Tuesday, December 10, 2013

I Never Loved The City!

I remember when I was in school, I had a habit of saying my school was worse than others’ because of some useless comparison. When I left the school I had tears in my eyes like everyone after cursing it for years. The bottom point is many of the times we realize the values about something after we lose that thing. Same principle can be applied when I see my current city of residence that is Trichy!

Two and half years back when I got an admission into National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirapalli, the first thing I entered into Google was ‘weather’ of Trichy. Alas, not a single result gave me a satisfactory answer. Some quoted it is just unpredictable. Yes, it is. One cannot predict when there will be rains or when exactly you need to use your blankets. Thanks to my dad’s working place, Indian Bank, that I had an opportunity to visit more than twenty cities before coming to Trichy. I have memories of all the cities like the regional food or some specific places there. But I am sure that when I will leave this place I am going to forget about everything in few months, because I never felt special about anything here.

When our super seniors visit our college they feel nostalgic and get senti about the life in Trichy, though I am sure that their life also sucked here like mine. But few days back I was sitting jobless and a thought crossed my mind that it is going to be like my school, I will also feel nostalgic when I will leave Trichy. So I tried to count memorable things about Trichy and I found a lot of things. I still laugh when I pass this place called ‘Malakkoil’ on our way from college to railway junction where there is a temple on a small hill. When I was coming here for the first time with my dad, I only heard that there is a very famous temple here called Rockfort. I considered Malakkoil as rockfort when I saw it, later I found out that rockfort is ‘Malakotta’, temple on a big hill. We have one more popular temple called Srirangam, rather it’s a city in itself. I visited it for the sake of photography but was really surprised by its space. I wondered how many Hiranandani’s or Lokhandwala’s can be built there.

I can’t forget the nights when I sleep with fan speed at maximum and wake up at minimum, sometimes a blanket on me. All the IITs have dhaba in there outer premises, it can be found in every other novel by any IITian. We also have four-five dhabas outside and four canteens inside campus, but still we have been to almost all the restaurants of the city, no matter what they serve. And let me tell you I never ate ‘ghee roast’ before, this discovery definitely belongs to Tamilnadu. I never had traveled twenty three kilometers by bus in just four rupees. Sometimes in my first few months we just used to take a bus in search of new place for dinner. Last but not the least Trichy and its people’s affection for English. Perhaps it is because of tourist places, but almost everyone understands some English and it always reminds me that English is truly a business language for Indians! Still I will say I never loved the city and will never love but I have started liking it.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Book Review: Let’s Talk Money by Akhil Khanna



Title: Let’s Talk Money
Author: Akhil Khanna
Publisher: Times Group Books
No. of Pages: 174
Price: INR 250


Inside the Book: This book was really a nice read as I am interested in economics and finance. But I am still at learning and amateur stage. So this book may help you to pick a direction. The author has discussed every tricky term in the area of investments and savings in such a simple and interesting language taking examples from everyday life. If you are a student planning to take a course in economics or finance, if you are a beginner and want to save some money now and get bigger benefits in future then this book is the perfect beginning for you.


You will never drop this book once you get a clear idea about inflation and deflation in very first chapter. The author started with introduction to some tricky but basic terms related to our income, property, stocks etc. Then he further described about economics environment on global level, risks to investments and various types of insurance. Author did not forget to brief about the world financial crisis happened in 2008.


You can also use this book as your investment guide. There is no need to read the book in sequence. If you want to know about car loans then read the specific part and you will be happy to get your doubts cleared. My father is a banker and he also found the book very useful and apt for the common people with minimum knowledge of correct investments. One quote which caught my attention and I have it on my tongue: “It is not important what one earns; true wealth is what one manages to keep”.


My Review: As I mentioned before, you will never find a book with such a simple language to understand some basic terms in economics and finance. People generally consult their financial advisors when their CA tells them to make some investments to save the tax. But it is better to know about what you are investing in. Talking about the language used by the author, I can say only one thing that beginners who are learning English starts with Hindustan Times before turning to Indian Express or The Hindu. It is the same situation here. If you want to get excelled, it is a perfect beginning. And you are just looking for investments then just have it as your guide. Happy reading!


