The Independence Day Address

A comparison of Pt. Nehru’s to Mr. Singh’s address to the nation on the Independence Day in the year 1947 and 2011 respectively, is a clear reflection of the deterioration in the standard of a country who’s history is long, rich and colored with the hues of celebration and devastation. By stating this I don’t mean to take a shot at Mr. Singh’s character. I believe he is a very learned and scholarly man. Nor do I do I intend to compare him to Pt. Nehru because that wouldn’t help anyone’s cause. What I mean is Mr. Singh’s lack of presence. His ability, or rather inability, to draw attention and  command respect, are the least of which one would expect from a man who represents a Nation as large as ours. His timidness and lack of confidence in the words he utters only add to the already ailing image of the Congress and our great country.

The Prime Minister’s address to the Nation on the Independence Day is probably the most significant speech of their entire career, nay their life! It is one that could make you go down in history! But Mr. Singh chose to keep his make over a hundred school children sit in the rain while he droned for half an hour about how “his government” in the past has accomplished so and so tasks and about the bills that “his government” will bring out in the future for the betterment of the people. What makes it worse is that it actually sounded like a press statement of a government after being struck by a calamity. If you will, a means of letting out his frustrations of FINALLY being able to talk after being tight-lipped while the media kept throwing questions at him. I’m sorry Mr. Prime Minister, but that was a justification of “your government’s” work, not an Independence Day address.

I’ve always envisioned the address to be THE ONE that can move and inspire the people who hear it. Something that is repeated for years to come! One that applauds the Nation and her people for the accomplishments. One that mourns the losses suffered. But also one that enables the people to envision a future that is bright. One which people aspire to live up to or endeavor to achieve. One that instills and emboldens the confidence of the people in the person that they chose to lead them. One that is a celebration of the Nation and all that she represents. One that is the cause of envy for every Prime Minister gone by and something to outshine for future aspirants of the coveted position. I believe it is the best platform and opportunity for one to remind the people of who they are and where they belong while instilling in them pride and love for their country.

In this context, for anyone who takes pride in being an Indian, it is indeed a shame to see that Mr. Singh is how we represent ourselves to the world. This is how the World sees us, as a timid Nation with nothing but defense and justification for everything that’s thrown our way. It makes you think, if the government truly is “Of the people and by the people” then isn’t this WHO we are?

A Moment of Madness

Liberating! The exhilarating moment in which your craving is satisfied. The merest of indulgences into our hearts most ardent desires leaves us all feeling more gratified than we ever have been. Or so we think. Sometimes the urge to satisfy our needs becomes so great as to blind us to all rhyme and reason. We become so gripped and impassioned that all else disappears. It becomes a primal want and we resort to all ends to quench it. We don’t pause to consider the repercussions of our actions. So intoxicated do we get by the heady concoction of these emotions that we lose our ability to think, nay, be human. These emotions when run unabated manipulates you into doing something so completely out-of-character that you later look into the mirror and ask the person staring back at you, “Did I really do that?” But do you deserve punishment for your impassioned crime? The debate stirs up every time a high profile figure in caught indulging red-handed.

One action does not make the man. One act of kindness does not always serve to wipe out an era of cruelty. And yet we say actions make a man. Does that mean he deserves punishment? Or does reprimanding him for his offence, as he pleads for a chance to redeem himself, suffice? How far does one act go to change everything he ever strived for in life. Should his one deed dictate how he should live the rest of his life?

‘Look before you leap’, perhaps one of the most fundamental lessons of life. One that has been passed down for generations. Yet how many of us follow it? Each day we make a hasty decision only to rue over it later. Sometimes our mistakes are negligible and at other they leave an indelible mark on our lives. We are left clutching at the piece that used to be our life. We spend endless hours berating and chiding ourselves for that “small error in judgment”, wondering how different life would be if we hadn’t given in to our fit of passion.

Life is never simple. It has its highs and lows. The trick is to make each of them count. It is not to give into every weak moment and then try to redeem ourselves. If everyone were to give into their “moments of madness” and were it excusable, we wouldn’t need rules. The ability to feel an overwhelming emotion and the decision to keep it in check, that is what sets us apart from other animals. That is what makes us MAN.

