India Needs A Leader Like This !
Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told on Wednesday by Prime Minister John Howard of Australia to get out of Australia , as the government targeted radicals in a bid to head off potential terror attacks.
Howard angered some Australian Muslims by saying he supported spy agencies monitoring the nation's mosques. Quote: "IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take It Or Leave It. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Bali , we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of Australians."
"This culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles, trials and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom"
"We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society . Learn the language!"
"Most Australians believe in God. This is not some Christian, right wing, political push, but a fact, because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture."
"We will accept your beliefs, and will not question why. All we ask is that you accept ours, and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with us."
"This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our Christian beliefs, or Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other great Australian freedom, 'THE RIGHT TO LEAVE'."
"If you aren't happy here then LEAVE. We didn't force you to come here. You asked to be here. So accept the country YOU accepted."
Maybe if we circulate this amongst ourselves, Indian citizens will find the backbone to start speaking and voicing the same truths. Do you agree ?
Dec 5, 2008
Nov 28, 2008
Angry, Anguished yet Hopeful II: IT IS NOW
I have been reading blogs and discussion boards flogging Muslims and/ or Pakistanis. And this base reaction scares me. An eye for an eye will leave all blind. Too many innocent lives have been lost... a 2 year old orphaned on his birthday. a father losing two daughter the apples of his eyes, a young major (1977-2008)... 150 or more. Not mere statistics... each a person with his or her own world, now desolate with their loss. We owe them a sensible and reasonable way of thinking. Not more innocents to join them.
I hear the voices baying for blood. I bay for it too but for the blood of those responsible whoever and wherever they may be. I want our anger to be controlled and channlised in a way that the right target is "targetted"... not a religion, a community or country (though the links are obvious... this does not mean we start bombing Pakistan), it means weeding out the scrouge.
I don't know why and from where I have faith that my country will take a mature, well thought out course of action and all my fellow Indians will support that course. Becase if ever India has been pushed in a corner and can be heard screaming "WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH", it is NOW. Let this moment be a unifying one and may NO ONE be able to "play their personal gain games" with this moment to be communal or separate us. WE STAND AS ONE... Hindu, Muslims everyone, hand in hand against terror. We shall not be fooled by anything but the RIGHT thing. Let our leadership know this.
I hear the voices baying for blood. I bay for it too but for the blood of those responsible whoever and wherever they may be. I want our anger to be controlled and channlised in a way that the right target is "targetted"... not a religion, a community or country (though the links are obvious... this does not mean we start bombing Pakistan), it means weeding out the scrouge.
I don't know why and from where I have faith that my country will take a mature, well thought out course of action and all my fellow Indians will support that course. Becase if ever India has been pushed in a corner and can be heard screaming "WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH", it is NOW. Let this moment be a unifying one and may NO ONE be able to "play their personal gain games" with this moment to be communal or separate us. WE STAND AS ONE... Hindu, Muslims everyone, hand in hand against terror. We shall not be fooled by anything but the RIGHT thing. Let our leadership know this.
Angry, Anguished yet Hopeful
"Fifty hours of pure terror and disbelief.
Ours hearts, full with rage and grief.
The blood on the road flowed
in our veins, we feel the pain.
We have died with innocents
and the fighters...
We cry with the families
A bond ties us.
Evil has no nation
caste or creed.
Target the deed
Not the breed..."
I am so numb with what has unfolded in my country over the last 50 hours that I can barely string a sentence. But I must, for when I feel is when the truth is revealed. I saw people die, cry, come away alive. I saw men in uniform doing their duty, professionally, efficiently and sensibly. I saw NDTV report the most sensbile and was aghast at the exclusives in other channels! Shocked me, I tell you... scoring brownie points at a time like this! Petty, pathetic and painful.
Ours hearts, full with rage and grief.
The blood on the road flowed
in our veins, we feel the pain.
We have died with innocents
and the fighters...
We cry with the families
A bond ties us.
Evil has no nation
caste or creed.
Target the deed
Not the breed..."
