tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31635472890126589952024-03-05T17:25:52.235+05:30VivifyGiving life to my thoughts through a process of self discovery!!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15365922320701555205noreply@blogger.comBlogger315125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3163547289012658995.post-69190287869925953542016-11-25T17:39:00.000+05:302016-11-25T17:41:18.128+05:30I hope they serve wine in Heaven<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
When I started working with Dr. Dileep Padgaonkar about two years ago, I remember being awestruck. His persona was towering. For the first few interactions, I could barely manage more than vehement shakes of my head to his questions and his expectations, coupled with a smile that I hoped camouflaged how overwhelmed I felt.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
And soon, as it happens with all interactions, I got used to everything. His impeccable manners (he would always offer me water or tea at his beautiful home), his immaculate diction, his love for all things French, the language and the wine, and even his forgetfulness, and anger. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He was on the board of several initiatives, and the more I sat in meetings with him, the more I learned. He was a gifted orator, much of what he spoke on stage was extempore, and his sense of humour was as wicked as it could get (especially when he was taking digs at politicians). </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I also got used to his vulnerability. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He was an extremely busy man and would often expect that I undertake a responsibility wholly. But he would never be elusive about it, accepting that I would be doing him a ‘favour’ by taking on the task.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
When I think vulnerability, one evening in particular comes to mind, when he asked me how I had managed to compile sixty documents into one. I said, “It is very simple, really. We just select all, and copy, paste. Control A, C and V.” He said, “No, no. Just wait. I need to note this down”, which he did. Soon after, he went to his laptop and took another tutorial from me. The moment he mastered it, he beamed but recovered quickly and very seriously said(in his archetype baritone), “Well, you see, I don’t understand technology.” </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He was an exceptional editor, who could spot a minuscule mistake in a document. But he was also someone who’d forget to read emails, or see text messages and call agitatedly demanding an explanation. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Sometimes I would, in frustration, wonder about the man behind the persona - the real Dr. P so to speak. I remember that I’d complain to my colleagues about him and say, “I only need one perpetually irritated old man in my life and I already have my dad.” </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Looking back I realise that I had indeed turned him into a father figure. I made concessions for him, taught him tricks with technology, and always responded to his irritation with calmness. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In September last year I began helping him clean up his old interviews, stories and profiles for a book, and discovered that what my generation knew of him was just the tip of the iceberg. I read through and edited more than sixty transcriptions of his work from 1967 onwards. The men he’d met, the leaders he had interviewed, the things he had seen and reported about - and I was even more awed by him. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But by this time, I also knew him as someone who would be quick to render an apology for calling at an inappropriate time and who would empathise with my domestic conundrum...someone who I thought hardly smiled, but who’d crack an innocuous joke and defuse a situation. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
By the time our collaboration had ended, he had been humanised completely. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I don’t know where he is right now, but I sure hope they serve wine in Heaven. That, I know, will make him smile.</div>
<br /><br /><i>Dr. Dileep Padgaonkar, 72-year-old former consulting editor of the Times of India died in a hospital in Pune this morning. He had been unwell for some time.<br /><br />Born in Pune and educated at St Vincent High School and Fergusson College in Pune, he went to France and studied for a doctorate at the University of Paris-Sorbonne.<br /><br />In 1978, he served with the UNESCO at Bangkok and later in Paris in different capacities with its Information Section. Earlier, he was the Paris correspondent of the Times of India and later, after coming to India, became its editor. (Source: NDTV.com)</i><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15365922320701555205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3163547289012658995.post-23737863321749038042016-11-18T11:58:00.001+05:302016-11-18T12:00:06.525+05:30Thank You God for the Air We Breathe<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Hundreds of photos of smog covered Delhi have flooded my Facebook timeline. It is obviously getting worse as winter sets in.</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But can we really, honestly and truly blame the current government for it? Isn't this degradation a result of years of neglect and oversight? Aren't we all to be blamed for it - I lived in Delhi collectively for 9 years - when we used our personal vehicles instead of public transport to get to college or when we ignored and overlooked a worker burning a heap of garbage right outside our housing complex?</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Newspapers say - Its Delhi today, Tomorrow your city. Despite the legislative interventions Delhi has had over the past few decades, (CNG vehicles, moving of industries outside city limits, garbage segregation etc.) the city has spiralled downwards. Other Indian cities and towns will follow suit and will reach Delhi’s level of despair faster than they can blink.</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
And yet, all of us know, that we will do sweet nothing about it.</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We will blame the government, but when they bring in legislation (such as banning plastic bags) we will use every opportunity to squirm out of it ("<i>bhaiya, aaj panni de do, kal se yaad rakhungi</i>.")</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We won't segregate our garbage. We won't stop buying cars (3,4,5 in a 4 member family). We won't stop using plastic bags or non degradable, throwaway plastic/thermocol plates, cups, spoons, mineral water bottles etc. at weddings and parties. We won't recycle goods because its too 'cheap'. We won't upcycle for the same reason. We won't save water or electricity (we can afford it). We won't adopt rainwater harvesting or vermiculture (who will look after the systems/we can afford not to have them). We won't switch to solar panels (what is the need?). </div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We will take pride in consumerism because heck, thats what we earn for! We will complain complain complain and blame blame blame. </div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We will want industries to move out of residential areas but won't think before we buy a house in an area where industries mushroomed long before builders decided to construct apartments there. </div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We will want the government to clean up our rivers, but will nonchalantly throw 'pooja samagri' and the like into an already polluted water body.</div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We won't plant trees - thats for school kids and civic bodies to take care of. </div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We want clean air, but we want to do nothing for it. </div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
And so, we deserve it. Delhi deserves it as much as the rest of us. </div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Because like charity, this also should have begun in our homes.</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15365922320701555205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3163547289012658995.post-40576607109691233592016-09-20T11:08:00.000+05:302016-09-20T11:08:35.712+05:30Sharing Passwords...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB">“To share, or not to share, that is the question.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB">If Shakespeare had lived in these perilous times he would have
perhaps begun the famous soliloquy in Hamlet thus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB">‘Share’ is the rallying cry of the social media of the day;
everything you do, (or forget to do) is shared with the rest of the world. But
increasingly the ‘share’ sentiment has become restricted to the clicking of a
self-named button on a social medium. And increasingly, share is also beginning
