HAPPY DIWALI

It feels great to have decorated the house.

It feels great to have attended to a respectable number of guests at home.

It feels great to have treated the younger siblings at McDs and Dominos because this miser feels generous today.

It feels great to have pampered Pa like a child because his mood was off in the morning.

It feels great to have dressed up nicely today, wearing a suit I bought 2 years back, and got stitched a year back, and finally wearing it for the first time today. (Ofcourse, the fitting wasn't that great though)

It feels great to have a serious puja session in the evening, because the music was good.

But what I have felt best about are the facts that a muslim senior wished me, in office, and through an SMS and, that a christian auntie from the neighbourhood bakes a cake for us every Diwali.
I am not very fond of the fact that we have so many religions in our country, because this fact only contributes to more filth in the name of politics, and nothing more. We as Indians live more as humans than as a Hindu or a muslim or a christian in our day to day lives. Practicing our respective religion has become more of a personal issue than a cultural issue. But anyway, it felt great to have shared our celebrations with people who don't call themselves Hindus.

Festivals are one reason I majorly love my country for(no, not for the morals and all anymore). Not only because the country has given me the number and frequency of holidays in 1 year, no other country can, but also because no matter what religion or state or culture one belongs to, everyone has a right to celebrate so many festivals, just so many of them.

This brightness, these colors, this happiness, this spreaded light of little wicks across the horizon seems like such a heaven, no matter whatever the reason be, return of Ram - the king, Ram - the God, Ram - the perfect, or Ram - just another character in a story called Ramayan with his wife and brother, whether it's all for real, part of our very own history, or just a sacred story, whatever be the reason and it's source, i'm glad we have another day to celebrate in our lives, every year, another reason to smile, see everyone around us smile, and make genuine efforts to make others smile and all this, coming year after year after year, for generations.

Extremist?

The world has survival for the extremes
you're either too rich to buy the lands
or you're too poor to own the skies
If you're anywhere in the middle,
speed up, or lower down.

The nation's got the roads built for the extremes
you're either a minister,
too elite to enter a traffic, a crowd
or you're a beggar
owning the footpaths, the dividers, so proud.

The constitution's got reservations for the extremes
The poorest fight the loudest for the deaf constituency to favor
The richest feed the hardest for the hungry administration that's eager

The society's got an ear for the extremes
you're either a tragedy queen to rule the gossips
or you're too lame to offer fellowships
if you're anywhere in the middle,
Oh! you're a loser!

p.s. - It's better to lessen the wide gap between the richest and the poorest than lifting up the poorest in the name of reservations and sympathy by suppressing the middle class as an award for it's hard work and a bare aim of surviving in the society.

Post - Independence

I'd like to thank all those people who've contributed even their least bit in wanting India to be independent of the British rule. Sach, dil se!

And now, like many others, I wonder how independent our nation is. Well, definitely of the British. But not of American economy, to start with. One crash there, and the whole market goes tipsy turvy. This dependency is not unique to India, if I've to console! The whole world's suffered, true. Next?

The next issue is a very common heading in all the newspapers, "Delhi not safe for women!" As if safer in other cities in this country, I wonder. But the national capital, at least, should be secured? Is that what comes to your mind? It's like the wrong-doers here are the most determined lot in the country. It no longer matters to them whether it's day-time or dark, whether a public spot or a secluded one. What can therefore be suggested is that one can only take precautions. No crying, regretting or blaming can defend your mis-hap.
Here, I'd also wish that these girls be accepted in the society, for the sake of their innocence and whatever life they wish to lead. If people can be open minded about talking of legalizing prostitution, they should be equally open minded in general about such issues as well.
Well, next?

I could just not avoid the dirtiest issue of the country. No points for guessing, I jump to politics now. I can't say how our country would have turned up, if the British still ruled our country, keeping in mind the racism and their senseless strictness over all Indian matters. But no freedom fighter, in the wildest of his dreams, could have ever thought of politicians ruining the country till this extent. And why only politics? The inspiration today has moved to the judiciary, the police, each and every government department, posts big or small. Daddy used to say that if Bhagat Singh (or any other freedom fighter for that matter) was to be born as Bhagat Singh in his next life also, he'd anyway commit suicide on seeing such a devastated condition of the country. All hyped up media stunts also bring no government employee to shame. They're all so bloody used to it now, nothing matters to them. A common man today avoids, if not withdraws, any dealing with the government today. He's most scared of the police here, because he's their most easily available target. And huge bribes for a simple F.I.R. You talk of rights?
Any respectable father would fear sending his child to politics. The existing ones have their monopoly. And acceptance is restricted to the ones who can survive in their filth.

The British had to work hard on dividing Hindustan into 2, India and Pakistan. Oh! We have the ones that will only make them proud. The ones who take secret pride in starting religious fights. They sit back, and make sure that the fire keeps burning. I could go on and on about this one, it's so hurting. All I'd like to say is that so many of us believe in God, in some form or the other we call Him by different names, Ganeshji, Shivji, Allah, a divine spirit;

PLEASE PRAY TO HIM FOR PEACE IN OUR COUNTRY.

