Tomatinas’ - Justified/Unjustified

For those of you who haven’t watched ZNMD and are too lazy to read some google link; let me give you a quick review. The Tomatina festival is all about squashing and squeezing ripe tomatoes and playfully throwing them at each other, all in the name of fun. In other words, it’s a new kind of holi played with tomatoes. This festival is big in Spain. It was showcased in the movie Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, thus giving rise to a new age fad.

At first when I heard of this, I was surprised. ‘Surprised’ may be a little underrated term. One movie is all it takes for us to replicate these cosmetic trends? Moreover replicating fashion, styles drama still seems a sanctioned idea. I agree I am from a country where Bollywood sets trends, and cricket drives us crazy, but then making sense is expected too out of our nimble minds. There is a difference between a custom and fashion. Intermixing of each can really prove disastrous. Mess is all that we are going to achieve.

I then realized that a lot of other people were thinking on similar lines. The festival was postponed. And now, a lot of people are trying their best to stop this festival from happening. An another night before I started writing on it, my notions were on similar lines. But when I read this article, it made me look at this issue with a different dimensions. Though I don't want to tag it a perfect dimension; I would prefer calling it a differentiated dimension. I do not believe it is right to waste resources, especially when the resource is food (which already exists in scarcity in our country), but simultaneously I have some questions. Do we have the right to stop people from doing what they want? For those who wish to participate and are willing to pay for it, do we have any right to play moral police and prevent them from doing what is perfectly legal?

Importantly Aren’t we all guilty of our own excesses? We misuse our purchasing power in every possible way. We take long showers during summer and waste gallons of water, when that water could have quenched the thirst of a poor man in a remote village. We go for long drives just for the sake of pleasure, and use fuel that could have been used to light or heat a poor family’s home. In most offices, the computers are never turned off. They use obscene amounts of electricity while an entire village lives in the dark and another section of the society faces daily power cuts. We buy ourselves those expensive shoes, we dine in elite continental joints and live the way we want to. In some way or the other, every single one of us has contributed to the inflating prices and the uneven distribution of resources. We do it because we believe it is ‘our own money’ and our own will to spend in a way we always have desired. Desire of ownership is killing in our country and no matter how much we dissolve this fact, it still remains a fact. So how are all these acts of ours justified? And if you do forgive yourself for all this, then what right do you have to point fingers at others who are wanting to pay for the tomatoes they purchase and engage in an activity that they think is fun.

Some might think what they do is more forgivable because none of their actions are directly resulting in wastage of food. Perhaps they should mind some rethinking. Take an Indian wedding for example and the massive amount of wastage that comes with it. We have 300 people on our guest list on average, and even that is a conservative estimate taking into account the average size of middle class Indian Families. We have 20 items on the menu. Most guests peck in and then leave their plates full of uneaten food for disposal. For the poor, your wedding celebrations are excessive. Just like the Tomatina fest seems excessive to us. Does this mean the poor have the right to march in and stop you from celebrating the way you want?

Other than that,  we all want to buy only fresh fruits and vegetables, forcing retailers to discard the old stock, thereby not only resulting in mass wastage, but also resulting in the increase in price of the existing stock. Doesn’t that count as wastage? Doesn’t it impact the economical environment?

People are forming groups to put joint pressure on the authorities to stop this event. And I find that very unfair and hypocritical on our parts. An article I read said a Facebook user went to the extent of saying, “We are seeking punitive action against the irresponsible organizers of this event.”. How self righteous is that? How easy is it to forgive your own self and call others irresponsible? And how do you define irresponsibility? Where and when do we draw the line that says this action of ours is acceptable and this one is not? Because every choice we make, even a simple one like browsing the internet, is denying the poor of  basic amenities and adversely affecting the lesser privileged section of our society in some way. So yes, considering how guilty we are of our own excesses, I don’t think we have a right to stop others from doing what they want just because this time, our values tell us it is wrong.

