Cricketer showmen

I have been watching with increasing concern the puerile exploits of our cricketing celebrities on the small screen. Our men apparently trying to make the most of the spotlight as long as they remain in public eye.

While the curiosity factor has indeed impacted favorably on the fortunes of such shows, the precedence accorded to the same by our men in blue leaves me perplexed.

Are these guys professional showmen who also play cricket??

Cricket would never be the same again………

The renowned cricketing pitches that were mute witness to some of the legendary battles fought between the bat and the ball would be bereft of such pulsating moments in the near future.

The instance of frustration, times of anxiety, a sigh of relief and finally flashes of bravado…all of this will fade quietly into the oblivion to pave way for a dispirited and listless display of an ageless sport.

The lively acrobats in the field would be mere gallant memories of the past. The contemporary team would be just juggling about the field with thoughts hovering around studios and shooting locales.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni would have his state-of-the-art make up van parked outside the boundary line. He could then easily squeeze in a face wash and cleansing to retain that million dollar look, during the breaks. After all, more than the limbs it is his appearance that brings him the real moolah!!

Yuvraj Singh would be cootchiecooing with his latest female find in the dressing room after taking a break from the rigors of fielding. He would still have a couple of beauties waiting in his hotel room for the evening. How much would he be longing for this farce (match) to end!!!

Shreesanth would be bowling with the ear phones firmly secured, trying hard to create a sync between his bowling steps and the beat of the music. He would be aligning himself to the arduous task that lay ahead in the evening…Farah Khan’s dance sequence shoot, featuring himself and the gorgeous Bipasha!!

Zaheer khan would be rigorously attempting to craft out a ferocious expression on his wooden face while on his run up to bowl. This is the least in histrionics that he could ever cope with, however this could hold him in good stead during his ad shoot.

Strange that when cricket called for the coordination of their limbs, the showbiz demanded an expressive face. While their heart yearned for the glitz and the glamour, staying put on the field is mandatory for the door of the show world to undo.

Cricket continues………

The BCCI top brass would finally realize the futility of the situation and demand a retainer from moonlitting players. Such ill-gotten funds could be put to illegitimate use like fixing matches for our cricketing showmen!!!

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THE POWER OF PRAYER

Let in a new dawn with a solemn promise of peace,

Let it usher in the swansong for terror and disease.

 

Let multiple beliefs blend in unison for universal harmony,

Let the messengers of God orate religion in unique symphony.

 

Let the earthlings dwell without the fear of massacre,

Let death be the ultimate human reward by the caretaker.

 

Let mankind learn to scorn at all acts of carnage,

Let sadism stay confined in the annals of the bygone age.

 

Let not humans eye each other with hate or dread,

Let them abhor dishonesty, betrayal and deceit, instead.

 

Let love blossom unpretentiously in impressionable minds,

Let not religious dictates curb any such celestial designs.

 

Let my neighborhood be an extension of my household,

Let my neighbor’s woes touch my heart and stir the soul.

 

Let not adolescence nurture amidst devious tutelage,

Let them flourish aplenty, free from sectarian bondage.

 

Let us vow to shed hatred and mistrust but not blood,

Let us shower righteousness unto all leading to floods.

 

Let this silent prayer echo in His heavenly abode.

Let Him grant, so that terror may choose a diplomatic mode

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The tacit leader

The dawn breaks, shaken by the commotion,

of the cluttering of vessels, of varied dimension,

the roaring of the motor, furious treading of the feet,

the creaking of the hinges and chaos complete. 

She is racing against time, to meet the deadline!! 

The cooker lets out a yell,

as the burgeoning steam gets dispelled,

she grimaces and eyes the bed,

as the family lay in bliss, widespread. 

A luxury she could ill afford,

albeit she yearns for it no more, for 

she is racing against time to meet the deadline!! 

The familiar aroma now clouds the air,

and then she looks up in despair,

the clock struck seven,

beckoning folks to arise from their warm haven.

