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Showering his transitory love
On anyone,
Who catches his fancy,
For a while.

Methodical enough,
To divide a whole into
A pair of Lips,
Whose touch captivates him.

Another whole into
A pair of Eyes,
Which enchants him.

Another whole into
Brains,
Whose intellect baffles him.

Another whole into
36-24-36,
He cannot get enough of IT!

Another whole into
A pair of globes,
Those tempting lumps
Drive him wild!

Very innocently
He says,
My body belongs
To anyone,
Who has nothing to offer,
Except good looks.
My heart to you and only you.
And my soul to someone else!
A cherished one!
Yet he declares
The presence of great harmony
In his life.

I was returning back to a place you crave for when you stay away from it for long. My legs were moving to a destination called home. I was jostling with crowd at this big metro station. Heat and tiredness was killing me. The pollution in the city makes sure that if you pick up somebody at the airport, take her home, and then see her off at the railway station again in a short span of few hours, you don’t look as if you have been breathing the Alps air. I could visualize my room and a very inviting bed from the railway bridge. This imagination hastened my steps.

Suddenly, I spotted a child. She was wearing a cute orange dress, sporting a Mickey Mouse like spectacles and her cheeks were totally pink. A sudden smile played on my lips, but not for long. I froze on my tracks, if it could be called my track with thousands moving at the same railway platform bridge. She was crying horse, “I want my mummy! I want to go to her!” She was running like a caged animal, though the whole bridge or platform was open for her to roam free — an exciting option for her in totally different circumstances. But she was sprinting making a cross, not leaving that self inflected short space.

I took a few steps towards her; a small logical part of my brain cautioned me to mind my own business. Just like others, who were minding their own businesses and moving ahead. My legs tried to obey that voice for a while, but soon I lulled that logical part into sleep. But my heart was heavy with grief; why my legs listened and obeyed even for few seconds? But at that time, I was not allowed that luxury to delve into the depth of reasoning. But I was late by a fraction of a second. She was being talked to by two strangers. One can be termed smart by this world’s yardstick. He was wearing the right kinds of clothes and shoes and sporting right kind of hairstyle. His complexion was right too — it was sun-kissed brown. Another person, who was asking her something, was looking horrible. He was dark-complexioned; his hair was curled in every possible way. He was wearing glasses with dark blue lences. I was afraid, suddenly.

The trio started moving. In the meantime, the child was howling continuously, but it could easily be mistaken for pushiness for a treat of candy or ice-cream, unless you were close by and could hear clearly, “I want my Mamma.” A wish that might never be fulfilled, if she had chosen a wrong escort.

It was hard to keep pace with them in the vast ocean of humanity. I was trying to match steps with them, and continually wishing to catch sight of an RPF personnel. But like endangered tigers, they preferred to be invisible that day. But I needed one desperately. What if they were part of a gang and howled the child in a waiting vehicle. What would I do then? Ok, I could hardly afford to be a disappointed tourist of Corbet National Park and blame it on my ill luck that I could not get a glimpse of a tiger. I was making mental note that I will shout with all my might and jostle down the number of the vehicle. Now we were descending the steps. And the man wearing the offending spec was taking two steps at a time, swinging the girl in his left arm.

We were on platform no 1 now. It seemed as if I had been taking a walk since the time immemorial. But it ended and when I read “Service Center” I saw the light at the end of the tunnel. I was at par with them now. The two guys were not part of any evil design but were concerned for the safety of the child. A great wave of relief engulfed me completely.

I took hold of the girl’s delicate arm and asked about her mom and dad’s name. Sensing a female presence and hearing a female voice distracted her for a while. I was greedy enough to fill in the baby’s head with some soothing talks like everything will be alright and her mom and dad would be here soon. I asked about the train she was supposed to board, and it turned out to be the same one by which my cousin was traveling. I rang her mobile immediately and asked her to talk to the guard to delay the train. Meanwhile, I patted that fellow wearing “nice blue colored lenses” verbally. The hunk was asked by the RPF personnel to wait. The fellows sitting at the reception were not the usual insensitive type. They offered the little girl a chair and a glass of water. The announcer was relaying the message regarding that beautiful small wonder.

I could not keep track of the time. But sometime later a decent looking but haggard fellow, slouching slightly, appeared inside the announcing booth. Before saying anything he spotted his apple of eye. I could sense the unshed tears and relief in his voice. “Beta, I was looking for you everywhere.” But she was distracted by something and could not listen those magical words, she was dreaming to hear. An officer immediately restrained him. He could not go near his own child. In this deceitful world, he had to furnish some proof. By some mystery his girl turned and gave a delightful cry, “Daddy!!!” It silenced the need for further proof. He immediately hugged her close to his chest as if to never let go of her.

