Barefoot paradise

I still remember going on a shoe shopping with my best friend’s girl friend. It took nearly 16 hrs and she had bagful of soles, one for the party, one for the office, one for the…. (Baa, baa, black sheep… One for the master... One for the dame). It was then, I realized how shopaholic we were.I decided not to buy any shoes again.

And after 1.5 years I am left with no sole to wear, I decided to do without one. Can you imagine never have to wear shoes all your life? You go to school, work, and go about your daily activities in bare feet without anybody giving a fuss about it. Sounds like barefoot paradise? It sure does.

Barefoot walking is probably the simplest and most intense way that you can get outdoors and closer to nature. You are closer in the obvious sense of actually touching the earth, but you will find that walking more quietly and slowly brings you nearer to wildlife: Birds, butterflies and even deer and rabbits.

Like any other modern day bwoy, my research on finding similar people, who decided to do away with the sole landed me in the world of web, which directed me to Soles4Souls.

Soles4Souls is a global not-for-profit institution dedicated to fighting poverty through the distribution of shoes and clothing worldwide. The object of the Soles4Souls event, which is occurring globally, is to spread awareness of the 300 million children worldwide who live every day without shoes, and the impact that a pair of shoes can have on a child’s life, by living a day barefoot.

To feel the ground, to feel our humanity, to commune with each other, to connect with God, to walk lightly, to live out in the open lets go barefoot at least once in a month.

Selfish Dreams

The driver should have taken the advice of the news flash regarding Harthal. Now, it was too late. The bus began to slide sideways as the driver tried to evade approaching mob, protesting against some Gadagi and his report. It tumbled across the pavement and bounced over the railing in one great leap, heading downward nose first to the jagged rocks that lined the shore of the river. 

I was standing near the tea shop having my regular dose of caffeine and watching this on. I keep seeing this nightmare. Bus getting attacked by mobs, metal folded into metal, and glass exploded outward and inward as the flimsy vehicle surrendered to the crushing stone. But somehow I just  remain a spectator and not a passenger in the dreaded bus.

"Nature's soft nurse," as Shakespeare called sleep, isn't so soft after all. I decided to have a coffee and browse on why do people dream? Well, this is what happens when you are addicted to caffeine. The time was 2 in the morning, and I was wondering can this dream be called an early morning or a late night one.

I don’t know when I slipped to sleep or rather another nightmare. The second nightmare was one where I had lung cancer.

I prefer the first one. I am selfish, not just in my prayers but in my dreams too.

The Name Game

It's that wonderful time of year again. You know the one, when your mailbox fills up with invitation after invitation to your friend's bridal showers, bachelorette parties, engagement announcements and receptions. Yep, it's wedding season.

But something that caught my attention was the profile name change after marriage. Meera Nair Changed to Meera Ajeesh; Chitra to Chitra Ramesh and Fatima Nadia to Fatima Salam post marriage. 

It sounds foolish but my thoughts drifted to What if they get divorced? Will they change their surname back to what it was?I tried to Google what does the Law of the land say on the same ! Apparently divorced women cannot use their ex-husbands' name.

If there is no legal compulsion on a woman to change her name after marriage, why should there be any compulsion on her to change her name if her marriage ends? Why can't she have the freedom to choose? Why should there even be an option available only for a woman to change her last name post marriage is something that totally puzzles me. But then I'm reminded of being in a patriarchal society...blah blah and blah!

I asked my friend who happens to be a women entrepreneur about her take on the ruling and there she was with the William Shakespeare “What's in a name?” funda. I just moved on, by the way she is getting married and I am for sure she will be Catherine john soon and I am gonna miss my “Catherine Thottuvally” forever (or at least till the marriage lasts).

An OPEN LETTER TO CM on National Postal Day

From

AVoter (AAdhar number still not received)

Party: No affiliation to any

To

Chief Minister Kerala

(Pls don’t deliver to CM’s office as CM and office is different entity)

Subject: Genuine Thoughts (You can order a judicial inquire to validate the genuinely) of a demented mind.

This letter is not just to you but to all those Politicians out there. This is to all of you who are racing against time for power, penny and pride; that they have forgotten to stop and smell the concerns of the mango people (Read donkey: in case u has issues with AAm aadmi).

