tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86033084832463929392024-03-14T03:05:17.989+05:30shrill voices....AND U KEEP LISTENING...shrillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07850580634744550086noreply@blogger.comBlogger66125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603308483246392939.post-47063525184795002162020-08-23T19:14:00.009+05:302020-08-23T19:41:33.315+05:30 Not very cricketing Memories, Success and Dreams (MSD)<p>May 1999- My joint-family and I were traveling by train to Vaishno Devi. We were crossing Punjab when our co-passengers asked us where we were from. We replied Ranchi and they said Karachi suna hai, Ranchi kithhe hai? (We have heard about Karachi, where's Ranchi?) </p><div><div><br /></div><div> Apr-2000 - Ranchi was still in undivided Bihar. I had to travel again, all the way to Mumbai for a quiz. Few passengers in the train and fellow quizzers at BQC did mention how Ranchi had lovely weather, good education in eastern India, movement for independent state and a psychiatric hospital. </div><div> </div><div>Summer 2004- The local media used to cover Dhoni,an emerging player in the sports section. My brother had shown me his pictures in the local newspapers and told me that he generally visits his sister, Jayanti and his brother-in-law who used to stay in the flat opposite ours. I remember seeing a guy with long locks come in and out nonchalantly and recognized him as Dhoni. Still, no attention by the passers -by. </div><div><br /></div><div>Oct/Nov 2004- I remember watching that India A vs Kenya match in September 2004 on TV. My brother and grandfather were quite excited when Dhoni batted well. There was hope that he will play for the international squad in the forthcoming tour of Bangladesh. My then school JVM Shyamali had invited him for a brief felicitation as he was an alumnus. I remember that day in school assembly. MSD at one point even chuckled with his head down, as the teacher was praising him. Ironically, his cricketing talent was being lauded in front of 700 students who were preparing for IIT JEEs and Medical entrance exams. </div><div> </div><div> May 2005 - One afternoon my grandmother was irritated by a sonorous revving noise coming from somewhere. My grandmother and I rushed out to the balcony to see what it was. We saw a guy with long tinted hair on a red superbike, revving it on an uphill slope almost waking up the entire vicinity. This was after he had scored his 148 against Pakistan. People were happy to see him and I am sure he was flaunting his new bike and wanted us to notice him. He was definitely being noticed by onlookers but no one was hurrying to him for autographs. It must have been around this time,that Dhoni's parents shifted from a small quarter in Mecon colony to a larger bungalow, which now had security guards outside. I remember riding my cycle and going for morning walks and walking past his house.</div><div><br /></div><div>2007 - Dhoni's brilliant performances on field started getting him global attention.</div><div>Most of my relatives who would visit us from outside wanted to see his new house and we were happy to show them by driving around that place. </div><div>While the world cup earlier that year was far from encouraging, T20 turned out to be exhilarating. It was a very stormy evening in Ranchi with many areas out of electricity and streets with uprooted trees. Even as it was raining it couldn't dampen the noise of crackers bursting in the town on that September night when India had won the T20 world cup and MSD had lifted the trophy. After this victory, when he visited his sister, I was not at home, but was told that he was mobbed by our neighbouring aunties and kids. He obliged them with pictures and autographs. Phones were not selfie-pixel enabled then, as someone recalls getting his autograph.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>2008 - We got a new car and dad drove us 60 km away to a temple in a village that shot into fame because that's the temple Dhoni usually visited.</div><div> If you have ever travelled between Ranchi and Jamshedpur you would have noticed a temple next to the highway. It is said that Dhoni would go and pray and take blessings of the Goddess Devri each time he reached a milestone in his career.The small shops around that temple in the village of Tamar have his pictures praying at the temple. It is an example of how a celebrity can boost the economy of a little known tribal village.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>2009- I went for another college quiz in a different state, and this time when I had to introduce where I was from. </div><div>I simply said "I am from Ranchi, Dhoni's land".</div><div> </div><div>2009 onwards - As they say the rest is history </div><div><br /></div><div><div>Dhoni brought small town talent to the forefront. EY termed "Dhoni Effect" as an increasing trend in
consumerism
outside metros that marketers were not able to keep pace with. Ranchi got its cricket stadium. MSD retired from international cricket. While we see the best of talent leave small towns, MSD still calls Ranchi home, spending time in his sprawling farm house. As we all know, he is different.</div><div><br /></div></div></div>shrillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07850580634744550086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603308483246392939.post-19750827712915078662016-03-19T19:52:00.001+05:302016-03-20T09:55:48.944+05:30WATCH THE MATCH, WHILE THE AD GOES MAD<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
You were watching India vs Pakistan with the entire country yesterday and so where a thousand marketeers. The rush for advertisement slots in yesterday's match would have been another behind the scene battle. But we all know who won the advertisement slot battle.<br />
Yes! Airtel with its deluge of 4G commercials.<br />
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Once in a while comes a brand ambassador out of nowhere yet makes an impact<br />
that remains etched in public memory for years.<br />
I remember the Rasna gal with the famous one liner " I love you Rasna" .<br />
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There was this Dhara lad who would brighten up on seeing Jalebi.<br />
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Apple Singh during the 1999 world cup made Sudhir Mishra famous.<br />
Then we have our favourite Amul girl who is a caricature and hence ageless.<br />
Now talking about the Airtel 4g girl.<br />
I have come across many people who find her irritating.<br />
But here is what would have made marketeers go ahead with the brand's latest ad campaign.<br />
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1) Airtel and Taproot have zeroed in on a face that is different. Had they hired a celebrity, say Katrina/ Deepika the result would have been high endorsement fee and a face that doesn't remain unique to the brand.Sasha Chhetri on the other hand is the short haired, young ,unconventional model who will distinctly catch the audience's attention even if people find her too loud.<br />
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2) Yes!! she is chatty and talks a lot. In her latest TV commercial she is described as someone who goes Yak! Yak! Yak!<br />
But that is exactly what a mobile phone operator would want us to do . Chat! Chat! Chat!<br />
She over-communicates so that she remains in your memory. That's what Ads want out of you.<br />
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3) She is smart, cute ,confident and unapologetic. This is what brand ambassadors need to be.<br />
Love her or hate her, but there's no denial to the fact that airtel 4G gal has taken the TV ad space by storm.<br />
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Sasha may go on to get more endorsements but she will always remain the Airtel 4G girl for years to come. We still haven't forgotten ZooZoos of Vodafone or the Hutch puppy. This endorsement deal has helped airtel create the 4g noise. How far will Airtel gain or lose is what Marketeers need to see.<br />
As far as the network coverage in hinterland is concerned advertise it the way you want but I have an airtel 3G connection and I see every reason why TRAI has asked telecom operators to answer on call drops.<br />
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shrillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07850580634744550086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603308483246392939.post-51480253448239365212015-12-27T15:05:00.002+05:302015-12-27T15:06:20.095+05:30The Dark Side of Leadership<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Transcript of my CC#6 at Toastmasters International</div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Toastmasters is a place where leaders are made. We all aspire to be leaders . Our generation is obsessed with the word leadership . It starts right from our schools and I am not talking about Bschools but primary schools.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> As a young girl in my school I would always be made the monitor of the class because my teachers thought I had “leadership qualities”.Of course I could bully, shout and ask others to shut up. It was only in class 10th when my school wanted me to be the head girl that I went up to my teacher and said that I don’t want to be one. Why did I do that? No I don’t claim to be a saint to deny the coveted position. You could say that I was not ready to take that responsibility at the cost of my studies. Well, here’s a funny thing. History has had several examples of such people. Albert Einstein rejected the offer of being made the head of state of Israel.Didn’t Sachin Tendulkar , the God of cricket do the same? As Richie Benaud summed it up , “ Captaincy and performance are two different talents, and Sachin didn’t have the former”. Did that make Sachin any less of a person. If you have not been a leader,it doesn’t mean you are a loser .</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> All leaders have not been role models. Remember Hitler, Polpot , Bin Laden . These personalities were cult leaders in their own way with thousands of followers behind them, but are they the best examples?</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> A lot has been researched on the financial crisis of 2008 and how the leadership in the US investment banking sector failed and spurred the recession. And let me tell you while millions became homeless and jobless, the leaders who made it happen never took responsibility of it.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Which brings me to question the dark side of leadership. The often less talked about subject . So what are the negative traits that one is susceptible as he aspires to be leader?</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Machiavellianism</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Machiavellianism is characterized by manipulative tactics.These principles were first outlined by Niccolo Machiavelli, a rennaissance author in his book </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Prince</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> . It talks about ways to get things done, by use of immoral or deceptive methods . Therefore, individuals who exhibit Machiavellianism will lie, and exploit others to get their way.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Machiavelli described dishonesty and killing innocents, as being normal and effective in politics. When </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Machiavellianism</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> awakens then </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the leader is not collaborative. He thinks he is smarter than the rest. There's no originality or vision. Often ,he starts marking territories. There were a lot of examples in the Mahabharat. Shakuni,Duryodhana and some even say that even Lord Krishna in the battlefield was no less of a Machiavelli. ,Aurangzeb who conflicted his brother Dara and imprisoned his father Shah Jahan. Chanakya has been described a predecessor to Machiavelli.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Psychopathy</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Psychopathy is not just a characteristic of serial killers. Industrial studies by Babiak and Hare in their book </span><a href="http://www.harpercollins.com/9780061147890/snakes-in-suits" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Snakes in Suits</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> state that 3.5 per cent of top executives score highly on measures of psychopathy, which is larger than the 1 per cent found in the general population.Individuals high on psychopathy show little remorse and empathy for others. They use threats and hard tactics to get status and get ahead. These “snakes in suits” may thrive in organizations because society often promotes self-interest over other values.So high is their drive to prove themselves right on parameters that many a times might not even be important.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 15.333333333333332px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Many such leaders don't trust their subordinates /colleagues and keep micro-managing. They don’t communicate openly and prefer that people around fear them. They are angry individuals. I remember this one time a colleague told the boss that he had to rush home as his father was in Emergency. What did the boss say? You better finish your work first.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Narcissism</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Narcissists have extremely inflated views of themselves, with grandiose plans for</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b> their</b></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> future. They feel they are more special than others and constantly seek admiration. When narcissism gets a hold , your self aggrandizement is the only thing you think about. You only focus on your promotion, on your image at work and elsewhere. Many a times you hide your subordinates achievements and brush him/her under the carpet because after all YOU made it happen. There is little humility.Narcissicist would hide their flaws,poor skills and pretend it doesn't exist. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Overconfidence</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Act as if you have unmatched confidence and then people will surely have confidence in you,” says Jordan Belfort in his book </span><a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/book/10873/the-wolf-of-wall-street-by-jordan-belfort" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Wolf of Wall Street</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. This is sad but true. Individuals who exemplify overconfidence are better able to influence others and gain their trust.But this show is not long lasting,because one day the glittering gold goes off its sheen.True confidence comes from self-awareness, understanding and managing our emotional state, managing others' emotional state positively . When we're comfortable in our own skin, we're a magnet for success.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At times overconfidence penetrates into organisation culture.these days many organisation have started encouraging excessively positive thinking that can have bad consequences as well.. Admissions of failure and expressions of doubt have been actively discouraged in favour of highly excessively positive thinking . Research on two North Sea oil installations, for example, found that despite senior management’s upbeat demand for transparency about the company’s safety performance, many offshore workers did not disclose accidents and near misses because they thought their managers would not like “ not positive news” .Being positive is indeed transformational,it facilitates innovation and enhances teamwork but real picture should also be appreciated. More effective leadership dynamics are likely to emerge when optimism is combined with critical thinking and willingness to confront difficult realities .</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DZcBT5ofBwQ/Vn-uhYZI1bI/AAAAAAAAFmA/5MaUPhV_Ww4/s1600/images3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DZcBT5ofBwQ/Vn-uhYZI1bI/AAAAAAAAFmA/5MaUPhV_Ww4/s200/images3.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So, How does knowing about the dark side of leadership help us?</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.6434782608695653; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It starts within each of us, the dark side of leadership is not an external issue but an internal one. This may cause leadership to be short-sighted, stressful and full of bloat rather than value. As Shakespeare said “Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown”. So watch out else the crown might just fall off</span></div>
