Isn’t ‘I’ taller than ‘We’?

It’s said that man is a social animal.

Well, accepting the animal part is a bit awkward for some, but most of us take pride in the ‘social’ tag and it shows!

Around the world people are identified by their names, which majorly constitutes of 'Last Name' and 'First Name' . The ‘Last Name’ usually depicts an association to a family, village or society. We join clubs, social organizations, political parties, religious cults etc.

There is a definite pattern when we look at the basis of all the above associations – a sense of ‘common’ identity. The underlying ‘commonness’ could be religious belief, family name, or a political ideology!

The latest victim of this ‘Herd mentality’ is Jaswant singh. The poor man was expelled from BJP just because the views he expressed in his book did not match with the ‘ideology’ of his party. I look at this incidence from a different angle than – ‘Was Jinnah a saint or Satan and how true is the book?’

Does an individual’s association to a group dissociate him from his own self? Do his individual thinking, logic, reasoning have no right to exist? The people at helm say, ‘They can exist but within the close confines of one’s mind’.
In context of this incident – I was listening to Mr Parkash Jawadekar (BJP Spokesman) in a news channel and he says – ‘Mr. Singh’s views hold right as an individual’s, but he cannot express them while being a member of a party that is opposed to them’. I find this argument justifiable too. It’s like saying that you have boarded a bus going to Mumbai and we all are going there too, if you have to go to Delhi, please change the bus! I say – why not have a car? :)

In my personal opinion, I hold an Individual’s right to exist superior than anything else. By existence, I mean physical and mental. There is nothing more powerful in this world than an identity that has realized its potential. Interestingly, all the achievements of mankind are attributed to individuals and not societies! Who invented telescope? ‘Galileo’. Who discovered Gravity? ‘Sir Issac Newton’. If anyone ever heard – let me know when a ‘community’ has been known to make a breakthroughJ. Even if it did – there would have been a single brain in there who would have suggested the idea ;).

..Har kona hai 'Gulzaar' !

Just a few days back I heard songs from ‘Kaminey’ and got them on my music player. I did not see the name of lyricist first then heard this line –
‘Chaand ki gathri sir pe le li, aap ne kaisi zehmat ki hai…( Pehli baar mohabbat ki hai) ‘
And I knew it has to be Gulzaar saab !
What flower is without fragrance, is a man without emotions. Most of us ‘feel’ about the world around us but very few have the ability to convey the same. In contrast, there are some who can express feelings which are not their own! Imagine the same person as -
A kid having fun – Lakdi ki kaathi , kaathi pe ghodaa
A lone soul – Ek akela is sheher me, raat me aur do peher me
A celebrating spirit - Jai ho!
A lover - Aapki aankhon me kuchh, mehke hue se khwab hain.
A longing partner - Tere bina zindagi se koi shikwa to nahi
Think of any situation in life and you have a Gulzar song for it! Celebrating his 75th birthday today is one of the finest writers of our era – Sampooran Singh AKA ‘Gulzar’. I was watching a brief history of his work on a TV show today and was amazed to find that he has been writing since 1960s and exceptionally has never been out of synch with the pulse of the generation. He was as beautiful in writing ‘Mora gora rang dayi de’ in 60’s as he is when he declares ‘Beedi jalai le jigar se piya’ in 2006.
What I personally find distinct in Gulzar saab’s work is his abstract way of looking at things. The comparisons he makes are always his signature ones! His work will always open new windows of imagination for the listener/reader. I don’t have words to mention even an alphabet of his epics. Listing some of my favorites from Gulzar saab.. Happy Birthday Sir!
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‘Tumhaare ghum ki dali utha kar, zubaan pe rakh li hai dekho maine..
Ye katra-katra pighal rahi hai, main katra –katra hi jee rahaa hoon.’
- Marasim -
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‘Dopehren aisi lagti hain , bina mohron ke khaali khane rakhe hain..
Na koi khelne wala hai baazi, na koi chaal chalta hai!
- Raincoat -
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‘Saara din sadkon pe khaali rikshe sa..peeche peecha chalta hai’
-Satya -
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‘Ae maut tu ek kavita hai’ ( Anand)
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And innumerable others!!

Alas....His Name Is Khan !

