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 :)