HAPPY NEW YEAR

Dear world,  

Another year ends. And here I am, shivering in the cold, hungry and exhausted, wondering what the New Year will bring. More hunger? More fatigue? More despair?

I can see a mother at the traffic light. She is tapping on the windowpanes of those fancy cars, hoping to attract a few coins, or if she annoys the owner enough, maybe a ten-rupee note flung on her face to make her go away and leave the occupant to continue chatting on that dinky cell phone.

            I can see a young sister and brother are fast asleep on the pavement near the old laundry. They do not know who their father is—they have never seen him. From the time I can remember, I have seen the mother living on this street and watched her beg. She has taught her child to beg, too.

I can see a young sick brother tied to a sisters’ waist in a sling made out of rags, and carrying him from car to car asking for alms.

I can see a mother telling her 14 year old daughter to cover herself when she begs, since men stare at her and make dirty jokes. She tells her not to talk to any man. She also beats her a lot if she sees her chatting with customers who come to the laundry to pick up their clothes. It is dangerous, she says, and she doesn’t understand.

I can see a Dad, who has managed to get a few caps and whistles for his child not to play with but to sell at the next traffic junction where there are young people on motorcycles. I can see him teaching her child to clap, laugh and scream ‘Happy New Year’ each time a car stops. I can hear them practicing —‘Happy New Year’.

I am sure that someone somewhere will hear their prayers and wish them the same, too. God is great!

HAPPY NEW YEAR

ARRANGED MARRIAGE....Naa Babaa Naaa

This is post is inspired by the DEAL than Ankit was giving today about his brothers marriage and more importantly about the north Indian arranged marriages.

A very typical thing with boys is that when they are ten years, they find themselves to be grown up enough. When they are fifteen, they think they can handle any situation independently. When twenty, they are supreme, and they are convinced that they have grown up enough. And then when they are twenty five and you talk about marriage, they would suddenly start feeling, they are’nt so grown-up yet and ARRANGED MARRIAGE....Naa Babaa Naaa..... So true …ain’t it!

The most important fact that goes against Arrange marriages is the image that comes to ones mind when one hears about it. Strange but true, an arrange marriage sounds so bore. You can immediately think of staunch Parents, forcing you against the will to hold the hand of some stranger. You think of sacrifice and adjustments. Not that the image is totally incorrect but ya, i am of an opinion that this stereotyped image is now quite old and needs a change. 

But then dont forget, the hectic process of arrange marriages, first you see a photograph and then when you would have just made up your mind to look a photo in _that way_! Your parents would suddenly fix-up an appointment for you. Of course they know what they are doing and they would also compel you to think that what they are doing is for your own good. You may not give a damn …but that’s another story!

And then think about how you would face that semi-interview kinda round from your’might be’ in-laws. And what would you talk in that fifteen minutes to half hour meeting with the “Might-Be” itself. Where in you are supposed to ask, enquire, confirm, impress, express and what not…huff. And there is a possible villain called horoscope-matcher. If it says ‘this’ is it!!!!
    
So far so scary! but then, in present times, Arrange marriages can be fun too.. i mean they are getting interesting. Thanks to Dhirubhai Ambani Yeah! Look at all newly arranged and engaged guys and gals and you would understand what i mean! Telecom revolution you see!
  
Things have now become quite informal. Ya! the possible places to see your ‘might – be’s are getting shifted to cool restaurants’ instead of homes.  Also you might meet, talk (on phone) spy-it-urself on FB profiles and share about each other before coming to a decision. Ah the word!
Aye! That’s true again that the decision making key may still not be in your hands but then look at the positive side. You have a little fairer chance to communicate your wish to the other side. And then leave it considering ‘Marriages are made in heaven’. But ya dont expect heaven to manufacture perfect products. Might be they are not competent enuff, or may be they are lithargic, or may be the processes are not quite in place. The Quality Assurance department in heaven is certainly weak. May be they have quota system there too… oh lets forget it. thats another story.
So the bottom line is the arrange marriages now a days are getting converted to ‘arranged love’. Hmmm… whats love after all! One of my love-bitten and committed female friend beautifully says “Its all in the brain.” Think about it! And if you still feel something that is happening with you is real bad take this, “Whatever doesnt kill you, only makes you stronger! ”. So, dont worry be happy… ollaleo...!   

The key to democracy

I believe it is of no meaning discussing how will the financial crisis affect India, what is required is creative interception to solve the same. There is no meaning in blaming the financial gurus and the government, but what we require to do is to how we can make a difference to the economy. It is nice to see that India is showing tremendous economic growth when the whole world is hit by the crisis waves and she is the second largest growing economy in the world.

What is the reason behind this rapid and sustained economic growth, Finance gurus will have n number of factors to list down, but I strongly believe it’s the democratic setup that lay the stone for the same.

India, the biggest democratic country, but if you gonna count the number of individuals who actually take part in the so called democratic governance, I believe we will have to say we are not truly democratic at least in the technical senses. It is high time we start dreaming for a true democracy, wherein each and everyone has a say. Until and unless this happens it will always be a minority who will decide where this country should head.


In my personal view, there is no right for a citizen to speak about a country’s policies until he/she exercises the right to vote. For me right to vote is the greatest honour a country can give to its citizen.
A country wherein only 60% exercises the right to vote implies that the rest 40% are out of the democratic setup. And as you all know, as the number of people participating in the setup decreases the strength of the democratic setup itself decreases.

So friends do cast your votes, and let’s enhance the concentration of perfect attitudes in politics and get the maligned attitudes out.

Let's ask our self this question from Dr.A.P.J AbdulKalam-"What did you do to clean our system?

Bus and trafic congestions

We all dream of waking up to a world without traffic congestion. India’s cities are mired in traffic. We’re heading toward a world of a billion cars sometime around 2020. The rate of growth in passenger car traffic has outpaced that of population growth by a factor of eight; meanwhile, the number of journeys taken by public transport has grown at a rate slower than the population
Growing traffic congestion is reflected also in the efficiency, punctuality, regularity and standard of service of bus transport. People tend to avoid buses due to poor quality of public transport system. Travel time, Reliability, staying on schedule, and smoothness of travel account for the total quality of public transport
I suggest following measures which if properly implemented can increase the quality of public transport system , thereby increasing the number of passengers and hence solving the problem of traffic congestion.
1. Increase the speed of public transport system
2. Allow only public transport vehicles on main roads during peak hours
3. Increase the road to land ratio and widen the roads
4. Increase the comfort factor by introducing A/C Volvo coaches.
And most importantly let’s pledge today that we shall use public transport system as far as possible, and will make this a REAL GARDEN CITY

A letter to a terrorist

I know this letter would mean nothing to you

But I really need to tell you something

Weren't you born for a mother?

Didn't she give you enough of her blood?

Nor didn't your father give you enough of life?

Who do you live for? Who do you die?

Why were you born? Why did you grow up?

What do you seek?? What is your ambition?

End of the day, We celebrate your death!

But remember, if you think you can break us

You thought wrong.We're holding our hands tighter now

No politics, No religion. But love.

United more than ever, Stronger than any other

You just made us Love each other more!

We're more stronger, No more fear

United a country we are

We are not just people, this is not just a country

For we're Indians, And this is INDIA UNITED!!!



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