The Ugly Mentality of the Indian Male...

A man is a man... he is the one who sustains the family.... why... because he earns a living.... just because he has an office to attend in the morning... does that make him the king of the world....??

Living in the 21st century and being a girl is the toughest thing that I have ever done. Trust me, its tougher being a girl in the world that we are living today. The man gets all the freedom... and the girl, none. If she drinks, she parties or hangs out with friends...she's labeled "bad". You think that this's all figments of my imagination??? Well... how about checking out the Hindustan Times' 6th January issue, where in a survey they found that the Indian male is a hypocrite and would never accept the women as his equal. The survey shows the ugly mentality that the male possesses today. Even though it's the new world... the Indian male would never shy away from making a lewd remark at a girl who is wearing so called provocative clothes... and as if that is not all... if eve teasing is done... and the man is questioned why.... then he simply answers that it was all her fault... why should she be wearing provocative clothes...or drinking or smoking....?? Isn't that against our ethics and morals....?? I say, isn't it against our same morals that a man also doesn't smoke or drink... then why is the man of the house allowed so....??

If only shall our counterparts ever accept the fact that they alone can't run the world...will they ever realise that a woman is as much part of this world and society as they are... and they have as much right to party.... to do what they want.... what truely is needed is sensitising the mentality of the Indian male...who just thinks that woman is nothing but a toy to be played with and thrown in a corner....!!!

I completely agree with what Annie Zaidi, at Blank Noise, Says--

I will not accept.....

I will not stop buying 'provocative' clothes. I will not be modest. I will not behave. I will not treat night as namehram I cannot be seen with. I will not change my stride to side-step the maps of our molestation. I will not call a Violation by another name. I will not make unwanted rules for myself. I will crush the beast where I see it. With a stare, with a slur, with a scream, with a camera.... I will take my rights as a citizen and nothing less.

IE Foxed !!

Well, since I have been on Internet Explorer bashing mood and promoting Mozilla FireFox a lot, these days, I thought it'd be interesting, sharing the above pic with you. Do leave a comment, if you feel like!

Ponderings...

He's Hurt, Mentally & Emotionally;
But everyday He walks outside with a smile on His face.
Because that's who He is,
The Guy who never stopped smiling!

And they said,
"If you endure the pain a little bit more ;
The pain will eventually, go away."

Last month Chronicled

So, finally the 'New' Year's arrived! I can even see Sakshi writing a post, ushering in the 'New' Year to this beloved blogpage of ours, as well. Well, kudos to you, gurl! Without you, this page would've remained stagnant for ages, thanks to my lazy ass!

Well, anyways, the point that I wanted to raise up was that what is so new about this 'new year'? True, folks do make 'resolution' but how many of them do you actually follow? I remember, after the college started, people continuously asking me about this year's resolutions. I got so pissed off at one time that I was forced to announce, "This year's resolution for me would be not to make any more 'new year resolutions' ever again!" ;-) I just can't figure out the very purpose of it all. Yes, I agree, for all you uninitiated out there, you'd at least go on a self evaluation trip once in a year. But then again, c'mon dude, what the heck? Since when have we started imposing things onto each other? Yes, for me, even this is imposition, never mind the intentions. I mean, if a dude wishes to live all his life in self-ignorance, who am I ask him to start re-evaluating his own affairs? And I thought I live in Democratic society!!

Okay, enough grumbling now! Actually, I shouldn't really have any grudges against 'new years'. This festive season, I've spent one of the worst as well as the best winter ever. Wondering how that happened? Well...it's just that I had to stay back in my college during the winters. Check out my 100th post for more on it. Anyways, after that 'bad patch', I happened to shake a leg at Tantra, one of the most happening discs (and I haven't been to many till date) in kolkata, with a few friends whom i met after more than 10 years! Then there was my cousin sister who opened a Pandora's box for me. After getting that wonderful & rare glimpse of the current teen life & trends, I realised it's gonna be a real tough time by the time I have kids of my own! Trust me, until now, I was too keen to have a few lovely kids of my own, someday....but after a few insightful plunges into the abyss, I guess I'd rather prefer to get an adult kid right away, if I ever do.

