When I smoked for the first time...

Friday, 3rd September 2010...

It was a tiring day in college, considering the fact that I arrived early in college for a rehearsal of an upcoming economics skit cum presentation. Though my friends and I did not sit for any lecture in college that day (thanks to a misunderstanding) but at least Neel decided I should pitch in and we should make an Effective Communication Skills presentation. For that, we agreed on shooting a small video and it was also agreed that a small lake near S'hum's house would be our chosen location.

Weary and dazed with all the workload on my shoulders throughout the week, I frankly did not know what I was doing and what I would end up doing in the evening that day. The day passed by and it was time to move. As the sun was steadily setting, we reached the banks of the lake equipped with a camera, seven friends and a couple of 'Nirdosh' non-tobacco cigarette packs - and a lighter ofcourse! The camera angles were selected, the action finalised and places for each actor fixed. I went with the flow.

Overlooking the murky waters, we took our positions. Each one of us was offered a cigarette. S'hum, Cushion-boo, Ni-shady and I took one each. I watched each one put the cigarette in their mouths, flicking on the lighter and taking a puff and blowing out a cloud of smoke. The sun was setting, shooting yet to start and all eyes were on me. There was a frantic feeling of desperation - both to try it and also to run away from the mad place.

I stared at the brown cigarette in my hand for a few seconds. Out of nowhere, I was filled with a clear mind and immense courage. My brain shut off and in an instant, I pushed the evil thing into my mouth, lit it and took a great big pull. My throat felt uneasily warm and I tasted smoke on my tongue. As I let it out, I watched clouds of big, white smoke escaping my mouth. It floated away and along with those clouds of smoke, my conviction escaped too.

The shoot, the scene, the surroundings, the passerby s, the actors seemed insignificant for that moment. Gloating within yet arrested with guilt, all I could think of was the years of morals teaching me against smoking incarcerated in a few seconds. There was a pinch inside telling me what I did was wrong, but I kept convincing and consoling myself that all of it was required. As Neel called out to me asking whether I was ready or not for the shot, I pulled out of my thoughts and sat up straight and got down to business.

At the end of the day and the end of the shoot, I had puffed out four cigarettes and wished for more. I knew what happened was against the morals - my morals, yet it did not feel all that bad. I was grossed out by myself and still I felt a sense of fake pride. A new level of decrepitude I had reached and I rushed back home, trying to escape the barrage of thoughts invading my mind.

As the night grew, my thoughts were replaced with sleep. I was taken away by the cloudy land of dreams. As I drifted away into deep slumber, the last thing that came to my mind was:

"I will not smoke EVER again"

I place my trust in me and hope I live up to my own oath...

300% salary hike is just TOO less for our MPs!

The Times of India on Friday 20th August read, "Unhappy over only 3-fold hike in salary, MPs stall Lok Sabha."

Our MPs are just so unhappy to find their basic pay going up from Rs.16,000 to Rs.50,000. Why doesn't our dim-wit Government understand that our 'honourable' Members of Parliament require a 7-fold basic pay hike! Such men of amazing repute must not be troubled with a meagre raise in salary. Don' you see just how much energy and effort they put in our nation? C'mon! They deserve better than this!

"Stop the insult of MPs" and "implement report of the parliamentary committee" were slogans chanted by SP, BSP, JD (U), RJD, Shiv Sena and Akali Dal members, forcing Speaker Meira Kumar to adjourn the House twice. It is just so pitiful top see our rotund, fat arsed MPs lift their butts off their seats and stand for so long protesting against 300% basic pay increase. Don't you know, Monsieur, that holding up 40 kgs of flab all noon! Their knees and joints must be in utter agony!

If anyone watched the Newshour Debate last night on Times Now (Do our MPs deserve 300% hike)I feel for our MPs - almost everyone is attacking them relentlessly. Why does everyone want a bite of our beloved MPs' throats? So what if they are corrupt, so what if they are conceited, so what if they are loony? They are our MPs after all! We put them in the place they are in right now!