When we have so many religions in our country, why fight? why not pray together for peace and harmony? Each religion is just another path that leads to God. It's okay if we take different routes, as long as we aim the same destination.
For the atheists, I'd want them to meditate at least. The positive vibes would definitely help, and I'm sure they know it.

Sadly, there is no classification of good people and bad people in reality. But when you see people howling and shouting and dying everyday for no fault of theirs, all celebrations seem fake.

Ye Mausam Ka Jaadoo Hai Mitawaa...

I'm all smiles today! Those who know me the slightest, must have guessed that half the reason could be the weather today. Well, today, I'd credit it entirely.

The sound of the swinging branches, the race of the dried up leaves sweeping the roads, the touch of the cool breezes, the white clouds of the shapes of all the continents on the earth in the blue-blue sky and everybody tempted to sing his/her favorite song, over and over again, overwhelm me.

So, on this rare occasion of Mr. Delhi playing with the bestest of its moods, I really, realllyyyyy wanted to go out today. Elders in the house had their own procrastination barring them to accompany me but I still wanted Mom to accompany me, for I know she loves less-adventurous, close to-Mother-Nature type of outings.

And here they start, the list and the confusions.

Delhi parks couldn't be a good idea, for we would never want to bear the guilt of the lovers who would otherwise feel scared of making public appearances with their respective partners. Adding to this, is our least interest in "bird-watching". Therefore, missing out the beautiful gardens and their perfectly trimmed greenery was sadly seemingly obvious.

Malls can just not complement a good weather. "What's the use of entering air-conditioned complexes when we're out to enjoy a great weather!" Makes sense.

Shopping out was an idea that brought a wide grin on my face and my Mom, like probably all others, came out with just another stare, a big one. What if we had just gone to heavy-duty shoppings just one week back, for my cousin's wedding and other miscellaneous functions. Anyway, this option wasn't totally ruled out, but we were bent on considering other options.

Amidst all this, were the voices from here and there, solely intending my anger and Mom's discouragement, wanting us to stand very romantically in our very spacious balcony and smile at any soul who peeped out of his window or came out in his balcony. No, not this, not today!

How could the national capital of our very own India, be short of places for innocent mother-daughter couples like ours for an outing in such a pleasant weather?

The next stream-line went desi now. Khan market? Sarojini Nagar market? some what better... umm.. Dilli Haat? Well, why not? I had never been there before, never in these 21 years? Oh God, I've not been a good Delhite. Sad. (Zyaada ho gaya? :-P) Anyway, time to make up for it! So, finally, decided to go to Dilli Haat.

The drive was nice. Parking was a problem, but I'm almost used to it now (because Delhi-Malls=parking problem!) The entrance fee was a minimal cost of Rs. 15. Impressed! But there was a change over going on today. Not-so-impressed. On entering a small path-way, there were old ladies selling colorful anklets. Rest of the market comprised of artificial jewelery, pearl jewelery, Indian cotton kurtis, wrap-around skirts, bed-covers, and souvenirs. And, of course, different stalls of different cuisines. The market on the whole didn't have as much variety as I had expected, but the mausam played it's due role. Slight rain drops, cool breeze and not a great rush, was all that could make a happy outing, in the brightest of our spirits.

Ahh... what a day! I wonder how if Delhi's awesome mausam has been breaking any records.. it's been more than pleasant this entire season. Thank you dear pre-monsoons!!
:-)
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HAPPY 'RAINY SEASON'!

For almost all possible reasons, I've hated the fact that Indians associate largely everything to their Gods. For everything good, for everything bad, there's ONLY God. I am not an atheist myself, and what all I believe in is another part of the story, but I do not see God the soul reason for everything. He's believed to be the culprit, the savior, the generosity, the judge, the everything! It's a pity how a large part of the country gets swayed so easily.

But perhaps today, whatever be the reason, I realize another aspect of it today. The brighter perception called "celebration"! Others merely enjoy rains. But we, the Indians, celebrate the season(sawan) by worshiping the Gods. Thus, the enjoyment, the whole spirit of a season is doubled, tripled because of such intense devotion being associated to it.

Today, my grandmother hosted a keertan at our place. She invited many ladies of the neighborhood and many of her other friends. And she, very sincerely, took the job of arranging everything herself. She cleaned the portraits of her preachers and put garlands around them herself. (She bought the garlands herself!) She neatly kept the portraits in the living room and even decorated the jyot with rose petals. Everything was absolutely set right half an hour before the scheduled time. (Trust me, the arrangements were impressive!) She welcomed each lady with folded hands and a pleasant smile. Each one sat with utmost discipline and silence.

The keertan wasn't a social gathering at all. All the ladies, with their eyes shut, sincerely engrossed themselves in the purpose of the gathering. After the gathering, each one greeted the other, and without making much noise, left.

Before the keertan, i saw Badima so excited, like a small child packing return gifts for his birthday party. During the keertan, she was, in real sense, magn(!!), I noticed. And after it was all over, man! the million dollar smile on her face, I loved it. A smile of extreme satisfaction and pleasure.

I don't want to comment on how happy the Gods felt or how God would save them from any sort of a punishment. All I'm feeling happy about is that small things in life can give immense pleasure to anyone who intends seeking it.