Chalo utho, yeh ladies seat hai!

      "Utho chalo, yeh ladies seat hai", "padhna nahi aata?" a mid 20s girl to a mid 60s man, isn't it sad?
    I happen to travel by BEST bus every morning at 7.00 for CST. Everyday i hide my secret agony, cy convincing my mind why to interfere. There is this group of ladies who travel along with me everyday, I supposedly assume they all work in Old custom house de to their actually idiotic gossip and disrespectful language. Anyway, the real reason i mentioned them here is because they play a dirty game , All of them get into the bus on different stops, the first one gets in and blocks the general seat, then follows the other three and do the same, the rest who boards the bus on the other stops gets the ladies seat.According to me this is wrong, when seats are allotted, why are people interested in eating someone else's cake? Do they lack manners and etiquette, or the never went to school or never studies value education?
    Today, in the morning, the same actions took place, same few people but a very shocking sight, a almost 65yrs old man was seated on my neighboring seat which happened to be a ladies seat because all other seats were packed, he was lean, not so fresh looking man, seemed as if he was on his way to crawfrod, he could merely stand straight, I saw him for the first time today, we exchanged smiles, he was very pleasant and a nice man, i took the liberty of assuming it from the mute conversation we had.After some four stops passed entered a very hep and happening girl wearing shots, singlet and a open zip hoody with funky and colored hair, she walked in with fake pride, searching for a target where she can spill some words and win a seat. The bulls eye happened to be this old man, she walked towards him and said "utho chalo, yeh ladies seat hai, padhna nahi aata?". She spoke these words to that aged man, Just by wearing designer brands and using F**k, bulls**t, a***o*e etc in a sentence does not depict that one is super modern, I personally think people who are very much aware that they don't know actual English or are insecure about the language use such words to divert the attention of the listener who can be critical, to these words, with an objective of making a listener merely shocked and awe. Height of illusion isn't it?
    I wanted to argue, and give back the seat to the old man but then it was totally futile as the conductor tried to do the same but failed, and rules are rules, she sat down with the gesture as if she had conquered her goal, a winning smile she gave to me, I looked down on her, and why not, i hated her for what she did. I offered my seat to a lady seating on the general seat and asked the old uncle to adjust on her seat. The sight of his face was something, I don't think I will ever forget, He was sad!
   This is not the first time, i have seen many such incidents when u have to control your anger deliberately, in local trains as well young girls enjoy their journey by blocking seats not only for themselves but also for their friends who join them later, and make the old ones stand, enjoying self comfort and the sight of others discomfort. I believe aged people are like children, they need a lot of understanding due to their mood swings, the need to be taken care of, need to be pampered just like young ones, who are very innocent, loving but appear naughty, temperamental, demanding etc. One cannot think of hurting a child, so one should not even think of intentionally or unintentionally think of hurting aged ones.
    Sometimes I wonder why cant people just enjoy the perks offered by the government without playing dirty games?Why is that everyone is becoming so rude, ruthless, self-centered and cheap? Is there no humanity and respect left in those who look or hunt for self comfort, "kuch bhi ho jaye, hume problem nahi honi chahiye, baki saab bhad mein jaye, humko kya?" This attitude is sure to make them lonely and miserable some day. I don't want them to be punished, but they some day should realize what they did once and are doing. Realization of such cruel act is necessary.
   I am feeling disoriented as there are many such experiences which are not very pleasing. I just hope that the schools should increase the value education periods so that such a sight is rarely visible after few days or years. Its indeed very saddening where the youth is projected, where the world is going, I am very sure this is not only the scenario in mumbai. To conclude, i plead the readers that take some thoughtful and smart actions next time you see such sights, People who have committed might change with your noble actions, lets hope!

