The New Voice of India...

I love the New Voice of India. It's the Voice that wakes up fresh every morning ready to take on the world; its ever ready to take on challenges and is not afraid of being mis-interpreted.
In reality the voice of our generation has never been this loud. This voice does not complain or whine or make excuses. It leads by example, replacing apathy with empathy, disillusionment with belief, words with action. It’s a new India that awakens every morning and looks at itself with pride; an India that wants to live up to its glorious ideal of democracy. It is an India that has hope for a better future and wants to do something about it. Which is ready to take matters in its hands and not blame the government for everything wrong happening. It is spontaneous, filled with high energy and ready to compel people to take hard decisions. It manages a good balance between spontaneity and impulsiveness. And is ready to ask questions never asked before.

It's a voice that wants to be heard and is ready to scream in your ears if you aren't paying attention. I love this voice which is so alive; it gives you a high just listening. It's an energy, its spontaneity, its a wonderful way to live. What it means is we are living in the moment.

Welcome to this new generation. May this enthusiasm live forever. :)

Ode to an unusual friendship...

There are many ways of loosing people. Some you loose when life as you know it, ends; some: when you don't find the time to remain in touch; while others 'coz things just don't work out! No matter why, loosing a good friend is always difficult.

Here's an ode to one such friendship.

When you laugh, it's contagious...
I just have to laugh along-side!
But these moments seemed to have been in the past
friendship with you, just didn't last.


We knew there was no future in all this,
risking everything we still didn't miss,
a single chance to enjoy destiny's hand
hoping people would learn to understand.

You moved me in ways that left a sign,
we spoke till your beliefs became mine
and I never stopped to think
how would life be when things just end.

The day did finally come,
when you were left to pick one;
you chose the right thing to do,
I understood and really didn’t miss
Its just sad it came to all this.

I hope you know now,
I always wished your best
Life is fun and I wish you only delight
I wish “He” would keep you in sight!

P.S:
It was a choice no one should make
for life’s not always as simple to shake!

Numbed Spirit!

I was in Mumbai this last week. Had reached the mighty city, along side the terrorists (or so my friends said.) When at first I heard about the terror attack I didn't even react. I was getting frantic calls through out the night and the next day from worried loved ones who knew I was in the city but well I was actually numb. No anger the way I had felt in "Delhi cries" http://astutalks.blogspot.com/2008/09/delhi-cries.html", or fear... No feelings whatsoever to tell you the truth... And that was what scared me.

Since then I have read & seen hundreds of reports on "what happened?"! I have tried to follow people's discussions on "who did it??"! And read emails after emails petitioning people to wake up! But I seem to have gone into a deep slumber. It's as if it's not happening to me... I am in a daze almost like I am seeing everything like a fish looking at humans outside an aquarium. And this for sure scares me!

I read some really amazing writeups about the "Mumbai Spirit" and how the people are simply untouched by what happens... Actually 24 hours after the supposed worst terror attack on the country, I was actually there to see the city go back to normal. It stunned me to think about the 'Mumbai Spirit'! I was left wondering if it's awesome that they can get out of it so soon or awful that they forget so fast!!! And yes this supposed food for thought scared the shit out of me...

I am but a common man who's scared... Who wants to do something but doesn't know how... Who would simply like to sit inside her cosy home and point fingers at someone else whose not doing their job... I know I am lazy, scared and hard to please but I am your average Indian.

It's scary to think... But Jaipur... Bangalore... Ahemdabad... Assam... Delhi and Mumbai... I wonder where next will this heat hit! And when would we not be as vulnerable to the whole thing and be able to start feeling something more...!