The two faces

Hello reader,

Today, I want to talk about evil, Satan and being bad.
Ravan had 10 heads, Voldemorte had 7 lives and each one of us has two personalities: A good and an evil one. It is always said that evil, seldom loses to good. But in recent times I don’t see that happening. People love the evil, the black. People want to be bad. It happens when the evil part of you attracts your mind more than your good side. It’s up to you to choose with path to follow. Mostly it may attract to the evil side because from the outside, it looks lovely. And what people first look at is the cover page, not the contents. The path of evil is a shortcut to what you want. Like, you find a wallet lying in your college campus with the same amount of cash you are in need of. What would you do? Keep it for yourself or return it to the person it belongs to? It all depends on what your mind bids for at that moment. Where there is good, there is evil too.

That’s why, when Shahrukh Khan plays the character of Don on screen and loots a bank or kills his enemies, people love it. They like their favourite star playing bad sometimes. Where, the bad Don never dies. Being bad is now a style and especially when we have trend setter like Shahrukh himself. The movie was awesome with international quality cinematography. I loved it. And so are the stories written where almost every time the villain is showcased as more powerful. Although in the end, as we have seen in the movies, it’s the white which always wins. But people know evil never dies. And again every time an evil takes birth in different avatars, a hero is born to finish its story.

Today, in India, resides a villain, a terrorist, who was responsible of killing hundreds of people. He has been kept safe and it is taking ages for Indian officials to prove his crime. He is not the only one, there are many like him who feel safe living a luxurious life in Indian jails. So what is happening now is that evil is being kept in like our own guests and are being fed healthily. I don't see the evil losing. Where are our heroes? Heroes have chosen the path of evil too i guess. Everybody knows how corrupt the politicians are, common man always curses them, but do they ever think if they are at the same position with all that black money, would they not think about the personal pleasures? It’s all about where their mind asks them to go. And the evil welcomes with wide open arms. Why wouldn’t evil grow?

Now, in modern India, even the pub culture is an evil. Drinking and smoking wasn’t really a common activity a few years ago. The youth gets attracted to it. Then they look for the next level in being bad. And when the future of India has no problem in getting committed to evil, why wouldn’t evil grow?
I guess I am too good to see the evil win. I always try not to choose the evil.
It’s time to discover and erase your inner Satan. It is really powerful and it grows. But we are gifted with the angelic part too. Let the evil not take over that. We all have a hero inside, don’t we?
It’s all up to our decision and then why wouldn’t the angel grow?

Ashish

Mirror, Diary and Headphones

Hello Reader

Many at times, the only person you want to be with is yourself.
Only you and nobody around.
Mostly when you are not happy or angry. May be your loved one ditches you, something not happening like you wish the things to go like.
Sadness is a part of life for every human. Only difference is the period of sadness. For some, it remains for too long and they ultimately start being alone and away from the rest of the world around them, shattered.

Otherwise, people always celebrate their life, every moment.
And even after the loud parties and joyous rides, one always seeks peace, silence, some time to spend with themselves.

And in all these times there are some very precious accessories and stuff which they always want to be with them in those lonely times. Those non living items carry a lot of emotions. They are just a medium to talk to yourself. Introspect and reveal yourself to yourself. In knowing the people around, we forget to think about ourselves. And then these mediums help you to discover yourself.

Mirrors. When you look into a mirror, it doesn't just tells you whether you are looking good for the party or not but it tells a lot more. When you look into your own eyes, you get to know if you are being true to yourself. It shows us our real face. Even the professional dancers and actors rehearse in front of a mirror before they go for the actual performance on stage before the crowd. When you are on a phone call with your loved one, look at yourself and it will show you, your emotions. Smile?

Diaries. Diaries can be your best friend once you put forward your hand to it and it won't deny your friend request. When nobody is with you to share or you don't want certain things to go public then all you need to do is ink out everything on your mind into your diary. And diary may show you a way, lead you out of the darkness and solve all your problems. Believe me, diaries talk. When you have something inside which is burning you. Hold a pen and start scribbling all that on to your dear diary. And then your tears start flowing faster than the ink off the nib and you feel relieved. Sad?

