Its about THEM . Lets play our part!

So, how many sweaters are you wearing?

Did you have warm milk before you snuggled in your blanket with your socks on?

Is the heater's temperature comfortable for you?

Did you like what your mum cooked for you or did you order out today ?

Confused?

Well, these questions may seem very normal and usual to all of us. But there are lakhs of people out there for whom these questions are mere fantasy and a part of million prayers.

I am talking about the one's we rather ignore when looked at the traffic signals and markets.

The ones who were either born like this or circumstances made

them live a life we generally call a "nightmare" .

Ofcourse we can't bring them all to our home and feed them but what we can SURELY do is support the NGO's, agencies and people who are trying to do so .

Aham Bhumika is one such organization based in Bhopal, India which works for orphans, destitute and widows from the rural areas and provides them with food,shelter and literacy with the help of donors.

A grain school has been organised by them to teach women read, write and do basic

arithmetic and then widen the tuition circle and provide the teachers with grains and ration.

According to me, there's absolutely no better way to feed and teach women at the same time.

The maximum we can do is help them revive this cause by donating old clothes that we are not even using, blankets which are not-so-soft for us, books that we don't need rather than taking up the space in our store rooms because these things might be trash for us but it means the world to them. Donations can be done in cash as well .

Pay them a visit as few smiles and glitter in eyes is all they need.

So, if you are still thinking how you can help them,

here's the easiest way of using your talent to help them,

If you are a photographer then its better to utilize your skills in a good way rather than posting them in an album on facebook, myspace, etc. That is what I do but have decided to guide them in a good direction. If you too think the same then you can,

Participate in the photo exhibition to raise funds.

All you need to do is send pictures related to :

• Subjects with Rural India in positive light: Examples Child nutrition, women education and empowerment, rural employment, health and sanitation. Food grains, green revolution, culture, festivals and traditions etc.

• Dark side of rural India: Examples Malnutrition and Illiteracy, child labor, droughts and floods, lack of infrastructure, child mortality, religious malpractices, discrimination etc

• Beauty: Example Landscapes, farms and rivers. Heritage and monuments, costumes, handicrafts, decoration and celebrations etc.

For more details, please refer to http://anganwadikids.blogspot.com/2010/12/photo-exhibition-for-raising-fund.html

I really think this organization is an answer to most of my questions raised in the previous articles.

So now the only question that remains is not "How do we do it?" but to

"Do we want to do it?" .

And if the answer is yes then do follow their blog - http://anganwadikids.blogspot.com/

Follow them on twitter - http://twitter.com/#!/Ahambhumika

Or on facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Aham-Bhumika/120275261368589

Because they might not be one of the Shahrukhs and Sachins but they truly are the heroes of today. And lets face it, getting updates from them is just a click away .

If you are not a social networking frantic, contact them on ahambhumika@gmail.com or call Subrat on +91 98264 72718 .

And always remember , only YOU can make a difference!

Dil waalo ki Dilli. Really?

I remember sitting with my roomies and explaining them how hyped the whole "Delhi is not safe" scenario is .

But I think my pride for my very own dilli was momentary. EVERY day is a new day for the new criminal records. Be it rapes, robberies, assaults, you name it, we have it .

Somehow, I come across this line a lot of times when discussing about the 'halaat' of Delhi - "Its all about which area you stay in" . I am sorry but my hostel is in bhawana - a lil' village on the outskirts of Delhi and I remember how they helped me when I locked my car keys in the car and yes, "they" were the no so cool people who according to us are the roots of crime because of the AREA where they live.

I don't remember watching so many people cluster around a guy who was hit by a car in the oh-so porch golf links 'ilaaka'.

Sheila Dixit once said "jab tak ladkiyaa kuch karengi nahin, eve teasers ki tadaar badhti jaayegi "

Ma'am, I really hope you've read the news where the girl actually did something and then was brutally murdered after 5 boys assaulted her in public.

According to witnesses, this happened on a busy road and when the girl screamed for help, the traffic was as swift as a water turbine. the same traffic which does not even wait for the firing siren of the ambulance.

This rules out the "we have to do something to stop it" phase that our leaders are after.

So what do we do?

Don't step out of our homes? Okie. Agreed.

What about the 72 and 71 year old couple who were doing so andwere murdered by their very own servant.