Life without Harry Potter

   Its finally time to say goodbye to Harry Potter, But are Potter fans really ready for that?
      No Harry, No fiction, Life without Harry is like a nightmare for many, and the fans are finding it hard to cope with.
      Can you Imagine, J.K Rowlings magical pen has stopped. No more words! No more stories! No more turns!No more magical spell! It is definitely impossible to imagine.
     My younger sister is a huge fan of Harry Potter, and she is to ready to accept that she has to finally say goodbye not only to Harry, but also to Hog warts school, Dumbledore, Harmione Granger & Ronald Weasley, the much hated villian Malfoy, Hagrid the huge gaintly gaurd and Harry's godfather, Snape, the broom stick, prof. Macolonel, The weasley Brothers, Sirius Black.
      Gosh, Harry was really somthing, isn't it? This series made us forget the real world we live in. Me and my kid sister often wonder did our parents keep the hog warts letter away as a secret from us? When we were kids we often played Harry Potter where I used to be Harmione and my sister, Harry's ever changig girlfriend and romantic interest, like Cho and Ginny. How we burst out after recollecting all this. After watching the movie, we can't deny that we all still are in Hogwards for sometime, till the impact or bhoot of Harry Potter used to subside. Today too I happen to see many young ones in my society spelling the magic spells from the movie.
    I am not a huge fan of Harry, but would like to share something, yesterday my sisters test ended and her friends happened to come home for some fun time. They were home for some 3 hours and Literally nothing but Harry potter was on the tip of the toungue for all this time."Oh my god Harry" ,"He is so cute" ,"I love his eyes" ,"He is just so fair" ,"I hate Ginny" etc.I was so irritated and amazed to see what impact Harry has on these young girls. They were even discussing their compatibilty with Harry on the basis of the zodiac signs, Oh my word, That was the first time in all these years I thought my kid sis is growing up, she is no more a kid.I may sound a little protective but thats a elder sister's tendency.
    It is Impossible to imagine Life without Harry for such fans, He along with the other characters of the series have become a part of real life fantasy which helps us deal with the monotony of students life.
    No Harry, No fiction, No novels! Is there any other superhero they can now look upon? Well I found one in the sparkling Vampire, What about the young Harry Potter girls fanclub?

The Place Of Women In The Indian Society.

     "WOMEN ARE THE ORNAMENTS OF SOCIETY" -Tagore. 

     Truly in the past women occupied an isolated position in the society. Some of them like Lilavati and Gargi established themselves as Saints and scholars.

      But in the later period, the position of women worsened to the extent that they were deprived of all the rights of equality and their condition became miserable. They did not get the light of education, forced to used veils and confined to the four walls of the house merely left to do the household chores. The sati system was introduced which forced a widow to be burnt alive in her husbands funeral pyre. Monopoly and remarriges was acceptable in he case of a man but a widow was not allowed to remarry but had to become sati. Women were treated as slaves and were denied any kind of freedom. Child marriage was frequent too.

    But great men like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Shri Jotiba Phule, Dayanad Saraswati etc took initiatives and since independence the condition improved. The doorsof educational institutions were thrown open to them. They were given employment in schools, colleges, offices and other feilds. Presently women have taken ather professional jobs like Doctors, lawyers etc, Some have also taken military training and severs  in military and police forces.

   Shakespeare said "Frailty, thy name is woman". But in free India, our constitution grants women equality of status and opportunity with men.Women are no longer suppose to be Frail, Weak and Passive. Child marriages are banned and widow remarriages are become common too. Women organisations and welfare cells have also come up. These organizations which gaurd the rights of the women are in the position to protest collectively if she is denied anything lawfully.

    But in spite of all these laws and efforts by the organization, women in India still have to face, to some extent, the problems of dowry, purdhah and  polygamy. To eradicate these social evils, one cannot remain satisfied with mere laws or enactments of some rules. Total change in the outlook of the society is a crying need of the moment.

   Illiteracy is another crisis that many Indian women face. People take undue advantage of uneducated women and they are exploited. Its a pity that Indian women are still victims of repeated childbirths, overworks and neglected health care. The problems of dowry deaths, rapes, malnutrition. Injustice can be solved to a large extent if education is imparted to women.

   Moreover, no race can be really strong and progressive where women are ignorant as the saying goes,"The Hand That Rocked The Cradle Rules The World". It is therefore a matter of supreme importance that a women should be educated.

    No doubt, The ball has started rolling and a new atmosphere is created. Indian women are distinguishing themselves in various fields as poets, orators, diplomats and scholars. In free India the condition of women is becoming more and more secure with the passage of time.

  Let us hope that Indian women will march against a glorious and honourable future  

   

Ugly Betty or Witty Paris?

