New Year Wishes

I am still up now! Last time, I was up this late was in BITS.. I think :-/
Anyway, a happy new year 2009! Lets hope this is the year of peace, change and action!

To celebrate the new year, I'll attempt telling a joke..

This incident happened early last year while I was traveling to Chennai via train. As we were approaching Chennai, so went the discussion of my co-passengers..

"Sir, how will you go home?"

"I am thinking if I can take the electric train to Thorapakkam."

"Good idea Sir. Today is Saturday, the Tidel park route should be less crowded"

"Oh No! IT people are a crazy group, they travel any day any time. They don't follow any rule. I will take an auto now!"

B, even with her practiced demeanour of not laughing at a stranger's joke couldn't stop laughing :D! Take a bow, the IT guys! The world thinks we are fools and crazy!

P.S: Now guys, I am not sure if he said Thorapakkam... could be some other place on the route of Tidel park ;). Now, with my notorious reputation of directions and places... this is something you shouldn't mind at all :)

B

Merry XMas and Happy New Year

Amidst this season of gloom and despair, its decidedly a sombre Christmas and New Year.

Nevertheless, lets hope the New Year 2009 brings in happiness and peace in our lives!

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2009!

B

Secularism!

Strange week indeed.. I started off the week by reading an article in 'The Hindu' about the Kashmir elections. One person from a town had subscribed to something called "Islamic law" for them where people follow the tenets of the Koran. To explain what it is all about, he goes on to say "Men have beards, Women wear the burqa"..

Yesterday, while I was walking out of the temple, we had some women approaching us and telling us to join some function - some foundation for establishing 'Ram Rajya' in India. I did not stand long enough to ask what that entails :-/, Did Lord Ram specify how to lead a country in times of the poverty, illiteracy, terrorism and computers?

I believe both ideas are trivializing the issue and closing your eyes to the reality. This is the land of each and every person irrespective of religion and
you cannot ask somebody of the other religion to just go. Where will anybody go? Jump into the Indian Ocean :-/. India's biggest hope and strength shall remain to be secularism and democracy.

I think its high time schools started teaching children the virtues of secularism and tolerance.That would, perhaps in the long term avoid such incorrect dogmas! But... unfortunately, the bigger issue in our education system is not what it is being taught.. but bringing in people to be taught. :(

B

The little forgotten heroes

I couldn't resist posting this article - Brave constables

It talks about the brave policemen who managed to do the "impossible", if I could say that..Its these people's contribution that we need to be talking more about.

With my maternal family based out of Bombay, we visited the city on an annual basis during my growing years. All through these years, I never knew there existed a "Taj mahal" hotel against the backdrop of the Gateway of India. But one place, I indeed do know about is the VT or the CST station.  We boarded long distance trains to Chennai from this very station or from the Dadar station. Like the city itself, I remember the place as crowded with scores of trains and passengers present all the time. I dread to think what would have happened if the man with the microphone who announces the arrival/departure of trains on a daily basis had not had the presense of mind to warn the other passengers present in the station to move out using the back gate. I believe this truly signifies the "Mumbai spirit" more than anything else - A common man with the presence of mind and the will to help out others. 

Its these men that we need to be proud of in life. In their life, with meagre means, they still end up thinking for the community. Wish more of us were like this..

B

Change coming to India?

I did not walk the rally to Gateway of India in Mumbai. I did not walk the rally in Cubbon Park in Bangalore. All I did was to light a small candle in my balcony. But something tells me, this time its different.. is change coming to India?

I don't know what will happen tomorrow. Will all go back to their own lives and fight their everyday battles..., maybe they will.. but I still think we will make a difference.

So, candles to a "changing" India! Lets usher in a new era..