No birthday blues

It was my birthday recently and though I can never ask my friends for a specific birthday present (other than a list of books that I seem to always have), my friends still take a lot of trouble to come out with unique gifts that I will appreciate ( a red fake leather bag still haunts me, bought with my consent, only to not risk a friend’s anger… turns out I should have because am still held guilty for even allowing that bag to be bought).
Anyway.
This gift was not only the most interesting this time, but most appreciated by everyone. Check out the dice and other similar products here. Thank you Annie.

The naughty tales of the translation Where are you going, you monkeys by ki. Rajamaryanan came specially tied up

Speak out

Turns out Mutalik has now become a representational symbol for all that needs to be corrected and despite the success of the infamous Pink Chaddi Campaign, everyone seems to be questioning the merit of it.

Sagarika Ghose apart, why give them additional publicity and air time when all they are doing is just a cry for that anyway, is the general opinion. But are we going after Shri Ram Sene with more urgency than that cop in Chandigarh because of their famed name?

It is also true that none of the women (as far as I know) filed complaints against Mutalik and there is another story there which wasn’t covered by the media. The story about bar girls and changing loyalties and locals getting in and giving those women a piece of their mind amidst this protest against India’s famed culture.

So not only is the media biased.. but we are too. Not giving anyone else a chance? I personally don’t like the BJP and am the first to lump all similar heathens with them.. whether they are khaki-clad old men or strange never-heard-of-before-but-share apparently similar ideologies. Was this about the right to freedom or was it about the freedom of women? One that seems to really in danger these days.

If only about freedom, why are we not up in arms against all those landlords who don’t give houses to single girls in cities but will let 12 boys live together because boys together, really what can they do to the fibre of India’s society? And when you talk in greater detail to any landlord, he will mention he doesn’t really mind giving the house to single girls but hates getting involved with the police!! What does that mean? Any time girl/girls live alone, the police gets involved?

Women are still given grief, whichever the city, to get a house. The implied suggestions of brothels and orgies are taken mutely. Character certificates are demanded and even provided. Parents are called and, in some cases, marriage certificates also produced.

Then when you read the comments in this post, you realize that whatever happens it’s always the woman who is blamed – her outfit, her friends, her profession, her character and her very existence.

No Pink chaddis will cure this mentality.

Ugly sides?

The is why you are fat…

and a new definition of porn…

Hindutva is not how it is meant to be

In the last few months, even the last one year… I have been forced to constantly question my eternal hatred of Narendra Modi. Somehow it’s one feeling that hasn’t dimmed since 2002. No amount of books on the subject or clean chits given to him or the industry doyens hailing him as the CEO of new India has made a difference.

In my new office I came across a girl who has made me question it really closely. Has it really become fashionable to hate Hindus? (the example of Slumdog Millionaire fit in as recently) Am I really that one-sided about it? Not willing to see that HE may be a good administrator (the roads in that start are fantastic) even as he willingly let children and babies die. Yes he wasn’t the first and probably won’t be the last.  But for some reason he was the turning point

But I realised slowly why I hated the Hindu right-wing lobby. It’s mostly because these bloody right wing lobbyists showed me how this was not the Hindusim I grew up with.

The religion I was brought up with showed me equal opportunity was not something some people deigned to give. It wasn’t the religion that put down other communities, made victims of innocent people. It wasn’t the religion that decided because I was woman, I wasn’t allowed to do the many things that men are allowed to.

It didn’t make me feel ashamed. That I was a Hindu.

And for that one reason alone I will never be able to support right-wing Hindu fundamentalists and if that means not supporting an able administrating government, so be it.
If it means I have a different ideology and that I support minorities who aren’t always fair to other minorities, so be it.

Because I was taught not to be ashamed of my religion and I will do everything in my power to make that right.

Someone I visited over the weekend…

Meet Firoza… you think we could convince her owners to let us dog-sit her?