Who is she?

The long legged woman,in red and black,looked steadfastly at the "flashy cars,creme suit men",ride past her.She looked intently,desires burning in her "smokey eyes",desirous of a fulfilled life,desirous of getting back to bed,safe and sound.Her desires smashed to the cold stoney grounds,with the screeching long cars and thuds of black polished boots.Society calls her prostitute!Abhors her for indecency,treats her as scum,smacks her face,and smears it with disrespect.Yet,society needs her.She is no daughter,no mother,no sister,no beloved.She is but a  "woman" with flesh and hollow soul.She is a prostitute,yet society needs her.A "woman" she is,yet disrespected by her own clan.Yes!she is a "women",yet her children are tainted "bastards".Yes,she is a woman,and society needs her.Needs her,to fulfill the dark deep desires,down the dark streets of the "red light"area.Yes,she is wanted,though momentarily.Yet,she is a scum,a prostitute.Woman of flesh and hollow soul.Yet,society needs her?

She has no place to go.No recognition to hold,no motherhood to cherish.She is no sister,no daughter,no mother,to sink in the tenderness of love.When on a cold night,she walks down the lane,is their anyone who would kiss her lips,Sing her love songs or wipe her tears?Yet,society needs her.

Is she really needed?Momentary,yes indeed,but
never for lifelong.

Society,it is!The cruelsome society.

Modernization or alienation?

What is this modernization, modernization?

When we have no time for realization?

What is this modernization,modernization?

When we have no time for realization?

What is this tech creature?

Making us suffer from alienation?

What is this modernization,modernization?

When I crave for love,with no friends around

Wanting to bask in the warm arms,

What is this modernization,modernization?

Because,I suffer from alienation.

Boxed in a room,

I drink and smoke,

What is this modernization,modernization?

I am but a creature of techni-sation.

What is this modernization,modernization?

I need friends,real and coy,

Whose ears I can blare with the words,Ahoy!

What is this selfie-nation?

Where is it leading us,this modernization?

What is this modernization,modernization?

We are but pets,pets strapped to the gadget-demons,

We are but slaves,trying to find salvation

What is this modernisation?

When I see a war,I walk away,

blinded with Techni-sation,

What is this modernization,modernization?

When on my birthday night,surrounded by techno-freaks,

I wait to blow my candles,

I wonder:oh what creep

What Is this modernization,modernization?

I am left alone,I suffer from alienation

What is this big screen tablets,

And small screen phones,

And blaring I pods,and Gucci shoes from abroad,

Ensnaring me to embrace techni-sation

I run away

Crying,save me from modernization,modernization,

I have had enough of this alienation.

"The story of the nightingale"

When I was young,I didn't quite understand what love was,and love stories definitely had no implications on me.I was never desirous of travelling down the lane of vows,cuddles and solitary moonlight walks.So when the young boy wept for not being able to bring his lady love the blood red rose,I only laughed.And when the nightingale above the tree,beneath which the bright boy wept uncontrollably,I wondered what was wrong?Till one moonlit night,the beautiful nightingale sung to the tunes of love,sacrificing its blood,pierced his breast into the thorn of the white rose tree.Blood flowed,down the criss cross twigs,colouring the rose blood red,till the nightingale died,died for the sake of love.And my heart now writhes in pain,to realise how brutal was the bright boy,to throw away the bright red blood drenched rose into the gutter,betrayed by the woman he loved.I now no longer laugh at the vows of love,no longer sneer at its existence..

A tribute to nature

One evening,near the sea,I gazed at the vastness of the shimmering land.The clear,cold and shimmering waters,against the warmth of the setting sun,adding red hues to the sky.The beauty of nature,and the glory in watching it,I had been lost in it.How blissful is it to gaze at something more breathtaking and beautiful than the most beautiful masterpieces of jewelriesWatching the sun set against the snug beach,draped in a sarong ,so light that it flared against the breeze.How breathtaking is it,I thought to myself.If nature is so beautiful,why are we wrecking havoc on it?If nature is the epitome of peace and serenity,why does mankind not be satisfied?Why are we propelled by the intensity to destroy it?I intently thought to myself.

That evening,I couldnt sleep in peace.My mind was full of the screams,with images of the dead devastated nature.Memories of the past haunted me.I was scared.I thought:if I were a bird,how would I feel to be homeless?If I were a tree,how would I feel to be chopped into pieces?If I were but a butterfly,how would I feel when I had no buttercups to feed on?I shivered at the thought.The intensity overcame me.I thought to myself how would I as a human feel to be rendered homeless?To be stabbed innumerable times?To be mercilessly thrown against the vast victims of hunger and poverty?How would I feel?This is a question that lingered in my mind.Perhaps,my flitting against the bed that night arose from the intensity of the questions I longed to ask my fellow beings.How would you feel?.