to have another bearing on humans, in their relationships.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Social media has turned people’s lives around. Suddenly it is easier
to get in touch and remain in touch, over geographical distances, and time
zones. People long believed to have been separated by six degrees, now collide
with each other in the cyber world and create liaisons inconceivable until a
few years ago. To add to this, these interactions can be kept sole, exclusive
and totally private. Closeted in office cubicles, on their commutes and just
about anywhere, people can have unbridled and unmonitored interactions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB">While most couples who grew up in the times of Hotmail and Yahoo (in
the early 90s) were astounded by the level of privacy an email interaction
could afford, the new generation, the one that grew up playing on smartphones,
takes it for granted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Therein lies the problem.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Those who don’t like to share their passwords with their partners or
spouses say this is their private space. “I won’t share my passwords with a
girlfriend or spouse” says Neeraj Thakur who is a social media addict. In
addition, Thakur feels that a partner may not understand the context of a
conversation and there might be a tendency to misunderstand an interaction. The
thought is echoed by Shefali Patel* a PR professional who admits, “I don’t
think my husband will understand my interactions with people which may border
on being flirtatious, but are harmless.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB">To others, the refusal to share passwords has nothing to do with
privacy but everything to do with ‘Trust’, a word that has come to define the
depth of a man-woman relationship. In 2010 a New York Times article stated, “Sharing
passwords to e-mail accounts, bank accounts and photo-sharing sites is the new
currency of intimacy." <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Sajjani Nair says she has no problem sharing her password if she’s
asked. “I feel infidelity surfaces the moment you have to hide a password or a
text message” she says.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Over the years, the emphasis on trust in intimate relationships has
increased to accommodate the feelings of insecurity and uncertainty that are
perpetuated by the very nature of social media interactions turning it into a device
to protect a relationship.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB">In an age when the young generation abhors sharing their social
media passwords with parents or other significant adults, it is clear that the
line between trust and privacy is very fine and every relationship must walk
the tightrope to find their own balance and order.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><i>First published in The Golden Sparrow.</i></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15365922320701555205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3163547289012658995.post-10983771506883645452016-06-05T16:27:00.002+05:302016-06-05T16:28:46.017+05:30The worst part about growing older...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">No... Its not the weight gain around the midriff or the beginning of wrinkles, or the greying of hair (everywhere) or the weakening eyesight that is the worst part of growing older...</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">What pains me most is people you've known and loved, who were older than you, and now older even more, kicking the bucket and leaving you with memories and nothing more.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Aunts, uncles, grandparents, teachers, even icons (MJ, Prince, Whitney Houston etc.)...people you'd thought would be around ju<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">st because they always were.</span></span></div>
<div class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;">Death is inevitable but when it become a deluge, thats when you know that it is also an indication of your own ageing. I remember my dad calling me many years ago (when he was my age), shaken up after a friend of his died of a cardiac arrest in his office - all he said was, "Its begun."</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I didn't understand it then, but I do now.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
<div style="color: #1d2129;">
</div>
</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15365922320701555205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3163547289012658995.post-54129470778340864512016-02-20T19:48:00.001+05:302016-02-20T19:48:15.343+05:30I will wear my Patriotism on my sleeve<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>My 96 year old maternal grandmother passed away late last month. Until she was around, many of us took her presence in our lives for granted. We thought she would always be there - with her warm hugs and kisses, blessing us when we would meet. I started writing about her influence on my life and the first thing I wrote was this - about Patriotism. In the current scenario, this becomes a narrative that I want to share.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My first lessons in patriotism were from my Naniji. She taught me to love my country unconditionally in several ways. She was the daughter of a freedom fighter and she herself stood up to the extreme political conditions several times. At her memorial service, I got to know for the first time ever, that she had been to jail three times.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
When we were much younger we would hardly get to interact with her for longer than a week every Summer break. Once in a few years she would come to stay with us and that, as a young girl, I remember was my first exposure to the spirit of ‘Love your Motherland’.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
She taught me about freedom fighters, and why we fought for our freedom in the first place and to remember the sacrifices that brought us our freedom. She also taught me to stand in rapt attention when the National Anthem is sung 'anywhere' (if you heard it on the TV too you stood up) and to sing it with gusto. She taught me that to respect my National Flag (and to sing the National Anthem) was not a symbolic gesture - it was a tribute I would pay for all that my country stands for - freedom and equality, unity, compassion and pride. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
She led her life as an example for others. She was a keen teacher - went around the slums of the town she lived in (Saharanpur, UP) and taught girls to read, write, tailoring skills, cooking, knitting - whatever would help them economically. She taught them Ayurveda, and taught them self respect - she would counsel and support girls to counter/leave abusive husbands and in-laws. She would nurse people back to health - like the wife of a rickshaw puller who was grievously ill - she cooked for their household I was told, for more than a few weeks. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Religion, caste, class..these were never hindrances for her. Nothing stopped her from reaching out to others and making an effort to make a difference in their lives.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Why did she do all this? Did she start a NGO and gather funds to concretise her evangelistic work? Did she sell the Ayurvedic medicines she made after painstakingly scouting the jungles of Dehradun for herbs?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
To her, all she did, her actions, her dedication, her passion constituted service to the Nation, to Mother India, to the land of our birth. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Her pride for our Nation, our ‘matrubhumi’ was not restricted to jingoism and sloganeering. She got two of her daughters married to armed forces personnel, was overjoyed that I had chosen to marry an armed forces personnel myself and supported my cousin who wanted to join the Army too. She never wore her patriotism on her sleeve; she let her work do the talking. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
She taught me to stop lamenting the state of affairs in my country and become an active citizen, a participant in its growth, to serve and to never forget what she, India, gave us. She would ask us to think - “Tumne apne desh ke liye kya kiya?” (“What have you done for your country?”) before complaining about things. She taught us to never stop serving our country and its people in whatever way is possible for us.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
