Is it them or us?

We were at the metro station and then she came. Just like us, she was also waiting to get onto the train. But unlike us, she was wearing a dress, sleeveless and not crossing the knees. She was a bit heavy for the dress too. It would be an understatement to say that she steered up a reaction. My thought was that it’s cold for the dress but well I know people who don’t feel that much cold and anyways how does it matter to me. I looked away, again concentrating towards the platform from where the train was expected.

Suddenly, I heard laughing and murmuring. I looked around instinctively and saw girls pointing towards her, murmuring some comments and then laughing without an effort to keep it down. Then, I saw guy standing with his mother, doing the same. Pointing and commenting! In response his mother also said something and they both laughed. A group of office-going men repeated the same ritual. Then I saw a man continuously staring at the girl as if she was just about to strip and he couldn’t afford to miss anything. Every person on the platform was looking at her! And as they eyed her and ‘judged’, I observed them, thinking who gave them the right to do that. At that moment, I so wished that the lady was doing some sting operation to expose the mentality people had.

The sad part was that not just men, but women too were against women! Some must be probably thinking that these kind of people get raped. Obviously, if a girl wears a skirt or shows off her skin then she deserves to be raped. Men are not supposed to look at them like humans and have values. Noone needs to teach their sons to respect women and always strive to protect them as it is the women who give them life. But instead a girl needs to be taught to be afraid, to feel like filth and dirt exposed and vulnerable. A girl needs to be taught her rightful place i.e. in the beds of more powerful men.

And if after this she gets raped then obviously she deserved it. She was wrong at thinking that she could be independent, work to feed her family, study to give meaning to her life, wear what she wanted and felt comfortable in and be fearless to face the society. She was so wrong and for that men need to punish her, being the just gods of earth. And the punishment is rape. Yes, a woman deserves rape! Atleast that’s what the policemen and many other elements of society who dictate how a woman should behave and dress up believe.

And please don’t tell me that a girl fully covered in a salwar-kamiz never had to face uncomfortable stares, a whistle or some cheap song as she walked on the road. Clothes are simply an excuse and we all know this.

Everyone has a right to be who they are and what they want to be. But only till you don’t harm anyone and this obviously doesn’t apply to people who decide to be monsters and rape innocent girls.

The question that arises is that how can people fight back for women if they don’t change their thinking. How can a policeman protect a girl wearing a skirt from rape if he believes that she deserves it? How can a society protect its girl child, if they believe that by some absurd law of nature women are inferior to men?

Also, I kept wondering that how could someone muster up the courage to force someone for such an act. Rape must be so difficult. Is it alcohol? But even that could be responsible upto a limit only. Then what gives them the courage to hurt someone to such an extent. And to think that these men will be out in the open again after some years in jail, probably even more frustrated and ready for revenge is scary.

And I don’t understand how a candle march or a black dot will help. But I won’t stop being optimistic as it might help to spread awareness. Though the question that awareness about still intrigues me? Do we seriously need to spread the word that rape is wrong? Doesn’t everyone know that already? Isn’t it something obvious?

Diwali madness or sadness?

This Diwali I found two reasons to be sad about. Apart from the fact that this might be the last Diwali I get to celebrate at my home before I set out for my higher studies, the other was obviously the crackers and the dense clouds of smoke they emanated. One is always tempted to burst a few of those nasty little things. But what do we get out of them other than just a few seconds of adrenaline rush? Have you ever asked yourself if it was really worth the tons of pollution we cause? 

One day before Diwali I went to see a cracker show at Chandimandir, Cantonment area of Chandigarh. The show was beautiful. Beautiful light and sparkles covered the sky. The officers continuously lighted rockets and other fascinating crackers and the effect was wonderful. Even I was awed by the beautiful scene they put up. But behind those lights, I could also see the ghostly smoke! It totally obliterated the fun of watching the crackers burst and hearing their exhilarating sound. And it only brought one word to mind, why! I still have no answer to the question that why are we doing this.

I don't know who to blame, the guy who invented crackers or the people who use them stupidly without thinking of what they're doing to the environment. Today, I was studying for my toefl exam and listened to a passage which talked about how Plato defined that a human soul consists of three faculties namely Desire, Emotion and Intellect. Presently, we've forgotten the golden rule of goodness which states that a soul is defined as being good when all three faculties exist in harmony. The intellect needs to control desire and emotion for that harmony to exist. Our desires and emotions have increased to such a level that our intellect has been fogged and is now being controlled by the desires. Truly, we're growing towards our own destruction. I don't believe in the Dec, 2012- End of the world theories cooking up but it seems that we humans are pushing our luck a bit too hard on this. From our behavior, I feel as if we ourselves want the world to end soon! 

