WRITER'S ENCLAVE - EXPRESSING WHAT I FEEL

You Should Stop Writing

2011-05-18T22:45:00.000-07:00

Everybody in the world thinks that he/she can write and that is the reason why we have more writers than readers. You are killing the beauty of writing and I will give you a few reasons as to why you should stop writing:

You never buy books
You never read what you write, leave aside the writings by others
You think that anyone can become a writer
You churn out a lot of words, more than I imagine
For God’s sake, don’t use Thesaurus for those synonyms ever again
For you, grammar never exists - it is all about being appealing to the eye
Thanks to you, publishing is almost dead
You are never aware of your writing style; surely you don’t even know that a style exists
Writing is not only about filling it up; you have a responsibility as well

According to Mamkol, “When everyone is an expert of everything, the whole world is a chaos.”

See What You Got Before You Plan What You Want

2010-12-14T04:12:00.000-08:00

Zubeen was born in a very poor family but his desire for learning helped him to receive education and he grew up to be a civilized man. Zubeen was hard working, a firm believer of God praying five times a day. He always asked GOD to help him achieve all that he had planned by the time he is 40 so that he can enjoy the rest of his life in luxury.

Zubeen had a beautiful wife, a daughter and a son but they always complained him about his non-availability. He had everything but not time and Zubeen always used to tell them that he is working for the family’s bright future. Zubeen had set a target of getting everything accomplished by the time he was 40 even if it meant not being with the loved ones at times and working more.

Unfortunately, too much of work at the age of 36 took hold of Zubeen health and he suffered a heart attack which resulted in his death. At the gates of Heaven, Zubeen asked GOD, “Why were YOU so cruel to me? I always believed in YOU, put my head down every day for YOUR blessing and was near to something I have been working for years”

GOD replied, “Son, you never could see what you got and you were after something that was never in your control. You missed the best time with your family, you should hold on to what you have and then plan for the road ahead”.

According to Mamkol, “Life is about living first and then planning, not the other way around”.

I Remember How I Spent My Vacation

2010-06-29T07:42:00.000-07:00

Being a cab driver in most famous car rental at airport is not easy at all. It has already been four years since I had stared working here and things haven’t been that bad except the fact that my annual leave gets rejected every year. But today is different; it is my last day at work before I get to spend the rest 3 weeks with my family. My company finally agreed to let me go on the “much-awaited” vacation.

I still remember the look on the face of my wife and my kid when I told them I got the leave approved. We had been preparing for this since quite long. My wife has been planning since then, shopping and reading all books she could about Mauritius, which is the place where we plan to spend the entire vacation. I just can’t wait to finish my shift and get ready for the day we all deserved. I haven’t been able to give any time to my family and this is the only way I can make up for them. This vacation means a lot to me and my family.

I finally have the last passenger for the day, I drop her home and I am off from work to the best times of my life (hopefully). She seems a very bubbly gal with loads of attitude to me. But I realize she isn’t and as they say looks could be deceptive. The moment she stepped into my can, she started complaining about everything – hygiene of the cab, the AC not working properly, my rash driving and pollution in the city.

As I was about to take a left turn at the airport, she shouted at me saying, “Take the outer ring road to my place”. I wanted to explain to her that it was a longer route but as they say “customer is always right” and so I obliged. All the while, she was abusing everyone and anyone she knew - politicians, her boss, airline staff, security guards and some people which I never heard of.

As we reached her place, I went out to help her with the luggage. Before she could pay me, she starting abusing some friend and then suddenly called someone for the keys. What I realized was that she did not have keys of the main door of the apartment. She had the flat keys but not the ones of the main entrance. She tried calling people from her mobile to help her with the keys but there seems not a single soul visible.

Suddenly, she turned to me for help and I wondered what I could so. She told me to help her with breaking that main door lock. I wasn’t sure of what to do but then I thought about her being alone in middle of night on such a lonely road. I took out a few things from my tool kit and started breaking the lock. I was almost done, when suddenly; some people from the same apartment woke up. There was uproar and before those people could come down, I had already broken the lock.

The people started shouting at me and before I could say anything, I realized they had already called the police. I tried to explain to them that I was trying to help the lady there but she washed her hands off. I felt so helpless and there came the police van. They took me along with them not giving me even a chance to speak. I just begged them to let me call my family and somehow they agreed.

I called home telling them I will be doing a double shift since it is my last day at work before vacation and I would see them next morning. We had a flight to catch next day evening. I tried to explain the entire story to the police officer in charge there and he agreed to take care of this thing first in the morning. That was the longest night of my life as I was waiting for the sun to rise. The officer proved to be a gentleman and decided to produce me before the magistrate in the morning session only.

I was there standing in the court and the clock hit 10.00 AM. The judge arrived and the case was opened. The girl I had picked up from the airport was there with some people from the apartment along with a lawyer. I was also given a lawyer by the court since I could not afford one. Discussions went on and as the lies always prevail, I was framed for something which I had felt was for “good” of someone.

Sentence to an imprisonment of 20 days or pay a fine of such a huge amount which I had only heard about, I decided to spend my entire vacation in jail thinking it had taken me 4 years to earn it.

According to Mamkol, “Be true and bear the cost or Lie and reap the fruits.”

All Worth It

2010-06-25T08:02:00.000-07:00

As kids, jimmy and I were inseparable. Going to the same school, same tuition classes and both having flair for football, this bonding was bound to happen. He was my best friend and would never let me down. Be it the times when I would not do well in studies or in miss the chance to make it to school’s football team, but he always encouraged me saying there is always a tomorrow. We were just the best buddies.

I remember the time when I had jaundice and he would come every morning and evening letting me know what all happened in school. He would help me study the lessons I missed during those and kept me updated about all. Though we were just 15 but it had already been 6 years since we first met at the summer camp. We were just everything and anything for each other.

It was weekend and both of us planned to visit the town to buy jerseys for our out inter school football final. We were excited and decide to eat some chat too on the way back home. We stopped in the main market and checked out a couple of shops before finalizing one. Jimmy got the number 23 one and I got my favorite number 7. Then, as planned we started walking towards the famous chat shop.

While we were walking, a sudden explosion was heard and people started running. I could hear gun shots and unaware of what was happening, we also started running in whatever way we could mange. But in all of this, we lost track of each other. And there I was, in a street with a few more people and I seemed safe. Exactly on the opposite side, there was another street where Jimmy was standing. Between us, there was a road on which bullets were being exchanged.

I wanted Jimmy to cross the road but it never seemed a good idea. If at all any one of us put a foot on that road, we for sure would have been hit by a bullet. But I knew that the place Jimmy was hiding didn’t seem safe enough. I even tried to shout to Jimmy but the sound of bullets was overpowering mine.

Then, suddenly I heard a big blast and a bomb exploded right where Jimmy was hiding. I started crying not knowing what to do. As soon as the smoke from the blast settled down, I saw Jimmy lying down all covered with blood. He was not moving and my worst nightmare seems to be coming true. I wanted to cross the road and go to him but people stopped me saying it was “suicidal” and that Jimmy was dead and there was no use going to him.

But I couldn’t control myself anymore and ran towards Jimmy and got him back to the safe place where I was earlier hiding. There lied my buddy all in blood, not even moving and people tried to check he was alive but alas! He was not. People started shouting at me telling me I could also have died for doing such a foolish thing. One elderly man told me, “Do you it was worth risking your life when you knew he was dead”?

And I replied “Yes it was. You know when I reached there, Jimmy was still alive and he told me ‘I was sure you will come’.”

Everything has changed after Jimmy except for the friendship we shared.

According to Mamkol, “Life becomes special only because of the little unselfish things that make us human.”

For You My Sweetheart

2010-04-12T03:38:00.000-07:00

Heard the phone ringing in the middle of night,

Kept fingers crossed hoping everything was alright.

She was on the other side of the phone,

Wanting to talk to me all alone.

It had been long since we had a talk,

Memories suddenly seem to unlock.

