tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77187415321098116892024-03-19T04:47:46.016-07:00Me and my invaluable thoughts...When I have too much to say, I have no listener. It becomes immensely difficult for a talkative me to keep my thoughts to myself. I have to express it and this happens to be an ideal platform for me to do so.gayathri vishwanathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00883895855698328408noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718741532109811689.post-13963577046093921732017-10-16T17:18:00.001-07:002017-10-16T22:55:19.206-07:00Freedom to express (contrarian views)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I am a cynical person, and I have no qualms in admitting it.<br />
<br />
So, when I saw the #metoo posts all over Facebook, I knew this was going to be just another hashtag.<br />
<br />
Yes, we have all undergone harassment at some point in time in life. In a bus, in crowded Dadar station, by chalu uncles who hug you under some random pretext.<br />
<br />
We all went through it, and we know it is wrong. But, how does the Me too hashtag help?<br />
<br />
Are new laws going to be formed? Are people going to change? No, nothing will happen unless we change things at our level.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Yesterday, I wrote a status asking people to tell me how will this hashtag help?<br />
<br />
This question posted on Facebook exposed me and my colleague who did not post a popular reply, to accusations of being insensitive. Someone even hinted at people like us having a crab mentality and pulling down others 'who are trying to spread awareness'.<br />
<br />
With seething anger, I deleted the post and deactivated my FB account for an hour.<br />
<br />
Then I remembered, as a citizen of this country, the constitution has bestowed me with the freedom to express.<br />
<br />
I activated my account again. This time with the vow that I will express my views every time I feel like doing it. No one can bully me.<br />
<br />
This was not the first time I faced accusations. I have been accused of being anti-modi, myopic, extremist, and god knows what not. My fault? I have contrarian views most of the time.<br />
<br />
But, I will not stop. If you find a fault in my writing, give me data to prove I am wrong. I will accept my fault.<br />
<br />
But, accusing someone of being insensitive or with crab mentality just because they do not prescribe to your views is unacceptable.<br />
<br />
Have a healthy debate if you can!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
gayathri vishwanathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00883895855698328408noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718741532109811689.post-44792349767602053112017-07-29T13:06:00.000-07:002017-07-29T13:06:32.117-07:00We all wear lipstick under the burkha<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
There are many types of movies, some that inspire us, some that we can watch repeatedly, some that we want to forget, and some that are so relatable that you identify yourself or the people you know with the characters in the movie.<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Lipstick under my burkha was one such relatable film. I could identify so many people in my life and relate them with the characters in the movie.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I know a woman who's husband doesn't allow her to work because her job is only to raise their child and cook for him. Thankfully she is not subjected to marital rape like Shirin Aslam. But she is not loved either.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I know a rebellious girl like Rehana Abidi who grew in a strict tam bhram household. Her mom was so strict that she never allowed the girl to wax her arms and legs. The girl saved all her pocket money just to buy the waxing kit. She had to make an elaborate plan of going to a chemist situated 2 kms away from her house. Because what if the local chemist guy tells the mother about the daughter's 'criminal' activity? She loved dance so much that she participated in dance competition and came home late under the pretext of extra classes.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I know a girl similar to Leela who was in a seemingly happy marriage but briefly fell for a younger man who made her feel young and beautiful. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I have never come across an old, repressed woman like ushaji who found solace in erotic novels. But the success of books like 50 shades of grey is a testimony to this fact that many women live their fantasies through the characters of these books.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Lipstick under my burkha is not just about sex as the trailer and media makes it to be. Yes, it is a part of the movie, but it is more about how women have to suppress themselves in the society and lead secret lives to fulfill their dreams. You can't express yourself, because if you do, you are trolled and called characterless. And if you are old, you have no right to dream because ram Naam japne ka samay Hai, ashleel sapne dekhne ka nahi.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I don't want to give out the story, because I want you to watch it. I'm sure you will relate to it, even if you don't live in Bhopal or don't face problems like these characters.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
P.S.: some people complain that the movie was not about women empowerment. I guess the story was about a normal woman's desire and dreams. It was about how she leads a dual life - one according to the society and one according to her rules. It was not meant to show a woman turning into a Superwoman and fighting patriarchy, because in reality most of us don't do that. We take the easier route of leading the dual life.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbQFSMSfTxN9dX3qd2HBza4Y-BYJ-j-FdsR8NrzqRdULTn8t2mvrRLtryZfJBgbuDVxADi7yMsrmugewUAdIz74QzwTqIAooZIYUhjNaOPnHMuTRQSgWqAVuBRNa6YeZJZf94Ze50FmR-1/s1600/images+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="512" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbQFSMSfTxN9dX3qd2HBza4Y-BYJ-j-FdsR8NrzqRdULTn8t2mvrRLtryZfJBgbuDVxADi7yMsrmugewUAdIz74QzwTqIAooZIYUhjNaOPnHMuTRQSgWqAVuBRNa6YeZJZf94Ze50FmR-1/s320/images+%25285%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Ssshhhh it's a secret!!!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
gayathri vishwanathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00883895855698328408noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718741532109811689.post-30891005849649824832017-05-19T08:48:00.000-07:002017-05-19T08:56:52.120-07:00What Freelancing Taught Me...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
This post was originally published on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-freelancing-taught-me-gayathri-vishwanathan-1?trk=v-feed&lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base_recent_activity_details_all%3BDyga2Sdc7zMGahgXEm3u2g%3D%3D" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a>.<br />
<br />
Last December, I quit my full-time job in a reputed company to become a freelancer, which meant I was no more eligible for paid holidays, allowances, reimbursements, fixed salary or respect from people. <br />
<br />
<br />
But it also meant freedom. Freedom to choose the way you want to work, freedom to express your opinion without the worry of falling in the bad books of your manager or getting terrible ratings in your appraisal. Not to forget the luxury of spending quality time with your friends and family.<br />
<br />
<br />
It's true, freelancing is a risky thing to do especially if you have family and financial commitments and you are not assured of a fixed income every month. <br />
<br />
<br />
But if you do not have too many commitments or if you are willing to take a risk, then let me tell you, there are multiple advantages of becoming a freelancer.<br />
<ul>
<li>One, as a freelancer you become everything - a manager, a sales person, a marketing expert, an HR. You are a one man army handling all aspects of your work.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Second, you are always on the run. Contrary to the popular beliefs, becoming laid back is not an option for freelancers. You might become laid back in your full-time job and feel demoralized if no work comes your way. In freelancing, you are constantly in search of new projects. If not projects, you will be seen following-up with the client for your payment. You forget what comfort zone means when you do freelancing.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Third, you learn new skills and discover the hidden potential within you when you are on your own. For example, I never knew I can network with people till I became a freelancer. My income depends on how well I network with people for new projects. This was an area that I never explored before in my full-time job. It also taught me to communicate better with people around me because we don't know opportunity could knock anywhere.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Fourth and probably the most important aspect about freelancing is that you have the freedom to work on multiple projects and learn multiple things about different sectors, industries, and latest industry trends through these projects.</li>
</ul>
Freelancing is often misconstrued as a useless or lazy thing to do or the last resort of earning income when unemployment hits hard. But that's not the case. Freelancing can be a voluntary decision too, as it was in my case. It teaches you things that a full-time job fails to teach you.<br />
<br />
<br />
However, I would recommend you to do a full-time job for few years before becoming a freelancer because that gives you an authority to put across your opinion to your clients. Experience is definitely respected over inexperience especially when you are a freelancer and people take the word ‘free’ in your title quite literally. <br />
<br />
<br />
So if you are ready for some risk, I would recommend that you try freelancing at least once in your lifetime. It’s tough, but it’s creatively enriching too! </div>
gayathri vishwanathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00883895855698328408noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718741532109811689.post-53930382584747247252016-07-17T12:44:00.000-07:002016-07-17T12:57:30.235-07:00A not so lyrical life...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="color: red;"><b>Disclaimer: I might sound like an old 80 year old aunty, so you may ignore this post if you find it boring...</b></span><br />
<br />
My dad has a thing for old songs, which is why he insisted on keeping a purana radio with him just to listen to old hindi songs on vividh bharati early in the morning. He passed on his love for old music to me and even I am as hooked to Vividh Bharati as him. Every morning I wake up to the lovely old hindi songs with no interruptions from irritating RJs and boring advertisements. Yesterday I heard a beautiful song called - Tadbir se bigadhi huvi takdir bana le. It's one of my favorite songs but I could relate to the lyrics only when I heard it yesterday and that's when I knew that the song was written by the great Sahir Ludhianvi. Till date, it was a Geeta Dutt song for me, I never made an effort to know the name of the lyricist. Later in the day, I started hunting for more of his songs and I was hooked to this genius. His lyrics were so pure. His poetry was so simple, yet so deep. Almost all of his lyrics had an underlying social message. I started reading about him and that's when I came across his background. Sahir saab and his contemporaries have gone through a lot in their life, which is often reflected in their lyrics.They have seen the freedom struggle, the world war, independence, partition, shaky government, India - China war, India - Pakistan war, emergency and what not. There was optimism, anger, passion and all those emotions in their lyrics. Their lyrics were progressive and gave you hopes. No wonder my dad is still hooked to these songs and hates it when a song like 'aaj blue hai pani pani pani pani' is played outside :).<br />
<br />
Cut to the present times where music and lyrics are pure thrash. In 21st century, we have songs like 'ab karoonga tere saath, gandi baat' to which kids as young as 3 year old dance. Except for the awesome Gulzar, Javed Akhtar, Piyush Mishra, Prasoon Joshi and Amitabh Bhattacharya, I can't think of any lyricist who writes good poetry anymore. None of the lyrics make you think, motivate you or lift your spirit. There is no 'woh subah kabhi toh aayegi' to give you solace when you find darkness looming around you, there is no 'kuch toh log kahenge, logon ka kaam hai kehna' to help you ignore the cynical society, and no we don't have a 'tadbir se bigadhi huvi takdir bana le' to challenge us in life. This doesn't mean that we do not have good lyrics now, but he bad lyrics outnumber the good ones.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><b>Let's lead a lyrical life...</b></span><br />
<br />
Movies and songs are reflection of what is happening in the society. So the movies in 50s and 60s were focused on patriotism and social problems, while the 70s movies focused on youth anger (more due to emergency, wars and unemployment). There was a sudden degradation in the quality of movies and songs after 80s. I wonder if it is it because we are not challenged? Is it because we live a comparatively easier life than our parents? Of course we have also seen the ghastly terror attacks, recession but we seem to be less affected than the older generation. We have not gone through major setbacks in life, the reason why we give up so easily on relationships, jobs and even life! We lack the fighting spirit. We seem to live in a state of inertia, which is why movies or lyrics no longer have any depth or significance. Our movies do not have anything to refer to, so our film makers have to resort to making lame biographies of stalwarts or remakes of old gems, and not so funny so-called sex comedy movies. I'm not saying that we need to have instability in the society to become creative. But let's make it creative in our own way. Let's get out of our comfort zone and challenge ourselves. After all, our life is not all about paying EMIs and running the rat race. Make your life such that you can write a biography about yourself. Experience all types of challenges so that you can write a poem about your life :).<br />