So what do we do?

Don't keep servants? Okie. Agreed.

What about the husband who killed his wife,mother of two and then cut her into 70 pieces and kept her in their house .

Well, lets do one thing! Lets not live. Because we have no other option.

"Barso se hum 5 hi cheezo ke liye larh rahe hain

Roti, kapda, makaan, paani aur padhai

To kese hogi dekh ki praggati? "

Sorry but now, I think we need to fight for something else.

The right to LIVE.

Honestly, I did not write this post to alert you. I shared this because I am tired of justifying that my very own dilli aint that bad place for you to visit.

But I guess, I will lose this pride very soon!

NOKIA v/s iPhone

I always tell my friends that you don't "need" an iPhone, you aways "want" an iPhone.

Especially in a place like India where phones and cars are a mere style statement and not a requirement.

I used Nokia for 6 years before I switched to iPhone 3gs the last month when my brother sent it as a birthday present .

I was so excited to use an iPhone that I jail broke and unlocked it on my own (yeah! a girl can do that) and then my fury started. When I used it for a week I felt that it was a boon from God.

But trust me, I miss my Nokia SO bad now that its not even funny .

I have used nokia 1100, N72, N82 and N95 in these 6 years and here are some things I have noted in the two entirely different softwares, apple and s60.

1.

Battery life :

If you are someone who is always on a run and can charge your phone only once in a day, don't event think of buying an iPhone and especially 3gs!

I am someone who travels to Punjab almost everymonth and my N82 used to work fine throughout the trip (7 hours) + music player.

And our dear Iphone needs to be charged thrice when all you are doing is taking one call in 5 hours.

2.

Bluetooth :

Remember liking a song in your friend's phone and immediately asking them to send it to you?

Yes? Well, then forget it if you have an iphone!

It can only pair itself with apple phones and mac pc's.

Now nokia ain't that racial :p

3.

Camera :

Personally, I love taking pictures. You would know what I mean if you are in my Facebook list.

N82 and N95 had 5.0 megapixel cameras where N82 had xenon flash which makes your pictures look real and perfectly lightened!

3gs being such an over rated phone could not account for a normal flash , let go xenon .

The 3.0 megapixel camera takes awful pictures!

4.

Messages :

iPhone has "few" plus points too. The way the whole message conversation is kept together is a good point as you don't have to keep switching from sent to inbox.

5.

Application stores :

The apple store for iPhone and itunes is anyday better that OVI store as it offers you more utilities for free and is more precise.

6.

Size :

Iphone is of course way compact than Nokia. Nokia phones are generally bulky but what would a probably do with a thin peice of metal which does not even run the whole day without constant charging ??

7.

Ringtones :

Ohooo! how could I forget this one . Remember the fact that "I like this song, let me put it as my ringtone" after 3 seconds - Ringtone assigned!

Forget that too.

first, you will connect your iPhone to your pc THEN using a software you will convert the mp3 format into an MPEG-4 format and then sync!

8.

Accessories :

Enough said ! iPhone's accessories are way to expensive!

9.

Screen :

For the ones who think that iPhone's screen size beats every nokia phone.

Go to your nearest store and take a look at the N97 and 900 AND N8!

10.

Whatever!

I miss my nokia. End of discussion! :p

FREEDOM COMES FOR A PRICE IN DEMOCRACY

Democracy!

It is that form of government in which sovereign power resides in the people as a whole, and is exercised either directly by them or by officers elected by them.But, THIS is just found in books and not, certainly not found in reality.

Whatever its virtues, democracy is NOT freedom and by any chance if it is,it does not come for free. Ironic isn’t it?

Democracy is just a way to decide who will rule and who will seize all the power and believe it my friends, we are the one who chose that who will supress our freedom out of the Lott.

They say "all good things come for free" according to me, they really need to think twice!

Freedom is not free and the cost is war when between countries, blaming when between states and of course man power amongst the citizens if not anybody else.

Now before all of you start thinking that I am going to start with the blame game, It is really not that. Because I strongly believe that even if we citizens are a part of this infrastructure , we should not forget that our government is highest in this hierarchy and no matter how much we try to bring about a change without them, we can hardly seize success.

Lets face it, that when we do , the so called youth leaders are either sent behind the bars or face even worse conditions.

