What a noble idea!

Mahak is suffering from a life threatening illness. His days are numbered. His only wish was to become a police officer one day and punish all badmaash people!

His wish was indeed granted.

It's incidents like this, which make you believe that the world is after all not such a bad place. There is hope...lots of it!

When preachings are misleading.... doomsday is near

I had decided that I will not write anything AGAINST men and FOR women. Basically because, I was tired of it on one side and I was also sure that this is not going to help. Even the so called educated men who read such things take it offensively. Not my blog in particular, but in other blogs I have seen people getting all worked up because some person is supporting for the rights of women.
Does fighting for the rights of women brand you as a feminist? If all women were treated on par with men in all areas would there be any feminists at all? Is fighting for someone’s rights wrong?
The blogosphere is full of feminist blogs. I have visited atleast 100 of them myself. Though some people are over exaggerating, most of them are speaking the truth. If the truth is unpleasant for some section of the society then so be it!
These days we are hearing more and more of this men vs women debate. Why you may ask? Some have even given me the answers that “Ah! These days women have started earning, and just because they do, they think they are great and treat men with contempt!”
NO. A very big NO. It’s not ONLY because we have money, it’s because we have a voice too… and we have the right of opinion and yes we have a choice! Today women are more independent.
I agree completely, that no family is complete without a man. True, very true…. What I am saying is that it is not complete even without a woman.
Things have changed a lot today. But then, only in some sections of society. Men have become more understanding. They understand that if they are tired after coming back from work and can’t cook, their wives are also equally tired after coming back from work (if not more) and cannot cook as well. So the Darshini’s are flourishing ;-). Men do help around in the house for cleaning, shopping and cooking. I really appreciate such Men. It’s not that Men are good only if they cook… it’s just that they have the attitude to help. That’s what makes them good. Hats off to such men!
I have a cousin brother who is pathetic at cooking, so his area of expertise is cutting vegetables and washing dishes :). See, it’s the thought that counts!
P also falls in this category :). He is even more nice, when I am cooking, he sits in the kitchen and chats with me… instead of just watching TV or something. My sister infact blissfully watches TV ;-). Such small gestures, and it makes a lot of difference.

There are such men on this beautiful earth, there are also men like Sheikh Taj el-Din al-Hilali!!!!

He claims that he was misquoted and stuff… but still in whatever context he said these sentences, he sure is wrong! Terribly wrong!

First and foremost… a woman’s attire is her choice! However revealing it is or however lucrative it is… it is NOT A LICENSE for rape! Just because a woman is not dressed properly, does not give any man any right to rape her!

His comments and my comments to his comments!

1. Women who did not wear a hijab (head dress) were like "uncovered meat". – Oh really? Actually on second thoughts I think it’s a perfect comparison. After all women are meant to be devoured right? Bhah!
2. I unreservedly apologize to any woman who is offended by my comments. I had only intended to protect women's honour. – Oh I see. Who are YOU to protect our honor? And honor is kept intact by covering your head? Can somebody enlighten this poor ignorant soul as to what “attractiveness” is there in the head? Men don’t have head is it? I have seen so many men who have real nice hair and are very attractive just because of that. So they don’t have to do anything to protect their honor?
3. The sermon was targeted against men and women who engaged in extra-marital sex and did so through alluring types of clothes. – What each person does with his/her married life is left to that particular individual. There is no hard and fast rule as to what is the “cause” for such things. And please, clothes don’t come anywhere near the cause. K, for a second, lets assume that a woman is doing the dare devil act and alluring people (read married men) into her jaal. She is characterless. What are these men then? Who go behind her? Full of Character? There are lots of distractions around us. Is it our responsibility to overcome the distractions or is for the distractions to disappear? Simple logic, when we study for exams, WE are supposed to concentrate on studies and not watch TV. Do the TV channels stop airing programs? Somebody please knock some sense into this person’s head!
4. If you take out uncovered meat and place it outside... and the cats come and eat it... whose fault is it, the cats' or the uncovered meat? – Cats are ANIMALS. Are men animals too? Food and Women are the same?
5. Sheikh Hilali also condemned women who swayed suggestively and wore make-up, implying they attracted sexual assault. – Why doesn’t he publish a rule book? “Do’s and Don’ts of an honorable woman”!?
6. Then you get a judge without mercy... and gives you 65 years – He was implying for men who get punished for their act! So what is the expectation pray tell me… let him go scot-free? So that he can assume that women in general are public property and he can use them as much as he wants? If you ask me, rape convicts should be given death penalty! No mercy at all!