I don’t know where I kept the hidden reservoir of tears. They were threatening to spill out. But that would be stupid. So I controlled it. But it was not a good idea. My body started shaking, as if it were a bitingly cold December night, and not the start of June. Someone asked me, “Are you related to her?” Shaking my head I came out and starting walking to my destination. When I was within the safe confines of my boundary, I cried to my heart’s content, remembering my mother, her scoldings and threats that she would slap me tightly, if I tried to let go of her hand in any crowded place. How I scoffed at her then!

Why couldn’t I keep pace with the rest of the three? Was it a male strides and female strides thing? NO. I am not a slow walker. But that day, I was wearing yellow sandals with high heels, like a totally stupid person. All of us can witness true India on a railway platform of any metro city, including its great asset: the human resource and the greatest liability too – the population SIZE. I was hoping a smooth and speedy sail in that turbulent sea called humanity. All of these factors made a speedy walk with those high heels almost impossible. I made a silent promise to myself, “ I will NEVER wear high heels where I am supposed to walk so much carrying not so light a luggage.

I have written this poem “Identity” and received many interesting responses in my comment box. Those responses prompted me to write another post.

I don’t have any problem with different cultures and people assimilating these cultures. In fact this assimilation opens our mind and enriches us in many ways. This assimilation is happening since time immemorial in India. We even embraced our conquerers and ultimately they lost themselves completely and became one with us. India had been invaded by the Greeks (Yavanas), Huns (Hunas), Shakas and Kushanas. These invaders were completely absorbed into the existing Indian society. Even the memory of their ever having been foreign
invaders was wiped out. Today if we try to hunt for Kushana, or Shaka blood, we will not find a single trace to begin with. So my poem was not against assimilation of different ideas and cultures. That SHOULD always be WELCOMED.

What makes me wonder is in eating habits, we prefer to be “seen” eating in McDonald’s or Huts or Dominos. We stop being an American after tasting theirs food. Is this America all about? What about their civic sense and cleanliness? What about their observing traffic rules? Oh! Here our Indian-ness leaps in every corner of the road. How many red lights we jump is machismo in purest form. So very Indian, so desi! We felt like a man when breaking speed limit. We are proud of our ignorance of Zebra crossing. These are minor things for us.

When we are choosing girlfriends/boyfriends, Mumma / Puppa, PLEASE don’t interfere. It’s my life. But when we are getting married, please arrange for the dowry, we want it desperately. All my life, Mummy/Daddy, we fought you. But if you want to arrange my wedding on lavish scale, please go ahead. I am your docile daughter/son. I will be obedience personified. I don’t care to be an American here. They spend their own money in their wedding dinner and functions. But NOW, at my wedding my heart is dying to be an Indian. I want all the bridal / groom’s accessories from you Mom and Dad. My McDonald and hip and happening image can go to hell!

We got admitted in fundu, expensive, private MBA colleges. Please Pappa, come forward to deposit few lakhs as fee. And leave one of the expensive cars at my disposal. With this college campus and car, I will have good time JUST LIKE AN AMERICAN COLLEGE STUDENT. What? They work side by side to fund their college education? Oh! I am a cute Indian kid of my Mamma and Pappa. When they are alive, what’s the need to be independent? They will be ready with finances, whenever I need them. With their money I will have fun, just like an American.

What about hard work? Punctuality? Honesty? They put newspapers on pavements. You have to pick up one and insert the coin where it is required. In India, they dare not introduce this scheme. We all know where will be newspapers, and the destination of coins. Those pennies definitely look adorable in my pocket.

This is how I want to represent myself. It’s a matter of convenience for us, Indian yuppies. Whenever the need arises, I switch sides from American to Indian and vice versa. All over the world, people can be Vegetarian or Non- vegetarian. But I am very comfortable, being “Mauka-tarian”. Oh! My Mauka (opportunity) is knocking. I am going to don Indian mantle right now. It would be immensely profitable. The scene is given below:
=======================
I know my mind, I love doing my own things, but if I am in trouble due to my own actions, please Dad, bail me out! I don’t know how to lead an independent life, without your support! Here is your little baby calling out!

Hi Alka,

I cannot vouch for the integrity of these statements, but can get them verified, if u need to.

Here goes:

An Appeal on behalf of the residents of the slums of Delhi

The brief facts are as follows:

· The manufacturers’ associations of two industrial areas in Delhi, the capital of India, had petitioned the High Court of Delhi in 1994 and 2002, for the removal of slum clusters from their areas.