I am so numb with what has unfolded in my country over the last 50 hours that I can barely string a sentence. But I must, for when I feel is when the truth is revealed. I saw people die, cry, come away alive. I saw men in uniform doing their duty, professionally, efficiently and sensibly. I saw NDTV report the most sensbile and was aghast at the exclusives in other channels! Shocked me, I tell you... scoring brownie points at a time like this! Petty, pathetic and painful.
Aug 23, 2008
A bindless bond...
He sat by her side, holding her hand. She smiled at him and said “; don’t be… this is life. People come and go, I am going. And I don’t want you to come with me. You have my love in your heart to keep you strong and move on in life; find a wonderful woman to grow old with. You will, right?’ Her tone was firm yet beseeching. He felt his heart tighten with emotion. Before he knew it, a few tears fell from his eyes. She said”, I hate tears, Pushpa”.
He smiled, in spite of himself. He looked into her eyes. They were luminous, radiant pools of light. It has always been her eyes that captivated him. Whenever she used to look at him, he used to feel as if she was inside his mind and heart; there was nothing hidden from her. How could there be, in the face of such deep love? And he liked the fact that there were no secrets from her, even though many things were always unsaid. He always knew were they said, she would have understood. A thought that enveloped him like a cozy blanket. To be totally understood, just as one is… extremely rare.
She softly said his name and he bent down to listen “, you are my strength. Don’t think I am not afraid of dying, but I am brave because you are here with me. Love gives you courage to face all, even one’s own death. Hain naa”? He nodded yes, unable to speak.
“, and also courage to live in spite of a loved one’s death, meri jaan, because love itself never dies, yaad rakhna. Rakhoge naa? Apni zindagi bharpoor jeena and if someone holds out a hand, reach out, if it doesn’t work out; be sure another hand will come your way; you just have to have faith in love.
And the sun set at 9:45 am.
Apr 21, 2008
THE SHADOW...
It was one of those get togethers at the GOC’s house and I was draping my turquoise sari. Atul came to help me with the pleats which he always did…I smiled. He looked so handsome in his bandhgala. It was navy blue, which caught his complexion really well. He looked every inch the officer and the gentleman he was. My heart swelled with pride and my love for him shone in my eyes. He preened, touching his mouche, combing away imaginary unruly strands of hair, dusting his shoulders. I nudged him and we both laughed, in perfect harmony with each other.
We entered the party lawns and walked towards our host Gen. K , who was holding court with some officers and their wives. A grinned “The cat is away (referring to the Gen’s wife)… I smiled. It was well known in the Army circle that Mrs. K was a tough old bird. Suddenly, A called out “Hey! Bhatta, you bugger! Come here”. I turned to see a young officer, probably a captain with his wife walking up to us. Oh! She was so pretty, in her heavy Benarasi saree, gold jewellery and her wedding choora.
She looked shy, ill at ease. My heart warmed towards her, knowing what she must be feeling. The Army atmosphere can be overwhelming for a young girl, the protocol, the sit down dinners, I had been through it, and so I knew the anxiety one feels as a new bride. You want to make a good impression especially for your husband’s sake. And there is enough gossip floating around about how the ladies can tear one to shreds, if one doesn’t know the salad fork from the dinner one at those stuffy formal sit-downs!
“Maam, this is S, my wife”, said Bhatta, proudly. I spoke to her warmly, asking her about her family etc. She talked to me a bit shyly at first, but soon was chattering away, telling me about her exams and their honeymoon in Goa (a favourite destination for young officers as the Army has a nice setup in Panjim)… After a while, we moved away, had to circulate… but I kept looking out for S, smiling whenever I spotted her, she reminded me of myself so much when I had been a new bride. A asked me “L, what is it? Why the smile?” I said “Just that I look at her and see myself then and now as a Col’s wife, sure of what is expected of me. Just thinking she will be sure too”. He nodded, saying “He is a bright chap, will rise, got an alpha on his YO’s.” We looked towards them and I felt the hair on my arms rise!
I saw something behind S, a hazy figure of a woman. I don’t know why, my heart filled with sense of foreboding. I felt a cold finger run up my spine. Something terrible was going to happen! I asked A “What is that?” He couldn’t see anything. After a minute or so, though it seemed like forever, the shadow disappeared. My throat was dry. “Oh! God… they are so young! Let nothing happened to them” a silent prayer escaped my lips.
