2010

another footprint in the shore of life…. 2010
so many things passed by
happiness, joy, sorrow, love, achievements
some are going to stay forever
like the shells we pick up and bring home
some will lie there in the shore
waiting to be washed away.

It was a beautiful year for me, I hope it was same for you too. Its been a blessing to know you all, hope to stay in your hearts, and if possible life for the years to come.

You all will find me here:

poems:
http://mydomainpvt.wordpress.com

stories:
http://magicthought.wordpress.com

novel, long stories, musings etc:
http://mycybernovels.wordpress.com

some dreams, some awards, some poems:
http://window2mysoul.wordpress.com

kingmaker

part TEN: His father was wrong. When devil takes control of human heart and arms they forget love.

That night those who surrounded their home were his neighbours. He used to call them uncle; they used to call his father brother, his mother sister in law…………

Different people take inhumanity in different ways; some leave the justice on God some beg devil to settle their scores. Don’t play with lives of others; you can never tell who will come down or come up to settle his scores!

It’s a long story, Quite a long one; Its fiction but reality based fiction. I have been thinking about writing this story since I wrote my first story and realized Atleast half a dozen people thought that was good.

I have been writing vigorously since then so that I can write two long stories, first is already done and posted on blog, “Honey Trap” (http://mycybernovels.wordpress.com) and the second one is this.

I will go really slowly on this one, because I am doing quite ample thinking, editing on this, I don’t want to rush through it like I do with all my other works.

It will be updated once a week, but later it may get updated once a fortnight. To keep it tidy I have started a page for it, the URL of the page:

The part TEN is updated now here:

http://mycybernovels.wordpress.com/kingmaker/

join me in this journey…

merry christmas

Merry Christmas everyone!

you can check my poetries in:
http://mydomainpvt.wordpress.com

fantasies in:
http://window2mysoul.wordpress.com

stories in:
http://magicthought.wordpress.com

long stories, scribblings in:
http://mycybernovels.wordpress.com

writing

Well, I have left this blog but I am still blogging.
In case anyone is interested to read my stories, he/she can check:

http://magicthought.wordpress.com/

if he/she wants to read my scribblings/thoughts in that case:

http://mycybernovels.wordpress.com

poetry:

http://mydomainpvt.wordpress.com/

dreams:

http://window2mysoul.wordpress.com

wish you all the very best, will be glad to see you in wordpress.

Cat woman

“Who is that lady?” Titas asked her cousin.

They were standing side by side on his roof, a middle aged lady was feeding a huge battalion of mixed species of creatures- birds, cats, dogs and a cow was visible.

“We call her miao aunty.” He giggled.

“Why?”

“She picks up all strays from the locality and shelters them.”

“Do her pets bother you guys?”

“No. they are so stuffed up with food that they don’t eat any thing they are offered by others.”

“Then you should appreciate her having as your neighbour. Respect her. Her heart is huge. Even if those naive animals sometimes bother you, you can forgive them. You know, animals too have a right to live, eat and in huge towns or metros their lives are miserable.”

“I guess you are right.”


sharmishtha basu

Brothers

Four brothers, two sisters. Five of them doted on their baby sister. She slipped into dark alleys and stayed there because she initially was not allowed to go out and then the lucrative bonuses of sold soul captured her.

Everyone doesnot wants to sell their soul, so once a girl walked in but walked out, challenging them to touch her if they dare.

The baby sister was the one who was trying to pull her in the darkness; every head meant lot of money. She saw red when her prey fled. She called out to her family-the SOS reached them before the brave-heart could reach her home.

So the brothers started to chase her, pretending that she was engaged to one of them and ran away just before marriage, because her parents have found out a BBD (bigger better deal) for her. Leaving him fuming and heartbroken.

This trick worked because they found out quite a lot of sympathetic persons who tried to make the lovers meet each other.

They succeeded; a good Samaritan tracked the girl and promised the killer that he will make arrangements of his meeting the love of his life, the girl was fooled into their lair and killed.

But they forgot one thing – she too had brothers and family.

Evil intentions

We often meet these people in walk of life. People who hide their deadly intentions behind the cover of friendship or sweetness.

I have a strange power of feeling the true intention of people. No matter how much a person sweet talks with me, if I see him face to face or mix with him for too long I can feel his real intentions.

Still I believe in giving my hunches a long spell of time before I turn them into belief. Sadly, in ninety nine percent cases my hunches turn into belief.

Is it a God given gift or all of us having this power? Only most of us ignore it? This power of looking through the outer covering and observe what is inside. I think we all have this power. Some of us cherish it and some ignore it.

Cruelty

Cruelty is cruelty, right? These days I feel a little confused if I got the statement wrong. All of a sudden a voice is gaining a large volume an eye for an eye. And the advocates of this view call others cruel. How can I be kind if I believe in eye for an eye?

I believe we call name to every thing which doesnot fits our views. We never even try to walk a meter in shoes of others, forget about a mile.

We call military invasion just, but we call terrorism heinous act. We ignore lockup, starvation deaths calmly, as if there is nothing wrong in that, its just a part of life but we lynch pickpockets if we can get our hands on them.

Sometimes when I look at ourselves from a distance I can feel how the viewers of roman circus were in middle ages. Every thing which is socially permitted or legally permitted is acceptable to us; we watch it sipping our tea. Every thing which is out of social tracks is disgusting to us, it brings out the beast inside us.

Sharmishtha basu

Bibhishan and karna

Bibhishan is admired in Indian society. A just man who betrayed his own tyrannical brother Ravana and helped Ram to fight and conquer him. He became king of Lanka when Ram conquered it.

Its true I don’t appreciate all of his actions, may be what he did was needed for betterment of society. But somehow he fails to earn my respect.

Karna, the eldest of Pandavas, discarded by his unmarried mother at birth, brought up by a poor couple. He chose Duryodhana because he was treated with respect by Duryodhana. He even joined some of his dark deeds like insulting his own sister in law Draupadi.

This man, with quite a handful of vices is not a much admired character.

I personally can’t feel that disrespect for him. His loyalty toward a person who has honoured him when the whole world insulted him.

His giving away his magical shields to Narada, knowing very well that it meant signing his own death warrant. Just because he never refused a beggar. These few are quite noble trait to me.

I think India has produced quite a lot of Bibhishan. At-least one in every historical event. Not much of Karna though.

I wonder if we had looked down upon Bibhishan, would there have been less number of traitors?

Beautiful earth

Being born on this magnificent planet we take it as a right. And take so many, so magnificent things for granted.

Was just recently watching a sci-fi movie, twelve monkeys, just like all doom day movies it too had the same basic story, a strange virus attacks human race and human beings have to leave the earth and build some place above ground to dwell.

Earth goes to wild creatures. Who roam freely all over it.

In a few of its scene, bruce willis was ecstatic to breathe freely. To see the trees and birds. Hope we wont invite any thing of that sort on us and start giving this priceless planet the respect it deserves.

Three vultures

Mr. Mitra, Mr. Das and Mr. Gupta. Three respectable senior citizens. Above sixty. All three of them millionaire, factory owners owned factories attached to each other in same industrial complex.

They were as close as three friends can be.

That was one side of them.

They had grown up kids who did the main running around in the business. These three friends mainly handled the finance side. They had to stay in the office all day to handle the payments. Too much time, too little to do.

They used to spend most of their time on internet, visiting chat rooms, befriending young girls using photographs of their handsome ex employees. Once befriended prying out their phone numbers was an easy game.

The second thing they used to do was calling the girl up and offer her a job. The girl naturally used to walk in the trap, thinking she must have submitted the c.v.

Once the girl entered their lair the three old monkeys used to start their game. If she joined Mr. Mitra then Mr. Das and Mr. Gupta used to try to lure her to the path of easy virtues and huge cash- if the bird was killed then they all shared the meat like good friends. If she did not she was dismissed or harassed to no end, resulting in her resignation or job change.