It’s time now to comply with their wants,

from the hugely rested souls, unreasonable demands. 

Yet she abides by all mutely,

lest she’s left trailing acutely, for

 she is racing against time to meet the deadline!!  

The sun rays now begin to age,

as her offspring chores are managed,

the beau appears in rich attire,

yet educes no passion or desire.

She is blinded by the dial,

immune to honesty or the guile, for 

she is racing against time to meet the deadline!! 

The moment has finally arrived,

for her to switch side.

From the selfless, untiring homemaker,

to a conscientious organizational undertaker.

To partake towards the family kitty,

and watch the little ones sitting pretty. 

But time is sadly insufficient,

and she needs to be more efficient, for  

she is racing against time to meet the deadline!! 

She shies away from feminist dais,

nor does she lament on gender bias,

she is pleased to obey her heart,

and she joyously plays her part.

But very little does she stand and stare,

when obligation in plenty are there to bear, for  

she is forever racing against time to meet the fast approaching deadline!!    

I dedicate this piece to the numerous working women from nuclear families, who endeavor to walk that extra mile each day in order that her kith and kin will bear the rigors of living less. 

They also teach humanity a lesson or two in their own humble way about time management, optimum resource utilization, and continuous productivity enhancement. 

They lead from the front albeit not being designated as one. 

True leaders are not people who are foisted on you, but ones whom you revere and look upto!!  

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Mother Teresa

      Birth: August 26th, 1910 : Death: September 5^th, 1997 

In the midst of a world decimated by sect,

Living among people filled with hatred and detest. 

Where the goal is wealth and motivation, power,

Where man treads over his kind in its quest and fervor, 

Where empathy and compassion appears in wilderness,

And charity or benevolence will seem utter madness. 

Into this world ushers in a beacon of Hope,

Unperturbed by the tidings, she worked without any sop. 

She was a friend of the poor, breathed life into the dying,

Tenderly nursing the sickly and selflessly nurturing the ailing. 

She descended from the Heavens, to wipe every tear,

So that man could live in harmony, and without any fear. 

They called her Mother - and Mother She was,

For mankind were her children; to spread Love, her cause. 

As the beneficiaries of her patronage swelled in numbers,

The world took notice of one of its diminutive, frail members. 

Skeptics tried vainly to read between the lines,

Finally painting her communal with ulterior design. 

But brickbats do not deter a deeply passionate Soul,

For it is forever focused on meeting its selfless goal. 

She passed away one day, with a smile on her face,

A smile of satisfaction for a work done with grace. 

She was conferred with awards and beatification to boot,

An Angel amongst evil - let me kneel before and salute!!! 

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Sunday’s Musing

The weekends offer ample time to reflect on the events that march past the fatigued brain through the week. It is also ideally suited to harness and document the thoughts so as to elicit opinions from the August company that form the core of my readership.  

I am aghast at the stance taken by Ms Mamata Banerjee to dislodge a vehicle of growth for our Bengali brethren at Singur. 

Does the lady realize the gravity of the economic fallout the state will have to bear in the event of the Tata project being withdrawn … that the locals will sadly be deprived of the opportunities to elevate the quality of their lives?  

Does she in her wildest imagination ever believe that political parties could ever build industries and contribute to the GDP of the nation? Can the purported leader of the masses and sympathizer of the poor and downtrodden, Ms Mamata ever be able to generate employment and redress their woes, all on her own?  

A political outfit is only a catalyst to growth or to the stunting of growth. It requires the vision of a Tata, Birla, Ambani or Mittal to make dreams into reality. 

Tata is no Bishma Pitamaha, for he is bound to seek his best interest and would endeavor to minimize his personal risk in all his ventures. Unlike the politicians he will not attempt to masquerade as the savior of mankind as well.   

Now that the heads of state are making a beeline in front of the offices of Tata Sons to relocate the project to their respective areas, it’s about time that the Bengalis sit back and take note of this vicious lady, who is fighting a proxy war with a more progressive minded Buddhadev, at the expense of West Bengal!!   

