media. What are these demands??.....Sena-BJP who currently rule the BMC have come out with demands like Girls in missionary schools should be allowed to wear bangles or bindi or even sport mehendi...that there should be more holidays for Ganpati and Diwali and that there should be a corporators' quota and the name of corporators' should be prominently displayed in the education committee and all the communications to BMC should be written in marathi.

Now on the expense of being branded a "Hindu Fundamentalist" or something even worse, I would like to wholeheartedly oppose the media's move of blaming it all on "HINDUTVA"....any move by BJP or Sena is automatically branded as "Hindutva Diktat" or "Hindu Fundamentalism" by the media. I am a Hindu too and a proud one at that. I would like to analyse all the demands of BMC one by one here and try and understand why is this branded as "Hindutva Diktat"......

• Girls should be allowed to wear Bindis and Bangles and sport a Mehendi.... I think its an independent choice and if the girls so desire especially during some imporatant festivals or personal occasions, they should be allowed. Afterall, when Sikhs can wear turbans and Muslims can wear Veils...why can't Hindu Girls wear bangles or Bindis??...I have noticed esp. in South India, girls wear Bangles and Bindi during festivals and even otherwise...whats wrong with that??...and if you are so concerned with the discipline then everything including turbans and veils should be banned like France
• I think Ganpati and Diwali are major festivals in India..Ganpati is esp. popular in Maharashtra...If the majority students are Hindu..then why not have more holidays during these times when they can really enjoy with their families??...
• Corporators' Quota issue is totally Political and has nothing to do with Hindus or Hinduism
• Making Marathi Language compulsory is a nuisance created and restricted to only Maharashtra and is in no way related to Hindus or Hinduism in general

My point is that why any move by BJP or Sena is deemed as representative of "HINDUTVA"??...Have they copyrighted this ancient religion or its a deliberate attempt to malign the image of this religion and way of life?
Mind you that I am a vehement opposer of groups that oppose V-Day celebrations or promote Marathi or any other undemocratic activity, but at the same time I also oppose the media and opposition parties branding it as "HINDUTVA DIKTAT"....

Hinduism is an ancient religion and way of life based on the concepts of peaceful co-existence and tolerance. If it is misinterpreted or its values misused by some groups for their own selfish political reasons, then its really unjust to blame the religion itself. Atleast the media should be more careful while using terms like these.

In the same way, we don't blame Islam for all the Terror activities happening around the world...Don't drag the name of Islam when an independent Indian Islamic organization decrees working women as "Un-Islamic" and their earnings "Haraam".....We don't brand Congress as "Anti-Sikh" for 1984 riots....I think we should exercise the same restraint and same respect towards the Hindu Religion too...Celebrating Diwali is same as celebrating Eid or Christmas and wearing Bindi or Mehendi is same as wearing a Turban or Veil.....In a democratic society we should all be allowed to exercise our constitutional rights, Being a Majority Population isnt a crime afterall!!!

To Maa...With Love :)

Happy Mother's Day Mom...though I dont need a specific day to express my love to you but having a day specifically cut out for loving and remembering Mommys isnt a bad idea as well :)....

I can't begin to thank you and just gratitude wont be enough but thats all I can offer for everything you have given me...Right from giving birth to me...taking care of me and doing everything possible to make my life happy and safe.

I have always been a sickly child and still have memories of those years of you staying up whole night...taking my temperature,putting wet towels on my burning forhead, soothing me, giving me medicines...those innumerable trips to Hospitals and Dispensaries...and all this while taking care of two more kids and running a full fledged household...

You are just not my mother, you are also my best friend, guide and counsellor. God knows how many times I have troubled you with my juvenile and reckless behaviour but no matter how deeply in trouble I was, you have always bailed me out and always forgiven me.

I was never a "model child"...I had been a typical pain-in-the-neck child...creating mischief when not sick...took some really bad decisions regarding my education, my career etc., but you have always shown infinite patience in counselling and guiding me towards the right direction.

