PKSE, KHG, Dor, MB2 and Vo Lamhe! (updated)

Those who felt that the earlier post was depressing, here’s what followed it ! Afterall life is in shades of grey!!

Week started on saturday morning, when in 10 mins a plan to leave for Mahabaleshwar in 2 hours was made! Now a trip to Mahabaleshwar has to be good, but it turned out to be the best! Why? Well…the least enthu person among us turned out to be most enthusiastic as trip enfolded the hidden surprises for him !!

Mahabaleshwar is an amazing place to be! Sight seeing wasn’t very exciting for us, because it’s too traditional approach to visit a place! If you feel the same, then do not take any guide, stop on the ways wher you wish to, explore the way on your own and ya, do spend at least a night in Mahabaleshwar in a cottage! The foggy surroundings are just awesome! and if Mr. Camera Man is reading this post, please please give me the photographs next time you come to institute!! We were back on sunday night as some friends had their offices on Monday, otherwise one should atleast spend 3-4 days there!

And then from Monday, started my movie week!

Monday: Khosla Ka Ghosla: Its not a 3 star movie as rated by rediff! Movie overall is okie. If you going there to laugh, there’s nothing much to laugh about. Overall a serious and dragged movie, though actings are good.

Tuesday: Dor: It’s definitely a 4 starer. Though as movie posters suggest it’s a serious movie but have many small elements of humor. The movie overall is preety light with deep messages. Shreyas is amazing! Dance on “Kajrare” in desert was the scene I liked most! A must watch movie!

Wednesday: Lage Raho Munnabhai: for second time! Most of you must have watched it by now! A great movie! The director and writer of the movie had this idea from a long time. To build the story, they decided to find a laughing or a crying moment in the city everyday. And never they returned home without finding one no matter even if rains very hard. And that’s how Munna Bhai 2 turned out to be – full of emotions!

Friday: Vo Lamhe: Though rated 3.5 by rediff, I found it no better than 2.5! Story is based on life of Parveen Bobby and that’s all about the movie. Actings are good but movie overall is dull and complicated! Songs are good specially “Aaj kal neend kam khwaab zyada hai”, but I was disappointed as the actual video has no match with the publicity video of the song, and that was all I went to see the movie for.

Watched Pyaar ke Side Effects a week back or so. Movie is made after a lot of thoughts and actually shows how a girl and a boy typically react when in a relationship.  Mallika for a change acted well. First half is too good, nice comedy; but second half is terrible with almost zero pace. Don’t know why the baby doll female is there in the movie! So, if you going for the movie, do not expect much after first half. Well, I went to see Rahul bose!

So if you planning to go for a movie this week, here’s my order of preference:
MB2 (running tax free from 2nd Oct)> Dor > Pyaar Ke Side Effects  > Khosla Ka Ghosla > Vo Lamhe.

Ya , you read it right! I am too lukha in DD year to watch them all one after one!

 

Benumbed!

Don’t wanna sing,

don’t wanna dance.

Don’t wanna think,

don’t wanna lie.

Don’t wanna smile,

don’t wanna cry.

Don’t wanna feel the pain,

don’t wanna sigh.

for a moment may be,

wanna feel numb, wanna die!

Coz sometimes, to live is to die! I am benumbed for sometime!

 

A smile…

Smile!

Stop. Think about this word for a minute!

Am sure, you are smiling right now. Don’t you?

Smile, a 5 letter word which according to Oxford dictionary is defined as a noun meaning “A facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement”. Don’t you think its much more than just a facial expression?

Two and a half years back, I was doing an internship in Relience Petrochemicals at Patalganga. Traveling by local trains of Mumbai now and then with friend group wasn’t new even then but that was the only time when this travelling exercise continued for 2 months and that too alone. I had joined the league of daily travelling office goers in a way! Solitude provides you the opportunity to see within yourself and others. And that’s what I was doing. Observing the surrounding around, I felt a strange “strangeness”! Everyday we pass by hundred strangers, but I had never felt the bond of association broken like I did then.

At first, I thought they may be worried…tired…stressed…lost in their work, but then when in life, are we not in all these phases? A closer observation after a few days made me fell that they are lost…lost where, even they won’t know…they are lost in “blank”. Standing at the platform waiting for the train to come, I used to search for a smile, a smiling face with twinkling eyes to exchange with mine. Search often resulted in fewer than a single option. I felt like travelling in an i-robot movie! I coudn’t see the simplest human emotional expression of smile. How to make the bond of association without that, I don’t know!