Headphones. Depending on the mood, people select their playlist and songs. The lyrics convey the same message they want to read, the same emotion they want to feel. A punk emo follower listens to a hard rock metal scream at a corner of a deserted place, a usual sad person may walk along a silent road and listen to some sad, blue song and a very happy person may find himself dancing in middle of a crowded bus stop and people staring. It all depends and headphones are the medium which connects you to that emotion and makes you feel every note of music that enters your head. And as the music plays, you walk along, not thinking about the random people around you, the music plays only for you, the lyrics match and you walk along with the beats...apni hi shun mein. Lost?

This Christmas, fall in love with yourself. Lets get committed...

Ashish

The C word

Hello Reader

In my last post, I narrated the story of onions. It was about how they were considered untouchables during Hindu rituals. And onions were never added in the food prepared for Hindu Brahmans.
Similarly, like onions, years ago in India, people were categorized. The rich, the landlords and the poor, their servants. The poor became the backward category and untouchables. This trend was followed after that and is still being followed.
But now, the scenario is completely different. The people then poor worked hard through ages and with the help of affordable education policies run by government, got educated and rich.
After the Independence, once a proper government was stabilized in India, all those poor people started getting reservations. The categories were named Scheduled castes (SC), tribes (ST) and Other backward classes(OBC).
And I think it was a thoughtful decision by the government to give reservation as a tribute to the hard work they did for the richer people for ages.
The reservation till their lives got stable was proper. The reservation till they could earn enough to satisfy their basic needs was proper.
But today, even if a person is rich and falls under on of the three categories gets reservation.
Now, this is not at all thoughtful. This is rather stupid.
This is the time where only those people should get reservation who are economically backward or below poverty line. But this is not happening. Even a person who calls himself SC, ST or OBC, earning more than a general category person gets reservation.
Why does he need that?
If a person is economically poor he should be given reservation because he cannot afford to get education. But why should a person get reservation of seats in a college or a competitive exam if he can get and afford good education?

When I appeared for AIEEE exam 3 years ago. The cutoff for eligibility was 100 for me.
80 for an OBC category candidate and 44 for a SC/ST candidate.
44?
I don't see any sense in categorizing people on the basis of caste..
If someone is poor, he should be helped.
But the rich people can help themselves.
And all SC, ST and OBC people are not poor! So Why reservation?

What should be done?
The categories such as SC and ST should be removed completely. There should be only Two based on the individuals economic stability. If a person is really poor and cannot afford proper education. He should get it.
And the rich people who consider themselves under those categories should get it themselves if they really are bright rather than enjoying the shortcuts.

Why is this not possible?
Everything comes and ends at only one thing: MONEY.
And even behind all this, lies big amount of money. Till the government waves green flag for reservation, they 'll be getting more and more votes to be in power and take in more and more money to eat.

What to do now?
Chuck it. Let it be as it is and move on with whatever you get. Nothing can be done until people widen the narrow paths inside their minds and build a new smart n wide highways,
until people delete the C word from everywhere.

Ashish

The Story of Onions

Hello reader,

This is a tale which my mother once told to me. It is about onions. In Hindu culture, in some traditional poojas when the food is prepared, onions are not included in the ingredients. And this story tells us why they are not included.
Of course, this is NOT how my mother narrated the story to me...

"Many years ago, somewhere, someone threw a grand party, a luncheon where all the great gods and goddesses were invited. Everybody gathered in the great hall to gulp in the free lunch.

And back there, in the kitchen the chefs were busy preparing the food with utmost care. There was this store room where all the raw stuff was dumped together. Vegetables, grains, fruits, meat, chicken etc. were all kept in the same room. Though the vegetables were kept separate from the raw non-veg stuff.
Two of the onions rolled down to the other side. These two onions of the lot were in love and decided to cross the boundary. Forgetting about all rules and customs, the two onions ran away to the other side of the room, where all the non-veg stuff was kept to live a happy life together.
And then, some agent found out about it and informed it to the host. They couldn't stand the fact that the two onions were happily enjoying their life in the non-veg world and they decide to cut them from the community for crossing the limits and not only those two onions suffered but their entire family of onions became a disgrace to the society, even their descendants had to bear the pain.
And from then on, onions were never used while cooking in the typical Hindu customary, rituals and Poojas."

These onions made me cry :'(

Ashish

The Pub Culture

Hello reader,

People are either happy or sad. When happy, they drink. When sad, they drink.
It's like saying "I drink only twice a year. One, when it rains and second, when it doesn't."

