Tanhai to mehfil

Kya likhu raat ki is tanhai mein?
Kya sochu raat ki is tanhai mein?
Kyun kuchh karne ka dil nahi karta ,
Raat ki is tanhai mein?
Kyun mehfilo mein jane ki jageh,
Kho jata hu raat ki is tanhai mein?

Okay, before any of you start penning pep-talk, I must make it clear that the lines above came out my of lone-alone-depressed mind way back in September. (I feel fortunate to have so many friends, apart from my family, who care so much for me). No need to repeat that those were, perhaps, the toughest days of life.
The time is, for sure, a great healer.
Now, I am again doing what I do best. Being my own self. Not tanha anymore, Loving the mehfils, again.

Thanks to all those who supported me.

The new age Maratha Wars

For the past week, as the whole world celebrated Sachin’s magnificent two decades of cricket, there were whispers of disappointment from some who felt that despite his stature and credibility, Sachin never really took a stand on social issues. This was felt particularly at times like ‘Godhra’. One knew that even a few words on peace and harmony, coming from the Master, would have gone a long way in spreading the message of stopping mindless killings at the behest of selfish political hoodlums. So last week, Sachin gave us another reason to cheer, when he unequivocally clarified his allegiance to the nation. At a time when even the so called stalwarts from the Bollywood allowed themselves to be held at ransom by the Sena, Sachin’s fearless reply at the press conference came as a breather. The Master lived up to our expectations and showed “Raj the boundary” in his simple yet inimitable style. There was no drama or rhetoric patriotic jingoism but he cut right across to the point. And the barb did get through, giving the senior Mr. Thakeray another ray of hope of drawing further political mileage by getting back at Sachin. But the Master is hardly going to allow himself to be dictated by the arbitrary mandates of the Sena.

One wonders as to what and who the two Senas really stand for. Intolerance at its worst is only what they really seem to represent. And now, after the split, it has also become a rat race of outdoing each other at the game of misplaced regionalism. Essentially all are annoying rebels without a cause. Infact, are any of these Senas really qualified to represent the Maratha pride? Are they more Maharashtrian than those like Tendulkar, who makes the entire nation proud even as he remains unfalteringly loyal to his Maharashtrian roots? These are some of the questions that the people of Maharashtra should start asking themselves as well as the two Senas.

Now that the Master has stood up for his belief, it remains to be seen whether the Bombaywallaas…oops….the ‘Mumbaikars’ take a stand, come in support of their very own ‘Marathi Manoos’ and finally show all the Sena Thakerays (senior, junior, who ever ) ‘the boundary’. Infact reactions from the cricket fraternity itself left a lot to be desired. One expected a better show of solidarity at this point.

Sanjay Manjrekar in an interview with CNN IBN said that “Mumbai is about free spirited confident people”. It is time to come out in the open with all such spirit and confidence, as the nation watches.

HAPPY CHILDREN'S DAY

Through this blog, I greet all the children on the day chosen to be theirs. 

I wish food and education reach to a higher number of kids. 

I wish fewer children are forced in begging, prostitution, hazardous works, drugs, etc.

I wish The World in general and India in particular become a better (or less worse) place for those who are metaphors of the God Himself.

The girl-child in the picture (courtesy Swati) above says what must be conveyed - WE MUST OPPOSE, CONDEMN AND STOP FEMALE FOETICIDE.

Thanks Buddy

Last week I landed into the unfamiliar territory-literally. On the job training was new to me, and  I was more than excited to attend this first-of-my-life. Learning basics of banking and more options in finacle (software used in my bank) than are used in routine work was a good experience. Overall, it was more of fun than anything else. 

But the first day proved to be adventurous to us-at least to four of us - Ranvijay, Nikhil, Archana, and yours truly.

We had boarded route no. 492 from Gol chakkar in NOIDA. A 15 -16 year young boy, with just a hint of hair where mustaches he shall have in some years, boarded the bus and stood adjacent to me. The bus being a blueline, was 'crawling' at the speed that is associated with private ones at peak hours. In the mean time, Ranvijay got involved in a polite argument with a gentleman who was stupidly adamant on NOT shifting his bag a few inches. God knows what the man wanted. It was natural for me to keep an eye on the whole drama. 

People have some peculiar habits. I have one, of checking my pant pockets every now and then in a crowded place. Thank Heavens that I possess this one. The bus stopped at a traffic signal. I checked my pocket. God!!  My mobile was gone. The mobile that I is so precious to me. The mobile that I have NOT changed, even after repeated insistence by my dad to have a new one. The mobile that I flaunt, in spite of it being a Nokia 2300, that too in the age of N and E series.

That very mobile was gone. It took some nanoseconds to figure out my Modus operandi in such a scene. I got off the bus, shouting OYE RUK. I wasn't sure initially who the culprit was. But I followed my gut. I shouted at the guy who was going near the front door, who turned out to be the conductor. On advancing further, the BOY was there. Again I shouted OYE RUK. The Boy's walk turned into brisk walk and then into running. I started running too, but was no match for the thief. I knew I would not be able to nab him. He was smart. He may have done many 'assignments' successfully before. But this time, Ranvijay spoiled his party. My friend ran for about half a kilometer, and chased him. Not to say, the boy was poor and unlucky to have been caught by him. When I reached the scene, Ranvijay had given him enough beating. The boy begged. I took my mobile back. Then wanted to leave the scene. But the crowd had other ideas. Everyone started beating him. Even those who themselves would have picked my pocket on getting a chance, gave the boy all that they had.

Everyone wanted me to beat him. And look at the irony. I was the ONLY one who was saving him from the fury. 

Even in the bus, where the boy was dragged, I could NOT hit him.

Ranvijay kept on beating him. I kept on holding myself back. But both of us had one thing in common - ANGER, which was on the system and not on the boy. You know what, every possible human soul was a companion to the snatcher. I had followed the boy, shouting chor-chor, when he ran past a Police man. And that spineless, greedy cop showed as if he did not understand what was going on.

At the UP-Delhi border, the boy was handed over to a 'policeman' who was in plain dress. We showed some dissent, but then sensed the situation and let him go. 

I was happy to have me cell back. 

But the, for the first time, I had experienced the lawlessness that is associated with UP. It is not that Delhi is crime free. But the manner in which criminals roam around freely, it is a matter of shame.

In all this excursion, I have become  indebted to Ranvijay. He got my special mobile back. Thanks buddy.