I Live in India

Disclaimer: Not intended to hurt political or religious sentiments. Apologies before hand ( And yeah no pun intended in the disclaimer).

I live in the  assumed to be democratic country called India.

I live in a country where I may need a lawyer anytime if  I am managing to have an Internet connection or planning to use  my freedom of expression over Internet.

       



I Live in a country where kissing in public is an offence but pissing in public is all okay.

 


I live in a country where watching porn over internet is much safer than updating or tweeting what's in my mind.



I live in a country with a big history of invasions, no matter what you call it, Mughals, British or Globalisation.



I live in a country where people stay hungry and helpless not just because of  poverty but perhaps that's our new way to get our demands done (ode to the father of the nation)



I live in a country where we have garbage corners ( not a dispose bin )




I live in a country where you can expect a downpour any time where you may end up with garbage pile over your head( thanks to easy window garbage disposal techniques used here)

I live in a country where we re elect the same government again and later continue blaming them for inefficiency .


I Live in a country, where we prefer a leader who can manage us a free TV or cable connection, or may be a brand new car for electing them.





I live in a country of crores of Gods , demigods, Super Gods, human gods. Our gods will raise my salary if I guarantee them a continuous free milk supply, or a basket of candles or even a bunch of bananas.( now you know the root of corruption at our place)( disclaimer: not intended to hurt religious sentiments)




No we don't bribe, we just give them chaay paani

I live in a country with a principal of  ATHITHI DEVO BHAVA, no matter if you are a terrorist or a prime minister.

I Live in a country where you are reserved, if you are into a so called low caste. No matter what's your financial status or academic merits.


I live in a country where inter caste marriages are  against the tradition, leave alone homosexuality.



 
I Live in  INDIA


 ON a funny note: I found it really innovative :P



all images courtesy : GOOGLE :)

Her

*strictly Fiction*

Way back home,  she always looked forward for this time of the evening, her space, her time, freedom.
Everyday after school,  after she parted from Sana and Razia at the Rustom circle, she still had to cover a distance of  half a kilometer towards her colony. A narrow lane that lead to city market , across cinema city , and the few more steps from the Marwadi Godown, it takes her around half hour reach her place everyday from school.

She used this time to manipulate  homework session, guess ammi's mood , if she will get to taste something delicious, or if she will have to finish the vessels before the evening namaaz,,all daily chores and everyday stories.

Her world shrunk into a small one that can aptly fit into one like the globe on Principals desk. The world around her hardly occupied   her family,  ammi, abbu ,sana , Razia, Rahman chachu at the ice cream shop, her school, her books, her new burkha, the new frock, Roza,the madrassa etc etc.

It doesn't bother her if the nation's economy is drowning, or some corrupt politicians getting arrested, or some airline crashed, she used the newspapers to wrap the small Channa packets from Abu kakas shop for Razia and Sana at school.


                                      


                                                      image courtesy :muslimwomennews.com




So that was her life, nothing much, a small Muslim girl, in her mid teens, excited about the first public exam shes going to attend this year, and the high school, college, lot of dreams, lot of work

So back to today's scene, Unlike everyday she took the long route home, she sang all the way , for she topped the class in midterms. She expected ammi to hug her and abbu to praise about her achievement

She manipulated the cost of textbooks for the next semester, looked at the setting sun , bid him bye, her mind drew imaginary designs that she wanted embroidered on her new veil, and she giggled when she imagined the jealous faces of her friends.

Today would be a great day, for everything went well since morning. She picked up some raw mangoes that were left unpicked by the ones who threw stones at the old monk tree, she would ask ammi to prepare a halwa for her.

Lot of blots and thoughts in her mind at this mid dusk time, she neared home before she could stop her thoughts.

The car poach suggested lot of guests today.

Sad , she cant tell abbu to take her for the new kids puppet show at the Mela.

At the kitchen side , Ammi waited patiently for her to arrive home.

As soon as she stepped in, Ammi wrapped a  Shawl across her,, passed her a new veil to cover  her face. Before she could decide whats happening around, she was there in front of the guests with all their eyes stationed on her.

Some smiled, whereas some stayed expressionless. Fortunately they didn't ask her to speak up.

Ammi, who are they?

She took a piece of kaju barfi from one among the packets that the guests brought.


The one in the middle will be marrying you.The have scheduled the nikahh for next     month

  
But Ammi, he is the one who married Tasneem Didi, 

 
So ? , he is very rich, they can marry more than twice


But ammi , next month I have my public examination, then what about college,?


This time ammi didn't reply, for she had heard abbu's footsteps towards the kitchen.


She knew arguing more with  ammi would least help. Across the hall room she picked up the phone.

"Razia, don't wait for me at Rustom circle tomorrow, I may not attend school henceforth... They have fixed my nikkah"


                                

Book Review

Barnabas: Bombays First Private Detective

 Author: Sangeeta Nambiar
Published by : Westland Publishers
Pages: 234
Price:  Rs. 250/-


Barnabas, Though the name misleads the reader to take it as a British detective in the old British Bombay, the introduction mentions Mr Barnabas C  Mehta to be a person more of the British ideology but rooted to Indian mentality by origin.

Unlike any other Thriller or murder mystery novels, this book is one among those thrillers wherein the thoughts of the mystery solving, proofs ,chances, etc keeps hovering in the readers mind ,as to one gets hooked up with the detective for the solution.

This book, thanks to its wonderful language used as well as a beautiful blend of situations and twists at proper time, is indeed a good read. One among those stories, wherein the reader keeps on guessing the possibilities of what could be next.

Other than the thriller sense, the books gives an insight into the other face of British India. Rather than the general negative persona assigned to whites then ruling the country, Barnabas lets us know the better, much more kind and positive face of the Englishmen.
One could relate the various phenomena during the freedom struggle, at  local, countryside level which is something less considered while discussing about the British Empire in India. It beautifully describes the life  then in British Bombay,  attitude of people via the slang of Hindi or English used .

The story revolves around the murder of Madam Rose Stanton, chain of suspecting incidents following her death ,and the various techniques and methods adopted by Barnabas, his tryst with the police and Englishmen. It raises lot of suspects in  readers min.Let that be her husband Thomas Stanton, or her beloved Sir Gregory .The devotion and Hard work of Barnabas towards the case without expecting monetary returns inculcates in the reader a good interest towards the case being solved. Usage of poetic Phrases , Indian English, Description of the gallis nd chowkis of old Bombay are all the plus points in the book. These features ultimately makes the reader believe that Barnabas C Mehta existed in the 1940s and was the first private etective of Bombay.

Lines such as " This is my own country ,yet I need to tread with care in it" depicts the thoughts of an Indian Detective who is   parsed towards the British Men, and the British culture,Yet lot of nationalism and love inside

The Indian characters such as Barnabas'  father,  Laxmi, the maid, Kesho , Ardeshir and the freedom fighters all gradually take us to the mindset of Indians fed up by British Rule.

overall a very good read , not if you are expecting an Indian version of Sherlock Holmes, because the book itself has a very different story set up in a very different time of 1940's.

Rating : 3/5 
Best recommended. And this is one among those thrillers that wont bore you even if you are on the tenth read.


 
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