The farce called independence!

So every year after the frenzied Aug 15th, we go back to our daily routine on the next day! The August 16th. My FIL's birthday!

The proud Indians we are, who never had forgotten to wear the tri-colour close to the chest on the day of independence , go back to our usual 'hell with rules' mode! So every traffic signal without the cop is violated; Every queue is broken; And sadly, every other Indian who does not share the same views is abused.

To hell with Independence day celebrations, I say! Why this facade? Why do a public stunt of patriotism on two days a year? and forget what it means the very next day? 

Or even on that very same day, what does independence really mean? 

The PM's rhetoric on how he is a saviour! Children carrying (Or made to carry) a chief minister's name! A Trisha and Vijay movie! and of course the mandatory heroine interview. Is that all Independence means to us?

Neither freedom, nor its celebrations mean anything to me; I don't really know how some white men ruling over me would have changed the way I live now. 

Can't they do something about teaching my generation and its thoughtless citizens like me about the advantages of the so called 'Independence?' Or at least have some meaningful celebrations on the day of the Independence? May be show a movie on Gandhi? Or have a reality show or a debate on how the white men throttled our growth? Can somebody please teach me, why and how I can be a better citizen in this independent country? Or at least how I can use my independence in propagating my ideas? 

Can the PM from his podium, please explain why abusing my view point on social media is not freedom? Can he publicly announce that I have the freedom to agitate peacefully, without being stopped by the police? Can the Chief Ministers stop making children wait under a hot sun, and instead teach them that 'Independence' necessarily mean, 'Doing what they want, within the boundaries of law'; And that includes refusing to stand in the sun waiting for them too!

Ah! The farce called independence day! I can see my children celebrating 'August 15th' as the day before their grandfather's birthday!

Appie frensip day ppl!

It is 5:00 am, and Bangalore is cold outside! Yet, I'm made to remember my friends now. And as usual, I'm blogging. Remembering the plethora of friends who have crossed my life, the vast variety they are, the fun and the laughter, the seriously serious debates, the so many hours of 'non sense', the long hours under sun playing cricket or some other game, the many stupid debates, the forward messages, the orkut 'testimonials', the FB likes and of course the whatsapp chats!

Some have moved on in life. Do I miss them? I have moved on to; Some have added their spouses to the friends list; Some have become part of my family. Is there any difference between family and best friends by the way? Some do call me once a week even now. Some don't answer calls. Yet, they all cross my mind now.

Life in the fast lane is cruel! Especially when you are married to a doctor. And when suddenly you realize this may even be the longest stretch you have not spoken to some of the best friends ever. Some times days goes on without even thinking about them;

But then, deep inside you know. There are these creatures, who has absolutely nothing in common with me, except the simple fact that they took the same path I took for a small period in this marathon called 'life', who will be there with you always. Every time. Every day. And not once will they say 'no', except of course if you ask for a 10,00,000 loan.

Happy friendship day guys! I can't think of a better way than writing a stupid blog, to thank you all for all the suffocating love and the happy memories you have given me. 

My last night with my mom!

When a colleague and a well wisher came to me and said, 'hold on' sam, It hit me hard! It has been a year to this day, that I spent one last night with my mom.

Oh! How many days had we, 'mom and me', after Dad and Dan had slept, enjoyed our silent conversations going deep in to the night. And the early next day morning inevitably she will be defending me against being woken up because I slept late; yet, she always was there in the kitchen and then at work, bang on time!

We discussed everything; everything under planet earth, like best friends do! From how my class mate had a love failure, to how beautiful the girl next door looked, to how Nehemiah built Israel, to how India as a country could be salvaged.

Yes, we did plan my wedding, long long back! when I was still in college. We made a list of all the people who should be gifted sarees. And believe me, that list went on and on!She was particularly afraid of being the 'MIL(Maamiyar)', and yes, on many occasions the topic had been the 'Ideal MIL' which she wanted to be, yet thought it was impossible for her to be one.

Oh yes, we spoke on family issues. On umpiring in cricket. On Church politics. On the petty fights between her staff. On the sick patient which made her nervous.

And invariably, every night, just before we dozed off, she said 'how kind had God been to her', though she had not lived up to His standards.

Well, though we slept in the same room on her last night, she could not recognize me and I did not know it would be the last! Had I known that, may be  I would have whispered to her, "You have set the standards too high ma", for finally God thought enough!.

Lot more stories to tell ma; So much more. We will meet one day on the other side. Till then, I'm gathering stories for you. Life's stories!

I'm sick and I'm married!

