Who is the poor one ?

And there my heart goes again ... the painful wrench & squeeze feeling . Poverty always knocks hardest at my heart , not mushy novels or movies or Kishoreda songs , not even Manna Dey .

We all avert our eyes at the face of poverty , at traffic signals , bus stands , hotels .
A nuisance and even considered a bad omen. Some grown - ups used to tell me to stop looking at them or making eye contact. It would only leave me more puzzled and curious.
Why shouldn't we spare a few coins or a meal to the forsaken ones?

Isn't it our moral duty to help out , especially when they come knocking at our car windows?
We throw away hundreds on uneaten food , junk toys , unread books, unused clothes . Isn't that where we also avert our eyes ?
We all have our justification for not acknowledging their presence even if we they live amongst us.

Are we truly a civilized , educated society ? Consider this , child sexual abusers get away , murders are left unsolved , the babus and political class loot us right under our nose and big corporates evade tax but make us pay any MRP and also sneak in lead into our food.

India has a 20.6% share of the worlds poorest ( 2011 ) . This class of people earn less than Rs. 32
per day .
We shouldn't just measure our GDP to check progress , we must include all classes of  any socio-economic status to measure our progress.

A few changes we should incorporate into our thinking and lifestyles,

1. Have a community fridge - people who have leftovers and excess food can deposit this in a fridge and the needy be allowed to access it. A fridge in every area / road /  colony. Imagine having to share food and not wasting it .
2. Citizens could donate in any form and get a tax rebate . Donate every week , month and cash in your tax savings
3. Government enforce a rule to all corporates to donate and in return  give tax rebates , give CSR awards
4. Tie-up with NGOs to provide employment to young( 16+) boys and girls .
5. Help Schools to give back to society on weekends , promote free teaching and meals
6. The biggest contribution can come from Temples - God would surely not object to helping . Give free meals , teach slokas , ethical conduct and rehabilitation

Some of these will help us build our compassion and show the world we care . We will have an Inclusive growth and teach our next generation the power of compassion. Then in my opinion, India will be the most powerful country in this world. Just as Chetan Bhagat launches his new book - Making India Awesome , he propagates too that whats needed is a paradigm shift in our thinking.

I hope young Indians will relate to this and start a new revolution .

Difficult journeys

I have a difficult calling to address. Difficult can be a very subjective word. We all have our mountains to climb and often have an elevated and bloated sense about it. 

I have a new calling to face now . I was just settling in , the dust was settling in , my kids both go to a full day school now and that would ideally leave me with 5-6 hours time to "invest" . 

When your busy with kids and drop your job without a regret or frown , its the most natural thing to do. 

However , people do say - whats in a SAHM ? Parenting is hardly a job yeah ? 

So I  hear these days .. "what do you do all day ?" " your so smart , you should go work" . So all of a sudden my smartness /education is highlighted back to me ...! I almost forgot , I am smart aren't I ? 

So I made a list and diligently checked off the options I have. I narrowed it down to "options available" . Coz no one wants lady with a 6 year career break , even the ones who announce on their famous websites that they are "equal opportunities employer" they are bold liars! 

Some are more subtle while some simply swindle. They offer returnee-jobs, internships ... and make you work all free. Coz they r doing you a favor. They are giving you a place to sit & work right? 

So now , when I do know what options lie before me , I called my old colleague / VP at work and asked him if there are any jobs I could apply for . 

He very gracefully offered to help & did. Now I have the chance / opportunity to re-join at my old firm and restart my broken career. 

Look at the odds, this will be a full-time job. 8-9 hours added with 2 hours to commute. So , its back to the weighing scales. Is this worth leaving my kids at day care , maids help? 

I suppose I have to carefully plan and execute my absence at home without much disruption to their lives. 

 So difficult decisions do make life a good journey , like Frost wrote about - 

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

On a different note , but a similar analogy - You should watch Dr.Shahi Tharoors speech / debate at Oxford , London . He worded and resounded the sentiment of all Indians rightly. The British should have their reparations atleast . Let us rule your country for 1 year , we'll loot you better!!! 

A new movie thrill - Bahubali review

This week we planned to watch the big budget telugu movie BahuBali . At first I thought its about the  king called Bahubali. But no ,Its not a historic documentary !

There were many reasons to step into a movie theatre mid-week .

Firstly , the big budget marketing and visuals. Secondly the hype and positive review by friends, peer pressure!

The first impression in the 10 minutes was good . Thank heavens , its not a stereotype telugu movie with a vagabond guy and his unusual heroism , his vengeance and a damsel in distress. Its not mushy or low or cheap in humour.

 Its showcasing a womans resolve and strength.

The movie moves smoothly and tells the story like a chapter book . Its an epic drama , hence history of the characters is key. An abandoned baby , being desperately rescued by a woman who has fire and resolve in her eyes and looks and dresses like a royal . She can’t save herself from the strong currents but will save the baby , she prays for strength and carries on. A small tribe by the riverside see a baby held high from the waters and rush to its rescue . The baby is take from her hand but the mother drowns in a moment pointing up the mountain as a clue.

The lady in the rescuing tribe is childless and hence takes the baby as a gift from the Lord and refuses to return it to whoever is waiting up the mountains.