If he was some XYZ I wouldn’t have even bothered to read about him. But he is a religious leader, a man whose words mean something to people. A man whose preaching’s are followed by his community. A man who is a representative of his community. A man of such caliber, and such words!! Disappointed!!

So what message does this give? Is it OK to rape somebody as long as that person is dressed badly? Whether a woman is dressed badly or for that matter not dressed at all, it’s not anybody’s business to go ahead and rape her! Mind your own business Mr.Raper!

He is not realising that there is something more to this issue than just woman rights. He is a religious leader, the world will look at that religion in the wrong way! Not everybody knows what that religion is all about, what such people say gives people an idea as to what that religion preaches. First of all that religion is in the news for all wrong reasons and the whole world is looking at it with jaundiced eyes, and people like him are not helping at all in improving the image! May God put some sense in to him..,

Some this and some that

It's long since I wrote anything. I think I am obsessed with blogging now! I have always been this way, if something interests me, then I get so addicted to it...it really takes a lot of effort to get me out of it. Oh I digress.

DON:

Last weekend started blissfully. What more could I ask for than to start a weekend with an out and out SRK movie? Man, is he se*y...**drool** (I don't want our government to block blogspot again... and hence the words are written with *s!). First of all, people who will start saying that this movie is nothing as compared to the original and stuff...please...STOP! Stop comparing for a second and just see this movie as any other movie... and I am sure you will like it. All said and done, Amitabh Bachchan cannot be replaced. That's why he is a legend!

But at the same time, this new DON is beautifully made. It's fast paced with good looking women and extremely talented man to lead them all.. ;-). The little twist in the story is a real nice surprise. Just when you think that you know the story because you have seen the previous Don, you are pleasantly surprised.

But, Kareena is a disappointment. First of all she didn't do justice to the role. But most of all what happened to her perfect hour glass figure?!!

All in all it was a fantastic film... SRK is not Amitabh Bachchan, he is DON!

Saturday was Diwali celebrations at home and neighborhood :) Lighted lamps all over the house, at least we can do that if not burst crackers! Cooked yummy food at home and stuffed ourselves till we could not take even one rice grain more!

Sunday was shopping time :) That too precious gem shopping. Ah! What more can a girl ask for? As expected I became greedy and bought lots of stuff... but not only for myself, to all my cousins and aunts back in India (See I am not that selfish also it seems!)

Monday: Some major issues got clarified at work. Life is really happy for this shark. Just when the ocean is peaceful and beautiful and calm and serene... out comes a big wave and upsets it all.

The big wave is the news paper and it comes with lots of unpleasant news!

Rs 3 for compensation.

What was he thinking when he sanctioned this amount? That he was being outrageously generous? Rs 3? For heaven's sake what can you buy with that amount? A kg of rice costs at least 11rs. And a drought hit farmer is supposed to lead his life and support his family with 3 rs? I don't know whether to laugh or cry for this!

Social Awareness

I think it's high time we stop treating special people around us with something more than curious looks. They don't need our compassion, they don't even need special attention. They just need some nice treatment. Treat them like normal people. And what were those officials doing that too in airport? Trying to hold him against boarding the plane because he "can-be" dangerous to other people? I will tell you what is more dangerous - Women with as little clothes as possible on their body, so none of the males around have sense as to what's happening around them. Or some people who have absolute no mobile manners and shout at the top of their voice without caring a hoot about their surroundings! Those are dangerous people not the autistic people!

