Read the Amit Varma blog and found his open letter on security at malls very interesting!
Find the excerpts from the letter copied below and u can find the full letter here.
“I enjoy visiting you, and I support your new initiatives to tighten security in the wake of recent terrorist attacks. I don’t mind being frisked or having my bag checked: the few extra seconds we all wait individually are worth the collective safety we gain.
But why do you think that terrorists enter only from front entrances?
If someone drives into the parking lot and takes the lift up to the mall, there is no check on him at all. …”
How true.. Go to the Inorbit mall in mumbai and no one checks u if u come from the basement.I hope these terrorist jokers dont get any ideas from this post!
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
The million dollar question..
The relationship between a married woman and her mom in law has always aroused my curiosity. I have often wondered why MILs are always looked at wearily the world over and more so in India. I had a chat with a close friend who just couldn’t understand why her MIL treated her and her SIL differently. While I was empathizing with her I wondered if this was a common problem or something which was unique to some families.
It was one of those usual busy mornings when the only breather you get is during your travel to work, I broached this topic with my partner (who had this ‘oh no, I don’t want to get into this’ look on his face).Guess what ..as usual luck favored him, what better timing to get a call from work! He gleefully excused himself from the conversation, but that did not deter me from this particular line of thought...
Do mothers have separate rules for their own daughters and separate ones for their DIL?
I threw this question at the coffee table at work and judging by the nods I got I realized that it did look like a problem majority of women had! After listening to all the discussions and possible explanations what struck me was one explanation from a friend.Her theory was that mothers always think that their daughters (poor dears..) are always adjusting in the new homes/husbands after they get married. The same logic is not applied to the daughter in law as the home in question is their son’s and in this case the DIL becomes the lucky woman to get such a husband!(i know what u r thinking girls..ya right!)
I found this particular explanation totally understandable as moms do tend to think their kids are the best things that can happen to mankind! I have seen it at my own home, seen it at my husband’s home, seen it at friends/neighbor’s homes and the more I think about it the more I am convinced that I have cracked the proverbial question! What do u think? do let me know!
It was one of those usual busy mornings when the only breather you get is during your travel to work, I broached this topic with my partner (who had this ‘oh no, I don’t want to get into this’ look on his face).Guess what ..as usual luck favored him, what better timing to get a call from work! He gleefully excused himself from the conversation, but that did not deter me from this particular line of thought...
Do mothers have separate rules for their own daughters and separate ones for their DIL?
I threw this question at the coffee table at work and judging by the nods I got I realized that it did look like a problem majority of women had! After listening to all the discussions and possible explanations what struck me was one explanation from a friend.Her theory was that mothers always think that their daughters (poor dears..) are always adjusting in the new homes/husbands after they get married. The same logic is not applied to the daughter in law as the home in question is their son’s and in this case the DIL becomes the lucky woman to get such a husband!(i know what u r thinking girls..ya right!)
I found this particular explanation totally understandable as moms do tend to think their kids are the best things that can happen to mankind! I have seen it at my own home, seen it at my husband’s home, seen it at friends/neighbor’s homes and the more I think about it the more I am convinced that I have cracked the proverbial question! What do u think? do let me know!
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
The Talwars, Police and Media
I have had a disturbing week… however much I think about this Noida murder and the police reasoning it doesn’t sound right. I fail to understand how a father, an educated doctor, can do such a dreadful act. The truth is I don’t want to believe this version. Unless proven guilty in my mind the parents of the child are grieving parents and following that viewpoint I feel very sorry for the parents who cant even grieve for their loss in peace!
I don’t want to think of the surprise I felt when I heard the mother Nupur Talwar talk of the murder to a news channel. While Nupur showed all signs of a woman with a lot of strength what with her family torn to pieces (her daughter murdered and her husband in jail as the prime suspect) I must say I was guilty of judging her as being unemotional about the whole thing. Though the thought that she must be numbed by the series of events did occur to me later I am sorry to say that I had this uncomfortable feeling when I saw her tough exterior which was portrayed by the news channels. I guess I am as guilty as the media for acting like Sherlock Holmes!
Anyway I follow this case very closely not because of its sensationalism but because I want to know for a fact that Arushi’s dad did not kill her. And if that is true my heart goes out to the parents who have suffered so much..
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
The Bhang effect of Kite Runner
Had a long weekend (Holi + Good Friday + Eid ) and spent the time reading two books the ‘Kite Runner’ by Khaled Hosseini and ‘The Caterpillar Who Went On A Diet And Other Stories’ by Ranjit Lal. Quite an eclectic mix of reading I must say, for while one was funny, refreshing and easy read the other was more serious and got me all philosophical!
The Kite Runner is a heart wrenching story of friendship, betrayal, guilt and redemption between two boys Amir and Hassan from Afghanistan. Amir is a wealthy Pashtun, and Hassan, his servant, is a Hazara . The story revolves around Amir who is haunted by the guilt of betraying his childhood friend Hassan. Amir's close friendship and lifelong shame is at the heart of the book. It is a relationship that haunts Amir from Kabul to California, where Amir and his father move after the Soviets invade Afghanistan. When Amir receives a call from his father's business partner Rahim Khan, he sees it as a chance to redeem himself from the secrets that have always shadowed his mind.