When my husband and I, married for over 3 years, got the chance to stay with her for about a fortnight on a Diwali break in 1998, and told her that we were not keen on having children (we didn’t want to add to the population) all she told us was, “By having a child, you will nurture a future citizen for this country. Your education and your values will be inculcated in that child who will also serve the Nation, be an asset and be a reason for its prosperity.” </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In the environment today, her actions would be ‘tokenism’ to many; her guidance to her scores of grand children and everyone who she came in touch with, would be forced/imposed ‘nationalism’. Her patriotism would be questioned, and her commitment to serve fellow Indians would be seen through the lenses of religion, RSS, Hindutva, Sangh Parivar and what not. She would be called ‘privileged’ and her whole life would be scrutinised for her intention - for who would be able to live like she did without an underlying motive! </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But I won’t complain. I won’t lament the state of affairs.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I will simply follow her footsteps and won’t let anything deter me: I will sing the National Anthem loud and clear, respect and salute my National Flag, love my countrymen and serve them in every way possible. I will argue and fight for the pride of my Nation, and pray for its growth and prosperity. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I will BE a token/misguided patriot/extreme nationalist; will raise two children in the same way. And I will wear my Patriotism on my sleeve.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Jai Hind!</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15365922320701555205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3163547289012658995.post-55049627664078867162016-01-22T18:08:00.003+05:302016-01-22T18:08:32.698+05:30Animals Lovers, Please Stop Your Lip Service!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Lately, I am seeing too many posts on social media of pedigree dogs being put up for adoption (either the owner is moving, or having a baby, or is unable to handle an animal) or posts on abandoned dogs looking for a new home.</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I am not an animal lover - in fact I have a "oh they're cute but as long as I don't have to look after them" attitude (exactly the attitude I had before I had my own kids..but thats another story) - and yet, I would never abandon a pet once it becomes part of the family. </div>
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We have an adopted beagle who was tested upon at Ranbaxy laboratory for three years and as a result, has many health issues. He is not my favourite person in the house - because he has discipline and anxiety issues, he poops and pees on all my furniture whenever he likes (so he's moody as hell too) and howls to kingdom come (as if he is just upset that the family is sleeping) jolting me awake at 3 am on many a nights. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Yet, I would never abandon him. Coz thats plain INHUMAN.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So all you animal lovers out there - alongwith sharing pics of the pet that needs a home, you should start sharing pics of those heartless owners who 'buy' them and abandon them for the silliest of reasons. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
STOP being 'nice' to such adults! </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Shame them. Let them know that there is no excuse to love someone and give them away. Would we ever do that with our children?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Stop paying lip service! Raising a ruckus when you find strays ill treated on streets is one thing - how many FIRs are filed against an owner who wilfully abandons their pet? Isn’t that cruelty to animals too?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
And if you truly love animals, campaign against breeding of dogs... </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Educate people on how to love an animal - not his/her breed... Street dogs are just as smart and intelligent, they just don’t have the ‘beauty’ of a pedigree...</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Owning a pet is not for your pride, sometimes it is (as it was for me) to give a needy animal a home (our dog had been in 4 homes in 3 years before he came to us...and he's been with us for 3 years now), and to share love with another living thing and God's creature.</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15365922320701555205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3163547289012658995.post-28402451563673009412015-12-26T10:50:00.000+05:302015-12-26T10:50:21.342+05:30How to Dress like a Mommy Once your Daughter turns Teen<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It wasn’t too long ago when I had a conversation with a friend about the clothes I wear; we would meet often at a club, restaurant or a party and she’d comment on how well I carried what I wore “at my age”; which simply meant, early 40s, not a thin woman by any standards, and definitely not shy.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A short tight skirt has been a standard fixture in my wardrobe since I was 16 years old. I love my skirts – and while the midriff has become fleshier as I have advanced in age, I work very hard to keep the butt and legs in shape.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
My children (daughter in particular) were used to seeing mommy in such clothes when they were younger. I maintained decorum and never wore a skirt to school, but could never wear kurtis as most mothers do at school events. Back then, my daughter would show me off. “My friends love you because you’re so cool,” she’d say. “Their mothers don’t dress like you, mama.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
But all that changed when she turned 14 and suddenly became aware of what ‘mommy wore’.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Suddenly I was dressing too loud, too bold and ‘not my age’. My distressed jeans raised eyebrows (not in appreciation, let me quickly clarify), and so did dresses and skirts. Seeing my teen’s reactions, I began dressing down and tried hard to change my wardrobe to start dressing ‘like a mommy’ when we hung out together.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The next two years were tumultuous because it mattered to me to consider her feelings. I could not be insensitive to her even though I knew that it was the roller-coaster ride her hormones were on that governed her moods and responses. And so I did what was needed.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So here’s my list of do’s and don’ts for all you mommies whose girls are soon going to be at the mercy of their hormones:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<ol>
<li>Don’t wear spaghetti straps unless you cover yourself with a shrug or jacket. (They’d prefer you wore a veil but never mind…)</li>
<li>Distressed jeans and butt-hugging skirts can be stored away for a few years.</li>
<li>Do NOT show off that tattoo; if it’s on your wrist, wear full sleeves!</li>
<li>You can wear kurtis and long tops; in fact, the longer, the better.</li>
<li>Bid goodbye to low-back and backless shirts. You’re a mommy now!</li>
<li>They love you in saris but will complain about the navel-baring, deep-back blouses and sundry other oversights.</li>
<li>You’ll often hear: “Why can’t you just dress like other moms! Sheesh!” You must respond, “I’m trying!”</li>
<li>If you have a piercing, then God help you!</li>
<li>Do NOT dress in your own genuine style especially around a boy they have a crush on.</li>
</ol>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
As mothers of teen girls we will realise that it is a passing phase and the easier we make it on them, the easier, in turn, we make it on ourselves.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Two years hence (she’s 16 now), we are both comfortable with what the other wears (I am not a fan of her flaunting the midriff in a western outfit, but then, it’s her style) and she has grown to accept her mother’s quirkiness. Peace and harmony have been restored on the wardrobe front.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The small sacrifice in toning down our dressing style pays rich dividends… because one day, when you discuss the issue with her (and seek her permission to write this personal account), she will, in her nonchalant way, tell you, “But I’ve always loved your sense of style!”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Outwardly you’ll say, “Thank you,” and inwardly, “Hallelujah!”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>This post first appeared on<a href="http://english.fashion101.in/news/FAS-BLOG-dress-like-a-mommy-5204104.html" target="_blank"> www.fashion101.in</a></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15365922320701555205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3163547289012658995.post-11607639207850837362015-12-21T22:12:00.000+05:302015-12-21T22:12:44.109+05:30Ashaji you're a hero<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Dear Ashaji,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB">We have never met and perhaps never will. Unbeknownst to you, I was just
one of those millions of women in India who followed your daughter’s
ordeal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB">I was one of those who felt your pain – as a woman and more so, as a