She said it was something important,

Something which was really pleasant.

She was in love with somebody,

And had decided to be with him on the journey.

The journey she called as marriage,

And this was her message.

The world around me suddenly started shaking,

I could sense what was in the making.

Tear started rolling and my heart became heavy,

But this was the burden I had to carry.

Her every decision I always respected,

But this was something I always dreaded.

I loved her and couldn’t see her leaving me,

Still destiny is something real ugly.

I always wanted her do what she sought,

That is the way she has been brought.

Letting her go was the best I could do,

No matter what, I had to see it through.

I blessed her best in life,

Praying she always be happy no matter what be the time.

After all, I am her father,

And she is my daughter.

According to Mamkol, “Surrender whatever love asks for if it is conditioned, it is not love anymore”.

Who Cares?

2010-04-06T01:34:00.000-07:00

These were the days of Zubin's internship when he was just out of university. On the way back home late night at around 12.30 midnight, he missed his bus and started walking since the distance to his place was not a long one. It was cold winter in Delhi and not a soul was visible on the streets. He reached a bus stop where he saw a few girls standing. His first impression was correct, they were call girls.

He decided act as if he did not see them and increased his pace of walking. They called him and shouted quite a few lines but he decided not giving a shit about it. He could see one of the girls following him but pretended as if he doesn’t know.

Suddenly, that girl increased her pace and caught him. She stopped me and said, "I am not one among them, I swear I just missed cab to my office and I was waiting here till they all appeared". She even showed Zubin the ID card of her office. Now, he was not sure what to do and didn’t know how to react. Before he could say anything, she continued, "Can I walk with you till next bus stop. You know it is not safe being alone; I will get a taxi from next stop and leave." He thought about it and said "OK".

There no really no one on the streets, the police control rooms were either empty or the people on duty were sleeping. Zubin was feeling really discomfited and awkward.

They walked along without even saying a word and reached the next bus stop and there were no taxis. Zubin didn’t say anything and told her that if she wants, he can wait till she gets a taxi. She was a bit reluctant but then, agreed. Zubin was really tired after working and wanted to crash in bed but there he was, waiting for one dam taxi to appear and that too for someone who he didn’t even know. He waited and waited and it was almost 2’O clock midnight and he had lost his patience.

He told her that he ought to leave because he has to reach office at 7.00 AM morning. Zubin could see that she was feeling scared and knew she was alone; still he was adamant on leaving. She said that she will die of fear and he either accompanies her to hostel or wait till she gets a taxi. He got furious thinking why the hell should he help her? Zubin actually didn’t know what to do, to be or not to be. But then, he left without saying a word, not even looking back. He didn’t want to get into any trouble and left.

He went home crashed in bed only to wake up 8.00 AM in morning. He was running late for office and was getting ready. He switched on the TV while he was eating breakfast. And there he saw the news that haunted him for the rest of his life. That very girl he met last night had been raped and murdered on that very road where he left him.

And there was Zubin, crying like a baby, shaking and blaming himself for what had happened. He simply could have changed her fate. We all are just so busy in our lives that we don’t really care. And all that exists is lies, frauds & deception.

According to Mamkol, “Who to blame when we ourselves are a part of this dirty game”?

So Much For Nobody

2010-04-01T05:04:00.000-07:00

As I was about to cross the road,

I heard something explode.

People running around with smoke in the air,

Deep inside my heart I began to fear.

Dead bodies, blood on the street and flames I could witness,

My body started shaking and felt all darkness.

There she lied unaware of what has happened,

Just a kid, among dead bodies she was stationed.

Her face covered with blood but not saying a word,

No one seems aware of this baby being injured.

I took her in my arms and could see she was alive,

But I needed some aid for her to survive.

Her heart beat became slow and she started losing her breath,

My dreadful fear was her moving close to death.

Went running towards the ambulance,

But the so called security forces were my hindrance.

I shouted, I cried telling people to let me go,

It was about the life of someone who is yet to see the world.

They didn’t listen and I stood there wounded,

Seeing her die in my arms was worst I ever wanted.

My faith in humanity vanished,

And there I was anguished.

Took a vow and buried my soul,

Nothing for this world, not anymore.

According to Mamkol, “We live in a world where people sell their souls and the ones who don’t, actually don’t matter to the world”.

The Day That Changed It All

2010-03-11T06:23:00.000-08:00

Being from the same neighborhood, of the same age group and their families having known each other for years, Daani and Zeezu were meant to be best friends. Their day started together with both walking all the way to school, spending all the time in class together, coming back together and playing in the evenings.

Both the families were poor and for them to afford a school for their kids was something really admirable but the two kids had to walk 3 miles everyday to reach the school. Being just 7 and 8 years old, they were too young to understand why they can’t travel in bus like other kids used to. They would always talk about the day when they would have money to travel in the fast travelling bus that always used to pass in front of their eyes.

One day, both Daani and Zeezu decided to save money so that they can one day afford to go school in that bus. They started saving every penny they would ever get and finally after two months, they managed to save 4 rupees and it was enough for both of them to get a ride to school in the bus. Just to make sure that the money is enough, both got it confirmed from their class mates that the fare was 2 rupees for one person.

So, they selected Monday as the day to board that bus and both of them were really excited. They hardly slept imagining how the experience would be. Both of them woke up early, got ready for the school and waited at the stop for the bus to arrive. It came running and honking as always and both kids just jumped into the bus, sat into it fighting for the window seat and putting their heads out of window to see what difference it made to be on that side. The conductor came and started collecting money from the passengers. When he reached Daani and Zeezu’s seat, the kids realized the money had been stolen from the pocket.

The conductor started abusing the kids, slapped them hard saying that they never had money and called them all the bad names. Both started crying and their dream of traveling in the bus got shattered. Even some people advised to throw the kids out of the running bus to teach them a lesson. There was no one to listen to them and everything seems going the wrong way for them.

Suddenly an elderly man stopped the conductor and shouted at him for beating the kids. He took out his wallet and from the corner of this wallet, took out a 5 rupee note and handed over to conductor as the fare for the two kids. The kids saw that his wallet was full of money – 100, 500, 100, rupee notes. The kids reached school not talking to anyone and that day changed their life altogether.

Daani was of the opinion that GOD was cruel to them and HE is cruel to all poor people. Daani thought that if that rich guy who paid their fare had lost few notes, it wouldn’t have mattered to him but it was these little creatures that had to bear the fruits of that lost money. He then concluded that their is no GOD as such and he refuse to believe that anything like that exists.

Zeezu had a different way of putting that incident. He believed that it was GOD who sent that rich man to help them out of that nasty situation. Things could have been real worse had that rich man not appeared on the scene. He concluded that GOD is always for them no matter what happens.

Today Zeezu is 23 and Daani is 24 but both are poles apart. One believes in GOD and other rejects its existence. One incident changed them both but in real different ways.

According to Mamkol, “You cannot influence the way things take place but you can control the way they influence you”.

Death Of An Outsider

2010-01-22T06:50:00.000-08:00

Going through three security checks and two metal detectors, I made my way into the highly scrutinized airport. The only thing I did not take of while frisking was my skin, the security men were kind enough to let it go with me inside. Went to collect my boarding pass and the lady at the counter had an amazingly horrible accent where she would stretch every last alphabet of word and it became almost impossible for me to communicate with her. Somewhere I had read, “Smile, it helps” and did the same. But what I did not realize while I was all smiling and nothing that the flight was late by four hours and it was too late for me to even ask why?

Not knowing what to do, I checked out a few books in the book store, grab a cup of coffee that cost me 75 bucks and a muffin which had no silver or golden covering but still was worth 175 bucks. They first make you feel ashamed of yourself by the way they frisk and then serve you the worst food at the best prices – that is marketing fellas!

With CCTV cameras everywhere and dozens of security men around, it looked no less than an army bunker. I could relate to it more given the fact I saw myself growing up amidst such scenarios. There was an eye on every movement for every moment.

