Guwahati’s Shame? Nation’s Shame? Or Humans’ Shame? July 14, 2012
Posted by Akriti Bahal in Feelings, India, shameful acts.Tags: ashamed, shock
4 comments
An appalling incident of disgrace took place on the streets of Guwahati on 9th July. The sounds of “Please help me” filled the street, yet the apparently inaudible shrieks failed to even move the butts of the city dwellers. A 16 year old girl, after attending her friend’s birthday party was on her way back home when she was molested by 30 men (well, men? The term is surely not apt for such creatures), verbally abusing her, chasing her, hitting her, were these symbols of cruelty. Finally, the girl was rescued by a reporter who happened to cross the area and called the police.
Okay! Most of the people have read about this, and most of us might have just digested it with a cup of chai, while some of us would be enraged. Alright ! What next? You are angry, you are abashed of the shameful incident, but what’s the point?
Has the standards of human beings fallen to such filthy levels that we see such shocking incidents almost daily, with a different victim and in a different city, but in the same country? Or is it the anger in the individuals that has risen to indeterminable level?
My hatred is specifically with such men, who transgress the criterion of being called a human, but filthy creatures. What do you think of yourself after all? Not left with any shame? And family? No respect for your family even? How can you go ‘home’ after performing such opprobrious acts, to your family? Eat? Piss? Or even shit? Or do you think bathing yourself in some Gangajal is gonna clean all your sins just as it moves through your body? Well, then let me tell you that even ablution would burn off with the filth contained in you.
And the problem with our country is, such people are usually not punished severely under the court of law, under other circumstances such incidences keep inundating the tables of the law enforcers, but with no effect. Is it too late to expect that humans are a superior class of animals? Well, in fact animals even have a sense of realization when they do wrong (not that they do any such filthy acts), but humans don’t.
Maybe then all I can say is, such humans are just a class of psychopaths who deserve only two things, either entombment in a mental hospital or death.
In the end, they may not receive an adequate punishment in the eyes of law, or may not even feel the slightest of compunction, but in the eyes of God, you are sinners, who have no pardon.
And to them (again) –> Stop being a stigma on the human class !
Satyamev Jayate #6 June 10, 2012
Posted by Akriti Bahal in Feelings, India, Life, Satyamev Jayate.7 comments
Yet another inspiring episode of Satyamev Jayate marks its close. “We can fly”, as today’s theme rightly states; it couldn’t have come at a better time.
In our country, disability, whether physical or mental, both are looked upon with a tinge of disgust. Treating them with equality is a far off question when what resides inside most of us is repugnance and pity, and the feeling that they are incapable of fighting with the rest a.k.a “the normal people”. Iniquity in the field of education, where children with disability are rejected in the first go itself, is a major run down for our country. As duly said in the show, that providing them education is the first step that will lead to them being employed, which will ultimately help to improve the country’s economy only. So, we keep blaming our country, our fate, for the poor economy of our country, but who is really at fault? I think us, all of us; our thinking which never really grew out of the microcosm that- what will this poor soul be able to do? Oh dear lord! God has done injustice to him. Well, they don’t require our pity, they are stronger than we are in striving for their life, and they thrive better than us (there are countless number of Sais, KKs and Ketans); and they aren’t asking for any special treatment, all they ask for is equality.
Another thing that I saw in the show was their fighting spirit. At the point when most of us would have lost hope on our lives, they not only stood up, but also ran, embracing their life and accepting everything with full strength.
Fighting spirit, most of us give up on it very easily. I lost a competition, oh I’m no good, I won’t participate ever again; I don’t have anyone, my life is full of misery, oh I’m giving up on it, I’m committing suicide; I scored poorly in an exam, oh I can’t do anything, I’ll just conceal my apprehension with ‘Fuck off! I don’t wanna do it, do anything’. C’mon! These are just petty things, which can change easily, but only if you want it to. I think we should learn from them, because unfortunately we are “normal”: we are coward, we scare easy, we give up easy and we lose our temper easy.
Going through a similar situation, this is what I wanna say to my friend as well. They are the ones who have some form of disability, yet they carve it into their strength. What’s wrong with you? An intelligent, “normal” ( 
), self-sufficient guy, who can do anything that he wants, again only fighting spirit is what comes into play. Just try to see through, everything is fine, all you need is to get up and run, but you’ve gotta run, nothing would come by just lying on your bed. I can understand what you’re going through, but believe me it is just nothing once you are determined. I’m always there to pick you up, but for that you need to, at least, sit up from your bed.
