Three and half years

Three and half years all it takes for a baby to tread with dreams in its eyes to embrace the world. It's hardly the end of a span of life where men and women have reached their elixir. Sadly so, the wonderful newspaper which has been a family of individuals exuding different spasm of emotions abruptly reached a dead end. It came as a rude shock for all of us who not only invested our everything but believed in our baby.
A decision of the company that weighed heavily on the team that fought till the end to prevent the closing of the newspaper. It was three years where we rejoiced, struggled to make the paper credible and tasted success. Bond were forget over the span of years and we've seen terrible times and believed in our success. Unfortunately, it was not meant to be as a resulted of vested interests and conspiracy. However, I believe that what goes around comes around and those who are playing the blame game will face their end. As a member of the team, I am patient and will cherish when that happens. Certainly, I cannot excuse these people.
It has been a great learning experience and whatever I have earned under the guidance of my mentor cannot be weighed in a few words. It was a matter of pride and honor to have learn so much from my mentor. I still can't come to terms with the closing of the newspaper and though, I received an offer from the sister company which I have accepted, I am considering to move into public relations or communication for a break before making a comeback to reporting. It will take a hell long time for wounds to heal.
I am positive to personally bounce back and it will take some time to be back on track. We survive on hope, promises and dream.

Friends, distance and growing apart

Distance is a drifter and as time grows, we grow apart from each other.
We have been together through thick time and lending support to each other.
How we wished that time will never evolve and we will be sitting, laughing over silly randomness.
That what are friends do.
They love the spirit of being together for years and yearns that the good times stays like still water.
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It's a catch-22 like situation! It happen when one take life for granted as it's the law of nature for things to evolve! We need to move on! So many times, I've heard this oft-repeated and comforting phrase. Well! Most of my friends have started to move on, be it at the workplace or outside. The people I have spent wonderful times have decided to move on in different directions in life and I am feeling so b-o-r-e-d now. All of sudden, it feels like things is starting to fall apart. First at the work place. some of the best buddies have decided to move on and go to places in faraway distance and then, one hears that another friend is leaving to settle to HongKong. What a situation? It's like the bubble of togetherness start to burst. Well! ahem! ahem!
One of my best pal in Pune and Mumbai with whom I was spending a kind of 'dating'-pejorative is entirely mine on Gchat for almost two years has suddenly decided to shift back her base to Mumbai. It's been almost two years where we were looking forward to chat with each other..me rushing back home from work to pinge her. A tinge of sadness quite naturally since we become so used to each other. Like Hell, I promise Meghna that I shall meet her in Mumbai and perhaps, it's a sort of motivation she's giving me to go and embrace the world or the big city that never sleeps.
I can't help asking myself, so what's wrong? People are suddenly started to leave one place and move out. It's freaking sad crazy situation. Is it a prelude to some happening in one's life and perhaps, the time has ushered for me to consider moving to an entirely new place of wisdom, joy and happening. Perhaps, a new challenge is waiting to unfold itself. As they say, friends are the siblings we never had and it might be a sure sign for us to consider new stuffs and they may be opportunities that we need to grab. Who better than our close friends who are giving us the hint!
It's just that we get so used to friends in the first place and when they start moving out, we feel so much out of place and out of synch with each other. Will distance make us grow closer or we will drift apart? In the hum-drum of city life, we tend to be so full of ourselves that we can almost forget the friends with whom we laughed and cried together? Life is unfair, some would say. Hey, but that's the challenge and learn to grow with your friends, no matter how far you are from each other!!!!
Would love to hear your views.
Cheers:)

He Suffered In Silence

He went through ordeal and tribulations in life.
He was abused time and time.
Yet, he suffered in silence.
It was a traumatic experience for him and his family.
They stood like rock-solid behind him, reminding him that ultimately truth will come out.
It was long struggle where he shouted on roof top declare his innocence.
He was just a pawn in the big political game.
His name was planted by his father's political rivals.
They finished both son and father.
He is an innocent being and at times, blindly trusting anybody that crossed his path.
He is a grown up yet a child inside.
Ever ready to help the strangest of the strangers who would come to him.
He is a soft-hearted fellow whose heart meltdown seeing people struggling to make both ends meet.
He believed in the goodness of the people around him.
It's another story that others left him in times of need.
Nah! That didn't stop him from being a good human being and a gem of a person.
He suffered in silence yet brave every struggle with gusto.
It is the story of a real life hero much beyond his reel life persona.
That's a real hero who is now resigned to his fate.
That should not stop him from being brave and facing the untoward circumstances.
Life is a struggle, Baba.
This has been his mantra as he walked the path of fire.
The story of a man who suffered in silence and yet emerged as victorious.
He conquered life biggest hurdled and emerged stronger as ever.

PS: The poem is dedicated to Sanjay Dutt who suffered in silence, faced the rough weather and storms in his life. A small mistake proved to be very expensive as he is being made a scapegoat. Let's hope that he emerges victorious as Baba always did.
V

Haunting Past

Revisiting the past regression of my life, I ponder on the deception, joy and blunders.
I wonder on what could have been and what I could have become?
Isn't it a fallacy of existence?
No matter how much one try to erase the dubious past, it haunts us.
We can't help feeling rattled and vulnerable over past events unfolding in front of us.
The feeling of helplessness and joyful moments disappearing out of thin air.
We are envious of the eureka moments, wishing that we shall re-visit the joyful past.
The laughs, friendship, first kiss and first love.
Alas! It's not meant to be.
Life is a step forward and not a backward step, we often tell ourselves.
We console ourselves with the move ahead mantra.
Is it the biggest life?
Then, what is our biggest truth in life?
The future that we have never seen and witnessed!
As human beings, we are imbibed with a fickle mind.
A mind that is an easy prey to constant jarring emotional fits.
Our truculent state of being deter us from looking at the new horizons, challenges and source of happiness.
We were born like that perhaps!
We tend to crib even at the source of joy.
We want ten fold joy, hundred fold happiness which borders on our limitless desires.
The past shall haunt us as our heart find solace in the time that was and not present times.