In the middle of this hustle bustle, a moth got attracted to the white sparkling lights and came inside the airport. The moth bypassed the three security checks, two metal detectors and an X-ray machine and made all these things look like worthless. Unlike me, he needed no ID proof or a ticket to reach to this place. Unaware of this highly scrutinized place, he was in his own happy mood running from one light to another. He was there just to die in the way nature meant it to or they way it is supposed to be.

Suddenly, a security man saw this moth running from here to there and started chasing him. He collected a few more men and they decided to run after the moth. The got all kinds of sprays and long sticks to take him out of the place. The moth kept on running from here and there wondering why they are chasing him. He wanted to tell them that he meant no harm to anyone, that he is anyways going to die in the next few hours. But he was not even given a chance to explain anything and soon everything was on alert. He was immediately labeled as an “outsider” who was a threat to “everyone”. Even when I tried to help the moth, I too was looked upon as a “threat” too and hence, I backed out.

Everyone knew what was happening but no one wanted to interfere, because we don’t care for others. In spite of being harmless, this creature was brought down by the security men and killed mercilessly and all stood there just watching. The officer in charge had all praises for his security team and everyone around applauded for the efforts being made to destroy this undamaging creature brutally. Inside our hearts we know what the truth is but the system has left has shallow. We need to wake up before it is too late . . .

According to Mamkol, “React before the reaction leaves you dead”.

Clash of two D’s - Dreams and Destiny

2009-06-03T04:54:00.000-07:00

Habit of waking up late made me miss my cab today. So, in order to reach office in time I had take up an auto rickshaw but getting it was not so easy. As my office is quite far away, every rickshaw driver was reluctant to take me. But finally after toiling in the heat for about 15 minutes, I found a rickshaw driver who was ready to take me there but with a condition. He asked me to pay 50 rupees extra than the normal fare but I refused out rightly. With both of us being Indians, negotiation was always on the cards and finally we decided on 20 rupees extra than the normal fare.

The guy was quite loud with his words and expressions, was in his early 40’s but full of words. While I was in the rickshaw, he narrated his entire life story to me and I don’t know why he did so. Either he wanted to kill time or may be he was like that only. So, there he started his story . . .

“Sir, you might be wondering why I talk too much but I think that we should say whenever we feel like and I feel it now. My name is Abdul Kareem and I have been driving this auto for last few months only. I need to collect 20,000 rupees in next 3 months to pay to the agent and then I will be in Kuwait.”

I asked him if 20,000 was all they charged for giving him a job there and why is he going at this point of time in life when old age is not that far away. He replied . . .

“No sir, they charge 80,000 but I have 60,000 already and I have been in Oman for three years before. It was in 1996 and I used to work there (in Oman) in a company dealing with equipping buildings with things for fire safety like extinguishers, etc. But then I had to come back and now I realize there is nothing left here for me”.

My curiosity level began to rise and I asked him if he could tell me what exactly happened, only if he did not mind. He continued . . .

“I met a nurse in Oman and we were madly in love with each other. She too was from India but a Christian by religion. We decided to come back together to India and get married but it didn’t happen the same way – I got married but not to her. My father was not well at all and he was counting his last breaths. He took a promise from me to marry his friend’s daughter and be a father to my two younger brothers. Since my mother had expired a few years back, I did it but just for the sake of the family.”

I really felt sad when I heard about all this but again being selfish, I wanted to know more of what occurred to him. So, I pushed him to go ahead with his story . . .

“Then, I became the head of the family and took all the responsibilities. I never ever had courage to even call the lady I had once loved. From the money I had earned in Oman, I brought some land and started a general store near my house. Things were perfect till my brothers got married. Now, they wanted a share in everything even from the property I earned myself. But being the elder, I agreed. And at the end of the day, I was left with a house only. I sold off the big house and purchased a smaller one and got a couple of auto rickshaws.”

I again felt sad for the poor fellow but he seemed to me a very nice human being. For him, I had respect in my heart. The guy, sorry, I mean Abdul Kareem continued narrating his tale . . .

“My wife told me to take my brother-in-law as driver for the second auto rickshaw and I even felt that this was a nice suggestion. But a month later, my brother-in-law was getting married and my wife urged me to transfer the ownership of the second rickshaw to him and again, I agreed. Now, I was left with just an auto and a house. I realized the need for money and decided to move out of India.”

This appeared another typical Indian story to me and now I understood why he was going to Kuwait, money drives us all. But he had something more to say . . .

“My wife says that she does not trust me with going abroad and so, she wants ownership of everything I have. After thinking a lot, I transferred all my property to my two sons and gave my wife the guardianship. Now, I made all happy and it is my turn to be happy for sometime. I would earn a lot of money in Kuwait and come back after 10 years. I will own a big building and make apartments and give on rent. That way, I will live my life peacefully without having to sweat it out.”

I wished him all the best and by the time he ended his story, I was already near my office. I paid him 50 rupees extra than the 20 agreed. I though this drop might help him a little to fill up his bottle. With prayers in heart for Abdul Kareem, I said bye to the fellow.

As I watched him go, I felt that we all have dreams and we all want them to come true regardless of who we are.

Just as Abdul Kareem was taking a u-turn in this auto rickshaw, a big speeding lorry hit his auto and it got thrown over the pavements and crashed into the wall. All I could see was the auto crashed like hell and people shouting “call ambulance, “guy is bleeding”, “check if he is alive”.

I didn’t have guts to go and check or may be I never wanted to see Abdul Kareem’s dreams’ ending. I closed my eyes and just prayed . . .

According to Mamkol, “Everyone has a tale to tell, I hope anyone actually listens too”.

Rendezvous of Seconds

2009-06-03T04:53:00.000-07:00

I was at the mall for some shopping and I entered this “Food World Store” for buying some things. The place was jam-packed as it was a weekend and people seem busy with picking stuff they liked or required. I managed to get a basket and started picking up things I wanted and there suddenly, I saw her. Eyes met for two seconds and I felt there was something. Off late I might have seen a lot of Bollywood movies but this impact was for real and nothing like fantasy. She smiled and so did I; our eyes seem to be catching hold of each other repeatedly.

Whether I was following her or she was following me, but we seem to meet at every corner of that store. With stealing glances and minimal eye contact, we seem trying to know about each other without letting anyone know. For a moment I thought I was hallucinating and things like such do not happen in real but that was not true. I seem to be enjoying every passing second and thinking about the 5 W’s I read sometime back in my university (When, Why, What, Where and Whom). It was a mixed feeling, something I never had before.

Anyways, I finally took all the stuff and stood in the queue to pay the bill. Suddenly, I saw her just in front of me and something strange happened. She gave me a big smile and winked both her eyes. I just stood there smiling wondering what I should do now.

On my right hand side there was a shelf with some chocolates on it, I took out one and waited for her to turn again. The moment she did, I gave her that and there was a pause from her side. With those angelic eyes and a chubby face, she called her mom and asked, “Can I take that chocolate?” She smiled and nodded, of course you can’t expect a two year old baby to take things from strangers.

I gave her a hug and left with memories in my heart making me believe anything can happen in seconds.

According to Mamkol, “A matter of split second does it all for you, it is all about knowing when those seconds arrive”.

My Experiences in a Cab

2009-02-19T01:59:00.000-08:00

Off late, I have started traveling in my office cab for commuting. You call it cost cutting, recession, economic blockade, promotion or logics – I call it Hobson's choice (A free choice in which only one option is offered).

While traveling, the people who accompany me in the cab always ask at least one question to the cab driver. Purely depending on the nature of question, you can make out the profile that the person is handling. I bring to you a few of them:

Question: My drop is at Road No. 12, tell me exactly at what time will I reach home, you can also take 5 minutes as grace time?
Conclusion: This person is a Manager because all he cares about and wants is an answer.

Question: Will I be dropped first?
Conclusion: For sure an Assistant Manager who is tired of trying to get to a Manager’s position. All he cares now is reaching home fast.