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shrillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07850580634744550086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603308483246392939.post-76295951429371125742015-12-15T18:52:00.001+05:302015-12-27T23:14:50.755+05:3040tude<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9w7w9Lw44pc/VnAQyx8kQaI/AAAAAAAAFlc/KZB6O5kEfmY/s1600/india-20-rupees-2012-p-unc-tac2255-1208-23-tac2255%254020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9w7w9Lw44pc/VnAQyx8kQaI/AAAAAAAAFlc/KZB6O5kEfmY/s320/india-20-rupees-2012-p-unc-tac2255-1208-23-tac2255%254020.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
It had been a while since I had travelled to the city. Staying in the small town where I know all the locations like the back of my hand hardly gives me the chance of using the google maps or taking the public transport.It would have been 12 noon. I took the metro from ChandniChowk to Maidan. I got down at Maidan metro ,took the metro plaza shortcut to Camac. Waited at Jyoti Vihar which was crowded being a Sunday afternoon. Chucked the idea of South Indian lunch and instead bought fruits from the baba downstairs. As I crossed the US embassy, I could feel the tenacity of observation by the security forces. They were corresponding on walkie talkies. It had been only 4 days to Paris attacks. Security definitely would have been on high alert.One even followed me shortly. A lone woman in salwar suit wearing shades was definitely a profile suspect. Funny though I thought to myself. I had ventured out late in the Kolkata noon and reached Westside. Ah! the joy of a starved shopper. Ever wondered what gazing at the colours of dresses in a variety of cuts makes us feel? It's soulful and blissful to a woman much like that whisky on the ice blocs is for a man. To each his/her own temptation.<br />
Little did I realise that it was time for me to get ready and rush back to the hotel.It was already 4.My train would leave at 5:30pm. I called out to a few taxies asking them to take me to the United Bank,near Dalhousie square. Initial few didn't get the location. At last an old uncle got it. He asked me to sit. I hopped and asked him to hurry. At the next signal somewhere near Park, it appeared. I have always been wary of <i>Hijras</i>. They get me $#!t scared. The yellow old taxi did not have powered windows. The <i>Hijra </i>had inserted his hands through the gaping open space in the half pulled down window and was touching my purse and asking me to depart from 100 Rs in my bag. I said I didn't have 100. I said I wouldn't pay more than 40.(I know that's lousy bargaining) He said "Give me 100, I'll give you change" I was looking at the signal with a hope that it turns green and the taxi gets ready to leave. 20 more seconds left. Not willing to undergo any further confrontation I parted with 100 Rs and the <i>Hijra</i> indeed gave me 60 Rs back with a plethora of blessings for my future generations.<br />
After the signal turned green, my driver asked me in Bengali how much I gave the <i>Hijra</i>. I said 40 Rs. He went crazy. He said" Didi, that's way above his standard income from per person. They should not be given more than 10 Rs. You should have asked me Didi ."<br />
I told him I had no change.<br />
He said" I would have given you change worth 10. These Hijras get money for no work and here people like me work day and night and earn peanuts". He kept sulking remarking,"Every man has his fate and at times even Hijras". I snapped at him saying "Dada you should have intervened while he was trying to force his hands inside the car aiming for the money." He countered saying " Didi, I thought you would have given him 10 rupees and left him. That is what normal people in Kolkata do.Moreover I didn't get your Hindi"<br />
By this time I had reached my destination.<br />
It was 4:30 and I had to rush for the station. The Taxi Driver clocked the meter. The meter had clocked 40 Rs. I handed him out 40 Rs. He smiled sheepishly.I knew why.<br />
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I felt stupid at myself , angry at the Hijra and had mixed feeling for the taxi driver .<br />
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shrillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07850580634744550086noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603308483246392939.post-67760844870689237472015-12-02T23:21:00.003+05:302015-12-02T23:21:49.235+05:30UN-AIDED<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1uwEF3IPwtU/Vl8unwKRFUI/AAAAAAAAFlA/OwpgoBtQ1as/s1600/AIDS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1uwEF3IPwtU/Vl8unwKRFUI/AAAAAAAAFlA/OwpgoBtQ1as/s1600/AIDS.jpg" /></a></div>
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When Charlie Sheen recently revealed his HIV+ status, a lot of people were not surprised as Sheen was known for being an indulgent casanova.</div>
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However the media was abuzz with other cases of celebrities being HIV+ and how Isaac Asimov, Arthur Ash and Freddie Mercury had all died of AIDS.</div>
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Well,my knowledge of the disease was only limited to watching movies like Phir Milenge and Philadelphia.</div>
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Biology in school had made us aware of the 4 ways in which the virus could be passed on.</div>
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AIDS always felt like a distant disease in a distant planet.</div>
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Until, last year when I got married. </div>
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We had moved in to a new locality and I was desperately seeking a domestic help.</div>
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I asked a few people in the new neighborhood if they could recommend someone who could help me be more productive. Someone who could keep my house spick and span , cook and clean so that I could continue to add value to my work.</div>
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Luckily I got Jharna(name changed) . She was introduced to me by a neighbor and I was indebted to my </div>
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neighbor for introducing me to someone who is generally a working woman's saviour.. </div>
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Of course a good maid is solution to half of world's problems. Jharna used to cater to the household chores and when I came home after work I could perch on the couch with a book to read.</div>
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Jharna was the quiet types. She would reach on time in the morning and start off with her work. </div>
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I told her we were fitness enthusiasts and the food had to be no-oil or low-oil. </div>
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The tea had to be made with little sugar. </div>
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She had remarked ," That's the case in most of the houses I see".</div>
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She had said that she would come each day except Sundays. She went to a church on Sunday.</div>
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Though she was a born Hindu she had converted into christianity after her husband's death .</div>
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She said that the parish priest's sermon had given her strength to fight the scourge of poverty and espoused</div>
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her to raise her 4 children. What faith helps you achieve !</div>
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I would manage to speak to her at times . It would entail rudimentary instructions as she was quite capable of understanding setups of the home.</div>
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I had become very attuned to her work and she had become attuned to our home.</div>
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I was driving one day from my office, when I got a call.</div>
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I returned the call and it was from the same neighbour who had introduced me to Jharna</div>
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She was extremely apologetic and she had called me to inform that she had recently come to know from others in the neighborhood.</div>
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Jharna's husband had died of AIDS and that Jharna had also contracted the virus. </div>
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Every Sunday she would goto the missionaries where she was treated with medicines.</div>
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For a moment I was dumbfounded. To be honest my first reaction was , " What if I get infected? "</div>
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Knowing fully well that the disease was not contagious / infectious I still had goosebumps. Jharna had been with us for 3 months. </div>
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We had shared the same air space. I started imagining, "What if she coughed and those droplets had the virus?" What if she had been cutting vegetables and her finger got injured while she must have been cooking. What if her sweat was all across the handles of my ladles and food equipments.</div>
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I tried to allay my fears and spoke to my husband about it.</div>
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His immediate reaction was," How do we help her?, Also how can I be so sure. After all it could be a hearsay"</div>
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I decided to speak to Jharna directly on this one. It would be difficult as my neighbor had warned me that she shouldn't be quoted.</div>
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I asked Jharna the reason behind her coughs. She said it was normal cold. I asked if she was suffering from any serious disease and that I could help her.As I was speaking to her I was scanning her from top to bottom trying to spot lesions that are symptomatic of AIDS but I found none.</div>
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Jharna stratight away declined that she suffered from no disease and drew my attention towards her thick hair which was an emblem of good health.</div>
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I was stuck to google to know more about the illness and its spread. I came across articles where in the US parents of a 3 year old,were charged a heavy fine just because they fired the baby sitter after coming to know that she was HIV+. My brother who is an avid story buff asked me to watch Dallas Buyers Club to know more about HIV+. I did. After researching a lot on the internet and after consulting a few doctor friends, I decided to continue with Jharna at our house. I had made peace with science and the fact that even if Jharna was HIV+ she would not pass on the virus . When I had narrated this incident to a couple of my friends they were a bit shocked that we were continuing with her. One of them stopped visiting us.</div>
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A few months back Jharna left our home because she got a better paying job as a full time caretaker.</div>
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I wished her all the best and thanked her from within as she made me challenge my conscience ,intellect and moral ground. </div>
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We live in an age where a lot of stigma is attached to people who are HIV+. What if the simple wife like Jharna got it from her husband? What if that Jharna's daughter got the virus from her mother? What if the guy travelling in the train seated next to you got it through improper blood transfusion while battling in the war?</div>
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The deadly virus only hits you when you come to know of someone in your vicinity battling with it.</div>
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Not everyone is famous as Charlie Sheen. Some need our aid to battle it.</div>
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shrillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07850580634744550086noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603308483246392939.post-39803672804013114542015-08-02T22:34:00.001+05:302015-08-02T23:09:29.788+05:30Friends Shipped<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZxGx2x40s6w/Vb5JuBk3RiI/AAAAAAAAFOQ/kFVeiZoteCI/s1600/rain%2Bbalcony.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZxGx2x40s6w/Vb5JuBk3RiI/AAAAAAAAFOQ/kFVeiZoteCI/s1600/rain%2Bbalcony.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Mr. Neerav Singh Thakkar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> CEO </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Skyline Vista</span><br />
<br />
Read his visiting card. Neerav was standing against his balcony's marble balustrade sitting on his swing on that Sunday morning,glancing at his holographic visiting card. He was looking out for the Chief Secretary's card in his wallet that was handed over to him just a day back. Prompt as he had always been Neerav wanted to thank him back by writing an email. Meeting the Chief Minister was important to him . Neerav was glad he had pitched Skyline Vista's proposal to build the biggest games village of the country. Even if he didn't bag the contract, such strategic alliances were important for the big businesses as Skyline Vista .<br />
Neerav tilted his visiting card,looking at it from left and right with a narcissistic pleasure. At 35, he was one of the youngest paid CEOs and he still had miles to go. After sending the email to Chief Minister's office Neerav went onto login to the news portal. Funny that the news portal site had a pop up ad directing him to an e-comm site that had a special " Friendship's Day Sale on shoes and clothes".<br />
