after a long long time... :)

Relevance of censorship

In this age of information, who decides what is relevant and proper? The internet of things and data, has become too much to handle. With the ever increasing expanse of media, more and more people have found voice. But at the same time it has also created a wider set of opinions and diverse views. The need of censorship often arises when there is threat to citizen's interests and hurts public sentiments be it religious or otherwise. It is often debated upon whether censorship also curbs our basic right of free expression.
 In a country like India, which is home to diverse cultures and traditions, the conflict of appropriateness rises too often. Unruly actions and speeches often make headlines in daily news. Intolerance and malice run deep in some sections of the powerful. Many artists and speakers have often faced their spite, which comes in the way of artistic expression. M.F. Hussain, a celebrated painter had to flee from the country fearing threat to his life. So has Taslima Nasreen, who had to flee from her country after being threatened by extremists. This kind of atmosphere is inhibitory for art and innovation.
In movies too, the censor boards are set up to filter out content which may harm the viewers. Some film makers and critics argue that refining may take away the actual message. The recent debate on the ban of a film on a self proclaimed god, has added fuel to the fire. His followers would most certainly demand to see the movie release, whereas for others it is just ridiculous and improper.
The question is how far can we go to protect the interest of public. The information is all too freely available and accessible. It is high time we put a thought to what we are sharing on social media and other social platforms. It is in the interest of everybody to be conscious of our rights and their appropriate use. We have to in the end act to the best of our judgement, make informed decisions and be responsible individuals.  

in God's own lap!

No points for guessing, it's Kerala I'm talking about. The year 2013 ended with a much awaited trip to the God's Own Country. The pristine beauty of the beaches, the setting sun with sand below the feet, the divine backwaters, vast stretches of tea and spice plantations, fresh and juicy coconuts and pineapples are things my mind refuses to let go even after 2 months. The trip was custom planned by a friend and included some major hot spots of the state. It started from the capital, Trivandrum, here we visited the famous Kovallam Beach, and started off the boating bouts in style with a motor boat. I say bouts because there were many more boat trips of various kinds during the trip. The few days in the city were succeeded by what was later the most memorable part of the trip, Alleppey backwaters. The boathouse was complete with all the modern amenities including air conditioning. It was pleasant to see all the extra effort that was being put to make the experience more fascinating, as the towels in the rooms were arranged like swans and boats. Even the pineapples served as dessert was cut in the shape of fish! The view with endless expanse of water lined with houses and coconut trees on either side was breath-taking. We sat with set cameras and watched as countless other boats, each different from the other crossed our way. During the evening they docked the boat near one of the houses and it was then we were greeted by a swarm of mosquitoes :P The next day we set towards Thekaddy with it's numerous spice gardens. Throughout the journey there were a number of private spice estates and they had made quite a lavish business out of the whole "spice walk" concept. But we gave that a miss and our multi-talented and hindi speaking driver Jaison (that's a rarity!) more than made up for it. He introduced us to a number of spices growing along the road wherever we went and believe me that covered everything from pepper to coffee. So basically it's spices everywhere! Also visited the famous Periyaar Tiger Reserve here, though the cats refused to show up like always, the ferry ride across the reserve was enchanting. Up next was the hill station, Munnar. The road on both sides leading to this place was covered with all encompassing tea gardens, even the road fence was a tea shrub! This was unlike anything i'd ever seen before in such vast stretches of hilly terrain. We'd to finally let go off such beauty when we arrived at Cochin, which was a beauty too but of a different, refined and metro kind ;) The old Jew street with it's shady shops of antiques and the colorful facade of relinquished houses was a treat for the eyes, though we couldn't make it in time to see the synagogue. The chinese fishing nets lined the beach side with ready to cook & eat shops by their side in Fort Cochi. The ongoing bamboo festival which caught my eye (such things don't escape me!) was a bonus. The penultimate leg of the trip included visiting the Kodanad Elephant Camp, which housed some huge tuskers and some baby elephants. Athirapally waterfalls on the last day of our trip made us fall in love with Kerala all over again. But as always u have bread to earn! :P

Being Busy!

it's been ages since i last wrote a blog..one myt attribute it to the numerous essays i'v been writing lately for entrance exams! done with interviews for the time being..but still no relief..ofcourse the results will start pouring in soon and to add to that colg exams and all the glaring backlog in studies! never had i imagined final year to be so hectic and packed..there's just no time to indulge in leisure..coming to the varied interview experiences i'v had in the past 2 months..i'll say that all of them were very different and in different senses of the word :P  i don't remember reading newspaper more religiously ever before..shatabdi had almost become a second home with me on rails every alternate day..have started dreading those journeys now which left me totally exhausted and drained! back home colg is no easy either with the toughest of subjects introduced in this last semester and add to that the stupid attendance criteria..coping with the work pressures has been a daunting task indeed..chalo i'll leave the rona dhona till the results arrive :P searching for the silver lining.......  