Rating: 4/5
The book was received as a part of Reviewers Programme on The Tales Pensieve

Friday, July 12, 2013

When Strangers Meet by K. Hari Kumar

Title: When Strangers Meet..
Author:  K. Hari Kumar
Publisher: Srishti Publishers
No. of pages: 206
Price: INR 100



About the story: This is a story of every Indian child today, especially those who live in urban areas and have options of loads of colleges to become an engineer or a doctor. Author has narrated one such story of spoilt Delhi lad, Jai who lives with a dream to become an established actor in Bollywood one day. First he fights with his girlfriend who knows that her boyfriend is going on a wrong track. But he doesn't care for anyone at that moment. His father tries to get him a seat in some random engineering college in management quota.

After such a mental torture to follow his father’s path the boy leaves home to pursue his dream. When he reaches at the metro station he has to wait in resting room due to delayed trains. There he meets Hussain and Iyer. Iyer is a character based on tamil civilian. The author gave him a look and character of typical Madrasi who used to give free advises to others. Somehow Iyer starts to narrate his own story to the boy and he finds Iyer’s story very similar to his own disastrous life. By the time you will find all this drama very annoying and uninteresting to read it further. Because it’s a very simple story which you don’t want to read in form of a novel.

But going after few more pages the author regains his pace. Now you will decide to finish the novel to discover the end of the story. Iyer’s story ends before your expectations and the main story again come to present. And suddenly it unfolds the suspense. It leaves you stunned about the possibility of such an end. I really could not find the motto of introducing Hussain’s character in the story. After too much introduction author has used Hussain only to unfold the mystery which leaves you unsatisfied and unanswered.

The story is not so suspenseful but it’s a simple and easy to predict story-line. Such type of end can only happen where some of you leave your passion and dreams for a career chosen by your parents. And if it happens in almost every family in India then readers really don’t want to recall their not so happy life through a novel which they read for mere entertainment.

My review: If you search my blog you will find an article on Indian novels which cost less than hundred bucks where I had written about the quality of content in such novels. The English used in this novel can be reached to a level above as Indians’ level of English has attained a new height. But after all it’s a debut novel. Two words which describes this novel: ‘good attempt’. Every author improves himself with his every book. We know some popular Indian names whose work has reached abroad.

The only reason for which I recommend this book is Iyer’s tale. Author has become successful in finding your point of interest and this tale doesn't let you leave the book in between. If you have stuck in a traffic then go for this book, it will help to reduce your frustration with its simplicity. Happy reading!


Rating: 2.5/5
The book was received as part of Reviewers Programme on The Tales Pensieve.

Sunday, June 30, 2013

A Confused Indian Voter


Vote for Narendra Modi! Oh! I am not convincing you to vote for one of the most successful chief ministers so far but many social media campaigns are running for Narendra Modi. I am not denying that he is one of the best. But does he really have solutions for all your problems? Shall we get rid of current situation if we ‘vote for Modi’? Such common question are coming in my mind.

When you read articles in newspapers, discuss local politics in trains and buses and try to become a responsible voter, you have to consider only one factor and that is ‘who is going to develop and maintain your electoral area’ without concentrating on national politics. But if we vote according to this criterion, the results can be different. Obviously there are voters belonging to minority groups and election candidates spend upto crores to distract them. But still your vote matters. Considering scams and various weird economical decisions, people seek a change in government. At least BJP core thinks like that. But what if people would have forgotten Suresh Kalmadi or A. Raja, we have to suffer one more term under these fake leaders where decisions are taken by one and they are represented by others.

So If I choose not to vote UPA and their allies, what options I have. I can vote for either NDA or third front or independent candidates. The major problem creators in congress or BJP government are their allies. All the allies have their specific group of voters and they only think for their development which is not wrong in a sense but it is affecting the growth of India. Again coming to the subject, if I really choose to vote for Modi then I have to vote for their ally in Mumbai, Maharashtra which is like hanging sword on my head. I really have spoken for this political party from my childhood, seeing their efforts for people of Maharashtra but when I think in broader way I see many faults and setbacks in development. Mumbai could be much better and maintained till now which is not. Considering first point of this discussion I can’t vote either UPA or NDA now.

