India v/s Bharat

Hello Reader,

As a child, I always loved the fact that my country has so many names: India, Bharat and Hindustan. But, see what has this lead us to. Recently, we witnessed a variety of comments from a lot of our 'dignitaries' after the 'black dot' day. Here is a small recap of those fallacious comments:

"Don't live in India - Migrate to Bharat instead." - RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat

"Don't eat chowmein." - Khap Panchayat

"Don't go out with boys in the night."  - Abu Azmi of Samajwadi Party
"Don't wear jeans. Fashion is strictly prohibited." - too may people to mention

"Get married when you are 16 years old." - Another Khap Panchayat

"Don't use mobile." - Some Panchayat in UP and Rajasthan

"Don't cross Maryada." - MP Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya

"Say NO to anything remotely connected to western culture." - RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat

"Perform pooja to put 'stars' in correct 'position'." -Chhattisgarh Home Minister Nanki Ram Kanwar

and the most infamous "Call the criminal 'bhaiya' ." - Asaram Bapu 
This is not the first time that such a comment has been turned into a controversy. Even after so many paradigms been set in the past, these people are either dumb or too naive to understand that saying such things are not acceptable to the public. There might be a small group of people who still might second their third-class thoughts.

There is one common statement that we can abstract out of these hilarious ideas of safeguarding women and that is 'westernization of Indian culture'. Whenever they'll feel that they are losing an argument or have nothing else to say to protect themselves against allegations, 'culture' is the only wild card they use. Indian culture becomes greater than the law. If they say Bharat is a better place to live than i'India' (the westernized name), then I would very loudly and clearly like to ask about honor killings, dowry, child marriage, and killing a girl child. Is that what 'Bharat' offers?

Now, girls can't use cell-phones in some areas of UP and Rajasthan just because the Panchayat thinks it is infecting them with western culture. 51,000 /- fine for those who are caught marrying a person from other community. Get the girl married at 16 or even before that.

This is not acceptable. It is not the way 'Bharat' treats its people, its not even how 'India' treats its people. That is more a taliban-way of doing things. And why are these people allowed  to enforce such laws in their communities is still a question. 

The thoughts of these upper-hand people is too senile. They are still living in the same old era. This is one big reason for the Indian villagers being uneducated. When their head himself holds such egregious views for the society, no wonder how he would be misleading his followers and showcasing them a wrong picture of the world outside. And their minds will always see western culture as evil and Indian culture as the hero. They'll never ever learn that every culture has its own meanings and it has noting to do with being legal or illegal. A person wanting to marry outside his community is not what his/her culture supports but it is legal. Using cell-phone or wearing a jeans is not a crime. Crimes that take place have nothing to do with culture. If back then, India was Bharat and everybody so pure that they never crossed limits or committed any sin is noway true.

It was Bharat, where Draupadi was disrobed, Sita crossed the Lakshman Rekha and Kunti had pre-marital relation. These are incidents from Ramayana and Mahabharata which are enough to prove them wrong.
We still live in the same old Bharat with a new name. Its about the mind set. With time, comes new trends and one cannot expect other to be living in a generation that is gone. Nobody is disrespecting the Indian culture expect the ones are are preaching it in a wrong way and using it for their own good.  And they deserve to be punished for dichotomy this country.

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.