20.12.08

16.12.08

Innocent souls fluttering by...

Innocent souls fluttering by,
A divine peace on their glowing faces,
A glittering sword came flashing by,
And reduced them to traces.
Their ashes mingled with dust and flew,
Their silent screams echoing,
The sky turned to an azure blue,
The river stealthily flowing,
Like a thief in the dead of the night,
Carrying a message to the oceans.
The birds too took flight,
In one swift, sweeping motion,
A long journey lay ahead,
For the river and the birds.
But the message should be carried on,
Long echoed the words.
For their sacrifice won't be forgotten,
Their memories won't die,
As long as they carry on
And time passes by.


This poem was written about a month back and I can't exactly remember what drove me to write it, but as I was typing it out I realised that scarily (indeed!) it fits in after the recent terror attacks.


According to Wikipedia: “Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion.” There is no internationally agreed definition of terrorism. Most common definitions of terrorism include only those acts which are intended to create fear (terror), are perpetrated for an ideological goal (as opposed to a lone attack), and deliberately target or disregard the safety of non-combatants.
Terrorism is no new concept. As far back as the history takes us, there have been acts the sole purpose of which was to generate fear. The earliest known organization that exhibited a similar outlook to that of a modern terrorist organization was the Zealots of Judea. Known to the Romans as sicarii (Latin plural of Sicarius 'dagger-' or later contract- killer), they carried on an underground campaign of assassination of Roman occupation forces, as well as any Jews they felt had collaborated with the Romans. Their motive was an uncompromising belief that they could not remain faithful to the dictates of Judaism while living as Roman subjects. Eventually, the Zealot revolt became open, and they were finally besieged and committed mass suicide at the fortification of Masada.

Although terrorism has been used since the beginning of recorded history as a tool or a tactic, it can be relatively hard to define. Terrorism has been described variously as both a tactic and strategy; a crime and a holy duty; a justified reaction to oppression and an inexcusable abomination. Obviously, a lot depends on whose point of view is being represented. For the weaker side in a conflict, it has always been a rather effective tactic.

Early practitioners of terrorism, such as the Zealots and the Assassins did not leave any particular philosophy or doctrine on their use of terrorism. With the exception of spectacular failures such as Guy Fawkes' religiously inspired attempt to assassinate King James I and both Houses of Parliament in England, terrorism did not separate itself or its progress beyond the normal practices of warfare at that time. Some even go as far as to negate calling these incidents terrorism at all. As political systems became more sophisticated, and political authority was viewed as less of a divine gift and more as a social construct, new ideas about political conflict developed.

In the early 20th Century nationalism and revolutionary political ideologies were the principal developmental forces acting upon terrorism. When the Treaty of Versailles redrew the map of Europe after World War I by breaking up the Austro-Hungarian Empire and creating new nations, it acknowledged the principle of self-determination for nationalities and ethnic groups. This encouraged minorities and ethnicities, which did not receive recognition, to campaign for independence or autonomy.

Since the end of World War II, terrorism has accelerated its development into a major component of contemporary conflict. Primarily in use immediately after the war as a subordinate element of anti-colonial insurgencies, it expanded beyond that role. In the service of various ideologies and aspirations, terrorism sometimes supplanted other forms of conflict completely. It also became a far-reaching weapon capable of effects no less global than the intercontinental bomber or missile. It has also proven to be a significant tool of diplomacy and international power for states inclined to use it.

As a method of conflict that continues to exist and has advanced through several millennia, terrorism has flourished in this modern age with the aid of technology and continues adapt to meet the challenges of emerging forms of conflict. Terrorists have developed focused techniques for specified attacks and in the wake of some recent activities we can also safely say that they have managed to come out of their cocooned, subordinate role in the nation-state conflicts only to become notoriously prominent as international influences in their own right.

Due to the increase in information outlets, and competition with increasing numbers of other messages, terrorism now requires a greatly increased amount of violence or novelty to attract the attention it requires. The tendency of major media to compete for ratings and the subsequent revenue realized from increases in their audience size and share produces pressures on terrorists to increase the impact and violence of their actions to take advantage of this sensationalism.

I got around 30 different e-mails, read dozens of articles and blog posts and heard scores of speeches by the 'leaders'. Be it these so-called leaders, the celebrity-fraternity, the writers, the journalists or the common blogger... everyone had zillions of complaints and not one viable alternative. Why? Why blame the politicians when we are the ones who chose them? Why blame the authorities for not keeping a check when you can't look into your conscience and as yourself a simple question- whether you had followed the rules or not? I reckon its better if instead of focussing on what HAS BEEN done (or rather NOT done), we now channel our energies to what CAN be done.

As we move to a new paradigm, civil liberties and individual rights must be preserved – the cure must not be worse than the disease. If we are to maintain the values upon which this Nation was founded, a certain amount of risk must be accepted.

In partnership with the media and educational institutions, the following steps can be undertaken to assure ourselves of a terrorism-free future:

• Develop consistent and trustworthy messages that realistically, truthfully, comprehensibly and persuasively convey the risks we face, along with the ambiguity about when, where, and how those risks might materialize.