Neerav couldn't help but unleash his management thoughts.Skyline Vista hadn't roped in anything to flag friendship's day digital marketing strategy. He understood that selling real estate to youngsters buying friendship bands wasn't the smartest thing to do. He would always analyse the customer sentiment and he did exactly that again. Would I be interested in buying property when I was 20- 25 years of age on Friendship's Day? Hell, No.<br />
That thought struck Neerav as a thunderbolt . What would I have done 10-15 years back on this day? A train of thoughts started running in his mind. While in college he would hang out with Adit, Smriti ,Madhav, Anushka and their gang. He remembered how they would play antakshari till late. He remembered how many times Madhav and he got drunk and Adit would be the last man standing taking them to their hostel rooms. Neerav had always been driven and there were instances when he had said no to outings as well; in order to prepare for the Business Plan competitions. Neerav and Adit shared a special camaraderie as they were both in the college swimming team. Madhav was the dude who would sing in the college rock band and had a huge fan following. Anushka always lent the group her class notes as she used to be the diligent topper. Smriti was the cynosure of everybody's eyes who was always busy texting to her long distance boyfriend. She was happy to be a part of the group as she felt comfortable being treated just like a friend with no suitors. Neerav remembered that one time in their party when Madhav was drunk to the hilt , confessing he really liked Smriti,while Smriti was equally drunk to make any sense out of it. All this leaving a smile on Neerav's face. A typical college life he had had. He was happy reminiscing those days.<br />
Just then Neerav's phone rang. It was still pattering on his balcony on 15th floor overlooking the Arabian Sea. Mumbai Rains, romantic as always. It was his wife. She told him that she would be spending her evening with her friends at the club. She had already asked the butler to look into Neerav's lunch requirements. Knowing fully well, that Neerav spent little time with family on Sundays and more on the golf course / gym <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweatworking">sweatworking</a> she didn't bother to ask Neerav about his leisure plans on Sunday. Neerav had mixed feelings. He knew he had more than 2000 contacts on his linkedin profile and thousands followers and friends on facebook. All he did day in and day out was " networking" or euphemistically put "relationship building". He felt this void for the first time. He had his advisors,counselors , mentors, parents and family ; everyone one could call a support system but he had been missing something. The last time Adit had called Neerav,it was for some small favour which Neerav had even helped him with, but disconnected the call saying he was busy and would talk later. When Anushka got married and invited the gang to her wedding in Delhi, Neerav was on a business trip to UK. When Madhav released his first album and Neerav saw it on facebook, all he did was posted a thumbs up. When Smriti finished her PhD and sent the gang that touching email talking of her trials and tribulations in the academic research on "Condition of Indian Farmers:Ways to improve Policy in Agricultural Economy" Neerav commented saying she was on her way to becoming a leftist.<br />
He felt sorry today. He felt miserable for there was noone he could talk to and talk for no reason at all. There was no one who could just give him that <i>yaaron wali gaali. </i>Noone with whom he could just to go and have the roadside chai for kicks and share a hearty laugh. He didn't even remember the whatsapp group that was made to keep the 5 together because he hardly got time to check it. As he felt friendless he went towards the balcony's edge and drenched himself in rain.<br />
"Yes, I am drifting apart from a lot of things",he thought .<br />
Just then his cellphone beeped. He looked at it. The secretary said that Skyline Vista's proposal was being considered for further action. The ministry needed certain clarifications.<br />
Neerav went back to work thinking he would call Adit and the rest of the gang.<br />
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shrillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07850580634744550086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603308483246392939.post-32117417973515193112015-06-26T23:39:00.001+05:302015-08-02T22:34:39.478+05:30Moments in Maximum City <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This city always leaves me in a tizzy. As a resident of small town , I admire the awesome aspects of this city and despise the aweful aspects as well. It's always great to be in the pulsating place called Mumbai . She is so full of life. She is so rich in culture. She hardly sleeps. She is so friendly and yet so professional. She is so expensive and I better not speak about the long commutation ,arduous train rides and long traffic jams. She is starry and yet so common man friendly . She is indeed Maximum with unlimited mayhem and merriment.<br />
This time I happened to stop over at Prithvi theatre and cafe at Juhu.<br />
The ambience of this kitschy open hangout makes it a perfect place to hangout with your close friends and discuss matters of art that are close to your heart. It is also one places to spot the finest plays and dramas. And boy! I was lucky to meet none other than Mr. Shashi Kapoor who founded the theatre. He was accompanied by the amateur flautist Suhas Joshi who was mesmerising the people with his mellifluous flute<br />
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And here have I penned the experience of seeing the actor who recently won the DadaSahab Phalke Awards for his many a charming portrayals of character.<br />
He who immortalised the dialogue"Mere paas Ma hai" with a new found proclamation that was much more emotional than any filmy "I love you"<br />
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It was hard to see the effect of time.<br />
as bells in the theatre did chime,<br />
There he stood dressed in Black<br />
Resting on the wheelchair back<br />
The hero of yesteryears had drooped<br />
He sat immobile and little moved<br />
Few came near to him and waved him "Hi!"<br />
Others came to say him goodbye<br />
Once in a while the hero did smile<br />
As if to say to others it had been a while<br />
Thank You all for remembering me<br />
Time is precious and not as endless as sea<br />
He was counting his years,we all could judge<br />
Young and old are facts of life you cannot fudge<br />
So live a life and let it be<br />
Come once and see him at Prithvi<br />
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shrillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07850580634744550086noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603308483246392939.post-84864912614310452392015-03-30T20:44:00.000+05:302015-03-30T21:10:18.992+05:30DumbStruck<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The pain was excruciating<br />
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I felt my pharynx stifling</div>
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The tonsils felt like large bells </div>
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The pain looked like it would never quell</div>
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I realized that this was sickness in passing</div>
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Applied for leave with a feeling foreboding</div>
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Not being able to speak</div>
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Could really get any woman weak</div>
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However. inspired by Stephen Hawking</div>
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I ruminated on philosophy and theory of String</div>
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Cyberslacked and checked random facebook profiles</div>
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Liked every possible meme mentioned in the digital file</div>
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Gazed through the online seas of fashion style</div>
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Surfing <a href="http://www.webmd.com/">WebMD</a> on my illness once in a while</div>
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Tried to watch a couple of movies,series on the go </div>
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Only to discover whatsapp notification had broken the flow</div>
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Leisure it was listening to classical vocals croon</div>
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Drug overdose and slumber left me to swoon</div>
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Husband's happiness hid behind the light</div>
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Of course speech deprived wife is every married man's delight</div>
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Advice came from everywhere galore</div>
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Gargle, home remedies and even neck contraptions were sure</div>
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In these moments of silence,</div>
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as I faced my inner resilience</div>
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I realised how nagging yet crucial our voice is</div>
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Which so often makes others' p!$$</div>
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When in excess speech is an abscess</div>
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And similar is an extension of silence; a stress</div>
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If we were to learn how to attain equanimity</div>
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Speech would hardly be a measure of felicity</div>
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In this day and age when everyone wants a sound byte </div>
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How can Thomas Carlyle be believed to be right</div>
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"Silence moulds great lives" he had said</div>
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He should be asked to sit and watch TV news instead</div>
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Gone are the days where thinkers thought </div>
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Today is the day where action and brashness is bought</div>
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Dear Almighty(if thou really art there)</div>
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I have reflected enough and took requisite care</div>
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"Speech might be silver and Silence golden"</div>
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I want the cheaper of the two as my purse strings embolden</div>
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If I could only pass this spell of silence on somebody</div>
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No I would not do that to my one and only hubby </div>
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It would be the roaring miscreant of the Television </div>
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Arnab is his name and Timesnow is his harrowing creation</div>
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shrillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07850580634744550086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603308483246392939.post-4173841848163003142015-01-27T00:37:00.001+05:302015-01-27T00:37:25.700+05:30Republic Mix<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The hype and the hoopla behind the world’s most powerful man’s visit to India was laid to some rest when I switched from NDTV to the modest Lok Sabha channel to watch the 66th Republic Day parade. I must say that I was watching the visual treat after a quite large lapse of time. The trumpeting at Amar Jawan Jyoti and the PM’s salute to our martyrs was another spectacle I watched after years altogether. I have heard from my friends that a visit to Amar Jawan Jyoti infuses one with patriotism as the names of shahids belittle your existence as a common man/woman. An overcast Rajpath started its proceedings sharp at 10 am. The Cadillac Beast came roving with Indian and American flags fluttering in the cold . Michelle and Barrack Obama descended. Secret Services and the hundreds of snipers and security men had been preparing for this day. Michelle in her sobre black overcoat and red scarf helped Mr. Obama put on his overcoat. A minute later President of India arrived. Delhi was drizzling.Luckily PM Modi let go “Barrack” after a short handshake this time. Placed inside the bullet proof enclosure the dignitaries started to witness the proceedings of the 66th Republic Day.<br />
The Ashok Chakra was awarded to two soldiers posthumously who lost their lives to the enemy at the hands of Pakistani Militants. Their wives received the medals as the families shed tears amongst audience. Did you notice Mr. Obama how terrorists invaded you one time on Sept 11 while we Indians have to dwell in the scourge of terror perennially ? Next started the parade of the various armed forces contingents. For the first time we had ladies strut in the regimental discipline. Woman empowerment certainly has been a key issue for the current government. Hell Yes! I uphold this display of women empowerment. It might have been a display ; but it still stood for something very deep. The message was very clear . For ages, especially since Mughal invasion patriarchy and man’s dominance has underplayed a woman’s contribution in sustaining a society. We are underestimate the role of woman as a caregiver. Her domestic contributions rarely go recognised by society. Her sacrifice becomes subservience. If you were to ask a simple question,that I have asked myself far too many times. Why? Why does an average Indian not want a girl child? The reason is; The girl gets married after the parents invest in her upbringing and education. She is not able to render care to her parents in old age because of various reasons . Also there is no sense of pride and recognition that she brings to her family. How do you solve it? Simple, give her opportunity to shine. Similarly researches reveal that sexual harassment too is more a play of power dynamics and less a lust drive. If the country needs to be purged of its ills ,and gruesome crimes against women need to be wiped off,the key is questioning the societal norms of power and providing example and setting up role models. The examples of woman’s success need to be resounded regularly to give others confidence and inspiration. Furthermore, grass root level changes in terms of fostering girl child education needs an impetus. No wonder we had Smriti Irani, Kiran Bedi and even Michelle Obama cheering at the valiant ladies of the armed forces today.<br />