I learnt something today, wanna pass it to you:
कैसे आकाश में सुराख़ नहीं हो सकता
एक पत्थर तोह तबियत से उछालो यारों |
(And I would be waiting for you, with my sport shoes on, so that I can push you fast-faster-fastest, as you run!)
Satyamev Jayate #1#2#3#4#5 June 3, 2012
Posted by Akriti Bahal in Corruption, Feelings, India, Patriotism, Politics, Satyamev Jayate.11 comments
Okay! Cut the crap, I can’t wait till 4th June (which is tomorrow) for my exams to get over, because what I saw today was exactly what I have always wanted to raise a voice for.
Today’s episode of Satyamev Jayate dealt with everything that we often read in newspapers every now and then, and yet choose to close our eyes towards it. Uh, well actually we all are lackadaisical enough that we close our eyes to everything that happens around. But, the truth is, things are happening are they need to change. To bring in this change and awareness among people, the valiant Aamir Khan with his ‘Satyamev Jayate’ has stepped forward for a one-on-one combat with the evils prevailing in the Indian society.
But, the problem with India is that if you step inside a quagmire to clean it, it clinches your leg so tight, trying to pull you down; most of us give up then, and only a few heroes survive it. One same thing, I came across in the newspapers yesterday, stating, ‘Aamir Khan should apologize to the doctors for besmirching their image.’ (For those who missed the last episode of Satyamev Jayate, it handled the corruption prevailing in the medical field, among the doctors, with nicety.) After reading such a thing in the newspaper, I had immediately thought, what would he do now, would he apologize? Oh please, he shouldn’t do that for whatever was exhibited on the show and the way he handled, it was perfect. We all know what evils are prevailing in the society, we all know who all are corrupt, yet we just choose to be silent, and when one guy begins his quest, trying to eradicate them, if not eradicate then trying to make the people aware towards them, then we point a finger toward him? Well, whatever. Aamir Khan handled those fingers quite well today, in the beginning of the show, giving a pellucid answer that- ‘My aim is not to tarnish anybody’s image, my aim is just to create a society where everyone can talk about their problems and sufferings openly. My aim is to make the people aware, so that what happened with some of them, doesn’t happen with the rest of us.’ *Impressed* (Yet, again.)
Okay, returning to today’s topic of discussion, it revolved around honor killing, morale policing in the name of gram panchayats, khap panchayats etc., and inter-caste marriages. The highlight of the episode was Aamir Khan’s encounter with the khap panchayat of a village of Haryana. It’s funny how one can be so complacent with themselves and their decisions that they start considering themselves as self-made-leaders.
Some part of the conversation between the members of the khap panchayat and Aamir Khan was-
On of the members proudly said that, ‘When youngsters, in their passionate thoughts, commit the crime of breaking the rules of the ‘samaj’ and ‘parampara’, then we simply punish them, we don’t charge their lives, we just simply punish them.’
To this Aamir Khan very humbly questioned, “I just want to know for my own knowledge, do you have the right to punish anyone, in the eyes of law?’
Their reply, ‘In law, gram panchayats, khap panchayats have been given no right at all, but when we see that our ‘parampara’, our ‘samaj’, is being hurt, then we think it is the right thing to do.’
Aamir Khan promptly said, ‘But, we have judiciary in our country to make the decisions.’
One of the members retorted, ‘Judiciary is judgmental, it doesn’t give justice’ (‘nyaay‘). Even in England there is no written constitution, and everything is followed according to their ‘parampara’, and that’s how it has been going.
To this Aamir Khan, very rightly remarked, ‘But, this is not England!! We have a written constitution!! The judiciary is responsible to take the legal decisions and not anyone else.’
Okay! One, what is “samaj” after all, and who makes it? I think it is made by the people, its definition needs to change with the changing times. Moreover, if they can make comparison with England then they must also know that they follow their tradition in which every individual has a complete right to his/her life. I don’t think there are any boundaries to the word ‘samaj’, and nobody can go on a killing spree in the name of setting the youth right. If the constitution defines a person of age 18 as an adult, then it gives them the right to make decisions about their lives as well.