We need to remind ourselves that we are living in a free society , though the concept of free society rarely exists at times. Just to make myself clear, I am not justifying this fest. I think it is ridiculous to waste food and call it fun. But I am justifying their right to hold it. I always say I am not an argumentative India; i am trying to understand the concept of free society that we live in. What are your views on the La Tomatina fest happening in India? Do you believe you have a right to stop people from participating?

फिर कभी

आज नजरें मिलाना चाहा तो दिल ने कहा ‘फिर कभी'

थोड़ा बारिश में भीगना चाहा तो दिल न कहाँ ‘फिर कभी'

दो टूक बातें करना चाहा तो दिल ने कहा ‘फिर कभी'

 

रोना चाहा तो दिल ने कहा ‘फिर कभी’

यादों की सुनसान गलियों ने आज दोबारा दस्तक दी,

उन दस्तकों को  सुनना चाहा ,तो दिल ने कहा ‘फिर कभी'

उसे भूलना भी चाहा तो दिल ने कहा ‘फिर कभी'

 

सन्नाटे की आवाज़ से जब खुद को ढूंडना चाहा

तो दिल ने कहा ‘फिर कभी'

अँधेरी राहों पर अकेला चलना चाहा

तो दिल ने कहा ‘फिर कभी'

किसी ने आवाज़ दी ,पीछे मुड कर देखना भी चाहा

तो दिल ने कहा फिर कभी

घेहरे धुंद की चादर से, बाहर एक नज़र फिराना भी चाहा

तो दिल ने कहा फिर कभी

 

अपनी बातों को समझाना चाहा

तो दिल ने कहा फिर कभी

आज वो कहानी फिर दोहराना चाहा

तो दिल ने कहा फिर कभी

घर वापस भी जाना चाहा

तो दिल ने कहा फिर कभी

 

अब तो उनकी याद भी अगर आ जाए तो

खुद ही मुस्कुरा कर कह देते हैं ‘फिर कभी'

लगता है डर !!

लगता है डर
उन प्यार भरे शब्दों से 
उन गहरी आँखों से 
उन अफसानों से

लगता है डर
उन लम्बी बातों से  
उन लम्बी रातों से
लगता है डर
फिर करीब जाने से
उनके सामने आने से

लगता है डर
फिर हाथ बढाने से 
अब तो अपनी दोस्ती दिखाने से
अपने आपको आजमाने से

लगता है डर
उन मदहोश हवाओं से 
उन चहकती फिजाओं से 
उस आयने के परछाई से 
उस जुदाई से

लगता है डर
अब तो अपने आप से 
हर किसी के साथ से 
खुद की आवाज़ से  
शायद हर किस्म की आगाज़ से

लगता है डर
उन अनजान राहों से 
उन चाय के प्यालों से
उन बारिश के बूंदों से  
हर खुशियों के आहट से

लगता है डर
उनके चेहरे पे मुस्कान लाने से  
अब तो मज़ाक उड़ाने से  
लगता है डर अब मुस्कुराने से
लगता है डर बारिश में भीग जाने से

लगता है डर
हर किसी इंसान से  
शायद मुझे बनाने वाले उस भगवान से
भीड़ के नाम से 
उस मधुशाले के जाम से

लगता है डर अब तो डर के नाम से  !!

It’s Okay or Is it Okay ??

Last time I read something about this word, it was on my brother’s blog zone. Its been 2 years since he posted and the compulsion to read it again just emerged out of nothingness inside the human torso. He said,

“The capacity of adaptability of a human being is just unfathomable. With every inch you move away from victory and closer  to hopelessness your mind fights it. Standing in the arena, fighting, you know it’s not gonna end all happily but still you  wait for a slight twinkle of luck to grace you and change things in your favor abruptly. But then miracles do not happen  that often. And when it’s all over and evident and even your mind and heart can’t play a trick you stand all alone in a     crowd of thousands not knowing whether to console or blame yourself for the loss. And then out of the blue your wisdom  creeps in and says to you sometimes losses are just inevitable.”

