caution : moral police ahead!

after the unfortunate event that rocked mangalore city, today Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said, “We don't want to promote the liquor culture and decisions we take will be to see that the culture of boys and girls going hand-in-hand to pubs and malls for drinking is stopped.” its disgusting to hear such versions of a boy - girl relationship and I wonder why our ministers are trying too hard to picture the harmony between the sexes as an unfortunate and ugly one. 

The following poem [if it could be called so] portrays my anger, frustration and disappointment by these turn of events. The perspective is that of a girl [maybe my sister, my friend, my future wife or a total stranger] talking to the government or the ministers.

i was told i live in a free nation

a nation which boasts of cultural integrity

a nation which boasts of women empowerment

a nation which worships Goddess Durga

a nation lead by a woman President.

you promised me education

you said I would excel in my life

you promised me equality

you said you are proud of my presence!

your words implanted hope in me

your words gave me strength

I stood up against the flow

faced the blow of the wind

believed in you words

took the pain and effort.

I advanced from kitchen to living room

I rose from bedroom to board room

the burn my kitchen gifted me

hurt as I shook hand on a corporate deal

I smiled, I enjoyed the pain

I was proud, I lived to your dreams!

today as I look around

I see men staring at me

with lust, with jealousy

with an urge to finish me.

i look at you, you turn me down.

your words were kind but your eyes turned red!

they teased me in front of you,

trashed me, abused me

they called me a prostitute

and you chose to watch the show!

the small world I saw as I grew

my dad, my friends, my husband, my son

men who stood by me

men who led me to success

you took that world away from me!

you blinded me, scarred my dignity

whom shall I blame if I hate men today?

the one who love me or you - who deceived me?

you made politic poli-tricks

you made my country a laughing stock

tell me, who is a danger to our culture

is it Me or is it You?

Book Review - The Eleven

For people who don't know what this book is about : This book contains a collection of short stories written by eleven bloggers. The book is published by SaiKiran Publishers and you could buy a copy here. I got the book on Monday and I finished reading it today. One full week to read eleven short stories! Blame it on my busy work schedule.

Alright, so here goes the review.

Disclaimer: The ratings reflected here shows how much I enjoyed the stories. It should not be used to gauge the creative skills of the authors.

Author # 1 => Aneesha Myles Shewani

She uses her magical words to take us through a world of love, admiration, devotion and obsession. The story ends on a strong note of self realization and delivers a very positive message. A good story to start the book with.

I give this story 8/10

Author # 2 => Harish Narayanan

Quite an entertaining story. Harish takes us through two different eras of life, entwined yet unique. He tries and shows us what today's generation is lacking to see and how our fore fathers enjoyed the little things around us which we choose to ignore these days. Interesting and thoughtful.

I give this story 6/10

Author # 3 => Ketki Yennemadi

The way she walks her readers through the life of her characters deserve an applause. The story starts on a very negative note. I love the way she ends the story delivering a very strong message. A story every soul must read and acknowledge.

I give this story 6/10

Author # 4 => Lena Toporikova

Famous for her Tuesday Love Ramblings section in her blog, I dint wonder when I started reading this story. Every passing line promised me that there is more in store. The way she uses words are just amazing. Though I can relate this story to the life around me, the narration makes it so very unique. Lena, if you read this, I loved the way you wrapped it! Marvellous.

I give this story 8/10

Author # 5 => Meena Iyer

If mystery is what you love, then she is your sweet heart! Centred among two characters, each passing line seems to unwind mystery. As you reach the last page your jaw drops, I m sure you would be surprised :)

I give this story 6/10

Author # 6 => Nivethita Kumar

Another story which is rich with emotions. The author conveys the beautiful relationship of a brother and his sister. The turn of events come unexpected. The smile that the author carries in her profile photograph fails to reflect in the story. I wish it had a happy ending!

I give this story 6/10

Author # 7 => Preethi Ravi

I love this one! I am not sure if its cos of the empathy I have towards the central character of the story, but i read it thrice. The author has done justice to her story and the presentation is just perfect. Walking us through the emotions of a little girl couldn't have been better!

I give this story 7/10

Author # 8 => Rahul Anand

The author introduces us to a teenager and his experiences in the virtual world. Though it looks like a real life experience, I would want to put it in the category of teen fiction.

I give this story 4 /10

Author # 9 => Sameera Ansari

I was too lazy today that I was enjoying these stories lying in the comfort of my bed. I read her story and suddenly I could feel the variation in my heartbeat! One amazing story and a perfect narration. No words could explain how I felt reading the story.

I give this story 9/10

Author # 10 => Sneha Desai

She walks us through a day in the life of her central character. The way she threads incidents through out the story is interesting. Even though I don't fancy sad endings, I admire the way author has narrated the story.

I give this story 7/10

Author # 11 => Suchitra Ramachandran

First let me appreciate the author for her ability to write so well. If I review this work under literature, I would give it a score of 9/10. But then, today I review it with another scale. One that of a short story. For me a short story should be entertaining which would mean that I would give a story with a set of simple words , a common plot and a steady flow better rating than a complex serious structured form of literature [pardon my ignorance]. For me, this story carries a stronger theme than a short story could handle and it is a bit lengthier than I expect a short story to be.

