Thursday, July 24, 2014

Nakhuda to Khuda kaha hai to phir, doob jaao khuda khuda na karo..

So, I'm just curious.. exactly what were you expecting after voting for the CM of the most polluted state in India, one who has publicly come to power with industry money, with the backing of the RSS.. what were u expecting? A man who concealed his own legal marriage for only 17 years was expected to respect women?

On the eve of the polls, I wrote "I have never seen a democracy so eager to vote ...a dictator to power."

Those of you protesting rapes, and lawlessness and religious bigotry and continued inflation and .. PUHLEEEZ!! Please spare me the tyranny of having to hear how things are not mutually exclusive and how he is still the best choice and how he is anyway responsible for all sections of the country..

When you voted, I just said that we agree to disagree on political views and that was that. As you have made your bed, so you must lie in it. Please do not make me lose respect for you by now denouncing the very choice that you were promoting merely a few months ago.

I have always maintained that in this country, the most corrupt is the voter, because he sells the country for a bottle of country wine, or over a drawing room conversation. the voter sells his responsibility to his country for a little bit of convenience, a little internet bandwidth. You had a choice, you based it on propaganda. What use was your education? What use your google skills, which you would have employed even for your college assignment, but didn't employ when it was time to do your ONLY patriotic duty.

If that was a strong statement, I am not sorry.

Saturday, July 19, 2014

अपनी पहचान / Self Awareness

कभी मैं होती हूँ बोटी ,
जिसे नोचा और खाया जा सकता है 
कभी मैं होती हूँ 
निर्मल, शीतल नदी 
जिस से प्यास बुझाई जा सकती है 
(पर पथिक को, प्यास बुझने के बाद, नदी की क्या ज़रुरत?)
कभी सर की छाँव 
कभी पैरों तले की ज़मीन 

पर असल में मैं हूँ
अफ्रीका का पश्चिमी किनारा 
जो ढूंढ़ रहा है 
दक्षिणी अमरीका का
पूर्वी किनारा। 

Sometimes I am
a piece of meat
to be torn into
and devoured
At times I am
the gentle, sweet river
that can quench thirst
(But what use is the river to the traveller, after his thirst is quenched?)
I become the roof above a head
Or the ground beneath the feet.

But actually, I am just
the Western Coast of Africa
looking for
the Eastern coast of
South America.

Sunday, July 13, 2014

On Guru Purnima day..

Always, it has been like this.. I have been a severely under confident child, thinking of self as the bumbling idiot, with no talent or potential. Always, my teachers have believed in me and made me excel.

In Class 4, it was Seema mam who thought a shy child like me could do oratory. She put me on the stage for debate competitions and for the next 3 years, I won the inter school junior trophies for the school. If you saw me in class, no, you couldn't see me in class. I was that invisible.

In Class 7, it was Manickam mam who believed I could study physics. For 4 years, I managed with just about passing marks in all 3 streams of science - Physics, Chemistry and Bio. Of the 3, Physics was always the toughest. For 4 years, she never once scolded me , or even asked how a child can consistently top every single subject, but manage only passing marks in Science? She just patiently waited. In Class X, I managed more than the passing mark. I managed 75%. But more importantly, I read the subject and actually tried to understand it. Still remember bits of Class 10 Physics. (Did I mention? I also managed to top my batch at school that year)

In 11th and 12th, it was Sheela mam, our Civics teacher. She told the class, this girl will get a state rank. She praised my essays and just kept believing, and guiding. I scored 95 out of 100 in a theoretical subject like Civics. And yes, I did get that state rank - 5th in Andhra Pradesh.

In college, it was Sr. Romana. She saw me through some really difficult days and simply said, "I believe you." I topped the college in academics, did well in NSS, Creative writing and even choreographed a group dance.

In masters, it was Lin Chats, who was responsible for the only A+ I got there. and Monk, who did an EQ test shortly after we entered college and it was found that I have the highest EQ on campus. And the other teachers. I got the gold medal for HR Stream. I wasn't there to take it, because I never thought one could get a convocation gold medal at such a prestigious institute.

And the same thing happened yesterday. I truly believe that I have no future as a dancer. I don't have the age, body shape, technique, or talent. But my Guruji insisted that that the Ghungroo pooja has to be done and one has to become a committed student of Kathak. He simply says, you will stay with dance for a long time. You have it inside you. And once more, I take a leap of faith into the unknown, because the teacher trusts me, even tho I don't trust self at all.

Here's to Guru Poornima.  Now we know why the Guru is so important..

Friday, July 04, 2014

gem from the Sanskrit Lokokti Kosh

किताबों में बंद विद्या और किसी और को दिया हुआ धन समय पर काम नहीं आते। 
इसलिए न वह विद्या है और न वह धन है.