And finally I gave enough troubles while getting married too. Shipra (my older sister) was married on Jan. 18, 2009...till then you had no idea I even had a boyfriend. I told you about Gini in the beginning of Feb. 2009...You spoke to his parents...You had not met anyone...him or his parents...just spoke on the phone..but agreed to this wedding for my happiness.We are Hindus, they were Sikhs...let alone inter-caste, they were from a different religion but you were always too modern to consider such things that are considered so important in other families....For you no religion or Caste or Society was more important than your Children's happiness.

My wedding which was to take place in Dec. 2009 was preponed to May 2009 because of our insistent pressure...we couldnt bear to stay apart that long...You agreed to even that!!....I completed my M.B.A in April 2009 and got married in May 2009...You met the Groom and his family one day before the Wedding on Engagement day!!!...Half of our relatives including my sisters couldnt come from U.S because of such short notice. All the wedding arrangements and shopping was done in a jiffy.

Mommy, you were having severe arthiritis pain in your left knee at that time because you had broken a ligament...but you were smiling all through the wedding bearing that excruciating pain and eating several painkillers a day...Standing for long hours greeting guests...doing arrangements and not complaining even once!!!.....

And now because of you, I have gotten one more Mommy whos actually Mother-in-law but luckily for me, shes so affectionate, warm and caring that the 'in-law' part has gotten obliterated :)

Love you Maa for being my Mommy and everything you have done and would remain grateful till my last breath :))

Judgement...Yes... but Justice...Not Yet....

The lone survivor of the 26/11 terror attacks on Mumbai, Ajmal Amir Kasab has been sentenced to death today by the Special Court where he was being tried for the past 17 months under various cases of murder, terrorism, waging war against the country, attempt to murder etcetc..Judgement has been pronounced by the Judge but has the Justice been meted out...not so fast, say the legal experts stating that it might take years to hang Kasab.

Why??....well for one, the Death Sentence will have to be approved by the Bombay High Court and Kasab can challenge the verdict there or he can approach the Supreme Court directly challenging the verdict. Even if the apex court upholds the judgement, he can appeal for a legal review given the number of cases against him and that could take minimum 5 years according to the legal experts. And even if the Supreme Court still upholds the decision, he can then appeal for clemency to the President of India under Article 72, where he can appeal to convert it to Life Imprisonment or outright acquittal. As of today, there are about 52 clemency appeals already pending before the President of India. Afzal Guru, the mastermind of 2001 Parliamentry Attacks has also appealed for clemency and his appeal is yet to be approved by the Home Ministry in order to be sent to the Rashtrapati Bhavan for the final decision.

Ajmal Amir Kasab...a 22 year old terrorist who along with nine other gunmen attacked the city in various places like the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, The Taj Mahal Hotel, The Oberoi Trident Hotel, Cama Hospital, the Jewish praying centre Chhabad House and not to mention the indiscriminate firing on the streets, resulting in the death of 166 people and injuring several and in some cases crippling victims for life.


A Case in Point that comes to mind is that of Adolf Eichmann. Referred as "The Architect of Holocaust", a German Nazi officer who carried out the task of facilitating and managing the deportation of Jews to the extermination camps and ghettos in the German occupied Eastern Europe. He fled to Argentina and lived there in disguise after the war. He was abducted by the secret service of Israel, Mossad and was brought to Israel to face trial. Inspite of the huge protests from the Argentinian Government, the trial began on April 11, 1961 and after 14 weeks of testimony with almost 1,500 documents, 100 prosecution witnesses (90 of whom were concentration camp survivors) and dozens of defense depositions delivered by diplomatic couriers from 16 different countries, the court found Eichmann guilty on all counts. He was sentenced to death on Dec. 15, 1961. The Supreme Court rejected Eichmann's appeal on May 29, 1962 and the President Yitzhak Ben Zvi turned down his appeal for clemency on May 31, 1962. Eichmann was executed sometime after midnight on May 31,1962 and there were two men hired to pull the plug simultaeneously so no one would know for sure as to which one killed him. His body was burned and his ashes were scattered on the Mediterranean sea outside the territorial waters of Israel, so that there could be no memorial for him and no country could serve as his final resting place. This is the only civil execution ever carried out in Israel, a state that doesnt believe in death penalty.