Two, who gave you this right, anyway? Nobody!
You are no Robin-hoods, so please don’t be hounds too.
Lastly, hats off to the “Love Commandos” as well!
“Get up again” May 22, 2012
Posted by Akriti Bahal in Feelings, Life, Peace, Struggle.17 comments
The last time I wrote a blog entry, I was quibbling about it with my mom, “Mom, I’m not writing anymore, nobody even reads my blog, it’s a screw up.“
My Mom tried a great deal to boost me up saying, “There may be many instances in life where you may feel petty in front of the world, stifled with no one around, but just remember that life makes you face your weaknesses, only for you to extirpate them. Challenges arrive only for you to have a one-on-one combat with them. And who says nobody reads your blog, I do! Now, this avid reader earnestly requests you to keep writing, so won’t you?”
I knew she alluded toward something more than just Writing-A-Blog, it was about life she was talking about. But, me and my shortsightedness, nothing seemed to mollify me then. (Although, her last line did make me smile, but I still felt the same from beneath.)
But last night, abruptly, I finally saw my driving light, or rather ultimately gathered the courage to accept that it was something (or someone) that has always brought me through. And this feeling of illumination innervated me to write a diary entry.
Dear Diary, 21st May 2012, 2:00 a.m.
I woke up from my sleep to write this feeling, I don’t know why, but I just had to.
The time passed apace,
I stumbled, staggered, bruised
And even fell straight on my face.
But, something always got me through
And that light was You.
Sometimes, in life, you know somethings can’t happen, they just don’t make any difference to the other person, but they still mean a lot in your life. And even though unaware, sometimes they just end up doing the benignant work of holding you through.
For me, it has been someone (or something) too. Breakdowns- I have had many. Aid- I have had none. But, each time in my breakdowns, I have helped myself to stand back up, and that’s what thinking about you does for me.
It is today that I realize what you meant long back, how after suffering a great setback, your life becomes your worst enemy and your most faithful friend. Dealing with it and living for it, becomes your only elixir for life. The words you said then, I didn’t understand, I complained. Everybody continually told me what getting up again meant, nothing helped, it just made me more resistance toward it.
But, I can decipher it exactly now. I finally do accept that- I am just thankful to you because, you might not even know, in every breakdown, thinking about you helps me gather myself again, helps me get up again. Even though indirectly, but you made me learn how to fight. You may have silently egressed, or maybe even exist somewhere there in space, but before leaving you just gifted me your most precious earning – AMBITION. (And the meaning of hard work.)
Maybe someday, I’ll be able to giving that driving light a name and a shape too. But, for now, it just remains my guiding force, that, even though does not exist in actuality, does not have any figure, but remains to be my strongest force.
But You Promised… April 21, 2012
Posted by Akriti Bahal in Death, Depression, Fear, Feelings, Fiction, Heartbreaks, Love.8 comments
The day had come, the time had reached
When she, first, outreached.
Standing at the verge of the cliff,
Was a tiny little bird
Scared to fly, scared to glide under the sky
Afraid
Covering her midriff.
Her mother pacified her,
Spreading together her wings,
Asked her to trust the world.
“Believe in the sky,
For it is your haven;
It will always succor you
Whenever you feel you’re lost
In the dense ocean of the mavens.”
She took her first flight,
Tough in trembles,
But mainly to show her mother
That she was old enough,
Independent, without any struggle.
Quailing, initially,
She finally began trusting the sky
She glided and fluttered, without any shy.
She limned patterns and traced movements,
But, maybe her joy wasn’t meant to last more than moments.
There came an Eagle, long eyeing the puny bird,
Clenching her in her mouth, and scampered.
But, soon after, a plucky bird came in the way,
Acted a knight, and salvaged her from the serrated cage.
Injured and wounded,
But, under the knight’s protection and care
She gradually learned to trust the sky again, here.
One day she voiced to the sky,
“Please don’t break my trust this time,
I wouldn’t be able to bear it this time.”
The sky promised to keep her safe,
It was her only harbor, away from any strafe.
The bird swung and flew merrily, gliding through the air,
And two years passed with a single stair.
Now, it was time for her to teach a callow bird
What her mother taught,
Sitting on the same cliff with thought.