Irrespective of all this, we very proudly recognize ourselves to be free, of course we are free

Free, so free in Prisons, in Detention centers..

Crammed, packed, jammed... The smell of blood, urine and feces, covering the infected wounds. Wounds of torture born on transparent skins covering rib cages..

Free, so free.

If that's the price of freedom, do we really need it?

Yes, there is formal independence, but there is no freedom. Confusing, yet true.

According to Wikipedia, Political freedom is the absence of interference with the sovereignty of an individual by the use of aggression.

HOW UNREAL.?

Louis D. Brandeis once quoted -"We can have democracy in this country or we can have great wealth in a few hands, but we can't have both."

Now, this man was a real genius and he surely won;t be disappointed because boss, he could predict future decades back.

AIDS - Abandoning Inhuman Disassociating Society

Welcome to the Abandon-All Land.

No! , Its really not that I have gone crazy or am completely alien to the meaning of HIV/AIDS.

On the contrary I am a peer educator for the same topic . Its high time that we should learn and understand the new meaning of this virus and disease .

The news of a nine year old boy being thrown out of his school after humiliating him in front of the school because he was HIV infected is rather just another news for most of you , but being an educator for this topic, it made shed a tear for the little lad.
The attendance after the news of the boy studying in the school dropped from 225 to 15 .

What can be the reason for this , is it worry ?
Is it concern for the students?
Is it a matter of concern for the school board ?
Is it an epidemic?
The answer is NO.

Its lack of knowledge and the fact that nobody wants to know about this life threatening virus
Its a matter of shame that you have HIV as if its not a medical ailment but a character certificate.
The general idea- "UNSAFE SEX!"

I really fail to understand that how did this 9 year old end with it then ?

Wake up INDIA before its too late .
In a survey this what people had to say :

A teenager from the slum said " Madam ye sab to bade logo ke chonchle hain". "This is just to do with the rich crowd".

A middle class government servant said "Ye ya toh baht ameer logo ke shaunk hain ya phirgareeb logo ki bevkoofi". "It is either the Rich who have habits of such sort or the uneducated poor ones".

A businessman who drives a BMW said- "Humaare bache padhe likhe hain, unhe bataane kizaroorat nahin hai" "Our kids are well educated, we don't need to emphasize on it for them"

If it was really this way, NOBODY would have been infected with this virus till date but the irony is that almost 7.7 million people have left with only one question in their family's heart- How?
Trust me, if this mindset shall remain like this, we are probably inviting a very high death rate for our country .
Nobody is born with sex education from a mother's womb but this generation should be keen to know what kind of death ride pleasure brings along .
And not just this .

First thing's first ,
HIV - Human Immunodeficiency Virus AIDS - Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

HIV can be transferred not just because of unsafe sex/ multiple partners but there are a lot of other possibilities .

• -Infected syringes.
• -Transfer of blood that is infected.
• -From an infected mother's womb to her child (Medical science has got a way to cure this if proper medication is taken by the conceiving mother on time".

Some proved facts about HIV/AIDS:
The following things are certainly NOT ways of transfer of this virus.-:

• -By touching.
• -By sharing food (It is not preferred as if the infected person has a cut in his/her mouth, a blood transfusion may occur. Though chances are negligible as the infected blood when comes in contact with the atmosphere, the virus dies.)
• -By kissing.(Again it is not preferred for the same reason)
• -By sitting together .
• -Even the saliva of the infected person carries no virus.

Semen and blood are the ONLY carriers of the HIV virus .
Do notice the word "ONLY"!!

Now, what threat did this little boy have to his classmates in this scenario.
The answer is NONE, but the answer can only be know if there is an urge to know it or else the presumptions and the misconception start making their point even more than the facts or rather Proved facts.

Today, test yourself, go to a medical store and try asking for a condom,

• 50% of you would ignore after reading this as its too liberal .
• 10% would laugh.
• 10% would think about it.
• 10% would try but fail!
• 10% would be too ashamed after doing it.
• 5% would go, ask and laugh over this so called "dare game".
• ONLY 5% would be confident yet taken a back by the reactions of other customers.

