99 out of 100 people hum some song or the other at least once a day. That song may not be the one they like the most or might not be the most pleasant sounding one but it is generally the one which we hear recently. No wonder that after a bus journey I hum ‘Pardesi jana nahi…’ for 3-4 days !!
Today morning, while having my breakfast, I started humming ‘Jan Gan Man Rann hai…is rann me….’ (I had seen the trailer of this movie last night itself) and the following series of thoughts flashed into my mind.
‘I should stand up while singing Jan Gan Man….but wait… this is not Jan Gan Man…it’s Jan Gan Man Rann hai…so I need not stand…’
And since that time I have been continuously humming this song from movie RANN directed by our very own RGV. This song forced me to think whether it’s rightfully banned or it should be left on the audiences to use their discretion.
There’s no doubt that this song is very ear candy and with proper marketing it has the potential to make it to every house hold. I don’t know anything about the storyline as of now but it’s not difficult to guess that it would be portraying some rampant corruption or any other evil that has besieged the nation. I am pretty hopeful that, like any other bollywood movie, the good will eventually overcome the evil and it will all be goody goody at the end of the movie. But what if the music gets dear to the mass inside and outside the country? I am sure there will be more percentage of population who would have heard this song rather than those who would watch the movie and eventually see the good destroy the evil. Imagine how much of negative publicity and disgrace it would bring to the nation.
When Slumdog Millionare won the Oscars, we Indians were the first to say that the West likes seeing India as a downtrodden country. If we blamed Boyle for showing India a poor country then how can we Indians tell the world that
“Vindh himachal yamuna ganga … Me tezaab ubal raha hai
Mar gaya sab ka zameer … Jaane kab zinda ho aagey “
In a country where the public sentiment is hurt even by the use of words like ‘barber (in Billu)’, ‘mochi’, ‘chamar’ (in Aaja Nach le) then how can we tolerate someone saying these lines about our nation to the whole world
“Desh ka aisa haal hai lekin …Aapas me ladd rahe neta
Jana gann mangal daayak jaya hai …Bhaarat ko bacha le vidhaata!!! "
Every country has problems and I am not saying that we should not focus on our problems but there is a way to do everything. And above all some things are not meant to be played with. National Anthem is one such thing. Is there such a lack of creativity that people cannot express their feelings without adding indignity to our national anthem?
I am sure that at a time when we have been blessed with some what stable mandate in polls… the economy having faced the brunt of global downturn has survived, rather done well… there is widespread feeling of " jai ho " post Oscar and post polls… we do not want some one to come with slogans of " bhay ho " and spread fear and uncertainty which is so contagious.
To err is human and therefore the possibility that someone starts singing ‘Jan Gan Man Rann hai..’ instead of ‘Jan Gan Man’ cannot be ruled out. So what’s the need of this song when it threatens to lessen its dignity?
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
The profession which pays you the most in return of doing nothing..!!
The most read articles these days are related to asset declaration of politicians. Even when our leaders have crores and crores of money in their name, India is still called a developing nation. They still think about money first and the country later. And if this trend continues, India would be called a developing nation for 100 more years. People are treating politics just as a money vending machine without even bothering to realize what the actual work of politicians are.
A few days back I had an awesome trip to Coorg. On our way back, we went to Srirangapatna (the capital of Tipu Sultan). Within the range of 10 km (or even less), there were some 10 spots where crowds of people could be seen. One was the place from where the English army had entered the fort, the other was the place where the English soliders were imprisoned, another place was the spot where Tipu sultan had died while fighting, so on and so forth. The first thought which flashed my mind was "Which places will our future generations visit? The place where Varun gave a hate speech? The place where a particular caste was abused by some leader? The place where some leaders committed crimes infront of the entire junta and still were left unaccused? Will our future generations ever know the actual fighters and saviours of India during this period? Our future generations would only know which political leader made what comments during the Kargil War or some other situation of crisis but would not have the slightest of idea about the brave soliders actually securing our motherland."
We would not have any problems with our political leaders having such huge bank balances if they stop dividing the country on the basis of religious groups,castes and origin & lead the country to the position it actually deserves. We are even ready to believe that Sonia owns no car and no house and has just 1.38 cr if she does some good for the country..!!
PS : Even I wouldn't waste my money on a car and a house if I have a bunglaw to live in and can travel in AC cars without paying anything..!!