And after everything, there was this lovely trip to Digha, a sea beach in West Bengal, with my parents. Yes, just me & my parents! No extended family, no friends nor any siblings. Sounds boring? Well as for me, I certainly had a real good time. True, we did have one or two "discussion sessions", you know, the kind you'd expect between any dad & his 21 yr old son! Yet, it wasn't all that bad. And well, what I enjoyed the most was my way back to college, all alone. Actually, it was Monday the next day and I just had to attend the classes. So, ma n dad had left for Kolkata and I boarded another bus, on ym way back to Jamshedpur. I was absolutely clueless about the route, had 2.5K in my wallet, all in cash and tot op it all, I had been pining for a smoke all the way. After getting my supple ass all red in the bus for 4 consecutice fucking hours and 4 more on the train journey, standing all the way, by the time I entered my room, I was no better than an over used towel. Despite all the hardship, the thrill of treking the route back to home was what kept me ticking all the journey. I wish I could post the pics here, but the cam remains with Dad. Hope he mails them to me soon.

Now, an update on our college events. The socio-cultural festival, organised by NIT Jamshedpur, Utkarsh, is on its way. Students have already started to put their minds together for sponsorships. The dates fixed for the fest are 12th - 15th March, '07. Moreover, for the first time in the history of our college, we are planning for a tech fest that is yet to be named. The events for both the festivals are yet to be finalised. However, I thought I'd make a mention here about them so that, just in case you're interested in visiting or participating, you might let me know & I shall surely send out invitations on your way!

Well, that is it for today, i gotta rush for lunch now. Love you all.

Adios!!

What A Day...!!!

The Headlines in tomorrow's leading newspaper would be.... "All pretty Historic in Nature".

This day was quite eventful.. rather very eventful. For all the cricket buffs.. India registered its first victory, after months, in South Africa and it also turns out that India won a test match in South Africa for the fisrt time.

Dada a.k.a Suarav Ganguly, it seems, has come back in the Indian cricket team for the best. The one year break doing him good.. and finally resulting in India winning the test match against the South Africans.

Even as I type this, the hot topic that is being discussed on all Media channels is 'Justice for Jessica', the verdict of High court came out today and the main accused, Manu Sharma, has been convicted under section 302 of Indian Penal Court, and if not hanged.. then would be imprisoned for lifetime.

So what do you say... what a day... and if this is not enough.. then Lalu and Rabri have been aquitted of charges of excess wealth.

Oh yeah.. before I forget, I also learned that the generation Y is growing smarter.. that too faster than what we have growing up like.

Isnt that quite a muse for one day or what...!!!

Unbelievable - This Blog Turns 100 today!!

So, how does it feel, to be left all alone, stuck in a 3-storeyed building with just 2 more occupants other than you, with temperatures plummeting to 8-10 degrees at night, living in load shedding for about 6-7 hrs a days, with a balance of -4.09 in your cell phone, with just a computer to accompany you, that has all the movies & porn that you must’ve watched at least 5 times, music tracks that make you puke despite healthiest of stomach conditions, toilets that haven’t gotten cleaned up for a fortnight, with the only tube light in your room malfunctioning, having to walk about 2 kms, one way, every time you feel your stomach churning up, requiring trips to your sucker of a professor’s house almost twice a day and last, but by no means the least, the only li’l bro you’ve got, gotten hurt by the zip while he felt like getting some fresh air (okay, if you got this one, we just go to get acquainted)?

Does that even remotely sound like hell? Well, isn’t that where the Devil himself is supposed to live in? Seriously, why the fuck am I stuck in this hole, especially when all my papers are over and I’ve gotten an official break for a month, you might ask. Actually, I was planning to work on a project, in the winters, so that I could have a better grasp of my branch subjects, for a change. Yes dear, I certainly have gotten a li’l, if not much, sincere about my academics. It’s not for nothing that my girl friend keeps on complaining that I’ve made her the second priority in my life. No, cyber gaming is not my first priority, you smart ass! But then again, it just might climb my priority ladder if I, ever, do plan to make it my career! ;-) As for now, it’s just the good ol’ academics! So, finally the secret is out…finally I’ve let you know why I’ve stayed back. Now, for chrissakes, stop pestering me with the stale mushroomed query again & again!!

