Monday, July 18, 2011

READY for MURDER !!



This post is dedicated to all those smart punks who spend hundreds of rupees on first day first show of Harry potter series but strongly believe that  movies like “Dabangg” and actors like “Rajnikant” are deteriorating Bollywood standards.  Oh so Harry Potter is truly an ideal film for these world class critics when the movie itself is totally without any sense and is totally based on mythological creatures some of whose part is even copied from our Indian Mythology. At least people can relate to most part of Rajnikant’s movies, leave aside the insane stunts of Rajnikant, the great.
Perhaps people fail to realize that there is a simple term known as “genre” which is used for classification of movies based on their themes. Its highly unfair to see all movies through a single lens based on what we like. If somebody likes serious movies based on realistic situations, they shouldn’t humiliate Salman Khan for being a superhero who can kill enemies with a single punch in a real life situation in the blockbuster movies “Wanted & Dabangg”.
The first and foremost purpose of cinema is entertainment and not just public awareness. If Rajnikant or SRK can bring giggles by doing out of the world unrealistic scenes than what’s wrong in it? If somebody wants to feel relaxed and watch a funny movie without using too much of his/her brain cells then such movies are no less than a messiah for them which clearly explains the grand success of such masala movies on box office. No one should mock these movies if they cannot appreciate such genres.
Its another thing that there are is hardly any scope for serious cinema in Bollywood as we do not have enough mature audience for such themes so I believe that our superstars like SRK, Salman Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan ,etc. should also  experiment more with  realistic movies aiming for Oscars. We have the pre-requisite talent  for such movies but what is now needed is promotion and good publicity for their success. Aamir Khan has already proved it with “Taare Zameen Par” and Amitabh Bachchan with “Black” but what is lacking now is the effort for more as producers just want sure shot money and hesitate to experiment.
Let actors do whatever they want to as long as they keep entertaining but do  hope for genuine cinema as well as Oscars winning movies.


Monday, May 16, 2011

Re1/- Shopping



When was the last time u shopped for just 1 rupee and were the most satisfied customer?
This question popped up in my mind when I was wandering through one of the local streets of Goa with some of my best pals.  One of my friend stopped by near a local shop to buy some tomatoes. While we were managing to spend the meager hundred rupees that we were left with after spending all the money travelling across Goa, I saw a 6/7 year old kid coming towards the shopkeeper and asking for a “center fresh” chewing gum. He took out a 1 rupee coin from his short pants and exchanged it with the gum. The moment he got that gum he was euphoric and he went back jumping with feelings of achievement.

It was at that junction of time that I realized how inflation in our lives has shadowed the essence of a Rupee. And all of a sudden I was lost in my childhood days when possessing a single 1 rupee coin or note was like being Bill Gates of the locality. I was even reminded of a shop which used to give toffees for as low as 10 paisa. It was like the whole movie of my childhood days was flashing across my mind full of the images of my first pen, first notebook, first chocolate,  first whistle and all the other trivial details of me being a contented shopper.

Those were the times when I actually felt the satisfaction in buying simple 1 rupee things but now even a thousand Rupees seem insufficient for our needs. Obviously the inflation has escalated the prices but than our wants too have sky-rocketed. Living in a world with easy access to money through credit/debit cards, ATMs, etc., we seem to have got entangled in the pricey world of brands.  Where is that satisfaction which we had when we used to buy a chocolate as a child but not in today’s world full of all the possible varieties and multi-national brands ?   

Friday, April 22, 2011

Is GOA all about liquor, drugs and prostitution ?



