Monalisa gone Wild

Growing your sons to be Men

2012-03-08T01:51:00.004-08:00

I found these worth a read. Do read.

http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2012/02/training-our-boys-to-be-men-part-1.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+PassionateHomemaking+(Passionate+Homemaking)

http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/2012/02/training-our-boys-to-be-men-part-2.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+PassionateHomemaking+(Passionate+Homemaking)

Lying flat and Mrs. J

2012-03-02T20:14:00.001-08:00

*** Mrs. J Series ***

How long can a person possibly lie flat on bed , legs stretched out? Post pregnancy care can sometimes get that cruel.

Mrs. J would never asked me to do that, except after the hot bath I wish to tell you of in the coming days, God willing.

Women around insisted on my lying like that, all the time.
"That's part of post pregnancy care", they say, "and that's what we keep the Maid for, to take care of you and your baby all the time while you would be on rest".
Many associate this impossible thing with reducing chances of back pain later in life. "You could go as per modern science. But the women who followed this traditional method walk like young in the old age, don't forget that !" A warning.
A homeo doctor's wife came to visit me, "Our muscles would all be some little apart while in pregnancy just as to get ready for delivery, and its better you take good rest after delivery until your muscles are toned back in position and robust". I was little convinced now.
"Do take good rest. I hardly did and been recently having slight back pain" That was a lady about my age who had a child birth last year. Advice came out of experience. Now I'm a little scared.

Mrs. J never really urged me to lie flat on bed and rest like that. She was rather happy that I'm taking care of my things myself, and most times of my baby too. Though quite strangely, when visitors came in, she would urge me "Go lie on your bed !" whispering. I would hurry, obeying her, blinded by her vocal tone.

I am not sure whether this extreme kind of rest is really necessary. Perhaps time will prove it, and I will be sorry by then. God save me !

First few days with Mrs. J

2012-02-24T04:39:00.001-08:00

***Mrs. J Series ***

Mrs. J came like an angel to me. A tall, dark, stout angel I would say. I being a total beginner in baby care , she proved a real help especially on those days in the hospital when I could hardly move and had only little colustrum to feed my baby.

Those 2-3 days my baby used to literally scream in the hospital out of hunger. Nothing could soothe him since I had only very little to feed him. High dose medicines I'd been injected in for surgery, they say, do this nasty job of considerably reducing milk production in mothers.

Mrs. J and mom, one after the other would carry him walking to and fro in our room rocking, singing and doing all they can to soothe him. Mrs. J would squeeze out what at all colustrum I had to feed him.

Breastfed is the best fed they say, and they don't allow anything else mostly. Mom didn't prefer formula milk either. So she would feed him boiled and cooled water and he would gulp it most greedily, my newborn. It didn't look good to me at all though. I was all worried my 1 day old is drinking water to quench his thirst !

"Queit!" My mother would say "I've seen a lot of babies. This is what we normally do in such cases, dear" Yeah, she is a little too experienced. And a lot more experienced was right near her helping her through her attempt, My Mrs. J. Little reasons to worry of course !

Throughout my days of such despair, I always noticed Mrs. J's eyes fixed on me through the corner, reading my emotions. I mostly ignored those looks, since I couldn't read hers. I thought probably she's too caring. And maybe out of years of her experience, I was the most worried and incapable.

I started to produce milk in 2 days, thanks to Lord. And my baby got peaceful.

After 4 days of our stay in the hospital, I was discharged and we got back home.

Back !

2012-02-24T04:39:00.000-08:00

My boy been taking my days and nights I hardly had time to have a look on the blog. And oh! I just noticed it still showed me pregnant. It seriously needed a fix, my blog, and I just did that.

I wanted to tell you about Mrs. J and here I am. Hoping to be here regularly now on, God willing. My post about Mrs. J is coming up as a separate post.

Hi All !

2012-01-18T06:48:00.000-08:00

I'm here yet. Spending night and day with my boy. Cesarean came like a shock to me since I'd never even given it a thought, or ever even dreamt of it. But just as to save my baby, I had to undergo the surgery, and all thanks to God I came out of it well enough, and my child is all well indeed. And surely, I am recovering although I haven't recovered from the shock of hearing of having to undergo the surgery at the first moment and the chaos that went around me after I consented to it. Oh it was a few minutes, they didn't prolong it and they couldn't, and it was all over in a few minutes.

Thanks to Lord, he saved my child, and brought me out safely too.

Thanks to all who prayed for me, and thanks to the concern you've all shown. I'm grateful for all that love.

And when I came back to the hospital ward, there was the Maid waiting for me, to start serving me. Her 21 day service. Anyone heard of her? Its customary to keep a Maid- call her a helper- after labor. She would be with you every moment till her term ends. Her terms counted in cash, cash in abnormal amounts. But she helps, and I was happy about her, though my happiness descended all through her stay with me.

My maid left on her 21st day. I was happier !

She bragged stories and I will blog it all :-P

Call her Mrs. J .

[ To be Cont.. ]

A new member arrives..

2011-12-22T01:50:00.000-08:00

Hi,

I am monalisa's husband..

For those who've been waiting to hear, my beloved wife just gave birth to a little baby boy yesterday (21-12-11) @ 10:30 in the morning. She had to undergo a cesarean section, but hopefully she IS recovering quickly than how I expected.

Child is healthy and well (weighed 3.5kg), and looks very calm right now :)

btw, she just want to say "Hi" to everyone.

The charm of Womanhood

2011-12-16T17:33:00.000-08:00

Beauty is the charm of womanhood. I love it and I admire it, the fact in itself. And I believe in enhancing it, and I prefer natural means to do that.

Long been a slave of academics and anything that sounded philosophy, topped with a passionate anguish in hand to unleash against some delusional chauvinism, I was growing hairy and even hairier. And a lot of people noticed that. There even grew a visible mustache beneath my nose. Arms accepted a little unfair deposits of fat from my food.

Masculine arms, hairy virility and a boy cut i decided to take got me more seriously mad!

Making the picture a little more complicated, some people showed up seeming admirers. Mother of a five year old cutie in the neighborhood proudly declared, "My daughter is growing up like you! Be her the you!"

At that statement, alas, happiness was a late guest. And my heart pounded "Uh- Oh!" I was then already married to a man who admired my beauty beneath the bush. And it was already time I began looking closely at my mirror, scrutinizing whats wrong and whats right. I'd cleaned off my skin, fine-tuned my body and kept in going.

The lady once came to me in person to find the secret, "What did you do to your mustache?" Sugar waxing, threading nothing seemed to appease her curiosity. Defeated by herself, she finished the talk murmuring, "Why take so much pain? What purpose at all! Its all God given whats on your skin after all !!"

And was that a serious attack on my freedom on womanhood! The thing had been boiling in me ever since. Today, under the shower, the answer gushed in like cold water-

"Beauty is the charm of womanhood. I love it and I admire it, the fact in itself. And I believe in enhancing it, and I prefer natural means to do that."

[Note: I've updated my pregnancy info. Look for it on the top right of the blog, if you're interested :-) ]

A Walk in the Morning

2011-11-28T06:42:00.001-08:00

A regular morning walk I take these days should be the best thing I like about this pregnancy. Some little faith I have is thats whats keeping me in merry all day. Other exercises I used to do, I have given a pause for pregnancy, simply because I can't be taking risk. Convince me otherwise, but taking risk is out of question all ways.

A wonderful thing I benefited from morning walk is it reduced bloat on my legs considerably. I've tried not walking some days, and it did prove it right. I had begun this walking half an hour a day, and after few weeks prolonged it to an hour. And this hour in the morning I walk with my ipod listening to (2 half hour or one hour long) audios which soothes my mind and spirit, inspires me for a better life and gives me a beautiful view of the world. I used this practice to get to know the time to start with, and then realized there's greater things it serves.

An hour every morning breathing in the beautiful scent of flowers, walking with the butterflies walking with and away from me when little flowers cheat on the way, bees perching onto whatever flowers they found their drinks in, birds that chirp away disturbed by the unwitting noise of my footsteps. An hour ethereal, and a lady with a huge belly walking through it for a wishful world.

That used to be.

Now winter has come. Season sensor daddy says its not time yet, nor usual for it to rain or the whooshy winds to scorn through our windows shutting out our doors. No can't be. He says, something is certainly very wrong somewhere.

And our newspaper talks of water bomb. If our elected government remains ever so feeble for few more days, and half our beautiful state is going to be under water. Ladies and kids along with their men are already in the streets today voicing for a solution to the dam, that at any moment could spill over them, their lands, their lives and half our state.

They shout, we shout and someone is only worried ..

Break - a - Cup

2011-11-16T23:40:00.001-08:00

Mom has a culinary glassware collection she has been crazily collecting all her life. And one among them was a tea cup. Three of them actually, like she told me recently when it happened. One was already broke, possibly soon after she bought it. I remember having seen only two of them. Two big coffee cups I would call it, which were the regular tea cups of my parents. It was almost like that without the cups, tea seemed incomplete for them.

Well, its only one of them now. I broke the other one few days back. An attempt to wash the things clean, and maybe the dish washing liquid was a little too slippery? It slipped off my hand into the sink and Tuck! its history !

I can't really blame the dish washing liquid, we'd been using it for quite a long time. Dad says my condition is such! Such that I can't handle the dishes to the sink meaning an effect of pregnancy. Hmm.. He sounded too experienced. Yes, sometimes my fingered do go numb, but yet.

I remember that beautiful glass bowl she had. One and the only of such bowls. Wonder how it was only one that she kept. Well, why keep wondering? Its fragments now. And me, the culprit.

It was while arranging things for a party. Dad had kept aside some boiled grapes in the bowl, and not to waste our time and space worrying about that, someone who was at the time in our kitchen moved it into our refrigerator. And I, the busy me, trying to move some with other in the refrigerator cramming things in, underestimated the beauty and age of the bowl, lost grip and Tuck!

And that was real waste of time, cleaning the floor and wall off the juice splashes.

Promotional pieces of glassware are stronger, did you notice? They don't break. And they never did, some that my mother got into her collection, admiring their beauty. It was a set of small bowls. One of them, fell off my hand on another recent attempt to wash it clean, slipped off into the sink and Wow! I only gave a single bruise on the brim!

Ah! It gone useless now.

I have a Problem:

Sitting here, not knowing what to say when my mom gets back home (she's gone out for shopping), I just broke an age old, much loved glass plate of her.

[Yes, I've cleaned the floor off the fragments. At least that should pay for a compromise..]

Thank you folks !

2011-11-03T06:59:00.000-07:00

Pregnant ladies are so special; and that's something they don't realize themselves fully.

Women folk around and those among relatives keep streaming in my house almost daily, just to visit me. Mom keeps serving them tea, her stock of tea powder is almost running out. Visitors, I tell you, are the most wondrous part of my pregnancy. They come from close relationships, far aparts, and some I even would need an introduction to, since I never saw them but they did sometime when I was in my snuggies. Whoa! I keep pinching myslef, trying to get out of the rabbit hole.