K sleep is taking over me and I don't know what more to write.. that's it zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Remembering Shakthi

He was brown, well built with bright eyes, always energetic, sometimes ferocious. He protected females around him as if they were his own. He was the KING in the house. He got the first morsel of food. He didn't even sniff yesterday's food, rejected it outright!
Children were sometimes scared of him... sometimes wonder at him, sometimes talked to him. Very few times played with him though.
He was our first family dog. A proud Alsatian. Our Shakthi.
My periyappa (Uncle) had 3 dogs. Shakthi, Rani and Pavan. Interestingly the three of them were aptly named though we had no idea how they would turn out to be after they grew up. We bought them as very small puppies.
Shakthi was all manly and clearly the leader of the group. Everybody used to be scared of him. He would listen to only my periyappa and nobody else!
Rani was as womanly as a dog can get. AH! You should have seen her walk.. what gait! what grace! She was a Pomeranian. Always had sparkling white fur. Licked and cleaned herself almost every now and then. She is the only dog till now I have seen who never used to stink! Nopes not even a little bit.
Pavan, true to his name was never stationary! We really had tough time feeding him. He would eat one morsel and run around the house for at least 4 rounds ;-) He was also a Pomeranian and madly in love with Rani. We have had 12 puppies from them :). He never used to eat until Rani was fed. He would howl and cry when Rani was giving birth to puppies.
Generally during the mating season, lots of stray dogs used to come for Rani.. after all she was very attractive ;-). Though Pavan was hero types, he was extremely terrified of other dogs. He would just run as fast as he can from there into the house. It was always Shakthi who came to her rescue. One big bark from him.... all the other dogs would just run away with tails tucked behind their legs!
I used to study in Bangalore, but used to go to my periyappa's house in Mysore for summer holidays. 2 full months of pure fun with my cousins and these dogs! We adored them... we never used to go to the park in the evening without taking them. We refused to go to anybody's house or any function, lest we loose those few hours of playing with these dogs.

There was a special bonding between periyappa and Shakthi. He used to eat only when he fed him. He never failed to accompany him for his morning and evening walks. Sometimes periyappa used to simply sit in the sit-out and keep patting Shakthi. It was as though they were having a secret conversation. Shakthi was very docile during such sessions.

The last day of the summer holidays were the worst... all of us used to cry, not willing to go back. We missed them so much. I wonder if they felt the same too? But we never knew. They were their normal self from the next day :) Maybe we were just some flying-friends to them.

Then came the bad times. My periyappa fell ill. Age was taking it's turn. He was very ill for almost 15 days and then he was in the hospital for some 3 days and he left us for his heavenly abode.

When he was ill, we noticed a drastic change in Shakthi. He stopped barking. He would just come and sit near my periyappa's cot. Just sit there for hours together. It was almost as if he sensed what was going to happen. He ate only what we gave to periyappa. Rave Ganji, buttermilk and some milk. He refused to eat the "normal" food. The ferocious Shakthi was now so down in the dumps, it was hard to even imagine for us.
Hospital days were unbearable for him. He could not see his master. He started crying, literally. He acted mad.. it was as if he was begging us to take him there. He would just keep licking my periyappa's walking stick and cry. It is believed that dogs generally don't cry as we humans do but they rather howl. But Shakthi cried, we could see tears in his eyes.....

The dreaded day came. Periyappa didn't come home alive. The moment Shakthi saw his masters body he knew what had happened. That was the end of all his "Shakthi". He wept with us. He mourned with us. He just didn't stop barking until we let him in the van to go to the crematorium. But that was the last bark we heard from him.

When he came back home, he was unusually silent. He refused food. Yes. He stopped eating. He would just sit in periyappa's room all day.

Periyappa was very orthodox and pious. He performed sandhyavandana 2 times a day in detail. As usual Shakthi was a companion to him. He would simply watch my periyappa do everything.

4 days after periyappa's death, Shakthi went to the pooja room and just sat there. He did not respond to any of our calls. Just ignored all of us. By 4pm he had left us, to join his master. It was really amazing (I know it's not the right word!) to see that! A dog who knew he would die, and went and sat in the pooja room to be one with God!