But mind you my friends, its rather better to face the world today with confidence and be different from this society or it would be too late and the same society would be talking behind your back, building your character certificates and abandoning you like the little boy who doesn't even know what he's going through just did .
And then another tear would scroll down my cheek reading the "little" article on page 14 about how yet another child or adult was abandoned from the society as he could not match with the norms .

Remember, your story would be summed up in 4 lines because Sharukh Khan's routine security check-up (detention for the SUPERSTAR) is the hot news and the first page cover for the next week now.
Thinking that you are safe, is like destroying your safguard on your own .

Prevention is the only cure.

Just because we are girls?

They are being killed, They are being killed even before they are born and if not so they are brought across a situation which is worst than death,numerous names-molestation,rapes,innocent murders,list is just endless.
Why? Just because THEY are girls?

Dont believe me? Just open any newspaper and you will find a justification to my post.
Which newspaper?- ANY!
What date?-ANY!
But ya try and look for it properly. You see a girl's dignity is less important than which team is leading in IPL or if 'bebo' has size zero or not or probably whats the next no. of packs Mr.Shahrukh Khan is interested in.
JUST because they are girls!

We are not a subejct,we are not dolls,we are NOT for the public.
Why do we have to think before getting out of our homes,why do we have to watch out for the way we dress,why is prostitution just for girls,why do we have girl stripping pubs(mostly).Why do we have to be scared when working latenight.
Just because we live in an era where some desperate nimphos are roaming around? For all those - Go help yourselves if the urge is unstoppable!

Ever blamed a girl and JUST the girl saying " look what her parents taught her,the boy must have got carried away" when you found her with her boyfriend in their intimate time? That's us.
I am not saying that we dont have girls who too think like this but WHY?
Why is it always us?
Just because we are girls.
Just seeing Priyanka Chopra in "why should boys have all the fun?" wont change our position in society.
Trust me guys, its not just with lower class men BUT with all of you! You see hot chicks and you are in your imagination world. The ones who disagree,leave the habbit of lying to yourself atleast.
We are born and are brought up the same way as guys out there are, if we are our daddy's princesses that does not mean we are everybody's fantasy art.
We are not dumb but yes, with everything going around us if you want us to stay numb that's clearly impossible.
Yes, it is the 21st century and women has grown in society but just because she has, does not give you a right to assault the one's who havent.
Why are the most rape cases reported to be with girls living in slum, just because she cant raise her voice against the 'rich' and 'cool' boys?
Just because we are girls?

Even when case of drunk girls come up , we say "it was the girl's fault" I say - WHY ??
Even if she was , who gave the right to those stud boys to assault her.
Does that mean that that bunch couldnt control their urge ?
And if it really is so , as I said Go help yourselves!
Nobody thinks before saying " she shouldnt have been drunk"!
My question is if she wasnt supposed to then why were the guys ?
Just because we are girls?

The Mangalore incident is not hidden from anybody. They were beaten up ending up with tattered clothes or even no clothes just to restrict them to the parameters that our culture has set .. Did anybody try and tell them that they are talking about the same culture which refers to females as purity and Godesses.
I have never heard of purity being assaulted like that .
Did they forget that if the culture sees women as a mother who should'nt be sitting at a bar is the same culture which depicts a man as a father. A child, when born looks at both ,a mother and a father for their future thats where the word 'parents' came from but just blaming everything on the mother has always been the key solution .. so what do we do? We continue with the tradition .. then just grant me this wish by beautiful people. Dont boost about the 'We can change India" notion .
BECAUSE WE CANT!
Like this ? I am sorry .. we are nothing but a shamefull bunch that has not done anything ever!
You guys out there. Trust me if you cant respect a girl,female,women , Life will never respect you no matter how much you try to .
But what is the whole agenda about?
Even if this all stops . one thing wont. Male domination!
Be it anything, marriage,hook-up,one night stand,relationship,commitment. The key point is Male domination!
IT JUST CANT CHANGE...




or can it?
Can we TRY to change it, can we try and look at women like we look ourselves(guys).
Promise one thing to yourself, next time you witness any assault, try and stop it.
Next time you come accross any article of something alike, react to it! Not by turning the page but by writing. Writing to the newspaper or to this post. We can change a Girl's position in society and we already have but not for all .
Lets make India as secure for girls as it is for guys and not give any girl a chance to accuse her nation by saying
Just because I am girl?