• Maintain credibility and public trust by keeping the public fully informed and by providing accurate, science-based information.

• Provide clear, concrete recommendations for personal safety actions – both during and following crisis – that enables a choice of options (if available) and enhanced perceptions of control.

• Identify evidence-based strategies for communicating these messages and involve psychologists in the shaping and empirical evaluation of communications.

• Continue to engage the media as an ally in the timely dissemination of accurate and actionable information. To do so will involve improving media relations in advance of a crisis, sharing information, and working aggressively to minimize suspicion and mistrust. Effective crisis communication strategies and plans at all levels of government and within the private sector should be developed in collaboration with one another and respective media outlets.

• In collaboration with the Department of Education and state and local partners, consideration should be given to implementing developmentally appropriate education at the elementary school, high school and college/university levels.

___________________________________________________________________
Author's note: I tried to revamp the look of my blog (as if you didn't notice!) and  in doing so I have managed to lose the links of most of the blogs in blogroll. If you visit the blog, please leave a comment so that I can link your blog once again. Inconvenience is regretted. (Ha! You think I meant that, didn't you. You were mistaken dearie... BUT... DO leave a comment else I won't be able to blogroll you again.)

8.11.08

γη

Earth,
Cool and dry, passive and rigid,
A principle of structure and materialization,
You see locked doors?
Captured by steeping, unswerving, uninterrupted walls?
Spread your wings, fly ahead.
Buried and weighed down by the travesties?
Deep underground?
Reach out, glide on, find a way up.
The rocks- they pray, silent and still.
Will you build my altar in the fields?
With the sky as my dome...
and the world at my feet!

PS- This a rather random Kreation that I wrote while commenting on one of the blogs that I religiously follow. 
(this blog here)

PS2- The title -  γη - is "Earth" in Greek.


3.11.08

To my friends... "Divine Interventions"

This untitled poem goes out to all my friends (and specifically, to one person who will figure out that this refers to him/her... so no need to mention the name!) who have been  with me through thick and thin.
Cheers to F.R.I.E.N.D.S.H.I.P.
I wish I could cry and let it all out,
But somehow, the tears have deserted me too,
And, as I sit here, silent, introspecting,
All I think of is you!

You came into my life when the world seemed blunt,
And brought with you a new verve,
And just when I had thought that all was over,
My life took a sharp swerve.

You infused in me a new confidence,
Made life worthwhile,
For you brought joy and happiness with you,
And taught me how to smile.

And now as I write this poem,
I think I’d show it to you,
For I feel God brought you to me,
Coz he knew I needed you.




May God bless you all, just as he blessed me with you.


P.S.- the poem is not untitled anymore. It is called "Divine Interventions". Much thanks to A!

PS2: Another very good friend and a fellow blogger recently pointed out that one of his posts was titled "Divine Interventions" as well... and since his name starts with an 'A', he is planning to sue me! (lol! naah.. he's a sweet soul.. m just kidding..). But yes, jokes apart, the credit goes to him- Here's a link to his post- Divine Interventions

1.11.08

The Rock


(Click on the photo for a larger version)


In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. 

Thomas Jefferson (1743 - 1826)

(I took this photograph on my trip to Yamuna Bridge, Mussoorie in June this year. Showed it to a dear friend of mine who encouraged me to put it up here. Before you start commenting on the nuances of photography and the angle, lights... whetever.. let me just remind you that this particular photograph was clicked using a 2MP Nokia cellphone.)

30.10.08

Sometimes...


Sometimes,
When I say- Oh! I am fine!
I want someone 
To look me in the eyes
And say- tell the truth!

Sometimes,
When I say- I don’t care!
I want someone
To shake me up
And ask- What’s bothering you?

Sometimes,
When I say- I hate that guy!
I actually mean- 
I am hopelessly in love with him

Sometimes
When I say- I am not at all romantic,
All I mean is-
I hope someone loved me too

Sometimes,
When I sigh,
And say- Ok! I’ll do it!
I want you to understand-
I am human too!

Sometimes, 
When my insides are burning,
And yet there’s a smile on my face,
I just want you to 
Hold me close,
Hug me tight,
And say- it’ll be alright! 





24.10.08

Feedback Required

Hullo!

I have to write a short piece on gender discrimination in public transportation for Metro Now, a Delhi based newspaper. Kindly opine on the following:-

Should seats be reserved for women in modes of public transportation, specifically the Metro and buses? Why/why not?

Please mail your replies to anubhav.p16@gmail.com

Thanks!

Anubhav Pradhan

22.10.08

LILAC DREAMS



The tears like pearls,
Fell from her amber eyes,
Her heart a million pieces,
Her wishes trodden
Her dreams shattered,
A dark future lay ahead.
She gazes at her own reflection,
Disheartened, yet sanguine,
A withering flower.
The howling wolves*,
And barking dogs,
Shatter the dense silence.
But, she’s away, far off,
In a land not yet conquered,
She wanders in deserts,
A lone soul, wondering
The depths of wonder itself,
From deserts to savannas,
Dusk to dawn,
Not crying anymore,
But searching the terrains.
For yes! She’s dreaming!
She dared to dream again!