<br />
Go, lead a lyrical life!!! </div>
gayathri vishwanathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00883895855698328408noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718741532109811689.post-45082751439679271282015-10-24T13:14:00.000-07:002015-10-24T13:14:07.496-07:00Who is an independent woman?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div>
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: red;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Disclaimer: This is
just my opinion, and you’re free to agree or disagree with me </b><b>:)</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: red;"><b><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/>
<w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/>
<w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/>
<w:Word11KerningPairs/>
<w:CachedColBalance/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black;">Recently, I saw a message on my whatsapp group that read – </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i>“Beneath every strong, independent woman lies a broken
little girl who had to learn how to get back up & to never depend on anyone”.</i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="color: black;">I saw the same
picture on facebook too. Many women appreciated the message, but that got me
thinking – does it mean that a woman becomes independent only if someone hurts
her ( in most cases, a man becomes the villain). I always wonder why people just generalize. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black;">For women like me, independence just comes naturally. No one
has hurt us, neither did we depend on anyone or trust someone so much that we became
independent overnight. Our parents just treated us like a human being (with
some additional conditions like no roaming out after certain time, no solo
trips etc). But overall, we were taught to chase our dreams, and live
independently just like a man does. So when I see these preachy messages on
independent women, I almost mentally kill those people who post such stuff.</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black;">So let us just dissect this independent women theory and
find out who is this independent woman.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKi9SNN0UloEBMJn-Z24cr3iSnMVKEAcuFvBrbYbLQ6TvMKyL-EqOd5rgMLNytR2v7hNEUsRF9P1hlC8TVfjXu3JliLI77uWK8JaO5m5Aw899rUhPKGx68NDS-PIK_PLmRJxLtE-RyPlKC/s1600/index.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKi9SNN0UloEBMJn-Z24cr3iSnMVKEAcuFvBrbYbLQ6TvMKyL-EqOd5rgMLNytR2v7hNEUsRF9P1hlC8TVfjXu3JliLI77uWK8JaO5m5Aw899rUhPKGx68NDS-PIK_PLmRJxLtE-RyPlKC/s1600/index.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She is an Independent Woman</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span></div>
<span style="color: black;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black;">An independent woman is:</span><b><span style="color: black;"></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Someone
who does not ask for special favors: </b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">She</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">can swim in the ‘big bad corporate world’ just like a man. She is
aware of the glass ceiling, and she will work hard to break it. She does not whine
about – just because I am a woman, my ideas are thrashed etc. She will work
hard to make her ideas work. Also unlike what was shown in YFilms’ ‘Man’s world’
episode, an independent woman won’t run home when she gets her periods. She works
(with or without her monthly troubles) as hard as any human being would do.</span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Someone who is just another human being: </b></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="color: black;">
</span></b><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> <b>
</b></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">she doesn’t care if you do not accompany her to
the cafeteria or to the movie (she loves her own company)</span></span><span style="color: red;"><b><span style="color: black;"></span></b><b><span style="color: black;">
</span></b></span><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">she doesn’t care if a man doesn’t open the door
or pull back a chair for her (she has two hands, she can do it herself)</span></span><span style="color: red;"><b><span style="color: black;"></span></b><b><span style="color: black;">
</span></b></span><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="color: black;">she doesn’t
care if a man of her father’s age sits in the ladies seat</span></span><span style="color: red;"><b><span style="color: black;"></span></b><b><span style="color: black;">
</span></b></span><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">neither
does she mind if some guy forgets about chivalry and stuffs his plate first. </span></span><span style="color: red;"><b><span style="color: black;"></span></b><b><span style="color: black;">
</span></b></span><span style="color: black;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: black;"> She doesn’t think too high of herself.
She looks at herself as just another human being.</span><span style="color: red;"><b><span style="color: black;"></span></b><b><span style="color: black;"></span></b></span><b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Not just
financially independent but mentally strong too: </b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">One of the most common
myths about an independent woman is that she earns well and is hence
independent. That’s not the case. Even a widowed, illiterate woman becomes
independent when she stops sympathizing for herself and starts living in the
big bad world. So no matter how much you ridicule Nirupa Roy, you can call her
an example of independent woman because she single-handedly raised her sons in
Deewar. There are several women like her in real life and they are the apt
definition for independent women.</span></span></b></div>
<b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">
</span></span><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">
</span></span><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">So people, stop putting women on a pedestal.
As Salman bhai said ‘mujh par ek ehsaan karna, ki mujhpar koi ehsaan na karna’.
We don’t want any extra respect vespect from anyone. Just treat us like a
normal human being. If we are truly independent, we will survive.</span></span></div>
</b><b>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">P.S.: If
you really want to show some respect to women – just stop abusing people by
using women’s anatomy as abuses. Things can be said without abusing people –
try doing that!</b></div>
</b><br />
</div>
gayathri vishwanathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00883895855698328408noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718741532109811689.post-24538938399967204792015-03-05T12:04:00.001-08:002015-03-07T05:04:13.284-08:00Four things to do when you are suffering from the writer’s block…<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267"> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style> <![endif]--> <br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Have you been staring at a blank document for too long? </li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Have you been doodling on a page to get random ideas?</li>
<li>Do you find constipation to be a lesser trouble than writing something?</li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If the answers to the aforementioned questions is a ‘Yes’, then tan ta daaaa, you are suffering from a condition called ‘writer’s block’.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve been suffering from Writer’s Block since my school days. Every time I saw my question paper, I went blank. I would see everywhere; panic when someone took an extra supplement and would almost cry while giving the nearly blank answer sheet to the supervisor.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But I still loved writing and took it up as my profession. Yesterday, while going through one of my writer’s block phases, my college buddy – Ankit suggested that I write about it. So here we go, I am going to give you four things to do when you go through writer’s block. I hope you find it useful. Even if you don't, pretend that you loved my article.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red;">Tip # 1: Find some trashy stuff to write about…</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you don’t find a nice topic, watch a trashy cult film like Gunda, Jaani Dushman, or read an equally trashy bestseller like I too had a love story. Once you’re done, you have enough ‘matter’ to write about. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Psst: You can also write about Set Max’s obsession with Suryvansham and Nayak if you want ;-)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red;">Tip # 2: Sit at CCD and pretend that you are ideating!</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Unlike my favourite Udipi restaurants; the CCD guys allow you to sit at CCD as long as you want. So what if you have ordered just one cup of coffee, you can sit there for hours and pretend that you are ideating. Even if you are unable to come up with a nice idea, the ambiance will make you feel better, and who knows you may end up writing about how the smell of coffee wakes up the poet within you.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Tip # 3: Read Scoop Whoop</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Scoop Whoop is a cute, stupid website that enlists some random 10 things about why South Indian girls make a better girlfriend, or 10 traits of a hyperactive friend. There you go! Just find a random topic such as ten styles of dogs doing susu and write about it. Don’t forget to add some aww pictures to get more page hits.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: red;">Tip # 4: Twitter it is!</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
How do you think the newspaper fills its pages? Twitter baba zindabad. Not in a mood to write anything? Just login to twitter, find a trending topic, find some outrageous tweets on that topic, and write an article about it. All you need to do is give a 2-3 lines introduction on the topic and give the screenshots of these tweets with a preceding line: And here’s what xyz had to say about abc…put few of such tweets, and your write-up is ready within 10 minutes. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So the next time, you have a writer’s block, you know what to do…if you have any more tips, don't share them with me. Share them on your blog, see jaate jaate ek aur idea de diya. Sweet me!</div>
</div>
<br />
<script>
(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){
(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),
m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)
})(window,document,'script','//www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js','ga');
ga('create', 'UA-60481667-1', 'auto');
ga('send', 'pageview');
</script></div>
gayathri vishwanathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00883895855698328408noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718741532109811689.post-81893398573119384342015-01-18T10:57:00.001-08:002015-01-18T10:57:05.963-08:00Depress Mat Ho Yaar!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Last week, one of my friends Pradeep Ananth wrote an article on <a href="http://thequill.in/2015/01/10/heavy-invisible-bag-story-depression/" target="_blank">depression</a>. It was a first hand account on how he coped with depression last year, and how his family and friends helped him get through the lean phase. Incidentally, few days later Deepika Padukone too spoke about her <a href="http://www.hindustantimes.com/tabloid/deepika-padukone-on-suffering-from-depression-it-was-a-struggle-to-wake-up/article1-1306957.aspx" target="_blank">experience with depression</a>. <br />
<br />
Depression is not a new thing. I have heard my friends getting depressed about their career and love life. But I never took depression seriously. I would simply give some gyaan about depression and tell them to move ahead. It was only after I read Pradeep and Deepika's experience that I realized the seriousness of depression.<br />
<br />
Pradeep's article gave me a new perspective on how we can help people who are depressed or what we should do if we are depressed. In this post, I am going to enlist the lessons that I learned from their experiences and the lessons that you must learn too. <br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><b>Lesson # 1:</b></span> Never say stuff like 'but you have a great career why are you upset' or 'you have such a lovely spouse, why get depressed?'. This is one of the most common mistakes that I made in the past. We may think that those words will make a person feel better, but it is unlikely to help. Just avoid saying those words.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><b>Lesson # 2: </b></span>Also avoid words like "look at xyz, they have a worse life than you". I cant remember the number of times, I must have said that to my friends. I used to give this gyaan about count your blessings just so they realize that things are not as bad as they think. But again I realized, it doesn't work.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: red;">Lesson # 3: </span></b>Take up a hobby. Again this was the most random advice I have given my friends when they went through a breakup. Avoid saying that.A depressed doesn't want any unsolicited gyaan from you. All they want is an ear that would listen to them or an empty space where they are left undisturbed.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><b>Lesson # 4: </b></span>"shaadi karle sab theek ho jayega". This is one of the stupidest advice I have heard someone give my depressed friend. A friend who overheard this remarked, "woh shaadi karega toh suicide kar lega". Indians think marriage is the only solution to every problem. Please stop giving such random advices. A marriage may work some people. But some it could ruin two lives.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: red;">Lesson # 5:</span></b> So what should you do when your friend feels low? Just listen to them. Don't give gyaan, don't interrupt, just allow them to pour out their heart to you. They will definitely feel better. In some cases they may want to be left alone, so just give them space and check on them once a day just to know that they are doing fine.<br />
