Gazing up the starry night, I wondered what to write? Since the time I decided to write this story, there has been a great deal of disappointment over one thing- the subject. From table-chairs to house, human beings to the damn world, everything crossed my mind but was never concretized. I was really disappointed. This is it? Is it the end? Before even getting started! I was still trying to find out the answer to this question. Standing in my balcony, with eyes lost in the sky, I sighed. My mind was empty. Nothing came. Then, suddenly, like a lightening bolt, a thought hit me. I was delighted at my ingenuity. A thing so near yet so distant. I finally got a subject to write upon- myself! Actually I never gave it a serious thought because I had never considered my life to be important enough to be discussed. But when you don’t have any other option, you have to choose the worst one. So, here is the story. Now it is up to the reader to decide whether it is a worthy or a worthless effort.
Once upon a time, there was a boy who was….lonely. Actually I wanted to use more adjectives to describe the character, but I decided against it. The reason behind this was that I do not want anyone to feel sorry about the boy or sympathize with him. This is an inherent human nature that someone’s plight always gains sympathetic feeling which I highly detest. I found the word lonely the most apt one. Being the only child, this loneliness was bestowed upon the child as a gift from God. But it never became a disadvantage. Maturity came as a natural consequence to it. He began thinking about the things and issues which, probably, were too trivial for other people and would have been bypassed. Since there were no friends, the thought process was focused. But he never realized that he was becoming a loner, an anti social animal. And when he realized this, the feeling started suffocating the blessed child. Then, to shed that nature and to make his parents happy, he broke the shell and moved out in the world where he could find some other beings like him. In other words, Friends. Till that time, he never knew what friendship really meant. Though he received a lot of love from his elders, but he never believed in returning. Being the only child and the centre of attraction, he became possessive. This became a serious hindrance when he entered into relationships.
When he moved out, the experience was very relaxing. He came across people who were very friendly and supportive. The sphere of being loved increased further. He cursed himself for being so late in enjoying the fruits of such a wonderful thing. Then came the moment he was waiting for. He finally found a Friend. Oh! The experience could not be explained in words. It was simply wonderful. Till then, he lived in his own world, made an imaginary friend with whom he talked and shared almost everything. But there was a feeling of emptiness. In that hollow, all he could hear was his own sound; all he could find was his own self. So, finding another soul was too exciting for him. Soon they became best of friends. Going to movies or college or just roaming around- he enjoyed everything. There were no hidden facts. They shared everything. There was complete transparency. At least, that was what the blessed child thought.
It came as a shock to him when he realized that the person whom he trusted most was deceiving him. He was a mere puppet in his hands. A use and throw kind of material. Those friendly facial expressions and gestures were a big lie. The ‘Friend’ never loved him (actually it is really harsh on my part to conceal details of what exactly happened. But since it is my first attempt in sharing the experience with you, the readers should forgive me. And since the incident is really close to my heart, there is an emotional block). So, moving ahead, the rosy picture suddenly became dark. He lost trust in everyone. The boy never believed what just happened. It took him a long time to recover. All the love, the friendship, was fake? He could not believe his bad luck. He cursed himself again. Then, as they say, life goes on; he left the past and the place behind and came to a new city. This time, it was his career which brought him here. Life took a full circle and he again found some new people- people who were again very supportive and friendly, people who needed friends. At least that’s what the boy again thought. But he forgot the deceitful behaviour again. ‘Never judge a person from his/her face value’- suddenly the words of wisdom struck his mind. He wondered why it happens with him. He always welcomed people with open arms and heart. He had never differentiated between different people. Probably his greatest mistake was trust. That he trusted a lot was the reason he suffered a lot. Here also he found people who reminded him of the same old best friend. This made him cautious. He started feeling restless. He wanted to run away. But one cannot run away from his own self. He regretted the time of coming openly to this world. Now he wanted to be alone, talk to himself, go back to his shell. He now wonders- Am I blessed or am I cursed?
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Saturday, February 10, 2007
God and Me
One day, I sat down to relax. With my eyes closed, I started recollecting the events of my life. I wanted to know how my life has progressed so far. I was feeling tired of struggling- struggling for food, struggling for home, struggling for peace, struggling for my life. The tensions around me started building up the pressure and I decided to quit- my job, my relationship, my spirituality everything. I wanted to quit my life! I went to the woods to have one last talk with GOD.