· These slum clusters were, in fact, created to house the labour working in these industrial areas because there was no provision for workers’ housing.

· However, going beyond the ambit of the original petitions, the Court ruled in November 2002 that all those who had settled in slums anywhere in the city after 1990 should be evicted and not given any “free” land for resettlement.

· This ruling did not consider the available evidence that the government had provided only 35% of mandated housing, and that each “resettled” family was paying Rs 7,000 for a license to a tiny plot of land for 5 years.

· Consequently, there was a public uproar after this ruling and the government was forced to approach the Supreme Court, which stayed the above order in March 2003.

· However, in March 2003 the High Court held another hearing in the original matter and, frustrated by the Supreme Court stay, it decided to issue another order directing the authorities to remove all unauthorised constructions along the banks of the river Yamuna that flows through Delhi.

· One of the grounds for the above order was that the Yamuna bed was being encroached upon, but the order was selectively directed against the slums while ignoring the elite (but illegal) structures such as the Akshardham temple, the Metro Rail headquarters, and the Commonwealth Games Village.

· The other ground was that the slums were polluting the river. This, again, ignored the available evidence that the total discharge from all slums in Delhi is only 0.33% of the sewage being released into the river.

· There have been four subsequent appeals against this order in both the High Court as well as the Supreme Court and all have been summarily dismissed by the Courts. In not a single case has the Court acknowledged the right to be heard by the slums dwellers as the most affected party.

· In the meantime, demolitions and ruthless evictions of the slums from the banks of the Yamuna have begun and almost 3,000 families have already been displaced. At least 16,000 more families have been targeted for eviction before the elections.

· Of these families, less than half are eligible for “resettlement”. The rest are cast out on the streets, while voluntary groups have documented that even those who are resettled have been denied the fundamental Rights to Livelihood, Shelter, Education, and Health.

· Appeals to the National Human Rights Commission against forcible eviction have been registered in February 2004 and the Commission has issued notice to the government and the police, but no further action has been taken.

The Election Commission had stayed demolitions in all slums until the elections were over, but it has now selectively permitted them to be removed from the Yamuna banks. The Commission has not responded to appeals to restore the status quo, even though documented evidence of violation of electoral rights has been presented before it.

The hurry to vacate the land along the river is being ascribed to a prestigious project that the Union Minister of Culture has revealed of a national tourism-cum-cultural complex in the area.

Please write, or email to the following authorities demanding that:

# Due process of law should be followed by the courts to give a fair hearing to the affected parties.
# Forcible eviction should be immediately stopped.
# Full resettlement facilities should be made available to all those whose huts have been demolished.
# The government should fulfill its constitutional responsibilities to provide livelihood, shelter, and services to all the people.

President Of India

Rashtrapati Bhawan
New Delhi – 110001
presidentofindia@rb.nic.in

Prime Minister of India
Govt. of India,
South Block
New Delhi – 110001
pmosb@pmo.nic.in

Chief Justice of India

Supreme Court of India
New Delhi – 110001
supremecourt@up.nic.in

National Human Rights Commission

Sardar Patel Bhawan
Sansad Marg
New Delhi –110001
chairnhrc@nic.in

Election Commission of India
Election Commission
Nirvachan Sadan
Ashok Road
New Delhi – 110 001
tskrish@eci.gov.in

Chief Minister of Delhi
GNCTD
Player’s Building
Indraprastha Estate
New Delhi – 110 00
jtscm@hub.nic.in

Take care,

Ajay.
Kuch Khayal

Theirs
===================
Australia, “FORMER tennis star Nicole Bradtke embodied Melbourne’s Olympic spirit yesterday by watching the Athens torch relay only hours after giving birth………………. Only 18 hours after her second child, Jensen arrived, Nicole left hospital to cheer on her basketballer husband as he carried the torch.”

USA has released its list of torch runners.
I kept searching for the likes of Madonnas, Sharone Stones, Spears in this list but they are conspicuous by their absence. Cruise, Stallone are invited to carry flame but they are not the frontrunners.