*Copyright- Ampla Naidoo

12.10.08

...And then it ceased to exist

The grassland green,
A healthy sheen,
You, with her,
The blossoms wither.

The burning sun,
On me- a pun,
The feelings- condensed.
And darkness descends.

A solitary loon,
Beneath the moon,
Reminds me of myself,
(My heart on) The bottom-most shelf.

That last goodbye,
My tears run dry,
A lone bird,
The final word.

The ghostly strays,
She silently prays,
I watch and laugh,
(Snap) The twig in half.

And walk away.

_____________________________________________________________________

As i mentioned in the previous post, I was in no fit mental state to come up with anything productive. This is an all time low phase in my life and the last thing I intended was to write. But somehow, I ended up writing this poem which is in no way related to me or anybody I know for that matter (I hope that will put an end to all the crazy speculations). 

Feel free to interpret in any way you want to...

11.10.08

Magificence of Existence*


Veils of dark clouds,
Prevailing to blinding nights,
I dare not go.
Why should I?
Where howling wolves
Of lost distance
Nights rise.
Lies- evil with black tormented lives
With bloody red eyes
And liquid green skins.
With frowns of sadness
As if evil missed life themselves.
In that ecliptic night with twinkling stars they await me
With open eyes to end that dreadful life
That I live
Sandwiched between glass and steel and life itself,
I look into the height
Of the night
And see no Gods cry at my being,
But I see beauty,
Beauty of the dark night
With sparkling skies and shy moons
A question poses itself
Should I leave such beauty?
Beauty of the night,
Beauty of life itself
If worth ending it all,
Accepting the out-stretched arms of evil
No.
I shall live life like a knight
With no fear of the night,
Or of life itself.


* Donated by Ampla Naidoo to keep the blog alive as apparently I am in no fit mental state to write something.

29.9.08

Filthy F**kin' Bastard!

Blotches of red on the white marble,

A pool of red at my feet,

My hand boasts of 23 cuts,

(some of them need stitches mind you),

No easy feat!

But hatred that wells within me,

A loathing so deep embedded,

It will echo in your heart and soul,

Long after I am dead.

You won't feel guilty,

You filthy f**kin' bastard

May you rot in hell,

And if alive, be cursed!

You know not what you did to me,

Why the hell would you care?

After all, you got it... didn't you?

You've had your 'share'!

Mark my words,

For they will bloom,

Justice shall be done,

And your entire kind is doomed!

24.9.08

Happy Birthday Kreation!!

A the title blatantly suggests, its Kreation's first anniversary today!
A year of blogging!
Memories!

It still seems the other day when I came across this guy's profile on orkut. He had included a link to his blog on his profile. I decided to give it a look... just out of curiosity. At that time, I wasn't even aware of the word 'blog'! I had to Google it to find out. Somehow, I liked this guy's blog... and decided to give it a shot myself. Initially, I made a blog on wordpress... and then.. forgot the password! (the quintessentially 'technically' challenged ME! What else could you expect?!)

Came across blogger.. dunno how.. liked it.. found it simple enough.. and that was when "kreation" came into being!

After a complete year of blogging, I had huge plans for my bloggie's bday. But as it turns out, somehow, i didn't even get the time to update it this morning. At 10 in the night.. here I am.. with so much to write and so little time!!

So, what I'm gonna do right now.. is.. well.. ill just include a few links here. Old posts.. either close to my heart.. or they got good reviews.. whatever might be the case..
For people who missed them somehow.. and for those who would like to re-read them.. you are welcome!

Awakening- My very first poem on this blog. In fact, initially I thought I'd call my blog "awakening".. but somehow.. it didn't fit.. and then... "kreation" happened!

The Beginning and End of it- This one's really close to my heart.. personal reasons! By the way, Thank you Nick. Remember.. you were the one who actually challenged me to write this?

The Daughter They Never Wanted- Inspired. Can't mention the source. But.. everything.. every single thing... that I mention in this.. is true!

आ रहा हूँ मौत मैं भी- My first Hindi poem on the blog.

The Kiss- :-P

What QMS taught me- A dedication to my dear school... and an insight into what it really stands for!

Dad- I wrote this one, composed it into a song.. and my dad still isn't aware that I wrote a song especially for him! :-(

Love- Defined - Feeling all lovey-dovey? check this out! no? still check it out.. this one got some really good reviews!

And more recently.. Incognito- Read it to know why it has been included here!

To all my readers, friends, foes, classmates, seniors, juniors (and what-nots!)... Thank you all for being here.. for your precious comments and valuable insights. I hope this bond strengthens further...

14.9.08

To The MBA Guy- you know who you are...

I apologise for delaying the post that I promised to you. I experienced some strict time crunches this week. But as promised, the post will be put up in a short while. Probably today itself. If not, then definitely by Tuesday.
Hoping for a positive response.