Soon after Rani got some disease, maybe because Shakthi was not there to protect her.... she died too... devastated by the loss of her, Pavan ran away from home one evening. A week later we found him dead in front of our gate! It was as though he could not live in the house which haunted him with memories of Rani and Shakthi, but came home faithfully to die.

This makes me think... Dogs have a lot of sixth sense. They bond with people more than how much we bond with each other.

I miss Shakthi.....

P.S: This post was inspired from I Failed The Don post by Kavi.

I'm already visualizing the duct tape over your mouth

• I go to my next cubicle guy to clarify some issue and the first thing I get is a warm welcome smile **well.. that's nice** and then THAT follows with that **Not at all nice!**.
• I get inside the car, start driving... No music on the radio. Some stupid commercials. So what do I do, try to strike a conversation with the guy sitting next to me. What I get in return? - THAT! Yuuucccckkkkk. It's a closed space, so it's all the more bad. I quickly open the window.
• Home. Dinner time. Sit together to watch some show on TV or our good old Ramayana.. but guess what is more stronger than the aroma of my sambar? THAT2.
• Weekend outing. Movie. Friend next to me (let me tell you she is extremely beautiful!), but the moment she turns towards me to comment on some scene, THAT is evident.
  

What is THAT and THAT2? THAT : Bad Breath , THAT2: Body Odor :)

I know! these are inevitable. When you sit long hours in front of the comp your mouth does get worse. And body odor is one thing which is there always! Yes., even in AC rooms. So my ranting is not against any person in particular... It's rather against those who don't take the hint ;-)

• When somebody offers a mint, DO NOT refuse. Just take it in any case!
• When somebody opens the window of the car even though the AC is on... don't say anything. Just let the fresh air get in.
• Please, pretty please avoid onions for lunch. You can gorge as much as you want for dinner.
• Use deodorants. It is made for people to USE. Preferably twice a day.
• Wear clean clothes. It's not as if you have to wash them with your hands these days :)
• Socks can be worn max for 2 days. That's it! Not a day more.

Oh! I do sound like a preaching-grandma! I guess I am getting worse by the day! My sis will refuse to let me inside our house when I go back to India if she sees this!

Does this have something to do with a working weekend?

Religion : Fashionable?

As we all know this world has many main religions. Islam, Christianity, Jewish Religion, Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism. There are other religions as well of course but these are more in the news I can say.

Of these, the two religions which are discussed for all wrong reasons are Islam and Hinduism.

Islam: It's anyone's knowledge why it is in the news for all wrong reasons. Some of the so-called jihadi's associate with it and the whole world considers Islam as dangerous. How wrong they are! Islam for one talks more about peace than any other religion. Also, polygamy which is legal in Muslims is interpreted all wrong.. In the actual scripts it is mandatory for Muslim men to have more than one wife. One "normal" wife, one "poor" wife and one "disabled" wife. How noble the thought was and what a mockery we have made of it in today's times!

Anyway this was not the intent of my post.

If there is another religion which is in the news for all wrong reasons, it is Hinduism. Why? For one, for it's so-called ridiculous customs, the orthodox principles. Have we seen any other religion being made fun of other than Hinduism? How we ridicule the poojaris who have a small pony in the back of the head while the rest of their head is shaven off? How we ridicule the way they tie their dhoti? How we ridicule the way Indian Hindu women dress...What with all their bindi, bangles and jewelry.

So what started all this? WE...We Hindus make fun of ourselves. So what more can you expect from an outsider?

This article here has what triggered the creation of this post. Religion is supposed to be "hip" huh? Is religion defined by the clothes you wear? Specially Hinduism preaches that it is not a religion, it is a way of life. Alas! None of us have understood the real value of it!

Why is that we always crave for recognition from the west? Aren't we happy with ourselves? Why should the west acknowledge Hinduism?

It seems wearing some religious symbols are "in style and in fashion"! Is that what they are meant to be? Are religious marks fashion symbols?