What is wrong with giving MPs Rs.60 lakh per annum, even as an Army personnel has to make do with Rs.20,000 in a month? What is wrong with providing MPs 50 free air trips a month to our MPs, even though there are so many poor in this country who aren't able to afford even bus fares? Why do our Middle class Indians feel agitated if our MPs are asking for their OWN salaries to be hiked AS PER THEIR WISHES? Those meddling nosy Middle Class!

This country has gone to the dogs! We just can't think rationally anymore. Let the elite class of the Parliamentarians enjoy their 'Rights'! They have nothing to do with the people suffering in Leh nor with the injustice meted out to several pensioners. We have to grind each day and grind we will! Let them MPs have fun and frolic. Trouble them no more...

The power of Meditation

Life is full of surprises, some of them are evil. Very often, life throws dirty traps and pulls you into nefarious pits and leaves you in the shambles. Devastation, Grief, Depression, Anger, Malice and moments of utter craziness take over our being making us true human monsters. For example, when was the last time you did NOT think of stabbing the gut out of your menacing, breathing-down-your-neck boss in office?

That's exactly my point...we are all human beings. Emotions tend to take the better of us and it is in our own hands whether to let them rule your mind or not. What should one do when a wave of despair washes over you? What can be done to reign in our superfluous anger and let go? What could fizz out the potential malice and jealous enveloping your existence? It's a simple one word answer - Meditation.

Personally, it took time for me to believe in the power of meditation. I pretty much rejected its proven powers, but that was all until yesterday. Attending a course I signed up for, I took my place amongst the 90 odd students in class. Belonging to somewhat similar backgrounds, I camouflaged well in. Trying not to grab too much attention, I sat - jittery and anxious.

Call it Serendipity or call it coincidence, but our Tutor started off by telling us he was aware of our nervousness and told us he had a wonderful solution to it. Eager to know it, I sat up bolt upright and preened my ears. But i was disappointed when he said, "Let's close our eyes and meditate for a minute." Disappointed and in the least bit interested, I slouched back into my seat. But I closed my eyes, just not to be an oddity amongst the lot.

No sooner had my eyelids closed than I felt it - the surge of energy coursing through the entire classroom. At first, it was a tingling feeling - almost sensational. But soon, it seemed to focus down upon us and I could easily relax. My muscles grew limp, all the stress in my body loosened up and I felt at peace. Just by doing absolutely nothing, I felt one with my soul!

The class began and at the end of 2 hours and 8 minutes, we slowly moved out of the class. Nothing interesting happened in that span of time but my thoughts were stuck on the sudden, almost magical feeling I derived from a minute of Meditation. I forgot all the daily hassles of life, the mental trauma I had to deal with and the barrage of emotions that overtook me each day of my life. I was wonder-struck and was almost speechless.

So you see, Meditation does have its own set of benefits. It turned a non-believer like me into believing in its immense power. I saw a path to happiness and peace, and it could be achieved not without the help of Meditation. Our Indian sages and wise old gurus left behind a 'magical experience' to be enjoyed each day by everyone of us. Unfortunately, the busy working class of India has no means or the time to apply it in daily life. However, I plead to you to inculcate Meditation in your life and reap the benefits it offers. You can take my word for it.

Hope life is full of peace, not torn to pieces...

S

DJ Tiesto dead?

When i first read the news in the morning papers, I was shell shocked. Our beloved DJ couldn't have died in a car crash - or could he? I was really worried the whole morning and a little depressed. I remembered all of his foot-tapping, groovy trance music numbers and I couldn't bear to imagine what it would be like to no more have Tiesto play his awe-inspiring music.

But as it turns out, DJ Tijs Michiel Verwest, popularly known as Tiesto, is very much alive and breathing. The God of Trance posted on his blog, "It's nice to read that people care about my life." He added, "Its good to be alive and to get so much love from you." Rubbishing reports of his untimely death, he wrote, "I don't know where these stories come from, but I'm very much alive and well and looking forward to the rest of my tour." This crowd puller draws so many audiophiles that it is almost insane. Seeing is believing...