<span style="color: red;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: red;"><b>Lesson # 6:</b></span> If it's you who is feeling low or if it's your friend who is going through depression, do visit a counselor for advice. We Indians think a psychiatrist or a counselor is for 'mentally challenged' or 'weak' people. But that's not the case. Depression is like common cold, there is nothing to be ashamed of it. In fact, timely help can help a person feel better.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="background-color: white; color: red;">Lesson # 7: </span></b> Be supportive. Pradeep and deepika had a strong support system, which is why they have been able to lead a normal life. There are people who get into addictions or take extreme steps like committing suicide due to lack of support. So be supportive. If it's you who is in depression, seek support from your loved ones. Don't be ashamed.<br />
<br />
Depression unlike physical ailments are not easily visible to anyone. Please take professional help in case you or your loved ones feel depressed. And the next time you see someone depressed, put aside your cell phone and lend them your ears. Trust me they will feel better. And if it still doesn't work, please follow pradeep anath on twitter and ask him all that you want to know about depression. Deepika might not answer your questions, but he surely will.</div>
gayathri vishwanathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00883895855698328408noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718741532109811689.post-682179591122484492014-09-06T13:12:00.002-07:002014-09-06T13:17:13.056-07:00From Mary Kaun to Mary Kom<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">After convincing my friend Sneha for almost a week, we finally saw the Priyanka Chopra starrer Mary Kom. To be fair to Priyanka Chopra, she gave her 100%. Her efforts were visible in the movie. But Mary Kom is more than what was shown in the movie. <br />
<br />
For starters, Mary Kom is a woman (women are supposed to be in kitchen, not play ladkon wala games). <br />
She is a boxer. No, not a cricketer, tennis player or even a badminton player… she is ‘just’ a boxer. <br />
Brace yourself for more. She is from Manipur – a super neglected Indian state and she is a poor farmer’s daughter (so no Abhinav Bindra type posh training).<br />
<br />
Yet despite all these challenges, magnificent Mary managed to win not one but five world cup championship titles and a bronze medal in 2012 Olympics. A two hour movie cannot do justice to this living legend. While, the director did not put an item song or ‘steamy’ scenes that are ‘vital to the script’ in between the scenes; he had to bow down to commercialization and advertise brands like iodex, tata salt and sugar free. <br />
<br />
Moreover, Mary’s struggle was not adequately highlighted in the movie. The second half showed her rigorous practice sessions after giving birth to the twins, but it did not show her struggle after International Boxing Association (AIBA) scrapped the 46 Kg and 48 Kg categories in which she was a champion. It did not show how despite all odds, she participated in the 51 Kg category (the new lowest category) and won the bronze medal in 2012 Olympics. It is definitely not easy to shift to a new category after you’ve gained expertise in a particular one. <br />
<br />
However, despite all these flaws, the cast and crew of this biopic should be appreciated, because finally after watching this movie, people will stop asking Mary kaun? They will probably know her as magnificent Mary Kom who made the country proud through her sheer hard work and passion. <br />
<br />
<br />
P.S: Special kudos to Mary Kom’s husband! Not every man is as mature and understanding as Mary Kom’s husband. Like the old adage goes ‘behind every successful man there is woman’, in this case, Mary Kom’s husband is the man who contributed to her success after she became a mother. So super respect to Onler Kom! </div>gayathri vishwanathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00883895855698328408noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718741532109811689.post-20597221691383954312014-03-30T10:50:00.001-07:002014-03-30T10:50:55.437-07:00A common trend in Indian names<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><span style="color: red;"> Disclaimer: This post does not intend spreading communal disharmony. This is just a fun post and should be taken in the right spirit. Any offence to any community is NOT regretted.</span></b><br />
<br />
<br />
Two days back, my Facebook status spoke about how the older generation south Indian community was obsessed with the name Lakshmi. Only the prefix was different, otherwise every second lady was a Lakshmi.<br />
<br />
And it is not just the south indian community. Every Indian community had a peculiar way of naming the kids. I would not say that everybody followed this trend. But majority people did follow this trend.<br />
<br />
The current generation does an extensive research to give an exotic name to their kid (devoid
of any peculiar nomenclature trend), but my generation and the previous
generations were a victim of this trend. <br />
<br />
Just for fun, here's a guide on how you can recognize the community of the person through their name / surname.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">You know you are speaking to a South Indian when...</span><br />
<br />
There is an unnecessary 'h' after 't' in the name. So, I am gayatHri not gayatri. Similarly, one of my friend's name is pritHi not priti. So if you see someone writing their name as Amith, Sunitha, Shruthi and so on, you know to which community they belong. <br />
<br />
<br />
<u><i>Note: Don't just go and flaunt your tamil in front of them, they could also be Kannada, Telugu, or Malayalam.</i></u><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">You know you are speaking to a Gujarati when...</span><br />
<br />
The girl's name ends with the sound 'al'. So the next time you come across names such as Jinal, Minal, Sonal, Hetal, Dimple, you know who they are. Similarly, if you come across names like Chetan, Ketan, Jinesh and Jignesh, you can safely consider them to be a Gujarati.Also the suffix bhai and ben is an indicator, best examples are: Dhirubhai, Kokilaben.<br />
<br />
<i><u>Hint: If you are able to find a gujarati using this tip, and if the person becomes friendly with you, dont forget to call me when they bring aamras puri for you.</u></i><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">You know the opposite person is a Sikh when...</span><br />
<br />
The name ends with a Kaur / Singh. Punjabi sikh names are unisex in nature. So both a man or a woman can be Gurpreet, Manpreet and so on. Now if you come face to face with them, you don't have to put much efforts in knowing if the person is a man or a woman. But if you are sending an e-mail to the person and if you are wondering how to address them, all you need to do is check if the name ends with a Kaur or Singh. So if the e-mail id says Manpreetkaur, it's a woman and if it is Manpreet Singh, it's a man.<br />
<br />
<u><i>Note: I love parathas too... so you know what to do if this tip works for you!</i></u><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">You know you are speaking to a Maharashtrian when...</span><br />
<br />
Ok Maharashtrians don't have a peculiar trend in naming the kids. But often their surname is an indicator. Usually maharashtrian surnames end with 'kar'. So if you come across as a Mageshkar, Patkar, Tendulkar, Parmekar, Toraskar, you know you are speaking to a Maharashtrian.<br />
<br />
<u><i>Note: Karmarkar, I am told is Bengali surname and not a Maharashtrian surname. So yeah this is not a fool-proof method. In case, if they do turn out to be a Maharashtrian, don't forget to ask for puran poli. </i></u><br />
<br />
There are many more, but my blog would run out of space. So I will end here.<br />
<br />
A myth-buster: Don't assume that a surname, which ends with 'ani' is Sindhi. They can be a Kutchi or a Gujarati.</div>
gayathri vishwanathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00883895855698328408noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718741532109811689.post-87455134122864544612013-01-04T21:39:00.001-08:002013-01-04T21:39:15.670-08:00Don’t rape the Rape issue!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">The recent delhi gang rape incident has
enraged the entire nation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">But despite this fury, women are still being
assaulted.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">As if to add salt to the injury,
politicians including women made some insensitive remarks on this entire issue.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">For some reason all this seems staged to
me, else no politician and I mean NO politician would make such illogical
statements at a time when the entire nation is in fury.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">All this I suspect is done to grab media’s
attention. So that people will forget about amending the laws and will instead
spend time outraging over the politician’s statement.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">But I hope that their plan fails big
time...</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Just check some of the most stupid comments
made by them:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-IN">“Ek
hi shabd hai – Maryada. Maryada ka ulanghan hota hai, toh Sita-haran ho jata
hai. Laxman-rekha har vyakti ki khichi gayi hai. Us Laxman-rekha ko koi bhi par
karega, toh Rawan samne baitha hai, woh Sita-haran karke le jayega.” –</span></i><span lang="EN-IN"> Madhya Pradesh Industry Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #262626; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #262626; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #262626; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></i></span><i><span lang="EN-IN">“Those who are coming in the name of students in the
rallies,</span></i><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #262626; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></i></span><em><span lang="EN-IN" style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #262626; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; font-style: normal; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">sundori, sundori
mahila</span></em><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: #262626; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></i></span><i><span lang="EN-IN">(beautiful women), highly dented and painted”</span> –</i><span lang="EN-IN"> President’s son Abhijit Mukherjee.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">And if you thought only men make such statements,
you are wrong.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Here’s what a lady belonging to TMC had to
say about the Park street gang rape case:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span lang="EN-IN">“If
you ask me about the Park Street case, I have to tell you that it was not rape.
It was a deal, which turned into a misunderstanding between the clients and the
lady</span>” -</i><span lang="EN-IN"> Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">I am a born cynic, so I had lost all hopes
about amendments in the laws.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">After all, when your own representatives blame
women for ‘provoking’ the men to rape them, what more can we expect?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">They are encouraging the men indirectly to
do what they want to the ladies... it’s perfectly ok because it’s the woman who
crossed the lakshman rekha. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">I am also equally disgusted with Shashi
Taroor’s suggestion to name the law after the girl’s name. Sir, first let the
law be amended. Then we can discuss about the nomenclature. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">As it is women are not really treated well
in our nation. There are very few female leaders in the Corporate sector and
other fields. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">And now with such people around us, I am
not sure what would be the repercussions.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">A report in Firstpost says that many women
have already quit or reduced their working hours after the incident. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">While the long term solution is to amend
the laws, sensitize the police and change the mindset of the society, I don’t see
it happening for another decade.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">So till that is done, all that we women can
do is learn to protect ourselves.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Carry a pepper spray with you, learn some self
defence techniques and most importantly help others when they are in trouble. The
girl’s life would have been saved, had people helped her on time. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Let the society tell anything, you wear
what is comfortable to you, you meet whichever friend you want, but yes do
ensure that you abide with the timings set by your parents or spouse for
returning home. Because back there at home, people will be worried about you. So
better not to give them unnecessary tension.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Ok, I am done with the ranting. As I said, looking
at how lightly our politicians are taking this issue, I am not really expecting
any changes in the existing law. At least not for now. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Just hope that all these rapists, not just
in this case but all other cases are subjected to harsh punishment without any
further delay. Unfortunately politicians, media and people are focusing on this case only. Punish everybody pls.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">At least itna toh karo yaar!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: red;">P.S:</span></b> Beside the current political drama,
there is one more thing that is worrying me. Who do I vote in 2014 elections?
