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Do terrorists (and their various forms) have certain neurological disorder? No normal and rational human would want to or even think about a “bomb blast” like the one in Mumbai, Delhi, Jaipur, Bangalore and Ahmadabad. Is there some scientific base to prove their disorder? None of the world’s religious holy books preach violence. If the followers of the faith decipher wrong meaning, why should innocent people be killed? And if they have to make a certain point, why through human disaster? Why can’t they be brave enough to put forth their views? I mean anyway our investigators can’t ever find any clue as to why these blasts and the mastermind behind them. So at the end of the day, leaders simply “condemn” and point fingers as the famous terrorist camps. The crux of the mystery remains unsolved for a few decades, and till then we’ve forgotten the tragedy. If terrorists were real terrorists and not afraid, I believe they would come upfront and claim for their demands. Who but a timid person would stay in the hiding and kill innocent people when he would not get any benefit from it?
Is their a larger story behind these terrorist attacks? Our leaders condemning and claiming that they will crack down anti national elements aren’t much of use once the disaster has been done! Doctors wanted!
My cutest pet
Meet my latest and cutest craze – peep peep or the hindi version is hansmukh lal chonchwala! He’s handsmukhlal cos he makes you roll on the floor the rofl way when you see him walk towards you. His vibrant colour and the the innocent eyes and the red beak make him the best pet anyone can have! He’s peep peep cos he’s like road runner…. ditto!
What do you have to say about him? Isn’t he a darling?
Welcome to India – where each of the 1 billion odd people will be addicted to tea ( popularly called chai) or as in the case of IT sectors coffee (their cash surplus allows them a richer beverage)
Come 4 p.m. and everyone’s eagerly waiting for their cup of tea – cutting chai as popularly known in Mumbai. Offices have a chai-wala come with his tiny aluminium kettle which surprisingly has tea enough for a hundred people! And if you notice, pan India, it’s the same aluminium kettle. Be it rains or summer or winter, the aluminium kettle goes along with all seasons. If not a chai-wala, then there are those numerous chai – katta again very popular among college students and those small offices where people find a getaway and a place to unwind. Of course, this chai ka pyaala is often accompanied with paav vada ( Indian burger ) or samosa or bhajji! At home, all the home makers prepare tea for themselves, as if it’s the start of the day. It helps them “look forward” to the rest of the day! Infact “high tea” is a commonly used term in India in which social events take place. Families now prefer inviting their guests for high tea inorder to save the extra workload from dinner / lunch! Shop keepers will eagerly be waiting for their chai at around 3:30 – 4 p.m. Infact so much so, that chai addicts get headaches and irritation if they don’t get their cup of tea. Its not just their cup of tea if they bunk their tea time!
That’s chai time – when little poor children run along the platform of train station shouting chai chai chai in their typical accent; the many addicts who will do anything for their cup of chai; and the amazing social bonding that happens over cup of chai. Like the advertisement goes “ tata tea… dimakh daudega nahi, bhagega…. Tez bahut tez!”
As if the variety in brands were not enough, tea comes in variety – just like coffee – from black tea to half paani tea to full doodh tea to sugar free and extra sugar to masala chai to flavoured chai from different parts of the Himalayas! There always must be Parle G glucose biscuit or Marie Biscuit accompanying the afternoon tea. Morning tea is another topic by itself. Ridiculously, no two people have tea of the same type. Each have their own style of making tea and especially critical is the water / milk content in chai. Sugar should and must be served separately to guests to avoid the fuss over “how much sugar you have!”
Chai – the most loved beverage, yet the most fussed over beverage. Chai chai chai…
Oh well, I just remembered a song with this -
Ek garam chai ki pyaali ho, Koi mujhko pilane wali ho..
From bullock carts to Lamborghini, from slums to royal palaces, from the famous “chor bazaar” to super specialty malls, we are the proud Indians; bharatiya. Striving to be nuclear energy state, yet the roads don’t last their first monsoon; meet us at India! From poverty to Mukesh Ambani, we reel under the reality of double truths – of prospering and shining India and the disadvantages India – each being very successful in their respective economy. Poverty has undoubtedly reduced, but in terms of real life scenarios, it is indeed a shame and pity to see little children begging in scorching summer heat or the winter blues. Its hard to imagine that once a polio free country has been struck by polio once again in south India.
As we get together and celebrate our Independence day, let us give a few moments to the disadvantaged section of our society – without whom we may not able to be a complete India. To those who have laid their lives for India’s independence, who always visioned a bright future of their children. To those who have ended their lives tragically in the terrorist attacks across the country. As the world lays an eye of envy over India, let us be the proud Indians to strive for our betterment and to punish all those who have caused turbulence to our land – Bharat. Despite so many ups and downs, I am Proud to be Indian, proud to say Jai Hind!
