WTF!

Kasab has made a big joke of our judiciary system. I really wonder some times, in any other country will such kind of behavior be tolerated? Or it is only India, the biggest democracy(or should I say hippocracy?) such things happen and they make headlines in news papers? The people behind 26/11 must be laughing at all this.

So many people have actually seen him on that day. Millions of people have seen him on TV. How much importance really need to be given to what crap he talks? He changed his statement thrice and bloody every time it is a headline? Is he a celebrity? This trial has become a farce now.

I don't know what more evidences are needed to punish him. Or for what reason the decision is being delayed? To make Indian judiciary system a big laughing stock?

26/11 - Sorrow of a common man!

26/11! The dirtiest day in the history of Mumbai! A day which made us feel ashamed of ourselves!


The firing at CST station..and at Leopold cafe..the explosions at Taj & Oberoi..the attack on Nariman House..we were stunned! Sitting in front of TV..without even blinking! I pinched myself several times, wondering whether it is really happening or I am in a dream! The most astonishing fact about this attack is, unlike Mumbai train blasts, they were not cowardly attacks. Without any fear, a man came and fired at CST station (!), and he had a smile on his face while doing this?? It was not a bloody Hindi movie, where we could convince ourselves that, 'Oh, it is just a movie. It's not real.' But it was real!! 


Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus..there are so many feelings attached to this station. It has always been my favorite station in Mumbai because of its beautiful architecture and lofty style. The feeling of being at CST station was definitely different than being at any other station of Mumbai. It indeed gave a sense of being 'in Mumbai'. But now the way of looking at CST has drastically changed. The first thought that came to my mind whenever I went there after 26/11 was 'it is here it all happened'.


Not only 26/11, but also the days after cannot be forgotten. When the commandos were fighting there for the people whom they have not known, there were people arguing 'See, someone tell Raj Thakare, not the Marathi manus, but commandos from outside Maharashtra are here to save Mumbai.' I was absolutely shocked to hear that. What a ridiculous comment  it was! Who were Shahid Karkare, Kamate and Salaskar? And, forget about Marathi and non-Marathi! The commandos were not biased with cast. They did not have even thought about 'whom' they are saving. But the people sitting safe outside were irresponsibly making such obnoxious comments on TV channels!


The security system of Mumbai, the hypocrisy of politicians was all unclothed. It was so frustrating to see a politician making comment about women in peace march, visit of CM with a film director, the TV news channels overwhelmed with the treasure of bites.


I remember the peace march we attended shortly after the attack. When we reached on CST station, it was a different feeling to see that building again. Unknowingly our eyes, filled with tears, were searching for the traces of attack. It was so horrible to imagine that, just a few days back so many people were ruthlessly killed and the dead bodies were lying here. Surprisingly, the station was all crowded with people including children to go to the peace march. We had to struggle a lot to get a cab. When we told the taxi driver that we are going for the peace march, he said 'अरे काहेका मार्च साहाब, पिछली बारभी जब बोम्ब ब्लास्ट हुआ था, ऐसेही कुछ किया इन लोगोने. लेकिन क्या फ़ायदा हुआ? थोड़े दीन ये सब नाटक चलेगा. फिर सब भूल जायेंगे. कुछ नहीं बदलेगा.' We argued with him on that. But somewhere at the back of our mind we knew that he was right! And, just by attending a peace march, we were simply doing NOTHING! Today, when I the saw interview of Mr. Karkare's wife, she was asked her opinion about these peace marches with candles. She said, "हा फ़क्त दिखावा आहे. खरच जर काही करायची गरज आहे तर पोलिसांना चांगली शस्त्रास्त्र देण्याची." Really, did the peace marches show the unity of Mumbaikars? I don't know!! For me, it was all unintentional. To do at least something rather than nothing! Just to be a small part of the crowd which is protesting. One of those voices who outcried "This is not acceptable!". Our taxi could not go ahead after flora fountain and we took a walk towards Gateway. The roads were full of people with banners in their hands & wearing T-shirts with messages of protest. Near Gateway it was crowded like a second class compartment of local train. Still many people were walking with their children on shoulders. Many were standing on the road dividers shouting in protest. Many celebrities were there giving bite to news channels. We reached the end of the road next to Taj. Could catch only a glimpse of it. And, started our journey back. That's it!


