It was my first time in many ways; first long flight (though I flew from Cochin to Chennai just a couple of days earlier, a short one though, but thanks to my brother in law!), first trip abroad and of course my honeymoon. Laugh out Loud :)
We took a 5.5 hour break in Bangkok because my husband felt I should experience an international airport; check out the many duty free shops and so on. Though I don’t have much to pen about those hours, the Cream Factory’s ice cream was delicious to the power n!
We touched the island of Bali aka Denpasar Airport at about 2pm. I expected this cool breeze touching my face but I was welcomed by the ‘incense’ of cigarettes! I am not kidding! But then our guide gave us a very warm welcome with garlands of Firangi paani. He wanted to be called Mr. Putu; looked 50 something and I immediately took to liking him! Extremely professional and quick he was.
We drove to the Benoa Beach Villa and Spa located at Tanjung Benoa Nusa Dua. It’s a short drive from the airport, say about 20 minutes or so. Oh by the way, we got this deal from ‘makemytrip’ and a good one too! The 4 day 3 night stay included our flight tickets, stay at the hotel, breakfast and dinner, a one day sightseeing of Bali and a day where we could pick from a list. Don’t remember what it offered but we chose to go to a spa, quite but obviously!
The Beach Villa is outstanding to say the least. They have extremely well maintained rooms with a lovely swimming pool overlooking the beach. The beach; words fail to explain the relaxed atmosphere and the buzz created by the water sports enthusiasts alike! The in house restaurant has a decent spread/menu and my husband, a non-vegetarian, had more choice obviously! He raved about the traditional Balinese chicken with coconut sauce and I loved the dessert made from pineapples and spices!
Bali’s economy is primarily dependant on agriculture and tourism. They have no industries and hence no pollution, Mr. Putu claimed! They eat whatever they produce that suffices. To give you an example – Mr. Putu said the Balinese farmers produce first grade rice and use it for their own consumption. They also produce a second grade rice which they mainly use to export to Java.
The next day, our guide took us to the Batik Centre of Bali and it is a must stop. The place costs of having traditional Balinese batik prints both handmade and woven, the latter being more expensive. One can shop quite a bit here! From there we stopped a phenomenally expensive wood carver’s showroom! Beautiful carvings no doubt! They are again mostly exported. This reminds me of the book ‘Eat Pray Love’ I read after returning to India where the author mentions foreigners who come to Bali and stay for a long time make money by helping exporting such carvings and furniture.
Next we go the famous Kintamani volcano which is said to be active as yet. The last eruption took place in 1976. We stop here for lunch at a restaurant which overlooks the volcanic mountain and it sure is a sight to behold! Most of the table cloth was on our filled plates, courtesy the strong breeze, but I don’t think any of the diners minded! Again, being a vegetarian doesn’t help as I had only noodles to eat and of course a range of desserts from fried bananas to a black rice pudding!
From there we head to a garden growing spices and a variety of fruits! The most interesting experience of my trip was in this very garden. Atleast till that day I was not aware of something called the ‘Coffee Luwak’. Luwak is a monkey, a special monkey which picks and consumes the Arabica coffee beans. The next day, it excretes the same in the same form (as a whole bean!), which is later washed, dried, roasted and ground to make a tasty coffee powder. One cup of it cost us $5 for all the pain they take in collecting the s&*$ of the monkey!!! This whole procedure may sound unpleasant but the taste of the coffee is far from it!
We then stopped at a market in Ubud which also houses a Balinese palace. Nothing out of ordinary to speak of; lot of junk jewellery made from silver, Balinese sarongs, scarves and so on. If I have to mention something special then it must be the exclusive bead store with a creative collection of original gem stones and other beaded jewellery. I spent most of my time there.
Now comes the thrilling part – water sports! I am one of those with an extremely less dose of the adrenaline hormone, much to the chagrin of my husband. We went to this place called the ‘Pandawa Water Sports’ and we tried the banana boat, flying fish and donnut boat. The banana boat is common, so I am not explaining what it is. The flying fish is apparently a specialty in Bali. A stingray like boat is shaped for two people to lie down amidst tubes and another guy accompanies us. He literally stands upright on that boat! Check pictures of Google as my explanation maybe inadequate. Frankly, I loved this one. The ‘flying fish’ is tied to another motor boat and the latter takes off at great speed. It later twists and turns and the aiding wind makes our ‘fish fly’, literally!
The ‘donnut boat’ as described by the name is a donut shaped boat and we are made to sit on it. Again, it is tied to another speeding boat and we do a 360 degree turn in the sea. But that was all I could take. I played a spoilsport by not throwing myself into water during the banana boat so my husband had to redo it the following day.
The following day was a full moon day and apparently that day was all the more special for Hindus, just like in India. So most water sports clubs were closed and we surprisingly found the one at our beach open. It was run by non-Hindus and so I chose to paraglide while my husband had another dose of the flying fish. He badly wanted to sea dive and watch the underwater creatures but it is said that those catching a flight on the same day are not allowed.
Check this link to know why:
I then got a temporary tattoo done! I badly want to get a permanent one done, so just to please myself momentarily, I settle down for the temporary one.
Leaving is not so difficult but not so easy either! I was longing to see my mom and close friends so I look forward but then the culture of Bali is so similar to ours (India) along with this really laid back attitude which makes you want to stay longer. Overall, the deal by makemytrip was good, our guide is definitely recommended and my memories just bring me happiness!
Bali is known for its night life but somehow I was not up to it. That maybe something I genuinely missed out on but that’s ok. Once I got back, I read ‘Eat Pray Love’ and learnt a lot more things about Bali. I am planning to pen another blog particularly on the similarities between the Balinese culture and the Hindu culture in India. This may take time because I have to remember what all my guide told me and right now it’s all messed up :)
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
A Small Alteration!
“Good morning sweetie”, the text would read. I’d stretch and yawn (or is it yawn and stretch?!) and sleepily text back, “Woke up to your message, love!”
He’d leave for work and I’d accompany him over a phone call. Not entirely romantic; we’d discuss the day’s news, sports, plans for the day and the possibility of catching up for a quick coffee. During the day, there would be more texts and calls. When weekend arrived, we’d make sure we spend time together over dinner or a cup of coffee again! Movies were never our kind of thing. If at all we went, his preferences were animation movies! So obviously, watching movies weren’t quite an often occurrence.
The courtship lasted two years and the next 6 months flew away in breaking the news to our respective families, the official meeting and preparations for the wedding.