China
The youngest torch-bearers
Fourteen-year-old Ye Lu and He Zhouling are the youngest torch-holders this time in Beijing. One of the two girls, Ye Lu, is not only a junior correspondent with Chinese Teenagers News, but also an activist in Beijing’s bidding for hosting the 2008 Olympic Games and environment protection. He Zhouling is a student from a school under the Project Hope program in a mountainous area in Guizhou Province. She, too, was lucky enough as she fulfilled her Olympic dream by leaving her hometown and coming to Beijing for the first time. She has become a heroine-like figure, a glory to her fellow-townspersons.
==================================
OURS

I remember one budding athlete saying, “When we go for 3-4 times road running, bench-press, complete stair running, squat innumerable times, only then we are able to reduce our timings by a tenth of a second. It takes at least one month.” This was the statement of a state level athlete, not of some-one who was a placeholder in National Games.
I thought OUR LIST would include P.T. Usha, Shiny Abharam, Ashwani Nachappa, Marvin Fernandis, Mohammad Shaid, Ashok Kumar, Wilson Cherian, Zeeshan Ali, Prakash Padukone, Geet Sethi, Subhash Agrawal………………

Who were OUR frontrunners? That I will discuss later. I remember one more incident.

I was watching a friendly football match between film stars and cricketers. This game demands some stamina, after all you have to do sprinting many times in a decent sized field. Here, there was no such camera and make-up to conceal your eye bags and dark circles. They might bash-up goons in one shot, which merely takes few minutes to complete, then they cool off their heels in the AC vans till the next shot is ready. The blessing of booze and cigarettes will be sort of different from other blessings. The steroid pumped muscles might be pleasing visuals for starry eyed dumbos and dudes, but in a football field they won’t carry you far.
So, OUR frontrunners were……

The very people, who in the above mentioned friendly football match with cricketers, came out of the field, huffing and puffing, carrying 45 years old lungs in 25 years young body! Our Honorable Sports Minister and President of the Olympic Association are probably ignorant of this fact, called hard work, that even a state level athlete puts into. Or rather they are ashamed of the performance of the hard-working athletes, who inspite of their rotten system, dared to pick-up sports as a career and above all performed and done something for India.

What was our role in all this? We engaged in tussle with security, broken barricades, climbed up the tree to have a glimpse of Ash Rai, Rani, and Bipasa Basu!

We, the people of this generation, really become so dimwitted, that unless and until, things are presented in visuals, rather pleasing visuals, we refuse to rise to occasion? Do everything for us, should be tightly sewn, attractively packaged, applied with strokes of gloss and glitz, only then we sit up and take notice?

• You can’t laugh to your heart’s content.
• You can’t be a disturbing element as often as possible.
• You can’t say, I love you often.
• You can’t shout back.
• You realize the power your little tongue holds.
• It’s so difficult to convey what you want to do next day. Because
you don’t know how to convey “next day” from your hand or eyes
or using your whole body.
• If you pick-up the phone, how furiously you nod at the receiving
end, your effort is down the drain. Stupid instrument!
• You have to LISTEN TO ALL, whatever your Mom is saying, without
interrupting her!
• You are being showered with array of suggestions. You just nod
pathetically.
• You can watch others enjoying piping hot Idli Sambar. All you can
do is swallow your own lump, that too, painfully!
• It’s a small word “tonsillitis”, but its all pervasive. You suffer from
fever, body-ache, headache and running nose. You just want to
curl-up and die. But your near and dear ones don’t let you do that.
It’s the only time they can prove, you are not a mysterious, ET
from some other planet and how well they understand you, inside
out! Your illusion of being a Bermuda Triangle is shattered forever.
• you develop a brand new sign language for a few exclusive people.
• You can’t blog and respond to the comments posted on your own
blog.

For how long shrewdness and manipulative-ness will prevail? It is pervasive. But will it triumph ultimately? I often wonder, is this world belongs to selfish, scheming and “Me first” people?

I was watching about Confucius’ life on History channel. He died as a disillusioned man. He sensed that nobody would listen to his uttering. Like a mirage, he kept on searching for a ruler, who could have understood his principles and acted upon it. He wanted to bury China’s anarchy, darkness and violence. He met one governor, from his own hometown, who listened to him. Both of them worked together and produced some fine results. But ultimately that ruler succumbed to the charm of three most beautiful, calculative and manipulative women of his province. These women were sent by his rivals.

Right proportion of nose, lips, eyes and cheeks or exact portion of flesh at right places or both? THAT IS ALL IT TAKES TO BRING DOWN ANY MIGHTY RULER, SCHOLAR, PAINTER OR FORMIDABLE GENERAL. Alas! This same phenomenon SEEMED true everywhere. Confucius all the wisdom, knowledge and vision could not fight with the charm of three beautiful and promiscuous women! Are these pessimists and conservatives always succeed? He had to leave his province. He wondered for 13 years in search of a ruler who could have at least same foresight that he possessed or willing to implement his ideas. He was not as fortunate as Chanakya. He could not find a Chandragupta Maurya throughout his whole life. Rulers of China chose to live comfortably instead of rising to occasion.