They bring in sweets and snacks for me. A lot of them in fact, that I can't finish them myself. We share them with our neighbors, just so it don't get spoiled over time. To my alarm, one even told me "You should eat them all". Hope she didn't see the horror in my eyes. There were quite a plenty of them!

My dear Mommy is the one taking a lot out of such love, especially of my dad's caring for me. Dad is incredibly taking care of me.

You know, when it comes to household, man and woman would be on different keels and things simply won't work. Mom would get things done at home, saying to dad "Else, she would do it you know. What a girl !"pointing at me, when I would be the one who never even thought of such a thing. I look up, to see my mom wink to me! My mommy!

My brother is yet another thing. Keeps going up to dad saying "She wants this, she wants that". Daddy is all ready to spend and give him the key of his car "Go buy it!". If not for me, dear brother, he would only be dreaming of it !

And here's a woman folk on blog, who I would thank for not killing me, for posting a little serious thing here on blog. Trust me ladies, I never took a lot of strain in thinking about such things, leave alone giving such a post. Its all around us, and its not that hard writing about it. Every scream you gave me, I took with a smile and I love you for that.

This is something I would like to share with you today. A friend shared on fb. I found it funny. Its here for you.

Hope I won't have birds revolving around my head this time.

With lots of Love.

Be the Change you Wish to See in the World

2011-10-28T18:59:00.000-07:00

Ever thought of what a crooked world we live in?

I'd been a student of Business and Finance for a long 8 years and since the beginning been swirling in constant warfare of Intuitive values with some venomous business principles. I remember the first thing they teach us, the goals of business which is profit maximization, which to the day, remains vermiform in my intellectual system. I do not understand, you keep "Maximiz"- ing profits, and do what with it? I would say Profit for survival, yes, that's a better term. Do the thing you're doing, and profit will come your way. More profit you realize should go back to the business for better service of human needs and aye, not creating newer needs.

Then they taught us, customer satisfaction and then kept upgrading the term to customer delight and then customer astonishment. Yes, a child's business. Keep surprising them with things they don't need; keep them living in TV and cartoons while you do your business, and work the magic- Peace at Home. Its only the world you'll spoil eventually.

Its not just the capitalistic way, its everybody's way. Money keeps piling up and there's one thing that never ceases, greed.

And here's a video I happened to watch a couple of years before maybe when I was doing my project (This was uploaded even earlier though I never noticed). And this, is a different world. I hope you watch it and like Gandhiji said, Be the change you like to see in the World. I'd been moved, so much that once I had some money, I realized I 'm not in any desperate need to it than some in the society and I better invest it where they would be helped, like I did a couple of weeks ago. Since then I'd been enjoying the relief of blocking up an otherwise useful capital just to fill in my account.

Hope you watch it!

Thinking of Labor

2011-10-23T19:12:00.000-07:00

And at last, it seems I'm moving closer to laboring my baby. I'm beginning to feel that spark of motherhood somewhere in me. Aah, God willing, I need to go through a real pain before that ! The labor pain I mean.

Not many people have scared me on pain of labor, but many keep giving me tips on how to go easily through it. So ain't that scaring? Probably so. One has advised me never to ask anyone about how they've gone through it. Oh, I never cared until she told me that. And no, I never really inquired on this issue. But what do I do with those ladies who keep whining about it all unasked ! They're probably a little more concerned.

And as I move closer, I feel "Ok, it can't be much. Maybe utmost a 24 hours. Might seem long, but still, considering how long you've lived, quite a short span, is it? " Though not sure how long it could seem when I really get to it. Uh!

But you've no way out. So you gotta put yourself up and face it. Fearless and brave, oh that I am. Just like every lady who labors. Hmm..

I've been studying on how to face it and been really practicing some tips. Like walking, exercising and things like that. That lady who comes from the government pregnancy care did give me tips too. And it really strikes me when I hear of painless labor anywhere.

Here are some instances.

I'd been reading some old American History, and I happened to read about Arakkans (hoping I said it right. Its a tribe who lived where Columbus first discovered as the Indian mainland, when he was still in the west). The author said men and women worked alike. Married and left whoever and whenever they wanted, such a free society. [All until the whites took them as slaves]. And pregnant women worked tirelessly all through pregnancy, and delivered almost painlessly.

And aah, there I paused! Read it again.

Delivered ... painlessly !!

Wow! But I'm a little late for that maybe. I've n't been on any physical exercise during the first few months since I'd been advised bed rest. Yet, it does give me some positive energy.

Another is a story my mother narrated.

She told me about a lady who used to work in the fields for a living, and it was in the olden days when mom was young. The lady used to come and work even during pregnancy, but that ain't a big deal, a lot of people still do that. And I can too. This lady, in the middle of the work, during an interval for food or something told the foreseer she would be back in a while, and showed signs of nature's calling. And the man let her. She went off. And the work resumed. No big deal. The lady didn't come back, but none cared. In the evening, there was the news, the lady has delivered!

Aah, so simple !

Couple of days before, neighbor friend told me of a news she read of women's running race. A contestant delivered on the finishing line !

Now I know, if you don't think about it, its no big deal. So I better concentrate on something better, while I don't ignore doing physical exercise. Here I am !

The Man of Immortal Songs

2011-10-19T18:56:00.001-07:00

I can't say how a fan I was on Jagjith gazals, but for sure his was the
only gazals that made my childhood. My brother was a great fan of his
songs and he would bring each and every gazal of his, and play them at
home tuning to a high volume even for our neighbors to hear. Surely, he
enjoyed it, but no, our neighbors didn't. When my brother was home was
when his favorite Jaggu (thats what he called the epoch with love)
starts singing and my neighbors would know.

That was when I was a child. Everybody has grown up. I don't have my
brothers at home. My home is all so silent mostly (except when we are
here). All went in pursuit of higher goals.
Couple of days before, I read in the news, Jagjith Singh has passed
away. I can't help going back to my childhood. He literally lived in my
childhood, and when I remember those days, his is an inevitable name. I
sit here reading about him, about his songs, in this house where gazals
have died long back indeed.

I haven't stopped tapping for his song, Woh Kaagaz ki Kasthi (My Little
Paper Boat), having reminded of it on an article recently.

Here's a link to the translation of the song :
http://albaal.blogspot.com/2007/02/my-little-paper-boat-woh-kagaz-ki.html

It plays here :
My Little Paper Boat
[Seems the viewers will need to go all the way to youtube to watch it, embedding simply don't work here. I've tried my best. Hoping my readers will excuse inconveniences]

Back in Action !!

2011-10-08T02:43:00.000-07:00

I just got back my notebook, all fixed and working just fine. I just started loving my notebook the way it works. This one is ASUS Eee PC Seashell Series. Came with a Windows7 Starter OS which I was not very comfortable with. So I got my husband install Ubuntu in it, so now I'm totally comfortable after the fixtures. I'm wishing to make a life out of it. Blogging gonna be lot more fun !

Ramadan, like I wished did do little magic on my inner self, if not fully. Perhaps it would take some more years, some innocent years to help me attain that spiritual dip with life like I used to have once in my life, when I was still more innocent and it was lot more easier than now Now that I have accumulated on me the worldly mud of insanity, a gift of little tough exposures- toughness accompanied with some unwitting diabolism I would say. Something, like a lot of other fellows, I need to scratch off me. No, man was not born a sinner.

Pregnancy is progressing, glory to my Lord. Baby moves about my belly and I can even see it. I'm at my mom's for better care like my husband calls it. And I'm having good time here, except for missing my husband.

Looking forward to blogging often enough. Gotta check out what my fellows have on their blogs.

Musings

2011-07-31T18:56:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the high tech world is just another shackle. Its hard without
it ain't it? I'd sent my notebook for service and its been a couple of
weeks, and it looks like it hasn't been done with it yet. A brand new
stuff but had a defect in the touch pad, alas! Most times broke my neck
until I bought a separate mouse to help me out. Then for some time it
worked fine. But like the company claimed, I couldn't "walk in style"
with a separate mouse piece can I? So I gave it for a repair. If its
too hard repairing, they'll have to replace it, no other way!

I was saying technology is a big shackle. I sent off my notebook, but
then I seemed to brood over my android! I just can't let it go, can I?
Though my options are set too few on mobile phone, I still could keep
reading things on blog and the rest of the internet through it for some
time, until I strain my eyes. [I don't dare comment on mobile most
times, I find it too hard though I am mostly comfortable reading things
on mobile phone].

I was thinking of a time when television ruled lives. These days, they
try so very different kind of programs, news and controversies tuned
over to entertainment and hell lot to tempt people for TV. For me
personally, I find Television allergic these days. I tend to have
headache after 15 minutes of watching it. Not sure if its something like
a hormonal change though. At the same time, internet media is turning to
be addictive and irresistible! There's so much here! So much to lose if
you're not on it!

There's so much, yes! But sometimes, when you are on this virtual
planet, the online world, ain't the world getting little microscopic.
Yes, it is vast for intellect, yet too microscopic for real life.
Internet takes you miles in seconds, but you forget you left your coffee
on your desk right next to your monitor and its cold now. You know of
people at the far end of the world, but who's your neighbor? I've been
seeing people in the neighborhood online, but I rarely see them around
on earth.

Well, lives have changed and so have our perspectives. I've been out for
this 'reducing carbon footprint' these days for the second time in my 23
years of life and these are the times I get such crazy thoughts. But
hmm.. not so crazy yet, is it?

Today, ramadan has started. And there's a lot more to do than ever
before. I've had nearly 12 months of ramadan all my life, and thinking
back, what have I done with them all (except for one month 5 years ago)
? Screwed it all up! This time, I'm looking forward towards being a new
person by the end of this month. Lord help me! Its a hard truth thinking
forward that after a year and half I would have lived a quarter of a
century, yet accomplished nothing! I've set my targets, I need to move on!

And before I forget, I have an update on my health. My placenta has
moved up to the mid upper segment like the USG report said. And
regarding my diabetes, yes, GTT again proved right for the first hour,
which is right after I had 100g glucose. But for the rest 2 samples
during the subsequent hours, my sugar level had turned normal. Good
thing to know anyways. Blood sample during my fasting had utter low
level, some around 82 or so. Well !

Ramadan Kareem to all!

A Rich God of a Poor People

2011-07-13T19:37:00.001-07:00

Here's a poor state plundered to nakedness once by Britishers, and now by its own people. And what could one expect when one is, out of sheer formality, asked to open the doors of a temple visited by thousands daily. The doors were kept closed for centuries they say. Who would dare open it, all dusty and nauseating inside !

But the team found a treasure worth millions and the temple is to hold one of the wealthiest positions in the world.