It’s been a month now; of being married to him. “Good morning kanna” (kanna – a word used to denote a dear one in Tamil), the text NOW reads. It’s from my mother.
He’d leave for work and I’d accompany him over a phone call. Not entirely romantic; we’d discuss the day’s news, sports, plans for the day and the possibility of catching up for a quick coffee. During the day, there would be more texts and calls. When weekend arrived, we’d make sure we spend time together over dinner or a cup of coffee again! Movies were never our kind of thing. If at all we went, his preferences were animation movies! So obviously, watching movies weren’t quite an often occurrence.
The courtship lasted two years and the next 6 months flew away in breaking the news to our respective families, the official meeting and preparations for the wedding.
It’s been a month now; of being married to him. “Good morning kanna” (kanna – a word used to denote a dear one in Tamil), the text NOW reads. It’s from my mother.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Up close and personal!
Trees are not a rarity, but with all the changes, every time there were a bunch of trees, he stuck his neck out to take a better look. He smiled and muttered a wow! ‘A nature lover’, I said to myself.
His feet were tapping to a constant rhythm. Being a singer, I noticed he never went wrong. ‘A music lover; a knowledgeable one’, said I between smiles.
He kept looking at his watch; either he’s late or a stickler for time. I liked the latter and concluded it’s that!
Our eyes met. He smiled at me and I found it hard to resist! He was dark; not exactly handsome but a rugged look. And with all that I got to know about him, and most importantly, all qualities I like, I returned his smile with my best!
A mere hour in a bus and I actually got personal details of a complete stranger! Who said travelling is boring?! That too in the traffic of Bangalore? ;)
His feet were tapping to a constant rhythm. Being a singer, I noticed he never went wrong. ‘A music lover; a knowledgeable one’, said I between smiles.
He kept looking at his watch; either he’s late or a stickler for time. I liked the latter and concluded it’s that!
Our eyes met. He smiled at me and I found it hard to resist! He was dark; not exactly handsome but a rugged look. And with all that I got to know about him, and most importantly, all qualities I like, I returned his smile with my best!
A mere hour in a bus and I actually got personal details of a complete stranger! Who said travelling is boring?! That too in the traffic of Bangalore? ;)
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Shades…
Two shades of green, random yellow specks, white and grey coats and the constant drizzle. The smell of wet earth. Wow! With ‘A Love’ by Jeffrey Archer fresh on my mind, I look out of the window; the window could have belonged to a cottage in faraway Italy. A cup of freshly brewed coffee, re-reading ‘A Love’, treating my taste buds to a plateful of freshly cooked penne…
But the window belongs to a building which nests a hospital. The green leaves are losing its charm. They fall down and end up under the mammoth wheels of monstrous vehicles. It’s still pouring, and the earth, wet as yet. So are my eyes…
But the window belongs to a building which nests a hospital. The green leaves are losing its charm. They fall down and end up under the mammoth wheels of monstrous vehicles. It’s still pouring, and the earth, wet as yet. So are my eyes…
Monday, June 28, 2010
Raavanan dhaan Raman!
Enter cops in Vikramasingapram, courtesy chief cop Dev Prasad (Prithviraj). Exit cops from Vikramasingapuram, courtesy Veeraiyya(Vikram) and clan. The ten headed rustic romantic loses his sister to flesh seeking cops and to avenge the pain, he kidnaps Ragini (Aishwarya Rai), wife of Dev.
The first half of the movie is all about survival for Ragini by putting up a bold face which she complements by bold acts which melts the bad boy Raavanan’s otherwise tough heart. The openness with which he confesses love for Ragini is intriguingly indirect! The moments where he asks her to stay back with him is utterly dreamy and her swaying feelings blend in well.
The second half finally seems like the movie is heading somewhere. A proper story line connects the actions on screen where the search for the lost wife gains rigour. Whoever found the locales for this movie deserve a 5 on 5. One is instantly drawn to the coarseness, the dirt, the rain and the forest. The cinematographers Santosh Sivan and Manikandan get another 5 on 5. Whether one is watching a grasshopper sitting on the branch of a tree or the searching eyes intense with emotion, the directors of photography have created magic and only magic.
Now for the cast; Vikram himself deserves a 100 on 100 if not more. From Chitthan in Pithamagan to this Raavanan, Vikram’s acting skills are undoubtedly exceptional. His physical features display all the roughness required and his dialogue delivery is just as extraordinary. Aishwarya Rai has to be complimented for dubbing in her own voice but the make up artist could have done away with all the waterproof eye liner and lipstick! Anyway she comes across as ‘God made no one perfect except her’, so it would not have mattered if she didn’t have the extra baggage called cosmetics.
Prithviraj as Dev Prasad aka Rama as in the storyline looks great. However he shows no pain that his wife has been kidnapped, except when he saves the dress she is wearing or during the song ‘Kalvare’. His only aim is getting at Veeraiyya and an addition would be getting his wife back. Maybe his character was meant to be that of a workaholic!
Prabhu, Karthik and Priya Mani have all essayed their roles well. However, the National Award winner Priya Mani seems to be getting roles which involve rapes alone! How sad! The climax with all its twists is decent, but one really feels for Raavanan. He surely is Rama for me!
I claimed that the tamil version of the music was not as good as the Hindi version. But in the movie, the songs and the background score merge in very well and the last song by Rahman, ‘Naan meendum varuven’ lingers for a long time.
Overall, a on 3 on 5!
The first half of the movie is all about survival for Ragini by putting up a bold face which she complements by bold acts which melts the bad boy Raavanan’s otherwise tough heart. The openness with which he confesses love for Ragini is intriguingly indirect! The moments where he asks her to stay back with him is utterly dreamy and her swaying feelings blend in well.
The second half finally seems like the movie is heading somewhere. A proper story line connects the actions on screen where the search for the lost wife gains rigour. Whoever found the locales for this movie deserve a 5 on 5. One is instantly drawn to the coarseness, the dirt, the rain and the forest. The cinematographers Santosh Sivan and Manikandan get another 5 on 5. Whether one is watching a grasshopper sitting on the branch of a tree or the searching eyes intense with emotion, the directors of photography have created magic and only magic.
Now for the cast; Vikram himself deserves a 100 on 100 if not more. From Chitthan in Pithamagan to this Raavanan, Vikram’s acting skills are undoubtedly exceptional. His physical features display all the roughness required and his dialogue delivery is just as extraordinary. Aishwarya Rai has to be complimented for dubbing in her own voice but the make up artist could have done away with all the waterproof eye liner and lipstick! Anyway she comes across as ‘God made no one perfect except her’, so it would not have mattered if she didn’t have the extra baggage called cosmetics.
