Hopelessly Hopeful

I searched for news on her at the wee hours, something told me that it would not be good, and yes, I was right, she had lost the battle finally. The brave young girl was finally no more. I don't know how to express myself, whether to cry, or to be angry, or to remain silent. I feel ashamed, helpless and sad. I am ashamed to be a part of such a barbaric society, a society full of hypocrites. I feel helpless that I cannot reach out to those thousands who like this brave girl also need our support. I am sad that whatever we do now, nothing will bring back that life. I am chocked today, I have tears in my eyes, I want to scream in anger and I want to hang my head in silence and shame. But, above all, I would want to continue this fight, this fight against the mindset, illiteracy, violence, ignorance, hatred... this God damn system. And, I fervently wish that someday we truly become human and give every living being on this planet due respect. 

Schindler's List  - To teach them kindness and importance of good deeds. The Pursuit of Happyness - To tell them that no matter how hard the situations are, with hard work and dedication they can turn them around. Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge - To tell them that it is ok to fall in love, to hope for love. Romeo and Juliet (hopefully an old version) - To tell them falling in love is not easy and not all love stories are rosy. Tamanna - To tell them that bonds of love are what define a person more than money, status and even blood relations. lntroduce them to the world of social evils prevalent in our society. To tell them not to believe in stereotypes. Andaz Apna Apna - To teach them to be silly, mad and have a good laugh, even at their own expense. Superman - To tell them about my first love, to tell them that even superheroes are not invincible, and most importantly to tell them not to perform any of the tricks at home! Avatar - Simply to take them to a realm of imagination and cr...

I am a confused neo-nationalist, pop-patriotic today’s Indian youth. I do not really understand or value independence. Maybe, being born in countries such as Syria, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and Yemen would have changed my outlook. But, I care not. Yes, I am a confused neo-nationalist, pop-patriotic today’s Indian youth.

After long I cried seeing something, couldn’t help myself. Heartbreaking & inspiring at the same time.

Sometimes it feels as if we haven’t really grown up. We are still those bumbling kids who behave like brats when we get angry at our friends. The kuttis and the abbaas are still prevalent, we are still the same, as if the kid inside hasn’t really become an adult. Looks like some of us are role playing being adults, the juvenile streak refuses to die. The only difference, now we have graduated to the virtual world from the real one...

It was a usual girl’s night out, clubbing at a posh restaurant, chatting and drinking our regular not-so-soft drinks, when one of us got upset. She was tired of her nosy aunt, who has been trying to fix a match for her widowed father (a father of two young daughters). She had been constantly asking him to reconsider his decision of not marrying again. Somewhere, her father was convinced too, he had secretly asked his sister to look for alliances. That is when the daughters heard him and got upset.  Everybody offered their two bits, while I heard her calmly. Finally, I asked her, ‘What is so wrong in that? He does not want to live his old age alone, he is seeking a companion, why are you against it?’ Everyone looked at me, compelling me to go on, ‘We are the biggest hypocrites, this young generation, we tell our parents to let us live our lives the way we want to, we don’t want any interferences from them, but we want to control their lives, and make them live as per our convenienc...

Does screaming help to reduce the pain so severe that threatens to tear apart your basic being? If it does, tell me where should I scream – in the solace of my room, in a crowded market place or disturb the peace of a secluded place? And, oh! Yes, would screaming ensure that I would never feel any pain again? If so, I want to scream, right now, right away, just tell me, where...

Walk, walk away from the din of this crowded world Can’t you see the light ahead? It illuminates your path full of yellow flowers Don’t you want to be sane my dear? Don’t stand there silently Walk Walk away from the din of this crowded world Walk Walk away to this land far far away Walk Walk till you can walk no more.