mother.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB">But the predominant feeling was one of anger, intense anger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB">I was angry with those rapists, with those unknown passers by who
didn’t stop to help, with all those men who have no value for a woman’s body
and her wishes, who think nothing of throwing acid on a girl’s face... <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB">But most of all, I was angry with the patriarchs in my family who
had let their daughters down time and again; by marrying them against their
will, for killing their female babies in the womb, for conveniently overlooking
the reality of marital rape... <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Yesterday, you were quoted as saying that if the juvenile walks you
will feel that you have failed your daughter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB">I want to tell you Ashaji - you will not and have not failed your
daughter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB">WE have failed you both.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Those lawmakers who did not bring the amendments to the Juvenile
Justice Act up for discussion and debate in the parliament for three years,
failed you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Those putrid politicians who lost no time in turning your nightmare
into a gimmick and photo op, failed you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Those from the media, the purported watchdogs of society, who failed
to create the required furore, failed you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB">Those of us for whom Nirbhaya never became Jyoti Singh, failed you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB">We, Indians, collectively, as a Nation, as a humanity have failed
you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB">In the last few days I’ve heard you talk to the media and I hear the
voice of a mother who is still living the trauma, your pain is palpable. You’re
up against the mighty judicial system of this vast country and it is going to
be a long battle. But you rage on, despite the hurdles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB">That makes you a hero Ashaji. Jyoti is lucky to have been born to
you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15365922320701555205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3163547289012658995.post-30977133925037195282015-11-27T11:28:00.001+05:302015-11-27T11:38:56.868+05:30T for Tuesday. T for Tolerance<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I’ve read every argument for and against the comment Aamir Khan
made. My consternation is that those who support his right to free speech haven’t
asked the relevant questions. Did he personally face any intolerance? Were his
rights (free speech, free movement etc.) violated before he made this
irresponsible and highly generalised remark that got the Twitterati gunning
for his backside? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Answer all likely is ‘No’. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Now read a story on tolerance …<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">My father was a young man of 20 when he moved to Kerala in 1967 –
straight from a tiny village in Haryana. He worked hard, set up a miniature
business and built his dream house in Kochi in 1990. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When we first moved into the house, the tiny chapel across the
street from us was one of those typical ‘tiny’ chapels, where devotees would
come, light candles, pray and leave. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">No one can remember when it became popular. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I’d left to pursue higher education by ’91 and my parents cannot
remember when the chapel began having their Tuesday Mass on a loudspeaker
(these days they have a few rounds of cracker bursting after every Mass), or
when they collected enough money to buy out the ‘Ice Factory’ next door to us,
demolish it and construct a huge building in its place.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The crowd at the church is so huge during their Mass, especially the
two that are held in the evening, that the crowd spills on to the road. Members
of the congregation park their vehicles haphazardly, and increasingly in front
of the gate that leads into our house. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">My father, who is now in his sixties, has to go out and request
people not to park their vehicles in front of the gate. For, if he is returning
a little late from office, he cannot get in to his own house, or if he wishes
to step out, he cant until the Mass is over.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On many occasions, he has been abused by the ‘devout’. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“You’re a Hindu so you can’t understand.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“You are an outsider, don’t interfere.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“I will park my scooter here. Let me see what you will do.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">He met the main priest and requested him to intervene because father
is a heart patient (had a bypass surgery in 1999) and would need to access the
exit to his own house to go to the hospital if something were to happen. The
only thing the priest said he could do was ‘request’ devotees to maintain
civility. Nothing more. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It didn’t work. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Last year, the whole family had gathered up for Diwali when on one
such Tuesday evening, my brother and his wife were stuck outside due to the vehicles
parked in front of the gate, blocking access completely. In fact, they were
stranded in the middle of the 40 feet road because vehicles were double and
triple parked. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We coaxed our father to call the cops. Meanwhile we stood outside
the gate, waiting for the Mass to end and congregators to come back to their
vehicles. Two young men who claimed their scooter apologised when we asked them
why they’d parked in front of the gate and scuttled away.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Within minutes, several of them returned to pick their vehicles.
Some smirked at our outburst, some argued with us, some abused us. That
evening, we experienced what my father had experienced several times in the
past.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The cops (like a Hindi film) came much later and after listening to
us had only this much to say – We will send our patrol vehicle next week and
please put a ‘No Parking’ sign on your gate.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Father told them in chaste Malayalam that the previous ‘No Parking’
sign had been stolen by someone. But he heeded their advice, and a few weeks
later, he had a sign painted on the metal gate. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hasn’t helped.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Intolerance is everywhere – from residential complexes that deny
homes to persons of certain religions, to the clarion call Raj Thackeray gave a
few years ago against North Indians living in Maharashtra. None of it perturbs
us until we see intolerance up close and personal…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It instills fear…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">…. when the local councillor tells my father to stop his ‘campaign’
or it would become a ‘communal’ issue….<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">…when my father, who has lived 48 years in a State, made it home,
learned its language, adopted its culture and cuisine, is called an ‘outsider’….<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">…when raging ‘devotees’ threaten him all because he wants access to
his own house…<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Even when we fear for my parents’ safety in the light of such
threats, all my father has ever said is, “No <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">beta</i>. People are not so bad.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I ask Aamir Khan if he has ever had to face an iota of what my
parents are facing to this day. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And yet, they’ve never discussed even in a passing conversation,
“Should we leave?” On the contrary, the question my mother often asks is, “Why
should we leave? This is our home.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And that my dear Aamir is how an average Indian thinks. India is
home. To my parents, Kerala is home. (Forget leaving India, for people like us,
moving out of Kerala is unfathomable…so rooted are we in our identities!) <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What you said is your opinion and you have every right to it. If
only you had not generalised the intolerance faced by ‘Indians’. Who are these
Indians, and are you one of them? Do they all want to move? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Just as you used diligence and research before every episode of