I was quiet for the rest of the evening and as we drove back home, I asked A “Is the brigade moving out for anything?” He said “Yes, darling. You know its winter; we will be going for the regular exercise in the desert area. Why?” I said nothing.
In the next few weeks, I met S too, once or twice at a Ladies Meet and a coffee morning. But it was at a welfare event that I saw the shadow again just behind her. I shook my head, it was still there. My heart tightened.
That evening, I waited for A’s call. When the phone rang, I snatched it and asked him “How is Capt. Bhattacharya? Where is he?” There was a note of surprise in A’s voice as he answered, “He is with his unit. They are 100 kms away from my location. Why?” Then I told him of what I had seen and my fears. He laughed gently, cracked a few jokes and in his usual way, put my fears to rest. I was feeling light when I hung up.
The next morning, the phone rang around 6 am. I reached out for it and as I listened to the voice telling me what had happened, I realized that the shadow had been for me, not S.
We entered the party lawns and walked towards our host Gen. K , who was holding court with some officers and their wives. A grinned “The cat is away (referring to the Gen’s wife)… I smiled. It was well known in the Army circle that Mrs. K was a tough old bird. Suddenly, A called out “Hey! Bhatta, you bugger! Come here”. I turned to see a young officer, probably a captain with his wife walking up to us. Oh! She was so pretty, in her heavy Benarasi saree, gold jewellery and her wedding choora.
She looked shy, ill at ease. My heart warmed towards her, knowing what she must be feeling. The Army atmosphere can be overwhelming for a young girl, the protocol, the sit down dinners, I had been through it, and so I knew the anxiety one feels as a new bride. You want to make a good impression especially for your husband’s sake. And there is enough gossip floating around about how the ladies can tear one to shreds, if one doesn’t know the salad fork from the dinner one at those stuffy formal sit-downs!
“Maam, this is S, my wife”, said Bhatta, proudly. I spoke to her warmly, asking her about her family etc. She talked to me a bit shyly at first, but soon was chattering away, telling me about her exams and their honeymoon in Goa (a favourite destination for young officers as the Army has a nice setup in Panjim)… After a while, we moved away, had to circulate… but I kept looking out for S, smiling whenever I spotted her, she reminded me of myself so much when I had been a new bride. A asked me “L, what is it? Why the smile?” I said “Just that I look at her and see myself then and now as a Col’s wife, sure of what is expected of me. Just thinking she will be sure too”. He nodded, saying “He is a bright chap, will rise, got an alpha on his YO’s.” We looked towards them and I felt the hair on my arms rise!
I saw something behind S, a hazy figure of a woman. I don’t know why, my heart filled with sense of foreboding. I felt a cold finger run up my spine. Something terrible was going to happen! I asked A “What is that?” He couldn’t see anything. After a minute or so, though it seemed like forever, the shadow disappeared. My throat was dry. “Oh! God… they are so young! Let nothing happened to them” a silent prayer escaped my lips.
I was quiet for the rest of the evening and as we drove back home, I asked A “Is the brigade moving out for anything?” He said “Yes, darling. You know its winter; we will be going for the regular exercise in the desert area. Why?” I said nothing.
In the next few weeks, I met S too, once or twice at a Ladies Meet and a coffee morning. But it was at a welfare event that I saw the shadow again just behind her. I shook my head, it was still there. My heart tightened.
That evening, I waited for A’s call. When the phone rang, I snatched it and asked him “How is Capt. Bhattacharya? Where is he?” There was a note of surprise in A’s voice as he answered, “He is with his unit. They are 100 kms away from my location. Why?” Then I told him of what I had seen and my fears. He laughed gently, cracked a few jokes and in his usual way, put my fears to rest. I was feeling light when I hung up.
The next morning, the phone rang around 6 am. I reached out for it and as I listened to the voice telling me what had happened, I realized that the shadow had been for me, not S.
Apr 13, 2008
Solitaire
What's Your Goddess Identity?
My Result: Muse
While it's great when people flock to you for ideas, there probably is a part of you that prefers to blend in sometimes — whether dressing in muted shades or staking out a one-on-one conversation at parties and social events. But try as you might not to hog the spotlight, others can't help but notice you. Must be hard to be such a goddess!