Creation

8.9.08

Incognito

At 8:20 a.m. on a Monday, the most hectic day in college, i find myself in 912 (which is thankfully DTC and not a blue line. Though it doesn't make much difference now.) sitting on the seat right before the conductor's. A genteel girl is standing nearby, definitely very uncomfortable (who wouldn't be if there were two pe****s rubbing against you ), yet bearing it all.

Her face speaks of an agony that stretches far beyond this bus-ride. A daughter's agony, whose father doesn't believe in her but has full-faith on her evidently useless brothers and everyday, she steps out the 'comfort' of the house into this big bad world which is chiefly plagued with predators; only to prove her father wrong. Only.

Her neatly manicured hands, nicely done hair and a carefully chosen pin-striped crisp cotton shirt with a vest screams that she is dying to be noticed- by you, by me, by her colleagues, her friends and the man of her dreams. Her dreamy eyes betray the solemn look on her face. They speak of dreams unheard of. Dreams of reaching such heights that its not expected, even atrocious, of her to even 'think' of them.

She doesn't tell you that she comes from a family which has difficulty in providing the basic comforts... no, not comforts... the basic needs; but the cuffs of her shirt, flared at ends and her jeans, torn... in a way that is certainly not 'fashionable' let you in on this secret.

Her dusky complexion, sharp features and a square jaw, possibly inherited from her father, exude certain exuberance, beauty. Beauty, that is not flamboyant or dumb but made even more charming by the asperities that she under-went.

She speaks... oh yes, she does!
She tries hard to sound disdainful and overbearing but there's an unmistakable hint of diffident modesty in her voice that she fails to conceal even after trying hard to sound reticent and withdrawn.

A blood red handkerchief in her hand speaks of a passion that she seems incapable of possessing, but nonetheless its an insight into the romantic that's buried deep inside her heart. She won't tell you how much she doted on a certain chocolate-boy- "OH! He's just okay."- but deep down she wishes to have a complete fairy-tale existence.

If there is one thing she is adept at, its ensconcing her wishes. Dreams are one thing, they wiggle out even if she doesn't want them too. There she has no control. But wishes- only she is aware of her wishes- no one else.
Not you.
Not me.

And she gets off.

6.9.08

BELIEF

Yes, I see,
But I don't believe,
I know it can't be true.

She isn't dead,
She will return,
For she promised that she would.



(P.S.- These lines are dedicated to the most special woman in my life. She left me 5 years back but i know she is still there, watching over me, and I can still hear her... calling out my name, telling me what to do and what not to, guiding me... forever.. she will be with me! Bless me 'dearest', because you blessings are all I need, that would be my salvation.)

(P.S.2- Comments have been disabled because for the first time in my life I don't want to know what you think of this particular 'kreation'.)

Thanks for visiting anyways. :)

3.9.08

THE FOUR THINGS, FIVE MONTH OLD TAG !

Yes, you guessed right. I was tagged five months ago by Ayush(http://aupsy.blogspot.com/) and Nishi(http://nishiaggarwal.blogspot.com/) simultaneously. I was not exactly 'very busy' during these last 5 months, as is obvious from the fact that I DID manage to update my blog! But now, when I have a hundred-thousand things to do, a million ideas waiting to be penned down and a zillion assignments awaiting my return, patiently; that i've decided to do this tag which is actually quite thakela (dont mind ..).
So, instead of blabbering on and on and on... lets just get started.

Four schools/colleges/jobs I’ve been at in my life :

1)Playway school, mall road (presently- American Playway, Model Town): That was where my mum decided to dump me when she went on her 'save-the-world' sprees. LOL. Seriously speaking, my first school... this one holds a very special place in my heart. This is where 'Kriti Sharma' was first discovered. This is where the dormant stubborn gene showed its true colors... and yeahh.. this is where the kid who sat right behind me used to 'potty' in his pants everyday! [ if i had used any other word... it wudnt have had the same effect.. wotsay? ;-)]

2) Queen Mary's School, Tis Hazari: Now now.. THAT was where i spent my 14 saal ka vanvaas. From nursery to class 12th QMS was one helluva experience. It kicked off with me reprimanding my nursery teacher (when she scolded me for doing other childrens' classwork once i had finished my own!) with "mere tauji aapko aisa thappad maarenge ki aapka sir ghoom jayega!"... and ended with an equal bang with me being suspended in class 12th and (not 'for'!) shouting at my princi! (that's what SHE thought... i am such a sweet demure... y wud i do that? :P). But yeahh.. i did manage to pass with a good-enough 89% in class 10th and an equally acceptable 76% in class 12th.. so.. i wasn't exactly the 'gundi' that everyone thought I was!!
Overall, a bittersweet but nonetheless, a self-discovering journey which taught me so much that i cant even remember all of it now! hehe..

3) Bal Bhawan,ITO: That was where I embarked on a journey of self-discovery (still haven't reached my destination, but i am pretty close to it!). Under the superb guidance of Gaur Sir (i miss you!) and a dear friend Anjum ( who has even forgotten my name! Asshole! But i cant exactly blame him.. its been more than 4 years now..) I discovered the poetess in me. That was where my love of books scaled great heights (after all, i was one of the few privileged ones who had access to the 'restricted section' of the library!) and yeah, this was the place that gave me the person I cherish most in my life!