The Congress who does nonsensical things or the BJP who talks nonsensical things
or the opportunist 3<sup>rd</sup> front? It is like choosing between the devil
and the deep sea. Though I respect Narendra Modi, I can’t see him as the PM of
my country. His 50 crore girlfriend remark and girls dont want to put on weight hence they don't drink milk statement was enough to overshadow all the
developments he has done to the wonderful Gujarat. If a potential PM can’t respect women, what do we expect from the commoners?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
gayathri vishwanathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00883895855698328408noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718741532109811689.post-81590544481474047682012-09-24T07:11:00.004-07:002012-09-24T07:11:57.206-07:00Why I will continue shopping in Kiranas?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">FDI in retail it seems!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Good to hear about this new development.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Shamefully, I am not very well verse with
the pros and cons of this new development (though I assume it’s a good
decision).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">But the one major point that caught my
attention was about the probability of small time traders and kiranas losing
their business.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">This topic is of special interest to me
because my day to day grocery purchases depend upon them. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">As a middle class person, I understand the
importance of the local kirana shops.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">The local grocery shops are more flexible
w.r.t delivery, pricing and even payment. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">I will discuss all this point by point and
compare each of them with the retail outlets like food bazaar and More that
have increasingly become popular now.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="color: red;">Location:</span></span></b></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">This is one of the major reasons why I
prefer kiranas more than the huge retail outlets. Outlets such as Aditya
Birla’s More and Future Group’s big bazaar are almost there in every location.
But nothing can beat the accessibility of local kirana shops. I will give you
an example. Hypercity and Spencers are the closest retail outlets near my
place. But it takes almost 15 minutes for me to go there and I am not even
including the travel time and traffic here. Now if I need something urgent like
say a guest has come and I want to buy soft drinks for them, can’t go to the
retail outlet to purchase it. I just need to go down and buy the soft drinks or
best call them up and ask them to deliver it at home. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Now imagine how the situation will be
without any local kirana shop. It is almost unimaginable. I cannot tell my
guest to sit for 45 minutes, while I go, buy, stand in the queue to pay the
bill and come back, right? That’s why I like my local kirana shop. They give me
everything within few minutes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="color: red;">Home
Delivery:</span></span></b></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">For people who own a car or stay nearby, it
is easier to buy grocery and carry it themselves. But for people like me who
neither own a vehicle nor stays nearby, retail outlets can be a huge hassle
because most of these outlets do not have a home delivery option. And if they
have, you need to buy in bulk. This problem is well taken care of by local
shops. Even if you stay in the same building or have ordered just 100 Rs of
grocery, the kiranawala will send his delivery boy to your home. You need not
have to huff and puff with hundreds of packets in your hand.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="color: red;">Fixed
Rate:</span></span></b></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-IN">In
India, the first lesson that every mother teaches her kid who goes shopping for
the first time is bargaining. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"> I
remember my mom telling me to ask for 6 bananas for 10 Rs when I first went
alone a shop. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Yes you can bargain with your local shop
vendor, but not in these outlets. In fact, don’t even try bargaining there
because you will be given strange looks</span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><span lang="EN-IN">.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Everything in the outlets has a fixed
price. Yes, some things are priced less than the MRP but for products like dal
and fruits, you should always buy from the grocery because even though there is
a fixed price, they adjust it somehow to make it a round figure. One more major
thing, the fruits and vegetables in these markets are not as fresh as those
available in the market. They look very shrivelled. Best to buy perishable
things like vegetables, fruits, milk etc from the local market than in these
outlets. Even packed snacks like haldiram bhujia are not as crunchy as they
should be. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">From round figure, I remember one important
point. In local shops you can bindaas tell the shopkeeper to adjust and make a
round figure bill. For example, if you have purchased things worth Rs 173, you
can tell the shopkeeper to give at Rs 170. They will do some jhol jaal and do
it for you. In retail outlets, you can’t do that. They will make a round
figure, but that will be at the higher side. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="color: red;">Difference between Credit
card and credit system:</span></span></b></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">This point was raised by my professor some
6 years ago and I think it is quite valid.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">My professor one day asked us, there are so
many food retail outlets coming up in India, do you think it will be as popular
as your kirana dukaan.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">We all unanimously said yes. He said
‘NO’. In his view, no matter how popular
these outlets become, kirana dukaans will always exist.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">The simple reason being that we can buy
things on credit...</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">And this I believe is quite valid.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"> It
happens to me a lot of time...</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">I go to buy something, find zero money in
my wallet, tell the shopkeeper to write it down and then pay it after a month
when my salary is credited. Now credit cards are accepted in malls but then
there is nothing like having an account with your grocery shop. Also, you
cannot buy a 10 Rs item on credit from retail outlets, can you?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><b><span lang="EN-IN"><span style="color: red;">Buy
as much as you want and not as much as they want:</span></span></b></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Want only 10 gms of elaichi, 50 gms of
cashew nuts, Rs 5 of coriander leaves or just 200 gms of tuvar dal? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Go to the local kirana shop because they
will give you the quantity you desire.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">If you go to the retail outlets, chances
are that you won’t get the desired quantity. Mostly you will have to buy in
bulk. You will compulsorily have to purchase 50 gms of elaichi even if you need
just 10 gms because they are already packed. In kiranas they are sold loose so
you can buy as much as you want. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">I will give you an example. We are rice
eaters. We eat rotis only at night. So ideally we don’t require more than 1 kg
of atta for a month. If we go to buy in malls, we mostly don’t get the 1 kilo
atta. We normally get the 5 kilo atta packet. Not that kirana shops have 1 kilo
atta ready but if you tell them, they will get it for you in a week somehow.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">But the main reason why I prefer local
kirana shops is because they give you personalized treatment. Something that
you cannot expect in malls.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Your local shopkeeper will know what you
like, what you dislike, what are your preferences etc. He will inform you every
time there is something new in the market. For example, my kirana wala uncle informs
my mom about the new biscuits that have come in the market almost every week,
just because we are biscuit lovers</span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><span lang="EN-IN">.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Knowingly or unknowingly they become your
extended family.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Of course I love shopping in these large
retail outlets. You have the freedom to browse through the multiple brands on
the rack, study them, compare them and purchase them. But when it comes to
personalized treatment no one can beat the warmth of the local kirana shops. They
simply look after you. And what more do we Indian who has an emotional connect
with everybody need?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Though I think FDI in retail is a good
decision, considering that it will be more organized and create more job opportunities
for youth, I sincerely hope that the kiranas coexist in the society.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">I cannot imagine a day without purchasing
anything from Devshri Ratilal shop or the new chayya shop near my place</span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><span lang="EN-IN">.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Hope kirana shops don’t become extinct. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
gayathri vishwanathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00883895855698328408noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718741532109811689.post-18436072291673714742012-09-14T07:20:00.001-07:002012-09-14T07:20:32.525-07:00An ode to my beloved grandma (27th June 1928 to 14th September 2007)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">I still remember that dreadful day. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">5 years ago, this very same day when the
entire city of Mumbai was preparing to welcome their beloved Lord Ganesha, me
and my family were mourning. We lost a person who was our biggest strength.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">My dad lost his mom, my mom lost her mother
in law, my brother and I lost my Grandmother Mrs. Raji Mani who my friends and I
lovingly refer to as Rose.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Being a child of working parents, I am not
ashamed to say that I spent more time with Rose than with my parents.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">In fact, I can proudly say whatever I am
today is because of my granny.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">The values such as respecting my elders and
being sensitive to other’s needs, the deep rooted love for classical music and
of course my floral decorations during poojas, everything indicates just one
thing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">My Granny’s influence!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">And if you think my granny is just like the
stereotypical grannies, then you are wrong.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Yes my granny was superstitious and
orthodox. I used to fight a lot with her as a teenager as I could not accept
some weird practices such as not touching the pickle bottle when you get your
periods or not cutting nails on Tuesdays and Fridays.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">But having said that, she was a ‘modern’
paati (granny) too</span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><span lang="EN-IN">!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">She used to speak English so fluently that
she was considered ‘cool’ by my friends. They absolutely loved her!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">In fact, she would read every word of Times
of India. So vast was her knowledge, that she could give you solution for any
damn problem.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">And yes she loved cricket too!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">She had a soft corner for Sachin Tendulkar
and Rahul Dravid. In fact, on that fateful day (she passed away in the evening
around 7.30 PM) Rahul Dravid had stepped down as the captain.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">She was empathetically discussing with me
about his decision in the afternoon (surprisingly I had not gone to office that
day).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Little did we realize that it would be our
last discussion on any topic </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">L</span><span lang="EN-IN">.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">In the evening when I was yahoo chatting
with my college friend, she complained of uneasiness.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">My mom gave her jeera pani and went for
shopping as the next day was Ganesh Chathurti.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">She had the pani, said she felt relieved
and started reading a book (she was a voracious reader).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Suddenly she again felt uneasy, I casually asked
her to go to bed and sleep. Just as she stepped on to the bed, something
happened to her.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">She gasped for breath, I went to her, and
helped her lie on the bed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">I called my dad who was praying inside. He rushed
to her side.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">My granny vomited and that was it!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">She was gone.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">I screamed, called out Rose respond, Rose
respond… </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">But there was no response. I cleaned her
mouth, tried pouring water on her face but no response.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Doctor was called and he confirmed what I did