I am equally perturbed by the widespread view of India’s dismal performance in the Olympics. Performance does not have absolute measurement and is judged relatively. Going by that Logic India has never ever won 1 gold and 2 bronze!! Hence this is her best performance in all these years. It is grossly unfair to compare India’s performance with China or the USA or Australia!! 

Regrettably people who indulge in belittling performances hardly use such tall benchmarking when it comes to their own performance!! 

Talking of performances, the deluge of currency that was bestowed upon our national hero Abhinav Bindra, by various state govts made interesting reading. However considering that the Bindra coffers were traditionally flush with funds, the monetary grants were as inconsequential as Laxmi Mittal winning a Bhutan lottery!! 

And to think that some of the female athletes in Kerala practiced bare foot…………………….. 

My thoughts however, may lament the functioning of the political system but is contented with the stability the system warrants. Unlike our shaky neighborhood, where Musharaff the mighty ruler and a force to reckon with in Pakistan, had to take the back door to flee his beloved home and seek refuge in a foreign land.

Ironically this was a bid to save him from the same penalty that he relished in advocating to his rivals!!  

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India, My Country, My Pride

Sixty one independent years have rolled by and on the threshold of the sixty second year!! 

Is the spirit of freedom waning??  

The ecstatic Indians of yore who went berserk as Pandit Nehru delivered the maiden independent punch lines “ …as the world sleeps, India awakes to the spirit of freedom….” are a dormant lot today, either basking in their heavenly abode or leading nondescript lives.  

Is the spirit of freedom waning??  

Having had the good fortune of being born in independent India, many of us may be unable to perceive the pleasures of a free nation or the ill effects due to the lack of freedom!!  Just as the Ambani offspring (third generation) would never be able to comprehend the joys of wealth or the ordeal of living hand to mouth!! 

The struggle for independence is well scripted in the annals of history. The selfless endeavor of the activists and an extremely motivating leadership led to the withdrawal of the white men. 

On the fifteenth of every August a feeble attempt is made to relive those moments by way of hoisting the flag, playing patriotic songs and telecasting movies. Sadly none of this whatsoever succeeds to elicit the essence of freedom for the generation of the times. 

Is it any different from mother’s day or father’s day??  The Valentine’s Day is more vibrant………..  

The spirit of freedom is indeed waning!!! 

The spirit of independence needs to be kept alive and the patriotic fervor burning in the minds of the youth. A nation is not defined merely by geographical parameters but by a mindset that works in harmony and towards a common goal. 

Abhinav Bindra, the sole individual gold medalist in our one hundred and eight years of Olympic history had silently raised the bar of sports in India. Silently, b’coz he was considered an underdog in the midst of all time greats like Rajyavardhan Rathore and Anjali Bhagwat.  

However skepticism underplays such achievement with “what good is one gold medal for a country that has a hundred crore plus population??” haven’t we heard that before?? 

As a nation we have to learn to rejoice at every little accomplishment yet strive for higher laurels. 

A major chunk of the alumni from the nation’s premium engineering institution – the IIT eventually leaves the country for good. They settle down to serve their American or European master in return for an astronomical pay packet. They imbibe the western way of life and talks about India in derogatory terms. While the Indian administration has the potential to impart subsidized teaching of world class, India lacks the infrastructure that has the capability to harness and apply the knowledge. 

The desire to serve one’s own country should far exceed the lure for money and quality of life. 

The opening up of the economy, during the regime of the present PM as the finance minister, drew a lot of flak from many quarters. “India is making way for the establishment of a second East India Company” the skeptics cried from rooftops. “The rupee will crumble down” wailed another.  

The truth has finally emerged as a pleasant surprise to Indians in particular and the world at large. All the wild speculation and rhetoric were put to rest.  