Satyamev Jayate, I wish you’d made a well thought out statement, based on
facts, not sentiments, and certainly not based solely on the ‘news’ we are fed
by media houses.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you had voiced your opinion and followed it up by saying
something that conveyed this >> Yes, Kiran and I discussed the issue,
BUT, India is our home and we have no intention of moving - you’d have given
people like us more strength. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We are dismayed because you did Indians a disservice and reduced the
intolerance debate to a mere generalisation. You are not anti-national, but
you’re an irresponsible celebrity who had no qualms using a platform to voice
your generalisation, that is neither based on a personal experience nor ground
realities. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">To conclude the tolerance story - last year, on this very day (26
November), my father suffered a massive heart attack. Due to timely
intervention, he was virtually brought back from the dead. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Luckily for us, it was not a Tuesday.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<!--EndFragment--></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15365922320701555205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3163547289012658995.post-31553353494219754532015-11-03T12:39:00.000+05:302015-11-03T12:44:44.127+05:30Are you from Kerala? Killer!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>I first wrote this as a status update on Facebook but decided later that the subject warranted a blogpost. So here it is - </i></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I was at a Vegan Fest over the weekend, a flea market in its second edition in Pune trying to promote handmade soaps made in Kerala, when an 'educated' family stopped by at the kiosk. They picked the soaps, and I saw the young, 20 something daughter's eyebrows touch her hairline. She promptly put the product back and informed me rather flamboyantly, "We are boycotting Kerala because they are killing dogs." </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">You may have heard about the controversy of dog culling in Kerala - if not, then read all about it </span><a href="http://www.thenewsminute.com/article/why-major-fight-has-broken-out-kerala-over-stray-dogs-32223" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">... </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I took the pains of explaining to the family that most regular citizens of the State neither supported the culling of dogs, nor did they step out of the comfort of their apartments and bungalows to go around killing stray dogs themselves. <i>At this point, I imagined my parents, both in their 60s, running after dogs on the street outside our Kochi home and just the thought was ludicrous!</i></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Since they looked at me as if I </span>had personally caught and killed a few myself, <span style="font-family: inherit;">I assured them that I was an animal lover and had adopted a dog from a laboratory (that had conducted numerous pharma tests on him), giving him a home when no one wanted to and despite all his health issues.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">They raised their eyebrows again and asked me questions about his breed and age etc. They said, "We are vegans, so we cannot support this..." By 'this' I understood that they meant that they cannot support the purchase of a product from Kerala. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">At this point, my 16 year old who was standing behind me whispered to me, "Mom, they actually think all Keralites are killing dogs?" I had to answer her question too because she is a dog lover and one of the reasons why we adopted ours.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I assured them that the culling of dogs was a massacre and it is </span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">certain that not EVERY Malayali or EVERY Keralite endorsed it. </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">
<div style="font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 6px; text-align: justify;">
But this educated family was firm.</div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
"We went to Kerala in February. There was not a single dog on the streets! Kochi was the worst" and saying so the girl made that '<i>I'm going to throw up now</i>' face.</div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">They didn't buy the soaps, and that did not perturb me as much as their sweeping generalisation about all the citizens of the State did. I was also quite astounded at how the 'educated' in India think! This family actually thought that the WHOLE STATE, men, women, </span>children and the elderly, <span style="font-family: inherit;">each citizen was out there - murdering dogs! </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">Like, we wake up in the morning and decide that today we'll kill 3 strays for breakfast!</i></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It was so grossly unfair! For an inhuman act by a few, can an entire State be branded killers, (which includes my 2 year old niece)? Isn't </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">it is unfair to blindly label the other peace loving citizens of the State as killers and mass murderers? </span></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Stray dogs are a menace that are going to become a bigger problem than garbage in our cities and towns. Killing them is not a solution and we all know it. </span>But branding everyone from Kerala a killer is not a solution either!</div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I urge you all animal lovers and vegans out there - Stop this discrimination and stop judging a fellow human being merely for belonging to a certain geographical area. We are also 'living beings', </span>aren't<span style="font-family: inherit;"> we?</span></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: inherit; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15365922320701555205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3163547289012658995.post-3424886106009311162015-10-16T18:36:00.001+05:302015-10-16T18:36:30.945+05:30A conversation with Dad<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Dad called me the other day, as he usually does. I was sounding tired and truth be told, I have been working long hours lately. We had the following conversation, produced verbatim:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"You're sounding tired. You should take it easy."</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"Yes Pa, I will."</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"You're not young <i>beta</i>... By the time you get to my age, you will be burned out."</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"Hmm..."</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"You're already 42. At your age, you should let up."</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"Im not 42!..."</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"Huh?"</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"My birthday is in January, and until then no one can say Im 42. Im 41 till then..."</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"Oh ho... (laughing uproariously).. Ok... You're 41 but you have to learn to take it easy."</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This conversation is so special to me because my dad is not the kind who likes to 'encourage' laziness or tardiness... To him, work is worship and it surprised me to hear him tell me to take it easy...which also means I am doing something right... </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
From being reprimanded by him as a child for reading too many books and having too much fun, I have finally graduated to being his prodigal daughter. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15365922320701555205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3163547289012658995.post-91901849339751029282015-07-12T19:30:00.000+05:302015-07-12T19:30:28.737+05:30Dear Women, Stop being Hypocrites...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Personally, I have nothing against Ms Kavita Krishnan. But I do not agree with her methods.</i></span></div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The one thing feminists across the world fight for is equality. To demand equality is to accept that we want to be treated as fairly as possible or as is commonly assumed, we want to be treated like men. </span></div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">There should be no discrimination of any kind against females. If I can put in as many hours as my male colleague at work, I deserve to be paid as well as him. Since I am an equal stakeholder in raising a family, whether as a homemaker or not, I deserve to have equal rights as a wife and mother. I should also have equal rights in inheritances, and must be treated at par with a male counterpart (father or brother) for the same. Many of these rights are granted to us under law but there are many rights we still fight for – the right to raise a female child, the right to her education and future, to make marital rape recognisable under the law etc.