I give this story 5/10

So that was it! Now for you readers: Let me remind you, the ratings are just a measure of how I enjoyed the story. I do not intend to learn from you how I should rate the stories, hence please do not advice on the scales.

Arti, you did a wonderful job by bringing this book to us. This serves as a real inspiration for those who love to write. To all the authors, this was a brilliant effort! Congratz :)

life

our life is such a joke,

yours and mine!

entwined with ironies

hopes, reality and despair,

past fail our conscious

destiny designs new trysts!

we try, we cry

we plead our greed

forfeit our future

our presence, our sense!

memoirs of pain

lingers through our day,

all for our dreams

for smiles we've weaved!

tears to bring a smile -

our life is such a joke!

This is my contribution to this week's 3WW (Three Word Wednesday). 

From Earth to Heaven

Leya woke up to the disturbing sound of the alarm clock. Sigh! "I couldn't utter those words even today" she thought. She glanced at her right leg. "The wound is healing".

Sister Silvia was a patron of the orphanage. Leya was seven when Silvia had found her in the dustbin near the orphanage - another victim of child abuse.

The sweet heart she was, Leya soon became the soul of the orphanage. This place inspired her to smile, taught her to dream and helped her heal her wounds! She was a happy soul though missed her mamma. She hadn't seen her mamma till date. Every night she dreamt of a mansion and she sleeping in her mamma's lap, blissfully secure. She wanted to tell something to her mamma, but every day she woke up before she could!

Sister Silvia walked into her room. "Baby, wake up, dress smart. Some one is coming to see you." She rolled her hands through Leya's hair and smiled at her wonder. "Your dream might just come true" she said. She hugged her. Her eyes were wet!

Leya opened her eyes when the car came to a stop. She looked out and saw a beautiful mansion. She pinched herself for reassurance. She held the hands which pampered her, looked into the eyes and spoke "Mamma, I missed you so much. Please hold me tight and be with me always". A tear rolled out, but the happiness in her eyes knew no bound!

This is a story I have written for the "Ascension" short fiction contest going on here. I would like to thank Jason Evans for organising such a beautiful contest thereby providing a platform for some quality reading. I also wish all the very best to all the contestants. If you haven't participated yet, then rush your entries. Contest closes on 14th of this month.

Loss

She opened her eyes to a new morning, a morning which could change her world. Her favorite pink teddy bear was missing.  She lived in a room stuffed with toys and every toy tried its best to see her smile. She was such a sweet heart! Of all the toys, she loved that pink teddy – let’s call him Keith. She held his hand all through the day and hugged him when ever she felt low. Keith had seen her in smiles and in tears. Keith knew, like other toys did, that she looked gorgeous with her smile on. Yet he decided to gift her tears!

She missed Keith. She missed herself. For a moment she forgot that there were other toys in her room. She was desperately searching for Keith. She was crying!

The doggie barked to get her attention. She chose to ignore. The monkey did tricks to see her smile. She threw him to a corner. The joker clapped till his hands were in pain. She unwounded him and threw him under her cot. The train whistled and moved around her. Her feet crushed the engine to death!

Some toys were scared by her act. Some were hurt and some cursed her change. They left the room leaving her behind, crying while she searched for Keith. Some chose to stay and bring her back, and she chose to shut herself inside the virtual walls around her! She was furious, screaming out the pain. She wished Keith was there to hold her hands. She believed him to be the only one who could feel her pain. The monkey wondered so did the others! “He gifted her tears and left her in pain. Yet she says only he would understand.” They felt dejected, yet they stayed.

They knew she would sleep again. They knew she would need them all when she wakes up - either to make her smile or to cry out her pain. And yes, she did. Days passed and she opened her eyes to another morning. She saw broken pieces of plastic shattered through out the room, fur flying high, her wounded friends in the darkness of the room. She ran to them and cried her heart out. If only those tears could heal them!

The doggie barked again, but his voice choked. The monkey tried tricks with his broken hands. The joker clapped but she saw him limping. The train whistled but failed to reach her. She had them all back – wounded and hurt. The only thought that remained was this: Were the losses worth it?

whispers of love

if only i could see the pain in your eyes

if only i could hear the fear in your breathe

the shadows of unseen blinds me through

the cry of the unknown deafens my soul!

if only i could feel your varied heartbeats

if only i could listen to those hushed whispers

how i wish to hear those whispers, to feel your breathe

to hold you close and feel your heartbeats in mine!

if only i could wipe those tears from your cheeks

if only i could bring back the smile on your lips

my eyes are wet, but ill not cry today

you are my strength and ill not loose hope!

if only i could kiss away your pain

it hurts to see my princess weep

the tears wither my skin,

as i lie here, cold and dead!

disclaimer: its just random thoughts put on paper. got nothing to do with my presence. i am very much alive :P

welcoming year 2009

Alright guys, so I saw the first sunlight of Year 2009!

Happy New Year to you all.

