tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72316186487184483462024-03-14T21:23:26.375+05:30The Obsessive Traveller's Scooty DiariesUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7231618648718448346.post-50384056320727926292013-04-13T11:00:00.001+05:302013-04-13T11:01:35.432+05:30Yummilicious and Super-Easy Biscuit Pudding!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This is a personal favorite because it has all the components of a good party dish :)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1. It is EASY to make and does not make you stand in the kitchen the whole day before the party</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2. No multiple complex steps</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">3. No hard-to-find ingredients and measurements!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Made this recently for a group of friends and believe me the compliments were endless. If you love chocolate and desserts, you must try it too!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What you need to make 6 generous helpings:</span></div>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Marie Biscuits - 1 packet of 200gms</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Normal Butter - 100 gms</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cocoa powder - 3 tablespoons (don't worry if you put in a little more :))</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Milk - 1 and 1/2 cup</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sugar - 1 cup</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cornflour - 2 tablespoons</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Rum/ liqueur/ vanilla essence - 1 teaspoon or if you like strong flavors then 1 cap full of the bottle</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A few chocolate chips/ chocolate shavings</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Method:</span></div>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If the butter comes from the fridge, microwave/ heat it a little to soften it.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Crush the Marie biscuits - I used the mixer/ grinder for doing this very fast</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Mix the crushed biscuits with the butter to a sandy, soft, consistency - keep this aside</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In any utensil, boil together the milk, sugar, cornflour, and cocoa powder. Keep stirring to avoid lumps. The sauce will become smooth. Keep aside to cool. Once cooled, add the rum/ liqueur/ vanilla essence.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Take 6 wine glasses/ or shot glasses if you have big ones. In each glass, put a base layer of the biscuit-butter mix. Press this down with a spoon. on top of this layer, add a layer of the chocolate sauce. Repeat the biscuit-mix and the sauce layer in each glass. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Make sure the top-layer is the biscuit-butter mix.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Top this off with some chocolate chips or chocolate shavings.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Put the glasses in the fridge (not freezer) to cool and set for about 3-4 hours</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Serve chilled and enjoy the compliments!!!!!!</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I do hope you find this useful! Try it and let me know if it works!!</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7231618648718448346.post-15744993673843958222013-03-09T20:56:00.000+05:302013-03-09T20:56:35.603+05:30The Bells are 'A-Ringing': Indiblogger and Breakthrough BELL BAJAO Event<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Wqy5pHj0hFxaBP-TXJgN3v7aW-07UcA2VVJz2TUlFMgRvCZOj_AAdGAMkRlDAgkUjXqz7ejhToo_bu753Vnh1kBDOFUzQXhyphenhyphenztNFa7TDIXYOrr4PcLsUyYBP9IsBgkeO3-vTH6N6qd1Z/s1600/IMG-20130308-00065.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Wqy5pHj0hFxaBP-TXJgN3v7aW-07UcA2VVJz2TUlFMgRvCZOj_AAdGAMkRlDAgkUjXqz7ejhToo_bu753Vnh1kBDOFUzQXhyphenhyphenztNFa7TDIXYOrr4PcLsUyYBP9IsBgkeO3-vTH6N6qd1Z/s640/IMG-20130308-00065.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The twitterati were 'a-twitter', the facebookers were going nuts,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">All together to ring the bell, and display some guts</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Together to say that women matter, to say that they care,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Together to explore what works: bitter medicine or prayer <b><i>(the bollywoodian duaa versus dawaa debate)</i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Some said it is men, they need to take a vow,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Others said, how will they change overnight, yeh batao!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Patriarchy, socialisation, other big words were thrown around, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The most honest opinions came from the women, connected to the ground</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">They said men want control, they want power,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">They essentially want, to make women cower</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Thus the stuck reservation bill, and the higher powers' indecision,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Men fear once women enter the scene, there will be retribution</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">They fear their ages old hushed-up lies will be out,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">That women will run the world without any self-doubt</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">These women are true Sheroes, and there are millions of them in the world,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Silently waging their wars, fighting </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">everything, that at them has been hurled</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It wasn't however, a gloomy night, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Music was in the air, the evening was gorgeous, and the colors were all bright</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Young and old were enjoying the deliberations,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Clapping, cheering, while also twittering their frustrations</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.eveensler.org/" target="_blank">Eve Ensler</a>, came alive, through <a href="http://www.verveonline.com/28/people/maha/excerpt.shtml" target="_blank">Mahabanoo's</a> evocative performance,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Goosebumps, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">smiles, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">tears, and laughs for her absolute non-conformance</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.swarathma.com/index.php#HOME" target="_blank">Swarathma</a> rocked the stage and raised their melodious voice, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Against child abuse, the shadiness of politics, and the absolute curbing of 'choice'</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The crescendo however, was poised to be a real treat, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.anoushkashankar.com/" target="_blank">Anoushka Shankar</a> appeared and everyone's heart skipped a beat!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://breakthrough.tv/" target="_blank">Breakthrough</a>'s efforts with <a href="http://www.indiblogger.in/" target="_blank">Indiblogger </a>deserve an applause,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The evening was amazing, without any pause</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hope the bells keep ringing for the <a href="http://www.bellbajao.org/" target="_blank">BELL BAJAO</a> campaign,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Pledge to work towards a world where women (and men) live without pain</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Wish all women (and men) very happy women's days, weeks, months, and years,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Look forward to the day when the identity of a woman is because of who she is, and not because of those for whom she cares (i.e., her father, brother, son, husband etc.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7231618648718448346.post-47659255622579300102013-03-03T23:38:00.000+05:302013-03-13T12:01:57.394+05:30An 'A-love' Story...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY9S_e_ctsQHaljwL7PlSXbuf3JxZTNKKFuKFBR8-8Fu6SZnulMjF1j4RTRc5BjAvDlyAk2xK7_A31wKg2up3uiJAjGI2q_xxDtG6TfsT3TtOpHwJ28Hdx0E9EtbJK0f4P5p7kcFe17_0m/s1600/domestic-violence-against-women.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY9S_e_ctsQHaljwL7PlSXbuf3JxZTNKKFuKFBR8-8Fu6SZnulMjF1j4RTRc5BjAvDlyAk2xK7_A31wKg2up3uiJAjGI2q_xxDtG6TfsT3TtOpHwJ28Hdx0E9EtbJK0f4P5p7kcFe17_0m/s1600/domestic-violence-against-women.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><br />
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(No it is not a typo, the story is about A-Love, the kind of story that does not end in a happily ever-after. The kind of story that is all too common. Tragically. A salute goes out to <a href="http://indichange.org/?fp=wKwLvVqSEk9b%2Fu8u2viacJewf9MLLCDFn2lnyLwa2k48VBmLNUVUte6E1ie1leSQfSVV2llBQLXqKiHlV3EoLQ%3D%3D&prvtof=AmzjSgXl4UO89G3kjD3lX4jn3dGKfKhYXVlrxIp7XNQ%3D&poru=Bl45RN6VN1QiTcp%2BFT1Vt7E9g2BPiPE4y5xZhZoiaW51ubCkBzXd6mlpJZghH%2B8D&" target="_blank">Indichange</a> and <a href="http://www.bellbajao.org/" target="_blank">Bell Bajao!</a> campaign by Breakthrough for bringing this 'aapas ka mamala (internal or domestic affair) in the open)</i></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