This game continued for quite a long time till they made a mistake. One of the girl found her cyber friend in their ex employee register and started to ask questions to other employees.

But her spirit sank

She was basking with happiness. The red bridal attire burning on her body. Her parents have bought the exact shade of red which will look good on their dark complexioned daughter. Her husband was as handsome as Adonis. Theirs was a love marriage.

She came down from the car. He was looking at her from the corner of his eyes. Soon giggling girls and women took her inside. She was sitting there, her heart full of happiness and dream.

When she heard, “Ketan could not find a better match for himself? She is ugly. There must be some defect in Ketan, otherwise he would have never married her.”

“Hush aunty. The defect is in you. You showed it by saying those cruel words loudly, its her day, don’t ruin it. Ketan knows a diamond that’s why he picked up one.” Another voice retorted.

But her spirit sank.

Sharmishtha basu

Privacy in webworld

Privacy is the most illusive word in internet. I have been harassed to no end by a gang of trolls for more than two years so I mostly keep a check on my visibility on internet. I practice all the safety measures like gurumantra- deleting private files and every thing etc etc.

Even after that, I feel a little sarcastic when I see that if someone is obsessed with me, like those trolls were, they can find out even the comments I have posted on the blogs of my friends. How close am I to a specific cyber-friend, and after that they can play their games.

They won’t have to take trouble of tracking me; internet will do that favour to them.

Will it be rude if I say it’s a gross invasion in one’s private conversation with one’s friends?

Pixie trixie and family

It seems pixie is growing up in leaps and bounds. I had the vague feeling since the day he revolted against being kept indoors. The desperation of his attempts told me there was something more than I was seeing. It was aka is, it is trixie. A kitten who looks just like him. The similarity is quite ample. She spends most of her time at my window these days.

I am trying to play matchmaker. But she is not very keen to allow Pixie near. She is cute as a button for sure. Hope things will work out fine.

LOL a bizarre twist in my feline love story. Last evening trixie introduced me to her two priceless possessions- two kittens as small as my cellphones I guess, or a little bigger. Today morning she came with all three of them.

They are so very beautiful. Good sign is trixie is not defensive against pixie. And pixie is only curious about the tiny ones, not hostile.

Sharmishtha basu
15.07.10

YOU

Janie had her own problems. Sad memories. But she never showed them to outside world and kept them to herself. She never believed in pillows to sob in.

Her best friend lived a normal life, that is she thought that Mel was her best friend. She loved sharing her happiest moments with her. And when Janie was out of her sight, Mel used to confide into her circle that Janie was jealous of her. How did she knew that? Because Janie was never happy to hear her happy stories.

Then one day someone told Mel, showed her the mirror. Only monkeys can show their teeth with/without happiness. Human beings laugh when their heart is happy. And your happiness may not be the reason behind someone else’s sadness. There is so much more in the lives of other people than YOU.

YOU are a MAN

Jayesh was only fourteen when both of his parents passed away. They left him shattered and a millionaire.

He was the only child and so were his father and mother. He was studying in hostel and stayed there.

He met a friend- he called her she was his angel. She won his heart and soul. They ended in bed when he was just twenty one. Her being fifteen years older than him did not matter any thing to him.

Their love bloomed and died like a night flower. The age gap was too great. He clung to her out of gratitude and started to compensate the lack of love by money.

Then he found someone of his age and fell head over heels in love with her. He asked his lover to bid him goodbye. And he realized that his angel was actually a python.

One year later he was facing the wrath of society and law. Every point was fingered at him – “You are a man. You should have acted with dignity and properness.” Was the chant he heard wherever he went.

Warning signs

The Ghosh family was happy beyond words. Their only daughter has received a marvelous proposal. The would be groom was a millionaire. There was no question of refusing. The groom and his family were settled overseas.

Uneasiness crept in from other side, one after one accidents started to happen after the marriage was initially accepted from both ends. Very bad things started to happen in the family- death, loss to name a few. Feeling really bad about the signs Mrs. Ghosh bluntly refused to further the relationship. There was uproar but her tears won.

To settle their scores most probably, they got their son married to Rishita’s cousin.

Ten years passed by. One day Rishita was returning from her office when someone called out to her. She was surprised to see her cousin standing there.

“When did you came to India Chandrani?”

“Eight years ago. You were lucky didi, you were saved by God.”

“After going there I came to know he already had a mistress there, he took away every thing I had. It was just sheer luck that I could get away from there.”

“He used to hit me. Trying to make me do the dirtiest things, knowing I won’t be able to go anywhere. He used to lock the house from outside. It was in a desolate place, far away in the mountains.”

“One day a man came knocking after his car broke down and I told him every thing. He informed the police and they rescued me and contacted my family.”

Rishita hugged her tightly and thanked God for rescuing both of them.

Silly girl

she was a student of class nine. In one of quite reputed schools. The school has strong reputation in field of results, most of the boys and girls were from cultured families.

She lived with her elder sister, only eight years older than her. Who married in a hurry and brought her to live with her as her husband toured too much.

The elder one was neither capable of taking care of herself nor was she capable of taking care of her sister she has brought over. So the little one used to prepare her own tiffin and bring it to school, which was mostly dry breads and some left over curry, smelling funny. She just nibbled it partially, the rest used to return home with her to be sneaked away with the garbage.

One day they were standing in the playground when she saw a dog, she was about to give the Tiffin to the dog when she heard a child’s voice, “Didi are you throwing away that food? She turned and saw a small child; a child of one of the labourer’s working for their new building.

“Can I take it? I am hungry.” She handed the Tiffin over to him. He ate it hungrily and returned the absolutely empty box to her.

“Thank you didi.” He was about to turn back when she called out to him, “Whenever you feel hungry you can come to me. I sit in that class. You know when our Tiffin hours are? Don’t you?”

“Yes didi.”

It became a daily routine. A food which was disgusting to one was nectar to other so the child became a daily visitor for those tasteless breads.

A few months passed by, one day she noted that some of the boys of her class were threatening the boy.

“They were saying that he steals things from their bags.” One of her friends said. “They are lying but who will argue with them.”

Silly girl part 2

Silly girls are supposed to grow up into silly women. Right? So did her. A few decades passed away in her life without changing her point of view on poor people, especially poor children much.

She used to commute from a small town of west Bengal to Kolkata to work. Every day. Every evening when she used to sit in her window seat to watch outside she used to see street urchins huddled on unused tracks. Rats crawling among them. A deep pain used to shot through her heart. Thinking about the plight of these innocent souls.

One day she was sitting at her window seat when she heard a sweet voice, “Didi you want a packet of snacks?” she turned to see a very young and extremely cute looking boy. She did not have the heart to refuse him and told him to give her a packet. He handed her over a packet costing two rupee. She gave him a five rupee coin, he returned her eight rupee and was about to leave. She called him and softly cajoled him; she knew that he will have to submit all his income to the person who gave him those packets to sell.

Thus began a loving relationship. His name was Kishna, whenever he saw her he knew that she will buy at least a packet from him. Soon a lot of other girls too started to buy from him.

Then one day a mishap happened. The bags of a lady was lifted while she was sleeping in her seat. The fingers were certainly pointed at these boys; she heard some snide remarks because that lady has often seen her talking with the child.

This time she ignored her remarks and kept buying things from the child and talking to him. She did not repeated her mistake.

Ragging

Well, let me state in the very beginning- I am anti- ragging. I don’t see any rhyme or reason behind harassing newcomers, no matter to which sphere of life they are entering.

This ugly practice should be stopped. In a very few cases it is mild but in most cases it takes an ugly form. So may be the school and colleges should just ban it. Firmly and finally.

Parents send their children to school to study. Not to be sent back crippled, dead or psychologically shattered.