Decoding the myths by self-claimed Man-child

Man as species may have never evolved over time. It is a self-declaration on our unwillingness to grow up and it has been showcased by movies such as Wake Up Sid, Bachna ae Haseena and the more recent John Abraham-Chitrangada Singh's flick I, Me aur Main. The women must abhor meeting guys who lives in 'mamma's world' and refuse to shoulder responsibilities.
Well, the average babe meet me, your average Man-Child and contrary to popular misconception about the manchild, I am quite responsible and remember the names of all the beautiful chicks in town and of course, their phone numbers. Kidding babe! Hehheeh! I do not shirk my responsibility at work nor am I mama's boy. Yes, it's an altogether different story that mom wanna do stuffs for me and think that I am still kiddy. But, this is an area where I claim growth and it's irritating when mom think that I am a baby.
I'm trying to provide light to the babes in deciphering the man-child and from a logical stance, we are all a child since we were born from the womb of a woman. Whether the male breed find it hard to accept or not, the grim reality is that in all males, a certain dollop of feminity oozes owing it to our mother. Men are emotional, some choose to cry while the rest suppress the female trait within. We do crave for a women who will shower motherly care and affection as we cling to her. We need the support of the girl friend to whom we cling in times of distress and dire need.
The character in I ME aur MAIN is a child within and he has no qualm in showing his weaknesses. He is a professional but playful when it comes to emotion and often doesn't realize that he is ignoring his girl friend, superbly portrayed by the hot and sizzling Chitrangada Singh. John's character needs Chitra so much that after a day at work he goes to her. He never minds being chided by his lady love over what  call his laid-back attitude, lack of responsibility and playful ways. The man-child is harmless and often need the female support to comfort him in times of need. Perhaps, it's his own way of escaping the harsh realities of life. In his own way, he is not doing anything wrong as he take stuffs in a light manner. The man-child never grows up and his cool ways makes him a harmless creature.
There are several myths regarding the man-child. It's a very wrong assumption to say that the man-child is weak. For one, the man-child in me is not weak and I am not the type who will fight with people through emotional outburst to show my strength. I strongly believe that by remaining silent as an option in complex situation constitute a plus in my character. Add to that, I don't like to be pushed to extreme situation to my own stuffs and I am so happy delving in own space and do things at my own pace. It's not called a lack of initiatives in life but rather being who I am. The man-child in me loves being himself and this is something I shall not trade for anything in life. I do react in a very innocent and child like manner to stuffs as the rest of the world shall snigger at, he's such a child. Yes! I am a child at heart and why the fuck should I change to make the world happy. I need to love myself first before loving the whole world. So, you see the man-child is not a people-pleaser contract to the myths and hooplah that surround the man-child.

Yes! The man-child doesn't shy away to fall in love and it is wise to say that he falls in love because he needs the sexually-mature women to deal with his complexities and fear. In this kind of relationship, it is unfair to say that the women dominates him but rather it's the best bet for the woman as there are more chances of a relationship based on equality with a man-child. He didn't come in the world with the superiority complex and don't see the reason as to why, he will come with excess baggage in a relationship. At times, the woman may have the upper edge in the emotional spectrum of the relationship as the man-child is a clinger. Babe! Don't worry, Should you choose to live him, the man-child will find his way with the world. Trust me! He is not scared of the world and its multiple challenges and in more than one case, the man-child achieve greatness coz he's not blinded by ego and think freely, albeit, in the most creative and mad manner.
In a nut-shell: How do I arrive at a self-definition of the man-child? Certainly, it's not a cracker or rocket-science stuff but the man-child that I am is a very normal human being with weird ways of doing stuffs. He is not a commitment-phobic guy but rather someone who has a very beautiful and romantic side. I am owning up of being a man-child and hope that I remain one forever and ever. It doesn't disturb me when I say that I am like a 16-year-old. You know the beauty of being a teen inside? It's a man who carries no extra burden and doesn't take himself too seriously, stay forever young in mind, soul and spirit. He is a super sensitive guy who cares for his babe and who in turn expect her to give the extra attention to him like a child. But, certainly, not an attention-seeker. I have no qualm in shouting on the roof top to declare myself as a man-child. Why should I grow up?

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Despite not-so-rave reviews, I catched up with I, ME aur HUM coz I could relate to the character played by John Abraham in his relationship with his love ladies, Chitrangada Singh and Prachi Desai. Sure, it's an average flick but it's decent and time-pass movie. For a quick review, John shed his he-man image and beautifully plays the man-child and he is so natural in this movie. Chitangada Singh in her hot, sexy avataar is a power house of talent and energy though playing this serious woman is not really her plate. Prachi is cute and acts well in an altogether chatter-box role. On the whole, I ME aur MAIN is what I would call a fully faltoo, unpretentious movie that will make you laugh, sit, relax and enjoy. A one time watch and I fully identify with Ishaan, played by John.

Vishal
The Man-Child.

Of Movies, Coffee and Books

Its been a while I haven't posted on this space coz the other blog has been occupying my attention and gaze. It's easier to attract traffic on blogspot relative to my wordpress.com where I have to pull all strings together, rake up brain to devise strategies to attract stats and all. Worry not, I am alive, kicking and in a jolly good mood.
I wonder whether I'll be able to survive without gulping my regular cuppa coffee. As I wake up, the first thing I do is to walk my way to the kitchen to make my coffee which I gulp with a cigarette. On my way back towards office, I jump in the coffee shop and order my Capuccino and hang around for a good two hours. Try it out: Have coffee and read a good book or magazine. It's the perfect idea of relaxation before jumping to office.
I have been reading quite some good books and since the start of the year, I must have finished six to seven books and the only brownie point is a terrible book, 50 Shades of Grey. I took more than one month to read this badly written piece of crap and after it was over, I was too happy to shed it in some corner in the room. I wonder why the author E L James wrote the book and honestly speaking, what was she thinking! I wonder?! Heard that there are two more sequels to that. Certainly, I am not the least interested. Once bitten, twice shy.
Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed reading R K Narayan Swami & Friends which is an amazing book and I wonder how he pull together small things and make it such a pleasurable read. I am almost over with Chetan Bhagat, What Young India which is a collection of small columns. It is not bad as CB raises important questions on corruption plaguing the country, youth and politics. However, I do have issues with some of his ideas and at times, he does go over the top and rush to conclusions. I prefer CB any tie with Two States and Five Point Someone which are his forte. Finally, I am gearing up to second part of Shiva's Triology, The Secrets of Naga and I am gung ho about the book. I simply love, Immortals of Meluha which was an amazing piece of creative work. I am also dying to read the mythology based Raavan, Asura. I have quite a few books, some I got from India last year while other books was left by a colleague and friend, Eva who is leaving for Nepal. There are tons of books lying in the office for us and we just wanna grab them. I am also waiting for the next opportunity to take Salman Rushdie's autobiography from my neighbour. Heard the book is a stunning page turner. I don't have any doubt. Anyday, Rushdie finds himself among my hot favorites.
It's been a while I haven't watched a movie at the theater. Just Imagine I missed Midnight's Children, Special 24 and so many which I intend to catch on DvD. I a gonna catch Kai Po Che at the theater on Monday and yes, I watched Sudhir Mishra's Inkar based on sexual harassment. Inkar boast of good performance by Arjun Ramphal and Chitrangada Singh who's a scorcher but also a power house of talent. Inkar is not bad as a movie and a honest attempt to bring to light sexual harrasment and how to draw the line between flirting and harassment. However, Mishra completely fucks up during the climax which I think is ridiculous. Not a bad outing, though.
Btw, I have a fetiche for pens and it's been long I haven't bought pens. I intend to buy as much pens to fill my pen casing. Also, visit my other blog on www.vishalbheeroo.wordpress.com and make sure you drop a nice word.
I shall cya.
Cheer N lotsa Love