He shouts, she cowers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He screams, she bows.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He is upset, she tells herself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He is angry, tense and tired. But he loves her, she knows.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She sleeps, he forces himself on her.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She resists, he hurts her.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He will go to another woman. She warns herself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He needs her. She is lucky. He is a man. It is a need.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He hits her. She thinks it will stop.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Again. And again. Some more. It doesn't stop.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She thinks it's ok. Such is marriage, or love, or an affair.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Or whatever it is they share. He is a man. He needs control. He needs to feel all-powerful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She was warned. They'll side with him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He is a man. She'll have nowhere to go.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She is trapped. In a golden cage. Or in a rusted, rotten one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It doesn't matter. Her wings are clipped. And the small gate locked.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He wants money that she earns. Or not. He just wants to see her in pain.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But the pain is a must. He needs to see her in it. He is the King. He rules.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She thought submission was the key. He didn't.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">She thought it was a part of life. He agreed.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So it went-on. With them living unhappily ever-after.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Her submission feeding his rage, his ego. Her bruises stunting her, making her de-grow.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Nobody rang the bell. Nobody walked-in. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In to her little world of daily wars and daily defeats. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Of broken dreams and shattered promises. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A story not so uncommon, in any part of the world. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A cancer that grows daily, feeds on the ugly marketing of women as a commodity, in senseless tv serials seen by millions, in advertisements which portray women as nothing else but men's playthings. In music videos, songs, item numbers...In all forms of mass media, which support domination of women indirectly in more ways than one. Parents teaching girls to bear pain, and keep quiet, husbands, brothers, sons and co-workers, who think they own women and that women associated with them are, 'theirs'. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">These are just some of things that lead to violence against women. Physical violence is just one of its forms. Mostly detectable easily as it is visible. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sexual, mental, psychological violence are just as serious and sometimes the scars last more than a lifetime and run too deep to see.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Rich or poor. Educated or illiterate. Slum-dweller or penthouse owner. Rural or urban. All women are vulnerable. All men and boys possible perpetrators of violence. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So why are men such control-freaks? Are all men like this? What makes men treat women differently? Why is the control of patriarchy on the psyche of women and men so strong that it refuses to let go? That education, better living standards, better quality of life do not differentiate men who abuse women from those who don't?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Answers to these questions are not easy to come-by. And I haven't got them either. In fact I think w</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">omen cannot find these answers, 'alone', without the men about whom these questions are anyway!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But one thing is for sure. While we theorize violence and try and get to the roots of societal attitudes towards women in general, there is also a need for us, collectively; and not as men, or women, to stand up for each other. And not just by protesting on the streets, but by raising our voice, when somebody raises an alarm in a bus about being troubled by somebody standing next to them. Or by stopping to 'interfere' when a man is mercilessly beating up a woman on the side of the street. There is a need for us to understand that it is our lack of standing up for each other, our lack of common consciousness that is emboldening people who think they can do anything and get away, even in the middle of a crowd. Or in the safety of their homes. Because no neighbor would want to get into an, 'aapas ka mamla' or a domestic situation. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So whether it is in the colony, or in the streets, in the metro, or in a crowded bus, what is needed, as a first step, is a sensitivity towards others. An interfering nature that will make you understand when something is not quite right around you. Let us start by being 'mild' </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">peeping-toms. Let's keep our ears open to hear someone's cries for help. And our mind open to think of helping in a couple's violent exchange as not interference but a social duty. And let's pay our neighbors a visit and let them know that we know. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So BELL BAJAO! Ring the bell if you think someone is in trouble. Maybe it can help a dream from shattering, a soul from getting lost.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Find more information here <a href="http://www.bellbajao.org/">http://www.bellbajao.org/</a> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5k0mF8uXBT7P80yFCl85k4ApLyXCCYXWrF2aMLHuTDG8dNqYKXpprbwgeG-Sp7WSc_7NljLDXCdwV9raNc04sD4JHLCPT8wCRmVxfvRDqFahFhaMoSTjc8AhtLXU9WiqREeYYb7sXVaYQ/s1600/Bell-bajao-011-1024x618.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5k0mF8uXBT7P80yFCl85k4ApLyXCCYXWrF2aMLHuTDG8dNqYKXpprbwgeG-Sp7WSc_7NljLDXCdwV9raNc04sD4JHLCPT8wCRmVxfvRDqFahFhaMoSTjc8AhtLXU9WiqREeYYb7sXVaYQ/s1600/Bell-bajao-011-1024x618.jpg" /></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7231618648718448346.post-4865588563332240912013-03-03T19:25:00.002+05:302013-03-03T19:25:59.743+05:30A visual journey through patriotism<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A winter evening and the setting sun. And national pride flutters in the Delhi wind.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0dlH166fOEcscrO7B1YuAddMFeaCK4pwTKDwvlZ0MLHBZZVw5gDcEyEEUFlCcgoNru4e4PGFEg1ed2dMjSLTxh03CfMRxhAWOTKZ7pOT7Yk0wPKkbwqeGJWAiotYERNhGSp5huIZQ3Wgy/s1600/197475_10151233936727727_1846036732_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0dlH166fOEcscrO7B1YuAddMFeaCK4pwTKDwvlZ0MLHBZZVw5gDcEyEEUFlCcgoNru4e4PGFEg1ed2dMjSLTxh03CfMRxhAWOTKZ7pOT7Yk0wPKkbwqeGJWAiotYERNhGSp5huIZQ3Wgy/s1600/197475_10151233936727727_1846036732_n.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBDdYn8lSRww93dsfckxnjo6xEyesTj_Oujt1vq6x_SzwP6Ne9RGfAjsayDIEU-7pFUG35aGUWvZlkZ28hrS3VZGx_X2IcjNQIkSOR8kXBMgC4f_WglWx5VOpc0ayq9B5-yPguHylWgZ6u/s1600/37110_10151230821287727_1392151596_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBDdYn8lSRww93dsfckxnjo6xEyesTj_Oujt1vq6x_SzwP6Ne9RGfAjsayDIEU-7pFUG35aGUWvZlkZ28hrS3VZGx_X2IcjNQIkSOR8kXBMgC4f_WglWx5VOpc0ayq9B5-yPguHylWgZ6u/s1600/37110_10151230821287727_1392151596_n.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And now, the sun has set. The royal residence is aglow. The corridors of power, lit-up and shiny.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQGFhft2M5tgbrXjn7WqgpOQ2-cDQlSBwjx7C8o45bvAyXoIfd7xP0fs2A-X96EFPzY8kUS3_4-karJP_r45g003W3FKes1NspLQmgnkGxLMwoM15MY-SgY9_czddTzVUtdHwnTnL5DcOL/s1600/734565_10151230815237727_1411807276_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQGFhft2M5tgbrXjn7WqgpOQ2-cDQlSBwjx7C8o45bvAyXoIfd7xP0fs2A-X96EFPzY8kUS3_4-karJP_r45g003W3FKes1NspLQmgnkGxLMwoM15MY-SgY9_czddTzVUtdHwnTnL5DcOL/s1600/734565_10151230815237727_1411807276_n.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvmf6y6TVwg9XmjoVzwmmHPZ77ZDmMR33Els5ITSSOPQoC_bQHebF7jNs-4juDtKy0vKHUAVy7xjT6LduH48WFua-E-1A2afmWMXqp2zRThxtoSyaxCytILzCBSxkgyOw9jyxqfFxmEM51/s1600/735046_10151230826232727_988959315_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvmf6y6TVwg9XmjoVzwmmHPZ77ZDmMR33Els5ITSSOPQoC_bQHebF7jNs-4juDtKy0vKHUAVy7xjT6LduH48WFua-E-1A2afmWMXqp2zRThxtoSyaxCytILzCBSxkgyOw9jyxqfFxmEM51/s1600/735046_10151230826232727_988959315_n.jpg" /></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7231618648718448346.post-72654657715860513332012-10-04T11:48:00.001+05:302012-10-04T11:48:29.746+05:30The Speechless Storyteller...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXiOw4FLIX0dubzV2Nch79aZtt4PE3Jr5LdROLswwtOJjXJ3LQmB6zkEIYz5QG1pzzgFK-i-qvo3R0_BLGh09r2ozBcx1wf7HhFF9WxFDmA75g2uBkTH3xG6AnmGP5rIRkos86-lZbm5fH/s1600/293036_440228469362760_934034852_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXiOw4FLIX0dubzV2Nch79aZtt4PE3Jr5LdROLswwtOJjXJ3LQmB6zkEIYz5QG1pzzgFK-i-qvo3R0_BLGh09r2ozBcx1wf7HhFF9WxFDmA75g2uBkTH3xG6AnmGP5rIRkos86-lZbm5fH/s1600/293036_440228469362760_934034852_n.jpg" /></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7231618648718448346.post-91412085213570991952012-09-15T17:32:00.001+05:302012-09-17T11:49:30.455+05:30Fooooooooooooood Morning Delhi!!!!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Rain-soaked, shivering, chilly Delhi. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tuesday morning, yawning lazily, rubbing its eyes as it slowly takes over from Monday night. The weather and the early morning making you crave for something unhealthily tasty. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The ideal time for some Delhi-type gallivanting!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A trip to The Pracheen (ancient) Hanuman Mandir (Temple of the Hindu-God Hanuman) near Connaught Place or CP, is sure to get you food, both for the soul, and the tummy, all days of the week, but especially on such a wet, hungry, full of craving, Tuesday Morning.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-4wcyXBJ728mSZ73bXWQk_dRsVQhlgB5ucdqCG8f5PfYSF3_NcZ2bAEO0SGxJrWevjg2lAMGONaqAIW3A2fhTarT2p3IJYymX1x40xlAbO0bGVbPZoR2u8oVLlRznAWJV3rNW3m1mSWIZ/s1600/2012-08-28-885.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-4wcyXBJ728mSZ73bXWQk_dRsVQhlgB5ucdqCG8f5PfYSF3_NcZ2bAEO0SGxJrWevjg2lAMGONaqAIW3A2fhTarT2p3IJYymX1x40xlAbO0bGVbPZoR2u8oVLlRznAWJV3rNW3m1mSWIZ/s640/2012-08-28-885.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Located on Baba Khadak Singh Road, the temple comes alive at about 4 in the morning (yes you read it right! 4 am), with a long queue forming for the Aarti or morning prayer. Tuesdays are particularly busy and full of excited energy. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzJrz5m4tbk2s_Nf5p4KzriOVcDBEYbd5y8JUT6NvjG_J1XUM_FV_7GkUbWRWauIJF628zHOSZUVKoOkxBLOHSXWlo_a4_VbPPs4MSG0HPqVhp0Qi6clDfuWHdUrjlm6sVa7Ruxsq3UZA_/s1600/aim_bn_1311068554.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzJrz5m4tbk2s_Nf5p4KzriOVcDBEYbd5y8JUT6NvjG_J1XUM_FV_7GkUbWRWauIJF628zHOSZUVKoOkxBLOHSXWlo_a4_VbPPs4MSG0HPqVhp0Qi6clDfuWHdUrjlm6sVa7Ruxsq3UZA_/s1600/aim_bn_1311068554.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The temple complex, right opposite the long lane of State Handicraft Emporiums, has interesting flower and prasad shops, the typical offerings for the "Monkey-God". His favorite sweets 'Boondi' and 'Ladoos' are in ample supply, catering to the needs of the hungry souls and stomachs! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In addition to the "sweet-tooth addict's dream come true" yummilicious Boondi (see picture above), the complex also offers some very interesting options like fresh and piping-hot bread pakoras, sinfully fried with besan (gram flour) on the outside and deliciously tender, with melt-in-the-mouth stuffing on the inside!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6uaaoGBCMPzKfRXAuxWOT87ONCRIlWO9VQ6_7io9sonWOkQIx1XB3gYD92ribKoM1od8X7oaIA4Edw4rX_lCOjJHnglsqRuAqGCvMuiKAxa3rrtiJZBdBe_B7qE5nk6asnwZn1MPBdBSV/s1600/2012-08-28-881.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6uaaoGBCMPzKfRXAuxWOT87ONCRIlWO9VQ6_7io9sonWOkQIx1XB3gYD92ribKoM1od8X7oaIA4Edw4rX_lCOjJHnglsqRuAqGCvMuiKAxa3rrtiJZBdBe_B7qE5nk6asnwZn1MPBdBSV/s640/2012-08-28-881.