Reportedly, India has the world’s twelfth largest economy at market exchange rates and the fourth largest in purchasing power. Economic reforms have transformed it into the second fastest growing large economy second only to China.  

Prakash Karat, while justifying his party’s opposition to liberalization said in a TV interview lately, that it has just helped produce billionaire’s among Indians. Period.  

What a foolish comment from a senior statesman!! 

While debating on vital issues that could influence the fortunes of a nation, leaders should rise above party politics and petty prejudice and speak after carefully considering the merits.  Men and women at the helm, should conduct themselves with dignity and win over the reverence of the youth and not be mocked at, for their imprudent utterances.  

Independence was the first milestone in the amalgamation of a nation… a pluralistic, multilingual, multiethnic society.  The spirit of independence needs to be escalated and the patriotic fervor ignited on a continuous basis so that India can forge ahead, traverse many more milestones with ease and success. 

Jai Hind!!! 

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Juvenile deliquent

My daughter just traversed her maiden academic milestone ……….the school and was excitedly looking forward to the thrills of adolescence in college.  Her joy knew no bounds when her admission was confirmed in a South Mumbai’s elitist college.  

The arrangement, however did not find favor amongst her grand parents and even the members of the extended family. The risk of excessive travel, dangerous liaisons with the rich and spoilt brats and a host of other serious consequences were the grounds on which the elders disapproved in unison. 

The wifey did allay such unfounded fears and reasoned that she inherited a good value system that could hold her in good stead through these formative years, aren’t there many like her in the institution?? Albeit me fully subscribing to her theory, the learning’s based on my close encounter, however failed to concur with this philosophy. 

I solicit the opinion of my dear readers on the various factors that lead the youth to self destruction and delinquency. In that context, I intend to run down memory lane to unfold a chapter of my life that haunts me even today, almost thirty years down the line!!   

Gopal Sheth was my classmate from the kindergarten onwards. The prolonged togetherness blossomed into a very warm and intimate friendship and remained steadfast even after our schooling. This despite the diversity in our thought process with regards to the stream of education (he chose Arts while I got into Science) and the college (he got into what we would call, an institution of snobs while I was far more modest).

Our friendship extended to the respective families as well and as a consequence we frequented each others place very often.  His mother showered me with a lot of love and affection which I found extremely gratifying. She played host to me on many occasions wherein I was treated to some of her culinary wonders. The experiences impacted my heart as much as it did to my taste buds. As the proximity grew our bonding cemented further …………. 

Gopal father was a successful yet an upright businessman with a cheerful disposition. Despite being the sole provider to a family of two daughters, a son and wife, he largely preferred to stay in the background and let his spouse lead the domestic administrative machinery. The family bonded exceedingly well and at no point of time did I ever notice a change in the demeanor of the members that in any way revealed times of disharmony.  

However my friend did enjoy exclusivity by virtue of his being the only male and the youngest offspring. While he had the privilege of being pampered a wee bit more than the girls, the parents were strict disciplinarians and maintained a tight vigil on his activities and friends. 

An environment nothing short of utopian for grooming conscientious and honorable men and women…my friend had the world under his feet…or so I believed. 

My preoccupation with academics in the second year of Junior college did have its bearings on our interaction and meetings. Communication channels, unlike today were extremely limited. Like the scores of household of those times, we were hoping against hope for a telephone line after paying for the same years back!!  Sam Pitroda and his ilk landed up a bit too late!!  

My meetings with Gopal became scarce and he communicated very little during such times.  I always sensed something amiss in my friend considering that he once excelled as an orator in school with me as his shadow writer. He was the life of a party and always had an everlasting stockpile of jokes to keep all of us in splits.  

Of late, he always seemed in a hurry to leave, and strangely enough remained dormant and incommunicado throughout the meet. Moreover he burrowed heavily from me whenever we met. I never had the will to refuse him money for old time’s sake, when he never allowed us to go Dutch and paid everything himself, for all common amusement programmes. 