Figment of creative imagination

The brazen image on the canvas hogged the eyes of the doer.
So enamored was he with the artistic creation, he couldn't help feeling that he is one of the character.
The artist took breathtaking pain in conveying the right expression through the brush strokes.
She is an artist blessed with creative freedom, has no qualm in offending the right wings and ultra conservatives.
She was prosecuted, harassed and made political scapegoat.
Her depiction of love and sex between the lovers sent tizzy to a society afflicted by intellectual deficiency.
Her paintings were burned in public forums as she waged a long battle to get her due.
She was made the villain in newspapers and TV channels.
Fellow artistes fear to show their support to her.
Finally, she won her battle as anger subsided.
Little did he know what she went through, the period of emotional turmoil that tore her world apart.
He felt a cosmic connection with the unknown artist, felt the image conveyed on the canvas.
He bought the painting at an exorbitant price that defied human logic.
As the huge drawing was placed in his dining hall, the food on the plate was left unconsumed.
He was consumed by the image and it prevented him from indulging in his daily chores.
He was drawn by the painting and the designer.
Who was the designer, he racked his brain.
After all, there is much sorrow and pain beyond love-making and lust.
Was it an expression of the life she has undergone?
He pondered on her tumultuous past.
After all, he burned in the passion of love as he tried revisiting his past.
Who said creation is a figment of imagination?!

Ten (+1) Crazy Things To Do On Valentine Day

Love is an oxymoron.
As the clock struck midnight, cupid strike ringing the bell of 'Valentine Day.'
The L word is spreading like balloons fluttered in the air.
Love is spread everywhere, bringing dollops of joy and happiness.
Happy Valentine Day.

How to spice up your Valentine Day and make it a unique and memorable affair?

1. Pull up all the old curtains and throw in the washing machine. Put up red colored curtains, bed sheets in the room and let the world know it's Valentine Night.

2. Turn off the lights in the room and designed the room with the beautiful red candles. Even in the dark, surprise your love with the valentined candles and add spark to your love life.

3. If you are single and looking for love, romance, lust and sex start penning a rom-com novel speaking about your own love story, sexcapades and first love. It's the perfect time to start on V Day and next on Valentine, it can earn you so many male fans if you are a babe and female fans if you are dude. Who knows you can find your Valentine in the form a fan? V-Day is all about being hopeful and never say a blatant no to love and amazing, sizzling sex.

4. This Valentine lie in the arms of each other..lie naked and read romantic books like Eric Seagel's Lover Story, Time Traveler's wife, I too Had a Love Story, 40 Rules of Love, Chetan Bhagat's Two States or Love, Life and All That Jazz by Ahmed Fayez. Howzz bout lying naked in bed and reading the love stories?! Tempting isn't it?

5. Surprise your lover..open the most expensive wine or champagne bottle and pull the lights off..Just you and your lover, red candle, wine bottle..some cuddling and kissing. Switch off the cell phone, disconnect the internet and the landline. Make the V Day sound as if there is no tomorrow and it's your last night together.

6. Smear cakes one each other's faces and go dirty this valentine. I am not telling to get dirty by rolling into mud water but what's the harm in smudging choco cakes over each other's faces. After all, it's the season of love.

7. Party hard like an animal, jump and rock the dance floor by holding each other's tight and embrace. Take a bit of each other's lips. Nobody does it better than Valentine lovers.

8. Make sizzling love and amazing sex at the back of the car. Make your sex memorable and wild and finish it off in the room. Get it real wild and soar each other's body temperature. It will be the sex of your life and absolute sinful pleasure.

9. Rent a romantic DvD and watch together by holding each other. You name it, you get it..the classic DDLJ or Pretty Woman or Dirty Dancing and Cocktail, why not for some frolicking fun.

10. Finally, celebrate with a cake and if you in a serious relationship, hide a ring in the birthday cake with her name written on the cake. She will come straight to you with a hug as you steal a precious kiss.

11. Add cherry to the cake or salt to injury whichever way you make it to be: Wear each other's clothes..well! err! kidding I know ma dirty mind is at work and I'm no David Beckham and my gal is no Posh spice gal.

Happy Valentine Day
Make Love not war

The death of letter?!