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">However, the star-attraction of the morning, in addition to Hanuman-ji, is not the bread-pakora but another deeply fried, oh-so-awesome, eagerly-awaited, snack, that has a long line of contenders waiting for it at the halwai-shop (sweet shop). </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">While the batter gets literally battered, to get molded into these part-round, part-UFO shaped delicacies, the crowd grows. People on cycles and in Audis, on foot and in Mercedes, on Scooters and in rickshaws, stop and eagerly count the people standing in front of the shop, mentally estimating the time it will take for them to get their hands on some of the beautiful, golden-brown, fried awesumness. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And then the wait ends. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A huge basket of too-hot-to handle kachoris or fried flattened balls made of fine flour stuffed with a heavenly mixture of pulses and aromatic spices arrives. The excitement and eagerness is palpable, with all conversation ceasing, and everyone waiting to count how many are being bought by the people ahead in the queue. Hoping, and silently praying that all the hot ones wouldn't finish before their turn comes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The speed and efficiency in distribution is amazing. Out comes a small disposable bowl, in goes one kachori, on it goes a huge spoon of some spicy potato-gravy, and you are good to go. Oh, take-away is possible too. Some take 30 kachoris, with the potato-gravy packed separately, evidently to feed a waiting-in-anticipation family back home!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-oEHj18OrpwCJ8Dk1keZB-f5t15qw22DBZKNPs519GprwAnotKe3Vwab0ih1TQPSQj8agn5Og9XRcbNlE3LK6FP69xcgKamUYT8r5HXv9ZpiF5KTeDmMalUb8ZQ0UI-vfcUcO14NIaqt/s1600/2012-08-28-883.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM-oEHj18OrpwCJ8Dk1keZB-f5t15qw22DBZKNPs519GprwAnotKe3Vwab0ih1TQPSQj8agn5Og9XRcbNlE3LK6FP69xcgKamUYT8r5HXv9ZpiF5KTeDmMalUb8ZQ0UI-vfcUcO14NIaqt/s640/2012-08-28-883.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It is impossible to eat more than two! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Heavily stuffed and smoking hot, the Kachoris are a perfect match for the rainy Delhi morning. Interesting, spicy, full of flavor and character, and perfect with a hot cuppa of tea, the snack is a reflection of everything Delhi is. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />So, while the homeless sleep on the footpath in the complex and ask for food as Tuesdays usually witness many people offering free food to those sitting around temples, people drive down in big cars to enjoy Kachoris and bread pakoras. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The same contradiction that silently lives in all our cities.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Rs9FCj_80VtEzuelEbQZk9GAeRlZNEmY_QHpuD5rzrGNTXO7seXwmN0m36Z02w_BAHW8-tZwVKmYMki2TFdIO2YWanpWgK2_TUcWTv2BwYPhbEj0usAAsORi-qXKCFaOvvLx9ySuOnL8/s1600/2012-08-28-886.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Rs9FCj_80VtEzuelEbQZk9GAeRlZNEmY_QHpuD5rzrGNTXO7seXwmN0m36Z02w_BAHW8-tZwVKmYMki2TFdIO2YWanpWgK2_TUcWTv2BwYPhbEj0usAAsORi-qXKCFaOvvLx9ySuOnL8/s640/2012-08-28-886.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But we overlook it. We are untouched by it. It is almost like a shadow, one that we can avoid.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We are happy to come for Aarti and bread pakoras, for tea and Kachoris, for peace for the soul and the stomach. We are happy to feel bad for "them", feel the correct amount of sadness while we devour the snacks and sip the tea. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We go back, to come again another Tuesday morning, looking for God and food...for peace and satisfaction, and for the best Kachoris and tea in Delhi. </span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7231618648718448346.post-68107549455206890512012-09-05T02:55:00.001+05:302013-03-13T11:05:56.863+05:30Of Finite Suffering and Infinite Ends...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>"What is the most wondrous thing on earth?" asked the yaksha (a nature spirit), of Yudhishthir, the noble and wise, eldest Pandav brother, and thus he answered, "Each day countless humans enter the Temple of Death, yet the ones left behind continue to live as though they were immortal." </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">That is truth of your life and mine, and of every soul in this world. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And yet we grieve, we mark death, celebrate it almost, with rituals, with complex systems of dealing with the body and the house where it is kept.....each relative vying with the other to point out more 'must-do' things; some people participating only because they were born to point out flaws or mistakes in everything that they see. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We crave finite ends. We crave closure. We want to see the body being burnt to ash. Going back to nothingness from nothingness. Obliterated. We believe it saves us. From what, we are not sure, but we believe. We fear we'll be lost if the body does not reach a logical end. We want to be sure we did what was required of us. To be sure we and those we love will not be turned into ever restless souls with no conclusion. And so we follow. We comply. We complete.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But who made these rules? Who decided what should be done with the body? Defined after all as only 'clothes' for the soul, to be cast-off when the time comes. And how many have the courage to challenge what has been said for ages? Dare to create an infinite end from finite suffering? How many go forth from this world to another, knowing that their body will be used and studied upon, and not knowing what conclusion will befall it? Not sure, if there even will be a conclusion? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Would you be able to give away the one thing you think you truly possess, so others could learn to heal? Would you be able to deny your close ones the satisfaction of seeing you return to nothingness? </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Could you even in your imagination emulate the sage Dadheechee and give up what is yours for others' benefit? For when called upon to give up his spine to make a weapon to kill demons, he said </span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"The body will one day wear out one way or another. Better to let it wear out from use for the benefit of mankind, than to allow it to simply rust away", and thus gave up his body for the making of the weapon. </span></span><br />
<span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Would you be that sage? The one who doesn't bother about finite endings? The one who lives on through those who learn, who heal, who save so many others? </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It is not an easy question, but one that you must ask yourself. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As a painfully-close relative of one such sage, who donated his eyes and his whole body, my anxiety at the inability to carry out what I thought was 'critical' for his soul's peace, was overcome only by my feeling of being completely overwhelmed by his 'largeness' of heart. Having given sight to two, within 2 days of his moving on to the other world, he continues to live on and see the world, from within newer, younger, shells. He lit up the faces of many medical students, and continues to inspire so many others to be braver, more confident and secure in their knowledge of the present, rather than being anxious about their ignorance of the future.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A true gift to the world, this is the ultimate sacrifice, and the supreme act of selflessness. It is a brave step towards an infinite end that could also be an infinite beginning..a sure-footed approach to leaving behind more than what one takes away. </span></span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7231618648718448346.post-20752835181145519862012-08-22T05:21:00.001+05:302012-08-22T20:35:12.782+05:30A Rainy Afternoon and Lessons for a Lifetime<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A few white pages with black letters, soft bound;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The lethargic pitter-patter of rain in the background;</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A steaming cup of coffee, the aroma in the air;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Me and Eve Ensler, cosying up in a chair;</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The first shy, excited look;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Into 'The Vagina Monologues', in my hands, as a book;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What, how, whys, filling my mind;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But she, always knowing, gentle, and kind;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Taking me through, a journey tortuous and wild;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Not for those whose hearts are too mild;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Everything in my heart, and between my legs, discussed;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">No words minced, no expressions shushed;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Stories of horror, pain, abuse, and tears;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">With a few bright spots of love, affection, and vaginas without fears;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Poems and prose, fact and fiction;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Blending together to create a perfect imperfection;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Stories of the plight of women, violence and gross neglect, and of the murder of choice;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Lessons of love, self-respect, and of respecting the vagina's voice;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Lessons not restricted by gender or color, caste or creed;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Lessons to create in the world, a whole new breed;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Not scared or ashamed, not silent or abused;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Instead, free, loud, and at any violation not the least amused;</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So many lessons, from a book, that turned into a friend and a guide;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Took an afternoon of rain, and turned it into an emotional ride;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Read it you must, man or woman;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">To know how to get the vagina to speak, while you still can...