Her mother’s thought, her knight’s thought, the sky’s thought.
And suddenly..
A fierce bullet shot her chest,
She lay in blood, struggling with her last breaths.
She groused in pain,
More than that from the shot,
At the sheet of trust being broken again.
She groused in pain, to the sky,
“But, you promised…”
बोल तू.. April 12, 2012
Posted by Akriti Bahal in Fear, Feelings, hindi poem, Sad.3 comments
One song that describes my feelings all in one go. Sometime, songs understand you better than even your own soul.
~Rockstar (2011)
***
जब जब दर्द का बादल छाया
जब ग़म का साया लहराया
जब आंसू पलकों तक आया
जब यह तनहा दिल घबराया
हम ने दिल को यह समझाया
दिल आखिर तू क्यूँ रोता है ?
दुनिया में यूँ ही होता है
यह जो गहरे सन्नाटे हैं
वक़्त ने सबको ही बांटे हैं
थोडा ग़म है सबका किस्सा
थोड़ी धुप है सबका हिस्सा
आँख तेरी बेकार ही नाम है
हर पल एक नया मौसम है
क्यूँ तू ऐसे पल खोता है
दिल आखिर तू क्यूँ रोता है ?
And, few lines that always succeed to alleviate me when even I fail to advocate myself.
~ Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011)
***
दिल में उमंग उठती नहीं
जब बार बार ये मन रोता है |
शब्दों के फूटने से पहले ही
जब आँखों में पानी जो होता है |
दिल कहता है बोल तू
सारी निराशा को पीछे छोड़ तू..
अब ज़ख्मों का निशान नहीं बचा
अब दर्द का एहसास नहीं बचा
काली खायी में
सन्नाटे की परछाई में
अब डर नहीं लगता
कहने को है अँधेरा
पर लगता है वहीँ बसेरा |
फिर भी दिल तू कहता है, बोल तू?
सारी निराशा को पीछे छोड़ तू?
Although, this poem stays incomplete, because in life some hope remains obsolete.
~ A page from my diary
Dated – January 11, 2012
***
A Walk Through Nostalgia April 3, 2012
Posted by Akriti Bahal in Feelings, Happiness, Life.Tags: Nostalgia
9 comments
I see stainless white, crease less pleats, ironed shirts, nifty ties and belts, and ribbons ‘blue’, trotting, in hurry, past me. The buses, yellow and white, honking their horns; the cabs, brimming with enthused kids, gushing through the narrow lanes as if airplane torrentially taking off for its journey across the globe.
I see a feeling that I long used to see. Fourth of April, it always used to be.
My new pink bag, shining with the nascent Sun, depicting the puerile Summer; my new white uniform, spotless, proudly swathing my body; my new books, fresh and neatly covered, orderly placed in the bag, waiting for the D-day when they would first get a chance to see the world through me; my lustrous new shoes, waiting for their first steps into my school.
I see a new me standing behind the bus window, waving excitedly to the people around, waiting eagerly for my school to come. Grade second, it was; and ‘shugar‘ was my sweetest blunder. When I looked at the world with a welcoming insight; when I looked at the people with a sanguine, faithful sight.
A similar feeling is faced by me, nostalgia – a yearning for the past, is what I feel, when I see the children, primly dressed in variegated colors, ready to go to their lairs, as it is the season of reopening of the schools; as it is the season of change.
P.S. – Written after ages, felt and expressed after an overturning of thousands of pages; hope I get to see you soon, it’s my blog that I was calling through my cocoon.
Fear -> Happiness -> Love -> Fear March 16, 2012
Posted by Akriti Bahal in Fear, Feelings, Fiction, Happiness, Life, Love, Sad.11 comments
·•♦ तीजा तेरा रंग था मैं तो
तीजा तेरा रंग था मैं तो
जिया तेरे ढंग से मैं तो
तू ही था मौला तू ही आन
मौला मेरे ले ले मेरी जान | ♦•·
***
What is fear?
You say fear is the unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat. Very well agreed. I know I experience fear every night when I hear eerie voices coming from the other room, which is in fact, empty. When I see abrupt moving figures or a glimmer of light in the deceased hours of the night. When I’m inches away from being hit by a car, only because I couldn’t gather my thoughts fast enough, as someone *threatened* to slay me.