The history of Sri Padmanabhaswami Temple, Thiruvanandapuram dates back to centuries, but then there are other things as old as that here. The temple was in the supervision (legal ownership, rather) of the royal family there and to the wonder of a lot of people, no body in the family ever in history tried to lay hands on the treasure all these years. They won't even come asking for it now, for they say it all belongs to Swami and we are only the custodian of the treasure. Would the current rulers of the state say anything to the effect now, I'm waiting when this is getting plundered now that everyone knows about this.

Some say the wealth should be used for the public welfare, perhaps its too huge to stay with God! But then, like in every temple, there are a hundred hungry beggars on its doors everyday and God was happy to remain in gold. Such treasure was in the hands of a royal family that ruled a province, where as stories tell us, there were hungry and destitute people, and our kings had better be flattering God. Story could only be worse now, if the wealth were to be placed with our government.

But then, we won't want it, would we? The treasure of God and the pride of a nation! For once, we're only a watching nation. Perhaps like Scrooge, we would keep counting our wealth and live in poverty.

Richness and poverty, is all the two sides of a single coin, contentment, I would say. You have a handful of rice for a day or a warehouse of grain, your richness lies in your contentment. One has huge estates in Wynad and he's seen as the richest person there, and he goes to Scotland, what good is he? Would his wealth buy him anything similar in Scotland ? (Oh I'm not versed with the real estate prices in Scotland, I'm just quoting an example). I have a million Dollars and a million needs to spend it all on. And there's my friend, with a million Dollars but has no needs. Who is rich?

It is said that Lord Sri Krishna in the epics, got his stomach full with just a grain of rice that his childhood friend (who'd been living in poverty) had given him. That was his contentment.

Oh, perhaps there are other dimensions to poverty like they say in poverty alleviation plans. But could the treasure be counted on as the richness of our nation ?

Diabetic ?? Duh!

2011-07-03T09:25:00.001-07:00

Monthly visit to the hospital, and there was a heavy number of tests to be done. They call it investigation. Blood samples needed to be taken, and I barely had any blood. Like they said, it was not coming out. They had to cross check whole of my hand to find which part would fetch sufficient blood for the test.

Three hours waiting, they had been taking my blood sample every hour for each separate tests. And at last, the results came out, that I'm Diabetic !! Duh!! Yes, it is a strong family legacy with me to have diabetes, but I never even fathomed I could have it! But no problem, as it is only gestational and I would get rid of it after delivery, God willing. And yes, I am having diabetic diet at the moment, prescribed for 2 weeks after which the test will be repeated.

Something else takes my greater concern. I doubt there was a mistake on my part. They say GTT needs to be done on empty stomach, some say you should be fasting overnight, or at least for 8 hours. I'm not sure if the case is different with pregnant women, but all my three samples were taken within 3 hours of my consuming a 50gm glucose solution. It was a mistake but they said, the sample to be taken during fasting, they would take it at last. But even then, its only at the end of 3 hours of my taking glucose. My GTT result showed 160 and that was too much they said.

Could it be that the test went wrong, or could I be really diabetic? Anyone who has any idea on the subject?

Inflammable !

2011-07-01T04:32:00.001-07:00

My husband is very fond of brilliant innovations. He reaches out to them where ever he finds it, especially when they are rare and only developing. He keeps ordering such items online when he can't find them locally. His weakness, I mock him.

Once a courier was delivered, something called "spray lite", a substitute for oil. Instead of applying oil on your pan, you spray this thing and cook your food. The thing is lite, so a healthy substitute as they claim. And there were four flavors of it, I remember that he bought, out of which one he gifted to his mother. I don't remember if the thing had a warning "Inflammable", but it surely held a direction to apply on cool pan and not on hot pan, tawa or whatever. My husband said "Probably it contains something like a propellant". Oh he doesn't care, he is a fan of processed food, but his mother shouted. I personally hardly used it, simply because it didn't have so much natural flavor as our traditional oil. And all the three bottles with me expired. Now, I'll vacate the space. Hmmm, that was the toughest part of it.

Living in the middle of a plantation, we were not allowed to dispose plastic or similar stuff with our waste. Bio degradable wastes had to be disposed off in a bin specially made for the purpose, and others in a separate arrangement where we were supposed to burn the waste as we dump it. Both the arrangements later turned into manure for our landlord's vegetable garden.

I was stuck with these three bottles. I hadn't enough confidence to dispose it in either bins, neither sell the tin off to the man who comes for non-burnable wastes, for what the poor uneducated man would do with it I had no idea.

I was reminded of it now, when my father in law came in talking about an emergency case he attended. He told me specifically this incident so that I be aware. It was a man and his wife, they had cleaned their cooking range using an an "Inflammable" cleaning spray, someone of them unaware of this, came in for a tea, burned a matchstick onto the burner, BOOM it went! House caught fire and both of them died.

Mother in law narrated similar incident, where a couple sprayed a killer spray into their wardrobe to get rid of cockroaches. Few moments later, curious whether the insect has died, they lighted a matchstick and peeped in. BOOM! Fire! They were rushed to hospital.

Saying just in case such thoughts strike you, think it over, won't you? Watch out for that label "Inflammable" !

They're still Kids

2011-06-28T07:29:00.001-07:00

SMSs are so cheap in India, so cheap sometimes that they are free. Oh, and so are our cell phone call rates. The result is you keep your phone under decent coverage, and there is a rain of text messages, from mostly the service providers and a chunk from your friends who are missing you somewhere far off.

Here's an SMS I recieved yesterday, from my friend.

Tintumon goes to a bank applying for Loan to purchase a motor bike.The bank manager scorns "You've been granted a loan to purchase a bike last month, now what is this all about ?"

Tintumon replies "This is for buying petrol" !!

Oh do laugh! It is a joke I couldn't help bursting out for a moment.

Petrol price hike was the news then. It was all in TV and newspaper. But the modest well-wisher, our state government gulped a good deal of stake by withdrawing the extra tax that it enjoyed over petrol. The petrol price then fell by Rs.2 I guess from the Rs.5 hike. Yesterday was the day our sweet state government swallowed its extra tax on diesel after a Rs.2 hike on diesel that was declared a day before. The price then fell by Rs.0.75. Okay, this is what we say in Sanskrit "Sambhavaami yuge yuge" (It keeps happening age after age), the price hike I mean.

The real funny thing was the walk-out at the legislative assembly. The opposition party which only stepped down from power few months back (who only kept gaping at the price hikes when in power), didn't quite seem to like the show off of this government's self-denial. Were they murmuring? Oh then they posed a powerful question, "So will you keep cutting state tax on price rise on every item?" BANG !!!

Good question! Food prices are climbing high up our heads. Same is the case with anything and everything here. Inflation is more in air than oxygen! And then they talked and talked and at last a walk-out. Finished.

Ah, these politicians! They are so funny! Always remind me of my old school days ! :-P

Easy Pregnancy turning Tough!

2011-06-26T07:30:00.000-07:00

I'm approaching 16th week of pregnancy. All these time, when others pregnant in the family and neighborhood experienced hard time vomiting, nauseating and bad tiredness, I hardly had any such problems. It was pretty easy pregnancy with me. And yeah, it is pretty so at the moment too.

About a month ago when I consulted my doctor, she said the USG shows some kind of collection inside the uterus, so I had to take an injection and then peace. She said, no strain, no traveling etc etc. She said "Let's not take risk" with a long tail of dos and donts. I had thought all those times that pregnancy was nothing than a natural process and you could do anything you used to otherwise, including exercising.My favorite was yoga and I did carry it on, with a little care of course.

I got back home and googled for the problem. It seemed quite common and not a bit serious. I was relieved !

Last time, I had another USG. The previous problem had been resolved, but alarm! even a graver one is waiting for me this time. The report said, my placenta is completely covering the internal OS. I didn't quite understand it, and doc did explain it to me that it was low lying placenta. She said for certain, to be on complete rest, no strenuous work at all, no traveling at all etc etc. She said I could even lose my baby if I didn't take care. I was deeply disappointed. Hopefully, it can move up in a few months though.

Google didn't tell me any different story, other than it is prevalent.

Until yesterday, I was mostly on bed concerned about the baby. I rarely touched my notebook, feeling quite offline this planet due to inaction.

But oh no, I can't keep this going like this. I'll be on rest, but can't be on virtual coma. I have a thought on my mind, I have a story line going. I thought I'll write a book. I shall submit it to the fellow bloggers who review books, and then try to publish it. I have no idea how to publish a book, but I'll need to gather information. Oh, God willing!

I am really grateful for the concern people show me, and it really helps when in times of hardship. Yes, this is my first pregnancy and I'm due on my birthday Dec 22. Although I am excited about a new member -to-be in my life, no, I haven't thought of a name or anything of the sought. My husband will do that job for me better I know. And here, doctors can't let us know of the gender of the baby, but regarding that, I am really curious. Hmm..

Re-institutionalize families

2011-06-11T19:27:00.000-07:00

Family relations have great significance in Indian scenario. Most times, personal interests submit to the wider interests of the family, its values and sometimes quite narrowly to the interests of the elder members in the family. A member, be it a younger or elder would never be left alone or destitute in many of the family systems here. One, left by his wife/ children or lets take it like the bad company he/she had moved on with forgetting family, could indeed at any time go back to his family regardless of his ruthlessness to its wider interests or prestige and he would be taken care of like ever before. Family ties ares such here.

And a family can't break up. Most Indian families can't break up, or have separate outside ties without the consent or knowledge of the current socially instituted members of the family. Marriages are generally decided by the wider family rather than the individual alone, and the individual succumbs.

These I say, in spite of the changing conditions here. There are many families that are quite opposite to this, and family set ups are getting much liberal these days. And yes, seniors and kids suffer under such changing conditions.

It was when I thought of the family ties here that an Arabian habit, at some tribe some time in history like I read in a travelogue hit me, I thought I 'll share them with you here.

Arabs in the ancient times, loved nothing but wine, women and war. War was most prominent among (and between) the tribes. One says gibberish about a member of another, and there starts a war. It is said, after the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) came, a lot of reforms were brought about and the Arabians became much more civilized. I am talking about a time ancient to that.
Quite interestingly, amongst the tribes there existed a different one engaged in a curious activity. They look for the families or tribes that are fighting each other, and kidnap a girl or boy from one and another from the other tribe and get them married outside the boundaries of the fighting tribes. And they send them back to their own places. Result, the tribes get to know of their relation and make friends with each other. War is over with a secret marrige! Perhaps, marriage was considered a warm bond between families from times then.

Family bonds need to be refreshed in its need, essence and entity. Its time we think back to our forefathers.

Pregnancy

2011-05-25T23:39:00.000-07:00

Pregnancy is such a glorious time ! All people look at you with so much love and compassion in their eyes! Young and old, all happy and curious, "Everything all right, is it?" " Let me know if you feel any misconfort ok?" So much care !

And so much freedom! No body comes questioning why you're doing that, why you're doing this, blah blah! Even with food, you don't have to eat all that's provided (lest it be wasted) and if you don't feel like eating something by any chance (maybe you're not on your right mind), a hell of a variety of cuisine is listed right in front of you! Hey, who are you eh? I can't help asking myself!