Here in Goa, liquor is cheap and women are cheaper”, these are the lines said by none other than Bipasha Basu in her latest movie ”Dum Maro dum” which clearly shows how badly Goa’s image is being projected nowadays.
Goa, an international tourism destination is now facing a major identity crisis as more and more people now relate Goa to liquor, drugs and prostitution.
If Goa’s image is continuously shown in bad light just imagine the harm it might pose to the future prospects of Goa’s colleges and schools as well as the esteemed BITS-PILANI GOA CAMPUS.
I am writing this post to convince you that Goa is still a tourism paradise and not at all an exclusive destination for booze and sex.
Having spent more than 2 years studying in Goa and after visiting almost each and every corner of Goa I have to come the conclusion that Goa though full of natural beauty is now unfortunately getting only negative publicity.
In the following paragraphs, I will let you know about the possible factors affecting Goa’s image and then tell you why Goa should be the most sought after tourism destination.
I clearly remember those times when I was selected for BITS GOA and my parents tried their level best not to send me here. My relatives especially pestered my parents by telling them all ill things about Goa. But still I managed to come here all thanks to a senior of mine who cleared all my parents’ misconceptions about Goa. And now if you ask my parents if they feel satisfied ? The answer will definitely be Yes !
I asked my friends studying in IITs and NITs about their college lifestyles and I must admit that alcohol, smoking and drugs are far more rampant in their colleges as compared to our college. People say a lot of ill things about Goa thanks to the highly exaggerated negative publicity by the media. Goa has always been in news for the following acquisitions:
1st acquisition: cheap liquor is harming the society
Well, The Goa govt,. provides Tax-Free liquor for the benfit of tourists only. Goa is always in a festive mood with parties happening all around everytime and if Goans believe in the motto of “dance, drink and be merry” why do others take it in a negative sense? Alcohol consumption is rampant in each and every part of India, I do not understand why people create so much fuss about drinking cheap liquor here in Goa.
2nd acquisition: Goa is a sex- destination
Many people believe Goa is full of prostitution and rave parties. According to Human Rights Watch report, there are around 20 million sex workers in India out of which Mumbai alone has 2 lakhs. GB road in New Delhi and Lachipur in Kolkata are the largest red light districts in India. Rave parties and prostitution happen everywhere in India. Don’t you think it’s highly foolish to term Goa as sex-destination when prostitution is happening in even bigger numbers elsewhere?
3rd acquisition: Goa is unsafe for women
According to the latest govt. statistics, Delhi accounted for 13.2 % of the total crimes on women reported in 2009 followed by Bengaluru and Mumbai. Goa is far below in the list. There have been cases of rape and eve-teasing in Goa but don’t’ we have cases of even more cruel crimes happening on women elsewhere such as that of Jessica Lal’s murder and Aruna shaunbag’s rape.
What I am trying to convey here is that Goa too has its own share of social problems just like any of other cities of India. However, it is completely unfair to associate Goa only with liquor, drugs and prostitution.
How can one forget about the beautiful beaches, world heritage sites, churches and the tremendous scenic beauty of Goa which attracts more than 2.1 million tourists annually. Goa is such a peaceful and holy state. If you take a walk around Goan streets, you can easily spot Temples, Mosques and Churches all built alongside at many places. Goa is a perfect example of communal and religious harmony.
English, Hindi, Konkani, Marathi, Urdu, Telugu, Malyalam,  All these languages are spoken here in Goa. 
Goa should be known for its immense natural beauty and cultural diversity. I state it again that Goa shouldn’t be known as a place exclusively for alcohol, drugs and prostitution.
The controversial lines of the movie “Dum Maro Dum” might help them gain cheap publicity out of it but we as responsible Indian citizens should help in curbing such false rumors about Goa.
What needs to be changed is the mindset of people regarding Goa. I urge you all to please clear your friends’ and relatives’ misconceptions about Goa and
tell them about Goa’s beautiful beaches,
tell them about Goa’s mesmerizing climate,
tell them about the cool breeze of Goa.
Let the whole world know that Goa is also a paradise on Earth endowed with heavenly beauty.


Friday, March 18, 2011

JAPAN’s FIXATION with NUKE



The country which is infamously known as “the land of the Rising Sun” has recently gone through the worst possible disasters and the losses are still piling up.
First it was the mind-boggling 8.9 magnitude EARTHQUAKE which shook the whole of the country by shifting it 8 feet to the east. It was such a monstrous earthquake that it even shifted the position of the Earth’s axis by 16cm.
 Second it was the apocalyptic TSUNAMI waves about 10 feet high triggered due to the Earthquake which wiped out almost whole of the northeastern Japan.
However the worst of all is the ghostly NUCLEAR Crisis resulting from the harmful life-threatening radiation leak from the Fukushima nuclear power plant which continues to haunt not only the people living near the power plant but the whole world which is now debating the overall benefits of nuclear technology for power generation.

