Will Somebody Grow Up, PLEASE?

So my favourite RJ Nitin is now India's Jade Goody. The man made an outrageously politically incorrect statement on air - a clear example of how racism is deeply rooted in even the smallest form of humour all across. It was certainly not said with the intention of insulting anybody, but that happened nonetheless. But violence? It seems like that is the only answer we have got left. Whatever the situation may be. So the people in Bihar have started beating up and killing people they suspect of robbery. Maybe Sikhs should also come to the streets for every joke ever made about them. Why don't all blondes across the world do the same?
What is with the world and the word 'tolerance'?! I am not saying that we must tolerate things that need protest, but is burning up buses a way to do it? And I am very curious about how many of the people on the streets doing all this really care about the reasons. Even when a political party calls for a rally in Delhi, more than half the truckloads of people they get from villages do not know why they are here. They just know that they are being paid. And sitting here inside my comfortable home, yes, I am daring to say that most people in these mobs are not there for the reasons flashed on news channels.

So the man apologises for being politically incorrect. The 'victim' acts as the more sensible man and says that it is not an issue only to calm things down. Thank you.

But there is another politically incorrect thing that recently happened and it has not stopped making me sick. More so now that this issue came up. Karunanidhi's speech about Lord Ram. What was that? Take this as my Hindu sentiments, or know that I do not give a damn about whether Ram was in the Ramayana or Mahabharata, but I do not understand why nothing dramatic came to the streets after his speech. Are you telling me that the Sangha Parivaar does not have any more political power left AT ALL? Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that there should have been more riots. No. But why do the remarks of BJP leaders on this issue get written off as just another piece of crap from the Hindutva school. Because Karunanidhi is part of the ruling government today? Or no news channels are being influenced by the BJP today? He talks of "scientific, rational and progressive ideals" and development in the south! Ever heard of something known as a tsunami?

My concern, as all educated, sensible people's is that why do issues get blown out of proportion, why politicians can get away with whatever they want, why real issues are not even on their agendas, why all political parties in our country today are in reality on the same side, and for god's sake why can't people be more tolerant? We take pride in being multi-cultural. I am sorry that I do not get to see much of happy multi-culturalism around me. I hear of more of it in places like UK and the US. People here at least belong to the same country. Why do rascals with so-called power have no shame?

Deadly

I am not good at wording old things in a new way and that is probably why my blog was silent for even the last five days. And the only thing that is bothering me today is the word patience. I have been home for just over 20 days and it feels like eternity. It is not as if I have nothing to do, I should ideally have no time, but facing all those things that you have always avoided in one go is harder than I thought. My 2nd standard teacher had written a note in my report card - needs to practice division. I was seven years old then. I am three times that age today and feel like going back in time. And it is not just division. I remembered all my math teachers right from std. I to XII yesterday. God knows what made me a 'brilliant student' in school. I should never have been allowed to pass maths.
Of course the story does not end here. I have reasons galore to be frustrated. For instance, radio and TV. I could pick up my shoe and smash both of them. I can't imagine what older people must be going through while watching TV and those INTOLERABLE ads on it. I die. I really do. They just don't stop!!
There's more shit too but we'll not talk about it here.

Let's talk about the good things. The only good things in my life today - photography and photographs. I wonder where I was all these years. I should have known that it is my photoblog that will act as those 'comforting arms' three days ago. This is true love. And for a change I am receiving something too. Feels incredible. Makes me calm, I like it.
No, I'm not forgetting this blog. Never can. Just that I saved some people who read this space from a lot of senseless yelling while I was not here. You would have had to read words you would not have liked. So there you go, love is making me a kinder human being as well. Haina? :)

Okay. So I've given you your weekly Fuchsia dose. Check out myworldofpictures too, please. Made a few changes there and had loadsa fun. Hope you like it too. Thank you. :)

Delhi, My Home

Places I should know, and do know...
The Red Fort
The National Museum of Art
Safdarjung's Tomb
Qutub Minar
Paranthe wali gali
Iskcon Temple
Gurudwara Bangla Sahib
The Mehrauli Flower Market
Sai Baba Mandir
Cathedral of the Sacred Heart Church
The International Dolls Museum
Mughal Gardens

Can I add CP?

Still need to see...
The CP flower market
Lotus Temple
Humayun's Tomb
The Rail Museum
National museum of natural history
Modern Art Gallery
Jantar Mantar
Old Fort
...

I know tourists cover all this in a day or two, but I am taking ALL the credit for having done it (mostly) alone nonetheless. Makes me feel good.
My trips as well have been quite tourist-y so far. And I think those are necessary too. But I obviously need to see much more, and in far greater detail. So my fellow Delhiites, and Delhi lovers the same...please get the suggestions rolling and make my list as long as you can. :)

Waiting eagerly to see more of my Delhi! :D

Just a thought: One day I will make a similar post - "India, My Home" too. Do wait for that one. :)

PacMan!!

I played the game after about 14-15 months today. Had it in my old phone, and my limbs never got tired while playing. It's one of those very few games that I know of and have played. I think Mario was another. I never understood why people are crazy over PlayStation. Is it just as cool and addictive as PacMan? If it is, then I know what I'll buy with my next first salary. :P
Yayiii!!!

In Memory Of...

Toteya, manmoteya...
tu ais gali na aa;
Ais gali de jatt bure...
Te lende phaiyan pa.*

Ma happened to recite these lines today. Mati (my grandma) used to when I was very small. I think I heard them after about 12-13 years today. Would never have thought of coming across these words again. I didn't even know that I'd be able to remember them.