"O mighty one!" I said.” Can you give me one good reason not to quit?" The blue sky got covered with clouds. And a white, pure light straightway came from the clouds and covered me. It was so relaxing. As if a father has embraced his child to protect him from all the worldly evils. I kept on staring the light until I heard a baritone voice addressing me. His answer surprised me. "My child, look around", GOD said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?" "Yes", I replied. "When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo." GOD said.
"In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo see. I would not quit." GOD said. "Then, in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant. But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall. It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle." GOD said to me.
"Did you know that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots?" "I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you." "Don't compare yourself to others." GOD said. "The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern. Yet they both make the forest beautiful." "Your time will come", GOD said to me. "You will rise high"
"How high should I rise?" I asked."How high will the bamboo rise?" GOD asked in return."As high as it can?" I questioned"Yes.” GOD said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can."
Suddenly, the door bell rang, bringing me out of my slumber. I never realized when I fell asleep. It was hard to believe that I was actually dreaming. But, this dream was the most refreshing experience I ever had. It was me actually talking to GOD! O man!! I could not believe this. The experience can’t be explained in words. I am sharing this experience with you. I hope these words can help you realize that GOD will never give up on you. Remember, “A Diamond Is Just Another Coal Which Did Well Under Pressure.”
"O mighty one!" I said.” Can you give me one good reason not to quit?" The blue sky got covered with clouds. And a white, pure light straightway came from the clouds and covered me. It was so relaxing. As if a father has embraced his child to protect him from all the worldly evils. I kept on staring the light until I heard a baritone voice addressing me. His answer surprised me. "My child, look around", GOD said. "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?" "Yes", I replied. "When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. In the second year the Fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo." GOD said.
"In year three there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. In year four, again, there was nothing from the bamboo see. I would not quit." GOD said. "Then, in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant. But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall. It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle." GOD said to me.
"Did you know that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots?" "I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you." "Don't compare yourself to others." GOD said. "The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern. Yet they both make the forest beautiful." "Your time will come", GOD said to me. "You will rise high"
"How high should I rise?" I asked."How high will the bamboo rise?" GOD asked in return."As high as it can?" I questioned"Yes.” GOD said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can."
Suddenly, the door bell rang, bringing me out of my slumber. I never realized when I fell asleep. It was hard to believe that I was actually dreaming. But, this dream was the most refreshing experience I ever had. It was me actually talking to GOD! O man!! I could not believe this. The experience can’t be explained in words. I am sharing this experience with you. I hope these words can help you realize that GOD will never give up on you. Remember, “A Diamond Is Just Another Coal Which Did Well Under Pressure.”
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Baadshah vs Shehenshah
22 January 2007. 9 PM. KBC tritiya hit the screens of the television with Shahrukh khan as the quizmaster. And since then, one question has boggled the minds of almost every viewer- Who is a better host- SRK or Amitabh Bachchan? Both have a huge fan following. And it has become a challenge for Shahrukh to perform in Amitabh’s shoes. Supporters of Big B believe that SRK can never match the charisma and elegance of Mr. Bachchan who became the identity of the show and set the path which the show is still following.
But, Shahrukh has not lost the ground completely. He has changed the genre of the show through a music video, his cheeky humour, dimples and smile. He has also tried to give his own colour to the various popular phrases like Freeze in place of Lock, Kachcha kachcha pakka pakka instead of Confident and so on. Though these innovative ideas did not appeal to the psyche of the people at first but slowly, it is gaining popularity. Shahrukh has left all his stardom behind and is trying to connect to the masses. The hugs and kisses, gifting his Tag Heuer watch to a contestant because he cannot see anyone sad, prove the point. He has not completely followed the legacy of Mr. Bachchan but has given the show his own unique style unlike the earlier seasons of KBC which were sober and serious. The focus was on questions and the contestants instead of the trivial issues of their lives.