not want to hear.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">She was declared dead. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">For the first time in my life, she hurt me
very badly.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">People said I was lucky to be with her in
the last moment. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">I did not feel lucky or good about seeing
her die. How can a girl who has always seen her grand mom active (my granny had
even washed her clothes that day, like always) feel good about her inertia?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">The incident still depresses me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">That day when people were getting ganeshji’s
idols, we were preparing for my granny’s visarjan.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">My granny might not be there, but her
memories are still there with me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">I could not do even 0.5% of what she has
done for me. There were days when I completely ignored her presence because I was
‘busy’ studying and working for pocket money.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">I have been rude to her many a times when I
was ‘busy’, but little did I care for her feelings.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Today I feel very guilty of my behaviour. I
weep, I say sorry but I don’t even know if my message has reached her. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">The incident taught me an important
lesson: Never take anybody for granted
especially those who have sacrificed their happiness for you.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Sad I learnt it late.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">On the 5<sup>th</sup> death anniversary of
my beloved granny Rose, I would like to tell you that if your grandparents and
parents are alive, please take a vow to spend at least 10-15 mins with them daily.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">The happiness on their face is more than
what you earn for spending 15 hours in office. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Trust me, you will feel good about this….</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
gayathri vishwanathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00883895855698328408noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718741532109811689.post-4528440889565127002012-08-06T05:02:00.000-07:002012-08-06T05:05:54.512-07:00Why Sports education is important in India?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Olympic fever is on!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And I am happy that more and more people
are following it closely this time.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">In fact, on Saturday when India won against
Sri Lanka in the cricket match nobody really went gaga over it. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Cricket was
completely overshadowed by Saina’s bronze medal! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">I was happy to see that for once
cricket took a backseat and badminton was given due importance. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">But this post is not about cricket or any
other sport. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">It is about why a country that has a large
pool of talent is lagging behind in terms of medal tally?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">China which is more populated than our
nation has proved the worth of its citizens by getting highest number of
medals. Other countries that are nowhere close to our demography is winning
more medals than us. But here in a country of billion people, we have just 3
medals as of now! Probably more medals might come, but that again will be quite
less. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">So this brings me to my question - what
could be the reason for this population: medal tally disproportion?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Is it lack of resources, lack of awareness,
lack of motivation for non-cricket players, what is it?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Reasons could be many and only a sports expert
like my friend Moulin can comment on it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">But in my view one of the major reasons why
we have fewer medals must be due to lack of sports education.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Let’s look at each aspect one by one:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-IN">Lazy
school days:</span></b><span lang="EN-IN">
Just go back to your school days. Remember we used to have just two
sessions of Physical Training every week?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Yes, out of the entire 36 hours in a week,
just 2 hours were dedicated to Physical Training.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">And in that session, we would just do some
random exercises, run around the ground 2-3 times, and that’s it. There was no
option such as choosing your favourite sport, practicing it and excelling in it
(at least school didn’t have such facilities). Of course, there were sports
club, but they were meant for Richie rich people. Middle class people like me
had to play in the colony. Now the situation is even worse. I hardly see
children running around and playing. Angry bird type of games has replaced
kho-kho and kabbadi.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-IN">Unconventional
career = short career span:</span></b><span lang="EN-IN"> As a kid, you dare not
say you want to be a sportsman or a sports woman. Because chances are you will
be looked down upon as a ‘dumb’ kid. I remember, in school, even if you won a
medal, you were considered a dumb kid just because you did not get a rank
between the first 10.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">In our nation, a child is expected to
study, study and just study. You either have to be an engineer, an MBA, a CA or
a doctor. Sport is only to get a sports quota just in case you fall short of
percentage required for admission in a coveted college. Here sport is given a
step motherly treatment and is looked down upon as a ‘career for not so
intelligent people’. I have decided,
when I have kids, I will enrol them for professional training in whichever sport
they like. It is one of the most essential things for holistic development of
an individual. You will remain not just healthy, but it will also help you learn
about sportsmanship and team spirit.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Another myth is if you are a sportsman,
your career is short. This in my view is just a myth. In India, sportsmen do
have value. Ok you might not feature in ads like our cricketers, but after
retirement, you can run an academy like Gopichand or become an MP just like our
cricketers ;-). Why you even get a job in ONGC, railways, police force etc –
places where you and I can only dream of working.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">So basically, you won’t become a Paan Singh
Tomar if you play and retire smartly.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-IN">High
priced fees:</span></b><span lang="EN-IN"> Let’s be honest. Asking a person to
shell out 50,000 Rs to one lakh for professional training might not seem too much
now-a-days. But in reality it is pretty high. No matter how famous the
institution is, the fees should be reasonable. I personally know of a lady
whose daughter was a talented tennis player. But the girl could not train
beyond a level because she could not afford the fees. At the cost of sounding
pompous I can say, India has indeed lost a talented player. So, I hope the
institutions reconsider their fee structure.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">But having said that, I am really happy
that a lot of players are doing well. Ok some players like our hockey players
are losing out without fighting. But some like P Kashyap, Saina Nehwal, Mary
Kom have performed very well. And I believe the credit must also go to the Olympic
Gold Quest an initiative started by stalwarts like Prakash Padukone and Geet
Sethi who are doing their best to support these talented sports people.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">But still considering that the Population:
Medal Tally ratio is quite low; it is high time that sports education is
seriously considered in schools and colleges. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Let’s encourage the next generation to take
up sports and make us proud! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">I am sure they will, if it means going out
and playing instead of just studying ;-)</span></div>
</div>
gayathri vishwanathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00883895855698328408noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718741532109811689.post-25703329010453945762012-07-11T00:22:00.001-07:002012-07-11T00:22:25.626-07:00True story of a gritty lady...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Some four decades back, a group of students
in 9<sup>th</sup> standard came to a girl’s place and gave her a question
paper.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">“Study this much, yehi aayega kal ke exam
mein”, they said.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">The girl was nervous for being a part of
this ‘crime’. She read only those questions that were to be asked in the exams.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">She went to the school and sat for the
examination. Before the exams could start, the principal asked the students to
assemble in the foyer and asked, “who leaked the paper?”.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Nobody raised their hand, except for this
girl. The girl was punished. The class mates did not talk to her for a year.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Her last year in school was not as
enjoyable as she wanted it to be. But she did not repent her decision. She knew
what she did was correct. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">She could have escaped this mess, but she
chose to confess than remain a coward. She truly followed the basic lesson that
Gandhiji taught us i.e. to be honest.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><b>That girl is none other than my dearest mom
Mrs. Uma Vishwanathan who is celebrating her b’day today.</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">I love this characteristic of my mother. She
is frank, honest and pure at heart. You
can trust her completely. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">She says it is better to confess to mistakes and face
the music rather than hiding it and making thousands of stories to hide the
truth.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Though I try to be honest, there are times
when I lie without even blinking an eyelid. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">For instance, daily I tell my parents that
I will reach home in 15 minutes when actually I am an hour away from the
destination. When quizzed about the delay, I would conveniently put the blame
on the traffic.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Not that they believe me, but this has
become my most often repeated lie. Dad once told me sarcastically, why don’t you
come by train instead of rickshaws and cabs?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Must say honesty is the best but a
difficult policy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Another thing that I love about my mom is
her progressive and no pretention attitude. She is quite progressive for her
age. Though she gets worked up about how the society thinks, she never forces
me into anything. Be it about my marriage or about my career choice. When I
decided to take up writing as my career, my father was not quite impressed by
my choice. But my mom took it in right spirits and allowed me to do what I
like. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Like every other child, according to me, my
mom is the best woman I have ever come across.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">She is sweet, kind, beautiful and a great
human being. And oh she is a hit among my friends. They love her more than they
love me </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><span lang="EN-IN">.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">I am very proud to have her as my mom and I
hope god blesses me with her in my next birth too.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">I can go on and on about my mom. But I know
I have to stop somewhere.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">So I would like to end this post with a
quote that I read somewhere: God couldn’t be everywhere, so he created mothers.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">This seems to be true in my case </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><span lang="EN-IN">. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"> </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Thank you mummy for being my pillar of support </span><span lang="EN-IN" style="background-color: white; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">J</span><span lang="EN-IN" style="background-color: white; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%;">.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>gayathri vishwanathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00883895855698328408noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718741532109811689.post-10885581644774455122012-06-13T04:45:00.001-07:002012-06-13T04:45:57.423-07:00Why Vasant Dhoble is not entirely wrong!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: left;">Yesterday, a leading newspaper in Mumbai carried
an article whose headline read as:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">‘Beta so jao varna Dhoble aa jayega’.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">For the uninitiated, Dhoble uncle is the
ACP of Mumbai Police (Social Service department). And he is in news because of
his unconventional rather aggressive ways of raiding pubs, discotheques and
even cafes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">He was trending on Twitter yesterday
because he had raided Cafe Zoe and shot a video of the place to prove
that it was over crowded. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Now I must say his method is completely
wrong. If you think that a certain place is carrying out illegal activities, go