Remember the times when we would hold the cramped letters between our fingers and run down the blue ink, agog with excitement on the news that traveled across the seas. It was the time when a cousin and a pen pal would write to us. That was the time when there was no e-mail, sms, G-chat or facebook. Despite social networking site has reduced the distance across country or border, I feel that no social media can replace the joy of reading a letter or receiving a birthday or New Year Greeting card.
I still remember the times when, as kids, we would accompany our pop and mom to the market to select a beautifully designed greeting card or writing pad to bring home. I would nice sit and chose the best pen to put my thoughts black-and-white on paper. Great care would be taken to fold the letter in the envelope and write the address in my best ever handwriting. I would walk my way to the post and as I stick the stamp and slide the envelope inside, there would be a feeling of immense  satisfaction and pride. The feeling would reciprocate itself as I run towards the post man to receive the letter or card that bears my name. Just imagine your name written all over the envelope that traveled across border or countless seas! It really make a difference to your entire existence.
It's sad that today, technology and social networking sites has crippled the entire joy of writing letters and post cards. Your best buddy's birthday round the corner. Why worry? Just write on his or her wall or still better, a virtual e-card.
Somehow, I feel that the kids high on techno stuffs are missing the joy of letters that flows from the post office as well as the joy of writing a letter to a pal across border. Isn't it a case of robbing the child of the fun of a beautiful childhood? Dunno, perhaps I am reaching the elixir or mid-life crisis or I am totally wrong in finding faults with gadgets. As human beings, sometimes we are reluctant to accept the change or less ready to embrace the novel ideas flowing in the form of technology. Today's kids may not really be a problem but our generation may find it hard to accept that things we are so used to are changing. Sometimes, I wonder whether new age kids will ever enjoy something called post office. I would be crest fallen if some kid ask me what is post office and I shall tell..well...what's ur gadget all about?!
I still prefer the post office to do so many stuffs and it's indeed rare for me to send greetings cards by email. I still prefer to buy an Archies Greeting card and write merry christmas and happy new year and shed some extra bucks to send it all the way to a friend. It's like choosing between an e-book and a hard copy. Well, I prefer the hard copy any day. Okay okay! I admit that I have emailed greetings but it's basically to those I deal with on a professional level and some friends due to the shortage of time.
When we write a letter to a friend or a loved one, we pour our emotions and soul on that piece of white paper. It creates an emotional  bond between the one who pens the letter and the one who read the letter. At a glance, it is a conversation where we share the most mundane things that happened to our life or fuck up like break ups and the recipient can feel our love, anger and tears.

Who invented the letter? Whoever the person was, it was a stroke of genuis.

My (occupied) land

I live on the myth-shattering place called the earth.
Some plainly call it earth, while for the others it's simply reclaimed land from the ocean.
Alas! Nobody would have imagined that it was a place once claimed by aborigines, inhabited by animals.
Then, civilization came!
My land was invaded and possessed by Arab civilization.
It lay silent, muted as it witnessed fight among men as weapons were used as the best defense for occupation.
The British occupied massacred, occupied my land.
My people were exploited and send far away in the land occupied by the colonial powers.
Somehow, my soul was entrenched in my part of the land.
My land became independent.
Yet, not much has changed in my land.
It was bartered and they now call it, 'real estate' boom.
They attached a price tag to my land so that I am thrown out of my land.
Me and my brothers have been rendered homeless in my own world.
We sleep on the streets because the superpower have sealed our own future.
As I stand on my land, I up my gaze to focus on the sky rocketed buildings.
Standing on my own land, I focus on my own land that I cannot enter.
They are making an easy buck on my back and I cannot enter that belong to me.
My land is separated by the Arabian Sea.
I have a price to pay for everything on my own land.
Toll tax, municipal tax and to sleep as well.
It's a case of the owner owned by forces of capitalists.
Everyday, hordes of immigrants storm the land.
They are our own people who thought they could move freely.
Yet, they are called 'migrants' in their own lands.
They have cut trees, constructed buildings on hills and drove the birds away.
They looted people in the name of civilization to own my land.
They invented and re-invented the wheels of the law on unoccupied land.
This is my land.
Can we dream of reclaiming our land?
I doubt!

  

Getting back with an ex

Priya and Sheikh dated for three years. As years passed, Priya felt that she was getting choked in the relationship as Sheikh was controlling everything in her life, friends. colleagues, social life and family. One fine day, she mustered courage and called it quits and moved on with her life. One fine day, she got an unexpected call from Sheikh declaring his love for her and bragging about his new job, brand new Hondo CRV car and duplex flat at Marine Drive which he acquired for crores. He declared the flat and car for her. Priya was bemused and confused in the start but couldn't contain herself and snigger at such stupidity.
Why is it that after everything has been cleared, we can't accept that a relationship is over and some people cannot get on with their life. Speak about bruised ego! Our ego is so strong that we cannot handle the break up and we look at ways and means to get back at the one who ditched us. We often forget that we cannot possess someone and at the end of the day, we need to give the person his or her personal space and we should be ready to accept that as the individual, we are the one who led the break up in the relationship. I fail to understand why the fuck we need to control the life of the person we are dating, from her clothes, male friends, time she spend with her family and who she speaks to one phone, albeit why her fone is so busy. For fuck sake! Go and get a life. What I hate among men is the victim they portray themselves as and the obsession and the freaky obsession of controlling the life of their girl friend. You know the constant calling and check on her every now and then! Well, girls also do it at times and it sucks and I find that men are the worst jerks in that matter. I have few male friends who do not suffer from the insecure obsessive syndrome and it's basically ego. Ya! I know..I am a man and speaking like that and it is a fact that many men cannot come to terms with the fact that they have been majorly ditched.
There are many instances like that when the ex-wanna come back in the life of the person who was once part of their life and they will use all kinda tricks to get back. Emotional black mail is often used to drive the other person to madness and make him or her believe, perhaps he or she really loves me or he has changed. This is all bullshit. Personally, I feel that you are done with a person. Period. Go and get a life of your own and as it is, you can always find another person. You are just losing your time if you are on such an ego trip and by getting back, you wanna make the hurt harsh. Face it. You just cannot accept that you have been ditched and you gotta move on by keeping good memories of the person you were with.
I have also observed that some people have such emotional hang-over that they cannot bear the separation and it's is often a question of sky-rocketed expectations. While it's okay and feel bad of being rejected but refusing to go shows a lack of self-esteem and if there is a need, move away from the person for a while. Here, I mean geographical location. I can't see people begging their partner to take them back. Bear in mind that the person has already told you that it's all over and she doesn't wish to have you in her life. It's a question of his or her personal wish and one cannot be happy in such kind of strained relationship. One should not ask whether it's a moral or immoral thing to do but rather prod yourself whether it's working or better. Better, be happy with someone who find it cool and acceptable of your whimsical traits.
Hope better sense prevails.
Spread cheers N Love