A few days back I had an awesome trip to Coorg. On our way back, we went to Srirangapatna (the capital of Tipu Sultan). Within the range of 10 km (or even less), there were some 10 spots where crowds of people could be seen. One was the place from where the English army had entered the fort, the other was the place where the English soliders were imprisoned, another place was the spot where Tipu sultan had died while fighting, so on and so forth. The first thought which flashed my mind was "Which places will our future generations visit? The place where Varun gave a hate speech? The place where a particular caste was abused by some leader? The place where some leaders committed crimes infront of the entire junta and still were left unaccused? Will our future generations ever know the actual fighters and saviours of India during this period? Our future generations would only know which political leader made what comments during the Kargil War or some other situation of crisis but would not have the slightest of idea about the brave soliders actually securing our motherland."
We would not have any problems with our political leaders having such huge bank balances if they stop dividing the country on the basis of religious groups,castes and origin & lead the country to the position it actually deserves. We are even ready to believe that Sonia owns no car and no house and has just 1.38 cr if she does some good for the country..!!
PS : Even I wouldn't waste my money on a car and a house if I have a bunglaw to live in and can travel in AC cars without paying anything..!!
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Content matters more than this title so start reading!!
A consultant is often told 'Dont worry, this is just one of your implementations but this is the only implementation for the clients. So the clients should be more worried and cautious than the consultants'.
How true and relevant this statement is in all spheres of life. Today while surfing the channels on TV, I stopped at one of the news channels which was showing politicians literally fighting for wooing the voters. The above statement flashed in my mind and I realized that for the politicians this is like any other election. They might win, they might lose. All they want is money and popularity. But for us this is the only occasion when we can get something good and really beneficial for us. This is the only time when we can determine how our next five years would be. So we should be more cautious, well informed and judicious in our decision.
In last 10 days, I lived a few days each in Bangalore, Mumbai and Kolkata (the 3 big cities of India) but what a contrast was Kolkata from the other two cities. It's still the Kolkata that existed in 1947. Nothing except the name has changed there. The same old trams still running on the same tracks (I wonder if the trams/tracks have ever been repaired since 1947...forget about getting changed)... at every junction, still 4 traffic policemen using their vocal cords to control the traffic...men pulling rickshaws by hands...all along the roads there are buildings which haven't been repaired since Independence...the electricity cables still connected through the same old poles, just the number of connections increases making the pole having as many connections as the politicians (you would never know which one is connected to which one and in what way!!). The condition of the city speaks of the care and intention of the rulers there. At a time when to the whole world industrialization seems very natural, the politicians there are favouring deindustrialization and forcing industries to shut down.
It's high time now. If we don't think and act now, in no time India would stagnate. The politicians would anyway have their money but we would be ruined. Let's make the most of this chance. After all it's our money and our nation.
Jai Hind!!
How true and relevant this statement is in all spheres of life. Today while surfing the channels on TV, I stopped at one of the news channels which was showing politicians literally fighting for wooing the voters. The above statement flashed in my mind and I realized that for the politicians this is like any other election. They might win, they might lose. All they want is money and popularity. But for us this is the only occasion when we can get something good and really beneficial for us. This is the only time when we can determine how our next five years would be. So we should be more cautious, well informed and judicious in our decision.
In last 10 days, I lived a few days each in Bangalore, Mumbai and Kolkata (the 3 big cities of India) but what a contrast was Kolkata from the other two cities. It's still the Kolkata that existed in 1947. Nothing except the name has changed there. The same old trams still running on the same tracks (I wonder if the trams/tracks have ever been repaired since 1947...forget about getting changed)... at every junction, still 4 traffic policemen using their vocal cords to control the traffic...men pulling rickshaws by hands...all along the roads there are buildings which haven't been repaired since Independence...the electricity cables still connected through the same old poles, just the number of connections increases making the pole having as many connections as the politicians (you would never know which one is connected to which one and in what way!!). The condition of the city speaks of the care and intention of the rulers there. At a time when to the whole world industrialization seems very natural, the politicians there are favouring deindustrialization and forcing industries to shut down.
It's high time now. If we don't think and act now, in no time India would stagnate. The politicians would anyway have their money but we would be ruined. Let's make the most of this chance. After all it's our money and our nation.
Jai Hind!!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Thank You !!
The happiest moments of our lives are not the ones when our long cherised dreams come true but are the ones which we never planned or expected. Looking back, I realize that some very simple acts of others made me feel so special and loved. When I last went to meet my brother and he handed me a bouquet of roses and orchids, I felt like I had just been crowned Miss World and was being given that special bouquet. On my last birthday, when I was alone in Chennai and my friends sent me a cake and roses, I felt on the top of the world. Then I had one of my best b'days with 50 roses around me..courtsey my collegues!! And very recently I got a letter written on a paper which had my photo as its background. I felt so very special and loved that I could not control my tears.