What will you think about a little boy if you saw him deliberately picking up a vase and dropping it to the floor? Probably that he's either mad or gone rogue. Well that’s what I feel for us. I'm no different. Even I'm not going all green and planting trees, minimizing my use of paper or saying no to crackers (Oh yes!). That is the actual sad part. Just think how you'll feel if you got to know that the little boy was you. It is frustrating when you know you're wrong but still end up doing the same! 

My mother actually came up with a good idea. That cracker shows should be organized in all cities and individual sale of crackers be banned. But that needs effective implementation of laws and that seems far-fetched for our country right now.

But isn’t change supposed to start within you? Isn’t drop joining drop supposed to form the ocean?

So when will you follow Gandhi and ‘be the change you wish to see’?

The Tale of a Noone but Someone

Her place in the society stands so small,
Still, they reach to her whenever they fall.
They come for health, pleasure and comfort,
But otherwise, treat her worse than dirt.

Ignoring eyes full of love and respect,
They see in her a pleasurable prospect.
Some try to understand while others just fake,
Hurting her soft heart and the efforts that she’d make.

There’s not much love left anymore,
Greed and lust is what they put at the fore.
But even after going through all these pains,
With an ever forgiving heart, she’ll clean up all the stains.

Love in her heart will never be less,
Every soul she meets, she tries to bless.
These seem like the qualities of a single captain,
But oh lord! I see this passion bubbling in each and every woman!

The Tid-bits

Someone comes to you and compliments your t-shirt, and even though you’d spent 15 minutes earlier that day to chose that top, you’ve to look down to check what you’re wearing. You very fondly set the wallpaper of your phone, but hardly ever notice it. You might clean your home everyday, but if someone asks you what all you’ve kept on the shelves, you won’t get all of them right! The bedsheet on which you slept last night, the company for the fridge which has been there for years, complete number on your car’s license plate and some people don’t even remember their own phone number! These small things in your life, however important they might be to you, fail to get your notice. Is it the absence of interest or just a lacking in your observation?

The fact is that we live our life, without giving much attention to things. You tell me, you look at the clock many times a day, everyday! How many of you know, whether the markings are in numerals or roman letters! Not many, I myself never noticed it! And I guess, if you ask me a month later, I might not remember that they’re numerals!

It’s not just the things that we neglect; we neglect our close ones too. Taking them for granted! We go to college or office, have fun, laugh out with friends, spend most of the day there and come home tired. Have dinner being lost in TV and then go off to sleep. How many of us, sit down with their parents, asking them how their day was and sharing your own moments. We know more about Ted Mosby and how he met his wife than about our own family members.

It’s said that we realize the importance of something only when its long gone. We look back at our life and think of all the things we should have done! Don’t we all promise ourselves, at the time of exams, to study in the next semester and end up doing the same things we did this semester! We’re so lost that we fail to realize the importance of every moment, every breath, every small thing, and every small detail of the life around us. We view everything superficially, noting just as much as we need at the moment, never appreciating the finer details. The finer details of things, people and relations!

We keep planning for the future or cribbing about the past, and in that we fail to enjoy the present fully.

It’s high time we quit dilly-dallying and became more aware of our surroundings, the feelings of our loved ones and our own needs. It’s time we gave a thought to what we’re doing to ourselves and to others.

It’s time to give those tid-bits the importance they deserve!

Walking Away

you're drifting away
with every step ahead..
your hands by your side sway
and feet cheerfully tread..

you walk on without a thought
a thought to remember those left behind..
to whose lives happiness you'd brought
but there's Noone left now to remind..

remind them of the happy times
and you're too far to be felt..
and too far to see what in their eyes shines
is it the fake smile or the tears they wept..

we were on this together
before you suddenly took off..
we worked together we thought together
whether it was easy or tough ..

but you forgot all that
and went on with your own decision..
I never knew of it
till it came up in conversation..

it's hard to imagine such indifference
even though I knew you could be terse..
maybe it's at the peak of my tolerance
or maybe it could still get worse..

then you ask me what I decide
not knowing how much it would hurt..
how can my brain and heart in calmness reside
when, to you, our togetherness now means nothing more than dirt.. 