The radiation leakage is still continuing from three reactors of Fukushima plant whose cooling system malfunctioned due to the Earthquake as well as the Tsunami blow. The Japanese govt. is trying its best to avoid a nuclear catastrophe but it seems like the situation is going out of their hands as they are trying desperately to cool down the reactors at any cost using sea water and whatever way possible but the radiation leakage continues and people living in 30 km square area of the plant have been told to avoid going out and keep their houses air-tight closed. Their only hope now is the team of 60 people who are now currently working at the plant to shut down the plant to avoid further leakage. This is perhaps the worst nuclear leakage incident after the Chernobyl nuclear leakage and the Japanese Govt. is on its toe doing everything possible to prevent any further losses.
Japan has already been nuked twice during the Second World War in 1945 when USA bombed HIROSHIMA and NAGASAKI . Japan is the only country in the world which has been attacked with nuclear bombs. Now when the same nuclear radiations are coming back to haunt them again it must be really hard time for them. Who would have thought that the nuclear power plants which are meant for the benefit of humanity by generating electricity can also become the source of deadly radiations!
India too has various nuclear power plants and such disasters can also happen in India. In fact it has happened in India too when in 2001, Bhuj Earthquake struck the Kakrapar Atomic Power station, Gujarat and when in 2004, Tsunami crashed the Madras Atomic Power Station. However there was no effect on the working of these plants as these plants are designed much more efficiently to face such situations but the Fukushima Power plant in Japan is 40 years old which explains it all. So now when people question the security of nuclear power plants and the harm to humanity it may pose they should also realize that it is the most effective tool for power generation in today’s world and the new technological advances in science have made them very secure.
Furthermore just when we thought it was the worst series of epic disasters which were thronging the island of Japan and nothing more worse could happen, a Volcanic Eruption occurred at Kirishima volcano, Japan on 14th March and A large earthquake (mag 6.2) occurred under Mt Fuji Volcano, Japan on 15th March 2011.
Japan has emerged as one of the world’s biggest economic nation from the ashes in the past when it was nuked. Let us all hope that Japan’s Disaster Saga comes to an end quickly and I am sure that it will again bounce back to riches !!

Sunday, March 6, 2011

TOMORROW, next week, next month, NEW YEAR………….

All of the above words/phrases represent the hope of doing something good ahead in future. Perhaps all our goals, ambitions and even day to day life tasks are dependent on them and we will surely be left handicapped without their presence in our lives. Tomorrow is as important for us as our Today. We say to ourselves we shall do this and that surely from tomorrow onwards…..from next week…from next month…in new year…………..
Our commitments with the future are just so many that we somehow fail to realize that we do have today to do whatever we want without depending upon  tomorrow. When we postpone something for future don’t you think we are allowing THE LAZY MONSTER  in us to overrule us?
If I want to go to gym then why not today? Why does it always happen that 1st day of next month will also be the first day we see the gym for first time? Why does it has to be tomorrow when we shall start something? Are we afraid of doing something in the present?
Well I believe it’s just the laziness which blinds us and we tend to develop the idea of going with our usual routine today and overburden our tomorrows. We seek pleasure in taking siesta for the moment and leave our tasks for future.
If we really care for our life why do we need to postpone things for good when we can act now and get the benefits as soon as possible. It all can be narrowed down to what Kabir says in his infamous verse:

At last I would just like to say that nobody has seen tomorrow. We can just make assumptions about our future but we cannot be even 1% sure of it. Every tomorrow becomes today so why not use the TODAY that we have now to its fullest !

