'Re'-public 'Re'-visited

I love Republic day. Its the most patriotic time of the year. Most patriotic because unlike Independence day, no flags are expelled into drains and around garbage cans(Its India, things do not fall inside the garbage cans. If it does, its just a lucky shot) which were once swayed into the pride-filled air at daybreak.

I love how the society turns on loud music on the one day when I get a break from my drudging monotonous college which starts at the crack-of-dawn(For someone who gets up at 11 in the morning, 8 is the dawn).
Although I do get the patriotic zealousness, but what I do not get is blaring of deafening noise right from 7 am in the morning. For someone who is sleep deprived almost permanently striking a holiday is much more exciting than striking a bunch of gold, so I am sorry if I am not on the same page of patriotism as my other fellow Indians.

Whats more interesting is how "desh ke veer jawano ka" "munni badnaam hui". Yep! that is what the transition from the blood sacrificing freedom fighters to blood sucked item girls sounds like. Its almost like a funeral turning into a frat party!

For those who do not like PDA to express their love for our country and choose to do it behind close doors there is always the idiot box. Also, this is the only or the second(one being Independence day) chance in a year that insomniacs are bestowed upon with sleep whilst watching T.V. Having said that I humbly sympathize with the doordarshan reporters who undergo deja-vu trial almost every year. If I had to pick differences between a flock of crows on a wire and a string of Republic day reruns, I am confident the former is possible.

Even so, the reporters do have their moments of capturing politicians who activate into nose digging, snoring, snorting, ear picking and almost every other chore but watching the show(who would?). Watching it for a second time is a mistake seldom would anyone commit so their actions remain unknown to them and thence repeat every year(or maybe its like a gag reflex, impossible to stop).

The one anomalous thing about watching the "patriotic programme" on T.V is the part where you can turn it off. The situation is not consistent with societal music. Perseverance is the key here. Basically I need to bear with it and think about how, right now being deaf is such a blessing! Finally the folks do get saturated of patriotism overplay and I get to have at least a peaceful evening. Jai Hind.

Spontaneous Decisions and Debaucherous Ladies

The decision of skipping college is never a planned one. It always happens spontaneously and its a good thing because if you do plan to skip college in advance then it will never end up in implementation. 


After a marathon of alarm snoozes and the hoopla of being late for college, as I got myself ready and just when I was good to go, my friend messages me:


"Hey i don't feel so good. I'm skipping college today."


uh oh.


So now, my friend isn't going to college, the next day is anyways a holiday(republic day Jai hind! Jai holiday!). I did my math.
Spending the whole day at home is such a pain when you have a whining sibling who is incidentally on pins and needles the moment you help yourself to the computer.(I totally regret my decision now)
I held my horses and withstood the remaining day while being impatiently patient about the evening.


Evenings are always good. Meeting up with friends, those as jobless as you are and spending the time pondering, analyzing, seriously discussing about all kinds of shit topics in the world and giving passing-by strangers the impression that we are into a serious discussion.


Today we decided to play badminton for a change. As we got out our racquets and a shuttlecock, which looked like it was charged with execution by skinning(we being the executioners, skinning prematurely half done) we started playing on a side road giving up the lawn to the kids(we are really nice people. Besides they didn't look like kids.They were almost as tall as us and looked mean). Eventually they were done playing when it was their curfew time(Kids!) and we took over the lawn(hah!).


Life is a bitch.


The wuthering cock withered(all the puns in the world intended). After great efforts we eventually succeeded in replacing it with a new shuttlecock.(going to the shop, impatiently waiting for the shopkeeper to stop her shit work and freaking hand us the shuttlecock, enjoying an ice-candy)


Like is said, Life is a bitch.


The new, brand new shuttlecock, whose label however gave away at first hit, flung across the air and magically jumped into the balcony of the first floor. Its like Grim Reaper was hovering over us waiting to kill our badminton game. We got back to playing with the defective cock(hell, no pun intended!!!) while waiting for the fellow on the first floor to get back home. Of course, he never did.


Then a few puberty-stricken girls walked towards us exclaiming how the female in that apartment is shuttlecock-hungry. 


You won't get the shuttlecock now even if they are home.


But there are three of 'em lying on the balcony.


The lady doesn't give cocks in the evening.


(oh really)Why not?


She is just mean.She will only give in the morning and maybe noon if she is in the mood.


(are we talking about the same thing?) uh.ok.