 

The fight has been severe, the wisdom is badly mutilated, the honor is ambushed. Simultaneous things happening just make it difficult to see that silver line of hope, may be of fortune. After all, by the end of the day every one is a human. Does that means I should accepts 'Its okay' or and as one of my friend says, 'To have a perfect balance the Bicycle should keep moving.' Or Should I keep challenging my efforts. He said,

"Deep down your heart you know its lunacy and you are just acting coward but then this is what you call it as adaptability and acceptance. As a matter of fact you know life has to go on and you are not going to get a second chance so you just got to live with your loss and you gradually do succumb to the best option available, adaptability and acceptance, killing all the voices that comes from your conscience with the sword of so called wisdom according to you."

 

Agreed to the fact that adaptability and credence is a a plugin that every one comes in with. Lots have been already killed and there is enough of bloodshed. The voices have turned cold. But then a whisper says ‘constantly question the status Quo.’ Complacency of defeat is difficult. Especially when the heart is so reluctant to accept it. Especially if once you were the most passionate of being to go ahead and chase your things. But then like every existent thing even your mind has a  wear and tear. The friction exist there too. Eventually you give up to. He said,

I don’t know whether this is the right choice or not especially when there is no other choice left for you but surely I do know the power of this choice. All of a sudden the grief and distress you are in seems to be combatable. You get the power to crush them with by just two simple words-“It’s OK”. Never one realizes the impact and influence of these simple words on human mind until and unless he says it to himself. It just acts so soothing to your heart and mind as if it has cast its own spell. It just makes you stoic enough to deal and live with your loss. And then gradually other things come by and the loss fades away from your mind or even it does pop up sometime in your dreams you just get up have a glass of water, recollect the reminiscences of the past, smile subconsciously and say …..“it’s OK”.

Clearly the choice is only static factor that ever existed, though we should understand that the asset you put into your choice actually decides if the status Quo has to be changed. Grief and Distress gets sublimed by the two words ‘Its Okay’. That’s how we always want. I remember how comforting it is for a child who failed in mathematics to hear those two word from his mother. Everything seems comfortable and peaceful to him. It used to be magic then and it continues to be a magic even now. The only thing that differs is the magic wand that cast this spell. So Much is happening around that, you at times loose grip of some of the deepest cogitations you had. May be you never prioritized it. May be we always end up asking ourselves “Its Okay or Is it Okay”

Nevertheless i would like to have a glass of water, recollect the reminiscences of the past, smile subconsciously and say “it’s OK”.

The Doll and Roses.

Reposting this article from a local read

I was walking around in a Big Bazar store making shopping, when I saw a Cashier talking to a boy couldn't have been more than 5 or 6 years old. The Cashier said, 'I'm sorry, but you don't have enough money to buy this doll. Then the little boy turned to me and asked: ''Uncle, are you sure I don't have enough money?''

I counted his cash and replied: ''You know that you don't have enough money to buy the doll l, my dear.'' The little boy was still holding the doll in his hand. Finally, I walked toward him and I asked him who he wished to give this doll to. 'It's the doll that my sister loved most and wanted so much. I wanted to Gift her for her BIRTHDAY.

I have to give the doll to my mommy so that she can give it to my sister when she goes there.' His eyes were so sad while saying this. 'My Sister has gone to be with God. Daddy says that Mommy is going to see God very soon too, so I thought that she could take the doll with her to give it to my sister.''

My heart nearly stopped. The little boy looked up at me and said: 'I told daddy to tell mommy not to go yet. I need her to wait until I come back from the mall.' Then he showed me a very nice photo of him where he was laughing. He then told me 'I want mommy to take my picture with her so my sister won't forget me.' 'I love my mommy and I wish she doesn't have to leave me, but daddy says that she has to go to be with my little sister.' Then he looked again at the doll with sad eyes, very quietly. I quickly reached for my wallet and said to the boy. 'Suppose we check again, just in case you do have enough money for the doll?''