We also have got a considerably   good option of abstain which can be chosen if you feel that no candidate is good for the betterment of your area. If you see the statistics, maximum 100 people go for this option and don’t get any results at the end. Electoral commission may not even consider these votes in front of thousands which are surely enough to win one of the not so eligible candidates. Again I cannot go for this option. So now I can vote for either third front or independent candidates. Very few, say 1 percent, independent candidates are really ready to wok and trustworthy. Others simply take their share to join the government, obviously if they manage to win. I am happy that I have reached at single option that is third front. Third front is very weird as it sounds. There is no bonding or construction of their alliance in third front. So If I consider that third front is going to win which is as impossible as the end of this world on 21st December, 2012; I doubt they can manage to run their government for even six months. There is one more option which I did not include in the discussion knowingly, the rising Aam Aadmi party. Many months have passed since their formation but there is not a declaration of any strategy towards 2014. I consider that all these parties will come forward and will give a good reason to choose one of them next year.


Saturday, June 15, 2013

Book Review – “Dark Pursuit- The Lost Shinmahs”



Title:  Dark Pursuit- The Lost Shinmahs

Author:  Kevan Dinn

About the story: I like to read books. I am a weird type of reader. Either I lose myself in history or biographies or fictions which make you bite your nails. I love those authors and their work which don’t allow me to leave their book before completing. What will be your reaction if all the above expectations are satisfied in single novel? Yes, here I am talking about Kevan Dinn’s debut entry in the world of historical fictions: Dark Pursuit- The Lost Shinmahs.

I left the book only after completion with four mugs of coffee in a row. It is a story of a family of Shinmahs, the people with uncommon mental prowess who were considered as the saviors of this world from the threats from the dark warlord Khomer. The story is based on one such family of shinmahs who hide their child from the truth of their unbelievable power. One day they forecast the threats and obstacles coming in their lives in future and leave their small town to move towards Liguanea under the reason of higher skills development of their child.

But their journey gets adventurous day by day. It is the thrilling story of their reactions to the attacks which follow them throughout journey. The boy is the center attraction of the story when he comes to realize about his powers and he learns to use them by the time. You can pick this first novel of the series of four to start the journey with shinmahs with number of twists and surprises. You will crave for the next one once you finish this one.

My Review: This book has a rating of 3.86/5 on Goodreads which is nothing but a stamp mark on this review. The style of writing is fresh and it will never disappoint you in the area of excitement for the twists. One really cannot expect such a level from debut Indian author.

First I got confusion when I read the word shinmah but when I started the book the word came as a very interesting concept which was opened very slowly in the story as interesting as opening of Saussuria Obvallata, Brahm Kamal.

Today many authors are succeeding in historical fictions and Kevan’s this book is matching the level of popular novelists, Here I suggest you to read the book and start guessing the plot of next novel. The price of the novel is very cheap compared to its level of content. Go for it and happy reading!

Rating: 4/5 (A good read)

The book was received as part of Reviewers Programme on The Tales Pensieve.

Monday, May 27, 2013

Ring The Bell

This world doesn't change after differentiating good or bad. There are still the sub categories. In broader sense the good people can be divided in two groups further. Most of the good people belong to ‘Change Seekers’, who go to India gate to protest, to light candles; who burn off their frustration on social websites; or some join campaigns by going one step ahead. The second sub category plays the major role and that belongs to those people who make the changes happen. These people are few in millions, hard to highlight. But I appreciate some campaigns like Ring the bell, MARD, Indi Change, Bell bajao and few more. What I wish is that these campaigns should not be stopped after a while. The first mentioned campaign by breakthrough is donating some money to the villages in Bihar for this blog post, hence feel good while reading this.

Everyone has noticed that some monsters are again and again showing their heads in little course of time. It is not like the pillars of humanity fell in December and suddenly some found evil in them. Such things are happening from Stone Age. Even our mythology can’t deny it.  So it can be kidnapping of Sita or shameful behavior of Kauravas with Draupadi. It is a fact that some men are going crazy. Hence the need of the hour is to find some solutions to bring violence against women to a halt. Obviously I am not interested in designing cloths for women which cover head to toe. We have to brainstorm and find some practical solutions here.