My worst fears were exacerbated when I received a message from Gopal’s mother to see her at home. I hasten to reach my friends house and was directly ushered in to his mother’s presence.All hell broke loose as she saw me; she held both my hands and sobbed inconsolably. “Tell me Santosh, where is my son? Where did he take all our jewellery?? What is he upto?? Aren’t you like my son too?? Please get him back…please ….” she wailed. I was speechless, distraught and at a loss for words. It pained me to see this beacon of love in such an abject state of distress.

First time since we started knowing each other I began to hate Gopal!! 

It did not take me and a couple of my friends, much time to fish out the devil along with the swag, from one of his numerous hideouts. However the Gopal that we carted home was no more the innocent and bubbly young man but a mentally sick person, head on into drugs.  

All the money in the world, goodwill of numerous friends and well wishers and the fervent pleas of the near and dear ones to the almighty ……….nothing works when destiny scorns!!

Gopal tried hard to reform and get back on track but the allure for a fix did not quite leave him. I was to learn this much later and in an extremely embarrassing manner. 

Gopal came to my house one morning on a holiday for a casual visit. My parents were blissfully unaware of his present status. We discussed at length about various things but I realized to my chagrin that I was just talking to the walls, as my companion’s mind was in a state of aimless wander.  He asked for water and as I got a glass for him, he drank it in one gulp and rushed out citing urgent work.  

It was much later, when my father called out to me to search for his missing wallet, that I realized with utter dismay that I have lost my dear friend to the most diabolical human enemy …drugs!!! 

Gopal Sheth died of a drug overdose much later. He was found lying prostrate on the streets and was brought to the state hospital by strangers. The medicos dismissed the case with the customary apathy as the staff readied itself for the post mortem formalities. 

Meanwhile the body lay orphaned in an obscured corner!!  A life brought up with so much of love and care, with so much of hopes and aspirations!! 

For me Gopal must have died a thousand times, whenever he woke up from his inebriated slumber to realize that he had devastated many lives…… shattered many hopes……….. 

As I conclude this piece I can feel his presence behind me like old times, reading this with utmost care and wet eyes, approving of the content and shaking his head in despair.

Gopal!! if you are around, let me tell you that I can now fully understand the pain and anguish your parents must have undergone during those times and hope you will make amends for it in another lifetime……………………………..!! 

My child goes to a modest college today, much against her wishes because many a times you go by the feeling of your gut more than logic or reasoning.      

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The Thanksgiving

The curtains finally fell signaling the culmination of a high voltage drama in parliament………..a saga of betrayal, deceit, intimidation and blatant rhetoric. The exasperated audience finally rose with a sigh of relief at the outcome.  

Small mercies from the legislatures in the midst of amorality need to be lauded. Kindly permit me friends, to do the honors!!! 

I am hence obliged to thank all those who voted against reelections, particularly those who courageously defied the party whip and cross voted against the motion!! I am aware that exorbitant sum of money changed hands to effect noncompliance, however in an intensely bullish political milieu; falling prey to monetary bait needs to be condoned!! Besides this would be a small price to ask to avert expenses of a few thousand crore for elections. 

A second round of thanksgiving is in the offing for our respectable representatives for their gallant effort in enabling the government to sign the Nuke deal.  I am aware that they hardly understood the intricacies of the deal and the only allure was money.

Nevertheless they still served the nation albeit inadvertently!!  

Come to think of it, how many of us can claim to have read the fine print well enough to opinionate on the merits of the deal??  

My milkman tells me “Saab desh ko bech diya in logon neh, Mayawatiji bhashan mein bhol rahi thi” (they have sold the country; Mayawati said so in her speech).  

“Have you heard of Dr. R.B.Grover or Dr. Anil Kakodkar?” I ask him.  

“Kaun Janaab hain yeh?” he………

The fourth estate ensures that the front pages of dailies are reserved for “marketable” views. Hence a Mayawati and / or a Mulayam Singh’s opinion on the Nuclear deal finds itself prominently displayed on the front pages while professional view points are dumped in an obscured corner. 