Involuntary Muscles

Knowing my onions about sleep, I can say that waking up from it always makes me fight through the pain. If waking up wasn't bad enough there is walking away from the bed which is a herculean task! To rid myself of any sleepiness or grogginess there is always the good ol' newspaper. From political indiscretions to theft to every thing that happens around the world almost everyday and which gradually seems to border upon like a regular schedule like brushing or bathing(may not be regular under specific circumstances), somehow the journalists always manage to make them sound brand new.

In spite of its regularity the one issue(crime,sin whatever you call it) that always shocks, disgusts and abases me is rape. This is no issue alien to any. Although countries like U.S have strict laws against rape and consider the situations under which the alleged is charged with rape, countries like our own do little towards protecting their women.

With the education of women being low due to poverty and male domination, many girls and women do not even understand the laws or even basics like differences between molestation and rape. Many a times rape cases in my city itself have either been dismissed by the court or have pardoned the criminals with minimum punishment due to claims of lack of evidence(that is just so political!).The other times, society(read:men) has slammed the women responsible for "bringing this upon themselves" due to salacious clothing. If that is so how do they wish to explain rape cases involving 12 year old or ten year old or 18 month old girls!
http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/man-rapes-an-18-month-old-baby-81163.

In countries like U.A.E or KSA committing rape is considered a heinous crime and is granted with a death penalty. Even so, the Qatif girl rape case in mid 2006, one which created major uproar had a different verdict on the criminals. Initially the girl was charged with 90 lashes for meeting a man with neither blood nor law relation in isolation. Since this is considered a crime in Saudi the court carried out the necessary steps. But when it came to convicting the criminals(7 men who repeatedly raped her) the court did not impose death penalty claiming lack of evidence. Later on, the judicial system increased the victim's punishment by claiming she had an extra-marital affair(now, they had evidence for that). Finally the king intervened(yeah =\) due to media attention and pardoned her while giving the impression that he forgave her of her crimes. Those involved in protecting and advocating the victim were slammed and banned in the name of attracting media attention. Even the family and the husband of the victim who supported her(rare in rape cases) were put under surveillance by the moral police and had their phones tapped. Surprisingly, or not, many rape cases experience the same fate.What was important here and in every other rape case is the right punishment of the rapist.

When under world media attention, many other countries chose to criticize this topic and claimed that is the result of Islamic roots and followings. I somehow, beg to differ. African countries and even our own do little towards taking action against commitment of such crimes. Its not the religion but the insignificant importance towards female protection, rights and respect.

The world is no disneyland. What is done against the wrong is what counts.

It is humanly impossible for a woman to not stand in the shoes of a rape victim and imagine the abhorrent memories she is damned with. Being a woman, it really gets my goat to hear obstinate, sexist and misogynistic men talk about how women bring rape upon themselves by their own indecencies in attitude and/or attire. Its rape. Some one touched me without my consent. He needs to be punished rightfully. No matter what the relationship is. period.

If a man cannot keep it in his pants or considers it as an involuntary muscle, he and he alone has to pay the price for it and not the woman whose existence has been asphyxiated as a result of it.

Did you come here to workout?

Gym-ming became a prevalent routine in the recent times. And like every other Indian who although live a healthy life, mistaken themselves to be fat and join the gym,  I too followed suit. It was a mistake. A humongous mistake. Especially because I am a female specie who joined a unisex gym. Now if you are under the impression that men workout in gyms exclusively for the purpose of mounting, intensifying, multiplying bouts of muscles and donning the image of incredible hulk(the green color is implicit btw, after all, what color do you think you would turn into by lifting weights as heavy as big show himself?) then your wrong! They enter gyms to gossip(shocking!.__.),ogle at the opposite sex (or same), exhibit their 'hulkness' in front of them and at rare moments to workout.

Being a mumbaitee and being gawked at almost every place including stations, roads, while strolling in a park.

The gym doesn't stand any exception.While you are sweating it out vigorously, the men will hover around like the men hovering around an item girl during an item song, and if your not the kind of female who loves being looked at by a gazillion men at the same time, this is terribly nerve-wrecking. Whats more is when trainers(who posses barrels of fat around their tummy and barrels of muscles around their arms along with chicken legs) indulge in pep talks with you while 'advising' you about the 'profitable' exercises.

In case your a fan of music coalition along with our workout....get your own FREAKING music player! Never ever take the dreading decision of exercising to the gym's music. You could end up working out to some of govinda's jiggy wiggies!

My verdict: get a few weights home, the equipments are anyways a waste and a little dose of Ramdev baba's stints always give a funny workout.