But look at me! I'm damn bored!I don't have much things to do (I'm left with homely people, to look after me!), and even if I try doing something, hell, I get so tired just by an hour's work!Then i would need some rest, and this rest is taking my life. I feel so irritated many times! (They say there'll be hormone changes at this time, so its mood swing i should suppose)

I just want someone to talk to. I missed blogging so much the past month! I find a fellow blogger taking a 100+ reading challenge. And I'm thinking of attempting any such thing now. But the unlucky me is, I don't have access to much quality books here. And going out taking public transport for some public library is simply unthinkable (like they say they won't allow me that during my first trimester). Oh yes, we got a lot of books here, but most of them classics and novels; and these I don't find amusing these days. The one I've started with is the "Science of life of Sree Narayana Guru". I just finished it. Great work Oh don't look at me like that, I simply don't have much tolerance for classics these days.

I don't know. A lot of women do get pregnant, and there are a lot of mothers. I wish to know how these ladies have gone through their pregnancy.

Thank you Munir !

2011-05-25T23:38:00.000-07:00

Its been some time I got to be online, so blogging. I'm happy to see at least some fellow bloggers (most of them my favorite) come back here to hear from me. I thought, when I had a pause blogging I was left! I was really happy to see them comment here!

And today when I open this up, I see an award! What a surprise! Thank you Munir for awarding me "Straight from the Heart Blogger award". I am much delighted!

2011-05-14T11:35:00.001-07:00

Away from internet service
Off the shackles of hi tech world
Sometimes you feel imprisoned in open air

Hoping to resume blogging in a week

Celebrations !

2011-04-29T07:42:00.000-07:00

Today all news is celebrating Banning of that predator Endosulfan. In spite of our Great India Government's One Man struggle, Stockholm convention banned this thing worldwide. Yes, this is something to be celebrated. At least it'll be in papers now.

In fact, it is already banned in the state, then how did it intrude again into our lives, our food and our future generations? All the 30 years! I just hope at least this rule now to be in effect at least, gets in real practice.

Dietitians and health specialists might advice on having more and more vegetables. I used to learn in school to love vegetables and fruits. And through some lessons, I learnt to love animals and so to hate non veg food. In fact, I used to be a complete vegetarian during my high school. And yes, a total naturist, after I listened to a naturopathist. He had told in his speech that night "Haven't you noticed (roots of) plants even penetrate through concrete? See how strong it is! " That had really moved me, what veg can do in our diet. I should be real strong if i were a vegetarian. And to add to that, my childhood hero Gandhiji was a total vegetarian too. He, to me, was a man of immense strength!

But during my days of open senses, I find vegetarians all the more weak and feeble when it comes to action. Someone explains, you need to have chicken and beef to be strong and secure. Yes, biology lessons, your body needs animal proteins and fats too! And as per his autobiography, even Gandhiji tried it !

But more of it, I learned it was the chemicals and pesticides that are sprayed on our farmlands that are making our vegetables more of poison than food ! Those vegetables they talk about in text books lies in our home gardens and are not available in groceries.

As years go by, our health turns more and more insecure. Epidemics easily spread. No one can stand it. No one has enough health to fight it. Our immunity is effected! Why? Presumably (and as per some experts), these harmful chemicals are the culprit!

When I see endosulfan effected children, I seriously doubt and worry of all the children that are yet to take birth. My heart sinks when I think what food I should provide to my own offspring. Now I'm conceiving. Although with worry with one heart, I celebrate with the other that Endosulfan is banned now, Worldwide!

ENDOSULFAN - A Predator to be Exiled !

2011-04-23T03:32:00.000-07:00

There was a village at one part of the state in Kasargod. Like every village that lived on agriculture, this village too must have been one of those paradises that some urban dwellers dream of today, with innocent people living very simple life, closely held with nature, their lives and styles changing only with that thing climate! No, I never saw that beauty there, I'm just trying to draw out what it would have been like, had this devil not hit the place.

Endosulfan!

Today's headline read our Prime Minister is not yet ready to ban this thing Endosulfan. They say if used with precaution it's not any harmful at all. Few months earlier, he had made it clear like its almost insensible to ban it. Yes, it was, since like he said even more harmful chemicals are used elsewhere in the country! A very sensible statement !

Green revolution has helped our country out of the famine that had starved the entire nation out of our guts. The artificial fertilizers and pesticides then played a fair game in saving this nation. And we boasted a lot about it. But alas, time proved we were myopic.

And this savior endosulfan, a low cost, yet effective pesticide and insecticide when sprayed on the cashew nut farms of this village over some 30 years now, has stampeded the whole of the place with a devil's grin. Our politicians now accompany.

Let me show you some pictures taken from this place

When i see expect mothers I see their emotions, mixed with boundless joy and worry. Some begin weaving expectations of their kids. Sad to say, mothers of this place are emotionless, confused perhaps whether to laugh of cry. What do you expect an expectant mother to do when all the newborns she sees are disabled in some way or the other, sometimes in a terribly unnerving fashion ? And most ladies she sees around are for reasons unknown sterile !

Media talk it like the government has some bad business with this fertilizer companies. Oh lets take it on the other side, they could be worried of any alternative that could substitute this thing so cheap. But they won't learn would they, unless someone in his right mind with full precautions taken, spray this thing right on the PM 's doorstep?

Goodness of Neighborhood

2011-04-17T10:06:00.000-07:00

We'd been deprived of power at home for some 18 hours today. It was cut off at some 10 at night and was only restored at 3 in the evening. Well we received heavy thunderstorm and lightening with rain which hit all of a sudden in the evening, so something must have gone wrong somewhere and repair works took little long. Never mind.

Seeing the drowning clouds, dad had run and put fire on some dried leaves that he'd gathered here and there while cleaning the garden. He was scared it would soak in rain and dirty up the place. So before it rained he rushed to put fire on all those. Once it started to catch fire, it rained.

Though we loved the rain, the April rain, which came in the middle of unbearable summer, we were terrified by the lightening and thunder. In the beginning, it was only so much like we used to have, only good enough to scare kids and some ladies, but then on it increased and for once it fell like all the sky is falling on us! All who'd been enjoying the rain ran inside the house terrified.

Well, and it didn't last very long. Only some 15 minutes.

And our phone was ringing. It was our neighbor. The lady was terrified to see all our turf filled with smoke ! She was afraid something terrible happened with thunder!

Oh, it was the fire dad had put on the garbage. It had started to fume all around our house when the rain stopped. And for vishu, they put horror movies on tv, the scenario horrorized all the more!

Ah well, it was nice of that lady to call us. What if something really happened!

Cat got my Fish!

2011-04-13T03:19:00.000-07:00

Mom had planned fish fry for dinner last night. All at home like it much !

So for marinating, she took the whole bunch of 4 frozen fish from the refrigerator. She kept it on the table next to her and turned back to close the refrigerator. Within a moment or two a cat from far outside of the house sprinted in and just raced out with two of them frozen together into a single block. It just ran and reached out of our gate all within the time we had a glance of it.

Mom shouted and my brother and I ran in, "That cat got our fish, GO RUN AND GET IT BACK !"

Although we ran where she shewed, we were a little confused. Get back the fish cat had tucked in between its 'fangs', and she's gonna serve us that for dinner? A special Dish? "Yuk !" my brother said, after he got the fish anyway. He was not gonna have it, no chance.

My mother had an explanation. "The fish was frozen, and the cat can't eat it, no way"

All the same, we had it fried for dinner (that, after some turmeric treatments that mom knows). My brother didn't have it. I after spotting the safe ones when I fried, had two of them. Mom and dad, one each!

This is generation gap!

Drop this cell phone Culture !

2011-04-09T02:10:00.000-07:00

It was so quick the advent of cell phone culture in India. There's hardly any person in India who would not own a cell phone, or at least a SIM card. Even the beggars have it, and even some tribals in the depth of forests. I remember those days when mobile phones were just invented. I remember a newspaper report saying there's not any identified harm in using this new technology, none was discovered then. But later came the chances for brain tumor with increase use of this scientific invention. But very few cared. Many don't care even now.

Well, what resulted through at the most a 10 year period in this small village of mine is a busy noisy signal traffic every where in the air. They say the maximum mobile connectivity is here. One company competes with the other, just to ensure their connectivity don't miss a point in the air. They are everywhere.

Oh, yeah it is a useful invention. Nowadays, no one can live without it.

What i 'm worried about is that many of the plants and trees in my father's garden have stopped bearing fruit. This is noticed particularly in trees which are tall and high up in the air. Like pappaya. I remember a time when pappaya was just so abundant here. Now it's seen no where. But dad says, if you plant it in a shade and not let it grow too high, it does bear fruit.

Something more freaky is our mango trees. This is the case with a lot of mango trees in the village. They bear just so much fruits i admit. But they bear fruits very rarely at the top branches, but the lower branches bear simply so much mangoes they touch the ground. Good for children for sure. Not many people leave our home without noticing that bounty mango tree on our front. There's so much at our sight level.

Man is doing so much to the earth. By the time it comes to his senses that he shouldn't have done this and that, he would have already gone addicted to it. And cell phones are just an example.

Its Election Season !

2011-03-28T11:06:00.000-07:00

It's getting election season here. Its only recently that the politians started making some sensible (meaning, at least what common men could understand, leave alone if realizable or not), like promising rice for Re. 1 and so on. There's a race here for such "Cheap Rice" promises since last time. But only to be actually realized at the end of the elected party's term. That too, to be held by the election commission as being violating rules of ensuring fairness of elections. Oh, never mind, we leave them alone in fact. People have eaten rice since longer.

My uncle contests of elections for some years now, and yeah he wins his seat without many promises as such. But this time, something really terrible came out of his mouth. Not for this time's election though. He said, for the next time, his party is providing free cars for the elderly and free motor bikes for the youngsters if they were to win election.

Now don't look at me like that for calling this terrible. Because it IS really terrible. Not that they can't provide it, but because these cars and motor bikes run on "Roads", and its long time we saw some real roads in Kerala.

Look at a funny business govt was upto in Kerala. They counted the number of potholes on roads (took hell of their efforts) and then afterwards went in to patch them. Frankly, I only saw potholes and only them, I barely thought it were road. Just look at the following official table.

Source: http://www.keralapwd.gov.in

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?p=59469361

My brother was funny. He said we don't need cars or motor bikes. He already has both. What he needs now is "free petrol and diesel".

My Daily Visitors

2011-03-26T06:31:00.000-07:00

A beggar came to our house this afternoon. I'm not saying it's something special, it always happens. Everyday, we have more visitors who come for begging than our family visitors. This man who rang our door this day was about 40+ years old as he looked. The moment he saw me checking up who rang the bell, the man said in a low crumbling voice "Daughter, I need to do surgery". He was showing up a letter or something through the window he saw me. I went up to mom who was resting on bed for she was ill, and began telling it's a beggar. She didn't wait for much explanation, she never entertains beggars at home. As per her commands, i gave him some coins which she had particularly preserved for beggars.