One year after, today I again could realize the truth in what that cab driver said..'NOTHING WILL CHANGE'. Has the security system in Mumbai improved? May be. But definitely not enough! The metal detectors put on CST station only work as a hindrance for commuters. Nothing else. Newspapers are feeling proud about being first to give some or the other news (for example, there is a news in MT today stating that, they were the first to show Kasab's photo. Wow! What a great achievement!). Newspapers say, we have spent a bloody 31 crores on that bastard terrorist. And today senior parliamentarians fight with each other over compensation paid to victims by government. Aren't we making fun of ourselves in front of the world?


But do I have a right to raise objection?? NO! What is most hurtful is, sitting thousands of miles away from Mumbai, neither I am doing anything for it!!!

पु. ल. - २

एकदा बाबासाहेब पुरंदरेंनी पु.लं. ना विचारले, "का हो, तुम्ही तर इतके मोठे विनोदी लेखक, मग तुमच्या घरी तर तुम्ही आणि सुनीताबाई सारखे हसतच असाल.."

पु. ल. हसून उत्तरले, "अहो मग तुम्ही इतके मोठे शिवशाहीर, मग तुमच्या घरी तर तुम्ही आणि तुमच्या पत्नी सतत तलवार घेउन शिवाजी शिवाजीच  खेळत असाल.."

बाबासाहेब पुरंदरें पुरतेच खजील झाले!

पु.ल. - १ - पु. लं.च्या लहानपणचे किस्से..

१.  एकदा शाळेत अर्ध-निद्रावस्थेत  असताना गुरुजींनी पु.लं.ना दरडावून विचारले, "पुर्श्या! ओपोझिटचे स्पेलिंग सांग बघू..."
पु.ल. घाबरून उठत म्हणाले, "ओ डबल प्पो.."

२. पु.लं.च्याच शब्दात:
शाळेत एकदा मन्या अर्ध-सुश्नुषावस्थेत असताना गुरुजींनी त्याला उठवले व विचारले, "सांग, मसाल्याची बेटे कुठली?"
त्याने झोपेत उत्तर दिले "बेडेकर, कुबल.."
हे ऐकून गुरुजींनी त्याला कुबल कुबल कुबलला.
वास्तविक पाहता पुढील आयुष्यात त्याला हीच माहिती अधिक उपयोगी आली असती.

हत्ती-मुंगीचे विनोद

मराठीत मला हत्ती-मुंगीचे विनोद सर्वात जास्त आवडतात. असेच काही विनोद इथे एकत्र केले आहेत. जर तुम्हाला अजून माहीत असतील तर कृपया ते comment मधे टाका. सगळे मिळून हसू!!!

१. एकदा हत्ती-मुंगी scooter वर जात असतात. त्यांचा अपघात होतो पण मुंगीला काही होत नाही. का?
उत्तर: कारण तिने helmet घातलेले असते.

२. झाडावर चढलेल्या काही मुंग्या खालून हत्तीला जाताना पाहतात. एक दुसरीला म्हणते, "मार खाली उडी आणि चिरडून टाक साल्याला!" दूसरी तिला समजावते, "जाउ दे ग! बिचारा एकटा आहे."

३. एकदा हत्ती-मुंगी लपाछपी खेळत असतात. मुंगी मंदिरात जाउन लपते. तर हत्तीला ते कसे समजते?
उत्तर: तिने चपला बाहेर काढल्या असतात.

४. हत्ती-मुंगी लग्न करायच ठरवतात. मुंगीला हातात घेउन हत्ती बापाकड़े जातो आणि सांगतो, "मला हिच्याशी लग्न करायचे आहे." बाप विरोध करतो. त्यावर चिडून तो हातावर मूठ आपटत म्हणतो, "मी लग्न हिच्याशीच करणार म्हणजे करणार म्हणजे करणार!"