I never had a plan on how to welcome year 2009. Good for me that I was working on 31st morning and from office I made the plans! So you guys know how busy I was at work yesterday :) We had 9 people including me who was all green for a party. The battle was to choose a destination. There were many parties happening in the city and among them we voted for Nirvana 2009.

Excess Club and Lounge brought alive the magic of Buddha Bar, Paris, in a dazzling New Year’s eve spectacular – Nirvana 2009. Showcasing top-flight international entertainers such as DJ Ravin from Buddha Bar, Paris, and DJ Gino from Paris, an opening set by Hyderabad’s very own sultan of spin DJ Manish, breath-taking lighting and edgy design.Large projections screens, lasers, animated fireworks and confetti blasts where said to be added attractions! The party was hosted by Novotel.

Novotel, Hyderabad

There were no second thought for me cos i loved the music of Ravin and Karunesh. The next hurdle was getting tickets! Many parties had already closed thoer counters due to heavy rush. And we say recession hit us! Some parties increased their ticket rates by upto 50%! The online booking for nirvana was closed. Thank my status of employment, we got tickets through corporate booking :)The party was supposed to start at 8 and we reached there by 10. It was a slow crowd and people were just coming in.

DJ Ravin

Ravin was born on 11th of July, 1966, in the Indian Ocean, on Mauritius Island. He began working in a music shop in Paris, which cultivated his interest in dance music and club culture.Ravin soon began to play at private parties and at the famous French club "The Rex" where he became the resident Dj on the weekends. With the help of Laurent Meuer from "Le Bay", Ravin was given the opportunity to play at the infamous Wiz Bombino parties. There, he met Claude Challe, the owner of "Les Bains Douches", one of hottest Parisian nightspots in the eighties, who introduced him to Electronic Fusion and World Music.After having made his debut with Claude Challe on records such as "The Flying Carpet", "Loverdose" and "Nirvana Lounge", Ravin arrived at the "Buddha Bar" in Paris in 1997 where he immediately felt at home. There, in collaboration with Claude Challe again, the first two "Buddha Bar" compilations were conceived. Ravin went on the produce Buddha Bar III.

The Buddha bar mezzanine, enlaced by 18th century

style wrought-iron balustrades, looks out over the dining area where the gigantic Buddha – the bar’s namesake - sits serenely enthroned.The best of our DJs distill their musical selections to infuse your evenings in this paradise with an indescribable sensuality. The experience is summed up brilliantly in the famous Buddha Bar compilations.The Buddha Bar series was Created by the DJ Claude Chall. The series continues with different DJ's including DJ Ravin, Sam Popat, David Visan.

The party was extremely good. We had amazing laser works, deafening sound systems and projector screens which captured every happy soul! The mood was right to welcome another year. I floated though the trance music and the laser works had magical effects. I was high even before i took my first peg :) There were artificial fireworks for welcoming the new year. We laughed, danced and drank for 4 hours. The party was indeed good.

There were lot of laughter around. People dancing to unknown tunes forgetting their pains, sorrows, tensions and frustrations. People just let out their concerns and embraced this "momentary" life of happiness!

People danced. Danced till their feet burned in pain. No one bothered to look who is watching, no one bothered to check if he/she is looking weird the way they are dancing, no one bothered to check their steps. They just moved their feet, jumped in merry, shouted, sang, laughed at their own jokes.I felt as if I was in another world, a world full of happiness, a world where everyone said "hi" to every other being, a world where everyone smiled at each other, a world without ego. When the clock hit 12, many came and wished me a happy new year, many danced with me - people whom i never knew, people whom i may not see again. How easy does our life become when we are not in our senses! Alcohol many a times teaches us how to give selfless love! Many only see the negative side of the drink!

Girls who were conscious of the way they look the way they talk and the way they walk suddenly forgot the standard rules! Everyone was on their own world. Their own secure world, i should say! No one had the fear of a stranger's presence near them, no one bothered to scan the eyes around who might be watching them, no one even bothered to secure those costly sandals and purse! All they had in mind was music and a smile! They danced to the tune, screamed their happiness and cuddled their friends. If only they could feel this happiness and security through out their life!

As the party winded up, I could see many faces resting on their partners shoulders. Many eyes were wet. I could only smile! Another session of tears and confessions! Look at how people change when they are drunk/extremely happy. They just forget the differences, they forget their ego, they forget the fights. They just let go. Emotions - people simply cry it out! And how much relieved both of them become once the dust settles down. I would say occasions like this should happen at least half yearly. Occasions where one can forget themselves and break free. Occasions where in one could shout without being conscious! Our busy life demands dance floors like this. And people say its luxury or simply waste of money! Don't they see the good in it or is it just the drunken studs and their misbehaviour that they see?

My New Year celebration ends here. I wish everyone out here a wonderful New Year. A year full of happiness, music and dance. Let go your worries, cos they only increase your strain, cholesterol and BP. No good for you. If you say smoking is injurious to health, so are worries. So smile today cos your yesterdays are gone. Your tomorrow needs the healthy you. Let your today stop frowning and start smiling. Broken promises or relationships were stories of yesterday. Let the lessons learnt strengthen you. Tear drops are gift of God. Do not waste them for reasons unworthy. Love you all. Happy New Year 2009.