No one was willing to give him a chance. A break, that’s all he was asking for. Never got this wish fulfilled in his entire life. He confined himself to learning and teaching, thinking his disciples will keep his ideas alive. Even there he was a loser. He lost his most beloved and promising student to the cruel claws of death. This made him weep like a hysterical child. He said “Even God has turned against me.” He lost all hope and found solace in the lap of Mother Nature. The very solace of nature, he used to ridicule in his youth. Was he really defeated by reactionary forces? The same demons who travelled to England, to file petition in favor of custom of Sati, opposing Raja Ram Mohan Roy? Raja Ram Mohan Roy had William Bentick. (Thankfully neither Ram Mohan Roy, nor William Bentick had to fight an election. Otherwise they might not have offended popular sentiments of public.) But Confucius never met his William Bentick!

This is grave injustice. How could had he not foreseen his teachings propagated by World’s renowned Universities. He has become an institution in himself in modern world. When I watched the whole episode, I wish fervently, if once, just once, he could visit this earth NOW. He would know that no one remember those three vicious, calculative, manipulative rulers and women. His philosophy is being propagated, not in China but in the whole world; by progressive governments, by many institutions, by evolving organizations, by common people and by sensible individuals. But he was far ahead of his time. And we keep a bowl full of poison ready for such people, be it Meera or Socrates or worse a slow poison for Confucius.
But on hindsight, I think by following Confucius we are not honoring, discovering and recognizing him, but ourselves. He does not have to trouble his holy spirit to see us, the mere followers. May his soul rest in peace. Amen!

This request is from the all the HOMELESS flora and fauna of the notified area of the Panchmarhi forest.
================
I can’t speak. I can’t file petitions. I can’t lead protest marches. I can’t argue my case, brilliantly, in front of a Supreme Court Judge. I can not go to prison for a day. I can’t play with words and win prestigious awards.

I am a small rather a very small tree of the notified area of the Panchmarhi forest. Our habitats were snatched away, and sources of food were destroyed. Earlier, we lived in peace following religiously the law of Jungle. No one can escape this law in our area. One wrong step here or there and you are finished. This law of Jungle was broken by at least one world known “environmentalist”. BUT I was ecstatic when I read this.
Bungalow blow to Arundhati – Allotment on notified forest land cancelled in Panchmarhi.

But she did not appear before “another” court and argue this case brilliantly. AGAIN I read in a newspaper
“Neither Arundhati nor her husband — contacted at their Delhi residence — were available for comment.”

This great “environmentalist”, crusader of the tribal and downtrodden, great advocate of the peace, snatched away the legacy of non-vocal species of animals and plants.

Finally I read this – Sydney Peace Prize for Arundhati Roy!

When the emotions run high, truce is so fragile and pains are so intense, you must possess no heart at all to jeopardize the whole thing, however diminutive that progress might be.

What does External Affairs Minister, Mr. Natwar Singh exactly want to achieve by issuing provocative statements that India will pursue talks with Pakistan on the basis of the Simla Agreement. Was Bajpayee Government not following the spirit of Simla Agreement? Had they admitted anywhere that they would tolerate third party intervention in Kashmir (backbone of Simla Agreement)?

Had Congressmen not done enough prostrating before Soniaji when the whole nation was witnessing the drama live? Did Mr. Natwar Singh not know that India had/s given enough respect and power to Nehru Gandhi Family and now the least the Congressmen can do is not to make the foreign policy of India the hostage of Nehruvian era. Nobody can turn the clock back. Is this simple fact not obvious to Mr. Minister? Need his every act demonstrates his loyalty to Nehru Gandhi family?

We have got the reply from Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf. He said that “if the minister in his references meant that we will go by the Simla Agreement, then I don’t agree with him,” Mr Singh again reiterated that India will pursue talks with Pakistan on the basis of the Simla Agreement. At least we should grant quality of consistency to Mr. Singh.

The euphoria evident in Pakistan till recently about the peace initiative does not mean anything to our minister. Whatever miniscule progress is made between the two nations can be thrown away by such repeated irresponsible statements. When care had been taken to coach Indian Cricket Team by diplomats about what they could say publicly, so that ongoing peace process must not be endangered. All this prompted Vice Caption Rahul Dravid to say “We are not diplomats, we are players.” The minister can not let go of the temptation to lay bare his loyalty to Soniaji. I think the real political players are in action now.