Most open letters would be complaints and concerns. Most channel discussion would end with the comment “Quit CM”. I decided to keep this letter simply and short and hence decided to address the positives of you as a person and the government as an entity.

http://subhanistrokes.blogspot.in/2012/07/recent-caricatures-mayawati-oommen.html

Positives (as on October 10, 2013)

•  You have great hair. As you can tell, I have been a fan of your hair for a long time. Actually, I have been a fan of pretty much everything you have to offer in the looks department – your big nose, crooked teeth, and lazy smile – ever since I saw you.
• You treat your Citizen like human beings. A rather basic requirement really. And yet many so called left ideologist and corporate world, failed to deliver this, But you did. When a large number of people are expected to work over-time, you clearly understood the concept of “work-life” balance and graced us with Harthal and Rain holidays. Though you had no control on the latter, you created enough opportunity for the former amply supported by the central. Thanks to you I find myself more at home than at office.
• You allow people to ask questions, engage deeply and dissent.  Freedom of questioning is what you granted me with. I believe you are the CM with most number of public affidavits filled against you or the government. Every Saritha- Faris – Salim helps in this deep engagement.
• You are a Role Model: When world police has closed down their office due to economic slow down and possible signs of economic recession hitting Kerala are high ,we have so called politicians with 15 -50 personal staff and 5-10 drivers. But you stand out being the only CM in the country with no Mobile connection. Thanks to your personal staff you are well connected to all those in need for energy.:P
• You are honest and professional. Most people would disagree to the fact particularly the court and law of the land but they fail to understand whom you are serving. You are honest and professional to people whom you belong to sadly, that doesn't include common Man."Never under estimate the power of a common man” is a filmy dialogue that too of a SRK movie, don’t listen to all that cheap massala movies....It’s time for GOLD Generation (through the airports)

No problem there. Just stop the sanctimonious finger-pointing claptrap.

Jai Hind

DON'T LIKE HIM....BAN HIM

India is the country full of paradoxes. Especially when it comes to censorship of literature. Kerala media after the boring solar scam and #QuitCM twitter mantra;have found another news to celebrate.

Ibrahim al-Rubaish's poem, which was made part of the Calicut university's Literature and Contemporary Issues studies, had been banned for the poet has alleged links to the terrorist group. The poem,'Ode to the Sea' captures his feelings during his incarceration in the Guantanamo Bay prison on a Cuban island.

I am not going to blog in length about the creative freedom that is required nor about the soulful poem.Though I have to mention here that, I was deeply moved by the poem(Ok dont come up with that Hitler shit. Yes Mein Kampf is inspiring you sicular pig!!)

What is the reason behind such a strange and absurd behavior, from a land that is known for its literacy? Strange, is not the induction of a so called terrorist poem in the university curriculum, but that of media who got it banned.

It is naive to see this particular case as a chance event. In India,as much as I understand, there is no clearly defined law for censorship.(Well I guess the word clearly defined does not stand a chance in the Indian law books, for their is no law that is clearly defined)

The lack of well defined censorship law,puts everything subject to chance. The question is why does the government avoid providing this law? Briefly speaking,  Such a law is not in line with constitution which recognizes the freedom of speech plus the existence of such a well defined law will restrict the authority to ban a literature as per the whims and fancies of the religious - political - minority - majority leaders(vote banks in simple terms).

I just hope no media picks up this blog and get it banned . This is only space that I have to express myself for my creative freedom is restricted as  I belong to a religious group that is censored with the tool, TERRORIST.  

Pls feel free to check the poem here:

http://www.andyworthington.co.uk/2007/10/03/a-poem-from-guantanamo-ode-to-the-sea-by-ibrahim-al-rubaish/

LULU and Social Media

It's Sunday afternoon at Lulu mall, and though there's no big sale, customers have swarmed the store. Near the entryway, three girls sip from Mc Donald’s Cola cups and debate the wicking effects of the tops spread before them in multiple hues.

The shoppers are mostly women, preteen girls to ladies in their mid-60s, browsing the racks side by side. Many are already squeezed into Lulu pants and tops, making it difficult to tell who's an employee and who's just a customer updating her wardrobe.

Shareholders are sitting on a very large bet that Lulu is well on its way to becoming a global mega-brand. But can good karma (and accelerating profit) survive the transition from lucrative boutique to high-volume retail?

Cultish. Faddish. Overpriced. To the competitors and haters who want to see Lulu crash and burn, those are its vulnerabilities.

