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We're not tenacious, we're cowards

We call ourselves a democracy. We complain when the water doesn't come. We complain when there is no electricity. We complain when the incumbent chief minister is convicted in a disproportionate assets case. We complain if she isn't. Yet, at times when democracy really breaks down and there is a law and order situation in the state, we are asked to keep quiet. "Why bring trouble upon yourself?", they say. Are they concerned? Yes. Are they rightfully concerned? Yes. Yet I find it unjust. I find it wrong that for a country like ours - one that is so used to complaining about its politicians, one which puts politicians among the least trustworthy of occupations and the police and judiciary on a little higher pedestal, we must cower before random acts of mob violence. Who are these people burning buses and tearing down public property? People who have benefited from her reign? Maybe, maybe not. But if this is what democracy has come to mean in India, why do we need a demo

I Found God

First of all, I have to apologize for this huge gap between posts. According to my Blogger homepage, my previous post was on June 29. Come to think of it, half my readers must've forgotten that I even exist on a blog! :/ Anyway, as the title suggests, I found a quasi-convincing answer to this question that has been taunting me ever since I started exploring my own identity, trying hard to stand out from the masses who chose to explain the inexplicable with yet another inexplicably complex entity called "God". Now before I go into what suddenly hit me as I was standing outside the JVC staff room, I'd like to ask all those theists out there, what really is God? Or rather who is God? Is it a person? A feeling? A supernatural-being-that-watches-over-us-and-protects-us-all? Amazingly enough, as I look back at the last week, I've met with a number of arguments, quite a number of counter arguments and also some people who would cut my internal marks if I told them t

Begging

I'm travelling now. I'm in a train full of people. As I sit down, arrange my baggage below my seat and stare out the window, Shakira daring me to "kiss her with everyone watching" and the wind blowing on my face, I feel a tap on my shoulder. It's a lady asking me to pay her so she can bless me. I wave her away with a careless, "Please go away. I'm not interested" and look out the window. A few minutes pass and another beggar walks past, loose change clinging in a box he's carrying. As he walks past, a few people offer him a rupee or two. A generous man offered him 5 and looked around to his beaming wife, as though he gave him a corneal transplant. Again, I declined to offer any money to the beggar. I don't appreciate beggars. It's something like a principle. I don't mind buying an extra packet of "sundal" from the boy selling food in the beach, but I will just not give even 1 rupee to a beggar - whether they're old, you

The Courting of Indian Women

DISCLAIMER: I have the utmost respect for all women! I'm not just saying this. People who know me personally can testify that I wouldn't post chauvinistic comments on women, unless it was for the sake of a few laughs! :P So, if you're offended by my post at any time, in any way, please get un-offended immediately! I'm not ready to face lawsuits or any other sort of protest as a result of a few cheeky remarks. Thank you! This is not a legal article. It does not relate, in any way, to the courts of law. I will not allude to that meaning of the word anywhere in this post. So now that we know what I'm talking about, I shall delve into the depths of whatever knowledge I have of this subtle and ancient art. Yes, it is an art. Not (just) a vile and demeaning prelude to a masculine conquest. It involves tact, subtlety and a sense of Indian-ness that should traverse the invisible line between you being "bhaiyya" to becoming "honey"! :P It starts

Nature Walk #1

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This was the first time in 2 years at college that Gates and I went on the nature walk with the regulars -  +Amogh Jalihal  ,  +Ameya Jalihal and  +Tejas Kinger . After a boring, tiring, irritating day at college,  anyone would enjoy a good ol' nature walk with a couple of friends. This is exactly what we did! We had earlier decided that we'd go for a walk but I had forgotten all about it in the scorching heat. I got back from college and crashed in my room. I must thank Gates here for waking me up and asking if I was accompanying them for a walk. I hurriedly woke up (cuz we had already kept Ameya waiting a while), brushed, changed into sandals I could wear in the "wilderness" and ran out (quite literally!). Amogh, paavam that fellow, was waiting for us at GNV for half an hour! :P We joined him and then walked out of the campus, ornithologists, nature lovers and bored juveniles, all out on a mission. A mission to have a nice long walk in the wild! :D As we h

AAPki democracy

The following piece was written before Jan 8, 2014. Hence, this article is a little outdated but I'm still chronicling it here. This was my first political piece for Imprint (which was eventually put down by the censor board). The article never saw the light of the day under the banner or my university but that doesn't stop me from publishing it myself! :P :) Every democracy is built upon the fundamental commandments of equality and freedom. These are granted to all residents and citizens of that democratic nation so long as it does not infringe upon the fundamental rights of fellow citizens. The constitution of India is crafted with such a noble intent, however, as we all know, the human mind can work in devious ways. Give such a crafty mind the power of office that a democracy grants to elected representatives of the electorate, you have corruption. Now extrapolate this to the populace of India. You have 543 potentially corrupt politicians in the Lok Sabha alone. This is

How do I cope with death?

The following piece might, at times, get a little morbid. I'm writing this within minutes of hearing news that my grandfather has passed away. May his soul rest in peace. I've always wondered, sometimes aloud, what I would do if someone close to me died. I don't know if I would cry or if I would remain stone-faced. Will the people around me, by virtue of their collective sorrow, make me cry? Will I be a consoler or will I need consoling? I've also always wondered if someone came and cried to me, what should I say? What can I say? My parents have always protected me from these scenarios. I've only been to one funeral and I was at the place for only about 30 minutes. There are rules even there! Don't say, "Hi!", don't say, "Bye!" and so on. So I think I would just keep to myself. I just got off the phone with my mom. She was, obviously, quite shocked and was sobbing I believe. But I didn't know what to say to her! All I could muste

My trip to Pazhur Village, Trichy

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This is an account of my first experience of Pongal celebrations in a typical South Indian village! :) This isn't the pongal pot... :P The week before we were to leave for Pazhur village for celebrating Pongal village-style, I remember wondering to myself whether or not I should be looking forward to it. In hindsight of course I can say, without a doubt, that I should've looked forward to it a lot more than I did back then! I was at my friend Maari's place the previous night for a party, so I came back home just as everyone was preparing for the day and a half expedition. Tired from the "party" at his place, I showered and crashed in bed almost as soon as I had changed. By the time I had awakened from my deep slumber, it was 1.30pm and everyone in the house was already filing out. I only had time to grab my phone and my iPod before I had to get to the van. We picked my uncle, +Bhoo Thirumalai  and my dad's colleague (at who's place we were goi

Been a while...

Seems like AGES since I last posted on my blog. Frankly, I'm a little ashamed of myself. A lot has been going on in life, but then, who doesn't have something or the other in their lives to keep them busy right? Anyway, this is an experience I had recently when we were celebrating my friend's birthday. Birthdays are days when you want to be happy and want everyone around you to be happy, make you happy, etc. I know some people who will say, "Please surprise me! I like surprises on my birthday!" And on the other end of the spectrum there are people who will say, "Birthdays are just another day for God's sake! Can you please not make such a huge fuss about it?" Of course there are also people like me who organize birthdays for their friends almost every single year. I'm sort of used to it so much so that I find it irritating when I don't do something for someone. It sort of affects me emotionally. Don't know if I need a psychiatrist