In schools of west Bengal there is a way of receiving fresh students and bidding goodbye to old ones. This is done under the guidance and presence of teachers. If mixing with fresher is so important the same thing can be applied to colleges too. After all, no matter how busy the professors are they can manage a day for a function.

Luckily the college in which I studied had ragging banned. So we breathed quite easily through out our first year. Not all colleges are that sensible.

In the name of ragging these days (or in old days too) it appears that some students satisfy their ugly bullying urges, why do the authorities let it happen?

If dress code and other codes can be applied in colleges then ragging can be stopped too. I think it should be. It must be.

Corporal punishment

Students and teachers- a relationship as old as human civilization. It is an essential part of it till date. May be in future computers and other things will replace them but not now.

When a student is wounded by a teacher sometimes the teacher is cruel and sometimes the teacher is driven to cruelty. Its easy to say that a teacher should control him or herself but I have seen that one kid can drive the whole home crazy, so, what about the man who has to teach such 30 kids per period x at least five periods a day?

Being a teacher is not that easy. But hitting children is simply not the solution. May be the teachers and the parents should have a clear cut talk. They should give some strict guidelines about what the kid should not do in the school, and if he is caught doing that nth time he should be transferred.

The wealthier schools can opt for cameras in class room. The poorer schools can simply elect class monitors and give them the protection and power to control the class.

I have been a class monitor once, my class teacher and another teacher stood behind me like rock, as a result girls seven or eight years older than me listened to me and stayed silent when there was an off period.

I personally am dead against hitting a kid, but whenever I read this type of news I wonder if the teacher was cruel or was driven simply crazy by kids.

If parents and teachers work in harmony, like ours did, I think these things will be a past.

When I was a child I knew one thing, if I go home sobbing that teacher has spanked me the first question I will hear is, “What did you do?”

My parents always gave the teacher “benefit of doubt”. That taught me obedience and adjustment.

happy birthday noreen!

Scorching summer

Well, we should have anticipated it, when we were blessed by chilling winter this year (that is 2009-10) that a scorching summer might be looming for us in the horizon.

I relished the winter to the core, which a lot of Kolkata people did not, they were frozen. I wonder how are they reacting to this terrible heat. I guess not much because almost every house in Kolkata uses air-conditioners these days. So they just utilize that thing to relax their scorched bodies.

Me and pixie are spending semi sleepless nights these days. Its fun to watch her, sometimes looking at me from her bed, or sprawling on the floor all exhausted. I too in my turn sometimes see her sleeping with an exasperated expression. We both finally retire with the cool of dawn seeping in.

Is a torrential rain-cladded monsoon waiting for us in the horizon?

Even the thought makes me shiver with fear.

Last night I kept pixie up all night, till four thirty in the morning. Poor baby was at her wit’s end. She was visibly relieved when I retired.

the king

The king was sitting on his throne. He looked like a monster. His handsome features were twisted by his inner demon. It appeared that the demon was growing stronger with his decaying body and growing age. His hair was all white but his eyes were dark with lust and greed. His mouth was as ugly as a mastiff. Showing his lack of self restraint.

The court became silent. The sentries brought in a beautiful girl. She was the daughter of a sage. The king saw her during one of his hunting expedition. Kidnapped her and brought her over here.

He tried to woo her but could not. He could not force himself because he was cursed by a Goddess that if he ever tries to force himself on any woman his skull will explode.

All his attempts failed. Finally he gave her a timeline, timeline to give in. which she did not accepted. Hence she was branded as a witch and was to be burnt today. In the central square of the capital.

The pyre was ready. The king wanted to hear with his own ears that she will accept a grisly death but not him.

The girl entered the pyre calmly. A serene expression on her face. The pyre engulfed her and suddenly its flames reached the sky, and engulfed the whole kingdom. Nothing was left behind.

When spring came next year the whole place was covered with white daisies, blooming from one end of the kingdom to the other.

Crime and thereafter

We all make grave mistakes, which sometimes may degrade into crime. If we don’t repent and make up for the mistake. For example, I drank up-to my throat and struck someone down. If that person was dead then I have committed the crime before realizing it. But if that person was still alive and instead of taking him to hospital I escape- I create a crime out of a deadly mistake.

In the first case or second case if the person realizes his mistake and tries to compensate as much as he can; I personally believe that cleans his slate in front of God a lot. The family members or loved ones may not forgive him but God sure will. His tears of repentance and acts of repentance will sure reach Her.

addiction

For once, I am talking about the real “addiction” the addiction for drugs etc. We have been preached in family and school against these vices so much that I never even felt about experimenting with them. And by the time I was asked about my opinion on them I was old enough to clearly state that I believe in not touching them.

Mostly I believe its bad company that pushes people into these pits. Being surrounded with people who are eager to join in these abuses. Fortunately, that was another thing I was preached to keep away from. Bad company.

As I never felt the yearning for any of these things I often wonder what shoves so many people in this ditch. Why so little of them can come out before much harm is done. Is it weakness? Lack of self confidence or something genetic, which pushes them towards these things.


Rationally thinking I believe wise people don’t touch these things once. Because first step is the toughest one. If it is taken the rest often follows automatically.

Barbie

“Uncle, do I look like Barbie? Who has come with a wardrobe of enviable size, which can change her entire being, one moment she is a school teacher the other second a exotic dancer?”

“You know the type of woman Atul wants, then why are you wasting your time looking for a normal woman for him?”

“Let him make his own choice and regret. You tried your best and he rudely ridiculed the innocent girls you selected for him, including myself.”

“Let him marry the girl he wants, just ask him to not shove her on your face and don’t come crying to you when he gets bored with his Barbie.”

Ponchishe boisakh (25th Day of Baisakh) (9.5.2010)

Baisakh is a month of Bengali Calender, the first month. Every Bengali knows the 25th day of this month. One of the dearest human beings of almost every Bengali was born on this day, Rabindranath Tagore. I wont bother you with his biography, sorry. Because I hated reading biography or autobiographies.

Today is his 150th birthday. He has left earth a long time ago but has left behind a trail of light and beauty. His songs are still the hot favourites of too many Bengalis (including myself).

I love to write, almost every thing but fact based serious things. And after I started to write myself my respect for him shot sky high. I have always adored (almost worshipped) him but now when I explore his expertise in almost every sphere of human feelings I feel awestruck by his genius.

He is one of the reasons I thank God again and again that I am a Bengali. Because to understand and soak oneself into his works one have to clearly understand Bengali and have at least an ample amount of Bengali temperament. I have read a little bit of English translation of his works, they tasted quite lifeless and devoid of sweetness.

Tagore, Kabiguru once wrote a poem which mused that someone was reading his poem hundred year afterwards that date. Well, I can proudly say that if his works stay and Bengalis survive then people will be reading his works five hundred years later too. He was ONE poet.

Your words

Decades have passed away
You have put down your flute
Placed your pen in stand
And left for your own journey
Enchanting journey to dreamland.

Your music still resonates
Fills up our soul
Your poetries still spill out
To show us how lovely life is
You have left a trail of light.

Deities show themselves
Fairies dance in them
Nature unravels her glory
Human soul is undisclosed
Your words contain the universe.

Some times they take me
On a trip to a garden
Or a village road
To a lotus pond
Or in the endless space.

Or some palace far away
Where a beautiful spirit dwelled
Every dweller fell in love
And could never leave her
They perished yearning for her.

pixie the great

Some creatures just walk into our life and make it better in too many ways. They teach us so many things.

How lovely life is for instance, I truly relish his playfulness. It’s really amusing to observe how full of life cats are and how they are always enjoying life. He is always looking for and locating things to play with.

Bottle caps, paper pieces, curtain, slippers, and his stole booties like shaving brush and sharpners.

He is a very gentle creature. He often sleeps in my bedroom. When he has to go out he gently bites me or starts to pull or play with my hair, to wake me up. His encroachment on my bed means he wants to go out.