raid silently and treat the patrons with dignity.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Tell the media to shoo off so that the
patrons are not left embarrassed. I mean no innocent girl would like to be
tagged as a prostitute just because she was present in the club where the raid
occurred. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">The method used is completely wrong and I
hope Arup Patnaik (Commissioner of Mumbai Police) tells him exactly how he
should conduct the raids.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">But having said that, it is completely
wrong to target just one man and blame him for talibanizing Mumbai’s night
life.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">In a bid to accuse Dhoble for ruining the
night life of Mumbai, we are forgetting one thing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">He has a very strong defence for his
actions.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">According to him, he follows the laws laid
down by the judiciary system.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">So what if they are old and do not apply to
the current times.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">They still exist right?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Police will do exactly what the law says.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">If they had the power to over - rule the
laws of the land, Kasab would have been dead by now!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Who would not like to kill him and avenge
the death of Tukaram Omble who died for the nation while catching Kasab alive?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">So, my concern is that instead
of cribbing and protesting about Dhoble’s actions... protest against the
archaic laws that rule our society.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Protest against the pubs, discotheques,
raaste pe laga huva thelas for not carrying correct licenses.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">If everything is ‘right’... no mai kaa lal
can accuse you of doing anything ‘wrong’.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Honestly, I have no night life. Because half
of my time goes in travelling from one end of the city to another.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">And Sundays are too precious for me as that’s
the only day I get to be at home.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: red;">But here’s what I think the pubs, cafes and all other places
where the raids occur should do:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: .25in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span lang="EN-IN">Put all your licenses on public
display i.e. on your walls. So even if some authority comes and tells you that
your license is not valid, show it to them. Ensure that you have all the required
documents in place. Don’t allow the police to tell you that you have flouted
the rules.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: .25in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span lang="EN-IN">Check all the patrons
thoroughly, irrespective of whether you find them suspicious or not.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: .25in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN-IN" style="color: red;">And for patrons, here’s what you should do:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: .25in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span lang="EN-IN">Carry your age proof with you,
just to ensure that nobody throws you out of the pub for looking like a kid.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: .25in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span lang="EN-IN">Cooperate with the police if
they come. The more you resist, the more aggressive they will become. Be calm
if they check you. You know you have not done anything wrong, then why fear. </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: .25in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: .25in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-IN" style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><span lang="EN-IN">Most importantly, if you notice
anything wrong, please have the guts to be a witness and call the cops. It is
easy to say that cops should do their duty. Solve cases that are pending. Trust
me no other police force in India do their duty as sincerely as our Mumbai
police. They have the strongest network of khabris. So until and unless you do
not go ahead and render support to them... they will not be able to solve any
case. Cooperate with them.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: .25in; text-indent: 0in;">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">I agree, Dhoble should not teach us how to
behave and what to do. But if something goes wrong, the first one to be targeted
after the guilty is our bechara cops.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Call it insecurity, sadistic pleasure or taking
advance precaution, Dhoble is only doing his duty. No one can stop him from
doing that!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">And that’s the harsh truth!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">So go ahead, start a petition to change the
laws, which is the root cause to all these problems! And not Dhoble...</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Signing off,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-IN">Lecture dene wali dadimaa!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>gayathri vishwanathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00883895855698328408noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718741532109811689.post-33079759504337736392012-03-31T12:14:00.001-07:002012-03-31T12:25:35.498-07:00An open letter to South and North Indian public<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Dear North Indian and South Indian public,<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>Enough is enough! Why do you guys have to take away the limelight from the rest of the country?</div><div><br />
</div><div>First it was Kamal Hassan and Rati Agnihotri in Ek Duje Ke Liye. Then came Chetan Bhagat with a book on his marriage where again the protagonists were North Indians and South Indians.</div><div><br />
</div><div>And now just when Kolkata started getting recognition from Kahaani and West started getting recognition from Aradhya bachan and grandpa bachan, you guys successfully took away the limelight from us by writing immature articles such as <b><span style="color: red;"><a href="http://www.livemint.com/Articles/2012/03/29200444/Why-is-it-better-to-live-in-th.html">this one</a>.</span></b></div><div><br />
</div><div>Kabhi socha hain humein kitna complex hotha hoga.<br />
<br />
</div><div>You remember us only when someone gets you rasgullas or vada pav. You discuss about us only during budget as our FM is a bengali and when the sensex reaches a new low during economic crisis.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Otherwise you never pay any attention to our existence :(</div><div><br />
<br />
<div>FYI, we also have our own music, dance, distinct cuisine, our own charm and idiosyncrasies haan. So zyada shine nahi maarneka.</div><div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></div></div><div>For you music is categorized into carnatic and Hindustani classical only, ever thought the soulful tukaram abhangs are also a form of music? </div><div><br />
</div><div>For you Indian classical dance is all about Kathak and Bharat Nataym, ever seen Manipuri dancers dance?</div><div><br />
</div><div>For you North Indians = brawn, South = brain, ever thought Subash Chandra Bose and Vikram Sarabhai were neither South Indian nor North Indian.</div><div><div><br />
</div><div>Its not that we want any bhaav, we just want peace. India is a great country but we are already in doldrums due to multiple problems. Instead of fighting within ourselves over trivial matters such as whose culture is the best... can't we set an example by showing the world how united we are despite diversity?</div><div><br />
</div><div>Our sincere request, stop acting pricey. Just go to Madras Cafe or a highway ka dhaba and eat Dosas + mor or parathas + lassi and patch up. Don't make curds out of my brain now (dhimaak ka dahi), just stop fighting like chunnu munnu and pinky. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Hope you will behave properly from now on.<br />
<br />
Chalo aavjo!<br />
<br />
With loads of love,<br />
- Western, Eastern and Central part of India!</div></div></div>gayathri vishwanathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00883895855698328408noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718741532109811689.post-67724988634511498692011-10-26T11:24:00.000-07:002011-10-26T11:34:54.388-07:00A diwali well spent...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">"Good boy, last bite kha lo chalo", sangi said as she fed the kid. As the kid finished his last bite, she looked at me and heaved a sigh of relief. No, she was not the kid's mom...neither was I. The kid was a part of an orphanage (did not have the right word) named Shanti Daan.<br />
<br />
Shanti Daan is situated in (almost) the outskirts of Mumbai. It provides shelter to kids and old people who are mentally and physically challenged. It was Sangi's idea to visit them on Diwali.<br />
<br />
This is what we did there:<br />
1. <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Feeding the kids = not that easy:</span></b> We were given a plate that had a pudding made of tea and biscuits. We were asked to feed the kids. While some kids ate quickly, some did not even know that they had to swallow it. For example, I kept feeding the kid thinking he will eat, but he was just not swallowing it. The pudding was dripping out of his mouth. I did not know what to do, the volunteer came and helped me feed the guy. He had to literally move the boy's chin to help him swallow it. I had tears in my eyes.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>2. Interacting with kids = full on fun:</b></span> After a quick walk around the building, we went to the main hall to play with kids. We were playing catch catch with them, but they did not seem to show any enthusiasm. Only 2 boys- Rakesh and x (will call the other boy x as we could not get his name) were playing with us. Suddenly a sweet girl Gunjan joined us and tadaaaaaa we had 2 more friends- navin and pravin. It was pure fun. <u><b>A lesson that we learnt was treat these kids the way you treat the other kids...they reciprocate well. No need to talk in syrupy language. </b></u><br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">3. The candle making room = awestruck reactions: </span></b>After spending an hour with the kids, we went to the room where people were making candles. What we saw made us open our mouth and purse out of admiration. They had made beautiful candles with correct colour combinations. We simply loved the house that they made of wax.We immediately purchased candles for our near and dear ones. Needless to say, they all loved it. <u><b>A lesson learnt: Everyone is talented, you have to discover it.</b></u><br />
<br />
We came out happily. We knew we spent our Diwali fruitfully. We are not trying to boast that we had done something good. Nopes that is not our intention. Our intention is to tell you that:<br />
<br />
Whenever u feel your life is miserable or that you lack comforts or freedom in life- then spare a thought...there are millions who live a worse life than you. As one volunteer told us: At least we have our parents to support us, these kids have none!<br />
<br />
<br />
</div>gayathri vishwanathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00883895855698328408noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718741532109811689.post-44936490174842024582011-08-17T04:41:00.000-07:002011-08-17T04:41:52.463-07:00Tackling Corruption my way...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span closure_uid_rwruqh="108" style="font-family: Calibri;">Yesterday was a very sad day. Just on 15th August we celebrated our Independence Day- a day when we got free from the harsh Colonial rule. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span closure_uid_rwruqh="109" style="font-family: Calibri;">And the very next day we lost our freedom yet again. The Anna Hazare arrest has shocked everybody. Isn’t this bad...a politician can give derogatory speeches before election, but a 74 year old civilian cannot even protest in peace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are the laws different for common men and politicians? If yes, then why do we call India a democratic nation?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" closure_uid_rwruqh="128" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span closure_uid_rwruqh="110" style="font-family: Calibri;">I never supported the Jan Lokpal Bill because somehow the idea of bringing the PM and Supreme Court under the scanner did not appeal to me. Also, the PM and CJI are not elected by the people of the country...we only choose a winning party. It is the winning party then, which decides who should be the PM and the cabinet ministers. So, basically we do not really have the right to prosecute them. There might be more loopholes too...which only my lawyer pal like Neha can explain. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" closure_uid_rwruqh="112" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span closure_uid_rwruqh="117" style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: red;">So what should we do?</span></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: .25in; text-indent: 0in;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.</span><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB"><span closure_uid_rwruqh="111" style="font-family: Calibri;">Firstly, we must understand that we have the power to vote. But by voting...I don’t mean just standing in the long queue, getting your nail inked and punching the buttons against any party. By voting I mean studying the agenda that they present before you...checking their credentials etc. I know it is a very tough and time consuming task...but definitely a little research would not hurt. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span lang="EN-GB"><span closure_uid_rwruqh="113" style="font-family: Calibri;">Just check how the residents of Juhu had elected an independent candidate named Adolf as their corporator during the last BMC elections. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Needless to say, he has done a lot for Juhu. Now, other areas too are taking lessons from Juhu for the next BMC elections.