I do not encourage begging like my mom. But not this way. Sometimes I feel so hurt, they linger on at our doors, even after we give them something. But what could I do? I don't know what their real needs are, where their home is and what their real problems are. If I knew, or had some way that I receive authentic information as to their whereabouts, I would certainly reach out to them, and do what I can. But they won't utter a word if we ask them where they live, about their family or anything of that sought. To my questions, they would simply keep singing their old song, as if they do not understand me.

I wish one day when i have enough resources, I start up an association or the kind, and and do an extensive search for beggars and slums in the country. Reach out to each and every man. Know their needs, heel their wounds, follow their desperations and lift them out of beggary. I would have cells in each village or town where any one could report beggary, or where beggars are sheltered to end beggary. If they don't have home, out of what we have, we would try to make homes for them, settle them with a job with what they can do; and, and, .. all I can do for them that they live proud individuals.

My parents advice these beggars who would look healthy, to stop begging and do job and live. A couple of days ago, a beggar lady was annoyed, she started shouting in uncomfortably loud voice, "What? You think we don't work? You think rice just happens? We wake up early in the morning to boil rice, make food, make our children..", And just as to put an end to her struggle, a desperate effort on my dad's side, he put some rupee note into her gate-top-bag .

Fire, so Painful!

2011-03-23T23:25:00.000-07:00

Tunisia's Buoazizi set himself on fire and it bursted into a revolution. Perhaps inspired, three four people from Egypt did the same, spreading the flame to the rest of the Nile valley.

But the incident happened here yesterday is all the more alarming.

A person nearby my home, suicided setting himself on fire in a way so cruel to himself! He spent his whole day building concrete walls on all four sides of a piece of land that he chose to absorb his burnt flesh. He piled up dry logs and garbage into the structure he had prepared, in a way he's cleaning up the place like he always does. And late at night, his sister and neighbors saw fire in the pit. Alarmed of unusuality, his sister came out and splashed water into the fire; only to see a burning man rise up with his hands high up, he swirling around beating himself onto empty air. She says he had drunk much that night, possibly to gain strength for the terrible business he was up to. He'd built walls around him so that he leaves himself no chance to escape.

Some people say he was nuts. For my dad, he was one of those rare persons he would call up for repairs at home. And he did call him that day to heal a leaking pipe, he says he said that today he can't because he had some building work. And when he heard it all, dad was like "It was this job he was up to?!"

Mourning his sister says "How many other ways did he have to die? Oh he burned himself!"

My neighbor who mourned along says, out of his skeleton (his only leftover), fumes were still coming.

When I burn my finger with a fraction of second on saucepan, i know how painful it is. Having known this all through at least a couple of decades of living, they know it too, this man, Tunisian Bouazizi and those Egyptians. Yet, of all ways, fire?

It is said, a person escaped from suicide would not dare attempt it a second time. It is that painful, attempted death. On top of that, fire?

Body and Soul

2011-03-20T07:26:00.000-07:00

At one part of time, i was of the concept that i am, because my parents (two distinct persons, and therefor by chance) married and didn't deny my birth and growth (that by pure love and mercy). Had they chosen to throw me away at the time i was born or chosen not to get me to the best hospital of their knowledge and capacity at the time i get terribly sick, would i be?

In that case, a person can never be told apart from his parents wherever he goes, because thinking back, the very reason he exists is because of his parents.

I'm not saying that i deny this now, No. I still hold this concept. Parents have a crucial role in shaping a human, from his very existence and at least to the base that the rest of his actions sprout from. If not character formation, it could even be the genes that determine a man's go. So, wherever a man goes, he can NOT deny his parents, thats an irrefutable truth.

But a lost man's statement hit me, "Oh, if not for them, would i have been?"

Yes, you were born for your parents. But think it over. Parents are humans, and they are not the ultimate creators. If you were meant to be born, you would be born, may be to some other couple, with some other traits that you now don't posses, and deprived of some that you now enjoy.

A person is a soul, and not his body or physical (physically visible, including artistic) traits. Body and such traits are the carriers for the soul, some even pave conditions for actions and comprehensions for the soul. When i talk to you, i talk not to your body, i talk to your soul, the very you! When you listen, its your soul that reflects out of what comes in through your ears.

Body is a carrier to the soul. And soul, i.e., the person, is the custodian of that body. A body has been awarded so that the soul utilizes it. The soul is the real performer exposed through his body, that he utilizes with reason and intuition that he blessedly has for ultimate action.

When i say the soul is a custodian of the body, it'd obviously be expected of the beneficiary that he keeps this entrusted carrier in good health and condition until he's made to leave it. Don't take the illness of the body as the illness of the soul, when it can be treated. Prolonging illness and enduring pain without action is mere waste of life, of the limited time that a man has been allotted on this earth.

It could be hard to understand body and soul separately. But at times of distress some people surprisingly envision this line of distinction clearly enough, and some who don't, live lifeless.

Even when i say all these, i don't deny the importance of parents. In the compass of life, they are indeed the cause of our being.

Japan, a super power to be

2011-03-13T10:44:00.000-07:00

Japan, an archipelago in the great Pacific ocean is a miracle in its very existence, leave alone its outstanding performance in economy, demographic traits and its captivating natural beauty. Japan, of all i know until now, has the most brilliant people of the world who have rediscovered the path of technology, and delivered to the world a brand new class of technological developments.

On my DTH satellite channel TV, the best i loved watching was NHK, until somehow we had to change our plan and move to another service which didn't provide NHK. My husband an ardent lover of Japanese passions for technology, art and food and the very style of living (if not games), in fact recommended this channel to our new service provider. He missed it too like i did. I remember at one point of time, he told me, we'll go Japan one day, God willing.

Watching Libya and thinking Japan on the other, there's a seesaw at its highest swing. Japan has the lowest homicide world record. In its engineering skills and cultural sanctity sustained over generations and nourished with sanity, are all unequalled world over.

And now i watch Japan.

All channels of communication disrupt, all traffic, all modes of transport all swallowed up tsunami. The global super power to be in the next 10 years, replaced by tons of gallons of mud!

Pray for Japan.

That hairy boy at School

2011-03-10T09:25:00.000-08:00

I somehow happened to remember an old "classmate" at my primary school. He was strange, strangely related to me in fact. People would easily notice him for his hair style and his all looks of dissimilarity with other school-induced-disciplined boys. His smooth straight red hair always came like a waterfall to his eyes all through his forehead. Our teachers couldn't do much with his hairstyle even with worst available disciplinary actions. Some even provided him with hair brush. But they didn't do much, because he couldn't help it himself. Its simply like that.

It was not his hair, i'm simply saying he was noticed for that.

To me he looked exactly like my cousin's son of the same age and even bore the same name. He looked exactly so until years later my cousin's son grew taller and leaner and him little chubby, and still holding his stylish look wherever he went. And yeah he was a family relation to me too, that through this cousin of mine who bore his name himself!

Anyways thats not the matter.

This old classmate of mine is not with us now. He killed himself jumping from the top of his school building right in front of all the children at school, who had come out of their classes for lunch break. Most students were under depression for weeks since then, and slowly recovered after the school delivered an extensive counseling programs.

I have absolutely NO IDEA why he did it, and i don't trust ANY of the rumors that filled the air for few months.

But i saw the impact this guy had on my a lot of my friends and my brother, who was a close friend of his. I remember he won't talk much to anyone, every time i see him he would be lying on his bed. My cousin who bore his name was also a great friend of his, and i hardly saw him around. His mother would complain his son don't even play music, which he does all day from soon after he wakes up in the morning. Her house was all idle and quiet, some thing i couldn't even suppose.

God is gracious, now the rest of the people are going well with their lives.

I was just thinking about his guy. He had done a lot of things i used to hear as rumor all through my school days. One day he does this, did he ever think of what he was leaving behind? The whole bunch of friends struggling through whole few months to get rid of a mental depression? And mind you, that was amid the preparation chaos for public exam that was just coming up.

If anyone going by this post should at any time think of doing something like this boy did, i want you to rethink it.

Women's day of Who?

2011-03-08T10:14:00.000-08:00

This woman's day did good to me. It reminded me that i'm a woman.

Exposed to harsh conditions and tortured with extra burden masking it with the name of "liberty of women", i feel many a social activists and feminists have long been belittling the charm and elegance of a womanhood. In the chase of catching up with the mainstream men, modern woman, most of them, have utterly lost hold of their mind. They try to equal with men. Something that they can never be. Oh tell me, how could you make a leopard out of a horse?

Woman look at mirror and they carry a mirror all where they go. But she fails to look at herself. Look at her, her psychology, and her anatomy. The complete built of a lady (there may be exceptions, i'm talking about most of them) simply manifests her immense power in something which she alone and no other being can deliver. But that simply doesn't gratify her.Apart from her immense power of tenderness and affectionateness, that other being hardly can even contemplate, God perhaps has put in one another trait in her - some heavy ingratitude and an indigestible amount of jealousy for the -somehow unfortunate and less dimensional- strength of manhood.

Stodgy social systems and cruel chauvinism at one part of time, did indeed make this blessed creatures of God to call for their emancipation and her need to step into mainstream human activity. In that, she has records of achievement to celebrate.

Only that she's gone too far from her own domain of impeccable excellence, and she's trying to creep into another's not so auspicious turf.

Some one had made a wish on this woman's day, that a 100 years since now, let there not be need for a woman's day. He certainly meant something positive. But there lies something behind. That, well before a 100 years there won't exist a woman in her own delicate passion, and hence true, there won't need to a woman's day.

Emotions- A Hard Catch Horse

2011-03-04T10:20:00.000-08:00

At a gathering, there's a talk. Someone talks about a divorce case of a couple newly married. The girl found out that he had already been married to another lady and has a kid in them, not sure if he's still in contact but she left him and is leading peaceful lonely life resuming her career as an engineer which she had forsaken for having to move to her husband's locality.

Salma: Oh, but it ain't had been so much an offense to leave him like that, its permitted in religion.

Fathima: Hey, its like hiding a material fact on the contract of marriage. Nikah would be void in that case. its perfect on the girl to go back to her parents in such cases.

Salma: But it ain't in religion to have the permission of the lady for the man to remarry or to have one wife let know of the other is it? That's how I learned it.

Fathima: (Shakes her head) Listen, its the social perception. When one marries, the other already assumes that he has no other wedded relation and that he would keep just one married life and that's this one, commencing now. And when the whole social consensus is this, it really becomes, ideologically if not religiously, obligatory on the guy's part to let the other know of his already wedded relation. Nothing wrong in revealing the fact, since it's not wrong, but he won't, for the risk of losing the new lady. That's simply concealment of info that matters. I would say he's a wrong guy. Feel sorry..