The story clearly shows Amir’s privileged child hood where he is the kite fighter who rules the skies while his kite-running partner Hasan races down streets to own all their opponents' unmoored, sinking trophies. Towards the end of the novel when Amir leaves to Kabul in search of Hassan's lost son, the contrast with his sheltered kite-flying youth could scarcely be more pronounced. The book shows how Amir, who grew up being served, had learned how to serve others. He knew that the mistakes he made in the past had been forgiven, and that allows him to be able to forgive himself.
Another interesting point to note is that Amir felt ashamed that he did not stand up for his friend Hasan but in order not to be constantly reminded of his shameful act, he further wrongs him by falsely blaming him for a theft! Call it child psychology, hunger for his father’s love or plain jealousy ( as his father seems to like Hasan more than Amir) but it does give you an insight into the workings of human psychology! The book also brings to light the rich culture and history of Afghan and the oppression of the Hazaras by the Pashtun and then in the hands of the Taliban.
To sum up my experience reading this book, i could feel every emotion that Amir and Hassan experienced as my personal experience. The decisions that each of them had to make, I felt that I had to make. This is especially true for the character of Amir, as the story has been narated from his point of view. I could literally feel every emotion that he described.
Kite runner makes you search yourself, and ask yourself what kind of person you are? Would you do the same in Amir or Hassan's place?
And finally the line ‘For you a thousand times over’ … sigh, read it u will know what I mean!
Update did some research on Hazaras :
Hazāras are people residing in the central region of Afghanistan and northwestern Pakistan. They are predominantly Shia Muslims and are said to have Mongolian descent. They are found in large numbers in neighboring Iran, primarily as refugees, and as diaspora around the world.
In their modern history, Hazaras have faced several wars and forced displacements. Since the beginnings of modern Afghanistan in the mid 18th century, Hazaras have faced persecution from the Pashtuns and have been forced to flee from many parts of today's Afghanistan to Hazarajat.
Following the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, an international coalition intervened in Afghanistan and removed the Taliban from power and effectively saved the Hazaras from ethnic cleansing at the hands of the Taliban. Since then, the situation for Hazaras in Afghanistan has changed but how much …?
The Kite Runner is a heart wrenching story of friendship, betrayal, guilt and redemption between two boys Amir and Hassan from Afghanistan. Amir is a wealthy Pashtun, and Hassan, his servant, is a Hazara . The story revolves around Amir who is haunted by the guilt of betraying his childhood friend Hassan. Amir's close friendship and lifelong shame is at the heart of the book. It is a relationship that haunts Amir from Kabul to California, where Amir and his father move after the Soviets invade Afghanistan. When Amir receives a call from his father's business partner Rahim Khan, he sees it as a chance to redeem himself from the secrets that have always shadowed his mind.
The story clearly shows Amir’s privileged child hood where he is the kite fighter who rules the skies while his kite-running partner Hasan races down streets to own all their opponents' unmoored, sinking trophies. Towards the end of the novel when Amir leaves to Kabul in search of Hassan's lost son, the contrast with his sheltered kite-flying youth could scarcely be more pronounced. The book shows how Amir, who grew up being served, had learned how to serve others. He knew that the mistakes he made in the past had been forgiven, and that allows him to be able to forgive himself.
Another interesting point to note is that Amir felt ashamed that he did not stand up for his friend Hasan but in order not to be constantly reminded of his shameful act, he further wrongs him by falsely blaming him for a theft! Call it child psychology, hunger for his father’s love or plain jealousy ( as his father seems to like Hasan more than Amir) but it does give you an insight into the workings of human psychology! The book also brings to light the rich culture and history of Afghan and the oppression of the Hazaras by the Pashtun and then in the hands of the Taliban.
To sum up my experience reading this book, i could feel every emotion that Amir and Hassan experienced as my personal experience. The decisions that each of them had to make, I felt that I had to make. This is especially true for the character of Amir, as the story has been narated from his point of view. I could literally feel every emotion that he described.
Kite runner makes you search yourself, and ask yourself what kind of person you are? Would you do the same in Amir or Hassan's place?
And finally the line ‘For you a thousand times over’ … sigh, read it u will know what I mean!
Update did some research on Hazaras :
Hazāras are people residing in the central region of Afghanistan and northwestern Pakistan. They are predominantly Shia Muslims and are said to have Mongolian descent. They are found in large numbers in neighboring Iran, primarily as refugees, and as diaspora around the world.
In their modern history, Hazaras have faced several wars and forced displacements. Since the beginnings of modern Afghanistan in the mid 18th century, Hazaras have faced persecution from the Pashtuns and have been forced to flee from many parts of today's Afghanistan to Hazarajat.
Following the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, an international coalition intervened in Afghanistan and removed the Taliban from power and effectively saved the Hazaras from ethnic cleansing at the hands of the Taliban. Since then, the situation for Hazaras in Afghanistan has changed but how much …?