</span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" closure_uid_rwruqh="129" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: .25in; text-indent: 0in;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2.</span><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB"><span closure_uid_rwruqh="114" style="font-family: Calibri;">Tata tea had come up with a brilliant caption two years back, which said ‘woh khate hain kyunki hum khilate hain’...isn’t that true? Stop bribing officials for everything. Getting a license, ration card or passport is our right and no one can deny it. I know it is a long battle, you may lose a lot...but in a way you are helping your nation in fighting corruption. </span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: .25in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" closure_uid_rwruqh="130" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: .25in; text-indent: 0in;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3.</span><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB"><span closure_uid_rwruqh="102" style="font-family: Calibri;">India has an Act called the RTI Act. It means you have the right to seek information from the government bodies in case of delay/irregularities in their functioning. Again, the procedure is long and even the response is vague or delayed...but there is no harm in filing it. At least it would make the governing bodies sit up and do their work properly. I would suggest that you use the existing laws rather than just fighting without understanding a word about the bill. </span></span></div><div closure_uid_rwruqh="115">Use the existing laws, try to be patient and fight the system with patience...bunking offices and colleges or mouthing anti government slogans will not work. Of course, now the government is scared of our anger...but still please do not disrupt normal life under the pretext of protesting. </div><div closure_uid_rwruqh="115"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_rwruqh="115">Tell me honestly, don't we pay traffic police, telephone wala and god knows who all to get our work done? I know even if this law gets passed, people will not use it. We have never filed for a RTI or a PIL...do u think we will use this one? I am sure we won't. The best solution is what Narayan Murthy said...Legalize Bribery. </div></div>gayathri vishwanathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00883895855698328408noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718741532109811689.post-91956677380733574012011-08-04T10:42:00.000-07:002011-08-04T10:45:13.714-07:00Happy Birthday Kishore Kumar<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div closure_uid_k48mbd="111"><div closure_uid_k48mbd="133"><div closure_uid_93fpyh="92">Today was the 82nd Birth Anniversary of my favorite singer Kishore Kumar. He has always been with me all the time. He croons <em><span style="color: red;">zindagi ek safar hain suhana</span></em> when I fear about my future...he sings <span style="color: red;"><em>rim jhim gire sawaan</em></span> when it rains the first time in Mumbai every June...he advices me by singing <em><span style="color: red;">kuch toh log kahenge logon ka kaam hain kehna</span></em> when I lose my temper on narrow minded people. He echoed my sentiments when he sang <span style="color: red;"><em>din hain suhana aaj pehli tarikh hain</em></span>...the first time I got my salary. He is always there with me during all my ups and downs.</div></div></div><div closure_uid_k48mbd="111"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_k48mbd="111"><div closure_uid_k48mbd="141">He may have had plenty of affairs, may have married four times...he may have been short tempered and unpredictable but he always touched our heart. His versatile voice, his comic abilities and his famous yodling are still remembered by everyone. </div></div><div closure_uid_k48mbd="111"><br />
</div><div closure_uid_k48mbd="111"><div closure_uid_k48mbd="140"><div closure_uid_93fpyh="90">I love almost every Kishore Kumar song...but there is one which I particularly love the most. I am sharing the video here...do listen to this song. Sad the songs that are made today are vulgar and thrash. Enjoy this song and get immersed in the beautiful lyrics.</div></div></div><div closure_uid_k48mbd="111"><div closure_uid_k48mbd="143"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/95UdAo4JdJI" width="425"></iframe></div></div><div closure_uid_k48mbd="111"><div closure_uid_k48mbd="122"><br />
<strong>And here are the lyrics:</strong></div><br />
<div closure_uid_k48mbd="123"><span style="color: red;"><em>kuchh toh log kahenge, logo kaa kam hain kehna </em></span></div><span style="color: red;"><em></em></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><br />
<em></em></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><em>chhodo bekar kee bato me kahee bit naa jayey raina </em></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><br />
<em></em></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><em>kuchh rit jagat kee aisi hai, har ek subah kee sham huyi </em></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><br />
<em></em></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><em>too kaun hai, tera nam hain kya, sita bhi yaha badanam huyi </em></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><br />
<em></em></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><em>fir kyo sansar kee bato se bhig gaye tere naina </em></span><br />
<br />
<div closure_uid_q88hpc="101"><span style="color: red;"><br />
<em></em></span></div><span style="color: red;"><em>hamko jo tane dete hai, ham khoye hain in rang raliyo me </em></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><br />
<em></em></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><em>hamne unako bhi chhup chhup ke aate dekha in galiyo me </em></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><br />
<em></em></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><em>yeh sach hain jhuthe bat nahee tum bolo yeh sach hain naa</em></span><br />
<br />
</div></div>gayathri vishwanathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00883895855698328408noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718741532109811689.post-15714156543827865152011-06-23T11:27:00.000-07:002011-06-24T12:13:33.908-07:00We shall not listen- Part 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">My brother who has just returned from his Bangkok vacation, was sharing his experiences with us when suddenly the topic shifted to how people in Bangkok follow traffic rules and how we are in India. He said people in Bangkok would never honk unnecessarily and would always follow the rules unlike us. This conversation turned out to be a perfect beginning for the second part of my series: We shall not listen.<br />
<br />
Honestly speaking I myself am a very indisciplined person. I cross the roads even if the cars have not halted or would never follow the zebra crossing (actually zebra crossing lines have faded in my city, you can barely see it). So basically, I am not the right person to write about it. Infact once when I was in 2nd standard, I did not look at the rickshaw coming from the opp direction, I simply crossed the road. The rickshawala got down and slapped me hard across the cheeks for being negligent. Not that I learnt any lesson but yes since then I developed immense hatred for rickshawalas despite being a rickshaw addict ;-)<br />
<br />
So note to myself: Cross the road only when the vehicles halt.Look aage peeche upar neeche and daaye baaye.<br />
<br />
When we talk about following traffic rules, it is not just meant for pedestrians. Motorists infact have a greater responsibility because if they injure a pedestrian or a fellow motorist; the public would happily pounce and vent their frustration on the poor motorist.<br />
<br />
My brother says every country has a stringent law for traffic regulation, which our country lacks. Give the traffic cop 100 rupees extra and you are left scot-free. Worse are the hit and run cases due to drunken driving (e.g. actor Salman Khan), you kill some innocent people and give some compensation to the family (in some cases not even a compensation) and you are left on bail. Would your compensation bring back the family's loved ones? The punishments are bad and ancient, so what do we do about it?<br />
<br />
We can only follow the rules. Is it easy? No it is not. You are forced to follow the herd mentality, for example: you have a speed limit for driving in a highway, sea link, normal roads etc which needs to be followed, but how many of us follow it?. Ek ne tez se car kya chalaya everybody follows the same without even caring about the speed limit and incase some one follows the speed limit, they are showered with colorful verbal abuses for creating problems in 'smooth functioning of traffic'.<br />
<br />
People are not the real problem, the problem is with the punishments, they need to be made really stringent, so stringent that people think twice before flouting the rules. For instance, make drunken driving a non bailable offence or if You exceed the speed limit, go drive your car in Kanjurmarg or Powai during peak hours for one whole year (you will forget what rash driving is). Kuch bhi karo but please ensure that there is smooth flow of traffic, you have no idea how scared senior citizens, physically challenged people are when they have to cross the roads.<br />
<br />
More inputs are welcome.<br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Up next: Pressure to excel in life.</span></b><br />
<br />
</div>gayathri vishwanathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00883895855698328408noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718741532109811689.post-73097872223288993232011-06-10T12:19:00.000-07:002011-06-10T12:19:34.965-07:00Fida over his art huh?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div>At any point of time if I sound like a Hindu Fanatic, please pardon me. Please do not tell the Mumbai cops to attack me with tear gas. Also please do not give my blog link to Digvijay Singh else he would accuse me of being a part of RSS. These are just my views and you have the right to agree and disagree with it. Phool aur Kaante accepted.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Ok now that I have made myself clear, I will start writing now. I know criticizing someone after his soul departs is a bad thing, but I could not stop myself from expressing my views after reading the opinions of (so-called) liberal people in the newspaper.</div><div><br />
</div><div>On thursday, India's Picasso passed away in London at the ripe age of 96. </div><div><br />
</div><div>Now, honestly I never understood modern or abstract art. </div><div><br />
</div><div>So obviously, since I never understood Husain's paintings; I never understood the hype made out of his paintings. </div><div><br />
</div><div>For me-</div><div>1) The aunties who made rangolis and kolams outside their home were better artists. </div><div>2) RK Lakshman's 'You Said It' was 1000 times better as compared to his weird creatures on the canvas.</div><div>3) Art is something which touches your heart or something that we understand. </div><div>4) Da Vinci's The Last Supper and the Mona Lisa were perfect work of art.</div><div>5) A random horse (which looks like a donkey) running across the canvas or nude goddesses were not a form of art.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Besides the fact that I never understood his paintings, I was also against all the hype created about his exile by the media and the so-called liberal people. He had committed a mistake- won't call it grave because he did not murder anybody. But yes, the mistake was unpardonable. </div><div><br />
</div><div>India is a secular country, which means that everyone has the right to practice and follow the religion of their choice. One is expected to behave properly and not interfere or hurt the sentiments of the people belonging to other religions. Hindus are in majority and we worship every god and their manifestations devotedly. Obviously, no person would like to see their Goddess or Bharat Mata in nude. Saraswati Devi is goddess of knowledge and we have always seen her in white sari with a veena in her hand. Obviously, you won't like to see the devi in a nude form. Rationalists may argue that how do you know how Saraswati Devi looks, have you seen her? No, none of us have seen her but definitely none of us would like to see her nude. Call us regressive, but the truth is we cannot see our beautifully adorned devi in such a form. </div><div><br />
</div><div>MF Husain, like every Indian citizen was bestowed upon with the Freedom of Expression. But he, forgot that there is a thin line between expression of thoughts and hurting the sentiments of people. You are given the freedom of expression but you must respect it and use it responsibly. He crossed the line and faced the wrath from the so-called Hindu fanatics. It is very easy to call some groups as Extremists or fanatics, but spare a thought and tell me: were they wrong in revolting against such paintings? Maybe their way of revolting was wrong but certainly not their intention. Being resilient is a good characteristic, but allowing people to take your sentiments for granted is not good. I don't support fanaticism. But I don't know I did not feel as though India has lost a gem. I felt a great void when Pandit Bhimsen Joshi and Uncle Pai passed away early this year (they were not my relatives but I felt we lost a gem) but did not feel so for Maqbool Fida Husain. </div><div><br />
</div><div>But having said that, I would thank him because the beautiful song Chillama Chilakama would have not existed had he not made the movie Meenaxi- the three cities :). May his soul Rest in Peace. </div><div><br />