The major loss I found from the back to back incidents of violence is the campaigns about saving the girl children totally stopped. People either lacked their interest or scared. First of all we have to restart these campaigns in full swing. It is a long term solution though. Let every boy in India have a sister. Let them respect and love the women from childhood. The second thing is that we should keep our next generation away from any coward incident which can leave strains on their minds. It can be small fights, but don’t display them. Better solution is not to have any fights. Here my point is children grow mostly like their parents, friends, teachers and role models. They will act like you. If you check the records of the parents of accused in recent incidents, you will find some flaws. These devils are burning Lanka with the sparks created in their surroundings. I won’t stop saying that education is the only way to bury the evil in us.

I had some long term solutions above. We have to think now to save our generation. Almost everyone is demanding for the stricter laws as correct they are. But it won’t be enough though. The mental state of the accused was not normal while playing the coward act. Stricter laws will scare them. But they will find their ways as always. I can see some ways, feeling speechless though. When you don’t have a control on one side then you have to take care of the other. Until the police, stricter laws and the above mentioned campaigns take time to hunt down the cowards, I have a message for women and that is ‘Be Strong’. Learn the self defense.The flaws start with the solution. One girl cannot tackle with the higher number. So try to stay in groups, have some trustworthy friends around with you. All my opinions or yours stop at one point when it comes to not yet women, extremely young girl children. Those incidents kill our thinking system. Here I will only request all the mothers not to leave their daughters with ANYONE until they are ready with the self defense.


So my friends, I won’t stop to think about this and expect the same from you. There are many good things to do in life than just to vote good answers on Quora. You better find your own answers and can write them in the comments below. We can have a good discussion. Or you can visit www.bellbajao.org and can go real.

It doesn't matter whether you are a male or a female, be a MARD!

Sunday, May 19, 2013

You Can Live Longer!


Yes, you read it right. You can live longer nowadays. Yesterday I was reading about the technological development in healthcare and I came to find some hard to believe ways to live longer. Nowadays modern healthcare industry is growing fast and researchers are getting results for the efforts they have put in for hundreds of years.
Indians have been very innovative and brilliant in the healthcare areas from the very ancient period of Aryans and Dravidians. We can find the surgery techniques in Vedas. Yoga also grew on the roots of Indian culture. But as the centuries of years were passing on, these healthcare techniques failed to reach the common people. People were dying with shortage of facilities and more effective healthcare techniques. But past 10-15 years were really crucial in this industry and at the end some really sweet fruits ripen. Apollo hospitals bring the entire modern healthcare at our doorstep. I really want my reader friends to have well informed about some of the ways to stay updated.
                                                                                                                                                                   
Medical Tourism: Some words are always sticken with the word tourism and those are fun, friends, family and many more. But this term of medical tourism is new to world. When we successfully come out of any disease or health problems, doctors suggest us to visit some hilly places to get back on the track. This is really not a type of medical tourism. According to wikipedia, it is patient movement from highly developed nations to other areas of the world for medical care, usually to find treatments at a lower cost.

Robotic Surgery: Sounds like sci-fi. Robotically assisted surgery was developed to overcome the limitations of minimally invasive surgery and to enhance the capabilities of surgeons performing open surgery.

Yoga: It is more like a business now. And westernited added glamour to it. But it is a true face of modern Indian healthcare. You can really live longer by doing yoga. Thirty minutes a day, keeps you fresh all day.


Modern healthcare gadgets:



At the end of the day, you can prosper in life only if you have 100% clearance from your health.




Saturday, April 27, 2013

The story of a missing ticket!



I still remember the date. It was an usual sunny day in May 2012. I was just packing my bags for the two months long summer vacations. It was also the end of my first year of engineering. I just wanted to run away from Trichy considering two things, one I was no more a junior after that day and secondly I was never a victim of forty five degree Celsius of temperature before. Packing was one of the tough job for me because my mother used to help me in such things.

I came to remember to buy some necessary things and some snacks at the last hour. Also I had to take the printout of my ticket. Though Indian railways had allowed the sms tickets from that month, you should have a backup in India as unexpected things were always waiting for us. I rushed to shopping center and got those things. When I reached at hostels, the cab driver was already there dialing my phone number again and again. Tamilians are born punctual and I had to install the ‘punctuality’ in my system later. I had only five minutes to get my all things if I wanted to reach the railway station on time. My roommate was not there in the room. So I took one paper and wrote greetings to him and sticked it on the wall and left the hostel after fifteen minutes.