On Facebook, there's no 'I Hate Lulu Mall" Facebook group that offers support 'for anyone getting sick of people wearing these ridiculously overpriced yoga pants and creating a traffic disaster at the Edapally junction (now referred to as lulu junction). No social media support for those poor husbands who wakes up to the distressing tone of “ Chetta nammuku Lulu Pokaam”(Dear, Lets go to LULU) from their wives.

Ever wondered Why??

Sometimes, in cases where a brand has lost touch with consumers, this kind of backlash can turn a company's success against it. This has happened with Starbucks coffee shops and Apple computers, the names of which immediately polarize people into fans or haters.

But so far Lulu’s irresistible promises are exactly what its consumers want to hear — what they're desperate to believe. They don't have to settle for mediocrity, can do greater things with their lives, and it's easy to make the first step by taking a deep breath. That explains the reason why there is no “I HATE LULU MALL” page or even if it is there has not grabbed much attention.Or is it that Lulu has a better social media managers??

Things have started going in the wrong direction for LULU, in the last few days and in the right direction for LULU HATERS. In a country that is best known for its corruption than anything else- be it cricket or politics; how can LULU stay away from this?

Land encroachment charges on LULU along with the monsoon rains that resulted in water logging in Edapally junction(Now referred to as LULU JUNCTION) should immediately polarize people into fans or haters.

Now I have reason to say I won’t go to LULU: Water logging and Corrupt Management. "Its world of corruption, not Happiness" .

Hope media creates something more to add to the list. Till then I just crib here in my blog and giving likes to the imaginary page-I HATE LULU MALL".

Social media managers at LULU beware

LULU I HATE YOU

Why on earth would anybody go to a mall on a beautiful day? In fact, why would anybody go to a mall at all?I asked myself that question many times as I drove to the LULU Mall on a recent Saturday afternoon. But the answer was always the same: WE ARE CRAZY!!

Wedding shopping has started to irritate me. The fake smile that I put on as I go hunting for some crazy stuff for my little cousin’s is not helping much.I don’t get time to talk to my fiancé for by the time I hit back home, I would be too tired to put my phone to charge.(Mr CEO,pls note the reason for my non availability on calls).

PHOTO : JINSON ABRAHAM

Among other errands today, I needed to hit up LULU Mall.  Ugh.  As soon as I started walking through The Bay from the parking lot, I remembered just how much I despise malls, mall-related shit, and the people who hang out in them. 

Shopping was uneventful but while leaving LULU, right in front of me (I actually had to stop, he was right in the path of everyone walking out into the food court), this 5-year-old shithead pulled a nice, juicy wad of gum from his mouth, dropped it to the floor, then proceeded to try and smoosh it into the floor with his shoe.  I looked up and there were his minders, sort of hovering there, pretending not to notice.  I barked “GROSS!” in their general direction and decided perhaps it was time to grab a Coke. 

By the time I got my car out of the damn mall my half a litre petrol was already burned, thanks to the long parking queue. I decided never again i am stepping into this damn mall, only to realize I had 45 missed call alerts from the CEO. Damn this vibration mode doesn’t work. 

Thank god he had dropped a message. “Hope you are busy with the meetings, tomorrow we have a meeting at LULU Mall at 9 AM”, read the message.

Damn I hate this mall more.

SANJAY DUTT: MANUFACTURED CONSENT

Ashitosh was confused. He had decided to quit his job at the prestigious premium lifestyle magazine the other day. He wasn’t confused to make the decision to quit. He always believed in the philosophy of “QUIT EARLY, QUIT OFTEN”. He was confused on whether he should comment on the stand taken by the magazine to support SANJAY DUTT. He was confused whether his protest on the stand taken by the magazine, would be taken as “EMPLOYEE EXIT – NEGATIVE ENERGY – SYNDROME”

FWD LIFE FACEBOOK POST

Today, when people who should know better are appealing the Governor to pardon Sanjay Dutt, they need to understand that they are giving their blessing to delinquency, to irresponsibility, to acting in an anti-social manner and a support of terror.