STOP!

well will it ever?? as the nation continues to grieve over the death of the 23yr old braveheart who succumbed to the assault injuries today..the bigger question before all of us is when will these crimes against women stop?! as i see these endless debates on television with big-shot panelists i cannot help but feel the issue being slighted in the heat of political rivalry and rhetoric..each one is trying to outdo the other sitting in newsrooms reading premeditated scripts! not that i don't credit them for revving up this national movement of sorts but sometimes all of it seems just too made up! it is not just about a particular incident or a girl but about all those women and girls in the streets out there vulnerable to the prying eyes of vulture like men looking for a snatch! the patriarchal society does not cease to exist..every minute or more so every second there are cases of modesty being outraged, acid attack, eve teasing or rape being reported and yet there seems to be no fear of law among the perpetrators of such heinous acts! it is the victim who continues to suffer for the rest of her life while the criminals scot free..it is this fear which has made home in the minds of those with a young girl at home..giving birth to one and then having to protect her all the while seems too cumbersome a task! it is often made sure that the girls are sent out with a proper set of instructions guiding their conduct ( y not fit a gps instead!)..but can a society really progress if half of it is subject to such physical, mental and emotional trauma at all times! y shud girls be at the receiving end always? y shud there be a constant fear of being the 'weaker' sex? when will the men do away with this show of virile strength? when will they accept the fact that women are not mere objects of desire? when will justice to the victims be granted or is suicide less painful? when will the police be more sensitive and responsible? well there are too many questions but the chances of finding their answers in this lifetime seem grim! women have proven themselves in almost all fields today and it is high time they be granted their due in the society! they do not wish to be put on pedestals and worshiped all they wish for is some respect and dignity from fellow beings! A lot of introspection and an ounce of blame is the need of the hour!!

padharo mahre des!

This is one life event which deserves to get me out of hibernation and start blogging again..a week long trip to Rajasthan came as a huge respite from a monotonous life and of-course the winter chill! Rajasthan has always been one of my favourite holiday destinations..the colours and the warmth of the land and its people have always attracted me immensely..this time the opportunity for a vacation popped up out of the blue and gladly enough every body's schedules were in line with it..what made it even more special was the company of both family and friends :) since we had to span almost the entire breadth of the state in a week's time, so the journey was literally the destination and we made sure that we enjoyed it to the hilt..taking brief halts at roadside dhabas and tea stalls..enjoying farm fresh radishes and carrots :P not to forget the marwari food rich in both ghee and chilly..also a heaven for those with a sweet tooth like myself..offers mouth watering ghewars, pheni, kachauris :D..

the sheer scenic beauty needless to say was breathtaking..no high rise buildings, no honking cars..just a plain stretch of road with the horizon in view..the rising and setting of sun which had never been of much importance before left me awestruck as i saw the sky change multitudes of colours throughout the day! the pristine beauty and riches of the land has attracted rulers and conquerors from times immemorial..and most of them left their mark in the form of huge, magnificent forts and palaces..most structures were built out of boulders cut from the surrounding Aravalis without cement and fillers..I don't boast of a sharp memory when it comes to remembering names of forts and palaces..not my fault all maharajahs decided to have similar names! :P..but no show of wealth can be complete without intricately carved facades and chamber walls, gold, gem and glass studded ceilings..the most beautifully lethal artillery adorned the armoury..leisure too followed suit in the form of sheesh mahal (similar to the one in mughal-e-azam! :P ).. 

Sheesh Mahal

hookah and gambling chambers, gold plates palanquins and hathi howdahs (elephant seats)..another striking feature is the surrounding view from these forts..as most of them as built on hill tops so the city view beneath is astounding..while the Jodhpur palace brings into view a city with houses painted blue..the yellow sandstone intrinsic to Jaisalmer makes the city appear golden under a glowing bright sun! also the color pink is associated with Jaipur thanks to its local market and hawa mahal..all this said and done the highlight of the trip was none other than the desert safari..and what cud have been better than my b'day to experience the delight of riding a camel into the golden sand dunes as the colorfully clad local children sang folk songs adding to the vibrancy in the air..the sand of the Sam Thar desert was given the analogy of being finer than milk powder and my liking for milk powder only grew when i stepped onto it :D as we sat there on the desert sand under a clear azure sky there was calm and serenity all around..watching the sun set inch by inch was no less than meditation (even though i'v never really done justice with that! :P)  the night sky was just as clear with millions of stars shining down at us as we retreated to our tents..the trip was as much a treat for the eyes as for the soul :)..surprisingly real :) 

Bharosa 3

what better canvas than mum's hands! :D