(Un) Holy Grains of Truth

I am.
Brought to the world, adorn with love yet you rejoiced when I cried in the cradle.
You knew that you held a remote to control my dreams and emotions.
You taught me not what I wanted to learn but what you wanted to dispense as knowledge.
The choice of truth and knowledge is yours and not mine.
Your lies and half baked truth are considered as the holy gains of truth.
You dispensed religious lies and bigotry, half baked and doomed spirituality.
You wanted to imbibe in me political and religious bigotry.
In your crime against mankind, you forgot that I shall not pay heed to you.
As I discover the truth and your doomed failure, I shall not listen to your hate speech.
I shall not subscribe to your unholy, uncouth truth about love, marriage and religion?
Why should I hate men and women belonging to different faith?
Why should I believe that I control the life of a woman?
Why should I not believe that men and women are equal?
Just because you say so!
I have already waged a war against your self-written books of knowledge?
You have a notion of pre-established society that suit your own interest.
You can be happy with your doctrine of religious morality and social mores.
I am not happy with your teachings of God and Goddeses versus immorality.
I shall make my own way to seek the universal truth.
The universal truth that does not rely and is validated by your ludicrous and morbid mindset.
I was born in this world to assert my own individuality and make my own choice.
I am a soul and I strive to be a good soul.
My fight is not directed against you but the values that you represent.
How can I worship a Goddess locked in a temple?
Free her and I shall fall at your feet.
You insult her, exploit her and sexually abuse her to show your dominant nature and patriarchal power.
Yet! You worship her.
I laugh at your own double-standards reeking of hypocrisy.
Search for your own self and be truthful with your soul first before telling me about social mores and religion.
I am, me myself not some fake fabrication of society.

Surprise Dance on Finnair Flight to celebrate India's Republic Day

After my earlier ranting on Republic Day, let's end it on a good note and enjoy the surprise dance by air hostesses on Finnair Flight to celebrate India's status as a Republic nation. It's a beautiful concept and enjoy the surprise dance. Om Shanti Om.
Have Fun

Republic Day, Verma report and wishes for a better India

Today, India celebrated its 64th Republic Day and it's the day in the life of every ordinary citizen where they show pride towards the national anthem, subscribe to values of patriotism such as loyalty, peace, humanity and international peaceful co-existence. On any ordinary situation, I would have been present to the flag raising ceremony but I didn't go this time. Not that I feel less Indian today, but looking at the past events that took place over the year, the heart wasn't in this time.
The brutal gang rape of Nirbhaya made me think twice as to why the state has failed to protect its daughters and what make things worse is that cases of rape is reported everyday. Certainly, the laws need to be tougher and a stronger message must be dispatched to potential rapists and perpetrators of crime against women.
The young guns of India took to the streets in Delhi for a just cause and yet the forces made use of violence to dampen the spirit. They were not able to break the unifying force and the Government buckled under pressure as they set up the fast track court to deal with rape. On the occasion of 64th Republic Day celebration, the questions asked by India is remain largely unanswered and the fight for justice doesn't stop here. Justice Verma committee chided the Government who congratulated the police on the gang rape of Nirbhaya and points out to loophole in the judicial system that has failed time and again. He recommended imprisonment for gang rape, community policing and imprisonment of not less than 20 years against against gang rape.

This is where I have serious issues as the learned judge recommendation on 'gang-rape.' Why just gang rape? A rape is a rape and the law should deal strictly with a rapist who committed atrocity against a woman. I am dejected that the judged rejected suggestion for chemical castration on a person who rape.  I think chemical castration would have served as a serious deterrent to perpetrators of such heinous crime against women. I also rue the idea that the judge is against death penalty. The government can no longer afford to go soft on rapists and they should set a strong precedent that a person will think twice before committing rape.
I strongly feel that the Verma report is a timid report since there is a spate of poor and soft measures against rapists. Certainly, this is the last thing that India need on Republic Day. Honestly speaking, I feel that life long imprisonment and chemical castration as well as flogging should have been introduced and implemented as law. It would have led to a fall in the number of rape cases. Moreover, a minor who commit rape must be flogged with a sentence of 40 years in jail at least while an adult must spend at least thirty years of imprisonment. Any person who harass a woman, is involved in eye teasing, make sexual comments or circulate mms or click pictures should be arrested and sentenced between three to five years in jail. Moreover, the government should have offices in several places where women should be encouraged to record statements in the presence of a social worker, psychologist and lady police officer.
However, Judge Verma suggesting that voyeurism to be punished up to seven years is positive one as well as three years punishment for stalking a woman and special procedure for protecting people with disabilities.
Nevertheless, no matter what the changes and suggestions are, till there is no change in the attitudes of males towards women, we shall not be able to bring the desired changes. As males, we must be ready to accept women empowerment, equality between males and females and stop looking at women as a sexual object or toy. We need to stop use impotent excuses that some women provoke rape.
I think we can hope for a better tomorrow and next year on R-Day, we shall celebrate India as a Republic. I also wish that laws are implemented to protect homosexuals and lesbians and ensure they are treated in a just and fair manner. The law on rapists should also be extended to homosexuals and lesbians who are sexually attacked as well as ensure that we live up to being the biggest democracy in the world. Let's not attack and assault artists, cartoonists, rights of the weak, treat women with respect and bring justice, equality in our society.