The cab driver never stopped blabbering and it was actually scaring me that I would not make it. The traffic accelerated my heart beats. There was an announcement of my train when I reached. I kept the change with the cab driver and hurried towards the platform. The AC coach was too far to take chance. Hence I got into one of the sleeper coaches and started to move only after the train started to run. First I thanked my luck for getting me into the train. Finally I reached at my allotted seat and I settled the luggage. The TT came after two hours to check the tickets. I proudly took out my smartphone and showed him. He gave me a dirty glance and started blabbering in Tamil. I requested for the English and he explained me. The pan card number registered for the verification was wrong. Obviously it was! As the ticket was booked by my friend and he would have entered his number.

The TT agreed to allow me in the train only if I submitted the print copy of the ticket as a token of proof. I breathed deeply and opened a pouch to give him the ticket. Unfortunately the ticket was not there. Again I received the dirty look! He gave me some time to search the ticket till he finished all the checking. I took more than a hour but the ticket was nowhere. I checked each and every corner. I tried to remember all the things I did that day sequentially. But I was damn sure that I kept the ticket in my pouch as I believed so. The TT came again and said that he used to meet people like me everyday who try to fool the system. My throat was cold enough not to speak anything. I convinced him a lot. But as usual Tamil people who are nothing but the masters of discipline are hard to melt. I agree that discipline is necessary in our life till it looks like a punishment. The TT told me that practically I boarded the train without a ticket. So I had to pay three thousand and five hundred rupees for that booked seat of mine. I counted the cash and it was only two thousand bucks. He offered me a seat in sleeper class with a sarcastic smile like he had succeeded to find out one more fraud. Again I moved all the luggage to sleeper class. I did not even have money to buy meals. First I finished all the snacks with me. Then I controlled myself from the smell of food from the pantry car which I used to hate usually. But It was tempting that day. One old couple shared their food with me in the night. I took their phone number to express my gratitude later.

Finally I reached my home and my mother cooked delicious dishes every day. But I could not forget the incident. The two months flew away shortly and I once again returned to college with three print copies of ticket this time. As I entered into my hostel room all the things were there as before. My roommate was yet to come. The message on the wall got my attention which I had written for my roommate. “Hey, enjoy your holidays and make them memorable. So that you can pass next four months in this hell by remembering the memories. Bye. Have a happy and safe journey!” I tore that paper and whoa!!
It was my missing TICKET!

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Melodies!


From last 9 months ‘Pani da Rang’ is on no. 1 in my most played list. The category of melody songs changes from person to person. Many people prefer different songs for different moods, like me. I have number of playlists in my winamp which I play according to my mood. Generally I prefer new songs because ARR, Shankar-Ahsaan-Loy and just new Amit trivedi are doing really good. Sometimes I like listening Vishal Bharadwaj’s crunchy songs. But only some of them are real melodies. Melodies are like Sunday brunch, where you get everything; music, lyrics, soothing voice of a singer. If you are really in search of melody then download Global gear by Punya Srinivas. I bet that you won’t put down your headphones before listening it at least 10 times.

The real melodies are Hindi old songs. I used to feel bore while listening them in my childhood. But my father used to play them in early morning. What a wonderful start of a day it was! I was suggested to concentrate on lyrics. I tried and fell in love with them forever. You will enjoy them more if you sing them with your friends. My all-time favourite is ‘Ajeeb dastan hai yeh’ by Lata Mangeshkar. I felt pleased when I heard ‘Meethi boliyan’ from Kai Po Che. Our future generations won’t disappoint to play relatively old hindi songs.

How can we forget Marathi composers and singers! They are born to create melodies. But few are really following Bollywood music which is not a good sign. The first melody comes to my mind that is ‘Jiv rangala’ from Jogava followed by ‘Khel Mandala’ from Natarang. Marathi musicians are nothing but magicians. Ajay, Atul are like cherry on the dessert. If I share my Marathi songs’ playlist here you will run away. Marathi songs are the only way through which I feel connected to my family, my state Maharashtra, my language Marathi and our Marathi soil.