Apart from the state tableaux in which Amma’s state’s caught special attention ,all the others were iridescent. It was amusing to see the “Ayush Mantralaya’s” tableau with models performing yoga. The Railway’s tableau had Raily Minister Prabhu clapping hard in the audience . Prabhuji if only the trains run on time ! The “Make in India” geared tiger roared its way into Rajpath and the children sang and danced to the tune of “Mangalyaan”. As the armed forces staged formation of Armed vehicles Obama must be thinking “Damn it! They should have called Putin,with all these Russian Sukhois and Migs.” As Obama sat next to Modi , I dare say he would have chuckled once or twice on observing Narendra Modi’s suit. “Man! Modi is a megalomaniac. Who wears a suit with his own name finely printed all over the suit?”<br />
Nevertheless All is well that ends well. The show ended with the spectacular acrobatics show on motorcycles by BSF. The stunts were strictly “DO NOT TRY THIS ON YOUR OWN” . Thanks to the meticulous planning and effort of the team,at least something in India ran on time and the parade ended at 12 noon sharp.<br />
Obama left and the snipers stationed around the space heaved a momentary sigh of relief . I switched back to NDTV. I wanted some masala in the name of Republic Mix. To my displeasure NDTV heralded the end of common man creator, R K Laxman<br />
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Time now for a common woman,eh?<br />
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shrillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07850580634744550086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603308483246392939.post-1284158839390500922015-01-06T22:24:00.000+05:302015-08-02T22:35:23.614+05:30You let me down, Saina!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I am a badminton enthusiast! It is one of the simplest games to understand and one of the most difficult games to excel in. From long waits at queued public badminton courts to actually hitting that smash ,I personally feel I have grown better at the game with time. Badminton is a game testing agility and reflexes . Needless to say,it is also a great aerobic exercise.<br />
Just like many others,I considered Saina my ideal and my inspiration. A small town girl,whose parents migrated to Hyderabad to fulfill her dream of becoming a raquet roarer . They could barely afford her training.but Saina with her single minded dedication and commitment rose to become a star. Thanks to Saina ,a lot of girls like me took to badminton raquet and decided to play. That's what sports icons do . They Inspire. I particularly loved it when Saina said no to endorsements before the Olympics because she wanted to focus on her game. Who would have let go such a gold harvesting opportunity?<br />
The elan with which she revered her ideal Sachin Tendulkar. The reverence that she has had for Gopi Sir. She said that the reason why she had to withdraw from his coaching was to help Gopichand train other budding stars.The fiery girl with composed disposition on court recently smashed shuttles in the wrong court. This wrong court was that of awards. Why this fracas for an award??<br />
Come on Saina,a gracious girl like you doesn't deserve this squabble. You are an Olympic medallist.<br />
You've done us proud at Commonwealth Games, Asian games,Uber Cup and a lot of others. Look,great people don't ask for awards. Awards come to them. You should have known it all the way. Sachin has never asked for it. Amir Khan has rejected a few. Kailash Satyarthi never gave importance to who filed his nomination for the Nobel Prize. Noted journalist P. Sainath rejected Padma Shri. Tagore said no to knighthood. Atalji never asked for the Bharat Ratna. There are so many examples . Even your Gopi Sir won the Padma Bhushan only recently in 2014.Great people do great things to set an example,not to seek attention.Girls like you have been brand ambassadors of girl child education and empowerment. Why drag yourself in this dirty controversy of awards? You need to hold your head high. It would have come to you sooner or later.<br />
Saina,I am terribly disappointed by your conduct. You have let me down. This is clearly a bad example of sportsmanship. This is no humility.It is a situation very similar to those that petty politicians put themselves into. My worst fear is,the authorities granting you the award after your hue and cry. From what one reads in the news ,there are other athletes who have joined the fray and have started to demand that their plea be considered for the awards. Seriously is this how we are preparing for 2016 Olympics?<br />
Just an advice to you Saina<br />
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shrillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07850580634744550086noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603308483246392939.post-27431049628359066842014-12-20T13:42:00.001+05:302014-12-20T13:42:32.344+05:30Saddest Soliloquy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It is just so difficult to follow mathematics. I hate Algebra. Damn It! I haven't even memorised the volume formulae of cubes,cones and sphere. Inshallah Allah! These shouldn't be asked in the tests. Once the test is over ; we shall break for tiffin and I will eat Ammi Jaan's made mutton biryani. Yesterday she made me study so much,today I will definitely go home and play cricket out in the fields with Bashir. There is also some good anime to be shown on Cartoon Network if Abbu lets me watch it , and not sit down with his News on Paktv.<br />
Ufff..Here comes the teacher. "Allah , please please let the questions be easy!! Please Please"<br />
Okay so the first question that I can read on board is 5 taps fill 7 litre of water tank in 9 hours . In how many hours can 4 taps fill half the tank. I hope my pen is working. This seems to be an easy question. The answer is .......... .<br />
Just a minute "Why is Nila raising her hand? Oh,damn she already has doubts in the second question. "Riaz come on hurry," I say to myself.<br />
All of a sudden where is this sound coming from?<br />
5 loud bangs. This is not the time for fire crackers. Oh my God! I can hear people shouting. The teacher asks us to continue writing test. She is gone but we can all sense the frenzy in the air. Bilal and front benchers rush to the door. There is too much of running around and stamping on the floor above.<br />
" Gunshots " Bilal screams .<br />
"There is an attack"Bilal cries again prying from the door to the groud in front of him .<br />
"Ammi Jaan Abbu Jaan ,Please save us , Please save me"<br />
" I want to go home and play. I was telling Ammi Jaan that I had a stomach ache. I wish I could have been at home"<br />
Oh Teacher is back but why is she so afraid?<br />
Teacher bolting the classroom from inside" Children hide below your desks"<br />
"Why?"<br />
We all make space under the desk but there is far too much of noise around with desks being shifted.<br />
A man opens the classroom door with a jolt. Oh He has a machine gun,much like Abbu has in his army camps.<br />
"No he just shot teacher"<br />
"DRrrrrrrrrrrrr Drrrrrrrrrrrrrr Drrrrrrrrrrrr" He has shot the entire first two rows .<br />
"Ammi Nooooooo"<br />
"I dont want to die like Araf just did".<br />
"Allah just save me"<br />
These people ,who are they? They are in uniform like Abu"<br />
Men in uniform crying out to children," Come out you rest of children,Follow me to the auditorium,Just shut up and come out"<br />
Ohhh.. I must go to the auditorium. Maybe I will be safe. But I don't want to die. "Allah please protect me"<br />
I leave the classroom just realising that I am still breathing while walking on the pool of blood. Nila had just finished answering her second question and now she is dead.<br />
As I am making my way out of class ,along with my classmates I can see some 30 students from the second floor with their hands up making their way to the auditorium. Maybe these Shaitans<br />
will spare us. Maybe they will just kidnap us. Maybe I just turned lucky. May be I will live to see Ammi and Abbu.<br />
Why are we all being asked to queue up outside the auditorium? What did these men get by shooting?<br />
I cant just stop crying.<br />
"Oh No... What is this?? Who is this person in fire? How did the person catch fire? I can only hear howls,shrieks and cries all around.<br />
" What!!! What!! So many armed gunmen? Oh no This guy has already taken out his gun again parallel to the ground. What is he aiming at?"<br />
"Oh no...Drrrrrrrrrrrrr Drrrrrrrrrrrrrrr Drrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.."<br />
Did he just shoot the first queue.<br />
There are twenty of us in this queue. Are we going to end up the same way? But why?<br />
Abbu!! Ammi !! Please Save me Abbu!!<br />
No...No...<br />
"Drrrrrrrrrrrrr....Drrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...Drrrrrr"<br />
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The next day journalists reach Riaz's class to see how humanity died that day in Peshawar's Army public School.</div>
shrillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07850580634744550086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603308483246392939.post-19887331736302739682014-08-10T19:07:00.000+05:302014-08-10T19:11:50.860+05:30Why Knot? <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Out in front of her eyes stood the vast expanse of the
endless sea.Her eyes drifted from one end to the other . The salty breeze
slapped her bony cheeks and her eyes started to swell with emotions just like the
sea frothing with humungous waves. The rains had started to patter and the
petrichore grew stronger. The <i>noolia </i>started
warning people inside the sea to come out. The tide was high and inclement August weather was imminent. She had never
wanted to come to Puri. She had told her husband that.Yet he insisted. Now she could see <i>him </i>at some distance......<o:p></o:p></div>
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3 years back....<o:p></o:p></div>
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“We are all going to Puri . Don’t you want to come? It is a
family trip. Dad and I along with Dada, Dadi,Bua ,Uncle, Kaku and KakiMa and
your little cousin Shiv everyone will be there.” I told mom that I needed time
to think. Eventually I decided to go.It would be fun after all. It had been
quite some time since all of us had been together.The first day when we reached
Bhubaneswar it was fun eating Dadi’s homemade condiments rich in ghee and
sugar. Funny that Dadaji still needed Dadi to give him all his clothes and
utilities. He would cry out Dadi’s name and ask for stuffs and Dadi would chide him like he was 5 year
old asking him why it was not possible for him to take care of his belongings.
The place where we were staying in Puri was more of a holy shrine that in local
parlance is known as Dharamshala with a big courtyard where priests sang hymns
continuously.The first day we went for darshan to the famous Lord Jagannath
temple. I have always had a grudge against the superstitious rituals that are
done in the name of faith and religion. Can’t we pray in silence? Why is it
that I need to tussle in and strangulate myself in a dense smelly crowd just to
see a God’s image whose photo I see everyday? Ma as always asked me to shed
away my need for reason and logic and strictly asked me to wear the garb of
tradition . What an ordeal it was to get a glimpse of Jagannath,Subhadra and
Balram. I felt sorry for my 10 year old cousin Shiv and was constantly reaching
out to make sure he wasn’t crushed in this swarm of mortals. After that pandemonium
of darshan the next day Dad ,Dadaji
,Shiv, Kaku and I decided to go into the sea and bathe in it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I was given the
primary responsibility of clicking pictures as I was the proud owner of a new smartphone.
Dadaji who had taught me to take dip in the holy Ganges tried to recreate the
same only to be sent ashore by the strong waves . Luckily Dad came to rescue at
the right moment and we further asked Dadaji
to stay onshore. By this time 10 year old Shiv was in the sea alone
jumping as each time the currents lashed against the shore. Shiv was a child
and his curiosity was only making him take baby steps into the ocean. Another
wave lashed out on the shore and while receding Shiv was moving along with it
into the ocean. Dad and I left Dadaji onshore and darted towards Shiv. Luckily
we rescued him. Poor Shiv was reprimanded by my dad for his little adventure stint and even
received a spank by his dad. As the sun uncovered from the clouds, the heat
became scorching and we decided to go back to the dharamsala. Our room was on
the second floor. Shiv wanted to see all the snaps I had clicked on the beach.
Of course I was wary of handing the kiddo my smartphone. Nevertheless he asked
for it, and I gave it to him. “Angry birds is my favourite game,How can I play
that?” , Shiv asked. Irritated by his pestering demand , I taught him to play
the game with the projectile aim.Shiv started humming his favourite song while
playing on my mobile phone,sitting on the projected window sill. His body resting against the aluminium glass window. Meanwhile
Dadi came into the room looking for Shiv. I was putting on kajal on the mirror.
“Where are is my little Shivi? I heard about your mischief in the sea” . Shiv
tried to hide from Dadi and leaned on further pressurising himself against the
window.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In a moment my Kajal dropped and my eyes turned towards the
window. I couldn’t believe what I had seen. Shiv was not there on the window
sill nor was the window there. I heard a thud on the ground and the sound of
crackling glass. What followed was Dadi ‘s screams of “Save Shiv, Save my child
“ He has fallen down. The window broke along with the frame.” We darted
downstairs. The child was covered in a pool of blood. The remaining description
sends a shudder through my spine. His mom i.e my aunt was wailing. The
ambulance was called and Shiv was taken to the hospital. The authorities
confirmed what we all were anticipating with horror and disgust. Shiv was
cremated then and there itself at Puri’s seaside cremation ghat. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Puri never will never be a holiday destination for her . She
had told her husband that.Yet he insisted.
Now she could see <i>Shiv </i>at some
distance......<o:p></o:p><br />
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That distance had made her look at life from a new direction.<br />
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shrillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07850580634744550086noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603308483246392939.post-86357641546996735712014-07-26T21:54:00.001+05:302014-07-27T13:41:05.565+05:30MAKE A MOOC<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">When the Indian born Satya Nadella was announced as the new CEO of
Microsoft this is what he said,"I am a lifelong learner who buys more
books and signs up for more online courses than he could ever complete.I am
just crazy ambitious in the 15 minutes I have in the morning. You know, I'm
trying to listen to a neuroscience class or something,</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> Self learning unequivocally has been the highest form scholarship.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;">Greatest geniuses and freethinkers were self taught in many ways. Eg.
Aristotle,Da Vinci ,Einstein and even Bill Gates to a great extent. What
astonishes me now is the amount that people pay to earn lofty degrees. On one
hand we talk of the internet spreading its tentacles in every possible nook and
cranny of our lives and on the other the skyrocketing costs of getting a higher
education degree. In this day and age when Google has answer to every question.