Prithviraj as Dev Prasad aka Rama as in the storyline looks great. However he shows no pain that his wife has been kidnapped, except when he saves the dress she is wearing or during the song ‘Kalvare’. His only aim is getting at Veeraiyya and an addition would be getting his wife back. Maybe his character was meant to be that of a workaholic!
Prabhu, Karthik and Priya Mani have all essayed their roles well. However, the National Award winner Priya Mani seems to be getting roles which involve rapes alone! How sad! The climax with all its twists is decent, but one really feels for Raavanan. He surely is Rama for me!
I claimed that the tamil version of the music was not as good as the Hindi version. But in the movie, the songs and the background score merge in very well and the last song by Rahman, ‘Naan meendum varuven’ lingers for a long time.
Overall, a on 3 on 5!
Friday, April 30, 2010
RED means STOP!!
March last year, my mother was admitted to the hospital and was given just 48 hours to survive. After 2 days in the normal ward, sometime during the midnight, nurses flocked into the room and kept monitoring her BP and heart beat. I was trying to study for my final exams and couldn’t concentrate obviously!
Over the years, I have gotten used to hospital smells, the nurses’ faces and most things associated with the very mention of a hospital. Those moments of fluttering activity around my mom was enough evidence that she was not going to be in that ward for long. With an arduous task of lifting her and transferring her to a stretcher, she was rushed to the Intensive Care Unit.
Those few hours till day break were hell. Two hours after she was taken in, the tension within me broke out for reasons unexpected. About 50 people walked into the hospital with two men on stretchers. All I could see was blood, cuts, open wounds and parts of their clothing. The moans and groans from them was the only confirmation that they had some life in them. They were rushed into the very same ICU where my mom was lying.
I watched two women among the 50 odd people wail, and little kids, sleepy eyed, and completely unaware of what was happening. My heart went out to them as this was not a case of natural illness causing pain but an inhuman act causing much more than sheer pain. Each of the men present in that group looked no less than rowdies; one yelling, one abusing, one making calls and the others fighting with the poor security guard whose job was in jeopardy for allowing so many people into the ICU almost at this hour.
Both were operated upon the following day and all ICU visiting hour rules were broken. People walked in and out like bees in spite of the hospital staff doing as much as they could. I did not dare ask anybody what or who caused this sort of bludgeoning to the men. When I walked into the ICU to see my mom, I’d take a peek at the beds nearby to see if the men felt any better.
But we could not take the torture beyond two days. Eventually I requested my mom to be shifted out to another hospital as the tantrums thrown by the so called friends and relatives of the injured men were disturbing all of us. I later got to know that the two men were real estate businessmen with local rowdy connections to help them with their dealings. As in the movies, one group had a misunderstanding with the other and bloodbath followed.
All this I managed to bury deep not because it involved blood and other gory material but this phase involved my dear mother and I wanted to wipe it all off until today when it all came back.
This morning in the local newspaper, I read about a rowdy being done to death by another gang in front his of own family - wife, children and sister. It evoked two emotions in me:
1. Good a rowdy got killed. It makes it one less now.
2. Pity for the family. He’s a bread earner after all. And watching the head of the family being killed or for that matter, any family member, is agonizing.
Why choose to go the wrong way? I was watching this show on prostitution and the ladies involved always blamed their bad upbringing, abusive parents and so on. But why did she have to choose this way? She could have chosen even a sweeper’s job and kept her dignity intact!
Similarly why choose to be a rowdy when you know you have a loving family back home? Even if you were single, you have just one life to live, why can’t you be something more dignified instead?!
All that will remain in the minds and hearts of those family members who witnessed the gory act is pain, anger and more anger. This may also induce the next generation to avenge the pain caused. Instead if there was no rowdy, no anger, and all the other negativities, the kids would have grown up to be righteous people unless otherwise.
There can’t be good always, but then we all can follow the age old saying – BE GOOD DO GOOD!
Over the years, I have gotten used to hospital smells, the nurses’ faces and most things associated with the very mention of a hospital. Those moments of fluttering activity around my mom was enough evidence that she was not going to be in that ward for long. With an arduous task of lifting her and transferring her to a stretcher, she was rushed to the Intensive Care Unit.
Those few hours till day break were hell. Two hours after she was taken in, the tension within me broke out for reasons unexpected. About 50 people walked into the hospital with two men on stretchers. All I could see was blood, cuts, open wounds and parts of their clothing. The moans and groans from them was the only confirmation that they had some life in them. They were rushed into the very same ICU where my mom was lying.
I watched two women among the 50 odd people wail, and little kids, sleepy eyed, and completely unaware of what was happening. My heart went out to them as this was not a case of natural illness causing pain but an inhuman act causing much more than sheer pain. Each of the men present in that group looked no less than rowdies; one yelling, one abusing, one making calls and the others fighting with the poor security guard whose job was in jeopardy for allowing so many people into the ICU almost at this hour.
Both were operated upon the following day and all ICU visiting hour rules were broken. People walked in and out like bees in spite of the hospital staff doing as much as they could. I did not dare ask anybody what or who caused this sort of bludgeoning to the men. When I walked into the ICU to see my mom, I’d take a peek at the beds nearby to see if the men felt any better.
But we could not take the torture beyond two days. Eventually I requested my mom to be shifted out to another hospital as the tantrums thrown by the so called friends and relatives of the injured men were disturbing all of us. I later got to know that the two men were real estate businessmen with local rowdy connections to help them with their dealings. As in the movies, one group had a misunderstanding with the other and bloodbath followed.
All this I managed to bury deep not because it involved blood and other gory material but this phase involved my dear mother and I wanted to wipe it all off until today when it all came back.
This morning in the local newspaper, I read about a rowdy being done to death by another gang in front his of own family - wife, children and sister. It evoked two emotions in me:
1. Good a rowdy got killed. It makes it one less now.
2. Pity for the family. He’s a bread earner after all. And watching the head of the family being killed or for that matter, any family member, is agonizing.
Why choose to go the wrong way? I was watching this show on prostitution and the ladies involved always blamed their bad upbringing, abusive parents and so on. But why did she have to choose this way? She could have chosen even a sweeper’s job and kept her dignity intact!
Similarly why choose to be a rowdy when you know you have a loving family back home? Even if you were single, you have just one life to live, why can’t you be something more dignified instead?!
All that will remain in the minds and hearts of those family members who witnessed the gory act is pain, anger and more anger. This may also induce the next generation to avenge the pain caused. Instead if there was no rowdy, no anger, and all the other negativities, the kids would have grown up to be righteous people unless otherwise.