“He is a nice man” goes the refrain. How many nice people do you know who store automatic weapons and grenades capable of causing carnage? Then there is the refrain that says he was too young. At 33? When leaders like Digvijaya Singh put out statements that say, “Sanjay Dutt is not a criminal, he is not a terrorist. Sanjay Dutt, at a young age, in the atmosphere of that time, thought that perhaps the way Sunil Dutt had been raising his voice against communalism and favoured the minorities, then perhaps he could be attacked,” they are making excuses for terror.

What do you say to all those people who are minorities, or favour minority rights and would never think of going down the path of violence or terror? Indeed, what do you tell people whose family members have been arrested and convicted for terror – that it is excusable because they thought they were in danger? Is this the same approach to dealing with Maoists who believe that the only way they can get heard by the State is by committing acts of terror?

The last excuse is that Nargis and Sunil Dutt were patriots and deserve better. The head of the Press Council of India and former Supreme Court judge Markanday Katju says, on why Sanjay Dutt deserves a pardon: “His parents Sunil Dutt and Nargis worked for the good of society and the nation. Sunil Dutt and Nargis often went to border areas to give moral support to our brave jawans and did other social work for the society.”

This is an easy statement to agree with. Sunil Dutt and Nargis Dutt did deserve better, and their son let them down. Not the system. It is because he is their son that he is only facing just 5 years in prison, not a lifetime. Imagine if an ordinary boy named Sanjay Dutt, whose parents were not popular film stars, had been found with the weapons cache. Would the outcry be the same?

Happy Harthal

Like a large number of motorists, Ashitosh was fearful, tense and distressed while driving towards his office. He was in the predicament not because of any insecurity or due to the fear of any natural calamity.

His main concern was the almost empty petrol tank of his car and the long queues of vehicles at every petrol station that he passed by and the two day long National Harthal. However, after reaching the office he took time out and was lucky enough to get petrol after waiting for around an hour at a petrol pump there.

The rush for purchase of petrol was so severe that the traffic police had to deploy personnel around many of the filling stations to ensure that the lines of vehicles did not block the traffic on the nearby roads.

However a similar rush at another outlet didn’t require any police personnel deployed. The queue was well disciplined, every one waited for their turn in patience. Like in the case of petrol due to the National Harthal, there was an increased demand for this product as well. The outlet was Kerala State Beverages cooperation the state owned liquor shop. No one did the swagger walk or talk. Fact is, no one could.

Ashitosh’s MBA reasoning couldn’t find answer to this contradictory behavior of the consumer. The consumers were the same, the Socio-Political-Economic situation remained the same, the product had similar demand but the consumer behaved differently. While the consumer at the liquor shop was patient as the Buddha, the same consumer at the petrol bunk behaved differently.

May be this is what we call the group gig or social conditioning.Anyways Happy harthal

I prayed for Ajmal Kasab

There is no doubt that we live in an age of terror. The threat of terrorism affects us every time we go to an airport, or cast a vote. It affects the policies of nations and the daily lives of individuals. Nations are mobilizing to face this increasingly dangerous threat.

While in Mosque for Juma recently, I heard the priest, Abdul Rauf, say, “It is time today, in our current warfare against terrorism, for the watchmen to again rise up. What do watchmen do?  They watch and pray.  They are to be on guard constantly and so provide protection. "

 “God has called His people to be watchmen. We are not to be passive observers or victims in the war against terror. We are to watch and pray. When we read newspapers, we pray. As we watch television news, we pray. In this kind of battlefield mentality, our prayers must be militant as well. We must pray for a hedge of protection for those on the front line of battle. We ask God to protect the innocent” he added

Though I was never an ardent believer, I did close my eyes for a second and prayed.

I prayed for Ajmal Kasab who was hanged for carrying out the Mumbai terror attack in 2008.

Creative credits: Wow Makers

After the Namaz, prayers were offered for departed soul and I joined the same, not because he was a Muslim (at least by name), not because I justify his act; but to tell the lord not to forgive him.

My prayers were not for Kasab but for those affected by terrorist attacks around the world, for the families who have lost loved ones, for the fire, police and ambulance staff on the scene, for the doctors and nurses caring for the hurting, for the reporters who work through intense emotion to bring us the pictures and news of the day, for our elected leaders who so desperately need wisdom from beyond themselves, for the military and intelligence agencies who seek to find out who would do this so they might be brought to justice, for our nation that brings us together and turn our thoughts toward helping each other to overcome the threat of terrorism. 

My namaz was for world peace and not for Kasab. Kasab was symbol to remember them all.