After 61 years of independence are we truly free?

It isn’t very liberating, the thought that even after 61 years of independence we still live in a society of taboos and discrimination, hunger and disease, injustice and fear. why does August 15th lack the pomp and show of the Republic day? Perhaps because it is just the day we got political freedom, the task of winning freedom for the people is yet incomplete.
As the clock struck twelve to mark the fifteenth of August 1947 Jawaharlal Nehru reminded us that “before the birth of freedom we have endured all the pains of labour and our hearts are heavy with the memory of this sorrow”. Now after enduring so much struggle we are represented by incompetent and corrupt leaders, who are criminal in both mind and thought. They enter politics to augment their interests and, not to forget, their bank accounts. They are under-qualified for the posts they hold and abuse their positions by favouring bribery, corruption and nepotism all the while sacrificing the growth of the country.
Discrimination and tyranny based on caste, creed, religion and gender are the chains which bind us from truly being free. Burning brides and dowry, an institution that has survived roach-like for generations, has not yet been vetoed from comman lives. And what could be more melo-dramatic than the time-worn image of a girl child asked to forgo dinner for the sake of her brother, who is seen as the family investment. To be fair, women have a right to ownership of property. But just the fact that we can’t get them a third of the parliamentary seats is a disgrace.
Education and healthcare are among the other aspects that are plaguing our complete independence. That more than 40% of the children do not go to school only goes to prove the failure of the government. The high infant mortality rates and inadequate hospitals and medical staff are evidence to our poor healthcare system.
Violence, curfews and riots act as oil to burn our country’s internal peace and security. Caste, creed,regionalism and religion have become like walls dividing us from within. A country at 61 may be as confused as an adolescent. More so now because of the dizzying changes around us and within us.
Our soi-disant leaders have conflicting ideas which only hainder the growth and progress of the country. So if we do not inculcate in us, the values, care, concern and discipline, India, 61 years later will still be the India today.

tagged….again:)

1) Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search. 2) Using only the first page, pick an image. 3) Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into the mosaic maker.

1. What is your first name? Manasa
2. What is your favorite food? Right now? a fuddruckers burger,kirthananna style;) and dr.pepper(yum!!!)
3. What high school did you go to? Cluny Convent
4. What is your favorite color? red,black and mid-night blue
5. Who is your celebrity crush? None.
6. Favorite drink? Dr.Pepper
7. Dream vacation? Backpacking through India with cousins and friends

8. Favorite dessert? Dark Chocolate ice cream
9. What do you want to be when you grow up? Prime minister of India
10. What do you love most in life? My country, family and friends
11. One Word to describe you? Confused
12. Your Flickr name? manee

1. Monkey Business!, 2. The Perfect Burger, 3. Romainmotier abbaye Switzerland Suisse, 4. Gizmo, 5. the hidden depths of being real, 6. The Dr. is IN, 7. A village in the Kullu Valley close to Manali, 8. the best dark chocolate ice cream ever, 9. 60 years, 10. Colorful Rainbow Balloons 114/365, 11. Captivated blur, 12. Aier

Tagged

Been tagged by swat so here goes….

A-Available? For food, hanging out wit friends and talking about and driving cars and bikes anytime!!
B-Best friend(s):It would have to be………………….ME!!
C-Cake or Pie: Both!!
D-Drink(s) of choice: Ajja’s special sherbet, chocolate milk and orange juice!!and DR.PEPPER!!!
E-Essential thing used everyday: cell phone
F-Favorite color: red, black and midnight blue
G-Gummi bears or worms: Gummi bears.
H-Hometown: Bangalore
I-Indulgence: Food, music and writing
J-January or February: second half of january
K-Kids and names: love playing with kids and giving names to family and friends that I think suit the person
L-Life is incomplete without: Family, friends, harry potter, my dog, sports and music!!
M-Marriage date: Will let u know if it’s EVER fixed.
N-Number of siblings: One younger sister.
O-Oranges or apples: Both i like fruits
P-Phobias: Scared of crossing roads!!
Q-Quote: Live life on your own terms and have no regrets
R-Reason to smile: When i see my friends, when my friends are happy, when i’m thinking about a song and suddenly it starts playing on the radio, rain, my dog, calvin and hobbes, harry potter, and loads of other stuff. I usually dont need a reason to smile, i just always am
S-Season: all
T-Tag three people:
U-Unknown fact about me: I can actually speak sense sometimes(its very rare though)
V-Vegetable(S) you do not like: Brinjal(yuckkk!!)
W-Worst habit: Can’t shut up and can’t make sense(lol)
X-rays you have had:left shoulder
Y-Your favourite food: Ma’s colombo, pathrade, gajar ka halva, pulao, karkal ter’s dali,fuddruckers burger and loads of other stuff
Z-Zodiac: Gemini.