Kasab's case has already taken 17 months. Currently, he is being kept in a special cell in Arthur Road Jail which was constructed at an estimated Rs.6 crores and about Rs. 2 crores are being daily spent on his security.

A lot of people are waiting for justice...people who have lost their loved ones....family of late Maj. Unni Krishnan, Widow of the Police officers killed are among them, and a lot of other innocent people who were subjected to this act of heinous terror....for once, cant the system proceed swiftly and justice be expedited...if these estimates are to be believed and it indeed takes 5-7 years...would it hold any meaning by then??...Wouldnt it be a mockery of our legal system??..
Is our system capable of same defiance and courage as that of Israel's??...

Quantity not Quality.....

Some pearls of wisdom for my fellow blogger friends :)).....According to a study conducted by Susan Jamison Powell of Sheffield Hallam University of Britain when it comes to making friends online or seek popularity in the virtual world...it is the quantity and not the quality of blog posts that matters...infact the most prolific bloggers stay on the top of blogs. This study was conducted on 75 bloggers from livejournal.com website where the analysis was based on number of friends each blogger had, number of posts that were made and number of words that were written in each blog and overall tone of the blog. The researchers' asked bloggers how attractive they found their peers' blogs and found that more words a blogger posted, the more friends they had and the higher their attractiveness rating. The tone of their blog positive or negative did not have any impact.

So if you want to go by this study and its results....start posting rapidly without giving any thought to subject matter or even trying to be original...simple cut-copy-paste will also do :P

Personally, I think one writes because you feel this urge to express yourself freely and unhindered and not gain populairty or make friends online. But then again different individuals...different motives...Whats your perspective on this? :))

The Reader

A must read book by Bernhard Schlink. Its not your regular run-of-the-mill holocaust novel. It is a deeply sensitive and moving story that would compel its readers to think precisely how many lives were affected by the holocaust and in how many ways?.. It is the story of a 15 year old kid falling in love with an older woman...an affair that lasts only a summer but leaves the kid emotionally affected for the rest of his life. A touching story that portrays both the physical and emotional part of their relationship in the post-war Germany. This story thoroughly examines the German guilt and the impact of the holocaust on the German conscience.

I have found this story especially moving since I am living in Germany currently. Those days have been left far behind..now it is one of the largest economies of the world...people are so courteous, polite and matter-of-fact that it is impossible to imagine that this holocaust ever took place here. I remember an incident where we all were standing outside a club and suddenly this Indian guy who was in our group got into a drunken conversation with a German guy who was equally drunk...after sometime, as happens normally when two drunk people converse, they started arguing....and suddenly out of nowhere the guy said " Why are you talking to me like that? Do you think I am Nazi?...I am not Nazi...I hate them and whatever they did"....this statement had a deep impact on me. This behaviour may or may not be common but goes on to show the deep seated shame that is felt even today in this society.

The movie "The Reader" is also amazing albeit slightly different from the novel due to creative reasons, I think. Kate Winslet has given one of the best performances I have ever seen and deservedly got an Oscar for the same. I would recommend that you watch the movie after reading the book for a deeper impact and understanding but incase you aren't much of a reader, atleast watch the movie lest you dont want to miss something simply amazing :))

Courage...

Theirs not to make reply,

Theirs not to reason why,

Theirs but to do and die:

Into the Valley of Death

Rode the six hundred 

      -Alfred ,Lord Tennyson

Based on these lines from the poem 'The Charge of the Light Brigade' by Alfred,Lord Tennyson describing the disastrous Battle of Balaclava in the Crimean War; where the british soldiers marched on inspite of knowing that they were going to die. Inspired by this, Michael Orr wrote an essay on Courage for his School Paper in the movie The Blind Side which really moved me :

Courage is a hard thing to figure. You can have courage based on a dumb idea or a mistake. But you’re not supposed to question adults or your coach or your teacher because they make the rules. Maybe they know best or maybe they don’t. It all depends on who you are, where you come from. Didnt atleast one of the six hundred guys think of giving up and joining with the other side? I mean The Valley Of Death! That's pretty salty stuff.That’s why courage is tricky. Should you always do what others tell you to do? Sometimes, you might not even know why you’re doing something. I mean any fool can have courage, but honour, that's the real reason you do something or you don't. Its who you are and maybe who you want to be. If you die trying for something important then you have both honour and courage and that's pretty good. I think that's what the writer was saying, that you should hope for courage and try for honour and maybe even pray that the people telling you what to do have some too.