 "WHAT MONEY CAN'T BUY"


Money,is the symbolism of power in society.If you have money,you can buy all your whims and fancies.Money is as important as food ,in order to survive in this society.

However,not all fancies and whims can be bought by money!You cannot buy the happiness of looking into someone's eyes,you cannot buy the experience of a first  motherhood,you cannot buy the excitement of a newly married bride,you cannot buy the smile of a sunkissed face.Nature and its beauty;things we can "feel",is untouched by this materialistic comforter.

I want to ask all the gizmo freaks,have you ever felt how it feels to wake up to a beautiful morning,sunkissed after a snow storm?
Have you ever known,how it feels to take a stroll under the crystal moonlit sky?
Have you ever thought of hearing the rythms of the heart's rise and fall?
Have you had time enough,to watch the tides rise and fall?

Did you?

If you haven't you have missed out on this beauty.Nothing compares to the peace your soul is delivered with,with the happiness you get by offering a poor shelter.Nothing compares to the vast expanses of nature!

If money could buy peace,we would be in peace forever,for there would be no wars.But money does create wars,the lust for power,loss of integrity.It has positivity,it has vice.It will allure you,and it is our wise judgement not to let it destroy us!


So,my dear dear friends,once in a while,leave your gadgets behind,walk up the streets and down the lanes:explore and express.Feel the tiny dewdrops,feels the frozen sickle,feel the sunkissed morning.Feel it!

                                             Gender differentiation based on colour codes:


Ladies' Home Journal article in June 1918 said, "The generally accepted rule is pink for the boys, and blue for the girls.In the 1940s manufacturers settled on pink for girls and blue for boys, so Baby Boomers were raised with wearing the two colors.

This article questions the validity of colour code based gender differentiation.Why is gender differentiation based on colour?The reason behind pink and blue deciding between a boy and girl?The pink and blue colour codes deciding gender is definitely not biological! It is conventional!


My question is why should sex determination be driven by pre set notions of colour codes?.The biasedness of the pink- blue colour is also questionable.If colour determines sex,why doesn't other colours red,green,yellow etc determine that?

I definitely disagree with the colour codes determining sex!These are just conventions society sets to determine the two sexes!I fully disagree with the need to approve of colour codes behind determination of sex.Few researchers have suggested the need for neutral colour code for sex determination.I support this move.What about you?

Gruesome murderer

She watched the cold blooded murder of her mother Lady Dara.At the age of 12,this pre teen watched the ghastly event.She hid behind the big black board.After the murderers left,she quietly crawled towards her mother.She held her face in her tiny blood drenched hands and heard her mother murmer the name of the murderer before she closed her eyes forever.This event had taken a toll on little Dara.She couldn't forget it.She suffered from a mental disorder.Nineteen years later,far away in the snow capped Switzerland,quietly sitting beside the window gazing at the snowfall,she watched intently.She was calm.She hardly spoke.She was a changed person.

Several weeks later,while walking near the Oxford street,she passed by an old wretched looking man.No one knew what was in her mind .She came home,took out her brown copy and scribbled something.Then she went off to sleep.

A year later,the officers found a dead "old man",near the Oxford street.Who was he?This old man was certain Mr.James,owner of a small good shop in a darkened lane.Why was this feeble man killed was the question.The murderer left no clue.Parallaly in the same snow capped Swiss mountains,"Miss Dara",seated by the same window in a calm posture with her eyes moist looked intently at her mothers' picture.It was unsual for her to cry for this is something she never did in years,past the incident of her mothers' murder.In the brown copy,she scribbled something "Mother,You may now rest in peace ,for I have punished the sinners"....

Miss Dara ,was the initiator of the cold blooded murder of the "wretched old man".She hunted him down at the Oxford street after looking for him for years.She befriended him,gained his trust and stabbed him to avenge the death of her mother.For years,this is what Miss Dara had in her mind.She smiled at last,closed the brown book.This time she didnot go off to sleep.Instead it was time for celebration.Wih her mothers' picture infront,she lit the candles,offered her prayers to the almighty and prayed for the peace of her mothers' soul...The cold blooded murder was avenged.

adaptation: frankenstein

It was dark,pouring for hours that evening.Dr Frankenstein,sitting near the faint red light,lost in deep agony.Suddenly the shrill ring of the telephone,broke the silence.Mary!Are you fine my child?.The housekeeper,ran downstairs surprised by the sudden commotion.With enquiring eyes,she looked into the eyes of Frankenstein.Sir?is everything alright?.By then Frankenstein had his eyes lowered as he sank into the crafted chair.With eyes moist in tears he looked up-Mary,my child is in trouble.I am to be blamed for the outcome.In greed for wealth and power,have I destroyed my own peace.