</span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi61V5IeGNkXXS9RVXBzkzk13CMfUdk6tq1qUNWU2M2Aqe6tfpmor3NwN3N3YtgV5KuULPpZDlEzRP0YR7q34W13M_564UWrMurBanPS3uA06_jHWcCskt8J02XixrIhqWBSkngwj94OSaA/s1600/089-001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi61V5IeGNkXXS9RVXBzkzk13CMfUdk6tq1qUNWU2M2Aqe6tfpmor3NwN3N3YtgV5KuULPpZDlEzRP0YR7q34W13M_564UWrMurBanPS3uA06_jHWcCskt8J02XixrIhqWBSkngwj94OSaA/s640/089-001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7231618648718448346.post-68275317537472475942012-07-15T11:15:00.000+05:302012-07-17T11:56:04.224+05:30A Show of Pride and a Symbol of Hope<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">They are not very different from each other.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4uWcGfNllFma9_jtSNluhyphenhyphenI3m6p9D3k7YggPpBEPErONpkoKWc516Coi6xsg9EWvM_fOEmN3obysQCZxgXpJJhr4yDn-dWy8TrBYg1rQAAPagSnVXW-KotGDQMyxInf8STm_zRNVUaLGA/s1600/2012-07-12+18.55.51.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4uWcGfNllFma9_jtSNluhyphenhyphenI3m6p9D3k7YggPpBEPErONpkoKWc516Coi6xsg9EWvM_fOEmN3obysQCZxgXpJJhr4yDn-dWy8TrBYg1rQAAPagSnVXW-KotGDQMyxInf8STm_zRNVUaLGA/s640/2012-07-12+18.55.51.jpg" width="473" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tall, handsome, broad-shouldered with pride and glory, shiny with their polished-to-perfection boots and medals, fervor, pride, or hatred setting their faces aglow, some real, some for the show. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">They know they can whip the crowd in to a frenzy, and their drill becomes sharper with each clap and whistle, each smile and hoot. They stamp harder, march swifter, make angrier faces at the enemy, as the crowd's pulse quickens. They give the people what they want. What they need. They are trustworthy, in a time when nothing much else is. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHKErCB48HAVqvvOXMeB0HEBVMTb095rgrO7URU2g2NDmvi5qc70hLNlEND__xLuV0IyrgIx0nh8WAfiMl-vGLFXIBrR_nUfZFb9qf_xzGQTbDhy2q3BZy7M7T7K1GdhKHHhND2JGEZIEq/s1600/2012-07-12+18.51.46.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHKErCB48HAVqvvOXMeB0HEBVMTb095rgrO7URU2g2NDmvi5qc70hLNlEND__xLuV0IyrgIx0nh8WAfiMl-vGLFXIBrR_nUfZFb9qf_xzGQTbDhy2q3BZy7M7T7K1GdhKHHhND2JGEZIEq/s640/2012-07-12+18.51.46.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">People throng to see them, to see a rare display of belonging and pride that lasts all of thirty minutes. Clap for them. Get photographs with them. Almost worship them. For doing something that they want the country's leadership to do. Stand up for itself and for it's people. Stand up and have a spine. Stand up for the country's flag and its pride. Wake up from their stinking slumber that reeks of indifference and of shamelessness, and of selfishness and unlimited greed. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Men, women, and children, shout and sing patriotic songs while seeing their brilliant faces, because it is a hope, a slight hope that maybe all is not lost. That maybe somewhere, the two countries' hearts and spirits, and their very souls, are still alive. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbsS03nhOwYwEPZOOJTlwH8IogYNzyWRESd7Y-xa-NZiDGZs44nmcxD9wXY4PShttabXvF72xXrnEeUd4RAu0QKaeTCTpmORjEHpslgLVJVtHwRf8B8LZsyDBAWnThz0sbP9mChTVREjnb/s1600/2012-07-12+19.01.34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbsS03nhOwYwEPZOOJTlwH8IogYNzyWRESd7Y-xa-NZiDGZs44nmcxD9wXY4PShttabXvF72xXrnEeUd4RAu0QKaeTCTpmORjEHpslgLVJVtHwRf8B8LZsyDBAWnThz0sbP9mChTVREjnb/s640/2012-07-12+19.01.34.jpg" width="382" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCOJpyIbEZX5VRi4518yqw3G_Y58MFHheBQkbRU5N7rQeOPi4wFJVumUfaSQMh2mXoCaFtFoa9RwZhdL8-XUYnWtrpHGSYVAcrUKMjSatfpe1PdPNABfjx1jseeDBDpJ4pzwuR-yKutFxe/s1600/2012-07-12+19.05.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCOJpyIbEZX5VRi4518yqw3G_Y58MFHheBQkbRU5N7rQeOPi4wFJVumUfaSQMh2mXoCaFtFoa9RwZhdL8-XUYnWtrpHGSYVAcrUKMjSatfpe1PdPNABfjx1jseeDBDpJ4pzwuR-yKutFxe/s640/2012-07-12+19.05.48.jpg" width="498" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI15ZSIvBxwv5H0zTLrP-lUH49LkWiYNYltEgB9Ni-adv1FkB3pfC2rO0OrIl3HTlFVa5Uzy8fczmMpHztSAbARBOMKjSNYA1W87Zianwp8zyhNWXElXDdfCpHeREYjXOwcTlGeggrL4vE/s1600/2012-07-12+19.03.32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI15ZSIvBxwv5H0zTLrP-lUH49LkWiYNYltEgB9Ni-adv1FkB3pfC2rO0OrIl3HTlFVa5Uzy8fczmMpHztSAbARBOMKjSNYA1W87Zianwp8zyhNWXElXDdfCpHeREYjXOwcTlGeggrL4vE/s640/2012-07-12+19.03.32.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So while they march and stamp, show anger and arrogance, to the screams of their countrymen, they become a symbol of all that is unsaid and un-vented, and that finds no other channel to be expressed. As people shout out expletives to the other country and its people, much is said about 26/11 and Kasab, about Guru and LeT, while much is also screamed out about Kashmir and Jihad. As Vande Mataram and Pakistan Pakistan fill the air, the gestures become angrier and the crowd more expressive. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You just cannot sit there without screaming your lungs out. Something in you doesn't let you. Neither can you stop saying, again and again, that we are so much better than them. It does not matter in what. You just believe there, in that moment, that you are the best. You wipe away that tear of pride when the flag is brought home, and squeal with delight when your country's flag reaches home before the other's.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-yCRKLg7WkHmFXuE2Z7RZ77-GzByyN7uZH8woCrfk7fye7DDeGGx6pRnwNf1EYHR7uLmSa3EpE9-tZ5Sf5G7nIaYFATZmiI5vVriExKUXpR-1JZbi4sL2NqX3loHf1hFma9X54smoE2VV/s1600/2012-07-12+19.07.30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-yCRKLg7WkHmFXuE2Z7RZ77-GzByyN7uZH8woCrfk7fye7DDeGGx6pRnwNf1EYHR7uLmSa3EpE9-tZ5Sf5G7nIaYFATZmiI5vVriExKUXpR-1JZbi4sL2NqX3loHf1hFma9X54smoE2VV/s640/2012-07-12+19.07.30.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You shamelessly join the crowd in the chanting, and, whistle and clap, thinking that you are showing your </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">neighbor</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> how strong you really are, how you would have shot Kasab if you could have. How they have never actually won a military conflict or war, how you have not forgotten Kargil or Ahmedabad, or Pune, or Mumbai, or Delhi for that matter. You feel strangely elated. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It takes 6 men to do that, to keep the </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">promise of bringing the flag home, every evening, and to show people what we can be.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Another evening approaches, another show is awaited. </span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7231618648718448346.post-74244215216284985812012-06-22T14:14:00.000+05:302012-07-14T12:03:41.945+05:30Whose Breaking News is it Anyway?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Breakfast time 'Breaking News' and </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sunday afternoon 'Shocking Statistics'. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Children dying of completely preventable causes; women being ill-treated and traumatized; horrendous health; poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, out-of-control crime and corruption, and overall abysmal levels of human existence, let alone development. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Do any of these constitute a 'breaking news' or a 'shocking story' anymore? Is surprise even the right word for the 'we've seen it all' feeling which emerges when you hear of many children dying to the ineffectiveness of the health system, or when a new mega crore scam emerges? </span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: #eeeeee; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Isn't it all very much a part of your and my day, to have the morning cuppa tea with the so called eminent leaders fighting like wild animals (who may be a tad better!) to select a ceremonial head who in all probability would only increase the tax-payers' burden by taking his/her extended family on many 'foren' trips, without adding anything substantial to people's lives? </span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: #eeeeee; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Doesn't this then give way to the headlines of the afternoon which are dominated by rape, murder, child abuse, political mud-slinging, preventable-deaths due to health facilities being over-burdened and thus inaccessible, and the same routine of probes, commissions, inquiries, and investigations? In fact one sometimes wonders where the results of ALL these efforts vanish! </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I in my mind imagine a huge warehouse. Dark, stinky, with that musty smell associated with storing files and folders for a long time. A tap dripping in an unknown corner, and something scurrying in the darkness, trying to nibble and 'make disappear', the result of one more investigation, the testimony of one more witness. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Of course the evening and the night bring nothing new. More news, more undercover stories. Stories of 'human interest'. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">BUT who said anything about being human? We are a nation of walking, talking, zombies. Immune and insensitive to anything happening around us. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A nation, did I say? Oh sorry! We are a collection of 'regional groups', who care only if the occasional bomb blast is in our city (or state, depending upon allegiance). Otherwise we tweet about it and put it as our facebook status on the 'anniversary' of the blast. We also religiously watch the 'shocking' show that shows us 'shocking' stories of women's abuse, just as the women of our family get berated, everyday, around us. We shed tears when a woman speaks of how she is rejected by society due to her caste which is expected to carry out manual scavenging and yet, when we hate somebody, we say, "Oh, he is such a Bhangi, Choora, Chamar!". We want the health services to improve and be equitable, however, we only want the attention of the BEST super-specialist in town, that too without any wait, when somebody in our family is sick. We abhor female foeticide and the ill-treatment meted out to girls, but still think that our family should have a son to take the family name forward or to light our funeral pyre when we are gone. We are absolutely against regionalism, but still say, 'Chinki' and think loose, or easy. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We are actually amazing, aren't we. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We agree that the environment needs to be saved, urgently, but pride ourselves on never having stepped into public transport, and how it is only meant for the mazdoors (laborers) now. We also think it is our right to throw rubbish anywhere, and mark all our tr</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">avel routes with our piss and our spit.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We crib that the law and order situation in the country is rotten, but never turn up to vote, or even dream of taking the administration of this country in our own hands, be it the bureaucracy or politics. In fact, most of us, take immense pride in saying that, 'I maintain my distance from politics'. Well then, you have no right to crib. Because those who do participate in the game, are obviously setting its rules. Just too bad. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sitting in our comfortable air-conditioned room, in front of our direct-to-home service connected LCD, we practice, 'the gloved-hand, armchair concern'. An evolved form of social concern, it causes neither dirty-hands, nor worn-out shoes, and is very effective in today's time where stepping out might involve considerable danger. Is it any wonder that we have reached the place where we are today? We deserve to be here, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">because society is what we make of it. You and me. Together. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It is an emergency. We need to get our hands dirty. Practice what we preach. NO we do not need to become 'social workers', and NO social concern is not about traveling to rural India and working in the so called, 'God-forsaken' places. Start where you are. Our cities and towns need help too. They need your time and your talent. Your passion and your genuine interest. Your ability to c</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">are, and to 'give a damn', even about things that might not affect you directly.</span></span><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7231618648718448346.post-2998233381035679772012-06-18T13:55:00.003+05:302012-07-14T12:04:31.976+05:30Droplets of Happiness or Tears of Sorrow?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqEGH1qzpuIBdX3geZxjMBsGIb8EZgquQYoIf53oqR6zR5DxrKYBzlXvN5ypmzTd_EF9uWVILS5VVADO5FJD9Jfrpzmlmy1_Bk6KlUP7C7QqRrvhFz3JehncwILGFoME8xG_cf6Fbx3Xrs/s1600/DSC_0347.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqEGH1qzpuIBdX3geZxjMBsGIb8EZgquQYoIf53oqR6zR5DxrKYBzlXvN5ypmzTd_EF9uWVILS5VVADO5FJD9Jfrpzmlmy1_Bk6KlUP7C7QqRrvhFz3JehncwILGFoME8xG_cf6Fbx3Xrs/s640/DSC_0347.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It started off with a loud prologue. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Like the drums that precede the 'Baraat' or the procession accompanying the groom in an Indian wedding. Almost like a light and sound show as well, with lightning and thunder setting the stage perfectly, for the first few hesitant drops. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The barrage followed. And just like that, it was the first rain. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">The Earth responded eagerly with that heady aroma of its quenched thirst, and the birds sang with joy. Trees and leaves, heads and tails, all enjoying and dancing in the drops of happiness pouring forth from the skies. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And yet, there are many, dreading the onset of the monsoon in this arid part of Central India. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The reason, when explored, links up to the lack of proper sanitation facilities in the area. Disorganized or rather, 'confused' semi-urbanized settlements like the town of Babina, and other, small, more-village, less-town, settlements in the area, combine the disadvantages of both villages and cities; and lacking the facility of clean, wet toilets (toilets which have a provision for the flushing of the excreta), they still continue with the ancient tradition of 'dry-toilets' which need manual scavenging to clean them. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This perpetuates discrimination </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">against certain castes, who are the only ones carrying out the 'refuse' of humanity in this part of the world. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The impact is particularly critical on women. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">They are 'unemployable' in any other role, even as domestic help, in their own words, as the first thing people ask them is their caste, and knowing their so-called 'identity', refuse to let them enter their house for anything other than, 'cleaning their toilets'. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Meet any woman of the 'Valmiki' caste and she will tell you how her family is called 'Bhangi', a term used to address people of the castes which are expected to carry out manual scavenging including cleaning latrines and handling dead bod es (both human and animal). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Discriminated against, and abused for literally cleaning our, 'shit', these women silently go about their work to earn the mere, two-rotis (flatbread) a day, or the fifty rupees they are paid for an entire month of insanely difficult work. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Made illegal in 1993, employing of manual scavengers, and construction of dry latrines, still continue across the country, and can be witnessed easily enough if one wishes to do so.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXpET-6OcuipIij0kit3XOO4iT056n87YKKWsIEhY_A4UiTyNYWsMqygBlEtqnXlh9FFO5h_uSVAPiVPUn31ZPTbjoAshc9EVv-8Tj1An7bn94XYWUXxhyphenhyphen2gBxpVppVIzMRy0XxgB676xM/s1600/14_nd_GS_periscope_1113021g.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXpET-6OcuipIij0kit3XOO4iT056n87YKKWsIEhY_A4UiTyNYWsMqygBlEtqnXlh9FFO5h_uSVAPiVPUn31ZPTbjoAshc9EVv-8Tj1An7bn94XYWUXxhyphenhyphen2gBxpVppVIzMRy0XxgB676xM/s1600/14_nd_GS_periscope_1113021g.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">The United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UN-HRC), at a 2002 meeting of the </span><em style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: -webkit-auto; vertical-align: baseline;">Working Group on Contemporary Forms of Slavery</em><span style="line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">, said, “Public latrines – some with as many as 400 seats – are cleaned on a daily basis by female workers using a broom and a tin plate. The excrement is piled into baskets which are carried on the head to a location which can be up to four kilometers away from the latrine. <b>At all times, and especially during the rainy season, </b>the contents of the basket will drip onto a scavenger’s hair, clothes and body.......they are thus </span><span style="line-height: 20px; text-align: -webkit-auto;">exposed to the most virulent forms of viral and bacterial infections which affect their skin, eyes, limbs, respiratory and gastrointestinal systems. TB (tuberculosis) is rife among the community."</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;">Thus the pitter-patter of happiness for some of us, might be the sound of sorrow for many. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">While you </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">enjoy that cup of steaming tea in the rain-soaked balcony,</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> cribbing that your prayers to the rain-Gods for this heavenly nectar were not answered earlier, you might want to ponder on the thought that, the delay might just have been caused by the millions</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">, praying harder than you, for the latrines and their contents to be dry so they could easily, <i>'scoop them up'.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="line-height: 20px;">**</span><span style="line-height: 20px;">For those wishing to read more, </span><span style="line-height: 20px;">WaterAid's insightful report, <i>Burden of Inheritance </i>(</span><a href="http://www.wateraidamerica.org/includes/documents/cm_docs/2010/m/manual_scavening_report.pdf" style="text-align: left;">http://www.wateraidamerica.org/includes/documents/cm_docs/2010/m/manual_scavening_report.pdf</a><span style="text-align: left;">) in a hard-hitting tone, analyzes and </span><span style="text-align: left;">deconstructs</span><span style="text-align: left;"> the social conventions that allows this inhuman practice to </span><span style="text-align: left;">continue</span><span style="text-align: left;">, and pleads for </span><span style="text-align: left;">strong</span><span style="text-align: left;"> action against it. </span></span></div>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7231618648718448346.post-75303896435150391362012-06-14T10:09:00.000+05:302012-06-22T15:17:17.172+05:30Go Travel!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Woke up with this Henry Rollins (The Punk Rock World Traveler) thought today and wanted to share it with everybody! Go Travel!</span><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7231618648718448346.post-62296458028059717972012-06-12T19:21:00.002+05:302012-06-22T09:48:04.875+05:306 States, 1000 Kilometers, and an Amazing 3 Day Journey<div id="pd_rating_holder_5948755"></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ferozepur, Punjab, to Babina, Uttar Pradesh. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A long line on the map....and a longer journey across (the unpredictable) Indian roads!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib9T6vtRAs81Beq5YJgtzh5xczdASe4eyBoH4x50YkO7eiyanHLBim6HemDaMM9VD5d57UzfFBEuokjj1e2X2EDoJizdIK7gciaAOuqk6v7vvaaiVw_WdBU6cjEdhCNMZpGEMcMrv92sZn/s1600/Untitled.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib9T6vtRAs81Beq5YJgtzh5xczdASe4eyBoH4x50YkO7eiyanHLBim6HemDaMM9VD5d57UzfFBEuokjj1e2X2EDoJizdIK7gciaAOuqk6v7vvaaiVw_WdBU6cjEdhCNMZpGEMcMrv92sZn/s1600/Untitled.png" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Starting from Ferozepur, a small city in Punjab, known mostly for its strategic location due to the border that it shares with Pakistan, and ending at Babina, a small city right on the border between Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh; the journey took us across diverse landscapes, temperatures, and road qualities!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So while the countryside of Punjab offered lush fields and green streams, and roadside eateries with yum food (also called 'dhabas') aplenty; our drive through Delhi and the region surrounding it took us over some of the best roads the country has to offer. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Agra, and the wondrous Taj Mahal, and hundreds of temples, Gurudwaras, and Masjids, also, luckily, charted themselves on to our course.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaR4avFAZ-Mj9VIJA7r6QQySlvYl6T1Kk_mkL5g-TOV1KubhyphenhyphenM7h7Ao1MuFgF5oqhycQ1hE2K2R7FJv3g2OtzL3fwT1s6k9KoXHBsoMQnwZ110Z4dUrMuTP2_8qQnObNQi1mMpcgG15h1_/s1600/1.1299575675.taj-mahal-as-seen-from-agra-fort.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaR4avFAZ-Mj9VIJA7r6QQySlvYl6T1Kk_mkL5g-TOV1KubhyphenhyphenM7h7Ao1MuFgF5oqhycQ1hE2K2R7FJv3g2OtzL3fwT1s6k9KoXHBsoMQnwZ110Z4dUrMuTP2_8qQnObNQi1mMpcgG15h1_/s1600/1.1299575675.taj-mahal-as-seen-from-agra-fort.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">However, the thrill of the ride went up a notch, only after we entered the 'not so famous' Chambal region, beyond Gwalior, towards Jhansi. Once the abode of Phoolan Devi and her gang of dacoits, the terrain of this area as seen in the picture below, offers an almost perfect breeding ground for the dacoits to quickly escape and hide from anyone. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">These shallow valley like formations flanked the dusty roads all the way between Gwalior and Jhansi and the driver's constant narration of dacoity stories on these roads did nothing to help us feel more secure!! The windows were securely wound up and nobody asked for a drink or pee break as we negotiated the broken down and in some places made completely of sand, roads, till Jhansi.