India is already divided on so many lines; caste, creed, religion. The British did it. Now our own rulers are doing it. Laloo’s face flushes with pride whenever he discusses “MY (Muslims & Yadavs) Equation”. Why should we lag behind? We, the generation X, keep on inventing new means to divide it further. We create new yardsticks, day in and day out. Some decide whether you are human and not some insect, on the basis of eating joints, some on the basis of how you speak English, whether your accent is closer to Americans or not. For some your status is elevated instantly if you can use spoon and fork deftly. For some you are near to God if you are acquainted with and use all the “in things.” It is EXPECTED from literates that they will reduce the regional, religion, lingual, ethnical and others gaps. But what is happening is something else.

One of my cousins was narrating an office incident (he and his friend were working in Motorola at that time). In his office people pestered a fellow so much about his accent that he started stammering. I forgot to mention his friend was from Laloo’s state and is a professional from one of the world’s premier institutes. But all this don’t matter. How he speaks takes precedence over everything.

I remember one more incident. It involved my sister. She was in New Delhi’s United Nations office for an interview. There she met a famous writer’s cousin. He conversed with her for about 45 minutes but could not make out from her accent to which place she belonged to.
Suddenly he exclaimed, “ I detect traces of —— accent. You belong to —-place.”

My sister replied, “Yes.”

Then came the preaching part, “See you must pay attention to your accent. Otherwise people will detect your place of origin.”

Ah! If only he knew the character of my city and its people! Throwing every caution to wind, whether she will get THAT UNITED NATIONS prestigious project, my sister countered,

“I don’t want to hide to which place I belong to. And why should I bother cultivating another accent?”

Mr. ….. was speechless for few seconds, stared at her unblinkingly and admitted,
“I too carried an accent, with lots of practice I improved.”

My sister did not answer, “I have more important work to do in life”.

We thought they would never take her in that project. But they DID.

• He claims to be a cool dude. Nobody has heard him shouting till date. Without much effort you break his lifelong record in five minutes.

• Throwing his entire macho image to wind, he sobs in your lap like a baby.

• You had a talk with your male friend last night on the cell and forgot everything. He raises up the rudiments of conversation unexpectedly the next day.

• You just got up to answer the doorbell. He reminds you that your shorts are too short. It no longer is a WOW!

• You are about to tip over something. He anticipates it before you. (Read – never takes his eyes off you).

• You are sleeping peacefully, snuggled closely to your little nephew. He hugs you from the vacant side.

• You are sulking in a corner, watching him surfing the cyber world, with no obvious plan for the Valentine’s Day. On due day, flowers and gifts arrive at your doorstep, complete with the name of the website and the city, lurking in some other corner of this earth.

• He is about to retire to bed. You remind him of his ex-girlfriend. Within few minutes, you hear the “sweet and gentle” sound of his snoring.

• When he is lost and down and out . You don’t know what the right thing to say or do is. You just mumble something incoherent and it makes complete sense to him. He starts feeling sunny and bright again.

I am flying high;
The clouds,
Hanging over my roof,
Entice me to a dance.
The summer breeze,
Caresses me to insanity.
The brilliance of sun,
Invites me to compete with its magnitude.
The moon offers,
Tranquility to my turbulent soul.
The grand banyan tree,
Seems impartial in donating shelter.

I have broken my wings;
The clouds,
Hanging over my roof
Make me burst into tears.
The summer breeze,
Takes undue liberties with my body.
The brilliance of sun
Mocks at my labor.
The moon,
Wallows in self pity, faking glow in barrowed light.
The grand banyan tree,
stands helpless.
It HAS to offer shelter to passerby.

I am flying high,
I see warmth and affection in my sister’s eye.
I have broken my wings,
I see the same eyes staring back at me!

Music floating in the air,
Whispering voices
enveloping me,
Fizz of dainty wine,
Playing on my tongue,
Transporting me
to a different planet,
Not at the happening restaurant
Of town.
They promised a slice of heaven
And kept it too!

At peace with the world and myself
laughing vivaciously,
I came out.
The gateman sprang to action
Saluting us promptly.

But why this salute?
Done nothing
except, having fun
Money can offer.

Searching for answers,
I remembered
those weighty sentences,
ALL of us being greatest creation
Of nature.
Why does one equal
bow to another equal?
Why this abject gesture
of one creation
to another creation of the same God?
Why? Why? Why?
I asked aloud.

Stupid!
Spirit always cloud your faculties,
He was saluting to
The Distant future,
Sparing his progenies
from saluting my progenies.

I am reading a post, which inspired me to do a bit of my own research! And this fact dawned upon me that my fellow blogger was right all after all.

BJP and their allies are really cicadas. I will reveal their gameplan since independence. IT ALL HAPPENED IN LAST SIX YEARS. DON’T ASK HOW!