Well, but can’t fear be innocuous? Or maybe engendered due to love for someone? Moreover, can’t fear be titled as a precursor for surfeit of emotions? (And I mean positive and happy emotions.)
With this, my definition for fear differs a little. I say fear is the feeling that a little child has at the incipience of his stepping out, feeling that he will lose his mother. And this fear engenders true emotions, when it is proven wrong each time he returns. Fear is the feeling that a girl about losing her love, and maybe, fear is also the feeling that the guys feel at the very reference of commitment. (Okay, well, I have no more examples. Period.)
What is real happiness?
You say happiness is a state of mind or feeling characterized by contentment, love, satisfaction, pleasure, or joy. Well then, you got me wrong. I asked about *real* happiness. I think *real* happiness is the feeling when you see some other person smiling because of you. When you put your incubuses aside only because someone else needs to have a smile. When you’re altruistic enough to do so.
So, according to me real happiness is the feeling characterized by the *real* happiness of another person, and his satisfaction leads to your contentment, satisfaction, pleasure and joy.
But, can this happiness be pernicious or the cause of ruin? Yes, it can. Because in this suspicious world, selfless means fishy and caring about someone means meddlesome.
What is love?
Google tells me, love is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. I think Google too has no lucid explanations for it. You say love is… What? You tell me? Because for this one, I too have no definition.
Tell Me Truths Lies About Love
February 25, 2012
Posted by Akriti Bahal in Anger, Feelings, Humaneness, Life, Love.
19 comments
I was run over by the truth one day
Ever since the accident I’ve walked this way.
So stick my legs in plaster,
Tell me lies about Love.
Heard the alarm clock screaming with pain,
Couldn’t find myself so I went back to sleep again.
So fill my ears with silver
Stick my legs in plaster
Tell me lies about Love.
Every time I shut my eyes all I see is flames.
Made a marble diary, carved all the maims.
So coat my eyes with butter
Fill my ears with silver
Stick my legs in plaster
Tell me lies about Love.
I smell something burning, hope it’s just my brains,
They’re only shoving chilly powder through your veins.
So stuff my nose with garlic
Coat my eyes with butter
Fill my ears with silver
Stick my legs in plaster
Tell me lies about Love.
Where were you at the time of the crime?
Down by the Bar drinking slime
So chain my tongue with whiskey
Stuff my nose with garlic
Coat my eyes with butter
Fill my ears with silver
Stick my legs in plaster
Tell me lies about Love.
You put your bombers in, you put your conscience out
You take the human being and you twist it all about.
So scrub my skin with curses
Chain my tongue with whiskey
Stuff my nose with garlic
Coat my eyes with butter
Fill my ears with silver
Stick my legs in plaster
Tell me lies about Love.
Oh! No! No! Tell me lies about
Humaneness.
This post is dedicated to the book Speaking of Love by Angela Young.
As You Turn ‘One’ February 24, 2012
Posted by Akriti Bahal in Birthday, Feelings, Happiness, Love.Tags: Oreo
6 comments
·•♥ Veterans say time flows like the gale of storm
You look back and it’s a long, sturdy road look at you;
A traversed platform. ♥•·
It seems like yesterday when he was brought into my family, first. Yeah I remember it was Thursday, March 2011, that I saw him for the first time. Sitting there along with a man on the scooter, he seemed naughty even then. I saw him and the feelings irrepressibly escaped through my visage; it was surely love at first site.
I held him in my hands, his delicate and tender skin, and my gaiety could find no limits. That feeling, I still remember very clearly, it was one of the best I’ve ever felt.
My Baby- Oreo
The first day that I brought him to home, he lilliputian; he couldn’t open his eyes.
When he first tried to walk!
His legs so frail, and his bark so feeble when with shaking legs he tried to walk and stumbled down.
And, today he turned one. His very first BIRTHDAY!
All Grown Up!
He grew so big with the blink of an eye, but he still remains the sparkle of my eyes.
Oreo handshake!
Oreo Hi5!
Yeah, it seems like yesterday when he was brought into my family, first.
·•♥ Veterans say life’s most treasured happiness comes silently,
Entering your door through your alley.
But they stay in your life with a legato of laughter and cries
till
ETERNITY. ♥•·