Why then go for the expensive alternative?</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">My views have been contradicted by people telling me that computers
cannot replicate the classroom experience . The best of the teachers come at a
price and that the college and hostel accommodation and infrastructure need to
be paid for. Clearly education in such a case is bound to be the privelege of
the rich. The challenge of the time lies in making education accessible to
everyone. This will upgrade skills and make the work force more employable
which in turn will strengthen economy. It was probably because of </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">this reason why the former govt had launched
the NPTEL stream on youtube where IIT professors were asked by the MHRD to
upload their class lecture in video format so that the rest of the country
could utilise it. Economist Jagdish Bhagwati had expressed that he was bullish
in advising erstwhile Education Minister Kapil Sibal to harness online
education to employ the workforce. It was probably this reason why the current
budget emphasised using online training programs. “ To take advantage of the
reach of the IT, I propose to allocate a sum of Rs.100 crore for setting up
virtual classrooms as Communication Linked Interface for Cultivating Knowledge
(CLICK) and online courses.” Said Mr. Jaitly</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"> In what is now known as the disruptive technology in education <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massive_open_online_course">MOOC</a><span style="background: #FFFFCC;">(Massive Open Online Course)</span> is here to break such myths(or
atleast I hope so). The sci -fi writer and visionary Issac Asimov had predicted
long back that there will come a time when Man will use a tool that will
disseminate information in waves and going to school will become redundant. I
am not sure if Pink Floyd had heard Asimov while making the song "We don't
need no education". <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"> What started with a few DIY (do it yourself) videos and Khanacademy is
now burgeoning into the gen- next education tool. Having been an active learner
and MOOCer ,I can't believe how befitting coursera has proved to be.While tomes
were always available,the audio visual form of lectures is more comprehensive
than any other form. I personally download these lectures . The courses are
spread over a month or two. Each week is afresh with new lectures. On an
average there are 6 lectures per week. Each lecture being only 10 to 15 minutes
long. You can download them on a weekly basis on your smartphones. I personally
spend 15 minutes after lunch or dinner and go through these lecture while
strolling(multi tasking at its best!) . You could go through them while commuting
on metro or while sitting on the local bus en route office. Then take
half an hour on Sunday to fill up the weekly tests. The gamut of courses
range from medicine,business,economics,philosophy ,statistics ,management and
engineering.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"> The websites certify you on course completion
if you clear the cut off marks. Websites like coursera,edx,udacity,iversity
have most of their courses for free. You get a certificate of accomplishment
mentioning your name on these certificates. However If you want a verified
certificate with your picture on it and a certificate of distinction with your
final score you may have to shell out a
sum of 40$. This too isn't much as most
of the universities are of international repute.The courses have active forums
where you can shoot a question to the professor or connect with international
students and learn from each other.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"> On the flip side,statistics
also suggests that many students who sign up for these courses don’t always
complete them. Though a lot of people enroll for courses,but only a certain
percentage is able to sustain the discipline and rigour to finish the courses. A few of my
inquizitive friends roll into too many courses at one time,and end up finishing
none.I would advise them to go for one course at a time. This is because one has to be self motivated
for learning through this medium just as is the case with other certification
exams.Another issue lies with the acceptability of these certifications.While
the US is </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">accepting MOOC with linkendin.com </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">hyperlinking your </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">certificates to add
credentials to your resume,the trend has still to be accepted in India. Marissa
Mayer's Yahoo has tied up with with coursera and is sponsoring courses for its
employees and so has Mc Afee.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> Most Importantly,It is the passion for knowledge and learning that needs to be kindled. Freethinkers and self learners will get massive leverage through these programs. Only then can we harness MOOC for skill enhancement and nation building. Here is a TED talk that will provide you food for thought on similar lines . In a country teeming with below poverty lines families’ children,a concept like this would work wonders.</span><br />
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"><br /></span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/dk60sYrU2RU?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-IN;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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shrillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07850580634744550086noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603308483246392939.post-9702011767594359362014-05-02T23:26:00.001+05:302014-05-03T07:20:50.811+05:30May Wave<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Nicky couldn’t bear it. It was getting excruciating now.She
asked the chauffeur to quickly switch on
the AC straight after he opened the car door for her. “Just a minute Madam” .The
sweltering heat at Moras in the Rajasthan-Gujarat border had left her mouth scorched . Her polarized
wayfarers were transmitting the UV rays that made her eyes dance. No sooner had she
ensconced herself in the back seat of the SUV than she reached out for the Coke can to quench her seemingly insatiable thirst. Alas! The coke can had
conducted the heat inside and the secret formula was no longer a “cold drink”.“Bhanu Bhaiya can we
find some mineral water nearby?” Nicky Seth asked her driver.“I have exhausted all the five mineral water bottles I was carrying”.<br />
Nicky thought again of her hectic morning.She had reached Moras early morning at 7 am . Since then she had
given speeches at the local Panchayats,Gram Sabhas. The men were mesmerized by
the glamour their upcoming Neta exuded in the humble but chic white Salwar Suit she was
wearing . She had walked some 6-8 kms around the village schools and promised
that she would ensure better education infrastructure if her father came to
power. She had visited the women self
help groups and listened to their daily problems.The snake bites that had taken
away the lives of children. The problem of men leaving back families at Moras while they went looking for work outside village and state. Her economics education at King’s College had already made her
aware of these problems. The last time Nicky had visited the place was when she
had to present a paper on "Poverty and deprivation-How to create opportunities ".
She remembered how little had things changed over a period of 10 years. 10
years back she and her friends from College Colleen and Markus had accompanied
her to Rajasthan. Indeed it was a romantic land for tourists.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Nicky had fallen
asleep in a jiffy and when the SUV buckled under the stony pathway on the road she woke up to feel thirsty again.
She glanced at her watch and saw that it had only been twenty minutes since
they had started from Moras and her palate was crying out for water.<br />
“Bhanu Bhaiya,can Is there no where we can get water?”</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Madam we have to reach Jodhpur for that or we could stop
any passing car and ask for water”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Nicky didn’t consider that a safe option. She wished she had
listened to her dad’s advice of landing at Moras on a chopper. Had she not been
crazy and adventurous to have taken the austere option of travelling in the
SUV. She was getting delirious. Suddenly she was struck by a bright flash in
her mind. She reached her hands for her handbag and after rummaging through
the inner recesses found out the chewing gum that had been there . <o:p></o:p></div>
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“How far Bhanu Singh from Jodhpur are we?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“2 hours and half Madam”<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Damn It!”, She thought. Nicky didn’t even have network on her
cellphone.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The strawberry flavor in her mouth gave her some respite.
Nicky switched on her I-phone and what a coincidence. I-tunes was streaming “<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3lWwBslWqg&feature=kp">The desert rose</a>” . In a while Nikita Seth's rumination led her to a state of senselessness.Somewhere in the deep pockets of her unconscious mind she could see a water pond. As soon as she came near the water there was this barren stretch of land again. Mirage! and she fainted.<o:p></o:p><br />
"She is alive. She is fine now." Nicky couldn’t understand
the delightful cheer . It took a few moments for her to understand what was going
on. Rhodopsin bleaching in her eyes. She rubbed her eyes to see 3
women cheering in Rajasthani while Bhanu Singh stood next and asked her, “Madam are you fine?”</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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She asked Bhanu,” What’s going on?” Bhanu explained her that
she had fainted on the back seat and luckily the bevy of women were travelling
from one village to another carrying water. Hesitantly he asked for their help
and they delightfully splashed water on her face to awaken her. Nicky thanked
them with a mighty heart. She had avoided drinking in the village water all
throughout the morning thinking it would be unhygienic and not potable but now she could drink water from any source. She gulped as one of the women poured water on her cupped alms.Nicky tried to thank them by tipping them with a 500 Rs note which they accepted after initial hesitation.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Nicky reached her mansion at Jodhpur in the evening . After a
big sigh of relief she narrated her
story to her dad. She extorted a promise from her dad that if he became the MP
again this year he would do something about the water issue at Moras. Her dad
said “The place is geographically handicapped Beta .There is not much that I
can do” . She argued that there must be
some way.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Later in night she tweeted "Water is life. Thanks to the women of Rajasthan”and
shared the photo on facebook with a caption “Incredible India!”<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CuwwURkYePE/U2PblnrBKEI/AAAAAAAAEdU/GQlvVy02v6U/s1600/lp-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CuwwURkYePE/U2PblnrBKEI/AAAAAAAAEdU/GQlvVy02v6U/s1600/lp-01.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></div>
After reading
and checking the responses on her posts Nicky decided to relax and call it a
day after her regular evening swim . She went to their mansion’s pool and found the dewatering pump emptying the swimming pool.Irony she thought.<br />
"Abundance in Scarcity or Scarcity in Abundance?" She tweeted standing next to the pool.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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shrillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07850580634744550086noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603308483246392939.post-33753217594786127012014-03-03T22:00:00.002+05:302014-03-03T22:33:40.882+05:30AWE SCAR!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0n-Xwpo82t0/UxSi-tK8ShI/AAAAAAAAECs/2aZfe3khaAU/s1600/oscar.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0n-Xwpo82t0/UxSi-tK8ShI/AAAAAAAAECs/2aZfe3khaAU/s1600/oscar.png" height="301" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
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My tryst with the Oscars dates back to 1999.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I had watched the entire ceremony as Shekhar Kapoor’s
Elizabeth had been nominated . With such a direct Indian connect there were
bound to be questions raised in the subsequent quizzes .Interestingly the etymology of the Oscars is disputed.One biography of actress <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bette_Davis" title="Bette Davis"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Bette
Davis</span></a> claims that she named the Oscar after her first
husband, band leader Harmon Oscar Nelson. Another claimed origin is that the Academy's Executive Secretary,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Herrick" title="Margaret Herrick"><span style="color: windowtext;">Margaret
Herrick</span></a>, first saw the award in 1931 and made reference to the
statuette's reminding her of her "Uncle Oscar" </div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Whoopi Goldberg I
remember had hosted the 1999 Oscars but was hilarious enough to make a novice
like me laugh.Sadly the internet hadn't seen its <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inception">inception</a> around in
those days but the Oscar tag left me captivated. Dad would pick and choose
English movies that we could watch under parental guidance. Whenever newspapers
or magazines covered anything on the Oscars I would read the entire story and
dig deeper into it. After all these
years of following Oscars so closely,I am still enthralled by them and will
continue to be. The academy comprises of intellectuals who celebrate victory of
human spirit. The Academy embraces all and loves movies with a social message
especially that of an individual’s strength. The indomitable human spirit that
transcends sex,nationality,colour .There is a joke that if you want to win the
Oscars make a movie either on Holocaust,War, Gay rights or handicap. Jokes apart human rights remain the the most important issues we face today.</div>
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The beauty of
each nominated movie lies in the fact that they are surreal and sublime. Like most stories the
academy votes for human inspiration and pushing boundaries and limitless
thinking.They are mostly based on true
stories. Be it this year’s Philomina,Captain Phillips or yesteryear’s Milk,
Mystic River,Frost Nixon,Argo and so many more. If not that then they adapt
some of the greatest books written. Eg To Kill A Mocking Bird,Shawshank
Redemption, Lord of the Rings. Each of these being specimen of great storytelling..<o:p></o:p></div>
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The special category
of animated feature film also gets special attention. Winning the Oscar awards is extremely
good marketing for these movies when they start fetching millions beyond English
speaking countries as they get translated and subtitled. The science and maths
that go behind making these movies is also a different form of innovation. There
is the special <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2454297,00.asp">Scientific and Technical awards</a> given by the academy that is
presented before the glitzy award night. The mega bucks pumped
into art direction brings out the best of creative geniuses. Imagine dolby
sound effects and 3D cinema experiences as cornerstones of technology.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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The choice of anchors has mostly been great with comedians
like Whoopi Goldberg,BillyCrystal and Steve Martin hosting it more than once
and pleasing everyone with their satirical humour. Ellen was a pleasant surprise this year too.
Her style was queer. My favourite joke was the jibe she made at Jonah Hill.. <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2014/03/02/oscars-2014-ellen-degeneres-best-jokes/5950407/">Here </a> is the entire joke summary. I have also loved the concept of best music scores
of the year interspersing the awards.It is done in a very neat fashion. Even
better was when Hugh Jackman was the musical host in 200<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/81st_Academy_Awards">9</a>. Though we didn’t see Tom Hanks in the audience this year but we saw the real life
Captain Phillips and Philomina. <a href="http://www.tribute.ca/news/index.php/captain-phillips-oscar-nominee-barkhad-abdi-talks-about-sudden-fame/2014/01/24/#.UxQ16eOSzj4">Barkhad Abdi</a> was nominated in his debut role of Somali pirate after he gave up his limousine driver's job at Minnesota in real life. Contrary to last year there were no political surprises.
Last year Michelle Obama was
videocalled to announce the best movie that left a lot of fans and
audience in a tizzy. Never before had this happened.This year The academy announced that
it would be unveiling its <a href="http://www.oscars.org/academymuseum/index.html">museum</a> in 2017. Now I know when to visit USA and do more
than just walk on the Hollywood walk of fame.</div>
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If you are a documentary person
make sure you watch the listed nominees for the best documentaries(both short
and feature) in the Oscars as each is a masterpiece.Some of my favourites being
Born in Brothels,Cove and Inside Job. One of the most contested title is that
of Best foreign feature films that invites nomination from most of the
countries around the world. French,Italian and Iranian movies have been regular
movies in this category.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For all those who think the razzmatazz is limited to these
rich haute couture following actors, gulp the fact that Givenchy and Naeem
Khan and other designers use a lot of local artwork and craftsmanship including the Indian zardozi
and chickon . I always find it sad that we take down Aishwarya for her
wardrobes at Cannes,when she could simply sizzle the in one of her
sarees. What is “art” and “crossover” movie in India is the normal academy movie.
I believe a lot of our Indian especially regional movies have substance to put
the Academy jury in awe. But why doesn’t it get such a large audience?</div>
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<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">a)</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">If we make movies on gay rights/communal
atrocity there is bound to be a national outrage and meaningless politics.</span></div>
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<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">b)</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">We can never expect a feat like Meryl Streep.