1. They agreed for partition of India. Every leader of Congress was ready to die and was opposing partition. But Bajpayee, Advani and Sangh Parivaar arm twisted Nehru and Gandhiji to concede.

2. Jawaharlal was dead against going to UN for Kashmir issue. Then Home Minister Sardar Patel said “Jawahr pachtayega”. But Advani, Bajpayee and Sangh Parivaar were so powerful. They again arm twisted poor Jawahar Lal to go to UN. See they are still sitting on both sides of LOC.

3. Jeep Ghotala involving Krishnana Menon ( he was again a victim of BJP’s conspiracy). Due to BJP, Gotalas are not recent phenomenon in Indian politics.

4.Mahalanobis model had given us giant public sectors who worked as Safed Haathi, apane hi weight nahi otha sake. This model was suggested by probably Uma Bharti to Nehru.

5. The mother of all coups. It was a conspiracy hatched by Arun Jetaly, Jai Prakash Narayan ( Laloo was mere a gullible bachcha, he could not understand the manipulation of Jai Prakash Narayan then). Advani, Bajpayee somehow convinced Indiraji ( A supporter of the world largest democratic party Indian national Congress said “Indira is India, and India is Indira”)for EMERGENCY. Poor cute doll. Again she fell prey to BJP’s heavyweights.

5. In the meanwhile Sangh Parivaar again convinced vulnerable Indiraji to depend on Saint Bhinderavalle. Due to wrong policies of BJP, the nation witnessed terrorism in Punjab, but poor Indiraji had to pay for it with her life.

6. Assam and rise of AGP, demand for Bodoland, Oh! I forgot there was a Subash Ghesing too from Darjeeling and Naga insurgency, all this happened due to the wrong policies of BJP and their leaders.

7. Novel idea of sending IPKF (Bush Jr. was not there to be rescued by Indian soldiers) to Sri Lanka. Later on CBI revealed that BJP had again misled Rajeev ji. Our soldiers had to make an … exit from that country. Goodwill was a casualty due to wrong policies of BJP. And Rajeevji had paid for the misdeeds of BJP.

8. Kashmir!! BJP was messing there since tribal attack in 1947! Misleading Nehruji all the time.

9. But they were always unable to misled Congress into a communal riots. First communal riots happened during PV N Rao’s Primeministership. BJP tied his hands to stop demolition of Babri Musjid. Earlier BJP coaxed Rajeevji to open the lock of Ram Temple and conduct a Bhoomi Poojan. Later on they hijacked the issue from Rajeevji. One has to learn back stabbing from BJP.

10. What happened in 1998? This time Bajpayeeji made an offer to Congress, —you were welcome to topple a Prime Minister by one vote casted by a Chief Minister ( someone called Gomango, he made last minute entry, just to caste his vote) and you will have Dilli. THEY DID IT. But again these Mulayams, Laloos, Left, Right, Middle? What happened? Oh! The almighty BJP again misled them. THEY TOPPLED THE GOVERNMENT BY ONE VOTE, BUT COULD NOT FORM A SINGLE GOVERNEMT. And Madam Soniaji decalred in the press conference, “WE have 273 and many more are coming” But President DOUBTED HER CREDENTIALS! HE ASKED FOR A LIST AND SIGNATURE OF ALL THE MPs! The sheer audicity of the President of India! Again BJP, tore the list, snatching it from Soniaji’s hand!

I am feeling inspired and highly optimistic. Our ancestors tried us to teach “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” (This whole earth is your family.). The Congress Party being the oldest one definitely took our ancestor’s preaching seriously and converted it into concrete reality. Hats off to them.

Now I have placed very high hopes in our NRI Indians and those who are high fliers. Please acquire a wife from any country except India. Then come to India, do something to get people’s attention (if nothing else then at least leak CAT, CBSE examination papers) and fight election. This will ensure a Lok Sabha seat in Delhi.

Slowly but surely push your spouses into politics too. Teach them some tricks about Saree, Pallu, Bindi, pooja threads, Karava Chauth….It will ensure their claim to Indian nationality. Let them not surrender their home countries citizenship or passport (whatever the Indian Technicalities and bureaucracy and above all our constitution permits.) You might need it in your hour of reckoning. Remember Peruvians voted a Japanese national as their President. After 10 long years he started feeling nostalgic and returned to his dear homeland Japan and faxed his resignation from the beloved home country.

