Closure of Kashmir Girls Rock Band

                                                  

It's really sad that the brave & talented girls had to call off their band. To think that music soothes the nerves & create positive feelings!

What an irony that women are considered 'inferior beings' in today's 21st century. 

Most certainly, the defeat of the band is a slap on India's independence, education & progressive mindset of the people. 

Sad! Very sad!

Happy New Year 2013

In a few hours from now, it will be a new year!

In India, the year should not have ended this way. Given various names- Nirbhaya...Damini, the poor victim shouldn't have met with such an end. What wrong had she done! Only God can answer. But, of course! God doesn't answer. He creates a situation & makes us note the problem.
And the answer is, that we Indians are an indifferent lot. We live in our own world & believe that everything is hunky dory.
I think, this ailment was well captured in the movie, "Swades" by Ashutosh Gowarikar. We Indians still talk of the glorious past that none of us has seen.
Let's wake up now.  But before that, I sincerely pray that may Nirbhaya/Damini's soul rest in peace. May God give strength to her parents, brother & fiance'.
 Girls, please take more care of yourselves when the law & order is so bad. Don''t walk on the roads with earphones on.

 Happy New Year 2013.

Sans Feeling or Inhuman! We Indians?

My son,who studies at a leading law college, was upset the other day. It seems, an established criminal lawyer was invited to their esteemed institute to deliver a guest lecture. And so some forty odd students, comprising both boys and girls and two lady professors sat listening with rapt attention.

In the course of his lecture, he discussed the various cases he had fought and won. All was well till he came to the part when he said how he had saved a client who had been charged with murder. The advocate mentioned in passing that the man had committed seven-eight murders before that. My son could take no more. "But what about the Professional Ethics, Sir " He asked. The advocate, who was presumably in his thirties replied a trifle annoyed that it was his profession to defend his client. My son couldn't contain himself and so this time addressed the lady professors. But, he was instead asked to sit down.

The Defence Advocate probably felt challenged. And this time he rattled something that was even more obnoxious than before. He said that he had once saved a man charged with raping a minor girl. The man had before that raped seven more minor girls. Surprisingly, in a hall packed with as many girls as boys (not to forget the two lady teachers), there was just one girl who stood up to protest.

Later when my son recounted the horrible tale, I exclaimed with disgust at the rape. It was at that, that my son checked me, "Aai(Mom)! Rape or murder both are bad. In fact any crime is bad. A Defence Lawyer's job is not to save the skin of a criminal but to place a clear picture before the judge. That is what is being done in Kasab's case."

While I felt proud of my son, I don't really know what to say about the rest of the audience particularly the girls and the teachers who allowed the lecture to take place in that manner. I really wonder if our leading Supreme Court lawyers and political leaders such as Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Singhvi, Arun Jaitley, Ravishankar Prasad would also support the lecture? It really makes me think, "Are we as a nation, sans any feeling or just plain and simple inhuman!"

Brilliant ! Show this performance always Girls.

The 12th class results are out ! And my heartiest congratulations to all the girls who have done brilliantly well in the board exams.



Indeed it is a victorious moment for the society, the social workers - both past and present, the families and most importantly the girls themselves. Indeed there was a time when girls were only expected to do household work. My Salute to Maharshi Karve, Raja Rammohan Roy, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Swami Vivekanand, Swami Dayanand Saraswati, and all the great social reformers.



The world suddenly seems to be at the feet of these girls. Doors to all careers appear wide open. It's truly a beautiful moment. If only this moment would not pass by! But, try as much there is a sinking feeling that is threatening to destroy my optimism and happiness. My experience of life tells me that now, these girls need to be more observant, decisive and careful. Remember, One swallow does not make a summer. So continued hard work is important. I realise that all these girls must be now 17-18 years. Which means, there is going to be a pressure of marriage after 3-4 years. Well, marriage is a good institution in itself. Provided one gets married to the right person. For, I strongly believe that nothing can be better than a good marriage. And nothing can be worse than a bad marriage.



And so, it would be better to first decide one's aim in a sensible way. By sensible way, I mean, being practical and level headed. Thus, once the career and aim is clear, it would also be possible to choose the right partner. It has to be remembered that once a person is in the right direction, all things fall in right place.



It would certainly be a 'harakiri' to come in merit at one time and then allow every Tom Dick and Harry to take decisions for oneself . This would mean taking a nosedive in life as well as career. It certainly does not help to play down in life- certainly not all one's life. Which means the life-partner has to be of the same wavelength as onself.



So girls, now is the time to sit and understand where you stand and where you want to go.

So Housewife! What Do You Do The Whole Day?

When My husband was in the services, this was this question often posed to me rather condescendingly at the parties " So Mrs. ... what do you do the whole day?" And, not just me! It was put to several like me who for some reason were not working.

I remember often saying to myself, "I am not a union leader, to remember every single work I do. But then, I must be doing something constructive, because of which my kids do not go for any tuition ? Surely, I must be doing something that my kids have developed the habit of reading good books and discussing things that are worthwhile? Surely, it is worth staying at home and not leaving children in the custody of unsafe people. And God forbid later crying in case of something terrible happening to the daughter?" But, try as much I could never ever come up with this retort. How I wish I had done it! How I hate myself for this! For, the people who looked down upon me or others were an insensitive lot! Those who never realised, how traumatic it is to find that one's daughter has been raped by the domestic servant or that the son has taken to wrong ways. Somehow, the party decorum always had its pressures.

But, today I want to say this loud and clear. Please allow mothers to bring up their children well. The decision to work or not to work incase of a mother/housewife, lies entirely with the family. And, no outsider has a right to ask questions there. For, we alone know the situation we are in. Really, no society or country can allow minor girls and boys with no sense of responsibility to bear children. It is ridiculous! Yes, I am referring to the news where an 8 year old boy in U.K. has fathered a girl baby. The mother, too, happens to be just 15 years. If that is not enough, 2 more boys have claimed that they are the 'actual father'. Ofcourse, I do respect their honesty. For in India, no boy would have owned this, I am sure! But, that's not all. What is shocking is that the young mother Chantelle, was sleeping with 8 teenaged boys! How come the children were not drawn to games and other hobbies that go with the age?

To blame the parents of the children, would be too hasty at the moment. May be a double income was a necessity at home?Or may be, the social pressures were heavy on the mother just as they are in my country? Clearly, there is much more than what meets the eye.

But, whatever, something needs to be done to improve the standards of the society and the people. I think the entire world needs good Thinkers now, Fast...Very Fast.