The news bite just in says – SRK detained at Newark airport for being a Khan.
I pity our media and more so today for two reasons. First, is Shahrukh the first ‘Khan’ from India who has been frisked or been doubted at in the US? I am sure the answer is in negative. If the media is so concerned about the plight of innocent Muslims being targeted at in the US, why don’t we see a regular coverage on this topic on the front page?
Secondly, India is celebrating its Independence Day today but the news bite for SRK gets more space than the nation J what pride!
Moreover, I do not understand what is wrong when a nation suffering from terrorism decides to follow a set of security procedures? In fact it is commendable that they do it without any discrimination. Gone are the days of hierarchy and ‘Raj’, its time India wakes up and stops the special treatment it offers to its ‘privileged’ few. After all, most of them are criminals one way or the other – history sheeters, rowdies, rapists and even murderers, they all are welcome in the assemblies and parliament of Independent India :)

The Flu Blues...

‘Hey! Where is your mask?’ is the question my boss has been asking me every time he passes by from past 5 days! Not that I am reckless or love my live any lesser than anyone does, but trust me the mask is just a mean to falsely assure yourself of the safety unless you follow all the directions!
Just the day after first casualty was reported in Pune and the mass hysteria begun, I was standing in a traffic signal; to my surprise the little kids who were selling cotton clothes to wipe vehicles till yesterday had surgical masks in their hands today! I could not help but applaud the Indian business acumen. The surgical mask that has been reported time and again, to be useless in preventing the H1N1 virus has become a rage!
My point is – even if you are using the N-95 mask, you should change it every day. And I see people, using and re-using the surgical masks day after day – with the sneeze, cough and what not captured in it. And finally when they feel it’s time to change they throw it on road, open garbage …anywhere! So instead of preventing people, the masks are acting as career of diseases.
Talking of my boss…being an IT pro, he can afford to have N95 masks daily. But you know what, every hour he goes out to the tea stall (right next to a government hospital and our office) pulls down his mask, lights a cigarette with tea and resumes his mask routineJ
I feel the swine flu will be successfully eradicated soon, but not without making millions with masks look like Swine! No offence to anybody :)

Happy Friendship Day !

2nd August 2009
Its friendship day today and I have just returned after meeting some of my college time pals in Pune. I believe that we do not need any special day to celebrate things like friendship, love, motherhood and many such ‘Days’ , but it has one advantage, it makes you think about the significance of some of the best part of your lives and friendship is definitely one of them ! So here is something that I feel about this wonderful relationship:
Friendship
There are some relations that we hold by virtue of our birth and we accept and obey them for what they are, and then there are relations which we nurture and cherish by virtue of our choice; friendship being the most beautiful among them.
It is very difficult to define and reason friendship. Be it a kindergarten going kid or an 80 year old gentleman – they both make friends. Be it a bushman from Kalahari Desert or a corporate honcho from the Wall Street – they both yearn for a true friend. Such is the magic of this bonding that it cuts across the differences of ages, sex, geographies etc.
According to me, a friendship result from the synchronization of one’s thinking with someone else’s. It’s a gesture to appreciate each other’s attitude, outlook and persona. But then, the kindergarten kid fails me :) , had any of us thought or even knew the above things when we made our first friend in those prayer queues, or playgrounds? I guess no.
Irrespective of how we perceive friendship, it has a major influence in our lives. We make friends in schools, colleges, work places and then this set of friends keeps evolving. However, at each juncture of our life, we are influenced by the thoughts, actions, behavior, mannerism and in fact the whole way of living of our friends. In the journey we share some immortal moments like the gully cricket fights, bunked schools, mark sheet secrets, crushes, love stories, late night chats, gossips, coffee corners... If life is a journey, friends are the interesting co-passengers who add to the spice! Life is so incomplete without them.
I personally have been blessed with ample of this goodie. I have had many great friends right from my school, college and working days. I have grown with them learning the nuances of life. Unknowingly, I have learnt things that should be done (and also some that should never be) in life. I have shared some of the best, and some worst moments of my lives with someone by my side who I can fall back on. I feel enriched by them and I feel that some part of each of them lives with me, let’s say when I listen to a song, and suddenly recall – Hey! I used to hum it along my way to school along with a friend.
Well, a lot to say but then I need to sleep now …but would like to say a big THANKS to all of my dear buddies! Life’s been a pleasure with you! Happy Friendship Day :)