The housekeeper,puzzled with her masters' attitude stood there surprised!Frankenstein lifted up his head to speak,Martha,do you remember about the hideous monster I created at the Parkinson laboratory last year?.

Yes Sir,but what is that troubles now?Was is not shot at and burnt by the forest officials?

Perhaps it survived.Oh!what a terrible act have I performed.What a fool have I been,to risk my repute for money.The creature didnot die.It appeared yesterday at the Woodhouse Lane only to scare my daughter away.I am scared of her safety.Hurry up!we need to go.


At 12 am,in the dead of midnight Frankenstein alongwith his housekeeper set out for Woodhouse Lane.They crossed the vacant tolls on the way and the dark creepy forests.Nothing except their own heavy breath was to be heard inside the car.After an hour,they parked outside Woodhouse.

Ting tong!the bell rang.Mrs Gardener,Mary's caretaker appeared at the door,puzzled at his  sudden visit.Everything ok,Sir?You look ghastly.Dropping down his overcoat,Frankenstein began the tale of his misery and guilt.Mrs gardener,stood there shocked,unable to believe the news.She knew Frankenstein to be a man of nobilty and good deeds and to hear of his dark side shocked her.


It was late Summer,when Frankenstein seized by the power to amass wealth and fame,set out on a secret experiment of infusing life into dead.For the purpose,he chose a giant ape.After months of struggle into secrecy,he finally suceeded.As victory seized his mind,he committed a mistake:an unforgivable mistake of leaving the door of the laboratory ajar.The strange hideous creature fleed.Shocked and afraid Frankenstein went into a fit of frenzy.He beat up his head against the wall,at the loss.Months later,there were news about unwanted killings in the nearby area.Only corpses could be seen.The stench stagnated the air.For days Frankenstein,locked himself up,haunted by the guilt.On confiding to Martha,his trustworthy housekeeper,he gave up at the police quarters,admitting the crime.He promised to help nab and kill the creature.After a week,the creature was killed and ablazed.But problems didnot end there.




Its just been a month,isnt it?Asked Frankenstein frantically.How on earth could the creature have come alive?Wasnt it killed then?For sometime Frankenstein appeared like a madman questioning again and again about the validity of the incident.Is it so that it mated?He looked up.Martha,do you think so,If then ,we are doomed,He dialled the number of the county police.In few minutes the police arrived and after a brief discussion they arrived at a conclusion to track and trap the creature.For months,he couldnot sleep,worried about the safety of his daughter.

After months of futile search,they finally found clues.The creature had moved south into the dense forests and created havoc.A joint venture of the police,scientists and local people helped trap the creature and its offsprings.Frankenstein apologised publicly for the crime he committed,This time,the creatures were properly exhumed,leaving no traces of it.Finally a sigh of relief.

Mary was relocated to Woodhouse for her studies.Life seemed normal.Frankenstein retired from the laboratory to spend time in solace.He was now an old man.




_readaptation of Frankenstein (Marry Shelly)

Path!




1pm,month of June.Scorching heat,thirsty lips,and legs numb with pain.I stood there fifteen minute sharp before I was let in through the winding staircases and beautiful landscape.I was scared.Exams are definitely scary,isnt it?Room 10,that way,said the guard standing stone cold at the entrance.The faint breeze tossed my hair.I let out a sigh of relief.For the first time I was at the prestigious Hindu college,Delhi University.I had a mixed feeling of pride and terror!

So,the bell.Death bell?For some funny reason it reminded me of Shakespeare's death bell in Macbeth!
I chuckled.A look at the question paper and I went blank.It was absolutely the opposite  of what I expected it to be.I hurried to complete my paper but alas!the "bell" had rung.I met a group of sad,moist eyed mates upset over the exams.I remained quiet.I lost hopes.I was enchanted by the red brick landscape of Delhi University and I secretly longed to be there.Who wouldnt?