(silence)

Fathima: Hey tell me, what would your reaction be if your husband comes and tells you one day that he liked that particular lady and he wants to marry her?

Salma: Well, maybe I' ll be little disappointed him asking me like that. Maybe little sad, but it could be lived with since it could be for a reason. I can tell him " If you're sure, go ahead, marry and bring her home", that with a smile of course.. an attempted smile maybe.. Once she's home, a partner to me, and we talk and live together, we'll love each other like sisters, so why not?

Fathima: (Smile) Frame your words, would do good for nothing else. I would just piss off him, ask him to leave me home with my parents, all right away. I'm sure he won't do that anytime though.

Salma: How can you be sure? How can you be sure that he's not looking for a more perfect match that perfects on any one aspect he looks on to closely and that compromises in you somehow? And he knows someone else fitting well enough into that trait?

Fathima: Buddy, marriage built on compromises, adjustments, trust him he does that too. Ok, assume he does that, though I'm sure he won't. Like, he marries someone without my knowledge or permission, I would simply be heart broken and run off like that.

Salma: Uuuumm... Well i can't do so much. I would rather thrash him, ask him to marry her legally and bring her home. Yeah, heartbroken that too.. (sigh).. If our man do that, buddy, it's our fault. Maybe not a fault, but could be a mis perfection. As simple as that, you don't fit on there, why don't you let someone else do that? That would be total lack of gratitude to him won't it, making him helpless ?

****

It don't end there, but that which I liked to put before you is there.

I remember one of my Islamic studies lecturer about 50 years old or so as she looks, i saw her once distributing sweets to the college staff. She was an old lady and i often heard of her as holding huge wealth with her husband who does some big business apparently, but don't have any children yet. And this day she was distributing sweets to her colleagues on her own joyous occasion of welcoming the young lady that her husband married to her home, to her family. Once i heard this, a gossip that I used to hear around college flashed through my mind for a moment, her husband had been having a wedded relation for quite some time now! Our rigorously speaking lecturer of Islamic studies was aware of this but it simply won't appeal to her as true. Her husband never talked about it, nor did she to him or to anyone for that matter. They simply carried on their life like every morning and evening. To her nothing like that ever occurred, nor could, anytime in her life.

I have no idea if she pulled her house down that day, for she is accepting a young lady her home as an accompanying mistress!! Praise the Lord!

Lessons from Egypt

2011-02-11T09:41:00.000-08:00

1. A King is of the people, if people don't approve, he ain't any more than a monkey endured silently until troublesome and then shooed away.

2. King is only one, even when put together the military under his command, is less than a handful compared to the people struggling against him.

3. A big lesson to Media- Get back to your work! Now you know you were supposed to report events, not create them. If you don't, someone else will take up your job. World ain't so dumb!

4. If you're a ruler of any state, the third lesson applies to you too (except the second word- to report events, that ain't you job).

5. In the middle of a mass you never even contemplated before, don't consider them your kids. A mere possibility is that they're furious at you. And a greater chance that you aren't good enough to be their father.

6. Its good to look back sometimes. Maybe its high time you recognize a king is just too insignificant to be reviewed in its purpose in the system. Maybe its just a bug.

Long live Revolution !

Mabrook, Oh Egypt!

Happy people off the Ground- An art of keeping in Power

2011-02-09T08:46:00.000-08:00

Quite a few years ago, i was in the Arabian Gulf, in the state of Qatar. My dad was working under the government there and i had joined an Indian school, and on weekends i used to attend Arabic and islamic classes. We were expatriates there like many others from India and Kerala.

Most of my teachers at the Islamic class were working for the government on regular days, and they seemed to go along well with their fluency and quite good grasp of Arabic language. I always enjoyed learning Qur'an and arabic with them for they spoke it with so much spirit and life in them, a lot of times, i almost could feel the air in and out of me, and their arabic speech, with so much fervor.

I was reminded of it over our Egyptian liberation movement.

Great People , Great Country!

Qatar is a kingdom too, although called a State and not a Kingdom in name. Nevertheless, i remember of an election held there, and it was during the American invasion of Iraq. My father, -he had served the state for more than 30 years with great passion- i remember quite well was very pleased with the election, and that because he got a day off out of no where, just like that !

Election was no surprise Ma Shah Allah, was 95% in favor of the government. Yeah, the election it seemed like in favor of or against the government. And the term election was a guest there on the eve of election. I wonder if the people there even knew what this TV and people are all talking about! Election ! Man, Bid'a! (in the present Arabian scenario, that is).

My islamic classes had included Islamic history as well, and i remember we were being lectured about the how the reign of Khulafaau' Rashideen came to an end and hierarchy came up in power with Mu'awia. I remember i botched out a question there. It was blunder, i came to realize a moment later when eyes blazed at me. I asked, "So it ain't democracy here, is it right a family ruling an islamic state?" And when it was a blunder i wanted to dig into the pocket of my desk, i wanted to hide somewhere.

My teacher cleared it to me, "Such questions cannot be asked in this state. Had there been a camera or some such security things here, you won't be here any more."

And she agreed that it ain't like that here, but no choice, and added, the only country running on real democracy and real islamic system in the arabian gulf is Iran.

Iran !

I heard some friend of my dad talking of what happened to a Syrian who talked about the King over coffee. He'd lost that officer on the next table. He was packed off to his own democratic state in no more than a week.

On a vacation, we had come back to India once, and in the middle of the rain in july, my dad got a call from his friendly boss that his promoted seat is staggering. It was Arabization in government offices there. His recent promotion was much coveted, and longer he stayed off, leaner the need for him to return to office. And he flew back there and settled it all. Once i heard him say, the management finds some native wanting a position, they don't look for qualifications. Arabs, who they later find don't qualify, are requested to go on voluntary retirement, on full salary scale and more benefits to add to that !

That is the height of keeping people happy. And of keeping them lethargic too! And thats how its peaceful there. Lots of lazy people, heavy bank accounts, sizable mansions, and parks and shopping malls. Happy people, smooth government.

Not a Mubarak yet, Only a King!

Al- Jazeera talks a lot about Egypt. Yeah, about people. They haven't talked about kingdom yet.

A Mubarak Joke

2011-02-05T08:38:00.001-08:00

I remember a satire we used to laugh at school couple of decades ago.

An (egyptian) arab goes to US and it was (dad) bush in power. He goes to toilet in a mall and it read "PUSH" outside the door after a male figure.

He goes back to Egypt and goes 'western' by renaming all "TOILET" labels to "MUBARAK" labels.!!

Note: There's no sound 'p' in arabic, it reads 'b' so PUSH is BUSH and "Mubarak" means GREETINGS !!

And a new twist in the story..

Years passed. American bathrooms were reformed Clinton, the "son" bush, and now "OBAMA". His toilets are still "MUBARAK" !

Simply a joke.

Kudos to you brothers and sisters in Egypt. Win your rights. Live like the same God is your Lord too.

The World is with you.

Bring Mubarak down.

Ummm.. Sorry.. !

2010-12-10T00:03:00.001-08:00

I'm little busy with my project work and simply just as that, my readers will have to excuse me till dec 15, after which I promise a real good entry. I know I'm late showing up, but late or later its always good talking with you.. :)

So, dec 15.. You don't wanna miss it!

Marrige Confusion Resolved

2010-11-23T07:25:00.000-08:00

"You're already 22, when are you getting married?"

"Yeah right, take your time and marry when you have false teeth "

"Finish your courses? Then why marry lady?"

Just some of the logs that stabbed my intestine down from time i finished (or even before i finished) my school. A lot was been taught to me and others who had my stand (for reasons good for each one of us), and to them, marriage was a dilemma. And it still is, to a lot of people who ain't yet married, or perhaps who already married as simply to get done with this crap (and keep the well, "concerned people" 's mouth shut).

Well, talking about me, i was not really sure what this marriage crap was all about. I still had not much of an idea even after i got married. I was like everything has a procedure, a goal like i'm told in management classes. And my personal disposition in anything i would venture into has a role in it that i have to play, however small it be, which contributes towards the end result of it. And as about marriage, i was completely blank. There's a man next to me all the time who i barely knew, who all of a sudden gets to me the most important in my life, who for reasons i barely could fathom should be given preferences over anything that comes before my Lord Almighty. I was completely perplexed. In fact someone starts talking to me about marriage (barely any in family spared a chance for that attack on me since my 18th year of life), i would begin to feel stars and birds rotating round my skull.

And well, now i happened to watch this video on youtube, uploaded by a good brother who calls himself khalifaklothing (i would suggest you subscribe to him if you're a youtuber, his videos are really good). This video happens to solve almost all my questions about marriage. If not straight like that, it does correct the predispositions i had about marriage and married life. Watch it !

Sacrifice to Celebrate

2010-11-17T03:58:00.000-08:00

Once there lived a man, who had no son. With so much of his imploring to God, at last, his wife bore a son. Father’s love and mother’s warmth brought the baby up. Just so, the earth witnessed excellence form in living shape.

But then, state of gratification is no permanent state on the crust of earth. For if it were,then why man?

Indeed the high end powers of human innateness fell into a great test. The one who granted the father his son wanted the grant back. Father was asked to give his son in sacrifice to the One who granted him that.

The hands that wrapped up a boy in love, that calmed him in distress and warmed in times of shivering cold, would those hands afford to lift up to slaughter him? Would those quiver and waver in deadly plight of a son’s misfortune? For a moment later, would they themselves be cold and blue in deep sorrow of a son’s sacrifice? Would them not ?!

Perhaps just as that, father was ready for the trial. Preparing his mind and body, he let his son know of what his father was required for. The son, just as his father brought him up, was a boy of great supplication. He agreed to his own slaughter.

Ready with a heart burdened with deep digging pain, father went poised to slaughter him.

And just then, a messenger of the merciful Granter came in and interrupted. The message that came was beautiful, to forswear his painful commitment and to sacrifice the goats that the messenger brought, instead.

In remembrance of this moving story of finest supplication and obedience to Lord is celebrated Eid-ul-adha.

In today's world where we try to find a million reasons to deviate from the standards set by our Lord, the Granter of all our bliss and blessings, perhaps, lies a great lesson in this story.

How Wrong have we Done !

2010-11-08T07:09:00.000-08:00

Question:- How did you happen to research Qur’an?

Moulavi :

It was very gradual and took almost 12 years for me to enter into researching Qur’an. In fact Qur’an is a miracle. A miracle in the world of science. It encourages scientific research. Scientific study is actually an ibada. There yet needs do a lot of research works in Qur’an. But today muslims just don’t care, simply because they don’t know science ! The scholars are all behind fiqh. But is there anything in fiqh which takes more than 3 years to learn? Nothing! We have stretched it out considerably to a length that totally deviated from its original matter. Poeple call it by the name of their region and that becomes a separate branch of it. What would remain is nothing material in it!