Just because Hinduism is liberal and gives you the freedom to practice however you want to, does not mean you can ridicule it.

I do not have anything against any religion. It is just a means to realize God... So you pray or do namaaz it's all one and the same. Ultimately you are asking HIM to release you from this worldly ordeals and be one with him.

It's one thing to be a believer or a non-believer. It's all together another thing to ridicule someone's faith!

People... Religion is not fashion! Neither is it supposed to be hip! It is supposed to be the way of life.

Taggy .... Looking back!

It’s just 7 months since I started blogging (I know! I was way behind the IN people!). But now, I feel as if I have been blogging all my life :) Velu wanted me to retrospect so early… I will do it for his sake ;-)

1. Are you happy / satisfied with your blog, with its content and look?

Content wise YES! I am more than happy. If I say so myself, my posts are wide-ranged from chikki to women issues to philosophical thinking to just pure fun! Looks… naaahhh! There’s nothing that “I” have added to the looks of it! I want to make it more personal and me-kinds but haven’t really got the time :( damn! This software industry!
2. Does your family know about your blog?

Yes. Everyone knows. My mom, my sis, my fiancé. My father does not know, basically because he is not interested in my writing ;-) for him anything other than “The Hindu” is below-standard! I will show him one day if my blog gets a mention in the newspaper for being one of the most popular blogs…. Readers, do you get the hint? [;-)]
3. Do you feel embarrassed to let your friends know about your blog or you just consider it as a private thing?

Initially yes. I felt so. But now NO. Before I used to think what will people think of me if I write this way or that way… but now I have realized my blog is my place. I will write whatever I feel like. All of them like my blog, atleast that’s what they say to me... I will believe them [;-)]
4. Did blogs cause positive changes in your thoughts?

Oh yes! I have realized this amazing potential in putting your thoughts in writing. It makes you think again and the thought process flows! Amazing! Also, I have come across some wonderful blogs, which have made me see the world in a totally different angle! And oh! How can I forget the comments section, I guess that’s more important and thought provoking than the main post.
5. Do you only open the blogs of those who comment on your blog or you love to go and discover more by yourself?

It’s mandatory for me to open the blogs of people who visit me. They deserve it :). But occasionally I blog hop too…time is more of a constraint here rather than anything else!
6. What does visitors counter mean to you? Do you care about putting it in your blog?

Oh! It means a lot to me. I don’t have a visitor count on my blog for display but I do track them through site meter. It makes me happy when I see so many people have visited my blog… :)
7. Did you try to imagine your fellow bloggers and give them real pictures?

Yes. 100%. I have pictures of every one of them in my mind. Some of them I know personally so I have the real pictures, but for the others I have my own picture in the mind, sometimes some are related to cartoon characters. .. some are related to things.. and some are well… I will not tell [;-)].
8. Admit. Do you think there is a real benefit for blogging?Benefit?

I didn’t start blogging for a benefit. It’s just like your dairy, maybe after 20 years when I am all old and all… with grey hair and no teeth and wrinkled skin, I want to go back my memory lane through my blog. I want to show my children, this was how I was when I was young…. So is that a benefit? If a smile on my old face is… then yes!
9. Do you think that bloggers society is isolated from real world or interacts with events?

To some extent yes. It is isolated. I mean I don’t meet them personally anywhere outside this blog world. But then blog world itself has become a part of my life now :)
10. Does criticism annoy you or do you feel it’s a normal thing?

Criticism on a positive note, when genuine feedback is given is a normal thing. We all learn from our mistakes. But personal comments and abusive language is not acceptable! That’s annoying, but to be frank in the blog world I really don’t care!
11. Do you fear some political blogs and avoid them?

Politics… the farther you stay from it, the safer you are. Basically I can’t relate to their way of thinking. So, their world is theirs and mine is mine!
12. Did you get shocked by the arrest of some bloggers?

I have not actually heard of any such incidents L either I am too new here or I am somewhere in Timbuktu to not know what’s happening out there! But yes it’s shocking! By the arrest you are taking away their freedom of expression…
13. Did you think about what will happen to your blog after you die?