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Rights are good. Equality is good. The problem arises when we want equal rights but don’t want to accept responsibility. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So we want to have the right to free speech on a social media platform, but we don’t want the baggage that follows. We want the freedom to use abusive language against another person (because we are ‘right’), but don’t want reactions. We want to have the freedom to make insinuations, but once the volley of abuse begins, want respect and dignity because we are women. We want the freedom to voice our outrage/accusation, but want immunity from the backlash ‘because’ we are women.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Many so called feminists and supporters of women's rights especially in India are caught in this quagmire of hypocrisy, where equality means bashing up men on a public forum, indulging in name calling, making insinuations and resorting to the use of abusive language and then asking complete strangers to show restraint because they are women.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Freedom of speech and expression is never absolute. It comes with great responsibility. And at a price. Gender abuse is one of them.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Abuse in any form is condemnable. But it is a reality we know has existed long before social media was born. When we raise a voice, the only way our voices, as women can be smothered is by threats – of violence against us, of rape, assault and worse, even murder. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">A very renowned child rights activist from Pune who has uncovered several adoption rackets in the city and the state of Maharashtra, receives threats frequently. Once during an interview she opened her wallet and showed me a pack of condoms that she carries with her at all times. “The worst they can do is rape me” she said stoically. If they killed her, well, that would be 'it' she believed. In an ideal world, children would not be put up for sale and a woman like her would have had to find another cause to fight for. But this is the real world and she is aware of the pitfalls of her life’s calling.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Internet is not a safe place for women. Of the 3,787 people who reported harassing incidents from 2000 to 2012 to the volunteer organisation Working to Halt Online Abuse, 72.5 percent were female. Since the number of women users has grown exponentially since then, this number is also bound to have grown. (There are no figures for India.)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Just because we get trolled or pilloried on social media doesn’t mean that we stop expressing ourselves. On the contrary, we must make our presence felt even more, raise our voices individually and collectively, fight for causes, for our rights etc.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">But we must be aware of the responsibility that comes with it. If we use the keyboard to express our views or opinions and rant or vent, we must stop asking for privileges due to our gender, stop crying wolf and stop expecting the world to be nice to us. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We must also remember that ultimately, 'niceness' is also a two way street.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b>Postscript: I sent this opinion piece to several online journals and sites, a couple through contacts as well, but no one responded. Perhaps as a dear friend told me, trolling of women is far more dangerous, rampant and sexist than it is for men could be the reason no one wanted to carry it. But I think that is one reason why women ought to read this.</b></i></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15365922320701555205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3163547289012658995.post-47451872803787510042015-07-01T20:53:00.002+05:302015-07-01T21:00:48.422+05:30Clothes Make a Man, But a Woman is Damned Whatever She Wears<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br /><div style="text-align: justify;">
So Smita Sabharwal, an accomplished IAS officer from Telangana, known for her “ethnic style” wore “a trendy trouser and frilly top at a fashion show” and grabbed eyeballs.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The story first appeared in a column titled Deep Throat in Outlook magazine recently and sparked a controversy because it made derogatory remarks against the lady. It said that she makes a "fashion statement with her lovely saris and serves as 'eye candy' at meetings." The caricature carried by the magazine is distastefully sexist and, quite rightfully, the IAS officer has slapped a legal notice on the magazine.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXptmBOjqmKhoa_QMfaS2GdreOVy-2SS8nyf0pf9UWB8zTeAdL-pWz-JUzyp6akeXlJb2rtu0am1tdT0k7OR7vBSnt4nNnPJTtwHzCJ689sk5DDkEXglIKcJM1v0ZnTzRdYoedvYGadYA/s1600/Smita+Sabarwal+illustration+%2528Outlook%2529_1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXptmBOjqmKhoa_QMfaS2GdreOVy-2SS8nyf0pf9UWB8zTeAdL-pWz-JUzyp6akeXlJb2rtu0am1tdT0k7OR7vBSnt4nNnPJTtwHzCJ689sk5DDkEXglIKcJM1v0ZnTzRdYoedvYGadYA/s400/Smita+Sabarwal+illustration+%2528Outlook%2529_1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: start;"><i>This is the caricature carried by Outlook </i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="text-align: justify;">The problem is not just that the column sought to insinuate that the lady held a position of favour with the Telangana chief minister, it also made crass remarks about her having worn perfectly acceptable attire to a fashion show – trousers and a top – which, the officer clarified in her legal notice, she attended with her husband and not in the capacity of a civil servant.</span><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The episode serves to highlight the conundrum for many of us – what should we wear to suit the occasion? Working women who often have to juggle other responsibilities (such as raising kids and having a ‘real’ life, which could mean catching up with friends after a hectic work day) must spend a lot of time each morning deciding what to wear depending upon what their plan for the day is.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A linen kurti with jeans if you’re teaching in a college is acceptable, or a tee with the same blue jeans to go grocery shopping. But you surely can’t wear a tee with jeans to college because you’re a ‘teacher’ and have to set the right example!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
You would be gawked at if you wore a western formal suit at a civic body meeting (aren’t journalists ‘supposed’ to dress fuddy-duddy?) and would perhaps be confronted with questions like, “What’s the special occasion?” if you wore a sari to work one day instead of the usual salwar-kurta. A linen skirt wouldn’t work at an evening party, or at a seminar. But a shirt with jeans or trousers would probably work for both.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Most often, the confusion exists because working women want to be seen as serious and professional in the workplace and so the way we dress becomes important. We can’t be seen as being provocatively dressed (sleeveless tops, a skirt shorter than ankle-length, or tight-fitted trousers would fall in this category) or dressed too well (the silk sari falls in this category). As long as we wear the kurti that covers our butts, a dupatta that covers the bosom and a salwar or trousers to hide our legs, we have a chance at being considered ‘decently dressed’.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In the case of Sabharwal, it seemed like a double-edged sword because the saris she wears to work and the trousers she wore to a fashion show, both became talking points for the magazine.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Sadly, hers is not an isolated case. In the recent past, Malayalam writer and secretary of the Kerala Book Marketing Society, Babu Kuzhimattom wrote a Facebook post saying that the leggings women wear are provocative and ‘arouse’ men.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It seems that the freedom to wear what we choose is a Utopian ideal confined to the Page 3 sections of newspapers and websites. In real life, a woman will probably get undue attention and unwarranted observations for wearing a swimsuit to a pool.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>This post first appeared on www.Fashion101.com </i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15365922320701555205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3163547289012658995.post-20020254624998708732015-02-14T12:53:00.002+05:302015-02-14T12:53:47.692+05:30The Brown Building<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
a new brown building has come up<br />
close and yet not<br />
I can't see who lives there<br />
although the occasional blue tee<br />
drying out on a line<br />
in the glass edged balcony<br />
catches my eye<br />
<br />