A strikingly similar episode involving Enron Power Corp is still fresh in my mind. Enron was short listed by the powers that be then, to generate power to meet the growing needs of the same in Maharashtra. The frequent change of governments and subsequent trading of charges by political rivals had its toll on the project. The operation Enron was finally discarded and dumped into the Arabian sea (as one politician remarked). ……………years rolled by. 

Today, the pride of the country, Mumbai is unlit for many hours in a day. 

The suburbs of Mumbai are subjected to power cuts from four to six hours a day. The gullible citizenry sweat through the night and live on candles while the more prosperous ones manage on UPS systems.  

Survivors indeed!! 

My milkman will obviously never be able to equate the two ever…………… before I start to digress further……… 

I profusely thank the BJP for steadfastly refusing to play ball with Mayawati. India was saved from the ignominy of having an unscrupulous PM foisted on her.  I am fully aware that the BJP think tank never had the nation’s interest in mind while endeavoring to foil all attempts of the third front to promote Mayawati.

Nevertheless I can comprehend the disastrous state of the economy with plunderers and pilferers at the helm!!    The BJP has saved this country from decay and disintegration, albeit inadvertently!! 

I thank Somnath Chaterjee for maintaining the sanctity of the Speaker’s chair. An illustrious parliamentarian and a vociferous orator, Mr. Chaterjee stood by the ethics and refused to submit to authoritarian pressures. 

Lastly I would like to thank the Lord, the divine provider and the protector for His holistic approach in earthly administration …skillfully camouflaging universal benefits in the selfish acts of the Indian politician. 

Amen!!   

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The forbidden fruit

It dawned with a solemn promise from the heavens that day, the dark clouds hovering in the sky obscured the luminous rays of the mighty sun. 

The God’s threw open the sluice gates of paradise to relieve the earthlings of an extended cycle of summer. The rains deferentially complied with the divine diktat and beat the earth torrentially.  

The advent of monsoon has perennially been a joyous occasion for me, the surprise holidays and free time in the classroom that the rains gifted me during schooling. Escorting damsels in distress to their homes (almost nearly) under the safe refuge of my umbrella during the college days  

The emancipation from the clutches of the fatal heat wave and the freedom from the Damocles sword of water cut that hang over the heads of all Mumbaikars. . . . . courtesy the Mumbai municipality. 

The rains wipe away the anguish and smoothers the physical scars inflicted by its predecessor. . . . . . . . 

As is my wont, I decided to stay away from monotony (read office) and instead chose to appraise the maiden rainy day of the season. Armed with my magnanimous umbrella that could effectively shelter at least three adults, I set out on a course of trudging through the rain.  

The earth spewed out its trapped latent heat and rent the air with an enamoring, familiar scent . . . . . a romanticist delight. Savoring the   joys that nature offers on a rainy day, I quietly followed my predetermined course earnestly……  

I sighted her some twenty feet away, enough to have had adequate time to ascertain the familiar silhouette, as that of Vidya’s.  

Vidya Achuthan was a petite, yet extremely good looking lass in her late twenties. Endowed with oodles of charm, she was graceful, elegant and on the whole quite an impressive package. She had this “head turning” effect on men and was an idée fixe in the neighborhood. 

My acquaintance with Vidya was confined meagerly to the quintessential pleasantries and / or a diplomatic smile whenever we cross path. . . . .  she , out of sheer nicety, probably. . . . . . me, because of societal compulsions. 

Watching her seeking shelter under the extended roof of a local shop, in a desperate attempt to shield herself from the menacing downpour, I proceeded to present myself as her knight in the shining armor. 

Hi there, Vidya, waiting for someone, I inquired, hoping against hope that she would nod in the negative. 

Yes indeed, waiting for this rain to subside. I have a train to catch , was her wit laden response. 

Oh! I said , feeling relieved. Well, you are invited to hop in with me if you please. I could walk you over to the station. 