Well, so finally when a stupid bug bit me y'day, and I felt a little sick, I suddenly realized I'm married!

For the wifey suddenly behaves very differently!

Did you take the tablet? Eat something! Eat this, eat that! Drink water. And in my case, the wifey being the doctor, there were certain technical terms thrown as well. "Gatric juice", and "Bacterial and viral" Infections were often used! My already heavy head started to spin as well.

And so she continued! "You don't expect me to behave the way your bachelor friends behave when you are sick!". Suddenly my mind went to those days of unbridled freedom. Of bachelorhood and its bliss.

The best of friends always reacted best when you are sick. "Vaa parotta saapiduvom, yellaam sariyaagidum", was the usual remark. My great dad, never even asked "Had I taken tablets?". He Just left us to be. And mothers, well they are made to pamper, right? And mine, though she had very little time, always pampered! and sisters, yes, they whined and advised!

So, the greatest of wives, like mine (Shhhh! I'm paid to tell this) take on the wives role suddenly from the brilliant friend she had been.

Though, I love the dad's and friend's way of caring, in the innermost hearts, I secretly believe without the womanly, wifeish pampering, falling sick is not worth it!

You have no hope dear country!

So Madame Jayalalitha was not corrupt. She bought all those 30 Kilograms of gold and the insane number of saree's and the chappal's and the big tracts of land from her salary. She really did. Believe me!

Salman Khan killed one and injured some after driving when he was drunk. So he was granted bail and let off scott free because he could pay 30,000 Rs. He was made to pay a looooot of money. And he was a good man! After all, he beats up all the bad guys every other day. He can't be a bad man!

Vijay Mallaya, got loans and could not repay and did not pay salary to many thousands of employees! So what? Is that his problem? It was the employees mistake to have joined his company. IPL is going on and how can it happen without the self proclaimed "King of good times".

Maya kodnani, just killed around 100 people. She can't be put in jail when she is having fever and cough and cold. Granting bail to a sick convict is how humanity can be saved. And in that she being a doctor. And punishing a doctor is just not the way to do.

Story after story after story of how the rich and the powerful manipulate the system; which unashamedly keeps many thousands in prison before conviction for want of paying bail money.

Dearest country, I feel like shaking the dust off my feet on you.You are a shame.I regret being the eternal optimist and wanting to be the change agent

You have no hope dear country! Not in the near future.

The slap I badly needed!

There are people who give you that slap on your face and wake you up from that wrong idea of yourself you have! He was one such man!

He wore the same shirt for the third day. His pants had that big black stain; His hair last saw a comb a week ago. And inevitably he came from Bihar. The Bihar of poverty and snake charmers; Of filth and dirt; Of disease and corruption. He did not speak any English of course. The language, which makes me so proud of!

And then came that slap! What a man he turned out to be. He has single handedly abolished Tuberculosis from his village and is aiming at doing the same for the neighboring ten villages. And to put things in persepective, nearly 2,40,000 people die of TB every year in our very own country. Especially in the Biharian villages due to lack of knowledge and hygiene.

And no, he is not a medical doctor. In fact he is not even a graduate. He works on his own interest with the government; takes people suspicious of TB to docs; help those who can't go to the hospital receive their dose of medicines and also spreads awareness about the disease to all and sundry. And all this, apart from his work, without getting a paisa for it.

Life throws up people like them often enough, to give that tight slap, and to put you on to your place! 

Shit happens!!!

So, early morning, the most read article trending on twitter was about the present transport minister and the former BJP president Nithin Gadkari. Hell No!!! He sure was not talking about developing the transport system of the country, nor was he talking about developing the biggest party in the world.

He was talking about 'urine'. You read it right; It was about man's 'URINE'. Rather, his own! The article quoted him saying, he never wastes urine and always collects them daily in a 50 litre can. Yes, he never wastes urine! He uses them to water his plants. I just said to myself; "paavam(Pity) those plants!

Why is there so much discussion happening on urine, I don't know! The other day, another MP was saying cow's urine cures cancer.In parliament! Then there was Maneka Gandhi, another esteemed MP, who said she is using the urine as a 'disinfectant'. And suddenly there is news that they are going to start a urine refinary in Rajasthan! So you will soon be getting 'Refined urine'! Don't know whose will be refined!

Before last year, it was a word spoken of as whispers! Thanks to the development agenda of the new government, they are being spoken off in blogs. The next step is to develop engines that run on urine. Why not? We will be the most energy efficient country in the world if that happens! Imagine 50 litre can's of urine! I mean energy! Now you get the transport minister and urine connect?

Shit happens! or should it be 'urine happens?'!