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Year of Change

With the run up to the General Elections in India, it is amazing to see how policies (across states) are being pushed, and decisions are being made. It almost makes you wonder why they were sitting on all of it for the last 4.5 years when they were agreeable to the change in the first place.  Be it the Lokayukta Bill, or the Environmental clearances to 70 odd projects... The running government (please read ruining government ) is making amends in their style, as if the box has suddenly been open, and all decisions will be made overnight. The Aam Aadmi party is attempting to make the phenomenon in Delhi nation wide, and they just might succeed in some pockets... Eitherways, this will be an year of change..  All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, A light from the shadows shall spring; Renewed shall be blade that was broken,

2013.. The Good, the Bad.. the Ugly...

The last week of December always leaves me with a nostalgic feeling... Between looking back at the year gone by... and what the coming year might hold.... So  here's some of the stuff the year brought by... Movie of the year: Jolly LLB & Table No 21 Both movies from lesser known directors.. and none of the cliched A league stars.... but both Jolly LLB & Table No 21 proved that if you've got the right story, and directors & actors to pull it through, the audience will shower praise... I think such cinema is the biggest boon multiplexes have given us. Most hyped book of the year : The Oath of the Vayuputras I understand the emergence of this cult of authors who have taken to writing plots intermingled with ancient history/mythology... I guess the trend was started by Dan Brown internationally, and successfully encashed by Amish Tripathi & Ashwin Sanghi amongst other....  But with this book, Amish stretched the concept (which sounded like a nice one in t

Delhi Elections

AAP has taken the Delhi political scene by storm. Its an affirmation, not just that everyone is fed up of the corrupt ways of the stereotypical political leaders.. its also proof that when someone suggests a change, the common man (literally) has the courage to extend support and stand by the change... No one thought Aam Aadmi Party would come so close to getting majority in the state elections , within one year of their formation... I was recently watching an interview by Barkha Dutt, where she was questioning Kejriwal about the way forward.  There is no doubting the motive or honesty of Arvind Kejriwal , or the genuine intent in representing the issues faced by the common man. Now that they have achieved a milestone, they need to put in some serious thought into how they plan to achieve what they have so successfully started.... a movement by the people, for the people... Its time to convert their idealism into more tangible, practical solutions... else what has risen so

Dil Aakhir Tu Kyu Rota Hai..

Seem to be in this mode of enjoying shayari..  What better way than this... Jab jab dard ka baadal chhaya Jab gham ka saya lehraaya Jab aansoo palkon tak aaya Jab yeh tanha dil ghabraaya Hum ne dil ko yeh samjhaya Dil aakhir tu kyun rota hai? Duniya mein yun hi hota hai Yeh jo gehre sannate hain Waqt ne sabko hi baante hain Thoda gham hai sabka qissa Thodi dhoop hai sabka hissa Aankh teri bekaar hi nam hai Har pal ek naya mausam hai Kyun tu aise pal khota hai Dil aakhir tu kyun rota hai Credits: Lines written by Javed Akhtar for Farhan Akhtar in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara

Talaash

Recently read these lines...  Apne gham ki numaish na kar, apne naseeb ki aazmaish na kar... jo tera hai tere paas khud aaega, har roz usse paane ki khwaish na kar... Chuu le tu aasmaan, zameen ki talaash na kar.. jee le tu zindagi, khushi ki talaash na kar.. Taqdeer badal jaegi apne aap he aey dost.. muskurana seekh le, wajah ki talaash na kar... So true....

Vote.. Please !

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In today's world, we seem to take our freedom, our democracy for granted... Maybe it's because our generation hasn't fought for it.....  or maybe, we haven't seen the other side...  That's why, Polling day has just become another Holiday,when most of us just unwind, and don't bother to Cast the Vote.. the reason why we have been given a day off in the first place.... The other worrying part is the total ignorance on the part of the voter, as to what is happening all around us... We are ever-ready to crib about the corrupt politicians, misbehaving cops and pathetic civic amenities, but won't open our ears to be aware about what is happening, or lift a finger to vote... This combined ignorance and laziness will cost us our freedom someday. Please Vote !!! It is one of the few chances we get as citizens to express our opinion !

Fresh Blood

Just whiling away time on the internet, I came across this website Friends2Support , which allows you to list yourself as a blood donor, and also look for one. In today's world of PE's, it makes me feel nice, and reinforces my faith in new ventures... when entrepreneurs take the plunge and not just generate revenue, but manage to touch the needs of our society.. Do go the website & signup....

Stranger Help !

In the middle of hustling bustling traffic, my car broke down. Not only did the cop not create a scene, he pushed it to a bylane, with the help of few strangers.. The surprises the day threw up didn't end there... 4 - 5 drivers waiting around helped restart the car when I  opened the bonnet to look for the possible fault... and finally an inquisitive student just came by, and literally plugged the problem... Don't have enough words to thank them all... Didn't know any of them, but am sure to remember how they helped me yesterday !  So the next time I am on the road, and I find someone in need of some help, I'll stop for sure... Because I am a firm believer.... What goes around, comes around..

Simplicity.. Genius !