I can’t believe it, this is my 100^th post on Blogger. Well, it’s true that Sakshi has posted 10 herself. But then again, at least this is the 100^th post on this blog. I know, I know – I’m still a newbie out here. C’mon guys, doncha think I deserve at least wee bit of credit and applause? I can still remember the first time I blogged was on Rediff, dated September 22nd, 2006. It was a female named Ipshita, I’d once met in a train, who’d made me post back then. (You can click here if you wanna read about it.) After that, it was Yahoo 360° & now, Blogger. Well, I can never write about my blogging life without mentioning Pragnya. It was by sheer accident that I came across her blogs on Rediff. It was her who’d first inspired me to start writing online. And then, it was her who showed me the way to Blogger. Till date, she’s been one of the best bloggers I’ve read. The way she narrates, the way she expresses & the way she presents herself, just one word for it all – AWESOME!

I write because I like writing. I like to express my thoughts, be it vocal, be it on pen & paper or be it online. It’s just ‘coz I’m a li’l computer savvy that I chose web logs as my vent. I never considered my journals to be interesting enough. However, one or two readers would often stray onto my page & leave a comment. After me & Sakshi started going around, I introduced her to the blogging scene. At first, she used to write just to impress me. ;-) But then, inevitably, she got hooked onto it herself. HeHe! So much so, that now she actually coaxes me every time I stop posting for a continuous stretch of a month or so!! Then came Karma, Rathz & Shinnok! I never knew my posts would result into so many converts! Yes, it’s certainly satisfying!!

People ask me, “What is a blog? Why do you waste time writing things that hardly anyone shall ever read? Why do you allow strangers to peek into your personal life?” Well, all I call them is a bunch of ignorants! Okay, now stop making faces & get that eyebrow of yours back to where it belongs! I know I’m being rude to people. I know I myself had been ignorant myself. But then, don’t you think all it needs one to do is check a few blogs to know what it is all about? True, there are people who write about their inner most secrets. I myself have shared quite a few of my personal life here. But does that mean you’ll have to do the same yourself? If you think you aren’t comfortable enough to share your life, there are so many other things that you can write about, dude! You can share your feelings, your dilemma, you can discuss issues that you care about, you can showcase the poet in you, you can review movies, you can share happening events in your colony, in your college, you can share your experiences that might help others too. If nothing, you can even put up your research works! The best part of it all, you hardly need to know the nitty-gritties of web page coding to do all that! Personally, I find blogging a great avenue to vent out my frustrations in life, it is my punching bag!!

Okay, I think I’m getting carried away. I guess I’ve used a lot many words in celebrating my centennial post. Anyways, all I’ll conclude with is –

"The wise man hardly gives the right answers, he poses the right questions."

Peace to all!!

A Quiver Full Of Queries

Have you ever craved for something so bad that you’ve actually worked for a year n a half just for that? Whatever you’ve done, howsoever you’ve thought, everything for that ultimate goal? Have you ever consoled yourself, every time u had a bad day, that you at least you have a master plan that can negate a lot of your short comings? Have you ever slept blissfully knowing that the moment you drift off, u have a dream to soothe you off your day’s tiredness?

And now the bouncer – Have you ever seen that very dream dissolving right before your eyes? Have you ever gotten haunted by a mistake you’d made long back in your life, right in that very dream of yours? Have you ever experienced the pain it causes when u lose the very support system of your being? Do you know how it feels when you are aware that a single fig can help you from drowning, but you hands aren’t long enough to reach the nearest bunch?

I don’t know the kind of life you’ve lived. But I’d certainly love you to leave a few lines if you can answer a few of my queries. I’m asking you, ‘coz probably I don’t know the answers myself…or probably I do, just isn’t too easy for me to admit the same!

The A/S/L Syndrome!