who lives there...<br />
someone like me?<br />
a person much loved<br />
yet sad and melancholy?<br />
who has wings<br />
that take flight<br />
every once in a while<br />
only to be clipped<br />
not by winter<br />
or the need to find a home<br />
but by her own self<br />
and the lack of wind<br />
to hoist her up<br />
far away<br />
<br />
does she want to run<br />
but not too far?<br />
be happy but not delirious?<br />
be content and yet want more?<br />
be an achiever and ordinary all at once?<br />
be a lover, a mother<br />
a partner and a worker<br />
and yet not 'be'<br />
any of them at all?<br />
<br />
has her heart been broken?<br />
has she lost friends?<br />
friendships?<br />
loved ones?<br />
has she forgotten<br />
the hurt?<br />
overcome the pain?<br />
made peace with the demons<br />
that inhabit the innards<br />
of her fickle soul?<br />
<br />
is she alive and happy?<br />
or happy to be alive?<br />
or just living and hoping<br />
that someday<br />
happiness<br />
will mean more<br />
than just<br />
a smiling face,<br />
or a hug...<br />
when happiness<br />
will mean<br />
contentment and ease<br />
peace and silence...<br />
<br />
.................................<br />
<br />
its funny how<br />
when the world celebrates<br />
the onset of a weekend<br />
I curl up in my bed<br />
and stare<br />
the old dilapidated apartment<br />
where the parrots perch<br />
every morning<br />
a dash of green<br />
in the greys of the walls'<br />
cracked and peeling facade<br />
<br />
sometimes I wonder<br />
who lives behind<br />
those heavily draped windows<br />
on certain evenings I know<br />
no one's home<br />
because the lights don't<br />
switch on<br />
at all...<br />
some mornings I see<br />
the fancy air conditioner's<br />
outlet leaking water<br />
indicating that she was home<br />
slept the night<br />
in her bed<br />
<br />
does she sleep alone?<br />
does she pile up the pillows<br />
on the side of the bed<br />
that is never slept in?<br />
or does she squeeze one<br />
between her legs<br />
choking the loneliness<br />
to temporary bliss?<br />
<br />
does she remember being in love?<br />
being happily ignorant<br />
of life's travails?<br />
or being high on the stuff<br />
that blocks out memories and sadness<br />
turning life into a haze of<br />
welcoming euphoria?<br />
<br />
does she feel regret, remorse<br />
repugnant rage when she is cornered,<br />
cheated, lied to?<br />
or is she that person you see<br />
standing in the line ahead of you<br />
at a grocery mart, the one<br />
who hides behind an easy smile,<br />
and mouths 'thank you' for every<br />
little gesture of kindness;<br />
the calm, happy woman you wish<br />
you could be?<br />
<br />
does she live in a created cocoon<br />
of self preservation<br />
denying herself love, attention,<br />
adulation and true affection?<br />
does she desire?<br />
or does she wish she could desire?<br />
is her loneliness a symptom<br />
or the cure?<br />
..........................................<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15365922320701555205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3163547289012658995.post-29217348799701733682015-02-07T20:24:00.002+05:302015-02-07T20:24:38.788+05:30It rained down on me<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It rained down on me<br />
<br />
like a thunderous applause from the sky<br />
<br />
soulful and strong<br />
intense and poignant<br />
like a bridge being built<br />
on a new paradigm;<br />
a newfound freedom<br />
in expression and bond<br />
<br />
warm and welcoming<br />
words do flow<br />
o'er wine or scotch<br />
heaven knows...<br />
<br />
calm insides<br />
peaceful smiles<br />
happy songs<br />
the heart doth know<br />
since it rained down on me<br />
like a thunderous applause from the sky....<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15365922320701555205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3163547289012658995.post-70573400880147045172015-01-18T21:35:00.001+05:302015-01-18T21:35:24.135+05:30<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
when will it be<br />
when will it come<br />
when will the darkness of this soul cease<br />
when will it rain<br />
when will clouds disperse<br />
when will be release<br />
<br />
when will faith shine<br />
when will comfort rise<br />
when will the strongholds of negativity fade<br />
when will it feel right<br />
when will this end<br />
when will peace be made<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15365922320701555205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3163547289012658995.post-19082122735908073762015-01-06T17:16:00.000+05:302015-01-06T17:16:07.386+05:30Sometimes I hate my job...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
We all live in our own private hells. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
As I spoke to a gentleman this evening I was left pondering over the following questions: Can parents ever get over the loss of their child needlessly - to a road accident? Dreams, hopes, all crushed?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
And what is worse? </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
That someone from a newspaper calls you to talk about your decision to donate your child's organs and she may also need a photo? </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Or that she may be so sickened by the thought of even asking those questions and noting their answers down in a note pad that she may want this story reassigned to someone else? </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
How is this reporter going to talk to the mother of that 18 year old tomorrow? </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Sometimes I hate my job. And I live in my own private hell knowing that I have stoked wounds that are still fresh.</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15365922320701555205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3163547289012658995.post-43777793485298724882015-01-01T23:58:00.002+05:302015-01-01T23:59:37.245+05:30When Life ends...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And this is how it ends. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;">A body we take pains to keep fit, beautiful. A body that we take pride in as we adorn it with the best money can buy - clothes, shoes, jewellery...</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;">A body that helps us achieve happiness - experience the joys of love making, of intimacy and physical proximity; that helps us give birth to our babies; </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;"> that helps us become who we are as we travel to work, to achieve our goals, pursue our passions, rise above our own expectations; </span><span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: justify;">helps us climb mountains, surf the waves, dive deep underwater, fly high on the wings of a glider....</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">A body that we think is ours - our genes playing a role in what we look like, how we smile, how we frown, how we laugh; that makes us different from our siblings and yet alike in so many </span>idiosyncratic<span style="font-family: inherit;"> ways; that either makes our children from 'my side' or 'his side'....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">A body that we protect, </span>preserve, use or abuse...<br />
<br />
A body that transcends its physical form and makes us a person - with a name, an identity and a form...<br />
<br />
And when life ends, the same body becomes what it is meant to be - a 'body'...<br />
<br />
Hospitals refer to you as 'the body' because you cease to be their patient. Your loved ones who are awaiting the arrival of your physical remains also refer to you as 'the body' because suddenly you're not a living being with a name, you're the recently deceased, the 'body'...<br />
<br />
Not only are you that lifeless mortal remains of a once thriving human being, your remains are also tied up to a stretcher/bed with ropes, tightening your frame against this metallic structure without a care for your comfort, because you're no longer you...you're just a 'body'...<br />
<br />
So much for the illusion of owning our bodies; once life ends, we are just a lifeless rag doll waiting to be picked up and taken for that final journey....<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15365922320701555205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3163547289012658995.post-2805088114677416732014-10-28T00:50:00.001+05:302014-10-28T00:50:31.532+05:30On the highway<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It's amazing how the sights and sounds<br />you attempted to capture in the day<br />change character when darkness descends<br /><br />The trees, the ponds and wells<br />ancient temples and sprawling churches<br />paddy fields and pools of water<div>
coconut trees and a cloud-laden sky<br />bananas, apples and oranges hanging from ramshackle roofs<div>