The Reason Behind

At some moments life becomes so still,
And as dew drops fall off the window sill,
I look into the world of nature,
And wonder how beautifully god carved every flower and creature…

As the months pass, comes in a new season,
Each one must possess a unique reason…

The scorching sun so bright, my skin itches,
As if I’m burning in some concoction by the witches.
Summer is harsh, what reason shall it possess,
All it gives us is tension and stress…

But doesn’t it teach us to be strong,
To fight bravely against a hostile throng…

The burnt skin then meets the rain,
Which quenches its thirst and eases the pain…
The rain itself falls down,
But lifts away the summer’s frown…

To add a pinch of selflessness is what it preaches,
And to be like the soft waves on the calm beaches…

The rain gives way to the depressing fall,
Leaves drop down from the trees so tall…
Their separation sings its own song,
At the first look it must seem so wrong…

But in reality it screams out, whatever be the case, never lose hope…
As only when the old ones die, new ones shall have a scope…

After the fall, the chilling winter drops us a visit,
And forces us to drop the celebrating spirit…
Everything is snowed down and as lifeless as a barrel,
But then to warm up, Christmas arrives with its lovely carol…

The snow thus shows the importance of a heart which is cozy and warm,
Which binds everyone together in a swarm…

As the white snow continues to spread the gloom,
Clearing it away, the spring starts to bloom…
Spreading everywhere colors so bright…
Gives us a reason to forget the saddening white…

It urges us to be just as young and full of life,
And to smile through life’s every strife…

Changing Perspective

I know he didn’t mean to convey what she felt

Though he was pretty wrong in the way he dealt

He knew he was at fault

But never gave his habits a halt

My poor friend was so heart broken

Not a single happy memory to remember as a token

So beautiful and naughty

But then she could also be very haughty

Why is it that we all blame him?

Why are we filled with hatred for him to the brim?

Is it possible he didn’t have a choice?

That her obsessiveness never allowed him to rejoice

Then, wouldn’t he be the poor one?

His life, must then, have become a sarcastic pun

Is it possible she never gave him any space?

I do remember, his every step she would trace

Then, how would he be expected to suffice?

He managed a year, even that is a surprise

Is it possible that she is the one to be blamed?

That she controlled him as a pet to be tamed

Then, was he just trying to get free?

Better to fall than hanging from the tree

Is it possible I was blinded by my friendship?

Blaming the one who went through all the hardship

Oh lord! Tell me with whom to sympathize?

The victim or the friend I was always eager to patronize..

Renaissance

An Apocalypse, derived from a Greek word meaning "lifting of the veil" or "revelation", is a disclosure of something hidden from the majority of mankind in an era dominated by falsehood and misconception, i.e. the veil to be lifted. And what do you see when the veild is gone?? The TRUTH!

The truth that we’re both Gods and Devils. The truth that everyone of us has a choice. A choice between the Light or Dark! And as per what we choose, our destiny starts its course. All this might sound mystical, but this indeed is the Truth.

The apocalypse, thus, doesn’t point to an actual end of the world, but only metaphorical end of the present scenario. Hopefully, it’ll be an end to human encroachment on the worldly resources and on man’s bend towards the easy life. The life of truth, ethics and constructive imagination is bound to be rocky and difficult, and thanks to the human nature, we’re somewhat forced to chose the opposite, and thus darkness engulfs the Light and eats it up silently as the world chooses only to watch!

But as it is said, the darkest hour is before the dawn!

Not everyone choses the easy life! There are some who would rather have their feet cut on the rocks than their hands feel on the velvet. They are the ones who strive to be good and to make this world better. One might think that to be one such person, you need power, money probably or the time to work on such things and then the obvious obstacle is that we’ve so much already on our minds. Studies, jobs, stomachs to be fed, responsibilities, duties and what not! There is no time left with the common man to think about any Truth that time might have to offer! No, no time at all!

But think, just a bit before you move on to another article! Think of the small things that could help. There is so much we can do to better our world, we just never really give it a thought. We can water the plants, help an old man cross the road, give a disheartened laborer a smile of reassurance, give that old t-shirt to someone needy, caressing a troubled friend or maybe just throw the chips packet in a dustbin. Its not really big to ask for, but with the darkness growing upon us, we hardly see how they could help. Have you ever noticed that how you always intend to see lucky faces when you’re going for an exam! How, if someone gives you a thumbs-up before going for an interview it goes excellent! It’s not that they cast some lucky spell which helps you out, but its that intention hidden behind that face or in those actions that helps build up your confidence which works the wonders.

Our thoughts, those tiny little positives or negatives are what make up our mind, its those thoughts which make us what we are! And its again our choice. We can be a useless pessimist, or an optimist! We can be the smiling helper or the grim nitpicker, always finding faults! Thoughtful gestures, however small they might be help to better the environment. To get a little scientific, check out Noetic Sciences which describes how beliefs, thoughts, and intentions affect the physical world. it describes thoughts as having a mass and thus gravity acts on it as well! Well not to go into the finer details, it seems like all the ranting about positive or negative energies, auras, powers of meditation or prayers was not a total myth after all!

If only we could just stop being a skeptic and for once believe! Believe in the world, in humanity, in our own selves and in our hearts! As that is where lies what we seek, the Truth!