Indian actresses die their screen deaths once they bear children. Audiences and
directors cannot give good roles to actresses in their 40s. Look at Kajol,
Madhuri and Juhi.</span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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In a country that claims to be outsourcing
its brains to NASA ,MS and Apple are we intellectually that hollow to not
swallow sensible cinema ?So you see why Aamir doesn’t need the
validation of the Filmfare awards and the likes.Alternately many of us believe that as
Indians we have just too many worries to fret in our real lives so cinema should be dumb fun with no brainer
scripts and of course hogwash songs.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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As the famous twitteratti Ramesh Srivats
tweeted today, “ We as Indians start finding our slimmest connects with the
Oscars”. My biggest regret remains that Lagaan and Swades both didn’t win the Oscars. Another regret is the fact that a movie like Slumdog
Millionaire grabbed so many awards.I don’t think it deserved the kind of
attention it did. Hopefully Anand Gandhi and likes will keep making movies like Ship of Theseus and raise our expectation in the future for bringing home an Oscar,irrespective of the lukewarm response at the box office.All that is popular doesn't need to be good.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
Now as a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girl,_Interrupted_(film)">Girl Interrupted</a> my google stats show that on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Social_Network">The Social Network</a> shrillvoices has more <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Reader_(2008_film)">readers</a> in Pardes than in Swades.Maybe the blog is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_in_Translation_(film)">Lost in Translation</a> or I
don’t have a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Beautiful_Mind_(film)">Beautiful Mind</a> .Either which way I am not going to be a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Million_Dollar_Baby">million dollar baby</a>!</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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P.S. I am still waiting for the day when
they will make a movie on Richard Feynman.<o:p></o:p></div>
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shrillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07850580634744550086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603308483246392939.post-49201666181423132382013-11-03T19:52:00.000+05:302013-11-04T07:08:36.704+05:30HAPPY D-WALL-E!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is not just another <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/">buzzfeed</a> article.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This chain of thought triggered when Professor <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Lewin">Walter Lewin</a> was
explaining centrifugal force by the way his grandmother demonstrated its use in
kitchen. The professor explains how his Grandma used to dry vegetables by stirring the colander ; and thereby allowing the tiny water particles to be ejected out of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colander">colander</a>. The professor who teaches at MIT
expressed “Ahh.. How technology has taken out the romance out of regular and
common things!” Now that an MIT professor has made a statement like that,I will
not sound a fool when I elucidate this with examples.<br />
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="text-indent: -18pt;">1. </span><span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -18pt;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Around 2 decades back, you would have to retain
your slam book . You would encircle the birthdays of your close and dear
friends on the calendar.You would have bought a warm birthday card and sent it
miles away via post.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
Now you simply leave a message on facebook
after seeing the reminder;that is the lousiest way to wish considering there
may be 900 people doing the same.<br />
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="text-indent: -18pt;">2. </span><span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -18pt;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">So Ladies ! gone are the days when he would have swept you off your feet by falling down on his knees and proposing to you. Love
has found a veil to hide and this time it is all online.Fear of rejection and
embarrassment makes us express our first wish on phone or through chat. That is
playing so safe. The very emotion is killed. Likewise you don’t get to see her
shock and she doesn’t remember your facial expression either. I have also
witnessed brides calling up their grooms in case the “baraat is stuck up. No
excitement?No suspense?</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="text-indent: -18pt;">3.</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -18pt;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Exam results! There used to be a time when friends
would walk in droves and the queue up in
front of the result board that would be impenetrable. Each would get comforted in the
other's disappointment. The jubilant topper would be taken and flung up in the
air. It would be euphoria that is seen in cricket matches today.</span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Now? You get
result via sms or on the internet and phone calls would suffice for all the
jubilation.</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="text-indent: -18pt;">4.</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -18pt;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">So you think you can pretend? Gone are the days
when people would feign illness and remain absent from work. Now your employer
will trace you down on your cellphone. Or worse install some GPS or microchip
to know your location. Worst he might even come over ,give you magic pills to
pop and demand you join work asap or else the stock markets crash!</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="text-indent: -18pt;">5. You can no longer say “no” to that gaming
console your son badly wants . You can’t give him the excuse that Nintendo Wii
isn’t available in Jhumri Talaiya. Neither can you say that you don’t have cash
in your wallet. He knows you have internet and flipkart offers cash on delivery.</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="text-indent: -18pt;">6.Gone are
the days moms used to sing their babies lullabyes. Just look for lullabyes on
youtube and play them on!</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="text-indent: -18pt;">7.What would have happened if there was no hawkeye and no 3rd umpire?The cussing and the debate would have gone for weeks. India would have won so many more
number of times.</span></div>
<div style="text-indent: 0px;">
<span style="text-indent: -18pt;"><b>8.</b></span><span style="font-size: 7pt; text-indent: -18pt;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">As a child I reminisce the hours of preparation
Diwali took. Right from washing the diyas,to placing the wicks after oiling diyas. In between checking the level of oil in the diyas and replenishing
some 50 odd diyas around the house. Now it is so effortless. You hardly
realise the tradition of diyas. Just press a switch and your diwali lights start
flickering. Though artificial lights light up,they never compete with the beauty
of the traditional diyas.</span></div>
</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G2Ao7EZzWKE/UnZW5aqZFaI/AAAAAAAACgY/GRHONU3oqmQ/s1600/sneha1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G2Ao7EZzWKE/UnZW5aqZFaI/AAAAAAAACgY/GRHONU3oqmQ/s320/sneha1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Here’s wishing Happy Diwali!</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">
P.S I
wish they had an app that could play the fire cracker like high decibel sound so that people could put on earphones and those who despise high decibels (like me) never witness the noise. Noise free Diwali!</div>
</div>
shrillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07850580634744550086noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603308483246392939.post-73623088811049801022013-09-22T20:16:00.003+05:302014-05-04T16:22:14.789+05:30PALATE POWER<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HuPqwYQ5X9Y/Uj8CdCCAKJI/AAAAAAAABwU/BqluaAGj8Nw/s1600/lunchbox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HuPqwYQ5X9Y/Uj8CdCCAKJI/AAAAAAAABwU/BqluaAGj8Nw/s400/lunchbox.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;">Has “cuisine”
ever been so glamourous as it is today? Look
at the way it has been sensationalised. As a child I remember it was Sanjeev Kapoor who took the bold step of appearing on screen teaching recipes
to an afternoon audience primarily targeting homemakers. But look at what
globalisation and technology has done to the food culture today. There are special channels
dedicated to cooking shows.Nigella Lawson,Padma Lakshmi and David Rocco are no
less popular than rockstars. Thats the power of palate. Kudos to masterchef! That
is some reality TV innovation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"> In fact culinary is getting much deserved attention .It is a pursuit that
activates all the five basic senses. For engineers as my friend points out,it is
thermodynamics. There’s requisite heat,consistency of ingredients and proper
curing that is required to make a dish a success. With rising disposable incomes,food seems to be the most happening investment.Yet we have the sad plight
of homemakers across the country who dedicate most of their lives to cooking in kitchen and
yet receive little or no credit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"> I remember
as a young girl the only reason I studied was to escape what I saw my mom do. The thankless and labour intensive job of a homemaker. The arduous process of
kneading the dough, rolling the chapatti and then baking it. And then processing
vegetables and perfecting that stew. All this 3 times a day.</span><span style="line-height: 24px;">After English Vinglish here is another movie showcasing the helpless “Bharatiya Nari”.</span><span style="line-height: 115%;">This is the theme
of the movie “Lunchbox”.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"> A brilliant movie for connoisseurs as it
explores the simplicity and thrill of a mundane life of a homemaker played by
Nimrat Kaur.The pretty lady scorched the screen in 2002 with music <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDIiOb_3aHY">videos</a>. Sad!
No one noticed her then,but she is back with a bang and sans makeup.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;">The
director,a debutant Ritesh Batra has executed the craft brilliantly,keeping
an eye on details; like keeping Ila’s
eyebrows unkempt,her kitchen not so clean. Irfan and
Nawazzudin need no credit. Their acting like always, is class apart.The
subtle humour between them is impeccable.At times you will need to listen to the dialogues
attentively to understand the underlying humour. For eg . Nawazuddin tells “how
his dad last laughed in 1984 when India won the world cup against Pakistan”. Irrfan dons that perfect expression whether he is being molested in train or simply missing his late wife.Many moments in the movie pass in silence but you cannot ignore the emotions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"> The central story revolves around exchange of letters with an
unknown friend,the only difference being that this time it is passed in lunchbox that lands up at the wrong destination.It also
explores the facet of human relationships. A widower’s isolation and his
scruffy attitude towards his neighbourhood kids.His indifferent attitude
towards his colleagues.All this changes when he comes in touch with an unknown woman who starts confiding in him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"> The movie is also a tribute to Mumbai dabbawalas.
My favourite part is when Ila accuses the dabbawala of delivering tiffin at the
wrong address,the dabbawala mumbles “ <i>Aisa
nahi ho sakta,Harvard waale aake padhke gaye hain aur Britain ka Raja bhi
jaanta hai</i>”(This cannot be true ,Harvard had conducted study on us and even
Britain’s prince knows that). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;">No more
spoilers,go watch the movie that pays tribute to household economics. </span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"> I feel sorry for KJO and
Anurag Kashyap who have every right to be sad as the movie has not been chosen as India’s entry to Oscars.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;">They had
tried hard to make an authentic movie,and going by the Oscar “intellectual”
trends kept it open ended (which is making Indian junta scratch their hair)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;">P.S I wanted to use Vir Sanghvi's presently inactive column's name <a href="http://blogs.hindustantimes.com/rude-food/">Rude Food</a> to lure attention nevertheless kept it simple as our moms. And </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">If your mom or wife is a homemaker make sure you let her know about </span><a href="http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/whats-her-takehome/article635630.ece" style="line-height: 115%;">this</a></div>
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shrillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07850580634744550086noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603308483246392939.post-61812072845298047892013-08-30T21:39:00.003+05:302013-08-30T23:36:55.343+05:30THANK YOU!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Thank you Readers!</div>
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And a special thanks to the online world ,where anyone of us can be catapulted to the fame.</div>
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And with my limited fame comes the self-award function.With the award function comes the necessary </div>
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Thank You speech.</div>
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Or maybe the metaphysical part of my brain is wired to thank so as to attract more good things in life.</div>
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As spiritual thinkers say gratitude is a <a href="http://www.applythelawofattraction.com/gratitude-law-attraction/">law of attraction</a> .</div>
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Never mind the overdose ..here goes my speech....</div>
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I am thankful to you for making Shrill's no frills blog hit 20000 mark.</div>
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I know the blog could have garnered more hits had I publicised it well with attractive photos of <i>sunny</i> celebrities.(note the pun)</div>
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But who cares? I believe simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.</div>
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When I started blogging in 2006,it was merely a fad.</div>
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Blogspot didn't have the autosave feature then and I remember having lost my contents to power cuts as my PC then didn't have the UPS functioning.</div>
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Since 2006 it has been a gradual journey where I have rambled about various things .</div>
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The idea is not to stay limited in life. I have to keep expanding my horizon of thought.</div>
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So I have tried never to limit my range in my writings.</div>
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Of course hues of social issues have been often painted in my posts.</div>
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But I have tried humour as well. </div>
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Frankly I don't want to be the greatest blogger. Blogging for me is more of a catharsis and a creative exercise.</div>
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Ever since I read about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_multiple_intelligences">Theory of multiple intelligences</a>,I am driven by the urge to be adept at all of them.</div>
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And there in lies the problem of being a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymath">Polymath</a> .</div>
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Wannabe Polymaths have always admired <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin">Benjamin Franklin</a> ,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonardo_da_Vinci">Leonardo da Vinci</a>, and Newton(my <a href="http://shrillvoices.blogspot.in/2006/12/newtons-ring.html">first post</a> was dedicated to him) and the likes who never limited their realm of thought. </div>
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I want to be a blogger,singer,traveler,engineer, friend, entrepreneur,geek, yogi, environmentalist,economist, athelete, quizzer,pianist, philosopher ,a change maker and hundred things I don't even know of.</div>
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So I will keep my promise and continue to write about everything under the sun and beyond as I keep unravelling them.</div>
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Till then be unlimited .</div>
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As shrill voices...you keep listening!</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l1EWgBcIMQk/UiC4yDy9PpI/AAAAAAAABuo/Qrih48Bo46Y/s1600/van+gogh+quote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l1EWgBcIMQk/UiC4yDy9PpI/AAAAAAAABuo/Qrih48Bo46Y/s640/van+gogh+quote.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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shrillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07850580634744550086noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603308483246392939.post-35436763714388010632013-08-28T23:38:00.000+05:302013-08-28T23:52:12.127+05:30JANMAASHTAMI!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Oh Krishna!<br />