At the same time when a lot of research is being done in the field of science, our people least care !
Look at an incident in the life of Ibrahim (Alaihi Salam). He asked God how he gives life to the dead. And God replied

"Take four birds and commit them to yourself. Then [after slaughtering them] put on each hill a portion of them; then call them - they will come [flying] to you in haste. And know that Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise." (2:260)

Looking at this story in the eyes of science, God in fact asks Ibrahim (Alaihi Salam) to do a series of things. We should understand that this points out to Scientific Research. Indeed, Allama Iqbal said about scientific research, “it is another form of worship”.

Lunar Eclipse- an Arabian Drawing

In the times of Khaleefa Mamoon, there were 53 thinkers in the name Asw-haabu-ssuffa. Their thesis were not given out for the fear of the scholars. As about Imaam Ghazzaali, he had written a thousand books, out of which we have only 16! The rest were burnt by the contemporary priests.

The four volumes of the first translation of the Holy Qur’an in Malayalam written by Maayin Kutty Elaya was borrowed by a group of scholars of the time and burnt in secret. In secret, because Elaya was a member of the royal Arakkal family and had political influences.

The Palace of Tippu Sulthan

I was talking about the theisis of Asw-haabu-ssuffa. They were found at a private library in Turkey in 1918 and reprinted. Now they are materials of scientific study.

After defeating Tippu Sulthan, the British confiscated his weapons and sent 700 missiles, 27 missile propellors , 900 missile producing devices to England as it were. This, in order to deconstruct them and get to know the secret of how it were created. But they couldn’t make out anything at all. They forwarded the thing to Germany and few other countries. None could unfold the sophisticated missile mystery, that was created by an old muslim ruler!

Like Ibnu Khaldoon said, anything in the nature that instills thinking should be subjected to scientific study. Parts of them should be categorized and reserached further. Should be learnt the moral lessons that derives out of its core. Europians followed this idea of Ibnu Khaldoon. They now rule the world. We considered it all haraam. How wrong have we done !

[Excerpt from an interview with Muttanisseril Koyakutty Moulavi by Sadruddin Vazhakkad. Published in Prabodhanam 60th Annual Edition, 2009 Aug-2010 Aug- Translated by the author]

Behave, Media?

2010-11-02T01:35:00.000-07:00

I'd been reading Tharoor's article on media on outlook a month ago perhaps. Really he and a number or other authors on the topic of discussion did really turn my head around.

Maybe a couple of years back, I'd been studying about the media ethics and like where every ethical study, it too led me to islamic journalism. And really, almost all, ALL media today on account of competing for readers or audiences are transgressing their limits. Perhaps moving with the waves, i too had vomited out the same style of presentation too, here on my blog.

Media Look-Out Man- Tharur

Somewhere in my 10th grade, i remember my teacher telling me of the times in which media ought to propagate what government would require it to. She, my teacher cited out the case of the death of Indira Gandhi where media, as a soother to the social tension that arose, had to mitigate the chances of upheaval by a wise step by step reporting of the Prime minister's death. A person shot at from less than a km distance and shot right at the person, everybody knows the person is no more. Whoever she/he is. But the media here would wisely report the event only gradually in a couple of days procedure, that she was shot, immediately taken to hospital, place is all guarded with security, investigations on the go, and at last maybe, that unfortunately, the wound was too much and the PM is no more- Mourning and Condolences. Thats good media, ain't it?

Media tie up with government interests, yes, its no big thing today either. Only that the purpose changes, and maybe the party of tie up has grown too. Today media is corporate media. Political parties hiring their own media to propagate their interests. And hop on to the next channel, you get the channel of the opposing party. And then another. And another. Not only of political parties but of spiritual leaders and corporates.

The idea of content and filling is dreadful too, Content is the sources of funds(ads and paid news) and filling the rest of the story, the real news.

If you look at the New York Times, maybe the world’s greatest newspaper, they have the concept of news hole. What that means is that in the afternoon when they plan for the following day’s newspaper, the first thing they do is to layout where the advertising is going to be, because that’s an important part of a newspaper. You then put the news in the gaps between advertisements. In television there is a concept called content and fill. The content is the advertising, the fill is car chase, the sexy or whatever you put in to try to keep the viewer watching in between the ads. That’s a natural outcome when you have advertiser-reliance.
- Noam Chomsky( on http://outlookindia.com/article.aspx?267553)

In the gush to find out unreported story, media apparently forgets basic manners. Tharoor vehemently criticizes this kind of over excitement over nothing that matters of the media. Numerous incidence of controversial Tarur stories are the best examples.

Media ought to observe basic manners at least in its reporting. All i can end up saying, Behave Media, Behave!

Kids and Cartoons

2010-10-19T23:37:00.000-07:00

Last night, I was watching Tom and Jerry with my little nephew. It came on our kids' favorite cartoon network and this kid who sat by my side knew their timings simply too well.

Before i start off let me give you a little introduction about my nephew. He is 5 years old now but what lies in his head is much ahead of his age. He is kinda hyperactive kid and nothing really misses his attention. And there's nothing really that's too big or too negligible for his memory. He is extremely mature in his talks, and that's what makes him entertaining for most of the adults.

His favorite cartoons are ben10, Power rangers, batman, spider man and the like and Tom and Jerry and such to go by the side. So last night i was watching Tom and Jerry with him and (yeah, I'm a fan of T&J too) it was only then i almost got a glimpse of where the impulses of his hyperactivity come from. The way Tom acted when caught by the big fat dog and the pranks Jerry played with Tom - all, one by one happens in real life too- right at my home, with the kid who was sitting right next to me completely immersed in the cartoon and his rhythm driven by the music that played in the background.

He, when caught being naughty and tried by the elders at home, wouldn't even flinch. In stead, he would fool around giving real big smile, trying to expose almost all of his little teeth and doing or saying things that he thinks would divert the elder's attention. That, like i see now, is a real life demonstration of Tom being caught by the big fat dog, instigated by Jerry's pranks on Tom, who would've been attacking each other back to back.

And the way the kid runs about, and as i feel his mind flies about, all bear close resemblance to the super animated cartoon(s) ! It almost struck me down why i never found any resemblance between their acts even when i' m a big fan of T & J cartoons !

I don't know what Walt Disney have in mind when they give out such cartoons. They have hardly anything that can teach kids anything, let alone basic manners. The unfavorable factors is more in them than those favorable factors that we intend the kids to be exposed to when we show them such cartoons.

Most of Walt Disney cartoons i would say is good only for people with fully developed rationale, to accept what is right and shoo off the bad parts. Good for elders because it makes a laugh and nothing else. In no way are they good for kids- and in no case should a parent find such cartoons a resort to keep the kid silent when she/he is busy in the kitchen or at work. You better find some other way to keep your kid busy if you want your kid to be mannered and not early- programmed for the commercial entertainment mafia to unveil before him in the years to come.

Note: Hope my readers know what kind of revolution Walt Disney brought about in the western (and consequently eastern to some extend) News Media, and what mess its causing to the social psychology. Lower your brows and give it a think !

The NWO Media is a global octopus !

2010-09-28T23:01:00.000-07:00

Its not the first time a pastor or the head of any religious faith for that matter is being accused of sex scandals. Although it were of the first time or perhaps a rare case in history, a bishop being held in for receiving more than $3 million of benefits from his non-profit charity works!

Bishop Eddie Long lives a comfortable family life as in old English classics with his wife and four children. As a person, he reveals to be successful indeed in his career (money making) and social recognition. All the same he happened to tumble down over the same stone that a lot of bishops(or any other religious head) in the recent and far history did.

This scandal is a worse case effect of the New World Order I would say. Modernizing is attaining the meaning of denying faith and in effect demoralizing humans and relations. The innate human sentiments are being redefined and given a flip-side algorithm. A pastor who talks of marriages in heaven and holds the hands of bride and groom together in blessing and prayer, involving in homosexual sex scandals is nothing more than an obvious result of the new world media setup.

How else could you explain a pastoral minister reading out biblical statements and his members blindly following the malicious meaning brought about in those statements? Society needs to have sense. If he believes in something, he should know what it is. A pastor is not Jesus. The scripture brought by Jesus need to be learnt and spread in the original form of it, as Jesus has taught it. That will be a true follower of Jesus. Lord has privileged human beings as being rational. He is to Think and Act. Else, what difference is between a man and a brute?

Media tells you a thousand times that immoral sex is no problem with, but your rationality should hold on to the truth that faith brings to you. You will program yourself and not the media. That 'll be the real freedom !

Note: A gradual effect of such scandals, a humble perception - people would deny church (or any religious institute) and pastor, and eventually faith ( any faith for that matter) will be washed off from the face of earth. And a few will remain, who hold on to truth, they will be the true men of faith.

Giving an Indian touch to CWG

2010-09-23T08:53:00.000-07:00

When India were to host the Common Wealth Games, it was looked upon as a major breakthrough in history. Looking at school assignments and young sentiments, its all filled with patriotic tempest resultant from the Indian touch of Common Wealth Games. Perhaps people and our "young mindset" (yet to grow up) took it for a milestone in our attempts to posing our country as a global superstar !

But the Indian touch came out typically Indian. Politicians and our guest of today, the monsoons - are giving superb Indian touch to the event.

Starting with a fund embezzlement issue that for the moment is put down in the wake of the upcoming event, terrorist attacks in the purported secure neighborhood of Juma Masjid followed by a threat to mess up the games and the alarmed Delhi police who then cried out its all safe, when the nation wide news reported terrorist threats - all reveal simply an Indian magic. Countries including England withheld their athletes from flying to the venue fearing it not safe enough.

People had been suffering from far ends of the country of lack of water for years now. Agriculture been suffering for more than a decade. But no, it won't withstand for more than a decade, the monsoons. Now in the wake of an multinational event in the capital, it all poured down compounded for the years past. River Yamuna overflew, giving an Indian effect to the village. The overbridge leading to Nehru stadium, perhaps due to bad making or due to unwell finish due to rain cracked down. And on top of it all, tiles at the ceiling of the weightlifting venue dropped down. All these when the real danger dengue is rampaging in Delhi.

Worst of it all bbc is giving out poor standard pictures of the village hospitality to add to the fire in the Indian hearts (but that i sincerely believe, is a total bbc masala. Have you seen them?).

Perhaps our hospitality is Unnverving !

The Tribal Central

2010-09-22T04:05:00.001-07:00

I'd been to the local tribal cooperative society a couple of weeks ago simply to have a look at what they offer to our huge ever growing market.

There was simply a man there who looked after the shop, the shop which was only about the size of a normal bedroom. They kept there something like a tank for storing honey and it was almost in front of the store providing for bees to woo around the store quite freely. There weren't enough customers as well so it ain't much problem bees flying about in the shop. All other products they sell in packets or bottles whichever suits the product nature. Packaging is all well and good enough. All well sealed and protected. Looked like tribals knew packaging better.