Did man created this internet so that he can further his sexual fantasies through the cyber space or did he create it to reach arse and love holes of the opposite sex?? I may sound a bit provocative but isn't this the truth? Today, I was chatting on the Yahoo server. I got atleast 7 to 8 messages but as soon as replied their query of 'A/S/L' with '20,male,india', I was messaged back 'bye' or 'I'm male too' and ignored! Can't we people get a bit more rational and leave the useless radical rules. What I can't understand is that why the hell can't two people of same sex speak or interact with each other? I've seen people who are too shy to speak to their opposite sexes but when they are online, they won't even take half an hour to say 'I Love You' to the one they are spaking too. I agree that people tend to fulfill their fantasies through the net and feel uncomfortable being behind the monitor. But the issue is why the hell people of 21st century so fickle minded? Why can't they adapt themselves, mould themselves to the present situations and conditions. I may sound too sexist but the fact is I just wanted to speak out what annoyed me so much today and that's why I am writing out this blog.

Newayz, hope things will imprve. I'd like you to respond to this article of mine so that I know how right or wrong I am. Maybe I'm the one who should change but I would love to improvise myself.

Physical distance in a Relationship

How much of physical proximity is required for two people in love? Is physical touch at all necessary for two people who are very much in love? Confused why I put up such a question? Well, then allow me to let you in with some facts. It's just that me & my girlfriend, Sakshi, stay thousands of miles away from each other. I'm studying out here in Jamshedpur whereas she's from Delhi. Anyways, coming back to the point, there have been loads of times when we actually felt the physical distance between us. There have been hundreds of times when we craved just to be able to touch each other, just to be able to spend some time looking into each other's eyes.

Now, don't you misunderstand me! While talking of the distance in a relationship, I don't necessarily mean sex. Of course, we aren't saints. But doncha think, just to be able to hold each other's hands, just to be able to hug each other once in a while when the other is down, means a lot in a relationship? I've talked about this to quite a few of my friends. Although a number of them feel that it does matter, "purists" feel that if it's "true love", the distance chouldn't create any problem. If it's "true love", talking to each other for about half an hour in a week should be enough. You shouldn't need anything else if both of you know that you love the other more than anything. Now, the problems that I face here is that I get perplexed everytime I hear "true love". Frankly, how would you know if your love is true or not? And moreover, in today's world, do you really think just the knowledge that the other loves you, is enough for a relationship?

Personally, I'd love to hold my girlfriend's hands as often as I can manage, I'd love to give her a bear hug everytime she's down, would wrap my arm around her waist while we're walking together. I'd even love to converse with her with just our eyes. Could've cut my left hand off just to have occassional dinners with her. Nothing can beat the appreciation on how the newest shirt, that you bought yesterday, looks on you. I feel these petty things go a long way to make a relationship memorable & worth dying for.

I'm not sure if I'm right or wrong in my beliefs. Neither am I sure whether Sakshi's gonna approve of this post. Yet I published this 'coz I wanted to know what others feel, I wanted to know what you feel about the point I raised in this post.

So, what do you say?

And they say there's shortage of time...

What a waste! Here we are, back at college after a month long hiatus, and now that we do attend our classes religiously...all we get is useless blabber over Reflection by Electromagnetic "Babes" & their various intensities and frequencies!!

This is taking it's toll on our nerves now. It's almost gonna be May, in a few days. The 4th years need to join their companies by June & even their immediate juniors need to complete their summer trainings. Each & every semester's behind the academic calendar by a minimum of 25 working days. And as if all these aren't enough to bruise our asses, there's this 45°C+ heat in this god-forsaken town 0of Jamshedpur. None of us has a clue when we're supposed to appear for the papers and how long are we gonna get to study for them. To top it all, there're practicals, vivas & submissions too. Good Lord, Save us all!!

Snaps & Videos regarding our college liaison with the 'jhingalala' crowd from the surrounding slums are still pending. I'm sure you're gonna get amused to your wit's end when you check us out actually dodging the poisoned arrows cannonballed by the angry tribals. I know, you're itching for a detailed account of what exactly had happened out here. But, I plan to serve out the scoops only after the pictures are here.

Well anyways, the Electromagnetic "Babes" period's almost over and the prof's walking towards the dais, for attendance. Will surely try to write again, as soon as I can make it.

Astrology - What a waste!

Hmm...So, does this guy look anywhere like your family or the neighbourhood astrologer? At least I find them all pretty comic. I find it quite strange, how some people are so much concerned about what their so-called horoscopes say. It rather disgusts me to the utmost to find people actually planning their days according to some crackpot who'd prepared their janmpatri. What a waste!