4) Ramjas college: What to say! I fell in love with the college when I visited it for the first time and this affair will continue for the next 3 years and even after ive passed out from the college. Thanks to Ramjas i have friends who actually live up to the word. Riley and Abassi (which means 'god'.. so "A".. thank me!) and me... together make a whacko team. Not to forget the others- Debbie (m soo sorry! but srsly debzzz.. i cant help it! lol!), K (the gorgeous one!), F (mast bandi! bas kabhi college aa jaya kare!))KK (the most decent guy ive ever met.. like.. seriously!), Annie (not anen! The demure, coy and bashful lil gal! Sweetness personified!) and Sam (probably a future best friend!).
ahh...
F.R.I.E.N.D.S.H.I.P.

Four TV shows I love to watch :

Those who are on my GTalk or Messenger list know that if I am at home then I'm online- full time. That means, I don't watch TV at all except for the occasional cricket match or news-bulletin. But, I've had my own share of 'all-time favorites'.. and that is precisely what I am going to mention.

1) CARTOONS: Which moron hasn't grown up with these? my personal favorites are Ton n Jerry, Aladdin, Ducktales, Talespin, Mogli ( m obsessed with it till date! My ringtone is the title song- jangal jangal baat chali hai!).. not to forget.. some of the more recent ones, which i had to watch coz my bro won't let me watch anything else till last year ( not that he lets me now.. ive just given up trying!)- Shinchan (Gosh! i was.. no .. AM obsessed with that wicked lil kid.), Doraemon (pretty stupid and repetitive.. time-pass nonetheless.), Pokemon (okay.. That was one which had me hooked!), Ben 10.. and well.. its a never-ending list!

2)The O.C. and Indian Idol: Yeah.. a weird combo. but these are two shows that I was hooked on to during the time I was preparing for my class 10th boards. Used to watch OC at 2am standing so close to the tv screen that had I been a TV as well.. we wud have actually made out there and then (weird thought .. yeahh... ewww...!) and the volume turned down to '1' so that mom wont wake up!

3)The Great Indian Laughter Challenge and Comedy Circus: Some exceptional acts, some equally lousy ones.. but nonetheless.. a great stress buster.. both these shows!

4)ummmm....... well....... umm....... lets just say.. the Twenty20 world-cup! That was like a regular prime-time soap, though much more exciting!

Four places I have lived :

1)Delhi
2) Delhi
3) Delhi
and.. finally...
4) Delhi
by the way.. did i mention DELHI???!!
I am a pakki dilliwali!!! Don't wanna go anywhere else!

Four movies I can watch over and over :

1)Sholay: Okay. Thats a cliche. But everyone knows... characters like Gabbar, Jai and Viru and Thakur and that "angrzon ke zamane ka jailor" cant be reproduced (on screen)!
2)Satte-Pe-Satta: Another Amitabh flick, but this story of 7 brothers and their 'chain kuli ki main kuli' is one movie that never ever bores me!
3) Golmaal (old one.. with amol palekar!): classic comedy!! Need I say more about this movie?
4) Hitch: the name speaks for itself!
There are some others that need mention- Kal Ho Na Ho (phenomenal movie!), Serendipity, Titanic, Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar, 27 Dresses, Pearl Harbour...

Four books I liked the most (read in recent times) :

I am a self-confessed bibliophile, but that doesn't mean that the stuff I read is the best out there, no, but its certainly something Ilike!
1)The Fountainhead: I don't have to say anything about this book,I can't.. I am not qualified enough! But it taught me some things that I'm gonna cherish all my life!
2)The Shadow Lines: This is what Wikipedia says about the book- "It is a book that well captures the perspectival view of time and events, of lines that bring people together and hold them apart, lines that are clearly visible on one perspective and nonexistent on another. Lines that exist in the memory of one, and therefore in another's imagination. A narrative built out of an intricate, constantly criss-crossing web of memories of many people, it never pretends to tell a story. Rather it invites the reader to invent one, out of the memories of those involved, memories that hold mirrors of differing shades to the same experience." I agree! Whole-heartedly!
3)The Home And The World: A book where everyone is polaying games with evryone and end up fucking their own lives.. thats how i think the book is best described! No offence to Mr. Tagore though. I, personally, luuurve how he shaped up Bimala's character, how she transformed from a husband-worshipping, homely typical Indian wife to the epitome of the Indian woman... bharatmata.. or the mother of bengal! Then, there's Nikhil whose only aim in life, I guess, is to play with people like pawns on a chess-board. And, in the end, Mr. Sandip... one guy, who definitely knows what he wants.. and how to get it!
4) Harry Potter series: kiddish.. yeahh.. stupid. maybe.. but this is one series that actually made me read!!