*It's just a little rhyming verse in Punjabi.

Qutab Minar & The Sun

Today was one of those days when I was all happy-jumpy without a reason. But shitty mood for two days was actually reason enough to be like this. So while I almost danced on my treadmill in the gym (there was music!), I also finally went to Qutab Minar. This trip was long overdue. Bad weather, non-existence of a good camera, lazyness being some of the factors for the delay. In fact, I had once earlier managed to go but was precisely five minutes late. The place shuts at sunset, and apparently that had already happened when I reached. Anyway.

So today I kept an eye on the sun throughout my little journey to Mehrauli. I thought it would be touch and go, but the guy at the ticket counter said that there's still at least another half hour to go. So I got comfortable. But this trip was unlike all my previous such outings. Shortage of time, the eagerness to take pictures, and a strange layout of the place made it a very weird trip. I didn't know where I was moving and what I was doing. The only thing I do remember, and probably a lot of other people would also remember is me running. I used to see the sun setting next to the Minar from the main road almost every day. And a picture of that was high on my agenda today. Last I saw the sun, it was still quite high. So I started wandering around. A few minutes passed and I realised that the sky was orange and pink. The sun ought to be setting. Where is it? Yeah, I know it's in the west and that is where the pretty rays are coming from too, but I don't see it! Where the fuckin' hell are you? Dude I can't see it. Uhh...kidhhaar? Phew! I went left, I went right, I walked out. I didn't see the sun. I couldn't get the frame I was dying for. Finally reached a point near the parking from where I could have seen that setting sun. The pani-wala confirmed that it is visible from there every day. But what do you know...I was again late. And maybe by not even five minutes this time! Pff!

You can see the tinge in the sky too?

Anyway. Did manage to get a few shots that I like. Did not like the place much. The Minar, of course was breathtakingly beautiful. But the surrounding area was okay-ish. I've seen better places. But I am glad to have finally visited the place. One more off my check-list. :-)

The rest of the pictures are on my Flickr page as usual.
See you around! :-)

"budum-bum-bisshh"

I tagged myself from Chitrangada's blog and did some selective answering. Here we go...

If I were a beginning,I would be: encouraging

If I were a tree, I would be: happy

If I were a musical instrument, I would be: the tabla

If I were an animal, I would be: a cow

If I were a vegetable, I would: not be green

If I were a sound, I would be: laughter

If I were a song, I would be: probably sung by some amazing voices of some hot guys

If I were a scent, I would be: fresh

If I were a religion, I would be: music

If I were a facial expression, I would be: a smile

If I were a subject in college, I would be: Floristry

If I were a quantity, I would be: difficult to measure

If I were a color, I would be: white

If I were a thing, I would be: the colour, green

If I were a book, I would be: easy to read

If I were a monument, I would be: boring

If I were an artist, I would be: a full-time dreamer

If I were a collection of poems, I would be: incomprehensible

If I were a watch, I would be: driving my boy friend crazy

If I were a theory, I would: definitely not be probability

If I were a cartoon, I would be: myself

If I were intoxication, I would be: of the opposite sex

If I were alone, I would be: quiet

If I were a question, then I would be: followed by another question

If I were a habit, I would be: the good one

If I were an end, I would be: simple

If I were you, I would be: ready to leave a comment

DONE! Fun as usual. Tag yourself if you like it. :-)
Copyright © Jayant Singh and Chandler Bing for the title. :P

Pardon Me (?)

Oh what do you know, something called Blogroll is still alive. The double starred thingi next to blogs' names is back. Maybe we should celebrate. Google Reader, anyone?

Call it 'death by chocolate' or sin, I have been indulging in it for nine consecutive days now. Care for some last bits of a still-fresh chocolate truffle cake?

100 pages of a novel in one go after almost two years. Maybe there should be an award for this too(?).

Idea sucked, Hutch sucked, and Airtel sucks too. Maybe it's just my phone, but don't you think I'd rather not pay bills than believe that it's my phone?

They say that a 2-bedroom house sold for Rs 65 lakhs. I think this "generation-Y" is expected to live on the streets in future. How will I ever build my house unless an IIM really takes me in the next academic year?

Someone says that my camera and I should get a room 'coz we're always all over the place, but don't you think I'd rather get that room in some place other than Delhi? Willing to sponsor a trip, someone?

People say that sitting in front of the computer for too long is not good for your back and neck, etc. But my muscular spasms came back as soon as I stopped spending continuous hours in front of the screen. Your expert comments...?

It's official...I'm becoming chic-like. I recently bought a floral print skirt(!) But I love myself too much to kill myself. And I won't let you kill me either. Doctor in the head says that I will be normal soon; there's no need to worry.

Dhishoom! :D

A new, asshol(e)ic instructor at the gym kept bugging me throughout my workout yesterday. I felt like punching him every time he came to check how many calories I was burning. Receiving trash for burning 105 instead of 120 calories, or being compared to an almost body-builder are not things that I can take. Whatever makes people think that they’re oh-so-smart!

Today I did burn those extra 50 calories and made it a point for him to see that too! But more than that, the sweat dripping off the edges of my hair felt kinda cool (and I do not mean literally). Ah. :P

Leaving the job is giving me time for this, at least.

This is how I talk...

When the mind goes numb...
And the thoughts don't flow;

When people diasppear...
And you don't care;

When the new guy is a control freak...
And you wanna say - "you S O B!";

When people act stupid...
And you bear the brunt;

When a new challenge begins...
And I am all set!