newest cars parked inside sprawling bungalows<br />school children with neatly combed hair, backpacks and eyes that light up when they see the camera<br />tiny courtyards of little houses;<br />dark, mysterious interiors that hold secrets of lives like yours and mine<br />disappear into thin air,<br />replaced by rows after rows of houses and shops; indistinguishable, continuous,</div>
<div>
lit so bright that you can see inside;<br />the man in a mundu, seated on the floor watching television, lights dancing on his hairy chest,<br />a boy kneeling in front of the altar, looking upwards, palms joined...</div>
<div>
temples look like haunted houses, the sky dark and starless, </div>
<div>
bright red flags of the communists</div>
<div>
triangles and rectangles, on strings and poles,<br />blend with the road </div>
<div>
appearing briefly when a speeding vehicle's light reflects on them -<br />less menacing, subdued and almost subservient...<br /><br />It is true </div>
<div>
somethings die and somethings come to life<br />when darkness descends on the highway</div>
</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15365922320701555205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3163547289012658995.post-16161735138915680702014-10-08T22:01:00.000+05:302014-10-09T22:01:37.837+05:30Blood Moon, Chizhik-Pyzhik and I<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Diwali cleaning always manages to throw up some surprises. Every year while cleaning up I find remnants of the year gone by, a dress I bought which has now become loose, one part of a favourite earring, old clippings, older memories and some fresh perspectives.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It is when I sat down to clean up my silver jewellery case that I came across the Chizhik-Pyzhik. Locket on a black thread, it jumped up at me surreptitiously, the tiny little object, nudging me along a series of memories I had kept locked away.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
That was three nights ago.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I lost fitful sleep that night. Couldn't rest. Tossed and turned. This way. That way. Sudden bouts of indigestion took over; it happens to me when I am anxious. Woke up feeling tired, unsure, a bit unhappy, a bit sad and very confused.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In the morning sometime I saw a notification from a friend on Facebook who'd written about her own restless night, as her thoughts filled her with anxiety, revelations and aspirations. This is what she wrote:</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>It's known as the Blood Moon....Chaotic endings and transformable beginnings? Total Lunar Eclipse on 8th Oct 2014. Times of change, often preceding natural or man-made cataclysms as predicted by astrologers, that major events will occur in the world and in our personal lives, revealing things unknown and bringing situations to a climax or critical point. So its time for radical shifts, changes, endings and new beginnings in our personal and collective lives. Intense and possibly highly emotions that will trigger and push everything to the edge and beyond. So I am trying to look at this positively..... god, please give me strength and patience during this time, to harness the tremendous energy available to us for transformation for the highest best for myself and my place in this Universe. This is a perfect time to become a witness and watch yourself and your emotions and an opportunity to change the way you react to the World and reinvent yourself.....</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<i>‘This full moon and eclipse triggers a two week time frame of revolutionary intensity that can either propel you into radical transformation or have you falling off the three-legged stool. Your ability to pay attention, and to stay focused and present while also allowing yourself to grab the power of the storm, will be key to staying firmly on the stool’.</i><div>
<i><br /></i><div style="text-align: justify;">
I wrote to her about my experience to which she responded, "Sensitive people will feel it the most."</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It is night number 3 today and somehow I feel like I am falling off the three-legged stool.</div>
</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15365922320701555205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3163547289012658995.post-85725475119115221062014-09-29T21:30:00.000+05:302014-09-29T21:30:05.525+05:30Backseat Conversations<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A: "Mom I have a request for when I turn 18."</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Me: "Yeah?"</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
A: "I want to sign a paper that will donate my organs to someone if I die in an accident or something."</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>Most times I don't know where these thoughts come from. But these are just a few of those moments when he leaves me stumped and speechless. </i></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15365922320701555205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3163547289012658995.post-78029992240701349152014-09-14T20:09:00.001+05:302014-09-14T20:09:28.676+05:30The Silver Lining<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Some days are like this.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Its a Sunday but you've been working since the moment you woke up. You don't feel bad about it because the children have also buried their noses in their books.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
There's a fabulous gig in town and you've no one to go with. The good thing is that there is a superb wine chilling in your fridge that you've been meaning to drink for a long time.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The glass of wine you pour for yourself spills before you can take the first sip. Thankfully, it hasn't spilled on your laptop.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The entire room stinks of wine, you may have to crank the window open to let the smell out. Thankfully you don't do it and the smell of the wine ensures you a blissful sleep.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Why aren't more days like this?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15365922320701555205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3163547289012658995.post-3709795754338918852014-09-13T20:02:00.004+05:302014-09-13T20:02:50.803+05:30Every time you go away<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
BEFORE<br />
<br />
Jokes and laughter<br />
Advises and instructions<br />
Tight hugs<br />
Wet kisses<br />
A Goodbye<br />
<br />
AFTER<br />
<br />
Huddled hugs<br />
Profusion of tears<br />
Questions<br />
Assurances<br />
Momentary Peace<br />
<br />
<br />
Every time you go away, you take pieces of us with you....<br />
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15365922320701555205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3163547289012658995.post-91639643210058779862014-09-08T11:52:00.001+05:302014-09-08T11:53:57.709+05:30The Change Agent in my Family<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"I know why people throw their girls on the streets."</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"Why?"</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"Its because when they have to get married, their parents have to spend a lot of money on them because the man or the groom asks them for very expensive gifts that the family cannot afford. That is why people throw their girls because they think that they will be useless and only money will be spent on their marriage."</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"How can you change it?"</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"By not asking for anything when I get married. Its good to buy things by yourselves when you're an adult because you feel more responsible that you can do things by yourself."</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>Last week we visited a NGO that supports underprivileged children and their mothers and A noticed that there were no boys, only girls there.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>When I told him that it is because girls need more help, we had the conversation quoted verbatim above.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i>Proud mommy today!</i></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15365922320701555205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3163547289012658995.post-6773267461568383982014-08-29T22:40:00.000+05:302014-08-29T22:42:52.917+05:30The Look<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I ponder over the look<br />
that didn't exist<br />
Or did it...<br />
<br />
The song he chose<br />
was as harmless<br />
as his accidental touch<br />
Or was it...<br />
<br />
The conversation ebbed<br />
replaced by a comfortable silence<br />
though our hearts were in a tizzy<br />
Or were they...<br />
<br />
His unabashed invitation<br />
adulation, appreciation, adoration<br />
were sincere and honest <br />
Or were they..<br />
<br />
I still ponder over the look<br />
that didn't exist<br />
Or did it...<br />
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15365922320701555205noreply@blogger.com0