His style of music is simply amazing, or simply crap - from person to person. I, for one, root for him and i sincerely follow him. One can find me plugged into one of his songs like Break my Fall, Adagio for Strings, Suburban Train et al. He has also had the honour to play at the opening ceremony of the 2004 Olympic games. The Dutch Trance-maestro has 4 albums to his name, the most recent being Kaleidoscope.

For some sensational music, grab an album and tune in. You'll either love him or you'll love him! Tiesto for life!

PS: The humourous part is that DJ Tiesto's name actually means 'flowerpot' in Spanish! Go figure...

Diff'rent Strokes star Gary Coleman passes away at 42

Gary Coleman shot to fame when he starred in the 1978 sitcom 'Diff'rent Strokes'. People absolutely adored and loved the charming 10 year old Gary. The chubby cheeked kid stole hearts with his splendid performances coupled with clinical comic timing. The show ended in 1985, but Gary Coleman lived on.

Sadly, Gary passed away on 28th May 2010 and thousands of admirers shed tears over his untimely death. He died of intra-cranial hemorrhage following a fall in his Salt Lake City home. Gary had a history of health troubles, primarily suffering from congenital kidney disease. He had undergone two kidney transplants, and required daily dialysis.

Gary Coleman's life has been one marred by tragic falls in life and a continuous struggle due to financial crisis. There were alleged reports that Gary worked as a security guard in a California mall. He had had a host of legal and financial issues, the most heart-breaking being in 1999 when Coleman filed for bankruptcy.

Gary Coleman was termed as 'one of television's most promising stars'. But the potential stardom never reached the upper echelons, as life didn't go his way. On May 26, 2010, Coleman was admitted to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo, Utah, after falling and hitting his head. He suffered epidural hematoma in his Santaquin home in Utah. Coleman was 'conscious and lucid' on 27th morning, but his condition worsened, he lay unconscious and on life support. When news broke out that Gary was dead, thousands of emails flooded in full of remorse, and offering condolences. One of which was mine.

I remember sitting in front of the television screen with rapt attention, not wanting to miss a single punchline by the 10 year old boy with a monstrous personality. His comic timing was absolutely amazing and i recall laughing so loud once that i fell from the sofa head first! My temples were throbbing with pain but my laughter just wouldn't leave me. RIP Gary Coleman, we love you.

Let the Pav Wow begin!

Those of you who can’t remember what’s on 1st May, let me remind you all that it is Maharashtra day – the day in 1960 when our state attained recognition. Celebrated for 50 years now, this day holds a special place in every Maharashtrian’s heart. The state of Bombay was divided into Gujarat and Maharashtra and since then Maharashtra has trudged along to scale new heights in every prospect. Be it economic upscale, population burst or political thresholds, the state has acquired glory.

But this time around, 1st May won’t just induce a sense of patriotic pride for the state. It will also induce a sense of gastronomy. Yes, Bombay Times is organizing the ‘Pav Wow’ Contest in Mumbai. Various joints and eateries across Mumbai will compete for the title of ‘Best Vada Pav’ and ‘Best Pav Bhaji’ awards. The contest has caught the eye of many famous joints such as Swati Snacks and Sardar Pav Bhaji in Tardeo, Canon Restaurant in CST and the likes when we talk about Pav Bhaji. The best Vada Pav award has many takers, some vying for the top place are Ladoo Samrat, Jumbo King, etc.

The Vada Pav has grown from being just the poor man’s food to a breakfast and quick eat item that features on the menus in New York and Canada. The seemingly simple snack has a delicious bite to it. Hell, people swear by it simply because it’s worth it! The soft potato Vada encased between two sides of a freshly baked pav, a generous dollop of chutney and chilies inside makes your head spin in amazement. Don’t make the mistake of underestimating the ‘Pav’er of the Vada Pav!