I always wonder the power of the word “smile”. Smile for no reason and within minutes, our fears, anxiety, tensions and even loneliness are gone. Smile at someone and see how smile is induced in others. Smile for a reason and feel how blood gushes through your veins. Smile and observe how bright your face glow in a picture. Just smile, and see how everything around start looking so different!

Mind is said to emit various frequencies which in turn define the state of brain. 4-7 Hz characterizes the dreaming state (specially emitted at night), 8-15 Hz is associated with “no activity” state of the brain and higher frequencies 25-80 Hz are emitted when brain is processing thinking. I am not aware of any muscle expansion/contraction – frequency relation, but it looks evident to me that the muscle movements involved in smiling, laughing emits the frequencies which are related to relaxation of mind!

And here’s what I always wished to say to the stranger standing on platform next to me ” Smile…..may be for no reason, but Just Smile!”

Mood: Happy!

Music: “Words” – Boyzone

PS: This is one reason why I love this music – “Smile an ever lasting smile…a smile can bring you near to me!”

 

Entrust but whom?

I have been following many different newspapers from past some time as every newspaper has a peculiar way to write things, has a different philosophy and above all, I have not yet decided on my favorite one! But, this is not the point of this post! So what’s the point?

There is actually no point, just a slight confusion but with strong implications! One of my friend was elated to see his native place’s name on the front page as first headline of today’s “Hindustan times” delhi edition. With the same enthusiam, he messaged me to check it out. And I did. News was though sad as a village named Kawas in Barmer is submerged in water, but wait a minute! Have I seen this picture earlier? Sometimes in the morning? When I opened front page of Times of India website? But then why don’t I remember its relation with “Barmer”? Let me check! Here’s the picture:

Bingo! Here it is but…..(confused)….this is some village named Kawas in Ahemdabad! (Even more confused) Are there two villages by the same name which are flooded at the same time / Is Barmer same as Ahemdabad …oh that would mean Rajasthan is at the place of Gujrat! Can it be a typo or does it show our careless attitude towards Kawas like poor villages? Okie, leave all this, can someone just tell me which news is right and which is crap ?

 

The Miracle Days!

…and I feel elated sensing my own presence! I am here, very much here and there are many years to go before I die!

Everybody loves a good miracle and it is loved more when it is sweet. On Friday night, when sea water at Mahim creek turned “sweet” as “Baba Khwaja Khizar Ale Salam” of Mahim showered his blessing, I knew I am back, back in my place! Or I never left it?

Was the change a routine along coastline because of freshwater mixing? Is it mumbai’s most polluted creek? Is the water really infected? Does 1,000 million litres sewage flows into Mahim Creek daily? Should I listen to statements made by head of some National Environmental Engineering Research Institute without any justification and not drink the sacred water?

Do you think I know the answers? And even if I do, you think I am going to share them with you? Even when National Institute of Oceanography after collecting samples on Saturday havn’t provided a detailed analysis / and report? I am glad they havn’t! And I am thankful to them for allowing people to worship the sanctified water for whole 2 days. After-all, this is the reason of my existence, reason of faith people have in me. Even if I have answers, why would I invite my own death!

And with all this when my identity surfaced again, I got an extra dose. If financial capital is blessed, shoudn’t the other hand of Almighty fall on the administrative capital? The Idols of lord Ganesh as did in 1995, started drinking milk last night in Delhi! But that wasn’t enough! So, all Idols choose to drink milk this time! Result of “ who-blessed-more-war” is still awaited but does that matter to me? I have got a life free on another offer – do I need to desire more?

Still wondering who I am? Any guesses?

Hint: My name is S………..

 

…just another day?

Last few days were pretty interesting though in the end feels like just another day!

15th August, 60th Independence day, flag hosting, critical articles on feeling of patriotism, wishes for yourself, for country, sweets in the lunch and Gala dinner, speech by Prime Minister to the nation, Parades and Awards, pledges and plans. But in the end…just another day!

16th August, one of my closest relationship turns 3, planning whole day, new dress-up, excitement, flowers, dinner at an awesome place named Kheyad at Kala Ghoda, melodious talks, failure of credit card, loosing my mobile phone, scented breeze turned into wind and rain showering love! But in the end…just another day!

17th August, one of my close friend’s birthday, cake, bumps, lunch at pizza hut, dinner at CCD, togetherness of all DD babes, friendship songs and birthday wishes, sandwiches and truffles, philia and laughter, gangs and gossips! But in the end…just another day!

