A year on....

A year has passed since the horrific events unfolded. They are quite vivid in my memory. They will always be.
Yes, a year has passed on and I can still recount all those pictures, the sequence of events at ease. I still feel jittery thinking about those 60 hours. I was just witness to the tragedy on television. Imagine the people who experienced the terror first hand. It must be terrible.
26/11 happened and a lot of public protests, anger etc. spilled out onto the streets. I participated in those protest marches, candle marches, the various programs held all over. I even got down to try and create a political party. Maybe it was a stupid reaction but what was even more stupid was that all this anger died down. A month after 26/11 I remember feeling so defeated for my inability to be able to try and do anything. I still feel defeated every time I hear stories of Kasab and others. I am sure that there will be a lot more like me out there; confused, lost, seeking a way, frustrated.
Today, we have the same Home Minister of Maharashtra as we had a year ago. Isn't that frustrating? It of course is. But, is it not our fault? The people elect the government and we the people have voted the same people back.
I would like to think that a lot has been done on the security situation in the country. I feel thst Mr. Chidambaram, our Union Home Minister is a very qualified individual and has been taking substantive steps to improve the situation. I just heard a one and a half hour interaction he had on NDTV and his straight forwardness is very appreciable. He accepts mistakes committed and tries to explain the limitations of the position he is in.
But, did he satisfy my anger of Kasab being the safest individual in India; a hundred times more secure than me and you? No, he has not and the only day that shall be satisfied will be the day I see him hung; hopefully very soon with Ujjwal Nikam saying that the trial will be over by the first anniversary of 26/11. That seems to be wishful thinking.
All in all I still feel the same frustration I felt a year ago. I remember walking into class once College reopened after that. I was a student of St. Xavier's back then. Our classes had bullet holes! Hemant Karkare, Vijay Salaskar and Ashok Kamte died in the lane next to St. Xavier's.
The memories are horrific. All we can do is hope for a better, secure future. And also not forget those brave soldiers who gave the most they could give in the service of the country; their life. Jai Hind.

Is this the world that we love?

The world is a very strange place today. Or rather the people in the world are much stranger today. The world isn't what I thought it was; until maybe as recently as two years ago.
I always remember growing up thinking that its human to make mistakes; that its human to be imperfect; that its good to try and mend ways with every person with whom those ways may be damaged; that its ok to accept defeat.
Those qualities that supposedly built one's character, I feel have evaporated in today's world. People are becoming aggressively ruthless and ruthlessly aggressive in every sphere of life. Tolerance is a word that only finds its way into maybe a game of Scrabble. The word is there in the head but the meaning of it is never excercised.
I thought forgiveness was a quality only for the strong and tough charactered. After all it is not very easy to let go; especially after you have been hurt. I felt and still try to feel that only if you forgive do you have a right to ask for forgiveness. After all, at least I know I am not perfect and make mistakes. Forgiveness is another word that just stays in the dictionary.
This reminds me of Gandhiji's immortal words, "Hate the sin and love the sinner." I wish we could do that. Today, if you forgive then it comes across as weak.
People are living such mechanical lives today that it seems they have a plug on their emotions as well. I wonder how someone can do that but its there to see in our everyday lives.
Do you have the power to forgive? Do you still have a little bit of compassion left in you? Do you still think it is ok to be human?
I stumbled upon this wonderful quote the other day. It was by Lewis B. Smedes."To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.” I have no idea who Mr. Lewis is but what he said is very true. Try it. Try to be human!

Our entertainment industry! If you can call that entertainment!

Why is our entertainment industry like this?
It is getting irritatingly disappointing walking out of every Bollywood movie these days. There is nothing worth watching on television these days. The news channels have everything but news on them.
Reality TV or the so called reality TV has taken over television. The daily soaps fuel increasing levels of unwanted crap in the already idle minds of crores of housewives. The youth is obsessed with shows like Roadies where the IQ levels of the contestants are worse than a pet's.
All you can actually watch on television today are the sports channels, and a few English movie channels; absolutely nothing else. Has our entertainment industry always been like this?
I remember liking a Bollywood movie but maybe that was because I was stupid back then because today almost every Bollywood movie disappoints me. The acting quality is ever plummeting and being replaced by absolute stupidity and of course eye candy with Katrina Kaif heading that list.Every time she opens her mouth it is startling that she is the leading lady of Bollywood because she can't speak Hindi. Wow! She is a Hindi film actress!
And after walking out so disappointed what is more disappointing is the fact that such movies actually go on and become hits! The film industry has a vast, huge influence on a lot of people or rather the entertainment industry has a vast, huge influence on a lot of people. These are mediums that are in our faces all the time. Is this the kind of influence we want? I don't think so. Why the hell should we accept such influences that just fuel the already junked minds of ours. We are the largest youth population in the world. We could also be the largest stupid youth population in the world!

The escape

Ever wondered what your escape route is? Everyone has one; something that takes you away to a place where one wants to be, perpetually. For some its a book, for some a drive down a particular road, for some its a piece of music or poetry. It could be absolutely anything.
All that matters is that in the end you find solace; for some time at least. If partying gives you solace then that is your escape route.
I often wonder what my escape route is? I was in an introspective mood today, I was in a mood to write. I could write anything; poetry, an essay, this post. Even working with one hand does not down my enthusiasm to type. Even knowing that only six people might eventually read this does not deter me from writing.
So, I take that escape route. My mind races, my thoughts pump, my lone hand struggles to keep up with the flow, some thoughts are lost, some are penned down. I have found my escape route. Actually, I have discovered it today; it was always there to take me to that place where I wanted to be.
I have found that moment of solace. My brain feels rid of all thoughts; at least for now; it feels lighter. It does not know the purpose or need of writing all this, or who will eventually read it.
I have eased the congestion in my brain. I can sleep in peace now. Have you decongested it?And how? I am off to enjoy a good night's sleep.:-)

The injury

My last post was about the friend that I had lost. I had lost two friends. I got one back. I got him back because of an injury!
I met with a motorcycle accident on friday. I badly broke my left wrist and had two mighty cuts between my upper lip and nose. I had to undergo surgery for both the injuries.
I wondered if any of them would bother. One of them sure did. He came to meet me at the hospital. I sure felt much much better.
Apart from the painful experience I did not know what I had to gain out of this. I gained that friend that I had lost.