Sometimes talking for months may be of no worth and sometimes a few words by someone,at a time you need them, would be worth a lifetime.I realized this when I was in Chennai and a couple of my collegues tried cheering me up (and succeeded too !). But at the same time I realized I have not done anything special for anyone since last so many days or may be months.
For all these beautiful moments and many others which I have not mentioned here I would like to THANK these special people in my life from the bottom of my heart.
We miss to appreciate so many gestures of others which bring smiles not only to our faces but to our hearts. The least we can do is take an extra step and make someone feel special.
Sometimes I may not give you a call when I am smiling thinking of you,
Sometimes I may not give you a call to say I care for you,
Sometimes I may not give you a call to say I miss you,
But you are always special to me.
P.S :- This post is for all my friends and not only specific to the incidents I mentioned.
Sometimes talking for months may be of no worth and sometimes a few words by someone,at a time you need them, would be worth a lifetime.I realized this when I was in Chennai and a couple of my collegues tried cheering me up (and succeeded too !). But at the same time I realized I have not done anything special for anyone since last so many days or may be months.
For all these beautiful moments and many others which I have not mentioned here I would like to THANK these special people in my life from the bottom of my heart.
We miss to appreciate so many gestures of others which bring smiles not only to our faces but to our hearts. The least we can do is take an extra step and make someone feel special.
Sometimes I may not give you a call when I am smiling thinking of you,
Sometimes I may not give you a call to say I care for you,
Sometimes I may not give you a call to say I miss you,
But you are always special to me.
P.S :- This post is for all my friends and not only specific to the incidents I mentioned.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Boon or Bane -- Depends on us
Just a couple of days back, army chief had said that army is not a lucrative profession for Indian youth anymore as it pays less than their counterparts in other professions and cited this as one of the major reasons for the shortage of officers in army. Today I came across this link http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4131444.cms?TOI_mostcommented according to which any immigrant will get a green card in US if he serves 6 months in US army. It’s not difficult to guess that this step has been welcomed by a lot of people who see it as an easier and surer way to getting green cards at a time when people with H1B visa are losing jobs every second day. Is getting a green card such a great thing that for it one would even serve for other countries’ army at a time when our own country’s army is facing a severe shortage and our own country is facing severe security threats?
I do agree that life is much easier and happier in US than in India but then if we consider countries equivalent to families, then would we leave our families and work for and help other families if our own families are a bit different than what we want? If we find some one else’s parents better than ours then do we start living with them and treating them as our parents? And the worst part is that at the end of all this, people still claim to be Indian from the core of their hearts.
It’s even more painful to read below comments on that article :
“I dont understand why the people sitting in India are complaining. You dont have to do it, its a volunteer program, if someone wants to do it, let them. Why do you care?”
We care because we are Indians and want our country to be ahead of others!!
“Become a cook in the US army. Let them eat masala dosa and chole Bhature for lunch and dinner. No harm in trying it out. A good method for migrating. A cousin tried it out during the Vietnam war. He has done well. He is still an Indian by heart after 40 years in the US.”
He’s an Indian by heart only because he did not have a heart transplant from some US person’s heart. By no other reason, his Indian-ness can be justified.
It’s high time for people to realize that our country would have replaced US with the talent and resources we have. If only all people who migrated to US since 1947 had stayed here and worked for this country with the same passion, we would have become a super power.
This law could be a boon for us if people decide to come back and serve in Indian Army instead of serving in US Army.
I do agree that life is much easier and happier in US than in India but then if we consider countries equivalent to families, then would we leave our families and work for and help other families if our own families are a bit different than what we want? If we find some one else’s parents better than ours then do we start living with them and treating them as our parents? And the worst part is that at the end of all this, people still claim to be Indian from the core of their hearts.
It’s even more painful to read below comments on that article :
“I dont understand why the people sitting in India are complaining. You dont have to do it, its a volunteer program, if someone wants to do it, let them. Why do you care?”
We care because we are Indians and want our country to be ahead of others!!
“Become a cook in the US army. Let them eat masala dosa and chole Bhature for lunch and dinner. No harm in trying it out. A good method for migrating. A cousin tried it out during the Vietnam war. He has done well. He is still an Indian by heart after 40 years in the US.”
He’s an Indian by heart only because he did not have a heart transplant from some US person’s heart. By no other reason, his Indian-ness can be justified.
It’s high time for people to realize that our country would have replaced US with the talent and resources we have. If only all people who migrated to US since 1947 had stayed here and worked for this country with the same passion, we would have become a super power.
This law could be a boon for us if people decide to come back and serve in Indian Army instead of serving in US Army.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Here I am sitting in my office @ night
Here i am sitting in my office @ night…
Thinking hard about life
How it changed from a maverick college life to strict professional life…...