Well!it was time for me to leave. I packed my bags half heartedly,wanting to cry.A week passed.The results.I felt I lost the game.The game to a bright future.Day 2.My happiness knew no bounds!It was like a dream born out of ashes like the phoenix.I rang my dad up.I set out for another journey,with rebuilt hopes.

Yes!I made it.I was selected.A new journey.Promising as it seemed.Who knew then life had some other plans.


Delhi:I was so ignorant of the glitz and glamour of a metro like this.I was new,suddenly pushed amongst the "well dressed" masses.The colourful metro lines were altogether confusing.A new place,and definitely a culture shock.
\A new place to live in,and new varieties of food.Place!yes,that place brought tears of repent in my eyes over choosing Delhi.I spent a week,feeding on mineral water and definitely the misery of an unwanted dirty living condition.


Struggle had begun.There was no looking back.I was scared by my psuedo intellectual classmates!
Were they really well read?or was it mere pretense.Well,a coin definitely has two sides!Aha!
No doubt,I had brilliant classmates and well ,excellent teachers.

Four beautiful months,and as I said life gives you unexpected turns!I was selected once again for my studies abroad.New hopes?built form the ashes of desires?Yes!life it is.Unexpected trysts.I feel like a traveller,travelling places,meeting people,constant struggle to survive,fighting my own vulnerabities and adjusting to vulagrities!My unexpected,exciting life.Yet I am content.


Come what may,I will stand and brave thee!

                                                               Vagaries

theme:have you ever felt the silent echoes haunt you?
the constant struggle with your inner demons,and the world,
a struggle to survive and emerge victorious.when memories break all your trust ,hopes and desires.
that feeling when you are pushed off the edge.
When too much pain,ends up in identity crisis..Painful,isnt it?

Remember me,I looked at the mirror,
I asked myself,perplexed!
What have I done to myself?
I cried!

Victim of vagaries,
Whims that looked like fancy dreams!
What have I done to myself?
I asked myself?

Have I lost myself,
The truth had faded away,
I am here,defined by the cruel world,

Its driving me crazy,
I want some light,
Its dark in here,
I am suffocating!


I cry in pain,
Is this me?

Silent murderer,
That instilled in me,
hopes and desires
To live and love,
I cannot deny!


Was I a fool then,
to believe in you?
Light!i cried!
I am suffocating!

                                         The wedding...

Last December,when I met you first,
I fell in love,

Your eyes so bright,
and lips,that spoke with delight,

last December,when we took a stroll,
near the blue water fall,

We spoke of love,
We spoke of joy,


Last December,
I so vividly remember,


Entwined in your arms,
I looked at you:charmed,


Last December,when you professed your love,
I longed to get married,and turn entirely;yours


When your lips spoke my name,
I quivered with passion,

You held me tight,
I felt you were my obsession,

And then,that night,When you proposed me for marriage,
I squealed with delight,

Last December,
amidst the morning snow,

We wedded in peace,
My heart simply,felt at ease,


a year later,
blessed as I am,

December,of that year,
I so vivdly remember,


It is December again,
amidst the same snow,


We lie entwined,
our faces shining,
with blissful glow...

frozen desires

                                         Spaces...

The clock struck 12.It was 21 November,2010.Ana's birthday.She turned 12. The faint flickering candle light,
added a romantic touch to her feminine figure.Her long unending curls,glowed brown in the dim light.Dressed in white,her favorite colour,she rose from her bed.She quickly crossed the blue pillar,outside her room and headed towards the lawn.She felt free.She opened up her arms,and felt the chills of the midnight air.A sweet smell lingered in the air.The smell of roses.She looked up,as if trying to unearth the mysteries of nature.Glancing steadfastly at the twinkling stars,she tossed her curls.Leaning over the balcony,she was lost in romantic thoughts.For the first time,she felt a sudden rush of emotions.Yes!she was in love.In love with the natural beauty and wild landscapes.Her pleasure was short lived.The door to the lawn flung open.Her aunt,rushed out,and pulled Ana forcibly.Ana shrieked in pain.She struggled to be set free.She was pushed into her room.She heard the door lock.

new beggining

Ana,the 12 year old daughter of rich industrialists.Her parents were no more.All alone,in the treacherous world,she was left under the sole guardianship of her aunt.A scowling,ill behaved middle aged lady.Pained under extreme torture,Ana took to nature observation.The more time,she spent with nature,the more she fell in love with it.She was a natural artist.Her paintings,exhibited her brilliance.That night,lying on her bed,Ana thought about the woods and the lake.She thought about a free life,without restrictions.She longed to be free.Cuddling her little teddy bear,she fell asleep.