Let’s move on from the celebrated Vada Pav to the Pav Bhaji now. Pav Bhaji is all but a simple dish. The Bhajji in essence is made of potatoes and tomatoes mashed together with a whole lot of masalas and spices. Served with a couple of butter-laden, well toasted Pavs, this dish quickly fills up any hungry stomach. Just a light sprinkle of chopped onions and a nice squeeze of a lemon from top, the Pav Bhaji makes taste buds tingle with excitement. You must have experienced it yourself – just walk past a restaurant making Pav Bhaji and you will feel the pangs of hunger over take you. It so happen with me that I cant resist the wonderful smell of a piping hot Pav Bhaji. I just have to land my hands on a plate, whether or not my stomach is empty.

The Pav Wow contest winners will be decided by a jury of chefs, celebrities and others who hold these two dishes in high regard. Awards will be handed over to winners on 1st May, 2010 in R-Mall, Mulund. This is going to be one battle wherein everyone comes out smiling, rubbing their hands over full-stomachs. Our taste buds are in for treat! Yippee!

Please dont go, Mr. Chidambaram!

The carnage at Dantewada on 6th April, 2010 was a shocker for Operation Green Hunt. Naxals ambushed the army jawans with a 350 odd troop strength and slaughtered 76 out of the 80 jawans. Reportedly, the CRPF soldiers fought till their bullets ran out. It was a siege-like situation where the jawans were surrounded on all sides, their bodies riddled with bullet holes. The red-army dealt the most horrific blow ever to the Government in all these years of rebellion. It is a sorry sight for our leaders.

Home minister P. Chidambaram spoke at a function in New Delhi organised by the CRPF marking 'Shaurya Divas' (Day of valour). He confirmed that he had written to the Prime Minister saying, "I accept full responsibility for what happened." Though PC was tight-lipped when asked whether he had offered to submit his resignation letter, a PMO spokesperson confirmed the claims. According to him, the Home minister did, in fact, put in his papers, but the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh rejected it.

"I have been asked directly or indirectly where the buck stops after the attack," said PC at the function. "I have no hesitation in saying that the buck stops at my desk." He has instructed his officers to chalk out various plans to strengthen the operational capabilities of CRPF. But there are indications that the Naxal attack has damaged the political stronghold of P Chidambaram. He has been the roadblock the Naxals repeatedly hit, but now thy seem to have managed to unearth chinks in the Home ministers defence.

Speaking to reporters, opposition party BJP's spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy said, "The BJP does not want Chidambaram to resign at this stage. His resignation at this stage would mean victory for the Naxalites. He should not show his back because as the home minister of the country he is entrusted with the nation's security and can't whimper like an injured soldier on the backfoot." The Maoists have managed to pull of the worst ever ambush on the central forces and it isn't the time to pass the buck around, haggling with each other (and certainly not time to earn publicity and score political brownie-points) and for that everyone needs to unite.

The populace of this country is surprised to learn that Home minister P Chidambaram had offered to resign from his post. For one, it is heartening to hear that someone in this entire Political system has come forward and put his hand up saying, "Yes, I am responsible." But the sad part is Chidambaram is not entirely responsible for the loss of the CRPF jawans. There is no need or reason to offer to leave his post in the midst of such turmoil. Instead it would be more appropriate to offer consoling words and strengthen the forces. It would be appreciated if the Union Government actively works towards reinforcing Operation Green Hunt. Such actions are rather uncalled for.

It was joyous to see the then Finance Minister step up and handle the country after the 26/11 attack on Mumbai. He netted the Home Ministry and played a responsible role, playing an instrumental role in setting up committees and panels for anti-naxal operations. The Maoists have been troubled by this dynamic personality and have finally managed to level the fighting grounds between the Government and themselves. At this point in time, if P Chidambaram were to resign, he would have soured political relations and would have had to face stiff opposition from the people. Instead, he should abandon thoughts of fleeing and hit back with devastating force. It is time the Naxals are stopped in their tracks.

Now, Chidambaram will face the test of courage and intelligence. Let's hope he emerges tops...

Moscow attacks - horrible!

Tuesday morning witnessed a decline in the number of daily commuters as the city was rocked by two suicide bomber attacks on a couple of subways. Reportedly the death toll has reached 39. Sadly, only five have been successfully identified. There are over 70 victims languishing in hospitals wanting to be relieved of their pain. It was certainly a Monday of mourning for Muscovites.