He uses the toilet to relieve himself. That’s the best part I guess.

He is an adorable pet. He taught me another thing; his happiness surpasses my affection for him. As long as he is alright I don’t mind where he is.

Pixie runs himself in mess

Kids are all alike, are not they? Ask them to don’t climb trees- they will. Ask them to not eat too many ice-cream, they will stuff themselves up to neck.

Seems Mr. Pixie too is just a kid. I hoped that he wont enter the neighbouring houses and he started to raid the most dangerous zone- my landlord’s home. Again and again.

As a result I had to keep him inside. Because if he doesnot chances his ways we will fall in big problem.

So he is inside right now. I will leave him a couple of hours later hoping that he changes his manners and stays away from trouble. Or else we will have to most probably set him free somewhere away from here. But not before three more months, and he will have to spend those three months confined in room once more.

Kids just can’t stay away from trouble. Alas! That’s the saddest truth.

Well its past seven thirty and he is yet to show up, seems he has vanished in the thin air.

Pixie tales will have to be packed up I guess. Wish him luck and health in his venture in the bad, wild world.


Anyone looking for an introduction about pixie can check the blog url http://mycybernovels.wordpress.com/2010/03/12/my-tiny-pet/

Pixie happy days are here again

Sometimes love makes us cruel, doesnot it? Now when I see pixie happily running around I feel that’s what we do sometimes. Our possessiveness, fear overcome our desire to see our loved ones happy and we try to enslave them.

How much freedom means to another being, a being like pixie who has not read a single book containing lectures about glory of freedom.

An innocent creature who feels freedom, so much that he doesnot even cares for food. His chubby tummy has sunk but he prefers outdoors. And his happiness is making me happy.

He sometimes scampers in when he feels threatened by something but mostly he is basking outside in the sun. I feel a little more than “just guilty” for keeping him indoors for two months. Thinking that will be safe for him.

Good that he rebelled on 26th. He gave me the necessary shove to act humane.

I am happy that he is slowly adjusting himself to the place where he actually belongs- out in the arms of Mother Nature. Frolicking in the sunshine.

Anyone looking for an introduction about pixie can check the blog url http://mycybernovels.wordpress.com/2010/03/12/my-tiny-pet/

Pixie Adieu time

The way things are moving he soon will become my ex pet. Soon he will become an absolutely free kitten I guess.

Today I liberated him early in the morning. He showed up on three or four times inside and two times outside.

It was fun watching him relish his freedom. He was not at all keen to stay inside. Freedom is a beautiful thing; he is reminding me it every minute by his eagerness to go out.

There is one quite ferocious cat prowling around the house. Funny thing is he/she is almost a replica of pixie. Only bigger. Today I saw him/her sitting on the wall, preparing to attack pixie, he/she gave me a good look and I realized that there is only one difference in them, their tails are different, and sizes are different. Otherwise they are clones.

So I was just amply worried for pixie but he showed up quite happy and smug at seven pm, he is right now sleeping but soon his nocturnal activities will overpower his eagerness to return home at night.

Then, I think I will have to say goodbye to the tiny creature who just happened to be a part of my life for a short span of time.

Anyone looking for an introduction about pixie can check the blog url http://mycybernovels.wordpress.com/2010/03/12/my-tiny-pet/

Learning lessons

There are two common ways of learning a lesson. First is the way eklavya learnt it, by seeing others getting trained, and the second way is the way Arjuna learned, directly by getting directly trained. Majority follow Arjuna’s path.

Now, those of you who don’t know the story of Eklavya let me brief it for you. It’s a mythological story in India. When Kaurava and Pandava’s were having their training in warfare from Dronacharya Eklavya used to see them. By that observation he learnt warfare a far better than any of Kaurava or Pandavas.

That’s what happened in real life too. Some of us learn from the lessons of other people and manage those situations in life with more expertise. And some people prefer hands on experience in place of learning by observation and honing one’s skill by oneself.

Being a learner I prefer learning from every thing. Direct or indirect ways. It’s true that we can’t blindly trust or follow others but we can keep their experiences in mind, at-least give them the benefit of doubt that they are truthful and their experiences genuine. We can never say, even the most weird things can turn out to be true. In that case if we blow them away we will easily slide in the trap when we face those circumstances. But if we give them benefit of doubt, high chances are that we will be saved from those traps.

Loved ones

A friend of mine forwarded me a message today. A wonderful message as always. His messages are filled with most beautiful words. Full of love and wisdom.

I loved one quote in particular, that said that always leave a loved one with a sweet word. You may be seeing them for the last time.

It’s so true, is not it? We often leave our loved ones with anger in our heart. Then things go wrong and we regret later. Sometimes for the rest of our lives. For saying those angry/bitter words.

Its love that makes the world go around. People who love us should be treasured, so this is the least we can do for them. Leave them behind with a warm handshake or hug.

Vices?

Some of the things which we human beings have inside us are branded as vices- ego, anger, cruelty, ruthless practical sense are some of them to mention.

Are they really vices? Or they become virtue with situation? I think the latter is the truth. These things may be vices for one situation and a treasure in second situation.

Ego- hmm, one of the worst vices, right? What if someone manipulates your softness and sweetness to insult you? To bulldoze all over you mercilessly again and again? Met too many of them in my not very long life. These people don’t dare to open their mouth in front of an egoistical person or vengeful person. Fearing the lash-back they so very well deserve.

Anger- another bad emotion. Really?? What about the dialogue Halle Berry said in X-men part II? I vibe so well with that dialogue- sometimes it helps you to survive.

Cruelty- what about a lioness killing the hyena when it attacks her cub?

Ruthless practical sense – this is something really good, people who possess it never fly too high, but they never fall too hard either. I prefer having this vice, even though it acts against ecstasy and sky high ambition.

Pixie A free bird

Today (26.04.10) I took the final decision, to leave him alone. I have set him free. Its dark outside and he is happily chasing a mole outside my window. I can hear the poor rodent squeaking and only a dumb kitten chases a mole. Cats are too smart to waste time after them.

I took the decision yesterday. He escaped through the kitchen window in the morning.

I thought he is gone for good. But a few minutes later I saw him running like crazy, frightened outside my window, so… I had to go out and rescue him. He fought tooth and nails (literally).

He escaped one more time through the kitchen window and two times I pulled him back right on the nick of time. After that I closed the kitchen door.

He spent the whole evening crying piteously. It resembles so much to crying babies that I decided that he will have to go.

After clearing my conscience I liberated him in the morning. After that he has showed up only twice.

Once panting piteously, being chased by another cat. And second time an hour or so ago. Just to take a peek inside I guess. His body language says it loudly that he wont be staying. I am happy that he is happy outside.

Well right now he is in, sitting in the window in a very foul mood. As he doesnot understand human language he did not understood the promise I made to him, I will let him out in the morning again. So he is sitting in the window in a very sulky mood.

He scampered in just a few minutes before a storm and sharp rain (Yippy for the rain).

Guess God gave me the sign too, after sending us relief from scorching heat. I felt like a demon all evening last evening.

pixie A bird in cage

He is a tiny angel. But this is one thing which really hurts me sometimes. Cats are not fully domesticated as dogs, so they love to roam around but after a nasty incident of a abscess in his tummy I studied on internet that cats can die out of them, and they can be caused by scratches or bites of other animals. So I decided that I will keep him indoors. I did not want him to steal from neighbours either.

That tiny creature is desperate to go out and roam on his own. He tries every possible way.

My windows are all netted, but there is a small opening in each of them so I can lock the windows from inside. That’s enough for a kitten to crawl out, he used it merrily till I sealed them with cardboard.

Last night I heard a strange sound from kitchen, and caught him just a second before he was exiting. You should have seen his outrage.