(Happy) Republic Day
Jai Hind

Tale of cities on a prowl

Caught between the devil and the deep blue sea, life intertwined from one junction of life to another, you don't shift loyalty between opportunities thrust at your feet. At the risk of being labeled a traitor, you gently remind them that you are trapped by your emotions that overlap as you traipse across the globe.
A tale of cities that you visit leave an indelible mark on your existence as a human being as you feel a sudden connect with the soul of the cities which indulges you and make you sizzle. I have a tendency to be emotionally connected to cities and places I visit and make the places my own home. I set up shop in Pune years back and this is where my ongoing romance started as I gyrated to the city's own joy. We laughed, cried and romanced together as the city whom I made my home long time back held sway to my antics and carried me in its womb. The very thought of leaving the city makes me shudder as I thought in disbelief..what would I do if tomorrow, I have to leave Pune for an altogether new place, chasing opportunities and new challenges. Pune is a city that I call home and the people are like family and not once, you feel that you are an outsider. It's the place where you fit in so easily and completely laid back as it is, you can enjoy a morning coffee in the restaurants and socialize with strangers at random. Whenever, you come back, it's always homecoming and the city gently remind you that you have never and can  never leave it. It's called the city of Peshawar and completely romantic in appeal. This is where I started my career and where I truly belong and no force in the world can pull us apart.
Three hours away from Pune comes Maximum city, the city that never sleeps which is a world in itself. Yeah! You got it right, Mumbai..amchi Mumbai where the people irrespective of where they come from, Maharashtra, Gujurat, Jhammu, Goa, Assam or Uttar Pradesh pride in calling themselves Mumbaikar and there is no harm in calling yourself Mee Mumbaiakar not an ode to the late Balasaheb or Raj Thackeray but you have a sense of belonging irrespective of whether your are Maharashtrian born or not. Whether it's the Queen Necklace view at night, strolling at Marine Drive, Chowpatthy, local trains or Colaba, you know that you are right in the soul of the city. As you get down from the train at the iconic Chitrapathi Shivaji Terminus (CST) and find yourself among the seam of crowd, you know you are in Mumbai. Get set to struggle and jostle your way among the berserk and increasingly restless crowd as well as nerve-racking traffic.Like they say, if you can make it in Mumbai, you can make it in any part of the world.
I share a love-and-hate relationship with Mumbai.I mean I used to..When I shifted base to amchi Mumbai, I love everything about the city so much that I became obsessed with Mumbai..even the things that doesn't make a Mumbaikar proud, I used to overlook them..prod me about beggars, filth and water-logging, I would brush it aside and swoosh that it is the soul of the city. In no time, the city was getting on my head and like two lovers who had enough of each other, we started finding fault wi and the complaints as well as constant whining started to unfurl itself..oh! it's too fucking crowded, the people have bad breath, too much rush and why the fuck are they so tense even if they have to catch the movie at the plex..the war-mongering started and the perfect excuse to evade to Pune for weeks and weeks and weeks.
I came back to the city and after a couple of soul-searching days, it was love at first sight again. wow! Yeh Mumbai hai meri jaan! Amazing buildings..Rajabhai Tower, CST, locals-our life line, yellow-and-black cabs and greeting pals with kai re over a cuppa cutting chai. Every time, you are back to the city, you wonder why BMCC don't indulge in elongating the city to make way for more and more migrating pigeons like me....You feel that you need to unlearn and learn the new A-Z of Mumbai. The city keep changing every other alternate day and this is what makes Mumbai so utterly charming. You feel that you are at odds, trapped and swarmed in world pregnant with contradiction and the feeling conveyed to you, Horns Ok, everything strictly allowed if done to the extreme. You fight with yourself coz you know you gotta be back. Mumbai can pour outburst of anger, happiness, joy and sadness..
I had a one night stand with Delhi.it's a case of Harry Met Sally and you are surprised as to how the city' charm fell on you. I was charmed with Delhi and the wonderful monuments, be it Kutub Minar, the stainless Metro and Janpat, Connaught Place and would tell to everyone that matters that I wouldn't mind shifting base to Delhi, a place that I abhorred so much thanks to the advise of friends that I shouldn't be there ever in my life.
I am caught between the devil and the deep blue sea as the love triangle or four angle between me, Pune, Mumbai and New Delhi seems so fluid and fluorescent. I have the knack of being emotionally attached to cities I found myself trapped in. Which city do my loyalty belongs to? It's a case of brand loyalty to all or none. Each city bear its own charms, and of course, beautiful women and soul-stirring appeal. My love for Pune an Mumbai doesn't diminish in the face of newly found love for New Delhi. At the risk of being called a slut vying to bed a new lover every single night and a traitor by my Mumbai frenz who can't stand New Delhi, I wonder where I stand. Though I confess that my love for Pune and Mumbai remains stronger than ever and will not be superseded by the capital city, New Delhi remain a babe to be explored. 

Cities bang bang
Good night
by
city lover

Happines Quotient

Love, life, moolah, career, books, journalism, Facebook and G-chat. That's what my life sum up to. A more apt description of life would be that I am only too happy indulging in things that I enjoy doing. Howzzat post at 4 a.m in the morning! Our generation faces lotsa tribulations as we juggle our time in work, relationship and mundane things like watching movies, reading for pleasure and brooding on problems in the world. And, we choose to smartly brush aside sex and lust and after all, who has time for all that intimate emotions yaar when we are stuck up with the hum drum of city life. The little time that we are spared, it is spent making trip to the wonderful memories we left behind.
We were told that it's a fab time we are living. Their generation earn much less than we are earning and that we have plenty of opportunity. Once, on my way to Infinity mall, Andheri Mumbai, I met an old man.he must be above 70-year-old and he told me, India is booming and you guys have so much opportunity. You can work in the call centre and make money and our generation made money with less opportunities. What my learned uncle failed to ignore was the financial crisis that spelled havoc. Theek hai! India was booming at that time and our growth rate is still positive and jobs are created throughout the country. Yet! there are freeze in economic sectors and as you look for opportunities outside the home land, there come a point you wanna come back home. Yet! You can't because there is a freeze in your professional field and you gotta wait impatiently for the worse to get over. As if it's the Tsunami that's hovering over your head for some time. Sometimes, it's not just professional fulfillment that matters but happiness.
By the way, have you read the happiness survey in Hindustan Times during the week. Mumbai scores much over Delhi..well! That's support the claim that happiness matters and not money! To be frank, Mumbai sounds better than Delhi and no matter how much I hate to admit it, I was in Delhi in November and I have fallen prey to its charm. Yes! I said Delhi is a wonderful a city and to the extent that a friend of mine who is born and bred in Mumbai told me, you have shifted loyalty, Traitor! Well, he is in Australia right now. Of course, he was kidding but I feel like being caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. Ahem! Ahem!
The respondents in Delhi are more stressed out than Mumbaikars. Well that news to me not because Delhi is stressed out but I feel that the stress quotient in a city like Mumbai is no less. Come on, Mumbai is a city where you need to be constantly on the edge and you are busy like hell..forget about sparing time for others, you can hardly afford any time for yourself. That's the city on the move for you. True, Mumbai is more chilled out than Delhi in the sense that Mumbai is less aggressive and somewhat better place for women. But, it is debatable.
The survey ranks Mumbai on the sixth position with a happiness quotient of 776 as compared to Delhi which find itself at number 15 with an HQ of 609. It is assessed by our happy leaning through leisure time, entertainment and social life. Well, the world is crazy. What surprises me even more that Pune's level of happiness reaches 748 at number nine. Well, I just can't agree that Mumbai scores inches ahead of Pune. True, Pune is no longer the peaceful and laid back city that it used to be and the guilty are the builders who have put a nail in the coffin of Mumbai are hell bent to destroy Pune.
It's a crazy world and I wonder what defines happiness for an average person. Money? But, it entails a more stressful life. Friends? I agree with that coz it's important for us to have our emotional support in place but above all, the time to indulge in things we love doing and satisfy our creative quest. I, for one, love sipping cutting chai at the tapdi in the company of friends. Do we have time to so?! I wonder. Anyway, let's try to be happy!