It has been brought to light that two female suicide bombers strapped a belt laden woth explosives and blew themselves up. The Lubyanka station at 0756(0356 GMT) reverbrated with the loud bang and was engulfed in smoke as the bomb ripped the second carriage of a train. The second blast at Park Kultury, merely six stops away, came at 0838(0438 GMT) struck at the back of a train just as people were getting onboard. Police said that RDX was used as the explosive material and iron chippings were filled in as shrapnel.

Moscow's metro is one of the most used metros in the world - with over 5.5 million commuters taking the trains to reach their destinations each day. In the event of major blasts, the whole city has flipped over onto its belly. There is a lot of mess everywhere, just as the Police are trying their best to bring order back. Speculations are rife (and rightly so) that the North Caucasean terrorsits have a hand in the bomb blasts. It has been their trademark way of attacking soft spots with female suicide bombers and there is no reason not to believe they haven't done anything this time around. 

People reluctantly left their homes to take trains to their offices, but they made sure to pay their respects to the victims of the attacks. People were seen lighting candles at the subway stations were the blasts occured and a good many had tears in their eyes. The blasts didn't just hit the subways, rather it hit the hearts of the countrymen and has brought the Kremlin controlled Parliament to scurry about in order to capture the culprits. Reports state that there is a widespread demand to bring back the Capital punishment in the country. President Medvedev has called upon judges of the Supreme court to help amend the terrorism laws.

Prime Minister Putin, who built much of his political campaign by directing a fierce war against the Chechen separatists a decade ago, has promised to track down and kill the organizers of such a 'disgusting' crime. Al Qaida affiliated websites praised the separatists attacks. One site opened a special page to recieve praises from the people for the Chechen terrosits and asks people to pray to God that the two women are accepted as martyrs.

The events have been disturbing, to say the least. There is nothing but hatred and malice in the hearts of those who have witnessed the blasts. People all over the world are praying that the originators of the attacks are caught swiftly and executed in a proper manner - The death sentence. Lets hope the turn of events awakens the law makers and brings back the capital punishment. Our hearts are with the people of Russia and we shall continue to garner support and aid for those who suffered at the hands of the Chechen terrorists. Lets pray things fall back into place and the mental wounds are healed over time. Lets pray... 

Chile - 8.8 on the richter scale...

One of the worst ever earthquakes in recent times is the Chile earth quake. A massive 8.8 record on the richter scale is not a mere numerical statistic, rather it just hinted at the terror that would strike this South American country. By jeeves, the horror evident on TV sets and radio stations worldwide has brought in humongous proportions of the world coming out in support of the poor and hapless victims of Chile.

When news came, all we could do was hold our breath and watch horrific images of men and women dying, buildings with fissiparous cracks of gigantic portions, cars turtled and crunched down to sizes of Pepsi cans. All I could do was fold my hands and thank god, for this quake hasn't hit my country. And i also hung my head down, as i could feel the helplessness and the remorse in the hearts of Chileans. What the world needs now is to strive for Chile just as they did for Haiti, and i am mighty sure there already various organisations scurrying about to garner support and funds.

People of this planet, please help those who have suffered the wrath of the great Earthquake. This is my humble request to all of you.

Support Chile

Save Our Tigers - A nation wide appeal!

Friends, Indians, Countrymen
Lend me your ears,
I come to bury the tiger...


Something on similar lines can be said on this issue. Each day, there is heart-breaking news of an adult tiger or a cub has met its end (and a painful one) and this is sad news for this country. The tiger is the national animal and it rightfully should remain. If only the cruel hearts would bleed on seeing a tiger die. Alas!

If we do not act soon, we might just lose this part of our heritage. At a personal level, I would happily hang tiger poachers by their neck and yet that would be little for the crime of chopping our national pride to pieces - each organ sold in the international black market for a heavy price. But in essence, the price is too less compared to the loss of a single tiger. It is heart-wrenching to say the least when one glimpses at a tiger corpse - the corpse of the animal which stands proud in its regalia...