Question: Who are the other people in the cab?
Conclusion: A definite Team Leader who is more worried about others than his own self. Sorry but the cut throat completion has made him so.

Question: Is the AC working?
Conclusion: Just been promoted to a Senior Associate position, so he thinks he is going to get extra benefits everywhere (to tell you we never had an AC cab).

Question: Driver Bhai, Is this cab going to Route no. 7?
Conclusion: Definitely an associate, he just wants to be sure that he makes no mistake because even if anyone else also does, he will be blamed.

Question: Can you please check again if I am listed in your Cab list?
Conclusion: Bottom of hierarchy, a junior associate because he knows he gets things only when no one wants it.

Question: Do we get cabs everyday?
Conclusion: A New Joinee, because he knows things are not the way they appear at first.

According to Mamkol, “Wish we had answers instead of questions.”

’How’ fair is fair?

2008-09-10T00:20:00.000-07:00

A few days back I went to a shop to get some stuff and there I saw a couple of small girls who were not more than 6 years old. They started staring at me and one of them whispered into other’s ear, “dekh kitna chitta hai (see how fair he is)”. Suddenly it gave me a shock more than anything else. The obsession with fair color starts by the time we are born.

A kid who doesn’t even know what is right or wrong is injected with the idea that tells him ‘fair is beautiful’. Beauty never lies in color and had that been true, brains and personality, wit, humor and intellect would have become ‘archival’ words.

People in my office say I am smart not because of what I know or what I say but just because I am ‘fair’. We talk about racism, write about it and even hate it but it is we who actually promote it. See a matrimonial website, the first word they ask for is ‘fair’. And whether we do it deliberately or not, it definitely means ‘looking down’ at ‘not so fair’ color.

Let us first agree that we do believe in racism and then only, we can cure it. Charity begins at home and let ‘me’ start it right away by looking at you as ‘human’ and not ‘fair’ or ‘not fair’. Remember that I am a human being like you, born in the same way as you, live on the same earth; eat breath and drink exactly like you, and even I am going to die also like you.

I am one of you and you are one of me and we are one of ‘us’. This actually reminds me of a poem I read some time back:

When I was born I was BLACK,
When I'm sick I'm BLACK,
When I go in the sun I'm BLACK,
When I'm cold I'm BLACK,
When I die I'll be BLACK.

As for you

When you're born you're PINK,
When you're sick, you're GREEN,
When you go in the sun you turn RED,
When you're cold you turn BLUE,
And when you die you turn PURPLE.

And you still have the guts to call me colored.

According to Mamkol, “If we wake up one day and discover everybody has the same skin color, we will surely get some basis for discrimination by noontime.”

'Whose' tomatoes' were they anyways?

2008-08-25T01:25:00.000-07:00

A middle aged man went to a vegetable shop and asked for one kilogram of tomatoes. As the man was putting tomatoes into the basket, he realized that a few of them were rotten and asked the vegetable seller to throw them out of the stock otherwise they will spoil the entire lot of tomatoes. The man bought his one kg of the best tomatoes and left. The rotten lot did not belong to him.

Then, the vegetable seller decided to separate the rotten tomatoes from the fresh lot and put them in a basket. After he was done with his work, he threw the basket of rotten tomatoes into the municipal dustbin. So, the rotten bunch didn't belong to him either.

After a while, a pitiable lady with torn clothes saw the basket and started searching for the 'not so rotten' tomatoes in the basket. For her, those tomatoes could prove to be a day's full meal. But as soon as she sat down to check the basket, a goat came running and put her head into the basket to eat the tomatoes. The lady tried to push the goat away but it was not that easy.

Now, we had a fight between a human and an animal for those rotten tomatoes, which any one of us would never even care to look at. The wrestle was on and there was no visible winner. I just stood there to see who is going to have the last say.

Suddenly a big truck came in and I realized it was the Municipality garbage truck that comes to clean the garage bins everyday. Without even looking at what was happening, the driver hooked the big dustbin, lifted it up and landed on his truck and left. Both the poor lady and the goat left the place in a normal manner and then I realized it could have been a usual story for them.

None of them got that lot of tomatoes and may be no one will. But I still think who actually deserved the tomatoes and I cannot find an answer. If you have one, do let me know?

According to Mamkol, “The easiest way to eradicate economic disparity between the people is to kill the poor.”

How Free Are We

2008-08-18T03:57:00.000-07:00

Who says we are not free? It is just the way you look at your freedom and nothing more. Let us start and you see how much freedom one enjoys:

You have the choice to buy anything in this country no matter where you belong to what if the inflation is above 12.5%
You are free to protest on the streets for anything you strongly feel about what if the police and army fires bullets on you
You are free to marry a girl or boy of any religion what if the community slaughters you after that
You are free to vote and choose your representative what if the hotchpotch collation government makes no sense of it when the party with lowest seats comes in power
You are free to boycott elections what if still only 5% voters decide the fate of your entire state and politicians form a government with all the pride
You are free to apply for any course in any university in the country what if the reservations make your chances negligible
You are free to write or speak anything what if your remarks label you as an ‘anti-national’ element
You are free to fight against any injustice in the court of law what if the verdict takes decades to come
Girls have equal freedom and opportunity like boys what if rape, SATI, molestation and dowry are still a part of their life
You are free to guard your land what if hundreds are killed to make the authorities realize this fact
You are free to watch anything on TV what if the government puts a ban on certain channels and programs
You are free to live in any part of the country what if you are sure to die if communal and regional riots arise
You are free to have a style statement what if the extremists beat you up for copying western world and defying cultural boundaries labeling you as ‘firnagis’
You are free to take any professional sport including hockey what if only cricket comes with a good future bringing you money and publicity
You are free to apply for passports, rations cards, voter ID cards and licenses what if you cannot get them until you shell out the bribe

You are free to take up any government job in the country what if there are none available at this moment of time
You are free to die of hunger or poverty or any other illness what if you cannot commit suicide as it is a crime

You are created as a free creature by GOD what if the humans have put all the limitations and restrictions on you

According to Mamkol, “Freedom indicates the liberation on doomsday”.

How "Hospitable" Are You

2008-08-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

By Shaikh Tawheed Rehman

I always thought I have the potential of a good writer as my lengthy love letters always delivered good results just like Google. This thought of mine was further supported by my Master’s degree in Journalism but even after two years of the completion of my degree I haven’t written anything yet.

Yes, I cannot write but I stepped down. It’s not as though I can’t put words together and construct a good sentence, weave those sentences into paragraphs and come up with an eloquent written piece. It’s just that I cannot write objectively. Even if I try to, emotions always seem to creep in and take over the profession. So I just give up the idea of writing and keep myself happy in reading and learning.

What prompted me to write this time is out of frustration caused by my professional Gods – Newspapers. I was told during my degree that journalists should choose their words carefully as they never know who the reader might be. It took me two years to find one such word and unfortunately that one word appeared in a reputed newspaper of India, The Indian Express. The Editor in his editorial piece titled “The fires just don’t die down” dated August 13, 2008 available at their website http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEF20080813015151&Title=First+Editorial&rLink=0 describes the “100 acre” Kashmiri land as “inhospitable”. As it is quite evident that a piece of land cannot be inhospitable, the Editor means to say people in Kashmir are inhospitable. And I wonder how senior journalist approach to events and start generalizing things or events.

Conflict in Kashmir has its own context and there is no wrong in standing up and fighting for your rights. A lot of nations have done it. During India’s struggle for Independence from East India Company, people in India, regardless of their caste or religion, were united till the end unlike in Kashmir, where a community fled overnight.

Religion in this region has always been a root cause to all the problems. Majority of Muslims in Kashmir share their religious proximity with the neighboring country, Pakistan, and majority of Hindus with India. So, if Kashmirs are not comfortable with India there is no guarantee that Hindus in Jammu will find relative peace with Pakistan and this will continue. So the question of accession to Pakistan doesn’t exist anywhere.