I'd gone there with a hope to see some tribals as well if possible.Simply to have a look at their lifestyles and models. Although the place was something like a central of the tribal people, I was amazed to see the place almost deserted and not a person there except the shopkeeper there with two of his friends like they looked who walked about as if keeping watch of the store, smoking beedi all the time.

Disappointed, I was beginning to retreat from the store when I saw some tribal women walking in groups like college students possibly after work or for their noon break. What alarmed me was the one in the middle who was very lean and dressed typical of tribal style, walked typically of a tribal lady, walked, talking freely on her mobile phone.

All the more I was surprised to find full fledge coverage of mobile networks there in the tribal central. Perhaps india is growing faster than I thought it is..

Focus on your person rather than looks

2010-08-05T00:36:00.000-07:00

I started wearing purdah recently. Earlier it was only hijab that i wore along with my casual dressings. Though that was fine with a decent normal outfit that i always chose to wear, i had my own reasons for switching over to this traditional islamic suiting.

One is the question of attraction and distraction. Don't many people complement you on your normal outfit that you look gorgeous in them? Especially when its new and you chose a different color and style than you do normally. But yeah, that complement is simply for the difference in look perhaps. But then, did you actually attract someone's eyes then? Somebody noted you for your looks. That should mean you're attractive to however lesser degree it is as compared with those ladies on the ramp!

Some colors, some styles and looks catch some eyes. And churidar and other outfit don't always come in that dull plain black color that nobody really would be attracted to. And no! i'm not saying you should look dull, at your ease !

Catching eyes, you know what it means. To a stranger, islam prescribes to lower our eyes. And you dress up in a way that catches some people's eyes, is enjoining in an evil. Appearing attractive and dazzling should be in your HOMES and in front of the man who married you. And yeah, you can wear that all the time in stead of confining such dazzling princely dresses to parties and gatherings. Don't that sound good ? Seriously, stop wearing those torn out, outworked dresses inside home, and start looking dashy 24X7 ! Thats what i do these days. I'm doing great that way and so would you, trust me.

And that way, i would say you're fully secure in purdah. No starings shot at you, and not those complements that perplex you how to respond, and the party goes cool and smooth.

The best part in wearing purdah i would tell you is, you are distinct and free, and yet on your foot and under cover at the same time. Purdah frees you of all your worries of how this and that color suit you, how fine you're looking at that terrible hour and all such nonsense. And you know what, when you wear purdah all that matters is your personality.

If you still doubt, try wearing purdah on a seminar, and you would be a dazzling performer, simply for the beauty of your personality and none else. Purdah makes you focus on your person rather than on your looks.

Wanna try? Take my words and Just go ahead !!

A Muslim Sectoral Dilemma

2010-07-12T02:43:00.000-07:00

For those of my readers who know that there exists basically two sects among muslims, should know that it is Sunni and Shia. Sunni Muslims are those who follow the Sunnah which means the words and acts of Prophet (SAW) along with the Holy Qur'an. And Shia Muslims normally are known be the ones who reject that Muhammed (SAW) is the final prophet and Ali (RAA) succeeded him in prophethood. Basically they deny everything appearing in Hadith and try to misdirect normal Sunni Muslim by quoting self created Hadith and misinterpreting Qur'an verses.

Well, in the usual sense of it, Sunni Muslims are considered to be the right Muslims, as they follow the Qur'an as well as the hadith to go with it. They are normally considered the real practicing muslims.

But aah ! shall i tell you of a place where the best practicing muslims who follow Qur'an and hadith to their best capacity are bewildered being called a Sunni ?!

Oh yeah, such places exists on this planet, and that strange place is Kerala (also called the God's own country- not sure if someone of that importance really took birth here at all !).

Here, the breeding ground for religious innovations and ignorant religious practices is the Sunni sect. A few Moulas (leaders) control everything inside the sect, as they are the only ones who know or are supposed to know Qur'an and hadith. Rather, what the moulas spread and promote by their knowledge of the books is mere innovations. Girls are not allowed to study any more than memorizing the Surah yaaseen. As to luring into the meaning of it, or of any Surah or hadith is a crime.

Apart from that, celebrations as part of the birthday of prophet(SAW), is almost as big as Eid, with group gathering and recital of Arabic words about Muhammed(SAW), the meaning of which the reciters have no much idea. Someone passes away from the family, and thats another gathering of Moulas singing hymns and prayers, and others are to follow. Surah yaseen by the way, are for reciting for the dead body sitting surrounding the body. A good reason for memorizing a Surah!

Girls going to school/college doing any more than primary education is being considered an omen to the society. While tricks and magics on behalf of the moulas profiteer through on the other side of the sect. Tricks, in the name of religion! Bracelets and necklaces being blown into by reciting hymns or sometimes spat at by the magician moulas, would be taken for medicinal properties too!

And the worst of it, if someone who comes in saying its all innovations and ignorant practices would simply be waved off as a Mujahid, which in their language is a rebel and meant to be an outcaste.

Why wonder most people here deny being a sunni and remain being a poor ordinary muslim !

You need to be Indian to know India

2010-07-06T10:11:00.000-07:00

Been reading an article on impressions on US-India Summit, so stunning impressions that my hair kept straight all through reading the article!

Ah well, as of the author's impression on conceivably under-development of nuclear technology in India despite its booming corporate sector and brilliant technical and industrial manpower, one need to study about Indian politics and sentiments as well. If not for its oriental characteristic and sentiments, India is not India at all. Sadly that is though. And this in turn has a negative effect on its political behavior.

Indian politics reflects the diverse characteristics of Indian population itself i should say. When a part of it is development minded, another would focus on keeping up to its age old beliefs and outdated tactics. Such divergence in popular mentality would create similarly diverging political groups in the Parliament.

That is to say, when one party insists on developing nuclear power (be it ruling or opposing), the other would automatically wave a red flag. In fact, this is a real story occured last year or so. A proposition on developing nuclear power plant was put down as it is with a sheer opposition from opposition (and the lefties as well which denied its support to the ruling party following the nuclear hustle).

But true, its hight time india needs to develop its infrastructure facilities. If not nuclear power, there needs to be some alternate source of energy (organized and publicly available) to cater to the growing needs of indian economy. It can't be late the politicians stop arguing whether india is growing or blowing, and start realizing the real picture of Indian economy.

And yes, Montek identified the real challenges facing Indian economy. As being heavily depended on the primary sector, climate changes and ground water levels are greater challenges to Indian economy, since if you don't sustain, what development should we be talking about? When India thinks of development, it thinks of the rural areas. Simply because the soul of India lies in the rural areas. And climate changes and ground water levels are of greater concern for rural india than nuclear power projects, which for them are only hear-says.

And never the least, India looks forward to self sustainable development. Self reliance remains one of the basic mottos of our economic plans since ages, and oops! we haven't given up yet !

The Gandharva, Yesudas

2010-05-25T23:04:00.000-07:00

Yesudas is doubtlessly an impossible singer of the age- age of today and of the immediate past, for he has been living considerably long in the music industry. The nightingales of today as well as of yesterday have rented female voices to his evergreen songs. Surely, he is the hero of music industry today. Aged to decades and still managing to be young, Mr. Yesudas IS upto something.

Yes, i do adore his songs. He sings damn good. His crystal clear words coupled with ever young voice is unequalled in the industry. But where are his fans heading to? What the hell are our leaders and moulders making of us?

Its been few days, i'd been watching some grand episode of Gandharva Sangeetham on Kairali, that i noticed the hero worship being encouraged there. The winners of previous years of the programme are made to (or probably they chose to) sing the songs that this Mr. Yesudas had sung, and that in the presence of this great hero of Malayalam music, who was sitting in the front row among the audience, tapping to the tune the budding artists were singing. Singers, with utter complete reverence to this super senior artist and this hero of the century enjoying this worship !!

Whatever art of beauty or rather of any form of work seeking perfection need to be independent. The spirit of it needs to be left free rather than sticking to one great hero who is excelling in the field. If you feel music is a spirit, that which flows out of your throats with magnificent beauty is of spirit, you need to leave it free. Monopolizing it or constraining it to a monopoly is mere injustice. Sincere reverence is to the spirit and not to a person who holds it.

India beats trumpets to American rampage on Islam - A Madhuri Gupta Twist

2010-04-29T23:42:00.000-07:00

Its all in news now, that Madhuri Gupta, the IFS officer accused of espionage may have embraced Islam some 6 years ago. Amazing it is, as only the big CBI investigation could reveal it and not even the person herself.

Media reports say "She was inspired by the teachings of islam but was scared to announce her faith", her faith that she was inspired? Now come on you people, Millions of people out of the 100 billion on the world who learn about islam, or hear about it at least, are inspired by its teaching. Try reading about it yourself and you too will find yourself mermerized.

Embracing would mean total submission to the preaching of islam, which apparently is invisible in the attitude and conducts of the learned IFS officer. Reports say that she was overwhelmed by the culture and traditions of Pakistan. Many, especially western tourists and visitors in India, too are driven by the customs and traditions of Hinduism in the Incredible India, aren't they? Why not a ditto here too?

Putting it simple, try googling about converts into muslims and compare. And then tell me what embraced and inspired mean.

Why i'm this outraged about this media scaffold is because the biggest secular democratic country in the world India has begun beating trumpets for the bloody rampage of the greatest secular democratic America against muslims.

America has virtually declared its warfare against muslims with the onset of a self made drama of 9/11 tragedy. Attack on Afghanistan on the pretext of terrorist Taliban, and the tyranneous occupation of Iraq on the pretext of bad boy Saddam simply entailed the big American Safari. The ugly face of New American chapter of 3rd world imperialism was revealed with the unconditioned support it extended to the Zionist oppression of Palestinian Muslims. Crusades, minor and major, are on the run all where on the globe.

Madhuri Gupta story, here in India, is beginning to unmask in the new American version. The mere inspiration on the teachings of Islam is taking ground in the altar of popular media. It took birth in Indian Media, tomorrow fox shall take it doubtless. And then its world news. The only concern of the humble writer is if this will be the beginning of restrictions of muslims to enter into government service. Hope it don't.

But one thing is sure, Indian Masala won't taste very good with American Burger.

Why don't these people leave us alone?

2010-04-27T07:10:00.000-07:00

"A minister sneezes from Tamil Nadu, then its Hartal in Kerala", Naren's somewhat famous dialogue in the movie Achuvinte Amma.

Probably, he's right. Politics has its playground in the economy of Kerala. Social/ economic activities are put to halt when the politicians get on their boots. Funny, the inverse relationship between working time of the general public and the politicians. They take shifts !

Today, they said were opposing against the rising prices. What i would to like to ask is "DON'T YOU GUYZ KNOW THE PRICES ARE RISING?". Then why the hell don't you leave way for economic activities and help the people and government do something about curbing the price rise?

Seemingly, what my father-in-law muttered when the hartal was declared few days ago were true. "They're sure they won't get to power on next election. They're just test checking if there's any way at all."

PS : This is a kerala specific post [:)]