Thou art great.</div>
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As an adult or in your childhood state.</div>
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The naughty son,
<i>Balaram’s</i> brotherly fun</div>
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<i> Dwarka’s</i> chosen one, with the eternal <i>Sudarshan</i></div>
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The way you stand,with your body so sinuous</div>
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As if to remind us to be flexible and never fuss</div>
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With that mellifluous flute you enchanted as <i>Murli Manohar</i></div>
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You have been worshipped as the dark faced <i>Shyam Sundar</i></div>
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Why do people in this world not realise?</div>
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That being dark is not a vice</div>
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While Yamuna was poisoned by the Kalia, killing your
herdsmen</div>
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The scene is no different today again,with toxins in the
country’s den</div>
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Your message was
clear even then</div>
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To worship and respect environment at Govardhan</div>
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For nature around us should be resurrected </div>
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Not some officious leader like Indra respected.</div>
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A friend to Sudama, provider to the penniless impoverished</div>
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We need that bounty again, as our vaults are famished </div>
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The wonders of your flirtatious dance with the maidens of
<i>Dwarka</i></div>
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But that true love for your soulmate <i>Radhika</i></div>
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That one time when you married 16000 maidens</div>
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Only to restore their honour back,after Narakasura’s
violation</div>
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An epitome of a man you were</div>
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Saving <i>Draupadi’</i>s honour during that horrific stir</div>
The situation is no different today<br />
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As thousands of them are disrobed and perpetrators walk away</div>
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From Mahabharata we need that strategist, and that warrior</div>
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That pragmatic leader and seer that even bravest fear<br />
The country is again in conflict<br />
With many forces internal and external betwixt</div>
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Where are you dear Lord? Will you come down to earth?</div>
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Or are atheists right? You had never really taken
birth.</div>
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In your
delusion your <i>Meera</i> will be</div>
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Timelessly waiting for thee.</div>
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Waiting for the next <i>Janmaashtami</i></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j9LXAthaGOU/Uh47vJY5wMI/AAAAAAAABtw/jPQmGwW0hGM/s1600/krishnajanmashtmi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j9LXAthaGOU/Uh47vJY5wMI/AAAAAAAABtw/jPQmGwW0hGM/s400/krishnajanmashtmi.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This painting is the original work of artist Mukta Gupta</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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shrillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07850580634744550086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603308483246392939.post-76528538099221132582013-08-15T20:35:00.001+05:302013-08-15T21:07:00.001+05:30SAW DES<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The main gates of the building were open ,not as usual. After crossing the small garden we knocked on the
door. A frail girl opened the door and allowed us to go inside. We climbed up
the stairs which had pictures of Jesus Christ and Mother Teresa on the side walls. On
ascending the first floor they were there. Five kids with biscuits in their
hands. All of them were toddlers. Their eyes twinkled with surprise as they saw us. We sat
there in the verandah and soon one of them started to cry. Quickly my friend
took the baby in her arms. The baby stopped crying as if mollified by the
foreign human touch. The other kids as if jealous followed suit and started to cry. With their heads shaven,dressed in tiny
shirts and shorts all of them looked the same.We asked the caretaker the baby’s name as we couldn’t make out if the baby was a girl or a boy. The baby’s name was Rahul.</div>
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We enquired the whereabouts of the other kids of the orphanage . The caretaker told us that the rest had been taken to
witness the flag hoisting in the nearby old age home. I was reminded of the
last time we had gone to that same Old age home. A year back a group of friends
had thought of doing something productive during weekends. When we had stepped
inside the old age home, I was clear I couldn’t volunteer there. The suffering
was impalpable and I became aware of my limitation as a humanist. There were
some 100 old men and women suffering from Alzheimer ,other ailments and the rest were homeless. That was a sight I had never seen. <br />
Now,the caretaker ushered me into the inside
rooms that housed cots in which the tiny ones,who were younger than 1 year slept.
She asked me to help her handle the bottle
of milk . In one of those
cots something caught my sight. There was a tiny white wrap. The help told me that the
baby was merely 2 weeks old.That baby had been left back by the father soon after the mother died during delivery. My friend who had come to the place for the first
time was moved and very close to tears. </div>
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Just then we heard sounds of happy feet clambering up the stairs.The flag hoisting was
over and the sisters were bringing the
rest of the kids back . The sisters gave us a smile and asked the other helps to get
the kids ready for brunch. At the verandah a diet chart was displayed and it
was time for their porridge. The sisters called out names of the 30 kids and started feeding them as it was a quotidian activity for them. We kept watching in awe
as each one was being fed. </div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-COb-gUAdEVc/UgzuK_NRbdI/AAAAAAAABro/UDup3bGhlUs/s1600/20130815_113556.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-COb-gUAdEVc/UgzuK_NRbdI/AAAAAAAABro/UDup3bGhlUs/s320/20130815_113556.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Thousand thoughts
floated in my mind. </div>
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Do the kids get enough food? Can
an individual really make a difference to a nation? What can India do to reduce
the poor –rich disparity ? Isn’t human
population really at tipping point? Is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malthusianism">Malthusian</a> Economics really true? Should philanthropy just be a time pass
activity? Why has the Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charities been charged with conversion?Will media ever stop questioning? Is perfection possible? In
this world of globalization do national boundaries matter? Is Independence day to be celebrated with tokenism of flag hoisting? What made me visit the place?What if I had not come here and was cozing in the comfortable pages of my books? Or do I simply come here to assuage my guilt? Is it only on a national holiday that my conscience suffers a jolt?</div>
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Breaking my thoughtful glare,the sister declared: "Its time for the kids to take
their afternoon nap. Please keep coming for they have no one. They just like
the human touch."</div>
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I silently leave and make no promises.</div>
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shrillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07850580634744550086noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603308483246392939.post-32025821626792848482013-07-21T22:13:00.002+05:302013-07-24T20:11:28.638+05:30HOLOQUEST<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YOQepS-CEp4/UewPOJYTHaI/AAAAAAAABqs/n0uceX-m7Gw/s1600/holocaust.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="350" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YOQepS-CEp4/UewPOJYTHaI/AAAAAAAABqs/n0uceX-m7Gw/s400/holocaust.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Circa 1998:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A quiz question while I was in class 5 in the year 1998.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“What word was coined by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elie_Wiesel" target="_blank">Elie Wiesel</a> to describe
Hitler’s massacre of the Jews?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I remember not knowing the answer then. The answer, which my teacher later told us ,was “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holocaust" target="_blank">Holocaust</a>”.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ever since that day the subject has always mystified me.The
world affairs of late 1990s and early 2000s were earmarked by Israel and Palestine peace talks. Israel was
always in news and somehow I always felt it behaved like a “stubborn child
refusing to let go”. When I was in class 8<sup>th</sup> another question popped
in a quiz “Which community has had the highest recipient of Nobel Prizes ?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Now <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Dawkins" target="_blank">Richard Dawkins</a> would have hated this question.How can intellect intertwine with religious faith? But he would also know that the answer lay in the Jewish “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Selfish_Gene" target="_blank">Selfish Gene</a>”.<span style="line-height: 17px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 17px;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Personally
I have always questioned the co-relation of High IQ with being a Jew. Even Albert Einstein and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigmund_Freud" target="_blank">Sigmund Freud</a> were born to Jewish parents,though their <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_views_of_Albert_Einstein" target="_blank">religious views</a> were not very orthodox.Also if <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Frank" target="_blank">Anne Frank</a> grew up into a young woman she would have bagged a Nobel Prize too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> There have been countless studies done on the Jewish intelligence. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Jewish rebellion against Roman rule was killed in first century AD. After this Jews fled in all direction to form Diaspora. In the middle ages when they were subjected to legal discrimination,it drove them to money related professions as banking and tax farming which were forbidden by Christians.This along with low levels of intermarriage made them retain their IQ. This isolation however presents itself in terms of the number of diseases that are prevalent in the race as they have had very low levels of intermarriage.Here is another interesting <a href="http://immortallife.info/articles/entry/why-is-the-iq-of-ashkenazi-jews-so-high" target="_blank">read</a>.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 2.3rem; margin: 0cm 0cm 8.05pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To corroborate further think of the names figuring amongst the top World( Read: USA)
business people?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Be it the Bloomberg,Rothschilds, Ben Bernanke,Alan
Greenspan,Marcus Goldman,Llyod Blankfein,Tim Geithner,Larry Summers, Sergey
Brin, Larry Page, Michael Dell,Larry Ellison and Mark Zuckerberg.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Jewish_American_businesspeople" target="_blank">common</a>?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Their parents had kosher food on the day of Sabaath.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The current financial success of the Jews has a lot to do
with holocaust. Of
the nine million Jews who had resided in Europe before the Holocaust,
approximately two-thirds were killed. Over one million Jewish children
were killed in the Holocaust, as were approximately two million Jewish women
and three million Jewish men. A network of over 40,000 facilities in
Germany and German-occupied territory were used to concentrate, hold, and kill
Jews and other victims. The horror of the concentration camps and the gas
chambers has also been a cornerstone of the 20<sup>th</sup> century literary culture.Much
has been written and adapted into movies. So much so,that the academy awards
has always a joke going around, “If you want an Oscar Award ,make a movie on
Holocaust”. Here is the list of some of my favourite <a href="http://www.imdb.com/list/1P8uIgLZoZ4/" target="_blank">Holocaust movies</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. Schindler's List</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3.The Pianist</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4. The Reader</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5.Life is Beautiful</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">6.Sophie's Choice</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">7.Kapo </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These movies are poignant and capture the horror that took
place during the extermination.The pogrom made the Jews a closed knit empathizing community .A large chunk migrated from Europe into USA during the 2nd world war . In a bid to start
their own livelihood,the migrants started their own business. Many of the Jewish big businesses started really small eg. Levis Strauss and his
denims,Singer and his sewing machines.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Today the number of Jews in USA exceed the number of Jews in Israel,though Israel is a constitutionally the only Jewish state that officially came into being in the year 1948 after UN declaration and Jewish lobby . As of now Israel has a very high standard of living. Israel leads in military technology research. I personally find its practice of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conscription_in_Israel" target="_blank">conscription</a> very noteworthy. It has turned a deserted land
into arable food bowl by using <a href="http://israel21c.org/technology/the-top-12-ways-israel-feeds-the-world/" target="_blank">drip technology</a>. All this said Israel still remains far from
peaceful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Anthropology and Humanities stretch for centuries and Jews are a big example of that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you are wondering what triggered this post.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For all those nerds who are as curious as I am about
Holocaust,here <a href="https://www.coursera.org/course/holocaust" target="_blank">Follow this</a> . It is a great chance to know more through a proper course at Coursera. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And for all those who have found this post too heavy.Take it easy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Just Youtube Sarah Silverman's Jesus is Magic and watch <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6E9sJ6B-u8" target="_blank">it</a> under Parental Supervision.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">P.S Where would a dumb jew be sent? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Ans. SINagogue</span></div>
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shrillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07850580634744550086noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603308483246392939.post-35150579399047732332013-05-01T22:25:00.001+05:302013-07-21T23:08:36.081+05:30Elementary My Dear!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">We all love
crime thrillers.Don’t we? The largest number of books that sell are the ones
that have a detective going around a murder plot ,trying to put in place the clues. Whether
it be Nancy Drew for a kid or Sidney Sheldon as an adult. Not to forget Detective
Sherlock Holmes ,the eccentric detective who inspired the entire genre of
detective fiction .Had that not been the case ACP Pradyuman and Daya would not have
created a record with CID being on air since the past decade. What about that criminal
case spamming your facebook wall?<span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> Not only
books but TV too. As a child I was hooked on to the Discovery’s earliest show
called Medical Detectives aka Forensic Files.It sent TRPs racing. Not to
mention Tehkikaat ,Reporter and Byomkesh Bakshi did the same for DD. Most
recently all the American and British channels run thrillers at prime time. Be
it Breaking bad,Mentalist,Sherlock Holmes ,Castle ,CSI ,Dexter,Body of Proof and
all such whodunits. Why leave the movies behind? Silence of the Lambs ,Usual
Suspects, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, L.A Confidential and the Hitchcocks
classics. A well written crime fiction screenplay (spiced with bold scenes) is the shortest
recipe for success.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> What I find
immensely fascinating is the way these American/English stories handle crimes. The entire area
will be cordoned and there will pop a smart and attractive male/female
detective (who will be paradoxically dressed to kill) out of a black SUV. Ahh! And
the best part is when the forensics team lands up at the crime scene. They will
be ready with all the biological,chemical,psychological,morphological mumbo jumbo.