Happy wala budday to Trident

A birthday is a day to rejoice and a reminder of how youthful you are. You sit and enjoy the praises showered by everybody to you. It add zing to your existence as you turn nine. This spell true for Trident, an offspring of Oberoi Group of Hotels who celebrated its ninth anniversary on Monday, 7 January.
Staying at Trident Hotel is a refreshed experience as the hotel staff does everything to ensure that your stay is a fruitful one and laden with positive energy. The vigor with which the staff fulfil their duties is a treat and they approach their work with so much love and passion. It is a lesson in hotel management and a life-long lesson that one can learn. As you check-in at Trident hotel, you are welcomed by bright faces and the traditional namaste and the beautiful and charming hostess applies a tilak on your forehead. No matter how professional someone is, the traditional Athithi Devo Bhava is not lacking at Trident Hotel and certainly not at Gurgaon. As you are given your room number bearing the trademark, Trident with its tagline, "At Trident You are Sure" a hostess accompanies you to the room where the TV is displayed with the welcome video of the hotel.
The room is beautifully displayed where the bed sheets are placed in such a cleaned, flawless and romantic manner and no night god can deter you from falling asleep. You have a mini bar, tea/coffee making spot and of course, wifi internet connection that is moderately priced. What struck me is how the newspapers and magazines are neatly arranged and the valet work tirelessly to make your room feel like home. Staying at Trident is so much a beautiful experience that you can easily afford to give a miss to your home.
The chef at Cilantro offers a variety of exotic dishes for lunch and dinner such as flavors of Italy, spice street, barbecue chicken. Add to that the sumptious delicacies such as gulab jamun and the wonderful ice cream. You can try out an entire gamut of business lunch at Saffron and relax over a glass of beer watching over cricket or football at the bar. Plus, the coffee at Cilantro is amazingly strong to kick up your day so is the cappucino along with a complementary cookie at the bar. The cherry on the cake is the dedicated staff who goes a long way to ensure that you enjoy your breakfast, lunch or dinner in relax manner. As Anubha, assistant manager at Cilantro told me, we are trained to work hard sir and manage a smile on our face. That was when I asked her how do the staff manage to sport a smile on their faces considering that they work so hard. I wondered whether a bad day may have an effect on the angelic faces. But, that's Trident where they are always smiling and the mantra seem to be The Customer is King.
Another staff told me that they work 14 hours a day and add to that is the munimum sleep that they can afford in a day. Still, there is no lack of sparkle on their faces that is determined o bring joy and happiness to the lives of their most esteemed customers. This is the strength of the hotel, their usp is that they are customer centric and one can see that the hotel will never face recession. During a chat with the communication manager, Akanksha Banerji who confessed that she often take a walk to the hotel lobby and the bright and ever-smiling faces of the kids add vigor and positive smile to her face. Holier than truth as I bear testimony to that since despite being tired with work, the ever-smiling faces spread like magic and the tiredness mysteriously disappears.
The hotel room falls nothing short of the place one call home and is equipped with WiFi facilitiy.Plus, there is a small bar where you can make tea, coffee and grab a whisky. There are fruits layed on your table and the dedicated room valet will ask you whether you need some varied fruit apart from the banana and apple. You can learn one thing or two from the valet who neatly arrange the room, lay the bed sheets and fold your newspapers.
Tired after a hard day. Just lie in the bathroom and enjoy the spa as water drop on your body. Certainly, it's an experience in hotel management as the stay at Trident and the work stay is indeed holidaying made possible by Trident.

You can also enjoy a quiet evening at the pool bar where you get access to free wifi till 10 pm and work on your ipad and laptop over a glass of wine and whisky. The beautiful architecture at Trident hotel make one's stay frothy and relaxing. Trident Gurgaon is certainly a gateway to heaven and as the tag line says, At Trident You Are Sure. It certainly is.

Dollops of dreams and cookies

There are days when you don't have the slightest, mundane idea what to jostle armed with the lappie's key board and yet, you can resist the creative urge to write. Well, I just wrapped up the collector's edition of Outlook magazine, When I was 17 November's issue. It released the goosebumps to write something on the blog.
I am not taking a life from the theme to go back to the 17 groove no matter how tempting and mouth-watering it is. As I gleaned through the magazine, some ideas cropped in the mind but since I didn't care to jot it down, it got lost in translation. Guess, it got to do with the left part of my brain that keep on forgetting ideas. Here, I am blogging without the slightest idea as how this post will turn out.
It's the start of brand 2012 and hopeful that I am that the new year will usher with new hopes, dreams and achievement coming my way. True, 2011 was a pretty decent year that ended on a bang and 2012 was an amazing year and I hope that 2013 may be a decent year even if the hits of the two successive years are missing. I also hope that 2013 turn out to be a good year for the world, especially for women and that they face less discrimination and they are not oppresed. The mindset must change for the betterment of everybody and paving the way for better and equal society.
I love travelling and barring the few places that I visited, I wanna visit more and more place like Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and Pondicherry, among so many places in India and wanna visit Venice in Italy, Istambul in Turkey, Paris in France, Egypt, London and New York in US. In 2014, I wanna go for the world cup in Brazil and this is one of the places I am raring to go. The globe trotter that I am in the making hope to see the world and meet so many new people, sharing similar interests. I am also looking forward to go on work-related travel and am pinning my hope that the adventure repeats itself in 2013. Finally, the plan is on to travel for holidays in December..Oh! December! I can't wait for you to come and bless me with travel.
See, I told you that this post is going nowhere and I am caught in dollops of dreamy adventures. Does it mean that I am bored and it's a prelude that the world will crash?! Dunno! Let me unveil a small secret: I am really missing my cutting chai in the monsoon and yeah, I know that it's not monsoon right now but but..ahem! ahem!
Okie! Let's speak a bit about gadgets and then I'll move to books. I finally laid my hands on an IPad generation four and an HTC One X phone. I love both gadgets that turned out to be my most prized possessions and I think now that I gotta get done with one of the habit that I hate, reading E-books and these are things that I can do on my apple and phone. Either ways, both gadgets comes up very handy and you can work while traveling. Yesterday, I did work on my apple for the first time as a reporter and it's such a beautiful and cherished moment. I am planning to chuck out the traditional note pad and pen which I will use only during extreme situation. Coming to books, I am in the process of wrapping up Blink, a psychological and well-researched book on our cognitive intelligence and human minds that was gifted by a friend in office for my birthday. I also started with Aravind Adiga and am in the process of wrapping up by next week. I am laughing all the way to the knowledge bank.
I shall wrap up my ranting now as the post doesn't seem to go anywhere. Well, I did try to bring something jazzy up while writing but the imaginative and creative skills have failed me up. Oh! Silly mind how I hate you. Guess, I should seriously consider going to Himalayas, smoking joints to draw inspiration to write.
Taa-taaa