I guess it will just lie there until blogger shuts down. K, in my will I leave the user name and password for it so that my children can just update my readers that I am dead and that’s the end of “Encounters of Life”. I would have encountered death then…. .
14. What do you like to hear? What’s the song you might like to put a link to in your blog?

Sorry, I can’t stop at ONE favorite song. I like different stuff for different moods… so,
Senti Mood:“Zindagi Kaisi hain paheli haayee… Kabhi tho hasaayee, kabhi ye rulaaye…” from the movie Anand.
Hip-Hop Mood: “Right Here Right Now” from Bluffmaster
Happy Mood: “I am the best.. I am the best…” from Phir-Bhi Dil Hain Hindustani
Sad Mood: “Surmayee Akhiyon Main…” from Sadma
Videsi Mood: “One-Love” from Blue.


P.S: With the 13th question, I am a bit worried now… will they have net connection in hell? I will die if they don’t have one! But wait a sec… I am already dead… *&^$#@#!!!!!

Bribing away....? And feeling very proud?

Finally we (India) are on the top! Something to cheer about? Naaahhh!!!! India tops world bribery list!

What a shame! According to the report here we bribe even to get some international contracts! Forget about the internal goverment job bribing!

So, what next? We have reached the top.. now we continue to "stay" on top? I think for a change I am feeling it would have been better if we were NOT at the top.. even better if we were nowhere in the list!

Seriously thinking back, I feel our mentality is such. We bribe for almost everything! Remember the times when you bribed God to make you pass in the exams? The countless namaskaaras you did.. or 100 coconuts you gave to the temple? Bribing is basically IN, in our culture. Though these are harmless bribings, that's how the habit is cultivated!

I think it starts with when you are very young, "beta, if you sleep early now without throwing tantrums, I will take you to the big park tomorrow"! So now you realise? The cascading effect of it?

Che! What more can happen to make you feel so ashamed of yourself in front of others when your country's name is in the papers for all wrong reasons!

I do not say that there is no bribing or corruption in other countries, but definitely they are not like us!

I hate to agree now.. but yes! I have bribed so many times before for small work to get done "fast". My father had to get address change done on his license.. he tried in vain to get it done the "normal" way... waited for 3 months.. but NO! If one officer comes, the other does not.. and so on and so forth! Finally caught hold of some "known" person in RTO and gave him 200rs and lo and behold! Change done the next day!

K. Those are so called "big" stuff and that too at government offices. How about the 10rs kanike we give to the priest in the temple so that he does "extra" pooja from our side? How about the "glares" he gives if you don't give him that?

How about giving some left-overs to the vegetable vendor who comes in front of the house everyday? So that he gets "good" vegetables for you?

How about the chocolate you give to your children so that they don't go tell their grandparents how much you bitched about them in the room?.

So, my dear readers, lets do something from our end to end this disgarce... ok maybe it will take 10-20 years... but atleast sometime the stigma will go!

I pledge

• I WILL NOT bribe God to begin with! He knows what's best for me... he will do it whether I ask for it or not. But yes prayer is a must. That's a way of showing my gratitude to him for giving me this wonderful life.
• I WILL NOT bribe my children (when I have them) to do things for my sake. K, occasionally I will give them a "treat" if they do well in exams ;-)
• I WILL NOT bribe in any government office. Will it take years to get the job done? I really don't care! You can always have a drivers license with the wrong address! who cares!

How many of you are willing to take this pledge with me?

A very earnest prayer...

God,
Give me the intelligence to understand my man,
Give me the patience to take all his anger,
Make me flexible enough to adjust to all his mood swings,
Give me a big heart to love him with all his flaws,
Make me beautiful so that I can please him,
Make me a good cook so that I can feed him well...
Give me everything that makes HIM happy.

But....
DO NOT give me power (strength)
Lest I kill that fool!

P.S: To be taken on a lighter note. Just heard it on the radio and found it very funny. This is NOT to start a women vs man fight! I am tired of that now ;-)