She had a dream.She dreamt of her family,back in Europe,on a summer afternoon.She dreamt of all the beautiful moments in the countryside.Peace engulfed her.She felt secured.In this vast treacherous world,her dreams were her only solace.Life had turned unbearable,yet she never lost hope.She wanted to live,she wanted to dream on,of the beauty life had to offer her.Ana was brave.She was a survivor of mental and physical pain.A strong feminine figure,who stepped out and braved the atrocities of the world.Perhaps,this is the reason we feel,"dreams are better than reality",because the naked truth is harsh indeed.

                                              distant beauty..

time:11am

location:India

It was six in the morning..I shrugged myself off the deep slumber..I had a dream,a distinct amalgamation of my past and present,mixture of pleasure and pain.I looked outside the tainted window..faint flickering lights..what is it?I thought to myself?Is it still dark?I tossed my head,twirled my unending curls,and opened my eyes:wider.The beauty of dawn,is all I could see.Behind the cold iron bars,I longed to fling open the windows and embrace the warmth of a bright new day.But alas!I was imprisoned.Imprisoned in the world,I never wanted to be in:the dark lanes of drudgery and pain.

beauty of dreams

Tears trickled down,the moist warm tears,down my cold swollen cheeks.I was overcome by my feelings on the wintery morning,faraway in the distant hills,in the land of mearge humanity.The dream,I remembered.What was it about?I asked myself,as if expecting my soul to break free and reveal to me.I tried hard to recollect.

It was 2013..Summer evening,just after dusk,I was alone ,waiting for the last evening train to my destination.I waited..no whistle,no sound of breeze..absolute silence engulfed the solitary station..It was beginning to get darker.I feared,I would be late.Just as I was about to give up,I heard footsteps.I looked up.There at a distance,was a young man,fast paced walking towards the station.As i was lost in my thoughts,he came up to me ,his words broke the silent spell I was lost in on this summer evening.He asked,has the train left?.Yes,I said.I could see his expressions of joy change into sorrow.His deep masculine voice had a mersmerizing effect on me.He asked,where can I put up for the night?We are miles away from town,I said.We can put up at the station masters'.Tired and dissapointed,we pulled our luggages towards the station masters'  tiled room.

visualise the positive through
the negative

Ting tong!the bell rang!The station master walked out wrapped in a shawl.What is it?He enquired puzzled.We narrated our plight and requested him to let us lodge for the night.He readily agreed.

After a cold refreshing shower,I joined the station master along with the young man.Vyas,the young computer engineer form States.Time passed by.In an hour long conversation I realized,we have more in common.Contented and happy,I took to bed after dinner.

Next morning,we bade the old man goodbye and headed for our destination.In the hour long journey,Vyas narrated to me the story of his life.I listened amazed.Tears of happiness rolled down my cheeks,as I rejoiced at the thought of his victory after ten long years of struggle.Our destination neared.We quickly bade goodbye.

Few months later..

an intense feeling of anger and frustration occupied my mind at the piling of the workload.i turned my computer;Hi!the message beeped on the social networking site.Vyas!it is.Woah!I quickly typed a hi!...That is how our friendship began..For months,days and nights,we stayed connected to each other cupid struck.We shared every moments of our life.The good days have come,I thought to myself.

Who knew then,life would come to a standstill.It was the same winter morning,a year back.My phone rang!Vyas had met with an accident.Pain engulfed my heart.I didnot know how to react.I wanted to cry.I hurridedly darted out of my home to meet him.My phone rang again.This time,it was his mom,weeping uncontrollably.Vyas,was no more.The world around me went dark.Maybe I fainted.I regained conciousness at the city hospital the next day.My friends were around me.I wanted to cry,yet I couldnot.I had turned into a stoic.Life changed thereafter..

It was the same dawn,the same day,a year later.I dreamt of Vyas,our goodtimes and bad.Pain engulfed my heart.I wanted to break free.I cried uncontrollably ,the first time.The emptiness ,unrequited love,resonating memories,haunted me..

Winter,since then,has become a part of me...

picture courtesy:tumbler

Nobody should be judged on their looks. Beauty is not found on the body but in the soul. The only thing the media has done is change the definition of the word. I mean being attractive may make it easier to catch some one but being kind and loving is how you keep some one. Also with make up its like putting on a mask some masks are creative and fun most others are just used to cover who you really are up. Be yourself.