There can’t be good always, but then we all can follow the age old saying – BE GOOD DO GOOD!
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
My take on Love, Sex aur Dhoka
First of all, get ready not to watch a semi-porn movie. If you thought the title just sets you into a mood to watch all the raunchy action, it quite isn’t the director’s priority. Three short stories denoting love, sex and dhoka (being cheated) respectively, are plotted perfectly. Better even is the connection between the three short stories; it hits you like lightening that for weak brains like me, it took a bit longer to actually understand the association!
The first plot, love, pretty much proves that the emotion is not at all times blissful! A final year student Rahul (Anshuman Jha) is directing a movie for his diploma course and ends up falling in love with the female lead in the movie, Shruthi. The girl’s dad and brother, play the typical protective sorts and some element of comedy exists. Knowing fully well that their love will not be accepted, they elope and marry. What follows after that is a gory, but true image of the darker side of love.
The second plot, sex, provides some amount of sleaze for those who still think the title has to justice! Between love and money, the latter sure has an upper hand boy! A new camera has been set up in a supermarket and it has to have some work right? So, it has to play the role of filming ‘the act’ between the heavily debted Adarsh, the store manager who desperately needs money to free himself from unending financial constraints and Rashmi, a ‘dark behenji’ types who eventually gets vulnerable. From seriously falling in love to succumbing to want of money, this plot is pretty much the locus of the entire movie. Much of the connection between the three plots happen in this very supermarket.
The third plot, illustrates the casting couch in the reel world and the media relentlessly trying by means not so right just to bag the ‘headlines of the year’ title. The photographer unable to fund for his wife and kid but having a liking for the girl who helps him in the entire process of unearthing the singer’s weaknesses shows yet another face of dhoka. Herry Tangri plays the role of Loki Local well and reminds you of a famous singer's episode of the casting couch drama.
What makes this movie all the more wonderful is the usage of a hand held camera by the respective character of each plot. Dibakar Banerjee, the director, has made a watchable movie and even the A rated scenes does not make one shift uneasily in his/her seat. However, blood and gore are not my cups of tea and hence I did feel uneasy watching some scenes in the first plot but overall a movie with both my thumbs up!
I haven’t heard any of Sneha Khanwilkar’s music previously and hence cannot compare. But the title track is really apt and the background score blends utterly well. I may have not mentioned some characters and that’s for you to watch because this is one helluva movie!
As I walked out of the movie hall, my friend aptly commented, “When movies like ‘My Name is Khan’ gets 4 stars, this movie is way beyond that”.
The first plot, love, pretty much proves that the emotion is not at all times blissful! A final year student Rahul (Anshuman Jha) is directing a movie for his diploma course and ends up falling in love with the female lead in the movie, Shruthi. The girl’s dad and brother, play the typical protective sorts and some element of comedy exists. Knowing fully well that their love will not be accepted, they elope and marry. What follows after that is a gory, but true image of the darker side of love.
The second plot, sex, provides some amount of sleaze for those who still think the title has to justice! Between love and money, the latter sure has an upper hand boy! A new camera has been set up in a supermarket and it has to have some work right? So, it has to play the role of filming ‘the act’ between the heavily debted Adarsh, the store manager who desperately needs money to free himself from unending financial constraints and Rashmi, a ‘dark behenji’ types who eventually gets vulnerable. From seriously falling in love to succumbing to want of money, this plot is pretty much the locus of the entire movie. Much of the connection between the three plots happen in this very supermarket.
The third plot, illustrates the casting couch in the reel world and the media relentlessly trying by means not so right just to bag the ‘headlines of the year’ title. The photographer unable to fund for his wife and kid but having a liking for the girl who helps him in the entire process of unearthing the singer’s weaknesses shows yet another face of dhoka. Herry Tangri plays the role of Loki Local well and reminds you of a famous singer's episode of the casting couch drama.
What makes this movie all the more wonderful is the usage of a hand held camera by the respective character of each plot. Dibakar Banerjee, the director, has made a watchable movie and even the A rated scenes does not make one shift uneasily in his/her seat. However, blood and gore are not my cups of tea and hence I did feel uneasy watching some scenes in the first plot but overall a movie with both my thumbs up!
I haven’t heard any of Sneha Khanwilkar’s music previously and hence cannot compare. But the title track is really apt and the background score blends utterly well. I may have not mentioned some characters and that’s for you to watch because this is one helluva movie!
As I walked out of the movie hall, my friend aptly commented, “When movies like ‘My Name is Khan’ gets 4 stars, this movie is way beyond that”.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Hey! Parents! Leave the kids alone!
Here in India, convent education is considered superior and most parents hanker for seats for their kids in such schools. I had the privilege of studying in one and I can proudly say that I did learn some of the best manners and skills, be it language, leadership or otherwise. But there has to be something the other way round right?
I have grown up with several nuns in my 12 years of schooling and there is so much to look up to them for. Yet, when in class 4, I had a teacher, Sister Albina. No offence meant, but she had all the qualities starkly opposite to what a nun was supposed to have! She carried this menacingly looking bamboo cane and the minute someone said 2*2 was 5, she was doomed. 5 strokes on her back and the rest of the day was quite literally gone!
Somehow, many parents came to the entire class’s rescue and we did away with her. Now, coming to the main question - If teachers physically hurt us, parents come to our rescue. If parents hurt us? In my mother tongue there is this proverb which means, boys have to be hit and brought up, while girls have to be treasured! I don’t know who came up with this proverb, but I sure can’t go by its words.
I have been witness to many parents hammering their kids just because they dint get enough marks, or created a huge ruckus in a shopping mall, bringing embarrassment to them and so on. My whole point is why hit them? If you weren’t sane enough to talk to them and advice them as to how to behave in front of others, or told them that competition was good but it was not about getting higher marks than the neighbours’ kids, you have absolutely no rights to put your hands on them!
To make the embarrassment worse for parents, I’ve seen kids who actually retaliate and whack their parents! Why all this torment, for both the child and the parents? Even if the kid wants to lodge a complaint against the torturing parents, there exists a worse fear; at least in our country; the kid may walk into the station and be sexually molested even!
This is not an article to find loopholes in our system, but to reiterate on some basics. Just like how charity begins at home, all our mannerisms, values and so on are moulded at home first. There are ways other than whipping your child to mend her/his ways - Speaking is also an action!!!