It certainly cannot have been a cakewalk for SRK. Beside the looming shadow of Big B and the viewer’s unshakeable reverence for him, he had had other hurdles to deal with. The format of the show for instance. The performance has to be within a given set of parameters like certain lines, certain kinds of formal suits. And all that got identified with the pioneer, Big B. So, Shahrukh had to do something different. So he is not trying too hard and just using himself as a performer and a crowd puller. He has introduced informality in the show. His formula is simple- talk more, rock the youngsters and entertain the viewers with jokes. He is acting like a friend rather than a father figure you are expected to respect. Shahrukh’s core constituency is youth and he has catered them well by choosing the music video as his entry.
But when it comes to choosing the winner among the two, I will certainly vote for Amitabh Bachchan. Not because he is an icon or he has been serving the film industry for 35 years but because he is the one who took the initiative and at the age of 55 years, made the show a super hit. He is the person who gave the programme a direction and status. Though the programme is an adaptation of ‘Who wants to be a Millionaire?’ but it is only due to Mr. Bachchan that the show was able to gain some ground among the Indian masses. Shahrukh still has a long way to go before he dethrones the Shahanshah. Till then, it’s an ongoing battle between the Badshah and the Shehenshah.
But, Shahrukh has not lost the ground completely. He has changed the genre of the show through a music video, his cheeky humour, dimples and smile. He has also tried to give his own colour to the various popular phrases like Freeze in place of Lock, Kachcha kachcha pakka pakka instead of Confident and so on. Though these innovative ideas did not appeal to the psyche of the people at first but slowly, it is gaining popularity. Shahrukh has left all his stardom behind and is trying to connect to the masses. The hugs and kisses, gifting his Tag Heuer watch to a contestant because he cannot see anyone sad, prove the point. He has not completely followed the legacy of Mr. Bachchan but has given the show his own unique style unlike the earlier seasons of KBC which were sober and serious. The focus was on questions and the contestants instead of the trivial issues of their lives.
It certainly cannot have been a cakewalk for SRK. Beside the looming shadow of Big B and the viewer’s unshakeable reverence for him, he had had other hurdles to deal with. The format of the show for instance. The performance has to be within a given set of parameters like certain lines, certain kinds of formal suits. And all that got identified with the pioneer, Big B. So, Shahrukh had to do something different. So he is not trying too hard and just using himself as a performer and a crowd puller. He has introduced informality in the show. His formula is simple- talk more, rock the youngsters and entertain the viewers with jokes. He is acting like a friend rather than a father figure you are expected to respect. Shahrukh’s core constituency is youth and he has catered them well by choosing the music video as his entry.
But when it comes to choosing the winner among the two, I will certainly vote for Amitabh Bachchan. Not because he is an icon or he has been serving the film industry for 35 years but because he is the one who took the initiative and at the age of 55 years, made the show a super hit. He is the person who gave the programme a direction and status. Though the programme is an adaptation of ‘Who wants to be a Millionaire?’ but it is only due to Mr. Bachchan that the show was able to gain some ground among the Indian masses. Shahrukh still has a long way to go before he dethrones the Shahanshah. Till then, it’s an ongoing battle between the Badshah and the Shehenshah.
Monday, February 5, 2007
INDIA…BEHIND THE SCENES
Society is a group of people who live and work together in harmony. The main aim is peace and growth. To ensure this, people have created a system that makes policies and programmes for the same. This system or body is known as Government. It is the primary role and function of the government to ensure proper resource allocation and to maintain egalitarianism. When this governing body does not perform the required functions properly and sincerely, there grows an unrest among people which affects the overall growth of the country. It becomes the duty for a group of people to act as pressure groups and make the govt. perform its duties through mass participation. Such groups are Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs).
It was this backdrop that was explained by an NGO- Centre for Civil Society (CCS) in our institute Pioneer Media School, New Delhi, where I am pursuing Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism (PGDJ). They have taken up such issues for making the govt. sensitive towards the requirements of the people and the various malpractices active in different govt. departments which affect their job status. CCS screened a few commendable documentaries for us filmed by some individuals highlighting the plight of different people involved in different professions.