५. एकदा हत्ती धावत धावत जात असतो. मुंगी वाटेत येउन तिचा एक पाय पुढे करते. का?
उत्तर: हत्तीला अडखळून पाडायला!

६. वाटेतून जात असताना एकदा हत्ती-मुंगी समोरासमोर येतात. मुंगी हत्तीला म्हणते, "वाटेतून बाजुला हो!"
हत्ती म्हणतो, "मी नै जा!"
मुंगी चिडून म्हणते, "मुकाटपणे हो नाहीतर तुझ्या कानात येऊन कुर्र्र्र्रररर आवाज आवाज करेन.."
हत्ती घाबरून बाजूला होतो.

७. एकदा हत्ती नदीवर जातोय असे पाहून मुंगी पटकन बाजुच्या झाडामागे लपते. का?
उत्तर: हत्तीला 'भो!' करुन घाबरवण्या साठी!

सगळ्यात झकास विनोद : जर एखादा हत्ती सुईच्या भोकातुन इकडे तिकडे उड्या मारत असेल तर त्याला कसे थांबवावे?
सोप्प आहे! त्याच्या शेपटीला गाठ मारून!

Gita or Gandhi?

I want to thank Supreme Court for not making it mandatory to respect Gandhi. It is not that I want to criticise him. But the more I read about him, the more I am befuddled by his principles, the more I feel confused as to why he was known as the 'Rashtrapita'.

The most confusing principle for me is of 'Non-violence'! Definitely, mother earth always needed non-violence more than violence. But one sided non-violence has always been disastrous. To constrain people from violence he used the weapon of 'Aamaran Uposhan'. But isn't that also a kind of violence? Does a man have the right to destroy himself, if cannot create himself? If Gandhivad was so strong, then why couldn't it stop the huge massacre of Hindustani people at the time of partition? It’s true that, an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. But can a person lovingly offer the remaining eye, when already one is lost, just to win the heart of enemy?

Bhagvad Gita is treated as a Mother in Hinduism. In that, when Arjun saw his Gurus and relatives on the opposing Army side, he lost his courage and decided not to fight. Then Bhagwan Krishna explained to him his duties as a Warrior. He said 'as a warrior he has a duty to uphold the path of dharma through warfare'.

On the contrary, during World War II, when invasion of the British Isles by Nazi Germany looked imminent, Gandhi offered the following advice to the British people "I would like you to lay down the arms you have as being useless for saving you or humanity. You will invite Herr Hitler and Signor Mussolini to take what they want of the countries you call your possessions...If these gentlemen choose to occupy your homes, you will vacate them. If they do not give you free passage out, you will allow yourselves, man, woman, and child, to be slaughtered, but you will refuse to owe allegiance to them."

Had they listened to Gandhi, UK would not have survived the war! They fought for their country. Today there is no enmity between UK and Germany. Hindustan listened to him. Faced the partition. And the problems still exist!!!! For Dharma Arjun fought with his own people. Whereas as per Gandhivad, one should neither fight for Dharma nor for the one’s own people!

Post world war II, in an interview he expressed his view about the Jew massacre, ‘The Jews should have offered themselves to the butcher's knife. They should have thrown themselves into the sea from cliffs.' And why all this? To win the heart of enemy! Will a man in his normal senses do this?

I would like to respect him. But only when I get a justifiable answers to my questions. I cannot disrespect my Bhagvad Gita, for a so called Rashtrapita! Life is not some Munnabhai movie, where everything will fall in place miraculously. It has to be justified to be believed!

Ashamed of the insensitivity!

What a big hypocrisy! Today I really feel ashamed of the judiciary system in India! And well, this is definitely not the first time I am feeling this.

Shiney Ahuja rape case will now be tried by a fast track court? Why??? There will be a ‘fast’ justice, when a girl is raped by a film actor? Or when the case is being focused by media? This is so atrocious!! What is the base of taking that case in fast track court? Had she been raped by someone else, it was ok to take the justice its own ‘Indian standard time’. There are many cases already pending with the court. But this one is important. No no… not because for the sake of justice, but for the sake of culprit involved.

