Modjo

Some days ago, while retiring from the daily chores I was cursing myself for being so rude and cruel to the most tolerant person on earth. Me. I had allowed myself all this while to give my time, energy and intellect for the need of others and guess what I got in return? A bounty of more responsibilities. Nobody bothered to ask me what I would need for myself. Work demanded, family demanded, friends demanded. Even the neighborhood puppy demanded attention. For the time being I forgot that I need to read, write, and laze around listening to ‘Country Roads’. Or just sit by my favorite window and weep. Why do I never get to realize how a day goes by? Before the fervor of the day sinks in, it’s already midnight. Suddenly I found myself running too fast to pace up with responsibilities and expectations. What if I stop for a while and let time fly away. I have no reason to blame myself if I miss a point or two in the Due Diligence Report of a Dollar-billed client or if the cooking gas gets over before time or if the electricity bill is paid late or even if the rice gets overcooked. I can still sit by my favorite window and listen to ‘Country Roads’. And perhaps also write a Blog a day.

Do you sleep-talk? Well, if you are a married Muslim, beware. Coz just one harmless, unintended sleep-talk might just change the course of your life. Like it had done to a Muslim couple, Aftab and Sohela in India.
Aftab has been directed by local Islamic clerics to divorce his wife after he said 'talaq, talaq, talaq' thrice in his sleep.
Talaq in Urdu means divorce and according to Islamic laws, triple rendition of the word amounts to divorce. But Aftab hardly knew that uttering the three words in his blissful sleep would cost him his married life.
The couple, married for 11 years with three children, were told they had to split.
The religious leaders ruled that if the couple wanted to remarry they would have to wait for at least 100 days and that Sohela would also have to spend a night with another man and be divorced by him in turn.
That's what I call mindless cannon of law.

I'm back....recently visited Thailand...wud like to share some photographs....

would post more shortly.....

Thought of sharing a few pictures of my beautiful country. These are photographs of 'Kanyakumari' - the southernmost part of India.

"With his small hands clasped together
He kneeled beside his bed
Trying to wipe the tears away
This is what the small boy said.
Dear Lord, I miss my daddy so
He's been gone almost a year
And it's really hard on mom right now
Since Christmas Eve is here.

I do my best to help her
I've done the things I should
If you'll please bring me a puppy dog
I promise to be good.
I get to missing dad so much
Though I know he's there with you
I think a pup would cheer me up
And soothe me when I'm blue.

So, the little boy fell off to sleep
And drifted far away
He dreamed of fluffy puppy dogs
That chased him in his play.
Then something strange awakened him
In the middle of the night
He felt a presence in the room
But no one was in sight.

The little boy looked all around
There was not a soul to greet
But a small and fluffy puppy
Curled up there at his feet.
Wishes really do come true
In his heart he felt so glad
The tag attached said simply
To you dear son .... from Dad."

....wish u all a very happy christmas n may all your wishes come true...

love to all

In a post-9/11 world, where the secular space shrinks every day, the very definition of secularism needs to be constantly refreshed and contemporised.
If indeed my country professes to practice a secularism that is founded on the theory of neutrality or equal distance from all religions, then surely it should follow that either we remove the use of Hindu traditions to mark non-religious gatherings or ensure all religions find equal expression in all forums. Consider the 'arti' done on foreign dignitaries when they visit the country- The lamp-lighting ceremony at government-sponsored cultural festivals- Advertising films selling motorcycles to the chant of Hindu scriptures. Admirable symbols of tradition, piety, sanctity, but clearly, religious symbols. These symbols have now taken on a pan-Indian significance. The growing concern is not with the use of ceremony to mark an occasion. It is the use of religious symbolism. That they are accepted and practised not as Hindu traditions but as Indian traditions. A soothing, tempting position, but not entirely correct.
Clearly the case for removing religion from the non-religious sphere is a strong one. Any step to erase feelings of alienation that Indians who are not Hindus might feel both within and without this country is a step towards peace, not to mention prosperity. Underlying all of this will be the quiet belief that religion has no place in the public sphere. It will require the correct interpretation and implementation of our Constitution to firmly steer the nation away from this sense of divisiveness so deep-seated that questions that should be asked lie unspoken.

My body is burning
It starts to shout
Desire is coming
It breaks out loud
Lust is in cages
Till storm breaks loose
Just have to make it
With someone I choose
The night is calling
I have to go
The wolf is hungry
He runs the show
He's licking his lips
He's ready to win
On the hunt tonight
For love at first sting...........

......Let me take you far away
You'd like a holiday..
Exchange the cold days for the sun
A good time and fun..

Let me take you far away
You'd like a holiday
Exchange your troubles for some love
Wherever you are

Let me take you far away
You'd like a holiday
Longing for the sun you will come
To the island without name
Longing for the sun be welcome
On the island many miles away from home
Be welcome on the island without name
Longing for the sun you will come
To the island many miles away from home........

Last evening was extraordinary... went for a play called 'Sammy' by Lilette Dubey at Chowdiah Hall ... a part of the Bangalore Habba....

Play was outstanding... based on Gandhi but not the regular historical ones...it had an element of laughter wonderfully woven... showed a different shade of his character... we could actually relate to this Gandhi, who finally seemed not just 'Mahatma' (the great Soul) but also a normal human like all of us.. who had weaknesses and strengths, uncertainities and difficulties, failures and disappointments... who fought with wife at home yet was concerned about her...
The beautifully directed play had an awesome cast with a special mention of Joy Sengupta and Neha Dubey -as Gandhi and Kasturba... actually everybody gave an overwhelming performance...

Did any of you in B'lore go for the play?

basically had nothing to write today.... just had been a little agitated since morning...
I had always been very choosy about my coffee mugs..... had always preferred the tartan red mug to the big blue one ..... in fact, for that matter, i would have even prefferd any of the dreary mugs to the annoying blue mug, which i detest the most...i like nothing about the mug specially the obtusely etched 3 letters on it-'IBM'...
But, to my disappointment , on reaching office, realised that i am left with a wide range of choice of blue and black 'IBM' engraved mugs.... hunted listlessly for my favorite one ...
finally with utter disappointment sipped the first morning coffee in one of the giant mugs....
had memories of the pretty red mug all day, amidst 'board minutes', 'arbitration awards', 'customs act' and 'tortious liabilities'.....
however, even at the end of the day couldn't discover the mystery behind the disappearance of my favorite coffee mug...
came back home with a broken heart...
compromising with the first morning coffee is a huge task in itself... a mammoth task, my friends...