When everyday inspite of it’s importance is just another day, then what’s special?

Guess, the moments!

The moment when every Indian, for the first time felt the meaning of Independence, the moment when I heard my heart for the first time and the moment when we freely laughed! Days come and days go, we celebrate the moments! We celebrate the feelings, feelings so deep that moments passed by become live. I can imagine those cheers of 1947 at Red Fort, I can feel that breeze of 2003 at Gateway and I can laugh on those jokes of 2006 at CCD! And these moments will live forever.

For happiness is hidden in bits, stop searching for time!

 

Hush gush!

I exist only to serve the people.

Today, there is darkness around. I know. I know it at my best as I am seeing it myself. Even I don’t like to make my way through the crowded roads pushing my own brothers and sisters who in turn keep falling on me making their way rubbing through my body. Believe me, even I hate it from the core of my heart. I am blamed today for the situations around. But as I said before anything, “I exist only to serve the people“.

When I have short encounters with the morning newspaper before I hit the ground and start moving in the pre-decided direction, I hear the cries of people. Cries which breaks me into two. I don’t like the adjective devastating. I don’t enjoy carrying dead carbon and fertile soil with me, nor do I relish the purview of spread of my blue kingdom which appears as if I have conquered everything around. It’s not my win, not at all. I am the one who suffers the most in the end, the one who becomes a host to all the irruptions and epidemics. And even after that, I can’t shout, I can’t cry like you. Even if I cry, would my tears be visible? So I prefer silence.

Today’s most lamentable moment was when I heard the pleading voices of people of Sangola takula. They want me to visit their place, to bless their dry life so that they don’t have to go on a 2 hour long pilgrim everyday just for me. I wish I could visit them for once, but I am helpless. Everyone wants me to leave the crowded streets where you could see all my twins and to visit Sangola takula, but I don’t have convenience to go there.

Now you would question my power. Yes, I am powerless in this territory of people. They have made my ways through their cities, and I had given them a word to follow whatever they ask me to do. They asked me to be in a dam, I stayed there. They asked me to flow all of a sudden, I followed. They made new channels, new paths for me to move and fearless, I travelled through them. They separated my siblings, cousins from me, packed us in tankers and sent us to untraveled regions spending millions, we obeyed keeping mum. Once when we showed our anger, they made a plan. A plan to make new channels throughout the country so that we can move anywhere in the country to meet our cousins. It was overwhelmingly welcomed as it was good for all. It lies in the papers yet and I can’t do anything much about it as you know paper and I are not allowed to have a relationship! So in all, as you see I am helpless. I can just hope. Hope that my aggression this time would give inspiration to the plans and papers to move to concrete ground from their comfortable home of files.

Said so far, I don’t want to disappoint my friends. We are indeed powerful!

Come to our territory and see yourself. How live we are! Watch us on own dance floors ( one near Worli seafront ), when princesses Moon go on a night walk and we, slightly drunk, dancing on the music self composed which could take anyone in deep thoughts, as deep as we are, making formations with white foam and then suddenly making more than 15 feet high structure in 2 seconds and collapsing even faster giving you a nice early morning bath before you could realize anything, though a little salty! Then, you would know our power.

We are beautiful. We are powerful. But we are not humans. We exist only to serve the people.

 

Capot de frere

Emotions can turn anyone into a great poet! Don’t believe it? Then check out this beautiful gift I received from my dear brother. First complete poem he has ever written! Hey, all sisters out there, have you received any better gift?

Capot de frere is a french word which means brotherhood.

 

A definition needs to lay on ,

A new symphony wish to band on,

A relationship to be cherished on,

A gift not everyone can enjoy on,

Since Capot de frere needs to scout on.

 

A friend to always rely on,

A frere to always hook on,

A fellow to always bubble on,

A booster to alwyas stream on,

Since Capot de frere always move on.

 

A love and care whose origin does not mean,

A laugh and joy whose boundary is not seen,

A sorry and rue whose end is lean,

A suffer and pain whose remnant in vein,

Since capot de frere says it all for me…

 

..and we pass by!

Laughed together,

and we even cried…

tears had meaning,

in sounds of sigh!

Those were times,

on lasting high…

why it turned low?

‘am unable to agnize!

Whenever eyes met,

there were smiles…

today we ignore,

…and just pass by!

Strange are the ways of life!! Aren’t they? I had wished some friendships to never end but rarely things are eternal in their form. “You should never give up on your friends”. Often heard this saying and it hurts when some memories come back. Sometimes you wonder was it possible to turn things otherway or they are moving on the best possible path? Wish I had answers….