Four places I have been on holiday:

1)Mussoorie: The first and probably (not hopefully!) the last place I went to with my school friends. A cup of tea in one hand, pakoras in another, standing in the balcony, surrounded by heavy mist as the sun sets and the enchanting valley of dehra lights up.. it was one magical trip. My only regret- I lost a dear friend of mine on that trip. Still, ill cherish the times we spent together!
2)Rajasthan: A 3-4 days trip every year to my hometown... and a 10-day long trip with the NCC team 4 years back.... I wish i could go back in time and see the forts and palaces bustling with life as the maharajas ponder over matters of the state... fascinating!
3)Ahmedabad: went there as a kid, don't remember anything except watching Biwi No.-1 in the drive-way theatre.. which was even visible from our balcony.. so .. in a way, we could have watched it from the comfort of our home without even having to shell a single rupee! :P
4)Umm.. does sitting in the comfort of my home, here in Delhi itself, count??


Four of my favourite dishes:
Ah.. now that's a good one!

1)Shahi Paneer: Anytime!! This 'shahi' dish excited my taste buds like no other!
2)French Fries: No one makes em better than me! (though, it doesn't quite qualify as a dish.. does it?)
3)Chhole bhature: After all, I am a delhiite.. and i have punjabi blood running through my veins!
4)Chilli Potatoes: The chinese version of french fries...... mmmm.....

Four websites I visit daily:

1)Orkut :Baby.. I'm addicted!
2)Gmail and Yahoo Mail
3)Facebook
4)Blogs
and there's another one- Bored.com.. its quite fun actually.. check it out!

Four places I would rather be right now:

1) Exactly where I was a day before! In my college.. with.. you-know-who.. my head on his/her shoulder.. no one uttering a single word.. the best silent conversation!
2) In my college.. again.. at our adda ('the heaven' we call it!) but with friends this time! :P
3)In Hogwarts!
4)Back in mussoorie... a cup of tea in my hand.. watching the sun-set from my friend's house over the cliff!

Four music tracks playing on my comp(of late):

1)Bet On It: High School Musical 2
2)When You're Gone: Avril
3)Secret Crowds: AVA
4) Jeena isi ka naam hai: Rak kapur's oldie...

Four people I am tagging :

1)Rhea
2)Prianca
3)Priyanka
4)CRD

PHEW!!
that was loooong.. wasn't it?
OK.. it wasnt as lame as i thought it was..
;-)

30.8.08

Random Rigmarole-1


Once again, i find myself slogging through Giraffe's class, listening to his incessant blabberings of 'ethical systems, morality, cheetahs and Harappa ( believe me.. i dont know HOW in the world are these related!).

"For example..." is all i gather. All other fiddle-faddle goes over my head. And yes, i know for a fact that this particular example was exemplifying another example!

What's so interesting about this man ( well.. atleast that's what I find intriguing!) is the fact that he reckons that we (his students! du-uh!) are a bunch of mentally retarded chimps who, no matter what, will NEVER understand him (with double emphasis on 'never'). So, he has to resort to crude sign language and yeahh his 'illustrating, exemplifying examples'.

But that won't deter me from mentioning that he has this sexyyyyyyy voice ( dont take me wrong people.. he's a lecturer.. over 50 probably!) which reminds me of Andrew (this cute (umm.. well.. not exactly! :P) guy in my class who has the world's most soothing voice... and i am NOT exaggerating when i say 'the world's'!). So, coming back to point... Giraffe's voice...... mmmmmmm......... Srry.. was lost again! (:P). When this guy starts speaking.. nobody cares if whatever he utters seems completely out of sync with the subject that he's supposed to be teaching. Ki fark painda hai? So, I try to pay attention... fail.. miserably... lol!

Fianlly, when i have tried really to make head or tail of whatever he's saying, i give up the attempt and instead end up playing 'the random game' with Riley. The rule is- write the first thing that comes to your mind.. arre yaar.. u kno.. random stuff... and we ended up mentioning everything from homosexuality to surf excel to eunuchs and debbie..lolzz! (srry.. dats like an inside joke. Cant go into details now. else this post will never be published.. and debbie will sue me for 'her' sex-change operation!)

[to be contd..... (yeahh.. 'j'. i kno uve like copyrighted this particualr phrase and all.. so.. go ahead. sue me... see ya in court!)]

26.8.08

Atonement

Alienated in a foreign land,
Lost in a human sea,
Every second life drags along,
To his incessant plea!

In a dark, dingy cell,
His heavy breathing resounds,
the silent screams of his shattered dreams,
Muffling all other sounds!

Crouched on the floor,
He perpetually prays for deliverance,
Legs crossed, his head bowed low,
He still awaits his sentence!

His freedom is forever lost,
What was once bright now grim,
"Peace shall come", he knows,
The harmony of death awaits him!

9.8.08

आस

My 2nd hindi poem on this blog...
wrote it a long time back and then forgot all about it. Came across it while searching for some notes, so i thought I'd better put it up lest I forget again!
check it out..