By the way, we don’t want a partition of Jammu and Kashmir like India and Pakistan. A Kashmiri just wants freedom from such administration. We don’t want the administration to formulate heinous acts and implement them in Kashmir, we just don’t want our brothers being detained illegally and then tortured to death, we don’t want forced disappearances, we don’t want false media reports or tags, we don’t want being killed and tortured by our own Kashmiri police men, we don’t want any mothers tears, not any more…

We just want our freedom, our nation, and our rights. And if all this sums up to being “inhospitable”, we are proud for being so.

Options To Death – The Only Choice

2008-08-14T02:21:00.000-07:00

I wake up in the morning to realize that all the essential food items in my home are over and there is not a single grain of food left to eat. My 2 year old son is asking for milk, my wife is silent because she knows about the things but my old mother is unaware and is shouting and asking for her morning tea.

I stand still like a rock not knowing what to do but I leave my home to see if I will be able to do something. Nothing is accessible outside and the money lies wasted in my pocket. The first step out of my house and I get a beating from the policeman standing just outside my home. Not a single word is uttered but the beating continues but I somehow manage to escape from there and reach the main road. All shops closed, a deserted look and the feeling of pain surround me. Before I can even get a good look of where I stand, an army man comes charging to me. He beats he with the back of his gun until I bleed and tells me to go back before he opens fire on me. But those words have no effect on me and I just laugh.

That laugh boils the temperature of the army men and they all start beating me in all the possible ways they can. They throw me from one corner of the road to another and all that comes to me is the face of my 2 year old son who is starving for food, my old mother who cannot survive without food and my helpless but silent wife.

They don’t allow me to say anything and push me back into the lane where the earlier policeman is waiting for his turn to try his beating skills which he showcases perfectly. And finally I am pushed back into my house. Seeing my face, my wife cries out loudly but my son is silent. I do not know what to do and I have nothing to do.

I take out my entire family in my car and move out of the house. Policemen try to stop me but I don’t, they fire but I cannot afford to stop. Bullets everywhere but I have no option. As I reach near the army banker, they shoot a grenade and next thing I hear is a big bang.

No more worries now, everything is silent. No need for milk, food or anything else. I can see my mother, my wife and my two year old kid resting for ever. They are no more and so am I.

But before I take the last breath, I just wanted to see their faces once again but I cannot because the next grenade stopped me from even doing that. We all had to die, either by every passing day or in one go – these were the only options left here. But still, I love my land and I am not ashamed of what I did – this was my only option.

This is my story and this is my Kashmir. Welcome one and all . . .

According to Mamkol, “Life always has a connotation, let us give death also a meaning”.

Kashmir Terminology

2008-07-10T02:59:00.000-07:00

Of late there have been a lot of terms that have become quiet common in usage. But there meanings have been determined by the conditions prevailing in the valley. This is just an endeavor to uncover such terms.

Hartal: Lawful justification for not going to workplace

Protest: Shouting so loudly that your voice strike the walls of offices of concerned authorities

Identity Cards: Lifeline of a Kashmiri

Crackdown: Where you are down and your bones cracked

Blast: Minimizing the minority of Kashmiris

Road Map: Exactly a map but without signs and symbols

26^th January & 15^th August: Monstrous days

Cross Firing: Easiest way of suicide

Surrender: Get a gun, give it back and own a job

Round Table Conference: Where the center is ambiguity

Dialogue: One-way communication

Peace Process: Hypothetical concept

Cease Fire: Shoot limited number of bullets

Custodial Killings: Natural death

Search Operations: Employ five laborers for a week to get things again in place

Boycott: Cannot catch it, so we are not with it

Leader: Every 10^th person on the street

Government: Does it exist?

Election: In-house joke

Laws, Rules & Regulations: In books only

Tear Gas: It is always ‘in’

Stone Pelting: Oldest and most economic way

Lating Position: So that you don’t become Mr. late

Fidayeens: Omnipresent

Cordon: Surround everything else than the place you have to attack

Freedom: Whose & how

Press Conference: He got no one else to talk to / dying to speak

Media: Avenues of revenue

Human Rights Violations: Twice a day

Curfew: Prehistoric but relevant

Militant: Terrorist & Mujahid would be too extreme

Bunker: Next-door neighbor

Third Party: Optional party of Kashmiris

LOC: Out Of Control

According to Mamkol, “Do you know that terminology is not a word but a complete election – T(ERM END) + E(LECTION) + R(EGIONAL) M(EGER) + I(NC HEADS) + NO(LEFT) + LO(SP) + G(8Summit) + Y(ES TO IAEA) – next elections”.

Who Is A Kashmiri

2008-07-03T01:47:00.000-07:00

Do you guys know how to identify a Kashmiri? This piece of writing will absolutely help you in actually knowing a few things about him. Without any more wastage of time and words, we begin;

Search To Get An ID Card

Wherever he goes, he always has an ID card with him. No matter what happens, he will never leave his home without it even if it is just crossing the road to the departmental store. A Kashmir has every now and then being asked to prove his identity by virtue of an ID card in his own land. And the best part is that his identity is confirmed by people who are not even a part of the Kashmiri nation.

First One To Help

Kashmiris have always been fearless, brave and courageous. If you see a crisis like a blast, or an accident or may be some serious thing happening, a Kashmiri will be the first to go out and help people. He doesn’t care about himself and all he can see is his duty to lend a hand out. That makes a Kashmiri very special.

Keeps A Distance

If you see a guy keeping an arm’s distance from any security personnel, be sure that he is a Kashmiri. Security forces have left deep impressions on the minds of Kashmiris and are associated with frisking, beating, bullets and what not. It is like the bad guy in your school whom you were always scared of even if you saw him on a street somewhere. But still, you see Kashmiris smiling at them, really admiring.

Sensitive Breed

A Kashmiri can do anything when it comes to emotions. They are ready to live and die for others. A Kashmiri is a very sensitive type of species who gets driven away by emotions and feelings. Even thought after 20 years of conflict, the hearts have remained the same – as innocent and hospitable as always. This tells you the character of a Kashmiri.

Response To A ‘Bang’

What will you do if you hear a bang? Different reactions come out but a Kashmiri will have certain fixed reaction to it:

A current will run through his body and he would feel goose bumps
He will attempt to locate where the ‘Bang’ came from
Next, he will try to locate the place to run to
Third and last, he will either really run or laugh at himself

But, people don’t blame him. Bang always meant blasts in Kashmir and they have seen enough of them. Unsurprisingly a Kashmiri cannot relate anything else to a “Bang’.

Toughest One

There won’t be a single family which has not been affected by conflict, but a Kashmiri still have not forgot to laugh. He always laughs and makes others laugh too. You would never know what he is inside because he never makes you even think about it. A Kashmiri is a very strong character who knows how to move on with life. He learns the best and worst lessons in life before he actually comprehends what life is.

Die Without Rice

A Kashmiri can fight and conquer any difficulty except not having rice. You may make him eat varieties of food ranging from Chinese to Italian or Mughlai to Mexican but if he does not have rice, his meal is not complete. He will really die without rice, which is all he wants at the end of the day.

I truly salute the character of a Kashmiri for all he has gone through and the way he has emerged out of it. I am proud to be a Kashmiri

According to Mamkol, “Kashmiri actually sees hopes midst intolerance, racism & indifference ”.

Kashmiris – Fighting For Their Land As Always

2008-06-25T04:11:00.000-07:00

Kashmir is considered as a place filled with news and it seems to be ‘the place’ for all the breaking news. Bloodshed, deaths, bombs, shoot outs, Human Rights Violations, Search Operations and bandhs seem to be the normal Kashmir story that is given coverage on newspapers.

But, it is not all about the conflict this time. I have a narrator who will make you go through the ‘new real’ Kashmir problem. It is none other than the ‘800 kanals of forestland’ allotted at Sonamarg to Shri Amarnath Shrine Board by the Government.