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Shantaram - Gregory David Roberts
Partner was off to Dubai.. took the opportunity to do shopping for the house.. new curtains couple of cushion covers, some photo frames ah the joy one gets out of unrestricted shopping! I made up my mind to chill out at home after work, so did the most modest dinners and curled up with a book i bought in one of my shopping expeditions, a book called Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts.
To cut a long story (936 pages!) short, Shantaram is the name given to Mr. Lindsay, or Linbaba, the larger-than-life hero. It means "man of God's peace," which is what the Indian people know of Lin. What they do not know is that prior to his arrival in Bombay he escaped from an Australian prison where he had begun serving a 19-year sentence. He served two years and leaped over the wall. He was imprisoned for a string of armed robberies performed to support his heroin addiction, which started when his marriage fell apart and he lost custody of his daughter.
Just when u think that’s a lot to achieve in one life the hero lands in Bombay with little money, an assumed name, false papers, an untellable past, and no plans for the future. Fortunately, he meets Prabaker right away, a sweet, smiling man who is a street guide. He takes to Lin immediately, eventually introducing him to his home village, where they end up living for six months. When they return to Bombay, they take up residence in a sprawling illegal slum of 25,000 people and Linbaba becomes the resident "doctor." With a prison knowledge of first aid and whatever medicines he can cadge from doing trades with the local Mafia, he sets up a practice and is regarded as heaven-sent by these poor people who have nothing but illness, rat bites, dysentery, and anemia. He also meets Karla, an enigmatic Swiss-American woman, with whom he falls in love. I must admit I found the Karla women quiet suspicious right from the beginning ..sigh!
The book talks about the seedy side of Colaba’s bylanes and the dark world of drugs, dons and slums. It is an uncut version of the poverty and sleaze in Mumbai. What struck me abt the book was the genuine love the narrator had for india especially when he was living in the slums..which to me is indian poverty at its worst! The genuineness of the narrator also struck a cord and I found myself marveling his point of view which to me was very ‘indian’.
I must admit i felt cheated in the end when the plot unravels with Khader bhai, Abdulla and the web of characters masterfully woven together show there true purpose...but then isn’t that what life is all about! Many times the good unwittingly done to you, u realize was selfishly done to benefit some one else… you just happen to be lucky or unlucky as in Shantaram's case.
To sum up in John Gillespie’s words “Shantaram is a journey on two levels. Literally it is a journey to the heart of India, the land where in the author's words "the heart is king". Personally it is a journey of the heart through experience, from "Mr. Lindsay" of passport stolen to the affectionately nicknamed "Linbaba", and finally to the name "Shantaram" (man of God's peace)—the name given to the author by his adopted Indian family.”
Hmm I really liked the book, any one else agreeing? Do write about what u thought of it..
To cut a long story (936 pages!) short, Shantaram is the name given to Mr. Lindsay, or Linbaba, the larger-than-life hero. It means "man of God's peace," which is what the Indian people know of Lin. What they do not know is that prior to his arrival in Bombay he escaped from an Australian prison where he had begun serving a 19-year sentence. He served two years and leaped over the wall. He was imprisoned for a string of armed robberies performed to support his heroin addiction, which started when his marriage fell apart and he lost custody of his daughter.
Just when u think that’s a lot to achieve in one life the hero lands in Bombay with little money, an assumed name, false papers, an untellable past, and no plans for the future. Fortunately, he meets Prabaker right away, a sweet, smiling man who is a street guide. He takes to Lin immediately, eventually introducing him to his home village, where they end up living for six months. When they return to Bombay, they take up residence in a sprawling illegal slum of 25,000 people and Linbaba becomes the resident "doctor." With a prison knowledge of first aid and whatever medicines he can cadge from doing trades with the local Mafia, he sets up a practice and is regarded as heaven-sent by these poor people who have nothing but illness, rat bites, dysentery, and anemia. He also meets Karla, an enigmatic Swiss-American woman, with whom he falls in love. I must admit I found the Karla women quiet suspicious right from the beginning ..sigh!
The book talks about the seedy side of Colaba’s bylanes and the dark world of drugs, dons and slums. It is an uncut version of the poverty and sleaze in Mumbai. What struck me abt the book was the genuine love the narrator had for india especially when he was living in the slums..which to me is indian poverty at its worst! The genuineness of the narrator also struck a cord and I found myself marveling his point of view which to me was very ‘indian’.
I must admit i felt cheated in the end when the plot unravels with Khader bhai, Abdulla and the web of characters masterfully woven together show there true purpose...but then isn’t that what life is all about! Many times the good unwittingly done to you, u realize was selfishly done to benefit some one else… you just happen to be lucky or unlucky as in Shantaram's case.
To sum up in John Gillespie’s words “Shantaram is a journey on two levels. Literally it is a journey to the heart of India, the land where in the author's words "the heart is king". Personally it is a journey of the heart through experience, from "Mr. Lindsay" of passport stolen to the affectionately nicknamed "Linbaba", and finally to the name "Shantaram" (man of God's peace)—the name given to the author by his adopted Indian family.”
Hmm I really liked the book, any one else agreeing? Do write about what u thought of it..
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