Sunday, August 21, 2011

The year of women empowerment or something like that...

She is everywhere. She is your mother, perhaps, your neighbour. She is your teacher at school or she is the one sitting next to you on the bus. She may be your vegetable vendor or she may be your role model- but the truth is, she is everywhere!
I am talking about an oppressed woman. She will not tell you what she is going through, but her eyes will. She will never verbally abuse her husband, but she gets abused all the time.
I have come across so many oppressed women in my life that my faith in the institution of marriage is, perhaps, on its way to total collapse.
These are the women of today. They work outside, are bread earners for their family but their so-called better halves don't care for their feelings at all. Their spouses enjoy sitting on the couch doing nothing all day long and abusing their wives making sure that their male ego is satisfied.
These are the women of today who run from one place to another to make ends meet. Who undergo total trauma just to make sure their children have better lives.
I salute these women. But a better part of me wants them to break free of this nonsense that their life has been reduced to. A better part of me wants them to stand up and take a firm stand. There is a feeling of helplessness that sets in as I write this and realize that help needs to come from within for these women. And all we can hope and pray for is for them to realize just how much powerful they truly are! And unless they don't realize it themselves, there is no breaking away from the shackles of this male-dominated institution called marriage...

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Rendezvous with self!

My idea of happiness:
Making others happy. I know its not possible all the time, but I love it when I am the reason because of someone else's smile.

Greatest fear:
Losing my parents. It is inevitable I know. But that will be the worst thing to happen to me.

Which historical figure do I identify with:
Mahatma Gandhi. What a man! I don't care what others say or feel, but no one has the guts in their ass like this guy did!

Which living person do I most admire:
Shahrukh Khan. Not for his acting skills. But for that awesome head on his shoulders! He is a genius

Trait I most deplore in myself:
I am moody. Very moody. Disgustingly moody :)

What is the trait you most deplore in others:
Lack of humility. I am allergic big time to egotists who cannot think about others.

Biggest extravagance:
Maximum portion of my salary goes into gas (traveling), reading, movies and food :)

Favorite journey:
Will be when I will be flying back from US to India forever :)
In short, going back to my motherland

Favorite painter:
Vincent Van Gogh

Most over rated virtue:
I agree with you. Patience

Dislike most about my appearance:
My eyes

Which living person I despise:
Politicians and con-men

Words I use the most:
All hindi, gujarati and english gaalis. Sorry can't write them here :)

Greatest regret:
Nothing

When and where was I happiest:
14th october, 1991, Mumbai. When I was told that I have a baby sister now :)

Present state of mind:
Frustrated. Want to shout at one of the so-called 'egotist' in my life

How would you like to die:
In my sleep.

Favorite motto:
When the going gets tough, the tough get going

-Inspired by the blog write up on Shobhaa De's blog


Tuesday, June 7, 2011

My sister...

When she was born my heart burst with a feeling completely unknown- jealousy. Yes, that is exactly what I felt. Now, I would have to share my father and my mother's undivided attention that was meant only for me. And here she was, an intruder in my perfectly perfect world.
For a long time after that, I would tease her that she is an adopted child. And that I am the only actual daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Shukla. She took it all in a lighter stride.
I never realized it then, but I do now- that what an amazing person my sister actually is. She is mature in ways that flabbergast me. She is impish in ways that make me smile and think about my childhood.
While growing up, I hated her. She would read my diaries, would tell mom things that weren't meant to be told, would talk to people that I hate, would be daddy's pet- and so on and so forth.
Little did I realize that this was just sheer love that was growing within my soul; just for her.
I still remember how she would eagerly wait for me to come from school, and as soon as she would see me she would drag her tiny little bottom across the floor just so that she could be held by her didi.
When she first started walking, I remember being on my knees at the other end of the room waiting with my arms wide open and she would come running into my arms and give me the world's best hug!
When we were both young and stupid, we would make a house underneath the dining table all fully furnished with pillows and teddy bears. All these and so many other wonderful moments that have made sisterhood so special.
Today the roles have reversed. I see her as someone who is wise beyond her years. I see her as someone I would seek advice from. I see her as someone who is closer to me than my closest friend. I see her as someone just like I would want my daughter to be...
I could write a book on what I feel for her. Or perhaps words would seem superfluous here. But one thing is true, that she has surpassed all of my expectations today and she is someone I am fiercely proud of.
I read what she writes and I realize that its my soul speaking back to me. I guess that is why there is so much of hype about blood relations. She is a part of me speaking to back to me, telling me exactly what I would feel. So what if she is a million miles away?
She is a still a part of the same branch that I am. She is still my own flesh and blood. After reading this she is going to just tell me that I am an overtly emotional fool, but I know that in the night when she is lying alone in our bedroom she will perhaps think about her crazy-emotional-drama queen- didi and I hope that she knows then that she will always be loved and cherished in a way that no other sister would ever have felt.
I promise you my sister, that I will always be there for you. No matter what. Every step that you take or every endeavor that you want to undertake, there always will be one hand ready to hold you in case you fall...

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Egotists.. and we are surrounded by them!

Yes! The word is 'egotist'. This is the word I fell in love with, when I first read the much coveted 'Atlas Shrugged' by Ayn Rand. I don't agree with everything that that book has to say but I fell in love with this word.
And it is true! We are surrounded by them. Primarily men. People who haven't achieved much in life except working at a laundromat come up to me and explain why I am overconfident about the decisions that I make in my life. And I feel like telling them that it is, precisely, these risks that I will take that will make a better person out of me in the future. That was Egotist No.1

Now we have Egotist No. 2 who thinks that every mortal soul walking on this planet is an ant, that is to be crushed under his feet. Well except for him of course. Because he is the omnipotent, all knowing one!
Well let me tell you Mr. No.2 that you are as retarded as Sridevi was in the movie Sadma. And that having X number of graduate degrees and holding Y number of prominent positions on your resume doesn't necessarily make you a demi God! Knowledge comes with a lot of responsibility and should be accompanied by a lot of humility. If you are not humble enough to respect another person's being, any amount of grey matter in your head would stay just that GREY MATTER and nothing more!

Monday, February 7, 2011

If Only..

- I had never met him or fallen in love
- I had never lost out on all those friends
- I had stopped and smelled those roses more often
- I had never let myself down in front of me so many times
- I had studied harder..
- I had been more focused and fixated
- I had a PASSION