The blue maiden

Beyond the bricks and the walls,
is the trail of nature,
And the wispy morning clouds
Covered in grey....
Thus kissin the sky.

And below, the scurrying lil squirrels
Looking for some nuts,
Complete this picturesque view.


Here amidst the soft breeze, 
Lay a maiden in blue'
Lost in the bounty of nature, 

As soft breeze twirled her curls
She took no notice of the world around her
Cuz in the depths of her heart,
She had a lurking fear,
Of disguised acquaintances, of broken promises


Her innocent heart, 
Trapped in the camouflage of life
She yearned to let go...
Of the burdens in her heart


So chaste was she
The maiden in blue'
The story of hers, I write it here
For the world to know..

Ankita roy

MEDIA

Are famous people treated unfairly by the media? Should they be given more privacy, or is the price of their fame an invasion into their private lives?

“Names does matter ,image does yield money and money is business. The thickness of a wallet depends on how big the owner of the wallet is” .Media ,has been contributing to the society ,in terms of ‘news’ happening in and around us ,in order to keep the public informed. On one hand,the media imparts knowledge for the good ,on the other hand it is also the reason for straining the social lives of “famous”.Their private lives are often route to higher TRPs for various ‘media scions’.Their lives are potrayed ‘inside out’,for public scrutiny and criticism.Along with one’s fame comes the extra ‘unnecessary limelight and glare’.Often it has been that the invasion of their private lives,has led to severe mental breakdowns among famous celebrities. According to me,Media should limit its activities only to the ‘public life’ of the famous ,instead of bringing forth the ‘private brawls’ to public. Any negative act brought out in the public, may lead to controversies. I believe ,like us ,the famous too are flesh and blood  and rising to the high social status ,doesnot give Media rights to divulge about their private life. It is unfair that the media scions ,in their competitive spirit ,fail to respect privacy.

Examples of activities brought under spotlight:

The case of Sunanda Pushkar and Shashi Tharoor,Indian Ministry has recently caused a buzz in media. Pushkar born as Sunanda Das(1962), in the family of Kashmiri Pandits;married Tharoor on October 2010. It was the third marriage for both of them, and Sunanda started getting media attention in India.
In 2010 , the company she represented, bid for IPL Cricket team Kochi Tuskers ,Kerala. There were allegations that Tharoor misused his ministerial position for a ‘freestake’ in the company. However, as fate would have it,  Sunanda exposed Tharoor’s relationship with Pakistani journalist Mehr Tarar. Their private interaction was exposed on social networking site twitter, bringing in ‘media attention’. This led to the suspicious death of  Pushkar on 17^th January at Leelawati Palace, NewDelhi. While the minister denied any ‘foul play’ ,there are allegations of Sunanda being murdered brutally.

Two women seem to have dominated the headlines, the other being Valerie Trierweiler, the former First Lady of France. While their stories played miles apart, the parallels drawn between the two had been apparent. Sunanda and Valerie found their private lives unravelling in a spectacularly public fashion around the same time. Both resented as being presented as ‘arm candies’ of their powerful husbands. Ironically, despite their best effort to stand out as individuals ;they received fame due to their husbands. What lessons can we draw from the lives of these two women ,who lived,loved and rose and then fell dramatically in the public gaze. Certainly media worked its way , affecting their public and private life.

The king of Bollywood, Sharukh Khan has been listed as a ‘successful and powerful’ Indian by Forbes magazine. His popularity has dragged billions of customers for his company. However, he too wasn’t spared from the “glare” of media. With a lifetime ban on entering Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, he upset the cricket officials, and his fans, due to his alleged drunken brawl at the stadium. His personal life having a marital discord with wife Gauri Khan ,was also reported by media-scandal had never been so delicious. Khan’s image as a committed husband was brought into question, after he was linked with a co-star.

Such is the effect of media ,that nobody is spared from its grip.  With fame and money comes these troubles too. The need to maintain a clean social image is difficult at the time when ‘media’ intervenes. However, since every field has its pros and cons, similarily the positive effects of media, neutralise its negativities. Apart from the scandalous gossips, it is media that brings to the audience,news from every ‘nook’ of the world. Without this booming industry, life would have been perhaps dull and boring. Life of a media person is exciting and risky, facing famines, wars and social problems, to keep the audience updated.

COMMERCIALIZATION OF MARRIAGES

COMMERCIALIZATION OF MARRIAGE….

