ME

today i went to a shopping mall to buy clothes, and one thing that struck me was that a lot of people in the malls are 17 to 19 year olds and wow.. they're so stylish. and they all seem to have a lot of money to spend.....
my dad gave me my own debit card when I was 17... It was to teach me money management and give me a sense of financial independence. He would deposit 500 rs every month. it was to cover all my expenses... no extras. nobody ever asked me how I spent my money. I could do whatever I damn pleased with it but absolutely no extras.
Clothes and looks were the last things on my mind. I was so involved in studies and tuition and storybooks and tv that i never thought about clothes. My friends were just like me. i either went to some friend's house or hung out in college. Pizza in US pizza next to college would be the highlight of that quarter... otherwise shetty and I would bunk language classes and eat bad masala puri nearby. Or we both would go to my place or hers. My mom said I could bunk classes if I wanted but it was my responsibility not to get any attendance shortage and I always had to get good marks. She never asked any questins if i behaved well and studied well.
For 2 years in 11th and 12th, my life was college, 6 friends, my sis and folks, studies and tv. Every single day, I would get up at 6 and study till 7:30. I could stay out only till 6:30 in the evening. I couldn't talk to boys on the phone after 7 pm. I have no idea why but it was strictly followed. My folks never said no boys. they just wouldn't let me talk to boys after 7pm.
i would study till dinner. then watch tv. anything i wanted... there was never any kind of censorship at my place but i generally watched news with my dad and watched something on Star World with my mom and sis. During holidays I could do anything i wanted. I mean anything. i could stay up all night, watch tv, read, play computer games, wake up late, go out ....
When I started my undergraduate degree, I was lost... It seemed like I came from a very small world. There was so much presure to dress a certain way, act a certain way... plus i did not quite fit in with any kind of group. i thought all the boys i knew were really stupid, so i didn't care about boys and i was sure the girls i hung out thought i was total joke. There were no more rules at home except the 6:30 one. i still had to go home early in the evenings.
things slowly started improving. i made actual friends, had a lot of fun and managed to do well in all my courses.
what is my point???? nothing really. the confidence that i have today is hard earned. so is the trust my folks have in me... When I see these teenagers who have everything, who look so worldly wise, i can't help but wonder if they're missing out on some character building that I had...

My take on the pink.. campaign

There has been a lot of talk about the pink chaddi campaign... The amount of support and interest it is generating is simply unbelievable. However I do believe that it is not going to help change mindsets. It will not bring justice to the girls who were assaulted. It will not ensure that our law makers will protect the citizens who voted for them instead of indulging in cheap ideological battles. It certainly won't guarantee that such acts never happen again. I don't thhink sending pink underwear is the answer.
Yet, I support it. Why? Because it is a way to protest. It is a way to send the message that this time the silent majority will not be attacked by the loud minority. It is a way to show what exactly we think of cowards who beat up women in the name of culture and religion.

A day in the life of a Sri Ram Sainik

The post that you are about to read is a guest post by my friend, Gautam Ramdurai.

I made the decision - I joined the Sri Rama Sene. Boy, it feels great to be me now! And all the media attention just sweetens the experience. 'How's it been?' you ask. I'll tell you.

Today was a very eventful and satisfactory day. I got up this morning and realized something very profound - that "toothpaste" is part of western civilization, so I obviously couldn't use it - at least not on my first day as a Ram Sainik. I go out, musty breathed, looking for neem trees or dant manjan - the former is out of question as almost all the trees in my area have been cut down(wonder what our leader has to say about that - will ask him next time)...but the nearest shop is 'DeSilva's Grocery Store' - and I DARE not buy dant manjan from a non-hindu store!

The next few hours were spent battling the desire to use other westernized imports such as soap, fan, electricity in general...you get the drift. Somehow, I make it to office. Let me tell you a secret - my employer's HQ are in the US, so I'll probably quit soon. Won't want my fellow sainiks think I'm a traitor who thinks his survival is more important than his faith!

Anyway, then I chalked out an elaborate plan to attack my boss - who has dared to go against our code - she doesn't wear Indian clothes, NOT EVEN A BINDI!!! She has a mind of her own and most shocking of all, she likes being independant - can you believe that??? An INDIAN WOMAN, and yet the audacity to be herself!! I would never stand for that.

I call my dad and ask him to ask my mom to quit her job - I cannot have such practices in my own house when my fellow sainiks are toiling hard to uproot the westernness in society. Tomorrow we plan to storm a school nearby because it teaches the children to be independant and free thinkers. Did I mention that I hit every girl on the road who lacks or isn't wearing any of the following - a bindi, a sari, a salwar, bangles, tied up hair, ghoongat. How dare they use make-up? BTW, we are also going to storm beauty parlours - all western - chee!!

Yessir, all in a day's work for a sainik. Doesn't all that just make you wann get up and come running to the sene office to join me and my friends? I bet you do!!!

Come, leave progress behind! Come, leave freedom(others') behind! Come let's become terrorists, come let's build an 'indian' India!

Let us Quell. Let us Maul. Let us Torture. Till our dreams are realised. Long live the Sene!

sad and angry

The Indian constitution declared men and women equal. EQUAL. That means a woman over the age of 18 is FREE to do as she pleases as long as she is not breaking the LAW OF THE LAND.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN.......

1. SHE CAN WEAR WHAT SHE WANTS
2. SHE CAN MARRY WHOM SHE WANTS
3. SHE CAN WORK
4. SHE CAN STAY AT HOME
5. SHE CAN HAVE SEX WITH ANYONE OVER THE AGE OF 18
6. SHE CAN DRINK (if she is over age and if there is no prohibition in the state)
   
7. SHE CAN DRIVE
8. SHE CAN DO ANYTHING THAT SHE WANTS AS LONG AS SHE IS NOT BREAKING THE LAW OF THE LAND.

It is nobody's , i repeat NOBODY'S business to tell a woman over the age of 18 what to do and what not.
If people don't like something they see, they can ignore it, they can speak against it, protest VOCALLY against it. However, nobody in this country according to our CONSTITUTION has the right to beat people up