Destiny unfolds for this baby boy. He has unusual lineage and a strong bond to his ancestors , terrain and flamboyance. His mother struggles to divert his attention from going up the mountain but the boy is resolved .

Then the mysteries he uncovers, once up the mountain . His own history , injustice and spiritual connections change his life forever from a tribal boy to a worshipped God / hero.

What is different in this movie ?

• ·         Its money well spent , there is art in every frame , meaning in every background, clothes and language
• ·         Its not about woman being a weaker sex and hence an alpha male comes to the rescue.
• ·         Questions and breaks meaningless traditions , standing up for whats right. ( moving a shiva idol , not sacrificing a bull for good luck)
• ·         A mothers love has the power of a Goddess , she can rekindle your dreams and drive you to your destiny , its yet tender and always fair
• ·         A woman has a strong sense of equality and can do justice and make correct judgment calls.
• ·         The actress is seen breastfeeding two children in a palace court and yet giving out orders and making laws and fighting off a swordsman. Applause !!
• ·         Even under the keen eyes of the mother , two children grow up in the same environment and yet one has blackness in his heart and the other is heroic
• ·         Its Busts the myth of royalty and ranks and superiority
• ·         Loyalty – this is a virtue almost forgotten or never applauded in movies these days. Here we see a chief soldier and his loyalty to the throne even under an evil king ( like Akrur in Mahabharat)
• ·         The hero woes and tries to win over a woman soldier , who has an iron exterior and seems almost impenetrable . She’s strong , single-minded, brave  and emotionless. But with ease , he throws her off the feet , mesmerizes and is plain- face simple to her . Uncovers her true inner self and opens her eyes to her own personality shades . He earns her respect and love immediately.
• 
  

The story is shaded heavily with vengeance , injustice , violence and like any other epic shows how grand and majestic stands victory of good over evil . The only negative aspect through the movie, I feel , is the exaggerated demonstration and sometimes incredulous feats of strength the hero displays , he’s strong we get it…!! The characters are of a plethora of shades – from simple , rustic , juvenile to majestic , brutal , savage , loyal and back stabbing .

The characters and story is well written and has the most exquisite and detailed set to be seen in an Indian movie. It appeals to our Indian-ness , it takes us back to our Indian mythology and its nuances . We all have bits of mythology in our mental fabric and this touches on all the soft parts of an Indian and his strong ties to history.

On the whole , the entire team has to take a bow on this mega attempt and its grand success .

The Obnoxious grey

Why is ‘ grey ‘such a range of colors in itself? 

Mr. Grey sparks off that strange sexy feel, grey clouds is gloomy, a grey jacket is smart and chic but the least loved it that obnoxious grey hair that stands so annoyingly on your head!

It’s a month yet to my 35^th birthday and lo and behold, that lonely obnoxious grey strand is peeping out of my mane…. Well what’s in a hair you would say … but its looks so vicious and glares at me in the meanest spirit ! It reminds you that your youth is drawing towards an end. What end? Well, my dad didn’t get it until he turned 50, my grandparents at 60, so why did it have to anoint my young head so soon?

These days turning 35 has new and varied meanings in our social circles.

For those who have no kids, God help you in bracing those pitiful eyes of the relatives, who those unmarried, your obituary is written already, for those looking to re-start a career , it’s a kick on the rear , those working and not yet in the pinnacle of it , your passed off as a no-good loser .

Why so many conclusions at that 35 turning point? Don’t we all have our own journeys and paths to endure? It’s not that piece of the Ferris wheel when you’ve just reached the peak and heading down at a dizzy speed. So, its just all the stress and lifestyle patterns your generation follows, my mom would say.

Its true in the best case scenario too . We stress too much , there is simply no peace of mind or rest these days for us poor souls.

We stress over planning a holiday too … a holiday should be impromptu , but we stress and the questions are endless . What will we wear , did we get the best deal on the tickets and hotels , what if the weather turns bad , wonder how the food is ….. And as soon as we get there , log-in the location through your Facebook , check on how many likes and comments , post the hotel pictures , even the picture of ALL your meals … your foot wear , your bags etc . Should you have rather leave the phone and laptop behind and travel with your senses and a pocket full of maps and currency ?  

We stress on eating too, no oily food , no carbs , no MSG while we have no hang-ups about draining one mug after another of beer .

We stress on sleeping too, not kidding! There are many apps designed to check your sleep cycle , sleep health , deep sleep vs light sleep . We need to keep track of to ensuring good sleep , else God forbid those dark circles and endless visits to the parlor.

The most stressing is the shopping part , which store , how far , what will your friends chose , did I get a good price , should I check online for a better deal , do I use my credit card or go get   some cash ? Did I over – step my budget ?

For me , I rarely thought about how I’m causing an endless cycle of stress for myself . I simply indulged . Now this dreary ‘grey ‘  strand had bought back a precious awareness. Not that we are the end of a certain spectrum, but rather should be a symbol of a new beginning. A new thought process and a new state of being. Our time is best utilized if we are aware of its tricks on us.

For those who do sport their ‘grey’ so bravely, I give you my true respect. You are so comfortable in your own skin and have no apologies for that stigmatic ‘grey’. I too wish to gain that mental muscle to accept fully the consequence of our life choices and the time lapsed by.

~ Sneha