Marriage is the approved social pattern whereby two or more persons establish a family. It involves not only the right to conceive and rear children, but also host other obligations and privileges. In different societies there are different methods of marriage. Talking about our Indian society, some of the societies allow a single male to marry a single female whereas in other societies a husband is allowed to have more than one wife. concept of having more than one wife,however was a past affair allowed in ancient India

LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF MARRIAGES IN INDIAN SOCIETY

It was only in 1955, when the Hindu Marriage Act, was passed that it became legal for a Hindu to have a legal wife. Marriage laws in India are to some extent also dependent on the religion in concern. Marriages with the matching of the astrological charts at the time of birth, with the help of the priest is  a common concept in our country.However,in the recent years, with the onset of “dating culture” in India, arranged marriages have taken a backseat. Prospective brides and grooms now choose their own soul mates. Hindu Marriage Act bans all kind of cousin marriages.However,it can be allowed by local customs.

CHANGING TRENDS

The concept of Indian wedding have changed rapidly.Previously,it was a matter of traditions and the ceremony was a brief affair. On the contrary, in the present time, the occasion is rather  an elaborate “big fat Indian wedding”, spending lavishly on the decor.Both  arranged and love marriages now receive equal importance,thanks to the liberal thinking of people!!.Wedding attire too has seen a drastic change in the past few years.Previously,it was all about “traditional attire”,and now it is more about “haute couture”. Its all about “be Bollywood” which no doubt is an effect of the Media.Weddingplanners is the new trend in Indian marriages.Previously,which was the headache of the family elders,is now handed over to professionals.The youngsters want their wedding , to be “the talk of the town “ or “ a trend setter”.

In the past two decades the concept of Joint family system too has been split up to Nuclear families.Along with the “changing trends of marriages” comes other problems as well. Number of divorce cases and family disputes are on rise these days. The whole concept of marriage as a “social institution” has seen a drastic change. It is more about “being glam” ,thus losing the real value of marriage.

COMMERCIALIZATION OF MARRIAGES

Big fat Indian Wedding.

Marriage, which was a sacred concept, is now a source to earn money and gain TRP rates for the leading Indian television channels. Taking a look at the “Swayamvars”, this is more about “publicity stunts” and less about the aesthetic sense of marriage. While media gains popularity, it creates false fascination among youngsters.

Rakhi ka swayamvar-aired on NDTV Imagine TV ,09 featuring Rakhi Sawant ,to help her find the prospective groom,actually did not work out.On screen she was engaged to a Toronto based businessman Mr.Eeilesh.However,after the show,they split up.The whole concept of “swayamvars” is totally fixed.Its all about money making business and less about the sacred concepts.At the end of the show the profit lies with the one who is featured and with the media houses.There is indeed far difference between what happens in real life and these shows.

Following this in season 2,of the same channel , Rahul Mahajan’s wedding stint was on air.Its really a mockery on the Indian social marriages.Lavish set ups in the Fateh Garg Palace,Jaipur involves lots of money.While India,is still a developing nation,such extravagances of the media houses is certainly a waste.Marriages on television are just a publicity stunt,with the gorgeous décor,royal cuisine,presidential suites,and haute coutoure.At the end of the show one hardly bothers about the couples featured.

Marriage market , in India being a vast market is where the media houses find it safe to venture in.Very few of these “set up” marriages actually work out. Followed by this was Ratan ka rishta. Season 4,is supposed to feature the most controversial Veena Mallik,lesser known for her movies and more for the “wrong moves” as a part of publicity stunt.At the end of the day , these “stars” walk out with a heavy profit whether they marry or they don’t,in reality.She is supposed to get 3cr rupees for featuring in the show and an additional 1.5cr in case she gets married.Marriage is thus being used as a means to extort money.Its purely business and thus a shame.

For the guys who are the prospective grooms, they are simply star struck. These reality shows are the perfect tickets to stardom. Reality shows of these kinds are perfect money making platform for celebrities as well as those aspiring to be.At the end of the day these” wannabes” do not actually come to get married but to get an easy exposure to the world.If such conditions continue,all our aesthetic values will degenerate creating a hollow India.

Kolkata"the melting pot of Culture and Cuisine"

 Kolkata"the melting pot of Culture and Cuisine"

 Vision of Kolkata (The city of joy) is incomplete without the mouthwatering "street food stalls". This city with all its "mishti doi","phucka",and "kathi rolls" is no doubt a favourite among Bongs!!...Bengalis are often associated with their love for"Intellect" and "Food",be it "street savours" or "elite resturant stuff".

Taste and experimentation and not the decor is what really matters...Street vendors with their lip smacking delicacies can be easily found at any place in Kolkata. 