"And the award for the Best Actress goes to..(Drum rolls)....UGLY BETTY"

    It wasn't a surprise, yet I wasn't really excited, as I was waiting to see the bitchy Eva Longoria aka Gabriella from the Desperate Housewives to walk on the stage and receive this honour. As the camera moved across the hall of well dressed people, I scanned for the girl with soda- water spectacles in her oversized sweater to come and receive the award. But in stead, comes this far- from- ugly girl, resplendent in floor sweeping mid-night blue gown, gasping with happiness and with pride, her thick lashed eyes twinkling with delight.

    Sometimes I wonder, who decides the parameters for Ugly and beautiful. I don't Think its zero (0) for ugly and (10) for prettiness; it is more like matrix, with various factors knitted together. Whatever is gorgeous for me may not necessarily be on your hot list. It is more about the perception and perception differs. But again perception is relative and subjective. If beauty is real it is something on your face, or something subtle under the skin... yes I am hinting at the far stretched Myth of the inner beauty, Then tell me if that is what matters, then why do we say that our first impression is the last one? And when we want to create the great first impression, why do we dress so carefully?

    So should we become a beauty obsessed culture? And is being 'WOW'! What really counts? Come-on life is more than a beauty pageant. And we all know that beauty pageants are not just about all the choreographed poses, photogenic faces and being 6 feet tall. Being smart, witty, sharp and intelligent not geeky but intelligent is what makes a complete beauty pageant package.
   
     How do you make that connection, gain that trust, by proving yourself through your spirit and confidence. And here is where your brain comes in action.
  
     All successful people are beautiful people... because they hav the money which they very smartly invest in preserving or getting their beauty. But the money which they make is by using their brains. THINK!!

     Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder, but the beholder will notice you if you are enough attractive and being the attention magnet, being articulate, on the toes, sharp as knife, a good communicator, warm, generous, sensitive and well-informed, without being dumb, passive, rigid, hard as rock, and completely judgmental; Ironically all these beauty enhancing traits originate from , Ironically one of the most unsightly organs of the human body: The BRAIN!

Happiness to me is..

Can money buy happiness?
      Economists use the term utility to represent a measure of the satisfaction or happiness that individuals get from the consumption of goods and services. Because a higher income allows one to consume more goods and services, we say that utility increases with income. But does greater income and consumption really translate into greater happiness? In this article, I will be showing how greater income and consumption does not really translate into greater happiness.However, consumption effect tells us that more consumption of good and services will increase happiness. At least to a degree, we see that money can buy happiness. But what, if anything, does research on consumer satisfaction tell us about the relationship between happiness and the concepts of utility and marginal utility?
Based on the research, I found that money does not increase the happiness because as income increases the one with behavior of preferences or satisfaction changes and will result in diminishing marginal utility.. is it too much?

         HAPPINESS RESIDES NOT IN POSSESSIONS & NOT IN GOLD,

THE FEELING OF HAPPINESS DWELLS IN THE

SOUL..!!

      Happiness or happy people in the society and culture are viewed as those who are rich, having a family, a great occupation. Our society is so attracted to material things rather than spiritual ones, isn't it? Can a person who does not possess any of these cannot live a happy life? According to me happiness is a state of mind feeling characterized by satisfaction, joy, pleasure, contentment, smiles and laughter.I have never wished to be the richest in the world with the biggest mansion, many cars and loads of money. My idea of happiness is finding contentment is small and simple things to avoid expectation leading to disappointment. I strongly believe in supreme well being and good spirits. Though the definition of happiness difffers from person to person, some are often in search of it and some even try to chase it.

     

      My idea of happiness is very unusual yet simplistic, let me share some with you, My alram went off, woke up, my eyes were struggling to be wide and open, since checking my phone it the first thing i do in the morning, it  informed me it was just 3am, yippeeee, 2 more hours to sleep. End of story one. Alram went off at 5 am, now I was awake and mentally ready for the day to start, checked my mobile phone again, saw few unread messages, one of them happened to be from my CR saying "lectures are cancelled today since the teachers are busy with the college fest" , a moment of euphoria! For me this is happiness, the feeling may last for some moments but they sure gave me immense joy. 