Guys, lets Rock It!

Politics-The bitter truth.

Have you ever come across the line "It just happens in politics".
I am sure all of us do and that too everyday! But the fact is that we all are players..Players of this so called dump yard called Politics and guess what we rock at it.
Everybody wants to be and is politically correct and why not? Who wants to be in a trouble anyway?Who should take the responsibility of being honest yet not politically correct?
Not me ? Right ?
The issue is not of plating politics,the issue is of blaming the politicians for the nasty play .
The big question being . why the hell not ? If we do it then why not the ones who are meant to .
Thats the reason they are called politicians..arent they ?
Just saying "I want to be in politics not to change anything but just to gain some experience" is so not gonna help you dude .!Politics can do without educating you and adding to your experience.
"One person can bring about a change" - CRAP!
No ! wake up and the smell the coffee, If you genuinely want to bring about certain changes, dont walk alone like cowards..walk with thousands of believers because if you cant convince those thousand, you can never convince those millions of people staring at you with million more questions in their mind.Dont just be ready to point that finger on anybody, rather try and understand the plight,the situation. Nobody wants to be called "A politician" . Today, ask yourself. WHY ?
Whats the harm. ?
Just one.! Right now you play politics and call it honesty (manipulative enough eh? ) and there you need to be open about it because thats what it asks for .
We're nothing but a bunch of cowards.. you,me, everyone! We just want to hide that so assumed negative point of ours. Be upfront..be daring..be loud,so loud that the country can hear you .
Politics is not just about winning the elections,spending lakhs on the campaigns;boards;banners;pamphlets.
It is not about pulling up rallies for your party,blocking the roads for your own good and then fining people who break traffic rules because it causes nuisance on roads. That is not what it is supposed to be guys,its what now it is subjected to .

Understand India,Love India, Lead India.
We can change it and we will. I am not going to walk alone, I have my mini youth India with me.
Rest is upto you!

Take it OR fight it!

But,next time you bump into somebody who says "Ye sab toh politics me hota hai yaar,wahi hai corruption ki roots" , just ask them one question :
Agar bura hai,toh bura banke dekho.
Corrupt hai toh ek baar corrupt hokar dekho.
Politicians se nafrat hai to khud politician banke dekho.
Unke tareeko se shikayat hai to apne tareeke banaake dekho.
Sirf banaake nahin,Unhe nibhaake dekho.
Ek baar,Khud Hindustan chalaake dekho.


-by the youth,from the youth,for the youth!

Things to remember .

Some dos and donts while you're in the Gurudwara :
Now that its been long that I've been regularly going to the gurudwara(Have no clue how..pheww),there are certainly some points that need to be taken under observations.They might seem funny but trust me..they are surely gonna be of a lot of help ;)

Dos:
1.Please wear something that covers the back when you kneel down cos even if you've got the perfect curves,the aunts there wont be quite eager and satisfied to see those.
2.If you cant arrange for the long ones everyday (ask the sufferers) while kneeling,remember to hold them from the back or it'll be done by some very dis-satisfied aunt around.(as if we're gonna marry her son).
3.Try and get a hold on what's being said in the lines you hear in there.Sometimes they do explain a lot of things.
4.If you're searching for peace,carry a book with you and read it there itself.Believe me,its the best thing you can do to freshen up yourself.
5.Tell your friend that you're going there so that you don't end up listening to "You never have time when we call you".

Donts:
1.Do not carry your freaking cell phones with you !!!!!! Or at least keep them on silent and if you cant do that please don't show your gratitude by coming there .Gurudwara can do without you people.
2.Never DARE to ask your grandparents about the history of the gurudwara.Trust me.you'll soon lose interest in the history and in coming there again.(Experience)
3.Deep neck linings(for girls) are a complete no-no.
4.Pull up the jeans man ! and try and fold them too . I mean we need not prove the phrase "daag ache hain" do we ?Or to prove the power of Rin,Tide or washing powder Nirma(Thora sa powder aur jhaag dher saara..k wateva)
5.Dudes! Get a life and try not to stare girls around you.Dont show the typical nature atleast there..k.

The universal one --> Try and be shut . You can show your Karishma like attitude when you're outta the place :P

So Keep praying and remember: Its not that God's not listening,Its just that he wants us to decide about our omen irrespective of what it brings along.
Because even pure gold is termed to be so after being tested.