And it says:

“I stand here since ages and I have witnessed the demarcation lines put by the strongest creature of this earth (man) to separate me from other pieces of land. They named them and claimed to be theirs. I just laugh at their superiority. These days, I fall under Sonamarg in Kashmir. I do not know where future will take me.

I have been really lucky to fall into this beautiful paradise of Kashmir where nature seems at its best. I have trees to cover me, winds bowing all around and still far from the emerging deforestation and pollution problems. I could not have asked for a better place that this.

I am as free as a breeze without any boundaries set on me. All are welcome to my land and no one here is treated an alien. I love when children play over me, tourists come and enjoy nature and locals give me a sense of belonging to them.

But now, I hear that Government has decided to allot me to Shri Amarnath Shrine Board. And I can see what it means for me - Barbered wires, pollution all over me, restricted entry and belonging to a particular sect only. I feel myself no different from Kashmir. And this is also a very major issue than it actually appears on the surface.

It seems to be a beginning of a ‘plotted’ plan to make Kashmir belong to everyone but not to a Kashmiri. I can foresee very small small pieces of land being allotted to different boards and organizations. Then, Government will move to the major areas and I will not be surprised if I see a Kashmiri being restricted to move freely even in its own state.

What will be your reactions if I ask Delhi Government to allot only 80 kanals of area to Kashmir Hajj Committee? It certainly will be termed as ‘conspiracy’ and ‘plan’ on the part of Kashmiris. Then, I don’t think it will be wrong to term it the ‘same’ when it comes to this case. You cannot change the implication of the terminology; they remain the same whether it is Delhi or Kashmir.

In all this, there is something that gives me great contentment. I can see all Kashmiris together responding to this issue in a correct way. No bandh call was given by any political, extremist or modernistic party but still I see deserted streets with agitations and protests all over. People have come out on their own to fight this problem. The minds have started evolving, things are not taken for granted anymore and the issue seems dealt on an intellect front.

The conscience of a common Kashmir seems awakening and it can only lead to the good of Kashmir. I would not have been luckier than belonging to such a place where people know what all it takes to stand in the toughest of times.

I won’t be surprised if I am the raison d'être to make this nation awake from its lull sleep. It just needs a trigger moment to unite a nation and I hope I am the one. I always believed that Kashmiris are courageous and intellectual and they have proven this from time to time. Be prepared Kashmiris, all hopes are on you and there is a long way to go.”

According to Mamkol, “Extraordinarily I don’t see any slumber in your eyes, relax only after you succeed”.

Matrimonial Merry Making

2008-06-20T02:01:00.000-07:00

Below are the real answers send for different profile in a matrimonial website. They are amazing and interesting too. Do take out some time to have a look:

Simply Simple
My living style is very simple. Also I am very simple. I want to marry a simple girl look beautiful, loving and smart but truthful.

Very Cool And Soft
I am a soft spoken guy. My favorite words are love, fun, honesty, respect and kindness. I am searching for a life time partner who can walk with me till my last breath. I googled also but did not find, you can be that one.

Freely Free
I am very free in nature, looking a free person who touch my heart and also mixing freely in nature to my family members.

Who Is He
I am a boy. My hobby is singing and likes to eat mango. I am a banker like my father and mother very much. I love every people for any critical case.

Beliefs Blessing
I am very much belief with my blessing present. Very typical traditionally and peculiar livings I need that kind of girl who can belief well.

Only Christian Left
Only Christian boy believes in Christ. I have born and bought in Christian moral values. Looking for a partner who believes in Christian and no more required.

Modesty International
I am NRI earn lakhs every month in dollars. Not much to say as I am nothing without my money and all I can talk about is my little crore worth properly in dollars again.

The Perfect Guy
I'm person nature and fun loving guy helpful, understand and respectable like to some one who is enjoy to life nice nature respectable. Color is to be fair in mind.

Deadly Dude
I like gangster movies of foreign. I like to visit new place and shoot in there with my expensive made in USA lens. You have to interest in that is a must.

Sermon For You
Marry me as I believe all this - God makes a match and He brings two together. Finding the right partner is possibly the most difficult decision that one makes. God will provide the one he has in stored for us just like he did for Isaac. The marriage for sure goes well if the man & wife live in Jesus cause he is the greatest binding.

Precisely Precise
I am bit emotional and want fair girl with 23 ages, waist only 28, and weight 50 only. Degree in Diploma coking and designing. Should know French fries cooking and pizza. Rest all not important.

Best For You
Want a best girl who will keep best relation of best friend too as marriage is a believes between best relation people. I want the best give the best.

Master Of All
Very simple men like every women and every place and traveling. Need just wife, ready to go to their house staying or paying his father money.

Honestly Deadly
I am looking for cool intelligent girls who understand me. I promise that I will not threat him for any matter.

In A Hurry
I am very much strong in my attitude. I likes to those persons who better humanity. Mission is my great motto and tell you later . . .

According to Mamkol, “So distressed for marriage, they have not read about the original sin.”

One Very Incredible Incident

2008-06-19T20:19:00.000-07:00

Life is filled with so many incidents that always remain with you. Today, I am going to tell you one of the most amazing incidents of my college life. It really gave me a tough time but I enjoyed a lot too.

This incident happened is actually a result of different incidents that occurred to me during my three years in college.

First year in College
As I had recently joined the college, there were butterflies in my stomach. It was a good feeling but a little scary too. I made a number of friends and all of them were senior to me. I started enjoying their company, having tea together, silly jokes, smoking and what not. Canteen, as always, used to be our hanging place.

One day we were sitting in the canteen cracking jokes and smoking. But suddenly we realized that we had no cigarettes left. Canteen guy was not allowed to keep cigarettes and we had to move out of campus to get it, which seemed quite tough in the heat.

There was a man, around 35, sitting in the canteen with long hair, a little beard, and camera hanging around his neck. He had a new packet of cigarettes which he had just opened and was quite visible to all of us. Being the cool dude, I approached him and asked for a cigarette. He started giving me lectures about behaving with elders, manners and bla bla bla . . .

He left the canteen in anger and even threatened to complaint to the authorities but we thought, “Who cares” and we never did.

Second Year in College
It had been almost one and a half year in college for me. Except my lecturers, I was known to all the peons, clerks, canteen owner, and security guards. I went to the canteen and was having tea when I suddenly got the sight of that long haired man I had seen a year ago. He had gone a little bald this time.

Being mischievous, I though of pulling his leg. I again approached him and the first thing he said, “Don’t you think you are shameless, I hope you have come over to apologize”. It boiled my blood and I replied, “Not at all, I just wanted to tell you that you are the worst smoker I have seen. You don’t care about fellow smokers. So, I think you better be sorry”.

The argument continued but he was really patient and left very calmly. Other guys asked me who he was and I said, “I had to settle scores with him, must be the college photographer. Always has a camera hanging around his neck”.

Third Year in College
This was the time when I got screwed up. I had philosophy in my graduation time. As a rule, when you are in your final year, the Head Of the Department (HOD) of philosophy gives you lectures. I liked that subject as it gave me the best of freedom to express. I was all excited to see the HOD.

The moment I entered the classroom, my eyes popped out, earth seemed moving, there was nothing but darkness and I could hardly take a breath. That long haired man was my HOD and I didn’t know how to react. He threw me out the class and said, “You won’t be allowed to enter in this class and so, with zero attendance you cannot sit in the exams. That is the right way to deal with kids like you”.

I turned into a statue and the coming days were tougher. I tried my level best but he didn’t allow me to even enter his class. He even issued a blacklist of candidates who were short of attendance and I topped the list. So, it was made very clear that I cannot appear in the exam.

But then, God helps those who help others. I made the peon to remove that list from the board, talked to the clerk and admission in charge officer about my state of affairs the. I had spent some good time and money on them and it finally paid. Thanks to those 1400 rupees, I appeared in the coming exam.