Indians living abroad, you are in a better position to execute the dream of our ancestors. Give our country a true global face. We have started getting leaders from other countries.I think with globalization, our parliament will be flooded with Columbians, Mexicans, Honoluluians, why forget Pakistanis and Chinese Nationalities. Our communist Bhais will support them as long as they are secular in their views. Our constitution framers have already left so many lacunae. So you have the full backing of the county’s highest source of power, the book called Constitution too. Congress will guard those lacunae with utmost zeal. And you will find enough intellectuals in print and broadcast media backing you. Ladies and Gentlemen, pay heed to the nation’s call. I hope many of you are already feeling charged up!

Imran to take custody of his ‘love child’
I was reading this news and absorbing the shock. He, till 1997, never acknowledged her as a daughter. But it is his personal matter.

I am thinking about other implications of these relations. It seems the norm that people keep on getting into and out of relationships. Fair enough. But why are they so stupid to bring a child into this world, if they don’t have any plan to stick together and just be busy with other things? A child has the right to get love of both the parents. The child has not filed an application to the parents to give him/her birth. But these stupidiest lot, in the heat of things, tend to forget that another life can get involved and the echo of this act can have a very far reaching effect on the child and others lives.

Why Boris Beckers, Marlyn Brandos, Ravi Shankers of this world are obsessed with spreading their seeds in different continents, but when the responsibility part appears, they turn tail and vanish??? They have sowed the seed, responsibility is over! What about the child?

Psychologists often says these children are too sensitive towards one of their parents (often with whom they are living), their extra possessiveness of mother or father creates discord in their own personal lives, when they attain maturity. They tend to see one of their parents as a victim or the wronged party. They are often forced to take sides.

Going out in the evening and playing with other kids are “normal” for many children. But not with every child. I remember one particular mother saying on TV, that her son, avoids to go out and play in the evening. He knows her mother would be alone in the house. But he does not admit so, and makes various excuses for not playing! He doesn’t want her mother to sense the real thing.

So by all means, have your fun, f*** and food, but don’t create another life amidst all this!

You must be having a well deserved rest after being out whole day, trekking somewhere in Himalayas. I hope desperately that you can check mails and visit my blog. Today is your birthday and this is the only gift I can offer you right now.

To You

Whenever I touch emotional nadir
You make sure the only option is,
To get up and gather my pieces.

Whenever I am surrounded by
Manipulation, egotism, and game playing maniacs
You make sure, I rise above all of them
And just concentrate on my work.

Whenever I was about to be one
With my own ashes,
You make sure to turn those ashes
Into life giving force.

Whenever I was licking my wound in silence
In an obscure corner, hiding from the world,
Wishing I were never born,
You resurrect my faith in me.

My staunch atheist attitude
Wavers many times,
When I think what have I done to deserve
A sister like you?
Does God really exists somewhere?
Is that why I have a sister
Like you?

Love,
To be given and received freely,
But I find no takers and no giver.

Storm,
Gathering momentum,
Threatening to burst out any instant.

Grief,
Screaming to be assuaged.

Impotent anger,
Devoid of courage.

Complaints,
But no one listens to it.

People,
Afraid of caring and sharing,
Refusing to come out of their closets.

My street fighter’s spirit,
declines to go to sleep.

From SV to us
Thanks to all of your calls and e-mails, the New York State Assembly Bill, A 10188a, which will ban the killing of non-native mammals such as lions, zebras, Corsican rams, and wild boars at Canned Shoots, passed out the Environmental Conservation Committee!!

Now, we need to take the next step of making sure this bill passes out of the Codes Committee.

Therefore, please contact Speaker Sheldon Silver to urge him to use his authority as the leader of the NYS Assembly to urge Assembly member Joseph Lentol to pass “The Canned Shoot Bill” out of his Codes Committee ASAP so it can be voted on by the entire Assembly. (That’s all you have to say!)

Speaker Sheldon Silver: 518 455 3791, Speaker@assembly.state.ny.us

Canned shoots are commercial hunts in which trophy hunters pay large fees to shoot animals in enclosed areas. These animals, who are often “retired” from zoos, circuses, or roadside shows, or may have been bred on the canned hunting facilities, often amble over to lick the hand of the shooter or trot up to the “guide’s” vehicle expecting to be fed as usual.

Animals at canned shoot “preserves” have no chance of escape, and they die in agony because hunters shoot them numerous times in the gut so as to avoid shooting them in the head. Hunters want to keep the “trophy heads” intact for mounting on the wall. This form of hunting is so deplorable that many hunting organizations, whose members adhere to “fair chase” principles, condemn canned shoots.

The current bill, sponsored by Assembly member Scott Stringer, bans the use of non-native big game mammals on all canned shoot facilities regardless of acreage. (Examples of non-native big game mammals are: lions, zebras, Corsican rams, wild boars.)