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The countryside between Jhansi and Babina, where the border between Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh lazes along like a snake on a hot summer day, has a striking feature. Though mostly barren and with small shrubs as the main vegetation, each hillock in the region has a small temple or sacred rock formation, right on its summit. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Whether meant to plead for protection from the dacoits or to please the Gods to ask for rain and less harsh weather, these temples or formations are usually small but stand out due to the barrenness of the area surrounding them, and give the region a surreal feel, especially as the sun sets.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH1Pb4WSiokNbX5ttGfITtEFh1L2a4N0DAYk_ZLqr-lgmA7gZEmc_eyH6QTRNWQ7GM3S4yIz9scp27GQvgnkeAxM3dZlluPmIwJDUyVIo03VsaqEqIskv5Bjhr5DijKao3MVIp-Wk_GRW-/s1600/DSCN9157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH1Pb4WSiokNbX5ttGfITtEFh1L2a4N0DAYk_ZLqr-lgmA7gZEmc_eyH6QTRNWQ7GM3S4yIz9scp27GQvgnkeAxM3dZlluPmIwJDUyVIo03VsaqEqIskv5Bjhr5DijKao3MVIp-Wk_GRW-/s1600/DSCN9157.JPG" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The traveler, having made this intriguing and interesting journey, however, did not lose her focus on health :) The first learning from the journey was that across the 1000 kilometeres traveled, we did not come across a SINGLE trauma center or a medical facility capable of handling road accident victims, or even people with basic medical needs, except within the cities of New Delhi, Agra, and Gwalior. It is scary and surprising that one might be expected to travel 10o-odd kilometers to access even basic health services. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Another observation is the complete lack of facilities for clean washrooms for women, across the entire distance traveled! So while men attend to nature's calls right at the side of the road even within the cities, women are expected to use only the toilets in restaurants (if any!). A huge problem, especially in the completely barren terrain that offers no huge plants or trees to squat behind safely!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One striking observation is that the more I travel on, the more I realize that the basic problems plaguing health in our country remain the same, whether it is a Gadchandur, an Ahmednagar, or a Babina. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">While the public health system of the State is defunct, and completely impotent, the medical practitioners of the government hospitals practice privately offering services inaccessible to almost everybody for whom the State's health system is meant. In addition, quackery, as well as uncontrolled private sector health facilities with almost ZERO quality control are rampant. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The lack of awareness among people, and an almost God-like respect for anybody with a stethoscope, are exploited beyond imagination to lead to a situation where people reject even the few services which are infact offered by the State's health system, and instead opt for private nursing homes which poison the health of the community while maintaining a vice-like grip on the minds of people through their disinformation, and administration of 'injections' which is considered to be the only effective treatment by many. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I am sure these issues bring back memories of my stories from Gadchandur. They also apply to the area you live in, and if you ponder a little, they apply to the entire country!! </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But here, I digress :) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We are currently writing from Babina, and exploring public health in this part of the country. The stories, hopefully, shall continue. Amen.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span id="goog_582739823"></span><span id="goog_582739824"></span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7231618648718448346.post-44109673361468332692012-06-01T13:46:00.001+05:302012-06-22T09:39:47.186+05:30We Now Have a Facebook Page<div id="pd_rating_holder_5948755"></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Yes we do! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We are now also available at <span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheObsessiveTravellersScootyDiaries">https://www.facebook.com/TheObsessiveTravellersScootyDiaries</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Let us use this facebook page to connect; and to discuss, argue, agree, disagree, oppose, support, and collectively brainstorm about public health issues. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hope to see you there!!</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7231618648718448346.post-51921342107022201812012-05-29T12:20:00.001+05:302012-06-22T09:39:59.367+05:30Good News from Ahmednagar!<div id="pd_rating_holder_5948755"></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVh1H09UnvUbtqnjEZOca3NA7nuNqRhGkEq9dP-BLnMGIeadnwKERJBtduEG_ZSt4DT4EP6N_jdGv-TQ-pIqDG_zoXcRaAWRurXuOL71xkmzh-4DJhxnGSiIgiZva0VwouB94tPCoQSvqM/s1600/goodnews.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVh1H09UnvUbtqnjEZOca3NA7nuNqRhGkEq9dP-BLnMGIeadnwKERJBtduEG_ZSt4DT4EP6N_jdGv-TQ-pIqDG_zoXcRaAWRurXuOL71xkmzh-4DJhxnGSiIgiZva0VwouB94tPCoQSvqM/s400/goodnews.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Good news is </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">usually understood as news of a particular kind; that of adding another unit of humanity to the earth, h</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">owever, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">the news from Ahmednagar this week is different. </span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A battle of sorts has been won...not the war maybe, but a battle </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">definitely,</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">and the triumphant foot soldiers are none other than the dedicated team members of Snehalaya, along with their two shining stars.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One is called Madhuri and she is no less than the diva we all know and love. Being raised at Snehalaya, without her parents, and fighting the deadly infection we all know has no cure, she has secured 62% marks in her class 12th examination and wants to be a nurse someday. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The other, Parshuram, a member of the Snehalaya family since he was a baby, has secured 47% marks in his class 12th examination and wants to be an officer in the Indian Army. :)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Congratulations to both Madhuri and Parshuram and hats off to their resilience and hard work! May all their dreams come true!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Congratulations also to the entire team at Snehalaya and we hope that their movement for change will only gain more momentum in the times to come. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For the whole story, please visit, <a href="http://blog.snehalaya.org/2012/05/success-of-snehalaya-students-in-12th.html">http://blog.snehalaya.org/2012/05/success-of-snehalaya-students-in-12th.html</a></span></div>
</div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7231618648718448346.post-10956986784992835812012-05-26T16:34:00.003+05:302012-06-22T09:40:13.948+05:30Another Road, Another Journey<div id="pd_rating_holder_5948755"></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Looks like we haven't spoken in a while. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">T</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">he adventures however; have continued, on a variety of, smooth and potholed, narrow and six-laned, dusty and freshly-tarred roads; and the diary has only got richer with the stories becoming more vibrant and intriguing along the way. </span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Also, while t</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">he Gadchandur Chapter continues to offer new knowledge and insights through the rich data collected across the span of the last year, a new Chapter, that of Snehalaya and Ahmednagar, has written itself into this maverick's diary!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Context first. Snehalaya happened almost entirely as a miracle. The block was a requirement, Ahmednagar was just right, and they were happy to have an intern. Thus we traveled, to w</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">hat is also known as, 'the spiritual center of India', and is the largest district of Maharashtra. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ahmednagar</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">.</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Most people know it because of its proximity to Shirdi (home of the guru Shirdi Sai Baba), and because it is the hub of sugar factories in the State. Geographically, this map shows where Ahmednagar district is, in the State and in India. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQDY2Z_6OMRLXZ4b07_p2jjuZlsOamzjKRfwgYBvg8d6H0vnpq9nVHLQWpgXmTm6KnddTNcKha-HspQqg5xAwEnigSVuNLI8kZtvDhD4AW_ff7byipb0jzKV3nFbRdSSeEz9Y8WOkhArJQ/s1600/MaharashtraAhmednagar.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQDY2Z_6OMRLXZ4b07_p2jjuZlsOamzjKRfwgYBvg8d6H0vnpq9nVHLQWpgXmTm6KnddTNcKha-HspQqg5xAwEnigSVuNLI8kZtvDhD4AW_ff7byipb0jzKV3nFbRdSSeEz9Y8WOkhArJQ/s640/MaharashtraAhmednagar.png" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">With a population of about 5 lakhs, Ahmednagar is a developing industrial center, facing many of the problems associated with rapid economic and social change; a huge slum-based population, and aggressive trafficking issues being prominent among them. In other words, Ahmednagar is another opportunity, for me, you, and for public health and policy. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This opportunity has been seized by a phenomenal organization called SNEHALAYA (now made famous by the association with the Amir Khan show Satyameva Jayate, read more at <a href="http://knowsnehalaya.blogspot.in/2012/05/save-girlsave-world-snehalaya-satyameva.html">http://knowsnehalaya.blogspot.in/2012/05/save-girlsave-world-snehalaya-satyameva.html</a> ), and it is with Snehalaya that this leg of the journey was experienced and lived. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The call was for more visibility and more public awareness of the substantial work SNEHALAYA carries out, in the district, and we understood what unwavering commitment is, through observation and silent participation in this organization's drive for real social change minus any 'showbaazi' (theatrics). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I must confess the organization and its people are about as obsessed with their work and its results as I believe myself to be!! In our following series of conversations, I'll tell you stories of how this group of people have brought real change, one step at a time, and how hope for a better world rekindles itself in your heart when you see them at work. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Till then, keep obsessing over something that you think is important for the world and for you, and thanks for reading!!</span></div>