At a national level, imagine the contempt the people of this nation would feel at the responsible authorities when the last of the tigers is hacked? Would'nt it be utterly shameful for such a big country to have lost its national animal to heartless men indulging in poaching activities? Would'nt India come under fire from other nations at the larger levels for having failed miserably to salvage this nation's optimum heritage symbol? The British colonists wiped out the Cheetah from this country through constant and unregulated big-game hunting. Now it is the poachers who shall be held responsible if the tiger becomes non-existent.

Come to think of it, the poachers are not the only breed of men completely responsible for the deaths of the majestic animals. It is also the forest department that is suspiciously unable to deal a heavy blow to the poaching activities in our country. Why do is use 'suspicious'? For one, there are far less Rangers roaming the length and breadth of the Indian forests. There is a severe shortage of men and patrolling work takes a beating. Another major issue is that more and more Forest rangers are complaining of less-than-reliable resources at their disposal. They have poor quality binoculars, almost useless night vision technology and utterly disgusting range of weapons that could'nt kill at a 20 meter distance.

Honestly, there is another concern that needs to be taken care of - the administration that grows hollow 'cause of the fearsome parasite 'Bribe'. Bribery, corruption and in certain cases shrugging of duty are easily linked to the 'Babus' who sit in forest administration departments (far away from the forests themselves) and unfortunately the government fails to weed out such creatures from the department. Just visit the nearby Forest department of your area - you will be greated with the smell of samosas and tea (and bundles of cash lying in the drawer of the Babu's desk) early in the morning. Chat as much as you want, but please do not linger for long on the point of Forest works and the likes. You will be hurriedly thrown out of the office by the khaki clad office boy.

Note: The forest administration department's office in my area is now a dilapidated building that is hardly recognizable. If one recognizes it without any prompting from fellow passengers in the bus deserves an applause!

Well, the poachers now: These are poor tribals and other men from the lower economic end. They have lost their land to moneylenders and zamindars, and have been reduced to a fragile community. The only way of earning money for them is to undertake petty jobs and seasonal employment on farms else hunting down a tiger and selling its body parts to men with black hearts (obviously those with criminal links.) Now killing a tiger is not an option they should consider to earn money but such are the flames of hunger that it pushes sane men to carry out insane tasks. Well, the other half of men indulging in poaching activities are criminals and terrorist outfits hiding in our jungles.

According to a certain report i went through, large portion of tiger parts are sold near the Chinese borders, and the money that flows in this trade is also because of the merciless Chinese poachers. Well, for me that was'nt surprising news seeing the plight of the Giant Panda in China. This saintly beast of Northern China is fast dwindling in numbers, and such is the pitiful conditions of this Bear that zoo-keepers have to undertake breeding activities within the four ironed walls giving rise to unnatural breeding practices. Artificial breeding is the only option in front of Chinese officials to maintain the population of the Panda. Chinese poachers are fast bringing down the Panda, and they won't spare the tigers of India too.

Funnily, the tiger parts sold in the black market is resold to ignorant fickle minded commoners of China and surrounding countries. The USP of these organs is that they hold 'magical powers that heal, grant strength and ignite sexual fire within the persons who consume tiger parts'. Boy, i ain't joking when i say that a restaurant in China sold a dish called 'Tiger Penis' but actually it was donkey penis laced with tiger urine. Such is the inhuman condition in such parts of the world!

I feel for the tiger cub who sits impatiently in its cave, anticipating the return of its mother at any moment with a large catch in her jaw. I feel for the tiger cub who dreams about a happy reunion with its mother and I feel for the tiger cub who gets to eat properly only once a week. Some cubs die of hunger, because their mothers are short and stabbed mercilessly by insolent human 'creatures'.

I pray sincerely that the condition of the tigers improves soon. Very soon.
Please extend your support to 'Save the Tiger' India, an initiative by Aircel. PLEASE, IGNITE THE FIRE OF AWARENESS IN THE HEART OF EVERY INDIAN.

SAVE THE TIGER, SAVE OUR PRIDE.