                                                                   

Rituals....Why???

Read this Story in the Sunday Times. A girl called off her wedding just a month before the D-Day. Reason??..She wasnt in love with someone else, She hadnt developed cold feet at the thought of being married. She just didnt agree with the rituals her prospective in-laws believed in. What was the ritual that offended her so much?..She was asked to oil massage her husbands' feet on the wedding night, clean it up and ask for permission to share his bed !!! She was further shocked when her UK-educated Investment Banker fiance did nothing to resist or oppose this.

Now many would think that it was irrational on her part to cancel the wedding on this issue. What was the harm in going through one ritual, afterall, they are just namesake but are they?  Supporters would insist that these rituals are the part of our rich Indian Culture, our heritage ,our values and what not. But why these rituals if I may ask are subservient to the males of our society? Isnt it demeaning and insulting for a woman to oil massage her husbands' feet and ask for permission to share his bed? 

Then there are numerous rituals of Vrats or Fasts that a woman has to perform to make sure that her husband lives a hundred years. Why dont men keep these Fasts? Dont they want their wives to live for a hundred years?

I kept the fast of Karva Chauth this year and my husband fasted along with me because he loves me a lot and when I chose to go hungry for his sake, he reciprocated for mine. Nowadays, many husbands are doing that but what about those not-so-supportive husbands? Its a very big deal and the woman is considered very lucky if her husband fasts along with her but there is no big deal when a woman goes a whole day without food and water- it is expected from her.

Am I sounding feminist here?.. Lets talk logically then. These Rituals are hardly practical. Most of the Women are working these days and time is precious for a jetsetting woman who is juggling between home and office work. Rituals dont ensure that a marriage lasts a lifetime, it is the mutual love, respect and understanding that keeps the big ship of wedding afloat.

Saluting the Martyrs!!!

Today some 80 years ago, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru sacrificed their lives fighting colonialism and British Raj. This is an ode to our brave freedom fighters who martyred for our independence. They are the symbol of heroism, courage and integrity who selflessly devoted their entire lives for this nation and its freedom.

This is my salute to these brave revolutionaries who will live in our hearts forever. Jai Hind!!

Helpless Democracy....

Mayawati is in news again...'Behenji' has recently spent about 200 crores of Taxpayers' money on the 25th Anniversary of a useless party called BSP. 'Dalits' from all across India were invited, there were about 2000 air conditioned tents and 200 temporary toilets erected for the ocassion.My assumption is most of the poor Dalits gathered there to get a decent meal rather than celebrating 25th anniversary of BSP (I mean when your daily challenge is barely making ends meet..who cares about these things).From erecting her statues and that of Elephants (her party symbol),this lady has left no stone unturned in her brazen display of authority and misuse of  power.

 And when there was a huge furore over the 1000 rupee currency garland that was presented to Mayawati,(allegedly estimated at 5 crores from the look and size of it though BSP has given the cost at 21 lakhs after officially denying the existence of any such garland in the first place!!...they only owned up to it after incessant TV and media coverage which showed close footage of the garland and the currency notes).... BSP has gone ahead and presented another to her today (this time wisely announcing the cost at 18 lakhs) and thanking TV Channels and Media for highlighting the popularity of their 'Behenji'!!!

Why this obnoxiously arrogant display of power??..One would ask why UP people have voted her to absolute majority then??...Is she doing a good job?? (that is seriously doubted)..What option do they have...Mulayam Singh??.....the guy has promised to wipe out IT,Computer and English language among other things from the state when he is elected!