</div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7231618648718448346.post-27385335279315230772012-01-18T20:54:00.000+05:302012-06-22T09:40:37.355+05:30Respectful Maternity Care: A Universal Right in Theory...a distant reality in practice<div id="pd_rating_holder_5948755"></div>
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<br />
Please click here to view as a high resolution file, and download <a href="http://www.whiteribbonalliance.org/WRA/assets/File/RMC_POSTER_R3_WEB.pdf">http://www.whiteribbonalliance.org/WRA/assets/File/RMC_POSTER_R3_WEB.pdf</a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7231618648718448346.post-31241083468127650082011-12-09T20:19:00.001+05:302012-06-22T09:40:51.867+05:30The Dissertation Speaks<div id="pd_rating_holder_5948755"></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">An endless journey, a taxing quest,</span><br />
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Toil, sweat, tears, but no rest;</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sleepless nights, stressful days,</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hope this hard work of yours pays;</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Caffeine, typing, reading, and the blues,</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I know it is tough, gotta pay your dues;</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">How to begin, where to end,</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">At what degree to negotiate, the 'ethics' bend;</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">These are a few of your, 'not so favorite things',</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And yet, to you, this struggle clings;</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sometimes a mission, sometimes a curse;</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">That fills your heart, and empties your purse;</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Procrastination, telling yourself,'I will begin',</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Believe you me, to a sin is akin;</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You call it data, interviews and transcripts,</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">These are stories of lives, in pieces and bits;</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Talking to people, scribbling and nodding,</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You seem to have missed, their silent prodding;</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For you, a project, an assignment, a deadline, </span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For them, a vent, a hopeful design;</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You want to do well, get an 'O',</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">'They' are just respondents, use and throw;</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But I won't judge you, don't you worry,</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Meet the deadlines, get up and hurry;</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tell yourself, this is groundbreaking work,</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And in the shadows, let the monsters lurk;</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Copy, paste, steal, and finally publish,</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After all, it is all about, 'shine and polish';</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Just when you are getting that award and degree,</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Think once about that unsaid plea;</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Think of the smiles, the trust, the respect,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And what in turn, 'They' expect;</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Think of me, and your heart,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And of the person, 'That thou art';</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And then, if you must, say goodbye,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And bury the love between you and I...........</span></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7231618648718448346.post-32353087379811205462011-12-02T11:37:00.001+05:302012-06-22T09:58:30.769+05:30Where on Earth is Gadchandur?<div id="pd_rating_holder_5948755"></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Back in Mumbai, in the college campus, I still find it hard to explain to people where I was, for the better part of the year, and where this entire blog's story is situated.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Gadchandur is still Gadanooor or Gadachooor for people...and some just presume that it is Gadchiroli. In fact the most common response to my speaking about being there is, <i>'koi naxalite dikhe?' (did you see any naxalites)</i>; as one would ask a Tiger-spotting tourist returning from the Corbett.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZbDH1M7c7OxeBC4qvWr2dxqvU7YzwHdHR7T_fYI7e8TKNT1Jh4WuLfNiLziOe5Yjm4Y7Y9we6hMBmCg_k6NK-_69Kyd-DPrNOKmVCtOZ78V63zPnOuAEq9dD3BMOU0MRuvAcPLBsmir21/s1600/MaharashtraChandrapur.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZbDH1M7c7OxeBC4qvWr2dxqvU7YzwHdHR7T_fYI7e8TKNT1Jh4WuLfNiLziOe5Yjm4Y7Y9we6hMBmCg_k6NK-_69Kyd-DPrNOKmVCtOZ78V63zPnOuAEq9dD3BMOU0MRuvAcPLBsmir21/s640/MaharashtraChandrapur.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Well, for geographical context, the place is called Gadchandur and it is situated in the Chandrapur District of Maharashtra, part of the Vidharba region, and bordering Andhra Pradesh. This confluence of cultures is reflected in the language, mannerisms, dress and jewelry, and the food of the place. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">To reach the town (or village,depending upon perspective!), of Gadchandur, one can either spend about 21 hours in train from Mumbai to Ballarshah, the nearest rail head, in a passenger train that is nearly almost late by several hours, and follow this up with a 2 hour journey by road over a track that is more dirt and soul-shaking potholes than concrete; OR alternatively, one can spend about 14 hours in a train to Nagpur from Mumbai and then take a Video coach (read headache bus), for a 7 hour torturous journey over some of the worst roads in the state! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Thus, as one may notice, getting there is half the battle won! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The stories already on this blog, and the ones that will follow, are all situated in three 'talukas' of the Chandrapur District, i.e., Korpana, Rajura, and Jivati, where I got the opportunity to study and work across a space of 7 months. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRid6tMnFXYY9fw0roUOfFneyl4p61TjSt1gwS4V9CkX8n_cKv0H4czgD9trG_rFq5evoVE0-ncSHJ7_MOlwYNsEAqtm_tTeNlY3jLhqyYoLUrg2M-4uEc0m4tqfCDO0Q2CTYVt0YgY0_e/s1600/Picture2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRid6tMnFXYY9fw0roUOfFneyl4p61TjSt1gwS4V9CkX8n_cKv0H4czgD9trG_rFq5evoVE0-ncSHJ7_MOlwYNsEAqtm_tTeNlY3jLhqyYoLUrg2M-4uEc0m4tqfCDO0Q2CTYVt0YgY0_e/s640/Picture2.png" width="556" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Gadchandur itself is within the Rajura Taluka, and is at a distance of about 3 hours from the District Headquarters at Chandrapur. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now that we are on the same page about the whereabouts of Gadchandur, the Scooty Diaries shall continue......</span></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7231618648718448346.post-11775290128101227052011-11-28T22:48:00.001+05:302012-06-22T10:02:02.122+05:30The Gadchandur-ed Me<div id="pd_rating_holder_5948755"></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So, field practicum placement over, report submitted, even grade received. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Back in the campus and in the city that never pauses, Gadchandur seems a far far distance away, another world almost. A world that feels almost like a dream one woke up from...with the edges of detail blurred and smudged a bit. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And why not, the love and warmth, the endless cups of tea offered and consumed, the innocent, soul-baring smiles and laughter of Gadchandur cannot be in the same age and time as the constant push and pull of life, the mutual distrust of people, and the dirty looks from co-passengers in the local trains of this great metropolis. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">An eye-opener and a turning point, the time spent in and around Gadchandur, is by far, one of the most cherished and most exciting memories of my 28 years on the planet. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Never once falling short of love or goodwill, cooperation or trust, emotion or friendliness; I was in Gadchandur, happier than I was as a rent-paying vermin in Mumbai, and that changed me forever. I think it messed with my head in ways I don't understand fully now, but that have Gadchandur-ed me in to something better, happier, and more thankful for life and all its myriad and colorful gifts that make my life unbelievably amazing!! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A supari (betelnut) trader and tobacco products supplier who would hide his 'kharra' (chewing tobacco) packets when he saw me, for a landlord; a Maharashtrian woman, who would cook and relish rajma (kidney beans) for the Punjabi in me, for a landlady; endless kids with runny noses and ready homework questions for the 'doctor didi' for neighbours; enthusiastic men and women who would drop off food, snacks, and sometimes even me from the bus stand, for colleagues; what a blessed time!! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Some of the pictures (as uploaded above) manage to just take me back to some place in time that I left a part of me at.....It is difficult to say which one is more difficult..to take away Gadchandur from me or me from Gadchandur but one thing's for sure...some 'jodis' (couples) truly are made in the heavens above :)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7231618648718448346.post-32012444137900064402011-10-04T11:51:00.000+05:302012-06-22T10:03:16.890+05:30A Gadchandur Goodbye<div id="pd_rating_holder_5948755"></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I asked where, they said, Gadchandur,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I stared, thinking, 'must be pretty दूर';</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cribbed all the way, cried and fought,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It was the last place, I expected to be brought;</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Language, food, culture, everything was new,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Friends, movies, hanging-out, were bye-bye, I knew;</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">First few days were all a pain,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Kept wishing I could take the very next train;</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One week went by, and then another,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Slowly things became less of a bother; </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Scooty, बैल बंडी, sometimes the walk,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Learnt the world through hearing people talk; </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The stories were crazy, sometimes insane,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Realized the world has so much pain; </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Understood public health like never before,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Found my calling, never gonna run after that crore; </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Laughed, joked, argued, sometimes shed tears,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">With the women, men, children, and even the peers; </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Field-work became the reason of my being,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Forgot the wheels of time.........whirring; </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">5 months, was it? Went by in a flash,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Just remember the first day, unpacking the stash; </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A cluttered room, half-stuffed still-open bags,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Behind the brain, the heart still lags; </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What to take, what to leave behind,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">People, culture, smiles, and love, clogging my mind;</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One more photograph clicked, another cup of tea,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Anything to keep the thought of tomorrow, away from me;</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Gadchandur has become so much, a part of I, </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It feels almost unnatural to say Goodbye;</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But moving on in life is a must,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For what is life, but for newer adventures, an endless lust......</span></div>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7231618648718448346.post-39764362103748950692011-09-28T01:40:00.000+05:302012-06-22T10:03:36.872+05:30The Celebration of Shakti?<div id="pd_rating_holder_5948755"></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOwx5jzDpw3RNi7TFpGefK-6GQhsZScHGeU1h9PL-K-2gVQiBoP6IBRLUif3hmEp_MqafykymVyVmG_GBvdaB6zvw6x83OBs7XRBHpVHfbJ6SMx3ehM8ne2-IUGsarfAE8LCWGdEpKgjN/s1600/DSC_0012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsOwx5jzDpw3RNi7TFpGefK-6GQhsZScHGeU1h9PL-K-2gVQiBoP6IBRLUif3hmEp_MqafykymVyVmG_GBvdaB6zvw6x83OBs7XRBHpVHfbJ6SMx3ehM8ne2-IUGsarfAE8LCWGdEpKgjN/s1600/DSC_0012.JPG" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Gadchandur is a vibrant, colorful town, with festivals having a special place in it's heart. With Navratras starting, the smells and sounds of celebration fill the air and you can almost taste the fervor. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The pictures above, and below show the many mesmerizing and magical devis in town. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As a festival that celebrates the feminine force or 'shakti', it is a little weird that it excludes women experiencing their monthly period from doing anything holy in this duration and this causes considerable distress, anguish, and sometimes almost the feeling of being cursed; in the affected. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In fact, so many cultural beliefs and practices are related with the, 'flow' that a discussion could become a book!! From menstrual huts, to untouchability, and from having to sleep on the floor, away from the family, to not taking part in any 'holy' celebrations, the sanctions range from the weird to the erratic. Some say food goes bad, if touched by an 'impure' woman, and others say puja becomes meaningless if attended by her. Infact, in an interesting practice in Orissa, there is a festival, called Raja Parv</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">a, celebrated by girls, which is observed for three consecutive days from the day preceding Mithuna Sankrati, during which Mother Earth is supposed to be in her menstrual period!! It is a fertility rite, where girls pray to Mother Earth for their welfare.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The systematic use of religion to subjugate women, while worshiping 'shakti' sounds like the plan of a scheming mind! However, this is one thing that has been common across religions, regions, and cultures!!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Not intending this to be a discourse on religion and gender, here's wishing everyone a happy and blessed pujo or puja, and a prosperous navaratri, and blessings & Shakti from the divine force herself.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUlvz3_-m1Y8iC7T_vOCcWPAPZOVMXGu-NdY7wyq4cWRhqarFPz4n1gpLT1woTjiFG1Vy54TQLiVIgvaBIyvtyQyyDtUSj-UyWr4X90H9BzCuQ1neK9O0INk8r35CBSQSMffEbUDiCHnt0/s1600/DSC_0008-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUlvz3_-m1Y8iC7T_vOCcWPAPZOVMXGu-NdY7wyq4cWRhqarFPz4n1gpLT1woTjiFG1Vy54TQLiVIgvaBIyvtyQyyDtUSj-UyWr4X90H9BzCuQ1neK9O0INk8r35CBSQSMffEbUDiCHnt0/s1600/DSC_0008-1.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7231618648718448346.post-21215362667710805762011-09-22T10:34:00.000+05:302012-06-22T09:42:16.765+05:30Making Maya Cry!<div id="pd_rating_holder_5948755"></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Well, it is very rare for me to upload external content in our conversations, but I recently came across this by the World Bank, which stole my heart. The little Maya, whose first cry is very important, lies at the center of all our efforts in the direction of Reproductive & Child Health, no matter which tribe or which village we work with, and I found the concept beautiful.</span><div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Make sure that you take a look and I am sure you'll agree that it is totally worth it,<i> 'To Make Maya Cry'!!</i></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFVCNUOM5Us&feature=share">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFVCNUOM5Us&feature=share</a> This is the link to the Maya Story</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://blogs.worldbank.org/health/making-maya-cry-why-health-systems-matter">http://blogs.worldbank.org/health/making-maya-cry-why-health-systems-matter</a> And here's the World Bank blog on Maya and beyond!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hope you'll find it touching and interesting!</span></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7231618648718448346.post-91521954532354923572011-09-18T16:20:00.000+05:302012-06-22T09:42:33.394+05:30Many Glasses, Many Colors<div id="pd_rating_holder_5948755"></div>
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<a href="http://wallpapershd.org/various/colored-glass-hd-wallpaper/download/1280x800" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://wallpapershd.org/various/colored-glass-hd-wallpaper/download/1280x800" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
Ever tried looking at the sun through a colored glass, wondering why the sun smiled a colored smile, in the same color you chose to paint it in? </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Realities around us, much like the colored sun, reflect the color we want to see them in. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Approach a community with feelings of 'superiority' and you'll make yourself feel like an out caste. Try to 'improve' the health care delivery and its utilization, without knowing the reasons for its abysmal conditions, and you'll waste time, money, and energy, and gain nothing. Much like some of the policy steps of the state machinery that have fallen flat on their face. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Want to see the sun in its naked glory? Remember that there are layers of color, shielding it from sight. Acknowledge the glass, unravel it rather, and bask in the sunlight. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Much has been said about the role of the, 'community' in healthcare, as the central character, the foundation, the life source of all progress, for its members. But do we even understand what a community is? Layer upon layer of varying colors and diverse contexts that envelop and project the white of the core as an eclectic mix of hue and color, in harmonies and contrasts. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Community-based work, or community-based action, must </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">first </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">concentrate on respecting these layers of hues, and then trying to approach the core, albeit with much caution, to make sure it basks in the light, but doesn't burn its hands. </span></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7231618648718448346.post-83146506051081893642011-09-16T22:45:00.000+05:302012-06-22T09:42:46.231+05:30A Hiatus..and some mixed feelings<div id="pd_rating_holder_5948755"></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I've been away for some time. A deep personal wound-the passing away of one of my favoritest people in the world, has been like a rude awakening from my zombie state of typing reports and making presentations. I am beginning to value life more, and to also appreciate the presence of those in my life,<i> 'who care'.</i> </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The news from Gadchandur this week, is kind of like a mixed bag. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A <b>'could have been' mother</b> lost her life in childbirth in an extremely well renowned private institution of Chandrapur, as her bladder was incised and nothing apparently done about it, during a routine 'C' section. The baby survived and is healthy. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In this same week, a baby girl was saved by the combined efforts of the Nurse, the Sakhi, the Sakhi supervisor, and the Anganwadi Tai; even after having been born 'bums-first' and being unconscious for a few seconds after birth.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The cycle of life continues. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">On a slightly more disturbing note, last week, I came to know that the 108 ambulance that came to rush my grandmother to the hospital, had no oxygen available. Also, that the doctor who came to attend to her, a B.A.M.S, gave her an injection and left. She succumbed to a massive heart attack. I would like to know what that injectable drug was. I would also like to meet the people who entered into the 108 Public-Private Partnership for the state of Punjab, and selected the ambulances and the equipment for them. Who sends an ambulance to a cardiac patient without a paramedic and an oxygen cylinder?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In this country, if you fall sick, it is imperative that you have at least one 'doctor' in the family, who is by your side, to decipher 'healthcare' for you and to save you from, the world of 'medicine'.</span></div>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2