How tiny pocket money changed to huge monthly paychecks
but then why it gives lesss happiness….
How a few local denim jeans changed to new branded wardrobe
but then why there are less people to use them
How a single plate of samosa changed to a full Pizza or burger
But then why there is less hunger…..
Here i am sitting in my office @ night…
Thinking hard about life
How it changed…..
How a small coffee shop changed to cafe coffee day
but then why its feels like shop is far away…..
How a limited prepaid card changed to postpaid package
but then why there are less calls & even lesser messages……
Here i am sitting in my office @ night…
Thinking hard about life
How it changed…...
How a general class journey changed to Flight journey
But then why there are less vacations for enjoyment….
How an old assembled desktop changed to new branded laptop
but then why there is less time to put it on……….
How a small bunch of friends changed to office mate
But then why we always feel lonely n miss those college frnz.….
Here i am sitting in my office @ night…
Thinking hard about life
How it changed….. How it changed……..
Thinking hard about life
How it changed from a maverick college life to strict professional life…...
How tiny pocket money changed to huge monthly paychecks
but then why it gives lesss happiness….
How a few local denim jeans changed to new branded wardrobe
but then why there are less people to use them
How a single plate of samosa changed to a full Pizza or burger
But then why there is less hunger…..
Here i am sitting in my office @ night…
Thinking hard about life
How it changed…..
How a small coffee shop changed to cafe coffee day
but then why its feels like shop is far away…..
How a limited prepaid card changed to postpaid package
but then why there are less calls & even lesser messages……
Here i am sitting in my office @ night…
Thinking hard about life
How it changed…...
How a general class journey changed to Flight journey
But then why there are less vacations for enjoyment….
How an old assembled desktop changed to new branded laptop
but then why there is less time to put it on……….
How a small bunch of friends changed to office mate
But then why we always feel lonely n miss those college frnz.….
Here i am sitting in my office @ night…
Thinking hard about life
How it changed….. How it changed……..
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
I was at a loss of comments after this...see if you can add a few...
Every day when I leave my guest house at 730 in the morning, a small poor boy wearing the minimum clothes and that too in the worst conditions would be sitting at the gate selling flowers. Though I never bought flowers from him, we used to exchange glances and smiles. In this 1 year, we had never spoken to each other but still never missed to smile. One day, he took a few flowers in his hand and said something in tamil. With 1 years' experience of conversing with auto walas and shopkeepers I could make out that he was asking me to buy some of those. I told him that I did not need one and hurried towards my bus stop. He continued mentioning something about school and sister and followed me. Because of him, all my days here had started with a smile, so I thought I could do this much for him. I took 2 flowers and reached out for my wallet. Then I realized that I did not have change and had only 100 rupee note. I was still in two minds when that boy took the 100 rupee note and ran for change. I was already late for my bus and did not want to miss my bus and be late for office. I boarded the bus thinking that I paid 100 rupees for the smiles I started my days with all these days.
Next two days I did not see that boy at my gate. Wondered if he ran away with my money or was he sitting here all these days for an opportunity like this. Another day passed and on the next evening a girl came at my door. She was of the same age as that boy and was no better dressed than him. She first said something in tamil which I could not understand and then handed over 80 rupees. I tried asking her the reason but she could not understand me. We struggled for 5 mins but neither of us could understand anything. Then I called the care taker of my guest house and asked him to translate what the girl was saying. I had nothing to say after I understood what the girl was saying.
The boy who used to sell flowers at the doorstep was her brother and he had asked her to give me that money. He had met with an accident that day and was seriously injured. However before taking his last breath he had given his sister 95 rupees and had asked her to return it to me. The girl apologized further and said that 15 rupees was spent in her brothers' treatment and that she would return it after some days.
I was too touched to say anything and by the time I realized what I should do, she had left the place handing me the 80 rupees.
Next two days I did not see that boy at my gate. Wondered if he ran away with my money or was he sitting here all these days for an opportunity like this. Another day passed and on the next evening a girl came at my door. She was of the same age as that boy and was no better dressed than him. She first said something in tamil which I could not understand and then handed over 80 rupees. I tried asking her the reason but she could not understand me. We struggled for 5 mins but neither of us could understand anything. Then I called the care taker of my guest house and asked him to translate what the girl was saying. I had nothing to say after I understood what the girl was saying.
The boy who used to sell flowers at the doorstep was her brother and he had asked her to give me that money. He had met with an accident that day and was seriously injured. However before taking his last breath he had given his sister 95 rupees and had asked her to return it to me. The girl apologized further and said that 15 rupees was spent in her brothers' treatment and that she would return it after some days.
I was too touched to say anything and by the time I realized what I should do, she had left the place handing me the 80 rupees.
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