I have grown up with several nuns in my 12 years of schooling and there is so much to look up to them for. Yet, when in class 4, I had a teacher, Sister Albina. No offence meant, but she had all the qualities starkly opposite to what a nun was supposed to have! She carried this menacingly looking bamboo cane and the minute someone said 2*2 was 5, she was doomed. 5 strokes on her back and the rest of the day was quite literally gone!
Somehow, many parents came to the entire class’s rescue and we did away with her. Now, coming to the main question - If teachers physically hurt us, parents come to our rescue. If parents hurt us? In my mother tongue there is this proverb which means, boys have to be hit and brought up, while girls have to be treasured! I don’t know who came up with this proverb, but I sure can’t go by its words.
I have been witness to many parents hammering their kids just because they dint get enough marks, or created a huge ruckus in a shopping mall, bringing embarrassment to them and so on. My whole point is why hit them? If you weren’t sane enough to talk to them and advice them as to how to behave in front of others, or told them that competition was good but it was not about getting higher marks than the neighbours’ kids, you have absolutely no rights to put your hands on them!
To make the embarrassment worse for parents, I’ve seen kids who actually retaliate and whack their parents! Why all this torment, for both the child and the parents? Even if the kid wants to lodge a complaint against the torturing parents, there exists a worse fear; at least in our country; the kid may walk into the station and be sexually molested even!
This is not an article to find loopholes in our system, but to reiterate on some basics. Just like how charity begins at home, all our mannerisms, values and so on are moulded at home first. There are ways other than whipping your child to mend her/his ways - Speaking is also an action!!!
Thursday, February 11, 2010
World minus mommies!
Precisely at 3:30 every evening, when I step into my home, I find my mother’s warm, welcoming smile greeting me. The following cup of coffee, the snacks she makes and her patient listening is all a child requires. At precisely the same 3.30 in the evening, when the door is locked and I have to unlock it and make myself a cup of coffee, the steam does not come from the coffee but my ears! Anger, irritation and all the other negative emotions take over the system.
“Mothers are fonder than fathers of their children because they are more certain they are their own”, said Aristotle. Ignoring the pun, one sure knows what value our mothers hold.
Even if we belong to the middle-aged group, our mothers will be the same and I am sure we hear the common dialogue from them, “You are my baby even if you are this old!”
Our movies have portrayed the ‘mother sentiment’ countless times. Be it the ‘Mere paas maa hai’ dialogue or our Southern super star’s take on the importance of mothers in every opening song of his.
Forget those who deny their parents the basic love, but in general, most of us depend on our mothers for almost everything in life. When a single day without her can be so alarming, what if she leaves us for good?
Such is the looming fate, the unfortunate fate of a mother who nurtures her kids for 16 weeks in her womb with all the love and affection just as ours. But her life hangs on a wire and the possibility of she being able to see her kids grow is bleak. The mortality rate of her kids is also high; approximately 50% do not survive to reach two years. Even if they do manage to survive, her own likelihood of survival is weak.
The cause for her and her poor babies’ premature death- US! Yes, in a way, through illegal trade, as means of subsistence and many more reasons, we are contributing to the extinction of the beloved mother and her family; the family of tigers. Thanks to us, we have already contributed to the extinction of 3 of her relative species; The Bali, Caspian, and Javan tigers and the fourth, the South China tiger is on its way to becoming extinct.
What would a husband do without his mother and wife? What would children would without their mother? The same rule applies to them as well. We, as humans, have absolutely no rights to deprive them of their loved ones. One mother gone, the entire family loses its backbone. With no mothers, what will the males do? Where do the offspring come from?
Let’s give these babies the joy of having their mothers around. SAVE THE TIGERS!
“Mothers are fonder than fathers of their children because they are more certain they are their own”, said Aristotle. Ignoring the pun, one sure knows what value our mothers hold.
Even if we belong to the middle-aged group, our mothers will be the same and I am sure we hear the common dialogue from them, “You are my baby even if you are this old!”
Our movies have portrayed the ‘mother sentiment’ countless times. Be it the ‘Mere paas maa hai’ dialogue or our Southern super star’s take on the importance of mothers in every opening song of his.
Forget those who deny their parents the basic love, but in general, most of us depend on our mothers for almost everything in life. When a single day without her can be so alarming, what if she leaves us for good?
Such is the looming fate, the unfortunate fate of a mother who nurtures her kids for 16 weeks in her womb with all the love and affection just as ours. But her life hangs on a wire and the possibility of she being able to see her kids grow is bleak. The mortality rate of her kids is also high; approximately 50% do not survive to reach two years. Even if they do manage to survive, her own likelihood of survival is weak.
The cause for her and her poor babies’ premature death- US! Yes, in a way, through illegal trade, as means of subsistence and many more reasons, we are contributing to the extinction of the beloved mother and her family; the family of tigers. Thanks to us, we have already contributed to the extinction of 3 of her relative species; The Bali, Caspian, and Javan tigers and the fourth, the South China tiger is on its way to becoming extinct.
What would a husband do without his mother and wife? What would children would without their mother? The same rule applies to them as well. We, as humans, have absolutely no rights to deprive them of their loved ones. One mother gone, the entire family loses its backbone. With no mothers, what will the males do? Where do the offspring come from?
Let’s give these babies the joy of having their mothers around. SAVE THE TIGERS!
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Wedding Vows...
Love stories are not new to our country. Be it movies, TV serials, participants of a reality show falling in love, anything; cupid never fails to strike! On screen, in books; it seems very gay so much so that we’d cry if the ones in love do not have a happy ending! ‘They lived happily ever after’ is a mandatory climax!
However, when you go back in time, cupid has been successful, but fate intervened and had in store some very bad things. No, it is not just about Romeo-Juliet, but our very own Laila-Majnu, Devdas-Paro and so on have either met tragic deaths or succumbing to self-imposing death.
In India, the system of ‘love marriage’ did not exist at all till up to 2 decades maybe. Only actors and actresses could fall in love and get married. Otherwise there was no such concept at all. Reasons were plenty; women were never allowed to study. So where could men actually find their soul mate in someone? And most families preferred to find prospective grooms/brides within the family so that the ties in the family prolong. In the case of child marriages, if the boy was to die for some reason, the poor girl child was confined to her in-laws’ house for the rest of her life.
Reasons can be plenty, but when it comes to love marriage, the change from then and now can be attributed to women education. As mentioned earlier, women were not allowed to be sent to schools, or if they ever did go, not beyond class 10. Hence the concept was almost nil. Parents would find the entire process of groom/bride searching very exciting and innumerable ‘tables’ with the 9 planets’ standings would be exchanged and matched. Unfortunately, the people in question had to make do with mere looks, sometimes at the time of the marriage even! Some even today stand by this tradition, calling it a system with lots of excitement in store!