Despite any lingering modesty, you might be surprised at how much your mere presence can help improve the lives of those around you by infusing them with ideas and good thoughts. With that kind of healing energy, your inspirational ways have the potential to change the world, Muse. Whether you're scribbling sonnets, boogying with your friends, or drawing your own constellations — you're tapped in. So keep your eyes wide open to the possibilities and let that inspiration flow!
Apr 10, 2008
The Phoenix...
She folded her knees and sat up, rocking to and fro, as if trying to comfort her own self with a steady motion. She felt dead; as if someone had sucked her life force from within and left just a shell, a husk with no grain. Her grief, her hurt was too deep for tears.
She blankly stared into space as if trying to divine an answer from the air itself. I could hear her silent screams "Why", why"... she repeated the same word. I knew. She wanted to make sense of it all; sense of something which just is. There is no pattern to it. It manifests itself into each person's life in a different way and each person has to fight for his or her own survival. I have given them everything, but it’s dormant. They have to activate their own selves.
And while I wept tears of blood for her, I stood by her side, saying nothing, just sending thought wave after thought wave of love towards her heart, hoping that through the darkness, even a small ray would reach her, telling her that life is still worth living and the stranger she meets on the bus deserves a smile. Just because the last stranger wiped the smile of her face with a backhand swipe, she must still trust; as in that lies her salvation. To smile, to love, to live, to rejoice... in spite of ALL that may happened.
She was sobbing now, her body shaking and trembling, her head bent down on her knees, immersed in her agony. My heart went out to her and I said ", Child! Do not weep anymore. The oceans in my universe have run dry as they fall from your eyes. I beseech you to try and see me, see that I love you, and see that my arms are open wide for you. But till such time that you are where you are, you must still smile, spread love and joy, and never get bitter because that is certain poison to kill me"...
She looked up, as if straight into my eyes, and I could see her spirit fighting her pain, and as a tiny smile glinted in her eyes, I knew that once again, the phoenix had risen. I sent her a bright colorful ray on which danced a thousand dreams and went on.
She blankly stared into space as if trying to divine an answer from the air itself. I could hear her silent screams "Why", why"... she repeated the same word. I knew. She wanted to make sense of it all; sense of something which just is. There is no pattern to it. It manifests itself into each person's life in a different way and each person has to fight for his or her own survival. I have given them everything, but it’s dormant. They have to activate their own selves.
And while I wept tears of blood for her, I stood by her side, saying nothing, just sending thought wave after thought wave of love towards her heart, hoping that through the darkness, even a small ray would reach her, telling her that life is still worth living and the stranger she meets on the bus deserves a smile. Just because the last stranger wiped the smile of her face with a backhand swipe, she must still trust; as in that lies her salvation. To smile, to love, to live, to rejoice... in spite of ALL that may happened.
She was sobbing now, her body shaking and trembling, her head bent down on her knees, immersed in her agony. My heart went out to her and I said ", Child! Do not weep anymore. The oceans in my universe have run dry as they fall from your eyes. I beseech you to try and see me, see that I love you, and see that my arms are open wide for you. But till such time that you are where you are, you must still smile, spread love and joy, and never get bitter because that is certain poison to kill me"...
She looked up, as if straight into my eyes, and I could see her spirit fighting her pain, and as a tiny smile glinted in her eyes, I knew that once again, the phoenix had risen. I sent her a bright colorful ray on which danced a thousand dreams and went on.
Jan 3, 2008
"Hope" ... a poem by Emily Dickinson
“Hope” is the thing with feathers—
That perches in the soul—
And sings the tune without the words—
And never stops—at all—
And sweetest—in the Gale—is heard—
And sore must be the storm—
That could abash the little Bird—
That kept so many warm—
I’ve heard it in the chillest land—
And on the strangest Sea—
Yet, never, in Extremity,
It asked a crumb—of Me.
That perches in the soul—
And sings the tune without the words—
And never stops—at all—
And sweetest—in the Gale—is heard—
And sore must be the storm—
That could abash the little Bird—
That kept so many warm—
I’ve heard it in the chillest land—
And on the strangest Sea—
Yet, never, in Extremity,
It asked a crumb—of Me.
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