I wonder if I am doing the right thing, I just don’t want him to go out and kill himself. There are too many cats, dogs and human beings outside.

Anyone looking for an introduction about pixie can check the blog url http://mycybernovels.wordpress.com/2010/03/12/my-tiny-pet/

Pixie the local toughie

I don’t think he weights half a kilogram. But you should see his attitudes. Its so hard to resist giggles when he is at it.

He rolls his eyes (they are awesome) glares at me and tries to scare me. Whenever he thinks that I am crossing my limits.

He is sprawling on the bed, if I put down my palms on it he rolls his eyes, snorts and pounces on me. These days his nails don’t come out. He is slowly learning that. They are all playful way of intimidating a woman who is about hundred times as big as him I guess.

He hides behind the curtain and chases me if I look for him.

The funniest thing happens in dark, during power cuts he becomes a joker, pouncing on me from weirdest places.

I love it when he puckers his tiny mouth, rolls his eyes and snorts to scare me.

Anyone looking for an introduction about pixie can check the blog url http://mycybernovels.wordpress.com/2010/03/12/my-tiny-pet/

Religious pixie

My tiny pixie is getting hyper religious day by day. It’s a must for me that I will worship twice a day.

I spread a mat in front of my altar and offer my prayers.

Pixie never liked it because it’s quite a time consuming affair. Earlier he used to disturb me to no end, pouncing on me; trying to make me play with him… the list is never ending

Since last eight or ten days he has changed his way. Now the moment I spread the mat he pounces on it and starts to play with it. As a result I end up sitting on the floor offering my prayers while he bites and rolls with the mat.

Anyone looking for an introduction about pixie can check the blog url http://mycybernovels.wordpress.com/2010/03/12/my-tiny-pet/

Pixie the squirrel

Anyone looking for an introduction about pixie can check the blog url http://mycybernovels.wordpress.com/2010/03/12/my-tiny-pet/



I have never had a pet kitten before pixie. As I stay at home I have full liberty of observing his ways. Which are truly amusing and awesome.


He will complete two months in my life on 28th, within one month he started to show this tendency.

I first noted him running around the house with a sharpener (pencil sharpener) clasped in his tiny mouth. He loved playing with it so much that I did not had the heart to take it away from him.

Soon I saw that he has collected the second one from my pencil box. Taking the opportunity of the pencil box being open. They were piled near his food bowl.

He just loved running around the house pretending they were his preys.

Now he has found a new obsession. I have stopped him a few times from climbing into egg basket, a couple of days ago I caught him once, the next time when I reached there he pretended as if he was not heading for the egg basket, he clasped a cap of a bottle in his mouth and started to play with it.

The next day, I was going to wash a bottle, he clambered up on the wash basin, I heard a clicking sound and the cap of the bottle was gone. He was playing in the next room with it.

I never knew cats act this way. Its lots of fun to watch a cat growing up.

Pixie and godzilla

Anyone looking for an introduction about pixie can check the blog url http://mycybernovels.wordpress.com/2010/03/12/my-tiny-pet/
Or http://agnitrisha.blogspot.com/2010/03/my-tiny-pet.html


Godzilla is the one who actually shoved pixie into my life, so it’s very tough for me to dislike him/her. I will refer to her as a pussy cat because most probably she is a female.

I used to let pixie out during the first month after his entering my household but later I decided against it. Godzilla was sparing him as a kitten but might not do that after growing up. And other cats/dogs may not do that even now.

Godzilla has bullied him quite a few times, pretty toughly, if not roughly. I still remember pixie’s first bath. In the Mid February, I have let him out when I saw Godzilla outside, by the time I opened the key and came out I saw that she has already reached pixie, have pushed him in the drain and was spanking him.

Godzilla was not very keen to let him go. I literally had to push her away from him and scare him more than once. By that time pixie has entered my rooms through window. I too entered the room after closing the door. I saw pixie sitting on the doormat with a petrified expression.

I naturally assumed that he was upset after that bashing up. Wow! When I came out of the kitchen I saw Godzilla was sitting there and glaring at him. I had to shoo her away from my rooms and close the windows.

Then poor pixie had to have him bath and after that I have never let him out willingly, though he has escaped through the window couple of time.

Now right now, Godzilla is atleast twenty times larger than pixie. Or atleast ten to fifteen times. As I can’t grab her all I can do is assume.

A fortnight or so ago I was sitting here, typing when I saw the sound of hissing coming from window. Godzilla comes to meet pixie every day atleast once, so I thought it must be Godzilla scaring him.

After a while I turned my face and saw that it was other way round, pixie was scaring Godzilla. Hissing at her, and hitting the net with his miniature paw.

Ugliness from within

These are the people we often come across these days, and they always leave one effect on us- repulsion.

They have one thing in common, they think they have right to insult or mock every one. If we pry a little under the skin we will see these people have another thing in common, they are as corrupted inside as they are outside. As they are always indulged in that inner corruption their mind and tongue always churns it, and all that comes out of their mouth is vile, bitter and vulgar.

Keeping one’s temper with these people is very tough. But before losing temper one should remember one thing, that is, the more you will lose your temper the greater advantage they will gain. The level to which they will dip you never will. You will most probably kill yourself before that. And decent snubbing or insulting will only humour them. So the best way to deal with them is to ignore their very existence. Very frankly speaking they fit in one of old Indian words of wisdom that meant- “those who don’t have knowledge, wisdom, good deeds, charity, decency, virtues or religion they are only weighing up the earth, they are monkeys in form of human beings.” So if you take up this point of view, if a monkey throws something at you, you just duck and prevent it from throwing the next thing. You don’t get into a war with it.

By convincing yourself of this you will conquer anger and his ugliness. He will stand an absolute failure. And if you are a real master of your feelings you can even address him politely or coldly to clearly show him that he/his behaviour/his opinion does not means any thing to you. My wisdom says to avoid them like plague and never get entangled with them in any manner- friendly or unfriendly. These people are like pile of mud, if you throw a stone into it the mud will reach your face. So let it stay under your feet or near them.

my tiny pet

I don’t think I would have written this post and a few more which will come from time to time but for my sweetest friend Gayle. She loves her pet cat and I have started to love mine.

She asked me to write about pixie’s funny ways so she could read and know about him more.

He entered my life on 28th January 2010. I initially thought she is a cat but now I think he is a tom cat. Any way, I am not very fond of cats, I love dogs most. He just had to enter my life, and I am happy that he did.

There is a cat in my area; I call her Godzilla the Goon. She controls the whole territory ferociously but is cute in her aggressive ways. She scared my first feline friend kitso from the area.

She romps around my rooms with a ferocious expression; I think it’s a mask. She is a love hungry cat.

On 28th morning I was sitting beside my window, watching outside when I saw Godzilla looking at something ferociously.

I thought she was looking at some other cat, then she pounced on it and I saw a fistful of a kitten. I had to go out to save it of course. But now I think Godzilla was just trying to scare him.

On seeing me both vanished. I returned to my room hoping the kitten has gone back to his mother. But ten minute later I saw he was eating something right outside my window.

I went out and he did not even noted me, he was busy gobbling. I scooped him up and brought him back, thinking Godzilla will kill him if she saws him. Ha!!!!

After that Godzilla has met him at-least a dozen times or so. But have not even scratched him. Her sole intention it appeared is to scare him. May be she wants him to know who is the boss around here.

Well, this is introduction of pixie, I am thinking about rechristening him “Goon”.

Rendering justice

How many of you feel uneasy to play the role of deliverer of justice yourself? Taking the rein in your hand?

I feel extremely uneasy with this idea. I prefer laying the charge in God’s hands. Who has been watching every thing and upon whose justice I have never-shaking faith.