 

Define Religion…

For sure, happenings around the world has agitated many consciences as terrorism often misread and misunderstood as “war for religion” is subject matter of many of my friend’s blogs. One of my friend, Gajju, described this as “religion at its cost” in his recent post. All these have sent me into a spin about the whole concept of religion. Lets try to look at these issues one by one:

1. What is religion? How is it defined?

As per dictionary, religion is defined as “A strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny” or “An institution to express belief in a divine power”. That is, religion is a “faith” or its an organization to show “faith”, faith in something we cannot sense.

2. Why it originated at the first place?

To answer the questions of who are we? Why are we here? Who created us? Well may be these were some of the questions which lead to the various religious institutions. But today, because of science we have answers to these. A combinations of various atoms combined together in a way producing life along with a complex structure of DNA made up of nitrogen to keep our existence, that’s what we are and well atoms are all around in the universe since big-bang. Why big-bang occurred? Because of imbalance / excess energy accumulation. Everything is in place according to science. Energy and entropy are the answers.

Still we have doubts because of the psychological thinking / excess conscious thinking. Wonder may be this is the reason animals do not have any religion!! So, basically as I understand it, religion was a product of human mind where all the unanswered questions of agitated mind can rest.

3. Why do we need religion?

The answer is clear now, to calm self, to rest in peace by having faith in an imaginative power which has all the answers.

Now when religion is a subset of “faith” i.e. a specific kind of faith, what all I am confused about is how can anyone else threaten your faith as people feel their religion been attacked? How can a religion die when it is a faith which lies in you? And how does it matter you have faith in which GOD, after all what all you know in reality does exist is only “faith”.

4. Why complications of being related to one religion or other?

Over time, people have mixed up things to complicate them. There existed different communities in various parts of the world disconnected with each other because of lack of technology. They developed a specific name, specific food-habits, language, rituals, dressing sense etc and religion i.e. “faith in whom and what way” was also a part of it. It was the community which defined a religion and not the religion which defined a community. But overemphasis on religion ( I am unaware of the reason, why) has led to this flip flop giving the perception of religion as an identity.

5. What is real Identity?

This question draws its answer in many ways from “Identity and Violence” by Amartya Sen. What is my identity? Khushboo Maheshwari, an IITian, Chemical Engineer, dual degree, Hostel 10 resident, Mumbaite, female, Rajasthani, Marawari, hindu, vegetarian, dancer, poet, athlete, gazal lover, rock hater, Indian, Asian, Human. These are only a few of the diverse categories to each of which I may simultaneously belong. Then how can only religion answer the quest of who i am?

Belonging to a community definitely has its advantages and its in a way intuitive, for example I can associate myself more with my hostel and hostilities than to any other hostel. But this association in anyway cannot harm anyone in other hostel. After all we share other things in common like being IITians, make be chemical engineers, Mumbaities, Indians, Asians etc. Same stands for being associated with a particular religion.

6. What’s the reason for “religion at its cost ” then?

It is the excessive importance given to this “mystic product of our mind to satisfy our conscience from unanswered question” ( read religion) and “unawareness of what this mystery actually is” the root cause of any of the religious war.

If I attach myself with feminism to the extent that I perceive it as my only identity, make all females on the world feel the same then there could be a “gender war”! or may be I can convince all vegetarian to hate non-vegetarians and excite a “food habits war”. Is there much difference between the the identities I have used in examples above and religion. For me, No! They are way or part of my life. I believe in being a vegetarian as I believe in my religion. Infact, to me the identity of being a female makes more sense as I often have fights with my male friends on “girls-boys” difference issue! I hardly remember telling someone as being a “Hindu” as a part of my identity.

7. What is this all fuss about then?

This reminds me of a dialogue from movie “beautiful mind”. ” What all people in power desire for? Answer is simple. More Power!” Its actually a power war where bullets are fired by keeping gun on shoulder of religion as we, people do not understand it. All we understand is that it is our identity, which it actually is not! Then how a threat to religion could be a threat to our identity? Infact how can one threaten your belief? Think about it!

Media has cooked this issue for so long, everyone is fooled in the name of religion because of ignorance by everyone in power. And what is that a common man has gained? Fear of uncertainty/ death! What they have lost? Peace of mind! Is it worth it? High time to realise what we have in common than to emphasise on differences.

PS: I do not posses much know-how about the subject of origin of religion and its importance. Everything written above is how I perceive things around.