Hypocrites

“Indians are such hypocrites”, is probably the most used sentence by westerners. But I beg to differ…… Indians are no more hypocritical than anyone else in the world. Just today I saw a foreigner on MGRoad throw his cigrette on the footpath. Now I doubt he’d do the same in his country but if an Indian did the same it would attract a lot of criticism from felllow countrymen and the world alike. At such times it is more important to help cover up the mistake and save ourselves the humiliation of being called an unhygenic or hypocritical race than agree with the world at large and make bigger fools of ourselves.

We humans can’t help but be hypocritical. Many times we end up praising what we had earlier put down and vice-versa. Like earlier when Copernicus first said that the Earth revolves around the sun he was condemned and hung unto death and today he is considered one of the greatest men ever born. If this isn’t hypocrisy what is?

It is indeed ironic that we point out the mistakes that others make and laugh at them when we are no better than them. We find glory in others misery. We find it harder to forgive someone when they are right. As we are but humans. Mean base creatures. Doesn’t this show us how ‘great’ we truly are?

We say that all on Earth are equal yet we seek to rule and make ourselves more superior and hence more important than others. We fail to understand and appreciate what we say. It’s ironic that though we came up with the word we still fail to understand it’s meaning.

The status of women

“Karyeshu mantri, karmeshu dasi, pujeshyu matha, sayaneshu rambha”, this is a Hindu saying that means that a woman is as wise as a minister in thinking, as hard working as a slave, a mother to be worshipped, and as beautiful as a nymph descended from the heavens. For time immemorial women have been an inspiration no matter what the cause. . They are said to be the fruits that carry the seeds to grow and nourish mankind.

The 8^th of March is called women’s day all over the world. It is said to be a day of celebration of the women and all that she symbolizes. “Ladies first”, is a saying famous world over. All over the world there are various organizations that work for women empowerment. But all this is like a mountain or battlefield glorious to behold from afar but a bitter truth once within reach.

In the United States one out of every four women is either raped or molested. In our own country everyday there at least five women being raped or molested. The figures are shocking and each has its own heart rendering tale to tell. A lady was raped next to the Chief Minister’s office in Delhi the capital of the country which happens to have a lady as a chief minister.

A girl and boy were found together late in the evening by the police. They were immediately taken into custody but after much persuasion the boy was allowed to go and fetch elders on the condition that the girl would stay. The girl was then taken to the police station where she was raped. In India there is an act which states that a woman cannot be arrested between 6 am and 6 pm and even other wise a woman can be taken into custody unless there are lady officers on duty. How can one expect help from the law when the law enforcers themselves indulge in such heinous crimes such as molesting a 12 year old girl and then not plead guilty?

Thousands of cases are filed every year with rape or molestation as the subject. Each case is made sensational and hyped by the media, the human rights activists suddenly wake up and everyone is debating the case and demanding that the accused be brought to justice. Everyone forgets about the victim who has to go through the mental turmoil and torture all the while trying to forget the gruesome incident with the media asking questions she has no answers to.

Many victims thinking of the consequences end their life unable to put up with the grief and torture. Some who are strong enough file a case in the court thinking that maybe the law will give them some justice and maybe help in the prevention of such incidents in future but all in vain as by the time the verdict is passed on such a case the victim is no more.

A bill was made to safeguard women and their rights. The media greatly hyped this talking about all its plus points. It would have been able to curb the widespread exploitation to a great extent but sadly there was no news regarding this subject after that. It never was made into an act. Everyone has been debating that why women shouldn’t be given a 33% representation the parliament but even that act has not been implemented.