    Imagine finding a 100 rs note in your jeans which u had kept long back and completely forgot about it, or a baby crying and the moment to start cuddling her she smiles and then burst into laughter, returning home after a tiring or a tough day and seeing your favorite meal cooked and served on the dinning table, or some how you were not able to complete your project or assignment that your teacher gave you and its the submission day today, you are horrified by imagining the later consequences but suddenly you hear some one saying that the teacher is not keeping well and so is absent, moments of sheer joy, aren't they? Hence happiness is no mystery if you just try to keep it easy and simplistic.

    Because the concept of happiness is complex and hard to measure, one may believe that happiness is mysterious, elusive and totally out of control. This is not true at all; Happiness is a choice, We can decide whether to be happy or not, or rather introspect and try to find happiness in everything. For example, if you are traveling in a Best bus which is totally packed and luckily you find a place to sit but u see a old man struggling to stand properly in the crowded bus with some luggage and you offer him the seat, he is happy, though you might face some trouble but you made some one happy and respected him will make you happy and you can't deny that. Making someone happy is hence a noble cause, isn't it?

   An emotion is an intense feeling. Happiness is one of the many emotions humans experience. It may perhaps be the most important feeling a person can have and it is the one feeling everyone strives to achieve, yet strangely, for the most part, people seem to only get a glimpse of it, Pleasurable satisfaction. Giving is always better than receiving, so give smiles and find smiles in giving and also to find happiness you have to be patient and to have faith, that's the recipe of happiness to me, and this is what happiness means to me :)

      

I was a life..!!

     The fad of celebrating any and every theme, germane or extraneous has had practically every day marked as some occasion or on the other deserving a remembrance, for example Valentines day, friendship day, teacher's day etc or some times a weak in adherence to the importance of socially relevant issues. The World Anti-Tobacco Day and such other events which highlight the social malaise that afflict the society are commendable affairs when celebrated gives one a distinct feeling that these commemorative services are but perfunctory as compared to,say Valentines day, where the gala jollities are a novelty.

     Let us for example take and observe the"Girl-Child Week" between 24th to 30th January of this year. The need of commemorative a week in a year for some worthwhile cause is in itself an indicator of the fact that the matter under consideration is a burning issue which calls for urgent redressing. the red-tapism involved should not be seen as a mere formality, a token of pseudo-appreciation that will have a gamut of wasteful exercises that means to showcase the plight or condition of women in the country in general. However, we are merely rhetoric and never serious about the quarrelsome or contentious issues being taken to a logical end.

    The cultural norms that encourage a marked preference for male issue over female children is quite unsettling and so disturbed. It is indeed a strange custom in our country that parents rejoice at the birth of a son ; whereas the arrival of a daughter is considered as forerunner or a signal of everything that is omnious, a curse and a liability for all purposes! As is bearing the yoke of a female identity in life was not enough! With science transending new frontiers, techniques that could determine the sex of the child at its feotal stage , an unrestarined surge in the throttling of the yet unborn girl-child in the womb itself was set in motion by devious minds!

    Broaching the topic of medical termination of pregnancy, I once happen to come across an article that sought to berate scientific methods and attempts to determine the sex of the child in the womb. The wide availability and the affordable economics of sonography and the ultrasound imaging procedure set in motion a vicious circle of births and deaths that became more of a mans prerogative or privilege then a gift from the Almighty!

    The abortion of female feotuses has shown a steady spiraling trend in the past few decades. Destroying the girl child in the womb itself is a crime against humanity. Let us view this crime as a transgression against the mother-to-be whose lives are snubbed out in the very receptacle of conception and gestation responsible for birth of many. The wide spread discrimination against women makes one doubt the sanity of the term 'Emancipation of the weaker sex'.

     I have a very interesting argument here, If the female gender was non-existent; if the Almighty have never thought it was appropriate to fashion man's better half, what would his divine creation amount to? The world would have come to an unceremonious end as simple as that- a bit of lady's logic that could not have sounded more appropriate in the present context.

   One just cannot ignore the pinnacles of success attained by women world over in all walks of life. Few years back such scenario was unimaginable!Yet we are as complacent as ever cold shouldering the responsibilities of  ridding the society of this destructive application. Clearly seen as being against the spirit of gender justice, terminating pregnancies or otherwise to prevent the birth of female children will always cast imputations at our collective conscience.

