I AND MY WORDS

Standing there she was looking at the procession following the leading lady of the new movie that had been released. The people were going berserk, and jostling to spot her, to catch a glimpse of her, as if it were a matter of life or death. She was standing on the footpath across the road that divided her and the other side next to the mall, which was chock-a-bloc of people. Her memory flashed back to the time several years ago, when she was entering the Minolta Theater that stood across the road at the same spot that this mall now was. She was being mobbed. People were falling over each other to see her make a turn, clearly demonstrating a sense of fanaticism not seen since the riots that had happened two years ago. She waved her hand, and men swooned around her posse of security that seemed to be facing the gravest threats of breach. Her beautiful chiffon saree was pink in colour, and flowed like water in the eyes of the fans, as the slight breeze that night played around w...

मेरे महबूब का जनाज़ा आज फ़िर निकला है उन्ही कूचो उन्ही दरवाज़ों से आज फ़िर गुज़रा है वही मातम-ए-ग़म आज फ़िर फिज़ा में है वही रंजिश, वही उदासी आज फ़िर आँखों में है फ़िर उस सीने पे वार आज मेरे दुश्मन का है फ़िर दिल में सिस्कियां आज मेरे हिस्से में हैं मेरे महबूब की किस्मत में  जाने क्या लिखा है के यूँ बारामबार वो बेआबरू हो रहा है  मेरे महबूब का जनाज़ा आज फ़िर निकला है उन्ही कूचो उन्ही दरवाज़ों से आज फ़िर गुज़रा है

It would be unfair if I make an assessment of the city, since my destinations were restricted to the Eastern parts. However, the Eastern part of the city, from the Airport to Ultadanga and Science City, does give one a sense of affairs. The city, despite contrary views, has a thriving economy. In my opinion, the State’s machinery is looking in the wrong direction by asking for a debt waiver from the Centre. There is a lot of business potential in this city. Kolkata has the potential for becoming a growth and investment hub, creating a significant number of direct and indirect jobs. You can see the entrepreneurial spirit at every nook and corner of the city. Be it the man selling SIM cards under an umbrella on the road or the millionaires selling Marwari mithais (distinct from the Bangali mithai ), one can clearly see that the debt against the state’s name (a whopping 93,000 crores), can be serviced easily. What is needed perhaps is a boost to the more than visible entrepreneur...

Who the hell is he? Who the hell on earth really is he? Free at last An ear on his generation Protesting against the pedestal of idolism he created Finding his own voice, writing his own stories Having something to say Writing, singing, thinking That is all he is doing Asking questions not meant for answering That transparent substance Around him Hiding his real you What’s wrong with him today? They are left puzzling Not knowing what who when how why They stood all there, looking him today Searching him today And yet, unchanged stands he Unchanged to they who seek to Change him their way. -           Inspired by Bob Dylan and his story in No Direction Home and the content in it.

Chanakya had warned in his supposed sutras that rulers should always be wary of sycophants and subservient members of administration. However, what we have seen at the Chinta (not chintan, since there is more worry than thought being discussed in Jaipur) is exactly this very durbari mentality that Tavleen Singh has copyrighted (wish people were intelligent enough to see it). A few candid admissions came from people like Chidam-broom (thank you Mr. R Jagannathan for the wonderful twist) about the Congress' inability to gain absolute majority on its own were refreshing for a change. However, as if on cue, news channels (especially those self styled conscience of nation who are always demanding answers) started discussing whether a certain OBC leader from a state of 6 crore Gujaratis could create deep fault lines in the Indian democracy. This debate got accentuated further by comments from a politician who still fancies Railways his personal fiefdom about 'secular' and ...

As human beings, we bear the ability to reflect on events that went past us. Hindsight is the best vision as they say; however, it is imperative for us to learn important lessons that the past few days, months or even years have on offer for us to learn. The protests over the past few years have shown the emergence of a new urban population that numbers significantly and is spread uniformly across the country. This population, predominantly young, may not be be considered rebellious, even though it is aspirational and angry about the status quo in this country on many fronts. This population is apolitical so far, since no one has appealed to them significantly, or has quickly belied their expectations, as was demonstrated by the fizzling of support for Arvind Kejriwal's disastrous Aam Aadmi Party experiment. This population is however ready to fight it out on the streets for what they perceive are their rightful demands, what they deserve as citizens across this country. This p...

There is something special about Shashi Tharoor and his ability to put his foot in the mouth when it comes to saying all the wrong things, while pretending to be messiah like. Then again, it perhaps stems from his Stephanian legacy which he shares with equally iconic people like Mani Shankar Aiyer, Rahul Gandhi, Sandeep Dikshit, Barkha Dutt and a list that makes me shudder (except Ramchandra Guha). This time around, Mr. Tharoor, Human Resources Development Minister in the Government of India, has said that we should name a law after the victim of the gruesome inhuman act, as a mark of respect to her bravery. I mean, just how low can someone, who has served at the very top levels of international diplomacy, stoop in their thoughts? What has alarmed me even more though is this whole battery of Limousine Liberals for whom it seems a great idea. There could have been no better a sign of intellectual bankruptcy in our 'intelligensia' than the support that some of...