Gee thanks, that’s very nice of you, she said. I drew closer to her and in one quick move she was besides me. 

Wow, what an umbrella, she exclaimed in wonder, this could shelter the whole town, she gave away a hearty laugh. 

I cursed myself for carrying this grandfather’s umbrella. A briefer  version would have been more exciting. 

The wind blew hard as a few wild strands of her now unkempt  hair caressed my arm. Suddenly I felt her fingers on my arm as she tried to avoid the splash of muddy water caused by a fast moving automobile. The chivalry  in me surfaced almost in tandem and I pulled her hard towards me just in the nick of time. 

She swore under her breath, but instantly regained her composure and smiled. 

Thanks again, that was close, she smiled her sweet smile and looked unswervingly into my eyes as my heart melt!!  

I was now beginning to see a lot of sense in those verses of love that I found insipid in the past. At the high noon of your life loving and being loved are liabilities and men at this age would not want to carry baggage. However pragmatism and morality is the name given to the lack of opportunity (partially quoting Bernard Shaw!!). Age notwithstanding men could fall head over heels by the feminine charms and invariably end up hurting the heart. 

You are very tall, she smiled again. I was taken aback…..was that a pass she made?? . . . . foolish, gullible, naïve soul, my inner self rebuked me. . . . . she just means that she is getting wet, hold the umbrella a trifle lower. 

Men of my age , I guess are very clear of the ills of such unholy alliances but are nevertheless most vulnerable to it too.

We were a lot more drenched as we approached her destination. The crowds surged past us, anxious to avail the skeleton train services existing. it was finally time to bid adieu. 

Thanks a lot Santosh, you are a real great company,  see you again!!   she whispered . . . or it seemed like it in the din and confusion. ….

Ok, Ok I told my agitating self. . . .  . I know she was just being nice. 

However a strange feeling of happiness overwhelmed me. I shut my grandiose umbrella and decided to take the walk back in sodden glory. ..  . . . . 

Dil hai ke mantha nahin!!! 

The sudden spurt of bliss had a rejuvenating effect on me.  

Love is a great leveler. . . . sans age barriers. . . . .

a great curer. . . . elates the mind and diverts it from ails and misery. 

I silently wished to live life all over again!!! 

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The big deal

The ephemeral honeymoon of the Congress with the Left parties is slated to culminate shortly, as was widely envisaged. A political realignment that was also on the cards did come through. The fodder for the media, post the swapping of partners, sounded like the old Lata Mangeshkar song, with a patriotic fervor played during every Independence day. 

The opposition as predicted termed it as an unholy alliance and political opportunism. 

The UPA will sail through the no confidence proceedings with the support of its new found ally and hopefully the nuke deal will exchange hands. 

Meanwhile the new-found friend in need will be occupied with drafting their wish list. The UPA will be obligated to comply with the same as a compensatory gesture. 

Jaya Bacchan would thus be presiding over some prestigious albeit inconsequential Government promoted institution. 

Some Rajya Sabha seats would be filled in by the members of the friendly alliance. 

The IT sleuths will turn the other way while the Amitabhs and the Anil Ambanis evade taxes with glee. 

The police would clandestinely make a bonfire of some of the case files in the pretext of keeping mosquitoes at bay and will feign ignorance of any such crime. 

Mayawati would be tormented with too many legal issues by a hostile centre and Mulayam breathing fire at her under the aegis of his new found ally. 

The left parties will face the ignominy of having another of its campaign going down in history as an abject failure………………not that they are ever used to success!! 

Besides Bengal and occasionally Kerala, the party of septuagenarians has hardly any presence. With a regressive mind set and rigid stance the left is beginning to loose its moorings with its vote banks……gradually drifting into anachronism. 

Finally the people……….we, the cornerstones of a democratic set up, sit and watch this absurd circus, write blogs and laugh over it…………………only to tide over our sense of helplessness!!  

Amen!!  

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