Where I am from where I was

It has been a while my wings were clipped. I believed in people I should have believed in and have suffered. Losing my freedom this time around feels like losing my virginity- can't have it back. It's choking.

But I am writing this post for the positive things that have happened to me in the last few years and the one that stands out the most is financial independence. Yes, I never thought it would matter so much, but somehow it does. It has given me the power to say "no" and decide what I want and don't want rather than what I can afford and can't afford.

Another thing that has happened to me is my ability to look into the future. I was someone who used to live by the moment and I assure you I miss that side of mine. Now whatever I do, I think about the days that haven't come yet.
   

I'm still looking for a place I can call home and accept from the bottom of my heart. I thought it was Bangalore but as it turns our my relationship with the city didn't really work out and we parted on a sweet note.

Next stop is for me to find out what I really want to do in the long term and where I really want to stay. My house is Kolkata will always be there for me to lodge but still don't consider it home. Is it something I should consciously feel or should it come naturally?

Pubs and sex? What's the connection?

I really don't see a connection between pub hopping, drinking, sexual awareness and sexual intercourse. I'm commenting on the pink condom campaign against that of pink chaddis. I have hopped pubs, visited night clubs, danced in discos, tried drugs, chain smoked and even had friends from all possible faiths--all that when I was in high school and college. I never had sex in mind, ever. Neither did my friends. Yes, I was sexually aware and the consequences that it will lead to. I knew of condoms, of pills and the various medical methods that might come to aid when pregnant. And I must assure you, if willing, I had enough opportunities to indulge in passion. But somehow I knew there was time for it and that I will commit to the one I will love, not a regular boyfriend, and that there will be condoms involved.

The people sending pink condoms in reply to pink chaddis definitely are aware why condoms are used and I am sure they refrain from using it to avoid reducing sexual pleasure (citing religious reasons in the process as well, am sure). Well, sex is the most taboo-ed word in India, where I suppose the 1.2 billion population was not born out of virgin mothers. Families have 5-6 children in India, and sex is taboo? Well extremely hard to believe, but it's sadly India.

There is one more taboo in our country. That of night life. Let me tell you something, if there is no restriction and prejudice against night life, and it is treated normally as any other period in a day, people will be free to venture out and with enough people out on the streets, I am sure the mentally retarded sex maniacs and sexual assaulters can stay at bay. To cite an example, my editor and his wife just returned from a week long trip to Thailand and they were telling us how at midnight, they ventured into the marketing places to shop. They got a taxi to return to their hotel just like any other normal time of the day. They also informed us how there is no street sexual harrasment.

I really wish (utopic thoughts again) the politicians can look beyond religion and caste. Our country faces lot more problems than just religion. We are a secular and democratic country, governed by law, not moral polices who will decide if what we are doing is right or wrong! If somebody takes the wrong step, let them face it in life. Either they'll learn or face the consequences.

Mutalik's social mayhem

Mutalik's plans to get couples married off on February 14 will be boon to quite a few couples. Think about those whose parents are not allowing them to get married or those who secretly wished to have a marriage on valentine's day. But I wonder, does all marriages happen with mangalsutra and flower garlands? The Ram Sene should consider carrying christian marriage gowns and diamond wedding rings, muslim marriage paraphernalia and that of all religions for that matter. Then again, Bangalore being a metropolitan now and Indian rituals differing from place to place, there should be a lot more preperations Ram Sene needs to do. For one, book temples, gurdwaras, churches, mosques and all religious places, since religion is all that they see everywhere.

Renuka is correct when she says that the main problem with Mutalik is he is not married. Plain and simply, he is jealous that there are people around him who has found love and have the courage to celebrate it every living moment of their lives.

Quoting Munnabhai, "Get well soon."

Why we still cant communicate after 15 years of Education

A recently held knowledge conclave in a posh up class resort in southern Bangalore answered a lot of questions as to why our nation, India suffers a whopping 34.62 percent illiteracy and inconceivable fluency in the English language. The speakers — reputed educationists, entrepreneurs and vice chancellors of the nex- gen Universities could neither speak a grammatically accurate sentence in English, nor could “in brief” answer the specific questions that were thrown at them.