Why I don’t know, but since childhood I have felt uneasy about settling scores. I firmly believe in putting forth the truth, so no one else is hurt but an eye for an eye, unless he or she plucks it out in front of me- is just not my soup. If someone slaps me on my face, I certainly prefer giving him a dose of his own medicine. But if someone stabs me in my back, how can I be confident that the hand was his?

shockers

I don’t know how many of you agree with me. Because it seems the trend lately. The more shocking language you use the smarter you are called. But it really feels like the pip of orange to me, which if accidentally comes under the teeth ruins the taste of the orange and I have to spit it out of them mind often along with the orange. Or the rotten piece of nut will be the more appropriate answer I guess. You pick up a handful of nuts and start to chew them, suddenly your entire mouth fills up with awesome smell and taste-you have to spit the whole thing out.

I have seen sadly, that reputed writers or artists often give in to this trap. They thing that to reflect power one have to be coarse, obscene or vulgar. Shock is not display of power. Any way, what use is the power which throws away instead of attracting?

My childhood holi

I took birth in Uttar Pradesh. Holi runs in its blood. We had to take precautions from a fortnight ago. Always keeping an eye for a balloon landing right upon us, colouring us up or a shower of colour from rooftop, or sprinkling from a passerby. The day of Holi meant absolute insanity.

We were allowed to use colours on only the day of Holi. There were two colours permitted for us to use gulal (a dry powdered colour) and wet colours, which were mixed in water and then filled up in pichkaris (special sprayers).

When holi came in UP winter still lingered there. Not completely gone. So we used to start with gulal and then pick up the wet colours after ten in the morning.

Every home used to throw its door open, there were two things waiting for visitors- all types of colours and sweets.

There were homes where buckets of colours were poured on the visitors and there were homes where only a hug and a little gulal was rubbed on forehead or cheeks.

I loved the gujhias most. It’s a special sweet of UP. Dry, sweet Kheer (milk and sugar boiled together till they become like dough) stuffed in a samosa type structure. It still lingers in my tongue. But they tasted a little bitter on holi day because our mouths were filled with colours. We relished them later, on the coming days after our teeth have retained their normal colour and our tongue has become pink again. On holi it was usually either purple or green. Those two colours were the most obstinate ones.

After having the full fledged fun with neighbours we used to stand by the roadside with leftover colours and sprinkle them on the passerby’s. No, no one gets angry by that on Holi day, even if he is not a Hindu. People bear it with good spirit usually.

For next one week or so, our ears and fingers were multicoloured. That was quite a sight to behold.

Love for living beings

There are different forms of Love. Right? Love for God, nature, pets, friends, loved ones… the list is never ending. The love for other animals (including human beings … yes you saw it correct I am grinning) is most probably most intense. Why?

I have been thinking about it a lot lately. Well ever since I took in my pet pixie. A kitten. I believe the intensity with which we love living beings like cats (and human beings, of course not jelly fish or squid) is far greater than any other form of love.

But usually we love our pets more than human beings. Why is that so? They also express their affection in return, that’s why? We can expect hundred percent honesty and love from them, that’s why? They can extract our affection? Quite a mystifying thing for me. Ever since his entry I have noted that other loves are waning away.

Most probably we love them for their innocence, honesty and loyalty. Adding to that we can be ourselves with them. Never fearing for a second that they will stop loving us for that.

Sharing

How I love those stories of old days, when human beings shared, at-least in the intimate circle. We shared almost every thing with our family, friends and sometimes neighbours. Even if it was something very meager like a box of chocolate.

I remember when we were growing up, every time my mother brought some fruits she used to give some of it to our ex housemaid. She was an old, feeble woman who lived in a hut attached to our home and was neglected by her son. She often used to ask for a cup of tea from my mother. Of which she was never deprived.

She was brought up in a time when siblings stayed together with their families even after marriage. No one calculated how much each of them is contributing. Every one contributed as per their capacity, the money was pooled together and the family was run by the head of the family without any friction.

And after that they always had some money for the poor neighbours or distant relations.

Were they more broadminded than us?

Newspaper

Well ever since my childhood we used to have two newspapers at home. One in local language, and the other English. I have grown up reading them on a daily basis, it was an addiction - I should admit.

Then came the age of disillusions. The realization that every thing that is printed is not always the exact truth of truth. Printed words can be bought. Heard that from the very mouth of reporters.

Own keen observation too spoke in favour of the word of mouths. There were so many discrepancies, silence about the real problems uproar against the not so grave problems.

Own encounter with some of them also said the same thing, they don’t act the way they preach, or worse, preach others to act.

Still I am unable to shake off this addiction.

Even though I read news on internet but still I prefer having a newspaper at home every day. Though won’t mind more than one.

It’s great to have so much information wrapped in just a few pages, right at your doorstep, every morning.

I miss them when they are on holidays or on the days when my vendor does not drop them, like on 25th and will not give again on tomorrow I guess.

Impact of news

Current age is the age of diminishing distances, in every aspect. Gone are those days when our ancestors lived in tiny shells of their villages or small towns. They were ignorant about even their countries.

Now we wake up and open the newspaper to read every thing about this world. Even outside this planet. Sometimes they please us, sometimes upset, sometimes confuse and sometimes scare.

So, even though our small world is happy when we read about alarming rise in atrocities or complexities can we really be as free as a gust of wind? Which blows without any worry or weight?

What should be our stand? Not all of us can jump into the field. There are quite a lot of people who don’t have enough resources to do so, or enough motivation, but they feel the shock or sadness. And that shock or sadness is genuine, not a show off.

When we are introduced to these knowledge on every day basis, slowly their impact goes away. People start to choke and look for respite in light things. Is that wrong?

Are we becoming casual or feeling-less or are overstuffed with dark newses?

Happy Holi

Tomorrow is Holi. The festival of colour in India, a festival in which everyone participates (forgetting every diversity or distance). May the harmony and colours of Holi spread all over the world.

A sweet responsibility

Well I am the backstreet driver in this lane. I sheepishly admit that I have handled children quite a lot but with minimal responsibilities. But, then again, any parent who is bringing them to earth should be the one realizing the golden truth, that they should not be brought to earth just for the fun of it. One should acknowledge the responsibilities too.

Children are not pets, toys or robots. They won’t grow up within a year and become absolutely independent. They won’t sit and stand up as per our order. They will certainly act like live beings and live beings with free will. I have seen that the parents who get most exasperated with children are the ones who themselves forget these points. So, who should be blamed? The children or the parents?

I believe that children under five years of age should be handled delicately and with extreme patience. They should be guided to the proper ways of behaving but always remembering that they don’t understand what we say. So harshness should be strictly avoided and extreme patience should be practiced. Yes, once in a while a soft reprimand is required (sometimes they really drive people crazy) but it should have to be soft.


After five up-to moving out of the shadow of parents the children should be firmly guided. Not ordered around or nagged. They certainly need guidance but nagging will only make them rebellious. I really don’t know why parents nag or use sarcasm to their own children. Does it not reflect their own weakness of personality? I have noticed myself that children very clearly understand words spoken to them and they are over eager to obey to elders till they reach their teenage. But if a child is properly guided till his or her teenage then handling a teenager is not much problem to the parent. None of my nephew or nieces or siblings was rebels. Why?

Nagging or sarcasm is the worst poison for any relationship. A child should be taken as a sweet responsibility for twenty years to come. If you are not keen for that long a project you should not have one. Why bring a child into a being when you cant give a life to him or her?

Indian and Pakistan

It’s high time that these two countries should sincerely try to live like good neighbours.

It’s a shame the way we two have been squabbling for decades. Both the parties should be a little or more guilty and eager to mend their ways so we could live like ideal neighbours and pursue better grounds than battlegrounds.


Though we have been acting exactly like a pair of siblings since 1947; we should try not to further hostility. If the common people of India and Pakistan bond with each other the hostility will disappear by itself. We should give that a sincere try. Cricketers, artists are common people, they are not waging wars.