</div><div>P.S: I remember that I had promised to write about traffic rules. Will come up with it within a week. Promise! Gentlewoman promise :)</div></div>gayathri vishwanathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00883895855698328408noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718741532109811689.post-25553966227266060732011-05-19T13:12:00.000-07:002011-05-19T13:13:21.865-07:00We shall not listen- Part 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Starting from today, I have decided to start a series called:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> We shall not listen</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">. In this series I will be expressing my views on certain topics which all of us talk about but seldom follow. I will try to update this series regularly but will not promise because I am bad at keeping promises :).</span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">First in line is: Cleanliness</span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">No matter how many campaigns do blah blah about maintaining cleanliness and Hygiene, we (especially the Educated class) will never improve. In one of my ex office the condition of the lady's toilet were so bad that the management was forced to put up this notice on all the toilet doors.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFOu-E9TTIK2q4uztsNxcNGVGOtbUZJj7R07vYMTEYEoqrCKB_4DLlYirEMS_PVwjez9_bkSFI2AA2hNikeDBvxgAWM-U4MNcduSJFZxxJD_r31_9tb9di6lNPPHCMz6cn0Z0B3tpaQR0m/s1600/Instructions+to+keep+loo+clean.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFOu-E9TTIK2q4uztsNxcNGVGOtbUZJj7R07vYMTEYEoqrCKB_4DLlYirEMS_PVwjez9_bkSFI2AA2hNikeDBvxgAWM-U4MNcduSJFZxxJD_r31_9tb9di6lNPPHCMz6cn0Z0B3tpaQR0m/s320/Instructions+to+keep+loo+clean.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div><div>Imagine, you have to teach people to keep their surroundings clean. These are the same people who boast of having quality education and work experience but do not know the importance of maintaining hygiene. Initially, after the notice was put up; people took conscious efforts to keep the toilets clean. But kutte kii doom hamesha thedi hee rehti hain. A week later, this is what I found:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWXDB9Sg0spkqL8elv0SKeso0tJzy5MJLDFT9b5EetctxhIWgvn2bSg_LCaSbhtRhraziRu8OJio65YA960FDZUEILdzEeUEolDEtcWUxylYt9CiXmZpDu_Jjayb3Y2ZaZ-w29YWIOYVsh/s1600/Aur+halat+dekho.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWXDB9Sg0spkqL8elv0SKeso0tJzy5MJLDFT9b5EetctxhIWgvn2bSg_LCaSbhtRhraziRu8OJio65YA960FDZUEILdzEeUEolDEtcWUxylYt9CiXmZpDu_Jjayb3Y2ZaZ-w29YWIOYVsh/s400/Aur+halat+dekho.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a></div><div>Loose hair strands on wet floor and used tissue napkins adorned the toilet floor. The cleaners would become tired of continuously cleaning the floors, but people still continued with their ways. Its been a year since I quit the organization. I don't know how well maintained it is. But I am sure despite repeated warnings, people will never improve. They will continue to dirty the surroundings because: a) it is not their house and b) this is not a first world country.</div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>Up next: Following the traffic rules</b></span></div></div>gayathri vishwanathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00883895855698328408noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718741532109811689.post-5331939902684222082011-05-08T13:10:00.000-07:002011-05-08T13:13:34.633-07:00PDA se peedit<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I know many of my 'broad minded' friends would pounce upon me after reading this. Some may even accuse me of being a member of Ram Sene. But, I have to write about it because yesterday's incident has left me angry and shocked.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div><b>The incident:</b> Yesterday was mother's day; my brother and I decided to take mummy for a movie. She wanted to watch Chalo Dilli. We got the seats in the last row. One guy was sitting in the seat next to our's and my over protective mom sat next to him; while I was made to sit in between my mom and brother. The guy's girlfriend was seated in the corner. Till the Interval everything was fine. We were enjoying the light hearted movie. But what followed post interval was embarrassing for both mom and me. The seats next to mom were shaking aggressively as though some earth quake had erupted and my mom could hardly enjoy the film as she sat on the edge of the seat and leaned towards me to watch the movie. My mom tried giving them a piece of her mind but the couple immersed in deep love or lust did not pay heed to my mom. Luckily the movie finished quickly and my mom almost ran towards the exit.<br />
<br />
As a young citizen of this country, I am not against showing your affection in public. But there needs to be a limit to everything. Holding hands or giving a peck on the cheeks in public is acceptable, but an act such as the one mentioned above is highly embarrassing. I understand that lack of private spaces have given rise to such desperateness; but these couple should bear in mind that there are many people including the kids watching them. Can't they be little responsible? If they think that displaying love or lust in public makes them look COOL then they are wrong. It only makes them look like a FOOL. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6fvnHeezeMuoEZkrd_LkyT9a22MSYXXVFBxGqOASrLFYWFDIROcOW3yKwJQQVpWUG6giKO_m9XshV68se3vxtATJK6uxlyLVF_EN2sUFMYXwfsgxhfsAM2CWJWdTiOQf_izdTz4gpPVU4/s1600/01-02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6fvnHeezeMuoEZkrd_LkyT9a22MSYXXVFBxGqOASrLFYWFDIROcOW3yKwJQQVpWUG6giKO_m9XshV68se3vxtATJK6uxlyLVF_EN2sUFMYXwfsgxhfsAM2CWJWdTiOQf_izdTz4gpPVU4/s320/01-02.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
India may be a progressive country and we may be in 21st century; but this does not give you the freedom to behave in any fashion. If you want to ape the western countries, then ape their technologies, their attitude towards people, discipline, good standard of living etc. I wish to tell the public that love is a pure feeling, please do not make it look cheap with your acts. Please do not engage in such acts in public. Do whatever you want within the confinement of your bedroom or in a good hotel room (which has no hidden cameras). Please spare the cinema halls, gardens, rickshaws and temples (yes have seen couple sticking like fevicol in Siddhivinayak temple premises). It looks ugly with your desperate behavior. Hope you will pay heed to my requests. If you cannot then wait till the sadist political groups ruin your romance under the pretext of serving the public :). Phir mat kehna kii nobody warned you :)<br />
<br />
P.S: No use sending me pink chaddis, I have changed my residence ;-) ;-)</div></div>gayathri vishwanathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00883895855698328408noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718741532109811689.post-79084222585049356672011-04-24T13:29:00.000-07:002011-04-24T13:29:55.891-07:00A Karmayogi for the little girl, a God for others<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigqkL8uYlUhmKG6YTQMsdMoY885MTmAKedvDfWP8ef0KrBRjlQ7WZNDPJ4UbHOhvzEs-QrEryF1VWshbtC0zy32m-VVoxh_Nh-w0GZMV18cvZLSfUrpAx-Fr-XLfnlAjI6w9Uj-hmC5XCR/s1600/Oh+Lord.+Bless+us+all+in+the+New+Year.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigqkL8uYlUhmKG6YTQMsdMoY885MTmAKedvDfWP8ef0KrBRjlQ7WZNDPJ4UbHOhvzEs-QrEryF1VWshbtC0zy32m-VVoxh_Nh-w0GZMV18cvZLSfUrpAx-Fr-XLfnlAjI6w9Uj-hmC5XCR/s320/Oh+Lord.+Bless+us+all+in+the+New+Year.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">One day an old lady told her sleepy 4 year old grand daughter to sit straight and shout out baba, baba with a rose in her hand. The grand daughter obediently screamed her lungs out and caught Baba’s attention, but sadly he did not come to her to accept the rose. The grand daughter was sad, but her granny was elated that Swami gave a glance towards the little grand daughter.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">A year later, the same granny taught a beautiful bhajan called ‘prema mudita manase kaho rama rama ram, rama rama ram, rama rama ram, sri rama rama ram’ (which roughly means calling out Lord Rama’s name with love in heart) to her now 5 year old grand daughter. She taught many such bhajans, which made the small girl pretty popular in the bhajan group.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The small girl, with constant guidance from her devoted granny and family had deep faith in Sathya Sai Baba. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But as she grew, she started getting distanced from him. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The first crack developed when she saw some corrupt politicians sitting besides him; giving fake speeches. She could not understand the reason why baba was allowing them to share the podium with him.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The crack deepened when she witnessed politics within the bhajan group. Everyone wanted to hog the limelight and show their importance. She could not understand why Baba was not telling them to be good disciples.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Finally, the crack became irreparable when she lost her beloved granny to an illness and when she saw her father’s health turning from bad to worse. Every time that she heard about a miracle, she would go away to another room. She almost started hating the devotees’ double standards. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For instance, the same devotees who would say all good things about baba and his teachings would not think twice before hurting a poor lady in the bhajan group. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But despite all this, she still respected him for the good service that he had done to the mankind. For her, he was a saint; a karmayogi. Just think which hospital on this earth would provide you with free, world class medical treatments or which political party has provided the basic water facilities to arid lands? Have you ever done your higher education free of cost? I know you cannot think of any hospital or educational institute offering world class services to people.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Irrespective of who says what, one cannot deny the fact that Sri Sathya Sai Baba has turned the small town of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Puttaparthi</st1:place></st1:city> into a world class destination.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">While, we may be curious about his 40,000 crore empire or his successor or whether he is divine or not; let us not sideline his great preaching: ‘Love all, Serve all’ and ‘Help Ever, Hurt Never’ in the process. These teachings should be the guiding principles of life. We cannot create another world class village like Puttaparthi but atleast as responsible, educated individuals we should ensure that we do not harm the society through any selfish or harmful deeds. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="tab-stops: 287.25pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal">Today, as thousands and lakhs of devotees throng Puttaparthi to pay their last respects; the little girl now a grown up woman wept silently because she knew that with one less karmayogi amidst the swarm of selfish and greedy human beings; the balance between good and grey individuals has yet again been affected.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">P.S: Here’s an irony: Jesus Christ came back to life two days after his crucification on a Sunday- famously known as Easter Sunday all over the world; while baba left for heavenly abode on this very same day. </div></div>gayathri vishwanathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00883895855698328408noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7718741532109811689.post-15939080050638041872011-03-15T12:24:00.000-07:002011-03-15T12:24:47.995-07:00Lets stop spreading rumors<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">We all know how Japan has been affected by Tsunami and now the nuclear blasts. It is indeed disappointing to see how a hard working country like Japan, (which after the Hiroshima, Nagasaki attacks resolved to become a strong economy) has been reduced to a wasteland. My father says that Japanese are sincere people with a determination to succeed. He says they wont be crying for sympathy from so-called rich countries, they have lot of self respect and they will surely make a huge comeback. I hope for the same.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, I am sure many of you might have received this mail from some of your contacts in your mailing list:<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: 12pt;">There was a nuclear blast 4:30pm Sunday in Fukushima Japan. If it rains today or in the next few days, DO NOT GO UNDER THE RAIN. If you get caught out, use an umbrella or raincoat, even if it's only a drizzle. Radioactive particles, which may cause burns, alopecia or even cancer, may be in the rain.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: 12pt;">BBC flash news: Japan government confirms radiation leak at Fukushima nuclear plants. Asian countries should take necessary precautions. If it rains, remain indoors first 24hours, close doors n windows, swab neck skin with beta-dine where thyroid area is, radiation hits thyroid first. Take extra precautions, radiation may hit Philippines starting 4pm (Pinas time) today!</span></span></div><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: 12pt;">PLEASE PASS THIS MESSAGE.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: 12pt;"><br />
</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">I don't blame the people who mailed this to us, they shared with genuine concern. However, though it is good to share information, it is definitely not good to spread rumors. We need to understand the difference between the two. Imagine, what would the condition of a person be who is already affected by a particular incident. I remember, a day after 26/11 occurred, there were fresh rumors floating about another attack at CST. People were simply scared and my mom was not </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">even </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">ready to allow me to go to a nearby market. Why scare people and create panic amongst them? We cannot avoid such mails or messages (you will be bombarded with such mails and messages by someone or the other) but definitely we can judge if these mails or messages are to be believed or not. According to me such mails are rumors until the Government does not issue an official statement regarding it and deserves to be deleted forever. We as educated citizens of the country should be careful about the information we share. We need to remember that even a harmless mail such as these can lead to confusion and chaos in the society.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;">P.S: A special thanks to my friend Monali who brought to my notice that these mails were rumors. </span></div>gayathri vishwanathanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00883895855698328408noreply@blogger.com23