   The seriousness of this inhuman folly has not escaped anyone. Let us sincerely hope that a general awareness rather than a token symbolism will open our eyes towards the catastrophe we are heading for a notional calamity for that matter.The government should urgntly treat the disproportionate male-female ratio prevelent in the country witha afair amount of trepidation. If on one hand, gender exploitation is a matter of consternation, the issue of gender imbalance is an all consuming affair!

   No one would after all deny that the newborn's wail, a mirthful announcement that 'I'm Alive'; is more calming and reassuring to the conscience than a mutilated embryonic development in the mother's womb reminding the parents that 'I was a Life' once!!
  

Colaba Causway

     I went shopping yesterday with a bunch of girlfriends because boys are pretty lousy to go on a adventurous shopping trek with girls. Anyway, where i went happens to be the best joint to shop and to hangout. Its my personal favorite.A gala place for the entire year. Its the best place for the shoppers for there isn't a brand you won't find here, But a word of caution, there isn't a world class brand who's duplicate brand is not made here, So while shopping here be very alert and always on heels. The place I'm talking about is none other than the very vibrant and very vivacious Colaba Causway. Its the heart of mumbai girls who are shopaholic. Its one of the best place from shopping to having leisure time.

     As Causway means a land bridge, Colaba Causway becomes a cultural square of Mumbai surrounded with Regal cinema and NGMA. This footpath has lots and loads for shopping, as shopping here is both great and cheap. All that a girl needs to look stunning , from Trinklets, fashion accessories, very feminine dresses with laces, beads, mirrors, colorful stones in various sizes and shapes and styles are found here along with many options of fancy bags made of jute, cane , wood purses and that too at a price range ranging from 100- 600 bucks, isn't that super cheap? Its is also filled with some antiques, pictures, art and shoes(mostly mojaris, chappals and kolhapuris) selling at about not more than 300 bucks. Hence it is a hot hob for all the college goers.

     One of the other specilalities why people enjoy shooping here is because of the display of antique artifact shops where people from different nationalities shop for woodwork inlaid wid ivory, miniature taj mahal, south indian temples painting, kashmiri shawls, carpets from manali etc and also fabulous antiques like dooknobs, porcelain, traditional hukkahs etc. lso a great place to get DVDs and books at the expense of 50 and 200 bucks respectively.

    Time to stretch out after that hectic shopping spree? Unwind at Indigo, Cafe barrista, leopold, Mac D etc, also the roadside chat walas can satisfy ur hunger buds with yummy chat, These places offer you something new and fresh everytime u visit them.

    So if you are looking for adventure, surprises and oodless of trill then head straight to Colaba causway, its full of surprises for the locals who want to try something amazing and zara hatke stuffs, also if you are a wide eye wanderer and a normad while shopping looking for nifty deals, neat things and great time, then Colaba Causway is sure your place :)

Reality Shows

    One must try to guess the amount of profit the channel makes from these really happening reality shows. Today we see a rising trend of reality shows in India. Hence today i thought of writing down something that is making an enormous effect on our society.But it is very important for all to get a clear picture first. Are reality shows just a source of entertainment or Are they destroying our culture, the youth?

     It is, no doubt the favorite genre of  all TV producers. And why not they produce good revenues for television industry and also fortunately or unfortunately create a fair platform for thousands. It gives a new hope to the parents that there is more to life than  being a doctor or a engineer.

    But do reality shows do any good for the viewers apart from turning them into a couch potatoes or psychologically locking them? Don't you think contestant who get eliminated suffer a lot due to their not so hopeful loss? Voting just shoots the mobile bills? Young children also are exploited and are made to sing ,dance and entertain which eventually makes them nothing but child labourers, is it really legal? And the exposure of the very respectful language the participants talk in the youth reality shows?

    And without being critical and judgmental the reality shows never appear real, they seem to be scripted like other soaps.The contestants just wastes time and talent in front of so called great and rude singers, dancers and composers. I personally think there is everything in such shows except reality.Promises are made to correct the mistakes and to do better next time, the cute ones are made to cry, tears starts rolling down their cheeks and icing on the cake, the camera is just moved to and fro from the contestant to the judge and that becomes a promotional scene to increase the TRP. Also young girls are seen wearing such revealing clothes which cannot be seen on the TV set and yet the parents are seen cheering them, I think these parents only have values and faces for bollywood actors.