The Good Times.

So finally blogging after ages.
The reason I am is cos i so want everybody to know how it feels when you give THE LAST boards written sheet to the invigilation team and you step out of that door and seee bck saying "Asta laveista baby".
Oh God,It is heavenly.
When you put that last dot,when you know that you wont remember a thing when you go back home.When you await your parents to take that sigh of relief,when you know that you whole day about which you started planning before the starting of the exams..Its next to saving yourself from yet another sin.
One day..you awaited since always..when you said"OMG when would it come" and you are living it.
I dun know how my month passed all i know that how my night did tossing n turning and thinking what all will be going around my head when i'll give the sheet.
I always hated boards(very evident from the previous post) but if thats what you feel after giving them .. I can give thousands of them just to re-experience this feeling.
When you know that your mum n dad have lost all the rights to refuse for an outing.
Its just been around 48 hours that it happened and in these 48 hrs,I possible did everything I couldnt in the whole 1 year
Partying,Vodka-ing,laughing so loud that I forgot what tears mean,spending awsum time with friends,going crazy clicking pictures,talking for HOURS ova the phone,having world's he most amazing food n desserts,putting nail paints and changing them a much too often and yes not to forget sleeping as if there's no tomorrow .
Though the school reopens a bit too early..I am happy.
I've been dying to bunk those classes,make fun of the not so polite teachers,sitting and listening music in the canteen,bullying friends,taking those taunts from the guys going like "Koi aur nai mila tha",sitting on the tables,whistling in the corridoors,chewing gums thought you know how your teachers hate it.I miss it..I love it
I AM GOING BACK TO IT !
Now who says that we hate school..who says we hate exams..When the experience after these exams is like a cherry ova the cake and yes! The best cakes ;)

So keep dreaming guys .. cos these dreams are fulfilled and if it takes time..
Sweetheart something **Amazing..!** is coming your way .:D

LEAD INDIA

Ever slept without food and the reason not being that you were too stuffed cos of the heavy lunch or hangout with friends but because of a genuine reason being cos you had no food left.
Ever thought of spending a night in a chilly weather of December not without that blanket but without a shelter and a roof to save from that drizzle
No,its not I am here to give you nightmares or maybe it does not matter to you neither did it do to me TILL the day I met some people who have gone through all this.
Some children who don't know what the word "Parents" actually means cos for them it was the lonely street where they found themselves,they street dogs were there only friend and where working all day long for that 10 rupee note was relevant because their tender and small bodies wanted food to survive BUT sleeping,eating,walking,speaking aint life.
There's a lot that life needs.
It does need a smile,being sure that yes,we do have someone to whom we can turn when we cry but for some,these things don't exist!
One person can not change the world but the world together can change the mindset.
Join hands because sitting in your conditioned rooms,watching your favorite DVD,popping in your delicious tit bits,sipping the sodas and drinks,smiling always cos you have friends to hold you when you fall,sleeping peacefully cos you know that you do have your parents to take care of you and just everything else you might be doing now,may not be enough for you and it never is but do remember it might be a dream or not even that for about 1/3 of the population.
And then,please don't give statements like "Our country will never change" because a change never comes on its own .. A change needs to be brought and that,is so not JUST the government's duty cos the Government is nothing but a sleeping soul..The infrastructure shall never change till the time the people fight for it and NOT get used to it
Walking by a beggar n saying..poor soul! wont help damned it !!
It wont solve problems and wont change things .. There has to be something Big.And it will happen .! We shall do that
LEAD INDIA !! Cos just saying that this golden bird is blind now isn't gonna change nething till we do it .
Think how lucky we are and try to make as many people feel the same.
If it fails once that doesn't mean that we weren't meant to do this . It means that God is giving us a chance to show that we are better . WHICH,we surely are !
Stand up and let the country awake cos we might not be the best generation but we surely are a better generation .
A young India shall do what hasn't happened till date cos being a teenager doesn't only mean those baggy jeans,those funky shoes,junk jewelery,cigarette in hand and everything to which we are always subjected to . But,we are the future India and we shall Rock it. And kick every possible obstruction aside. Lets Rock Guys .!