We have been pulling down each others for decades, we should seriously think about permanently destroying/curing this mindset and flourish together.

Well, I appreciate the courage which both Khans have shown by speaking out their mind. Which every person can and should. In my eyes both of them are true Indians and will always be so before criticizing or insulting them we may do a little soul search, in case if we are sowing only the seeds of hatred for our neighbours.

Vengeance and moral responsibility

We hear this comment too many times when truth is spoken out loud don’t we? “Oh, forget it, he is just settling his scores. Avenging his insult.”

What’s the difference between vengeance and speaking out truth? I often ponder about this. By nature I am not vengeful. There was a time when I used to always forgive, and forget and get too eager to repair the relationship. Then with time I learnt all relationships are not worthy of being kept. Some of them should be discarded ASAP others after good testing.

Even now, barring very few hand-counted cases the feeling of revenge has not occurred in my heart. I usually throw away that person from my life with the earnest prayer that truth and justice will be delivered sooner or later. After that I seal that person out of my lifer. There is rarely any return path.

People who share their true, bitter experiences with others are not always vengeful. A common misconception which often stops us from preventing ourselves from committing the very same mistakes. I too have done it while I was growing up. Now I give heed to these words of bitter wisdom and be wary.

As most of the normal human beings in life I too have faced my share of injustice. And I have decided to share them with others, because in that way people can get a hunch about what life is all about, and what can be expected from fellow human beings when you are in a rough spot or when you are too innocent and soft natured.

Life will become a lot easier for others if we share our experiences, both the bad and the good ones. So that smart people can take their lessons from both and work for a better life.

Strife

In this overcrowded planet the vessels (us) are viciously hitting each other. One day its “attack on Indians in Australia.” The next day its “Mumbai is for Maharashtrians.”

Can’t we share the whole world? Why not? I am not asking people to instantly dream like John Lennon did in “Imagine”. But can’t we work toward it, slowly?

It’s true that when a person relocates and strife occurs with the local people, it’s mostly because of multiple reasons, not one.

Sometimes people feel they are stealing their bread, sometimes their cultures clashes. Sometimes one of the quarrelling parties invites that trouble- by bullying or by looking down on others.

Hatred can never be solution of any thing. We should grow out of the concept that we can bully others or we can divide the world into tiny segments.

It’s not necessary that the host is always at fault, sometimes the guest or freshers too cross their limits. Any one who is going to Rome and planning to settle down there should either act like Romans or should not do any thing which infuriates them.

I personally have seen people of other provinces that live in west Bengal look down upon Bengalis or say insulting words mentioning the word “Bengali”. Bengalis are infamous for their timid nature, every one else might not be so. Its but natural that people will be protective toward their roots and identity.

If we observe then we will realize that people who keep a low profile in a new place are usually ignored/accepted by locals, for good or for bad. But if we stand out too much apart from locals then strife begins and sometimes takes ugly form.

When strife occurs both parties should analyze their behaviour and I believe both will have to modify themselves. Actually if people act in a matured manner then strife don’t occur at all.

Purpose

Wise people say every thing should be done with purpose. I am not that strict about it, but I think people should do most of the thing purposefully.

One should not waste too much time in life drifting aimlessly. My suggestion is mainly for the people who are either looking for job or are home-managers, that is, housewives or househusbands or home runners like me, who has selected managing home above managing office/career. But career-driven people can also think about these hours dedicated to future.

We should always dedicate some hours in life to spend on things which will build our future. Now, that can be any thing. It can be pursuing a good hobby like reading, listening to good songs, methodical studying or gardening.

If we read the biography or autobiography of every person with achievement we will note that they always have dedicated a few hours from their days to purposefully do something. That might have been any thing, painting, reading….

These things were done after doing day to day chores. They often had a very busy life, more busy than us still they took out some time from that schedule to do something which will contribute to their character, personality or life.

I myself have done a lot of things, starting from studying, writing, painting to gardening. Doctors say if we keep our brain busy that will save us from brain diseases like Alzheimer and if we keep our body busy that will save us from a crippled body at old age.

Unselfish

It’s a common human folly or habit to look suspiciously at the person who is trying to help him or her without any visible motive or any profit for himself. But it’s a truth which we should remember that fortunately there are people in this world who help and love others unselfishly. So when we receive unselfish love or help in place of suspecting we can be cautious and thankful.

It’s foolish to trust someone blindly and get hurt. But that’s better than insulting a person who was helping or loving you unselfishly.

It’s good for our own happiness that we treat acts of kindness without suspicion and with gratitude. Of course one can be wary, but there is a difference between wariness and suspicion. Wariness just keeps us on guard and suspicion narrows our vision. As a result we sometimes fail to see things which were actually good for us. End up falling in the same pit, even though we were warned.

Someone to love

I love reading quotes and mulling over them. Its been years since I have read a quote which roughly translated that we need someone we can love in our life more than someone who loves us. When I first read that I raised an eyebrow and thought is that really so…

Then life started to gather various types of experiences, some really harsh truths and realities showed up and I for the first time realized the truth. We desperately need someone we can love blindly. Someone or something. It may be God, our work, our hobby, our passion or a pet. The core truth to me is we can survive without being loved but life becomes bleak if we don’t have something/someone around us who we can blindly love.

After realizing this golden truth I have realized another thing, why people with too hectic/ stressed life often keep a pet. Because its unselfish affection brings out the best type of affection from its owners.

So, I am not one of those (never was) who raise their eyebrow when a man leaves his cat a million dollar in his will.

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose

Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was born on 23 January, 1897 in Cuttack (Orissa) to Janakinath Bose and Prabhavati Devi. Netaji was the ninth child among eight brothers and six sisters. His father, Janakinath Bose, was an affluent and successful lawyer in Cuttack and received the title of "Rai Bahadur". He later became a member of the Bengal Legislative Council.

He passed his B.A. in Philosophy from the Presidency College in Calcutta. He was strongly influenced by Swami Vivekananda's teachings and was known for his patriotic zeal as a student. He also adored Vivekananda as his spiritual Guru. Subhash Chandra Bose was a very intelligent and sincere student but never had much interest in sports.

In 1916, Netaji reportedly beat and thrashed one of his British teachers E F Otten. The professor made a racist remark against the Indian students. As a result, Bose was expelled from the Presidency College and banished from Calcutta University. The incident brought Netaji in the list of rebel-Indians. In December 1921, Bose was arrested and imprisoned for organizing a boycott of the celebrations to mark the Prince of Wales's visit to India.

His father wanted Netaji to become a civil servant and therefore, sent him to England to appear for the Indian Civil Service Examination. Bose was placed fourth with highest marks in English. But his urge for participating in the freedom movement was intense that in April 1921, Bose resigned from the coveted Indian Civil Service and came back to India. Soon, he left home to become an active member of India's independence movement. He, later joined the Indian National Congress, and also elected as the president of the party.

People began to recognize Netaji by his name and associated him with the freedom movement. Netaji had emerged as a popular youth leader. He was admired for his great skills in organization development.

In 1928, a difference in the opinion between the old and new members surfaced. The young leaders, wanted a "complete self-rule and without any compromise". The senior leaders were in favor of the "dominion status for India within the British rule".

The differences were swelling between moderate Gandhi and aggressive Subhash Chandra Bose. Subhash Chandra Bose defeated Pattabhi Sitaramayya, a presidential candidate, nominated by Gandhiji himself, but without any second thought he resigned from the party and formed the Forward Bloc in 1939.

During the Second World War in September, 1939, Subhash Chandra Bose decided to initiate a mass movement. He started uniting people from all over the country. There was a tremendous response to his call and the British promptly imprisoned him. In jail, he refused to accept food for around two weeks. When his health condition deteriorated, fearing violent reactions across the country, the authority put him under house-arrest.