After results
After the results were out, I went to his office. I gifted him a box of sweets, a cigarette packed and a matchbox as a goodwill gesture. Even though he didn’t responded the same way and didn’t accept anything, no hard feelings dude. It made him worse than ever before. I hope he understands this world quickly.

The best part about that entire incident is that I still don’t know his name. But I did learn a few things from this incident.

According to Mamkol, “Always carry extra cigarettes with you, don’t fiddle with long haired bald going strangers and never attend you HOD’s class”.

The Amusing English

2008-06-18T00:34:00.000-07:00

Every passing day, we discover more and more about the need of ‘English’ as a very vital means of communicating. It is undoubtedly the Global language at this era, in India at least. But, what happens when English language is used in a very confusing manner that makes you think, laugh, cry and sympathize with the people who have written it. I have certain experiences to share with you:

Sale and Service available
Usually refers to the technological stuff, gadgets, cars and other such things. But, it was written on a shop that sells fishes. Sale is ok but what about servicing. I thought there would be surgeons but could locate only handful of sales people who didn’t even knew how to speak ‘English’. God really needs to bless them and I wonder if they have spare parts for the fishes also. I should have asked them, better luck next time.

24 hours open
You will say ‘normal’ but listen. It was not written on a billboard but shutter of a closed medical shop. Now, how much is it normal dude?

Addidas, Nike, Rebook, Puma – You have it all
I know you will say that these are brands but wait a minute. It was written on a single t-shirt and the shirt was manufactured by a company called ‘S-Mark’. What a combination guys, all brands under one roof. By the way, how many of you know about this merger. I still am trying to locate it on Google.

Made from only clean and fresh hydrogen and oxygen
Guess before you move on reading about it. It was for mineral water bottle which I got on Delhi-Jammu highway. Creative minds over exhaust themselves and the result is visible.

Well built, no history and in good health condition
This was in a matrimonial newspaper. Don’t laugh guys; I have tried to interpret what he meant to say. He needed a 6 feet tall girl with no boyfriend since she was born and in the best of health. He actually referred to ‘Eve’. Only she didn’t have a boyfriend before marriage and was the only lady who did not suffer from even a single disease. Somebody tell him that he is born too late.

All female treatments available – come with your wife and forget
A roadside quack had this written on his tent shop. I hope he really didn’t mean what he had written otherwise most of the husbands would have done that till now. Women are the toughest to handle, I bet he does not know what the meaning of what is written on his shop.

For rent – sorry to bachelors, no lady keeps home clean
I am still trying to get the gist of it. Why is he sorry to bachelors and why does he feel that no lady can keep home clean? We need a philosopher to crack this out, anybody out there.

According to Mamkol, “Have you heard about that famous line – ass you lick it”.

Do not realize after losing – It Has No Worth

2008-05-27T22:20:00.000-07:00

Only eight years old, Armaan was in fact different from all other children of his age. He had seen more of the world than any one of them. His parents were not living together and the divorce case was still hanging in the court. His dream of getting a younger brother was vanished when his mama went for an abortion because it was getting difficult for her to live with his dad. Being a single mother, she considered it unfeasible to carry the burden of two children.

Armaan had a set schedule of staying with his mom and dad on alternate days. Even though both lived on the same street, just two minutes away, Armaan would never ever even think of going to mom when he was at dad’s place or vice versa. He never wanted to be the reason between his parents to argue over.

But Armaan was special. Although too young, he was happy with what he had. He never complained and always presented a happy picture of his family. He was always optimistic that things will get better and he would pray every night for his ‘perfect family’ that he always desire.

Then, something happened which no one ever imagined will occur. Armaan suddenly felt ill in school and was rushed to the hospital. He felt unconscious in the classroom and fainted. By the time his parents arrived, he was back to his senses. It was exactly after six months that his parents were together at one place and he was happy to see that, even though not in the manner he prayed for. The smile on Armaan’s face was saying it all, he was felling better than ever before.

In the coming few days, Armaan remained hospitalized and his parents were there for him. He felt happier in being sick and prayed to God to keep him always sick so that he can get care and love from both the parents. He went through a series of tests and examinations during this time.

At the time of discharging him form the hospital, Armaan’s parents went to the doctor’s room. The doctor looked stunned, puzzled and confused. He felt out of words while talking to Armaan’s parents. He just uttered, “Your son has a tumor and he has only one month left to be with you. I know won’t accept it but this is the truth. Give him all the happiness he deserves”.

Armaan’s parents didn’t know what to do or how to react, they felt speechless and shocked. All they could think is of their son, who was unaware of what all was going to happen. The parents tried to consult doctors all over the globe but of no use. They knew that the time is running and they cannot do anything. Finally, they decide to give him the best time he is worthy of.

His parents told him that they are going to be together now and they will live happily as before. Armaan was surprised but felt relieved that God has finally answered his prayers. His parents also told him to ask for anything he wishes as a gift from them.

Armaan wrote his three wishes in three different envelopes and numbered them. But there was a condition, till one wish is not completed, no one will open the second envelope. Armaan’s parents opened the first envelope which said, “I want you to promise me that we will live as a perfect family”. And his ‘perfect family’ always included his parents, him and his one younger brother. His parents had no other option but to accept. But Armaan told them he will evaluate their actions in the coming days and then decide whether they really kept this promise or not.

His parents tried their level best to make sure that they live like before and even succeeded. Two weeks went by and Armaan felt contented and he started to believe that he has got the foundation for his perfect family. One day he called his parents and said, “I am happy that you guys kept the promise and now, we can open the second envelope.”

His parents had only tears in their eyes and they knew that the most awful is coming and the little Armaan is ignorant about it. It hurt them more and every day was a doomsday for them. The second envelope read, “I want you to take me to Nanital for 10 days vacation”. This was the place where they had gone when his mama was expecting. He always missed that time as he was expecting his younger brother to arrive.

So, they went all the way to Nanital. He relived all the moments again and made sure that he doesn’t miss a single second of it. He felt happy like never before. Although the time was running but Armaan’s parents had no choice but to see their son going away. They couldn’t even cry. The night they were going back, Armaan felt ill and was rushed to the hospital.

Armaan’s condition was getting worse and he was airlifted to the city for treatment. But nothing seemed to help at all. After struggling a week in hospital, Armaan finally bid adieu to this filthy world. The loss was intolerable but had to be lived with. Things seemed darker with every passing moment. Tears kept rolling and there was no end to agony.

After burying Armaan, his parents came back to the house where they found the envelope marked ‘3’. This envelope had Armaan’s last wish written on it. They opened the envelope and it read, “I know that I prayed to God to keep me unwell so that mom and dad can come and see me together but I want to get well now. I have got the ‘perfect family’ I always wanted and no more asking from my side God. Only one request – Please let me live, I do not want to die. I know I am going to leave this world but Please God please ….. Hey mom and dad, tell God no, it is the last wish I promise”.

Armaan left but got his parents together but we don’t want to lose Armaan to understand relations and take them the correct way. Look at yourself and answer; do you really want Armaan to die to get the sense of realization?

According to Mamkol, “Pain has no principle, but do your principles stop you from giving pain”.

Upgrading Proverbs

2008-05-26T03:29:00.001-07:00

Since childhood we have heard very famous proverbs and sayings. But they seem to have become outdated now; need modifications to fit in the contemporary era.

With all respect for these sayings, this is just an effort to make things clearer and up to date for the future generations to comprehend the meanings efficiently.

If wishes were horses’ beggars would ride – Horses have become obsolete now, replace them with a car, except Nano which is again affordable. The other option can be substituting horses by roads and beggars by people. Now read it, ‘If wishes were roads, people would drive’. This is ideal, because we really don’t have space on roads to drive.

Every dog has its day – God damn it, whose has been the night till now. We cannot do much with dogs, cannot change their name here - Animal Rights Violation. There is an addition which is required, about bitches. It is an era of equality and we have to keep these things in mind. So, it can be ‘Every dog has its day and every bitch has its life’. See, I am talking about Women Empowerment.