Yes, it's true that I'm an Atheist. But does that have any bloody thing to do with believing and not believing in astrology & it's various tentacles? I just find it funny how some people give it all the importance of their lives. Okay, I'm not really thrashing the very art. It does have it's implications. I've had quite a few proofs of it's level of accuracy in my own life. But, correct me if I'm wrong, one is also capable of turning one's own fate by his deeds. I feel one should just go by one's own business, without thinking much about the future.

I know, I'm talking like a kid. But I'm just too tired right now to actually write properly. Probably I'll follow up later when I got some time in my hand. Just felt like writing up something right now after reading a post written by my girlfriend. I was too pissed to even comment to that.

Life these days!

Life's become quite hectic these days. Made a resolution of not to miss a single lecture this semester. I know, it sounds very unrealistic...but at least I'm gonna try my best to attend as many of them as I can possibly manage! So, waking up at 7:30 am, when the air around me almost tends to freeze at 5-7 degrees celsius, has almost become my daily habit. Well yeah, if ever thankfully I get my first lecture free, I get an hour extra to maul the mattress.

Then after 4 lengthy and almost suicidal lectures, come back to hostel by around 12.15pm, just gobble up my lunch & then again on my way to college. Probably get free by around 3-4pm every afternoon, but then again extra tutorial by a professor in my college. BVy the time I get to go back to my room, it's 6-7pm. After that, I do indulge myself in a bit of idea exchange with fellow mates & probably frag a few bad guys' butts. It's dinner time by 8.15pm & gets over by about 9pm. And well...assignments and a bit of self study too. So, by the time I actually get to consult my watch next, it's invariably past midnight!

Okay, I didn't really wish to bore you about my daily routine, but I did want to document my present condition 'coz this's the first time ever I've gotten this busy. And well, a few years down the line, I'm sure I'll be highly amused to reread this again. No one knows what the future holds for him/her. But that never bars a person from day dreaming, from urging for a better tomorrow. I'm sure it's gonna be both fun & nostalgic when, in future, I read what I now wish to do & to be, in my later years. How much different will the reality be from my ambitions, my dreams? Yes, I too daydream. And some of the things I desire are very impractical & sometimes unethical as well. But I do wish at least 5% of my daydreams to come true in this life-time of mine. Whether they will or not...it's all Destiny!

Had gone to the market yesterday. The basic occasion was 'coz Mehul, a good friend of mine, wanted company...and well, I too needed to return a book I'd mistakenly bought yesterday. Anyways, after all my errands were taken care of, I was just window shopping when I suddenly felt like visiting the Archies gallery & get a card for Saxi. It's certainly been really really long since I sent her one. The moment I entered the gallery, my eyes fell on a locket that really looked awesome. However, somehow I don't much like the idea of dangling anything around my neck. But that locket certainly fueled an urge in me to wear something that's so much in vogue these days. I normally detest any & every sort of ornamentation. But this time, I just wanted to give it a shot. While I was just browsing through the racks, I found a pack of those C.R.Y. wrist bands the college folks are wearing these days. Although I got a pair of those bands, a black & a yellow, I was searching a thick wrist band that's either wooden or that of leather. I didn't find any in that gallery, so just left it & went to another shop. That guy had a few leather ones studded with metal. But those ones seemed too vulgar to me, so settled with just a plain leather band.

Although I was a bit apprehensive at first, it isn't really looking all that bad. Most of my folks were shocked to see me wearing it, something they feel only the spoilt kids wear. Well, it seems they've finally gotten used to it, by now! And well, I think I must say a sorry to Saxi 'coz in the hulla-baloo, I'd completely forgotten to get the card for her, the original reason for me getting into that gallery. I'm sorry, hon!

So much so to trying to look cool. Frankly, I'd never ever gotten myself flown in the so-called tide of fashion. It's just this time I felt like giving it a shot. I know Dad's gonna shoot me if he gets to know about it. But then, isn't that one of the perks of staying in a hostel? Now what remains to be seen whether this's gonna be the last of my venture or the start of me getting wild?