Thursday, February 17, 2011

SUDOKU : An Art so deep


SUDOKU(pronounced as soo-doh-kuu) is a Japanese number puzzle  in which one has to fill numbers from 1-9 in each row, each column and each 3x3 box thereby completing the whole 9x9 grid.  People say its just a number game where you only have to apply logic for putting numbers from 1-9. Well they are partially correct if you just solve easy level Sudoku but the real taste of solving a difficult Sudoku puzzle can only be enjoyed by those who treat solving this puzzle game as a matter of life and death because only then can one realize that its not just logic and reasoning which are indispensable for solving the puzzle but your  overall attitude and the feel with which you approach the puzzle. It is not a puzzle of trial and error as well since it is totally based on logic as I said earlier and every move that you take is for sure the correct if done properly.
For me solving Sudoku is as deep an art as painting where I can dive deep into the ocean of numbers scattered everywhere and come out with the correct numbers. The way you explore this ocean matters a lot in getting the answers of your puzzle. There are a lot of roads which you can take for reaching the destination of one box in the grid and you will be surprised to know that there are so many fantastic ways to get to the correct answer. The way your mind will process the numbers and filter only the correct number is truly amazing. Getting lost diving into the ocean is also enlightening.
The best part is the feeling of satisfaction which you get after successfully completing the whole puzzle. the more you get involved in this game the more passionate you become to come out victorious as soon as possible.
Those who frequently encounter  Sudoku puzzles will agree with me that it’s more of a beautiful timeless canvass where you can put your thoughts the way you like and still won’t get tired of painting on it again.
If you haven’t tasted the Sudoku tea yet then my only advise for you will be to try it soon coz only then you can fully understand the fathomless beauty of Sudoku.   

Monday, February 7, 2011

Am I faking ?


When I am sitting in a class, am I actually listening to the teacher or just pretend to listen !
When I am talking to my parents, am I stating everything or just manipulating the things !
When I am talking to a preity girl, am I being myself or trying to be the way she likes !
When I am with my friends, am I sharing a chocolate with them too or eating alone !
When i am buying a branded item, am i buying the genuine stuff or its cheap clone !
When I am studying for an exam, am I learning the concepts or just mugging the facts !
When I am doing engineering, am I looking forward to be an able engineer or just avoiding the risk of becoming someone inferior !
When I am ……………………………. , am I ……………………. Or just ………………………….. !
When I am writing this blog, am I being true or just faking it again ?
{well thats upto you  to decide}

Thursday, January 20, 2011

BLASPHEMY-is it really worth punishing people?



Blasphemy is something which you say or do that shows you DO NOT RESPECT GOD or religion. Almost every religion has blasphemy laws which severely punishes offenders who show any acts of blasphemy.
According to Judaism, those who speak blasphemy "shall surely be put to death".
Christianity condemns blasphemy and considers it as unforgivable-the eternal sin.
In Islamism, penalties for blasphemy can include fines, imprisonment, flogging, amputation, crucifixion, hanging, or beheading.
Individuals have been accused of blasphemy or of insulting Islam for:
  • speaking ill of God
  • finding fault with Muhammad
  • slighting a prophet who is Qur’an, or slighting a member of Muhammad's family
  • claiming to be a prophet or a messenger.
  • speculating about how Muhammad would behave if he were alive (Nigeria).
  • drawing a picture to represent Muhammad or any other prophet, or making a film which features a prophet (Egypt).
  • writing Muhammad's name on the walls of a toilet (Pakistan).
  • naming a teddy bear Muhammad (Sudan).
  • stating facts such as: Muhammad's parents were not Muslims (Pakistan).
  • invoking God while committing a forbidden act.
We might say it with pride that we are now living in a modern society where everyone has the right to freedom of religion but the bitter truth that still prevails is that blasphemy laws still exist in many countries and people are still even given death sentences for speaking against a religion. I just came to know about such a case where a Pakistani Christian woman named Asia bibi was convicted by a Pakistani Court of blasphemy and received  a death sentence by hanging. Her only fault was speaking some ill things about Islam. Even a Punjab governor, Salman Taseer was  shot dead for supporting her and this is all happening in 2011 only.
This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever come across in which you are unnecessarily punished for expressing your views about something. Instead of punishing people an ideal religious organization should in fact counsel the offender and should teach him the exact message which a religion carries and I believe every religion has sound principles which are only meant for humanity’s benefit but by passing blasphemy laws a religion’s image is totally tarnished. Islam extremists have always been accused of imposing their religion on others and by punishing those who speak against them I believe they are justifying their status.
One cannot impose any religion on others and nor should anyone has the right to punish those who speak ill about any religion. Blasphemy Laws are inhuman and I feel glad that at least Hinduism does not have such laws.
I agree that it is not fair to ridicule any religion but then we need to understand that one shouldn’t be hanged for merely saying a hate line about prophet. Broad-mindedness is the word which such extremists should better include in their mind vocabulary.