कब कहा मैंने कि इक दिन,
करके दिखा दूंगा तुम्हे कुछ,
कब कहा मैंने कि इक दिन,
बन के दिखा तुम्हें कुछ,
मैं तो ठहरा तुच्छ प्राणी,
मेरी दुनिया मेरा घर था,
सिमटा हुआ हर पल था मेरा,
वक़्त मेरा भी प्रखर था,
थम गयी है ज़िन्दगी औ',
बुझ गया एहसास भी है,
राह में जलता है दीपक,
मन में दबी इक साँस भी है,
मर चुका हूँ मैं पर अब भी,
वो सुलगती आस भी है.

28.7.08

WE PART WAYS


The fork in the road,
We part ways,
Never to meet again,
Iknow I'll miss you my beloved,
Yet i never turn back,
Not even once,
Never again!

The fork in the road,
We part ways,
From each other and the days,
Together that we spent,
But they won't return,
Won't ever come back,
Never again.

The fork in the road,
We part ways,
From the laughs that we shared,
I know I won't laugh like that,
Not without you,
Never in my life,
Never again.

The fork in the road,
We part ways,
I want to return,
To turn back and embrace you,
Yet all I do is prepare my deathbed,
Never to open my eyes,
Never again!

20.5.08

LOVE- Defined




No word is enough to describe the magic,
No feeling yet so pure,
The meaning of love is still a mystery,
I wish I could know more.

What is love, but a soft petal,
Ever so chaste and naïve,
That shrivels and dries up,
From its precious flower if bereaved.

What is love but a strong force,
Mighty rivers it puts to shame,
And can halt time’s ceaseless flow,
Make even the mountains look lame.

A tender bond that binds us,
And holds us forever near,
I wish to stay entrapped eternally,
To one that I hold dear.

A gentle word so sweet and true,
Illuminating my soul,
Our souls have indeed become one,
And its you that I behold.

You are my sky, my sun, my sea,
My morning, noon and night,
I am lost in your magic,
With you everything’s right!

When I am with you,
Even eternity seems away,
With you even a second spent,
Feels like an entire day.

For what is love I knew not,
Until you came to me,
But now I know that love is real,
And it exists in me!

23.4.08

Faith

With every passing day
I aim to reach the sky,
With every passing night
It seems evermore high.

My dreams and aspirations
Will they ever be fulfilled?
Winners I do see and ask-
“Am I not as skilled?”

My talent and abilities
I have started to doubt
“You are a hopeless loser”
They all seem to shout.

Sometimes I wonder-
‘Why was I born at all?
Is there a ray of hope
That could move away this pall?’

Are wishes and yearnings
Never meant to come true?
I pray to god that someday
Mine just might do.

Failure and disappointment
Is all that is left?
I don’t even know why
Am I stuck in a cleft?

What do know is that
Somehow I’m still alive.
And there’s still faith left
That I just might survive.

5.4.08

DAD



Take me away
To the world of my dreams,
Please lead the way
You know what I mean,
Take me to heaven
Let me rest there,
Or just take me to hell
And let me pay.


For dreaming to be someone
That I could never be,
For doing things that you ne’er expected.
I know how hard
For you, it must have been.
Holding my hand like that
You always lead.


My guiding light,
My pillar of strength,
A shoulder to cry on,
A life-long friend,
And you make me glad,
Oh! I love you dad!

Promise me
That you’ll be near.
Don’t ever go
I hold you dear.
Take me with you
And set me free.
Or leave me back here
And let me be.


Open your eyes for once
And see the world around.
Please this time
Do what I say.
Just look at the colours
And radiance abound.
Please God, do grant this wish
Of mine, I pray.


Your benign love,
That warm embrace,
A pleasant smile,
On that charming face,
All that makes me glad,
Oh! I love you dad!

Illusion



When the sun shines,
And the rain pours,
I see you there,
Just like before,
Calling out my name,
Looking out for me,
Standing there,
All alone.
I know it’s not true.
Still I can’t believe,
You’re an illusion!


That first kiss
On the night before,
You slipped the ring,
Promised ne’er to go,
I loved you.
You loved me.
But together we were not meant to be.
I know you were not there.
Still I can’t believe,
You’re an illusion!


Gazing at the sky,
Looking at that star,
All I wish for is that faint smell of yours
Wanna hug you, hold you,
Get lost in those deep eyes of yours.
Baby, come to me, hold me, kiss me,
Till death do us apart.
But how could you,
Coz you’re an illusion!
An illusion…
An illusion…

29.3.08

What QMS taught me!!



(Disclaimer: The following post is a work of pure fiction (and of 14 years spent in exile and of being stuck up at home with nothing to do and nowhere to go). Any resemblance to any person living or dead (or hanging somewhere in between) is merely coincidental)





Having spent 14 years in Queen Mary’s School or QMS as it is fondly known, I noticed some totally bizarre stuff happening there and thought of putting it up here.
I hope my friends from the above-mentioned school would agree.

1) Every teacher might have a first name but it is as ‘sacred’ as a certain Mr. Himesh Reshammiya’s secret to nasal baritone.