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You and me... we talk.. discuss...  pen down our philosophies.. the challenges we face.... We are the Surplus educated.. And this is what the concern of (what he himself calls), a little educated man can result in... Kudos !!!

Gender Equality ?

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A man is free to use the streets as his toilet, and flick out their p**** not bothering who all they are showing it off to.... And the slightest sign of a cleavage is sufficient to say that women don't dress up properly... they provoke the "man"kind... And then we talk about Gender Equality !!!!

Midnight

Midnight MG Road, Gurgaon Inside a Car Waiting No street lights Long queue of trucks Truck drivers You enter the Car And I weep . . . . . . . . . Finally relieved that I am not all alone PS:  What amazes me is our vulnerability in such a situation... no one can understand unless they experience it..

Balance

Few know what we deserve... and even fewer get what we deserve... Because in our view, we always have a justification to give.. an answer worthy of the situation... It is for the other to decide... to react as per their senses... Because there ought to be a greater cause... a bigger picture... a balance... that makes it all worthwhile... Because sometimes... the truth isn't good enough... Sometimes people deserve more. Sometimes people deserve to have their faith rewarded.... ~ Dark Knight

Life

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Life comes a full circle.. as much as we try and take shortcuts, detours...  What we give is what we get... Needless to say, we came into the world holding someone's hand, learning from what we saw... and we'll leave it, holding someone's hand, seeing the world, and wondering why they haven't learnt ! Photo Credit: Raghu Rai

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Contradictions do not exist. Whenever you think you are facing a contradiction, check your premises. You will find that one of them is wrong. ~ Ayn Rand

India Shining !?!

I am a patriot.  I am proud of what our country has achieved so far, and think we have great things going for us.  But if the biggest factor going for us is people... the biggest factor going against is also the people of the nation. If we have the likes of Ratan Tata & Dr Anji Reddy, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw & Verghese Kurien, to name a few, who have showcased the ability of what an Indian is capable of... we also have a flip-side.  Whether it is corruption, illiteracy, female infanticide or crime, India figures among the few countries on top.  We never seem to think twice before strutting with pride on the mention of Tata or Kurien at any international forum. Then why does it take us so long to accept that we are the ones responsible for the worst as well. That WE need to take the initiative to move things towards the better...  That WE take it on ourselves to stop paying bribes, to educate everyone in our circle of influence, to be brave enough to identify crime and have t

Family

Family to me is not about blood, or just love... Family is about time spent, moments shared, issues discussed....  Participating & contributing in each others lives... Where you are allowed to make fun... but are never ridiculed... Where you might not have the last word on everything, but every word said counts...

Power

Power attracts different reactions from different people... Some people get attracted to people with power... some prefer avoiding such people.... and there are the minority whose reaction doesn't change with the power a person has... There is a similar parallel for people with power... Anyway, what is power ? pow·er   [ pou -er ]  noun 1.   ability   to   do   or   act;   capability   of   doing   or   accomplishing   something. 2.  political   or   national   strength:   the   balance   of   power   in   Europe. 3.  great   or   marked   ability   to   do   or   act;   strength;   might;   force . 4.  the   possession   of   control   or   command   over   others;   authority;   ascendancy:   power   over   men's   minds. 5.  political   ascendancy   or   control   in   the   government   of   a   country,   state,   etc.:   They   attained   power   by   overthrowing   the   legal   government. I believe it's all relative... Who might seem powerful to me,

A Smile.. Free.. Priceless

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We walk around life, like we have the entire world's burden on our shoulders.. as if we are facing the biggest problems & the toughest challenges... As a result, we talk too much, think a little lesser... and seldom smile... Even if our day isn't going well, it doesn't harm to make someone else's day more special :) Credit: www.pravsworld.com

Elections 2014

With the General Elections due next year, one would have thought (or rather, hoped) that the political parties would be working in full swing, to prove their mettle, and show that they are worthy of making the next government. Unfortunately, most of them are spending their time pointing fingers at each other. Don't get me wrong, I am a strong believer of the fact that a strong democracy is only when we not only have a strong ruling party, but an equally strong opposition.... But the current scenario is such, where neither is ruling nor the opposition are worthy... as a result, a majority of their time is spent slinging mud at each other & proving themselves innocent & the opposition guilty... The irony is that, even in the most tragic events, be it the Uttarakhand flood or the Poisionous Mid Day meal in Bihar, all the parties are scrambling in the race of finger pointing... No one has used the opportunity for finding a solution/relief in the crisis.... As voters, t

No Cricketomania

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Living in a nation that loves cricket, and married in a household where everyone breathes cricket, I would've thought (or atleast hoped) that I'd come to love the game too. Instead, it has brought me to this ludicrous idea.  What if our the sport of cricket was banned in India for an year.... I know it is almost an impossible occurrence, but just humour me for a while... Besides bringing a smile on most teachers faces, who keep fuming over their class watching cricket matches and not studying, it might achieve much more.... It will definitely bring down the advertising cost on all channels at prime-time (since cricket has also become an almost daily source of prime-time entertainment). Other sports (which might provide similar excitement in smaller games), will finally see the light of the day or rather, will finally get a spot for telecast. With all the spot fixing and other controversies surrounding cricket, am hoping the black money in circulation through