And Pubs provide the space, the privacy, the comfort zone for that.

College event? Festival? End of exams? Birthday party? a free Weekend?
There is only one way to celebrate...
"Let's Booze!"
Yeah!
Boozing is no more a bad word or taboo from a youth's point of view. Plus to add on to it the number of pubs opening up are attracting more and more teenagers to let the divine liquid flow down their esophagus. The pubs too have lot many attractive offers which at least, the girls cant put down. Happy hours where you get discount on beer!!
The evil inside you grows big, the door of the pub opens automatically, you are pushed in and before your 'angel' part can stop you, you'll be in a completely new world. Dim and colorful lighting, high bass music, smoke and that smell.

Tension at work? tension with friends? tension in a relationship?
There is only one way to tolerate...
"Let's Drink!"
Yeah!
However deep misery you may be going through, you'll be dancing with your friends to the loud foot tapping bang-bang beats. This is the new trend. After a full busy hectic week, all one needs is a drink. To forget it all for some time.

A few years ago, this surely wasn't a common activity. Things have changed, people who never drank were considered to be well mannered and good people and now the one who drinks more becomes the hero.
But even today, go and ask a random middle aged or old person about it and they surely will have a problem and probably call it against the Indian culture.
But the youth have been falling for the western culture from ages. Be it the western music, way of dressing, then eating, so after all these globalization and cosmopolitanism in the society, the pub culture had to come. And it is slowly climbing the steps, one by one. Another plug-in to the Indian culture.

Yahan 'rab' bhi hai aur PUB bhi ;)

A house made of ash

Hello reader

Behind my college campus, at a very walk-able distance, there is a multistoried building. The owner lives in the ground floor with his family. On the ground floor there is also a shop where you get all the daily needs.
Daily needs like cigarettes.

Let me take you to the flashback.
A very innocent me joined the college. And every time a senior asked me if i smoke. I had a very obvious no in my answer. But soon I came to know about the number of people addicted to smoke. In my hostel, in my classroom, smokers were everywhere, everywhere around me. And the number always increased. You like it or not, smoke takes you in. You yourself may not smoke but you will be a part of passive smoking which is very bad.
Then I came to know about the spots where smokers jam. One of them is the shop i mentioned. It used to be a single story house with a small shop in the front when I was in the first year. Then soon the owner got a sparking idea and he started selling cigarettes. He made it convenient for the students and some faculty of our college to go and have a puff or two in every break or lunch time. And even the hostel guys didn't have to go out kilometers in search of cigarettes. It was just a blink away.
And the owner of the house is now earning big time.

And today, after 2 years, that house is now a 3 storied building. Nearly of the same height like that of my hostel building. And soon, he'll be giving the rooms for rent for the students of our college in a cheaper rate. Then those students will also be seduced by the smoke and add profit for the owner.
When you go near to that shop, you'll find the thousands of burnt cigarette buds lying on he ground everywhere. The ash of which helped the owner to grow big.

The biggest irony about this is even though it is clearly mentioned that 'smoking is injurious to health' with a picture of lung on the packet, people still buy it and suicide. And this dirty addiction is being properly used by the people who want to grow in fast rate. Even the government. They earn big profit from it. As it gets high taxes on the sale of each packet. That is why cigarettes are never banned no matter how dangerous they are to those who consume it and even to those who don't.

Anyways it is solving the two important issues of the country by reducing population and growing economy.
Everyone is building houses. Houses made up of ash.

Poem: Words get Bitter

Hey Reader,
a small poem describing my anger towards everything that was happening against my wish. Now i don't want to keep it inside me.



Of the many avatars,
Here is one more of mine.
Talking to me and to all others around,
Loud, clear and fine.

The time is now past,
for you, to test me.
The time is now past,
For me, to tolerate you.

Smile is what the world can see,
Not, what’s on the backstage.
The cover may be dancing free
But the pages are burning with rage.

Give me a will against my heart
And watch it pump the venomous blood.
Boiling inside for too long, is desperate,
to flow out like a flood.

The time is now,
For you, to listen
The time is now,
For me, to spit it out


My world has made me think so dark
That even the brightest day has lost its spark.
The poisonous words are waiting like a dart
To poke,
right in the middle of your heart.