The 26/11 case is taking its own time. It is being rechecked that, the witnesses have actually seen Kasab and not on TV or newspaper. Bullshit!

Then there is Mohammad Afzal, who is convicted of attack on Indian Parliament. The attack happened in 2001, he was sentenced in 2004 for the capital punishment to be carried out in 2006. But now it has been stayed!!! Till when???

Isn’t a country like Iran better for this matter, where culprits convicted for blasts were hanged the immediate next day! Yeah, surely we have our principles which compel us for the processes to be followed. But at what cost? At the cost of trust on the judiciary system? How a common man can trust the judiciary system? Definitely punishing a pawn doesn’t solve the problem. But for how much time should he be fade on the tax payers’ money?

Now is this rape case being taken on fast track, really to solve the problem or just to fool the public or to relive him asap since he is ‘the’ film star and lot of money is invested in him! Or may be the usual sympathy of Chief Ministers towards film stars! When the judiciary system is so partial, no wonder the general public in India is insensitive at times. For example, when a film star carelessly bangs his car on a sleeping person, for whom the public worries? For their star of course! Anyways, what’s the value of life of ‘just a’ human being as against that of a star. Public worries because the star will have to stay in jail. So sad!

I definitely agree that the girl should get justice at the earliest. But then every rape case should have a special separate court, where they can be solved at the earliest. Like Bachchi Karkeria in her article rightly said, rape as a national entertainment! When will system (which includes the judiciary system, the media as well as general public) be a little more sensitive??

Do not marry outside the 'Tribe' !!

Yesterday I was watching a debate on BBC about whether a Muslim woman should have the right to choose her husband or not. Well, I am sure this debate cannot be restricted only to Muslim women or may be not even to women alone, as still there is a large percentage of people marrying without choice.

But it gave rise to some other questions in my mind. A lady participating in the debate strongly stated that, a woman should not be allowed to marry "outside the tribe". TRIBE!! My first reaction was obviously 'Bullshit!' A woman has all the rights to marry a person of her choice irrespective of his religion. RELIGION!

Are tribe and religion the same?

When I searched for the definition of Tribe, it was

"a social group of humans connected by a shared system of values and organized for mutual care, defense, and survival beyond that which could be attained by a lone individual or family"

There was no reference to religion!!

A tribe has shared system of values. In other words, those who belong to a specific value system can be considered to be part of a specific Tribe. So can I say that…

· the women, who demand a ‘fair’ daughter-in-law, belong to the same tribe of racist in Australia (I don’t know if India should really protest against the racial attacks, when it itself has got quite a big market for ‘fairness creams’, who try to convince how changing colour can change life! Have these protestants ever thought of these racists in their own country who though don’t stab people, yet kill their confidence, which is like slow poisoning)

· the smokers, polluting industries, people who throw ‘Nirmalya’ (flowers offered to God) in water, people who make chemically painted, Plaster of Paris idols and then throw them in water, builders who kill mangroves to grow money from land, ships that leave oil in water, all belong to the ‘contaminating tribe’

· people who use electricity or water or any other natural resource carelessly, those parents who proudly say that ‘our son only drinks coca cola’ (I have seen a kid whose 1^st requirement in the morning was a cold-drink which was made available to him with lot of pampering. It was disgusting to see a 4-5 years old boy drinking cold-drink through out the day!), big celebrities (who know people blindly believe in them) advertising for unhealthy products, all belong to the ‘careless creatures tribe’

So when question of spending life with someone arises, shouldn’t we rather discriminate based on tribes than religion? Life partners don’t relate to each other only in the kitchen or bedroom, but what matter most are the values. For example, survival of a girl married in a racist family will depend on maintenance of her colour irrespective of her other characteristics. A person of ‘environmentalist tribe’ might not be able to spend life with a smoker. A person of ‘vegan tribe’ will prefer to stay away from ‘non-vegetarian tribe’. So on and so forth.

Will marrying in the same religion guarantee a good life? I don’t think so. But yes, I believe, marrying in the same ‘tribe’ might actually give a good life!