No wonder there is such wide spread anarchy in our country.

Everyday a lady is killed or harassed in the name of dowry. They are burnt alive and treated as animals. They have to face harassment or lose their life in case they fail to give birth to a male child who is said to carry on the family name. One does not expect this in a country where the women is given the status of the goddess of the household and worshipped.

Girl children born are either abandoned or mercilessly killed by the parents as they are a burden on the family. They are not educated because after all the trouble they have to be sent away while a boy can stay and earn and look after his parents when they are old and invalid. Female infanticide is a crime according to the law but there are so many that break this law and walk freely in society today.

Eve-teasing is rampant in the country. Women are viewed by most in a demeaning way. They use women for their pleasure and toy with them. Women have been reduced to a mere source of amusement, frivolity or pleasure for most. It may seem harmless to many but leaves behind scars that cannot be erased on the mind and a very negative attitude towards all other men because they feel all are the same.

Long before the advent of religion man was said to worship the woman. It is called a pagan ritual now but there is so much truth in it. Women represented fertility, love, tenderness and hope. They symbolized the growth of mankind and still do.

Many may say that today’s woman walks shoulder to shoulder with man and are given more priority in many cases. But in our country alone it is only 4-6% of the population of women who work. Women are chosen over men only because they are more efficient and can multitask easily.

In today’s changing world the woman has carved a niche for herself inspite of having so many predators hunting and preying on her. There are so many women who have made a mark for themselves like-Hilary Clinton, UN Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie, closer home Mrs.Indira Gandhi, Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Sushmitha Sen, Mrs.Sonia Gandhi, Aparna Poppat, Nisha Millet and so many more to come.

To be recognized in today’s male dominated society is a Herculean task. But the ladies mentioned above represent the new face of the woman.

So many have been burnt alive at the stake and so many atrocities have been committed on this lady. So many times she has been restrained and sacrificed by the higher order. But a day will come when the cries of the abused will echo and these voices will rise to judge the world on the atrocities committed. There will be many questions what will the higher order do then? What will it answer to these voices?

A woman will stay quiet till she can tolerate, never underestimate her tolerance and silence as her weakness because the day the torture crosses the point of tolerance her third eye will open and destroy everything in its path.

One cannot venerate one’s own house by burning or destroying a neighbour’s house. It is most unjust, unfair and heinous to abuse and destroy a woman in society who represents one’s own mother, wife, sister or daughter, each of who is venerated, respected and protected within the household. Self enlightenment is therefore the need of the hour lest the heinous act committed elsewhere in society boomerangs within the protected and sheltered household.

Euthanasia

“Euthanasia” or mercy killing today is a widely debated topic throughout the country. God is said to be the only who has the power to bestow life to us and at the same time he is said to be the only one who has the right to take it away so wouldn’t this be just another form of suicide which is a crime. Then it means that no matter in what condition the mortal body is it is a crime to end its life.
But at the same time if there is absolutely no chance of recovery and if everyday is nothing but a mere struggle for every breath and there is nothing but pain and misery in that very breath wouldn’t it be better to not live at all than have such a miserable existence that you are not the only one suffering but even the people around you suffer along with the you? And you know that in the end its all going to be the same and all you are left to do is wait and wallow in pain for that end which seems so far away……..
Though it is a crime in our country euthanasia is actually legal in many countries such as Switzerland. It has been discussed extensively and has its pros and cons but doesn’t everything? Whether it is electricity or nuclear energy all have their advantages and disadvantages but we continue to use them and have a defense for the same.
It is said that people can misuse this law to their advantage and hence the passing of this has been delayed for a long time. But instead of delaying this all the time wouldn’t it be better to pass this law with a few extra conditions or terms so that its misuse is prevented. How long can we continue to live blindly?
Our country is groaning under the weight of more than a billion people and this will be a easy and good way of relieving many people of their misery. Especially they themselves are tired of the misery. Not only emotionally are they a ‘burden’ but also financially a big drain on the family. This would also be a good way of decongesting so many hospitals especially when there is a serious shortage of good medical felicities.
But in our country murder is not rare. People don’t even need a reason and there are so many ways in which this is committed. Implementing of mercy killing will mark a prominent rise the figures of the number of people murdered and people will easily get away with it by naming it as mercy killing.
There is also the case of people killing their predecessors for property or inheritance they too have a good alibi to get away with by saying the person was too old or ill to carry on and we all know that if handed a sum of money any person qualified to carry out this will do it without any remorse.
Though debated widely across the country we have never been able to come up with a solution to this problem maybe with time people will take time to think more about this and come up with a solution at the same time it would be a good idea to put this question to the public and get their views on it and find out whether they are for or against it and do what the majority feel after all this is for the people.