During his house-arrest, in January, 1941, Netaji made a planned escape. He first went to Gomoh in Bihar and from there he went on to Peshawar (now, Pakistan). He finally reached Germany and met Hitler. Netaji had been living together with his wife Emilie Schenkl in Berlin. In 1943, Netaji left for south-east Asia and raised the army. The group was later named by Netaji, as the Indian National Army (INA).

During his sojourn to England, he met with the leaders of British Labor Party and political thinkers including Clement Attlee, Arthur Greenwood, Harold Laski, G.D.H. Cole, and Sir Stafford Cripps. Netaji also discussed with them about the future of India. It must also be noted that it was during the regime of the Labor Party (1945-1951), with Attlee as the Prime Minister, that India gained independence.

Although it was believed that Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose died in a plane crash, his body was never recovered. Too many theories have been put forward regarding his abrupt disappearance. The government of India set up a number of committees to investigate the case and come out with truth, none succeeded.


http://www.culturalindia.net

hi! I am back!

Well, my old computer finally closed its cyber eyes on 18th Jan, after serving for two years and hiccuping for last six months or more.

I am back again with a new one. Wish me luck, lots of it, because i am computer addict and living without computer is really tough for me. but i survived. the courtsey goes to a tiny kitten who has been rescued and sheltered in my humble abode. she keeps me busy all day. busy and entertained.

those of you who have missed me please bear with me for another week because i will have to read your blogs and your comments :)

Wishing you all the very, very best.

To be at peace with oneself

Being at peace with oneself is the best thing we can do for ourselves.

 

A person who is at peace with himself is at peace with the whole world.

 

When something goes wrong, we often take up the noble duty of criticizing ourselves mercilessly, ignoring the fact that every human being has follies, and he has full right to fail once in a while. In place of blaming or cursing ourselves if we take a stock of our own nature, we will always be calm. At peace with ourselves. Even if we commit a great blunder.

 

To be at peace with oneself one has to know oneself thoroughly and accept, love and forgive. Humbly acknowledge one’s virtues and try to improve them. Accept one’s vices with humility and try to rectify them if possible. If not then try to control them as much as possible.

 

A person who can’t do this is really one of the unluckiest persons.

True religion

I am not one of them who think religion is an outdated concept. I believe in God and I believe that most of the religions teach a good way of life. And I prefer to pay a lot of attention to all the religious words and pick up the best ones for me and try to follow them.

 

I am very lazy, so instead of raking my own mind for a suitable code of conduct I prefer the knowledge left by my ancestors. All I do is brush them up and make them suitable for the present age. I don’t follow any one blindly, not even myself.

 

I believe a true religion never provokes its followers to mock, insult or harm any innocent living being.  It never boasts about its superiority above other religions. It never insults, mocks or berates the belief of others. It just simply unfolds its beauty like  a flower and let every one decide its worth.

Another martyr : Satish Shetty

He had the courage of speaking out against corruption. The guts of challenging the powerful, corrupted people. So they chased him and killed him. If it was in some Western country I would have been hopeful that he will get his justice in Court. Can I hope the same here in India too? Chances are very slim, so all I can say that my deepest, wholehearted tributes are for him and all brave souls like him. Who had the courage of standing up and fighting evil.

 

I will wait for the day when the blood of these martyrs will result in punishing the evil-doers. Or better, their blood shall not be shed at all. The law will do its job and evil doers wont dare to flourish that much..

Power and corruption

Why power is directly related to corruption? That is a question which has haunted me since my childhood days. I guess if we give someone ultimate power and convince him of that fact there are slim chances that he won’t abuse it.

 

There are very rare examples of such persons, who have the self control of an angel, who after being bestowed with immense power have not misused it. A little greater number succeeds in avoiding abuse though. They only end up misusing the power.

 

In today’s world power should be laid on people, organizations in such a manner that it can be revoked if needed. No one should be given the ultimate power because it certainly corrupts.

Ignorance about human trafficking

Ignorance can be really deadly in today’s world.  I was reading a news item in a newspaper just a few days back. It really was painful. A group of Indians eating langar in an Afghan gurudwara. They have been tricked by cunning agents there and have lost all their money, even passport and visa.

 

Government should be thinking about this trend seriously. It’s becoming a every day affair like human trafficking. Along with the government we educated persons too should try to spread the cautions against human trafficking of any sort.

 

Its really painful to think that a person sold off every thing that he owned hoping for a beautiful future and ended up in a foreign land, abused.

 

honour

Recently I was discussing about honour with some of my friends. I never think about any thing superficially, I either think or do not think about it. So my thought express started its journey toward the station called reputation or honour.

 

Being born in a country where women burnt themselves alive in fear of being dishonoured I can understand this passion very easily. I have grown up reading about Rani Padmini, the divine beauty who killed herself happily so she does not have to surrender to an emperor. Who of course wanted to legally marry her. In childhood I adored her courage and after growing up I realized her self respect.

 

Some people will follow her without hesitation and others will compromise. Human passions are really a very interesting field to study, a very enjoyable show to watch. I love to gather as much as I can about human nature, feelings and passions and then watch the show called human life.

Respecting oneself

People often think that I am arrogant. The reason is I don’t think that I am inferior to any one. I always treat others with respect and demand the same from them. I think I don’t have any right to disrespect others and vice versa unless one crosses one’s limit, that is, insults or misuses the respect bestowed upon him.

 

I think there is a difference between humility and inferiority complex. We all should practice humility, that is, if we are blessed with a talent we should never think that we are something extraordinary. But we should always think that we are human beings and we have full right to live a life of dignity and respect.

 

A person who does not respects oneself can’t respect others either. He may get intimidated by others or cower before them, but can he respect them? I believe not.

 

I believe in a simple policy. I walk my path with confidence on myself and others. I neither think that I am inferior to anyone, nor do I think I am superior to any one. We all have our vices and virtues.

Marriage vs live together

Whether to make Live in relationships legal … This is one of the latest debates which is troubling traditional Indian minds. What are the plus points of live together?

 

1. You can check thoroughly before marrying if your spouse is as tempting as he was as a suitor. You will be able to judge each other completely before taking the holy oath of marriage.
2. As you have checked each other thoroughly before marrying, chances of divorce or marital dispute may slice down a lot.
3. If you two don’t find each other compatible you will be able to walk away without feeling social stigma which today’s youth have to face, branding it as immoral lifestyle.
4. You wont be tied up with a person you don’t like or have stopped liking for the rest of your life.

 

Now the minus points…

 

1.                  If your partner is a flirt under cover he or she may use and dump you without even looking back. Which in case of marriage law will force him to.

2.                  The health hazards of multiple broken relationships with multiple partners, which will become an inseparable part of live-in relationships once the social stigma is gone.

3.                  The risky life of children born out of such relationships, what will happen to them when their parents will enter one relationship after another along with them? How will they be treated by the other partners?

4.                  Reaping all sorts of profit including monetary will be easy for a untrustworthy partner. You may walk back to home one fine evening and see your mate has disappeared with all you have given him, or all she has bought with your money.

 

Now comes the holy matrimony. Its pluses are-

 

1.                  If two stable persons get married there is high possibility that they will live a life together. Of course with some up and down, but they will mend this relationship.

2.                  Two serious spouses will give a healthy environment for each other, children.

3.                  As their life will be tension free regarding family they will be better citizens and happier citizens.

4.                  In today’s world of STD and HIV one mate is the most desperately needed thing in world.

 

Minus points of holy matrimony:

 

1.                  If your spouse is exactly your opposite and you are somehow trapped together, and none is interested to change, you both are doomed.

2.                  If you both have separate perspective on every thing under the sky you both will both live a choking life.

3.                  If your spouse is a cheater.. on any ground, it can be in love, duty, behaviour any thing you are simply doomed.

4.                  If every thing else is perfect but you are not able to love each other, your life will feel like being wasted.