  "Its a part of Kolkata's culture to eat out on streets"

Street food that wont burn a "hole in your pocket"

• Jhal muri-is one of the famous Bengali street snacks in Kolkata.Consisting of puffed rice , cut onions, nuts and seasonings, mixed in a metallic container and served in a paper bag 
• Pani puri-is a favourite street food among Indians! Pani puri is a hollow puri , filled with smashed potatoes,and masala after dipping it in Tamarind water.
• Bhel puri- usually looks like "noodles" and mixed with boiled potatoes ,onions and Topping tamarind,...spicy,yummy,delicious...
• Fresh fruits-cheap and usually widely available in and around Kolkata. 
• Momo-the favourite food in Tibet , Nepal is now a favourite "street delicacy"in Kolkata.Stuffed with cabbages or chicken ..no doubt it is delicious.  
• Tea-Apart from spicy , tangy street foods found in and around Kolkata, Tea served in "clay cups" enhances the taste of the beverage.

Lets take a quick,short view at some of the "favourite street food haunts"

• Topping the chart,is my all time favourite "Blossoms" with all its delicacies in "kathi rolls" and "lip smacking tangris".Located near the renowned "Scottish Church College" it is a favourite "place to hang out" among the college goers.!
• Next on the roll,would be the AJC Bose Road,for those who are in mood for some"juicy kathi rolls".Just a short walk to Gorky Sadan,and we are offered a "pick from any" from the various culinary delights offered on platter.Kolkata's gift to the food world,no doubt is the "kathi rolls'.
• Chats and phuckas..undoubtedly scale high on our taste buds.East Metropolitan Bypass is considered one of the best places in Kolkata to try out "phuckas and chaats".
• Now if you want to "tease" your taste-buds with something different..try Chinese!! and head for the "favourite Sudder Street"
• If you want to mix the pleasures of shopping alongwith the lip smacking delicacies try the places around Esplanade in Central Kolkata.

The Sweet Connection

• Mishti doi-or sweet yoghurt,is typically identified with Bengali cuisine,Sweets or desserts occupy a special place in the "Bengali Diet".The confectionery business has flourished recently.
• Rasgulla-a traditional Oriya sweet,is widely consumed in West Bengal.Fish,Rice and Rasgulla are the three most prominent trademark of Bengali culture.
• Pantua-similar to Rasgulla,but deepfried in ghee or oil,before being put into the syrup..slrupp!! slrupp!!
• Pithe-both in Bangladesh and in West Bengal,"pithe" still flourishes.Fried or steamed,there is a wide range of "pithe's" that Bengalis have on offer.

Eating habits of people in Kolkata and of course West Bengal has changed to a great extent.Kolkata street food would tempt you to the "core" and leave "asking for more"...:)

ice gola

Esplanade

Princep Ghat

Durga Puja

Kathi Roll

pakoda

pani puri

pani puri

Vivekananda's Museum

Swami Vivekananda

Sondesh

Sondesh

Streets of Kolkata

Victoria

Chariot

Lets take a glimpse at the "culture of Bengal"

Since time immemorial,the culmination of various cultures in Bengal has led to the growth of the "Unique Bengali Culture".Bengal has always remained a place for tourist attraction. Bengali's are known for their 'intellect and love for literature'.Tagore's international recognition brought a change in the culture of Bengal and gave the Bengali's a wider exposure to hold their heads up in pride.Bengali language thus boasts of a rich literary heritage.As the saying goes"macheyy bhate bangali" meaning "fish and rice make a Bengali" is the traditional Bengali diet.

• Attire-Bengali women commonly wear the sari. However,due to westernized influence,there has been a rapid makeover.
• Festivals-Bengal owns the crown for the worlds"greatest street art show" in the form of Durga Puja. Bengal,having diverse community almost all the festivals are celebrated with equal enthusiasm.However,the most popular among Bengali's is the Durga Puja usually held in the month of October.Durga Puja is the ceremonial worship of Goddess Durga.The rituals continue for four long days and is celebrated with grandeur.

Bengal apart from being "the land of culture and cuisine" is also the place for "folk music" "films" and "literature".Culture of Bengal showcases its richness through these aspects.Various artists like Anjan Dutta,Ritoporno Ghosh,Nachiketa and bands like Cactus are the torchbearers of "Bengali culture" in this genre.Bengal has since the olden days,retained its identity even after embracing "the westernized culture".We have stuck to our "own roots"..

types of "sweets"

rasgulla

dakhineshwar temple