Here comes the largest pool of English melodies. I am very choosy about English songs. I can’t bear each and every English song. Some female singers really have god given marvellous voice. But they really don’t care about lyrics, see Taylor Swift. Her compositions are really awesome except lyrics. I like Enrique (though I am a boy), Katy Perry, Rihanna, Bryan and some more are there whose names are difficult to remember. Sometimes I prefer ‘US top 100’ list and it helps. I really liked this no lyrics music concept which they put it in their movies. I salute Hans Zimmer for his lovely creations. You just turn on Hans Zimmer melodies, put on head phones, close your eyes and remember the good time.

 I can’t imagine our life without music. I feel heavenly on earth. These songs motivate me; they cry and smile with me. Like Demi Lovato and Norah Jones helped me to write this post!

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Hidden Monsters


Imagine if one of your close ones would not able to reach home because some heartless bastards planted a bomb in nearby area. When I try to stand in the place of victim’s close ones, I freeze there. I cannot shout, I cannot cry, practically I cannot do anything. When I read the Hyderabad blasts news I missed a heartbeat. It’s not new for Mumbai people, but we can’t be happy just because terrorists are concentrating on other cities. If we really can’t do anything after receiving alerts and threats again and again, then it’s time to wave the white flag.

Our government is thinking that they have given a strong message by hanging Kasab and Afsal Guru. The people who are destroying their present for the afterlife ahead don’t scare of death. If you catch one fish, they will target fifty. It is a fact. This is a time to find the roots and throw them in hell. And this warning is coming again and again. My brain starts fading when I estimate the number of people like Ajmal Kasab present in today’s world. There is no dare to attack from behind, but anyone willing to do so then you have to keep your two eyes in your behind.


Our home is the only place where we feel safe. But suddenly I am not feeling safe in India. And if you have daughters or you are a female, then its worst to imagine. Even two-three year old girl children are not safe. We are campaigning for saving the girl child at one side and these monsters are growing in numbers day by day. I am not writing this article to show my frustration, though I am frustrated. I want to tell one and all that there is a hidden monster in everyone. But you have to learn to keep it hidden. Here I request Indian law system to introduce some stricter laws. So that if some hidden monsters show their heads then we will able to pat on their heads stopping their growth.

Again coming to terrorism, I figured out that some right wing Hindu activists think that it’s their job to alarm government by giving violent messages. Obviously they are thinking wrong. But it’s a waste of time to target those activists every time instead of acting on alerts. Speaking about terrorists groups located in neighbor countries or in our own country, there is only one mantra to tackle with them. Keep those hidden monsters at peace by acting like US and literate their future generations, help them, feed them. Good ethics and upbringing is the only way to keep their hidden monsters at peace.





Saturday, January 12, 2013

I Too Have a Life: A Short Story


It was the first day of my school. I was just crying like other cry-babies. My parents were busy getting me ready and I was wondering why they were hurrying to send me away from them. And suddenly I heard my name. Someone was shouting, “Sherly come down fast!” I panicked thinking my dad had called some men to get me. Then my mother introduced me to Ramu uncle who was looking not so happy after calling my name number of times. He gave me a quick big smile to change my crying look. But I was still frozen refusing to leave my mother. Finally I got a deal to get a Barbie doll and finally I got into the auto rickshaw.
                                                                                                                 
The first day experience was really unforgettable. It was my first step into this big world with so many strangers of my age. I was good at making friends and hence I started enjoying the things. And Ramu uncle was always there to entertain us. As I was growing older I came to know many things about Ramu uncle. My elder brother Sumit used to go to school with Ramu uncle’s auto rickshaw. He had two children, one daughter and a son. My dad used to chat with him about his everyday life and also helped him financially many times. He also never forgot to show us gratitude. He used to come at our home with his family on some occasions like Ganapati festival and Diwali. Once my mother told me how my brother punched Ramu uncle on his first day at school and I failed to hold my laugh though I felt sorry for Ramu uncle.

We really had nice time in our auto rickshaw journey. Everyone was a fan of Ramu uncle and his Bollywood songs collection. He used to give us a treat on the end of our every semester exam. I was growing older and moved up to 10th standard. Everyone else in my auto rickshaw group found their own way to come to school. Some chose bicycle or a scooter and some were simply coming by the bus. But I stick to auto rickshaw as my parents were refusing to let me go by scooter for some safety reasons. My brother was doing engineering that time. I and one more girl named Sneha were the only seniors left in the auto rickshaw.