Why is Delhi so hot today? 1. Conspiracy by climate change activists to get more funds for their projects 2. God decided to punish us for being bad, very bad (Also, made a mental note not to send Santa around for Christmas) 3. It’s a corporate agenda, don’t you know Benetton has a shipment of rejected shorts for over a million pieces! 4. Hold it, maybe the upcoming Presidential election has something to do with it 5. Maybe, it is all of the above, or none of it, depending on how crazy you are feeling today When we asked Delhi the real reason, she said: Why man, don't you like me hot, red hot! Now, that's saucy. Ooh lalaa! ;p

Who are we to judge anyone; we are not even equipped enough to judge ourselves. Do we really know and understand what we want from life? What we want to do? Where we want to head towards? So, when we are so clueless about our own life, who are we to analyze about someone else? Life throws you at junctures, it challenges you to pick yourself up, it sometimes take you to a high unimaginable, and sometimes it just dumps you without the life-giving air to breath. Funnily, the essential air is always missing even when you are at a height or at the lowest ebb. So, should we be content with our mediocre life? What is so wrong in being ordinary? Why is there a need to be someone? Why can’t I just walk as filler among the multitude, who reek of daily labor? I often ask myself, am I extraordinary? Am I someone special? Am I different from others? Yes, in some way I am unique, I am different, but then each one of us are. We are all unique in our own ways, each a single unit in this amazing cosmos...

Often I wait for the door knob to turn For that someone to walk through the threshold Holding my dreams in his arms. My eyes twinkle with happiness My hands twitch in anticipation As I faithfully look out the window Staring into the 'nothing so special for me' world. As the speck of light approaches My lips betray into a smiling curve When I see the offender hurrying home!

Just finished watching 'Vicky Donor', really a cool movie. The two-hour film was packed with layers of subjects, things that we normally don’t discuss or don’t find mention in mainstream movies. The main theme of sperm donation definitely had been great, and handled in such a normal, day-to-day manner that the film despite its unconventional subject would find acceptance among the conservative crowd too. I mean, I can see this film with my parents, and enjoy it as well. Well, there is another reason why it would be so easy to watch it with my parents, i.e. the characterization and setting of the film. The heroine is a Bong and belongs to the Bong-dominated CR Park. The Bong family like so many Bong families in Delhi nurtures a dislike for everything North Indian, especially the Punjabi culture. Having seen and heard such discussions among the self-certified cultured Bong families, I could rightly say that the director did a commendable job of showcasing the clannish behavior of...

Slowly and steadily the night passes by, The clock is ticking with mundane precision, The AC is making an annoying buzzing sound, The laptop reassures in a familiar tapping fashion, The pillow is lying lifelessly at the corner, The dog is sleeping in his usual comfort zone, What is there so unique about all these? Nothing, Except that they found a place in a bizarre poem written at the stroke of midnight on June 21, 2012!

There are certain situations in life that one cannot control. During those times, one just has to go with the flow. These situations might not be right, you may know that what you are doing at that point of time may not be the right thing to do, but you have no control over them. What do you do during such situations? Just, close your eyes and go through them. And afterwards, do not judge yourself by what you did or what the situation made you do. We often get into guilt trips, taking excessive responsibilities on our head by being emotional about the situation. We never take into account the part played by the other party involved in such cases. For us, our involvement, our mistake become supreme and we continue to reel under them. Why do so? Why not be practical and understand that what happened at that point of time involved two people or two parties and not just you. People who are independent, who are strong and free, do not require any adherence to anyone. They are what they are....

Finally, going for the much deserved vacation, I don’t even remember when I went for such a long leave, at least not in the last 3 years. I hope to be unwired for at least a week, without the daily pressure of work. In that retreat of peace and serenity, I would finally get some ‘me’ time, time to think, to analyze, to rewind, to find the lessons in the chaos. In our daily grind, we often forget to pamper ourselves, to take out even some crucial minutes to stop and do some self-analysis, to understand whether we are really doing what we want to. We are so obsessed with this entire worldly outlook, that we forget our real outlook by the end of it. I have seen some running day in and out after money and more money; some burning midnight oils to study hard to get illustrious degrees that they would never use in their lives; some sacrificing their happiness for a perfect family photo with everyone giving fake toothpaste-ad smile; and some intending to do good, start good, achieve good and ...

Why is there a need for constant reassurances? Why do we always run to people to seek shelter in their arms? Why are we struggling against odds to be comforted by another human being? We do all these because we are not whole in ourselves. We are incomplete in our own being, and we look for others to fill that gap. But, in doing so, we forget that, that gap is in us and not in them and therefore, it can only be filled by us and nobody else. Unless we are whole in ourselves, we can never expect to find true happiness. The itch towards running at something would continue to torment us. So, what should one do? Simple, stop this chase, stop trying to be what someone else wants you to be, stop being a doormat at someone’s whim, stop believing that without another person in your life you would be incomplete, alone, stop thinking that someone else would help you fill that void in your life. Look within, you will find that light which will guide you home. When you become whole in yourself, you...