2) Every strict teacher will be either bloated or having a bob-cut or both.
Don’t believe me? Check out Solly, Bissu, Tomchi, Kumar (feel free to add some more. I know there’s no dearth of such teachers).

3) ‘Ek baal’ and ‘Do baal’- the names supposedly given to the two lab ass’ are not actually ‘given’; their real names are "Mr. Iqbal" and "Mr. Dobal"

4) Every other girl is your sister! It doesn’t matter calling them so makes your parents also the parents of a certain 4000 girls more!

5) The washrooms are infested with poltergeists which take huge pleasure in making sure that the school loos resemble the roadside ’sulabh shauchalyas’ at any cost so that the students do not develop a false sense of cleanliness!

6) No. of tests per year is always greater than the no. of days in a year!

7) The school courtyard resembles the Kargil warfront during classes. Step into it and… “Poof”… you’re gone!

8) The creature that resembles the endangered white elephant is actually the school tailor in his trademark white pathani.

9) Our dearest principal- a certain Mrs. Kapoor, no matter how hard she tries, yet is always late for the functions as she has to beg to her maid to lend her some sarees because she herself doesn’t seem to have any!

10) And she’s in a foul mood lately as her maid has refused to lend her any more sarees unless she’s given a pay rise!

11) The huge mess of textbooks, files, test papers, assignments, projects etc. outside the staff room is not the result of the place being treated as a dumping ground the year round but a conscious effort by the dear teachers to save the school from the volcano underneath the pile, lest it erupts!

12) Authorities in the past were in awe of Jassi’s character 50 years before she even came into existence and hence the present uniform!

13) Present authorities are planning to introduce ‘bora’ (sack) as the new uniform because they feel that the present uniform gives the false of impression of the school being in a better condition than it actually is!!

14) The swimming pool is only named so. In reality, it is a top-secret, heavily-guarded training ground for kapoor’s cats which themselves are not cats but disguised Martians, on a special mission to keep an eye on kapoor lest she takes over their planet and rusticates their king too (a task that she has been practicing for quite a while now and which is enacted thrice every day with a student playing the Martian king and she herself!

17.3.08

"Listen to the blackboard!!"

(This happened way back when I was in primary school. 4th standard.)


“Listen to the blackboard!" my maths teacher would call out to the class.
When I couldn’t handle it anymore, I asked her- "But how are we supposed to ‘listen’ to the blackboard, ma’am? It doesn’t say anything!"

“Oh yes. It does dear! This blackboard, the chairs, the tables are all soaked with knowledge. They speak to you, pass on the knowledge, only you should be interested enough to pay attention to them.”
“You have heard the birds chirping? Right?” she asked.

“Yes ma’am” I replied. Still perplexed.

“So, do you think that’s just a racket or does that chirping make any sense to you?” She questioned.

“Ummm… it seems they are singing, ma’am.” I replied hesitantly.

“Well, exactly the same way the sound of chalk on blackboard is also music to the ears, knowledge to the mind. Whenever a teacher writes something on the blackboard, pay attention. Listen with all your might. It seems to sing. Each and every word and syllable and even numeral has its own melody. They sing, they all sing!"
Once you’ve learnt to distinguish the melodies, let them seep into your head and heart and soul and won’t have to mug up another answer, never!

Since then, I’ve made it a point to ‘listen’ to the blackboard.

The teachers write, the letters sing and I listen…

23.2.08

THE KISS

Well, I kno I wasn't supposed to post anything new till I'm over with my exams... but...

Actually, I have this irksome habit of writing anything just about anywhere! And precisely coz of this, i have lost quite a few of my 'k'reations.. wrote 'em on whatever was available at that tym.. n then forgot all about it!

But this creation here didn't end up (like all the others) in the trash only coz i chose my chemistry (well! thats wat m sposd to be studying, since its the first xam!) register and (boo hoo!!) wen my sir opened it... well.. u can very well guess now.. this is the first thing he came across and then...

I dont think there's any need to say further..!

just read it.. and ull know...!!







Beside the moonlit river,
In the dead of the night,
Locked in his embrace,
Her world seems so bright,

She looks like a dream,
He- A heavenly respite.
Together they stand,
A symbol of everlasting love,

She turned to face him,
Her lips parted slightly,
Yet she just stood there,
A soft petal- Ever so naive.


She smiled slightly,
And he responded,
Should I? Or should I not?'
He didn't move, just pondered,
Then he crossed the threshold,
And she surrendered!


She could feel his breath,
Her hands in his,
The world had come to a halt,
They could feel eternal bliss,
The river was silent, and so were the birds,
Looking elsewhere and giving it a miss,
This was their 'moment'!
As they became one in THE KISS!!!

6.2.08

interruption regretted

This blog is rendered incapable till the 20th of March, i.e., the time till the author gives her board exams! Till then there won't be any posts on the blog. So, no use in clicking on the link to it...

By the order of,
Author's Father.


P.S.- obvio i (kriti) wrote it myself.. (dad hasnt got a clue dat i evn 'have' a blog!! hehe..) i jst wanted to giv it an 'official' kindi of a feel.. isliye ainwe types likh diya bas!!