I had my last board exam on that day. Ramu uncle was there to pick me after the exam. I was very happy. I was feeling like I was on cloud 9. Sneha went with her dad and I was alone in the auto rickshaw. But I wasn’t caring about the world. I was planning many things to celebrate two months vacations. Ramu uncle offered me a treat and I said yes to follow the tradition. By the time I realized that we were heading on a wrong way. As I warned Ramu uncle, he said he had a big surprise for me. He treated me with burger and ice-cream. We took the same path later because Ramu uncle had known some shortcut. That shortcut led us to non-residential area outside the city.

Two days had passed since my last board exam. But I wasn’t able to sleep for a second. The monster part of the Ramu uncle came out that day. What if someone would have done the same thing to his daughter? Why did not I refuse to get that treat and simply returned to home? And many more questions were rushing to my mind. I felt really sorry for all women who faced the similar mental and physical torture before. It was just not the sexual harassment or so called an accident but it was a moral attack on my whole family. Finally I talked with my mother and she fell on the ground in shock. Sumit bhaiya turned into angry protecting brother and called some of his friends to bring hockey sticks and went to beat Ramu uncle. My dad just stood there in silence and was continuously watching me without a movement of his eyelid. He hugged me and said that everything was going to be alright. He gave me the strength but could not resist crying when he was in bed.

Finally I got justice and Ramu uncle sent to jail for twenty years with non-bailable punishment. Everyone offered me sympathy but the world did not change a little. It affected only one life and it was me. I went for a makeover and achieved my doctorate in public policy. After all I too had a life and I did not have a right to end it by myself.

Today I run one of the most successful NGOs in India called ‘Save Girl, Save Future’. Yesterday I went to visit a village in Haryana. I decided to meet their sarpanch first to get his help. He sarcastically asked me a direct question, “Why should we grow our daughters, ma’am? So some monsters can have their benefits.” It went to my heart like an arrow. He was speaking a truth. I have noticed the rape cases increasing every year after my incident. I chose to be silent. Then two beautiful girls came out of his house with tea and some snacks. He introduced me to his daughters. I asked him surprisingly that why he chose to grow his daughters. And he said simply, “To make them like you and help others’ daughters”. Finally my tears found their way to come out.


Wednesday, January 9, 2013

A Life in AUDI Q5


This is the story of every Indian middle class young in today’s world. When he starts to step in the canvas shoes and join a school to cross the phase of literacy his parents start daydreaming and imagine their child in every possible uniform. Such fancy dress competitions come into their mind several times until their child chooses one of them. This is not their fault. If everyone is running in a race then it is natural to feel that our child should also take part in the race and always try to lead it.


What actually the child thinks. When his father drops him to the school on a scooter, he notices only the students who come in cars and wish to come in a car one day. The students in cars always think to come by bigger and luxurious cars. And they follow this trend in everything they use in everyday life. Eventually they get inducted to the disease called comparison. They take part in many competitions and try their best to come first. Those, who fail, start to prepare for the next and this goes on. As they grow, their dreams also show maturity. They step into the bigger world with growing number of greedy competitors.

Many dreams get trashed by the parents or sometimes the children themselves refuse to follow their capabilities and they choose maximum money giving career. There was my one friend who was preparing for IIT entrance exam. He always wanted to become an IAS officer. Once I asked him the reason behind choosing the different track and he simply stated that he was fulfilling his father’s dream and he was going to study for IAS after completing his engineering. What a trap that was!

Everyone has a clear idea about their goals by the end of the school life. Everyone decides to become a recognized doctor, engineer, businessman or at most a lawyer and get a bungalow or a sea face flat in Mumbai or luxurious one with well architecture in Gurgaon. Then buy a luxurious car, Audi Q5 in my case. They just want to throw this middle class life and want to be a millionaire in one night. But sometimes our own expectations kill our dreams.


Some fail at very first step and the number increases as they go further. Then also they don’t stop expecting, but reality comes on their way slowly and they start to reduce the number of goals. They dream of a luxurious flat without architecture. The car gets smaller. Their so called FUTURE plans become future plans. Once I met a friend who failed in almost every competition in his life and I was keen to know his future plans. According to him, the only way to live a luxurious life in his situation is to sell everything he has and buy his dream car, say Audi Q5 and spend his remaining life in it which was still impossible and virtual.



I found only conclusion from this and that is to stop expecting and start living.

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