There is something that I am struggling with these days, to kill my ego. With certain knowing, people start feeling special, that they are privileged, that because of certain qualities in them they have been chosen over others. And the moment such a feeling comes in, be sure that the downfall would be swift. To be humble is the key to learn, because the moment I say, I know all and I am the best, I would stop my own growth, I would stop learning. The other day while reading a writer on New Age, I was surprised to read how she kept talking about her experiences in a flamboyant manner. Yeap, it is important to share so that others would know about things, but it should not make the reader feel inferior. There was an underlying tinge of pride and feeling of being above others in her writing. There is a very thin line between stating the facts that created positive impact in your life and letting it get into your head. So, how do you curb such a feeling? By killing the ego, the veil that i...

What do you do when all of a sudden you get a horrible sunken feeling? As if, something has just slipped off your hands like sand between your fingers, and as much as you try to hold it, you lose it in equal proportion. How do you deal with such a mood swing, when just out of blue you feel sad, irritated, frustrated and above all angry, not at the world, but at yourself, for letting yourself get into such a position, for taking all those wrong decisions? You feel sick at how people behave around you, some with their fake smiles, some with fake concerns and some just plain mean, trying to get a laugh at your expense. What do you do in such a case? And then again, deep inside you know, this is all shit, that such things does not really mean anything. That you are wasting your precious energy by going through such stupid emotions. But, don’t blame anyone else for it, it is all your doing, you are letting it effect you. When you know better then why do you get effected by it? Why can’t you...

The half moon The twinkling stars The cloudless sky The buzzing crickets... The breezeless night The motionless plants The silent road The humid stillness... Are calling me Are attuning me Are making me dance With bare feet...

The Top Ten Tips for Living in Love

Watching DDLJ yet again made me realize that Raj has been the greatest marketing executive of love... He re-branded himself by changing from ‘the guy moms warn about’ to ‘the guy moms love to want for their daughters’; he used B2B service to get himself introduced to the girl’s family; he never fails to feed the pigeons to impress girl’s dad, that’s customer loyalty program; fantastic brand recognition as ‘the guy who stole beer’; gets customer feedback by being beaten in the end; and his use of emotional appeal advertised him as ‘the guy who loves the girl the most in the world’. Thus, was sold one of the greatest love stories of our time!

Dare to Be When a new day begins, dare to smile gratefully. When there is darkness, dare to be the first to shine a light. When there is injustice, dare to be the first to condemn it. When something seems difficult, dare to do it anyway. When life seems to beat you down, dare to fight back. When there seems to be no hope, dare to find some. When you’re feeling tired, dare to keep going. When times are tough, dare to be tougher. When love hurts you, dare to love again. When someone is hurting, dare to help them heal. When another is lost, dare to help them find the way. When a friend falls, dare to be the first to extend a hand. When you cross paths with another, dare to make them smile. When you feel great, dare to help someone else feel great too. When the day has ended, dare to feel as you’ve done your best. Dare to be the best you can – At all times, Dare to be!” ― Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free

Human beings are insecure lil gits, they need constant pampering, constant reassurances, that things are fine. Mind plays many games and we relentlessly think things, make up things, perceive things, things that are just in our heads, without any real applications. And in all these, we lose our hold on reality. That's when insecurity creeps in and in this insecurity we pretty much screw everything, our relationships, our confidence, our jobs et al. So, what should one do, you cannot become vulnerable, can you. Maybe or maybe not, but what you can certainly do is to keep that door open. If you shut it, you would never know who is waiting for you at the other end. Maybe it’s a long-lost friend, who wants to talk to you but that shut door would be a deterrent and he may just turn back and never return. Only a few have the courage to knock at the door shut at their faces, and still a rare few have the courage to keep that door open for all. Now, it’s your decision where you want to bel...

Hope is what we need Hope is what we seek Hope is what pushes us on Hope is what makes it fair Hope is what I will talk here A hope giving hope to the world out there.