When Holi came calling amidst the hustle bustle of GMBA

~ Rishi ~ 1 Comment

Life at GMBA in SPJCM, Singapore truly is a busy affair. There are things to do and then there are things to do. Some days are good and some are bad. On the good ones, you feel actually elated and relaxed. On the bad ones, you swear about the lack of time and work as hard as possible. But most importantly, you hope for the next day to be better.

People here try to be as optimistic as one can be. So on a day when marks brought little to cheer about for most of us, and people were discontented with the outcome, there was hope with a poem doing the rounds mentioning how you should stick out through the hard times… And then there were plans to take the college to the next level (more on this in some other post).

So today is a bad day as it has turned out. But never to worry. Tomorrow shall be better. And oh! not to forget – the festival of RANG – HOLI which is now upon us. Buddies kept mouthing the famous dialog in anticipation – “Holi kab hai. Kab hai holi” from the past many days. And although we have an end term exam tomorrow, I m sure people would find time to play with colors and make the whole atmosphere colorful with the festival finally here.

For us Indians, Holi always has a special place in the festival calendar. A festival where you can let yourself out in your own way, without having to worry about class, level, age, hierarchy and what not. There are other festivals of social gathering but Holi by its sheer nature of casualness, lends an altogether different dimension. So, looking forward to Holi celebrations with friends and taking those memories with me through my life… HAPPY HOLI.

Our netas are us – apt view

~ Rishi ~ Leave a comment

Perhaps this article written by Jug Suraiya in today’s TOI aptly reflects what we really need to think about –

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/3785325.cms

We as the next flag-bearers of what India is or aspires to be, must take up responsibilities at whatever level possible to make OUR country what we want. We can’t expect these thugs, crooks etc. who have grown up in a vicious atmosphere to shed their skins.

You can’t change a man’s basic character. And sadly, today’s India’s basic character is full of hatred for others – be on the account of region, religion, caste, social status or whatever. People everywhere are corrupt. And the common man, full as is his plate is with everyday problems, only augments this. So, only when the common ‘stupid’ man decides that enough is enough and takes things into his own hands (I mean in a constructive manner), would India change.

So, my appeal to everyone here is to not just sit and lament about such things. We have at least some power in our hands to change things. Lets utilize it for the betterment of our country in our own personal/collective capacity. Unless we do it, the next generation would be blaming us and India would still remain a promising but faltering nation.

Time to wake up and soulder responsibility. Waise bhi, “Zindagi jeene ke do raaste hote hain – ek jo ho raha hai hone do, aur doosra ki uske khilaaf awaaz uthao aur phir zimmedaari bhi” (Couldn’t recollect the exact dialogue, but came into mind instantly)…

Subsequent mood in India after the terror mayhem

~ Rishi ~ Leave a comment

All have been witness to the ghastardly act of terror on display in Mumbai, India. TV channels have relentlessly captured every bit of detail and relayed it to the public, which perhaps has had its first brush with a REAL terror strike. Now as the operation subsides and facts emerge, it brings a sense of dreaded calm after a big storm.

But all of this has had a drastic effect on the psyche of the common Indian. People are questioning the failure of intelligence, security, internal affairs etc. which is something that has become almost like a prime-time soap-opera playing with regular ease across India. They are no longer willing to accept the dramatic responses given by netas. Hyperbole is out, Plain action is in.

Also, quite surprisingly and to some extent relieving, is the observation of people regarding the playing up of trivial issues like religion, caste, region etc. by Indian politicians. People are now rightly consigning all such dramatised vote-mongering and media-posturing politics to where they belong – the dustbin.

This is the awakening of an entire generation, rather population, to what matters to them the most. Politics shouldn’t be about who the person is or where is he from. Politics should revolve around the core issues – what is being done about infrastructure, security, economic stability, jobs, electricity, water, basic sanitation, education. The list goes on and on.  All these years, Indian politics has only revolved around creating trivial issues and grand-posturing on real ones. Now Indian politics shall have to change – politicians and the government must accept the fact that they have been a total failure to securely govern the very nation which they are given a mandate to rule, and should act in concert to reverse the damage as soon as possible. Only then would some sense of confidence in the Indian politician return to the normal level. Otherwise, people shall become more and more jaded, and who knows what might happen then.

This is my appeal to all the people out there. Please continue to foster this rage inside you. Its only you who can make a difference to this country. Nobody will come from outside to do it for you. So better buckle up your belt and get going. The ride is tough and might have certain surprises in store, but would surely bore fruit if completed.

Salute to the never dying spirit of today’s India…