The lead expert will examine the slides and advise the detective ;at times
engaging in altercations. And just when you thought you had the killer zeroed
in,wait for the last blow. There will be a digression in the trail and the least
suspected character will emerge as the killer. I often reflect on this. Is this
really true? Does the law and order work with this precision and exactness so
as to nab the fugitive , silent killer?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="line-height: 115%;">As I did my
research it turns out that yes,to a great extent it is true in countries like US
and UK which indeed have very strong infrastructure as far as the Crime detection and
investigation are concerned. The government has its own forensics labs in most
of the cities and add to that there are a lot of private labs too catering to
forensics.The value of human life lost at the cost of injustice is of utmost
importance to the state. Compare that to India. We have a handful of forensic
labs in our country and very few courses in forensics science. The credibility of the ones existing too is a big issue. Does human
life really mean anything to the state? There are millions of people missing and
murdered but those that don’t make headlines are shoved off. What I see here is
a major opportunity. If the government utilises the population and boosts crime investigations by increasing the number of personnels in the
police force , CBI and CID and equipping the country with forensic labs not
only will more employment be generated but also crime rates curtailed.More
number of students will enrol in pure sciences .The respect for human life will
be restored.A principle that embodies a developed country.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Aharoni; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> Of course this solution seems to be a
utopian dream but it can very much be implemented. We are just not putting enough of thought in this direction. Imagine a
course at IIT on Forensics engineering . It would encompass psychology,biology,chemistry
,self defence and so much more. It would definitely be a crowd puller as so many
of us have grown up adoring detectives. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Aharoni; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Why has this never occurred to the politicians sitting in the legislature? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Aharoni; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Probably because they are afraid they will be hunted down by a strong investigation system.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Aharoni; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">That is the end of this whodunit. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-IN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Aharoni; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Elementary! My dear watch son!</span></div>
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shrillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07850580634744550086noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603308483246392939.post-9490932195088623482012-12-25T21:47:00.001+05:302013-07-21T23:05:48.879+05:30aMen!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Last week I
witnessed something .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">I witnessed
one of the most vibrant moving canvasses in front of my eyes. I was at Varanasi
with friends.No I hadn’t seen Arjun Rampal but something as soothing to my
eyes. We have all heard about the
grandeur of the Ganges aarti by the ghats of Varanasi.Here is something I saw
in addition to the spectacular beauty of the Arti that to my astonishment
doesn’t turn up in a google search and finds no mention in any blog either.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">My friend
very casually mentioned about the last visit where she has seen
handsome(read:hot) pundits by the ghats performing the aarti. Of course I
hadn’t paid much attention to her words as I was all soaked up in
spirituality.Moreover you wont imagine good looking men all queued up at a ghat
in Varanasi.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">But Lo and
Behold! As soon as our boats perched at the Ganga water front at the famous
Dashashwamedh Ghat I saw something I had never seen before. The air chanted of
cymbals and smelled of marigold.The bell chimes cast a spell as the entire
audience was gazing wholeheartedly at the aarti being done in front of us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">As for me
the artist in me was aroused. It was a dark cold night. The ghats were
ancestral.The scene in front me was iridescent with handsome men so neatly
wrapped in silk dhoti and colourful kurta that accentuated their slim waist and
masculine physique.Initially I was hesitant in appreciating the pulchritude of
the sight before my eyes for these men were performing a holy service.Later as
the event progressed I realised that the entire exercise before our eyes was
indeed a performing art . Art for me is solely a matter of appreciation and
reverence. As these pundits took the heavy lamps in their hands that only
flaunted their toned biceps and arms,I couldn’t help but draw even more closely
towards them to have a look.I was awestruck at the finesse in their wrists
which turned the incense sticks with such grace.It was divine to see them pour
the holy ganga jal around their feet in a semi circle so in sync . It was
exalting to see their hands wave the fluffy wand in the air right and left.They
enthralled the entire audience by
holding those heavy brass lamps and
making circular flights of fire in the
air.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> It was a brilliantly choreographed show that
ended in the pundits blowing the conchs.We i.e my friend and I stood right in
front of them with our backs facing the Ganges and looked at them in a trance.
The Pundits noticed us too,continuously gazing at them. We were unabashed in
our admiration.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Connoisseurs
of male handsomeness or Adam teasers were we?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">I surely had
to pass on this information to my female friends for them to witness this “handsome”
show.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> And today as I recount that incident the
feminist in me thinks about why is there no concept of adam teasing in
retribution to whatever keeps happening on the streets with every single girl
of the country.Had there been pretty ladies doing the sandhya aarti I am sure
the entire country would have known,with thousands of pictures and videos of
youtube just like any other beauty contest. Why is it that her beauty and body
is not respected for its rock like strength that braves monthly cycles to give
birth to an entire generation but is looked at with lascivious eyes as an
object for sexual pleasure. Why do so many male eyes probe every single part of her body and make
her feel visually raped?Why is it that four men together have to pounce on her
as if she were a football?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Why is it
that she has to fight for her life for no fault of hers ?How does this kind of libido
exhibit in these rapists and eve teasers? Just because she wanted to come to a place where she could
study and happened to travel in a public transport because her parents were
extremely poor. Why do I constantly write about such issues?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Why is it
that the face of rapists is always that of a man?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">What is
wrong with this percentage of guys?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Yes , I being
a feminist I worry for the future of my
gender.More importantly being an Indian I am worried about the future of my
country,for we all know that a country cannot progress without equal
opportunity given to 50% of the population.We feminists are often sneered for
vociferously crying for our rights. We are undeterred because at least we have
a sense of purpose.We are atleast fighting for a cause.Being a feminist does
not mean being against men but being against men who are against a woman’s
demand of social equality.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I appeal to the
brothers,fathers and husbands of the country to join our struggle!You cannot
exist without us.</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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shrillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07850580634744550086noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603308483246392939.post-53693311005378395062012-11-26T22:56:00.003+05:302013-07-21T23:03:13.711+05:30Chuck Review<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-auBp_Pr2jMo/ULOmJliaCfI/AAAAAAAAA0g/JAsC066Zmxo/s1600/arjun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-auBp_Pr2jMo/ULOmJliaCfI/AAAAAAAAA0g/JAsC066Zmxo/s640/arjun.jpg" width="481" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> This goes to
you my love,</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">from my core</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> You still
have a lot in store</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Chuck all
those reviews that define you a loser</span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Because we
know that you are more than just a poser;</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> You don’t
know how much in love with you I have been;</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> If I
remember I must have been in class 9 in my teen</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">When I first
saw you , you were clad in a white suit and looked like a clown to me</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Until I
paused and gave that second look to see that Adonis like face of thee;</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> It was
attraction at first or crush as some say</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> Never did
they think the insanity for 11 years will stay</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Pensive in
Moksha,while your role in Aankhen was intense</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Villainous
in Vaada while Rock On started trends</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> My friends
say I overdo it and that I look crazy,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> Hardly do I
care about whatever people should see</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Because even
when I saw you recently in your movie</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Sporting
that moustache,you were no different to me.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> What makes
my heart thump,I want to know.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> Your grave
baritone voice,or your raw machismo</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">What makes
my eyes fixed onto you?</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">That
chiselled torso,or those succulent biceps so true</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> What makes
me so happy when I see you on screen</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> Is it that
handsome jawline or your thick hair’s sheen.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">What people don’t
know how wide your<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>heart spans,</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">The love for
your family, friends and fans</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> Someday I
hope you invite me to your exclusive pub</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> How wisely
you have named it </span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/arjun-rampal-mulls-opening-lap-for-non-members/1/230033.html" target="_blank">LAP</a></span> , so that people hub</span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">I am <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>happy to tell you that I am <a href="http://www.fashioncirqle.com/2012/01/12/arjun-rampal-at-his-perfume-alive-launch/" target="_blank">ALIVE</a> as your
perfume is</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Till the day
I meet you and that is a promise</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> Maybe you if you get to read this poem</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> You may call me and I sure will come</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Happy Birthday I will say</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> and will never go away!</span></span></div>
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shrillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07850580634744550086noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603308483246392939.post-25340617034411416642012-09-16T21:21:00.000+05:302013-07-21T23:06:22.463+05:30MANUFACTURING WOES<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HxZqROvx3qg/UFXzUAezGQI/AAAAAAAAAyA/5Fyw-r8Idto/s1600/manufacture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HxZqROvx3qg/UFXzUAezGQI/AAAAAAAAAyA/5Fyw-r8Idto/s400/manufacture.jpg" width="362" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">India needs
a boom in manufacturing to further strengthen its economy.But ask me what that
really means.It means 6 days of work. It means no holiday on Easter,Eid or
Holi.Yes you will have to explain your parents back home that there are no
official holidays apart from the National ones bestowed to you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> A friend of mine once drew parallels an interesting
parallel at her site of Steel mill commissioning. With so many workers in
helmets and PPE(personal protection equipments) working 24 hours (in shifts), and with Germans speaking on
their walkie talkies guiding and consulting on technology the entire scene actually looks like that of World
War 2. Most of us working in the
manufacturing sector have no idea about the 5 day a week and 8 hours a day work model.After having had
to go to office even on a Sunday today,here I pour out what a typically lucky Sunday means to
us .Us here refers to the brotherhood (with an iota of sisters joining the
fray) working at the shopfloor.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> While our friends are shaking a leg at the
disco and tweeting “Thank God It is a Friday” We don’t even know what that
means.We don’t know why Allen Solly launched that “Friday Dressing” collection.
We keep counting our days at work dreaming only about what to do on a Sunday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> So
every Saturday will be a typical day when you would like to leave the plant
early. And pronto! Just as you would be online
booking your tickets for the night movie show,or deciding which brand of "daaru" to buy for the night out,you will come to know of a breakdown in the shopfloor.That
is how a weekend starts.Heavy hearted you would return home back at 9pm,barely
managing to take your family or friends out for dinner.In case you are lucky
you will find a table.In most of the cases all the hotels are infested with
hungry folks who unlike you have managed to get a table because they didn’t
have to face a breakdown in the line. That Saturday night dinner seems to be an
ambrosia.You go back home and promise not to wake up early the next day until you
are woken up by your housemaid or some vendor selling rugs or broomsticks.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You
will curse them! By the time you realise you need a haircut or visit the
parlour/saloon it is already 11 am on Sunday. The spirit starts leaving your
soul when you decide to take a bath but realise that there is a
whole lot of laundry to do. By the time
you have your brunch you realise you just have
some 8 hours left to your weekend and your afternoon nap beckons you. After
you break your afternoon siesta you decide to stock up food for the rest of the
weekend.You head to the market grab knick knacks, catch a movie ,shop , club around
a little and bump into your colleagues who are doing pretty much the same.The
Sunday dinner unlike the Saturday dinner is more sombre and more hopeless.You don’t
enjoy it that much because you see your watch and feel there is not much time
left for the Monday morning’s blue sun to rise. The evenings and the nights are a sweet torture .You hate to tell yourself that the day is about to end.You
blurt that for the umpteenth time “Gosh!
I didn’t even come to know how the Sunday passed away” You are reminded of the
drudgery of existence.You hate to goto bed and stay up watching the TV or
facebooking.On facebook you see pictures of your friends picnicking and camping
around all the places in globe and the Album says “ Weekend Getaway” . With a
heavy heart you go off to bed and the timer is on; ticking for the next
Saturday.</span><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XEQ_1K3mvuQ/UFX0I2tdwxI/AAAAAAAAAyI/LfMir-75ibI/s1600/monday+morning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XEQ_1K3mvuQ/UFX0I2tdwxI/AAAAAAAAAyI/LfMir-75ibI/s1600/monday+morning.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">P.S. Salute
to the blue collar workers who play such an important role in nation building enduring physical and emotional hardships.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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shrillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07850580634744550086noreply@blogger.com2