Sunday, January 2, 2011

GUJJARS grow up !

Rajasthan gujjars, Delhi fog keep city travellers waiting

‎We'll probe BJP link behind Gujjar stir: CM

Gujjar agitation hits Rajasthan tourism hard

Gujjars continue stir despite govt intervention

Sixth day of agitation: Gujjars block another rail route
                                                          




                                                                         
Another incident of public protest where agitators are doing their best to get their demands fulfilled at any cost. This time its GUJJARS who are now protesting again to get 5% quota in government jobs. They had earlier protested in 2007 in the same way as now  by damaging public property including burning buses, stopping trains, removing railway tracks, etc. etc. and so far their agitation has claimed more than 70 lives. As far as I know they now want 5% quota exclusively for them in the 21% reservation which currently exists for OBCs and they want to be included in SC/ST list.
In July 2009, the Rajasthan government announced five percent reservation for Gujjars and 14 percent for the economically backward classes, taking the total reservation in the state for various sections of society to 68 percent. Since the total reservation had exceeded the Supreme Court cap of 50%, the high court in October 2009 stayed the quota in jobs and educational institutions in the state for Gujjars and the economically backward classes. In a ruling Dec 22, 2010, the high court struck down the job quota for Gujjars but the gujjars are just not ready to give up and now they are warning of more severe protests.
Just consider this one more blunder from gujjars----
--------A year ago, Gujjars in Rajasthan fought police and members of another caste that already qualified for job reservations. After the protests, the State government said it would spend Rs 2.8 billion on improving schools, clinics, roads and other infrastructure in Gujjar areas. But Gujjars rejected this option.------
 This attitude of gujjars clearly explains that they just want to get jobs without doing any work and more importantly they don’t care a bit about their social development and education of their children. In fact they want to be known as the most backward tribe so that they get govt jobs easily.
Well I don’t care much about how backward they want to be but the only thing which gets on my nerves is the ridiculous ways which they have adopted to get their demands fulfilled. Who the hell gives them the right to damage the public property which is totally financed by the money we pay as taxes to the govt. . Its indirectly our personal property which these retarded agitators somehow fail to understand. How can they stop the trains which have no relevance to their protest. Why is it that its always the  common people  who suffer the most due to their protests. What wrong have we done to them??
Moreover their protest is no less than putting the knife on govt’s and judiciary’s necks to heed to their demands no matter if they really makes any sense or not. Don’t be surprised if GUJJARS start kidnapping your family members to demand reservation in return from govt.
Why blame GUJJARS only, our country has many such villains like MNS,SHIV SENA,RSS,VHP and the list goes on who are selfish to the core and can damage their country to any extent for their own benefit.
I seriously believe that such kind of protests should not be allowed and people involved in any sort of damage to public property should be put behind bars permanently .  Most of the people involved in these incidents are youngsters who have absolutely nothing to do and burn the buses just for fun.
If these GUJJARS really have balls than they should be able to voice their demands in a civilized manner and if their demands are legitimate our govt will automatically agree.
I personally wish that GUJJARS shouldn’t get any reservation quota and instead they should be penalized for disrupting public convenience. If GUJJARS win than tomorrow some other group will strive for same and more havoc will be created in our society.
F**K you GUJJARS…….F**K you MNS............F**K you SHIV SENA……………