    Give it a thought, These shows are just playing with the life of youth using them as nothing but just a product, and the deserving candidates loose where as the not so deserving candidate wins all in the name of voting. Reality shows are good only if done objectively but the unfair business and money oriented approach, makes it appear nothing more than a fictitious fable, it also leads in a fatal way, when after failure or bad and ruthless comments some sensitive lives try to commit suicide and many get succumbed to it. Also a ordinary ,much-a-do-bout-nothing drama queen item girl hosts and runs a show where she gives justice to people facing different problems.Is India facing such tragic crisis where a item girl gives insaaf and pave the way for the janata to walk towards their goals and a happy life?Isn't that a little funny?If revealing fake curvatures and vomiting foul language is considered the benchmark of IQ quotient as far as Tv judges and hosts are concerned than she shud be considered Amartya sen of Television.

   To conclude, Its high time now, government should take restrictions on these Reality shows as the future of out country is shooted or projected in a  direction, a path which leads to only chaos.Also the viewers should curtail viewing of such show, as if the TRP descends automatically the show will be withdrawn. Producers and sponsorers should utilize this money into something productive and constructive which can solve many problems of those families who abstain themselves and their young ones from two times normal meals. If this happens i don't think India will ever face problems as unemployment and poverty.

Mumbai meri jaan..!!

Mumbai...the city of seven island!

Its an odd city which celebrates life and humanity, where hopes blossoms and dreams execute!
Mumbai, the name itself projects a strong sense of belonging, isn't it? The Unbreakable bond that evokes from years of living in here, but that is not the only reason why we feel so close to the city, its also because no one can resist the distinct aura and the rustic charm of this city, I describe my bond with the city like a mother child relation, No matter where i go, how far, i have to come back to mumbai.
 
     The city of dreams, is definitely what Mumbai is, though many epithets have been bestowed upon this city! located between the waters of arabian sea and the west coast, mumbai has a vast range of scenic locations. Chowpatty, hanging gardens, elephanta caves, beaches etc are major tourist attraction.Tell me who can miss a walk on Chowpatty or bandstand on a romantic rainy day,a hangout at Hanging gardens?At the same time our tiny and narrow gallis,the youngsterz ka addas, the local chaiwallas,the nearby chinese corners,the panwala, the colaba causway, Mohommad ali road, Fs road all hold a special place in our hearts and making Mumbai so distinct.

    Harmony dwells in Mumbai , many people with different languages, castes, people worshipping different dieties are nestled here, which is definitely a topic of great pride. All festivals, may it be Eid, Holi, Christmas, Ganesh Chatturthi, Diwali etc are celebrated here with great enthusiasm. Also in every school One may find a Marathi mulgi, a Gujrathi chokra, a Parsi dikkri, a Punjabi Munda, a Goan Lad and so on. It hence promotess our rich multilingual culture , ethinicity and humanity which sets us apart from all the hep and happening, neat and clean cities around the globe. Not only this but Mumbai provides everyone their favourite cuisnes, all is available in Mumbai be it Thai,Continental, moghulai, punjabi, typical marathi, konkani, goan, etc.

     Many face problems in this city like potholes, poor infrastructure of roads, population, pollution, robbery, etc but problems kaha nahi hote? and the people living in mumbai are equally responsible for it. But then Mumbai according to me is also the safest city where people may seem ruthless but are really oft inside, always willing to help each other. Due to the very much alive nightlife of Mumbai its not very dangerous for anyone to get back home safely after a late night at work, or some fun.And the fact no matter from where one comes to change his destiny and fate upside down and even if thats unfortunately not possible, he can do anything and everything to keep going.

     Mumbai is also called as"The City That Never Sleeps". Its Pulsating, alive, always on the move, fun and much more. It reflects the cosmopolitian way of life, rarely seen elsewhere. Mumbai hence represents the spirit of vibrant and changing India, yet the heart of this city is filled with customs, values and kindness.

     Such is the maya of this mayanagri, so is there any other city as Amchi mumbai?