Practice makes a man perfect – By the way, which perfectionist wrote it? There is nothing in this globe which is perfect except GOD and I bet HE hasn’t written it. We need to be more practical in our lives and admit the realities. Make it, “practice and then dream of being perfect”. See, I don’t give you hopes of being perfect but the liberation to dream about it.

Talk of the devil and he is sure to appear – It needs alteration, considering the amount of effect a ‘devil’ has on the generations. Simply change it to, ‘Talk of Devil or not, he is sure to emerge’ because he is omnipresent. High rates of misdeed, violence, cruelty and greediness are the best examples to justify this amendment.

The more you have, the more you want - It is absolutely not the manner things are happening at the moment. Whatever you have or whatsoever you get, you always want more and more. It is an acquisitive, selfish, voracious globe where no one is contented; people demand more and become nomadic in their thoughts. Change it to, ‘Whatever you have, you want more’. Let us be in agreement with how we act.

Money is the root of all evils – I don’t see this is possible. Money on its own cannot be blamed for the evils; it is the humans that should be liable. Give money to any animal (other than human), he would not be able to do anything with it. For them, these are meager pieces of paper. Because we cannot remove humans from this globe, change the proverb to “Humans are the root of all evils”.

According to Mamkol, “Where there is a will, there has to be money”.

Taglines - Do they really tag

2008-05-22T23:49:00.000-07:00

A tagline is an alternative of a branding slogan characteristically used in promotion materials. A tagline creates an impressive phrase to summarize the nature and idea of a brand, or to emphasize the audience's memory of a product.

I have come across some very famous taglines but they take my imagination to altogether different heights, to everything but not that brand.

Don't leave home without it – Credit Card
This tagline definitely reminds me of my identity card. Each and every person in every nook and corner of the Kashmir valley does hold an identity card. Since turmoil, it is seen as a ‘must thing’ for everyone, especially while moving out of your residence.

Reach out and touch someone – Telecom Company
How on earth can a guy of my age imagine this tagline is for a telecom company? It looks more of some adult stuff than anything else. Kind of night out parties . . .

If it feels good then just do it – Shoes
This definitely appears like one of the fundamental rights or a clause in the constitution that gives you absolute liberty. I wonder if it was true, how this world would look like.

God's own country – A state in India
So, we finally know where God lived. I just have one question in mind; if this is God’s own country, to whom do the others belong. Hopefully not Satan, but this seems rather obvious.

Where a man belongs – Cigarette Company
Do they really know where we belong to? If yes, they must be selling plots and tickets to that place. But, I guess they refer to the hospitals and graveyards, kind of advance booking for the men. Seeing the future . . .

The happiest place on earth – Disneyland
Whenever I see this, I remember my mom’s lap, which undoubtedly is the happiest place on this earth. I wish to be lucky to be there always, but if wishes were horses beggars would ride. And even we also don’t have horse tracks here. . .

Whatever happens, feel good – Radio Station
This reminds me of the feel good factor. Absolutely perfect line for a common man, no matter how high the prices are, no matter how many problems and issues you face, just feel good. That is precisely how we are brought up, actually nobody cares.

Making Twice the Noise – Newspaper Organization
The moment I saw this, it reminded me of the loud speaker phones that I had got in my childhood. They really made twice the noise than the ordinary ones. Even though I paid Mr. Nazir Ahmad Dar (the shopkeeper) little money (for not letting anyone know that the device was transported illegally) but then also, it was worth the amount.

According to Mamkol, “You can’t eat just one; you paid for the whole packet”.

Wait: Do not blog people, I have the reasons

2008-05-05T23:06:00.000-07:00

Blogging is a creative art which involves ‘you’ and nothing but ‘you’. You don’t just write but express yourself and also learn the ways how people communicate. It broadens your scope of understanding things and accepting them.

But there are a good number of populaces which disagrees and consider blogging of no use. For such people, I present the reasons for ‘not to blog’

Don’t ever express

People love to be suppressed and have no will to convey liberally. They are brought up to remain confined in their thoughts, creativity and understanding of the world. They love to be like that and don’t believe in changing themselves for the good. They take pride in calling them ‘conservatives’.

I had a friend in my school days and everyone used to beat him, including me (seriously for no reasons). But he would always say, “You don’t know me and the day you do, you will realize what a big mistake you have done”. He never said who he was and we never realized our mistake. I still wait for him to say what he wanted. This is simply what I call by ‘do not express’.

No to ‘exposure’

Such people do not have the desire for exposure, they stick to what they know and don’t want to open up to any new ideas. They consider that they know enough and that ‘enough’ is more than sufficient. Again, I have a tale to tell about this.

One of my second cousins felt that he was a master of all. He would never listen to us and believed he knew everything. One day, he came to our place and I showed him my video game. I wanted to tell him about this new gadget but he said that he knew everything about it. My mischievous brother asked him, “Do you know that this game works on petrol and mixture of water in a proportion”. My cousin’s immediate answer was, “Yes, I know that it needs power to run the game which petrol supplies and water cools it down to make sure it does not heat up”. We couldn’t stop laughing. Alas! We never heard anything since that day from the poor chap.

People don’t need power, knowledge or growth

The majority of the populace does not, at all, believe in requiring any sort of power, knowledge or growth. There are many categories here – ones who feel that they know enough to sustain in this world splendidly, a few who don’t know what they should know, others who are unaware of their boundaries of knowledge and the rest who know nothing at all. If you belong to any one of these types, do not blog at all. Genuinely, you are doing the right thing.

One more story so that you don’t get bored. We had a general store nearby whose owner was an old 65 year old Rahim Kaka. He was a gentleman with abuses forever on his lips, sober with always a stick in his hand and very tidy to bath after every 10 days. TV’s were common in the valley and Rahim Kaka was asked by some person as to why he didn’t have one. People suggested him that he can learn better ways of living through it. He replied, “It won’t teach me how to make more profits, will you motherfuckers will pay me more for the vegetables if I get one. You fuckers just want me to go in debt and then, I can sell my vegetables for less”.

All I say is that ignorance is bliss. God rest Rahim Kaka’s soul in peace.

People don’t want to share anything

People who hate sharing things cannot blog at all. They believe in the principle that one thing shared means all things shared (this ‘all’ for them includes everything, I hope you understood). They are like those people kept in a cell in complete darkness for years and hate light because they never saw it. They feel that by sharing things their knowledge decreases, I truly pity them but no sympathies.

I had a batch mate in college who was too good in English. We all knew that but he would never teach us anything. He always felt that he might get a good competition even if he shares one percent of his knowledge, inferiority complex. Our first paper always used to be English. I begged him in the exam to tell me a couple of answers but he disagreed out rightly. I couldn’t do anything and left those questions like that. Every dog has a day and it was his. Then, mine came.

We appeared for an entrance exam and luckily the guy was sitting next to me. We needed to cross 75 points to qualify for the second test and that guy only knew 62 exactly. We were the only two guys left in the hall and last few seconds were left. I helped him out with 12 till he reached 74 and then said bye to him. It must have hurt, but ought to pursue what you preach.

People never change

Although change is unavoidable, these people defy the rules. They don’t want to change even if it is for the better. They are stubborn with locked minds, rigid ideas and very conventional in their point of view. It also includes people who blog but for the sake of it, the most dangerous ones.

I have a not so close friend who blogs regularly but for the heck of it. He is the same he was when he started blogging He has not been able to make use of it in an appropriate way. He is very much orthodox in his ideas; his acceptance level is ‘zero’ with no respect for the different points of opinion. I met his ‘learning curve’ yesterday and she complained of being starved for years.

A blog is not just a means of writing your point of view but also accepting the ‘other’ views. This can help you broader your scope of acknowledging and comprehending things effortlessly.

According to Mamkol, “Blog and block have only a difference of two alphabets, make sure it really counts”