Mulayam Singh has volubly protested on this immense show of wealth by Mayawati ,ofcourse,he has demanded a high level probe into this matter of spending 200 crores of Taxpayers money.Mayawati has indeed ordered a high level probe but to find the reason for hundreds of bees flying when she was giving her speech...She is convinced it was the handywork of opposition to ruin her gathering. Bees were professionally trained though because they just swarmed through without a single sting. We should wait for the day when Street Dogs,Cows,Donkeys etc will also enter politics.

Its time people wake up and vote....Vote for themselves and vote to throw such people out who are making such a mockery of democracy.

Six Suspects...

A very entertaining novel by Vikas Swarup. The central character of the story is Vicky Rai....son of high profile minister...a typical brat. Interestingly, the incidents that the author has associated with Vicky Rai to describe his reckless and complete ignorance of the law are real life incidents of some high profile people in India. For example, the black buck hunting and drunk driving and killing labourers sleeping on the pavement are taken from mishaps that actor Salman Khan has been involved in (and those cases are still going on in the court) and the murder of a cocktail waitress is also a real life incident in which Sushil Sharma was convicted for the murder of Jessica Lal.

The story takes an adventurous turn when this same Vicky Rai is shot dead at his own party. Amongst the glitzy bunch of his guests,police finds six strange characters carrying a gun in their possession. From here starts the investigation into the mysterious,tender and techni-colour lives of all these eccentric six suspects.

Its witty, intelligent,dazzling and presents a kalaeidoscope portrait of contemporary India. Its a must read :)

Google City...for Google Broadband !!!

Google announced in Feb.2010 that it was building an experimental,ultra high speed broadband network across America. In this trial service, about 500,000 people would be provided with ultra high speed broadband with a speed of 1 Giga bit per second...about 200 times faster than the average UK speed of 5 Mb/second. The service will be an extension of Google's existing fiber network, which links its various data centres around the US.



As a result a frenzy of ideas have been put forward including from thousands of Americans across the country. More than 200 groups on Facebook are pushing different cities and counties for Google's broadband plan. Among the ideas submitted includes a group in Baltimore launching a Web site that uses Google mapping to plot the location of more than 1,000 residents and gives their reasons for wanting the service. Other cities in pursuit include Cincinnati, Portland (Oregon), Grand Rapids (Michigan), Rochester (New York), Baton Rouge (Louisiana).

But it seemed to date the most original appeared to be the Kansas capital...The city of Topeka which has named itself  "Google" for the month of March in its bid for hosting the search engines'broadband.
One Facebook group named "Bring Googles' Fiber Experiment to Topeka" has attracted about 14,500 members so far.

Deadlines for the bid are till late March and the selected communities will be announced later this year.

May the Best City win :))

Google Buzz is here!!!

Gmail is the third most popular web-based email in the world, with 176.5m unique visitors in December, based on statistics from comScore, which ranks Microsoft's Hotmail number one, with 369.2m unique visitors, and Yahoo Mail second with 303.7m.

 Now Google has launched a new tool...Google Buzz that will alow the users of Gmail to share their feelings with each other...which means Google is taking social networking Giants Facebook and Twiiter head on by doing this.



Google Buzz allows the users to write their own status messages which the other users can see and it also allows the users to make their own Profile Pages which can be seen not only by friends but the entire web if so desired. It also allows users to post links like videos from YouTube or pictures from Picasa. Another advantage is that the replies to the status updates will be directly sent to the Inbox saving time shuffling a lot of browser windows and collecting social feeds from Twitter and Flickr all into one place.

Google will also introduce its unique Ranking System here (which is what makes it Search Engine so sucessful). Ranking is the idea of using iterative algorithm which corresponds to the principal eigenvector of the normalized link matrix of the web to determine the individual ranking of the site. This in the context of Buzz would mean that updates of friends that have been commented and "liked" by others would be flagged up and hence would be deemed more meaningful than the updates where someone saying what they had for lunch.

Buzz still has some drawbacks however, like its current inability toconnect to Facebook and the status messages posted on the buzz can be 'tweeted' to the followers but the followers' replies cant be seen on the buzz.

But these arent insurmountable problems and given Google's commitment to excellence,the buzz is surely going to go places.