'OK' he said, 'I hope I do have enough.' I added some of my money to his with out him seeing and we started to count it. There was enough for the doll and even some spare money. The little boy said: 'Thank you God for giving me enough money!' Then he looked at me and added, 'I asked last night before I went to sleep for God to make sure I had enough money to buy this doll, so that mommy could give It to my sister. He heard me!'' 'I also wanted to have enough money to buy a white rose for my mommy, but I didn't dare to ask God for too much. But He gave me enough to buy the doll and a white rose. My mommy loves white roses.'

I finished my shopping in a totally different state from when I started. I couldn't get the little boy out of my mind. Then I remembered a local news paper article two days ago, which mentioned a drunk man in a truck, who hit a car occupied by a young woman and a little girl. The little girl died right away, and the mother was left in a critical state. The family had to decide whether to pull the plug on the life-sustaining machine, because the young  woman would not be able to recover from the coma. Was this the family of the little boy?

Two days after this encounter with the little boy, I read in the news paper that the young woman had passed away.. I couldn't stop myself as I bought a bunch of white roses and I went to the funeral home where the body of the young woman was exposed for people to see and make last wishes before her burial. She was there, in her coffin, holding a beautiful white rose in her hand with the photo of the little boy and the doll placed over her chest. I left the place, teary-eyed, feeling that my life had been changed for ever.

The love that the little boy had for his mother and his sister is still, to this day, hard to imagine. And in a fraction of a second, a drunk driver had taken all this away from him.

To be or not To be

Life is supposed to be dynamic. Its has to keep on moving every instant and probably it does. But humans are supposed to stall. That’s one of the most intrinsic behavior, may be the most innate one. I remember being a child how I used to stalk at every nearby stalls in market. And then we grow up and we try sneaking into the movie posters on the walls. And then we grow up again and we start stalking girls of our age. This is the behavior. We always stalk , may be we always stall. We are supposed to.

Its been almost a year, and I am still stalled at the same place. Things have seemed to move on, May be I did not. Its not as if I never wanted to move on, but when the hold is so strong, you find it difficult to move on. The hold is that of one person that you regard as the most important one. Yes All my life I ridiculed such holds and now that I am finally caught in one of the same it seems I am ridiculed. Its  exactly a year. The Last time I was here, I had lot to learn.

Yes I am in Bengaluru, ‘Namma Bengaluru’ as they say it. Though I lived here for just 3 months. But those 3 months were special. The first job, the first salary, the first feel of living independent and the first time I felt even I can ‘Love’ someone. This city gave me an overall a different sense of satisfaction..in fact a gratification not be confused with complacency. And I will always be thankful to Bangalore for this.

There is a version of me which resides in text logs. There is a version of me which resides in reality. The second one is more futuristic believes in fulfilling constraint and then living life. The text log version of me believes in pure version of passion, pure version of love. Bangalore was instrumental in creating both of the one. Could have blamed to it either. Things just happens at times.

True it is , you can’t have every damn thing in this world. Life is governed by more of substances than desire. While I have a descent job, I don’t have so many thing. But may be I may too have a plan. Who knows ?? I do not.  I have always believed in dumping my feelings here. At least no one gets bothered. Peace and mirth for everyone.

My Life always taught never to give up.
As for me, I have learnt waiting. I have always waited and shall continue waiting.. !!!! 

The Open Letter !!!

Honorable Mr. Prime Minister

I used to be a fan of your modesty but lately I have undergone a strong sense of some realistic realization. I am in a state of delirium to consider you as the Prime Minister of Nation. I know keeping silent is the best way to avoid the situations in which you have gained quite an expertise but the option is not a viable one if you are the Prime Minister of India. On 15th August 2011, many were happy, twitter saw you trending just for the matter of fact the probably you are going to push off the mute button. You spoke words that closely co related to make the nation a better place. And now I see what nation you are busy making. You are supposed to be the face of Nation. You are supposed to lead the Nation. I was not anguished before more than the statement you made in Lok Sabha today.