Next came the trend of women being sent for higher education where interactions with the opposite sex began. What may have stated as something new, had turned into a daily affair now. Amidst the concept in question came platonic relationships, one night stands and what not? This reminds me of Chetan Bhagat’s latest read, “2 States: Story of my Marriage”, where, in four simple sentences, explains what love marriage is in India. It could not have been portrayed better.
“Boy loves Girl. Girl loves Boy.
Girl's family has to love boy. Boy's family has to love girl.
Girl's Family has to love Boy's Family. Boy's family has to love girl's family.
Girl and Boy still love each other. They get married.”
In general, the above still holds good today. Parents are open to their kids falling in love but with a lot of strings of course! For example, I knew of a household whose parents would advice their son that he was free to find his better half provided she came under the main umbrella of the caste! Ex: A Brahmin was mandatory; a Tamil or a Kannadiga didn’t matter!
This is not the end however! Trends are changing further! Just recently I overheard my mother and her friends chatting. One of them was in the process of groom searching and she was supposedly having a tough time. If the boy had looks, his income wasn’t enough and vice versa. Further, the girl was clear that will not be marrying if she was to live with her in laws, was not allowed to work and so on. The poor mother suffered from peer pressure, family pressure that she was not marrying off her daughter at the right time, pressure from her own daughter who had her own list of terms and conditions.
What she said at last surprised me instantly! “How I wish these girls just find their own men. These days they get mature so soon, I am sure they would not make the wrong choice when they have already made their conditions. It saves us all the trouble of having to find a groom, making sure his family is good and so on.”
Though what the mother said is not applicable to many families in the country, the trend is surely changing. More and more parents are now open and are ready to take a chance of letting their kids choose their partners. In the world of live-ins and homosexuality, those who choose to be straight and make plans of living with the opposite sex, marriage options are surely becoming broader in our country!
However, when you go back in time, cupid has been successful, but fate intervened and had in store some very bad things. No, it is not just about Romeo-Juliet, but our very own Laila-Majnu, Devdas-Paro and so on have either met tragic deaths or succumbing to self-imposing death.
In India, the system of ‘love marriage’ did not exist at all till up to 2 decades maybe. Only actors and actresses could fall in love and get married. Otherwise there was no such concept at all. Reasons were plenty; women were never allowed to study. So where could men actually find their soul mate in someone? And most families preferred to find prospective grooms/brides within the family so that the ties in the family prolong. In the case of child marriages, if the boy was to die for some reason, the poor girl child was confined to her in-laws’ house for the rest of her life.
Reasons can be plenty, but when it comes to love marriage, the change from then and now can be attributed to women education. As mentioned earlier, women were not allowed to be sent to schools, or if they ever did go, not beyond class 10. Hence the concept was almost nil. Parents would find the entire process of groom/bride searching very exciting and innumerable ‘tables’ with the 9 planets’ standings would be exchanged and matched. Unfortunately, the people in question had to make do with mere looks, sometimes at the time of the marriage even! Some even today stand by this tradition, calling it a system with lots of excitement in store!
Next came the trend of women being sent for higher education where interactions with the opposite sex began. What may have stated as something new, had turned into a daily affair now. Amidst the concept in question came platonic relationships, one night stands and what not? This reminds me of Chetan Bhagat’s latest read, “2 States: Story of my Marriage”, where, in four simple sentences, explains what love marriage is in India. It could not have been portrayed better.
“Boy loves Girl. Girl loves Boy.
Girl's family has to love boy. Boy's family has to love girl.
Girl's Family has to love Boy's Family. Boy's family has to love girl's family.
Girl and Boy still love each other. They get married.”
In general, the above still holds good today. Parents are open to their kids falling in love but with a lot of strings of course! For example, I knew of a household whose parents would advice their son that he was free to find his better half provided she came under the main umbrella of the caste! Ex: A Brahmin was mandatory; a Tamil or a Kannadiga didn’t matter!
This is not the end however! Trends are changing further! Just recently I overheard my mother and her friends chatting. One of them was in the process of groom searching and she was supposedly having a tough time. If the boy had looks, his income wasn’t enough and vice versa. Further, the girl was clear that will not be marrying if she was to live with her in laws, was not allowed to work and so on. The poor mother suffered from peer pressure, family pressure that she was not marrying off her daughter at the right time, pressure from her own daughter who had her own list of terms and conditions.
What she said at last surprised me instantly! “How I wish these girls just find their own men. These days they get mature so soon, I am sure they would not make the wrong choice when they have already made their conditions. It saves us all the trouble of having to find a groom, making sure his family is good and so on.”
Though what the mother said is not applicable to many families in the country, the trend is surely changing. More and more parents are now open and are ready to take a chance of letting their kids choose their partners. In the world of live-ins and homosexuality, those who choose to be straight and make plans of living with the opposite sex, marriage options are surely becoming broader in our country!
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Metro blues continue…
If there were a hundred reasons for the citizens of Bangalore to frown upon the ongoing metro work, I just found another!
Just yesterday in class, discussions as to how the metro rail works were faring was on and it all boiled down to the most essential problem – traffic, quite but naturally. Some call it the most overrated topic at present but also imperative in more ways than one. Hard to believe, but it took me over an hour to reach Rajajinagar from Malleswaram! (For those who are not aware of these areas and their distances; Malleshwaram and Rajajinagar are residential areas situated in the north of Bangalore and they are at a distance of about 4 kilometres!)
The auto rickshaw driver couldn’t hide his frustration and so couldn’t I! He made the following observations and they did make lots of sense:
1. The number of vehicles on road are just increasing and by 2012 which is supposedly the deadline for the Metro rails to begin functioning, the number is sure not going to decrease. Nobody is going to sell his vehicle and commute by these trains.
2. The Volvo buses running in the city currently have seen a decline in the number of commuters. By paying an amount more than the fares of normal buses; say they do not get a seat to sit, why would they want to take the Volvo then? They rather pay 5 or 10 bucks lesser and travel comfortably in our autos.
Travelling comfortably is what he claims and vouches for; safety I surely can’t vouch for! Anyway that apart, what he said did make sense to a large extent.
With all the collapses witnessed, Bangalore is sure apprehensive about the entire project. Moreover, my lecturer informed us that recently a study was conducted where it was found that the authorities in-charge were not even aware of who actually initiated the idea of having the Metro Rail in the city! Yes, we have the developers and the planning body, but under whose initiation, they were not aware of.