Teachers teach students to be 'to-the-point' and answer the given question in the shortest possible way. Well, these speakers neither followed the former lesson nor the latter. Now for a few example. The answer to a simple question, “Do you think the colleges in India are doing enough to suit industry employment?” was met with an answer as complicated as, “Thank you you ask the question. I think the question that has been raised here is very relevant, a good question. Before I go to answer that (go where?), let me take the opportunity to thank all of you to come here and spend three days at the conclave. Our company, XXX, which has been working for XX years has contributed a lot to the country.....” thus starts an advertisement speech, with a mother tongue influence and grammar so bad that it makes me wonder how such companies are multinationals. Asked the 'lady in yellow', a law school teacher from the north of the country, “ICT becoming important, technology introducing, what role of teachers any more?” It took everyone a while to comprehend the English

With such people leading the education sector and putting their best foot forward to bring revolution in the hitherto glum education sector of India, I wonder how any educated youth can be employable in any company — even a call center. No wonder pseudo spoken English classes have seen a boom in the last few years, training mother-tongue instructed college pass-outs how to sell credit cards to people in the West for the US and the UK — in a language that was banned for them in primary education, a time when they could have picked it up easily.

Unbelievable condition of human senses!

For the fear of becoming opinionated without earning sufficient rights to be, I refrained myself from writing this post. But when my gray cells mumbled about me being a common being, I realised that I already had freedom of expression.

What good is it to block half of a bus stand to stage an entertainment event? What good is it to divert public transport routes for the luxury of a few ear drums? And finally, what good is it to harass thousands who depend on public transport to hold a function that is nothing but nuisance to every one?

The answer, if I have the privilege to opine is none. 415, a bus route that more than a lakh commuters depend on daily, including me, to travel to and from Nagenahalli and various destinations in Bangalore faces a lack of road space to reach Nagenahalli every now and then. Either it is a third rate local function with “singers” who have no other job but to trouble the mind and soul of all residents; or it is some kind of road work happening.

Jayamahal road is the most troubled route these days. I am sure, it was a brainless engineer who, without even coming to the spot of construction placed an under pass which does not serve any purpose but to shelter the under privileged, illegal, home less beggars and their fellow canines. The reason being the height difference of the roads. Jayamahal road is nearly 10 meters higher than Miller's road that the under pass connects and the transition is not a slope but a wall created by the Jayamahal road. Now, with the growing (and ever growing) flow of traffic, engineers have realised that Jayamahal road needs to be leveled so as to facilitate the usage of the two lane underpass. Nandidurga road, hardly the width of three BMTC buses combined is supposedly the savior for the diverted traffic from JC Nagar.

Then there are these unending “Utsavas” that keep entertaining the pockets of the artists without any fruitful outcome of either their careers or our senses. In the middle of the road, stages are placed and functions organised. Shivajinagar, a bus stand mobbed by more than a lakh commuters every hour has been half taken away for a reason un-understandable to a common mind like mine.

There is the Mount Carmel Ground in Vasanthnagar, Palace Grounds and so many empty plots scattered in and around every locality. Does it take too much of pain to entertain localites there? Humans should not be harassed for the simple luxury of others.

A trip to remember

The six of us, "The Gang" had been to Bylakuppe this weekend. It was not only a relief to take a breath of fresh air outside the Kumbalgudu hostel, but was also a relief not to see the faces of the wretched guards and our hostel warden...

A completely unplanned trip, we took a bus to Mysore from Kengeri, after spending an hour outside Big Bazaar having chats. Nevertheless, we reached Mysore at around 11 at night and got a bus to Kushalnagar. Not a very comfortable ride considering the fact that my back just froze.

We reached Kushalnagar at 130am, from where we needed an auto to the "Golden Temple". Luckily enough we got rooms at 2am in a hotel right opposite to the Temple. Tired, we simply retired to bed...

Next day morning, with the sunlight brightening up the amazing natural landscape, Bylakuppe looked like paradise... Well, I woke up late but the Temple seemed like an imagination right out of a fairy tale book. Took a bath and went inside. Gorgeous. The paintings on the walls, the architecture- all just defined perfection and brilliance. Talking about perfection and brilliance, the beef momos available in the canteen inside the monastry is too good. The other "Tibetan delicacies" were too bland for the Indian taste buds...

From there we went to a park. It had elephant rides, a deer park and a gorgeous rapid. Throughout the park, the gushing sound of the rapid added to the serenity of the atmosphere. On a personal level, i would have really wanted lesser people in there but considering the beauty, it is actually justified.

Back to the hotel room, I was down with fever and spent the rest of the day being taken care of...

My friends in the meantime, went to meet one of the monks, got blessed and had dinner outside. I woke up pretty late and had one of the most amazing cream of mushroom soup at a restaurant on the ground floor of our hotel.

Next day morning, I was down with fever, which is why I let my gang leave for Mysore at 5am in the morning. My boyfriend and I left at 11 and reached Bangalore directly without stopping at Mysore. The two of us had an adventure when we got up on a "Mangalore" bus, thinking it was a "Bangalore" bus. Nevertheless, we are back to hostel, to our drab life but with amazing memories of the beautiful place called Bylakuppe...