The evening began with a documentary that highlighted the lives of various people involved in pre- Multiplex-era cinemas earning bread and butter on the meager share they receive by selling movie tickets at low prices. These people represented different age groups and social strata. If the growth of the multiplexes continues with the contemporary pace, the day would come when these cinema halls will have shutter down their business and resolve to begging alms. There is a need on the govt.’s part to adopt a balanced approach so that everyone could be benefited. This was followed by a documentary on the life of the rag pickers in the goldsmith’s area. Their tactics to extract gold through the cleansing and dusting of the ash is amazing. This was a new experience for us to come across an industry growing in this fashion. These people are dependent on the gold that they extract which fetches them around Rs.300-400/ day.
In the next documentary we saw the story of a courtesan named Zarina. This movie cleared all our doubts between Mujra and prostitution which of late have been made synonymous. It also traced the history of Zarina whose voice resembled with the legendary Beghum Akhtar. The story that followed suit was of the Elephants of Assam who are unemployed. Their primary work was loading and unloading the logs of wood and since Assam govt. has put a ban on timber trading, these elephants have become jobless. So, in order to save themselves from starving they have come to begging for exisence. Lastly, we saw the story of a man who left his village and agriculture and came to the city to earn his livelihood. But, again, due to govt. rules and regulations, he had to wash hands of his shop followed by his rickshaw. He again comes to his village only to realize that his father had passed away. So, this confers on him the total responsibility of his family. He takes a turn back to the city but the consequences of abject poverty and unemployment makes a beggar out of him. This situation is a result of the strict govt. regulations levied on its people.
After the documentaries, we understood the functioning of the NGO (CCS). They asked us to volunteer for them and made us aware about the various loopholes which the system has. They emphasized on the fact that if we come together and fight for our cause, we can make a difference. In the end, they distributed some fliers and pamphlets which talked about an internship programme with the NGO. These documentaries were really nice and helped us in finding our own perspectives towards seeing things differently. They gave us many things to think about and highlight so that we can make a difference and serve the people in a better manner.
It was this backdrop that was explained by an NGO- Centre for Civil Society (CCS) in our institute Pioneer Media School, New Delhi, where I am pursuing Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism (PGDJ). They have taken up such issues for making the govt. sensitive towards the requirements of the people and the various malpractices active in different govt. departments which affect their job status. CCS screened a few commendable documentaries for us filmed by some individuals highlighting the plight of different people involved in different professions.
The evening began with a documentary that highlighted the lives of various people involved in pre- Multiplex-era cinemas earning bread and butter on the meager share they receive by selling movie tickets at low prices. These people represented different age groups and social strata. If the growth of the multiplexes continues with the contemporary pace, the day would come when these cinema halls will have shutter down their business and resolve to begging alms. There is a need on the govt.’s part to adopt a balanced approach so that everyone could be benefited. This was followed by a documentary on the life of the rag pickers in the goldsmith’s area. Their tactics to extract gold through the cleansing and dusting of the ash is amazing. This was a new experience for us to come across an industry growing in this fashion. These people are dependent on the gold that they extract which fetches them around Rs.300-400/ day.
In the next documentary we saw the story of a courtesan named Zarina. This movie cleared all our doubts between Mujra and prostitution which of late have been made synonymous. It also traced the history of Zarina whose voice resembled with the legendary Beghum Akhtar. The story that followed suit was of the Elephants of Assam who are unemployed. Their primary work was loading and unloading the logs of wood and since Assam govt. has put a ban on timber trading, these elephants have become jobless. So, in order to save themselves from starving they have come to begging for exisence. Lastly, we saw the story of a man who left his village and agriculture and came to the city to earn his livelihood. But, again, due to govt. rules and regulations, he had to wash hands of his shop followed by his rickshaw. He again comes to his village only to realize that his father had passed away. So, this confers on him the total responsibility of his family. He takes a turn back to the city but the consequences of abject poverty and unemployment makes a beggar out of him. This situation is a result of the strict govt. regulations levied on its people.
After the documentaries, we understood the functioning of the NGO (CCS). They asked us to volunteer for them and made us aware about the various loopholes which the system has. They emphasized on the fact that if we come together and fight for our cause, we can make a difference. In the end, they distributed some fliers and pamphlets which talked about an internship programme with the NGO. These documentaries were really nice and helped us in finding our own perspectives towards seeing things differently. They gave us many things to think about and highlight so that we can make a difference and serve the people in a better manner.
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