The 101st reason I was talking about came in the form of my domestic help. She lives in an area where the Metro work has to begin. The authorities have allocated houses for them in another locality and they are to move out within a deadline.
My domestic help is just 24 years old with 2 children; the boy who is 5 and is studying in an English medium school and a girl who is just 2.5 years old. It is a matter of pride that at 24, an uneducated woman with 2 growing children and an alcoholic husband is working really hard so that her kids can afford an English medium school!
Many domestic helps are sending their children to schools run by the government and due to lack of facilities, lethargy from the authorities’ side and so on, most kids eventually drop out and take to other odd jobs. But this lady from the very same community is ready to spend that extra hour, stretch that extra muscle to earn that extra rupee to send her kids to a good school. And here comes a railway project asking her to relocate.
Yes, one may say just ask her to get her children admitted to another school in the new locality. But we are all aware of how our system functions and I do not need to elaborate. It is not about questioning the system right now, but I really pity the poor woman. Her alcoholic husband and mother-in-law have absolutely no issues in relocating, but she fears the near future of her kids and rightly so. She says she’s rather look for a house in the same area again and pay rent by renting out the house which the government has allocated for her family.
It is first of all rare to see this section of our society coming forward and trying to brighten their kids’ future and now a project as this is just turning out to be a hurdle. Like adding feathers to one’s cap in terms of achievements, the ‘Namma Metro’ project is adding many feathers for the wrong reasons.
Just yesterday in class, discussions as to how the metro rail works were faring was on and it all boiled down to the most essential problem – traffic, quite but naturally. Some call it the most overrated topic at present but also imperative in more ways than one. Hard to believe, but it took me over an hour to reach Rajajinagar from Malleswaram! (For those who are not aware of these areas and their distances; Malleshwaram and Rajajinagar are residential areas situated in the north of Bangalore and they are at a distance of about 4 kilometres!)
The auto rickshaw driver couldn’t hide his frustration and so couldn’t I! He made the following observations and they did make lots of sense:
1. The number of vehicles on road are just increasing and by 2012 which is supposedly the deadline for the Metro rails to begin functioning, the number is sure not going to decrease. Nobody is going to sell his vehicle and commute by these trains.
2. The Volvo buses running in the city currently have seen a decline in the number of commuters. By paying an amount more than the fares of normal buses; say they do not get a seat to sit, why would they want to take the Volvo then? They rather pay 5 or 10 bucks lesser and travel comfortably in our autos.
Travelling comfortably is what he claims and vouches for; safety I surely can’t vouch for! Anyway that apart, what he said did make sense to a large extent.
With all the collapses witnessed, Bangalore is sure apprehensive about the entire project. Moreover, my lecturer informed us that recently a study was conducted where it was found that the authorities in-charge were not even aware of who actually initiated the idea of having the Metro Rail in the city! Yes, we have the developers and the planning body, but under whose initiation, they were not aware of.
The 101st reason I was talking about came in the form of my domestic help. She lives in an area where the Metro work has to begin. The authorities have allocated houses for them in another locality and they are to move out within a deadline.
My domestic help is just 24 years old with 2 children; the boy who is 5 and is studying in an English medium school and a girl who is just 2.5 years old. It is a matter of pride that at 24, an uneducated woman with 2 growing children and an alcoholic husband is working really hard so that her kids can afford an English medium school!
Many domestic helps are sending their children to schools run by the government and due to lack of facilities, lethargy from the authorities’ side and so on, most kids eventually drop out and take to other odd jobs. But this lady from the very same community is ready to spend that extra hour, stretch that extra muscle to earn that extra rupee to send her kids to a good school. And here comes a railway project asking her to relocate.
Yes, one may say just ask her to get her children admitted to another school in the new locality. But we are all aware of how our system functions and I do not need to elaborate. It is not about questioning the system right now, but I really pity the poor woman. Her alcoholic husband and mother-in-law have absolutely no issues in relocating, but she fears the near future of her kids and rightly so. She says she’s rather look for a house in the same area again and pay rent by renting out the house which the government has allocated for her family.
It is first of all rare to see this section of our society coming forward and trying to brighten their kids’ future and now a project as this is just turning out to be a hurdle. Like adding feathers to one’s cap in terms of achievements, the ‘Namma Metro’ project is adding many feathers for the wrong reasons.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
A very happy birthday indeed!
When in college, any friend’s birthday coming up will be preceded by tonnes of planning in terms of gifts, where to go out, where to hang out later and so on. Budgeting would creep in, testing both the friends’ and the birthday baby’s finance managing skills! I remember in school, it would just be a one-to-one basis; one buying a gift for the one celebrating his/her birthday and there was no concept of pooling in the resources! I am sure kids these days may be following it, but I am talking about say 6-7 years ago!
Eventually the brunt of paying the bill has to be borne by the one celebrating the special day! One’s own money or the dad’s is another matter. After the lovely college days, most of my friends got into jobs and the only time we’d catch up or at least I did so was during their birthdays! So we’d get together and spend loads of time at a coffee shop, meet over lunch and do the usual stuff!
Why talk about the money? It really doesn’t matter when it has to do with sharing lovely moments with the people you want to, but I think it would be great to channelize the financial resources in a meaningful way, at least on a day as this!
One fine day, three of us who shared our birthdays in the same month decided to spend our day, of course, with the rest of them as well, in an orphanage by providing a meal for all the kids. One tends to get emotionally weak while visiting orphanages, old age homes etc and so were we. The happiness on the kids’ faces of being able to eat a piece of cake, munch on yummy chocolates was a delight to watch. It seemed like an extravagant feast for them.
We all go out even otherwise to posh restaurants, on the umpteen movie tickets without thinking twice. On a birthday, the run of the mill going out and chatting sessions can surely be made different by spending time and other resources in other meaningful places.
An eye opener was when a kid threw a question at us. “Akka (sister), you all come just on one day and spend time with us, feed us; then for days you are gone! Why don’t you come more often?” It was not exactly a slap on the face but it definitely was something to think about. Today, where corporate social responsibility is being highly placed in every organization, various ways of helping the socially deprived has arisen. Some people fund children’s education for some years, some feed them on special occasions, buy them stationary and so on. But as the kid mentioned, we are there in a jiffy and gone the very next instant.
Yes, time is a big constraint but there are people who take time out and visit such places; read out the aged, write answers for the blind in exams and so on. We can start on our birthday and surely take time out on not so special occasions too and make a big difference in such people’s lives.