Pledge for a better 2013

Come this time of the year, we brace ourselves to set things afresh and set for new year resolutions. I have applied the brake to resolutions since they are made to be broken. So, it's been ages I have stopped making resolution as we usher in a new year full of promises and hope.
I pledge to treat women with respect and protest against any situation when a women is treated in an unfair manner and shall protest against such uncouth behavior. I have always believed in men and women being equal in society but, unfortunately, many men don't get it in the right way. Such men must be taught a lesson. I shall intervene when things get out of control and will no tolerate such nonsense.
Every time, I say the same things but it looks like its an old song rehearsed and oft-repeated. Well, it's been ages since I started writing a script and novel. Every time, I say that I shall work more regularly with my novel and script. Alas! I end up not doing anything about it. In 2013, I pledge of working more diligently and this time I am not fixing any ambition of finishing the draft since it never happen. I shall strive to be more regular in my creative urge.
I have also fixed in my mind to be more cautious with spending. The spend thrift that I am was finally able to settle my huge credit card debt of 19k. I took a whole year to do so thanks to the company bonus and leave money that was due. I finally heave a sign of relief. I shall make each and every effort to save my money so that I am able to..to..afford my end of year holidays in Goa and perhaps, Dilli. I shall do it. Plus, effort will be needed and desired to cut on smoking which is a killer and till now, my addict habit is not leaving. It takes a lot to cut on fags and am confident to be successful on that count.
I am also planning to join an insurance plan and I gotta the shameless nerve to say that it's an idea I toyed with since a year. Naturally, like most ideas it fell flat on my face but this time I gotta be serious with the insurance plan as a back up saving. Dude! Dude! I gotta seriously cut on unnecessary expenses which has been a hindrance to my material well-being.
Professionally speaking, I shall prepare my work beforehand as often I land up in office without plan to cook stories and I am often sent in a tizzy and caught in a swirl of confusing and panicking activities. I shall ensure that I have some stories in place before reaching office and it start from tomorrow. I also pledge to spend less time in office and hunt for more stories outside by meeting people. 2013  will be the time to move my ass further away from the chair to meet contacts and make stories. I am also on the look out for some freelance work with media houses in UAE, Malaysia and, perhaps, Mumbai and Delhi for some first hand experience. There are so much to write and if I rack up my brains and be consistent, there are some thousand ideas that I can come up with.
This blog has lacked short stories in 2012. I shall come up with several short stories, letters and real life incidents. Moreover, let me announced that I have turned up as an ant-rape social activist and many posts will be devoted to the issue. The rape of 'Nirbhaya'/ 'Damini'/ 'Amanat', the daughter of India has changed my life and millions of Indians across the globe. I used the social media to spread awareness on the issue of rape and shall do more to spread the message on the issue where women are repeatedly rape. I am serious on the issue and shortly, a short story on the plight of women is in the offing.

 

Merry Xmas

Merry Xmas! Bah! We all waited for the clock to struck midnight in different places in the globalized world. The world celebrate christmas today as people will rejoice with a couplet of wine and eating delicious pastries.
Xmas is a time for celebration. I treated myself by putting a hand made christmas card on my table, the wine bottle is waiting to be poured on the thin white glass and gonna use my new acquired gadget the HTC One X cellphone which comes as the treat for this year. Yeah! I shed a bomb on the new phone but what's the harm to treat oneself to goodies when we toiled our ass so hard for one year at work. It's a beautiful feeling. This X-mas is special since I made lotsa gud frienzz who have become special and as it stands, 2012 was brilliant for me. I started off with my Goa holidays, traveled to Delhi for work where I stayed at Trident Gurgaon where I made wonderful friends during the conference.
Time flies! It can be such a silly bitch! Last year, I was on holiday and at that time of the year, I was enjoying the nice, windy weather of Pune and planning my holidays to Goa. And, this year I contented myself in the office..so missing my frienzzz in India. It's quite hard. Trust me on that! But, then we can't have everything and as I just told you, it's been a great year full of zing and unplanned surprises! I cannot complain too much as next year I shall be back to India for holidays!!
We are looking up to the joy of life but let's spare a thought to the child who is deprived of a meal, family living in distress, the family whose son or daughter was killed in a road accident and the number of women subjected to physical and mental torture albeit rape. My wish to father Xmas this year is to save the life of the girl whose condition is critical in Delhi and who was brutally raped and assaulted by six savages. I ask father Xmas to give the family strength and give the girl strength so that she recovers and can continue her medical studies. In  a way I am happy that several thousands young men and women stormed the streets of Delhi to protest against the rape at a time they could have enjoyed a drink in the pub. Who says the youth are irresponsible! It's the perfect example of what the youth represent.
Anyways, merry Xmas 2012, lovely people
Spread love N cheers
Say no to Rape and Violence.
Much Love
Vishal