"It's my painful duty to report to this house certain events that took place yesterday in New Delhi. After extensive consultations the government has introduced a bill in Lok Sabha, the bill has been referred to the Standing Committee. Anna Hazare wants his bill should be passed in Parliament. Government has introduced the Lokpal Bill in Parliament. Anna and supporters are persisting with the demand for the Jan Lokpal Bill. Delhi Police did give permission to Anna for fast subject to certain conditions. On August 13, 2011 the Delhi police informed the applicants that the permission will be granted at JP Park subjected to conditions. Delhi Police wanted them to sign an undertaking. On August 15 the organisers refused to accept six of the conditions. Delhi Police informed the applicants since they have refused the conditions, permission will not be granted. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 were imposed in and around JP Park. Yesterday morning Delhi Police came to conclusion that it was clear that Anna Hazare would still go ahead the fast and he was taken into the custody. Anna was arrested as a preventive measure. Delhi Police decided to release Anna and others at 7 PM yesterday (Tuesday) evening. Anna Hazare and one other declined to leave the jail. They said they will leave only if they are allowed the fast at JP Park. Our governmment acknowledges the right of each citizen in the country but appropriate conditions are given to all the organisers”

I doubt if you feel pain any more, and far as your duties are considered we all know how well you did. Clearly those lines ain't yours. Its so much visible the statement was bureaucratically prepared just for the occasion. And I feel terribly sorry that you actually made it. How easily you covered the wrongs under the hood of law and order. Well I have lost my confidence in Law and Order. A young writer said yesterday its ‘Flaw and Order’ and as I just altered it to make it more fitting – ‘Flaw and Out Of Order’.

I do not intend to voice the my opinion constrained to just the ‘India Against Corruption’ agitation. Recently the Police firing in Pune on the peacefully protesting Farmers was an act of shame and guilt. I doubt if I am living in democratic Nation any more. You and your cabinet has been murdering Democracy every second. The duty of a government is to take care of its people; Nevertheless I don’t see too many people in your favor.

I am sorry Mr. Prime Minister but you failed to take a stand. You are just the pseudonym. Your actions are terribly wrong. I do not stand with anyone at this moment , but the way its going; This is not how it is supposed to go. I know firmly believe the government has very little to do with the governance.

Sincerely Yours
Indian Citizen

Twist With Destiny

 

 

Tryst With Destiny

The cave

Another of one of a fabulous song. The lines are simply amazing

It's empty in the valley of your heart
The sun, it rises slowly as you walk
Away from all the fears
And all the faults you've left behind

The harvest left no food for you to eat
You cannibal, you meat-eater, you see
But I have seen the same
I know the shame in your defeat

But I will hold on hope
And I won't let you choke
On the noose around your neck
And I'll find strength in pain

And I will change my ways
I'll know my name as it's called again
Cause I have other things to fill my time
You take what is yours and I'll take mine

Now let me at the truth
Which will refresh my broken mind
So tie me to a post and block my ears
I can see widows and orphans through my tears

I know my call despite my faults
And despite my growing fears
But I will hold on hope
And I won't let you choke

On the noose around your neck
And I'll find strength in pain
And I will change my ways
I'll know my name as it's called again

So come out of your cave walking on your hands
And see the world hanging upside down
You can understand dependence
When you know the maker's hand

So make your siren's call
And sing all you want
I will not hear what you have to say
Cause I need freedom now

And I need to know how
To live my life as it's meant to be
And I will hold on hope
And I won't let you choke

On the noose around your neck
And I'll find strength in pain
And I will change my ways
I'll know my name as it's called again