We started on our birthdays and will surely practice, to our capabilities, what I preached till now!
Eventually the brunt of paying the bill has to be borne by the one celebrating the special day! One’s own money or the dad’s is another matter. After the lovely college days, most of my friends got into jobs and the only time we’d catch up or at least I did so was during their birthdays! So we’d get together and spend loads of time at a coffee shop, meet over lunch and do the usual stuff!
Why talk about the money? It really doesn’t matter when it has to do with sharing lovely moments with the people you want to, but I think it would be great to channelize the financial resources in a meaningful way, at least on a day as this!
One fine day, three of us who shared our birthdays in the same month decided to spend our day, of course, with the rest of them as well, in an orphanage by providing a meal for all the kids. One tends to get emotionally weak while visiting orphanages, old age homes etc and so were we. The happiness on the kids’ faces of being able to eat a piece of cake, munch on yummy chocolates was a delight to watch. It seemed like an extravagant feast for them.
We all go out even otherwise to posh restaurants, on the umpteen movie tickets without thinking twice. On a birthday, the run of the mill going out and chatting sessions can surely be made different by spending time and other resources in other meaningful places.
An eye opener was when a kid threw a question at us. “Akka (sister), you all come just on one day and spend time with us, feed us; then for days you are gone! Why don’t you come more often?” It was not exactly a slap on the face but it definitely was something to think about. Today, where corporate social responsibility is being highly placed in every organization, various ways of helping the socially deprived has arisen. Some people fund children’s education for some years, some feed them on special occasions, buy them stationary and so on. But as the kid mentioned, we are there in a jiffy and gone the very next instant.
Yes, time is a big constraint but there are people who take time out and visit such places; read out the aged, write answers for the blind in exams and so on. We can start on our birthday and surely take time out on not so special occasions too and make a big difference in such people’s lives.
We started on our birthdays and will surely practice, to our capabilities, what I preached till now!
Monday, January 4, 2010
Lament of a concerned Indian!
The death of Nitin Garg, an Indian, working in Australia didn’t come as a surprise to me. It was to happen soon. My biggest surprise is that we Indians still want to get out of our own country and settle down in such places after being fully aware of such incidents.
Personally, my own childhood friend lost his eyesight due to a racial attack in Australia a couple of years ago and I was devastated. Being my own age, he had his entire life ahead of him. Even if it weren’t his own choice to go settle down abroad, his dad got a job offer which he couldn’t decline.
What is it that we Indians do not get here which entices so many thousands and lakhs of the citizens to move out? Is it the dough, the standard of living, pride or what? Frankly, I have not stepped out of my country in the 23 years of my living, which may not qualify me to talk about this topic, but after seeing so many incidents, reading about them and so on, my questions and curiosity just keep mounting!
When I was 15 or so, a whole bunch of older guys and girls in my apartment left their homes to pursue their higher education abroad. The whole apartment went silent and for about a few months, it felt eerie actually. Most of the fun was lost. However, there emerged two sets of parents, both proud of course! One not worried about the tons of money which has gone in the form of education fees and so on, but just the sheer pride of being able to tell everyone else that their sons or daughters were studying in an elite school. The other set, proud yes, but worried if all the savings spent on sending the kids would reap them any benefits, if any.
They are all well settled now but then the yearning to come back to their own country and homes is seen quite clearly. Initially after completing their education, they’d definitely want to stay back for some years to get back what they invested or maybe more. But at what mental and emotional cost?
Other than corruption controlling the country, I frankly think our country lacks nothing. You can walk on the streets with absolutely no fear of being attacked just ‘because you’re NOT FAIR! Here in India, only women cannot get out after a certain time for the fear of being raped or whatever. In other countries, even our much revered men have to watch their backs! Men are treated like God here and there, worse than a dog!
So what if you get a salary in mere Indian rupees? So what if you have to walk down the street and buy veggies in a broken wooden gaadi? It is not about earning in dollars or pounds, going to a mall every other day and being able to afford a Gucci or a Louis Vitton. When you’re not well, it’s about getting that hot cup of chai from your loved one and not having to make one yourself.
And why choose countries which are known for racial discrimination? Half the society must be behind bars by now for all the atrocity done. There’s no point in pointing fingers at wasted people. We’d rather live where we belong, where we are wanted and where there are no uncalled-for fears.
The direct causes of suffering are desire or craving, and ignorance – Lord Buddha.
Personally, my own childhood friend lost his eyesight due to a racial attack in Australia a couple of years ago and I was devastated. Being my own age, he had his entire life ahead of him. Even if it weren’t his own choice to go settle down abroad, his dad got a job offer which he couldn’t decline.
What is it that we Indians do not get here which entices so many thousands and lakhs of the citizens to move out? Is it the dough, the standard of living, pride or what? Frankly, I have not stepped out of my country in the 23 years of my living, which may not qualify me to talk about this topic, but after seeing so many incidents, reading about them and so on, my questions and curiosity just keep mounting!
When I was 15 or so, a whole bunch of older guys and girls in my apartment left their homes to pursue their higher education abroad. The whole apartment went silent and for about a few months, it felt eerie actually. Most of the fun was lost. However, there emerged two sets of parents, both proud of course! One not worried about the tons of money which has gone in the form of education fees and so on, but just the sheer pride of being able to tell everyone else that their sons or daughters were studying in an elite school. The other set, proud yes, but worried if all the savings spent on sending the kids would reap them any benefits, if any.
They are all well settled now but then the yearning to come back to their own country and homes is seen quite clearly. Initially after completing their education, they’d definitely want to stay back for some years to get back what they invested or maybe more. But at what mental and emotional cost?
Other than corruption controlling the country, I frankly think our country lacks nothing. You can walk on the streets with absolutely no fear of being attacked just ‘because you’re NOT FAIR! Here in India, only women cannot get out after a certain time for the fear of being raped or whatever. In other countries, even our much revered men have to watch their backs! Men are treated like God here and there, worse than a dog!
So what if you get a salary in mere Indian rupees? So what if you have to walk down the street and buy veggies in a broken wooden gaadi? It is not about earning in dollars or pounds, going to a mall every other day and being able to afford a Gucci or a Louis Vitton. When you’re not well, it’s about getting that hot cup of chai from your loved one and not having to make one yourself.
And why choose countries which are known for racial discrimination? Half the society must be behind bars by now for all the atrocity done. There’s no point in pointing fingers at wasted people. We’d rather live where we belong, where we are wanted and where there are no uncalled-for fears.
The direct causes of suffering are desire or craving, and ignorance – Lord Buddha.
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