One is all and all is one

Ever wondered what one is all and all is one means. An anime taught me the meaning. All is the world and I am the one. When you hear it sounds deep and heavy even the meaning is intriguing. And it is. The world is a whole entity while you’re just a part of this entity who contributes to it. In however small a way it is. Its not like the world would seize to exist without you but you definitely need the world to continue. Simply put you need the world the world doesn’t need you.
Think about it this way. Like how ed and al put it simply.
When you die….what happens? Obviously the people who care about you will be really sad and the people who know you too. Your presence, or lack of it here, would have an impact on all these people’s life. In one way or the other they’d be reminded of you and it would make a difference in their life. This is looking at it subjectively.
But if you look at it objectively…..your death would definitely have an impact on their life and ways. But as time passes by they’ll put it by. After all life must go on. You can’t stop living just because someone you care about isn’t with you anymore. You can cry about it but it’s a reality. A fact you just have to accept.
Now look at it from the world’s point of view. When you die nothing changes. What happens everyday will continue. The sun’s still going to rise, the wind’ll blow and there’ll be floods. When you die your body, made of carbon, iron, magnesium, sodium, all go back to the earth the composition doesn’t change.
On one hand the small world that you’re a part of is totally torn apart but on the other hand the world at large….well nothing changes there, not even if you’re the president or the prime minister of the country. Life goes on for everyone, your absence doesn’t stagnate it.
You have people telling you that even one person and his smallest action can change the world, the way it thinks. But then you have this where your absence or presence makes any difference. The composition remains the same. So do we really make a difference in the world?

Thin or fat???

What do you ask someone when you meet them after a long time?How are you or How have you been maybe?Well here’s the latest trend,you don’t ask any such thing what you do say is -”Have you lost weight?” or “Have you put on weight since the last time I saw you?”.Even J K Rowling,of Harry Potter fame,was faced with the same situation after meeting someone after a long time the first thing the person asked her is “Have you lost weight?”
You’d think there are more important things in life than just weight issues unless you’re a hundred kilos and can’t get through a door.Every single person no matter how old or young seems to be caught up in this giving it the name that we’re trying to get fit.And now with various beauty clinics coming up everyone is actually taking the next step and going to these places to become “thin”.
The million dollar question here is-”How thin is thin?”You have emaciated zero size models with waists thinner than an eight year old strutting down the runway for designers in various fashion shows.Its ridiculous!These models cannot be called human even their faces don’t look remotely human.They look like sucked up potatoes.With arms and legs like the withered branch of some tree.
You feel pity everytime you look at them.Like they’ve not had anything to eat for the past few years or can’t afford money to even buy food!And to think people would be sensible not to follow in the footsteps of these so called ‘models’.You see so many young girls trying to look like these glorified ‘models’ and ending up in the hospital with anemia,anorexia and various other food disorders.
I know a certain someone with a 24 inch waist line who thinks she’s fat!Can it get any more ridiculous than this?And everytime she spots someone thinner than her she goes off about how fat she is.So much so that she cuts down on eating food and ends up falling sick.
Everyone thinks dieting is the best thing in the world.You have the zone diet,the south beach diet,the protein diet and what not.And with various celebrities endorsing it people follow them.Celebrities are different they have stylists,nutrionists,dieticians and chefs doing everything for them.They are waited on hand and foot, but a normal person can’t follow these diets.
All you need to do is play a sport and drink lots of water thats all you need to stay healthy but we have models and celebrities with body mass index less than 18 advising people to follow the diet they are.Inspite of two models dying and experts saying that its not healthy to go on crash diets people take their chance and suffer.
So the question is are we all trying to get fit or thin(read sick)?